A Little Fear and a Lot of Love

Fear, is good. I have a fear of walking across a busy street into traffic. That's not bad, that's smart. The fear of God is not the fear of a capricious emotional tyrant. The fear of God is that we will put ourselves outside the grace of God by choosing to sin and reaping what we have sown. 

A few months ago I was driving to the funeral of one of my best friends who was also the best man at my wedding. I got a ticket for speeding. My mind was not really on the speed limit, but I knew I was going a little fast. I broke the law and suffered the consequences. Fear of getting a ticket doesn't always stop us from speeding. But, you know when I see kids playing, I don't need a sign that tells me to slow down, I just slow down because I don't want to hurt anyone. 

In the same way the fear of God is more than just the fear of going to hell or being caught or punished. The fear of God is about not wanting to hurt others or God. It's also about knowing he has unfailing love for you. 

Here's the kicker: our hope is not in our goodness or our righteousness, although we seek to live and love righteously. Our hope is in his unfailing love. He died on the cross for our sins and ever lives to intercede for us at the right hand of the Father. He has gone to prepare a place for us. He will come again... that is our hope. He is faithful and he will do it. 

There's Something About Repentance

But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.

Judges 10:15-16 

The book of Judges is story after story of Israel forsaking God to serve other gods. Every time they turn to idols they of course end up being oppressed. Eventually, after eighteen years, they call on God to deliver them. In chapter 10, after delivering them several times God tells them cry out to the "gods" they had been worshipping. 

Eighteen years. That's a lot of oppression. That's a long time wallowing in the same sin. Eighteen years of looking to false gods for hope and only being oppressed. Does this sound familiar to anyone else besides me? Don't we do the same thing? We keep looking to things, people, and experiences to make us happy rather than serving the Lord. 

Israel not only confessed their sins they repented. They got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. I don't know if the Baals and Ashtoreths are the same thing as the gods of pleasure and "I got to have it now" that we see all around us everyday, but, they still can lead us away from the Lord and oppress us year after year. The deal is whether or not we are willing to call upon the Lord and repent. 

You see it's easy to say God loves us and forgives us and is always faithful. But, it's not so easy sometimes to have to give up that idol, that sin, that may seem good for a moment but in the end always oppresses. I once had a student come up and tell me that a girl kicked him, right where it counted, twice! I asked her why she kicked him and she told me that he asked to kiss her and she told him, "OK, but I get to kick you." Kiss, kick, kiss, kick. I said to the boy, "That must of been some kiss." He shook his head like it was just so-so. Yet he kissed her again... man isn't that just a perfect picture of us and sin? We don't mind the kiss but that kick is pretty bad. 

The good news is, if we really turn back to God, he delivers us. God will make a way out. God will provide.  

Nailed to the Cross

He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:13c-15

We need to remember that Paul is writing to believers who were being confronted on two sides by false teachers. On one side where the Judaizers who where teaching that to really know God, to be saved, you needed to fulfill the law, specifically, be circumcised. Then on the other side the predecessors of Gnosticism and philosophers  were teaching that you needed their secret knowledge to be truly enlightened or saved. Sound familiar? 

Paul deals with the heart of the matter directly in Christ. The world is really dealing with guilt. The real guilt that all people know. Some try to work it away, while others just try to explain it away. Have you noticed the new self-righteousness of the world? Save the world. Drive a Prius. Drive an electric car (that is mostly supplied with electricity created from fossil fuels). Recycle. And so on and so forth. Blame the rich. Blame something else for the evils in this world. Blame the god you don't believe in. Demand justice from someone else. 

Paul dealt with the prevailing ideologies of his day. How? The supremacy of Christ and his real death on a real cross. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Christ took that charge and nailed it to the cross. All our sins. Dealt with in Christ, nailed to the cross. Your guilt is nailed to the cross. Remember the false teachers were in essence saying that either Christ's death on the cross wasn't enough or it didn't really happen. Paul emphasizes the truth that Christ did die on the cross and that in so doing he triumphed over sin, all our sins. He nailed them to the cross. My sin, your sin, all of it, nailed to the cross. That's the truth and that truly is good news!

No Treaty, No Snare

Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. 

Exodus 34:12 NIV

When you have an enemy, you have to remember that they are your enemy. The founder of Planned Parenthood, Margret Sanger, had a belief and a goal. She thought there were too many African Americans (not the term she used), to devised a way to have African Americans kill there babies; it's called abortion. I don't think she invented abortion, she just believed that she could offer it to people of color as a choice and the end result would be the death of millions of African Americans by their own choice. Even though she is long dead and gone her idea still has the effect she desired, less African Americans. Thirteen million African American babies have been aborted since 1973 alone. Thirteen MILLION. 

My point is that if we make a "treaty" with our enemy, sin, it will continue to be our enemy and find a way to inflict damage, destroy and bring death to us. Later in Exodus 34 the Lord tells Moses not to choose wives for their sons from the daughters of those living in the land because, "they will lead your sons to do the same"(prostitute themselves to their gods. That meant doing things like sacrificing their children. The treaty, the compromise would lead to sin, which leads to death. You can not worship the Lord and any other god. Worshiping the Lord brings life, abundant life, life to the full. 

Remember, God wants you to enjoy your salvation. Jesus didn't die so we would still be bound by sin. He died so that we might have life and have it to the full. 

Remember Where You Came From

And God spoke all these words:

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Exodus 20:1-2 NIV

It's funny, in a sad way, how easy it is for us to forget where we came from. Just the the Israelites who just came out of Egypt and God was reminded them not to forget that they were just recently in slavery in Egypt, we sometimes need to remember that we were slaves to sin. 

I am not saying you should dwell or revel in your past. But, sin is a cruel and deceptive master. It desires to have you. In a bad way. Sin may seem good for a season but in the end it only separates you from God and those you love. We need to remember that Jesus is God, who brought us out of sin. Sin is not good. Sin is destructive. 

The Ten Commandment begin with God reminding the Israelites that he, the LORD, is their God and that he is the one who brought them out of Egypt, the land of slavery. We need to remember that he is the LORD our God who brings us out of the slavery of sin. I don't know what that looks like to you, but I do know it is good to remember that you are no longer a slave to sin, but have been set free in Christ. 

Fall Forward

   Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.

   "You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. 

   He replied, “I am not.”

John 18:15-17 NIV

Much has been made about the fact that Peter denied Christ three times. But, I am always struck by the little noticed truth that Peter was following Christ when that happened. Yes, he "fell", but, at least he fell forward, following Christ.

Sometimes, despite our best intentions and most honorable desires, we sin. Occasionally, even though we are following Christ, we don't act like it. This is not an excuse or a rationalization of sin. Like I John 1:8-2:2 teaches, sin happens. There is a difference between falling away or, some would say, backsliding, than simply sinning. Falling away is when you cease believing and choose solely to live according to your sinful nature. 

Peter denied that he knew Christ. We know from history that he definitely didn't stop following Christ. I know it's common to say that in John 21 Jesus reinstated Peter, but, where does the Bible say that Christ ever let him go? 

What is the lesson for us? The lesson is that even though we falter, even though we fail, Christ still loves us. Yes, we should confess our sins. Christ is faithful and will forgive us. At times, our actions in effect deny Christ because we definitely are not acting like a Christian.  Christ doesn't reject us. He died for our sins, for that sin. Confess your sin, be forgiven and repent. You may fall, but like Peter, fall forward.

Mercy In Judgment

When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”

Genesis 19:16-17 NIV

What can you say about Lot and his wife? They definitely are not an example of what we are supposed to be like. Even though Peter describes him as "a righteous man" (II Peter 2:2), I don't think we are to follow his example of moving close to, then into sin. We should learn what not to do and what to do when confronted with God's mercy. We should not hang around sin and we should flee from sin when the Spirit begins to convict us. 

The parallel to our lives is simple. Lot saw Sodom and thought it looked good. First, he pitched his tents near Sodom (Genesis 13:12). Then, he moved in to Sodom and got caught up in their battles (Genesis 14:12). Finally, he's sitting in the gateway of the city (Genesis 19:2) hanging out with the leaders. When God came down to judge the city for the evil, Lot didn't want to leave. The sinful lifestyle had become part of Lot and his family. Despite that, God mercifully grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and daughters and saved them. Except Lot's wife who looked back. 

The parallel for you and I can be many different areas of sin. Specifically, I want us to think about an area where the Spirit has done something in your life that should alert you. Maybe there was a little warning on your phone, or computer screen. Perhaps it was a look from your spouse. Maybe you're just hanging our with friends and the topics and choices make you wonder if you should be there or do that. Well, that's the Spirit beginning to convict you. 

In the story of Lot I see three levels of mercy and what for us would be the Spirits' work within us. First, when sin is just a temptation, like Sodom, a choice. Lot knew better and so do we. Second, when we move right up into the sin. God may rescue us like he did Lot when Abram fought the kings that took him. Third, we become part of the sin. In each of those the Spirit is convicting us. Finally, there will come a moment when the Spirit grasps our hand and says, "Flee for your life!" Don't think. Just flee.

Are you at one of those moments? Has he rescued you and you went back? Is the Spirit offering you a way out? Take it. 

God Sees Your Misery

Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.

Genesis 16:9-11 NIV

First off, I want to point out that Abram and Sarai learned their lesson after this because we don't see them doing it again. One Ishmael was more than enough. Which leads me to the truth I want us to learn and remember today.

Ishmael means God hears. In the middle of this foundational  and important (true) story about Abraham, the father of faith, we are given a nugget concerning God's Sovereignty and grace. So let's take a moment and look at Hagar, the third person in this little triangle. She was Sarai's slave. She didn't have any rights, any power, any say. The minute she thought she did, Sarai let her know she didn't. She ended up in the middle of the desert. She was told by God to go back and submit to Sarai and that she would have a son. He'd be a wild donkey of a man, against everyone and everyone against him. His name, Ishmael, would remind her that God hears and sees her plight. 

Hagar is an interesting demonstration of the Sovereignty of God and the grace of God. Ishmael was the result of Abram and Sarai's lack of faith, which is sin. Hagar, was kind of caught up in it all, not by choice really. Have you ever felt like Hagar? You didn't choose for some things to happen and yet there you are in the middle of it all. God hears your cry and he sees your plight. He will provide for you. He is Sovereign and he is gracious. 

Rule or Be Ruled

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:6-7 NIV

Rule your desires or they will rule you. Like Cain who had a choice with what he would do with his anger, we also have a choice with what we will do with our anger, our desires. 

Paul instructs us in Galatians 5: 16, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." In Christ, in the Spirit, you rule your desires. You and I trust that God will deal with everyone and every situation and circumstance. He will provide. He will judge. He will avenge. You and I, we are to love. Love covers over a multitude of sins. Love is what disciples do. 

Thank you, Lord, that you have overcome this world and in you, we also overcome this world. Help us to rule our desires and by faith choose to love. Praise be to you in us today!

God Still Calls Out, "Where are you?"

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 

Genesis 3:21 NIV

This is the Father, God. He judges, yet foretells redemption. He disciplines, yet provides covering. The world can only conceive of a god who is either an unyielding judge or a benevolent father who acknowledges no evil. God does judge and he does deal with evil.

The absolute wonder though is that, in Christ, he provides for us while dealing with sin. In Genesis 3:21 the Lord God provided a covering for Adam and Eve who had tried to cover themselves because sin had taken their innocence. Earlier in the chapter God had dealt with sin and its' consequences. He didn't just chuck them out of the garden and leave them on their own. He didn't just tell them about salvation for the future. He clothed them. Imagine that. They new they just sinned and they felt shame and guilt and confusion. God, knowing their needs, clothed them. 

We all sin. Sometimes our sin affects us in a more noticeable and immediately destructive way. One of the wonders of the grace of God is that even in the midst of sin and its' awful consequences God provides for us. God loves us. Even when he disciplines us he does not reject us. Even though Adam and Eve sinned and ate the from the tree God commanded them not to eat from, God still called out, "Where are you?" Have you sinned? Are you hiding? God is calling out to you, "Where are you?" 

Let's Get Real Here

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:8-10 NIV

I was on a hiring committee once for a assistant principal position at a school I was working at and we were interviewing prospective candidates. One was a gentleman who was currently working at that school. The candidate was telling us why we should hire him when he proclaimed he worked well with everyone and never had issues with anybody. 

The problem was almost all of us had experienced run ins with him and he could be very difficult to work with. There were other reasons why he wasn't the best person for the job, so needless to say he wasn't chosen. 

After he found out he was not selected he asked me why. I tried to gently explain that other people were more qualified, but, he got a little testy. So, I flat out told him that he told several people who he had problems with that he never had problems with people. He was shocked and didn't recall ever having problems with people. I've since changes schools and last I saw him he was still wondering why people thought he was hard to get along with.

If we don't recognize our own sin we will just deceive ourselves, blame others, maybe even God, and probably be self-righteous hypocrites. Just like my "friend" from work, if we deny our sin we can't be helped. But, if confess our sins (which is admitting you sinned), Christ will forgive all our unrighteousness. 

I Am The Worst

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 immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:15-17 NIV

Being a guy I, of course, enjoyed watching The Three Stooges growing up. There is a bit they did where they each offer to let the other ones go through the door first then they all go at the same time and bump into each other. 

In a way, our humility should be a bit like that, each of us almost bumping into each other realizing that we are the worst of sinners. God doesn't save us to show how good we were, he saves us to show how merciful he is. I feel that if God uses me in any way it is not because I am such an awesome disciple, he uses me to show that he can use anyone, even someone like me. 

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

Say it with me, "Have mercy on me, O God."

Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:1-2

David knew he had sinned and the first thing he needed was mercy. Mercy is what you hope for when you know that what you deserve is not going to be good. David knew that he deserved to die. He committed adultery and murder. Not to mention lying and a slew of other things he did to manipulate the entire army to serve his own ends. 

David also knew that God, in his very nature is merciful. He called on God, he pleaded with God to be merciful. I don't think David expected God to make everything just go away. He just knew he needed mercy. We need mercy, too. Some things may not go entirely away, but, God is still merciful. Like David, who knew he deserved to die, we just cry out for mercy. 

In what area of your life do you need mercy? You would be hard pressed to do much worse than David, yet he cried out for mercy. God didn't kill him or allow him to be killed, so got some mercy. He still was used to be a link in the Messianic chain. That's mercy. 

So what these verses tell us is that David needed mercy and he asked for it. What it means is that we can ask for mercy and God will still use us to build the kingdom. What it does for us today is allows us to cry out for mercy, no matter what we've done. It gives us hope. Say it with me, "Have mercy on me, O God."

What Do You Want Blotted Out From Your Life?

Have mercy on me, O God,
   according to you unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
   blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
   and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:1-2

David was definitely a sinner. This Psalm is not a Psalm of praise. It is not just a plea for forgiveness, it's a cry from David to God asking God to remove the guilt of the sin he had committed. He knew he sinned. He realized the devastation his actions had produced. He wanted God to blot out his transgressions,  wash away all his iniquity and cleanse him from his sins. 

Not to justify or minimize any sin, but to emphasize the mercy of God I want us to remember that we are all sinners. Haven't we all wished that God would blot out some things - sin - from our lives. 

The amazing thing is that even though David did reap some negative things, the Lord still completed his purposes. The Messianic line  still prevailed and Christ was still born, died for our sins and rose again. 

You may want God to blot something out of your life. The truth is, God will accomplish his will because he is Sovereign, merciful, his love is unfailing and he has great compassion toward you! 

What is your intent?

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

James 1:25 (NIV)

Once while backing up my car I hit a little, but unforgiving two foot post sticking up out of the ground. I went forward, saw the stupid thing in my mirror, backed up again while avoiding the post. My intent was not to dent my car, but I did. Since my intent was to get out of the parking space without hitting  anything, in the end I got out without causing further damage.

Follow me on this. If my intent is to sin I will sin without concern for the damage it will do to my life and the lives of those around me. If my intent is to act in faith, even if I find myself in sin, I will back out - repent - and act by faith in love. 

Make it your intent to act in faith. Make it your intent to do the the word of God says and even when you get a bit off track the Spirit of God will help you to act in faith, to do live according to the word.

Is God Angry With You?

I will heal their waywardness
   and love them freely,
   for my anger has turned away from them.
Hosea 14:4

Let's be real. Sometimes we stray. We get a little off course. We sin. One of the absolutely amazing truths about God is that he loves us freely and heals our waywardness.

I don't know about you, but when I struggle my first instinct is to try to heal myself before I go to God. That is like being sick yet waiting until I feel better before I go to the doctor. 

The fruit of our sin can be very painful. It may seem like God is angry with you. The truth is that he loves us enough to send his Son to die for our sins and open the way back to him.

In Christ, your sins are forgiven. Whatever you have been struggling with, God knows. In Christ he heals. In Christ he freely loves you. 

Are You Focused on the Water or the Fairway?

Do not fret because of those who are evil
   or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
   like green plants they will soon die away. 
Trust in the Lord and do good;
   dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:1-4 (NIV)

I golf. Not very well, but I do golf. One of my problems is focus. I'm not the only one. Whenever water is in play it acts like a golf ball magnet for a lot of us. I think it's because when you think about not hitting your brand new ball into the drink your focus goes there and that's where your shot goes. It is especially true when your "well meaning" partner quietly says, "Don't hit it in the lake", just before your tee off. 

What does that have to do with Psalm 37? It's all about focus. Am I focusing on what non-believers are doing or on the faithfulness of God? Although I need to be cognizant of the traps the enemy will set out in my life, I don't need to go examine them, walk all around them and see how close I can get to them. 

God has created us to have many desires. The way of the world is to fulfill their desires via any means possible. As a Christian we are supposed to trust God to meet all our needs in Christ Jesus. Psalm 37 tells us to trust God and do the right thing. Spend you time trying to do what you know is right. God will take care of the rest. 

In golf you are supposed to focus on the fairway. In Christ we focus on Christ's faithfulness while serving him and others. 

Have You Sinned Too Much?

We know that anyone born of God does not continue in sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.

I John 5:18

Sin. Everyone deals with it. I think we would all like to find a way to not have to deal with sin, to overcome all possible temptation and automatically steer clear of any situation that might allow sin to have its way in our lives. But John already told us that if we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 

In my experience condemnation comes when we are confronted with our own sinfulness as repeat offenders. What did Paul do when he was confronted with his own sinfulness? In II Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul discusses his thorn in the flesh. In the end God's message was that his grace was sufficient for Paul. God did not remove it, he just promised that his grace was sufficient. God kept Paul safe, in his grace. 

What about our struggle with sin, our thorns in the flesh? God's message remains the same. The one who was born of God keeps us safe. His grace is sufficient. I don't know what the sin that leads to death is, but, I do know that if the Spirit of God is working in me in such a way that makes me think of turning to God in any way (even questioning if his grace is sufficient) then God is still working in my life and his grace is sufficient. 

The evil one will seek to condemn us, telling us that if we are truly born of God that we won't keep struggling with the same temptations and the same sins. That is a lie from the father of all lies. Like Paul we cry out and accept that God's grace is sufficient. 

Father, thank you that we are kept safe in Christ. Forgive us our sins. Thank you and praise be to you in us today!

The Enemy Gets a Victory, Not the Victory

I knew something was amiss when an assistant pastor read Psalm 51. Not a few verses, all of Psalm 51 and asked the congregation to really think about what the verses meant. The enemy had a victory. One of the leaders sinned and was resigning. 

A marriage, a family, people, a ministry all decimated by sin, by the actions of people, real people. I can't imagine the depth of pain, betrayal and loss his wife is experiencing. That she chose to forgive and try to work through this has got to be one of the single greatest examples of love, forgiveness and grace I have ever seen. 

I called a friend of mine who I have known a long time and we have been through a lot, seen a lot and worked through a lot. We talked at least an hour. Sometimes it's not about pointing out the sin because that is obvious. Sometimes it's just about connecting in Christ.

Passion, like all emotions can be a two-edged sword. Unfortunately many people do not realize that a person who has a passion to serve Christ, see people come to know him as Savior and Lord, and then shepherd them to growth in Christ, is a passionate person. I think lust is uncontrolled and unconcerned passion. Pastor's can be easy prey for the enemy because they are passionate people. Some people might think that pastors, priests and preachers are almost immune to passionate desires and lust. No, they are human and just like everyone else. Here's a question or two: Who do you talk to when you are dealing with passion, temptation? Who can your pastor talk to? 

I hope to be able to help in some way. I think my relationship with him was just a bit beyond acquaintance because we were only able to talk a few times. But, if I can I will walk along side to help. In the battle for our faith, it is a loss. The enemy won a battle. Not the war, a battle. The war still rages. We fight on in faith, battling with mercy, grace and forgiveness. 

Father, may your grace abound. Praise be to you in us today.