Tag: Faith

Broken and Healed: MT e68

If a cultural or political issue has two opposing sides, the motive to win the argument is the same for both.  The motive is to avoid utter ruin of civilization.

Both sides are convinced if their position lost, it would be the utter ruin of civilization. 

There came a point in my life where I realized that there was one moment in history where civilization was totally ruined.  It died.  It was in the fall of Adam.

The result is struggle between husband and wife.  It was the source of Cain killing able.  Most importantly and most devastating was the fact that man was in full rebellion against God.

This is utter ruin. 

Coming across Isaiah 32 we find a city in a similar situation.  Cities were locations of safety.  These were places of strength.

Not the city in Isaiah 32, it is desolate and forsaken.  The watchtower, the sign of defense, is overtaken with weeds.

The picture here is the utter ruin of humanity. 

Yet in (32:15) we see a complete change.  That which was desolate and abandoned is now fruitful and growing.  Why?  Because the Spirit had been poured from on high.

I say this to those who are in and those who want nothing to do with Christ: the only safety from devastation is God’s Spirit.

I am calling you to that place.  Not because I have mastered life but my life has been mastered. 

The only way life can be restored is life filled with the Spirit of Christ.  Faith comes . . .faith comes by hearing this.  Jesus redeems from utter ruin and saves to the uttermost.

SDG

Work Out What God Works In: MT e66

When I was much younger there were occasional summers that we as a family would go to Curie Beach in NC. One very clear memory is my mother would always get me a new plastic bucket and shovel to use on the beach. 

But there was one condition, I could not use it until we got to the beach.  I had other plastic shovels that were older but why use them if the brand new one was right here.

I had ants in my pants every time.  I could not wait to use that new bucket and shovel.

Then finally, we would get to the destination, and I would be able to work with my new tools.  I could dig and rake until my heart was content.

Philippians 2:12-13 it says, “As you have obeyed . . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

When it says, work out your salvation, does it mean that we are to work to gain our righteousness?  Is Scripture saying here that God does His part and we do our part?

The short answer is no. 

We are saved by grace through God’s loving kindness and mercy.  Grace means gift.  You do not work for a gift.

In the process of being saved God changes us.  It is a miraculous change of heart.

Just like the younger me with my beach toys, just itching to get busy. This is the same picture for the believer.  We are excited to get busy with our new tools that God has given us.

We are not working to gain righteousness but because we are righteous.

Believers are WORKING OUT what God has WORKED IN us.  (repeat)

This is the ongoing desire for every believer.  Keep working out what God is working in. 

Why . . .because it is for His good purpose.  Our Lord always gets the glory. That is why I say:

S.D.G.

Believe: MT e 60

If I were to ask you if you believe that the Bible is true, how would you reply? For those of you who are watching this and are also Christian the answer would certainly be yes. True believers have faith that the Scriptures contains God’s truthful word.

I want to press on that just a little today.  My hope is that my challenge will bring a deeper conviction to your faith.

The focus Monday was the writer of Psalm 77 who was going through a difficult time and it seemed as if God was not hearing his cries, prayers and expressions. 

This writer could have given up, pouted or gotten angry but rather he chose to remember God’s mighty acts.

Do you believe in Scripture in the same way the Psalmist did?  Do you have real faith in Scripture?

When God’s word states that the Israelites with no where to turn were backed up against the sea with the Egyptian troupes after them, do you believe that God walled up the waters and made dry ground for them to cross the Red Sea?

Scripture says that God He poured water from a rock. It says that small David defeated a nine foot giant Goliath.  It says that Lazarus was raised from the dead.  Do you believe it?

The overwhelming  number of believers would say yes.  I know those stories.  I believe the Bible and I believe those things happened.

Why do we live our faith and pray our prayers as if they did not happen? I say this not to shame anyone but rather to encourage you. Is our Lord weak? Is our Lord incapable?

Is our Lord so distant from you and me that you and we can’t have the same confidence that the writer of Psalm 77?

This should change our posture in prayer.  It should change how we look at life, struggle, heartache, and disappointment. 

Our God is Almighty. Let us rejoice and be greatly encouraged in how He has worked in the past.  Let us be confident that His strength in no way has diminished in the present.

In short, believe dear Christian, really believe.

S.D.G.

Lessons from Moving Ms. Beth: MT episode 26

Have you ever been to Thurman’s Café? Oh my word, the biggest hamburgers in Ohio and they are delicious. I could give you many very delicious places to eat all over the state of Ohio.

Buckeye Donuts on south and north High Street? Dear soul, their glazed donut is perfectly baked with a firm outside and a soft fluffy inside.

Isn’t it odd how we are so quick to offer hints and advice on all sorts of things. It is not just food. Places to get the best craft supplies. The best scenic route to take from place A to place B if you have the time. The best thrift store, antique shop or place to buy flowers.

So, last week there were a number of people who helped Ms. Beth move into her new house. After loading the box truck, each of us paired up and drove separately from the old house to the new house.

Ricky and I were paired and on the way, we shared things that interested us. He pulled up a few songs on the YouTube and we listened together. Likewise, I pulled up a song or two. Ricky talked about what type of house he would like to have some day. He shared his likes and dislikes. We covered a lot of ground in 25 minutes from the old house to the new house.

This was just a regular conversation between friends. We share what resonates with us, things that are dear to us.

I was reflecting on this a day or so later thinking, why am I so quick to share music, burgers, movies and other similar things with my friends but miss talking about Christ. The friends of which I speak are those who are outside of Christ for I am certain Ricky and I can talk Jesus anytime.

Philemon 1:6 “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”

Some of you may already do this, some may be hesitant. We are cautious because we do not want to offend anyone. There is the old saying, talk about anything but religion and politics.

However, it might not be good of me that I will quickly share with non-believing loved ones where to get the best hamburger but then be hesitant with matters of faith.

These are just some thoughts to consider. Maybe you and I can be more bold in sharing our faith. Afterall, if we really see it as a matter of life and death, and it is, there would be no hesitation.

To God Alone Be the Glory

Grace: MT episode 24

There is one word that appears in the book of Ruth. It is a word that one would not expect in this story. The word is grace, or favor, depending on the translation being read.

As we continued our study of Ruth yesterday, we found that word grace used not one time but three times. For just a few moments today I would like to focus on that word.

Grace defined is unmerited favor. That is a way of saying, unearned gift. You are given something, in this case, by God, and it is not pay back for something you did.

When you work at a job, your wages are not grace. Wages are paid for work rendered. If you do not go to work, you would not receive pay.

As believers, when we read through the Bible, it is very easy to place some of the Bible characters on a pedestal. In a way, they are like superheroes because many of them perform supernatural type activities.

By doing this a hierarchy is created, most often unknowingly. God, Moses, us. God, Noah, us. God, Abraham, us.

Yet Scripture teaches differently. Take Noah.

In the days of Noah, was Noah chosen because, on his own because he had a righteousness that pleased God? Did all the world descend into crazed evil but Noah (and family) were the only ones who did not?

Genesis 6:8 says that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah did nothing to merit this. Noah did nothing to earn God’s grace. It was not payment for something Noah did. Rather, it was God’s gift to Noah.

Noah was just like you and me. Even more, Joshua tells us that Abraham was an idol worshiper when God called him. Abraham definitely received God’s grace.

I take great comfort in this and so should you. Why? God has and does use small, weak and flawed men and women, all through Scripture and did mighty things through them. Those small, weak and flawed men and women did nothing to earn God’s grace or favor.

When we better understand these things, it not only takes the attention off us, but also it brings more attention and praise to our God. And rightfully so.

S.D.G.