God Is Awesome!

Be an Agent of Forgiveness

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

John 20:21-23 NIV

So often when we think of the Holy Spirit we think of the gifts of the Spirit. Isn't it interesting that after his resurrection, when Christ appeared to his disciples, that with the first breath of the Holy Spirit he empowers them to forgive? 

In a sense, forgiveness is the fulcrum of our faith. We need to be forgiven. We need to forgive. We forgive because Christ forgave us. Everyone around us needs to know that in Christ their sins are forgiven. 

Father, thank you that in Christ we are forgiven. Everyone we know needs to be forgiven. May we be agents of forgiveness to everyone around us today!

Power and Strength for You

Proclaim the power of God,

   whose majesty is over Israel,

   whose power is in the heavens.

You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;

   the God of Israel gives power and       
      strength to his people. 

Praise be to God!

Psalms 68:34-35 NIV

Yes or No

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

James 5:12 NIV

Two things to remember. One is that humility,is knowing that God is Sovereign over everything, not me. The second is that the truth is easy to remember. 

We Seek, He Sanctifies.

For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 17:19 NIV

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Ephesians 5:25 NIV

As I was reading this morning in John I thought about how I, as a husband and a father, need to continue to seek God in order to sanctify my marriage and my family. I don't mean this as a guilt bomb, but, as a word of exhortation, an encouragement to push on, to go forward, to not give up.

I may not know exactly how, but the Holy Spirit will work. My role is to seek God. Every time I pray, alone, with my wife, with my children, the Spirit works to sanctify us. Every time I read the Bible and seek to do what it says the Spirit sanctifies me and my family. Every time I try to act in faith, to do something in Jesus' name, the Spirit works to sanctify me. 

Our work is to believe in and seek Christ. His work is to send the Holy Spirit to sanctify us through and through.

Father, I pray that as we go out into the world today that you would protect us and use us to glorify your Name. Grant us at least one redemptive moment, action or conversation. Praise be to you in us today!

He Told You So

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NIV

The desired state of being is peace. The reality is there's going to be trouble. The need is to be courageous in Christ. The reason is because Christ overcame the world already! 

Lord, we look to you to be our peace in the trials that we will encounter today. Give us the strength and courage we need to fight the good fight in Christ. Thank you that you have already overcome the world and sent you Spirit within us to give us the courage and strength we need. Be glorified in us today!

He Chose You

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:16-17 NIV

It never ceases to amaze me that God chose me. My whole life sees to be an enigma. The student that teachers said, "Oh no, not him" who became a teacher. (A middle school teacher of mine literally fell out of his chair spinning around when he heard I became a teacher.) If there is such a thing as Attention Deficit Disorder I still have it. When I was in school a ruler was what teachers used to "help" you pay attention and stay focused. I question just about everything, stumble easily, I'm wrong more often the right, have to do things more than once, learn the hard way, discern mostly with hindsight, remember that I should of prayed first, and I know most of my motives are completely self-centered. 

Yet, Christ chose me. And he chose you...

God is Your Defender

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
   extol him who rides on the clouds;
   rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
   is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families,
   he leads out the prisoners with singing;
   but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Psalms 68:4-6 NIV

The fatherless, widows, lonely and prisoners, all in need of the love of God. I think this describes a whole lot of people in this world. Maybe you...

Wherever you are at, God is your defender. 

Be Patient...How Long?

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

James 5:7-8 NIV

How long should we be patient? One day? One week? One year? One decade? Until the coming of the Lord.

Know the Good Shepherd's Voice

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

John 10:10-11 NIV

Sometimes we tend to overcomplicate things. Christ is the good shepherd, we need to know his voice. If you know the his Word, the Bible, you'll know his voice. By his knowing the Bible I can discern the truth. I used to hear pastors say, "You need to compare what I say with what the Bible says and if they don't match up, forget what I say." 

I am leery when I hear about looking within ourselves for the truth, when my emotions become the divining rod for the truth. Christ is the truth. The Bible tells the truth about God. My experience is filtered through the truth found in the Word of God, the Bible. Know the Word, Know the Shepherd's voice 

His Face is Shining on Us

May God be gracious to us and bless us         

   and make his face shine on us—

so that your ways may be known on earth,

   your salvation among all nations.

Psalms 67:1-2 NIV

A great blessing, a great prayer to start the week. I thank God for his grace to me and my family and the blessings we often take for granted. The health of my family, the daily bread we enjoy with little worry if there will be enough. God is gracious. God is blessing us. Thank you, Father. May our lives shine with your salvation in this dark and evil world. 

Hang On to the Truth

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 NIV

Do You Need a Drink?

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried

out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

John 7:37-38 ESV

Spiritually speaking, are you thirsty? Do you know you need a drink? What I mean is; do you know you need more of Jesus? Do you realize your spiritual poverty? 

No condemnation. Remember, any inclination within yourself to seek God, to know him in a deeper way, to understand the Bible, to be more like Christ, is the Spirit of God working within you. 

Jesus, "cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." I think this is something we shouldn't overthink. We know we need to drink. Christ said to go to him. Let's go to him. 

Lord Jesus, we come to you and ask for the Spirit, for living waters to flow from within us. Thank you that you hear our prayer.

Helpful

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

John 6:63

Many moons ago I took up golf. I bought a book by the late great golfer Ben Hogan Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf. It's a great book and helped me a lot. I just had trouble hitting the driver, so, I took  a lesson from this guy at the local golf course. He was no help at all. He messed me up so badly that I couldn't even hit my short irons anymore. 

Shortly after that I moved and I went to another teacher who watched me for a moment and said, "Your thinking way to much. Just think about your wrists..." Then he showed me how to set up to hit my driver and longer irons. Really helpful. 

What does that have to do with John 6:63? Sometimes we hear all kinds of stuff about walking with God and to be frank, it's often more about the flesh than the Spirit. It's rules, legalism, emotionalism, anything but the Spirit. Now, by the Spirit I don't mean warm fuzzy feelings or hyped up emotional reactions. The Spirit is about faith in God, not ourselves. It's about going to Christ for life. It's not about us, it's about Christ. 

Crossing Over

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 

John 5:24 NIV

About a week ago I was at a training with a few others staff members from the school I work at. We were working on a presentation and one of my colleagues Air Dropped me a video we created. I forgot that you could do that. When I got home I Air Dropped my wife a few photos I had taken of our son and I hiking. 

It may not be news to you that when you believe in Christ you have eternal life, you won't be judged, and you'll cross over from death to life, but, maybe you might need to remember a truth or two. Maybe you might have forgotten that Christ's death on the cross means he bore the judgement for you sins on the cross so, now you don't have to live under condemnations' cloud. Perhaps you need a gentle reminder that life in Christ is abundant life, true life, eternal life. Or you just need a firm, tell like it is message: "You're a Christian, live like one." Remember, in Christ you've crossed over to a new life.  

Tested, Being Tested, Will Be TestedI

Praise our God, all peoples,

   let the sound of his praise be heard;

he has preserved our lives 

   and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;

   you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison 

   and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;

   we went through fire and water,

   but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Psalms 66:8-12 NIV

In a sense we go through three stages of our lives as followers of Christ. We are either being tested, have been tested or will be tested. No matter where we are in the testing process, God is faithful to be with us and bring us to a place of abundance. Remember, his testing is to refine us like silver so that we may be lights in the darkness of this world. So, whether you were just tested, you are being tested or you will be tested, God is with you and "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ"(Philippians 1:6b).

The Servants See

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.

”They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. 

John 2:7-9a NIV

One thing I have noticed is that when I am seeking to serve Christ, I see Christ move more than when I am not. 

In the narrative of Jesus's first miraculous sign, the whole wedding party enjoyed the miraculous wine, made in the water jars used for ceremonial washing, and had no idea where it came from. Except the servants. 

So, if you want to see God work, the servant's view is always the best. 

Where Are You Looking?

In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.

Luke 24:5-8 NIV

Some people are near sighted, some people are far sighted. I don't know what to call it, but I have this tendency to step over or right past what am I am looking for, go all around the house or job and come back and find whatever I am looking for pretty much right where I started. 

Spiritually, I have the same tendency to do what what the women did her in Luke. They just thought Christ was dead. I can't fault them. They saw him die, they saw him dead. They saw him buried. They went to the tomb. That's what I do. I go to the deadness of my self. Christ is not in the tomb. He's not on the cross. 

Christ is at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf (Romans 8:34, and pretty much all of Hebrews) and he is within us (I Corinthians 6:19). 

Frankly, I have no idea where God is working in your life. I just know he promised to never leave us or forsake us, so he is working. I have seen his answer come in different places than I was looking many times. 

Where are you looking?

What Do You Have In Common With Barabbas?

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Luke 23:23-25 NIV

What did Barabbas do to deserve to be set free? Nothing. He didn't deserve to be freed. He deserved to be crucified. 

What did you or I do to deserve salvation? That's right, nothing. 

I wonder what happened to Barabbas? What did he do with the freedom he was giving by Christ's death on the cross? How did he respond? Aren't those the same questions we must ask ourselves?

What are we doing with the freedom we are given by Christ's death on the cross? How are we responding to the grace we have been given in Christ? 

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for taking my place upon the cross and dying for my sins. Help me to live in your grace and may the love live through me. Praise be to you in us today!

Overwhelmed by Sin? God Forgave You

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
   to you our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer,
   to you all people will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
   you forgave our transgressions.
Blessed are those you choose 
   and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
   of your holy temple.

Psalms 65:1-4 NIV

Beware of the Posers

While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,  “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Luke 20:45-47 NIV

Jesus isn't warning about the attitude that would make you be like the teachers of the law, he's warning about the teachers of the law. Why? Because for the teachers of the law it was all about them. It wasn't about God who they were supposed to be honoring and teaching about, it was all about their "spirituality" and "holiness". But, everything was for show. They wanted to be respected and honored. They didn't help widows, they devoured their houses. Wow! 

Cling to God, He Will Uphold You

On my bed I remember you;
   I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
   I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

Psalms 63:6-8  NIV

When you finally put your head down on the pillow what's really on your mind show's up. You might of been avoiding it all day long, but there it is. 

God is our help and whatever might be a worry we lay down at his feet. God wants to hide you in the shadow of his wings. He made us to cling to him. His desire is to uphold us with his right hand. 

What is better than life?