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Be strong in Jesus

It has been one of those days. And now that I finally have time to sit down, God has this for me:

So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.  Bear your share of hardship along with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  To satisfy the one who recruited him, a soldier does not become entangled in the business affairs of life.  Similarly, an athlete cannot receive the winner’s crown except by competing according to the rules.  The hardworking farmer ought to have the first share of the crop.  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my gospel, for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.  Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory.  This saying is trustworthy:

If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us.  If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:1-13

The first sentence is so renewing! “So, you my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  Not so thrilled about the idea of “Bear your share of hardship…”, but it is a good reminder that we all have hardship.  And our hardship is nothing compared to that suffered by Jesus for us.  And nothing compared to that suffered by God, who sent his only son to endure that suffering so that we could be free, so that we could come to know Him and overcome our sin.  No matter how hard life gets, how many disappointments we face, how many changes, uncertainties and challenges we endure, we always have hope in front of us.  The hope of joining Jesus Christ.  “If we have died with him we shall also live with him: if we persevere we shall also reign with him.”  I pray that we can all persevere, that no matter how dark the night seems, we can remember the sun that God provides each morning and the Son that God provides for our ultimate awakening on our final morning.  “So, you my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

God,

You are amazing!  Thank you for the grace that you provide!  Help me to bear my share of hardship so that I can be a proper witness to you.  I am sorry for the times that I have denied you by my words or actions.  Thank you for sending your son for us.  Thank you for taking the pain from our rejection, but continuing to love us.  I love you!

 

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Put the buts behind!

Today’s passage makes me sad.

When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him.  On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.  When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”  Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.

As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”  And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “[Lord,] let me go first and bury my father.”  But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead.  But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”  And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.”  [To him] Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:51-62

“The Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”  There was no room in the inn at the time of his birth, the Samaritans did not welcome Him, and how many times are we not welcoming, do we turn Him away?  How many times do we put other things in front of following Him?  How many times do we say through our actions: “I want to follow you, but now is just not a good time, can you come back tomorrow, or the next day? or maybe after summer is over?”  Unfortunately, it is easy to read this passage and feel like I am looking in a mirror.  I know I am not always welcoming.  And I know I put other things ahead of following God.

Urgh! I wish I could break that mirror and follow Jesus more fully, faithfully without looking back.  I want to follow Him without any buts!

So, as I read the passage and think about how it reflects on my own life, I am saddened and ashamed.  Then I read the part where Jesus rebukes the apostles who want to bring retribution to the Samaritans who won’t welcome Jesus.  Even when we turn our backs on Him, Jesus does not respond in kind.  Jesus does not punish those who turn away.   Jesus just keeps walking, He doesn’t rest.    He does not  force us to follow Him.  (Sometimes I think it might be easier if He did.)  We have to choose to follow Him.  We have to choose to put Him first.

God,

I want to follow you!  Help me put the buts behind me and keep you and only you in front of me.

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Best laid plans

The bible often brings me back to one recurring refrain: God’s plan, not my plan.  His will, not mine.  Tonight’s passage is no exception:

Plans are made in human hearts, but from the LORD comes the tongue’s response.  All one’s ways are pure in one’s own eyes, but the measurer of motives is the LORD.  Entrust your works to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.  The LORD has made everything for a purpose, even the wicked for the evil day.  Every proud heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured that none will go unpunished.  By steadfast loyalty guilt is expiated, and by the fear of the LORD evil is avoided.  When the LORD is pleased with someone’s ways, he makes even enemies be at peace with them.  Better a little with justice, than a large income with injustice.  The human heart plans the way, but the LORD directs the steps.

Proverbs 16:1-9

It is so easy to get lost in my own thoughts, my own plans, my own desires.  It is so easy to believe I know what I am doing, or to believe that what I am doing is all for good.  But if I am honest, almost all of my plans are selfishly driven.

Lord, open my heart to your plans.  Help me to trust my works to you.  Direct my steps because I want them to lead to you.  Allow me to let go, and to mean (and understand) with all my heart: Thy will be done.

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Come Holy Spirit

I know today is Pentecost, but the Bible opened to the Ascension and Jesus’ words about the timing of when we will receive the Holy Spirit:

When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them,  “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:6-8

As a control freak, it is hard to not know when the Holy Spirit will come.  I need a schedule, a date, a time.  I need to make plans… don’t I?  No — just one more reminder that it is not about my plans — I need to relinquish to God’s plans.  I need to trust and have patience.  I need to prepare myself for the Holy Spirit whenever the spirit comes.  I cannot procrastinate or put it off til tomorrow.  I need to be open and ready — and sometimes I just need to be quiet, so that I can listen.

Come Holy Spirit Come!  Renew my spirit!

 

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Perseverance in challenging times

We all face trials.  We all face struggles.  I know some of you are facing some right now:

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.  But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:2-8

Looking back, my biggest trials have also brought me my greatest joys.  They have also brought me closer to God.  Of course it is hard to see that when we are in the midst of them.  Perseverance can be hard.  God wants good for us.  We just don’t always choose it.

 Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.  No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.  Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers: all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.   He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James 1:12-18

It is easy to say we have faith.  It is easy to say we love God.  Through our perseverance, through our faith, we discover that we actually do.

Dear God, help me to persevere.  Help me to follow your good path.  Help those who are facing challenges, new adventures and trials know that you are near.  Help them to persevere and follow the path that you have set forth for them.  You give us fresh starts, new birth, life.  Help us to live it in a way that leads us to you.

 

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Straight is the path

Tonight’s passage is short:

Who is wise enough to understand these things?  Who is intelligent enough to know them?

Straight are the paths of the LORD, the just walk in them, but sinners stumble in them.

Hosea 14:10

Simple enough, right?  The notes call it a challenge.  Indeed!   You know the saying, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. God’s path is straight.   Unfortunately, we continuously veer off the path, stumbling along the way.  It would be so much easier if we would just stay the course and stay on the path God reveals to us.

But we are sinners and we stumble.

Lord, I want to walk in your path.  Help me to stay the course.  I know I will stumble along the way, please keep calling me back, lifting me up and showing me once more the way.  Only with your grace, can I make it to you.

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Believe!

Today I am reminded that every day we must choose to believe.

“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent.  The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him, and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets that are read sabbath after Sabbath.  For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him put to death, and when they had accomplished all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.  But God raised him from the dead,  and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.  These are [now] his witnesses before the people.  We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our ancestors  he has brought to fulfillment for us, (their) children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my son; this day I have begotten you.’  And that he raised him from the dead never to return to corruption he declared in this way, ‘I shall give you the benefits assured to David.’  That is why he also says in another psalm, ‘You will not suffer your holy one to see corruption.’  Now David, after he had served the will of God in his lifetime, fell asleep, was gathered to his ancestors, and did see corruption.  But the one whom God raised up did not see corruption.  You must know, my brothers, that through him forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, [and] in regard to everything from which you could not be justified under the law of Moses, in him every believer is justified.  Be careful, then, that what was said in the prophets not come about:

‘Look on, you scoffers, be amazed and disappear.  For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe even if someone tells you.’”

Acts 13:26-41

Our problems arise when we fail to recognize Him.  We don’t want to just look on.  He is doing a work in our days.  A work that is not believable to scoffers.  God has given us the word of salvation — as believers, we can be saved, even though we do not deserve it, even though we fall short on following His law.

I believe!

Dear God, Help me to live my life every day, showing that I am a believer.  I don’t want to just look on.  Help me to be a witness to others.

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Giving Thanks

It’s a glorious day!  One in which we give thanks to the service members who lost their lives defending our country.  We are proud to live in this country — a country worth defending, and a country that many have thought was worth dying for to protect our freedom — the ultimate sacrifice.   I am so thankful and grateful for all of their sacrifices — and those of their families that they left behind.

But I am even more thankful to God for every day that we enjoy:

Hallelujah!

Praise God in his holy sanctuary; give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.  Give praise for his mighty deeds, praise him for his great majesty.

Give praise with blasts upon the horn, praise him with harp and lyre.  Give praise with tambourines and dance, praise him with strings and pipes.  Give praise with crashing cymbals, praise him with sounding cymbals.  Let everything that has breath give praise to the LORD!

Hallelujah!

Psalm 150:1-6

Thank you God for this beautiful day and every day you have provided for me.  Please grant your grace and mercy to those who have died.  I pray that they know you and may enter your kingdom.

 

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Don’t Tempt Me!

It seems like I first heard the story of the devil tempting Jesus at a very young age.  And have heard it many times since:

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. ”Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”

Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.  The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish.  All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.’”

Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and:  ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”  Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’”  When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

Luke 4:3-13

Jesus gives us three pieces of advice when faced with temptation:

  1. “One does not live by bread alone.”  There is nothing on earth that can truly satisfy us.  Even if we are starving — the temporary satisfaction on earth is not what we need or truly want.  Remember the temptation, the good that we think will come from it or the harm that we think will otherwise befall, is temporary. Indeed everything that we eat here on earth eventually ends in the toilet.
  2. “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.”  Focus on God.  We struggle when we take away that focus,  when we try to serve human wants and desires.  When we feel ourselves struggling, when we feel temptation, it is a reminder that it is time to turn back to God.  Worship Him.  Call out His name.
  3. “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” God is there.  He doesn’t have to prove it.  Faith is our greatest defense against temptation.  God has a plan — it may not always match up with ours — but I am certain it is better than mine (and better than satan’s plan).

Lord,

Help me to separate myself from worldly desires.  Help me to focus on you and stay strong in faith.  I wish not to be tempted,  But help me to be strong when I am.  Jesus, help me to follow your example.

 

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O Lord, you are my God!

Tonight I am taking in this passage from Isaiah:

O LORD, you are my God,

I extol you, I praise your name;  For you have carried out your wonderful plans of old, faithful and true.

For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin, The castle of the insolent, a city no more, not ever to be rebuilt.  Therefore a strong people will honor you, ruthless nations will fear you.

For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress; Shelter from the rain, shade from the heat.  When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rain, the roar of strangers like heat in the desert, You subdued the heat with the shade of a cloud, the rain of the tyrants was vanquished.

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples  A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.  On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples,  The web that is woven over all nations.  He will destroy death forever.  The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.  On that day it will be said: “Indeed, this is our God; we looked to him, and he saved us!  This is the LORD to whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”

Isaiah 25: 1-9

As it was foretold, God has provided for all of us.  He gave us the richest bread and wine.  He destroyed the veil and destroyed death’s power over us.  He will wipe away the tears from all faces.  His plans for us are indeed wonderful and beyond our human comprehension.

O Lord, you are my God!

I praise your name!  I want to be among the strong people who honor you! I rejoice in your plans!  Thank you for saving us!