As you go through your daily routine do you ever wonder how other people see you? Think about your response when someone cuts you off on the highway or messes up your order at a restaurant. Usually when we are with those we know, whether it be with family or our work environment, we are careful about our behavior. We want them to see us in a positive light. We may behave differently with those we don't have to impress.
When Paul writes to the Philippians he tells them they live "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation." He tells them how to behave so that they will be light bearers. He says "Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the mist of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights to the world" (Philippians 2: 14, 15).
As I began my day today, I asked the Lord to help me focus on those who do not know the Lord and that I would take every opportunity to share the salvation given to us through Christ. I seem to fail pretty regularly in that area. I was reminded of this passage in Philippians. Paul spoke those words a very long time ago, but we know sin is still in the world. Because of the ruler of this world (John 12:31), we live in a perverse and crooked generation. We don't have to look far. Between magazines, television, movies, etc. we see the work of the ruler of this world. Rather than have this thought bring us to despair, let us think of the privilege we have been given through Christ to make a difference and this difference comes through our behavior as light bearers to those who are outside of Christ.
As you go through your day today, remember you are a light bearer.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
"If Only..."
"If only I would not have married that man, my life would not have been so difficult." "If only I had not become a Pastor, I would have had more time for my family." "If only we would not have left Pennsylvania to move to Mississippi, I would have more friends." Many of us can identify with falling into the trap of "If only..."
In Numbers 14, the children of Israel are frightened because of the report they received from the spies who went to check out the land of Canaan. They had been told that the people were stronger and they were afraid to take the land. So now they go back to Moses and Aaron and complain. "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!(v.2)" God is the one who lead them there and promised this land to them after taking them out of Egypt. How easy it was for them to turn around and complain because the job of taking the land was going to be a more difficult than they thought. God would be with them but they wanted it to be easy.
My husband and I moved to Mississippi from Pennsylvania so he could attend a seminary that gave housing assistance to families. We prayed and asked the Lord's guidance in that decision and went believing it was what He wanted us to do. After getting there, it was tough. We and our children left friends we loved, a church family we loved, and a job I had which I enjoyed.
I was miserable after we got there. I began to think "If only..." By the Lord's grace and counsel from some Godly people, I realized we were right where we needed to be even though it was hard.
As the Israelites took their eyes off the Lord, they focused on their difficulties. We do the same thing even today. Let us remember what the Lord told Joshua, "Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)"
In Numbers 14, the children of Israel are frightened because of the report they received from the spies who went to check out the land of Canaan. They had been told that the people were stronger and they were afraid to take the land. So now they go back to Moses and Aaron and complain. "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!(v.2)" God is the one who lead them there and promised this land to them after taking them out of Egypt. How easy it was for them to turn around and complain because the job of taking the land was going to be a more difficult than they thought. God would be with them but they wanted it to be easy.
My husband and I moved to Mississippi from Pennsylvania so he could attend a seminary that gave housing assistance to families. We prayed and asked the Lord's guidance in that decision and went believing it was what He wanted us to do. After getting there, it was tough. We and our children left friends we loved, a church family we loved, and a job I had which I enjoyed.
I was miserable after we got there. I began to think "If only..." By the Lord's grace and counsel from some Godly people, I realized we were right where we needed to be even though it was hard.
As the Israelites took their eyes off the Lord, they focused on their difficulties. We do the same thing even today. Let us remember what the Lord told Joshua, "Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)"
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
I Will Not Go With You!
Psalm 139 speaks of God's spirit and presence being with us no matter where we are. He is always there, leading us and holding on to us (vs. 7-12).
What if (some very vain speculation here), the Lord said to you this morning. " ________,
(fill in the blank with your name) I will not go with you today because you are a stubborn person." I don't know about you but I find that to be a very frightening thought. Yet, this is what He told Moses in Exodus 33 when He said he was to depart from Sinai and take the people to the land that He swore to give to them through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He tells Moses He will send an angel to go with him but He said "for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people" (v. 3). Moses converses with God and the Lord then tells him "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (v.14).
God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We know He never changes. However, before Christ came things were different. The way sin was dealt with was different. Praise be to God for His unconditional love in becoming flesh to live with us and show us who He is. Praise be to God that He sacrificed His only begotten Son for our sin, bringing us forgiveness and the promise of His Holy Spirit to dwell in us. There is no place we can go from His presence.
Like the Israelites, we are stubborn, stiff-necked people. We are still people who want to go our own way. The good news is because of Jesus Christ we know He will never leave us or forsake us. He is always there to forgive and cleanse us as we confess our sin to Him.
Go today in the joy of the presence of the LORD!
What if (some very vain speculation here), the Lord said to you this morning. " ________,
(fill in the blank with your name) I will not go with you today because you are a stubborn person." I don't know about you but I find that to be a very frightening thought. Yet, this is what He told Moses in Exodus 33 when He said he was to depart from Sinai and take the people to the land that He swore to give to them through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He tells Moses He will send an angel to go with him but He said "for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people" (v. 3). Moses converses with God and the Lord then tells him "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (v.14).
God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We know He never changes. However, before Christ came things were different. The way sin was dealt with was different. Praise be to God for His unconditional love in becoming flesh to live with us and show us who He is. Praise be to God that He sacrificed His only begotten Son for our sin, bringing us forgiveness and the promise of His Holy Spirit to dwell in us. There is no place we can go from His presence.
Like the Israelites, we are stubborn, stiff-necked people. We are still people who want to go our own way. The good news is because of Jesus Christ we know He will never leave us or forsake us. He is always there to forgive and cleanse us as we confess our sin to Him.
Go today in the joy of the presence of the LORD!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Fruitful Growth in the Faith
"For if these are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (II Peter 1:8).
Now I know you are probably thinking "what things" is she talking about? I'm talking about virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance or patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love (II Peter 1: 5-7). If these things are yours and abound you will be fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. II Peter 1:9 says that if we lack these things we are shortsighted or blind and that we have forgotten that we were cleansed from our old sins. Notice he is writing to believers. He isn't talking about losing our salvation or an issue of unbelief, but he says "we have forgotten that were were cleansed from our old sins."
C. John Miller, who is now with the Lord, began New Life Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1974. He had a heart for Christians to understand the grace that has been given to them through the gospel. He started World Harvest in 1983. This movement was primarily for us to focus on the power of the gospel and it's leading us to constant renewal as believers. You see, we do forget that were were cleansed from our old sins. Peter knew that. When we forget that were were sinners, cleansed by the blood of Christ and His sacrifice for us, we become "ho hum" in our walk with Christ. In other words, barren or useless.
If you are feeling "dry" and "ho-hum" in your walk with Christ maybe you need to be renewed in your understanding of the gospel and what God has done for you in Christ. If we are in Christ, we have been cleansed from our sins and we must not forget that.
Peter is preparing Christians to deal with false teachers and their destructive doctrines. Understanding the gospel of grace and forgiveness is the only way to fight the trials that are sure to come your way. We celebrated Easter yesterday. Let us celebrate it every day by remembering that we have been cleansed from our old sins.
Now I know you are probably thinking "what things" is she talking about? I'm talking about virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance or patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love (II Peter 1: 5-7). If these things are yours and abound you will be fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. II Peter 1:9 says that if we lack these things we are shortsighted or blind and that we have forgotten that we were cleansed from our old sins. Notice he is writing to believers. He isn't talking about losing our salvation or an issue of unbelief, but he says "we have forgotten that were were cleansed from our old sins."
C. John Miller, who is now with the Lord, began New Life Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1974. He had a heart for Christians to understand the grace that has been given to them through the gospel. He started World Harvest in 1983. This movement was primarily for us to focus on the power of the gospel and it's leading us to constant renewal as believers. You see, we do forget that were were cleansed from our old sins. Peter knew that. When we forget that were were sinners, cleansed by the blood of Christ and His sacrifice for us, we become "ho hum" in our walk with Christ. In other words, barren or useless.
If you are feeling "dry" and "ho-hum" in your walk with Christ maybe you need to be renewed in your understanding of the gospel and what God has done for you in Christ. If we are in Christ, we have been cleansed from our sins and we must not forget that.
Peter is preparing Christians to deal with false teachers and their destructive doctrines. Understanding the gospel of grace and forgiveness is the only way to fight the trials that are sure to come your way. We celebrated Easter yesterday. Let us celebrate it every day by remembering that we have been cleansed from our old sins.
Friday, April 2, 2010
He is Risen!
Since I woke up this morning I have such a strong sense of Christ's resurrection. No doubt the coming of Easter this weekend has heightened my awareness and freshness of His resurrection.
Death is not an easy thing to think about - ours or someone we know. Yet, without Christ's death and the shedding of His blood there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22). We know that Christ has come to take the sting out of death. Death is swallowed up in victory (I Corinth. 15: 54, 55).
Jesus, in all His perfection, took the horrible suffering on the cross for my sin and yours. It was a dreadful death. If we knew someone personally who suffered this way it would give us great sorrow. Still, somehow we look at Jesus' death as more of just a historical event.
I think of Jesus having breakfast by sea with his disciples after His resurrection (John 21). What a totally glorious day that had to be for them. The horror of His death was behind them and now they could look forward to the final resurrection when they would be with Him. It should bring great comfort to those of us in Christ to know that the sting of death is gone. He has taken the sting out of death. Death now becomes a journey to be united with the resurrected Christ forever.
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this ? (John 11: 25, 26)"
Happy Easter!
Death is not an easy thing to think about - ours or someone we know. Yet, without Christ's death and the shedding of His blood there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22). We know that Christ has come to take the sting out of death. Death is swallowed up in victory (I Corinth. 15: 54, 55).
Jesus, in all His perfection, took the horrible suffering on the cross for my sin and yours. It was a dreadful death. If we knew someone personally who suffered this way it would give us great sorrow. Still, somehow we look at Jesus' death as more of just a historical event.
I think of Jesus having breakfast by sea with his disciples after His resurrection (John 21). What a totally glorious day that had to be for them. The horror of His death was behind them and now they could look forward to the final resurrection when they would be with Him. It should bring great comfort to those of us in Christ to know that the sting of death is gone. He has taken the sting out of death. Death now becomes a journey to be united with the resurrected Christ forever.
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this ? (John 11: 25, 26)"
Happy Easter!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Forgiveness
In all of the commands the Lord has given to us, forgiveness is probably the hardest to do. It is for me and as I speak with others it is for them. Many may not admit it, but the resentment and anger with which they speak of someone is a clear indication of unforgiveness.
Ephesians 4: 32 says "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." In Dan Hamilton's book "Forgiveness" he says that a practical step to forgiveness is to absorb the cost yourself. That is an interesting thought - absorbing the cost. He uses the example of a friend breaking your lamp. You forgive them and you don't require them to replace it, but yet someone has to absorb the cost of replacing the lamp. You absorb it yourself. He says when we replay the videotapes of what happened in our mind, we stay angry. Therefore, do not remind yourself of the "videotapes." Remind yourself of the cross and what Jesus did for you. He, also, says we are to come to the point of praying for the offender and ourselves. Praying for my offender is very hard for me to do even though the scripture clearly says we are to love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us (Matthew 5:44).
Jesus' words in Mark 11:25, 26 says, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But, if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."
There will never be true joy in our lives if we allow unforgiveness to fester in us. Let us remember that when Christ died for us, He absorbed the cost. The consequences of our sin had to paid. He paid it for us. Therefore, we must forgive others as He has forgiven us.
Ephesians 4: 32 says "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." In Dan Hamilton's book "Forgiveness" he says that a practical step to forgiveness is to absorb the cost yourself. That is an interesting thought - absorbing the cost. He uses the example of a friend breaking your lamp. You forgive them and you don't require them to replace it, but yet someone has to absorb the cost of replacing the lamp. You absorb it yourself. He says when we replay the videotapes of what happened in our mind, we stay angry. Therefore, do not remind yourself of the "videotapes." Remind yourself of the cross and what Jesus did for you. He, also, says we are to come to the point of praying for the offender and ourselves. Praying for my offender is very hard for me to do even though the scripture clearly says we are to love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us (Matthew 5:44).
Jesus' words in Mark 11:25, 26 says, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But, if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."
There will never be true joy in our lives if we allow unforgiveness to fester in us. Let us remember that when Christ died for us, He absorbed the cost. The consequences of our sin had to paid. He paid it for us. Therefore, we must forgive others as He has forgiven us.
Monday, March 29, 2010
A Feeling of Insignificance
When you look at the moon, stars and the sun as you gaze into the heavens do you ever feel somewhat small and insignificant as a part of God's creation? Do you ever think, "Who am I but a small creature compared to the glory of the heavens?" David felt the same way. In Psalm 8 David opens by praising the Lord's name for the work of His hands and His creation of the heavens, moon and the stars. Then he sees the comparison. "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit (give attention to or care for) him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels and You have crowned him with glory and honor (vs. 4, 5)."
Then David goes on to speak of the wonderful privilege God has given to us. He has given us dominion over all the works of His hands.
Sometimes life's hardness and trials make us think we are insignificant to the Lord and to others. We are not small and insignificant to the Lord. We are so significant to Him that He sacrificed His own Son to redeem us from our sin. This should also enable us to see how significant others are to Him and, therefore, they should be significant to us as well.
The next time you gaze into the heavens in awe of the power and majesty of God's creation let it be a glorious reminder to you of your significance to Him. We are more important to Him than we could ever imagine or think. "Oh LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!"
Then David goes on to speak of the wonderful privilege God has given to us. He has given us dominion over all the works of His hands.
Sometimes life's hardness and trials make us think we are insignificant to the Lord and to others. We are not small and insignificant to the Lord. We are so significant to Him that He sacrificed His own Son to redeem us from our sin. This should also enable us to see how significant others are to Him and, therefore, they should be significant to us as well.
The next time you gaze into the heavens in awe of the power and majesty of God's creation let it be a glorious reminder to you of your significance to Him. We are more important to Him than we could ever imagine or think. "Oh LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!"
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