Category: Uncategorized

October 5, 2019
In His meeting with the Jewish religious leader Nicodemus recorded in John Chapter 3, the Lord Jesus Christ made several astounding claims.

His first claim was that we all have  to be Born Again to see the Kingdom of God (3:3). His second claim was that we have to experience both natural birth (of water) and a spiritual birth (of Spirit) to see the kingdom of God (3:5).

Then Jesus predicted His death at Calvary and promised that we who believe  in the merits of His sacrifice “should not perish, but have eternal life.” And later in 3:16, He presents the essence of the Gospel message that is still recited around the world some 2000 years later:

For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Creator of the Universe knows our deepest thoughts, motives, and desires. Although He is also fully aware of those “secret sins” hidden from others, He still chooses to love us with such a great love that despite what we’ve thought, said or done—past or present, He is willing to forgive us and extend to us His gifts of eternal fulfillment and bliss.

None of us are “good enough” to earn God’s consideration; struggling with some fault is something that all of us share in common. The only exception was the Lord Jesus Christ, who was morally and spiritually perfect, well qualified to make this observation in 3:17:

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

The Lord did not come to condemn us. We were condemned the moment that we took our first breath in this sin-tarnished world. A cursory look at news, entertainment, sports and political stories attest to the fact that we are yet fallen creatures in need of a Savior, just as the Bible teaches.

The Lord is choosy about the people He associates with, so it shouldn’t surprise us that the Lord has a “no riff-raff allowed” policy that remains in force today as Romans 3:23 observes: All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

 Over the years, I’ve met many people who struggled with some form of compulsive addictive behavior, who for the most part, never needed to be reminded of their flaw in character or judgment.

n order to relieve us of our flaws, the Lord chose to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice so that our faith in Him would forever secure God’s consideration towards us both now and forever. What a wonderful Savior!

Won’t you give Him your heart today?

September 28, 2019
In Matthew 18, it was only “natural” for Peter to ask the question: How often should I forgive? Seven times? From our human perspective, forgiving once is remarkable, and forgiving seven times is extraordinary.

We too often keep track of the times when someone offends us, and we bear grudges against those who have offended us when we should overlook the offense and forgive the offender.

We also “rate” sins on a “sliding scale” as though one sin was more heinous than another. But we can’t make such comparisons since all of us have sinned, and we are deficient of God’s righteous standards (Romans 3:23). Rating sin can lead to falsely characterizing others for past criminal behavior, drug use, marital infidelity, divorce, or an abhorrent lifestyle—even when they now live for Christ fully.

In addition, it’s hypocritical to condemn someone for his or her past when we too have “skeletons” in our closet, as Jesus observes in Matthew 7:3-5 (NLT):

And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, “Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,” when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

Our “sliding scales” have to be challenged. We cannot impose human standards on godly principles by forgiving certain offenses or forgiving only to a certain level.

The Lord’s response to Peter’s question was immediate: Not just seven times, but seventy times seven! In other words, we must be perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48) by forgiving to the extent that He has forgiven us.

Then the Lord Jesus illustrated endless forgiveness with the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

In this parable, a certain king had a servant who owed him ten thousand talents (about 15 million dollars), yet he forgave the entire debt. But, this same forgiven servant could not find it in his heart to forgive the debt of one hundred pence (about $17.00) that his fellow associate owed him. ¹

The Lord used the largest and smallest forms of ancient currency to emphasize how the first servant’s debt was so massive that it could never have been paid—yet it was forgiven. Thus, the unforgiving servant was condemned because he could not find it in his heart to forgive his fellow associate’s minuscule debt. The Lord provided the application in Matthew 18: 32-35 (NLT):

Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.

How miniscule are the offenses we commit against each other in comparison to the enormous sin debt that we owe God, Our Lord Jesus Christ was perfect. He never sinned, yet He chose to be fastened to a wooden cross for our eternal benefit.

Moreover, He did not complain about His unjust treatment—being tortured and executed like a common criminal. Instead He willingly bore our sins because only His precious blood could wash them away once and for all (and secure our eternal destiny with Him).

What a wonderful Savior!

Since the Lord forgave us completely, and His Spirit lives within us, we have the means to forgive also. Let us truly practice letting go through Christ-empowered radical forgiveness.

 

August 17, 2019
Living a fully satisfying life without the presence God is impossible. For He provides His children an exquisite, unsurpassed quality of life along with the exceptional pleasure. As the Lord Jesus Christ says in John 10:10 (NLT): ”The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Unfortunately, far too many people try to obtain an abundant fully satisfying life through the pursuit of that newest, biggest, and best “toy.” Often at another person’s expense.

Those people who have futilely tried to find happiness thought worldly extravagance and pleasures (i.e., power, money, sex, drugs, social-political affiliations, etc.) invariably learn that although tantalizing, acquiring material things will leave us empty and unfulfilled; hungry for more material things.

Ultimately, things cannot satisfy the deep human longings as intimate relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ does. Our faith in Christ secures our eternal fellowship where He becomes more than just a historical figure—He becomes real and personal friend.

We who experience a personal relationship with God though Jesus Christ truly understand the sentiments expressed in Psalm 34:8: “O taste and see that the Lord is good!”

Peace and joy are two wonderful outcomes of the Lord’s goodness. Peace comes from our reconciliation to God afforded us by Christ, which enables us to extend peace towards others (to the same extent we experience peace with God). His perfect peace also comforts us as He loves us and satisfies our deepest needs.

The goodness of God also brings us great pleasure and joy that grows within us daily as we grow to understand that He with us always; working all things together for our good as Romans 8:28 tells us. In addition, our joy is not triggered by material things.

In other words, the joy we have in God through Christ is not based on our external circumstances or on the acquisition of things. Instead, our joy is spiritual, internal and eternal. It enlivens and strengthens us, even in adversity.

When faced with adversity, we can find true comfort in God’s Word (the Bible) as we reflect how He delivers us and continues to prove we are not forgotten. Truly the Lord loves us, cares for us, and will not forsake us. What a wonderful Savior!

O taste and see that the Lord is good.

July 26, 2019
In Luke 15, the Lord Jesus Christ presents three parables about a lost item that was found. In the Lost Sheep Parable, the Lord describes how a concerned shepherd left ninety-nine sheep to search for one lost sheep. The Lost Coin Parable presents a woman who searches her house diligently to recover one lost silver coin. The Lord’s third parable is about a Lost (or Prodigal) Son.

These parables share a common theme: something lost is found resulting in celebration.

The Lost Son is especially endearing to those of us who can relate to being “lost” by making poor financial decisions, wrong career choices, keeping company with the “wrong” friends, engaging in antisocial behavior, In other words, doing things that caused harm to ourselves and/or others we later regretted.

From this perspective, it is easy to understand how the son could change his perspective as expressed in verses Luke 15:17-20 (NIV):

When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’So he got up and went to his father.

Revelation 3:20 tells us that Jesus stands at the door of our hearts, knocking, and if we are willing to open the door—giving Him complete control of our hearts, minds and lives—He will provide us with a life of freedom that is completely fulfilling forever. We must “come home” as did the Lost Son!

Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and Friend graciously bestows an unselfish love we cannot earn by human effort; a consuming and incomprehensible peace that cannot be taken from us; the necessary provisions that sustain our life and existence, and a deeply satisfying purpose for living that is uniquely suited for each of us individually. What a wonderful Savior!

While serving as pastor in Kelso, Scotland (circa 1846), Horatius Bonar wrote this popular hymn that inspires our Christian faith today:

I heard the Voice of Jesus Say²
Horatius Bonar

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, Weary and worn and sad; I found in Him a resting place, And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold I freely give The living water thirsty one, Stoop down and drink and live.” I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light; Look unto Me thy morn shall rise, And all thy day be bright.” I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun; And in that Light of life I’ll walk, Till trav-‘ling days are done.

Oh how these precious words adequately express the sentiments of those of us who have “come home” to abide in Christ forever. For as Acts 17:28 (KJV) reads: “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.”

Won’t you come home today?