God doesn't sleep

From the Word: Esther 6:1 “That night the king could not sleep…”

"Not when there is injustice. The King of Glory never sleeps nor does He slumber. He will bring justice swiftly for those who love Him. The devil is plotting and we are not unaware of his devices. Even more so the all knowing God. Will He not arise and carry out His good plan according to His mercies? Will He not see us in the court, dressed and ready for Him and extend his scepter to us? Will he not hang the devil on the gallows he meant to hang us on? Will He not bring us to His banqueting table and hang His banner of love over us?"

It is Easter weekend as I write this. So many thoughts and emotions come with this time of year. Beauty is all around as flowers are in bloom and for a few weeks in California we get to see green hills instead of brown ones. 

Even with all the beauty we are constantly reminded of the fallen world we live in. Just last week the headlines were "Shooting at an Elementary school." Sin and the devil are at work. They don't take a day off. We read that after Jesus overcame the temptation in the wilderness that the devil went away looking for an opportune time to trip him up. 

The good news is that God doesn't sleep either. In fact Jesus said that He and His Father were working from the beginning. God doesn't change and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! Jesus is alive and working on the earth. 

Jesus told a parable of a widow who went to an unjust judge to get deliverance. Eventually she did because the unjust judge didn't want to be wearied with her coming anymore. In the explanation of the parable Jesus tells us that we shouldn't give up either. God is not unjust! He hasn't forgotten you. Jesus ended his statements by saying that God would bring justice swiftly. 

Don't give up or give in. When you see the devil taking lives and sin destroying people press in to God. He isn't off taking a nap or an extended vacation. He is intimately involved in the events of the earth bringing justice, comfort, peace, healing and especially the good news of the gospel that Jesus took our sin on the cross and defeated death and the devil when he raised again to life! 

God loves you so much. Easter shows us that. The beauty of spring shouts that there is a resurrection and we can be made alive with Christ. I would encourage you to take some time to meditate on the story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Get into a Bible believing church and experience the wonderful presence of God. Tell God how thankful you are for His love and love on Him right back. Finally, take some time to pray for those who are bound by sin and the devil, that they would be delivered and experience the salvation and love of Jesus this Easter weekend as well. 

Day 160 - Truly Letting Go

"We prayed and released everything to God and chose to forgive regardless of reciprocation."

True forgiveness let's go and releases regardless of response or reciprocation. True forgiveness has already decided what it will do well before it speaks. True forgiveness starts in the heart, works its way through the mouth and out into the actions. 

I often think of offenses as sharp tacks. The one offending may willingly or unwillingly hurt someone else and the tack is placed in the had of the one offended. U forgiveness closes its fingers around that tack and won't let go. The only problem with that is that no one is hurting except the one holding the tack. It doesn't punish the offender and doesn't relieve the pain of the offended. 

Forgiveness opens the hand, removes the tack and tosses it into the sea of forgetfulness. Why? Shouldn't we stay angry? What of justice? If you believe in the forgiveness of God at the cross and have received that same forgiveness then you are under obligation to give that same forgiveness. In fact we are commanded to forgive others just like God forgave us in and through Jesus Christ. 

That is the only way we can forgive. True forgiveness is in the likeness of the One who alone is the truth Himself. When we let go of the pain and the offense and forgive we are now operating in the supernatural power of God. His love never fails. 

Have you been holding on to pain and unforgiveness? It is time to release it to God in prayer. What scriptures in the Bible help us to forgive? 

Day 108 - A 'Good' Day

"Today while I was at the grocery store I saw a worker there who is a believer. I got in his check out line as I usually do when I see him. As I was leaving after I paid I said have a blessed Good Friday. He responded that his friend had text him that it wasn't good for Jesus. I think the contrary though. 

Truly today is Good Friday. Good because it pleased the Father to carry out His plan of redemption even though it cost His Son's life. Good because Jesus had the joy that was set before Him and endured the cross. Good because saints and sinners remember what was done this day. Good because the church gathers and remembers and celebrates her King."

What a contradiction that the day that God in the flesh is crucified has been named "Good Friday". And yet the Bible is filled with statements like this that to the natural mind make no sense. You have to die to live. You must be born again. He who is first shall be last and the last shall be first. The way to life is narrow and there are few who find it and the way to destruction is wide. Many are called but few are chosen. The way up is down (humble yourself and He will lift you up). 

To our natural minds we may ask questions such as "Why would God allow suffering?" or "If God is good then why is there so much evil on the earth?" The answer is that to our natural minds these things don't make sense. But to someone who has truly experienced the power of what happened on Good Friday who now has been born again by laying down their old life in death and being raised in new life we now have a new perspective. We don't blame God for evil we blame the flesh, poor choices, and the evil one for the things going on around us. We have a new perspective on suffering too. We see it building character and causing us to walk in love and in the Spirit. 

For us, any and every situation is now under the transforming power of the resurrected Lord. He is good and makes our worst days into good days too. 

Have you experienced the power of the cross? Has your life been made new? Are you born again? If your answer is "No" click here.  

What are your thoughts on "Good Friday"? How has your life been changed from bad to good?

Day 97 - Love After Sin

"From the Word: 2 Sam 12:24b-25 David and Bathsheba have just lost a child. David accepts the Lord's judgement but Bathsheba is obviously distraught because David comforts her. They conceive again and this time it is not an adulterous relationship it is a covenant relationship and God loves this child. Even though David had named his son Solomon meaning 'peace' signifying that he and The Lord were again at peace, The Lord sent word through Nathan the prophet, probably as a comfort to David and Bathsheba, as well as a voice to Solomon, that his name was Jedidiah, meaning beloved of Jehovah or loved by God."

What a comforting thought that after the sin and judgement comes the overwhelming love of God. We now have peace through the cross. With that peace is the love of God. We are no longer sinners but saints, sons and daughters. We have been made acceptable by the blood. 

Thank God He left this story in the Bible. Even though it is hard to look at sin and shame and embarrassment come with it we need to realize that sin was paid for. Punishment was given at the cross. The wrath of God for sin was poured out and now we are Jedidiah and Solomon in one. The son (or daughter) of the King at peace with God and loved by God. 

Which name do you identify more with when you think about your relationship with God; Solomon (peace) or Jedidiah (loved by God)? How can we experience more of the peace and love of God?