To all Generations

Psalm 89:1    I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Have you ever considered that God is Trans-generational? Ponder this: His gospel and His grace are trans-generational. Trans-generational – this means something that spans all generations. Our God is not fixed to a past generation alone. Nor is he limited to the current generation, nor one yet to come. He and all His attributes, abilities, and actions are for all generations. 

Picture this: in the great choir of God’s family, the elderly stand first and lift their voices, somewhat faint and feeble compared to the youth, and they with a seasoned melody of the heart sing of His mercies and faithfulness. Then the middle-aged saints rise with a stirring in their bosom and join the chorus and with heartfelt praise and rejoicing for the God of those who started the chorus. The youth then realize the God of all glory Who has been merciful to them. Upon hearing grandparents and parents sing, the youth are reminded that though this is the song of their forefathers, it is also the chorus of their own heart. Now they join in the song of His mercies and faithfulness. Then in this great assembly, the little children who know the God of their salvation rush without hesitation to join brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers and grandparents to sing of the God Whose mercies and faithfulness are for all generations.

Shame on us, for the many times we have segmented our song in testimony of God’s mercy and faithfulness to a “certain generation” that is easier to tell and have neglected the others. 

This day forward, make the testimony of your heart and mouth to a lost and dying world, one that is “to all generations.”

He Knew Her

A few years ago, on a warm late spring afternoon, I walked through a cemetery to the graveside service of Mr. Ernest Wyrick, a Naval Veteran, faithful Christian, and father to one of our missionaries. 

The short walk to the grave site let me see a grave that stopped me. The marker read, “Baby Girl Swain - May 15 - May 16, 1951.” I thought, “She lived one day on earth and had no name.” 

As a father and husband, I thought of the ache within the hearts of her parents in 1951. She would have turned 66 this year. Yet she had no name, nothing to designate her from any other citizen of earth. Who knows about this one day old child called, “Baby Girl Swain?” 

I looked ahead and saw Mr. Wyrick’s flag-draped coffin and his military escort getting into place. I knew I must move along to stand with the family and friends to bid adieu to the body of a loved one. 

I took my place at the grave. The Scripture was read. The 15 gun-salute engaged, “Taps” was played by a Sailor, and the Word of God was read and the flag from a grateful nation was presented. 

I was a bit numb. Baby Girl Swain’s existence permeated my thoughts. I reminded my surprisingly hurting heart that God oversaw the homecoming of Baby Girl Swain in 1951. He also welcomed the arrival of Mr. Wyrick this past Sunday night in the midnight hours. You see, while few or none on this side may know Baby Girl Swain, God knew her.

It was then the Psalmist’s words came to mind from Psalm 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” Who knew Baby Girl Swain? God. He knew her. He knew her from before the world began. She is with Him now.

God brought comfort to my heart. He knows all about her. He knows all about me. 

Will your death be precious to Him? Life is short. Death is certain. Be prepared.

There will come a day when I will see Mr. Wyrick again and Baby Girl McSwain. Will you?

He Hears Me

Psalms 120:1   In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

A short time ago, I was in an office where there were two moms who had 4 children between them from age 2 months to 3 years old. Each child was engaged in different activities. Occasionally as one child ran into a situation he interpreted as needing his mother’s attention, he began to cry aloud because of his difficulty. 

I was engaged in a conversation with one of the mothers when all of a sudden amidst all the other noises and cries from the other children she said, “Oh, that one is mine; excuse me.

What a precious thought to consider that the billions of people who cry aloud in this earth are all heard in God’s omniscience. However, when the distress of one of His children is uttered, the Heavenly Father hears that one and is attentive to our need.

Have you considered that the Lord of Glory is tuned to your distress frequency? When you broadcast, He is listening. Since Christians are constantly pursuing friends who will listen to them, why not turn to Him instead. You know His listening.

There is Forgiveness

Have you ever realized that God's forgiveness comes so men will fear Him?    

If you consider the public sins of our leaders today, you would think the banner of forgiveness being held highly by man is solely to excuse the behavior of the sinner. The dangers in our churches and society today are the people who believe forgiveness is to excuse sin for social harmony. Then this ideology breeds into our churches and homes and we begin to think forgiveness is to excuse sin. This ideology stands orphaned from God's word when we consider forgiveness from God to man is for man to fear Him.   

How much fear of God is in your household today? How much fear of God is in your church today? The lack of fear in our homes and churches may be stemming from our forgetting why His forgiveness is granted. Have you been forgiven? Have you a fear of God?   

Calling the Father

Psalm 138:8   The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

The child looks at the hose she's attempted to unravel for the past hour. She tugs. She pulls. She pushes. Yet nothing seems to work. The hose will not untangle. Frustration rages in her mind. This task shouldn't be hard. Yet it is hard. 

Just then she hears her father whistling and coming around the corner of the house. She cries out, "Daddy! Daddy! Please help me. I can't get this untangled." 

Lovingly, her father stoops to sweep her up in his arms. He offers her a hug which melts her frustration.

"Now, what has you so frustrated?" he said. 

"Well," with flailing arms waving and exasperated tone, "I tried to move the hose so I could wash my doll house. I can get it to stretch over there. It is a tangled mess." 

Her father spoke with calming tones, "My dear little princess, you watch and let me fix this hose the way it should be, then we can get that house washed." 

Her father's hands took the hose and, in less than a minute, had it all untangled. She watched in a amazement. Her one hour of frustration was dissolved in one minute when she left the tangled mess to her father. She embraced him and then ran to her dollhouse where she watched him wash her dollhouse.

The Psalmist declared that he knew his Father could take the tangles of his life and make it better. He said it in this artful way, "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me..." The word perfect is the idea of bringing to a place of finality or an end. The implied idea is completeness; God can take life's tangles and make it better.

Consider the Person (the Lord) and the Promise (will perfect) in this verse. God is distinctly aware of my present frustration. When I will leave it with him, I can rest in His promise.

What's your tangled mess? You can push, pull, prod, and poke all you want. Yet if you allow this problem to get to the hands of God, He will perfect that which concerns you.

Avoid the Cleave

Psalm 101:3     I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.  

Have you ever dashed into a convenience store to pay for gas or get a soft drink only to come out and discover that the clerk’s cigarette smoking has lingered with you? You may have even said, “I never want to go in there again because I smell like smoke when I come out.” 

The Psalmist in our focus verse today is singing of his determinations in his walk with the Lord. Nine times in this song he states, “I will.” Five times more he states, “I shall.” David, having been through much in his walk with the Lord, knew the dangers of entertaining the visual images of sin. He then harmonizes the words of our focus verse today. “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”

I see this as a three-fold determination. It is the resolve of his hand, heart, and head. He states that his hands will not put anything of the works of evil before his eyes. Some have said this idea is not permitting one word or work of Belial to come into view of the eye gate. 

The second resolve was that of his heart. He was not going to permit his heart to become infatuated with sinners and their sins. The apostle Paul expressed this virtue in his ballad of Christian charity in 1 Corinthians 13:6a. Christian charity never rejoices in iniquity. Spurgeon wrote, “Hatred of sin is a good sentinel for the door of virtue.” In the area of the ways of sinners, the resolve of the heart must be earnest.

The third resolve was that of his head. He made up his mind that the wickedness of sinner and their sins would not cleave to him. 

Bless the Lord

Psalm 103:1   Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

I read this verse just this morning in my quiet time before the Lord. The verse would not leave my thoughts as I continued to read the Psalm. The phrase “Bless the Lord” echoed in the chambers of my heart. I paused as I contemplated the definition of the word. I knew the definition of the word but its essence was out of my grasp. Webster gave me 9 definitions to consider. But that was not what I wanted. I wanted to know deep within my bosom, what does it mean to “Bless the Lord?” Is it some papist maneuver to exhibit before followers? Certainly not! Is it some gesture we can display to God? I think not! Is it solely some deed we can perform? No! 

Yet we have before us the Holy Spirit-inspired command to “Bless the Lord!” When you read the rest of the verse, it is then you realize the essence of the phrase “Bless the Lord.” Blessing the Lord is an inward determination that erupts in an outward expression back to God. Blessing the Lord is our expression of unfettered praise to him.

When we bless the Lord, it requires the involvement of our soul. When we bless the Lord, it requires the instrument of our spirit.  When we bless the Lord, it requires the instruction to our senses.

With the definition in heart and the essence in hand, the psalmist gives five areas that should elicit this kind of blessing. 

He has Forgiven us; Bless His Name! 

He has Healed us; Bless His Name! 

He has Redeemed us; Bless His Name! 

He has Crowned us; Bless His Name! 

He has Satisfied us; Bless His Name!

Outsource Your Decisions

Proverbs 3:5-6   Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Today you will make scores of decisions. Some decisions are perfunctory. (Open your eyes; get out of bed; brush your teeth) Other decisions bring consternation. (Who do I marry? What job do I take? How do I manage this crisis?) Why can’t every decision be easily made?

The Word of God is not silent on the matter of the decision making. The wisdom writer, inspired by God, wrote this in Proverbs 3: “... and he shall direct thy paths.” Decision making gets easy when God directs my path. His direction removes the burden of failure or stress that comes with our constant re-thinking or hesitation when we make unilateral decisions. 

There are three principles that brings ease to decision making. They are found in the oft-quoted yet neglected passage, Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Trust only one source. Trust in the Lord. My ability to make decisions is directly related my heart’s confidence in God. It is a wise believer who places his confidence in God exclusively. When I trust Him, what He says becomes easy to do. Any other source of wisdom is imperfect.

Take only one lifeline. “Lean not unto thine own understanding.”  The popular game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” inserted a phrase in our vernacular. “I’ll use a life line now.” The show offered three life lines: Phone a Friend, 50-50, and Ask the Audience. The believer should use only Phone a Friend. That friend must be the Lord. If you use the other two, “50-50” or “ask the congregation,” you will only find frustration. 

Turn only to one person. “In all thy ways acknowledge Him.” Acknowledging Him is the process of outsourcing my decisions to God. It removes stress and possibility for failure. God’s Word is the place where I acknowledge Him. Anytime I replace His wisdom with mine or another’s, I am destined for stress and second-guessing myself. I must have one source for decision making; it must be God. Anything less leads to poor decision making and its inherent stress. Our friends and leaders are imperfect people with biases. It is time we look to the only One who is always available and right. He is the only One who will make right decisions for me.

Is a tough decision yours to make today? Any decision based on your own understanding will lead to frustration and failure. Today, outsource your decisions to God and His Word. You will find the peace mentioned in 3:2. Isn’t it time that peace follows all your decisions?

When You Can Remember

Proverbs 10:7   The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. 

God allows us this wonderful tool of memory. The ability to recall events, emotions, and the friends associated with those thoughts is a gift from God. 

Can you imagine if you had no ability to recall something, someone, or somewhere? Can you envision a life that existed only in the present and without any recollection? Can you fathom what a life without memories would be?

I am grateful that God allows us to sort through fond and precious recollections of dear ones who’ve completed their earthly sojourn. The recollection of friends who’ve gone before us is like taking a few steps up into our mind’s attic to reflect on memories shared and moments experienced. Your moment to reflect upon friends may bring smiles, laughter, tears, and warmth. These recollections are precious.

The Holy Spirit made clear to us in this verse that, “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.” I am glad that the fond recollections of your friend are blessed recollections; it indicates they were just. Conversely, a wicked person's name rots with them. 

If you reflect fondly upon a friend, family member, or colleague, remember this: you're able to do so because they were just. Thank God for the gift of memory. Thank God also for the influence your loved one had on you and yours.

Marvel Not at a Post-Christian America

SCOTUS' decisions on same gender marriages leave those with a Biblical worldview troubled. We are troubled at America's steps toward a post-Christian America. This is not the USA's first step on the path toward a post-Christian society. It is the next logical step for her to take.

In the past four decades, we’ve allowed the world to dull our senses to righteousness. The world's music, television programming, and spirit of tolerance all desensitized us to their ways and caused the Word of God to slip from our hands and hearts. It is no surprise when one looks toward the cities of the plain, as did Lot, that he ends up in the midst of Sodom rationalizing tolerance and embracing unfettered access to the flesh.

The world sang us their songs; we hummed with them. The world displayed their Godless lifestyles; we watched. The world offered us a message of tolerance and we assented with our silence. The world demanded our participation in their will; we were absent at the voting places.

Now, the Supreme Court, programmed with this philosophy, rules in favor of what is abhorrent and abominable to God. They do so under the guise of tolerance and fairness. God's word states it simply in Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."

A Biblicist would do well to recognize the USA is now a post-Christian society. The will of the people is greater than the Word of God. The laws of the people disregard the Word of God. The pleasure of the people ignores the Word of God. (See Genesis 6:5)

The reproach of our society is our nation's choice to please self with the perverting of justice and judgment. Solomon spoke to this in Ecclesiastes 5:8. "If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they." We tend to marvel at these things like the Supreme Court's decision. Remember, God is higher than the highest in our land. God's Word states that we must not marvel.

We must speak out, when in the past, we were silent. We must stand in the light where we once stood in the shadows. We must share the Gospel where we've been most selfish. We've spent millions to turn the lights on around the world in missions and perhaps never noticed how Satan's ilk were turning off the lights here at home.

The tide of a post-Christian America can be stemmed if the silent speak up, stand up, and show up for duty. Let's spend less time marveling at the perversion of judgment and justice and spend more time on our mission to declare His glory among the heathen.

After the Fall

Proverbs 24:16   For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

It seems that the opponents of good will reach out and trip you from behind on ground you’ve already covered. Tripping someone else isn’t kind, nice, or fair. But, like my father used to say, “Son, whoever promised life would be fair?” 

Life has both “seen” and “unseen” obstacles. Life’s visible obstacles are easy to avoid. You see them as you approach and you change your course to miss them. But it’s the unseen obstacles that trip and stun us the most. 

There is no perspective like the one seen from when you’ve fallen because of being tripped. You see life from ground level. You look around and see what tripped you. You look to see who might have seen you fall? Ultimately, you decide how quickly you get up off the ground.

When life trips us, we have a choice. Will we whine about the person, event, or emotion that tripped us? Or will we get up and keep moving?  The tripper wins when we whine about it! God’s people get up and keep moving. 

Seasons - a Time for Change

Recently, the weather here was cold, rainy, and dreary in appearance. My wife and I walked outside and she said, “Did I ever mention I hate winter?” 

I smiled. I said, laughingly, “No, I did not know it.”  

The change of seasons brings along new vistas. Invariably it makes us long for our preferred season. However, each season plays its role in preparing and ushering in the next season - which may be our favorite season.

Life is full of seasons. There are seasons of growth, work, harvest, and rest. However, I have noted in my short sojourn on earth, that each one brings something else God needs me to see. 

Life, like the seasons, changes. We can shudder and resist or we can embrace and learn from God’s seasonal changes for us.

No matter the season, determine to discover what God has for you. While you may prefer one season above another, right now, He prefers this one for you. 

Water Drawing

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

A beauty of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is that our soul benefits not only in eternity but also here on earth. Here our inspired prophet Isaiah writes of wells of salvation. This certainly is not inferring that there are many ways for one to be saved. Rather it is suggesting there are many locations during your sojourn where you will be refreshed. 

Three things are clear to me from this passage.

1. Isaiah writes of the manner by which we should draw water. “With joy”
2. Isaiah writes of the certainty of being able to draw water. “Shall ye draw water”
3. Isaiah writes of the quantity of places to get water. “Out of the wells”

Have you a thirst today? Come not with drudgery but with delight. Praise His name for we have wells for refreshing, dug by Him, for our benefit! Let joy be your disposition as you come for refreshing. 

Wonder no longer of whether there will be water in this well. The promise is clear: “Ye shall draw water out!” What confidence we have knowing when I need refreshing I can come, knowing I will be refreshed. 

What is that you say? You came once and did not find refreshing. Two things are certain to me if that is your reply. You probably came so filled with other things you had no thirst. Furthermore, you probably came out of duty and not delight.

Know this: there are many locations from where we will discover the refreshing of our salvation. Ready your bucket and visit the well of Scripture, the well of the Spirit, and the well of Saint’s fellowship. These are just a few of the wells from which we may draw during our earthly sojourn. You will find the quantity of wells abundant and the refreshing overwhelming. 

Are you in need of refreshing today? The Wells of salvation await you!

I Choose Joy

Habakkuk 3:18   Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Several years ago, I attended my son’s last SIGMA banquet at church. The banquet was done with Faith Baptist church’s usual panache; it was thematically a 50’s style diner. 

The fun setting stood in contrast to the nostalgic reminiscing that this was John’s last one as he would graduate soon. Kimberly, who normally would express her joy with her smiles and tears, made an unannounced decision to choose a different emotional expression for this event. She chose the path of joy. My wife’s tender spirit is among her greatest assets. Yet in her indomitable spirit, she chose joy. 

Her choosing joy made me realize how much I love her. Furthermore, it made me realize that, in any situation, we can choose any response.  I hope no matter what comes your way, you will choose joy!

A Salt Spreader

Matthew 5:13    Ye are the salt of the earth 

In our house we have Hawaiian Red Alaea salt, Kosher salt, sea salt, and “normal people” salt. I think we have normal salt; I’d have to find it for you, but it’s here somewhere. It would be rare if we served food that was not accentuated with one of these salts. Each salt has a character, flavor, and purpose. 

In cooking, I choose a salt based on the food being prepared and its intended flavor.  Similarly, the Master Chef, God, has chosen the right salt for the right task. He chose us to be salt for the earth. It was one of the first items on the task list of God to His children.  Each of us may have a different character and flavor, but, we all have the same purpose. The earth needs our saltiness.

The only hope for man without God is for believers to be salt. Be a salt spreader!

Cry Yet!

Zechariah 1:17    Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts…   

Many times in the ministry, we encounter an unhearing, unheeding, and unyielding people. Zechariah faced a lazy, listless, and lackadaisical people. His field was full of people who came out of the captivity, laid a foundation to the temple, and stopped working. Their malaise lasted 16 years. During this time, there was no building, no battling, and no blessings for God’s people.   

Zechariah’s contemporary Haggai had been called two months earlier to the same field. Their ministries were similar. Preach to a people who lack the desire to accomplish anything for God. Preach to a people who have strayed and drifted from God’s word, work, and will. They were to preach the people to obedience.   

It is the preamble of this verse that captures my attention as I consider the work of God's people today. God calls upon Zechariah to “Cry yet.” Many a believer has been tempted to end his preaching to a people who seem to have no interest in surrendering, serving or standing for God.    

We can take courage from God’s charge to Zechariah. Have you a field that is full of unhearing, unheeding, and unyielding people? “Cry yet!” Have you a people drifting, discouraged, and defeated? “Cry yet!” Have you a place of service that seems to be forgotten, forsaken, and frustrating? “Cry yet!”   

“Cry yet!” What a challenge for all. We must “Cry yet!” because we have His Call. We must “Cry yet!” because we have His Commission. Simply, we must “Cry yet!” because of His Compassion!   

Difficult days, difficult fields, and difficult experiences do not preclude us from the task before us. Together, let us determine until His return to “Cry yet!”   

Serenaded by the Savior

Zephaniah 3:17   The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.    

The prophet wrote of a day when the remnant and residue of God's people would experience removal of their past sorrows and the time when the trauma of their fears would be abated. What event would bring this to pass? Ah, it is “the Lord thy God who is in the midst of thee.” His arrival will be punctuated by His might. What a thought:  His might in our midst.   

The world points to the might of athletes, politicians, and nations. The day will come when the world will only have one direction to point toward.  The Lord is in our midst; their pointing will turn from a horizontal direction to a vertical one.   

Yet the greatest thrill for this servant of the Word is the rapturous thought of being serenaded by the Lord of Glory. His delivery from all evil (v15) leads to eternal moments of rejoicing over the remnant, a resting in His love and then the moment when the LORD our God releases the joy of His heart that has come from this reunion of the remnant with their Redeemer and serenades us with the song on his heart.   

The very thought of being serenaded by the Sovereign elicits hope of a day better than this one.

When Correction is Needed

Ezekiel 16:1-2   Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations. 

During the course of my son’s child training, I let him know about his offenses. Can you imagine what would happen to my son if he never knew what he did wrong? Can you imagine what would happen if he had no one to reprove him or his actions? It would not take him very long to become lawless and eventually a law unto himself. His behavior would reveal my character flaw and my sin in not admonishing him.    

In our verse today, the Lord goes to Ezekiel and commands him to make Jerusalem, His daughter, know that her moral and ethical behavior were abominable. His very mission would offend and hurt but God knew it was necessary. Had God not sent a preacher to preach messages to her He would not be God. Correction, admonition, and exhortation are needed when God’s people go astray.    

When misbehavior arises in God’s people today, we must have preacher who will cause the people to hear what God says about their sin. Let us not run from preaching against sin. Are you a preacher, parent, or person in the light? Let us not walk in fear of reprisal when admonition from God’s word must be preached. Let us embrace this truth: God does not want His children in error. God will correct us through the preaching of His word.   

Have you a man of God who will stand and cause you to know your sin? Thank God this very day if you do! Thank God for His word; if we will but read and heed it today, it will reveal our errors.    

Do You Believe?

Matthew 9: 28   And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea Lord.

Believing God sometimes becomes a perfunctory academic experience. We will say, “Yes, I believe God can.” The truth is that we believe the semantics of what he says. We believe the theology of what He says. We believe historically what He says. We even believe the logistics of what He says.

These men had heard of Jesus. They had heard of his ability to heal.  They knew his person, position, and power. Yet when Jesus confronted them with the all-telling question, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” They had to answer not based on what they had heard, knew, or felt. They had to give an answer from the heart. 

He questioned their personal faith. This was not what He had done for others but what He could do for them. They had to determine that they believed for themselves. Not the faith of their community. Not the faith of their family. They had to answer based on their faith.

He questioned their practical faith. This is their blindness. They could not see. They had faith to follow but now needed faith to believe they would see. They knew blindness. They knew darkness. Yet if they believed He was able to do what none other could do, they would see.

He questioned their philosophical faith. They had to take the testimony of their friends and family about this one called Jesus. They had to believe in someone they could not see. They had to take a “blind step” of faith. This challenged their known existence. 

When faced with the Divine’s question, they responded, “Yea, Lord.”

What about you? Do you believe God can take this dark situation in which you are surrounded and bring you to light? Do you believe God is able to do for you what He has done for others held hostage by this same problem?

May I repeat the Lord’s question? “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” God’s ability is never in question; it is generally our faith that comes into question.

The “Demas Strategy”

2 Timothy 4:10   For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica…

“Don’t waste your life!” I heard the preacher exclaim with passion. The preacher of the church I visited in Florida had lost yet one more family to the world and was not going to keep losing families anymore. This family had walked closely, worshipped frequently, and witnessed regularly. Though they had surrendered their time and talents to the Lord, they failed to yield their will to Him. 

Satan saw this before this preacher did. Satan led a full assault on this family. In a couple of weeks’ time, the family was out of church, into drugs, and distant from the One they claimed to love and serve. What happened? 

Though you do not know this family, I believe you could replace the elements with ones mentioned above with ones more familiar to your heart. Satan has not grown weary of using this ploy to dissuade God’s people in their service for Him. Satan used the Demas strategy to entice them away. 

This verse reveals the sad story in just fifteen words. It reveals to us Satan’s “Demas Strategy.” Satan used the seduction of the world to entice him away.

• He offered Demas “Easier Times.” Let go of his responsibilities in the ministry. 
• He offered Demas “Easier Living.” Look around and see the treats of this present world.
• He offered Demas an “Easier Future.” Leave it all and head 425 miles south to Thessalonica.

Whom do you care about that is having a Demas experience? Find him and warn him. Find him and work with him. Find him and engage in a prayer war for him. 

What did you say? You say your friend fell to Satan’s Demas Strategy? He can come home from Thessalonica! The road home is long, rough, and will leave many scars, but he can return home. 

Oh, but you say, “Preacher, I am the Demas. I thought that the easier times, easier living, and easier future Satan offered would be worth it and they’re not. What can I do?” You can come home from Thessalonica! The path you took to Thessalonica is the same path home. Start today!