He Is Coming

John, 

To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”

   and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”;

   and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”

So shall it be! Amen.

Revelation 1:4-7 NIV

We may not know the day or the hour that our Savior is coming, but, we know he is coming. It is good to take a breath, remember we are part of his kingdom, and we are serving as his priests. This is a moment in eternity that our God and Father is Sovereign Lord over. He directs the hearts of kings, rulers, and even tyrants. His will is being accomplished. Not my will, his will. 

Lord, grant us the strength to continue in our faith, flourishing in your presence. Use us as light in the darkness of the world. Be gracious to those around us and open their hearts and minds to you. Praise be to you in us today!

God Wants You to Find Him.

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 

Acts 17:27 NIV

You want to know what God's plan is? Do you want to know what God really desires? He wants us to seek him, to reach out to him and to find him. It's like a parent playing hide and seek with their little child and hiding in such a way that they'll be found. That's what God has set up this world to be like. 

The good news is that he is not far from any one of us. How far away is he? He is a seek away. What's a seek? It's the time, it's the effort involved in turning to him. Again, the good news is that if you seek him, he will find you. 

So, where are you? Or maybe we should ask, what are you seeking? Do you need to turn, to repent, from what you are seeking and seek God? Seek God. He wants you to find him. 

Prepare the Way: Be Real, Be Willing

And you, my child, will be called 
   a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord 
   to prepare the way for him,

to give his people the knowledge of salvation 

   through the forgiveness of their sins,

Luke 1:76-77 NIV

Every day we represent Christ to the dying world around us. This is no guilt trip. It's just the truth. We don't have to be perfect, we just have to be real and willing. 

If we are not real, as in honest about our own shortcomings and sinfulness, we will just be hypocrites. You see, as a Christian, our witness is not about how good we are, but, it's about how good God is. Our neighbors, co-workers and friends don't need us, they need Jesus. Our very humanness is our opportunity to let the grace of God in our lives witness to those around us. 

Be willing, when the moment appears, to share in whatever way you can. You don't have to have an alter call. You don't have to stand on a soap box. Just be willing to share anything that God has done in your life. The Holy Spirit can take the smallest thing (in our eyes) and use it to make a way into someones heart. Maybe all you did was mention that you went to church in a conversation. That's all the Spirit needs. Just be willing. 

Another Day for Grace

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)

I am a teacher and there are some things I do every day with my students. We review some basic grammar concepts for just couple of minutes because although every book and teacher assumes all students know and understand basic grammar, they don't. Normally, after about three months it starts kicking in, but I have a class this year that it wasn't until just last week they started to really demonstrate that they knew basic grammar. It took a while but they got there. The key is that I know that if I review  a concept for just a few minutes daily the students will learn retain much more than if they have long lessons spread out over the year. 

God knows what he is doing with our world. He keeps sending his messengers, us, to tell the world of salvation through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people misunderstand his apparent delay of judgement. The delay is grace, not neglect. He just keeps offering repentance to the world. Every day we are a testimony to those around us. Each day the Holy Spirit works to bring people to repentance. 

Think about this today as you interact with people at work, school or just when you are out and about. God is giving each person you see another day to accept his grace.

THE GOSPEL ON TWITTER/ Titus 2:11

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." Titus 2:11

I was engaged with someone on Twitter the other day concerning God and why there is evil in the world. The guy was sort of arguing that evil in the world is really God, if you believe in God, so therefore how can one believe in a God who allows or commits evil. I just think that if a person is an atheist, who by definition doesn't believe in God, can't bring up something they don't believe exists. So, if someone ia an atheist and God is out of the equation, how do they explain evil, or good for that matter? 

Here's the deal: to this atheist, whom I do pray God reveals himself to, the grace of God is revealed to him, even on Twitter. I also Tweeted to him that my belief in God leads me to value him, even if he disagrees with me, because he (in my world view as a Christian) is created in the image of God, and was worth dying for. 

He of course avoided that and wanted to dialogue about why someone would believe in such a "fantastical" book. 

The grace of God that brings salvation appears to all men. Sometimes through some odd ways, but, God ordained nonetheless. I just pray that my interactions, however they may appear, will bring grace and salvation to all men.

Father, help us to always be ready to give a reason for the hope within us and give us wisdom at the moment we need it to know what to say and how to say it with grace. Praise be to you in us today!

SHINE IN THE DARKNESS: Psalm 43:1

"Vindicate me, O God, 
     and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
     rescue me from deceitful and wicked men." 
 Psalm 43:1

During the last Presidential election the Democratic Party (at their convention) voted on keeping God and Israel in their platform. The  "vote" was so close the chairperson (Antonio Villaraigosa) had to redo it three times! We live in a nation that is rejecting God. 

We need to shine like stars in the darkness (Philippians 2:15) in this crooked and perverse generation. God will strengthen you. God will enable you. God will empower you. God will guide you. 

Father, help us to abide in you and shine like stars in this world. Praise be to you in us today!

WHO ME? EVANGELIST?: II Timothy 4:5

"But, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 
II Timothy 4:5

Although my dad is the master of small talk (he once talked to a guy 20 minutes on the phone before realizing it was a wrong number) he was always intimidated by the thought of witnessing to someone. But God, being both amazing and humorous, still wanted to use him. I remember after he first gave his life to Christ, he would come home and in utter shock and tell mom how he ended up sharing with someone about Christ. Basically, the Holy Spirit would lead the other person to pretty much say, "What must I do to be saved?" Then my dad we have to tell them about the saving work of Jesus Christ. What would happen is that men who knew my father saw a change in his behavior and would ask him why he changed. He would tell them the truth. Christ was changing him. 

As normal people, not evangelists, sometimes we do the work of an evangelist however the Spirit of God opens the conversation. Don't be afraid. Let God work in you and someone will eventually ask why you live like you do. 

Father, in this world of darkness, living by faith in Christ, obedient to your commands, will make us stand in contrast to the world around us, in the world but definitely not of it. Help us to shine with your love, mercy, forgiveness and grace. Praise be to us in you today! 

PRAY LIKE A MAN: I Timothy 2:8

I think the single most challenging leadership experience I ever had (outside of being a husband and a father) was as Dorm Council President in Bible College. Getting half a dozen twenty-one year old young men, who all think they hear from God, to agree was wonderful preparation for just about any situation I have encountered since. The only thing that comes close is dealing with teachers. So, I totally get why Paul felt the need to tell men how to pray together. 

"I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." I Timothy 2:8

It is hard to imagine an argument breaking out at a prayer meeting. But, the danger in thinking they we hear God better than anyone else is thinking that we hear God better than anyone else. 

God himself makes us holy. Jesus Christ died for our sins to make us holy, and he does. The idea of lifting up holy hands is a reminder that God himself makes us holy, not we ourselves. That should lead to thankfulness and humility. 

I am not sure that the anger Paul was talking about was just toward each other. It is pretty easy to get all worked up about the evil in this world, which is some sense should get us angry. But, remember, God did not meet us with anger, but with grace. His love compels us. We love because he first loved us. He so loved the world that he sent his only Son. 

The word disputing is translated "doubting" in the KJV. The Greek has the idea of deliberated within yourself, hesitation, doubting. James 1:6 said, "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt...". I am not trying to push a name it and claim it doctrine. I just think the idea is to pray Biblically. If it is in God's Word, it's God's will. (Use common sense please. No so no Judas hung himself, so you should...) 

Father, help us to pray with love and assurance. May your kingdom advance in and through us today. Grant us at least one redemptive conversation. Praise be to you in us today!

GOD WANTS EVERYONE: I Timothy 2:3-4

It is nice to know you are doing the right thing. My first year as a categorical program advisor was quite a learning experience. I had to attend a training for helping parents connect in meaningful ways with schools. A school in another part of the state had run a monthly program called "Family Fridays" where parents came and read for one hour with their child one Friday a month. My boss liked the idea and we began having our version if "Family Fridays". It was a huge success because positive parent involvement is highly valued in educational circles. 

"This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." I Timothy 2:3-4 

What pleases God our Savior is when we pray for our leaders. What God really wants is that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. 

Think about that. Think about the people you work with. God wants them to be saved. Think about your family. God wants them to be saved. What we are really talking about is the way God views people in comparison to how we view them. I tend to look at people as those who accept Christ or those who reject Christ. 

My pastor says to pray for at least one redemptive conversation a day. What opportunities will present themselves today? Who is it that God is interested in saving? Be ready and be willing.

Father, help us to share your salvation and knowledge with the world around us. Praise be to you in us today!

THE WORST SINNER: I Timothy 1:15-16

No one is more difficult to deal with than someone who is convinced of there own self-righteousness. Because everything will turn out to be someone else's fault. Paul took the opposite approach.  

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience  as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." I Timothy 1:15-16

Humility is knowing exactly who you are before God. Paul knew exactly who he was before God: the worst of sinners. I might want to argue with Paul over that. And that is the point of what he is saying. We should all see ourselves as the worst of sinners. 

Realizing that without God's mercy you would be lost in your sins is the bedrock of our faith. Realizing that I am a sinner, the worst, is the bedrock of our interpersonal relationships. Without that humility we just look for fault in others. When you find fault in others you can demand that they change, rather than yourself. When you see others as sinners greater than you, you tend to find reasons they don't deserve mercy, second chances or patience. 

Realizing our own sinfulness is also at the root of evangelism. Like Paul when we realize the depth of the mercy and grace of God to us, the worst of sinners, we see the world as people in need of mercy and grace. We don't look down, we just reach out. 

Father, thank you for your mercy to me, the worst of sinners! Display your unlimited patience in me today! Praise be to you in us today!