How frustrated God must get when He sees how we stubbornly persist in our sinful habits, completely oblivious to His demonstrations of love and forgiveness. The apostle Paul describes in the New Testament how bad people can become. “They refuse to acknowledge God, so He abandons them to their evil minds and lets them do things that should never be done....They are fully aware of God’s death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too” (Romans 1:28,32). Paul goes on to say that those who claim to love God are often no better than those who don’t. “You may be saying, ‘What terrible people you have been talking about!’ But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse!.....Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing these bad things and not judge you when you do them, too? Don’t you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see how kind He has been in giving you time to turn from your sin? But no, you won’t listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sins” (Romans 2:1,3-5). Why is it we see the wrongs others do, but are blind to our own? Why is the obvious so hard for us to admit?
In the Old Testament, God labels our sinful rebellion and our constant wandering from His love in pursuit of idols and gods that can never respond to us, as adultery. “You are like a restless female camel, desperate for a male! You are like a wild donkey, sniffing the wind at mating time. Who can restrain your lust? Those who desire you do not even need to search, for you come running to them! Why do you refuse to turn from all this running after other gods? But you say, ‘Don’t waste your breath. I have fallen in love with these foreign gods, and I can’t stop loving them now!’” ((Jeremiah 2:23-25). In spite of our unfaithfulness to Him, our God is faithful to us. In our search for happiness, in our desire to find intimacy, we turn to every source but the One who will not force Himself upon us, the One who proves His love over and over, and the One who longs to be in relationship with us. The Lord beckons to each of us, “come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts” (Jer.3:22). When we have exhausted ourselves in our selfish pursuit of fulfillment, when we have wasted away our dignity by chasing lies, the truth still remains, “only in the Lord our God will we ever find salvation” (Jer.3:23).
Like the parable of the prodigal son, there reaches a point in our desperation that we finally see the truth for what it is. May we turn to the Lord now, and in doing so, experience the many blessings He has promised those who love Him and are faithful to Him.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
July 28
What happens to those living in areas where the gospel of Jesus Christ does not currently exist? How can those who have not been exposed to the gospel be condemned if they don’t believe? God has promised that those who, “seek after Him will find Him” (Matthew 7:7&8; Hebrews 11:6; Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:11-14). Our God is a gracious God, a God whose patience level with human beings is far greater than we can even remotely understand, a God whose love level for human beings is too great to fathom, a God who gives those sincerely wanting to find Him ample opportunities to do so.
“The Lord says, ‘People who never before inquired about me are now asking about me. I am being found by people who were not looking for me. To them I said, ‘I am here!’ I opened my arms to my own people all day long, but they have rebelled. They follow their own evil paths and thoughts” (Isaiah 65:2). “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed” (66:2). It seems clear in scripture that our fate is not in God’s hands, but in ours. God has shown us what we need to do. He has given us free will with which to do it. And now, our fate is in our hands. No one else decides for us. To be sure, some people may have more advantages than others. Some people must overcome more obstacles in order to find God than do others. But, God is faithful to His promises. No one knows better than He does whether we are sincerely seeking Him or not. And because God knows the real truth about our thoughts, our motivations, our actions, etc., He can be trusted to be fair in His final judgment. No amount of lies or deceit on our part will sway God. We can rationalize our unfaithfulness all we want, and we can pretend to sway God with our excuses, but God deals in the truth.
In his song of praise to God, David says, “To the faithful you (God) show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue those who are humble, but your eyes are on the proud to humiliate them....As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises are true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection” (II Samuel 22:26-31). For the moment, let’s not concern ourselves with those people living apart from the Lord and any excuses they might have. For the moment, let’s concentrate on where you are at spiritually. Would you consider yourself faithful? Or, would you consider yourself proud? God will demonstrate Himself faithful to the one, and God will humble the other. What will your choice be?
“The Lord says, ‘People who never before inquired about me are now asking about me. I am being found by people who were not looking for me. To them I said, ‘I am here!’ I opened my arms to my own people all day long, but they have rebelled. They follow their own evil paths and thoughts” (Isaiah 65:2). “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed” (66:2). It seems clear in scripture that our fate is not in God’s hands, but in ours. God has shown us what we need to do. He has given us free will with which to do it. And now, our fate is in our hands. No one else decides for us. To be sure, some people may have more advantages than others. Some people must overcome more obstacles in order to find God than do others. But, God is faithful to His promises. No one knows better than He does whether we are sincerely seeking Him or not. And because God knows the real truth about our thoughts, our motivations, our actions, etc., He can be trusted to be fair in His final judgment. No amount of lies or deceit on our part will sway God. We can rationalize our unfaithfulness all we want, and we can pretend to sway God with our excuses, but God deals in the truth.
In his song of praise to God, David says, “To the faithful you (God) show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue those who are humble, but your eyes are on the proud to humiliate them....As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises are true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection” (II Samuel 22:26-31). For the moment, let’s not concern ourselves with those people living apart from the Lord and any excuses they might have. For the moment, let’s concentrate on where you are at spiritually. Would you consider yourself faithful? Or, would you consider yourself proud? God will demonstrate Himself faithful to the one, and God will humble the other. What will your choice be?
Monday, July 21, 2014
July 26
“My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8&9).
For centuries, the Jewish people looked forward to the day when a military messiah would liberate them from their enemies. What they longed for was an army general whose genius would lead them to victory over those who had become smug in their oppression of God’s chosen people. But, God’s ways of doing things don’t always match what we think God should do. God’s methods sometimes seem bad to us, but God sees the bigger picture. God knows where every chess piece on the game board of life is located and God knows where and when they should be moved. Approximately, 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, God revealed the kind of Messiah He would send and what that Messiah would accomplish.
“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him... He was despised, and we did not care......he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all......From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins - - that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal....it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief....And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins” (Isaiah 53:2-11).
What God’s chosen Messiah was establishing was a spiritual kingdom and not a physical kingdom. Jesus did not say God’s kingdom would have borders. Quite the opposite. “One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘When will the kingdom of God come?’ Jesus replied, ‘The Kingdom of God isn’t ushered in with visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is among you’” (Luke 17:20&21). God’s kingdom would not consist of those who lived in a certain place, pledged allegiance to a certain flag, and paid homage to a certain king. God’s kingdom would consist of people living all over the world, who swear allegiance to the suffering servant Isaiah prophesied about 700 years earlier, Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God would exist inside of people, those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and are filled with God’s Holy Spirit. Many in the Jewish community are still waiting for the Messiah to come because Jesus did not fit the description they were looking for. What about you?
For centuries, the Jewish people looked forward to the day when a military messiah would liberate them from their enemies. What they longed for was an army general whose genius would lead them to victory over those who had become smug in their oppression of God’s chosen people. But, God’s ways of doing things don’t always match what we think God should do. God’s methods sometimes seem bad to us, but God sees the bigger picture. God knows where every chess piece on the game board of life is located and God knows where and when they should be moved. Approximately, 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, God revealed the kind of Messiah He would send and what that Messiah would accomplish.
“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him... He was despised, and we did not care......he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all......From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins - - that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal....it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief....And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins” (Isaiah 53:2-11).
What God’s chosen Messiah was establishing was a spiritual kingdom and not a physical kingdom. Jesus did not say God’s kingdom would have borders. Quite the opposite. “One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘When will the kingdom of God come?’ Jesus replied, ‘The Kingdom of God isn’t ushered in with visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is among you’” (Luke 17:20&21). God’s kingdom would not consist of those who lived in a certain place, pledged allegiance to a certain flag, and paid homage to a certain king. God’s kingdom would consist of people living all over the world, who swear allegiance to the suffering servant Isaiah prophesied about 700 years earlier, Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God would exist inside of people, those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and are filled with God’s Holy Spirit. Many in the Jewish community are still waiting for the Messiah to come because Jesus did not fit the description they were looking for. What about you?
July 22
The enormity of God’s grace can certainly be seen in the life of King Hezekiah. When King Sennacherib of Assyria threatened Judah, God heard Hezekiah’s prayers and miraculously rescued Judah. Hezekiah had been a picture of courage and leadership in the face of great odds against him, because he trusted in God. “Be strong and courageous!”, he encouraged his people. ‘Don’t be afraid of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are just men. We have the Lord our God to help us and fight our battles for us” (II Chronicles 32:7&8).
When Hezekiah became deathly ill, the prophet Isaiah went to visit him and Isaiah told Hezekiah that he was going to die (II Kings 20:1; Isaiah 38:1). But, Hezekiah was a mighty prayer warrior. He had turned to God by faith in the past. God had heard Hezekiah’s prayer then and demonstrated in His answer to Hezekiah’s prayer that He can do all things. Once again, God heard Hezekiah’s prayers and God pledged to heal Hezekiah and give him fifteen more years of life (II Kings 20:2-7; Isaiah 38:2-6). The Bible then tells us, “But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem” (II Chron.32: 25&26). When the King of Babylon sent an envoy to visit Hezekiah and ask about his miraculous healing, Hezekiah showed the envoy everything he had accumulated. Hezekiah was so proud of his treasures and his wealth, there was nothing he didn’t show these foreign visitors. Neither was there any recognition on his part that what he had, came from God. As punishment, Isaiah was sent from God to inform Hezekiah that all these treasures he had bragged about, would be carried off to the palace of Babylon (II Kings 20:16-18; Isaiah 39:5-7). In one of the most selfish statements in all of scripture, Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from the Lord is good. At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime” II Kings 20:19; Isaiah 39:8) Hezekiah cared only about himself. Hezekiah didn’t care what happened to his people after he died. Hezekiah didn’t care what happened to his treasures after he died. All he cared about was his own personal health and wealth. What a sad life. What a sad legacy. As you think about your life and what is important, what is it that you really care about?
When Hezekiah became deathly ill, the prophet Isaiah went to visit him and Isaiah told Hezekiah that he was going to die (II Kings 20:1; Isaiah 38:1). But, Hezekiah was a mighty prayer warrior. He had turned to God by faith in the past. God had heard Hezekiah’s prayer then and demonstrated in His answer to Hezekiah’s prayer that He can do all things. Once again, God heard Hezekiah’s prayers and God pledged to heal Hezekiah and give him fifteen more years of life (II Kings 20:2-7; Isaiah 38:2-6). The Bible then tells us, “But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the Lord’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem” (II Chron.32: 25&26). When the King of Babylon sent an envoy to visit Hezekiah and ask about his miraculous healing, Hezekiah showed the envoy everything he had accumulated. Hezekiah was so proud of his treasures and his wealth, there was nothing he didn’t show these foreign visitors. Neither was there any recognition on his part that what he had, came from God. As punishment, Isaiah was sent from God to inform Hezekiah that all these treasures he had bragged about, would be carried off to the palace of Babylon (II Kings 20:16-18; Isaiah 39:5-7). In one of the most selfish statements in all of scripture, Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from the Lord is good. At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime” II Kings 20:19; Isaiah 39:8) Hezekiah cared only about himself. Hezekiah didn’t care what happened to his people after he died. Hezekiah didn’t care what happened to his treasures after he died. All he cared about was his own personal health and wealth. What a sad life. What a sad legacy. As you think about your life and what is important, what is it that you really care about?
Sunday, July 13, 2014
July 17
There is a right way to live, and it is God’s way. There is a wrong way to live, and it is called sin, or man’s way. No matter how intelligent we may be, and no matter how wise we may consider ourselves, our way of living always leads to death. “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). “The wages of sin is death.....” (Romans 6:23). Make no mistake. “You can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death” (Galatians 6:7&8). Irregardless, of how small or inconsequential our sins may seem to us, sin is always found out or revealed (Numbers 32:23), and sin always results in destruction and death.
In fact, our sin not only affects and impacts ourselves and other people, but it also affects the world and the environment in which we live. The prophet Isaiah reminded God’s people, “the earth dries up, the crops wither, the skies refuse to rain. The earth suffers for the sins of it’s people, for they have twisted the instructions of God, violated His laws, and broken His ever-lasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth and it’s people.....All the joys of life will be gone. The grape harvest will fail......The city writhes in chaos; every home is locked to keep out looters....The world is shaken beneath you. The earth has broken down and has utterly collapsed....The earth staggers like a drunkard......it’s sins are very great” (Isaiah 24:4-10,18-20).
Before God brought order to planet earth, our world was a mess (Genesis 1:1). Adam and Eve’s sin messed up creation all over again. The apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament, “all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Against it’s will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:19-22).
God will some day make everything right. But, in the meantime, if you think your sins are no big deal, you best think again!
In fact, our sin not only affects and impacts ourselves and other people, but it also affects the world and the environment in which we live. The prophet Isaiah reminded God’s people, “the earth dries up, the crops wither, the skies refuse to rain. The earth suffers for the sins of it’s people, for they have twisted the instructions of God, violated His laws, and broken His ever-lasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth and it’s people.....All the joys of life will be gone. The grape harvest will fail......The city writhes in chaos; every home is locked to keep out looters....The world is shaken beneath you. The earth has broken down and has utterly collapsed....The earth staggers like a drunkard......it’s sins are very great” (Isaiah 24:4-10,18-20).
Before God brought order to planet earth, our world was a mess (Genesis 1:1). Adam and Eve’s sin messed up creation all over again. The apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament, “all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Against it’s will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:19-22).
God will some day make everything right. But, in the meantime, if you think your sins are no big deal, you best think again!
July 14
What happens when we hold a grudge against someone? What does remembering someone’s sin against us do to our relationship with that person? Anger towards someone because of what they have done to us, can literally destroy us. Bitterness can not only ruin us mentally, psychologically, and spiritually, but also physically. Those who do not believe in the Lord or trust in Him can be corrupted by their bitterness (Hebrews 12:15).
Forgiveness can restore a relationship as sweetly as a rain can wash a dense humidity right out of the air. God has given us a very clear example when it comes to dealing with sin. “If you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you” (Psalm 130:3&4). We have more sins God could count against us than any of us even knows. God is so holy and pure that if we tried to approach Him with even one sin still in our account, it would disqualify us from relating to Him. Consequently, when God forgives our sin, He removes it from our account. God will “not constantly accuse us.....He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does He deal with us as we deserve......He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:9-12). “If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth” (I John 1:8). We have the assurance that if “we confess our sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (I John 1:9). Note, the author did not say that God would forgive us from some of our wrongs or even most of our wrongs, but every wrong. Now, if the all-knowing God is willing to forgive us from every wrong for the sake of our relationship with Him, how do you suppose God expects us to act toward those who have offended us? In the same way, of course. “Forgive one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are His dear children” (Ephesians 4:32-5:1). Those who are able to forgive others even as God has forgiven us, bring a refresh-ment to our world that can only come from God.
Forgiveness can restore a relationship as sweetly as a rain can wash a dense humidity right out of the air. God has given us a very clear example when it comes to dealing with sin. “If you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you” (Psalm 130:3&4). We have more sins God could count against us than any of us even knows. God is so holy and pure that if we tried to approach Him with even one sin still in our account, it would disqualify us from relating to Him. Consequently, when God forgives our sin, He removes it from our account. God will “not constantly accuse us.....He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does He deal with us as we deserve......He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:9-12). “If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth” (I John 1:8). We have the assurance that if “we confess our sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (I John 1:9). Note, the author did not say that God would forgive us from some of our wrongs or even most of our wrongs, but every wrong. Now, if the all-knowing God is willing to forgive us from every wrong for the sake of our relationship with Him, how do you suppose God expects us to act toward those who have offended us? In the same way, of course. “Forgive one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are His dear children” (Ephesians 4:32-5:1). Those who are able to forgive others even as God has forgiven us, bring a refresh-ment to our world that can only come from God.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
JUly 12
The Hebrew writer tells us, “the Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are” (4:12). How can that be? How can the Word of God be as relevant for us today as it was for those who first read it many centuries ago? How is it possible that the Word of God knows me so well and when someone uses God’s Word or quotes from God’s Word, it often seems as though they are speaking directly to me? It’s because “nothing in all creation can hide from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done” (4:13). We need to understand that God’s Word is not a collect-ion of writings from the mind of man. Peter says, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God” (II Peter 1:20& 21). The God who sees all and knows all, is the same God who inspired human beings to record His infinite wisdom so that we might find true life by following His Word, which is His will.
The individual who was inspired by God to write what we know of as Psalm 139, spent 176 verses reaffirming the importance of God’s Word. This is the longest chapter by far, in the entire Bible. Listen to the many things the author says about God’s Word. “Happy are people of integrity, who follow the law of the Lord” (vs.1). “Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your principles!” (vs.5). “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following it’s rules” (vs.9) “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (vs.11). “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law. I am but a foreigner here on earth; I need the guidance of your commands” (vss.18&19). “Your laws are all I want in life” (vs.39). “Your law is more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver!” (vs.72). “I will never forget your commandments, for you have used them to restore my joy and health” (vs.93). “Your word is my only source of hope” (vs.114). “Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much” (vs.140). “Those who love your law have great peace and do not stumble” (vs.165).
Jesus Christ said of himself, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). He also said, “you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). Love the Word of God. Read the Word of God. Memorize the Word of God. Live by the Word of God, and the Word of God will be the lamp and the light that helps you successfully navigate your journey through life (vs.105).
The individual who was inspired by God to write what we know of as Psalm 139, spent 176 verses reaffirming the importance of God’s Word. This is the longest chapter by far, in the entire Bible. Listen to the many things the author says about God’s Word. “Happy are people of integrity, who follow the law of the Lord” (vs.1). “Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your principles!” (vs.5). “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following it’s rules” (vs.9) “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (vs.11). “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law. I am but a foreigner here on earth; I need the guidance of your commands” (vss.18&19). “Your laws are all I want in life” (vs.39). “Your law is more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver!” (vs.72). “I will never forget your commandments, for you have used them to restore my joy and health” (vs.93). “Your word is my only source of hope” (vs.114). “Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much” (vs.140). “Those who love your law have great peace and do not stumble” (vs.165).
Jesus Christ said of himself, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). He also said, “you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). Love the Word of God. Read the Word of God. Memorize the Word of God. Live by the Word of God, and the Word of God will be the lamp and the light that helps you successfully navigate your journey through life (vs.105).
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