Finish What You Started

 If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! Hebrews 10:33:35

The writer reminds these followers of when they first experienced the light of salvation. They experienced the real treasure of God’s love and forgiveness, and nothing could distract them from that love. Things of this world became inconsequential to them. Now that they have been following Christ for several years, things seem to have settled and become routine. The author is warning them about staying true and faithful to the end and holding to their first love. Nothing on God’s end has changed, so nothing on our end should change. God’s faithfulness is a sure thing!

I hear a warning about becoming distracted by world and local events, by family and church problems, by health problems and politics.  I hear the call for revival, asking the Holy Spirit to revive my spirit and to renew my enthusiasm for Kingdom business. I feel the challenge to search the Word daily and grow in my love and knowledge of the Lord. I sense the threat of predictable routines and comfort stealing the excitement of daily Jesus-sightings.I don’t want to miss any of the benefits and blessings of completing the race I began over 70 years ago!

Oh Father, I do not want to miss any blessing and victory You have planned for me as a believer in Jesus Christ. I do not want to quench the power of the Holy Spirit who desires to manifest Himself through me for the good of other believers and those who have yet to believe. I do not want to settle for the routine and predictable but want to think and live outside the box for You!!   I cannot do this by my own might or power but by Your Holy Spirit! Come, Holy Spirit, I need You!!

Ponder or Pounce

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be [d]successful Joshua 1:8

The Lord is reminding Joshua of the covenant He had with Moses and that he must be faithful to read and study the law. He must carry it out and to do what it says to be successful.

The words, “be careful to do everything”. To do, not to think about, discuss, debate, philosophize, pontificate, or even memorize, but DO! Ouch! When God says He will give you something, He usually means He will bless and make your efforts and hard work successful. We must work together with Him. We must be faithful to the task to which He has called us. We must even suffer with and for Him. Salvation is a free gift, totally underserved, but taking the land of our spiritual inheritance is a 24/7 job!  The pay is out of this world, but the work is intense and takes focus and faithfulness in obedience to His Word.

Oh Jesus, how often do we read the Word and ponder on the it, but do nothing with it?! Forgive us and help us to realize that reading, hearing, even pondering on the Word is not enough. Salvation is a free gift, but we must seek, find, accept, and work out our salvation to receive the promised blessing and success. Sometimes, Father, it seems so simple and easy, and other times impossible without Your divine strength and resurrection power working in us. You ask nothing of us without supplying everything we need to DO what You require. Help us to believe and not doubt. Pondering is sometimes necessary, but we must also pounce – attack Your will with enthusiasm, and faith.

No Fasting, Only Feasting

When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. Hebrew 6:17-18

The writer is encouraging these Christians to continue to grow in the Lord. He talks about the danger and consequence of going back on your commitment to Christ. He then encourages them with the fact that Christ has promised rewards and blessings to those who follow Him which are all guaranteed by His Word. If he said it, we can count on it!

One of the main reasons to study and deepen our understanding of God is to know what to expect as we walk in His truth. He tells us what is expected of those who follow His Word and what we can expect in return. The more I study the principals and character of God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit the plainer the future becomes, and the more joy I have while my faith and commitment to Him grow. As doubts arise and fears dismay, His Word brings hope and keeps me grounded in my faith and trust in Him. The Holy Spirit uses the Word to speak truth to my heart and keep me focused on Christ! 

I love it when scripture confirms itself and strengthens our faith in the Word! Oh, how much we miss when we relegate Your Word to the coffee table or a shelf in our bookcase to be pulled out for Sunday church. How sad when we miss the daily feast prepared for us. I know fasting is good, Father, but not when it is from food for our souls. We need and must eat a steady diet of Your Word to grow and mature.

Help us Jesus, to feed on Your Word and build strong spiritual muscles. Help us to stand firm on Your promises, knowing they will all come true in this life and the next.  You have given us much to feast on here , but nothing like the feast we will have with You in heaven!

Murderer to Miracle Worker

14 But the man said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Certainly this incident is known.” Exodus 2:14 

Moses knew he was a Hebrew adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. When he became an adult and became aware of the plight of his people, he felt compassion for them. One day he saw an Egyptian whip one of his fellow Hebrews and when no one was looking Moses murdered the man. News spread and even his fellow Hebrews were ashamed of him, so he fled to Midian.

When I hear the name Moses, I think of one of God’s most revered servants. I think of one who actually saw God and spoke with Him. I never see a murderer, but a miracle worker and friend of God.  God’s choices continue to amaze me: Abraham-the liar, Moses -the murderer, David -the adulterer, Jacob -the deceiver, Jonah-the disobedient, Rahab – the prostitute, Paul- the persecutor.  Why, oh why, do we think God only uses goody-two-shoes and perfect people to do great thing in His kingdom. Why do we look for the highly educated, the charismatic, the organized, the model Christians, those with no skeletons in their closets, no dark histories, to be our leaders.  If all our sins were twittered, tweeted and face-booked for the world to see, none of us would be eligible to serve in God’s kingdom! Forgiveness is a life-changer!

Thank You, Father, for Jesus, for forgiveness, for the conviction and guidance of the Holy Spirit, for resurrection power and for YOUR GREAT MERCY!!!!   My past does not define me. My present cannot destroy the future that God has designed for me here and in heaven! Help me to accept Your forgiveness, obey Your voice and watch You work in my life for Your glory.

My Way or the Highway

Even though they watched me at work for forty years,
    your ancestors refused to let me do it my way;
    over and over they tried my patience. Hebrews 3:8 The Message

The author is still reminding these Christians of their Jewish history and how faithful Moses was, but the people wouldn’t listen to God’s voice through him. He reiterates that Jesus is superior to Moses and that they need to listen and look at all He’s done and be obedient, not like their forefathers in their unbelief and disobedience.

This passage reminds me of the lyrics from an old Frank Sinatra song, “I did it my way.” And I know we’ve all heard someone say, “it’s my way or the highway.” Or perhaps, “I know what’s best for me and my family,” or “God just doesn’t understand my situation.” Oh, how we must try God’s patience!

When I look at all God has done not just for me, but for my family, friends, the church, and the world in my lifetime, I am compelled to listen to His promptings, teachings, and call in my life. I have chosen to trust and believe that He can and will do what He says He will do! I never want to challenge Him with unbelief or self-centered thinking or actions. My way leads me to wander through a wilderness, while His way leads straight to the Promised Land!! How I want to reach that Promised Land and enjoy Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever!!

Holy Spirit help me obey the truth You speak to my spirit. Help me to trust You to lead me in the path of righteousness and reveal any unbelief in my heart. Help me to see Your hand and recognize Your handiwork in my life and glorify and praise Your Name!!  May I stand firm knowing You are in control and can part the seas of confusion, discouragement, disillusionment or unbelief, and keep me focused on You! May Your strength infuse my being and Your power overwhelm my weakness! I thank You, Father, for creation! I thank You, Jesus, for Salvation! I thank You, Holy Spirit, for resurrection power that indwells me and keeps me focused on the prize – eternal life with You

Like Father Like Son

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. Hebrews 1:1-3

The phrase that caught my attention this morning was, The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God. “Like father, like son.”. “He’s the spitting image of his dad”. “He’s a chip off the old block”. Yes, you saw the Father when you met His Son, Jesus. Everything Jesus did and said was a direct reflection of His Father, God. He may have looked like a regular Jew and upheld all Jewish traditions. He may have talked like a Jew and followed the Ten Commandments, studied in a Jewish school, had his Bar Mitzvah, and been baptized according to Jewish tradition, but there was something different about Him. He ate with sinners, loved the unlovable, touched the untouchable and called the uneducated and lowest in society to follow Him. He was always honest and communicated with each audience in ways they could easily understand. Yes, He was the express image of His Father.

He made it easy for us to understand and follow His Father. Instead of ten commandments, He taught just two, Love God-Love others. If we follow those two, the others will be automatic. Over the years the church seems to have made it so complicated. What if church membership were as simple as Kingdom membership. What if when a question of behavior or action came up, we simply asked two questions – Does this honor God and His Word? Is this helpful and loving toward others?

Now let’s bring it home to us. What if we asked those same two questions before we made decisions and choices each day. I’m not talking about which cereal, or kind of soup to buy (unless it negatively affects your health), but things like, whom should I reach out to today? How can I encourage someone today? To whom do I need to say “NO” today?  I said He simplified it for us, but sometimes I think I would rather just have that list of dos and don’ts instead of having the gift of free choice to obey or disobey.  How about you?  Do you express the very character of your Father each day?

Father, I have been working on my choice to love You and love others for seventy-two years and am still falling short some days. Please, Jesus, You know my heart, keep correcting and reminding me when I am tempted to make an unloving choice. Your mercy and grace are beyond my comprehension. Your unconditional love for me is overwhelming. I am so thankful that You know me inside and out and surround me with Your love and protection. Forgive me, Father, and create in me a loving and clean heart this day.

God’s Timing

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. Luke 23:55

Jesus had been crucified and Joseph had taken his body and laid it in his family tomb. The women disciples had gone home to prepare spices for the proper burial of the body but waited a day before returning in obedience of the Sabbath. Thus, we have the third day affirming Christ’s words of rising on the third day!

According to scripture….. A body could have been prepared the same day or the next, but it all happened according to prophecy, in God’s time, to fulfill God’s will. Nothing happens behind God’s back or out of His timing for His kingdom to come. This assures me that His timing in my life is perfect and I must not try to make His timing match mine, These women could have been so passionate and upset by the events of the crucifixion that they couldn’t wait and actually disobeyed a command to do a good thing for Him. Do I ever say, God called me to this and I know everything is not quite ready, but I must do it now! I can’t wait for Him to release me for it because surely, He needs it now!. God’s timing is perfect: I can never please Him by disobeying in order to get the job done! Impatience shows a lack of faith and trust and asserts my will above God’s.

Jesus, patience can be a real challenge for us. There is a fine line between patience and fear of moving forward or laziness. Help us to discern the difference and not use the idea of patience as an excuse not to move when we should. Also, may we not use impatience as an excuse to move ahead of You. Staying in step and harmony with Your plans and timing will only happen if we walk close enough to hear Your voice and surrender our will to Yours. We ask that You to correct us and give us the power to walk beside You, not in front or behind. Lord, may we never doubt that You know best. Forgive us and help us to exercise the faith and power you have given us to trust and obey according to Your timing.

No Strings Attached

12 One day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell down before him in prayer and said, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.”13 Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there his skin was smooth, the leprosy gone………………… 14-16 Jesus instructed him, “Don’t talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed self to the priest, along with the offering ordered by Moses. Your cleansed and obedient life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done.” Luke 5:12-16

When Jesus spoke to this to the leper, He was giving a command meant to last the rest of the man’s life. Six months from now when the newness wears off, three years from now when the crowds are no longer paying attention to you, when your story become old hat, and everyone has heard it a dozen times…………  yes, from now until the day you die, your cleansed and obedient life, not your healing, teaching, preaching, singing, leadership skills, or any other talent or ministry, but your humble obedience should bear witness of My work in your life..

Is your cleansed and obedient life reflecting Christ to others?  Is your obedience humble or begrudging? Is your obedience barometer constantly changing, total obedience one day and questions and stipulations the next? Is your obedience based on your strength or His? Is your obedience automatic?

As a child I remember standing in church one Wednesday night to testify. I compared my life in Christ to being a puppet, and Jesus was pulling all the strings. And that’s the way my young heart thought it would be. I would always obey because He was controlling the strings. I grew to understand as a teen and adult that God wasn’t making me obey but allowing me to choose my words and actions. I kind of wish that childhood picture was true, but God didn’t create robots. He puts great confidence in His children and the power of the Holy Spirit to fill us with a love and desire to please Him. My obedience is based on my choices. This leper was being challenged to choose to obey for the rest of his life.

Father, thank You for loving me and giving me the choice and the power to choose to trust and obey. Thank You for Your continual cleansing of my thoughts and actions as I depend on Your strength. Help me not to question Your will and direction in my life, but to trust Your greater plan for me and humbly obey Your voice for the rest of my life.

Not me, Never!

Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat. Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start.”33 Peter said, “Master, I’m ready for anything with you. I’d go to jail for you. I’d die for you”. Luke 22:32-33

Jesus was warning Peter of what lay ahead for him. Satan was out to trip him up, to separate him from Christ, but Peter was convinced he was too strong to give in to temptation. Jesus, knowing Peter’s strong personality and leadership potential, prays for him to remain faithful, never giving up or giving in during difficult times.

I have a feeling that passionate Peter may have had an inflated opinion of himself.  He had experienced some pretty amazing things with Jesus. He had changed so much and felt confident he was beyond temptation and would never fail when things got difficult. “Not me, never!”, declares Peter.

Jesus allows temptation and times of testing so that we, like Peter, can see and be warned that temptation and testing are a part of this world. We are not to let anything, even a failure, knock us down and out!  NEVER give up! Never give in! And never become pompous and proud of your strength! Your strength is from God. You will never be able to resist the enemy without the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in you and faithfulness to God’s Word. Peter still has a lot to learn.

Father, help us never to become so proud of our strength and determination to follow You that we fall into the enemy’s trap of prideful declarations!  May we remember our strength and salvation are from You. May we be very careful of the words, “Well, I would never…,” but rely on the words, “Jesus, give us strength to resist temptation and stay strong during times of testing.  Help us to trust and obey!

Whatever It Takes

By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Luke 15:1-3

The Religious leaders were highly critical of Jesus for mingling with sinners, let alone eating with them and treating them kindly. The sinners were listening eagerly to Jesus while the “religious” could only find fault with Him.

When I was a child, the church expected people to come to Revival to get saved. Come to us and get saved and then we can become friends. The best way to witness at that time was to invite people to church. Come with me so the preacher can share the gospel with you. This was never the way of Jesus.  Yes, He taught in the synagogue, but spent more time on the hillside, in a boat, walking the streets and in the home of sinners than at church! In our day when the church is not as popular and the lost are more skeptical, “come with me to church,” just isn’t getting the job done. I remember a little saint in one of our churches whose husband was a bonified sinner! When we got to know her and found out she went to the bars with her husband, our eyes popped out. Then one day she told us if she was with him, he wouldn’t drink as much and his behavior and that of his friends was tempered. While she drank her coke and laughed with them, they could see her love for her husband and that she could be trusted. She didn’t compromise her faith; she shared it by her love for her husband and acceptance and love for his friends. He eventually accepted Jesus as His Savior. She wasn’t afraid of sinners but brought her light into their darkness. My question now as then is, am I afraid of sinners or do I welcome them and share my light with them where they are. Jesus seemed quite comfortable around sinners, because He had a mission and loved the sinner, not his sin.

Jesus, we need to remember to love the sinner while hating the sin and to teach and live out this principal in a focused way. Help us never to forget our mission to stay in the Word and close to You so you can protect us from temptation and compromise. May we see the sinner as one in need of Jesus rather than label them by their sin. May Your love and compassion be evident in us.! Help us not to be trapped in tradition, but to be captured by a love that says, ‘whatever it takes!” Help us, Jesus!!!