Good News in a Bad News Day

    Turning on my computer today didn't bring a lot of good news.  The typical news sources through which I pass to get to my mail program were filled with doom and gloom type of news and certainly not anything that would give anyone any kind of hope or joy on any given day.  When I see the news these days, I just lump it all together with the breaking of the commandments and they are all broken each and every day.  Our present day brings the truth of Second Timothy 3:1-5 into stark reality.  Men and women hate God and openly scorn Him along with being lovers of their own selves.  As Paul opened the third chapter, so the words are true today.  "In the last days, perilous times will come..."  Where are we to find hope in such a day as today?   Romans 5:7-8 says, " For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  
      There are plenty of Bible passages that speak of hope due to salvation and this is but one of them.  We know that our hope can only rely on our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  Salvation through Christ is the only link between us and peace, hope, joy and indeed, eternal life.  This joy, in a this godless society can only be found in our relationship with Christ.  While the society may be godless, our own search for peace and joy can be found in the gospel message and as always, everything depends upon the resurrection.  It was the victory that the Lord Jesus Christ acieved on that day almost twp thousand years ago.  You won't find peace and joy in the New York Times, or the Washington Post or La Porte Herald-Argus.  If you want real peace and joy then you will have to accept the gospel message found in the pages of Scripture and it isn't a message that is hidden like w crossword puzzle or a word search puzzle.  It is plainly given throughout the books of the Bible.  It can be found in John 3:16 or in Romans 5:8 or Ephesians 2:9-10 or in Acts 16:31 or in First Corinthians 15:1-4.  The list could go on but you get the idea.  The Bible, as always, has the answer.  When you need a moment of comfort in your hectic life, just turn to the only true source of hope for the world in which we live.  As in so many other cases, the Bible is the source and our treasure chest of promises from God.  Praise Him today for His working in our lives and for the hope that He gives us each and every day.

The Alarm

        How many warnings do you ignore in the course of an average day?  My Mother used to say to me as I was going out without a jacket, "You are going to catch the death of cold."  I usually ignored it and I am still here so I guess I didn't catch it.  My friends in the midwest wrote recently about his radar detector that was screaming at him one time and he slowed down.  That brought me to thinking about the warnings we receive almost every day and many of which we just ignore.  There was an interesting story on Cartalk one day about a young girl who had a car where the check engine light came on and she got troubled with the light so put a band aid over it.  The car later blew up when her father tried to start it a few days later.  We are confronted with all kinds of bells and whistles and sirens every day and we can choose to ignore them and suffer the consequences or take heed to their warning and go on enjoying peace in our lives.  We all know that the Bible contains many warnings in it and unfortunately many have already chosen to ignore the warnings that are written in the pages of Scripture.   Revelation 20:11-12 says,  "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."   

      We often quote John 3:16 and mention the part about God's love, but there is also a warning in that verse.  A failure to receive God's love will result in perishing.  If we believe, then we will not perish, but will have everlasting life.  The above verse from the Book of Revelation, goes into much more detail about the upcoming perishing that will take place if a person decides to ignore the warnings of Scripture.  It is pretty severe when you think about it.  The unbeliever will be cast into hell for eternity and will be separated from God forever.  Even those people who think that death is the end of all existence, will be cast into hell for all eternity.  They refused to take heed to the warning that was given.  People are warned almost every day in some way or another and they still ignore the warning.  Instead, they put on a spiritual band aid over the warning, try to rationalize it away and hope for the best.  This time, God is not saying you will catch the death of cold if you go out without a coat, but that if you refuse His plan of salvation, you will spend eternity separated from Him and everything that is good for ever.  For nonbelievers, the radar is screaming loud and clear, so now is the day of salvation, not later.  Praise God that He has given us His Plan of Salvation.

Taking Another Test

       Are you passing the test?  It seems like we have been taking tests ever since we can remember.  There have times recently when some schools were under fire for manipulating the results of achievement tests in their schools as they tried to make the result indicate that they were better than they really were. The first tests that we took were probably so insignificant that they didn't make too much of an impression on us.  We had to take a final test near the last day of school each year that would indicate our levels of education in reading, math and other subjects.  In some cases, students are then put into a "college track" or a "skilled laborer" track depending on the test results. Then, of course,  we had to take a driving test, IQ tests, SAT  and the list goes on.  One would think that the time of tests was finally past but that is not the case.  The testing process seems to place us in a group which performs like we do.  The groups then determine where we are in the station of life.  It is comforting to finally learn of something that is not governed by a test.  It is determined by grace.  For some, it is a hard pill to swallow.  When we are used to achieving and getting things done through our own merits, the idea of anything being done for us seems wrong.  There is no test, however, that will determine one's eligibility to receive salvation.  It is determined by grace.  Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."   
      Grace is something new to man and very difficult for him to comprehend.  You would think that it wasn't that way, but grace seems to require additional efforts at the hands of men and women.  The Apostle Paul penned these words through the direction of the Holy Spirit and explains the principle of achieving salvation very clearly.  There are no works;  just grace.  If there were any doubts, God went on to clarify the salvation gift by stating that it was not through any works at all.  He said that if works was involved, that man would boast about it.  So, this is one time that you don't have to take a test to receive something.  God has extended the gift to each and every person.  All they have to do is to accept it through faith, thus the term, "For by grace are ye saved through faith..."  Where do you stand today?  Are you still taking tests and trying to earn salvation or have you accepted the simple grace that God has offered.  As usual, God's way is the best way.  Praise Him today for offering this great salvation through His grace.

No Blue Lights in the Rear View Mirror

     There have been those times in my life that while driving down a steep hill, I just let the car coast.  It almost always gets to be over the speed limit.  It may be a small amount but it is still over the speed limit.  As I would approach the bottom of the hill, I would notice a car parked at an angle facing me on the side of the road.   It was clearly marked as being a police car.  There is that sinking feeling in your stomach as you pass by the car, knowing that you are over the speed limit.  I would look into the rear view mirror to see if there were any blue light flashing.  Most of the times, it would be classed as mercy as there were no blue lights.  I would feel relieved and make sure that my speed was now at the limit and not above.  There are a lot of things in our lives that produce a feeling of guilt.  We know that we have committed an offense and probably a lot more than one.  The list when examined closely seems to be a long list of offenses of both things that are against God's law and also things that have been omitted from our daily life.  There seems to be an endless list of offenses but we continue on trying to be the best that we can be.  How are we going to take care of this list that is so large that you don't know where to begin?  Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."  
       After going through the first seven chapters of Romans, you know you are in a bad predicament to say the least.  Even though there are no blue lights flashing in the rear view mirror, you don't know how you are going to escape an arrest and conviction by God Himself on the list of offenses that hangs over your head.  We suddenly find that there is a way of pardon and that it is through the Lord Jesus Christ.  How exciting it is to read the words, "There is therefore now no condemnation..."  You still know that you are guilty but you also know that you have been pardoned by God as the payment of your debt was paid at Calvary.  The rest of Romans 8 goes on to compare the life of one who is living by the flesh and one who is living by the Spirit.  You and I have not reached perfection in this life but we have been forgiven and now we go on living our daily lives trying to follow God's plan for us.  Moment by moment we can find God's plan and purpose in His Word to us.  So, take some time, in fact a lot of time, to be in God's Word to find out just what He wants you to do.  It is all there.  Praise Him today for giving you a copy of His precious Word.

A Drop in the Bucket

         We often make comparisons of things by the size of each one individually.  I can compare my current kitty as being small when compared to the old one that passed away a couple of years ago.  I can also compare the power of two different things, such as, my car can go a lot faster than the Oliver Row Crop tractor that I drove in the 50's.  We have heard of the expression about a drop in a bucket.  A drop in a bucket doesn't make very much difference in the total output.  One more drop won't make a lot of difference in things in the end.  God even used this comparison.  Isaiah 40:15 says, " Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing."
       God took something that would be considered very big and made it really small.  Not only was He speaking about one powerful nation, but all of the nations and when compared to God they are all combined not more than just that proverbial drop in a bucket.  That's really insignificant.  Some Bibles entitle the fortieth chapter of Isaiah as describing the greatness of God.  Even our feeble minds can't begin to comprehend the greatness of God.  We can say that He is the creator of the universe and that He is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent and begin to describe His greatness in the rest of His attributes but even our explanation and understanding still fall way short when it comes to describing God.  The Almighty God, however, is the One Who also penned the words, "For God so loved the world that He gave..."  He also penned the words that "God is love."  How great it is just to think that we have a copy of His Word, His message, to us in the Bible.  This, then, should give us comfort in the days of our trials, frustrations, depression, despair and whatever else you might call it.  We can have comfort in the fact that He cares for us.  We can have comfort that He has created a place to which we can go to be with Him for all eternity.  We can have comfort and hope when we are going through the troubles of this life because of His attributes.  So, praise God today for His greatness and remember that even the mightiest nations in the world all combined are even less than a drop in the bucket when compared to God.  Truly, What a mighty God we serve.

The Simple Things of Life

           I recall that my Mother, when she did a lot of sewing, would use patterns that she had purchased.  She could keep using the pattern many times if she so desired.  One of the brand names was "Simplicity."  It was name that because the pattern was a basic pattern and didn't require a lot of extra details.  It was simple to use.  I also made a syrup once which was called "Simple Syrup."    It was basically sugar and water which was heated until the sugar was dissolved and could then be used in a recipe that had called for "Simple Syrup."  so, you see, there are some things in life that can be called "simple."  They are those things that are basic, do not have a lot of parts, or don't have a complex set of instructions.  They are as simple as simple can be.  I often recall the account given in the Book of Acts in regard to the Philippian Jailer who found himself at the point of ending his own life.  He asked a question to Paul and Silas.  It was a simple question with a simple answer.  Acts 16:30-31 says, " And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."  
        There is importance in what Paul responded but there is also importance in what was not said.  The requirements to achieve something sometimes has a long list of things that must be accomplished before the desired result is obtained.  If I am going to be a doctor, I have to learn about all the details of the body including the bones, muscles. organs and so on.  If I am going to be an electrical engineer, I am going to have to learn a lot about electricity and electronics.  If I am going to be an automobile mechanic, I am going to have to learn about cars, engines, transmissions, cooling systems and a lot of other things.  The question posed by the jailer, however, dealt with how to become a "saved" person.  Paul knew what the jailer was asking and so gave him the simple answer, and it was one of the most simple answers ever given in the Scriptures.  He simply had to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ..."  That answer, obviously, is too simple for most people to understand.  I recall that there was a time in my life when I had to be enrolled in a "religious education" class to understand all there was to be learned about being a Christian.  The class would run for a number of weeks and then a ceremony was held to declare us "Christians."  Funny, but Paul didn't mention that.  He also did not mention going to a seminary, monastery or completing a number of tests in order to be regarded as a Christian.  John 14:6 reminds us that there is only way to heaven and that way is the Lord Jesus  Christ.  The Jailer asked the simple question and Paul gave the simple answer.  He only needed to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved and thereby become a disciple or believer in Christ.  Most everyone that reads this devotion has already done that very thing but we all still have the mission to tell others about this "simple" process.  We should all desire to give the simple and direct answer that Paul gave to the Philippian Jailer.  Praise God for the simple message of salvation.

Trading Yokes

    How many plastic bags can you carry after arriving home from a shopping trip to the local grocery store?  I usually try to make it one trip and plan to fill the other hand up which doesn't have to reach into my trousers for my house key.  They always seem to only put one or two items in each plastic bag which means that you end up with about a dozen bags filled with just a couple of items each.  We have heard of the expression, "The straw that broke the camel's back."  It means that one more thing, regardless of how small it is makes you go over the limit and drop the whole thing on the ground.   Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  

      It seems that each person has a limit of just how much they can do and with some it might be just a few things, while with others, their plate can be loaded to the maximum and they still keep going ahead, one step at a time.  All of us, however, have that point where we just can't do one more thing and the burdens just keep piling on.  We could have rectified the situation a long time ago by taking heed to the above passage of Scripture.  This is a famous Scripture passage and so I guess we are not ignorant of it, but just fail to put it into practice.   We sometimes look at a person who has passed away and remark that they are now safe in the arms of Jesus, but we can have that same comfort in our day to day experiences.  When the burdens are upon us, all we need to do is to remember this passage of scripture and to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for our comfort.  He is the Only One Who is qualified to carry our load and He has given us this personal invitation to get yoked up with Him.  There is a comfort in knowing that this applies to any age group.  It is not just for the young, or the middle aged, or the child or even the senior adult.  It is for every age.  We can all experience comfort when the load is taken from us by Him.  It also doesn't matter what the difficulty or burden is.  It is rare that our burdens only come in single occurrences.  You will find that they do get piled on like the plastic bags and you feel that you can't take one more thing.  Get yoked up with the Master, and you will find that your load is relieved.  In the cartoon version of Pilgrim's Progress, the burden of the pilgrim is piled on his back but then He looks up at the cross and the burden falls off His back and rolls into the empty tomb.  So, Praise God today for the fact that He wants you to yoke up with Him when your burdens get to be just too much to bear.  In fact, stay in His yoke all the time.