And Be There…With God

Exodus 24:12

What an invitation. “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there…” This is how Exodus 24:12 is written in the NKJV. The other English versions also have the, “Come up to Me part,” giving variations on the, “be there,” by saying things like “wait there,” or “stay there.” The point is that God wanted Moses with Him on the mountain and that sounds like one of the most awesome invitations ever given.

In Exodus 24 the people give affirmation, agreeing that, “All the words which the LORD has said we will do.” (Exodus 24:3) They repeat this vow after hearing the reading of the Book of the Covenant (verse 7) and Moses sprinkles the blood of the sacrifices on them in order to seal the covenant between them and the LORD. Shortly thereafter Moses, Aaron, Nabad and Abihu, along with seventy elders climb part of the way up Mount Sinai where they enjoy a big meal in the presence of God (verses 9-11).

It’s after this feast that God extends a special invitation to Moses as recorded in verse 12. What an honor it must have been to receive an invitation from God to come up and be there with Him: to receive the Ten Commandments and to learn how to teach them. This is something God did not have to do as He had already spoken to the people and given them the Ten Commandments (chapter 19). He could have very easily just left the stone tablets someplace at the bottom of the mountain with instructions on how to find them. It sounds as if God wanted Moses up on the mountain with Him and in the same way God wants each of us to be with Him today.

Jesus’ death and resurrection are invitations to us all, a sign that God wants us to be with Him. This is why the veil of the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51) and why we are to enter the Holiest by a new and living way (Hebrews 10:19-22). God, through Jesus Christ, is inviting us to come and be with Him. Will you, by faith, accept His invitation? 

What Did The Angel Say About Baby Jesus?

In Matthew 1:18-21 an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, giving him guidance on how to handle what must have been shocking (and somewhat hard to believe) news. His betrothed was pregnant and it wasn’t his. Not only that but she claimed that she had done nothing wrong. In fact, she said that she was serving the Lord. It would have been a difficult situation for any couple but to truly understand Joseph’s predicament, we must look at the difference between what we call today a period of engagement versus the step of betrothal and what that meant for any couple back then.

A quick glance at a number of different sources reveals that back then being betrothed was the first of two steps in a Jewish marriage. This step involved an official and very public commitment to each other, marking the moment at which the couple became husband and wife. The agreement was binding and the only way out of it was either to get a divorce or to die. And so I suspect that from Joseph’s point of view, Mary had to have committed adultery and it was his right to make a public example of Mary. Under the Law he could have had her stoned to death but that’s not what Joseph wanted.

As he struggles with what he should do, looking for a way to break things off with his wife without dragging her through the mud, Joseph falls asleep and has a dream in which an angel appears before him. The angel tells him to stop worrying about it and to take his wife. In other words the angel was telling Joseph to complete the second step of a Jewish wedding as was custom at the time. Normally, after the betrothal, the husband would prepare a home to which he would bring his wife. I’m guessing the home was ready (or nearly ready) and the angel tells Joseph to take his wife home. In doing so the angel explains that the child was of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). He also tells Joseph that Mary would have a son: so much for waiting to be surprised.

Finally the angel tells Joseph that he should name the child Jesus and that this son,”...will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NKJV) By declaring this, the angel gives Joseph a quick glimpse into Jesus’ true nature. This Jesus was declared to be the Savior, a declaration made by an angel who was serving as God’s messenger. In fact that is the meaning of the word angel: God’s messenger. What a message this particular angel delivered to a simple Jewish man and as God’s messenger, this angel’s words carried the same force as if they were spoken by God Himself

This Jesus is Savior and I believe Matthew was called by God to describe this scene for us so that we, like Joseph, can catch a glimpse of Jesus’ true nature and of how He is seen from a heavenly perspective. Today what we as followers of Christ declare is the message of the angel, that Jesus saves His people: the people of God and God’s children. Do you take this angel at his word? Do you truly understand that Jesus is the Savior of His people and of the world?

Saved By One

It’s a well known Old Testament story. In Genesis 19 two angels show up at the gate of Sodom where they find Lot sitting there doing…well…the Bible doesn’t tell us but he is there. He immediately stands up and invites these angels to spend the night at his house. Eventually the angels agree to do so but their evening is interrupted when the men of Sodom surround the house looking for trouble. In the end, the Angels escape, dragging Lot and his family behind them, and God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Before this all happened, these same angels visited Abraham (Genesis 18). This time the LORD was with them and Abraham saw three men approaching. During their visit with Abraham, God tells him what He has in store for Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham intercedes on behalf of the cities, with God eventually promising that if He finds ten righteous people in Sodom He will spare the city. Imagine, had there been ten people who feared God, God would have spared the city. But there were not ten and Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.

The Gospel tells us that salvation is available to all because of ONE righteous man. The Bible tells us that as God surveys the earth, He finds zero righteous people. In fact, all of our good deeds and good living are but filthy rags before the Lord (Isaiah 64:6). All have sinned (Romans 3:23) and none of us can pay the price needed to avoid the punishment we deserve because of our sin. Like the men of Sodom we all should face destruction and there are not ten righteous for whom God would spare us. But there is one: Jesus Christ whose death on the cross paid for all of our sins.

The presence of ten righteous people would have protected Sodom. Today, there is one righteous man through whom salvation is available. In Christ Jesus we are saved by One.

Who Do You Love More?

In the first 6 verses of Zechariah 7 God asks the people if their fasts were about Him or about them. He then describes what should have been the results of fasts and prayers and of lives lived in a way that is God centered. What should have happened if they were about God? They should have obeyed what God told them to do when they were still on their land and still blessed with all God had given them. In essence, God is saying here, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

Israel was blessed because God loved them. He asked them to return that love and described what this should look like. Jesus has given the gift of salvation because God loves us (John 3:16). All He asks is that we love Him in return. This means believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, which is how we get saved. It also means keeping His commandments which is the outflowing of a heart that loves the Lord.

So, who do you love more? How you live reveals the answer.

“Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?

Zechariah 7:5

God Delights In Mercy, Even in the Old Testament

It’s a conversation I’ve had many times and it usually starts with the statement, “The God of the Old Testament seems so different from the God of the New Testament.” The person making this statement usually goes on to talk about how God seems so judgmental and harsh in the Old Testament and so forgiving in the New Testament. They point to times when people died for sinning against God, like in 2 Samuel 6:6-8 when Uzzah touched the ark and was immediately struck down. Even David was a little ticked off about that one. While it’s a little confusing to say that the God who forgives would do such a thing, the fact is that it is the same God. Therefore, we must reconcile these acts of judgment with the forgiveness that is found throughout the New Testament, lest we misunderstand the true nature of our God.

Who is a God like You,

Pardoning iniquity

And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,

Because He delights in mercy.

Micah 7:18 (NKJV)

Micah believed that the God of his time (in the Old Testament) was a God who forgave sins. Micah describes God as one who “delights in mercy.” Other translations use the words “Grace,” “steadfast love” and “loving-kindness,” Some even use both “mercy” and “loving-kindness” together. In Micah’s eyes the God of the Old Testament was more like what we think of about the God of the New Testament.

Keep in mind that Micah wrote this after prophesying of the judgment which was to fall upon Judah and Israel (Micah chapters 1-3), so the prophet was not overlooking the fact that God at times will unleash His anger upon those who sin against Him. But Micah also understood the fact that God is a just God and that the people of his nation had earned their sentence of death because of their iniquities. That being said, Micah trusted that God would have compassion and would cast their sins into the sea (verse 19).

Micah’s God was the God of the Old Testament. His God was also a God of mercy and compassion who loves His people and forgives them of their sins. This same Old Testament God gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins because He loved the world (John 3:16) and while at times it may be difficult to accept, God has not changed. He is Lord in every book of the Bible. He was a God of mercy in the Old Testament and He is a God of mercy in the New Testament. And right now He wants to show you how much He loves and cares about you.

Did Abraham Reap What Was Sown?

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. (Galatians 6:7)

You reap what you sow. That’s a principle that is a very clear part of Biblical teaching. Yes, believers are the beneficiaries of God’s mercy and grace but that does not change the fact that what a person sows, that person will eventually reap. Now I don’t believe we escape this principle just because we are Christians. In fact I believe that even Abraham was subject to this law. Let’s take a look at one example that answers the question: Did Abraham reap that which he had sown?

To find the answer let’s join Abraham on a little trip to Egypt in Genesis 12:10-20. The Bible tells us that Abram (as he was still called at that point) went to Egypt because there was a severe famine. Apparently he thought his prospects would be better in Egypt then would be if he continued his journey south in the general direction of the Negev. As he approached Egypt he asked a big favor of his wife Sarai, who was so attractive that Abram feared someone might kill him in order to take her. So, to protect his own skin he asked Sarai to say that she was his sister and not his wife. In doing so he left Sarai doing the heavy work of pulling off his lie in order to make him more comfortable among the Egyptians.

Their little plot seemed to backfire when Pharaoh had Sarai brought into his house with plans to eventually make her his wife. Abram received a handsome sum in return for his “sister” but the entire situation seems like one that would be painfully uncomfortable on a number of levels. But even with what Abram gained in goods and in staying alive, this is a case where material gain might not be a sign that Abram had done the right thing.

If you think about it, Abram concocted his lie out of fear and even though the Bible does not say whether or not he was right, we do know that fear is not considered a good justification for doing the wrong thing. In fact we are told that God does not give us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) and Abram’s actions do not seem to come from a sound mind nor from a position of power nor from a position of love. I’d argue that a believer of sound mind would have (or at least should have) run to God for direction before coming up with a lie and that the fact that it was a lie indicates that it was anything but God’s will for the situation. So, even though it worked and resulted in great rewards, I just don’t think this was God’s plan for Abram or for Sarai.

In the end God intervenes, leading Pharoah to give Sarai back and to kick Abram out of Egypt with all his positions (new and old). Abram does not lose his wife nor does he lose his life. God kept Pharoah from making a huge mistake while at the same time protecting Sarai from the damage that could have been caused by her husband’s lie. It seems as if all’s well that ends well with Abram and Sarai moving on to the next stop in their journey.

So did Abram reap that which he had sown? After all he had sown a lie and it seems as if he had reaped abundantly, receiving many good things. He took with him all that Pharaoh had given, including sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys and servants. I’m guessing that list also included an Egyptian servant girl by the name of Hagar who later, after another of Abraham’s and Sarah’s great ideas, would become a major problem for the patriarch and his wife.

Abraham could not have foreseen the issues he would have with Hagar when he was looking for ways to protect his own hide. In the same way, we cannot see what will come when we choose to sin against our God. Yes, those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will avoid the ultimate punishment that follows sin but we still reap what we sow. So, what kind of harvest will come from what you have sown?

Boy Did I Mess Up: Struggles with Imposter Syndrome

I was way off my game and boy did I mess up. It happened as I was being challenged by an atheist. It came on a day when I was already feeling a little off and was not handling my own negative feelings very well. When the challenge came, I thought I could find a clever way to back away from the challenge. Instead of being clever, I misspoke and came up looking quite silly. By the end of the conversation I could only think of the line from the DC Talk song “What If I Stumble?” I truly missed my step and felt like I made fools of us all. My mistake was a reminder that as a Christian I do not have it all together and as I pointed out in “Are You An Imposter?,” I sometimes suffer from imposter syndrome.

I wish I could say that was the only time recently when I felt like a fake but I’ve even suffered imposter syndrome while at church. This time those feelings were triggered by two kinds of feedback. I was running the sound board at church during a time when we didn’t realize there was a problem with our speakers. I tried to compensate and, well, the end result was microphone feedback during two different services. After each occurrence I received critical feedback from church members, who meant well…I think. In the end I found myself doubting and once again wondering if I am a fake. This was yet another reminder that I do not have it all together.

I’d love to be able to say that when I became a Christian I was ready for everything that I would face. Looking back over my Christian life there have been plenty of times when I did something that resulted in sheer embarrassment and I’ve lost count of the number of times that those embarrassments came while trying to defend the faith. That’s not a reflection of who I am nor (when it involves the faith) is it a sign that what I believe isn’t true. It’s a sign that life often involves striking out. But a strikeout does not mean I’m an imposter. It means that if we take on big challenges, we will, from time to time, fail but that really is okay.

Abiding in God’s Love

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

John 15:9-10

Christians often talk about how God loves all of us unconditionally. It really doesn’t matter if you believe in Him or not, God still loves you as demonstrated on the cross. As Jesus explained to His disciples,

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

John 15:13

Not only did Jesus lay down His life for His friends but He also did so for the ungodly and for all of us who have sinned against God:

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:6

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

God’s unconditional love is a fact that should be embraced by every believer. Even in those difficult times when we struggle to believe in God’s love, the simple fact is that He does love us unconditionally. We need to remind ourselves that we are loved. We then need to remind others by loving them unconditionally just as God has loved us. This is the example we have in Christ as He describes in John 15:9.

We must also recognize the second part of that verse. Yes, God loves us unconditionally but we must learn to abide in His love. Jesus tells us that if we keep His commandments (if we live in recognition that He is our Lord) we will abide in His love. Does this mean that God’s love IS conditional? No. What Jesus is telling us is that we can move ourselves into a situation where we do not receive the love that God so generously pours out for us all.

Luke 15:11-32 The Parable of the Lost Son

In the parable of the Lost Son Jesus gives us an example of someone who stopped abiding in his father’s love. Jesus describes how the younger of two sons went to his father and asked to receive his part of the family’s wealth. Shortly after receiving what appears to be a generous sum, this son leaves his family and his life behind. Jesus describes how this son went off to a far country where he spent all of his money, most likely living the high life.

The New King James says that he wasted his possessions with prodigal living. The word “prodigal” is an adjective describing wasteful and reckless spending. Other versions of the Bible describe his lifestyle as “riotous” or “wild” or even “foolish.” Today we might say that he was careless or even dumb when it comes to money. Whatever word we use, the point is that he rejected what he had at home in order to do something stupid.

And then there was a famine during which he found himself struggling to find something to eat. It is at that point that he realizes that his father’s servants were eating better than he was. After seeing the truth, he comes to his senses and goes home.

So here’s the question of the day. While the son was off squandering his possessions, did the father stop loving his son? Based on the response we see as the son is walking up the road that leads to the house, I would say that the father never stopped loving his son. The father’s love was not based on the son doing the right thing. His love was not based on anything other than the fact that this was his son, whom he runs out and meets with an embrace. However, while the father continued to love the son, the son cut himself off from this love by the choices he made. I believe this is what Jesus is telling us in John 15:9-10. He loves us unconditionally (and without interruption) but we must choose to abide in His love.

If you are a Christian who has chosen not to abide in God’s love or if you are someone who has not even received God’s free gift of salvation, you are missing out. God loves you but if you choose not to abide in his love you will only find the emptiness that comes when the “fullness” of the life you have chosen runs out, leaving you with an emptiness that will never be filled apart from Jesus.

Yes, God’s love is unconditional and He loves you right now no matter what you have done or are doing. Do you want to abide in God’s love? Do you want to receive His love and to have that emptiness you feel from time to time filled with something that will last forever? Jesus calls you to repentance and instructs that in order to abide in His love you need to keep His commandments.

What Does It Mean to be A Servant of Jesus Christ?

In 1 Corinthians 4:1 the Apostle Paul says that he and his fellow workers should be seen as “...servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” In fact, I believe all followers of Christ can be described as “servants,” which leads us to an important question. What does it mean to be a servant of Jesus Christ? Recently, while meditating on this question, my mind began to wander, (I admit it. Sometimes during my devotionals my mind wanders. Has that happened to you? Be honest!) and I found myself thinking about Alfred Pennyworth, better known simply as Alfred.

Alfred is, of course, Bruce Wayne’s (Batman’s) butler: a paid servant. Yet, in many ways Alfred is much more than just simply a servant. He is Bruce’s trusted confidant and advisor. He is also one of Bruce’s few and closest friends. Alfred is loyal, doing his best to help and support Bruce even while dealing with the trials that come with working for the Dark Knight. And as we watch (or read about) Alfred the audience embraces this humble servant as an important part of just about every Batman story.

Those who have received the gift of salvation have become servants of Jesus Christ. True, He says that He no longer calls His followers servants (John 15:15) but we cannot ignore this aspect of our relationship with Him, nor should we. Christians are called to be servants and like Alfred we have been entrusted with something very important: what Paul called the mysteries of God. We are invited into a close relationship with our Lord, one that is growing over time as we learn to see Him as He really is. We are to be loyal and to do our best to answer His call in support of the spreading of the Gospel. And like Alfred, we each are important to the story being crafted by our God. In fact, we are so important that Jesus died in order to make us a part of His story.

So what does it mean to be a servant of Jesus Christ? First and foremost it means I am saved by faith in Jesus Christ, having received the free gift of salvation offered by the grace of God. It then means that I try to live up to the high calling, responding as a good servant to the One who saved me. It means we are servants while at the same time enjoying our adoption as sons and daughters of the true and living God. Last, but certainly not least, being a servant of Jesus means I obey because He is Lord AND because I love Him.

Yes, But Wait

It has been a few months since I received my diabetes diagnosis. Since then I have heard the word “No!” more often than I expected. Quite often I’ve heard it from my family who gently and lovingly remind me that my diet must change. At times it has also come from my church family, all of whom have my best interest at heart. I’ve also heard myself saying it. For example, I’ve had to tell myself “No!” when I feel the urge to eat seven or ten cookies. The most disappointing “No!” came from my health insurance provider who declined a request for a constant glucose monitor. Among the long list of reasons was something about me not demonstrating an understanding of the need to take glucose readings. (Why else would I want a constant glucose monitor?) But there is One who has not said “No.” Instead, He said “Yes, but you have to wait.”

I received this in answer to my first response after receiving my diagnosis. Okay, maybe it was my second response. My first response was asking myself how I could be so stupid. (For the record diabetes has nothing to do with intelligence.) My second response was to ask God for healing. I even wrote about my healing in my post “All Things Work for the Good: Even Diabetes.” I was ready for a quick turn around, looking forward to that day when I could brag about being healed. But then I “heard” God’s answer. It was not anything audible but God found a way to make His answer clear. As I said in the first paragraph, that answer was, “Yes, but you have to wait.”

In the meantime God wants me to learn to trust in Him as He helps me live in victory over the diagnosis. That’s a little different than being completely healed. It’s a recognition that I am a diabetic but I am not a slave to my condition. God’s grace is sufficient and by His grace I have access to His wisdom when it comes to how I should live. By His grace I am still enjoying life, just with fewer calories. In Christ I’ve been empowered to move my A1C from a 14 to under 7 in less than a year.

I still believe God will heal me of diabetes, if not while I am on this earth than later during the eternal life which He has promised me. Until then, God’s grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

What Do You Love More Than God?

I read the In Touch Devotional, written by Dr. Charles Stanley, just about every morning. It serves to help me focus on God and is a great way to start my day. In his December 23, 2021 devotional, Dr. Stanley (founder of In Touch Ministries) spoke of having an intimate relationship with God. And while it was not the main focus of the devotional, the lesson got me thinking about the things that I allow to come between me and God. I realized that I need to start asking myself a question whenever I am tempted. It is a simple question that brings with it a boat load of conviction. What do I love more than God?

You see, one of the things I am saying when I give into temptation is that I love the thing I am being tempted to do more than I love God. More accurately, I am saying that I love the way I feel when I do that thing or that I love my own wisdom more than I love God. My own actions speak louder than words (especially those words I claim to believe) and my sin speaks volumes. They say that there are areas of my life where I have not fully surrendered to God: Areas where God is not number 1.

Fortunately my salvation is not earned. It is a free gift given to me (and offered to you) by God, paid for on the cross when Jesus died. So, my actions do not earn a ticket to heaven nor can they cost me my future position in Heaven. My actions do, however, affect my current relationship with God, keeping me from fully enjoying my position as His child. I love God and there is nothing more valuable than my relationship with God. I’ll remember to remind myself of that when temptation comes.

What about you? What do you love more than God?

A Standing Appointment with God

I have a standing appointment each day with God. Actually it’s two appointments, during which the two of us meet in prayer and in Bible reading. He has never missed these appointments. I wish I could say the same but...well...nobody’s perfect...except for God. Don’t get me wrong, I try my best to pray without ceasing and to acknowledge Him in all my ways. But those two times each day are special, a few minutes where I can quiet my mind and my spirit, and focus on Him one on one. What a blessing it is to know that He will be there waiting to keep these very important appointments each day.

I didn’t always look forward to reading the Bible or spending time with God. Early in my walk I only had my devotionals because my friends in Campus Crusade said it was a good idea. I was trying to prove something to God (and to my friends) and over time I became exhausted by the burden of having devotionals for the wrong reasons. The Bible became, for a time, nothing more than words. It felt dry and meaningless. In fact, reading the Bible felt like I was doing something wrong. It was a case of doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.

Fortunately, the power of God’s written word is such that it can change a heart even when that heart is a bit self centered. In my case He used Psalm 1, and its description of a tree planted by the rivers of water, to ignite a big change in me.

The tree in Psalm 1 is alive and anything but dry. It is fruitful and productive. It was everything that was lacking in my own spiritual journey. I found myself asking God why I was so different from this tree. Why is it that the person whose life is like this tree gets to enjoy such a blessing? Fortunately the Psalm gives the answer. This person is blessed because they have chosen to meditate on the law instead of filling their mind with the thinking of this world. This is what we call a conditional blessing, one I believe is still available today to those who meditate on scripture.

But if that is the case, why were my devotional times so dry? Why was it that when I read the Bible I came away feeling like it was time wasted? I believe it was because, unlike the tree, I was trying to prove something instead of trying to receive something.

The tree does not try to prove itself to its creator. It stands in its soil and draws in the available nutrients and water. In the case of the Psalm 1 tree, having the nearby rivers made a big difference because the rivers would bring more for the tree to draw from. Those who meditate on the Law in the Psalmist’s day and the Bible in our day should be like this tree planted near the rivers.

And so I asked God to make me like this tree, knowing the promise made by Jesus when He said, “Ask and you shall receive.” I asked God why my devotional times were dry. I asked Him to make me like this tree and to plant me by these rivers. What was His response? He pointed me to John 15:1:

“I am the true vine…” (NKJV)

I was trying to prove myself to God but that’s not how it works. He is the true vine and I must draw from Him. My devotionals had to change from being about proving myself, becoming a time of drawing from the true vine. When I (with a lot of help from the Holy Spirit) made this change, my devotional times changed significantly.

Now I look forward to these standing appointments. They are no longer a burden and they are no longer about proving something. They are about receiving from God and about the blessing of being able to spend time in His presence. They are about being in the tent, talking with God. Now my devotionals and my time reading the Bible are about being alive.

I have a daily standing appointment with God and I thank God that He wants it to be that way.

Who Shall Stand In the Gap?

The list was very long. God spoke to Ezekiel, listing all of the wrongs committed by the people of Israel and their leaders. It quickly becomes clear that they were a nation that was in rebellion and God had decided to do something about it. But first, as He had so many times before, God would give them one more opportunity. He would search for that one man: the one who could stand in the gap before God. The LORD searched for that one person who, like Moses in the wilderness, was devoted to God and to the people and who was qualified to intercede on behalf of the nation. Finding none, God poured His anger out on the people (Ezekiel 22:30-31).

On both an individual and on a national level, I suspect our lists today are just as long as what was described to Ezekiel. If God were to look for one person to stand in the gap today, would he find such a person? Fortunately the answer is yes. In fact we benefit from having that Man standing before God, interceding on behalf of the believer right at this moment. Jesus of Nazareth, God’s only begotten Son, stands at the right hand of God. There He speaks on the behalf of all who believe in His name, talking us up in prayer before the One Who created all things (Romans 8:34).

Those who have received the gift of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ need not worry about what will happen when we stand before the Father. Jesus has already put in a good word for us. We need not worry about God’s wrath. That was poured out on Jesus on our behalf. Jesus died on the cross, paying for our salvation with His life and redeeming us unto the Father so that in Him we might have life. He is already standing in the gap on your behalf. Remember this as you seek in prayer.

All Things Work for the Good: Even Diabetes

It was not one of my best posts. I wrote it tongue in cheek but it just seemed to fall flat. In the post I gave myself (and my readers) a challenge. What was that challenge? I challenged everyone to stick to the serving sizes listed on bags of things like potato chips, mentioning how a 3.5oz bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos was supposed to be 3.5 servings. I spoke of developing the self discipline to only eat the listed serving size, instead of eating the entire bag in one sitting. Well, as it turns out, I’ve had to develop that self discipline almost overnight after a recent blood test showed that I have diabetes. That was not the diagnosis I wanted to hear but, as in all situations, God is keeping His promise:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

For the record, no I do not believe God gave me diabetes. That would just be weird. I am entirely at fault, having developed a love for Mega Stuffed Oreos: great taste but they can quickly put you over your daily limit of sugar. Chips Ahoy cookies were my second go to but only after they got soaked in a tall glass of almond milk. I won’t go into how many I would eat in one sitting. Let’s just say that some of that lack of self discipline I mentioned in the serving size article has been on full display. I take full responsibility and admit that I alone (perhaps with a little help from my genetics) am the problem.

But, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining or as we Christians say: Romans 8:28! Actually I guess God said it when He inspired the writer of Romans to put pen to paper but we Christians get the blessing of knowing that Romans 8:28 is true. All things do work together for good for those who love God. Why? Well because God has ordained it to be so and it is true even with my diabetes.

I needed a kick in the behind to get me thinking about my health and about a goal I set for myself years ago. I promised myself that I will do everything I can to get into and stay in good physical shape, in order to be able to serve God for many years to come without any physical hindrance. I also want to be able to do things with friends and family, without being short of breath or limited in any other physical way. Unfortunately I have not been doing a good job of keeping that promise to myself. There’s always that distraction keeping me from exercising or the fact that I am too lazy to bother checking the serving size of what I eat. With diabetes, I received the kick in the bottom that I needed to get me to exercise and, yes, to check and stick to the right serving size. (I haven’t had Flamin’ Hot Cheetos since the diagnosis. If I do. I will count out my 21 pieces.)

Here’s the biggest blessing that will come from this. You see, I believe that God still heals. One day I will get to testify of how my LORD healed me and of how He gives me the wisdom to live in His healing. I’ll always carry the diagnosis but I will do so in the light of Romans 8:28, looking forward to telling others of how He fulfilled what is said in His Bible. All things work together for good. This is true in my situation and, if you love God and are called according to His purpose, it will also be true in whatever situation you find yourself dealing with.

See also “One, Two or Three Servings?”

Are You Abiding in Jesus’ Love?

Have you ever stopped to think about what it means to abide in Jesus’ love? If you haven’t, I suggest you make it a regular part of your schedule. Jesus tells us in John 15:9-10 that we should abide in His love just as He abides in His Father’s love. The Bible tells us that nothing can separate us from His love and yet, we must learn how to abide in His unconditional, never ending love. How do we reach that point of abiding in His love? Jesus gave us a parable that I believe shows us our first step in abiding.

It might surprise you that this lesson in abiding in God’s love comes from the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). But before we see how to abide in God’s love, we first get a lesson in how to miss out on His love. This lesson comes in the form of the decision made by the younger son, when he chose his inheritance over the love of his father.

In choosing to take the money and run, the younger son chose to chase after all that the world had to offer. I suspect his father’s house, with all its rules and daily chores, had become too restrictive for the young man. He looked at all that the world had to offer and felt that he would be better off doing things his own way. Think about it, this wasn’t just about having the money. It was about using the money to live life on his own terms and for a while I bet it was a lot of fun.

Meanwhile back at home, the father waited. The fact that he saw the son when he returned seems to imply that he was on the lookout hoping one day to see his son on the road. He never stopped loving his son and our Heavenly Father never stops loving us. But his son was not experiencing that love. What was he experiencing? Initially he had a lot of fun. He may have even called it the experience of a lifetime. Eventually, though, he began to experience hunger. He learned what it’s like to be in want. What he was not experiencing was his father’s love and this is where we find ourselves when we choose the ways of the world over the way of our Lord.

So what did the prodigal son have to do in order to get back to where he could abide in his father’s love? He simply had to make the choice to accept the truth. What was the truth? The truth was that his father’s servants were living better lives than he was. The truth was that his life had become empty and meaningless, amounting to nothing more than ministering to the needs of pigs. In truth he had sinned against his father and was no longer worthy of being called his father’s son. Still, he understood that being home was better than anything the world had to offer. He chose to believe the truth and in response he went home.

So, what happens when he gets home? Before the son can turn off of the road his father is running to meet him. The father does not even stop to see what the son wants. For all he knew, the boy could have been back to ask for more money. But the father did not care. He loved his son and wanted nothing more than a hug. At that point, even before he had fully confessed his sins, the prodigal son was once again abiding in his father’s love. That love was always there but until the son returned home his father could not pour that love out on him.

Of course this parable is not about a real human father and son. Jesus uses this parable to reveal how He feels about us. Jesus loves us all. However, when we turn away from Him, seeking to live according to what we think best apart from God, we are no longer in position to receive His love. We cannot embrace the teachings and the allures of this world, and expect to experience His gift of abundant life or of His love. It’s not that He cuts us off. We walk away, rejecting all that God has to offer us through His Son. How do we return to where we can abide in His love? Choose to seek the truth and to believe the truth. And in response to the truth, humble yourself before the Lord. Then you too will feel His warm embrace as He pours His love out in your life.

No Matter How Irritating...

It was not the answer I expected. In fact, I was praying about something else and for someone else. Initially I tried to ignore what I was hearing in my heart. I wanted to focus on that thing I thought was a priority but God had other matters that He wanted to deal with. In fact, He would not let me move on in prayer until I responded to the instruction He had so clearly impressed upon my spirit. What was it that was so important? God was calling me to love someone whom in the past I had spent time complaining about.

Come on, be honest. You know the type of person I’m talking about. It’s that person that, if you could, you would turn and run in another direction when you see them coming but for one reason or another you can’t avoid them. I won’t get into why I wish I could avoid this person (that would be gossiping) but I’m guessing many of you have THAT person in your life. So, when God told me that I had to love THAT person, His words knocked me back on my heels for a bit. I know that what He  asks is the right thing to do but...I mean...really?

Unconditional love: It’s a concept that is easy to talk about but not always easy to implement. In this case there are two hurdles: the abrasiveness of the other person and the need to keep from falling into the pit of becoming an enabler. God does not want us to join in something that is wrong (or in some cases a relationship that is dangerous) but He does want us to reflect His love in every situation. The bottom line is that Jesus loves even the most irritating among us, doing so without getting sucked into that person’s sin. If we are to do the same we must ask God to equip and guide us. In Him we can answer the call to love unconditionally, even when we would rather run.

How Christ Responded Part 1

Have you ever thought about Jesus’ response to Peter’s denial? Jesus was inside the high priest’s house facing the charges leveled against Him. Meanwhile, Peter stood outside in the courtyard. There he was confronted by those who recognized that he was one of Jesus’ followers. In response he broke his promise to Jesus, denying that he even knew the man from Galilee. Three times he vehemently denied knowing Jesus or being one of his disciples. Immediately Peter hears a rooster crow and he is reminded of how Jesus warned him that he would deny Him three times. How did Jesus respond to Peter’s betrayal and what does it reveal about our Lord?

In order to understand our Lord’s response I think we need to start at the point where Jesus warns Peter about his pending denial. In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus warns Peter about a plot being hatched by the enemy. Fortunately for Peter, Jesus had already prayed for him. Jesus had prayed that Peter’s faith should not fail. Yet, Jesus then follows this by speaking of when Peter returns to Him. Jesus knew that Peter would turn away from Him for a moment. He spoke of Peter’s denial and yet it would seem that Jesus did not see this moment of weakness as a failure of Peter’s faith. He clearly knew that Peter would stumble but He also knew that Peter would return.

Peter’s denial did not surprise Jesus nor do our stumbles surprise Him today. He sees your heart and knows your thoughts. Our Lord sees your missteps before you are even tempted and I believe His Spirit (through your conscience) works to try to warn you just as Jesus warned Peter. When we do stumble, Jesus’ goal is the same as it was with Peter.

Jesus spoke of Peter returning to him. He then spoke of Peter strengthening his brothers. It would seem from this comment that Jesus’ goal was restoration. He planned to restore Peter, moving him back into a position of ministry. This was Jesus’ long term mission and a major stumble would not deter our Lord. When we stumble I believe Jesus’ goal is the same for us: restoration. The one thing He asks is that we return to Him: that when we realize our wrong we ask for forgiveness, acknowledging Him as our righteous Lord. He asks us to get up and walk again, trusting in His grace.

Yes, we all stumble from time to time. When we do we should remember that our sins are forgiven, the price paid through Jesus our Lord. We should see ourselves as forgiven and then remember that Jesus’ goal after we stumble is for us to be restored. Jesus told Peter this very thing before Peter’s failure. Jesus told Peter that His ministry would continue. His plan was to restore Peter and this is how Jesus responds to us when we stumble today.

How God Blessed Us In August 2020

Well, a puddle around the bottom of our hot water heater was anything but a blessing. Fortunately, what promised to be a headache instead became an opportunity to see how God provides.

I suppose I should have gotten rid of the old hot water heater before it started rusting. The person who installed it wrote the date on its side, so I knew it was already twelve years old. For the first three or four years I was good about draining it to remove all of the sediment that forms at the bottom. But as the years passed I became a little less diligent about maintaining the unit. And then I stopped draining it altogether. So I shouldn't have been surprised at the ring of water forming around the bottom of the unit as it had finally rusted through.

What was surprising was the estimate for replacing the unit. I know I didn't pay that much twelve years ago. The cost of homeownership has definitely gone up in a way that seems somewhat unfair and with all that's going on during this ride we call life, the last thing I wanted was to have to pay for a repair. Fortunately my Provider is always a step or two ahead.

There have been a number of times in my life where I found myself with an unexpected sum of money that wound up being just what we needed for a repair or for some other unexpected event. This time was no different. We had a lump sum sitting in the bank that we were able to set aside for remodeling but somehow we just couldn't get the project going. It was like a little voice kept saying, "It's not the right time," as we kept being redirected away from our chosen path to a much different path.

As a result of not being able to start that project we had exactly what was quoted for the surprise repair, right down to the penny. We paid cash for our new hot water heater. There was no need to borrow nor did we have to dig into savings. The money was there right when we needed it. What was a surprise to us was not a surprise to God and He directed us to the path we needed to be on.

God provided once again. And you know what? I believe He will provide for the remodeling we have planned. He is also ready to step in the next time we need to make repairs. In fact, He has already provided for the long overdue removal of a tree in our backyard. Once again we will be able to pay cash for a big project and I thank God for providing for us this summer.

Now I know that some of you will dismiss this as simply a result of my wife and my hard work and as a result of good money management. That's ok for you to think that and both of those things were involved here to some degree. But I've seen time and time again where what is provided goes beyond the monthly normal and what we could do on our own. I've seen coincidence after coincidence that go beyond expectation. Most of all I've seen God promise and then deliver. I take comfort in knowing that this is what He does for His children.

How is God blessing you today?

Are Christians Innocent and What Happened on the Cross?

The cross: Christianity's most recognizable symbol. Believers look upon it and are reminded of the gift of salvation offered to all and received by those who believe. But the people of Rome likely saw something else. Back then crosses stood in public places for all to see and for passersby the cross made one single declaration. It was Rome's way of announcing that a person had been tried and found guilty as charged. But who is really guilty when it comes to the cross of Jesus Christ? To answer that question we must look at what really happened upon that cross.

To best understand what happened on the cross of Jesus Christ we need only look at what happened to Barabbas. Barabbas had been found guilty of taking part in a rebellion during which someone was murdered. He and his co-conspirators were being kept on Rome's version of death row when Pontus Pilate offered to turn loose one prisoner. Pilate offered the people a choice between releasing Barabbas or releasing Jesus. The people chose Barabbas. As a result, the guilty went free leaving the innocent to die in his place.

The Bible says that all have sinned (Romans 3:23). We are all guilty of violating our creator's moral standard. As a result we all have been sentenced but not all will receive the punishment we have earned. Our creator has made a choice. As a result you and I have the opportunity to go free. In our place we leave behind the innocent who served our sentence. Like Barabbas we can go free knowing that Jesus, the Son of God, suffered a punishment that was meant for us.

So what really happened at the cross? An innocent man, a man who never sinned, died and the guilty went free. Who was guilty? Who really deserves to be punished? Barnabbas was guilty. I am guilty. You are guilty. We all have been found guilty. And yes Christians were found guilty as charged. Fortunately our Judge chose to accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as payment for our sins. By faith we can choose to agree with God that we are guilty and that because of what happened on that cross, our sins are fully forgiven and completely washed away.

It Was All Voluntary, Speaking of the Cross

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

I try to have two quiet times per day, meditating on the Bible and spending time one on one with God. As we head into Easter, I am sharing my thoughts from a recent quiet time.

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

Matthew 27:50

I find it interesting that Jesus “yielded up His spirit.” He didn’t simply die. His life was not taken from Him. He yielded. John 10:18 indicates that Jesus had the power to continue living. He likely could have endured the cross and survived, doing exactly what those who taunted Him asked. Instead He yielded. This shows both His power and His resolve. This also shows His love. I pray for the capacity to love like this.

Jesus is so powerful that the cross could not kill Him without Him yielding His own life.

I read this now and think about what kind of person He is. I also think about what kind of person I am. In Christ I’ve been empowered. What am I doing with that power? Jesus was determined to carry out His mission. Am I?