Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 145)

Psalm 145 (ESV)

Great Is the Lord

A Song of Praise. Of David.

145 I will extol you, my God and King,
    and bless your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless you
    and praise your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall commend your works to another,
    and shall declare your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
⁶ They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare your greatness.
⁷ They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹ The Lord is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made.

¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
    and all your saints shall bless you!
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
    and tell of your power,
¹² to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[The Lord is faithful in all his words
    and kind in all his works.]
¹⁴ The Lord upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and kind in all his works.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

I hope you have taken time to read through Psalm 145 above. Would you take another moment now to go back through and highlight in your mind the specific statements regarding our Lord's character/His attributes/His heart toward us? Which one of these statements do you most need the Lord to do or be for you today?  David's heart cry in this psalm is to pass on to the generations the greatness of the Lord. These are great truths to teach to all those with whom you have influence and they are also excellent passages to pray back to the Lord. Will you bless and praise His name today in your time alone with Him and in the presence of others?

Jesus Shows Unconditional Love #1

John 8:1-8 (ESV)

8 ¹ but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. ³ The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst ⁴ they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” ⁶ This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. ⁷ And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground.

I was with a group of ladies yesterday for some women's ministry training. We were given this passage and 3 others in which Jesus interacted with women and then, we were asked the following questions:
#1. How does Jesus show unconditional love to the woman?
#2. In what ways is Jesus pressured not to show love?
#3. How do you think the woman felt in response to Jesus?
Let's look into this familiar story of the woman caught in adultery and answer these questions together. According to Wikipedia, unconditional love is love without limitations. Jesus demonstrated love without limitations when He pointed out to her and her accusers that everyone is a sinner. None of us are blameless. We have all fallen short of God's glory. She was no more unrighteous than those who brought her to Jesus. Jesus also made it clear to her that He did not condemn her either. John 3:17 says, God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order for the world through Him to be saved. Obviously, the scribes and Pharisees were the ones pressuring Jesus. They even used the Law of Moses as ammunition in their attack. I cannot imagine the relief the woman must have felt as she walked away from Jesus. He saved her life. He valued her.
What should we take away from this story today? To whom do you relate most in the story? I'm going to leave these for you to answer, but I pray you won't leave this page without gleaning what God has especially for you.

Guard Your Way

Proverbs 16:17 (ESV)

¹⁷ The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.

Often we hear our spiritual life referred to as a journey or our walk with the Lord. Scripture refers to the Lord as our Shepherd and our Guide. Psalm 23 says we are led along paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. The verse above from Proverbs 16 caught my attention with its reference to the highway of the upright turning from evil. Can you imagine what that highway looks like? We used to live in Baton Rouge, LA, and there is a spot on the interstate as you are approaching downtown where it appears as though you are about to run right into the state capitol building. Almost in the blink of an eye the building is in the distance far off to the right. I am amazed every time we pass that spot. This verse makes me think of being headed straight for evil and believing it is going to have an impact on us only to find that the road turns aside and suddenly the threat is far off in the distance.
I confess I have spent the last week fretting over a particular situation in my life. I just could not figure out how it could possibly turn out well. I was concerned that when a particular time came, the others involved were going to be stressed and that would in turn stress me. Finally, I asked one simple question of another person involved and they had already taken care of the whole thing. All that fretting and it wasn't ever an issue. My path was destined to turn aside all along. I was panicking and bracing for impact when my Lord had already made provision for me.
The verse goes on to speak of guarding our way thereby preserving our lives. I believe we guard our way when as much as is possible on our own, we steer clear of evil. We should quickly combat evil thoughts and look for the fastest way out when we are tempted. We need to commit to staying on the Lord's path everyday. I heard someone say recently, "I tell the Lord, if I prayed anything that wasn't according to your will, you just ignore it."  Safe travels on your spiritual highway today!

Guest Blog by Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NLT)

4 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom:² Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

³ For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
⁵ But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

Father, we have certainly come to time of which Paul speaks. Make us your instruments that speak the full counsel of your Word. Give us platforms and open doors of opportunity with multitudes and with individuals. Help us not to back down when you call us to task. Help us not to wilt in the face of opposition. Help us to fulfill our callings. In Jesus Name I pray...Amen

God's Secrets

Deuteronomy 29:29

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁹ The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.

I don't know about you, but I can get very caught up in trying to figure things out, even spiritual things. The truth is: I am only responsible for what the Lord has revealed to me. If I don't know His will yet about a particular thing, it's okay to do nothing. The problem comes when I don't do the things I know I am supposed to do or when I push forward in an area where He has not yet given me direction. Let me give you an example. Our family has a legitimate need. We have been praying and asking the Lord to give us clear direction. No answer has come so we are waiting. However, in a totally different area about which we were not praying, the Lord brought a need to our attention and very clearly gave us the go ahead to move forward.  For now, the means by which the first need is going to be met remains a mystery. I need to wait and trust knowing that when the time comes, He will tell us what we need to know. 

This truth can apply to simple day to day issues like I have described or big theological questions. If He wants us to know He will reveal it to us. We have many questions regarding our Lord and the mysteries that surround Him. When we are tempted to focus on the mysteries, we could better spend our time in His Word getting to know all He has told us about Himself. How does this principle apply to your life?

Walking with the Wise

Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)

²⁰ Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Last year when we were on mission in Honduras, we participated in group Bible study each morning. Although our group was large and it took a while to accomplish the task each day, the time spent together proved valuable in helping us get to know our team, knitting us to accomplish our work for the day, and drawing us near to our Lord. The missionary in charge led us in reading a chapter from the Old Testament and the New, a chapter from Proverbs and a Psalm. After we read the Proverbs, each team member would talk about the verse that meant the most to them. Proverbs is an excellent book of the Bible to read corresponding with the days of the month, because it has 31 chapters. Since today is the 13th of May, let's read Proverbs 13 together. If you desire to do so, you may click the link and read the passage at Biblegateway.com.
Verse 20 is the one that particularly stands out to me. Why? I like to think of my life in Christ as a journey...daily walking with Jesus and growing in Him. Verse 20 causes me to think about who the others are that are on the same journey as me and the benefits of us going along beside one another. Sure, the companionship is great, but besides that there are some things that two can do together better than one can do alone. A wise friend is a treasure especially in the tough times.  The scripture also causes me to think about who I chose to go alongside. Are they a good influence on me or bad? Is their conversation pleasing to the Lord? Do they compromise in areas where I know I should stand firm? Another consideration is, what kind of example am I for those who want to come along with me in the journey? Do I act wisely or am I foolish? Is there someone I need to commit to going alongside? Do I need to slow down and keep pace with someone who is lagging behind in their own journey because of injury, grief, or stress?
Now, which verse stands out to you? How does it apply to your life right now?

The Shepherd's Heart Toward Mothers

Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)

¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
    He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

What a precious verse reflecting our Lord's heart toward mothers! What  a comfort to know that He will gently lead us with our children! I don't know what matter troubles your heart as a mother today, but I do know that if you have a relationship with Jesus, He is shepherding you. Will your trust Him to meet all your needs, to make you lie down in green pastures, to lead you beside still waters, to restore your soul and guide you? Even if you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, there is no need to fear. You can trust that His rod and His staff will steer you where He intends for you to go.  He will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies and anoint your head with oil. Your cup of blessings will overflow. Goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
It's hard sometimes to keep from nudging our lambs in the direction we think they should go. Or even worse, we try to pen them inside a fence. Then, there's the worry that someone will lead them astray or they will be injured by wolves. Dear Mother, trust today! The Shepherd is carrying the lambs and gently leading you!

Happy Mother's Day!

Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 119)

 Psalm 119:65-72 (ESV)

Teth

⁶⁵ You have dealt well with your servant,
    O Lord, according to your word.
⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
    for I believe in your commandments.
⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
    but now I keep your word.
⁶⁸ You are good and do good;
    teach me your statutes.
⁶⁹ The insolent smear me with lies,
    but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;
⁷⁰ their heart is unfeeling like fat,
    but I delight in your law.
⁷¹ It is good for me that I was afflicted,
    that I might learn your statutes.
⁷² The law of your mouth is better to me
    than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

It is a proverbial saying, that every one makes his own destiny; and this is usually interpreted, that every one, by his wise or unwise conduct, prepares good or evil for himself: but we may also understand it, that whatever it be that he receives from the hand of Providence, he may so accommodate himself to it, that he will find his lot good for him, however much may seem to be wanting.                                                                                            ~Wm. von Humboldt

The Psalmist has already gleaned such wisdom as referred to by Mr. Humboldt. It seems Providence, the Lord, has dealt a hand of affliction to the psalm's writer. The affliction has proven profitable in his own estimation as it has served to push him to the scriptures. Whereas before the affliction, he went astray; now, he is tethered to the statutes of the Lord. Are you presently afflicted? Will you trust that the Lord's hand is at work in your situation? Will you accommodate yourself to it and wait for the Lord to prove it beneficial?

Lord, give us glimpses of the fruit you are producing in our lives.

Telling the TRUTH

Acts 3:17-26 (ESV)

¹⁷ “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸ But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. ¹⁹ Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, ²⁰ that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. ²² Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ ²⁴ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. ²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ ²⁶ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Only God could so quickly, in light of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, grant such wisdom, authority, and forgiving hearts to His disciples. Peter, here in these verses, is filled with compassion for the very same people who put to death his Lord. He understands the condition of their souls. He understands their ignorance. Peter knows what they have been taught by Moses and other prophets throughout the generations. Messiah came first for Peter's people. "Repent," he exhorts. "Turn and have your sins forgiven that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Peter knows the religious bondage that ensnares them. He knows the eagerness with which they have waited and trusted for a Savior. He knows how easily one can step away from the truth even when it's looking you straight in the face. Or should I say, "when He's looking you straight in the face?"
Who do you know who needs a Savior? Who do you know who has rejected Him in their ignorance? Perhaps Jesus just doesn't look like they expect Him to look. Have they been caught in religious bondage? Perhaps for generations their ancestors have fallen into the same trap. Is God calling you to relate to them right where they are and exhort them to "repent and turn?" Do you ache to see them experience the refreshing that only Christ can give? Is God calling you to your knees to intercede for them in prayer? What is your part in making the Truth of the gospel known to them? I pray we are quick to respond in obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and those we go to are quick to hear and quick to receive.

To God be the Glory

Genesis 45:7-8 (ESV)

⁷ And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

We have just recently finished our ladies Bible study of Genesis ending, of course, with the life Joseph. This man, whose early years were marked with unwarranted mistreatment and trials, appears to have made it through without being marred by the wear and tear of rejection and injustice. Rather, God's favor abounded and landed Joseph in the right place at the right time. J.I. Packer said this about him in Knowing God, "Joseph's theology was as sound as his charity was deep. Once again, we are confronted with the wisdom of God ordering the events of a human life for a double purpose: the individual's own personal sanctification, and the fulfilling of his appointed ministry and service in the life of the people of God." Packer goes on to say, "We should not, therefore, be too taken aback when unexpected and upsetting and discouraging things happen to us now. What do they mean? Simply that God in his wisdom means to make something of us which we have not attained yet, and he is dealing with us accordingly." It's exciting, in a way, if we can remain out from "under our circumstances" and trust that the One who made us sees some potential in us that has not yet been realized.  He's investing in us! He's working for our good! When others look at us, they are going to see Him!

Lord, make our prayer, "To God be the Glory!"

If you are interested in further study of Genesis, the complete video series from our ladies Bible study is available at morninggloriesbiblestudy.com. Click on the current study tab. Enjoy!

Promised Blessing

Zechariah 8:1-9 (NLT)

8 Then another message came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:² “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!³ “And now the Lord says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.⁴ “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. ⁵ And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.⁶ “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.⁷ “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. ⁸ I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God.⁹ “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building.

In chapter 8 of Zechariah, the prophet relayed God's message of promised restoration to the people of Israel. Zechariah encouraged the remnant of God's chosen people to "be strong and finish the task" of building the temple. Once again, they would experience vibrancy of life in the streets of Jerusalem. What seemed impossible to the people was 100% possible for their God. I encourage you to read all of this precious chapter in which God communicates His plans for His people. I know many of us woke up this morning facing situations that seem much bigger than we are, but friend, our situations are not bigger than our God. He has a heart of restoration toward us and He is at work in our lives building a testimony for His glory.

One Body, One Church

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NLT)

¹¹ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. ¹³ This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
¹⁴ Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. ¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. ¹⁶ He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

I was at a meeting yesterday where we were encouraged to "speak the truth in love." In looking closer at this passage, I am amazed by the picture of unity these verses portray. These are some of the phrases that stand out to me:
~such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord
~measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ
~speaking the truth in love
~growing in every way more and more like Christ
~whole body fit together perfectly
Can this be the body, the church, we are designed to be? Yes. It clearly says here that when each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. It concerns me that as the church we have isolated ourselves into individual bodies separating ourselves from one another under the headings of different denominations and individual churches. According to Paul, the more we grow, the more unified we will be. We need each other to truly represent Christ to the world around us. We need our Bible believing, Christ following brothers and sisters. Let's be careful not to simply apply the principles in this text to our own churches, but realize their purpose for the body of Christ as a whole. Together we are all followers of the Way. If we are functioning properly, we will see other parts of the body growing and the whole body will be healthy, growing, and full of love.
Father, use me to as a tool to help draw the body of believers in my neighborhood, city, state, country, and the world together! Unify us...use us!

Ephesians 4:5-6 (NLT)

⁵ There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

Eyewitness Wisdom

1 John 5:20-21 (NLT)

²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.
²¹ Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

What precious verses we find at the end of 1 John! It's so wonderful to read the words written by one who was an eyewitness of Jesus! John walked with Him...knew he was loved by Him...sat and listened as He taught...broke bread with Him...spoke with Him face to face...touched Him...watched Him heal...saw Him transfigured... John said Jesus did so many things that if they were written down, the whole world could not contain all the books that would be written. John knew Jesus.
Let's pull out the points he makes to us in verse 20:
~ The Son of God has come.
~ He has given us understanding so we can know the true God.
~ We live in fellowship with the true God, because we live in fellowship with Jesus.
~ He is the only true God.
~ He is eternal life.
Can we even wrap our human minds around how BIG these truths are? Should our rejoicing ever cease? What privilege that we are able to know Him! John goes on to add one final verse in this his first letter to the church. "Keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." 
"Anything that might..."
"What are you talking about?  I'm not going to let anything have God's place."
"Anything that might..."
"Wait a minute, are you judging me?"
"Anything that might..."
We should listen closely to John's words to us. He knew what it was to walk with Jesus in the flesh. He witnessed the crucifixion and the resurrected Christ. And, he knows how easily we can be led astray. The things we give a second glance today could be our idols tomorrow. Be careful.

Straining Gnats and Swallowing Camels

Matthew 23:23-24 (NLT)

²³ “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. ²⁴ Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!

A while back, I heard someone say that they were praying for God to show them any Pharisaical ways within them. I had never even thought of praying such a prayer so I let the thought of it go. Since then I have read two different books that mentioned examining ourselves for traits like the Pharisees. The most recent book pointed out that the Pharisees were once known for their devout religious commitment to precisely follow the Law of Moses...nothing wrong with that, right? Over time, some of them started nit-picking and adding to the Law's requirements making for themselves a bad reputation. It's the same as when someone, in the name of Christian principles, commits a crime and makes all of us as a group look bad in the public eye.

Having now been presented three times with this idea of prayerful self-examination, I decided it was probably time to get into Matthew 23 and see what Jesus had to say regarding the Pharisees. We may spend more than one day in this text, but for today we are going to look at verses 23-24. Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees made a big deal of tithing off the smallest income, but failed to make even bigger issues of the law such as justice, mercy, and faith priority. He went on to say they strained their water to keep from swallowing a gnat, but swallowed a camel instead (both forbidden as food). In other words, these guys were making a big deal about little things while not putting enough emphasis on the bigger more important things.

It's pretty scary to think of the reality of how much like the Pharisees we might be. I'm not going to make list of examples, but instead, I challenge you to prayerfully get into Matthew 23 and let's dig deep into our lives to check out how we measure up. Remember, it's God's kindness that leads us to repentance. Jesus came not to condemn us, but to set us free!

Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 124)

Psalm 124 (ESV)

Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

124 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    let Israel now say—
² if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
    when people rose up against us,
³ then they would have swallowed us up alive,
    when their anger was kindled against us;
⁴ then the flood would have swept us away,
    the torrent would have gone over us;
⁵ then over us would have gone
    the raging waters.

⁶ Blessed be the Lord,
    who has not given us
    as prey to their teeth!
⁷ We have escaped like a bird
    from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
    and we have escaped!

⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

In my Bible beside Psalm 124, I found a list I wrote of ministry opportunities my family was involved in last year. Under the list, I penned, "Potential Impact - HUGE! Potential Glory - HUGE! Potential Blessing - HUGE!" I recognized that with all we had going on and the possibilities for God to use us, we were bound to run into some obstacles and challenges along the way. Sometimes just the planning and preparation were enough to leave us frazzled and exhausted. We were often worn thin and worn out. If it were not for the Lord being on our side, we could have easily been swallowed up or swept away. The Lord was our Help and we saw amazing things happen as we pressed on to accomplish all He had called us to do.
I pray you are encouraged as you look forward to the tasks the Lord has given you. Will you trust Him to be your help and confidently rest knowing He is on your side? Will you look for opportunities to make much of the Lord and bring glory to His name?  Your help is in the name of the LORD! He will see you through!

Not for Condemnation, but for Salvation

John 3:16-17

English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

About 25 years ago, my father-in-law had a conversation with my dad about Christ. My father-in-law later explained to us that my dad felt he could not be saved because he had committed too many sins. I had several conversations with my dad about Christ after that time, but to our knowledge, he never surrendered his life to Jesus.
I have had John 3:17, turning over and over in my mind for several days now. It hasn't been clear to me until just now, but my dad thought he would find condemnation in Jesus. He did not understand that he would find unconditional love. Jesus came for sinners such as I...such as my dad...such as you.
So what now? How does all of this apply to us today?
First, if you have never surrendered your life to Jesus, you need to know He is not sitting on His throne waiting to pass judgement on you and turn you away. Jesus offers the precious, free gift of salvation and freedom from your sins. He went to the cross to pay the penalty for your sins so you don't have to. Second, for those who already have a relationship with Jesus, we need to be sure we are passing along God's love and the truth of His salvation, rather than condemnation. We need to be careful not to give the impression that some sins just don't qualify for forgiveness. We certainly need to be cautious not to appear to rejoice when someone of criminal character is banished to eternal separation from God. God isn't willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The Lord Is My Inheritance

Lamentations 3:18-33 (NLT)

¹⁸ I cry out, “My splendor is gone!
    Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!”

¹⁹ The thought of my suffering and homelessness
    is bitter beyond words.
²⁰ I will never forget this awful time,
    as I grieve over my loss.
²¹ Yet I still dare to hope
    when I remember this:

²² The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease.
²³ Great is his faithfulness;
    his mercies begin afresh each morning.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
    therefore, I will hope in him!”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
    to those who search for him.
²⁶ So it is good to wait quietly
    for salvation from the Lord.
²⁷ And it is good for people to submit at an early age
    to the yoke of his discipline:

²⁸ Let them sit alone in silence
    beneath the Lord’s demands.
²⁹ Let them lie face down in the dust,
    for there may be hope at last.
³⁰ Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them
    and accept the insults of their enemies.

³¹ For no one is abandoned
    by the Lord forever.
³² Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
    because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
³³ For he does not enjoy hurting people
    or causing them sorrow.

I believe Eugenia Price's words go better with this passage than any I could write. I did not find them used with this particular scripture, but I believe the two go very well together. I pray this touches the heart of those who have found themselves disappointed. May God's Word provide the ointment needed to begin healing in your place of ache or anguish.

Jesus knows it all - knew before we knew. He is here waiting to be the Redeemer in this too. Not to make us feel fine in a few minutes; not to put the dream back together or negate the accident - but to begin the moment we are ready to make creative, redemptive use of what has happened. To begin, just as soon as we are able and willing, to give us ways in which to use the sorrow so that not one groan or tear will be wasted. ~ Eugenia Price, No Pat Answers

Don't Despise the Time in the Box

1 Samuel 17:32-37

New Living Translation (NLT)

³² “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”

³³ “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”
³⁴ But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock,³⁵ I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. ³⁶ I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! ³⁷ The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”
Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”

In a conversation recently, a friend said to me, "I feel like it is time to get out of this box." My friend felt trapped in the situation in which he found himself. He was tired of being in the same place for so long dealing with the same people and the same attitudes. I said to him, "Don't despise the time in the box.  It is serving a purpose in your life." The brothers of David had managed to get themselves out of the box by being a part of Saul's army. Obviously, the action was of a grander scale for the brothers on the battle field with the Philistines than for David, Jesse's youngest son, out in the field tending sheep. However, while David had been "boxed in," so to speak, out in the field, the Lord had been growing his faith. David recognized that the same God who rescued him from lions and bears was able to rescue him from the angry Philistine giant.
How has God been growing your faith while you have been in the "box?" What would it look like if you charted your spiritual growth? Actually, that's not a bad idea, especially if you are struggling with being in the same place for so long? Take a look back and praise the Lord for how He has worked in you.
Ultimately, David's faith was the tool God used to show Himself powerful! Will you trust God to use the faith He's building in you to bring glory to Himself? Hang in there...
For further study, read all of chapter 17.