Grace for the Race

But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity. (Job 36:15 NLT)

I think we would all agree by way of personal experience, adversity gets our undivided attention. To be sure, this was true of the great patriarch Job. Now God already had Job’s attention as we read, “Job was blameless – a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil” (Job 1:1). Job loved the Lord and Job lived for the Lord. Yet, God allowed Satan to afflict Job and through this affliction, Job’s attention deepened on God and so too did His dependence.

Now, on this side of the cross, we are to see just how adversity takes on new meaning. There is purpose in all of our pain. God is using every storm wind that blows our way to accomplish His purposes in our lives. One of the main purposes that God has for His children in adversity is to conform us into the image of Christ that we might reflect His character in all we think, do, say, and desire. Paul makes it clear that all adversity “works together” for our eternal good and God’s glory.

Think about the last storm you were in. Did it not gain your undivided attention and cause you to fix your focus on God? If it did not, that surely is the ultimate goal. You see, God is getting our attention through every adversity. When we are being hammered on the anvil of adversity, we no longer focus on expanding our little kingdom in this world. Rather, we look to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith. Adversity also exposes our weaknesses, which drive us to the One who has all the strength in the universe. Paul too pleasure in his infirmities, persecutions, and weaknesses, because the power of Christ was at work in his life. (2 Corinthians 12:10). 

Remember, adversity is the classroom where we learn more and more about our Lord Jesus Christ. This is where we learn just how loved we are because God is with us every step of the way and has promised to get us through to the other side, better than we were before adversity came knocking on our door. When we keep our focus on Christ and not our circumstances, every adversity will make us better, not bitter.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Perhaps you are familiar with the letters WWJD, typically seen on bracelets, as well as a variety of other Christian apparel items. They stand for “What Would Jesus Do?” It’s a great concept, and it was rooted in the 1896 book entitled, In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do, by Charles Sheldon. This book has sold more than 50,000,000 copies and ranks as one of the best-selling books of all time. Now, as important as WWJD is, I believe there are four other letters that must come before these – LLJL. Do you know what they stand for? These four letters stand for “Live Like Jesus Lived!” There really is no sense asking “What Would Jesus Do” if we are not willing to “Live Like Jesus Lived.” We must be willing to live out the truth . . .

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).

We all need a pattern to follow if we are going to live a life that is both pleasing and glorifying to God. We have that pattern in our Lord Jesus Christ. We must look to Him alone as we find Him on the pages of the Gospels, in order to understand how we are to live. In looking more closely at Jesus who “is the visible image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), we will see what we lost because of the first sin in the Garden of Eden through Adam and Eve, and what we have been promised in our salvation.

Inasmuch as the Christian life is all of grace, we are responsible to pursue “Living Like Jesus Lived” through diligent effort and dependent discipline upon the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Press into God’s presence each day. Spend time in the Word of God. Pray unceasingly. Look to the One who is the Author and Perfector of your faith. LLJL must come before WWJD. Oh, one final point: when you mess it up and you will on this side of glory, remember, Jesus loves you unconditionally and forgives you completely.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. (2 Corinthians 1:8)

Did you know that believers get down and depressed? I certainly know this by way of personal experience. Yet, some people mistakenly think that after their conversion, depression should be as far as the east is from the west, as if they are now immune to depression, despair, and despondency. In our passage of Scripture, we read that the great apostle Paul despaired even of life. If Paul got down, it should not surprise us that we too get down at times. But like Paul, we have all that we need in Jesus to deal with our down so that we are never out! Here are just three truths to lift you out of the ashes of defeat:

• Jesus Is For You

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

• Jesus is With You

I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

• Jesus is In You

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you? (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Like Paul, we are all given to times of depression, despair, and despondency. We are not perfected yet and won’t be until we cross the Jordan. Until that day, there will be circumstances in life that will come up against us in surprising ways. When that happens, we need to remember to keep our focus on Christ, not our circumstances. When we do, we will be reminded that Jesus is for us, with us, and in us.

Remember, regardless of what you are facing today, those three truths will help you rise above the waves of challenge. And when you find yourself in times of depression, despair, and despondency, remember you are only down, but you are never out. As Paul also said, “We are cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9).

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

For they loved human praise more than praise from God. (John 12:43)

We all seek approval, but in the flesh, we seek it in all the wrong places. We crave human praise and to be made much of from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers – the list is endless. What is sad about this truth is we seek the applause of man when we already have the approval of God. We need not seek it. We cannot earn it. We have it simply because we have been saved by the blood of Jesus. Because of what Jesus did on our behalf, we have the Almighty’s Approval and there is nothing we can do to lose it.

Far too many people in the church today connect approval with accomplishment. They believe if they are successful in overcoming trials and tribulations, then God will look favorable upon them and give His approval. Not true. We do not prove to God our worthiness of His approval. We have His approval simply because we are in Christ. Now the implications of this truth seizing you are life-changing. Almighty Approval removes our guilt, our shame, our fear, our doubt, and our humiliation. When we question the Almighty’s Approval, we simply deny what Jesus did for us through His sinless life, sacrificial death, and supernatural resurrection.

God’s approval and acceptance go hand in hand. You are approved of because of Jesus and you are accepted because of Jesus. It’s all because of Him. You are approved and accepted because you are adopted into His family. When God looks at you, He sees you through the eyes of grace, clothed in the robes of Christ’s righteousness, perfect in His sight. Now we need to remember this important truth – inasmuch as we have the Almighty’s Approval, it does not mean God approves of everything we do. God does not approve of our sin, but even in our sin, He still approves and accepts us as His children.

We all seek approval and acceptance, which is why we need to keep our focus on Jesus, who not only approves and accepts us, He delights in us too.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. (Hebrews 8:12)

The devil does everything within his power to keep you from living the life God is calling you to live. Now he cannot mess with your promised eternal life, but he can mess with your present everyday life, if you allow him. Now one of the sharpest darts in his arsenal is to weigh you down with the sins of your past. If he can keep you looking over your shoulder at what is behind you, it will keep you from moving in the direction God is calling you to go.

God choosing not to remember is not the same as God forgetting. God is omniscient. He knows everything, all the time, and He simply cannot forget anything. However, in His mercy, He chooses not to remember the sins we have committed in our past. Think about it this way: rather than treating us as our sins deserve, He chooses to forgive us and to remember our sins no more. God refuses to hold our sins over our heads by reminding us of our past mistakes. God has intentionally put “all our sins behind His back” (Isaiah 38:17). Out of sight, out of mind, which is a promise that is simply out of this world.

Remember, we do not serve a forgetful God. We serve a forgiving and faithful God who says He will never bring up our past sins again. Now don’t confuse conviction with condemnation. Conviction is when we know we have rebelled against God, and filled with a godly sorrow, repent of our sins. But condemnation is of the devil who keeps bringing up our sins to shame us and water down our witness for Jesus. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So, the next time the devil whispers in your ear, “Look at what you have done now” respond with “I am forgiven” completely and eternally.    

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)

Perhaps you are familiar with the phrase, “You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.” That is code for coming up with reasons and excuses for not making whatever changes are necessary to one’s beliefs or behaviors. But make no mistake, the life of the believer is a life of continual change, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Old dogs can learn “new tricks” when the teacher is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, the first step to making positive change in your life is to first recognize that a change is actually necessary, whether it is a belief or a behavior. But sinful pride will do everything within its power to convince you that you are fine just the way you are and a change is not needed. Remember, to be convinced you need to change is to acknowledge something was wrong or deficient, and sinful pride will always rise up against that.

Once you identify that a change is necessary, the second step is to be willing to put in the effort to make the desired change, and that always begins on your knees. Take your desired change to the Throne of Grace. All change begins and ends with God which is why you must spend time in communion with God. Add to that, time in His Word. You must come to the Scriptures and read expectantly that God will reveal the path you need to travel to reach your new destination. Finally, you must be willing to walk the path God has shown you, regardless of cost or circumstance.

God has promised to strengthen your resolve so you will be empowered to do what is necessary to change. But you must be willing to play your part. The process of learning “new tricks” requires your participation. The gift of God’s grace is available to us without conditions. But we must receive it and respond to it by playing our part. Remember, change is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian, because the gospel changes everything, including you!   

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” (Nehemiah 6:2)

When Nehemiah heard the call of God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he stayed focus on the task at hand and did not let any distractions derail him. The opposition who did not want the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt, led by Sanbellat and Geshem, did everything in their power to distract Nehemiah from the work God had set before him.

Now a distraction is anything that turns your attention away from something you are focused on.  So, I am using the “plain of Ono” as anything that the devil uses to distract God’s people from doing God’s work. The devil uses everything at his disposal to distract and derail our devotion to God. So, what should be our response? We must never forget that our enemy the devil “seeks to kill, to steal, and to destroy” (John 10:10).

They were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. (Nehemiah 6:2-4)

Our response, should be the same response of Nehemiah when the devil sends his distractions our way . . .  “O-NO” I will not go! Perhaps a tweet or a text distracts your focus; maybe it’s an email or an Instagram post that distracts your attention. Whenever anything comes up that will steal our focus from what God has called us to do, we must respond, “O-NO” I will not go! What rules the heart shapes the life. We need to keep our focus on Jesus and set up clear guard rails that will keep us from getting derailed from what are called to do.

Think about the areas that are most distracting in your life right now, and resolve to minimize them or remove them altogether, which will automatically increase your devotion to Jesus and your progress in the work He has called you to do. Here is a question that has helped me over the years that just might prove helpful to you, “Is what I am choosing to do right now, the absolute best use of my time?” Remember, there is a season for every activity under heaven – a time for devotion and a time for a bit of distraction. The key that unlocks the door leading to living the life God has called you to live is to know when there is too much distraction that is driving you into the “Plain of O-NO!”

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Tomorrow is the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with 56 signatures on a single sheet of parchment. For many, the 4^th of July, a time for food, fellowship, and fireworks. But it is a time for so much more for the American Christian. It is a day to reflect on and remember we are a nation that was founded, rooted, and established on Christian principles, so say many of our founding fathers. 

Do not let anyone claim tribute of American patriotism if they even attempt to remove religion from politics.                                                                                                               George Washington

It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Patrick Henry

The 1^st Amendment has created a wall of separation between church and state, but that wall is a one directional wall, it keeps the government from running the church, but it makes sure that Christian principles will always stay in government.                             Thomas Jefferson

Regardless of what we hear our politicians saying today supported by the liberal media or even the history revisionists, our great nation was founded on Christian principles and the freedom to worship the God who is, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of revelation . . . not the god of our own imagination. 

Our founding fathers not only pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, they pledged allegiance to their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. They echoed the inspired and infallible words of the apostle Paul:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave himself for me…Galatians 2:20

Their ultimate allegiance was to the Almighty. They were devoted to Him. They were dedicated to Him. They were dyed-in-the-wool for Him. Their entire existence was rooted in their right relationship with their Redeemer. And that beloved is to be the confession of the lives of all those Christians who pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and every other Christian around the world regardless of what flag they pledge allegiance to. 

Tomorrow, on the day that we in the United States of America commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, let us meditate on our declaration of dependence upon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His sovereign rule in our lives. Jesus is to be our first priority in both life and death.  He is to be our safety in the storm. He is to be our peace in times of trouble. He is to be our portion in times of need. He is to be our All in all.     

There is no greater declaration for the Christian to make and honor than the one made to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. When we declare to be His we declare that we are no longer our own. We have been bought at a price no man can measure. The very Son of God was crucified and nailed to a dirty tree, hung between two thieves to pay our penalty for every one of our sins, past, present, and to come. We are His and no other and He will tolerate no rival. 

So, as you prepare to enjoy your 4^th of July celebrations tomorrow, please pause to remember to give thanks to the One who purchased your independence from the kingdom of the prince of this world. He has brought you out of darkness and into His marvelous light to remain with Him forever and ever, world without end. By God’s grace may we live lives that confess both our pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to our triune God in heaven, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.   

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Every good and perfect gift is from above. (James 1:17)

The sense of entitlement has enslaved our contemporary culture and crippled it from being able to rise above the waves of challenge in life. Entitlement is growing like stage four cancer both in and out of the church. It never ceases to amaze me when speaking with younger adults who feel entitled to immediately enjoy the same standard of living their parents took decades to develop and arrive at. We live in a culture that is enslaved by entitlement and it has seeped into the church to the detriment of our spiritual lives. When we don’t receive what we think we have a right to expect, we have a tendency to look to God as the One who has withheld it from us.

Yet, God has promised to give to us everything we need in order to live the life He has called us to live. We have been given every spiritual blessing in Jesus and God has promised to meet our every need along the way. But the problem comes in when we believe we are entitled to more than God has promised. God never promised to meet our every want. Often what we want is the exact opposite of what God wants for us, and for good reason. It is not His best for us. But when we feel entitled to it, we can become bitter and begin to shrink back from all God is calling us to in our ministry of service to Him. What we need to remember is God owes us nothing but has promised us everything in Jesus.

The Christian life is to be marked by contribution, not consumerism. Only when we remember this truth can be break the chains of enslavement to entitlement. We must trust in God’s provision for us and we must receive with thanksgiving whatever He chooses to give to us. Remember, entitlement places self on the throne of life, not the Savior. But by keeping an attitude of gratitude in all circumstances, we will keep Jesus enthroned in our lives and that will dethrone every sense of entitlement.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

It never ceases to amaze me how many people put Jesus into the category of “colleague,” someone they work alongside of as they go through life. Now, inasmuch as we do indeed work and serve alongside of our Lord Jesus, He is in no way our colleague. Jesus is not our equal. Jesus is not someone we can criticize or ignore. Jesus is Lord and He sits on top of the throne of our lives to rule and to reign, to guide and to govern, to direct and to discipline us. Never are we in a position to pass judgment on our Lord because His ways are perfect and He is in control of everything in the universe, including every detail of our little lives.

So, how do you recognize whether you have put Jesus in the category of colleague? Take a look at how you receive His Word as it speaks into every area of your life. Do you take Jesus at His Word or do you take only the parts that you like and that make sense to you? If Jesus is truly Lord in our lives, we follow everything He has said, no questions asked, and that includes those times when we do not understand what He is up to in our lives. If Christ is your colleague, there will be times when you will question His wisdom and you will refuse to follow where He is leading you.

But when Christ is on the throne of your life, there is nothing you hold back. You give Him your time. You give Him your talent. You give Him your treasure. You surrender your plans to Jesus. Your surrender your goals to Jesus. You surrender your desires to Jesus. Remember, surrender is a battle term. It implies giving up all rights you think you have to the one who has conquered you, and His name is Jesus the Christ – not Jesus the colleague. Because Jesus is good all the time, He has conquered us for one reason only – to bless us in relationship with Him. Let that truth set you free to follow wherever He is leading.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!