Category Archives: The Gospel

Make It Count

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Psalms 61-62

In this evil world, it can be hard to hold on to truth, to morality, even common sense. You look at what’s happening and it’s hard to believe it will ever change for the better. Insanity’s voice is drowning out reality, and mental illness is not only celebrated, it is doing unspeakable things to children.

Those who are brave enough to stand up to the mob are being silenced and demonized. And it doesn’t seem like that is about to change any time soon.

Very often I find myself thinking like David:

“Take me away, Lord. Let me hide in the safety and security under the shelter of your wings. Appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over me. You are my rock, my fortress, I shall not be greatly shaken. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

It’s understandable that we who have a relationship with God through the blood of Jesus would long for Him to wrap us up in His strong arms and shield us from the evil running rampant. It’s scary out there. It’s no longer a battle with easily identifiable enemies.

But are we really going to just bury our faces in God’s shoulder? Are we going to put our hands over our ears and block out the lies by loudly singing praise songs that remind us how blessed we are, and that our destiny is heaven? I doubt we’d admit to thinking, “Well, I’ve got my ticket. You’re on your own,” but I wonder if our actions (or lack of) are saying it anyway.

I love my time in God’s Word every day. I open up the pages of Scripture, crawl up into His lap, and read His Words, hear His voice, allow Him to speak to me. I pray, pour my heart out, and know He hears me. I wait. I rest. I’m fed. I’m often hugged, sometimes stuck by His loving hand of discipline. I’m encouraged and convicted… but always loved as I snuggle closer to Him every day.

Yes, I love this one-on-one time with my Heavenly Father. But I’m not going to sit here all day with my Bible open in front of me. I have VBS to prepare for, a dentist appoint, pickleball later. I have phone calls to make and laundry to do. It’s called life.

And it’s a battle. Am I going to hide, or am I going to fight? Am I going to throw my hands up and say, “I’m done,” or am I going to be the Christian woman God is molding, the warrior He’s training during my precious time alone with Him this morning? I can speak up, live loud, be the light. Or I can be a tool of the enemy with my silence.

I want my time with God to count for something. He deserves that.

And our world needs that. In my life. And in your’s.

Spiritual Genealogies

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1 Chronicles 1-7

Be honest. When you read these chapters, do you carefully read every name, even those you struggle to pronounce? Or do you skim over the “begats” when your eyes start to glaze over? Why on earth would God think it important to include this long… LONG… list of names of people that have nothing to do with life in the 21st Century? Why was genealogy such a big thing back in the day?

I don’t know. But I know God wants to say something to me as I consider these chapters in His Word. The question is what.

Most of us can probably name a handful of people we have prayed with as they gave their lives to Jesus. We might refer to them as our spiritual children because we have played a part in their “born again” experiences. Just like the biological children of the Israelites, we read about today, we have (or should have) spiritual children, too.

But here’s what occurred to me today as I read about the biological children of Israel: having a child isn’t simply giving birth. Each of the parents in these chapters cared for, nourished, protected, taught, disciplined their children until – and maybe after – those children grew up and had children of their own.

You don’t just birth a baby, then walk away and hope he makes it on his own. The same can be said of our spiritual children.

I hear God asking us today how we are doing as spiritual parents to those whom we’ve led to the Savior. Are we satisfied simply to pray the prayer with them, then walk away and hope they make it on their own, hope they find a good church, hope they open their Bibles and understand what they read, hope they grow into strong, faithful believers without any help from us, their spiritual parents?

Some people believe that if we get someone to pray the prayer, that’s the most important thing. After all, once saved always saved, right? I led them in prayer so therefore I have a spiritual child! Put that name down in my spiritual genealogy.

Is getting someone to pray the prayer all there is, or is the care we give to that new-born Christian even more important? We don’t expect a biological baby to fend for himself. Why should we expect a baby believer to fend for himself?

If someone were to do an ancestry.com search for my spiritual children, what would they find? A few first generation Christians? Some weak and dying believers I’ve left to their own devices? Or would they find a list of believers who were raised by me to love God, to know Him according to His Word, to obey and trust God alone so that they are then able to birth some spiritual children of their own?

I’m afraid my spiritual ancestry might die with me for lack of proper care of my spiritual offspring. I’m reminded Jesus told us to go and make disciples, not go and make believers. Making a disciple requires nourishing, protecting, teaching, disciplining the new believer until they are able to do the same for their own offspring.

Praying with a stranger on a park bench is one thing. But it’s not the only thing. You don’t expect a newborn baby to figure out where to get his next meal. We shouldn’t expect a newborn believer to figure that out, either.

Reading these genealogies today has convicted me. God thought it was important to name all the generations. It started with a dad who had sons who had sons who had sons who had sons. I believe He’s asking me how far my own spiritual genealogy reaches, and if I have done my part in making the next spiritual generations strong and obedient.

Let’s be good spiritual parents and give our spiritual children what they need to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus. Let’s be good spiritual grandparents and stand alongside the spiritual children of our spiritual children and help them grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus.

God told his children to be fruitful and multiply, and they did! Read these chapters in 1 Chronicles and try to number the Israelites listed there. God is telling us to be fruitful and multiply, too.

One more thought: 1 Chronicles 4:24-27 tells us about Shimei who is reported to have had sixteen sons and six daughters. “But his brothers did not have many children, nor did all their clan multiply like the men of Judah.” I don’t want that said of me.

“Yeah, Connie was a Christian. But she had no offspring to carry on the Name.”

Like I said, reading these chapters in 1 Chronicles has convicted me today.

Let’s Call It What It Is

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Psalms 17, 35, 54

These psalms seem to support the idea that seeking revenge on someone who has wronged us is acceptable. David is asking God to “get” his enemies, to pay them back with the same treatment they have treated him. Is that the pattern we should be taking? Of course not!

If you are a Christian, you know how Jesus wants us to treat our “enemies.” Love them. Do nice things for them. Pray for them. Turn the other cheek. I’m afraid that philosophy is lost on our narcissistic, feelings-driven, reactionary society these days. People who are offended by someone’s opinions (or pronouns) feel justified in attacking the supposed offender both verbally and physically.

Christian – do we need to be reminded our enemies are not people? We do not war against flesh and blood but against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Let’s call it what it is – SIN.

I think we all ought to pray like David prayed: God, destroy Satan’s influence on this world, annihilate evil forces, put to death the influences of self, of hate, of perversion, of lies, and save those who are caught in the web of sin.

We cannot win this war if we are fighting the wrong enemy.

It’s not the homosexual we should be rallying against, but the sin of homosexuality (a sin Jesus died to forgive). Not the transgender person, but the perversion that has entangled them. Not the woke millennial, but the lies. Not the atheist, but the lack of understanding of who God is.

Let’s quit fighting windmills and turn our efforts toward defeating the real enemy. Let’s call it what it is. It’s not a war against those on the other side of the aisle, or those outside the Church. It’s a spiritual war against Satan.

Let’s put on the whole armor of God, pray for those who need the Savior, and go and make disciples like Jesus commanded. Our world will not survive, and people will spend eternity in hell, if we don’t.

It Took A Human

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Ruth

Naomi, as an elderly widow, had no means of supporting herself, much less the added responsibility for her daughter-in-law. There were no jobs for decent women at that time that could provide for women alone. She would have been sentenced to a life of poverty and shame, unable to help herself.

That’s why what Boaz did is so significant. And why it’s a picture of what Jesus did for us. According to Jewish law, a relative – a kinsman – would have been her only hope. He would have to step in, take on her debt, pay it, and welcome her into his own family with all the rights and privileges that affords.

Spiritually speaking, we are in the same position as Naomi. We are impoverished by our sin debt. We have no ability to dig ourselves out of the hole our sins have dug.

That’s why God became a human. The redemption of a human had to be paid by a human – a kinsman. So the human/God Jesus stepped in, took our sin debt, paid it, and welcomes us into His family with all the rights and privileges that affords.

That’s a simplistic explanation of the redeeming work of Jesus. So much more could be said. But if you are trying to make it through this life by hard work, good deeds, going to church, being the best version of yourself, you would be like Ruth out there in the field, working for a meal, but never enjoying the benefits of being part of the family of your Redeemer.

It’s not until you fall at the feet of the One who can save you, until you humble yourself and put yourself at his mercy like Ruth did when she placed herself at Boaz’s feet, that you can know the blessed relationship with your kinsman Redeemer available to you.

There is a Redeemer. His name is Jesus.

That’s Who God Is

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Judges 13-15

Samson was not a nice man. He was a ruthless ego-maniac. Oh, he didn’t cut his hair so he looked like a Nazarite. But his actions tell us his heart was sinful.

Yet this guy fought for Israel. God’s hand was upon his life. God gave Samson great strength to defeat God’s enemies. Why? One might think God at least condoned, if not approved of Samson’s choices. Doesn’t it seem God ought to have taken Samson out the moment his evil heart was exposed?

All I can say about that is, I’m glad that’s not the way God rolls. I’m glad God is patient with his disobedient children because I am one of them. Samson will have consequences for his sins, as we read on in Judges. But God will give him every opportunity to repent for his sins first.

That’s who God is.

That’s who He was toward Samson. And that’s who He is toward me.

The Manufacturer’s Manual

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Deuteronomy 2-4

If God, the Creator of life, tells us how to live life, how foolish is it to do anything other than what He says?

Do we use the pilot light on our gas water heaters according to what the manufacturer says, or do we decide what works for us? Maybe we don’t see the need to relight a pilot light that’s gone out if we weren’t washing clothes that day anyway. Besides, didn’t we see something on You Tube that said believing it could blow up wasn’t even true? A little gas escaping shouldn’t effect anything when you finally light that match, according to the guy in the video.

I’ll do me.

How many of you actually use the manufacturer’s owner’s manual for your car? Oh, you know you can use the car without it. But, are you using it to the fullest? Are you doing damage because you’re not aware of certain changes made to that model?

Ok. You get it. I’m talking about the Bible, God’s instructions for living. Can you imagine how different our world would look if we actually followed His instructions?

How foolish are we not to?

I Think We’ve Got It Wrong

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Numbers 4-9

Chapter 5 reminds me that God demands purity in His house. Those who were unclean were to be put out, removed “that they defile not their camps, in the midst where of I dwell.” (vs 3) It goes on to say when someone sins, “then they shall confess their sin which they have done…” (vs 7).

Now I know some will say these verses were about physical diseases and we shouldn’t put spiritual lessons into everything. And I would say your are wrong about that. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells me there is something to learn about our walk with the Lord in every verse of the Bible.

So considering how often God tells us to keep ourselves free from uncleanliness and those who would defile His dwelling place, I’m sorry but I think we need to stop inviting unsaved people to church. That is in direct opposition of what Scripture repeatedly tells us should be happening in God’s house. If we want God to be in the midst of our worship, we had better be a holy people unto the Lord. (Deuteronomy 14:2).

“Well,” you might say, “if only holy people can worship then there’d be no one in the pews.”

And there’s the problem. We have exchanged holiness for numbers. Our churches are social clubs and soup kitchens. We’ve got play grounds and polished performances, but we don’t even talk about holiness.

We approach worship like a sporting event. We want to have an experience instead of being cleansed. We open our arms in the name of inclusion, and welcome sinners into the fold. Instead of going and making disciples, we think an invitation to church is sufficient. It sure is easier.

Oh, Church – I think we’ve got it wrong.

God’s Character

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Leviticus 24-27

My Study Bible reminds me that, although these rules and regulations we read in Leviticus are no longer in effect because Jesus fulfilled them all once and for all, God has not changed. He is the same Holy God today that He was when He gave Moses the Law. We can learn a lot about God’s unchanging character as we read the book of Leviticus. Here’s what I see:

  1. God is holy, and demands holiness of His children. His law paints a picture of that holiness. He expects us to be separate from non-believers in our worship, in the way we conduct business, the way we treat others, and in our speech.
  2. God is patient – but not tolerant. He never winks at sin or condones it. He always – always – punishes sin. Just look at the cross where He punished His Son without mercy for sins He did not commit, to be the perfect substitute for sinful people who deserve to be punished without mercy.
  3. God is just. The regulations were the same for everyone, no matter their social or financial status in the community. The rules were the rules and didn’t change just because the people didn’t like them or were offended by them. In the New Testament we hear Jesus tell us that in order to be saved, we must believe on the Son. It’s the same for every human being. It’s the “whosoever” of John 3:16.
  4. God looks out for the underdog. Those who are blessed have a responsibility to help those who are struggling. This is NOT a picture of our present day welfare system that keeps people in poverty. God expects His people, when we see a need, to meet that need so the needy person can get back on his feet and get back to work to provide for his own needs and reach out to other needy people who need a hand. God’s regulations, if followed, would eliminate poverty. Jesus often reached out and touched the outcast, the “less than’s” of the world. We are called to do the same because God still looks out for the underdog.
  5. God blesses obedience. The rules were given so He COULD bless His children. They were given so His children could live freely, safely, and in harmony. The rules were not given to enslave the people, but to free them from slavery to sin.

I see in Leviticus a God who longs to bless His children. And I am reminded that God is love. He provided a way for us to fellowship with Him (even as sinful as we are). He provided that way first through the Law, then and finally, through His precious Son, Jesus. God’s greatest joy is the intimate relationship He has with His obedient children.

God’s unchanging character is revealed through what we read in Leviticus and reinforced throughout Scripture. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever: Holy, Just, Loving, Forgiving, Compassionate, and honest enough to tell us He demands the same of us. He blesses obedience according to His riches in glory. And he punishes disobedience without mercy.

This unchanging God, who demands the impossible of sinful people, made it possible for us to obey when He died on the cross and took the punishment for our sin without mercy.

We can rest assured that God isn’t going to change the rules. We can know without a doubt that He is true to His Word. His character is unchanging. And He wants to have a relationship with you.

True Justice

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Leviticus 2-5

A couple of things stood out to me today as I read these chapters in Leviticus. One is that no one was exempt from offering a sacrifice for sin. Offering a sacrifice was the ONLY way a person could be forgiven by God. No exceptions.

If a person was too poor to offer a lamb, or even a couple of birds, he could offer a handful of grain. Being poor did not give a person a free pass. And the poor person didn’t expect someone else to bring a sacrifice for him. A person’s offering had to cost that person something.

The truth we see here is that each of us has to bring our own sins to the foot of the cross. We are responsible for our own repentance, our own acknowledgment of sin, and our own offering of ourselves to God in order to be forgiven. No one can do that for us. Dealing with our sin is something between ourselves and God in a personal, intimate encounter. It’s the same for every human being.

The other thing that stood out is actually related to the first. It’s the fact that ignorance is not bliss. Someone who sinned without realizing that what he’d done was considered a sin, was still guilty of sin. There was no such thing as, “My bad!” to get off the hook.

Once an action was revealed as sin, the guilty party had to offer a sacrifice in order to be forgiven of that sinful action. That’s why I think we who know the Truth need to be calling sin sin, not choice, not a character flaw, not a mistake or shortcoming.

Sin is serious. The wages of sin is death. And the only way to escape that eternal separation from God is to humble ourselves at the foot of the cross, to accept His gift of grace; the forgiveness of our sin.

The requirements are the same if you sin knowingly or unknowingly, if you are wealthy or poor, Jewish or Protestant, American or Iraqi. That’s what makes God’s conditions fair for all of us.

There is perfect justice because God is perfectly just. There is one requirement all humans must meet in order to receive eternal life. Jesus met that requirement when he died on the cross, then came back to life three days later. He is the perfect sacrifice for my sin and yours.

And you and I are required by God’s Law to “believe in the Lord Jesus.” Jesus, the Messiah, eternal God in the flesh, the fulfillment of the Law, the only way, truth, and life, the perfect Lamb of God.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

That’s true for every single person without exception. That’s true justice.

It Is Finished

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Exodus 28-30

The intricate details spelled out in these chapters of Exodus speak of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. What we read here are the demands of God for the forgiveness of sin. It wasn’t simply that an animal was sacrificed. Every inch of that animal was significant. Every drop of blood had purpose.

We all know Jesus died on the cross, the Perfect Sacrifice for sin. He fulfilled the requirements we read about in Exodus. Every minute detail was carried out to perfection when Jesus died.

This past Sunday our church celebrated the Lord’s Supper together. Taking communion can become mundane, just another “thing” we do. Oh, may it never be that to me again.

When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” He was referring to the sacrificial system I read about today. He completed the requirements perfectly, once and for all. Every drop of blood He shed had a purpose. He became sin, and climbed up on that altar of sacrifice willingly.

I sinned. I deserve death, the eternal separation from Holy God. Jesus said, “Kill me instead.” And they did.

Let’s take time today to consider the eternal significance of Jesus’ voluntary death on the cross. Read these verses in Exodus and praise God for satisfying every intricate detail so that you and I can be saved from the awful consequences of our sin. Let’s worship and adore our Perfect Sacrifice who alone can say, “It is finished!”