The Best Wingman

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?  We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”  Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Luke 23:39-43

The wingman.  One of my favorite movies was ‘Top Gun,’ which is a movie about fighter planes.  In the movie, there is a reference to the expression called ‘the wingman.’  The role of the wingman is quite important.  They were there to help or intercede in case the other person was engaged in fighting with one plane and an enemy plane would come in.  The wingman could thus either prevent trouble that might erupt or ensure success if it was in jeopardy.  That person was on your side, and when you went into a situation where danger lurked or something required you to have a backup, they were with you.  Now if you’re someone on the dating scene, the term ‘wingman’ may mean something different, but it amounts to a similar role.  In thinking about this spiritually, I asked myself, “Could one say that Jesus might very well be a wingman?”  Maybe.  In fact, might He be the greatest wingman ever?  Then answer is quite simply … yes!

Jesus is the best wingman we can ever have.  In today’s verses, let’s focus on the plight of the man on the cross accepting guilt.  Here he is.  Humbled.  Admitting of guilt.  Rightfully punished.  Understanding that, he could very well have been like the other man scoffing at Jesus and looked to blame someone else for the things he ultimately was responsible for.  But instead, he accepted responsibility for his crimes, and only asked that Jesus remember him when His Kingdom would come.  The reason why these verses are such a favorite of mine is because it should be very easy to see whose story this is.  It is mine, and for many of you, it’s yours too.  Broken.  Saddled with guilt.  Feeling unworthy.  That is where I was when I looked and said, “I am not deserving of such grace, but maybe what I have learned can be of use to someone so that they may learn how wonderful God is.”  And Jesus answered much like He did to the humbled man on the cross.  “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise,” He said.  Here is the thing.  This is not just a story about coming to Christ.  It’s about having the assurance that the one true living God is always there.  Watching.  Protecting.  Providing.  Loving.  There is no danger we can’t go into, and He is there to intercede when trouble is present.  That’s ‘wingman’ type stuff!

It is so good to know God is ours and we are His.  The first time I ever spoke on these verses, I spoke of the man being Jesus’ right hand man.  Well I was right, and I was wrong.  I was right that he understood Christ was the leader and he was the supporting cast looking to do right by Him.  Where I was wrong was that in our lives, Jesus is our right-hand man.  He makes all things possible, and though we are not perfect, we are made perfect through Him.  You might argue that Jesus is the leader of your life, and you would be right.  But God can’t lead unless we allow Him to.  We must want that, and while God has the script, the book of our lives is … well … ours.  Even Mercutio had a story in Romeo and Juliet.  Let us own our story being God’s humble servants and trusting He will be there for us.  How can you change your scoffing toward being more accountable for your life?  How can you better humble yourself before God in your confessions?  I pray we lead a life as Jesus would want us to knowing He is always there as our ‘wingman.’  Amen.

Forgiven

I’m sure each of us can honestly say that we have judged something or someone on an outward appearance at one point or another.  It may not even have been intentional.    The Pharisees were no different.  In Luke 7 we see this happening.  Jesus on the other hand, did not judge this sinful woman that washed his feet with her tears.

Luke 7:44-47

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

The Pharisees were had judged the woman and felt that she was not worthy of being in the presence of Jesus.  Yet Jesus put them in their place, telling them that she had been forgiven. 

Each of us have been forgiven in a big way, therefore we should also show love to others in a big way.

Living Hope

“Blessed be the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ, who

according to His abundant mercy

has begotten us again to a living

hope through the resurrection of

Jesus Christ from the dead.”

     1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

As we get ready to celebrate the joyous resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, I read some disturbing news.  “Only 46 percent of self-identified British Christians believe Jesus died on the cross to save them from their sins, a new poll has found” (from a 4/15/19 article in Christian Today).  It's likely there are similar numbers among U.S. Christians.  How can someone profess to be a Christian if they don’t believe this central tenet of the faith?  I'm afraid this shows how people can be lost and not even know it.  That’s the state I was in. 

Jesus died to pay the penalty for all sinners, but we have to accept that gift personally in order to receive the promise of eternal life.  I didn't realize that even though I spent most of my growing up and adult years in mainline churches, and thought I was saved; yet my heart was not converted.  If we think we're basically good people in ourselves, we have no need for a Savior.  But when the Lord graciously opened my eyes, I saw my sinful self and the punishment that I deserved.  Then I could truly appreciate that Jesus died as payment for my sins!  By grace, through faith, He became my Savior and I was born again, hallelujah!

Do you believe Jesus died for your sins?  Have you trusted in Christ and Christ alone for your salvation?  Do you believe that Jesus was raised from the dead and is alive today?  Have you been born again?  If so, rejoice in the blessed and living hope that we have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ!  If not, please don’t delay---accept this wonderful gift today so you too can know that your sins are forgiven and you are heaven-bound!

Thursday Devotional - Calm versus Nervous

As we look forward to celebrating Easter this Sunday, we can take some time to remember all Jesus endured leading up to His death and resurrection.
Tonight would have been the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested.
Matthew 26:47-56     
 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 
⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. ⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
What do you notice about Jesus during this whole interaction?
What do you notice about everyone else?
I see a very calm and confident Jesus who is sure of God's Sovereign power and plan.
I see very nervous priests and disciples who are trying to control situations with their own wisdom and strength.
Who are you and I like?
Are we more like calm and confident Jesus, who trusts completely in God?
Or are we more like the others who are trying to control situations in our own wisdom and strength?
Join me in thanking Jesus for calmly enduring all of this for your sake and mine!


Alice

Representing Versus Idolizing

So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.  You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ?  1 Corinthians 10:14-16

I wear a charm of a gold cross around my neck.  It is a symbol not to tell others that I am Christian.  It is a reminder to me of my commitment to Christ.  I have worn it now for nearly fifteen years, which is when I first was born again.  Every so often, I will look in the mirror and stare at it.  The design of it is simply beautiful, but it is not relevant.  It is but a symbol.  Not an idol.

Many on this holy week are deeply saddened by the burning of the church of Notre Dame.  Others are equally distraught by the burning of African American churches by a man in Louisiana.  Both are indeed tragic, but I had to ask myself.  What really matters?  Does a church burning in one place bare less significance than another?  How would God view these?  It has nothing to do with who goes to which church.  It has everything to do with people being displaced from the place where they praised God.  I must remember that the buildings are symbols of God, but they are not God.  That’s how you know whether your heart represents Him and not an idol of His.

We must focus on our heart with God to be able to discern a symbol from an idol.  There are many verses that speak about God disliking our worship of false idols.  In today’s verses, it speaks of something that is very easy to fall into the trap of symbolism becoming idolization.  When we say grace at meal time, do we think of it as sacred time to give thanks to God or just a ritual before we eat?  My wife and me push our children to say grace.  Even our grandchildren including the little ones say it.  It’s not because they are at the point where they have this deep relationship with Christ.  Instead, it is preparing them so when they ultimately make the decision to follow Him, they will go to Him with their hearts open and body filled with His spirit.  A pastor did something that really helped me make it more intimate than ritualistic.  In saying grace, he would pray for those who helped prepare the meal.  Whether it be my wife at home, family members at an outing, members at church, or the people at the local restaurant, it forces me to focus on those around me as a reminder that it is never about me.  It’s always about God and my neighbors.  This is how it became a symbol of my faith instead of a ritual of just words.  This is not to say everyone needs to change how they say grace.  What it says is we are to always check our faith meter whenever we do something.  Whether saying grace at the table, worshiping at church, or reading God’s word, we must always ensure we are understanding its intent and not just ‘going through the motions.’

There is a clear distinction between the relationship with and the things that represent God.  As we focus on Easter, we must remember to reflect on the love Jesus Christ had for us on the cross.  Not that He just died there for us.  Remember He rose to glory to show us a pathway to a relationship with Him.  Not that He just overcame death for our sins.  Our goal is to make clear our relationship with God has meaning and is not just saving grace for if the distinction seems blurry, we may very well have fallen out of the love for God and ventured into the love of those things that represent Him.  Jesus said, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”  We can appreciate the structure for its beauty.  Let’s not lose sight of what the church really is; the parishioners.  What aspect of your life needs an awakening?  How can you better distinguish between something representing God vs. it becoming God?  My prayer is that in all we do, we focus on representing Him and not idolizing the things of Him.  Amen.

Submitting to authority

Tax Day! 

Today is a busy day for a lot of people in our industry.  As individuals within the United States, today means something to all of us that must file taxes.  While everyone has an opinion on taxes, the reality of it is that this is something from as far back as the Bible.

Romans 13:1-7

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.  For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.  Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

While we have authorities that we must answer to here on earth, ultimately our authority is God.  Just as we have laws that we must follow in our lives, so is true about our spiritual lives.  Have you submitted yourself to the authority of God today? 

Heart's Desire

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.”

     Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV)

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell

in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He

shall give you the desires of your heart."

    Psalm 37:3-4 (NKJV)

My neighbor has an ornament on her front door that says “Listen to your heart.” That’s a popular notion in today’s culture---follow what your heart wants and you’ll be happy.  But the Bible says that our hearts are “deceitful above all things” and “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:7).  So if we let our hearts with its fleshly desires guide us, we will not be on the right path.

That’s why we’re encouraged us to ask God to examine our hearts, thoughts and lives.  That would be scary to those who don’t know the character of God, who don’t know Him as Savior and Lord. As a believer, I don’t want to have anything wicked within me that I haven’t acknowledged to God, so I ask His help in searching me.  I want to be an open book before Him, to keep short accounts with Him, to know that I’ve confessed and been forgiven of all my sins, every day.

I also want Him to lead me rather than my own instincts and desires.  Although God promises to give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4), that doesn’t mean our fleshly desires will be granted.  Instead, that promise is premised on certain conditions—if we delight ourselves in the Lord, if commit our way to the Lord and if we trust Him, then we will desire His will and that heart desire will be granted.

I pray that your heart’s desire is to be in the center of God’s will, and that you allow Him to search you and lead you in His way.

Thursday Devotional - Truth in 30 Seconds?

I know God can use anything and anyone and can use a brief statement someone says, but it still amazes me every time I see Him do it!

A couple weeks ago my sister, Jane, was playing piano for one of her weekly church services. After a pre-service rehearsal, one of the other musicians told Jane her cousin was dying. She mentioned that he was of a different religion, but she knew he was going to heaven because he was a good person. Jane expressed sympathy to the lady and then God brought to mind John 14:6. So, in the 30 seconds Jane had before she needed to start playing, she said “Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.”

Well, after the service, the lady came back up to Jane and said she was stewing over that verse the entire service. They got to chat further about God’s truths. Jane mentioned several other truths from Romans. She mentioned how Christianity is the only “religion” where we don’t have to “do” anything. Being good doesn’t get us to heaven. They talked for a while and Jane reassured her she would be praying for her and the relative (and Jane told several of us so we could be praying, too).

We were saddened this lady (involved in church) was confused by the lies of the world and our culture and didn’t believe God’s truths and promises from His Word. This lady was bothered the Bible states Jesus is the only way, but God used that to prick her. In fact, this past weekend, she came back to tell Jane that last week she clearly saw first-hand that not all “gods” are the same. Jesus is truly the only way and she heard Jesus telling her all week “I am the way!”

Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Praise God!!! Jesus is the only way to have access to and a relationship with God the Father (and eternal life in heaven after death)! He revealed and confirmed that truth to this lady! God is amazing! He can use just one phrase from His Word to help, convict, encourage and instruct!  

Let’s pray for God’s help to recognize and take even the 30 second opportunities He gives us to speak His truths. He’s the one that can multiply it for His glory!

I Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

Alice

Worry

First off, I apologize to every one of you!  I failed to send a devotion last week as I was on vacation, WITHOUT my computer!!  And forgot to preschedule the devotion.  I am sorry.

Worry is something that many people are consumed by.  It can cause anxiety and depression.  Even my 6-year-old son can easily become consumed by worry.  Some worry about what they will eat or wear, others worry about getting home projects or work projects completed, and still others worry about what someone thinks of them.  If we are honest with ourselves, we have all spent time worrying and a lot of times, it’s worrying about something that will never happen.  I know that I have. 

Why though?  We are clearly told not to worry, that God will take care of us. 

Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Are you consumed in worry today?  I encourage you to take it to God.  Lay it at his feet.  Show him that you have faith that he will take care of whatever it is that you are worried about.  Then watch.  Watch as he provides for your needs.  Maybe you won’t get all the answers you are wanting, but you will get everything that you need.  He will provide for all of your needs.  Trust him today to care for your needs, even the ones that you think are too small to bother him with.  He cares for you!

Thrice Holy

“I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,

high and lifted up, and the train of

His robe filled the temple. Above it

stood seraphim; each one had six

wings: with two he covered his face,

with two he covered his feet, and

with two he flew. And one cried to

another and said:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of His glory.’”

     Isaiah 6:1-3 (NKJV)

“But as He who called you is holy,

you also be holy in all your conduct,

because it is written, ‘Be holy, for

I am holy.’”

     1 Peter 1:16 (NKJV)

Our God is holy---righteous, perfect in every way.  He is totally pure and exalted. He is “Holy, holy, holy” as Isaiah declares in the above passage and John records in Revelation 4:8.  Yet, as believers, we are called to be holy as God is holy.  Of course, we can’t and aren’t expected to achieve holiness on our own; it only comes about through the power of the Holy Spirit and our Lord’s sanctifying work in us. Still, we must desire it and have a responsibility to pursue holiness in our lives.

Peter exhorts us to be holy in our conduct and there are a number of conduct areas where we can begin to put this in practice:  honesty (refraining from even “white” lies, stealing, deceit), purity (no immorality in thought, word or deed) and peacefulness (lack of bitterness, anger or strife).  These virtues are no longer valued much in our culture today, but as Christians, we are not to be conformed to the world around us. We are called to be consecrated, set apart for God's use. We may need to make a covenant with our eyes (and our mouths), as Job did; or flee from temptation, as Joseph did; or resolve to put away the things that might defile and distract us, as Daniel did.  Being sensitive and responsive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction will help in our quest for self-control and discipline in these areas.  Reminding ourselves of this vision of a thrice Holy God will also help us refrain from un-holy conduct.

Paul also extols believers to be holy:  “Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinth. 7:1, NKJV)  The holiness of God should inspire reverence of Him in our hearts and our conduct.  I’m afraid that we are often too familiar in our attitude towards God.  We are able to come into His presence only because our sins have been covered by the blood of Jesus and we are clothed in His righteousness.  Because of that truth, we  should come before Him with humility and gratitude, as well as a healthy fear of God.  And that respect and reverential awe will help us cultivate holiness in our lives.

I encourage you to take a moment to contemplate our great God, high and lifted up on His throne. . .He who is holy, holy, holy!  Seeing Him that way will help keep us from low living, from compromise that hinders us from being the holy vessels He wants to use.