Hang On, His Love Is Unfailing

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
   yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)

The word of The Lord is good. The truth of his love for us is assurance in moments of doubt. Whatever you may be going through, God's love for you never waivers. 

Father, open our eyes to see your unfailing love in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

Face It, You Sin

   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.

   My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 1:8-2:2 (NIV)

Facing up to our own sinfulness can be very humbling. The question is not if we are going to sin or even when will we sin. The issue is what do we do when we sin. We confess. Jesus in his perfect faithfulness forgives us and purifies us. Just like a baby in diapers can't clean him/herself, we can't purify our own sin. we confess, Christ cleans. That is God's grace. 

The truth is that Jesus did not die just for our sins, he was the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. I have this friend at work. He needs to know God's grace. I can see it. I know he loves his wife and daughter, but he still needs Jesus. Jesus died for him too and I have been able to tell him, in normal conversations of God's love and forgiveness. 

That is the two sided beauty of the gospel. We are forgiven and we get to share that forgiveness with others. 

Father, forgive our sins. Share you love through us. Praise be to you in us today!

The Day of the Scoffers

First of all, you must understand that in the last day scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires." 

II Peter 3:3

It is as if the Apostle Peter foresaw the twenty first century, the world as we know it today. Atheist's demand that people of faith stop mentioning God on nearly a daily basis. Go to Hot on Google! and you will find someone raging about the evils of Christians and mocking Christians for not believing in their cartoon religion/science dogma known as evolution. 

According to revisionist history every evil ever done was because someone acted in the name of their god. They blame the god they don't believe in for the evil that is the natural outcome of mankind choosing to deny God. 

This world mocks the idea of a literal interpretation of the Bible which states that God created the world in seven days. They scoff at the second coming of Christ. They "forget" that God created and will judge the world.  

Here's the deal: the world mocks out of arrogance and ignorance. We believe and trust in Christ's faithfulness in humility and faith (being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see - Hebrews 11:1). 

Father, help us to stand strong in our faith with hope and certainty in Christ. Praise be to you in us today!

God Will Not Forget You

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
   and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
   I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
   your walls are ever before me.
Isaiah 49:15-16

One of the amazing things I remember about my wife when are children were first born was how atune she was to taking care of them. The baby definitely was her main concern. It is just amazing to see the love of a mother with her child. 

God's love for us is even greater. His concern for us is unwavering. Christ physically bears the marks that serve as reminders of his love for us. In John 16:24-30 Thomas doubted Christ's resurrection until he could see the nail marks in Christ's hands and put his finger where the nails were. Christ stood among the disciples and showed his hands to Thomas and told him to stop doubting and believe. Thomas could only reply,"My Lord and my God!"  

Isaiah's words foretold of God's love in Christ and John's message reminds of the truth and depth of God's love for us in Christ. Both proclaim the God will not forget us. 

Father, thank you for the truth that you will not forget us! Praise be to you in us today!

Do You remember Who You Are?

“Remember these things, Jacob,
   for you, Israel, are my servant.
I have made you, you are my servant;
   Israel, I will not forget you.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
 your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”
Isaiah 44:21-22 (NIV)

As stubborn and rebellious as Israel was I have been. But, the amazing truth is that God, in his grace, sweeps away our sins. He made and and makes us his servants. When we stray he calls us to return to him because he has redeemed us. 

Father, help us to rest in your grace return to you when we stray. Praise be to you in us today!

Was That Heresy of Truth?

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

2 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV)

In my family growing up no one was afraid to tell you that what you said or did was wrong. I also learned to approach the Bible with humility. So I have a natural skepticism for people who make wild claims about their experiences. A little inner red light starts flashing when I hear some people talk about their "special revelation". 

I have this theory that every heretic was alone when they came up with their idea. No one was there to at least give them that "what are you talking about" look. Then they surrounded themselves with weak and needy people, also known as "yes men (or women)". 

Peter warns us about people who seek to deceive us and the denial of the sovereignty of God is at the heart of those teachings. Any teaching that increases me decreases God. For example, if a teaching emphasizes my faith over God's faithfulness, then that's taking away from God's glory, God's sovereignty. Isn't it telling that greed is at the heart of some modern teachings we hear? The prosperity doctrines talk of faith but it really centers on ones ability to have faith rather than on God's sovereign faithful nature. 

How do you know if you are being taught truth or heresy?

Father, give us humility and wisdom. Praise be to you in us today! 

Do You See Your Stream in the Wasteland?

“Forget the former things;
   do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
   and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me, 
   the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness 
   and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
   the people I formed for myself
   that they may proclaim my praise."
Isaiah 43:18-21 (NIV)

Do you notice that God does not say that he will take you out of the wilderness or remove you from the wasteland? What he does say is that he will provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. I think I usually pray to get out of the wilderness and removed from the wasteland. 

When I met my wife, I was at church, trying to serve God. I didn't find her at a dating service or a different church's singles group. I did feel a bit like I was in an emotional wilderness. But, that is where God provided. 

So my point is that you may be in a wilderness, a wasteland where it is really hard to see how God could provide, but, he can and he will. He will provide not just water, but streams. Think about that. When God provides he doesn't just want to give you enough to revive you, he wants you to know what you need is always at hand. I like watching survivalist shows sometimes and they always need water. Having a ready supply of drinkable water is essential for life. God promises to supply us with ready supplies of water to give us what we need. 

Father, open our eyes to see the steams you have provided for our lives. Praise be to you in us today!