“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24
There is no person alive on this planet, nor has there ever been, who can say truthfully that they have never sinned. Just one sin makes us a sinner, and means that we have failed to keep God’s perfect standard. It doesn’t matter if you miss by a mile or a millimetre, if you miss the mark (for that is what sin is), that’s it.
Only one man has ever lived a sinless life in thought, word, and deed. That man is Jesus Christ. When He died on the cross, He bore our sins, as if He had committed them all Himself. It wasn’t a symbolic thing. If we are in Christ, our sins were judged by God at the cross.
None of us are good enough to enter heaven on our own merit, because none of us are perfect. This is why we need the grace of God, and why it is given freely. Grace, by definition, cannot be earned. Where do you stand today: are you still trying to obtain righteousness through your own efforts, or have you entrusted your life to God?
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Doing as they saw fit
“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” Judges 17:6 & 21:25
God had deliberately not given Israel a king, because He wanted to be their King. While he established Moses, Joshua, and the various judges in their time as leaders over the nation, their reliance on the Lord to lead them as they led the people was evident. However over time, the people became numb to God’s leadership over them, and the morals of society became relative.
It’s s similar situation today: many people will say truth is relative, there is no absolute right or wrong, and ‘you have your truth, and I have mine.’ This was what ultimately happened in the times of the judges. While it sounds like freedom for everyone to do what is right in their own eyes, eventually anarchy reigns. Just read Judges 19 for an example.
There are rights and wrongs. God has told us what they are in His Word. He has not left us to figure them out by ourselves, because human nature is sinful and depraved (Rom. 3:10-18). When people invert what God calls good and evil, all that is left to say is “Woe to them” (Isa. 5:20).
God had deliberately not given Israel a king, because He wanted to be their King. While he established Moses, Joshua, and the various judges in their time as leaders over the nation, their reliance on the Lord to lead them as they led the people was evident. However over time, the people became numb to God’s leadership over them, and the morals of society became relative.
It’s s similar situation today: many people will say truth is relative, there is no absolute right or wrong, and ‘you have your truth, and I have mine.’ This was what ultimately happened in the times of the judges. While it sounds like freedom for everyone to do what is right in their own eyes, eventually anarchy reigns. Just read Judges 19 for an example.
There are rights and wrongs. God has told us what they are in His Word. He has not left us to figure them out by ourselves, because human nature is sinful and depraved (Rom. 3:10-18). When people invert what God calls good and evil, all that is left to say is “Woe to them” (Isa. 5:20).
Saturday, May 8, 2010
The Lord had left him
“Then she called, ‘Samson, the Philistines are upon you!’ He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had left him.” Judges 16:20
Samson had so much potential, to be a real hero for the nation Israel against their enemies, the Philistines. Instead, he got caught up in infatuation for Philistine women and became blind to the warning signs, as we saw yesterday with Delilah. Finally he succumbed to her persistent questioning and told her how he could be subdued. Despite this, when he awoke this time, he thought he would be able to loose himself as before. He took his gift and calling for granted; in fact it might be suggested that perhaps Samson did not really believe that the key to his strength lay in the Nazirite vow, symbolised by his long hair.
This is perhaps the most tragic moment in Samson’s life: he did not know the Lord had left him. He had made one compromise too many. The Nazirite vow involved three components (Num. 6:2-6): (1) he must not eat or drink anything made from grapes, (2) he must not go near a dead body or carcass, (3) he must not cut his hair. Samson had already broken the first two (see Judg. 14:8-10). God was patient with him though, waiting until he broke the third part of the vow before He departed.
Are we aware of God being with us every moment of every day? Would we notice if He withdrew Himself from us?
Samson had so much potential, to be a real hero for the nation Israel against their enemies, the Philistines. Instead, he got caught up in infatuation for Philistine women and became blind to the warning signs, as we saw yesterday with Delilah. Finally he succumbed to her persistent questioning and told her how he could be subdued. Despite this, when he awoke this time, he thought he would be able to loose himself as before. He took his gift and calling for granted; in fact it might be suggested that perhaps Samson did not really believe that the key to his strength lay in the Nazirite vow, symbolised by his long hair.
This is perhaps the most tragic moment in Samson’s life: he did not know the Lord had left him. He had made one compromise too many. The Nazirite vow involved three components (Num. 6:2-6): (1) he must not eat or drink anything made from grapes, (2) he must not go near a dead body or carcass, (3) he must not cut his hair. Samson had already broken the first two (see Judg. 14:8-10). God was patient with him though, waiting until he broke the third part of the vow before He departed.
Are we aware of God being with us every moment of every day? Would we notice if He withdrew Himself from us?
Friday, May 7, 2010
Delilah
“So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.’” Judges 16:6
Delilah had been offered a lot of money by the Philistine rulers to find the secret of Samson’s strength so they could capture him. Now, while some would have gone about finding out through stealth, Delilah comes right out and asks him. Despite her overtness, Samson thought it was a game. First he told her to tie him with seven new bowstrings (v7), then with new ropes (v11), then if she wove his hair into a loom (v13). Finally he told her that the secret was in his Nazirite vow, and that if his head was shaved he would lose his strength (v17). And that is exactly what she did to him.
None of us can fool around in the enemy’s camp and not suffer for it. Even Samson, the strongest man, played with fire and ultimately lost. He was in a place he shouldn’t have been, and although he should have seen the warning signs and split as soon as Delilah said she wanted to subdue him, his infatuation with her blinded him.
Is there a temptation situation in your life that you keep returning to? If so, you need to reconsider. Heed the signs, and stick close to the Lord, instead of playing with fire.
Delilah had been offered a lot of money by the Philistine rulers to find the secret of Samson’s strength so they could capture him. Now, while some would have gone about finding out through stealth, Delilah comes right out and asks him. Despite her overtness, Samson thought it was a game. First he told her to tie him with seven new bowstrings (v7), then with new ropes (v11), then if she wove his hair into a loom (v13). Finally he told her that the secret was in his Nazirite vow, and that if his head was shaved he would lose his strength (v17). And that is exactly what she did to him.
None of us can fool around in the enemy’s camp and not suffer for it. Even Samson, the strongest man, played with fire and ultimately lost. He was in a place he shouldn’t have been, and although he should have seen the warning signs and split as soon as Delilah said she wanted to subdue him, his infatuation with her blinded him.
Is there a temptation situation in your life that you keep returning to? If so, you need to reconsider. Heed the signs, and stick close to the Lord, instead of playing with fire.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Everyone worships something
“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Romans 1:22-23
Everyone worships something. Some will scoff at this statement, especially atheists, claiming they don’t worship anything. But since man was created to worship God, if people remove God from their lives, that object of worship will change to something much, much inferior. People worship their career, their possessions, their family. These things become their number one in life, the purpose of their existence. You don’t have to be bowing down at an altar, or attending a religious gathering, to be worshipping something.
The Bible tells us that true wisdom begins with fearing God (Prov. 9:10). Man’s so-called wisdom is as foolishness in God’s sight (1 Cor. 1:25). This is why rejecting God is foolishness, even though many who do so claim to be wise and enlightened, particularly in academic circles.
People reject God because they don’t want to be accountable to Him. It’s not a question of they can’t believe, but that they won’t believe. It’s a conscious decision they make, and one that sells them short when it comes to eternity.
Everyone worships something. Some will scoff at this statement, especially atheists, claiming they don’t worship anything. But since man was created to worship God, if people remove God from their lives, that object of worship will change to something much, much inferior. People worship their career, their possessions, their family. These things become their number one in life, the purpose of their existence. You don’t have to be bowing down at an altar, or attending a religious gathering, to be worshipping something.
The Bible tells us that true wisdom begins with fearing God (Prov. 9:10). Man’s so-called wisdom is as foolishness in God’s sight (1 Cor. 1:25). This is why rejecting God is foolishness, even though many who do so claim to be wise and enlightened, particularly in academic circles.
People reject God because they don’t want to be accountable to Him. It’s not a question of they can’t believe, but that they won’t believe. It’s a conscious decision they make, and one that sells them short when it comes to eternity.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Creation testifies
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
Creation testifies two things (in particular) about God:His eternal power and His divine nature. His power as the Creator is obvious. Nothing in this world has come into existence ‘by chance’. People talk about the anthropic principle, that the earth seems to be in an optimal configuration for man to exist. Of course, if they would only read the Bible, they would realise that God created it this way, and gave man dominion over it (Gen. 1:28).
Yet, God’s love towards us is not shown perfectly in nature. This is the result of the Fall. When sin came into the world, so too did injustice in nature. Life became a battle for survival. Some animals became predators, and plants and animals developed poisons, thorns, claws, and teeth to harm each other. This is why the creation itself looks forward to the day of redemption (Rom. 8:20-22), when the wolf will lie down with the lamb (Isa. 11:6, Isa. 65:25).
When we look at creation, we may not see God’s love towards us, but we are without excuse as to His existence. We have a responsibility to Him, as His creations. To say that He does not exist and that His creation came about by random chance, is a great insult, when the truth is so plainly evident.
Creation testifies two things (in particular) about God:His eternal power and His divine nature. His power as the Creator is obvious. Nothing in this world has come into existence ‘by chance’. People talk about the anthropic principle, that the earth seems to be in an optimal configuration for man to exist. Of course, if they would only read the Bible, they would realise that God created it this way, and gave man dominion over it (Gen. 1:28).
Yet, God’s love towards us is not shown perfectly in nature. This is the result of the Fall. When sin came into the world, so too did injustice in nature. Life became a battle for survival. Some animals became predators, and plants and animals developed poisons, thorns, claws, and teeth to harm each other. This is why the creation itself looks forward to the day of redemption (Rom. 8:20-22), when the wolf will lie down with the lamb (Isa. 11:6, Isa. 65:25).
When we look at creation, we may not see God’s love towards us, but we are without excuse as to His existence. We have a responsibility to Him, as His creations. To say that He does not exist and that His creation came about by random chance, is a great insult, when the truth is so plainly evident.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Righteousness
“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” Romans 1:17
To be righteous is to be in right-standing before God; therefore righteousness is a position that we can hold. We have right-standing before God if we measure up to His standards of perfection. This is why righteousness cannot be obtained through works, because no matter how many good things we do, the bad things we do will always mark us down. God requires 100%. 99.9999% will not cut it. Are any of us that perfect?
Rather, our right-standing before God is by faith and by faith alone. No matter if we are a brand-new Christian or have been one for decades, our right-standing before God is still on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. We live now in faith, believing that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). We are still in the process of sanctification, of being made in Christ’s image. It’s not about good works, it’s about faith.
To be righteous is to be in right-standing before God; therefore righteousness is a position that we can hold. We have right-standing before God if we measure up to His standards of perfection. This is why righteousness cannot be obtained through works, because no matter how many good things we do, the bad things we do will always mark us down. God requires 100%. 99.9999% will not cut it. Are any of us that perfect?
Rather, our right-standing before God is by faith and by faith alone. No matter if we are a brand-new Christian or have been one for decades, our right-standing before God is still on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. We live now in faith, believing that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). We are still in the process of sanctification, of being made in Christ’s image. It’s not about good works, it’s about faith.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Power in the gospel
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16
The gospel is powerful. It is the word of God, which “shall not return void” (Isa. 55:11) and “is living and active” (Heb. 4:12). It has the power to change a sinner’s destiny from eternal judgement in hell, to eternal glory in heaven. It has the power to set people free from the sin that binds them, and enable them to live on a higher plane according to the Spirit.
The gospel tells us how God reached down from heaven into the cesspool of humanity, offering His hand to pull us out if we would just grab hold of Him. There is no limit as to who can be saved; as the verse says, “everyone who believes”. The offer is available to all, and the choice is ours whether to accept it or not.
We should not be ashamed of the gospel. It is the only way by which people are able to be saved. If they aren’t shown the gospel, the good news, of how Jesus Christ came to die in our place and took the punishment our sin deserved, and conquered death by rising three days later, and that if we will repent of our sin and believe on Him, we will spend eternity in heaven with Him – if they don’t hear this from us, who will they hear it from?
The gospel is powerful. It is the word of God, which “shall not return void” (Isa. 55:11) and “is living and active” (Heb. 4:12). It has the power to change a sinner’s destiny from eternal judgement in hell, to eternal glory in heaven. It has the power to set people free from the sin that binds them, and enable them to live on a higher plane according to the Spirit.
The gospel tells us how God reached down from heaven into the cesspool of humanity, offering His hand to pull us out if we would just grab hold of Him. There is no limit as to who can be saved; as the verse says, “everyone who believes”. The offer is available to all, and the choice is ours whether to accept it or not.
We should not be ashamed of the gospel. It is the only way by which people are able to be saved. If they aren’t shown the gospel, the good news, of how Jesus Christ came to die in our place and took the punishment our sin deserved, and conquered death by rising three days later, and that if we will repent of our sin and believe on Him, we will spend eternity in heaven with Him – if they don’t hear this from us, who will they hear it from?
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Foolish vows
“And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: ‘If You give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.’” Judges 11:30-31
We all know the outcome of the story of Jephthah (if you don’t, just read on in Judges 11). He did indeed return home victorious from the battle, and it was his daughter, an only child, who came out of the house to meet him in celebration. He lamented this but kept his vow (Judg. 11:39). Commentators are divided as to what this means: did he sacrifice his daughter as a burnt offering? Surely God would have excused him from keeping his vow if that was the case (as He did for Abraham, Gen. 22:12). Or did his initial vow mean, ‘whatever comes out of the door of my house... will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice (something else as) a burnt offering’? That is, he devoted his daughter to the Lord – hence the lamenting that she would never marry and bear him children – and made a burnt offering from his flocks.
Either way, Jephthah made his vow foolishly, and in desperation. He did not stop to think about the consequences. Jesus tells us not to swear at all, but to let our yes be yes and our no be no (Matt. 5:37). When we get in a sticky situation, it’s easy to say, “God, if you get me out of this, I’ll...”. But this is not what God wants – He just wants us to trust Him. He’ll get us out because He loves us, not because we’ve made a foolish vow.
We all know the outcome of the story of Jephthah (if you don’t, just read on in Judges 11). He did indeed return home victorious from the battle, and it was his daughter, an only child, who came out of the house to meet him in celebration. He lamented this but kept his vow (Judg. 11:39). Commentators are divided as to what this means: did he sacrifice his daughter as a burnt offering? Surely God would have excused him from keeping his vow if that was the case (as He did for Abraham, Gen. 22:12). Or did his initial vow mean, ‘whatever comes out of the door of my house... will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice (something else as) a burnt offering’? That is, he devoted his daughter to the Lord – hence the lamenting that she would never marry and bear him children – and made a burnt offering from his flocks.
Either way, Jephthah made his vow foolishly, and in desperation. He did not stop to think about the consequences. Jesus tells us not to swear at all, but to let our yes be yes and our no be no (Matt. 5:37). When we get in a sticky situation, it’s easy to say, “God, if you get me out of this, I’ll...”. But this is not what God wants – He just wants us to trust Him. He’ll get us out because He loves us, not because we’ve made a foolish vow.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The cure for anxiety
“When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:19
Anxiety is a draining emotion. If we dwell on it, it can sap us of our joy, our energy, and our hope. Anxiety arises when we feel uncertain of what is in store in the future. We worry about things that may happen, and about things that may not happen. What if this? and what if that?
It’s times like these when we need to take a step back and realise that God not only knows what will and what won’t happen in the future, but He is also in control of it. Once we grasp this, there is no place left for anxiety. We can have joy in the Lord in times of uncertainty, because He is in control.
One of my favourite modern lyrics is by the Newsboys: ‘Lord, I don’t know where all this is going, or how it all works out; Lead me to peace that is past understanding, a peace beyond all doubt.’ We need to learn to trust God with our lives, to direct them according to His will; and to know that if we are obedient to Him, we’ll never end up somewhere that He didn’t intend. We don’t need to battle with anxiety any more, if we are in Him.
Anxiety is a draining emotion. If we dwell on it, it can sap us of our joy, our energy, and our hope. Anxiety arises when we feel uncertain of what is in store in the future. We worry about things that may happen, and about things that may not happen. What if this? and what if that?
It’s times like these when we need to take a step back and realise that God not only knows what will and what won’t happen in the future, but He is also in control of it. Once we grasp this, there is no place left for anxiety. We can have joy in the Lord in times of uncertainty, because He is in control.
One of my favourite modern lyrics is by the Newsboys: ‘Lord, I don’t know where all this is going, or how it all works out; Lead me to peace that is past understanding, a peace beyond all doubt.’ We need to learn to trust God with our lives, to direct them according to His will; and to know that if we are obedient to Him, we’ll never end up somewhere that He didn’t intend. We don’t need to battle with anxiety any more, if we are in Him.
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