God gives a command and makes a promise for obedience of the command. If I am continually on guard and stand firm in Him, I have a defense against temptation. It does not say I will not be tempted. It does not say I will have a charmed life. It does say that I will not fall.
As a young, self-sufficient adult, I allowed the grace of God to save me from eternal condemnation. Then, almost immediately, I got back in high gear and began striving to please God in my own efforts. Grace had vanished. This only made it harder for me to admit to my continued failures. I wanted-no-I needed to project my shortcomings on something or someone else to save face. I was afraid to be honest with God. Pride imprisoned me in denial and from taking responsibility for my attitudes, actions, and feelings.
On my way through the country o ne day I came across a gorgeous sunset which caused the silhouette of an old church i n front of it to stand out . The steeple pointed upward toward the sky. I just had to stop and snap a picture.
Lately, my life has been a full range of emotions and events. First, my dad unexpectedly passed away and moved through the door into eternity. Two weeks later, my granddaughter was born and passed through the door into this world. Our family has truly been living out the circle of life. As I contemplated the events of the past several weeks, of one exiting and one entering, I considered… What makes a productive and useful life between entrance and exit?
The bottom line is the enemy will try to tempt me with worldly pleasures, so I won’t go through the spiritual door to serve the Lord. Scripture teaches me not to trade my eternal inheritance for a simple, worldly thing like the life of ease and comfort today. In my earthly life, it may be a little uncomfortable to follow Jesus… and that is okay! Learn from Esau’s mistake. Accept the Lord’s invitation to follow and serve Him. Think of the eternal gain. Jesus will lead you to your rightful inheritance.
When a baby grows up and matures, there is a time of giving up the loved and favorite stuffy. In a similar way when I mature as a Christian adult, I grow up spiritually, and I give up my love of the worldly life.
Service for the Lord is not meant to cripple you. So, if it is… I am to ask myself, if God is really asking me to do that.
Before I serve, I should always ask the Lord if this is what He wants me to do and is this how He wants me to do it. And is there anything else I should know?
Jesus can surprise you and invite you into a spiritual opportunity with Him. He is saying when you realize this moment, respond and accept it. It is a spiritual door of opportunity for you specifically. You respond and say yes by accepting the opportunity. This can be an invitation into a relationship with Jesus. Or, if you already have a relationship with Jesus, this invitation can be a Holy Spirit inspired service.
When I was a little child—well not really, but a teenager eager to know the Lord better—I memorized all 107 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism* precepts. To this day I remember two of them: #1, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” And indeed, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever” is the entire thrust of Scripture, you could even say of life.
My middle grandson is captain of his basketball team at Abilene Christian this year. In the summer Cade was sent to a Christian basketball camp for leadership in Ohio. One of the fun drills I saw on Facebook was to distinguish between famous sayings by NBA greats and Bible quotes. For Cade: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Not only did he know it was Galatians 6:9, but the reference was written on his shoe!
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me! What a truth to hang onto. Consider the changed life of the apostle Paul, from his Pharisaic persecution of the followers of Jesus to his sold-out focus on sharing the way to Christ.
The apostle Paul tells us to expect that God, who made light shine out of darkness at
the beginning of time, is at work making his light shine in our hearts today. His aim is for
us to possess the knowledge of the glory of God, His glory. His gift to us was Jesus in
whose face that glory was made clear.
So how to have the “simplicity of a child”* to hear from the Lord? It begins with genuine fear. Fear wraps itself around our imaginations in a number of ways. Yes, we wish to avoid the displeasure and discipline of God. But He is really asking for the kind of fear that envelops us in awe and reverence, bringing us into the place of true wisdom.
The challenge of integrating God’s sovereignty and my free will resolved once I acknowledged that God’s ways are beyond my understanding. Rather than frustrating me, it propels me into the wonderous depths of God’s unlimited grace for my life and for all who seek Him.
I forgot the wonder and mystery of life until I rocked a newborn, my great grandchild. I recalled my own children kicking and squirming in my tummy and the awe of holding their tiny faces next to mine. Only God can create a living being made in His image.What a marvelous mystery. What a marvelous gift.
A Christian cowboy tends his cattle on the land surrounding my home. The rumble of his
tractor or truck informs me of his daily trips to care for his herd. He watches over the
expectant cows and checks the herd for disease, hoof issues, and insect infestations.
He also counts to confirm none are missing. In summer, he moves them from pasture to
pasture to guarantee plenty of grass and water. When the winter winds blow, he
provides hay for forage and bedding.
God’s Word contains the truths this young man seeks. The Bible offers answers for
pain, suffering, and injustice, but it must be consulted and read with the illuminating
power of the Holy Spirit and examined together with a wise teacher.
The roar of a snarling chainsaw distracted me as the neighboring landowner cleared his
property. I cringed at the sound of mature Pine trees crashing to the ground. That
evening I walked to the fence to investigate the enormous debris pile left behind.
God used this real-life portrayal to illustrate the wasted loveliness and design of His covenant people. He created them to show His renown and praise and honor by their beauty and purpose, to be bound to Him in a covenant relationship. Instead, they refused to listen to His words, and in their own stubbornness, they served and worshipped other gods. I can hear God's heartbreak as He says "But they have not listened"(Jeremiah 13:11).
Zacchaeus seemed to have the good life. He had a good job, plenty of wealth and being a chief tax collector he had authority and yet he was not satisfied. His curiosity was building as he heard stories of Jesus and the miracles He had performed.
