Month: April 2023

Romans 2:28-29 (Phillips)  – I   have come to  the conclusion  that  a  true  Jew is not  the  man  who is merely  a  Jew outwardly,  and  a  real  circumcision  is not  just  a  matter  of  the  body.  The true Jew is one who belongs to God in heart, a man whose circumcision is not just an outward physical affair but is a God-made sign upon the heart and soul, and results in a life lived not for the approval of man, but for the approval of God.

Observation

This evidence of a “true Jew” has not changed.  The physical act of circumcision was intended to be physical evidence of a God-made sign on the heart and soul, evidence of living for the approval of God alone.  In Christ, our circumcision is of the heart.  Our physical evidence is how we represent the love and grace of Jesus in the way we live out our lives. 

We can’t be Christian in name only, acting piously in the company of other Christians, but no differently than the world around unbelievers.  We shame God and make a mockery of the Gospel if we do.  Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45) and the man acts.  So, looking good is not good enough (that life lived for “the approval of man”).  Our motives and heart behind what we do will be exposed as they are reflected in our actions. 

Impact on Me

I was talking with someone about worship and how it must be 24/7 and motivated by a heart of gratitude, not duty driven or to fit in with the crowd. The conversation has set me to thinking.  Worship should not be something I feel I owe but rather something that flows freely from my gratitude for my redemption.  True worship is more than singing or spending time in the Word.  True worship is when I honor my God, Father, Son and Spirit, by living a life that reflects His heart, His will, His purposes, no matter the cost to me. 

The King of kings and Lord of lords has His eyes on us all; can I believe that He sees me (can you?)?  Can I truly embrace that the Creator of the universe would even know who I am, and even die for me (can you?)?   He owes us nothing.  We are born at fault for our predicament, our circumstances.  He could have left us unredeemed, but He chose to reclaim us.  Those who are circumcised of the heart, full of gratitude for this unfailing Love, live a life of true worship, and their circumcision is evident to all.

Prayer

Lord God, Redeemer, Helper and Lover of my soul, I worship You.  Work in me to make that circumcision of the heart evident in my life so that others may come to know You because they meet You in me.  Mold and shape me so I will see with Your eyes past the outward appearance to the soul in anguish, scarred by life, needing Your healing.  Fill my heart with Your compassion, Your grace, Your goodness so all I do will be true worship to You.  Make it so, in Jesus’ name. 

Joshua 1:8-9 (NLT) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Observation

This simple instruction from 1000’s of years ago has not changed and God is as faithful in this promise now as He was then.  It is so simple that it seems too good to be true – just be obedient to follow God’s instructions laid out for us in His Word to find success!  This is when our humanity, culture and heritage kick in, and we begin to meditate on things such as: 

• Surely prosperity and success is at least as dependent on the work, initiative and creativity invested on our part.
• Surely we need to always consider common sense and human experience first to determine the risks of stepping out in faith on God’s Word alone.
• Surely we must update this ancient command and interpret it to fit our current culture.
• Surely God has not said/did not mean… (Seems to me this was first suggested in an ancient garden by a sneaky snake).

This passage in Joshua does not tell us not to plan, not to work hard and diligently, not to use our gifts, talents and experience to accomplish what He has set before us to do.  This passage does tell us to study and meditate on God’s Word so we can be courageous knowing that obedience to His Word and submitting our gifts, talents and abilities to His plan are the ways to guarantee prosperity and success – in life, in ministry, in all we do.

Impact on Me

I must confess that I have been guilty of the folly of trying to improve God’s plans for me.  I have been foolish enough to limit God to what I think is possible.  I have adapted or updated the interpretation of His Word to make me more comfortable in obeying it. Like Eve, so many times, I have allowed myself to be deceived into questioning God’s instructions, wisdom, intent and meaning or into rationalizing that my plan might improve on His.  Like Eve, I have always found that to be a bad choice with many unpleasant repercussions.  

God knows what I am thinking before I ever act on my thoughts.  As I study and meditate on His Word, He reveals Himself – Who He is, how He works, what His heart is for all of His creation.  He wants me to embrace His Word so that I can have the courage and confidence to be what He is calling me to be and do what He is calling me to do.  He is asking me to trust Him and His plan made before the Earth was created – one with no flaws, no unexpected repercussions.  His plan will not fail even if I do.

Prayer

Lord God, Creator, Eternal, All-Wise, All-Knowing God, ever to be praised.  Thank You, God, for inventing repentance, redemption and restoration so that my foolishness, my sin, my rebellion, can die and be buried in Your mercy, grace and love.  You have proven over and over again that Your Word, Your promises, and Your ability, power and faithfulness to keep Your promises to those who choose to obey are the same yesterday, today and forever.  Lord, may I embrace Your Word so I can become strong, courageous and wise enough to choose to obey without question.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Luke 6:35-36 MSG  “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.”

Luke 23:33-34 MSG. “When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”

Observation

Both of these passages are in red letters in my study Bible, which means that Jesus is speaking.  Those who heard these words had so many that might fall into the category of enemy – the conquering Romans who worshipped pagan gods and ruled with a cruel hand, Samaritans who were half-breeds that had distorted the Jewish faith, other foreigners/Gentiles/pagans whom they must avoid, as well as those enemies arising from personal or family squabbles, the untouchable lepers and others with diseases, and even the religious authorities who disdained the “common folk” and kept heaping on rules for them to break which kept them out of God’s favor.

Today as then, these words are hard to swallow without choking on them. We struggle with both wanting to forgive and how to forgive those who have opposed, offended, hurt or damaged us in a way that has caused us to call them an enemy. How could Jesus on the Cross ask for the Father to forgive the man who drove the nails into His hands, the man who wielded the whip that laid open His flesh, the crowd which yelled, “Crucify!”, the religious leaders who planned and orchestrated His suffering?  Because it was for them and all of us He died.

Impact on Me

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

How do I get to this place – scorning the shame, setting aside my pride, disregarding what others may think of me – the place where, while enduring opposition, I can keep my eyes fixed on the joy of seeing my enemies, my untouchables, my socially unacceptables forgiven and redeemed?  Only by surforrendering my pride, being willing to endure that shame, and allowing the Holy Spirit to expose and cleanse the ugly places in me that have harbored offense and labeled someone an enemy. 

I need to recognize that the only true enemy who cannot be redeemed is Satan himself. His entire existence is focused on driving wedges between God and His creation, God and His children. The joy set before Jesus that allowed Him to endure the Cross was knowing that He was providing a way to remove those wedges so we can restore relationship with God and each other.  Forgiveness dissolves those wedges. Satan has no defense against me when I am, like Jesus, set to forgive even the worst.

Prayer

Father, You are gracious, merciful, loving, forgiving and perfect in it all. I am far from perfect in all these.  I give the Holy Spirit permission to seek out and expose the places in me where offense is evident or hiding. I ask  Your courage and strength to confront my pride and any shame so I can give Him the freedom to deal with and clean up these areas.  I commit to fix my eyes on Jesus as I minister Your grace and love to those You bring my way. Make it so, in Jesus’ name.

John 3:15-16 PHILLIPS  The Son of Man must be lifted above the heads of men—as Moses lifted up that serpent in the desert—so that any man who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him shall not be lost, but should have eternal life.

Hebrews 12:1-3 PHILLIPS  Surrounded then as we are by these serried ranks of witnesses, let us strip off everything that hinders us, as well as the sin which dogs our feet, and let us run the race that we have to run with patience, our eyes fixed on Jesus the source and the goal of our faith. For He himself endured a cross and thought nothing of its shame because of the joy He knew would follow his suffering; and He is now seated at the right hand of God’s throne. Think constantly of Him enduring all that sinful men could say against Him and you will not lose your purpose or your courage. 

Observation & Impact on Me

As I look toward Good Friday, I consider the Cross – its excruciating torture, why it was made the price, how it impacted those who were there, the commitment of Christ to finish the requirements of the plan to redeem us.  So many questions! 

For example, a marketing question – why would God follow up all the miracles with the most shameful and degrading of public deaths?  Now, the disciples were asking Gentiles and Jews alike to believe in and commit to a crucified/disgraced Messiah.  It was a bad enough public image and hurdle to overcome for Jews that He was portrayed as a blasphemer by the religious leadership and for Gentiles that He was considered a criminal or insurrectionist by the Romans.  On top of this, His disciples were handed the Cross as the symbol of redemption, the door into relationship with God. “…the message of salvation through faith in a crucified Savior was deemed “foolishness” and a “stumbling-block” because “the cross was itself the embodiment and emblem of the most hideous of human obscenities. The cross was a symbol of reproach, degradation, humiliation, and disgust. It was aesthetically repugnant. In a word, the cross was obscene.”  (Bible Study Tools) Marketing teams would be playing down the Cross, not advertising it!

Another question – did He really mean everyone who believes?  Does His love and forgiveness really extend to include all?  If so, He died for Pontius Pilate and his soldiers, for the religious leaders who plotted and executed His murder, for the mockers who spit on Him, for the man who held the whip in his hands, for the man who drove the nails in His hands and for the thief who received mercy as well as the one who rejected it!  Does He mean to extend forgiveness today to the murderer, the abortionist, the child molester, the abusive spouse, the racist, the terrorist, or anyone else I find repugnant?  Was the redemption of such as these part of the joy He knew would follow His suffering on the Cross?  Can He really forgive and forget so completely? Honestly, was I any “cleaner” than the worst of these when I embraced His sacrifice?  I am certainly not yet that forgiving, but pray that I will grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding so I can become so.

One more question to which I don’t have an answer (maybe I don’t like the answer?) – why was this determined as the price to redeem mankind?  Satan would want to inflict as much pain on God as possible; did he set the price thinking it was too high or too unreasonable for God to pay?  Did God set the price knowing that He was giving out of love for us His most precious & priceless, paying the highest price possible that there could never be any question after about “it is finished”?  I can sense Satan’s influence in using the most excruciating, shameful and public death to wound God’s heart, but I can also see God’s influence in the love, mercy and forgiveness Jesus extended throughout His crucifixion journey.  And then, the resurrection! 

Prayer

Lord, I pray that You will work Your love, mercy and grace in me so that I, too, can look past my current circumstances, my difficult times, my struggles, to be a faithful servant in them all because I see the same joy set before me.  Just as the Cross was changed into a symbol of love, redemption, hope, grace and victory, help me to allow faith, love and grace to convert my unforgiveness, fears, failures, shame and regret into gratitude, love, grace and boldness for seeing that redemptive work in every and all.  My desire is to “Think constantly of Him enduring all that sinful men could say against Him and you will not lose your purpose or your courage.”  Make it so in the name of Jesus.