Training day

I have recently started school again to finish my Bachelor’s Degree.  After that I plan to continue on to Seminary.  My homework for this week was to explain the narrative of 1 Samuel 3.  I have to say I thought the assignment would be on the easier side, since I was familiar with scripture passage.  However, it was a timely word and I love when God brings a fresh excitement to a familiar passage.  

Samuel, a young boy was dedicated to the LORD by his mother, Hannah.  She brought him to live Eli, the priest.  Samuel was called by the LORD to be a great prophet for Israel.

¹Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision (1 Samuel 3:1, ESV). 

It was a time when the word of the LORD was rare, and God would choose to speak to Samuel while still a boy.  However, Samuel didn’t know it was the LORD and thought it was Eli calling him. The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:7). 

⁸ And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place (1 Samuel 3:8-9, ESV).

Throughout the Old Testament, God had the prophets deliver hard messages.  And God would waste no time.  He chose to prepare Samuel well. 

¹⁰ And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” ¹¹ Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. ¹² On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³ And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. ¹⁴ Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever” (1 Samuel 3:10-14, ESV). 

Even as a youth, God was not easy on him, not one bit.  In the morning, Eli asked Samuel to tell him what God said.  Samuel was already afraid, and if that were not enough, Eli would really put the fear of God in him.  Saying tell me or it shall be done to you and more (1 Samuel 3:17).   So, Samuel told Eli everything. 

The literary content includes a little ironic contrast here.  Eli, the priest, would raise someone else’s child whom God called to be a great prophet, while his own sons did not follow God (1 Samuel 2:12).   Also, a priest would make atonement for the sins of others; and now he could not make atonement for his own household, because of the known iniquity of his son’s blasphemous actions, and he did not restrain them.

As a youth leader, scriptures like this bring joy to my heart.  God would develop Samuel while he was a boy to fulfill the calling placed on his life.  Although, he wasn’t able to recognize the voice of God at first, he was placed in Eli’s care to train him up and help him discern.  It was a timely word!  For the past two years, I have been praying for revival to come within our youth.  Praying that this generation would begin to show signs, in fulfilment of the prophetic words from the Prophet Joel. 

After the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, Peter reiterates in his sermon;

¹⁶ But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; ¹⁸ even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy (Acts 2:16-18, ESV).

So join with me in prayer for our youth.

Father God, your word says, that You will pour out your Spirit on all flesh.  And we pray for Your Spirit to outpour upon our youth, our sons and daughters in this generation.  May You equip us to help them discern Your voice and recognize Your visions.  We pray this generation would be empowered by Your Spirit, and rise up to be the mighty young men and women You are calling them to be.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Why me?

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses...  (Exodus 4:10-14a, ESV).  

Previously in Chapter three; God had given Moses a mission to rescue His people from the oppression of the Egyptians (Exodus 3). Fast forward, here we see Moses having a why me moment with God. Moses begins to tell the Lord his reasons why he’s not qualified, beginning with his not so eloquent speech.  Of course God will have none it!  God so nicely, or not nicely reminds Moses who created him and who made man’s mouth. Then the Lord’s anger kindled against Moses.  

I have certainly had my “why me?” moments with God. Almost ten years ago, when I first began to sense God’s call on my life to speak and teach, all I was thinking was, “Why me, can’t you send someone else?”  And God’s response was, “No, it’s you I’m after.”  Well, like I said, it’s been about ten years later that He had unearthed this desire to speak, teach, and preach, and still He refuses to hear any complaints.

You know, when God asks you to do something (call someone, share the gospel with someone, invite that person to church).  Many of those moments we're like, really Lord, you want me to do that?!

Looking back, we can see God at work preparing Moses for the mission. After all, Moses was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter and grew up in Pharaoh's household (Exodus 2). Interestingly enough, God sends Moses on this mission and Moses encounters all sorts of opposition. Through the plagues, Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and many verses tell us by God Himself (Exodus 11:10, 14:4, 14:8).  Hmm, a different topic for a different day!

Moses wasn’t the only one, there were others in the Old Testament.  For example King David, the least likely.  After Samuel anointed him, he faced all sorts of opposition including running for his life from King Saul for fifteen years.  

 

I’m now convinced God loves a challenge!  Maybe even some of you agree. Including some of you whom God has called to minister or mentor me; Really Lord, her?  

Seriously. In the Garden of Eden everything was perfect. God created man and woman to dwell with Him forever, easy right? Oh no, out of nowhere there appears this serpent. The serpent that deceived Eve into sin, ultimately leading to the Fall of mankind. When sin entered the world, it brought separation in our relationship with God, spiritual death, and spiritual bondage. Now Satan had been given reign over this world.   

But God had a plan, a mission, to send Jesus. He was sinless, yet paid the penalty for all sin by His death on the cross. Jesus came to reverse all that went wrong.  His mission was to reclaim the lost by restoring our relationship, healing the sick, and set the captives free from bondage. Jesus’ death and resurrection defeated Satan and death. Then Jesus called His disciples to do the same and make more disciples.

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV).  

So why me? Because I’m called to a mission. Right now, He has given me a heart to seek and reclaim the lost, beginning with, but certainly not limited to, our youth. Hindsight’s 20/20 and looking back, I see His hand at work throughout my life preparing me every step of the way.  Called for a purpose, a mission to be a part of His redemptive plan.    

What about you?  Where is God calling you to participate in His redemptive plan?  

Lord, Praise and glory to our one and only true God, to our God who redeems. You have chosen us since before the foundations of the world. You have reached down and snatched us in Your hand. May You bless us as You send us, for the purpose and plan You have called us to! In Jesus Name, Amen.  

It’s Time

1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot… (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2).  

Let’s stop right there.  A time to uproot…  

Yeah that never sounds good.  However, I have learned in all my years of walking with the Lord, when things/situations keep resurfacing in my life, God is definitely after something.  Usually it’s an uprooting of some kind.  Granted the situation may slightly vary, sometimes it’s the same person(s) or maybe a different person(s). Nonetheless the underlying circumstance, the principal, is always the same.  The same emotions (frustration, anger, jealousy) are triggered, the same deep wounds are reopened.  All the while those nagging thoughts (aka conviction of the Holy Spirit) are repetitively pressing in bringing things to remembrance. This is usually the time we want to kick back our hind legs, bury the ...crap, and move on.  But God says, NOT THIS TIME!

Don’t believe me?  Well you don’t have to believe me, however the Bible is filled with examples of God’s uprooting.  For example, the book of Jeremiah speaks about God uprooting nations!  The Prophet Jeremiah had to deliver a hard message to the people: God’s judgment against the people for their wicked ways:

16 I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made (Jeremiah 1:16, NIV).  

The amazing part is that even with the uprooting for their wickedness, God’s desire was and is for the people to repent of their unfaithfulness, return to Him, and He would be merciful.  

12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north:“‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord,  I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will not be angry forever (Jeremiah 3:12).  

The Sovereign Lord uprooted nations to get the attention of His people, don’t think He wouldn't uproot your life to get your attention!  

More on Biblical uprooting.

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” 13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:13, NIV).

For starters, Jesus had no problem offending the Pharisees.  By the way, this is not the only time Jesus did this, He repeatedly stirred up frustration within Pharisees ultimately exposing their hypocrisy.  Interesting, everything that has NOT  been planted by God will be pulled up by the roots.  

Those lies planted by the enemy will be uprooted.   

Those plans and agendas we have that are not of Him will be uprooted.

Those destructive relationships or people in your life that try to tear you down will be uprooted.  

And of course, my personal favorite:

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet (John 4:16-19, ESV).  

Within just a few sentences, Jesus uprooted her life; her past, her shame, and her unhealthy ways of trying to find fulfillment.  There are times when scripture starts to come to life and we can see our self having that encounter with God.  

Legit, I have been her, MULTIPLE times!  Fifteen, twenty, twenty five years later and He has brought me face to face with...

My deep rooted insecurity.

Past relationships where I’ve been hurt or have hurt others.

Relationships and situations that needed closure.

The unhealthy ways I tried to seek fulfillment.

Well, the list could go on.  

Realize God will orchestrate certain events in your life that lead to this type of uprooting. Naturally, we live in the mentality to just move on and not get “stuck” in the past.  However, we fail to realize our past is always with us, and if we don’t deal with it in healthy terms, we will continue to be “stuck” in it.  We will find ourselves reliving the same unhealthy patterns, sins, failures, bitterness, resentments, immature behaviors, etc., etc.  

Getting out of dodge won’t help, you still have yourself with you.  Pretending your past failures weren’t that bad, doesn't’ change the truth that they were.  Changing your gender will not help, because underneath you are who God created you to be.  The internal wiring is still the same, and left unkept, we will continue to repeat the same behaviors and fall prey to the same poor choices and responses.  The internal wiring needs to be changed and this means facing our past and facing it in truth. Yes the truth hurts, but we have to go there!  It’s time to own it, confess it, and deal with the truth that hurts so deeply.  It’s time to uproot!  Uproot those childhood wounds, the mommy issues, the father issues, the unforgiveness towards someone who hurt you, the rebellious spirit to have your way...

The process is never easy,  but the outcome is healing and freedom.  

28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him (John 4:28-30, ESV).  

After her encounter with Jesus, she left her jar and ran right into town.  No fear of her past or hiding in shame, but ran right into town saying, "Come see the man who told me all that I ever did.  Can this be the Christ?"

What is He uprooting in your world right now?  Don’t be so quick to dismiss it, it may be Jesus!  

Lord for many of us, You have already begun to orchestrate those specific events in our lives leading to an uprooting!  You have our full attention and It’s time deal with it.  Lord, give us the strength, cover us with your mercy through the process, and sustain us to get through!

A Mirror or a Window

1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed (Romans 2:1-5, ESV).  

Ever have those times when someone just looks at you and you know they have already summed you up in their minds.  They have completely judged you according their standards or opinions of others.  Perhaps, they have already disqualified you.  Just wondering, do they judge themselves according to the same measure they judge you?   

Far too often, we find ourselves looking through a window rather than a mirror.  Honestly, it’s so much easier to pick out everyone else’ sin, faults, and failures, rather than confront our own.  Yet if we’re honest, we find ourselves doing the very same things. In our mind, it’s easy to excuse our own sin, shortcomings, and failures.  It’s easier to shift blame instead of taking responsibility.  But realize, that’s not what God calls us to do.  We are not to judge someone else and deem them unworthy of the call God has placed on their life from our limited human perspective!  We are not to stand back and justify our own sin, while in our thoughts magnifying the sin of others. After all, we all sin and fall short of the glory of God! That sin that costs us and many others around us.

When we use Scripture as a window judging others, we’re missing the point.  Scripture is a to be used as a mirror to measure against ourselves.  Why a mirror?  To lead us to repentance.  If we continually sit back and claim God’s grace under the canopy of His kindness towards our self, but are unwilling to extend the same grace and kindness to another, we have just judged.  Perhaps just judged that person as less than, not good enough, or unworthy of God’s kindness.  More importantly when judging, we are in danger of exalting our self and possibly in a place of un-remorse for our own actions.  The posture of un-remorse is the exact opposite of repentance.  

Through His kindness and patience, we can look straight in the mirror and come to reality of our own sin, knowing Jesus paid for it on the cross.  Having done that, we can come to Godly sorrow for our actions leading us to repentance.  Repentance, the action of turning away from our sin.     

Lord, thank You for Your kindness and patience towards us, even while we are yet sinners and fall short of Your glory.  Lord I pray, we would take the time to search our own hearts.  Would You reveal to us our sin and bring us to Godly sorrow leading us to repentance.  Keep us from judging others. We may judge too harshly or too softly according to our standards and/or self preservation, especially since our judgment comes from a limited scope of human perspective.  Only You Lord know the work You have begun, and the work You will carry to completion.  Praise You for that!  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.   

Crushed

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet (Mark 21:43-46, ESV).  

Ever heard the expression, “I will crush you like the bug that you are.”  Sad to say many people live their life by this motto.  Anything that they consider to be a bug, a pest, or something they feel gets in their way, they dedicate a good amount of their effort trying to hinder or crush it.  As was with these Pharisees and their view of Jesus.  Therefore, they continually tried to trap Him and plotted to kill Him.

Earlier in this chapter, they once again had questioned Jesus about by what authority he was doing these things (Matt 21:24).  When they wouldn’t answer, Jesus didn’t give them an answer.  However, He spoke two parables.  In these parables, He was calling them out on their disobedience to God, their rejection of God’s word through His prophets, their failure in leading the people of Israel, and ultimately their rejection of Him.  They perceived correctly, the meaning of the parables was directly toward them.

Interestingly enough,  Mark says, the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone it will crush him (Mark 21:44).  Sure the Pharisees crucified Jesus in the flesh, but in the end Jesus will have the last word.  While they may have been on mission to crush Jesus, they were in greater danger of themselves being crushed.

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! (Luke 12:4-5, ESV).  

Jesus is the one who will be in charge of any crushing at the final judgment.  Unfortunately for these Pharisees, they were more of afraid of man then of God.  To them, Jesus was the bug, pest, or interference with their “status quo” in life and they were more concerned about their own reputation than fearing God.    

What about you?  Are you more afraid of you reputation before man than of God?  

Father, Your word tells us the the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.  May we not be among the foolish who despise Your wisdom and instruction.  Instead may we come before You in reverence, remembering You are God alone and You will not give Your glory with another!

After All This Time

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.  12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:8-14, ESV).

You know those times when we think we know someone, only to find out later, many times much later, they were not who we thought they were.  There are times when we have a negative view of someone only to find out that our perception was completely wrong and you discover that person has some great qualities and characteristics.  Unfortunately, more times we find the opposite to be true.  You have perceived someone to be of good character and integrity only to find out their not.  Often this happens with people in the public arena (celebrities, actors, professional athletes, etc).  Other times it may happen in our more immediate circles.  Sad to say, but this even happens in our churches, fellow believers, pastors, and/or other church leaders.  Either way, it still hits hard when we thought we knew someone only to find out we really didn’t know that person at all.  

More importantly, could you imagine being Philip in that moment?  Hearing Jesus say, “Have I been with you so long, and you still don’t know me?”  His heart must of sank when he realized he had misunderstood who Jesus was!  Really, can we blame Philip?  Let’s back track with him.  Jesus calls the disciples to follow Him.  As they began walking with Jesus, Jesus’ popularity was growing rapidly through amazing teaching and astonishing works. Honestly, there must of been a lot of hype and excitement as Jesus was gaining followers and the disciples were all a part of this new movement.  Now Jesus is saying, He is going ahead of them to the Father and prepare a place for them.  They want in, they want to know the way, they want to meet the Father!  So Philip says, Lord show us the Father and that will be enough for us (John 14:8).   

   

Once again, the disciples were missing the point and Jesus had to clarify.  Jesus says, Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves (John 14:10-11).  Jesus was clear on His mission.  He was the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!  He was God!  The Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and fully claiming His deity.   Jesus came to do the Father’s will, to build God’s eternal kingdom, not a worldly kingdom.  Jesus wasn’t some great public guru gaining followers.  He wasn’t the latest medicine man with an appearance of power to heal people. Nor was He some sort of magician who performed great illusions.  Jesus’ miraculous works were clear evidence of God in Him, and Jesus was making sure there was no mistake in understanding.

Jesus continues to say, whoever believes in Him will also do the works, and greater works because He is going to the Father.  He says, If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.  This does not mean we can pray for whatever we want and say in Jesus name and it will be granted.  The common example is praying for a million dollars.  Even if we try to sweeten it up by praying to God for a million dollars and telling Him it would be used for His glory, for His will.  Chances are God’s not going to answer that prayer.  When we pray in Jesus’ Name, it should be a prayer we anticipate to be in accordance with the will of God, then He will do His will!  So with that, let’s pray:

Father we are praying for Your will to be done.  May we first pause before we pray...  Would You clear our thoughts, fears, and anxieties, so that we could listen and hear from You. May You direct our prayers to be in alignment with Your will, that You would be glorified. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.  

A Love Hate Thing

1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” 4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before (1 Samuel 19:1-7, ESV).  

There are numerous life lessons we could learn from the story line of King Saul and David.  Here we have just a snapshot.  Just before this, David took down Goliath and King Saul set him in charge of the men at war, all was good in the sight of the people and Saul’s servants (1 Samuel 18:5).  But oh, how quickly things changed! David began to receive more more accolades than King Saul and jealousy kicked in.  The king now saw David as a threat to the kingdom.  Suddenly, David went from being Saul’s main man to his main target, and now on the opposite end of the hurling spear.  It didn’t take long before the love has now turned to hate, and there began the dance of their relationship, a love hate thing.  

One of the things that’s most interesting in this story, is that cognitively King Saul knew full well, he was attacking David for unjust reasons.  In this conversation between Saul and his son, Jonathan points out the obvious.  For starters, David has only brought good to the king, he had not sinned against him and David’s victory over the Philistine was the work of the LORD, Saul saw it and rejoiced!  So Jonathan asks, “Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?”  

Although Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death,” it was a promise he couldn’t keep.  We see here in the wee beginning stages of this ongoing war, Saul’s emotions overrode all sense of reason.  

8 And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. 9 Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night (1 Samuel 19:8-10, ESV).  

Truth is, Saul was in jeopardy of losing the kingdom, actually he had already lost it, but it wasn’t David’s doing.  Back in 1 Samuel 15, Samuel told Saul, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and had given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.  And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that should have regret” (1 Samuel 15:28-29), all because Saul rejected the word of the LORD.  God would not give His glory to another!  Truth is, Saul’s actions were unjust against David, and he knew it.  All the king’s scrutiny against David would fail, because he was fighting God.  Saul may not have been able to keep the promise, but God always keeps His!

Like the battle against Goliath, David found himself in yet another battle that belonged to the LORD (1 Samuel 17:47).  However this time, I wonder if he was as prepared.  This time it seemed more like stepping into a hornet’s nest and he didn’t see it coming.  

Prayer:  

Lord, partial repentance won’t do.  Truth is, You may let us get away with it for a long time, maybe even years, but there comes a day when you say enough, and our full repentance is required.  It’s time to stop rejecting Your word, to stop living lives our own way, and to stop seeking our own glory.  It’s time to come into obedience with You.

Lord, I pray we bring our emotions to You, that we deal with those destructive emotions like jealousy, resentment, and bitterness.  Show us any unjust way we may be fighting against one another and lead us to deal with it honestly and openly before You and the others involved.  Lord, Your word says, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).  So I pray we would humble ourselves, we would pray and seek You, we turn from any wicked ways, that You would hear, forgive us our sin, and I pray You would heal our land; our homes and our churches.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

Getting Caught

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God” (John 3:16-21, ESV).  

John 3:16 is one of the most foundational verses of our salvation.  Beginning with God’s love for His people, and the sacrifice of His son paying the penalty for sin giving eternal salvation for those who believe.  In a nutshell, verse 16 clearly defines the gospel, because of God’s love we are sinners saved by grace through Jesus.  So then why do so many believers struggle knowing God loves them?  

God has given women, especially mothers a particular set of skills.  One of them being the mom stare.  You know the mom stare, when our kids think they can get away with something, mom just stares at her kid and it penetrates right through.  The kids may try to cover or mask it, but then comes the first sign of guilt - the laugh!  It’s that very second they know they just got caught!!  Many of my fellow moms know exactly what I’m talking about. 

Realize God’s penetrating light goes much deeper than any mom stare.  Jesus is the Light that shines through any darkness and nothing is hidden from Him. The Light shines through any mask or pretense we present to others around us.  The Light reaches to the deepest darkest secrets of the soul that are kept hidden for fear of exposure.  We may think we can get away with it, but before the eyes of God, each and every single one of us have been caught.  Ignoring it or pretending it doesn’t exist, doesn’t change the fact that God knows. When we avoid God or present to Him some mask or pretense, how can we truly know we are loved by Him?  

However, when we truly come into the light with God and others, His work is clearly seen and evident in our lives. It’s in those very moments, we have been completely exposed before Him and we know He loves us without condemnation, then we can authentically receive the depth of His love.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your love and sending Jesus that we would not be condemned but saved through Him.  May You shine light into the darkness in our hearts, in our lives, and bring us into the Light, so that Your works may be clearly seen.  In Jesus Name, Amen.