God Bless the USA!

 

How long have we called our country the USA?

Almost from the beginning. Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, completed June 28, 1776, was titled, "A Declaration of the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled..."

So that's 248 years at least!

Freedom still means a lot to us, and we know from history that 'Freedom isn't free!'

But what about our spiritual freedom? Free for us, because of God's grace, costly beyond imagination for the Giver.

A good day to recall these words from Charles Wesley, written about the same time Jefferson wrote our national document of independence and freedom:

     "Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature's night.

     Thine eye diffused a quickening ray.

     I woke, the dungeon flamed with light.

     My chains fell off, my heart was free,

     I rose, went forth and followed Thee!

     I rose, went forth, and followed Thee!"

And, friends, that's real, everlasting freedom! Chains off - free heart -- following Jesus!

No such freedom anywhere else!

Because He Lives!

"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that, in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed yet in my flesh I will see God. I myself will see Him with my own eyes -- I and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19:25-27)  

Isn't one of the happiest discoveries in reading God's Word the different ways He is described? Here it is "Redeemer." So special. A "redeemer" is not an accidental or coincidental relationship - a redeemer CHOOSES the one he is going to redeem!

Does this exclude us from the normal, usual earthly trials and afflictions? No -- it surely didn't exclude Job from his suffering. And, like Job, troubles crash in on us, driving us to our Redeemer for help. Sometimes we come humbly, sometimes angrily, scared, crushed in spirit, heartbroken.

But, as believers who trust in His sovereignty and faithfulness, we hold tightly to Him, look up and confidently declare that in the end time our Redeemer will stand victorious on this earth and we will be there to witness it!

In the meantime, for now,  we endure. We experience His comfort and companionship. We anticipate that day when we shall see Jesus, our champion Redeemer, face to face, witness His victory and be received into His Kingdom where everlasting joy awaits us!

Maranatha, Lord Jesus....how our hearts yearn!

Prayer to Start This Day

 

Lord,

  Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

  Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.

  Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

  Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King.

  Take my silver and my gold. Not a mite would I withhold. 

  Take my moments and my days -- let them flow in ceaseless praise.

  Take my will and make it Thine. It shall be no longer mine.

  Take my heart - it is Thine own. It shall be Thy royal throne.*

  Amen.

* poem written almost 200 years ago by Frances Havergal --- 

Pray daily that our lives 'flow in ceaseless praise' to our wonderful God and Savior!

Jesus' Best Day!

Jesus' Resurrection and appearance to His followers removed all doubt that He was truly the Messiah they had long-awaited! He only stayed around 40 days before ascending to His Father, always apparently appearing to believers -- not to Pilate (the governor of Judea who sentenced Jesus) --  not to Herod (the Roman ruler of Palestine) -- not to Emperor Tiberius -- but only to those who already believed in Him.

The period between the Resurrection and the Ascension was just an interlude....

From Philip Yancy's book "The Jesus I Never Knew" --

"If Easter Sunday was the most exciting day of the disciples' lives, for Jesus it was probably the Day of Ascension.

He, the Creator, who had descended so far and given up so much, was now heading home.

Like a soldier returning across the ocean from a long and bloody war... Like an astronaut, shedding his spacesuit to gulp the familiar atmosphere of earth... Home at last!

Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper reveals what He was feeling: 'I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began.'

Before the world began!

Like an old man reminiscing -- no, like an ageless God reminiscing -- Jesus let His mind wonder back to a time  before the Milky Way and Andromeda.

On an earthly night dark with fear and menace, Jesus was making preparation to return home, to assume again the glory He had set aside."

                              His best, most exciting day!

Give Him All - C S Lewis

From C S Lewis...

"Christ says, 'Give Me all.  

I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. 

No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there. I want to have the whole tree cut down. I don't want to drill the tooth or crown it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires you think are innocent, as well as the ones you think are wicked -- the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. 

In fact, I will give you Myself! My own will shall become yours.'"

                                   **********

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; all things have passed away; behold all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I remember once reading that someone asked William Booth, the famous evangelist and founder of The Salvation Army, what was the secret of his great successful international ministry that so exalted God's glory. He answered, "God has all of me."

God's Makeover

From C S Lewis --

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house.

At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you know that those jobs need doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently He starts knocking the house about in such a way that hurts abominably and does not seem  to make sense.

What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here and putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to make it into a decent little cottage, but He is building a palace.

He intends to come and live in it Himself."

 

Don't Worry About Tomorrow

 Matthew 6:34 --

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for today is its own trouble."

Max Lucado --

"The key is this: meet today's problems with today's strength. Don't start tackling tomorrow's problems until tomorrow. You do not have tomorrow's strength yet. You simply have enough for today."

Psalm 5

 "Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for unto Thee will I pray, My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up" (Psalm 5:1-3 KJV).

What a wonderful song! David sang these words and worshipped his God!

And when he prayed, he "looked up". In expectation? I think so.

The best way to start this day? This is how I did it --

I asked my magical music box to play and sing these words...just ask for the Maranatha Singers to sing Psalm 5....It is a perfect way to face all before us today...some of what we anticipate and some of which will surprise us! Listen to the words and sink deeply into God's love!

And look up!

How to Live in the End Times

Thoughtful words from Jonathan Cahn --

  According to biblical prophecy, the end times will be marked by the increase of evil, but also by the outpouring of God's Spirit. It will be marked by both great good and great evil. 

Thus the end-time believers must aspire not only to goodness, but to greatness. 

They must seek to become great in faith, great in love, great in righteousness, great in prayer, great in purity, great in worship, great in zeal, great in hope, great in goodness and great in God.

      The end times will not only be marked by great evil but great good.

      As evil moves from bad to worse, the righteous must move from                goodness to greatness.

                               ****************

[Are we there yet? I think it's about time we were getting ready!]

Fixing What's Broken

 Everything looks so broken now...seems beyond repair! Such wreckage everywhere ...politics, people, families. 

We caused it ourselves through our own disobedience to our Father, our stupid selfishness, our poor thoughtless choices. 

Remember what Aaron said to Moses when he came down from the mountain with God's Law in his hands and encountered the Hebrews in their acts of idolatry? Aaron said, "I told you these people were prone to evil!"

Looks like nothing has changed. But in spite of the wreckage and ruin we have caused through our sin, God's promise of ultimate restoration still stands.

In Revelation 21 we read about Jesus at His Throne saying, "Behold, I am making all things new!"

How we yearn for that day.

It is coming!

In the meantime we have the unique privilege of partnering with God -- co-workers with the Almighty Creator -- in the beginning of that renewal of creation...starting today. We can help mend what is broken, promote what is good, restore what is missing, and lead the challenge to resist evil. 

We can work on that today! And that means we are partnering with God in bringing His Kingdom to earth. We are helping to answer Jesus' prayer, "Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth, as it is in heaven." 

Then when  Jesus comes back as the rightful Sovereign King of all creation, His Kingdom will arrive in its ultimate eternal glory!

As we spread the gospel we are recruiting His subjects all over the earth!

A King needs territory and subjects. And we are His subjects and our hearts are His territory.

Until then, we can help get ready for that day! We can start the process!

God's Masterpiece

 "For we are God's handiwork [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

Certainly one of the most amazing verses in scripture! We are saved by grace, not by our good works -- but we are saved so we can do God's good works and glorify Him!

We are here for a reason. So we can do the  service He designed specifically for us to do and bring glory to Him.

(Remember the Westminster Catechism -- Q: What is the chief end of man? A: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever)

Otherwise He would have just beamed us up immediately the moment He saved us!

(Sort of like what happened to the repentant thief on the cross! Wow...imagine the relief...from the torture of the cross to the unspeakable splendor of paradise!)

Though, I admit, there are times being beamed up immediately sounds like  good option!

Pour Out Your Heart!

"Trust in Him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart to Him. God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:8).

"Every once in a while we just need to cry it out. Our heavenly Father is always there, watching and waiting for the opportunity to hold His children. His love is freely given and knows no bounds when it comes to those who seek Him for sanctuary."  Cindy Boyd

He is there - waiting to give comfort...and courage....

The prophet Zephaniah understood it. He know God as his loving Father, holding His child, quieting him and bringing him rest and peace during times of anxiety. As soon as we cry out, He is there -- already there -- watching over us as a parent watches over His beloved child.

"The LORD, your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

It's All About Jesus!

 "For in Him  all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers, rulers, or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16).

Jesus is the goal of all things. All creation  and all history have been fashioned with Christ in mind, for they achieve their intended purpose through Him and exist for Him. All of life and all creation draw their meaning only from Jesus Christ. That includes us!

It's amazing - the hands that hold history are nail--scarred; the heart from which history beats is love-filled; and the mind that plans history is grace-filled!

And He holds US in His nail-scarred hands!

In face of radical evil we must be radically good!

 I'm still thinking about Jonathan Cahn's words about how we should live for Christ in these evil times:

  "An apostate civilization will depart from the Word. The righteous must do the opposite and hold to the Word all the more strongly.

  An apostate culture bends the Word or the truth to conform to its ways. The righteous must bend their ways to conform to the Word."

In modern America there is a war against God's Word being waged now by attempting to marginalize it, re- and mis- interpreting it, belittling and denigrating it, ignoring it, ridiculing its historical and authentic accuracy, and in general denying its importance. 

The farther a culture departs from God, the more it undermines and suppresses His Word. But also the more the culture ignores God's Word, the more it needs the unadulterated Word of God for its very survival!

So, as Cahn says, we must read it, treasure it, store it in our hearts, share it, proclaim it, act upon it, live by it and make our lives conform to it! We must never dilute it or soften it.

We must treat the Word of God as the  true bread of our lives, partake of it every day. We must remember that before the world was created, the Word was already here and will be when the world is gone. The Word is more powerful than the world. It is the voice of our Almighty God and we are accountable to Him for our obedience to it!

The world tries to bend the Word to conform to the way they want to live. We must change our lives to conform to the Word.

Yes, the more radically evil the world becomes, the more radically good we must become.

We do have a choice!

 

If we feel we are being bombarded daily with messages contrary to God's Word (and we are) -- we can choose to bombard ourselves with messages from God's Word -- words that bring us closer to Him!

We can focus on words that fill our minds and hearts with His specific messages for us.

Philippians 4:8 tells us how to do that: "Whatever is true...noble...right...pure...admirable...excellent...praiseworthy...think about those things."

So just as we carefully choose to eat to nourish our bodies, we must also be intentional about what we consume spiritually and mentally.

It's all about our free choice! We must seek out what is noble and right and pure and praiseworthy. We must align our actions with God's righteous standard.

It is our choice. Let's choose to dwell on things that bring us closer to God and experience the abundant life that Christ offers us.

It's our choice -- good choices become good habits!

A sample -- Lamentations 3

"Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning -- great is Your faithfulness."

There are hundreds more -- why not start a journal and write one down every day? Therefore we have hope....

What Makes America Great?

What has made America so great?

A question that has tormented the world for over 200 years.

In the 1830's the French government sent their acclaimed political thinker and historian, Alexis de Tocqueville, to examine the progress Americans had made in the 50 years since their revolution. 

France's revolution had deteriorated into a blood bath, a nightmare of executions and suffering,  political anarchy, and had lost all pretense of freedom and democracy for the people.

But the US had flourished and enjoyed unprecedented success, growing in wealth and democratic advances each year.

De Tocqueville marveled at what he saw happening here. He couldn't find enough ways to express his words of praise for what Americans had accomplished, producing on his return to France, his now-classic two-volume work, "Democracy in America."

Documents about the US are replete with de Tocqueville quotes. Here is one often quoted by leaders like Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton. It sums up what de Tocqueville found in the US and spoke of often:

"Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great."

There is also the obvious historical conclusion: The French revolution was started and supported by atheists and agnostics who did not believe in God nor recognize His sovereignty and their accountability to Him.

 The American revolution was the product of believers in the Judeo-Christian worldview that recognized the importance of righteousness pleasing to God and His sovereign rule, the establishment of His kingdom on earth, and our accountability to Him. God created mankind to reflect His image. The exact opposite of the founders of the French revolution!

PS Remember FDR's D-Day prayer? "We know that by Thy grace, and the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph..."

And our national anthem..."Then conquer we must when our cause it is just...and this be our motto, 'In God is our trust'....

We were not (and are not) perfect, but striving to be better stewards of what God has blessed us with...

 

How Dark is the Darkness?

 

These are dark days.

Evil is called good and good is called evil. It feels like we've gone down Alice's 'rabbit hole'. Nothing is determined to be consistently true.

The New Testament asks us, "How should we live in these days?"

Here's Jonathan Cahn's answer:

   "Believers are called to respond to the darkness of their age by becoming the antithesis, its counterforce [opposite].

The believer who lives in an age of heresy must become a counterforce of faithfulness to God's Word. In a culture of immorality, a counterforce of purity and moral virtues. Those who live in a godless culture must become the counterforce of God's presence. And those who live in a culture of radical evil must become radically good..."

Living in darkness requires that we shine more brightly.

In the face of a radically evil society like ours, we must become radically good!

And in a godless society we must always display God in our lives - showing those around us that there is a God and He is always here - He is Immanuel....we are to be His eyes and heart and hands and mind...We are to show Him to the world!

We are to display the presence of God in our lives -- all the time!  Making Him visible!

The more radically evil the world around us - the more radically good we must become!

FDR and D-Day

                                              June 6, 1944 -- D-Day..

Today is the 80th anniversary of D-Day. 

My mother remembered that day most of her life. What she recalled especially was FDR in a radio broadcast praying for our soldiers that day. She reminded us of that prayer often.

Within  11 months the war in Europe was over. Hitler was dead. FDR was dead. Truman was President and the horrors of the Nazi concentration (death) camps for Jews were being exposed and documented.

And the war in Asia was nearing its end.

Here are some words from FDR's prayer broadcast that day -- 80 years ago today.

He began, "In this poignant hour, I ask you to join me in prayer.

Almighty God, 

Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true, with steadfastness in their faith They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again and we know that by Thy grace and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph..."

(We still refer to these brave men as 'The greatest generation'!)

Today, the 80th anniversary of that crucial day, is another great day to remember to pray for our nation....

The Wisest Decision

What was the message the LORD gave His prophet Zechariah to announce to His people?  

The LORD told him: "You must say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of Hosts: Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you'" (Zechariah 1:2-3).

There is an astonishing truth here. God's people, after pledging themselves to follow Him, to honor and glorify Him, to love Him above all else, rejected and scorned Him!

But instead of punishing them and destroying them, He graciously offers to restore them to a loving relationship with Him -- forgiving forever their sin!

It's an incredible and gracious offer!

In verse 6 we see that the people accepted this offer -- a very wise decision.

Our God is the same today...AND THE OFFER STILL STANDS!

Focus on 1 John 1:9 -- "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

That brings us back into a full relationship with Him....no walls between us, no barriers to keep us away. Forgiven of ALL unrighteousness!

Have you accepted the offer?

It would be a very wise decision...it's for forever...

You can begin right now!

As they used to say, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

And it can be the first day of your forever life...

Need Some New Clothes?

Tired of your old wardrobe?  Consider these words from Colossians 3 -- 

"Now you must also rid yourselves of all such things are these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language...do not lie to each other since you have taken off your old self with its sinful practices, and have put on your new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of the Creator...Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive one another.

  Forgive as He forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

   So, first, we have to take off the old clothes and then we have to put on the new (after all, we can't wear two outfits at once!).

  So let's change wardrobes today. Take off the old sinful habits and put on the new clothes God has given you.

Yes! Today! Right now!

(And don't forget to clean out the closet)

Is Forgetfulness a Sin?

 "The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them" (Psalm 78:9-11).

The men of Ephraim (the northern tribes) adopted idolatry and rejected their true God. They were conquered by the Assyrians, deported, and sent into exile and servitude. Their problem? Spiritual forgetfulness!

We Christians can also suffer the consequences of forgetting God's faithfulness. Peter warns us about this...'Forgetting that we have been cleansed from our past sins' (2 Peter 1:9).

How could we forget? The massive sin problem that Christ took care of on the cross? 

But God can no more forget us than a nursing mother could forget her baby, Isaiah tells us. And even if she did, He never will! (Isaiah 49:15).

Remembering who He is and what He has done is the key to trusting God!

Lord,

I worry because I forget Your wisdom.

I resent because I forget Your mercy.

I envy because I forget Your beauty.

I sin because I forget Your holiness.

I fear because I forget Your sovereignty.

You always remember me. Help me to always remember You.

Amen

The Great Exchange

This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners:

For by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours, but Christ's,

And Christ's righteousness is not Christ's, but ours.

  -- Martin Luther

This is what it means to be  Christian: God takes our filthy garbage -- all our sin -- destroys it forever -- all of it -- and gives us -- in exchange -- the gift of His righteousness so we can live with Him forever.

What an incredible exchange! Greatest deal ever in the whole universe! An old garbage bag traded in for a treasure chest of unspeakable riches!

He did it on the cross.

Christ says, "I love you, I forgive you. Let's move on!"

Looks like He would rather die than live without us...

The Thief's Last Choice

Think about the thief on the cross who mocked Christ. Then think about the one who repented. We don't know much about him. He obviously made some bad choices, wrong friends, wrong behavior, listened to the wrong crowd. But was his life a waste? Is he spending eternity suffering for all his bad choices?

Words from Max Lucado....

"No, just the opposite. He is enjoying the fruit of the one good choice he did make. In the end, all his bad choices were redeemed by a solitary good one.

You've made some bad choices in life, haven't you? You look back over your life and say, 'If only...if only I could make up for those bad choices...' 

You can.  One good choice for eternity offsets a thousand bad ones on earth.

The choice is yours.

How can two men see the same Jesus and one choose to mock Him and the other chooses to pray to Him?

I don't know, But they did. And when one prayed Jesus loved him enough to save him. And when the other mocked, Jesus loved him enough to let him. He allowed him the choice.

He does the same for you."

[Sometimes life seems unfair. We are too short, too fat, handicapped in some way, too poor to buy the popular clothes, born into a dysfunctional family...but the same scales of life were forever tipped on the side of fairness when God panted a tree in the Garden of Eden.

All complaints were silenced when Adam and his descendants were given free will, the freedom to make our eternal choice. Whatever injustice might appear in this life, it is offset by our ability to choose our destiny in the next. You wouldn't want it the other way around would you? I mean, if you could pick your hair color, your size, your family, and not get to pick your eternal destiny, wouldn't that be terrible? I like the way God did it!]

From "He Chose the Nails," by Max Lucado.

 

Days of Awe - A Life of Awe

The "Ten Days of Awe," or "High Holy Days," are celebrated by Jews each year in the fall, usually September and early October.

They begin with Rosh Hashanah (New Years, Feast of Tabernacles) and conclude with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

These ten days are celebrated to remember God's powerful holiness,  to worship Him with reverent awe, and to repent of sin and seek and bestow forgiveness. They recognize the incredible truth of God's reconciliation with man -- ten days to focus on bowing down before Him in humility, meditating on Him and celebrating their special relationship with Him, always with great joy.

Reminds me of our childhood catechism -- Q: What is the chief end of man? A: The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!

I love the name of these days: Days of Awe. I can't think of a more perfect title for them.

We Christians can celebrate these days, too -- especially the reconciliation of God and man, accomplished through Jesus -- and bringing us all our Days of Awe! Forever and forever. Amen.

Let's have a  Day of Awe today - and the first day of a Life of Awe!

It's our special Memorial Day!

What Are We Praying For?

 Elijah was weary and frightened. He had faithfully obeyed God and challenged the evil pagan world around him. He was exhausted. And now Queen Jezebel was going to kill him. He ran for his life into the wilderness, sat down under a bush, and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD", he prayed. "Take my life." (1 Kings 19)

But God didn't answer his prayer. God had another plan, and important work left for Elijah. Sometimes God does not give us precisely what we pray for. But He will many times give us something better -- something we would much rather have!

When God did choose to bring Elijah home it would not be in the wilderness, alone, under an ordinary desert bush. It would be in a miraculous chariot of heavenly fire with horses of fire, appearing from God's own domain, harnessed by a whirlwind -- in front of many witnesses! Certainly a more exciting way to go! That was God's plan.

Someone has said, "If God doesn't pay in silver, He will in gold. If not in gold, He will in diamonds."

When God doesn't give us exactly what we ask for, when we ask for it, be prepared for something much more exciting! Something we would rather have anyway! 

How Do We Display Love?

 How do we show our love? There is a lot of practical advice in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. He tells them: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking" (read the whole list in 1 Corinthians 13).

He reminds them that when we love each other, we don't discount them, we give them the benefit of the doubt. We put them in a favorable position. We make sure they are seen in the best light.

I remember once when we were looking for a special painting for our living room -- we needed something perfect to be a focal point for a grand entry.

We found what we thought would be the ideal piece for the space. And we eagerly brought it home.

We considered several possible positions on the main wall so that it would be seen immediately by guests entering the room. We adjusted the lighting, angling spotlights to capture the magnificent colors in the landscape. We added a couple  more tract lights and tried different slants to make certain our expensive painting would be seen in its best light. We had to accommodate the natural light in the room and also the added artificial illumination.

Yes, we were showing it off!

I think that is what Paul is talking about here. We don't seek to make ourselves look good -- we seek to make others look good. To display them in the best light. To make allowances for them. To enhance their special gifts. Even if  it diminishes our importance!

We seek their good, not our own!

Isn't that what Jesus did for us? He humbled Himself so that we could be  exalted. He took our place so that we could could share His...forever!

Is that the picture of love we are to follow?

Satan's Strategy of Attack - Con't from May 21

 The very fact that you are under attack must mean you're on the right side, accomplishing important kingdom work that annoys and frustrates Satan. 

Notice someone else who struggled with his attacks: Read Romans 7:14-25. See how the Apostle Paul describes it -- "I do not understand," "It is sin living in me...", "I do not do the things I want...I see another law working in my body...what a miserable man I am..."   

He is writing in the present tense, describing a struggle at the present time. This means the Apostle Paul battled sin while he was writing a book in the Bible!

Can you think of a more strategic time for Satan to attack?

Satan Always Ready to Pounce!

 Is Satan hanging around looking for your weak spots? He usually is.

Getting ready to pounce? Probably. It's his strategy.

Satan is sowing seeds of shame and guilt -- often concentrating on sins that are most difficult for you to battle against, especially those you repeat the most. 

Thoughts from Max Lucado --

"If he can't seduce you, he'll let you sink in your guilt. Nothing pleases him more than to see you cower in the corner, embarrassed that you are still battling some old habit. He's probably telling you 'God is tired  of dealing with this,' or 'Your Father is weary of your petitions for forgiveness. He will shut the door this time. You'll never beat this!'

Maybe you are thinking, 'I must not be His child. I must be an orphan. I can't keep going to the well of grace so many times. I don't deserve to keep asking for forgiveness. He will shut the door this time.'

But now stop and think. Who told you you deserved forgiveness the first time? 

When you came to Christ, did He already know all the sins you had committed? Yes. 

Did He know the sins you would commit in the future? Yes.

So He saved you, knowing all the sins you would commit, every mistake you would ever make? YES.

Sounds like God has already proven His point. If your sins were too great for His grace, He would never have saved you in the first place!

Your sin does not surprise God. He saw it coming. And sees it coming.

Is there any reason to think that the One who saved you in the first place won't receive you every time?"

Remember - He promised to! And He knows you better than you even know yourself.

"If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins, and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

The fountain of grace is still full and flowing....

How Paul Prayed for His Friends

 How Paul prayed for his Friends at Colossae --

    "We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way" Colossians 1:9-10).

  He didn't pray they would be obedient -- we can tell from the context that they were already obedient to His Spirit. He just wants them to know His will, through the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,  and then they would obey and live lives pleasing to God "in every way"!

  We should pray that prayer for each other. God's Spirit supplies the wisdom and understanding, we obey, and then we can live our lives glorifying and pleasing Him!

  Some day we may hear His voice, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the glory of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21).

   Remember the catechism? "What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." That's how we do it!

  

He Knows Us By Name

 In the Old Testament we find many examples of God's grace and patience.

Reading Exodus 32 and 33 this morning. Moses is up on the mountain talking with God. The Hebrews, recently freed from slavery in Egypt, are waiting for him. They get impatient and decided to just stop waiting for him and talk Aaron into making a god for them, a golden calf, reminding them of the false religions they had in Egypt.

(Making your own god is never a good idea! I know from experience. You probably do, too!)

"You know how prone these people are to evil," Aaron reminds Moses.

God tells Moses He will reject the people for their sin.

But Moses intercedes and reminds God that they were chosen to be His special treasure, a people through whom all the world will be blessed. And that God had told Moses, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with Me.' "If You are pleased with me teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You. Remember this nation is Your people."

God listens to Moses and agrees to forgive and accompany them to the Promised Land. Moses had said, "I don't want to go with them unless You go with us."

Then, "The LORD replied, 'My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.'"

What a sacred moment. God tells him 'I will be with you. I know you. I am pleased with you. I know you by name. Just take a deep breath and relax. I will not leave you.'

We know from the New Testament that He knows us by name, too. He is our Good Shepherd. And we recognize His voice and follow Him and He will always be with us. Always.

Just relax. Take a deep breath. He's with us.

How Does God Help Us?

 Can we do what God wants us to do if He helps us?

Yes, but how does He help us?

"We mean God is putting into us a bit of Himself, so to speak. He lends us a little of His reasoning powers and that is how we think. He puts a little of His love into us and that is how we love one another. 

When you teach a child writing, you hold its hand while it forms the letters; that is, it forms the letters because you are forming them. We love and reason because God loves and reasons through us and holds our hand while we do it."

    --- From Mere Christianity by C S Lewis

As Soon as He Hears!

 "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him. How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you" (Isaiah 30:18-20).

He longs to extend His grace to us! He is eager to listen to us!

Keep the line open -- He is listening for you....right now...

This is our 'strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow'!

My Heart - Christ's Home?

"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with Me" (Revelation 3:20).

                      Thoughts from Charles Spurgeon --

 "Are you saying, 'I wish that He would live in my heart and make it His dwelling place forever'?

Open the door, beloved, and He will come into your soul. He has been knocking continually.  He wants to eat with you because you provide the home, your heart, and you with Him because He brings the meal.

You would have an empty table if He did not bring the food.

Fling wide then the doors of your soul. He will come with that love you long to feel, that joy you seek to revive your spirit, and that peace to restore your life. Only open the door to Him, drive out His enemies, give Him the keys, and He will live there forever. What wondrous love that brings such a guest to dwell in such a heart!"

     It's time to make your heart Christ's home! (Ephesians 3:17).

[Remember, you have to open the door yourself -- the latch is on your side -- and invite Him in....and there is only room for One - it is not a lodging house!]

No Ordinary People

 Everyone is immortal. Everyone is going to live someplace forever...

   "There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.

Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.

But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, exploit --immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.

This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our play must be of that kind (and it is in fact the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously -- no flippancy, no superiority,  no presumption.

And our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sin,  in spite of which we love the sinner." 

                                   -- C S Lewis, The Weight of Glory.

Everyone we see -- on the street, in the stadium or theater, in the grocery store, on Facebook -- everyone will live forever -- someplace.

The most loving and kind thing we can do is to ask them if they understand that.

Why don't we just ask?

Satan Wants Food - Our God wants Sons

 

A conversation between Satan's head demon recruiter and one of his new recruits - He is explaining how Satan's goals are different from The Enemy's (our God's) goals --

The Demon trainer is named Screwtape. He tells his new apprentice --

"To us a human is primarily food; our aim is the absorption of its will into ours. But the obedience which our Enemy demands of men in quite a different thing. 

One must face the fact that all the talk about his love for men is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of himself, not because he has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to his. 

We want cattle who can finally become food; he wants servants who can finally become sons. We want to suck in; he wants to give out. We are empty and would be filled; he is full and flows over."

                    - From Screwtape Letters, by C S Lewis

What Is God's Will For My Life?

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

 Most of us, at some time, wrestle with knowing and doing God's will for us. 

These verses are very clear. You could teach them easily to a small child and they would  understand with no problem! 

Just 3 things to remember: rejoice, pray, and give thanks! All the time!

 That is God's will for us! That is what pleases Him!

Hundreds of books have been written about knowing God's will, thousands of sermons preached, countless study groups organized...maybe we should go back to the beginning and start with what we already know He wants us to do -- do that -- and wait for further steps.

I know that from my (long years) of experience -- obey what we know and then He will lead us on to more knowledge. Why should He give us the next steps if we haven't even obeyed the first instructions?

So today:  Rejoice, pray and give thanks....

[I remember reading a comment from Mark Twain, "It's  not what I don't understand in the Bible that bothers me, it's what I do understand!"]

But God Gives A Song!

God leads His dear children along.  Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song -- in the night seasons, and all the day long...

"Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You" (Psalm 143:8).

"As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning, and noon  I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice" (Psalm 55:16). 

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8).

"The  whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, You call forth songs of joy" (Psalm 65:8).

         In the night seasons...and all the day long!     Praise Him forever! 

The Guilty Woman

She was 'caught in the act.' 

She couldn't claim innocence. 

She was alone! Not even the guilty man was with her! 

She didn't come to Jesus to beg forgiveness -- she was dragged there by her accusers for ridicule and punishment -- and especially to accuse and discredit Jesus. Surely He wouldn't forgive her -- after all, she was caught in the act!  They demanded she be stoned. She had no hope. After all, she was caught in the act!

Jesus didn't pick up a stone. He issued His famous challenge: "Whoever of you is without sin, you cast the first stone." 

They began to walk away.  Finally she and Jesus were alone. "Neither do I condemn you," Jesus said. 

Did she look at Him? I imagine she did lift her downcast eyes to meet His. I imagine she gazed at Him in wonder and amazement. The only one qualified to condemn her didn't. 

He gave her mercy when she was too hopeless to even ask for it! 

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." 

She could have spoken those words. I do...almost every day! And I, too, have been caught in the act!  But all my sin grows 'strangely dim....in the light of His glory and grace'!

 

Mercy and Grace Before We Ask?

 In John 8 we read the well-known account of the woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders brought her to Jesus -- for punishment -- but  mostly to trap Him and find cause to accuse and discredit Him publicly. 

The first, and obvious question, is "Where is the man?" They said she was 'caught in the act.' The law was clear -- the man was also guilty. They didn't seem to care very much about that detail!

So she is standing there alone -- obviously guilty -- no defense lawyer to plead her case. Alone. A cruel death waiting for her.

What is Jesus doing? Starting to write something on the ground with His finger....in a kneeling position as we picture it. He makes His famous answer, "Let any of you who is without sin be the first one to throw a stone at her."

They begin to walk away and then only Jesus and the guilty woman are left. "Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin."

Notice He forgave her first! He didn't parole her; didn't tell her to change her life and then come back and report to Him.

He forgave her first! He gave her mercy and grace before she even asked. Freedom. A  second chance. A new life. 

What an amazing God we have!

How Do We Build Unity?

 

Ephesians 4:3 tells us, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace."

Jesus prayed, on His last night on earth, "My prayer is not for them [His apostles] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message [that's us], that all of them may be one...that they may be brought into complete unity." (John 17)

Nowhere in Scripture are we told to "build unity." We are told to keep unity, guard it, preserve it.

We don't create unity - we are to protect it!

God, through His Son, has already done all the work to establish unity. We are to maintain it!

We are to "Make every effort to keep the unity".

How do we do that?

In our love for each other. 

When we disagree....we do it in love!

According to 1 Corinthians 13 --  "Love suffers long and is kind, does not envy, does not parade itself [parades others], is not rude, endures all things...never fails.

Jesus told us, "All men will know you are My disciples if you love one another."

That's how we keep our unity!

Jesus Prays For Us - For Unity

"My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, just as You are in Me and I am in You... that they may brought into complete unity." (John 14:20-23) 

Thoughts from Max Lucado -- "Unity matters to God. Disunity disturbs Him. Earlier Jesus had said, 'All people will know that you are My followers if you love each other.' (John 13:35) 

Not if we always agree with each other. Not if we are unanimous on each vote. 

But if we love each other. 

Unity creates belief. Disunity creates disbelief.

'All people will know that you are My followers if you love each other.' 

Think about it. Could this mean unity is the key to reaching the world for Christ?"

Does God Really Want To Be With Us?

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

"My Father's house has many rooms...I am going to prepare a place for you...I will come back and take you to be with me so that you will be where I am." (John 14:2-4)

"And so we will be with the Lord forever" (I Thessalonians 4:17)

                                        God wants us to be with Him forever!

                                               He takes that very seriously.

                             Looks like He would rather die than live without us!

                             

                              

All You Need Is Need!

All you need is need....

Philippians 4:19  --  "And my God will meet all your needs, according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 4:16 -- "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our hour of need."  

So come, all of us, poor and needy.  Come to Jesus! 

All we need...yes, all we need...is need!

Do you qualify? I did...and I do!

An old pioneer gospel song -- some say one of Daniel Boone's favorites:

   "Come ye sinners, poor and needy.  Weak and wounded, sick and sore

   Jesus, ready, stands to save you. Full of pity, love and power.

   Come ye weary, heavy-laden, Lost and ruined by the fall.

   If you  tarry 'til you're ready, you will never come at all!

   I will arise and go to Jesus. He will embrace me in His arms

   In the arms of my dear Savior - O there are ten thousand charms!"

The Challenge

 

Psalm 19:14 -- "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You,  my Rock and My Redeemer."

  The first part, about my words (all of them?) seems really hard. But the second part seems almost impossible -- my secret thoughts, casual wonderings, mental impulses - how can we make them acceptable to our holy Father God? 

   I remember once someone shared a brilliant thought: 'You can't keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair'! 

   So simple! Yes, sinful thoughts, fueled by envy, anger, hatred and pride, can assault our thoughts. But we can stop them at their first appearance by immediately turning our thoughts to honor and glorify God. 

   Turn to Him with words and thoughts of praise and gratitude. Thank Him for His forgiveness, for His Spirit that is re-creating us into His image, for His righteousness that now covers us because of what Jesus did. (We can tell Satan to shut up and we can start talking to God!)

  Turn the negative unholy thoughts that dishonor God into positive holy thoughts that glorify Him!

   It works -- for sure -- but we have to be vigilant and move fast!

Down The Rabbit Hole!

 

Remember the mysterious rabbit hole in Alice's Wonderland? If you went down that rabbit hole you landed in a strange, puzzling chaotic world where nothing made sense. I feel like that is the world we are living in today! So how are we to live in this "not-so-brave' new world?

Paul tells us how to cope in his letter to Titus --

"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'no' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope -- the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good." 

PS Jesus, the gift of God's grace, has already appeared -- and the blessed hope of His glory is His next coming! Praise the Lord forever!

 [I love the idea that we need to be 'eager to do good'! Refraining from evil is not enough -- we please God when we search out, with eager anticipation, ways we can do good!]

(BTW - it does seem to me that Paul mentions 'self-controlled' a lot of times in his letters - sometimes that makes me uncomfortable!!! What about you?)

How To Endure

The great preacher and writer, Andrew Murray, was once approached by a woman who said she was in dire trouble and needed advice. He handed his assistant a piece of paper, saying, "Just give her this. I have been writing it for myself. Maybe she will find it helpful." 

This is what he had written:

"First, He brought me here. It Is by His will that I am in this difficult place right now. In that I will rest.

Next, He will keep me here in His love and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child.

Then, He will make this trial a blessing, teaching me the  lessons He intends me to learn. 

Last, In His good time He can bring me out again -- how and when He knows.

Say - I am here --

1. By God's appointment.

2. In His keeping.

3. Under His training.

4. For His time."

[This story came from Alistair Begg, and I am grateful. It has helped me. It might not alleviate our circumstances, but I think it enables us to keep the right perspective and glorify God!]

.

Mud Pies or Sand Castles?

Ephesians 3:20 -- "Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly {immeasurably} more than we can even ask or think {or imagine]..to Him be glory...

    Thoughts from C S Lewis --

"If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and to earnestly hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion is no part of the Christian faith.

   Instead, if we consider the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desire, not too strong, but too weak.

   We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday by the sea.

   We are far too easily pleased."

Love Hurts

  "There is no safe investment.

   To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken.

   If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your  heart to no one, not even an animal.

   Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.

   But in that casket -- safe, dark, motionless, airless  -- it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

   The alternative to the risk of tragedy is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers of love is Hell."

                                      -- C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves

It's A Hallelujah Day!

Want to make this  a Hallelujah Day?

Make it your goal to please God today -- not to finish your "to do list" for the week...not to schedule more activities for the weekend --- but to, in every way, all day -- seek to please God!

Psalm 147:11 tells us: "The LORD delights in those who fear [hold in awe and adore] Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love."  Fearing Him and trusting in Him pleases Him. No matter the circumstances ...acknowledging that we know He is faithful pleases Him. Just as an earthly father delights in his children when they trust him.

Then it gets even better -- Look at Philippians 2:9. "For God is working in you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." Not just the desire...but the POWER to do what pleases Him. He shows us what He wants us to do,  and then helps us do it! What an amazing God we have!

It's going to be a Hallelujah Day for sure!

Enemy-Occupied Territory

From C S Lewis --

   "One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked about  a Dark Power in the universe -- a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease and sin. 

The difference is that Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and then he went wrong.  

Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war. But it does not think  this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. 

Enemy-occupied territory - that's what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say in disguise, and is calling us to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church, you are really listening in on the secret wireless from our comrades, that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going."

(Note: When the rightful King returns, He will not be in disguise this time -- 'every knee shall bow and every tongue confess' that He is the rightful King!  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!)

So How Should We Live?

 

Just a reminder of how we should live these days --

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to prove what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2)

   Paul wrote this to the Christians in Rome about 2000 years ago! (Remember the old saying, "The more things change, the more they remain the same''? Perfect example!)

  What happens when the Spirit renews our mind? We can see Christ as who He really is, in all His perfect beauty, and also see ourselves as we really are -- broken and hopeless and helpless -- in dire need of a Savior!

  But that is good news! It rids us of our pride and arrogance -- it throws us back on the mercy and grace of God. 

All of life becomes centered in God - charged and energized by His presence. And we begin to focus on Jesus. 

As we do that the Spirit renews our thinking and our behavior and we start to become like Him. He will actually transform us into the image of Jesus. We will know and obey His will... all of our life activities will become acts of worship!

And His love will overflow fro our lives into the lives of others...and we will help bring God's Kingdom to earth, as Jesus prayed."Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

Maybe we should give it a try -  starting right now!

It's an Upside-Down World!

Things seem so upside-down now, so confused and mixed up. Donald Grey Barnhouse, in his book on Revelation, makes these comments --

  "There are four things out of place in the universe.

   The church is out of place. She should be in heaven.

   Israel is out of place. She should be occupying the land sworn to her and occupying every part.

   The devil is out of pace. He ought to be in the lake of fire.

   And Christ is out of place. He should be through with intercession and seated on His throne, reigning, instead of at His Father's throne, interceding.

   But in Revelation we begin to see all of these things that are out of place being put in their rightful place, right where they were meant to be.

   The church is in heaven.

   Israel is about to  be given back her kingdom and the promised land.

   The devil is going to be bound and cast into the lake of fire.   

   And Christ is about to reign."

And those in heaven know this. They are waiting, too.

And finally everything will be put back the way it was intended to be! 

And we will be where we were meant to be - with God  in our forever home!

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Guilt is a gift - Embrace it!

 GUILT IS A GIFT - Embrace it!

From Mohler's book on "The Apostles' Creed"

"The world longs for us to run away from our guilt.

Guilt is seen as an enemy that must be killed.

For a Christian, however, guilt is a gift. That feeling of unquenchable guilt leads us to the only hope we have. It leads us to the infinite grace of God. As we embrace our guilt, only then can we come to the fountain of hope, the blood of Jesus that washes us clean forever.

1 John 1:9 tell us, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us

What to do when Satan comes around?

 

What do you do when Satan sneaks around? 

I had a friend who told me once that when Satan knocks on her door, she just turns to Jesus, and asks, "Would you get that for me, Jesus?" 

Yes,Satan is on the prowl out there, looking "for whom he can devour!"

He is strong. But his time is short.  

Max Lucado reminds us: "Don't face Satan by facing Satan. Face Satan by facing God." And "Glance at Satan, but gaze on Christ." 

Remember who Satan is...but focus on who you are!  

"I cannot be separated from the love of God" (Romans 8:35).

"I have been bought with a price - I belong to God" (I Corinthians 6:20)

And "I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

Remind him, and yourself, that in God we have "grace and mercy for help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Any time and every time!

Then tell Satan to just "get lost!"