"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
At the age of seventeen Joni Eareckson Tada was paralyzed in a diving accident. On the 50th anniversary of her accident she shared this story:
"Back in the ’70s, my Bible study friend Steve Estes shared ten little words that set the course for my life: 'God permits what he hates to accomplish what he loves.' Steve explained it this way: 'Joni, God allows all sorts of things he doesn’t approve of.
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
This is the gospel. That Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, should die for you and for me. That He should fulfill the law (the Ten Commandments) by living a perfect, sinless life. The law was given by God to show us our sinfulness and need for a Savior. And the grace of God in giving His Son to die for us shows His incredible love for us and to what lengths He would go to save us from Hell, which is the punishment we have earned because of our sin.
What's more, it shows us the undeniable love Christ has for us; to obey the will of His Father and complete the work required of Him: to give His very life on a cursed cross. To pay a price that we could never pay! And on the third day, when Jesus rose from the dead, Satan and death were defeated. Only when we accept Christ's sacrifice as sufficient and receive by faith that He paid the penalty for our sins can we say with Paul, "Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
If Christ is your Savior, praise God! Your old sinful self has been crucified with Christ and your new righteous self lives because He now lives in you!
Today's music video This Is Amazing Grace by Phil Wickham is the gospel in song. What an amazing Savior we serve!
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3
I'm in the seventh decade of my existence, and one thing I've come to understand and accept is that in this life there will be events and circumstances that bring heartbreak. No one will escape this. It's inevitable. When bad things happen, often our first response is to retreat into self pity and hopelessness. Certainly no one ever felt the pain I feel. I may as well give up because things will never be the same. I'll never recover from this. But here's the truth. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
"Then Moses said to the LORD, 'Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.' The LORD said to him, 'Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?'" Exodus 4:10-11
Instead of putting his focus on God and His abilities, Moses here is fixing his eyes on himself and his inabilities. He forgot that it is was God who called him to serve Him, and it is God who works in the called to accomplish His purpose.
Paul understood this when he wrote to the Philippians, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:13)
"And He said to them,“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.”Mark 6:31
About a month ago I made a conscious decision to pull away from some of the things I do at home, and to spend more time at rest. It started when I realized I would have to add more hours at work to make up for some hits to my bank account. Oral surgery, a new roof on my storage shed, other home repairs. . .you get the idea. I could feel the pressure (and weariness) mounting, and I do NOT like that feeling.
"He said, 'Who are you?' And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.'" Ruth 3:9
Last week I read once more through the Book of Ruth. Although it's a short read, with only four chapters, it's packed with encouragement for facing life's challenges. Here we find Naomi, a woman living in a foreign land due to a famine in her home country of Judah. She has lost everything: her husband, her two sons, and now she faces the journey back home to Judah where she foresees a life of poverty. She has two daughters-in-law -- both Moabite women -- who want to go with her, but ultimately only Ruth stays by her side. And this is where the story really gets interesting.
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25
While driving home from work last week, I encountered a man and a little boy walking hand in hand in the crosswalk where I was about to turn. I stopped the car and waited while they made their way across the street, and smiled to see the little guy trying to match the man's long strides as they walked. He did his best to keep in step with whom I assume was his father. As I waited and watched them cross, I thought of my own walk with my Heavenly Father, and Paul's admonishment in Galatians to "keep in step with the Spirit."
When we align our thoughts and behaviors with God's will we are in step with the Spirit. We know what God's will for us is through the reading of His word. For example, God instructs us through Paul's writings not to gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatian 5:16), and that "the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God"(vs 19-21). If we are gratifying fleshly desires, then we are clearly not in step with the Spirit.
However, if we are in step with the Spirit we will see the fruit that the Spirit produces in our lives;
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:23-24)
Of crucifying the flesh Barnes Notes on The Bible says:
“This is a beautiful and affecting allusion to our Lord’s sufferings on the cross. The restraining of our fleshly lusts may be very painful to us, as the word crucify implies. But the same word, by putting us in mind of Christ’s suffering much greater pain for us, touches all the generous feelings of the heart, and excites us, from gratitude to him, to disregard the pain which so necessary a duty may occasion to us.”
It is through the cross that we have victory over sin, and may go on to keep in step with the Spirit and produce the fruit we are promised.
Today's music video Walk With You by Michael Bethany is a beautiful worship song that expresses a desire for an intimate walk with God.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
"And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden." Genesis 3:8
There is no sadder event in the Bible than the sin of Adam and Eve, what we call the "fall of man." The day they disobey God and eat from the forbidden tree, their lives and the lives of all who will come after them are changed forever. Where once they were in perfect fellowship with God, now they are afraid of Him and they try to hide themselves. A futile act, to be sure.
"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You."
Psalm 9:10
There are over 30 Hebrew names for God in the Old Testament. They are important, because they reveal His attributes and character. Here are just a few:
ELOHIM......Genesis 1:1, Psalm 19:1
meaning "God", a reference to God's power and might.
"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith -- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire -- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 1:6-7
One of my favorite women of faith is Corrie Ten Boom. During WWII her family hid hundreds of Jews in their home, protecting them from arrest. Eventually her entire family was imprisoned in Nazi internment camps after being betrayed by a neighbor. All but Corrie perished in the camps. During her imprisonment she led countless people to Christ, and after the war she continued to serve the Lord by sharing her story with the world. She once said, "I have experienced His presence in the
"From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." James 3:10
I like to read quotes, and I have a file where I keep my favorites. Recently I came across a secular quote from an unknown source regarding words we speak that, I believe, is worth sharing:
"The six most important words: I admit I made a mistake.
The five most important words: You did a good job.
The four most important words: What is your opinion?
