God's Tool Box

Have you wondered what you would find in God's tool box? I closed my eyes and found the Bible and the Ten Commandments, mercy and love, grace and peace, gentleness and goodness. I didn't expect to find sin, death, Satan, tears, suffering or pain. But they are there.

God works in people, places, things and situations we would never consider to accomplish His purpose. He can use my testimony of a sinful life which He redeemed by Jesus' precious blood. He has used the deaths of close friends and family to draw me close to Him and experience His amazing love. He worked in my mom's suffering to draw her close to Him before He took her Home.

When I look at the sinful world around me, it seems hopeless. It is not hopeless or impossible for God. For Him all things are possible. The good news is, He wants all of us to be with Him forever, and He's waiting for the last sinner to turn and invite Him into his/her life. We have a choice to love Him or not. God will not force Himself on anyone. But be sure, if you choose to follow Christ, to love and serve Him and others, you will reap an incredible, eternal inheritance of peace and love and abundant life.

Lord Jesus, I would not think of using evil for good. I am thankful you can use my past in your tool box to redeem other broken hearts and lives. May your name be praised. Amen.

Where is Your Treasure?

I asked a couple of young men who came to my door if they knew whether or not they were going to Heaven. They said they thought so--because they were good. I told them they could be sure because the Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." The young men reminded me of the rich young man who came to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him [the rich young man] and loved him. He had asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.

"Keep the law," Jesus said. He meant the Ten Commandments.

"I've kept these since I was a boy," the young man said. But the law couldn't save him or anyone else. Jesus knew that.

He said, "One thing you lack. Go and sell everything you have and give to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven," Mark 10:21. If he did this, he would be dependent on God, not his wealth. While he thought he was good and religious, he actually failed on the first of the commandments, to love God with all his heart. His wealth was his god and he walked away sad, not willing to give up earthly treasure for eternity's gain.

"I tell you the truth," Jesus said, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age and in the age to come, eternal life."

Application
What about you? Is something keeping you from knowing the love of Jesus? Maybe it's not wealth or possessions. Maybe it's a relationship or a compulsive nature. We live in a world of sin and it will touch us one way or another. Jesus died for these things and by believing this, we inherit eternal life with God. Whatever is holding you back, you can surrender it to Jesus and experience His amazing love. I can't promise you a life on easy street. That's not something God promised. However, He promised He would always be with us, that He would never leave or forsake us. I know this to be true. Nearly twenty one years ago I surrendered myself to God and although my life hasn't been void of problems, I have found a treasure in knowing He is always with me.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I am praying for those reading this post, that you would help them trust you and nothing or no one else. Amen.

Our Blueprint for Living Holy unto God--The Ten Commndments

God wrote the Ten Commandments on stone to give us hearts of flesh. Do you know all of them? Have you obeyed them?

1. Do not have any other gods before me. I am the one True God.
2. Do not make or worship idols. Don't let anything become more important than God.
3. Do not misuse God's name. Only say His name with reverence.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. God worked six days and rested one day. He wants rest for us too.
5. Honor your father and your mother. Show them respect and appreciation.
6. Do not murder. Do not kill another person out of anger or malice.
7. Do not commit adultery. Husbands and wives should not have close relationships with others of the opposite sex.
8. Do not steal. Do not take what is not yours. The cure for stealing is work. Work so you can give to others.
9. Do not lie. Do not say things that are not true.
10. Do not covet. Be content with what you have.

Can you keep all these? The truth is we cannot. Although we may think we haven't disobeyed God, He looks into our hearts and He has a different value system. Jesus said for a person to be angry at another person was the same as murder. He also said for a man to look with desire at another woman besides his wife is adultery. These are hard standards because they are God's ways. We may think that we are better than someone else, but the only person we should compare ourselves with is Jesus because HE is the only perfect one.

Jesus reduced the Ten Commandments to Two:

• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and
• Love your neighbor as yourself.

To be close to God, we cannot have sin in our lives. He knew we would choose our ways instead of His, so He made a way for us to have a relationship with Him. He loved us so much He sent His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sin.  When we admit our need of Jesus in our lives, believe that He died to forgive us, and confess our sin and ask Him into our hearts, we will live with Him forever. He promises He will never leave us but will always be with us, through good times and bad.

When you follow Jesus' ABC plan, He will never leave you but always be with you, to encourage, inspire and comfort you. I hope if you haven't, you will. I'm praying for you.

• Admit
• Believe
• Confess

Lord Jesus, I am praying for the ones reading this post. Give them new hearts to love you. Amen.

Are You a Good Person?

Are you a good person? Good enough to get into Heaven? By whose standards? Yours? Gods? God's standards are the Ten Commandments. Have you kept them all? Disobeyed one? Jesus said if you look at anyone besides your spouse with lust, you have committed adultery in your heart. He also said if you have been angry (the source of malice), you have committed murder in your heart.

We have all come face to face with God's law at one time or another. This cover picture of the May-June copy of The Upper Room shows how far we have come. Although the religious leaders brought this woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus, our Lord didn't condemn her. He said, "You who are without sin, you cast the first stone," because the consequences of her sin was death by stoning. One by one, the men dropped their stones, starting with the older men first. Finally, Jesus looked up.

"Has no one condemned you?" He asked.

"No one, sir."

"Then, neither do I. Go and leave your life of sin," He said.

I am reminded how much it cost God for Him to say that. He sent His only Son into the world to pay the price for our sins on the cross so we wouldn't have to. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life." Jesus died on the cross, but death could not hold Him. He rose from the grave to give us life,  abundant life--forever. Think of the reality of living through eternity with Jesus, cashing in on all His promises. This is what Easter is all about.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for resurrection power in our lives today. Let us walk in Your spirit today and always. Amen.

God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life-The Myth--A Review

Are you in ministry for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Did you raise your children in the church and see them reject it in their adulthood? We hear of worldwide revival but only a small percentage of people who go forward to invite Jesus into their lives grow into productive, fruitful Christians. Why?

God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life--The Myth of the Modern Message by Ray Comfort points to the answer. As Christians we want our family and friends to experience God's amazing love as we have. We live our lives before them, loving them and praying for them day after day and year after year. Could it be our message? The message about God's wonderful plan for their lives, that God loves them and wants to be their Friend? This isn't how Jesus ministered. It is not how Paul or the apostles ministered either. They preached the law. They confronted people with their sin. True repentance comes when we are faced with the reality of our sin and God's amazing grace.

God can deal with a broken and contrite heart. That is how He dealt with King David, a man after His own heart. David committed crimes against every one of the Ten Commandments when He saw Bathsheba. He lusted, stole, murdered, coveted, committed adultery, and dishonored his parents. Above all, David set himself up as his own god, so God was not his only God anymore. He didn't love Him with all his heart, mind, soul and strength. Thankfully, God sent Nathan to rebuke David and he fell on his knees and cried out to God, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight . . ." (Psalm 51:4)

This is how God dealt with me too. Without the law, I would not have known how much I offended God. Yet, when I cried out to Him, in His mercy He was there with me. It was as if He wrapped His loving arms around me, kissed me and said, "I love you. I am with you." I don't know how He could touch me and let all my mess get on Him, but He did. He knew two thousand years before I was born that I would need His grace. He took my mess to the cross that day on Calvary. He died and rose again so I could live with Him forever.

This is the salvation message that our world is desperate to hear and experience.  I encourage you to read God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life-The Myth. We can be real salt and light in our dark world. Find out how.

Lord Jesus, I pray for all the people I've taught about your love. In spite of me, Lord, may they find your amazing grace and love. Forgive me for the times I missed the mark and help me to serve you better by helping people find true repentance. And I pray for all your servants who read this post, that they will know and teach the truth of the gospel and on that day--we will all hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We love you. Amen.