Apr

08

His goodness and mercy follow us…

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The magnificent works of the Lord are above and beyond amazing. Can words do them justice?  There really aren’t words enough to describe or measure the goodness of the Lord. Taking the rich abundance of all he supplies, it would take an eternity to count the blessings God bestows. Surely, we’d run out of numbers!

We are so blessed by what our Creator lends us for life on this planet every day. He brings the sunlight, provides our food for harvesting, and His word tells us that the rain, too, falls on the just as well as the unjust.

Take a look at the natural beauty of the sky, a flower, or a butterfly, and marvel at the handiwork of our Lord. If he can be concerned for such things, how much more for you?

As God has given us life more abundantly, we need to make it a priority to share the good news with others who do not know Him. What a privilege!

 The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful  than we will ever be able to comprehend

~ A.W. Tozer

Apr

01

He is risen, indeed!

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Pierced, bruised, and crushed all describe our savior at the scene of his fateful death. Many would have passed out from only a portion of what Jesus endured on the cross. Amazingly, he hung in there through the suffering. All for you and me.

The sacrifice he made, the torture, the humiliation, and how he was mentally and emotionally brought down by the weight of humankind’s sin is mind boggling. What the Lord went through is stirring in the deepest of ways because what he suffered was what we deserve.  An innocent lamb led to slaughter. Though because of this miraculous feat, we are now set free…set free spiritually from everything that besets our souls forever.

The compassion of God is truly greater than anything we’ll ever come to know. The more we dwell upon the flogging he endured… the stripes upon his back… the nails in his wrists, and the crown of thorns on his head, the more fully we can understand the magnitude of his suffering. The greater meaning of it all, we’ll understand in heaven, but for now, we can rest in the truth of God’s word that these things were designed from the beginning for good.

The only remedy for the world’s sickness and disease of sin with all of its manifestations is the Lord. Isaiah tells us: “By His stripes we are healed.” We take medicine for our physical ailments, but the only medicine to cure our souls is the blood of the perfect lamb.

Mar

18

A friend to the friendless

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Friends are wonderful. Without them, where would we be? They are supportive, loving, and often go out of their way for us. While there are friends in name only—more like casual acquaintances—there are others who stick by closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

While we appreciate our friends and what they can offer, what’s even greater is that Jesus is so much more; he’s both our savior and our friend. He’s been called a prophet, a priest, and a king when he walked the earth. Today, he’s all of that—and more.

Bright Morning Star, the Alpha and the Omega, Prince of Peace…the list of Jesus’ names goes on… But with all of his titles, the fact that he is our friend, too, is stunning.

So, what has Jesus done for me lately? This may be a thought in your mind. Though if you have to ask that question, you may want to look no further than the book of John.

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but has everlasting life ~ John 3:16

What Jesus accomplished on the cross in doing his Father’s will is above and beyond anything we’ll ever need. Whatever we may require, it surely will not go unnoticed to him. He is faithful to supply all of our needs.  Sometimes, it’s just a matter of trust.

Mar

11

His perfect peace

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Pain and worry from personal struggles and issues of the day are often bound up in us when we take our eyes off the ball. Not a ballgame; it’s serious matters of life that so easily entangle us when we look at the problems instead of looking to Christ.

In difficult times of trials and troubles, Jesus—and he alone—is the only healing balm we need. With all of the power he has, what is your life’s situation that he cannot handle for you and give you peace in your soul?

Whose burdens are you carrying that you are so weighted…or that you’re overburdened and spread so thin that there’s nothing left by the end of the day and you are worn and stressed to the point of breaking? Is this where God has called you?

       For my yoke is easy and my burden is light ~ Matthew 11:30

No matter what is going on, the calming peace of Jesus is there to take in. It’s like no other. He leads us beside the still waters and restores our souls. His peace is like a river, and it flows as a fountain of blessings to his faithful followers, who put their trust fully in Him.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. ~ John 16:33

Mar

04

Holy is his name

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No matter how holy we may appear on the outside, our righteousness will never be enough to please a holy God, as the word says in the O.T. that all of our righteousness is akin to filthy rags. Sadly, our goodness will never suffice in pleasing Him or pave a path for us into heaven because it’s not really about us. We can never become holy enough on our own unless we first “put on” Christ.

So many feel that they must earn their way into heaven…or do some kind of work or penance to appease our holy God. Really? Is that what God’s word is saying?

According to Hebrews 11:6, it is impossible to please God without a genuine conviction that he exists. And as far as getting into heaven…Ephesians 2 tells us that it is “by his grace that we have been saved through faith…” and by which we trust Him for our salvation.

Try as we may, God is too great to impress with our own self-righteousness. The only way to please God is by having faith in his Son, the Lord Jesus, who graciously gave up his life in order we may live.  No one can save themselves, which is good to know because Jesus did it all through his free gift of salvation by His grace alone.