pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: grace


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The Question

Herod is a man who lived by manipulation, force, coercion.  He desperately wanted to be loved.  He worked at rebuilding the temple to curry favor from the Jews.  He went to great lengths to please his wife.  Guilt and self-doubt filled Herod.  When he hears stories of Jesus, he feared that John the Baptist had returned to judge him again.

Herod did not understand the world that John, and later Jesus, was trying to bring about.  Both John and Jesus experienced rejection and death because the rulers of the day would not hear their message of justice, peace, and love.  Both men willingly died to challenge the way the world was operating.  Both sought to bring the world shalom – the well-being of all, justice for all, equality for all people in all situations, and the blessings of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

In the world today I see people like Herod – driven by self-interests and greed.  Their priorities are far from those Jesus taught and died for.  In the world today I see many people who lack peace, justice, the basic necessities of life – things Jesus strove to bring to all people.  In the world today I see people who are suffering injustices and oppression – both in my hometown and throughout the world.

The question I must ask – the question all Christians must ask – is: what I am willing to do to bring this shalom to others?  It is a hard question.  But it is a question all Christians must not only wrestle with but one we must answer with how we live our lives.

Scripture reference: Mark 6: 14-16


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A Love So Great

To live the Christian life is becoming increasingly unique in our society.  All cultures evolve and change over time.  It is natural.  Today we find that the core values of society and Christianity no longer match up as well as they once did.  Currently the pendulum has swung away from ‘religion.’  The prevailing question for us and future Christians is will it swing back towards ‘faith’?

Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians with great words of encouragement.  He reminds them that God chose them as His children long ago.  He reminds them of the grace freely given.  He reminds them of the redemption from sin bought by Christ with His blood.  All of this is true for us as well.

Att times it is hard to live as a Christian in a post-Christian society.  People without faith will question why we choose to not do some things and are puzzled by other things we do.  Not pursuing the things of this world draws curiosity and offering acts of mercy invites questions.  Today it is our uniqueness that causes us to stand out and provides opportunities to share our faith story.

In choosing to live life as a follower of Christ we are choosing to be countercultural.  We are also inviting others into conversation about this radical love we offer as we seek to emulate Jesus.  It is a love so great that it has the power to change the world.  Through His love may we change lives today.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 1: 3-8


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As We Go Out

It is not natural for most people to get up in the morning and to wonder how they can be weak and powerless that day.  It is just not a place many of us feel comfortable being.  Most of us like to be in control of our own choices to some degree.  Some like to be in control of some of the choices others make as well.  But at a minimum we all like to feel we have some autonomy over at least ourselves.

Power comes in many forms.  And there are at least as many ways to abuse and distort power as well.  With power can come pride, ego, boasting, privilege, domination, and a host of other negative things.

Power can be good too.  It is just a different kind of power.  It is a power not of this world so this world is puzzled by it.  It is a power this world cannot defeat or destroy either.  This power is gentle yet strong, soft yet enduring, simple yet powerful.  God whispered to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”  God was telling Paul, “I got it.”

The thorn Paul was facing and the thorns we face serve to remind us that we are weak and that we must rely on God and Him alone.  For when we fall to our knees and lift up our hands acknowledging that we cannot do it alone, then God’s grace and love and strength come rushing in.  His resurrection power is what allows us to be renewed each day, to take up our cross each day, and to follow Jesus Christ each day.  As we go out, we go with God.  He whispers to us too, “I got it.”

Scripture reference: 2 Corinthians 12: 2-10


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Turn to Him

Psalm 130 has a somber tone to it.  It is one of the Penitential psalms.  Many if us can relate to this psalm type because we have all had times of sadness or depression.  These psalms resonate with us.  Sometimes we question God or our faith in these seasons.  In these times it is important to remember that God is always fully present with us, no matter our state of mind or heart.

God knows what it is like to wrestle with these feelings of sadness, emotional emptiness, and anguish.  In he form of Jesus, God experienced these emotions.  Jesus wept tears for Lazarus.  He sought solitude at times when the feelings of being completely drained rested heavy upon Him.  He cried blood tears of anguish in the garden.  Jesus has been there too so He intercedes for us and He reaches out a hand towards us.

The psalmist reminds us of God’s role too: “with the Lord is steadfast love and with Him is great power to redeem.”  It is a love that comes to us out of Jesus’ experiences.  It is a love that wants the best for us all of the time.  It is a love that brings healing and wholeness.  It is a love to which we are always called and invited into.

In the midst of the hard day, in the middle of the struggle, we must turn to Him.  Spend time in the Word, time in prayer, and time with Jesus.

Scripture reference: Psalm 130


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Deep, Wide, and Full

A song I like has these lyrics: “Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more; Where grace is found, is where You are.”  Sin is a constant battle in our lives.  But our reality as children of God is that His love is deeper than our sin could ever be.  When we allow sin to separate us from God, it is always us that keeps that separation.

We choose to be in a time of separation from God when we refuse to acknowledge or repent of our sins.  Sometimes we truly do not know we are sinning, especially when our faith is immature.  But as we grow, we come to see things as sin that we never did before.  In these times, the refiner’s fire is at work in our lives.

At other times our earthly side will rise up and will lead us into sin.  Usually we know we are headed down a road we should not be on, but turn away on our own.  If we call out to Jesus, He will turn us.  But sometimes we don’t call out.  Even then, forgiveness is still available when we turn, repent, and seek His grace.

There are times too when we just do not seek forgiveness.  Either we justify our own sin or we deem another is unworthy of our forgiveness.  Particularly in these times we need to remember that we will be judged according to how we judge others.  Forgiveness is a matter of the heart.  May our hearts be like God’s – deep, wide, and full of love!

Scripture reference: Mark 3: 22-30


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Mysteries of God

In the vision shared in Isaiah 6 we find ourselves in the presence of God.  The imagery here is hard to wrap our minds around.  There are winged creatures, the foundations tremble at their voice, and the hem of God’s robe is so immense that it fills the space.

Although it is impossible to understand all of God, it is a good thing that God is so big and powerful that we cannot fully understand Him.  A god small enough for our human minds to fully comprehend would be a small god.  So like Isaiah’s inability to fully describe the vision God placed before him, we too struggle to completely describe God.  This is part of God’s mystery.

In pondering the vastness of God, we too see how limited we are.  We see clearly that we are human, prone to sin and failure on occasion.  As His creatures we are also prone to love, to forgive, to care for one another.  In following the example set by Christ, we come to know the Father a bit better, to understand God a little more.

There are, however, things we will never know.  There are questions that will never be answered.  There will always be aspects of God that we do not understand fully.  One of these great mysteries is His grace.  I do not understand how God can forgive my sins over and over and over but I am surely very grateful that His love is that big.  Living with this blessing of God is also a mystery beyond words.  All I can say is thanks be to God!

Scripture reference: Isaiah 6: 1-7


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Sing a New Song

It is raining outside this morning.  At times the rain swells up and pounds on the windows.  At other times it is a beautiful, steady tapping on the windows. To me it is a joyful sound.  Like the psalmist today writing of how our praises swell up to God, tha rain too brings joy and gladness to the earth.

The psalm brings to mind all of creation raising its voice in praise and worship for God’s steadfast love.  It is the response of all living things to the constant and deep care God has for all His creations.  I can almost hear the grass and plants singing their thanks to God for the moisture He is bringing this morning.  My heart yearns to sing along.

The psalm also calls for us to sing a new song, for salvation has come.  Like a steady rain, the love and compassion of Jesus washes over all who call upon His name.  We are also reminded that with salvation will come judgment.  The world and all of creation will be judged with righteousness and with equity.

Just as the steady rains falls on all of the grass and plants, so too will His judgment fall on all of us.  Today may the love of Christ that is within us be like a steady rain, falling on all we meet.  May it bring refreshment and cleansing to all we meet.  May the incredible love of Christ being to sink into their soil and creep down into their roots.  And in doing all these things, may we sing a joyful song to our God and King.

Scripture reference: Psalm 98 Continue reading →


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Power in the Name

Something as simple as a name can have a lot of meaning.  The names of famous people can invoke memories or emotions.  For each of us we also have a list of names that do the same things for us personally.  To others, our name has the same effect.

No name carries the power that the name of Jesus carries.  In today’s story a man finds healing when Peter and John call on the name of Jesus.  When the twelve were originally sent out, it was in the name of Jesus.  Then and after Jesus was resurrected, these ordinary men did many amazing works and miracles in the name of Jesus.

Jesus continues to be the cornerstone today.  He is the gate through which all of us must pass to enter eternal life.  Jesus himself declared that He is the only way to the Father; Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  The Holy Spirit only enters into each of us after we have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Even to this day, Christians all around the world often end their prayers with the phrase “in the name of Jesus.”

A song I learned recently begins with the words “there is power in the name of Jesus” repeated several times.  It is followed by the words “to break every chain”, also repeated several times.  As broken, imperfect creatures, only the name of Jesus saves us.  He is the true cornerstone or foundation upon which our faith stands.  It is only through and in the name of Jesus that we find salvation.  In the personal relationship we each can have with Jesus we find grace, love, forgiveness.  Call on the name of Jesus and allow Him to break every chain.  Call on His name and be redeemed.

Scripture reference: Acts 4: 11-12


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These Truths Remain

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever.”  These same words begin and end Psalm 118.  These eternal promises of God are reaffirmed by Jeremiah and he adds, “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

The middle of the psalm is filled with the trials of life – anger, hate, rejection.  These are the things Christ battled in the week leading up to His crucifixion and they are the thing we face too at times in our lives.  Trials are sure to come our way.

But, thanks be to God!  Just like this psalm, at the beginning and end of each day, God is still the same.  He is good, His love never fails, and His mercy is unending.  In the midst of whatever we are going through, these truths remain.  Thanks be to God.

Scripture reference: Psalm 118: 1-2 & 19-29


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Buffet Grace

Do you like buffet restaurants?  I do.  But there is a good and bad.  I really like the variety you find at a good buffet.  The inherent danger is eating way too much.  In both of these senses it is like a good church potluck!

God’s grace is like a buffet in a few ways.  The most obvious way is that His grace never runs out.  Christ’s sacrifice was not a one-time pass to the table of God’s grace – it is unlimited.  God’s grace is not limited in variety either.  Our sins are varied and of all types.  His grace covers them all.

The buffet and God’s grace differ as well.  No matter how many times you go back for more grace, you walk away feeling great.  You can never get enough.  Most important difference: His grace is free.  God’s grace is a gift freely given.  It has no cost and requires only that we accept it.

God’s grace and the buffet line are also alike in one last, very important way.  When you have had your fill of both, you walk away sensing that you must do something.  It is not required, but boy does exercise feel good!

We exercise our faith by doing good works.  Once we are filled with God, we are compelled to share Him with others.  It is our grateful response to His free gift. Today, drink deeply and exercise well!!

Scripture reference: Ephesians 2: 8-10