LIVING ON PURPOSE

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 12/25/23

Every day is a new opportunity to begin again

I hope everyone is having blessed holiday’s with family and friends. Spending time with those you love is much more meaningful than all the customs and traditions. The same is true with our spiritual lives, as it comes down to our personal relationship with God and the peace and joy we have living in His presence. I’ve spoken with several people over the last few weeks who have no family and spend holidays alone. However, they rejoice in the hope that comes from knowing God and trusting Him in everything.

The New Year is a perfect time to examine where we are and where we would like to be and to appreciate all the good things that the past year has given us and all the blessings that are yet to come. January means “beginning” and as we plan our resolutions, they will most likely include developing physical, emotional, and spiritual lifestyle changes. You notice I used the word developing because our goals are often a lengthy process. For example, eating a salad or taking a walk today is not going to automatically make us healthy, but it’s a positive first step that will pay off if we can embrace that secret weapon called perseverance. Let’s believe that anything is possible and just like all things in life, as optimism is a learned behavior, being diligent and determined are important components of personal transformation.

A lot can happen in a year and not everyone is in the mood for celebration. Many had difficulties and are trying to find the confidence to keep moving forward. Some have lost loved ones, or have received a negative health diagnosis, while others are filled with joy at the arrival of a child or grandchild, a new job, being wed, or buying a new home. As glasses are raised and fireworks explode into the sky, it’s important to remember that character is the ability to carry out a realistic strategy long after the excitement of the moment has passed. If after a couple of weeks, you sense you are failing do not allow discouragement to intimidate you. May we realize that every day is a new opportunity to begin again. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “Learn from yesterday, live for today, and have hope for tomorrow.”

There have been many adaptations from the original Al-anon credo that encourage everyone to be realistic about trying to change everything all at once, as it’s important to realize that changing who we are is a lifestyle and not just a whim. No one else can do this for us. We must see our need to change and be willing to do whatever it takes to be victorious. There is nothing wrong with having long-term goals, but it’s also important to focus on our mission one day at a time. Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “How few there are who have the courage to own their faults, and the resolution to mend them.” It would be better to take it slow with permanent results than to go through the motions quickly become overwhelmed with frustration and eventually give up.

I’m sorry for what many of you walked through last year, and we know that God is the only one who brings spiritual comfort in times of sorrow. Read John 14:27. I encourage you to think big and believe that nothing is impossible as you consider the old saying, “A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what a ship is built for.” May we begin each day with gratitude and forgive those who have wronged us. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, as Christ God forgave you.” Let’s laugh more and take the time to consider those around us and how much they mean to us. We have the choice to see the glass half-full and to bring hope and love at a time when the world needs it the most. John Bunyan is quoted as saying, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

Our decisions contribute to our destiny and having a clear conscience is the path to living in spiritual contentment. Edith Lovejoy Pierce is quoted as saying, “We will open the book. The pages are blank. We are going to write the words ourselves. The book is called Opportunity, and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 12/18/23

Understanding why we need a Savior

The author of this story is unknown and it has been told by many people throughout the years. The gentleman to whom I’m going to introduce was not a scrooge, but a kind, decent man and generous to his family and upright in his dealings with other people. He just could not understand how or why Jesus came to earth to save us from our sin. It did not make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. “I’m truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, “but I’m not going with you and the kids to church this Christmas Eve.” He went on to say, he would feel like a hypocrite and this year he would much rather stay home. He would just wait up and read until they returned. And so, he stayed behind as the family went to the candlelight service.

Shortly after the family drove away, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched as the flurries were becoming heavier and then went back to his chair in front of the fire to finish reading his newspaper. A short while later he heard a thudding sound…then another, and then another. His first thought was that it sounded like someone throwing snowballs against his living room picture window. As he opened the front door to investigate, he found several birds huddled miserably in the snow. They’d been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter, did not realize the glass barrier was keeping them from entering the safety of his home. Well, he could not just let the poor creatures freeze, so he had an idea that the barn that housed his children’s pony would provide a perfect place from the storm if he could only figure out how to direct them into it.

Throwing on his coat and rubber boots, he headed out into the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on the light, but the birds did not move. Figuring that food would entice them to come in, he hurried back to the house, grabbed some bread, and started making a trail of crumbs to the lighted stable. But to his dismay, the birds paid no attention and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. Trying to catch them became comical as they were too fast and his attempt to herd them by waving his arms only made things worse as they scattered in every direction except where he wanted them to go. Suddenly, he realized they were simply overwhelmed with fear. I must seem like a dangerous and terrifying giant he thought, if only I could think of a way to let them know they can trust me.

If I could just convince them that I’m not going to hurt them and sincerely want to help them. But how? Whenever I move they go into a panic and seem to be confused and suspiciously determined to not let their guard down. Then it dawned on him, if only he could become a bird, he could mingle with them and speak their language. Then hopefully they could come to know me and learn there is no need to fear. I could show them the way to a safe and warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, hear and understand. At that moment the church bells began to ring through the crisp stillness and as he stood there listening to the melody of “O come all ye faithful” he thought about how most people, (including himself) are generally afraid of God and have a difficult time with faith. Hmmm…God sent His Son to redeem those who will trust Him.

The man felt convicted in his soul and realized for the first time that God became a man and is our only hope of eternal salvation. Christ had to somehow prove His love and dying on the cross became that way. After all these years he finally understood the incarnation and why he needed a Savior. At that moment, he humbly fell to his knees in the snow and asked God to forgive him and save him. This year, in the hustle and bustle of shopping, decorating, and the feasting, let us rejoice in the real reason for the season. From my family to yours, may Christ be the center of your Christmas.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 12/11/23

Rebellion hides behind the mask of pretending

Last week we talked about how common it is for many Christians to talk about how they love, worship, and serve God, but could some of this be their imagination? Maybe a misunderstanding or could it be a deception? There are sobering Bible passages that talk about our works on earth and our heavenly rewards such as Matthew 7:21-23. “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” What could this mean?

We’ve heard it’s not how much we do, it’s about knowing His will and doing what He says. It’s not popular, but even good deeds are not rewarded if we are doing them for the wrong reasons. It should be no surprise that religious service can become a routine where we just mindlessly go through the motions. Paying sincere homage to God has nothing to do with trudging through traditional rituals just because someone said we should do it. Even if everyone we know believes a certain way, we must know what God is speaking to us. We notice a passage in Matthew chapter 15 and verses 7 through 9, where Jesus stands boldly against people who pretend to be something they are not. “You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draws near unto me with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Have you ever been guilty of playing the game?

Sin is not something that sneaks up behind us and captures us against our will. We know about sin and always have the choice to ignore it or entertain it. This is called “freewill” where we decide what is good and evil and this can be traced back to the Garden of Eden when Eve and Adam decided to disobey God. No one made them eat the fruit the same as no one makes us daydream about sin and partake of it now. Romans 12:2 declares that our mind must be transformed and renewed so we will not be controlled by the desires of our carnal nature. Living holy is possible, but no one said resisting temptation is easy. We might sing about being a dedicated warrior for God, but is this something we spend a lot of time praying about?

Sin is like one of those prickly burrs that cling to our clothes when we walk in high weeds. We can ignore them, but eventually, we have to sit down and intentionally pull them off because they will not let go on their own. Sadly, there are more people than we can imagine who do not want to resist their sins. Some people are sneaky and can wear a mask even in the church and do not want to hear about how it’s wrong to live a double standard. These Jekyll and Hyde characters are filled with pride about their ability to disguise themselves as followers of Christ when they have a closet full of things they would be embarrassed about if they were exposed.

Our sin hurts God. He sent His Son to die for our sins and yet some people love these sins more than they love Jesus. How can we love sin and love God at the same time? In Luke 6:46 Jesus says it like this, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and refuse to do what I say?” This is not a fluffy statement in the least. Romans 6:16 reminds us, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness?” There are only two choices and our actions prove who we love. As painful as it might be, we recall the old saying, “Actions speak louder than words.”

When Christians can be comfortable in their sins, they have crossed the line into an apathetic and dangerous attitude. The Holy Spirit will convict when someone drifts away, but we can ignore Him and fall deeper into a backslidden state. God is calling for all of His lukewarm sheep to come back into His fold today.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 12/11/23

Rebellion hides behind the mask of pretending

Last week we talked about how common it is for many Christians to talk about how they love, worship, and serve God, but could some of this be their imagination? Maybe a misunderstanding or could it be a deception? There are sobering Bible passages that talk about our works on earth and our heavenly rewards such as Matthew 7:21-23. “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” What could this mean?

We’ve heard it’s not how much we do, it’s about knowing His will and doing what He says. It’s not popular, but even good deeds are not rewarded if we are doing them for the wrong reasons. It should be no surprise that religious service can become a routine where we just mindlessly go through the motions. Paying sincere homage to God has nothing to do with trudging through traditional rituals just because someone said we should do it. Even if everyone we know believes a certain way, we must know what God is speaking to us. We notice a passage in Matthew chapter 15 and verses 7 through 9, where Jesus stands boldly against people who pretend to be something they are not. “You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draws near unto me with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Have you ever been guilty of playing the game?

Sin is not something that sneaks up behind us and captures us against our will. We know about sin and always have the choice to ignore it or entertain it. This is called “freewill” where we decide what is good and evil and this can be traced back to the Garden of Eden when Eve and Adam decided to disobey God. No one made them eat the fruit the same as no one makes us daydream about sin and partake of it now. Romans 12:2 declares that our mind must be transformed and renewed so we will not be controlled by the desires of our carnal nature. Living holy is possible, but no one said resisting temptation is easy. We might sing about being a dedicated warrior for God, but is this something we spend a lot of time praying about?

Sin is like one of those prickly burrs that cling to our clothes when we walk in high weeds. We can ignore them, but eventually, we have to sit down and intentionally pull them off because they will not let go on their own. Sadly, there are more people than we can imagine who do not want to resist their sins. Some people are sneaky and can wear a mask even in the church and do not want to hear about how it’s wrong to live a double standard. These Jekyll and Hyde characters are filled with pride about their ability to disguise themselves as followers of Christ when they have a closet full of things they would be embarrassed about if they were exposed.

Our sin hurts God. He sent His Son to die for our sins and yet some people love these sins more than they love Jesus. How can we love sin and love God at the same time? In Luke 6:46 Jesus says it like this, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and refuse to do what I say?” This is not a fluffy statement in the least. Romans 6:16 reminds us, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness?” There are only two choices and our actions prove who we love. As painful as it might be, we recall the old saying, “Actions speak louder than words.”

When Christians can be comfortable in their sins, they have crossed the line into an apathetic and dangerous attitude. The Holy Spirit will convict when someone drifts away, but we can ignore Him and fall deeper into a backslidden state. God is calling for all of His lukewarm sheep to come back into His fold today.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 12/4/23

Do sins we commit in secret only hurt us?

The sin of Achan found in Joshua 6:17-19 is a powerful example of how one person committing evil in private can negatively affect their family, church congregation, or place of employment. “Now brother, what people do is their own business and it has nothing to do with me. If people want to cheat others, or lie, curse, and steal, or watch porn, what’s that to me?” I can tell you what God’s word says about it. Being dedicated to others through the bond of our word, and especially if we are a spiritual family bound together in a sacred covenant with God, our association with them means we represent them and we are accountable for our attitudes and actions. Listen to this story found in Joshua chapter 6 and how what this one man did in secret became devastating to those he loved and everyone he was committed with.

Israel had just conquered the city of Jericho in an amazing display of God’s power and favor. The Lord had instructed Israel to not take any of the spoils of war for themselves but to devote “everything” to God. Very specific and when God makes a command He is not just kidding around. Remember Lot’s wife was told to not turn around and look at the city as they were fleeing. She did and turned into a pillar of salt. Anyway, during the heat of battle, Achan saw an opportunity to make a few bucks, so he took a fancy garment, 200 shekels of silver, (about $300.00 in today’s value), and a wedge of gold (worth about $25,000.00 today) and buried it in his tent. No one saw what he did, and he did not even tell his family. How many parents and church members have secret sins hidden in their closets that no one knows about, all the while acting like everything is fine?

The next battle was with a small city called AI which should have been an easy victory, yet Israel’s army became paralyzed with fear and in the chaos, thirty-six of their soldiers were killed. Wives lost their husbands and children lost their fathers. Joshua and the elders fell on their faces and cried out to God because they did not understand what in the world had happened. God said that someone had disobeyed His orders and that He had withdrawn His blessing and favor in this military confrontation. This was not just an individual crime, it was a national sin that affected everyone. The sin of one part was the sin of the whole. When one succeeded they all were victorious, but when one failed, they all failed. Do you believe this “one body” analogy is still true today?

We should also notice that God was personally involved. It was, after all, His nation. Today we see that it’s also His church, and the way His people conduct their lives is of intense concern to Him. This story contains a clear illustration of sin’s leavening effect also mentioned in Galatians 5:9. This wicked deed was not just going away. Until a correction was made, the damage was increasing. The Lord told Joshua what to do and through a lengthy process of investigating, Achan was brought before Joshua, and he confessed what he had done. He had stolen from the Lord. Joshua sent servants to dig them up and the items were brought before him and all the congregation became a witness.

What was the sentence? Here is chapter 7 and verses 24-26. “And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? The Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over them a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore that place was called, The valley of Achor, and is unto this day.” Does this story bother you? It does me. Next week we will discuss more about secret sin and whether God has become more lenient in His discipline.

Dr. Holland is a Christian minister, author, and community chaplain. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published November 27, 2023

Loving God is knowing His will and doing it

Most of us have heard the 1969 song, “More Today than Yesterday” by the band Spiral Staircase. The chorus says, “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.” I had not heard it for a while, but I’m sensitive to music and often a song will trigger my emotions and then I start asking the Lord about what is the hidden message within the music. It’s a catchy tune that has a happy bounce to it, much like what someone feels when they are in love. However, despite this song being listed as what is called, a “one-hit wonder” it has a powerful spiritual consideration that goes far beyond the idea of two young people daydreaming about each other.

I thought of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and wondered why we do not think about God as this song talks about being infatuated with another human. What a powerful declaration to tell God that our love for Him will grow stronger each day. The concept of falling in love with God and then building and progressing in our intimate relationship with Him is not in the same category as going through the motions of a religious ritual. The measuring of our fervency is mentioned in God’s word as hot being filled with the Holy Spirit, while the lethargic attitude is commonly referred to as lukewarm, and the backslidden state where we have drifted far away from God is depicted as being spiritually cold and desensitized. Where would you estimate your spiritual condition today?

I’ve been writing Christian music and leading church worship services since the early eighties and have discovered the ultimate expression of worship and adoration is “I love you.” We can try to find more verbal attributes that describe how we feel about the one we exalt and praise, but there is nothing in our vocabulary that can go beyond or be more convincing than these three little words. Some individuals have never really come out and said, “I love you God” and many others have not said it for a long time. When was the last you said, “God, I love you?” Another consideration is why we say we love Him. Is it because of all the things He gives and does for us, or is it just because of who He is?

I’m reminded of our earthly relationships, and I will focus on our spouse. Do we love them for the way they look, for what they do, for their talents and skills, for their finances, or for their personality? What if they became sick or they could no longer provide an income? What if they were diagnosed with a disease and started to look old and nothing like they did when you first met them? What if they were in pain and could not pay attention to you like in the past and life completely changed from the way it used to be? Would you still be committed to love and cherish them for who they are? This is our holy vow and the covenant way God unconditionally loves us and the same way we love Him.

It’s somewhat disturbing when a Christian feels uncomfortable worshiping God. Many will say, what do you mean? I go to church and sing songs, and when I’m in the car I’ll occasionally listen to a religious song. The point I’m making involves two different concepts of worship. The first one is understanding what the reverential fear of God is and being aware of His presence, which this level of spiritual connection actually has very little to do with music. The second and opposite concept is a non-threatening, non-sacrificial approach to knowing and loving God. Singing can be worship, but not all singing is worship. This view combines God and church as an hour of paying respect where both can be appeased at the same time. Sadly, for many, it is often superficial and meaningless as true repentance is avoided and exchanged for a temporary attempt to ease a guilty conscience.

If we were stranded on a desert island and had no church, communion, or music, it should not affect our prayers, meditation, worship, service, or abiding with God in the secret place of His presence. We should be just as comfortable with abiding under the shadow of the Almighty outside a church building as we are inside. Doing religious “things” does not always mean we worship or are in love with God.

To learn more about the Christian life visit billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 11/20/23

Giving thanks with a grateful heart

We just celebrated Veterans Day and are so thankful for being able to live in a country where we are not being held under the terror of a dictator. Our son is a Marine and we have always been very proud of him. He was injured in the service and has suffered every day since, but he keeps pressing forward and does the best he can. My family has personally suffered loss from war and has a deep appreciation for the sacrifice these men and women have made to protect our country.

My uncle, Kenny Maye was killed in Korea and I have his dog tags, casket flag, and a rare military photo of him. He was only 20 years old in 1950. His cousin Thomas was drafted with him and his body was never found. He is listed on the MIA memorial in Hawaii. They were so young, and very little remains of their existence. I often wonder about the lives they could have had. For everyone who has served and for those who paid the ultimate price for this great nation, we thank you.

You may wonder, how you can honor our military. On Memorial Day you can pay respects to the fallen by attending memorial services within your community, laying flowers, and planting flags on graves at your local Veterans cemetery. Veterans Day is an opportunity to do the same, but it is also an appropriate time to show your appreciation to friends and family who have served and are still living. You can also recognize Veterans Day by flying the American flag outside your home, visiting or volunteering at a Veteran facility, attending honor guard events, and, thanking all Veterans for their service. As a chaplain for a Veteran healthcare facility, it’s humbling to help those who were willing to die for us. You do not have to wait for a national holiday to show your gratitude to service members. Any day is a good day to support Veterans and show your appreciation.

I’ve always enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday with my family but many times I find myself being distracted from the intended purpose. I must confess that between football, turkey, and pumpkin pie there is not always a lot mentioned about why we are thankful. So, what is the real reason for the season? Well, traditionally it’s simply a time we set aside to give thanks to God for what He has done for us. I know in my own life, I’m grateful to Christ for allowing me the opportunity to learn and grow in my relationship with Him. I realize there are hard times and many problems and difficult situations, but all in all, we are recipients of God’s love and mercy as He longs to surround us with His peace.

I published a book a few years ago called, “A Lifestyle of Worship” and it’s about becoming determined to develop an awareness of God’s presence in all we do to have a clearer understanding of what He is saying. It’s a deliberate act to continually concentrate on how worthy He is of our love and worship! “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34:3). Our Thanksgiving holiday is more than a day off from work, a traditional ritual, or a black Friday sale, it’s a state of mind where we can appreciate our relationship with Christ every day. It’s wonderful to have a roof over our heads, good health, a loving spouse, children, and grandchildren, but what about the opportunity to serve God? What about Jesus sacrificing His life so that all who believe can live with Him forever?

Thanksgiving is to be a season where we count our blessings, but many of us have become spoiled. We are so distracted with trying to control our lives, that we forget that declaring Him as our Lord means we only do what He says. What we think about has everything to do with what and who we love. Having a grateful heart is the result of being transformed by a renewed mind and this only comes with knowing God. So, we see that Thanksgiving is not only expressing our appreciation to God, it’s being dedicated to doing His will. Those who desire to know Him personally will discover that we do not love Him for what He can do – but just for who He is.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 11/13/23

Jesus does not want us to be a bench-warmer

I’ve watched Kentucky basketball since I was a kid and I admit that sometimes I do get a little carried away. I was reading an article a few years ago and was intrigued by a comment from the father of one of the players, who by the way was a top 10 NBA draft pick. He was asked about the first time he recognized that his son was going to be a special player, and he explained that it had a lot to do with the way he held the ball even at an early age. He went on to say his son’s body language revealed a deep bonding connection, like reverential respect and a level of love and commitment that was more than a whim or impulsive fad. This vision became the heart and core of his imagination and his determination could not be stopped. You may have already figured out where I am going with this.

Sometimes a story or a phrase captures our attention and when I thought about these comments, I went straight to my office and began writing. I’m not being negative for being passionate about our gifts and talents, but when it comes to priorities, there is nothing wrong with checking the intentions of our adoration. Most everyone has interests and hobbies but if our ultimate love is not for God and people then we could be dedicating our worship to something else. I began to ponder; do I read my Bible with excitement and anticipation like that young man holds a basketball? Is my mind constantly focused on a desire and zeal to accomplish God’s will? Do I spend as much time in prayer and study to become all that God has called me to be as he does in the gym practicing for a championship? Laziness and apathy are a formula for failure, especially in God’s kingdom. No doubt this explains how a sluggish attitude is the reason that many of us have spent too much time on the bench instead of being a starter on the front line for His service.

It has been said, that nothing significant has ever been accomplished without passion and this especially applies to our relationship with God. The Bible is a direct connection to who God is and what He wants, so when we neglect His instructions we are actually ignoring Him. His Word is living truth and the most incredible navigation device on earth because it can literally speak divine wisdom and direction into our mind and spirit. So, if we believe His promises are perfect for our lives and they never fail, the problem seems to be more of a lack of enthusiasm on our part than God is difficult to understand or trust.

You would think the Bible would be the most highly sought-after and trusted resource in the world but it is usually the last resort. Why? Well, we could make a list of reasons and excuses but to save space and time, we should go ahead and acknowledge the number one answer is “love” or maybe I should say the lack thereof. What do you mean? Too often, we only think about God when we need Him instead of because He is the center of our lives. The reason why you and I do not spend 5 hours a day practicing basketball is because we do not love it that much and the same is true with all the other topics and subjects in life. I need to spend 5 hours a day in prayer and then I might have enough spiritual discernment to know what He is saying. Am I really too busy for God?

We invest our time, energy, and enthusiasm into what has captured our hearts and we will always give more attention to what or who we adore. This sounds elementary but actually, it’s so profound it goes right over our head. We can attempt to justify and make excuses, but in the end; we choose how we live. Most of us know what we should do, but sadly our rebellious nature against God is usually more persuasive than our willingness to obey Him. If we only had a stronger passion for developing an awareness of His presence and becoming more like Christ, we could become a champion for His glory.

Dr. Holland lives in Central Kentucky with his wife Cheryl, where he is a Christian minister, author, and community chaplain. To learn more about Jesus and the Christian life visit: billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 11/6/23

God is not only watching, He intervenes

Late one stormy London night in 1763, a man filled with despair was determined to end his life. He hired a driver to take him to the river and was convinced that if he could only cast himself into the depths of the Thames, his agony could be finally put to an end. He was unwavering in his resolve as he stepped down from the carriage and as it pulled away; he walked through the fog toward the pier and suddenly noticed a strange figure sitting there, staring at him as if he had been expecting him. In the awkward silence, he also observed the tide was extremely low and decided that maybe he should try something else. Returning home, the desperate man decided to poison himself with an overdose of laudanum, a potent drug derived from opium. But he couldn’t raise the bottle to his lips. He tried again and again, however each time; it was as if an invisible hand was pushing it away. Finally, he attempted to hang himself from the door frame, but after losing consciousness the rope snapped, and his housekeeper revived him. For reasons he could not conceive, it seemed something was trying to prevent him from ending his misery. That man was William Cowper, the famous English poet, and this had not been the first time he had contemplated suicide, only to be held back by peculiar forces.

Cowper battled depression and felt that he was unworthy in the eyes of God. His parents introduced him to a therapist who was a Christian where he presented the gospel to Cowper and often prayed with him. One day, while reading the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John chapter 11 and about faith and salvation in Romans chapter 3, God opened William’s eyes to the reality of the grace and hope that God was offering. Here is what Cowper wrote in his journal about his experience. “Immediately I received the strength to believe in Christ, and the full beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me. I saw the sufficiency of the atonement He had made, my pardon sealed in His blood and all the fullness and completeness of His justification. In a moment I believed and received the gospel…my eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport; I could only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with love and wonder.” He accepted God’s grace, leaving him in awe and filled with joy.

Soon after, he sought a fresh start and moved to a village called Olney where he met another man who had also experienced God’s mercy in a season of great desperation. It was John Newton, the celebrated Anglican minister who had earned a reputation for the convicting power of his preaching. Cowper moved into a house next to Newton and experienced a sense of peace from Newton’s friendship and care. Newton understood that for the fragile poet’s life to find purpose, writing would need to be a part of his recovery. He encouraged Cowper to turn his creative talents to composing Christian songs, and the two collaborated on a collection of nearly 350 works known as the Olney Hymns. Through the years, countless souls have found spiritual comfort in the beautiful music written by these two men. Newton is best known for his most famous work, “Amazing Grace” inspired by his miraculous rescue at sea.

Cowper is not only remembered as one of England’s greatest poets but also composed many hymns of his own including,“There is a fountain filled with blood” and “God moves in a mysterious way” which proclaim the merciful intervention of a God that loved him and wanted to save him. Cowper knew first-hand that our journey is filled with constant warfare, and confirms what John Bunyan said referring to this life as, “A valley of tears.” For those who sense that doubt has overtaken hope or maybe you are just feeling lonely and sad today, be encouraged to know that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. The Lord designed your destiny before you were born which included a very special mission that He is trusting you to accomplish for Him. Do not allow your emotions to deny the joys of God’s truth. A line from Cowper’s Mysterious Way poem, “For God is His own interpreter and He will make it plain, in His own time, and in His own way.”

Read more about the Christian life and order your books for the holidays at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 10/30/23

Is it true we can live in peace?

Have you considered that worry and anxiety is an issue we can control? Many within the medical world agree that stress is not a lurking monster that forces us to be afraid, but rather our negative thoughts are a nurtured response to what we see and hear. In other words, our assumptions become empowered when our emotions embrace them. Thus, if we can learn how to re-wire or renew the way we think, we can begin to walk in victory over fear which we blame for ruining our happiness. We’ve heard about going to our “happy place” a seemingly magical location where we can take refuge from whatever is threatening our security. But what is this about? It can mean different things to different people, but for those who have a relationship with God, it’s a secret place in the deepest part of our soul where we can commune with God and embrace the safety and joy of His presence.

I remember a movie where a young girl was experiencing severe panic attacks. Her family would lovingly remind her to go to her happy place, and she would close her eyes and begin to control her breathing. As she blocked out what was happening around her and focused on comforting thoughts, she would eventually calm down. As Christians, we are reminded that Jesus is a type of strong tower where those who are fearful can run into Him and be safe. When we become entangled with spiritual resistance and allow the enemy to control us, we are consumed with hopelessness and can hardly focus on anything else. But when we trust God’s promises and allow Him to carry our burdens for us, our confidence is ignited as we press forward in the freedom of His peace which passes all understanding. II Corinthians 4:8-9 declares, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down but not destroyed.”

The social, cultural, and political environment is spiraling into darkness, and the current destructive wars are truly disturbing, but as Christians, we should not be surprised. Those who know and listen to the Lord have discernment and understand this falling away from spiritual truth and lack of commitment to the church was prophesied and will continue until Jesus returns. The Bible and the Christian faith are mocked more than ever, and those who follow Jesus are being persecuted. So what are we to do? We can hide in the shadows, or we can stand on God’s truth that never fails. Yes, there is a way we can not only survive in these last days, but we can thrive in the name and power of Jesus Christ!

God’s promise that “No weapon formed against us can prosper” is a wonderful confirmation of how the mountains and giants will always try to intimidate us, but if we obey God’s voice they cannot defeat us! Anxiety, confusion, depression, stress, and worry are caused by being consumed with fear about the future, while guilt, regret, resentment, anger, sadness, and every type of unforgiveness, are powerful feelings from our past that can hold us in spiritual bondage. I was listening to a sports commentator the other day as he was explaining how a positive mental state is a critical factor when it comes to success. He mentioned a football team that had recently lost a game by barely missing a field goal with no time left on the clock. The intensity of this gut-wrenching loss was multiplied by the fact they had been defeated by this opposing team 30 years in a row. He was sympathetic, yet making a point that if they could not get past this intimidating attitude of weakness and discouragement it could continue to control their destiny.

God has a plan for His children and is waiting for us to step forward and say, “Here I am, send me.” May we realize that God never intended for us to allow our disappointments and self-pity to defeat us. They are the opposite of faith. It’s time to surrender our will to God and give everything we have and all that we are to Him. Yes, there will be serious difficulties but He is with you now and desires to fill you with His love and encouragement. It is said that it is never too late to become what you might have been.

Dr. Holland lives in Central Kentucky where he is a Christian minister, author, and community chaplain. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 10/23/23

The greatest love ever known

I stumbled upon this story a while back that has been retold many times, and as I read it again recently, it caused me to think about God’s love which cannot be measured or fully comprehended, and I wanted to share it with you today. It’s listed as an allegorical short story called, “To Sacrifice a Son” written by Dennis E. Hensley and was first published in a Michigan Baptist Bulletin in 1967.

There was once a train bridge that spanned a large river. During most of the day, the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river parallel with the banks, allowing ships to pass through freely on both sides of the bridge. But at certain times each day, a train would come along and the bridge would be turned sideways across the river, allowing the train to cross. A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place for the trains to cross. Every evening the switchman waited for the last train of the day, and as dusk was falling, he saw a headlight.

He stepped to the controls and when the train was within a certain distance, he turned the bridge into position, although to his astonishment, he found the locking control was not working. If the bridge was not locked in position it would wobble back and forth at the ends and cause the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river, and this was a passenger train with many people aboard. His small son had spent the day, and in a panic, he told him to stay there and he would be back shortly. The man then ran across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a control lever that he could operate manually to lock the bridge in place. He would have to pull the lever back firmly as the train crossed.

He could hear the rumble of the train, as he took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply all of his weight to keeping the bridge locked. He kept applying the pressure as many lives depended on this man’s strength. Suddenly, from the direction of his control shack across the bridge, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold. “Daddy, where are you?” His five-year-old child was crossing the bridge to look for him. He cried out, “Run! Run!” but the train was too close; the boy was confused and it was evident he would never make it across the bridge in time. In the same instant, he thought about letting go of the lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety. But he realized that he could not get back to the lever in time for the train to pass safely. Either the people on the train or his little son would have to die. He made his decision.

The train flew by safely and no one was aware of what had happened. Not one person had noticed the devastated figure of a sobbing man, on his knees in agony, nor did they realize the torturous pain that he and his wife would have to live with after losing their son. Yes, it is truly heartbreaking to think this would ever actually happen, however, we are reminded of a true event and the greatest act of love that has ever been known when God gave His only Son to be crucified so that all who believe can be eternally saved from sin. Can there be any wonder that He caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken on that day? And how He must feel when we are so busy with little thought or appreciation for the price He paid so that we could have an opportunity to know and love Him.

The good news is that Jesus rose from the dead, and now sits on the throne with the Father. Likewise, those who give their lives to God in this life are promised to reign with Him in the next life. There are popular songs that talk about the greatest love ever known, but they have forgotten about God. Maintaining a reverential fear for The Almighty and a relentless awareness to obey Christ is only given to those who recognize how desperately they need Him. This covenant vow of love bonds Father and child together forever.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 10/16/23

We cannot share what we do not have

Recently, I spoke about a wonderful man who is a member of our church, and if you recall he just turned 95 years young. His name is Charlie and since then I’ve had the privilege to spend some time with him. I listened intently as he shared his amazing testimony about what has been going on with him for the last couple of years. He said throughout his life he had been a person of few words, a quiet person who just minded his own business and kept his thoughts to himself. He believed his low-key demeanor was interpreted by those who knew him as someone unfriendly, and as a result, was shunned and ignored. When his wife passed away not too long ago, he was left all alone and began to struggle with how he had felt like an outcast for his low-key personality. 

A while back after listening to a sermon by our pastor about the importance of personal evangelism, after the service he found the courage to say, “You mean the Lord wants me to ask people if they know Jesus and if they are not close to God, I should invite them to church?” Our pastor said yes absolutely, and this was another confirmation about what he knew the Lord was speaking to him. Charlie told the Lord he was sorry for being so unfriendly, and the more time he spent praying and asking God to take control, he could sense that he was being changed in the deepest recesses of his soul. No doubt, I was seeing this miracle, simply with the fact that he was communicating with me with such honesty and sincerity. The words were flowing from him so eloquently, I would have never known that just a short time ago this would not have been normal for him at all. 

Sharing this new chapter in his life touched me and inspires me to know that at any age God is ready to bring His tools and begin serious renovation if we will simply reach out to Him in faith. The old saying is true, if we are serious about asking God to bring personal transformation within us, we better be ready for our world to be turned upside down. There is no way we can suppress our joy and excitement about Jesus if we have been saturated in the glories of His presence. This past summer he wanted to rededicate his life to Christ and was baptized because he could not remember ever being baptized. So with this new boldness and enthusiasm, Charlie starts becoming somewhat of a social butterfly by greeting and speaking to people, witnessing, smiling, and just demonstrating more of a friendly and receptive disposition.

I will go ahead and give you a spoiler alert, the amount of change that all of us have the potential to undergo will have everything to do with our level of love for others. As we move closer to God, we are filled with His love for us, and this in turn will spill out toward others. You’ve heard another old saying, “If you want friends, show yourself to be friendly.” Within the Christian faith, we are to be known by our love and how much we genuinely care about what others are going through. I’ve mentioned the key to becoming a more spiritual person and that is spending quality time with the only one who can change the mind, conscience, and spirit of a human being. We can be used by God to tell them and love them, but it is God who has the power to transform us.

I pray the Spirit will haunt us as children and servants of God to embrace our responsibility to not just go to church, but to spend time with God in prayer which will empower us to walk in the awareness of His presence. A couple of crucial words within the Christian life are conviction and burden. Conviction is a blessing as this allows us to know the Lord is trying to speak to us, and the more sensitive we are, the more likely we are to develop a burden for the lost. The reason why the average Christian does not pray or share their faith is because being filled with His Spirit is not a priority. Becoming constantly aware of His voice requires a desire to train and control our mind which is an intentional act of self-discipline.

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 10/9/2023

It’s never too late to learn new things

Growing older is not an excuse to stop advancing in our faith and our prayers. Confess that you have energy and stamina, a sound mind, spiritual discernment, and a desire to live an active life. If you have worries, give them over to God and trust that His promises to protect and take care of you are true. If you feel you’ve lost your sense of purpose, God can help you get back in the race and find personal fulfillment that can restore confidence and feelings of self-worth. Allow me to add, that if there is something you have always wanted to do, today is the perfect time to begin. When we stop learning, we stop living.

Is it true we are as young as we feel? Some are mumbling I don’t feel so young – ha! My grandmother did not act her age and was a force of energy. When her hair started turning gray, She would dye it red (she was a natural redhead) and was always laughing and giggling. She was an optimist and saw the good in everyone, except of course the really bad people. She was happy! Why? Because she decided in her mind to be happy. This means the way we view life, and ourselves is what people see. Have you known someone who acted old when they were young? My grandmother was active, and hard-working, with an old-school “you can do it” attitude. She was such an inspiration to all who knew her and I will always remember her “glass-half-full” personality.

I’ve noticed at 65, that I have good days, and days when I’m tired and it feels like I’m being attacked with negative emotions. I realize we all have these up-and-down times, but one way to battle sadness and discouragement is to listen to music that cheers our hearts and lifts our souls, or maybe read some inspiring stories of how people overcame seemingly impossible situations. How about asking a good friend to go out for a nice dinner and a movie, maybe a museum, a concert, or take a weekend trip to see something interesting? Someone said you count your age by your friends and not years.

A friend confessed to me recently he had drifted away from his daily Bible study time and it caused him to feel agitated and stressed. When he straightened out his priorities, it reminded him of shoveling coal back into the boiler like an old steam engine. Doing what we need to do is difficult, and will take sacrifice, concentration, and perseverance. As we have mentioned before about our responsibility to be the caretaker of our garden of thoughts, if we don’t like the weeds, we can surely get rid of them.

Another great perk to being retired is we can stay up late and sleep as late as we want. My mom frequently tells me she’s tired and I encourage her to go ahead and take a nap, she can do whatever she wants without feeling guilty. The same thing goes for eating. I realize some people are on special diets, but if you are relatively healthy, why would you deny yourself a special treat of your favorite food now and then? At 85, Mom tells me she intentionally bypasses the snack aisle at the grocery and I can’t help but laugh. My sister and I tell her that if she wants something, for heaven sake’s enjoy it! Besides, who doesn’t like an occasional trip to Dairy Queen?

Keeping the fires of our dreams and convictions burning allows us to keep pressing forward with new challenges, and keeps us enthused with faith, peace, and hope. Watching television can become so boring that it can put us in a coma, which means becoming motivated will include having to redirect our attention. It takes discipline to be focused on anything worthwhile. Ask God for more energy and consider taking supplements and vitamins with your doctor’s approval of course. There are many opportunities to help others such as volunteering at the library, a hospital, God’s pantry, your church, or some type of outreach organization in the community. Learn to play an instrument, research a topic you’ve always been interested in, write a book, write letters to those you love, go for walks, start a prayer journal, and intercede for those in need. Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “It’s not the years in your life that’s important, it’s the life in your years.”

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, author, and chaplain. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 10/2/2023

Letting go of enthusiasm wrinkles the soul

I dedicate much of my writing to providing positive and encouraging words of hope and inspiration, but I also must be truthful, we are growing older. I apologize for reminding us about that, but instead of all the negative attributes of aging, we should embrace it more like we are a fine wine that is becoming more delightful and appreciated. Those of us who are noticing a few gray hairs and aching joints, relax and count your blessings. It is God that has allowed you and I to be at this place and time and to enjoy each day with those we love. Being older allows us to use what we have learned from our past and to apply it to our lives today, and also share this hard-earned wisdom with those who love and respect us. Aging is not about a number, it comes from abandoning our excitement and zeal. The years may wrinkle the skin, but letting go of our joy and enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.

As we head into fall, (my favorite time of the year) I realize many of you who read this column are probably living in this particular season of your lives and have received the blessing of a long life. Speaking for myself, I was so thankful for making it to retirement, (I was a bi-vocational minister) and for the last few years, it has been a pleasure to go back to school, become involved in volunteer work, writing books and newspaper columns, and leading worship at church, (which I love), traveling, and enjoying my grandchildren. It’s humbling to realize that many have not been this fortunate. For me, this season of life has been some of my most enjoyable and productive years and I look forward to new adventures, being with family, and to see what other experiences He has planned for me in the future.

I am one of the ministers at our church and we are honored to have an older congregation filled with wonderful people who love God and have served Him for most of their lives. I’m fascinated with how many people I know who are in their eighties and nineties and are feeling good. I spoke with a man the other day who was sharply dressed, had a sparkle in his eyes, and was having no serious health issues. As we were talking, I asked how old he was and he said the first week of October he would be ninety-five. I could hardly believe it as he looked much younger. I asked him about his secret to long life, and before he could answer another man who just turned eighty, stepped in and jokingly said it was his wild, late-night party life. Ha! I think that taking care of ourselves is important, just like regular maintenance is wise with anything we want to keep in good working order.

Another blessing that many older individuals have is the blessing of a sharp mind. I know many people whose minds are just as fully functional as any younger person. My mom is 85 and I cannot tell any difference in her mental cognition from when I was a kid. She is in good health, feels good, drives anywhere she wants and lives independently. I’m a chaplain at a Veteran Health Care facility, and I enjoy talking with the interesting men and women who live there. Many of them are in their nineties and they know more about current world events than I do. They have been around the block a time or two as they say, and are also very knowledgeable about the Bible. I love to hear them tell fascinating accounts of their lives and funny stories. I hope I can maintain a vibrant attitude as they have.

I want to propose a toast to you today and give God all the glory for the good life you have lived and for all the wonderful things He has called you to do. You worked hard and planted a lot of good seeds and are now reaping the blessings of that harvest. This is a time to celebrate the transition from what we once thought was important to what we now know is truly important. It is said that growing older is like climbing a mountain: the higher you advance the more difficult it becomes, but the further you can see. Never regret growing older, it’s a privilege that many are denied.

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, Christian author, and chaplain. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 9/25/23

Take a quiet walk and talk to God today

Jesus Christ loves you, and he desires to spend quiet time with you. Our heavenly Father beckons you to draw near to Him and promises that He will respond with compassion. As we go about our busy day, we often do not realize His presence, but like the Sun we do not always see, He is always there. May we listen with our spiritual ears, and be aware that He is always trying to communicate with us. Psalm 46:10 declares, “Be still and know that I am God.” The Lord of mercy and forgiveness is watching over you as a gift of his endless mercy and grace. He cares about your disappointments and heartaches. He adores you.

Time on earth is short, here today gone tomorrow, but eternity will last forever. Each person has a spirit, and every spirit will either live forever with God or forever without Him. Jesus was born into this world, was crucified, and rose from the dead so that whoever believes in him can be spiritually born again and transformed. His blood paid our ransom and forgave our sins. Christ, the spotless lamb of God willingly gave His life and now is waiting for someone to give their heart to Him. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and those who embrace him as Lord, are renewed and prepared to be a vessel of honor. Our heavenly Father is preparing a home in heaven, for all who will live, love, and trust Christ as Redeemer and Savior.

God created you as a unique, one-of-a-kind individual. There is no other person like you. He drew a blueprint for you to follow and wants to intervene, inspire, and empower you to accomplish His plans. It is not about our will, but His will be done. The question is who will do what He says and love Him just for who He is? In this journey, you will have tribulations and trials but do not be afraid or discouraged. If you are born again, greater is He who lives in you, than he who is in the world. God is in total control and has complete authority over all powers and principalities. His angels are all around you and Jesus never takes His eyes away from you. He has engraved you on the palms of His hands.

Within our mission and calling, there are two great commandments above all the others; We are to love God, and love one another as ourselves. If we choose to take up our cross and follow the Lord, we will live in the peace and joy of His presence. He is holy and desires that we have a clean heart so that we can walk closely with Him. Forgive those who have trespassed against you and sincerely pray for them as this will set you free from being offended. Holding on to resentment and hatred is a snare trap and will make our hearts calloused and cold. Be humble, give your anxieties, anger, and fears to Jesus and He will give you rest. Demonstrate His light of forgiveness and discernment that you may dwell in the secret place of the Most High.

He knows our pain and sees every tear. You are His precious child. Trade your bitterness and sorrow for His unspeakable joy that is filled with the hope of His glory. It is in loving and giving that you will find true contentment. Offer up your fervent prayers and burdens for the souls that are lost and hurting. When you reach out to help those in need, you are reaching out to the Lord. Jesus is the Bread of Life and He is the living water. Those who come to Christ will never be spiritually hungry or thirsty again.

Always remember that God’s promises cannot fail. Lean not on your own understanding but believe that your steps are ordered by the Lord. There are times when the way will grow dark and it will seem like you are walking through the valley of death but fear no evil. Remember, you are fighting in a war that has already been won. His word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. Run into the name of the Lord and rejoice that you are safe and secure. Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Father is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is waiting for you to reach out to Him.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published – 9/18/23

Breaking free from distorted thinking

We continue the conversation about those who occasionally think about what their life might have been like had they made different choices. It’s true that if we had decided to make other choices our lives would be different, but what most people fail to consider is that we would be the same person. A painful reality is the reason why people are not satisfied is because they are not happy with themselves. We might like the idea of changing everything around us, but what about the need to be personally transformed by the renewing of our minds. If we sincerely prayed and asked God to change who we are, we would not be fantasizing about how great things would be if we could do it all over again. We have all made mistakes, but it’s God that helps us to become the person He died for us to be. If we do not have His peace and contentment in the life we have now, we would not have it in any life we could dream of.

We mentioned Solomon and his negative view of life. Vanity in it’s basic sense is considered a form of self-idolatry in which a person begins to see themselves as someone who deserves praise for the sake of their own abilities and accomplishments. If this lofty and calloused attitude is not eliminated it can cause a delusion so powerful it can prevent the divine grace of God from being acknowledged and accepted. Psalm 2:2-4 says, “In his arrogance, the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”

Have you noticed the wealthy and wondered how they became that way and thought if we had made wiser decisions we would be like them? We all have. Our emotions can run wild with envy and the enemy can whisper his condemning accusations about how we are a loser and being a failure is our own fault. We are not robots, and it’s common for all of us to dwell on missed opportunities while wondering what the future holds for us. Our nature is competitive and has a tendency to judge and measure what we are doing and compare it to others. These thoughts can become planted deeply within us and if left unattended can even change our personality. When I say unattended, I mean they must be uprooted and not allowed to conform us into a pessimist.

Envy and jealousy are usually secret sins, hostile but subtle emotions that are like a parasite that quietly drains the joy out of our soul. For example, if we have dreams of being successful, but things have not turned out as we planned, this can cause a painful infection of bitterness in our soul. Especially when we see others living the abundant life we wish we had. We can wear a smile, but within our conscience we are weighed down with depression and the seldom acknowledged reality of unforgiveness toward ourselves.

It’s very easy to fall into the snare trap of measuring our popularity, wealth, talent, awards, education, material possessions, and family, with others who already have all these things. The bottom line: we believe all these blessings will give us the respect we desperately seek. Seeing ourselves as someone who has missed the window of opportunity to achieve these dreams causes wounds and bruises in our self-confidence. Low self-esteem causes us to be apprehensive and can keep us in the shadows of frustration and sadness.

What can we do? We must realize we are being deceived by wrong thinking, and not what is going on around us. Remember, we are the caretaker of our own garden of thoughts. You are a unique individual that must take control of your emotions or they will surely take control of you. Resist the temptation to compare who you are with what others have, or you will never break free from the agonizing prison of feeling worthless. Being excited to play with the cards you have and trusting God to transform you from the inside out is a huge first step toward being satisfied, joyful, confident, and filled with His peace. We cannot go back and change our decisions, but we can press forward and make excellent choices like this.

Dr. Holland is a Christian minister, counselor, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 9/11/23

We only have one chance to make it right

The other day I was speaking with a person I’ve known most of my life, and he asked me if I could go back in time and live my life again, what would change. You would think this would be a question from someone who has maybe suffered and now contemplates how much better life would have been if different decisions had been made. However, this person has been very blessed with a nice family, decent health, and more wealth than they will ever be able to spend. It’s true that many people are just never satisfied and often even a great life is not really appreciated. Instead of thanking God for all the good things we have, some will spend their lives daydreaming about a life that could have been. The truth is they would still not be satisfied. Jesus is the only person in heaven and earth that can give true peace and contentment whatever the situation.

With fantasizing about this, I’ve heard others say the only way they would possibly even consider going back is if they could know what they know now. Good point, as I realize that going back for a do-over without this knowledge would risk making even more mistakes and being worse off than the first time. Even as a young man making foolish choices, I still believe that God was with me and was trying to guide me into the life that He wanted me to live. But what makes us think a second chance would be the charm? We learn and develop from our failures. Often, we do not recognize God’s presence at the moment, but hopefully, we can look back and see that He not only wants to save us spiritually, but also physically, mentally, and emotionally. Blessings we enjoy today are a direct result of Him intervening, inspiring, and warning us in times of difficulties.

Most humans who visualize a second chance are only thinking about what would make them more happy, instead of how they could cause God to be more pleased with them. I rarely hear individuals say that going back in time would allow them to help others, do more good deeds, or tell more people about Jesus. It’s usually about regretting decisions they wish they could change. These folks might laugh and joke around about this, but for some, their personal agony is very real. Why are they secretly haunted? Instead of listening to their creator who wants to speak His truth and heal their pain, they are listening to the voice of the great deceiver, the enemy of our souls, and often called the accuser of the brethren. It is a dark demonic influence that speaks lies and negative information with the intent to make us feel rejected, envious, and depressed. This is why its imperative to realize that God never condemns, mocks, or laughs at our misery. He is always there to forgive, comfort, and encourage us to keep our eyes on His endless love and grace.

When Satan through the serpent communicated with Eve, the temptation to embrace evil was introduced and it has been a continuous flow of twisted and distorted information since that time. This malicious lying presence never stops suggesting and roams the earth seeking someone who will listen. The devil cannot actually make anyone do anything but is considered extremely clever when it comes to verbal persuasion. Why else would a person who has every material blessing and pleasure you can think of cry themselves to sleep at night? Instead of being grateful to God for His mercy and praising Him for all the miracles they have received, they choose to dwell on what life would be like if they could go back and choose again. King Solomon was at one time the wealthiest man in the world and was also the most miserable. He said he realized that earthly possessions and pleasures did not bring spiritual joy. In fact, he said the natural world was vanity. What did he mean?

The earth is a temporal realm that passes away and can give us good things for a short while, however, beware of carnality as the lust of the flesh and love for possessions take us further away from God. Galatians 5:26 says, “Let us not desire to be prideful, provoking one another, envying one another.” Next week, we will continue this conversation. Take a peek at Philippians 4:4-8 when you have a minute.

Dr. Holland is a Christian minister, author, worship leader, and counselor. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 9/4/23

Jesus loves the little children

Last week we talked about how desperately we need to reach all children for Christ, and I still have much to say on the matter. God loves the little children and always made it a point to spend quality with them. Why? Because He knew that when a child learns about God and the eternal truth is planted deep within their hearts, it will always be there. One of the passages about that promise is found in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” This is talking about investing our time to show them what God says, demonstrating righteous behavior, and teaching them to resist temptation, standing for what is true even if it is not popular. Let us remember that Jesus loves the little children and no matter what the world believes or how we are persecuted for rejecting sin, protecting an innocent child is our responsibility.

Our Heavenly Father’s ultimate plan for His divine truth is that His people would share this good news with everyone they meet, especially children. When we win a child’s trust, we are given an amazing divine appointment to introduce them to the gospel of Jesus. A sobering reality is that children are the largest mission field in the world. They make up twenty-five percent of the global population, and represent one hundred percent of our future! We find a powerful passage in Psalm 78 that talks about how the scriptures were passed down to the new generations. The adults did not neglect to instill into the children the praises for the Lord, God’s miraculous strength and creative ability, His authority over all things, and the wonderful works He has done. We sit around and talk about how evil the world has become, but what are we doing to lead the children to Christ?

In verse five it says, “God established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children.” The next verse goes on to say these children would tell their children that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of the Lord, but keep His commandments. This is a clear warning to every parent who declares they are following Jesus to receive this instruction with fear and trembling. Not only is this talking about our own children and grandchildren, but there are millions of children who desperately need to know about God’s amazing love, but how can we tell them?

It’s difficult to speak with the children running around in our neighborhood as we take a chance of being confronted for being a suspicious weirdo. I get it. Times are not like they were in the past. So, other than becoming a Sunday School teacher, which by the way is a seldom forgotten but excellent ministry, we can go through the proper legal channels and become involved with highly respected organizations like I mentioned last week called Child Evangelism Fellowship. Check it out on the internet and see if there is a local chapter in your area. Contact a field representative and learn how you can become involved. This is an area where we must have a burden for children or we will stay in our recliner. The same is true with prayer. Until our passion and conviction drive us to the front line, God’s demands will mean nothing more to us than a passing conversation. If we could introduce and help lead one child to Jesus it would be worth everything.

A George Barna poll says that eighty-five percent of those who live for Christ today came to Him prior to their fifteenth birthday. Think about that. Children are the most fruitful mission field in the world. When their impressionable minds receive God’s word, they will not depart from it, Proverbs, 22:6. Christians now have the opportunity to teach about God in public schools with children who are eager to learn. Christians agree the Bible declares that Jesus paid for our sins with His blood and we have His promise of an eternal hope of salvation. Sadly, many say this is something for evangelists to worry about and missionaries that teach the gospel. Yes, there are warriors on the battlefield because they have a burden for lost souls, but why do many Christians not have this burden?

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, author, chaplain, and worship leader. Discover more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 8/28/23

If the dark side can deceive one generation

A child’s mind is like a sponge that is constantly absorbing more information. This can be a good thing if they are learning about God and how to develop a personal relationship with Him. Unfortunately, a Godless society along with a secular public education system moved away from the golden rules which were considered our Heavenly Father’s standard for holy and obedient living. There was a time when taking children to Sunday School was admired by society as a normal way to lead the family into a spiritually moral and wholesome lifestyle. In the evenings the father would gather his family around and read the Bible and discuss right and wrong and how we all should live.

This family time created a trust and spiritual bond as the parents and children discussed perspectives and learned about the challenges and accountability of everyday life. We know in the eyes of God this was good, but of course, we also realize that Satan wanted to do everything he could to break this up. And he did. When we look around today, we see that entertainment was the distraction that caused the family unit to become separated from each other and more importantly away from God. Christians were supposed to be mature and wise when it came to standing firm in their convictions, however, the carnal flesh is not an opponent to be taken lightly.

Television came into the home in the 1950s and slowly replaced conversation with an outside voice. Instead of gathering around the word of God, families gathered around one of the greatest time stealers the world has ever known. What happened to the convictions about sanctification and a determination to live pure and holy for God? This has everything to do with guarding the mind which is connected with the conscience, but when entertainment became an idol, it gave the flesh a perfect opportunity to sit on the throne of the heart and take control. The reverential fear of God was abandoned and now instead of listening to the Holy Spirit, many were led by their emotions. Christians led their guard down, opened the door to carnal thinking, and they became lukewarm and backslidden. Who suffered the most? The children.

According to George Barna, whatever a child learns and accepts at an early age, has already been planted deep within their perspectives and ideology. “A person’s worldview is primarily shaped and is firmly in place by the time someone reaches the age of thirteen; it is refined through experience during the teen and early adult years, and then it is passed on to others during their adult life.” The world hardly recognizes the good and bad of this reality, but the Christian should be awakened of how important it is to reach every child with the gospel. The dark side has always known that public school was a critical battleground for control over what is taught to young and impressionable minds. Why do you think the devil worked so hard to legally remove prayer, the Bible, and all Christian influences?

A parent’s love for the Lord and the passion to lead the family into a closer walk with God definitely requires willpower and perseverance. The foundation of discipline is love and a responsible parent is not afraid to fight against principalities and powers that are attempting to devour their children. Allow me to say it’s obvious the system of the great reset is targeting the young ones because all it takes is for one generation to be deceived and it will change the course of the world. It already has. Much of what children are being taught today is a disgrace and an abomination to God and humanity. Where are the parents? The church fell asleep and now we are seeing the results of when watchmen who promise to be spiritually alert, would rather relax in the comforts of pleasure.

I have a dear friend I grew up with, and she is involved in a worldwide ministry called Child Evangelism Fellowship. I hope that some of you are familiar with this outreach, but sadly many are not. If you want to know more about it, check out their website and see if there is a field representative in your area. Volunteer your time to tell a child about Christ, encourage your church to get involved. Every Christian has been called to be a watchman and a missionary in their network, unless they would rather do nothing.

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, author, chaplain, and worship leader. Discover more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 8/21/23

There is nothing more valuable to God than you

Some of you might keep a close watch on the news, and others may listen occasionally or not at all, but whatever the case, you’ve heard enough to realize that it’s common for worldly information to be relayed from a biased perspective. Worldviews and convictions dictate which side of the fence individuals are on, however, for the Christian, we are realizing that social politics has become a confusing puppet show that distracts us from what God is saying. We should know and trust that He is the only one that has all the answers to everything. Remember the old song that says He has the whole world in His hands? Do we believe it?

Political parties claim to be the opposite, but like a soap opera, it’s a misleading facade where the actors play games and read scripts of what they are told to say. The two-faced devil is like this. He is the “master distractor” and is hoping we will become so mesmerized by the media theatre that we will worship it as an idol. What would be wise is to analyze the facts. God is life, light, and truth, and is trying to tell us that we are precious to Him, He loves us and wants to save us from death which is the wage or consequence of sin. On the other side, we have the devil who wants to destroy us and is trying to intelligently and scientifically persuade us to throw the Bible in the trash and live however we want. So, why again do we make this more difficult than it needs to be?

The most important decision we will ever make comes down to whose voice we choose to follow. Our ears and eyes are conduits to our thoughts, and we are responsible to guard and protect this battlefield from deception and lies. How do we do that? Christians are called to develop spiritual discernment where they can judge the spirits and have a keen sense of awareness from the Holy Spirit that warns them when something is not right. Some of you are probably thinking that not only are you lacking in this area but obviously many others are also. You are correct but it should not be this way.

As we read and study the book of Ephesians, we can no longer be a baby that cries for the bottle. When a person commits to God’s kingdom, they have enlisted on the side of light and are now in a constant battle with darkness. This means they must pray and discipline themselves to not be conformed to the world but instead, be transformed by the renewing of their mind. Why does it talk about being fully protected by the whole armor of God? Because as we draw near to Him, the more intense the demonic attacks will come. When the devil laughs and blames you for being a loser and a failure, tell him that you have been washed in the blood of Jesus, you are forgiven, and you are not going to listen to an accuser of the brethren. John chapter 8 says there is no truth in Satan and he is the father of all lies.

One of the more common problems I hear from men and women is based on a sense of guilt and shame from the snare traps they have fallen into. Satan condemns them for what they have done and this feeling of being unworthy causes fear and holds them incarcerated in the agony of rejection and defeat. Listen, friend, once you repent to the Father and He washes you clean with the blood of Jesus, you are purified which allows you to approach His throne boldly! Not only does He long to forgive you, but He promises He will never bring it up again. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” Hebrews 8:12.

Raise your hand if you want a $100.00 bill. I’m going to crumple it up, do you still want it? I’m going to stomp it in the dirt, pound it with hammers, bake it, soak it, deface it, and throw it in the pig pen. Do you still want it? Why? Because even though it has been through the valley of the shadow of death, it still has as much value as it always did. This is the way God sees you today.

Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, author, chaplain, and worship leader. Discover more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 8/14/23

Until one has loved an animal

My wife and I grew up with dogs and when Cheryl and I were married, it did not take long for us to bring home our first fur babies, a Scottish Terrier and a Wire Hair Terrier. Over the years we’ve had many other wonderful companions that were members of our family. James Cromwell is quoted as saying, “Domesticated animals are humanizing. They remind us of our obligation and responsibility to preserve and care for all life.”

Animals are truly special creatures and it’s an honor to share our lives with these remarkable individuals. They are such a blessing for being loyal, protective, and with a sincere desire to love us unconditionally. Therapy animals have proven they have a special sensitivity that can detect human emotions and even the condition of our health. When we make eye contact with our furry friends, it seems they can see into our soul with a pure devotion that is without question. Our last companion was an English bulldog named Teddy Roosevelt and at seventy pounds, loved to take turns squeezing into our recliners with us in the evenings. At bedtime, he would labor to make it upstairs for another chance to snuggle with us. Anatole France is quoted as saying, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

Sometimes I’m surprised by just how intelligent and aware animals are. Have you noticed when your companions are laying around and relaxing, they seem to always have one eye on you and it’s like they listen to every word you say? I believe for all the things they do not understand, they learn to interpret our voice intonations, certain words, and routines to somewhat figure out what’s going on. Speaking of the ability of animals to comprehend, I want to share a story with you about an amazing and highly adored companion that for over the last one hundred years has been declared as one of the most intelligent animals ever known. It’s not a dog, dolphin, elephant, or monkey, but rather a horse named “Beautiful Jim Key.” It’s a fascinating and true account of the deep love between a compassionate man and a clever stallion and how this relationship revealed that animals are much more perceptive than was ever imagined.

In the late eighteen hundreds, a former slave and self-taught veterinarian named Dr. William Key had the idea of breeding two extraordinary horses with the hopes of producing a super racehorse. The Arabian-Hamiltonian colt was quite a specimen alright, but instead of being a champion athlete, he turned out to be super-intelligent. At birth, the colt was very weak and sickly, and his mother passed away shortly thereafter which caused William to consider euthanizing him, but instead, a strong bond was formed between them. It’s documented how the wobbly young colt insisted to spend every minute with William and so he was brought into the house as a member of the family where he lived and slept. William named the horse Jim on his birth papers along with his own last name, and the nickname “Beautiful” was added later. Right away Mrs. Key noticed that Jim was very attentive and developing human-like behavior so she started asking him questions to which he would nod yes or no. After observing Jim’s desire to communicate, William the “horse whisperer” was eager to see just how much Jim could learn.

William had a gentle and kind personality and slowly began to teach Jim the alphabet where he quickly responded by spelling words, understanding math problems, and eventually advanced to sentences and Bible verses. He introduced Jim to local fairs where they astounded large crowds with Jim’s ability to spell words by putting letters on a rack in the correct order. In 1897, Jim performed in the Tennessee Centennial Exposition as thousands witnessed his incredible abilities including President William McKinley who was quoted as saying, “This is certainly the most astonishing and entertaining exhibition I have ever seen.” Performing all over the country including the World’s Fair in 1904, it was said that Jim was the most famous celebrity of this era. With over a million supporters of the “Jim Key Band of Mercy” which ignited the animal rights movement, Beautiful Jim Key passed away in 1912, and on his grave displays the popular slogan “Be kind to animals” as a lasting tribute to God’s spectacular creation.

Dr. Holland is an ordained Christian minister, community chaplain, and author. Discover more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com. You can help support this outreach at PayPal.Me/psalmz103

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 8/7/23

How serious are we about hating sin?

We spoke last week about addictions that involve more people than we could imagine, and we should realize by now that personal problems happen whether one proclaims they are a Christian or not. We live in fleshly bodies with a default nature and its not a surprise that with our carnality having it’s own desires, we have difficulty staying on the straight and narrow. We mentioned that cognitive dissonance is when we know something is wrong and experience guilt from our lack of discipline, but we choose to do it anyway. Remorse is conviction and thankfully our compassionate God has provided the blood of Jesus as the way we can receive forgiveness when we fail to live up to the expectations of His standards.

It’s one thing to slip up and make mistakes, but the real danger is when a person has no fear of God and feels no need to repent. Most people rarely consider the Lord is more concerned about our iniquities than we are. Why is this? For one thing, whatever we think about is what is most important to us. If we have no desire to develop an awareness of God’s presence, I can assure you that hating sin to the point of nausea is not happening. Have you ever heard of the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind?” This means we avoid thinking about our trespasses that make us uncomfortable on purpose. We have the ability to ignore God while we are concentrating on our pleasures, however, I will say this, and it pertains to all of us, God deals with intentional rebellion in this life and the next.

In 1 Samuel 15:23, God said rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as the sin of idolatry. This is not a pleasant subject to write about but as a minister, I would be wrong to skip over it. Rebellion is an attitude of the heart that opposes authority and began when Lucifer became so arrogant he decided to overthrow God in Heaven. We know he failed and was cast down to Earth, but then we find him again expressing his bitter hostility toward God when he succeeded to deceive Eve and Adam to rebel against the Majesty and Creator of all things. He has been doing this ever since.

While there may have been a distinction regarding the consequences of unintentional and intentional sins in the Old Testament, the Bible is clear in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The offerings of the Old Testament foreshadowed the offering of Jesus Christ Himself as a sacrifice on the cross for our sins. Jesus is the sufficient substitute for forgiveness and eternal life.

In John 14:6 Jesus teaches, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Though every person has sinned (except Jesus), we have the opportunity for forgiveness and redemption from sin through the sacrifice He made on the cross. By faith in Him, salvation is obtained by grace through faith. This is true regardless of intentional or unintentional sins, whether a person believes he has sinned a little or sinned a lot.

There is a throne in each person’s heart and whoever sits on that throne is the king who rules and controls the individual. If our defiant, independent desires manage the throne, decisions are tainted with carnality. If a dark entity is given authority to reign, it will oppress or possess the host and lead them into confusion and destruction. However, when Christ is invited to sit on our throne as Lord and King, the darkness and rebellious attitudes are cast out. A new spiritual identity is given, the individual is transformed by the renewing of the mind, the will is surrendered to God, and obedience becomes the new attitude that follows the Holy Spirit who controls their thoughts and deeds.

Regardless of the type of sins a person has committed, the authority and blood of Jesus is sufficient to forgive. Those who reject the gospel, regardless of how much or how little sin they have committed, will be separated from God and will experience agonizing punishment. God is calling everyone to turn away from sin and abide in Christ, as Acts 4:12 declares there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.

Dr. Holland is an ordained Christian minister, community chaplain, and author. Discover more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com. You can help support this ministry at PayPal.Me/psalmz103

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 7/31/23

Being honest with God and ourselves

In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the perception of contradictory information and the mental toll of it. Relevant items of information include a person’s actions, feelings, ideas, beliefs, values, convictions, and things that are going on all around us. Cognitive dissonance is typically experienced as mental and emotional stress when an individual participates in an action that goes against what they know is right. According to this theory, when two desires or ideas are not consistent with each other, people will try to justify and compromise until they become consistent enough to be accepted. This discomfort is triggered by the person’s knowledge clashing against new information when it’s introduced, wherein the individual tries to find a way to resolve the contradiction to reduce their guilt.

This might sound like a lot of psychological gobbly goop, and you might be asking, what does all of this have to do with me and the way I live? I’m glad you asked. We all have a lot of personal and secret thoughts going on in our minds and how we deal with it goes a long way toward being a more stable, balanced, and spiritually content person. I’m not excited about it, but we are constantly exposed to negative voices and influences that we might consider, but I hope we refuse. The point is coming to the place where we are honest with God and ourselves. Many of our headaches and anxieties are self-inflicted and our temptations often come from areas where are weak and vulnerable. The devil has been watching us for a long time and there is no reason for him to stop using tactics against us that are always successful.

Take for example, we know that we should stop wasting so many hours each day playing on our phones and television, but we do it anyway. Why? Because we want to. Of course, if we really believe this is a serious problem we would turn them off, but instead, it’s much easier to ignore it with a compromising and enduring attitude. This is cognitive dissonance. The general idea of living on purpose is to examine every aspect of our lives and develop a desire to become the best version of ourselves we can be. Or in other words, it should be important to us that we are the person that Jesus died for us to be. The subconscious discomfort we are talking about is an internal misery that does not need to be a part of our lives. We want peace and the more we please God and follow His voice, the less we are convicted and condemned for our willful disobedience.

We realize we need to take control of our mental and spiritual condition instead of allowing our fleshly desires and emotions to control us. In the same way that Adam and Eve were ashamed in the Garden, we also feel that guilt when we do not obey what God is saying. It’s an illusion to expect spiritual joy, and contentment to fall out of the sky. Rather, since we have been given free will to make our own decisions, our destiny has everything to do with whose voice we follow. This is not to say that God does not have a plan for us or fails to intervene, but much of the time He blesses what we give Him. Our responsibility to serve Him is refusing sin and being willing to guard our most precious assets…our mind, spirit, and the Holy Spirit within us.

What about how we feel about food and its association with our weight? Some analyze every bite and go to the gym to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Counting calories gives them the security to know they are being good. Others could care less about being healthy and are willing to take as many medications as necessary to maintain their existence. Those who smoke realize it’s linked to cancer, but are convinced they can get away with it. The same is true with alcoholism. And what about the ones who secretly watch pornography and then try to justify their behavior? Whatever our vices and struggles, our contradictions are trying to convict and warn us. God sees and knows everything, and when His truth does not line up with our actions, asking Him for help is the best decision we could ever make.

Dr. Holland is an ordained Christian minister, community chaplain, and author. Discover more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com. You can help support this ministry at PayPal.Me/psalmz103

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 7/24/23

Darkness can never overcome God’s light

There is a lot of talk today about the reality of a global system of organized evil that controls the governments and social politics of the world. There are many different attitudes from thinking this is silly, to being consumed with anxiety and stress. Those who pay little attention to the news, have learned that ignoring negativity makes them more calm. However, just because someone puts their head in the sand does not mean the problems are not real. For those who carry the heavy burden of worrying about the future and their own safety, fear can take a devastating physical, emotional, and spiritual toll on our personal well-being.

In psychology, we know there are subconscious reflexes that cause us to reject information that challenges our worldviews. When certain information is just too overwhelming, we can build barriers to prevent knowledge from intruding into our thought processes, and also develop a familiar internal security system that allows us to feel contentment by concluding it’s not true. In other words, hiding our heads in the sands of denial is the easy way to avoid dealing with uncomfortable knowledge. On the other hand, truth seekers embrace all opinions because they want to research as much as they can to discover what is right and wrong. Even if it’s painful.

As Christians, the empowerment of being indwelt with the presence of God and having the opportunity to renew our minds can completely transform our attitude. Instead of thinking about how weak we are and submitting to the imagination that we are going to be devoured, Christians must realize they are in covenant with the God of all creation, and as a part of His family, nothing is more devastating to the forces of evil than His authority. In our daily lives, darkness is never confronted or cast out by those who are shaking in their boots. Faith is having confidence in who God is and who we are in Him.

When the Bible says the enemy roars like a lion, it means he likes to make a lot of noise, but if we study this closely, this is a scare tactic he uses to make people believe he is stronger and more fierce than he actually is. This is a common strategy used in the animal kingdom where certain species will puff themselves up, spread their feathers, or do a lot of screaming to make their opponent afraid. The old saying that a dog’s bark is worse than his bite applies here. As we pray for spiritual wisdom and discernment, we understand the devil is not a carnivorous beast looking to literally eat humans. He is trying to persuade and deceive someone who does not comprehend spiritual truth and because of a lack of understanding, he will harass and bully them until they learn how to stop him in the Name of Jesus.

When we realize that Satan is a faker and underneath the mask is a sniveling coward, we can walk in the revelation of spiritual victory. God says, “My people perish from the lack of knowledge” and this explains the foundation of spiritual warfare. The devil is sneaky and can throw obstacles in our path, he can make things difficult by launching ambush attacks, but the dark side cannot separate us from the love of God or stop us from accomplishing God’s will. What the enemy is trying to do is convince us that we are a failure, our mission is impossible, no one cares about us, and we might as well give up.

Of course, this is a lie and has no effect on anyone “until” someone believes it. It’s true that mountains are moved by positive faith, but negative faith can also steal our joy and crush us under the weight of pessimism and doubt. Believing is the fervent acceptance of something we accept as true and releases power into whatever we agree with. Why is this important? The attitude of our conscience is forming the basis of who we are and who we will become. I encourage you today to guard your thoughts and your words and remember that God never fails. When a room is dark and you turn on the light what happens? God is light and He always overcomes the darkness.

Dr. Holland is an ordained Christian minister, community chaplain, and author. Discover more about the Christian life and his new book about miracles, “Receiving Our Healing” at billyhollandministries.com His email is psalmz103@gmail.com and you can support this ministry at PayPal.Me/psalmz103

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 7/17/23

Does the world know we are Christians?

The Christian and the non-Christian are supposed to be different. In fact, so different, the Bible says that once a person becomes spiritually transformed they become an entirely new creation. His includes the potential for their minds to be renewed into a way of thinking that is much more in line with God than the natural world. The born-again followers of Christ are considered His disciples, while those who have not yet had this spiritual experience, remain in bondage, serving the dark side within their default condition. Since there are only two different spiritual identifications, they are not cozy with each other and have little in common.

Over the years, many Christians have not embraced this idea of being somewhat weird and generally incompatible. So, they reasoned that compromising was a great way to blend in with everyone else. However, it’s not mentioned anywhere in the Bible about trying to figure out a way to be accepted by the world. The Apostle in I Peter 2:9, when discussing the Christian life writes, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” A critical point in becoming a new creation is to stand out so that others will notice you have something that others do not have. This beaming light is the love of Jesus Christ.

Until 70 years ago, society had a considerable amount of respect and reverence for the things of God. Of course, it’s not like this today and much of the decline is blamed on Christians not walking the talk, along with science and scholarly historians criticizing God’s existence. Hypocrisy over the years was being closely monitored by the world and today most people are just not impressed. All of this on top of the tremendous surge of immorality and a new wave of social politics causes some Christians to feel intimidated to stand for what they believe. Many others have allowed the fire of the Holy Spirit to cool off because they secretly desire to live in sin. As church members became more lukewarm, and the fear of a judging God and the demand for repentance no longer was a threat to the sinner, the lost felt more comfortable and we could no longer tell one from the other.

When the Holy Spirit is ignored, spiritual discernment fades. What else do we lose? A hatred for sin along with our agape love, a desire to pray and worship God, and a burden for lost souls among other things. It’s called drifting away from the shore, while others describe backsliding as a fire that burns down to just embers and ends up just smoldering. How did this happen? Instead of continually praying for their minds to be transformed into the holy nature and character of Christ, they developed a thirst for the world. As the passion and desperation to love and obey Jesus became less, the conscience became numb and the desire to serve the darkness was accepted and sadly became the normal way of living.

Since God has temporarily allowed the devil to manage the world, he is using technology as a part of his strategy to distract and lure Christians into a love affair with pleasure. He realizes the carnal mind wants to be entertained, and is always vulnerable to self-satisfaction. If he can convince God’s people that doing whatever they want is alright with God, he has already won the battle. If he can capture the heart, he can possess the spirit. This is spiritual warfare. Yes, there are pockets of Christians who have awakened and rededicated their lives back to God. This remnant is now singing, “I have decided to follow Jesus” and this excitement of spiritual revival is needed now more than ever. May I ask, where are you today? Have you considered that maybe you are drifting down the river of complacency? If you were to face God today, would you be filled with joy, or would you be embarrassed with how you are living? Talk to Him today and ask Jesus to change you into what He died for you to be.

Dr. Holland lives in Central Kentucky where he is an ordained Christian minister, community chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life and his new book about miracles, “Receiving Our Healing” at billyhollandministries.com. His email is psalmz103@gmail.com and you can support this ministry at

PayPal.Me/psalmz103

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 7/10/23

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Humans have always wanted to be happy. It’s the reason and purpose that people live. Why do we work and make money? Because according to our natural instincts, spending money and buying the things we desire is supposed to make us happy. Why do I use the word supposed? Well, we might imagine and hope that certain things can make us happy, but the sobering truth is they usually do not.

How many times have we heard that being prosperous does not make people happy? More than we can count. The old songs “Money Can’t Buy Me Love” and “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” are among the thousands of sad confessions of how life has turned out to be disappointing. I’m not trying to be negative, but rather pointing out a critical spiritual principle that every human must learn before they can realize the true meaning of life.

Some men say, “If I could have her, my life would be complete, while women dream, “If I could be with him, it would make me the happiest person in the world.” Others declare, “If I could be honest with my sexuality, or “If I had lots of money, I would be thrilled.” This might burst someone’s balloon, but our personal contentment with who we are should not be based on another mortal being, a material object, or what others think. As for fame, it’s better to have a couple of faithful friends than millions of fans you’ll never meet. It’s common to fantasize about being successful and fulfilled, but these are only temporary fixes that can end up doing more harm than good.

For example, we thought the sexual revolution exploded in the sixties, and to some extent, it did. However, in today’s world, the obsession with sexual identification is off the charts. It seems the transgender movement came out of nowhere, and now we are hearing about it and seeing it everywhere. Even young children, with help from the public education system, are being taught and encouraged to change genders, and thousands are doing it. Why? Because this is supposed to make them happy. Remember, isn’t this what life is all about? Nonetheless, why do we not hear about those who ruined their lives with sex change surgeries, and how many commit suicide? Because that would cast a negative light on this growing movement. If young people were allowed to listen to those who are re-transitioning because they realize they were deceived, it would save many confused individuals from a horrible disaster.

I’m not sure when drug addictions and alcoholism became rampant, but many throughout the centuries have fallen into webs of deception by thinking that whatever takes away the stress will also bring them comfort and peace. It might bring temporary relief, but the problems are still there. In today’s world, this includes prescription medicines to help ease anxiety and fear, but the reality is that when the chemicals and unnatural substances wear off, they become more depressed than ever. If we take a closer look at the word happiness, we notice that being happy fluctuates and depends on emotional feelings or “happenings.” If life is going well, we are reasonably happy, but when things go sour, we are no longer happy.

Researchers have actually studied lottery winners and discovered it’s not as glorious as you might think. A famous study in the 1970s revealed there is very little difference in happiness between people who had won and people who hadn’t. Why? Because all the things we mentioned that are controlled by our infatuations are completely different from a fruit of the Spirit called joy. Joy is directly connected with God Himself, which allows us to stand strong in the raging storms and embrace the comfort and contentment of His presence even in the darkest night of the soul. Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Do not grieve; the Joy of the Lord is your strength.” Spiritual Joy comprehends that no matter what happens, the bond of love between us and God can never be broken. Discouragements or circumstances cannot steal our joy. Genuine joy is experienced when we trust God and trust who we are in Him. Jesus wants you to be filled with His joy. Ask Him to cleanse you and fill you now.

Dr. Holland is a licensed and ordained minister, community chaplain, freelance writer, Christian author, and founder of Walking Thru Ministries, a 501c3 charitable organization. Read more about the Christian life, his books, and his articles at: billyhollandministries.com. You can bless this outreach at PayPal.Me/psalmz103, which helps with expenses and is very much appreciated.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 7/3/23

Deciding to stand for what we believe

Every summer we look forward to the Fourth of July because it’s filled with fun things to do, like barbecuing, picnics, games, family gatherings, boating, camping, and fireworks. Also, for many, it’s usually a paid vacation day which is always nice. However, along with the excitement and activities, let us also remember and be grateful for those who have served our country so that we can enjoy our freedom. Independence Day is all about the courage of many Americans who fought against Great Britain in the Revolutionary War and with much bloodshed declared victory and helped establish this great nation. On July fourth, 1776, the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, declared the sovereignty of the United States of America as they signed the Declaration of Independence which is recognized as our nation’s official birthday.

There is a moving account of a young man who was a soldier in this war and in every sense of the word defines the meaning of a true American hero. Nathan Hale of Coventry, Connecticut was born in 1755 and grew up to be a highly educated and handsome young man who had every prospect for a happy and fulfilling life. Those who knew him commented on his love for sports, his kindness, and his strong Christian convictions. As tension increased about a possible conflict with the British, Nathan like many other enthusiastic young men, joined a local militia and was quickly advanced to the rank of sergeant.

When the war officially became a reality, many chapters of Connecticut militia rushed to Massachusetts to help their neighbors during the Siege of Boston but Hale was unsure whether to join these forces or to wait and see what would unfold. He was a young professional teacher that had a lot to lose especially with not being clear about what was happening. In early July 1775, Nathan received a heartfelt letter from his best friend, Benjamin Tallmadge who had seen the war firsthand and was now relaying about the situation. Tallmadge told Nathan that teaching school was truly noble but at this time it was critical to consider the responsibility of defending this wonderful country. The day after receiving this letter, Nathan Hale after doing some serious soul-searching, resigned from his teaching position and became dedicated to the call of duty.

When George Washington reorganized the army in January 1776, Nathan received a captain’s commission where he spent six months helping to build fortifications and preparing for the inevitable battle for Manhattan Island. Early in September 1776, Washington formed an elite, green beret-type group of New England Rangers, and Hale was soon invited to command one of the four companies whose mission was forward reconnaissance. Washington desperately needed to know the probable site of the upcoming British invasion and the best way to obtain this pivotal information was to send a spy behind enemy lines. This was extremely dangerous and guess who volunteered?

It’s not verified exactly how Hale was captured but we know he was immediately brought in for questioning before the British commander, General William Howe. Intelligence information was found on Nathan and since this was not in code or invisible ink, he was irrevocably compromised. Although Howe was moved by the young man’s demeanor and patriotism, it could not be denied that he was out of uniform behind enemy lines. The protocol and discipline of war were clear and Nathan was sentenced to hang.

The next morning, Sunday, September 22, 1776, at 11:00, Nathan Hale was marched north, about a mile up the Post Road to the Park of Artillery where after giving a spirited speech he was executed. A British military engineer and cartographer named John Montresor witnessed the event and was deeply touched by Nathan’s composure and his last words. As fate would have it, Captain Montresor was ordered to deliver a message from General Howe to Washington under a white flag that very afternoon. Montresor sincerely emphasized that Nathan had impressed everyone with his sense of dignity and courage, and quoted Hale’s words while he stood on the gallows: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” His body was left hanging for several days near the site of his execution and later buried in an unmarked grave. He was 21 years old.

Dr. Holland lives in Central Kentucky where he is an ordained Christian minister, community chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life and his new book about miracles, “Receiving Our Healing” at billyhollandministries.com or email him at psalmz103@gmail.com.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 6/26/23

Being informed is not a substitute for truth

All levels of government and its ally, the mainstream media, are regularly accused of dishonesty. Many of these falsehoods are ignored or quickly forgotten by a public that has become numb to a relentless barrage of deception. Distorting truth is nothing new, as compromise has always been the foundation of politics. Have you ever listened to a press secretary answer questions? Even in the world of fact-checking, news stories are severely infected with bias, and yet strangely, the masses are still eager to absorb them. The average person admits they want to be informed about current events, but has gathering information become just another form of entertainment, or even worse, is this causing the masses to be brainwashed? A culture represents the beliefs and practices of a group, while a society represents the people who share those beliefs and practices. God’s people are called to follow His voice, not the world’s system. Read Romans 12:1-2.

For years, the tobacco industry assured customers that cigarettes were neither unhealthy nor addictive. In 1994, James W. Johnston, CEO of R.J. Reynolds, told a congressional committee, “Cigarette smoking is no more ‘addictive’ than coffee, tea, or Twinkies.” The reality, of course, is quite different. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 480,000 Americans die every year from smoking. In the Tuskegee experimental syphilis study, between 1932 and 1972, the U.S. healthcare system wanted to study venereal diseases, so our government intentionally allowed the disease to run its course in some patients causing many African Americans to go blind, insane, and die. And we should feel confident to trust big Pharma and the food industry with our lives today? Are there secret plans to depopulate the planet, where is artificial intelligence taking us, and is the UFO phenomenon true?

In 1964, Americans were concerned about the country’s growing involvement in Vietnam, and in October of that year, Johnson assured the country as he was running for president, we had nothing to worry about. In 1971 the Pentagon Papers revealed the extent of the deception as the war claimed 58,000 military personnel, which Nixon nor Johnson took responsibility for. Nixon also promised that no one from the White House staff was involved in Watergate. Then we had Bill Clinton boldly declare that he did not have sexual relations with that woman. In the aftermath of 9/11, George W. Bush promised the American people there were weapons of mass destruction and that by attacking Iraq, we could rescue our country and the world. What was the result? No weapons were found, and thousands of U.S. troops and contractors were killed in this war.

Did you know the Federal Reserve is not owned or operated by the U.S. Government? It’s completely independent and yet has its name on our currency. In 2008, Obama said marriage was between a man and a woman. Do politicians say what voters want to hear? When Hillary Clinton accused Trump of colluding with Russia to help influence his election, we now know the entire story was completely fabricated. Of course, the mainstream media embraced every word of this lie. Why? Political control. Those who disagree with what is established as socially correct are now silenced by the cancel culture. This public persecution also applies to those who know the truth about the virus and the vaccine. The First Amendment is being ignored as these individuals are labeled as terrorists and guilty of spreading misinformation. Communism is a political and economic ideology that positions itself in opposition to liberal democracy and capitalism.

So, why talk about widespread deception? It’s time to wake up and realize we are in a deadly spiritual war, (see John 10:10). Satan is the father of all lies, and his agenda to deceive is advancing. If we do not love others enough to warn them, we are bowing down to intimidation and despair. According to general Biblical interpretations, the antiChrist is coming and will eventually rule the world. Like all dictators, he will demand our worship. When will this happen? The New World Order and the Great Reset are steps toward tribulation, but this does not mean we are without hope. Jesus Christ is our eternal hope, and our heavenly Father will always be in control and seated on His throne. Remain focused on Jesus by reading and meditating on God’s word. Invest your time wisely and beware of confusing distractions. Pray for more wisdom, discernment, love, and understanding, as being informed is not the same as knowing what is true.

Dr. Holland is a minister, chaplain, and author. Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 6/19/23

Being transformed by the renewing of our mind

When we think about the challenges and possibilities of our future, it’s easy to ignore our responsibilities while we imagine someone else stepping into our situation and helping us achieve our goals. Hoping that another person will provide what we need or figure out the solutions to our problems is not a substitute for perseverance. It’s true, there are times when the generosity of others makes a huge difference, but God has given us a sound mind and unlimited potential to be successful if we can only learn how to develop faith in His plans for us. Along with His resources, a critical spiritual principle is to pray and wait until we know we have heard His voice. However, I have also learned there is an important balance where often the Lord is actually waiting on us to believe and take the initiative to press forward.

When we place our trust in Him and allow Him to change our attitudes into a positive force, that which seems unattainable moves into the area of possibility. Romans 12:2 reveals that we have a responsibility to be transformed by the renewing of our mind in order that we may prove and demonstrate God’s perfect will. We must allow the Lord to change our minds from fear and doubt as learning to believe and trust our Heavenly Father is a foundational pillar of the meaning of life. If we focus on being the best we can be for His glory, we will live in joy, but if we doubt and expect the worse, we release the powers of negativity that can stifle our hope. In every situation, we can either respond with a positive confidence or a negative skepticism and these choices determine whether we live in spiritual peace or emotional misery.

I recently read a true story that was told by Hugh Fullerton, a famous sports writer many years ago. His account involved a man named Josh O’Reilly who managed the San Antonio baseball team that was a part of the Texas League. O’Reilly had an impressive roster of all-star players, including seven whose batting average was over three hundred. Everyone thought this super-team would easily win the championship but mysteriously they began the season losing seventeen of their first twenty games. The players could not hit the ball and as time went by, frustration boiled over into angry accusations against each other. Just when it seemed the situation could not be worse, a weak team humiliated them as they managed only one hit the entire game. In the clubhouse after the embarrassment, the players were confused and depressed. O’Reilly knew he had the most talented team in the league but also realized the trouble was in their mind.

These men were not expecting to get a hit or anticipating a victory because they were thinking wrong. They had slowly allowed doubt and uncertainty to fill their conscience with discouragement and defeat. We are what we think and when our mental focus is controlled by negativity; it prevents confidence and in this situation; it was causing a disruption with their timing, strength, and coordination. And yet, they were the only ones who could change the situation.

A certain minister named reverend Schlater was holding special services in the area and he was drawing large crowds as his messages were filled with inspiration and encouragement. O’Reilly asked each player to lend him their favorite bat, which he loaded into a wheelbarrow and told the players to stay in the clubhouse as he had something very important to show them. Soon he returned overflowing with excitement as he told the players this minister had anointed, prayed, and blessed the bats and they now contained a spiritual power that could not be stopped. The players were astounded and jumping with enthusiasm. The next day they confidently overwhelmed the best team in the league with 37 hits and 20 runs scored. They continued their way through the league schedule and convincingly won the championship.

Regardless of what we believe about praying over a baseball bat or positive decrees, we can agree that something very powerful happened within the minds and attitudes of the players. The sports equipment did not change, but with a new way of thinking, the creative power of faith blossomed. Mark 9:23 declares this spiritual reality is available to all who place their trust in God’s divine truth instead of pessimism and despair.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 6/12/23

God Did That

Within the unlimited amount of evidence to prove that God is real and the Creator of all things, there is no greater example than the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The average person does not wake up in the morning and rush to the window to see if the sun is going to rise, or if the earth is being drawn into a black hole. Neither would anyone jump up and down just to make sure the levels of gravity did not change during the night or if the oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide levels are still maintaining the perfect atmosphere to breathe. God not only created where we live, He also carefully maintains it. The reliability of time and the seasons are illustrations that relay a message from God that we can trust Him with everything.

Science has written a library of knowledge about the Sun, Earth, and moon, but no one can fathom why they work together no more than why oxygen gives life to the blood or how can the brain manage every system of our bodies instantly all at once. Beyond what they are, how do they stay in place?” The Sun is actually a star, and the universe contains an incalculable amount of them. They are different sizes and some are even 100 times larger than our Sun. According to the experts, they are luminous balls of gases, mostly hydrogen and helium, with nuclear fusion at their core to support the masses which are held together by their own gravity. Beyond what all the celestial bodies are, how do they stay in place?”

If the Sun moved away even a small amount, our planet would be frozen and if it inched closer, we would be burned to a crisp. The conclusion: We build miniature replicas and hang them with strings, but the only explanation about how these massive round objects remain stationary can be nothing other than the one who made them is holding them there. The Earth has not only been in a precise orbit around the Sun since the beginning, it also maintains a perfect tilt and a perfect rotational speed. The Moon orbits the Earth exactly every 27.3 days as the Earth and Moon are both moving around the Sun with such preciseness that we can know the exact minute when the Sun will rise and set 100 years from now. Random chance? Hardly. God regulates a bearable temperature with a constant perfect amount of carbon dioxide as we do not appreciate oxygen until we can’t breathe.

If our planet were a tiny bit smaller or larger, let’s just say that mass affects gravity and life would not be the same as we enjoy now. All of this and so much more is going on every second and we rarely stop to even give Him thanks. As technology advances to study the cosmos, the more complex it becomes. The same is true with the vast mysteries of the human body and all living creatures, they are such intricate, and perplexing miracles of creation. It’s said the human eye consists of more than two million working parts and this is just a small component compared to the brain. The most advanced computer cannot compare to the brain which controls 100 billion neurons communicating with each other constantly.

When it comes to how the universe began, we’ve heard about how everything we see and know projected outward from this ginormous explosion and it’s still expanding. This is quite different from the Bible’s account of creation. However, if this is the way God wanted to create the universe billions of years ago, we should we argue? The writers of Genesis did not call it a “big bang” because the creation of the entire cosmos and the creation of the Sun, Earth, and Moon are probably two different events. Read the creation account carefully and you will discover it focuses on our planet and the mention of heavens refers to multiple atmospheres such as, Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Exosphere, and Magnetosphere. Could God have formed the Earth billions of years after He created the Universe? Yes! The point is that none of it happened by coincidence. “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth. Visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him, all things consist.” Colossians 1:16-17.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 6/5/23

Are we committed to accomplishing His will?

We might as well lay all the cards on the table and establish that it’s easier to go to church and put some money in the offering plate than to develop a consistent relationship with God. Along with our genuine love for Him is to recognize the need for a fervent prayer life. Being religious without praying is popular. Why is this? Because we do not care enough to pray. Prayer meetings? Really? The first thing that comes to our mind is that we can pray at home. This is true, but if you already have a faithful prayer life, it seems you would want to be the first one to show up and lead the way.

This is blunt, but most people do not feel comfortable being alone with God because they are not used to it. They might say they pray, but asking God for personal blessings is not all there is to it. What about the needs of others? Remember when Christ when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane? That was an intense time of pleading and weeping, not to avoid the pain, but He was praying for us. His attitude of love was a complete surrender to the Father’s will. Contrition is a place of brokenness and reverence.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn in half from the top to the bottom. This curtain was used as a dividing barrier to the entrance to the holy of holies. This is where the presence of God was dwelling on earth and when the priest would enter once a year behind the veil with the pure blood of animal sacrifices, God would forgive the sins of His people. When the veil was ripped apart, it meant that anyone that loves Jesus and receives Him as Lord can now come before God’s throne and receive forgiveness because of the blood sacrifice that Christ made with His body. You can read all about this in chapter 9 of Hebrews, but Jesus became our High Priest and is now the mediator of the New Covenant that allows God and His saints to be joined together forever. Because of His endless love for us, we are to be dedicated to follow His voice.

We notice that Jesus would often slip away to find a private place where He could be with His Father. It is written so that we can see the perfect example He wanted us to follow. Making prayer our highest priority is hardly mentioned anymore because people do not want to be convicted or condemned for failing in their responsibility to walk with God. You see, prayer has everything to do with love, and being exposed as someone who does not pray reveals their lack of love. If we do not love others we will certainly not pray for them. The most popular message today is about how Jesus paid it all and we do not need to do anything. Faith activates grace, and it’s our responsibility to embrace the opportunity to come before His throne with confidence, holiness, and purpose.

For those of you that have made a valiant effort to dwell in the secret place of the Most High, you know exactly what I mean when I say there is more here than meets the eye. It’s spiritual warfare 101 and not for the faint of heart. If you’ve never attempted to have a designated time to talk to God and be committed to it, I recommend dusting off your armor and sharpening your sword. Let’s say you set a time to get alone with God at 7:30 each evening and you plan to pray, meditate, and listen for 30 minutes. This seems doable don’t you agree? Try it and you will be surprised by the amount of resistance. Not only will there be distractions and interference, but even your own mind will rebel against you.

In closing, if there is not a burning passion to draw closer to God, you will easily talk yourself out of it. However, if you are determined, a great place to begin is to just ask Him to give you more compassion and a burden to pray. He is listening. The Holy Spirit will help you develop a stronger level of sensitivity and remind you to make a prayer list, but you cannot hear Him if you are not listening. Before you know it, your highest purpose will be to walk in the constant awareness of God’s presence.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 5/29/23

A Time to Remember and Respect

This is a week when we honor those who died in battle for our country. There was a time when society seemed to be more sensitive and compassionate about casualties of war, but today there are many distractions that cause the mind and conscience to skip over what is important. Another example is the neglect to teach young children about who God is. Nevertheless, some people might not realize there is a distinction between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. In other words, the purpose of Memorial Day is to memorialize the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. You’ll find that some veterans find it dismaying when they are thanked on this day and most realize the person has good intentions but are confused about who the day is meant to honor. It’s a time to remember those who lost their lives and could not come home. We might consider how we can support and safeguard their grieving families and loved ones who are left behind, as well as reflect on why we have the freedom that we enjoy today.

Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor every Veteran who served in the United States Armed Forces, in wartime or peacetime, regardless of whether they died or survived. Veterans Day is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. For all the families that have lost loved ones to war, this week let us pray and consider not only the untold agony these soldiers went through but also the torment of their grieving families.

If we pay attention to how the American flags are raised on Memorial Day, we notice at sunrise, flags are raised to full staff briskly, then lowered to a half-staff position, where they remain until noon, then raised to the top of the staff until sunset. Traditionally, on Memorial Day, volunteers often place small American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 P.M. Consider visiting a local cemetery to place flags; many organizations are grateful for volunteers.

The custom of honoring ancestors by cleaning cemeteries was an annual act of remembrance, as well as a chance to clean and decorate family memorials. My mom and dad used to do this when I was a kid. In early rural America, it was usually performed in summer and was an occasion for family reunions and picnics. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, starting with the American Civil War. It’s believed that the tradition of honoring the dead was inspired by the way Southern states decorated the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags. On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan issued an order to designate May 30 as an annual day of remembrance. With the Civil War, America’s need to honor its military dead became prominent as monuments were raised and ceremonies centering on the decoration of soldiers’ graves were held in towns and cities throughout the nation. After World War I, Decoration Day included all fallen soldiers, not just those from the Civil War, and the term “Memorial Day” started being used. By World War II, Memorial Day became the term in more common usage. In 1971, Memorial Day became a national holiday by an act of Congress.

My uncle Kenny Maye and his cousin Thomas Maye were drafted for the Korean War at the tender age of 18. Two young men fresh out of high school who had their entire lives ahead of them. My mother admired her older brother Kenny who worked in a grocery store after school and would give their mother a part of his wages to help the struggling family. Mom was the youngest and remembers the day when military personnel arrived and knocked on the door with the devastating news that Kenny had been killed on the front lines of battle. His body was not recovered, but they did find his dog tags on the battlefield. My grandmother ran through the house screaming and stayed in bed for a week. Thomas was never found and is still listed as missing in action. Soon no one will even remember these lads, but God will never forget them.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 5/22/23

Yielding our will so that we can obey His

I was at my daughter’s home a few years ago doing some painting, and yes, these are things that retired fathers are happy to do. She was in another room organizing a closet while listening to some music and the Michael Jackson song, “The Man in the Mirror” was playing. I listened intently. Certain songs occasionally stick in our heads and I sensed the Lord speaking to me about this profound message.

We all have mirrors in our homes and they are generally used to make sure our hair and clothes look presentable or if we have barbecue sauce on our face, but there is also a deeper thought about reflection when we consider what type of person we are on the inside. Spiritual transformation comes when we are convicted to examine our conscience which is exactly what God has been trying to communicate to us since the beginning. You see, we are born with a default spirit that must be changed.

The chorus of the song says, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways.” Actually, God is the one demanding for us to be conformed to His will, but a critical component within this process is that first, we must yield our will to Him. Until the desire to change becomes stronger than our desire to remain the same, satisfaction with our default existence will continue.

Each week I encounter people that are in different stages of their journey and part of my mission as a minister and counselor is to help and encourage them however the Lord leads. One of the strongest obstacles when it comes to letting go of what we want and embracing what God wants is an aggressive passion to protect our position as the master of our own destiny. Individuals might listen to motivational messages to improve their lifestyles, but many modern churches are failing to explain God’s demand for sanctification. For Christ to be our Lord, our carnal nature must die.

Most people are familiar with the word covenant and realize that it is a binding agreement between two parties. God made His blood covenant promise when He sent Jesus to die on the cross to pay for our sins. However, accepting this offer of forgiveness is not the complete idea of salvation. It is God’s side of the contract. Since Jesus gave Himself for us, our promise within this covenant is to give ourselves to Him. Without a complete transformation of our spirit and mind, we are playing religious games.

Colossians 2:20 talks about being crucified with Christ, yet abiding in Him and allowing Him to control our new life. In chapter 3 and verse 3, God declares to those who are born again, “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Romans 6:11 says, “Likewise In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”Many will say I raised my hand when asked who wants to go to heaven, but it was not explained that I am to be possessed by Him. Grace is an opportunity to love and serve God, but was never intended to be a license to live however we want.

It seems the new comfortable way of celebrating salvation is being relieved that God rescued us from eternal death, while ignoring the need to examine our soul to see if He is pleased with our dedication and responsibility to this covenant. A fundamental difference between many people and the story of the rich young ruler is that he truly believed what Jesus said about the conditions to be a child of God. He walked away depressed because surrendering his will was too painful to his flesh. Today, many evidently do not believe God’s warnings and walk away content to create their own philosophies.

God loves us and invites us to love Him, but He has no intention of allowing us to remain the same. The last few verses in Matthew chapter 16 remind us about taking up our cross which is a symbol of a torturous death. Again, this is about sacrificing our depraved nature so that Christ can be our Master. “You mean believing there is a God is not enough to be saved?” No. “The demons also believe and tremble” James 2:19.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 5/15/23

A divided heart lives in deception

I’m reminded again of the quote from Scott Fitzgerald, “You do not write because you want to say something; you write because you have something to say.” I can relate to those who are called to express the burdens within their hearts and thankful for the opportunity to share mine. These freedoms may not always be with us as the world is becoming aggressively opposed to God and His disciples. I write for several secular publications around the country and I’m often warned about toning it down with Jesus as it might offend those who disagree. The subtle hint here is that being selective with my words would be better than having no platform at all. Many newspapers have already closed the door on spiritual content because of political, social, and cultural resistance.

The Living on Purpose column is recognized as a source of encouragement and faith, nevertheless, as a watchman I must never ignore His warnings. Pastors and teachers will agree it’s easier to talk about doctrines and Biblical history, but it’s a solemn responsibility and personal sacrifice to deliver a specific and urgent message from God Himself. In the Bible when He would choose a servant that He could trust, often their obedience brought persecution and for some, it cost them their lives. This is happening right now. I’m referring to those few individuals that are not afraid to speak divine truth about sin even if they are silenced with force. The religious “fluff” will continue adapting and compromising as a part of their self-preservation, but sadly this fear of offending is causing many churches to reconsider their stand against sin as a solution to maintain popularity while avoiding hostile spiritual warfare.

Along with most assemblies reinventing themselves, we notice a decline in the promotion of prayer. Why is this? Because the masses would rather be cozy and comfortable, to be entertained, and listen to short “feel good” devotions that are non-threatening. Serious prayer does not fit into this format, even though intercession generates the power of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the services and increases discernment, anointing, and maturity. When prayer was removed from the public education system, the enemy won a major battle, but why do we not hear more about how the absence of a praying church causes a spiritually powerless nation? One reason is the average religious person only calls for prayer when they need something. If prayer was a top priority of Christians, there would be prayer meetings every day.

How often are we desperate for God? Do we anticipate Him whispering for us to go somewhere private and seek Him? I realize I talk about the human will all the time, but I do not apologize as it is the key to the meaning of life. Our free will is the command center within the human experience that has everything to do with our spiritual connection with our Creator. Until the word of God convicts the will and the mind is transformed to be completely dedicated to Him, there can only be a hypocritical facade. If we choose to fill our minds with the poison of the world, we will not be convicted to pray or have a passion to walk in the awareness of His presence. So, why is the reverential fear of the Lord hardly mentioned anymore? Because the masses do not want to hear that lukewarmness is a result of being filled with more of the world than the Holy Spirit. We are what we think and when we refuse to guard our minds, our conscience easily becomes contaminated. When pleasure becomes more important than pleasing God, our dirty heart separates us from Him.

If we allow God to purify us with His refining fire, there is no way we can continue absorbing the corruption of wickedness. We have two choices: continue pledging allegiance to the darkness or become a living sacrifice for Christ. We can’t love two masters and being neutral is serving the darkness. Beyond the motivational talks and inspirational stories, we must own all aspects of truth, we must demonstrate what we confess. Until we surrender our will to Him, we will not change. We’ve heard about being born-again, but not a lot about what it really means. When a person accepts Christ as their Savior and Lord, they no longer serve themselves. All control has been given over to their new Master, and to continue living exactly the same “after” we make our holy vow to Jesus is a fraud.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 5/8/23

Are you in love with God?

The Almighty has the power to unlock all doors and break down every obstacle. We also believe He can do whatever He wants, but often are left clueless to comprehend His decisions. I’ve heard testimonies from individuals who were in a grave situation and suddenly they were delivered. Coincidence? No, I believe God had a precise plan that would bring Him glory. On the other hand, as a chaplain, I’ve been on scene where someone was involved in a terrible accident or had taken their own life and obviously, He did not prevent that. No human can understand why sometimes He intervenes and other times He does not, but His sovereignty is defined as Him being the Omniscient judge with all authority. Didn’t we pray, not my will but thy will be done?

So what about our desires and choices? If we want to spend time each day praying for a stronger spiritual awareness, and focusing on developing a closer relationship with Christ, we certainly have the opportunity to do it. He designed us with free will which means we choose what we do and whom we serve, and it’s evident who desires to be filled with God’s Spirit and who could care less. The religious masses will scoff and say, “It’s ridiculous! No one can think about God all the time!” Really? This is not true. Responses like this are a defense mechanism trying to disguise guilt by justifying rebellion. There is a remnant today that is devoted to being one with God. They desire to pull away from the dark persuasions of the world and passionately invest their entire lives in drawing nearer to Him. Are you included with these disciples?

I can hear the arguments now, “Am I supposed to live in a monastery and chant day and night, I have a family and I want to enjoy the pleasures of life!” Did I say the only way to know and love God was to live in the isolation of a dungeon? I’m just trying to relay that every Christian can live in the awareness of God’s presence while also receiving all the blessings that God wants to graciously give. What I’m talking about is love. It would be amazing if we loved Him only a fraction of how much He loves us. Do we love Him enough to give Him our will completely? Let’s see, should I pray, study, and worship, or watch this next movie? I’ll do it later. We are guilty of drawing blueprints for our lives, but shouldn’t we be following the plans God has made for us? There are consequences when we manage our daily affairs without first consulting our Master.

I know a man that had a wonderful wife, two beautiful children, a great job, a nice house, and new cars, but one day he sold everything and set out to walk with God and live completely by faith. I consider him a Bible scholar, but he thought that by pulling away from trusting and depending on this world, he could lead his family into the realms of a higher spiritual existence. However, instead of finding peace and joy, he was confronted with every possible attack imaginable. They faced fear, worry, discouragement, frustration, and stress, and after all the money was gone, he was haunted by feelings of failure. Since this idea was supposedly sanctioned by the Lord, he felt accountable to hold firm to his faith. Long story short, his wife took the children and divorced him.

I realize there are different opinions about this story, but whether God intervenes or not, or even if we relocate to an igloo in the North Pole, we are still who we are and our relationship with Him is in our heart. The only reason why we would not live in the awareness of His presence is because we are not really in love with Him. Going off-grid and living in a recreational vehicle does not make us more holy, it’s all about loving Him to the point that we want to be with Him more than anything else in the world. When this happens, the nature and character of Christ will be seen within us wherever we are. Beyond the words and deeds, walking the narrow path is to know God so intimately that we are constantly listening for His still small voice, however, we cannot obey God and live according to our own decisions at the same time.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 5/1/23

Preventing seeds of unforgiveness to sprout

How much grace does it take to love our enemies? That’s a good question. Tragedies occur all around us and it’s true we are heartbroken and disturbed, but how do we react when our family is harmed or we are personally offended? I admit that I do not always have the character of Christ when I’m being threatened or provoked to anger. Our natural reaction is to retaliate because that’s a natural part of our carnal nature. Most of us agree that people need to be punished for their evil deeds, but Christians must remember the temptation to hold unforgiveness against anyone must be resisted. Yes, we will face challenges and situations that attempt to lure us into loathing attitudes but, it’s forgiveness and love that keeps us on the narrow way of peace and contentment.

When we dwell on retaliation, our joy which is our spiritual strength evaporates and we become weak and discouraged. The brooding desire for revenge will emotionally, mentally, and spiritually hold us in the bondage of misery. If we allow ourselves to become weighed down with animosity, our relationship with God suffers which is why it’s so important to not become entangled with the poison of hatred. To those around us, we may seem fine, but on the inside, we are seething with contempt. Do you secretly have resentment against someone today? Let us remember this internal agonizing battle is not forced upon us, we choose to embrace it. Our natural mind loves to justify corrupt attitudes, and if we continue to focus on vengeance instead of asking for God’s help we are allowing the darkness of sin to control and hold us hostage. Sadly, many would rather live in the agony of hostility instead of releasing their misery to God and allowing Him to heal and execute justice His way.

As a chaplain, I remember a few years ago being called by a healthcare facility to pray for an elderly gentleman that was near death. He was barely able to understand or communicate because of the heavy doses of morphine. His son was sitting next to the bed and after a while, he started to talk about his dad. They were not close, and he began to describe a man that was not only harsh and uncaring but abusive. I could sense the deep emotional pain as he began to tell a sad story about a disappointed and wounded family. The son was a Christian and had been dealing with resentment for years. As he continued to share about the power of forgiveness, I could sense the love and peace of God in his countenance. If we sincerely repent and ask the Lord to step into our situation, He is the only one who can bring true healing to our hearts and minds.

When watching a toddler, we notice they react to basic experiences of hunger, affection, disappointment, happiness, and anger but are only beginning to learn what it means to be offended. Resentment and bitterness are negative attitudes and it’s only through inviting Christ to become our Lord and allowing His truth to transform our minds that we can be molded into His way of merciful thinking. He wants us to be honest with Him and not suppress these ugly imaginations that not only can build a wall between us and the Lord, it also makes us toxic to those around us. Just how serious is unforgiveness? Matthew 6:14-15 says, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Hatred is silent but deadly and is like a growing infection that can desensitize us from having compassion for anyone or anything. Since the Christian’s greatest asset is love, the enemy of our soul will use anything he can to prevent us from forgiving and praying for others. May we never discard our responsibility to humbly serve and obey Christ just because we are blinded by our longing to get even with someone. Whatever they have done to hurt us, we have the choice to let it go so that we can live in the joy of God’s presence. Some may declare they cannot forgive but this is not true. Forgiveness is a choice as the Bible reminds us in Proverbs 13:18, “Poverty and shame will come to those who refuse instruction: but they who embrace correction will be honored.”

Read more about the Christian life at: billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 4/24/23

Taking a moment to share my life and appreciation

For those of you that read this column, I hope the insights and considerations are worth your time. I have political and social speculations like all of you, but I would much rather stay focused on how awesome God is. I’m just a student desiring to understand what I believe, while also trying to listen carefully and be discerning about the convictions of others. Everyone has their own opinions about everything, and when we become involved in endless criticisms and accusations, it accomplishes nothing. In fact, it makes things worse and we have enough of that already. It’s important to me that I know why I believe my views and this can only be accomplished through prayer and study. If we desire to present Christ to a confused world, He pleads with us to surrender our will and learn how to live in the awareness of His presence.

Some of you have been asking me to share a few things about my personal life, so first of all, our daughter-in-law had twins last month and Mother and the babies are perfect. Thank you, Jesus! Our four-year-old grandson now has a brother and sister! They are so beautiful. We also have another adorable 10-month-old granddaughter that lives in Denver. I realize I’m preaching to the choir when I say that grandchildren are amazing. Our grandson loves to spend the night at our house on Friday nights, and it’s always non-stop action of laughter and entertainment. He is so smart and never forgets anything. We pray for these young ones and are concerned about the evil world they will face, but I’m sure people thought the same thing about us. It’s true, the world is declining spiritually, but when we read I John 4:4, we are assured that God’s light always overcomes the darkness.

I’ve been a Christian minister and truth seeker for 40 years, and have earned four degrees from two Seminaries. I am currently working on a Ph.D. in Biblical history from a third Seminary. I just want to know more about God. Some of you might know that I’m also a certified fire district chaplain with our county and a volunteer chaplain for a Veteran’s healthcare facility where I lead Bible studies and sing old hymns with my guitar. I enjoy being with people and have realized that just taking the time to listen to others is one of the greatest ways we can show that we care. I was having lunch the other day with a good friend that is battling cancer, and he said that life can change very quickly along with our attitudes and perspectives. When healthy, we are confident in our own strength, but when we are weak, we understand more about humility, faith, and priorities. In the end, hopefully, we will know that life was all about love. The love God gave to us, and how much love we passed on to others.

When it comes to my writing, I began back in the early eighties writing, singing, and recording music about faith and personal intimacy with God. This led to sermons, devotions, blogs, funerals, weddings, videos, CDs, and books, and eventually expanded from a church environment to the realm of public media. I’m not sure how many newspapers or news agencies publish “Living on Purpose” each week, but at one time it was estimated that around 200 newspapers were using my work. It’s an honor as a freelance/non-syndicated columnist to have the opportunity to reach this many readers. Thank you for all the emails and letters, they are very encouraging. I’m also a content coordinator for Best Version Media where I write feature articles for one of their many monthly magazines, and currently working on my fourth book. You can read more about the books on Amazon and my website.

Along with a small group of volunteers, we operate a non-profit charitable organization called, “Walking Thru Ministries” a weekly food distribution program for the needy. Stores and co-ops give us food and we give it out to families, churches, and other outreach ministries. There are many people, especially children in our area that are struggling to make ends meet. I do not have room to share all the activities my wife and I are involved in, but I just wanted to say how much we appreciate your kindness, prayers, support, and friendship. It’s a privilege to serve God and discuss His word with you each week. “Blessed are the ones who find wisdom, and those who gain understanding” Proverbs 3:13.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 4/17/23

Will the return of Christ interfere with your plans?

Henry Allan “Harry” Ironside was a Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, pastor, and author who pastored Moody Church in Chicago from 1929 to 1948. It is said that Harry Ironside was one of the most prolific Christian writers of the 20th Century and published more than 100 books, booklets, and pamphlets, many of which are still in print. He also wrote several hymns including “Overshadowed” “His Grace Proclaim” and “The Wonder of His Love to Me.” One editorial reviewer wrote in a 2005 republication that, “Ironside’s commentaries are a Christian standard and have stood the test of time.”

In his comments on Isaiah 57, Dr. Harry Ironside shares this true story: “Years ago, before the First World War, Professor Stroeter, a well-known prophetic teacher in Germany, would travel through the country giving lectures, and using charts to explain the dispensations. His meetings attracted the attention of the German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm, who despite of his many idiosyncrasies, was quite a Bible student himself, and would deliver sermons in the palace chapel on many occasions. One day the emperor invited Professor Stroeter to his royal mansion so that he could have a personal session to learn more about the information the professor had been teaching. The professor was taken into the library and he began to spread his charts out on the table. The emperor listened closely as he pointed out various prophetic stages that led up to the glorious Second Coming of the Lord.

After a lengthy conversation the emperor said, “Do you mean to say that Jesus Christ is coming back literally, and when He returns all the kingdoms of the world are going to be destroyed and He will set up His kingdom on the ruins of them all?” Professor Stroeter said, “Exactly, your Majesty.” The emperor backed away with a look of disappointment and said, “Oh no, I can’t accept that! This would interfere with all of my plans!” What an honest but troubling admission from a man who professed to be a student and teacher of the Bible. There are indeed many interpretations and opinions about what the future may bring, but Christians can agree there is coming a day when this world will be no more and God will establish His heavenly kingdom forever.

We look around and notice that many people are working hard to build their dreams. I know individuals that are making plans 10, 20, and even 30 years in the future, but are these divine blueprints that God has drawn? Have you known or heard about individuals that had their lives all mapped out, but were suddenly taken out of this world at a young age? It’s worth considering whose voice we are following as the Bible declares there is nothing more important than keeping our spiritual eyes and ears open to where the Lord desires to lead us. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Many of us add Christ to our long list of things we are interested in, but there are only so many hours in our already crowded schedule. Yes, we all have responsibilities, but ignoring God and not being prepared comes with steep consequences. Are we just seeking the God we want without taking the time to know Him? Maybe our busyness is a way of hiding our brokenness. We notice in Luke 5:15-16, Jesus was becoming very popular and multitudes were constantly seeking Him for His wisdom and power to heal. Yet, the more hectic things became, the more time He spent praying and maintaining His relationship with the Father.

How often do Christians stop and consider that when they made a vow to surrender their will to God, their lives were no longer their own? They declared to the world that from now on they will only follow His voice. So, I ask myself; is there anything in this world that would cause me to wish that Christ would wait a while before He returns? Our daughter-in-law recently had twins and of course, I want to know my grandchildren and watch them grow, but what could be better than for us all to go to heaven today? What about you dear friend, are things like enjoying your wealth, building a house, seeing the world, finishing college, getting married, having children, getting that promotion, retiring, or completing some project you’ve been working on for years, more important than the return of Jesus?

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published – 4/10/23

A burden for souls is the heart of evangelism

Everyone has their thoughts and interpretations when it comes to sharing the gospel, but there’s not a more terrifying word among the average Christian than evangelism. Just ask a believer when was the last time they verbally shared the love of Jesus with an unbeliever and the answer will probably be a moment of silence. Evangelical Christianity is widely known, but maybe we should briefly explain what it means. This sect believes the world is separated into two groups, those who are lost and those who are saved. They believe that Christ died and was resurrected so that all who believe can be spiritually born again and dedicate their lives to following Him. This is summed up in John 3:16. They also have the highest regard for and obedience to the Bible as the ultimate standard and authority.

Thirdly, they are called to express and demonstrate God’s love at all times which makes them, “In season and out of season” certified, and bona fide missionaries to proclaim God’s message whenever they hear His directions. And lastly, they develop an awareness of God’s presence and are focused on this “good news” and how to explain the sacrifice of Christ is the only way anyone can be redeemed and made righteous. These distinctions and theological convictions for the most part define the movement. It’s also noted they are not controlled or influenced by political, social, or cultural trends. Many evangelicals rarely use the term evangelical to describe themselves, focusing simply on listening and obeying the instructions of the Holy Spirit. Though it varies, most devout evangelicals believe in the Armenian doctrinal system that emphasizes personal choice as the means to salvation, while reformed theology or Christian Calvinists are convinced that Jesus came to earth to pay the debt of sin for those who are referred to as God’s elect.

A story was told of two men waiting in line at a coffee shop. One was a pastor, and he began a conversation with a young man. After they received their order, they sat at a table and the pastor told him a story about a lonely boy who was afraid, but one day someone told him that Jesus was always with him even when he could not see him. The young man became a little fidgety but finally gathered the courage to admit that he could relate to this story. He said the world was becoming a scary place and that often his anxiety made him uncomfortable. This allowed the pastor to share the gospel with what is commonly referred to as a divine appointment. This means that God knows everyone who has come to a point in their journey where they are open and receptive to knowing more about God’s love and mercy. What a great example of how every Christian can make a difference in the world just by being spiritually discerning. If this Christian had not been sensitive to the Holy Spirit, this young man would have walked out the door and the opportunity would have been lost. However, because of spiritual awareness, a brief connection was made, and the perfect moment for a simple chat was accomplished. Did this young man accept God’s invitation for eternal salvation? According to the story, he did not receive Christ at that moment, but the seeds were planted, and hopefully, the life-changing words of truth were watered by other mysterious occurrences that the young man would eventually realize were not coincidences.

When one considers why it’s so difficult to share the gospel with others, many answers are given, but the common excuse is usually being afraid of looking weird, awkward, and a religious extremist. In our celebrity-obsessed culture, looking uninformed, nonintellectual, and unattractive is the highest social humiliation. However, since Jesus was not afraid of the shame or persecution that came with dying for us, His followers should lose their pride, and not ignore their responsibility or be intimidated to suffer being uncomfortable for Him. Christians are not called as Christ’s church to proclaim our integrity or lofty reputations as we have none, but rather to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:19. The bottom line to being a bold witness for the Lord’s amazing grace of salvation is having such love and overwhelming burden for souls, that you would rather risk being made to look like a fool than to live with the guilt of being ashamed of God.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 4/3/23

The angel said, “Jesus is not here, He is risen!”

This is the time of year when Christians focus on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Spring is a season of new life as His followers remember how He suffered and shed His blood on the cross and after three days He arose victoriously from the grave. To be honest, holy week is not so much a jolly time of celebration but rather calls for serious meditation, humility, and being grateful for the precious gift of salvation. It is bittersweet because it’s never pleasant to imagine an innocent person being brutally tortured, but knowing that Jesus miraculously came back to life, is a demonstration of His infinite power and authority and why we are so filled with humility and joy. Jesus Christ demonstrated His passion by surrendering His life so that we could live.

I admit I am an emotional person. I remember going to see the Passion movie when it was released, and I was deeply touched, to say the least. It’s not uncommon for me to shed a tear when I witness something that moves my soul and this was no exception. Recently, I was watching a story about the “Make-a-wish foundation” and how they provide a way for very sick children to experience a happy but most likely last request and I cried through the entire program. As the scenes of what Christ went through were presented, I wondered how anyone could watch this and not be convicted. I’m not ashamed to wear my feelings on my sleeve. I have no desire to hide behind a mask to pretend I’m not spiritually discerning. I often write about how easy it is to become calloused by the harshness of life and the danger of losing the sensitivity of our conscience.

I think about the life of Jesus and the reason why He came to earth which is explained so clearly in the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of John. I think about how He was betrayed by those He trusted and was denied by His closest friends. The religious community rejected His message as did the political system along with the demands from the general population, who eventually agreed to publicly execute Him for admitting He was the Son of God. Sadly, things have not changed that much. We know that Jesus existed, that He was an amazing teacher and had the power to demonstrate miracles, but it’s when He rose from the dead that proves He is truly the Messiah and sets Him apart from every other religion in the world.

We notice that He was constantly approached by those in desperate need and it was His character to be concerned and compassionate. The world has always been filled with human suffering and He is always ready to respond with love and mercy. Being knowledgeable about the Bible is good but that does not necessarily mean that someone is following Christ. It is what they do with what they have learned that transforms emotions into spiritual obedience. When we see someone who needs help or even an encouraging word, what good does it do to just look at them with pity? Christ was always ministering to those who would reach out to Him by faith and two thousand years later He is still pouring out His grace and forgiveness to anyone that will call upon His name.

As His followers, we have been called to focus our attention on becoming more like Him despite a troubled world that justifies walking over the wounded and being self-centered. His command to take up our cross includes letting go of our natural way of selfish thinking and willingly allowing Christ to be the hope of glory within us. The more we learn about His life, the more we realize that His love was more than words. As we meditate on His mission this week, His grace gives us a deeper understanding of who He is, and how He desires to live through us. The reverence and awareness of who Jesus is and why He came is heaven’s promise of eternal life, and it’s our responsibility to remain steadfast in our obedience to Him. Beyond the new clothes, the feasts, and the Easter festivities, may we give honor and worship to Christ that rescued us from being permanently separated from God. Dear friend, without being forgiven of our sins, we are carrying the weights and chains of misery and hopelessness. Come to Jesus today and He will set you free, save you, and be with you forever.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 3/27/23

What will be your wager about God’s existence?

God’s offer for everyone to accept His salvation is the greatest gesture of compassion and grace the world has ever known. However, for those who reject His invitation, as the rich young ruler did, choosing to embrace the default and ignoring the divine will be the most devastating decision a person will ever make. The image of a red devil with a pitchfork is not cute or a joke and neither is the holiness of God who has always demanded honor, reverence, and respect. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” Proverbs 9:10. Having factual information and accepting it are two profoundly different things and whether we want to admit it or not, we choose whom we will serve every moment.

It’s no secret that seekers of truth have lots of difficult questions. I guess the most important at the end of life is, “How much truth did the seeker find?” and, more importantly, “How much of it did they comprehend and demonstrate?” It’s been said that knowledge is merely the accumulation of information, but wisdom is the understanding of knowledge. We use the concept of levels to describe just how far and how deep we will venture in our quest to know the mysteries and secrets about God and the meaning and purpose of our lives. Sadly, the passion to discover these revelations seem to only matter to a fraction of the population, which is peculiar.

With the help of technology we receive a constant flow of communication at the push of a button and most consider this a blessing. Nonetheless, what the masses fail to realize is that information is commonly mixed with biased and opinionated commentary that contaminates the message, which in turn can distort our perspectives. In this light, things are not always the way they seem, thus the critical need for spiritual discernment. Deception is like an infection of the mind and soul. The modern views about philosophy and spirituality declare that truth is relative to what the individual believes, and there is not a divine standard of truth for everyone to trust and obey. Yet, the Bible is very clear about there only being one God and one truth which means that what we believe has everything to do with whether we are right or wrong. When it comes to our state of being in the next dimension, we do not want to be on the side of error and face judgment for conforming to the culture.

I’m sure with the hundreds of newspapers that publish this column each week, there are skeptics, agnostics, and maybe even a few atheists that read it and I’m honored. There is a growing audience that is interested to know if anyone can prove that God exists, and this is the most important question anyone could ask. I can give examples of what I believe confirms He is real, but at the end of the day, I cannot knock on God’s door and literally introduce Him to you. There is just as much faith in rejecting God as there is in embracing Him and we are accountable for our choices. In the spirit realm, divine truth is absolute, but in the natural world, there is virtually no absolute proof outside of pure logic and mathematics. For that reason, courtrooms do not require absolute proof to reach a verdict; rather, they seek to present reasonable doubt and consider what’s most probable.

Some have heard of Pascal’s wager which is a pragmatic argument presented by the seventeenth-century French philosopher, and theologian Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). He considered that all human beings wager with their eternal future concerning whether God exists or not. By the way, these decisions are not optional. Merely by existing we are forced to decide even if we are convinced we are not participating at all. Pascal’s presentation basically declares that if we wager that God is just a fairy tale and we are correct, we have lost nothing. However, if we believe that He is real and we love and serve Him, we have gained everything. Yet, many gambles against the odds and will risk losing their souls, knowing there is overwhelming evidence for the reality of God. Read Mark 8:36-37. You see, believing in God does not require blind faith, but neither can it overcome determined resistance. Airtight, sound arguments will remain unconvincing to those who are resolved to doubt.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 3/20/23

What does having a pure heart mean to you?

Many are familiar with the beatitudes which are a section of a larger discourse spoken by Jesus in His earthly ministry. They are found in His sermon on the mount in Matthew chapter 5, and some of them are mentioned again in the sermon on the plain found in the twentieth chapter of Luke. Both homilies are filled with spiritual wisdom and laid the groundwork for New Testament Christianity. There are also beatitudes found in the Psalms, and all of these truths are timeless and just as life-changing and relevant today as they were when they were spoken. The Greek word for “beatitude” simply means blessed, fortunate, and content, and presented in the context of living each moment with a relentless determination for having a clear understanding of right and wrong and demonstrating boldness to accomplish God’s purpose no matter the cost.

When you think about the condition and direction of your life today, do you see consider yourself being this type of Christian? It’s easy to read over these precepts while yawning, but they were never meant to be options or suggestions. You might have heard the old saying that beatitude is short for “be-in-this-attitude” and this is a good way to make them more personal. When we take the time to meditate on the deeper meanings, we realize they are pillars in the foundation of our faith and our relationship with God and humanity. Today I want to focus on one of these statements found in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Within the context of the next two chapters, Jesus is basically teaching us what being His follower is about. Christ is clear about the importance of being holy and pure in our conscience, but how do we develop this attitude and retain it?

As we ponder about the state of being pure, we also notice Jesus mentions the word heart. What do you think of when you hear something like, “well, bless your heart”, “she broke his heart” or “he loved her with all of his heart?” Some say it is the conscience, the emotions, the intellect, and our will, others believe it is the deepest recess of the soul. Whatever, or wherever it is, it is the most sacred place of our existence and the very location that God wants us to surrender to Him so that He can dwell there. Daniel 1:8 talks about how Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with sin. In this light, we see that it is our responsibility to guard and protect our inner sanctuary from the darkness and corruption of carnality.

The first several chapters of Proverbs explain that we are to store the treasures of God’s word in our hearts and the authority of His truth will produce joy and peace. “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” Proverbs 4:20-23. This is about staying focused and being consistent which by the way is one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life. A pure heart is not divided and as James 1:6-8 reminds us, a double-minded person does not receive help from the Lord. A pure heart for God walks with integrity, repents often, and does not fear what the world thinks of them. A pure heart embraces humility, comprehends and embraces our identity in Christ, and makes a covenant vow to surrender our will in order that we might accomplish His.

It’s a beautiful thing to be close enough to God to feel conviction from the Holy Spirit. This is His way of getting our attention when He wants to correct or give us special instructions. Hebrews 10:22 talks about drawing near to God with a true heart in the full assurance of faith, and having our hearts purified from an evil conscience. Living in God’s presence and being pure in heart does not happen by accident. We see what we are trained to see. May we be awakened and allow the refiner to have His way. Let us be consumed with a passion to be holy, knowing those who are pure in heart will see God.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 3/13/23

Walking on bridges that human eyes cannot see

Soon after Jesus had resurrected, we find a beautiful account found in John chapter 20 that is a wonderful example of how much God loves us and desires to help us. The friends and family of the Messiah were gathered together after his horrific crucifixion and were still grieving over his death when suddenly, He appears in their midst. Even though they remembered how He had promised to return I’m sure they were still awestruck. Jesus stretches out His hands and reveals His wounds, and of course, they are overjoyed to see Him again. He spoke peace over them, commissioned them, filled them with the Holy Spirit, then vanished.

Thomas was not there that night and later when he returned he was told that Jesus had visited them. He responded that until he saw Jesus with his own eyes, he would not believe. Eight days later the group came together again and like last time Jesus miraculously appeared except this time Thomas was present. Christ looked at Thomas and told him to reach out and touch the scars, and he did. Jesus said, “Be not faithless, but believing,” and Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God.” When we are discouraged and struggling to believe, we can know that God will make an extra effort to prove how much he loves and cares about us.

Have you ever needed Jesus to inject faith into your doubt? Are you feeling the heaviness of fear and discouragement today? You see, Thomas is not the only person who ever doubted. Actually, he’s a perfect example of you and I. God realizes how hard it is for us to believe. Yes, Thomas had a chance to literally see Jesus, but does this mean we will not believe? This is where faith understands that just because we cannot see and touch Christ, does not mean He is not there. In verse 29 we read, “Jesus said unto him, Thomas because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: but blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Trusting God is having the ultimate optimistic and positive attitude, as faith is choosing to believe there is a way when there seems to be no way. Trust is paying tithes when we only have a small amount of money in the bank. Faith is resting in the promises that God’s word cannot fail. Yes, it’s difficult to demonstrate confidence in His infinite power and authority when all we can see is discouragement and hopelessness, but let us remember, not if – but when the Almighty intervenes in your situation, miracles happen and nothing is ever the same. I John 5:4, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

So, how can we have more faith? We must consistently ask God to teach us how to believe. Faith is not only a source of spiritual hope and strength but Hebrews 11:6 reminds us, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him: for he that approaches God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” In Acts chapter 16, we read that Paul and Silas were being held in a dark and dreary prison, yet they began to praise and worship the Lord. Why? Because joy is not confined to a geographic location, a mood, or a feeling, but is activated when the determination to trust God becomes stronger than the temptation to doubt. We cannot live in faith and fear at the same time. If we feed our faith, our fears will starve! These men made a choice to perceive reality with the eyes of their spirit instead of being controlled by their emotions and today we have the opportunity to do the same thing.

Whatever trial we are facing, we use faith that we developed in the past as mountain-moving faith is not created in one day, but rather with a lifetime of learning. Our natural senses are associated with our emotions, but spiritual faith declares that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Humans tend to rely on their intelligence, but God wants us to place our confidence in Him. True peace comes from knowing that He is listening and moving on our behalf. Thomas Aquinas is quoted as saying, “To the one who has faith, no explanation is necessary, but to the one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 3/6/23

Only two options: The broad or the narrow way

Those who identify with following Jesus are usually satisfied with being comfortable and cozy in their religious styles. Let’s just say that suffering for God is not on their bucket list. When we take a peek at the last six thousand years, we learn that countless numbers of people who loved the Lord literally gave their lives for Him. It’s only within our modern secluded religious environment that we assume persecutions and deaths no longer happen. By no means of the imagination is this true. According to Open Doors World Watch List, in 2022 many Christians were imprisoned and killed for their faith, and countless churches were attacked and closed. Last year, 360 million Christians, or 1 in 7 believers around the world, experienced horrific persecution for their faith. With over 6,000 martyrs in 2022, this means an average of 16 believers were murdered every day just for following Jesus. When we accept Christ into our lives, many are focused on Him being a Savior instead of Him being their Lord, as the latter involves not only living for Him but possibly dying for Him.

In the New Testament, Jesus talks about temptations and decisions, but basically, the main two choices are good and evil. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus describes what we all face every day, “Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many will choose this: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.” It’s true, there are only two choices, God’s way, and our way. The narrow path is good but difficult because it involves surrendering our will to God. What does this mean? It means we no longer serve our desires because we have made a covenant promise to obey God and only do what He says. Obedience is what the Christian life is about and His grace invites us to live in the awareness of His presence. The wide highway is evil, but it’s so easy as the great majority will gladly give all control to their flesh and allow their carnality to lead them. The masses ignore their conscience and resist anything that has to do with listening to God or the Bible. But wait, there are grave consequences attached to this philosophy of living, remember? This popular road is more than a blasphemous rock song, it’s a torturous eternal destination far removed from the hope of a second chance.

There’s not a lot being said nowadays about an everlasting punishment for those who do not love and serve God. The modern ideas about religion argue that this sounds too extreme, and it’s just too negative to think about. Hmmm…but aren’t these the same people who watch paranormal programs and personal testimonies about demons and hell for hours and believe it? When divine truth is rejected it’s a sure sign of Holy Spirit conviction and the rebellious will always avoid feeling guilty for living in sin. Our old depraved nature loves to do whatever feels good and is very defiant against anyone including God that tries to interfere. Yes, the Christian life is difficult and filled with sacrifices and accountability, but wouldn’t a lifetime of obedience to God here on earth be worth an eternity of living with Him in heaven? Being a follower of Yahweh requires a concerted effort on our part as well as an infinite supply of His mercy.

We realize this analogy about the two paths causes some to question the fairness of God. I often hear if He really wants to save everyone, why doesn’t He just let everyone go to heaven? You knew someone was going to say that, didn’t you? When people hear the word narrow, they tend to associate it with a predestined selection as it sounds as though God has rated us all on some scale of acceptability and only allows a few favorites to experience His glory. However, a few verses earlier, Jesus clarifies this within the context, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” God made it clear: the path to eternal life is open and available to all who want to follow Him.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 2/26/23

God’s invitation is to all who believe Him

Kentucky is having amazingly warm weather for February and actually broke records the other day. My grass is turning green and soon everything will be budding and we will be out mowing. Kentucky has also been in the news about having a spiritual revival at the Asbury College campus for the last several weeks. We are encouraged to see that many revivals are now happening around the nation. I’ve written a couple of columns recently about spiritual awakenings, and that we do not need to wait for someone else to repent and cry out for God, we can do it ourselves anytime we want. Revival is a “personal” event that is ignited within the individual when we see our need to be filled with His Holy Spirit and we choose to draw closer to Him.

It is said the Asbury revival started with confessions of sin, sincere repentance, prayer, worship, and testimonies of God restoring and saving those who received Him by faith. This went on for several days and when the word spread to social media, hundreds of people began to come. So what is at the core of a spiritual movement? Is it repentance? Is it being convicted of sin? Can we see the holiness of God at work? Some might say these are emotional feelings, but when people testify they were lost before they arrived, and they gave their lives to God and were saved and restored by His grace and love, we cannot deny the Lord was leading them to His salvation.

This week my wife, a good friend, and I went to see the new movie, “Jesus Revolution.” I do not believe it’s a coincidence this is being released at the same time these revivals are going on across America. It’s about how Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa California began back in the late sixties and early seventies. Because of the obedience of a few people who felt the Lord leading them, there are now over 1000 churches that are serving God today. The basic theme of the movie is exposing the negative and condescending religious attitudes that have been around since the beginning. Has anyone out there ever felt snubbed by the church? The spirit of religion relies on tradition and legalism that refuses to see that God loves everyone and is also inviting them to the banquet feast. Many churches have closed their doors to people who do not look like them and do not fit the preconceived molds that religion requires in order to be included as a member of their clubs. Is this not the sin of prejudice and being judgmental, based on our carnal opinions?

When we read the New Testament, we see that Jesus also faced much criticism from the religious world because they wanted Him to act like them and support their haughty spirits. Instead, we discover that He mingled with the outcast, the poor, the sick, and those who felt rejected. He ate with them, prayed for them, and embraced them as precious human beings whom the Father loved as much as anyone. In fact, Christ came to give His life for all who would accept that He was the Father’s plan for the believers to be restored to God. He boldly rebuked the leaders of the church for being blind and refusing to understand spiritual truth. The ones who thought they knew everything about God, actually knew very little. One problem with this arrogant attitude is that it tries to control instead of seeing others as God sees them. If Jesus was here today, sadly His teachings would not be welcome in many churches.

There is a huge difference between being religious and having a personal relationship with God. There are many differences and divisions in the spiritual realm, but this is the most serious. The message to everyone including the religious is that God is pleased with consistent faith and obedience. There are many levels of commitment and dedication, but God is seeking those who want all of Him and are willing to give all of themselves to Him. Every person decides what percentage they will receive and how much they will give. Many pretend to serve God by only attending church while living a spiritually lukewarm life. Mary was so desperately in love with Jesus, she anointed Christ with costly perfume as a way to express her worship and adoration to Him. When Jesus becomes our Lord, we will live in the awareness of His presence.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 2/20/2023

God is waiting to pour out His glory on us

Last week we talked about the recent revival in Wilmore Kentucky. Anytime there are 1500 people in one place worshiping God around the clock, we know the Lord is stirring hearts. We had a trip to Denver planned last week, but I was able to attend three different times before we left and it was very humbling to see a hunger for God on this level. We sang “I Exalt Thee” and you could sense God was there. I mentioned recently that spiritual moves of God’s glory have nothing to do with geographical locations, but rather are manifested within those who simply want more of Him. Until our flesh is disciplined by our will and the Holy Spirit is given control to lead us into submitting to Him, there is no spiritual advancement. When we fall deeply in love with God and are no longer embarrassed to stand boldly for Him, there is no limit to what can be accomplished for His glory.

While observing what was happening before my eyes, I wondered why do we not see this attitude of repentance and worship in every church every week. A genuine excitement for God should be present within every follower of Christ, however, many of us are not as consistent as we should be. Often we settle for mediocrity by just living for God when we feel like it. We realize that we can be filled with His Spirit, but if do not maintain our relationship with Him, the fervor of our love and the strength of our joy can leak which will leave us weak and weary. If we could maintain our zeal for God, we would not need to be revived, but for most of us, this is not the case. One day we are on the mountain and the next day we are exhausted, sad, and need encouragement.

The Azusa Street Revival was a historic series of meetings that took place in Los Angeles and was led by William J. Seymour an African-American preacher. The revival began on April 9, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915. On the first night, Seymour and seven men were praying and waiting on God on Bonnie Brae Street, when suddenly, as though hit by a bolt of lightning, they were knocked from their chairs to the floor. The men began to shout and praise God as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. The news quickly spread, the city was stirred, crowds gathered and services were moved outside to accommodate the people who came from all around. Those who attended were so overwhelmed by the power of God’s presence they could not stop weeping as manifestations were evident such as individuals being delivered from evil spirits, and the sick were healed.

I was raised in a church where they would schedule a revival by inviting a guest speaker to hold special meetings for a few days. There was anticipation about what God might do. People would invite their lost loved ones and, those who had drifted away from the Lord in the hopes and prayers they would be saved or restored in their relationship with Christ. We used to sing an old hymn that said, “Send a great revival in my soul, let the Holy Spirit come and take control.” This is a great song and asking God for a personal awakening is wonderful, but there is always repentance and fervent prayer involved. In other words, I do not see a powerful move in our lives while we are playing video games. The Bible mentions in Romans 12:1-2 about being a living sacrifice, but usually, we would rather do a good deed instead of yielding our will. A devoted life of allowing God to possess us will cost us more than we can imagine. If we are seeking a deeper more meaningful relationship with Christ, we are promised that if we seek Him, we will find Him.

So what gives us this desperate hunger and thirst for God? Fasting is not popular, but it shows that we are serious about being closer to Him. James 4:8 promises, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” If we really want to be on fire for God, let us remember we can live as close to God as we choose. We do not need to travel any further than our conscience to discover He is always waiting to pour out His glory on us.

Learn more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 2/13/23

It’s encouraging to see people wanting more of God

There is a move of the Holy Spirit happening in Wilmore Kentucky where the small evangelical Asbury University and Seminary are located. As the regular chapel service began Wednesday morning in Hughes Auditorium, it was not long before things became extraordinary. Many students did not leave and continued to worship as the band kept playing. The message that morning focused on confession, repentance, and how true love for God and others is more than just words. News traveled quickly and soon more students started coming in. Many said they felt the power of God drawing them to examine their hearts and make a fresh commitment to Christ. College students have joined in from other colleges including the University of Kentucky as Christians from other states are making the journey to experience this 24/7 manifestation of God’s presence. It is not known at this time how long this outpouring will last, but there has definitely been a lot of excitement in the last five days. The crowds are growing as the worship, praying, reading scriptures, and personal testimonies of God’s power are generating faith and a glimpse of what normal Christian life should be like.

Asbury president Kevin Brown spoke on John 17 Friday night, a passage that calls for unity. “So when people see us, they see one accord. For this generation, for the church, for the world, the edification of our neighbor, and the glory of God. This is not an Asbury thing, this is a kingdom of God thing.” Saturday night all 1500 seats were taken with many people standing around the walls. When the Asbury website started posting daily updates, soon the site had so much traffic it crashed. Growing numbers watching the live stream are sending prayers not just from around the country, but also from places like Paraguay, Indonesia, Africa, Australia, and India. The editor of the School Newspaper said, “We are encouraging each other to have this posture of radical humility. We are trying to understand God’s love in a greater way. It’s not about us, it’s about Jesus and I believe this is why it continues.” Some of the older generations may remember another outpouring here in February 1970. It began when the Dean at that time invited students to share their testimonies and miraculously, the worship and praying lasted for 144 hours straight. Classes were canceled for the week and many traveled around the country sharing about what God had done in their midst.

Another comment from a news site, “We see depravity now in America, every day, wherever we look. It’s encouraging to see young people on their knees in prayer. May this revival spread like wildfire across this land. America has never been in deeper trouble. Lord help us.” I have written about revival in the past and it can mean several things like renewal, awakening, restoration, repentance, or making alive again. It’s associated with those who once were on fire for God but they have drifted away into what is called a cold or lukewarm state of being spiritually lethargic. To be revived means to be convicted by hearing God’s truth and seeing the need to be reignited in our passion to be completely sold out to Jesus. In Revelation chapter two we see the letter to the church at Ephesus where Jesus said, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.” He is saying that when Christ is at the top of our priority list, our love for Him will blaze like a roaring fire. However, when we allow the cares of the world and our carnality to become more important than our relationship with Him, we become ashamed and nonchalant like smoldering embers.

Revival is a gift of God’s grace and yet the only thing that is preventing it from happening anywhere is an attitude of our heart. It begins when someone wants to become a living sacrifice for God. What does this mean? It means the realization that living holy is how we please Him. Our gratitude and love for Him is not just about what He can do, it’s for who He is. You do not know that God is all you need until you realize He is all you have. He’s either the Lord of “all” of your life or He is not really your Lord at all. We will discuss more about revival next week.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 2/6/23

Do we only follow God when we feel like it?

Have you ever wondered what is the purpose of television, games, movies, and social media? Many will say it was created to entertain and inform us, but what we may not have noticed, is that when we are constantly focused on these things, we are usually not listening to what God is saying. To understand what He wants us to do, we must give Him our undivided attention. This is accomplished when we find a quiet place where we can pray, worship, and be still before Him. To those who are not followers of God, this sounds silly, but the ones who cry out for His refining fire to purge their minds and hearts, realize the desire for entertainment can become a snare trap distracting us from our mission.

There is an old saying when a person is easily distracted, someone will say “squirrel!” This means they are like a dog or cat that cannot keep themselves from chasing a squirrel no matter how much the owner tells them to stop. Are we like this with God? I’m reminded of a story about a king who wanted his daughter to be married. There were three suitors and as a test, they were to carry a full cup of water across the banquet hall without spilling a drop. The first contender was booed, and he spilled his cup. The second was cheered, but he also spilled the water. The third man received much screaming from the crowd but he managed to hand the cup to the king without spilling a drop. When asked how he was successful, he said, the others became distracted by the people and took their eyes away from the task. I decided not to listen to anyone and to only focus on the king’s desires.

In our modern world, the Christian tries to live in both the secular and spiritual worlds at the same time and often ends up frustrated and exhausted. It has to do with focus and this is a result of our love. How so? Since we do what we love, we are also serving whom we love. You see, there are only two paths; God’s way and our way. Humans are creatures of priorities and what we do reveals what is important to us. Free will has always been alive and well and was present when Adam and Eve chose to ignore God. We can blame others for our lack of concentration, but in the end, we make our own decisions. Yes, we are influenced by those around us and of course, there is such a person called the devil who has been given the authority to whisper lies and subtle persuasions to lure us away from what God has called us to do. Nonetheless, our carnality and rebellion does not remove the responsibility of a Christian to live in the awareness of God’s presence.

I realize this is fairly straightforward, but in a world where doctrinal corners are being rounded and the truth is being watered down, let us not forget the commitment of our profession of faith includes standing for God no matter how unpopular or uncomfortable. Some might shrug their shoulders and think this level of enthusiasm is for extreme radicals, but may we be reminded that many have willingly sacrificed their lives for their faith. This causes me to wonder if enough evidence could be found to prosecute me. God wants to encourage us today and to remember the same conviction that drew us to Him, is the same stirring we have to serve Him. How else can we prove to God how much we adore Him than to do what He says? Christianity was never supposed to be a one-way relationship where God does everything and we do nothing. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” John 14:15.

I just thought about what I would do if God told me to do something I didn’t want to do. What would you do? Would we do it or would we ignore Him and justify our disobedience as a misunderstanding? Some would say it depends on what it was. Ha! That’s a good one! Do you believe there are consequences for ignoring the Lord? In my last book, I said the meaning of life is to know and love God, but accepting Christ to be our Lord and Master means our dedication to serve Him is constant, not just when we feel like it.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 1/30/23

Appreciating every day and every hour

I have a good friend that is seriously ill with late-stage cancer. When he was diagnosed about 2 years ago, he began to write and send a daily text thread to friends about his treatments, how he is doing, the weather, anything associated with astronomy, and a generous amount of philosophical thoughts. His personality is that of a thinker who appreciates the beauty of simple things. As I have read his thoughts and was allowed to see into his soul, it has been such a blessing and encouragement to see the good work that God has been doing in his life. He has gone through a lot more discomfort and challenges than we know. He has always been an optimistic person and now even in his difficult moments, his light of love and hope cannot be hindered. The Bible mentions in Psalm 91:1-2 about finding a secret place with God where nothing or no one can penetrate, disturb, or threaten. It is a refuge where even though the storms may be intense and the violence of spiritual warfare rages all around us; we are safe and at peace in His presence.

When he writes about sitting next to the window in his recliner covered with several layers of blankets, those of us who are constantly on the go can hardly grasp the beauty of being still before God. When he allows us to enter into his world of simplicity with things such as watching the rabbits and squirrels running around the yard doing what they need to do to survive, we see the quiet analogy of how he is doing the same thing. He talks about the neighbor’s dogs and cats and how he imagines their daily routines or things like watching the snowflakes falling and how as a child he loved to try to catch them on his tongue. He often mentions the importance of community and how we need to care about each other and not be consumed with the fast pace of life that we forget to live. Humility, meekness, and an attitude of gratitude help prevent haughtiness from gaining control.

And there is the frequent mention of the trinity as this is a reference to the awareness of God’s Spirit and the passionate desire to be in His will. To me, he is more than a survivor; he is a lighthouse. His lifestyle of sensitivity and compassionate lifestyle has always been a contrast from how the fast-paced world operates, and now that he has opened the door for us to get to know him on a more personal level, it’s the Lord that is reminding us what walking in His Spirit actually means.

It’s fascinating to realize that when we are not feeling any pain and have the energy to do whatever we want, we do not think about what it would be like to be sick. When we hear about those who discover they have a terminal disease, we are sad and say a prayer, then off we go back to our busy lives and the carousel of what we believe is important. It’s when WE receive a serious report that our merry-go-round comes to a stop. If there was ever a time in our lives to take the lantern of self-examination down the path into our soul, it would be then. When the distractions and clutter are removed we can make things right with everyone, especially God. Our perspective changes as our world is now different. Beyond the reality that God is the ultimate authority, this does not mean that we do not have the opportunity to make critical choices. We can allow the feelings of hopelessness and fear to dictate our minds and hold us in depression, or we can see the glass half full and be humble and thankful for all the blessings and good things that God has given to us throughout our lives. Instead of becoming bitter, we could invest our time into interceding for others.

My friend has always loved kayaking and admiring the beauty of God’s nature. He looks forward to going this spring and always includes at the end of his posts that he will see us creek-side. He closes the thread the same way every day by encouraging everyone to find the stillness within God’s grace. His heart sings, he is grateful, and he is always wearing his sunglasses because God’s love and mercy is shining on him so brightly.

Read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 1/23/23

Maybe we should let someone hold our mule

“Hold my mule” is a figurative expression from the American South that means when a person is leading a mule and they need to go somewhere or do something very important they will ask someone to hold their mule. Sometimes it meant they were going to enter into a confrontation be it a verbal or physical one. Nonetheless, in church settings where the members were not embarrassed to express their emotions, the phrase also meant they were getting ready to get happy and praise the Lord or spend some time at the altar crying out to God. Do churches still have altars?

When it comes to people expressing their worship, I’ve been in a lot of assemblies over the years and witnessed several worship styles. I was raised in a conservative Baptist church where I sang wonderful hymns and later became a worship pastor for more “lively” groups such as Vineyard, Charismatic, Pentecostal, and Assembly of God churches. I love all styles. I’ve written and recorded several albums of Christian music and wrote a book about worship, but whether we raise our hands or we are more reserved, God knows what we believe in our hearts.

Spiritual music is dear to my heart, and often I feel that God is speaking to me in a song. Powerful emotions well up inside and many times tears will flow as it seems the Lord is embracing me with His love. I will never forget a day back in the 80s, I was driving and listening to the radio when Steve Green began to sing “In God Alone” and I just started weeping. Among many others, I remember another song that is very special in my life and that is, “His blood” by Shirley Caesar. If you’ve never heard these songs, I highly recommend them.

As a young minister, I used a small segment of “His Blood” as the intro for some of my teaching cassette tapes. You do remember cassettes, don’t you? Anyway, if you are familiar with Shirley Caesar’s music, you know that she gives everything she has when she sings. She was known around the world as the First Lady and the Queen of Gospel which included 17 Dove Awards, 10 Grammy’s, 12 Stellar awards, and forty albums. She would always say, “I’m called to be a preacher first, and a singer second.” When you hear her minister, you will know what she’s talking about.

One of Shirley’s songs is called, “Hold My Mule” where she tells a story about an 86-year-old man named John, who joined an ultra-conservative church where everything was dreadfully sophisticated and solemn. From the moment John began attending, his presence disturbed the reserved and comfortable congregation. He was such a positive and encouraging personality and would come in beaming with joy. As the sermon was being preached he would loudly exclaim amen and praise you Jesus with sincere enthusiasm. Everyone raised their eyebrows in disapproval and when the deacons tried to intervene, they could not contain him. I’m reminded of the passage in Luke 19:40 when Jesus spoke out and said if these people keep silent, the stones will cry out in praise.

One day the deacons when to see John dressed in their finest and driving their big fancy car. They found him around back plowing his field with a mule. He saw them coming and said, “I know why you are here, you want me to stop worshiping my Jesus.” They replied, “John we don’t act like that in our church. There are dignitaries and many wealthy and important people in our midst and they have a reputation to protect. If you don’t stop shouting, dancing, and praising we are going ban you from our church.” With tears in his eyes, John said, “Well, then you’re going to have to put me out because I can’t hold my peace. Let me tell you why. Look at all that beautiful land that you just drove through. God gave me that land. Look at my children. God gave these blessings and they all love Him and have never given us any trouble. Look at me, I’m 86 years old. I’m still able to walk behind this old mule and harvest my crops. So, you don’t want me to show Jesus how much I love Him in your church? Here, hold my mule, because I’m gonna sing and dance and shout and give thanks to God right now!”

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 1/16/23

Can you hear Him calling for you?

Life is changing all around us. With technology providing an opportunity for every person on the planet to speak and listen, we are surrounded by so many opinions about everything, it’s becoming more difficult to discern what is right and wrong. Not only is this massive amount of information chaotic and much of the time unnecessary, but it has reached a point where many people no longer think for themselves. It’s concerning when individuals become so addicted to the lives of others, they ignore the responsibility to develop a meaningful life of their own.

Some might believe there is no harm in using communication as a constant entertainment, but Christians have been warned to not be consumed with the spirit of the world as evil imaginations will attempt to distract and build strongholds of dark attitudes. Ever since the human race could speak and write thoughts, motives and intentions have been to teach and explain. While a portion of instruction can be beneficial, there is also the danger of receiving contaminated information that comes from the desire to control and deceive. This is the snare trap of our day. Romans 12:2 says, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

There is right and wrong, just like there is truth and error. God is always right while we mortals struggle in the quicksand of deception as the result of a lack of spiritual wisdom and understanding. Life contains a specific purpose for each person and it can be discovered, but our earthly journey also gives us the freedom to do whatever we want, and unfortunately, this is what we usually choose. Every minute we are either doing God’s will or our will and they do not agree. I believe we can say with confidence that if a human ever accomplished anything worthwhile; they were being guided under the inspiration and direction of God.

In the book of Philippians the third chapter, we find an analogy that is used to describe how dedicating our lives to Christ is like participating in a marathon. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” We also see this idea of running in II Timothy chapter 4, “I have run my race I have finished my course” and in Hebrews the twelfth chapter, “laying aside every weight of sin as we run with patience the race that is set before us.” This does not sound like the traditional idea of salvation where a person raises their hand, repeats a prayer, and that’s it, but rather the concept of running denotes constant participation and relentless determination to accomplish whatever God is telling us to do.

We have the potential to know the meaning of life and our unique destiny, but generally speaking, we would rather not be bothered with such things. We desire to live to the fullest, have amazing experiences, and enjoy everything we can while we have the chance. However, when confronted about the consequences of making wrong decisions, we become hostile as we dig in our heels. Those who rebel against God become like fugitives that are always on the run. They become very uncomfortable when confronted with anything that reminds them they are going the wrong way. The beautiful thing about God’s amazing grace is that He does not stop intervening and convicting the conscience of those who are His children.

In the book of Luke chapter 15, we find a few parables, and one in particular Christ talks about a man who has 100 sheep. A good shepherd (which represents God), watches over every sheep and never takes their eyes from them. Verse four declares that if the shepherd loses a sheep, he will leave the ninety-nine and go search for the one until he finds it. When the sheep is found he places it on his shoulders and carries it home where he calls his friends and neighbors saying rejoice with me for I have found the one that was lost. Jesus goes on to make the point that there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents and God brings them back to His presence. The Great Shepherd watching over us today but there is a strong temptation by the world to lead us astray. Are you lost? Can you hear Him calling your name?

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 1/9/23

Accomplishing God’s will is our purpose

It’s disappointing to God that most people are usually more concerned about what they want in life than asking Him what He requires of them. Since our eyes were opened in the garden, our fleshly nature specializes in the skills of compromising and justifying. Self-deception is common Only a few will take the responsibility to obey Him and get serious about dedicating their lives to being a living sacrifice for Him. Yes, included with the blessings of this life is being accountable.

You might have heard the unpopular verse found in Revelation 3:16 where John relays what Jesus thinks about the church at Laodicea. “So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.” We realize parables and analogies are common in the Bible, and without trying to explain the different interpretations of what this verse means, let’s just say that we want our coffee hot and our iced tea, well…cold. Within the context, Jesus is referring to their attitude. In short, He was saying their hearts were in a state of being lackadaisical, apathetic, and lethargic. And, not just this certain group, He is using them as an example of the dangers of backsliding when anyone takes their eyes away from His truth and drifts into the temptations of carnality.

Let us not forget that He is speaking to members of an established Christian church who were supposedly followers of Jesus and His teachings. This letter to Laodicea is the harshest of the seven churches that are mentioned in chapters two and three. There is no beating around the bush on His disappointment and He is warning them about trying to make the Christian life into a comfortable social club. By His judgment of their works, He makes it clear this is a dead church. What does this mean and can it happen today? Definitely. Whenever the members of an assembly see themselves as independent, materialistic, and self-sufficient, they have already slipped into a state of religious indifference.

Jesus continues to be more specific using cutting words such as “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” Their lukewarm faith had become hypocritical. The lifeless atmosphere of the services, was the result of a lack of enthusiasm and passion for Christ in their minds and hearts. They had become backslidden and maybe there were a number of individuals that had never been converted, and were just pretending to be Christians. It’s not an exciting topic but there is such a thing as People who practice a form of religion, but their conscience is one of self-righteous complacency. They claim to be taking up their cross and following Jesus, but their hearts are unchanged, and their game-playing is sickening to God.

Many of us have been blessed beyond measure, but having daily quiet times where we pray and worship God, can help us remain humble and aware of the holy respect of His presence that is so vital to our intimate relationship with Him. Just because we have resources, does not mean we are to rely on them more than our faith. Instead of being proud of what we have accomplished let us realize that everything we have has been graciously given to us by the one who owns everything. In modern language, God offers us salvation through Christ and this gift of grace allows us to be transformed into a new person. Our spiritual identity goes from being blind and lost, to being filled with hope and joy that we have been rescued to do His will. Changing our mind changes our attitude.

A common defense of being lukewarm is that it does not matter. This is not true! Being backslidden is a big deal. When we lose our sensitivity and no longer feel convicted by the Holy Spirit, we are in serious danger. Becoming spiritually numb causes us to not care how our sin affects those who see it including God Himself. We do not realize the impact our halfhearted attempt of being a follower of Christ has on everyone. If demonstrating God’s character and accomplishing His will is not our purpose, what is? Accepting Christ is not all there is to salvation, it’s just the beginning. It’s an opportunity, a privilege to serve Him. Like Laodicea, the Lord is demanding for us to repent and get back on the straight and narrow. He is long-suffering toward the lukewarm and forgiveness is available today, but we must see our need and call on Him.

LIVING ON PURPOSE

Published 1/2/23

Enjoying the comforts of remaining the same

As God continues to move upon the earth, He has never stopped calling His children to be truth seekers, to speak His words, and demonstrate His character. The painful fact is this does not happen automatically. There must be a passion to advance into God and this means the closer we come to Him the more we will become the best version of ourselves.

Most people have never really studied religious history and know very little about why we believe the way we do. The traditions the masses learn about God derive from what they have been told and very few have the desire to research on their own to see if the information is correct. I better stop there before I make too many waves, but one thing we can agree on is that personal transformation is one of the foundational pillars of the Christian faith.

When we watch a baby grow and progress in their learning, we celebrate and rejoice in their development. Likewise, there is no reason to doubt that God feels the same way about our spiritual maturity. Changes within our society and culture are inevitable and it’s easy to look back and remember how life used to be and how technology is always coming up with something new. Remember when we used to go to the movie rental store and used pay phones? When we look in the mirror, we can see that our bodies are slowly changing and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it. However, there is an area in our lives where change will not happen unless we want it to. We are in control of our spiritual growth.

When we think about God and the spiritual life, it’s relatively easy to construct ideas about the way we believe, and it seems that everyone has private interpretations. We have been given free will to make decisions and we are basically in control of what we think and do. Very few comprehend what it means to surrender their will unto God. We can go to church, sing songs, and even give a few dollars in the offering plate, but no one including God is going to force us to develop an intimate relationship with Him. Christians have been given a new spiritual identity with the capacity to be convicted which is the ability to discern what is right and wrong. However, we can override our guilty conscience by ignoring God, and like a lawyer presenting a case in a courtroom, we can justify our thoughts and actions in the light of intentional self-deception.

There are numerous examples of characters in the Bible who have rebelled against God including His favorite people the Jews, as no human is a robot that He can control. One of the dangers that every child of God faces is compromising with the world’s system which by the way is the easy path and very common among the lukewarm crowd. Only those who have developed an awareness of God’s presence will ever have the faith to stand for His truth. And what is this truth? Well, truth means a lot of different things to many people, but the truth I’m talking about is believing that God is who He says He is. Remember Pilate said to Jesus, “what is truth?” At this hour, this question has never been more urgent. In the preceding verse, Jesus said that He was a king bearing witness to divine truth, and everyone that understands this truth can hear His voice.

I’ve mentioned the comfortable path where we just try to get along with the system without offending anyone, but this is not the way Jesus lived and neither is it the way He wants us to be. The desired path is a commitment to ignore our so-called dignified reputation and declare that obeying Him is our highest priority. When we make this choice, let us be prepared to experience a similar negative reaction that He faced. Taking up our cross and following His demands is not for the faint of heart because it places us on the front line of spiritual warfare. Will we choose the broad or the narrow way? Could it be that our New Year’s resolutions are the result of spiritual conviction? Are we being reminded by the Lord about what He wants us to change? What a perfect time to examine our hearts and dedicate our lives to God more than ever before.