Matthew 28:20 9/8/2020*

“ I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

This verse is so familiar to us that we must be careful not to miss its impact.

The ascension of Jesus was at hand, so He looked at His disciples and said: “I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS” …. In the original language every word of that statement was emphatic. 

This was not a farewell. It was a declaration of a continuing presence from the Creator…. a promise of immeasurable importance. – offering a perfect relationship with God which had not been obtainable since the Garden. 

On the Cross, God turned His back on His own Son so He would never have to turn His back on you...because of that - Christ said -  I am with you now…and I will be with you forever.

Jesus’ statement was not only directed at Peter, James and the rest…He was talking to you and me.

This is our salvation statement…It is the anchor that holds us through the storm. “I am with you” is the promise that takes us from victim to victorious. It separates Christianity from religion…We are His temple. His presence resides with us - we are inseparable.

If you believe that Jesus is eternally with you – What power can harm you? Whether you are in a global crisis - or you are privately holding the hand of a terminally ill loved one…There is still that promise…YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

We all have moments when we feel abandoned…when our soul feels empty…but according to this scripture He is always there. 

He weeps with you when you are broken – He smiles when you rally back from your grief. -  He guards your heart when it breaks and catches the pieces to put it back together again. He laughs when you are joyful…. There are no paths that you walk alone. There is nothing that can separate you from Him …NOTHING.

What a great assurance...what a great foundation…What can intimidate you? You are loved – you are redeemed - and your salvation is permanent. 

Walk in the promise of Christ’s presence - and from that position of security confidently offer the love you undeservedly received from your Father - to those who don’t deserve it from you. 

“Do you not realize that the love the Father bestowed on the perfect Christ - He now bestows on you?”  - Charles Spurgeon

Judges 17:6 9/1/2020*

“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

This verse describes a time of idolatry and moral decline in Israel which mirrors what is emerging in America today.  We have lost our compass. There is no “True North” - every man does what is right in his own eyes.

This is called secular humanism and it is the path to national insanity.  

I don’t say that to be dramatic - it is simply a fact. 

When you declare that killing a child is ethical as long as the child is still in the womb – that is madness. 

When we physically attack people based on skin color, or opinions – that is lunacy.

Secular Humanism declares that man decides morality and that there are no absolutes…Of course, no one really believes this – if someone says they do, steal their wallet, and see is they think that’s “absolutely” wrong or not.

Yet we teach this self-centered ideology that when fueled by lack of biblical knowledge produces what we see on the news… anger and ignorance – and that is a dangerous mixture. 

Israel’s deterioration occurred just one generation after Moses - So societal decay does not take long. 

We must re-discover our compass. We must again teach right and wrong to our children…truth is not a moving target… it is God established and rigid.  

Young people in our country have been lied to…and the seeds of deceit are producing a bitter harvest.  We have removed “thus sayeth the Lord” from their education and we are paying the price.

We must teach biblical truth again. They must be told that there are consequences for sin…that arrogance and ignorance of scripture leads to destruction…and that our country’s only hope is to humble ourselves and return to God. 

Political parties do not set righteousness standards - they either adhere to them or they do not…. you should vote accordingly.  

But our aim must be to destroy the lie we have tolerated, that we are gods who establish our own truths. 

Eternal, unmovable, biblical truth is the key to freeing our society from secular humanism and it is our only hope to restore righteousness and freedom to our culture. 

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - Jesus

   

Luke 10:36-37 8/25/2020*

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?”  And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan in answer to a lawyer who was trying to establish who he had to love to fulfill the commandment “love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Jesus doesn’t tell him how to identify a neighbor - but instead how to be a neighbor. 

The subtle message in that answer is one we need to hear today.  

By worldly definition, the victim in the story was not a “neighbor” of the Samaritan. Their culture would have made them enemies…. different tribe and ethnicity. In fact, making the Samaritan the hero of the story probably offended the Jews.

But Jesus is teaching a lesson. He is showing that skin color, ethnic origin, nationality…none of these matter in the Kingdom of God. 

He is telling us not to worry about who the person in need is…worry about who we are.

 In the parable the Priest and the Levite who passed by the injured man were just too busy. The things on their “to-do list” precluded them from being a neighbor that day and If we are not careful our calendar can do the same thing to us.

Some days it seems there isn’t time to fit being a Christian into our busy schedule. But Jesus says go and act like the guy whose schedule took a backseat to his Christianity.

 There are people near you who need to feel loved…Will you make time?…Is that a priority to you?

Will you call the senior citizen who has been trapped in their room for months and talk to them for a while?

Will you mow the yard of the person down the street who is struggling?

Will you call the friend who lost their job and offer a helping hand?

Jesus said – “go and do the same”.…He is telling you to mimic someone who allowed another person’s problem to interrupt their schedule.

Love is seldom convenient - so act when the opportunity presents itself - don’t just agree with the concept…make a plan and do it today  

“You do not write your life with words. . . You write it with actions.“ - Patrick Ness

Psalm 103:2 8/18/2020*

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;”

How often do you stop and thank God for individual blessings? It seems we ignore blessings until they disappear.  

Just six months ago - did you thank God when you went to a concert or a ball game?...Did you appreciate being able to hug your grandmother?...  Were you grateful that you could meet friends at a restaurant in a carefree environment?

Probably not…What about now?  When did you last thank God for the good things you have today?

Even with all the problems we face – We are awash in blessings. Most people on earth would trade places with us in a heartbeat. Do you thank God for those benefits?

Have you thanked Him that there is a grocery store – or just complained about wearing a mask? 

Are you grateful for our brave first responders – or do you just grumble about the fraction that abuse authority?

Do you appreciate your right to vote – or do you spend your time complaining about the choices?

It is completely up to you – the mood of your life depends on what you do with this verse.

Make the choice to be thankful. Stop spreading criticism and despair. Quit telling everyone what they’re doing wrong and instead find a way to encourage. Constantly correcting and arguing does not come from your intellect – it comes from your ego.  

When I coached there were inevitably players who felt the need to continually tell other players what they were doing wrong.  My usual comment to them was: “You encourage, and I’ll coach”. 

I think God may be saying that to some of us right now.

Maybe we should stop pointing fingers and look in the mirror. Maybe we should have some faith and be reassuring. God is working out revival and restoration as we speak…That is His job…our job is to trust that He is working.

Live differently today…Instead of anxiously focusing on the virus…or fretting about the economy… or worrying about politics – open your eyes to your current blessings.

See the things God is doing and be grateful.  It will change you from the inside out.  And perhaps when others hear your thankfulness - it will disrupt the flow of negativity- and rescue those around you from despair. 

“The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.”- Robert Louis Stevenson

Psalm 51:10 8/11/2020*

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

David wrote this prayer after his greatest personal failing and it reflected a sentiment that, despite his sinfulness, made David a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22)

“Create in me a clean heart” is not a request for renovation – but a plea for new construction.…David desires to have his adulterous heart obliterated and replaced with a clean heart free from lust, selfishness, and pride.   

“Renew a steadfast Spirit” is an appeal to be made faithful.  David asks to have a loyal spirit restored within him that will allow him to please God and resist temptation.

Though he is a king, David is not decreeing what he plans to do for himself – he is begging God to do something for him. Trying to have communion with God any other way is a waste of time. Your sanctification is solely dependent on God’s authority and grace. All you bring to the table is your need.

David remorsefully admits his guilt and asks for forgiveness.  He does not blame Bathsheba for bathing on the balcony.  He does not excuse his infidelity by citing the pressure of being king.  Nor does he attempt to minimize his sin…. He confesses in brokenness, offers no excuse, and repents. 

To chase after God’s own heart is to agree with His standard.  To acknowledge His truth as the only truth. To have a clear mirror that shows your faults. No deflection. No justification.  No self-help theory…Just a recognition of your corruptness, and a desire for forgiveness and transformation. 

No matter how catastrophic your fall has been… you can be redeemed. You need a clean heart - and a spirit that is loyal to your King. You cannot acquire either of these through good works, or religious ceremonies…so run to God and find them in Him…abandon all hope except the hope based on God’s sacrificial mercy.

Desperately cling to God… Be a man after His own heart. Nothing satisfies the soul like unpolluted fellowship with your Heavenly Father. And nothing will bring change to your life – except a humble recognition that you are morally bankrupt - and a deep longing to have God make you new.

“I want to deliberately encourage this mighty longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate.”  - A.W. Tozer

Matthew 14:15-17 8/4/2020*

But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!”  They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

Jesus told the disciples to feed a crowd of thousands…and one word polluted their response.

There is a difference in saying “We have five loaves of bread"... and saying, “We have (only) five loaves of bread”... one word moves the response from informative to argumentative.

Christ’s comment was not a question… He did not ask them to evaluate the difficulty of locating diner for 5000 people.  He clearly and simply said “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

What he wanted was for them to have faith.  To take their eyes of earthly restrictions and look to the power of God. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6) … and when you have it you do not look for obstacles – you look for pathways. 

Faith in God means I bring what I have to Jesus… fully expecting that it is enough. Faith is not a desperate last resort – it is my first and only strategy. 

Each day when I open the Word of God it contains clear commands like – fear not – love others – trust God– have peace. 

Yet my tendency is to point out the problems with these orders.… How can I not fear with sickness all around?...How can I love in the middle of hate? … What peace can be found in a divided nation?

Admittedly those commands are difficult… and to ignore difficulty is irrational.  A man who does not understand his own limitations is foolish…But a man who thinks God is limited is a fool.  

Faith is deciding to look at God’s power – instead of my weakness… I must start each day aware that God is able.  I lay what I have at His feet and expect miracles.  Faith is the Christian’s nuclear weapon…it does not point out obstacles – it destroys them.  

Though the crowd around you is starving for truth and it feels overwhelming – they do not need to go away – you need to feed them - bring your limited resources to Christ, stand back, and watch what He does.

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time. – Oswald Chambers

Proverbs 6:6-8 7/28/2020*

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!  It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”

Self-discipline seems to be disappearing. Our culture is becoming entitled and less willing to work. That attitude is not supported in scripture. If you believe that life is supposed to be easy, or that the world owes you something – then you and the bible disagree.

Scripture says we are to be responsible for ourselves and others. We are meant to work. Daily doing things that will produce a harvest not waiting for someone else to take care of us.

That may not seem compassionate, but there is a difference in being compassionate and enabling…Compassion for others is helpful. Enabling laziness is debilitating and destructive.

But don’t worry about applying this verse to others - because God wrote it to you.  You need to be disciplined. Like the Ant, you need a game plan and a way to implement it… starting today.

Working at the office… working remotely…or looking for a job…You need structure and routine.  Get up early and meet with God – turn off all distractions and focus…don’t wait for others to lead you…lead yourself. 

Discipline is taking small steps that lead to great destinations and it is life changing…The greatest athletes are the most disciplined. Successful entrepreneurs thrive on discipline.  Effective fathers and husbands are those who discipline themselves to the task. 

You will never be excellent by accident.

It may not seem like it, but the kindest thing I can say to you is stop wasting time wishing for things, and discipline yourself to achieve them. 

There are no short cuts. A mansion is built one brick at a time, so put a brick in place today…and tomorrow place another one. Never tolerate self-pity… no one can steal your discipline, so use it to build your dreams. 

Write down specific goals in every area of your life… layout steps needed to achieve those goals…then every day, take those steps.  

If you are not disciplined enough to commit to a year…commit to a day…and tomorrow you can commit again. 

“The best DO sweat the small stuff. They get the seemingly insignificant details right. They have the discipline to focus on the small things which gives birth to spectacular giant things.” -  Robin S. S

Matthew 22:29 7/21/2020*

“Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.”"

This was the answer given by Jesus when the Sadducees tried to trap Him with a question about Heaven… the answer applies to us as well.

When we are in error it is usually because: We either do not know scripture – or we do not grasp the power of God.

Both problems occur because, like the Sadducees, we don’t want to know the truth. We are more inclined to change the truth to fit our lives – than our lives to fit the truth.

Real unmovable truth is found in scripture. Yet we seldom look there… We are well versed on the stock market – political scandals – the latest on Covid – but we do not know scripture because we do not make it a priority.

If you doubt this, consider whether you are more likely to go a day without social media - or a day without the Word of God? Do you live like you believe “All scripture is God breathed”? (2nd Timothy 3) ... or do you “cherry pick” verses that don’t offend or inconvenience you by demanding change?

Jesus said basically the Sadducees were in error because when it came to scripture - they didn’t know what they were talking about…. Do we? 

What inaccuracies exist in our lives because we don’t spend time studying the Word of God? How can we be too busy to read instructions written by the Creator? Our lack of knowledge is a fatal flaw.

The Sadducees second problem was that they had forgotten Who they were dealing with… they had underestimated the power of God.

There is no box big enough to contain God. …. When we try to put Him in one - we make inaccurate assumptions about Who God is - and what He can do. This leads to anxiety and poor decisions.

Decide to treat scripture as the most important information you will receive today - and make disciplined study a non-negotiable priority…Be cognizant of the fact that the One who wrote it is unfathomably powerful.

Understanding Scripture - and recognizing the power of God…Neglecting either of these will lead to a life of error.

“We were given the Scriptures to humble us into realizing that God is right, and the rest of us are just guessing.”
― Rich Mullins

1 Peter 4:8 7/14/2020*

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Sometimes we make this harder than it has to be…This doesn’t say agree with everyone.  It doesn’t say make sure everyone thinks like you think…it says love each other.

In fact, it acknowledges that people will make mistakes, even sin…and yet love covers them. 

When Julie and I were preparing for our wedding Tommy Nelson made a statement that stuck in my mind. He said when he counsels couples with problems he can tell immediately how difficult it will be to reconcile.

If there is a hardness - like metal on metal – things will be challenging. But if there is softness - like rabbit fur hitting rabbit fur – almost anything can be worked out.

Our society has become metal on metal – any little bump creates a permanent dent.  Any collision of concepts wrecks relationships.  We hold our political affiliations like battle flags…We wear our beliefs like game jerseys and if yours is different than mine you are the enemy.  We have completely abandoned the concept of biblical love.

This verse says there is something stronger than political convictions. There is something more important than our feelings…This verse says ABOVE ALL – love each other. 

And it’s not referring to a shallow “I love him, but I don’t like him” kind of love….it says to love each other deeply…And then it tells you why – because love is the rabbit fur of relationships.

It prevents permanent dents and scratches…It allows for differences without division. It prevents a sin from permanently separating people…. How can we as Christians not be different than the rest of the world in this?

Jesus knew the rich young ruler would walk away from Him in disagreement – but loved Him anyway. He didn’t lower the bar of holiness – He didn’t redefine sin to make him comfortable… they never agreed - but Jesus still loved him.

We are to do the same… love each other deeply.  

The most powerful force on the planet is at your disposal. You have been commanded to direct that force generously at each other…If you do this it will change your life, and our society. 

It may not change people’s votes…but it could change their eternity.  

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”  - Jesus

Proverbs 24:16 7/7/2020*

“For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.”

Theology matters.

Righteousness is not about never making mistakes. It is not about living a pristine life. According to this verse it is about tenacity…And that is where theology comes into play. 

If you read the bible as a self-help book to make yourself “better” - you have missed the point. There is no “better” – there is only dead in your sin or redeemed.

Everything in the bible points to the fact that we are not capable of righteousness on our own....  Everything in our arrogant hearts tells us that we are … Either you heart, or your bible is wrong…you need to decide.

Does God love you because you are good… or do you strive for goodness because God loves you?...One path leads to frustration and the other leads to victory and redemption.

Jesus died to make you holy…If there was any other way God would not have paid that price.

That was the only solution because we had all have fallen “short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Because “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ ...” (Romans 6:23)

If you try to earn salvation you will fall short and in frustration, blame God, and become angry.  However, if you accept the gift God offers - you will be given a righteousness that is indestructible.

This gift is what allows you to fall down over and over … and get up and keep going. This amazing grace makes you new each morning. There is no scale of justice…there is no keeping score…there is only mercy.

That is the gospel – The good news is you can be completely holy.  Through the blood of Jesus, you can be unbreakable.

So, do you want to be relentless? –Then get good theology….

Turn from your sin…Surrender to Christ, accept His holiness, and follow Him. Stop polluting your deliverance with self-centered hypocrisy and free yourself to love as you have been loved.

Then and only then, will you be a righteous man who is unstoppable.

“The saints shall persevere in holiness, because God perseveres in grace.” ― Charles H. Spurgeon