Category Archives: The Gospel

Shared Privilege

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2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 16

They were all Jewish. Sure, they “identified” as either from Israel or from Judah, but they were all related by blood. They shared a history. They shared God. Yet these brothers were’t just estranged, they became bitter enemies.

As Christians, we are the Church. We “identify” as Baptist, Methodist, etc., but we are all related by the blood of our Savior Jesus. We share a history. We share God. Yet there are those who would make us enemies.

As Christians, we are the Church. Some of us “identify” as conservative, others progressive. Some call themselves traditional, others call themselves contemporary. And there are those who would like to see those differences render us bitter enemies.

If the Church ever needed to put aside certain preferences, I think it’s today. I’m not talking about compromising our stand on sin, or God’s holiness, or Biblical Truth, the cross or eternity. But maybe it’s time we quit fighting among ourselves, set aside pride or denominational allegiance, and pick up the cross – the Gospel – and follow Jesus loud and strong.

The world needs the Church. And as the Church, we have the privilege of being ambassadors for Christ, the bearers of the Good News, and the only hope for the world.

Let’s BE the Church!

The Hope Of Steadfast Love

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Jonah, Isaiah 1

Jonah 2:8 breaks my heart.

Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

What does that verse say to you in light of our present society? What – or who- are the vain idols being regarded by many today? I sit here thinking about that, and my list is long; from the blatant sexual depravity being celebrated to the subtle idols of “progressive” Christianity.

We have exchanged the Truth for lies, and many are worshiping gods of their own choosing. Vain. Idols. In doing so, according to God’s Word, they have given up any hope for the steadfast love of God. (so no, God doesn’t “love” everybody the same).

God, however, has not left us without hope. You and I as believers, are the hope.

If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)

You might say that we can’t possibly be less guilty of sin than the people in those two evil cities. You would be right.

But I think Isaiah is talking about what happened to those cities because of their sin. You know the story. God rained fire down to destroyed both cities and everyone in them. Wiped them out from the face of the earth. Gone. Finished.

The only reason the Earth is still spinning is because God has left you and I, Christians, His Church, still alive and well. The reason we are still here is to proclaim His message, the same message He gave Jonah to proclaim:

“Repent. Or die. There is no third option.”

God, through the prophet Isaiah tells us:

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20)

That is the message we are responsible to tell. We should be shouting it from rooftops, and sharing it around our dinner tables. It’s a message of hope, of God’s steadfast love, of salvation and eternal life. In fact, it is the only hope:

“Be obedient and enjoy God’s blessings, His steadfast love for you. Rebel, and you will die without hope.”

The Lord has spoken.

That They May See

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2 Kings 5-7

O Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see. (2 Kings 6:20)

Are you praying this prayer every day? Our society has been blinded by the darkness of sin. But do we understand that our “society” is made up of individuals: men and women, boys and girls, people of all ages with eternal souls?

O Lord, open the eyes of the bearded man pretending to be a woman, the child being mutilated in the name of choice, the doctor, the parents, the angry teenager and self-absorbed thirty-something. Open the eyes of legislators, teachers, pastors, and professors. Open the eyes of the people in my family and neighborhood.

Elisha didn’t pray for the army. He prayed for the people who made up the army. I think Satan doesn’t want us to pray for the hearts of individuals. We are more removed from the issue if we pray for society, or the Church, or government, or education.

But do you pray for child’s teacher by name? The mayor of your town? Your state’s governor, Senators, Representatives by name? Do you pray that God will open the eyes of Joe Biden?

I’m not saying we shouldn’t pray for the Church or society or the world. But let’s not stop there. Let’s make it personal and, like Elijah pray for the individuals who make up those groups, too.

O Lord, open the eyes of these men and woman that they may see.

Don’t Ignore the “But…”

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Psalm 145

This is one of many psalms that speak of the goodness of God. Verse three says; Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. Then David goes on to explain why that is true.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made. (verses 8-9)

God is good to every human being, merciful over the entire earth. We, along with every created thing is cared for and blessed by our good God.

But there is a distinct difference between how He relates to believers and non-believers.

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. (verses 18-20)

Back in verse 17 David tells us God is righteous in every way. He’s kindness is seen in His care of His creation. Just look around and you know that is true.

But God is only near to and fulfills the desires of those who call on His Name. He has a relationship only with us who have received His forgiveness through the blood of Jesus, who worship Him in truth.

I think it’s time we start making that distinction, too. I recently was reminded of a popular praise song that says God restores every broken heart. Sounds right. In fact, the whole song is full of wonderful truth about God. But it’s partial truth. And it only applies to people who are saved by grace, although the song never makes that distinction.

Can the person who refuses to repent of sin sing that and apply it to themselves? The truth is God does restore the broken hearts of His children. But not everyone is His child. Do we give false hope to an unrepentant sinner when they sing about the blessings of knowing God, without making the important choice to surrender to Him?

Look at verse 20. That’s an important “but” in there. In fact, it’s the difference between life and death. I just think if we insist on inviting unsaved people into our worship services, we need to be careful about the message we are sending out to them. Not everything that is said or sung applies to them. And we’re wrong if we ignore the “but.”

Living With The Enemy

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Psalm 109

David wanted his enemies crushed with no mercy. I’m comfortable with my enemies right in my own home. David wanted his enemies banished. I tolerate mine. David wanted everyone to look on his enemies with horror. I’m silent when my enemies are celebrated.

David’s enemies were people. My enemies are spiritual, the unseen soldiers of Satan’s army. Oh, that I… that we… all hated our enemy with as much passion as David hated his, if we’d stand up against evil with the same boldness as David had.

Have we become so comfortable living with the enemy that we no longer fear him? Are we more concerned about offending Satan than we are of offending God? Do we put family first, comfort first, friendships and relationships first, reputation first, or is God truly the most important thing in our lives?

The enemy has a strong foothold in our society today. His voice is louder, his power gaining strength. Do we just shrug our shoulders and let him be because we are so used to living with the enemy?

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.