Byron

Bohnert

CBN.com -- It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon when a friend and I had picked up sandwiches from Subway. We decided to eat them in the parking lot while we waited to meet with someone. Our car was parked against a curbed barrier which separated us from the empty parking lot of a closed Hobby Lobby craft store. Within the twenty minutes it took to eat our sandwiches, there were at least fifteen people who tried going through the closed doors of Hobby Lobby. Each person would drive into the parking lot, get out of their car, walk to the door, then have to turn around and leave. You would think sooner or later someone would have realized that the store was closed. Clearly they were more focused on what they wanted inside and, as a result, were oblivious to their surroundings. If they had paid closer attention there is a higher likelihood they would have kept driving.   

After watching this happen over and over again, something hit me. It was the idea that we too have attempted to walk through closed doors, doors we needed to avoid, but were insistent on trying to open anyway.

I myself have come to see the value of being very cautious about which doors to open and which doors to keep closed. Unfortunately, it often takes us learning by trial and error before finally grasping the importance of following God’s wisdom over our emotions. When you base your decisions on your emotions you will waste valuable time that could have been used on something worthwhile. To combat our emotions, we must follow after God for He is the one who always leads us to wisdom or like

put it, “God is the only one who knows the way to wisdom.”(CEV)
 
I know of a situation that applies directly to the subject of closed doors. In this case it was a relational issue for me, which would have never been an issue if I had used wisdom. You see, there was this girl whom I desired to know on a personal level. But instead of us becoming better acquainted, she began to avoid me completely. There is no doubt in my mind I forced things into motion. The reason I experienced a negative reaction was entirely my fault since in the beginning I did not follow the Lord’s guidance. I should have waited on Him to give me the green light before racing ahead.

The situation did not become a problem until a close friend intervened. This friend meant well by encouraging her to speak with me with one day. Yet neither she nor I were prepared for casual conversation. The brief interaction was extremely awkward. Then to make matters worse I had my friend give her a brief letter shortly after in hopes she would see me in a different light. Still every good intention backfired.

For two years, I agonized over what had taken place. The wisest decision I made was to back off and stop forcing my way. It eventually paid off because God granted me the opportunity to personally apologize for my actions. Fortunately everything ended on positive terms with no hard feelings between us. The greatest lesson I learned is that when God doesn’t open a door in my life I have to move forward. Because by trying to force closed doors open, we may never experience God’s best for us.

is honest in saying, “There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.”(AMP)

Reasonably so, there is no life in death, or any fruit. Through our vain attempts to satisfy the desire within we can get tangled up in things that seem harmless, but are really distractions from the successful path God’s laid out.

Musician Glenn Kaiser wrote, “I’m fond of saying that it’s not the “fifth floor” of our spiritual lives that the devil is concerned with, but rather the foundations. When these are not rightly laid, or if they are neglected or forgotten, we often end up on tangents, off on side-tracks that indeed seem exciting in the moment... but fruitless and perhaps even damaging in the long-term.”

 

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Byron Clay Bohnert’s writings inspire people to look at life through the eyes of Faith, a perspective that oftentimes helps us focus on what’s really important and forego those that are not. On January 16, 2009, Byron took up new residence with our Lord in heaven. During his 29 years on this earth, he enjoyed sharing and encouraging people through Devotions he wrote for CBN.com and other publications and his personal witness just loving Christ, his family, his church and people he never met.

 

Driving down the highway recently, I passed an 18-wheeler with the words “Fear Is Not An Option” on the back of the truck cab. I thought this was an unusual statement and I started mulling it over in my mind. If fear is not an option, then what choice do we have?

We could allow fear to control our will and emotions, or instead, let the peace of God rule our hearts and minds.

explains,

And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. (AMPC)

Throughout the Bible, the Lord told His people over and over again “Don’t be afraid or discouraged.” With Christ on our side, we have no reason to fear anything in this world.

There is a certainty we will not live our entire life without facing any troubles. No one, including you and I, are invincible. However, Jesus said,

"In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world." (

John 16:33 Close John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

MSG)

The real problem starts when we allow our minds to get off track and our hearts to fill up with fear. It is so easy for fear to slip up on a person with no warning. In the midst of being confronted with a major difficulty in life, fear can overcome us. The enemy is right there to help us analyze every possible detail of the situation.

If we stop and listen to all the lies, we will almost begin to agree with him and believe the Lord is powerless to intervene on our behalf. The fact is there is nothing too big for God. Even that ominous rock standing in our way looks minute through His eyes. The size of the mountain is not important to Him.

Just read what happened to the unfruitful fig tree Jesus encountered one day.

says,

In the early dawn the next morning, as He was coming back to the city, He was hungry. And as He saw one single leafy fig tree above the roadside, He went to it but He found nothing but leaves on it [seeing that in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. And He said to it, Never again shall fruit grow on you! And the fig tree withered up at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled greatly and asked, How is it that the fig tree has withered away all at once? And Jesus answered them, Truly I say to you, if you have faith (a firm relying trust) and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done. And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive. (AMPC)

Faith is the key to overcoming the fear of defeat in any area. Though we may still find ourselves consumed with fear, we can begin confessing God’s Word every day. This, in return, will build our confidence to believe Him in faith. In

, God told Jeremiah the prophet,

Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]? says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks in pieces the rock [of most stubborn resistance]? (AMPC)

There is a Scripture for that specific thing you and I fear. One area, in particular, I have battled with is fear of the night and having someone break into my house while I sleep. So, I pray, When I lie down, I will not be afraid; yes, I will lie down and my sleep will be sweet. (

, paraphrase mine).

I think this puts it best, “faith is believing what God says. Fear is believing what the devil says.”

Remember, fear is not an option!

Copyright © Byron Bohnert, used with permission.

Several years ago, I had a dream that my mom and I were driving on a county road that runs alongside a nearby creek. We were in our Suburban, enjoying the scenery. Suddenly, out of nowhere, floodwaters began to rise all around us. It was rising quickly! There was nowhere to go. Panic had taken control of our emotions!

As I saw the floodwaters rapidly rising to the top of the window, thoughts of “Oh, my God! We’re going to die!” raced through my head while trying to gasp for breath. Fear had filled me to the point of almost blacking out. Then came this overwhelming peace and assurance that we would survive. Immediately, the thought came to me, “Don’t panic. Pray!” So, we started praying for the waters to recede in the Name of Jesus. At once, the floodwaters went down and we continued on our journey.

Listen to what God has to say in

:

“Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you." (MSG)

In life, there are times when you are going along without a care in the world and nothing to weigh you down. Then, without warning, you hit a great impossibility according to the human eye. Like my dream, I looked out and was terrified at what I saw. The problem magnified because I viewed the water surrounding us through my own human understanding. If I had only looked through the eyes of faith and not fear, the problem would have seemed less threatening.

The Bible says in

,

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (NKJV)

Being children of God, that same spirit dwells within us all. This is the spirit that arose in me as I was sinking under the pressure of uncertainty. The Holy Spirit assured me of the outcome, which shot my confidence level up to expect a divine intervention from the Lord. The only action that was required from me was to call upon the Name of Jesus in faith.

Maybe you are facing adversity in a physical, emotional, or financial area of your life. Don’t Panic. Pray, even though it looks as if there is no way out. Don’t lose heart because Jesus has overcome the world (

) and greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world ( ).

Listen to the truth spoken through the Holy Spirit, not the lies spoken through the enemy. The Lord is all-powerful and well able to deliver you.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you." (

Isaiah 43:2 Close Isaiah 43:2 When you go through deep waters,  I will be with you.When you go through rivers of difficulty,  you will not drown.When you walk through the fire of oppression,  you will not be burned up;  the flames will not consume you. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

a NKJV)

Keep this in mind when the floodwater comes.

Copyright © Byron Bohnert, used with permission.

I highly admire those who choose to adopt children. Not only because of the sacrifices they make, but because of the love they display. Adoption gives children the opportunity to gain a family as well as an improved quality of life. There are some cases of adoption I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand.

Most recently, some friends, Randy and Martha, adopted two little girls from China - Emma and Ali. Both girls are a joy to see every weekend at church and always run up to give me a hug. The greatest thing, though, is seeing the joy-filled faces of Randy and Martha as they watch their girls just being themselves.
 
You and I are also adopted into the family of God. How did we become adopted you may ask? The Bible tells us that by receiving Jesus into our lives and believing in His name we gain the right to become God’s children.

">

says of Jesus,

“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” (NIV) 

Our Father in Heaven does not show favoritism between His family members and neither should we. In His eyes we are united together as one family, a family that is connected through His son, Jesus Christ.

To the natural eye it is clear to see that Emma and Ali are adopted because they are of Chinese decent unlike their Caucasian parents. But if you were to close your eyes and only hear their conversations between each other you would never be able to decipher their racial differences.

God’s intentions are clear in ">

,

“His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.” (NLT)

Another way God determines that we are His children is whether or not we are led by His Holy Spirit.

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” ( ">

Romans 8:14-16 Close Romans 8:14-16 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children* of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.* Now we call him, "Abba, Father."* For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)

, NLT)

When Randy and Martha adopted Emma and Ali they became instant parents. And as they are committed to their children, so is God committed to us as His adopted children. He is also a father to the fatherless, loving His children unconditionally. It is comforting to know that regardless of our parent’s failures, we can rest in the unfailing love of our Heavenly Father.

David’s words in

reassure us of the Lord’s dedication,

“Although my father and my mother have forsaken me, yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child].”(AMP)

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Picture for a moment the scene of ocean waves continually rolling onto a long sandy beach. The Lord recently revealed to me that His mercy is exactly like those waves, constant and never ceasing.

says,

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." (NLT) 

Without the mercy of God, we’d be finished. For God in His anger can be as fierce as a hurricane and then in His mercy become like a peaceful ocean wave.

God loves us so much and is saddened when we intentionally do things contrary to His will. The pain isn’t surface level with God, but cuts deep within.

Do you remember how crushed you felt the last time a loved one hurt you? If you are like me, you were highly disappointed at their neglect for your feelings. We’ve all been there before. Then, while you might have been angry with the person who wronged you, you were also willing to forgive them because of their heartfelt apology.

Now, by placing God in the same scenario, perhaps we can gain a better understanding of the Father’s heart. Yes, God desires to demonstrate His mercy in our lives. His mercy gives us another chance even after we’ve blown it.

The awesome thing about God is to know what He says in

,

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." (NLT)    

I personally enjoy being at the coast and relaxing to the sound of waves crashing upon the seashore. Whenever I return from spending time there, I am always refreshed and renewed. The ocean can be a treacherous place, but it also shares similar characteristics with its Creator. Everything on earth carries evidence of God’s character and handiwork; however, to me, the ocean is one of the greatest representatives in all of creation. As with God, the ocean is a source of life, strength, and tranquility.

Ocean waves, in particular, are truly amazing. Each time a wave washes up on the beach it carries away a portion of sand from one place to another. As a result, the waves, sand, and beach will always change. God deals with our sin in the same way the ocean deals with sand. He washes over us with His waves of mercy and takes away our sins. 

Audio Adrenaline illustrates this clearly in a segment of their song, Ocean Floor: The lyrics speak of the songwriter's sins, how they haunt him and are ugly. Then it makes the analogy of these sins being washed away by large ocean waves (God's forgiveness) and they are as gone as the ocean floor is when wiped away by the churning surf.

Every day, God wants us to truly experience His mercy and do what

tells us,

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." (NLT)

In the sport of NASCAR there are individual drivers for every racecar and for every driver there is a spotter. On their own, a racecar driver is more likely to crash; but with the help of a spotter they are able to avoid some costly accidents.

Bob Margolis from Yahoo Sports explains, “The spotter is a team member with a radio who is placed in a high position where they can see as much of the entire race track as physically possible-usually on top of the highest grandstand. His or her primary job is to make sure the driver is safe during the race and to be a second set of eyes. More than anything else, it's a job based on trust. When a spotter says 'clear,' his driver has to trust he's being given good information and that no other car is there, meaning he can move up or down the track.”

We ourselves, are in a race, and God is our spotter. From His vantage point, God is able to see every detail of our life. Nothing is hidden from God’s sight, and to Him our road ahead is clearly visible.

I’m learning that when things don’t work out the way I would have wanted, there is a greater plan in the future. The focus has to be taken off my doubts and placed on a promised word from God.

His words in

are straightforward: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" (NLT) 

In one of Pastor Kevin Gerald’s messages he said, “The eyes of faith are not always looking at the natural, the eyes of faith look out and they see the good, and they focus on the positive, and the eyes of faith are going to continue to trust God in everything.”

No matter how bleak today may look, there is always change on the horizon for those of us who have the faith to believe.

Habakkuk learned how to trust God and not be affected by the negative stuff going on around him. He writes in

,

“Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen, though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God's Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I'm king of the mountain!” (MSG)

When we’re in a tight spot and problems are raging all around, a sense of uncertainty tries to envelop the mind. If we are not careful, it is easy to get mentally sidetracked. By focusing on our problems and never looking up, we will fail to experience the peace of God.

tells us,

“God will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Him, all whose thoughts are fixed on Him!” (NLT)

To reiterate about the spotter, Bob Margolis goes on to say, “Spotters can be responsible for keeping a young, perhaps emotional and easily frustrated driver calm while also telling him to slow down or speed up. He adds, “...the spotter also is a driver's co-pilot in the sense that he's able to see the big picture throughout the race.”

You and I have to come to the place where we need to trust God completely and allow Him the freedom to point us in the right direction. Not only do we have to trust Him, we have to remember that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (

NLT). 

In

(MSG), we find the story Jesus told about the lost coin. Jesus said,

“Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it - that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.” 

Maybe you feel like that lost coin, discarded and worthless. If so, you need to look up because God is searching diligently for you and longs for you to return to Him.

When I think of the woman in the previous story, I compare her to a woman who lost her diamond earrings. If you have seen this happen before, you know what goes on.

She will search around relentlessly looking in all of the places she can last remember seeing the earrings. Yes, she loves the earrings for their diamonds and gold; but more importantly, she wishes to have them back because she loves the one who gave them to her.

In the same manner, you should value the life God’s given you because of your love for Him. You shouldn’t hesitate to release your life over to God, since He never hesitated in releasing His Son, Jesus, over to death so you could have eternal life (see

).

God not only looks upon you as His beloved child, He also regards you as highly valued. Remember, your value isn’t found in who you are or what you do. Your value is only attainable through Jesus Christ.

He alone can fulfill the yearning in your hearts for true significance. You can search high and low for other ways to fill the void, but in the end, all of those attempts will fail to satisfy.

The saddest thing to me is seeing Christians who know the truth, but after continually making bad choices they find themselves falling away from the Lord and living a life of deception.

My friend, Jason, saw it happen first-hand to this guy who had attended college with him. The man was a devoted follower of Christ; however, after a number of poor decisions, he got tangled up in having some promiscuous relationships with several women.

Obviously, it had a terrible effect on the man’s conscious because Jason said his friend would sometimes be intoxicated when he called. I guess the alcohol helped to ease his mind and make the sin he was living under less of a burden to carry.

The truth is, he’d probably still be walking down that same path if it were not for a heart attack at age 31. The traumatic experience totally turned his life around and has caused him to begin living for God with a new passion. Today, he has his own ministry and has even written a book.

The true testimony of Christ’s love is displayed in the way Jason has treated his friend after everything he did in the past. Jason is following in accordance with what Paul told the Corinthian church to do with those who fell into sin.

Paul writes in

(CEV),

“When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won't give up in despair. You should make them sure of your love for them.”  

In closing, it is my prayer that you will come to a new awareness of Christ’s love and the realization that you are valued and adored by your Father in Heaven.

As

 (NLV) says,

“I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is.” 

Copyright © 2008 Byron Bohnert. Used by permission.