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In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Psalm 33:21 (NIV)
Father, I rejoice in you today because I can trust you. In an era when trust is hard to find I know I can always come to you and find you.
I know that you will be the same every time I seek you. Your love for me doesn’t change when I rebel against you. Your forgiveness is free for the asking even when my attitude isn’t right.
There are many around me who make claims about the great things they will accomplish, but their words are hollow. When you say something will happen, I know it will be just as you say.
Times change. People change. Yet the principles you set at the foundation of the world remain solid and secure because you have spoken it.
I rejoice in the many blessings you have given us.
I rejoice in the gift of family, of the love between a man and a woman, of the miracle of new birth, of the proud smile of a grandparent as they hold the assurance of their posterity.
I rejoice in the gift of friendships that encourage us to move on, allow us to cry on their shoulders, support us even when they don’t agree with us, and comfort us when we mourn.
I rejoice in your Holy Word, the Bible, for in it we have simple truths that lead us to eternal life along with principles for living that will guide us through the most difficult of times.
I rejoice in your gift of diversity. Just as no snowflake is alike, my world is full of different colors, different people, different cultures and different traditions. All these join together to testify to your greatness.
Most of all, Holy Father, I rejoice in your name. A name tells us about character and integrity. Your name, Jehovah, never changes and has withstood the attacks of time.
And I rejoice in that name that is above all names. The name that brings hope, forgiveness, understanding and patience. The name of your son, Christ Jesus my Lord.
Amen.
But if Christ lives in you, the Spirit is life for you because you have been put right with God, even though your bodies are going to die because of sin. Romans 8:10 (GNT)
‘Christ lives in you.’
Let those words dwell in your heart for a few minutes. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God indwells you. Jesus. The one who touched the leper, the blind, the crippled and in so doing restored not only their physical lives but their emotional, social and spiritual health.
Jesus, the one who reached out to the immoral, the rebellious, the confused and by so doing took away the shame and guilt that had plagued them for so long.
Jesus, the one who took a few uneducated, rough individuals and turned them into a mighty team who turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6) with their teaching and miracles.
Jesus, the one who came so you could get to know the Father; who died so you could live; who rose again so you no longer need to be afraid of death.
This same Jesus indwells each of us. What a marvelous fact. No other religion in the world offers us the opportunity for God himself to indwell us like Jesus does.
Just before Jesus left us to sit at the right hand of the Father and intercede for us, he promised us that he would never leave us, never forsake us, never forget about us. His seal, his proof of the covenant between him and us was his Spirit.
In John 14 & 15 Jesus tells us about his Spirit. He calls him a comforter, a counselor, a friend, an advocate who will guide us through the storms, comfort us in the pain, and give us wisdom when we are under attack.
Why is it then, that this body of Christ we call the church has such a hard time with this Spirit of Christ sent to dwell within us? Go into any Christian Church on any given Sunday to talk about Jesus and you will be welcomed with open arms. But speak about the Spirit and people will squirm.
This Spirit you have within you is the Spirit of Jesus! We don’t have any problem knowing how Jesus would act, but we argue about what his Spirit can do in us, through us and for us. Jesus sent us his Spirit so that we could live in unity, power and freedom, yet we often live in discord, weakness and enslaved by legalistic thinking.
The ultimate irony! That which was given to us to empower us has divided us. That which was given to give us peace has brought fear. Let us, as a community of Christ come together and live by the Spirit of Christ that is within us. By so doing our words and actions will show the world the power of a loving Savior who came, not to condemn, but to free us from condemnation.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you for your promised Holy Spirit in my life. I praise you that your Spirit was given so that You could live in me. Forgive us Lord for failing to use the power within us to show the world your love and forgiveness. Empower us with your Spirit so that the world will see you in us. Amen.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. Hebrews 1:1-2
What do you do when you have important information you want delivered to someone? Historically, the answer to that question would be to tell them, face to face. To announce the message personally would be the clearest, most understandable way. Messengers would be okay, but sometimes the message may be so important you couldn’t trust it to anyone else. In that case you would most likely deliver the message personally to avoid any misunderstanding.
Today of course, the rules have changed. Face to face contact is no longer necessary and can even be impossible. Still you can send a letter (spelled S-N-A-I-L M-A-I-L); you could send an email; make a phone call or text. Today’s technology makes it easy to contact most anyone at any moment.
Still, with all the technology that is out there, the best and most effective way to get your message to people so you are sure they understand is face to face contact. (For me, that is most preferably done at a coffee shop, but you may choose your own poison!
When the creator God of the universe was nearly finished with his creative work, he looked around him and said (to his Son and his Spirit), it’s not enough. I have one more creative work in me, a masterpiece that will be like none other. The angels watched in awe as the Triune God created man and woman. They marveled at the relationship the ensued in the Garden of Eden. God, Adam and Eve, walking hand in hand down the garden path. The humans listening to the love language of their creator.
When sin entered the world through that first couple, everything changed. While God still loved his ultimate creation, mankind, their sin forced him to look away. He longed for that relationship to be restored. He put a plan in place (the Law of Moses) to try to reconcile them, but that didn’t work. He spoke to them through prophets and through nature. God did everything he could to gather our attention to his desire to enjoy the love relationship we once had with him.
The urgency of the message determines the method of delivering the message. The most urgent message is relayed face to face. So that is just what he did. Time was short and his message needed to be heard. So, Creator God sent his very own son, his flesh of flesh so to speak, to send a face to face message to his beloved.
Jesus Christ was sent to deliver Gods’ message of love, forgiveness and grace. The ultimate message of love delivered in the most marvelous of ways. God with us. Emmanuel. Alleluia. When your smart phone has a message for you it says something on the order of ‘you have mail’. Jesus was sent to remind you of the message of love from your Heavenly Father.
PRAYER: Father God. Jehovah God. Daddy. I am so thankful for Jesus. So unworthy of your love, but so glad to receive your message of love, hope and forgiveness through him. Thank you for seeking me out. Thank you for sending the ultimate message of love. Amen.
And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted. Hebrews 2:18 (NCV)
In his book “From Values to Action” author Harry M. Jansen Kraemer Jr. states it is important for each of us to ‘remember the cube.’ His statement is in reference to the importance of leaders to remember what it was like in their career journey. To be reminded of the long days working in the small 4’ X 6’ cubicle where there was little room and no privacy.
A leader who ‘remembers the cube’ will be more likely to understand the struggles of those who they work with. They will be more sensitive to the mistakes, the failures, and the insecurity of the new people on staff.
One of the blessings of our walk with Jesus is that he ‘remembers the cube’ in relation to our own spiritual journey. We are told in several places in the Bible that Jesus was tempted ‘just as we are’. Does that mean that Jesus was tempted to visit inappropriate websites? Of course not, but he was fully God and fully man. That means that, although we don’t like to think of it, he was tempted with feelings of lust. Those temptations didn’t lead to sin, but because he was tempted in that way, he knows our struggle.
It’s easy for those of us that have experienced victory in certain areas of our lives to look down our noses at those who still struggle with the walk. “They’ve been to church; I had a Bible Study with them once. They should know better” isn’t a statement of understanding but of judgment. Jesus didn’t come to judge the world, but to set us free.
While Jansen’s remarks are directed mainly towards those in leadership positions, his words have spiritual merit as well. If we remember our own weaknesses it will be far easier to extend God’s grace to those who continue to fail, continue to struggle and continue to make harmful choices for themselves and others. Does that mean we agree, condone or enable them to continue down their destructive path? Certainly not. But basing our attitude towards their failure on our own weaknesses does much to direct our approach in a more merciful direction.
Jesus Christ was tempted to sin. His temptation wasn’t confined to the wilderness. It was a daily occurrence for him, just as it is for us. Even though he never gave into that temptation, he knows its power and its pull.
Because of that, he understands your struggle, and how easy it could be to fail. He understands mine as well. Temptation isn’t failure, it’s an opportunity for us to grow our character. Every time we resist temptation in our lives our character grows stronger. We can help others grow a stronger, deeper character when we ‘remember the cube.’
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you that you endured the same types of temptation I do so you can better understand my struggle. Empower me to resist the temptations I face through the power of your Holy Spirit. When others harm me, help me to ‘remember the cube.’ In your name, Amen.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
Adam tried it, so did Eve. They borrowed a couple fig leaves from a neighboring tree. But God came looking for them in the cool of the evening, right about the time they took their normal walk.
Moses tried it too. He ran off into the wilderness and just about the time he thought he’s succeeded, God ignited a bush with an eternal flame.
Elijah used an obscure cave for his game of deified hide-and-seek. But God sought him out with a fire and windstorm before he quietly whispered his name.
Jonah used extra-ordinary measures as well, using the sea as his method of escape, but God intervened and used a fish to bring Jonah to his senses.
Before you are too hard on these men of God, think of how you try to hide from God. It’s easy to try to hide from God through religious activities, work, and family duties. Usually we hide from God because we are afraid of what he will think of us. We may think that unless we do certain things he won’t approve of us or consider us ‘holy’. After all, doesn’t the Bible tell us to be ‘holy’? Aren’t we instructed to obey him?
When I was young and I’d misbehave I’d run to the closet to hide from my parents. My young mind had me convinced that I could hide from my parents long enough for them to forget my wrong or miss me so much they’d overlook my faults. Maybe you did that too. That tactic never worked for me. (Maybe I should have tried a different closet occasionally!) That tactic won’t work with God either. Some pretty important people have tried it.
So when you have failed for the 100th time; when you are ready to cash in all this religion stuff because you can’t make it work; when you find yourself not only doubting your own ability to succeed but doubting God as well, remember Colossians 3:3.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
That verse reminds us that when God sees you it’s like he’s looking through a lens named Jesus. He doesn’t see your sin, he sees Jesus’ sacrifice. He doesn’t see your failings, He see’s Jesus’ perfection. He doesn’t see your rebellion, he sees Jesus’ humility. When God looks at you, he smiles because you are hidden in Jesus. That’s grace!
PRAYER: Lord, I seem to try to fill my days with all sorts of good things to make you love me. I’d never admit that, of course, but in reality, it’s the truth. Forgive me for trying to earn your favor. Empower me to live in the favor I already have because of Jesus. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 