Tag: Mark Saunders

Keep Our Hearts Under The Authority Of The Word Of God

He who hardens his heart will fall into calamity
(Proverbs 28:14)

Accepting the Lord’s word is tough. It’s can be difficult not to harden one’s heart.

Many times I’m struck by the heart of King David in the battles he faced. His frequent victory was that he didn’t fight them in his own strength.

We face our battles too. Not the battles of Kings, but our own personal wars.

Our challenge… to accept God’s warning not to harden our hearts… a word given for our own good… not as a punishment, but a caution.

We can struggle not to let our hearts harden. We don’t want them to but when we can’t stop them hardening… it’s then we need to cry to the Lord… for repentance to come to us… for us to be able to bring our hearts back under the authority of the word of God.

His “foolishness” starts where our own wisdom ends… who can fully understand His ways? They are far above ours.

The word of God is powerful.

  • Mark Saunders

The Only Way We Fail Is By Giving Up

The only thing between a born again Christian and the words, “well done my good and faithful servant” is us giving up.

The only way we fail is by giving up.

Our perseverance is not trying to make things happen in our Christian walk… it’s holding fast to Jesus.

Our perfection is not about doing everything right – that’s impossible and why we’re saved by grace through faith.

Ours is to not let go. His is to take us to the end.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.

  • Mark Saunders

Fear And Faith Are Opposites

We all need to see the sun… that moment when the light breaks through and the fears that lurk in the dark flee.

Christians we say fear and faith are opposites… but when we are in situations when we are faced with our fears then that advice seems very “technical.”

There are times, it’s true when we are fearless and bold.

Other times we move forward cautiously, a little fearful – even though we are trusting the Lord.

The point is that Christian life isn’t technical. It’s easy to “say sayings”… but it’s another to be confronted with the reality of our fears.

But as with everything, it too shall pass… morning will break, we’ll not be consumed and we will see the mercies of the Lord.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lam3:23)

  • Mark Saunders

Understanding And Trusting Are Different

We often feel we need to understand… especially to understand the reason “why.”

Christians, there are so many things we will never understand… we can only trust.

Trust that the Lord is good.

Understanding has its place… but what about when it runs dry?

Trust and faith are almost the same. Trust is based in relationship… knowing someone… in this context knowing God.

Faith is birthed when we hear the One we trust speak… not so much in words but with a persuasive conviction of “this is the way, walk in it.”

Simple faith, no understanding required.

  • Mark Saunders

The Daily Battle Between The Spirit And The Flesh

As Christians the biggest obstacle to our walk with the Lord is the “old man”… that unregenerate flesh that lives with us 24/7.

Our spirits have received the life of God but our flesh… given the opportunity… is still full of the live of Adam… that fallen man we all come from.

There’s a daily battle between the spirit and the flesh. The two are in conflict.

Born again Christians, how can we can deal with this conflict? The old covenant way… Law… the new covenant way… Christ?

Law makes rules for the flesh. We’ve all been there… and failed… condemned by our failure… so we “rev up” our resolve… and bang… we fail again.

The “failing point” of the old covenant was exactly that… our inability to live by it… so Christ, through grace and mercy, fulfilled it for us to become the mediator of a new covenant. Law was nailed to the cross… Christ is the end of the law to those who believe.

A new covenant of the heart ensued… the Spirit of God writing on the tablets of our hearts… the Holy Spirit at work in us, changing our desires… but the old man… it’s still there and there’s only one way for him… that’s to “die daily”… for us to be ready to accept the work of the cross each day by being ready for “death to work in us so that life can work in others.” (2 Cor 4:12).

Without embracing the cross daily we cannot walk or live by the Spirit… we will be born again but continually carnal Christians – always failing and always discouraged.

Christ our hope… the cross, the power and wisdom of God for us!

  • Mark Saunders