Gentle

Some scriptures to consider -

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,

bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2

A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:1

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:29

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Philippians 4:5

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

I Peter 3:15

Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Proverbs 25:15

From First to Last!

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said,

“Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Mark 9:35

Jesus didn’t say we shouldn’t want to be first.

As a matter of fact, He told us how to become first.

But He might just as well have been speaking a language we don’t understand.

It’s not enough for the first to be near the end, he emphasized his point by saying he first must be the very last.  

You might say the way to the front is by bringing up the rear!

That mindset, that behavior is just too foreign to us.

We are, after all, the most important person in the room.

At least, that’s what we think.

But Jesus didn’t stop there.

He said we must also be the servant of all.

Huh?

So I’m last in line and I’m washing everyone else’s feet?

Now you’re getting it!

How far we have moved from the expectation of what it means to be first.

But Jesus did more than talk.

He showed us when He went to the cross.

He did that to serve you and me.

He did that to set us free.

He did that to bring us back to the Father.

He demonstrated for us what it means to be first and servant to all.

Now, Not Later

“...now is the day of salvation.”

II Corinthians 6:2b

I’m not as bad as so-and-so!

Hey, if I go to hell, I’ll be with all my friends.

If God is a loving God, then why_______________(fill in the blank).

We’ve all heard these and dozens of other excuses people make for rejecting the free gift of salvation.

John Haywood is credited with saying:

“There is none so blind as he who will not see.”

The truth is Satan will use any means possible to keep many from receiving Gods gift.

If someone refuses to acknowledge their own sinful state, then they remain ignorant of their predicament and unable to receive salvation.

Scripture draws us, declaring

“For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,

    and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

If you are reading this, don’t continue in denial.

Receive the gift of salvation by first recognizing your need.

You are not unique.

We have all fallen short.

But Gods’ gift of His Son is extended to you today.

Will you receive Him?

Good News – it’s Simple!

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of His blood – to be received by faith.”

Romans 3:25

Simplicity – the state of being simple, uncomplicated or uncompounded.

The Gospel message is Good News.

It is also simple and uncomplicated.

Too often it is made complex by our add-ons of “do’s and don’ts”.

The things we think necessary really aren’t.

We were alienated from a perfect, loving father through our sin.

Every single one of us!

God sent His Son to take our punishment.

As the sinless sacrifice, He opened back up the way to the Father.

That’s it!

All we do is accept our need for a savior and receive the free gift offered.

It really is that simple.

Nope, don’t need to get your act together first.

You can never clean yourself up enough anyway.

Do you tend to complicate the message God has made simple?

Don’t add impediments to someone’s salvation.

Keep it simple!

His Amazing Grace

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 3:23

 

Society today seems so enamored with labeling or classifying people.

We hear things like: He is part of an indigenous class or she enjoys protected status due to her gender and race or that man is wealthy but his son is dirt poor and on and on.

It was no different in Jesus’ day.

There were publicans and Samaritans, lepers and...you get the picture.

But there is one thing that levels all the playing fields we can possibly create.

We are all sinners (you and me and everyone else) in need of a savior.

That is true to believer and unbeliever alike.

Do you label yourself an agnostic or atheist?

It matters little at the end of your life.

You too are lost and without hope unless you place your trust in Jesus Christ.

He alone is the remedy for sin and has paid the debt we carried.

You can label or identify yourself any way you choose and not change the truth of that need.

As for me –

The words of the hymn say it all:

“I once was lost but now am found

Was blind but now I see.”

His amazing grace extends to you too.

Will you receive it today?

An Engraved Invitation

“Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

Matthew 8:7

 

Can you imagine an invitation like this?

Really!

How would you respond?

Jesus made this statement to a Roman Centurion.

That’s right – He made it to the ‘enemy’.

His offer was to an officer of the occupying army.

Jesus was supposed to be the Messiah of the Jews.

How could such an offer be extended to one whom the Jews despised?

Jesus was full of surprises and I am sure this exchange raised a few eyebrows.

Not the least of which were the prim and proper elders of the people.

After all there were plenty of the Children of Abraham who could use a touch by Jesus and here he was ‘wasting’ it on a heathen.

But Jesus recognized a faith-filled heart and a wise man.

Time and again he would extend mercy to those in need.

This man came on behalf of his servant but came to Jesus with a greater understanding of who he truly was than most of the leaders of the synagogue and religious rulers of the people.

Jesus Christ hasn’t changed.

He offers healing, mercy, compassion and forgiveness to whosoever will.

He offers it to you.

Under the Microscope

“But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another.”

Galatians 6:4 (Amplified)

“Eyes on your own paper!”

Remember hearing that refrain from teachers when you were in school?

It was a cautionary statement meant to remind us “No cheating allowed!”

Paul is saying much the same thing in his letter to the Galatian church.

Scrutinize your own work.

Eyes on your own life and work please!

We all do well to heed that advise because we often want to point out the other persons eye spec in spite of our own crippling beam in the eye.

The word scrutinize is defined as:

“to examine closely and minutely”

Did you get that?

Examine your actions, attitudes and behaviors minutely.

Not someone else’s, your own.

Pick them apart.

Look at them frontwards, backwards, upside down and inside out.

When you do that, in concert with the Holy Spirit, you will know the personal satisfaction and inner joy Paul spoke of.  

Turn

“Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].”

James 1:2-3 (Amplified)

So much is contained in these two short verses.

I have used the Amplified version to help us better understand the intent.

However, I have to be honest with you – this is one of those passages that we often read and wish secretly it wasn’t in the book!

Trials = Joy is an equation that just doesn’t add up for most of us.

And to top it off, when we are in a trial some well-meaning brother or sister comes along and quotes these verses and it’s like a poke in the eye.

“Thanks for the encouragement!” we think to ourselves.

But take a second look at the end results – spiritual maturity and inner peace.

Who would refuse that?

The truth is – many do.

Trials are a turning point.

For some, it turns them away from God while others face the same trial and turn to God.

What trials might you be in the midst of?

What direction are they turning you?

Let me encourage you with this –

 “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

II Corinthians 3:16

As you turn to Him, even the purposes in the trials you are enduring become clear.

Will you turn to Him?

Careful to Do!

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,

but you shall meditate on it day and night,

so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;

for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous!

Do not tremble or be dismayed,

for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:8,9

Meditate on the Word of God.

The original Hebrew word for meditate is to “mutter to oneself”.

Do you “mutter” God’s Word?

The New Testament teaches us, in Ephesians 5, to:

“...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The importance of meditating, reading, declaring and applying the Word of God in your life cannot be overstated.

There is personal benefit and there is benefit to others when you speak His Word.

The command above was from God to Joshua.

But make no mistake, its relevance is no less valid in our day and to each of us.

God not only commanded Joshua to meditate on it but even said to do so “...day and night...”

Make it a habit, make it a lifestyle, make it a priority.

So that you may be careful to do....

A Sure Fire Guarantee

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,

but you shall meditate on it day and night,

so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;

for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous!

Do not tremble or be dismayed,

for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:8,9

Who doesn’t want to be successful?

Suppose there was a sure fire guaranteed way to make that happen?

Would you follow the directions that were given?

There is such a way.

It’s staring you in the face right now!

Joshua 1:8 and 9

Is it really that simple?

Yes, it is.

Meditate on Gods’ word day and night and do according to all that is written in it.

But remember that biblical success is defined as fulfilling God’s purposes for your life.

The promise to the one who does these things is not you may have success – it is you will have success.

God is a promise keeper.

He can be trusted.

His word to you is sure.

...and that’s a sure fire guarantee!

You and Yours

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,

but you shall meditate on it day and night,

so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;

for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous!

Do not tremble or be dismayed,

for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:8,9

“But God, why won’t you wave a magic wand and make me successful?”

No, we may never utter those words but often our behavior implies them.

Look again at the verses above, only this time count how many times God uses the word “you” or “your” when speaking to Joshua.

How many did you find?

Ten?

Good!

Maybe you thought success depended just on God but now you know better.

You have an essential role; a pivotal role.

As a matter of fact, you are the single greatest predictor of your success.

You read that right!

No magic wand.

God would give them the land but that did not mean Joshua and the Israelites would do nothing.

They would fight for what He gave them but He would most certainly keep His promise.

Are you waiting for God to move?

Consider perhaps that He is waiting on you.

Success is...?

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

 “Be strong and very courageous.

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you;

do not turn from it to the right or to the left,

that you may be successful wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:6,7

How would you finish the sentence: “Success is...?”

Now suppose we tightened the question down a bit and asked:

“Biblical success for the Christian is...?”

Would your answer be different?

How do we define biblical success?

Suppose you were Joshua; how would success be measured for him?

If we were to look at the passage above, I would suggest success for him to be “...you shall give this people possession of the land...”

How will God measure success in your life?

What has he purposed for you to do?

What gifts and talents has He equipped you with to fulfill that purpose?

“I don’t know.” is not an answer unless you are a newborn believer.

As you grow in your walk with God you will also learn and refine His call and purpose for your life.

Your success is measured by walking out that purpose and advancing His Kingdom by what He has given you.

Your success or lack of failure will not determine His love for you (that is unchanging) nor will it gain or deny you access into heaven (that is only through the finished work of Christ).

But what a glorious entry into heaven it will be if we can declare “It is finished”, knowing we have successfully completed our purpose on the earth!

A Better Way

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children.

But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram,

“The Lord has kept me from having children.

Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Abram agreed to what Sarai said.”

Genesis 16:1-2

We spoke previously about resisting the urges we all face and learning to wait on Gods’ time.

So what are the more common urges most of us must learn to resist.

They are:

1.     Resist the urge to live in the past by enjoying the present!

We want to rehash the old days. Old ways and old problems and we never take the time to enjoy the blessing of the day – Remember:

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

2.     Resist the urge to make things happen by living in submission to God.

Our tendency is to find other ways of getting what we desire instead of waiting on Gods’ ways.

3.     Resist the urge to compromise by waiting for Gods’ best.

Our tendency is to compromise our beliefs and convince ourselves that second best is o.k.

Certainly you can probably add to this list but those three are ones we all face at one time or another.

How will you handle those urges?

Resist

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children.

But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram,

“The Lord has kept me from having children.

Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Abram agreed to what Sarai said.”

Genesis 16:1-2

Resist!

Resist the urge to handle things on your own.

Much can be said about Sarai’s comment:

“The Lord has kept me from having children...” but the point I want to make is that we are all tempted to take matters into our own hands.

We try to justify in a hundred different ways.

We even blame God as Sarai did.

But it never ends well when our preemptive moves bypass the timetable God has set.

So again I say resist.

Don’t act on those urges.

Maybe I sound like a parent giving their young teenager THAT talk.

But the results of retreating, no matter the reason, can be far more devastating than we might imagine.

Second chances?

Sure, God gives second chances.

But like Abraham, we still may have an Ishmael to deal with.

You know that old expression – resistance is futile?

In this case it is not futile, it is essential.

It’s worth saying a third time!

Resist the urge to take matters into your own hands!

Father Knows Best

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:14

Hurry up and wait.

Who likes to wait?

Most of us hate it.

It might be the checkout line at the grocery store or a waiting room for a doctor’s appointment; doesn’t matter – we quickly grow impatient.

When my wife knows she has to wait, she brings along a book.

Maybe you wait by studying, praying or worrying.

I suppose there are as many different ways to pass the time as there are people needing to wait!

But here is something to remember – many Christians fail to receive the fulfillment of an expectation because they will not wait for Gods’ appointed time.

We step in ahead of God, tired of waiting, and take matters into our own hands.

Biggest problem with that, where do I begin?

Like the title of the old TV series form the fifties – Father knows best!

Your heavenly Father does indeed know best concerning your life.

Yes, better than even you.

So next time you find yourself waiting on God, don’t try to solve things on your own.

Trust God and His timetable.

Synchronize Your Watches

“There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens...”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

God has times and seasons for our lives.

We have times and seasons for our lives.

Sometimes we forget to synchronize our watches (so to speak) with God.

We show up expecting something from Him only to be disappointed.

It’s not likely we misunderstand His promise it’s more likely we misunderstand His timing.

God made a promise to Abraham.

But if you know the story it took a while for that promise to be fulfilled.

Not because God forgot, but because Abraham and Sarah’s expectation didn’t match Gods’ perfect timing.

God sent His Son Jesus at the exact moment in history that He had purposed.

I think we sometimes picture God throwing a dart at a calendar as if He arbitrarily chose a year for the most momentous event in human history.

Or maybe not – maybe we hold those thoughts for our own life.

“Surely God has forgotten His promise to me”, we think.  

But be assured, He has not forgotten.

His seeming delay is instead His perfect timing.

It’s time (forgive the pun) to synchronize your watch with God!

The Necessary No’s!

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

Titus 2:11-12

No!

It is a word we don’t like.

We especially don’t like hearing “No!” when we are determined to only hear “Yes!”

But notice, if you will, who is to say “No” in the scripture above.

The grace of God teaches us to say no!

It teaches us to say no to ungodliness, no to worldly passions, no to self-centered selfishness.

Jesus spoke of it when He said:

 "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23

Do you have trouble saying no?

I sometimes do?

But the grace of God is always there to teach us so that even when it is difficult we know it is necessary.

Don’t turn away from the necessary no’s in your life.

They can help you grow in grace.

Time Well Spent

Teach us to number our days,

    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

Do you use your time wisely?

The clock really is a great equalizer.

No matter your fortune or fame you get the same 24/7 as everyone else.

There are unlimited ways to spend that time.

Not all of those ways are evil, not all of those ways are good.

How you withdraw from that daily account of 1,440 minutes is up to you.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to take stock of how your time is spent.

When you take out work, sleep, and other necessary things what do you do with the time that is left?

The Psalmist made his request to God that he might use it wisely and so gain that heart of wisdom.

I have met some wise men and woman.

They have learned this truth.

I have met some foolish people too.

An extra few minutes here or there is like the proverbial dollar that burns a hole in their pocket.

It is spent on frivolous and sometimes even foolish endeavors.

Take the time to evaluate your time.

It is time well spent!

No Resolutions Here

It is so easy to fall into the trap of setting New Year resolutions.

Why do I call them a trap?

Because when we inevitably fail to keep them, the guilt sets in.

Our self-talk becomes lethal, denigrating our will power and perseverance.

Instead of New Year’s resolutions how about this:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Are there changes needed in your life?

There sure are in mine.

So why not lift those requests to God.

Let God become your ally in strengthening you and changing you.

It is His desire that we all be changed to conform to the image of His Son.

I am so grateful that it goes beyond a resolution to a heavenly alliance through prayer.

After all, with God all things are possible!

Happy New Year

May His Goodness Be Showered on You in Abundance in 2019

Happy New Year from

Choose the River