A Balanced Testimony

"Everything is permissible- but not everything is beneficial.      Everything is permissible- but not everything is constructive." 

I Cor. 10:23 (NIV)

The age old dance between legalism and license is an interesting, and challenging, balancing act.  In Christ I am free.  But I am not free to do whatever my flesh desires.  I am free, but not free to re-enter bondage.   I am set free to choose to follow Him.

Some Christians are hung up on a lot of rule-making and following.  Don't go here.  Don't wear that.  Don't say this.  Whereas, other Christians seem to have virtually no  convictions at all.  Smoking, drinking, partying, cussing  and extra-marital flirting. Surely, surely there is a middle ground.

The grace of God frees us from a law whose weight we are not able to uphold. But it never freed us to live sloppily and in a worldly way.  What benefit do you,  or others, receive from your freedom? Our freedom means that we live Godly lifestyles because our love for him inspires obedience to His  Word.  His grace grants us the ability to say "no" to our fleshly,  carnal desire; and emboldens us to say "yes" to self-control, obedience and holiness. 

I have been around  both types of Christians, and occasionally have acted like either side.  Finding the balance will be a lifelong endeavor for all of us. We  have to find a way to be the Church in the world.  We must be  different and set apart.  And yet, we must be relevant and relatable.  Would sinners find you so holy that you are unapproachable?  Or do they see you as someone who does not challenge them at all?

I was recently in a women's conference, where the speaker was sharing about riding on an airplane with a fellow lady preacher. She stated that the stewardess came up to her and asked her, "Who is  that lady you are with?  I used to follow God, but I have walked away.  Her presence convicts me." They went on to lead that lady back to the Lord.   I have thought about that many times since I heard it.  Does my presence convict others of sin?  Does it inspire them to want to come to me and ask me the reason for my hope?  Or instead, do I fit in without making any impact whatsoever?  Or worse,  is  my testimony a repellent?  I urge you, today, to ask yourself these hard questions.

Dear Lord, forgive me for failing to have enough of your presence in my life, that others  are convicted of their sin.  Help me to be salt and light.  Help me to offer something the world desires.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Hit the Reset Button

    

Lam 3:22-23

 

It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

KJV

 

Yesterday was one of those days.  By four o'clock I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry or get under the bed. Nothing I touched seem to work. Several work assignments had left me spending the whole day working and accomplishing nothing.  Over and over my technology failed and frustrated me.   It seemed as if I had wasted an entire day.  I felt ragged, disgusted and used up.  And then it hit me!  I can hit the reset button and switch gears!  I can draw a line at the end of the day and move on.  It was now family time and I could lay aside the stress of work.

 I am so grateful for evenings when I can relax, enjoy my family and recharge my battery.  This got me to thinking about the way that God allows for so many do-over's.  Each morning is a fresh start.   No matter how yesterday went, today is a new opportunity.  Today there is fresh grace and mercy on me to use that day. Each morning it seems that my hope is renewed and I am  able to embrace a good attitude and expectation for that day.

 Each spring reminds us of how beautiful it is again to embrace new life.  All of this points to the new birth, where Christ redeemed us from the curse of sin.  Because of Calvary, we can begin again in Christ.  Just as  we need to approach each new day  as a gift and a new start, we need to see our life in Christ as a brand new beginning.  We have to put aside all the ugliness of our past and begin with a fresh, clean slate.

Our minds  are so  easily overwhelmed, discouraged and burned out.  If you are having more day than you do grace, ask the Lord to multiply mercy and grace to you to meet the demands of your day.

Dear Lord, thank you for a fresh start.  Please help to walk in your grace and mercy today.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

Everlasting Consolation

    

2 Thess 2:16-17

 

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

NKJV

 

What a great word today's verse is!  It is so rich in many wonderful aspects, it is almost like holding a prism up to a light. 

 

 

First of all, it reminds us of the wonderful truth that God loves us.  Sadly, this world is filled with people who have no idea that they are loved.  Especially by the Almighty God!  In all we say about God, we must always promote the fact that He is love!  He does not have a single motivation of His heart that is not born of love.  That is so reassuring! 

 

Furthermore, he has given us everlasting consolation!  As a kid, I loved to watch the games shows- The Price is Right; The Family Feud; and Wheel of Fortune.  I would always get tickled, especially on the Price is Right, when a person would bomb out big time and be sent home empty-handed...well, except for their lovely parting gift.  A consolation prize of a year's worth of "Rice a Roni" or some other item.  I almost imagined the person saying, "Well I lost 10,000, but that's OK, Bob.  Because now we have a free side dish for a whole year!"  That is pitiful consolation.

 

The kind of consolation that we receive in Christ is neither cheap nor paltry.  His consolation is rich, deep, and all encompassing.  There is not a hurt that we feel, that He does not have the balm to sooth away our pain.  His love and comfort penetrate to the deepest recesses of our heart and provide blessed relief and consolation.  This results in good  hope.  Not half-heart open but full-on, faith building hope!  He can make us believe that everything is going to be all right, even in the times that nothing looks alright.

 

He has give us an everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, which allows us to be established in every good word and work.  That is a mouthful!  To have good  thoughts, which later, turn into good words, takes a redemptive work of Jesus.  But He is able to put His words in my mouth and  anoint them to speak life into others and into the situations that I face.  His Words have creative power in them, and when we speak His Word within the context of the Bible, they are life-giving and life-changing!

 

Additionally, he establishes me in good works.  So much of what we do for Him is born of selfish motives, guilt, necessity and a need for recognition.  To be able to serve unselfishly and effectively is a by-product of the grace of God.  I am so thankful that He provides me with all I need to carry out the assignments that He is gives  me.  And He gives me the ability to be established in them.  He can make me solid, firm, sure and immovable!  That is pretty incredible when you think about how double-minded we can be within ourselves.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for the richness of Your Word, as well as the richness and depth of your grace.  I praise you and bless You for the grace, love, comfort and consolation that you have given me.  Help me to be a vessel to share these grace gifts with others.   In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

Brought to my Knees

 

 

 

"Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! 8 At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, 9 and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it's all you need.

My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. 10 Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size — abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."  2 Cor 12:7-10

(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

 

Other than the Lord Jesus Christ, there was not a more powerful or influential  figure than the Apostle Paul.  He went from being Saul, the persecutor/murderer of Christians, to being the Super Apostle  who wrote 2/3rds of the New Testament.  He was one of the great (if not the greatest) missionaries of the early church.  He shared the gospel first with the Jew, and then with the Gentiles.  He traveled widely in his day, making disciples, starting, and equipping churches. 

Because of the powerful call on his life, the Lord anointed him and gifted him beyond  most.  He was honored to have been taken up into the 3rd  heaven.  We do not know if he died, and was brought back- or if he had a near-death encounter.  Or if he possibly had a vision.  Regardless of the means, he saw inexplicable and inexpressible glory.  No doubt this vision was needed to carry him through the strong persecution that would come to him during his ministry. He claims that it was given to him to keep him from being conceited.

There is much speculation about what this "messenger of Satan" is.  I have heard scholars postulate that it was blindness, malaria, or a sickness that brought him near death.  Others thought  possibly a horrific beating.   None of us truly know, but one thing we do know, is that he saw it as something to torment him.  But also something God  could work in spite of the "thorn."

I love the way the message Bible brings it with an "in your face" interpretation, "Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees."  When trials, struggles and torments come our way, we need to adopt Paul's attitude and recall that when we go to our knees in prayer we are receiving the strength and grace we need to make it  through.  Our weakness is no match for Christ's might.  He can overcome and overwhelm every shortcoming and make it a strength.

Dear Lord, help me in my areas of weakness.   I invite you in.  Demonstrate your majesty in-and through- me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Give me Grace

"But he gives us more grace.  That is why Scripture says:  'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'" I John 4:1-6

 

Have you ever had something really delicious to eat?  So much so, that you thought that you would just die if you could not have more?  When something is good, it stands to reason that more is better.  (Hence my puzzlement that they consider tiny candy bars to be "fun size", but that is a discussion for another day.)

 

I feel the same way, only more fervently, about the grace of God. That is what makes this verse very encouraging.  He gives MORE grace.  More help, more supernatural can-do, more strength, and more ease.  When He gives us grace, He continues to add to it until we have all we need to make it through whatever battle we face.  When our resolve and strength is completely depleted, God grants us more grace.

 

I am currently in a situation that feels like I am walking through quick sand.  I have matters to attend to that have become a burden or drudgery to me.  In my despair I find my heart crying out to God, "Give me more grace or move me."  I am just there with the situation I am in.  I am not capable of getting a new attitude, a different perspective or a fresh infusion of zeal to meet the demands.  I am utterly bankrupt within myself to muster up the courage that I need.  Thank God that I never live within my own means, but rather, I live within the means of God!

 

There are times that we must see our own lack in order to do as this verse dictates. We must humble ourselves to receive that grace.  As long as we think we can handle it, we do not lean upon God's grace.

 

 Oh, Lord, you see me.  You know me intimately.  You understand my weakness and my state of my mind.  You know the areas I need grace in, and Lord I beseech you earnestly to multiply grace into my life.    In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Sherri

 

 

The Best Advice

 

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.  But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense- Jesus Christ, the righteous One.”  I John 2:1

 

Is there a more beautiful verse of Scripture written anywhere?  When I think of Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, who never sinned at all, defending me, I am humbled beyond measure!  This passage is such a beautiful illustration of parenting.  “Johnny, get down out of that tree before you fall!”  (Johnny hurtles to the ground, breaking his arm.)  Mama or Daddy runs to him at break-neck speed, grabs him up with loving consolation and rushes him to the ER.  This is that type of thing, only times infinity!

“My dear children” here is the apostle John demonstrating a spiritual Father type of love, sent to several gentile congregations, passed around anywhere there were believers.  With great tenderness he admonishes them to not sin.  In many ways this makes me think of the “birds and the bees” talk given to our adolescent children.  “Sex is for after marriage, etc., etc.  But if you get into trouble, I want you to talk to me.  I am still going to love you and be there for you.”  We tell them what we want for them.  We tell them what is best for them.  We tell them how to avoid heartache, disaster and sickness.  But if for some reason, they do not heed our advice, we do not throw them out.  We try to lovingly restore them.

Jesus does not want us to sin.  Period.  He has given us his Spirit to guide us; a conscience through which to lead us; his Word to direct us; and his grace to empower us.  This is the sin-free power package.  But just as we recognize the humanity and propensity to fail in our little ones, he sees it is in us.  He knows our frame- the very hairs of our head are numbered.  He knows us inside and out.  What love!  What devotion!  He wants us to succeed.  He wants us to be blessed.  He wants us to walk closely with him.  But if we stumble, if we fall, he is there to bring us help.

If he were not mercy; the conversation with the Father would be so much different. It would be more like, “Father, Sherri has gotten angry and lost her temper.  I never did that when I walked this earth.  Punish her.”  He is grace.  Take a moment and thank him for his longsuffering mercy toward you.

I would not be a balanced Bible teacher, if I did not offer up a word of caution at this point.  He tells us not to sin.  We should never purposefully choose to sin and then impose on his mercy.  His mercy is not cheap.  It was purchased with the pure blood of the Lamb!  One day as I was diving into a ridiculously sinful dessert, I jested with friends, “For this sin I am about to commit, please forgive me.”  We laughed about it, because it was just dessert.  But how many Christians live their lives in the same way.  I know what I am doing is wrong; but I am going to keep doing it and get forgiveness later.  Be careful!  You are gambling with your soul.

Dear Lord, thank you for your extravagant mercy and forgiveness.  Forgive me for knowingly sinning against your mercy.  Help me to walk in purity and holiness.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

The Prayer Differently Answered

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  II Corinthians 12:7

 

We have all been through times that the Lord did not answer our prayers in the way that we had hoped.  We have known the disappointment of a “no” or a “not yet” from the Lord.  When we go through these types of situations, it can be difficult to understand the way that the Lord is working.  Like the Apostle Paul, we may find that God is giving us the grace to walk through it rather than delivering us out of a situation.

But we must never short-change the answer of grace.  When God answers with grace, He is offering His power to overcome, His strength to stand, and assurance of His love and presence in our life.   So many times when we pray, we are blessed with just the answer we believe for.  But there are times we must be prepared to trust Him to know what is best for us.

Dear Lord, help me to stand in your grace today.  Help me to be satisfied and appreciative of the help you are offering.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

 

From Grief to Grace

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Isn’t it good to know that no matter what life throws our ways, God works it for our good?  So many things that come our way can seem bad, if not downright awful.  Christians are not immune from the heartaches of life.  We too lose our jobs, have wayward children and face health issues.

God’s way of working for the good means that He can take the bad that life throws our way but use it to better us.  He works our character in the furnace of life. He teaches us to trust Him.  He gives us depth of character and integrity as we turn to Him through life’s trials.

Since we know that nothing comes our way unless He allows it; and since we know He ultimately works all things for our good, we can rest in Him when life gets out of control.  God loves us and watches carefully over us.  Many times He spares us from tragedies and mishaps.  These are the situations that get us excited about being a child of God.  We are a little less thrilled when He gives us the grace to walk through things that we want Him to rescue us from.

This is a lesson that I learned personally a few years ago.  I believed that the Lord had promised me another child. So when we got the news that we were expecting I was so excited about the fulfillment of my answered prayers.  I was completely taken off guard when I lost that baby through miscarriage.  I went through a season of doubting and yes, even anger that the Lord had allowed that to happen.  When we found out that we were expecting again, I was frightened, but still overjoyed.  I believed with the depths of my soul that God would not allow that to happen to me again.  But just like the time before that, I found myself grieving with empty arms.

It was at that point that the Lord spoke to me about the problems of life.  He basically impressed on me that the lessons He was trying to teach me would be learned through one life issue or another.  The question was did I want a baby at the end of the trial?  So with fear and trembling we were told once again that we were expecting.  I would like to say that this time there were no problems.  But it seemed to be going terribly wrong just like the other two times.  Ultimately, Praise God(!), we were blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby boy.

It was during that season of grief, loss and confusion that I came to trust Him that no matter how things turned out, I knew that He would work it all for my good.  Certainly this was tragedy I would rather have avoided.  The loss of two babies in four months’ time was emotionally and physically devastating to me.  But I did learn that through these things the Lord was faithful to walk with me through it all and protect me from falling from the faith.

Whatever you are facing today, I urge you to put your trust in God.  He cares about your situation even more than you do.  He knows what it will take for you to receive your miracle.  He will not leave you to walk it alone.

Dear Lord, help me today to walk in faith, regardless of my circumstances.  Thank you that you are working everything for my good.  Please grant me the grace I need to stand through it all.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

All That You Need

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

 II Corinthians 9:8

What an awesome promise!  No matter what you are doing (provided it is Godly) or what you are in need of, God is able to make all grace abound to you.  That means that whenever you need God’s unmerited favor, it is yours.  This is one of the verses that can build confidence in your life if you concentrate on that knowledge.

If you begin a work that God has called you to, such as a ministry, He will give you whatever you need to accomplish what He has called you to do.  He will give you the strength and emotional energy to carry it out.  He will multiply your time, He will give you resources, and He will cause people to like you for no apparent reason!

This concept applies even in our secular life or home life, across all spheres that touch you.  This does not mean that you will never struggle or fight against problems.  But it does mean that you have a promise to have all that you need.  This means money for the power bill, patience for the Little League team you coach, it means ALL things.

Perhaps the most thrilling part of this verse is the promise that you will abound in every good work.  Whatever you do, it will prosper or succeed.  You will reap a harvest, an abundant supply.

We all know people who have stepped out and tried things and appear to have failed.  But we can be sure that if a child of God is involved, God can turn even our messes into messages.  He can transform any situation and work it for our good.  So even something that appears like a flop to us, God can use to build character, teach us something we need to learn or show us that He is still in control.

Dear Lord, thank you for your promises.  Thank you for your grace and your desire to put that unmerited favor on me.  Thank you that I can walk in your empowerment and favor.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri