Category: Grace

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Search and Rescue

It’s truly interesting the way the mind works. Sitting here this morning praying and thinking about what to share I remembered an experience I had when I was about six or seven years old. I had shared this account a few years back on my Facebook page and for whatever reason I feel it’s something the Lord wants me to share again this morning.

Search and Rescue!

There is great comfort in those words but you won’t truly know that feeling of being saved unless you have been genuinely lost. I have!

When I was a small girl my Dad and I went to the grocery store one Saturday morning. My Mom had a short list of things but she was busy at home so Daddy went and I got to tag along. When we got to the store, we began to go up and down each aisle looking for the things on Mom’s list.

I don’t know if I stopped to look at something or if Daddy did but next thing I knew I was alone. I went an aisle over and one back but no Daddy. My heart began to sink and I felt fear coming over me. (Obviously it was real – I can still remember it today some 50+ years later.)

Now I started to panic. Where was he? He was gone and I was all alone. I did have the sense to go outside and see that our car was still there so I knew Daddy wasn’t GONE. I went back inside to search some more, no Daddy. Finally I went to the cash register and told the lady I couldn’t find my Dad.

She was so sweet. She got on the intercom and announced in the store that there was a lost daddy in the store and his little girl was waiting for him at the registers. In just moments I saw my Dad come around the corner. I was found…I was rescued!

Jesus had some good stories to tell about things being lost and then found.

“Then Jesus told them this story: 4 “Suppose one of you has 100 sheep, but one of them gets lost. What will you do? You will leave the other 99 sheep there in the field and go out and look for the lost sheep. You will continue to search for it until you find it. 5 And when you find it, you will be very happy. You will carry it home, go to your friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep!’ 7 In the same way, I tell you, heaven is a happy place when one sinner decides to change. There is more joy for that one sinner than for 99 good people who don’t need to change.

8 “Suppose a woman has ten silver coins, but she loses one of them. She will take a light and clean the house. She will look carefully for the coin until she finds it. 9 And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors and say to them, ‘Be happy with me because I have found the coin that I lost!’ 10 In the same way, it’s a happy time for the angels of God when one sinner decides to change.” Luke 15:3-10 CEV

Well, this is exactly what our heavenly Father is doing for us. Without a relationship with Christ we are lost and God searches for us. I get tickled when I hear the phrase “I found the Lord”. I know what the people mean but God isn’t the one who needed to be found. We are the ones who were lost.

In both of these stories the shepherd and the woman were looking for something that had belonged to them but had gotten lost. They searched diligently until they found it.

I’ve had times when I’ve gotten lost in life. Maybe you have too. Lost in a medical diagnosis or a financial crisis. Sometimes we get lost when we lose a job or a loved one. Possibly we get lost in our own ego and pride. Whatever it is that draws us away, the Father is here and He’s looking for us. He will find us. Just like I saw my dad coming around the corner we’ll see Him coming and we’ll be safe in His arms.

Then there will be a time of great joy. Joy for us and for the Father. How do I know?

Well the story that follows these two examples is one of my favorites in the Bible. It’s about a man with two sons, one of them gets lost in the world and the Father looks for his son each day, waiting for him to come home. When he does come home the Father welcomes him with open arms and throws him a party.

” My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!’ So they began to have a party.” Luke 15:24 ERV

Search and Rescue complete!


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Pondering Christmas

This morning I’m sitting alone and enjoying the thoughts of Christmases past. Remembering times when the kids and grandkids were little. It’s a blessing of life to remember.

Very soon the tree and all the decorations will come down but the memories will remain. In the last few days we have visited with the kids and grandkids on the phone, learned of presents that were opened, traded texts and emails with those we love and then saw on social media the pictures that so many have shared.

With a heart filled with love, I began to think of Mary. Everyone of you mothers can remember what it was like to wake up the day after one of your children were born. Going over and over in your heart the emotions of the day, those that came to visit and once again holding that tiny child in your arms – counting every finger and toe.

What do you imagine must have been going through Mary’s heart that morning after Christ’s birth? She’s in a stable, with a man who has shown her unconditional love and she has a child in her arms who is God’s gift to mankind. How blessed – how in awe!

“And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:16-19

All through the night hours my thoughts have been filled with what Christ has done for me! I was unworthy of God’s love. I have done nothing to deserve His mercy and His grace. That’s what makes it so amazing!

Mary must have had these same thoughts. What did I do to deserve God’s favor; why was I chosen to birth the Messiah? It was all by God’s grace – giving to us the goodness of His love that we can’t earn and don’t deserve.

“But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) 6 Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. 7 God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.

8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:4-10 ERV

We are the recipients of a wonderful gift; the gift of God’s grace. That gift came to us in the form of a baby, Jesus Christ. God did this to show His kindness to all who are in the world. This gift is available to all.

My life, the blessings and all the good that is in it, is because of God’s love for me. It’s almost beyond words. I am overwhelmed by His goodness.

“When you became a Christian, you were set free from the sinful things of the world. This was not done by human hands. You were set free from the sins of your old self by what was done in Christ’s body. 12 When you were baptized, you were buried as Christ was buried. When you were raised up in baptism, you were raised as Christ was raised. You were raised to a new life by putting your trust in God. It was God Who raised Jesus from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins, you were not set free from the sinful things of the world. But God forgave your sins and gave you new life through Christ. 14 We had broken the Law many ways. Those sins were held against us by the Law. That Law had writings which said we were sinners. But now He has destroyed that writing by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:11-14 NLV

These are the things that I dwell on each day. God’s goodness and love!

What will you “ponder” in your heart today? Is Christmas over and now it’s on with the daily routine or will you take time today to be thankful that Christmas has life-changing, glorious meaning for every day of the year?

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Thankful for Mercy

Yes, this is a great time to be alive! History shows us how many times society has failed to respect and honor God but His mercy endures forever.

I was reading in Jonah this morning and so I had to find a picture of a great fish! I know some believe that the story of a great fish swallowing Jonah is a fairy tale and that others believe it is some kind of metaphor. I believe it is real. My God can do anything and if He needed a big fish to swallow Jonah I have no doubt that He was able to do that.

But that’s not the focus of this morning’s devotional. It’s an even greater miracle, the miracle of mercy.

God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell them that He had seen their wickedness and was going to destroy them. Nineveh was a big city. It says it was so large that it took a man 3 days to walk across the it.

After the fish spit Jonah out, he went there and preached what God had originally told him to say.

“Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh. The city was so big that it took three days just to walk through it. 4 After walking for a day, Jonah warned the people, “Forty days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed!” Jonah 3:3-4 CEV

The people of Nineveh repented. They declared a fast of repentance; everyone in the city repented. When God saw this He withheld His judgement and spared their city.

“When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned.” Jonah 3:10 CEV

This is where we find Jonah in the last chapter of the book. He is mad at God because God spared the people.

“Jonah was really upset and angry. 2 So he prayed:

Our Lord, I knew from the very beginning that you wouldn’t destroy Nineveh. That’s why I left my own country and headed for Spain. You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don’t like to punish anyone, not even foreigners.” Jonah 4:1-2 CEV

Do you see what Jonah said to God? You are kind and merciful. You always show love, you don’t like to punish anyone. I am so thankful for that! Our God is so loving that He goes to great lengths to forgive us and draw us back to Himself.

How many times have I failed in my life of 65 years? How many times have I decided to do things my way and not God’s way? How many times have I decided not to be judgmental and then failed before the day was out?

Yet God who is rich in mercy…

“ In the past all of us lived like that, trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. Like everyone else in the world, we deserved to suffer God’s anger just because of the way we were.

4 But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) 6 Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. 7 God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.” Ephesians 2:3-7 ERV

God loves us!

Mercy is one of those religious words we use without thinking much about the meaning. We need to realize that mercy, God’s mercy, is defined as this: not receiving what we deserve for the wrong that we have done.

I’m not sure what areas of your life you need God to be merciful but I do know that all of us have failed and are unable to be “good enough” for God. He loves us still.

Let the words of Jonah bring us hope, joy and thankfulness this morning.

“You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don’t like to punish anyone, not even foreigners.”

Thank you Lord for Your mercy and Your grace!

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What’s Humility Look Like

Have you been hurt or judged wrongfully? Have your good intentions been misunderstood?

I want to encourage you this morning.  Jesus was often misunderstood and ridiculed.

“think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: 6 Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us. 8 Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross. 9 Then God gave Christ the highest place and honored his name above all others.” Philippians 2:5-9 CEV

What does Humility look like? It looks like Jesus. He gave up all the glory of heaven and His place at the right hand of God the Father to come to earth. There was no room for pride in His life.

Jesus played with children, gave comfort to the grieving, befriended rough and burly fisherman, spent His time with lepers, lame, blind and societies outcasts. He never compromised His deity but He never lorded His position over those He was teaching.

The Apostle Paul gave this instruction to Christians in the early church.

“God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13 Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13 ERV

A humble person doesn’t need to be in the limelight. They help make others look good and feel elevated. A humble person is one who encourages others, someone who isn’t afraid to get in and help out where needed. They don’t need the praise of others, they do the right thing because it’s right.

“All of you young people should obey your elders. In fact, everyone should be humble toward everyone else. The Scriptures say, “God opposes proud people, but he helps everyone who is humble.” 6 Be humble in the presence of God’s mighty power, and he will honor you when the time comes. 7 God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” I Peter 5:5-7

A meek or humble person will be misunderstood and even be treated wrongly. Look at Jesus, he was despised and hated by the religious rulers of his day because He didn’t measure up to their ideals. He ate with sinners, showed compassion to harlots, healed on the Sabbath. In the face of their objections, He continued on.

Isn’t it better to be humble and know we are pleasing God than to measure up to all of societies ideals and expectations? Yes, it is. When our lifestyle reflects humility we may offend some, we may be passed over because we don’t have the “leadership” skills necessary. If that’s the case, so be it.

“ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10 NIV

I love that verse! The Lord will lift us up. Our loving Father will pick us up in His arms and give us a big hug. Or He’ll come in and wrap His arm around our shoulder and encourage us to continue on with what we’re doing. We’re acting like Him.

Thank  you Father for coming to our aid and taking our cares. We rely on you.

 

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New Beginnings

It’s Monday! Yes, the weekend passed quickly and it’s time for a new week beginning now.

I must admit I was tempted to head back to bed after I finished my first cup of coffee. But then who would write the blog…

Did you see last night’s moon? I don’t know what it looked like where you are but here it is almost full and the sky was filled with lots of cotton puff clouds. It was that way this morning too.

Each new day reminds me that the Lord is into new beginnings. The sun always rising and setting – the tide always bringing the waves in and out – our God always was, is and always will be. He promises that each morning He will have new ways to show us His love and His mercy.

“We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal!” Lamentations 3:22-23 ERV

Everything on earth has a beginning and an end. There is only One who is eternal. He has no beginning and no end and He is ever present – always there, when we call upon Him and when we ignore Him, He is present. The Bible starts with “In the beginning GOD” and it ends the same way.

“Listen, I am coming soon! I will bring rewards with me. I will repay everyone for what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:12-13 ERV

When we enter through those “pearly” gates we will have life eternal and we will live forever in heaven with Almighty God. Jesus tells us that “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me.”

And

“for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Those of us who believe in Christ as Savior have already started living the eternal life. There is so much more to our lives than this physical existence and it is our life in Christ. An abundant life where we draw from God’s love, mercy, grace and goodness each and every day.

Yes, today is Monday and maybe you don’t want to go back to work or school, just remember that the giver of life, abundant life, eternal life, has filled us with that life today and we can be victorious over every work of the enemy.

We can also bring life to those we work with because we take the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Enjoy this day, it’s a new beginning!

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Changing Seasons

It seems silly to be talking about changing seasons when we live in the desert but here I am doing it anyway.

Our mornings and evenings are turning cooler and the daytime temperatures aren’t quite as high. Yesterday morning I heard the local news anchor claim that it was almost time to break out the parkas because the weather person predicted that all this week temps would be below 100.

Yep, that’s the way it is in the Great Southwest.

But across the country some areas have already had their first dustings of snow. Leaves are turning, harvest is underway, animals are preparing for winter – Fall is in the air.

For everything there is a season. Sounds like a song that Pete Seeger wrote for The Byrds. Turn, Turn, Turn. However, King Solomon wrote it long before Pete Seeger was ever born.

“There is a special time for everything. There is a time for everything that happens under heaven. 2 There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pick what is planted. 3 There is a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up. 4 There is a time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to have sorrow, and a time to dance. 5 There is a time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to kiss, and a time to turn from kissing. 6 There is a time to try to find, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away. 7 There is a time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; a time to be quiet, and a time to speak. 8 There is a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 NLV

Many times we try to fight change, we don’t want things to be different. Instead we should be welcoming what God wants to do in our lives; He wants to move us from season to season as we grow in Him.

I was reading in Colossians this morning and these verses jumped off the page.

“As you have put your trust in Christ Jesus the Lord to save you from the punishment of sin, now let Him lead you in every step. 7 Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught. Your life should be full of thanks to Him.” Colossians 2:6-7 NLV

Let the Lord lead us in every step.  Through every season the Lord is wanting to direct our lives so that we can continue to grow in Him; gaining strength and developing grateful hearts.

During Autumn and Winter most trees drop their leaves and stop growing upward. There is growth that we do not see; the roots are going deeper into the earth, seeking out water, providing a stable foundation that will sustain it through the cold.

Welcome the change of seasons. As we prepare for the cooler temperatures that are coming,  let’s also take time to prepare our hearts. We should never quit growing. Let our roots go deep and continue to strengthen us with the amazing love of God.

“Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.” II Peter 3:18 CEV

To everything there is a season…

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Bread or Crackers

I really enjoy bread…sour dough is my favorite. Then of course there are fresh biscuits, thick cut multigrain bread and don’t tell anyone but occasionally I sneak in a donut or two.

I’m a little more picky about crackers. Not too many really wake up my palate but if I had to choose I would grab a box of Cheese-Its or Town House crackers.

The major difference between bread and crackers is the yeast. In the Bible we will find it called leaven. Jesus taught numerous times about removing leaven. The traditional Jewish feast of Passover is celebrated with unleavened bread.

There’s a true correlation in life between the two.

The Apostle Paul talks about our lives as dough. Dough without yeast was a sign of purity. This went back to the time of the Passover in Egypt. The Israelites were told to boil the lamb and eat unleavened bread.

They were waiting on God to move and deliver them from Egypt. They had to be ready at a moments notice. There wasn’t time to let the bread rise or the meat to roast. Boiling the meat and baking the bread without leaven was the fastest way to make their meal.

“Your proud talk is not good. You know the saying, “Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise.” 7 Take out all the old yeast, so that you will be a new batch of dough. You really are bread without yeast—Passover bread. Yes, Christ our Passover Lamb has already been killed. 8 So let us eat our Passover meal, but not with the bread that has the old yeast, the yeast of sin and wrongdoing. But let us eat the bread that has no yeast. This is the bread of goodness and truth.” I Corinthians 5:6-8 ERV

Paul is referring to our daily life – it should be leaven free! Pretty appropriate for this day and age when everyone is wanting to be “gluten free”.

Jesus, our Passover Lamb, was sacrificed to bring forgiveness and restoration to our lives. We need to  be an example of His goodness and truth.

Take out the yeast! Periodically I have to take inventory and have the Holy Spirit reveal to me areas in my life that have leaven. He’s faithful to do that when I ask.

Leavened bread is full of air that is caused by a chemical reaction in the yeast. That’s what makes it rise. Our lives can be full of air! We get so caught up in ourselves that we puff up. You know the sayings, “he’s full of hot air” or “they are puffed up like a peacock”. These are referring to someone who is selfish, conceited or prideful.

Look at these two translations of the same verse from I Corinthians 13.

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” verse 4 KJV

“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud,” verse 4 CEV

Jesus warned people to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. He wasn’t talking about the bread they were serving but of their teachings. The Pharisees were inflicting all types of rules and regulations on the people. Their teaching was based on what “they” could and needed to do to be in right relationship with God. They taught the people that if they weren’t good enough, didn’t celebrate enough festivals, bring enough sacrifices, give enough tithe that God wouldn’t be pleased with them and they couldn’t have relationship with Him.

Jesus’ teaching and God’s desire were completely opposite. Jesus told us to come as we are. God’s love is unconditional, not based on our good works. It is His free gift to us, presented by Jesus who died for our sins.

Pharisees teaching: “ Why is it that you do not see that I was not talking to you about bread? I was talking to you about keeping away from the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers and the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead.” 12 Then they understood that it was not the yeast of bread that He was talking about. But He was talking about the teaching of the proud religious law-keepers and of the other religious group of people.” Matthew 16:11-12 NLV

Jesus’ teaching: “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever. ” John 3:16 NLV

Am I big and fluffy or flat and salty? Am I puffed up with self or am I deflated of selfish ambition and trusting God to use me how He sees fit?

I am so glad that we have a loving heavenly Father who desires that we have a life of goodness and truth free from selfishness and pride.

 

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Steps Away

Dave and I were up early this morning, 3:15, to be exact. We had a plane to catch.

 

For the last week we have been with friends in West Glacier, MT. They purchased a cabin that needed some renovating and so we were asked to  help with the projects. We worked very hard but had a wonderful time.

When we all got tired, and we did, the thing that kept us on track was the vision that they have for their property. You see they call their cabin, Steps Away. Yes, it’s Steps Away from the entrance to Glacier Park and steps away from the Village of West Glacier with a rafting company, restaurant, bar, gift shop, post office, ice cream parlor and other fun places.

Our friends plan to offer Steps Away as a home for vacation rental, family reunions, gatherings of friends and they want it to be as comfortable as possible. We were so glad to help.

As we were driving to the airport this morning I was struck with the similarity of getting the cabin guest-friendly and our walk with the Lord. Our friends have a vision for the cabin’s appearance; it has a destiny. But to arrive at that destiny there is work involved. Exhausting work on some days, all culminating with a wonderful end.

You and I also have a destiny. We are being renewed in the image of Christ. Some days the renovations can be exhausting but we keep our focus on the result and move forward.

“The steps of a good man are led by the Lord. And He is happy in his way. 24 When he falls, he will not be thrown down, because the Lord holds his hand.”   Psalm 37:23  NLV

Three Bible personalities came to mind as I thought about our steps being ordered by the Lord. The first is Joseph.

As a young man he had dreams of his God-given destiny. He saw that his father and brothers would be bowing down in reverence to him. As the youngest son this was completely out of character. The oldest son was the one who received honor in the family.

Joseph’s journey to his destiny had his brothers selling him into slavery; serving as a household servant to a wealthy man whose wife tried to seduce him; being imprisoned because of a lie and finally making it to the pharaoh’s court where he was promoted to 2nd in authority. During a time of famine Joseph saw his destiny fulfilled.

God used him to develop a food storage plan that kept all of Egypt and their surrounding neighbors from starving. When his brothers came to him to buy grain, they bowed down at his feet in humble reverence. 

Then there was Mary, the mother of Jesus. She knew her destiny was to birth the promised Messiah. As a young girl this was a hard road to walk. She faced ridicule and criticism from family and friends. Even Joseph dealt with the thought of divorce.

Once the Messiah was born there were diapers to change, possibly colic and sleepless nights. She was his teacher; teaching him to walk and talk. Responsible for his safety and upbringing knowing full well that she had been given the responsibility of raising God’s son.  Some of her steps were hard ones to take, exhausting, but well worth taking to fulfill her destiny.

“You have also given me the covering that saves me. Your right hand holds me up. And Your care has made me great. 36 You make the road wide for my steps, and my feet have not tripped.”  Psalm 18:35-36 NLV

The final Bible character who walked the road to their destiny is Jesus. He was just steps away from His destiny but first he had to leave heaven, be born as a baby, grow into a man and begin His ministry. He had brothers and sisters to help at home, after all He was the oldest son.

He was despised, hated by the Jewish leaders but loved by those who needed healing and consolation. His steps took Him to weddings, funerals, church functions, outdoor meetings. He went places and did things that Jews in good standing didn’t. His steps lead down a rocky road that culminated in his crucifixion.

However, His destiny wasn’t fulfilled until He rose from the dead. His steps took him from heaven and  back.

Look at where you are now. Can you identify with the rough and rocky road? Don’t quit! You are just steps away from reaching your destiny. Each hardship is bringing you closer to who and where God has called you to serve. Take some advice from the Apostle Peter.

“What good is it if, when you are beaten for doing something wrong, you do not try to get out of it? But if you are beaten when you have done what is right, and do not try to get out of it, God is pleased. 21 These things are all a part of the Christian life to which you have been called. Christ suffered for us. This shows us we are to follow in His steps. 22 He never sinned. No lie or bad talk ever came from His lips.” I Peter 2:20-22 NLV

Don’t get tired during the renovation process. Don’t give in to weariness.

I’ll leave you with this final thought.

“ Do not let yourselves get tired of doing good. If we do not give up, we will get what is coming to us at the right time. 10 Because of this, we should do good to everyone. For sure, we should do good to those who belong to Christ.” Galatians 6:9-10 NLV

(Started this in the Kalispell airport and posted it from Salt Lake City. We’ll be home soon!)

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True Freedom

“So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.” John 8:36 ERV

Our nation was founded by men who were seeking a better way of life; an opportunity to achieve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They trusted God to lead them and give them direction in the founding of this nation.

On this day of independence it’s important to remember that we are truly free through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We are no longer held captive or enslaved by sin because the Son, Jesus Christ, broke the chains of bondage and set us free!

Hallelujah!

Many of us have become disheartened over the past several decades at the decline of our nation and rightfully so. But one thing has not changed, God is still and forever will be, Lord God Almighty who rules and reigns in mercy, truth and justice!

We can trust Him and Him alone! He is our hope, He is our peace, He is our joy, the Everlasting God!

“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories” Isaiah 41:10 CEV

The Jews of Jesus time were looking for their Messiah, someone who would come and deliver them from the harsh rule of the Romans. They wanted Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom and overthrow those who governed them.

“Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it did, my servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom is not an earthly one.”

37 Pilate said, “So you are a king.”

Jesus answered, “You are right to say that I am a king. I was born for this: to tell people about the truth. That is why I came into the world. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”                      John 18:36-37 ERV

Everything that Jesus taught and did reflected  the true kingdom of God. When the sick were healed, when children were loved, when sin was forgiven it was all attributed to the kingdom of God.

The Apostle Paul put it this way.

“God’s kingdom isn’t about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people.” Romans 14:17-18 ERV

So as we celebrate our nation’s independence today and focus on the freedoms that we enjoy, I encourage you to be mindful of the true and lasting freedom that we have received in Christ.

“So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.” John 8:36 ERV

 

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Cracked or Shattered

Love it when the Lord reminds me of “things”. The other day I shared some thoughts on the prodigal son and this morning I was still going over the lessons I have learned from that story when the Lord added one more.

Sin is sin! To God there is no big or little sin, it’s sin. The younger son in the story was guilty of some pretty “big” things while the older son looked respectable, he was obviously holding bitterness in his heart toward his younger brother. So which was worse?

Neither! Sin is sin. Kind of like a broken window; if you throw a rock through it and it shatters or shoot it with a bb and leave a little hole it’s still broken.

“One law rules over all other laws. This royal law is found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” If you obey this law, you are doing right. 9 But if you are treating one person as more important than another, you are sinning. You are guilty of breaking God’s law.

10 You might follow all of God’s law. But if you fail to obey only one command, you are guilty of breaking all the commands in that law.” James 2:8-10 ERV

The Old Testament teaches us that gossip and murder are both hated by God yet we find one as more socially acceptable than the other.

Sin is sin and we are all guilty.  The penalty for sin is not on a sliding scale.

“All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” Romans 3:23 CEV

“When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death. But God gives his people a free gift—eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 ERV

That’s why Jesus words were so powerful when he spoke to the Pharisees about the adulterous woman that they wanted him to stone.

“They were saying this to trick Jesus. They wanted to catch him saying something wrong so that they could have a charge against him. But Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 The Jewish leaders continued to ask him their question. So he stood up and said, “Anyone here who has never sinned should throw the first stone at her.” 8 Then Jesus stooped down again and wrote on the ground.” John 8:6-8 ERV

How many times have we played the role of the Pharisees or the older brother? We condemn “the idiot driver”, the person holding up the line, the unintelligent cashier, the negligent phone representative, the ill-informed newscaster or the worst of all the person with an opposite view.

What they are doing may certainly be wrong but our attitude about the situation is equally as wrong. We are to do all that we do from a loving and compassionate heart.

The wonderful news is since God sees all sin the same, He makes the payment for that sin the same as well.

“So that one sin of Adam brought the punishment of death to all people. But in the same way, Christ did something so good that it makes all people right with God. And that brings them true life.” Romans 5:18 ERV

We have forgiveness, payment for our sin, with the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That sacrifice is available to all – we simply need to receive it!

“12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” John 1:12 KJV

So glad that God doesn’t grade on a curve but He accepts us all based not on what we’ve done but on what Jesus did!

Now that’s called grace!!!

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