aSacredRebel

My situation…

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel: The whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ, and most of the brothers and sisters, having confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment, now more than ever dare to speak the word fearlessly. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. The latter do so from love because they know that I am placed here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. (Philippians 1:12-18 NET)

While you and I may never find ourselves in prison, we can understand Paul in his
letter to the Philippians. He is advancing the gospel. Do you k ow anyone who advances the gospel, and through that gets others to advance the gospel?

Does your life have an impact on someone so that their life is touched by God? Do you live through the pains of lose and wanting to show others how much God has given you? When you could cry out why have you forsaken me to God, yet live so that the mercy you have received is show forth even in the midst of darkness all around you…

We have been called to be beacons of hope even, especially in the darkness. So cling to the promise and know that He is faithful and will never leave you or forsake you.

Evil…

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
(Luke 11:29-32 ESV)

Why do we always look for a sign? Why do we want God to prove to us that He is the creator of the universe and that He loves us and will seek the best for us? Gideon had God make the ground wet and the towel dry, then the towel wet and the ground dry, or something like that. And God does it to prove to him that He is in it.

Why must we always see something spectacular to make us believe God is for us. Is not the fact you were able to get out of bed this morning, that you have a roof over your head and food to eat enough of a miracle to prove to you that God loves you?

The queen of the south came to Solomon because of his wisdom, but something greater than Solomon is here! And the people of Nineveh turned and followed God because of Jonah’s preaching, but something greater than Jonah is here! And that something wants a relationship with you! And yet we ask for a sign!

Have we not already received enough?

Wordle to Accompany Week #1 Advent Devotion

Wordle to Accompany Week #1 Advent Devotion.

Who am I?

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord GOD! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord GOD! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O LORD, became their God. And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” (2 Samuel 7:18-29 ESV)

Who am I that you have brought me thus far? Last night at the dinner table we discussed has God ever done anything to pass over me. Has God ever done something for me that I did not deserve? All the time, God is doing things for me I do not deserve. I can recount endless acts of mercies on God’s part towards me.

My wife
My daughters
the roof over my head
my health
the ability to be there for others
a job that allows me to be a role model
friends who love me for me
friends who ave given of themselves for me and my family
The list could go on and on…

I invite you on this 3rd day of Advent to reflect on how God has been merciful to you.

I wonder every day how this passage starts, who am I Lord, that you have given me favor and mercy and allowed me to live this long… Who am I oh Lord that you still use me and work through me even through all of the junk I do and sin that keeps me from you. God’s promises ring true today, the same as they did yesterday and the way they will tomorrow and forever more.

This passage reminded me of one of my favorite songs by Casting Crowns, Who Am I. Why does the Lord know my name, why does He feel my hurt, it is not because of what I’ve done, or who I am, but all because of Jesus. It is not because of anything I have done or could have done or could do, but God loves me and knows my name, and my hurt and the number of hairs on my head because I am His child and because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for me.

You are loved and worthy of more than you could possibly image because of the coming king. So prepare your heart for Him and make ready! For He is coming and it is going to be a wonderful party!

Day Two of Advent

promise

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:1-13 ESV)

Have you ever had someone tell you you were stupid or crazy or weird for believing in God? That His promises were not true and it was just a system to make people give money to an organization?

Advent is the season of hope that proceeds Christmas, and we talk about it being the season of waiting for the coming baby in a manger. Well the baby already came, but we still wait for someone to come this Advent…

You see when Jesus died and rose again we went away and sent us the Holy Spirit, so we still have God with us, but Jesus told us before He left that He was coming back. And some are saying because it has been so long that He forgot or He lied or it was all just a ploy… But Peter reminds us, that God is not slow as we think of slow, for to God one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. And the psalmist tell us that to God a thousand years is like the blink of an eye… You see God wants all of us to get it. So we have to be salt and light and help those who do not believe to live in the promises God gave us!

We need to believe in the promises and wait for the coming King in such a way that our lives help those who can not understand that it is about faith and believing and help them understand…

So believe in the promise and do not lose heart when the scoffers come! Wait for your King for He is coming!

Be prepared…

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:25-36 ESV)

When was the last time you woke up and asked yourself if today is the day that Jesus will return? It is not usually the first thing that goes through our minds. It is not usually even on our minds. Now we are not suppose to know the time or the day, only God the Father knows that. But just because we do not know when He is coming does not mean we should not be expecting Him to come, or that we are prepared for His coming.

The image included for this first Sunday in Advent is the Boy Scout Salute. I was a Boy Scout for a few years, and the motto of the Boy Scouts should be the motto of every Christian and something we can do for the next 4 weeks during Advent and for the rest of our lives as we wait for the coming Messiah: Be Prepared!

We need to be expectant, not of a baby in a manger, but of the second coming of our risen King! We need to be expectant and ready for His return! We live our lives in such a way that we are not filled by the feasts and drinks of this life, or weighed down by it’s problems. Jesus is bigger than all of that and we need to live our lives in such a way that we are expectant of Him and showing others what we are living for.

So be prepared! Because Jesus is coming back, and we need to be ready!

enlarged…

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. (Psalm 25:16-18 ESV)

Isn’t it funny how our troubles are the biggest thing there ever was. We have a way of knowing all of the troubles we are going through and being able to sing the woes of all of our situation…

We look to God to fix our problems. Like a big cosmic vending machine to make all our troubles go away. Faith and Grace are gifts, and they do not say things will be easier with them. God only promises to be with us and never leave us or forsake us, not to make our problems go away. We all deal with junk and garbage, some of it self inflicted through our sin, and others are situations we find ourselves in. God will not deliver you from this… He never promised to make believers lives a walk in the park on a bright sunny day. He will however be with you through the junk and the garbage, even f you brought it on yourself. He will be present and guide you. He will enlarge your heart with grace, the gift of love you don’t deserve, and mercy, the gift of not giving you what you deserve. He will be with you through it all…

Remember me

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.(Psalm 25:1-10 ESV)

To you O Lord I lift up my soul, in you I trust O Lord. Higher than the mountains, deeper than the sea, wider than the ocean is your love for me! This is how the wonderful song goes and what this psalm says. We are loved by God and this is something we can trust and take to the bank.

I read this psalm yesterday and was struck by verse 7. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! The psalmist is asking God not to remember the wrongs we have done in the past. And who among us has not done something wrong? We all have things we wish we could say we did not do. And God will not remember these if the psalmist gets the desire of their heart. But God will remember me for me. God will remember me because I am His creation and He loves us just as we are!

Bask in the love He has given you!

security…

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 ESV)

We are not to worry about the times on anything. We do not need to worry ourselves with this. The times that God has planned for things is under His control and will be done according to His plan.

Plus the verses above say that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night when we are saying “there is peace and security.” Well the way my life is now, this day will never come! I can hardly image a day of peace and security. Not that my life is hard or at war. I have a very blessed existence compared to a lot of people in the world, but there is unrest and uneasiness in my life…

So maybe we are looking at this wrong…

Maybe our peace and security are not things we can see and feel. They are not attributes that we control. The peace and security that will bring the day of the Lord is when we all are resting in the peace and security offered to us by God. You see even in the face of uneasiness, and unrest, God is still with us and He is guiding us and walking with us as we journey.

So know that you can not know when the day will come or when things will happen, but rest assured that you have peace and security in the arms of a creator that loves you more than you deserve.