Choosing His Road to Love and Life

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Prov. 14: 12

I hate the feeling of anger rising up inside me. Hate it, hate it, don't know what to do with it most of the time. How about you?

Tonight that opportunity presented itself to me, and in my own estimation it seemed "right" to me to be angry with someone who hurt my feelings. In a moment of haste, I put on my tennis shoes and since it was a nice evening, hoped to work off my angry feelings while I took a brisk walk.

Somewhat like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, my blessed Lord somehow spoke to my spirit, reasoning with a poor fool like me as I walked along...

(Come, let us reason together, saith the LORD...) Isaiah 1:18

I really didn't want to feel anger the whole time I walked and so I tried to think of the Lord and His goodness, how He bore my sins on the cross and also the sins of the one who hurt me. Then I realized if I did that I couldn't stay mad at the same time. Still the temptation of retaliate was there and I didn't know quite what to do with it. For a minute or two I actually believed that giving in to the anger would be more satisfying than obeying God.

In my heart I cried, "Lord, You said I was dead to sin, but it sure doesn't feel like it,"  In the smallest way, however, I took a tiny step of faith and believed what God said He'd done to that old person that wanted to retaliate and get even. Some wonderful truths from Romans came to mind.

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Rom. 6:1-2

From this teaching I remembered that: "There is NO advantage to sin." I can sin but there is no advantage to it. Ever.  Screaming, getting the last word in, "venting": all they really do is lead to carnal death. If I'm a believer, it will only bring a huge harvest of corruption. It will never bring peace or satisfaction.

"We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. " Rom. 6:6

In my flesh, when I've been hurt I want the offending party to know they've hurt  me and not just bear it silently. I think I might explode inside if I don't let them know how they've hurt me.  How "right" that seems! Someone hurts you, you hurt them back. All this talk about being dead to sin seems ridiculous in the heat of the moment...

But then another verse came in,  Romans 8:35, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"  I concluded that God's love for me is greater than all the hurts ever done to me. 

Suddenly, it was OK. God loves me, and will never stop loving me. This might not seem like such a big revelation, but it freed me tonight from sin's tyranny.

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ... II Cor. 2:14a

The Encroaching Darkness

"So Moses stretched
His hand toward
 heaven,
and there was
thick
darkness in the
 land of Egypt
three days.
They did not see
one another; nor
 did anyone
rise from his place
 for three days. 
But all the children
 of Israel had light in their dwellings."

Exodus 10: 22-23








Can you sense the encroaching darkness? Can you tell that there is something terribly wrong with this world, things are not just going along like they always have?

If not, I hope you will believe me when I tell you things are not going to get better on this planet. Not until there is a drastic change, anyway. (As in the Lord coming back.) That change will not come about by any scheme of man. No amount of planning, persuading or patrolling people into what they call a "new world order" will make things any better.

Have you noticed the more we try to improve our race, the further downhill things go? Things we never dreamed of ten years ago are happening now. If you feel like you are perfectly at home on this planet, I ask you whether you are really being honest with yourself? Do you really think a new president of the United States can get us out of the mess we are in?

No other society has ever survived when it began to rot inwardly from corruption. Why do we think it will be different in our case?

I feel a heavy burden on me for the way things are. The way our children are being corrupted when they have barely even reached grade school. The way the traditional family has been torn apart, also. The way that nobody dares call "sin" sin anymore. I am no better than anyone else, but I sense real chaos in the making.

I have a million different choices today on how to spend my time. I can watch one a gazillion channels if I wish, or line up a huge playlist on Youtube. I can download, workout, zone out, or vent, but today I feel like I must cry out.

I must cry out to my Maker. Lord, we have fallen so far away from Your righteous standards. Many may scoff at that but I believe this land is mourning.

For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right." Jeremiah 23:10

They have made it desolate; Desolate, it mourns to Me; The whole land is made desolate, Because no one takes it to heart. Jeremiah 12:11

They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up." Hosea 8:7

We might ask, "What can one person do?" For me, it involves taking a long hard look at myself. Maybe I am part of the reason we are in such a mess today. But as long as there is still time, I can own up to my failures and have a fresh clean slate each day.

I could never deserve this fresh slate but it is given to  me courtesy of the Lord Jesus. He took on all the decrepit things I have said and done and paid for them completely.

O earth, earth, earth, Hear the word of the LORD! Jeremiah 22: 29

I don't have to stay in the darkness. Every moment that I breathe is an opportunity to turn around and come back to His light.

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18

Lord, let our answer be "yes" to Your question: ...Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

(As I hit publish I realized this was my 200th posting on this blog site. To God be the glory!)

 

The Present of His Presence!

Matthew 1:24 "And she shall give birth to a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He himself will save His people from their sins."
John 1:14 "And the Word, entering a new mode of existence, became flesh, and lived in a tent (His physical body) among us. And we gazed with attentive and careful regard and spiritual perception at His glory, a glory such as that of a uniquely-begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
--both verses from Kenneth Wuest expanded translation of the New Testament

I often get into a panic mode at Christmas as I think that possibly my gifts to others won't be "good enough," whatever that means. But during this time, most of the people I bought for probably have more than enough anyway. Gifts sent overseas to the truly needy are the most meaningful to me. I just found out that three little kids in Zimbabwe received the shoeboxes we sent them through a great program called Operation Christmas Child sponsored by Samaritan's Purse. It is a simple idea: fill a shoebox with gifts for an impoverished child in a 3rd world country. It is easy and satisfying to do.
I encourage any who read to check into it next year. You will be blessed in participating.

But back to presents, how many will be disappointed with what they receive in just a day or two? Many will, and it will be evidenced by the number of people crowding the store for returns and exchanges on December 26. All this build up for material things and the gifts may temporarily make you happy, but there is always a letdown when the holiday is over.

I can think of a much more meaningful present. This is one that will never be returned by any who receive it. What's more, it comes without cost (for us, at least.) This gift was so expensive, it cost the giver His life to pay for it. This gift will outlast any Christmas gift given by men on this earth. Have you guessed it yet? It is the gift of God in sending His Son in the form of a baby. But Christmas is not just about the baby lying in a manger. No,it is much more than that. The baby grew up and gave Himself as the costliest present ever upon this earth.

"Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!" II Corinthians 9:15

No wonder the Magi from the east brought Him the gifts they did: Gold, for they recognized He was Deity. Frankincense for the gift of worship the baby Messiah, used also in Jewish sacrifices in the years preceding. And finally myrrh was given for anointing His body, which would be beaten and bruised beyond recognition in thirty-three short years. These were truly gifts fitting for the King. (Matthew 2: 10-11)

This gift is given without regard to the merit of the one who receives it. It is not something we can ever pay back, either. It comes without strings attached for us the receiver. (Ephesians 2:8-9)Though when one recognizes the unfathomable value of this gift, it will induce the receiver to humbly give God full control of his or her's life. If we know the perfection of this gift, we can also trust the Perfect Giver to make something good out of our messed up, broken down lives.

One of the innumerable benefits I thank the Giver for today is this special promise that is made to all who takes the gift. It is the gift of His abiding presence, forever dwelling with us. If we get to know Him through His Word, the more we can abide in return with the One who gave everything to buy us back for Himself. His abiding Presence is what we need so desperately in these days of confusion, chaos and economic downturns. This is One gift that will keep on giving, from the minute it is received right into eternity.

Jesus says to His gift recipients in John 10:28-29: "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand."

See? No returns on this one!! But if that were not enough, He also promises that He will always be with us, no matter what we have to face in this life.

John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Since Jesus returned to the Father, He has been fixing magnificent palaces for His gift recipients in heaven. When the Father says the time is right, He will be coming like a thief in the night for all those who took advantage of His saving grace.

Are you in Christ today? Then no matter what you are facing: illness, financial difficulties, the loss of employment, the grief over death of a loved one, persecution, no matter what, here is what our Good Shepherd promises to all who take the gift of salvation:

Psalm 23:6 "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever."

If you have yet received Jesus the Savior, I urge you not to put it off one moment longer. For He will soon come for us, His children, and you do not want to be left behind.

Isaiah 1:18: " 'Come now, and let us reason together,' says the LORD, 'Though your sins are as scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.'" That is for anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Psalm 116:13 "I will take the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the LORD."

Receive Christ today, and I promise you there will never be a letdown or disappointment.