GOD SO LOVED…THAT HE GAVE

“God loved the world so much

that he gave his one and only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him

will not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 NLT

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Most of us have been familiar with John 3:16 for so long that at times we have taken it for granted. Let’s take a moment to refocus on how incredible God’s love is.

When we consider the creation of heaven and earth - from the endless expanse of space to the microscopic forms of life – from angels – plants – animals - God is the creator of them all. As a climax to His creation He said, Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. The “us” in this passage is a reference to the Trinity. He designed us with the ability to communicate and have fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as they have with each other. Of all His created beings, only people are made in His image - which is the only way He can have the warm and loving relationship He longs to have with us now, and throughout eternity.

We all know what happened in the Garden of Eden. Sin separated the human race from the God of love who also is the God of justice and requires that the penalty for sin be paid in full. Our sinful nature makes it impossible for us to pay the penalty we are charged with.

This is where God’s love comes to the rescue – He loved us so much that he gave his one and only Son. We get our first glimpse of the Son in human form as a helpless infant in the manger of Bethlehem. At the outset of His ministry He was tempted by the Devil, and each time He fought him off by quoting appropriate scriptures. Hebrews tells us He has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. That makes Him absolutely unique. Only He had the credentials to pay the penalty that human sin incurred.

Throughout the years of His ministry He was keenly aware why He had come to this world. He came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Repeatedly He said, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. Even though He knew He would rise again, He also knew taking our sin upon Himself meant separation from the Father, and that was unthinkable. So in Gethsemane He repeatedly cried out in prayer, My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. His love for us won out – He went to the cross and died in our place!

“Oh, love of God,
how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure -
The saints’ and angels' song.”

 

Click on  THE LOVE OF GOD  to Hear Billy Graham and The Gaithers 

      

IT’S GOOD TO GIVE THANKS

It is good

to give thanks to the LORD,

to sing praises to the Most High.

It is good

to proclaim your unfailing love

in the morning,

your faithfulness in the evening.

Psalm 92:1-2 NLT

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As December is associated with Christmas, so November automatically brings Thanksgiving to mind. To be thankful doesn’t take much of an effort when everything is going our way, but when hard times come it becomes more of a challenge.

Whether our situation in life makes it easy or difficult to give thanks, it is always good to give thanks to the LORD because everything our Lord allows to come our way is always for our good. To give thanks for His gifts makes them all the more precious to us. Not to be thankful for His provision reveals a proud and presumptuous heart which looks at His blessings as something deserved. That kind of attitude leads to grumbling and complaining when things don’t go our way, and that’s not good.

 Relationships are strengthened where mutual gratitude is shown. When we express thanks to others, it lifts our spirits and the spirits of those whom we thank. It is good to give thanks.

Studies at the U of California at Davis as well as other studies find overwhelming evidence that gratitude has a profound positive effect on peoples’ lives. “Gratitude journals” – in which people make a daily list of things they are thankful for – have become a popular practice and have proven even helpful for people to come out of depression. It is good to give thanks.

Now if it is a good thing to thank each other and to think about things we are grateful for - how much better and how much greater the benefits if our thanks are also directed to the LORD. . . Most High! Thanking and praising God throughout the day for His unfailing love and faithfulness needs to be our goal. He wants us to continually PRACTICE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul writes “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” It is good to give thanks to the LORD!

THE LORD HOLDS US BY THE HAND

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly.

He delights in every detail of their lives.

Though they stumble, they will never fall,

for the Lord holds them by the hand.”

Psalm 37:23-24 NLT

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If you have a toddler, or ever had one you can easily remember how carefully you held their hand and helped them maneuver up or down steps – step by step until they cleared the last one. Even when they mis-stepped, they didn’t go crashing down the stairs; instead, they found themselves dangling from your hand until you safely set them down again. Children are a precious gift from God and every conscientious parent does everything possible to protect them from harm. It brings us incredible joy and satisfaction as we watch them develop and grow through the various stages of life.

If we who are so far from being perfect and so limited in our abilities - do as well as we do - in protecting our children from falling, how much more is our perfect – all powerful – loving heavenly Father able to keep us from falling.

We are so blessed that our spiritual safety does not depend on us holding onto the Lord’s hand. We wouldn’t be any safer than a toddler holding unto their daddies’ hand. The first stumble, and that little hand would lose its’ grip and down they’d go. Our safety depends on the fact that our Lord holds us by the hand. His grip is secure, and will protect us from falling. His promise is, Though they stumble, they will never fall. It was when we committed ourselves to Him, that He took hold of our hand, and now even though we (spiritually speaking), misstep at times - trip over things – lose our balance – get banged up, we never go down all the way! Because He holds us by the hand!!

The amazing truth is, that God almighty who created heaven and earth, not only has “The whole world in His hand," but personally holds each believer by the hand! We are precious to Him, and He delights in every detail of our life and lovingly directs our steps.

If you are going through troubled times these days, and it seems like you're all alone, and no one understands or even cares. Bad as it may seem, you really are not alone. He is holding you by the hand! Trust Him, He will hold you up, and once again set your feet on solid ground. He will lead you all the way home, step by step.

Listen to the Broolyn Tabernacle Choir sing:    MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS

PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.

Ask God to help them;

intercede on their behalf,

and give thanks for them.

Pray this way for kings

and all who are in authority

so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives

marked by godliness and dignity.

This is good and pleases God our Savior.”

I Timothy 2:1-3 NLT

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We are living in troubled times. Our nation is involved in several military conflicts – one longer than any war we have ever been involved in. It has cost us thousands of precious lives and billions upon billions of dollars. Poor financial management on every level has brought us into deep financial problems - lost jobs – bankruptcies – foreclosures and a skyrocketing national debt – resulting in our nation losing its AAA credit rating. People of every political persuasion are angry and are expressing themselves in no uncertain terms. It’s easy to get caught up in the hateful, negative criticism of our president and elected officials.

 

But as Christians, we have a higher calling than to fill people’s ears and inboxes with corrosive ranting over our broken national economy, and blaming our political leaders for causing it or allowing it to happen.

 

Paul writes Timothy, I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Our higher calling is to pray for all people - not just for our family and close friends - and those who treat us right, but even for people who may treat us like dirt at times. We are to pray even for our enemies. Ask God to help them; that their needs may be met – intercede on their behalf - pleading with God that they will put their trust in Jesus and be saved - and give thanks for them. Even the worst of people have some merit for which we can be grateful.

 

Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority. Our higher calling is not only to pray for people we commonly associate with, but also for governmental and civil leaders - for the president – judges – members of our national or state senate and congress as well as local officials - whether we voted for them or not. (Even the most inept or cruelest leaders are better than no leaders.) Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. - so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior.

JESUS NEVER CHANGES

We live in a changing world. Over the past fifty some years we have gone back to the Dakotas many times to visit family. Not only did places look different, but our families kept changing - they were aging and there were fewer and fewer. Some died of old age, disease and some by accident.

Besides places and families changing, there are continuous clothes and hair style changes. Tattoos on women and body piercings on men are increasingly common. While these, for the most part, may be morally neutral, increasingly Christians are  involved in life style changes which clearly are not morally innocent.

Practices which fifty or sixty years ago, were unthinkable, are becoming more common. Divorce used to be rare among Christians, now the rate is about the same as with non Christians. Living together before marriage is becoming more prevalent. Gay couples are becoming more numerous and are demanding the rights of one man one woman marriage partners. Unimaginable not too long ago - some Christians are now saying: "Gay couples should be granted the same rights as traditional partners."

Add to all the above changes – changes in our national security due to terrorists’ threats – worldwide economies on the verge of failure – widespread political revolutions around the world – earthquakes – violent weather conditions, etc. etc.

With all these changes around us, it is truly assuring that that which counts the most is eternally secure! God’s Word does not change with the changing culture of this world, it is eternally changeless, as God Himself is changeless. In John 1 John speaking of Jesus says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.” When Jesus became the incarnate Word He was the visible expression of the Word of God. In Luke 21 He said “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” To this, Hebrews 18 adds, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

ALL MAY CHANGE, BUT JESUS NEVER! GLORY TO HIS NAME!!

Listen to:

Yesterday, Today and Forever - Vicky Beeching

TRULY FREE

“If the Son sets you free,

you are truly free.”

John 8:36 NLT

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Frances Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships in Chesapeake Bay during the War of 1812. Two years later he wrote “The Star Spangled Banner.” By congressional resolution and signature by President Herbert Hoover it became our National Anthem in 1931. Though we usually only sing the first stanza, it has four – each ending with “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

In 1832 Samuel Francis Smith wrote “My Country, 'Tis of Thee” commonly referred to as “America.” Though we normally only sing stanzas 1, 3-4 it has eight. Freedom and liberty are common themes in our patriotic songs. Liberty - referring to being free from foreign control, and having the ability to govern ourselves.

 Freedom was so highly valued by our forefathers that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution (enacted in 1791) addressed freedom of religion, speech, and the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition the government.

In our time some of those freedoms are being threatened. Special rights groups are attempting to pass laws which could deny Christians the freedom of publicly declaring their convictions which are deemed politically incorrect. Some are claiming freedoms and rights that end up denying the freedoms and rights of others. If this trend continues it could get downright scary.

However, the entire human race has always, and is now faced with a “freedom issue” which is more fundamental than any freedom which can be granted or denied by any civil government. The most far reaching, “freedom issue” is spiritual and has eternal consequences. When the first couple disobeyed God in Eden, they brought all humans under Satan’s rule – resulting in immediate spiritual death and eventual physical death for everyone. No military power is capable of overthrowing Satan’s rule of this world, nor is there anything we can do to free ourselves from Satan’s control. Only the sinless Son of God was able to break Satan’s’ rule over us by dying in our place and rising again. Only the risen Christ can set us free. Free not only from the consequences of sin, but also free to do the will of God. By faith in Him we are truly free no matter under what civil government we live.

Listen to:    HE SET ME FREE - Gaither Homecoming



HONORING FATHER

“Honor your father and mother.”

This is the first commandment

with a promise:”

Ephesians 6:2-3 NLT

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As a reader of this blog over time you have learned that I was the youngest in my family. My parents were in their 50’s when I came along, so the mental pictures I have of my Dad are images of an old man.

I remember him as an old gray haired man with a crippled right hand. In his sixties his hand was crushed when he tried to stop a water pump from sliding into the well. For some reason the doctor didn’t set the bones – he just sowed up the wound. Despite his handicap I remember my Father repairing barbwire fencing - plowing the vegetable garden with “Topsy” pulling a walk-behind single bottom plow. I see him peddling a large grinding wheel sharpening the blades on a sickle for the hay mower. He was always puttering around doing something. He never drove a car or tractor – horse drawn vehicles were his transportation.

My dad spoke a German dialect called Schwabish but virtually no English. He signed checks with an X. He never attended Public School, however he was able to read his German Bible which he most likely learned to do in German Sunday School Class.

I don’t remember my father having conversations with me that much or playing with me, but never the less he left a positive impression on me. He always prayed at every meal, and regularly led family devotions by reading a passage from his German Bible and leading in the singing of a hymn – after which everyone knelt and prayed out loud at the same time. He was faithful to see that his family attended church regularly. During testimony time at church I remember him often giving testimony of his faith in Christ. Though the words were pretty much the same every time – his sincerity could not be doubted.

The fifth commandment (to honor our parents) carries with it the promise of lifelong benefits. We honor them by obeying them - speaking well of them, and living a life that brings them joy and pride. Our parents are to be honored not only if they meet certain requirements, but simply because they have brought us into this world - giving us the gift of physical life and the opportunity to choose to serve God and spend eternity in heaven.

May we honor our fathers not only once a year but always – while they are alive and beyond - for as long as we live.