Thursday, June 3, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
My Only Master
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12). My prayer is that Christ would be my only Master. Anything that occupies my heart and mind above Him is an idol. Not to be mastered by an idol takes prayerful daily diligence. This simple prayer, “Be my only Master,” keeps my eyes focused on Him, not on my taste buds.
The Lord knew what I specifically needed to make a change. He answered my prayer that night. And I consider myself doubly blessed that I passed the second round of testing. How gracious is our God Who grants us exactly what we need when we need it.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Walkin’ Worthy
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Dependence
Psalm 25:1-5
To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in You I trust,
Do not let me be ashamed;
Do not let my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.
Make me know Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
The first verse of this Psalm is a beautiful picture of David's dependence on His heavenly Father: "I lift up my soul." There is no one I would dare lift up my soul to than the Almighty God. To be dependent on Him is a joy, a luxury in my life. We often hear the saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” Our society persuades people, especially women, to strive for self-sufficiency. Though I understand this mindset in certain situations, spiritually, I am completely and utterly dependent on my Savior.
I am incapable of managing my soul or dealing with the cleansing of my sin. I am completely dependent on the power of Christ working within me to accomplish anything of worth. Praise Him for the opportunity to be dependent!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Lightning Strikes
These seventy were constant hearers of Christ’s doctrine and witnesses of His miracles. Here, we see some of them heading out on perhaps their first ministry trip. From verse four, we can imagine it is not going to be an easy journey. They have nothing with them. They must accept any and every condition that comes along. Their job is to confront sinners and pronounce judgment on them when rejected. I remember when Patrick and I took our little leap of faith into music ministry and I quit my teaching job. We thought THAT was a big deal . . . Compared to what these men faced, it was peanuts!
The Lord grants them great success and they are fruitful in their efforts against evil. “The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." Luke 10:17-20
At first glance, one would think Christ is referring to Satan's original fall when He says, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” But He is referencing something different. The verb “was watching”—“theoreo” in Greek—is not about a one-time event, but rather about Christ’s being a continuous observer of His men. He was looking on as they worked powerfully in His name.
Maybe with each soul rescued, there is a furious last protest of hell. It's as quick and dramatic as the force and fury of a lightning bolt, and then it is gone. The soul is rescued. Satan's kingdom is slowly losing its grip on the world. Christ is the Victor! Those whom He has purchased are allowed to worship at His feet, while the enemy is crushed beneath them. Oh, that Jesus would see Satan falling like lightning through the work of our hands . . . every gracious remark or gentle notion, every selfless deed or pure motive, every soul we reach for Him . . . Bam! Lightning strikes! And we are that much closer to destroying the enemy's rule over the earth.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Soakin' Up Grace
I also vividly remember sitting in Sunday School at our tiny country church in Kentucky as an eight-year-old, listening to the teacher discuss sin and thinking proudly to myself, “I don’t do those things. I can’t even think of one sin!” I fear that, even now, I fall into that mode of thinking. When I measure my life against the mess around me in the world, it is easy to boast, “I don’t do those things.”
Instead, the believer should reflect on having been called out of darkness into His marvelous light, recognizing our daily sin, our fallen state, our rags compared to the riches of Christ, for He is our perfect holy Lord. We should fall to our knees praising Him for the grace covering us, the grace we soak up and dwell in. This kind of mindset would not only turn us into a more grateful people - a people more sensitive to sin - but it would aid us in being more sympathetic to the lost and their condition.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
She knew Who He was and she knew He was coming. We know Who He is. We know He came and we know He is coming again.
But then I imagine her next pregnancy as Jesus is toddling around. This one is normal. She couldn’t plan ahead; she knew nothing! This could have been frustrating to her, but probably it just made Him and the circumstances surrounding His birth all the more special in her mother’s heart.
Patrick and I are pleased to announce we are expecting our second child. As with our first child and Mary’s other pregnancies, we will wait to find out what it is. We’ll watch Liliana toddle around and think back to her birth and the special time surrounding it. Some time ago we asked her, “Would you like a sister or a brother?” She replied, “I want Juice.” But when she finally grasped the concept that a baby is inside my tummy, she said slowly, “Ohhhhh Myyyyyy.”
It is a special time of year to be expecting a child. The fact that our Lord, the God of all creation and time, chose to come in this way is a true marvel. And the reason He came, to save that which was lost, is even more miraculous!
May we be a people who are ready for His return. May we have our cribs built, our shirts knitted, our lives being lived in a way that says, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!”