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January 27, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage and Compromise

Courage and Compromise

“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:46 NIV)

This one line in Scripture describes a pinnacle for an extraordinarily courageous man of God. Let’s venture back more than a decade when Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. He was betrayed and deserted by his own family. What a lonely, frightening and hopeless situation.

Yet, God had big plans for this young man, even when bound by the constraints of captivity. “The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.” (Genesis 39:2 NIV)

He was so favored that his master, Potiphar, “put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned.” (Genesis 39:4 NIV)

You see, God extended incredible grace to this young man and developed him into a person of godly character. That’s why he rose in the servant ranks.

Enter Potiphar’s wife. This wily woman tried to seduce Joseph day after day while Potiphar wasn’t looking or was off on some escapade. Can you imagine the temptation Joseph faced? The Bible says that he was propositioned day after day. The woman was relentless.

But Joseph had the courage not to compromise. Finally, he spoke plainly to his temptress. “My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9 NIV)

Potiphar’s wife was so angry with Joseph that she twisted the truth, telling her husband that Joseph was trying to seduce her. As a result, Joseph landed in prison, where I’m sure his courage was tested day after day.

Years later, Joseph found himself standing in the presence of the top dog, Pharaoh king of Egypt. If that’s not amazing enough, Pharaoh was asking Joseph, a servant, for help in distress! The ruler was troubled by a dream and asked Joseph to interpret it for him. So he did.

As a reward, Joseph was given a dream job.

“So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’” (Genesis 41:41 NIV)

Joseph’s courage was tested again more than a decade later. Famine had come to the land of Egypt, extending to Canaan, where Joseph’s father and brothers lived. His brothers came to Egypt to buy grain and found themselves face to face with their brother, the one who would make the decision about selling grain to them. Their lives were in his hands.

Joseph could have enacted revenge with one word. Instead, out of a deep love for the very men who had betrayed him, he called his brothers into a private meeting and “wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.” (Genesis 45:2 NIV) Then he revealed his identity to his siblings.

Joseph’s next act revealed a man of impeccable character who didn’t compromise God’s standards. Instead of taking the easy road by imprisoning or killing his brothers, he acted courageously by extending grace. He arranged for land to be granted to his entire family. What a way to cap off this reunion.

For Joseph, hardship produced courage. Responsibility produced courage. Life itself produced courage.

Hold on to God every single day, just as Joseph did. The Lord will build courage in you to act rightly when the temptation to compromise tests your godly character.

(From my new Devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).


January 7, 2020 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Courage and Change

Courage and Change

Your father shows signs of memory loss and you know what’s on the horizon. You hear murmurings about organizational shake-ups at work and you wonder if you’ll be part of the new plan. Your son is about to go off to college and the family unit will be split apart. You’re moving, leaving the world you’ve known for uncertainties ahead.

Change is hard. We get comfortable with the way things are and become fearful when change shows up.

Right now, I’m trying to adapt to a challenging four-in-one change. New job, entirely new location in another part of the country, finding a new church and making new friends I can trust.

These lifestyle changes are hard to grapple with. We can learn from Peter, who went through a change that rocked him to the core of his being. And he didn’t do well for a while.

The Apostle Paul points out, “I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.” (Galatians 2:11 NIV) Sounds serious. Reflecting on all the changes in my life, I’ve never stood condemned in them. Have you?

Peter was struggling with moving from a life based on the Law to a new life based on faith alone. He has mastered Law-based living by practicing it for over 20 years.

Paul explains in that same passage that in Peter’s new life of faith, he ate and fellowshiped with Gentile Christians — but separated himself when the “circumcision group” came for a visit. Almost sounds like the mob showed up from the Bronx. Paul says that Peter was afraid of them.

Ha! This stalwart, bold, fearless Peter was scared to death. He cowered instead of standing up for his new faith centered on the finished work of the cross. He withdrew into the life he knew so well, the life of the Law. That was more comfortable for him.

This escalated to the point that other Jewish Christians “joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.” (Galatians 2:12 NIV)

Paul read Peter the riot act and scolded others who were guilty, too. You should take a look at Galatians 2. Paul spent this chapter and the next three explaining the beautiful truth of living by faith in Christ alone. He spoke these words at the pinnacle of his exhortation, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1 NIV)

You may have replaced faith with works in your life with God. If so, come back to Jesus. You’re free in him. Peter chose to leave the falsehood of his Law-based life and return to one centered on faith alone in the Savior he loved. He became the rock, the leader, of the early church.

The bigger lesson here is that when you’re facing any change, cling to the unchanging God who is your anchor. He says in Psalms:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” (Psalms 46:1-2 NIV)

It may feel like the earth is giving way as you face a serious change in your life. You’re disoriented, confused, fearful.

It takes courage to embrace the uncomfortable, just as Peter found when he turned back to the roots of his faith.

Look straight into the eyes of Jesus, step into his strong arms, find your confidence in him and invite your loving Savior to walk with you through this change.

(From my new 30-day devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days of Courage. Available on Amazon in Kindle and print).

December 30, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Rest and Listening to God

Rest and Listening to God

When I joined a webinar the other day, the automated voice punched through my speakers with the words, “You are in listen-only mode.” In a recent conference call, when I dialed in, I was greeted with, “You are muted.”

I think that’s how we should approach God. In listen-only mode. Muted.

Maybe that should be our new attitude for 2020.

Can you imagine what our relationship with God would be like if we closed our mouths and listened? Not for 60 seconds. Or five minutes. How about 15 minutes of silence before God? That sounds so painful! Actually, the opposite is true. It’s one of the most refreshing practices you can develop.

Wayne Cordeiro, a pastor in Hawaii, tells the story of how he burned out after 30 years in the pulpit. You might wonder how someone can burn out in Hawaii. Yes, it happens even there.

To get his life back, Wayne forced himself to be silent before God in a peaceful, quiet setting. For days. Even weeks. He went to a monastery! It wasn’t easy at first. He snuck out a couple times to use his cell phone. Eventually, Wayne did get his life back, but it took a long season of listening to God.

I’m not prescribing a monastery for you, but what can you do to assure that you’ll spend time in listen-only mode? Not once or twice, but consistently. Make a habit of it.

When we love someone, we want to be with them. God loves you and enjoys being with you. This desire is so great that he sent his Son to the cross to make it possible for you to have a relationship of oneness with him.

What an amazing invitation from the all-knowing, all-loving, everlasting, omnipresent, all-powerful, sacrificial God. Can you imagine what you’d learn about the God of the universe by spending time with him in listen-only mode?

You’ll learn a lot about him. More importantly, you’ll know him. It will get better every day.

Listening to God in silence is one thing but listening with your Bible open is another. We learn in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” (ESV)

We have 66 books of the Bible, God speaking to us. Have you ever thought of it that way? If you want to know what God thinks, read his Word. Not to study, but to listen.

When you spend time listening to God, come from a standpoint of relationship. You’re not trying to get something from God or hear some revelation. Your relationship with God is the most important thing in your life. Listening to God makes it stronger.

Today, when you practice resting, spend some time quietly listening to God.

(From my 30-day devotional: Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback)

December 23, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Jesus Their Savior

Jesus Their Savior

With Christmas two days away, pray that those who don’t know Christ will meet him this year.

You and I know many people who we long to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Family members, friends, co-workers. You’ve been praying for some of them for years. Yet, their hearts are still cold to Christ.

In Luke 13, Jesus told people to “strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Luke 13:24 ESV)

Jewish people in that day were wound up in their traditions. The Scribes and Pharisees amplified that and taught that tradition (rule-following) was the path to heaven. Their legalism was adopted by the common Jew.

Before we scoff at the Scribes and Pharisees, consider that society today isn’t that far off. While the average person doesn’t keep a written laundry list of cleansing behaviors, there’s one thing that most people feel will get them into heaven: good works.

That’s where your unsaved friends live today. They live with the false belief that they are doing enough good things that God will accept them into heaven. It has nothing to do with faith but everything to do with keeping the “law.”

In reality, they are not bound for heaven. Jesus describes their destination: “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Luke 13:28 ESV)

How agonizing. Complete absence of God is a horrifying eternal destiny for your friends who do not know Jesus.

Jesus is their Savior . . . when they accept his gift of eternal life. However, it must be on his terms, not theirs. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction.” (Matthew 7:13 NIV)

The gate is narrow, but Jesus opens it.

Are you agonizing over the salvation of your lost friends and family? The thought of their eternal destiny in hell should drive you to heart-wrenching prayer. For me, I don’t pray enough like that. However, as I read Luke 13, the Lord moves my heart and soul.

Will you pause right now and pray through that mental list of needy people? Pray that God will soften their hearts. Pray that they will see that doing good does not give them entry into heaven. Pray that they will surrender to Jesus, who has opened the narrow door.

(From my devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days With Jesus, available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

December 16, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Jesus My Savior

Jesus My Savior

With Christmas upon us, let’s place our focus on the One to whom we owe our lives.

It was my junior year in high school. I came to a small church that cold winter night to hear a college football coach speak. His name was Rock Royer. My football coach had encouraged me to attend. I was the kid in the back row. 

I thought he was going to talk about football, but he spoke on how to be “born again,” using John chapter 3 as his backdrop. I had never heard the Gospel before. That night, I walked from the back row to the altar to give my life to Jesus. 

I came home and told my parents that I had been born again, not knowing anything else. 

It took me more than a year to understand what I had actually done that night. 

Or, more importantly, what Jesus had done for me. He had become my Savior that night and I didn’t even know it!

Fast forward a year and a half later. Another believer took me under his wing and discipled me in my faith. That’s when it all came into view.

Jesus my Savior.

Jesus your Savior.

We throw that word around casually. “Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” is a term we hear and use often, to the point that it becomes ho-hum. It has lost its significance.

Without Jesus, you’d be separated from God forever. No connection. No relationship. Spiritual death. Eternity in darkness. In Satan’s kingdom and under his rule. Hell is very real and that would be your destiny.

In the here and now, you’d have no hope for significance beyond this life. You’d be defined by the physical world. You might search for connection with God through all sorts of false alternatives, but you’d never attain a relationship. Your meaning and purpose would come to an end with your last breath. 

That’s what Jesus has saved you from. All of that and more. Quite frankly, he has saved you from eternal destruction. 

Does the word “Savior” carry more significance now?

And how about what it cost Jesus to become your Savior? The enormity of it all. He left his glorious home in heaven to walk this earth for 33 years, endured persecution to the point of death, took all your sins and the sins of humankind on his shoulders, suffered the torture of total separation from God the Father on the cross – and did all of this willingly because he loves you.

Jesus your Savior. 

May we never again hear or use this word casually. Becoming Savior cost Jesus so much.

(From my 30-day devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days With Jesus. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

November 26, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Rest from Schedule

Rest from Schedule

For most of us, there’s no shortage of commitments in our lives. If we look on the refrigerator, we can usually see some type of calendar or schedule that reminds us of our busyness. Kids’ activities, church events, deadlines, doctor appointments, school assemblies, games and everything else a family has pledged to attend.

Our schedules are exhausting. Just looking at them makes us weary.

I’m sure the apostles experienced exhaustion, too. They were forming the church. There was a world to reach for Christ and they took their assignment seriously. But I’m drawn to these verses: “With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Acts 2:46-47 NIV)

I sense a schedule of freedom as I read these verses. The apostles met daily in the temple courts and spent time having meals with their brothers and sisters in Christ. I don’t sense a rushed pace. They did this with “gladness.” They praised God as they met. They were able to rest, truly enjoying this daily experience. It could have become a burden, but it didn’t.

We need rest from our schedules or they will rule our lives. Take a day and close the calendar, pull your schedule off the fridge, shut off the alarms on your phone and live apart from your commitments. Practice a full day of rest.

It may cramp your style. You might have something scheduled every day of the week. For us, in some seasons, soccer tournaments crept into our Sundays. We bowed to the schedule and attended. Before we knew it, every single day was ruled by our calendar . . .  even that one day we had hoped to give to God.

I would make different choices now. My priorities have changed. As my kids used to say, “Can I have a do-over?”

When my wife and I moved to North Carolina, one of the blessings was that our calendar wasn’t packed. In fact, it was quite empty. No church home, no friends, no social or family commitments. It was a clean slate that we were careful about filling.

One of the things we decided to do was use Sunday afternoons after church to explore. We spent a couple hours driving, hiking and simply enjoying our new surroundings. It felt so refreshing to be off the clock and have no agenda. We’ll have to learn to protect that time as our commitments start to grow.

How can you clear time in your week so you’re free from your schedule? Take a rest from the craziness that invades your family and life. You’ll find that slowing down is a good habit and a healthy rhythm. Build rest into your week.

Within that rest, meet with God. Pray together as a family. Worship with the larger family of God. Talk about the Lord. Give your spouse and children time alone with him. A day without a schedule is a day you can deepen your relationship with God and your loved ones.

What a novel idea.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest. Available from Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

November 17, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Rest and Prayer

Rest and Prayer

Are you on the go so much that you don’t have time for prayer? Not quick prayers, but uninterrupted time with God. When you discover the richness of prayer, you’ll know the richness of rest, too.

When we pray, we release our concerns to God. We praise him for who he is. We confess sin. We thank him. We turn our hearts to him. Instead of our tasks becoming our focus, prayer is at the center. The thought of this is restful.

Rest is more than a physical thing. It’s spiritual, too.

I’ve been traveling the past three days and, I must admit, my prayer life has suffered. My practice of rest has suffered, too, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

This morning, I finally had calm, uninterrupted time with God. I was able to pray without a deadline, read the Word slowly, worship God and simply sit before the Lord. It was restful. I felt as if I were breathing again.

This prayer time helped me get perspective. I came away with a better picture of who God is and sensed a greater confidence in him. God was bigger and the world was smaller.

Something special happens when we close ourselves off from life and retreat with God.

When you rest with God in prayer, worries and anxieties diminish. Being in the presence of God chases away those feelings. If they don’t fade away, then you need more time with God. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV).

Knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the God of the universe cares for you should chase away any anxiety you have.

Resting with God in prayer also takes the focus off yourself. We get caught up in ourselves with our worries. Prayer is the antidote to that. When I prayed this morning, I began lifting the needs of others before God. Soon I was far away from my own concerns. I was waging a spiritual battle on behalf my friends and family members.

Resting with God in prayer grows your faith. As you praise God for who he is, thank him for his blessings and turn your requests over to him, the Holy Spirit builds your faith. Being in the presence of God without a lot of baggage strengthens your faith.

I don’t know how you’re doing in practicing rest. I’ve missed a handful of days in my 66-day challenge. But I keep coming back, experiencing more consistency in practicing rest. I encourage you to stick with it.

Spend time with God in restful prayer instead of rushing prayer. I know you’ll develop the habit of rest we’ve been considering during our 30-day focus together. Empty yourself to God, casting all your cares on him. Be consumed with who he is. Enjoy quiet fellowship with him. It will change your day.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest. Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback).

October 22, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Rest and Restoration

Rest and Restoration

“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 ESV)

I want those words to describe my life. I want to soar!

But I don’t always feel like an eagle. I’m more like a duck. Quack, quack, quack, waddling through the day. Can you relate?

Sometimes, I’m so weary that I can’t walk without nearly fainting.

What would it look like to run tirelessly and soar effortlessly?

I come back to the practice of rest. We’ve learned this month that rest isn’t only physical, but it’s also spiritual. It’s not only about pausing, but it’s about praying. It’s not always quiet isolation, but it’s connection with God. As you wait on the Lord, spiritual rest will lead to physical rest.

He’s the one who gives us true restoration, as he tells us in that familiar Psalm, “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:2-3 ESV)

Billy Graham’s preaching ministry was launched to the next level during the Los Angeles Crusade in 1949. It was supposed to last two weeks, but it lasted eight weeks. Night after night, Billy preached. People came forward to commit their lives to Christ. The tent was filled again and again. It was exhausting for Billy. He even ran out of sermons and had to write fresh ones on the run. By his own admission in his biography, Billy Graham was spent, physically and spiritually.

Yet, he poured his life into preaching the gospel around the world for the next 60 years. I think he knew the secret of resting in the Lord. There’s no other way he could have lasted as long as he did. God restored him year in and year out as Billy came back to the living water.

Are you coming to the living water each day as you practice rest? Jesus proclaimed, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38 NIV) And in the next verse, it is explained, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”

If you have committed your life to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in you. He is the one who will restore you with the living water that will flow from within you.

Enjoy your practice of rest as you spend time with Jesus today.

(From my new devotional, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest, releasing in just a few days on Amazon).

October 12, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on Jesus and Rest

Jesus and Rest

Jesus was fully God and fully man. And he chose to rest often. Reading through the Gospels, we see that rest was a habit of Jesus. He commonly practiced rest and prayer together, in all hours of the day or night. Let’s take a look.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35 NIV)

“But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.” (Luke 5:15-16 NIV)

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” (Luke 6:12 NIV)

In his time of deepest sorrow, learning that John the Baptist had been beheaded, Jesus got away from the crowds. “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” (Matthew 14:13 NIV)

I don’t get the picture that Jesus ever hurried, even though he was in great demand. He showed up “late” for Lazarus, who died before Jesus came (John 11). The ruler’s daughter has also passed away prior to Jesus’ arrival (Mark 5). Jesus chastised Martha for scurrying around to serve him while, at the same time, applauded Mary for sitting and listening to him (Luke 10).

Jesus’ temperament wasn’t dictated by the sundial. Not only did he habitually take time to get away and pray, it became his way of living. That’s remarkable when you consider the constant pressure he lived with. I’m sure that before he started his public ministry, he had already lived rest for a couple decades. It was natural for him.

Jesus had good reason to skip rest. He was the Savior of the world. Yet, he did rest. He was intentional about it.

If Jesus rested, it should give you the assurance that you can rest, too. Remember, you aren’t the savior of the world. No matter how great the demand is on your life, it doesn’t come close to the demand Jesus lived with. And he rested.

Find your places of escape so you can rest. Have a spot to go at home and when you’re at work. If you have kids running around, your resting place may be in your car. You might need help from your spouse or a friend to watch the kids while you steal away. Jesus had to go to great lengths to be alone.

If we practice rest by getting away like Jesus did, we’ll develop a spirit of rest that stays with us day in and day out.

Where will you retreat to rest today?

(From my upcoming new devotional Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest).

October 1, 2019 Jfuglerwriter Comments Off on God Rested

God Rested

“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” (Genesis 2:2 ESV)

God must have been exhausted after creating the universe, because he took a whole day off. I know that’s a ridiculous thought, but we can’t ignore the fact that God did rest. And he did it for a reason.

Rest was so important to God that, later on, he gave mankind the Sabbath for the purpose of rest.

God didn’t need rest, of course, but he created us to need rest. We’re reminded of that at the end of every day and at times during the day. As much as we think we’re independent, strong, capable and great, the daily need for rest puts us in our place. In bed!

Just last week someone reminded me that God gave his people the Sabbath not as a burden, but as a gift. In our world, we value work and achievement. The thought of setting aside a full day for rest is nearly incomprehensible. It doesn’t fit our lifestyle. Giving God just an hour or two to worship once a week is such a stretch that most “regular” churchgoers only attend two or three times a month.

This isn’t a devotional on the Sabbath. Entire books have been written on it. But we can’t ignore that rest is a huge priority to God and has been since creation. It should be to us.

I admit it’s a challenge to rest. It doesn’t come easy, even when we’re intentional about it.

I’ve learned in the early days of my 66-day challenge that it takes the first few minutes to settle my heart, soul and spirit. I can’t just go into “rest mode.” I slip into it as I sit calmly in solitude. You may find that to be true for you. When I get to the point where I feel I’m resting, it’s wonderful. It’s refreshing. It’s good.

The same person who shared with me about the Sabbath being a gift from God also pointed out a way to make sure rest becomes a priority. He called it the big rock principle. Drop a big rock into a jar. Then begin dropping in smaller rocks and they settle around the big one.

The big rock for our lives is rest. Make room for it first. The smaller rocks are all our activities and responsibilities. If you put the small rocks in first, there’s no room for the big rock. In fact, you can keep putting in small rocks and have a life that’s unlivable before long.

How will you build rest into your life? Begin thinking about it and ponder it for the next few days. Listen to God. Keep coming back to this concept. Let him carve a personal plan for you. It may fit your lifestyle — or you may have to make lifestyle changes.

I hope you’re taking the 10-minute 66-day challenge with me. That’s a start. A lifestyle of rest can grow out of that.

Here’s a reminder that will re-center you. Above all, your relationship with God is the most important thing in your life. Rest is good but Jesus is best. Don’t miss that as you’re on this journey of figuring out rest.

(From my upcoming book, Your Life With God: 30 Days of Rest, coming to Amazon this month).

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