Lamentations 2:14 7/30/2019*

“The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin.”

Are the sermons at your church always “I’m OK, you’re OK”?  Are you constantly told that it’s not your fault and there is always someone else to blame?

That may feel nice, but it’s not true….

Some of your problems are completely your fault and require action from you.

On your own merit, you are not OK, and neither am I. We both struggle with sin at times, and if you don’t believe that I can name one of your sins right now.

You need to be part of a community that not only encourages you but lovingly challenges you.  One that will expose sin before it destroys you. You must not only be open to being challenged, but willing to gently challenge others as well.

You say "I don’t want to make my friend uncomfortable"…but If I claim to love you and refuse to point out something that can annihilate you …then my love is questionable.

God says a prophet that doesn’t point out sin is “false and worthless”.

Unfortunately, there are churches all over the world that fall into this category.  They have morphed into self-help organizations that hold pep rallies once a week to build up the congregation’s self-image. But they routinely ignore sin and God calls that false and worthless.

Should we leave church with a bloody nose every Sunday? .... of course not.  But if you have never been irritated by something the pastor says only to go to the bible and discover it is the Truth…then you are listening to a cheerleader not a prophet.

When you choose a church, the music matters, the activities matter, the children’s program is important…but if the pastor doesn’t point out your sin, and no one is watching your walk… then you are being lulled into a comfortable lie.

Find a group of believers that loves you enough to risk hurting your feelings.

Remorse and repentance are part of growth…make sure your pastor accurately handles the word and you have people willing to lovingly pull you back onto the path when you wander off.

“When it comes to privacy and accountability, people always demand the former for themselves and the latter for everyone else.”
― David Brin

Matthew 6:3-4 7/23/2019*

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

This may be one of the most overlooked scriptures in the bible.

Jesus is not only saying don’t publicize your gifts…He is saying hide them. 

You can’t be more secretive than not letting one hand know what the other is doing so I think His meaning is clear.  But why would Christ tell us to be mysterious when we bless others?

Of course, part of it is to avoid the self-centeredness that can result from accepting accolades and appreciation... but there is more to it than that.

There is an intimacy I share with God when only He and I know of my gift. There is a pureness in the offering when it is anonymous and completely without self-elevation.

We crave recognition.  We desire awards and words of appreciation from people or organizations we have helped, but Jesus says by accepting them we are giving up something better.  We are forfeiting the amazing joy that results from giving a pure unsoiled gift to our Creator. We give up the quiet smile from God as He approves our unselfish sacrifice.

The best way to understand the “reward” Jesus is referring to is to experience it. Let me challenge you to secretly bless someone today.  

Give something extravagant to someone who needs it.  Assist a family with a financial gift that God has placed on your heart  …. now here is the fun part…Not only don’t publicize your gift…but don’t even let the people you helped know it came from you.

It will take some planning to ensure your target receives the gift without knowing who sent it. You will need to develop strategies to be a silent donor.  But it will be worth the effort.

Whether it's paying for a stranger’s lunch, or buy a car for a family in need, the amount of the gift is not the point…God loves a cheerful giver. You will experience an amazing nearness to Him as He approves your offering purely motivated by love.

Try it …. You can’t out give God…I can guarantee you that if you secretly bless someone today the blessings will splash out all over you.

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” - Anne Frank

Psalms 14:1 7/16/2019*

“The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."

What does this verse mean? … Is God mocking atheism?

Of course not, God does not believe that atheist exist. God has declared that His existence has been made evident to everyone. 

Romans says, “His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world”.  Psalms says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.”

God knows that you know.  He has put the awareness of His presence in every soul. We are made in His image and we recognize the family resemblance in our innate sense of fairness and desire for justice.

If I take food from one of my atheist friends and eat it because I am bigger than they are, they would say that’s wrong …. but there is no “wrong” without God.

Evolution would require that if I am stronger, I eliminate the weak.  Yet even unbelievers see that as unfair. You will not find this idea of "justice” in any creature other than man, and it comes from being created in God's image.

So why this verse? .... This verse is a warning, not a taunt. It is the equivalent of saying “a fool sleeps on railroad tracks” …. God is not being contemptuous … He’s being cautionary.

God is alerting you to the fact that feeling His existence and seeing His handiwork - and yet declaring that He does not exist, is irrational. 

In fact, your actions argue against your words…. your judgement and condemnation of others is not living as though “there is no God” - it is living as though “you are God” .... and you’re not.

God exists….and He is not calling you names. He is trying to wake you up.  Not only does He exist…He cherishes you and wants to adopt you as His own.  So, denying His existence becomes even more senseless.

You have a choice to make… continue being angry at a god you say does not exist? Or decide to accept the reality of the Creator and seek to know this God who is a "rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6) ...Anything less would be foolish.

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell." - C.S. Lewis

Proverbs 30:33 7/9/2019*

“For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife."

This verse could not be more clear. Anger causes problems…period.

If you google human anger in the bible you will not find a single verse that puts a positive spin on it. Yet we flirt with this emotion daily. 

Our society condones it. We dress it up with words like “passionate” and “fervent”, but it is just run of the mill anger and it causes trouble.

Most of us have never done anything in anger that we are proud of…and yet we cannot count the times it has caused us to do things for which we are ashamed.

Simply put anger makes fools of us and causes conflict.

How many times have you heard a woman angrily snap at her child in the grocery store and thought “what a great mom?” …or overheard a man being rude to his wife in a restaurant and thought “what a good leader”?

Never, right? …Yet when we are angry, we think we are righteous messengers delivering truth to those who need correction. That’s a lie…

We look as stupid as everyone else does when we are controlled by rage…and the results are often devastating.

So why tolerate it?  If there is a snake in my house, I destroy it…yet I allow this poisonous emotion into my home daily… it doesn’t make sense.

So, lets change that… view anger for what it is…a deadly emotion that can ruin your life just as quickly as drugs, alcohol or any other addiction.  The first step in ending these compulsions is to admit you have a problem and do something about it.

Realize that rage deceives you. It is a seductive flaw that disguises selfishness as righteousness and takes control of your mind. Recognize it and reject it.

Begin your “anger sobriety” program today and take it one day at a time. You will be tempted but refrain.  Pray specifically and continually. The longer you resist anger, the less power it will have over you and eventually you can be free of its control.

Change takes action so let’s get started …” My name is ________ and I have a problem with anger.”

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. - Mark Twain

Jeremiah 31:33 7/2/2019*

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

You know the point in a movie when you suddenly realize the hero’s plan to save the prisoners? …that is this verse.

The old testament is full of man’s failure to keep the law of God.  The standard operating procedure for Israel was to get in trouble, be delivered by God, make grand commitments to follow Him, and then fail again and begin serving other gods.

The enemy must have been elated that there was “not one who was righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10), and probably felt as though his strategy was working beautifully.

But this verse is the moment when the devil realizes he has walked into a trap. 

The law was never intended to save us…it was to show us that we needed saving.

Law written on stone can only show me problems, not fix them…but law written on my heart and put in my mind transforms everything.

The game changer is that it is not an outside standard that I continually fail, but an internal change that empowers me to succeed.

This is what salvation is …. not some intellectual ascension to an idea, but a radical procedure where I am given a new heart and a new mind…. Both of which have the law of God tattooed permanently on them.

That is why I am free…not because I improved…but because God made me new.

The Holy Spirit engraving the law of God on your heart is the only way that God can be your God, and you can be His people.

If you are still trying to earn your way, you missed the best part of the movie. You can’t be good enough to earn salvation. The grand plot twist is that your transformation is a gift. Go to your Father, repent, and accept His grace and rest in the work He has already done.

“The old covenant says, “Keep the law and live.” The new covenant is, “You shall live, and I will lead you to keep my law, for I will write it on your heart.”
- Charles Spurgeon

Matthew 6:12 6/25/2019*

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

For years I knelt in locker rooms and recited this pre-game prayer with teammates. But I would always quietly change this one line.  I would say “forgive my debts and ‘help me’ to forgive my debtors”.

Why? …. Because I wanted real forgiveness, not the kind I offer to others. 

I knew the forgiveness I offered came at a high price:

1.    You must feel horrible about yourself.

2.    You must never forget that you failed.

3.    You must understand my forgiveness is temporary and if you stumble again your guilt will all come flooding back.
 

That is not how God has forgiven me…and it is not how I am to forgive others.

Jesus said exactly what He meant to say … I unwisely edited that sentence because it is difficult to live out…it is also incredibly important. It is the linchpin that provides the freedom for me to reflect the heart of God.

We are commanded to love others - and love does not require others to carry the weight of their failures for the rest of their life.

The price paid for our redemption was too great for it to be temporary or partial.  The forgiveness Jesus offers is so complete that once pardoned, our sins are forgotten. (Hebrews 8:12) We are made new and restored to a perfect relationship with Him.  

In this verse He says I must offer the same.

That kind of forgiveness might be difficult for me to accomplish… but if thoughts of your sin creep back into my mind ... I must intentionally take them captive and allow the blood of Christ to cover your iniquities as completely as it has covered mine.

Jesus meant precisely what He said …I am to forgive, as I have been forgiven…The bar is extremely high but if we clear it…it will set us free. 

Is there someone you need to forgive today?  Remove their chains and you will discover that you are the one who is liberated.

It may be a long fight…. You may have to battle those feelings for a while…but it is easier than carrying the weight of unforgiveness….and your freedom is worth the effort.

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” –C.S. Lewis

Psalms 91:1 6/18/2019*

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

It is said that real estate values are determined by three things…location, location, location. The same can be said of Spiritual real estate. Where you dwell spiritually impacts how you live.

Anxiety and fear are everywhere in our society.  We deal with those emotions every day.  Exhausted, confused, and scared seems to be the norm. But that condition is the exact opposite of rest, and this “911” Psalm says our spiritual location can provide the remedy.

The background on my computer is a photograph of a baby polar bear at the entrance of a cave.  Behind him, inside the cave you can just make out the image of the mama bear … huge, powerful, and watching.

That background is there to remind me that if I dwell in the shelter of the Most High…I am well protected in His shadow. No anxiety can invade that sanctuary. My safety is determined by my proximity to my Father.

Like the baby bear, when I am close to my protector, I am untouchable…if I wander off, I am defenseless. There is no middle ground.  My safety is not found in my strength but in the power of the one who loves me. 

If you are experiencing fear and anxiety it could be that you have wandered from home. You have drifted away from the most powerful Guardian that has ever existed.

Turn around…deliberately DWELL with your Heavenly Father.  That doesn’t mean go to church once a week, it means live each moment in God’s love…Make that your permanent residence…. Rest there and let God deal with those who would harm you.

The enemy is a liar and fear and anxiety are his favorite subjects, but they are empty and powerless when you live under the protection of The Almighty God of the universe.

Pick up your shield of faith and run to your Father… and for the first time in long time…rest. Take a nap in His shelter knowing that His unimaginable power protects you.

If you want a visual, Google “mama polar bear and cub” and see a reminder of where you live spiritually… a picture that hints at what the shelter of the Most High looks like.

Let that picture remind you that your peace can never be disturbed when you rest in the shadow of the One that loves you. 

“You're safe not because of the absence of danger, but because of the presence of God.”

Anonymous

Matthew 18:12 6/11/2019*

 “… If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”

What do you think of when you read this parable?

Jesus is talking about how valuable each of us are no matter how far we have drifted from Him. How much He loves each one of us individually.

Have you, like me, read this verse and been amazed at the drug users, thieves, and prostitutes that Christ has joyfully carried back from their wanderings?

If so, then like me, you missed it.  

How can I say this nicely?... YOU are that lost sheep. You and I are the ones He had to go find.

He didn’t say the sheep ran away…He said it wandered off. Maybe It wandered off because it thought it was safe. It thought it didn’t need the Shepherd like those really bad sheep do.

Like the Pharisee that prayed “thank you, God, that I am not like other people.” (Luke 18:8) I have been guilty of being impressed at how much God can love other sinners…when I should be astounded that He can love me.

How subtle is the temptation to think of others when I read this passage?

Pride and self-righteousness are deadly, and they flourish when I have the wrong view of myself. This verse makes it crystal clear that I have a problem with my opinion of me…. my default position is that I have always been better than most … that is a fatal flaw.

If you struggle in this area realize that God knows you…the real you, and He came to find you anyway.  Take a long look in the mirror and humbly thank God for covering the sin in your life and for constantly tracking you down when you wander from the herd. Stand amazed that His love makes you clean.

If you keep the right perspective of who you are…you will see others through the eyes of Christ and be eager to find sheep who have wandered off…. and as one that has been lost yourself…you can help lead them back to safety.

“Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.”
- Charles Spurgeon

Luke 23:43 6/4/2019*

“And He said to him, "I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise."

Do you ever look at all the pain and suffering in the world and feel like God couldn’t be concerned with your problems?

This verse might give you some insight into that idea. 

In this passage, Jesus was on the cross at the most critical moment of God’s plan to redeem all of humanity. He was in unspeakable pain and in the midst of fulfilling prophecies which had been written thousands of years earlier about His death….and yet He paused.

At the most important moment in all of human history, Jesus turned to a thief on a cross next to Him to comfort him and deliver him from his sin. Jesus put the process that would bring salvation to all the world on hold to love a sinner.

I don’t know the guy’s name that was on the cross next to Jesus…but every angel in Heaven does.  They must have watched in amazement as their King stopped to ease the pain of this condemned criminal.

When the enemy tries to convince you that you don’t matter.  When you can’t imagine God caring about your problems because of who you are, and what you’ve done. Remember this verse…. He didn’t come to save the masses. 

He came to save individuals…He came to save you.

The plan of salvation is universal…but it is a very personal matter to Jesus.  He knew you before you were born. He knew all that you would do, and the price it would take to redeem you. Jesus did what He did because He loves you, and your situation matters to Him.

Cry out to Him today, and all of eternity will stop and wait as He turns to you to comfort and deliver you.  Rest in that truth, rely on this example, and know that He loves you personally and no matter what else is happening…He cares about your problems. He is aware of your suffering… and He has purchased your pardon.

There's no place too dark for God's light to penetrate and no heart too difficult to be set aflame by His love.
- Sammy Tippit

John 2:15 5/28/2019*1*

“So He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.”

I read an interesting book called “Unoffendable” which dealt with “righteous indignation”. This has been one of my go-to emotions, and I have used what Jesus did in this verse to justify my actions when I felt like being an angry Christian.

The “What Would Jesus Do” movement may have confused me. I have decided that Instead of “WWJD”, my bracelet should have said “WWJHMD” (What would Jesus HAVE ME do).  Since I am not the Messiah, what Jesus did and what I should do, aren’t always the same thing.

For instance, when they brought people to Jesus, He forgave them of their sins… But since I’m not Jesus… I can’t forgive you of your sins…. And for the same reason I may not be qualified to chase people out of church with a whip.

The fact is, I am not qualified to have righteous indignation - because I am not righteous… And while I abhor sin and will stand against it, I am not qualified to abhor sinners.

So now, with your own moral outrage, you say, “but we are called to judge sin!” ... and you are right. The great failing of the church is that in order to not offend we have stopped calling sin what it is, and this has gutted the gospel of its life changing power.

So, we must stand our ground when dealing with false teachers. But what should our demeanor towards them be? … Haven’t we all been healed of the same disease? …Can we be angry at those who are still afflicted by it?  We can’t ignore the illness. ... but shouldn’t we be trying to get them the cure?

Besides, the overwhelming Holiness of God makes our irritation inconsequential. God is their judge, and His wrath is far more pertinent to the situation than ours.

The bible is clear… Our job is to speak the truth in love…not in anger.  It may not feel as good as righteous rage…but it is what we are called to do, and it is what Jesus said would identify us as His.

"God has nothing to say to the self-righteous."

- Dwight L. Moody