Am I a sinner? Can I lead a life of innocence? Am I seeking to be pure? Will God forgive me when I sin against Him? These are the questions man has always asked himself and which we are asking ourselves today as we contemplate sin in our lives, and the world around us. Let’s join together as one today as we listen to the words of the Apostle Paul and seek out our own salvation which God has planned and now works in us.
We suffer in our lives, but no suffering is experienced without God using it for His good purposes. The question becomes this... do we see Him working in our most dire circumstances? If we are attuned to the will of God in our lives we should acknowledge His mark, even in our misery... unless, of course, we are blinded to Him by our disbelief.
As Christians we fail in a certain way almost every day. It is so hard for us not to judge the actions of those around us, and in this, if it were not for the Atonement of Christ, we would be lost. Seeing and turning our noses up at sinners is just too natural for us.
There comes a point in our faith life when we have given ourselves over to God, and trust so completely in Jesus Christ, that the struggle for righteousness ends and our faith becomes as natural as taking our next breath. Is this what we seek today, or do we fight daily with our human nature in an attempt to walk a fine line between our earthly life and heaven... and not truly becoming a resident in either place.
Are we confused when asked to both love and hate those around us? Let's take a few moments and consider our own lives and the faith we proclaim. Let’s consider what it means when we are told to hate and love our families in various passages of scripture and then come to realize that we are also a family in our church.
Do you follow Jesus without a second thought? Do you give your faith free and unquestioned rein to rule your life? These are the questions that face us all and the crux of my morning contemplation today. Peter walked on water by faith, but he sank into the roiling sea out of doubt. I have personally allowed doubt to steal my victory on more than one occasion... have you experienced this in your walk with Jesus?
Does our judgement of others convict our own souls? Don't we feel unclean ourselves after having passed Heavenly judgement on those around us? I can't help but think of the separation from God I have felt after having judged another's righteousness in some way. Have you ever felt distanced spiritually in this manner? Scripture is specific about our role in the judgement of others; it doesn't quibble in its language...
June is the Month that has the most weddings, and since Ann and I just celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary, I thought this would be a good time to talk about marriage and what is takes to stay married till death do us part. Today we will address some of the common questions newlyweds or struggling couples ask… What is the secret to a successful marriage? Will our marriage last? Will the world drive us apart? How should we approach conflicts between us as husband and wife? What happens when the world collapses on us and crushes the love from our relationship?
It's colossal, it's stupendous, it's amazing, but just not what the Lord wants you to do. Do we think we are million-dollar men and women of God who are too good to be doing the minimum wage work of the kingdom? Maybe we need to think twice.
Do I have the serenity in my life that Jesus had in His? Is my life spent settling into constant comfort and peace, and if not... why isn't it? Perhaps I am not truly abiding in Christ. These thoughts were provoked in me by my devotional reading this morning.
Today I invite you to join me as I ask myself if I have truly abandoned my entire self to God and Jesus Christ. Are they the focus and source of my life's energies, or do I simply vocalize their names so that I can feel good as I seek to understand what believing really is, and try to appear righteous before others until I can do so? Am I doing in my faith what Simon and Garfunkel wrote and sang about in their secular song titled “Fakin It” in 1968? Am I faking it until I can make it? Or am I following God and Jesus with a heart that belongs truly and completely to Them?
Where do I make my abode? Where is my place of residence? This morning, I am trying to determine whether I claim my earthly home as my permanent residence, or whether I list my heavenly home as such. Then there are the times in my travels that home becomes the temporary place where I lay my head.
Coming to Jesus; this is my contemplation this morning. Do we come to Him in the physical act of circumcision, baptism, and communion, or something far deeper and more spiritual? What does He mean by these three simple words... "Come unto me."
Am I seeking the Lord as I should? Am I asking Jesus for the things that are right in the eyes of God? This morning, I am asking myself these questions among others and seeking to place Him foremost in my thought-life as I pray and walk this world. How can we pray right if we don’t think right, and how can we think right if we don’t focus right on God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit?
Are we too ashamed to speak to God, much less ask Him for something? Are we too embarrassed by our condition or too ashamed of our sin to reach out to Him for help? When should we bring our needs or our contrition before Him in prayer? When should we ask for forgiveness?