The Great Lover of our Souls 1/11/2018

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalms 103:8-12

It is interesting the impression we have of who and how God is.  Whether he is terrible and vengeful, always watching to catch us in the wrong, or loving and kind, willing to help in a time of need, often has to do with where we are in our lives at that moment.  Are we licking the wounds of consequence from our own actions or have we been doing pretty good in our walk for awhile now?

Beloved, make no mistake, our God is a God of love.  It was with his own loving hands that he created us out of the dust of the earth and blew his breath into us.  It was out of love that we were given mastery over creation, being equipped with everything needed for life.  Even when we fell, it was out of love that he advised that he would pick us up and return us to himself through yet another act of love, the sacrifice of his only begotten.

Just as there were consequences for our progenitors in the Garden for their sin, we should not expect anything less.  Along with being a God of love, he is also a God of righteousness and justice and these things must be observed as well.  They are, however, not inconsistent with one another.  When consequences come, we should not take it as a lack of God's love for us.  In fact, Proverbs 3:12 tells us that the Lord chastens those whom he loves just as a father chastens his son.  In other words, if you are being corrected, it is because of love.  The Lord has no desire to see you violate the commands set in place to protect and preserve you.  He, therefore, takes measures to get our attention.  Further, our chastisement should lead us to godly sorrow which should lead to repentance and repentance to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10).

If we received due punishment for all of our sins, most miserable we would be.  Let us this and all days pursue lives that are pleasing and acceptable to the great lover of our souls.

Building God's family,

Lee

 

Seeking Forgiveness for Self 7/22/2016

"Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king’s household, and to do what was good in his sight. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.  So he said to the king, 'Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem, so that the king would take it to heart.  For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.'  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said, 'Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?'”  2 Samuel 19:18-21

David once famously packed up his household and many of his followers and left his home base of Jerusalem in an effort to avoid a war with his son who sought to supplant him by force as the new king.  During one of the lowest times of his life, a man by the name of Shimei came along and began to verbally abuse the king with words that were shocking for a commoner to use against his monarch.  He accused him of being a murderer and a wicked person and said that he deserved all he was suffering.  To add insult to injury, he threw rocks and dirt at the king and all of his company.

As it would happen, the fortunes of David would reverse.  Having put down the insurrection, the king and his cohort began to make his way back into Jerusalem to retake the throne and restore order.  As this was occurring, Shimei appeared and was contrite, humble and repentant as he confessed and asked for forgiveness.

Beloved, how often have we played the role of Shimei in our sinful behaviors?  We can all look back on times when we have done wrong to relatives, friends, acquaintances, co-workers and even members of the church.  In so doing, we shake the fist of rebellion at God by not obeying his command to love him with all we've got and to love others as we love ourselves.  Our behavior can be abhorrent when we are angry and hurt.  Fortunately for us, God is as patient with us as David was with Shimei.  Though well within his right, David did not take Shimei's life when he sinned against him, but let him go.  This gave him an opportunity to come to his senses and he eventually did.

The lesson here is that we must all come to our senses, recognize the wrong we have committed against God and beg for forgiveness with more vigor than that with which we sinned against him.  And we must not be afraid to approach him and ask.  1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  So often we are immobilized by our guilt and shame and decide that we are unforgiveable.  This in and of itself is sinful in that we are not to put ourselves in the place of God.  It is he who has directed us to seek him and his righteousness.  It is up to us to obey.

We do not have a license to sin but we do have a remedy.  If you are overtaken in a fault, go to the only one who can fix it, then accept what he provides, or as Jesus said, "Go and sin no more," John 8:11.

Practically speaking,

Lee

When You Are Converted 3/21/2014

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Luke 22:31-32 (KJV)

Are you in need of a conversion?  You might be thinking, "No.  I'm already a Christian.  I already believe."  First, we must uncouple the thought that if one believes (in God, Jesus and their relationship to each other and us) that it makes you a Christian.  "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder," James 2:19.  Are demons Christian?  Of course not.

Secondly, let us consider the case of Simon (Peter), considered by some to be the foremost apostle.   Though he was often the "go to" guy, one who was part of Jesus inner circle, who had faith enough to walk on water and issued the God inspired confession that Jesus is in fact the son of God (Matthew 16:16-17), he was also one who denied Christ three times when the Lord, arguably, needed him most.  The context of the Scripture indicates that Satan had requested permission to attack him and weaken his faith.  This may seem odd, but one only need think back to Job to see that this was not a unique occurrence.

Beloved, we are all at different places in our spiritual walk.  We likewise are all under a constant barrage of temptation both from Satan and our own lusts (James 1:14).  This can have the effect of us failing in our faith.  That can manifest itself in many different ways in many different people.  It may cause us to "play church," wearing a mask of piety to cover a life of sin induced inner conflict and despair.  Some are married to their positions, responsibilities or reputation in the congregation and community and hang on to them even though their hearts may not be right. Some fall out of fellowship altogether due to their inner struggles.

Whatever the effect may be, rest assured that Jesus knows and understands our trials (Hebrews 4:15) and prays that we will be delivered from them, or more to the point, that we will be converted.  This is not to say that we are not Christians or never were, but that he is praying for a return to righteousness and triumph over trials.  And he prays this not just for our own sake, but for the sake of those who we can help who may go through similar seasons.

Challenges to our faith will surely come.  Let us do all we can to remain steadfast and never have a reason to return to that which we should never have departed.  "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you," James 4:7

One,

Lee 

A God of Second Chances 10/31/2013

"Then Samson called to the Lord and said, 'O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.'” Judges 16:28

This simple passage of Scripture does not readily reveal the profound impact of repentance and the amazing forgiveness of God, but careful study of the story and the man, Samson, will leave the fervent seeker awestruck, humbled and grateful.

In those days, the people of Israel were in a retched cycle of being blessed by God, turning their backs on Him in favor of other gods, being subjected by force to the whims of other nations, crying out to God for relief and being rescued by Him. On this particular occasion, the people had been under the subjugation of the Philistines for 40 years. God, in His infinite mercy, sent his angel to a woman named Manoah and, among other things, instructed her that she would bear a son and that through him, Israel would begin to be "saved from the hands of the Philistines," Judges 13:5. This was the beginning of the story and purpose of Samson.

Now the rest of his story is well known. He was born a Nazirite (one who is particularly dedicated to God, typically by vow and the observance of certain habits and restrictions), grew in supernatural strength, became a judge of the people and famously fought and defeated the Philistines on numerous occasions. It is also well known that Samson was a very flawed man. He had habits and desires that were not in keeping with his calling. He frequently made mistakes in judgment and failed to comport himself at some critical times and was known to visit prostitutes. He is perhaps best known for his involvement with the treacherous Philistine woman, Delilah. It is to her that, despite proving herself unworthy of his trust on at least three occasions that might have resulted in his death, he reveals the secret of his strength resulting in the breaking of his Nazarite vow and the loss of his power.

Beloved, it is easy for us to sit in judgment of Samson. We ask ourselves how he could have been so stupid, thereby inferring that we could never be guilty of such transgression and lack of good decision making. But is that strictly true? Has not God created each of us for His own glory? Has he not instructed us in His ways and given us a mission to do battle with the enemy? Have we not been distracted by the perceived benefits of that same enemy and actually done business with him? In some ways, times and situations, we are all Samson.

That said, we serve the same God as Samson. When he had come to fully understand the error of his ways, he remembered his purpose, he remembered his God given ability and he remembered his God. Through His amazing love and forgiveness, God came to the aid of Samson, even as He had to the people of Israel through Samson, and strengthened him for his original intended purpose. God never forsakes us. It is we who leave Him. But just as the father of the prodigal son, He constantly awaits our return and receives us when we come. All praises to Him for being a God of second (and third and fourth and fifth...) chances.

Committed,

Lee

You Can Too-1/25/2012

"And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what will you have me to do?" Acts 9:6

These are the words of Saul, later known as Paul, the moment he came into contact with the risen Lord the first time. It is important to know some things about this man. The scriptures tell us that he was a rising star in the Pharisaic movement. Self described as a "Hebrew of Hebrews" and a student of the famous Rabbi, Gamaliel, it was he who stood by and watched the outer garments of those who had removed them to stone Stephen for his truthful testimony of the Lord. It was he who viewed the followers of Christ as both such a threat and such a blasphemy that he took up arms against men and women of the faith, "breathing out threatenings and slaughter." Saul was a bad man and had become famous for being so.

Once he met Jesus, however, he changed his life completely. He immediately began working for the very Lord who he had vigorously persecuted. Not only did he preach the gospel, pen nearly half of the New Testament and play an instrumental role in carrying the good news to Gentiles, he willingly suffered tremendously in order to do it all:

• Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 2 Cor 11:23-25

Beloved, we all struggle with being who God wants us to be. We struggle with being who we know we should be. We may all deal with different things that distract us and weigh us down, but we all have something(s). Paul's conversion is offered as inspiration. He could not have been further from the Lord. In nearly an instant he could not have been closer to the Lord. Make no mistake, he could easily have refused Jesus at any point. God does not make us choose Him or obey Him. Paul did. If he can, we can and we are much closer to the objective than he ever was.

Rejoicing in the Lord,

Lee

Forgiving Yourself Because You Are Forgiven 11/10/2011

"He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep." John 21:17

As any of us might imagine and certainly feel if we were in his place, Peter was wracked with guilt over what could easily be the second greatest sin of all time (the "original sin" being the first). He had denied his Lord and Savior not once or twice but three times. You will recall that he even cursed while doing it. Having had his Lord restored to him after the greatest miracle known to man, he was forced to endure what he felt was the shame of having to profess his love for the the Lord not once or twice but a third time.

Beloved, Peter need not have felt this way. Rather than being persecuted by the Lord, he was actually being restored by the Lord. If any among the apostles were a leader, it was surely him. Though he was arguably closest to Jesus and therefore committed the greatest seen by denying him, he was now being given the ultimate forgiveness. More importantly than this, however, is Jesus' implicit message that Peter needs to forgive himself. It can clearly be seen that Jesus is over it (if in fact he was ever bothered by it) evidenced by his charging him to shepherd the flock. Peter was not in a position to wallow in his own misery. Jesus had work for him to do.

Forgiving ourselves can be among the most difficult things in life to do. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. We all have skeletons in the closet. We all have things we regret. If we allow those things to weigh us down and keep us in guilt laden misery, we will never be able to do the things with which we have been charged by our Lord. Whatever it is that you have done and repented of, know that Christ has forgiven you. Forgive yourself. Get to work.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee

When We Leave Jesus-DD 2/15/2011

"And as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it" Luke 2:43-44

Beloved, have you ever looked up and found that you were without Jesus? This can be a blessing wrapped in a tragedy. It is a tragedy because the Christian should never be without Jesus. It is through him that we live and move and have our being. To be sure, we are nothing but condemned without him. The blessing is found at the center of this tragedy because you realize you are without him. God has given us the Spirit of discernment. It is in us to know when we are outside of His will.

You may ask how one knows when they are without Jesus. The answer is different for everyone, but suffice it to say that if we are operating outside of his commands and not doing the things that are right according to his word, we have somehow, somewhere left him behind. Imagine how panic stricken Mary and Joseph were when the realized he was missing. Let it also be pointed out here that as with us, Jesus did not leave them, but it was they who left him.

Finally, the question must be asked, "how do we get him back?" Simply do what Mary and Joseph did; they went back to where they had him last. Chances are, if you find yourself without Jesus, you know exactly when and where you left him. Go back and get him. This may involve study, counseling, surrounding yourself with brothers and sisters and most certainly, prayer. You will find that Jesus is true to his word. He will never leave nor forsake you. Once you have regained him, keep him close in your heart at all times.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee

The Benefit of Guilt-DD 2/10/11

"I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything" 2 Cor 7:9

One might never think so, but a guilty conscience can be a wonderful thing. It certainly is uncomfortable at the time but it is an excellent indicator of when we are off the path. One seldom feels bad about doing something good, but for those of good conscience, there is never a good feeling for doing something bad.

Paul would seem to imply that this is a gift from God. If we feel bad enough to never want to feel that way again, it leads to us resolving to never again do what caused the bad feelings in the first place. This is the essence of the relationship between sorrow and repentance.

Beloved, just as pain is placed in our body to indicate a clear and present problem, guilt and sorrow are placed in our minds concerning those things which can destroy the body and soul. Let us pursue righteousness at all times by avoiding wrong at all cost. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee