Safetypinlove

When everything seems to be crumbling down around you…remember that God is still there, so call upon His Name. When your future is frightening and uncertain, call upon the One Who knows all things, the beginning from the end. Give God all your feelings of helplessness when things seem out of control, for He will be there to give you answers & strength…to guard over you when you are vulnerable (Isaiah 52:12) …to protect you when you are powerless (Psalm 32:7) …and will be a shield around you when you are defenseless. (Psalm 28:7)

Ephesian 4:32 tells us to, “Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” But have you ever considered applying this verse personally as Corrie ten Boom suggested here? Think of as part of self-care…to be kind and forgiving to yourself just as Jesus gave His example to follow. Personal unforgiveness confines and can even define who we are. It holds us captive as we only focus on the wrong that was done to us. Finally, unforgiveness deprives us of the freedom to move forward in our life, as we are chained to the past. So the key here, both figuratively & symbolically, is that forgiveness will open the prison door and let us walk free.

In these verses, Paul used a Greek word that usually was a term for the wealthy who garnered civic honor and recognition by outward displays of generosity. Instead, Paul here urged Believers to aspire for the honor & recognition that comes through humble, industrious, and decent behavior. In other words, to live a quiet life that was respectable and unpretentious among all…both Believer & unbeliever. Paul made it plain…by ordering their lives in such a way that commends the Gospel, they became a positive witness for Christ…or as I Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God…”

It’s never too late to turn back to God and ask for another chance. The Lord will amaze you with His grace, mercy, and unfailing love if you only will turn around. Look at the Parable of the Prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, We see a young man hellbent on ruining his life and a father’s willingness to forgive…a striking illustration of our Heavenly Father’s love for us. Or we could look at the criminal on the Cross next to Jesus who repented & trusted Jesus a short time before his death. (Luke 23:32-43) Turning back to God is called repentance…a moral reorientation of our soul…a heartfelt acknowledgment of the err of our ways, and a conscious determination to follow Him. And just like that, God forgives and restores…filling our lives with His grace, and mercy.

Here and in Romans 12:4-5, the Apostle Paul uses the analogy of the human body and its various parts to illustrate the Church as the Lord designed it to be. We as Believers should support & serve one another in unity, love, and grace. So, when someone comes to us with a personal problem, our job is to listen & validate rather than shower them with our experiences. Sure, the Lord is very good about bringing people across our path going through exactly what we have walked through in the past, but still our story must be short and centered on what the Lord did, not on us. If we’re waiting for them to take a breath so we can regale them with our “my story’s better than yours”…it just becomes one upmanship and not helpful at all. To make someone feel validated in the midst of tribulation, we are to support them with Scripture, confirm & bear witness to God still working in their life, and love them through the turmoil.

Even though his parents had dedicated him to God from birth in a Nazirite vow, selected as the one who would begin to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines…and even though God early on blessed his life with superhuman strength, and the Spirit stirred within him…Samson’s life was filled with unwise decisions, an unchecked temper, compromise upon compromise, unbridled pride, and the inability to control his sexual desires. But still God was able to use him. (Hebrews 11:32) For despite all of Samson’s massive mistakes, God still accomplished His plan & purpose through him. Consequentially, you may look at your messed up life today and conclude that God could never use you…that you’ve wandered too far from Him to be of any good…but all you have to do is look at Samson and know you’re never too far from God’s plan & purpose.

Jesus calls all…the weary, the addicted, the burdened, and the hopeless, to find rest & refreshment in Him. No where in the Bible does it tells us that we need to have our act together, our character all shined up, and ourselves all pretty & perfect BEFORE the Lord will accept us. In John 7:37 Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” Jesus has no prerequisites, and no requirements beforehand that have to be met before He will accept anyone into His Kingdom…He only demands our faith & trust in Him. “Come to Me”, had me thinking this morning about a great old Hymn by Charlotte Elliot that George Beverly Shea sang at the Billy Graham Crusades. It’s first verse went something like this: “Just as I am, without one plea, but that Your blood was shed for me, and that You bid me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.” Jesus wants you to come to Him just as you are today… with all your problems, addictions, and mental health baggage…and He will give you the peace you’ve been searching for.

What the Apostle Paul was explaining to the Church in Phillipi was “The Already and the Not Yet.” Justification is by faith, and faith alone on the basis of Jesus Christ’s merits, not ours. Our ongoing Christian Walk, imperfect as it is, finds its focus and power in Christ’s death and resurrection. Thus, as our personal fellowship with the Lord deepens, so does our participation in His sufferings. In verse twelve, this prize not yet won but what Paul strove for was “The not yet”… Salvation in its fullness. Know then as a Believer, you too will share in Christ’s suffering… but also know that your suffering will prepare you to share in His glory.

You may think I’ve got my life together…I don’t. You may think I’m better than you…I AM NOT. Daily I mess up and make unwise decisions. I say things that shouldn’t be said, judge others harshly in my mind, and occasionally yell at the dog. To think that I’m superior in merit, rank, or position over anyone else is absurd, for I know how corrupt my human nature is. If wasn’t for Jesus, I would still be that beggar looking to fill the insatiable appetite inside, that only the bread of life could satisfy. (John 6:35) Without Him, I’d still be wandering in the world’s darkness, lost and doomed. (John 8:12) I am no better than you, but praise God, I am not like I used to be…for I have found the Way, the Truth, and the Life through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)

The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Romans predominantly to Gentiles, but being a Jew himself, he had also brought the Gospel Message to his countrymen. Though in Philippians 3:5-6, he showed that his confidence was not in his lineage & pedigree as a Jew under the Law, but under God’s grace. He wanted both Jew and Gentile to realize that they were all sinners and had all been adopted by God as His children. Hense, the wall of separation between Jew & Gentile was removed…with no human distinctions or preferential status. (Galatians 3:26-28) And we have that same trust and security today that God providentially watches over and preserves His people, in order to accomplish His ultimate plan and purpose for the Kingdom.