What It Says

“The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the Lord.  (Isaiah 59-20)

 I found this verse very interesting.  It doesn’t say someone is going to come and heal everyone of His children.  The verse doesn’t say that God is going to swoop in and be the Daddy Worbucks of the world and grant every material wish it may have.  And Isaiah isn’t saying that the Redeemer is going to tap dance His way into our hearts with sales slogans or begging.  “The Redeemer will come….to buy back….those…who have turned from their sins.”

 Jesus came to earth as man for one reason and one reason alone:  to be the perfect Lamb.  He showed us the way and then paved the road for us with His own blood.  Now, when you confess your heart to God and accept Jesus as your Redeemer you are promised an eternity with Him.  All the blessings that fall on you, all the trials that make you stronger, the people who come into your life to make it richer, and looking in a child’s eyes—your child’s eyes—is all icing on an already perfect cake.  The Savior came for you, to buy you and bring you to the Lord, and your eternity has already begun.

 “And the people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God.  And note this:  Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be the least important then.” (Luke 13:29-30)

I Can’t Do That

“For all of creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.” (Romans 8:19)

 

Friend: “I believe Jesus Christ died for my sins. I think there is something I should do now. Maybe we’ll come to church with you”

 

Me: “Theoretically, if you really believe that Jesus died for your sins you are in.”

 

Friend: “I think I should get baptized now”

 

Me: “I would love to be there for that.”

 

Friend: “There has gotta be something I am supposed to do. It can’t be as easy as just saying Jesus saved me.”

 

Me: “I know it sounds too easy but as long as you believe you are saved”

 

This is a demonstration of me trying to reconstruct a conversation I had yesterday. There was, obviously, much more in there but I tried to capture the main idea. The person I was talking to had such a hard time capturing the idea that nothing else was required of him for salvation except to believe in Jesus. He was talking about living a better life, afraid he was just covering his butt because he truly believes the end of the world could come at any moment, and, although I know he was more than likely baptized when he was a baby (Catholic family) he really wants to be baptized again. I tried to keep the conversation light. I am always worried about sounding cheesy, which I shouldn’t (God forgive me).

I have a confession. I do not believe I am good at leading people to Jesus. I always envisioned my ministry focusing on people who already know Jesus and sharing with them how I see God in my everyday life. I have too many fears and pride because I am fearful of that when I tell someone Jesus simply wants everyone’s love and to have a close and intimate relationship with them that they won’t understand and they will be turned away from faith altogether. See, I am worried that in my excitement and passion for Jesus I look like a freak to the world. It’s so much easier when people already know about Jesus. It’s an easier foundation to build on.

If this is something God is going to have me do I won’t fight it. Actually, I am excited for my friend because I have wanted this for so long. I will simply pray that God will place the right words in my mouth and that I can find a balance between patience and excitement…not any easy thing to do! So, please pray for my friend, pray for me, and pray for the world because any day now you could be where I am and God put you there so don’t think it was an accident.

 

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what god wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit pray for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father knows all hearts and knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:26-28)

Journeys

“I know, Lord, that our lives our not our own. We are not able to plan our own course. So, correct me, Lord, but please be gentle.” (Jeremiah 10:23-24)

 

I read that today and I almost started to giggle, even though I know it’s not funny. I couldn’t even begin to tell you how many times I have prayed that exact prayer! Even reading it over and over again I can see it in my mind. How many times have I sat in this exact spot and let God know that I know He is in control? How many times have I confessed my sins but then, in the back of my mind, I am chanting “be gentle, be gentle, be gentle”? Do you ever feel good when you know you are not alone in your heart?

 

My journey through the Bible this morning was much of the same. I came across verses, as I did my morning Lent readings, and each time I felt God speaking to me. This is why I love God’s Word because the pages aren’t just filled with words. This tattered book I carry around with me, and try to pick up every morning, has become His voice in my heart. Now, I don’t get these warm fuzzy feelings every time but when I do it’s pretty neat stuff and I reminded once again of God’s beauty and His grace and love. I am reminded of how blessed I am and how much I love Him!

 

So, I finish this up with a few more versus from today.

 

“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?” (Psalm 42:1-2)

 

“Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.” (Psalm 43:3)

 

“For the sin of this one man, Adam, causes death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:17)

 

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

Psalm 51

Sometimes the strangest things or methods can work something in my heart. Today, I wasn’t sure what to read so I read Psalm 51. I knew what it was going to say before I read it. I am still struggling and the more I struggle the more I realize the walls in my life I need to tear down, so I guess it’s a good thing even if it is not very much fun. So, today I will share Pslam 51. If you know that you have already read it and think you could stop your devotion right here….you probably need it more than someone else. Just a thought. I could be wrong. However, I read it twice this morning, stopping at certain points longer than others, and then typing it made me want the author’s words to be mine….so there is something therapeutic about the whole thing. I pray, that if you need them, that God uses His word in this particular Psalm to work a wonder in you today.

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God,

                because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion,

                Blot out the stain of my sins.

Wash me clean from my guilt

                Purify me from my sin.

For I recognize my rebellion;

                It haunts me day and night.

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;

                I have done what is evil in your sight.

You will proved right in what you say,

                And your judgment  against me is just.

For I was born a sinner—

                Yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

But you desire honesty from the womb,

                teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;

                Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Oh, give me back my joy again;

                you have broken me—

                now let me rejoice.

Don’t keep looking at my sins.

                Remove the stain of my guilt.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.

                Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Do not banish me from your presence,

                and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore me to the joy of your salvation,

                and make me willing to obey you.

Then I will teach your ways to the rebels,

                and they will return to you.

Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;

                Then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

Unseal my lips, O Lord,

                that my mouth may praise you.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.

                You do not want a burnt offering.

The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.

                You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O god.

Look with favor in Zion and help her;

                Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—

                with burn offerings and whole burnt offerings.

                Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

The Cell Phone Devotion

“After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the might things he had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10)

 

Have we forgotten that we are parents? Has there been some event that happened, which I missed, where children had the right or privilege to do what they want when they want to do it?  I am just curious because on the radio yesterday the DJ was talking with a mother who was so grateful that the cell phone could block times in the day when her daughter could not text because the daughter was texting at dinner and this would stop that. Of those of you who know me personally, you know exactly what I thought of that. Maybe it’s because I don’t like cell phones. Maybe it’s because I think it is ridiculous how many children have cell phones with no appreciation for the cost or the reason to have them and if I offend you, I am sorry. If it makes you feel any better I don’t like my cell phone either and use it as little as possible.   

 

It’s not only cell phones though! It’s clothes, nails, prom dresses, 16-year old temper tantrums (I did do that), and a complete lack of respect. As parents we have all this pressure to live up to society’s standards of what our children “need” and if we let them our kids will play us on that.  I will be the first to admit that I was a spoiled brat but I paid for my own gas and if I wanted my nails done and I paid for it because I wouldn’t have asked my parents for that money because I was forced to work. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I suddenly decided not to work. I paid for my prom dresses and my own car insurance. I didn’t balance my books well but I balanced them. I have seen so many teens steamroll their parents and I sit back speechless.

 

In a time when parents want to blame the culture and society for the angst happening amongst our young it’s time to remember that the schools, radio stations, televisions, and even the churches are not who need to be raising our children. It is us. We can use many avenues to train up our children to the responsible adults we want them to be but they have to be tools and not babysitters. And, I am not denying that we can do all the right things for our kids and they may still make bad choices but don’t let the world convince you that you might as well give up! Let us not lead a generation to fall away if we are not around but a generation who wants to snag God’s torch from our hands because they are simply that strong in Jesus, in faith, in responsibility, and in leading. We are the parents, we are the leaders, and God has given us a job let’s make sure we do it right because we won’t get a second chance.

 

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

Be a Part of It

“The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years. In fact, it was on the last day of the 430^th year that all the Lord’s forces left the land. On this night the Lord kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt. So this night belongs to him, and it must be commemorated every year by all the Israelites, from generation to generation.” (Exodus 12:40-42)

 

The Israelites were being guided by God. And I know we are guided by Him everyday but He was right there walking with them as they were able to turn their backs on Egypt. He was a pillar of smoke and fire leading the way. He most definitely had their attention. However, further into the story, they showed their human impatience and any moment they did not feel God’s presence they turned away and became disparate. (Exodus 32:4-5)  We have to learn that even on days when we may not feel God is near He is still guiding us and we need to continue to walk toward Him.

 

Today, I cannot see a pillar of smoke or fire in front of me. I hear a lot of angry people. I see a country tearing apart at the political seam. I watch as people become more angry, more disenfranchised, and more desperate for help. I am awed as people are either opening their arms to our new government or turning their backs. But here is the thing: people are paying attention now. People are listening. People are watching to see what comes next. Some people are waiting for their hope to arrive and some are using their hands and feet to realize their own future. It’s like we are all sitting at the bottom of the summit, regardless of our position, waiting to see what will happen. There is a loud rumble in the crowd as both sides lash out at each other. But look, we are all right here together.

 

We are all right here together. We are sharing this small place in space and time in history. We are all a part of it. And “it” is life. And regardless of where you sit on the political bench God is here. No matter if you rich or poor, black or white, employed or unemployed, sheltered or homeless, married or single, the perfect citizen or the hardened criminal God is here. When everything else in the world is distracting us, bringing us hope, and demonstrating pain, God is here. The true opportunity of changing the future comes from what God has given each of us. He has given us the ability to make the world around us and as more people step up to that call we will see more communities helped, more people fed, more children with shoes and school supplies, more abused women in shelters, more help for drug addicts changing their lives, and more opportunities to show the world the hope and joy that we are given by God. So go and be a part of it. Figure out what you can do and do it. Don’t wait for someone else to take care of your neighbor. Don’t think you are not good enough. Be a part of it and you will be filled with the hope that you are looking for.

 

“God blesses those who are poor and realized their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called he children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the kingdom of God is theirs.” (Matthew 5:3-10)

Sneaking In

“Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

 

I take E. University to get to work everyday. I always stay in the right lane so that I have a straight line to get onto I235. Every single morning, as traffic builds, there are always a handful of people who don’t get in the right hand land at the earliest opportunity and, instead, wait and try to cut into the right lane so they can get onto I235. If that is you, I am sorry, but I am going to write about you today! This may seem rude but I get pretty upset when those “late lane changers” try to cut in front of me, or anyone, because it slows down traffic and it shows that they weren’t patient enough to get in line with the rest of us and I also feel it shows how important they must think they are that they get to cheat their way onto the ramp.

 

So, the other day I was a dork in my car cheering. I got through the last set of lights before the ramp and traffic was pretty heavy. A car on my left was trying to squeeze in and there wasn’t room in front of me or behind me. Well, this car missed the ramp and had to keep on driving. I felt vindicated and I hope that that person will get in line sooner next time instead of trying to sneak in there at the last minute.

 

There are always those people around us who tend to sneak and cheat their way to the same place you have worked so hard to get to and it is frustrating. But we can take heart in knowing that we may have chosen a harder path but the rewards will be so much more than anything we can imagine as long as we stick with it. As you make your choices everyday remember to always make sure God is there in the choice you make. Stay on the right road and He will bring you Home safely.

 

“I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” (Matthew 19:24)

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd;

            I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

            He leads me beside peaceful streams.

            He knows my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

            bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk

            through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid,

            for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

            protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

            in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

            my cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

            All the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23

Keeping the Door Open

“You will be accepted if you do what is right.  But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But your must subdue it and be its master.” (Genesis 4:6b-7)

 

Do you know how hard it is to have a philosophical conversation with a 7-year old? My youngest and I can have the best conversations and he is so smart and tries to rationalize everything. Last night we were talking Star Wars, which is actually a pretty normal thing since that is all he wants to talk about. As I was tucking him into bed the little guy said, “If I was Anakin I would have just learned as much as I could about the Dark Side but stayed on the good side of The Force.” I, with great trouble, explained to him that once you step over to the Dark Side it’s hard to come back. I tried to tell him that when you go to the Dark Side you are shutting the doors to the good side. Once those doors are shut everything gets dark and it’s hard to see and you can get back to the good side but it’ll take a lot of work because you shut all the light out so you will have to feel your way to the doors. It’s all about choices.

 

It’s all about choices. My dad used to say that for every bad decision I made I was shutting doors of opportunity and I shut a lot of doors. I walked in the dark searching for the light for a very long while. Once I saw where the light was coming from I would run to the door, only it seems to move or if lost focus at all I would loose the door and have to start searching all over again. Once I found the door and walked in it seemed as though I wanted to keep the door open so I could jump between the light and the dark just in case the light got too bright or the dark look to cozy.  

 

Now, I forget there is another door in the room most days. Even on down days, like yesterday, it never dawns on me to walk away from God or what His grace and His love have given to my life. I have seen too much, experienced too much, and seen God work too much to not believe that God is real and that this walk of faith is worth something. I am thankful that God kept the doors open for me and that He didn’t lock them shut and I am thankful for the yearning I had to start finding another way since what I was doing wasn’t working. Everyone walks in the dark sometimes but not everyone realizes that they can find their way back because God is keeping a door open until the last of days.

 

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

We are the Circus

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)

 

We saw the Cirque de la Symphonie on New Years Eve. It was an amazing night and a neat way to introduce a different genre of music to our kids. The music was beautiful, the acrobatics were shockingly amazing, and the talent was breath taking. I was torn between watching the faces of my family as new things flashed across the stage and watching the stage itself. How incredible that so much talent can be displayed in one night and on one stage.

 

Two women, in two completely different songs, demonstrated a strength and flexibility that had the crowd “oohing” and “awing” in sync. The juggler was amazing and my youngest happened to mention, at the exact moment I thought it, that it looked like that funny little clown had three arms whenever he was juggling because he moved so quickly. Another guy came out and had a hollow 3-D box that he twirled that may not sound too exiting but it had the effect of a laser show and I couldn’t keep my eyes off the box as it whirled around the guy. The “strongman” act was a true demonstration of strength as these two guys showcased a level of discipline and strength I have never seen before. And let’s not forget the music: it was fabulous! The Des Moines Symphony really out did themselves. Our youngest was quite impressed that they remembered to play a StarWars song for him. They also had a 13-year old come out and play a song on the piano and he will a rising star; I am sure of it. It was a night of beautiful talent and I am glad that we decided to go.

 

God gives everyone different abilities. If all the people in the Cirque de la Symphonie did the same thing, equally talented in exactly the same talents, the show would have sucked (honestly). We are the circus, my friends. God has given us beautiful talents and abilities and when we work together we can produce amazing things through our differences. Some of us are good at juggling, some of us are able to contort ourselves to make things work, some our strength and ability to work on teams gets mighty mountains of ministry moving, and still, some of us are that star that will move people and show them the beauty of life. We are the circus….we are the church and it’s time, everyday, to get the show on the road. Pray about what God is asking you to do and fix your eyes on it now. He’ll walk you through it and see you safely to the other side.

 

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and  strength belong to God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7:12)