devotional - Lift Up My Eyes

Law or Grace?

In Galatians 3:10, Paul writes “Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse.” The Scriptures [Deuteronomy 27:26] say, “Everyone who doesn’t obey everything in the Law is under a curse” (CEV). Note that Paul refers to “a curse.” Singular. ”The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines curse as “to call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon.” Certain religions have practices that, in essence, place a curse on someone. Although I am not an expert on these practices but I do know that the source of a curse is not God. If it is not of God, then it must be of Satan. I would ask you, is Satan or God more powerful? If we are living under grace our God can overcome any curse placed upon us.

The Law. We have a choice. We can live under the curse or we can live by grace. There is no other option. In the Old Testament Moses was given the Law. One might ask “Why?” Although the law was given for a number of reasons, we will only look at those relevance for us today.

First, the law reveals God’s holy character and His expectations of us. Since we cannot lead a sinless life, the law shows us that we fall short of the law. Without other provisions by God, we cannot be righteous and are under the curse. We fall short under God.

Second, the law provided forgiveness through sacrifice, setting the stage for Jesus coming to earth to atone for our sins. It also tells us how to worship Him. In Leviticus 23, God established the concept of the sabbath as well as times for other Holy feasts and celebrations.

Third, the law gives directions for the physical and spiritual health of God’s people (Deuteronomy 6:4-19). We live as a part of God’s creation. Don’t you think He knows what is best for us in all respects?

Grace. When God made man, He knew that it would be impossible for anyone to live a sinless, holy life. Thus, in His infinite knowledge, He, at creation, he provided a way for us to escape the curse. The provision was Jesus coming to earth, living a perfect life among men, and being hung on a cross to atone for our sins. While He died for all, He died just for me and for you. He reached down and took our hand.

What is grace? Grace is an unmerited favor. We don’t deserve it, but God loves us so much He grants us grace that we may enter His Kingdom. I grew up in Grace Baptist Church. I frequently heard grace described as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Several years ago, a former student was serving as adjunct faculty at the college where I taught. She contacted me with a dilemma. A student had turned in a research paper and not given any citations or references. She asked what I would do. I reminded her I once had a student who did the same thing. And I gave her an opportunity to correct the paper. She immediately realized that I was talking about her. That was a reminder that grace is flowing. We receive grace from God and others and we should pass it on.

Legalism. Unfortunately, people often fail to extend grace to others. They become legalistic. To me, grace and legalism are opposites. R. C. Sproul outlined three characteristics of legalism. First, legalism focuses on God’s laws more than on a relationship with Him. Keeping the law becomes an end in itself.

Second, legalism obeys the externals without a desire to follow God. This removes obedience from our relationship to Him. Third, a legalist will add human rules to divine laws and treat them as divine. What began as a custom morphs into law. Jesus accused the Pharisees of this very thing. Many of us do this today.

Living in Grace. Grace changes everything. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEV) tells us “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.”

Grace is a gift. Ephesian 2:8 (CEV) reads “You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve .This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own.” The gift is yours to open. No one else can open it for you.

God rewards those who seek Him. Matthew 6:33 promises “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.

Does God’s grace flow through you? When we obey Him, the floodgates of Heaven are opened and grace abounds.

Scripture is from the NASB unless otherwise indicated.

Photo credit to Dapple-designers, Mohamed Hassan, Vilma Andrade, and Alessandro Macia, all on Pixabay.

Is Satan Blinding You From God’s Glory?

Current Events, devotional

I was recently in a Sunday morning worship service and the praise band led in Holy Song, the chorus of which goes “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy, worthy, worthy. All of the earth is full of Your glory.” I was ok until they got to that last line. We live on a fallen earth. In fact, we are told that “The god who rules this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like. (2 Corinthians 4:4 CEV). If Satan is the god of this earth, how can the still earth be full of God’s glory? But the minds of believers have not been blinded.

Note that this scripture refers to Satan as the ruler of this world. He rules, but unlike God, his time as ruler is limited. He is allowing Satan to rule this world for a time. Revelation 11:15 reads “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” God is going to take back His world and Satan will be vanquished.

Seek. The mind is a wonderful thing. As I was contemplating God’s glory it occurred to me that you find what you’re looking for. I enjoy word search puzzles.The key to finding the hidden words is to focus on one word at a time. It’s the same with a car. I once rented a Dodge Caliber. I was unfamiliar with this vehicle, but suddenly I saw them everywhere. Even though we live in a fallen world we can see God’s glory if we are looking for it. As Jesus once said “Seek and you will find” (Matthew 7:7). So what is it we are looking for when we seek God’s glory?

Falsehoods. In I Peter 2, the apostle discusses the appearance of false prophets. In reading this chapter one can see graphic descriptions of the falsehoods that will be taught and the ultimate destruction of these false teachers. I suggest reading that chapter to grasp the suffering and destruction of these so-called prophets and teachers. At this point, we are seeing, not God’s Glory, but God’s destruction upon those who do not believe in Him. Moving into Chapter 3 we see hope. We see that God’s glory is here all along.

The day of the Lord will come. We do not know when but we must remember that God is timeless. I am somewhat reminded of the tagline to the TV show Candid Camera. “Don’t be surprised if sometime, somewhere, someplace when you least expect it, someone steps up to you and says ‘Smile, you’re on Candid Camera !” Jesus will return, in all His glory when we least expect it.

His coming will usher in a new heaven and a new earth. Suppose you’re out hiking and you find something in the dirt. You pick it up and it just seems like a dirty, ordinary rock. But you scrape the dirt off and see that there is something more than just a rock. Upon cleaning it up, you discover a precious gemstone. This is a poor analogy to the coming of God’s new heaven and earth. It is here among us but it is hidden. One glorious day, it will be fully revealed. Meanwhile, we get occasional glimpses of the fullness of God’s glory.

Glory to God. Seeing that God’s Glory is all around us, we as Christians are told to give God the Glory. In I Corinthians 1:31 we are told to glorify or honor God in everything “When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God.” Jesus told the Pharisees who bid Him to rebuke His disciples ““I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!.” Luke 19:40. Do you get it? We are to be part of God’s Glory here on earth. But it doesn’t stop there. We will be proclaiming His Glory in Heaven. Revelation 14:17 (CEV) “Worship and honor God! The time has come for him to judge everyone. Kneel down before the one who created heaven and earth, the oceans, and every stream.” No doubt, our worship will intensify when we see Him in our eternal home.

Although these scriptures tell us to glorify Him, how do we do that? This is one of those topics that if you research it, you’ll find innumerable lists of how to glorify God. I think there are five broad ways we can glorify Him.

First, we should love Him and Know Him. Think back to the time when you were dating or in a new relationship. You yearned to know more about them. As you got to know them better your love likely intensified. We know God by spending time with Him in prayer and reading His biography – the Bible.

Second, we should confess our sins before Him. In our human relationships, when we have wronged a friend, we want to set things right by confessing our wrongs. We want to restore the relationship. Our relationship with God needs restoration.

Third, we should forgive others. Ephesians 4:32 (CEV) reads “be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ.” For more on forgiveness, see my recent blog, https://liftupmyeyes.com/forgive-as-i-have-forgiven-you/

Fourth, we should practice spiritual disciplines. There are numerous lists of what constitutes a spiritual discipline. Obviously, prayer and Bible study (as already cited) are at the top of the list. But we can add worship and sharing Christ, We can give of our time, talents, and resources. We can examine our lives to see if the fruits of the Spirit are present in our lives.

Fifth, having a thankful spirit, giving God praise for all He has done for us, will glorify God. This extends to our relationships with others. In Matthew 25:40 (CEV), Jesus spoke “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

Where do you see God’s Glory?

All scripture is from the NASB unless otherwise indicated.

Photo credits to NoName_13, BarbaraJackson, and Jeff Jacobs 1990 on Pixabay.

Forgive, As I Have Forgiven You

devotional

I wrote a recent blog on the topic of forgiveness. It posed, and attempted to answer, the question Why Ask God for Forgiveness? After writing it, my excellent proofreader (That’s my wife, Heather) pointed out that if God forgives us, then we should also forgive others. And that should be in the blog, she said. Of course, she was absolutely correct. After thinking about it, I felt the topic deserved its own article. It is important for us to forgive others and there are a number of reasons that we should create within ourselves a spirit of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is difficult. It is against our human nature to forgive. We sometimes “soften the blow” by telling ourselves that “I’ll forgive but I won’t forget.” That attitude may indicate that forgiveness has not really occurred. We can’t forget what happened but we can change our feelings and attitudes toward the one who has offended us.

Forgiveness is commanded by God. There are any number of verses that deal with our forgiveness of others. Two verses stand out to me. Ephesians 4:32 reads “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” God has forgiven us, we are to forgive others. In Matthew, Jesus put it a little more bluntly. “For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses. (6:14-15). Failure to forgive is an indication you may not have fully accepted Christ as your savior.

Related to the first, if we don’t forgive, we have sinned. Disobedience to God is sin.

To forgive enhances our spiritual growth. The writer of Hebrews (5:13-14) states “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.” We must be patient with new Christians. And new Christians must be patient with themselves.They are stepping into a new life with a new world view. They may not understand yet how to grow in Christ. Learning to forgive helps us grow as Christians.

When we forgive, it has a positive effect on our health and mental attitude. When we harbor a lack of forgiveness, we are filled with negative emotions. That can take a serious toll on our body, mind, and spirit. We are angry, anxious, maybe even depressed. As a result, we may have elevated blood pressure, a feeling of being out of control, helplessness, and stress. Although it was not a lack of forgiveness, I vividly remember the oral presentation of my dissertation. After feeling like I had been run through the wringer, I was dismissed from the room. I sat there more than a little anxious. I probably had elevated blood pressure. Then Dr. Gayle Rayburn stepped from the room, approached me and said “Congratulations, Dr. Stancil.” All my anxiety dissolved. It is the same with forgiveness.

Forgiveness is spiritual warfare. Christians know the outcome. Satan is defeated. Meanwhile, he is the god of this world. “He has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor 4:4). Satan would have us believe that lack of forgiveness is no big deal. But it has eternal consequences. Where you spend eternity is a big deal.

Forgiveness breeds in us a spirit of forgiveness. All of the above can be rolled into this one statement. We have all known people who have this spirit. I think it is summed up well in the song by Bill and Gloria Gaither “Sweet, Sweet Spirit.”

There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,

And I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord;

There are sweet expressions on each face,

And I know they feel the presence of the Lord.

Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly Dove,

Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love.

And for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;

Without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived,

When we shall leave this place.

There are blessings you cannot receive

Till you know Him in His fullness and believe;

You’re the one to profit when you say,

“I am going to walk with Jesus all the way.”

If you say He saved you from your sin,

Now you’re weak, you’re bound and cannot enter in,

You can make it right if you will yield,

You’ll enjoy the Holy Spirit that we feel.

Who do you need to forgive today? Don’t wait, do it now.

All scripture is from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise indicated.

Photo credits to Pete Linforth, Gerait Altmann, Christel, and Ken Haines from Pixabay.

Celebrate!

devotional

I was watching a football game recently (not unusual for me) and I got to thinking about celebrations. It occurred to me that participants in at least three sports have joyous celebrations with each score. Football, hockey, and soccer. The pace of football lends itself to more opportunities for celebration. With all three sports, there is a pause in the game after a score so players in these sports engage in group hugs, high fives,and other celebrations. Football players celebrate after a score. But they also have spirited celebrations after a good play. Even if the team is down by 30 points they will celebrate a score or a good play. I had been somewhat put-off by what I felt were empty celebrations.

Then it dawned on me that life should be a celebration. The vast majority of us will never be winners of the Super Bowl, heist Lord Stanley’s Cup, or hold the FIFA World Cup Trophy. We won’t receive a Nobel prize, get elected to a Hall of Fame, or get other notable recognitions. In the view of eternity, those things don’t matter. But, we can, and should celebrate our victories as they are part of who we are while on earth.

Our reasons to celebrate are God-given, so they should be celebrated. Celebration is more than winning. We celebrate what God has done for us. Keep in mind that if we are fully attuned to God in our lives, He will direct us. Proverbs 3:5-6 reads “With all your heart. You must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow (CEV).”

God does direct us. Several years back, I had just completed my doctorate in Accounting. Professors with a terminal degree and a CPA designation were highly coveted in the academic world. In my way of thinking, I searched diligently. Some interviews I immediately rejected. Others, I would have accepted but they weren’t offered. In retrospect, I now see that God was holding me back for the right position – the one He wanted for me.

God is also in the minutiae of life. I remember when my father had died, my wife, Gloria and I were driving to his home, several hundred miles away. We needed to stop and buy something so we pulled into a mall parking lot. For some reason, the place was packed, not a parking place to be found. As we were going down one lane, a lady was walking to her car. She signaled us to follow her so we could have her parking space. Even though I was frustrated and definitely not praying, God was looking out for us.

Jesus celebrated on a number of occasions. In reading the Scriptures, we see that Jesus celebrated the Jewish holidays. Just prior to His crucifixion, He planned a passover meal to share with His disciples. The Feast of First Fruits was observed on the first day after the Sabbath at Passover. He gave new meaning to that day, as He arose from the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 (NIV) Paul recognized Christ as the firstfruits “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.”

We know he attended family celebrations, as at the wedding in Cana. In fact, you might say he salvaged the wedding celebration by turning water into wine. We can only imagine the celebration that occurred when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus healed there were certainly joyous celebrations.

The gospels tell us of the angels, shepherds, and wise men celebrating the birth of Jesus. Jesus gave us celebrations of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. When the prodigal son returned, the father ran to greet him. He ran with abandon, as a Middle Eastern man never ran. He risked shame and humiliation. After an embrace, the father ordered his servants to bring the best robe, a ring, and shoes. Then he instructed the servants to prepare a lavish meal of celebration. There are no shortages of celebrations in the Bible.

In His classic book, Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster wrote “Celebration is central to all the Spiritual Disciplines. Without a joyful spirit of festivity the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees.” There is no doubt that we were made to be celebratory Christians. Psalms 150 is one of my favorite Psalms. This Psalm tells us when and why we should praise and celebrate. ”

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with tambourine and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Everything that has breath shall praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!

Although not classified as Christian music, Kool and the Gang gave us the song “Celebration.” It has become a standard at parties and celebrations of all kinds. We should demonstrate that type of celebration as we have every reason to celebrate the goodness of God. Celebrate our Lord, celebrate what He has done for us. Celebrate His greatness.

All scripture is from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Photo credit to Pete Linforth, Jeff Jacobs, and Geralt on Pixabay.

Why Ask God for Forgiveness?

devotional

There is a saying “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” This is a statement that non-Christians usually do not understand. They often react with shock and anger at a Christian whose sin is exposed. “How can that person call himself a Christian and act that way?” They have what Chuck Swindoll refers to as a “horizontal perspective” of life. When a Christian stumbles, non-Christians discount our faith because we are not perfect. 1 Cor 2:14 (CEV) reads “This is why only someone who has God’s Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn’t have God’s Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish.” Or in Chuck Swindoll’s words “most (non-Christians) will never get it.” The natural man subscribes to the belief that you get what you pay for. Thus, they cannot comprehend this free gift.

Yes, we Christians are not perfect. Yes, we are forgiven. God, in His infinite wisdom, knows this. Yet He wants what is best for us and that best includes eternal life with Him in Heaven. God loves us with a perfect love. But He doesn’t force Himself on us. Our sin creates an impenetrable wall preventing us from being ushered into heaven. But God provided a solution. Jesus came to earth, lived as one of us, died on a cross, and was resurrected. The wall came down. Why? Jesus was perfect and suffered in this way for our sins. He paid the price. When He was nailed to the cross, He hung in our place to bear the burden of our sins. We receive this magnificent gift simply by accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. When I received Him into my life, all my sins – past, present, and future were forgiven. Look at Colossians 2:13-14 “You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God’s people. But God let Christ make you alive, when He forgave all our sins. God wiped out the charges that were against us for disobeying the Law of Moses. He took them away and nailed them to the cross.” There are references in the New Testament about the Lamb’s Book of Life. Revelation 3:5 (NASB) reads “I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Guess how many sins are found in our entry. Exactly zero.

This begs the question “If my sins have been forgiven why do I need to ask God to forgive me? They are already forgiven.” God tells us to ask for forgiveness. I think there are four reasons God wants us to seek forgiveness. First, confessing our sins will bring them to mind and remind us of the tremendous sacrifice that Jesus made so our sins could be forgiven. We are human. We stray from God’s path. When we recall what He has done for us, we are justified. Most of us may have become aware of this term when we started using computers. Computer software “justifies” the text. It automatically aligns the text for us. Applying this word to our faith, we are aligned with God, we become righteous.

While it is true that all our sins are forgiven, confessing those sins to God can serve as a spiritual marker, helping us to recall the things God has done for us, putting us in a spirit of praise for His mighty works for us. I have a coffee mug on my desk. I’ve never used it for coffee. Instead, it is a mug commemorating the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning winning the Stanley Cup. This is especially memorable to me as I was present for the final game of that series. The mug reminds me of that night of celebration. Just as confession reminds me of what God has done in my life.

Second, forgiveness leads us to sanctification. When we are justified, we can then be sanctified. This word simply means that we are made holy, set apart for God’s use. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 reads “In a large house some dishes are made of gold or silver, while others are made of wood or clay.” Some of these are special, and others are not. This is also how it is with people. The ones who stop doing evil and make themselves pure through confession will become special. Their lives will be holy and pleasing to their Master, and they will be able to do all kinds of good deeds.” God can use anything or anyone for His purposes. But in confessing our sins, God can use us in a special way.

Third, confession cleanses us. I remember I once took a mission trip to Ghana. When I landed at the Orlando airport, my wife met me. I had been up and traveling for over 24 hours. Her first words to me were “You stink.” I didn’t disagree. I was well aware my deodorant had worn off long ago. I needed a cleansing. Confessions cleanses us spiritually. I John 1:7 reads “And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.”

Fourth, when we are forgiven it helps us maintain a spirit of forgiveness. The Lord’s prayer includes a prayer for forgiveness “Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others.” Matthew 6:12. God forgave us, we are to continue that cycle of forgiveness.

Confession is agreeing with God that we have sinned, asking forgiveness, and repenting. To repent we change directions and move away for the object of our sins. Our lives are taking a new direction. We have already been forgiven. That occurred when Jesus hung on the cross. Our confession is to change us, not God. The only condition for being forgiven is to be in Christ. Ephesians 1:7 “Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means our sins are now forgiven.” Confessing should bring us to a point where we live a lifestyle of forgiveness towards others. Do you want that lifestyle?

Scripture is from the Contemporary English Version.

Photo credit to CrisG, Alexander PlaNet, Andrea Don, and Julia Prelmus all on Pixabay.

Are you Really Saved?

devotional

A few months ago, I wrote an article, Not Everyone Goes to Heaven, in which I discussed the misconception that everyone will go to heaven when they die. In revisiting that article, it occurred to me that there are some specific behaviors/beliefs that individuals may have about how to get into Heaven. Let me emphasize at the start that there is only one way to heaven. That is faith in Jesus Christ.

In theory, one could get to heaven if they led a perfect life here on earth. That is what Jesus did. For human beings, that is impossible. The concept of original sin arose when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. By their transgressions, we become like Adam. It is imparted to us. In other words, Adam is our representative. Think of it in terms of a sports metaphor. If an individual on a football team commits a foul, is that individual penalized? Not really, the whole team is penalized for the transgression of one. So we are on Adam’s team and his transgression is upon us.

What are some actions or behaviors that individuals believe will get them into Heaven? There are six of these behaviors that I have identified. There may be more but this will hopefully get you thinking.

First, we do not get into Heaven based on our parentage. Maybe your father was a prominent minister who won many people to Christ and always took you to church on Sunday. His faith does not cover you. Everyone must have their own faith. Paul told us in Phillippians 2:12 to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” The emphasis here is the word “own.” It is your salvation that saves you, not the faith of others.

Second, and somewhat related. Salvation by proxy can be attempted. A living person is baptized on behalf of the physically dead in an attempt to get the deceased into heaven. Nowhere in the Bible is this practice mentioned. The Bible states baptism is for the remission of the sins of the individual. Another aspect of salvation by proxy is to pray for the deceased’s salvation. Again, this is not workable. It denies free moral agency and the individual responsibility God has for each individual.

Third, many individuals think they are a good person. “After all, I’ve made a positive impact on people and I’ve never kicked a dog. God will let me in.” While we think we are good, we cannot measure up by God’s holy standard. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes this abundantly clear. “You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about” (CEV). Our salvation cannot be earned, it is a gift we must accept.

Fourth, “attending church will get me into heaven.” No amount of church attendance or lack of attendance will result in getting or losing salvation. However, when you become a Christian, you are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEV) reads “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.” If we are a part of the Body of Christ we will have a desire to be in church for instruction and fellowship. After all, we are now a part of God’s Family and we should have a desire to fellowship with our family.

Fifth, I would point out that just because someone professes faith in Jesus Christ and is even baptized does not mean that person has been saved. Knowing about God is not the same as knowing God. James 2:19 reads (CEV) “You surely believe there is only one God. That’s fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear.” Jesus even said “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” Matthew 7:21 (CEV).

Finally, Some apparently think that they can buy themselves into heaven by contributing to a church or other charitable organization. I once had a boss that felt this way. There was no visible evidence that he was a Christian, but I was told that he faithfully sent a tithe into his church. Salvation cannot be bought. It has already been paid when Jesus hung on the cross.

There can be many reasons for a false claim to salvation. Perhaps you were in a church that taught heretical theology. Maybe you were pressured by friends and family to take this step and your profession was to get them off your back. Our faith must be authentic.

A person can be sincere about their faith, but if there is no evidence of that faith, if they are not “new creations” they could be sincerely wrong. We can claim Jesus as Lord, but we must also obey Him.

All scripture unless otherwise noted is from the NASB translation.

Photo credit to Openclipart-vectors, Jeronym Pelikovsky, and Gerd Allman. All on Pixabay

You Can Have an Inheritance

devotional, Uncategorized

This title sounds like a scammer waiting to separate you from your money. I assure you, it’s anything but. Like most of you, I have dreamed of receiving a large inheritance. But for most of us, that’s only a pipe dream. From an eternal view you have the best inheritance anyone could receive. Before he went to the cross, Jesus provided our inheritance.

In John 14, Jesus’ death on the cross was imminent. In the previous chapter, Jesus and the disciples had participated in The Lord’s Supper, He washed the feet of the disciples, He predicted His betrayal. At this point Judas left after Jesus told him “What you are doing, do quickly.” But the others were somewhat puzzled. Jesus was removing Judas, as what He was about to say would not apply to Judas.

John 14 has been called The Last Will and Testament of Jesus. Obviously, he had no earthly wealth, but He did bestow on them great riches. Before bestowing His gifts, He attempted to set their minds at ease, equating Himself with God.

The first three promises deal with their future in heaven. First, He assured the disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them. Secondly, He would come back for them. Doubting Thomas, likely speaking the thoughts of the other 10 exclaimed “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?” (v 5). Jesus’ calm assurance was a third bequest “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” (vv.6-7). They would see and know the Father. Powerful words that likely fell on deaf ears at the time, but words that they would recall in the coming days. Words of assurance for us today.

Then Jesus moved on to life on earth for the disciples. After addressing Philip’s statement (v 8) “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us” Jesus assured them (after a slight reprimand) that He and the Father were one. Then he made an interesting statement that even if you don’t believe that statement then “otherwise believe because of the works themselves” (v 11). This brings to mind the statement in James 2:18 that our faith will be shown by our works.

But Jesus didn’t stop there. He told the disciples that they would do greater works than Jesus did on earth. He promised that “whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (vv 13-14). This is not a blank check. Our requests must result in the glorification of the Son and the Father. Greater works is definitely a wonderful gift, but the disciples were probably asking themselves “How?”

Which brings us to the fourth promise. The “How” is the Holy Spirit. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you” (vv. 16-17). It is noteworthy that the word translated “ask” is a synonym for prayer. In this case, we don’t have the usual prayer. When we pray to God, it is an inferior praying to a superior. In this case the word connotes one making a request of an equal. We don’t have to do it on our own, we have the Holy Spirit. Jesus isn’t leaving us, He is giving us an upgrade. It is noteworthy that the Holy Spirit comes only to His followers. The things of the Spirit cannot be comprehended or understood by the world.

Fifth, Jesus promised He will not leave us. The world will not see Him but Christians will because He lives in us.

Sixth, Jesus promised love (v 21). “The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” When you love someone, you will want to live with them. Jesus promised to live with us.

Seventh, He promised to teach us. (v 25-26) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.” He will teach us ALL things. The Spirit helps us remember everything Jesus told us.

Finally, Jesus promised peace. Not the peace of the world, which is false peace, but the Peace of God, which passes all understanding. I discuss God’s peace in a recent blog https://liftupmyeyes.com/whose-peace/.

My grandmother was a spunky person who did not have much in terms of material possessions. She once told me that she received an inheritance. In her words, “My ship came in but it wasn’t carrying much cargo.” As Christians, our ship has come in and the cargo is priceless.

In the Old Testament a covenant was sealed by the blood of an animal sacrifice. Jesus was the mediator of a new covenant. This new covenant was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified for each of us. Jesus was the sacrifice for the new covenant. Jesus has never broken a promise or a covenant.

The promises that Jesus made in this discourse do not apply only to the eleven. This was addressed to all of his disciples. In the concluding portion of this discourse in Chapter 17, Jesus said (vv 15-16) “I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” Then He concluded, leaving no doubt that this was intended for ALL Christians (v 20-21) “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” We are here because God still has a mission for us to complete. What is your current mission?

All scripture quoted is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Picture credit for stairway to heaven and child praying Arnie Bragg on Pixabay.

Whose Peace?

Current Events, devotional

World peace is a fable. Since 2003, there have been no less than 138 armed conflicts. In the past 3,400 years only 268 years have seen no such conflicts, And for the past 135 years there has been no year without a war somewhere. Peace will not come to this world until Jesus sets up His millennium reign on earth. Mankind, collectively, will never achieve world peace. Individually, we can all experience the peace that Jesus brings.

In John 14:27, the disciple writes “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.” This statement comes toward the end of a passage in which Jesus is giving His disciples his last will and testament.

Peace from the World. The peace that comes from the world will never succeed. It is based on the thought that we can achieve it using human methods and effort. As a member of the Boomer generation, I am well-aware of the mantra “Give peace a chance.” The problem is that we have given peace many chances and have failed miserably. Since 1901 the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded annually to those who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Many of the recipients have been very poor choices, and the award seems insignificant in terms of any results.

Seeking peace through human efforts is futile. I see two reasons for this futility. First, we are seeking something that comes from God without looking to Him for peace. It’s like going to the hardware store to buy groceries. You’re looking in the wrong place. God is the source of all real peace. The human perspective is to overcome all obstacles so we can be the last one standing – the opposite of peace. Nik Saeedi, who is team leader for Prevention of Violent Extremism, UNDP’s Global Focal Point on MHPSS; Religion, and Hate Speech (what a title!) has written an article entitled “World Peace is not only Possible but Inevitable.” I beg to differ, she is seriously misguided.

Secondly, I find it somewhat incredible that there are many theories about how to achieve world peace. Wikipedia describes several of these, including Capitalism Peace Theory, Cobdenism, Democratic Peace Theory, Economic Norms Theory, Marxism, Mutual assured destruction, and Peace through strength. Each of these define world peace differently. We can’t even agree on what world peace is, how can we, as humans, hope to achieve it?

The peace that the world gives brings to mind many of the scam ads you find on the internet. Often those purchases result in disappointment In contrast, God’s peace is priceless, the real thing and does not disappoint.

Peace from Jesus. What is this peace that Jesus gives? James MacDonald wrote “Peace is the calm assurance that what God is doing is best. Peace comes from knowing that He is in control.” God’s peace is a signal that we can trust Him, rest in Him, and see Him at work in our lives.

This is God’s peace and is sufficient. Jesus’ birth was signaled by a star and by a host of heavenly angels. It was somewhat of a big production.Those who saw came to Him. His return will be even more spectacular. Revelation 1:7 (CEV) tells us “Look! He is coming with the clouds. Everyone will see him, even the ones who stuck a sword through him. All people on earth will weep because of him. Yes, it will happen! Amen.” There are three notable statements in this passage. First, all will see Him when He returns. We don’t know the details but we can know we will see him. Second, there will be weeping. It is likely this comes from those who have not known Him, but also tears of rejoicing that He has come. And third, His return is a certainty! Thousands of prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled and there are still over 500 yet to be fulfilled. We know He is coming again.

One episode of The Andy Griffith Show has Opie asking Andy “Pa, do we know when Jesus is coming back?” Andy answers, “Nope, son: God put us on the welcome committee, not the planning committee.” We don’t know when Jesus will come back, but we can be ready for His return.

When this occurs, world peace will be achieved as Christ ushers in His Kingdom. Jesus’ peace for each of us comes internally. He doesn’t promise us a bed of roses – we will have troubles and conflict as did Jesus when He first came to earth. The peace He brings is a calmness of our confidence in God. It comes at a time when we should our circumstances dictate we should not be at peace. Tony Evans commented “Jesus had this peace because he was sure of the Father’s love and approval. He could therefore move forward to meet the crisis without fear or hesitation. The world can give only false peace, which mostly comes from the ignorance of peril or self-reliance.” We can have the peace of Jesus.

Are you ready for Jesus’ return? If not, you can join the welcoming committee. Just ask HIm.

Peace image by ANDRI TEGAR MAHARDIKA from Pixabay

Dove Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Think God Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

All scripture is the New American Standard Version unless otherwise specified

Settled and Firm in Christ

Current Events, devotional

Our nation has become a very contentious society. If we don’t agree with a person’s point of view, that person often will simply shut them out. I once had a Facebook friend who posted on his timeline that if any of his “friends” voted for a particular statewide candidate then they could delete him right then. Even though I had not voted for that person, I deleted him as a friend, as I saw no benefit to attempt a relationship with such a closed-minded person.

During an election year, the atmosphere can be very unsettling, as all candidates strive to convince voters to cast their vote for them. Promises are made. Each side thinks their candidate is the one to lead us. Once the vote has been counted, we hope to put our differences aside and work for the betterment of our nation. This unofficial “down time” after an election can allow us to settle down to a more normal routine with no campaign rhetoric. In any election, some are bitter, others overjoyed. I like the statement someone made that said that a bird’s left wing and right wing are both part of the same bird. The same holds for our country. This article is about how we, as Christians should move forward after the election frenzy. Our faith extends beyond party loyalties. In the aftermath of an election our faith needs to take on two characteristics. We need to be Settled and we need to Stand Firm. These characteristics should be seen in our faith, in our love, and in our hope. Those who do not share our political views should not be vilified, denigrated, or dismissed.

Settled. What does it mean to be settled? Although the Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives several shades of meaning to this word, I think two of them are particularly relevant. The first is “to make quiet or orderly.” The second definition is “to close,” to bring the matter to a conclusion. We have differing worldviews and no conclusive solution is likely to be found for all issues. But we can strive to be civil to each other and live in an orderly fashion without hostility. We can respect the views of others without resorting to personal attacks. We must come together. As Jesus stated in Luke 11:17 (CEV) “A kingdom where people fight each other will end up in ruin. And a family that fights will break up.” Is that what we want?

Stand Firm. Merriam-Webster defines this idiom as refusing to change a decision or position, but that doesn’t cover it from a Biblical perspective. It sounds stubborn. As Christians we should take our faith seriously and refuse to compromise but we can be open to new revelations in Scripture. In our faith, as in our lives, we should be flexible and open to new views. I Corinthians 15:58 tells us “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain.” While holding to what we believe, Paul is telling us to excel in the work of the Lord. I would take that a step further. As Christians, there is no secular, everything we do should be for the Lord. Our jobs, our recreation, everything we do is the work of the Lord and should be done to the best of our abilities.

Our Faith. Our faith is in Jesus Christ, and Him alone. While we may look to and admire politicians, business persons, relatives, and even ministers we must never forget where our faith ultimately resides. In Genesis 12 God made a covenant with Abram that He would make him into a great nation through which all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (v. 3) “Abram believed the Lord and the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him.” (CEV Genesis 15:6). Abraham was not perfect but he placed His faith in God. Abraham’s people, the Israelites, often struggled, but returned to God. This promise from God that all the families of the earth would be blessed through the Israelites is one of the remaining 500 or so prophecies in the Bible that have yet to be fulfilled.

Our faith is the foundation of who we are. The old hymn expresses it well “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent word!” Regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we need not despair. God is in control. Adam Clayton Powell was a minister turned politician. Although he strayed from his faith and ran into some legal difficulties, he made a profound statement. “Keep the faith because God’s realities always exceed man’s fondest dreams. Keep faith in God… He’ll make a way out of no way. He’ll open doors that no one can open and shut doors that no one can shut.” God can make a way. God will make a way. On His timetable, not ours. Keep the faith.

Our Love. The Sermon on the Mount is generally regarded as one of the most famous speeches ever. This sermon contains many ethical demands. Taken as a whole, this sermon tells us much of what Jesus regarded as necessary for us to function as Christians. In Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus talked about love, casting a broad net as to whom we should love. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

We are to pray for our enemies. Our enemies, according to the Bible, are the world, the flesh, and Satan. 2 John 2:15-17 tells us not to love the world. If we don’t follow this, the love of God is not in us. But we are told to pray for the world.

I once taught at a college that had a student-led group called “Love in Action.” While there is nothing unique about this name, it tells us about how our love works in the world. It is a love of action. We recently had a couple of hurricanes blow through my community and a friend of mine posted this on Facebook “We intentionally aren’t going anywhere, so that we can be a part of our community and the clean up efforts as this storm takes place. If you are in the Lakeland area and find yourself in need of help, please reach out.” That is love in action.

Our Hope should be in Jesus Christ alone. While humans on this earth may do some good things, people often fail. It has long been a goal of mine to end well. I have seen countless individuals who were looked up to, put on a pedestal, and fell. Some indiscretion in their lifehas brought them down. I won’t name any names but all of us can think of those who fell from man’s idolization. Man will fail. If we place our hope in a mankind we will ultimately be disappointed. I am reminded of the old hymn by William Bradbury

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Christ is our Rock, our Refuge, our Hope. We may fail Him, but He will not fail us. He does not promise to remove all difficulties but He will see us through them. Fix our eyes and “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14 KJV).

When we are discouraged, when we face rejection, when inexplicable events occur, where do you turn? Place your hope in Christ. Make it a priority to keep yourfocus on Him. He is our solid Rock. Men and women, including those calling themselves Christians, may fail. Christ never fails. Settle on Christ.

Photo Credit to Gerd Altmann and John Hall on Pixabay.

All scripture is the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Have You Learned to be Content?

devotional

I have always struggled with Phillippians 4:11, which reads “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” I recently realized that my problem with this verse is the word “content.” Other versions use satisfied, but the large majority use my stumbling-block word. The Amplified Bible adds a parenthetical comment “satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted whatever state I am.” Those parenthetical comments, using the words disturbed or disquieted help us understand what we should seek.

Content. I studied this word and realized that I was not looking at a full definition of the word. One definition in Mirriam-Webster defines the verb as “to limit (oneself) in requirements, desires, or actions.” The Cambridge Dictionary reads “to make someone feel happy and satisfied.” These definitions exhibit my prior thoughts about this word. If that’s the way you think of this word, then you probably have some of the same feelings that I have about it in this passage. Using these definitions, we just sit back, be happy, and take whatever comes. I don’t think that’s it al all.

Clarence L. Haynes, Jr., whom I consider to be a very insightful Christian author and teacher, states regarding being content “This does not mean you don’t push to be better, do more, or to advance. It means you don’t use that as the measure of your satisfaction. As Christians, this is necessary because the opposite of contentment is disappointment, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness. If you search for contentment in the wrong places, it can lead to making harmful choices.” In other words, Haynes is not telling us that the content Christian should not strive for improvement. Sounds good, but what does that mean? How do we exhibit Christian contentment?

The difference is our focus. We should look to God for our contentment. Philippians 4;13 reads “can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Notice that Paul did not say he (or we) could do all things, He said “ I can do all things through HIM who strengthens me.”

Things to Avoid. If we are to be content there are some things to avoid. First, we should not look to humans for our contentment. Psalm 146:3 (CEV) reads “You can’t depend on anyone, not even a great leader.” Jeremiah 17:5 is a little more forceful “This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength.” Finally, I would give you Psalm 118:8-9 (CEV) “It is better to trust the Lord for protection than to trust anyone else, including strong leaders.” Don’t look to others to make you content. Man will fail you. God never fails.

Second, don’t focus on possessions. Matthew 24:35 reads “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” Everything you’ve accumulated over your lifetime will be gone. I was recently cleaning out my house in anticipation of a move and I realized much of what I had accumulated was things that had memories for me. They stirred up pleasant thoughts, but my kids didn’t want many of those things. They were my possessions that meant little to them. I gained a new insight into possessions.

Third, Don’t make promotions in your work or growth of your business your source of contentment. If your identity is in your work, you lose that identity when you lose your job – either from being fired, or from retirement. Having retired twice, as a professor and as a CPA, I can attest that there is a dislocation. But God had more for me. I am more than a teacher and a bean-counter.

Fourth, don’t pursue personal achievements to become content. There is nothing wrong with personal achievements. I used to run and participated in many road races, including two marathons. I was thrilled to finish the first one under my goal time. But I immediately started looking to the next one and was hoping to shave thirty minutes off that time. I didn’t achieve that goal. Personal achievements can be fulfilling to pursue, but don’t wrap your identity in those achievements. In road races, as in many other aspects of life, there is only one first place. If we set realistic goals for ourselves, we can “win” when we meet those goals. The only trophy I ever got in running was for 12th place in the Senior Division. But I achieved my goal and I felt like a winner.

Fifth. Don’t set prosperity as your goal. Larry Burkett, who founded Christian Financial Concepts, now Crown Financial Ministries, once responded to the question “How much is enough?” His response? “Just a little more.”

Sixth, earthly pleasures will not make you content. That bucket-list vacation you took? It ended. Your dream car you finally bought? It wore out. Your new house that tops the Jones’ house just got upstaged by a newer, bigger house down the street. I am not saying there is anything wrong with these, but they do not bring a lifetime of contentment. You’ll always want more.

How to be content. Now that we have seen what will not make us content, what do we need to achieve contentment from a Christian perspective. First, do focus on eternal life. In 2 Peter 3:13, the apostle wrote “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” Think of that – “a place where righteousness dwells” – that’s where I want to spend all my days. Eternity is a difficult concept. Here on earth, time often enslaves us as we attempt to accomplish more on earth. I think I am fairly safe in saying that Heaven has no clocks. Our eternal life will be unhurried, with everything in its “time.”

Second, do focus on things above. In Colossians 3:2, Paul, who was taken up to see heaven before his death, writes “Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Paul had seen heaven and earth. Obviously, heaven was the better choice, as he relates. In his recent book What Comes Next?, Max Lucado writes that your best day on earth will pale in comparison to our experience in heaven.

Third, do focus on His decrees. In Psalm 119:112, the Psalmist writes “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes. Forever, even to the end.” God has set his laws, his instructions to us. We should focus on what God has told us to do. In the 1990’s a popular phrase in the Jesus movement was “WWJD.” What Would Jesus Do? I was surprised to discover that this phrase grew out of the Biblical concept of “Imitatio Christi” or “Imitation of Christ” in the 1400’s. In 1890 Reverend Charles Sheldon introduced this phrase to a wider audience and preached a series of sermons to address the question of how to imitate Christ in modern society. He ended each sermon with the question “What would Jesus do?” From the positive response to his sermons, he wrote the best seller In His Steps, which became a Christian classic. Interestingly the book became widely published by 70 publishers due to a defective copyright. (God works in mysterious ways).

Fourth, do focus on Jesus. Heb 3:1 reads (CEV) “My friends, God has chosen you to be his holy people. So think about Jesus, the one we call our apostle and high priest!” But the writer doesn’t stop there. In the following verses, he explains why we should think about Jesus. He was faithful to the appointment God gave Him. He emphasizes that man may build things, but the reality is that God is the builder of everything.

In Hebrews 12:1-2, the point is made stronger as the author states “let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, (my emphasis) the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

To focus is to concentrate, to direct our attention on something. If I am watching a closely played sporting event, I am going to be laser-focused on that game. At that point, nothing else matters. We should have that same focus on Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:18, Paul (as usual) doesn’t mince words “He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”

We live in a fallen world. Keeping our focus on Jesus doesn’t just happen. We need to be diligent in our Christian disciplines, especially prayer and Bible study. My wife and I were just talking about another aspect of focusing. We need to surround ourselves with Christian friends. We become like those we associate with. Spending time with fellow Christians can help us maintain proper focus.

Fifth, we should focus on grace. Merriam Webster defines grace in relation to God as “a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance.” I grew up in a church named Grace Baptist. It was frequently uttered that GRACE is an acronym for “God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. Christ made God’s riches available to us for the asking.

I Peter 1:13 (CEV) tells us to “Be alert and think straight. Put all your hope in how God will treat you with undeserved grace when Jesus Christ appears.” There is much to ponder in this short passage, but I want to focus on three things. One, we are to be alert and straight-thinking. We just need to watch people and see that this is not common today. Two, we need to put our hope in how God will treat us. If we live for Him, he will treat us with undeserved grace. Third, this will happen when Christ appears – He IS coming back.

Sixth, we should focus on others with compassion and mercy. Jesus was a compassionate person when he walked on this earth. In the feeding of the 5,000 (plus women and children) Matthew relates that “When He came ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.” (14:14). In the same instance, it was past dinner time and the disciples came to Him, suggesting He send them away to find food for themselves. Jesus would have none of that, he had a miracle in mind. He took five loaves and two fish and made enough to feed everybody with food left over.

Again in Matthew, the disciple relates the parable of the unforgiving slave. The master had forgiven the slave a large debt, but the slave did not have mercy on his fellow slave for not forgiving a much smaller debt. The master handed him over to be punished. Jesus commanded mercy on our part, saying “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (18:35). The Golden Rule from Matthew 7:12 (CEV) should be our standard operating procedure. “Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about.”

Be content with what is missing. VJ Dunn is a favorite author who writes relatable Christian fiction (her words, not mine). She recently sent an email that expresses that she is thankful for what’s missing in her life. I’ve summarized her list slightly:

I don’t have an illness, other than old age aches and pains.
I don’t have a desire for more, better, faster. I am a very content person.
I don’t have debilitating addictions. My real addiction is reading.
Best of all, I don’t have the fear of death any longer, thanks to my Savior who defeated death on that cross?

VJ has learned to be content in her circumstances. As the scriptures tell us repeatedly, Christ is enough. Why not make Christ enough in your life? Be content.

Scripture is from the NASB unless otherwise stated.

Photo credits from Pixabay – Vilius Icvlsanauskas, Mani Samva, Igor, Pobobriy, Vicki Hamilton.

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