This One Is For Andy

Romans 2:8-11 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. 

Many of those who take the time to read this blog know the story of my son Andy. Today is a big day for young Andy. A motions hearing is scheduled and it will be his first time in front of a judge where the truth can finally be heard. Up until now the voice speaking has been that of the prosecution. But today truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, will finally be heard.

Truth, or in Latin VERITAS, is what separates fact from fiction. VERITAS is what I will use in this discussion when referencing the truth from God. VERITAS is something we all seek. Many will seek VERITAS for all the wrong reasons and find truth. Those reasons often include self-serving purposes, glory, publicity, etc. Others seek to put forth their own version of the truth. Interestingly enough, the reasons they seek to put forth their own version of the truth for the very same reasons. Sometimes the reason may be more sinister in nature and may include depravity, deception, personal gain, or just plain evil intentions. But VERITAS, is that which we all seek. There is an interesting exchange between Pontius Pilate and Jesus I would like to share. It comes from the Gospel of John Chapter 18 beginning at verse 33. VERITAS shines brightly in this exchange.  The words of Jesus are in italics. 

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 

34  Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 

35  Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" 

36  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." 

37  Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." 

38  Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him. 

When confronted with VERITAS, even Pontius Pilate could not deny it. Pilate, an unbeliever, was shown VERITAS, and found no guilt in Jesus. And that is how it stands today. In Jesus, there is no guilt, only VERITAS. The kingdom Jesus is King of is not of this world. We live in our world today which is filled with sin, lies, deception, greed, pride, and other forms of false truth. It is a corrupt world at best. And when confronted with VERITAS, the Jewish leaders felt threatened. Too bad for them, and good for us. Christ died so that VERITAS would be known to the whole world. VERITAS, that truth of God cannot and will not be hidden. If the light of Chris shines brightly in you today and everyday, then all the world will know VERITAS. Our help in the Lord, our peace is with the Lord, and VERITAS is in the Lord. Be comforted today and everyday in VERITAS.

PRAYER: Lord God, heavenly Father, we seek Your peace and comfort today. Help all those who face difficult situations today find rest in You O God. Your word stands as light in a world of darkness. Lies seep into our lives, but Your word illuminates the truth in God and the darkness is cast away. Let all who are troubled find the light of Christ comforting, soothing, and the source of hope today and every day. We ask this in the name of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

They Remembered His Words

Luke 24:5-8 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words,

You might have heard these two sayings before. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. And the basis for effective learning is repetition, repetition, and more repetition. I personally do better by reading something several times. I think it offers my brain a better chance of capturing what it needs to. And staying in the Bible daily helps stay connected to the Lord. It is all just a good thing to read the Bible over and over, and over. It really is a good book with something to offer to all.

Have you ever had a very patient teacher? It’s someone who truly enjoys their job, understands that each of us learns at a different pace and embraces each student as unique and cherishes the opportunity to help a person learn. And through all the trials and tribulations of learning they are right there by your side guiding and helping in the learning process, slow as that may be. From what we know, Jesus was just such a teacher. He helped the disciples through his words, and parables to learn. He gave them opportunities to learn through experiences of their own when he sent them out in pairs. He taught them humility with his actions in washing their feet. And he taught them love with his death on the cross. One of the most magnificent teaching opportunities occurred at the empty tomb. When he told them “the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise,” and then really did come back he added a whole new element. He added credibility. Without the last step, the resurrection, it would all have been lost on the disciples. Later in Luke 24 he walks the disciples through scripture to help them connect the dots showing He truly is the Christ. I will bet the number of epiphanies the disciples had was tremendous. What a learning opportunity that must have been. And it remains the same for us today. We can read, and experience through the Bible and an occasional dramatic re-enactment the story of Jesus, the disciples, and all those who participated in that part of history. We can soak it in, contemplate it, study it, pray about it and ultimately we can share it. The miracle of the empty tomb is one which will stand the test of time and gives all believers the hope and promise of the resurrection. We all need to remember His words and then go share those words with other who need to hear those words.

PRAYER: Lord God Almighty, We, like disciples, are slow to learn. We who are given much sometimes forget what we have been given. Thank You Father for the love you richly pour out upon us. We offer thanks in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen

Marveling At What Happened

Luke 24:12 Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them and idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

Occasionally, friends will send an e-mail with an attachment that has some truly interesting and beautiful photos with inspiring music playing in the background. The size of the file is usually several megabytes and takes a while to down load. The download time can be irritating, but the pictures and the music are something to marvel at.

After the women returned from the tomb, we find the disciples gathered together. The phenomenal story being told by the women is beyond belief. Not all comprehend what the women are saying. In fact they perceive that it is some kind of idle tale, a fable. But then we find Peter. Peter, who fulfilled the words of Jesus from a few days before by denying Jesus three times. I can scarce imagine how Peter felt. Talk about the ultimate betrayal! In any event, Peter hears what the women are saying, and runs off to see for himself. Here is this brash, bombastic at times, young man. He speaks out of turn, promises much, & delivers occasionally. And then he betrays Jesus, as predicted. So Peter is probably the most optimistic of the disciples regarding the resurrection of Jesus. Of all the things the Bible contains, the story of the joyful reunion between Jesus and Peter is not detailed. It is one of the parts I wish we could read. But I am sure words could not do justice to the feelings and emotions that Peter had and felt. I wonder at times how our own meeting with Christ will be. We who long for that day to be united with Jesus have much to marvel at along the way. We know of the empty tomb. We know of the resurrection. We know we are saved and will see Jesus. But what will it be like? I hope and pray that the crowd meeting Jesus will be epic in size. I hope and pray that the number who will receive the welcome of ‘Well gone good and faithful servant’ is humungous. I hope and pray it will be all mankind who finally sheds the promises of false religions and joins together under the banner of Christ. I hope and pray dear reader that you will be there too. We have been separated from Jesus for too long.

PRAYER: Lord God Almighty, We, like Peter, are given much to marvel at. The promise of the empty tomb, that Peter saw fulfilled, is one which we all hold precious. You give us the knowledge, tools, and words through Your Holy Spirit to help us comprehend the magnitude of what we have been given. We offer our humble and heartfelt thanks in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ. Who with the Father and the Spirit reign as one God now and forever. Amen

“It Is Finished”

John 19: 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

I began a quest to lose weight, restore a fitness regime in my life. After being encouraged by my loving wife Pam to join her in a similar effort I have enjoyed some moderate success. Pounds have been lost and after 30 years, I am running. The treadmill is no longer my enemy, rather we have established a friendship or sorts. Running, or even walking, is a good way to relieve stress in your life. But please, check with your doctor before starting any fitness program. It would be the height of foolishness to die on the treadmill trying to extend your life. Just sayin’…

If you do not want to read another devotional about being saved by grace through faith and how Jesus did it all for you and I then STOP READING RIGHT NOW! AND I MEAN IMMEDIATELY! STOP!
But if you do want to read another devotional about being saved by Jesus, then you are in the right place at the right time. The three most wonderful words in the whole Bible, at least to me anyway, are “It is finished”. The final words of Jesus tell it all. There is peace, comfort and hope in those three simple words. “It is finished” tells you, and I and all others who are wondering what else they must do to be saved. “It is finished” tells it all. We, mankind, were able to ignore the one thing God told us not to do. Adam and Eve took a bite from the fruit of the forbidden tree and you and I continue that tradition today. It is that state of sinfulness which separates us from God. We were lost and condemned to experience the sting of death. But the words “It is finished” tell all who care to learn that the reconciliation is complete. Believe that Christ dying on the cross is all it took and you will not feel the sting of death. His pain, suffering, humiliation and finally death on the cross paid the price for you and I. He was the sacrificial lamb needed to atone for our sins. It was his blood, not yours or mine that settled the debt. We are reminded of this whenever we have Holy Communion. The words of institution remind us of this each and every time. “It is finished” tells us that the mission he set out to accomplish, was in fact accomplished. For the people standing at the foot of the cross, it was also a comforting message. Those who had walked with Him could find comfort that the physical discomfort He was experiencing had ended. He suffered no more, and his spirit departed. My question to you is do you know where your spirit will go? If your answer is yes, then you truly grasp the message behind “It is finished”. If there is some question or doubt, you need to know that you are saved by grace through faith. Nothing, no matter the magnitude or frequency of your works or gifts can save you. “It is finished” is right there for you to embrace.

Prayer: Lord we have been given so many blessings. You finished all that was needed to be accomplished. Help us to remember that when we have doubts. Amen

Take Up Your Cross Daily

Luke 9:23-24 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

My wife Pam and I enjoyed a couple of event surrounding the Feed the Five Thousand program in Pocatello. It was the first time we had attended these events. It is humbling to see the community get behind this wonderful service opportunity. This multi-denominational effort to join together with a single purpose is inspiring. But I have to be honest, one of the best parts of the progressive dinner was the dessert table at the progressive dinner. So many choices….

How many times have you looked at the Luke 9 passage above in you Bible studies and come to the conclusion it is a call to serve? I would hazard a guess it is many, many times. There is a warning and there is comfort in the message. Lose your life for Jesus and you will save your life is one part. That would be the comfort part of the message. The deeper part of the message is found in the “whoever would save his life will lose it.” There it is, plain as the nose on your face. Salvation by works is a dead end. Taking up the cross of Jesus to try to save your life had better be for the right reason. If there is the thought of ‘I need to do this to earn my way to heaven’, it is a foolish and dead end (literally) plan. Ephesians 2:8-9 reinforces this point. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” The beauty of the Feed the Five Thousand campaign is tempered by the sadness of why some people serve in that effort. The motivation simply has to be focused on sharing the love with others that has been poured out so richly upon us by Christ. If we believe that we have to do something more to earn our salvation, we might as well tell God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that the sacrifice on the cross was not enough for us. We, who seem to know more than God himself, think we need to earn what has already been freely given in love. So why do we need to stay engaged in community efforts of a multi-denominational nature. Brothers and Sister in Christ we are being given a blessing. We who know we are saved by grace through faith have the opportunity to witness by our actions and words to those who believe otherwise. To remain disengaged serves no one. It certainly does not fulfill the Great Commission to go out into the world to teach, preach and baptize. We take up His cross to serve Him, not us. We take up the cross knowing that if we lose our life, either literally or figuratively, we are already saved. To God, and to God alone be all the glory.

PRAYER: Lord, in You alone do we place our trust in salvation. We know we cannot earn that which has already been freely given. For that we give You thanks today and every day. Amen.

The Conspiracy

Mark 15:1-3 And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and the scribes and the whole Council. And they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

I sometimes marvel at the extent to which people will try to read more into an event than is really there. The role of the conspiracy theorists in our society is surely one of creating and perpetuating doubt. Whether it is the gunman on the grassy knoll that allegedly shot President Kennedy, or the involvement of the US government in 9/11, they each have their dedicated following. Be discerning in what you read and believe.

Transparency in government is a hot topic of late. Whether it is at the local, state, or federal levels makes no difference. Those being governed want to see all the inner workings of the activities surrounding how they are being governed. Leadership in a church has an interesting conundrum. Being as open as you possibly can is an expectation of the congregation. There are some matters where privacy is also required. But clearly, the situations where privacy reigns over openness are to be few and far between. There is a process called out in Matthew 18:15-20 for handling church discipline. It is never a pleasant task. No one wants to see a fellow believer who is lost in sin take a course that leads to separation. But there are times when it becomes a necessity. The purpose of fellowship among believers is to strengthen and reinforce faith in times of good and bad. And the purpose of disfellowshipping (excommunicating) a member in a church is to encourage the sinner to return to the fold. There must be a clear message delivered (with love) in the process that continuing in sin is unacceptable and in order to be in fellowship the sinner must change, or be forever separated. The guidance given in Matthew 15 is clear. At some point the whole congregation is involved, not just the leadership as was the case with Jesus. Leaders who may be tempted by ego to forego congregational involvement do so not only their own peril, but at the peril of failing to serve God and those they are chosen to lead. Humility is the key to leadership within a church. That same humility, shown by our Savior Jesus Christ when he washed the feet of the disciples. Praying for the leadership of your church is very important. The leaders are frail humans just like you and I. And they are subject to the same temptations as you and I. Praying for wisdom, discernment, insight, and protection from the temptation of pride for church leaders should be what we all do today and every day.

PRAYER: Thanks be to God, that we have been given an example of how to lead in humility. Lest we stumble we need only to fix our eyes on Jesus to see how it should be done. In Jesus’ name we thank You Father for Your love and leadership in our lives. Amen

“Let This Cup Pass From Me”

Matthew 26:39 “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

I can remember watching my kids learn how to ride a bike. There was the usual course of tricycles, then a two wheeler bike with training wheels, and then the big step to taking off without the training wheels. Falling was part of the experience. Having a helmet is a necessity. It’s all a part of the learning process we as parents would avoid for our children if we could.

There are some very tough lessons in life that we each must learn. Some can be physically painful, and some can be emotionally painful. Given the choice, there are few among us who would jump up and volunteer to have additional pain heaped on us in order to learn through experience. Personally, I would rather read about something than go through it. I am just not a big fan of pain. And I suspect most of you reading this have the same perspective. But the important lesson from the Matthew 26 passage above is that there is a will that is above our own will that we must respect and submit to. That will I am referring to is the “Will of God.” We each have our own personal struggle to either go my way, or to seek out what God would have us do. We are such good little control freaks that we do not often want to submit to the will of the Father. We are by nature at cross purposes with God. It started back in the Garden of Eden, and has not changed much since. But Jesus clearly illustrates how important it is for all of us to submit to the will of the Father. In the case of Jesus, he knew what lay ahead for him. Betrayal, scorn, pain, ridicule, and the most painful death one could imagine. But the end purpose was so far beyond his mere needs. Through his sacrifice on the cross, all mankind would be reconciled. The sting of death would be no more.

That begs the question of what about you and I? When we do not seek out the will of the Father, what are we missing? What greater purpose does God have in mind for each of us that we need to embrace? I implore each of you to seek out, through prayer, what the will of the Father is for you. No one will guarantee it will be painless, but you are guaranteed a great finish. It will be a smooth landing so to speak. So pray my friends. Pray early and pray often to find the will of God for you in your life.

PRAYER: Almighty God the sacrifice of Jesus has given us the most precious gift of all. He has brought about our reconciliation with You Father. You, in Your mercy gave us this gift. Help us to see Your will and to seek Your will for us in our lives. Help us to take the cup that You have to offer us. We thank You in the name of Your Son who willingly took the terrible cup for all. Amen

So They Went Out

Mark 6:12-13 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast our many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Having a direction in your life is important. I can honestly say that has not always been the case in my life. Aimless wandering is a poor substitute for having a well defined course in your life. Heck, even the Blues Brothers had a focus and direction. They were on a “mission from God.”

This passage in Mark 6 is one which I find interesting and enlightening. After being under His tutelage for a period of time, Jesus sends out the 12 disciples on a “mission from God.” They are sent out two by two with specific directions on what was to be their mission. He gave them authority over unclean spirits and directions. In carrying out their mission they proclaimed that people should repent. They were telling people to make a fundamental change in their lives by asking for forgiveness and to sin no more. For some that was, and remains even today, a foreign concept. Many then, as is still the case today, do not see a need for God, Jesus, repenting, etc. They think their lives are just fine. As Christians we know that the opposite is true for those who do not know or have rejected Jesus. They are in for some very difficult times since they will be among those counted as lost and not recognized by Jesus on judgment day. They will not have eternal life. Rather, they will have all the warmth and difficulties to be found in the alternative to heaven (hell). They will have their own king over them as permanent residents of the bottomless pit. Woe be unto them. Their fate is laid out in Matthew 23:15-36. All I can say is I am so glad that we as Christians have been given a clear direction for our lives. Do you remember the great commission? Go, teach, baptize are the tasks we have been given. And our mission field is to all the nations so that none may suffer in hell. That my friends in the price to be paid for those who do not know Jesus. Not a pretty picture by any stretch of the imagination. And I wish I could say it a little nicer, but there are times when plain talk is best. The stakes are high people. And that is why we must stay focused on our mission, our purpose, our calling. Failure is not an option, and all things are possible through Christ. Our salvation does not rest on the works we do, but the work we do in reaching out to others who are lost can bring about their salvation. We only fail when we do not try.

PRAYER: Lord God Almighty, You have called each of us to serve You. You give us the knowledge, tools, and words through Your Holy Spirit. Help us to carry out our mission in serving You and those You would have us serve. Give us direction, focus, and purpose. We ask this in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Spirit reign as one God now and forever. Amen

And He Came Seeking Fruit

Psalm 23:5-6 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I remember in the 1990 a phenomena on the Nickelodeon channel with a substance called Gak. Gak is a fluorescent green colored slimy substance that was poured onto a person’s head as a gag or prank. The victim was not honored by this anointing, rather they were ridiculed. I guess I never really understood this phenomenon. But then again my generation had comedians that threw cream pies at people. Now, I totally got that concept.

I seem to be on a trend with this set of Lenten devotionals in talking about two elements of a referenced verse or set of verses. This one is not much different. There are two things I want to work through with the Psalm 23 verses above. 1.) He anoints our heads with oil, 2.) The Lord prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. Christians have this wonderful condition of being honored guests at the Lord’s Table. In biblical times honored guests had their heads anointed with oil to show them, and others that they were truly honored by the host. Jesus rebukes the Pharisee who had invited Jesus into his house for not having anointed him as was the custom (see Luke 7:36-50). We are honored because our Lord has told us we are honored. We do not have to worry about having Gak poured on our heads.

We also have the opportunity to sit, and be fed by our Lord. We can rely on the Lord to give us our daily bread, because that is what we need, and what we ask for in the Lord’s Prayer. We have the tremendous blessing of the body and blood of Christ in, with and under the bread and the wine when we participate in Holy Communion. We also enjoy the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation given to us. We are reminded of that fact in the words of institution drawn directly from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark & Luke, and from the Apostle Paul. The table prepared in the presence of our enemies is the Lord’s Table. He prepares it so that we are reminded of what we have been given and to send a very BIG message to our enemies. That message is “hands off these people, they are My chosen and honored guests at My table. They will dwell in My house forever.” That message gives me a great deal of comfort, how about you?

Prayer: Lord and Creator of all things, we have been given so many blessings. You have set a table for us as honored guests. We are invited to partake in Holy Communion and receive the gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation with this meal. Your Son has given the last full measure in His sacrifice on the cross just for us. For all these blessings and many more we offer our heartfelt thanks. Amen.

Trust In The Steadfast Love Of God

Psalm 52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.

I have a set of nice wrenches. They are well made, shiny, and have never failed me. I consider them to be trustworthy because I have used them and they have not failed me. Does that mean I trust them absolutely, of course not? The tools are designed to a set of standards. And as long as I, the operator, use them properly they will perform as expected. But I am human and prone to introducing errors into the process. And under those conditions I have to say they will normally do the job I ask them to do. And when they fail, I will probably blame the tool and not the operator ;-)

How much do you trust God? Is your trust such that you will try & try & try again to accomplish a goal and only when you are exhausted, then will you call on God for help? Is your trust such that you pray, try your best while continually praying and when it does not work out accept it was not God’s will. Or is your trust such that you trust God in all the things that are beyond your control and you handle the rest on your own? Maybe it is some blend of all the above? I guess this last blend would be called situational trust. It is not a good thing to have situational trust.

There is an interesting link between faith and trust. I will borrow some words from Martin Luther to flesh this out. “Faith… is a firm trust that Christ, the Son of God, stands in our place and has taken all out sins upon his shoulders and that he is the eternal satisfaction for our sin and reconciles us with God the Father. He who has this faith… devil nor hell nor sin can harm him. Why? Because God is his protector and defender.”

We simply must trust God in all things. And we must trust Him completely. He has our back and will not let us down. Now that does not mean that we can count on God for helping us win the lottery, unless of course that is the plan God has for us. What we can trust is God loves us; He has a plan for each and every one of us. And He has a happy ending planned for us. We must remember these key facts. To forget these facts leaves a door open for doubt to creep. When doubt is present, then Satan has a great opportunity to lead us astray and off the path God has carefully laid out in front of us to follow. Please brothers and sisters in Christ, let your faith flag fly! In God alone do we place our hope, faith, and trust.

PRAYER: Lord, in You alone do we place our trust today and every day. Amen.

“The Wild Olive Shoot”

Romans 11:17-20 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the other branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For is God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

I enjoy the flowers of spring. The crocus seem to throw off the late snow and push its way to the surface. The plants also seem to be a bit early as more often than not, snow falls and covers the plants at least one more time. The power of the bulb and the strong roots nourishing the bulb are truly something to marvel at. Who else but God would think of using a bulb and root system to sustain a plant through the long cold days of winter?

There are a couple of points to ponder and take to heart in the Romans 11 passage above. The first is branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. The second is God did not spare the natural branches and neither will he spare you. This is a good news/bad news type of thing.  The good news is that we are every bit as much a part of the family of God as those who came before us. The chosen of Israel were first, the natural branches. But because of their unbelief they were broken off. That one sentence goes to the heart of the good news/bad news.  We too can be broken off for the very same reason (unbelief). What could ever cause unbelief to creep into and disrupt you and me from being connected to God? The list of possibilities is too long for us to even begin to explore here. Suffice to say, a loss of faith and unbelief has terminal implications.  What can we do?  Are we doomed to be broken off as the natural branches were? In a word, NO! We have prayer in our arsenal to stay connected. We have the ability to seek out the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in prayer at all times. We have the ability, the wisdom, and the wherewithal to overcome any burden through the Father. We can endure any hardship with the help of God. Alone in this struggle, we are road kill. But God is our rock, our refuge, our strong tower & our shelter from all storms.  That is what we simply must never forget or falter in our believing. And with that knowledge, we can guide those we encounter who have become lost. Ours in not be selfish, rather it is to be selfless. The Apostle Paul said it best. Father I believe, help me in my unbelief. 

PRAYER: Thanks be to God, that we who were once slaves of sin and condemned to death have been saved. We the grafted wild shoots are rescued, and restored. For that, we are eternally grateful and offer praise to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One God now and forever. Amen.

“Five Were Foolish, and Five Were Wise”

Matthew 25:1-4 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps."

As we slowly move out of the winter season into spring it is time to update the contents of your car emergency kit. For winter we have specific accessories like snow shovels, blankets, warm clothes, candles, etc. that we rely on should be encounter a problem. Our needs in summer are quite different. Add more water, snacks that do not melt & things like that. And make sure you change the batteries in the flashlight. Dead batteries are just as good as having no oil for a lamp.

Have you ever seen a movie where one of the characters is given a chance to get their affairs in order before a big event happens? The big event may be as simple as changing jobs, or moving to a new location. Or it can be complicated like being shipped out/deployed to war, or even a few months before a terminal illness runs its’ course. Whatever the trigger, there is a flurry of activity. Final things to accomplish, last minute farewells are just some of the items on the list to be accomplished. As fully devoted followers of Christ we all know that the “End” can come at any time. We know, because scripture tells us repeatedly (See Matthew 24:36 for one example) that we will never know when it will occur. Not even the angels know. Only the Father knows the hour and the day. So how do we live our lives? That is a good question. Two schools of thought seem to fall out. “Live today for tomorrow you may die” is one approach. “Always be prepared” is the second approach. I would suggest that the second approach is the best approach. We should keep in mind that in Christ Jesus, we are saved. We have been set free in Jesus from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2). So, we know that we are already prepared. We know that we have nothing to do to be saved. It is already accomplished. It happened on the cross. There is no oil to buy, no batteries to replace, or emergency kit materials to change out. You are already prepared. Keep the words of Jesus in your heart “Peace, be still.” Your affairs are already in order. That is how it is amongst the wise. We are always ready to go.

PRAYER: Almighty God You have given us Your Son. He has given us the most precious gift of all. He has brought about our reconciliation with You. We poor miserable sinners were incapable of this. But You, in Your never ending love, gave us this gift. For that we are literally eternally grateful. Thank You Father, for Your love. Amen

Can A Fig Tree Bear Olives?

James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Have you ever had one of those experiences where you have an epiphany? That is a sudden realization that is almost blinding in how clear it is. Epiphanies are the most amazing thing. They can be heart-warming if it reveals that you are the right person, in the right place, at the right time. Similarly they can be disheartening when you realize you are the wrong person.

The James passage above could be looked at from a couple of points of view. Today we will look at it from a spiritual gifts perspective. If you look at 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 you can see there are a variety of spiritual gifts. I will not list the gifts here, that is something you should do. You can call it part 1 of your homework. Part two is to take a spiritual gifts inventory. You can find inventories in a number of locations. Do a web search & you will find some great examples. Knowing your gift set is very important. You can find what you have, and what you don’t have. You can find the reason you are not skilled in a particular area of ministry is you do not have the necessary gift(s). To continue to serve in that area is like a fig tree trying to bear olives. 1 Peter 4:10 reminds us that “As each has received a gift, use it to serve on another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” We have these gifts to further God’s kingdom here in this world. And we also know from 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 that we are one body in Christ with many parts. Just as our own bodies have many and varied parts, so too does the body of Christ. Each part performs what it was designed to do by the creator. An eye cannot hear and an ear cannot see. But when the work in concert the body sees and hears what needs to be done in serving the Lord. There also is an element of pride to overcome in serving the Lord. Not everyone can be in highly visible positions serving the Lord. But each who serves the Lord is just as important. What’s extremely important is remembering who is being served. Are you serving the Lord, or feeding your ego? That is the fundamental question that must be asked initially and frequently as you serve. Satan will try his best to shift your focus to self serving motives. Brothers and sisters of the risen Savior, keep your hearts pure. Focus on those being served. “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” are the words of wisdom the Apostle Paul gives us in Philippians 2:3. Maintain focus and humility in all that you do in serving the Lord today and every day. My prayer is that you will continue to find joy in all that you do in serving the Lord.

PRAYER: Lord God Almighty, You have endowed each of us with marvelous gifts. Help us to discern how to use these gifts in serving You and those You would have us serve. Give us clarity in direction and purpose. We ask this in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Spirit reign as one God now and forever. Amen

And He Came Seeking Fruit

Luke 13:6-9 And He (Jesus) told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on the fig tree and find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”

I once planted and tried to grow blueberry plants. I cultivated the ground, dug deep and loosened the soil so that the roots would have room to grow. I gave the plants plenty of water. But all my efforts were for naught. I left out one key element in my care for the blueberry plants. They need acidic soil, and we in Idaho have alkaline soil. It was something as simple as applying the correct material that would have made all the difference. Doh!

How many friends or acquaintances do you have who are not Christian? Is the number a few, or is that number many? In either case it really does not matter. They are numbered among those who are what we Christians call the lost. Interestingly enough they do not consider themselves to be lost. But they are not among those who are saved. They do not proclaim Christ as Lord in their lives. But what can be done to change their hearts and minds? You may have tried to gently nudge them to joining you at a worship service. You may have engaged them in conversation salting the words with Gospel. You may have suggested a good book to guide them. But your efforts may have all been for naught. They remain among the sheep who do not know their shepherd. It can bring on despair and doubt in your own faith. Fear not for God is in charge. He gives you one very mighty tool to bring to bear in cultivating those who need to bear fruit. This mighty gift is prayer. Why does it seem as if prayer is always a last resort? Maybe it is just me, but when prayer is left out as a first step things tend to not go well. I wish I could keep that more at the front end of my efforts instead of the reverse. I know I should pray about. How odd that I need to consider prayer to remember to pray first in all my endeavors. Do you suppose God is trying to drive home a lesson? Well, learn from my mistakes. Pray early, pray often. We can seek the blessing of the Lord on all of our efforts. For those efforts focused on returning the lost we can pray for the right words. In the Luke 13 passage above they are the fertilizer (manure) the vinedresser refers to. The digging around the plant could be considered our prayer to loosen up or soften the hearts of those we are ministering to. We seek the blessing of the Lord because we alone are assured of failing. But in God all things are possible. He can break through the wall of pain and distrust those we are praying for.

Prayer: Lord and Creator of all things, we seek Your blessings in all that we do in reaching out to those who do not call You Lord. Guide our efforts, give us Your words, soften the hearts of the lost and open the eyes of the blind. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus. Amen.

A Lesson In The Withered Fig Tree

Matthew 21:18-22 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” and the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what been done to this fig tree, but even if you say to the mountain, Be taken up and thrown into the sea, it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

As we at Grace continue to move forward in trying to acquire the Ballard Building I am constantly reminded of how big (even humongous) a role faith and prayer play in our efforts. We seem to be pushing against a rope trying to achieve that goal with stiff resistance from others. I see this passage and find the encouragement to continue forward.
How many times in your life have you faced a difficult situation? By difficult I mean the odds seemed to be insurmountable. We see stories of personal tragedy in the news, in books, and in movies. But when you personally face these situations it takes on a whole new meaning. It becomes personalized and hits home. Being discouraged is a natural feeling. Finding yourself in despair and buried in depression is an all-too-easy outcome to the situation. But then we are confronted by our faith. That darn condition we have been given by the Holy Spirit. It’s the gift from our baptism that keeps on giving. And we are compelled to blow out the candles on the cake of our pity party. We are reminded by Christ in the Matthew 21 passage above that we have faith on our side. We can literally move mountains by faith. To not have faith in all things being possible puts God in a box. We minimize the infinite in our thoughts and actions. This is all because of the doubt that relentlessly creeps into our mind. It’s the wedge of Satan which tries to split us off from the Lord. What are we to do? For starters, we can relentlessly pray. We can pray for God to gives us the peace that surpasses all understanding. We can pray for Him to calm our lives, our hearts, and our minds. We can pray for the wisdom to find the path God has set out for us to follow. We can pray for the wisdom to discern the lesson He has placed our there for us to embrace. We can pray for the strength to continue even when our own strength is exhausted. We can do all this because we have faith. And that faith, like the little seed that grows into a mustard tree, is enough because it comes from God. And friends, in God all things are possible so do not think of yourself as a withered fig tree. For we have been given the faith in our hearts to move mountains. Let’s resolve to stomp out doubt and unleash our faith every day in our lives. To God be the glory in all that we do.

PRAYER: Lord, in You alone do we place our trust today and every day. Amen.

“I Saw You Under The Fig Tree”

John 1:47-50 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, “I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

I love a good set of binoculars. They allow me to clearly see birds that are too far away. As the weather warms, and the migratory birds pass through there are many wonderful and beautiful birds that will pause for a rest in the trees of our neighborhood park. The binoculars allow me to look from a distance, marvel at the colors and plumage, and not disturb their rest. Theirs is a long journey and the park is a mere waypoint on that journey.

Binoculars are a very useful tool to enhance our vision. We can make distant objects seem near. They do have limitations. They cannot see beyond over the horizon and they cannot see inside of a building. God on the other hand is not limited in His abilities to see us. He can see us regardless of our location. From the highest mountain to the greatest depth of the ocean, we are always clearly within his sight. And thus it is when Jesus tells Nathanael he saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him. There is a great deal of comfort in what Jesus tells Nathanael. Our Lord and Savior sees us from the very beginning. He knows us even before we were formed in the womb of our mother. We have only to look at Jeremiah 1:5 to see with our own eyes how far back in our own lives the Lord has been in charge. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you… The Lord has always had a firm grip on us. He has been our shepherd, and we have been his sheep. Jesus reminds us of this wonderful and comforting principle in John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” We are sheep in a world filled with wolves constantly on the prowl looking to devour us. Sin is out there waiting, calling & enticing each and every one of us to momentary pleasures. It’s sin that tempts us to give up, to surrender and abandon the life which has been set aside for us. It’s sin that desperately tries to bring us down and place the thought in our mind that we are unworthy of forgiveness. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8:1 of our position. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set your free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. He sees us under the fig tree, in our cars, in our homes, and he sees into our hearts.

PRAYER: Thanks be to God, that we who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart of the standard of teaching to which we were committed. We offer praise to God the Father and Spirit giving thanks in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Know That The Summer Is Already Near”

Luke 21:29-30 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near.

The calendar tells us that Spring is here. Unfortunately the snow keeps returning to let us know that Winter weather is desperately grasping to hold on for just a few more days. I know the God gives us exactly what we need, when we need it, and where we need it. When the lakes and reservoirs are refilled this year we will be reminded of why we received all the snow. Until then the snow shovel will remain in an easily accessible location in the garage.

This week we will be looking at the fig tree in our walk through the Trees of Lent. This is quite a tree. It was known for its nutritional value as a food source, and the ability to build stamina and strength. A little know property was the medicinal properties in biblical times that appear to have died out in modern varieties. Today we are looking at the leaves of the tree in our devotional. Unlike many trees in Israel, the fig tree drops its leaves in the fall. And then in Spring new leaves sprout and grow. All things happen in God’s time. The changing of the seasons happens to a clock set by God, not man. We never quite know when the weather will turn from Fall to Winter and then to Spring and on to Summer. I can watch the Weather Channel ® every day and still not know when the weather is expected to turn warm. They are good at guessing, but only God can give us the definitive answer. If I had my way we would have shorter Winters, and longer Summers. But that would not work very well when I consider the need for Winters long enough to build up a snow pack sufficient to see us through the Summer. Truly only God could know what is enough of each season. And that is comforting to me. I look at how mortal man tries to manipulate climate, landscape, and terrain and see how miserably inadequate are our efforts. Only the creator can assemble all that is needed to take care of man, plant, and beast. For that I give thanks. He knew we needed a Savior, and He gave His only Son to die for all mankind (John 3:16). And that is why we give thanks in prayer. That is why we worship a God who is truly a God of love. He cares about us even when we do not deserve His love. Today and every day we need to remember to give thanks to our awesome God in prayer. Even when the winds of Winter are howling outside our door we need to remember we are receiving exactly what we need, when we need it, and where we need it.

PRAYER: Almighty God You give us the sun of Summer, the beauty of the changing colors of Fall, the snow that blankets the ground in the Winter, and the beauty of new growth in the Spring. You provide for our needs. You gave us Your Son that we would be reconciled. For all these things we remember, and those we do not remember, we give You thanks. Please accept our humble praise in the name of Jesus, who with the Father and the Spirit reigns as one God. Amen.