Rejoice!

Romans 5:9-11 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The Easter candy has been put away, or consumed. The Easter Sunday sermon still echoes in our minds. And we recall how the seats at the Sunday service were filled with many who are not regularly in attendance at worship services. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia, Amen!

So, now what? It's a long stretch between today and Christmas. What is a good Christian to do? Would you believe we should embrace the advice of the Apostle Paul and rejoice? That's right, we should rejoice. After all we have much to be rejoicing over. When we fully consider what has been done for us in Christ, we do have cause to celebrate. On Good Friday we remember the death of Jesus on the cross. His death is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Our debt has been paid in full. But. Satan would have you think otherwise. And that would be erroneous thinking. Satan will constantly try to convince you that you’re still a slave and that your sins are too grievous to be paid for by the grace of God. The full truth is you and I are freed from the death that is in sin. There is no additional To-Do- List, or extensive set of laws to fulfill. Done, finished, game over. If we remember verse 9 from Romans 5 we know that "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!" Life is good! The price paid for this freedom was the blood of the Son of God. Jesus went to the cross for you and I. And for that we can be thankful. The price He paid is one we could not and still cannot even on our best day.

Romans 5: 10-11 serves as an excellent reminder of our current condition and how we can live the rest of our lives in Christ. For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Rejoice my friends for we have been well and truly saved. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia, Amen!

PRAYER: Lord You alone are the source of our salvation. Our hearts rejoice at the freedom paid for on that cross. We who were lost sheep have been returned to Your flock. For that we are eternally great flu and offer this humble prayer of thanksgiving in the name of Jesus, who with the Father and Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.

Christ Died For Us

Romans 5:6-8 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We are at the cusp of Easter. We start with Palm Sunday, then the Seder Meal on Wednesday, Maundy Thursday followed by the always humbling Good Friday service. For the first time in quite a few years, I will be in worship and not serving in these services. I am yearning for the experience again. There is a distinct difference between serving and worshipping. In serving there is a focus in what you are doing. You are making sure something happens, when it is supposed to happen and in the manner it is supposed to happen. While serving is a form of worship, it is just not the same as being in worship. By being in worship I mean you can let the music flow into and surround you. The words of the Old Testament and New Testament readings can wash over you just like a wave on the seashore. You can can absorb the full message of the scriptures chosen for that day. You can thoughtfully consider the full meaning of the message carefully and lovingly prepared by the Pastor. You can greet others and sincerely ask how they are doing. And most importantly you can fully consider Romans 5:6-8. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That friends, is the biggest point to ponder. Someone had to die because of the sins of you and I. Jesus died. He was the sacrificial lamb offered up for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus, Son of God, lived a sinless life. And for that, He willingly paid the full price of death on the cross so that we could be saved. I find that quite humbling. There is no small sense of guilt in considering the full ramification of that. It is guilt that should not remain as an anchor to keep one depressed. It is the guilt that lends gravity to the situation which makes His sacrifice really count in our hearts. When someone tries to trivialize that sacrifice, we should stand up and correct that misconception. Jesus told His disciples on more than one occasion that he would be killed by the chief priest and teachers of the law. He told the disciples after three days He would return. AND HE DID ALL OF THAT! That is why we put our hearts and souls into each and every worship opportunity. Jesus lived, died, and came back for you and I. That is not some abstract principle or theorem bantered about in a physics lab. That’s a fact Jack! We show honor to God our Father, the Son and Holy Spirit in our worship. Placing ourselves fully into that worship is important. The music has a message. The scripture has a message. The sermon has a message. Messages that are for all of us. They are not mere words. They are heartfelt expressions of praise offered up to a loving God in Heaven. We need to immerse ourselves in that worship to fully grasp what the message is because that message is important. I am so very thankful for the opportunity to be in worship again. I hope you feel the same about your worship opportunities.

PRAYER: Almighty God, thank you for the opportunity to worship You. Thank you for the country that allows us to worship the one true God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank you for the Son that is our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen

Let Nothing Move You

1 Corinthians 15: 54-58 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Infomercial TV is a phenomena I just have not been able to get on board with. There is entertainment value watching someone sell a product that will revolutionize your life and give you more leisure time. It all seems to cost $19.95. Just what we need, more stuff to help us do something we already are doing. I will long remember the best spoof on these types of products in a Saturday Night Live Dan Akroyd skit for the Bassomatic 76. I still chuckle thinking about that one. 

In addition to slick salesman selling products to enhance our lives, our world will try to sell you a new and better life. This new and BIGGER LIFE STYLE the world offers will include setting aside the morals, principles, belief, and yes faith by which you live your life today. In the bargain you will eliminate the guilt over living for only yourself. You earned yours, why should you help those less fortunate? You can do whatever you want, and definitely do it in excess. Because that is just the cool thing to do. It’s all good! You will not have to worry about the principles of right or wrong, morality, or sexuality. Again, it’s all good! Best of all with the new lifestyle the world seeks you to follow, you will have Sundays all to yourself and no more pesky Wednesday evening Advent and Lent services. They will be a thing of the past. You are free! It’s all good. 

There is even a more subtle sales pitch you may encounter. It is the sales pitch that suggests your concept of grace is wrong. Surely God did not mean for you to be saved only by the sacrifice of Christ is the mantra of that group. All you really need to do, in that school of thought, is to complete a list of things and you will earn your way. Just a few simple things, and then a few more simple things, and so on.

Friends of the Risen Savior, we need to hold on firm to the words of 1 Corinthians 15 passage above. The slick sales pitches seek to lead you to ruin, nothing more. The Apostle Paul’s words to the church in Corinth hold true today, just as they did when he first sent that letter. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

PRAYER: Lord keep us on track. Help us to shut out the sales pitches of this world. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. This we ask in the name of the Son who loves all - Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Him Who Had No Sin

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What do you believe? Can you put the basis for your belief into words?  For me, the Nicene Creed does just that. It expands on the Apostles’ Creed and fills in some very important points on why Jesus came down from heaven. 

NICENE CREED

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds,  God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Lent is an awesome time of the year to reground ourselves in our faith. There are so many steps we take in the journey to remembering the crucifixion of Good Friday. Ash Wednesday, Lenten services, Seder Meal celebrations, Maundy Thursday are the strong traditions we hold dear. All draw our attention and focus to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are saved solely by the sacrifice of the Son of God. We are utterly dependent on that sacrifice. If we chose to think otherwise we have to ask ourselves how are we doing in living a perfect sinless life? As for me, I will take Jesus every day and twice on Sunday. I hope that is your choice too. Remember what you believe and why you believe. Not just during Lent, but every day for the rest of you life. It really matters.

PRAYER: Almighty God You alone are source of our salvation. We can accomplish nothing without your love. We who do not deserve Your love desperately cling to hope of salvation that rests solely in Jesus.You remember Your promises to all mankind. Help us to remember those promises when life would seek to weaken our resolve.  We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

But The People There Did Not Welcome Him

Luke 9:51-56 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.

Our world is broken. This is not a bold statement amongst Christians. We know that all too well. And in our world, there are many who do not welcome Jesus. The condition in our modern world is much like the Samaritan village that did not welcome Jesus. Different times with similar results. Sadly for those in our world and time, who deliberately chose to disavow the existence of Jesus, or chose to ignore the significance of His sacrifice, or chose to accept His resurrection, there is no happy ending waiting ahead. There is no peaceful resting place at the end of life’s trials. We know this fact from scriptures.  If we turn to Matthew 13:36-43 we see the path of destruction those who turn away are walking. Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. This is a very sobering message to read. And between the Luke 9: 51-56 and Matthew 13:36-43 passages we learn two key points regarding those who do not welcome Jesus and his message. First, the Luke 9 passage reminds us that it is not our place to wish ill will upon those who refuse to accept Christ. Their judgement will come from God. Our place, our job if you will, is to pitch the love of Jesus to the lost. As much as we may want to call fire down from heaven to destroy those who belittle Christ or thumb their nose at God, we are not to judge. Second, the Matthew 13 passage reminds us that weeds sown by satan will be pulled up and burned in the fire. That does not sound like a happy ending. If we love our fellow man as Jesus tells us to, we need to speak the truth of Christ in love and not anger. We can make a difference in this world. Let’s pray for the opportunities.

PRAYER: Lord, we live in a world that turns its’ back on you. We live in a world that vigorously disregards Your commandments and follows its’ own misguided sense of morality. Help us, O God, to share Your love and message. Let Your Holy Spirit fill our words with wisdom and love. Open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf that they might find You. This we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

Daniel 5:22-30 “But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. “This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN  “This is what these words mean: 

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty–two.

Thumbing your nose at the almighty, is not a wise thing to do. Belshazzar, in the book of Daniel is the poster child for that one. Unfortunately, there are many in our world that have yet to learn this lesson. Their hubris can be the result of a lifetime of self absorption coupled with the happy circumstance of never having really been in an all consuming crisis. By all consuming I mean something that is totally beyond your own ability to cope or survive. This hubris may be the result of a lifetime in academia surrounded by fellow nonbelievers. Granted, many in academia are believers but I suspect they are the minority rather than the majority. The chilling words, to me, in the Daniel 5 passage above are “You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” As Christians, we know all too well that is our condition. We are lost. Sinners and unable to save ourselves. That is why we are so desperately in need of a Savior. 1 Corinthians 15:57 gives us the hope we need. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, the scales would be irrevocably tilted to the wanting side. And what of the lost, and those filled with hubris or ignorance? What is to be our interaction when we are blessed with that chance to share the love of Christ? We share the real Jesus. We share the truth in love. We stand our ground, firm in our conviction as sinners lost but for the love of God. We share the Jesus who healed the sick, drove out demons, fed the masses and spoke of the real God in heaven. The message he delivered was unpopular at the time. His message we deliver will be equally as unpopular today. But if we do not deliver the message, who will? Pray friends. Pray for the right words. Pray for the opportunities. Pray for the patience in reaching out to those who need to hear the truth. And pray for our words to be filled with love and not sprinkled with harsh tones. Please, let the Holy Spirit speak through you. 

PRAYER: Father, our world is filled with brokenness. Sometimes our words just add to the fractured nature of our land. Help us, O God, to share Your love, the love of Jesus with our world. Fill us with the wisdom to know when to share, the faith to share, and Your words to share. For Your love we are forever thankful and offer this humble prayer in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Broken Justice

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Our theme for Lent 2014 devotionals at Grace Lutheran Pocatello is “Broken”.  This week we will examine “Broken Justice.” How often have you uttered the words, “This is not fair?” All too often in the world we live it is the mantra of those who feel oppressed. Whether someone feels they were mistreated in a business deal, or they were offended by the words of another, or possibly they were dealt with harshly for a perceived (or real) offense it does not matter. We establish in our own minds what is fair. Fair is subjective depending on emotions or an opportunity to tip the scales in our favor perhaps. 

As we enter the home stretch of Lent in 2014 I offer a suggestion. Take some time and read the Book of Daniel. Sure, it is a book in the Old Testament and Lent is definitely a new testament topic. Given that many parts of Lent are steeped in elements found in the Old Testament, we can learn much of the blessing of Lent. Even in “any enlightened nation” men who are wise in the knowledge of the world will fail to look at the past for lessons learned in how God dispenses justice for those who reject Him and His Son. God, our Father in Heaven is a loving God. His boundless love is right there for all to grasp, even those who reject Him out of pride or ignorance. He loves us so much He sent His only Son to die for the sins of all, that all mankind might be reconciled to Him. We will look at “justice” in the devotionals. There have been many promises made, and broken by man. There have been opportunities to serve the Lord that have turned horribly wrong. Some in the past have chosen to figuratively spit in the face of God and suffered harsh consequences. If we were to receive the justice we deserve based on our own doings, we would be in a sorry state. Fortunately, that is not the case. 

For many Lent can be a season of self-examination and reflection of our lives. In many cases the life we want to live, possibly should live, is not the same as the life we are living. In that moment of realization despair can find way into the heart. Satan is relentless in trying to drive a wedge in our faith and place distance between God our Father and ourselves. Self-examination is a good and proper exercise. But doing so must be done with all the facts on the table. We know that we have been rescued from sins of the present evil age by the willing sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. We enter Lent knowing that Christ died on the cross for our sins, was placed in a tomb and on Easter that tomb was found to be empty. That is the hope we grasp onto every single second, minute, hour, day and year of our lives. We are forgiven and have the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus. That is the message of Lent this year. We who are broken have been repaired.

My prayer is that your time in study of God’s Word and these devotionals will truly be blessed. To God be all the glory in all that we do today and everyday of our lives.

Your Accent Gives You Away

Matthew 26:73-75 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

I want to take a little different look at Peter and the scene in the courtyard than what you might expect to take during Lent. Sure, Peter was all about denying Christ. Peter feared for his life. But let’s examine another aspect of that scene. Matthew 26:75 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.”

To have an accent means there is a characteristic mode of pronunciation of a person or group that betrays social or geographical origin. If you travel around the United States you will encounter many accents. In the Matthew 26 passage above, Peter’s accent gives away his place of origin - Galilee. When we think of where people come from, how they speak can give away where they were born and raised. For example, sometimes my Michigan accent resurfaces and it gives away I am not an Idaho native. Similarly, what people say can be a clue to how they live and what they believe. If their language is filled with off-color remarks, bawdy humor and cursing, you would be hard pressed to say they were a Christian based on how they talk. If their language speaks of love and is flowered with scriptures from the New Testament you can make the connection to their faith in Christ. How we speak, and what we say can have a huge influence on how people receive us. Simply put, can others see Christ in us by how we show our faith in what we say? Do you have a Christian accent? Can people see Christ in your manner of speaking, and in what you say? Each and every believer has the opportunity every day of their lives to make a positive or negative statement to the world about who they are and what they believe. You and I can be the most devoted followers of Jesus Christ, but if our language does not carry that same commitment, we have failed. The words of Jesus from Luke 6:46-48 serve as a strong reminder to all believers. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ”

Friends of the risen Savior, when we look back at Peter in the courtyard, we cannot see Christ in his words. Each of us needs take a lesson from that example. Words are important. Others hear your words and, need to find Jesus in those words. That is the case not just on Sunday, but every day of the year.

PRAYER: Father, we have many opportunities to stand as a witness to our faith. Sometimes we make a good witness for Jesus, and other times we fail miserably. We rely on Your love and Your forgiveness in our lives. Help us to learn from our mistakes. Help us to find the right words at all times and in all places to reflect You in all that we say. Let them see you when we speak. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

The Promise To The Centurion

Matthew 8:5-13 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.” Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.  I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.

The above passage from Matthew 8 is titled “The Faith of the Centurion.” Truly, this is a beautiful example of faith in Christ being displayed from an unlikely source. The Roman Centurion should have, by his very job, not accepted Jesus as the Messiah. As a Roman Centurion he should have been placing his faith in the false gods of Rome. With a little research I found the centurion should have been paying homage and making sacrifices to the Roman goddess Angita who was the goddess of healing and witchcraft. Seems like an odd combination - healing and witchcraft, but then again this was an invented goddess. Flawed systems yield flawed results. But the Centurion shows his faith in Christ. And the faith shown is greater than any other Jesus has found in Israel. The promise made to the Centurion to heal his servant is fulfilled in that very hour. Some may say it was faith rewarded. But surely this illustrates the faithfulness of Jesus, and His reaching out beyond the Jews to share the love of His Father. How wonderful of an example for you and I. When we make a promise to a nonbeliever it should carry the same weight as a promise made to a fellow believer. We love all, not just those that agree with us in our faith. That is the take away lesson from of the Promise to the Centurion. We love all because Christ loves all.

PRAYER: Lord the promise made and honored to the Centurion stands as a wonderful example of how we are to share Your love. Help us to have the faith to live that kind of love. Help us to share that kind of love. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit. This we ask in the name of the Son who loves all - Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. 

What My Father Has Promised

 Luke 24:44-49 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

This devotional will be a bit different than others I have posted. I will link two sets of scripture passages together to illustrate how Jesus made and kept his promise and how we are reminded of that fact. There’s nothing better than using scripture to illustrate a point. 

Upon His resurrection, Jesus opens the minds of the disciples to that they could understand the scriptures. See Luke 24:44-49. He tells the disciples He will send what His Father has promised & stay in the city until they are clothed with power from on high. On the day of Pentecost, the promise is fulfilled as told in Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

We can take comfort in how Christ keeps His promise. The example above is just one of many that illustrate how Jesus can be trusted.  Perhaps His most comforting promise is found in the last sentence of Matthew 28:20  “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” It is this promise that we can all rest our faith upon. We are not alone, He is with us always. I find that to be very comforting and hope you find peace in that same promise.

PRAYER: Lord, We rely solely on Your promises of forgiveness and salvation. Father, You are our rock and our salvation. None other can compare to You. For this we give thanks in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Hopes Placed In Mortals Die

Proverbs 11:7 Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all the promise of their power comes to nothing.

Monday, 3-31-14 is the opening day for major league baseball. One of the signs of spring is the first pitch at the ballpark of your favorite team. My Detroit Tigers began their season with a win in the opening game against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. Every year begins with high hopes and for many years it seemed as if the Tigers were in a race for the cellar (the bottom of the standings in the league.) And some years, the Tigers were the World Series Champions. Such are the fortunes when you depend upon mortals.

If the Lord had his own baseball team, they would win every time. That would be boring for the opposing teams. We are reminded of the supremacy of the Lord in 1 Chronicles 16:14 & 15. He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations. The Lord remembers, the Lord is faithful. Two strong characteristics of the Father we call God. He is there for us always. He promised to send a Savior, and He did. No doubt about the Lord living up to His side of a bargain. But how about you and I? I know all too well, I am imperfect. I have great intentions, and not-so-great results. Are your intentions good? Are your results as good as your intentions? Is there room for improvement. If so, you are amongst friends. We all fail. But instead of feeling depressed, we should feel a deep sense of relief. When we sin, we are forgiven, period, end of statement. We do not have to carry that burden of guilt around. Psalm 103:12 tells us As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. That is the promise the Lord makes. Mortal man can make that same promise, but cannot deliver on that promise.  

PRAYER: Almighty God You alone are completely trustworthy. You remember Your promises. Help us to remember, and fulfill our promises.  We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

He Will Crush Your Head

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

There is an image from the movie “The Passion of the Christ” that vividly reminds me of the relationship between Jesus and Satan. The scene takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is visibly struggling with the enormity of what is to happen to him in Jerusalem. Jesus has been praying, the disciples have been sleeping. Satan, depicted by a serpent, is seen to be slithering towards Christ. Just as the serpent is poised to strike at Jesus, the serpent is loudly crushed. Boom! Take that satan.

Satan has been stopped. His power to levy death over you and I has been crushed. That is one key thing for us to remember. The score is at the end of the game is God 1, satan 0. The prisoner, you and I, have been set free. The problem is, we keep forgetting the finality of that victory. We keep trying to refight that epic battle by minimizing the importance of the death and resurrection of Jesus. When we try to re-earn our salvation by foolishly pursuing salvation by works or routine or worse, we re-invigorate satan. When we fail to embrace that salvation, we re-empower satan. All too often we seek to refight the battle already won in Christ. The promises of God were fulfilled in Christ. Satan was crushed. So very many forget that key bit of information. And many more reject that promise made and fulfilled. My heart aches for those who reject the simple truth. Their eyes are closed, their ears are sealed and their hearts are hardened.

If you want something to pray for during Lent, pray for the lost. Pray for those who seek salvation through means that will surely lead to their separation from God. Pray for those who chose to viscously kill innocents in a desperate bid to find paradise. Pray for those who seek to place Jesus and those who are Christians in an unfavorable light. Pray for our world filled with broken promises. Pray that all would turn to the One True God.  

PRAYER: Father, our world is filled with broken promises. In stark contrast stands Your faithfulness. Truly, great is Your faithfulness. For Your love we are forever thankful and offer this humble prayer in Jesus’ name, Amen.

I Am The Bread Of Life

John 6:48-51 &57-58 “I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” 

57 “Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” 

John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. We have heard these verses many times over the years. They point us directly towards Jesus. In Him was life and in Him is life. The Disciple John eloquently explains the divinity of Jesus. Jesus was there at the beginning. Jesus, the Word was with God and is God. As Jesus shares with His Disciples in John 6:48-51 & 57-58 above, not all can fully grasp the meaning of Jesus being the bread that comes down from heaven. We know from John 60-64 that many of his Disciples left. John 6:60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?  What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” Today, just as back the days of Jesus’ time on this earth many cannot accept what He has to say. Often our world does not want to accept His truth because it goes counter to the sinful desires of this world. Often our world wants to determine it’s own destiny and reject what God has told all is the path to salvation. In the words of the departing disciples, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it.” Jesus reminds us in the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 7:1 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” Sadly many in our world today just will not accept they must fully rely on Jesus for their salvation. Many will try a path of works, or salvation through committing unspeakable violence. Some will even try to buy their way into heaven. Many will follow a false gospel and faulty doctrine that leads to their death. Still others will not even consider the need to pursue a life in Christ and will even shun God altogether. If only they would hear the words you and I hold dear. We can pray for a change of heart for those who are lost. We can reach out in love to the lost. And we can share the importance of holding onto the bread that comes down from heaven. Jesus is that bread of life. He was yesterday, is today, and will be tomorrow.

PRAYER: Almighty and Everlasting God, You gave the bread of life to all mankind. Your Son, that very bread, gives hope and life to all mankind who partake of that bread. And yet many in our world reject that premise. Many will chose to follow the path that leads to death and destruction. Help us Father to boldly share Your love. Soften the hearts of the lost. Open the eyes of those blind to the truth we find in Your Word. Give us the words to share that reach deep into the hearts of the lost. All this we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

He Who Shared My Bread

John 13:18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’

Continuing on with the theme of digging deep into the Word of God. I the John 13:18 verse, there is a reference to an earlier scripture verse ‘He who shares my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ That earlier verse comes from Psalm 41:9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. This link is found in a study Bible. This is another tool believers can use to explore the full meaning of God’s Word. One of the blessings the Disciples enjoyed was the opportunity to learn from Jesus as a group. The group learning has many  benefits. When we look back at our own group learning experiences we too have been exposed to question and answer sessions where we benefited from inquiries of others. Often new information is revealed we may never have thought to ask. When we look at the study of God’s Word in a group setting, this very same premise holds true. It is in these group settings we can more fully experience fellowship, exchange of ideas and concepts and explore the truth as found in the Word of God. The Word is the spiritual bread we all need and desire. The early church found that gathering together was a fundamental need to continue to exist and to grow.  Acts 2:41-44 gives insight into this fundamental worship concept. Acts 2:41-44 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.  

We develop deep bonds with those whom we break bread and study the Word. A fellowship that goes far beyond what one can experience in other group fellowship activities. There is a trust that permeates this environment because at the center of this kind of fellowship is found the Word of God. When we study in a solo environment we only know what we know. When we study as a group we know what the group as a whole knows. When this happens awe inspiring things can happen. Been there, seen that, have the t-shirt. Friends, join a Bible study group and experience the joy and wonder that the Lord has in store for you. And don’t forget to bring the bread.

PRAYER: Lord the blessings that flow from studying Your Word are endless. We find nuggets of wisdom more valuable than nuggets of gold. The truth our world desperately needs rests within Your Word. Help us to explore Your Word in a world that tells us to shun Your truth. Let Your words of love fill us. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our bread of life, Amen.