Whoever Takes the Son, Gets it All

“Now if we are children then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory” (Romans 8:17)
A wealthy husband and wife traveled around the world collecting costly works of art. Their home was filled with the finest sculptures and paintings. In time, the wife passed away, and their son grew up, joined the military, and went off to war. One day, a knock at the door brought the terrible news that his son had been killed in battle. The man shut himself away, alone in the house with all his valuable treasures. Soon, a friend of his son from the military came with a brown-paper-wrapped package – a portrait he had painted of his son shortly before he was killed. The father thanked the friend and placed the painting of his beloved son beside his bed.
When he died, his estate announced a great auction, and the most important art collectors and dealers from around the world came. The auctioneer gaveled the auction open and displayed the first painting – the simple portrait of the man’s son. The auctioneer asked for a bid. No one said a word. He asked again, who will bid on this portrait? As he lowered the price, he finally said, “Who will give me just $25 for this painting?” No one moved. They weren’t there for sentimentality; they were there for the great sculptures and beautiful works of art. Finally, one man in the back raised his hand, “I didn’t come here to buy anything, I just wanted to watch, but I’ll take the painting for $25.”
“Going once, going twice, sold to the gentleman in the back for $25.”
Then the auctioneer rapped the gavel on his stand and announced, “The auction is now closed.”
“Closed! There’s a whole house full of treasures to be sold.”
The auctioneer said, “The owner’s will states that only one painting would be sold – the painting of his beloved son. Whoever takes the son gets it all.”
God sent His beloved Son to redeem lost souls. He said that whoever believed in His Son would become His child and would have rights to all He owns – heaven and earth and all the universe and eternal life. The Son is the Way to all the treasures of God. Actually, the Son is the greatest treasure of God. All those riches can be yours if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. It’s an incredible offer – you trade your sinful life for the glory of Christ. Don’t pass it up, Beloved.
Whoever takes the Son gets it all.

God of the Nobodies

Of course, I love the stories of the great men and women of the Bible; their accounts are tremendous reminders of our mighty, awesome, all-powerful God. All through the Bible, we see facets of God’s character in His interaction with His people. Even in their human failures and frailties, we find God doing the most extraordinary things. And who among us doesn’t experience failures and frailties? We are drawn to the stories of Moses, Joshua, Abraham, David, Daniel, and the Disciples. But I find myself most attracted to the nobodies of the Bible, the ones who are easily dismissed and overlooked. Maybe because I identify with them.
Hagar was a nobody in the Middle-Eastern culture of her day, a slave with no rights of her own; she was subservient to her mistress and pregnant with her master’s child, at Sarai’s insistence. She had no social, legal, or financial standing. And because she had been mistreated by Sarai, she was on the run and on her own in a barren desert. Who would care about a pregnant slave girl? God did.
He came to her in the wilderness and asked her: “Where have you come from and where are you going” (Genesis 16:8). She could only answer the first part of His question, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.” She had no idea where she was going. But Somebody did.
Maybe you can relate to Hagar. You believe you are nobody special, stuck in a hard place, afraid and alone and unnoticed. You have nothing of real value to offer in return for rescue, and you have no clue where to go from here. So you sit down in the desert and cry.
Let’s look back at Hagar. God heard her cries in the wilderness, and He came to her. He gave to her unborn son the name Ishmael – “God hears.” He saw her in her hard situation – she gave Him the name “El-roi” – the One who sees me.” God’s ear was attuned to her, and His eye was upon her.
This is your story too. God cares about you. He hears your cries; He sees your struggles. You have nothing to offer Him, but He cares about you nonetheless. My friend, look up from your despair. Listen for the voice of the One who hears your heart. Look for the hand of the One whose eye is upon you. Fear not, God is here for you – yes, Beloved, even you.

Saints and Sinners

“If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13
I hope this doesn’t shock you, but I am both a saint and a sinner. Some days I do the right things, and some days I don’t. Some days I take the way of holiness, and some days I sit in sin like a happy pig in a mud hole.
I am so grateful to know that when I fail in my efforts to be faithful to God, He will still be faithful to me. I know I’m not the only one who needs to hear that today.. Paul offered us this assurance – “Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! (Romans 3:3)” That is good news to those of us who stumble and fall. God’s faithfulness is based on who He is, not on anything we do or don’t do. You cannot be so perfect in your Christian walk to encourage His faithfulness, nor can you be so imperfect to cause Him to abandon you to your sin.
Satan would have us believe that God will write us off because of our human failings or that we have to beg and grovel for His forgiveness, but that is far from the truth of God’s heart. He is more than willing to forgive us of our sins and restore us to wholeness. 1 John 1:9 assures us that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Listen to His beautiful promise from Hebrews 8:12 – “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Does that sound like He pardons begrudgingly? Let your heart sing with the Psalmists who wrote: “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps 103:10). “If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness” (Ps 130:3-4). O, hallelujah – we have a merciful, gracious God who never holds his troubled people at arm’s length.
He said to the children of Israel, “The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other people, for you were the fewest of all people. But it was because the Lord loved you…” (Dt 7:7). God did not choose you because you will always walk in perfection, never fail, never falter, and never need to bother Him for forgiveness. Beloved, He is drawn to you because He loves you, mud and all.

Welcome Home

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Several years ago, when everything in our lives fell apart, we had to find a place to live back in our hometown. We drove around for days looking at apartments, houses, mobile homes – any place we could land. We even approached family to see if we could bunk with them for a spell while we searched. But then we found this house, and I knew I was “home.” We’ve been here ever since, and I still love living here. I’m so grateful for a good landlord, too. When I drive around town and see houses for sale or rent, I don’t give them a second thought because I am happily settled where I am.
In John 15:1-11, Jesus told His disciples that He is the Vine, and they (looking ahead – we) are the branches. Branches must stay connected to the vine to live and to produce good fruit, which is the mark of the believer. The word Jesus used – meno means to “remain” or “abide. He used it three times in this passage: “remain in me, [let] my words remain in you,” and “remain in my love” v. 9). The word gives the idea of being settled – like we are here in this house.
Jesus wants us to “settle down” with Him; to find our forever home with and in Him. He wants us to dismiss all other options and opinions because we are happily abiding in Him, curled up on the couch, drinking in His Words, wrapped in the warm quilt of His love. Storms may rage outside the walls, but we are not anxious. We are secure, safe, and confident in our dwelling place. We are at home.
A little side note, if you will: this does not mean that we sit on that couch like a vegetable, never growing, never moving, and never serving. A slug is not a healthy Christian. As vibrant Christ followers, we “live and move and have our being in Him.” (Acts 17:28),
Beloved, do you long for this kind of peace and contentment? Are you weary of the storm and the confusion of the world? The Master of this house will never turn you away. Come home to God through Jesus Christ. The door is open for you

The Command of Love

It is very compelling to me that in all the Gospels, there is only one time that Jesus declared a commandment: “This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:17). A command means it’s not up for debate. What the Lord commands, He rightfully expects us to obey. Ah, but we do debate it, don’t we? We question, “Who are the ‘others’?” “Did Jesus just mean fellow Christians?” “Did He mean everyone everywhere?” “And what did He mean by ‘love’?” We are much like the lawyer who asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” And Jesus told Him the story of the Good Samaritan. You know this parable from Luke 10: 25-37.
A man was beaten and robbed and left for dead on the side of the road, where two very religious men passed him by on the way to do their religious duties. But a Samaritan, whom the Jews despised, stopped and helped the man, took him to an inn, and paid for his care. When the lawyer asked the question, “Who is my neighbor?” he wanted to know whom he was “required” to love. Jesus turned his question around by defining the neighbor as the one who gave love, not the one who received it. The one giving love is living out the second great commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18).
There’s just one problem: God doesn’t allow us to pick and choose our neighbors. He commands us to love the person He places in front of us. Sometimes that’s a hard love because they are prickly and unpleasant and downright hateful. They take and never give. They growl and complain. I bet someone’s face just popped into your mind. Mine too. Does that mean we are excused from the love command? I think those are the very ones Jesus intended.
Several years ago, I read a statement that has stuck with me ever since: “Don’t be afraid to be the one who loves the most.” I think sometimes we withhold love because we are afraid we will be “cheated” – giving more love than we receive. But the very act of loving others fills the one who gives it all away. Here’s how John said it: “If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us” (1 Jn 4:12). Beloved, the more love you give away, the more of God’s love you have to give. Love one another – all the others – the way Jesus loves you (John 15:12).

Make Every Minute Count

Asaph, a temple worship leader, declared, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25). That reminds me of Peter’s testimony: “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). I don’t know about you, but these are very convicting to me – especially in regards to the time I spend online and on social media. Yeah, we might want to grab our steel-toed boots.
If I can truly say that earth has nothing I desire above God, and that Jesus alone has the words of eternal life, then why do I spend so much time on Facebook? Why do I listen to the opinions of others rather than listening to the only words that matter? And why does my quiet time get derailed by emails and news and checking my bank account?
So I asked the Lord, “Have I forsaken my first love?” In Revelation, Jesus spoke to the church in Ephesus (2:1-7), commending them for their perseverance, endurance, rejection of wickedness, and false apostles. But He also chastised them for “forsaking their first love” (v. 4). He said, “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Remember the things you did at first” (v. 5). I remembered the days before the internet was part of my daily life. I would spend long stretches of time studying God’s Word and writing – prayers, devotions, and lessons. I would spend days chewing on one passage or theme in Scripture. Those are the “things I did at first.” Granted, a lot more has changed in my life: work, school, my granddaughter, and age and health challenges, but those legitimate things should make me all the more determined to make every minute count.
Still, social media is a ministry platform, a way to speak life and truth and encouragement to others – to you. I believe God has called me to this. But it should not take away from Him. I must allow the Holy Spirit to work the fruit of self-control in me.
Beloved, who gets more of your precious minutes – God or a hand-held device? (Yes, I know, you’re probably reading this on your phone.) If your toes are throbbing, remember I warned you to put your boots on. Let’s make Moses’ words our prayer today: “Lord, teach us to number [our] minutes aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90:12). What will you do to make every minute count?

The Rule of Peace

We live in a world filled with turmoil. There is unrest and violence in our nation, our workplaces, schools, and churches; there seems to be no safe place to go anymore. Even our homes are rocked by discord and anger. Many live under an oppressive blanket of anxiety, hate, and fear. What happened to “love thy neighbor”? We long for peace, but it seems to be hiding from us, scared to come out into the open.
Yet, the Bible says that peace is possible, but not the world’s version of peace. This peace is God’s peace in our hearts, and it might just cause a ripple of peace in our homes, workplaces, schools, communities, and nation.
Colossians 3:15 tells us to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,” meaning to make the call – “let the peace of Christ [be an umpire] in your hearts.” My husband used to umpire for Little League baseball, and it was up to him to decide if a pitch was a ball or strike, a hit was fair or foul, or if a player was out or safe. Whatever he decided stood. Coaches argued his calls at times, but his decision was the final word. When the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, we take His determination, through His Word and His Spirit, as the final word on our situation.
He said, “Do not worry… your Father knows what you need” (Matt 6:25-34), so we rest our anxious hearts and trust in His faithfulness. He said, “Rejoice and be glad” when you face persecution Matt 5:11-12), so we receive the suffering of Christ with Joy. He said “Love your neighbor” (Matt 22:39), and your enemy (Matt 5:44), so we let the love of God love through us (1 Jn 4:19). He said “Ask, seek, knock,” and then trust Him to give (Matt 7:7-11), so we present our petitions and wait for His answer. He said, “turn the other cheek, give more than is asked of you, and go the extra mile” (Matt 5: 38-42), and so we set aside our “rights” and take up the humble nature of a servant (Phil 2:6-8). He said, “I will love you with an everlasting love” (Ps 103:17), and so we take Him at His Word.
When the peace of Christ rules and reigns in your heart and mine, there is peace on the inside and peace on the outside that affects our homes, our nations, and our world. Beloved, will you let the peace of Christ be the rule in your heart? Who knows how far the ripples may go?

Be an Overcomer

“If the enemy can convince us we are still dirty, he can likely go on to convince us to do dirty things,” from my dear friend, Laura Nusbaum (oh, how I miss her!)
How many times has that proven true in your life? Yep, I’ve fallen for his scheme often. “Do you remember when you . . .? You know you still want it. You know that desire is still in you. You know that is still who you are.” And he is partially right. My sin nature is still alive and kicking inside me.
In his letters, Paul was very outspoken about sin and pointed a finger wherever he saw it. But he also pointed a finger back at himself. He frequently admitted his own failure to walk the walk of which he talked. In Romans 7, he lamented this continual push-and-pull of righteousness vs. sin. “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (v. 15). “The evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing” (v. 19). The sinful nature we inherited from Adam constantly “wages war” against our new nature in Christ (v. 23).
So, what do we do with that conflict? First, we stop focusing on ourselves. Read that again. We stop this constant self-examination that our culture loves. (Side bar: Our culture loves me, myself, and I; and the church has “bought into” it as well – especially in Christian music, books, podcasts, and merchandising of every kind. Let’s be honest – self-focus sells, and sells exceptionally well.) That’s a guarantee to keep stumbling. Instead, we follow Paul’s example and shift our focus upward. While he recognized and grieved over his own failure: “What a wretched man I am!” he also admitted his need for a savior: “Who will rescue me from the body of death?” Then he rejoiced in the goodness and faithfulness of God: “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (vv. 24-25).
Beloved, you and I are part of the fallen human race, and even though we have trusted in Christ as our Savior, we still fall to our sinful nature far more than we want to admit. Satan would have us languish there in self-hatred. But we are no longer under the sentence of condemnation (Romans 8:1). We have been rescued and redeemed. When we focus on Jesus Christ has done, we live more in the freedom of our new nature and less in the bondage of our sin. Yes, you and I will still stumble – but thanks be to God – through Christ Jesus our Lord!

Refreshment for Your Soul

David and his men returned home to Ziklag after a three-day trek to find the Amalekites had raided the region, burned their homes, and taken their families captive. They did what you and I would do: “David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep” (1 Sam 30:4). Ever been there? I know I have. But after the weeping, he did something else, “David found strength in the Lord his God” (v. 6).
One recent morning, as I started to pray. I began with my usual greeting: “Holy Father,” and that was all I got out. Some days that’s about all I can muster – just to call His name.
Because I’m weary.
Because I’m overwhelmed.
Because I don’t know what to do.
Because I don’t see any way out of my circumstances.
Then I remembered David and I determined to follow his good example.
Because the Lord said, “Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
Because the Scripture says: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7).
Because He promised: “Whether you turn to the right or to the lift, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Is 30:21).
Because He acts on behalf of his people: “The Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and . . . the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground” (Ex. 14:21,22).
Just like David, I found strength in the Lord my God. His Word refreshed me and encouraged me. The Scriptures remind me of His unfailing, never-ending, always faithful love. His promises give me hope.
Oh, on another note: on those days when His Name is all I can express, His Name is enough. His Name is great and calls out His power and sovereignty. When He hears even the slightest whisper of His Name on the lips of His child, He comes running, like the father ran to his prodigal son.
Beloved, what has you weary this morning? Grief? Despair? What is overwhelming you? Needs? People? Are you at a loss to know what to do? Do you feel like there’s no way out of your circumstances? There is strength and encouragement and peace in the Word of God. From Genesis to Revelation, you will find hope to refresh your soul and Joy to fill your heart. Call on His Name – even if that is all you can muster. God has a Word for you today.

From Everlasting to Everlasting . . .

When I was a child, I always feared the concept of eternity – that we would exist forever and ever without end. Everything has to end sometime, I reasoned. It still unnerves me a little today. I cannot wrap my finite mind around it. I guess I will just have to trust eternity into the hands of God.
Moses wrote Psalm 90, in which he said, “Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God” (Ps 90:2). God existed before anything else came to be. In fact, there was never a time when He didn’t exist. He didn’t just pop up on the scene and start creating. He had no beginning, and He has no end. He was and is and will always be.
And get this: God knew before the creation of the world that you would sin. He knew the only hope for you was to send a savior. He knew that His only Son would have to die so that you could live forever with Him. God designed the redemption of humanity before He ever turned the lights on. John wrote about “the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).
He knew that those perfect hands and feet would be nailed to a wooden cross. He knew His innocent Son would suffer horrific agony. He knew He would have to turn away from His Beloved in His final moments. He knew the demons of hell would rejoice as the sight of Jesus’ bloody, battered, lifeless body. He knew all this, but He sent Jesus anyway. He set Pilate on the judge’s seat to order Jesus’ death. He created the raw elements that would become nails in His hands and feet. He grew the vines that were twisted into the crown of thorns that would pierce that precious head. He even planted a seed in the earth and sent the rain to nurture it and the sun to make it reach toward the heavens – a seed that would grow into a tree that would be turned into a cross. The cross on which His Son would die to save you from your sins.
No, this was not a knee-jerk reaction to man’s sin. It was the plan of the ages. Why? Because He loves you.