Tuesday Thought -- March 31, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD.” (1 Kings 6:1)

I began reading 1 Kings chapter 6 as I was beginning to prepare this morning thought. I didn’t get past the first verse before one phrase captured my attention. It’s that first phrase … “In the four hundred and eightieth year …”

480 years from the time Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt to the time when Solomon initiated the building of the Temple. The first 40 of those years were spent in the wanderings between Egypt and the Promised Land as discipline for the lack of faith among the people. The other 440 years were spent living in the Promised Land.

It took the people of Israel 480 years to build the first permanent place of worship to the Lord … the first Temple. What struck me by that thought was what that says about God’s patience. The people built cities and houses, planted vineyards and fields, made themselves comfortable. The kings built palaces and stables. God waited patiently for His Temple.

The United States has been around only 239 years or so – that’s just half the time that it took the people of Israel before they started building the Temple. I can’t even comprehend the kind of patience that 480 years represents.

God waited 480 years for His Temple. He waited thousands of years before all was right for the sending of His Son. He’s waited 2,000 years now since Jesus and still hasn’t sent the Second Coming. Those are all evidences of God’s great patience.

So, if you don’t think God will show patience to you and to those you love, you just haven’t grasped, yet, what the Bible says about that characteristic of God!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- March 30, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’ So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.” (1 Kings 5:3-6)

Even before Solomon became king of Israel he knew what the primary task of his reign would be – to build a temple to the glory of God. It was the dream of David to see a great temple – and a project that God did not allow David to bring about because he had been such a man of war. David’s reign wasn’t the right time for the temple to be built. But God had promised David that when his son was king that dream would become reality. Before David died he set aside a huge portion of his vast wealth for the construction of the temple and asked the people of Israel to join him in making an offering for it. The financing was ready – that wasn’t something Solomon would have to tackle for himself. David did everything he could to pave the way for Solomon to fulfill the dream of the temple.

In today’s text, Solomon gets started on the project. As Solomon made those initial plans for the temple it is obvious that he considered this task to be of utmost importance. Solomon wanted to construct the finest temple he could to honor God and to demonstrate His place in the nation of Israel. By asking to purchase cedars from Lebanon Solomon was showing his commitment to use only the best materials for the Lord. The cedars of Lebanon were of world renown for their quality. No scrub oaks for the temple Solomon would build – only the cedars of Lebanon would do. The lesson is clear – what we do for God we should do with our best – our best efforts, our greatest sacrifices, our finest resources. God richly deserves them all.

One other lesson that comes from Solomon’s letter to Hiram – Solomon was not asking for a gift from the people of Lebanon so that the temple could be built. The people of Israel would pay for what they were asking from Lebanon – not wages on which they would skimp – but whatever wages Hiram considered right for his men. God’s people weren’t looking for handouts from those who did not worship God – they would make the sacrifice themselves to build God’s temple. That lesson reminds me of David’s heart about the same issue. When he was seeking a place to make a sacrifice to God, Araunah offered his threshing floor as a gift. David made this reply, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” (1 Chronicles 21:24) David would not offer to God that which cost him nothing – neither would Solomon – neither should we.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- March 27, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life. Solomon’s daily provisions were thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl. For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, and had peace on all sides. During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree.” (1 Kings 4:20-25)

For the people of Israel, the reign of Solomon was a time of wonderful peace and prosperity. From outward appearances it would seem that Solomon must have been a very great king. The truth is that Solomon did have great wisdom and used that wisdom as he ruled the nation of Israel. He did contribute to the peace and prosperity of Israel.

But it is also true that the peace and prosperity that Israel knew in Solomon’s day was to a great extent the result of the godliness, wisdom, and efforts of Solomon’s father, David. David passed on to Solomon a kingdom that was in great shape. David was a man of war, but the kingdom he left to Solomon was a nation at peace. Solomon reaped the benefit of his father’s faith, his father’s work, and his father’s example.

As I considered that today the question that came to my mind was … what are my children reaping from the faith I’ve shown them in my life, from the work I’ve done, and from the example I’ve set for them?

How about asking that same question about your own life and the benefits your children are reaping or will reap from the foundation you’ve laid for their lives?

David was dead at this point in Solomon’s life. David had no more opportunity to show faith to Solomon, to work for Solomon’s benefit, or to provide any different or additional example to Solomon. He was finished and Solomon was reaping the benefit of what had already been done. For you, the story isn’t over, yet. Though some of our children are already adults, still God has given us additional opportunities to pour into their lives … and into the lives of our grandchildren … that from which they can reap benefits in the years ahead.  What benefits will our children and grandchildren reap from us?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- March 26, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

God granted Solomon’s request and gave him great wisdom. The very next story in 1 Kings 3 demonstrates how that wisdom was put to the test!

Two women came to Solomon, both claiming that the baby boy they brought with them belonged to her. The baby son of one of the women had died and neither wanted to believe that the dead baby was her own. In claiming the live baby was hers, one woman was lying and the other only trying to protect her own child. “One woman said, ‘The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.’  But the first one insisted, ‘No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.’ And so they argued before the king.” (1 Kings 3:22)

Of course, this was way before DNA testing could be done to determine the actual parentage of the child. Looks alone would not be enough to prove which woman was the mother of the baby boy. God’s wisdom would be required for Solomon to be able to discern the truth.

“The king said, ‘Bring me a sword.’ So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: ‘Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.’ (1 Kings 3:25)

Solomon’s command seemed like a gruesome decision. Instead, it turned out to be God’s wisdom for revealing the hearts of the two women.

“The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, ‘Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!’ But the other said, ‘Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!’ Then the king gave his ruling: ‘Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.’” (1 Kings 3:26-27)

It was an illustration of great wisdom … a gift from God. It is an illustration of true love. True love wants what is best for the one loved, even though it requires sacrifice from you. The real mother was willing to sacrifice her own joy of parenting and allow the other woman to raise her son if that’s what it took to save his life.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- March 25, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’” (1 Kings 3:4-5)

God made an amazing offer to Solomon – ask for whatever you want me to give you. What would you ask for if God were make that offer to you? Perhaps it would be wealth. Perhaps it would be fame. Perhaps it would be power. Long life … ease … pleasure … what would you ask for?

Here’s what Solomon asked God to give him: “Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9)

Solomon recognized his own inadequacies and asked God for wisdom in order to be able to manage the task that God had assigned him as king. It was a request whose purpose was so that Solomon could be a better servant of God – more equipped to do what God wanted and to bring honor to Him.

“The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.” (1 Kings 3:10) God granted Solomon’s request … and went beyond what Solomon asked for and gave Solomon what he did not ask for, too – riches and honor.

Solomon’s story reminds me of the promise of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount … “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (life and food and clothes and all the things we need) will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Seek God … seek to serve Him … seek what He wants … and God’s blessings will flow to you.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- March 24, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. ‘I am about to go the way of all the earth,’ he said. ‘So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: “If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.”’” (1 Kings 2:1-4)

David’s days on earth were growing short … David knew it and I’m sure those around him knew it, too. David didn’t seem to be frightened by the prospect of death’s approach. In fact, David seemed to consider it natural … death is the way of all the earth … everyone eventually dies.

What David was concerned about as he approached death was whether Solomon would be ready to take over the responsibilities of being king. David’s thoughts turned to giving some final advice to Solomon. David’s advice to Solomon was quite simple. The task ahead was very complicated and very important. Solomon was to lead a whole nation of God’s people. There wasn’t a more important position on earth. David’s advice for such an important position – follow God. It’s just that simple. No matter how complicated the task that is faced … no matter how important the position a person is called to fill … that advice still remains the best advice that can be given … follow God.

If you are a parent … charged with the responsibility of nurturing and guiding a child … follow God. Do what God requires. Of course, that necessitates knowing what God says about being a parent. And it means choosing to obey … and it means being strong enough to stay the course even when it’s hard.

If you are an employee … or an employer … the same holds … follow God. Do what God requires. Again, it necessitates knowing what God says about how you respond to your boss … or knowing what God says about how you treat employees or how you do business. And it means choosing to obey … and it means being strong enough to stay the course even when it’s hard.

Or pick any other area of life … any other position you might be called to … and the same advice still is best … follow God. Do what God requires … know what God requires … be willing to obey … and be strong to stay the course even when it’s hard.

That David’s best advice to Solomon … and it’s his best advice to you and me, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Monday Thought -- March 23, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

Israel was in a time of transition. King David was growing old and it was obvious that he would not serve as king much longer. David had several sons and the question was which son would succeed David as king of Israel.

Adonijah was one of David’s sons and he wanted to be king – he even set himself up as king, trying to take the decision out of David’s hands and take the throne for himself. That was a tactic that did not work. Instead, David chose another of his sons, Solomon, and had him anointed as the new king. “Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, ‘Long live King Solomon!’” (1 Kings 1:38-39)

When the news reached Adonijah that Solomon had been anointed king – fear swept Adonijah’s heart. (1 Kings 1:50)

It was justifiable fear. Adonijah’s rival had been given a position of absolute authority over him. Adonijah was afraid that Solomon would seek vengeance for Adonijah’s attempt to take the throne for himself. Adonijah was afraid that Solomon would move quickly to rid himself of all rivals to his power and position.

The question is – how would God have us respond to the temptation to get vengeance when we have the power to do so? When we have the power to do something about them, how would God have us respond to those who are rivals to whatever position we hold?

Here was Solomon’s wise response to Adonijah: “If he shows himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” (1 Kings 1:52)

Solomon carried out no revenge against Adonijah … Solomon did not seek to remove all rivals … instead, he responded to Adonijah’s power grab with grace.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- March 20, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority – the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:9-11)

Do you have a goal for your life?

Paul had one for himself and for the Corinthians and others in whose lives he was involved. The goal was perfection.

That was the goal that Jesus also put before us. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

So, what is perfection? Is it sinlessness? It probably includes that, but there’s more to perfection that just avoiding the wrong.

The word Jesus used and the word Paul used here in 2 Corinthians are actually two different words.

The word Jesus used means to be mature. It’s used of fisherman when they were mending their torn nets. They were repairing the broken places in them. It’s also used of a doctor setting a broken bone. Again, there is mending of what is broken. To be perfect, is to allow God to mend the broken places in our lives. It speaks of healing and of being ready again for that for which we were created, to live for God.

The word Paul uses has a similar meaning. It means to be fit for use or to be thoroughly equipped. It, too, speaks of being ready for whatever God wants to use us for.

That’s the goal in life that God sets before us: to be ready to be used by Him in whatever way He chooses.

Achievable? Not in this life with our human failures. Nevertheless, it is a goal worth setting before us, and the one that God has chosen for us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- March 19, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”(2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Not all of my prayers are answered in the way that I think they should be. Sometimes it is like God has turned a deaf ear to my requests. Sometimes there seems to be an answer, but it’s not the one I expected. Sometimes my prayers are answered in the way that I thought they should be.

Paul had that same experience with prayer. You can read the account of his ministry as it is recorded in the book of Acts and you’ll see many amazing answers to prayer. There were times when God responded with miraculous power to Paul’s requests, even to the point of raising someone from the dead. But not all of Paul’s prayers were answered with miraculous power. There were times when it seemed that even in Paul’s life God had turned a deaf ear. It is one of those times that Paul is talking about in today’s text.

It was a thorn in the flesh that Paul prayed about. He wanted to get rid of it. It was bothering him. It was a torment that hindered his effectiveness in spreading the Gospel. At least, that’s what Paul thought. So, as a man of faith, Paul asked God to take it away. He’d seen miracles in the lives of others and even in his own life and expected to see one this time, too. But no miracle came. God didn’t do anything to take away or even ease the problem that plagued Paul.

After several requests, Paul finally got an answer, but it still wasn’t the one he expected, or wanted. Instead, God said that He wasn’t going to remove Paul’s thorn -- Paul needed it. Although it seemed a hindrance to Paul, God knew that it was actually a help to him. It made him a more effective servant of God, not a less effective one.

Sometimes that’s why our prayers aren’t answered the way we think they should be -- because God sees things differently than we do. We don’t always ask for what is best for us -- so like any good parent, God sometimes says “no.”

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- March 18, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

You can’t always tell what’s in a book by its cover.

There are some persuasive people who look good on the outside. It’s tempting to listen to them and accept what they have to say as true based on their appearance of having it all together. There must be a more objective way to determine whether something is true or not.

Jim Jones looked good on the outside. He talked about God. He preached about community and caring for each other. But inside there was something horribly wrong with him. What was seen was a mask that obscured the deeper things in him -- at least for a while. Eventually, the cover of the book came off and Jones was revealed for what he was -- but too late for many who followed him.

There are preachers who will tell you things that sound good and appeal to what you want to hear. God wants you to be wealthy and healthy. You’ve just got to name it and claim it. But read on in 2 Corinthians 11 and you’ll see that God didn’t make Paul’s life a cakewalk. Much of the time he was poor. Much of the time he was being abused. Is it Paul who didn’t understand what was available to him, or the preachers of prosperity who have it wrong? What they say sounds good, but it is wrong.

So, how do you tell whether the messenger is true or false? There must be an objective truth by which you can judge. There is! The Bible is the objective truth that will unmask those whose message is not true to God. Don’t accept everything you hear just because it is cloaked in “religious speak” or because it sounds good. Satan is great at putting on a mask to fool you. Check it out against the truth God has clearly revealed in the Bible.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- March 17, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

There is a battle going on. It is a battle between our own human flesh, our sinful nature, that is prodded by the devil, and the Lord. We’re right in the middle of the battle. In fact, the battle is within us. It is not a battle that is taking place outside of us and for which we are just innocent bystanders. It is a battle within us. It is fought in our own minds.

That’s why worldly weapons don’t work in this battle. Swords and guns are worthless in the fight against the forces of evil. People try them, at times, turning them on themselves to stop the evil within them. But they do absolutely nothing to deal with the real problem. The real problem is not in our bodies, but in our minds.

The devil has established strongholds in our minds. He has convinced us of things that are not true. His arguments and tactics are many. He convinces some that they are not loved by God. He convinces some that nothing can be done about their sinful weakness, that they will never overcome a particular sin. He convinces some that they are beyond God’s grace and salvation. He convinces some that sin doesn’t matter to God, He’ll just forgive it anyway, so why not go on sinning. Those are just a handful of the many tactics the devil uses. They are all in our minds.

If the battle is in our minds, and it is, then that’s where it will be won or lost. It will be won with truth -- demolishing the false arguments and tactics of the devil. The place of truth is the Bible, the Word of God – “Your Word is truth.” (John 17:17) You fight the devil with the truth from the Bible, just like Jesus did when He was tempted. The battle is won or lost in your thought life -- so guard your thoughts -- take them captive for God.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- March 16, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

Can you imagine a farmer carefully measuring out a seed in each spot in the field that he wanted a plant? Of course not! A farmer sows more seed than he needs to because he knows that some of the seed will not germinate and grow. Over-sowing results in the crop that the farmer desires. If he sowed sparingly, he would not have as large a crop as he desired.

That is a universal principle of life: sow sparingly and you will reap sparingly -- sow generously and you will reap generously.

Here, Paul uses that principle to talk about giving. When we give generously, our generosity will be returned to us. When we carefully measure out what we will give, being sure not to give more than is required of us, then we will receive that kind of careful measuring in return.

God wants His children to be generous. God provides for us so that we can be generous. That’s His promise. He is looking for channels through which He can pour His blessings to others. If we demonstrate that we will be a faithful channel, He will provide what we need to bless others.

And not just generous, but generous with a good attitude. Reluctant givers never please God. Cheerful givers are what He is looking for. In fact, the word “cheerful” is the Greek word from which our word “hilarious” is derived. God wants hilarious givers.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- March 13, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“But just as you excel in everything -- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us -- see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:7-9)

Many Christians don’t like to talk about giving. Yet, the New Testament talks a lot about giving. There is more in the New Testament about giving than there is about prayer and faith -- combined. God is concerned about our giving to His Kingdom.

He’s concerned because giving is a grace. It’s a spiritual thing. It’s an area of spiritual life that we should be growing in, even as we grow in our attitudes and thoughts and words and actions. Giving is another way that God demonstrates His work in our lives.

He’s concerned about giving because what we give says a lot about our hearts. Giving is a test of the sincerity of our love. It’s certainly not the only way that we show that we love God, but it is one of the ways that we do. It’s a demonstration of just how important God and His Kingdom are to us.

He’s concerned about giving because Jesus was a great giver and our giving shows how much we are following His example and becoming like Him. Jesus was rich beyond measure, but gave it all up to enter the earth as a man. He exchanged His great wealth for poverty. He was the greatest giver ever, and if we’re really becoming more like Him, we’ll become a giver, too.

So, what does your giving say about your spiritual life?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- March 12, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it -- I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while -- yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:8-10)

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was a letter of rebuke. They were living in open sin, without guilt and with no desire to change. They were satisfied with their lives, satisfied with their sin. Paul's rebuke was direct and harsh and it stirred up anger in them and deep sorrow.

There is more than one kind of sorrow for sin.

There is the sorrow that regrets being caught. It’s not actually a sorrow for the sin itself, but for the consequences of the discovery of sin. With that kind of sorrow, the person wishes the sin could be hidden again so that they could continue in it.

There is the sorrow that leads to despair. This is the sorrow that doesn’t see any way out from under the power of the sin. The pull of the sin seems too strong and nothing can be done except to give up and give in to the sin and to whatever consequences follow from it.

Then there is godly sorrow, the sorrow that leads to repentance. That’s the kind of sorrow that the Corinthians felt after Paul’s rebuke of their sin. They weren’t just sorry that they got caught, they were sorry for the sin itself. They weren’t sorry to the point of despair, but sorry to the point that they desired to change.

That’s the kind of sorrow God desires to see in us when He makes us aware of sin. It is sorrow that leads to repentance, which is the desire to change. It is sorrow that wants to leave the sin behind and follow a different path. It is sorrow that hurts, but only for a little while, and ultimately results in joy as we see that God provides the power to change.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- March 11, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

Procrastination is a deadly sin.

If you wait until the last minute to begin working on an assignment at work you may find it takes more time than you thought it would and end up having to work late to get it done or doing a half job in order to get it in on time. That’s not the way to impress your boss and be given greater responsibility and reward.

In school, procrastination has resulted in a lot of all-night cramming before a test or all night writing to get a paper done. Your grades usually suffer.

Wait too long to right a wrong relationship and you may have waited too long. I’ve gone to many a funeral where there have been deep regrets among family and friends because they put it off too long and the opportunity was gone forever.

Procrastinate about cleaning your house and you’re sure to have unexpected company drop by.

Procrastinate about the little problem with your car and it may get worse or even leave you stranded by the side of the road.

Procrastinate about saying “yes” to something the Lord is asking and the opportunity may slip by.

Procrastinate about receiving Christ and that could have the most eternally deadly consequences possible! Now is the time of salvation. This is the opportunity God has given you. You can’t count on more opportunities!

Procrastination is a deadly sin!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- March 10, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

You gave up a lot when you became a follower of Jesus Christ.

You gave up your guilt -- He wiped the slate clean.

You gave up your sin -- He took your sin for you.

You gave up your messed up relationship with God -- He has made that relationship right again.

You gave up your hopelessness -- He gave you eternal hope.

You gave up your purposelessness -- He made you His ambassador.

It’s as though you got the chance to start all over again, only this time around it’s different. A chance to start over would be worth very little if you weren’t changed. But God has changed you. He’s implanted His Holy Spirit into your life to give you help and comfort and strength to be different than you were before. You are a new creation, a different creation than you were.

And God has given you the opportunity to help others find what you have found in Jesus Christ. He has given to you the ministry of reconciliation. God is making an appeal to the hearts of others and He is doing it through you! What a marvelous privilege, what a worthwhile purpose for living.

The amazing thing is how God did all that for you. All the blessings you know because you are a follower of Jesus Christ came to you because of what Jesus has done for you. He took on your sin -- He became sin for you -- so that you might be acceptable to God. That’s amazing. That’s love. That’s grace.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- March 9, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

“Light and momentary troubles” -- that would be things like being stoned, being beaten with rods, being whipped 39 times, being thrown into prison, being shipwrecked and spending a day and night in the ocean. (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-27) Those don’t sound “light and momentary” to me. And they aren’t, from the perspective of this life. Paul’s life on earth wasn’t very pleasant. However, Paul’s focus wasn’t on his earthly life. Paul’s focus was on the life that was to come. Compared to his eternal life anything that happened on earth would be “light and momentary.”

Focusing on eternity was one of the keys to Paul being able to endure the troubles that he faced in this life. He knew what was important, and it wasn’t his comfort and pleasure here. What was important was pleasing God and looking to the eternal peace, joy, and pleasure that would be his.

That’s a hard lesson to learn because this world is all we know and it seems so real and important. How much money I have, what kind of job I have, whether I’m sick or well, all of those things seem so important because this life is all I know. But this life is not all there is. There is an eternal life awaiting us that is far more real and far more important than anything that happens in this world.

Strive to follow Paul’s advice -- keep looking at the eternity that is ahead. In that perspective whatever troubles you face here are pretty minor.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- March 6, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:15-18)

There was something wrong with the way the Old Testament Law worked. It didn’t satisfy the need of men’s hearts, it only made things more confusing. Those who lived by the Law thought they could find righteousness in it and be acceptable to God. Yet, honesty forced them to admit that the Law failed to help them achieve their goal. In fact, the Law did quite the opposite of making them righteous, it just pointed out their sinfulness. So, the only way to be satisfied with the Law was to ignore what was really going on inside of you. The end result was that the Jews put a veil over the wickedness of their hearts because the Law couldn't do anything to take it away.

But with Jesus -- now there’s a different story. In Christ, we don’t have to ignore or cover over the wickedness of our hearts, because Jesus has taken the guilt away. In Christ is real freedom from guilt and freedom from our own sinfulness. Being in Christ is different than being in the Law. In the Law, any movement away from wickedness and toward righteousness had to be done in a person’s own human strength -- and that always failed. In Christ, it is all based on the work of Jesus -- and that never fails!

In Christ there is real freedom. There is freedom from our guilt in the forgiveness that He brings. There is freedom from the bondage we have felt to sin, because God implants His Holy Spirit to change us, to move us toward righteousness. There is freedom from trying in our own power to change.

From guilt to forgiveness. From bondage to freedom. From striving in human effort to relying upon the Spirit's work. From the Law to Christ! Freedom.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- March 5, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

Here’s an interesting image -- spreading the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. We carry with us a distinct aroma that comes from knowing Jesus.

As you drive through the country you can tell some things about the people by the smells that waft through the air around their homes. The mint fields give off their distinctive odor, as do the silage bins, and the cattle yards.

In a similar way -- although not with an actual odor -- people can tell a great deal about us as they come in contact with us, and through us a great deal about Jesus. It’s the same thought as when Paul calls us Christ’s ambassadors. We are His representatives.

Not everyone responds well to what we represent. Those who are saved do. We understand that what we represent in Christ is life, real life, eternal life. But for those who do not understand or who have not yet come to accept it, what we represent is not pleasant for them. Paul says we are the “smell of death” to them. There are those who will turn away from us, without our doing anything offensive to them. A large part of the reason is that they feel guilty around us. What we represent points the finger at their own sin and guilt.

Of course, none of us represents Christ perfectly. Even Paul would say, “who is equal to such a task?” It is a huge responsibility to be Christ’s representative. That is what God has called us to. By our presence, by our actions, and by our words, to spread the knowledge of Jesus everywhere we go. What a challenge -- and what a privilege.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- March 4, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven — if there was anything to forgive — I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:6-11)

There was a man in the Corinthian church who had sinned and was unrepentant. In Paul’s first letter he encouraged the church to discipline the man. Not to discipline the man to that point had brought shame upon the whole church.

It is assumed that this passage in 2 Corinthians is the follow-up story about the same man. By the time Paul was writing this second letter the man had come to repentance – but so far the Corinthians were not willing to forgive him. They wanted to continue to punish the man – to make him pay for his sins and for the pain brought to the church.

Paul would certainly have said in the context of the first letter to the Corinthians that one of Satan’s schemes was to tempt a weak member of the church and lure him into sin that would tarnish the reputation of the church. That’s an easy point for us to see. We can see the same thing at work around the world today in church after church. The open sin of modern Christians brings shame on the church and tarnishes the reputation of God’s people. Satan’s temptations to sin are still one of his schemes to disrupt God’s work in the church.

Paul’s point in 2 Corinthians is that unforgiveness of those who are repentant is also giving in to one of Satan’s schemes. Satan loves to see Christians treat each other poorly. He loves to see Christians less willing to forgive each other than non-Christians are.

Paul told the Corinthians that it was time to forgive. They could disarm Satan’s scheme through their forgiveness.

When someone sins – and then repents –it’s time to forgive. Not to forgive falls into Satan’s trap. Forgiveness disarms Satan and honors God’s work in the person’s life – and in our own.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- March 3, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in him it has always been ‘Yes.’ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 1:18-22)

There isn’t much in this world that you can count on! The stock market has crashed before and it will crash again, you can’t count on it to always work in your favor. The company you work for may be solid and stable now, and there may be no fear that your job will be eliminated, but no one can guarantee that will always be true. The economy turns and companies rise and fall. Your employer may go through a tough time that results in the loss of your job. We trust our lives to the people who are driving around us. Most of the time they follow the rules of the road and you arrive safely at your destination. But there are no guarantees about that. Drivers make mistakes and accidents happen. There is a risk involved in driving. Your health may be good now and the doctor may have just given you a clear check-up. But that’s no guarantee that disease or infirmity won’t strike you next month or next year. We aren’t guaranteed a certain length of life or health. Even the people around you, the ones you trust the most, can let you down. They’re human and flawed, just like you are.

But there is One that you can count on: God is always faithful. Paul says that God’s faithfulness is “surely.” There’s a guarantee in that word. It has always been true and it always will be true. You can count on God.

You can count on God’s Word. If God says it, you don’t have to wonder whether or not it is true. Everything God says is true.

You can count on God’s promises. People sometimes fail to keep their promises. Circumstances change. Things happen that are beyond their control. Sometimes they just don’t follow through with what they said they would. None of those things ever happens with God. God’s promises are a sure thing -- you can count on them.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in your life is God’s seal of guarantee to you. He is the seal of God’s ownership, His mark that you are His. He is God’s deposit on what is promised. He is like a small taste of eternity, a small taste of God’s presence that guarantees the fullness later.

There isn’t much in the world that can be counted on -- but you can always count on God.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- March 2, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Paul uses two words in these verses to describe the God we love and serve and follow. He is the Father of compassion and the God of comfort. Both are interesting words.

Compassion means to be distressed because of the pain that others are suffering. That describes God’s heart … God cares about what His children are going through. When we hurt … He hurts. When we are experience joy … He is joyful. God calls us to do the same … “Rejoice with them those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15) God doesn’t instruct us to do anything that He isn’t already doing. When Jesus saw the pain of Mary and Martha at Lazarus’s death … He wept with them. (John 11:35) God feels our pain … He hurts when we hurt.

Comfort literally means to come alongside. That describes God’s actions. Not only does God care about what His children going through, He comes alongside of them in their distress to provide help and encouragement. He doesn’t always take away the pain … He didn’t take away the cross from Jesus even when He hurt most severely … but God always is there with us even in our darkness hour and our deepest pain. He walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death … and every other valley we go through.

That is the God we love and serve and follow … full of compassion and there to help.

And that’s what God calls us to. We feel His compassion when we hurt … and we respond by being compassionate to those around us … feeling pain when those around us hurt. We experience His presence in our hour of need … and we respond by being present for those around us in their hours of need.

God offers compassion and brings comfort and calls us to do the same.

His, by Grace,

Steve