Category Archives: God’s Grace & Love

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August 3, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, God's Grace & Love, Love & Works, Money & Wealth

ON VACATION

There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need. [Deuteronomy 15:11 (NLT)]

If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. [1 John 3:17-18 (NLT)]

DSC08043-cropwebbNow that August has arrived, it seems like everyone is taking a vacation. People are retreating to the beach, a cabin in the woods, Grandma’s, or maybe just to the back yard. The Senate and House of Representatives are even taking a break (which could actually be good news for the nation). I don’t know if all the New York psychiatrists really left for the Hamptons but (more calamitous for me) my hair dresser has gone to the Wisconsin Dells.

Even though God doesn’t physically need to take a rest from his daily work, do you suppose He ever wants to get away from it all? Does He tire of the endless complaints, sorrowful pleas, and anxious appeals he gets 24/7? Does He ever get weary of forgiving the same sins over and over again? Does He yearn to escape from the clamor and confusion of this mixed up world of ours? Thankfully, our heavenly Father is truly a God of endless patience, boundless energy, and limitless love. Even when we take off from work, turn off our cell phones and stop answering emails, He continues to receive our calls; His door remains open all day long every day of the year.

God never takes a break and, unfortunately, neither does the tremendous need for Christian love and works. Charities and churches don’t take vacations and neither does the need for their services. Sadly, as volunteers and donations disappear over the summer months, their resources to meet those needs diminish as well. While we take vacations, poverty, hardship, and affliction never do. Offering envelopes and church pews may go empty but so do the stomachs of hungry children everywhere. The tremendous needs of the less fortunate don’t take a holiday but the ability to fill those needs does. So, on our way out of town, maybe we should drop off some food at the local food pantry, visit the area blood bank, and write that tithe and offering check to our church (and a few more to the charities of our choice). God never takes a break from loving his children and neither should we!

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. [Galatians 6:10 (NLT)]

Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. [Proverbs 21:13 (NLT)]

 

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August 1, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, Obedience

FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS

And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors. [Matthew 6:12 (RSV)]

Forgive us as we forgive others. [Matthew 6:12 (GW)]

Various plans for debt relief have been in the news and all over the internet recently. It may be tough to pay back those college loans but being in debt was much tougher in Biblical times. Back then, if someone was unable to pay a debt, he could be thrown into prison or have his family sold into slavery. Jesus told a parable about the forgiveness of debts. When the king decided to bring his financial records up to date, all those who owed him money were brought to him. One servant owed him ten thousand talents and was unable to pay. When the King ordered that he, his family, and everything he owned should be sold to pay the obligation, the man begged the king’s forgiveness; the king showed compassion and generously forgave his servant’s debt.

This servant then went to a fellow worker who owed him only one hundred denarii and demanded immediate payment. His co-worker begged for a little more time, but the man insisted on immediate repayment and had the debtor thrown into prison. Although the king had offered the first servant mercy and forgiveness, this same man was unwilling to offer mercy and forgiveness to someone else. When the king learned of this, he had the unforgiving debtor thrown into prison to be tortured until he’d repaid the original debt.

Jesus then advised His disciples that the same thing would happen if they refused to forgive their brothers and sisters. If they denied forgiveness to others, forgiveness would be denied to them.

It is so much easier to ask God for His forgiveness of our offenses than to offer that same forgiveness to those who have hurt or offended us. God, however, doesn’t hold grudges and Jesus didn’t die on the cross for a select few; He died for all. We are all sinners and our debt was paid by Christ. A refusal to forgive others is a refusal to acknowledge our own sinful natures. It becomes easier to forgive others when we remember how much God (and other people) have already forgiven us.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [Colossians 3:13b (GW)]

If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures. [Matthew 6:14-15 (GW)]

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July 28, 2015

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Church & Worship, God's Grace & Love, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith, Wisdom & Guidance

CONFUSED?

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. We believe with our hearts, and so we are made right with God. And we declare with our mouths that we believe, and so we are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” [Romans 10:9-11 (NCV)]

meerkat-LPZoo5webAt my favorite ski resort, the lift line crew often posts riddles or trivia questions on a board at the bottom of the lift; the answers are usually revealed at the top. One day last winter, the question was, ”What is greater than God? The poor have it, the rich need it and, if you eat it, you will die!” I pondered the riddle while riding to the top of the run and was perturbed that someone would think anything or anyone was greater than God, even in a silly riddle. Seeing no answer posted at the top, I skied back down to get it. When I complained that nothing had been written on the upper board, the lift op replied, “You’ve just said the answer!” Duh! I’d completely ignored the obvious response while concentrating on the second part of the riddle. By focusing on the rich, the poor and some sort of poison, I’d missed the first and obvious response. Nothing is greater than God! The poor have nothing, the rich need nothing, and if we eat nothing, we’ll die!

I made a simple riddle far more complicated than necessary, something we often do with our faith. For example, during Bible study someone asked what would happen to our dogs during the Rapture. While it made for a fascinating discussion (did you know some non-Christians offer “After the Rapture” pet care?), the various Christian views about the end times are perplexing. As for me, I’m not going to complicate my faith by worrying about pets during the Rapture. We have a loving God and I’m sure He’s got everything planned out quite thoroughly.

It’s admirable that some people want to dig deep into questions of theology, doctrine and dogma. It’s incredibly easy for us, however, to get bogged down in complex and unclear issues that make Christianity and the Bible far more difficult than they need be. Our relationship with God won’t suffer if we can’t hold forth on subjects like the Rapture and tribulation, annihilationism, predestination, Calvinism, Arminianism, and the various doctrinal differences between denominations. Trying to come to terms with the minute details can keep us from the big picture: having a relationship with God the Father, believing in his Son Jesus Christ, and feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We don’t have to be theologians to be Christians; we just have to be followers of Christ. It’s not necessary to know Greek or Hebrew to read or understand the Bible. Attendance at seminary isn’t a prerequisite for prayer; it’s no more difficult than talking on the phone. We don’t have to take lessons in how to worship to be able to lift our hearts in praise and no evangelism seminar is required for us to share God’s message of love. Remember, we have a God who designed caterpillars that become butterflies, doesn’t repeat fingerprints, keeps our solar system functioning flawlessly, turns tiny acorns into giant oaks, gives us incredible rainbows, and made crying babies loveable. Certainly the Lord, being that powerful and resourceful, was able to create us in such a way that having faith, understanding His word, saying a prayer, offering praise and thanksgiving and sharing His message are well within our capabilities.

God made the earth by his power. He used his wisdom to build the world and his understanding to stretch out the skies. [Jeremiah 10:10 (NCV)]

I alone am the Lord. I made the light and the darkness. I bring peace, and I cause troubles. I, the Lord, do all these things. [Isaiah 45:6b-7 (NCV)]

 

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July 23, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Forgiveness, God's Grace & Love, Sorrow, Grief & Regrets, Temptation & Sin, Wisdom & Guidance

SHIFTING THE BLAME

“I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. Make me one of your hired men.” … Then his son said to him, “Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore.” [Luke 15:19,21 (GW)]

The man answered, “That woman, the one you gave me, gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” [Genesis 3:12 (GW)]

DSC01629awebAfter brazenly demanding his inheritance while his father still lived, the prodigal son quickly wasted it all in a reckless and immoral lifestyle. Realizing the error of his ways, the ashamed and penniless youth swallowed his pride and returned to his father, hoping to be hired on as a servant. His story, one of repentance, forgiveness and redemption, is quite a contrast to that of a young woman whose tale is circulating on the Internet. She recently called into a radio show and told of getting a $90,000 college fund from her grandparents. In three years, however, she managed to blow through all of it—not just on tuition but also on clothing, college breaks and a trip to Europe. Now, having no way to pay her $20,000 senior year’s tuition, she called the show to complain—not about her recklessness and spendthrift ways but about her parents. Although any fifth grader knows enough to divide ninety by four and figure out how much money can be spent each year, she blamed her parents for not teaching her to budget; it was their fault she was broke. The young woman showed no remorse for her actions and refused to accept responsibility for her predicament. The prodigal son worked at a pig farm before returning home and was willing to work as his father’s servant. This young woman’s response to getting a job in the school cafeteria was, “That’s embarrassing.”

I wonder, however, if we’re really all that different from this young woman. Hopefully, we haven’t squandered $90,000 but we’ve all blamed others for our errors, difficulties, and even our sins. It wasn’t just Eve that Adam blamed for the apple incident; he blamed God for giving him the woman in the first place. We’re not much better. In an effort to excuse our actions, we shift the blame to our parents’ divorce, our ex-spouse’s greed, bad genes, the credit card company that shouldn’t have increased our credit, the loan officer who allowed us to refinance, the persuasive salesman, our idiot co-workers, the teacher who can’t teach, the woman who shouldn’t have been so seductive, the husband who shouldn’t have been so busy, the spouse who just didn’t understand, a troubled childhood, the bartender who over-served, and the other guy who made us angry or started the fight! We shift the blame to justify our own bad behavior and, if we show any remorse, it’s only because of the mess in which we find ourselves once we have to face the consequences.

With a repentant heart, the prodigal son took responsibility for his actions and was welcomed into his father’s house. Make no mistake about it, if we don’t accept responsibility for our actions with a humble and repentant heart, our story, unlike that of the prodigal son, will not be one of forgiveness and redemption.

When someone is tempted, he shouldn’t say that God is tempting him. God can’t be tempted by evil, and God doesn’t tempt anyone. Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him. Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death. [James 1:13-15 (GW)]

If we say, “We aren’t sinful” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. [1 John 1:8-9 (GW)]

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July 14, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, God's Grace & Love, God's Plan, Obedience, Prayer, Trusting God, Wisdom & Guidance

LOCKED DOORS – WHEN HE SAYS “NO”

Who shut the doors to keep the sea in when it broke through and was born, when I made the clouds like a coat for the sea and wrapped it in dark clouds, when I put limits on the sea and put its doors and bars in place, when I said to the sea, “You may come this far, but no farther; this is where your proud waves must stop”? [Job 38:8-11 (NCV)]

7-14-15_5330webWhen the youngest grandchildren visited us in Florida, we were putty in their hands. But, being loving grandparents, we wanted to keep them safe and that meant saying “No!” at times. Among our precautions, the doors to the lanai remained shut and locked to keep the tykes from venturing into the pool without an adult. That’s not to say they didn’t try their level best to thwart our deterrents at every opportunity. They pled with us, made promises they couldn’t keep (“We won’t go near the water”) or resorted to tears. When that didn’t work, they tried to open the doors themselves. We love them too much not to keep them safe and know that certain situations (like toddlers and pools without supervision) require locked doors and firm denials. The little guys, however, simply thought we were being mean keeping them from having their way.

We are God’s children and, like my youngest grands, we often don’t have much common sense when it comes to what we desire. We pray and plead, wheedle and whine for something. When God doesn’t grant our prayers, we often console ourselves by saying that He isn’t denying us; He’s only delaying His affirmative answer. We just need to pray more and try harder to make it happen. Sometimes, however, God’s denials are just that—denials. He may even shut and lock doors to keep us from trying to take matters into our own hands. Just like toddlers, there are times we need doors closed and locks secured for our own protection.

When I look back at some of the things for which I’ve prayed, I can only say “Thank you, God, for blocking my way!” It is only in retrospect, however, that I appreciate God’s denials of my prayers and the ways He deterred me. I clearly had no idea what I was asking for in my prayers, but He did and, in His heavenly wisdom, kept me from making some enormous mistakes simply by obstructing my path. Thank you, God, for loving me enough to say “No!”

After we have made our requests known to Him, our language should be, “Thy will be done.” I would a thousand times rather that Gods’ will should be done than my own. [D. L. Moody]

I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. [Jeremiahs 2:11-12 (NCV)]

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July 13, 2015

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Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Holy Spirit, Miracles, Prayer, Thanks & Praise

ANSWERED PRAYERS

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And in the same way—by our faith—the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don’t even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words. [Romans 8:26 (TLB)]

Thank you, God, for answered prayers.

While it was obvious the relationship was in deep trouble, I knew neither how nor why it had happened nor what could to be done to remedy it. Realizing that this situation required divine intervention, I took it to God in prayer. As I poured out my distress, I was unable to articulate the problem or think of a solution. I just knew something was damaged that desperately needed to be fixed—how I didn’t know. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit put my lament into words as I dumped the frayed relationship in God’s lap, trusting Him to do the necessary mending. Recognizing that the situation was way beyond my job description, I stopped trying to repair what was torn or attempting to patch up what was tattered; that was clearly a task for God. While offering my wordless prayers and waiting patiently for His heavenly hand, I continued to love the person and did my best to keep the situation from further unraveling—the rest was up to Him. Praise the Lord, God came through! I don’t know how He did it, but He did!

Did the other person have a change of heart and attitude? Yes, indeed. What about me? Although I wasn’t aware of it, I think God may have made a few alterations on me, as well. All I know for certain is that prayers, even inarticulate wordless ones, can and do get answered.

We’re often perplexed about how and for what we should pray. It’s not always possible to voice our fears, sorrow, distress and longings. Thank you, God, for giving us the Holy Spirit who knows our hearts and makes our needs known to you. And, thank you, God, for answered prayers.

The best prayers have often more groans than words. [John Bunyan]

Prayer is not eloquence, but earnestness; not the definition of helplessness, but the feeling of it; not figures of speech, but earnestness of soul. [Hannah More]

But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. [Jude 1:20 (TLB)]