JACKS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
(Hebrews 6:1) “let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works…”
Over the last couple of days I have been meditating on the act of “repentance” in the life of the Believer in Christ.
Now it is a fact, that without “repentance”, there is no true victory over sin.
The commandment in (Act 16:32) in response to the question “what must I do to be saved” was and still is, “repent and be baptized for the remission or removal of your sins”.
Repentance is the key that begins the “born again” experience.
Yet mankind in his own self-righteousness and prideful arrogance, continually ignores any willingness to submit to God or admit any wrong doing before God.
The theme of the book of Hebrews is “the superiority of Christ”, verses the Old Testaments “sacrificial system of works” or works of the law.
The Jews believed that keeping the Old Testament Law of Moses was the only means of remaining upright with God.
Those are dead works!
They relied on the “sacrificial system” and strict law keeping” to somehow pay for past sins and “justify them-selves” before God.
The attitude was and still seems to be “see God we did this for you, now we deserve eternal life”
This misguided concept was difficult to overcome even among converted Jews and many early believers... and in fact is still held to today.
Within the pages of the Book of Hebrews, the author endeavors to explain and convince his Jewish audience why the New Covenant that was introduced and sealed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, is far superior to the Old Covenant.
They had to be reminded that the concept of justification, by “law keeping” was not possible.
Faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the only way to have our sins forgiven.
Keeping God’s laws is essential, but law keeping can never “forgive sin” or redeem anyone.
Christians can never be justified by any form of works, even good works.
(Ephesians 2:8), “for by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves but it is the gift of God”.
Faith in Christ is the Key that unlocks Gods forgiveness and deliverance form the judgment and penalty of sin.
In the book of (Hebrews 9:14) we are reminded that temple rituals had their purposes, but that “the blood of Christ” is the only way to “cleanse our conscience from the dead works of sin”
Animal sacrifices could never forgive sin or cleanse the conscience… nor do “sacrificial good works” on our part.
It is a matter of “what’s in the heart”, and the only way to change the heart, is to bring it to God in repentance and let Him transform, renew, restore and revive the heart of man.
The instruction in the book of Hebrews is not limited to a Jewish audience at the time of the original writing.
This book of Hebrews was written for the Church “the Bride Of Christ “as well.
Everyone has “dead works” that need forgiveness.
Anything entered into outside of Faith in Christ... is dead works.
Though “dead works” often precede our conversion to Christ, they can plague us after conversion as well.
Repentance from dead works applies to everyone.
So “what is repentance” you ask?
Repentance is sorrow for sin!
Repentance is a change of attitude, mind and actions toward sin.
Repentance is directed toward God, sincerely asking Him to forgive our sins and then determining, with God’s help to change the direction of our life.
Those who repent, come to a place in life where they recognize their personal sins and understand that Christ died so that those sins can be forgiven.
They ask God to forgive them and help them change.
Awareness of sin and the willingness to repent, or have sorrow for your sins (your transgressions), is the beginning of deliverance from your sin/sins!
Repentance is a change of attitude, mind and actions.
Repentance is sincerely asking God to forgive our sins and then determining, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to change the direction of our life.
There are three kinds of works found in the New Testament.
Good works, ungodly works and dead works... we’ll look at them tomorrow.
But for today, let me ask you this.
Are you truly wanting to “walk with Christ”?
Do you truly want Him to be “Lord of your life”?
Do you want to be “more than a conqueror in Christ”?
Then you need to be sorry for your sins… lay down your pride, admit the hold that “ongoing sin” has in and on your life… and repent.
Turn to God, acknowledge and confess these sins and activities, and let Him begin to help you change from the inside out.
“If any man be in Christ He is a new creature, old things pass away and behold all things become new” (2nd Corinthians 7:14)
Sorrow for sin, “repentance” is the key!
Good Day!
Though “dead works” often precede our conversion to Christ, they can plague us after conversion as well.
Repentance from dead works applies to everyone.
So “what is repentance” you ask?
Repentance is sorrow for sin!
Repentance is a change of attitude, mind and actions toward sin.
Repentance is directed toward God, sincerely asking Him to forgive our sins and then determining, with God’s help to change the direction of our life.
Those who repent, come to a place in life where they recognize their personal sins and understand that Christ died so that those sins can be forgiven.
They ask God to forgive them and help them change.
Awareness of sin and the willingness to repent, or have sorrow for your sins (your transgressions), is the beginning of deliverance from your sin/sins!
Repentance is a change of attitude, mind and actions.
Repentance is sincerely asking God to forgive our sins and then determining, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to change the direction of our life.
There are three kinds of works found in the New Testament.
Good works, ungodly works and dead works... we’ll look at them tomorrow.
But for today, let me ask you this.
Are you truly wanting to “walk with Christ”?
Do you truly want Him to be “Lord of your life”?
Do you want to be “more than a conqueror in Christ”?
Then you need to be sorry for your sins… lay down your pride, admit the hold that “ongoing sin” has in and on your life… and repent.
Turn to God, acknowledge and confess these sins and activities, and let Him begin to help you change from the inside out.
“If any man be in Christ He is a new creature, old things pass away and behold all things become new” (2nd Corinthians 7:14)
Sorrow for sin, “repentance” is the key!
Good Day!
(2nd Peter 3:9) “For God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”.
The words "repent," "repentance," and "repented" are mentioned over 100 times in the Bible.
Jesus talked much about repentance and it was the theme for much of the disciples messages to the people of the New Testament.
The Greek word translated “repentance” in the New Testament means “to change one’s way of life, as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness”.
Since it is not natural for carnal man to desire to make the changes necessary to obey God (Romans 8:7) "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God… it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so",
Then God must lead us to understand the need for repentance… (Romans 2:4), “realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance"
This is the starting point of a commitment to “a new way of living” and to the transformation of the human heart and mind from carnal to spiritual (Acts 3:19… Romans 12:2)
The Bible shows that initial repentance is a significant, personal, life-changing “decision”… that leads to profession of faith in God belief in Christ and the finished work of the cross, baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-39)
Repentance is characterized by an understanding of the;
#1) “seriousness of sin” (Romans 6:23…Ephesians 2:1-3)
#2) “a deep desire to be forgiven” (Psalm 51:1-3…(Hebrews 9:14)
#3) “A determined commitment to change behavior and thoughts in order to stop sinning”… in other words “a want to” to change our lives.
With out “a want to” their will be no desire or commitment to change. (Matthew 3:8… Acts 26:19-20)
The apostle Paul emphasized that “godly sorrow”, verses (the sorrow of the world), produces genuine repentance… which results in permanent changes that ultimately lead a person to salvation.
(2nd Corinthians 7:10) “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted… but the sorrow of the world produces death”.
Paul says, "Look at what this Godly sorrow produced in you!
Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves.
Such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong.
You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right."
In (Mark 1:14-15) Jesus “Gospel message”, includes a call to repentance… which leads to a change in direction, turning from the natural pursuit of sinful human values, to obedience and seeking the Kingdom of God.
Jesus used current events of His time to emphasize that a person’s life is futile and random until he or she comes to repentance and begins to pursue the Kingdom of God (Luke 13:1-5).
After His death and resurrection Jesus instructed His disciples to teach “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47) - (Matthew 28:18-20).
Jesus was willing to be beaten and die a horrible death to pay the penalty for our sins.
That awesome sacrifice reinforces the seriousness of sin and the thankfulness we need to show to our merciful God for His forgiveness.
Repentance is an on going frame of mind.
We don’t hear many messages preached from the pulpits of churches today because it is an uncomfortable topic challenging the way people are living.
Challenging sin in the lives of those that sit in the pew is often a road to a “pink slip” for many pastors, (dismissal from a job).
Most of those whom are involved in a faith ministry such as ours tend to refrain from preaching "the need for repentance" because it is an unpopular message, one that doesn't elicit "a giving response" in the offering plate.
It is one of the reasons that Jesus rebuked the church at Sardis in (Revelation 3:1-6).
She had forgotten why she came to Christ in the first place and He calls her to remember and repent.
What is repentance? Is it just a single decision that leads to good works?
No, as I mentioned already, repentance must be an ongoing frame of mind, recognizing that overcoming sin is a lifetime effort.
Whenever we fall short of full obedience, we need to be forgiven.
In (Colossians 3:1-10) Paul calls on those who, through repentance, have been baptized, and have received the Holy Spirit to “put to death the sinful ways of the “old man” and to “put on the new man.”
In (Romans 7:13-25) Paul vividly describes our battle to overcome our nature and inclination to sin, and explains that our only hope is through Jesus Christ, by whom we can be forgiven (Romans 7:24-25).
After initial repentance and baptism, there is a “continual need” for an awareness of potential sin…an awareness that bring us back to the heart of God and His continued forgiveness as we humble ourselves again in repentance and the seeking of Gods forgiveness.
(1st John 1:8-10) “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us”.
God wants all to come to repentance and to continue in repentance as we face temptation and yes… if we are honest, we will admit we still often fall into sin.
As long as we continue to live in these fleshly carnal bodies we will be faced with the temptation to sin… and we will fail…
But we have an advocate interceding for us… Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the Father continually advocating for our right standing with God.
(1st John 2:1) “If any man sins”… (this is after initial repentance)…
“we have an advocate with the father… Jesus Christ”
And He is there because of our attitude and our humble willingness to continue to repent.
Ultimately, it is God’s plan that everyone will have the opportunity to receive the gift of salvation, beginning with the personal experience of repentance and baptism.
As Peter wrote, God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Because of the “old nature” that lives within all of us, we all struggle and are in a battle to defeat the “old man of sin”.
Repentance is the dagger thrust into the heart of sin… that will ultimately lead us to victory in Jesus.
Overcoming sin “cannot be accomplished” in our own strength!
It is the laying down of our pride and honestly admitting we have a problem… that brings us to the “overcoming power” of the Holy Spirit with in us allowing Him to take up residence and help us in the constant battle over sin.
If you truly want to know Christ in all of His glory, and you truly want to be an overcoming Child of God… then you need to understand the hold that sin has on you and you need to fight “the good fight of faith” by repenting… telling God your sorry… and asking Him to come into your life and give you the strength to overcome sin with the help of the Holy Spirit.
But here is the main obstacle that we all face.
Do we really want to walk in Holiness with God, or does the lure of the world still hold you in it’s grip.
You can’t serve two masters, (Matthew 6:24) you must make up your mind who you are going to serve.
Repentance is the key!
Good Day!
It is one of the reasons that Jesus rebuked the church at Sardis in (Revelation 3:1-6).
She had forgotten why she came to Christ in the first place and He calls her to remember and repent.
What is repentance? Is it just a single decision that leads to good works?
No, as I mentioned already, repentance must be an ongoing frame of mind, recognizing that overcoming sin is a lifetime effort.
Whenever we fall short of full obedience, we need to be forgiven.
In (Colossians 3:1-10) Paul calls on those who, through repentance, have been baptized, and have received the Holy Spirit to “put to death the sinful ways of the “old man” and to “put on the new man.”
In (Romans 7:13-25) Paul vividly describes our battle to overcome our nature and inclination to sin, and explains that our only hope is through Jesus Christ, by whom we can be forgiven (Romans 7:24-25).
After initial repentance and baptism, there is a “continual need” for an awareness of potential sin…an awareness that bring us back to the heart of God and His continued forgiveness as we humble ourselves again in repentance and the seeking of Gods forgiveness.
(1st John 1:8-10) “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us”.
God wants all to come to repentance and to continue in repentance as we face temptation and yes… if we are honest, we will admit we still often fall into sin.
As long as we continue to live in these fleshly carnal bodies we will be faced with the temptation to sin… and we will fail…
But we have an advocate interceding for us… Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the Father continually advocating for our right standing with God.
(1st John 2:1) “If any man sins”… (this is after initial repentance)…
“we have an advocate with the father… Jesus Christ”
And He is there because of our attitude and our humble willingness to continue to repent.
Ultimately, it is God’s plan that everyone will have the opportunity to receive the gift of salvation, beginning with the personal experience of repentance and baptism.
As Peter wrote, God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Because of the “old nature” that lives within all of us, we all struggle and are in a battle to defeat the “old man of sin”.
Repentance is the dagger thrust into the heart of sin… that will ultimately lead us to victory in Jesus.
Overcoming sin “cannot be accomplished” in our own strength!
It is the laying down of our pride and honestly admitting we have a problem… that brings us to the “overcoming power” of the Holy Spirit with in us allowing Him to take up residence and help us in the constant battle over sin.
If you truly want to know Christ in all of His glory, and you truly want to be an overcoming Child of God… then you need to understand the hold that sin has on you and you need to fight “the good fight of faith” by repenting… telling God your sorry… and asking Him to come into your life and give you the strength to overcome sin with the help of the Holy Spirit.
But here is the main obstacle that we all face.
Do we really want to walk in Holiness with God, or does the lure of the world still hold you in it’s grip.
You can’t serve two masters, (Matthew 6:24) you must make up your mind who you are going to serve.
Repentance is the key!
Good Day!
(Galatians 2:20) “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”
So how does Jesus Christ live in us?
Does He take charge of us in that we are little robots whom respond to His every dictate?
What is “our role” in having Christ in us?
In answering these questions, we have to ask another question?
That is, what does it mean to be converted?
Most dictionaries define converted or conversion referring to something that has been changed from one form of use to another.
So then a converted person is someone who’s life has been made available for Jesus Christ to live in him or her through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
When we have God in us, we grow and change to develop the same character and motivations that Jesus has.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
So again I ask, “what does Paul mean” by this statement “Christ lives in me”?
Does Christ take charge giving us no will in the matters at hand?
Of course not!
He doesn’t live our lives for us? He doesn’t make our choices for us?
No… what He does is move into our lives, He makes our bodies and our hearts a place where He can live and move thru us.
The Bible makes it clear that we are to be “the temple and abode” of God (2nd Corinthians 6:16)
But how do God and Christ live in us... and the answer to that is “through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 8:9-11)
In discussing this with His disciples Jesus said in (John 14:16) “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth (or the Holy Spirit).
The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know him, for He lives with you and will be in you”.
(Luke 24:49) Jesus said "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Therefore, the degree to which God and Jesus Christ “dwell in us”… depends on the degree to which we allow or follow, the leading of God’s Spirit… and allow His power to conform us… to change us and we actually become like God the Father and Jesus Christ in nature... conformed to... or to become images of Christ in character, spirit, attitudes, and love.
That is why we must walk as He walked.
This is why we must copy, imitate or practice “walking in the Spirit” as Paul talks about in (Galatians 5:16-23)
What all the scriptures on this subject reveal… is that Jesus Christ will be in us only as we “seek” to make His way of life our way of life… to walk as He walked… to live as He lived.
Lets be honest folks and ask our selves the question, how much time do I give to really seek to allow God to live in my life?
How much time do I commit to seeking Him and knowing Him?
Again the scriptures on this subject teach us that Jesus Christ’s life will be in us… only as we seek to make “His way of life our way of life”.
To walk as He walked, to live as He lived… (1st John 2:6) “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also, to walk just as He walked”.
The Bible also calls this “putting off the old man and putting on the new man" (Ephesians 4:22-24)
The more we pursue or allow the Holy Spirit to lead us... the more we become like Christ, the more
His life will be in us and thus, the more He lives in us.
But that “process” is completely in our hands... under our will and control!
God wants us to “choose” to live as Jesus lived by our free choice.
This involves humility and earnest seeking to become like Jesus Christ so His life becomes our life, His nature becomes our nature.
God’s desire is for us to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29)
But God will not force us to live this way.
It is a matter of our free choice that we hold in our hands.
What must come from us is… “the want to.”
We have to “want to”, we must “seek” to have Jesus Christ’s life in us, and for Him thru the power of the Holy Spirit to give us the help we need to achieve that end.
The desire to change is the only thing we bring to the table.
As we read in (Philippians 2:13), “For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure”
This means we must cry out to God, be focused on God, be dependent upon God for the help we need to change.
John said, “In Him was life and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4)
Jesus is the light… but to often humanity rejects the light and chooses darkness in stead.
We must choose the light… we must choose Christ… we must allow the light to live in us! (John 3:16-21)
Jesus Christ’s life illuminates the path… or the way God wants us to live.
(John 14:6) “I am the way, the truth, and the life”
He calls us to the path, but we must want to get on it.
If we do, He will give us all the help we need to grow.
But that “process” is completely in our hands... under our will and control!
God wants us to “choose” to live as Jesus lived by our free choice.
This involves humility and earnest seeking to become like Jesus Christ so His life becomes our life, His nature becomes our nature.
God’s desire is for us to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29)
But God will not force us to live this way.
It is a matter of our free choice that we hold in our hands.
What must come from us is… “the want to.”
We have to “want to”, we must “seek” to have Jesus Christ’s life in us, and for Him thru the power of the Holy Spirit to give us the help we need to achieve that end.
The desire to change is the only thing we bring to the table.
As we read in (Philippians 2:13), “For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure”
This means we must cry out to God, be focused on God, be dependent upon God for the help we need to change.
John said, “In Him was life and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4)
Jesus is the light… but to often humanity rejects the light and chooses darkness in stead.
We must choose the light… we must choose Christ… we must allow the light to live in us! (John 3:16-21)
Jesus Christ’s life illuminates the path… or the way God wants us to live.
(John 14:6) “I am the way, the truth, and the life”
He calls us to the path, but we must want to get on it.
If we do, He will give us all the help we need to grow.
But again, only if we seek it.
He will not force the help on us.
Nor will He “arbitrarily” make the changes needed for us.
Unfortunately many seem to believe Jesus just takes over or that He will do “everything” for us, that He will be our private genie in a bottle.
Unfortunately people, don’t put an “earnest effort” into “seeking to change” to become like Jesus Christ.
This the heart and core of Christianity.
Jesus said in order to experience the Kingdom of God we must be born again!
It’s called transformation!
Changed lives!
The heart and core of Christianity is the fact that we have been changed.
“If any man is in Christ He is a new creature, old things pass away and behold all things become new”. (2nd Corinthians 5:17)
When we diligently seek to change… to become like Jesus Christ… to have His life formed in us…
Our “attitudes must change”, our “want to” must change, our “desires” take on a new focus.
(2nd Corinthians 13:5) “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith… test yourselves…”
And what will the test reveal?
It reveals that we are no longer concerned as much about the horizontal as we are about the vertical!
Jesus Christ does not seek to “possess” us as the Bible describes demons possessing people.
The Christian life involves using “free will” and developing “Christian character” through an act of our own free will.
“Christ living in us”… yes, but He does so only to the degree that we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us…
As the Bride of Christ, we become one with Him, and we can walk together.
God is looking for not only “a clinging bride” but also a walking partner.
From the very beginning, God had a relationship with Adam and Eve that found them "walking in the garden in the cool of the day" (Genesis 3:8).
God created man for the enjoyment of a “walking relationship” that involves companionship, dialogue, intimacy, joint decision-making, mutual delight, and shared dominion.
God longs to walk with you… which is why His arms of grace have been pulling you into a closer walk with Him, but its your choice!
Good day!
(Psalm 37:23) “The steps of a man are established by the Lord”
Yesterday I talked about the metaphor “opening and closing doors” often used by believers of God concerning our success and failures in life.
As if God is some “cosmic doorman”… making our decisions for us.
Today’s scripture text that I have chosen assures believers that God will guide and direct the affairs of those who love Him.
The foundational message of this Psalm is love and trust in God.
Those who delight in the Lord will seek to know Him through the study of His Word or the Bible… (Psalm 119:97)
We are taught that the Lord also provides us with a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit (John 14:16)
Whatever situation believers face, they can decide rightly or make good choices… based on what they know of the Lord through His Word as well as the leading or direction of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Choices… that is one of the compelling messages of the scriptures from the Old Testament thru the New.
We love and trust the Lord to work all things to our ultimate good (Romans 8:28)
(Psalm 37:23) promises that “if we walk according to God’s ways… He will take care of us no matter what happens”.
(Psalm 37:23–24) says, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
Its true… the Lord provides direction in the lives of those who love Him.
Those who delight in the Lord will study His Word and seek to live in a way that pleases God.
This does not guarantee "always-pleasant circumstances ", or even that we will not experience failures or setbacks and fail and fall into sin.
But we do learn and know that God’s ways are for our best.
When we are living unto Him or for Him, we can trust Him and His sovereign care, but we are also required to make choose how we walk or how we live.
We are required to make choices and to adopt responsibility as mature children
(Psalm 119:105) says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
God’s Word, the Bible, shows us who God is and provides guidance on how we should live... and that outcome is based on the choices we make.
In (Joshua 24:15) the people were told “Choose ye this day”… that same instruction is given to us as well today/
How we should live… is not dependant or blamed upon God opening and closing doors… but by the choices we make.
Regular reading and study of the Bible leads to wise decisions based on its precepts.
The Psalmist compares the guidance of God’s word to “a lamp” that lights our path in life… following its precepts, shows us the proper way and helps us avoid missteps.
(Proverbs 3:5-6) says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Note… “opening and closing doors” for us is not the offer… but giving us the ability to walk an unhindered path and to make choices along that way is what is intended.
The foundation of (Psalm 37:23) is to trust in the Lord.
This is also the message of (Proverbs 3:5-6).
God wants us each to grow in maturity and make the right choices that result in us fulfilling our destiny in Him.
God is our “Omniscient Creator”, He knows us better than we know our selves.
(Romans 8:28) expresses God’s sovereignty and providence in our affairs… “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
“Those who love God” are those who “delight in his way” (Romans 8:28… Psalm 37:23)
In both scriptures, God’s providence is at work in the lives of those who love Him.
The Bible teaches us God’s ways and therefor gives us options or choices to help us to decide rightly… in other words, “make good choices”.
(2nd Timothy 3:16–17) states, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
That “training in righteousness” helps us navigate life or “make good choices” that pleases our Lord and benefits us.
We may have concerns… but we don’t worry as unbelievers do.
We know that our perfect Heavenly Father is our guide and He guides us thru His Word and by the Holy Spirit as well.
In (John 14:15-17) Jesus promises, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”
The Spirit teaches us and helps us remember what our Lord has taught us in His Holy Word (John 14:26… John 16:13)
God is sovereign and directs the affairs of His children in accordance with His perfect will (Romans 8:28… Romans 12:2)
He does not open and close doors as such… but He gives us choices to make!
We are not robots with limited cosmic programing… responding to a cosmic doorman making decisions for us!
(Psalm 37:23) specifically refers to those who “delight in God” and desire to follow His Word… that’s you and I His children… believers in Christ.
God has given us all we need to abide in Him as He abides in us (John 15:1–17).
We can "swing for the fences" as we seek Him for wisdom in all of our circumstances (James 1:5).
When we are rooted/grounded in God’s Word… when we have the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, when we avail ourselves of the wisdom of brothers and sisters in Christ… we will know what to do… how to live… what are good choices… and we can trust God with the outcome.
It’s all part of growing up in Christ… growing unto maturity!
Good Day!
(James 1:2-5) “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds”
I hear a lot of people in faith communities talking about open and closed doors, like God is a concierge at an apartment building.
The phrase “He opened the door” or “He closed the door” gets tossed around a lot.
Yet I’ve come to realize that although God does order our steps, (Psalm 37:23)… we have agency or responsibility over the moves we make and or choices we decide on.
We turn to God for answers, direction and purpose in our lives and He gives us Jesus all over again.
Our faith isn’t a puzzle to be solved… it’s a path to be followed.
But how?
Sure, I get the concept about open and closed doors… but we are not robots that only move as if he was directing some tactical directive.
I’m just not sure I accept the premise that God is playing “red light, green light” games, telling us to advance or go back, in every situation.
While I do think God cares intimately about our hearts ambitions… goals and dreams when we’ve offered them up to Him… I don’t think He’s necessarily some cosmic bellman standing at the door, opening and closing it.
While I hesitate in embracing the thought of God opening and closing doors like some cosmic bellman… I do believe that He presents opportunities for us to “choose” and as we make choices… He does give us direction and advice/divine wisdom to make the choices that will ultimately unfold for good or evil as we make the good choices.
It’s all a part of growing up or growing unto maturity.
If you’re a musician or a singer and you play or sing badly, I wouldn’t be too quick to say “God shut the door on my career.”
It’s a hard truth, but maybe it’s time to get some singing lessons and get better at singing.
What I’m saying is that it’s easy to conjure up “divine intervention” for poor performance, but you can’t be blaming God for your own mistakes or failures.
Too often I think we like to blame God for the poor choices we make by saying “God closed the door”.
Let’s not fall for misdirection of responsibility or lack of obedience!
And instead, lets get busy getting better.
Does God engage in our lives in unseen ways… most certainly!
Who knows how many guardian angels have put them selves between you and a bad outcome?
But hitting a couple of road bumps doesn’t always mean God is trying to send a secret encrypted message to you.
Maybe what we tried just didn’t work out the way we hoped, so failure leads us in another direction… and as we takes steps in another direction… God does lead us in the way or order our steps as it were.
However what I have come to learn and really believe is that in God’s timing and in His economy, nothing is ever wasted… not our pain, nor our disappointments, nor our setbacks… even our mistakes and our failures.
These are simply tools that can be used later as a recipe for our best work.
Today’s scripture verse says it best… “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:2-5)
Thankfully, God isn’t tapping His pencil on a scorecard, scrutinizing our every move until we get it right.
But He is with us while we navigate life’s difficulties.
We all mess up … and I might admit, far too often.
But that doesn’t mean we quit, nor does it mean that God closed a door.
But we must use the information and the mistakes we have experienced as lessons to keep moving forward!
I read that it took Thomas Edison 1000 try’s before he perfected the common light bulb.
Can you even imagine that?
You or I would have probably given up after the 4th or 5th try and say it can’t be done!
So let’s keep moving ahead with our eyes on Jesus rather than caring about how we look to everyone else.
If we keep it about Jesus, He promised that we’d come to know more about Him while we’re figuring out and learning a few more things about ourselves.
Some things we try will work, others won’t… it’s that simple!
So I’m making it my goal to learn what I can from the successes or set backs I experience and move on.
Our failures don’t name us… God does.
So lets all make the following prayer our prayer today… and realize that God does have a plan for you and it may well be a specific plan, as Jeremiah talks about, in (Jeremiah 29:11)
“Dear God, help me remember that failure is just part of the process, and it’s not just OK… it’s better than OK.
Thank You for never keeping a record of my strikes and always helping me dust myself off so I can swing for the fences again.
And thank you for loving me always, no matter what…
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
(Galatians 6:9), “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Good Day!
(Micah 6:8) “He has told you O man, what is good… and what does the Lord require of you. But to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
As I shared yesterday, scripture makes it clear that the meaning behind the word “justice” is far beyond just making sure bad guys are punished.
To fully grasp what we can glean from (Micah 6:8) and God’s desire for justice and righteousness, there are 4 things we need to recognize from the full counsel of God’s word that relate to our current crisis.
1) Recognize the worth of every life in today’s world.
In the beginning, “God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27)
We were never intended to be like animals.
We were imprinted with a moral code and an ability to see injustice.
As we think about this within the backdrop of today’s current events,
I want to be clear about one thing.
That is that right now, we need to understand the suffering of “specific groups”… as a first step to helping us all to heal.
There’s a powerful image circulating on social media of Jesus going to rescue the one lost sheep of (Luke 15:3) while the other 99 are behind him holding “All sheep matter” signs.
When we fully understand the intrinsic value of each human life, it’s easier for us to feel pain when they feel pain.
2). Recognize the need for justice in today’s world.
I’ve always been amazed when Christians have no problem acknowledging the fact that we live in a fallen world where sin is prevalent, but cannot bring themselves to admit that sin can permeate and become a cancer in our earthly systems.
No system is immune to sin’s destruction… the judicial system, criminal justice system, education, politics or even the church.
We live in a broken world.
Any system created by man, by nature, will be flawed and rife with injustice.
Once we acknowledge that, we need to develop a clear picture of who is suffering the most injustice due to these systemic failures.
I’m not here to tell you what the right solutions are, because I don’t know, I’m just here to ask you to do one thing… and that is to care.
Realizing there is injustice and caring, is the first step to enacting meaningful change.
3. We must recognize the most vulnerable to injustices in today’s world
were there as well throughout the Old Testament… and it is clear that God cares for the vulnerable.
“This is what the Lord Almighty said… administer true justice… show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor,'"(Zechariah 7:9-10).
These are the four specific types of people often mentioned in regards to “injustice”… the poor, widows, orphans and immigrants.
They are often referred to as the “Quartet of the Vulnerable”
These four groups of people lack the capital, influence or power to improve their situations.
They were and still are, stuck at the lowest rungs of society and they are often mistreated and abused.
Jesus spoke to this in (Luke 4:18-19): “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor… He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives… and recovering of sight to the blind…to set at liberty those who are oppressed… and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
In this verse Jesus expands on the “quartet of the vulnerable” and includes the prisoner, the blind and the oppressed.
It’s clear that God is for the forgotten, the beat-down, the shut-out and the left-behind.
Today, it’s easy to think about other groups who are vulnerable.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was heartbroken hearing the stories coming out of our nursing homes and other “senior living” facilities.
Elderly people would certainly classify as vulnerable.
And so to as well… the population of people experiencing homelessness in our societies right here in North America?
Of course!
In light of everything that has happened over the last decade… it’s imperative that we carefully examine our response to “racial” injustice as well.
Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote this from a Birmingham jail… “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
We are caught in an inescapable network of “mutuality”, tied in a single garment of destiny.
Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
Any neglect shown to the needs of the members of these groups, is not called merely a lack of mercy or charity… but a “violation” of justice”.
God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power, and so should we.
That is what it means to “do justice.”
4). We need to recognize our own role in bringing justice in today’s world.
(James 2:14-17) “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”
In (Matthew 25), Jesus describes the final judgment, when the sheep will be separated from the goats.
And, it isn’t an “internal private faith” that He references.
It’s the fact that His true followers took action… “For I was hungry and you gave me food… I was thirsty and you gave me drink… I was a stranger and you welcomed me… I was naked and you clothed me… I was sick and you visited me… I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:35-36).
God’s desire for each of us… is to have “an active faith”.
To me it’s clear that He is not as interested in our presence in a church pew on Sunday morning, as He is that our presence be found working in our community the rest of the week.
(Micah 6:8) hits the nail on the head. “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?”
(Micah 6:7) God doesn’t desire our worship as much as He desires our obedience.
As a child of God, a believer in Christ or as a Christian… the concept and call to justice is inescapable.
We do justice when we give “all human beings” their due as creations of God.
Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs… but generosity and social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable,”
A closer walk with Christ necessitates that we care deeply about issues of injustice in our community and in our world.
(Micah 6:8) makes it clear that we be found in an active role in our community… recognizing injustice and then working actively to correct it.
Jesus said (Luke 10:27-28) that “loving your neighbor as yourself” was just as important as loving love the Lord your God with all your heart mind and soul.
He said… “do this and you will live”.
Today, we are living in a moment begging for that type of response.
May this simple prayer become yours this morning… “Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours”.
And I might add that as I see these injustices happening around our world and in our communities…
My Prayer is please… please… please… Lord come quickly!
Good Day!
(Micah 6:8) “He has told you O man what is good… and what does the Lord require of you… but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”
(2nd Timothy 2:4) tells us… (the believer in Christ)… not to be entangles with “the affairs of this world” as we grapple with ongoing “unrest” in response to racial tension and injustice, the collapse of economies world wide and the increased tension of political unrest…
And the question could be asked… “How am I to deal with the societal problems that we are facing without entangling myself in the affairs of this world?
The best recourse for the Christian is to turn to Scripture.
It’s important to not only read it and share it, but to allow the Holy Spirit to use it to challenge and mold each of us.
This scripture text I have chosen to day has long been one of my favourite verses in the Bible.
It is simple in its message and easily quotable… but it is also one of the most challenging verses for each of us to adopt… speaking directly to the heart of the issues we are facing today as true believers in Christ and the sovereignty of God in our lives.
Micah wrote his prophecy to warn Israel and Judah of its impending judgment because of their disloyalty to God.
But, it’s not all bad news.
Micah also prophesies about God’s plan for redemption through Jesus (Micah 5) and the love, compassion and forgiveness God offers to the transgressors (Micah 7:18-20).
Essentially, Micah is saying that God is more pleased with our actions than our words… He’s more satisfied with our obedience than our worship.
Micah mentions three things God “requires”.
They are… to do justly, loving mercy and loving-kindness towards others… and walking humbly.
Each of these three things involve action… love expressed in positive response or “activity” towards another.
Walking humbly with God implies an active faith… one that sees God as a daily guide.
It implies that we are seeking Him in all aspects of our lives.
In doing so, we are reminded that as followers of God, we are to be marked by “a life of humility”!
We are encouraged to set aside our selfish desires and align ourselves to God’s will as opposed to our own.
It means having a full reliance on God, not ourselves.
But what does it mean to “do justice”, as used in this verse?
To some, justice might seem simple, but there’s a lot here that many of us don’t always grasp about the biblical concept.
In unpacking it, it speaks directly to many of our current issues.
When we think of justice, many of us conjure images of a courtroom, with a judge, attorneys, witnesses and a jury.
I think of Tom Cruise thundering away at Jack Nicholson in the movie, “A Few Good Men”… as he demands accountability and an answer to the search for justice for his clients… “I want the truth!”… and the response was…You can’t handle the truth!”
Simply put, we usually just think of justice as being a punishment for wrong doing.
Someone has committed a crime, and they receive the punishment they deserve.
Justice is served!
But, it’s often times more than that.
It includes giving people “their due or right”.
This is often referred to as “restorative justice”.
It’s proactively seeking out “the vulnerable” and helping them.
In (Proverbs 31:9) we read, “Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
(Psalm 146:7-9) “The Lord executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free… the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down… the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners… He upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.”
(Psalm 146:7-9) “The Lord executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free… the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down… the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners… He upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.”
This speaks of God breaking down “unjust systems” and restoring dignity to the downtrodden.
Scripture makes it clear that the meaning behind the word “justice” is far beyond just making sure bad guys are punished.
To fully grasp what we can glean from (Micah 6:8) and God’s desire for justice and righteousness… there are 4 things we need to recognize from the full counsel of God’s word, that relate to our current crisis.
I will share them with you in tomorrows devotional.
But today lets all recognize our need for “empathy” toward those that are the “down trodden” of our society, and ask God to give us “a heart of compassion” for each of them.
No matter whether they are red, yellow, black or white… all are precious in His sight.
Good Day!