What YOU'VE been crucified?

What, YOU’VE been crucified?

6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,^[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷ because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. Romans 6:6-8

Jesus lived a perfect life and died a horrific death, crucifixion.  This type of death could last for days as one is impaled on wooden cross through the hands and feet.  The loss of blood, laboring of lungs and heart, and illusive thirst made for a slow painful death.  Jesus torture of 39 lashes and crown of thorns on his head accelerated his weakened state.  He died.

But SO did you, if you are a child of God.  Before we walk in the newness of our Christian life, we died with him.  This is not symbolic, but it is substitutionary.  Because of sin that we have committed we deserve punishment.  We deserve to die.  Jesus died in our place.

He also allowed the death of the old self that was ruled by sin.  That is curse that we inherited from Adam which caused a bent toward doing and thinking evil.  But this is our emancipation proclamation.  We have been set free from the slavery of sin.

Yes our mind still has the thoughts of our old way of thinking and reacting,  But Jesus death has set us FREE.  We now have the ability through the power of the Holy Spirit to choose walking and talking uprightly.  That old baggage of sin has been removed.  You get a new set of luggage…peace, joy, gentleness, love, self-control, patience and other righteous behaviors.  These are yours because you are NO longer a slave to sin.

The devil is the accuser of the brethren.   He is the one who brings up your past, rattles your old chains, keeps you on your old memory lane, and points out your most disqualifying moments.  But EVERY one of these actions died on the cross with Jesus.  There were buried in his tomb.

When you feel defeated and the devil hounds you with hopelessness.  Take a walk with him to the cross of Jesus.  Get close enough that His blood can drip on your hands.  This is your place of freedom from you past.  This is place where sin loses its power over your life.  This is the place where Satan lost his grip.  It is an ugly death, your old life with Christ, BUT it’s where the power to live holy begins.  Let your past remain on the cross, you are free to live again.

From a hymn by George Bennard, 1913

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

You don’t know what I’ve done,

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21.

Sn separates us from God.  It creates a wall that seems impenetrable.  Too high to climb over, too wide to go around, too deep to go under and too thick to make a hole in it.  There is the feeling of hopelessness and being stuck.  This feeling is true whether we are saved or lost.

When I have shared the gospel with an individual.  I tell them that God knows them and loves them just like they are.  They hear that God loves them, but then they remember their past sin.  Possibly they have let anger run wild and have hurt people.  Maybe they have physically, sexually, or emotionally abused and scarred people for life.  Maybe they have plotted evil and murdered someone.  Perhaps they have made a series of wrong choices through addiction leading to isolation from their family and friends. Regardless of the sin, it becomes a wall that appears to break down our ability to receive Grace.  Our fellowship is broken.

Sin builds the wall a brick at the time.  But Grace is like the leader of the wall demotion crew.  This crew is awaiting instructions to dismantle the wall. The sin wall is like a Lego wall and Grace is the full size of the child playing with the bricks.  One swoop if his hand and the wall is torn down.  But Grace is waiting for the command of the one who built the wall to say in brokenness, ‘it’s an ugly wall, and I am helpless to remove it, would you please remove the wall?”  Grace instantly springs into action to dismantle the barrier.

No matter high or big the wall, grace is bigger.  The wall starts with just one sin.  BUT grace covers ALL sin.  Have you ever heard the phrase, “I could never forgive that person”.  That phrase is not in God’s vocabulary, except for those who reject the free gift  of forgiveness that Jesus paid for with his life.

Grace is unmerited.  It is all about the character of the one extending grace.  The ball is in their court to forgive, because the offense was against them.  God says that He is aware of ALL of our sins, but He chooses to forgive us anyway.

Father, thank you that your grace can be received.  Thank you that you know perfectly how to remove the effect of sin that destroys our relationship.  Thank you that when it is hardest for me to receive you grace, it is beyond comparing how you forgive.  Help us to walk in humility knowing that grace was paid for on the cross with the death of Jesus.  Father, may more people let you tear down the wall of separation.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

He loves me, He loves me not?

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

In the WWII movie “Saving Private Ryan” Tom Hanks portrays a Lt. who has the responsibility to rescue Private Ryan.  All he had was a name and a picture.  The movie captures the essence of duty and sacrifice.  Tom was formally a school teacher and now finds himself risking his life for someone he has never met.  Others encourage him to quit looking as Private Ryan could already be dead.  But Tom Hanks continues his journey to find this individual.

We resonate with this story, a hero is risking his life for another person.  If this theme sounds familiar, then you may be familiar with the life and death of Jesus Christ.  People have sinned and deserve death.  Jesus death was on sinners behalf.  Our savior took our place and punishment for something he did not deserve.  Not that we did anything good enough for Him to want to die for us.  Rather, in our worst state, He chose to see us as someone he wanted to demonstrate His love.

Which brings us to the word demonstrate.  Webster defines is as to prove (something) by showing examples of it or to show evidence of something.  Specifically God wants to give an example or show beyond an doubt that He loves us.  Look at Jesus and what he did for us.  That is the proof of God’s love.  Even when you feel unworthy, He still loves you.  There is not a time when you can say He loves me not.  Because we can always look at Jesus death on the cross (which should have been us on the cross) and know that God did not withdraw His love and affection.

So pick up your flower. Pluck a flower petal and say “He loves me”.  Then pick another petal and say “He loves me”.  Think about Jesus and know that every petal will always be an expression of his love.  At just the right time in history, Jesus demonstrated his love for us…for you.

Like Father, Like Son

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. Romans 4:16

You are in the perfect spot to follow God.  Someone has already set the mold, and you fit in it..  Anyone has the ability to become a child of God.  It doesn’t require the right “blood line”.  It has nothing to do with amount of possessions or your talent.  And best of all no one can acquire God’s favor by being good enough…no one.

Abraham became the father of “faith in God”.  The promise that we can become children of God was acquired by faith alone.  Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.    Faith is like a toggle switch inside our lives.  We know when we are trusting in our own thinking and when we trust in responding to God’s promise.  Our actions show to whom we are placing our trust. 

If someone blindfolded me and told me to sit in the chair behind me, would I sit?  I was not able to feel the chair, just believe them that a chair existed behind me.  My trust in their words become real at some point in my sitting when I could no longer stand.  My weight would carry me away from being able to control the stiuatuion.  My trusts was evident when I finally sat down.  To believe that God sent his Don to die in my place moves to faith when I no longer trusts in my abilitie to control my life and I then trusts in God as my God.

The promise that Abraham received comes by faith, with grace and it is guaranteed.  There is not much in life that is guaranteed other than taxes and death.  But the promise of being a child of God is guaranteed when we can point to Abraham.  We get to tell God, “if you did it for him, than you can do it for me.  I put my trust in you to be my Savior.”  God responds to a broken heart that trust in him.

So you can place your trust in God.  He is reliable and trustworthy.  No matter what you are facing today, He is faithful.

Father, thank you that anyone can become a child of God and that included me.  You seek us and tell us that you love us, so we can respond to your love.  You forgive us of our sins and allow us to follow you as your children.  You even let us be known by your name, children of God.  Thank you.

ALL have Sinned

ALL have SINNED

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23

ALL have sinned: This includes

Your aunts, your uncles,

Your sister, your brother

Your niece, your nephew

Your father, your mother

ALL have sinned.

The Senator, the terrorist

The President, the Pope

The writer, the illegal

The Brainy, the dope

ALL have sinned.

The lawyer, the road worker

The student, the teacher

The librarian, the policeman

The drunkard, the preacher

ALL have sinned

The richest, the poorest

The soldier, the nurse

All are guilty

Of the sinful curse.

ALL have sinned.

There is none too mighty

Or any too wise

Money can’t change

The sinful disguise

ALL have sinned.

As the Scripture says

“No one is righteous—
    not even one.
¹¹ No one is truly wise;
    no one is seeking God.
¹² All have turned away;
    all have become useless.
No one does good,
    not a single one.” Rom. 3:10-12

ALL have sinned.

This includes ME and YOU!

Who Sets the Bar?

For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” 

  Romans 2:24

In Romans Chapter 2 Paul addresses Jews, Gentiles, the law and judgment.  He states that living according to the law makes one righteous before the God whether you are a Jew or Gentile.  But the one who knows what the law requires and does not keep the law will face judgement whether Jew or Gentile.  Then Paul speaks specifically to the Jew who has been the guardian of the law and bears the mark of the covenant through circumcision.  Just being physically circumcised does not make a person righteous, whether Jew or Gentile.

Some think this verse is used as anti-semitic rhetoric.  There are many who do not like the Jews for a variety of reasons such as their favored status.  Or some don’t like them for the perception of their wealth.  Some feel that they are ruthless in their business dealings.  BUT, this is not the context for this verse.  In the previous verse Paul addresses HYPOCRISY.  The Jews speak and preach the importance of the law and following God, but Paul says they violate the same law that they are judging.  That hypocrisy opens the door for people to point fingers at God and say “if you are a special Jew, why don’t you live like one?”

This should cause great humility among Christians.  There are too many people who complain about the hypocrisy in our churches.  This does cause people to wonder about God’s effectiveness to truly change hearts and lives.  We need to talk the talk and then walk the walk.

God sets the bar for one to be righteous.  In order to be right with God we must reach his bar.  No compromise will work.  We are not allowed to reset the standard. Jesus is the only human that reached the bar and satisfied God’s requirements. 

Father, please help us to be authentic about our lives.  We are not perfect and we make mistakes.   We can never be good enough for you to like us more.  We follow your commands, but we are not to judge others.  Thank you for loving us and forgive our hypocrisy.

God's kindness leads us to repentance

 ³ Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and

yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?  Romans 2:3-4.

Former preacher Robert G. Lee had a famous sermon that he preached over 1000 times entitled “Payday Someday”.  Maybe you are familiar with the phrases that “your sins will surely find you out”, “you can run, but you can’t hide” or from the German legend “someday you will have to pay the Pied Piper”.  All of these statements point to having to give account for our actions, both right and wrong.

Paul is addressing another subject- deception and arrogance.  In the previous chapter he unfolded the depravity of man in his bent toward all types of sin when we reject honoring God.  Typically when there is a long list, we place value on the “worst” sin even though they are all equally unholy.  We may think, “I know that I am guilty of this sin, but I am not as bad as that person who has committed that sin.”  That statement p[laces us in the path of judging the other person.  Paul is showing that we will not escape judgment just because we have not committed the one sin that we feel is so wrong.  Our own sins make us guilty and especially judging others. 

We need to be very careful that our deception does not lead us to believe that in some way we will be exempt from standing before a holy God for judgment.  There will be no excuses, no one to blame, no place to hide, no shifting of blame, no more appeals that we did not know, no more presuming on God’s mercy.  We will have to give an account for all of our words, thoughts, and actions.  Nothing that we have done on this earth escapes God’s notice or His scrutiny.  We will ALL be found guilty.

What about God’s grace you say or since He is a God of love, surely He will forgive us?  His forgiveness is only found by those who honor Jesus as Lord of their lives.  Paul wants us to know that God’s mercy has been demonstrated throughout our lives.  Many times we should have been found guilty of a certain action, but we escape the penalty.  Maybe a person was driving home drunk and missed an oncoming car so no accident occurred.  That driver might think he escaped the accident and the police.  But God was orchestrating His grace.  This escaping the accident was meant for the person to realize that God was in control and not the driver.

Repentance is a change in thinking that leads to a change in behavior.  Just thinking that we  feel bad about our actions is only half of repentance.  It must include a change in our behavior.  This change is only possible when Jesus makes us born again.  We then would have the capacity to deny our own sinful patterns and start to follow God’s path for right living. 

Father, it is so easy for all of us to be deceived.  Pride makes us think we are better than others.  Pride shields us from walking in humility before you.  Pride shields our lives from developing a heart of compassion.  Pride rejects embracing thoughts like, “except for the grace of God, there go I”.  So Father, please expose pride in our lives.  Help us to recognize any deception in our way of thinking.  Thank yo that you want us to walk free.

Are you Prophetic?

Are you prophetic?  It only takes 3 things.   And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”  And I said, “I see an almond branch.”  Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.  Jeremiah 1:11-12. 

Jeremiah had just told God why he was not qualified to re-represent God’s voice.  He said he was too young and that He could not speak.  God replied that he did not have to fear being too young, and then God touched his mouth.  What perceived weakness in your life do you inform God that would disqualify you from speaking His word?  Let God address it and empower you in that weakness.  We need to be speaking what God is saying for us today.

There are at least 3 things to help you grow in your prophetic abilities.  Hearing, Seeing, And God’s “watching to perform”.   After God touched Jeremiah’s tongue which empowered Him to do what God wanted.  He ask Jeremiah a question.  “What do you see?” asked God.  Jesus often said “let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying.  When we become children of God, he equips us with spiritual ears that are able to hear God.  Jesus said my sheep know my voice and they follow me.  Maybe, it is sometimes unclear for you, what God is speaking.  Ask God to help you hear what He is saying.  He is ready to make Himself known to you.  The beginning step in the prophetic is to tune your ears to the same words and frequency that God is operating on.  He whispers and leads, not loud, desperate, or controlling.

Then it is important to share what you are seeing.  Jeremiah saw an almond branch.  What is important at this stage is to just share exactly what you are seeing.  Do not try to figure it out or reason what it could mean.  Just share exactly what you are imagining in your mind.  Not every impression is from God, but the ability to see is the starting point.   We need to show grace to one another as we are learning to “see” what God is doing.  We may get it wrong sometimes, don’t stop trying.  Allow other believers to help guide you in your hearing and listening. 

I was on a mission trip one time in Honduras.  We showed the Jesus movie to over 1000 people in a large field.  At one point during the movie, we stopped to pray for people.  The people would come to us just to have us say a quick prayer for them.  They spoke Spanish and we had no interpreter with us.  We just prayed as best as we could for the need that they may have.  One gentleman came forward and I “saw” that he wanted Jesus to move in his life.  I placed my hand on his stomach and prayed for release of the Holy Spirit, remembering Jesus words “out of you shall flow rivers of living water, and by this he meant the Spirit.”  The next day the gentleman was in church and wished to testify.  I started getting a little prideful, remembering that I had prayed for him.  Then he pointed to me in the congregation and mentioned that I prayed for him.  He said, “he placed his hand on my stomach, but there was something that he did not know.  I had a stomach virus. God healed me when he touched my stomach”.   I was happy he was healed, but that is not what I prayed for :{.  God used my obedience in what I saw.

But that brings me to the final point.  God performs or “brings about the purpose” for His word.  Our responsibility is to see, hear and obey.  God will accomplish what He desires through our obedience.  When Moses touched the Red Sea with his staff, God parted the waters.  When Jesus touched the blind man’s eyes with clay, God healed the man.  When Peter prayed for Cornelius, God poured out his spirit on the “gentiles”.  God loves to finish His work when we begin in obedience.

You can be a part of God’s plan on the earth.  God has NO superstars, He does have obedient children. When have the Son, then, you are truly children of God.

Father, help us to hear what you are saying and asking of us.  Father, help us to see what you are doing on the earth and what you are doing in Heaven.  Father, help us to be bold to act on what you are doing.  Perhaps someone may be saved, healed, set free or comforted?

Preach boldly and walk humbly.

Know God, Honor God, Thank God

For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Romans 1:21

How do people get to know God?  Seeing or hearing about Him and then believing.  It is the same principle for everyone in the world.  Paul has just explained that God created the whole world and placed his “finger prints in all that He made.”  In turn, everyone can look at creation and know that there is a creator.  But they next step is important.  Believe in and respect in the Creator.

Paul says that knowledge about God is not enough.  Just to believe that God exists is admirable.  But honoring Him as God is a more specific step.  It means a shift in authority.  You relinquish the “ownership” for your life, to the one who created you.  Honoring Him is to seat Him on the throne of your life and as King over all.

Paul adds a defining characteristic that identifies one who honors the Lord…the giving of thanks.  And specifically- giving thanks to God.  Jesus said our speech exposes the values of the meditation that has been occurring in our heart.  Just reflect on the subject matter of your own words to discover what has been important in your life.  The giving of thanks reveals how you appreciate the influence of others.  Giving thanks to God as God shows that you connect events and circumstances in your life to His influence.  It positions our hearts to focus on God’s heart and His hands as the giver of life.

There is a consequence to NOT giving thanks.  When we do not place value on something it does not remain neutral…it atrophies.  Spiritually, when God is not  of the answer to our questions, then every solution begins to be in.  Sometimes it takes even more faith to believe in a big bang, for all the universe to just randomly occur is astronomical .  But this is what happens when you remove God from the system.  Intellectual thinking begins to spiral down to the concept of man being at the center of the universe.  Because one may think God does not exists, then you also do not have to respond to His authority..  Unless God brings the light of his revelation. Man remains in his darkened state of thinking.

Father, help us to see when we are relying on our own wisdom and strength.  Let us see you working before, during and after every event in our lives.  Let us regularly give you thanks as God, as Sovereign in our lives.  Thanks for our families, thanks for our health, thanks for our jobs, thanks for our church family, thanks for our communities and city in which we live.  You are God and we love and thank you.  In Jesus’ name Amen.

Not ashamed of the gospel of Christ

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation

to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  Romans 1:16

Why would Paul feel any shame regarding the gospel?  Where did he gain his boldness so that he was unashamed?  Why does aligning activity with Jesus cause one to be ashamed? 

Perhaps part of the answer to these questions can be found in the definition of shame.

 In sum, 1870/epaisxynomai ("dishonor") refers to being disgraced, bringing on "fitting" shame that matches the error of wrongly identifying(aligning) with something. Bible Hub.com.  Paul had enough experiences of transformed lives that his confidence in the impact of Jesus was unwavering.  He was sure that he was aligning his life with truth and not error.  Doubt had been dealt with in his life.  This is important because telling someone that Son of God died as a criminal on a cross and lives again and makes a difference in a persons life sounds like simplistic foolishness.  But Paul was never afraid to share that story over and over.

The gospel is the power of God for salvation.  When Paul shared the gospel he consistently saw the power of God at work in transforming lives.  Power is invisible, yet its effects are noticeable.  God spoke and the world came into being.  Matter responded to the power of the Word of God and formed itself into the shape of earth.  Just sharing how Jesus defeated sin through the shedding of His blood begins the process of transformation into new birth.

What can we learn from this verse?  Boldness to share the gospel is a characteristic of a Spirit-led life.  Not sharing the gospel could be routed in shame.  Either there is a link between being unsure that the gospel really works or we are embarrassed to be aligned with Jesus.  Remember all of the disciples deserted him on the night of his death.

But we also know that taking the initiative to share with others is to align ourselves with God’s movement in the earth.  Amazing.  Speaking the gospel is saying what God says.  When you begin to see this power change others, your confidence grows to share the story more often.  Conversely, lack of shairing also makes one uncertain as to the reality of this power really working.  Then we begin to believe that God has power, but somehow the power of God eludes the person not sharing.  More sharing, more opportunity to see the power of God for salvation at work.  Less sharing, more opportunity for doubt, confusion and shame.

Father, help us to love the gospel.  Help us to know its power personally and intimately in our lives.  Forgive us when we do not share this good news with those who need to hear it.  Forgive us when we do not follow your leading to share this good news.  May we begin to see the effects of your power to change lives.  We want to see people be born again.  Truly become a new person.

Thank you that your power can not be contained.  It transforms lives into the image of Jesus.  May we be able to see people born again this year in direct response to our taking the initiative to tell them about our Savior, Jesus.

With whom are you eager to share the good news about Jesus?

That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

Romans 1:15

Paul is writing a letter to the Christians who are in Rome.  He has never been to Rome, but he talks about their faith everywhere he goes.  He remembers them in his prayers.  He shares their stories to encourage others in their journey with God.  He longs to preach the gospel so that He can share in the harvest of those who are ready to become children of God.

This is a doctrinal letter to the Romans.  Paul addresses issues of faith, grace, sin, life in the Holy Spirit, the nation of Israel as a chosen people group, and final words to practice Christianity.  But it is a letter to specific people in Rome.  Some Paul has met, others he has heard about their faith in God.  But he is determined that he will come soon after the writing of this letter.

Paul is eager.  He feels indebted to preaching the gospel to gentile people.  Paul has a gift for preaching and teaching those who only know a little bit about God.  So sharing the gospel for Paul is something that he likes to do.  Fill in as many synonyms as you can about the word eager and you will begin to capture Paul’s sentiment over sharing the gospel.  Time and space are the only things separating him from sharing the good news in Rome.  He is just ready to go….now.

Preaching has a very different connotation today than in Paul’s day.  It was not just on Sunday in an auditorium.  It could be anywhere people gathered to hear a proclamation.  The key is the intentional delivery and not the location.  It is taking the initiative to share about the transforming life of Jesus.  Many times it is unsolicited.  Jesus came to “preach” the good news of His kingdom.  You speak to represent God’s voice to those who need to hear it.

The gospel is the good news about Jesus.  There is no other name given among man for a person to receive salvation other than through the person and name of Jesus.  We are not to just feel better about ourselves.  We do not stop about telling how much God loves us…and He does.  But we must include the preaching of repentance and the turning away from our own personal sins against the laws of God.  This message breaks the yoke and sets people free.

Father, help us to truly love the lost people in our sphere of influence.  Help us to wake up eager to share about you.  We are not ashamed of the gospel.  Give us boldness to tell others about you, even if we have very little relationship with them.  May we begin to see people saved out of those in the harvest that are ready to become children of God.  Set the people free and use us to help make it happen in Jesus’ name, Amen

Is God looking for you? Humble and Contrite

Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
    and what is the place of my rest?
² All these things my hand has made,
    and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
    he who is humble and contrite in spirit
    and trembles at my word.  Isaiah 66:1-2

Where does God like to hang out?  To be sure, Heaven is his home.  It is easy to think of God living there and looking at earth from a distance.  Because He is not visible to our eyes, we are not sure how He is active in our world and specifically in our own personal sphere of influence.  Yet, Isaiah records the Lord’s words saying that His presence is seamless in being every where.

Another may say, that just because He is present, does not mean that He is engaging our lives.  Some think of God as a clock maker.  He created all of the parts to work together.  Then He started the process and stepped back to watch it work.  Yet, Isaiah reveals that God is looking for a specific type of person. God loves to engage His creation.

God likes to hang out with those who are humble and contrite in spirit.  What does that look like?  In part it means that we understand that God is boss in our world and we are not.  Humility in this respect means that we understand that we operate under authority.  We do it with a gracious attitude and not under duress or compulsion.  It doesn’t mean only quietness, but it will include a sincere reverence.   

Another attribute of humility is the expression of thankfulness.  Words of gratefulness are a common theme that are heard from the truly humble.  Being thankful to God and others shows an appreciation for the role that others play within their lives.  Saying thanks does not diminish personal significance, but it shows appropriate appreciation and respect.  IF you look for a humble person, listen for thankfulness.  Someone that talks much about themselves, has little time to show gratefulness toward others.

Father, thank You for being omnipresent.  There is no one that I would go throughout my day that you are not already there.  Nothing I do in life escapes Your notice.  I am glad that you are looking for people who are humble and contrite.  Help me to be one of those people.  Let me show appropriate thankfulness to others who help make life happen.  Let me give you ALL the glory for the good in my life.  Let me be a person that often expresses thanks to You and others.  Help me to listen to my words and consider the meditations of my heart.  Thank you Father.

Do you hear God calling

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
    I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here I am, here I am,”
    to a nation that was not called by^[a] my name.  Isaiah 65:1

This is a statement by God that seems to continue from Is 64 in response to the repentance expressed by Israel.  Even though they seem repentant, they are known to be a rebellious and hard hearted people.  With their lips they claim allegiance to God and His ways, but with their actions they behave as if God cannot see.

Paul quotes this verse in Romans 10:20 as proof that God was revealing Himself not only to Israel but now also to the Gentiles. From this verse, we learn at least one aspect of God’s character.  He desires to be sought after.  He is not playing hide and seek.  He is in the open, spiritually for those who are looking.  He is speaking and arranging circumstances so that you notice Him.

  It would be similar to someone at the airport jumping up and down calling your name.  He would have a sign with your name on it informing you that He knows who you are.  Many of His children (the nation of Israel) would walk by Him, ignoring His invitation to follow Him.  Can you imagine rejecting His offer?  Paul states that ALL of us have turned away at some point.

But there is a hint of even more generosity that God demonstrates.  Following our same example, we find God again in the airport calling out your name trying to get your attention.  The difference is that you had no idea that God was even looking for you.  You weren’t expecting anyone at the airport.  You know that you have to make your own way and there is no one that you trust to help you walk your path of life.  But here is God, seeking you and inviting you to follow Him.  He offers a free ride, great accommodations and wants to cover expenses. And you had no idea that something this good was awaiting you.  All of your excess baggage that has weighed you down can now be carried by another.  Now the choice is yours, will you accept this invitation from The One who loves you?  Or will you continue on your own will and understanding?  Most reject the offer, but not all.  There are those who sheepishly follow the one calling their name.  Have you heard his call?

Rend the Heavens

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,

    that the mountains might quake at your presence—
^2 [a] as when fire kindles brushwood
    and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
    and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
³ When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
    you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
⁴ From of old no one has heard
    or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
    who acts for those who wait for him. Isaiah 64 ESV

What is the last big event that you attribute to God working?  Do we really “know” God?  Isaiah is asking God to make His presence so real that adversaries and nations would know the Lord.  Later in the chapter, he recounts how Israel has sinned and why God has been silent.  He tells of the desolation of the country and the city where they once worshiped God.  Moving past the shame, he now remembers God.  He remembers that God is the potter and they are the clay.  He is acknowledging that God has the freedom to do to them whatever  God desires.  This is a statement of total brokenness before the Lord.

Have you ever heard a person under great stress let out a heavy sigh?  The low sound and force of the wind escaping from their mouth let you hear the intensity of their duress.  So, this is the sound of Isaiah’s first word, “Oh”.  In our video age we can try to replicate his emotional state.  Here the words and subject matter carry the imagery to which we identify with him.  He is in great anguish.

However, this is not just a weighty cry of desperation, rather it is a focused petition toward the ONLY one who could change their situation.  He is asking God to break the veil between Heaven and Earth. Rend or part the threshold between what is seen and unseen, between the spiritual and the physical.  Isaiah is asking for God’s glory to be manifest.  God answered this prayer, at least twice.  After the 70 years of exile were over, God positioned men to revive Jerusalem.  But the full manifestation occurred in the life of Jesus.  For John wrote in his gospel that glory of God came to earth and dwelt among them.  Jesus broke the barrier into the physical realm and people saw God.

The last comparison invites all of us to participate. No eye has seen or ear heard of a God who acts for those who wait for Him.  Not waited as in the past tense, but “waits” in the present ongoing action.  This is the realm where faith is tested.  Every crutch of our own understanding or self-will, is revealed during our waiting.  For God loves to move when He receives all of the glory, either from our own lips or from the praise of others who observed his ways.

So God rend the heavens.  Move on behalf of our need. We want your name to be great in our lives and in the world.  Move us to the desperation that looks to your hand and to your voice for guidance.  Oh that your Name would be great in the world

What is your open door for ministry

Are your prayers for you to minister in your “sweet spot”? ⁸ But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, ⁹ for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. I Cor. 16:8-9 ESV.

Are you able to recognize God’s orchestration of events for you to bear the most fruit in your life?  John 16 records that Jesus wants us to bear fruit in our spiritual journey, fruit that remains. What does that fruit look like for you?  It does not have to look like others fruit, but it will include the saving and discipling of others.

For some there may be a lot of frustration.  You may be dreaming of a ministry of fruitfulness that doesn’t look anything like what you are presently experiencing.  Perhaps you are telling God about all of the obstacles that are preventing you from bearing much fruit.  If you had more money, more people, more spiritual leaders, better facilities, more time or more whatever, then you could be all that God has called you to be?

Why do you think Paul saw a “wide open door”? Bottom line…people were responding to the gospel message.  Not just for salvation of their spirit, but it was transforming everything in their life.  The gospel awakened a hunger for God that they wanted to know Him more.  And Paul was ready to teach them.

But, in the same verse Paul acknowledges opposition.  We  need to recognize this spiritual opposition.  It is not just the person that disagrees with you.  Our fight is not against flesh and blood (insert person who is a thorn in your side), but against spiritual forces.  Having said that, there is legitimate opposition that comes from people.  We trust God to work in their lives, but they are powerless to stop God’s wide open door.  Even if it includes persecution.  Do not judge those individuals, we are to bless our enemies.  This keeps your heart pure to continue to be fruitful in ministry.

So, my prayer for each today is that we minister and bear fruit, much fruit and fruit that will remain.  That we know how to determine wide open doors of ministry that Jesus invites us to participate in.  That we are free to share with others how God is moving openly in our sphere of influence.  And that we are encouraging others who are walking in “wide open” opportunities.

We serve a God of “wide open”  opportunities in any context, for He is GOD!