…But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21

The other night my little girl was saying her prayers. We have a little routine where she thanks God for His blessings that day and puts in any “special requests.” She also has a part that we call the I’m Sorryies, where she asks forgiveness for any sins she has committed.

When she got to her I’m Sorryies on Friday night, she paused. She had a pretty active day, and had gotten in trouble more than a few times. So her prayer went something like this…

“I’m sorry for all the bad things I did today…. (pause). God? Just forget about them, ok?”

I laughed to myself, and I imagine God got a chuckle out of it, too. But it isn’t it amazing that God actually does forget our sin? When we go to Him and confess our sins to Him, asking forgiveness, God takes His big old eraser and it is gone.

Amazing!

We don’t deserve this treatment, yet He willingly gives it. He sent His beloved son, Jesus, to shed blood to cover our sins. This blood ensures that we are forgiven, if only we believe and ask.

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

This verse says it all, simply and perfectly. We have redemption, we are delivered from sin, through his blood… according to the riches of God’s grace.

God’s unending grace.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all my sin.

from Grace Greater Than All Our Sins
Words by Julia H. Johnston
Music by Daniel B. Towne

Everybody thinks of changing humanity, and nobody thinks of changing himself.
Leo Tolstoy

When my husband and I were house hunting a few years ago, high on our list was a big yard. We bought a house with a nice-sized yard, perfect for gardening and landscaping. There was just one problem…

We both hate gardening and working in the yard.

Visions of beautiful flowers and ripe tomatoes had danced in our heads, but the reality was constant weeding in the hot southern sun, running up the water bill due to drought conditions, moles that ravaged our yard and jobs that kept us too busy. We were willing to start the process, but the upkeep held no interest for us.

Our dreams of a landscaped paradise was turned into the reality of overgrown weeds and dead grass!

Unfortunately, the same can often be said of the spiritual discipline in our lives. We become Christians, sit back and wait for the flowers to bloom. But unless we study, pray, and keep ourselves open to Him, the weeds take over and we become spiritually neglected.

In short, unless we change ourselves, how can we change the world?

Ask yourself two questions: First, what can you do that you are not currently doing, that would bring you into closer communion with God. Second, what can you stop doing that you currently are doing, that would bring you into closer communion with God.

Similar questions, yet opposing answers.

So often we dance around, unable or unwilling to commit to God beyond the minimum. Next week we will look at some of the disciplines that God requires of us… things such as stewardship, solitude and silence, service, prayer, and fellowship.

Have a great weekend!

Lying is a dangerous sin. First of all, it is a lot like the old potato chip commercial… you just can’t seem to stop at one. If you tell one lie, you usually end up telling another lie to cover the first, and so on. They just build on and on into an entire web of deceit, hard to keep up with where the truth ends and the lies begin.

But perhaps the most dangerous part of the lie is the mistrust that is built as a result.  When a lie is told, inevitably it is found out. Whether the truth comes out sooner or later, it always comes out. And the result is a relationship that is damaged, maybe not beyond repair, but definitely injured.

As a parent, I have spent more than a few evenings checking up on my oldest after she had lied about where she was. She bristles, doesn’t understand what the big deal is. After all, she said she was sorry. What she doesn’t understand is that the trust she had built up was wiped out by one lie, a lie that didn’t need to be told.

Lying takes many forms. Some lies we attempt to disguise or downgrade, saying that we were protecting ourselves, Hey, if it doesn’t hurt someone, it’s ok, right? Wrong!

According to scripture, lying is an abomination before God:

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.  Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV)

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The above quote is from John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834-1902). A historian and moralist, in 1887 Lord Acton wrote in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton:

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

This is a sad, yet true commentary that can be proven time and time again. We see good men and women rise to power, whether in service to community, nation or church, and then forget their beginnings and believe their “press clippings.”

As the election nears, we are being bombarded by advertising and sound bites, as well as lies and half-truths. What makes these politicians, who begin with such lofty goals of service, promises to do things “the right way,” turn into caricatures of themselves?

Power and it’s co-conspirator, Greed.

The opportunity to “rule the world” or at least a little corner of it, can turn the head of even the most resolute person. But the Bible speaks to this directly:

“A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.” Proverbs 15:27

Greed brings to mind the movie Wall Street (1987). Michael Douglas, as Gordon Gekko, gives a speech that is at once both electrifying in it’s intensity, and alarming in it’s message:

The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed — for lack of a better word — is good.

Greed is right.

Greed works.

Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

Greed, in all of its forms — greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind.

And greed — you mark my words — will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation call the USA.

If you’ve seen the movie, you know that Gekko’s words prove wrong. If you look at our economy today, you can see that the greed of the past years has caught up with us.

But still we don’t learn. Our Bible tells us the evil of greed, and to beware of power.

Check your greed quotient. Are your goals in line with your values?

A few years ago I was at a football game with my husband. A woman was sitting next to me with her five year old son as well as her sister, while her husband and a friend of his were sitting a few rows in front of them. Their agreement was that the son would sit with her in the first half, and with dad in the second half. The little boy squealed and squirmed his way through the first half, and the mom was ready to pass him to dad.

At halftime, they made the exchange… but just a few minutes later, the little boy wanted his mom. He called to her, and her husband turned around and said, “He wants to sit with you.” Her response? She crossed her arms in an ‘X’ and said, “Access denied!” The little boy pouted (so did the dad!), but mom got to watch the second half.

This past weekend, as we sat at a game with our five year old, we remembered that mom’s words. We laughed about it, but we also know that if that little boy had really needed his mom, she would have dropped the ‘X’ and been there for him.

Isn’t it great to know that we have a Heavenly Father who never denies us access? He never says, “Sorry, I’m busy over in Alabama right now, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” He’s there, no matter how small or large the problem.

Our God is omnipotent!

The only hard part? Reminding ourselves to go to Him! Here we have this open access to the Most Holy, and we tend to worry, fret, anything but turn to Him. We have an omnipotent, awesome God, who always listens, never turns us away, and yet we will talk to everyone about our needs… our hairdresser, our friends, our family, even complete strangers, yet won’t turn to God.

Maybe we need to open up the access on our end!

Obedient women are never remembered in history.
Seen on a Bumper Sticker

I saw this bumper sticker on a car, and my mind raced. Imagine what a surprise this statement would be to such obedient women as the Virgin Mary, Ruth, Naomi, Esther, Elisabeth (mother of John the Baptist), Miriam, on and on. These women were both obedient and are revered to this day.

The assumption is that an obedient woman has no mind of her own, cannot think or choose. She is obedient because she doesn’t think, doesn’t care to think, never will think. The assumption is also that an obedient woman cannot lead. Nothing could be further from truth.

Let’s look at Queen Esther. She was obedient to God, which meant bucking the rules and appearing, unbidden, in front of her husband, the king. She interceded for her people, the Jews, and not only saved them. She was instrumental in changing the law, allowing Jews to defend themselves against their enemies.

I’d call that unforgettable!

Do you need a more “modern-day” example? How about Beth Moore, the ubiquitous Christian women’s writer. Remember the story of her experience at the Knoxville airport, when God told her to brush a man’s hair? (click here to read). This woman has been obedient to our God, going where He told her to go, and writing the words that He has laid on her heart. Her books and teachings have brought thousands of women to the Father, and millions more into closer communion with Him. Because of her obedience, God has used her to further His kingdom.

Finally, what about female missionaries, located around the world, including in Muslim countries. These women follow our Lord, bowing before Him and leaving the comfort of their lives to enter into danger, all in the name of obedience. Yet, while their names may not be known worldwide, their actions will be remembered by the ones that they lead to the Lord, souls that would have been lost had they not been obedient to His call. And their names are written upon His heart for eternity.

We should all be so forgettable!

What is it about us that keeps us from reaching out to others in times of need? When we most need someone in our lives, someone to help us through a dark time, or someone to just listen, we tend to wall ourselves off.

“Not me!” we say, “I don’t need any help. I can handle things just fine all by myself.”

There is a simple answer as to why we are reluctant to turn to others… Pride. When we ask for help, we have to admit that we can’t do it ourselves. Pride can be defined as “self-worship,” where we believe that we are above help… “What can someone else do for me that I can’t do for myself?”

But if we don’t “get off our high horse” (my husband’s favorite phrase), we cut ourselves off from those who want to help us, who want to serve God by serving others.

I was reminded of this today when I received a special email. A friend of mine from church had been diagnosed with cancer in both breasts. It appeared to be advanced, and after much testing at one of the top hospitals in the U.S., she was scheduled for a double mastectomy next week. My friend is a very private person, as is her entire family. She preferred to keep the surgery private, only telling a few close friends. Her husband encouraged her to be open with her need for prayer. They stepped out in faith and boldly asked friends, acquaintances and strangers to pray for a miracle. This past Wednesday she went to the hospital for her pre-op screenings.

No cancer. Nothing. Nada.

The doctors were incredulous. They ran more and more tests, until finally the arrived at the conclusion that she was cancer-free. The surgery was canceled.

I know that not everyone who prays for a healing is healed. God has His own timetable, His own lessons to be learned and roads to be taken. But this was a miracle.

Why did God heal my friend when others pray for healing and are not healed? I don’t know the answer to that, beyond saying that God has His reasons. Maybe the lesson was for her, a lesson on reaching out. Maybe the lesson was a reminder that God works miracles everyday.

But I do know that many, many people lifted her up in prayer, and we believe that God has worked a miracle for us all to learn from, in one manner or another!

Christians often talk about being “under attack” from non-Christians and those who would like to stop our message of Christ’s redemption. But we are also under attack from the head of the opposition, Satan.

Yes, lest you think that you are too small to matter to the Big Guy Down Below, if you are a Christian, he knows your name and has you on his radar. And the closer you become to God, the more you can expect to have the Great Deceiver knock-knock-knocking in your head, trying to plant seeds of doubt.

We usually look for attacks that come from the outside. But Satan is at his most devious when he is at work inside of our heads. He can make us doubt our faith, doubt our God. Remember when he tempted Jesus?

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
” ‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’

Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Luke 4:1-13

The most interesting verse to me is the last. “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”

And that is exactly what Satan will do with us. He waits until the right time comes, when the opportunity presents itself to create doubt, perhaps anger toward God. He sees a crisis arise in our lives, and he jumps right in..

“How could your God allow this to happen?” he whispers. “If you were mine, I would give you everything that you want.”

Our spirit breaks, we fall into depression and sadness, anger and denial. Satan persists.

“Deny your God. What is He doing for you?” Satan prods us away from God and into an eternity of death.

There are no easy answers when your spirit is under attack. Prayer, discernment and focus, keeping your eyes on God no matter the path, this is the only answer. Easier said that done, when one is mired in sickness and hurt.

This may be our greatest test as Christians, remaining focused when all around us is falling apart. But we can do it. How? Because no matter what we go through, what pit we feel mired in, nothing compares to what Jesus went through on our behalf. He faced death, walked through hell, and returned to us in love.

My motto? Don’t tell God how big your storm is… tell your storm how big your God is!

DAYS OF ELIJAH

Words and Music by Robin Mark

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the word of the Lord:
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord!’

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes.

These are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh;
And these are the days of Your servant David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Your world,
And we are the labourers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the word of the Lord!

There’s no God like Jehovah.
There’s no God like Jehovah!

Click here to listen to Twila Paris singing Days of Elijah on YouTube.com

What a song! The first time I heard Days of Elijah, I got chills. The verses, all referencing Old Testament prophecy, were so Biblical in nature that it felt like I had just sung my way through a Bible study. The first verse speaks to the times of great trial, challenges all around. And yet, the verse goes on, we are the voice in the midst of all the pain, all the trials, reminding the world that our Lord is coming… Prepare!

The second verse speaks on rebuilding the temple, the coming harvest of souls, and declares that we are the workers, the labourers for God, declaring his word.

How humbling and exhilarating! We are here, working toward our God, serving Him in the fields. The grunt work, some would say.

But then comes the chorus… Behold He comes.

Enough said!

Imagine looking to the skies and seeing our Lord and Saviour, our Christ, emerging through the clouds, trumpets blaring, the heavenly chorus singing. Our salvation arrives.

My favorite songs often reference heaven, Christ’s return. I can’t imagine being in the middle of my day, hearing trumpets, looking up and seeing my Saviour coming for me… ME!

These are trying times. Foreclosures, banks going belly up, employment rises along with gas prices. But what a wonderful future we are guaranteed! How can we be broken when the Great Physician is one prayer away? Earthly worries will fall away, and we will be with our Father for eternity.

There is no God like Jehovah!

O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you.
Don’t let those who trust in you stumble because of me,
O Sovereign Lord Almighty.
Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel.
Psalm 69:6

We have talked in the past about stumbling blocks that keep us from our full purpose with God. Things like ego, business and focus can all get in our way. But have you ever thought about whether you are a stumbling block to another Christian’s path?

Is gossip a part of your life? Have you ever talked about a fellow brother or sister in Christ? Not only is that a sin, you are bringing others into your sin by gossiping about another person. And that makes you a stumbling block to others.

Have you ever given someone a pass, rather than encourage them? For instance, if someone says that they have no time for Bible study, rather than agree and say that it is ok, shouldn’t you encourage them to find the time? Not chastise or demean, but encourage through love?

Have you ever made fun of someone else because of appearance or something they did? This is such a cruel thing to do, and yet, frankly, we all stand accused of it. It is so much easier to laugh with the group, or belittle someone, than to stand up to the group. The high road is so much harder to attain!

It’s not easy, trying to be a positive influence rather than a stumbling block to someone else’s faith. Hang in there!