April 29, 2015
Felix the Republican
Acts 24:23
He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.

My husband taught on this passage last Sunday at church, and he pointed out how incredibly relevant this passage is today!

It appears that when the Apostle Paul is taken into custody anyway without any evidence or proof of crime that he is at least not hopelessly imprisoned since he is allowed some liberties. But he is still locked up, right?

This is the result of a political person saying one thing and appearing one way but definitely not interested in the true justice of a citizen.

Acts 24:22-27
At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.”  He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.
A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus.  As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him.
After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.

I feel like I know Felix. As a Republican voter I notice that my party is aware of the Christian’s concerns and that the party is “familiar with the way.” They seem to be entertained by moral and conservative ideas and “listen” but there is NO action year after year. They still claim conservative ideals, but person after person gets elected to Congress and the Senate without any actual change. Why are abortions still being funded when Republicans, who claim to stand with Conservatives, have had control of both houses several times in the last 30 years? These leaders have abandoned us; it’s time to abandon them.

They stink!

Dear God,
There really is nothing new under the sun! Life has been going on like this the whole time. Only YOU bring real change, so I put my trust in you because putting my trust in any other authority only lets me down. I do pray for the tragic and sinful state of our country. I don’t like my money being spent on things that make me sick, and political corruption has rendered voters powerless. Please continue to protect my family from bad laws and bad decisions and bad officials. Thank you that no matter who sits in any local, state, or federal office, Jesus sits on the throne and definitely has my best interest at heart. I love you and praise you and pray in His name, amen. 

April 28, 2015
The Humble Thing
Philippians 2:5-7
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position...

Jesus did not deserve to serve anyone because of who he is. If a famous person visits your house you clean up and get the good dishes out. If there’s not enough room at the table, the kids eat at the counter. Heck, in colonial days, if a visitor came wandering by they’d get the one spoon and everyone else used a piece of bread for their utensil. Jesus is more than famous and more than company. He deserved mankind’s most generous hospitality when he arrived, and when he didn’t get it, he did not demand it. 

What do I demand for myself? When I reflect on what I expect, I should cringe. Being like Jesus, having his attitude, means not demanding what is deserved even when it is genuinely deserved. Give it up. Be humble. I’ve heard my husband counsel other husbands about this, and he puts it this way, “Serve your family. When you get home from work, serve them. And when you get tired of serving, serve some more.” That really puts a kink in the imagery of all tv dads who put slippers on and sit in an easy chair with the paper & a beer when they get home from work.

My Christian counterparts all over the world are experiencing real hardships. Earthquakes in the mountains, executions by the sea, business being destroyed by rioters... Have my personal expectations changed today? The humble thing to do would not be to complain about anything that comes my way but to truly sympathize with them. 

Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. (Hebrews 13:3) 

A change of perspective changes my heart from one full of entitlement to one of humility. There should be a kink in my imagery of the comfortable American Christian. I won’t demand that these hardships stay away from me but instead pray for strength when it comes. And I will continually pray for those who experience hardships now in order to try and conform my attitude to be like the attitude of Jesus.

Dear God,
The craziness going on in my country and in the whole world right now is overwhelming, shocking, and so out of control. I feel frustrated and powerless to provide any tangible help at all. Voting hasn’t seemed to make a difference, and that is all I currently have at my disposal. So I will pray for you to protect the dear Believers who are being persecuted all over the world. Protect them and their families, and please sustain them in every way. I pray for Baltimore today and that you would send the rioters packing and protect the Believers from all harm. I thank you so much that you provide for those who trust in you no matter where they live. I thank you for providing for me and my family today and pray for boldness and wisdom for the day when trouble strikes my comfortable place. You are great and greatly to be praised, and may I never stop looking to you no matter what happens. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

April 25, 2015
Christ Lives IN Me
Colossians 1:27
For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

The Israelites knew they were God’s chosen people because God had given them his Laws. But what about Rahab? She was not an Israelite, yet she is prominently mentioned in the Great Hall of Faith from Hebrews 11.  It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies (v.31). She even became King David’s great-great grandma! (And great X29 grandmother of Jesus!) She simply heard about the One True and Living God going before the Israelites in the dessert and believed, and we will meet her in heaven, for sure. 

This goes to show that God’s chosen people are anyone who would believe in him. (John 3:16 says “whosoever”) One is  NOT  born into it. There were plenty of unfaithful Israelites who knew the Law very well but were not faithful, and they were not saved. God rewards the faithful – all people who believe in him. And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) He gave us Laws to show us how to live while we are being faithful. 

Good and moral people can be found everywhere, but that doesn’t mean they believe in Jesus. I believe that the only difference between me and an unbelieving neighbor is that God is not holding my sins against me anymore because I believe in his Son. And because of that, Christ lives IN the me! And he will come be with anyone who believes in him regardless of how good they are or not.

God doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed according to 2 Peter 3:9. And we are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are (Romans 3:22), a Gentile, Jew, preachers or prostitute. 

Dear God,
Thank you for your reward system. It’s really just an unheard of amount of grace being poured out to people who can’t pay you back or offer you any goods or services in return. But I LOVE you because of your grace and love for me. Thank you for not creating a club that’s impossible to join, but instead you’ve made all things possible for me because of Jesus. Thank you for Jesus! I love you so much and pray in his name, amen.

April 22, 2015 
Accurate Predictions
Romans 1:20
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Eternal power and divine nature are invisible things. They cannot be seen, but they can be known just like wind, gravity, and aroma. Yet, these invisible things are exactly what the unbelieving set of people use as an excuse for not knowing God. And it’s ironic to me that the Bible says they will make up excuses for not knowing him, and they do!

Romans 1 goes on to describe exactly how people who reject God become wise in their own eyes, and it just so happens to be a 100% accurate prediction of modern society as well.

...And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. 28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

The most striking phrase here is: Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. It’s going to get harder and harder to find people who worship the One True Living God because God’s righteous living requirements are not what is being encouraged, endorsed, or even tolerated.

Jesus spent his whole ministry giving us fair warning, I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33). So, I’m not surprised by what’s going on in the world, but I really just marvel at the fact that just as everything predicted in the Old Testament came true in the New Testament -- now everything in the New Testament is coming true right before our very eyes!

Dear God,
Thank you that your invisible qualities have visible proof and that I don’t have to lie to myself and that I can embrace you instead of reject you. I thank you that your Son has overcome all sin and I am not forced to be counted with the sinners anymore, and it is in his name I thank you and pray, amen.

April 21, 2015
A Good Illustration
John 10:11-13
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.”

My kids and I were talking about this passage this morning wondering what illustration Jesus would use instead of a shepherd with sheep if he would have come in our day and age where shepherding isn’t such a common thing anymore. Our conclusion was that shepherding is the best example! Even though pastors may have to explain the background of shepherding in olden times, it is worth explaining so people can understand the exact nature of Jesus’ unconditional love for us. He helps the utterly helpless.

Sheep are utterly helpless animals. A hired hand watching over them isn’t personally invested and cares more for his own comfort and safety than those in his care. This is a very important concept to keep in mind for people who are trying to find Truth.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:3-5,  For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. There are plenty of people out there ready and willing to tell people how to live, but their interests are completely personal; they’re selling a book or filling an auditorium. They tell people what they want to hear so they can personally advance themselves in some way. The last thing on their mind is their followers.

But Jesus isn’t like that. And all who preach in his name are genuinely concerned with people’s souls. That is why Paul encourages Timothy in the above passage to not be afraid of suffering for the Lord and to continue in ministry no matter what happens. That might not be what itching ears want to hear, but it’s what they need to hear. And giving people what they need is exactly what Jesus does because he is The Good Shepherd!

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your perfect illustration The Good Shepherd. Thank you for giving me exactly what I need and never ever leaving me. I love you so much and I am so thankful for all you’ve done and I pray in your name, amen.

April 20, 2015
That Would Certainly Sting
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And the law gives sin its power... These are such interesting words to me. Why is there a good thing, God’s Law, being paired with a bad thing? How does knowledge of something good promote something bad? It actually just goes to show how good the law is. God’s Law is so good and so perfect and so difficult to live out. His Law shows us that we are not perfect because we see what we should do and compare it with what we actually do and see immediately that we still sin even though we try to do what’s right. The reason sin has power is due to our inability to not sin.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.  I love God’s law with all my heart.  But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. (Romans 7:21-22)

If life were simpler, and the only thing we needed to achieve was tying shoe laces, I’d be perfect. Tying shoes has no power over me. I can tie any shoe and it will stay tied. I was taught early in life how to tie my shoes and I have never struggled with the task since. But even though Jesus simplified all of God’s Laws into just two seemingly simple tasks, Love God & Love others (Matthew 22:38-39), it’s not as easy as tying shoe laces.

So the whole reason that Christians are excited is because we found Someone to tie our shoes for us! Jesus is perfect. And because of HIS sacrifice for OUR sins God is no longer counting people righteous for how well they can obey every single commandment (Romans 3:21-22). That doesn’t mean we don’t obey them, it just means how well we keep them isn’t what determines our final destination anymore. 

The Apostle Paul says the law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. (Galatians 3:24-25)

God decided that anyone who believes in Jesus will be saved–doesn’t matter how long or how well we obey. For me, that is so much better than God deciding that only the best of the best can be saved because knowing God’s Law has shown me that if I was dependent upon my own abilities to save me, I could never ever be saved. And that would certainly sting.

Dear God,
I love your Law, I love your Ways! I love that you have shown me how to live. But I am so glad I am not being graded on how well I pull everything off because I have good days and bad days. I am so thankful that there is completely another way to be saved that leaves nothing hanging over my head. Thank you for Jesus. I love you and praise you and ask you to help me obey you out of a thankful heart and I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

April 13, 2015
No Medication for Sin
Romans 3:23-24
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

In this society where there are no losers, every kid gets an award, punishment is lax or non-existence, and parents work really hard to remove all consequences from their kids’ behaviors, etc., it’s no wonder that it’s getting harder and harder to share the Good News of Jesus. He freed us from the penalty for our sins! But in a place where nothing is considered bad, wrong, or even last place, nobody thinks they’ve done anything wrong. And if someone does do something considered wrong, it’s not their fault, and they just need some medication for the behavior.

But there is no medication for sin. There is actual right and wrong, sin & righteousness, good vs. bad. And we need forgiveness not a prescription or an excuse. Everyone is going to die one day and face judgment (Hebrews 9:27), and the only thing that will save a person from their deserved punishment is believing Jesus died for those sins (Romans 3:23-24). Unfortunately, society actually calls good things bad and bad things good (Isaiah 5:20), so many people are deceived. The problem isn’t trying to convince people they need Jesus as their Savior; the problem is trying to convince people they’re sinners!

Dear God,
Thank you for forgiving my sins because of your Son. Thank you so much! I pray for my unbelieving family and friends today who have fallen into the trap that they don’t sin. Or, if they do think they sin they also think that you excuse everything. Help them to turn to you today so they can be saved. Thank you that you are real and your forgiveness is real and your love for all of us is real. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

April 10, 2015
Christians Aren’t Hypocrites
Romans 5:8
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

And I’m still a sinner. Believing in Jesus’ sacrifice for me doesn’t get rid of my sins but does, indeed, forgive my sins. All of them!

While we were still sinners... That’s now. I still struggle with doing what I don’t intend just as the Apostle Paul describes in Romans 7:22-25. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.  Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?  Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

The unbelieving world often marks Christians as hypocrites. They think we think we’re perfect. That just couldn’t be further from the truth. We know and fully recognize our struggle with sin. The only difference between me and my unbelieving neighbor is that God isn’t holding my sins against me anymore.

Jesus didn’t take our sin nature away when he died on the cross for our sins. He simply took the penalty of our sin nature away. Big difference. I see everyday the one who frees me from this life that is dominated by sin and death. Jesus! He gets the credit; I didn’t all of a sudden become perfect. 

Just God, in his peculiar and generous way, decided for there to be a way for me to have a relationship with him that is not dependent upon what I do at all. That’s weird to us because in society if you want to be in a club of some kind you must pay or meet requirements of some kind. That’s why the unbelieving world is so confused. They can’t wrap their brain around the fact that God isn’t running a country club. God loves everyone, and he doesn’t want anyone to die unforgiven (See 2 Peter 3:9). So he makes it so simple that anyone can do it.

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law... We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. (That is all!) And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22)

That’s it. Christians aren’t hypocrites because we don’t think we're perfect – JUST FORGIVEN!

Dear God,
You love me just the way I am. You know my weakness and you forgive me anyway because of what Jesus did! I’m so glad that’s how you operate because, like Paul says, I don’t do what I want to do all the time. I struggle. But I just can’t thank you enough for your help and presence and forgiveness in my life; that takes all the pressure off of me and gives me a real relationship with you. Thank you for Jesus’ example how to live and for your Holy Spirit helping me to give me the desire and the ability to do what pleases you while I still have a sin nature waging a war. Your ways are amazing and good, and I love you so much and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

April 9, 2015
Read all about it!
Hebrews 1:3
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command...

If anyone wants to know what God is like, just look at Jesus.

I know that God is real because of Romans 1:19-20
(Everyone knows) the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

God, who is able to speak creation into existence, can also physically describe who he is in a Person, the man Jesus. There have been so many times that I’ve failed in communication trying to explain my viewpoint on a matter. It would have been amazing to try any communicate in a different way – to have a physical representation of my meaning so I could be clearly understood.

Well, creation clearly testifies to God’s existence. Through everything God made he made his external power and divine nature obvious. And through Jesus he made who he is, what he’s like, how he loves, and how he prescribes people to live obvious as well. God gives us the most hands on, on the job training, manual for life; we just need to open up the Gospels and read all about it!

Dear God,
Thank you for you Son, Jesus, who is the perfect representation of you. I know just what your like from Jesus, and I love everything about you. I love your patience and kindness, your wisdom and thoughtfulness, and I love your unconditional love and big great desire to have a relationship with me. Thank you so much. I love you and praise you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

April 7, 2015
Spring Cleaning
Galatians 2:20
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Out with the old. In with the new. It feels so good to clean out a closet, to move the furniture and get rid of those dust bunnies, and to pull up the weeds and replace the annuals with perennials. Spring Cleaning is refreshing. And it’s a wonderful thing to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead in Springtime. How fitting! Because of his life, death, and resurrection, my life gets a do-over! 

My New Self...

1. Changes the way I think.  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

2. Changes the way I behave.  Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:21-24

3. Changes who is in charge. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5

I love to clean up what’s gotten messed up, and I’m really glad Jesus does too!

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you so much for all you’ve done for me! Thank you for defeating death so that you can live in me and make me new and clean. Help me to change the way I think and live everyday by the power of your Holy Spirit. You are great and greatly to be praised, and I’m so glad you live to Spring Clean in my heart. I love you and pray in your name, amen.