Salvation

...now browsing by tag

 
Bible/Scripture Choices Christian Living Christmas Church Death Faith/Feelings Forgiveness Friendship Generosity God God's Plan God's Word Grace Humility Jesus Kindness Leadership Lifestyle Love Mercy Ministry Miscellaneous Opinion Parenting Perseverance Prayer Preaching Questions Quiet Time Reflection Resurrection Salvation Scripture look Second Coming Seeking Sin Speech Story Suffering Surrender Thanksgiving Trials Truth Telling Worship
 

October 19

Thursday, October 19th, 2023

It seems incredible to me, and maybe to you as well, that on a planet of millions of people, in this world of school, work, sports, church, organizations, family, friends and a whole host of other options, there are people where one emotion would describe their world.

LONELINESS

Singer, Roy Orbison (probably before your time) captured that emotion in a song he called “Only the Lonely.” A couple of the lines were “Only the lonely know the way I feel tonight…Only the lonely know the heartaches I’ve been through.” That song resonated with a lot of people.

The soft rock group, America (again, probably before your time), sang, “This is for all the lonely people/Thinking that life has passed them by/Don’t give up ’til you drink from the silver cup/And ride that highway to the sky.” Yeah…like many of America’s lyrics I’m not totally sure what that is saying except, “Don’t quit. Don’t give up. There is someone who cares.”

Dan Peek, the writer of that song, once said that even though he had achieved success, he had cut ties with his family and friends, and was in fact, lonely.

Tragic isn’t it? One has the world by its proverbial tail and still has nothing. One can have it all; one can have nothing; and still be lonely.

Jesus spent 3 1/2 years with many lonely people. But He didn’t leave them lonely. The woman scorned by so many, bankrupt because of a blood issue, took one last grasp to the hem of Jesus’ garment and was made whole. The man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5 who was abandoned and had no one to help get him into the water found his health and purpose when Jesus reached out to Him and said he was healed. The outcast leper (multiple times) whom Jesus touched and healed and gave life and hope back to him.

Maybe you. I want you to know you are not alone. I don’t know your situation, and you possibly don’t know me. I want you to know that if you reach out to me, I’ll listen. I’ll listen because I have Jesus in me and He doesn’t want you lonely.

Oh…and by the way: Dan Peek changed his tune. Before He passed away in 2011, he came to know Jesus and left America because he tired of the emptiness of the sex and drugs lifestyle. He found the solution to being lonely. You can too. It is not in stuff or pursuits. It is a Person. His name is Jesus.

Posted in InTheShadow | 14 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

September 25

Monday, September 25th, 2023

Bryan Johnson is sad.

Not sad as in “Boo-hoo” sad. Not the “cry-me-a-river” type of sad.

But sad as in the “clueless” department.

So you might be wondering, “Who in the world is Bryan Johnson?”  (No, I am not talking about the lead singer of AC/DC. Besides, he spells his name with an “i.”)  You can Google his name or you can take my word for it in my short synopsis. Bryan was a tech millionaire who sold his BioHacking company to PayPal for $800million.  Yeah, you read that right. That’s not a bad thing. I don’t begrudge that at all. More power to him.

Here’s what is sad. Bryan Johnson is on a quest for immortality. You read that right: I.M.M.O.R.T.A.L.I.T.Y.  To accomplish that he has some strange habits.  He takes 111 pills a day.  He goes to bed every night at 8:30 and is up by 6:00.  There is nothing in his bedroom besides his bed, except a laser face shield that shoots collagen into his face, and one unmentionable item I’ll let you research. He avoids the sun. He doesn’t go out at night.  He drives 16 mph (He would be one who would put me in an early grave if I was following him). He has multiple other habits.

I’ve seen stickers on trucks that say, “Silly boy.Trucks are for girls!” I want to say to Bryan, “Silly Bryan. Immortality is for One.” He believes at age 46 (which he is as I write this) that he has a heart of a 37 year old and the bones of a 30 year old. His goal is to be 18…and to live forever.

Sadly, he is moving in the area of F.U.T.I.L.I.T.Y. There is only ONE who has conquered death and it isn’t and won’t be Bryan.

I hope Bryan learns soon enough, i.e. sooner than later, that he is wasting his time and $2million/year for nothing. Envious? Not a bit. One half of what he is spending is more than I’ll make my entire lifetime.  Personally, I hope he learns the lesson of the rich man that Jesus taught about in Luke 12. It says the land of the rich man produced plentifully so he thought to himself, “What shall I do? I know. I’ll build bigger barns. You know…eat, drink and be merry.” But that night God said to him, “You fool! This night your soul is required of you.”  What good was his money then?

I sincerely hope Bryan learns sooner than later that one thing is certain: we all die.  He won’t cheat that. His money will not get him out of the one date we all will keep. No concoction will save him. There will come a day when Bryan will go the way of all of us. I just hope he finds out before it is too late.

To die in his lost condition? Now that would be sad.

Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

September 20

Wednesday, September 20th, 2023

It was not a pretty sight. In fact, they were a downright mess. Years of fitful care came home to roost. Some of it was DNA. Some of it was a failure to have checkups regularly and proper maintenance. So at the age of 55 I found myself having radical dental work done culminating (I thought) with wearing braces for almost 3 years.

My DNA was not good. Dentures all around, except for my mom whose teeth were not the best (but she still smiled a lot). The shape of my jaw caused me to chew in such a way that I wore off the bottom teeth. Nerves became exposed. Flossing and brushing were not enough to make up for the years of early neglect. The lack of maintenance at the dentist (like none) as I raised two daughters certainly didn’t help. X-rays were needed and revealed a lot. So the process began. Two surgeries to remove one the largest torus mandibularis, aka tori (bone growth) the doctor had ever seen. This tori was between the bottom teeth and had I not been a side sleeper he said I would have probably died in my sleep because my tongue had nowhere to go. Then began the process of pulling teeth, wearing braces for almost 3 years, crowns, implants…well, you get the picture.

It didn’t happen overnight. It took time. And even after the braces came off (I followed the rules religiously), I’ve had other procedures. They are too numerous for me to mention (or to remember!). 🙂

I wear retainers every night to keep the alignment correct. I’m not going to throw over $15k down the tubes because I wish I could go to bed without them. They make me lisp when I talk and dry-mouthed when I wake up.

The life and growth of a Christ-follower is like that. After years of living in sin, of making a royal mess of our life, we find ourselves having radical treatment. It’s called salvation, where sin is dealt with and treatment is done. It takes awhile to learn, understand and respond to the truth of the Gospel, and then there is the ongoing care which lasts a lifetime. There are glitches along the way, but maintenance is still necessary. Prayer. Bible reading. Fellowship. They are all needed for ongoing spiritual health.

Salvation happens immediately when our sins are forgiven. The ongoing growth and maintenance requires the rest of our lifetime.

Where are you in the process?

Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , ,

August 21

Monday, August 21st, 2023

Get a bunch of people together and ask them to discuss their favorite characteristic/attribute of God and you will hear all different answers. Love. Patience. Forgiveness. Grace. Mercy. Omnipotence. Omniscience. Omnipresence. Faithfulness. I seriously doubt you will hear, “I want to talk about the wrath of God.”

On July 8, 1741 Jonathan Edwards preached one of, if not the most famous sermon of all time. It was called “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Reports say people literally felt like they were being dangled over the pit of hell and were screaming out of fear.

Truth is God’s wrath is real. God’s judgment is real. Frankly though, it is hard to accept that because we don’t want to see God as one who judges and will do so impartially. We don’t want to see Him as a God of wrath.  It gets even harder to accept when we are told by our culture-and even by some religious teachers- that we all go to the same place in the end (Universalism which says we will all go to heaven), or that there are many gods so choose the one you want.  The answer to both of those is No and No. They are lies from the pit of hell and they smell like smoke.

The wrath of God can be avoided or experienced. You can avoid it by hearing the Word, repenting and confessing your sin and accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord. One can experience God’s wrath by rejecting God’s Word and all it says about sin and turning your back on Jesus.

The follower of Jesus avoids God’s wrath; the one who rejects Jesus will experience it. Which one are you?

And by the way: the reality of that should burden us, should want us to go our family and friends with passion in our heart and say, “I have to tell you about Jesus. I want you to be able to avoid what is to come.”

Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

July 10

Monday, July 10th, 2023

I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know: 1) We are inundated with commercials; and 2) they are getting more and more bold (and annoying) in their message and display. I think you might also agree that commercials are best watched or listened to or even ignored with the mute button in use.

Furthermore, I think you might agree that most commercials seem to focus on the outward. Take this pill and you will lose weight. Wear this and certain parts of your anatomy will be enhanced or more comfortable.  Cold sculpting will help you get rid of the “pooch.” I could go on ad infinitum ad nauseum.

We worry a lot about the way we look. At 70, I am very aware-even though I tried through the years to stay in shape by riding a bike or lifting weights or watching what I ate (I seldom missed my mouth 🙂 )- that time hits all of us and plays havoc with our body. Skin gets thin. I have a small brown spot by my thumb on each hand. “Arthur” visits way too frequently. I can’t say hair loss happens because that ship sailed l-o-o-o-o-n-g time ago. 🙂

I thought of the effects of aging as I read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 this morning. “So we don’t lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (ESV) Note particularly that phrase “though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” That verse pushes us to the realization that our most important efforts should not be spent on the physical but the spiritual. I remember one health guru who thought he was going to live forever. Even if he lived to be 100, he would still die. IT. IS. INEVITABLE.

And so is judgment. I realize that there are some who might read this who don’t believe in an afterlife, or even God, but trust me when I say you don’t want to be wrong about this.

Outward or inward? One is temporary. One is eternal. You choose.

 

 

 

Posted in InTheShadow | 16 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

June 21

Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Many years ago, whenever Jo and I would visit her parents/family, we would play a game called Trivial Pursuit. As you moved your disc-like piece sectioned off like a pie, you filled it with different colored tiles as you answered trivial questions from different categories. It was aptly titled: Trivial Pursuit. The questions in each category were random and often very, very trivial, unless, of course, you got a specialized game like the music of the ’60s or ’70s (I was good at both of those).

I thought of that game as I read Proverbs 21:21- “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” (ESV)

We pursue many things, most of them trivial. I knew a guy whose pursuit was to be financially independent by 30. I’m not sure if he ever made it or not; I lost track of him.  Others pursued being married and having a gaggle of kids. I used to hear that a lot. We all know people who pursue fame and fortune. From simple, everyday people to Hollywood stars who seem to have it all.

And yet, I just read the other day of some actors who pulled away from acting in order to spend time with family, to find solitude, or to move to another country to spend time with a wife who sacrificed much for him to pursue his career. Now he is turning the tables.I say, “Good for him.”

There is one pursuit which is not trivial. It is the one which really matters. It is the one with real eternal rewards. All the fame and fortune, accolades and possessions will amount to nothing. It all withers. We leave it all behind. We may be mourned, but eventually life moves on.

The only pursuit that matters is the pursuit of God. THAT one has eternal ramifications. Some may say, “I don’t believe that. I don’t believe in God or a hell.” That may be true, but do you really want to take that chance? You see, if you are right and I am wrong, I have lost nothing. BUT, if I am right and you are wrong, you have lost everything. Do you really want to take that chance? If Richard Dawkins was right and there is no God (as he proclaimed even on his death bed), he has lost nothing. HOWEVER, if I am right and there is, he has lost everything.

I don’t believe I’m wrong. Who or what will you pursue?

Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

November 14

Monday, November 14th, 2022

Christianity is a religion of the past, present, and future. Truthfully, I don’t like that word “religion” at all. It sounds so cold and formal. I guess I could say that Christianity is a “faith” but I’m not sure that effectively captures what I want to say either.

But that is a moot point.

My point is that life in Christ has a past, a present, and a future. Let’s break that down for a moment.

Life in Christ has a present. It is a life knowing we are living in the presence and the power of Christ.  It is a John 15:5 life: “I am the vine…”

It is also a life in the future. The Christ-follower has the promise of eternal life. We have the promise that no one can pluck us out of the Father’s hand. We have the assurance of a home in heaven.

I left off the past on purpose. Many Christ-followers live too much in their past. Or maybe it would be more correct to say they live chained too much to their past. They can’t forgive themselves or forget past indiscretions so they have an issue believing God can do what we can’t. All I need to do at this point is to draw your attention to I Cor. 6:9-11. {Please take a moment to read it}. Notice the words at the beginning of verse 11: “And such were some of you.” Key thought. Then it is followed by a key word: “but.”

That verse makes it very clear something has taken place. You see, the proof of Christianity is in its power to change lives. Such is the strength of those words: “Such were some of you.” Every time you look at a Christ-follower, you are seeing evidence of the fact God changes lives. Mine. Yours. Others. Perfect? Not by a long shot. But made new. Shame? Gone. Sin? Gone. Regret? Gone. In God’s mind.  Now to mine.

Christianity is a “religion” of the past, present, and future. Saved from the past; living in the present; looking forward the hope of an eternal future in heaven.  Remember: “such were some of you.”

Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

October 10

Monday, October 10th, 2022

Well…I’m a year older after yesterday. I told Jo I was going to tell people I am now mature since I reached the big 7-0. She gave me “the look” as if to say, “Seriously?” Not seriously that I was going to tell people that, but seriously as in “Do you really think you are mature?”  Hmmmm.

Okay…now to the reason I am here.

We all know that the Christian life is a series of highs and lows. We all have experienced the “highs” of life being a mountaintop and we all have experienced the valley.

I was reading Acts 8 this morning and it struck me of the high and low in that chapter. It involved two men who experienced what we would call conversion.

Exhibit #1 is Simon, the sorcerer. His reputation as a purveyor of magic arts was well known.  He followed Philip around and verse 13 tells us he believed and was baptized. His conversion appeared real.  Then the followed Peter and John around after they came to pray for the followers to receive the Holy Spirit. Simon offered money to them for the ability to give the Holy Spirit to others (verses 18-19). Peter knew his heart did not seek God’s fame but his own. That exhibit is certainly a downer as it is evidence of a lack of true conversion.

Exhibit #2 takes place when Philip is told to pick and go to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he meets an Ethiopian eunuch sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah 53 and not being able to understand it. Philip greets him and when asked who the prophet is speaking about, gets into the chariot with him and explains that Isaiah 53 was about Jesus. His response to Philip’s clear presentation of the gospel was immediate. The Bible tells us he was baptized and immediately Philip was taken away and the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. History tells of his man’s faithfulness and impact.  There is no doubt his conversion was real.

It is often hard to recognize the sincerity of someone. In both cases in Acts 8 it initially appeared the sincerity was there. But ultimately, it came down to fruit. “By their fruit you shall know them” Jesus once said. Simon’s true colors came out; the eunuch’s true colors showed as well.

Makes me wonder: what kind of fruit am I showing?

Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , ,

March 31

Thursday, March 31st, 2022

In my March 22nd devotion, I spoke about reading a fiction book, Wisdom Hunter, by Randall Arthur… again. I know I can’t count how many times I have read it. My first read of the book was around 1994. My second in 1995 was a game-changer. At the end of that devotion on the 22nd, I said the next couple of devotions would include thoughts from the book which touched me. I’m now full circle. The past 6 devotions have been just that. I took an idea and ran with it.

Today’s devotion-and several which will follow-will directly quote a sentence or thought from the book and then I’m going to run with it.

#1- Evangelism should have as many different approaches as there are people. (p.249)

One size fits all! NOT. Do you remember the 4 Spiritual  Laws booklet made famous by Campus Crusade for Christ (now called CRU)? While it gave people a way to approach someone about accepting Jesus (and that was a good thing), it also led to the thinking that one-size-fits-all. It goes without saying that not everyone is on the same page or the same station in life.  Not everyone is at that “Do you want to accept Jesus” moment.

This statement from the book implies that we need to reach people where they are. Without sounding heretical (and a bit purpose-driven), it is important to reach people where they are. You don’t “dumb down” the gospel to a scholar and intelligent person, nor do you present the gospel too high falootin’  to a simple farmer. You share the gospel with a rebellious teenager a tad differently than a medical doctor. See what I mean? The message of Jesus never changes, i.e. we are all sinners; we all need a Savior; Jesus died to save us; salvation is the goal and eternal life is the reward.

But the way it is taught is different. People are different. People’s hearts are different. Where they are in life is different. Reach them where they are. Present the message and then let God do His work.

But we gotta at least present the message so they can understand it.

“Father, I’m different. People are different. But we all have in common a sinful heart. Help me to be open to others so I can share Your message.”

 

Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , ,

January 31

Monday, January 31st, 2022

For my communion thought yesterday I shared the following:

Paul David Tripp in his book, New Morning Mercies, wrote this: “Face it, your most brilliant act of righteousness wouldn’t measure up to God’s standards; that’s why you’ve been give the grace of Jesus.” (January 30)

He goes on to write;

The more you understand the magnitude of God’s grace, the more accurate will be your view of the depth of your unrighteousness; and the more you understand the depth of your unrighteousness, the more you will appreciate the magnitude of God’s grace.

To understand God’s grace we need to understand sin. Sin in a condition of the heart which affects us all. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” It might be easy for us to deflect attention from our sin by placing more blame on someone else’s sin, but that doesn’t work with God.

God didn’t leave us in this sorry, helpless, and hopeless state. He sent His Son to do what we could not do. We can stand before a holy God-perfect in every way- broken, imperfect, weak and frail and be unafraid because Jesus stands in our place and says, “He’s mine.” (Or she’s mine). When God looks at us He sees Jesus and sees perfection, Christ’s perfection.  What is really cool is that Romans 6 says, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.” God’s grace is always greater than my sin. That is not a license to sin, but it does give thought to the greatness of His grace.

Can there be any better news than that?

“Father, thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus. Thank you for His willingness to stand in my place. And than You for the magnitude of Your grace.”

LOVE GOD DEEPER…WORSHIP HIM MORE

 

Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

« Older Entries