Tuesday Thought -- April 30, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-9)

Joseph Smith declared that the message we received through the coming of Christ was not complete. New information was delivered to him by an angel that changed the gospel and made it complete.

Jim Jones had a revelation that provided a new twist on the gospel. The church had gotten it wrong all those years since Christ and he was the one who could correct the errors and point people in the direction of the new and better gospel.

Mary Baker Eddy found the key to understanding the scriptures that had been missing until it was revealed to her. Those who went before her were mistaken and she was the one to correct them.

Those are just three modern examples of people who have claimed to have received a new and better message than the gospel of Jesus Christ that has been preached for 2,000 years. Like Smith, some said the message came from a supernatural messenger, an angel. Others claimed direct revelation from God. Others had searched and found the answer through their own study of the scriptures. But all of these, and many more, found something new and unique to add to the gospel to make it “right.” They proclaimed a new gospel and invited others to join them in its pursuit.

Paul said, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!”

Not even a supernatural messenger has the authority to change the message of the grace of Christ that has been preached since He was crucified. Read Acts 2 and Peter’s sermon that is recorded there. It is the first sermon of the gospel of Christ that was preached after Jesus’ death. It was preached just days after His resurrection and ascension back to the Father. That is the message of the gospel – there is no other gospel. The message of Christ has been the same from that sermon until this day and it will never change. You can count on that!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- April 29, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Paul, an apostle – sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead – and all the brothers with me. To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:1-5)

We’ve been rescued!

That is an image that implies that we were being held in bondage. We were being held in bondage to our sin – incapable on our own of overcoming its grip on our lives. We were being held in bondage to our guilt – there was nothing we could do on our own to erase the mark of guilt from our souls. We were being held in bondage to the temptations of the evil age – on our own, the temptations were too powerful for us to be able to resist. Even when we didn’t want to give in to the temptations – even when we knew it would be harmful to us if we gave in – we didn’t have the power to keep from giving in.

We were being held in bondage! We needed someone who had overcome the bondage or someone from the outside to come and set us free. And that’s what Jesus did for us. He came from the outside – from heaven itself. He entered our world of bondage – being subject to the same temptations and the same powers that held us in bondage – but was able to overcome them. And having overcome the power of the evil age in His own life – He then came to us with the key to the chains that bound us. He offered us the opportunity to be set free. Set free from sin’s power so that it no longer controls our lives. Set free from sin’s guilt so that it’s mark is completely erased from our souls. Set free from the power of the temptations of this evil age – He has given us the power to resist the temptations that trapped us.

In order to rescue us, it cost Jesus. He had to “give himself.” He had to leave the comfort and glory and power and security of heaven. He had to restrict Himself to the constraints of human life. He had to face the evil one face-to-face. He had to experience the full power of temptation.  He had to experience the pain of rejection. He had to experience the torture and pain of death. He gave Himself to rescue us!

For what He has done, He deserves to be followed. For what He has done, He deserves to be praised. For what He has done, He deserves to be loved.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- April 26, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)

These two brief verses are a prayer for those to whom the book of Hebrews was written and a benediction for the book of Hebrews. They contain a number truly significant thoughts.

God is not the author of confusion, turmoil, and trouble, He is the God of peace. He does not want His children to live in confusion, turmoil, and trouble, either. When those things are a part of our lives it is because we are not walking in trust with Him. God longs for us to live in peace.

Jesus became our great Shepherd at great price to Him, and to the Father. God made a covenant of love with us, and sealed that covenant with the blood of His Son! It is in that act of sacrifice that the shepherding heart of Jesus is most clearly seen. He truly is the Shepherd willing to lay down His life for the sheep.

The covenant God has made with us is not of a temporary nature. It is an eternal covenant. We can count on it now and we can rest assured that it will never be overturned or voided. The covenant is as eternal as God Himself.

God desires us to do His will, and He does not leave us without what we need to accomplish it. He charges us to do His will and then equips us to do it. He asks us to live for Him, doing what pleases Him, and then it is by His work in us that it is enabled!

This is a benediction meant to bring great encouragement to those who were experiencing times of distress. Its truths apply to us, too!

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Thursday Thought -- April 25, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15-16)

Worship pleases God. Jesus said God seeks worshipers. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23)

When we think of worship, we usually think of what we do on Sunday mornings and other times of singing and prayer. Those certainly can be worship when they come from the hearts of those who are participating. God longs for people to express their worship with their lips, not just at scheduled times of the week, but all of the time.

But what we do with our lips is not the only kind of worship there is. What we do with our lives can also be worship. Doing good and sharing with others, when done from hearts that are right, are sacrifices of worship to God. They please God.

We’ve been called to a life of worship. So, worship with your lips, sing praise to the Lord and tell Him how much you love Him. And show how much you honor Him with your life, too. God is looking for both kinds of worship.

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Wednesday Thought -- April 24, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.” (Hebrews 13:11-3)

The church does not operate in the mainstream of life. That should be obvious to all of us. The opinions of the church are rarely sought when public policy is made. And when the church does offer its opinions they are ridiculed or ignored.

The church is a great place for weddings. But for most of the population the church isn’t listened to with advice for how to prepare for marriage, have a healthy marriage, or stay married. The buildings the church offers make wedding ceremonies special, but they are only marginally connected to marriage.

The church is great for when someone gets sick, too, and for funerals. Almost the whole world is willing to have people pray for them when they, or someone they love, is sick. And there is something comforting about having sacred words read by a religious professional at the time of the death of a loved one. But when people are healthy and death seems far away, the church isn’t often sought for help or guidance.

We shouldn’t be surprised that the church is marginalized by our world, so was its Founder! He was mistreated by some and ignored by many. But He clung to what He knew was right and what He knew was real.

And the challenge for us is to keep clinging to what is right and what is real, even when the world ignores it or laughs at it or hates it. We’re following His example and receiving the same kind of treatment by those around us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- April 23, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

The character and attitudes that we see in Jesus in the gospels are still the character and attitudes He has now from heaven.

He cares about those who are hurting.

He longs to help those who are sick.

He weeps over the blindness and stubbornness of the lost.

He wants to gather all people under His protection.

He is humble and meek, patiently waiting for people to come to Him.

He is unwavering in faith and totally committed to God’s purposes.

He is willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to bring people to Him.

His power is intact.

He can still heal the sick

He can raise the dead.

He can walk on water.

He can still the storms.

Attitudes toward Him are different, but He’s the same.  On earth He was despised and rejected, mocked and beaten, and killed.  In heaven, He is worshipped and adored and obeyed without question.

Look carefully into the heart of Jesus in the gospels.  What you see in His heart there, is still in His heart.  He hasn’t changed.  He never will.  He’s been the same from eternity past.  He’ll be the same into eternity future.  He still loves you.  He always has.  He always will!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- April 22, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.” (Hebrews 13:7; 17-19)

Leadership in a voluntary society is always a great challenge. The vast majority of those whom God calls to leadership in the church take their responsibilities seriously and give a great deal of themselves to fulfill those responsibilities. That is especially true of volunteer leaders, who work hard, put in a great deal of time, and do it without much reward. When you have leaders like that, who have good hearts and take their responsibilities seriously, then, you have responsibilities toward them.

Follow their example. They aren’t perfect. You’ll never find a leader who is. But as they follow the Lord and seek Him and His will, you are to follow them, and trust that God will work through them.

Obey them. They have the best interest of the church in mind.

Pray for them. Recognize the struggle that leadership brings and hold them up in your prayers. Ask God to give them wisdom. Ask God to give them courage to do what He directs, rather than what people want. Ask God to give them peace and satisfaction in their service to Him.

How about praying for your leaders right now?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- April 19, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:4-6)

Sex and money! The powerful lure of those two temptations is nothing new. Perhaps it is true that they have become even more dominant in our era, but they were powerful temptations 2,000 years ago, too. The Hebrew writer challenges us to maintain our guard against those temptations and not give in to their lure.

And there is help! God has promised never to desert us. He offers His help in the fight against the lure of sex and money. The power of those temptations is too great for us to be able to fight in our own strength. But God offers to come to our aid!

The fight is not all God’s. We must struggle to keep our attitude toward marriage right. We must learn to be content. And we must reach out to the help God offers.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- April 18, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:1-6)

Focus your life and your energy on what matters. God matters. People matter. Things don’t matter.

God matters. He promises to be the One who will never leave you, even if everyone and everything else does. He can be counted on when everything around you crumbles. And if God is with you, then you can face life with confidence, trusting Him to help. He loves you, so love Him back.

People matter. Your spouse matters. You’ve made a deep commitment to your spouse – a lifetime covenant – honor it. God cares how you treat your spouse and how you respect the commitment you’ve made in marriage. Your marital faithfulness matters to God.

Fellow believers matter. God calls you to be there for them, to love them as brothers. That means you’re willing to sacrifice for them. It means you are willing to help them in times of trouble. It means you’re willing to do what they need, even when they don’t want what they need. Love them, they matter to God and they should to you.

Strangers matter, too. Some strangers are actually God’s messengers. God sends them for some purpose into your life. What a tragedy, to ignore or reject a stranger and then to learn in eternity that it was actually a messenger of God. Be on the lookout for how God would have you treat strangers who come into your life. Strangers matter to God, and they should to you.

Things don’t matter. Money is not worth loving. It doesn’t satisfy and it won’t last. Be content with what you’ve got and use it for those things that matter. Use it for God. Use it for people.

God matters. People matter. Things don’t matter. Does your life reflect those truths?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- April 17, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken -- that is, created things -- so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” (Hebrews 12:25-29)

A word of forgiveness and reconciliation has been spoken by the cross of Jesus. A choice is given to men and women -- will we listen to the word that has been spoken, or will we refuse it? To refuse the word of forgiveness puts us in grave danger, because this world will not continue forever. The warning has been pronounced. The end is coming. The world will be shaken and destroyed. Those who have refused the word of forgiveness will be consumed.

The word of forgiveness and reconciliation is good news. It means we do not have to fear the shaking of the world that has been announced as coming. Our hope does not rest on the temporary world and its things. We have been accepted into an eternal kingdom and we await its appearance.

How should we respond to the prospect of a world that will be destroyed and a kingdom that will be eternal? Be thankful that you have heard the word of forgiveness and found eternal peace and confidence. Worship the One who has made it possible -- with reverence and awe.

And one more response -- consider those who have not yet received the word of the cross. The prospect that lays ahead for them is frightening. Warn them -- in love! The word that has been spoken by the cross is available for them, too!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- April 16, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:22-24)

The verses above are set in contrast to the few verses that precede them. The preceding verses paint a picture of the old covenant of Mount Sinai and the law. It was a covenant based on a law that could not be kept. It was a covenant focused on this world. It was a covenant characterized by fear.

But those things are not true of the new covenant in which we live. This new covenant is not focused on this world, but on heaven. It is not a covenant of law, but of relationship with the Judge. It is not a covenant of fear, but of joy, even among angels. It is a covenant of forgiveness through the sprinkled blood of the Lamb. It is a covenant of righteousness, made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus. It is not a covenant that we enter alone, but we enter through a powerful mediator, the Son Himself. It is not a covenant of death, but a covenant of life, a covenant of the living God and of life through Him.

Life

Joy

Heaven

Righteousness

Forgiveness

Help

What a great covenant relationship God has invited us into with Him!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- April 15, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.” (Hebrews 12:15-17)

Esau’s story is a sad one. He made a rash decision that he came to regret. For a bowl of stew, he gave his birthright to his brother. What was he thinking? That’s the point, he wasn’t thinking! He was living for the moment without regard to the future consequences of his actions. And he certainly wasn’t focused on the Lord, his mind was firmly focused on himself.

The world is full of people like Esau. They live in the moment. They focus on themselves and their own desires and needs. They make decisions that have dramatic negative effects upon their lives in future years. Even Christians are guilty of making decisions without regard to God and His will, at times.

The key to avoiding those mistakes is to live in grace, to live constantly in God’s presence and focused on Him. And it is to live a life of regular self-reflection. Esau’s problem did not start the day he came in hungry. His problem started long before that when he allowed a seed of bitterness to be planted in his life and to grow unchecked.

Pray regularly with David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- April 12, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:10-11, 14)

The way we live matters to God. God desires to see a life of holiness developed in us. His discipline in our lives is aimed at accomplishing that goal.

As parents, when we discipline our children, it is not because we enjoy doing it. We do it for a purpose, to help mold the children for whom we are responsible into the kinds of adults we believe they should be. We discipline them for their own good.

The Lord has the same motive when He disciplines us. He doesn’t do it out of meanness. He doesn’t do it because He enjoys it. He disciplines with a purpose, to mold us into the kind of people He desires us to be. He disciplines us for our good.

How our children respond to our discipline affects the amount of discipline they receive. When children have soft hearts and respond quickly to discipline and learn from it, the discipline is lighter and less frequent. When children are defiant, then the discipline must be more severe and done with greater frequency.

How we respond to God’s discipline affects the amount of discipline we receive, too. Respond quickly and learn from His discipline. It’s for your good!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- April 11, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:1-4)

Do you really think that a life of faith is so tough for you?  Just consider what Jesus went through!

First, He left the only home He had ever known, and quite a home it was!!

Next, He found Himself confined to a human body. Now that was a step down!

He was the Creator, but either He couldn’t or He didn’t do a single supernatural work for the first 30 of His 33 years here.

He finally started gathering followers and they were a pretty motley crew. And even those who followed Him didn’t seem to get it a lot of the time.

The multitudes came around when He was doling out miracles, but when it got tough, almost all of them deserted Him.

Out of His 12 closest companions, one betrayed Him to the enemy and another denied ever knowing Him.

He was arrested on a trumped up charge, and with false witnesses, He was convicted and sentenced to death.

They beat Him with a whip, a beating so severe it killed some people who went through it.

They mocked Him and spit upon Him.

They shoved a crown of long, sharp thorns onto His forehead.

They made Him carry His own heavy cross up the hill to the place of execution.

They nailed Him there on the cross.

He hung in agony for hours.

Worst of all, the Father turned His back on Him, forsaking Him because He was carrying our sin.

What you’ve gone through doesn’t sound so tough compared to that! So keep your eyes on Him, and keep walking the path He has shown you. If it was worth that much to Him, it’s worth what it costs you, too!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- April 10, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.  Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated -- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:32-40)

The Hebrew writer completes his Hall of Faith with a flurry of names and exploits. All of the names mentioned are examples of great faith. Some of the names are unfamiliar even to those who have been believers for many years. Most of us would be hard pressed to tell the story of Barak and Jephthah. And many of the exploits that are listed are without the names of those who did them. Some of the stories aren’t even in the Bible! They are unrecorded deeds of unknown men and women of faith. Unknown to us, and certainly unknown to the world, but not unknown to the Lord.

It’s been about 2,000 years since the book of Hebrews was written. The list of men and women of faith and the details of what they have done would be much longer now. Faith did not die when the New Testament was completed. Contemporary stories could be added to the list. Few of the stories would make the history books. Few of the people would have their biographies recorded on Wikipedia or in Who’s Who. But God knows them all.

Our names could be added, too. It doesn’t require great education. It doesn’t require extraordinary talent. It doesn’t even require a huge amount of faith. After all, Jesus said even faith the size of a mustard seed could do great things. (see Matthew 17:20) All it requires is that we believe God, listen to His voice, and follow Him. When we do that, God will never forget!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- April 9, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” (Hebrews 11:29-31)

It must have been a frightening and awe-inspiring experience to walk on dry ground with walls of water on each side. Faith can create both of those feelings in those who walk by it. It is frightening because you’re walking without being able to fully explain the power behind what is happening. It can be out of the normal human experience. You’re awe-inspired because God is demonstrating His power. Think what the Jewish people would have missed if they had refused to believe God could make a way for them through the sea.

It must have been a weird experience to walk around the city of Jericho for seven days. What a way to fight a battle. The people of Jericho must have been laughing at them! Faith can create that kind of feeling for those who experience it. Sometimes God asks us to do things which simply don’t make sense. I’ve heard people try to make fanciful explanations for how walking around the city helped destroy it, but there is no rational explanation for it. God said to do and when they did, He destroyed the city! Think of what the Jewish people would have missed if they had been unwilling to do the weird things God was asking them to do.

And think what Rahab would have missed if she had refused to help the Jewish spies and remained loyal to her own city and her own people. God asked her to make a choice and, in choosing, she saved her life. Faith always requires a choice. God doesn’t force us to walk by faith, but He allows us the opportunity and blessings await those who do.

Faith can be frightening. It can be awe-inspiring. It can be weird. It can be life-saving. It always requires a choice.

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Monday Thought -- April 8, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.” (Hebrews 11:24-28)

Faith caused Moses to trade comfort and wealth for mistreatment and difficulty. He did it because he longed to follow God and was willing to accept whatever hardship came with that. Faith caused Moses to take the long view of life. In the short view, staying in the house of Pharaoh made more sense. His life on earth would have been better there, by human standards. But Moses looked beyond the years of this life and chose what was best in the eternal view of things.

Faith caused Moses to make the difficult journey back to Egypt to lead his people to freedom. He’d given up the luxury of the palace and found a different life in the wilderness. He had a wife and he had responsibilities as a shepherd, but when God called Moses back to Egypt, he went. It’s not where he would have chosen to go if he desired ease, but it was where God asked him to go and he went.

Faith caused Moses to tell the people of Israel to keep the Passover and use the blood of the lamb to mark their doors. There was no evidence that anything bad was going to happen that night. There was no evidence that blood on the door would do anything to prevent anything that might happen. All Moses had to rely upon was God’s message. Moses believed it and put it into practice.

Moses was a man of faith. He chose God. He followed God. He listened to God. He obeyed God.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- April 5, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.” (Hebrews 11:20-22)

What will you pass on to the next generation?

Some people work hard all their lives so they can leave a financial inheritance to their children. They view it as their responsibility to pass wealth on to the next generation. Some take very seriously the responsibility to pass a good name on to the next generation and see that it is passed on to generations after that. They raise their children to respect their family name and strive to bring no shame to it. Some pass heirlooms to the next generation, works of art, antiques, dishes, jewelry, held in trust from one generation to the next.

For Abraham’s family, something more important than wealth, more important than a family name, and more important than heirlooms was passed from father to child. From Abraham to Isaac. From Isaac to Jacob and Esau. From Jacob to his twelve sons. From the twelve patriarchs of the nation of Israel to the whole family nation. They each passed on their faith.

What a heritage that was, what a blessing to the next generations. For some of them, life was filled with prosperity and ease. For others, it was filled with turmoil and trouble. But whatever life brought to them, they faced it with faith and passed that on to their children and their children’s children.

The faith you have is not yours to keep. Pass it on to the next generation and the one to follow that. There is no greater blessing that you can leave as an inheritance!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- April 4, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.” (Hebrews 11:17-19)

What a test that God put Abraham through. He asked for the life of Abraham’s son! It wasn’t reasonable, no one should have to sacrifice his child for the Lord. It wasn’t like God. God abhorred the child sacrifices of Molech and other false gods. Nevertheless, that is what God asked for, and Abraham prepared to give Isaac as a sacrifice.

As they were going up the mountain to the place of sacrifice, Isaac noticed they had no animal to offer. He asked his father about it and Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8)

Abraham trusted God. There was no way that Abraham thought this would be the end of Isaac’s life. Abraham knew God too well to believe that. God had spoken a marvelous promise about Isaac, that through him Abraham’s descendants would be like the sand of the seashore in number. Abraham knew God would not go back on that promise. So, even if God had to raise Isaac back from the dead, Abraham knew he would come down from the mountain with his son.

This was an extremely difficult test but through it God did an extremely wonderful miracle. He provided the sacrifice. He confirmed the truth of Abraham’s faith. Abraham was shown faithful. God was shown faithful. Isaac learned a lesson about trusting God. God received praise. All because Abraham believed what God said, even when it was unreasonable.

I wonder how many marvelous things we miss because everything has to make sense to us before we act on it? I wonder how many things we miss because sometimes we just don’t believe God?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- April 3, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country -- a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Because of Jesus, we can see so much more than the Old Testament saints could. We can see what God is like. We can see His compassion for those in need. We can feel His outrage and hurt at the sins of the world He created. We can sense the depth of His desire to see people come to know Him as He weeps over the lost. We know His willingness to give of Himself for us. We can experience His grace. We can know His love.

We see and feel and know all of those things far better than the Old Testament saints could. Faith should be easier for us. But there is still much that we cannot see and for which we must trust God.

We can’t see the future. God has promised to walk with us through it and take care of us in it, but we can’t see that. We can’t see into eternity. God has promised it will be more pleasant than we can imagine. God has promised that it is being carefully prepared for us. But we can’t see that. We can’t see that the devil and those who follow him will be defeated. God has promised it, but sometimes what we see now gives no indication that will be true. We see Satan winning so many battles that sometimes we wonder if he won’t win the war. God has promised that Satan will be eternally cast into the lake of fire. God has promised that for eternity Satan will not be able to touch us or affect us in any way. But we can’t see that.

Because of Jesus there is much we can see, so our faith has more basis than the Old Testament saints’ faith did. But it’s still faith. There is still much we cannot see. We have to trust God about what He has promised. Those Old Testament people of faith are good examples for us in doing that.

Remember what you can see, and thank God for those things. Trust God for what you cannot see!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- April 2, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“By faith Abraham, even though he was past age -- and Sarah herself was barren -- was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:11-12)

Abraham believed God. Because of that, God was able to work a miracle in and through Abraham. Who would have thought that such an old man could become a father! Who would have thought that such an old woman could become a mother! It was a real miracle. No human being could bring it about. Sarah was barren and way past the age of child-bearing. But God promised a child and a child she had!

Why would Abraham believe such a preposterous thing as what God promised him? The Hebrew writer tells us: “he considered Him faithful who had made the promise.” He knew God, and so he trusted whatever God said. God had already demonstrated that He was faithful in many ways earlier in Abraham’s life. This was a big test of Abraham’s faith, but he passed it, and a bigger test was up ahead a few years.

I wonder how many miraculous things we miss because we don’t trust God enough to believe Him and act on that belief? Is it because God has proven Himself unfaithful earlier in our lives? No, I don’t think any of us would say that.  od has proven Himself faithful in our lives, just like He did in Abraham’s. Still, it’s hard to trust Him for what seems impossible.

I’m like the man who brought his demon-possessed boy to Jesus. He told Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- April 1, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)

Abraham apparently had a comfortable life in Ur. His family was there and probably had been for generations. It was what he knew. It was all he knew. But God had something different in mind for Abraham. God called Abraham to leave Ur and go to a new country. It took a while, first there was a stop in Haran, but, finally, Abraham made it to the new land.

It must have been a frightening prospect, to leave everything he knew and go someplace totally new and foreign to him. He didn’t know what the geography would be like. He didn’t know what the climate would be like. He didn’t know if there would already be inhabitants there or not and whether they would accept him or reject him.

All he knew was that God was telling him to go. God didn’t even provide information about what it would be like in that new land. The only assurance Abraham had was that God would go with him to that new land and it was where God wanted him to be. He trusted God and that was enough for Abraham.

Is it enough for you?

His, by Grace,

Steve