The Shepherd of the One

  “Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.  I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments" – Psalm 119:175-176

You can take it!   My life is nothing more than a temporary passage to what the scriptures have promised me.  In my current state I am weak, I am tempted, I am prone to wrong doing.  I am born of the seed of Adam and therefore I am rich with sin and unrighteousness.  From the moment of my creation, as the blood from my mother and father blended in creating the mass of tissue and life of my very being.  I carry with me a bent towards sinning, as do you, for you also are from the seed of Adam.

But, the good news is that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.  When I came to know Jesus as my Savior and Lord, I was just a small child, but I knew without a doubt that if He loved me enough to die in such a brutal way so I could go to heaven, then He was someone worth following.  I was baptized at 12 years old in First Baptist Church, Tecumseh, Mi. with my brother and my sister.  I left the church that night, and have never considered that He was not my God and my Savior.  I didn't understand His love or His grace, but I knew He was righteous and holy.

Over the last 50 or so years, I have slowly begun to understand just who He is and what He truly did for me.  I’ve never gone too far from the straight and narrow, because I knew in my heart it would lead to life of fear, sorrow and regrets.  By no means have I avoided the unrighteousness of this world.  As a matter of fact I sin each and every day, and yet I continue to strive for holiness because He is holy.  I have come to realize that there is no way for me to withstand the temptations and sin of this world within my own power and authority.  As much as I try, and chastise myself, I continue to fall short of His glory, as do you.

We must come to realize that in this world there is only good and evil.  Everything else is used in a demonstration of these two things.  We learned in Science that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  When there is good there will be evil; when there is cold there will be warmth; when there is light there is darkness; when there is truth there are lies.  We make thousands of choices every day, from mundane to intricate in detail.  Your brain is sending 10’s of thousands of signals to your body and your surrounding environment every second.  You, with or without your awareness are choosing good or evil, right or wrong at this very moment.  How therefore are you ever capable of making 100% consistently decisions for the good, for righteousness?  That’s it, you can’t !!

Because you cannot be 100% righteous and holy, you are a sinner.  Your sins must be accounted for.  In the Old Testament laws, recorded in the books of Genesis and Leviticus, Moses recorded the words of God to His people.  You must sacrifice an animal, not just any animal, but a perfect and white as snow lamb, each year for the redemption of your family’s sins.  This was done in Jerusalem, at the temple every year during Passover, right up to the year Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt.

For you see, when Jesus came into Jerusalem for Passover, He very well understood He was the sacrificial lamb of God, coming to the slaughter.  Throughout the week, He pressed upon His disciples this reality, in preparation for what was to come.  When He was crucified, and breathed His last, the sacrifice was done and the sins of the world were washed away once and for good.  Jesus was the perfect, spotless, holy lamb of God; without sin or in need of a sacrifice Himself.   His blood was not from Adam but from God directly through the Immaculate Conception.  His birth broke the chain of history and His death broke the chain of sin bondage.

Through His death, He redeemed those who had sinned up to that point.  Through His resurrection, He provided an eternal redemption for all of mankind going forward until He comes again to take us with Him to heaven.  We are incapable of not sinning, but through Him we are made Holy as He is Holy.  Upon accepting Him for who He is – our Savior and Lord – we receive the Holy Spirit, who dwells in our very soul.  Our soul is heaven-ready, from that moment, but our flesh is still weak and full of sin.  We follow His lead and abide in Him to bring those two things closer together.  Align your flesh to the Spirit, and others will see it in you.  At your death, your flesh will be destroyed 6 feet under, but your soul will move in Spirit to Jesus’ side to forever sing out praises to the Father.  Won’t you release the hurt, anger, pain, and suffering in this life to allow your flesh to align with His spirit?  Let your life reflect the Holy Spirit within, so that your life in sin will be repentant.  You must open up to Him who lives within you; the choice is all yours.

A Daily Walk

 “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” - 1 Peter 3:18

If you were asked about the greatest sin in your life, what would it be?

Adultery, Pornography, Control, Lying, Stealing, Hatred, Greed, Anger, Envy, Self-Righteousness, Murder, Drugs, Drinking, Abuse, Homosexuality, Blasphemy, Cursing, Gambling, Selfishness and Pride; just too name a few.  You must all agree that these are all sinful actions against a Holy and Perfect God, and this is just off the top of my head.  If Jesus Christ came to die as the propitiation for the sins of all men, as stated in 1 Peter 3:18; then who are we to say that one of these sins is greater than the other.  For in saying this, then one must expect that there is another action coming by which the greater of these sins is washed away.  Otherwise we have limited and minimized the saving grace offered up by the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Do you then believe that Christ died for your sins (some of those mentioned above), so that you can spend eternity with Him and the Father in heaven; but this same act (Christ’s death) is not sufficient to cover other sins mentioned above?  If your belief is true, than have you not placed limitations on the saving grace of our Lord?  Salvation comes from belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, coupled with the act of repentance for our sin filled life.  This means sin no more.  Jesus told the woman caught in adultery; “And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.””  {John 8:11}  We must acknowledge our sinful actions and turn from them, relying on and trusting in the strength of the Lord to overcome our weak flesh and desire to continue in our sin.  This is true with every sin. 

Accept that only through the Holy Spirit can we take hold of our addictions, our transgressions and turn away from them.  This goes for the simplest of sinful action to the greatest.  Continuing in our sinful action suggests that we are still holding onto our fleshly desires rather than repenting of them.  Romans 3:23 tells us "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  We all have sinned, yes, even you; and we must decide if we will continue in our sin or walk away from it.  Our choice in this matter says a lot about our desire to live for God Almighty or to live for ourselves.  Before we condemn another in their sinful action, perhaps we should all take a very good look at our own, and where we are in overcoming them.  This is a daily walk with the Lord close by your side to help overcome our weaknesses, and it cannot happen without His help and strength.  Seek Him in overcoming your sin, He will see it through.

Watch Your Tongue

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” – James 1:19-21

Very seldom do any of us go from joy to anger quickly.  You can normally feel it building, sense that the emotions are slipping down the hill of control.  It’s often times little things, the things that happen to us over a period of time that cause the volcanic eruption of anger and in many cases words that we wish we could take back.  That’s just it though, once those words leave your mouth and fall upon the ears of those around you, the impact has been made.  And like toothpaste, it can't be put back.  Then, others will fire back with a volley of their own which only insights further degradation and stimulates the beast within to engage even more in the battle.  Before you know it, you are in a full-out war of words, and the anger is out of control.

You and I both know that these outbursts demonstrate a lack of control and should be avoided.  We fully comprehend the destructive nature of losing our tempers, yet how often do you find yourself regaining your composure before the damage is done?

Peace, love, and humility come from the Lord.  These are not characteristics that are of the world, but of God.  Inherent in each of us from the moment of our conception is the love from heaven and the peace of God Himself.  From birth, we begin a slow decline into the ways of the world, which can only lead us to unrighteousness, pain, and suffering.  We can watch the slippery slope of tolerance over the last 20 years through our acceptance of perversion, crude and lewd behavior, lack of respect for others, and the selfishness that has become our human race.  We’ve stood on the sidelines and watched as the media, movies, television, and the internet have invaded our homes with disgusting filth, language, and immoral behavior.  We have accepted it as freedom of speech and allowed it to become commonplace.  Who’s taking a stand against the onslaught and manipulation of our minds?

I hope it’s you.  I hope as God-fearing, loving Christians, we are all taking a stand for truth and justice.  The Holy Spirit dwells within you and is in a constant battle for your awareness. It’s not a battle with Satan, though; it’s your own mind.  Your mind is filled with whatever those with the microphone want you to believe.  Most of us are too busy to question or challenge the injustice in this world, and so we tolerate it and move on with our busyness.  These messages, these images, these words, and these lies are filling your mind and heart and challenging the very nature of the spirit the Lord has placed inside of you.  You know right from wrong, good from evil, and what unrighteousness looks like; yet we continually allow it to push God aside for the sake of our own interests. 

James is telling us, from 2000 years ago, to focus on God’s word, the Holy Spirit, and find the peace, love, and righteousness that can only come from above.  You will not find it from one another, from the media, or the internet.  It comes from the word of God and the relationship you have with the Father.

Proving He Loves You

Daily Thoughts – September 26^th  

 

“Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens.”–” Genesis 19:24 (in context)

The cities were filled with sin.  Man slept with man and woman with woman.  Rape, incest, murder, evil thoughts and actions were pervasive throughout the population of the city.  The corruptness had become the norm and righteousness was hard to find.  The pleas of Abraham had been for the Lord to show mercy if only 10 righteous people could be found in the entire city (Genesis 18:16-33).  It was not to be and we know the rest of the story.  In an instant the Lord destroyed the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, as no righteousness could be found within their walls, except Lot and his family.  Was the Lord justified in destroying these cities?  How can you answer anything but yes when you are contemplating the actions of the Lord.  He is justified in every action ever taken by His own hand.  He is the designer, creator and author of life, death and all that is in between.  Who can tell Him that He is wrong in His actions?

For I propose to you that the society in which we live, the acceptance of our culture has become so complacent and accepting that unrighteousness once again abounds within the walls of each city.  Should we be looking heavenward for the streaking flares of sulfur raining down upon our cities any day now?  Are you convinced that the population of Sodom and Gomorrah were much worse than the cities of our 21^st century?  Certainly, there are more than 10 righteous people inside of your city walls, and you are likely one of them.  Is this what keeps the Lord from pouring out His wrath upon our very existence?

There is a significant reason that God has not destroyed the earth again, despite the evil, corruption, sadistic and deplorable sinful lives of mankind.  That reason is the one we call Jesus Christ.  For you see, the wrath of our Lord; which was poured out on Sodom, it was poured out on the Philistines, it was poured out on the Egyptians, it was poured out on the entire world in the flood of Genesis 6; was also poured out on the very flesh of God’s own Son.  Take that in for just a moment.  We are no better than those of Sodom and Gomorrah, or those of Egypt, or those that ridiculed Noah.  We as a society in general have turned our back on serving the Lord with everything we have, and we have chosen to pursue the pleasures of the world instead.  The wrath of God that you and I so rightfully deserve for our thoughts, our actions and our sinful nature would be death, devastation and destruction of catastrophic proportion.  This overwhelming wrath of the Lord, the pain and suffering we deserve, was delivered to one man who did live perfectly righteous in every way.

The sacrificial lamb for our sins was slaughtered because you and I deserved to die for what we have done, not because of anything He did.  Jesus Christ bore the extreme wrath of God, something we cannot begin to fathom, so you and I would not have to.  When you read John 3:16; “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in Him will have eternal life.”; the words are almost cliché, because we have watered them down to our view of love.  I want you to realize the severity of God’s wrath that He poured out onto His only Son, based on the perspective of His wrath that He poured out on Sodom and Gomorrah, Egypt, and the world in the Old Testament.  This extreme wrath was poured out on this one man, so that you and I would be exempt from this punishment in our lifetime.  He loves us that much.  Not a little bit as you and I love each other and our families; but His love was so intense that He chose to destroy His own Son, literally and figuratively, so that we can enter eternity one day.

Is God’s wrath still alive today?  Yes, but we are shielded from that wrath because of the lamb that paid the price for our deplorable sinful nature.  One day, God’s wrath will once again be released upon this earth, for those who have chosen to deny His sacrificial offering.  This wrath will make Sodom and Gomorrah look like a walk in the park on Sunday afternoon.  The fire and sulfur that rained from the sky on these cities will be nothing compared to the depths of Hell that await mankind for their denial of Jesus Christ, and God the Father.  Don’t question the reality of it.  God has given you plenty of warning.  Jesus has pleaded with Him on your behalf and taken your punishment already.  The next step will be utter destruction of this earth as we know it and you won’t be able to avoid His wrath without accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.  Don’t blame it on God, for He provided a path for your escape, just as He did for Lot and his family to escape from Sodom on that night as recorded in Genesis.  Are you telling your friends?  Are you telling your family?  Do you care enough about their salvation to ensure that they are not exposed to God’s wrath one day?  If not, ask yourself why not.  Why is that not the most important thing you have to do today?

Who is pleading with the Lord on our behalf today?


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Nothing

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39

 

The morning sun was just peaking over the horizon as he rolled over.   The first thing he noticed was that he was not in his bedroom.  It took a moment or two for him to recall what had happened and how he had ended up in this place.  His vision was very blurred, and breathing was difficult because a tube was coming from his mouth and taped to his cheek.  Despite his attempts to move his body, he couldn’t.  It’s as if his muscles couldn’t react to his brain's commands.  Through his squinting eyes, he saw the IV bag hanging and tubes connected to his arm, wires connected to his forehead, and a myriad of machines with numbers, making beeping sounds.  He noticed that his chest and abdomen were wrapped in white bandages, and there was a large circle of red and black right in the center of the bandages.  Suddenly, his mind began recalling what happened.  As the memories began to fill his mind from the night before, a pain overtook him, and he felt himself drifting back into a state of unconsciousness.

His mind did not stop, though.  He felt as if he were floating above his physical body and looking down upon himself.  He saw the hospital bed, the equipment and monitors, the blood-stained bandages, and his mother in the corner crying.  Then his eyes were captured by the tattoos covering his arms and shoulders.  The naked nymph that he had gotten in Mexico, the skull and crossbones, the knife blade dripping blood, the snake wrapping around the shoulder, the tattoo of the gun and bullet entering through the eye of a child.  The tattoos caused his mind to roll through his life history.  Small glimpses from his youth through today began to fill his vision in his unconscious state.  The life of partying, drugs, and violence; the people he had hurt, the pain he had caused others, all began to be revealed to him.  He saw all the women he had used and abused.  He saw the children now addicted to crack cocaine because he sold them their first joint.  He saw his mother’s tears as he slapped her and slammed his bedroom door in her face when he was just a boy himself.  He saw his dad taking his own life in their bathroom at home.  Then he saw himself as a small boy playing baseball and riding his new bicycle after school.  He saw his best friend, and he was laughing and playing with Hot Wheels and GI Joes.  The sky was blue, the sun was bright, and the grass was green as he saw himself learning how to ride a tricycle.

Suddenly, his eyes moved to the machine in the corner the beeps were slowing and the line had very few bars on the screen.  Something was happening as he looked at his body in that bed.  His chest was barely rising and falling any longer.  A bright flash of light and he was back in his dream like state.  He saw himself as a twelve year old boy walking down the aisle in church.  He recalled the large cross with Jesus hanging at the front of the sanctuary as he made his way down the long aisle toward the minister standing by his dad’s coffin.  As he touched the hard cold wood, he felt a hand on his shoulder.  Looking up it was Jesus Christ looking down into his eyes, with more love than he had ever felt before.  He said four simple words, “I’ll always love you.” 

A blur flashed before the man’s eyes and he was now standing in the same church, except the church was empty, dark and cold.  His eyes lifted to see the cross on the wall, Christ hanging there still.  In his vision, the man began weeping bitterly at the choices he had made in life since the last time he knelt on these steps.  Then a hand was on his shoulder and looking up, Christ stood before him, looking down upon him with incredible love.  “I’ll always love you.”, He whispered.  The man raised his arms showing his tattoos and scars from the needles and from the time he tried to take his life.  “But Jesus you don’t understand the things I’ve done, and people I’ve hurt”, the man cried out.  “I LOVE YOU.”, Jesus replied.  “No.  I raped that girl and I stole that woman’s purse.  I was in prison for shooting that kid in a fight.  I robbed the liquor store and beat that old man.  I haven’t stepped foot in this church in 20 years.”, the man argued back.  “I LOVE YOU.”, Jesus replied, and then raised the man to his feet and embraced him.  The man saw his own arms as Jesus lifted him and they were wiped clean, the tattoos were gone as was the bandages. 

“Nothing you do can separate you from Me and My love for you.”, Jesus said as He placed a kiss upon the man’s forehead.  He was swept away through the blurry darkness back to the hospital room and then total darkness.  His eyes opened once again, blurry looking up at the ceiling and the tubes and wires coming from his body.  Shifting his eyes to the side, he saw the monitors and the line was normal once again.  There were two doctors saying he’s stable now.  He saw his mother standing by his bed.  Her hand touching his face as tears flowed from her eyes, she smiled and said, “Welcome back.  We thought we lost you.”

---------------------------

You may feel that you have done terrible things in your life up to this point.  I want you to know that despite those choices, those actions, God’s love for you has never changed.  He loved you when you were born just as much as He loves you now.  His love is unchanging and just when you think you’re beyond His grace, He will lift you up, clean off the past and carry you forward to a new day.  Perhaps today is that day for you to receive His offering of grace and love.  If so, please pray this prayer with me, and invite Jesus into your heart as your Lord and Savior today.


Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
I come before you this day as a sinner.  I ask Your forgiveness for my sinful ways and I turn away from that life.  I lay my sins at Your feet and acknowledge that You are my salvation.  I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord of my life.  I recognize that He lived, He died and He rose again on the 3^rd day, to take away my sins and by His blood my sins are washed clean.  I give my life to You to use and bring glory and honor to You in all that I do.  Transform me from my sinful ways and cover me with Your grace forever more.  Thank You for dying for me to receive eternal life with You one day.  Amen 

If you prayed this prayer, I believe you are born again as a new creation in Jesus Christ.  Please seek out and join a church in your local community to continue your growth as a child of God Almighty.






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Empty the Closet

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“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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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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37 Days – The Veil Must Fall

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

January 24^th Prayer:

Father, I approach You today in worship of Jesus and all He has provided for our salvation. I praise You for opening the eyes of ______________________________________________________. I intercede for them today and ask that You would break the hands of Satan off their life. Open their eyes so that they may receive salvation. Save them Lord today . . . in Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:

I’ve personally struggled with this for years.  How can something so blatantly obvious to me seem so bizarre and strange to another.  I have friends who are Muslim, Wiccan, Atheists and other faiths; when I talk of God’s love, grace and salvation, they can’t comprehend it.  Satan is a deceiver and humanity is his prey.  In this world we stand no chance against the Prince of Lies without God the Father by our side.  So those who refuse to acknowledge His glory and righteousness are simply blinded by the evil in this world.  It is the Lord, through you and I though, that need to tear down the veil that hangs before our friends and families eyes.  Help them to see the truth that is right in front of them, and return them to a road of salvation.

Do you recall when Christ was crucified, the veil in the temple tore from the ceiling to the floor?  This veil hung from ceiling to floor in the tabernacle to separate the Holy of Holies from the rest of this Holy Place. Prior to Christ’s crucifixion, only the High Priests were allowed behind that veil one time a year during a celebration called the Day of Atonement.  For you see, behind this veil was the presence of God, and no evil or no sin could be in the presence of God, so the veil kept mankind out.  Have you ever thought about why this veil was torn when Christ was crucified?

The tearing of this veil destroyed the separation between God and mankind.  There was a new propitiation for our sins in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In that moment the world changed dramatically forever more.  Eyes were made wide to see that indeed this Jesus was the Son of God, sent as a redemption for man’s sinful nature.  But, in those days, there were still those who were blind to the Good News.  Pharisees, Saducees, Romans, Evil doers, and so on denied the truth of what had just happened, just as mankind are blinded today by the evil one.  The veil to the Lord’s presence is no longer, but the veil before man’s eyes is as real today as it was then.

Through prayer and loving confrontation we are charged with helping our fellow man tear down the veil before his eyes, so that they may see the beauty, grace, love and glory of our Father.   

Be Blessed,

Rich

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37 Days – Embrace the Grace

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.  - Ephesians 4:7

January 14^th Prayer:

Paul was confident in the measure of grace apportioned to him. Like Paul, you must embrace the grace God apportioned to you. When you live within your sphere of grace, you will stop comparing your life to others and wrestling with all the insecurities that accompany comparisons. You have a specific deposit of God that you are responsible to reflect. God has dealt each of us a measure, and it’s all you need to fulfill the purpose of God for your life. Relax and enjoy your measure. Embrace the grace! Thank You for the measure of grace You’ve given me.

Thank You that I’m not called to perform like anybody else. Thank You that I’m free from the need to compete with any of my brothers and sisters in Christ. I applaud the grace in the lives of others. And I thank You for the unique expression of Jesus that I am. I am excited to grow more and more in the grace apportioned to me . . . in Jesus’ name!

My thoughts:

One of the greatest differences of Christianity vs every other religion of the world (past or present) is Grace.  Simply put, you have the opportunity to receive eternal life with God in heaven because of what He has done, not because of what you have done.  He has graciously given us a path to redemption, despite the fact that we don’t’ deserve it or for many, even accept it. 

He had to create a sacrifice to atone for our sins, because God is perfect, His heaven is perfect and our sin-filled lives cannot enter therein.  But God had a plan, He created the perfect sacrifice because He realized man could not do it alone.  He created a path just so you could join Him in heaven.  This path would cost Him the very life of His only Son, but His love for you is so deep that He went through with the plan.  He brought His Son to the earth, and watched mankind, amidst the pain and suffering, destroy him on a cross.  What man didn’t know though was this was actually God’s planning, and a part of how He would redeem the world.  In the sacrifice of His son’s life; a perfect spotless, sinless man; He saved the world.  This is an unspoken love that neither you nor I can fully comprehend, because we are unable to do the same.  You can’t ever pay it back, it is beyond your ability; yet He gave it to you anyway.  This is God’s grace, His oh so amazing grace; and you can only choose to accept it or not.

He gives it to you, so you can be saved.  He gives it to you, so you can find salvation in Him.  He gives it to you, so you can live eternally with Him one day.  He gives it to you, so you can share it with others.  Just as He gave everything to set you free, are you willing to do the same?  Are you able to give grace to others when they absolutely, without a doubt don’t deserve it, or even want it; and can never pay it back?  To each of us grace has been apportioned accordingly.  Enough grace to overcome our sinful, unrighteous and worldly lives.  God has enough grace to overcome anything you have done.  You can rest on this truth, that by believing in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He and He alone, can bear your sins so you can stand before the Lord, blameless and worthy of His Kingdom. 

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found,
was blind but now I see.

You were lost, but now you’re found.  You can now see how much God loves you and has prepared a way for you to join Him in heaven.  Take the step today, admit you have been a wretch, but you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the redeemer of your sinful actions.  Be born again today, and rest in the grace of our Lord.   

Be Blessed,

Rich

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37 Days – Let Go of Sin

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1-2

January 11^th Prayer:

Gracious Father, You sent Jesus to die for me. I know His blood provides forgiveness for my sin. I want to be free from the bondage to sin. The same old patterns and familiar temptations have weighed me down for too long. I am asking for help! Help me Holy Spirit! Show me the doors I’ve opened in my life to allow this pattern. Show me how to repent. I know I can walk in behavioral holiness in this area and I am opening to Your power and guidance to help me stand fast in the freedom You’ve provided. I pray this in Jesus’ name!

(Name the area you fall to—the sin that seems to hang around and trip you up most often. You can overcome this and walk in victory. However, it won’t be by willpower alone. You must have the help of others and the Holy Spirit.)

My thoughts:

Also see my thoughts from Wednesday on recurring sin.

We are all continuously influenced by good and evil decisions.  Think about it.  You face decisions all day long.  What is it you rely on to make an intelligent choice for these decisions?  Your intellect, the information available to you at the time, previous outcomes from similar decisions, family or friends advice, feelings, emotions and desires.  These are the things which will influence your decisions in life.

What constitutes a sinful decision?
When the outcome of a decision results in an action that contradicts the principles and beliefs established by God the father.  There is no formal list, but we have the foundation of the 10 Commandments in scripture as we discussed in earlier posts.  For all time, God has demonstrated the repercussions of going against His commandments, and let’s face it, none of them are appealing.  We all enjoy the temporary pleasure, the worldly satisfaction often associated with a sinful act.  But it’s just that – temporary, associated with this life only, regardless of one’s lifespan it will end one day. 

One of the reasons many people resist Jesus Christ, and a commitment toward His calling on their life, is because of these desires, these habits, these temporary pleasurable activities in life.  We become addicted to sin, just like addiction to a drug or alcohol.  We find ways to justify it, to cover it up as if it isn’t as bad as it is; rather than deal with addressing it, changing and turning away. 

Repentance is just that, turning away from that action that separates us from God the Father.  Often times, the desire is so strong and the cover up is so deep that we would rather live with the sin, rather than truly repent and turn from it.  Some will look at the opportunity of following Jesus Christ and choose not to because they would rather continue living in their sin. They may even acknowledge His existence, recognize that He walked the earth and believe that He did incredible miracles when He walked the earth.  But, they won’t go that next step and acknowledge that He is the son of God and Savior of the world, because they realize by doing so would require a change in their lifestyle that they are not willing to accept.  Therefore, they deny His deity, and in many cases they deny the entire eternal concept all together and put all of their faith in themselves and those of this world.

What they don’t realize is that by accepting that Jesus Christ is the son of God, died for them, and rose again on the third day; they can actually discover the strength to overcome these addictions in their lives.  For man alone is not powerful in mind, or will, to overcome these things on their own, but the Lord is and with an authentic faith in Jesus Christ we are made capable.  Their acceptance that this is who they are, that they cannot change, that their actions are unchangeable is a fallacy presented by the evil one, Satan himself.  Satan uses our desires, our pride, our addictions against us.  It is his stronghold on our lives and we have only the power and authority of Jesus Christ at our disposal to stand against it.  There is no straight jacket discipline that will supernaturally enable you to overcome this evil.

Mankind was designed to love and worship the Lord.  That’s it.  That’s our only purpose for being created.  The sins of this world are those things that stand between He and us, and draw us away from this purpose.  Choose this day to trust in the Lord and lean on His understanding and not your own.  Repent and turn from your sinful actions and pray for the Lord to give you the strength to stand firm in your faith.  The choice does belong to you and only you.

Be Blessed,

Rich

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37 Days – He Prunes for New Growth

Pastor Randy’s devotional:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” John 15:1-3

January 10^th Prayer:

Father, thank You that You cut away every thinking pattern, relationship, and activity that no longer produces good fruit. I am excited to know that You are working in me to produce more fruit. And so, I trust You to take away anything, no matter how painful, that keeps me from producing good fruit. Holy Spirit, I open to You now to bring to mind any activity, thought, sin, relationship, or use of my time that You desire to cut. I trust You and thank You for pruning me . . . in Jesus’ name!

(Write down the things the Holy Spirit brings to mind.)

My thoughts:

Do you still struggle with that sin?  You know, the one you never talk about with your friends or family, but it consistently pulls at you, draws you in and tempts you.  We are all bound in this human flesh, which in and of itself is sinful, and therefore prone to the temptations of this world.  We are not immune to the lusts, the addictions, the anger, the envy and jealousy, the words, the actions and the pride that are so prevalent in this world.  There is one, though, who faced these temptations and overcame them all.  He stood upon the strength of His Father in heaven and turned from them by focusing upon God’s plan and God’s provision.  You have that same ability, if you so indeed to take advantage of it.

As hard as you try to will yourself to be “better” and not fall into that trap again, you alone are incapable.  Your straight jacket discipline is unable to stand against the evil in this world.  The people, the activities, thoughts and sins that are pervasive here will quickly envelope your defenses.  Unless you reach for the One who has been tested and found Holy against the evil one.  Jesus Christ came in order to set you free from these sins and relationships.  By leaning into Him and drawing upon His authority and strength you can also be found an overcomer. 

As we discussed yesterday – there will be pain in cutting away some of these habits and relationships.  But, at the end of the journey, the strength that will be built up in you, and the path that you find yourself walking on will be much more in line with God’s plan and less aligned with the world’s plan.  Your objective is to grow in your walk, in your faith and in your life’s purpose for God.  Looking carefully at those things in your life that separate you from God, I ask that you sit down right now and lift them up to Jesus in prayer.  Asking Him for the wisdom and courage to cut those things that are not benefitting your walk and to focus more heartily on those things that will allow you thrive in the Lord.  This new year of 2018 is your year to reset your direction on a path serving the Lord in all areas of your life.  Take this small step today on that new journey.

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

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But By Grace

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
                                                                                                – 2 Peter 1:2

 

As he ran from the door, he pulled the ski-mask off of his head and dropped it to the ground.  He had left the scene with a satchel of large denomination bills and two diamond banded watches.  On the floor of the jewelry store lie several customers and the owners, bound at their hands and feet.  Sirens were blaring in the streets as he ran away from the building.  Suddenly two police squad cars pulled onto the curb in front of him.  He darted to his left into traffic, just missing being hit by a truck as it’s horned screamed into the night air.

He turned down an alley between two buildings and hid behind a dumpster in the shadows.  Red and blue lights strobed against the brick wall as he inhaled and tried to remain still.  The lights faded and then the alley was black again.  He stayed still and quiet.  He asked himself, how long.  How long should he stay here to be sure that they were truly gone.

“Thank you God.  Thank you for helping me get away.”

What was that, he asked himself, as he turned to see a flashlight shining against the brick wall and coming his direction.  He tucked in close to the dumpster trying to make himself invisible.  They walked past the dumpster a few steps, he remained perfectly still until the two police officers were past him, then he jumped to his feet and ran.  He heard them yell, “Stop or I’ll shoot.”  But, he truly thought that they’d never do it, so he kept running. 

His left thigh burned incredibly as he went to take another step, then he heard the shot echo through the alley.  He fell to the ground in agonizing pain as the realization of what just happened raced through his mind.  He knew that the bullet had torn through the flesh of his thigh and his race was over, regardless of how much he wanted to crawl away.

At the hospital they dressed his wound and gave him a shot for the pain.  Then the police took him to the local precinct, booked him and locked him in the infirmary.  They had caught him, red handed with nearly $200,000 and $40,000 in watches.  His brief life of crime had come to an abrupt end that night, as the morphine kicked in and he fell asleep.

In the early morning they came by and gave him some yogurt, bread and coffee, with the warning that he would see the magistrate at 9AM.  Is there anyone they could call on his behalf?  He shook his head no, and rolled over.  You see, he had no-one.  He was a loner, orphaned at a young age, in and out of foster care, dropped out of school and was living in shelters and the local church mission most of his early adulthood.  An hour later he heard his cell door unlock and the officer held out a pair of handcuffs and ankle-cuffs.  After attaching them, he was escorted with a limp down the long corridor and into the courtroom.

He was seated at the table in front of the bench.  There was an empty chair next to him at the table.  The judge entered the chamber and the gavel fell to the wooden bench.  The judge looked down from his bench and called the court to order.  He looked at the suspect and then at the older man on the other side of the courtroom and said quite clearly, “Is this the man who stole from you last evening? “  The clerk looked across at the suspect and nodded his head.  The judge looked at the police officer sitting in the chair near the side door.  “What did you find as evidence of this crime?”  The office laid the satchel of money and the two watches on the table as evidence.

Then the judge looked straight at the suspect.  “Sir, did you take this money and watches from the jewelry store on main street last evening?”  The suspect nodded his head to affirm the accusations, and quietly mouthed the words; “Yes, I did it.”  and tears fell from his cheek to the table.  At the tender age of 20 he knew this was it, he was headed to prison.  The only question was for how long.  As the judge raised the gavel, he questioned to the room.  “Is there any to offer a defense as to why this man should not be sentenced for the crime in question?”

A man stood up from the gallery and walked forward past the table right up to the judge’s bench.  As he past the table where the suspect sat, he paused and laid a keychain with a single vault box key on the table.  Quiet conversation ensued between the judge and the older gentleman, until the man turned around and held his hands out wrists together.  The judge motioned for the bailiff to secure the man and take him from the courtroom to the prison cell. 

Then the judge looked at the suspect and addressed him directly, “You are free to go, Sir.  The key before you will open a lock box at the bank on 5^th Avenue, where you will find adequate documentation for insurance to cover your injuries and additional documentation detailing the inheritance, including several bank accounts, vehicles and a house in the sub-burbs; all of which has been granted to you by this gentlemen.  Just then the door closed behind the older gentlemen as they took him away.

Grace – the free and unmerited favor given to one that does not deserve, but rather deserves the full wrath and punishment for their actions.  God's loves us so much, His grace is overwhelming when you truly sit back and think about what we deserve as sinners in this life.  We deserve the full punishment for our actions, but we are forgiven and set free while another takes on the punishment that we should have received.  Such is the life of a Christian.  Jesus Christ took on the pain and suffering that you and I so deserve for our actions.  We are given freedom to enter into salvation and eternal life with God Almighty, by believing and acknowledging Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Don't take it for granted.

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

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Would You Throw the Stone

“ they say unto him, Teacher, this woman hath been taken in adultery, in the very act. . . But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”    John 8:4-7

Jesus came upon the group of Pharisees and Sadducees ready to stone the woman caught is adultery.  I can only imagine how he caught them by surprise when, rather than joining them to stone her, he kneeled to write something in the dirt. Acting almost oblivious to their questions, yelling and anger.  Calmly, Jesus looks up from His kneeling position and asks them a simple question, though he already knew the answer.

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

I’ve always wondered what Jesus wrote in the dirt.  Perhaps, he was writing the 10 commandments, perhaps a simple word – LOVE, perhaps a few of the sins of those ready to throw the stones.  Is it really important what He was writing?  Probably not.  The reality of the fact that He did not immediately go to the act of executing Justice upon the woman though sent a message to these law makers and Jewish leaders.  The message was loud and clear to them – “The Mosaic covenant is to be followed in all things, and if they weren’t following it in their own lives, how could they condemn this woman.”

We all need to take note of this in our lives.  We are so quick to condemn others for their sin, without looking at our own.  Did you sin today?  The answer is yes, you did.  So did I.  We are all sinners in the eyes of the Lord and if you believe your sins are less sinful than another, than you need to ask yourself this question.  Who will decide the severity of the sinful nature?  You, me, my Pastor, my friends, my enemies; or God Almighty?  You see, you and I are not equipped to judge mankind of their sinful nature.  We aren’t capable of forgiving sin, redeeming sin or sanctifying a sinful life back to a measure of acceptance in the Lord’s eyes. 

The Father, in His loving grace, gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to die once as a price to redeem man’s sin.  There is no second death, no additional measure of redemption that is coming.  His blood was poured out that we might have everlasting, eternal life with the Father in heaven.  We are all sinful in our flesh.  Certainly, we see some sin as an abomination to the Lord’s love and nature, but does that make it less forgivable?  Is God’s grace insufficient for some sin?

A few sins that make most of our skin crawl include: Murder, Rape, Child Abuse, Adultery and many forms of sexual sin and debauchery; will God forgive those who partake of these?  What about lying, cheating, material possession idolatry, stealing, swearing, greed, pride, hate, envy, jealousy and so on; will God forgive these sinful actions?  Who gets to decide?  Are you truly prepared to tell God that He should or should not forgive one man’s actions, without considering the amount of sin in your own life that He has forgiven.

We don’t have to approve of sinful action when we see it.  Keep in mind what Jesus told the woman after all of her accusers had left.  “Woman, where are they? did no man condemn thee?  And she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.”  John 8:10-11

Jesus didn’t forgive her and tell her to go on and continue doing what she was doing, but rather “go and sin no more.”  Repent, turn the other way, make a better choice, turn away from sin.  These are all the same choices we are given every time sin comes our way.  I believe we need to be a little more loving to those who we see living in sin.  Help them understand that we are all sinners and in need of a savior.  Help them understand that Jesus forgives sin and by the grace of the Lord their sin can be forgiven.  But, also help them understand, Jesus requires them to turn from their sin and turn toward Him.  If we loved others, I promise this world could truly be a more peaceful place for all of us.

 

Be Blessed,

Rich

 

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