God is Merciful
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." Luke 5:20
We often do things that we aren’t proud of --and sometimes, they are a bit more serious than others. Time can erase the memories, but the guilt can come back unexpectedly. We try to compensate for our poor actions but without true forgiveness, the sin takes root and can turn into a life of bitterness, anger, or sadness of heart. If criminals carry records, our employers keep files on our misdeeds, and our loved ones keep score – then how can we truly be forgiven and earn a fresh start?
The Bible tells us that we are forgiven though Christ’s death on the cross. He died for our sins, paying our debts in full. We don’t have to do anything to be forgiven other than believe in Christ as Lord and repent. True repentance means to turn from our sin and turn to God. While this is a big step, when we trust God, we experience forgiveness, and we are made free from the bondage that follows our folly.
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9
Because God is merciful, all our sins are forgiven through Jesus.
Thursday, July 15, 2021
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Is Work an Idol?
God is Sovereign
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24
Unfortunately, society lures us to get wrapped up in our title, the power of our position, the size of our paycheck…. Not only do we let our work define who we are as individuals, but work often becomes the source of satisfaction in our lives.
Giving up an identity defined by work seems counterintuitive to culture, but with Christ as the center of our affections, we are able to see a much grander vision. We end up with balance in our lives and the ability to love our family and neighbors when we’d otherwise be consumed by work. God does not define us by what we do or what we own, but rather by whose we are. We are God’s children -- the sons and daughters of a King! When we grasp that concept, work should no longer have a stronghold on us. We no longer are a slave to performance, but are free to think differently about the true purpose for our lives.
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Because God is sovereign, we can find our true identity in Jesus.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24
Unfortunately, society lures us to get wrapped up in our title, the power of our position, the size of our paycheck…. Not only do we let our work define who we are as individuals, but work often becomes the source of satisfaction in our lives.
Giving up an identity defined by work seems counterintuitive to culture, but with Christ as the center of our affections, we are able to see a much grander vision. We end up with balance in our lives and the ability to love our family and neighbors when we’d otherwise be consumed by work. God does not define us by what we do or what we own, but rather by whose we are. We are God’s children -- the sons and daughters of a King! When we grasp that concept, work should no longer have a stronghold on us. We no longer are a slave to performance, but are free to think differently about the true purpose for our lives.
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Because God is sovereign, we can find our true identity in Jesus.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
One Day at a Time
God is Eternal
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13
Many of us find it hard to live in the moment. We are often focused on our next meeting, our next trip, or our next paycheck. We seem to talk about what’s next, failing to live in the present. What would it look like if we slowed down and embraced the present? If we did not worry about what was next, but what is now? Would we be less hurried, spend more time building relationships, and give up trying to control everything? Could our quality of life be dramatically improved?
Taking things minute by minute allows us to enjoy the present and give up trying to control the future. God’s plan is that one day we will live with Him in eternity - a place without time, where there is no past and no future, just the present. Today, He longs for us to live with Him in the present as well. Consequently, there would be no fear, no anxiety, no insecurity, and a fullness in our heart as we live out each moment, trusting God with the timing and the outcomes.
I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:10-11
Because God is eternal, we can live in the moment in confidence with Christ.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13
Many of us find it hard to live in the moment. We are often focused on our next meeting, our next trip, or our next paycheck. We seem to talk about what’s next, failing to live in the present. What would it look like if we slowed down and embraced the present? If we did not worry about what was next, but what is now? Would we be less hurried, spend more time building relationships, and give up trying to control everything? Could our quality of life be dramatically improved?
Taking things minute by minute allows us to enjoy the present and give up trying to control the future. God’s plan is that one day we will live with Him in eternity - a place without time, where there is no past and no future, just the present. Today, He longs for us to live with Him in the present as well. Consequently, there would be no fear, no anxiety, no insecurity, and a fullness in our heart as we live out each moment, trusting God with the timing and the outcomes.
I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:10-11
Because God is eternal, we can live in the moment in confidence with Christ.
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Patience is a Virtue
God is Love
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:3-5
Maybe you struggle with patience while you stand in line, are put on hold, or wait for a response to an important question….What about people who wait a lifetime to see change in a loved one and never loose hope? The people who care for a special needs child or a parent who no longer can care for themselves….Their patience is amazing. Maybe their strength comes from something greater than themselves – possibly it stems from a love that is so deep it can’t be described.
That indescribable love is the same kind of love that God has for each one of us. He waits patiently for us to acknowledge Him as Creator and Giver of all things and invite Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our lives. He won’t force you but He’ll never stop pursuing you. He waits patiently, eagerly, lovingly.
>For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8
Because God is love, He waits patiently for us to accept Jesus as Lord of our lives.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:3-5
Maybe you struggle with patience while you stand in line, are put on hold, or wait for a response to an important question….What about people who wait a lifetime to see change in a loved one and never loose hope? The people who care for a special needs child or a parent who no longer can care for themselves….Their patience is amazing. Maybe their strength comes from something greater than themselves – possibly it stems from a love that is so deep it can’t be described.
That indescribable love is the same kind of love that God has for each one of us. He waits patiently for us to acknowledge Him as Creator and Giver of all things and invite Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our lives. He won’t force you but He’ll never stop pursuing you. He waits patiently, eagerly, lovingly.
Because God is love, He waits patiently for us to accept Jesus as Lord of our lives.
Saturday, May 15, 2021
Careful What You Ask For
God is Goodness
he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Psalm 78:24
I want it all and I want it now! With today’s automation and technology, we have become an on-demand, instant gratification generation.
What is so interesting is that same selfish desire hasn’t changed much since creation. Eve had everything she could possibly want, but she had to have the forbidden fruit too. And the Israelites were not satisfied with manna from heaven that God provided. Ultimately, God grew tired of their grumbling and let them have their way. They feasted on quail to their hearts delight, however, their lack of trust angered the Lord and many were destroyed.
Thousands of years have passed since these events happened, but our selfish desires have not changed. Fortunately God’s goodness and mercy remain true to his promises. He always provides us with what we need. It is just sometimes we don’t think we have what we want or we don’t see from where our provision truly comes.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
Because God is goodness, we can trust that all our needs will be met through Christ.
he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Psalm 78:24
I want it all and I want it now! With today’s automation and technology, we have become an on-demand, instant gratification generation.
What is so interesting is that same selfish desire hasn’t changed much since creation. Eve had everything she could possibly want, but she had to have the forbidden fruit too. And the Israelites were not satisfied with manna from heaven that God provided. Ultimately, God grew tired of their grumbling and let them have their way. They feasted on quail to their hearts delight, however, their lack of trust angered the Lord and many were destroyed.
Thousands of years have passed since these events happened, but our selfish desires have not changed. Fortunately God’s goodness and mercy remain true to his promises. He always provides us with what we need. It is just sometimes we don’t think we have what we want or we don’t see from where our provision truly comes.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
Because God is goodness, we can trust that all our needs will be met through Christ.
Saturday, May 1, 2021
People Pleasers
God is Love
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
The world is full of people pleasers. And while that is a good thing for those of us who are service providers, we all know it is exhausting, if not impossible, to constantly please others. Looking at the motive, we see ourselves striving for acceptance and love. To win over hearts, we can fall into the trap of believing we must earn acceptance. And often we find no matter what we do or say, it is never enough to feel at peace.
But the Bible tells us that we are loved and accepted unconditionally by God. We can never be separated from God’s love no matter what we do or don’t do. And, no good works will provide that love, because it is a gift from God. God loved us first and chose us to be in a relationship with him – nothing is required to receive the gift other than the desire to accept God’s saving grace which was made available to us through Jesus. We don’t need to be perfect, we just need to be His.
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
Because God is love, through Christ we are completely loved and accepted.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
The world is full of people pleasers. And while that is a good thing for those of us who are service providers, we all know it is exhausting, if not impossible, to constantly please others. Looking at the motive, we see ourselves striving for acceptance and love. To win over hearts, we can fall into the trap of believing we must earn acceptance. And often we find no matter what we do or say, it is never enough to feel at peace.
But the Bible tells us that we are loved and accepted unconditionally by God. We can never be separated from God’s love no matter what we do or don’t do. And, no good works will provide that love, because it is a gift from God. God loved us first and chose us to be in a relationship with him – nothing is required to receive the gift other than the desire to accept God’s saving grace which was made available to us through Jesus. We don’t need to be perfect, we just need to be His.
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
Because God is love, through Christ we are completely loved and accepted.
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Removing Impurities
God is Holy
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; ... Malachi 3:3
Let’s face it - No one likes to change their ways or habits, no matter how destructive they may be or how necessary. While the status quo is always easiest, deep down, we all admit there are some things we’d like to change about ourselves. Maybe it’s having more patience with a co-worker, or having a higher level of integrity at work; maybe it’s being more of a team player, or being more charitable….
The bible tells us that God is constantly at work refining our character. Just like the silversmith that removes impurities in metal over a blazing fire, God places us in hot spots to perfect our character. Daily, we can find ourselves in situations that challenge us to move in a new direction, to extend grace, forgiveness, or a helping hand when we would not otherwise. We have two choices – to stay on the same path or to be like Jesus in our thoughts and actions. But how many of us choose the latter? If we trust God and obey His word at times of testing, we will find that just like silver, imperfections in our character are removed allowing His reflection in our life to become real and visible to those around us.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8
Because God is holy, He continues to perfect our character through difficult circumstances.
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; ... Malachi 3:3
Let’s face it - No one likes to change their ways or habits, no matter how destructive they may be or how necessary. While the status quo is always easiest, deep down, we all admit there are some things we’d like to change about ourselves. Maybe it’s having more patience with a co-worker, or having a higher level of integrity at work; maybe it’s being more of a team player, or being more charitable….
The bible tells us that God is constantly at work refining our character. Just like the silversmith that removes impurities in metal over a blazing fire, God places us in hot spots to perfect our character. Daily, we can find ourselves in situations that challenge us to move in a new direction, to extend grace, forgiveness, or a helping hand when we would not otherwise. We have two choices – to stay on the same path or to be like Jesus in our thoughts and actions. But how many of us choose the latter? If we trust God and obey His word at times of testing, we will find that just like silver, imperfections in our character are removed allowing His reflection in our life to become real and visible to those around us.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8
Because God is holy, He continues to perfect our character through difficult circumstances.
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