Propitiation

PROPITIATION

Romans 5:6-11

Romans 5:6:  “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

            Propitiation [pro-pit-chi-A-shon].  Don’t you love learning new words?  This one is a doozy.  Propitiation means satisfying another’s anger.  Placate, appease, mollify,   soothe, pacify all define the word propitiation.  A deeper understanding of propitiation is:  Giving something in exchange for something else.

            In other words, soothing another’s anger comes with a price.  We all can relate.  Just saying, “I’m sorry” rarely satisfies the one who’s been wronged.  An exchange of gifts or favors usually sets things right. 

            Our heavenly Father sets the rules.  He originally decided that forgiveness of sin must ALWAYS be paid for with blood.  This is because blood is the life force in a living being (Leviticus 17:11).  The Bible’s Old Testament is filled with priests sacrificing animals for forgiveness of people’s sins.

             “The wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23).  Christ shed His blood and died as the LAST sacrifice in exchange for the Father’s forgiveness of peoples’ sins. 

            Ephesians 1:7 promises, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  A great exchange! 

 We get life from death!

            Jesus dying for us is His most awesome act of love.  Why would He willingly come to earth as a human/divine baby?  He had to learn how to be human, then grasp His divinity—AND His Father’s purpose.  Can you accept that you are on earth to fulfill the Father’s will?  Imagine if you learned that you were born on earth to DIE!

            And worst of all: death by crucifixion!

            Our Father’s plan to rescue humans from certain eternal death provided everything we need for salvation:

            Redemption.  Jesus’ shed blood and death paid the sin debt humans accumulated since Adam’s (Genesis 3:6).  Everyone who believes in Jesus as Savior is redeemed from death to life.

            Propitiation.  The Father accepted Jesus’ death as payment for sins in exchange for forgiveness of human sins.

            Forgiveness.  The Father’s justice is satisfied.

            Justification.  Jesus’ sacrifice satisfied the Father to declare Believers not guilty.  In addition, while we still sin in our earthly lives, our Father sees His kids as righteous as His Son.  And He promises to never change His mind.

            Healing.  Isaiah 53:5 promises, “By His wounds we are healed.”   

  

            Reconciliation [rek-kon-SIL-i-a-shon.  Christ’s death bombed that wall of sin separating us from the Father.  Now His kids are free to roam straight into His throne room and pile up on His lap anytime we want to!    

        

Take Home Nugget

            Crucifixion was the ONLY way humans could have been redeemed.  Because our lives are so important, Jesus agreed to the Father’s plan to rescue us from certain and permanent death.

           

Thank You Jesus for sacrificing Yourself for me!  Amen.

  

Adapted from “The Greatest act of Love” by Dr. Charles Stanley.  April 9-10, 2016. www.intouch.org.

J.D. Griffith

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Unconditional Forgiveness

UNCONDITIONAL FORGIVENESS

Luke 23:34a

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”   

           

            Check out the lesson linked below to understand better how awful the crowd, the soldiers and Pilate treated Jesus.  Do you think that the bulk of the people present at Jesus’ trial, sentencing and execution deserved to be forgiven? 

            Forgiveness is tricky.  We think we understand forgiveness.  How would you answer the following true/false statements?

            1.  A person should not be forgiven until he asks for it.

            2.  Forgiving includes minimizing the offense and pain caused.

            3.  Forgiveness includes restoring trust and the relationship.

            4.  You haven’t really forgiven until you’ve forgotten the offense.

            5.  When you see someone hurt, you must forgive the offender.

            All five statements are Biblically false! 

            How correctly did you respond?

            Real forgiveness is unconditional, with no strings attached.  Forgiveness is never earned.  No one deserves forgiveness.  Not even the smoothest talker can bargain for forgiveness.  Forgiveness doesn’t depend on a promise to never repeat the offense. 

            Unconditional forgiveness is offered to the offender, whether they asked for it or not—just like Jesus gave from the cross. 

            When Jesus prayed the opening Scripture, nobody paid attention.  Certainly, nobody thought they needed forgiveness!  Jesus simply offered forgiveness freely, instantly. 

            Jesus seized the moment while He was visible to everyone present.

            His hidden agenda was for us to talk about His pouring out unconditional forgiveness to His enemies while hanging bloody from the cross—through today!

Take Home Nugget

            Forgiveness doesn’t minimize the seriousness of or the pain suffered from the offense.  If someone asks for your forgiveness, simply say, “I forgive you.” 

            Never cheapen forgiveness by claiming it isn’t a big deal.  “No problem,”
 isn’t the correct response should someone ask you for forgiveness.  If it truly isn’t a big deal, say, “Forgiveness isn’t needed.”

            Forgiveness is a judgment call.  Slights for minor issues can be handled by admitting, “My bad.”  But when real pain is involved, admit that the offense is a big deal.  And there are many big-deal offenses in life!  Whether done by accident or on purpose, people offend others all the time.

            There is measurable difference between being wounded and being wronged.  Wounding requires patience and acceptance.  Being wronged requires forgiveness.  Be careful not to carry a “being wronged” sniffer chip on your shoulder.  Some people are overly sensitive to racial bias, for example.  They jump to bark at anyone who uses a racial slur or denies them equal rights.

Heavenly Father, please hold me accountable to treat others with the love Jesus commanded.  Empower me to forgive freely and completely whoever wrongs me.  And, Holy Father, thank You for forgiving me for the wrongs I’m guilty of doing!  Praying this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

  

Adapted from “What Forgiveness Really Is” Rev. Rick Warren.  April 23, 2016. www.RickWarren.org.

J.D. Griffith

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Loudest Silence

LOUDEST SILENCE

Proverbs 16:32

“Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.”    

            Twelve year old Cassie exclaimed at herself, “Stop that!”  Cassie was trying to break the bad habit of biting her fingernails.  So she sat on her hands.

            Cassie thought about all the things her hands had already touched that day: her bare hands wiped dirt off the table, picked up a dead bug, braided Tameka’s hair, and even threw a softball to her cabin mates.  She was disgusted with what she’d been chewing on inside her MOUTH! 

            “Ugh!” Cassie said aloud, examining her gnawed-off fingernails.    

            Rabbi Israel Salanter was a renowned rabbi from Lithuania in the 1800’s.  He once said, “The loudest sound in the universe is the breaking of a bad habit.” 

            That pretty much sums up what Cassie is going through.  She forgot why she began biting her fingernails.  But Cassie will assure anyone, “It’s hard to stop a bad habit!”  She will testify that the struggle she’s facing is internal, silent.  She will definitely not celebrate her victory from biting her nails with biting her nails!    

            Cassie’s trying to be patient with herself, less angry.  She wants to be more in control of this habit.  She wants her growing nails to stop tempting her into chewing them off.  Our inner self knows that we may stumble, but encourages us to keep trying.  We stand up to the challenge of breaking personal bad habits, no matter how difficult. 

            The opening Scripture passage compares two levels of self-mastery.  The first part acknowledges partial triumph, yet still struggles with temptation.  Think of this as a warrior whose inner strength is greater than outward physical strength.  Emotional muscle building—both internal and spiritual—is a greater invisible achievement than that of visible body-building.   

            However, the person has only reached part of the ultimate goal. 

Take Home Nugget

            The second part of this battle is mastering self-control.  Think of capturing an entire city—or in Cassie’s case—the many parts of her body.  Celebrate small victories.  Expect setbacks.  Believe that pesky bad habits can and will be overcome.  
  

            God created and equipped us to master bad habits.  A moment of weakness does not define one’s character!  Keep believing until achieving complete control over the entire body.

            Being a camp cabin leader taught Cassie to rule the inner temptation of chewing her fingernails.  At weeks end, she is finally victorious!  Glancing down at her polished toenails, she smiles.  Sliding her feet into sandals, she walks confidently outside. 

            Total victory is the level—a more godly person—that we all strive to reach. 

Piercing the heavens with the loudest silence of great achievement brings personal victory and heavens' applause!

 

Adapted from “The Loudest Sound in the World” Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.  April 5, 2016.  Holy Land Moments.com. 

J.D. Griffith

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This Very Day

THIS VERY DAY

Psalm 118:24

“The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.”   New Language Version.

            Psalms of Ascents (#s120-134) are delightful.  We can almost hear the Jews singing these songs as they climb towards the “Holy Mountain” in Jerusalem. (Zechariah 8:3).  Those were always happy trips!  God commanded His people three pilgrimages to Jerusalem each year to celebrate Passover, Pentecost and Sukkot feasts. 

            Check out the lesson, linked below, listing several joyful verses from Psalm 118.  Although Psalm 118 isn’t part of the Psalms of Ascents—it’s included in the Psalms sung on holidays.

            Verse 8 is the exact center of the Bible: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”  Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the bible; Psalm 119 is the longest.  (Just some Bible trivia that’s fun to remember). 

            This Very Day shows an unusual woman.  One 92 year-old woman, knowing full well that this place would be where she’d spend the rest of her life, waited patiently in the lobby.  She wore a smile.  When told that her room was ready, she almost couldn’t contain her enthusiasm.  The attendant described her room as she carefully moved her walker toward the elevator.  “I love it!” she exclaimed.

            “But you haven’t seen it yet,” she was reminded. 

            “That has nothing to do with my delight,” she insisted.  “Happiness is what I decide ahead of time.  I already decided that I love my new accommodations.  This is a decision I make every day.  Every day as I open my eyes, I thank God for today.  Today is a gift!”  Her sparkling eyes confirmed her delight.

            People have unlimited choices to make every day.  An attitude of gratitude and happiness ought to be easy.  But some people take a lifetime to master it.  Whether young or old, healthy or sick, joy is a perspective that goes beyond circumstance.  

            “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  This Hebrew translation of the opening Scripture is powerful.  Doesn’t it sound like “command lite”?

            “Do not kill!”  Okay. 

            “Rejoice and be happy today!”  No problem.  I can obey both of them.

Take Home Nugget

            Every day we wake up we can decide “this very day” is “The Day.”   Every day is the day “the LORD has made.”  He created everything and everyone in this day exactly as it should be.  MUSN’T we “rejoice and be glad in it” because it is created by and lovingly given to us by the Master of the Universe?  

      

            What a present! 

Thank You Lord, for I can rejoice and be glad because this very day can be the best day of my life!”  Amen. 

 

Adapted from “Today is ‘The Day’!” Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.  April 10, 2016.  Holy Land Moments.com. 

J.D. Griffith

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Winning Hand

WINNING HAND

Mark 12:30-31

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.”

            Teachers of the Law, Sanhedrin, grilled Jesus: “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”  Have you ever been grilled with trick questions trying to expose a flaw in your speech or actions?    

            Like the Sanhedrin could trick the Son of God! 

            I’d love to see a smirk on Jesus’ face.  He could see inside hearts full of hate and deception as they formed innocent-sounding questions for Jesus to answer.   

            People are created wonderfully complex.  But we are also flawed.  No one decides to fix these flaws, perfecting our own lives.  No self-help book teaches transformation.  Transforming lives is God’s work. 

            Who we are shapes our identity—flaws and all. 

            Relationships with people give life purpose and identity.  Too many haven’t a clue to their true identity.

            Life isn’t defined by accomplishments.  Identities aren’t rooted in popularity.  

            Lives are defined by how well we love.  Believers’ identity is in Christ.

            Three things obstruct people from loving as God intended: imperfection, sin and fear.  These problems challenge even the most determined.  But for those who’re determined to claim God’s best, Jesus can flip losing to winning hands.  

            Imperfection is a fact of life.   No one is perfect.  But God’s love is perfect.  Jesus is perfect.  Eden was perfect.  When sin broke the perfect relationship between God and people, sin became our excuse for not loving as God intended.  The longer and farther our brokenness is from God, the more fearful we become. 

            People crave intimacy.  But we fear being vulnerable.  We crave acceptance but fear rejection. 

 

Take Home Nugget

            Great news: although no one has a say in the hand we’re dealt, we can choose Jesus.  We can let Jesus shuffle the cards and deal us a new hand—a winning hand!  All that takes is giving Jesus our cards. 

            Giving Jesus our cards means giving Him authority over our relationships.  We’re to love our family, friends, acquaintances and even our enemies.  We’re to be patient and gentle with the unlovable.  We’re to speak kindly to those who hate us.  We’re to offer our coat to whomever steals our jacket.

            We’re accountable for how we love from this day on.  If we obey Jesus’ most important command to love God with our whole selves, loving others how we love ourselves must also happen by choice.

            Would you dare not obey Jesus’ add-on command? 

Deal me a winning hand Lord.  With Your help I promise to love others like Christ loves me—just as You intended!  Amen. 

Adapted from “How Well Do You Love?” Rev. Rick Warren.  April 16, 2016.  www.rickwarren.org.  Christianity.com. Daily Inspirations. 

J.D. Griffith

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Your Purpose

YOUR PURPOSE

1 Samuel 16:6-13

1 Samuel 16:12-13: “So he sent and had him brought in.  He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.  Then the Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; he is the one.’  So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.”

            “What do you want to be when you grow up?  Please write down your thoughts and pass in your papers before leaving class.”  Twelve year olds Cassie and Jeremy heard their English teacher’s assignment. 

          Cassie looked at Jeremy.  He winked at her and began writing.  She smiled, thinking, everyone knows that Jeremy wants to be a professional football player. 

            Cassie considered how David was anointed king at a young age.  She began writing, “I want to be queen.  I want to rule a perfect world.  I want my subjects to all be good people.  I want no crime.  I want kids to be happy and play all day long.  With my husband, the king, I want to keep peace throughout the world!”

            Cassie set her paper on the teacher’s desk, hurrying to catch up with Jeremy going to History class.  “I know what you wrote.”

            “Haha.  My football secret is out.  What did you write, Cassie?”  Jeremy wondered.

            “A fantasy.  I want to be queen!” Cassie admitted, laughing. 

            What would you write?

            A wrong sense of direction never guides people to fulfillment.  God created every person in the world for a specific purpose: to serve Him.  Nobody finds inner peace until realizing this truth.

            Society proposes that pleasure, prosperity, position and popularity are worthwhile goals.  But self-service is never fulfilling.  No earthly reward fills that hole wanting fulfillment.  No worldly philosophy ever accomplished satisfaction, contentment. 

            Whatever we become in this life we’re in the process of becoming right now. 

            The opening Scripture shows David being anointed king as a young man.  He thought that he was going to be a shepherd all his life.  This new purpose changed everything.  David immediately followed God’s purpose. 

Take Home Nugget

            Check out the lesson linked below to discover some trials and tests David endured.  David grew into a great man before claiming his rightful place as king. 

            Discovering your God-ordained purpose for life satisfies that fulfillment hole.  Our Father’s purpose for our lives comes from His heart of love.  No one knows the wonder God has in store for us.  But one thing is for sure: we can trust Him completely.

I want to stop wondering, Lord.  I confess Jesus’ words to you: ‘Not my will, but Yours be done…in my life.’  Lead me to Your purpose for my life, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Adapted from “What is Your True Purpose” by Dr. Charles Stanley.  April 18, 2016.  www.intouch.org. 

J.D. Griffith

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Clear Mind

CLEAR MIND

Romans 12:1-2

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

                                                                       

          Nothing on earth can match the human mind.  We should be awed.  God made people in His image.  We just learned that Believers are gifted with the mind of Christ at salvation.  Now the opening Scripture confirms three striking things: 

         1) Believers’ bodies can be offered to God as our spiritual act of worship (see lesson linked below);

         2) Transformation happens by renewing of our (Christ) minds; AND

         3) Humans can test and approve what God’s will is!

         The key is renewing of our minds. 

         Clear, focused thinking is deliberate.  People must carefully choose what we allow into our minds.  (Everything the eyes see and everything the ears hear).  When we let our guards down, the world will squeeze our minds into its mold.  That cluttered mind becomes fragmented.  It doesn’t focus well—let alone on Spiritual things.

         The word “foolish” describes a fragmented mind. 

         Believers’ Christ-like minds think rightly—regardless of circumstances and challenges.  Our minds need maintenance, though.  Just like keeping consciences reliable, Believers’ minds need renewing from time to time. 

         Only surrendering ourselves to God renews Believers’ minds.  When He has authority over our thoughts, clutter becomes clear.  Feelings change, wanting righteousness.   Our words become pure.  Our behavior aligns with renewed attitudes.  Living the “abundant life” is the same thing as the “fullness of His will” Jesus came to give us (John 10:10). 

          Who Believers become and everything we achieve originates from how we think.  It just makes sense to let the One who created us guide our thoughts!

Take Home Nugget

          A clear mind is controlled by His Spirit, aligned with God’s Word.  When God has authority over our thoughts, discernment [dis-SERN-ment], or sound judgment follows.  As we yield our lives to Him—filling our minds with His will from Scripture, God transforms our lives. 

          God empowers His kids to peer deeper than what’s seen on the surface.  We see what situations should teach from His point-of-view.  We can choose "good" from "bad" alternatives, and even "best" from "better."    

          Knowing what is God’s will can be very confusing.  One devotion writer advises, “Pray, surrender, read His Word, then decide.  Put it in God’s hands.  Believe He leads from His will.”  

I’m in Your hands, Lord.  Lead me from Your will to what is Your will for my life.  Thy will be done!  Amen. 

   

Adapted from “Keeping a Clear Mind” by Dr. Charles Stanley.  June 10, 2015.  In Touch Magazine.  Georgia, USA. 

J.D. Griffith

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