Tag Archives: salvation

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.

January 18

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Job 11:27-15:21

I remember reading about Lot’s rescue before. He and his family were living in Sodom when the city was attacked and they were taken prisoner. But it occurred to me today as though for the first time, that God was revealing Himself to Lot through this event. He provided a way out for Lot and his family.

Lot was living in a sinful city. He was surrounded by perversion… and so were his wife and daughters. When Uncle Abram came to their rescue they could have, and should have, settled somewhere else. Did Lot go to God for direction before taking his kids back to the evilness in the city? I doubt it.

This is another example of God using the events of life to draw us to Himself. In this instance Lot accepted the salvation, fled the city to safety but then went right back. Lot ignored God and the end result, as we’ll see later, is he’ll lose his wife and experience how living among the perverted effected his daughters.

Some people acknowledge Jesus as Savior, then go right back to living the same lifestyle they lived before. Before long the evidence of their conversion is lost. What God is saying to me today is that sometimes, in order to be the godly people God wants us to be, we need to make some drastic changes. If we do the same things, talk the same way, laugh at the same jokes, sooner or later we put ourselves in danger of ignoring the salvation that was ours. Lot did that. And the results were devastating.

I know that our unsaved friends need the Lord. And I know that Paul said he became all things to all men in order to win some. But I guess I want to encourage all of us to tread lightly, to go carefully into situations that might tempt us to sin. And never go without going to God first. Our friends and our neighbors need to see us different… better than we were before. Not the same.

God, let me see you in the events of today. Help me recognize the many ways you try to get my attention. May I not pass up any opportunity to do the right thing and draw closer to you. Give me the ability to recognize things that would compromise my commitment to you… and flee. And may my life be such that my friends and neighbors will see You and want to know you, too.

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.