Brother's Keeper

"If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible"- Leviticus 5:1 (NIV).

Most people have heard about the Good Samaritan Laws in regards to coming upon the scene of, or witnessing, an accident. We are required to assist or to give a statement of what we witnessed. Still, some will drive on by without stopping. People make the excuse, "I don't want to get involved." My husband and I came across a motorcycle accident on Scenic Highway 9 close to Asheville. We stopped, offered assistance and called for an ambulance. The injured man said several cars had slowed down, but driven on by. Imagine how he felt as he lay there injured and his fellow man gawked and left him there in his pain. God says we are responsible to speak up when we have seen or learned about something that is injurious to our fellow man. This is not a new sin for man; the sin was obviously there early in creation. Remember Cain's response to God when asked about Abel? "I don't know," [Cain] replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"" (Genesis 4:9). We are all our brother's keeper.

Fight the Good Fight

""If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?""-Jeremiah 12:5 (NIV).

God was responding to Jeremiah's complaint of suffering. We all pulled for Rocky Balboa, in the movie Rocky, to get back up when he was knocked down, to not give up and we cheered when he finally won against all odds. He looked beaten up; in fact, at one point during the match his eye was so swollen that he asked his coach to cut his eyelid so he could see and continue the fight. Rocky Balboa did not give up when he was worn out. We applaud that spirit of persevering, but we each have to face our own battles. Paul encountered great suffering, but at the end of it all he said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8). God calls us to have the same spirit of perseverance. Are you worn out? Get back up, don't give in; fight the good fight.  

Unwilling Stranger

"A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross"- Mark 15:21 (NIV).

Jesus was too weak to carry the cross He was to die upon, due to a night of beatings and floggings. The soldiers pulled Simon from the crowd, an unintended participant in the Crucifixion of the Messiah. Simon was only passing by; watching the torture and death of criminals wasn't on his agenda, plus his two sons were with him. And he wasn't one of Jesus' followers either; where were those disciples anyway? Where were those who professed their love to Him earlier that evening? An unwilling stranger assisted Jesus to Golgotha that day. Simon wasn't from that area; he was from Cyrene, located in Libya in northern Africa. Since Simon didn't recognize Jesus, one can only assume he wasn't a follower of Jesus, but Simon would most certainly hear who Jesus was afterwards. Simon had helped the Son of God during the pinnacle moment of His mission: the salvation of the world.    

Understanding

"I run in the path of Your commands, for You have broadened my understanding"- Psalm 119:32 (NIV).

Without the law there would be no understanding of sin; we wouldn't even be aware sin existed. In the wrestling ring it would be a "no holds barred" life. We would be guilt-free to follow the lust of our flesh while life spun out of control. Without the law we wouldn't understand there was a need for a savior. The law prepared our hearts for the coming of the Messiah. Where the law condemned us, Jesus forgave us and He set us free. With that understanding, how should we live our lives? We are indebted to God for keeping His covenant to bring us out of a life leading to death into an everlasting life in His presence. Don't be deceived into thinking the devil has given up on making you stumble in your Christian walk. He will remind you of the sinner you are, according to the law; unworthy and powerless to save yourself. That message has crippled many an unstable believer enchaining them once again with the law. Hold fast to your understanding: "For freedom Christ has set [you] free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

Powerful Arms

"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forevermore"- Psalm 125:2 (NIV).

You are safe. You are guarded. God surrounds you with His powerful arms. Nothing can snatch you out of His hands (John 10:29). Even His angels encamp around those He loves, and delivers them (Psalm 34:7). Nothing in all creation can separate you from God's love: death, demons, nor consequences (Romans 8:38). Even if you tried, you can't escape Him. Pitch black darkness cannot hide you from God's protective eyes (Psalm 139: 8, 11). How long will God jealously protect you, His beloved? Forevermore. And, if God is for you, who can stand against you? No body (Romans 8:31). So live a life free from fear, free from worry, knowing Who holds you in His powerful arms.  

What About You?

""But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I am?""- Mark 8:29a (NIV).

This is the day of Holy Week that Jesus aroused the angst and anger of the religious leaders. They would test Him and become increasingly alarmed at the numbers who were following Him. This, Jesus, could upset the whole Jewish system of rules and religious hierarchy! He sure did, didn't He? I like thinking about Jesus' method of reaching the people. He didn't sit in a comfy chair and quietly give them lessons in faith. He lived it out loud; passionately. He was in their face; advancing the kingdom, not retreating. When did Christians become the silent majority? We are the biggest religion in the world, though we aren't the fastest growing. Does fear of persecution disarm us? Are we afraid we might offend someone? Jesus spoke the truth; yes, it offended anybody who was contrary to the truth, but the cards were on the table. It was time to choose Who to throw your faith behind. Jesus always gives us the choice of who to follow. Christians, who live quietly in their faith, are impotent; while, Satan and his minions, are in the face of people every day. How many cards does the person have to choose from, if Christians aren't even in the game? By not speaking out, we basically are in agreement with the devil. Heaven help us.

Standing on the Promises

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten-the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm-my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will My people be shamed"- Joel 2:25-26 (NIV).

We all walk through our proverbial "valley" sooner or later, but God is faithful, loving and abounding in mercy. He will restore your joy; just ask any one of Jesus' disciples. Imagine the overwhelming joy they felt when they looked into the face of the risen Savior; but, God also restores what was lost, as in today's Scripture. A good example is Job: Job's family, health and wealth, once lost, were restored by the Father; twice as much (Job 42:10). We all will suffer, have suffered or are suffering now, but there is hope in the promises of our Holy Father: "And the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5;10). R. Kelso Carter wrote the song Standing on the Promises: "Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God I shall prevail, Standing on the promises of God" (second verse). God keeps His promises. You can stand on them. 

The Real Enemy

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"- John 10:10 (NIV).

Don't let that prowling lion, aka the devil, steal your joy. It begins in your heart. You must believe the devil exists and that he is a real threat to you having the abundant life God created for you. You may be having problems within your family, within your job, health problems, financial problems, or have experienced great loss. Remember who the real enemy is: Satan. How do you combat the devil? You do it with thanksgiving. Thank God for His mercy and grace. Thank Him. Praise Him. That unnerves Satan. Let us remember this Psalm: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him" (28:7). The victory is ours Brothers and Sisters through Jesus Christ and Him alone.

House In Order

"In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover"- 2 Kings 20:1 (NIV).

"Put your house in order." This is more than Spring cleaning for the year; it's clearing away debris in your life before you pass to your reward. We don't do this for ourselves as much as we do it for those we leave behind. While you're dancing down streets of gold your family is sorting through your possessions; basically, cleaning up after you. They will wonder what to do with all the memorabilia you collected and sort through the the number of inconsequential things you thought you might need one day, but never did. God ended up adding years to Hezekiah's life. I hope he used those additional 15 years to put his house in order. It's like preparing for a move. You have everything sorted through, boxed up and ready to go. You're just waiting on the day of departure; oh glorious day,

Smooth Sailing

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"- Matthew 12:40 (NIV).

The amount of days and nights was the only commonality between those two events. Jonah had been running from God, finally obeyed God, and then was mad at God's decision to spare Nineveh; unless it was Jonah's decision to tell the crew of the ship, tossed about in the storm, to throw him overboard; he was the cause of their plight and only with his removal could they be saved. In truth, that was a sacrifice. We know where Jonah was those three days and nights, but Jesus wasn't in the belly of a fish. The doxology says Jesus descended into hell. Hell is complete separation from God. That's the punishment for sin: death and separation. We usually only think of His death on Easter, but we need to remember the separation. It wasn't just on Good Friday, it was for three days. There is no temptation known to man that Jesus did not also endure, but He did experience something believers will never experience; Jesus experienced hell. Our life may feel like a ship tossed about in the storm, but with Jesus our future is promised to be smooth sailing.

Fragrance of Christ

"Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume"- John 12:3 (NIV).

The aroma permeated the entire house and those who left that evening left carrying the fragrance in them and on them; similarly, as followers of Jesus, we bear the fragrance of Christ. We are the aroma of Christ to those who are around us, both saved and unsaved, "to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life" (2 Corinthians 2:16). It's the fragrance of God, Christ Himself, not us, who speaks to their souls. We can't take the credit. The ax can't boast over the one who holds it, nor any tool. It is the One who holds the tool who holds the power to get the job done (Isaiah 10:15). We don't have to be gifted in word or deed; if we've been with Jesus, we carry His fragrance.  

Joy for the Day

"So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun"- Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NIV).

A baby giggling uncontrollably, over seemingly nothing, maybe their sister merely dropping a floppy doll to the floor over and over again, will cause most adults to laugh or, at the very least, smile. Check out the number of views on Youtube when you search baby laughing. Joy is easily shared and it carries health benefits, both mentally and physically. Joy triggers the release of endorphins that promote a sense of well-being and increases the infection-fighting antibodies your body needs for protection from diseases. A joy-filled heart is certainly good medicine (Proverbs 17:22). That joy will go with you into your work day enabling you to live the victorious life God created you to live. Be joyous in this day; God designed it specifically for you (Psalm 118:24). That should put a smile on your face.  

Sticky Situation

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"- Proverbs 3:5 (NIV).

We find ourselves painted into a corner, sooner or later, regardless of our best efforts. How we got there isn't the main focus; instead, how do we get ourselves out? We don't. God will act on our behalf when we commit our problem to Him and trust Him to get us out (Psalm 37:5). It looks impossible, you can barely move; but, don't aren't we to believe that nothing is impossible for God? Look back at past events where God has pulled you out of the corner; out of the sticky situation...did He require your help? His ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Trust the Lord to deliver you. While you're waiting for God to get you through this sticky situation, use the time to be thankful and put a song on your lips. How about John Wallers I'm Waiting: "I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You, Lord and I am hopeful. I'm waiting on You, Lord though it is painful, but patiently, I will wait." It's not easy to wait, but hope in God; He will create a way for you.  

Tar Pit Times

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"- Romans 8:31 (NIV).

Have you ever had the dream of trying to move forward, but it's like you're in slow motion, not making any traction? It's like being in thick mud suctioning your feet deeply into the muck and mire. Life events can make us feel that we aren't making any progress; we're still stuck in a seemingly impossible tar pit with little, to no, sign of relief. The devil enjoys watching you struggle; especially, if it makes you question God's presence and deliverance. God won't let you go. Even the devil knows God holds you. Do you want to put up a good fight? During tar pit times, that try to pull you under, stop struggling, be still and know; trust God and let his peace settle on you. Your peace, from faith, disturbs and drives the devil away. The victory is yours.  

Overcome

"Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God"- 1 John 5:5 (NIV).

Faith overcomes the world; therefore, your faith is powerful in the spiritual battle raging between Light and darkness (v.4). Faith is your shield, which you wield as part of the armor of God (Ephesians 6:16). Your shield of faith protects you against Satan's fiery darts intended to confuse you, to make you doubt and weaken your faith, to fall short of the victory that is yours in Christ Jesus. Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God based solely upon the Scriptures? Faith is believing what you hope for, knowing there is truth in the things that are not seen with natural eyes (Hebrews 11:1). At the center of faith is trust. Trust that Jesus is who He said He is and that you will spend an eternity with Him. For those who overcome, Jesus allows to sit with Him on His heavenly throne (Revelations 3:21). Pick up your shield of faith and overcome. 

Because he Loves Me

""Because he loves Me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call on Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation""- Psalms 91:14-16 (NIV).

The Bible is God's love letter to us. So many of the Scriptures focus on God's love for us; his mercy and grace poured out on us, but today's Scripture is God's reaction to our loving Him. God is not saying, "because He loves us," but "because we love Him" Think about it. Omnipotent God desires our love; the Creator of all things longs to experience our love. Look at His reaction in today's Scripture. Reread it as if God were speaking of you. Hillsong sings the song, Jesus, Lover of My Soul. It's a love song for God. If you know the song, sing along; if not, let the words sink in and pour them back out to the Father. His desire is for you and your love.

Jesus, Lover of my soul,

Jesus, I will never let You go

You've taken me from the miry clay

You've set my feet upon the Rock, and now I know.

I love You, I need You,

Though my world may fall, I'll never let You go

My Savior, my closest Friend,

I will worship You until the very end.