When The Door Slams
The Eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil.
1 Peter 3:12
Why do bad things happen to good people? In time you will pondered this question once or twice in your life time. Christians wrestle with the reality of pain and suffering all over our world. We struggle to understand why, when we try to help others and do the right thing, so often we find ourselves in difficult times--especially when we struggle to understand when the same thing happens to us.
Why do good things happen to bad people? At some level we can understand that the trials of life produce character in those who suffer through them (James 1:2-4), but what about those times when wicked people prosper? What good can come from cheaters and liars who seem to rise higher and higher each day on the wings of their own greed?
Peter's words in this verse offer comfort in the face of such big questions. "The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right" and "the LORD turns his face against those who do evil." That is a promise from God's Word. We may not always understand how that promise works itself out, but we can have confidence that God is listen, he wants to hear from us. You don't have to strain your-self to get God's attention.
We can rest assured that God works against those who do evil, even if they appear to be "getting away with murder." Even if evil is used against us personally, we know that God will work it out, for our good, so all we need is faith that God is quite capable and let God be Who I AM.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. Proverbs 3:5-7
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Sunday, September 8, 2019
You Know The Story
When The Door Slams
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:11-12
A Wall Street Journal article reported on a survey in which men and women were asked, "What is it that you fear the most?" The number three fear of all participants was the fear of death. The fear of failure ranked number one, and the fear of loneliness was number two.
1 John 4:18 says that "perfect love casts out fear." Perfect love has only the good of the person being loved in mind. Perfect love was demonstrated when God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die in our place.
Fortunately that wasn't the end of the story. Jesus was the ultimate victim of my sin, but God wasn't going to leave Him a victim forever. Death had no power over Him. Resurrection was God's answer to the worst that human beings could dish out.
If I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, repent and be obedient to His Word I have eternal life. That frees me from my fear of death. Then I am welcomed into a caring, supportive group of believers. Together we support each other as we discover what it means to follow Jesus. We no longer need to fear loneliness.
The incredible power that raised Christ from the dead is also available to you today. That power can bring good out of even your most devastating failures. Therefore I don't have to fear failure. You know the story. Because of Christ I do not fear failure, loneliness or death.
Ask the Spirit to Search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:11-12
A Wall Street Journal article reported on a survey in which men and women were asked, "What is it that you fear the most?" The number three fear of all participants was the fear of death. The fear of failure ranked number one, and the fear of loneliness was number two.
1 John 4:18 says that "perfect love casts out fear." Perfect love has only the good of the person being loved in mind. Perfect love was demonstrated when God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die in our place.
Fortunately that wasn't the end of the story. Jesus was the ultimate victim of my sin, but God wasn't going to leave Him a victim forever. Death had no power over Him. Resurrection was God's answer to the worst that human beings could dish out.
If I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, repent and be obedient to His Word I have eternal life. That frees me from my fear of death. Then I am welcomed into a caring, supportive group of believers. Together we support each other as we discover what it means to follow Jesus. We no longer need to fear loneliness.
The incredible power that raised Christ from the dead is also available to you today. That power can bring good out of even your most devastating failures. Therefore I don't have to fear failure. You know the story. Because of Christ I do not fear failure, loneliness or death.
Ask the Spirit to Search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Jesus Christ is Light.
When The Door Slams
He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of this Son. Colossians 1:13
Think about this, the kingdom of darkness. What picture do they form in your mind? An impenetrable blackness all around that would keep you from seeing where to go? An enveloping darkness like a fog that would make you fear something will jump out and hurt you? A reeking swamp of despair that would keep you feeling terrified?
The kingdom of darkness is Satan's domain. The main thing he does is keep people in the dark so they can't see the light that would lead them out of it to a place of hope, joy, and peace. How does Satan's kingdom work?
Through dark lies, Satan keep people afraid, unable to move in any direction. Through accusations and guilt-inducing deception, through false leadership or authority in Cults where people become further immobilized. By keeping them chained to their sins, bad habits, lies, and addictions.
Practically in today's churches has certain characteristics that can tell the careful observer that something is wrong. A unwillingness of the leaders to let the people grow up. A true shepherd will do everything he can to bring Christian people to maturity as quickly as he can. He will not seek to avoid necessary teaching, nor will he try to keep people from maturity. Many cults perpetuate spiritual dependence so that their followers lose the ability to make independent, rational decisions.
But there is a way out. How? By the light of Christ's Kingdom. Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and when his light shines on you, He enables you to escape from this darkness. Do you ever feel guilt, fear, and despair? Look to the light of Christ. His promise is to lead you into his Kingdom.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of this Son. Colossians 1:13
Think about this, the kingdom of darkness. What picture do they form in your mind? An impenetrable blackness all around that would keep you from seeing where to go? An enveloping darkness like a fog that would make you fear something will jump out and hurt you? A reeking swamp of despair that would keep you feeling terrified?
The kingdom of darkness is Satan's domain. The main thing he does is keep people in the dark so they can't see the light that would lead them out of it to a place of hope, joy, and peace. How does Satan's kingdom work?
Through dark lies, Satan keep people afraid, unable to move in any direction. Through accusations and guilt-inducing deception, through false leadership or authority in Cults where people become further immobilized. By keeping them chained to their sins, bad habits, lies, and addictions.
Practically in today's churches has certain characteristics that can tell the careful observer that something is wrong. A unwillingness of the leaders to let the people grow up. A true shepherd will do everything he can to bring Christian people to maturity as quickly as he can. He will not seek to avoid necessary teaching, nor will he try to keep people from maturity. Many cults perpetuate spiritual dependence so that their followers lose the ability to make independent, rational decisions.
But there is a way out. How? By the light of Christ's Kingdom. Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and when his light shines on you, He enables you to escape from this darkness. Do you ever feel guilt, fear, and despair? Look to the light of Christ. His promise is to lead you into his Kingdom.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Besetting Sins
When The Door Slams
The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
Proverbs 24:16
Have you ever struggled with a "besetting sin"? That 's the kind of sin people commit over and over. They simply fall into it repeatedly. No matter how many times they confess it, no matter how often they vow to stop doing it or try to resist it, they end up giving in. It can be smoking habit, a sexual addiction, abuse of drugs, anger, jealousy, greed, lies, or a multitude of other thing.
Think about this: You can't stop because your sins will-not let you stop. Sins like these can wreak havoc on your life. You feel constantly guilty, like a failure, a loser, and a sneak. You try hard not to let anyone else know about this problem in your life. And when you keep stumbling, even after you have confessed it to others, you are too ashamed to admit that it happen again.
What doses God say to those who have such problems, who have trusted him for their salvation but still struggle with sins they can't seem to overcome? Keep facing it. Keep trying. Don't give up. You belong to God, although you may not find victory quickly. He promises to be with you, to help you, to show you the path to victory. You know the story.
Peter was told he had to forgive his enemy seven times seventy; in the same way, we might fall that many times, instead of the seven times found in this verse. God doesn't fix everything in a Christian's life at once. We all struggle. But we can trust his promise that he will not give up on us--he will enable us to keep getting up and getting back into the fight
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
Proverbs 24:16
Have you ever struggled with a "besetting sin"? That 's the kind of sin people commit over and over. They simply fall into it repeatedly. No matter how many times they confess it, no matter how often they vow to stop doing it or try to resist it, they end up giving in. It can be smoking habit, a sexual addiction, abuse of drugs, anger, jealousy, greed, lies, or a multitude of other thing.
Think about this: You can't stop because your sins will-not let you stop. Sins like these can wreak havoc on your life. You feel constantly guilty, like a failure, a loser, and a sneak. You try hard not to let anyone else know about this problem in your life. And when you keep stumbling, even after you have confessed it to others, you are too ashamed to admit that it happen again.
What doses God say to those who have such problems, who have trusted him for their salvation but still struggle with sins they can't seem to overcome? Keep facing it. Keep trying. Don't give up. You belong to God, although you may not find victory quickly. He promises to be with you, to help you, to show you the path to victory. You know the story.
Peter was told he had to forgive his enemy seven times seventy; in the same way, we might fall that many times, instead of the seven times found in this verse. God doesn't fix everything in a Christian's life at once. We all struggle. But we can trust his promise that he will not give up on us--he will enable us to keep getting up and getting back into the fight
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
The Battle Begins
When The Door Slams
Because you belong to Christ, the power of the life-giving Spirit
has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
Romans 8:2
People the world over struggle with addictions, bigotry, sinful attitudes, lies, and every kind of dysfunction imaginable. Many cry out for help, for someone to step in and show them the way out. When they don't find it, they turn to mediums, other religions, self-help books by weak-minded unbelievers. There is all kind of falsehood out there. It's only when we look to Christ, then, we will find true help.
Think about this, what this verse says happens when we belong to Christ: God gives us the Spirit, who will free us from sin. Many Christians will testify to how Christ empower them to overcome their sinful attitudes and habits. It doesn't happen overnight. Do you reality think you can just walk away from you old habits and attitudes without a struggle? There will be behavior battles, when you try to change the habits of your old life.
God's promise is that the "life-giving Spirit" will give us the life we crave-the life of joy and peace, the life of freedom and hope, the life of love and kindness. You can tap into His power at any time, for the Spirit lives within us and is always ready to begin the work that will truly set us free
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Because you belong to Christ, the power of the life-giving Spirit
has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
Romans 8:2
People the world over struggle with addictions, bigotry, sinful attitudes, lies, and every kind of dysfunction imaginable. Many cry out for help, for someone to step in and show them the way out. When they don't find it, they turn to mediums, other religions, self-help books by weak-minded unbelievers. There is all kind of falsehood out there. It's only when we look to Christ, then, we will find true help.
Think about this, what this verse says happens when we belong to Christ: God gives us the Spirit, who will free us from sin. Many Christians will testify to how Christ empower them to overcome their sinful attitudes and habits. It doesn't happen overnight. Do you reality think you can just walk away from you old habits and attitudes without a struggle? There will be behavior battles, when you try to change the habits of your old life.
God's promise is that the "life-giving Spirit" will give us the life we crave-the life of joy and peace, the life of freedom and hope, the life of love and kindness. You can tap into His power at any time, for the Spirit lives within us and is always ready to begin the work that will truly set us free
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Wretched Man
When The Door Slams
So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me.
In my mind, I am happy with God's law. But I see another law working in my body,
which makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and it makes me its prisoner. What a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death? I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:21-24
Unless we can embrace the good and bad in ourselves, we can never be fully at peace. If we pretend that we are all goodness, we live in denial. Rather than seeing our journey through life as a process, we race through life consumed with and controlled by the quest for perfection. On the other hand, we see only badness in ourselves, we make ourselves and those around us miserable.
You know the story: When God accepts us because of what Christ has done, He accepts all of us. He embraces both our goodness and our badness, and covers it all with the blood of Jesus Christ.
Think about this: When we think that God only accepts the good part of us, we are deceived and we become pretenders. We go through life fabricating innocence and perfection and deny our need to grow.
Only as a result of facing God's unconditional acceptance of us can we embrace the deep insecurity and doubt underlying our constant need to impress by pretending and then be free in His love to know that He isn't finished with us yet. Each new day is an opportunity to embrace this reality at a new level.
I am God's child. I am in process. Today instead of pretending innocence, projecting blame and protecting my insecurities I am going to admit my powerlessness, and ask Christ to be my power.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord God and thank Him for His forgiveness.
So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me.
In my mind, I am happy with God's law. But I see another law working in my body,
which makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and it makes me its prisoner. What a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death? I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:21-24
Unless we can embrace the good and bad in ourselves, we can never be fully at peace. If we pretend that we are all goodness, we live in denial. Rather than seeing our journey through life as a process, we race through life consumed with and controlled by the quest for perfection. On the other hand, we see only badness in ourselves, we make ourselves and those around us miserable.
You know the story: When God accepts us because of what Christ has done, He accepts all of us. He embraces both our goodness and our badness, and covers it all with the blood of Jesus Christ.
Think about this: When we think that God only accepts the good part of us, we are deceived and we become pretenders. We go through life fabricating innocence and perfection and deny our need to grow.
Only as a result of facing God's unconditional acceptance of us can we embrace the deep insecurity and doubt underlying our constant need to impress by pretending and then be free in His love to know that He isn't finished with us yet. Each new day is an opportunity to embrace this reality at a new level.
I am God's child. I am in process. Today instead of pretending innocence, projecting blame and protecting my insecurities I am going to admit my powerlessness, and ask Christ to be my power.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord God and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
The Change In Me
When The Door Slams
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity.
Proverbs 32:1
When we refuse to forgive ourselves for past sins or mistakes, are playing God-and God does want or need us to do so. We are God's children if we have trusted Christ, and we have no right to punish ourselves for our sins. Doing so leaves us chronically tired, depressed, and useless for God's service.
Thank about this: Christ paid for all our past, present and future sins.
When we reject His forgiveness, we reject what He did for us on the cross. He may need to discipline us in love to prevent the same sin in the future, and there may be natural consequences to our disobedience, but God dose not vindictively punish His children.
You know the story: When David "kept silent" and stuffed his guilt feelings, he "groaned all day long" with clinical depression until he finally accepted God's forgiveness and forgave himself. Then and only then he could write our passage for today:
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven."
Blessed is the person whose sin is covered by the blood of the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, allowing the righteous Heavenly Father to "impute" our iniquity to Christ rather than hold it against us. The Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior, better than I deserve.
Forgive me, Lord, for my unwillingness to forgive myself. I know the price you paid for my sin, and that I am precious and clean in Your eyes. Thank you Lord God for forgiving me.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of confessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity.
Proverbs 32:1
When we refuse to forgive ourselves for past sins or mistakes, are playing God-and God does want or need us to do so. We are God's children if we have trusted Christ, and we have no right to punish ourselves for our sins. Doing so leaves us chronically tired, depressed, and useless for God's service.
Thank about this: Christ paid for all our past, present and future sins.
When we reject His forgiveness, we reject what He did for us on the cross. He may need to discipline us in love to prevent the same sin in the future, and there may be natural consequences to our disobedience, but God dose not vindictively punish His children.
You know the story: When David "kept silent" and stuffed his guilt feelings, he "groaned all day long" with clinical depression until he finally accepted God's forgiveness and forgave himself. Then and only then he could write our passage for today:
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven."
Blessed is the person whose sin is covered by the blood of the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, allowing the righteous Heavenly Father to "impute" our iniquity to Christ rather than hold it against us. The Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior, better than I deserve.
Forgive me, Lord, for my unwillingness to forgive myself. I know the price you paid for my sin, and that I am precious and clean in Your eyes. Thank you Lord God for forgiving me.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of confessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
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