What's The Word?

If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be? Take a minute…..

OK. Now, if you were to use one word to describe yourself as God sees you, what would it be? Often, how we see ourselves is so different than how God sees us. Let’s take a look at some of the ways God describes us.

His Child: But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12

Friend: I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. John 15:15

Free: So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:36

New Creation: This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Forgiven: But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9

Faultless: Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4

Chosen: Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

Safe: No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39

His: But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

Loved: For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Our description of ourselves is often different than who God says we are and who God says we can be. Today, put aside who the world says you are and remember how God sees you.

That Makes Me A Pharisee

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else. Luke 18:9 (NLT)

The story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector starts off with our text for today. Jesus told it to get the attention of people who thought they were better than someone else. And of course, we as Christians know this is wrong and we should never do it.

So we don’t. Right? Wrong. I can tell you I do it. I don’t want to do it but the thoughts pop into my head. It’s not usually around someone’s job or affluence, it doesn’t involve race or ethnic origin, where they grew up or how educated they are. What do I judge? Christians.

I hold Christians to a higher standard than I hold anyone else. I don’t tout my religious accomplishments like the Pharisee in the story because I know that doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things….that’s not my measuring stick. What I do wonder is how if you are a Christian you (pick something and put it in here). For example, how can you be so legalistic when it’s all about grace? How can you not want to be involved in ministry when we are called to serve? How can you not understand……? Stuff like that. I tend to think Christians should know better.

And that makes me just like the Pharisee in the story.

You see, whether you are judging people for their profession, their race, their job, their income, or their walk with God, it’s wrong. God calls us to love each other unconditionally just as he did. He calls us to show up in people’s lives where ever that may be. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a preconceived notion about someone and after I talked to them found out I was completely wrong. Shame on me.

Now, I will take my Pharisaical self and plead like the tax collector did in the story “O Lord, have mercy on me, for I am a sinner.”

Split Second Reactions

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Matthew 14:31 (NLT)

Ever had one of those days where it felt like you just couldn’t do anything right? Recently, I felt that way. I felt like everything I said, no matter how I wanted it to come out, it came out wrong. Then afterward, the onslaught of negative comments erupted in my head.

“You will never get this right.”
”Why are you even involved in ministry?”
”You are not cut out for this.”
”God can’t use you, you are going to mess this up.”

Over and over in my head spewing negativity and building doubt. But then I remember this story of Peter. I love Peter. He reminds me of me.

Peter said to Jesus “Lord, if it’s you, invite me to come out onto the water.” If? Really? Do you know anyone else who can walk on water? Jesus invited him out and when Peter focused on Jesus, he was fine. But he turned his gaze away and started to sink. He cried out to Jesus “Lord, Save me!”

And Jesus said “No. You deserve that for not trusting me. Maybe it’s time you learn your lesson. You can’t just spout things off and not have consequences.” He let him sink.

That is not what the Bible says. The Bible says “Immediately.” Immediately, as soon as Peter asked, Jesus reached out and caught him. Not a hesitation. Not a snarky comment about Peter never getting it right. Jesus just caught him and pulled him to a safe place.

Friend, no matter what you’ve done, when the barrage of words start in your head and it feels like you can’t get it right, cry out to Jesus. As soon as you do, he will immediately reach out and catch you. You will be safe. And Jesus never makes a mistake.

What's Your Prayer Posture?

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:20-21 (MSG)

In our Bible Study group we are studying prayer. I think as Christians, we forget all the things God says about it. I’ve had people tell me their stuff is not important enough to pray about. I’ve heard people say that God doesn’t answer. We feel that we can’t ask for really, really big things as if God has a limit on what he will do for us - for the people he loves more than life itself. Or maybe we think we don’t deserve it.

I love today’s text because it says that as you pray “keep your arms open and outstretched, ready.” Imagine it. You are standing (or kneeling if you prefer) with your arms open and outstretched as if you are about to receive a ton of answers. You are in a ready stance. Primed to receive the answers promised to you by the God of the Universe! Expecting to receive a reply.

Then imagine it! God, leaning over with his bucket of blessings, his pail of promises, his plethora of plans ready to pour them out in response to your prayers.

Wait. What’s that? You didn’t ask for anything? You didn’t pray? Isn’t it so sad that we have a God that wants desperately to bless us with his love and goodness but we missed out because we believe Satan’s lies? We believe that we weren’t good enough. We believe that God doesn’t listen and that he doesn’t answer. And worse yet, we believe he doesn’t love us.

How much are you missing because you aren’t asking? God wants so much to be in a relationship with you. It is behind everything he has done. Stand up! Stretch out your arms and believe! God is ready and waiting for you to ask.

Your Job Description

Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:12-13 (NLT)

When I first see the line “Work hard to show the results of your salvation,” I balk. Your salvation is by grace and grace alone through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. So what does this mean?

Let’s start with verse thirteen. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” First and foremost, God is in it. He is active in your life and in your heart. He is prompting you, filling you with the desire to do what he’s calling you to do.

This is where our work comes in. We have to do what he says. The words “work out” here mean “to complete, to accomplish”. The process starts with God’s prompting, moves to us obeying said promptings and is finished with grace because let’s face it, we don’t obey perfectly.

That process, that relationship ends in our salvation.

The Bible is very clear. This whole Christianity thing is about being in a relationship with God. It’s about living life with God working in us and following his leading. If we were going to put together a job description for Christians some of the Job Responsibilities would be:

• Listen to God every day and do what he says

• Read the instruction manual and follow it

• Share what you’ve learned with other people so they can learn too

• Other duties as assigned (my personal favorite)

Do we have work to do as Christians? Absolutely! But let’s not confuse our role in the relationship versus the saving sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

A Minute In It - The Eyes Have It

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read through the Bible text and ask yourself the questions at the bottom of the post.

54 So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. 55 The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. 56 A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!”

57 But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”

58 After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!”

“No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.

59 About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. Luke 22:54-62 (NLT)

When Jesus looked at Peter, what did his eyes say?
Did it say “How could you!”?
Did his expression express his disappointment or his love?
How does Jesus look at you when you do something that disappoints him?

Your answer to the last question says a lot about how you perceive God. If your perceptions are not of love and forgiveness, then you need to get to know him better.

What Does Grace Look Like?

I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

As I read through the Old Testament, over and over again it says things like “He did evil in the Lord’s sight” or “They followed the sins of their ancestors” or “They refused to follow the Lord.” After a while, I start thinking “Of course they did.” It makes you wonder why they can’t keep themselves on the right path.

And then, I start to wonder why God keeps putting up with them. Sure, he let them face their consequences. And sometimes they were severe. But the Bible also tells us when Israel repented and cried out to God that he responded to them. “But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned to them.” 2 Kings 13:23

I began to marvel at a God who would continually step in and rescue the very people who got themselves into trouble because they ignored what God told them. I began to see the unconditional love that God has for us. Over and over again, we do the same thing that the Israelites did. We know what God wants but we do what we want instead. We get into trouble and then cry out to him. And he shows up.

Sure, we may have consequences to face because God is just and fair….until it comes to our future. What we justly deserve is death. What would be fair is that we are never rescued. But Jesus died for our sins so that we do not get what is just and fair.

As I read the stories of the Israelites and their continual failure to follow God, all I can do is praise him. I praise him because in reality, I am just like that. And when I call on his name, when I cry out to him, “The Lord is gracious to me and has compassion on me and turns to me.” He does the same for you.

Crowding The Throne

But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!  2 Kings 5:11 (NLT)

Naaman. A mighty warrior. He demanded respect where ever he went. He went for help with enough money to buy favor from anyone. Except God.

When Elisha only sent word instead of addressing him face to face, he nearly lost the opportunity to be healed. His pride was in control and because of it, he almost missed out. However, the true council of his friends got him to refocus and he gave in to Elisha’s request.

He went to the Jordan River to dip seven times. He dipped and dipped and dipped. At the seventh time God showed up. Do you think as he was dipping he was thinking to himself that this was ridiculous? He already said they had perfectly fine rivers in Damascus. Do you think his mind was reeling with the thought that if this didn’t work he was going to kill Elisha? He was an accomplished warrior after all. Was this guy trying to make him look foolish? Do you think Elisha told him to dip seven times because God knew it would take seven times before his prickled pride was eased?

After the seventh time, Naaman was healed. The Bible says his skin was as healthy as a child’s. And as he rose from the river the seventh time, he surrendered. He understood who God was and where his heart belonged. After he was healed, he went back to Elisha still trying to pay for God’s grace but Elijah refused. God’s grace is free.

How do we know Naaman’s heart was where it belonged? Because the Bible says in 1 Kings 17-18:

Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.”

He was so concerned about God’s feelings that he wanted him to understand when he bowed with his king, he was only doing it because the king was leaning on his arm not because his heart was in it.

Naaman came full of pride to receive something from God but, he could not. God could not help Naaman until Naaman got out of the way. It’s the same with us. God can’t sit on the throne of our hearts if it’s already occupied (with us or any other god we put there). In order for God to work in our lives, we have to remove ourselves from the seat of power and give that position to him.