Playing It Safe

     This morning as I was a reading Scripture, a verse seemed to jump out at me.  It is found in Luke 9:23:  "Jesus said, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'"  Now that is a simple and straightforward verse of scripture.  But think about for a moment.  What exactly does it cost to be a Christian?
     Let me share an example.  Our family loves to play games.  We have a large number of board games and card games in our home, and each time the family gathers we like to sit and play them.  However, during the game, one or more of our family will often say, "If I move there, I might not win or if I go there, I will be out!"  Of course, part of playing any game is taking some chances or risks.  There is a fifty/fifty chance of winning or losing.  In many ways, the Christian life is not so much different.  You can either stay safe in a little, warm cocoon or you can step out in faith and go where the Lord leads you.  Is there a cost or risk?  Yes, but the rewards are eternal in nature!
     When Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him...we have to do it daily in order to grow and move in the Lord.  We have to put aside "self" and our wants and desires; however, when we do, the Lord's paycheck is so much richer than even our fondest of dreams.  This verse greatly comforted me as we had a rough week last week.  Many of you could probably say the same, but without Christ our week would have been much harder to bear.
      There are times when we have to put aside our plans, our wishes and our desires in order to follow the path the Lord has laid before us.  Nevertheless, when we do this for the sake of God's glory, we will find a deep satisfaction in having obeyed Him.  This is why I love the verse found in Jeremiah 29:11:  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a good future."
     When we take up our cross daily and deny our self interest, we will find the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.  We can either play it safe or we can step out in faith trusting God to direct our steps.  May we be bold in Christ who died for our sins and follow Him no matter where we leads!  Selah!


Have you stepped out of your comfort zone to follow Christ?  What happened?  I welcome your thoughts here.


Picture courtesy of Kokoo at Wikipedia Commons (public domain picture).

How Are You Doing?

     By now, many of the New Year's Resolutions made with all sincerity are slipping away as we enter the halfway point of January.  Amazing isn't it?  We promise ourselves that we will turn over a new leaf, lose some weight, exercise regularly and eat better.  These are worthy causes for certain, but we do not always stay the course.
     One area that my husband and I have succeeded in maintaining over the past few years is to start a regimen of walking at least four to five times a week for the sake of our health.  We have been faithful in this area and it has become a regular habit.  One of the benefits of these walks is time to pray and enjoy the beauty of God's creation, but there is an even more important exercise in the long run than this.
     In his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul wrote this concerning exercise:  "Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things" (1 Timothy 4:8).  Paul, here, acknowledges that bodily exercise does profit a little.  I think all of our doctors would agree.  However, our bodies will eventually weaken and fade in strength.  Therefore, Paul encourages us to concentrate on exercising godliness because it holds a promise for this life and the life to come.  This is one thing we CAN take with us when we die!
     While the term godliness may sound dull, fearful or even unattainable, this is the goal we are called to live and develop.  In simple terms, godliness is simply self-giving love - the kind that cares more for others than we care for ourselves.  How do we learn to exercise godliness?  The answer is simple.  We must spend time in the presence of our Lord and sit at the feet of Jesus listening to Him through His Word.  As we allow His Word to sink deep within us, it will change us from the inside out and we will become more like Him.  This takes time, effort and regular commitment.  Yet, when we are faithful to this exercise, the blessings will be abundant in our lives.
     Secondly, we need to daily talk with the Lord.  Prayer is not meant to be a one time duty in the morning or evening.  Instead, it is a flowing conversation with our Lord throughout the day.  Praying on our way to work, as we hear about someone in need, while we prepare an evening meal or even driving along the highway allows us the privilege to come into the presence of our Creator.  I find this type of prayer life revitalizing.  If I hear a prayer request from a friend that I do not immediately pray for, I have a tendency to forget to lift this before the Lord.  Therefore, I talk with the Lord throughout my busy day.  This is an exercise that pays real dividends because it glorifies God, lifts the needs of our friends and loved ones and once again, changes our hearts.

     Finally, we exercise godliness when we demonstrate God's love to others both in fellowship with other believers and by sharing the good news with unbelievers that we come in contact with at work or in our neighborhood.  No Christian can be an island unto himself.  We are meant to mingle, connect, reach out, and touch the lives of those around us.  We dare not neglect our regular fellowship with other believers because this is where we draw spiritual nourishment and encouragement from.  Likewise, as we touch the lives of those around us in our daily routine, we have the privilege of passing on the truth about Jesus Christ.
     Exercising godliness improves our spiritual life in the same way that physical exercise helps our general health.  Both require commitment and discipline in order to see results.  Looking into God's Word daily, communing with Him throughout the day in prayer and surrounding ourselves with both other believers in worship and our neighbors we encounter in our daily work all provide us with a means of building our godly character.  We have been put on this earth to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  So the choice is clear...we can be  couch potato Christians with flabby spiritual muscles or we can be fit and ready to serve as He did by exercising godliness every day.
     Our other resolutions may have fallen by the wayside, but I pray that this is one commitment we will put ahead of all others because it counts for all eternity!  Selah!


Pictures above come from the public domain at Wikipedia Commons

New Every Morning

     Are you living in captivity?  Each one of us has certain areas that take hold of us whether it is chronic pain, illness, not enough money at the end of our bills, inability to find a good job, or some other complication of living.  Any one of these things can so get a grip on our lives that we can despair and lose our hope.  This is what happened to the Children of Israel when they were carried away to Babylonian captivity.  Jerusalem had been destroyed as the Prophet Jeremiah had foretold.  Now the people were living in a foreign land under the rule of a pagan king.  They had lost everything.  Their homes, possessions, and Temple were gone.  Life, for them, would never be the same.  Yet even in this darkness there was hope because they served the God of the Covenant.
     In the Book of Lamentations which some believe Jeremiah composed, there are words of encouragement for the people of God.  These words are as true for us today as they were for the people of Israel.  Chapter 3:21-25 reads:  "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope; The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in Him.'  The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him."  For the Israelites, these words of hope would be fulfilled as God did allow them to return to Judah and rebuild the temple under King Cyrus of the Persians who had defeated the Babylonians.  I am certain it was not on the timetable of those who had been taken to captivity, but in God's providence, the people were allowed to go home again.

Ancient stone showing the Children of Israel being led into captivity

     Like the Children of Israel, we are called, as believers, to remember God's steadfast love for us.  His covenant with us through the blood of Christ makes our inheritance sure and our salvation complete.  Therefore, no weapon formed against us can prevail.  With the Apostle Paul, we can say:  "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38).  Isn't this a comfort to know when circumstances do not favor us?
     What we must remember each day is that God is steadfast and unchangeable.  When He makes a promise, He keeps it.  This is not true of man whose heart is fickle at best.  God's love is also something we can count on as demonstrated so clearly by His Son who was sent to die for our sins.  Can there be any doubt that God loves us?  Even when we did not love Him, He first loved us.  This is a love which goes beyond feeling...it is a committed love which God sealed with the blood of His Son.  If we belong to Christ, we are kept in His love each day.
     Secondly, God's mercies never come to an end.  If you do not believe me, read the Old Testament.  Over and over again, the people of Israel tried and tested the patience of God with their sin.  They are the picture of "every man".  Yet, God's mercies never came to an end.  In fact, as the Scripture tells us, they were new every morning.  He delivered His people from their enemies.  He disciplined His people when they fell into sin, but He always showed them mercy in the middle of their trials.  He will do the same for us.
     Finally, when our trust and hope are placed in God, we can be certain that He will complete the good work He has begun in us.  The key for us all when faced with trials is to keep our focus on Christ.
By recalling God's goodness to us daily, we defeat the Enemy of our soul who tries to fill our minds and hearts with discouragement.  Practicing thankfulness for even the little things does so much for our outlook as we walk in this world.
     Copy this verse from Lamentations and put it on your mirror or some place where you will see it each day.  Remember that God loves us.  He is faithful, and He is merciful.  In Him, we find hope when other problems want to overwhelm us.  Let the Lord set us free from captivity every day and remember that His mercies are new every morning!  Selah!


Picture of a person in bondage is taken from Wikipedia Commons courtesy of
"© Raimond Spekking / CC-BY-SA-3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)"