Broken but mended by the love of Christ!
A man breaks a leg, and the surgeon sets the bone. That is kindness. But suppose the man's mother should set the bone. Oh, how she would do it with lovingkindness! That is how God has dealt with us. Oh, how tenderly! –Spurgeon
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
The song “I Stand Amazed” says, “I stand amazed in the presence, Of Jesus the Nazarene, And wonder how He could love me, A sinner, condemned, unclean.” How much did God love us; one man said, “He spread His arms and gave His life for us.” We can never exhaust describing how much the Lord loved us! I echo what Spurgeon said, “God deals with us with lovingkindness!” His lovingkindness mended us with a love greater than our own Mother's love!
How do you deal with those that you come in contact with each day? How do you deal with the sinner; with the condemned, with those that are unclean? If not with lovingkindness as Jesus did, you are trying to set what is broken without love!
Contented or A Compromiser?
You say, "If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied." You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled. -Spurgeon
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11
What is it you want out of life? What goals have you set for yourself? It’s nothing wrong with having ambition or having set life goals for yourself in order to better your life. However, when that ambition turns into the only thing you live for—compromise stands at the door!
What are you willing to sacrifice in order to get that promotion? What will you change in your walk with the Lord in order to make a few more bucks? Missing a Sunday service? Allowing your children to go to an inappropriate movie? What you listen to on the radio? Your stance on the abstinence of alcohol and other drugs?
Child of God, be content with what God has given and you will not compromise His Word, His Work, or His Way! 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Virtues are a must!
A truly virtuous person is like good metal-the more he is fired, the more he is refined; the more he is opposed, the more he is approved. Wrongs may well try him and touch him, but they cannot imprint on him any false stamp. –Richelieu
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. Titus 2:7-8
And where do we find out what a truly virtuous person is? -- At church. Where do we find out how to become a virtuous person? -- At church. Where do we find out when we can become virtuous? -- At church. For it is at church that we find out that we are a corrupt and sinful people in need of the Saviour. And without the incorruptible, sinless Son of God there is no hope for us! So what are we to do? GET UP, GET READY, AND GO TO CHURCH TODAY!
Learning along the way.
The best way out of a difficulty is through it. –Anonymous
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: Proverbs 24:3
Have you ever been working on something and run into a problem? Maybe you didn’t calculate correctly on the cost. Maybe you didn’t plan for something and in the mist of the project it became a problem. Maybe you didn’t program a thermostat the right way when you originally set it up and well it took you an hour to figure it out…..yep been there done that!
Well if we quit in the middle of the project, who would finish it? Who would get more money, get the finishing supplies or in my case—reprogram the stat? No-one! Sometimes we have to go through the door of adversity in order to learn some valuable lessons!
Out of peanut butter...again?
An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie; for an excuse is a lie guarded.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:20
How many lies have we told in our lives? Sometimes the lies we tell are over stupid things that really don’t make a difference. We may as well say, "I'm out of peanut butter." Why? Because one excuse is as good as another. But, For some people lying is a habit; a habit that has transformed their entire lives into one big excuse, one big lie. A habit that will one day lead them to hell.
Are you living a lie? Do the people around you think you are a Christian but in fact you have never confessed, repented and asked the Lord to save you? While you may get away with that lie here on Earth when you stand before the Lord on judgment day He will see right through it. He will say, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23
How do you need to react to the Word of God?
No one ever graduates from Bible study until he meets the Author face to face. –Harris
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: James 1:18-19
In these verses I see that we need to react to the Word of Truth in three ways:
1. Swift to Hear—We should be prepared to hear the Word of God when read, when taught, when Preached, or even when sung!
2. Slow to Speak—We should only speak when the Word of God has penetrated our lives. Taking time to meditate on what was said.
3. Slow to Wrath—Instead of having a wicked response to the Word of God we better take the time to consider what the Word means in and to our life.
How you react to the Word will determine whether you live a victorious or defeated life!
Sacrifice or Self glory?
Sincerity is the salt of the sacrifice. Without it the offering can never be acceptable to God.-Spurgeon
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. Psalm 96:8
I often ask, “Why do you do what you do?” Do you come to church for Mom and Dad? Do you sing in the choir to be seen? Are you in the Youth Group to make friends? Do you give of your time for a pat on the back? For many people if it was not for some type of self glory they wouldn’t do anything in the church.
Dear friend make sure the reason you do what you do is for God’s glory! If not, you will stand accountable for the self glory you get down here!
Living but empty!
Some die without having really lived, while others continue to live, in spite of the fact that they have died. –Anonymous
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21
The day I gave my life to Christ is the day that I truly began to live. Up to that point I had seen places and done things the average person may never get to do. From riding on a train in Chicago to seeing the Statue of Christ in Lisbon, Portugal. But nothing, absolutely nothing compares to the life I have now in Christ.
Have you reached the pinnacle of the status quo? Are you at the top looking down? One famous ball player was asked, “Mike, How is it on top?” He said, “Lonely”. He was as empty inside as a gallon of milk in my house! Let me tell yah, I am never alone. Christ is always with me. He walks with me and talks with me through His Word! And as another song goes, “You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart!”
What a day that will be!
Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. –Moore
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
I was thinking about the passing of Sharon’s Grandpa a few years back. I thought of the sweet reunion he and his wife (Cora Bell) of 65 years had when he took his last breath. Much more than that reunion, I do not believe there has ever been a meeting anywhere on Earth like when a Child of God meets their Heavenly Father! So that brings me to the greatest question ever asked on Earth- Are you ready to meet the Lord- face to face? So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:12
GET READY, GET SET, GO…TO CHURCH!
The difference between listening to a radio sermon and going to church, someone has said, is almost like the difference between calling your girl on the telephone and spending an evening with her. –Moody
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Galatians 1:6
If you never saw me and my wife together would you think we were married? If I never spent time with her, laughed with her, cried with her, or journeyed around this world together would we really have a relationship? Would we really be married? Marriage is more than a piece of paper, it is a intimate union between two people. Such it is with our Saviour! And if there is not fellowship; no laughing, crying, or journeying together, then there isn’t a relationship at all!
SO IF YOU SAY YOU’RE SAVED, GET UP, GET READY, AND GO TO CHURCH! Spend time with the Saviour and His people at His house!
Sin—the great divide between living right and being religious.
He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it, is a saint; that boasteth of it, is a devil. -Fuller
Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour. Proverbs 14:9
The Sunday School teacher teaches about sin. The Choir sings about victory over sin. The Pastor preaches hard against sin and the answer to it. Yet, time and time again we, yes we, chose sin over the Saviour. Paul said, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” We fight against this old flesh day in and day out. Is there victory over it???? YES! Paul says in verse 25, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”
We know where the scripture says, “….be sure your sin will find you out.” And believe me, someone will find out and God already knows! So quit hiding it and confess and forsake it! He is waiting are you willing? He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13
Power in prayer!
If your knees are knocking, kneel on them. – Sign outside London Air Raid Post, W.W. II
The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29
Prayer is essential to a Christian’s life. While He gave us His Word in the Bible we have opportunity after opportunity to respond to Him in prayer. Sometimes it can be a simple such as, “Help Lord.” While at other times you enter your prayer closet, closing the door behind you, and spend unlimited amount of time with Him. One missionary said, “Find a place to get alone with God and don’t leave until you have an answer to your prayers.”
Have you been neglecting opportunities to pray to our Saviour? Begin today spending a little time with Him and I promise you, it will be the best investment you have ever made!
I need to love who? And why?
It is a man's peculiar duty to love even those who wrong him. –Antoninus
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:44
Loving some people is hard. The Ex that violated your trust, the friend who was using you for what you have, the co-worker riding your coat tale, the drunk on the street, the drug addict looking for the next fix, or the rich man making decisions about your well being. I am reminded from a song, “They all have a soul in need of salvation.” So, the best I can, I need to love them the way Jesus loves me— unconditionally.
You have that one that is hard for you to love? Be reminded of how our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ loves us and love them anyway!
Ah, Wednesday—Prayer Meeting and Bible Study
The living Church, though never neat, keeps God's world from complete disaster. -Macleod
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. Psalm 27:4
Strength, it comes when I go to church. I get strength from the music that is sung. I get strength from the message that is preached. I get strength from the prayers around the altar. I get strength from the people that come. I wonder how weak I would be if I didn’t go….
Church—it’s not a social club, it’s a spiritual journey with fellow believers helping one another in this thing we call life!
Give up and let God work it out!
Blessings come down as the prayers go up!
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4
So many try to fight against what God wants for their life. When they do, it’s like trying to swim upstream of a water fall! We are not fish people! If you are a Christian, when you fight against God’s will you, like Jonah, may end up in the belly of a whale! But if you follow in His will for your life… things fall into place time and time again!
There is power in prayer
"Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference." - Max Lucado
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
So often victory in our life is just a prayer away. Do we recognize the need of prayer? Do we take time to pray before our day begins? Do we pray for our friends and family? It's good to be in the habit of praying and not just over our meals! Before all else fails-- pray!
Does my church love sinners the way Jesus does?
This was posted on a Bronx, New York, church bulletin board: "Do come in-Trespassers will be forgiven." –Anonymous
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; Ephesians 2:19
I am thankful on this Sunday morning the church I was attending when I got saved had a love for sinners! If not, I may not have ever come the second time. I may not have even ever gotten saved! I am also glad I pastor a church that loves sinners now. If it didn't, I would resign and leave.
How is your church doing in this area Pastor? Choir Leader? Choir Member? Sunday School Teacher? Church Member? Do we have the love of sinners as Christ did? If not, we need to do something about it!
Friend or Acquaintance?
They who have loved together have been drawn close; they who have struggled together are forever linked; but they who have suffered together have known the most sacred bond of all. -Anonymous
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
We have a lot of acquaintances in this life. Many people we come in contact with each and every day but they never quite hit the mark of being called a friend. The lady at the coffee shop, the guy at the convenience store, the old man in the park when you walk your dog; they all are people that have put a smile on your face at one time or another but you have never invited them over for supper.
True friends are hard to come by and we probably only have a few. Is it because we have not showed ourselves friendly? Is it because we look down upon people? What is it that causes us to have so few friends but plenty of acquaintances? Jesus is the greatest friend anyone can have. Is He your friend? More importantly...are you His? If you are then stick close to Him!
(On a side note, if you enjoy these short devotions/ challenges, please drop me a note sometime. It would be a huge encouragement to this old fella not only exciting to see how far they go around the world.)
Repent or run?
True repentance hates the sin, and not merely the penalty; and it hates the sin most of all because it has discovered and felt God's love. –Taylor
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
When you sit there after you have heard the Word preached you have a decision to make, do you repent or run. That is really what it boils down to; either you repent and ask God to forgive you of your sin or you run from God’s best for your life!
After you heard the Gospel the first time, what did you do? When you heard the second, third and so forth, what have you done? Friend, if you don’t repent now you will pay the consequences later! Stop running from God’s best for your life! Ask the Lord to save you today!