Very few of us do, however, and that’s why we stay stuck in spiritual mediocrity.

By Shawn A. Akers

What if you had the ability and the opportunity to step into the greatest joy and power you have ever known? Well, guess what? You do!

All it takes is a little—or maybe sometimes a lot—of self-examination. What is it that is compromising your relationship with Christ?

Is it pride? Is it arrogance? Is it selfishness? Is it sin? Is it something or some things that you have put before Jesus?

Are you disobedient to God’s Word in any way?

We all know that Jesus loves us more than we can possibly imagine, and we know that he wants us to come unto him, according to James 4:8: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

And then there is Proverbs 8:17: “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.”

And how about Hebrews 11:6: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.“

Those who diligently seek Him will find Him. I don’t know about you, but I want to find Him and find Him every day. Who doesn’t want to be rewarded by God? I don’t know of any Christ follower who doesn’t want that.

I know, however, this won’t happen if I allow those things I have mentioned above to put a road block between myself and Him.

For me, it could be pride. I don’t want to bury myself in the Bible in prayer right now. I deserve to rest. I’ve feebily made that excuse before.

It could be idol worship. Alabama’s playing. As soon as the game’s over, I’ll read the Bible, and I’ll pray. Guilty (but not condemned).

I don’t want to lay down my sin. It brings me too much pleasure. Can’t deny that.

Those, my friend, are defining moments. As Kevin Costner says in the movie “Tin Cup,” either “you define the moment or the moment defines you.” How many moments in life define you?

I’ve had too many in many in my life to count. Too many regrets. But again, no condemnation because, as Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

What I want now is to define myself as an obedient child of God. When the moment defines you, it can only mean disobedience, even if it’s only delayed. Remember, delayed obedience is disobedience.

As my pastor, Ed Garvin, recently said, we need to stop going to church and start being the church. We need to start showing the world who we belong to and that we will not compromise that ideal. Are you with me?

That’s all about obedience. I pray to God, Lord, whatever you have to do in me to make that happen, please, make it happen. Help me to be obedient to you in everything I do every day. EVERYTHING, and EVERY DAY.”

I know what that means for me. What does that mean for you?

“Now therefore, if you will faithfully obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is Mine” (Exo. 19:5)

Don’t you want to be His special possession?

And remember to do something today to go to a higher level in your kingdom calling. Become a kingdom champion. Today.

Step Out of the Boat is a ministry created by Charisma Media Content Development Editor Shawn A. Akers and dedicated to help Christ followers to become spiritual champions and come to a more intimate relationship with Jesus. With its articles, podcasts and other forms of media, Step Out of the Boat encourages Christ followers to daily reach to a higher level in their calling. Shawn is a 35-year veteran sportswriter, a published poet and he published a story about Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can read his blog here. You can also listen to his podcasts, the Javelin Sports Show, on the Charisma Podcast Network

This type of prayer will lead us into right standing with God.

By Shawn A. Akers

Throughout his adventurous and very interesting life, King David endured incidents of intense persecution and danger. But what was most impressive about David is that he not only prayed for protection from his attackers during these perilous times, he also prayed about protection from sin.

“Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day. … Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. (Psalm 25:4-5, 20-21, MEV)

“Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies” (Psalm 141:3-4)

So what are we talking about here? We’re talking about living a life of righteousness–or right standing with God. As believers, shouldn’t we hate sin more than suffering?

Our relationship with Christ not only allows it, but it also presents us with an obligation to become a person of deep moral commitment. Jesus, to whom we owe everything and to whom the believer is supposed to surrender everything, gives us guidelines by which we are to live a happy and respectable life.Our relationship with Christ not only allows it, but it also presents us with an obligation to become a person of deep moral commitment.

The first chapter of James tells us that we are to “be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.” We are to “lay aside all filthiness and remaining wickedness and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.” We are to be “doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Our relationship with Christ not only allows it, but it also presents us with an obligation to become a person of deep moral commitment.

When we fall into trials and tribulations, which James assures us we will in this life, our temptation to sin can accelerate. When we face trials in our relationships, our jobs, our finances, etc., be extra careful about sin’s pull on your mind and your flesh. Satan will work overtime to get you do to something you don’t want to do and he will try to convince you that you will feel better during these tough times if you just give in. Don’t allow that lie to penetrate your heart.

Remember, “when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and when sin is finished, it brings forth death” (James 1:15). But also remember that, because you have been given life in Christ, you are now to live the righteous life that God desires.

Living righteously suggests a thriving, spiritual relationship with God that leads to freedom. Living righteously is always a genuine decision one makes to remain attentive to the presence and power of God. It is motivated by love and reverence for the One who created us and cares for us.

• “Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth” (Col. 3:2)
• “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).
• “Let love be without hypocrisy. Hate what is evil. Cleave to what is good” (Rom. 12:9).
• “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).

As always, remember to do something today to rise up higher in your kingdom calling.

Step Out of the Boat is a ministry created by Charisma Media Content Development Editor Shawn A. Akers and dedicated to help Christ followers to become spiritual champions and come to a more intimate relationship with Jesus. With its articles, podcasts and other forms of media, Step Out of the Boat encourages Christ followers to daily reach to a higher level in their calling. Shawn is a 35-year veteran sportswriter, a published poet and he published a story about Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can read his blog here. You can also listen to his podcasts, the Javelin Sports Show, on the Charisma Podcast Network

This book is so good, and so helpful for believers, it’s worth quoting it two days in a row.

“God will use pieces of your wreckage to get you to shore. No matter what mistakes you’ve made or what detours you’e taken while straying from where God wants you to be, it’s not too late. No matter what you’ve said or haven’t said, what you’ve done or haven’t done. No matter the depth of your pain, fear or anxiety. No matter how dark your secret or how terrible your addiction. God can do great things with your broken pieces” — From Rev. Samuel Rodriguez’s book Shake Free: How to Deal with the Storms, the Shipwrecks and Snakes in Your Life”

• “If it’s broken, God can fix it.”
• “If it’s empty, God can fill it.”
• “If it failed, God can restore it.”
• “If it’s sin, God can forgive it.”
• “If it’s dead, God can resurrect it.”

Nothing is beyond God. Preach it, Rev. Rodriguez!

“For with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27)

Every believer should be equipped with these pearls of wisdom. 

“Never let your problems drive your direction. Don’t let your crisis become your compass.”

• Do not be driven by what you see; be driven by what God said.
• Do not be driven by past mistakes; be driven by future miracles.
• Do not be driven by feelings; be driven by faith.
• do not be driven by being a victim; by driven by being victorious.
• Let all you are and all you do be driven by the Spirit of God.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, from his book, Shake Free: How to Deal with the Storms, Shipwrecks and Snakes in Your Life.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14)

On this national day of prayer, show God that you grieve for the condition of our country and you sincerely desire its healing.

PLEASE … join in unity with other believers today this National Day of Prayer. If believers bombard Heaven, things can change! If you know anyone specifically that needs prayer, use the comments below and we will deluge Heaven to help them. Open your hearts today and pray!

It is the National Day of Prayer, so I hope and pray that everyone has been petitioning God for their family members, friends, their church, church leaders, America’s leaders and themselves. Also do not forget to pray for our nation itself, which, if you haven’t noticed, is teetering on the brink of an “unholy” war.

Hatred and prejudice against God’s children–and the ungodly attitudes of many in the church against unbelievers–have put this nation on the edge of civil disaster. If you don’t believe that, then pick up a newspaper or watch the news on TV. Therefore we pray:

In the name of Jesus, we pray today for our nation. There is so much division; there is so much hatred and their is so much misunderstanding; and we beg God for forgiveness for our the hardness of hearts.  Help us to be tolerant, help us to be patient and help us to convey and live out Jesus’ message of redemption that He paid so dearly for on the Cross. Help us to show non-believers that we belong to Him and not to the world, for our righteous behavior to penetrate their hearts so that they can see Christ and Christ alone.

We pray today for racial division to be wiped away and that people will love others for who they are and not hate for the color of their skin or their nationality. We pray for hatred between religions–including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism and others–to be shattered by the love of the Cross. Satan, you are defeated.

We pray for those who are not in agreement with our views on anything from sexual orientation to abortion, immigration, etc., and for those who do not know Christ as their Savior. We pray that they come to the saving knowledge of Christ not only for their own sake but for the sake of peace and harmony for this nation.

We pray for our president, Donald Trump, that he comes to know you more and more every day and develops your heart. We pray that you guide him to do the things that you want him to accomplish and for him to deny himself and his flesh every day for your sake and the sake of Your Word and this country. We pray this for all of our leaders–national, statewide, and local.

We pray for our churches, that any darkness that has made its way into them be revealed and cast out in Jesus’ name. We pray that hypocrisy will come to light and God’s justice will be done. We pray that you will sear the hearts of all believers to completely surrender to the cross and to Your will and for us to completely deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow you daily. Help us to be salt and light to the world instead of slaves to the culture and hypocrites that can be easily called out.

We love you, Lord. Have Your way in us. Help our lives reflect Your glory. We are confident that You will bring greater things because you are the God of the impossible! In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14, NIV)

The answer to this poignant question may very well surprise you.

By Shawn A. Akers

So you think all members of the LGBT community are hard-hearted and closed-minded? Think again. In fact, it’s the church that needs a change of attitude says Clay Peck, lead Pastor of Grace Place.

Peck asks this question: “What would influence LGBT to return to church? The answer:

• Feeling loved
• Given time (patience)
• No attempts to change their orientation
• Authenticity
• Support of family and friends

Note: Point No. 3 assumes that they have heard the truth of God’s Word. And if they have been church members, it is generally assumed they have.

As much as my attitude and thoughts on this subject have changed over the past couple of years, last week I lent my own thoughts to this crucial issue hoping it would help heal the divide.

Peyton Jones of Christianitytoday.com recently wrote this: “People in a life of homosexuality need love without blame, and without reservation. As we all do. The cause of our condition isn’t as important as allowing it to be used for the glory of God. … What we need is ‘discipleship in community.’ People who define their identity by their sexuality need the church community as part of their transformation process to finding their primary identity in Christ. … The community is also a tool of conversion. We need to find people already among us who have been there, who have wrestled with God on these issues and found both love and truth. … Everyone craves love. Many people have lived with years of rejection as a result of their sexuality. Unconditional love can heal the hurts they’ve experienced and point the way to following Jesus in spirit and in truth.”

In the below video highlighted on Charismanews.com, Peck, in a sermon, issued his own public apology to the LGBT community. But, he didn’t change his theology. He simply explained another way to love LGBT people and to help bring them back into the kingdom.

While Peck said things a bit more eloquently, here is a blog I wrote that basically says the same thing. Please check it out.

And remember to do something to rise to a higher level in your kingdom calling today.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31)

Step Out of the Boat is a ministry created by Charisma Media Content Development Editor Shawn A. Akers and dedicated to help Christ followers to become spiritual champions and come to a more intimate relationship with Jesus. With its articles, podcasts and other forms of media, Step Out of the Boat encourages Christ followers to daily reach to a higher level in their calling. Shawn is a 35-year veteran sportswriter, a published poet and he published a story about Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can read his blog here. You can also listen to his podcasts, the Javelin Sports Show, on the Charisma Podcast Network

Breaking my own rules about addressing this, but it’s what I believe God wanted me to say.

Shawn A. Akers

With the words of this article you, as a believer, may think I am totally cracked. You might even call me a heretic. I really don’t even like writing about these issues anymore because of God’s conviction.

But this is different. Please, hear me out.

There are good reasons why Mike Pompeo has yet to be confirmed by senators as the U.S. Secretary of State. There are good reasons why the state legislature of California is in the process of passing a bill with the aim of banning Christian books and resources which address issues of homosexuality and gender identity.

And, there are good reasons why the LGBT community’s attitude is to, and pardon my expression, “damn the torpedoes” when it comes to educating our children with their agenda.

Did you ever stop to think that the church is totally responsible for the anger of these people? And did you ever stop to think that these lawmakers may be pressing these issues simply out of spite against the pomposity of some and the naivete of perhaps “well-intentioned” but misguided believers? Think about it.

Make no mistake about it. The Bible is very clear in its views on homosexuality, and I am very much in support of what it says, Old Testament and New Testament. It’s all there in black and white, and it is my faith that the Bible is both inerrant and infallible.

God tells us in Ezekiel 3:18-21, “If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me. If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”

What that tells me is that we must “warn” people of their sin—we must tell them the truth of God’s Word. Pastor and author Anthony Michael of York, Pennsylvania, recently said, “If you never get to the truth you’re not loving people at all, because the most unloving thing you could do to somebody is withhold the truth from them.”

The preacher said Christians have sometimes had a lack of compassion and love for people who need to hear the truth, especially during preceding decades in which Christians held more firmly to the reins of cultural power. But there is a different way to do it.

Because of what has been preached from our pulpits live and on television, and the dialogue that has been spouted on all types of social media, most are already well aware that homosexuality is a sin. These people have been figuratively beaten over the head with this rhetoric, and many times, in a very hateful manner.

Is this the way God really wants it? Do we actually believe that by continuing to inundate them with Scriptures like Deuteronomy 22:5, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:26-27, Jude 1:7, 1 Timothy 1:10 and Mark 10:69 that we are actually going to change their minds and their behavior? Not likely.

If they haven’t heard these Scriptures before, read them to them.

If we continue along the path we’ve taken, it will continue to make it worse and widen the gap between not only us and them but them and God. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to stand before God one day and have him tell me that I was the reason why a certain person didn’t come to salvation because of my condescending and condemning attitude.

So, what do I propose? Simply this: Since most already know what the Bible says about homosexuality and everything associated with, I would suggest that when you are speaking with any certain person, tell them exactly that. “I know you know what the Bible says about it. I’m not going thump you over the head with my Bible and tell you what I think of your lifestyle. I am not your judge and jury; only God holds that position. I’m only instructed to plant a seed.”

“But is this the way God really wants it? Do we actually believe that by continuing to inundate them with Scriptures like Deuteronomy 22:5, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:26-27, Jude 1:7, 1 Timothy 1:10 and Mark 10:69 that we are actually going to change their minds and their behavior? Not likely.”

“I compel you to contemplate what God’s Word says about this and search your heart about it. Pray about it if you feel prompted to do so. Like the rest of us, the decisions you make for your life are between you and God and between you and God only. I have presented to you what I believe is the truth. I will pray for you and I will here for you if you need to talk about anything. No matter what, I’m here for you.”

To those who are angry about the Supreme Court’s decision in 2016 to legalize same-sex marriage, my advice is to let it go. Same-sex marriage is the law of the land now. Homosexuals are American citizens, too, and they deserve the same rights as every other American. That should NEVER have been a question.

But let me be clear: I am NOT condoning or approving of the homosexual lifestyle or same-sex marriage. I am very much opposed to it. God gave man his own will, and God will not override it.

The hearts of many are simply too far from God to submit to His will. And that includes the hearts of heterosexuals who have fallen so deep into sin—sin that is no less abominable in God’s eyes—that they think they are more righteous than they are.

But God is the God of the impossible and only through the Holy Spirit will men’s hearts and minds be transformed. It is up to as the church to pray fervently EVERY day for that transformation. That is, if members of the church care even the least bit about this instead of simply brushing it aside.

Please let know what you think of this article. My heart has changed radically in recent years, and I believe for the better. Let me know, in a respectful way, if you have different opinions.

Remember to do something today to rise up higher in your kingdom calling.

• “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eyes, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matt. 5:7)
• “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5)
• “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good” (Rom. 12:9)

Step Out of the Boat is a ministry created by Charisma Media Content Development Editor Shawn A. Akers and dedicated to help Christ followers to become spiritual champions and come to a more intimate relationship with Jesus. With its articles, podcasts and other forms of media, Step Out of the Boat encourages Christ followers to daily reach to a higher level in their calling. Shawn is a 35-year veteran sportswriter, a published poet and he published a story about Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can read his blog here. You can also listen to his podcasts, the Javelin Sports Show, on the Charisma Podcast Network