Mighty to Save

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  – Zephaniah 3:17

One of my favorite Christian songs was Mighty to Save, written by Reuben Morgan in 2006.  It has been sung in churches and choirs all over the world for the last twenty years and continues to be one of the most widely known contemporary Christian songs because it speaks of the deep need of mankind to find compassion.  We are all in need of someone to love us without condemnation, without opinion, and without judgment.  We need to feel that there is someone out there who will accept us as we are and loves us enough to die for us.  People want to believe that God is there and will save them from themselves.  We want to trust that He will love us, despite our choices and mistakes in life. 

God’s justice will one day fall upon the world.  On that day, we will be lifted up and held close to His chest.  Those of us who have fallen upon our knees and proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Almighty will be sifted from the rest and brought before the Lord clean, spotless, and redeemed.  On that day, the Lord will judge the nations, and every knee will bow before His great throne.  Those who have denied Him and those who have blasphemed Him will be judged accordingly.  The strongholds of the opposition will be broken, and they will be left helpless against God’s wrath and fierce anger.

God is filled with compassion for those who call upon His name.  We will be forgiven of our wrongdoing and shown mercy and grace.  Eternity is open for the children of God, despite our transgressions, because He has made a way.  He has unlocked the doors to heaven for His children to enter.  Through Jesus Christ, He has provided the redeeming grace. 

The reason this song speaks so strongly to millions of people around the world is that it provides hope in the truth of the Lord.  What we have learned through the scriptures is exemplified through the lyrics of this song and makes a connection with God’s children.  The first time I heard the song at Fellowship of the Woodlands (now known as Woodlands Church), I was brought to tears.  It spoke so deeply to my heart that God loves me enough to move mountains and every other obstacle in my path, until I am left alone with Him.  Jesus Christ conquered the grave and death.  He defeated Satan on that day and will one day return to defeat him in the final battle.  In God, you have hope and a love that’s never ending.

Life's Not Fair

Make 2014 a year of Sharing

“He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord” – Psalm 33:5

There are people in this world that I despise.  Yep, that’s what I said.  As ugly of a word as that is, it describes a part of me that I have tried for years to eliminate from my life.  It’s not any one individual, but rather groups of people that have done something so vile that I find it unfair that God would love them as much as He loves me.  Their acts are unrighteous, criminal and disgusting in many cases, and I dig deep to find a way to rationalize how their mind can justify their actions.  In my eyes it is evident that evil is deeply ingrained in their very soul.  I am angered every time I think about their actions, and the victims that they have left in their wake as they move through life without abandon, concern or care for others.  Without going into specific details on this group of individuals, can you resonate with my un-Christlikeness, or am I alone in my bitterness and judging attitude?  If I were to try to describe the single biggest part of God that I have trouble rationalizing is this. 

From the first sinful act, complete disobedience and denial of righteousness and justice, Adam and Eve chose to turn from God and follow the enticing invitation of evil into their bloodline.  Now, thousands of years and hundreds of generations later, we are still bound by the same sinful nature. Prior to that moment their lives were fully righteous and the lovingkindness of the Lord permeated through every action, thought and moment of life on this planet.  This righteousness, this love has never ceased to exist here, but is completely overshadowed by the filth, the vile wretchedness and disgusting perversions we have chosen as life.  In this life we chose sin on a daily basis without even trying. 

In your day you are given 24 hours of life.  It is linear, you can’t re-live the moment that just passed, for once it is gone, it becomes your memory.  You might have used that moment to increase God’s presence in the world, to worship Him, to love Him and to further His Kingdom.  What an incredible example you are of His righteousness and love, when you want to be.  But, alas therein lies the problem.  For you see, for every moment you are choosing to live for Him, there is likely an equal of greater amount of moments that have passed in this day that you are choosing to live for yourself and your self-centered interests.  In these moments your flesh is ruling and your sinful nature becomes evident.

How can one ever live a righteous life without sin then?  One cannot.  It is literally impossible, despite the wonderful things that you are doing for the Lord, you are still living a life of sin.  For even if you are holier and mightier than any other since Jesus Christ himself walked the earth, you are incapable of living in righteousness and justice.  This brings us back to my original commentary above.  How can God love “those people” as much as He loves me and you?  The reality of His lovingkindness is that it is immutable and ever present despite our transgressions and ugliness.

Every now and then I find my thoughts drifting to places they shouldn’t go.  Yes, I am sinful in my thoughts.  This simple act, which takes less than 20 seconds of brain signals within my neurological system is vile when compared to the righteousness required of our Lord.  Sin is sin.  Jesus Christ came for the redemption of mankind’s sin.  Not some sins, but all sin.  My sinful thoughts, or the vile act that we hear about on the nightly news, are both covered by the same drop of blood from our Savior.  The greatest example of God’s love for His children is the provision of redemption and salvation.  My sins can be forgiven, despite how disgusting, repulsive or simple they are; because God loves me and calls me His child.

I find this unbelievably hard to comprehend.  We take His love for granted every day of our life.  We act as if He owes us the right of salvation, and we somehow rationalize our sin under His forgiveness and the gentleness of His love.  The reality is we deserve Hell, and it is only by His grace that we are given life eternal. He owes us nothing, based on our inability to live a sin-free life.  We are choosing to pursue our own interests in life rather than being 100% committed to Him and His call.  In that choice we are basically spitting at His feet and saying, ”I realize how wonderful You are, but I want to do________.” (you fill in the blank for today) You are His child, and by His incredible loving grace, He has given you redemption and salvation.  So when you die, and you will, you are given eternity in heaven rather than the pit of Hell.  What else do you need?  Seriously, are your wants and desires in this life (money, a new car, a job, even health) really something you need in order to better serve Him, or are they something you want to make your life more comfortable.

We all need to stop to realize that nearly everything we desire in this life is temporary.  We all need to realize that we are not here for our happiness and comfort, but to serve Him until such time as He calls us home.  Everything around you is temporary and there for no other purpose than to make you feel better about yourself.  Don’t get me wrong, it is not evil to have a home, a car or a job.  But, it is unrighteous when you become dependent upon these things instead of God.  His righteousness and justice are all around us and if we take our eyes off of ourselves and focus on how to serve Him each day.  We become His lovingkindness to the world around us.  Even if it’s only for a few moments of that 24 hour period, it’s a start.
    

© Sondove Enterprises, 2014
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Justice for All

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""Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!  You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cummin.  But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness.  You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."" - Matthew 23:23

  Hypocrisy is as big of a criticism in today's church as it was in AD 30. How many people have judged the church based on the perceived hypocrisy of the leadership and ministers of the church? I can personally think of half a dozen individuals that I know who have left the church and have a diminished perspective of Christianity based on the hypocritical behavior of clergy. These individuals hold a position which is viewed by many in a hierarchy as closer to God. Whether we like it or not people are looking at those in Christian leadership as living examples of Jesus Christ. When their humanity and imperfections show through, it fuels the opinion that the church is full of hypocrites.

 

  What is often times overlooked is that the Christian church is made up of sinners. Every one of us, from the least to the greatest have sinned and will continue to sin. People looking on from the jury box expect to see perfection but don't understand that it is impossible. This isn't new, as shown in Matthew 23:23, the leaders of the church at that time fell well short of the expectations of God. On the surface they put on the show and do what is required by the protocol of the religious culture, yet still have neglected the principles on loving.Recall Jesus comments to those who were prepared to stone the woman caught in adultery, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7)  Who among you is capable of condemning a member of the Christian church without first inspecting your own unrighteousness.

  This scripture also gives us a solid perspective of the values Christ places on justice, mercy and faithfulness as important matters. These guidelines for the Christian life are foundational and essential. The law is also important - tithing, 10 Commandments, pay taxes, etc., but not as important as the principles of loving grace. This scripture is applicable in your daily walk with Christ. Loving others, helping others and reach to God in faithfulness is what Christ is asking us to do.

  So, quit looking at the clergy as the one's with the responsibility of carrying the image of Christ and look into the mirror. Yes, the mirror. You can carry Christ through your actions every single day. Others will look at you and wonder what you have and how you remain so optimistic and positive. This becomes a living example of Christ worthy of His name. Refrain as much as possible from giving them examples of hypocrisy in your walk. Be clear to explain that we are all sinners and thereby need the salvation of Jesus Christ death, resurrection and ascension for eternal life.
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com

An Unmistakable Entrance

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“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.  His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but He himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.” – Revelation 19:11-13

Isaiah 11:4 - but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Daniel 10:6 - His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

1 Timothy 6:14-15 - to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,  which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He came as a baby in a manger .  The world could not recognize him as the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords or the Lamb of God.  Many rejected him, and many still do because they can’t wrap their head around the logic of a baby coming to save mankind from our unrighteousness.
Had Jesus come then as He will come in the last days, would anyone have doubted that this is the Son of God?  No, people would have immediately fallen to their knees and begged His mercy and grace be upon them.  God could have forced His hand, and sent His Son to destroy the unrighteous on that day 2000+ years ago.  He chose not to, because His love for you and I is greater than that.  He realized that forcing someone to believe would never result in a lasting relationship.  He realized that mankind must come to love Him and want to be with Him of their own choice.

Do not underestimate His love for you or mankind.  He desires nothing more than to have you with Him in eternity.  But, look around you and tell me where you see God in today’s society.  The world we live in is trying to remove God from the throne and place mankind on it.  This will not be tolerated for long, for God will draw an end to this courtship and the Bridegroom will come for His Bride.  God is going to blow the minds of people one day by revealing Himself and there will be wailing in the streets for the choices we have made in refusing to follow Him.  This won’t be a video game and there is no reset button.  When the skies part and you see the Son of Man riding upon the white horse, you will have waited too long my friend. 

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

Be Busy, not a Busybody

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“Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.” – Isaiah 56:1

Have you ever noticed that the longer you focus on doing things that are right and just, the more difficult it becomes.  Especially when there is little recognition or evidenced results in the situation.  We are designed to seek self-proclamation and attention when we are doing good things.  By the nature of our human psyche we often times do things simply to boost our own image and our own recognition.  Yet, even though it is natural and common place, it does not justify the abstraction from the glory and presence of God. 

Doing good works and helping others is a representation of those who are following Jesus Christ’ teachings and striving to grow in their Christian walk, but it is not unique to the Christian church.  As the scriptures tell us in James 2:19, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”  Muslims, Buddhists, Hari Krishna’s and even atheists do good works to bring glory to themselves.  What makes good works from a Christian more meaningful to the recipient then good works from any of these groups?

God has placed a purpose in your heart and mine to do good works for His glory.  Putting aside our selfish and prideful thoughts, and simply help others with the intent that God is lifted up.  We draw others to Him through our actions and allow them to gain a better understanding of His love, peace and grace as a result.  Seeking justice must be present in our actions and this often eludes mankind, for justice is often hard to grasp from the perspective of the Lord.  What is just in His eyes vs. what is just in yours?  If others receive benefit at your expense is this justice?  As long as His glory is revealed and His name is praised, than yes it is. 

His return is soon upon us, and we are told to be busy about His business and sharing His love and words with others.  So we must ask ourselves, how busy are we?  If He were to return tomorrow, would you be found busy serving others on His behalf?  It is my hope that you are drawn to discovery of how you can serve as we draw closer to His time.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

See the Big Picture

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“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” –Psalm 46:1

We’re all looking for answers, challenging the status quo and pushing back against the system, less we become complacent and devoid of emotion in this tumultuous world.  There are people in the streets and on the rooftops demanding to be heard.  There are those that are fed up with the injustice of the bureaucracy and being suppressed under someone else’s control.  When it all comes down to it – people want freedom, justice and equality.  But what does this mean?  Does equality mean that every person is entitled to the same results regardless of their contribution to the outcome?  Does equality mean that everyone should receive the same reward without the sacrifice, hard work and commitment?  If this were true, at what point does equality cease and entitlement begin?

There are people fighting in cities all over the globe for equality between the haves and the have nots.  Yet, there are tens (if not hundreds) of millions of people living in true oppression in Haiti, Africa, the Far East and remote areas of the world.  If those with roofs over their heads and food on their table consider themselves subjugated by the system, then what do we say to those people in the world that have absolutely nothing at all?

It’s easy to blame others for our circumstances in life, it’s much more difficult to look in the mirror and realize that we have been given everything we need to change our position and yet we have squandered it.  Our Creator has given each of us the strength, ability and wisdom to be change agents in this life.  Change for His Kingdom, and the equality that means something in eternity.  He is our strength in times of trouble, if we are willing to trust Him with our problems.  This is difficult though.  We want to be in control, able to solve our own problems in a very visible and reactive manner.  It’s human nature to root cause the problem and solve it when possible.  God’s timeline very seldom aligns with ours, when it comes to solving problems and overcoming fears in life.  We have become conditioned by this fast paced internet and global society to want answers now.  Solve the problem and move on is the belief of most.

God’s view is eternal.  His perspective is less focused on the minute hand and much more on the millennium.  Think about it this way.  Let’s say there is a 3/4” diameter rope that is tied to a pole in Houston, Texas and the other end were somehow connected to the Moon (384,403 km away). You lay a penny on the end closest to the pole in Texas, balanced delicately so as not to fall off.  The penny represents your life on earth, in the flesh, from birth to death.  The rest of the rope represents the eternal time you have with God in heaven.  God’s plan of salvation is designed to give you this eternal life one day.  The brief moment that we are upon this planet seems to pre-occupy the minds of the masses, when in all honesty it is nothing more than a microscopic point on God’s timeline.

We need to shift our focus away from the inequalities of this world and learn to trust in God to get us through this life on our way to join with Him in heaven one day.  We spend so much time trying to solve the corruptness of this world, without taking into consideration that it can never be made peaceful, pure and just.  God promises these things in the New Jerusalem when the battle on this earth has been completed.  Live justly and righteous as God has taught you, do not trust in mankind’s ability to solve these problems, but trust only in Him who has your eternal life in His hand.

Heavenly Father,
You have given us a heart of compassion, a sense of right and wrong, and a desire to bring justice and equality to all mankind.  Help us to use this passion and desire to bring others closer to a relationship with You.  Thank You for making me just who I am, filled with Your love and driven to make a change in the world that impacts Your Kingdom.  I remain focused on the eternal timeline and less on the daily calendar, but help me Lord to bring this perspective to others who are struggling day to day.  Be a provider for them, that their needs are met and they might find comfort and peace until You usher in the New Kingdom.  In Jesus name I pray – Amen.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2011
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It’s Quite a Mess We’ve Made

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” – Psalm 56:3-4

(c) CNN, 10-15-2011

Darkness envelopes the sea of concrete and glass
Thousands will sleep on the grass
Their words are filled with rage and pride
Anger that’s been bottled up inside
Some say justified and long overdue
Some say they’re lazy and don’t have a clue
Some say where there’s pain, people need rescue
So what then say you?

There is no quick answer to the mess that we have gotten into in this world.  People feel cheated, yet are blessed beyond comprehension when compared to those of years gone by.  The rise of dependence upon the greed of society has caused the fall of the desire to trust in God.  In America, we print it on every dollar bill and stamp it on every coin; yet few actually believe it as it passes through our fingers like water.  “In God We Trust” was first stamped onto the 2 cent coin in 1864, but didn’t become the national motto for the United States of America until 1956 by the US Congress.  Now think about the changes in America and the world in the last 55 years.  In one generation, we have gone from trusting in God, to removing Him from schools, government buildings, parks and public areas.

We have become addicted to our own self interests.  I speak generally of course, but look carefully at your priority list in life.  At what point does “Live for God and Follow Him” show up on your list?  Let me ask you this; if tomorrow, everything you had was gone – house, car, clothes, food and even family; would you still love God?  Are you dependent on your lifestyle and your control of the outcome more than you are on what He wants for you in life?  I am guilty as charged, as most of you likely are.  You see, we wake up in the morning with prayers to God, and go to sleep with God in our prayers; but the in the time between we are pushing hard to do everything we can to make a living, put food on the table and pay the bills.  That’s like asking God to accept the life we have chosen, and His answers going to be “No”.

He didn’t send His Son to die on a cross, so you could have the life you wanted.  He sent His Son to die to reconcile for the iniquities in the life you have chosen and bring you into the life He has chosen for you.  We have to stop looking to others to solve our problems in life, and begin asking ourselves, am I really focused on living for God or living for me.  Trust in the plan God has for your life and in His word and perhaps we can actually make a difference in this world once and for all.

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the blessings You have poured out upon me.  Thank You for offering Your Son to die that I might have life with You.  Forgive me Lord, for selfishly focusing on my goals in life and my comfort without trusting You.  I long to be as strong as King David and be wholly committed to You and You alone.  I struggle to remove my desires of this world and live for You as You deserve.  Help me Lord, to put aside my desires and focus only on the desires of Your heart.  In Jesus name we pray – Amen.
© Sondove Enterprises, 2011
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com