Redeemed!

1 Peter 1:18  :For you know that it is not with perishable things such as silver and gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down from to you from your forefathers,”

We are redeemed, saved, bought with a price far more precious than silver or gold.  We are redeemed from the slave market of sin, redeemed from death, Hell, and the grave to life with You, Lord, now and for all eternity. Hallelujah!

Lord, until Gabriel brought news of the birth of John to Zechariah, You had not spoken to Israel in 400 years.  The “religion” handed down from the forefathers was empty and without reality.  Then You were born by immaculate conception and changed history in that one moment.  You became Emmanuel- God WITH us!  And not only lived with us, but then gave your very life’s blood to save us from ourselves!  How precious!   We are now free to live a holy life, devoted to You in purity and with a holy purpose! How precious!

Live in Reverent Fear

May 30, 2011

1 Peter 1:17 “Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives in reverent fear.”

Lord, today we honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms.  But for me, I will also express honor and sincere gratitude to You, Lord, for Your ultimate sacrifice for our/my freedom from the power of sin and death.  Our men and women gave their lives willingly (well, maybe not all willingly during the draft period), for the protection of their beloved country, their families, and friends.  You, on the other hand, sacrificed Your life for Your enemies so we could become your friends.  How unlike us You are, Lord!

Father, I am now a stranger in my beloved country.  So far, I have been so blessed to live in the United States of America that was founded on biblical principles and Your Word.  But, even now, I am being called an enemy of the state because I believe in Your Truth.  I know real persecution is coming, if not for me, for my children and grandchildren if revival does not come to America.  For this reason we need, all the more, to live in reverent fear because through it we may win some.  To think that our irreverence would be overlooked is foolhardy at best and ludicrous at worst.  The Father, the Judge, will judge each man’s work impartially.  Thank You, Lord, that You are no respecter of persons!

Be Holy as I am Holy

1 Peter 1:15-16 “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do you do; for it is written:”Be holy because I am holy.”

            So, Lord, what does it mean to be holy?  Webster says:

“Holy-belonging to, devoted to God, morally perfect; sacred, pious”

“Moral-pertaining to right conduct or duties; ethical; virtuous; chaste; discriminating between right and wrong; designed to instruct in doctrine”

“Virtue- upright, dutiful, chaste”

Lord, this is obviously a command not a suggestion; simple to memorize, but hard to live out.  You are by nature and character holy.  We are by nature sinful and still struggle with our nature even after we are saved.  However; if we would live every moment of our lives as crucified with Christ instead of excusing our sinful behavior because “after all we are only human and are just a sinner saved by grace”, what an impact we would have in our homes, communities, and the world!  We are sinners yet and saved by grace, hallelujah! But if we no longer live, but Christ lives in us…there should be a real change in how we live.

It would be much easier to live in a “holy” state more than a sinful one if we would but: set our thoughts on things above, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and to think on the things You have commanded us to think on instead of allowing the world to dictate our thoughts and actions.  In our “relative truth” culture the “discriminating right from wrong” is lost on all but Your children and sadly even on us at times.  Lord, lead us all…all of Your children into all TRUTH and help us live out this command daily.  Convict us..convict me, Lord, of our sin immediately each day so we might confess and repent.

Do Not Conform to Evil Desires

1 Peter 1:14 “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.”

            Once we tell our children to do, or not to do, something we expect them to be obedient.  If they are not, we discipline them until they forgo their will and comply with ours.  It is the same with our Heavenly Father.  Children need to learn to be unselfish, industrious, honest, and charitable as these things do not come naturally in our sinful state.  So when I came to know You, Lord, You had to teach me too and expect obedience.

            When I was in ignorance, my desires were evil.  I wanted self-gratification al all costs.  I wanted to be noticed, applauded for well doing, to be appreciated and to gain those things I manipulated, exaggerated, lied, told stories, and was loud.  After all of these years of walking with You, Lord, You have changed me so much.  Oh, I still struggle sometimes with the old desires and for those times I have asked for forgiveness and You have graciously forgiven.  Thank You Lord, for that!

            Thank You for the changes You have brought about in me.  Thank You for guarding me and protecting me from myself.  It’s funny…but now if I am applauded, noticed, or someone shows appreciation for something I have done, I am humbled and embarrassed because You and You alone deserve the glory.  Without You, I can do nothing.

Call to be Self-controlled

May27, 2011

1Peter 1:13 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given You when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

“Therefore- always look to see what this word is there for.” Dr Paul Fink BIBL 350, Liberty University.

Therefore: because of the grief in trials we are suffering now will show our faith genuine, more valuable than refined gold which perishes-so we will receive grace, mercy, guidance by the Holy Spirit, and our salvation is secured through Your suffering and resurrection when You are revealed; we must now prepare our minds for action.

Lord, if we are not girded up in our minds every day by spending time with You and daily putting on the full armor of God when live is going well, we will never be prepared when life takes a wicked turn for the worse.  We are to be self-controlled not hysterical or flighty, but setting our hope fully on the grace to be given when You are revealed.

Even the world, in a quite different sense engages in preparedness.  Because of all of the severe weather (tornados and floods), we have had this spring already, Virginia is allowing a tax free week for survival supplies (bottled water, batteries, generators, etc).  Preparedness- the Girl Scout motto is Be Prepared.

Lord, help me to prepare for disaster, persecution, and whatever this world brings and help me to focus not on what the circumstances are, but on You and Your grace that will be given at the time when You are revealed.

Prophets Knew They Preached to Us

1 Peter 1:12 “It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have been told to you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.  Even the angels long to look into those things.”

            Lord, I must confess that this boggles my mind.  That 3-4000 years ago You revealed to the prophets that they were searching and looking into not only Your death and resurrection, but the gospel that was preached to me by the Holy Spirit!  Amazing!

            I know that You are eternal and that a thousand years is a breath to You, but You also know what time is like down here and how slowly it seems to progress.

           

What a time to be living!  After You resurrected and awaiting Your return for us that is ever more close than in the time when Peter wrote this.  How blessed we are!  The fact that the angels long to look into these things, but cannot, is amazing as well.  You salvation is for humans alone.  We are to follow the prophet’s example and not to live for ourselves, but for those who need to know of You and Your gospel.

Salvation is Found in the Scriptures

1 Peter 1:10 “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,”

Thank You, Lord, that we are on this side of the cross.  You have given us so much:

Your Word- Your MIND in print, CD,DVD, on the internet, downloads for pods, on the radio, applications for “Smart” phones, dramatizations on TV and in productions like the Living Cross.  Your truth is more abundantly available now than in any time in history, and yet, people still reject it and live their lives in what they think is blissful ignorance, or in a constant state of frantically searching in every other avenue but Your truth.

Ken Ham, from answers in Genesis said something on the radio last night, Lord that really hit home.  He said that when Peter spoke to the Jews of You thousands came to repentance and salvation because they already knew about what You did at the Fall.  However; when Paul spoke to the Greeks were more like the evolutionists and he had to teach them about Genesis and what sin was before anything made sense to them.  We certainly live in an evolutionary mindset world as it is taught as truth in all of the public schools in the US.

Lord, these truths are spiritually discerned and cannot make sense to people until the Spirit opens their eyes.  Lord, send Your Holy Spirit for another great awakening as You did in the past and start in me!

1 Peter 1:11 :…trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that follow.”

The Holy Spirit…still our guide today!  He is within us , pointing us in the right direction as we follow hard after God, searching the scriptures for His Truth.  How precious this is.  The Trinity is eternal- the same yesterday, today and forever.  In this ever changing world, this is a truth I can camp on daily.

Thank You, Lord for being willing to indwell us as believers, not because of what we have done or who we are, but because of Your Holy character and Your sacrifice on our behalf.  It is so freeing, Lord to know that I cannot earn or ever deserve Your presence or love, but is because of Your grace, mercy, and unconditional love for me that saves and keeps me.

Inexpressible Joy in Grief and Trials

1 Peter 1:7 “These (grief in trials) have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

“It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.

Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.

One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,

So bravely run the race, ‘til we see Christ.”

“O soul, are you weary and troubled

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s hope for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.”

            Lord, what hope and encouragement these verses bring to me.  I do want my faith to be proved genuine so that all the praise, honor and glory go to You, my precious Savior!  May I be worthy of crowns that I can cast at Your feet.

1Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

            O Lord, Peter was writing to the believers in his day, but You are speaking directly to me today.  I have not seen You, yet I love You and am filled with that inexpressible and glorious joy too!  And I, as well as countless others who are true Christians, am receiving the goal of my salvation.  I am not waiting to be saved; I am already receiving the fruits of salvation: Your daily presence through the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, joy and peace.

Thank You, Lord!  I may grieve and go through trials here, but it will be only while I am here.  I praise You, Lord, for such a precious hope and promise to get through my days in this alien land.

Rejoicing in Trials Because of God's Salvation

May 20, 2011

1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice, now that for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”

            Sweet Savior and Lord, thank You for Your so great salvation that gives us so much:

Forgiveness of our sins

Strength for our days here

Guidance so we do not drift aimlessly through life

A glorious purpose for life

Lovingkindness and patience from the Father

Joy for our hearts

True comfort in grief and trials

Eternal life lived now

The fruits of the Spirit

Each day’s provision and so much more

A record of our future

A wonderful new family

Hope and love in abundance

            Lord, if I would only focus on those things, You and Heaven, and look each and every moment of every day for Your return, my life would be so less stressful.  Lord I can get so "earthbound" if I am not on guard every day.  I sometimes get my eyes on people and events instead, and when I do, hope and peace go out the window and stress flows in like a flood.  I desperately want to live daily with my eyes on You and You alone!  Help me, Lord!

By Faith Shielded By God's Power

1Peter 1:5 “who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

            O Lord!  Shielded by Your power!  Several verses come immediately to mind: “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world”, If God be for us, who can stand against us?”,   “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me”, and “The LORD [is] on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”  What a precious promise, Lord!  How can I thank You enough, and how should I ever be afraid at all?

            Lord, I am not spiritualizing here, but as You know, my husband and I are finally reading the “Left Behind” series and are just into book one after the “Rapture” has occurred.  Today in our newspaper, there is an article about the founder of Family Life Radio Worldwide, who has calculated mathematically that You will return on Saturday.  I know Your return is imminent, as it was when Peter wrote this, but You said when You were here that even You did not know the time of Your return and warned, through Your apostles, not to set dates.  Would I be delighted if You returned on Saturday? Absolutely!  But that is totally up to You.  You have instructed us to always be ready.  Two thousand years ago when Peter wrote this, he said, “the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”  It was ready then…how much more now!

            There were two very sad things in that article:

1)      It said that most Christians do not believe in the “Rapture”.

2)      Pre-Day parties and “Day After” concerts have been planned and a Facebook entry that has encouraged looting after Your return already had 175K RSVPs.

Lord, folks really don’t have any idea of what will happen after Your return.  May we be Your voice!

By Faith Shielded By God's Power

1Peter 1:5 “who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

            O Lord!  Shielded by Your power!  Several verses come immediately to mind: “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world”, If God be for us, who can stand against us?”,   “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me”, and “The LORD [is] on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”  What a precious promise, Lord!  How can I thank You enough, and how should I ever be afraid at all?

            Lord, I am not spiritualizing here, but as You know, my husband and I are finally reading the “Left Behind” series and are just into book one after the “Rapture” has occurred.  Today in our newspaper, there is an article about the founder of Family Life Radio Worldwide, who has calculated mathematically that You will return on Saturday.  I know Your return is imminent, as it was when Peter wrote this, but You said when You were here that even You did not know the time of Your return and warned, through Your apostles, not to set dates.  Would I be delighted if You returned on Saturday? Absolutely!  But that is totally up to You.  You have instructed us to always be ready.  Two thousand years ago when Peter wrote this, he said, “the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”  It was ready then…how much more now!

            There were two very sad things in that article:

1)      It said that most Christians do not believe in the “Rapture”.

2)      Pre-Day parties and “Day After” concerts have been planned and a Facebook entry that has encouraged looting after Your return already had 175K RSVPs.

Lord, folks really don’t have any idea of what will happen after Your return.  May we be Your voice!

God's Safety Deposit Box

1Peter 1:4 “And into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade - kept in Heaven for you.”

            O Lord, a very close friend and sister in the Lord lost almost everything in her house fire.  How precious that their lives were spared, but how this verse must comfort them at this time.

            Lord, we can get so caught up in our “stuff”.  I think of all those folks who lost everything but their lives and the clothes on their backs to the tornadoes that swept through the South, and now the folks along the Mississippi, whose homes are completely flooded or washed away because of flooding.  How fragile and fleeting our temporal wealth is.  I might add to Peter’s list with: can never be burned, vandalized, stolen, or destroyed by natural disaster.  As I looked around our home to see what would crush me if it was taken away, and except for family pictures and my journals, there really was not anything that could not be replaced or lived without.

            Thank You again, Lord, that what we have here is not all there is.  What a safety deposit box!  This is why You tell us to lay up treasures in Heaven.  Our acts of kindness and goodness done in the Spirit, people who we lead to You for salvation…these things are of eternal value.  Besides that, You are preparing mansions for us too!         You have blessed me with a safe home, clothes and food for my body, but better yet; You have blessed me with a godly husband, children and grandchildren (so far anyway).  You have blessed me with a wonderful church family as well as a godly family where I work!  These things can never be taken away because they are all eternal.  Praise be unto You, Lord!

Mega Praises

1Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

            Amen and amen!  O Lord, there are not enough words in all of the languages of the earth for all time to express my gratitude foe salvation and the hope of resurrection!  What a precious, priceless gift.  The knowledge that this world is not all there is and that at this very moment, I am living my eternal life is almost too wonderful for me to comprehend.

            The unbeliever in this world lives in such hopelessness and fear or in wild abandon because they do not have, or believe, this truth.  They either believe that this is all there is and they should eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die; or they frantically try to do enough or be good enough so that when they vanish from the earth they will be remembered by someone..

            It is by Your great mercy You give us this new birth.  Because of Your unfathomable gift of forgiveness and restoration, we can start life over a billion times and have forgiveness for the past as long as we confess and repent.  This is why we can have the peace of God!

            Hallelujah, what a Savior!  What a God!  What a blessed life I can now live because of You, Lord!  Thank You!

Mega Praises

1Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

            Amen and amen!  O Lord, there are not enough words in all of the languages of the earth for all time to express my gratitude foe salvation and the hope of resurrection!  What a precious, priceless gift.  The knowledge that this world is not all there is and that at this very moment, I am living my eternal life is almost too wonderful for me to comprehend.

            The unbeliever in this world lives in such hopelessness and fear or in wild abandon because they do not have, or believe, this truth.  They either believe that this is all there is and they should eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die; or they frantically try to do enough or be good enough so that when they vanish from the earth they will be remembered by someone..

            It is by Your great mercy You give us this new birth.  Because of Your unfathomable gift of forgiveness and restoration, we can start life over a billion times and have forgiveness for the past as long as we confess and repent.  This is why we can have the peace of God!

            Hallelujah, what a Savior!  What a God!  What a blessed life I can now live because of You, Lord!  Thank You!

Chosen and Santified For Obedience

1 Peter 1:2 “who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood:
Grace and peace by yours in abundance.”

            Lord, You are the all knowing One and Your purposes are always good and fair.  What a comfort these words must have been to Your hurting and harassed ones when Peter wrote this.  You did not choose them because they were scattered and hurting, but You chose them because You knew they would trust the name and in the completed work of Jesus!

            They were chosen in salvation and also chosen to go through these trials, as are we.  They were not chosen for just anything, but were chosen “for obedience to Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood”, “For without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.”  We, like them, are chosen for obedience.  How often we forget that, Lord, and go our own way in stiff necked stubbornness. Lord, forgive us all.

            The whole Trinity was involved with our conversion: The Father knew our decision and chose us, the Spirit sanctified us to obedience, and the Son provided the means to it all…His shed blood for us!

            Grace and peace in abundance is what we need and desire, especially in suffering and trials..  Thank You, Lord, for giving both in abundance!

Persecution Scatters Christians

1Peter 1b ( those elect of God)“scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”

            Lord, I know by reading the book of Acts that in the first century Jewish Christians were driven from Jerusalem into Asia Minor and were horribly persecuted.  Some were stoned (Steven), some were imprisoned and crucified (Peter), or beheaded (Paul), some were fed to lions, some were skinned alive (History of Nero’s reign), and at the least some were beaten and put out of their homes to fend for themselves.   Christianity was not against Roman law as it was considered a sect of Judaism so Christians were not hunted down.  Sadly most persecution came from the Jews.  In Roman law, the husband/ Father was the law of the family. He could beat and/or abandon the wife and children.  If he did, their only refuge was the church.

            Lord, when You left this world, you commanded Christians to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.  Unfortunately, they did not immediately obey, and had to be driven by persecution into all of the known world.  Then they did preach the Gospel and it spread like wildfire.

            Lord, although there American missionaries all over the world now, are we to fall into the same kind of persecution because as individuals we have failed to evangelize in our own neighborhoods and towns as You have commanded?  I believe so.  Christians are quickly being considered “Enemies of the State” because we stand against abortion, homosexuality, strict governmental control of our lives, and stand for Marriage between a man and a woman.  The ONLY hope for America is the Gospel.  Help us all; Lord to be willingly obedient in spreading Your Word!

Strangers in Our Native Land

1 Peter 1:1a “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world,”

            Sweet Lord!  Today I satrt my wlak through the book of 1 Peter.  Guide me, Lord, into Your Truth as I examine this book and yield the the Holy Spirit's teaching.

         Just the fact that Peter wrote this letter to the people is a miracle of Your mercy and grace.  Impetuous prideful Peter, who tried to lead You and then denied You in Your hour of greatest need, is now a pillar of the church, an apostle, wholly dedicated to You and the spreading of Your kingdom.  He is the one You had to convince to go to the Gentiles and who, even then, worried about what others might think, ignored the very ones You had sent him to when the Jerusalem leaders came for a visit.  Lord, I think more of us are like Peter than we are willing to admit.  But for Your grace and mercy…

            “To God’s elect” has been a stumbling block for me as well as some other Christians from time to time.  Dealing with that topic would take pages and hours.  Suffice it to say, Lord, that I believe that all who, by their free will, choose to trust You and Your gift of salvation are the elect.  I believe Your death was sufficient for all since You died for all men, but it is only efficient for those who believe.

            “strangers in the world”, is something we Christians deal with daily, and praise to You, Lord, that we do!  Our citizenship is with You in Heaven.  We were born citizens of earth, but because of Your great salvation, we have become naturalized citizens of Heaven.  We are now aliens in our native land.  What a paradox!  Because of that, the first century Christians Peter was writing to and we, all these years later, are persecuted.  Thank You for having Peter write this short letter to help us know how to deal with, and live through it.

Save an Errant Soldier

James 5:19-20 “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

            My Lord and Savior, I praise and thank You this morning for how You instruct me daily in how better to live with, and serve, my fellow Christians.  Lord, regrettably Christians have been known as, “The only army that shoots it’s wounded.”  When one of us strays, we tend to judge him and shy away as if somehow we might become contaminated if we stayed close.  How very sad that is.

            How many, Lord, might have been brought back and their sins covered if just one would go to them and help them on their way back?  All through Your New Testament, You instruct us in this way in, “Love one another as I have loved you” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Lord, is it because of “self” righteousness and pride that we do not minister to the errant one?  Do we think that if we are seen with the “sinner” we might lose our reputation of purity in the church and our circle of friends?  God forbid!  You are our example and You spent ALL of Your time here ministering to sinners, and when we come to You, You make us saints by Your blood alone.  We are yet sinners only saved by Your grace.

            This says that if we are willing to go to them and turn, “a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death”.  Are You speaking of the sin unto death here? Holy Spirit, instruct me, please.  I personally know of two such folks who at one point were ardent followers and turned their back on You and walked away from the faith.  As much as anyone can know the heart of another they seemed to be true believers.  With their actions they brought shame upon the church and Your precious name.  Both died what seemed to be early miserable deaths.  I know that if they were truly Yours they are in Heaven with You even so.

            Lord, may I be one that will go and try to bring one back if I see a fallen “soldier of the cross” and be like You make myself of no reputation, but having more love for others than for myself.

The Lord of the Rains

James 5:17-18 ‘Elijah was a man just like us.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain for three and a half years.  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”

Lord, I know prayer is powerful.  I have prayed at times that it would not rain on graduations or family picnics.  I have prayed that it would stop raining in areas of flooding, but I have never prayed that you would withhold rain to turn the hearts of Your children back to you.  I have prayed for revival in Your church, but now I see that I have prayed with selfish motives.  I wanted You to move, but without personal discomfort.  Elijah had to suffer right along with everyone else when You withheld the rain.  Have I really been willing to “suffer” to bring about revival?  I think not.  O Lord, please forgive me!
            Lord, is revival in the church what You are trying to accomplish in this nation with all of the massive storms?  We have in the past few years had mass flooding in the West and now in the South with the great Mississippi overflowing its banks to record heights all along its route to the Gulf.  We have had devastating hurricanes and tornados from which we are still trying to recover.  There have been record snowfalls in the North and West, and record cold temperatures in the South.  Are You using the poor economic climate to bring Your children back?
            All through our human history when You have blessed and there is peace, we become comfortable and arrogant and turn away from You.  Then You bring disaster to turn our hearts back.  We finally cry out to You and repent and You restore.  Lord, may I never cease to stay close, obedient, and thankful, and may Your church be revived whatever it takes!

Prayer, Forgiveness, and Healing

James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

My Lord, how important it is for us to be humble and honest with one another.  How urgent the time to pray for each other!  We need to make it imperative in our families and in our small groups to make it safe for others to confess their sins to one another.  It is easy to confess to You, Lord, because You love unconditionally and You do not spread the news of our sin abroad.  However; when we are in the flesh we are, to our detriment, much different.

            How many on our prayer lists are not healed from their illnesses and stresses because of unconfessed sin?  How many suffer in silence afraid to ask for prayer for fear that their situation would become public knowledge?  We cannot assume that everyone who is in a hard situation or sick is so because of unconfessed sin in their lives or we would be in the category of Job’s friends.
           
            O Lord, there are so many that need my prayers!  Teach me to be more like You; to love unconditionally so that my love would cover their sin, not broadcast it.  May my brothers and sisters feel safe with me.  When I sin, remind me quickly, Lord, so I might confess and be able to pray for another at a moment’s notice and my prayers will be heard and answered because You have promised that the prayer of a righteous man (or woman) is powerful and effective.

            I praise and thank You, Lord, for Your gracious gift of forgiveness!

Prayer In Faith Will Heal

May 9-10, 2011

James 5:14-15 “Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.”

            Lord, it appears that the gift of healing had been taken from the church by this time as You did not instruct to find a person with the gift and call him or her to come. I must confess, Lord, that these verses are hard for me and I need the Holy Spirit’s instruction.  The instruction is plain enough, but how does modern medicine play into this.  Are we to ignore MRIs CT scans, ultrasounds, medications and surgeries and just call the elders to come pray and anoint?  It would seem so, but somehow I doubt it.  However; I have seen you work miracles in my son’s and husband’s lives with their illnesses when “medicine” seemed to be failing simply because people were praying in faith.

            In my lifetime, and probably throughout history, there have been charlatan “Faith Healers” who claim to have special powers.  The Charismatic Movement has purported much of it in my era.  Do I believe You can and want to heal people? Absolutely!  I believe it grieves You as You did not create us to be sickly in the beginning, but it is sin that causes all of this.  Like Job, many righteous have suffered grave illnesses not because of their own sin, but because of sin caused by the Fall.  It also seems that it is the prayer in faith of the elders that brings Your healing whether the one being prayed for has faith or not because You say that if he has sinned, his sins will be forgiven.  James is writing to the brethren in the churches, so I would surmise that he is not talking about unbelievers here.


            Our prayer lists grow daily filled with disease, injury, sickness, broken lives and families.  We pray for healing and for Your will to be done.  Some are healed and some are not but continue to suffer greatly.  The elders came and prayed over my husband and he seems to be better for it…not totally healed, but much better.  Lord, help my faith to be stronger, like the mustard seed!

Don't Swear and Protocol for Life

May 7, 2011

James 5:12 “Above all, my brothers, do not swear-not by heaven or by earth, or by anything else.  Let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” no, or you will be condemned.”

            Lord, You say that if I grumble against a brother, I’ll be judged, and if I swear by something, I will be condemned.

            Once in a great while I watch the show “COPS” with my hubby.  I remember one night an officer was questioning an inebriated man as to whether he had been drinking.  The man said, “I swear to God, officer, I haven’t had anything to drink.”  The officer said that when any perpetrator of a crime swears to God or on their dear mother of father’s grave, you can be dead sure they are lying.  If I swear like that, I am sure to be condemned as well.

            You are telling me to always be truthful.  I believe You are also saying to follow through on a commitment made to do, or not to do, something.  Lord, I so desperately want to be a woman of my word.  I must confess that there are times when I am still tempted to lie about something or to renege on a commitment, but you are doing a mighty work in me, and  I praise and thank You for that!  Only in pride would one lie and I do not want to live a prideful life!  Help me, Lord, please.

May 8, 2011
James 5:13 “Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.”

My sweet precious Lord, for years I have lived my life according to protocol.  When I was staying at home raising my children, My husband and I determined protocol for our family based on Your Word.  When I started working outside the home, each job was operated by protocol.  Here in James, You are giving us protocol for our lives.

1.      If I am in trouble I am to pray.

I am to pray to You.  I am not to get angry, distraught, worried, discouraged, or run around telling everyone of my trouble…I am to pray…simply pray!  Who knows my need before I do? You!  Who knows the outcome long before the trouble comes about? You!  Who is the only one who can change hearts, do miracles, heal, and manipulate my situation? You!  So it makes perfect sense, Lord, to pray to You and You alone!

2.      If I am happy, I should sing songs of praise.

And why would I not?  If I am happy it is because I am not in trouble.  If I am following You and find the earthly love of my lifetime, who brought that about? You!  If my needs are met, who met them? You!  If I am fulfilled in my work, who caused that to happen? You!  If my quiver is full of straight arrows, who caused that to happen? You!  You guided, taught, corrected, chastened, and encouraged.  If I have godly brothers and sisters who love and encourage and strengthen me in my walk with You, who provided them? You!  So why would I not sing songs of praise to YOU?

But alas, Lord, sometimes I take these things for granted and forget.  Please forgive me.  I am so very blessed with the husband, children, grandchildren, occupation, provisions, church, and friends You have supplied.  I have a measure of health that is above most women my age.  For all of this, I praise You!  I thank You!  I am so unworthy, fail so often, and yet You bless me because of Your grace and mercy!  Who on earth is like You, God?  No one!

Job's Perseverance-God's Compassion and Mercy

James 5:11 “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

            Lord, Job should be an example for us all.  I honestly doubt that I have ever been tempted by Satan himself.  He is not omnipresent as You are.  Job did not suffer because he was an errant one of Your children, but because he was righteous.  He went through tremendous grief, physical pain, and even harassment from his friends and wife, but never blamed or turned against You.  How long did he suffer, Lord?  Was it a month, a year, 2 years?  In our “instant” culture, we tend to expect that suffering of any kind should last hours at most.  My dear twin sister suffered with cancer and its side effects for 20 years and she, like Job, never once blamed You.  In fact, when she was asked “Why You?’ she would always reply, “Why not me? If God did not withhold suffering from His perfect Son, why should I, His imperfect servant, expect not to suffer here as well?  I will never suffer again in all of eternity!”  What a precious testimony!

            Lord, perseverance, like contentment, must be learned.  It is not within our nature to have the desire for either.  Your Spirit is the One who helps us to learn through times of trial and suffering.  Thank You for not leaving us alone down here.  Help us to see Him at work each and every day of our lives, and may I not quench His work in mine.  We may not see the tremendous restoration of health and wealth You restored to Job while we are here, but in Heaven…for eternity…Oh what awaits us!  Our lives here are but a breath!  Even so, Lord Jesus quickly come!

Patience, Prophets and Suffering

James 5:10 “Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”

            Lord, immediately Jeremiah comes to mind, but others also.  Most knew before they ever spoke Your word to their countrymen that they would not listen.  How hard that must have been and how patient they were.  They suffered persecution and abuse from their own people.  We are just now starting to experience persecution in our own country.

            Lord, will be patient in suffering?  I am afraid that I will not be for even now if I have a headache or am sick, I want the pain to go away instantly.  Lord, I certainly will need Your grace and mercy in abundance when that time comes.

Grumbling Against One Another Will Be Judged

James 5:9 “Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, as you will be judged.  The Judge is standing at the door!”

            O Lord!  What an admonition especially for spouses and families!  Lord, did your mom and Joseph fight or argue?  Did your siblings fight with each other or with their parents?  Even in the sweetest Christ-like homes, irritations arise with one another and grumblings either at or about each other are common. Spouses don't get along or grumble that the other has not met some expectation. Parents grumble against their children when they do not act as we think they ought.  Children grumble (tattle) about each other too!

            One might expect these persecuted Christians to grumble against their oppressors, but they were grumbling against one another just as we do today.  But You are saying that we will be judged, and soon, for it.  O Lord, help us to always remember that You live within our Christian spouses and family members and when we grumble at or about them, we grumble against You!  Help us to remember that with all Christians with whom we come in contact whether at work or at church.  How will we ever win the lost if we act like them?

            Lord, I confess that there have been times when I have grumbled either verbally or in my heart and mind.  Please forgive me.  For whether verbal or not, the condition of my heart was not right, driven by either pride or selfishness.  Forgive me for that as well, Lord.  Help me to be more aware of this tendency, for I never want to grumble again.  For if I truly believe that nothing happens to me that You have not first approved for my ultimate good, why would I grumble?

Stand Firm

James 5:8 “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

Lord, “stand firm” is an encouragement we need today for sure.  You and I have already discussed the “be patient” part of these verses.

Our culture is becoming more and more hostile to Christians.  Even now there are Christians calling for us to stand against its onslaught.  Chuck Colson’s Manhattan Proclamation, Matt Staver’s Amici Project, Glenn Beck’s Tea Party Movement, and many other grass roots groups are calling for Christians to stand against the moral decay and oncoming corrupt and socialistic government in our country.  By signing these documents, or joining their group, we may very well be signing our death warrant as martyrs or at the very least the warrant for our arrest.  If not our generation, it may be our children or grandchildren.

Lord, teach us…teach me to stand firm in my faith in You and in the hope of your eminent return.  Help me Lord, not to become desensitized to sin or to compromise my faith for the sake of creature comforts or position.  I do not ever want to be like Peter when he denied You to save his own hide, or so he thought at the time.  Help me to be more like Dietrich Bonheoffer in Nazi Germany…ready to become a martyr to spread, and stand for, Your truth!

Patience in Suffering

May 2, 2011

James 5:7 “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.  See how the farmer waits for the land to yield a valuable crop and how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.”

My dear Lord, patience is something we all know we all need and know we should have.  However; most of us do not actually want to be patient.  In the flesh we want immediate resolution to our problems.  We want the oppressor judged and sentenced yesterday.  When we are suffering, it is hard to wait.  I know You understand that from Your hours before Your death.

           

I taught my children that patience meant waiting without complaining.  It is really funny now to hear my grandchildren recite when asked what patience means, “It means waiting without complaining.”

Having grown up on a farm, I can well understand this analogy.  You have a specific plan for each and every seed.  Each kind has its own timeline.  Without ample water the seed will not grow. There may be irrigation that can bring water from an ample source, but for the most part, farmers have to await the rain You send and await the seeds to sprout and grow.  These things are out of our control.  So it is with suffering we do not bring on ourselves.

Lord, there are things that will be happening soon in our lives over which we will have no control.  You are telling us to be patient as Your return is even more eminent than in James’ day.  In the end all will be made right.  Justice will prevail.  But until then we are to “wait without complaint”.

Warning to Rich Oppressors

James 5:4-6 “Look!  The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you.  The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  You (rich oppressors) have lived on earth a life of luxury and self-indulgence.  You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  You have condemned and murdered innocent men who were not opposing you.”

            Lord, You are the Just One and are holy and true.  You are also omniscient and omnipresent.  The sins against your children do not go unnoticed and are judged.

 I have never been the victim of not being paid for the work I have done for Christians or non-Christians.  I know that when this was written Your children were disbursed throughout the Roman Empire and were being persecuted.  They did not have the right to sue their employer for non-payment as we might do today.  There were no bankruptcy courts, welfare, unemployment insurance, food stamps or Medicaid.  So if an employer did not pay the workman, he would have to sell himself or his whole family into slavery to pay his bills.  If he still could not pay, he was put in prison and would most likely die a slow agonizing death of starvation.  The workmen were not the guilty ones

What an encouragement it must have been to those believers that their cried had reached Your ears, Almighty God.  The rich oppressors who were living it up would not get off “Scott Free”.  You are the perfect judge.  This brings to mind the verse that says how terrifying it is to fall into the hands of an angry God.  The innocent might die in prison, but would go to be with You for eternity.  The guilty would pay dearly for their sins forever in Hell.   But You are not willing that any (not even the rich oppressors) should perish, but all should come to repentance, so You had James write this warning to them to give them a chance to repent.

How it must grieve You when Your children are oppressed and mistreated. How it must grieve You also that those unsaved that you also loved enough to die for, reject Your love for the pleasures and treasures of this world and end up in hell for eternity.