Does baptism make me stop sinning?

So do you think we should continue sinning so that God will give us more and more grace? Of course not! Our old sinful life ended. It’s dead. So how can we continue living in sin? Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life. (Romans 6:1-4)

If you haven't realized it yet, we do 'continue to sin' even after we say yes to Jesus. There is still a struggle with temptation. We don't just magically 'stop sinning' - we must deal with the urges to do what is wrong when we know what is right. Good news is that we don't do it alone! We have Christ in us to help us with that very real struggle.

Did you ever wonder what purpose water baptism plays in a person's life? If we are honest, some of us may have 'got dunked' without really understanding the real meaning of that action. When we say yes to Jesus, we welcome him into our hearts and ask him to take control of our lives. When we are baptized in water, we are attesting to the fact we have chosen to follow Jesus, wish to live our lives as 'dead to sin' and 'alive to right living'. 

The whole thing about 'taking part in Christ's death' can be a little hard for some to understand. The purpose of baptism is to show we are committed to this walk with Jesus, are reliant upon him to help us live renewed lives, and that we are aware we now live 'new lives'. We are attesting to being 'dead to sin', but we don't always make 'right choices', do we? Does that mean that the action of baptism 'didn't work'? Not at all. Baptism is a testimonial of our faith in Christ to renew our lives - to help us make better choices and walk in all the wisdom he gives.

What changes then? We don't get pulled into sin as easily. It might not happen immediately, but our priorities change. Our choices change. We find ourselves desiring the presence of God. We are easily convicted of our 'sinful deeds' and find ourselves desiring God's restoration quickly. We aren't perfect yet, but we have changed hearts that lead to changed actions, and that is moving us toward God's presence and not away from it. Baptism isn't magical - it is a trusting act that shows we desire more of Christ's activity in our lives until we one day find ourselves aligned with all he desires. Just sayin!

Cleaning House

Good people leave memories that bless us, but the wicked are soon forgotten. (Proverbs 10:7)

Someone once said that history is nothing more than a bunch of collected memories. I think this might just be true. Memories are the things left behind - good or bad - that will live on in the lives of others. We don't control the memories another makes, but we can influence them with the way we live our lives. We might think all the memories we have formed over a lifetime don't amount to much but take another look at the moments that made those memories and I bet you will find they mattered!

Good people leave memories that bless others. Learn to be a blessing to others and you will be creating all kinds of good memories that will live on long after you are no longer with those individuals. We might find a mixture of good, not so good, and in between memories have formed over the course of our lifetime. The ones you probably enjoy the most are the good ones. I remember the first time I held my children in my arms. I remember their glee at their first steps. I remember their proud moment of walking the graduation line to receive their diplomas. All good memories have a way of bringing joy to one's heart.

The bad ones - what about the ones that didn't quite 'bless us'? I know we all have them. I recall the screeching tires and the jolting thud of being rear-ended. I remember to news of my dad's fatal heart attack. If we are truthful here, we all have those memories that jolted us to the core. Hopefully we don't dwell on those memories as much as we do the ones that bring us joy. If we have a hard time letting go of the bad memories, we need to ask God to help us with that task. We might not realize how much they 'squelch' the good ones just beckoning to be freed. 

God's plan is for us to allow our minds (that includes our memories) to be renewed. That means he doesn't want us keeping all those tragic, not so thrilling, and sometimes quite painful ones around. Why? They will have a negative influence on us over and over again until we let him take away their sting and eventually take away their place in our memory bank. I am not saying we need to be 'Polly-anna' in our thinking, but we need to let God clean house within our mind's memory bank. When he does, there will be lots more room for the better memories! Just sayin!

God's offer

Riches and honor elude a great many - at least in terms of physical riches and human honor. God's children enjoy not only untold riches, some unmeasured by human eye or understanding, but also the honor of being welcomed into the Kingdom of God. Right standing with God himself is the most significant of honors one can receive, yet some will discount this 'honor' as they bypass each and every invitation they receive to be welcomed into that family. If they only knew just how much they'd receive they might not resist the invitation so much. Perhaps they need us to share the message time and time again, living out that 'message' in our daily lives, until one day they finally realize they need what we have found.

I love those who love me, and those who look for me will find me. With me there are riches and honor.
I have lasting wealth to give to you. What I give is better than fine gold. What I produce is better than pure silver. I lead people the right way—along the paths of justice. I give riches to those who love me,
and I fill their houses with treasures. (Proverbs 8:17-21)

God loves those who look for him - promising that he will be found when they search. You might have heard a term in Christian circles today referencing a 'seeker-friendly' church environment. What they are saying is that they want a welcoming feel to their church services, so those who are a bit skeptical about 'religion' will feel welcomed, comfortable, and that the message they are hearing is relevant to society today. I don't know about you, but as 'comfortable' as these seeker-friendly churches have been for me, there are just times when God needs to disturb my present comfort in order to make my future comfort all that more enjoyable!

God's offer is relevant to all ages - there is no 'irrelevancy' in his message of trust. He welcomes all, seeking to have all of their heart, and then he blesses them with 'wealth' beyond what most will ever appreciate. Forgiveness of sins and being made right with the God of the Universe carries a certain degree of 'wealth' we will never be able to measure through human understanding. Some will never know the forgiveness of God, but that doesn't mean he won't keep inviting them to know him! God looks for the lost, seeking them out with a tenacity that doesn't quit. All we might do is live the message for others to 'see', so they might 'seek', and then we can all rejoice when what was lost is finally found! Just sayin!

Purposeful, not random

The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident. (Francesco Guicciardini)

Give freely, and you will profit. Help others, and you will gain more for yourself. (Proverbs11:25)

The actions of sowing and reaping are well-established. The seed is put into the ground, the harvest is tended, then it is reaped, allowing for provision today and into the future. If the one sowing stopped sowing, would the harvest end? Eventually, for natural 'reseeding' occurs to some extent, but to yield a sustainable crop for generations to come, one must purposefully plant. 

The purposeful actions of today will produce a harvest well into the future, but all that is sown must be tended. We might share the hope of the gospel, but are we always the ones to tend it? No, there is usually some 'tending' done by someone other than us - perhaps the Holy Spirit alone, or perhaps he will engage another who will refresh the soil of the heart time and time again until that 'seed of faith' is properly germinated. Either way, the seed only germinates because it is tended.

We can give a lot out of our lives - what gets tended will yield the biggest 'crop'. It may not always be evident how much we are tending the crop in another's life, but when there are purposeful actions to love one another as Christ loves each of us, there is sure to be a germination of grace and love in the process. What is reaped will not always be evident for the 'purposeful seeds' we plant, though. Sometimes we see a harvest way different from what we expected!

God trusts us to be 'generous in our sowing' - he gave grace so freely, so we give freely from that position of grace. Let there be purpose behind your actions, my friends. When there is purposeful giving, there is purposeful reaping. Random 'seeding' is fine if we want a 'random' harvest. Purposeful planting yeilds a predetermined harvest. Just sayin!

Big dreams?

With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Do you ask God for big things? Or do you play it safe and ask only for the things you are pretty confident he will provide? Don't be afraid to ask for the big things because we serve a BIG God who delights in revealing his love toward us. What we don't want to do is limit God in any way. We want to remain open to the 'power working in us' that will 'do much' if we allow him access, are obedient to what he asks, and trust him with our whole heart.

In my youth I was a big dreamer. In fact, I was a bit of a daydreamer growing up. I'd drift off into thought about things way bigger than I could achieve right then, finding myself carried away in a world of imagined plans. It wasn't until I began to realize God has dreams for me that were being limited by the dreams, I concocted in my own mind that I began to let God show me the 'much more' he had planned for me. His power within me was aching to be turned lose, but I was limiting his actions by the limitations of my dreams.

With God's power working in us - this doesn't say 'when' his power is working within us - it says 'with'. The way we read this is important because we already have his power resident within us, ready to work not only within us, but through us. If we read just a few verses prior to today's passage, we will see Paul reminding us that God's plan is for Christ to live in our hearts, for us to come to experience his love, and that we should be 'filled with everything he has for us'. When Christ is in the center of our lives, his power is working within us - no matter what!

What are the 'big things' God has prepared for you? Today is a great time to find out. You won't know until you begin to ask! He can do much - we just need to be available to him. Maybe it is time to ditch some of our 'daydreaming' and listen to hear the plans he has prepared for us well in advance of us ever knowing he would do such things in or through us. Just sayin!

Got a troublemaker in your life?

Some people are just troublemakers. They are always thinking up some crooked plan and telling lies. They use secret signals to cheat people; they wink their eyes, shuffle their feet, and point a finger. They are always planning to do something bad. But they will be punished. Disaster will strike, and they will be destroyed. There will be no one to help them. (Proverbs 5:12-14)

If you have ever had a troublemaker in your life, you know just how hard it can be to around them for any length of time. You just want to turn and run when you see them because you know nothing good is about to come of the encounter. Wisdom would suggest we avoid them entirely, but we all know it is impossible to never encounter them at all. So, what do we do when we encounter a troublemaker in our lives? If we want to learn how to deal with them, we need only look as far as Christ's example.

Jesus was surrounded by members of the religious leadership, thinking they knew more than he did, always trying to find fault with what he said or did. He didn't just rebuke them and move on - he cared too much for their lost souls. He didn't just 'take it' either - for he knew those of weaker faith needed to hear the message of hope he brought. He answered each one of their unfounded claims with dignity and grace. He didn't shy away from them, he purposefully placed himself in a position where they'd be. 

We also have the instruction given by Paul in Philippians 4:5 to let everyone see our gentleness and kindness, to pray and give God the worries of that relationship or encounter. I have 'shot up' many a quick prayer to him when encountered by a troublemaker, asking not only for wisdom in 'handling' the moment, but to have God intervene in the actions of the troublemaker. When we trust God to 'shut it down', we might just find there comes a 'lull' in the troublemaker's actions that suggests God is intervening. 

We don't want these individuals in our lives, but Galatians 6:1 tells us to always be gentle and attempt to 'make the individual right again' in the relationship. They will cause havoc with the greatest of ease, but our response should always be one of gentleness and grace. When encountered with that 'double-barreled defense' they might just find they have very little sway in our lives. A troublemaker who cannot stir up the trouble they hoped to create is actually undone by such a response. Just sayin!

Swimming Upstream?

My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life. (Proverbs 4:20-23)

When God asks us to pay attention it is just that he knows how easily we become distracted by other things or people. The 'loudest voice' or the 'shiniest image' gets our attention and before we know it, we are following the crowd and not him. I recently attended a large gathering and at the end of the event, huge crowds all marched out in no particular order, but with intent. I took particular notice of those who were trying to 'swim upstream', pushing past those who were intent on going one direction when they were committed to going the other. Sometimes our Christian walk can seem a bit like we are 'swimming upstream' while the crowds are swimming smoothly in the opposite direction. Just remember one thing - they think they know where they are all going, but if they don't really know who is leading them, they might not reach their desired destination.

Pay attention to the words of God - they are not always easily heard, sometimes harder than we'd like to understand, but they have never steered anyone wrong. One of the most reassuring things we can count on when the crowds are streaming one direction, and we seem to be fighting the battle to go the other is that God isn't abandoning us in the 'swim'. He gives us his word so we can meditate upon it, recalling it when the crowds are telling us we should be going the opposite direction, then leaning into the direction it gives above all other advice we might receive to the contrary. Be careful what you think - this is probably the crux of the issue when it comes to choosing the direction we will 'swim' in life. What we think upon the most will influence the actions we take with ease. Think upon his word and we might just find ourselves taking action in the direction others have been avoiding.

The secret to living well might actually be finding a translation of his word that helps us enjoy our time in it, get something out of it, and desire more of it in our lives. We cannot think upon it if we never get it in. We don't know the direction our life should take if we never ask. When we hear clearly that the direction has been established, we can just merge with the crowds, or 'swim upstream' with one intention in mind - to be with him. Just sayin!

Look Heavenward

Those who find wisdom are fortunate; they will be blessed when they gain understanding. Profit that comes from wisdom is better than silver and even the finest gold. Wisdom is worth more than fine jewels. Nothing you desire has more value. With her right hand, Wisdom offers long life—with the other hand, riches and honor. Wisdom will lead you to a life of joy and peace. Wisdom is like a life-giving tree to those who hold on to her; she is a blessing to those who keep her close. (Proverbs 3:12-18)

It would not be wrong to think of wisdom as an application of knowledge obtained throughout some field of study, but God's wisdom isn't just book learning applied. If we are to understand God's wisdom, we are actually in need of the person of wisdom resident in our lives. Jesus is wisdom in the flesh. We need Jesus if we want God's wisdom. Our passage is saying that those who find Jesus are fortunate - they will be blessed when they gain his understanding. 

We can search after things that 'add to' our lives throughout our entire lifetime and never find the same 'value' or 'worthiness' in anything we could amass here on this earth. All the book learning and worldly wisdom we can amass pales in comparison to God's wisdom. Whatever it is we desire above God's wisdom is really 'below' God's wisdom. Nothing can compare, so why do we find ourselves seeking after things that have inferior worth? Perhaps it is because we are so 'bent' on living independent lives and cannot fathom ever submitting to his presence or purpose.

Long live isn't achieved because we work out at the gym daily, drink protein drinks, and follow a regimented diet. While it may keep our physical heart healthy, our spiritual heart is in need of quite a bit of help that isn't found at the gym! We need God's cleansing and his softening of our hearts. This is most frequently accomplished when the person of wisdom comes to indwell our lives - it begins at the point we welcome him in, it continues a lifetime until we see him face-to-face. Riches and honor aren't physical things - they are spiritual things. We need to stop seeking them here on this earth and look heavenward instead. Just sayin!

Discovering the perfect hiding place

What God has said isn’t only alive and active! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. (Hebrews 4:12)

There is a science to the "dissection" process of butchering meats - much like there must be a "science" to getting at the desires and thoughts of our hearts. God doesn't just go about "butchering" our mind, will, and emotions to get at those things which need to be revealed and separated. He has a skill in what he does and how he does it. He isn't going to yank and pull - creating a case of "tug-a-war" within - but he is going to gently "part" what is responsible for keeping those "deep crevices" of our lives hidden and bound up until they are exposed to his careful attention.

Can a dead thing resist? All it takes for death to occur is the right opportunity and environment for death, decay continuing to do the work which had begun when it was first removed from that which gave it a life source. Sin yields a type of "decay" in our lives - hidden away in the places we don't think can be easily reached; it is allowed to continue the process of death until it is discovered under the careful attention of our Lord's hand. It remains hidden, allowed to continue its work of decaying because sin is really a part of our lives where "separation" from a good life source has occurred. When we are separated from the righteousness of God, death begins to occur. The longer that area is allowed to be hidden in the recesses of our hearts and minds, the more it will "rot" where it is hidden.

This is why God uses great care to get at those recesses of our hearts and minds - so he can help us uncover what is bringing about the "decay" in our lives. It brings a "putrid" kind of "stench" to our character which must be dealt with in order for us to be rid of it. Great care is taken to get at the reason for the decay. We know something exists which is contributing to that odor, but it won't just jump out at us! We have to go after it! Sin isn't just going to "own up" to its hiding place, my friends. We need the tools God provides in order to discover its hiding place and to finally rid ourselves of the putrid decay it has been creating within our inner man.

God's Word is a skilled tool in his hands. God doesn't just "clean house" - he inspects what is there, identifies what doesn't belong, and then sets about to finally and completely remove it. It is done with care - through the revealing power of his Word. God's Word helps us to not only "take inventory" of what is in our lives, it helps us remove what doesn't belong there anymore - those things which will only give off a stench and produce more decay as a result of their presence. Grace is the healing instrument in the process of God separating that which belongs and that which must be removed from our lives. Through the Word, he exposes. By grace, he begins to replace that which was decaying with that which comes with a new life source and with a fragrance only reproducible because it remains attached to that new life source! It is already a dead place in our hearts - that which is dead doesn't belong in the place where we want to reproduce life. Just sayin!

Shall we make our nation great again?

Goodness makes a nation great, but sin is a shame to any people. (Proverbs 14:34)

It is GOODNESS that makes a nation great again, not a man, a political party, or an office. It is the people who set their hearts right with Jesus, welcoming him into their lives, and living in such a manner so as to please God who make it great. No one in the past, nor in the future, whoever holds office is capable of filling hearts with goodness - the very ingredient that makes a country 'great'. 

God changes the heart of a man or woman who welcomes him into their lives, giving him authority to rule and reign in place of their own pride or selfish will. Is it possible for other things or people to change a man's heart in the same way? I don't think it is, but it is possible to change a person's heart by leading someone into the pathway of sin simply with the use of misleading untruths. 

This is why it is so important for us to observe God's actions, see what responses his Son had while here on this earth, and allow his Word to correct any misleading 'untruths' that may have found their way into our hearts. Jesus didn't need to call attention to himself - those who desired truth came to him. Jesus didn't exclude those who were different - he welcomed them openly. Jesus didn't 'cover-up' bad behavior - he behaved well because he reflected the heart of his Father at all times.

The nation who wishes to be great again needs to seek God first. Remember, if his people, who are called by his name, humble themselves and prayerfully confessing their sins, turning from all manner of evil, God will restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) Very specific steps there - humble oneself, prayerfully confess, turn away (repent) from sin, and seek God with all your heart. If we want a 'great nation' again, it isn't the man in office that will make it great - it is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings in your heart thata will! Just sayin!

This is valuable space

Nothing can hide its evil as well as the human mind. It can be very sick, and no one really understands it. But I am the Lord, and I can look into a person’s heart. I can test a person’s mind... (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

The human mind is a mystery to me. It can reason, helping me to figure out solutions to some things quite quickly. It can remember, bringing to memory things that brought me either pleasure or pain. It can imagine, giving me hope when I need it and dreams when I least expect them. If it is possible for my mind to 'hide its evil' from me, I definitely need God's help to uncover where that may actually occur!

Our human mind is in need of some real 'overhaul' at times, isn't it? We have this uncanny ability to call things that aren't all that good for us 'okay' and resist the absolute need to expose those things in order to be rid of them once and for all. This is why we have such a significant problem with being 'tempted' at times. We have allowed our minds to 'create' a place for the base thoughts that lead us into that sin. What we need is a good 'light' to see where evil has been finding a home.

If our mind is able to 'hide away' bits and pieces of sinful thoughts, is it any wonder why we struggle to let go of some of the things that trigger us to sin? We might not even know we are hiding away such thoughts, but when we ask God to begin the work of breaking down the bonds we have with our sin, we shouldn't be surprised when he begins to work on our thought life!

Sin is easier conceived than we might like to admit. It is like we 'see' something, then in a flash it is fully formed. Remember that our enemy, Satan, doesn't do much to help us think clearly. In fact, he likes to confuse truth with bits and pieces of 'believable lies'. Sin might just be easily conceived because lies have been intermingled with truth in our minds, making it easy to engage those thoughts and form the wrong actions associated with them.

We need God's help to expose any place in our minds where we have harbored any manner of evil. It could have been done quite innocently, such as when we hide away a 'mostly truth' that has been tainted with a 'little lie here and there'. It could be we have secreted away some of those 'triggering thoughts' because we fear their exposure, simply because there is so much shame surrounding them. Either way, God stands at the ready to shine his light and get to work cleaning out the evil we may not even realize we have given valuable 'space' to in our minds. Just sayin!

The true picture

If words are but pictures of our thoughts, what picture are you painting? It is possible the picture painted would enthrall some, put off others, and not even faze the rest. It is quite possible the words we choose to speak, as well as the ones we choose to never speak, allow others to see 'into' our hearts. God wanted us to know his heart well, so he gave us his WORD to reveal it!

My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life. (Proverbs 4:20-23)

God tells us to pay attention to what he says because it reveals his inner thoughts, purposes, and power. Herein is the rub - we hear without really listening - not really coming to understand how he works, what he desires, or what is available to us in him. Maybe it is time we learn to put away or pull ourselves away from those things that are distracting us from really listening!

He reminds us we have to listen closely - meaning we might actually miss what he says or misunderstand it all together. When we listen closely to hear something, what do we do? If you are like me, you remove as many of the 'interfering' things as possible in order to 'zero in on' that which I am attempting to hear. I open the door to hear the noise outside. I turn off the TV volume to hear the wind roaring. If we want to hear, perhaps we need to remove some of the 'barriers' to hearing.

Part of hearing is achieved in reconsidering or pondering what it is we have heard. I have a friend who has lost part of her hearing, not able to hear some pitches of sound, and she can miss those sounds totally. There are times she has to ponder the words I speak in order to make sense of them because of that hearing deficit. Maybe we each have a bit of a hearing deficit that we need to deal with, my friends. Ponder for a while the things God is revealing in his Word and you might just decide you haven't been seeing the 'true picture' he wants you to see. Just sayin!

Is this how it was intended to be?

 Love cures people - both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it. (Karl A. Menninger)

I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other just as I loved you. All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other. (John 13:34-35)

Some in this world crave love because they really haven't seen much love modeled in their lives - rejected, alone in most of their actions, drifting kind of aimlessly from one relationship to another, just hoping they will find 'whatever' it is they crave. Love isn't learned from the textbooks - it is modeled behavior. We can absolutely KNOW God loves us because he sent his son to 'model' the behaviors of love. His love has been in action since he created heaven and earth, but if we ever doubted his love, we only need to look to the actions of Jesus on our behalf, the actions of his Father in sending him to earth, and then the actions of the Father pronouncing sin's penalty has been paid once and for all through Jesus.

Love has a curative effect - it envelops us in its actions and surrounds us with its gentleness. Is love always gentle, though? I never thought it was when my parents would discipline me for some misguided action on my part - until I was the parent and had to take similar actions in the lives of my two children. It was then that I realized love isn't always 'gentle' as some may think of gentleness - but it is directive, protective, and restorative! Love gives what one needs, not always what one deserves. This is indeed good news, isn't it? We need God's gentle love, but there are times we need his discipline in our lives in order to bring correction. Both are God's love expressed, with one being a whole lot easier to accept than the other!

Love isn't ethereal - it is practical and is often seen in the actions of another. We would find it hard to believe someone who said they loved us and then saw no actions that revealed that love, wouldn't we? We are the kind of people who need 'proof' that what is said is meant. Isn't God good to give us that 'proof' in his Son? We might think we don't need his love, but there is no basis for real love apart from God initiating the actions of love within us. We might have 'fond feelings' or 'good vibes', but we don't really experience love as God intends it to be experienced until we experience his love. Just sayin!

Grace operationalized

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. (Corrie Ten Boom)

Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

How well we know God will determine how well we are able to trust him when things are going a little 'willy-nilly' in our lives. We cannot develop trust in the moment - it is developed in the long haul. The more we put into this relationship with Jesus, getting to know him better and better with each passing day, the more we will trust him with 'willy-nilly' seems to be the agenda of the day.

With every step we take, do we focus on what God wants, or what comes naturally or the easiest? If we are honest here, there are times when we are faced with the two choices, and we don't always choose wisely. For example, when a person drops some bomb on us, words meant to undo us or cause us to enter into an argument, do we focus on what God wants (the soft answer or the turning of the other cheek), or do we just see the open door to the argument and 'enter in' like there was no tomorrow?

The more we trust Jesus with our today, the easier it will be for us to trust him with our future. This type of trust isn't built quickly - it comes over time. Yes, we can trust Jesus with everything, but learning to do just that takes a bit of effort on our parts! We want to hold onto what we 'know' when faced with the 'unknown', so until we get to know Jesus better, we might just choose the easiest path over the less traveled one.

Don't depend upon your own knowledge - this is key to learning to trust Jesus. His knowledge supersedes ours. It isn't limited by what is seen or heard. It excels in uncovering truth because trust is built on truth. Thinking about what he wants is only possible when we have been able to uncover truth about how he acts, how grace would respond when it is 'fully operationalized' in the hard moments. We get to know that by observing what is said about his Son as he lived on this earth. The more we get to know Jesus, the closer we get to responding how he responded. In other words, 'grace operationalized'. Just sayin!

God's slowness is really God's goodness in action

The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost. He wants everyone to change their ways and stop sinning. (2 Peter 3:9)

Is anyone else grateful for God's patience? I know I am! If he held every sin against me, even those committed AFTER I said yes to him, I'd be in a totally miserable place! How about you? Just because you said 'yes' to Jesus doesn't mean you stopped dealing with sin's desires and pulls in your life. In fact, like me, you probably have given in to some of those temptations on occasion. Just like me, you need God's patience and I sure hope you are as grateful for it as I am!

On another note, when God delays his answer to us, how do we take that delay? If you are anything like me, you sometimes question if God even heard your cry for help, or request for something to be done in your life. Maybe you went ahead and did whatever it was you asked God to bless, only to find you were ahead of his plan or out of it totally. A 'change in our way' of dealing with life's challenges, our needs, and even our hopes are called for once we come to Jesus. We might not realize how much we are limiting his ability to act in our life until we stop 'taking action'.

God doesn't welcome us into his family just to leave us to our own devices. He doesn't call for us to repent of our sins to have us return to them time and time again. He isn't afraid to bring conviction if that happens, though! When he does, do we see how intense his love for us really is, or do we justify our actions because of 'his delays' or 'lack of intervention' as we wanted him to intervene? Even if we justify our misguided actions, his love won't let us justify them for very long. He will bring about another set of circumstances aimed at revealing our lack of trust in his timing, methodology, or faithfulness in our lives.

God isn't slow - he is patient! This is something we must learn as it applies to our 'sanctification' - getting our actions to line up with our new heart. It is also something we must learn about his timing and purposes. God has great plans, his timing may not always be evident to us, but we need to trust when he calls us into his family, he has prepared a place for us, as well as a purpose for us. Be grateful for his slowness - it is likely what we need in order to step fully into our place and to begin to fulfill that purpose fully! Just sayin!

No longer going east

Michael W. Smith has recorded a song that hits home in my heart every time I hear it. It is entitled "Go West Young Man", and it pictures the age-old dilemma of 'blazing a trail' into sin's path. The words that speak to me the loudest: "When the evil go east, go west young man". A question is posed: "Why must I wander like a cloud, following the crowd", then the need we all have is presented in the words, "Well I don't know but I'm asking for the will to fight." We all need the 'will' to fight, don't we? To resist the desire to head 'east' when evil entices us, instead choosing to head 'west' right into the arms of Jesus. 

The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it. (I Corinthians 10:13)

All of us face the same temptation to head 'east' - maybe with a different set of 'temptations', but always with the same intent - to draw us away from Jesus' arms. Nothing threatens Satan more than a child of God who is resting secure in the arms of Jesus, determined to head the opposite direction of sin's pull. Jesus told his followers to pray for strength against temptation because he knew we'd all face it at some point. (Luke 22:46) It isn't 'if' temptation will attempt to pull us 'east', but 'when'. We must stand ready to run the opposite direction. James 4:7 reminds us we need to resist the devil and he will flee from us, but wouldn't it be wise for each of us to choose to put as much space between us and evil as possible?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said it is necessary to aim above the mark in order to hit the mark. When evil heads 'east', aim high! Sometimes the easiest way to end the struggle with sin in our lives is to change our aim - to aim is good, but maybe we need to aim a little higher. To 'head west' means we not only allow distance between us and sin, but we are also creating additional distance through prayer, the intake of the Word of God, and times of listening to God's still small voice. Scripture reminds us that as far as the east is from the west, so are our sins removed from us. (Psalm 113:12) If God separates the guilt of our sins that far, maybe we should take that as a clue to not only remove temptation far away, but to actually move ourselves far away from sin's pull! Just sayin!

Breaking that emotional bond

A man is called selfish not for pursuing his own good, but for neglecting his neighbor's.

(Richard Whately)

Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don’t try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)

Most of us can easily recall the last meal we prepared or purchased for ourselves. Many can recount the nice gifts they received on their birthday or anniversary. Others will bring to memory the nice things said about them at a celebration in their honor. How many of us can remember the last 'bad thing' done to us or said about us? God tells us to forget about the wrong things people do to us, but for some reason we hold onto those memories quite easily. 

We might want to let go of whatever it is that has been 'done wrong' against us, but whenever we try to let go, we find ourselves drifting backward into our memory of the emotions attached to that 'event'. Maybe the amount of emotion attached to the event plays a part in how 'memorable' it is. Let me learn to cook some gourmet dish from scratch and I bet there is a certain set of emotions that make that moment in time memorable. Let me get in a car crash, complete with screeching tires and crumbling metal and I bet the emotions attached to that event leave a lasting impression.

If emotions play such a huge part in how we 'form' and 'hold onto' certain memories, maybe the way for us to let go of the 'wrong things done to us' is to ask God to help us 'interrupt' the emotional triggers that send us down the pathway to that bad memory. It could just be as God breaks the 'emotional bond' behind that emotion that we finally begin to realize our 'neighbor' needs our forgiveness as much as we need to let go of whatever it is we are holding onto. Instead of being 'triggered' by the emotions to recount the 'bad memory' time and time again, we might just find God has us pray for our neighbors! 

We aren't going to 'get over' a bad memory as long as we keep nursing the 'emotional trigger' that stirs up all those negative feelings once again. Maybe we can be truly free of those emotional bonds God's intervention, but until we ask, we will never know. Just sayin!

Another look at 'do unto others'

No man ever got very high by pulling other people down. The intelligent merchant does not knock his competitors. The sensible worker does not knock those who work with him. Don't knock your friends. Don't knock your enemies. Don't knock yourself. (Alfred Lord Tennyson)

“But I say to you people who are listening to me, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Ask God to bless the people who ask for bad things to happen to you. Pray for the people who are mean to you. If someone hits you on the side of your face, let them hit the other side too. If someone takes your coat, don’t stop them from taking your shirt too. Give to everyone who asks you for something. When someone takes something that is yours, don’t ask for it back. Do for others what you want them to do for you. (Luke 6:27-31)

Are we really listening to Jesus? Most of us would admit we listen on occasion, more when things aren't going as we expected, but not as closely at other times. Why is that? We get distracted by life's occurrences and listening when we are distracted is kind of hard. God might say obedience begins with listening, so if we aren't listening all that closely to his instructions for us, are we likely to be obedient when the chips are down? We fail to respond with obedience and then we get upset with ourselves for our 'lack of listening'. Isn't that just like us - knowing what to do, not doing it, then knocking ourselves down a peg because we didn't? 

The heart wants what the heart wants. The only way 'toward' obedience is by having our heart changed. In case you didn't know it, "Nothing can hide its evil as well as the human mind. It can be very sick, and no one really understands it." (Jeremiah 17:9) All heart change begins by asking God to renew (regenerate) our minds. Instead of 'knocking' ourselves for our failures, we should be asking God to change the thing that gets us into all those sticky places of compromise in the first place - the mind. We might just begin to see others and their actions just a bit differently when God begins to change the framework of our thinking. We might just begin to see the framework of OUR actions a bit differently, as well.

We don't begin to 'do' for others or ourselves until we begin to 'think' the way God thinks. The only way to think that way is to submit our minds to his teaching - getting the Word of God into us so it can begin to divide the good from the bad, the unclear from the very obvious, the things not to be trusted from those we can build upon for a strong foundation. Just sayin!

New Wine Skins

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. (Thomas A. Edison)

We must not get tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time. We must not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

It is easy to grow weary, much harder to regain momentum when we have been stagnant way too long! We will face trials - challenges beyond our 'natural' reasoning, ability, or strength. What we do when we stand face-to-face with those challenges makes all the difference! Will we turn and run? Will we stand up and fight in our own strength? Or will we turn to Christ for wisdom, renewal, and increased capacity?

Sometimes we think the only thing we need when facing a hard challenge is to have more strength. More 'ability' to handle it. More 'intel' about the situation. The truth is that we might just need more capacity! Old wine skins were never meant to hold new wine. Why? As time passed, the new wine would expand until it burst from the old wine skin. God isn't trying to make us 'burst' spiritually, mentally, or even physically. He may be trying to put us into a new wine skin!

In basic training, one of my Drill Sergeants used to tell us all the time: "Giving up is not an option!" It wasn't optional - we needed to dig deeper, find some inner strength, push beyond our weariness, and move on. Those long road marches, physical training drills, long days at the obstacle courses, and even the 'after hour' boot polishing and uniform ironing were enough to do a sane person in! But...giving up was not optional! May I just say this to those of us who are facing challenges way beyond what seems 'natural' for us to handle today: "Giving up is not optional!"

Christ beckons us onward - not with the same old techniques as we used in the past. He is beckoning us into 'new wine skins' - we haven't been this way before and we need to allow him to 'outfit' us for the journey. Capacity isn't often part of our prayers when going through tough stuff, but maybe it should move up on our list. Just sayin!

The deepest renewal

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. (Desmond Tutu) 

But those who trust in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired. (Isaiah 40:31)

As we walk throughout our day, weariness can come upon us after much toil and hard work, right? Did you know that we don't even need to toil to tire? Ever hear of a friend say they were more tired when they got out of bed than they were when they went to bed? Weariness is both a state of mind and body - it includes our spirit, soul, and all that makes us human. The 'strain' of life doesn't have to be physical - emotional strain can take more out of us than a hard day's labor. Sometimes we grow weary because we become dissatisfied with how long something is taking - like an answer to our prayers. Even the most 'balanced' individual can grow weary spiritually and emotionally. That is why it is so important that we recharge ourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We can be all 'charged up' at the beginning of our day, or the challenge that lies ahead, but does that 'charge' always last? NO! We need time to recharge with Christ in the midst of it all. It is easy to get caught up in all that is going on around us and miss that God is beckoning us into a little time alone with him. Time in prayer, worship, and in the Word. Time that will recharge our 'batteries' and help us be ready for whatever is about to come next. We might try to push past the weariness, but the more we do, the harder it becomes to resist the things which arise from that weariness. Things like words that are a little too 'clipped' or 'brash', or perhaps withdrawal into an 'emotional dark hole' that seems to surround us with no way out. Before that happens - take time!

We only see light in the midst of the darkness because we have taken time to refill our spirit, settle our emotions, and reenergize our minds. There is no better place to find light for the situation than in the presence of Jesus. It isn't a 'room' as much as it is giving him room to work within us. We might think of the need to renew as going to a place, but God tells us it is him taking our place that actually brings the deepest renewal. Just sayin!

Embrace faith, not works

I want to belong to him. In Christ I am right with God, but my being right does not come from following the law. It comes from God through faith. God uses my faith in Christ to make me right with him. All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him from death. (Philippians 3:9-10)

There is no other way to be 'made right' than through Christ Jesus. There is no other set of rules or 'belief system' we need to follow in order to 'gain righteousness'. With that said, why do we still try to 'be made right'? I observe those who have given their hearts to Jesus trying to 'earn' their way into heaven or some such thing, all through 'righteous actions', family traditions, and deeply rooted traditions of 'the church'. For some reason, Satan has been able to convince many that they need 'more' than Christ in order to be 'made right'. They strive without purpose because all God has purposed has been accomplished in Christ Jesus, therefore all their striving and 'deeply rooted traditions' are nothing more than religion. God asks us to enter into relationship with him and then stop 'striving'. It is time to put down that which we thought would earn anything in God's kingdom and begin to lean into the faith he gives. When all we count on is the faith he provides to be made right with him, we begin to engage in actions that he purposes for us. Those actions aren't done to 'earn', but because there is a genuine interest in seeing others set free from their bondage to sin and made right with Christ. 

The Great Commission wasn't given to the apostles in order for them to 'earn' anything in God's kingdom. In fact, it was to help spread the good news about the way into God's kingdom - a way bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus. The believers were to share the good news and in turn, God would show these sinners the way into his kingdom through the finished work of Christ. “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of time.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Nothing in the commission says we are to show them how to do 'works' in order to be welcomed into God's kingdom. Authority was given to share the good news and 'make followers' - by showing them they can live in 'liberty' in service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. the 'commission' involved teaching 'obedience' to the Word of God - obedience to God's will.

If we don't realize it, we are living, breathing 'testimonials' of all God has done for us, in us, and ultimately through us. Faith given becomes faith replicated. Obedience taught becomes obedience learned. Do we learn it naturally, or by following some set of rules? No, we learn it by example - the example of Christ, who although divine in all ways took on the form of a man and lived without sin in a very sinful world. We'd do well to study his example, sharing in the grace he gives, and learning at the feet of our heavenly Father. Then we need to share what it is he has taught and what we have learned. Really all the learning we do is because God grants us the ability (through faith) to embrace it. Just sayin!

Just another sunrise?

The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next. They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. Yet their message reaches all the earth, and it travels around the world. In the heavens a tent is set up for the sun. It rises like a bridegroom and gets ready like a hero eager to run a race. It travels all the way across the sky. Nothing hides from its heat. (Psalm 19:1-6)

We might be amazed with each sunrise, sunset, and the phases of the moon! Why? They are simply doing what they were designed to do - to keep telling the wonders of God and declaring boldly what he has done! They declare his creative power and his ability to sustain all things with nothing more than the sound of his voice! This should give us cause to pause for just a few moments to consider his greatness and to bask in his brilliance! When we think of the sun and the moon, we are to consider them as "declarations" of God's continued care for each of us. Without a word, the sun goes down and the moon takes its place in the sky. Without a sound, the sun begins the slow journey from somewhere below the horizon into the majesty of the sky above. In the passage of hours, it finds itself lingering just along the opposite horizon, giving that final glow of daylight as the moon sets about the path it will keep during those ensuing nighttime hours. No announcement is heard - no words are spoken - yet the brilliance of the sun's brightness and the faithfulness of the moon's passage tell of the faithfulness of our God.

Scripture tells us if we don't tell of his faithfulness, even nature will declare it. The message is heralded by the brightness of day and the dark, but brilliant night hours. The world is without excuse when it comes to knowing there is a God - for even the things we take so much for granted declare his faithfulness and grace. Without the sun, we would be launched into perpetual darkness and frigid temperatures. Without the brilliance of those rays beating down on plants below, the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen would never occur. Apart from their faithful coming and going, all life as we know it would cease to follow its pattern of life. Even us! We often take for granted things which God has taken so much care to prepare and preserve for our well-being. I have an appreciation for the majesty of what God has created and the tremendous amount of care he put into the handiwork each object of his creative power exhibits. Whether it is you or I that is being considered as his handiwork, or the tree fully in bloom with magnificent magnolia blooms filling the air with their sweet smell, or the seeming ease at which the humpback whale rises from the depths below - God is declared to be GOD in all of these things.

Stop to consider these wonders now and again. Think about the mystery of these objects. We don't really know what keeps the sun and moon in their places in the skies above, although scientists have studied their existence and course for years and years. We don't really know how they came to be, although scripture declares clearly their existence is clearly from God's hand - created from nothing - something we cannot comprehend with our finite minds. Some days reveal the passage of those bright rays in shorter spans than others, depending upon the time of year we observe their presence. Maybe this is because God wants us to recognize there are times when we need to bring rest to the earth and seasons when productive growth occurs. Maybe this is symbolic of how we go through seasons of tremendous growth, followed by what seems like times of coolness and barrenness. Those aren't times of barrenness. They are times of preparation - for in those moments when the days seem darker, our hearts are being prepared for the returning of the brilliance of those productive seasons soon to break upon the horizon of our lives! No announcement is necessary for the sun to take its place high above us. God's care is behind the dependability of its rising and setting! Just as consistent as he is in arranging for the sun to take its course high above us, his care over our lives may be depended upon because his carefulness over our lives and the course we take within them is for more important to him! Just sayin!

Keeping up?

'Keeping up with the Joneses'

It is worth nothing for you to have the whole world if you yourself are lost. (Mark 8:36)

There used to be a saying that implicated the "Joneses'" as having so much and everyone trying to keep up with them. While the saying may not be as popular today, the desire to 'keep up' is always around us in society. We are marketed the fastest internet, the most expansive cell and data plans, the best hotel accommodations, and the biggest houses with the most 'toys' to enjoy on the weekends. Regardless of the current 'trends', the root problem still is man's extreme 'pride'. We desire some of the 'worst' things for ourselves, all because someone else has it or is doing it. All the while, Jesus is just sitting there asking for us to take as much interest in him as we do in 'keeping up'!

Did you realize that the phrase, "Keeping us with the Joneses" actually dates back to 1913? It has been around for over 100 years and actually emerged in a time we don't think of as being all that 'affluent' or 'cutting edge'. The phrase stems from the 'race' to outdo one's neighbor - not in spiritual terms, but in physical objects, the size of the home, the contents of one's home, or the income one attained from one's advancing career. The 'race' began in the late 1800's and was coined the 'rat race' sometime later. The desire for more and more became common place. The extreme exhaustion of competition is seldom acknowledged by those engaging in such a competitive manner, though. 

Competition in this world just seems to keep coming. If we are going to always strive to 'keep up' with the competition, we will soon be exhausted by all the striving required. What most fail to recognize is the 'circular' motion such competition takes. One 'achieves' this or that, but soon finds the achievement is 'outdated' and he is no longer 'keeping up', so he must set out to achieve all over again. God's good news is that there is no competition in his Kingdom. All are equally sinners - all are equally in need of a Savior. All enter into his Kingdom through grace - no amount of 'keeping up' work is required in order to 'advance' or 'be out front'. In fact, God actually says those who would be last will be the ones who will 'move on up' in the end! Just sayin!

Let God 'interfere' a bit

Yes, it is God who is working in you. He helps you want to do what pleases him, and he gives you the power to do it. (Philippians 2:14)

Like it or not, God is at work. Where? In you and in me. We aren't ever going to escape his work - he began his work in us when we said yes to him, and he will surely continue that work as long as we draw breath. Do we always appreciate or welcome his work within our lives? Not hardly! There are times we are just plain stubborn and don't want to have his 'interference'. We see what he is doing as 'bothersome' - mostly because his work is bringing conviction, and we don't like having our 'wrong choices' pointed out because we are prideful people. The more we resist his 'interference' in our lives, the longer we will deal with issues that only get us into other issues! It is God who actually helps us do what we don't want to do!

Have you ever been in a place where you know the very thing you are about to do isn't going to end well? If you haven't, learn from my mistakes, okay? If you think you can 'will' your way to obedience, you are mistaken. Obedience is tougher than it sounds - all because we have this thing called pride. Pride has this way of overruling what we know to be right in favor of what we know to be wrong. That is when we find ourselves getting way too close to compromise, or worse yet, crossing the line into full-blown sin. Indulge your prideful 'self' long enough and the hold sin has on you will get stronger and stronger. Before long, you will not even consider the choices you are making as 'wrong' - the thing that scripture says actually leads a man or woman to the place of a 'seared conscience'. None of us want to find ourselves there!

Let God help you do what you don't 'want' to do. It might surprise you how much less your 'resistance' to his required actions actually exists when you submit to his movement in your life. God wants to help us live righteous lives. We cannot do it on our own. We'd muddle it up pretty badly. The 'power' we need isn't 'willpower'. The power we need is God's divine intervention. We might not realize just how much God is at work within us until we 'look back' a bit and see the changes he has worked. We know he is always with us, but do we always acknowledge his presence and invite him in to do his work within our mind, will and emotions? If not, it could be time to change that. Just sayin!

Conflicted, but cleansed

Think about what we have in Christ: the encouragement he has brought us, the comfort of his love, our sharing in his Spirit, and the mercy and kindness he has shown us. If you enjoy these blessings, then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think. In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honor others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too. (Philippians 2:1-4)

What exactly do we have in Christ? If we stop for even a short period of time and consider this question, we will likely begin to list a few things that immediately come to mind. Consider it a bit longer and we will find there are things we didn't even realize we 'have' at our access because we have never tapped into them. Even though the blessings of God are upon our lives, we find there will be times when we are called upon to do things that may be a bit 'out of our comfort zone'. He asks us to embrace someone who has offended us, take up a battle in prayer for someone who is just plain worn out from the battle, or give unselfishly of what we possess to allow it to become a blessing in another's. The 'things' God asks aren't going to rock our world monumentally, but they likely will incrementally!

Unity of spirit isn't going to 'just happen' in our world today, but whenever we come into the fellowship of other believers, we should rejoice. Why? They are there to help us grow, challenging us to lay down our selfishness and pride just a bit more, while embracing whatever it is that God has prepared for us to do today. It is a dangerous thing to be guided by our pride, isn't it? Pride gets us into so many 'pickles' in life. We find ourselves dreading the outcome, all because our pride got us into something we weren't supposed to be involved in at all. Whenever this happens, it is best to admit it, confession being the first step toward repentance. Pride always goes before bad choices - the outcome of the choices being referred to as a 'fall'. Pride goeth before a fall - your fall might be the challenge today, mine tomorrow - so we need each other!

When we take an interest in the lives of those God has placed in our life, we are going to find there are times when the atmosphere is charged with conflict, but not all conflict is bad. In fact, some conflict actually produces positive outcomes. For example, when I didn't want to wash up as a kid, mom would not allow that dilly-dallying to continue, knowing my 'unwashed' condition was not healthy, nor very pleasing in appearance or odor! So, she'd shoo me into the tub in spite of my resistance. What was produced by the conflict between what I wanted and what I needed? Cleanliness! Sometimes conflict leads to a cleansing process - we find our true 'need' being highlighted and the means to have that need met provided. Living in community with each other might just produce the necessary 'conflict' that brings about the deepest 'cleansing' of our lives. Just sayin!

I AM

Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Prepare the way for the one who rides on the clouds. His name is Yah. Worship before him with joy. God, who lives in his holy palace, is a father to orphans, and he takes care of widows. (Psalm 68:4-5)

In most translations, YAH is seen as Yahweh or LORD. Whenever you see LORD in scripture, this is the name of God that describes him as the "I am". In observing God as the I AM, we are seeing the side of God that has always been, will always be. There is no beginning, nor any end to his existence. This is something our finite minds have a hard time with because everything around us has a beginning and will have an end at some point. Even when we think there might have been an 'emptiness' somewhere in times past, there never was because God was, is, and will always be!

If we think of God as the I AM in our lives, we are really acknowledging that he created us, keeps us going throughout this lifetime, and has prepared an even greater life into all of eternity with him. He is indeed the father to orphans and the one who cares for the widows. He is also the one who cares for all that is in existence because he is the creator and sustainer of all that is. The fact he gives 'special attention' to the orphan or widow is just a recognition of the special protection he gives to those who are without 'protection' of their own in this world - those who have no 'covering' over their lives. 

In OT times, the widow had no one to care for her daily needs, nor did the orphan. The usual 'duties' of the widow as the one to care for the household while her husband went out to tend the fields or flock did not provide a living for her or the children left behind. She was without a 'covering' over her household. What does sin create in our lives? A place where we have no 'protective covering'. We are outside of the place God prepared for his children. When we say 'yes' to Jesus, we find ourselves being brought under God's protective covering - YAHWEH - the one who was, is, and always will be is making a place for us to dwell in safety and security.

We prepare the way for his presence through worship. We abide in his presence through worship. We enjoy the protection of his presence through obedience. Worship might just create an atmosphere that opens our heart to be led into obedience when we are least likely to be obedient. So, worship on - enjoy the presence of the I AM - and step forward into choices that reflect a life lived under the protection of the one who always WAS, always IS, and will always BE. The I AM (LORD) is waiting. Just sayin!

God HAS

He has made you able to have what he has promised to give all his holy people, who live in the light. God made us free from the power of darkness. And he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son. The Son paid the price to make us free. In him we have forgiveness of our sins. (Colossians 1:12-14)

Four important lessons for us this morning stem from what God HAS done on our behalf. We must recognize them as finished works. God doesn't do anything half-way. Whatever he begins, he also takes on to full completion.

 

1) God HAS made us able. We are able to live holy lives because he is the one who is doing the enabling. If we think we do this on our own, we are going to be trying for a long, long time to get this right! He enables us to have and enjoy all the promises he has made - nothing promised will ever be outside of our reach because he enables us to grasp all of them.

2) God HAS made us free. We no longer need to walk in the darkness of our sin, nor the corruption of this world's evil power. We have been, continue to be, and will always be free. We might not believe we are free from sin's pull because we still feel it from time to time. We don't have to give into that pull, though, because God has made us free to live above and beyond sin's realm.

3) God HAS brought us in. We are no longer citizens of the realm of sin but are citizens of high places through Christ Jesus. We might still live on this earth, but we don't need to be consumers of this earth's dark offerings. We are part of a divine Kingdom and as such, we live as citizens of that Kingdom. We might not realize that we still 'prefer' the things of this world, but when we are serving Christ, our focus begins to change to embrace the things he 'prefers'. 

4) God HAS forgiven our sins. They are no longer held against us, nor are they able to taunt us with those feelings of shame and guilt any longer. Once the blood of Jesus has been applied to our sinfulness, we are no longer 'bound' to those sins. We are washed clean and those who have been washed clean need not be burdened by the 'feelings' those sins created within our mind and emotions. Sin is done and Christ's Spirit assumes the place where those sinful memories once resided. We need to give him room to deal with those feelings once and for all. 

We are free, forgiven, enabled, and living in a realm we didn't deserve or earn. God HAS, so we can. Just sayin!

How do we do this, God?

If someone were to give you guidance on how you are to live this Christian lifestyle, what do you imagine it might be? Wouldn't it be nice to be completely sure that we were living as we should, making the right decisions, staying on track and not getting waylaid by Satan's schemes? Paul prayed for those who were believers in the region of Colosse that they'd have this ability, and this prayer applies to all believers worldwide today:

This is what we pray: that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need; that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God; that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. (Colossians 1:9-11)

Completely sure of what God wants for our lives. That is our goal, is it not? We don't want to just tinker with this or that knowledge, hoping we find the 'right combination' of knowledge and wisdom to make wise choices. We want assurance that we are within God's will - that we have his wisdom and deep spiritual understanding. We might not always hear God's voice, but there is something deep within our spirit that brings a confirmation that we are making the right choice, isn't there? It is this assurance that we can count on whenever we are about to 'flounder', not just when we are making right choices.

Living in a way that honors the Lord - bringing him pleasure with each step we take. That is my goal, but I don't always think some of my actions bring God glory. Why is that? I don't always press into the wisdom he gives, nor do I always listen to that 'inner voice' that is reminding me of his will. In other words, my 'will' overrides what I know to be his will. Ever happen to you? I bet it does. We all need to live in a way that pleases God, but we can lean toward pleasing others or even ourselves more than we'd like. We need his help to choose to live 'honorably' - with upright integrity.

Good works produced is more than us volunteering at the food bank, giving to the needy, or helping the widow mow her grass. All of these are indeed 'good works', but it is quite possible we do some of our 'works' out of obligation and not because God gets the honor from them. We aren't perfect people, so we do 'imperfect works' at times. Can these bring honor to God? Of course, but there is something much better in being led by his Spirit and engaging in the good works he leads us into. Just sayin!

This math is hard

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. (Eric Hoffer)

Great blessings belong to those who know they are spiritually in need. God’s kingdom belongs to them. (Matthew 5:3)

Schoolwork came easy for me until I reached that upper-level math referred to as calculus. Algebra, Geometry, and even Trigonometry was fine, but when I got to that calculus level, my head just couldn't wrap itself around it. There is just some 'math' that is harder to grasp than others, I guess. The one 'math' I have been trying to grasp more and more is the 'math' of counting my blessings. How about you? Are you aware of the blessings God brings your way each day? Some will escape your notice - that is a given. They are the 'less obvious' ones and maybe even the ones we just take for granted. The more obvious ones are easiest for us to recall, aren't they? God's blessings are there - we might just need to learn how to 'count' them.

Blessings are not always obvious, making it harder to 'count' them. One such blessing is what we are doing right now - breathing! Do we thank God for each breath? Likely not, but we can thank him for the ability to be up, about, and accomplishing the tasks that are laid out ahead of us each day. Some blessings we might 'take for granted' a bit are things like our ability to rise in the morning, walk through the day, and even the health that we enjoyed throughout the day. God's blessings are there, but we have taken them for granted. When we take them for granted, we are assuming they will be there. When they are not, does it amaze anyone how quickly we turn to God to question why they are not? 

One thing I have noted in my own life is how 'spiritually in need' I am each and every day. There are days when I 'feel' that need a bit stronger than other days, but I am ALWAYS in need spiritually. How about you? Have you recognized your own spiritual need? When we recognize that need, we are assured of God's consistent presence in our lives, helping to fulfill that need as he knows only so well where that need is best met. The hardest 'math' to learn is counting our blessings - the easiest way to realize God's blessings is to invite his 'searching presence' into your first breaths of the day. As you invite him into your day, you are on the path to being open and available to realize his blessings.

We can never ASSUME God's blessings will just 'be there' in our lives. We must allow the cultivation of our spirit by his Spirit. That is what opens us up to receive what only he can meet. Invite him and then start counting! The blessings of his presence are beyond our grasp sometimes, but they are never not there for the one who takes time to have him cultivate their spirit with his. Just sayin!

Time well spent indeed

I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do. (Philippians 4:12-13)

Most of us live in such a way that we have all of what we need, even though we might be wanting much more than we have. Some might actually live with more than they need. What Paul learned was contentment in lean times and in times of great advantage. He developed a 'consistency of heart' - something we all would do well to learn sooner than later. Christ is the one who gives that consistency of heart, but we have to be open to receive what he gives when he gives it. Maybe consistency really comes when we learn to be open to receiving whatever it is he has for us.

Christ gives us the strength to do whatever we must do - in good times, or bad, in lean times, or times of tremendous blessing beyond measure. Leaning into him to learn his heart is what brings the greatest contentment. Whenever we are struggling a bit with contentment, always wanting more and more, we would do well to spend a little more time with Jesus. When we do, we find ourselves drawn into his presence, finding the peace and contentment that eludes us when we are way over-extended, busier than is best for our bodies or minds, or vegged out so much that we don't really engage in the things we should be doing.

The strength Paul references here is not just physical strength to 'do a job', but emotional, spiritual, and relational strength. Contentment of heart brings a great deal of strength - because we aren't wasting that strength in the pursuit of what will not last or what is really outside of God's will for our lives. The strength we need - sometimes we don't really appreciate the amount of strength God gives because it comes in the ways we least expect it. We might expect physical strength, so we can endure whatever it is we are facing without tiring. God may give emotional strength instead, simply because he knows the things we are facing are going to drain us in that area more than they will physically. When our emotions are drained, physical strength soon goes out the window!

God isn't going to magically make all this 'strength' appear in our lives. We need to press into his presence, learn from Christ, and live close to him. As we 'spend' time and talent with him, we soon find 'time and talent' for the things we have need of come our way! Just sayin!

Ordered thoughts and steady emotions

 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.(Philippians 4:7)

Those who belong - do you 'belong'? Some perceive 'belonging' as having the 'proper credentials', such as when you 'belong' to the country club in your local town and can get the benefits of that 'membership'. Others might think of 'belonging' as 'being properly placed' - having a specific purpose in what you do somewhere for someone. The oldest meaning of this world indicated a certain 'dependence' upon one another or someone with a 'greater position' than you had. If we think of 'belonging' to Christ as 'having a relationship' with one who holds a 'superior position', we might just be a little closer to how this word is used in scripture. To 'belong' to Christ suggests a relationship of willing service to and with the Lord Almighty.

Because you 'belong' to Christ Jesus - based upon the relationship we now enjoy, we will also enjoy certain 'privileges' as a 'member' of his family. Those privileges include the peace that stands guard over our thoughts and emotions. Heaven knows we need a little 'guarding' of our thoughts from time to time, don't we? They get all carried away because our emotions (feelings) get the best of us. Perhaps that is why God wants his peace to stand guard over both - neither one being able to really hold up well under the pressures of life, no matter how much we think they might. 

Our human minds might attempt to convince us that we have 'everything under control', but our emotions tell us otherwise. There are times when our emotions get all carried away, while our minds are telling us we might want to pull back and think those actions through just a bit more. No wonder we need God's Spirit to indwell our spirit, standing guard, bringing wisdom, and creating peace in an otherwise fickle environment of conflicted mind and emotions! The good news is that God's peace can stand guard when our own reasoning betrays us - helping us to sort out our thoughts and bringing wisdom where unreasonable or unwise thoughts prevail. 

Reliance upon the grace and peace of God in our lives is never the wrong 'tactic' - it may just be the one 'tactic' that keeps us out of life's muddled places. It could mean steady emotions and ordered thought in ways we have yet to experience. Just saying!