“…After A Long Time…”

“After a long time the master of those servants
returned and settled accounts with them.”
Matthew 25:17


We’ve all seen the ads placed in the ‘Help Wanted’ section of the classifieds that requests a “self-starter” who is motivated and requires little or no supervision.
Essentially the employer is looking for an employee who can be trusted to not need someone constantly watching over them. The faithful employee is entrusted with the resources of his employer and is left alone to produce or provide with those same resources to the benefit of the employer.
I encourage you to take the time to read the parable of the bags of gold from Matthew 25. Our last blog talked about some of those things which are far more valuable than gold and with a much better return on investment.
Faithfulness is one of those traits.
Jesus told the parable to highlight the great importance placed on faithfulness.
You see to some it is easier to be faithful when the boss goes away and says: “I will be back to check on things in a couple of hours.” But what if the boss or the master or the Lord doesn’t return until ‘after a long time’? Is your devotion and faithfulness predicated only on how long your attention span is? Do you remain faithful even when the boss or the master or the Lord is delayed in their return? Sometimes faithfulness is tested over time. Do you remain true as weeks, months and years pass by?
Are you faithful to God through the passage of time?
God rewards faithfulness but faithfulness is tested over the long haul!
Stay true.
Stay faithful - even after a long time!

Better Returns Than Gold!

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.”
Proverbs 3:13-14

It is hardly possible to turn on the television or listen to the radio for any length of time without hearing a commercial inviting you to invest in gold. The price of gold is through the roof when compared to the dollar or other commodities or even itself from just a few years ago.
But look at the ‘secret’ investment strategy that Proverbs chapter 3, verses 13 and 14 reveals to us. There is an investment we can make with
much better returns than gold or silver.
What is it that can be more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold?
If I were a businessman wouldn’t I want that kind of an investment?
Well, we know the answer because it is not hidden.
We are told very plainly that it is wisdom and understanding.
While the answer is evident the ‘finding’ and the ‘gaining’ is where it becomes a bit more difficult. It is not worldly wisdom or man’s understanding that brings great returns.
It is the wisdom that comes from God.
That can make us stumble sometimes because we don’t think like God – His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts – so the finding of wisdom and the gaining of understanding first require the humbling of our egos
and a desire to know Him who is wisdom.
Invest in knowing Him.
I encourage you to invest in His wisdom and His understanding and
they will provide far greater benefits – eternal versus temporal – than
silver and gold ever can.

Occupy!

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Matthew 5:7

There is a rallying cry being heard in cities around the globe that
started in New York with the “Occupy Wall Street” protests.
However, I would challenge believers reading this blog to an occupation of a different sort. When it comes to your neighbors, your family, your co-workers and, yes, even your enemies; instead of sitting down in protest somewhere occupy the mercy seat of God. In other words – as we have been learning – extend the mercy of God to others. Your simple act of obedience to be like Christ may not garner media attention but I guarantee you it will impact the one who is in need of that mercy.
Occupy can be defined as: “…to dwell in…”
What a wonderful picture that affords us. Let the God of All Mercy dwell in you and you ‘dwell’ in the Mercy seat of God so to speak.
In Matthew 10:8 Jesus said:
“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils:
freely ye have received, freely give.”
As you have received mercy, give it.
You may not make the papers but you will catch the eye of your Father in heaven!

What Does Your Storehouse Reveal?

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him,
and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.”
Matthew 12:35

One of the evident signs of our culture’s over-indulgence in material things is the proliferation of those storage facilities that allow you to rent space for the excess items you own but do not have room for where you live.
We seem to acquire (and convince ourselves we need) much more than what we are able to store in our homes.
Jesus had something to say about our own personal storehouse in the verse quoted above. Simply stated; a good man will store up good things
and then guess what comes out of him – good.
An evil man will store up evil things
and surprise, surprise – evil comes out of him.
The obvious question might seem to be – What are you storing up?
The reality, though, is that “There is no one righteous, not even one.”(Romans 3:10) and so if there is any goodness in me it is the goodness imputed through Christ in me. Looking at verse 27 of that same chapter in Romans, the Apostle asks this question: “Where, then is boasting? It is excluded.”
Please understand that good works should follow after Christ comes to make his home in you. But it would be a tragic misunderstanding of grace to think that Christ makes His home in you because of your goodness. I become that storehouse of good things after Christ comes in and not before. It is a work and evidence of His Holy Spirit in me.
That makes me to realize that He is the one who makes all the difference and it is not me. What comes out of my ‘storehouse’ then should be evidence to the world of His presence in me.
Does my storehouse include mercy, love, and worship for Him alone?
What does your storehouse reveal about you?

Mercy isn’t Just for Friends

“When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”
1 Kings 21:27-29


The Bible is filled with stories of people who loved God but still
had some serious issues in their lives to deal with.
Kind of like you and me some times.
But our passage today is about a man who was not one of those who God called a friend (like Moses) or a man after His own heart (like King David). Ahab was a King of Israel. Unlike David, who heeded the Prophet Nathan’s words from God, Ahab despised the words brought through the Prophet Elijah. Some would say he was the most evil king in Israel’s history. His wife Jezebel pulled the strings in Ahab’s life and she constantly brought him into idol worship. Yet with all that could be written about Ahab’s character we have recorded in our verses today evidence of the mercy of God extended not only to those who walked with Him but particularly to one who went out of his way to challenge God. You and I should be grateful for this picture given in scripture as it reinforces for us verse 10 from Romans chapter 5:
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”
Gods mercy came to rescue me not when I was His friend but His enemy.
It is sometimes tough to show mercy to those we love when they have hurt us.
God demonstrates His love and His mercy to His enemies.
That is the mercy that should be working in us.
Imagine how many will take note of a man or woman who
demonstrates mercy to those who deserve none.
God’s mercy, working through you, will serve to glorify Him.
Won’t you ask Him today to use you in that way?

Show or Tell?

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
Micah 6:8

We have been learning about mercy at church. The scripture text for today is a verse which is probably familiar to many of us. The Lord, through the prophet Micah, speaks of three things He requires of us. They are:
1. To do justly
2. To love mercy
3. To walk humbly with God
I want us to zero in on point number two today and to recognize the command is not given for us to just tolerate mercy or to put up with mercy or even to show a little mercy every now and then. It says we are to love mercy. I have mentioned in this blog before that God is a God who demonstrates His love for us. He also demonstrates His mercy. If we claim to be His followers and filled with His Spirit then we are to also demonstrate that we love mercy.
How do we do that?
We do that by recognizing that we cannot simply give lip service to the mercy of God but must be a people not only aware of His mercy to us but ones who also extend His mercy to others. Loving mercy means I look for ways to be merciful. I go out of my way to be merciful and I, especially, graciously extend mercy when it would be far, far easier to judge another person as being unworthy of receiving mercy.
My life demanded judgment but God gave me mercy instead.
God loves mercy and shows us (not only through today’s verse but particularly through His actions) that loving mercy is a good thing.
Did you happen to catch the start of Micah 6:8?
Isn’t it interesting that the scripture is written as it is?
It does not say: “He has told you…” but instead it is written: “He has shown you…”
As Jesus would say to us: “Now, go and do likewise…”

Can ‘They’ Be Saved?

“And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:9-10

“…every tribe and language and people and nation…”
While recording what he saw and heard, John penned those words which reveal God’s mercy extended to all. Scriptures declare that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. That His grace and His mercy is extended to all is very clear. Jesus’ earthly ministry was primarily to the lost sheep of Israel but even in the midst of fulfilling that mission he recognized great faith in some and extended His grace and mercy to those who were not part of the “lost sheep” family.
Does your ‘old man’ nature resist extending grace and mercy to some people because they are just not worthy? We are quick to answer that question with a loud NO! but I think sometimes we are all guilty of believing some groups of people just deserve hell! We make those judgments based on their behavior instead of on the redemptive power of God to change lives.
Maybe something in your past has prejudiced you against a whole race of people. Maybe today’s news stories make you rule out terrorists as receivers of God’s mercy. What about your politics? Can a Socialist or a Capitalist be saved? What about a Labor Union member or a Free and Accepted Mason? Well, you say, these all represent ideologies and not where, or under what circumstances, a person was born. Don’t they have more to do with behaviors and attitudes? Yes they do. But scripture clearly tells me in Romans 3:23 that “…all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…” All Republicans, all Democrats, all conservatives, all Republicans, all abortionists and all ‘Right to Life’ advocates, all Muslims and all Catholics, all Protestants and all atheists (don’t read into any absences from this list as obviously it cannot be exhaustive).
ALL, ALL, ALL.
All have sinned and all need His mercy.
Will you extend His mercy to your own personal version of the ‘untouchables’?
Let God then do the work of changing their attitudes and behaviors. Don’t be offended though when He changes them to reflect His attitudes and not necessarily yours and mine because we are a work in progress too!

Seeing the Need for Mercy

“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:10-13

They say that a person struggling with an addiction is not going to make any progress toward victory until they first recognize and admit there is a problem.
Isn’t that also the case with salvation?
Unless we recognize our need for a savior we will not receive the grace God has provided. Those who see no need will never respond to address the need no matter how obvious it may be to everyone else. So it is with the passage today. Jesus was speaking with people who saw no need. It wasn’t only that they were ‘sick’ (sinners) and in need of a ‘physician’ (savior) but rather that they were also blind to their own condition. If you and I could have been at Matthew’s house that night I am guessing we probably would have heard some tax collectors and sinners recognizing their need for mercy.
In many ways the Pharisees represented the elite class of their day.
They were the ones, or so they appeared to others, that had it all together.
There was no need for mercy because after all, they thought to themselves, their lives were exemplary. In their logic if Jesus were really from God, they reasoned, wouldn’t he hang out with them instead of with the no-account people he was having dinner with?
In a way we might say that the Pharisees were addicted.
They were addicted to their own self-righteousness and this
blinded them to their need of mercy.
Don’t ever come to a place where you are secure in your own right living and are not in need of the mercy of God. Ask God to keep your eyes open to your own need for mercy and in so doing you will more readily ‘see’ your way to extend mercy to others.

Rubbing Shoulders with Jesus

“When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
Luke 7: 36-39

Do you follow Jesus up to a point?
Is there an imaginary line in the sand of your heart that says: “This far and no farther!”
Is there a part of you that holds back because you have a pre-ordained ‘measured response’ to requests for anything more?
The Pharisee in our text today was named Simon and I see his response in that way.
After all, he invited Jesus into his home and broke bread with him didn’t he?
Doesn’t that show his willingness to rub shoulders with the teacher?
One problem though, and its’ a big one; Simon and you and I, for that matter, are not called to just rub shoulders with Jesus. We are asked to surrender all to Him. Part of that surrender pushes that imaginary line in our heart well past our comfort zone to extend His love and His mercy to the ‘type of people’ Simon was repulsed by.
Here’s the kicker though: you and I are those ‘type of people’.
That’s right – you are a sinner saved by grace.
Take away the ‘saved by grace’ part and what are you?
Please – I know all about sanctification and the work of the Holy Spirit – but without that work – I and you and Simon and everyone else is no better than the woman in our story today. We all needed His mercy and we all have received His mercy. Now we need to go and extend His mercy. The imaginary line in Simon’s heart seemed to have stopped at the point of extending mercy to someone in need. Jesus taught a lesson and we don’t know if Simon heard and applied that lesson. How about you?
Have you heard it?
Are you willing to extend mercy to others or does a ‘line in your heart’ stop you?

The Route and the Root

“…the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants... a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt… “Then the master called the servant in...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.”
Matthew 18:23-35 selected

Forgiveness is the route to mercy.
This was an important part of the message we heard on Sunday. If we desire mercy extended to us then we need to be a people extending mercy to others. The route to mercy is through forgiveness. Now if you use Google maps or Mapquest as tools to plan out directions for a trip you are setting out on then you put in the starting location and the destination you want to arrive at and then the route is mapped out for you. The same is true for mercy. If you want to know the mercy of God working in your life then plot out your journey by way of the forgiveness route. Vengeance Boulevard and Payback Avenue will not get you to your destination. You must follow the route laid out in scripture.
If you desire mercy it is routed through forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the root to mercy.
A root is defined as: “the part of the plant, usually below the ground, that holds the plant in position, draws water and nourishment from the soil and stores food.”
Mercy in my life cannot be ‘held in place’ without the root of forgiveness. A believer’s life devoid of forgiveness is a life without the refreshing water and nourishing food of mercy. Forgiveness ‘refreshes’, ‘feeds’ and ‘nourishes’ mercy in me and in turn that mercy I extend to others.

In our parable today the servant found mercy extended when his debt was forgiven. However, when that same servant failed to forgive another person he soon found mercy was no longer available to him.
If you want the mercy of God and others extended to you, then be a person who knows the route and the root of mercy and forgives others as you too have been forgiven.

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgement

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
II Peter 3:9


Our Pastor, in his message on Sunday, made a
statement that is worthwhile to consider here today.
In talking about mercy he said: “You have to get past the cross to get to hell.”
In other words, you must totally bypass God’s provision
of love and mercy available because of the cross.
Calvary is the greatest expression of God’s love and mercy.
It is a love and mercy which excludes no one.
Jesus’ work was a complete work and made it possible for all to be brought back into fellowship with God. While the way has been provided, unbelievably, it remains an option some don’t take.
You see the other thing about God’s love is that it will not coerce you.
It will provide and it will draw but it will not force and it will not conscript you against your will.
Many miss out, not because God’s love is not big enough or His redemption not available to all, but because they refuse the offer.
For some, pride keeps them from accepting; for others it may be religious tradition or the ‘foolishness’ of the preaching of the cross. In any event they manage to march past the cross and all that it means straight into hell and then many declare God could not possibly be a loving God to “send” people to hell. The truth is God “sends” no one to hell.
His mercy and love make it harder to go to hell than it is to stay out of it.
His heart is a heart of mercy.
He will always counsel you to choose His life and His provision.
Commit today’s verse to memory so that the next time you are
challenged concerning God’s mercy you can
encourage yourself and others with that verse.

The Jesus Diet

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
John 4:34


What sustains you?
Whoa! Don’t answer too fast.
Think before you speak and be honest with yourself.
Don’t ‘spiritualize’ the answer if it isn’t true.

Jesus said, in the verse above, that His food was to do the will of the Father and to finish His work.
I know we probably all think we know what food is but how about an actual definition? Food is: “any substance taken into or assimilated by a plant or animal to keep it alive and enable it to grow.”
Let’s paraphrase John 4:34 this way: Jesus said: “What I take in and gives me life, causing me to grow, is simply to do the will of the Father and to finish His work.” I think it is fair to say that what sustained Jesus was to do the will of the Father.
So, back to my original question – What sustains you?
How many answered honestly that it was to do the will of God your Father?
Jesus was answering honestly when he made that statement – He was not ‘spiritualizing’ His answer to sound like something He was not. It was true of Him.
What does that mean?
It means you and I have a ways to go and a ways to grow!
Job said in chapter 23 and verse 12: “I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”
Job and Jesus were sustained by God’s word.
How about you?

Don’t Miss the Boat

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8


The verse above was good instruction to Joshua as he prepared to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
It is equally good instruction to every one of us as we serve God in our daily lives.
In essence, we are to saturate ourselves in God’s word at all times.

If I hide His word in my heart and meditate on it day and night and am faced with a difficult decision, where do you suppose the answer would come from?
So often we face those tough decisions and hold a grudge when it seems like God is silent. In reality, He has wanted to guide you, but you have not given Him the deposit of His word in you that He can draw out of you. You ask: “Can’t He speak to me apart from His word?” Sure he can; but aren’t those instructions from Him clear enough?
God knows the value of hiding His word in you and so encourages you to do just that.
He desires to speak to you and build that relationship with you through His word.
His word is so honored by Him that we are told in John 1:14 that the
“…word became flesh and made His dwelling among us…”
Of course that was speaking of Jesus.
Have you hidden His word/Jesus in your heart?
Have you meditated on His word/Jesus day and night?
Are you abiding in His word/Jesus?
Are you growing in that relationship with His word/Jesus?
To say that we have a healthy and growing relationship with
Jesus apart from His word is to miss the boat completely.
Keep this book of the law always on your lips…don’t miss the boat!

Bowing the Knee

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:9-11


“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…”
Maybe you look around and you say – “I don’t see all that many knees bowing”. Often when I read this verse I picture someone standing before the Lord and in rebellion still refusing to bow their knee when quietly an angel comes up behind them and pushes on the back of their leg at the knee, like we used to do as children to get another person to fall down, and voila, their knee bows before Him. That image is probably not too theologically accurate. You see there will be recognition of the honor due that Name even to those who never surrendered to it in this life. The evidence will be so overwhelming that the knee will bow and the tongue will confess. The word does not say some knees, it clearly says all knees will bow before the name of Jesus.
Do you bow your knee now or are you a ‘future-knee-bower’?
Do you recognize Him as Lord and honor His name now through obedience to Him?
Is the knee bowed in humble adoration today or is it only a:
‘far-in-the-future-fulfill-the-word-act-of-submission’ on your part?
Do you see the difference?
I am convinced that if more of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord bowed our knees in humble recognition of His Lordship now, He would draw more people to Himself through that simple act of obedience on our part.
Too often people look at us and we have the same posture as the rest of the world.
No bowed knees.
Nothing shows them a ‘bowed-knee-life’ in us so they take no note. Understand, though, our part is to humbly bow the knee in recognition of His Lordship and He will draw others to Himself.
Bow your knee now or bow your knee later.

The Knowledge of Him

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who
does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
II Timothy 2:15

Have you ever looked up a word you did not understand in the dictionary?
Have you ever had a sense of what it meant but you were not sure so instead of looking ignorant you went to Webster’s dictionary to be certain of your understanding? Probably everyone can say “I’ve done that.” If you want to grow in knowledge, then being sure to use words in the way they are intended just makes sense.
The same is true spiritually.
God does not reward ignorance. To be sure, our growing in the knowledge of His word cannot happen apart from meditating, studying and memorizing it. More importantly, though, we need to grow not only in knowledge, but also in wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 tells me: “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” From this verse I learn that I must grow in knowing His Word and in knowing His voice. In other words, I cultivate that relationship with Him through His Word and through His voice. Neither should be unfamiliar to me. If I claimed to be a knowledgeable person in a particular topic or subject but constantly misused words and miss-stated facts some might (rightfully so) question my knowledge of that subject.
As believers we should know His Word and know His voice.
That does not happen by accident.
It is a result of a deliberate and purposeful decision
to spend time with Him and with His word.
Take that time today to grow in your knowledge of Him.

Hide and Seek

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11

Let’s play a game of hide and seek.
What’s that you say: “Isn’t that too juvenile an endeavor for a blog that is meant to encourage and strengthen you in your walk with God?”
Well, no worry – this is a different kind of hide and seek activity.
What you do is hide the Word of God in your heart and draw from those same scriptures at those moments when you need the strength of His word to keep you from sin.

Hide: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4
Seek: When you are tempted to whine – Rejoice!

Hide: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
Seek: When you are tempted to worry – pray instead!

Hide: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Seek: When tempted to find man-made solutions in meeting the needs of a ministry He has called you to – trust Him to meet every need.

A couple of thoughts:

Did you notice that we never left the 4th Chapter of Philippians, but just in that chapter alone we were able to find three passages to hide in our heart and to seek in those moments of great need?

Scripture will bear witness with scripture – that means I can verify the Word of God and the truth of that Word with other portions of the Word of God. When I hide His word in my heart, I can seek the answers I need from more than just one passage. Go ahead and give it a try. Move out of the 4th Chapter of Philippians and find other scriptures that teach me to rejoice and not whine, to pray and not worry and to trust His provision over my own methods and plans.
But don’t stop there…

Are You Labeled?

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!”
I John 3:1

What’s in a name?
We all go through life with names, titles and labels.
Most people have a first and last name.
Many have middle names and some even have nicknames.
School systems and social service agencies often label people in order to be able to provide them with services not available to those who do not carry that label. As an example, Traumatic Brain Injury (or TBI) is a label some people have which, by virtue of that label, allows them to receive certain medical or rehabilative services.
In today’s verse we are ‘labeled’ or ‘named’ children of God. As we read the verse we find that the ‘reward’ of that name is that the Father (God himself) lavishes His love on us. Maybe you are tempted to take that name (children of God) for granted but if so listen to this definition of the word ‘lavish’: very generous or liberal in giving or spending, often extravagantly so. More than enough, very abundant.
I have not peeked at how the Amplified version of the Bible might express that verse but let me offer you my version:
How great is the extravagant, abundant and generous love the Father has for us
that we would be labeled, named and called the children of God.
That’s a label we all can live with isn’t it?
God is not ashamed to call us His children. The blood of His son Jesus has washed us clean and we are adopted into the family of God as His children.
That is abundant grace.
That is abundant love.
That is something to worship Him for!
Thank Him today for the ‘label’ you wear.

Filling Up What Has Been Emptied

“Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”

Psalm 66:1-4

When was the last time you came home from church physically exhausted because you had poured yourself, all that you had to offer, into worship and praise?
Never?
How come?
Now, I know I may have just offended some by even asking those questions.
After all, don’t we go to church to get poured into?
Doesn’t God promise that He will renew the strength of those who wait on Him?
Yes and yes; but when was the last time you gathered with other believers just to give it all to God and lavish on Him all you could muster in worship?
We go to sports events and even as a fan, who is watching from the stands, we go home worn out because we were so engrossed in whooping it up for our team.
Heaven forbid (pun intended) that we should get as passionate about worshipping the Eternal God. No, I am not suggesting the proverbial swinging from the chandeliers and rolling down the aisles. Instead, I am talking about complete surrender and abandon in worship that is totally pre-occupied with Him instead of being focused on me or thee (forgive the KJV language)!
What if our mindset was different when we walked into the sanctuary and we set a personal goal of devoting the next hour or two entirely to the Lord in worship? So often we miss the refreshing infilling of His Spirit because
we have never emptied ourselves in worship.
Give HIM your ALL in worship!

The Heart of the Matter

“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Mark 12:33

We have been talking a lot about worship and a lot about sacrificing.
The only valid motivation for both is love.
Offer either to God – worship or sacrifice – void of love and it is a waste of your time.
As we have seen, we can worship many things but when we worship God, He alone knows the motivation of our heart. If you worship a career, it is unable to discern the intentions of your heart. The same can be said of worshipping material possessions, a ‘hobby’ or another person. As a matter of fact, the only one who knows the true motivations of your heart is God.
We don’t even know ourselves to the extent that God does.
Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying: “You may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all the time.” To that we can add: You can never fool God! In your worship, learn to be honest before God. Don’t pretend when your worship is a struggle or when it is a sacrifice. God already knows, so express the truth to Him.
Ask Him to help you to worship Him with a sincere and honest heart.
Ask Him to remove the barriers and the “add-ons”
to your worship that are not motivated by love.
We all know from our relationships that love makes us vulnerable.
If that is the case, then why not be most vulnerable
to the one who loves you beyond measure!

Can I Copy Jesus?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
John 14:12

Yesterday we talked about the need to be original and not a copy of anyone.
Of course you may be thinking when it
comes to Jesus surely it is o.k. to copy Him, right?
Let me give you a definitive answer - Maybe!
It depends on what you are copying and why.
Certainly we need the gifts and fruit in our lives and to the extent that Jesus exemplified the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit we should be imitators of Him. We should not confuse the character (which we should emulate) with the methods. Some people may be tempted to copy a method of Jesus when God never spoke to them concerning a specific action. Let me give you an example. If I am introduced to a blind man should I presume that if I spit in his eyes God will heal his blindness? After all that was a method Jesus used. True enough. But bear in mind that Jesus did not spit in the eyes of every blind man he healed. Remember, Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. Our creator is far too big to be reduced to a single recipe or formula. How many of you have ever gone fishing in an effort to satisfy your tax bill? If God were to specifically direct you in that fashion I would be the first to encourage you to go for it, but let’s not think that God will always use the same methods to meet my or your needs.
How about copying this aspect of Jesus’ ministry - tomorrow morning get up really early and spend a few hours in prayer to build your relationship with the Father and develop those spiritual ears that recognize His voice.God has not called you to die on the cross for the sins of the world. For that He gave His one and only son. But you can (and should) copy that example of sacrificial obedience by daily taking up your cross, denying yourself, and following Him!

No Copies, Only Originals

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139:13-16

A children’s song we used to sing went something like this:
You are a promise –
You are a possibility.
You are a promise –
With a capital “P”
You are a great big bundle of Potentiality…

And it is true because we are – each of us – uniquely created by God.
There is no one else quite like you.
So don’t get stuck trying to be like somebody else or everybody else.
When you do that you shortchange what God created you to be.
I have to admit though; it is sometimes easier to be a copy and not an original.
A copy doesn’t have the sweat equity investment in life that an original does. Someone else pays the price and we come along trying to reap the benefits of their labors. There is one problem with that. After God created you, unlike anyone else in all of creation, He kept the blueprint imprinted on His heart.
He has a ‘permanent record’ of what His plans were for you.
Copy-cats cheat only themselves by robbing their very own potential in God.
Remember our children’s song? While it may be “cutesy” it is also quite true. There is so much potential that is maximized in each of our lives when we discover and live up to God’s unique plans for each of us. Consider this: One of the measures of value we place on objects of art is often tied to their rarity. The more common, the less value; the rarer something is the greater its value to us. That is true with our lives as well. No one else can live out God’s purposes for you like you! Don’t diminish the value of God’s creation by living your life as a copy of someone else’s purposes.