In the Bible, David is famous for many moments and achievements.  One of his most memorable moments came before he was king over Israel.  That moment was his battle with Goliath the Philistine giant.  Goliath was nine feet and nine inches tall—almost the size of a basketball goal.  Can you imagine how much money he would make playing basketball today!  No one in Israel wanted to fight this giant.  1 Samuel 17:11 says that “Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.”  The Bible says that for forty days, morning and evening, Goliath came to the frontlines to taunt Saul and Israel and to take an imposing stand of defiance.  No one rose up to fight him—probably because no one had a death wish.  But also, there is no mention of Israel ever praying to the LORD about Goliath and what to do.  In human strength alone, a lot of giants and enemies look imposing and threatening.
            But then David chose to fight Goliath.  He said, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him” (1 Samuel 17:32).  So, David approached Goliath with only a sling and five smooth stones chosen from a stream bed.  When Saul tried to talk David out of fighting this battle, he responded with a powerful statement of faith.  He said, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).  This faith statement offers some important truths that might speak to us when we face life’s battles and giants today. 
            First, David spoke of the LORD.  No battle can be faithfully fought and righteously won apart from the Lord’s help.  Simply, we need the Lord.  Left to ourselves, we will probably choose the wrong ways and things.  We may still fight battles, but we may likely fight them in ways that are earthly, sinful and carnal.  Winning at all costs or any cost is not a strategy that honors God or brings good things to us.  We first begin by inviting the Lord to be Lord over the battles and giants that we face.  Commit the battle to the Lord.  David said, “for the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47b). 
            Second, David remembered God’s faithfulness in past times.  He could recall times when God had rescued him from lions and bears and other ordeals.  When we face battles today, we want to remember the goodness of God and the faithfulness of God in the past.  Our memories serve as good prologues and encouragements for today’s battles.  The memories of where and how God has worked can calm our raging pulse, soothe our rapid breathing and steady a racing mind.  Take a deep breath and remember who God is and what He has done for you.
            Third, David was confident in the Lord in the present.  He declared that God “will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”  He did not waver.  He did not worry.  We can be confident that God works all things together for our good and His glory (consider Romans 8:28).  God is our rock and refuge.  A quick look at many of the Psalms remind us of God’s majesty and might.  There are no battles or giants too great for the Lord to defeat and prevail over. 
            And finally, David was forward looking.  He eagerly anticipated this battle and how God would work through it to deliver both him and Israel.  He did not postpone it or try to talk Goliath into some alternative to settle things.  We can always look forward to what God has in store for us.  We can always anticipate blessings and God-sightings of where our Lord has faithfully provided and been at work.  We can wake up in the midst of battles and trials and gladly look to where God might be at work and what He is doing next.  We can also stay dedicated to whatever work that God has given us to do.  We can do what God has called us to do and be what God has called us to be while we look forward to what He does next.  Have a great Monday!    

             I’m currently reading in 1 Samuel each day.  There is a tragic story found in I Samuel 4.  To summarize the setting, Israel is defeated in battle by the Philistines.  And subsequently, the Philistines capture the Ark of God.  Eli, the high priest at the time, and his sons, Hophni and Phineas (also priests) die in the aftermath of this military defeat.  In 1 Samuel 4:22 the Bible says, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”  Such a sobering summary and painful verdict to hear.  Now, the Ark was not Noah’s Ark.  This Ark represented the presence of God with Israel.  It had been taken into battle by Israel and treated as a sort of “good luck charm.”  It was misused and dishonored by what Israel did.  Though the Ark symbolized God’s presence, it did not guarantee that His favor would rest upon Israel at any time and anywhere and for any reason.  And God permitted Israel to suffer a devastating battlefield defeat.  It was a costly and painful lesson. 
            The expression “the glory of the Lord has departed” is haunting.  We live for the glory of God.  Indeed, the chief goal of humanity is to know the Lord and to bring Him glory forever.  But, let’s be honest, there are times when we fail to glorify God.  There are times when His glory is far from our minds and hearts.  We fail to bring glory to God when we sin and choose our ways above His ways.  We need a Savior, Jesus, because we have sinned and made light of God’s ways and Word.  We have disobeyed Him.  We fail to bring glory to God when we are indifferent toward His Word—by failing to read His Word and being hearers only rather than hearers and doers of His Word. 
            We rob God of His glory when we fail to worship Him.  We can easily find ourselves awash in a host of other things that compete for our time and attention, so we aren’t worshipping God weekly with other believers and individually each day.  We can put distance between the Lord and ourselves.  One of Satan’s most effective tactics is to keep us busy and tied down with many things—and they may be good things.  But these things just enable us to slip away from the Lord slowly and gradually.  We can rob God of His glory when we fail to express our thanksgiving and gratitude to Him.  Psalm 136:1 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.”  Psalm 100:4a says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.”  God delights in hearing our thankfulness and gratitude expressed to Him.  We can be grateful for the host of simple things we enjoy every day—sleep, rest, water, friends, family, food and freedom to worship.
            We can rob God of His glory when we live impulsively and selfishly.  We can live in jealousy.  We can speak badly of others behind their backs.  We can peddle and pass along half-truths, rumors and resentment.  We can easily turn our whims and wishes into what we think is God’s ways and will.  God is not glorified by any of this.  His glory quickly departs from such places and times.  If we find ourselves having robbed God of His glory, it is time to repent and to do so immediately.  We should confess our wickedness to God and ask for His grace.  We should pray that His Holy Spirit would guide us not to do such things again and that we would possess the wisdom to hear and understand that guidance. 
            Sadly, much of the Old Testament is the story of Israel stubbornly and consistently defying and disobeying God.  And Israel failed to learn from their defeats and losses.  Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  We must realize that life is brief—like a vapor or a morning fog.  And the days graciously given to us are to be lived for HIS glory.  May we make it our ambition to bring glory to Him and to live in conscious awareness of what our words, motivations and actions are doing.  Are we bringing glory to Him or to ourselves?  Repent from the times where you have robbed God of His glory.  Remember what it means to live for Him and His glory.  And return quickly to those times.  Have a great Thursday!

           In Luke 22, Jesus gathered His disciples for the Passover meal—what Christians would come to know as the Last Supper.  We know that Peter denied Jesus three times after the meal and before the cross.  Jesus warned His fisherman-turned-disciple that he was vulnerable to Satan’s tactics and temptations.  The Bible says, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).  Peter responded to Jesus by insisting that he was ready and willing for anything—come what may—including even prison and death.  Yet, just hours later, Peter folded under pressure and denied even knowing Jesus.  Our mouths often write checks that our actions cannot cash. 
            But before the denials, Jesus issued two more warnings to Peter (and the other disciples).  Jesus said, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:40b).  And again, “’Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them. ‘Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation’” (Luke 22:46).  We learn some important lessons about faith and times of testing from Peter and his Maundy Thursday experiences.  First, we should always assume that Satan is working against us.  He is the enemy of God and God’s people in Christ.  The Bible warns, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  He prowls, roars and seeks to devour.  Vivid language that shows us just how stark, severe and sustained the enemy’s attacks can be.  Each day, we should be mindful of Satan’s schemes and ways.  We do not live in fear of Satan because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).  But we want to be on watch, on sentry duty, for Satan’s attacks and schemes that are launched against us.  May we be forewarned so we are forearmed for these attacks by the evil one.
            Second, we need to expect times of testing.  NO one has a perfect and battle-free life.  No one!  So, we need to expect times of adversity and testing to come.  We can commit those times to the Lord and trust Him to provide.  We can intensify our prayers and invite others to pray for us too.  We can dig deeper into the Bible for truths and promises to sustain us.  Twice, Jesus commanded His disciples to pray through this time of great testing for Him and them.  If Jesus prayed in His Garden of Gethsemane, then how much more do we need to pray too.  We cannot predict the exact moment when a temptation may come but can be confident that such times will come.
            Third, stay humble during times of temptation.  Do not rely on your strength or wits to sustain you.  Lean into the Lord.  Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”  The armor of God works best when it is put on in totality.  Each day as you wake up you can mentally put the armor of God on your life—from your head to your feet.  Paul emphasized humility in the face of temptation, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).  We are not to think that we are invulnerable and untouchable enough that we can stand alone.  We need the Lord and the power He has provided to us.
            And fourth, pray diligently and daily in advance.  We can often find ourselves praying only when times of testing have come upon us.  A better strategy is to pray consistently so we are prepared when those times come.  We are smarter and better if we build our faith daily and steadily rather than trying to scramble when a crisis hits.  A doctor studies and prepares to practice medicine rather than running to Google or WebMD for answers when a patient is in crisis.  Likewise, we are to build our faith daily so that we are prepared for temptations, tests and trials when they inevitably come.  Jesus compared this daily faith building to two builders in Matthew 7.  One builder was haphazard and lazy and built his house on the wrong foundation only to see it collapse when the storms came.  But the second builder was much wiser.  Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). 
            On this Maundy Thursday, remember and meditate on the events that are coming into full focus—the Last Supper, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by Judas, the arrest of Jesus and Peter’s denials.  The weight of a sin-stained and sin-weary world rested on Jesus.  May we remember the burden Jesus bore for us.  Have a thoughtful and reflective Thursday!  The cross is coming!

             Palm Sunday is a significant day in the life of Christians.  This day is the beginning of Holy Week—a walk through the last days of Jesus’ life before the cross on Good Friday.  Of course, Good Friday is preceded by Maundy Thursday.  The names of these three days are important and teach us some important truths about these days.  The names of these can be faith-building opportunities in us.  For example, Palm Sunday reminds us that many people in the crowd that welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem placed branches on the road upon which Jesus traveled.  These branches were a way of honoring Jesus.  This practice was often performed to honor dignitaries or royalty as they entered a city.  The crowd that lined the street into Jerusalem wisely and properly honored Jesus as King.  Christ is the King of kings.  Their actions teach us today the importance of declaring Christ as our King—today and always. 
            Jesus is the only one worthy to sit on the throne of the universe and the only one who should sit upon the throne of your heart or mine.  Reading the story of Jesus’ Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem should cause us to examine our hearts to see if the throne belongs to Christ or something lesser than him.  We can easily enthrone our feelings, opinions, ideas and biases while thinking we have put Christ on the throne.  It can be easy to confuse our thoughts and ways with His.  But His thoughts and ways are not yours or mine by nature.  Coming to Christ, when we are drawn by the Holy Spirit, means we are trading our ways for His.
            Maundy Thursday reminds us of a great mandate or dictum.  We are commanded or mandated by Christ to remember the cross and His death.  We often use the Lord’s Supper as a way to do this.  The bread and cup remind us of Jesus’ body and blood—broken and shed for us.  In addition, we remember the cross when we read the Bible or pray.  Worship takes us to the cross to remember the tremendous price that was paid for our salvation. Maundy Thursday also shows us that we need a Savior to die for us and to give us His righteousness.  Apart from this gracious gift, we are hopelessly lost and dead in our sins.
            Good Friday may seem like a misnomer given what happened on that day.  Let’s be clear and honest, WE are responsible for the death of Jesus.  Our sins led to His cross.  We can blame the Romans or the religious leaders of Israel but the suspects most responsible for Jesus’ death on the cross are the people we see in the mirror—YOU and ME.  That’s had to believe and accept.  It hurts.  But the good we received on that Friday came from Jesus doing everything He needed to do to save us and set us right with the Father.  Jesus died the death we should have died and paid a debt we should have paid.  We received forgiveness and new life and a new heart while He gave His life on the cross.  It is GOOD that Jesus did this for us. 
            As you work your way through the days of Holy Week, let the names themselves remind you of what they mean and the blessings we receive from these days.  Isaiah the prophet wrote hundreds of years before Jesus died, “Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).  May the Lord give us eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to receive what He has done.  Have a good Monday!      
 
         

           The Bible teaches us that Joshua was Moses’ successor as the leader of Israel.  Joshua took the mantle of authority from Moses to lead Israel into the Promised Land.  God made it clear that He would be “with Joshua.”  We read in Joshua 1:5, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  This promise from God had to be a comfort to this new leader with responsibilities for an entire nation and a campaign to take the land that God had chosen for Israel to settle.  Joshua would never face any foe without the assurance of God’s presence and power.  The only exception would be when Israel disobeyed God or tried to do things its own way. 
            A little later in Joshua 6:27 we read, “So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.”  Again, the presence and favor of the Lord rested upon Joshua.  Joshua’s fame spread because of the Lord’s power and presence.  God elevated the stature of Joshua so others would know the Lord’s favor rested upon this man.  The presence of God with us today is an incredible promise and blessing that we dare not take for granted or overlook.  Jesus reminded His disciples (and us) that He would remain with us always—even to the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20).  God’s presence with us means at least four good things as we live each day.
            First, we realize we are not alone.  God abides with us.  He knows us.  He knows our thoughts, feelings, fears and frustrations.  We do not carry the weight and burdens of life by ourselves.  His presence sustains us—just as He sustained Joshua during the days of conquest and settling new land.  When God draws us or leads us to serve Him, we can be comforted by his promise not to abandon or forsake us.  Psalm 23 reminds us that even in the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord remains with us and sustains us.  In a difficult moment during any day, we can pause to remind ourselves that God is with us.
            Second, we have what we need.  God reminded Paul that His grace would be sufficient for everything that Paul faced or feared.  As you read these words, you can likely look around and see evidence of God providing for your needs.  You have food and shelter. You have friends and family.  You have His Word to read and remember.  You have forgiveness and new life in Christ if you have surrendered yourself to Him.  When Israel wandered in the wilderness (because of its disobedience), God provided manna for Israel. God does not leave His people stranded and adrift.  He meets our needs.
            Third, God will fulfill His plans for us.  God can get us to the finish line of life.  God will help us grow into His ways and will.  God famously said to Jeremiah, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).  God has neither created nor saved us to leave us roaming through life aimlessly and without purpose.  He has made us to serve Him and to declare His greatness and glory.  If we are willing to submit to Him, He will accomplish the plans He has for us.
            And fourth, God uses us to declare His saving power and glory to others.  We can be witnesses for Christ each day.  We can boldly share with others what He has done for us. We can speak about Jesus and His power to forgive and turn old lives into new ones. When we remember that God is with us, we can be strong in speaking for Him and standing for Him each day.  God gave Paul the words to speak in Acts.  God can give us words to speak that make a difference in the lives of others if we trust Him enough to be His voices.  We can influence others by speaking about how God has provided for us and changed us by His loving grace and power.  The early chapters of Joshua stand as a compelling testimony of what God was able to do through one man completely devoted to Him.  Imagine what God could do through you or me when we desire His glory more than our own.  Remember to trust the presence of God each day!  Have a great Thursday!  

        Moses was denied entry into the Promised Land by God.  This denial came because of Moses’ disobedience at Meribah when he hit a rock instead of speaking to it, as God had instructed him.  We might be tempted to think of such a thing as being trivial or inconsequential.  God did not and does not.  There is no such thing as minor league disobedience.  God described Moses’ disobedience in this way, “This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:51-52).
         It has been said that sin will take you further than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay and keep you longer than you had planned to stay.  Moses learned this lesson.  As we approach Good Friday in less than two weeks, it can be helpful to remember the importance of obedience and walking faithfully with the Lord each day.  The cross reminds us of the consequences of our disobedience.  We are forgiven only because of the cross where Jesus paid the price for our sins and suffered the justice of God that was intended for us.  Disobedience does not occur in a vacuum.  Any time we may be inclined to think of our disobedience as being a trivial matter, we should remember the cross where our sins were judged and executed.
         To practice obedience, we need several important truths to keep in mind.  First, we need to know God’s Word so we can keep it.  It is easier to sin or to make light of our sins when we do not know God’s Word.  We can easily settle for “white lies,” “everybody does it,” or “nobody’s perfect.”  These common excuses are our attempt to water down our disobedience to make it a bit more palatable.  Make Bible reading an everyday priority. Second, be quick to confess your sins to the Lord and acknowledge where you have fallen short.  There are times where we speak, act or think wrongly.  Rather than forgetting or dismissing those times, confess them to the Lord and receive His healing grace. Repentance and confession make us more sensitive to sin and less tolerant of it in our lives.
         Third, spend some time with the Lord each day thanking Him and praising Him for the blessings of your life.  When we recognize just how incredibly good and generous that God has been to us, we tend to resist the temptations of the enemy more eagerly and successfully.  Satan often tries to convince us that his way leads to what we want or need and that God’s ways are designed to do nothing more than frustrate us and hold us back from the things we really need or want the most.  But God is good, faithful, gracious and patient.  The more we learn about the heart and character of God, the better we will become at rejecting sin and embracing Him and His ways.
         And fourth, ask God to open your eyes and ears to the traps and snares that the enemy places before you.  Satan’s temptations can be subtle and sly.  We can easily find our way of escape blocked because he has done such an enticing job to draw us into sin and doing things his way.  We need discernment.  We need the armor of God.  Put on the helmet of salvation...let God rule your mind and take every thought captive to Christ.  Put on the breastplate of righteousness...let serving the Lord be the light of your days.  Secure the belt of truth...know God’s Word and ways.  Let His ways fill your heart.  Wear the shoes of the gospel of peace so you can flee Satan’s temptations.  Take up the shield of faith and trust God when the enemy is tempting you. Hold on to the truth that God’s ways are better—always and forever.  And take up the sword of the Spirit—resist Satan the same way Jesus did by knowing and quoting Scripture to the enemy.
         Disobedience is a big deal.  It is not a joking matter.  God will grant us the grace and help we need to live the way He calls us to live.  Remember the words of Deuteronomy 32:27, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, ‘Destroy them!’”  Have a great Monday!

           Anger can be dangerous.  If left unchecked and unattended, it can quickly escalate into something that is out of control and even reckless.  While these are some occasions where anger might be righteous in its expression (for example Jesus’ cleansing the temple or anger today that leads to seeking justice and action about horrible things like child abuse, hunger and human trafficking), quite often human anger is sinful and expressed in sinful ways. The Bible does address anger—on numerous occasions.  One such place is Ephesians 4:26-27.  We read, “’In your anger do not sin:’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”  These two verses provide some excellent practical guidance for us to follow each day.  Let’s take a look at the truth God has for us to see.
            First, we read the words “your anger.”  We have to own the anger we may feel.  We can easily blame others or circumstances.  But anger is the reaction or response that we choose.  We can sin in response to our anger or we can act in ways that are healthy, good and even constructive.  Anger is a choice.  If we say that we react without thinking or that anger comes automatically more often than not, then we might have to explore how and why that happens.  It has been said that we cannot always choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we respond and live in them.  If anger has become a problem for us, then we have to own it and acknowledge it.
            Second, we can choose not to sin when we are angry.  The Bible commands us “do not sin.”  Jesus did not sin when he was angry about the moneychangers in the temple or the many times that Israel’s religious leaders tried to trap him.  Anger is a God-made emotion, so it is not inherently wrong or evil.  It becomes sinful when we respond by saying, thinking or doing things that are wrong.  To redeem anger, turn that energy or emotion into something good.  Let your anger inspire you to serve the Lord or others...to look for solutions and work for better outcomes.  Be on guard that anger does not lead you to lash out verbally or physically in regrettable ways.
            Third, we should be careful not to hold on to anger.  The Bible commands us to get over and to let go of our anger before the sun goes down.  Holding on to anger can give rise to bitterness, vengeance and some really destructive and dark behavior.  Resentment grows in the garden of prolonged anger.  The longer that anger simmers and lingers, the worse it becomes.  We should control our anger and deal with it quickly to prevent Satan from gaining any ground in our hearts. A good benchmark for dealing with anger is before the “sun goes down.”  Do not go to sleep angry so you will not wake up angry and, likely, lose a night of restful sleep too.
            Fourth, we need to realize that anger can often give the enemy a foothold or stronghold in our lives.  Satan gladly takes whatever part of our lives that we want to cede to him.  However, he is not content to take just that.  He looks to expand and weave his way into our hearts, minds and lives.  Greed can lead to stealing.  Anger can lead to violent actions.  Gossip can lead to maligning others.  We should never willingly do things that allow Satan to gain greater influence against us.  Anger can be like an incubator that Satan uses to bring about things that are far worse and longer lasting.  Take the Bible’s directives to heart and deal with anger before it leads you further than you wish to go and costs you more than you wish to pay.  Psalm 37:8 says, “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”  Let Christ be Lord over your emotions and your responses. Choose to deal with anger before it leads to evil.  Have a great Thursday!
  
          
               

           Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible.  The name means “second law.”  The law was expounded and proclaimed to the people one more time before they would enter into the Promised Land that God had chosen to give them.  We can consider it one more reminder that God graciously gave to the people so they would remember both Him and His standards.  God knew that Israel would face two big challenges as they entered the new land.  The first challenge was their memory of Egypt—the idols, false gods and false religion of Egypt.  The second challenge would be the paganism and wickedness of the nations and people that occupied the land that God was giving Israel—the culture, corruption and idolatry of Canaan.  God gave them an important warning that still speaks to us today.  In Deuteronomy 11:16, the Bible says, “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.”  A few important lessons stand out for us to see.  We can be thankful when these reminders pop up for us today.
            First, there is the warning to “be careful.”  We proceed with caution in life because we all have an enemy.  We have an enemy named Satan.  He lives to make war against us.  We fight not against flesh and blood but against Him (Ephesians 6:12).  He presents us with deceptive temptations to yield to Him and to take his word above God’s Word.  Paul gave a similar warning, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).  The best way to guard ourselves against Satan is to be aware that he is real and that he does seek to tempt us and draw us away from the Lord.  We are born with a sin-nature so our natural inclination is to turn away from the Lord.  We are not to live paranoid but we are to live with our eyes and minds wide open so that the enemy does not deceive us.
            Second, the Bible says we can “be enticed to turn away.”  In the Garden of Eden, the serpent enticed Adam and Eve to distrust God and to sample the forbidden fruit.  Satan often presents us with choices that appeal to the natural desires and wishes we already have.  We are born with many normal and healthy desires—attention, love, approval, success, etc.  But Satan tempts us to satisfy those desires in ways that are wrong and sinful.  Satan will often try to cast doubt on God’s Word and character.  He employed that same strategy with the first temptation in the Garden of Eden.  He replayed that strategy in the wilderness when he tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness following our Lord’s baptism.  We must be consciously aware each day of the enemy’s efforts to entice us to turn from the Lord.
            Third, the Bible warns us against “other gods and bowing down to them.”  We might not be inclined to make an idol out of stone or metal and worship it in the backyard or basement.  But we can often make idols out of money, possessions, habits, lifestyles and practically anything that draws us away from the Lord.  An idol is little more than anything we choose to love, serve, follow and lean on more than the Lord.  An idol comes between God and us.  Technology can become an idol and so too can be the things that drain and draw our time away from the Lord.  Time often devoted to temporary and trivial pursuits could be redirected toward time with the Lord.  We face the same challenges today that ancient Israel faced—the tendency to lose sight of the Lord and replace Him with something else.
            One of the first steps toward sin is a dusty Bible.  We want to know and invest in God’s Word consistently and intentionally.  Sunday may be a highlight day for our time in God’s Word but it should not be the only time.  We want to cover the other six days with God’s Word as well.  We take Jesus’ warning in the Garden of Gethsemane to heart and pray faithfully so that we do not fall into temptation.  Israel needed to have some important truths and lessons repeated to them.  We do too.  We never want to lose sight of what God has done for us in Christ and His call for us to love and serve Him through all our days.  Choose the Lord every day and in every situation.  Lean upon Him and let Him be your strength and shield.  Have a great Monday!   
         

          There’s a sober lesson about obedience that we find in Numbers 20.  Most of us would agree that obedience to God is both good and important.  A failure to obey God is called sin.  And sin, or disobedience, has landed us in the mess that we are in when left to ourselves—mired in sin, sin’s penalty and often sin’s consequences.  We can easily find ourselves trying to justify certain behaviors and actions as being almost obedient or at least the “old college try” at doing what God commands.  However, the reality is there is disobedience and everything else.  If we find ourselves trying to explain how “technically” we were obedient, then we already have a problem.  Obedience is clear to see and rather easy to explain. 
            In Numbers 20, Israel was complaining again.  This time they were complaining about a lack of water to drink.  In the middle of their complaining, they again looked back at Egypt with longing and sentimental hearts and eyes.  God spoke to Moses and told him how to secure water for the people.  God said, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink” (Numbers 20:8).  God was clear in His instructions to Moses—speak to the rock.  Speak!  Consider Moses’ response, “Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank” (Numbers 20:11).  Moses did not speak to the rock.  He struck it.  And there was a consequence for what he did.  The Bible says, “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them’” (Numbers 20:11).  Disobedience carries consequences.  We might be inclined to dismiss Moses’ actions as “no big deal.”  Is disobedience to God not a big deal?  Are we that quick to write off our rejection of what God has said? 
            The reason we need a Savior, Jesus, is because we have disobeyed God.  Because of our sins, we deserve the wrath and judgment of God.  But Jesus accepted that punishment in our place.  This story in Numbers tells us some important truths about disobedience.  First, disobedience is not a matter of not knowing what to do.  God has given us His Word.  God has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us.  Even the human conscience bears witness against us when we disobey (or in some cases consider disobeying).  God’s standards are as clear today as they were in Moses’ day when God told him simply what to do at Meribah but Moses disregarded the direction. 
            Second, disobedience is not a matter of “keeping the spirit of the law” but ignoring “the letter of the law.”  We walk an awfully fine line between obedience and disobedience when we have to justify what we have done.  And that line can take us to the wrong place.  More often than not, disobedience is just plain old defiance and choosing our ways above God’s ways. We may try to soothe ourselves by thinking we have kept the spirit of obedience or at least tried to do the right thing.  When we see that we have sinned against God, we need to confess that sin and turn from doing it again.  We want to be sure that we do not “dumb down” our disobedience and try to make excuses for it.  We never want to be at home in our sins and excuses.
            Third, disobedience can often result from misplaced anger or letting our emotions guide our decisions.  Moses was likely angry or frustrated with Israel.  They had been grumbling for a long time.  In the fog of anger, he made a rash and emotional decision to strike the rock at Meribah instead of speaking to it.  Perhaps he was venting.  Maybe he had bottled up his anger for as long as he could.  Still, the decision was wrong because he let the emotion of anger or frustration or aggravation lead him to a bad decision.  We often have to be careful not to let emotional responses like anger or venting override our minds.  Emotions are good, God-given parts of our being.  But emotions have to be guided by our mind and faith.   
            Finally, disobedience is often the failure to trust God enough to listen to Him.  Disobedience can be seen as trying to take matters into our own hands.  The Bible warns us not to add to it or take from Scripture (Revelation 22:18-19).  We obey God’s Word and guidance as they are given to us.  And let’s remember that God never leads us in ways that conflict with Scripture.  If we act contrary to God’s Word, we are disobedient.  Obedience often demands that we trust God when we cannot see the future.  Israel’s grumbling and complaining revealed a memory problem.  They had forgotten how God had orchestrated their Exodus and safely protected them from Pharaoh’s army.  Remember where God has been faithful and good to you in the past.  And let that memory encourage and compel you to trust and to obey God here and now.  Have a great Thursday!           
               

             There are two dangerous words that can find their way into our thinking and conversations.  Those words are “if only.”  Those words usually signify some regret or some unfulfilled longing.  If you have punctuated your conversations or thinking with those words, you are not alone.  Many people have done and continue to do so.  Indeed, “if only” thinking has become a way of life for some people.  You may be surprised to know those words can be found in the Bible.  For example, in Numbers 14:2b-3, Israel pondered what would have happened “if only” they had stayed in Egypt instead of leaving in the Exodus. We read, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”  Consider the magnitude of that mindset! The people were openly questioning whether slavery, captivity and the harshness of Egypt were preferable to freedom.  It seems striking that with all the promises and power of God surrounding them that the people openly and realistically opined about going back to Egypt.
            We may not think about returning to slavery and captivity in 2026 but “if only” thinking does raise some questions.  First, “if only” thinking can lead us to doubt God’s power and promises.  We can become persuaded that God does not act in ways that are good and gracious.  The enemy would love to plant that seed of discontent in our mind and heart.  Remember the Garden of Eden.  The serpent never really commanded or directed Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.  He simply raised doubts about God’s character and God’s intentions—leading them to believe that God was somehow denying them better things and blessings.
            Second, “if only” thinking can easily lead to discouragement and despair.  We get ourselves trapped into thinking that just a little more of this or that will make everything perfect.  And it is usually something just beyond our grasp or gain.  We can begin to compare our situations to other people—spawning jealousy and envy in the process.  We can mistakenly convince ourselves that others have life much better or have many more blessings that we do and that God is holding out on us.  We might even convince ourselves that there is no hope or no possibility for things to get better.  We paint and despair our way into a corner.  At the worst end, depression and addictions can start to take hold of us.
            Third, “if only” thinking can devalue God.  We begin to think that everything rests upon us—our skills, intelligence and creativity.  We can make ourselves into lone rangers who neither look to nor trust the help of God or others.  We begin to see others as threats or competitors rather than people who can do and share life with us.  Consider how much better life works when we do not box ourselves into “if only” thinking.  Paul was encouraged by Barnabas and Timothy.  Peter had James and John.  David was blessed by the friendship of Jonathan.  When we open our lives to others, then life becomes better and our vision is much bigger.
            In the example of Israel in Numbers, their “if only” thinking did not lead to good results.  The people were punished by God to roam the wilderness for forty years before gaining access to the land that God had promised them.  Their faulty thinking simply denied them what God had promised and planned for them.  Usually, when we reduce our thinking to ourselves and the small space that we occupy, little good comes from it.  When you are tempted by or drawn to “if only” thinking, remember the encouraging words of Paul in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  Wow!  God is much bigger and better than anything and everything we can imagine!  Trust God and leave “if only” thinking behind!  Have a good Monday!

          Goliath.  The name alone conjures up some fear and anxiousness.  Just the sound of Goliath sounds intimidating and threatening.  This Philistine strongman stood over nine feet tall.  The shaft of his spear weighed about fifteen pounds.  He would have easily defeated anybody at Wrestlemania and would have won the WWE Royal Rumble.  Nobody in Israel’s army wanted to face him on the battlefield. Nobody wanted anything to do with him.  Ever! The Bible says, “Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.’ Then the Philistine said, ‘This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other’” (1 Samuel 17:8-10).  And Goliath continued this taunting and trash-talking every morning and evening for forty, long days.  No one in Israel answered the challenge.
            And then along came David.  He volunteered to fight Goliath.  He was not the most likely choice.  He was young and inexperienced.  No one would have drafted him to fight for the honor of Israel.  But David was surprisingly wise for his years and knew something crucially important.  He knew the battle belonged to the Lord.  He was confident that God would provide for him during that battle with Goliath.  He knew God would sustain him and grant him victory.  David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).  David gave the battle to the Lord and trusted God with the outcome.  He was confident because God had taken care of him in the past and he knew God would remain faithful in the battle against Goliath.  It can be a blessing for us to remember where we have experienced the goodness and power of God in the past.  Those memories can often help us remember that God can bless us in the present times as well and the new battles that we face.  Our past encounters with God become sources of strength for the present and future battles that we face. 
            We can experience giants in life too.  There are times when we are staring at a Goliath that seems so big, so opposing and so invincible.  In those times, we remember what David knew to be true.  The battle is the Lord’s.  He will provide.  “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied’” (1 Samuel 17:45).  We face the pressures and giants of life the same way today. We have an unflinching faith that God will provide.  God will show us the pathway to follow.  God will make a way for us.  The God we love and serve is ABLE.  He is able to forgive our sins, to change our hearts and to give us new life.  He is able to sustain us by the promises we find in the Bible.  He is able to place a hedge of protection over us and against the enemy.
            The blessings that the Lord gives us as we face giants in life are far greater than the usual weapons of this world.  We possess His Word, the presence of the Holy Spirit living within us, His many promises never to forsake us, the power of prayer and the confidence that all things work together for the good of those who know and love the Lord (Romans 8:28).  When David fought Goliath, he was a shepherd boy.  But he was wise enough to know that he had a Shepherd too—the Good Shepherd who is the Lord Himself.  We should follow the example of David and remind ourselves that God will take care of us.  If we are part of God’s family through our faith in God’s Son, we will be taken care of and provided for in those daily battles that we experience.  We can be confident of this.  Keep three words in your mind and heart—God is able.  Have a great Thursday!
               

          Numbers is a book of the Bible that people read infrequently.  You might read it when you are on a mission to read through the Bible in a year.  Or you might read it when you are cross referencing other biblical passages.  Not many people see Numbers as their “go-to” book in the Bible.  But there is a real treat for us to see in Numbers 3.  This chapter concerns the Levites—those men in Israel chosen by God to serve as priests to represent the people to God and to represent God to the people.  The Levites were the priestly tribe and received no allocation of land like the other tribes.  As we read Numbers 3, there is an interesting and compelling repetition of a critical phrase.  We need to pay attention to this phrase because it speaks to us as clearly as it spoke to ancient Israel.  The phrase is “they were responsible for” (see Numbers 3:25, 28, 31, 38).  God had entrusted certain responsibilities to certain people for the good of the nation as a whole.  Every Levite had a role to play for the nation’s good and God’s glory.
            The lesson for us today is this—what has the Lord entrusted to you?  What responsibilities has God entrusted to you?  God may have entrusted some areas of service and ministry to you.  He may have called you to teach, to sing, to care for children, to pray, to give or to do the things others tend to overlook or neglect.  These different things are not to be forgotten or overlooked.  They are by no means inconsequential if the Lord has entrusted them to us.  Later in the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul compared the Church to the human body.  He wrote, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” (12:12).  The body, yours and mine, is made up of many different parts—including parts that we cannot see.  These parts each do the job that God assigned to them in His divine design and creation.  No one part has to do the full job of the human body.
            Likewise, the work of Christ gets done when the whole church or family of God does what God has asked it to do.  Everyone serves as he or she has been gifted and equipped. As Paul wrote, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:27-28). As the Levites did in Numbers, the work of Christ is accomplished when everyone knows and carries the responsibilities that God has placed upon them.
            Take inventory of how you serve the Lord today.  The average Christian has basically three open doors for serving.  First, we can serve in the local church.  Most believers are members of churches where the lion’s share of God’s work is carried out.  To borrow a football analogy, the local church is the offensive line of the gospel—pushing and moving forward so God’s Word, the gospel and the good news of forgiveness can advance. Second, we can serve through the local church.  Most churches have ministries beyond themselves where people can mobilize and activate to serve the state, national or global cause of Christ.  Churches are often portals or pathways for people to serve in broader ways.  Think of a mission trip or disaster relief work in areas hit hard by hurricanes, storms and tragedies (natural or manmade).  Third, the average Christian can serve beyond the church.  Think of volunteering at a school, coaching and shaping a youth sports team or supporting a chronically sick neighbor.  These things are done outside the church and not necessarily through the sponsorship of a church.  But these opportunities are occasions to be the light of Christ in an often dark and bleak world.
            Where has God made you responsible?  What has God placed in your life?  What has God given you that can be used for Him and His glory?  Take some time each day to look at your life and where you can go to serve the Lord.  Be faithful with the occasions that God has given you to serve Him.  The Lord reminds us that if we are faithful in the small and simple ways then we are often entrusted with greater opportunities (Luke 16:10).  Have a great Monday and remember what the Lord has given you to do!  

         Most of us have been guilty of grumbling.  No surprise, but grumbling is found in the Bible too.  Some Bibles refer to it as “murmuring.”  Philippians 2:14 commands us to do everything without grumbling or arguing.  In the Bible, grumbling can reflect a lack of confidence in God’s ability to provide or to work out things for our good and His glory.  One of the most memorable places where we find grumbling is in the camp of Israel not long after the Exodus and freedom from both slavery and Egypt.  We would think that Israel would have been thrilled beyond words to be free—free from bondage, slavery, captivity and the harsh moods and whims of Pharaoh.  But Israel grumbled.  They complained about the journey, the food, water to drink, the likelihood of dying and how much they missed Egyptian ways and culture.  They even grumbled against Moses’ leadership.  The Bible says, “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.  The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death’” (Exodus 16:2-3). 
            The height of grumbling probably came when Israel openly considered just going back to Egypt and the old life they had as slaves (Numbers 14:3-4).  Imagine, grumbling and complaining so much that you are willing to return to slavery!  We live in times where we see a lot of grumbling, discord and division.  We can easily find ourselves complaining about any number of things.  Consistent complaining and gratuitous grumbling can be strategies that the enemy uses to create division and discontent.  Complaining can easily go viral.  Often, just listening to someone else complain can create a desire within us to join in and pile on—no matter the subject.  We often have to pray for endurance and patience not to participate or to allow resentment and bitterness to build up within our hearts.
            We may need a moment to vent or a safe place to get something troubling off our chests.  God can often bless us with friends and colleagues who can listen patiently and allow us to release some discord or disappointment that has built up in us from work, family, marriage, health or finances.  You may be able to serve someone else by being a listening set of ears and a closed mouth.  Allow someone to vent safely with you while refraining from repeating or sharing what you have heard.  Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  Listening can be a gift we give to others.  We can be a blessing if we allow someone to unload their burdens in a safe and constructive way. 
            But what about the times when we grumble or complain?  How do we respond?  First, ask yourself if the complaining is a legitimate issue or injustice.  Is there a reason to be discontented and disappointed?  Sometimes we can act petty.  Sometimes we may just be looking for attention in an unhealthy way. But occasionally, there can be something that has hurt us or shaken us.  Ask God to help you discern the reason for the complaining. Second, turn to someone you can trust.  Ask someone to join you for lunch, coffee or a walk and share where you are hurting.  Ask a good friend just to give you a chance to vent some burdens or pains you may be carrying.  Select someone you can trust to listen with open ears, an open heart and a closed mouth.  Ask that trusted person to pray for you and to keep in touch with you.  Third, pray about the source of your grumbling.  You can ask God to change the situation or to change yourself or to change yourself through the situation.  God has a limitless number of ways that He can work for good.  Galatians 5 warns us against living in the flesh—that is to do what the world would do in a similar situation—things like revenge, gossip, rumors, creating strife and living selfishly.  Rather, we pray that the Spirit uses our situations to produce good fruit—fruit that comes only from Him—like peace, patience, goodness, self-control and faithfulness.  Take comfort in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  Never allow grumbling or complaining to deny you the chance to see and enjoy the harvest that may be just around the corner.  Have a great Thursday!

             God is God.  That three-word sentence seems obvious or even redundant.  But God is God.  Some may say this sentence can also seem a little trivial for the beginning of a devotion.  But I assure you that is a profound theological statement.  It is one of the most important truths that we can declare.  Say it to yourself, “God is God.”  This truth was vitally important in the book of Exodus as Israel adjusted to a new life outside of and apart from Egypt.  As you will recall, God led Israel out of both captivity and slavery through the Exodus.  Near the end of the book of Exodus, we find a familiar and often-repeated refrain that reads like this, “as the LORD commanded” (Exodus 40:21b and cited multiple other places in Exodus).  Four simple words...simple words to read and see.  But again, a powerfully important theological truth.  A few lessons stand out for us to see.
            First, the Bible teaches us that God is the LORD.  LORD in all capital letters is God’s holy and self-revealed name.  It is the name that God gave to Moses at the burning bush. LORD means the great “I AM” or “the One who causes all things to be.”  There is but one God who sovereignly reigns over the universe.  There is only one great I AM who has made all things and rules and reigns as He chooses and pleases.  He is eternal and timeless. God reserves the right to make the rules of the universe and even how we are to approach Him. Throughout Exodus, God imparted this truth to Israel through Moses.  It was His grace alone that spared humanity from destruction time after time.  
            Second, the LORD calls us to be faithful in all things—even in the details of life.  Some of the instructions in Exodus may sound like quite ordinary things for us when we read them—even more than once.  But nothing is ordinary where God has chosen to work. Nothing is ordinary where God has given instructions and established His expectations. God is not ordinary.  God is God.  He calls us to obedience and faithfulness in the many ordinary things that we do.  God gave Israel very specific and detailed commands to follow in setting up the Tabernacle and making the priestly garments. God often tests us in some details as a way of providing us with the chance to prove ourselves worthy or great responsibilities and opportunities.  Jesus said in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”  God increases our ways and places to serve when we are faithful with what He has already entrusted.
            Third, God can be found in the details—even details we might be inclined to miss or overlook.  For example, in Leviticus 11-13, God gave Israel a series of specific directions about clean/unclean food, purification processes and skin diseases.  When we read these chapters, we might feel weighed down by details and the minutiae.  But we have to ask the larger question of why this information has been inspired by the Holy Spirit and included in the Bible?  Are we accountable to such detail-laden commands today?  The good news is Jesus perfectly kept the law of God for us.  We cannot keep the law completely and perfectly, but Jesus did that on our behalf.  His obedience is credited to us as if we did keep the law of God without failure or blemish.  Still, these details are found in Scripture to help us see the sovereignty of God and His Lordship over all creation.  In building Israel as a light to all nations and the nation from which Jesus, the Messiah, would emerge, God left nothing to chance.  He wanted Israel to be so different and distinct that all nations and people would pay attention to the way Israel lived, worshipped and served the LORD.  And even today, we are called to live and to be distinct as followers of Christ.  We are to live in a way that others see Jesus in us and desire to know and follow Him because of us.  Yes, the details do matter...and so do the details God has for how we live each day.  Every occasion or moment of life is a chance to know Christ and to make Him know.  Live gratefully today! Have a great Monday!

           Romans is a magnificent book in the Bible.  It was the favorite book of the reformer Martin Luther and inspired him as he became a leading catalyst in the Protestant Reformation.  In some Bibles, Romans 5 is captioned with this heading, “Peace and Hope.”  Peace and hope are two good Bible words.  We are at peace with God when we have come to faith in His Son Jesus and trusted Jesus alone for our forgiveness and salvation.  We have an undying hope in Christ that we will be raised to new life with Him one day when either we pass away or He returns in glory.  Paul wrote in Romans 5:6, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”  A few important truths stand out in that verse that we need to see.
            First, Paul is giving us a theological conclusion.  He began by writing “you see.” He has reached a self-evident conclusion or assessment.  Consider looking over a home improvement project to see what needs to be done.  Your eyes tell you that new paint, new flooring and some new hardware on the drawers and cabinets would transform your kitchen.  Paul’s words that follow in Romans 5:6 unveil the conclusion that he has reached. He has carefully weighed the evidence before him and reached a conclusion that is easy to see.  The words “you see” generally capture our attention.  We anticipate that something very important is about to be said or done.
            Second, Paul spoke about God’s perfect timing by writing “at just the right time.”  God is never late or early.  People can often be one or the other.  But God’s timing is always perfect—not just good but exceptional and perfect.  Perhaps a blessing came into your life at just the right time.  Maybe God sent someone to bless you at the right moment. Maybe God spoke to you in a worship service with words that you needed to hear at that moment.  When it comes to His forgiveness and grace, God’s timing is always right.  Jesus did not come too soon or too late.  If you are reading these words and have business with the Lord, the timing is right and perfect.  God can work in your life at this instant.
            Third, Paul noted our mournful state in life apart from God and His gracious work in us.  We are “powerless.”  He even wrote “still powerless.”  The word “still” seems to highlight or even underscore our hopeless and helpless state.  We are dead in sin.  Nothing that we try to change or forgive our sins is effective.  No matter where we have turned or tried to find our way, we remain powerless.  We possess no power.  Imagine having surgery followed by fasting for ten days and then trying to run fifty miles without stopping. We would be powerless to finish that race.  God came to us in Christ at our moment of deepest weakness and need.  We did not have to clean up ourselves or make ourselves lovable to the Lord.  He came to us and first loved us—even in our powerless state.  Be encouraged by that great truth today!
            Fourth, Christ died for us.  He died for the “ungodly.”  The “ungodly” would be you and me.  He took our place.  Those preceding four words are the gospel.  His death became our life.  His punishment became our peace.  The horror of the cross became our hope.  Christ took the weight, pain and brunt of all the evil things that we have ever done.  His death was the perfect sacrifice and atonement for the sins we have committed.  The justice of God was fully served and satisfied by Jesus’ obedient sacrifice at the cross. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  His cross is the way to our forgiveness.  His death for our sins is the truth of how God reconciles and forgives us.  His life has been credited to us just as our sins were assigned to Him.  Paul summarized these truths in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” There is nothing to be added to or taken from this truth.  It stands as the gospel message. Have a great Thursday!      
 

            In Matthew 10, we find the story of Jesus sending out the Twelve.  The Twelve refers to the original disciples that He called to follow Him.  And these disciples were a collection of characters—called twelve ordinary men by John MacArthur and others.  Among the Twelve, we find fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, brothers and a future betrayer of Jesus.  In sending out the Twelve, Jesus gave them authority “to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” (Matthew 10:1).  Both Mark and Luke have this same story, and while add some differing details, but the core remains the same.  Near the end of this story in Matthew 10, Jesus told His disciples, “whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). 
            The key word seems to be “acknowledge.”  Some translations use the word “confess.”  The idea seems to be that Jesus calls us to confess or to identify a public allegiance to Him as Lord. This identification is not a matter of buying a billboard, commercial time on television or standing in a public place screaming until one’s voice gives out.  It seems to be speaking and living in ways that make it clear we have a single Lord whom we follow and His name is Jesus.  I believe it was President Lincoln who once famously said that he worried more about whether he was on God’s side and less about God being on his side.  It can be easy to think that Christ reflexively blesses our thoughts and actions and stands beside us as we say, think or do these things.  We can reduce Christ to our personal rubber stamp.  But, it might be much more important to examine what we think, say or believe to see if these matters line up with Christ.  We need to check our words, opinions and actions against the standard of Scripture and the heart of Christ.
            To acknowledge Jesus means we are allowing His words and spirit to saturate our minds and souls.  We are marinating our words and actions in His truth.  At times, it may be best to remain silent when everyone else is quick to form and express opinions.  At times, it may be best to dissent when it seems like the crowd or the majority is forming in one direction.  We need to remember that crowds and majorities can be curious things—for example, Jesus was crucified with the majority of the assembled crowd giving their consent and calling for His murder. 
            Remember, a lonely voice is not a bad one.  It was John the Baptist who was the voice in the wilderness calling others to repent and come to the Lord.  To acknowledge Jesus may require you to be a single voice, a single servant or the only one who pauses for a moment to wait for some discernment to catch up with the words and actions you hear and see.  Acknowledging Jesus will not always be easy—it will usually be hard because it can be counter to the enemy (Satan) and the kingdoms of this world.  The enemy’s ways are grounded in force, aggression, selfishness, brutality and power.  Jesus gave away power at the cross and willingly yielded to the Father’s will that the cross was THE way to life, hope and reconciliation.  Think of how you acknowledge Jesus today and every day. Where will you be a servant?  Where will you take the last place in line? Where will you speak words that are marinated in His love, truth and grace?  Where will you choose silence and refuse to join the raging chorus around you?  Where will you stand alone when others may be fleeing or running the opposite way?  The gospel comforts the afflicted.  But it also afflicts the comfortable.  Maybe you need comfort today.  Maybe it is the providence of God to afflict you and thus gain your attention.  Remember Jesus’ promise that your acknowledgment of Him means that He acknowledges you.
            In your circumstances and direction, acknowledge Christ today.  Be His.  Be teachable and pliable.  Be willing to listen and learn.  Be willing to be corrected.  Be willing to wear His yoke.  To acknowledge Jesus is so much, much more than screaming loudly and joining a crowd that is mindlessly moving in mass in one direction.  Jesus walked to the cross alone.  Be willing to walk today down whatever roads He may lead you.  Have a wonderful Monday!  Be a light for Christ today!      
 
               

           All four gospels present the crucifixion of Jesus.  But each one adds some detail or texture to the story.  Luke presents an interesting observation about Peter’s behavior following Jesus’ arrest and prior to His crucifixion.  It is an observation that is easy to miss or overlook when we read Luke 22. But it is a behavior that has some significant relevance for us even today.  In Luke 22:54 we read, “Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance.”  Peter “followed at a distance.”  This is the same Peter who earlier pledged his undying love and loyalty to Jesus.”  Peter said, his own words, “Lord I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” But in the moment of testing, at the hour when we had a chance to back up his talk with action, the best Peter could do was follow at a distance. I suppose he forgot all his big-talk, big-promises and willingness to walk with Jesus straight to prison or even the cross. Peter struck out on three pitches.  
            Following at a distance makes distant disciples.  On the same night, Peter would go on to deny Jesus three different and separate times.  So much for undying love and loyalty. So much for following Jesus all the way to prison and death.  Peter’s behavior teaches us a lesson—it can be easy to drift away from the Lord.  It can be easy to slip and slide away from the Lord much like we lose our footing on icy surfaces.  There can be seasons in life when we have drifted away from the Lord.  Maybe you are in the middle of such a season. Maybe something has turned your mind and heart away from the Lord.  Maybe you remember such a season.  Maybe someone you know and love is struggling with such a season of life—drifting and turning from the Lord.    
            The stress and demands of a job can turn us away from our faith.  Getting too caught up in hobbies or travel can turn us away from the Lord.  Loving money or possessions can capture our hearts and minds and turn us around.  A lack of Bible study, prayer and worship can turn us away from the Lord.  We begin to fill our minds with other things while our Bibles gather dust.  We find ourselves talking to almost anyone besides the Lord.  Anger, bitterness, resentment and grudges can lead us to drift away from the Lord. Whereas we once would not miss a chance to worship with other believers on Sunday, we now can’t seem to find the time or motivation to join with others in worship.
            Drifting away from the Lord rarely happens all at once.  It is a slow regression.  It can be like an undetected spiritual cancer that is slowly spreading and metastasizing and claiming more and more of our heart and mind.  It may be difficult to diagnose the cause as one particular thing—rather it is just the steady accumulation of many things that grab our spiritual eyes and ears and turn us from the Lord.  It is a slow grind that weakens and wearies us.    
            The good news is the Lord welcomes us back.  Like the father in the story of the prodigal son, God looks for us, runs to us, welcomes us and rejoices when we return to Him.  You can come back to the Lord today.  Admit you have drifted.  Ask for His forgiveness.  Return to the things you once did—read your Bible, pray, worship, get back in church.  Do it NOW!  There is a way today to stop this dangerous drifting.  The Lord says in Malachi 3:7, “return to me and I will return to you.”  Jesus told the church in Ephesus, “You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”  The Bible is one grand invitation to come to the Lord.  Some come to the Lord for the first time and receive salvation.  Some return to the Lord from a season of wandering and roaming.  Some come back to the Lord because they, like Peter, have followed the Lord but only at a distance.  The good news is this: the Lord is more ready to receive us, renew us and show us His love than we are to seek Him.  He loves us before we ever love Him.  We come to Him only in response to His finding us and choosing us to be His own.  If you are following at a distance today, it is time to come home.  Have a great Thursday! 
 

          The book of Exodus is about an historic departure.  Exodus tells the story of how God delivered Israel out of Egypt and slavery.  And this amazing deliverance happened during the night (12:31).  The Bible says, “Because the LORD kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt” (12:42a).  One theme that leads up to the Exodus is the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart.  About six times, the Bible says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart directly—so that He might demonstrate His power and glory for Egypt to see.  About ten times, the Bible says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart—the natural consequence of a life lived in defiance of God.  Consider these words—a hardened heart.
         There may not be words anywhere in Scripture more unsettling than these three words—a hardened heart.  Is your heart hardened toward the Lord and the things of the Lord?  Is your heart hardened by sin, defiance and selfishness? We may not clearly and perfectly understand how Pharaoh hardened his heart and God hardened it too.  But we can say that God allows humans, including Pharaoh, to choose and abide in sin and evil.  God does not program us, or any human, to do all things obediently, well and righteously.  God allows us to have the choices of our hearts—even those choices that may be sinful and rebellious. 
         But see the one big theme that develops in the middle of Pharaoh’s hardened heart—God’s will and purpose are neither thwarted nor delayed.  God still accomplished His purpose of delivering Israel from the slavery of Egypt.  Why?  Because, as Exodus says, “I am the LORD” (12:12c).  God is God.  And His plans are not defeated by the stubbornness of a human heart. Only God can change a hardened heart.  Only God can soften the callouses and scars of years of sin, vanity and pride. Paul put it this way, “It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.  For Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’  Therefore, God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden” (Romans 9:16-18).
         Hearts are still hardened toward the Lord today—often by the accumulation of isolated and single acts and events along a lifetime.  Occasionally, loses in life can embitter and harden hearts—deaths, defeats, ruined dreams.  There is no medicine or vaccine that can protect our hearts from being hardened.  Only the grace of God can soften and heal hearts and transform them from death to life.  Give thanks today for the healing power of God’s abundant grace.  Give thanks that He can change the most wayward and defiant heart into one that loves and seeks Him.  Psalm 51:7 says, “cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”  If your heart is hardened or calloused today—by choice or by the circumstances you have faced.  Call upon the Lord to heal and change you.  And God alone will have mercy on you according to His unfailing love.  Have a great Monday!
        
       

           Billy Graham had a tradition of consistently using a three-word phrase whenever he preached.  The phrase was this, “the Bible says.”  Graham noted that those three words tended to capture the attention of the audience unlike anything else that he said.  When people heard those three simple words—only twelve letters total—they tended to sit up straighter and lean in more attentively to hear what was coming next.  There was a visual and palpable response from the audience.  Those three words carried authority.  Graham was not giving an opinion—rather he was delivering the very truth of God to his audience. Even still today, the Bible’s authority is greater than that of any man or woman—no matter how intelligent or talented he or she may be.
            The Bible makes a great claim for itself.  In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  Three claims stand out for us to see and know.  First, the Bible’s origin is with God.  ALL scripture is God-breathed—God inspired it, God sent it and God stands behind it.  The Bible is not a collection of simply good literature or self-help information.  It is God’s message to us; and it stands timelessly.  The Bible reads the same at twelve noon or twelve midnight.  It reads the same in Africa, Asia or North America.  We can be grateful that God has given His Word to us and entrusted us to learn and gain from it.  It really is impossible to grow as a follower of Christ apart from Scripture.
            Second, the Bible is very practical.  It is not a collection of theories and philosophies that have little or no connection to the daily lives we lead.  Not at all.  The Bible teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains us to be and live righteously.  It works on and shapes our character, words, motivations and actions.  It shows us who we are and directs us to God’s better ways.  It shows us how to be better spouses, parents and neighbors.  It teaches us the importance of living justly, showing mercy and walking humbly each day.  It tells us that this life and this earth are not the end.  There is a new world coming one day.  The Bible teaches us how to pray, how to be honest in our financial dealings and how terribly important it is to love our neighbors as we would want to be loved in return.
            Third, our lives go much better when we are grounded in scripture.  The Bible says we are thoroughly equipped for every good work.  We are not caught by surprise by the things that life presents to us.  The Bible helps us to stay on our toes—alert to Satan’s temptations and schemes.  No matter what we may encounter, the Bible can prepare us and anchor us to respond with God’s wisdom.  Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  There is a good way to walk and live each day and we discover that good way by reading God’s Word and letting it shape us and mold us—much like a potter shapes a lump of clay into a sturdy vessel that can hold water or possibly a plant.
            If you find yourself in a quandary, consider the truth and wisdom that the Bible offers.  It is much better to draw answers from “the Bible says,” than to take and choose from the opinions and ideas around you.  Others may mislead or misguide you.  Let scripture bring clarity and focus to your life each day by opening your heart to what God wishes to teach you.  It is a compliment to say that we are people of the book.  We are shaped by God’s Word and treat it with seriousness and sincerity.  May we faithfully perk up our ears to hear clearly what the Bible says to us.  Have a great Thursday!
 
               

          Most Christians can easily identify times and places where God provided for them.  We can see and remember the goodness of the Lord.  We can recall moments where God forgave us, comforted us or gave us a clear sense of peace.  Psalm 124 opens with the words, “if the LORD had not been on our side.”  Psalm 124 is called “a song of ascents.”  It was often and usually sung by Israel as a song of praise while approaching the temple in Jerusalem.  It is positioned in the Bible amid several other “psalms of ascent.”  The purpose is to place the people of Israel in a proper frame of mind and spirit to approach the Lord and His temple. In singing these words, the people would remember and consider the many times when the Lord had been on their side.
         Today, we can grow as followers of Jesus by taking time to remember when the Lord has been on our side.  When has He listened to us as we prayed?  When has He received our worship?  When has He spoken to us from His Word as we read and studied Scripture? The last few days have been rather different.  We followed an approaching, even historic, ice storm and then watched it unfurl from our homes.  The storm gave us a momentary pause or moment of rest—safely inside with the full confidence that God still reigned upon his throne.
         For parents, consider when God has been on your side as you love and raise your children in ways that are good, kind, gentle and loving.  For people who struggle with the burdens and demands of jobs that never seem to go away, consider when and how God has been on your side.  Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  Paul plainly reminds us that God is good and stands on the side of His people. God neither abandons nor forgets His people.  He knows us by name and even knows the hairs upon our head.
         The presence of the Holy Spirit in and with believers is yet another indication that God is on our side.  Jesus promised in John 14 that the Father would send a comforter and counselor to abide with us forever.  The early disciples celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  Jesus does not send us alone into the world to be His hands and feet. No, He goes with us in the form and person of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).
         An important part of worship, as Israel recognized, is remembering what God has done and where God has touched our lives.  We remember His grace and forgiveness.  We remember that He forgave us—even at the awful price of not sparing His Son so that we might be saved and redeemed from our sins.  When we remember that the Lord is on our side, we can pause immediately for a moment of worship and thankfulness.  If today has you icebound, take out a piece of paper and recall as many ways and times as you can where the Lord has been on your side.  You may be surprised by all that you remember.  Psalm 77:11 says, “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles long ago.”  Our faith grows as we remember.  Psalm 143:5 says, “I remember the days of long ago; I will meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”  As you remember the many times when the Lord has been on your side, you may take great comfort in seeing that He is with you now—in your youth or older age, in times of clarity of confusion and in times of celebration and sorrow.  Have a great Monday!

             Psalm 136 is often referred to as a Psalm of thanksgiving or a Psalm of gratitude.  To be thankful is to be grateful.  And to be grateful is to be thankful.  Psalm 136 opens with a three-fold declaration of gratitude.  We read, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods.  His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1-3).  At least three interesting features stand out about these three verses. 
            First, the command “give” is repeated three times.  It is not so much an invitation as it is an imperative.  We are to give thanks to the Lord.  We reserve a Thursday in November every year to formalize our Thanksgiving.  But the Psalmist calls us to a deeper and more frequent expression of thankfulness.  Any command in the Bible is worthy of our attention and worth remembering.  A command that is repeated three times is especially important to recall and to practice.  Perhaps you can season your day with expressions of thanksgiving to God for the blessings you have enjoyed and currently enjoy.  An otherwise ordinary or even despairing day can often change with an infusion of thanksgiving.
            Second, we are told where to direct our thanksgiving.  Each verse gives a slightly different take on the One to whom we owe gratitude and thankfulness.  Verse 1 says to give thanks to the LORD.  The all-capitalized form of LORD means the “Great I AM.”  This title for God refers to the name He revealed to Moses at the burning bush.  Any time the word LORD appears in all caps, we are to think of the Great I AM.  Verse 2 says that God is the God of gods.  In Israel’s day (and still now), people worship lesser things, human things and material things.  These things claim our attention, time and devotion.  We can easily turn them into gods that we chase, pursue and bow before.  The Psalmist was pointing out that the LORD is the God over all these lesser things that do not deserve our praise or gratitude. God is GOD over all and everything.  He takes a backseat to no one.  Why make a god out of something that has been made by God and subject to Him?  Verse 3 says to give thanks to the Lord of lords.  We all know individuals in positions of authority and leadership.  God is Lord of all these lesser lords.  You may remember that Pilate tried to flaunt his authority before Jesus.  In turn, Jesus correctly pointed out that Pilate would have no authority unless it had been given to him from above.  The Lord is Lord over all lesser leaders, kings, judges and rulers.  The LORD is Lord!
            Third, almost as a postscript, the Psalmist repeats a refrain three times.  The refrain is “His love endures forever.”  God’s love is constant and changeless.  It does not end, bow or break.  It is everlasting.  In the middle of a three-fold command to give thanks, the Bible gives us one three-fold reason for why we express our thankfulness.  God’s love is consistently everlasting.  We never have to worry about whether God loves us.  He did.  He does.  And He will.  Take the direction of Psalm 136 to heart and inject gratitude into your days.  Have a great Thursday!   
               

          There is a brief and easily overlooked passage of Scripture found near the end of 2 Thessalonians.  Paul wrote, “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write” (3:17).  Paul noted that he had a penchant for writing greetings in his own hand.  This practice would have been customary for Paul.  He wanted his readers to know about this small, personal touch that he added to his letters.  This simple, easy-to-miss statement leads me to think about how we are known to others.  What markers or characteristics do we leave behind for others to identify us as followers of Christ who have been saved by our faith in Him?  Do we leave any characteristics behind at all?
            More than likely, there are some distinguishing marks for your faith and walk with the Lord.  Some people are incredible prayer warriors.  We want them praying for us.  And we are grateful when they cover us in prayer.  Some people are tremendous students of God’s Word.  They are able to understand God’s Word and glean out insights that many people would easily miss or fail to see.  Some people are servants.  They are glad to go to work where others may fear to tread.  It is second nature for them to grab a broom, a cloth or a bag of trash.  They delight in doing the little things that often go unnoticed.  But we all surely notice when those simple things are not done by anyone. 
            Some people are encouragers.  Barnabas, in the Bible, was known as an encourager.  His name means son of encouragement.  He was a blessing to Paul.  Barnabas took Paul to the apostles and vouched for and commended him saying how Paul had “seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27).  We all appreciate those faithful folks who stand in our corner and cheer us on.  It is a blessing to have them in our lives. Some encourage verbally with words.  Some give us a hug or a pat on the back.  And still others bless us with cards and notes that lift our spirit and faith. 
            Consider how God has blessed you.  Think about the gifts or abilities that God has entrusted to you.  Blessings, gifts and abilities are good places to begin when you are thinking of how you make an impression or impact for the cause of Christ.  Once we have come to know Christ in a saving way, we are called to live differently and to live influential lives for His glory.  We are no longer living exclusively for ourselves. We are living to know Christ and to make Him known through how we live.  Paul knew it was important to leave some identifying and distinguishing marks along the way for others to see and know that Christ was at work through Him.  We want to live in a way that assures others that Christ is at work in and through us too.
            One other way that Paul left an impression was by his faithful prayers for the Christians and churches that He knew and served.  Today, one of the greatest gifts you can give to anyone is the gift of prayer.  Pray for those whom God brings to your mind.  Be diligent in asking God to encourage, bless, comfort and provide for others.  God’s deeds are always perfect and, so too, is His timing.  We can bring people to God in prayer and trust that His perfect plans will be at work.  2026 is still a young year.  It is no longer new but it is a young year.  Make this year a chapter in your life where you begin to leave behind some distinguishing marks and practices that others can see.  Invest in others and trust the results to God.  Have a great Monday!     
               

            The Bible says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God.  This command stands at the top of any list.  Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).  David wrote in Psalm 116:1, “I love the Lord for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.”  The Bible clearly teaches us to love the Lord.  But what does that mean?  How do we express our love for the Lord?  Do we show the Lord our love for Him the same way that we would love another person?  There are some practical ways that we can live out this command to love the Lord.
            First, we must decide to love the Lord and keep this command.  Our love for Him is only because He first loved us.  No one ever loves God first.  Our love is in response to the love that He has already expressed to us—in giving us life, in forgiving us, in saving us and in giving us new life in Christ.  1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.”  Our love for God is not necessarily driven by emotions or sentimentalism as our love for other people can be.  We love God because we understand who He is and what He has done for us and continues to do for us each day.  We decide that God is to be loved and cherished with every part and cell of who we are.
            Second, we show love for God when we read His Word.  We can spend time with Him as we spend time in His Word—reading and reflecting upon what the Bible means to us.  Psalm 119:103 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”  We are to love God by loving His Word. Therefore, it is our duty to read Scripture and to enjoy it daily.  Ten different times in the Psalm 119 we read about the importance of praising the Lord for receiving His Word.  Repeatedly, Psalm 119 bids us to delight in the Word.  God loves and cherishes His Word.  It does not return to Him void.  We are to love His Word as well.  His Word helps us to know Him and the greatness of His many deeds of love and kindness. 
            Third, we show love to God when we pray.  Prayer is talking with the Lord.  Setting aside time to pray is an act of love.  We turn down all other distractions to be with God in an unshared and unbroken way.  We can pray verbally.  We can pray in a written form by journaling.  We can pray in silence as we sit before the Lord.  Just as we show our love for friends and family by talking with them and listening to them, we can express our love for God by taking time each day to be with Him.  It is hard to say that we love the Lord if we do not pray and seek Him each day.  Indeed, the Bible bids us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 
            Fourth, we love God when we worship Him with other believers. God delights in the praise and worship of His people.  Worship is a choice on Sundays.  There are many, many competing ways and places where we could spend our time.  To join with other believers in worship is a way of declaring our love for the Lord and our commitment to express that love with time dedicated to Him—to sing, pray, dedicate and commit exclusively to Him alone. The choice we make to worship on Sundays really begins much earlier in the week when we clear our lives and schedules of the many things that could separate us from the Lord. We reduce the clutter and temptation of other things that can draw us from God’s house and presence.    
            And finally, we show our love to God by loving others.  We serve others, give to others and walk with others as a way of loving the Lord.  In His parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus said, “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ ‘The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’’” (Matthew 25:37-40). Giving to, helping and serving others is one important way that we express our love to God. Kindness, goodness, gentleness and forgiveness offered to others is not wasted.  It is an important way of signaling our love for the Lord.  Have a great Thursday!  And may you grow in love for the Lord each day!  
               

             Forgiveness is a hopeful word.  It represents the possibility of a new start.  It helps us to think about forgetting the offenses of others and putting aside the past.  We have all needed forgiveness from someone at times.  We have all had forgiveness that we could offer to someone too.  We all stand in need of forgiveness from God.  God’s forgiveness sets us free from sin’s guilt and penalty.  In Romans 4:7-8, Paul wrote, “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
            A few things about forgiveness stand out for us to see.  First, to be forgiven is a blessing.  Twice, Paul used the word “blessed.”  We are blessed to be forgiven and blessed to be confident of God’s forgiveness.  The one thing we need most from God is forgiveness.  And forgiveness is what Christ brought into the world for sinful and fallen people.  The mission of Christ is a simple one—He came to save sinners.  We can be thankful that God is loving, gracious and forgiving.  He does not harbor resentment against us.
            Second, forgiveness comes from God.  We cannot forgive our sins or the sins of others but God surely can.  God is greater than our sins.  And His grace is greater than all our sins.  On most smartphones you can find an app for almost anything you need to do—directions, finances, entertainment, social media, etc.  God has grace for all sin and every sin.  No sin is too small or too big to be taken to God and confessed to Him in exchange for His grace.  God sets the example for forgiveness—an example that we are directed to follow and apply in our lives.
            Third, when the Lord forgives our sins, He no longer counts them against us or holds them against.  They are forgiven and erased from our ledger.  They are no longer debts that we have accumulated against God.  Psalm 103:9-12 says, “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.”  It is an indescribable blessing to know that God has scattered our sins as far as the east is from the west!  As far as one horizon is from another, God has scattered our sins away.
            Fourth, Romans 4 speaks of forgiveness in the present tense.  The well of God’s forgiveness and grace is deep.  His forgiveness covers our sins past, present and future. His grace is unfailingly sufficient.  There is never a time when God decided a sin is too much to handle or too bothersome to address.  We can approach God here, now and every day to be forgiven.  We are justified or declared not guilty of our sins based upon our faith in Christ Jesus and His work at the cross.
            Finally, we take great joy in knowing that God does not harbor our sins against us and revisit them at a later time.  God does not count our sins against us because He forgives them and chooses not to remember them.  He does not bring them up repeatedly or whenever He conveniently needs to make a point with us.  Psalm 103 says to us, “for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.”  God knows our fallen and sinful nature better than anyone—even better than we know ourselves.  Though we are dust, we are blessed when our Lord chooses to forgive our sins and not to entertain even the mere thought of them for one second longer.  There is a lesson there for how we are to forgive others.
            Perhaps today you take time to search your heart to see if you need forgiveness.  Perhaps knowing that God has forgiven you gives you the courage to forgive others or to receive forgiveness that others have offered to you.  God’s forgiveness of us makes it easier for us to forgive others.  Our faith in God’s forgiveness is our assurance of our place with Him when life on earth ends for us.  God keeps His promises to forgive, to make right and to call His people to be with Him forever.  Eternity rests upon God’s forgiveness of us. And that forgiveness is ours through Christ.  Have a great Monday!  
               

            Some people suggest that the book of Colossians in our Bibles has two basic themes...Christ is enough and Jesus is Lord of all.  Those are two good truths to remember. Christ is always enough—no matter where you may be or what you may face.  Jesus is Lord of all—over everything and in control everywhere.  Paul seemed to amplify these two themes in Colossians 2:6-7 when he wrote, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Religion, it has been said, is man’s attempt to find and reach God.  But the gospel is God reaching out to lost and sinful mankind.  And the gospel consistently reminds us of what God has done in Christ to reach lost people.    
            Yes, Christ Jesus is Lord.  He is God in the flesh who came to us when we were lost and incapable of reaching Him.  To those who have received Christ, life has been forever changed—both on earth today and in eternity to come.  Paul commanded the Colossians, and us, to continue to live our lives IN Christ.  Salvation is not a one-off thing.  Salvation thoroughly changes us.  And the new life we have been given is now lived in Christ, for Christ and with Christ.  We no longer live for ourselves or to please others around us. Christ becomes our focus.  Christ is enough for us.  Christ is Lord over us.    
            Paul used some compelling words in Colossians 2:7 to help us understand what it means to know and walk with the Lord.  Think of a plant.  A plant has roots and is unable to survive apart from roots.  Likewise, we are rooted in Christ.  Our foundation is now in Him. We are no longer defined by a job, a career, a degree, where we live or what we have.  We are defined by our connection to Christ.  We are His—won and ransomed by Him.  Think of a house.  A house is built upward and outward.  In Christ, we are growing closer to Him (upward) and serving Him in the world around us (outward).  A Christian who is not growing upward and outward can quickly become stagnant.  We are not saved by Christ to sit down or stay put.  We are saved to become what we were intended to be—servants of God who declare His praises and glory to those around us.
            Paul used the expression “strengthened in faith.”  Think of developing muscles and physical endurance.  Just as we want to be as physically healthy as possible, we also want to remain spiritually healthy.  We build our spiritual strength and endurance through reading the Bible, prayer, worship, serving and sharing our faith in Jesus with others around us.  We make growing in our faith a priority—not just some random, incidental benefit that we hope happens by chance.  Christians are called to a lifetime of learning from and with each other. We call this discipleship.  We are becoming more like Christ each day.
            Paul used the expression “overflowing with thankfulness.”  We are to be thankful people for the blessings and provisions that God has given to us.  Blessings and gifts are undeserved but God is a giver.  He gives many common gifts and grace to humanity as a whole (food, shelter, a family, success on the job, water to drink).  He gives special and particular gifts to His people—those in Christ—so they may serve Him and the cause of the gospel around the world.  Our blessings are gifts that God has given to us so that we might serve Him well and widely.  And we want to steward those blessings well so we can grow in Christ and reach others for Christ.  Christ is always enough.  And Christ is Lord of all.  In these early days of 2026, remember these twin truths.  Let them be your light and compass as you navigate the year to come.  Have a great Thursday!