Tag Archives: faithfulness

August 16 – At Any Cost

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Jeremiah 26-29

If you are reading this blog you are probably sitting in air-conditioning, or looking at your cell phone with a cup of coffee in your hand. I know that is an exaggeration, but most of us have to admit we’re pretty comfortable.

Most of us go about our day without too much difficulty, and I would imagine none of us fear we’re gong to be killed today just because we love Jesus. Not so in some parts of our world. The reality is, some people WILL die today because they are Christians.

Jeremiah was facing death because he was a true prophet of God. He told it like God told him to tell it, and refused to tickle the ears of the people, or to be politically correct. Listen to what he said to those who had given him a death sentence:

… The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will change his mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing. (26:12b-15) (emphasis mine)

In the face of death, he didn’t back down. Jeremiah was willing to die. But he was determined to live for God at any cost.

Does that describe me? Am I determined to follow Christ even if it costs me friendships, a career, a dream, my health, my life? I pray that I will live every day unashamed of the Gospel, that I will not compromise the Truth “for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

At any cost.

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.

July 17 – Lessons Still Unlearned

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2 Chronicles 28, 2 Kings 16-17

I’ve never counted how many times the nation of Israel, blessed by God, sinned and endured punishment, only to repent and be blessed once again, then sin and face judgement. That cycle seems to be a major theme in the Old Testament.

I find myself frustrated with the Jews because of their weakness. Why couldn’t they just learn to obey? Why couldn’t they hold on to the One True God who dramatically proved His superiority over and over?

Then, just when I find myself getting angry with the ancient Jews for “walking in the customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out” (2 Kings 17:8), the pages of God’s Word become a mirror, and I am face to face with my own weaknesses.

It’s easy to read these chapters as a history lesson and miss the living Truth right in front of me. I find I can’t condemn Israel with condemning myself.

God, I want to be steadfast and sure. I want to hold strong to the Truth of Scripture, to the God of Creation, to my Savior, my Lord. Forgive me if I look at the world and want what they have. What they have leads to judgment. I want to be faithful to You only. Be my strength. In Jesus’ name.

Why we do what we do.

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God asked the Jews an important question:

During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting? And even now in your holy festivals, aren’t you eating and drinking just to please yourself? (Zechariah 7:5&6)

It’s an honest question I think each of us need to consider for ourselves.

If I attend church services for a “worship experience”, who is the focus? Does God need the experience? Or do I? If I read my Bible, is it so I can feel good about my faithfulness?

I knew a woman who felt she had to take part in a communion service every Sunday because if she didn’t, she would have a terrible week.

If I blog, is it to be complimented on my post? I have to confess I like to see icons of people who “like” what I say. Is that what motivates me to hit “publish” each time?

If you listen to people like Joel Osteen you will likely begin to believe worship is about you, that following God is about you, that life is about you. Is it? Is it really?

Or is it about God?

Zechariah has a lot to say to us today. And he says something in 8:23 that I believe sums up why we worship, why we live lives set apart from the world, why we are kinder, more loving and forgiving, more honest than our unsaved neighbor. He talks about people from every nation going to Jerusalem to worship God. He says ten people will cling to the sleeve of one Jew and say:

Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

That’s our commission as Christians. All that we do, all that we say and are, is surrendered to God for one reason. Not so that we are blessed. But so that others are lead to the Savior.

That should be why we do what we do.

Heavenly Father, I want my worship to be pleasing to you, whether sitting in a pew on Sunday, or reading my Bible in my home, whether singing hymns in my car, or praying while talking to my neighbor over coffee. Forgive me for the tendency to make it about me. May the result of my worship of you in spirit and in truth cause people to want to get to know my Savior. I want my motivation to be you. I want my focus to be you. I want my life to be pleasing to you alone. 

A Tattoo On My Life

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Tattoos are the rage these days. I have a friend who got her first tat when she turned 60. I recently saw a boy of about eight with a cross tattooed to his leg. Both his parents were covered in colorful ink.

Tattoos are no longer “Mom” written on a sailor’s arm. Flowers and skulls and dragons and butterflies, even faces and catchy phrases are worn from the scalp to the toes and everywhere in between by a growing number of people.

In Ezekiel’s vision, an angel was given the task of putting a mark on the forehead of the people who were grieved over sin. (Ez 9) Only those few, with the angel’s tat, were saved. Everyone else lost their lives as a result of God’s judgement.

So I ask myself: is there a visible sign in me that identifies me with the Savior? Is it possible to be a closet Christian? Or, like in Ezekiel’s vision, are we to live as though we had “JESUS” tattooed on our foreheads? The Bible tells us there is no other name under heaven that can save us.

I have no plans to ever have a tattoo. I’ve only ever seen one worth having, and that’s my niece’s personal tribute to her brother, who was tragically killed in an auto accident two years ago. It’s the Hebrew word for “brother” that Jesus used when he spoke to his disciples, and it’s on her right wrist.

I don’t want a tattoo. But I want to live my life in such a way that Jesus is as visible as if his name was tattooed to my forehead. May Christ be seen in me by the words I say, the places I go, the things I do, by the very look on my face.

Dear Jesus, I love you. What you did on the cross so that I can be with you is everything to me. Help me live my life so that others know that about me. May they recognize your love, your grace, your peace, your Presence when they look at my life. Convict me when I begin to get off track and may I be quick to confess. I would be honored to represent you today according to your Word. You have tattooed your Name on my heart. May I wear it proudly and truly so that someone will recognize you and want you in their life, too.

Impossible

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Numbers 2&3 record God’s instructions to Moses about getting the Israelites organized and ready to get traveling to the  Promised Land. About a million people, including crying babies, rebellious teenagers, pregnant moms and feeble grandparents along with livestock, tents, and everything they owned were about to pack up and move.

There isn’t a fraction of that many people here on this tiny island where I live and I can’t imagine trying to organize everyone enough to get them all to travel across the bridge to the mainland, even in this day of internet, cellphones and SUV’s. It seems like an impossible task.

But Moses was faithful. He followed God’s instructions and the impossible was accomplished. The entire nation of Israel was divided by family, got in line, and prepared to take those first steps toward a destination they had never seen. 

Is there something God is asking of me? Do I blow it off because I think it’s impossible? Maybe he’s prompting me to talk to my neighbor about Jesus. Do I stay home because I’ve decided my neighbor is too far gone to even listen? Maybe God is nudging me to change careers, take responsibility at church, quit smoking, or some other task that seems beyond my capabilities. Do I come up with excuses like, “I can’t quit my job and make less money doing something else, I have a family to support”, or “I can’t teach a Sunday School class”, or “I’ve tried to quit smoking and I just can’t”, or… (add your excuses to the list).

As I read the Bible I see a God who delights in accomplishing the impossible. Not the least of which is the changing of lives through the blood of his Son, Jesus. The lesson here today is: If God is in it – there is no such thing as impossible.

Father, I pray your children will hear your voice. May we recognize the times when you are asking us to do things that seems impossible. Help us to understand that you are best seen during those times when you give us the ability to share the gospel, teach that class, or do some other task that in and of ourselves is impossible. May you find us faithful, Lord, and may we watch you accomplish the impossible in each of us today.

October 31

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Mark 13:24-37; Matthew 24:29-51, 25:1-20; Luke 21:25-38, 19:11-27

I was ready to buy a new car. I had driven mine for about five years and was shopping for another when my brother-in-law, Ron, said he’d like to buy my old one. We agreed on a price and I turned over the keys. He got into the car and immediately adjusted the steering wheel. I said, “I didn’t know that did that.” Five years I drove my car with the steering wheel on my lap and never pressed the button that would raise it. Needless to say, my brother-in-law loved teasing me about that.

About five years later I was ready for a new car and once again Ron wanted to buy my old one. And once again, after agreeing on a price I gave him the keys. He got in and sat in the driver’s seat and started playing with the buttons. He asked, “Do you use the fog lights much?” I looked at him and sheepishly said, “I didn’t know I had fog lights.” Let’s just say he will never let me forget that one.

How foolish am I?

Our Creator God has give us so much. Are we using his gifts to the fullest? As Christians. he has given us life and love, grace, forgiveness, hope. What are we doing with those precious things? Do we use what we have for the purpose they were given – to lead lost souls to Jesus?

All that we have materially and spiritually we have for one reason only. To. Use. Them.

Jesus tells us in the parable of the talents that we who have been given much will be given even more if we are faithful with what we have. And what we have will be taken away if we refuse to use it for God’s glory. How foolish would that be?

Father, I pray that you will find us faithful. May we be grateful for the many blessings you shower upon us. And may we use each one to reach out to lost souls and draw them to you. May we use what you have given us and produce a crop that is pleasing to you.

September 16

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Psalm 106; Ezra 7:1-8:14

Just when it seemed the rebuilding of Jerusalem would never happen, that Satan had won, King Artaxerxes wrote Ezra a letter and sent him and the other Jews on their way to continue the work. In fact, he sent them away with silver and gold, livestock for sacrifices, and gave them permission to gather more if they needed. Do what the God of heaven tells you, he said.

The theme of obedience is such an important one in Scripture. Our holy God demands holiness of his people. He has lovingly put to pen and paper the rules he demands we live by so there would be no mistake. He even went to the cross himself to provide forgiveness, knowing we humans are incapable of holiness on our own. 

He demands obedience. The Bible says we should fear him, we should be very afraid to disobey him because the consequences for sin are severe.

Ezra was faithful to God and God used Ezra to complete his work. God is looking for faithful followers today because there is work to be done on a spiritual Jerusalem built in souls redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

Satan has no power over God. Let’s determine to be obedient servants to the One who is all powerful. Let’s stay in his Word, praying and working to expand his kingdom by the winning of lost souls. 

Dear God of heaven, may you find us faithful today. May we obey you, may we share you with someone, may we do our part to continue your work. And may you get the glory!