Jesus Cares About All of You

Several years ago I came home from work to discover that someone had broken into our apartment. What they took was of little value but the one thing they stole that really mattered was my peace of mind. The next day I told a coworker about our ordeal. He said, “Be grateful no one can steal your salvation.” Honestly, I was annoyed that he dismissed my feelings so flippantly – and so “spiritually.” Of course I was grateful that my salvation was eternally secure, but was my relationship with Jesus only good for the next life? What about the days when my heart is hurting, when my body aches, when my nerves are frazzled, and my load is heavy? Do I face those days and seasons on my own?
Let’s ask the widow of Nain whose only son had died. Jesus encountered his funeral procession and his broken-hearted mother. Luke said, “When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, “Don’t cry.” He was moved deeply by this mother’s pain and He touched her heart before He touched the son’s coffin and raised him from the dead (see Luke 7:11-17).
When a great crowd of people stayed and listened to Him teach for several days, He was concerned for them. He told His disciples, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” He miraculously stretched a few loaves and fishes to feed more than four thousand people. He cared about their souls, and their empty bellies (see Matthew 15:29-39).
What would the leper say whom Jesus not only healed, but touched with His own holy hand (Matt 8:1-4). Or the centurion who came to Jesus to beg for healing for his servant? The man was made well by Jesus’ spoken word (Matt 8:5-13). How about Peter’s mother-in-law and a house full of sick and demon-possessed people who received healing? Ask the sick little girl and the sick old woman – Jesus ministered to both of them (Mark 5:21-43). All through the Gospels, He healed the physically blind, sick, and lame, comforted the hurting and marginalized, and ministered to the spiritually unwell.
Beloved, Jesus cares about you – all of you – body, soul, and spirit. He came to redeem and restore and He came to heal and comfort. Trust me when I say you can trust Him with your life – now and forever.

It’s okay to have questions

Doubt can be dangerous for Christians. Doubt often causes us to distance ourselves from God. Distance leads to disobedience and soon our faith atrophies. God wants us to believe without wavering. But sometimes that’s hard. If anyone should have believed without wavering, it was John the Baptist. Even in the womb, Jesus’ cousin recognized the Lord, leaping at the sound of Mary’s voice (Luke 1: 41-45). John’s whole life was, “to prepare the way for the Lord” (Luke 3:4). He declared Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” How did he know? “The one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen, and I testify that this is the Son of God” (John 1:29-34).
Later John asked a big question, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Luke 7:20). What changed? John was in a prison cell after speaking out against the Roman king and his adulterous marriage. He had faithfully proclaimed the coming of God’s Kingdom. He had rebuked the religious elite and the irreligious royals. And rather than blessings, his efforts brought down wrath. He did what God asked of Him and the results were harsh. He would lose his head over it. Can you blame the poor fellow? Haven’t you and I questioned God for less?
With all that he knew, John – weary and discouraged – began to doubt. But Jesus didn’t chastise John. He pointed him back to the evidence. “What do you see, John?” “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor” (Luke 7:22). Look beyond your circumstances, John. You preached the coming of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 3:1). You spoke of my power (Mark 1: 7). Your own words are being fulfilled in Me. Then He added, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me” (Luke 7:23).
My questions made me search for answers. And those answers strengthened my faith. Ask your questions Beloved. He will not chastise you. He will give you answers that will ground and strengthen your faith. Jesus not only has the answers, He is the answer.

It’s okay to not be perfect

I never considered myself a perfectionist until I started back to school. Suddenly every assignment and every course had to be an “A.” The first B I got felt like a total failure. I expected to be perfect.

I find it interesting that while the Bible uses the word “perfect” just forty-two times, the word “good” appears more than six hundred times. After completing each day’s creative work, God examined what He had done and “saw that it was good.” In the original Hebrew, this means that God found His work “pleasing, favorable, and satisfactory.” Think about it – if God, at the zenith of His creative work, was content with “good” shouldn’t “good” be good enough for us?

There’s more: He promised a good land to the Israelites when they escaped Egyptian bondage (Ex 3:8). Jesus said the Father gives “good gifts” (Mat 7:11), He proclaimed the soil with the greatest harvest good (Luke 8:8) and Paul tells us to “overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21) – not perfection. Even the Gospel that saves us is called “the Good News” (Acts 5:42). Why then are we trying so hard to be perfect?

God didn’t saddle us with this obsession for perfection – it was the enemy who planted that impossible seed. But we have watered and nurtured it until it has become a weed of gigantic proportions and, as weeds so often do, it has choked the life out of us and the “good works” we were created to do (Ephesians 2:10). It’s his way of keeping us distracted, dissatisfied, frustrated – and fruitless. Perfectionism will drive us to the point of exhaustion as we push ourselves to reach for an unreachable standard. Or, on the flip side, it will leave us in a state of paralysis, fearful of even attempting anything because we know we’ll never measure up. I’ve been both – and it’s no way to live. You and I will never pull off perfection this side of heaven. And that’s okay.

Only God is perfect and making you perfect is His work alone, through the blood of Jesus and the power of the Spirit. But you won’t see the perfectly finished product until you stand before Him in heaven. So hang all your perfectionist tendencies on Him and be free from that burden you were never meant to carry. Beloved, being good is good enough.

A Church in Danger

Have you noticed that there is a lot of hero worship in Christendom? There are “rock-star” pastors with thousands of followers and Bible teachers who sell out auditoriums around the country. I’m not saying popularity in the church is wrong. Jesus had quite a crowd that followed Him and hung on His every word. Take the fellow in Luke 9: “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you where you go.’” (v. 57). He wanted to be part of Jesus’ entourage. But Jesus didn’t encourage this would-be fan. “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head” (v. 58). I believe Jesus was saying, “This is not going to be the high-life you’re expecting. I don’t have a multi-million-dollar mansion to put you up in. I walk hot, dusty roads and sleep where I can.”
What did you expect from Jesus when you chose to follow Him? A solution to all your problems? A good reputation in the community? A full life with heaven thrown in after it’s all over? Just a few verses before He said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (v. 23) Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and the cross. He might have also told the man, “Don’t hook your wagon to me unless you’re prepared to die.”
In case you haven’t noticed, there is a war going on between good and evil, between light and darkness. God’s people are the enemy of the present ruling authorities who are bent on the church’s destruction. If you choose Jesus, you need to know that you are also choosing self-denial, persecution, rejection, and suffering. That is what the Lord endured. Why should we expect any less?
I look at the modern church – particularly in the West – so comfortable in our air-conditioned sanctuaries. Where is the suffering? Where is the persecution? Where are self-denial and the cross? I’m pointing my finger at myself. I believe the enemy’s strategy against the church in the U.S. is not a full-on battle, but to make us relaxed and contented while he waters down our theology and sugarcoats our worship. Just before he hits us with an all-out assault.
I realize, Beloved, that this is not a warm and happy message. Take it as a warning. If our Christianity is comfortable, maybe we’re in more danger than we know.

You Clean up Good!

I wore hand-me-downs and homemade clothes most of my childhood – and there’s not a thing wrong with that. My older cousin had great taste and my mom was an excellent seamstress. But I remember well when I got to pick out a store-bought dress from Sears for Easter. It was pink organza with frilly lace and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever owned.

Recently I was part of a team of ladies who spoke at a women’s conference. It was a wonderful time and every woman who spoke or sang blessed me so much. A very fashionable friend from work made it her mission to dress me for the event and I had a grand time trying on pretty things to see what worked best. The outfit we settled on was stylish and comfortable.

I thought about that today when I read Zechariah 3. This was about sixteen years after the Hebrew people returned from Babylonian captivity. Zechariah saw a vision of Joshua the high priest standing before the Lord as satan poured out accusations against him. He had no defense for himself. He was “dressed in filthy clothes,” literally meaning rags soiled by excrement (v. 3). But the Lord commanded the angels to “Take off his filthy clothes,” and he told Joshua, “See I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you” (v. 4). He was dressed in the finest raiment reserved for the most special occasions like a wedding or royal invitation.

The prophet Isaiah said, “[The Lord] . . . has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness” (Is 61:10). Image it: Rags covered in human filth are stripped away and replaced by garments of salvation. He is given a robe of righteousness just like the father’s best robe that was given to his prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32). Just like the righteousness of Christ given in exchange for your sin and mine.

I’ve never been and will never be “fashionable” – I dress for comfort not style. But in heaven’s eyes, I am wearing garments that tell the angels that I am the daughter of the King. Maybe it’s time for you to let God dress you according to who you are. God’s beloved. Adorned in exquisite finery that even the best fashion houses on earth can’t create. Cut from the soft fabric of God’s grace and stitched together with threads of love. Oh my, don’t you look lovely?

The Journey of Faith

Three days. That’s all it took for the complaining to start. Three days from blessing to grumbling. Three days from rejoicing to grousing.
Three days before the Israelites had walked through walls of water and felt the dry ground beneath their feet. They sang and danced and rejoiced, proclaiming “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation; Who among the gods is like You, O Lord-majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” They sang of their trust in Him, “In your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed…You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance.” (Ref. Exodus 15:2, 11, 13, 17.)
And everything changed. They found themselves in a desert with no drinkable water. So they turned on their God-appointed leader and “grumbled against Moses, saying ‘What are we to drink?’” (Ex. 15:24). We might think, “Are these the same people that witnessed the power and might of the Lord?” Well, yes, actually they were. But they quickly forgot God’s faithfulness and goodness just three days before and complained about the circumstances of the moment. It is a pattern that shows up over and over again in their wilderness journey. And if you and I are honest, the same pattern shows up in our own lives as well. Why do we, like the Israelites, fail to trust the Lord who has proven Himself faithful again and again and again?
In a word: unbelief. The very same unbelief that demoralized the faith of the Hebrew nation undermines our faith and confidence in God today. The exodus from Egypt was the great expression of Yahweh’s love for the Israelites. The cross of Jesus Christ is God’s ultimate expression of love to you and me. Every day we are surrounded by reminders of His care and devotion to us His children. Yet still, when we are faced with a challenge, we grumble. Rather than trust God, we whine and complain. And God asks, as He asked of Israel, “How long will these people refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?” (Num. 14:11). Faith is not just a necessary for the journey; it is the journey.
Jesus once posed a question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). What would He find in you, Beloved, if He came today?

Promises, Promises

The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does” (Psalm 145:13).
Sarah and Rebekah, both have stories marked by the power of God. They both saw God move in wonderful and amazing ways, in impossible situations. Wouldn’t you think they, of all people, would trust God completely? Yet Sarah and Rebekah doubted God would keep His promises. Honest confession, so have I. God has made promises to me and circumstances made those promises seem impossible. I am as guilty as my ancient sisters of falling to a lack of faith. They manipulated people and things to “help” God. I have as well.
The Bible assures us that “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Charles Spurgeon says, “God keeps His promises before He makes them.” Think about that. When God makes a promise, it is as good as done no matter how the situation looks. God can be trusted to fulfill what He has promised.
Now think about what God has promised to you. Can you see the thing coming into reality right now? Probably not. Does that mean that God will fail to keep His promise? Absolutely not. It means you need to keep your eyes on Him and not on the circumstances. It means God is going to do something amazing before your eyes. In fact, the more impossible the situation looks, the bigger the miracle to bring it to fulfillment. And you don’t want to miss that do you?
Beloved, you and I do not have to doubt that God will keep His promises. We also don’t have to scheme and plot and manipulate to bring God’s promises to fruition. It is completely His job and He doesn’t need any help from us. Anything you and I may accomplish by our feeble actions will be empty and vain. Everything God does to accomplish His promises will be extraordinary and beyond our wildest expectations. I know this from His Word and from my own experience. When I stand aside in faith and let God be God, He blows my mind!
Our only response to God’s promises should be “May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38) as we wait – not in frustration and doubt – but in eager anticipation. God is faithful, Beloved. He will not fail you. He always keeps His Word.

Packing up Christmas

Christmas Day has come and gone and my living room looks like a toy store exploded all over the place, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So what now? Well, I’ll clean up the blast zone and pack away the lights and ornaments and we’ll finish off the last of the Christmas dinner leftovers. But, where does the Christmas spirit go for the next 11 months?
Where does Joy belong? Certainly not packed away until next year. Joy is a by-product of the indwelling Holy Spirit, not a Christmas decoration. And what of the peace the angels declared? According to Jesus, peace is His gift to me, something the world can’t offer (John 14:27). Joy and peace are not meant to sit in a box in the shed. They belong in my heart. Jesus said that His Joy cannot be taken [or packed] away (Jn 16:22). Paul said that peace is to always rule over me and my relationships (Col. 3:15).
There isn’t a box in my shed big enough for the Hope of Christ. Hope believes that God is who He claims to be, that He is trustworthy and faithful (2 Thess 3:3), that His love is unfailing (Ps. 136), and His promises are as sure as His Name (Heb. 6:13). Hope trusts that His eye is ever on me and His ear is tuned to my cries (Gen. 21:13, 11). Hope knows that one day this wicked world will be turned right-side-up (Rev. 21:5). I am hanging on to hope I need it desperately after the year we’ve been through.
And then there is love – the greatest of all gifts (1 Cor. 13:13). Love slept in a manger (Luke 2:7). Love walked the dirty streets of earth, healing and lifting up the downtrodden (Matt. 8:1-3). Love died on a cross (Mark 15: 37) and Love brought life from death (Mark 16:6). Love must never be packed away for the world needs it more than any other thing. Love – holy love – is the only thing that can save mankind. And it is the only thing that will draw men out of darkness into the light.
I don’t know if your Christmas was merry or jolly or less than you’d hoped, but I know that the spirit of Christmas lives in the hearts of God’s people all year long. Beloved, pack up the decorations but don’t pack away the Joy and peace and hope and love. Keep it out on display – the world needs it now more than ever.

Advent 2023: Mary’s Remembrances

Image: “Mary and Baby Jesus” by Jean Keaton
 https://www.jeankeatonart.com/…/pro…/mary-and-baby-jesus

Of the four gospels, only Matthew and Luke include the birth narrative. Matthew’s perspective is very different from his fellow writer’s. Together both give us a beautiful picture but I love Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth because, according to church tradition, it is Mary’s own recollections. Only Mary could recall intimate details about Gabriel’s visit the remarkable announcement: “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (vs. 31-32). She remembered her question “How will this be since I am a virgin?” (v. 34), and the angel’s reply about the Holy Spirit’s part in the conception.
Mary even remembered Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy and her aged cousin’s joyful greeting, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed I the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (vs. 42, 43). And “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (v. 45). Mary shared the song she sang: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . .” (vs. 46-55). Mary recalled the shepherds who told about the angel’s song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests” (2:14).
Luke included more than just the birth story as Mary also remembered when Jesus was presented in the temple according to the law and the old man and woman who spoke powerfully about her son (2:25-38). She remembered 12-year-old Jesus alone in Jerusalem, and how He amazed the Jewish teachers by speaking with authority beyond His years (2:41-50). His mother recalled him saying, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house? (v. 49).
Luke said that Mary, “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19, 51). I’m so glad she did because she and Luke gave us the most detailed, intimate account of our Savior’s birth and early glimpses of His ministry. I am sure she pulled those memories out as she watched Him die on the cross.
Beloved, on this Christmas Day, amid the fun and presents and family, take some time to read both accounts and thank God for His most marvelous gift of love.

Advent 2023: You Will Find Him

“Adoration of the Shepherds” Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1617-1682).

Often when I read the Scriptures, which I have done many, many times, the Spirit will highlight a word or phrase and draw my heart with wonder. Today, as I read Luke’s familiar account of Jesus’ birth, three words leaped off the page. It is in the Shepherd’s story in Luke 2:8-18. Shepherds were tending to their flocks through the night. Suddenly a brilliant glow lit up the night sky and an angel appeared before them with the most incredible announcement: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (vs.10-11).
“The Savior?”
“The Christ?”
“Could it really be the long-awaited Messiah?”
I have no doubt they were overjoyed and excited by this wonderful news.
But this was more than an announcement. It was an invitation! “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (v. 12). They were being called to witness the very One that priests and devout Jews had longed to see! One that would change everything.
Did you see the three words that stood out to me this morning? “You will find . . .” There is such hope and promise in those words. The angel didn’t say, “Just so you know about it . . .” And he didn’t say, “Go see if you can locate this baby.” He said, “You will find. . .” You. Will. Find.
That brings to mind my life verse from Jeremiah: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jer 29:13). Look at the next verse: “I will be found by you.” (v. 14). The original terminology reads as if God is saying, “I will place Myself in your path so that you cannot miss Me.” You will find . . .
The angel’s proclamation echoed God’s words in Deuteronomy when the Lord rescued Israel and led them on the path to the Promised Land. He said “If . . . you seek the Lord your God, you will find him . . .” (Dt 4:29).
What a promise! God is not playing a divine game of hide-and-seek. He invites us to come and promises we will find. Beloved, this Christmas take a step toward the Baby in the manger. He will meet you more than halfway.