Pristine Condition

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies"- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV).

Have you ever had a brand new car or truck? You wash and wax it, park it away from other cars (especially questionable cars), fill it with the best grade of fuel, faithfully take it in for scheduled maintenance and, of course, no one is allowed to eat inside the car. Gasp! Then one day the first ding happens. Maybe it was as simple as a piece of gravel thrown up from the car in front of you or you've backed into the cart bin in the Costco's parking lot. Disappointment floods you as you look at the imperfection. Even if the car is repaired, the vehicle is no longer in pristine condition. God has given us each a "vehicle" for our time here on earth. We are to take care of it: being careful what we put in it, where we "park" it, and faithfully take it in for regular maintenance. We begin in pristine condition, but sooner or later the dings happen, which make us feel hopeless in honoring God with our bodies, but God is the Master Mechanic. Those of you who are suffering from dings, take heart: Not only did God pay the price for you, but God is in the restoration business (1 Peter 5:6-11). Be sure to be faithful in planning regular maintenance with the Master Mechanic. Unlike a repaired car, God is all powerful and He puts us back into pristine condition.

Naked Truth

"Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame"- Genesis 2:25 (NIV).

Children are so innocent. It was a real challenge to keep my youngest daughter in her bathing suit at the beach. The bathing suit felt confining, and being only two and a half years old, it was logical to take it off. By the time the struggle ended, she and I, had compromised that she could go topless. She felt no shame in being naked, just as Adam and Eve felt no shame in their nakedness. That's because once sin entered in innocence was gone. Jesus told us, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). (No, this Scripture does not advocate becoming a nudist.) Jesus wants us to have childlike innocence, free from the fear of judgment, accepting His truths; for such childlike acceptance makes up the kingdom of heaven. If only we could take off that "confining bathing suit" that  clothes us with the fear of judgment, the fear of non-acceptance and the fear of sharing our Christian faith. Childlike faith is possible only by accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord and putting on His mantle of salvation. Only His clothing frees us from sin and the judgment that comes with it. And that's the naked truth.   

To Him Be The Glory

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

God is in control. He's in control when jobs are flourishing and when jobs are being out-sourced. He's in control when babies are being born and when infertility looms over a couple. He's in control when you finish your first marathon and when you discover your cancer has returned. There will be times when your faith is soaring, strong, and there will be times when God's presence can't be felt and your prayers seem to go unanswered, unheard. Look around at God's creation. The bird still sings after the snake has found her nest. The wildflower still springs forth after the fire has scorched the land. The rainbow still appears and arches over the hurricane battered coastline. Get out into God's creation and witness its testimony: God is omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience. He is all powerful, He is all present and He is all knowing; He is in control. Jesus responded to His frightened disciples, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm" (Matthew 8:26). To Him be the glory forever! Amen.  

Masquerade Invitation

"So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ"- Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV).

Costume parties are fun; you get to dress up and become someone other than yourself. This isn’t just for kids; adults love going incognito, too. Because it's so much fun, there's an entire market on costumes, some being very expensive depending on the popularity of the persona you're wanting to "clothe yourself in." Those masquerades are usually one night frills, but today's Scripture tells us that when we are baptized we eternally clothe ourselves with Christ. When God sees us, He sees Jesus, His Son, not the sinful person underneath; we are incognito. The "costume" of Jesus is the most expensive of all; but, you don't have to pay. Jesus paid the bill for you.This masquerade is an eternal party of being recognized as Christ Jesus, which allows you into heavenly places. This one-of-a-kind masquerade invitation is offered to everyone. Be baptized into Christ and be clothed with Christ.   

Be Thoroughly Rested

"Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. "Couldn't you men keep watch with Me for one hour?" He asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak""- (Matthew 26:40-41).

Our bodies were designed to rest; just try depriving your body of sleep and see what happens. Research shows an adult should get at least 7-9 hours of sleep to be both physically and mentally prepared for the day. Here are just a few signs of sleep deprivation: your memory's shot, you have trouble making decisions, your motor skills are off, you're emotions are all over the place, you get sick often, and you may even fall asleep at a critical time. Imagine falling asleep when the Lord has asked you to keep watch, such as the fateful night of His arrest. The parable of the ten virgins is another example of falling asleep at a critical time. They were waiting for the Bridegroom to come, but weren't prepared with enough oil. "The Bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep" (Matthew 25:5). Our spirit is willing when God calls us to be watchful, but our flesh will betray us if we have neglected its need for rest. Be thoroughly rested then for whatever experience the Lord is bringing your way; as He taught, "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).  

First Love

"You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?"- 1 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV).

Who is your first love? If an answer doesn't immediately spring from your lips, then ask yourself who should be your first love. I went through a period of being a jealous newlywed, which led to arguments and issues of trust. I'm not sure how it happened, but my source of love and happiness had moved from the Lord to my husband and Scripture is correct that jealousy can be cruel as the grave (Song of Solomon 8:6). If there is jealousy and quarreling in your life, someone has supplanted the One who should exclusively hold that position in your heart. As Christians, we are not to love the world or anything in the world more than God. "Anything" can mean position, power, prestige. Those are points of contentious jealousy, too. Worldly people, mere humans, do not love the Lord the way they should; they've forsaken Him (1 John 2:15). When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). That's your First Love asking for your complete love; not a portion, not to share that position with someone or something else; but, wholly His: heart, soul, mind and body. Once I corrected my focus, all parts of my life fell back into their proper place. I know my husband was much happier too. Today's Scripture warns, if you are experiencing jealousy and quarreling, you are acting like a mere human. Remember who you are and Whom you belong to: You are the bride of Christ Jesus.  

Stay Away From Them

"I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them"- Romans 16:17 (NIV).

There were almost ten of us riding horses through a lightly wooded area. My horse, Brandy, and I were close to the rear of the group, so we were completely caught off guard by what happened next. The ensuing commotion and flight was completely out of control. It was several long minutes, before I got Brandy under control and began looking for our scattered group. I soon learned that the lead horse had stepped into a hornet's nest in the ground. I only had one sting, but Brandy had many on her rump. The lead horse and rider got the worst of the hornets' wrath. We riders were simply following our leader. We had no idea where the leader was taking us; I wasn't paying attention until after the trouble began. Christians should pick who they follow with great care; not follow blindly. Too many Christian leaders have led followers into a hornet's nest, leaving them scattered and hurt. Take time to know your church leaders beliefs; they should be leading a life that reflects those beliefs. If not, keep away from them.