I Did the Crime - He Did the Time

The Apostle Paul announced: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 (NLT) Everyone includes you. Everyone includes me. We all fall short. We’ve not only fallen “short of God’s glorious standard,” our sin has hurt others. Some of our sins have hurt others in small ways and some sin has wounded people deeply. The sin of others has hurt us in small ways and other sin in unforgettable ways. The answer to falling “short of God’s glorious standard” is mercy. I’m thankful that God’s mercy toward me is “afresh every morning.” Lamentations 3:23 (NLT) (I find it interesting that the solution for Romans 3:23 is Lamentations 3:23) Mercy, by us towards others, is not deserved. If it were deserved, it wouldn’t be mercy. God gives mercy because of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus’ death paid the price for me “short of God’s glorious standard.” The old song says: “He paid a debt He did not owe; I owe a debt I could not pay.” I could also say “I did the crime, but He did the time.” Because of God’s mercy toward us, He commands us to have mercy on others. Jesus said: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (NIV) Mercy, by us towards others, is not deserved. If the person deserved mercy, it wouldn’t be mercy. Jesus’ brother James understood Jesus’ teaching about mercy. He wrote: “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.” James 2:13 (NLT) Who in your life do you need to forgive? Who do you need to quit “making them pay” for their wrong? What if God withheld mercy from you?” Are you able to rely on God’s mercy because you’ve been merciful to others? If you don’t figure out mercy, there will be “no mercy” for you. Jesus, help us grow in mercy towards others. Amen.

God is in the Cleaning, Transforming and Restoring Business

I’m a collector of quotes and sayings. I have thousands of quotes saved. My Dropbox folder of “Teaching Resources” has 688 sub-folders, as of today. Each of those sub-folders has multiple files of quotes and sayings ranging from “abortion” to “zealots.” Anytime I’m reading and find a useful or memorable statement, I collect it. Recently, I saved a couple of quotes that have been running over and over in my mind. They have to do with God’s desire and ability to work in and transform our lives. He desires reconciliation with every person. “All our bad does not make us harder to save, and all our good does not make us easier to save. What saves us is Christ, and therefore all we contribute is honesty—admitting we are sinners and casting ourselves on him.” Dane Ortlund Someone else has said, “You can’t do anything to cause God to stop loving you and you can’t do anything to cause Him to love you more.” He loves us despite who we are, and not because of who we are. He loves us because of who He is. “No matter where you have been, what you have done, or what has been done to you, the grace of God can wash you clean, consecrate you as his child, and restore what sin has stolen.” Garrett Kell God is in the cleaning, transforming, and restoring business. Admitting we are sinners and casting ourselves on Him paves the way for Him to do what we have deep down wished could happen. Who doesn’t want forgiveness, freedom, cleansing, a new life, hope, purpose, and destiny? Don’t wait. Admit you are a sinner and cast yourself on Him. “Cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (MEV)

Though He Falls, He Will Not Be Overwhelmed

I’ve recently been thinking about a song I learned early on my journey of following Jesus. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord … though he fall, though he fall, he shall not be cast down.” The lyrics are taken from Psalm 37. “A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand.” Psalms 37:23-24 (HCSB) I frequently tear up when I see videos or read stories of a runner who stumbles or falls and gets back up and finishes the race. These stories illustrate the Psalmist’s word in Psalm 37. Every follower of Jesus has tripped and even fallen. The promise of the Psalm is that even when a Jesus follower falls, he will not be overwhelmed. She might have some “road rash” and pain, but she’s not out of the race. I also tear up when I see videos or read stories of someone coming to the aid of a struggling runner. Maybe they pick the racer up and help them to the finish line or run alongside the struggler and offer words of encouragement. Isn’t that how followers of Jesus are called to respond? To pick up a fellow runner and run alongside them in the tough part of the journey? The Psalmist said “he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand.” Every runner has fallen either in training or in an event. Most runners (I wanted to say ALL but that would be exagerating) get up when they fall, brush off the dust and gravel, and get back to running. Every runner has also been helped by a fellow runner and if they are worth anything have helped other runners. I wish I could say the same for every Jesus follower! Some followers have tripped and fallen and then stayed down. Other followers have watched fellow followers struggle and looked the other way. We can do better! If you recently stumbled, get up and put one foot in-front of the other. If you’ve looked the other way when a fellow follower is struggling to get up and continue, don’t do it again! Help the struggling follower. Help her finish the race. “Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2 (HCSB)

Rest For My Soul

The Genesis account of creation details God creating a body out of dust of earth, and then breathing into the body the breath of life. When the breath of life flowed into Adam’s body, he became a “living soul.” The soul is the integration of the outer physical man and the inner man. When the outer person is hurting, the inner person hurts too. When the inner person is hurting, the outer person often experiences the effects of the inner turmoil. King David described the connection between the inner person and the body. “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” Psalms 32:3-4 (NLT) David was experiencing physical effects because of unconfessed sin. The connection between the body and the inner person is undeniable and unbreakable. No one can escape the cause-and-effect connection. Undealt with anger produces stress. Stress produces physical consequences like hypertension, insomnia, and digestive issues. Hypertension, insomnia and digestive problems affect a persons’s emotions, ability to process information and make healthy decisions. Physical struggles impact a person psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually. David again described the soul, the connection of the body, and inner person. “Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalms 32:5 (NLT) Jesus is an expert at restoring the soul. David declared in Psalm 23, “He restores my soul.” Jesus said, “Come to Him … he will give you ‘rest for your souls.’” Jesus cares about your soul. He wants you to have a healthy soul. Keep turning to Jesus.

Amazed by Grace

Recently, I read slowly through Galatians, the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia. Towards the end of the letter, Paul uses phrases such “Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives” 5:16; “Directed by the Spirit” 5:18; “Living by the Spirit” 5:25; “Follow the Spirit” 5:25; and “Please the Spirit” 6:8. Galatians 5 describes the tension that we live in. We want to please the Spirit, but our sinful nature tempts and pulls at us. Living in the Spirit, following the Spirit, and pleasing the Spirit is life in the tension between sin and grace. Grace frees us from sin and calls us to live in, follow, and please the Spirit. Sin taunts us and pulls at us. Sin “wants to do evil, which is the opposite of what the Spirit wants” and the “two forces are constantly fighting each other” according to Galatians 5:17 Sinclair Ferguson describes the tension this way: “The spiritual life is lived between two polarities: our sin and God’s grace. The discovery of the [sin] brings us to seek the [grace]; the work of the [grace] illuminates the depths of the [sin] and causes us to seek yet more grace.” I’m thankful for grace. I’m thankful that when I sin, grace is available. I’m thankful that when grace illuminates the depths of my sin, it causes me to see yet more grace. Grace “teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:12 NIV The words of an old hymn are playing in my mind right now; “Grace, grace, God’s grace. Grace that will pardon and cleanse within. Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all my sin!” Jesus, thank you for grace, I’m still amazed by it!

Confessing The Sins of America

I have been considering an example from the Jewish Scriptures, when one of the leaders of God’s people confessed the sins of the Jewish people. Daniel had not participated in the sin, but he was part of the people group or nation that perpetuated it.

As a POW in Babylon, Daniel was reading the words of the prophet Jeremiah. As he read, understanding of their situation and the seventy years they were to spend in Babylon broke his heart. Daniel recorded his actions: “So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.” Daniel 9:3 NLT

Daniel had not been part of the sin, rebellion, and disobedience, but he was Jewish, and these were the sins of the Jewish people. Daniel Chapter 9 is the record of Daniel’s repentance and confession of the sins of Israel. Daniel saw it as his responsibility as a member of the Jewish nation to confess the sins of his nation. “I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: ‘O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! … We have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen … as you see, our faces are covered with shame. … O LORD, we … are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.’”

Daniel 9:4-11 NLT

I am an American and therefore I am responsible for injustice and need to do my part to bring about justice. I have spent time this week confessing the sins of America. As a nation we have oppressed people and continue to oppress people. We are guilty and we are responsible. I’ve been praying that God will have mercy on America and Americans. I have been praying that God would raise up leaders who can show the way through the racial darkness.

God, have mercy on America and move us forward in racial equality. Amen