On this Good Friday, we can reflect on the sufferings of Christ that removed the penalty we owed for our rejection of God. As John 3:16-17 tells us, God sent His Son to save the world through Him…taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all people. And as a result, “We have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:11) … or as I Corinthians 15:3 tells us, justification by grace alone through faith in Jesus as our Savior. So today, remember God’s mercy towards you… seen in the substitutionary punishment of Jesus on the Cross as He took on your sin… so you could be free.
Mark 4:26-29 ” He also said, ‘ This is what the Kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain – first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’ “
This is one parable that Jesus does not go on to explain to His disciples in detail, but even Paul understood its underlying meaning when he wrote in I Corinthians 3:6-8 about God’s role and our role as fellow field workers. The way God uses His Word in the hearts of man we have to admit is mysterious and completely independent of any of our efforts. We just need to remain faithful in “sowing the seed”, praying for the harvest, and leaving the results totally in the Lord’s hands. For only the Lord gives the increase in the seed that we scatter.
Galatians 6:2 ” Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the Law of Christ.”
As the family of Christ, we are to help bear the struggles of our brothers & sisters. This is the true fulfillment of the Royal Law or Christ’s Law of Love. For when we see a fellow Christian weighed down by physical, emotional, spiritual, or financial stress, we are to lend a hand…whether it is by encouragement, acts of service, or simply by being there. This active support then becomes the reflection of the love and compassion of Christ in very tangible ways.
Psalm 119:165 ” Great peace have those who love Your Law; nothing will make them take offense.”
Those who love God and His precepts experience great peace and are not easily troubled. This is exhibited in their kindness, patience, tolerance, and inner peace towards others. But as a caregiver, you may experience melancholy when you realize you are unable to continue in all the things that make you feel fulfilled. This sadness can hinge on resentment…which makes you feel even worse…knowing your loved one has nothing to do with their declining health. I remember talking to a friend years ago whose husband had managed his Multiple Sclerosis for years, until he couldn’t. This realization of giving up all her outside interests had hit her like a ton of bricks as unhappiness seeped into her life. And I could well relate, having faced this with my first husband…and now. But Paul warns of allowing resentment, and animosity to turn into bitterness in II Timothy 2:24, for as the Lord’s servant, we must not quarrel, instead being kind to everyone and not resentful. So daily, I must give God any of my unhappiness in exchange for His peace… that I may be tolerant, patient, and kind.
II Corinthians 10:5 ” …and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Today we’re going to look at three words – distraction, traction, and action – and how removing a few letters can teach us obedience. Every day we are distracted & deluded by worldly standards & secular views as they worm their way into our life. We know that the wisdom of the world is far from the wisdom of the Cross, but it’s so easy to succumb as we absentmindedly scroll on our phones. So how can we change this vicious cycle? Take the first three letters away from distraction and you get traction… which is what we need to push ourselves away from the world and closer to God. Next, take the first two letters away from traction and you get action…which is what we need to be doing to bring every thought, idea, motive, desire, and decision under the obedience of Christ. So how do we draw closer to God? We develop a consistent discipline of getting into His Word on a regular basis…removing things that don’t align with His Word to remain within His Will.
“We must never cease to pray for our children until they cease to breathe. No case is hopeless while Jesus lives.” Charles Spurgeon
A great example of this quote from Spurgeon is found in Luke 15: 11-32 about the Prodigal son… where the youngest son asks for his inheritance early only to waste it all on a life of extravagance. This story is one of redemption filled with mercy and grace as his father waits for the son to return home. As the dad prayed daily, he held firm in his unconditional love for his boy and trust in God that his son would eventually come to his senses and return. We really don’t know how long the father prayed…it could have been months; it could have been years…but one thing was evident… he never lost heart. (Luke 18:1 & I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Hosea 10:12 ” Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord…”
In this passage, Hosea uses plowing as a metaphor for repentance and spiritual renewal. In the same vein, the Puritan Pastor, Charles Spurgeon, once penned, “Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil and let us see what we’re made of.” We can be moving along life’s path happy, blessed, and subconsciously thinking nothing bad will ever touch us…to the point we’re smug and almost prideful in our virtues and importance to God…when WHAM, we’re hit with a life-threatening diagnosis, sudden loss of a loved one, or crippling illness. Our life has been so easy, so wonderful, that our faith & trust in God has become fallow & dormant…but these trials break up the unplowed soil of complacency in our soul…leading us to repentance and a renewed spirit, as we acknowledge to ourselves that we’re only dust. (Genesis 3:19)
Psalm 27:13 ” I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
In this verse, David reflects on his deep, unwavering faith and trust in God’s promises, and expresses his confidence despite facing adversities daily. Psalm 119:68 reminds us that, ‘You are good, and what You do is good.”…regardless of our situation & circumstances throughout our lifetime here on earth. For God’s goodness transcends this broken world…so that we may rejoice and have hope, rather than live in despair.
II Samuel 6:21-22 ” I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”
King David and the entire house of Israel are bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. There was much joy and gladness as the procession moved along. Verse 14 tells us that David removed his royal robes and danced before the Lord with all his might… which infuriated his wife, Michal, who chastised him for his undignified behavior. But David rejected her sarcastic remarks, instead telling her that he was willing to become completely abased that the Lord may receive the honor due Him. We can celebrate loudly & exuberantly for touchdowns and homeruns, but when it comes to celebrating before the Lord, we feel we must be subdued, muted, and restrained in our joy. But like David, we should be able to celebrate, not holding anything back in our expression of heartfelt worship.
Amos 2:6 ” This is what the Lord says: ‘For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back My wrath.’ “
Throughout this passage in Amos, God decries just how far His people have wandered from Him and His Law. The first sin was the oppression of the poor with social injustice, and crooked judges. The second sin was the sexual immorality of sex trafficking/sex trade that had become common place. The next sin was religious abuse…of forcing people to compromise their oaths. Specifically, it was coercing Nazarites to surrender their basis vows made to God. Finally, the last sin was commanding the prophets not to prophesy…effectively silencing the Voice of God by silencing His Messengers. Thus, God’s judgment was at the door for His wayward people, and nothing was going to remove His wrath.
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