Righteousness

Why am I surprised when I meet opposition on the road to righteousness? Choosing right over wrong is never easy still for some reason I think doing right should come easy or natural. As I read God’s Word and study more I find doing right isn’t easier but I am more aware of what righteousness looks like. God’s ways are higher than mine and He allows me to face resistance so that my faith might be tested. He is not interested in making my life easy and carefree, although there is much freedom in His love for me. I find each new freedom brings a new responsibility, things I took for granted before, for a moment become a choice. With each new choice God says I change the shape of things to come. So when I meet this opposition is it really God giving me random obstacles to overcome or is it because of choices I made before?

God, help me to make good decisions so that you may be glorified in all that I do, not only today but all the days of my life. Help me to keep things simple, to choose right over wrong, to head towards light instead of dark, to stand instead of run. Though I know not your purpose I do trust you and realize you are my only hope. Jesus, be the center of my life, be my hope, be my song, Jesus.

Religion does not equal Salvation

(Mark 7) The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day watched Him closely trying to trip Him, for many rules and traditions were piled on top of what was law given to Moses, for the people, by God but now was so far from what God intended it no longer served the many but the few and God was taken out of the equation. What was meant to point people’s hearts towards God so they may be reminded of a Creator who loved them now pointed their wallets towards religious teachers and leaders who horded riches for themselves while telling the people they could never be as good as they were, all along hiding their own failures so that they might continue in this destruction of man’s soul. Paul said this…

(2 Corinthians 12:6-10 NLT) “If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won't do it, because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time He said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Paul never revealed to the people what this “thorn in the flesh” was, some say it could not have been sin because of the importance of Paul’s roll in the Christian faith and I am not here to tell you it was but sickness or disease just doesn’t seem to cut it. For it makes Paul out to be more than what God says about the human race and our great need of a Savior. Listen I don’t think we should go around showing off our scars. Sometimes we need the help of a close friend who will keep the confidence you share and not everyone is to know these things but all should know of your need for Jesus and that is exactly what religion kept people from doing. The Pharisees tried with all their might to be someone they were not and completely failed therefore, they kept hidden the desires of their own hearts because it betrayed them. That’s why Jesus went on to say in the same chapter, “It’s not what goes into your body the defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”

God, help me first to be honest with myself knowing all too well of my own need of the Savior You provided in Your Son Jesus Christ. Secondly, to be honest with others about my weakness and what Jesus has done in this broken life I call mine. Lord, may You be glorified and worshipped for who you really are! No other One is like You! Break through the clouds of my heart so that I may see you, so that I may see the Son. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive all glory and honor!

God of Hope

No matter what the situation it is good to remember that God is in control and though we might choose a different path it is also good to remember that the One we follow sees and knows far beyond what we are capable of. Therefore we must trust He is who He says He is and we are as valuable to Him as His Word says we are. Charlie Hall sings a song called “God of Hope” and the words keep going over and over in my mind… “Though You slay me I will hope. Hope inspires my endurance. Your hope is my anchor. God of hope fill me.”

Lord, give me strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Teach me to trust You more, for You are the only thing that matters. Though often pain and struggles surround me You inspire me to be like Your Son, Jesus. Through good and bad I pray that You will teach me to live with open hands so that I may offer my life a living sacrifice instead of holding tightly to things that do not belong to me. God of hope, fill me!

God is faithful

Thanks for all the prayers. Dad's heart is healthy and he is at home recovering from the angiogram. The doctor did not find any blockage even though the stress test led them to believe there was. All I can say is God is good and in control!

People Came to Jesus

(Mark 1:45 NLT) "But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and He couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to Him."

As Jesus met the needs of the people and fed them spiritual bread, which they have been starving for they began to surround him. We have many needs today and Jesus is willing to meet those needs just as He did for this man with leprosy but all too often we keep it quiet maybe because we are unsure of what we have been given. The enemy will try to rob us of the joy that is ours through Christ Jesus and cause us to doubt His love for us but that is where faith comes in. As we read His Word, pray, and find life in Him our hearts will naturally fill up with joy, so much so that like this man we just can't keep quiet about what He has done for us.

I am taking my mom to Christ Hospital this morning because my dad is scheduled to have angioplasty and possibly a stent placed in his heart. God I know you are able to heal my dad, if you are willing. Bring peace to my mom as we wait for the doctors and nurses to do their work, we thank you for the skills you have given them but it is in You that we place our trust. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Jesus Took My Sin

(Matthew 27) What terrible things Jesus suffered and the priest knew what they had done saying to themselves, "It would not be right to put this money in the Temple treasury, since it was payment for murder." (verse 6) but that did not stop them. They continued to push the people to release a "notorious prisoner" named Barabbas so that Jesus would be tortured and killed and the people took the responsibility on themselves and their children (verse 25). If you step back for a moment you see the real ring-leader (the devil) as Jesus is beat with a lead-tipped whip and his head punctured by the crown of thorns they put on him as they hit it with a large stick. To the very end the people pushed Him with mockery and offering bitter wine to drink as if they could find Jesus' breaking point but they never succeeded. Jesus' eyes were on His Father and He remained faithful because He could see beyond what the enemy was doing and He understood our need for a Savior. Is it that love is blind or that love allows us to see what could not be seen any other way?

Mercy, Even at the End

(Matthew 26) Jesus prepared His followers for what was about to take place. He made it clear to them that He must die in order for prophecies to take place but hidden in this message of ultimate despair was a hope beyond their imagination! Soon they would understand but the darkest hour was still ahead. Jesus spent time with His Father in Heaven and with His friends just before the end for this was very important and it tells of His love for us. As He eat with them each one swore their allegiance, even unto death but Jesus knew this road He must travel alone. At that moment I am reminded of a young child making a vow to the father but not understanding what is required and the father's heart filling up with joy because of the belief the child has in the father. Peter promised he would even die with Jesus if it came to that, that's when Jesus told Peter something that he would never forget. Peter did not understand it then but soon he would. At the end of the chapter the Bible said Peter wept bitterly because he could not follow Jesus, as he said he would and Peter must have felt the end had surely come but he did not understand the dawn was coming and soon Jesus himself would remind Peter of this hidden message of hope.