Month: April 2022

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I know people throw this verse around at the most insensitive time. Oh, they mean well, but it certainly does not help. It seems to become the blanket answer when someone is facing the death of a loved one, a divorce, loss of a job, or even a devastating medical diagnosis. It comes across as God is Ok with your pain. It is all a part of God’s plan to see you in this position. I don’t believe that for one minute. I think God hurts when we hurt. God cries when we cry. My God loves me and promises to see me through any pain that comes our way.

That is the key. God sees us through problems. No matter what Satan throws at us, God is there to get us through. No matter what our situation is today, God is there to sit with us in the muck. When we are ready to get up and move on, He is there too. In all things, God has a plan to work for the good. Sometimes that plan is to get us around things and other times it is to get us through them. The point of this verse is God always has a plan.

God doesn’t like to see us in pain, but pain is a part of living. He knew that when sin and death entered this world we would go through pain. So, He made plans to get us through it all. It may not feel like it today, but the plans are there and ready when you are.

I trust You, Lord. I know tomorrow will come and Your plan is in place and working to get me through today. ~amen

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1 Corinthians 15:1
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

Max Lucado talked about three words that rocked his world a few years back (Outlive Your Life). The questions were as follows:

1. Had you been a German Christian during WWII, would you have taken a stand against Hitler?
2. Had you lived in the South during the civil rights conflict, would you have taken a stand against racism?
3. When your grandchildren discover you lived during a day in which 1.75 billion people were poor and 1 billion were hungry, how will they judge your response?

As he pointed out, the first two are easy to say yes, because they were in the past, but what about taking a stand today. That third question can certainly hit you where it hits. Are you prepared to take your stand today where it is needed? It might be easy to say yes to things that seem huge in politics or world policies. How good are you at taking a stand when facing friends or family members, or when no one stands with you?

Paul isn’t just reminding the Corinthians in this verse. He is reaching out to us today as well. He is reminding us of the gospel that is preached to us. That is the same
gospel we must choose to take our stand on and for today.

Lord, You took a stand for me on that cross. Today I choose to take a stand for You! ~amen

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Romans 3:23-24
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

There is one tiny three-letter word that we tend to forget. We forget it when we realize it includes us. We don’t like that we are wrong. We don’t like to admit that we are no better than other people. We also look right past it when we see others’ faults and don’t want to offer them grace. Once again, we don’t want to admit that we aren’t better than them. Let’s face it we don’t like the word ‘all’ because we are naturally arrogant.

We look at this verse and see ‘all’ used twice. The first time it reminds us that we have all sinned. We have all messed up. We all have faults, bad habits, and make bad choices. Look up and notice all the people around you right now. Look at all the people who are on TV, driving by, or inhabiting the pictures you have hanging around. All have sinned, including you.

Then there is the other ‘all’. God offers all of us grace through Christ’s death on the cross. We all have the chance to wipe those sins away. We all have a chance to be forgiven for all of those bad choices. Do that look around lesson again, they are all able to be free.

All means everyone has a chance. Everyone is loved by God. Everyone can be saved and set free. Not everyone will take this opportunity, but it is offered to everyone. You are part of that all. Will you take that opportunity?

Lord, I am so thankful to be part of ALL! ~amen

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Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Religion may be a Sunday affair, but following Christ is a daily duty. We don’t get to sit in a pew on Sunday and then go back to life on Monday through Saturday. Jesus doesn’t just remember us on Sunday. He didn’t just remember you on His cross and then forget about you either. He wants to be in your life every single day of your life, which means we need to take up our cross daily and follow him.

My mom use to have this picture that said something like, “Seven days without Jesus makes one WEAK.” If you didn’t eat for six days and then feasted on Sunday only, how strong would you be? Could you face the physical challenges of your day-to-day coming and goings? I don’t think so. I think you would be pretty unhealthy. So, why is it people think hearing the word of God on a Sunday morning is enough to strengthen them for the entire week spiritually?

Getting fed on Sunday is important. However, even as a pastor’s wife, I would say the Monday through Saturday feeding is more important. Those are the times when you seek out God and you choose the meal. This is where you really grow and e strengthened to face every challenge. So, don’t you think it is time you grabbed your menu?

Lord, thank You for providing a full menu of good foods every single day. ~amen

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1 Peter 2:24
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

“He himself”, those words echo in my mind today. To me it means He chose, no one made Him do it. He bore our sins because He wanted to do it. No one forced Jesus to be beaten and hung on that cross. Oh, I am sure Satan, the soldiers, and Jewish leaders thought they were bringing it on, but there were just puppets in an elaborate story that began years ago. No, Jesus allowed this to happen to Him.

When you put Jesus’ motive into perspective how can your jaw not drop? How can you not think, “Wow! He did that for me.” You and I weren’t even born yet and He did that for us. He knew we were going to be sinners. He could have thought of His own safety and said, “Nope I cannot go through that pain and suffering for a bunch of people who don’t deserve it.” Instead, He loved you so much that He stepped up and put you first in His mind. He put your safety first. He did not want you to have to suffer that pain forever of death away from God.

Are you feeling the love? All of your wounds are healed. If you will your sins have been wiped away. Death has no hold on you anymore. Satan can’t touch you. All because Jesus put you first.

Lord, thank You for loving me enough to put my welfare first.

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Psalms 4:8
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

I feel awful today. No, it is not Covid. Spring is not my friend. I tend to come down with asthmatic bronchitis thanks to allergies. I always feel awful when I feel awful. Ok, that even sounded weird to me. What I mean is I feel guilty when I am sick. I know there are a million things I should or need to do and yet, dragging myself off the couch to walk to the bathroom takes all of my energy. In reality, I tend to have this grandiose idea that the world cannot go on without me. Arrogant right? I am going to guess many of you have the same feeling . . . LOL!

Today’s verse reminds life is just fine. God is still running the world and can do so without me. I can lay down and sleep, for He alone makes me dwell in safety. Sometimes that safety is from me. It is not only OK for me to check out of the world for the day, it is what is best for me.

Our God is a great big God. He loves us and loves it when we are His hands and feet on Earth. He wants us to spread His word and love to others. He also loves us so much that He provides us with peace so we can lie down and refresh ourselves.

Lord, thank You for giving me the day off!
~amen

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Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

So, I had a kiddo that liked the Wiggles. I also taught pre-school at the time when they were big on the scene. Every time I think of the fruit of the Spirit, I get one of their songs stuck in my head, ‘Fruit Salad’!

Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy

Let’s make some fruit salad today (Uh huh uh)
It’s fun to do it the healthy way (Uh huh uh)
Take all the fruit that you want to eat
It’s gonna be a fruit salad treat!

Now we’ve made it, It’s time to eat it (Uh huh uh)
It tastes so good that you just can’t beat it (Uh huh uh)
Give everyone a plate and a spoon
We’ll all be eating it very soon!

The funny thing is it fits! I mean the Spirit is just waiting to serve you up a heaping helping of His favorite fruits of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Take all that you want there will always be more waiting. Then do the most important thing, SHARE IT! Give everyone around you a helping too. Before you know it, we will
all be saying Fruit of the Spirit Salad, Yummy,
Yummy.

Lord, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit equipped with all of His wonderful fruit! ~amen

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1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Today’s verse is one we often hear at funerals of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to save someone else. Military, first responders, and other everyday heroes come to mind. Although each of these people certainly deserves the highest honors we can give them, this verse does not have to mean that extreme sacrifice. It can mean every day little things we do for each other.

To give up one’s life can just as simply mean putting others first. Giving up little bits of time, money, or objects. Any selfless act can be giving up a piece of your life. I know this is not giving up your whole life, but it is exactly what is expected of us. Jesus gave up His whole life for us. Can’t we even give up those simple small things for others?

We all have so much to share. Yes, all of us have something. I know everyone is so busy, but let’s be honest we choose to be busy. There is time we can carve out of our days. It can even be that extra few minutes in the checkout lane where you let someone go first.

If you keep your eyes, ears, and heart open you will find ways to sacrifice your life for
someone every single day. Jesus laid His down for you, now it is your turn to pass it on!

Lord, help me find ways to pay it forward. I want to do Your will and sacrifice my life because you sacrificed Yours for me. ~amen

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2 Corinthians 5:14
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

I love the story of the Three Musketeers. When I read today’s verse I immediately thought of their motto, “All for one and one for all.”` Jesus died for all and we are all His! Now, if we could all learn to work as one.

How do we work as one when we are all so different? We remember Jesus died for all. Yes, ALL! There is no one you can hear, see, or even think of today that God did not send His only begotten Son to die for on that cross. I know some days that is very hard to deal with. I can bet there is at least one person who comes to mind right now that you are questioning. I am sure they have hurt you or someone in your family. Your nerves just flare to DEFCON 1 in 0.01 seconds just at the sound of their voice. I promise they don’t deserve salvation. They deserve to go straight to Hell for all of their sins. Oh, and by the way, so do you. I know. . . OUCH! I am feeling it too.

None of the “all” deserved God’s love, but He gave it. Not a single one deserves grace, but we get it. The quicker we remember one died for all, the faster we will be able to reach others with Christ died for them and loves them too. Then we can all start living as one for the One who died for all.

I am so thankful You died for all and I am one of those all. Remind me that all others are in that all also. ~amen

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Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

If this is the only gift we ever got from God our lives would have everything we need. Redemption and forgiveness fill us to the brim. Our God believes in cups that overflow (Psalm 23:5). So, He goes above and beyond this every single day.

Before Jesus left the disciples He told them that God would send another advocate to help us and be with us forever to teach us all things and give us peace (John 14:15-31). We know that the Holy Spirit brings us love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). See what I mean? Cup overflowing!

God is there to meet any need you have. He is also there to go above and beyond anything we need. He even knows what we need before we need it and is prepared to provide it. All we have to do is be ready to receive it. If that wasn’t enough, once you have received it there is more and more to accept. It doesn’t stop or run out. His love is everlasting and unyielding.

Today, I want to remember to thank God more. He has given me so much and continues to do it every single day. I need to thank Him that much more.

Lord, thank You for redemption, forgiveness and so very much more you provide for me every single day. ~amen

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