It's All About Pardons!

                                    It's All About Pardons!

A Presidential Pardon sounds like good news to a lot of people these days! It is a gift of great value. The right to grant a pardon is given to our Presidents in our Constitution, Article 2, Section 2.

Can it be overturned? No! Not even a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court can overturn a Presidential Pardon! Nor any law or statute passed by Congress.

The only thing that can effect a pardon is that in order to be validated it must be accepted!

In 1830 President Andrew Jackson issued a pardon to George Wilson, a man convicted of a US mail robbery and sentenced to death. He refused it and the Supreme Court determined that a pardon is a deed that requires acceptance from the person pardoned to be confirmed.

Look at what God is offering us:

"I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me" (Jeremiah 33:8).

Cleansed and pardoned! Erased forever!

Like our human Presidential Pardons, our pardon from God cannot be overturned-- but the requirement is also that it must be accepted!

Not accepting the pardon makes it null and void - completely invalid, has no legal force, considered as if it never existed.

That means the convict is condemned to face punishment as the law requires! Who would want that?

I have accepted God's forever pardon! (It is also preemptive!) Joyfully! Have you?

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!

He rises up in anticipation of welcoming us - no earthly human Sovereign would ever do that!

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

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

The World is Out Of Sync! John Piper

Yes, the world is out of sync with God, but we aren't!

Words from John Piper --

"My feelings are not God.

God is God.

My feelings do not define truth. God's Word is truth.

My feelings are echoes and responses to what my mind perceives. And sometimes -- many times -- my feelings are out of sync with the truth.

When that happens -- and it happens every day, in some measure -- I try not to bend the truth to justify my imperfect feelings, but, rather, I plead with God: 'Purify my perceptions of Your truth and transform my feelings so that they are in sync with the truth.'"

[My prayer, too -- maybe yours?]

Not Just a Chicken

Remember the story of the eagle who was raised by chickens? 

From her nest in the barnyard, she spots an eagle soaring confidently through the clouds. Her heart beats rapidly. "I can do that!" she whispers. The other chickens laugh, but she knows better. She was born for something more. She can soar. She never lost hope, and then, one day, she lifted herself up and began to soar!

We are like that eagle!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us: "He has put eternity in their heart."

Deep down we have a hunch that our ordinary lives can have meaning and purpose and that we were made to know that meaning and purpose -- and we were made to live forever!

Think about Paul's words -

"Therefore we do not lose hope. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on what is seen, not what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Max Lucado reminds us --

"If life's troubles are momentary, can't we endure them for  just a moment? We can be sick for just a moment...we can be lonely for just a moment...we can be persecuted for just a moment....we can struggle for just a moment...can't we endure any challenge for just a moment?

It's not about us anyway. And it's not about now."

 -- from It's Not About Me

How Peterson paraphrases the passage --

"So we are not giving up.  How could we? Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared  to the coming good times, the lavish celebration  prepared for us. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."

His Mercy is More!

A convicted and condemned criminal was sent to death for his crimes. He was "guilty as charged!" 

He yearned for mercy.

But who could he ask? Not the judge - he was the one who sentenced him. Not the victims -- they jeered at him and desperately sought revenge. The crowd watching was blood thirsty.  No mercy there.

So, as a last resort,  he turned to the bloodied body of the One who hung on the cross next to his. There was a sign on His cross that said, "King of the  Jews." A strange way to treat your King, he thought. But his time was running out, and that Man did seem different somehow. So he gave it a try.

"Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom." And he heard the answer, "Truly, today you will be with Me in paradise."

A dying thief on a cross, a pedophile in prison, a murderer on death row -- all can receive mercy. Witnesses say Jeffery Dahmer received Christ's mercy before he was killed. He received Christ as his Savior, read his Bible, confessed his sins will great remorse, and urged other prisoners to do the same.

No one of us beyond the reach of God's mercy. And none of us is  beyond the need for it!

How about the law-abiding citizen sitting on the pew in church? He goes to the altar, also seeking mercy. 

Does it matter to God where we are when we call to Him?

On a cross? On a pew? In a government prison or in our own personal, self-constructed prison?

I think not. We are all sinners who need mercy. "Our sins are so many, His mercy is more!"

He is in reach, right now! And reaching out to you! If you haven't already received His mercy,  ask for it now! Take His mercy and all the other gifts He includes and then tell everyone else!

Bookends - John Stott

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).


As we consider various means by which Christians grow think of each one of them as a book you're putting on the shelf of your life. In order to keep those books in place, you need two bookends.

The first bookend we need is the righteousness of Christ. The most important question any person can ask is: How can I, a sinful person, be accepted by an infinitely and righteous God?

Paul told us it is by trusting in the righteousness of Christ. Paul counted all his impressive religious credentials as rubbish in order that he might "gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ -- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith" (Philippians 3:8-9).

Paul found his acceptance with God not in his own imperfect obedience, impressive as it was, but by trusting in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, which God credits to all who trust in Him as Savior. That is what faith is--trusting in Jesus Christ as one's Savior.

The second bookend we must set in place is the power of Christ.  Just as our acceptance with God must come through the righteousness of Christ, so our power to live the Christian life must come from Christ as well. As Jesus indicated in John15:5, we have no ability within ourselves to grow.

All that ability must come from Him.

The common element in these two bookends is the word dependence. We're dependent upon the righteousness of Christ for our acceptance with God and upon the power of Christ for our ability to pursue spiritual growth.

                 -- From John Stott

Whose Will?

                                                              

                                                                     Whose Will?

Jesus' prayer in the Garden was "Not My will, but Thine, be done."

Most often I would rather pray, "Let my will be done."

And that gets me into trouble! The sin in my life, and probably in yours, can be traced back to pursuing our own wills, goals and desires, rather than His -- the will of our heavenly Father who made us, knows everything and plans our best in all things all the time.

So when we pray we should ask  God to reshape our will, to realign it with His Will through the Word of God.

Our hearts are inclined toward sin, rebellion and walking out of step with God.

But God, in His infinite mercy and grace, has given us His Spirit and His Word to  reshape our will and recalibrate the desires of our hearts to bring us back into step with Him!

He always gives us what we need to obey and glorify Him!

 What a great and loving Father we have!

Bloom Where You Are Planted!

Bloom Where You Are Planted!

Thoughts from Charles Spurgeon --

"Believer, if your inheritance is meager, you should be satisfied with your earthly portion; for you may rest assured it is best for you. Remember this: If any other condition had been better for you than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there.

You are placed by God in the most suitable circumstances, and if you could choose your lot, you would soon cry, 'Lord, choose my heritage for me, for by my self-will I am pierced through with many sorrows.'

Be content with the things you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good work and word to the glory of God. Busy self and impatience must be put down; it is not for them to choose, but for the Lord of love!"

Armies - Seen and Unseen

Remember Elisha and his servant? They were in Dothan and an angry king wanted to destroy them. 

"Elisha's servant got up early, and when he went out, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city. The servant said to Elisha, 'O my master, what can we do?' 

Elisha said, 'Don't be afraid. The army that fights for us is larger than the one against us.'

Then Elisha prayed, 'LORD, open my servant's eyes and let him see.'

The LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." (2 Kings 6:15-16).

An army of horses and chariots of fire -- a celestial army!

Too often we focus on the wrong army! 

We need to change our focus --

"Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" John wrote in 1 John 4:4.

Jesus, who lives in us, is stronger than our enemy!

Stronger than all our enemies' armies-- seen and unseen!

We  just need to adjust our vision --take another look! And maybe pray for friends who are facing great calamity -- pray as Elisha did, that the LORD would open their eyes and let them see!

Remind everyone around us that God can correct our vision! He can open our eyes to see things previously unseen!

It's Your Decision - what do I do about Jesus? - J M Boice

From James Montgomery Boice - 
    The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2, pp 634-635



Have you ever been confronted by the power of Jesus' resurrection? Or are you still trying to make your life secure against Jesus?

Perhaps you have heard of Christ's gospel, but you have been trying to keep Jesus politely in His place.

I warn you: Jesus is not that easily contained. You can push Him down, but He will crop up again. You can banish Him from your thoughts, but He will come back when you least expect Him. What are you going to do against the power of the one so many call Lord? How are you going to make yourself secure against Jesus?

Let me suggest what you can do. You can begin with activity. That should not be too difficult in our hectic times. Our world is preoccupied with activity and even rewards those who are busiest. If you are busy enough you will not have time to think about Jesus. Fill up your time. Schedule your idle hours. Then you will not have to go to a Bible study. When Christians invite you to church, you can say you are too busy. Fill your evenings with television so you won't have time to read your Bible.

Here is something else you can do. You can fill your life with sin and sin's pleasures. Jesus is the sinless Son of God. Sin should keep you from Him. Fill your life with evil pleasures of the world. Here are many. Make your life as secure as you can against Jesus.

I have one more suggestion:  Become religious. If you take this path, however, I suggest that you do not learn too much about Christianity. Instead, sink yourself in ceremony. Do things not because they are meaningful -- you might have to think about their meaning -- but for tradition's sake or for mere aesthetics. Make your life as secure as you can with religion. Attach your seals! Set your guards! Erect your barricades!

Alas, it will not be enough.

Jesus has broken seals before. He has scattered countless guards. What will you do with the light bursts forth from heaven and Jesus confronts you in resurrection splendor?

I will tell you what I would do.

I would give up fighting altogether. I would lay down my seals and stones and guards and feverish activity. I would abandon my sins, and I would fall before Him and confess Him as Thomas did. I would say, My Lord and my God."

Then Jesus will make you His, and He will tell you what you are to be and do for His sake.

                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~



[That's what I did - and I've never been sorry!]

Stay Sober

A story......

This story is about a man who imagined himself to be quite spiritual. He was talking with a more mature friend, and he asked his friend to pray for him that he might be humble. "Pray for me that I might be nothing," he said

.

His friend wisely replied,, "You are nothing, brother, take it by faith."

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose
the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
I Corinthians 1:27-29

On the Other Hand....

These words from Ray Stedman:

Ray Stedman said that every morning when he got up he tried to remind himself of three things:

First, I am made in the image of God. I am not an animal and I don't have to behave like an animal. I have an ability within me, given to me by God himself, to respond and relate to God. Therefore I can behave as a man and not as a beast.

Second, I am filled with the Spirit of God. The most amazing thing has happened! Though I do not deserve it in the least degree, I have the power of God himself at work within me. I have become, in some sense, the bearer of God, and God himself is willing to be at work in me through the problems and pressures I go through this day.

Third, I am part of the plan of God. God is working out all things to a great and final purpose in the earth, and I am part of it. What I do today has purpose and significance and meaning. This is not a meaningless day I am going through. Even the smallest incident, the most apparently insignificant word or relationship, is involved in his great plan. Therefore all of it has meaning and purpose.

And so.....

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.... Romans 12:3

Who Is Like Our God? Who makes known the end from the beginning.

 

"I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, 

what is still to come. 

I say, 'My purpose will stand and I will do what I please.'" 

(Isaiah 46:9-10)

I just keep meditating on and enjoying this passage! Isn't it wonderful to know who is really in charge? That brings me a profound sense of peace and exhilarating freedom!

What about you?

And I love to reflect on the words, 'I make known the end from the beginning.'

Think about Eve, at the beginning, in Genesis, receiving God's promise of grace given to her specifically, that her Descendant would one day destroy the evil that Satan had brought into her perfect world.

Read about that in Genesis 3:15 - a passage we call the protoevangelium, a Latin term meaning first gospel. It is referring to God's initial promise of salvation, immediately after Adam and Eve's fall. It prophesied a future Redeemer -- the "seed" of the woman who would destroy the devil's work by delivering a fatal blow to evil.

Then read Revelation 20 and see it happen! And we know it's going to happen. She was told the end at the very beginning.

 

John tells us, "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).

God told us the end at the very beginning.

Looking Back with Awe

 Remember how empty and lonely life was before God reached out and claimed us as His children? And how joyous life became as we began to  understand and believe how much He does truly love us?

 It is still a great mystery -- and think about John 17:24, when  Jesus prays for His followers, and tells them that God loves them as He loves Jesus Himself!

Doesn't seem possible, but He does not lie!

After all, He loves us so much He would rather die than live without us! And so He did.

These words from Pastor Scotty Smith:

"To know Jesus through the riches of the gospel as the One to whom I belong, is one glorious thing. But to believe that He actually desires me is quite another breathtaking thing. To be desired is to be wanted, pursued, enjoyed, known and accepted, nourished, thought about, cherished. All of these are promised in the gospel. Only in the gospel can they be realized in part; only in heaven are they realized in full."

Isaiah speaks God's words --  Listen to what He says: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" (43:1)

He wants us. He calls us by our name (No 'hey you, over there!') But in tenderness and love He seeks us to come to Him. The Good Shepherd who calls His sheep by name!

Think about this picture -- of a loving parent, cradling his child and whispering: "The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

Today's challenge -- take that picture with you everywhere you go today.

Remember How We've Been Changed!

 

                                          Remember How We've Been Changed!

From Titus 3:3-8:

"At one time, we, too, were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.

We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves doing what is good.

These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."

I remember, years ago, a spiritual that went something like:

Things I used to do, I don't do no more,

Things I used to say, I don't say more,

Things I used to want, I don't want no more -

There's been a great change since I've been born again!

Yes, there's been a great change since I've been born again! Doxology!

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!

Man - Doesn't Need Improvement - C S Lewis

Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms.


Laying down your arms, surrendering, saying you are sorry, realising that you have been on the wrong track and getting ready to start life over again from the ground floor -- that is the only way out of our 'hole.'


This process of surrender -- this movement full speed astern --is what Christians call repentance.


Remember, this repentance, this willing submission to humiliation and a kind of death, is not something God demands of you before He will take you back and which He could get you out of if He chose: it is simply a description of what going back to Him is like.


If you ask God to take you back without it you are really asking Him to let you go back without going back. It cannot happen.

 -- From Mere Christianity by C S Lewis

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!

                             

                                                        .... and so He did...

Engraved on His Hands - Charles Spurgeon

      Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands...
                                               Isaiah 49:16

No doubt part of the wonder that is concentrated in the word "behold" is on account of the contrast with the unbelieving lament in the proceeding sentence: "Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.'"

How amazed the divine mind seems to be at the wicked unbelief! What can be more astonishing than the unfounded doubts and fears of God's favored people?

The Lord's loving word of rebuke should make us blush.

He cries, "How can I have forgotten you when I have engraved you on the palms of My hands? How dare you doubt My constant remembrance when the memorial is carved upon my own flesh?"


O unbelief, what a strange marvel you are! We do not know what to wonder at most -- the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of His people.

He keeps His promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt Him.

He never fails. He is never a dry well. He is never a setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapor, and yet we are as continually troubled with anxieties, molested with suspicions and disturbed with fears as if our God were a mirage of the desert.

"Behold" is a word intended to stir up our admiration.

Here, indeed, we have a theme for marveling. Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain such a closeness to the heart of infinite love as to be written on the palms of His hands.

"I have engraved you." It does not say, "your name."  The name is there, but that is not all: I have engraved you.

Consider the depth of this!  "I have engraved your person, your image, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weakness, your wants, your works; I have engraved you - everything about you, all that concerns you - I have put all of this together here."

Will you ever say again that your God has forsaken you when He has engraved you on His own palms?

Paul Miller - A Praying Life - The 1st Idea

Praying in Jesus' Name...

     Imagine that your prayer is a poorly dressed beggar reeking of alcohol and body odor, stumbling toward the palace of the great king.

You have become your prayer.

As you shuffle toward the barred gate, the guards stiffen. Your smell has preceded you. You stammer out a message for the great king: "I want to see the king."

Your words are barely intelligible, but you whisper one final word: "Jesus. I come in the name of Jesus."

At the name of Jesus, as if by magic, the palace comes alive. The guards snap to attention, bowing low in front of you. Lights come on and the door flies open.

You are ushered into the palace and down a long hallway into the throne room of the great king, who comes running to you and wraps you in his arms.

The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal access. They get through.

Jesus isn't just the Savior of my soul. Jesus is the Savior of my prayers.

               - Paul Miller, A Praying Life


The palace guards bow to me...

          The Father runs toward me and wraps me
              in His arms....

It's truly Amazing Grace.

                                                       ~~~~

     Let us then approach with confidence the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

- Hebrews 4:16

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!