Numb Silence

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you"- James 1:27 (NLT).

Show me how to worship and serve You Lord with a pure and genuine religion. James gave us two components of sanctified religion. The first is most well known, taking care of orphans and widows. The second had escaped my attention. Let's look at the Scripture with the removal of the first: "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means...refusing to let the world corrupt you." Money, power, position...violence, sex, drugs...What about allowing worldliness to desensitize us? We watch television shows glamorizing evil, read demoralizing sins of the flesh literature, listen to music that is contrary to our faith and our God...and remain silent, anesthetized, on the sidelines as this parade of sin passes before us. I listened to a man tell a group that Moses' burning bush was produced by ground-seeping oil in the middle east. Isn't silence the same as agreement? There should be an addendum to today's Scripture: "Refusing to let the world corrupt you"...and those around you. Lord forgive my numb silence and revive us!

I Love You This Much

"To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"- Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV).    

There used to be a newspaper cartoon called, "I Love You This Much." The creator, whom I can't find on Google, used her marriage as the inspiration to her creation. She even had a little dog. Do you know the cartoon I'm talking about? I used to cut them out and save them. Each one made you realize the imperfections of your husband don't alter the fact that you love him. She actually found humor in the imperfections and we laughed along, because we all have imperfections. There is no perfect spouse...Amen? I wonder if Jesus finds humor in our imperfections? I also remember a poster of Jesus on the cross, arms spread wide, with the caption, "I love you this much." Jesus has loved us immeasurably more...more than we can ask or imagine. To Him be glory for ever!

Tarry Lord

"The Lord in not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance"- 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV).

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is not slow...according to God's timetable. Our view of slowness is defined by our own time schedule. The Second Coming will happen, but there are many who still need salvation and Jesus yearns for them. C. H. Spurgeon said, "While I have prayed, "Come quickly," I have often felt inclined to contradict myself and cry, "Yet tarry for a while, good Lord. Let mercy's day be lengthened. Let the heathen yet receive the Savior." We may desire the coming of the Lord, but we ought to be in sympathy with the tarrying of the Most High, to which His loving heart inclines Him." Though our hearts cry, "Come now, Jesus," let us be patient while the Lord tarries, for those remaining, to come to Him. 

Living Sacrifice

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship"-Romans 12:1 (NIV).

"Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in endless praise." Henri Abraham Cesar Malan wrote those lyrics in 1827. Consecrated means to set apart, to transform, to dedicate for a sacred purpose, to make hallow. True and proper worship is fulfilled by offering ourselves, our bodies, as living sacrifices in His service. The Israelites looked for a spotless lamb, a perfect sacrifice; nothing less was acceptable to God. Our sinful bodies are far from spotless, so God provided the perfect Sacrificial Lamb, consecrating our bodies as temples for the Holy Spirit to reside. You have been set apart, transformed, dedicated. Do not ignore your sacred purpose by treating your offering with little regard. Do you worship by treating your body as an offering to God?

Uncovered

"Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator"-Colossians 3:9-10 (NIV).

Being honest is liberating and feels crisp and clean. Dishonesty, on the other hand, makes you feel dirty and leaves you trapped with the possibility of having to tell a "cover up" lie or the fear you may be found out..."uncovered" as a liar. Today's Scripture talks about an "uncovering," one that liberates and makes you brand new, a chance to put on a new person in the image of Jesus Christ. Life is all about this choice, this "uncovering." God has set before you life and blessings or death and curses (Deuteronomy 30:19). Now is the time to choose and let us share this Message with others.

Changling

"Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change"- James 1:17 (NRSV).

In this life, change is inevitable, but our Father never changes. Decay and rust eat away at our best creations changing them into shadows of their concept: Castles become ruins, masterpieces lose their brilliance. Even the earth transforms: rivers change their course, weathering reduces rock to sand. We see our physical bodies changing, too, but take heart Christian, change has a promise: We are spiritually being transformed, changed, into the image of Jesus little at a time. This perfect and generous gift comes from the Father (2 Corinthians 3:18). Change is good!

Pruned

“Encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone”- 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NIV).

What tries your patience? Is it drivers, long lines, career advancement, spouses….? We aren't even patient with ourselves. We want immediate results. We want to know how long something will take before we begin the work. It’s absolutely amazing the patience God has with us and I praise Him because He still looks at us as precious and worth waiting on. God created us to bear fruit. He lovingly prunes us and patiently waits for the blossoms of promised fruit to show (John 15:1-2). Be patient with yourself and others. Growing fruit takes time.

Courageous

“He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine”-1 Samuel 17:40 (NLT).

David should inspire us! How do you prepare to do what the world considers foolishly impossible? David was going to fight a giant, against impossible odds, and without backup support. Goliath brought his armor bearer onto the battlefield and had Philistine troops cheering him on, confident in Goliath’s strength and size. David was so small he couldn't fit into the armor King Saul tried to give him. Goliath was a giant armed with a deadly javelin and a thick shield. David had a stick and a sling. We know how the story ended. God takes the world’s view of foolishness and demonstrates His power. You should want David’s kind of courage; the courage to cross the valley, to meet and defeat giants, and to know nothing is impossible or too hard for God (Luke 1:37).

Owned

”Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself”-2 Timothy 2:11-13 (NIV).

People who reject the salvation of the Lord, disowning Jesus...God will disown them. People who accept Jesus, even when they falter and are faithless…God will not, cannot, disown them. When God looks at us, His chosen, He sees His Son (Himself). He’s aware of every heartbeat and breath we take. What will others see when they look at us? That’s very humbling, because our thoughts and actions don’t always honor nor replicate Jesus? God yearns for us, yet knows our “condition.” That’s why He provided the Way, so we, His beloved, would be able to live and reign with Him...forever. Jesus is intricately woven into our being. May the Spirit in me, recognize the Spirit in you, and together we say, “Come Lord Jesus!     

“God knows the rhythm of my spirit and my heart thoughts. He is as close as breathing” (Unknown).

Here Today and Here Tomorrow

Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness"- Romans 4:4-5 (NIV).

People are paid for their earthly work; pay that is not a gift, here today and gone tomorrow. There is no work you can do to make yourself right with God. Righteousness requires faith. James spoke of work, work spawned by faith (2:24). One is the natural product of the other. You can't have faith and not produce work; work that also has a paycheck...an eternal gift, here today and here tomorrow.    

Eternal Lessons

"For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen"- Romans 11:36 (NIV).

Trusting God is the most liberating realization one learns in life. He commands us to do one thing...with all our heart, mind, soul, and body...love Him and love others (Luke 10:27). You can't say you don't know how to love, not if you have life and live in this world. Henry Drummond says, "The world is not a playground, it is a schoolroom. Life is not a holiday but an education, and the one eternal lesson for us all is how better we can love." It boils down to "choosing to love." Do you want to glorify God? Trust Him; let go and fall into the arms of Jesus..love with abandon; for love's origin is from God, through God, and for God...an eternal lesson for the world to see. 

Tossing the Sack

“You turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy”-Psalm 30:11 (NIV).

This Scripture is an emotional dichotomy.  Imagine a person wailing and wearing sackcloth.  They are in torment, vulnerable, physically weak, and seemingly inconsolable.  The person is miserable in heart, body, and spirit.  God’s saving grace, mercy, and provision changes that tormented soul, in an indescribable act of love, into a new joyful soul:  dancing and full of joy.  Is it the provisional answer to the prayer creating the joy?  Or is the realization that God is really concerned about us, hears our prayers, and reaches out His mighty arm to save us?  It’s the confirmation, time and time again, that He loves us;  He really loves us.  If you are sad…pray, be still, and get ready to toss that sack.