Small Acts of Grace

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”   – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and doggone it, people like me” – Al Franken  (aka. Stuart Smalley), SNL 1991

This quote came from a Saturday Night Live skit back in the 90’s called Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley.  It was trivial, simple and meaningless, but people grabbed ahold of it and it carried on for years.  The need for affirmations in our life is an inherent characteristic in all of us.  Most of us lack the confidence in our own abilities and draw upon the encouragement and affirmations of others to give use strength in our lives. 

I’m reminded of a story about a beggar selling pencils from a small tin cup for 25c and a successful banker.  Every day the banker would pass by the beggar and drop a dollar into his cup, and take a pencil.  He would nod and simply state, “Pleasure doing business with you.”  One day the banker came to work and the beggar wasn’t on the street in his normal spot.  The next day and the next the same.  Eventually the banker forgot about the beggar.  One day when the banker walked into a public building nearby, he saw the beggar running his own concession stand, selling newspapers and gum.  He walked over to by a newspaper from his old acquaintance.  The beggar straightened up and thanked the banker, “I always hoped you would come by.  When I was a beggar you always reminded me that I was doing business, and it changed my thinking and helped me actually start this small business.  I want to say thank you for helping me.” 

We all have the ability to use our life as a light to others or as a burden.  We can choose to be positive in our interaction with those we meet or to be critical and negative.  Small tokens/words of encouragement go a long way in helping to shape and change the minds of those who are struggling in life.  Do not let moments slip by when you have the opportunity to provide grace and love to another, whether they deserve it or not.  Every day you awake is a new opportunity the Lord has provided for you to influence and change the lives of those you come in contact with.  You don’t have to solve their problems, you simply have to give them hope and encourage them to press on.  It’s your choice how you are going to use the day He has given you.  It is not to be wasted.  As God has encouraged you and provided you grace for the day, so in turn share it with others.

Why Jesus

Daily Thoughts – Why Jesus

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9 (in context)

Truth is measured in one of three ways: logical consistency, experiential relevance, and empirical reliability.  In all truths we are challenged to demonstrate in one of these ways that indeed a claim is indeed verifiable.  So, by these standards, how do you approach the topic of Jesus Christ, as the only way to heaven?  We have no physical evidence, to present in a manner that would ever be acceptable to a nay-sayer.  If someone has asked for proof in order for them to believe in Jesus Christ, I propose that they are not really intent on finding the truth, but trying to legitimize their own opinion of the unauthentic claim of Jesus’ deity.

So, when we stand before an Atheist, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Jew, a Buddhist or any other non-believer, how do we debate in a manner that will have some influence on their perspective? 

First, you must decide that you are willing to debate on the topic.  You must commit to allow God, the Father to use you, and to work through you.  We must realize we are incapable of saving anyone, we can only lead them to the Savior.  Preparation requires study, just as in any effort you put forth.  If you want to excel at work, you study and prepare for the skills you will need.  If you want to excel at sport, you put in the hard work to improve your skills, your talents and your abilities to play the game at a higher level.  If you want to excel at marriage, you must put in the work to expand your ability to love another selflessly.  Evangelizing for the Lord requires work on your part to understand His love, His grace, His salvation plan and His desire to bring all mankind to His eternity.  In short, be able to tell the story of Jesus. 

Second, you must put emotions aside, and not allow yourself to be angered by their response and arguments.  Jesus taught us to spread His word in love.  Love one another as God first loved you.  This includes loving those who are opposed to your love of Jesus Christ.  Reaching out to the non-believer is an act that must be centered in your love for others, not in your desire to win the argument.  If your neighbor doesn’t believe, your love for their eternal destination must lead your actions.

Finally, you must understand that their opinions and perspectives are just as important to them as your love of Christ is to you.  We can’t argue against their beliefs without insulting them.  Keeping in mind that they have arrived at this point in their life through careful consideration of alternatives, and wisdom gained over their personal experiences just as you have.  A more effective method is to share your story, how did you become a Christian and what has God done for you.  Your experiences are yours alone and have built the foundation of your faith.  This testimony is something that another cannot argue against, just as you can’t argue against theirs.  Know your storyline first, know how to tell it, know how God has had His finger in it   The experiential relevance of your life events have framed your emotions and this becomes the basis for your discussion with others.  You cannot evangelize on someone else’s story, your faith must be evidenced through your own experiences.

Why is Jesus the only way to heaven then?
 
There are those who accept the truth that there must be something more than this life.  They believe that there is a greater power in the Universe, but do not necessarily want to believe in God as a supreme authority.  This means they recognize that there is a hierarchical framework to our existence.  These individuals generally can wrap their head around the logical argument of God, but may not understand the reason for a Savior.  For these individuals I’ve found it valuable to first help them understand the love God has for us, and His desire for us to join with Him for eternity.  It’s important to state the holiness and perfection of God, the Father.  We are sinful, from the time of Adam, man has become sinful in our self-centered driven life, rather than God centered life.  All have sinned and therefore need to have our sins redeemed and forgiven.  We must repent from our sinful life and turn from the ways of the world. 

Many religions believe that works can overcome these sins, but there is no amount of good works we can accomplish redemption in His eyes.  Think about it.  How many good works does it take to overcome one sinful act – swearing?  How many good works does it take to overcome adultery, or murder, or stealing?  We all sin, multiple times every day.  It is impossible to believe that we can do enough works to overcome the volume of sinful actions in our lives. 

So, God, by His loving grace, provided another way.  A sacrifice, the crucifixion of His Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins and bring us into a state of righteousness to exist in God’s presence.  Through the death of His beloved Son, God demonstrated His love for you.  This sacrifice created the only way to atone for our evil works, our sinful actions, and character.  The life of Christ represents a perfect life (2 Corinthians 5:21) without sin.  Therefore, by sacrificing this life, God has provided a path a path to redemption, and through belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are grafted into His perfection.  God could have abandoned mankind and separated us for all of eternity, but chose to love us instead. 

By providing a path to redemption, God has reached out to all mankind to join with Him for all of eternity.  The refusal to accept this gift of grace is a refusal to accept eternity with God.  God doesn’t damn anyone to Hell, man chooses it for himself.  This is in and of itself an unforgivable sin.  You see, if we don’t want God, He will not force you to spend eternity with Him.  He loves you that much.  The scriptures over and over again tell us that Jesus Christ is the bridge, the path, the grace that God has provided for salvation, and by no other manner will mankind be saved from eternal damnation.

Why Jesus?   Because God wants you to be with Him in a perfect eternity and because of your sinful nature, there is no way for you to get there on your own.


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Wait for It…..

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“Why do you make me look at injustice?  Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?  Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.” – Habakkuk 1:3

If I were God….

Really?  Do you really believe you can answer problems in today’s world more effectively than the Creator?  Certainly we are faced with unquestionable unrighteousness, debauchery, blasphemy, and intentional rebellion in today’s world.  Reading this scripture today though, I am reminded that Habakkuk had the same concerns in his day.  We are not unique in history.  Man has always battled against the control, the love, and the grace of God the Father, in pursuit of their own pleasure and “independence”.  It’s more evident today because of our social media, communications capabilities, and addiction to the superficial “likes” of those around us.  In reality, it’s always been this way, we simply found a way to celebrate it.

“God, where are you?  Why aren’t you stepping into the corruptness of our society and delivering justice to those who inflict evil on the world?”  Sound familiar?  Has this thought ever crossed your mind in the middle of watching the evening news or reading the daily diatribe of injustice on social media and happening all over the world.  One could easily take a position that God is absent, not interested or even worse non-existent.  Why doesn’t He defend Himself against the unrighteous, as in the days of old?  Have you ever asked yourself though, “Does God need to defend Himself?”

The Lord answers Habakkuk in chapter 2:3, “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”  God is sovereign and we are to trust in His timing, His plan and His reign over all creation.  Nothing goes by without His knowing, and the evil that is in the world today will be brought to justice in due time.  Those that seek His love, His grace and mercy will find it; and those who chose to pursue their own gods and their own righteousness will be dealt with on His watch.  We are to trust in Him, and continue to do His work while we are able.  Keep in mind what we are told in 2 Peter 3:9, “…Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”   If God loves you enough to deliver you from the pit of hell, He actually loves your neighbor just as much.  And He loves that self-entitled, spoiled brat that whines on CNN or FoxNews or MSNBC just as much.  We need to come to the conclusion that you and I are not special in the eternal realm, but rather, we have simply chosen the righteous path.  We should be loving, caring and helping those who are not, so that they can also enjoy in the eternal freedom we are promised.  So ask yourself, who is my neighbor?  Because, in God’s eyes you have 7.3 billion neighbors, and the majority of them are not of the same mindset as you.  I believe we better get busy about sharing His love.


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Fighting for Freedom

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“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  – Galatians 5:1

What than are you doing with this freedom?  We look around ourselves and claim that we are free from slavery and the bondage of being controlled by another, but are you really convinced that this is true?  There is no doubt that we enjoy freedom’s in this life that were not available to our ancestors, but the opposite is also true.  We are led to believe that we are free to do what we want, say what we want, act the way we want and live the way we want as long as we do not hurt others in doing so.  If

you ask most people on the street, they would say they are completely free to choose their path in life.  I would agree with them, by this world’s terminology we experience freedom in the eyes of those around us, based on our actions and words.  But, having said this, you must also then agree that in this societal freedom we have allowed ourselves to become enslaved by the world’s desires and thereby relinquished the freedom that was given to us through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

Before the internet era, the digital era, or the communication era we were a society built on trust, integrity and the good of all mankind.  We have become a society focused on self interests, open tolerance and blurred priorities as we claim more freedom.  We have lowered our standards to the least common denominator and accept it as freedom of choice.  The boundaries of truth and justice have become so weak that freedom has no real meaning any longer.  What are you free from?  Yes, we are free from the control of other individuals on your choices in life, but where is that in line with the freedom that God promises in His word.

Let’s reflect for a moment on the quality of a person’s spiritual life in today’s society verse the quality of spiritual life in say 1959.  Sixty years have passed by, and based on man’s freedom of choice and tolerance: homosexuality is at an all-time high, pornography is rampant throughout all forms of media, abortions are commonplace, divorce is no longer the last resort, but has become one of the first options when strife enters a marriage, violent crimes and hate crimes are on the rise, respect for one's elders has become a thing of the past and the most harmful of all – those that claim Jesus Christ as the One and only way to eternal life have decreased  dramatically.  As we claim our freedom from the control of others we have also separated ourselves from the control of the Father.

Christ’s death on the cross was to provide you spiritual freedom from this world.  To give you the strength, a purpose and meaning beyond the evil that exists in life.  The freedom of knowing that there is One greater than this world, greater than the evil that tempts us daily to succumb to the freedom of self-centeredness.  The addictions we suffer when we are bound by societies open tolerance are actually enslaving us from experiencing the love, grace, and freedom promised by God alone.  You cannot have both the truth of God and the tolerance lauded by this world.  There is a benchmark that we are to be held accountable too, and it is not the least common denominator of tolerating everything and everyone’s choices in life.  The benchmark is the life of Jesus Christ, and the righteousness that is granted through His death.  Strive for truth, resist the tolerance that society has claimed as freedom of choice, for it is not free at all in the end when justice will reign from above.  Every choice, every decision has an impact on the eternal soul of each of us.  You should seek the freedom from this world’s control and fully embrace the freedom found in allowing God to control your choices.

Wash Me !

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“Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”  – Psalm 51:2

“WASH ME, PLEASE!”, was written on the rear door of the white van in front of me as I was on the interstate the other day.  It’s funny to think that regardless of how many times we polish and buff our cars on the weekends, they always get dirty again.  Especially this time of year, when the pollen is so thick you can actually see it like a dust on the vehicles every morning.  A faint yellow dust on any car left outside over night. Black cars look green, white cars look yellow, red cars look orange and so on.  It’s more than just the pollen though.  We get rain frequently through the spring months and with lot’s of construction in the area there is always mud regardless of how much we try to avoid it.  If there is a day with no rain than the dirt from the construction is constantly blowing in the winds and covering our vehicles.  It’s impossible to keep the car clean in this climate, if it’s not one thing it is another.

So it is with sin in our life.  We see it in our life and recognize that it is damaging and unrighteous to continue on the path of sinning.  We do not have the ability to wash it though.  Sure, we can put it in the back of our memory and try to forget it, but it will always be there coming back to the surface when we least expect it.  In Psalm 51 we find David falling to the ground, prostrate before the Lord as he cried out for forgiveness and mercy from his sinful nature.  After he had an affair with Bathsheba he took his sins before the Lord.  Knowing that there was no other way to cleanse his soul he turned to the Almighty.  Psalm 51 is filled with David’s repentant heart and his plea for salvation from himself. 

In Paul’s letters to those in Ephesus he writes: ” In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7) Jesus Christ is the only one who can wash away our sins.  His blood from the cross was the price paid for the sins you and I carry with us each day.  You cannot wash away your own sins through good works, turning the other cheek or sacrifice.  It takes a belief and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior; and then acknowledging our sins, asking for forgiveness and turning away from the sin (repentance) in the future.  We will sin again, just like your car will get dirty again.  Jesus death and resurrection is still sufficient for your forgiveness though.  He will wash you clean as many times as you come before Him.


Prayer:
Almighty Father,
Your servant David has been called a man after Your own heart.  He demonstrated through his life the love, adoration, trust and strength that You provide to us all, even in our weakness.  We look at his life and see a reflection of Your grace, Your love and forgiveness demonstrated through him.  Thank You for Your Son, who’s blood is the cleansing agent for my sin.  Help me to turn from my sin and strengthen my dedicated walk with you.  In Your name we pray – Amen


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Would You Die For Me?

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"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. " - John 15:13

Friendship is built on trust, loyalty, forgiveness and love. We all have those special friends that we know will always be there at the drop of a hat. Regardless of how much trouble we are in, or where we are; a simple phone call will bring them to our side and our aid when necessary. Think back over your life and reflect on those times that you truly needed a friend by your side. Perhaps it was an emergency room visit in the middle of the night; perhaps it was to tide you over when the bills got to high; perhaps it was to talk you down off the ledge when life just didn't seem to be going your way. The list goes on and you know the specific examples in your life where you had to reach out to that special someone or group of friends for support. If your friends are anything like mine, without hesitation they were there to hold you up and ensure you landed back on your feet.

So, do you think those best friends of yours would go to their grave in your place? Would they give up everything they have to ensure that you were okay, even their own life? Love is deep between husband and wife, mother/father and child, and siblings. Love is strong and solid between best friends and those special friends that know everything about you. But there is only One that loved you enough to give up everything to save your life from eternal damnation.

Much like the world today, the children He had called from the wilderness to the promised land had somehow forgotten who He was and how much He had done for them. For everything He had given them, they still wanted more. His gifts were taken for granted and His love was seen as unattainable except for the select few. Society was comfortable in their own lives and had moved into a world of complacency and farther from His guiding hand.

God the Father looked down upon the earth nearly 2000 years ago with tears in His eyes. He launched the single biggest event in the history of man-kind by delivering the Messiah to His children, knowing full well that many would not embrace Him. Through the 32 years of Jesus life He grew up and walked amongst them. Creating intense and strong friendships along the way with God's children to show them the path to heaven. Culminating in His death and resurrection for their sake, despite His knowledge that many would turn their backs on Him, He did it anyway. His one act of loving grace though has set the standard by which friendships have been measured for centuries.

But the gift is irreplaceable and unmeasurable by human relationship characteristics. The true mark of a lifelong friendship is the sharing of a love for Christ. If you are willing to let your best friend go through life without a knowledge of Jesus Christ as the Savior, Lord and path to salvation, than you need to question how much you really love that person. You say you would do anything for your friend? Then start today by introducing them to Jesus. You can never love them more than that, but He can.



Prayer:,
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your willingness to give Your own Son to die for our sins. To take the scourging that we deserved, He went to His grave on our behalf. We draw upon this tremendous love as an example of how we should be willing to love others. Give us the compassion and desire in our own heart to stand for righteousness and Your name in our actions. In Your name we pray - Amen

 



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Empty the Closet

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“Neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."   –John 8:11

In the darkness, way back in the corners of your heart and mind there are those things which no-one else knows about.  You know it’s the unspeakable sins.  You’re not alone, I would guess to say that every single person reading this devotional today has a similar closet in their soul that they keep locked and hidden from others.  You might be able to hide it, yet it still eats away at you from time to time.  The closet door opens just a crack now and then and you are reminded of your sinful nature and who you were at one point in time.  The danger of harboring sin is guilt, shame and feeling unworthy.  It is a tool used by Satan in spiritual warfare, and it is highly effective to knock a believer off of God’s chosen path. 

So, what are holding onto and why? 
Most are holding on for one of 3 reasons:
   A) You believe the Lord isn’t going to forgive this sin and you’re embarrassed to admit it.
   B) You want to hold onto it as a statement that you are still in control of your life.
   C) You feel that if you give up this sinful area of your life the result will dramatically change who you are, and you are afraid of taking that step.

Jesus died for all of our sins, and has buried them.  He asks for everything, a total commitment to Him.  In Matthew 16:24-26, Jesus tells His disciples to give up their selfishness, their very life and follow him.  He knows what is inside of you and asks that you give it to Him.  As with the prostitute in John 8:11, His grace and forgiveness covers all sin.  Wherever the sin ranks on the charts from 1 to 10, it is washed away.  The 10’s, 8’s, 5’s and even the 1’s and 2’s are all forgiven by His redeeming blood.  You see, if Jesus death and resurrection were insufficient for even one of these sins, then it is insufficient for all of them.  Keeping your closet door locked and holding onto the sins of your past is an obstacle between you and the Lord. 

Take time today to search your heart and your soul for those dark corners and closets.  Lay them before the Lord once and for all.  His forgiveness will restore your emptiness with His love, His passion and His purpose.  Removing these obstacles will allow you to discover a deeper, more meaningful purpose driven life with the Lord.


Prayer:
Loving Father,
Thank You for loving us unconditionally.  Thank You for washing our sins away and giving us new life through Your Son.  We come before You Lord with our hearts open to Your healing grace and ask for Your forgiveness.  Remove our shame and guilt, replace them with acceptance and love.  In Your name we pray – Amen
 


 

 

 

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Tomorrow is an Illusion

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“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”  –John 5:24

The International dateline is an imaginary line that runs North to South through the Pacific ocean along the 180° longitude.  It is by design that it doesn’t cross over land, so as not to cause an issue of date and time in any given country.  For you see if one crosses the International Dateline their calendar is adjusted by one day (adding a day if traveling east to west and subtracting a day traveling west to east).  At the crossing over of this line one can actually be in two different calendar days at the same time – today and tomorrow.  The concept of tomorrow is a foreign one if you think about it.  Other than standing on the IDL, tomorrow is not something that any of us will ever experience.  You see we can talk about tomorrow, but by the time it gets here it is today, and tomorrow describes another point in time in the future. 

It is a paradox of sort when you try to rationalize the time into the future.  Similar to the Zeno Dichotomy paradox.  If you look out in front of you and pick a target, judge the distance, and step forward until you are half way to the target.  Now, step forward again, half of that distance, then again halving the distance to the target, and so on and so on.  You quickly come to realize you will never fully reach the target.  You will come within an infinite fraction of the target without actually reaching it.  With this limitation and understanding, you can never cross over to the target.

We can procrastinate and postpone our decisions as long as we choose to, but the end is inevitable.  There will come a day when there is no tomorrow and the target has been achieved.  Between today and that day we do not know how many days, weeks, months or years we have.  Putting your decision on eternity off until tomorrow, with the assumption that things will slow down and you’ll be able to focus on your purpose, is another way of not dealing with the reality that we all must make a decision.  Matthew tells us in Matthew 6:34; "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"

Jesus Christ made it very clear in the scriptures, that obtaining eternal life is not like a dichotomy nor impossible.  It is a matter of faith, trust and accepting the grace of God the Father as enough.  We will spend our entire lives trying to become good enough to earn heaven, but that is an impossible task.  You cannot earn heaven.  In your most holy and righteous 5 minutes of life, you are still unworthy of eternal life.  Only by accepting this fact and then turning to the One who was worthy are you able to enter His paradise.  By God’s grace, He has provided a way for you.  This is through the blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Do not put it off one more day and enter into the dichotomy of “I’ll get to it tomorrow”.  There is no tomorrow, there is only today and an entire history of yesterday’s that you have spent waiting for tomorrow. 


Prayer:
Loving God,
You have made it clear that salvation is through Your Son – Jesus Christ, and only through Him.  We trust in Your word as the Holy truth, inspired by Your hand and written for our hope and courage.  We believe in what it says and acknowledge that You have given us free choice in the matter of our salvation.  By grace, You have given us a path to Your Kingdom, and by choice we receive it today.  Thank You for this day Lord, for tomorrow is an uncertainty.  We draw upon Your loving grace and mercy to help us through today.  In Your name we pray – Amen
 
 
 
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The Love of a Father

 

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” - Galatians 6:1-2

 

As the sun descended against the April sky, surrounded by the clouds over the great Pacific Ocean.  The waves began crashing harder and farther up onto the golden sands of the West coast beach.  Those with their toes in the sand, began shifting chairs and umbrellas, trading them in for sweatshirts and blankets.  In the distance one could hear the loud music start to carry across the vastness of the beach.  Lights were flashing, and the bass coming from the speakers was almost deafening, as it caused one’s heart to beat in rhythm.

As the sun set upon the horizon of the deep ocean blackness, you could hear waves lapping against the rocks and legs of the piers and jutties extending into the water.  Bon-fires were cropping up across the length of beach as people began to gather around each one.  Averaging 10-15 people per fire, they all sat staring at the flame or looking out upon the dark unknown before them in the ocean’s depths.  Most were in their teen years or early twenties, with a couple of more mature younger folks hanging out with younger partners. 

Couples and acquaintances cuddled under blankets near the fires.  Here or there you could find a few strumming their guitar, or beating a drum in the night air.  Some singing, but mostly just a methodical beat drifting off into the air in a manner of praise to the gods of fire and darkness.  Then the drugs and alcohol started being passed around, and a haze of vapor and smoke began to settle over the beach.  With the sun over the horizon, inhibitions were abandoned and the partying had begun.  Dancing ensued, followed by unmentionable activities between strangers as the swell of unabated desires fueled by the jeering and calls of those gathered around.  It was quickly becoming a celebration of debauchery, and the evil of the world was evident everywhere.

On the hill above the beach a single man stood quietly.  He held a sign on a pole above him, that simply said, “You are my beloved child, and I still love you.  Please come home.”  Tears covered his cheeks, as he stood alone in the cold.  In one hand he held onto a small doll, that had once belonged to his beautiful little girl many years ago.  In the other hand he held a blanket and a small bag of clothes.  He sang softly the words from a lullaby that he had sang to her so many nights as she grew up, but in the partying and uproar, his words fell silently upon her ears.

You see, she had ran away nearly a year ago, taking his ATM card when she did.  She proceeded to nearly empty his account before he could disable the card.  Now, here she was on the West Coast, living life wildly and just having fun.  The money had long dried up, resulting in her needing to beg and trade each day for food and fun.  She had ignored him when he called a few times and wanted nothing to do with his judging attitude upon her life.  She wanted to live her life for herself, and aggressively went out of her way to avoid his principles and nurturing guidance from her youth.  Rebellious in every action, she was trying to get as far from his beliefs as possible.

Yet, once he discovered that she came to this beach to party almost every night, he began showing up to watch the sunset from afar, praise God and watch over his little girl.  He stood there with hope that could only come from the Father above, to make sure she knew that his love had not wavered and that she was welcome back into his home.  His heart burst every night as she would glance his way, shake her head and walk away with her arm around someone. 

As the night wore on, the fire faded and the wind slowed down.  He stood at his post diligently, lovingly, patiently and watched as the crowds began to dissipate.  He watched as she emerged from under a blanket with two others, adjusting her bikini back into place.  Then another came over and grabbed her by the arm to pull her to him.  She pulled back and yelled something at the kid, to which the kid slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.  Then he called her inexplicable words and everyone laughed at her, spit on her and kicked sand on her.  She lay there by herself, as they all began to walk off together, laughing and carrying on. 

She lay near the burnt ashes of the fire, sobbing into the crook of her elbow.  The fire embers provided some warmth, but the chill was setting in as she lie there in her bikini.  She knew she had nowhere to go.  Her roommate had kicked her out a month ago for not having any money to pay a portion of the bills.  Closing her eyes, she curled into a fetal position and cried herself to sleep in the cold. 

Soon after, she was startled as a blanket softly fell upon her shivering body. Her eyes were blurry as the tears filled them.  She slowly turned and looked up.  There he was, kneeling over her, with her doll in one hand and a bag in the other.  She slowly sat up, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she lifted her eyes to stare into his face.  He handed her the doll and pulled the blanket tighter around her.  His words echo in her mind to this day, “I love you, please come home.”  She fell into his chest, sobbing deeply, expressing why she didn’t deserve to come home.  He held her close, running his fingers through her matted hair, her body convulsing as the tears flowed. 

The next words from his lips were the most important words he could ever voice.  “There is nothing you can do to make me stop loving you.  I am your father and will always pick you up when you fall.  Come home and let’s talk about it in the morning.”  To which she replied, “Can we go now?”  He handed her the bag with a change of clothes he took from her room at the house.  He lifted her up from the sand, carrying her back up the hill, where he lay her gently on the back seat of his truck.  Covering her with the blanket, he shut the door and gave her the privacy to change into the sweatshirt jeans and tennis shoes.  He lifted his head to the heavens and praised God for returning his little girl to him.  He then started the car, turned the heater on and drove them the 110 miles back home, singing her favorite lullaby the whole way home while she slept in the back seat.





Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you so much for the love you have given to us.  An immutable love that is poured out upon your children despite our transgressions and sinful nature.  We are loved in an unmeasurable manner and provided a grace that is so undeserved by our very existence.  Please stand near me and strengthen me as I parent my children and influence others.  Let your love be in my words, to gently restore the faith of the lost and help those that are blind see once again.  My joy in life is to share your gospel, give me the ability to share it with your blessing.
– Amen



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Just Hang On

“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.”  – Acts 27:20
 
 
I once heard a story of a lab experiment in which 2 sets of rats were each lowered into separate tubs of water.  The first set drowned within an hour.  The other set of rats were taken from the water periodically and then placed back in.  They swam for over 24 hours to survive.  Why?  Because there was hope that they might be saved. 

Often times hope is all we have to hold onto when troubles and storms come up in our life.  Financial difficulties, death of a loved one, loss of a job, raising teenagers are all examples of life events that can spin you into a tumultuous storm where it often feels like you are swimming for your very life.  So many times we can’t see the ending, there is no light to guide our way and it seems as though our prayers are falling on deaf ears.  This is a classic tool of Satan to bring doubt into your relationship with God the Father.

Is there a limit to the amount of grace and mercy that God will provide?  Is there a breaking point at which God says, “That’s it, I’ve tried to be reasonable, I’m done with you.”?  The answer is no.  God’s love is immutable and unchanging.  He cannot love you one day and not the next.  His grace is not something that is available to you today, but tomorrow it’s taken away.  These characteristics of the Lord are infinitely available to you and can be trusted even in the most difficult of times.

Hope in the Lord is based solely on the belief that His promises are true, despite what the world has placed before you.  It is the faith in Jesus Christ redeeming blood and His promise to return one day to bring us to heaven.  Life for a non-believer is absolutely hopeless.  For where do they turn when life takes a turn for the worst.  When strife and trouble are piled all around and there is no avenue of escape – whom do they turn to? 

In Acts 27 Paul’s voyage and shipwreck is described in great detail.  Paul’s strict confidence, hope and trust in the Lord’s promise that he would stand before Caesar in Rome kept him focused on the end game.  When other’s on the ship were ready to abandon ship and take their chances against the storm alone it was because they had no faith in the Lord and no hope of salvation.  Paul ends up in Rome months later safe and sound and spent 2 years there.  In this time he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon while under house arrest.  His hope in God’s faithfulness brought forth some of the greatest writings in the New Testament.  Millions of people have since come to a relationship and deeper understanding of Jesus Christ love and grace because of this storm in Paul’s life.  What does God have in store for you after the storms in your life?  Hold onto the hope of His love and grace and let’s find out.



Prayer:
Almighty God,
You have given us hope in Your word and through the death and resurrection of Your Son – Jesus Christ.  Hope for our future, hope for eternity and hope for all of mankind to rest in.  Give us the determination and confidence to hold true to Your promises and Your love that we might endure the hardships in life to come out the other side stronger and more capable to serve You.  In Your name we pray - Amen


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I Remember When

“Create in me a pure heart, O God,  and renew a steadfast spirit within me. “  – Psalm 51:10

We know right from wrong.  From the moment of conception, while still in the womb we were fellowshipping with God the Father and being taught what righteousness looks like.  Yet, our lives are filled with the temptations and sin filled actions that completely contradict what He has placed inside of us.  Paul stated it in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”  We are all born into a sinful world and learn the ways of the world through our upbringing and conforming to other’s expectations of us.

King David was no different.  As we recall his life we think about his courage in taking on Goliath and his compassion and love for God through his youth.  We think about his maturing to become the King of Israel and his loyalty to those around him.  Then we must also think about his transgressions and unrighteousness through adultery, lust, murder and self proclamation.  By no means was David perfect in his actions, but what set him apart as God’s chosen King and “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22) was his understanding of who he was in God’s eyes.

You see God can look past the sin, the unrighteousness and the transgressions.  His grace is sufficient for all of these shortcomings and behaviors.  God knows your heart, your soul and what it is that keeps you from Him.  He has given you everything you need to fully follow in His footsteps, but He has also given you the choice to refuse His grace if you so desire.  Notice how David states here in Psalm 51 – “…renew a steadfast spirit within me.”  The Holy Spirit never leaves you.  When you accept Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord, you can receive the Holy Spirit.  He dwells within your soul, within your mind and heart.  He will never leave you, despite the choices we make in life.  David is reaching out to the Lord to renew that compassion, desire and loyalty to the Lord hat he once held so dear in every decision he would make.  You and I need to do the same, and seek the renewing of our faith, trust and obedience to His word in our lives.
  
 Prayer:
Loving Father,
We come before You and acknowledge Your sovereignty Lord.  We ask Your forgiveness for our transgressions and our iniquities in life.  Help us to find the passion, the fire and the desire to serve You with the zeal of new lovers.  Build within each of us a compassion to live for You and to give back to You the praise, glory and honor that You so deserve.  In Your name I pray – Amen


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Hear His Voice

Click Here: Read Luke 15

 
"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" - Luke 15:4
 
 

He knows them by name. As the shepherd sat at the top of the hill, overlooking Bethlehem, he kept close watch over the sheep that roamed the hillside. There were so many, it was impossible to count them all. As the day went on, the sun became hot and he realized that he needed to move them closer to the river for shade and a drink. Using his stick and lifting his fingers to his lips he whistled. Bleating and baaing, the sheep began moving instinctively along the narrow path over the side of the hill. Then barking was heard as well, as 2 Australian Sheep dogs came from behind the rocks.
 
 They split as they began running along side the sheep on opposing sides. A nip here and a growl, a bark and a body nudge now and then, these 2 dogs herded the sheep in a congregation with the shepherd pulling up the rear. Over the side of the hill they proceeded to walk and down into the valley the 1/2 mile or so toward the river's edge. As the shepherd watched and whistled his commands from the back of the flock, the dogs would respond in action. Then it happened. As one of the dogs were chasing along the side a single sheep was split from the group as the path took a bend around a rocky ledge.
 
 The shepherd called out a command to the dog on that side in his native dialect, at which the dog broke away from his natural pattern and moved to the rear of the flock. The shepherd with staff in hand began descending the rocky ledge in search of the one sheep. The other dog instinctively moved from his side to the center and widened his circular pattern. Together they continued the herd moving forward. The whole flock had moved perhaps 50 meters farther down the path, when coming up from the rear was the shepherd carrying the wayward sheep over his shoulders. Upon reaching the flock he set the sheep down and the dogs, resumed their roles along the sides. As the path narrowed through the valley, the trees were providing shade and the sun became hidden by the rising hill behind them. The sheep, all of them, were now safely in the valley and enjoying fresh grass still wet with dew, and drinking from cool river bed. The shepherd and his 2 dogs took a spot near a shaded outcrop of rocks and watched their flock through the afternoon.
 
 We are kept in line by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Their constant observations of our life choices and actions result in conviction and guidance to steer us back to the narrow path. Through the scriptures we learn of the Son of God and we are guided on how to live this life. Sometimes begrudgingly, sometimes with anxiousness, but always with an understanding of where we are going. The Holy Spirit dwelling within each of us is a constant companion that delivers God's love and conviction in our decision making. The Father knows each of us by name and has promised to carry us when we struggle, back into the fold of fellow believers all going the same direction. There is not one that escapes His vision or compassion. Each with an ear for His voice will come when He calls them, and He will receive them into life eternal with Him.
 
 Praise God for His mercy, love and guidance to keep us on track and within His fold.

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37 Days – Grace Rises to the Occasion

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I would like conclude our season of prayer with an encouragement for you. I was recently talking with a friend of mine, and we got into a serious discussion about our faith. Specifically, we were discussing the Coptic Christians in the Middle East who are being beheaded for their faith. The question was, “So what would you do if you were faced with that situation? Would you deny Christ, knowing you were just deceiving your persecutors to get out of this gruesome death? Would you stand strong and face it?” Now, I know what the right answer is. “I would never deny Christ, and I would gladly die a martyr’s death.” OK. So that’s the right answer. But I believe there is a very real grace of God that actually allows those men to face gruesome death. I believe grace rises to the occasion.

I don’t believe David was ready or able to face Goliath in his own strength. God’s grace in him rose to that occasion. I don’t believe Gideon was especially brave and skilled at leading a rebellion. God’s grace rose up in him to do what he could otherwise have never done. And I believe God will call you and me into situations this year that are so far over our heads—so beyond our skill and capacity—and yet sufficient grace will be available if we don’t blink. God’s calling is always beyond our ability. Many do not step into their calling because they feel so inadequate. They . . . we . . . I feel weak and unfit for the task. In those times, we can count on the grace of God rising to the occasion.

Let’s prepare now for those opportunities. Let fuel our faith now so that we will trust that grace to rise. If you show up, grace will show up. We will take our inheritance in 2018 by the grace of God. And, His grace is sufficient!

February 6^th Prayer:
Great and Mighty God…Your grace is sufficient for me. Your strength is made perfect when my weakness and inadequacy is exposed. I anticipate Your power and enablement, that goes beyond my talent and gifts, to enable me to do far beyond what I could ever ask or think. Help me to not shrink back from any opportunity. By the grace of God, I am what I am. Thank You for Your sufficient grace . . . In Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:
Weakness, we don’t talk about it, we don’t want to acknowledge it, but it is very real none the less.  Each and every one of us will face challenges in our life that break us, cause us to tremble in fear and fell powerless.  These are the times when we must realize that God is our provider, God is our comfort, God is our strength and God is authority over all things.  God’s grace is sufficient for anything that we face.  Not some things, not the easy things, not the life or death things, but everything.  You cannot bring something to the throne of God that is beyond His ability to overcome. 

The key is to realize that in our flesh we are weak, we are frail, we are fearful and shaken; then to realize that we belong to the supreme authority over all things.  Once this realization sets in, dealing with our suffering, our fears, our weakness becomes manageable and conquerable.  The Lord is my strength, whom shall I fear?  No one and nothing.

Be Blessed,

Rich

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