Category Archives: The Gospel

August 14 – Kill The Messenger

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Jeremiah 18-22

Being a prophet of God in Jeremiah’s day must have been a hard, often thankless job. People only wanted to hear good news. And, let’s face it, those prophets didn’t often come bearing good news.

When hearing that God was about to discipline His disobedient children, or worse, destroy them, their reaction was no different than ours today. They got mad at the prophet. Kill the messenger! Jeremiah was beaten and put in stocks for telling the truth.

No one likes to hear they are wrong, that they deserve punishment, that they are sinners in need of a Savior. I get that. Sometimes we who proclaim the Gospel are hated.

What is our reaction to their response? Do we water down the Truth so it goes down a bit easier? Do we edit the Gospel so as not to offend? Do we just quit sharing the Gospel because we fear rejection? Do we convince ourselves that if God wants that person saved, he’ll be saved with or without me, so it might as well be without me?

Satan must love it when we wimp out.

Folks, people aren’t going to always pat you on the back when you talk about sin.

Talk about it anyway.

They aren’t always going to thank you for sharing the Gospel.

Share it anyway.

You might be rejected, even hated, for your faithfulness.

Be faithful anyway.

Because God promises to be faithful to you, even if they want to kill the messenger.

August 9 – A Harlot Among Us

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Jeremiah 1-3

God says His people had become harlots. Instead of being faithful to God, they sold out. They gave themselves to the worship of other gods, which were really no gods at all.

I always ask God to make His Word personal and relevant every day I read. So today I found myself thinking about God’s people in 2016. Has the Church become a harlot? Have Christians sold out?

I saw an article this week written by a respected Christian leader. His premise is that the Church, if not using the resources available in the twenty-first century, is outdated and unattractive to millennials. How can we market our churches so the everyone feels comfortable and welcome, he asked. Then he offered his solution.

I thought about that as I read Jeremiah this morning. No one is suggesting we erect wooden images in our auditoriums or sanctuaries. But I wonder if we haven’t fashioned a god to our liking anyway.

First, your church is the last place a nonbeliever should feel comfortable. The Church is an exclusive organization, limited to people who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. It is not the YMCA or Panera’s. Your church service is intended by God to be a place where Christians go to be taught from Scripture, strengthened, encouraged, convicted, and challenged to be soul winners outside those four walls. The idea that we should put on a program that attracts sinners in order that they be saved is not Scriptural. And having those programs prevents Christians from receiving the nourishment we need to be an effective witness in our homes and neighborhoods. I think Satan loves that.

Secondly, changing Scripture or editing it so as not to offend, places another idol in our churches. If we aren’t using God’s Words as He inspired them, we’re preaching a false gospel. Not referring to God in the masculine because some whining women got their feelings hurt, not using the word “sin” because it offends people, don’t judge, don’t judge, don’t judge, and talk about God’s love – but don’t mention His holiness because people don’t want to feel bad about themselves, let’s not call homosexuality sin because they’ll say we’re haters. Gotta look good to the world, you know.

And that’s exactly what a harlot thinks.

August 8 – Shoulder To Shoulder

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Zephaniah

Zephaniah is another prophet who brings bad news. He tells us what happens to God’s enemies, including His own children who reject Him. It’s not good.

But 3:8-11 offer hope. God’s wrath is poured out on the earth, and then He will purify our lips so we can call on the Name of the Lord, and serve him shoulder to shoulder. I like that picture.

I’d like to think we can put aside our differences, our programs, our worship styles, Calvanism or Armenianism, denominational differences, and stand shoulder to shoulder to fight for the cause of Christ.

Is Jesus God? Is sin a death sentence? Is the cross the only means of salvation? If you believe that, then I don’t care what you think about speaking in tongues, or if you lead a praise team, or play the organ for the singing of hymns. Stand with me and proclaim the Gospel, stand up for the Truth of Scripture, serve God like He deserves.

The Church is not dead yet. Let’s face our enemy, Satan, standing shoulder to shoulder, and let God use our united front for His glory.

August 6 – God’s Anger

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Nahum

Nahum begins his oracle by telling us how jealous, vengeful, and angry God is. Nothing PC about that these days when we’d rather talk about God’s love. Nahum tells us the Lord “will by no means leave the guilty go unpunished.” (1:3)

Some of us, when we hear that think, “Good! ISIS will get what they deserve. Homosexuals, atheists, Michigan fans (ok, it’s a joke. I’m from Ohio and it’s almost football season) will get what’s coming to them. I hope they suffer!”

But God is talking about you, too. He won’t let any of YOUR sins go unpunished, either. But, you say, “I’m not a terrorist, haven’t committed adultery or stolen anything big. I’m a nice guy, a good neighbor, a church goer.” That may be well and good. Except for the fact that the Bible says ALL have sinned, ALL have fallen short of God’s standard of holiness. And, dear one, you are included in ALL.

You have sinned. That makes you guilty. And God has said more than once that He will not let the guilty go unpunished. sin=guilt=punishment.

Period.

Scripture tells us that Jesus felt the extent of God’s wrath, He took on Himself God’s vengeance, and went willingly to the cross to take your punishment because YOU ARE GUILTY. God was angry at YOU for the sins you commit. But He took His anger out on His guiltless Son instead.

Oh, you don’t have to accept His forgiveness. (Not sure why you’d want to face God’s wrath on your own, though) But rest assured that your sins demand God’s wrath. Your sins.

My prayer is that you’ll accept what Jesus did for you when He felt the pain of the Father’s anger toward you. There is no reason why you need to feel that anguish or pay that price when it’s already been done for you. And all you have to do is ask God to forgive you, to repent and let God change you.

He will. And then, instead of His anger, you’ll really understand His love!

August 5 – Repentance

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2 Chronicles 32-33

In church-speak you often hear that we are told to “repent.” But what does that mean, really? Is it an admission of guilt? An apology? A feeling of regret? Those certainly are facets of repentance. True repentance goes further than that, however.

There is a picture of repentance here in 2 Chronicles. Manasseh is a good example of what it means to repent.

He was an evil king, a worshiper of false gods, a king who practiced divination and consulted mediums and spiritists. He even was brazen enough to erect idols right inside the house of God. They don’t come much worse than old Manasseh.

But Manasseh eventually humbled himself “greatly” before God. Manasseh prayed, and God forgave him.

Now here’s where the picture of repentance comes in. Manasseh changed. He removed the foreign gods from the temple, took down the altars he’d built, and set up the altar of the Lord for sacrifices to the only True God. He ordered the people of Judah to serve God, too.

Scripture tells us often to repent. Manasseh’s story demonstrates that no one is too evil for God to forgive if that heart is willing to change. A repentant person doesn’t look the same as he did before, doesn’t go to the same places, laugh at the same dirty jokes, doesn’t disrespect God’s Name, or treat others dishonestly. A repentant heart looks like Jesus.

Two things I take away from Manasseh’s example today: 1. no one is too far gone for God to forgive, and 2. people can change, and do change, when they give their lives to God.

August 3 – The Flip Side

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Isaiah 64-66

The books of prophesy contain so much hope for God’s people. Christian, there is joy ahead. There is peace. Our longings met, and our hunger and thirst satisfied. We won’t be haunted by memories of past mistakes. We’ll enjoy a new heaven and a new earth forever in God’s Presence. The reality is beyond our imagination.

But the flip side of that coin is so much worse than we can imagine. God, through Isaiah, is talking about the redeemed who “will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed Me. For their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched; and they will be an abhorrent to all mankind.” (66:24)

That’s hell. A fire of regret and agony caused by memories of missed opportunities. A thirst that can never be satisfied, knowing for eternity that you are the lowest of the low, abhorrent, disgusting, defeated, wrong. And the worst part of that is that you will truly be separated from God with no hope of ever seeing the light again.

Ever.

If you know Jesus as your Savior, rest assured you have a glorious future ahead of you. If you haven’t accepted Jesus, the flip side of that truth should scare you out of your mind.

July 31 – Really Good News

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Isaiah 49-53

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace, and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (52:7)

So many people want to limit the Good News to peace or happiness. Peace and happiness are certainly contained in the Good News. But the really good Good News is salvation, and the knowledge that Our God Reigns!

I hope you read Isaiah 53 today. It’s an amazing account of what Jesus did while in a human body here on earth. And it was written by Isaiah a long… LONG time before Jesus was born.

Every time I read this chapter I am blown away by it’s accuracy. If you ever had doubt that Jesus is who He said He is, read Isaiah 53 and ask yourself who but God could fulfill every detail.

Thank You God, for telling us in advance what Jesus did. And thank You Jesus, for going to the cross, for being despised and rejected, for being lied about and spit upon, for dying like a common criminal, yet being totally innocent, for pouring Yourself out to death – for me. You bore my sins. You carried my sorrows. And because You did – I live. There can be no doubt. You are God. You are MY God. And my God reigns! That’s really good news!

July 29 – The One And Only God

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Isaiah 44-48

I don’t know how many more ways God could identify Himself as the One and Only God. “I am God,” He repeatedly says through Isaiah, “and there is no other.” Then He goes on to give examples of His ultimate, exclusive power.

You can try to defend your imaginary gods, you can be “spiritual,” “tolerant,” “non-judgmental.” But you would be wrong.

Like it or not, believe it or not, the God of the Bible is the One and Only God. He says He is, and He backs it up.

I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth form My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. (45:23)

I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. (48:12)

And I will tell you that the One and Only God loves you, yearns for you, sent His Son to die for you in order to forgive you. The One and Only God wants you with Him forever.

Oh, what an amazing One and Only God.

July 28 – The Bible Tells Me So

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Isaiah 40-43

My heart is blessed this morning after reading these chapters in Isaiah. There is so much promise, so much hope and love pouring out to me through those words. Yes, I know they were written to the physical nation of Israel long ago. But I miss out on what God would say to me today if I don’t realize that what He said to them applies to me, too, as His child through the blood of Jesus.

He is my strength, my Living Water in the dessert, the One who levels those mountains I have to climb. He is my protector, the One who gives me the Bread of Life to sustain me. He is my Savior, My God.

And I am His.

There is no one on earth whom He loves more, is more invested in, or longs for anyone more than me. I am truly blessed.

The same can be true for you, if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Savior.

It’s true.

The Bible tells me so.

July 25 – The Plumb Line of Emptiness

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Isaiah 31-34

God, through Isaiah, is describing the devastation the result of His wrath will bring. Mountains drenched with blood, the sky rolled up like a scroll, streams turned to pitch, a fire that can’t be quenched, complete desolation where the land is inhabited only by pelican, hedgehog, owl, and raven.

I picture a ghost town in a B movie western complete with rambling tumble weeds.

Then God says He will “stretch over it the line of desolation and the plumb line of emptiness.” (34:11)

Has that ever described you? Have you ever felt that life has abandoned you, that you have a longing that burns and can’t be quenched, you feel alone, and lost, and empty?

Dear one, that is not where God wants you to live. Jesus died so that, when you repent of your sin, He can fill you to overflowing with Himself! His love. His grace and mercy. His goodness and joy. When you allow God to fill you, you will have hope for the future, and strength for the day.

The plumb line of emptiness, true emptiness, is the life without God. That void in your life was placed there by God to be filled by God alone. Oh, you can try to fill it yourself. Drugs, alcohol, unhealthy relationships, other gods, self, career, family, busy-ness. But all are substitutes for the real thing – the plumb line of fullness which is God Himself.

That is the point from which your life is blessed by God. You don’t have to live in that black and white movie ghost town with rotting floorboards and banging saloon doors, in a place inhabited by rodents and scavengers.

Let God fill your emptiness like only He can. He’ll turn your mourning into joy, and your tears into gladness. He’ll turn your loneliness into fellowship, and your despair into hope.