April 27 OK To Hate?

Photo by Laura Jostes

Judges 7:1-8:17;  Luke 23:13-43;  Psalm 97:1-98:9;  Proverbs 14:7-8

“Let those who love the Lord hate evil,

for he guards the lives of his faithful ones,

and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

* * * * *

“Light is shed upon the righteous

and joy on the upright of heart.

* * * * *

“Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,

and praise his holy name.”

Psalm 97:10-12

* * * * *

OK to hate?

Take a stand and hate:

Aborting innocent babies,

Taking a life through assisted suicide,

Acquisition of wealth while impoverishing the spiritual, social and emotional lives of one’s family,

Pornography so easily accessed

and seen by so many,

Senseless killing of children by children

by means of guns, drugs, alcohol,

Worship of “tolerance” instead

of the true God whose Word

is sharper than any two edged sword,

Easy come, easy go attitudes

towards sexuality:

cohabiting before marriage,

recreational sex,

adulterous affairs,

threesomes, mixedsomes, samesomes,

anything but one man, one woman

in a lifetime marriage,

Abuse of any kind–physical,

mental, sexual, emotional,

Consumptive greed that feeds the need

for wars and conflicts,

Indifference to the things of God:

holiness, mercy, compassion, salvation

through one means only–faith

in Jesus Christ.

Hate what God hates

and pray,

praise

and give thanks

that He has rescued you

from such evils.

Think upon Him

and His faithfulness to all

generations,

to you.

One day you will be with Him

in Heaven

where His light that shines upon

your heart now

will continue to illuminate

and cause exceedingly great

joy!

* * * * *

Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He

is good

and His mercy endures forever!

O Lord God, merciful Father thank you for saving us from the darkness of sin and for shedding abroad in our hearts the light of your salvation through your Son, Jesus Christ.  We gratefully receive your grace and mercy with joy!  Let us not grow weary or lose hope though the world around us churns with turmoil.  May we keep our eyes on Jesus–our beacon of light.  In His name we pray, Amen.

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November 5 His Promise True

Photo by Laura Jostes

Ezekiel 12:1-14:11;  Hebrews 7:1-17;  Psalm 105:37-45;  Proverbs 27:3

“Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold, and there was none among his tribe who stumbled.  Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.  He spread a cloud for covering; and fire to give light by night.  They asked, and he brought quail, and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.  He opened the Rock and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.  For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant.”  Psalm 105:37-42

God delivered the children of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians just as he had promised Abraham.

It was not the first, nor the last time, God’s promise of Deliverance would be made and kept.

I know.

I’ve prayed for deliverance from the bonds of sin’s slavery.

I’ve rested on God’s promise found in his Word:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9

He has set me free

and now guides me,

provides for me,

protects me,

and continues to love me.

Praise you, Lord, for

Your promises, kept!

I trust, O Christ, in you alone;

no earthly hope avails me.

You will not see me overthrown

When Satan’s host assails me.

No human strength, no earthly power

Can see me through the evil hour,

For you alone my strength renew

I cry to you!

I trust, O Lord, your promise true.

~Konrad Hubert

August 1 Show Me

Photo by Josh Brown

2 Chronicles 30:1-31:21; Romans 15:1-22; Psalm 25:1-15; Proverbs 20:13-15

“Show me your ways, O Lord,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth
and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you
all the day long.
Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners
in his ways.
He guides the humble in
what is right
and teaches them his way.
All the ways of the Lord are
loving and faithful
for those who keep the commands
of his covenant.
The Lord confides in those who
fear him;
he makes His covenant known
to them.
My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release
my feet from the snare.”
Psalm 25:4-5,8-10,14-15

Am I guideable?
Teachable?
Open to instruction?
Willing to be led?

What path am I
walking on today?
Where does it lead?
Who am I following?

If I get “stuck” along
the way
who do I call for help?
Whom do I trust?
“My mama said,
‘Keep the windows rolled up.'”

Not all guides are good.
Not all ways lead
to happiness and life.
Not all rescuers get
the job done.

I will trust the One
whose way led him
to the Cross,
whose blood rescued me,
who will never
steer me wrong.

Jesus said, “I am the way,
the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father
except through me.” John 14:6

Thank you Lord for rescuing me!

September 23 Zombies No More

Photo by Kevin Carden

 

Isaiah 41:17-43:13;  Ephesians 2:1-22;  Psalm 7:1-7;  Proverbs 23:29-35

There’s been a rash of zombie movies in recent years–zombie comedies, zombie horror flicks, zombie romances.

I haven’t been able to figure out the attraction and devotion to zombies.  Is it because something so grotesque, yet so similar grabs our attention?  Is it because something dead still has power to control, scare or effect the living–even though it’s just “Hollywood?”

Who knows!

St. Paul seems to have a handle on zombies.  He writes:

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”  Ephesians 2:1-2

Like the Hollywood zombies who crave the living, Paul tells us something about ourselves:

“All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the craving of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.”  Ephesians 2:3

Pretty scary.

Like zombies who can’t “help themselves” Paul points the way to our rescuer:

“But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even as we were dead in transgressions (sins).  It is by grace you have been save.”  Ephesians 2:4-5

Zombies no more!

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God.”  Ephesians 2:8

Lord God Heavenly Father, thank you for your great love and mercy that rescued us from our miserable, zombie life of sin.  We are no longer the walking dead, but those living by faith in the One who gave His life for us.  May we live in full confidence of sins forgiven and joyfully tell others your message of hope.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

“May God be gracious to us an bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.”  Psalm 67:1-2

 

September 15 Blindside

Photo by Brandon Doss

Isaiah 19:1-21:17;  Galatians 2:1-16;  Psalm 59:1-17;  Proverbs 23:13-14

Nose to nose with the enemy,

getting pushed and tossed around.

I call for help and watch

and listen.

My Strength responds with active voice,

“Be gone” and “leave her be.”

For I am His; sealed with love

and spirit-born,

hidden safe within.

 

Gnash and snarl and slink

around,

but me,  you cannot have.

I am the daughter of the King.

You have no claim on me.

 

My Savior’s got my blind side.

He’s moved death’s line to life.

This side of Heaven He’s got my back.

He’ll never let me down.

 

Thank and praise you, Lord of Lords.

Your love takes hold of me.

Mercy and compassion

lift me up.

Glory, glory be!

Oh Lord, on this day of rest, I worship and adore you!  For you alone are worthy of praise.  You alone are the Lord.  You alone are the Holy One.  You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ!  My Rescuer, my Hiding Place.  In Your name I pray, Amen.

“Deliver me from my enemies, O God;  protect me from those who rise up against me.  O my Strength, I watch for you;  O God you are my fortress, my loving God.  O my Strength, I sing praise to you;  you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God!”  Psalm 59:  1,9,17

Jan. 26 To The Rescue

In the distance something ablaze caught Mose’s attention–he went closer and saw a perfectly “alive” bush dressed in flames.   Whoa!  Then he heard his name spoken from within the burning branches.

 God?

 “I am the God of your  father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”

 Moses hid his face–he couldn’t bear to look at God (maybe the blood of a dead Egyptian on his hands reminded him of who/what he was.)

 No matter.

 God had a plan.

 A plan to rescue his suffering people from the Egyptians.

 Moses was to be a part of the plan.

 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

 And, God in the burning bush said, “I will be with you.”

 And, God in the burning bush said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites;  ‘I AM sent me to you.'”

Then God in the burning bush proceeded to tell Moses all the details of His rescue.

 God also had another rescue plan for all of mankind.

 Jesus told his disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.  They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.”

 “And the disciples were filled with grief.”

 Their idea of God’s rescue seemed to be going up in smoke. Later they would have the eyes of faith to see.

Lord God,  Thank you for coming to our rescue.  While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  He paid the price with his very life on the cross.  According to plan, he rose again after three days defeating the darkness of sin, death and the devil.  We give you thanks and praise!

 Now may the light of your salvation burn brightly in our lives–that others may stop and ask about the “light” in us;  that we may tell them of our rescue.  For Jesus’ sake–Amen.

 “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him.  Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”  Psalm 22:8