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Showing posts from September, 2015

Strength

“If you fail under pressure, your strength is not very great." Proverbs 24:10 "And then, I completely lost it." Have you ever told a story that contained that line before? I have. Typically, it ends with me apologizing to any number of people. The pressure of the moment was too much. Looking back, it would be more accurate to say that my strength was actually too little.  The writer of this Proverb stated it clearly. When there is failure ... be it a blow-up, a moral collapse, or the fumbling of a wonderful opportunity ... the blame is not to be placed anywhere else. It's ours and ours alone. When we wilt under pressure, it's our lack of strength that needs to be addressed. Circumstances are just circumstances. The antidote to our strength shortage? We must find strength from somewhere, from someone else. Consider Paul's triumphal statement, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." We need  Jesus Strength!  When we accept Jesus as

Ask

“...'You will not recover from this illness.' When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord...Then this message came to Isaiah from the Lord: 'Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, 'This is what the God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life...'"  Isaiah 38:1-6 Nearly thirty years ago, I was bound and determined to ask someone a very important question. Hours were spent formulating and preparing for the moment. In spite of my nerves and in spite of the numerous ways the "ask" could have been derailed, I went for it. From the moment the ring went on her finger to this present moment, I am beyond thankful that I asked my wife for her hand in marriage. Hezekiah, the king of Judah, found the wonder of asking as well. He was told to get his house in order. Game over. His earth journey was finished. Then, he asked. It was a bold ask for sure. God, in his

Authority

“Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority." I Peter 3:22 There have been more times than I care to admit where I've had an authority problem. And like the lyric to a famous song I've discovered, "When I fight authority, authority always wins." It doesn't matter if I get caught or not. Rebellion has never served me well. Sooner or later, I come to regret those decisions that represent me demanding my way particularly those that run contrary to Jesus' instructions. In our verse for the day, Peter provides us with a glimpse behind the curtain into the throne room of God. Jesus is there seated in the place of honor next to God. Angels are there. Authorities and powers are there too. In the world unseen to us, there is no confusion as to who is in charge. They all get it. Jesus rules.  Meanwhile, back here on earth, a battle rages. There are pretender

Removed

“'Come now, let us argue this out,' says the Lord. 'No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool...'" Isaiah  1:18 The first snowfall of the year always seems to be the most dazzling. The flakes are so clear in flight they appear to be translucent. It's only as they accumulate that the brilliant white is truly revealed. It's remarkable to me how spellbinding it is to watch those flakes drift down so effortlessly out of the sky. And then, once the clouds roll on and the brilliant sun strikes those collected flakes, it's as if a switch has been flipped to reveal a spotless and radiant carpet of light. I believe God was appealing to his people using just such a scene to powerfully communicate what it means to be forgiven by God. He alone is uniquely positioned to do the impossible -- remove any vestige of the stains of s

Yes

“because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, never wavers between yes and no. He is the one whom Timothy, Silas, and I preached to you, and he is the divine Yes - God's affirmation. For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in him. That is why we say "Amen" when we give glory to God through Christ." I Corinthians 1:19-20 We've all heard the expression, "Their word is as good as gold." In other words, this person keeps their promises. They honor their commitments. They have a track record of reliability. Most of us want that kind of a reputation. We'll go to great lengths to build it and protect it. And yet, on occasion we have failed to deliver on our word. Thankfully, most people will be patient and understanding until it becomes habitual. In our verses for the day, Paul emphatically points to the faithful promise keeper, the "Yes" of God who is a person - Jesus. He is the living embodiment of the fulfillment of God's promises. Ev