Meditation: December 21

“He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs”. Psalm 103:10 (MSG)

If we received what we deserved, every inhabitant on the earth’s surface would warrant the consequences of their transgressions. Our treatment would be harsh while the sentence would be measured against the deserving. None would be able to survive the plight of heavy-handed justice from a God who would remain just in meeting all with the same treatment commensurate to their treatment of God’s Law. God does not give us what we deserve even when it is deserved many times over as result of repeated acts of rebellion. Instead of justice, He tempers justice with mercy. His sentiments remain the same in relation to our deeds. But continues to extend opportunities for us to hear something different than what we may have grown accustomed to hearing in order to give expression to a new way of living. His mercy cannot be demanded. It is arbitrarily granted. He will have mercy on whomever He wills. Yet we all receive it extended towards us. He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. The time will come when all will be both compensated and rewarded. They will either receive the wages of sin, death, or the gift of God, eternal life. He has given us a Savior that we did not deserve. Jesus is the gift of life that has paid the wages for our sins. Only He is able to free us from what every person deserves.

Meditation: December 11

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;” Psalm  23:6

It is the goodness of the Lord and His mercy that is close behind to rescue us from the destructive forces there to overtake us. They sneak from behind while we are unaware of what is approaching. Because of God’s goodness and mercy, we have His Presence not far behind.

Our lives cast a shadow. We are often unaware of the effect our lives have upon others who would walk in the shadow that we cast. When we are led by the Shepherd of our souls, we lead others where we are going and where He is willing to guide. They follow us as we follow Christ.  The very goodness and mercy that follows us becomes the light before all who would walk in our shoes. We abide in the place where the Lord is, and our greatest joy is to see others enter in. 

July 2018 Article:“The Constraints of Freedom”

Those who seek the path of least resistance can find a commodity called cheap freedom. It is closely akin to cheap grace. The appeal of cheap freedom is that it gives its recipients a license to express their every whim and desire, ideals that will eventually lead to their ruin. Those who hold Self paramount in their pursuits seek after it. They give the fallen nature of man full expression, while rebelling against established truths. Their mantra is “it’s your thing, do what you want to do.” “No rules!” is their rule, or at least their freedom allows rules to be compromised. Every individual does what is right in his or her own eyes. They gather a following as new trends are set, and formerly barbaric acts appear civil as a people participate in the demise of civilization. Freedom as an end, rather than a means to an end, leads to disaster. The rise and fall of the Roman Empire ought to remind us of the end of those who are free just for the sake of being free. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25 The rulership of the king in Scripture represents the rule of Law.  “In those days when there was no absolute authority or guiding principle to govern the lives of a people, every individual took matters into his or her own hands.”  When authority is absent, silent, or no longer respected, anarchy replaces rule. Historically, rules concocted from the imaginations of the fallen nature of those in power placed shackles on their fellowmen. The rules arising from their narrow view of humanity suppressed the rights of other people-groups to fully express their humanity. These prohibitions became the law of the land. Compared to this, there is the absolute Law of God, who has full knowledge of His creation with the design in which all He has made is supposed to operate. When the Creator’s  laws are broken, whether it be by commission or omission, willfully or ignorantly, the result is always the disruption of the balance in nature. Those who do not know God or willfully violate His Word exercise their freedom to self-destruct.  

True and lasting freedom is constructed by the only One who has the power to grant it. A misguided quest for independence from God was and still is the foundation of all things wrong among us. The question that eventually led to a total contradiction initiated a series of activities which continue to this very day. “Hath not God said…?”  laid the foundation for the shadow of doubt which led to uprooting legitimate Authority. Then the contradiction; “You will not surely die. God knows that the day you eat the forbidden fruit, you will be like God, knowing as much as He knows.” (paraphrased) The search for knowledge apart from God leads society away from Him and replaces it with other authorities under the governance of the entity that initiated the whole process, Satan, the devil, the serpent, or whatever form in which he may appear. Today God is omitted from science, education, economics, the family, religion, government, and the arts and media. This is not just coincidental. Generations have grown accustomed to the ploy that the enemy set in motion not long after the creation of man. True and lasting freedom is the deliberate act of God as Father who set in motion the plan to break the power of bondage over His creation. If a child in raised in a prison, it is virtually impossible for him to imagine any other environment. Yet the dissatisfaction of the heart whispers to the prisoner that he was born for a greater purpose. That is why the enemy works overtime to make it difficult for one to hear the voice of his Maker. He does not mind if a caricature of Christ is presented; Christ as entertainment, and Church to be entertained and enjoyed is fine with him, rather than a Church seeking the things that please the Lord. Religion then becomes, as Karl Marx once called it, “the opiate of the masses.” False fires of religious fervor, void of true and intense worship, present wrong opinions of God. They do not see Jesus as He is, but rather as personalities and celebrities in the music industry, and pulpits that do more harm than good, influence them to see Him. The devil applauds such efforts because they do the harm that advances his purpose.  It is the repeat of his statement in the Garden, “Hath not God said…?”  True religion convicts the heart at its deepest level. It awakens the individual to the reality of truth by reestablishing God’s authority in their lives.  It does not lower the standard, but rather presents Christ as the Standard and the Standard Bearer. We must cast ourselves at the foot of the Cross and rely completely on God’s mercy and grace provided through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Only through the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary can true freedom be experienced. It is in His work in us, and His continuously living His life through us, that we both attain and enjoy true freedom.  The Spirit of Christ functioning in our hearts makes the love of God our motive rather than restrictions and set rules. When we are set free to love and to serve God completely,  we have the freedom that will last forever. John 8:36  “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (KJV)

Meditation: May 17

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

The Lord extends to each individual the opportunity to be saved. It is the road that leads to life. The destination may not be clearly defined or easily understood, but the path to the destination is introduced to each one. It may be a subtle approach from a stranger, or an eye awakening experience. Each situation, when viewed from eternity’s perspective, was the extended hand of God releasing mercy. The objective is to provide an abundance of opportunities for the wayward to be drawn to Him. His desire is that none should perish. Those who perish are usually stubbornly justifying their rebellious ways and never seeing the need for a Savior. Oh, the wonders of His grace! When we understand the need for both mercy and grace, we will view our self-righteousness as sin, our abilities to love as hatred, and every effort on our part to boast as shame. What preserves us from destruction is the awareness of our absolute need for Him in all things. This is repentance when we turn away from our own ways and wholly turn towards Jesus Christ. Those who perish are those who neglect so great a salvation. It is not His passion that any perish. It is His will that all be saved.

Meditation: April 19

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” 1Timothy 1:15

What Christ did on the cross by dying in order that men may live is amplified through our witness. His voice is raised through the lives of us who understand that we brought nothing that would qualify us to do what is now being done. The worst of sinners now stand with a testimony of victory because the Lord alone has graced us to live on the other side of our prior sins. We should never forget from which we came. We can then appreciate the distance God’s mercy and grace had to reach down and arrest our violent attempts at self destruction. For it to be said that we were at our worst when we thought of ourselves as being at our best is an understatement. He shows us the worst in us that He might bring forth the best in us. Sinners at their worst may find in Jesus Christ a House of Refuge. If we, in the state we were once in could be saved, then He is able to save all who will to be saved.

Meditation: April 13

“God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.” Psalm 18:24 (MSG)

An open heart to the Word of God gives Him permission to transform one’s life. The Holy Spirit works within us not only affects our future, but takes into account our past and our present state and weave all things into a beautiful tapestry fit to be presented to the King. He gives us a new beginning; the reorientation of those things that would otherwise condemn us. This does not happen in the life of the half-hearted. They can only be awakened to the reality that there is more to life than what is being lived. However, the open heart is giving God permission to search deeply into those secret compartments where none are allowed but maybe a select few. When we are under His scrutiny, those things that are contrary to His will are highlighted. He does this, not to be heavy handed in discipline but lovingly purge the heart of the residue of sin that may linger so that He may be worshiped in purity. Our lives then tell a different story. It expresses the message of His mercy, His grace, and His love.

Meditation: February 9

”Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Hebrews 10:22

We are invited to come closer to God as we meet the conditions of spiritual intimacy. His blessings are as the result of our moving in His direction. Many may attempt to confiscate the benefits without the relationship, but God will test the purity of our hearts. He knows when true love is the motive of our actions, and His Spirit will give witness that we are in agreement with Him. Then we can boldly approach the throne of grace and obtain mercy to find the grace to help in the time of need. Assurance of faith is a blessing reserved for the pure in heart. As we are being purified by the Holy Spirit, our passions will continue to conform to His will. We will want what He wants for us when we have been drawn to the place where He abides.

Meditation: October 26

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. (23)They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness”. Lamentations 3:22-23

God gives us a new day after having learned from the experiences of yesterday, but not carrying the baggage of the many mistakes we had made. The freshness of today is as if we were starting all over again. We awaken to springtime after merely one day of the winter’s cold. His mercies are extended to us at the beginning of each new day, not holding any repented failures to our charge. His grace is before us enabling us to walk down a different path. We learn that Jesus is committed in showing us the way to the Father. Therefore if we are to learn any truth, it must come through fully following Him. We grow in our appreciation and gratitude for all has done for us. We could have died confused not knowing what to do or where to go. We were pulled out of the quicksand of yesterday and placed on solid ground of today. We are on an even footing and enabled to see where we may have made a wrong turn. Now that we know better our response to all that has been done for us is to be faithful to Him and not to place our trust in any other.

Meditation: October 20

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, (2) fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2

The objective of preaching the gospel is for those who are following to have the mind of Christ. Whatever Christ has provided for us is to be provided through us to others. It is with His comfort of love that we become loving. A difference is made in our lives as the result of being loved by Christ. He settles us down and gives us both rest and a peace that surpasses all understanding. The disturbed soul cannot interact with others on the same level as one who senses the security of the arms of Christ. There would be a caution that interrupts that degree of fellowship. But the soul that rests in His love is free to love others because he is not dependent on them but gives to them expecting nothing in return. The Lord supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory. We are complete in Christ thus able to love unconditionally. The constant communion that we enjoy with the Lord provides evidence that the Word of God has taken root within our hearts. We do not have to rehearse what we have to say for it flows from our hearts of love. It is a joy when the entrance of God’s Word brings light, life, and love within the hearts of its hearers and doers.

Meditation: August 13

“This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

God made the day and the night. Each day has a name. Each day has its own special significance when viewed from the perspective of eternity. From eternity God made this day. He brought His creation into time and allowed me to engage the moments and gain the experiences awaiting me. It is not to be taken for granted because I am in need of His mercies and grace in order to effectively use the time allotted me. If I know this, I am appreciative of the freshness of His love for me today. “This is the day that the Lord took special attention in making.” It is now lifted from the pages of eternity to illustrate God’s purposes and intents within time. It is not just another day, but this day is the day! It was God’s intention for me to be alive and to see this day. Before it becomes too common, I will rejoice.  I will begin this day thinking about the gift of life and the gift of time and take the opportunity to rejoice in it.