July 1, 2008

Good News! Saved by Grace


Read the Bible through:
AM – Ezra 1-2 : PM – Acts 1

CALLED INTO GRACE
Galatians 1:6-7

6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

Do you like to receive invitations? You may be bombarded with invitations to donate money to a variety of causes. But how about an invitation to join a dear friend at dinner? Or to attend a sports event? Or to meet a famous person? Jesus said to a young man, just as He says to us, “Come and follow me” (Matt. 19:21). This is an invitation to participate in “the grace of Christ” and thereby to experience the joy of sins forgiven as well as the assurance of eternal life.

I suppose I’ve never met a world –famous person; but I’ve met and followed Jesus Christ. He has walked with Margie and me through 40 years of ministry.

If you have never experienced His grace, why not accept His invitation to follow Him now?

Father, thank You for Your daily grace and goodness. Grant that I may come to appreciate it more and more.

June 30, 2008

Good News! Saved by Grace

Read the Bible through:
AM – 2 Chronicles 35-36 : PM – John 21

DELIVERED FROM EVIL
Galatians 1:1-5

4 Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

The Hawkins were driving the children home from the American Community School in west Beirut in the late 1970’s during the Lebanese civil war. As they drove east through the city to get to their home in the hills they heard shooting behind them. Every time they advanced block it seemed the shooting advances as well. Their daughter asked, “Do you feel as if a net is closing behind us?” Being one block ahead of the moving battle saved them.

We are all sinners in need of deliverance from the net Satan tries to throw around us. Only Jesus can keep the way to safety open. He did it by giving “himself for our sins.” He wants to deliver us from the nets of Satan in “this present evil age.”

Father, grant that I may be aware of Satan’s nets; but always keep me one block ahead, out of his reach, by Your grace and power.

June 29, 2008

Worshiping God

Read the Bible through:
AM – 2 Chronicles 33-34 : PM – John 20:19-31

WHO LIVES FOREVER
Revelation 5:13-14

14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

As a child, I thought my parents would live forever. As a teenager, I thought I would live forever. Having buried my father, I now know vividly how wrong I was as a child. And long ago, I realized how wrong I was as a teenager about myself. Human mortality has become for me an accepted fact. By contrast, God, whom we worship, does live forever.

Most people would like to live longer. News reports revealed that following the death of Ted Williams, his body was frozen in anticipation that science in the future might develop the ability either to thaw him back to life or use tissue from his body to clone him.

God, who is eternal, offers us His kind of life – eternal life. Our worship celebrates the gift to us of His life. Meaningful worship tightens the grip of our faith upon our hope of sharing God’s life in eternity.

Thank You, Father, that You designed me in Your image for the life of eternity and have guaranteed eternal life to me through the Lord Jesus Christ.

June 28, 2008

Worshiping God

Read the Bible through:
AM – 2 Chronicles 32 : PM – John 20:1-18

WITH ANGLES
Revelation 5:11-12

11 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands"

When I was a child, my grandmother Nantz had a framed picture of a young boy and girl walking across a crude footbridge. As I recall, several slats were missing. A ravine stretched below. One could sense immediately the impending danger. However, the artist had painted the figure of an angel just above the children. The angel’s outstretched arms suggested unseen protection. That picture was my first remembered encounter with the idea of angels. The Bible furnishes me with my last picture of angels – thousands of angels, all engaged in heavenly worship.

Each Sunday that our congregation sings the traditional “Doxology,” we call on all creatures “here below” and all “heavenly host” above to join in praising God. Our worship can be heightened when we envision that angels are in heaven doing simultaneously what we are doing on earth.

Father, in concert with angels I worship You.

June 27, 2008

Worshiping God

Read the Bible through:
AM – 2 Chronicles 30-31 : PM – John 19:17-42

THROUGH CHRIST’S SACRIFICE
Revelation 5:6-10

9 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands"

Sunday Mornings at Spring Valley Baptist Church reminds me of “every kindred, and tongue, and people” that Christ’s sacrifice has touched.

One Sunday morning the congregation worshiped together with participants singing the same songs but in their own native languages. The mixture of languages and cultures in our worship here below is a preview of the more perfect worship that will occur in heaven. Then all God’s people from all the ages and out of all earth’s places and cultures will celebrate Christ’s sacrifice, through which all of us can come before God regardless of language, culture, or race.

Lord, thank You for the cross where I find common ground with people who are like me and with those different from me.

June 26, 2008

Worshiping God

Read the Bible through:
AM – 2 Chronicles 28-29 : PM – John 19:1-16

THROUGH CHRIST’S WORTHINESS
Revelation 5:1-5

5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."

A strong angel probed heaven and earth for one worthy to open a sealed scroll. Amid weeping that no worthy person could be found, someone pointed attention to Jesus. The elder declared Jesus worthy to loose the seals and open the scroll.

When believers pray and worship, we are able to come before God because of Jesus’ worthiness.

Her testimony was that prior to her conversion she felt utterly unworthy to enter church. Most of her adult years had been lived in pursuit of worldly pleasure. Her moral standards were almost nonexistent. When a funeral or wedding forced her into church, she felt dirty and unfit. Christ changed everything when He forgave her sins. His worthiness made her worthy to worship God.

Thank You, Father, for making me worthy to worship You.

June 25, 2008

Worshiping God

Read the Bible through:
AM – 2 Chronicles 26-27 : PM – John 18

WITH THANKSGIVING
Psalm 100:3-5

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Imagine worshipers approaching Jerusalem on foot. The temple looms ahead. Beyond the gates lie the temple courts, one for women and another for men. The people exhort one another to enter the courts with praise. Both the gates and the courts belong to God. When the people leave the courts and exit the gates, they will be better people because they worshiped God that day.

Mrs. Jackson had lived through a difficult week. Had her husband lived, he would have celebrated a birthday that week. Utility bills were higher than usual. Her closest friend had entered the hospital. A phone call had brought the news that her daughter could not come for the weekend. She hardly felt like entering the sanctuary. As she joined in singing, she began to feel uplifted. Her thoughts left the week past; she was reminded of God’s greatness and goodness. She left church feeling renewed.

Remind me this day, O God, to voice a prayer of thanksgiving regardless of my circumstances.