Salty Christians

Salty Christians
May 26, 2009
Luke 14:34 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?"

Salt is salty. There is no way of getting around it; or so you and I think. You reach for the table salt to add flavor to your food and you get what you expect, salt. And it is certainly salty. There is no way you can reach for that salt and have it taste like anything else. You can just remember the time you made the mistake of putting a teaspoon of salt on your food when you thought it was sugar. You were surprised when it hit your taste buds. It made your lips pucker and you reached for a glass of water. There is no mistaking salt for anything else. So, how then can salt lose its saltiness?

Salt cannot lose its saltiness. If salt lost its saltiness, it would not be salt. The chemical composition of salt is NaCl. It is a chemical bond that is very, very stable and very tight. It is difficult to separate the Na from the Cl in Salt. If pure NaCl were to be separated by a chemical reaction, it would not be NaCl anymore. When Jesus spoke of salt losing its saltiness, He was not referring to a chemical reaction; He was actually referring to a mixture that contained salt. In the time of Jesus, the salt they used was either evaporated salt from seawater or crude, impure rocksalt. Both forms of salt in His day contained other substances, foreign to the purity of saltiness. It was possible that the salt portion of the impure rocksalt was used up, leaving useless rock particles.

Jesus was making a parallel to you and I with this crude, impure rocksalt. Sure we might have the light of Jesus inside, be we are human, full of so many other particles that are impure to salt. Jesus was saying that if the salt in your life, the flavor of Jesus, is used up and not replenished, then you would be useless. Christian, you are useless in this world without Christ in your life. You are called to be the salt of the earth, the flavor of Jesus to everyone you meet. If you do not have the flavor of Jesus in your life, then you are useless, good for nothing, and should be tossed aside.

If you lose your saltiness, your identity as a Christian, you will be tossed aside by the Lord, to be trampled on by men. This seems harsh, but Jesus was very clear when He made His remarks. He was sure to point out that if you lost that zeal for the Lord, that passion, that burning flame inside of you, then He has limited use for you. God wants you to maintain that flavor He put inside of you, to impact everything you touch, just like salt. Salt has so many uses, and it only takes a little bit to affect so much.

Christian, you are that salt in this world. But if you lose your salt, your zeal for the Lord, your ability to impact the world for Christ, you are useless. Determine right now to get that flavor back into your life.

1. When in your life were you "salty" for the Lord?
2. Where in your life did you lose your saltiness?
3. How can you get that saltiness back into your life?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Matt 5:13, Mark 9:50

When God Betrays

When God Betrays
May 18, 2009
Matthew 27:46 "About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?""

There will come a time and a day, if it hasn't already, when you will be completely abandoned and betrayed by God. Well, not really. It will FEEL like God has betrayed you. You will feel so dark and depressed and hopeless and lost and alone. You will cry out to God and you will hear silence. You will scream aloud for the Lord, Almighty, to hear your begging, but you will not get a reply and your prayer will go unanswered. You will shake your fist in the air, daring God to come down to save you if He is able, but He will stay enthroned in Heaven. Every one of you reading this knows exactly what I mean. You will feel betrayed by the one who was never suppose to let you down; you will feel abandoned by God.

Jesus felt this way. Jesus felt the emptiness and aloneness that you and I have faced. Jesus knew what if felt like to be betrayed by God. Jesus was left to die alone on a cross, bearing the weight of the world on His shoulders. He cried out to God, wondering why God had forsaken Him. Even though Jesus spoke those words from the pit of loneliness and despair, He was actually quoting scripture. The words He uttered on the cross were written by King David, when David felt betrayed, probably a thousand years before Jesus was born. Jesus was telling you and I that He knew what David felt like, what you and I have felt like. Jesus felt that feeling of betrayal, when God brings you to a place of suffering and then leaves you there, unwilling to rescue you.

You will question why God brought you to that forsaken land and left you there. You will question why God allowed your spouse to leave you. You will question why God allowed your child to die. You will question why God allowed such a horrible thing to happen to you. You will question why, in your darkest hour, why God did not come down to rescue you from that terrible situation. You will scream out to God, begging for His help, but He will be silent. If you haven't felt this already, you will. Jesus felt it. It is an awful, wretched feeling, where you cannot imagine the depths of Hell burning as badly as you burn inside for God to help you.

Christian, you are not alone. Jesus felt that way and EVERY Christian out there has felt that way. Everyone has felt betrayed by God; this is not a new experience. You may feel that way right now. Rest assured, however, that God has not forsaken you. You may feel like God has abandoned or betrayed you, but God has not. At the deepest, darkest hour in your life, one thing will always be true. God will be in control. God was in control when Jesus suffered on the cross and God is in control through the pain you are experiencing right now.

God has a promise for you right now. Never will He leave you or forsake you. You may not understand how God works or why He allows things to happen, but your situation is not beyond His knowledge or reach. Like Jesus' death on the cross, your deepest, darkest hour might be for an amazing resurrection story. Trust that God IS in control. Allow your feelings of betrayal to be just that, a feeling.

1. When and where have you felt betrayed by God?
2. Can you believe that God is still in control?
3. Believe right now that God CAN redeem that feeling?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Ps 9:10, Ps 22:1, Ps 94:14, Mark 15:34

Commanded to Love

Commanded to Love
May 11, 2009
Romans 13:9 ". . .and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself.""

In the Old Testament, the Lord gave Moses two tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments written on them. This list of "Don'ts" was given by God as a standard to live by, rules that would make for a safe and happy life. But in the New Testament, it is unclear whether those original Ten Commandments were to remain in-force. Jesus spoke to that question and gave a new order to cover over the Ten Commandments. Jesus said that we are simply commanded to love. This "love" that Jesus spoke about, if enacted out, would be a way to ensure a safe and happy life as well as encompass all the original Ten Commandments.

In fact, we are not only told to love but required, as Christians, to love. We are required to Love the Lord, God, first and then required everyone else. We are required to love everyone else like we would love ourselves. Examine that last topic for a minute. Think about yourself and what it would feel like to be loved, really loved. No one can love you like you love yourself. You spend money on yourself, you take care of yourself, you want to be encouraged, you want to talk about yourself, you want to think about yourself; you want YOU to be happy. Basically, the human nature is t0 be selfish; it is all about you, you, you. If this love action was turned inside out, you would be spending money on other people, taking care of other people, encouraging other people, talking about other people, thinking about other people, and wanting THEM to be happy.

How about the unloveble? How do you love the unlovable? Consider someone you are having a hard time loving. If you can't love him like yourself, first try to love him like a friend. If you can't love him like a friend, then try loving him like your enemy. Either way, you HAVE to love. Even if you hate him, you have to love him. Even if you hate her, you have to love her.

This love that Jesus commanded is not a touchy, feeling warm fuzzy inside of you when you think about them. The love that He spoke about was intended to be an action. Loving someone means taking care of him and his needs. Loving someone is making sure she has what is needed in life to be healthy and happy. Loving someone, as it turns out, has little to do with a feeling at all. So even if you don't feel like you love your neighbor, enemy, or even spouse, start with the action first. The feeling might actually follow the action. Start taking care of everyone like you would take care of yourself. When you do that, they will naturally love you in return and it will be so much easier to feel love for them.

1. What would it look like if someone truly loved you?
2. Who are you having a hard time loving?
3. How can you love the "unlovable" like you want to be loved?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Lev 19:18, Matt 5:42-44, Mark 12:31-24, Luke 6:27, Gal 5:14, James 2:8

The Cost of Doing Business

The Cost of Doing Business
May 4, 2009
Luke 14:28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?"

When making any major decision in life, it is wise to first sit down and estimate the pros and cons of the decision. You take all the facts and resources at hand, and calculate the potential future based upon the action you are about to take. It is smart to ask yourself, "Am I willing to live with the consequences of my decision? Or, "Can I deal with the results for the rest of my life?" If the answer is "no," it is best to make a different decision. This is true in business, life, and even in following the Lord.

Jesus was very clear that becoming a Christian, a true follower and disciple of Christ, would not come without a cost. He said, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." There was a rich man who came to Jesus and asked what it would take to gain eternal life. Jesus told him that he had to first sell all he had and give it to the poor. That man was sad, because he had great wealth. He wasn't willing to part with his money and so that man never followed the Lord. It was too costly for him.

Another rich man had all his money taken from him. All his riches and wealth were stolen and his children killed. This man's name was Job. Job had a great response to following the Lord, despite the cost. Job said, "Though he slay me, yet I will [follow] him." Job was standing firm in the cost of following God. He knew the cost, and wasn't going to falter when the price got too high. Fast forward from Job a few thousand years, and you see Jesus dying on the cross to follow God. Jesus was living out and fulfilling the words that Job spoke, "though he slay me." Jesus WAS slain for following God.

Christian, you have already found out that following the Lord will allow you to sacrifice many, many things in this world. But those things that you might give up to follow Him are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed to you in Heaven. Jesus didn't lie to you; He told you that following Him would cost you a few of the creature comforts of this world, maybe more. The question now is, has the cost become too high for you or are you willing to keep going? You've already chosen to follow the Lord; now continue to calculate the cost and realize that it WILL be worth it someday. I promise.

I hope you are willing and able to say, "Though He slay me, yet I will follow Him!"

1. What has it cost you in life to follow the Lord?
2. Does that cost make you want to quit or keep following Him?
3. How can you take up your cross to follow Him, even though it is costly?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Job 13:15, Matt 16:24-25, Matt 8:18-21, Matt 19:16, Mark 10:12, Luke 9:57-58, Luke 14:25-29

The Inspiration of God

The Inspiration of God
April 27, 2009
Genesis 2:7 ". . .and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

The word "inspire" comes from the Latin words "in + spirara," which mean: to breathe. Our own modern dictionary clarifies it a little further: to influence, to move, to breathe or blow into. From the word "inspire" we also get the intransitive verb, "inhale." We use the word "inspire" to infuse life into an idea or thought. We use the word "inspire" to communicate emotion or internal human momentum. But God used the word "inspire" to give breath to us mortal beings.

Recall in Genesis, where all the phrases occur that start with the words "In the Beginning . . ." This was God creating the universe, before the first man was alive. At the end of all His creating, He made man, and at the very last step, God breathed life into Adam. Picture God; standing over Adam's lifeless body, leaning over onto his mouth and nostrils, taking a deep breath and breathing into Adam, filling Adam's lungs with His own breath and life. Wow, what an image, what a picture of what God did to give you life. The very life that is in your body is the life and breath of God. You are an inspired creation of God. God breathed life into you; God inspired you.

God's inspiration into humans did not stop with the first breath; it continues on to this day. Throughout the Bible, God inspired men to move and to act according to His great purposes. Some of those purposes were in writing the actual Scriptures themselves. For this reason the Bible is called "The Inspired Word of God" or "God breathed." This same breath of God is what inspires you and I today. We are led by Him to will and to act according to His great purpose.

If you are a Christian, you have the breath and life of God living in you. This should give you a "wow" moment in considering the power of that statement. God's breath is giving you a pulse, not just a physical pulse, but an emotional and spiritual pulse to live your life in honor to Him. God has inspired your life and given you many, many giftings to use for Him and His glory. He has inspired your heart and your mind to even read these words right now. He has given you a passion and burden and if you will listen to that passion burning inside of you, you will realize it is the inspiration of the Lord leading you on.

Christian, the Lord has something for you to do; He has inspired you for a reason, a purpose. Submit to Him and His leading and be amazed at what the Lord can accomplish through your work. Submit to that inspiration, the breath of life, in you and begin to be used by Him to change the World. If you aren't changing the world, you may not be listening to the inspiration of God. If you are feeling a little un-inspired, it is time to allow God to breathe His life into you and your situation right now.

1. What has God inspired you to do?
2. Have you lost your God-given inspiration?
3. How can you get your inspiration back?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Job 12:10, Job 32:8, job 33:4, Jer 32: 40, Phil 2:13, 2 Tim 3:16

In God's Time

In God's Time
April 20, 2009
Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

God was tired of the man He appointed king over the children of Israel. His name was Saul, and God was disappointed in him. So God sent His prophet, Samuel, to anoint a very young man to be the new king. This young man's name was David. In fact, David wasn't even a man, as he was referred to as the 'son of Jesse.' He wasn't mature enough to be his own man, let alone be a king. And there was another problem; King Saul was still on the throne. Throughout history, when a man was appointed king over any land, his first job would be to immediately take over the throne, to assume his new position. This did not happen in David's case.

God anointed David king over all Israel, but did not give him the throne. It wasn't even a private or secret anointing; it was done in the presence of David's entire family, who were not instructed to keep it a secret. David was an aspiring man of God who wanted to do God's will, and though he was anointed king over Israel, he was not given permission to simply take over the throne. For some reason, it wasn't God's perfect timing yet for David. David soon found himself in a unique position, in service to the current king, Saul, but appointed to be King by none other than God, Himself.

Though David was told his future and given his exact position and calling by God, he was not allowed to assume his position. It wasn't God's time yet and David knew that, even though most people knew David was supposed to be the king. David was given many opportunities to overtake the throne and was encouraged to do it many times by numerous people. But David knew God and was submitted to God's perfect timing. David was a man of integrity who did not want to take anything that wasn't his yet. Though David was told he would be king, he still waited patiently for God's timing to bring it to fruition. David could have taken what was rightfully his, but He wanted to wait for God to give it to him. David wanted God's timing.

Christian, I am confident that your current situation may not be what God has for your future, but your future is not yours for the taking; it is God's for the giving. Let me say it another way, if you take your future before God gives it to you, you will be in rebellion to God and His timing for your life. A perfect example of this is Abraham. Abraham did not wait for God to give him a son, so Abraham slept with his wife's maidservant, Hagar, who bore him a son, Ishmael. As you know, Ishmael was the father of all the current Muslim nations of today. Abraham did not wait for God to give him a future and we are still paying for it today.

David waited for God's timing, even though he was tempted to take it. In fact, he even had to encourage himself to wait for God's timing, as David was the one who penned the words in the scripture above, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." I'm sure if he had to do it all over again, he would still wait for the Lord and HIS appointed time for everything.

1. What specific future are you waiting for?
2. How have you tried to take it before God has given it to you?
3. How can you wait patiently for God to GIVE it to you?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Gen 16, 1 Sam 16, 1 Sam 24:6, 1 Sam 26:11-16, Psalm 37:7, Is 30:18, Lam 3:24

The Worst of Sinners

The Worst of Sinners

April 13, 2009
Luke 7:47 ". . . but he who has been forgiven little loves little."

The apostle Paul was one of the most influential and Christ-like persons in the Bible. His writings and contributions to the Scriptures outline God's heart every time we read his words penned over two thousand years ago. His model behavior and heroic acts of sacrifice inspire awe and action in our hearts and minds. Yet Paul never saw himself as such a model Christian. Paul, in his sober judgment, knew the condition of his heart was just as black with sin as our hearts are today. He was not an arrogant fool, thinking his life was free from sin or that he even sinned less than the next person. This great man of God was in touch with his humanity enough to realize why he was in need of a Savior.

If you read Paul's writings in the New Testament, he mentions himself many times, often commenting on his own person. Several of those comments reflect his view of his heart. If you read his first letter to Timothy, Paul refers to himself in a very negative manner. He calls himself the "worst of sinners." In another translation of the Bible, he calls himself the "chief of sinners." Paul certainly knew of the forgiveness of God, so why would he still consider himself such a rotten sinner? Paul's past was certainly full of sin, but Paul was aware of God's forgetfulness when it comes to sin. Paul was aware that God does not keep a record of our wrongs, especially the forgiven ones. So, despite Paul's lifestyle of preaching and living out God's will for mankind, and living a pretty clean life, why would Paul consider himself such a violent offender? He probably sinned far less than you and me.

Paul spent a great deal of time in a personal relationship with God. It was in this one-on-one time with God that Paul was made aware of God's Holiness, God's perfectness. It was from this time with God that Paul was able to reflect on every area of his own life and see his sin. The illumination of God's glory has a way of shining into the deepest, darkest corners of our lives. The more time we spend with God, the more we will be aware of our own sins, even the ones that others might consider teeny-tiny. But that illumination of our sin isn't meant to condemn. No, it is meant to make us aware of the need for a Savior, the need for God to apply the atoning sacrifice that washes away those sins. It is meant for us to allow God to work in our lives, making us more Christ-like every day.

This illumination of our sin is not meant to make us feel guilty, but to allow us the opportunity to change. It is a chance for us to realize there is a need for Christ's blood to cover our sins every moment of the day. It is from this realization that we should seek the Lord's forgiveness as we repent of our wicked ways. AND it is an opportunity to rejoice. This sounds a little odd, but we are not rejoicing in our sin, but in the application and acceptance of the forgiveness of God. Because as Jesus said, "He who has been forgiven little loves little." The more you are aware of your sin, the more forgiveness you will get. The more forgiveness you get, the more you will love and appreciate what Christ did for you on the cross. The more you appreciate Christ's work on the cross, the more you will rejoice. Paul had a lot to rejoice about.

We all have been forgiven much; some of us are simply more aware of it than others.

1. Are you aware that you are the worst of sinners?
2. Are you constantly in repentance and asking forgiveness?
3. Do you love and appreciate God more and more every day?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Ps 103:12, Matt 9:13, Luke 5:32, Rom 5:8, 1 Tim 1:15-16

Run For The Prize

Run for the Prize
April 6, 2008
1 Corinthians 9:24 ". . . Run in such a way as to get the prize."

I recently took part in a 44 mile relay run. No, I did not run the whole 44 miles, but I had an acceptable leg of it. We had a team of 7 individuals, all running our respective lengths of the course, handing the baton at the end of each leg. Not being a runner by nature, it was particularly hard for me as I only had 40 days to prepare. I was excited to be a part of something bigger than myself, on a team with a few key individuals much stronger than myself. The race was planned for a nice spring day; we began to prepare to run for the prize. There were many teams that day, all identifiable by their respective team jersey. I prepared for my leg, knowing exactly how many miles I had to run. But when we got to the race, my length was several miles further that I had ever prepared for. In fact, it was farther than I had ever run in my life.

The weather did not cooperate, and as I started my leg, it began to rain and sleet with the temperature a rough 44 degrees enduring 20 mile/hour winds at my face. Despite a cold and wet wind chill of 26 degrees, one or two miles into it, my muscles felt warm, and I began to set the pace on cruise. There were many people on the sidelines, cheering everyone on, all in support of their own team, encouraging them to continue strong. Three or four miles into it, running against the wind, my legs began to burn, my lungs tightening with each breath. A few other runners began to pass me, but I was determined; I never stopped. I persevered and pushed through the difficulty. None of the other runners were about to stop and walk, they wanted the prize just as much as I did. I wanted to represent my team well, and I did. I ran as to get the prize.

Our Christian life is very similar to this relay race. We join a team, with some members being stronger than ourselves. We prepare for our relay, ready to hand the baton to our fellow teammates. There are many to cheer us on and encourage us in the race. But there is always the unexpected, the rain and winds and longer stretches, longer than we had anticipated or even prepared for. We still have to run as to get this prize, despite whatever reality comes our way. This is what the apostle Paul writes about when he said that all runners run as if to get the prize. This is true when the running is as planned, and this is also true when the running gets hard, when we hit the unexpected in life. We have a choice; we can turn around and quit, or we can embrace the challenge and run into the wind and the rain, persevering through the difficulty. We can go home or we can run as to get the prize.

I've known many Christians who have chosen to not run as to get the prize. They get lazy in their Christian walk and decide not to push through or persevere in the difficulty. Each runner must run as to get the prize and each must push through whatever adversity occurs. Despite most runners planning and training, the race is never, ever easy. Even the best of runners must put forth a huge degree of effort, and so must you in your Christian walk.

Christian, you are in a race, and it is long and hard, more difficult than you could ever imagine. It might be raining and the winds might be strong, but don't give up. Don't turn around and go home. Push through that adversity and run, not just your best, but run as to get the prize. Make your team proud and finish strong, no matter what reality comes your way, especially the reality you are dealing with right now.

1. What adversity are you running against in your Christian life?
2. Are you running as to get the prize; are you pushing through it?
3. What other team members can you cheer on and encourage?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Ps 119:32, Pr 4:12, 1 Cor 8:26, Gal 2:2, Gal 5:7, Phil 2:16, Heb 12:1

Sensitivity to God's Voice

Sensitivity to God's Voice

March 30, 2009

Matthew 18:3 ". . . unless you change, and become like little children. . ."

Adults are so sophisticated; at least that's what we think. We are far too intelligent and far too enlightened to seek the Lord like a little child. But that is what God requires. He does not want us to be like a child in regard to our maturity, but He wants us to be like a child in the simplicity of our faith: uncomplicated by a jaded world of confusion and question. A child does not doubt and does not question God. A child takes everything for what it is, at face value. This is true in faith and this is true in hearing God's voice. A child is far more likely to believe in the voice of God, and therefore can be more sensitive to listening to Him. My four-year-old daughter is a great example of this. Recently, she had a conversation with her mother. It went something like this:

"Mama, sometimes when I talk to Jesus at night, He sounds soft because He is so far away. But then He says, 'Here I am; I'm not far away; I'm right here with you and I can hear you.'"

"And what do you say to Jesus, sweetheart?"

"I tell Him that I want Him to live in my heart and someday live in Heaven with Him. And He says, 'I do live in your heart and you will live with me in Heaven someday.' What does Jesus say to you, Mama?"

"Well, it's hard for Mama to hear Him sometimes, Honey."

"Mama, it's easy to hear His voice, you just sit back and listen."

Though this conversation might seem simple, it is a testament to my four-year-old's sensitivity to the voice of God. And it is exactly the kind of conversation God desires. First and foremost, she gives Him the opportunity to speak into her life, as it is a traditional conversational volley. She does not doubt that the voice is God's and she does not doubt the truth of what He has to say.

Far too often, we don't want to develop a sensitivity to hear God's voice. We won't admit this, but it is true by our actions. We limit God's ability to speak into our lives by only listening to Him when it is welcome and convenient to us. We block off a few minutes a week when we talk to Him, but we seldom give Him opportunity to speak, and we certainly don't enter into a conversational volley. We may never allow Him to speak, because we are afraid of what He might say to us. We are afraid He might communicate His disappointment in us or His frustration with our bad habits. We are afraid He might ask us to do something that may make us uncomfortable or we are afraid that He might tell us "No."

Despite our difficulty in developing a sensitivity to hear His voice, He does desire to commune with us on a simple child-like level, free of doubt and confusion. God wants to have a conversation with you and He wants to talk to you more often than you think. Regardless of your pre-conceived ideas of what He might say, you might actually be surprised. God may not tell you what you want to hear, but He will tell you what you NEED to hear.

1. How audible is the voice of God to you?
2. Do you give Him the opportunity to speak more than you?
3. What are you afraid He might say?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Matt 18:4, Mark 10:15, Luke 18:17, Phil 2:15

Undo What You've Become

Undo What You've Become
March 23, 2009
Luke 18:27 Jesus replied, "what is impossible with men, is possible with God."

Too far gone. That's what they say when your situation can't be turned around. At least, that's what they say when it is not possible in human terms. But with God, all things are possible. That is actually how God prefers things, when the situation seems so far gone, that it seems impossible to get out. Hopeless; when you're at the end of human reasoning, unable to make a change in course, this is when God prefers to work. Consider the great leader in the Old Testament, Moses, and his "3 X 40".

Moses had three distinct periods in his life, each lasting roughly 40 years. In the first period, Moses was born and educated in Egypt, raised to be a leader, and one of upper society's elite. He was well-off and a very eligible bachelor. Life was good and there was no way anything could derail him and his progress upward in life. Then, the unexpected happened, one event changed everything. Moses, without forethought, committed murder and was exiled from Egypt. This was the start of his next 40 years.

For the next 40 years, Moses wandered the desert with a strange people, not his own, where he herded sheep. He wore animal hair instead of fine fabrics, the sun burned hotly on his skin, and he was in charge of stupid, smelly sheep. This continued for years. His education seemed pointless, and all his leadership training was truly wasted on those sheep, for FORTY YEARS! Moses was too far gone. Surely, 32 years into herding sheep and Moses must have considered himself in a dead-end situation with a go-nowhere job. There was no way on earth his situation could change. This was it for him.

But you and I know otherwise. After 40 years in a go-nowhere job, and a hopeless situation, Moses found himself talking to a burning bush. (He must have thought the desert sun had finally gotten the best of him). Through the burning bush, God asked something great of him, to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses did not want to do it, not because he was being disobedient, but because he thought his situation was too far gone. He may have figured he had forgotten all this education since he had not used it in forty years or that his leadership training was wasted away on sheep. All he knew now was how to lead sheep; his situation was too far gone for the Lord to use him, or so he thought.

Perfect. God wasn't asking Moses to be a charismatic, political change agent. God was asking Moses to lead a wandering people group through the desert. Moses spent his second 40 years in preparation for his third, and last, 40 years. Not using his education or practicing his politics made Moses humble, and it enabled the Lord to work though Moses in front of Pharaoh in Egypt. All Moses' practice leading sheep through the desert was perfect for leading a large people group through the desert.

Moses' situation, though it seemed too far gone, was actually perfect. God knew what He was doing. God had to spend 40 years undoing what Moses had originally become in Egypt. It wasn't Moses' sheep herding career that needed undone, it was his arrogance and pride that had developed from being a son of Egypt. God had to spend 40 years undoing Moses' first training, not the other way around. You may want to undo what you've become recently, but that actually might be what God is trying to do for you. God may be undoing you right now so He can actually work through you in the future.

1. What situation in your life would you like undone?
2. Have you considered God may be undoing something else?
3. Are you willing to be used by God once you've been undone?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Exodus 2-15, Exodus 4:13, Proverbs 18:7, Matt 19:26, Luke 1:37

What's in Front of You?

What's In Front of You?
Mar 16, 2009
Matthew 5:29 "If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. . . "

You can only see what's in front of you. That statement, simple as it may sound, is rather profound. If something is not in front of us, then we aren't looking at it. This is also true for our minds. If something is not in the forefront of our minds, then we are not focusing on it, or dwelling on it. We have the ability to place things before our eyes and we have the ability to place things in the forefront of our minds, focusing on whatever we place before us. The things we choose or allow to be placed in the forefront of our minds or eyes could cause problems.

The Bible gives a rough solution for the things that are causing us a problem or allowing us to fall into sin. The Bible says if our eye allows us to fall into sin, then we should gouge it out. You and I know better than that; we know what controls the eyes. The Bible isn't really telling us that it is the fault of the eye if we fall into sin by what we see. But it is telling us that if we cannot control what we place in front of us, causing us to sin, then it would be better to cut out our eyes.

There is a slightly better solution to cutting out your eyes. Prevention. Prevention, essentially has the same effect as cutting out your eyes. If you cut out your eyes, you inhibit them from seeing anything that would cause you to fall into sin. If you prevent your eyes from seeing something by AVOIDING it or looking at something else, you've accomplished the same task AND saved your eyeballs. This is true in regard to your eyes' and mind's view.

If what you place in the forefront of your mind causes you to sin, don't cut out your mind, avoid thinking about it or think about something else. This is easier said than done. Remember, you can only see what is in front of you. If you place your past in front of you, that is all you'll see. If you place your hurts and failures in front of you, that is all you'll see. If you place your desires in front of you, that is all you'll see. On the flip side, if you place your future in front of you, that is all you'll see. If you place your hopes and dreams in front of you, that is all you'll see. If you place God's desire for you and your life in front of you, that is all you'll see.

Christian, it is time to start changing the scenery of your mind and start looking at something else. What you've been thinking about and looking at all this time is not helping you or accomplishing God's will for your life. You don't have to cut out your eyes, you can start looking at what God wants you to see. God wants you to see His beautiful plan for you and mankind. God wants you to see His hand in everything that is in your life. God wants you to see His redemption that is at work in your situations right now. God wants you to see HIM!

What's in front of YOU?

1. What have you been looking at or focusing on?
2. What should you be looking at or focusing on?
3. How could your life be changed if you only focused on what God placed before you?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Matt 18:9, Mark 9:4, 1 Cor 7:32-35, 2 Cor 10:5, Phil 4:8

Sufferings of Christ

Sufferings of Christ
Mar 9, 2009
Phil 3:10 "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."

We live in a day and age when comfort is far more important than form. We'd prefer to have things feel right than actually be right. If it is what we want, then it is worth any extra price. We love people who fill our heads with what we want to hear and we tend to only have friends that give to us rather than take. We love sermons or messages that preach of God's goodness and intent to bless our lives. We love to hear pastors talk about God's will for us to be happy, full, and content, where God is more interested in making sure our lives are overflowing with blessing than endure hardship. We are to avoid this temptation when it comes to the Word of God, as scripture says, "...instead [of sound doctrine], to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."

Despite the fact that we only actually listen to what we want to hear, there is another side to God's intent for our lives. Christ, though God wanted Him to have a full life, still had to suffer in His effort to fulfill God's will for His life. Specifically, Christ had to die for our sins. Though God does not intend for us to die for anyone's sins, God does want us to share in Christ's sufferings. Scripture is very clear that we are here on earth to serve God, not the other way around, and we are to follow Christ's example. The example to follow is not specifically Christ's death on the cross but His willingness to lay down His comfort for the will of God. God's goal for Christ was that He give up His desire to be comfortable if it meant God's will would be completed on this earth. THIS is the example we are to follow, to give up our desire to be comfortable, and accept situational suffering, if it means God's will is made complete here on earth.

Christian, your life will not be a completely comfortable ride. And just because things are not comfortable does not mean it is not God's will for your life. If we are to follow Christ's example of submitting our comfort and accepting a degree of suffering for God's will, then so be it. God's will can only be accomplished correctly if He is guiding the steps. God's will is that every man, woman, and child be saved and spend eternity in Heaven with Him. This consumes His thoughts and ideas, and God loves it when you submit your comfort if it means His will can be accomplished. There may be an extra person in Heaven someday because you laid down your situational comfort and accepted a degree of hardship or suffering in an effort to accomplish God's will. You never know what it will take to save a soul. Who knows what it cost someone else to make sure you had the opportunity to know God?

There is a flip side to the suffering as well. Just as we share in the suffering of laying down our will for the Lord's desire, so also will we share in Christ's glory in Heaven. That glory is not clearly defined in the Bible, but it is clear that we get to share in it. I'd prefer to share in even a small portion of Heaven's goodness and glory than any earthly comforts this world has to offer.

1. Do you only accept God's goodness for your life and not His suffering?
2. What would your life look like if you accepted and shared in Christ's suffering?
3. Do you desire more of your own comfort or God's will on this earth?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Rom 8:17, 2 Cor 1:5, 2 Tim 4:3, 1 Peter 1:11, 1 Peter 4:13, 1 Peter 5:1

Having Hope, Part II of II

Having Hope, Part II of II
Mar 2, 2009
Psalm 146:5 "Blessed is he whose . . . hope is in the Lord, his God . . ."

Understanding the correct definition of hope is critical to having hope, but it is not the most important part. Hope is about a longing, a desire. Since the correct definition of hope is Hoping God, the correct desire should be placed onto God. We are not desiring what God can do, we are desiring God. In desiring Him, we are able to desire all that encompasses God: His character, His being, His promises, His plans, and His future. In order for this to happen, we must first believe in God. This is not simply believing that God exists, but truly believing God and His Word.

If we truly believed God and His Word, then we would live our lives by it. Our actions would take on a whole different meaning. Consider the story of the three Jewish men and the fiery furnace. Recall that they would not bow down and worship a king, but would only worship God. The king was furious and had the three men thrown into the fire. The men were confident they were making the right decision, though, because they Hoped God. They said that their God was able to save them but even if He didn't, they would still not worship a man. Their actions showed that they believed God. They believed His character, His being, His promises, His plans, and His future. Because of this belief, they had hope. They knew they were making the right decision and left everything else up to God, Hoping God. They hoped God would work everything out according to how He saw fit and if not, they were confident they would spend eternity in Heaven with Him.

Christian, anytime the word hope appears in the Bible, it is a reference for the future (the future of us spending eternity in Heaven with God). If we truly believe God and His Word, trusting in His future for our lives, then we will be able to Hope God. It is a hope for a future with Him. But more than just eternity, it is hoping in all of the characteristics of God, including all that encompasses Him: His promises and His plans for you and your life. This is not hoping in the future that you envision for your life but hoping that God will work in and through you, giving you the life He has for you.

If God is in control of your life and you are hoping God, then no matter what happens in your future, you can rest assured that God will work out the details as He knows best. That best may be saving you from the fiery furnace or it may mean allowing the flames to consume your earthly body. Regardless, you have hope that God will work everything out according to His masterful design and that some day you will be in Heaven with Him. If you are truly hoping God, then no matter what outcome happens in your life or your desire for your future, it will be the right one according to God.

1. Are you believing God and in His future for your life?
2. If you truly believed God, what decisions would you make differently?
3. Is your hope in God and His future for you or for what you want in life?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Daniel 3, Psalm 65:5, Acts 24:15, Acts 26:6, Rom 15:13, Colossians 1:27

Having Hope, Part I of II

Having Hope, Part I of II
Feb 23, 2009
Psalm 42:6 " . . . Put your hope in God . . . "

What is hope? The dictionary might define hope as anticipating a desired future or expecting something with confidence. Then, there is the expression "hope against hope," which means to hope without any basis for expecting fulfillment. These nuances of the word hope carry with them the action of looking forward into the future, which is never concrete or certain. The future is never guaranteed and no one knows what will actually happen tomorrow or ten years from now. Yet hope requires aforethought of a future.

If we don't know what will happen in the future, how do we have hope? This is an important question, as many people feel they are in hopeless situations. The Bible is clear about how being hopeless makes a person feel. The words in scripture say the heart is sick; in our terms today, it would be considered depression. Many, many people are depressed, which might mean they are actually hopeless or their situation seems without hope. They are unsure or insecure about their future, therefore they are without hope.

This insecurity about the future is all very relative, it could be the near future or the far off future, but nonetheless, it is uncertain. ALL futures are uncertain, or have inherent risks in their projected outcomes. When someone has hope, they are obviously more certain of an outcome than someone else. OR, the person who is hopeless cannot be certain of a future that is better than the present. They are hopeless because they are certain nothing will get better in their future.

Even with a definition of hope, how do you have hope? Especially since no one can actually predict any sort of future, how do we have hope when we don't know what is to come. So far, I have created more questions than answers on how to have hope, but that is a good thing. Some people have hope when they really shouldn't, because they are actually hoping in the wrong thing or the wrong future. The Bible says we are to put our hope in God. Putting hope IN God doesn't necessarily put it in a future or a future expectation, but in the person and characteristics of God Almighty, the maker of Heaven and Earth. This changes the definition of hope a little and changes the perspective. Now we are not hoping for a future, we are hoping God. This sentence seems incomplete. Our human nature wants to read the sentence, "We are hoping God will (fill-in-the-blank)." This is not the case. We are hoping God.

The first step in having hope, then, is finding the correct definition. As Christians, the correct definition of hope is anticipating or expecting in God. Period. It is not anticipating or expecting that God will do something, it is simply anticipating and expecting God. That sentence reads awkwardly but it has the ability to change your world. If you are hoping for a specific outcome to your situation in life, you will be sadly mistaken. If you feel hopeless for your current situation in life, that can actually be a good thing. Hope God, not an outcome.

1. What situation in life are you without hope?
2. What is your current definition of hope?
3. How can you now re-define that hopeless situation?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Ps 25:5, Ps 62:5, Prov 13:12, Jer 14:22, I Tim 6:17, 1 Peter 1:21

Be Transformed by God

Be Transformed by God

Feb 16, 2009
2 Corinthians 3:18 ". . . being transformed into his likeness . . ."

There are three types of rock on this earth, sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Sedimentary rock is formed from layers of sediment piling up on each other while igneous rock is molten lava that has cooled. Metamorphic rock is formed from substances being transformed by an intense amount of heat and pressure. For metamorphic rock to be made, the pressure is so great that there are profound physical and chemical changes to the original substances. The hardest and most valuable type of rock is metamorphic, with the most famous of these being a diamond.

We think of a diamond with its unchanging beauty, but to be transformed into that diamond it MUST undergo an intense amount of heat and pressure. To be changed, for the original substance to be altered, there is a great amount of work that must be applied. This is true in the formation of all metamorphic rocks and this is true of the 'rocks' inside your head. For you to be changed, Christian, from the person you are today, requires a degree of heat and pressure. It takes intense forces to be applied to your person in order to make you into an unchangeable, beautiful diamond.

Spiritually speaking, God wants you to be like a rock, like a diamond, an impenetrable force for Him. He can't use you for His purposes unless you are a rock, immovable in your position, unaffected by the influences of this world. If you press in to God and allow yourself to be transformed by Him, then nothing, not a single wind of change, will affect your character or your witness. God knows that if you've already been changed into a diamond, then no more amounts of heat and pressure this world has to offer will change you. Then and only then can you be most effective for Him.

Simon learned this lesson the hard way. Simon was a stubborn man but God wanted to use him. It took an intense amount of heat and pressure applied to Simon's life in order for him to become like a diamond, a rock the Lord could use. And Simon was tested to see just how hard he really was. Jesus even told Simon that Satan was the one who was going to test him, just to make sure Simon could and would stand for the Lord no matter what earthly influences would come his way. Then God gave Simon a new name: Peter, which means rock. Peter was truly transformed into that rock and Jesus said of Peter, "on this rock I will build my church."

Christian, you and I are not naturally occurring forces of impenetrable rock. We must be changed, transformed by God into the likeness of Christ, the original Rock. But that transformation process takes an intense amount of heat and pressure. You can apply that heat and pressure by yourself and truly press in to God, or you can allow God to apply that heat and pressure for you. I recommend you pressing into Him. If God has to press into you, it might not be very comfortable.

1. How are you pressing into God so you may be transformed by Him?
2. What would it take for you to be made into that rock?
3. Are you ready to be tested to see how impenetrable you are as a rock?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Gen 49: 24, Ps 94:22, Is 26:4, Matt 16:18, Luke 22:31, Philippians 3:12-14

Undivided Heart

Undivided Heart
Feb 9, 2009
Psalm 86:11 ". . . give me an undivided heart . . ."

King David was said to be a man after God's own heart. It was not a title that David gave to himself, but one that God bestowed upon him. David loved God and truly wanted to follow in God's footsteps, but that doesn't mean it was an easy thing for him to do. David often cried out to God for help; one of those cries was "give me an undivided heart." David recognized in himself the tendency to live for God one moment and then to live for himself the next. This battle, this tugging back and forth of the heart, was a position in which David was not content to stay. David wanted his heart, his mindset, to always be set on God. David wanted to live at all times as a spiritual man, not a fleshly man.

This same battle lives on in you and me today, the battle of dividedness. One day our hearts can be set on God and truly serving Him, and the next day we can be set on serving ourselves and managing things our way. It is an issue, a condition, of control. If we decide to live for God, we give control of everything over to Him. Only then can our hearts be undivided, or truly dedicated to Him. If we try to control or even manage things ourselves letting human intervention in, then our hearts are not set on Him; we are divided or double-minded. James, the brother of Jesus, spoke very pointedly about being double-minded. This man cannot expect to please God because his heart, his mindset, is divided: one eye on God and one eye on the earthly situation.

President Abraham Lincoln completely understood the principle of being divided. He gave his famous "House Divided" speech in which he quoted Matthew 12:25 saying, "a house divided against it's self cannot stand." Lincoln was saying that if something were to survive and prosper, then it must be united in its purpose. This is true of all earthly kingdoms, especially the earthly kingdom of a man's heart.

The divided heart manifests itself in so many ways: Hoping for a physical healing but doubting it will actually happen; trusting God with the solution for a specific situation but still worrying about it; declaring that God is in control but still trying to manage things with earthly wisdom; having confidence in a success but fearing its future failure; giving tithes and offerings to the church while coveting a blessing from God. This list could go on.

Christian, your spiritual growth requires attention to an undivided heart. If you are going to be mature in your walk with God, then your focus must continually be one of letting God take control of your life where you are truly of the spiritual mindset at all times. This is not an easy task; as you can see, even King David struggled with it. But, it is something that can be done and should be addressed every day of your life. Like the phrase, "take up your cross daily and follow Jesus," having an undivided heart is an ongoing mindset that must be renewed on a daily basis.

1. In what areas of your heart are you divided?
2. How can you give those areas over to the Lord?
3. How will you do this on a daily basis?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Psalm 119:113, Ez 11:19, Matt 12:25, Luke 9:23, Rom 12:2, James 1:8, James 4:8

I'd Rather Have Jesus Than...

I'd Rather Have Jesus Than...
Feb 2, 2009
Mark 8:36 "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

I'd rather have Jesus than . . . $1million dollars

That's right. I'd rather have Jesus than $1million dollars. There is an old hymn with some very powerful words; many of you can sing it. Just a few of the different lines clarify the song writers' intent: "I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold . . . I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land . . . I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause . . ." The words of this song really won't make much sense to you unless you truly have nothing but Jesus. When you have nothing in this world, you begin to look around and see how comfortable your life could be if you only had a few more things. Undoubtedly, there is something that could change your life in an instant. Everyone can think of an amount of money that would change their life. Everyone can imagine how the right spouse or the right job would complete their existence on this earth. Or maybe the words of this old hymn might make more sense to you if you had that one "thing" and it was taken away from you.

The worldly person pursues these things; the worldly person longs after the windfall of money that would change their life. This dreaming for some "thing" will only end up a disappointment, as all things are very, very temporary. Just as these things can be brought into your life, they can be taken away. Then, where would you be? You'd be right at the beginning again, wishing you could just have that one "thing" that could/would change your life. The Lord never intended for some "thing" to satisfy or change your life. He intended that a relationship with Him be all that you desire and all that you should need.

In fact, the Lord is clear that you should desire Him first and foremost. He knows what you need, and He even knows what you want. But He is not impressed when you pursue these things on your own. God wants you to pursue one thing only, a relationship with Him. The scriptures say very clearly that the Lord knows you need many "things" in life, but that you should seek Him first. If you do, then He will take care of all those "things" you think are missing. If you truly had a right relationship with God, He would give you all the things you need and nothing less. He is able, more able than you can imagine, to provide even for all your "wants." God is the giver of all things and if He gives it, no one can take it away.

If you didn't have Jesus, no amount of worldly gain would do you any good, because when you died, all your fame and fortune would not go with you into Hell. Then what would you have? But no one can take away your relationship with God, not even death, because in death, you would enter eternity in Heaven with Him. Then, only then, will you have EVERYTHING.

1. What one "thing" would it take to change your life forever?
2. Ask the Lord to help you put your relationship with Him above that "thing."
3. How can you make sure your desire is for more of Him and not anything else?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Psalm 37:4, Matt 6:33, Matt 16: 26, Luke 9:25, 1 John 4:4

Sleeping Church

Sleeping Church
Jan 26, 2009
Rev 3:1-2 "...you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up..."

A few nights ago, the Lord gave me a dream, a vision, representing the state of the church. The Lord has pressed on my heart the need to share it in a Devotional Byte with you. In the dream I was in the near future, visiting a church I had previously attended for years. Because I wasn't a regular member anymore, I was locked out until someone I knew let me in a side door. At first, I only knew the church because it was in the same location as before, but I soon began to recognize all the old church members from years ago. The church had doubled in size since I had been there last and the improvements to the property and building were amazing. The church service was beginning and I kept my eyes opened, surprised to see some unusual things.

I looked around and saw the stage took up half of the sanctuary; it was elaborate and the number of people on the worship team was many. It was an impressive show of talent, musical and theatrical, with a great degree of emotion. I glanced around at the congregation and was disheartened by the peculiar sight. Instead of pews or chairs, the congregation members were reclining in beds, sitting against pillows with the covers pulled up tightly. They were simply resting on their backs, watching the theatrics on the stage, being entertained by the sound and light display.

I looked around further and in the wings of the sanctuary were still other members of the congregation on the side lines. These people were standing behind tiki bars, sipping intoxicating beverages and smoking cigarettes. They were mingling in social conversation with a few of them dancing to a separate source of music. A sign hung above these people, suggesting they were standing in the seeker sensitive section. I became disgusted with what I saw and determined to leave the church service at once. Then I awoke from my dream.

Though I do not consider myself a prophet, after praying about the dream, the Lord has lead me to a passage in the Bible, describing exactly this church. This church was written about by the apostle John in the book of Revelation, a church called Sardis. He describes a church who is asleep, refusing to awaken to what is going on in the body of Christ or the leading of the Lord. The Lord is clear to pronounce judgment on this church for allowing themselves to fall into such a state. It is apparent that this church is an example of what some churches will look like in these last days, coming to the end of times.

While none of us goes to a church where the things in my dream literally happen, it is a wake up call to keep ourselves on guard to what could happen and will happen in these last days. The dream was about a church who clearly fell asleep to the leading of the Lord but had determined to grow in size and membership (obviously, in the wrong manner). It is possible to grow and sustain a church while being asleep to the leading of the Lord, but the end result will look similar to the church of Sardis. We must be careful to always submit ourselves to the leading of the Lord in our churches and determine to grow our churches in the correct manner: preaching the good news of Jesus while training through the scriptures, constantly challenging everyone to become Christ-like.

1. What does your church look like?
2. What safeguards have you set in place to avoid falling asleep?
3. Determine that you will not stay in such a church.

Additional Scriptures for Study: Rom 13:11, Eph 5:14, Rev 2, Rev 3

Who Does God Choose

Who Does God Choose?
Jan 19, 2009
Jonah 3:1 "The Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time..."

Lessons From Jonah, II of II

The story of Jonah casts a unique light on the choices God makes in individuals. In the book of Jonah we see that God clearly picked Jonah to carry out God's tasks. After learning of Jonah's failures, why would God have chosen him? Certainly God foresaw the mistakes and failures Jonah would make, why chose him in the first place? No one, today, would pick Jonah as a leader or choose Him to represent God before mankind. Just look at all Jonah's winning personality traits...

We find that Jonah is downright defiant, openly stubborn, arrogant in voicing his opinions to God, a whiner and a complainer, and then wallows in self pity. None of these qualities jumps off the page suggesting Jonah's candidacy for leadership. And it is doubtful Jonah only displayed these characteristics in this particular story. For Jonah to display all these fantastic qualities means he was like that from the beginning. After all, men of God usually get better with age, not worse.

So why in the world would God choose Jonah? Surely there was a more model candidate. Not so. God was deliberate in selecting Jonah. God chose Jonah because Jonah displayed three amazing characteristics that you and might not possess.

First, we find that Jonah was a listener. He listened to the voice of God. Somewhere along Jonah's lifetime, he developed the acuity to hear God's voice over every other noise in the world. Jonah could distinguish God's voice because he had developed his listening abilities and knew, undeniably, what the voice of the Lord sounded like. God chose Jonah because he could hear God's voice.

Secondly, we find that Jonah was available. Jonah was available to do God's work. Jonah had been available in the past and God new Jonah would clear his schedule and carry out the work of the Lord. God knew Jonah would be available this time and probably more times in the future. God chose Jonah because he was available.

Thirdly, we find that Jonah was not perfect, but very, very fallible. This is actually a very good quality to have, in the Lord's eyes. God does not pick the mighty or the proud, or the skilled, or the learned, or the leaders of this world. He picks people that are willing to let God work in and through them despite their inabilities. God purposely chooses the foolish things of this world because, for some strange reason, He delights in bringing shame to the world's wisdom. God chose Jonah because he was not the "perfect" candidate.

If you and I were to display these characteristics before the Lord (an imperfect but available listener), then it is likely God would choose you and I for some amazing tasks. If God hasn't called on you to perform some amazing tasks, it is likely you are lacking in one of these three characteristics. I'd start with learning to hear His voice. He's probably trying to call on you right now.

1. What does the voice of the Lord sound like?
2. Would you be available if you actually heard His voice speak to you?
3. Are you too focused on being the "perfect" candidate?

Additional Scriptures for Study: 2 Kings 14:25, Jonah 1:1, Luke 11:32, 1 Cor 1:27

The God of Second Chances

The God of Second Chances
Jan 12, 2009
Jonah 3:1 "The Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time..."

Lessons From Jonah, I of II

The story of Jonah and the Whale is all too familiar, even if you've never darkened the door of a church. It is so familiar, that we miss a few great lessons from this small book of the Bible. Recall the story; Jonah is told by God to go and preach salvation to a horrible, horrible people group. Jonah disobeys God and ends up in the belly of a fish. After three days, Jonah gets spit up on dry ground. He ends up preaching to these wicked people who actually listen and turn their lives around. It is a great story of compassion for such a wicked, wicked nation.

There is another lesson, though, that we skim over. Go back to the point of Jonah being in the belly of the big fish. Jonah ended up in the fish because he messed up by disobeying God. Jonah prayed out to God and asked for forgiveness. God heard the prayer and had the fish deliver Jonah to safety. Then God gave Jonah a second chance. This second chance is a big deal. The people Jonah was told to reach were going to receive their FIRST chance at repentance if Jonah had met his destination. But Jonah, his first chance was already given BEFORE he ended up in the belly of a fish. Thankfully, God is the God of second chances. God heard Jonah's prayer and gave him a second chance to get it right.

In fact, God forgave Jonah to the point of giving him a fresh start. God's fresh start, God's do-over for Jonah, started in the same manner as the original story. In the first part of the story, it opens with the lines, "the Word of the Lord came to Jonah..." After Jonah messed up, God hit rewind on the story and started at the very beginning again. Scripture says, "The Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time..." It was the SAME "word!" God didn't just have Jonah go on his way again and pick up where he left off; God made sure to start over for Jonah. God was letting Jonah know it was a fresh start. God made sure Jonah knew it was a do-over because God wanted to reassure Jonah of His forgiveness and He wanted a clean slate between them.

God did that for Jonah and God will do that for you. Part of God's character is His perfect forgiveness, the kind of forgiveness that gives do-overs and second chances. God doesn't just have you pick up where you left off; He rewinds to the point of beginning again. But notice that He didn't give Jonah a new story or new task; it was a second chance at God's original design.

Every one of us has done something that we wish we could begin again. With God, that is possible. God gives second chances and He has a do-over for you. He wants you to ask forgiveness and start over with Him. God is willing to wipe the slate clean and start YOUR story at the very beginning again. He is willing to go again at His original design.

Thank God for do-overs.

1. In what area of life do you need a do-over?
2. Ask God to forgive you and give you that second chance.
3. Determine this time around, you're going to do it right.

Additional Scriptures for Study: Psalm 103:3, Jonah 1, Jonah 3, Acts 10:43, Heb 13:8