What could stand against?

2 “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel:

“‘The end! The end has come
    upon the four corners of the land!  Ezekiel 7

Well this is some cheerful stuff in this chapter...

I'm trying to come up with something positive to pull from the chapter, and I can't.  Really.  It's rough.  The only thing happening to me though, is the lyrics to "Our God" are running through my head.

"And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.

And if our God is with us, then what could stand against."

This chapter describes the opposite.  God had decided that Jerusalem needed punishment, and there was nothing they could do to stand against him.

I am fearful of God, but I am not scared.  There's a big difference there between the two.  Fearful is respectful.  I know (or at least, I think I know) the power that God wields.  I respect that power and I respect God.  I am not scared of God.  I do not cower in fear at the thought of God's power.  

The people had turned from God.  They had rejected him and cast him aside.  Nothing they did would stand up against God.  

How wonderful to know that God is all-powerful, and with him on our side, nothing can stand against us.

Thurs Devo: Second Chances

After Moses pointed out to Korah his “never enough” attitude and his rebellion against God’s plan, do you think Korah repented?

Korah didn’t repent, but it appears one of his ring leaders, a man named On, did. On was mentioned in Numbers 16:1 as joining Korah in his opposition against Moses (Numbers 16:1-2a “Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent ² and rose up against Moses.”). However, it appears On may have repented because he isn’t mentioned as one of the ones who suffered the consequences for the rebellion.

Numbers 16:23-27  ²³ Then the Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.

On got a second chance. So did those that might have been thinking about siding with Korah. They were given a warning to stay back. Plus, even Korah, Dathan and Abiram were given several opportunities to recognize their sin and repent (read all of Numbers 16).

God is the Judge. He does punish sin, but He is also quick to forgive and extend grace and mercy when we sincerely repent.

When God or someone else points out a sin in your and my life, how do we respond? Do we acknowledge it, confess it and ask for God’s help to love Him more fully by not sinning? Or, do we continue in the sin, justifying it to ourselves and others? Will you and I take God’s gift of second chances? Let’s also think of and thank God for the second chances He has given to us in the past! 

Next week we will find out what happens to those who didn’t take the opportunity for a second chance and stubbornly continued in rebellion…

Alice

Separate But Same

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held ba ck and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.  Romans 3:22-26

All people are made for good.  Yes, there is a lot of evil in the world, and many people who would do harm make up a part of it.  However if we are all made in the image of our creator, we are inherently not bad.  Nonbelievers often think we as Christians see ourselves as good and others as evil.  The argument sounds something like, “You think you are better than others,” or, “I can never live to the standard of your God.”  I know this because just over a decade ago, I was one of those in that crowd.  Even more ironic, I am now one who hears it not just from nonbelievers but also believers.  Why?  Is it because we pray and display our faith openly?  Is it that we choose to believe in something that others cannot understand?  Actually, I believe the only question that is relevant to the discussion is what is the difference between them and us?  The answer is simple.  Just God.

Our relationships with others both Christian and non-Christian must start with the fundamental truth that we all fall short of God’s glory.  Today’s verses are maybe the most important to our relationships with others because it makes a bold statement.  The only difference between worldly people and followers of God is our faith.  We are no better nor worse.  We are just as unworthy of God’s grace as anyone else.  Our doing good is no better than anyone who does less than us.  So why make the effort to serve Him?  Why invest in God by which we stand to gain nothing from the world?  Quite simply, it is because we feel true grace through Jesus Christ.  The selfless act by Jesus covered all sins, and our actions are fruits of the Spirit showing how God declares us “to be right in His sight.” We are reborn through Christ, and should others accept Christ into their hearts, they can feel the true grace of God as well.

We are from this world, but we are not of this world.  Jesus Christ died on the cross for all sins; past, present, and future.  Thus our lives have become opportunities to show the world what God can do for them.  Let us commit to showing them the light of God such that no matter where they are in life, the God who saved us is indeed theirs as well.  How can you see nonbelievers as future children of God?  Will you lower yourself to lift someone else up to Christ?  My prayer is that we recognize others may be separate from us but they can one day be with us through Christ.   Amen.

Tues Devo: My responsibility

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 “Consider the work of God, for who is able to straighten what He has bent? In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider – God has made the one as well as the other so that man will no discover anything that will be after him.” (NASB)

Hello,

It is really easy to take a good and bad day, thank God for the good one and blame satan for the bad. While many bad things do come from satan, I think we have to be careful where we put our focus. Are we focused on just blame, or are we focused on our response and responsibility no matter if things are good or bad? Remember, God is still in control and has the ultimate power. We are simply accountable for how we respond.

In that response we will find a deeper walk with God, and be able to experience His true joy that is founded on His strength, His love, His faithfulness.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

Fix your eyes on Jesus

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

This weekend I watched my oldest niece graduate from High School.  She reminded me so much of myself.  She was certainly one to live as she believed and not go with the flow that is often pushed on a young lady her age.  She didn’t have many friends and worked hard at school, in choir and as a Lansing Police Department Explorer.  Furthermore, she was active at her church and the youth group.  She will be a student this fall at Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing as well.

I truly believe that she lives as we are instructed to do so here in Hebrews 12, she throws off everything that hinders her and the sin that could so easily entangle and she runs with perseverance the race that has been marked out for her. 

I see the woman of God that she is becoming and I pray that in addition to the way her parents have raised her, that maybe, just maybe, I too have been an influence on her in some small way.  I pray that I am running the race set out for me the way that Christ would want me to. 

Who sees your race and says that you have your eyes fixed on Jesus as you are running?