Willingness of a Savior

"While Jesus was in one of the towns,

a man came along who was covered with leprosy.

When he saw Jesus,

he fell with his face to the ground and begged him,

'Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.'

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.

'I am willing,' he said.

'Be clean!' And immediately the leprosy left him.

Then Jesus ordered him,

'Don't tell anyone, but go,

show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,

as a testimony to them.'

Yet the news about him spread all the more,

so that crowds of people came to hear him

and to be healed of their sicknesses.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Luke 5:12-16

He tripped and fell, skinning his tender knee on the unforgiving pavement.

"Waaaaa!  I want my Mommy!" the toddler screamed before running off to find his savior.  When the mother caught sight of her distraught child, blood dripping down his shin, she responded immediately.  "Come her, Baby.  It's okay, I'll get you fixed up and you'll feel better in no time."

Suddenly, the little boy's cries turn into sniffles as he put himself into the caring hands of his mother.

This mom didn't have to think about whether or not she'd help her beloved son.  Instead, she was eager to end his suffering.  It's the same with Jesus.  He is always ready to help me, if only I'd put myself into His caring hands.

My healing is dependent upon Jesus' willingness to save me, not on my worthiness or degree of need.  No matter what the pain, He is willing and able to help me.  For that reason, I can trust Him, believe in Him and base my faith on His integrity.  He's a voluntary Savior.

Trust

My daughter adopted two feral kittens a couple of years ago.  Knowing nothing but the streets they came from, these two skittish kitties needed lots of patient and gentle care.  Over time, they have gradually built a level of trust in their human family.  They've progressed from scared, timid felines hiding under the furniture, to the more friendly, playful cats we know today.  Wild cats are used to thinking of humans as predators so it takes commitment to show them otherwise.

It's not so different with me and Jesus.  Even though He has shown me to be trustworthy, I tend to shy away from letting Him get too close.  I may be afraid He's going to condemn me for my sinful ways, forsake me for my lack of faith, or expect from me more than I can give.

The truth is that He came to the world to save it, not condemn it (John 3:17), there is nothing that can separate me from from His love and He'll never leave me (Hebrews 13:5  Romans 8:35).  As long as my heart is willing, what I have to give is enough.  (Psalm 51:17)  If I let Jesus into the deepest recesses of my soul, He will become my best friend.  (Revelation 3:20)

Because Jesus is willing to help me, I can trust Him with my life.

Believe

I hear a lot about the concept of belief in this age of "if it feels good do it" and "anything goes" mentalities.  People can believe in many different ideas and philosophies, but there is only one God and one Truth. (Isaiah 44:6  John 14:6)  If there is belief, there must be a concept, idea or entity in which I place that belief.  I can't just believe.

Since Jesus is able to do more than I ask or imagine, I would rather believe He will provide for my needs.  (Ephesians 3:19-21)  Since Jesus is the Mighty Counselor, I feel secure in putting my relationships into His capable hands.  (Isaiah 9:6)  Since Jesus is the Savior of the world, I accept His sacrifice as the only thing giving me life eternal, freedom from condemnation and peace with God and others.  (Acts 4:12)

Believing is what takes place in my heart, but if it's true acceptance my life will be changed as I surrender more of myself to Jesus.  Oswald Chambers said it's as if Jesus is challenging me: "If you would be My disciple, give up your right to yourself to Me."  Then he goes on to say, "When once the surrender has taken place we never need 'suppose' anything.  We do not need to care what our circumstances are, Jesus is amply sufficient."

Where am I questioning?  Maybe it's when I'm sitting in the doctor's office again, waiting for yet another test result as the pain persists to ravage my body.

Perhaps I wonder whether Jesus really can help when I cry myself to sleep over the pieces of my broken marriage.

It could be that I'm not believing Jesus can do a thing to improve my unstable job situation or less-than adequate living conditions.  

I can believe Jesus will do as He's said He will do, without a second thought.  In my mind, I can make it as if it's already happened.

Because Jesus is willing to help me, I can believe He is able to do anything.

Basis

When I sit in my Lazy Boy recliner, I feel confident in lowering my full weight to rest on it because I know it's made with sturdy craftsmanship:  It's integrity comes from the way it was constructed.

Likewise, my faith in Jesus is based on the fact that He is, "the same yesterday and today and forever," (Hebrews 13:8) as well as, "the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 22:13)  He is also the, "author and perfecter of my faith" who is seated at the right hand of God Almighty.  (Hebrews 12:2)

Jesus and His teachings do not change with the times, He is an integral part of all of creation, and He is the One who makes my faith possible.  I can base my confidence on all of these truths.

It is easy, however, to get caught up in all that Jesus has done for me.  He has freed me from guilt and shame.  He has given me a peace that I would not otherwise experience.  He has given me a sense of purpose and meaning as I follow Him.  These, however, can all be considered to be icing on the cake.  My faith is not based on these "perks" or benefits.  If it was, the moment life gets difficult, my conviction would waver.

Instead, my faith is based on the solid Rock of Jesus.  (1 Peter 2:6)  On Him, my confidence is sure.

Because Jesus is willing to help me, I can base my faith on His identity and integrity.

There's no question that Jesus wants to take up a bigger space in my life.  He is willing to heal, to restore and to bind up my broken heart.  Consequently, I can trust Him in all things, believe He can do all things, and base my faith on Him who is all things.  Jesus is my all in all.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can cast away all doubt and keep my eyes solely on Jesus.

When do I let fear block my belief in the One who can set me free?

How is my faith based on what I get out of my relationship with Jesus instead of on who He is?

My Life as a Sermon

"Preach the word of God.

Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not."

2 Timothy 4:2 NLT

"But I don't want to!"  The sound of the whining child grated on my nerves.

"It doesn't matter if you want to or not.  The chores need to be done and as a part of this family, you need to pitch in and do your part. . . whether you feel like it or not."

Maybe this sounds familiar. . .children don't always want to do their chores.  Maybe in your house the battle is over homework or a myriad of other things.  Whatever is the source of conflict, I can guarantee that where there is a will. . . there is a battle of some kind.

As an adult, I am not immune to this childish mindset.  There are many things I don't want to do.  I don't feel like cleaning, for example. In fact, I could call myself a reluctant cleaner.  Every once in a while I'll feel inspired to clean and then I'll go crazy, getting everything spic and span.  Most of the time, however, I clean because it needs to be done.  Another thing I rarely want to do is to go to the dentist.  Again, it is something that is important for my overall health, so I make a point to do it.  

Life is filled with examples of "chores" like these.  My walk with Christ is not so different.  There are things I am called to do whether or not I'm in the mood.  I can't wait until I feel inspired or in the mood.  

One of these things is that even though I'm not a pastor, I am called to preach, whether I feel like it or not.  Some kinds of preaching can't be done from the pulpit but are best observed by onlookers watching a life that is wholly committed to Christ. 

Love

She holds the hand of the leper.  He runs back into a burning building to save a child.  She prays for the one who beats her.  Love compels people do the unthinkable, the heroic, the foolish.  

As much as I love my family and would give my life for them, I don't think I really understand the depths of God's love for His people.  It is important that I let His love sink into my very being.  Unless I truly grasp the magnitude of His love, I will not fully become the one who God has created me to be.

The Apostle Paul explained this truth to the believers at Ephesus.  "I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.  Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.  Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."  (Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT)

It all begins with surrendering my all to Jesus.  As I do this, I will grow in His love and will experience more of His love.  Coming into contact with the love of Christ as I allow Him to invade my being, transforming me into His image, empowers me to love others as He does.  This is the fullness of life that God has given me; not to simply feel that love He has for me and soak in it, but to allow the love to flow over into the lives of others.

In this way I will be preaching a powerful sermon to people around me.  Scottish scholar and writer William Barclay put it this way when he wrote that, "More people have been brought into the church by the kindness of real Christian love than by all the theological arguments in the world. . ."

Loving others is not always easy; some are prickly porcupines and others are cuddly teddy bears.  If I have endured a difficult day and am in a hurry when God places a hurting porcupine in my path, I have two choices.  Either I can go with my feelings and turn away, or can I allow the love of Christ to show some compassion to someone who needs a kind word.  

The love of Christ is a sermon that will always preach, if I will only yield to the Preacher.

Joy

I remember trying to catch our neighbor's bunny.  Everyone gathered to retrieve the escapee.  We corralled, lured and chased, but nothing seemed to work.  As soon as we thought we had her, she would hop away.  A rabbit-loving friend of mine later told me that if we would have sat down and relaxed, the bunny would have come right to one of us.

Joy is like that elusive rabbit. Alexander MacLaren, a 19th Century Baptist Minister, said,  "To pursue joy is to lose it.  The only way to get it is to follow steadily the path of duty, without think of joy, and then, like sheep, it comes most surely, unsought, and we 'being in the way,' the angel of God, fair-haired joy, is sure to meet us."  

Following Jesus and giving control over to Him produces the fruit of joy in my life.  It's easy to pursue my Savior when things are going smoothly, but what about when all seems lost; when the car breaks down, the child becomes ill, or the breadwinner loses his job?  Maybe this Jesus-thing isn't working out so well, I may think.

Trusting in Jesus means letting Him decide where the path of my life goes, and which route it will take.  Knowing that He loves me, I can say that, "even though (I) don't see him now, (I) believe in him and (am) filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." (1 Peter 1:8)

Joy comes when I continue on the path of faith, even when things aren't working out the way I want.  

Jesus

"We don't believe in Jesus."  The words hit hard.  This phrase came from the mouth of a father whose family is open to all kinds of beliefs.  All kinds, that is, except for the very One that brings life.  They have practiced Islam, learned about Hinduism, New Age beliefs and the teachings of Buddha.  They study all varieties of religions together as a family, but they deny Jesus and the message of the cross.

This is not a surprise.  It was prophesied in Psalm 118:22  and Peter talked about this dismissal of Jesus as he appeared before the Sanhedrin, a Jewish panel of judges.  He said that Jesus is, "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."  (Acts 4:11-12)

The name of Jesus is powerful.  It is the salvation of my soul!  The world I live in, however, does not respect His name.  Characters in movies use His name as a curse word.  Others make jokes with His name.  Then there are those who deny His deity and power while claiming to have accepted the salvation that is offered through faith in Him. 

There is no doubt that the name of Jesus provides some controversy.  As His follower, I hold Him in the highest regard, as the source of my salvation. . . the rescuer of my soul from the depths of Hell itself.  I owe my all to Him.  Jesus is the reason for my faith, and salvation is the reward of this faith. 

Since Jesus holds such an important position in my life, can I give any less than my very best for Him?

There are many times when I would rather live my life for me, but claiming Christ as my Savior means I put Him first.

I could never imagine preaching a sermon, but the way I live my life says a lot about what I believe.  If the love of Christ overflows to others, His joy is evident despite my circumstances, and I give my all for Jesus, then the message I convey will be one that points to the gospel.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will preach a sermon with my life that glorifies God.

When do I let circumstances steal the joy God has given to me?

How do I live my life in such a way that says I have no hope in Christ? 

Revival

"For we know, brothers loved by God,

that he has chosen you,

because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power,

with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. . .your faith in God has become known everywhere. . .

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,"

1 Thessalonians 1:4,5,8,9

Man is an animal.  God is dead.  There is no God.  Science makes God unnecessary.  Truth is what I believe it to be.  Love is love, I don't see the difference whether it is lesbian, homosexual, or heterosexual.  Ending a life is a choice.

These are statements that are floating around the Internet and are easily accessible to anyone spending any time in cyberspace.   If I am searching for God, it is easy to read about these beliefs and start doubting.  Once uncertainty creeps into my mind, it is a small step to simply turn my back on God.

But God's not dead!  He's alive.  Take a moment and watch this video from the Newsboys to see what I mean.

Maybe I'm not seeing God's Hand in my life because I'm looking in the wrong place.  Maybe I'm not giving Him a chance to work in my heart because I've hardened it against Him.  Maybe I'm immune to His miracles because I'm dead on the inside.  

God is not the problem.  I am the problem, and the real evidence of God's existence is in what takes place inside of me once I give my life to Him.

Alive 

Anyone who has experienced the convicting pressure of God's hand upon them knows that God is alive and He is living within them.   All who have witnessed the transformation of a hard, stubborn heart into a soft and pliable spirit knows that God is with them.  Every person who has felt a peace that makes no sense in the middle of turmoil or trial knows that God lives inside of them.  

God is not an object carved from wood or stone.  He is not a myth created by man.  Neither is He an impotent being.  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is alive. . . and He is living within me.

The only way to know for sure, however, is to give the living God a chance for yourself.  As David said in Psalm 34:8, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."  The evidence of God's living existence is found in the changes He has wrought within me.  I am not the same person I was before I met Him.  

God has left His imprint upon the hearts of all those who give their lives to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

Powerful

Whenever I witness a thunderstorm, I ponder the power of God.  As I cower under this tiny sampling of His might, I think about how His power was never more evident than in the creation of all things.

 My God has the authority to speak the world into existence!  He said the word, and light came into being.  He uttered one syllable and the newly formed earth was teaming with creatures.   It took only one breath blown into the nostrils of man, and Adam came to life. 

This kind of power is unlimited.  Combined with His perfect justice, love, grace and mercy, it becomes evident that this is a God who is able to help me in all situations.  Whether I am facing cancer, divorce, death, loss, or calamity of any kind. . . God is powerful enough to save me.

Once again, David as a man after God's own heart knew a little something about the power of God.  He said, "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.  Our God is a God who saves." (Psalm 68:19-20)

Over the course of several years in my past I worked in three different gyms.  Even though each facility was different, there was one thing they all had in common.  The guys who were the strongest and lifted the heaviest weights were the ones who were the most inconsiderate, leaving their big plates and heavy dumbbells out for someone else to put away.  They used their strength for their own good but not for the good of anyone else.  

Thankfully, this observation does not apply to God.  He is mighty and merciful, strong and loving, great and gracious.  The Lord acts in great power coupled with amazing love.  As the Apostle Paul said to the church at Ephesus, "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

The Lord is a powerful God who is able to do all things.  He can mend a broken heart, repair a estranged relationship, or give hope where none exists.  As the missionary Andrew Murray said, "Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation."

The evidence of the power of God in my life is in the amazing feats and loving acts that are meant for my good and the good of those around me. 

Sovereign 

Anyone who believes God does not exist has not really examined the intricacies of life.  Imagine the timing and amount of planning it takes for a single life to intersect with another at just the right moment.

A friend of mine was recently telling me about how she was taking her car in for repair.  She didn't have much money and was grieving over the high estimate.  Knowing she needed to have the work done, she headed over to the shop, trusting God that He would make it all work out.

As she was driving, she came upon a friend of hers who waved her down.  He hopped in the van and proceeded to direct her to a friend of his who was able to do the work for half the cost in a fraction of the time.  God had orchestrated this chance meeting and turned it into a huge blessing for my friend.

Each of us has experienced similar incidents that showcase the dominion of God.  The Israelites certainly witnessed many events that demonstrated God's control over all things.

When they were still slaves in Egypt and God sent Moses to ask Pharaoh to let His people go, God sent plague after plague to afflict the natives.  Then He sent this message to the king of Egypt through Moses. "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that  I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."  (Exodus 9:16)

Every meeting God orchestrates, every need He meets, every calamity He prevents, is done in order to lift up His name throughout all of creation.

God's sovereignty is made known through every breath that I take and every miracle that occurs, whether or not I recognize it.

God is not dead, He is surely alive and it is time for a revival of sorts.  It is time for my heart to be revitalized toward the One who made made me, who will live within me if given the chance, who has the power to do all things and who is in control of every aspect of every life.  

No, God is not dead.  It is I who is dead. . . . and it is time for me to wake up!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will look for evidence of God in the details of my life.

How do I explain away the miracles that God orchestrates each day?

When do I fail to recognize the gift God has given me with every single breath that I take?

Imagine

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more 

than all we ask or imagine, 

according to his power that is at work within us, 

to him be glory in the church 

and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, 

for ever and ever! 

Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21

Remember the John Lennon song, Imagine?  Have you ever really paid attention to the lyrics of this song?  It's easy to get caught up in the emotion of the music and lose the meaning, as the audience did at a Christmas on Ice show that my family and I attended last night.  Take a moment to read the lyrics:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

John Lennon imagined a one-world, no boundaries system with no hope for tomorrow, nothing to live for, and no purpose for our lives.  And then he thought we would live in peace?  Sounds like a recipe for chaos to me, and definitely not the kind of place I want to imagine living in.


As followers of Christ, we have a better imagination.  When Paul wrote the benediction found in Ephesians 3, he said that God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine. Like what?


God's Family  It used to be that I had to be born into the right people group, the nation of Israel, in order to belong to Him.  Now, through faith in Jesus, I can be a part of God's family!  And as a member of this family, I stand to inherit eternal life.  How many people have searched their lives for a way to be able to live forever, or at least extend their existence?  I can think of the famed "Fountain of Youth," research in cryonics, (a human being is frozen until some point in the future when good health can be restored through medical breakthroughs), along with all kinds of nutritional supplements and exercise plans.  But none of these promise eternal life, and none gives the assurance of a life of hope that we can have in Jesus!  Paul desired for all believers to be able to, ". . .know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance. . ." (Ephesians 1:18)  I have the hope of heaven as my inheritance as a member of God's family!


A Member  Everyone wants to belong.  Ask anyone who works with gangs, and they will tell you that one of the most prevalent reasons youth join gangs is that they want to be apart of something.  Even though their gang family does not truly care about them, it fills a need to belong.  As a believer in Jesus, I belong to a huge family that spans the globe.  No matter where I go, I will find those who share my faith, love my God and learn from the same scriptures. As the Apostle Paul taught, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (I Corinthians 12:27)  Through my simple faith in Jesus as my Savior, I am a member of the Body of Christ: now I belong!


Direction  I remember many times in my life when I had to put together some kind of gift on Christmas Eve.  My husband and I would start off thinking we could easily figure it out, but would always resort to reading the directions to finish the job.  In order to truly understand the workings of the object, we had to go to the directions created by the manufacturer of that item. It is the same with us!  As a believer in Jesus, I now have access to the One who created all things and who best knows how I should live my life!   I have direction and guidance from my Creator as a follower of Jesus.


This Christmas, as I think on the miracle of God's Son coming down as a tiny babe, I will remember all that He has done for me.  He has adopted me into His family, thus making me an heir, He made me a member of His world-wide family, and bestowed upon me the gift of a relationship with Him.  I can't imagine anything better!


As I begin this day, I pray that I can keep my mind focused on the promises of God that came through His Son.


How can I live my life in unity with my adopted family?


This Christmas, how can I best honor the sacrifice Jesus made in the way I talk about, interact with, and treat my family?

God with Us

The virgin will be with child

and will give birth to a son,

and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel literally means, "God with us."  Have you thought about the miracle of worshipping a God who is with us, and what that means to us this Christmas?

Accessible  There is only One True God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  But there are many other belief systems out there, none of which can claim their god is with them!  Islam claims a god who is merciful and powerful, but he is far away and will never be accessible, even in the afterlife.  The Lord our God is different.  He came to earth in the form of a man in order that I, ". . .may approach God with freedom and confidence."  (Ephesians 3:12)  There is nothing that can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus!  My God is always available to me!

Understanding   Immanuel understands me better than I know myself!   I make homemade bread every week.  Because I added all the ingredients for each batch of bread, kneaded it for the required time, let it rise, formed the dough into loaves, baked them in the oven, and sliced each loaf before placing them into a bags, I can honestly say that I know that bread well.  I made it, so I know it intimately.  I am so much more complicated than a loaf of bread, yet God made me and He understands me in a way that no one else can!  The One who made me and knows me in this way also lived the life of a human for 33 years.  He can appreciate anything I experience because He lived it, too.  My God always understands me!

Caring  There is no problem so small that God would not care.  The other day, my oldest daughter came home with a kitten who had been soaked in motor oil.  I don't know how this happened, but the poor thing was shivering cold and pathetic as can be.  We cleaned her up and asked God to find her a home.  But does the God of the universe have time for a little kitten?  Yes, He does.  Two days later my husband and I were running an errand and mentioned the kitten to a dear woman we had just met.  She exclaimed, "I've been looking for a kitten!"  She named the sweet tabby, "Diesel," and picked her up the next day, filled with joy at the prospect of her new family member.  As the hymn goes, "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me!"  I am reminded in I Peter 5:7 that I can, "Cast all (my) anxiety on him because he cares for (me)."  My God always cares for me!

As I run around this Christmas, doing all that I think is required of me, I am determined to keep this thought in mind:  Immanuel is accessible, understanding and caring.  God is with me!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can live my life in a way that illustrates God's presence in my day-to-day existence.

Where am I relying on my own strength instead of leaning on the one who cares for me?

How do I fail to extend to others this same understanding that God shows me?