Friday Thought -- August 31, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“How long, O Lord?  Will you forget me forever?  How long will you hide your face from me?  How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?  How long will my enemy triumph over me?  Look on me and answer, O Lord my God.  Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall.” (Psalm 13:1-4)

Sometimes life can be so unfair.  Sometimes it seems like the Lord has forgotten us and ignores our cries for help.

Sometimes it is about what we see in our own lives that we do not like.  David said he wrestled with his thoughts.  His thoughts were not ones that he liked.  He wanted to see them change, but change didn’t seem to come.  He cried and prayed, but God didn’t come to his rescue.

Sometimes it is about what others do to us – our enemies.  David had enemies who were more clearly enemies than most of us have.  His enemies brought armies against him in an attempt to take over his kingdom.  His enemies brought real weapons with the intent of killing him.  Most of us don’t have enemies of that sort.  In fact, most of us would hesitate to call anyone our enemy.  But there are those in our lives who trouble us:  a friend we are not getting along with, a boss who seems to be against us, a co-worker who snubs us or makes our work harder, a spouse who is unreasonable, parents who don’t understand.  We pray about these situations and seek God’s help, but often we don’t see anything that God does to help.  The situation remains the same and no change comes.

Where is God and why doesn’t He do something in response to our prayers?  That was David’s question.  It’s been my question and your question from time to time, too.

And David’s answer:  “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:5-6)

David’s answer was to say, “I don’t understand, but I’ll trust You, Lord.”  And the reason David was willing to trust the Lord when He seemed silent was because of what God had already done for him.  There was no doubt about his salvation and if God had come to his ultimate rescue, then he would choose to trust Him with the smaller problems of this life, even when God’s answers or God’s timing weren’t what he wanted them to be.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- August 30, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“In the LORD I take refuge.  How then can you say to me:  ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain.  For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.  When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne.  He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.  The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates.  On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.  For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.” (Psalm 11:1-7)

David wrote this psalm.  I think he was saying “it’s not over yet.”  Life doesn’t seem fair.  The wicked often prosper and the righteous often suffer.  It seems as though it will always be this way and no one does anything to make it all turn out right.

But it’s not over yet!  The Lord is in the temple.  God is still on the throne.  He’s watching.  He’s waiting.  It’s not over yet!  In the end justice will prevail, along with grace and mercy.

Those who love God will not always suffer.  One day we will see God’s face and eternally enjoy His presence and live in perfect justice and love.

And for those who oppress us, unless they repent, judgment waits.  Their wicked deeds will be punished.  Justice will prevail.

I know life on earth doesn’t always seem fair.  The good are mistreated and suffer great distress.  The bad seem to prosper without difficulty.  Life isn’t fair.

Trust God.  It’s not over yet!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- August 29, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!  You have set your glory above the heavens.  From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.  When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:1-4)

The creation is amazing, isn’t it!

Have you considered the vastness of the heavens?  Even with as much knowledge and skill as mankind has developed through the years of our existence we still can’t explore the outer reaches of the celestial arena.  There are more stars than we can ever count and more planets orbiting those stars than anyone can even imagine.  With each telescope of greater power we find parts of the creation never seen before.  We have not yet explored the outer reaches of the creation.

And then move the other direction, to the smallest particles of the creation.  Break a human body down and you will find an array organs and a vascular system of amazing veins and arteries.  And every part of the body can be broken down even further into cells of various kinds.  And go beyond that to look at the makeup of each cell and you’ll find still smaller parts.  It seems that with each microscope of greater power we find smaller parts of the creation.  We have not yet plumbed the depths of the intricacies of the creation.

From vast to minute, the creation is an amazing thing!  It’s beyond our comprehension.  And it all was created by the God of creation.

And here’s an even more amazing truth:  the same God who created and sustains all things is interested in you and me.  He knows us down to the tiniest hair on our heads.  He has plans for us down to the number of days we will live.  He cares for us so much that He intervened in the world to pay the price to have a relationship with us.

Do you understand why God cares for you?  I don’t either!  I’m amazed by it -- and I rejoice in it!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- August 28, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5:3)

David was called a “man after God’s own heart.”  He was not a perfect man by any means.  He was, however, a man who was devoted to God.  He knew he was dependent upon God for his very life.  He needed God’s help and regularly cried out in desperation to Him.

Whenever David was in need, he cried out to God in prayer.  He didn’t have to wait for special prayer times to address his needs to God.  When the need was on his heart, his thoughts were lifted to God in prayer.

On the other hand, David didn’t neglect a regular time of prayer, either.  Morning by morning David focused his attention on God and took his requests to God.  This psalm speaks of that practice.  In the morning David prayed to the Lord.  In the morning he put his requests before God.  The morning was David’s regular time of prayer.

Morning, evening, midday, the time of the day that we set aside for regular prayer is not the issue.  The point is that we need those set times to focus our attention on God and make our requests known to Him.

Call on God at any time a need is on your heart and He will hear your cry for help.  But don’t neglect to be disciplined in your regular times of prayer, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- August 27, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

I appreciate the honesty of the Psalms.  In them you can see when David was angry with God because it did not seem like God was hearing him or doing anything to help him.  And you can also see David’s trust in God.  See the contrast in these two passages that David wrote:

“Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.  Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.  How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?  How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?  Selah” (Psalm 4:1-2)

“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.  Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:9-10)

David had not learned to trust God because everything in his life was good.  Often, he was oppressed by those around him and seemingly abandoned by God.  There are psalms that reflect great distress in David’s life.

Be honest with God, He already knows what you are feeling anyway.  In the end, even through the times of oppression and distress, you will see God’s hand, His care for you and learn to trust Him.

His, by grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- August 24, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“O Lord, how many are my foes!  How many rise up against me!  Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’  But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me, I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.  Arise, O Lord!  Deliver me, O my God!  Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.  From the Lord comes deliverance.  May your blessing be on your people.” (Psalm 3:1-8)

David was being pursued by Saul.  Saul was king of Israel and was bringing the strength of the army of Israel against David.  David, on the other hand, had only a rag-tag small group of loyal friends on his side.  It would seem that David’s army was no match for the army of Israel.  And from a human perspective, it wasn’t!  It should have just been a matter of time until Saul’s army caught up with David and put an end to him and his men.  They stood no chance!

But David had more on his side than just a small group of loyal friends.  David trusted in the Lord and asked the Lord for deliverance from the army of Saul.  And God came to David’s rescue, time and again.  Though Saul pursued David, he was never able to catch him.  In fact, just the opposite happened, God delivered Saul into David’s hands on two different occasions.  David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but didn’t take it out of respect for the position that Saul held.  But David did latch on to some piece of evidence on both occasions to prove to Saul that he could have won the battle in a single blow and chose not to.

It didn’t matter how many lined up against David.  The outcome of the battle was not determined by the size or strength of the armies involved.  The outcome of the battle was in the Lord’s hands and not Saul’s or David’s.

The same is true in your life.  It may seem like the opposition is strong and outnumbers you many times over.  It may seem that you have no chance of victory or even of survival.  But victory and survival are not in human strength, but in the hands of the Lord.

David trusted God to take care of him and his trust was well placed.  He is an example to us to trust God in all our battles.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- August 23, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.  Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.  Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 2:10-12)

God offers two choices to all people:

·         Love Him, worship Him, and serve Him.  Do that and blessings flow to you.  He provides refuge and help to them.

·         Stand against the Lord or ignore Him.  Do that and anger, wrath, and destruction will result.

What a choice!  So, why then do people choose to ignore or stand against Him?  Why do the nations conspire against Him?  Why do the peoples plot to resist Him?

I suppose they can’t stand anyone on the throne, except themselves!  So, many make their feeble efforts to dethrone God.  It seems they succeed for a short time, at least in their own lives, but hear God’s response to their efforts:  “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” (Psalm 2:4)

The efforts of people to refuse Him grieve God, because He desires to be loved by all people, but they do not create anxiety in Him or cause Him to worry about losing His position!

God is on His throne.  He always has been.  He always will be.  Love Him, worship Him, serve Him.  Not to do so would be to our own distress, not His!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- August 22, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.  Not so the wicked!  They are like chaff that the wind blows away.  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.  For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psalm 1:1-6)

The question is:  who do you listen to.  Who has influence in your life?  Do you listen to the world and its advice, allowing it to influence your thoughts, attitudes and actions?  OR  Is the primary influence in your life the Word of God -- God’s direction for you?

One way leads to judgment and distress.  The other leads to spiritual prosperity and blessings.

So, then, why is it that we don’t study and meditate on the Word of God more?  Why is that we don’t seek its advice more frequently and follow it more fully?  It may not be a as glitzy as the way the world dresses up its advice, but its end is more fruitful!

God has given His Word to us for our benefit.  It is ours to use and to be blessed through.  What a marvelous gift!  Let’s not ignore it.

His, by grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- August 21, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.  Do everything in love.  You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.  I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-16)

With these admonitions, Paul brought his first letter to the Corinthians to a close.  Not everything Paul had written would have been easy for the Corinthians to hear.  Some of it was directly aimed at problems that were present in their church.  But all that Paul had written came from a heart of concern for their benefit.  And these closing words come from the same heart.

There are many things that can bring trouble into the life of a Christian.  Most of them come from problems that start within us.  That’s especially true in our own day, few of us in this country face persecution or suffering that comes from external sources.  But all of us face temptations and forces from within that pull us away from that which promotes spiritual growth and health.  The key to overcoming is to guard ourselves and stand firm.  Be aware of the dangers, don’t take your spiritual life for granted.

Many of the difficulties and temptations each of us faces come from our relationships with others.  Our personalities clash.  Our priorities and direction are different.  Our gifting causes us to see things differently than others do.  Pride and envy enter the picture, too.  So, we have to take care to run all of our actions and attitudes through the filter of love.  Look at your relationships with others, especially those that are difficult, and be sure your responses demonstrate love.

Finally, our independent spirit and our pride often make it hard for us to submit to leadership.  Are our leaders more mature than we are?  Why should we have to listen to them?  But the bottom-line is that God is asking us to follow those whom He appoints as leaders in the church.  They are His instruments to accomplish His work and they need our help, our support, our willingness to follow.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- August 20, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.” (1 Corinthians 16:1-3)

The church in Judea was experiencing difficulty. Famine and persecution had taken its toll on the Christians and they needed help from other churches outside their area. Paul had already mentioned their need to the Corinthians and the Corinthians had already expressed their willingness and desire to help. Now, Paul gives some practical instructions about how the giving was to be done. What he shared was a pattern he had already told other churches, at least those in Galatia.

They were to give regularly, the first day of every week. That would have been the regular meeting time of the church and they were to use that time to bring their gifts for the Jerusalem church.

They were to give proportionately, each giving in keeping with his income. It was not equal gifts that Paul was encouraging, as though there were dues for being a part of the church. Those who had a great deal should give a great deal and those who have little should give little. Every one giving as God has prospered them, that was the principle.

They were to give without being pressured to do so. In fact, Paul didn’t even want any offerings to be taken while he was with them. As an apostle, he carried a great deal of persuasion. But he didn’t want their giving to come by the force of his persuasion. He wanted it to come willingly from their own compassion for the needs of others.

This passage, and others like it, set a precedent for the church in one area of the world helping the church in another area when difficulty strikes. It speaks of Christians with a world view. It speaks of Christians who aren’t just concerned about themselves and their own backyard. It speaks of the love of Christ put into practical action.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- August 17, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Listen, I tell you a mystery:  We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed -- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:  ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’  ‘Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?’  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-58)

The last enemy is going to be defeated and it could be just around the corner.  Death brings great fear and uncertainty to most of us.  It is the separation that is so agonizing.  To lose a parent, a spouse, a child, or a friend to death brings great grief.  But it will not always be so!  Death is about to be defeated.  Its doom is already sealed.

When the trumpet sounds it will not make any difference whether you are dead or alive.  The dead will be raised, the living will be changed, and eternity will be ushered in.  Those who are still alive will be reunited with those who have already died.  The critical factor will not be life or death.  The critical factor will be your relationship with the Lord.  In Him, death’s sting is gone and its power erased.

The prospect of death’s defeat should be a great motivator.  Stand firm, hold on, work hard for Jesus.  In the end, that’s all that will matter.  Keep your own faith solid and secure, and seek to encourage others to embrace faith in Christ, too.  There are times when our faith seems futile and witnessing to others does too.  Despite our best efforts the world seems to continue to spiral downward.  But when the trumpet sounds it will be clear that it has been worth it.  Just wait and see!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- August 16, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.  If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.  So it is written:  ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.  The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.  The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.  As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.  And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-49)

I’m 59 years old and already I can feel my body wearing out.  When I paint I can feel it in my back.  When I walk up the stairs I can feel it in my knees.  I just can’t do as much as I could when I was younger without feeling it.  There are aches and pains that I didn’t use to have.  And each passing year will bring more aches and pains as my body continues to wear down until it can’t go on any longer.

Then, how is it possible that I can live forever.  There is no way this body could last forever.  It was designed with obsolescence in mind.  Even in the early days of man, when men lived hundreds of years, still their bodies wore out.  Every body does.

Paul’s point in today’s Bible passage is that we won’t take these earthly bodies into eternity.  A new body awaits and it will be different.  Even as our earthly bodies get their characteristics from our physical ancestors, all the way back to Adam.  So our heavenly bodies will get their characteristics from our spiritual ancestor, Jesus.

How can we know what we will be like for eternity?  We can’t!  Perhaps some glimpses were provided after Jesus came back from the dead, but that was just a brief glimpse and even then He was bound to some earthly characteristics because He was still on earth.  But we can trust God that what we’ll be for eternity will be great:  imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- August 15, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  For he ‘has put everything under his feet.’  Now when it says that ‘everything’ has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.  When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

Power and authority are temporary conditions.  Dictators gather power to themselves and wield it according to their own will.  They gather to themselves even the power of life and death over those they conquer.  Saddam Hussein did that in Iraq.  He tried to play “God” by using his military might.  But his power and authority were brought under control when those more powerful stepped into the arena.

Bosses exercise power and authority over those they employ.  Some do so with humility and gentleness, exercising their authority for the benefit of their company and its employees.  Others are not so benevolent, exercising their authority according to their own whim, sometimes just because they can, bringing heartache to those who work under them.  But even the most powerful boss exercises only temporary authority.  Retirement, takeovers, bankruptcy, and other forces will bring their authority to an end.  Even Bill Gates will exercise authority only for a short time.

Sometimes boyfriends and husbands exercise authority over those who love them.  They seek to control their “women” by their physical superiority or the force of their will.  Their authority, too, is only temporary.

In fact, there is no authority on earth that will be permanent, and only one Authority in heaven that will last through eternity.

God has given us a long leash.  He allows dictators and bosses and others to exercise unrighteous authority.  But it will not always be so.  All authority will be brought to an end and all of creation will be brought under His submission.  It’s just a matter of time.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- August 14, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:14-20)

If this life is all there is, then it’s not worth it being a Christian.  I know there are many blessings in this world from being in Christ, but there are some things we miss, too.  We miss the freedom to sin all we please, in any way that might bring pleasure.  We miss grabbing for all we can get no matter what it does to the people around us.  Some of our activities are constrained by the Master we follow.

And, then, there is the trouble that comes our way because of our faith.  Some of us have been ridiculed for following Jesus.  The ridicule is not worth it if there is nothing after the grave.  Some Christians have been mistreated, tortured, even killed for their faith.  How does that add to the joy of life, if life on earth is all there is?

If this life is all there is, then pity us for giving ourselves to a hope that there is something beyond the grave.

But this life is not all there is!  The resurrection of Jesus proved that.  Jesus came back from the dead and in doing so He demonstrated that the grave is not the end of life.  There’s something beyond the grave.  There’s an eternity ahead that awaits us.

These few years on earth are but a brief prelude to the eternity that lies ahead.  In the end, no matter what following Jesus costs us on this earth, it will all be worth it.  As Paul reminded us, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- August 13, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.  For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.  No, I worked harder than all of them -- yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:8-10)

Grace made an impact on Paul’s life.

It was grace that caused Jesus to appear to Paul on the road to Damascus.  Paul wasn’t even a follower of Christ at that time.  In fact, he was the opposite -- he violently opposed those who were Christians.  He didn’t deserve such an unusual opportunity to be made aware of the truth.  Christ appeared to him only as the result of His grace toward Paul.

It was grace that placed Paul into the position of apostle.  Only a very few men were ever called to be apostles.  Paul didn’t deserve to be among that number.  He had been a persecutor of the church, even standing by encouraging those who killed Stephen.  He didn’t even deserve the back row of the church, much less a position of honor and authority.  It was grace that made him an apostle.

It was grace that enabled Paul to accomplish all that he did for the kingdom.  He preached where no one had preached before.  He started new churches.  He saw thousands of people come to Christ.  Perhaps no one has ever had a more significant impact on the growth of the church than Paul did in those early days.  But it wasn’t Paul’s superior abilities or hard work that enabled him to accomplish what he did.  It was grace, God’s enabling, God’s power, God’s blessings that worked in Paul.

Paul was a product of grace:  his salvation, his position, his accomplishments.  He earned none of it.  He deserved none of it.  It was all grace.  The same is true in our lives!  It’s all grace.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- August 10, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.  By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you.  Otherwise, you have believed in vain.  For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:  that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

The Corinthians knew the gospel.  They had heard the gospel preached to them and had opened their hearts to receive it.  They were not ignorant of the basic truth of the gospel.  Yet, Paul reminded them of it to restore the foundation that was becoming shaky in their lives.

The Corinthians had taken the gospel and perverted its application to their own selfishness.  But the gospel is not founded upon selfishness.  The gospel is about sacrifice.  The basics of the gospel are in those final hours of Jesus’ life and beyond.  The gospel is founded upon Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.  Those historical events, to which hundreds of eyewitnesses have provided their testimony, stand as the greatest demonstration of God’s love and grace toward us.

They are the means by which God’s mercy is poured upon our sins, providing forgiveness made possible by the covering of God’s own blood.  They are the means by which God’s grace is given to us, providing an eternity in God’s presence for all who embrace the cross and the Christ.

Without the cross and the empty tomb, Christianity is meaningless.  With them, we find the ultimate meaning for life!

Most of you have probably been Christians for many years.  Be reminded anew of the basics:  the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  The truth of those events brought you to God and it is those basics that will keep you close to Him, too!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- August 9, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.  For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God.  Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.  But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:1-4)

Why do you seek gifts and blessings from the Lord?

There is a temptation to seek God’s gifts for our own benefit and pleasure.  But that is a selfish focus and a wrong focus.  While the gifts that come from God are good and pleasant for those who receive them that is not the reason to seek them.  We are to seek God’s gifts for the benefit of others, not ourselves.

The best gifts are those that enable us to bring encouragement, strengthening, comfort, and help to those around us.  To seek those gifts follows the way of love, the way that is committed to the good of others.

Ask the Lord to equip you with those gifts that will make you the greatest blessing to those around you.  When you do, you’ll find the blessings of joy and pleasure come back to you, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- August 8, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Love never fails.  But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  And now these three remain:  faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-13)

There aren’t very many things that last forever.  The world certainly won’t.  There will come a day when this world, as we know it, will be totally renovated into a new earth.  The things we accumulate on earth won’t last, either.  The money we save, the possessions we own, the fame we gain, the power we possess, none of these will last long.  For most of us, they won’t last beyond our last breath on earth.

We are saved by faith, but not even faith lasts forever.  Its results do, as we gain eternal life through it.  But faith itself will dissolve into sight when we stand in God's presence.  Hope won’t last forever, either.  The eternity we hope for will last, but not hope itself.  Hope will turn into reality when we see Jesus.

But there are things that will last.  The word of God lasts forever.  Although not in the form in which we know it, the Bible, constrained by the limits of the human mind.  Human beings last forever.  That’s why love is so important.  How we treat people has an impact on our lives and upon theirs in this world, and it has the potential for an eternal impact on our lives and theirs, too.

You can give yourself to a lot of things, and some of them are very good.  But none of them is better, or more important, than loving relationships with the people around you.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- August 7, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Love -- real love -- is not about getting, it’s about giving.  Love is not about me, it’s about the one who is loved.  It’s not about my needs, it’s about the needs of the other person.  It’s not about what I want, it’s about focusing on the other person’s wants.

Love does not come naturally.  My nature is selfish.  It is my nature to focus on what I need and what I want.  It is my nature to be sure that I am provided for.  Love goes against my nature.  Love requires that I say “no” to what comes naturally for me and deliberately choose a different course, a course that is focused on someone other than myself.

The perfect example of love is seen in Jesus Christ.  There is nothing about Jesus’ life that was focused on Himself.  He perfectly demonstrated a life given for the good of others.  And He calls us to follow His example.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- August 6, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Are all apostles?  Are all prophets?  Are all teachers?  Do all work miracles?  Do all have gifts of healing?  Do all speak in tongues?  Do all interpret?  But eagerly desire the greater gifts.  And now I will show you the most excellent way.  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 12:29-13:3)

Wouldn’t it be great to have spiritual gifts that are obvious and clearly supernatural?  To be an apostle with the spiritual authority that came with that office.  To be a prophet and be able to speak forth God’s Word with clarity, not through study, but through direct revelation from God.  To be able to stand before a group of people and expound on the Word of God in such a way that they would know that you really knew the Bible and really knew its Author.  To be able to walk on water, heal the sick, speak a language you have never learned, or interpret it.

Any of those gifts, would be something to have.  And there’s nothing wrong with desiring to be gifted in these ways and to desire to be used by God to touch people with His love and truth.  But not all of us will have those gifts, perhaps none of us will!

But all of us can allow the Lord to develop love in our lives!  And more than any supernatural gift, love will be the evidence that God is at work in our lives and love will be the tool God uses to touch others for Himself.  Love matters most.  Without love any spiritual gift that you might have is greatly diminished in its power and effectiveness, to the point that it is worthless!

Love demonstrates that we are followers of Christ. (John 13:35)

Love fulfills all of the Law.  (Romans 13:10)

The only thing that counts is faith working through love.  (Galatians 5:6)

Love matters to God.  It matters more than any gift, more than any work, more than any praise.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- August 3, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.  If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?  If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:14-20)

Who is in charge of the kind of gifts and abilities you have?  God is -- that is Paul’s point.

It’s easy to look around at the gifts that others have and wish that we had them.  Perhaps you’d like to preach like Tim Keller.  Or how about sing like Natalie Grant?  Maybe you’d like to write like Philip Yancey?  Maybe you’d like to play football like Tim Tebow?  Perhaps you’d like to have the gift of giving and the money that goes along with it.  Just what gift would you like to have that you don’t?

Most of us would pick one of the obvious gifts, those that get the most attention.  It would be nice to have an “up-front” gift so that people could easily see how I’m serving the Lord and how “spiritual” I am.  Not many of us would pick the behind-the-scenes gifts like serving and mercy.

But which gifts are most important?  The point is that they are all important and all needed so that God’s work gets done effectively.  We can’t all be alike.  What kind of body would that be?  We can’t say we don’t need the behind-the-scenes gifts, how would that essential work get done?

God’s in charge of who gets what gifts.  Thank God for the gifts He has given you, and be satisfied with them.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- August 2, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

No two of us are alike.  Our preferences are different.  Some like traditional music, some contemporary.  Some prefer peace and quiet, some want activity and noise.  Some like to read and study, some like to work with their hands doing something practical.

Our skills and abilities are different, too.  Some don’t mind speaking to a large group and others wouldn’t do that for any reason.  Some can add numbers quickly in their head and others struggle to do it with a calculator.  Some can listen to a furnace and immediately diagnose the problem and some can’t even figure out how to work the thermostat.  Some can comfort a crying baby and bring it peace and others seem to set the babies crying just with a look.

We’re different --- different preferences, different skills and abilities.  God has designed us for different places and different tasks in His kingdom and He has provided what we need for those places and tasks.  Each of us is made different by God, but in each of us it is His power that works in us in the unique ways He has made us.  While each of us works in a different way, we all are working for the same goal --- to glorify and please the Lord.

We don’t have to all be alike.  In fact, God accomplishes far more through us because we are all different!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- August 1, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:  The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’  In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

The Lord’s Supper has at least four purposes.

It helps us remember what the Lord has done for us.  We are all so prone to forget.  We get caught up in the activity and stress of daily life.  In our hectic schedules there is little time to stop and focus on the Lord and His gift of grace.  Regularly coming to the Lord’s Table guards against our tendency to forget His grace and love for us.

By it we proclaim the importance of what Jesus has done for us.  We proclaim it to ourselves as an act of recommitment to Him.  We proclaim it to other believers so that they, too, will be reminded of what Christ has done for them.  We proclaim it to nonbelievers who are in the assembly with us.  It is not the music, or the peaceful quietness, or the friendship of others that brings us to the assembly, it is the Lord’s death that brings us there.

It is a time to examine our lives and be drawn to repentance.  “A man ought to examine himself before he eats the bread and drinks the cup.” (1 Cor. 11:28)  The reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus to bring us forgiveness should cause us to look deeply into our own heart and allow Him to cleanse us of the sin we find there.

We reaffirm and proclaim our unity with other believers.  A few verses later Paul says we are to “recognize the Lord’s body” when we partake.  We do remember Him and His sacrifice, but we also remember His earthly body, the church.  As we partake together we remember that we are joined by His great sacrifice to all others who have received Him.

His, by Grace,

Steve