Tag Archives: God’s Truth

February 21

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Leviticus 16-18

This passage sure is not politically correct, is it? Chapter 18 lists all kinds of sexual acts God considers detestable, including incest, homosexuality, and sex with animals.

Saying these things doesn’t make me hateful or intolerant. It’s what the Bible says.

Dear Christian, let’s not be afraid to speak the truth as recorded in the Bible. But let’s be careful to speak that truth lovingly from the heart of God. Let’s remember that God loves sinners. He loved them (us) so much he sent his son to die for all of us.

God loves people who steal paperclips from work and he loves murderers. He loves gossips and homosexuals. And he is asking us not to condemn them… that’s his job… but to point them to the Savior. It’s ok to hate the sin but it is never ok to hate the person who sins.

We can’t ignore Leviticus 18. But hitting someone over the head with it won’t make them change. Your love and honesty, however, just might introduce them to the God who can change them.

Father, sometimes it’s hard to thank you for some of the passages in your Word. These days it’s hard to stand for the truth when Satan’s lies have become the norm. Help us to not be ashamed of the gospel, to proclaim your truth as we have opportunity. But help us to do that after we’ve prayed and with the same love you showed us. I pray that sinners of every sort will want to come to our Savior because we have loved them and shown them the better way.

February 18

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Leviticus 8-10

Were Nadab and Abihu so puffed up about their new-found status as priests that they thought they could do whatever they wanted? Did they have this great idea and think they could impress God with their ingenuity? I’m very sure they believed in God. But they must have thought they could go to Him on their own terms.

Scripture says that one day, at the name of Jesus EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. There is NO OTHER name under heaven by which we must be saved. Jesus said… I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. NO ONE comes to the Father except by me.

John 3:16 makes it clear that eternal life comes through believing in the Son. His name is Jesus. Not Buddha or Mohammed or any other false god. I didn’t come up with that. God did.

Do we really believe that? Then we had better get busy letting our loved ones know because they might be trying to get to God using unauthorized fire. Ask Nadab and Abihu how that turns out.

Heavenly Father, help us today to reach out to someone who is lost. Help us to intentionally introduce them to the only one who can save.

February 5

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Exodus 10-12

So finally after 430 years in Egypt Israel’s family is going home. They were free. God had seen the blood on the doorposts and spared them. They weren’t sure where they were going but they had faith in God to lead them.

Yes, they left some comforts in Egypt. Yes, they left some friends there. But where they were going was so much better.

And they were going because of the blood on the doorposts. They didn’t get a free pass just because they were Jewish. Their salvation didn’t come because they were kind or gave generously to the local United Fund. They weren’t spared because their brother obeyed. Salvation came only to the ones who covered their doorposts with the blood of the sacrifice.

I bet you know where I am going with this. Jesus is our sacrifice. He shed His blood and demands that we cover the entrance to our hearts with it. There is one salvation. And it’s through the precious blood of Jesus.

I don’t know why you read this post today. And I don’t know where you stand before God. But if you have not asked God to forgive you, if you have not accepted the free gift of salvation through Jesus’ blood, I pray you’ll do that today. Yes, there might have to be some things change in your life. And yes, it’s a little scary to begin a new journey. But I promise if you do, where you are going… and the the road you will travel with the Lord by your side is so much better than what you have today.

I am praying for you.

February 4

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Exodus 7:14-9:35

I’ve often wondered how the magicians could perform some of the same miracles Moses and Aaron did. How were their rods turned to snakes and back? How could they turn water into blood or make frogs come up on the land? I vaguely remember someone explaining it once but I forget.

Sitting here this morning I am reminded that Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. He wants to look like God so he can fool us into believing him.

Satan can enter a person and prompt him or her to do good things, say things that sound like Scripture, lead churches or charities or nations and so look like a Christian that even Christians are fooled. The angel of light “enlightens”  his followers who begin to question Scripture’s authenticity on so called scientific findings or intellectual reasoning:

“God didn’t really complete creation in six twenty-four hour days”. “Scripture was compiled by men so we can’t believe it is infallible”. “Jesus wasn’t really born of a virgin nor was he really God. He was a good man, a prophet”. “A loving God wouldn’t send someone to hell”. “We all worship the same God, don’t we?”

I could go on. But God is saying to me to beware of the angel of light. He can look like the truth if I don’t know what the Truth really is. He might be able to fool Pharaoh by turning water into blood. But he’s still the enemy whose only goal is to take me to hell with him.

Lord, give us discernment. Help us to recognize the angel of light and reject him on the basis of Your Truth. Keep us grounded in Your Word. And help us to stand firm.

February 3

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Exodus 4:18-7:13, I Chronicles 6:1-4

When you read this Scripture today were you bothered by the fact that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart? The way it reads sounds like God might have a “harden heart” button He can push at will. Is that what happened here?

Here’s what I think I know about God. He loves you. He loved Pharaoh and would like to have had a different story recorded here. If things had been different we might read about a king who recognized the One True God and willingly allowed the Israelites to go home. But since God knew the end from the beginning He told Moses that Pharaoh would reject all the signs and each time he did, his heart would grow a little harder toward God.

So did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Of course He did. Scripture says so. But it wasn’t against Pharaoh’s will. It WAS Pharaoh’s will… his choice to reject God.

God didn’t make Pharaoh reject Him. That would not be consistent with the God who so loved the world. But as created beings with the ability to choose, God created pliable hearts. The lesson we can learn from Pharaoh is this: If we respond to God our hearts remain pliable. We are convicted of sin and we repent. Our pliable hearts can nearly burst with joy just by praising the One who forgives. God can tug at our pliable hearts and we obey.

But if we reject God, if we ignore guilt over sin, our pliable hearts become hardened. That’s just the way we were created. And with each denial of God’s Truth our hearts grow harder still.

We, like Pharaoh, run the danger of allowing our hearts to become so hard we no longer fear God.

I hope you are going to go to church today where the gospel is preached, where Christians gather to worship, and where you can re-charge to continue God’s work this week. As we gather, let’s do so with pliable hearts. And if there is some hardening going on, I pray that we will allow God to do some heart surgery right there in the pew!

January 29

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Genesis 42-44

It seems Joseph was playing games with his brothers. His dreams had come true. they were bowing down to him, coming to him because they needed him. So why didn’t he tell them who he was the minute he recognized them? Why did he make them go back to Canaan for Benjamin? Why did he plant his silver cup in Benjamin’s belongings?

I think Joseph wanted to know if they had changed from the cold-hearted men who sold him into slavery. What he saw were ten men who loved and honored their father, who were honest enough to return the silver, and who would accept Benjamin’s punishment on themselves.

And you know what? I think those ten brothers learned some things about themselves, too

Maybe we need to be a little more like Joseph. I don’t mean the game-playing. But Joseph watched his brothers’ actions in order to read their hearts.

The word ‘Christian’ is almost meaningless these days. To some, you are a Christian if you aren’t a Buddhist.

Jesus said we would know his disciples by their love. Paul tells us the fruit of the Spirit include things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control.

The Bible also tells us not everyone who claims to know God really does. And it’s important that we are careful to follow truth. Not every religion is true. Not every preacher is preaching the truth.

Let’s be discerning and hold each other up to a high standard. Let’s show our world that we are changed because of our encounter with Jesus.

God give us the ability to recognize Your Truth and reject everything else. And help us to encourage each other to live according to that Truth so that people can recognize your Truth in us.

January 20

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Gen 19-21, 25:12-18 and I Chronicles 1:28-31

How perverted were the men of Sodom? Did Lot participate in their sin? We read he feared for the safety of the three travelers. But he offered his young daughters to his evil neighbors, knowing the girls would most likely die a painful and humiliating death.

We see that, while Lot and his daughters were spared when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, his wife disobeyed and was killed. Lot and his daughters were saved but the influence of living in Sodom went with them.

Lot’s daughters were so desensitized to sexual sin they didn’t think twice about sleeping with their own father. They even rationalized their own perversions by saying they did it in order to preserve Lot’s lineage.

We live in a sinful world where the same kind of sexual perversion is considered the new normal. We watch TV and invite violence and sex into our living rooms. Even Christians laugh at things God destroyed Sodom for. Our children have access to the internet in the palms of their hands. We are a people who are no longer easily shocked and saddened by sin. Are we raising a desensitized generation?

God, I am convicted. I know I have allowed sin to have a foot in the door of my heart. I ask that you make me aware of the things that displease you and help me to take a stand, to be set apart and to live a life that attracts others to you. I pray for parents. Give them wisdom. Help them to protect their dear children from the influences that make it seem like following you is lame.

January 16

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Job 38-39

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” The thing about reading words is that you can’t hear tone of voice. Was God angry? Was He impatient? Was there kindness and concern in His tone? When I started to read these chapters today I was reading them as though God was angry. After all, he spoke out of the storm. But half way through chapter 38 it occurred to me that maybe God was speaking to Job like a concerned Father who pulls his son up on his lap to explain things to him. So I went back and pictured that scene as I read.

I think God might get our attention with the storm, but I think He knows we do our best listening and learning when the storm is over and we can think. Job my son, God says, I’m going to explain to you who I am. You’ve survived a storm. Now listen carefully, son. You have a lot to learn.

As I was reading and thinking about Job sitting on God’s lap, leaning against God’s chest with God’s arms wrapped around him, and with God speaking lovingly in his ear I found myself a little jealous. Who wouldn’t want that for themselves? What about the answers to my questions? But I am reminded that my answers have been lovingly compiled and preserved in the pages of the Bible. God’s Word became flesh. And until I can physically see Him I can spiritually climb onto His lap through the pages of His book.

Am I being treated unfairly? Read about Joseph, Jesus, Paul. Am I grieving over the loss of a loved one? Read about Job, Jesus, Mary and Martha. Does God care about me personally? Read Paul’s letters, get to know Jesus through the gospels.

The accounts of real people in a real world are preserved in these pages and are there to guide and encourage us. The very thoughts of the Creator were transfered to paper and pencil by godly men who allowed God to speak through them. If I want to know God I need only to read what He inspired them to write about Himself.

So I’ll continue to climb up onto His lap each day as I read His Word. Sometimes I’ll be convicted. Sometimes I’ll be chastised. Sometimes I will feel complete joy. But always those arms will tighten around me as I draw closer to Him, as I learn more and more about Him and about myself, and as I allow Him to be the Father He longs to be to me.

January 2

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Gen 4-6, I Chronicles1:1-4

Reading this I might be tempted to think God was unfair to Cain. It’s not that Cain didn’t bring God an offering. He was a farmer and offered God some crops from his fields. Cain planted, watered, weeded, and harvested this offering. Why wouldn’t God be thrilled with his effort?

No wonder Cain was upset when God rejected his offering. I am sure he felt God would look at his hard work and his intentions and give him an “atta-boy”. But Cain went to God on Cain’s terms. And God rejected him.

The people at this time talked to God so it’s highly unlikely Cain didn’t know God’s requirements for an acceptable offering. And even if he did not know, God told Cain after the offering was rejected, to do what is right. God encouraged Cain to repent, to recognize sin and master it. God gave Cain an opportunity for a second chance to do it right.

But Cain couldn’t or wouldn’t do it. We need to be careful not to make the same mistake Cain made. We can’t let pride get in our way of going to God for forgiveness. Like it or not there is only one way to God. There is only one truth. I cringe when someone says they don’t go to church or pray and are comfortable living an ungodly life because “God and I have an understanding.” Yeah. God understands that unless we obey him we are lost. We just can’t go to God on our own terms.

Thank you, Lord for making your way plain. Jesus said in no uncertain terms that HE is the way, the truth and the life and no one goes to the Father except through Jesus. Forgive me when I am tempted to sidestep your requirements or think that doing good is good enough. Help me to get over myself and come to you on your terms. And thank you for second chances.