Monday, December 31, 2007

Covenant is Forever


COVENANT Yesteryear, Today, Forever
Exodus 3:6-11, 6:2-8, 12:4
Exodus 3:6: “Then He [God] said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”


God heard His children’s cries and remembered His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He chose Moses to deliver His people out of Egypt. God guided Moses as he led them to the land He promised in the covenant He made with his ancestors.

The entire Jewish nation was slaves to the Egyptians for 430 years. But the problem was that Pharaoh wouldn’t let them go. (Their work was good, and they were needed as workers.) God caused so much suffering that Pharaoh finally released them. Problem solved.

God led the Jewish nation to His provision: a land flowing with milk and honey, to be their possession forever. It took Moses forty hears to lead them to Canaan. The people had a hard time overcoming disobedience to God. But they finally took possession of that land.

Today, Israel is still the home for the Jewish people, but they were scattered far and wide across the earth. In 1967, Israel became a sovereign state. God’s promise was fulfilled with the provision that Israel belongs to the Jewish people forever (Joshua 14:9).

Throughout the Bible, God’s children can gleam covenant promises. With these few examples, we see that for sure, God will lead us through the problems that arise from these promises. We aren’t abandoned when dealing with them. When God leads us to a promise, we are assured there will be problems. But we can also be sure He’ll lead us through them. His goal is the same as ours: He will provide victory.

This covenant series is intended to provide you with hope and guidance in your life. The Bible is our instruction book, and it is packed with truths. From Genesis through Revelation, we can see how God never abandons His people. Promise, Problem, Provision, Sacrifice, Meal. Jesus fulfills every item of covenant. Remember this until you land in victory through Him in Heaven.

Take Home Nugget
No one welcomes problems. Circumstances can sometimes be overwhelming. It seems like everything is conspiring against our success. Instead of despairing, this is a time for remembering. Remember when...God delivered you from problems in the past. Remember when...God delivered His children out of Egypt after 430 years of slavery.
Know that He heard your prayer and is faithful to deliver you from your problem. Then give Him thanks that, while still unseen, your problem is already solved. Claim your victory and praise the Lord! That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Be of good cheer.”

There are times when my load is too heavy.
It’s hard to think past my dilemma.
Eyes glued on my Lord keeps my heart steady;
Cheering victory increases my stamina.
J.D. Griffith
A personal, private lesson experience with our staff
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Friday, December 28, 2007

New Covenant 202


NEW COVENANT 202
Genesis 9:13, Hebrews 10:5-10, 11:1
Hebrews 10:7: “Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about Me in the scroll—I have come to do Your will, O God.’”


This New Covenant, just like every covenant between God and His children is everlasting. Jesus said of the Father: “’Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You (Father God) did not desire, nor were you pleased with them. The law required them. Here I have come to do Your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second.” And we were made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.

Our promise is everlasting life. Our sacrifice is to obey and follow Jesus, who died for us. Our problems are living in a sinful world obeying God’s commands. The meal is the sacrament of Holy Communion. We eat this meal in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. We live in hopeful expectation. One day we will claim our promise of live everlasting. God will provide us every single thing we need to reach His promise. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1).

Whenever we partake of Holy Communion, we are to remember Jesus’ death for our sins. Whenever we see a rainbow in the sky, we are to remember God’s promise of never destroying the Earth with water again.

We are secure that God’s promises never expire! They are good yesterday, today and tomorrow. We’ll live His promise of life everlasting with Him in Heaven forever.

Sometimes kids say that the Old Testament in the Bible is too ancient to be relevant today. When you hear words like these, it would be good to remind people that the people in the Old Testament paved the way for Jesus to come into the world. God gave us covenants so that we could hold fast to His Word. This is how God’s people claim their country in the land of Canaan, which today is Israel. This flags the way for us to claim our inheritance of life everlasting through belief in King Jesus.

Take Home Nugget
Promise, problems, provision, sacrifice, meal. That’s our lives in a nutshell. This includes the remembrances of Jesus’ sacrificial death that made the provision real every time we partake of Holy Communion. This also includes remembering God’s never going to destroy the earth by water again every time we see a rainbow.

This gives us security that God’s covenants are everlasting. Rainbows have been around for thousands of years!!

For as long as I can remember,
Rainbows have been a delight.
Pointing skywards as ribbons of color
Assuring us that everything is right.
J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, December 25, 2007

GOD'S NEW COVENANT WITH HIS CHILDREN--JESUS


NEW COVENANT 201
Matthew 26, 27, 28:1-10, Mark 15:38
Matthew 28:6: “‘He is not here, He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.’”

When Jesus was born, He became our promise for forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. Jesus was born knowing He has the keys to everlasting life. Jesus sacrificial death on the cross became God’s new covenant with us, His children.

Jesus faced problems that were frequent and abundant. People often didn’t accept Christ as their Messiah. He was ridiculed, challenged, and finally crucified.

We tackle problems by living in this sinful world. Often, we are ridiculed for being Christians. Our goal is to follow Jesus by the way we live. Our problems seem to grow larger the older we get. The more we learn, the better we’re able to handle our problems successfully.

We aim for the promise at the end of our lives here on earth. This new covenant comes with a sacrifice and a meal. Covenant, Sacrifice, Meal. Sound familiar? It is sister to Promise, Problems, Provision. This New Covenant is everlasting, too.

Jesus ate the Passover feast with His disciples before He was crucified. Jesus spoke to them about His being betrayed. He told them about His upcoming death. He gave them wine which He said was His blood. He gave them bread which He said was His body. He told them that He wouldn’t drink wine again until He’d drink it with them in His Father’s kingdom. He willingly laid down His own life to complete His covenant with our Father. For us.

When Jesus gave up His spirit and died on the cross, something unparalleled happened. The temple curtain (or wall) tore, eliminating the division between the sanctuary where people worshipped, and the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence was. This is God’s new covenant with His children.

We are no longer separated from our Father. Jesus’ sacrifice made it possible for us to come into our Father’s presence. No longer do we sacrifice animals in worship. Jesus’ atoning death on the cross is acceptable sacrifice for the Father. Jesus took our sins with Him to death, and now we can be one with our Father. Forever. That’s a provision we’re guaranteed with God’s New Covenant.

Take Home Nugget

God’s provision to His Son, Jesus, was resurrecting Him from the dead. We, in turn, will be resurrected from the dead. We will all live forever in a new Eden, called Heaven. This provision will be more wonderful than we can imagine.

The wounds Jesus took for our sake
Were as deep as a lake.
But He welcomed the pain
To provide for our gain.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, December 21, 2007

God's covenant with Moses


COVENANT with MOSES
Exodus 2-3:11, 12

by J.D. Griffith

The Egyptians worked the children of Israel extremely hard. Their burden was severe, and their suffering was intense. (Remember God renamed Jacob Israel. It's his descendents who are called children of Israel, or Israelites.) They remembered a time when they were not slaves. The Israelites cried out to their God.

When Pharaoh ordered all the boy babies to be thrown into the river, a Levite woman (child of Israel in the clan of Levi) gave birth to a son. She saw he was a fine boy and had to find a way to save him from drowning.

She hid the boy for three months. Then she found a papyrus basket and coated it with tar and pitch. Placing the infant inside, she hid the basket with reeds along the banks of the Nile River. The boy’s sister watched as Pharaoh’s daughter discover her brother.

Pharaoh’s daughter knew it must be one of the Hebrew boys, but she loved him on sight. The baby began crying and his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter if she could bring a woman to nurse the infant. That was how the baby’s mother got to nurse her son.

Pharaoh’s daughter named the boy Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

Moses was raised as a member of Pharaoh’s family. But he knew he was a Hebrew. As Moses grew older, he saw how his countrymen were suffering under hard labor. He felt guilty for living such a charmed life when his people lived in extreme bondage. He watched an Egyptian beat a Hebrew. His anger burned so intensly that he killed the Egyptian. Hiding him in the sand, Moses, had a terrifying thought, What if I’m found out?

Pharaoh did find out. He ordered Moses to be killed. Moses fled to Midian., in Etheopia. He came to a well. Some girls were trying do draw out water for their father’s flock. Shepherds interfered and Moses came to their rescue. Their Father invited Moses into their home. He grew to love Moses and offered one daughter, Zipporah, to Moses in marriage.

Take Home Nugget
God heard His children’s cry for relief. He remembered the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God chose Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. God’s timing is perfect, although we often think He’s slow. When we wait for the Lord to answer prayer, we learn patience. God is faithful, and when He answers our prayers, it is better than we imagined. Ask Moses.

How long, Lord, how long?
We’ve suffered after having done wrong.
Our attention in You is caught.
Out of bondage we’ll be brought.
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Tuesday, December 18, 2007

God's Covenant with Jacob (Israel)

COVENANT with ISRAEL
Genesis 48:3-4, Genesis 50:24-26, Exodus 1
Genesis 48:3: “Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me, and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and will give you this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’”

By now, God’s covenant had passed from Noah, to Abraham. Through Isaac and on to Jacob. They are the patriarchs of our faith. The Lord God renamed Jacob, Israel. Israel’s son Joseph brought the family to Egypt during the famine. Joseph was governor of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.

On route to Egypt to meet Joseph, Israel’s wife, Rachel died. She died in Canaan, and he buried her in Bethlehem. It was when he was at Luz, in the land of Canaan, that God blessed him. God revealed to Israel that He would make him fruitful. From Israel would come a multitude of people. God’s covenant was that He would give them this land as an everlasting possession. (Esodus 33:1-3, Leviticus 20:24, 25:38, Numbers 34, Deuteronomy 1:7-8, Joshua 1:1-6, 14:9).

WOW! How did they know for certain this land was really theirs? (Hebrews 11:1).

After Israel died, Joseph got Pharaoh’s permission to bury his Father in Canaan. Joseph and his father’s entire household returned to Egypt. Joseph lived to be 110 years old. He made his children promise to carry his bones out of his coffin in Egypt, and bury them in the land which God swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Pharaoh died, and a new king, or Pharaoh, came along. This new ruler of Egypt did not know Joseph. There were over seventy people in Joseph’s family. All Jacob’s, or Israel’s, children had been fruitful. When the new Pharaoh saw how plentiful they were. He grew afraid of their strength.

He said to the Egyptians, “The children of Israel are more than us! They are mightier than us! Let us deal wisely with them so they do not grow any more abundantly than they already have.”

He made the Egyptians stern taskmasters over the Israelites. They afflicted the people with heavy burdens. They were to build the new Pharaoh’s treasury cities.

But the harder the Egyptians worked the Israelites, the more they multiplied. The Egyptian king grew alarmed about their strength, so he made the Egyptians bear down even harder on them. The Egyptians made the Israelites lives bitter with hard bondage.

Take Home Nugget

The king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives to kill any son born of an Israelite woman. The Hebrew midwives feared God, and they let the boy babies live. Pharaoh was angry by their refusal, so he charged all his people with another command. They were to toss every male child into the river, allowing females to live.

Hard times are never easy
And people grow weary
But we serve a God who’s kind.
He breaks chains that formerly bind.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, December 14, 2007

God's Covenant with Abraham



COVENANT with ABRAHAM
Genesis 15:5, 16, 17
Genesis 15:5: “He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.’ Then He said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’”


God gave Abram a covenant. (Who’s name God later changed to Abraham.) The covenant between God and Abraham was to multiply Abraham exceedingly. That means he’d have scads of children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. More numerous than the stars in the sky. Problem was, Abraham’s wife, Sarah was barren. How would God keep His promise to Abraham when his wife couldn’t conceive even one child?

This covenant, (or agreement, promise, bond, pact, or contract) made Sarah and Abraham uneasy. WHEN, God? HOW, God? Sarah was not able to conceive. They had no idea how this promise would be fulfilled.

We see things through human eyes. God sees things through Eternal eyes. He has infinite, uncompromising, all-knowing eyes that we cannot fathom. Often God gives us a promise that we don’t understand how it’s going to happen. We can’t see the how or the when.

But God is our omnipresent Father. He is everywhere at once. He is omniscient, knowing all things. He is omnipotent, that’s all powerful. When He gives us a promise, it WILL come to pass. Sometimes it takes all our faith to embrace the promise and believe its truth.

That’s what life is all about: faith and belief in what’s unseen. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1).

So when you read in the Bible about God’s promise, you can believe it. Often people break their word, but when God says something, it is absolutely true. God cannot lie. He never says things to tease. He doesn’t treat us like kids; we’re all His children. He gives us promises so that we can have hope in our future.

Take Home Nugget
Abraham was promised more descendants than the number of stars in the sky. But he and Sarah were past child bearing age. That was their problem. God provided Isaac in answer to their problem. Isaac was Abraham’s link to spawning the Jewish nation. Abraham’s other son, Ishmael, became father of many nations. Abraham was indeed the father of more people than the number of stars in the sky!

God’s promises are true.
Sometime we haven’t a clue
How He makes things flow
Better than we’ll ever know.
J.D. Griffith
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Monday, December 10, 2007

God's Covenant with Noah


COVENANT with Noah
Genesis 6:13-9:16
Genesis 6:9: “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”


Ever hear the phrase, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”? That means that if someone buys you lunch, there’s always a catch.

People don’t do something for you without expecting something in return. Sometimes ‘free lunches’ cost people more than they’re worth. The sacrifice it too steep for us to agree to. Free lunches can be anything. If a school mate suddenly warms up to you, clearly wanting to be your new best friend, chances are he wants something.

The thing about covenants in the Bible are that God wants something from us, too. A covenant can be seen as a deal, a contract, or a pact. When God gives us a promise, there will be problems that pop up in association with that promise. Before claiming His promise, we’ll have to work through the problems that arise. His provision, or gifts in realizing the promise, are always better than we expect.

Promise, Problems, Provision. They go hand in hand in hand.

The covenants God makes with His children in the Bible are everlasting.

Before God destroyed the earth with floods, He gave Noah a promise that he and his family would be safe. Then Noah had to build the ark. People laughed at Noah. Housing two of every animal for months cooped up in the ark was another problem. After forty days of rain, it took close to another month until the water had dried up enough for Noah to open the doors. God fulfilled His promise with the provision that his family was to repopulate the earth. Then God gave Noah another provision. A rainbow would show us that God would never destroy the earth with water again.

Take Home Nugget

Sometimes we’re tempted to refuse a promise when seeing what it will take to accept it. But as we saw, when God promises us something, He will move heaven and earth to lead us through it. The problems can seem insurmountable to us. But our Father God will guide us through them all. What a teammate God is!

God’s promises to us are so enticing;
He knows what rings our bell.
As He leads us through the problems,
Awesome stories we will tell.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, December 7, 2007


COVENANT 101
Galatians 4:6-7
Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”


My sister always wanted to make deals with us. She’d try to trade us something for something else. We discovered early on that her deals often worked out better for her than for us. After pointing this out to her, she planned better deals—trying to give better than what she’d receive. Or at least an even, fair trade. As kids, we were enticed by her deals. Today, her deals are very grown up, and much more fair. We are as delighted as she is when agreeing to them.

Do you do this? Trying to negotiate a better deal than what’s offered? There is one deal that’s better than all the deals we offer to each other. God’s ‘deal’ is giving us His word with a promise attached. He calls it a covenant. God makes no promise without a covenant. Covenant is the most important word in the Bible. It means deal, pact, agreement, promise, or contract. God made covenants with His children. He made covenants with specific people and the nation of Israel. A covenant is permanent, everlasting.

God’s covenants with people are something like when Dad says he’ll take you to the circus this coming weekend. Dad gives you his word and there’s a promise attached to it. Dad probably told you to clean your room and help Mom before he’d take you to the circus.

God’s covenants are His Word with a promise attached, too. Usually we don’t see the promise happen today. Or even as soon as this weekend. But God’s promises are as good as gold. He wants something from us, too. He wants us to keep Him first in our hearts. We’re so sure that He’s going to make good on His promise that we wait in expectation. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1).

Take Home Nugget
When we see promises in the Bible, we often think that they are not meant for us. Don’t listen to the devil trying to steal away God’s covenant from you. Paul tells us in Galatians 4:6-7 that we are heirs, and can call God the Father, Abba. We are not slaves, but heirs along with the Jews of the Bible. Their covenants, or promises, are ours as well!

Oh Father God, how awesome You are
To bless Your children with promises that are above par.
Your covenant with us hinges on our part
Which is keeping Your Son Jesus first in our heart.
J.D. Griffith
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Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Hanukkah

HANUKKAH

Psalm 77:14: “You are the God Who performs miracles; You display Your power among the peoples.”
Sundown on December 4th will usher in the eight days of celebrating Hanukkah. (Chanukah, Hannukah.) There is nothing in the Bible about this “Festival of Lights”, but the Jewish people celebrate this holiday every year.

Twenty one hundred centuries ago, well before the birth of Christ, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth. They drove the Greeks from the land and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. In rededicating it to the service of God, they sought to light the menorah. There was only enough olive oil for one day. Miraculously, that one day supply burned for eight days.

Just as we Christians celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th, the Jewish people celebrate eight days of Hanukkah beginning December 5th.

Christians respect this festival and do not intrude on Hanukkah, just as the Jewish people honor our celebration of Christmas. These traditions bring to light the differences that separate our faiths. Although we do not have Biblical references for this holiday, there is no reason for Christians to be rude to people who celebrate Hanukkah. They are our brothers and sisters, and we are commanded by Jesus to love one another.

In the heart of this festival is the nightly menorah lighting. A single flame is lit the first night. Another flame is lighted on succeeding days until the eighth day when all the candles are aglow. You can see these proudly displayed menorahs on mantels and window sills during this season.

Hanukkah customs include reciting Hallel and Al HaNissim prayers. They offer praise and thanksgiving to God for delivering His people from the hands of the Greeks. They also celebrate by eating foods fried in oil. Batkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts), for example. Playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which Hebrew letters are inscribed) are traditions observed by Jewish people. Also, it’s customary to give gifts of money to children.

Take Home Nugget
What similarities can you see that compare or contrast Hanukkah and Christmas? Can you open your heart into accepting Hanukkah as a holiday for people who are different from you?

We cling to our traditions learned years ago
But there are others whose rites we do not know.
Teach us love and patience, Lord
Hearts open, acceptance stored.
J.D. Griffith

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Friday, November 30, 2007

It's A Spirit Thing

IT’S A SPIRIT THING
1 Corinthians 2:14“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and spiritually discerned.”


Sometimes friends look at us as though we’ve lost our minds. The internal operations of our brain, heart, and soul are not visible on the outside. Sometimes we get an internal nudge to do something or to stop doing something, and we don’t understand why at the time, either.

We’ve all heard of stories about a person who had car trouble and couldn’t make it to the airport in time to catch a flight. The flight crashed, killing everyone on board. The person was angry at first, then grateful. “Dumb car”, kicking its tires. “Good car,” embracing the steering wheel.

But when we stop doing something we talked about doing with our friends, they cannot see the nudge that halts our actions. Sometimes we understand that it’s a warning from the Holy Spirit, because deep down we know it’s not a good thing to do. We didn’t weigh the pros and cons of how would we feel if we carry through with our original plans. We may have ignored questioning thoughts until it came right down to doing it. Then the Holy Spirit flashed red and we put on our brakes.

To friends who aren’t Christ-centered, our hesitancy appears foolish. Or silly, or just plain wimpy.

But we know that the Holy Spirit is our helper. We trust God in His Spirit’s warnings. We may not understand, but when we obey His nudging, it always turns out to be the right thing to do.
When we insist on doing the thing we’ve been warned against, we do a Spirit Shush. Ever notice how when we ignore Him and do it anyway, red flags are waving the whole time? We performed a Spirit Shush. When we are busy talking and ignore the warning to not pass on gossip, we shush it and say it anyway. Word gets around to that person, and they get badly hurt. Your friendship with that person is destroyed. Repairing a friendship is harder than doing a Spirit Shush. The next time you get His warning, you won't Shush Him.

Other times the Spirit is warning us because the timing is wrong. If we just hang on, it’ll happen. Children and adults need to test their patience. Why does this have to happen now? When it happens in God’s perfect timing, it will be perfect.

Take Home Nugget

The key to not stepping outside God’s internal warning is to be sensitive to the Spirit’s nudging. The Spirit is trustworthy, and aligned with God’s Word. As we read the Bible each day, more of His Word seeps into our hearts. Then it’ll be hard to miss His Spirit’s promptings. It’s never a good idea to push the envelope on God’s grace. Disobeying the Spirit’s nudges will cost us a great deal more than we bargained for.
When your friends want to know “How come?” Shrug your shoulders and say, “It’s a Spirit thing.”

God’s grace extends far and wide.
But when we ignore His warning flags
Don’t imagine He’ll let us slide;
Our conscience constantly nags.
J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Holy Spirit 102


HOLY SPIRIT 102
John 16:7-14, 15:1-4
John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me, you can do nothing.”


“A church in the land without the Spirit is rather a curse than a blessing.” C.H. Spurgeon

There are three important roles of the Holy Spirit. First, the Spirit wants to win souls to Christ. He wants people to recognize their sin and need for a Savior. He teaches us how far sin separates us from the Father. When we understand this, the Holy Spirit leads us to the knowledge that it’s Jesus’ death on the cross that brings us salvation.

He teaches us how to live in this world victoriously as followers of Jesus. Our relationship to others is impacted by His lead. He directs us to areas of service to the Lord. He shows us how to depend on His lead.

The Father wants us to know Jesus as our Savior. This salvation through Christ gives us opportunities to share our faith with others. This is done with our actions as well as by our words. Our character and conduct “speak” volumes.

As the Holy Spirit works in our lives, we have a fuller, well-rounded picture of who our Father is. We begin to see His hand every where in the world. We begin to understand how to produce fruit for God’s Kingdom. Who is so touched by knowing you that they, too, seek King Jesus?

We’re missionaries just living our lives. What would people say about your life? This thought alone, motivates us into right living. Our consciences and the Holy Spirit keep us on the right path.

Here’s His assurance that we won’t ever be alone: Jesus says, “Remain in Me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit of itself; it must remain on the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” (John 15:4).

This is what it means to abide in the Lord. Abide means to be a part of. The Holy Spirit is inside us. And we are part of God’s family. So He abides in us as we abide in Him. This gives us great confidence and hope. It gives us reasons to persevere. Living this way, we’ll end up victorious as overcomers. That means we’ll win the race by living our lives without succumbing to sin.

Take Home Nugget
God usually works in subtle ways. We rarely see God’s obvious presence. We cannot even see our own growth in maturity and wisdom. We get discouraged because we don’t see the fruit we bear for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Just because we can’t see it, God knows. God harvests. Nothing we do is wasted, Think of your life as God’s investment in eternity. The gift of the Holy Spirit is God’s deposit of things to come. (2 Corinthians 5:5).

How fun it is to live
Life as part of a vine.
Nourishment flows from the Head
Making everything divine.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, November 23, 2007

TIME 4 THANKSGIVING
Psalm 92

When should we give thanks? Why should we give thanks? Do we give thanks even when we don’t feel thankful, our hearts void of gratitude?

The answer is an emphatic "Yes!" ESPECIALLY when we don’t feel like it!

Everybody has times of feeling low. Everybody has troubles in their lives. Everybody gets angry when things are not going well. Frustrations, anxieties, despair are all part of the human condition. Giving thanks to God is the cure for these unhappy situations.
Counting your blessings and giving God thanks for things He has done in your life does many good things. First, God is pleased when you acknowledge His goodness. He is glorified when we honor Him with thanks. He desires to shower blessings on His children who adore Him. "Be thankful for the least gift, so you will be ready to receive greater." Thomas a Kempis. (Paraphrased here.)

This act of thanksgiving refreshes our relationship with our Father and refocuses our minds onto blessings rather than problems. The Bible is full is reasons to thank God. It’s the right thing to do, so we’re obedient when giving Him thanks and praise.
It is an act of worship. Check out the first two verses of Psalms 98, 100, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107.

By doing this, we’re acknowledging His deliverance, provision, protection and guidance. We are forgiven from all our sins. We accept God’s gifts. We live safely in His care. He guides our ways to our best good.
After all, God created us, redeemed us, and continues to provide for our every need. It only makes perfect sense to thank and praise our sovereign, omniscient, omnipotent Father!

Take Home Nugget

Psalm 92 provides us a theme that’s easy to remember and follow. Verses 1-2 says, "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto His name. O Most High! Thank Him for His loving kindness in the morning, His faithfulness every night." (Paraphrased here.)

This is what I do. It sets the stage for my daytime with cheer and my nighttime with sweet slumber. Maybe it will work for you, too.

By starting with thanks and praise each day,
My heart is full of gladness.
Trials arise, only to be held at bay;
God separates me from sadness.
J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Family Thanks


FAMILY THANKS
1 Peter 1:22, 2:9, 17b, Romans 12:10a, Ephesians 2:19
1Peter 2:17: “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the neighborhood of believers, fear God, honor the King.”

As we sit around the table on Thanksgiving day, we look around and see who God has placed around us as family. We give Him thanks for the delicious food, for our peace, for our security, and for many blessings too numerous to name. We thank God for our family.

All believers are a family forged in the fires of God’s love. All believers belong in God’s household with every other Christian. We are to be devoted to each other like a loving family.

Church is not a building where we go to attend worship services. Church is a body of believers. We belong to our church, not to the building, but to the people who are our fellow parishioners. We’re more than an institution, more than an organization, even more than a body of like-minded individuals. We are family.

As we learn to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, we begin to trust one another, accept one another, and serve one another. We learn the power of unconditional love, among children as well as adults.

Our body of Christians are meant to be a Holy Spirit-led workshop for learning to love one another deeply and earnestly. (1Thessalonians 4:9). We love because God first loved us.

Family is synonymous with a deep, unwavering commitment to support one another. It takes courage to love others this earnestly. But that’s Jesus’ command: Love one another, as I have loved you. If He brings us to a challenge, He’ll bring us through it to completion. This displays another ‘Thanks’ opportunity.

Our journey will teach us the honesty, vulnerability, effort and forgiveness it takes to keep these family bonds vibrant and healthy.

Take Home Nugget

Godly character is caught rather than taught. In a Christian community, we’ll get a front-row seat in witnessing these traits in others. Look where you see maturity modeled, so that you can learn, or catch these same traits. This helps us measure our values and align them with the standards already set.
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 38:19 that one generation shows faithfulness to the next.
We thank you, God, for many things
Every day in so many ways,
Not the least is what love brings
To family all through our days.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, November 16, 2007


HOLY SPIRIT 101
John 14:26
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.”

"The Holy Spirit’s power can’t be harnessed ...(or) used to accomplish anything other than the Father’s will. He is not a candy dispenser. He is not a vending machine. He is not a genie waiting for someone to rub His lamp the right way. He is Holy God." Charles F. Stanley

The Holy Spirit lives in every person who believes in Jesus Christ. He’s a gift from our Heavenly Father. He is the bridge uniting our limited understanding with divine omniscience. God at our fingertips, living within. He works in league with our consciences. One warns, the other guides.

Many times kids read passages in the Bible that sound confusing. What does that mean? we wonder. When we think about that passage of Scripture, we’re meditating on God’s Word. It circles around and around in our heads until—Flash. A light bulb goes on and the passage now makes perfect sense.

The Spirit of God Himself is our instructor! No person can understand the mind of God. It’s too vast. The Holy Spirit leads us into the knowledge we need to mature. This is how we can successfully navigate life as a Christian, emerging victorious in our fallen world.

This teacher is a guide and a comforter. God sent us the Holy Spirit to help us understand and to transform our lives. He is shaping us, molding us into Christlike believers. He reminds us when we need forgiveness, prompting repentance. And to forgive others when they hurt us. He shows us how to deal with every problem.

When we sin and do not bother to repent, we grieve the Holy Spirit. Deliberate sin is like slapping God in the face. If we persist, Holy God cannot and will not tolerate sin. Father God will not hear our prayers. Things begin to crumble around us. We feel rebellious and alone. During times like these, it’s time to fall on our knees and repent to the Father. And mean it.

Just like how our conscience holds us accountable when we do something we know is wrong, the Holy Spirit holds us accountable to repent. In this way we can successfully live in this fallen world and remain Christians. We have victory in our lives, walk with our heads held high, delighting in our Father’s blessings.

Take Home Nugget

Holy Father, thank you for not making me walk this life on my own. Thank you for your gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell inside me. He will never leave me or forsake me. Thank you for this teacher, counselor, and guide to steer me through life’s toughest questions.
I’m weaker than I know, but stronger with the holy Spirit within me. I can do all things with Christ. I celebrate victory in You, God. In praise and gratitude, AMEN

A little white lie won’t hurt anyone.
Nobody even knows the facts.
But it’s hard to keep the truth from spilling out
When all is said and done.
J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

What is Holy Spirit?


WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Luke 24:43-49, John 16:7-15
John 16:8: “When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: …”

The question should be, WHO is the Holy Spirit? Why should we care?

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity of God. He is equal in standing to God the Father and God the Son. His relationship is equal to them. He is the fulfillment of a promise made by God the Father to everyone who has chosen to follow Jesus. He indwells each person who has invited Jesus into their hearts. He lives within us as a new creation; we are a child of God, claimed and sealed by the Holy Spirit’s presence. He guarantees us that we belong to our Heavenly Father.

Kids and adults need the Holy Spirit’s divine presence. Jesus told His disciples in Luke 24, in the Bible, to wait for this promise from the Father before going out into the world. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were overjoyed! They knew instantly when He took up residence in their hearts. (Acts 2:2-5).

This divine presence helps us to achieve our divine calling. He equips and empowers us. This gift from our Heavenly Father has a purpose. Jesus called Him a Helper, who teaches us and brings to mind what we have learned (John 14:26). He is our constant companion, who will never leave us (John 14:16). He seeks to shape us into Christ’s likeness in our attitudes, thoughts, priorities, acts and deeds.

All believers have this supernatural power to accomplish the work God has for each of us to do. As we live and serve God in our normal everyday lives, we testify to others the truth of who Jesus is.

Some people choose to live the Christian life in their own strength. Bad move. Why not embrace power, strength and wisdom of a helper who is as close as your own beating heart?
Don’t let pride rob you of this supernatural ability to live victoriously in this fallen world.

Take Home Nugget

It’s human nature to want to be in control of things. It’s good to have confidence on our abilities, but know this: confidence also comes from God. Life can quickly spin out of our own control. God is a prayer away, and is waiting for us to ask for His help. How silly would it be to refuse a boat being offered when rising water threaten to drown?

I choose to operate my life
in God’s strength and power.
The result is more than
my strength alone could tower.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, November 9, 2007

Conscience Care

CONSCIENCE CARE 102
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
V. 10: “So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.”

My friend yells at me when I drink liquid from a bowl—like when bringing the bowl to my mouth to drink the milk left over from cereal. I don’t get what upsets him about this. I’ve done this all my life. Using a spoon to ladle the milk up to your mouth is sloppy—why not slurp it directly from the bowl? Besides, it’s way faster! Case closed.

But God doesn’t see it like that. When I slurp liquid directly from a bowl, I make someone else uneasy. Why should I care if I offend someone? Does God care?
Paul gives us a hint. "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak." He was referring to eating food that was sacrificed to idols. Some Christians thought that the meat was tainted. Those days, only priests would eat the meat sacrificed to God. Regular folks had no business eating consecrated meat.
The world is full of pagans who believe in and worship many gods. Then, Christians were often offered food that had been sacrificed to a pagan deity. Some people felt guilty, some gladly accepted the food, others refused altogether.

Those who ate the food were criticized by the ones who refused. Paul makes it clear: IF the one who ate the sacrificed food caused another to eat the same food, against his conscience, the first person caused another to sin. This is why God protests: Christ died for us all.
The person who objected was weak because his conscience told him to refuse, and yet by accepting the food, he did wrong in his own eyes. To entice someone to do what they feel is wrong is a sin for us.
We ARE our brother’s keepers. It’s Jesus command that we love one another.
Previously we learned that consciences can be programmed. Every person’s conscience is programmed differently. Some folks are offended by loud music, others blast their IPODS. Some think that is rude, others think it’s generous sharing. It depends on taste, and conscience programming.
Clearly, our consciences require daily cleansing and tweaking to remain steeped in God’s truth. The blood of Christ is the only thing that purifies it, keeping it clean and in good working order.
Take Home Nugget
Try singing this in the shower getting ready for a new day. "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take the Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12

In light of this, I do not slurp liquid from my bowl in that person’s presence...
"Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience" George Washington
"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln
J. D. Griffith
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Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Conscience Care 101

CONSCIENCE CARE 101

1Timothy 1:5, 1:12, 1 Corinthians 8:9-12
1Timothy 1:13: “Even though I [Paul] was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.”

"The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a living soul." John Calvin

There are many adjectives that describe one’s conscience. 1 Timothy describes it as "good." Paul tells the Corinthians that some are "weak." Other adjectives that describe a conscience in the Bible are: Approving, Accusatory, Blameless, Clear, Clean, Loving, Fruitful, Strong, Defiled.

Parents teach children proper actions. Kids learn quickly how to play with each other. The "first responder" to any action or decision we make is our divine gift of conscience. Red flags, bells ringing, feelings of dread are clues that our consciences are not pleased. He begs us to change course. Even the smallest kids get conscience-stricken. We learn right from wrong fast.

We live in a fallen world, and our consciences have been exposed to faulty programming. Every so often, they may need reprogramming. To fortify our inner compass, we depend on truth from God’s Word.
The Holy Spirit impacts conscience realignment, too.

Truth. Jesus is the Word made flesh, and He tells us that He’s the way, truth, and life. (John 1:1,14, 14:6). Maintaining a close relationship with our Savior keeps our consciences strong. Our conscience and the Holy Spirit combine to guide and protect us. The Spirit of Truth, or Holy Spirit, is who Jesus identified as the third person of the Holy Trinity. He entered our hearts when we accepted Jesus as our Savior. Jesus also called him "the Helper". The Spirit shows us the difference between righteousness and sin. He teaches us how to mature, and guides us into all truth. (John 14:17, 26; 16:8,13).

False teaching or sinful lives damage consciences. Some so severely that they do not work any more. These need to be reprogrammed to work properly for protection and guidance.
Paul was raised as a Pharisee. He knew Jewish law front and back. He hated Christians because his conscience was programmed for Jewish law, not the gospel. He was happy when Christians were persecuted and put to death. Jesus appeared to him, and Paul was transformed into a believer.(Acts 13:9-39).

Blindness reprogrammed Paul’s conscience into accepting Jesus’ gospel in place of Jewish law. Jesus will do that for people today. Reprogramming consciences is a delight. Angels celebrate the return of believers into the family of God.

Take Home Nugget

The Holy Spirit and your conscience is the awesome dynamic duo! Batman and Robin have nothing on the power living inside a child of God. We have confidence and boldness to face our fallen world without succumbing to it. But, the war is ongoing. Our fight is with unseen powers, and the devil constantly tries to trip us up. As one with the Lord, we stand victorious!
Wrong living tilts internal compass
So that it cannot find the path
To warn us of trespasses
That spurns our Savior’s wrath.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, November 2, 2007

Fear Not

FEAR NOT
Isaiah 41:8-14, Matthew 28:6-10, Luke 24:36, Ephesians 1:5, 3:6
Ephesians 4:5-6: “…one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and the Father of all and through all and in all.”

Jesus always rushes to our aid when we’re frightened. Remember when He appeared before His disciples in their meeting room (behind locked doors) after He had risen from the dead. Would they be arrested? Huddling together after Mary told them Jesus’ tomb was empty, they were almost out of their minds! (Luke 24:36).


Jesus became flesh so that He could identify with us. We can never say, "God doesn’t get what it’s like being human." He totally understands our weakness. He gets it when we’re defenseless against fear. He knows our pain when our hearts are broken. That’s why He’s so quick to ease our fears by saying, "Fear not."

Here’s proof that we have nothing to fear: Isaiah 41:8-14 tells us what our Father told him. "...I have chosen you and have not rejected you; so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand...Do not be afraid, O worm of Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself, will help you..."

Whenever you see the word “Israel” in the Bible, claim its heritage—because we (Gentiles) are adopted children as sisters and brothers of the Lord’s chosen people—Israel. We share in the promises of their inheritance (Eph. 1:6, 3:6, 4:6).

As a loving Father, God promises to be with us through everything. He claims us as our Father, Jehovah God. He is our sovereign—totally in control of the universe—Abba, Father (Galatians 4:6). He’s Who I want in my corner!


God gives us strength when we’re weak, uplifting us when we’re depressed. He encourages and sustains us when times get tough. He holds our hand when we tremble. "Be still and know I am God." Waiting for God to lead us becomes a gift of seeing His dominion and power at work. Who can be afraid with Him by our side?


Identify with being a child in God’s family. Fear is from the devil, so don’t believe his lies. God wants us to live in His peace.


Take Home Nugget


Isaiah 64:4 says, “No man has heard, nor eye has seen what God has prepared for him who wait for Him.” What an exciting thought. Waiting for and walking with God is how we abide in Him. What unforeseen future can you imagine He has for you?

Of all the things we want
The future holds what we cannot see.
But when we believe and hold onto His promises,
Who knows what will be?
J. D. Griffith

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

HOME

HOME
Matthew 6:9-12, Romans 8:20-22
Romans 8:22: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

Sometimes a day of life seem s perfect. I know I’ve said during a super day, "Life just can’t get any better than this!" Perfect weather, perfect company, perfect event—people are smiling and happiness abounds. Ahhhh. But can life get any better?
Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that life here on Earth won’t get any better than this here and now. You may think, kids have things pretty good. But when the tide turns and everything goes wrong, we grit our teeth. We pray to endure through tough times.

We know that things will get better. They always have before. But know this: the Bible says we are of God, but the whole world lies in wickedness (2John:5:19). Satan is lord over this present age. Could we be living in the best of times? Consider:

What is our hope? In Eden, when sin unleashed destruction into our world, God has been waiting to enact His plan B. The whole earth groans and suffers as it awaits the Lord’s return. His plan B is total redemption, reclaiming the earth from the Enemy, or sin and the devil. God will create a new earth. This will be a kingdom under Christ’s reign.

God charges us to pray for this. Know that phrase in the Lord’s Prayer "Your Kingdom come?" What does that mean? That means we’re asking God to bring forth His eternal kingdom.

A new Heaven and a new Earth.

The new earth establishes Christ’s kingdom for us and all living things. Can you even imagine a world free from corruption, disease, pollution, and nature’s destructive forces? Tornadoes, earthquakes, floods will all be things of the past.

A new earth, where things will be better than the best we’ve ever seen. God will make our earth new. God will resurrect His children to live on the new earth. How great if He resurrects our pets to live with us in paradise? Forever and ever. Now that’s an Ahhhh we can embrace.

Take Home Nugget

Going home, that’s our destination. Heaven is our home. "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." Yeah, that’s our home! That is what we can look forward to with great anticipation! We cling to the promise that Jesus will usher in our forever.
Won’t the fun really begin then? A party that endures for all time—we will work and worship, play and feast together; under the leadership of King Jesus for all time!

Thy Kingdom come
Come soon, King Jesus!
For all; not just for some
Come soon, King Jesus!

J. D. Griffith
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Friday, October 26, 2007

Halloween, or...

HALLOWEEN
All Saints Day
Daniel 7:18
"But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever."


You may recognize this as Halloween, the contraction of "Hallow’s even." All Saint’s Day started as a solemn celebration, instituted to honor all the saints known and unknown.
Early Christians were accustomed to solemnize the anniversary of a martyr’s death. Frequently, groups of martyrs suffered on the same day. This led to a combined remembrance for them.
Originally celebrated May 13th, 373, A.D., this ritual, is also known as All Hallow’s Day or Hallowmas.

Pope Gregory III changed the celebration to be held on November 1st.
Besides breaking from the Holy Church of Rome, Martin Luther posted his 95 theses which is the basis for many denominations of Christianity today. Honoring this on October 31st conveniently combines commemorating All Saint’s Day with his posting of the theses.
Reformation Sunday is celebrated in many denominations the last Sunday of October.
This timing blends easily with Samhain, the Celtic pagan holiday that literally means summer’s end. This occasion was marked with thanksgiving, sacrifices, divination and prayers. The harvest was gathered in to protect it against wintry blasts. This ushers in the dark, cold half of the year.

In the first century, Rome conquered Ireland. This action melded holidays that combined pagan and Christian festivals. Christianity blended into the mix of festivals, each with their own brand of honoring the dead. All Soul’s Day, established by Saint Odilo of Cluny on Nov 2nd, remembers the souls awaiting release from purgatory.

Instead of ghouls, goblins, and witches, think of Halloween in its authentic Christian intent. Untold number of people were martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. This is the day for us to remember and honor their death. The first one was Jesus, Himself. Maybe you can honor these martyred saints by dressing up as angels, warriors, or monks or nuns.
Take Home Nugget

The passage in Daniel is not a joke. We, who embrace Jesus Christ as our King, the Son of Father God, are included in the number of saints. We will live with Him in Heaven forever and ever. We will serve our King, in various capacities, some as rulers. This kingdom will never end. Each person has free will, and it’s never too early to chose sides. Won’t you choose Jesus and paradise?

Celebrations still hold true from times past.
Only the most significant are meant to last.
Instead of dressing up as ghouls,
Choose Saintly dress riding on mules.

J. D. Griffith


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Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Don't Waste Grace

DON'T WASTE GRACE
2 Corinthians 6:1-10
Vv.1-2: “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.’”

Do you ever feel like quitting? Get away from everything, including God’s commands—just for a day? If so, you’re in good company. Jonah ran away—as far as he could so that he wouldn’t hear the Lord. Did his ocean experience in a fish’s belly save him from obeying the Lord? Check out a kid’s Bible study in Jonah. It’s a short 4 chapters of pure adventure.


As followers of Jesus, we are urged not to receive God’s grace in vain. What does the opening Scripture mean? It means that God gives us His grace—every single day—sufficient for our needs. So instead of rejecting God’s grace, we’re to grab hold of it and endure through troubles, hardships, and distress (2Corinthians 6:4-10).


We’re to stand erect: alert, unswerving, rejoicing. Following Jesus is seen in the details of our lives. God gives us power—the very strength we need to find victory in our daily trials. Today is the day of the Lord’s favor. Today is the day of salvation.


This power provides the endurance we need to work hard each day. We are to exhibit purity, understanding, patience, and kindness. Troubles, hardships, and distress are to be responded to in truth from God’s Word. God’s strength is our strength that we can use as weapons of righteousness every day.


People notice our daily behavior, and recognize that we’re not faking because we remain steady from one day into another. We may be frustrated, but not beaten, angry but not withholding affection, sorrowful, but rejoicing deep inside our hearts.


We can do this by keeping our eyes on the big picture. We have assurance that our Father is in control of everything.


God won’t prevent hardships, but He will walk with us through them ensuring our victory.
Take Home Nugget

What does it mean to squander God’s grace?

Here are some illustrations: when kids are mocking a kid who’s disabled, you laugh with them. When your neighbor leaves her test paper open, you sneak a peek. You snatch the last of the cookies and then feign ignorance when confronted. These seem small. They don’t seem important.


But God is watching, and His grace is stretching around all our missteps. If we push the edge of His grace too far—one day His patience could end—the rubber band could snap. We’d rather be in His grace than in His judgment.


Dear Lord forgive me when I do wrong.Only Your strength will make me strong.

J. D. Griffith


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Friday, October 19, 2007

GOOD

GOOD
Genesis 37-50
Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God work together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

What does it really mean when you hear that God works everything together for good? Does that mean He can correct our mistakes? Does it mean that we can goof up and everything will be OK? Does it mean that we can be bad, and it won’t matter?

We learned previously that our sovereign Lord can redeem our sin and weave our past into good for our future. But when we take advantage of that grace, we cheapen Jesus’ death on the cross. Giving into temptation just because you know God won’t let things turn out badly, is taking advantage of His grace. How pathetic if we dare to do this! He won’t let us get away with sin, which has consequences, and demands payment.

Consider Joseph. Read it for yourselves—in Genesis 37:12-36, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. After decades of time went by, these same brothers wept at his feet for their sin against him (Genesis 50:20). Verse 20 says Joseph knew his brothers meant him evil, but "God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result."

That, in a nutshell, is what Romans 8:28 means. But Romans 8:28 has a stipulation: "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, and are called according to His purpose."

This gives us promise and security. We can accept the past, and let it go—even when knowing that we made bad choices. Nothing in our past is outside what God can handle. We can walk confidently in the present. It’s a waste of time to play the "what if" game. Learn from the past, but let it go.

Our job is to love our Lord with all our heart, soul (Deuteronomy 30:10). God wants us to walk in the present because that’s where His grace flows. We look forward to our futures, and God controls that, too. Walking in the Spirit means we can live life to the fullest—unafraid of making mistakes—confident for what is unseen.

Take Home Nugget

Praise God that He can and will work things out in your future for godly good. No one can do anything bad to you without God's knowing. Nothing you do is beyond God’s grace and redemption.

Walk in the Spirit by faith so that you see God’s hand in the most awful circumstances. He is not limited in any way. Praise to our Lord; thanks be to God!


How blessed I am
That my Father works
Hard to bring forth good
When I am in a jamb.
J. D. Griffith
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Friday, October 12, 2007

Who Ya Gonna Call?

WHO YA GONNA CALL?
Sovereign Lord
Isaiah14:24-27
V. 26: “This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all the nations.”

"Who ya gonna call?" That was a famous question in the Ghostbusters movie in the 1980’s. The question is relevant today. When troubles surround you, when people are angry with you, when sin is tempting you, when you feel trapped, who are you going to call for help?
There is one answer for all these questions. We are a prayer away from having the most help—EVER—at our fingertips. Our sovereign God stands alone, there is none but Him (Isaiah 44:6). He’s the ultimate teammate, coach, counselor, Father. How comforting to have Him with us rather than against us (Psalm 27:1)?
He is supreme over sin and all its consequences. He doesn’t cause sin to happen, but He does allow temptation to enter our lives. He gave us free will, so it’s up to us to choose how to respond. The best thing is, He retains all control, and weaves the consequences of our actions for His purposes, and our good (Romans 8:28).
God didn’t create us to be robots. There is no glory for Him when we dutifully obey. He wants us to be over comers. That means we persevere through life’s challenges. We don’t change course, branching off into sinful ways. We trust Him to supply our needs. We obey His commands. He promises to lead us to victory.
Sometimes God allows our sin to run its course, other times He stops our action cold. We are a stubborn people—but even when He disciplines our wrong—we’re lead back to Him. Back to repentance when we sin—into welcome arms. Hebrews 12:6 says that we’re to be happy with our Father’s discipline. That means He loves us enough to correct us.
The wisest choice is to fully obey God’s commands. We won’t have to run a weary race down an ill-chosen path, or knock ourselves out slamming into brick walls. It delights our Father to see us sidestep or overcome the minefields of the world.
Take Home Nugget
We would not like it if we were robots. When we make wise choices, our free will glorifies our Father. But making bad choices can bind us to sin, then we’re not free (Galatians 5:1). Don’t let free will tempt you into disobedience. When we make mistakes, our sovereign Lord has power over our past, present and future. We can live confidently that nothing is beyond the reach of our Father’s grace. Now that’s security!

I don’t like to be corrected
Or find troubles that I must face.
But when push comes to shove,
I love feeling secure in His grace.

J. D. Griffith
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Tuesday, October 9, 2007

REPENTANCE

Matthew 3:1-8
Mark 1:15: “The time has come” He said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent amd belive the good news!”
The Lord’s Prayer has a phrase, "Forgive us our debts" (or trespasses). We all know that we sin, and are separated from God because only He is Holy. Jesus died to take all our sins with Him in death so that we could be forgiven. Many children don’t truly get what a tremendous gift this is.
Mark tells us in the Bible that the kingdom of God is at hand. We’re to repent and believe the gospel. Repenting is a rational decision that we make when we follow Jesus. This is necessary for God the Father to forgive us daily. It does not have to be an emotional wailing of our failings. (Although sometimes it can be emotional. Crying out for forgiveness after doing something wrong doesn’t have to go on indefinitely—God forgives instantly.)
Many people agree that repenting is the right thing to do, but often don’t understand that this also means they are not to repeat the sin. Some are so nonchalant to what it means to repent that they think they can repeat the same sin again, over and over. "I’ll repent and be forgiven, so what’s the big deal?" they’ll say.
The big deal is that true repentance is not like a "Get out of jail free card." When someone repeatedly continues in the sin, that is a conscious decision. And that sin is intentional. The original Greek word for repentance is metanoeo. This compound word comes from the word nous meaning "mind" and meta, which means "change." To repent means to literally change your mind.
Some believers repent by confessing their sin, then wallow in their guilt as a type of penance.
This is not Biblical, nor does it honor Jesus’ death on the cross to forgive our sins. Repentance is a willful decision to change one’s mind on the sin, and agree that God’s way is right. This dramatic turnaround is not emotional. It is deliberate. And this glorifies our Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Take Home Nugget
The next time you witness someone in the act of repenting, and that person seems to look sorrowful or remorseful, don’t believe it’s a true repentance. Take a second glance at that person’s life. You should see a difference in that person’s action, attitude or habits. Instead of trusting emotions or lies, trust evidence of a changed life.While we’re checking other’s changed lives, let’s make sure our lives change after repenting of our own sins.
God’s children are His work in progress. No matter who are friends and acquaintances, there’s no place where we can escape God’s watching eyes.

J. D. Griffith
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