"Even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."
Joel 2:12
There is nothing greater than spending time with Jesus. I do that everyday, but this morning was special. I have had the above verse on my mind for two days. As I spent time praying this morning, it came up again. I have always appreciated the book of Joel. It tells us that God is going to pour out his Spirit in the last days. We are going to hear prophetic words from kids, hear of dreams from old men, and hear of the visions of the young. What a wonderful word of encouragement for us. But it seems to me there is a prerequisite. We must return to the Lord with all our hearts.
Humans, in general, seem to be prone to wander. Most people have a desire to see the world, experience new things, and find out all the information they can about the world they live in. As Christians, we are sometimes prone to wander as well. The problem is; that wandering often leads us away from Jesus and onto rabbit trails that have absolutely no eternal value. I think that all of us, from time to time, have to take the advice of the prophet, Joel, and return to the Lord with all our hearts. We wander and we have to get ourselves centered again with the main thing; Jesus.
But, I am hearing something on a little higher level this time around. I am struck by the words of the prophet, "EVEN NOW, declares the Lord." There is an urgency. There is no time to think about whether we will or won't, no time to continue on the rabbit trails of the world. There is no time to be caught up in the religious. It is time to seek the Lord. The next verse in Joel tells us that we are to rend our hearts. This literally means that we are to tear open our hearts before God.
So, I am doing exactly what God commanded through Joel. I am returning with all my heart. I have torn it open and shown him things in my heart that I have never allowed to come to the surface before. There is a time to do this. Solomon said there is a time for everything. I know that the time to return to the Lord and rend our hearts is now...Even now!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Super Conqueror!
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
Romans 8:37
I think that all of us like a good superhero. There is Superman, Batman, the Green Hornet, Spiderman and more. For some reason, we are drawn to someone who has extraordinary power and goes around doing good for mankind.
I've noticed that there are some great superhero types in the Bible. Back in Genesis, before the time of the flood, the Sons of God lived. It says, "They were the heroes of old, men of renown." King David had his "Mighty Men." In Hebrews 7:16, the writer says that Jesus lived "on the basis of the power of an indestructible life." This kind of sounds like the stuff of superheroes, doesn't it?
The point is; Jesus is our superhero. In fact, he is much more than a superhero. He is God the Creator, the Redeemer, and Savior of all men and women. He is incredible and he lived in "the power of an indestructible life." Now, here is the most incredible thing about this superhero phenomenon--we are superheroes, too! We are not superheroes because of our own strength, because that will fail us. No, we are superheroes because of the one, true superhero, Jesus Christ. If you look carefully at Romans 8:37, you will see that it says, "...We are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM who loved us." It is through the indestructible life of Christ that all of us have been given supernatural power. All that he lived has now been imparted to us. It is the power to pray, the power to believe and act in faith, the power to see his will accomplished. When Christ walked the earth, there was one incredible superhero. Now, there are millions of us who have the power and authority that God gave us through Jesus. You see; we are the body of Christ, doing his will on the earth.
Do you know who you are? You are more than a conqueror, empowered by Christ to be his agent in the very place where you live. When you understand and live that truth, the rest of the world will look at you and exclaim, "It's a bird; it's a plane...No, it's SUPER CONQUEROR! Now, there is an identity that is no secret.
Romans 8:37
I think that all of us like a good superhero. There is Superman, Batman, the Green Hornet, Spiderman and more. For some reason, we are drawn to someone who has extraordinary power and goes around doing good for mankind.
I've noticed that there are some great superhero types in the Bible. Back in Genesis, before the time of the flood, the Sons of God lived. It says, "They were the heroes of old, men of renown." King David had his "Mighty Men." In Hebrews 7:16, the writer says that Jesus lived "on the basis of the power of an indestructible life." This kind of sounds like the stuff of superheroes, doesn't it?
The point is; Jesus is our superhero. In fact, he is much more than a superhero. He is God the Creator, the Redeemer, and Savior of all men and women. He is incredible and he lived in "the power of an indestructible life." Now, here is the most incredible thing about this superhero phenomenon--we are superheroes, too! We are not superheroes because of our own strength, because that will fail us. No, we are superheroes because of the one, true superhero, Jesus Christ. If you look carefully at Romans 8:37, you will see that it says, "...We are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM who loved us." It is through the indestructible life of Christ that all of us have been given supernatural power. All that he lived has now been imparted to us. It is the power to pray, the power to believe and act in faith, the power to see his will accomplished. When Christ walked the earth, there was one incredible superhero. Now, there are millions of us who have the power and authority that God gave us through Jesus. You see; we are the body of Christ, doing his will on the earth.
Do you know who you are? You are more than a conqueror, empowered by Christ to be his agent in the very place where you live. When you understand and live that truth, the rest of the world will look at you and exclaim, "It's a bird; it's a plane...No, it's SUPER CONQUEROR! Now, there is an identity that is no secret.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Angry Sin
"In your anger do not sin."
Ephesians 4:26
Okay, I admit that I have had a bit of an anger problem. It typically involves me adding adjectives to inanimate objects--such as "stupid vacuum cleaner", "dumb tool" or "dang toilet". Sometimes, the anger would spill over in a comment about another driver on the road. This would usually result in a comment like, "Hey buddy" or "Come on, idiot." It's odd, I know. The object isn't doing anything differently. If it is broken, it is certainly not the fault of the object. The other driver probably wasn't doing anything that I haven't done myself. Sometimes, it was actually me that was in the wrong. The only problem really, is my attitude toward the object or person. What I have always written off as part of my personality, I now see as a sin that God wants me to repent of and not do again.
This became a little more obvious to me a few years ago when I realized that I had passed some some of these sins on to my kids and even the grandkids. My daughter related a story to me. She was driving in a local department store parking lot. A driver in front of her slowed and was not moving out of the way very quickly. My (then) two year old grandson was in his car seat in the back. With a disgusted tone, he shouted, "Oh my dosh! Geez buddy, move!" Hmmm, I wonder where he got that?
So, I have decided that this personality fault of mine is really just plain old sin. I need to stop making the comments, deal with the motive behind it, and allow God to clean that part of the old sin nature out of me.
I don't know if you can relate to any of this, but I have a feeling some of you may have a little anger that results in sin. It comes down to taking action. Apply the scripture found in 2 Corinthians 10:4, "And we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." This is how you and I can conquer the problem. When we think the thought, we simply interject Jesus into the middle of it. I have done this in other areas of my life and I guarantee that it works. Let's try it. There is a new attitude waiting for us.
Ephesians 4:26
Okay, I admit that I have had a bit of an anger problem. It typically involves me adding adjectives to inanimate objects--such as "stupid vacuum cleaner", "dumb tool" or "dang toilet". Sometimes, the anger would spill over in a comment about another driver on the road. This would usually result in a comment like, "Hey buddy" or "Come on, idiot." It's odd, I know. The object isn't doing anything differently. If it is broken, it is certainly not the fault of the object. The other driver probably wasn't doing anything that I haven't done myself. Sometimes, it was actually me that was in the wrong. The only problem really, is my attitude toward the object or person. What I have always written off as part of my personality, I now see as a sin that God wants me to repent of and not do again.
This became a little more obvious to me a few years ago when I realized that I had passed some some of these sins on to my kids and even the grandkids. My daughter related a story to me. She was driving in a local department store parking lot. A driver in front of her slowed and was not moving out of the way very quickly. My (then) two year old grandson was in his car seat in the back. With a disgusted tone, he shouted, "Oh my dosh! Geez buddy, move!" Hmmm, I wonder where he got that?
So, I have decided that this personality fault of mine is really just plain old sin. I need to stop making the comments, deal with the motive behind it, and allow God to clean that part of the old sin nature out of me.
I don't know if you can relate to any of this, but I have a feeling some of you may have a little anger that results in sin. It comes down to taking action. Apply the scripture found in 2 Corinthians 10:4, "And we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." This is how you and I can conquer the problem. When we think the thought, we simply interject Jesus into the middle of it. I have done this in other areas of my life and I guarantee that it works. Let's try it. There is a new attitude waiting for us.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Freedom or Slavery?
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
Galatians 5:1
I have never been in a physical prison. Having visited before, I know that it is not a place I would choose to live. There are walls, glass, steel bars, and locked doors everywhere. Security is so tight, even for visitors, that you must be searched when you enter. You must remove everything from your pockets. Anything valuable must be left with the clerk before you are allowed to enter. This is slavery of sorts. They don't really pay you if you are a resident. Instead, they have the prisoners work doing tasks that support the operation of the prison or the government. Obviously the residents didn't choose to be there. They were forced because of their actions. Yet, they become used to that lifestyle and many find it impossible to live outside the prison walls.
One day, a couple of years ago, I decided I would watch a movie by myself upstairs. While choosing the movie from the collection of DVDs, I kept being drawn to one particular one. The movie was "The Shawshank Redemption." I would not typically choose to watch this type of movie, but I honestly felt the Lord drawing me to it. So I did. In a short while, I was overcome by the depiction of desperation and loss the men had suffered. In one scene, an old man, who had been in the prison for most of his life, was released. Shortly thereafter, he committed suicide. He could not cope with the outside world. The scene switches to the men inside the prison who had heard the news. One of the men asked why he would do such a thing. Another replied, "He was institutionalized. When you first get here, you hate these walls. Then you get used to them. After awhile, you get so you can't live without them. That's institutionalized."
Through tears, I searched my life to find areas where I was "institutionalized." I thought of Christians I know who are imprisoned by fear, addictions, and misunderstandings about God. I identified some areas in my life where I was not only imprisoned, but I had grown to be comfortable there. God challenged me to walk out of the prisons. And I did.
Today, check out your own life. Are there any prisons you find yourself in? How did you get there? Have you become "institutionalized?" "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free!" In the Bible, when people were set free from literal prisons, God often opened the doors, removed the shackles and told them to walk out. He still offers that to us. He will make the way out. But ultimately, the choice is ours. We must do the walking.
Galatians 5:1
I have never been in a physical prison. Having visited before, I know that it is not a place I would choose to live. There are walls, glass, steel bars, and locked doors everywhere. Security is so tight, even for visitors, that you must be searched when you enter. You must remove everything from your pockets. Anything valuable must be left with the clerk before you are allowed to enter. This is slavery of sorts. They don't really pay you if you are a resident. Instead, they have the prisoners work doing tasks that support the operation of the prison or the government. Obviously the residents didn't choose to be there. They were forced because of their actions. Yet, they become used to that lifestyle and many find it impossible to live outside the prison walls.
One day, a couple of years ago, I decided I would watch a movie by myself upstairs. While choosing the movie from the collection of DVDs, I kept being drawn to one particular one. The movie was "The Shawshank Redemption." I would not typically choose to watch this type of movie, but I honestly felt the Lord drawing me to it. So I did. In a short while, I was overcome by the depiction of desperation and loss the men had suffered. In one scene, an old man, who had been in the prison for most of his life, was released. Shortly thereafter, he committed suicide. He could not cope with the outside world. The scene switches to the men inside the prison who had heard the news. One of the men asked why he would do such a thing. Another replied, "He was institutionalized. When you first get here, you hate these walls. Then you get used to them. After awhile, you get so you can't live without them. That's institutionalized."
Through tears, I searched my life to find areas where I was "institutionalized." I thought of Christians I know who are imprisoned by fear, addictions, and misunderstandings about God. I identified some areas in my life where I was not only imprisoned, but I had grown to be comfortable there. God challenged me to walk out of the prisons. And I did.
Today, check out your own life. Are there any prisons you find yourself in? How did you get there? Have you become "institutionalized?" "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free!" In the Bible, when people were set free from literal prisons, God often opened the doors, removed the shackles and told them to walk out. He still offers that to us. He will make the way out. But ultimately, the choice is ours. We must do the walking.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Victory in Jesus
"And having disarmed the powers and authorities, (Christ) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
Colossians 2:15
It's time we declare this! Personally, I am tired of allowing myself to be beat up by the enemy of our souls. I'm tired of seeing sickness, disease, suffering and discord among us. It's about time we understand the power of the cross. Jesus died for our sins. He took our infirmities. This is incredible. Yet, even beyond this, he triumphed over the enemy! Revelation 12 tells us that the devil has been hurled down, Satan has been hurled down, the ancient serpent has been hurled down, the accuser of the brethren has been hurled down, the great dragon has been hurled down! It doesn't matter which name you call him, the enemy HAS BEEN HURLED DOWN! He and all his army were defeated by the power of the cross and have been stripped of all heavenly authority.
I know the enemy is still at work here on the earth. He would like to harm us in any way he can. That's what his mission is. He is still in the business of trying to steal, kill and destroy. But we have a so much greater hope. You see, Christ has already defeated him. We can receive the work of the cross and the authority of Christ. When we live there, we overcome the earthly work of Satan.
I don't like giving Satan any credit at all. He is not omnipotent. He is not omnipresent. He doesn't know our future. He is not God. He is not even a god. He is absolutely and completely defeated. We have the same authority that Christ has. When Jesus defeated the enemy at the cross, we defeated him. I love to imagine the great parade that took place when Satan and all his powers, authorities, and low-life demonic forces were laughed at by all the heavens. It must have been glorious.
The next time you, your family, friends, or church are facing the onslaught of the enemy, remember this; you have already won. He is already defeated. The power we have over him is the same power that God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead, seated him at His right hand, and gave him dominion over everything. Did you hear? We have that power. So, the next time you are confronted by the enemy, just look him straight in the eye. . .and laugh!
Colossians 2:15
It's time we declare this! Personally, I am tired of allowing myself to be beat up by the enemy of our souls. I'm tired of seeing sickness, disease, suffering and discord among us. It's about time we understand the power of the cross. Jesus died for our sins. He took our infirmities. This is incredible. Yet, even beyond this, he triumphed over the enemy! Revelation 12 tells us that the devil has been hurled down, Satan has been hurled down, the ancient serpent has been hurled down, the accuser of the brethren has been hurled down, the great dragon has been hurled down! It doesn't matter which name you call him, the enemy HAS BEEN HURLED DOWN! He and all his army were defeated by the power of the cross and have been stripped of all heavenly authority.
I know the enemy is still at work here on the earth. He would like to harm us in any way he can. That's what his mission is. He is still in the business of trying to steal, kill and destroy. But we have a so much greater hope. You see, Christ has already defeated him. We can receive the work of the cross and the authority of Christ. When we live there, we overcome the earthly work of Satan.
I don't like giving Satan any credit at all. He is not omnipotent. He is not omnipresent. He doesn't know our future. He is not God. He is not even a god. He is absolutely and completely defeated. We have the same authority that Christ has. When Jesus defeated the enemy at the cross, we defeated him. I love to imagine the great parade that took place when Satan and all his powers, authorities, and low-life demonic forces were laughed at by all the heavens. It must have been glorious.
The next time you, your family, friends, or church are facing the onslaught of the enemy, remember this; you have already won. He is already defeated. The power we have over him is the same power that God exerted when he raised Christ from the dead, seated him at His right hand, and gave him dominion over everything. Did you hear? We have that power. So, the next time you are confronted by the enemy, just look him straight in the eye. . .and laugh!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Don't Worry
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life..."
Matthew 6:25
This is perhaps the most difficult commandment Jesus ever gave. How do you not worry when things around you seem to be falling apart? How can you not worry when people you know are sick? How can you not worry when you have lost your job and have no income? All these things are very real. They are happening every day and many of us are living these realities. But the command Jesus gave us remains as sure today as it was when he said it. Do not worry!
I'm sure you've heard about the medical studies that have been done. Science has found that worry actually makes you sick and can take years away from your life. As Christians, we have the incredible peace that assures us that God is ever watching us. He loves us. He cares for us. He said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The Word tells us, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." These things are true. The source of worry is worldly things, not heavenly ones. If we choose to live in the blessings of Christ, we will feel little need to worry. Our strength and sustenance is found in him. Do not worry!
Now, I know that these words slide off my lips very easily as I write this. I also know that it is difficult to live out this command every day. I have plenty to worry about. There are issues all around me. But, when I slide into that dangerous place of worry, the Holy Spirit is always right there to nudge me and say, "I am always with you." And again I hear the command, do not worry!
So when you are covered by the blanket of worry, engage your spiritual eyes. Look to your Father who knows what you need before you even ask. When you see heaven, earth is much, much less important. I am confident that God will say to you; "Do not worry!" Did I say it enough times?
Matthew 6:25
This is perhaps the most difficult commandment Jesus ever gave. How do you not worry when things around you seem to be falling apart? How can you not worry when people you know are sick? How can you not worry when you have lost your job and have no income? All these things are very real. They are happening every day and many of us are living these realities. But the command Jesus gave us remains as sure today as it was when he said it. Do not worry!
I'm sure you've heard about the medical studies that have been done. Science has found that worry actually makes you sick and can take years away from your life. As Christians, we have the incredible peace that assures us that God is ever watching us. He loves us. He cares for us. He said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The Word tells us, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." These things are true. The source of worry is worldly things, not heavenly ones. If we choose to live in the blessings of Christ, we will feel little need to worry. Our strength and sustenance is found in him. Do not worry!
Now, I know that these words slide off my lips very easily as I write this. I also know that it is difficult to live out this command every day. I have plenty to worry about. There are issues all around me. But, when I slide into that dangerous place of worry, the Holy Spirit is always right there to nudge me and say, "I am always with you." And again I hear the command, do not worry!
So when you are covered by the blanket of worry, engage your spiritual eyes. Look to your Father who knows what you need before you even ask. When you see heaven, earth is much, much less important. I am confident that God will say to you; "Do not worry!" Did I say it enough times?
Friday, January 21, 2011
Fearless
"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'."
Romans 8:15
I learned a long time ago that the opposite of faith is not unbelief, it is fear. Unbelief does not oppose faith, it simply points us to our need. I am sure that we all doubt every once in awhile. This happens, but it is easy to overcome. God gives us the grace to break through those doubts and enter into faith.
The thing that we most struggle with is fear. Do you know that really the only weapon Satan has is fear? He has been completely disarmed by Christ's sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection. So the main thrust of his attacks against Christians is fear. Why do we give in to it? The strange thing about it is; there is usually no reason to fear. Fear is typically an empty threat perpetrated by the enemy to keep us enslaved.
I have had my share of struggles with fear. But there came a time when I realized that I had absolutely no reason to fear launching out in faith. God has promised that he would care for me. I know that God has never once broken a promise. So why fear? I thought about the word, 'fearless.' I had always thought this word meant to be a daredevil. I assumed that it applied to people who jump off of cliffs with their motorcycles and expect to survive. That is not me. I am not a risk taker. But I learned that to be fearless simply means to fear...less. It's simple really. Just stop living in so much fear. I used to think the answer was to ignore it, but I discovered that true victory over fear required me to confront it head on. I learned to name the fears I had and give them to God. The more I did that, the less fear I dealt with.
I have heard that the Bible says, "Do not fear," 365 times. By my count, that's one for each day. So today, confront one of your fears, name it, and present it to God. When you do, he is thrilled to take it and crush it under his feet. The result.is less fear in our lives. We're on our way to being fearless!
Romans 8:15
I learned a long time ago that the opposite of faith is not unbelief, it is fear. Unbelief does not oppose faith, it simply points us to our need. I am sure that we all doubt every once in awhile. This happens, but it is easy to overcome. God gives us the grace to break through those doubts and enter into faith.
The thing that we most struggle with is fear. Do you know that really the only weapon Satan has is fear? He has been completely disarmed by Christ's sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection. So the main thrust of his attacks against Christians is fear. Why do we give in to it? The strange thing about it is; there is usually no reason to fear. Fear is typically an empty threat perpetrated by the enemy to keep us enslaved.
I have had my share of struggles with fear. But there came a time when I realized that I had absolutely no reason to fear launching out in faith. God has promised that he would care for me. I know that God has never once broken a promise. So why fear? I thought about the word, 'fearless.' I had always thought this word meant to be a daredevil. I assumed that it applied to people who jump off of cliffs with their motorcycles and expect to survive. That is not me. I am not a risk taker. But I learned that to be fearless simply means to fear...less. It's simple really. Just stop living in so much fear. I used to think the answer was to ignore it, but I discovered that true victory over fear required me to confront it head on. I learned to name the fears I had and give them to God. The more I did that, the less fear I dealt with.
I have heard that the Bible says, "Do not fear," 365 times. By my count, that's one for each day. So today, confront one of your fears, name it, and present it to God. When you do, he is thrilled to take it and crush it under his feet. The result.is less fear in our lives. We're on our way to being fearless!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Freedom from Guilt
"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin."
Psalm 32:5
The psalm above was written by David. I am confident that every one of us can relate to him. David knew what sin was. He understood the damage it could cause in a life. There were times when even David, whom God said was a "man after His own heart," failed miserably and fell into sin. His sin with Bathsheba and calculated murder of her husband is well documented in the Bible. Yet, it wasn't just the sin that David struggled with. There was a deeper issue that kept him separated from God.
I have made it a personal mission to tell all Christians that daily confession and repentance is of paramount importance. As far as I know, there is only one thing that separates us from God. That one thing is sin. It is clear that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love and daily mercies of God our Father. . . except sin. We often think that if we hide it, it will go away. The problem is, it does not go away. In fact, it festers into something that can devastate our lives. The answer to the problem of sin is simple; tell Him about it! We have a promise from Him, "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) So the first answer to our problem with sin is to stop being quiet about it and tell God.
The other issue David struggled with was the guilt that sin left in him. This is often the single most difficult thing for you and me to overcome. You know God has forgiven you for those past sins, but the guilt still haunts you. You may wake up at night thinking about it and cringing under the weight. Something may happen in the course of the day that triggers the thought of that old sin. It may even make you physically ill when you think about it. These things are all warning signs that you harbor the guilt of sin. From God's point of view, you have been forgiven for the sin. When you bring it up to him, his response is: "What sin?" He doesn't remember because he keeps no record of it. The guilt is OUR issue, not God's.
Dear ones, it is with deep love for you that I can say, give up the guilt of past sin to God! The pain will be eliminated. The guilt will disappear. David said that God "forgave the guilt of my sin." What a release that must have been for him. He passed from a horrible place of literally wasting away physically and spiritually, to a new place of absolute victory and closeness to God. What he experienced, we can experience. Lingering guilt can only bring defeat and destruction, but the forgiveness of God can only bring victory!
Psalm 32:5
The psalm above was written by David. I am confident that every one of us can relate to him. David knew what sin was. He understood the damage it could cause in a life. There were times when even David, whom God said was a "man after His own heart," failed miserably and fell into sin. His sin with Bathsheba and calculated murder of her husband is well documented in the Bible. Yet, it wasn't just the sin that David struggled with. There was a deeper issue that kept him separated from God.
I have made it a personal mission to tell all Christians that daily confession and repentance is of paramount importance. As far as I know, there is only one thing that separates us from God. That one thing is sin. It is clear that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Nothing can separate us from the love and daily mercies of God our Father. . . except sin. We often think that if we hide it, it will go away. The problem is, it does not go away. In fact, it festers into something that can devastate our lives. The answer to the problem of sin is simple; tell Him about it! We have a promise from Him, "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) So the first answer to our problem with sin is to stop being quiet about it and tell God.
The other issue David struggled with was the guilt that sin left in him. This is often the single most difficult thing for you and me to overcome. You know God has forgiven you for those past sins, but the guilt still haunts you. You may wake up at night thinking about it and cringing under the weight. Something may happen in the course of the day that triggers the thought of that old sin. It may even make you physically ill when you think about it. These things are all warning signs that you harbor the guilt of sin. From God's point of view, you have been forgiven for the sin. When you bring it up to him, his response is: "What sin?" He doesn't remember because he keeps no record of it. The guilt is OUR issue, not God's.
Dear ones, it is with deep love for you that I can say, give up the guilt of past sin to God! The pain will be eliminated. The guilt will disappear. David said that God "forgave the guilt of my sin." What a release that must have been for him. He passed from a horrible place of literally wasting away physically and spiritually, to a new place of absolute victory and closeness to God. What he experienced, we can experience. Lingering guilt can only bring defeat and destruction, but the forgiveness of God can only bring victory!
Daring Faith
"Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."
James 2:18
I was reading an old journal of mine the other day. On one page I had written the words, 'DARING FAITH' in big, bold letters. It was the only thing on the page. When I read that, it reminded me of a scene from our family's past. In the 1990s, we owned a boat and had a small trailer at a nearby lake. Our kids were teenagers then and we often took day trips to the lake to play. One day, we went to the other side of the lake where there were some high rock outcroppings. People would climb up there and jump into the lake. The cliffs were forty to sixty feet tall. My son, Nathan had jumped from the cliffs many times and he wanted to do it. Our daughter, Kristen decided she would do it as well. Our oldest daughter, Amber reluctantly agreed to give it a try. They jumped out of the boat, climbed up the hill and situated themselves on the cliffs. Nathan jumped immediately, because he had done it before. Kristen also jumped fairly quickly, showing her daredevil side. But Amber stood on the cliff for a long time. While the other kids jumped several times, Amber was still standing there trying to work up the nerves to jump. A couple of times she tried, but backed out at the last second. Finally, she jumped and safely made the forty foot plunge into the lake.
Faith is like that. Some of us have an easier time with faith. Our personalities are suited for it. We are willing to believe God and all that he says. We know his Word is true. Some of us even have the fearlessness to jump out with faith. But some of us struggle with that. The believing part is not so difficult, but the action part eludes us. Notice that it was easy for Nathan to make the jump, because he had done it many times before. It was more difficult for Kristen, but she overcame fear and jumped. It was most difficult for Amber. She had never done it and her personality is not a daring one. But she overcame her fears and timidity and did it.
I know that all of us fit into one of these categories. We may be experienced people of faith. We may be people with little fear, so launching into something that requires faith is easy for us. Some may also be timid. There is a struggle that takes place inside us before we work up the courage to follow through. But faith that really is faith requires two things: Belief and action. Your faith is not made complete until you act on it. The apostle James said later in that same chapter, "You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder." You see, belief is not faith. It is part of faith. The completion is acting on what you believe.
Let me challenge you. What has God asked you to do where you have not followed through? It could be a life-changing thing or it could be a simple thing. He may have asked you to move or change your life in some significant way. He may have asked you simply to go and pray for someone you know. Whatever he has said, whatever your faith challenge is, complete it by taking the appropriate action. Here is the great part: The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Now that is DARING FAITH!
James 2:18
I was reading an old journal of mine the other day. On one page I had written the words, 'DARING FAITH' in big, bold letters. It was the only thing on the page. When I read that, it reminded me of a scene from our family's past. In the 1990s, we owned a boat and had a small trailer at a nearby lake. Our kids were teenagers then and we often took day trips to the lake to play. One day, we went to the other side of the lake where there were some high rock outcroppings. People would climb up there and jump into the lake. The cliffs were forty to sixty feet tall. My son, Nathan had jumped from the cliffs many times and he wanted to do it. Our daughter, Kristen decided she would do it as well. Our oldest daughter, Amber reluctantly agreed to give it a try. They jumped out of the boat, climbed up the hill and situated themselves on the cliffs. Nathan jumped immediately, because he had done it before. Kristen also jumped fairly quickly, showing her daredevil side. But Amber stood on the cliff for a long time. While the other kids jumped several times, Amber was still standing there trying to work up the nerves to jump. A couple of times she tried, but backed out at the last second. Finally, she jumped and safely made the forty foot plunge into the lake.
Faith is like that. Some of us have an easier time with faith. Our personalities are suited for it. We are willing to believe God and all that he says. We know his Word is true. Some of us even have the fearlessness to jump out with faith. But some of us struggle with that. The believing part is not so difficult, but the action part eludes us. Notice that it was easy for Nathan to make the jump, because he had done it many times before. It was more difficult for Kristen, but she overcame fear and jumped. It was most difficult for Amber. She had never done it and her personality is not a daring one. But she overcame her fears and timidity and did it.
I know that all of us fit into one of these categories. We may be experienced people of faith. We may be people with little fear, so launching into something that requires faith is easy for us. Some may also be timid. There is a struggle that takes place inside us before we work up the courage to follow through. But faith that really is faith requires two things: Belief and action. Your faith is not made complete until you act on it. The apostle James said later in that same chapter, "You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder." You see, belief is not faith. It is part of faith. The completion is acting on what you believe.
Let me challenge you. What has God asked you to do where you have not followed through? It could be a life-changing thing or it could be a simple thing. He may have asked you to move or change your life in some significant way. He may have asked you simply to go and pray for someone you know. Whatever he has said, whatever your faith challenge is, complete it by taking the appropriate action. Here is the great part: The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Now that is DARING FAITH!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Under the Shelter of God's Wings
"I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah
Psalm 61:4
Tonight, I had the opportunity to gather with a group of people to worship and pray. It became obvious to me very quickly that I could not pray. I tried, but it just didn't work. This was a night when God didn't need my prayers or the prayers of anyone who was there. He had a purpose. He wanted to come in a sweet, sweet Spirit and just allow us to relax in his presence.
I'm not sure I have ever experienced anything like it. It was like God said, "Just be quiet and sit here with me for awhile." We did that...and he met all of our needs, even though we didn't express them. You see, this is just like God. He knows exactly what we need and he is faithful to be there to touch us.
I wonder if we take enough time just to take refuge under his wings. When we pray, it seems like a one hundred meter dash. We have so much that we need to ask him. We have so little time. We have to get on with our day because it's busy. Doesn't God know that? There is nothing like just 'hanging out' with God. When we get there, it is such a peaceful and wonderful place, why would we ever want to leave it?
I know we have things to do. I know we have busy lives. But perhaps the most important word in Psalm 61:4, is the last one, Selah. It means, be quiet, be still, pause for a time, think about it. This is exactly what God wants us to do. The next time we have the opportunity, let's take it. Could we just slow down and spend a little time with God? He wants us to snuggle up next to him, be quiet and relax. The desperate prayers will still be there later. There will be plenty of time for crying out to him. But every once in awhile, we just need to let him hold us.
I am so impressed with God. He loves us so much that he is willing to sit and comfort us when we really need it. He doesn't ask anything of us. There is no perfect prayer formula. Sometimes, it doesn't matter if we say anything. The God who searches our hearts, knows what our issues are. Sometimes, he just hides us under his wings. How great the Father's love for us!
Psalm 61:4
Tonight, I had the opportunity to gather with a group of people to worship and pray. It became obvious to me very quickly that I could not pray. I tried, but it just didn't work. This was a night when God didn't need my prayers or the prayers of anyone who was there. He had a purpose. He wanted to come in a sweet, sweet Spirit and just allow us to relax in his presence.
I'm not sure I have ever experienced anything like it. It was like God said, "Just be quiet and sit here with me for awhile." We did that...and he met all of our needs, even though we didn't express them. You see, this is just like God. He knows exactly what we need and he is faithful to be there to touch us.
I wonder if we take enough time just to take refuge under his wings. When we pray, it seems like a one hundred meter dash. We have so much that we need to ask him. We have so little time. We have to get on with our day because it's busy. Doesn't God know that? There is nothing like just 'hanging out' with God. When we get there, it is such a peaceful and wonderful place, why would we ever want to leave it?
I know we have things to do. I know we have busy lives. But perhaps the most important word in Psalm 61:4, is the last one, Selah. It means, be quiet, be still, pause for a time, think about it. This is exactly what God wants us to do. The next time we have the opportunity, let's take it. Could we just slow down and spend a little time with God? He wants us to snuggle up next to him, be quiet and relax. The desperate prayers will still be there later. There will be plenty of time for crying out to him. But every once in awhile, we just need to let him hold us.
I am so impressed with God. He loves us so much that he is willing to sit and comfort us when we really need it. He doesn't ask anything of us. There is no perfect prayer formula. Sometimes, it doesn't matter if we say anything. The God who searches our hearts, knows what our issues are. Sometimes, he just hides us under his wings. How great the Father's love for us!
Monday, January 17, 2011
This Life is Fragile
"God has placed eternity in the hearts of men." Ecclesiastes 3:11
I was reminded yesterday and today just how fragile this life is. My brother was found by a neighbor in his home, unconscious. He had a very high fever due to an infection that has invaded his body. After getting through the initial crisis, getting him to the hospital, and visiting him for the day, I was struck with the stark reminder that God really does hold us in the palm of his hand.
This life we live is sometimes difficult. It is sometimes painful, and emotionally draining. On the other hand, sometimes life is wonderful. We have people we love and care for. We are blessed and live in one of the richest nations in the world. Yet, this life is not ours. We have a life in the kingdom of God. In that life, there is more than enough of everything we need. We are blessed spiritually beyond anything we can even imagine. There is incredible peace in the spiritual life. Though this kingdom is not perceived through our natural senses, it is vibrant and beautiful when we look through our spiritual eyes.
My point is: We spend way too much time being concerned with the earthly life than we should. Often, there is turmoil and unrest here. But in the kingdom, there is peace and joy. The interesting thing is; I make the choice where I want to live. If I get caught up in the things of the earthly life, I do not experience the beauty of the kingdom. But if I choose to live moment by moment in the kingdom of heaven, I am fully satisfied. There is an old song that says: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." Ah, the truth is overwhelming to me. God placed eternity in all of us. We should live in that knowledge. Then, the pain, the physical issues, even death itself, are no obstacles. I choose eternity. I choose the kingdom. I choose heaven. Join me there.
I was reminded yesterday and today just how fragile this life is. My brother was found by a neighbor in his home, unconscious. He had a very high fever due to an infection that has invaded his body. After getting through the initial crisis, getting him to the hospital, and visiting him for the day, I was struck with the stark reminder that God really does hold us in the palm of his hand.
This life we live is sometimes difficult. It is sometimes painful, and emotionally draining. On the other hand, sometimes life is wonderful. We have people we love and care for. We are blessed and live in one of the richest nations in the world. Yet, this life is not ours. We have a life in the kingdom of God. In that life, there is more than enough of everything we need. We are blessed spiritually beyond anything we can even imagine. There is incredible peace in the spiritual life. Though this kingdom is not perceived through our natural senses, it is vibrant and beautiful when we look through our spiritual eyes.
My point is: We spend way too much time being concerned with the earthly life than we should. Often, there is turmoil and unrest here. But in the kingdom, there is peace and joy. The interesting thing is; I make the choice where I want to live. If I get caught up in the things of the earthly life, I do not experience the beauty of the kingdom. But if I choose to live moment by moment in the kingdom of heaven, I am fully satisfied. There is an old song that says: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." Ah, the truth is overwhelming to me. God placed eternity in all of us. We should live in that knowledge. Then, the pain, the physical issues, even death itself, are no obstacles. I choose eternity. I choose the kingdom. I choose heaven. Join me there.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Return to Your First Love
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." Revelation 2:4-5
The theme at our church this year is: "Return to your first love." We have to remember that our love relationship with God is first and foremost. For those of us who have been Christians for awhile, it is easy to allow many other things to interfere with the simplicity of our love for God and His love for us. We get caught up in 'church' and all the activities that go along with being a recognizable Christian.
Can we return to our first love? When we came to Christ, it was as a little child. We needed someone to help us and he stretched out his hand and picked us up. He hugged us, comforted us and let us know that we were so important to him that he would drop everything just to spend time with us. But as we became more mature, we stopped going to him. We may have been too busy doing the 'stuff' that we were supposed to do: You know, Christian stuff.
If we are to return to our first love, we have to remember what it was like then. I remember when I first came to know Jesus. Faith was simple. I remember laying out in the back yard on a warm summer night shortly after I had given my life to him. I said, "God, would you make the wind blow?" And he did. That sounds foolish, but didn't Jesus say that God uses the foolish things to confound the wise? Maybe I have become a little too wise. Maybe I should start asking God those simple, foolish questions again.
It seems like this involves repentance. Why don't all of us go back to God, jump into his arms, and ask him to forgive us for being too involved in Christian stuff to spend time with him? Why don't we tell him we love him? Why don't we return to that first love and live our lives right there? He's waiting..
The theme at our church this year is: "Return to your first love." We have to remember that our love relationship with God is first and foremost. For those of us who have been Christians for awhile, it is easy to allow many other things to interfere with the simplicity of our love for God and His love for us. We get caught up in 'church' and all the activities that go along with being a recognizable Christian.
Can we return to our first love? When we came to Christ, it was as a little child. We needed someone to help us and he stretched out his hand and picked us up. He hugged us, comforted us and let us know that we were so important to him that he would drop everything just to spend time with us. But as we became more mature, we stopped going to him. We may have been too busy doing the 'stuff' that we were supposed to do: You know, Christian stuff.
If we are to return to our first love, we have to remember what it was like then. I remember when I first came to know Jesus. Faith was simple. I remember laying out in the back yard on a warm summer night shortly after I had given my life to him. I said, "God, would you make the wind blow?" And he did. That sounds foolish, but didn't Jesus say that God uses the foolish things to confound the wise? Maybe I have become a little too wise. Maybe I should start asking God those simple, foolish questions again.
It seems like this involves repentance. Why don't all of us go back to God, jump into his arms, and ask him to forgive us for being too involved in Christian stuff to spend time with him? Why don't we tell him we love him? Why don't we return to that first love and live our lives right there? He's waiting..
Friday, January 14, 2011
Living in the Fullness of Christ
"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority." Colossians 2:9-10.
As Christians, we probably do not doubt that Christ is the fullness of God. It is inherent to our faith to believe that God sent his only Son to live in bodily form and to die for the forgiveness of sin. We readily believe that Jesus was fully God and yet fully man.
We also believe that Christ is the head over all powers and authorities. We believe the Word that tells us he was raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of the Father to sit on his throne in glory. These things are indisputable. We know Christ! We know his authority, his power and his grace. He has changed our lives and reconciled us to God. We know that we very literally, owe our lives to him.
Where we struggle is understanding our position in Christ. This scripture is very clear: We have been given all the fullness of Christ. So why don't we believe that. If we have the fullness of Christ, then we, like him, have absolute authority over every power and authority. We have dominion over the enemy because Jesus has dominion over him. We have victory over sin because Christ won the victory over sin. We have defeated death because Jesus defeated death and the grave.
It is about time that we start acting like the people we really are. We are not defeated. We are not just barely making it from day to day. Despite the circumstances in our lives, we are seated in heavenly places with Christ. We are citizens, in fact royalty in the kingdom of heaven. So, let's begin to live a life that understands who we are. Let's start tapping in to the authority that we have in Christ. It isn't just a little of his authority, it is the FULLNESS of it. All the authority Jesus has, he has bestowed on us.
Have you ever seen the ceremony when a man is granted Knighthood? This is the way we need to see ourselves in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus stands over us with sword in hand. In love he touches our head and shoulders with the sword and proclaims us ready to go into the world and proclaim the kingdom. When he does this, we are given all the fullness of his power and authority. It came when you gave your life to him. Now, take your place! Know who you are in Christ! Receive his fullness and live in absolute victory!
As Christians, we probably do not doubt that Christ is the fullness of God. It is inherent to our faith to believe that God sent his only Son to live in bodily form and to die for the forgiveness of sin. We readily believe that Jesus was fully God and yet fully man.
We also believe that Christ is the head over all powers and authorities. We believe the Word that tells us he was raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of the Father to sit on his throne in glory. These things are indisputable. We know Christ! We know his authority, his power and his grace. He has changed our lives and reconciled us to God. We know that we very literally, owe our lives to him.
Where we struggle is understanding our position in Christ. This scripture is very clear: We have been given all the fullness of Christ. So why don't we believe that. If we have the fullness of Christ, then we, like him, have absolute authority over every power and authority. We have dominion over the enemy because Jesus has dominion over him. We have victory over sin because Christ won the victory over sin. We have defeated death because Jesus defeated death and the grave.
It is about time that we start acting like the people we really are. We are not defeated. We are not just barely making it from day to day. Despite the circumstances in our lives, we are seated in heavenly places with Christ. We are citizens, in fact royalty in the kingdom of heaven. So, let's begin to live a life that understands who we are. Let's start tapping in to the authority that we have in Christ. It isn't just a little of his authority, it is the FULLNESS of it. All the authority Jesus has, he has bestowed on us.
Have you ever seen the ceremony when a man is granted Knighthood? This is the way we need to see ourselves in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus stands over us with sword in hand. In love he touches our head and shoulders with the sword and proclaims us ready to go into the world and proclaim the kingdom. When he does this, we are given all the fullness of his power and authority. It came when you gave your life to him. Now, take your place! Know who you are in Christ! Receive his fullness and live in absolute victory!
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