Category Archives: god is good

The Romans Challenge- Called to Belong

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“And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬

(Today we read Romans 1)

You and I were created for connection. We were meant to be a part of and in relationship with someone greater than us. We were created to belong. Paul puts it this way, we are “called to belong to Jesus…”

When God first created man, He stated something very profound:

“The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone…””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It is not good for any of us to be alone and disconnected. We can see it easily in the life of the most fragile amongst us, a baby. Without connection to their mother and father, lack of physical contact, (skin on skin time— close and intimate) a baby will present as “failure to thrive.” They simply will not develop correctly without experiencing “belonging.”

Spiritually, we will not as well. God knows this. His great love draws us in for connection to Himself. He knows that without us experiencing, “belonging” to Him, we will be “failure to thrive” spiritually. This will affect every area of our lives. We will lack peace, love, and joy if we live disconnected from Him. We NEED to belong to Him.

Paul states not only that we are “called to belong”, but we are “called to be God’s “holy people” i.e. “saints”. (Verse 7) To be holy is to be set apart for God. It is to be conformed to His image and have our life regulated by His divine precepts (i.e. God’s Word) -Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.

Our connection to our loving Heavenly Father, will cause us to grow as we were meant to grow. We will become more and more like Him in every way — His image bearer.

Do you feel the longing “to belong?” This is what you were created for — relationship with God.

He longs for you “to belong” to Him as well. In fact our verse says, He called us to belong to Jesus Christ. He called us to be His Holy people — set apart for Himself.

All we have to do is come to Him responding “Yes God, I want to be connected to you! I no longer want to live my life alone. I give myself to You. I belong to You!”

The Roman’s Challenge: Slave of God

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“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I cannot tell you how often I have wrestled with God. Beginning this study is another example of that wrestling.

Last month, as I was finishing my study of James, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to invite you all on a journey with me through Romans. But, I have resisted. I felt like it was too big for me. Truthfully it is. Anything we do in our lives is “too big.” That is why we need Jesus! This is why He has given us the Holy Spirit to be our helper.

Paul opens Romans stating He is a “servant of Christ Jesus…” The Greek word for servant is “duolos” which is interpreted “slave.” A slave is defined as “A person who is wholly subject to the will of another; one who has no will of his own, but whose person and services are wholly under the control of another.” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

When you and I say that Jesus is “Lord” of our lives, we are stating that we have become His “slave.” He owns our lives. Whatever He says, we must do. He is not a harsh and cruel taskmaster. He is good and everything He does is good. What He commands us to do is for our good.

Our service to Him was purchased by His love, and our obedience to Him is a display of our love for Him in return!

Oh how I long to have a heart that is fully and instantly obedient to my Lord! I fail at times, but I am hoping that my response time to His call is getting better.

As Paul said, I am a slave to Christ and set apart for the gospel ( The Good News)! My obedience brings glory to Him and displays to others His image so they can see Him too. Then they can respond to His call saying, “Yes You are my Lord, I am a slave to Christ. Whatever You say, Wherever You send me, I will obey!

Join me in reading the Book of Romans. We will read chapter 1 for a week. Each day we will read it expecting the Holy Spirit to speak to us through His Word!  This is the Romans Challenge that God has put before me.Join me!

James: Turn Back the Wanderer

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This week is James 5.

“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Speak the truth of the Word of God! We do not know who it will be that we are in contact with that needs to hear it.

This verse is of great significance to me. Five years ago, I was living as one who had wandered from the truth. There was someone who was bold enough to tell me the truth about the lies I was believing. She turned “a sinner from the error of their way.” And she saved me “from death” and covered “over a multitude of sins” in my life. I am so grateful!

When we walk in error/ sin, we need someone who will stand firm on the Word of God and tell us the Truth in the Word. It is the only way for us to live free!

Don’t be afraid to be thought of as different, radical, or extreme! God wants to use you to bring back His children to Him!

James: Faith

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(Today is James 2)

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”
‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Faith — the assent of the mind or understanding to the truth of what God has revealed.

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) When we hear the Word and take it into our hearts, it will do a work producing faith within us. When we receive what is said, we believe it!

What we really believe or our “faith” produces “deeds” or action within us. What is in our hearts will come out of us and be on display for everyone to see.

James tells us if our faith does not produce action it is dead. (Verse 17) A dead faith makes it impossible to please God.

God wants for us to believe what He says and to act on what He says because it is for our good! He loves us so much!!

James: Do What It Says!

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(Today is James 1) 

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In America, we have ample opportunity to “listen to the word.” We can download the Bible to our phones. We can freely attend church without fear of persecution. We can tune into countless podcasts that talk about the word. We have Christian TV, Christian Radio, Christian entertainment —movies, concerts, etc.

We could listen to and or attend every single thing I have mentioned and walk away unmoved by it. Why? Because we refuse to act upon what we have heard.

This is not the relationship that God desires for us to have with Him! 

“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We are to “look intently” and to “continue in” the Word. We are to “not forget what we have heard, but DO IT.”

Our encounters with God’s Word are to be taken into our heart and His Word is supposed to make a change in our lives. The Life the Word produces through our obedience is supposed to eradicate the death our sinful choices have brought. The Truth we are receiving is supposed to expose the lies. The Word will produce freedom where captivity to sin has abounded. The Word will bring blessing in all we do.

Why do we choose to stay in the pattern of our own ways when we hear the Word speaking the way to go?

Don’t merely listen to what the Word is saying! Do IT!

James — Stand My Ground

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“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

(Today we read James 1)

Persevere – “To persist in any business or enterprise undertaken; to pursue steadily any design or course commenced; not to give over or abandon what is undertaken” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Life is not easy! Jesus made it clear that this would always be the case. He told us: 

““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””
‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We are told frequently to “stand firm” in the Word of God. This is another term for the word “persevere.”

James tells us that we are “blessed” (Greek — Happy) if we “persevere” or refuse to abandon what we have undertaken — our close and intimate relationship with Jesus.

There will be tests or our faith, but when we have stood firm throughout the tests we are ultimately promised the “crown of life” (eternal reward and victory).

We are told in Ephesians 6:10 that our strength to make a stand against the enemies schemes is “in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

It is not easy, but it is the best. If we refuse to persevere and give up, our enemy will not stop his assaults. They will only intensify. Because he is bent on our destruction. Jesus put it this way:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Our choice is clear. Persevere — life and true happiness. Cave to the pressure — death, darkness, and destruction.

Show Us The Father — Servant

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Today is Mark 10: 32-52.

“Love needs an object to whom it can give itself away, in whom it can lose itself, with whom it can make itself one.” — Andrew Murray

To be honest, thinking about Our Heavenly Father as a Servant has been uncomfortable to me. In my mind, I’ve had Jesus as “the good cop” in the trinity, and the Heavenly Father as “the bad cop.” Which is not true at all. There is no “bad” in God.

When I was reading this section of Scripture this morning and came upon this verse, I was in awe: 

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 ESV

Jesus came to reveal the Father to us. When we see Him, we see our Heavenly Father. Jesus came as the Humble Servant. This means our Heavenly Father is the Humble Servant too!

The Greek word for serve that is used in this verse is “diakonēsai.” This is translated in other verses as “minister.” To minister is to afford supplies, to give things needful, to supply the means of relief; to relieve. Our Heavenly Father has done just that. He gives and gives and gives. He provides all that we need. He is always at work for our good in every situation. He serves!

When Jesus knelt on His knees and washed the feet of His disciples, He displayed the very love of our Heavenly Father, who serves us. Jesus, the King of Kings, took the nature of a servant and gave Himself away to provide the very thing His disciples needed, His love.

Our Heavenly Father sent His Son to meet our most pressing need, salvation from sin. “For God so loved the world, He gave…” He ministered… He served us out of His love.

Our Heavenly Father serves us as any good Dad would. He takes good care of us! He provides, sustains, is attentive to our cry, etc,

Jesus shows us the Father who serves. We were made to display that image to others, i.e. imitate God! May we give ourselves away in service that glorifies our Heavenly Father who gives Himself in service to us!

Show Us The Father — Everything We Need, True Life!

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Today is Mark 10:1-31.

A rich young man ran up to Jesus as He set out on a journey one day. Although the man had everything he could ever need, he knew he was missing something.

He asked Jesus a question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus told him. “You know the commandments.” This was a true statement. A Jewish man of Jesus’s time would have memorized them, but Jesus began to list them off to the rich young man. The man pointed out to Jesus, “all these I have kept from my youth.”

Then it seems that Jesus switches gears, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor…” However, Jesus pointed out the greatest commandment that the man had missed — The Shema: 

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As a Jewish man, he had customarily repeated this verse twice a day, everyday. Jesus was right, the rich young man knew te commands, BUT he had not observed them all. He loved his wealth more than God, Himself.

Jesus offered him the opportunity to follow Him, the very God who gave the life the rich young man desired. But he “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

The disciples observed the interaction. Afterwards, Peter said something that should be the prayer of our heart, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”

God wants all of us! Total surrender!

When He is all we seek, we will find Him to be all we need!

Whatever we give up, Jesus said we will receive back “a hundredfold” of His provision. And we will also receive the one thing the rich young man longed for — “eternal life.”

Knowing Jesus, is Knowing Our Heavenly Father. THIS is Knowing Life! 

“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Show Us The Father — Pursuer of Our Heart

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Today is Mark 9.

Jesus knows everything. He knows what is in the hearts of every man.

Jesus came upon a great crowd and commotion regarding a boy with an unclean spirit. This boy was mute and self destructive. The boy’s father was desperate for healing for his son.

Jesus could have immediately cast the demon out of the boy and healed him, but instead He asked he fathers a question: “How long has he been like this?” (Verse 21) Again, Jesus knew this. He knew all things. But there was an issue within the father’s heart that Jesus wanted to address.

The father said, “If you can do anything have compassion on us and help us.” (verse 22) What was in the father’s heart came out of his mouth…unbelief. Jesus addressed this, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” (Verse 23)

The father needed to see his true need. It wasn’t his son, it was his unbelieving heart. He spoke a prayer, “I believe, help my unbelief!”

Jesus then cast out the demon and the boy was healed.

Our Heavenly Father desires our hearts to be entirely, totally, completely His! He works in our circumstances to show us what is inside of them. He is willing to take the time to get to the heart of the matter in our lives.

Unbelief was separating this father from His Heavenly Father. Jesus addressed the issue and worked a miracle for the man.

A simple prayer by a desperate man brought healing and wholeness not only to his son, but to his own heart. When we sense the Holy Spirit asking us a question, “How long have you been like this?” We stand on the precipice of freedom. If we choose to humble ourselves, confess our sin, and say, “I believe in You Jesus! Help me!”

Show Us The Father — Abundant Provider,

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Today is Mark 8.

In Jesus, there is abundance for every need. Two times the crowds were in need for physical food and Jesus provided. What was it that Jesus used to provide the need? It was ALL the disciples had. Jesus took what was given to Him, a few loaves and fish. He not only provided a meal for a crowd, but leftovers that displayed His generous provision.

Our Heavenly Father is very generous in His provision for us! He is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will be the same forever. We can come to Him with what we have, all of us. He will work the miraculous in what we offer up to Him with generous abundance!