Living Life with a Capital "C"

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Day 218 - Peace of God

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 256

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com

Notice: this email is part of a BLOG, called Living Life With a Capital “C”. Why a blog? So that many can receive these thoughts in an easy manner. If you are not getting these weekly postings via an email, go to the website: www.leemccm.blogspot.com …in the top right corner there is a place to register to receive each post.

ANNOUNCING: Volume 2 of My Weakness for His Strength is now in print! Available at ALMI. May I encourage you to get one soon!

There are very few ways in which I want to experience God that top this one: HIS PEACE. Wow! So comfortable, so uncomplicated, so perfect.

Michael takes us to a verse that is spoken to Christians. And makes a note that the peace of God is only for Christians. Truthfully, no unregenerate person can ever possess the peace of God.

DAY 218

Peace of God

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. --Colossians 3:15

The peace of God is unique to Christianity, something no other religion offers. It is the gauge in the walk of a believer, for he may not know when it comes, but he will sure know when it leaves. If peace goes when others attempt to focus life on something other than Jesus, then that is not where God wants him. If he is approached with an emphasis other than Him and peace goes, he can just say, "Amen," and walk away. When Jesus is kept as the focus, the believer can forgive, know he is forgiven, and need not get involved in lesser true things, for he has and can cling to the Truth.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green – IT, Incredible Truth

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Michael begins by making a statement that is profound: “The peace of God is unique to Christianity, something no other religion offers.” (my bold print emphasis). How staggering is that?!?

And then Michael gives us the “works” - as we say in Texas about the cheese, bacon, chives, and sour cream on top of a buttered baked potato – you know it when it ain’t there! The peace of God gone is known in the walk of the Believer. For sure!

Aha, thank you, Michael, for giving us the “key” to enjoying the peace of God: FOCUS. FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST. I love that word “focus,” don’t you? Focus drives our doing. When I was playing golf in my younger days, on the tee of that difficult hole that had water on the left and out-of-bounds on the right, IF my “focus” was on either of those…guess where I hit the ball 9 times out of 10. Yes, in the water, or out-of-bounds. But (a “holy” but), when my focus was nowhere except on the fairway, guess where I hit it 9 times out of 10, or more… I worked at training my mind to focus on the fairway!

Anything that comes along to deter or distract us from our focus on Jesus Christ, well, “Amen,” and walk away…keep the focus on Him!

Well, amen! Follow the Shepherd, not another sheep…or, sidetrack…

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness. You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Day 213 - Obsessions

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 255

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com

Life is full of choices, isn’t it? And depending on our focus, we Christians can make wise choices or destructive choices. Maybe we ought to start a recap of what we focus on…by which “direction” our chooser is taking us!

DAY 213

Obsessions

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. --Philippians 4:8

Imagine that the place you are presently sitting as you read this article represents your whole life. Everything in the room holds some aspect of your past, present, and future. Now pick up the most insignificant object that you see, such as a pencil, a coin, or a saltshaker, and slowly move it toward your eye. Keep moving it until this insignificant object blocks out half of your world. Something that is really of no great consequence to the rest of us has become of paramount importance to you. In fact, you will have great difficulty living the rest of the day with half of your vision blocked. This is exactly what the enemy does to believers. He picks something from our past, present, or future and has us obsessing on it until we believe that there is nothing we can do in life until this one thing is resolved. Some obsess so long that they eventually begin to listen to the voice of the enemy telling them that this one thing is so consuming that the only option is suicide! Obsession is wrong in two fundamental ways. First, Matthew 5:36: "You cannot make one hair white or black.” That is, you cannot control the past, present, or future. Second, regret over the past is for unbelievers. It vexes me greatly when I see believers wallow over some stupid mistake in the past. We have a God, He takes our sins, and the proof that He cleanses us from them is the very fact that we are distressed when we think about the past. Therefore, He is to be our daily focus.

Imagine that your mind is divided in half. One half of your mental energy goes to your mate, job, church, family, and hobby; the other half of your thought-life goes to your obsession. If you give up your obsession, what will you do with the vacuum? Philippians gives the secret: focus on Him! One thing I found that makes life enjoyable is to give myself to something bigger than myself each day. So while an obsession is bigger than the person who gives himself to it, God is indescribably bigger than the obsession. Satan wanted Jesus to worship him; the word used for worship is indicative of “giving attention to.” Jesus refused to give His attention to anything other than God. We will not worship an obsession.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green – IT, Incredible Truth

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Michael gives us two fundamental ways obsession should never be a part of our lives. Both are non-entities for a Believer focused on Christ.

1. Matthew 5:36: "You cannot make one hair white or black.”

2. regret over the past is for unbelievers.

When will Believers stop listening to the enemy?

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness. You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Day 211 - No Fear in Love

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 254

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com

Fear is a destructive spirit. But, as God’s people, we have a different Spirit to empower us when any temptation to “fall” captive to worries and fears surfaces (2 Timothy 1:7). Michael gives us one of the most beautiful verses in God’s Word on this issue. Let Holy Spirit bring peace to your heart as you read this day’s writing.

DAY 211

No Fear in Love

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. --I John 4:18

Alex Mathew in India tells of a friend he had, Michael Francis, who had a career and a family when he contracted leprosy. Once his disease had been cured, he stood in front of the hospital filled with fear. Would his family come and pick him up? They did not. He said he had faced his worst fear, the fear that they would not come, and yet he stood. In Jesus, he still stood! From that day he was never afraid again. He sat homeless on a concrete slab in the streets and told Alex, "See this concrete that I sleep on? It is as soft as velvet. I have found it to be the Savior's lap."

What is your worst fear? Have you ever feared what you would do if you lost someone you love? Have you ever feared that the person you love might say to you, "I do not love you; I never loved you”? Have you feared that your inferiority, worthlessness, lack of acceptableness, and deficiency of love might be revealed? It is just fear. When it comes, do you know that if you have Jesus, fear will wash over you like a wave, and you, too, will still be standing? It is an amazing thing to be confronted at last with your worst fear and to find yourself still standing. You will find it a liberating experience, just as Michael Francis did, and you will be free in a new way, knowing there is nothing left to lose, and therefore, there is nothing to fear.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green – IT, Incredible Truth

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Alex Matthew’s friend, Michael Francis, faced his fear NOT in his own power, but in Christ. Christ in him, his hope, delivered Michael Francis from his worst fear. Amen!

And isn’t it amazing that “from that day he was never afraid again.” Hallelujah! That is what “perfect love,” Jesus Christ, is all about. Michael Francis made a choice…to trust and rest in Jesus Christ.

No matter what “life” throws into our path, Michael Wells has shown us that LIFE will keep us where we will “still be standing.” Well, amen!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness. You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696

Monday, August 21, 2017

Day 168 - Is Your Chooser Broken?

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 253

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com

I love this day’s writing as much as any Michael has done…for a couple of reasons. The first is this: Joshua 24:15 was one of the first verses our pastor preached on after we were Born Again. I believe it was Father’s Day, 1980. It served as a catalyst for this new Believer dad to start making good spiritual choices. Secondly, I am in complete agreement with Michael about our “chooser.” Enjoy the truth of this writing, and perhaps make some decisions that will dramatically affect your life from this day forward…

DAY 168

Is Your Chooser Broken?

. . . choose for yourself this day whom you will serve . . . but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. --Joshua 24:15

Many believers act as though their choosers are broken, mistakenly feeling that their wills have been given over to the nearly robot-like control of the enemy. Conversely, they believe the remedy would be to have their wills given over to a robot-like response of obedience to God! In anger they shout, “God does not help me! I told Him to take over and He has not. I am giving up on God!” Either way they are acknowledging erroneously that they cannot choose and must therefore be under another’s authority. If they can choose to get out of bed, what to eat, what to wear, and whom to date; then they have the ability to choose to walk away from sin, bad habits, and all other things that simply do not suit believers. However, there is a beginning place, a first choice, which is accomplished by saying, “Father, I choose Your will. I am too weak to know it or to walk in it, but I trust You to lead me to it. Thank You!”

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green – IT, Incredible Truth

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Incredible, isn’t it? Broken choosers. Easier to choose that position than to choose God’s way and move to Him. Wow!

At “Christ In The Park” (this simple ministry to whomever stops by the table at the park in downtown Nacogdoches, Texas, on Sunday mornings) yesterday, this topic sort of came up. One of the participants said, “I’ve heard it said that folks think it is easier to believe a lie than to believe the truth.” Well, I said, “That’s true, but not the truth!” lol!

Michael always teaches that it is just as easy to choose God as it is to choose the devil and the world. How did the church ever get to “believing” the latter?!? Oh, wait…a simple choice.

Time and space will not permit me to delve into the “double-mindedness” of Christians. It would help explain things. Write me if you care to discuss this further. But for now…

How easy is it to “choose God”? Easy. Make the choice. If you need any “help,” simply use Michael’s words…“Father, I choose Your will. I am too weak to know it or to walk in it, but I trust You to lead me to it. Thank You!” And He will.

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness. You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Day 167 - Is It Easy To Walk In The Flesh?

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 252

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com

Michael makes some incredible points throughout this book (My Weakness for His Strength) on the “flesh.” Today’s observations are just more of his beautiful insights…

DAY 167

Is It Easy To Walk In The Flesh?

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. --II John, verse 4

I am thinking how there exists in the life of the believer a healthy tension that can be likened to holding on to the top end of a vertical steel rod and bending it toward the ground. The farther it bends, the more tension there is. A believer can walk a little in the flesh without the tension’s being so great. However, a large measure of walking in the flesh yields great tension. How long could a person hold a steel rod bent clear to the ground? The longer it was held, the more stress and strain there would be, and what would be the gain from such endeavor? I have observed God's people doing some ridiculous things, and I commented that they would not be able to withstand the tension of continuing in them. I was told of a friend’s departure from his mate to go after another, but I knew his heart for God, and so my response was, "He will not be able to do that!" Oh, yes, he may initially go for it, but I knew he would not be able to bend the bar that close to the ground and hold it. I was right! We must be sensitive to a place of tension, because the flesh simply is not worth it.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green – IT, Incredible Truth

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

It is easy to move into the “flesh.” And so many Believers do this on a regular basis. But, Michael gives us two absolutes that we must heed:

“a large measure of walking in the flesh yields great tension.”
“the flesh simply is not worth it.”

I wonder how many have gotten to the point of realizing both, and have abandoned the practice of “walking in the flesh”?

By the way…have you gotten one of Michael’s My Weakness for His Strength? Volume #2 will be coming out soon also. Have you bookmarked ALMI’s website? Lots of great sharing of the Abiding Life at that site!

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness. You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Day 166 - Is He Always With Me?

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 251

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com

I never realized at the moment (that moment back on May 20, 1980, in Pastor John Morgan’s office when Barbara and I were Born Again) what a dramatic impact our New Birth would give us in so many spiritual ways. 2^nd Corinthians 5:17, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation,” is the very first verse Pastor Morgan showed us in Scripture of what had just taken place. And Michael addresses one of those ways with some beautiful illustrations of just how powerful God’s Presence can be.

And Michael states the foundational bedrock of Christianity…believe God, believe all He has said (His Word). How can so many “go on asking and attempting to understand more” when they aren’t willing to BELIEVE that which God has already brought to their attention??? Michael gave them a name…Unbelieving Believers.

DAY 166

Is He Always With Me?

And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. --Matthew 28:20

I often say that I am preaching my own funeral, and this article will be one such time! I am always confronted with my own unbelief and inability to get the first things right. There are so many passages that need believing before we go on asking for more and attempting to understand more. We obsess over our past. We remember the hurts. We are “dealing” with them. We are struggling. We wish for a different past. Millions are spent on various coping mechanisms for the aforementioned, but in all of it we are avoiding a fact of faith: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.” We do not believe we are new creations. We want the feeling of it, the absence of memory, and something special. We want the fact of it without faith! Again, all that a believer wants, he has already been given, for the Lord has given us EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness. However, if we work for what we have by faith, we lose it. God is with us always, and yet often a busy mother, missing her quiet time, believes He is not with her. Many have not read their Bibles, attended church lately, or perhaps have fallen into the bad deeds of the flesh--or worse yet, the good deeds--and these all believe that He has left them. Is He with us always? Where do we stand in these things? So many spectacular meetings take place to convince us in the flesh of what only faith can assure us, that He is always with us!

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green – IT, Incredible Truth

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

“He is always with us” is not just a simple statement that has little relevancy…it is an astounding truth of great impact!!! Think about this: IF your earthly father could have completely lived inside you, gone with you everywhere you went, you possessed his soul (mind, will, emotions), and he had the power to impact every decision and action you ever had or took... Would life been different? Do you think he would have impacted your life? IF you as an earthly parent… Do you follow my thinking here???

Isn’t it amazing…God indwells every Believer. His Life is “there” wherever we are. And to live His Life through us is what God wants to do through our life. And there is no way He is not “there” wherever the “there” is.

But, how about being given “everything pertaining to life and godliness”!?! I have seen many who don’t believe this…don’t believe this? God has said it is SO. Christ’s indwelling has given us ALL this. It comes with possessing Him!

We need to quit working “for what we have by faith” (or, have been GIVEN!).

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness. You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Day 165 - Intellectuals

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 250

Michael’s book is available through:

Abiding Life Ministries International

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com

The big tragedy in Christianity in America is all the Believers running around carrying their marked study bibles, their hi-tech research and resource mechanisms, and their multi-volumes of sermon and study notebooks…and living lives that are empty, falling apart, and suffering from anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, depression, etc., etc. Wow.

How could “Oh, Victory in Jesus” be absent from the life of a Christian? Well, I think Michael has given us a good reason in today’s writing…

DAY 165

Intellectuals

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. --John 1:14

Some are viewed as great intellectuals, but I have a problem with intellectuals. They sit around a coffee table, do not live life, theorize about it, and never see the outworking of it. I like farmers. They think about something, go make it, and if it does not work, they will not keep making it. To me this is true intellectualism; the work is concrete and can be tested. Intellectuals want others to test their theories while they sit. This is the one thing I appreciate about Hemingway; he tested his life theories and killed himself as the logical end of what he believed.

For all of our culture's listening to "intellectuals," the "experts," and the "open-minded," real-life experience has surely proven that they know not and what they expound does not work. Our society is dying by degrees while educated in ignorance and in what does not work.

God did not give a teaching in the form of a book from heaven for men on earth. A book was not good enough for God. The Word became flesh; the teaching was all fleshed out in Jesus and proven by His life. God did not talk from heaven like an intellectual; He came to earth to show us how life works. The Man who did everything did nothing, since He said it was the Father doing through Him, and He says that greater things we can do. He must mean greater than His nothing. Can we rise to the challenge?

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green – IT, Incredible Truth

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

If “the Man who did everything did nothing, since He said it was the Father doing through Him, and He says that greater things we can do” LIVES INSIDE EVERY Believer, how can so many have lives like I described in the intro? Michael tells us: it’s not KNOWING; it is LIVING. And Jesus PROVED His LIFE is what will give us victory instead of defeat.

I loved hearing Michael talk about Matthew ch.’s 5-6-7 not being a sermon on a mount, but Life On The Mount! This is His coming “to earth to show us how life works.” Knowing the Bible frontwards and backwards (intellect) is not a substitute for His Life being lived out of our lives. Listen to 2^nd Corinthians 4:11,

“For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life

also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.”

Self dying, Christ living. That is Life As A Christian…Jesus’ Life lived through us…an integral part of His being IN us.

To access ALL past weekly blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital “C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com

NOTICE: another blog on Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the Wilderness. You can access by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com

Lee McDowell Christian Ministries

(email) leemccm@gmail.com

P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches, TX 75963 936-559-5696