Tag Archives: grace

Counting Hawks

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My dad was an observer and a lover of nature. I can’t count the hours he spent looking out into his back yard, watching birds, squirrels, rabbits, and deer. He taught us girls to notice things like sunsets and clouds, like lightning in storms, like new buds on trees in spring, and like the sparkle and beauty of a snowfall. He and Mom always challenged each other to see which of them could spot the most hawks every time they went somewhere in the car. I never see a hawk today without thinking about them.

Dad could have been a psalmist. I read Psalm 104 today and once again am reminded what an incredible thing is creation. Nothing… NOTHING… happened by chance. The beauty and majesty of our world was carefully constructed, from the tiniest seed to the highest mountain.

Is life throwing roadblocks in your way? Are you troubled, lonely, afraid? Take a minute and look outside. Better yet, take a walk. Listen to birds sing, the breeze rustle through trees. Feel the warmth of the sun on your face, or allow raindrops to mix with your tears. Count the hawks perched in the trees, and know even they fit in your Creator’s design.

The God who created the fragrant flowers you smell, the oceans and deserts, the God who created you wants to walk with you today. In this whole great big world of ours, there is no one he loves more, no one he thinks of more, no one he longs to call his own more than you! Give him your heart. Rejoice in his grace. Praise him for Jesus. Look around. His love is stamped all over the place.

Storms may come. No, storms WILL come. Take his hand and let him get you through.

Dear Creator, Words fall short of expressing the awe I feel as I observe nature, as I see your hand in all that there is, and as I understand that you love me. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for making me your child when I repented of my sin. Walk with me today, Lord, as you wish. And may I never take for granted what your creation entails.

Battles and Victories and Battles

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Adonijah didn’t get what he wanted. He did everything he could to be king after his father David but we know God and David had other plans. Solomon was to be king. But Adonijah couldn’t let it go.

With Solomon on the throne and their father dead, Adonijah goes to Solomon’s mom. (I Kings 2) You know the people wanted me to be king, he tells her. So do this one thing. Go to Solomon and ask him if I can marry Abishag.

Sounded harmless enough. But when Bathsheba asked her son he was mad. Adonijah’s request wasn’t as innocent as it sounded. Abishag had connections and Solomon said it would be like handing the kingdom over to Adonijah. Solomon not only refused the marriage, he ordered Adonijah’s execution.

Satan wants your soul. And just because you may have had a victory over sin yesterday, don’t think for a minute he’s given up. He’ll try another route, another temptation. He’ll even make it appear innocent, try and trick you into turning yourself over to him.

Ours is a daily battle, a moment by moment battle. Sometimes we will defeat the enemy in our lives. But the war continues. We who know Jesus as our Savior know that he has won the war for our souls, that heaven awaits those who have repented of sin and accepted his grace.

But we need to put on the whole armor of God and prepare for battle today, this afternoon, tomorrow, right now. Satan is just as determined as Adonijah to be king. Satan wants to be king of your life. Beware. Be ready. Victory can be yours.

Father, I thank you that Jesus defeated Satan when he died on the cross and was raised to life again. I know that one day this life on this earth will be over and I’ll be in your Presence forever. Oh glorious day! But until then, may I never turn my back on my enemy Satan. May I never fall for his clever tricks, his innocent sounding temptations to sin. As I put on your armor today I ask that you go with me into battle. Grant victory today in Jesus’ name.

 

Where Good Intentions Lead

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In 2 Samuel we read that Recab and Baanah had good intentions. Ishbosheth was David’s enemy so these two men risked their lives to kill Ishbosheth in his sleep. They cut off his head and proudly presented it to King David. I’m sure they expected a different reception than the one they got. 

David reminded them that it was the Lord who saves him from his enemies. Then he ordered his men to kill Recab and Baanah for being evil men who killed a man in his own bed.

That’s what will happen on judgement day. Some people will stand before God expecting a much different outcome than they will receive. 

“I worshiped Buddha with a pure heart”. “I attended church faithfully.” “I was faithful to my wife.” “I loved the earth and fought for the rights of abused animals.” “I never killed anyone.” “I didn’t go to church because there were hypocrites there.”

Whatever the excuse. Intentions will be meaningless. It’s like holding up the head of Ishbosheth. And the result will be the same.

Death.

Eternal separation from God. More agony than you’ve ever experienced.

The only thing that will matter on judgement day is whether or not Jesus is your Savior, if you have repented of sin, if you have accepted his grace.

Period.

Father, I pray for everyone who takes time to read this. May your Spirit draw them to you. May we all set aside the things we think we are doing for you, the rules we pride ourselves in obeying, our good intentions, and look to Jesus. He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and none of us will see heaven unless we accept his forgiveness. Thank you for what you are going to do in the hearts and lives of people today.

Putting the Cart Before the Horse

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Reading about Israel during the time Eli was their priest makes me think about so many of our modern day churches. The Jews had been living by their own standards. I Samuel 2:30 says God would not honor them because they didn’t take him seriously. In fact, he said, “I will despise those who think lightly of me.”

But when Israel was being defeated by the Philistine army, they ran to get the Ark of the Covenant and tried to use it to save them from their enemies. The Jews rejoiced when they saw the Ark coming into camp. The Philistines were terrified because they knew about Israel’s God.

But the battle continued and 30,000 Jewish soldiers died that day. Parading the Ark around did nothing to win their battle.

Today many have devised a religion by their own standards. They portray God as a buddy, as a tolerant god who accepts all manner of good intentions, who loves people, who turns a bind eye to sin, who rewards positive thinking with health and wealth. And when things get difficult these people hold up the name “Christian” like it’s some magic potion. 

In both examples, people put the cart before the horse. The horse being repentance, humbling oneself before a holy God, accepting his forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. 

We cannot preach God’s love at the exclusion of his holiness and expect him to bless us. We cannot eliminate the word “sin” from our vocabulary because it offends. We cannot tolerate any side-step to God when Jesus clearly says HE is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and NO ONE goes to the Father except through him.

Wearing the name “Christian” is meaningless unless we take God seriously. My prayer is that each of us will spend time in his Word, in thinking about what we read, in praying about what God would have us do in light of his Word. I pray that we would bow before our Holy God and turn from sin so that he can bless us with heavenly blessings.

Then, once we have dealt with our sin and accepted God’s grace, let’s get out there and fight the battles, defeat Satan, draw people to Jesus. That’s when wearing the name of “Christian” means something real.

My Kinsman Redeemer

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Who doesn’t love Ruth’s story? It’s a beautiful account of self-sacrificing love and loyalty. It’s about virtue and consideration of others, helping those in need. I imagine most of us can even quote Ruth’s declaration of love for her mother-in-law, Naomi.

I love how Boaz describes what Ruth did. He blessed her and said, “May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.” I know I have taken refuge often under those very wings.

But what I really love about this story is the picture of Jesus, my Kinsman Redeemer. I love how Boaz, as Ruth’s kinsman redeemer, accepted her, provided for her daily needs, covered her with his blanket, and paid the price to make her his own. 

And that’s exactly what Jesus did for me.

Ruth humbled herself when she laid at Boaz’s feet. The result was he lifted her up and brought her into his family. I humbled myself at the foot of the cross when I repented of sin and asked Jesus to forgive me. He lifted me up and brought me into his family, the family of God.

He paid the price – his own dear life – to grant me forgiveness, to place his own righteousness on my shoulders so I can fellowship with my Holy God.

I love my Kinsman Redeemer.

Playing the Part

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In Judges 17 we read about Micah’s mother who dedicated money to the Lord. She called on the Lord to bless her son. Then she turned around and had an idol made.

Micah knew about the Lord and he wanted the Lord to bless him. So he hired some random Levite as his personal priest and set up a shrine for his household idols.

The men of Dan wanted the Lord to help them win a battle so they stole Micah’s shrine and hired his priest to be their priest.

All of these people were religious. But they didn’t really know the Lord. They may have sounded like believers, they might even have considered themselves believers, but they were not.

People who are religious, who follow rules and say the right things aren’t necessarily Christians. Saying it, or living a good life doesn’t automatically make one a believer in Jesus. You can look like a Christian, act like a Christian, quote Scripture and sing hymns. But if you haven’t confessed your sins before a holy God and asked him to forgive you, if you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior, you are not a Christian.

It’s a heart thing. Not a part in a play.

Even Satan can quote Scripture. A Buddhist can walk around all day with a smile on his face and talk about peace. A person can meditate, and evoke an aura of spirituality. But they will go to hell without Jesus.

Christianity is more than a religion. It’s more than rules and church attendance. It’s a relationship with the living Lord, the Creator God, his precious Son Jesus Christ. 

Do you know him? Have you experienced his grace provided by Jesus’ work on the cross? Have you repented of your sins and accepted the Savior? Remember, it doesn’t matter how religious you are. It matters how forgiven you are and whether or not you’ve chosen to let Jesus into your heart.

Dear Jesus, I thank you for salvation. I thank you for dying on the cross so that I can enjoy a relationship with you right here on planet earth. Forgive us if we go through the motions, play the part of “Christian”, without first bowing before you, humbling ourselves and repenting of the sin in our lives. May we forget about looking religious and nurture that sweet relationship with you. May we walk with you today.

Samson: Too Good to Sin?

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Samson is such an interesting man. He lived a life set apart for God from a very early age. Even his mother, while pregnant with this baby boy, didn’t drink wine or eat anything unclean. Samson must have grown up to look like a crazy man with all that hair. And even though God was with him in a very visible way, Samson wasn’t perfect.

When you read about him in the book of Judges, it becomes clear that he suffered from a sense of entitlement, pride, a short fuse. Samson was more than a little cocky. And as good a life as he lead according to the Nazarene Law, Samson was not too good to sin.

His life reminds me that none of us are immune. Temptations exist. And too often we fail. We sin. 

Reading the Bible, going to church, abstaining from ungodly activities, even sharing Christ with others, do not prohibit Satan’s arrows from attacking us. Sometimes we can get proud of ourselves for living such good lives. And pride is a sin.

Living a sinless life is not a one time decision that occurs when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Living a sinless life is a daily, moment-by-moment choice. You don’t submit yourself to God at an altar, than walk away in a bubble that shields you from sin.

But we do walk away with the armor needed to fight sin. God would have us recognize sin in our lives, confess it, repent of it, and be forgiven every day. 

I wonder what kind of story we would read in Judges had Samson recognized his own sin and repented early on. I wonder what other amazing things God could have done through him.

Father, I pray for your children today. May we recognize sin in our lives and be quick to confess it and receive your forgiveness. May we turn from sin and live lives pleasing to you in every way. Make us useful for your kingdom for Jesus’ sake. You have an amazing plan for each of us that involves leading lost souls to your saving grace. May you find us faithful.

IF

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God loves us. He created us out of love and for love. He delights in blessing us, in taking the trials of life and turning them into ways of demonstrating his power and goodness to us. He watches us. He protects us. He gives us everything we need for life on earth and in eternity.

IF.

If we obey him. God cannot bless disobedience in anyone. He is not a loving God at the exclusion of his holiness. And I think modern spirituality and much of the church in 2014, overlook this very important fact.

Moses’ song recorded in Deuteronomy 31 reminds the ancient Jews, and it reminds us, that we serve a great God, a God who blesses, a God who loves and a God we must fear. He’s not a buddy or a magic genie. He is the great I AM who demands holiness of us because he is holy.

He’s a God who hates sin with a burning passion and who punishes every sin we commit. Every one!

But here is love. And his name is Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come to earth so that sin can be overlooked or denied. He came to pay the penalty for the lie I told as a toddler when mommy asked me if I took a cookie from the cookie jar, to the many sins I’ve committed and still commit since then. 

Am I afraid of God? I should be. Do I fear disobeying him? If I don’t I’m not looking at sin the way he does.

Holy God, forgive us when we rationalize, accept, or ignore sin in our lives. May we view disobedience as seriously as you do. May we fear you with a healthy fear and choose obedience because of the reality of devastating consequence for disobedience. May we recognize your holiness and understand that you cannot bless sin in anyone’s life. Not even mine. Thank you for love, for Jesus who paid what I cannot pay, who took my sin upon himself and who offers me forgiveness, not excuses… forgiveness. May my life be lived out of love and gratefulness for you!

There is Life in the Blood

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As I was reading Numbers 27-29 this morning I was once again astounded at the amount of blood that was spilt, the great number of animals that were sacrificed in order for the purification of the people of Israel. Every day offerings were made. And once a year hundreds of animals were killed during their festivals. For me, that’s hard to imagine.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. Life is in the blood.

God requires a blood sacrifice. Looking at the Old Testament account makes me realize what a very big deal it is that Jesus shed his own blood once and for all. His sacrifice fulfilled the requirements of every animal sacrifice we would ever need according to Old Testament law. It is done.

He did what a thousand bulls could not do. We never have to kill a calf ever again in order to be forgiven. Jesus’ death covered the tab. And I just need to accept it. I was once dead in my sin. Now I am alive in Christ. And all because of Jesus’ blood.

Jesus’ blood washed away my sin. From the first little lie I told as a toddler, to the mean things I did as an adolescent, disobedience towards my parents, a multitude of sins committed as an adult, a sinful thought life, an unforgiving spirit, laziness, gluttony, pride and self-centeredness, to the most recent little lie I’ve told in my 60’s. I am forgiven because Jesus shed his blood.

Once again I am astounded. And so grateful to my Savior and Lord.

Dear Jesus, thank you doesn’t seem sufficient to express what I am feeling today. You paid the penalty for my sin when you died on the cross. Your blood met the Father’s requirement for my forgiveness. I am humbled. I am grateful. I am forgiven. May my life be lived in such a way that you are exalted, you are praised, and you are pleased to have given yourself for me. Thank you for the life I can enjoy because of your shed blood.

How Good Am I?

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“I am the Lord who makes you holy”

God’s instructions to Moses recorded in the book of Leviticus concerning the priests repeats that statement several times. The priests were given specific requirements to follow from how to wear their hair, what to eat, what to wear, to how to treat their wives. And so that they wouldn’t start to feel overly good about themselves when they followed all God’s rules, so that they wouldn’t get prideful and begin to believe they were “all that”, God kept reminding them that it was he – not anything they did- who made them holy.

It’s the same with us in 2014. Many good people give to the poor, care for their families, tell the truth, pay their taxes and are faithful to their spouses. Many Christians go to church, abstain from alcohol and don’t go to movies, they read the Bible and never take the Lord’s name in vain. But the Bible tells us no one is righteous – not even one! It tells us all people have sinned and fall short when compared to God’s standards. And God reminds us it is by grace we are saved, not of anything we have done, so no one can boast.

The set apart life, the good we do is a natural outflowing of receiving grace. None of that can ever be a payment toward God’s favor. So the answer to the question I posted in the title is: Not good enough.

It’s Sunday morning and I hope you are planning to go to a Bible believing fellowship of believers to worship the Savior. You may  teach a class or sing in the choir. You may have already written your check for the offering. But God would tell us this morning that none of that will get you closer to heaven. None of it. If you are going to church to get on God’s good side, you are going for the wrong reason.

“I am the Lord who makes you holy.”

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us today that it’s all about you. In and of myself, I am a sinner. I might be a good person. I might even attend church. But without your grace I am no better than the most wicked God-hater there is. I pray for your people today as we go into churches to worship you. May we do so with grateful hearts, humbled by your forgiveness, and determined to live lives pleasing to you. Not because we want you to love us more, but because we want to love you more and serve you because of your grace.