1 John 2:23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  The time will come when sharing the gospel will cost our lives. Right now, however, it only embarrasses us to admit Who we are committed to serving. The average person around us in the secular world we live in no longer believes in a God Who created the universe or sent His Son to die for us. They feel that is a fairy tale for the simple minded.
Standing for the One Who died for us shouldn’t be that difficult but it is. We have to take a stand for something and for so many years, that was politically incorrect. We are uncomfortable admitting we have a saving belief in the Lord. Now is the time to get into the habit of standing strong in Christ. We need not stand on the street corner with a big placard but we do need to stand for Him in our everyday conversation. When talking with friends, family, co-workers, we can speak what we believe with gentleness and honesty. I can remember a lady that I knew when I was little. She had a habit of coming on strong and ‘hitting us over the head with a 10-pound Scoffield Bible’. She gave no room for human failings and scared me to death. She lived her beliefs but her approach drove most away. I did, however, remember a lot of what she said. I believe she was one of the ones that planted that first seed of curiosity to learn more of the Lord. We don’t need to be ‘in their face’ but we do need to keep them in prayer. Joshua told us to choose ye this day Whom we will serve. After we choose, then stand firm in the love of our Savior. He loves us and stands before His Father interceding for us. The least we can do it to stand before man and proclaim His love for us.
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Psalm 19:1-4 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.  Throughout Psalms, David and the other authors have been amazed with what God has done for us. In Psalms 8, David asks, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” God amazes us with His love and compassion for a created being. He made the universe for His pleasure. He made man in His own image and gave us sovereignty over all the earth. He gave us free will to serve and worship Him or not. He gave us a love letter of 66 books that tells us of His love and patience. His sacrifice of His Son is beyond comprehension.
“When I consider Your heavens and the works of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of Him?” Why did God choose to create infinite beauty and variety for us? His love for us is the only conclusion I can arrive at. He sees us as the apple of His eye. He rejoices over us with singing. He created a heaven of such intense beauty we cannot begin to understand it. During the spring, I watch barren branches burst into beauty. The variety of shades of green are amazing. The promise of rebirth in nature around us builds in us a desire to get out and celebrate His designs. The summer weather encourages exploration and activity. The fall brings forth beauty in the fall foliage. It has been a long tradition of traveling just to see the splendor of His beauty. Even the cold of winter gives us such beauty in pristine white fields and the contrast of pure white snow and the deep green of evergreens. Who are we that God would go to all the effort to create for us such a display of His glory? He does it so that we can get some inkling of the depth of His love. When life is hard and we don’t understand why we must stand the challenges of painful events, these are the reminders that He is still in control and loves us in infinite ways. Romans 8:1, Hebrews 4:16 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.  We have been forgiven by the One Who created all things, the One who is the Redeemer, Savior, and Lord. No matter what we have done, what poor choices we made or the rebellion we pursued, God has chosen to forgive us. We cannot sin beyond His ability to forgive. As long as we truly and honestly repent, He is faithful and just to forgive.
Sometimes I wonder why He will forgive when I do the same dumb thing repeatedly. But He simply wants us to learn from our mistakes and move on. We tend to hold on to our past sins and hold them up as a banner, never seeking forgiveness or accepting it when we do seek it. We don’t believe that God is big enough or willing enough to forgive. We hold onto our guilt and refuse to forgive ourselves. Do we feel greater or wiser than our Savior? Do we think we know something He doesn’t? Psalms tells us that His ways are higher than our ways and that He knows our thoughts before we do. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and nothing is hidden from Him. Even with all our weaknesses and failures, His love for us is limitless. He loved us and paid for our sins while we were yet sinners. He paid the price on the cross for us. Our enemy, the devil, stands before Him condemning and accusing us. He tells Jesus, “Somebody has got to pay for their crimes.” Jesus replies with a smile, “Been there, done that.” Satan did his best to destroy our Redeemer but he was outsmarted by our God and King. He knows his time is short and his defeat is guaranteed so he is doing all he can to alienate us from God. One of his greatest weapons against us is the burden of unnecessary guilt that we carry. If he can make us concentrate on the past, we can't concentrate on the mission the Lord has set for us to accomplish. Therefore, let us come boldly before the throne and confess. He will forgive. He will accept us and He will welcome us with open arms. Just like the father of the prodigal son, He will run to us and dress us in the pure white robe of His bride. He loves us. |
AuthorPlease join us as we grow in Christ through our weekly devotions, written by Catherine Donaldson 
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