Walking With Jesus

The Choice Is Yours

“The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness . . . and He saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the LORD was sorry He had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6 NLT)

What breaks your heart? There are lots of things that hurt me. I’ve battled with depression much of my adult life, so it sometimes doesn’t take much to cause me to “tip” into an emotional low. There have been times I’ve had to be on medication to help me deal with life – when my wife left, when my son had leukemia.

Those were hard and emotionally trying times, yes, heartbreaking times, but not so much, at least for me, as the thought of my kids, and others I love deeply, not being in heaven. But it’s also heartbreaking to see the darkness in my own life that hinders me from sharing my Savior with those in my spheres of influence. It breaks my heart to see my callousness when it comes to those in need of Jesus.

When I think of the sacrifice God the Father made to allow Jesus to voluntarily leave an environment of complete love, peace, contentment, light, and joy, to the darkness, sadness, debilitating hopelessness, sin, and shame of our world – with the express purpose of giving His life for us – I can’t keep from crying. Compounded by the stark reality that He didn’t come just for “them!” He came for me!

My sin, just as much as anyone else’s, nailed Jesus to the Cross. My disregard for His holiness, righteousness, sinless perfection, and matchless love broke His heart as much as those I tend to think of as much worse than me. Here’s the truth – I’m no better than anyone else who has ever lived or ever will live – and neither are you!

We’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious and holy standard – not by an inch, but by light years of miles! The gap from us to heaven is so great it’s literally impossible to bridge. Only a perfect man could ever attain the privilege of entrance into the presence of God’s holiness. And only One, God’s Son, the only One of His kind – that’s what “begotten” means – made the choice to pay the penalty for our sin. But why? What would motivate God to make such a sacrifice? Love!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:16-18 NIV).

The heartbreaking truth is that once we find forgiveness and new life in Jesus, we too often turn so much of our time and attention to learning what it means to be “saved,” we nearly forget what it meant to be “lost.” But I believe there is a sense in which the closer we grow in our likeness of Jesus and the greater our desire to be tender to the heart of God, the more our heart breaks for those who don’t yet know Him.

I’m much closer to the end of my race than the beginning. Whatever time I have left I want it to be poured into helping those without a saving knowledge of Jesus to find their way home to Him. Like my beloved mentor often said: “I want to wear out, I don’t want to burn out!”

Folks, we’ve got to be bold, yet compassionate and caring, as we share what Jesus has done for us, before it’s eternally too late for those we love the most. As Pastor Rick Warren often says: “Hell is real. So is heaven. Choose Christ, and there is no condemnation. The choice is yours!”

Please don’t let anything stand in the way of your loving witness and words to those who haven’t yet met our Savior!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Worship (Part 2)

“For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we began looking at worship as we gather with others, but I closed with a question I’d like for us to pursue today. I asked: “Does my life really ‘look’ any different than a person’s life who doesn’t know Jesus?”

I’m not sure if you noticed, but both Scriptures I used at the top of the page in yesterday’s post and in today’s, included the word “must.” More specifically, “must worship.” Why is worship so vital?

It’s ironic, but the worship God requires of us, the display of our love for and dependence upon Him, isn’t what we do, sing, or say in a corporate setting, it’s what our heart and mind are focused upon in the quiet moments of worship in our life when it’s just me and Jesus.

Why do you think Jesus’ ministry was so effective? Yes, of course, He was God’s only Son, but He, as a human being, had a choice that He confirmed when He was being tempted by the devil. Remember Matthew 4:8-10? “Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, ‘I will give it all to you,’ he said, ‘if you will kneel down and worship me.’ ‘Get out of here, Satan,’ Jesus told him, ’For the Scriptures say, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.”’”

Worship is the distinguishing characteristic of every human being. What we worship is what we serve, and who or what we serve is what we worship. It’s the focal point of our lives. It’s the clarion call of our life that announces to the world and to God what is first in our life. That’s why worship is so vital.

Corporate worship is inviting and enjoyable, but it’s not what set’s us apart as believers. Anybody can come to a corporate worship gathering and sing and shout and dance and cry – and it’s all good! But it’s the person on their face before God, alone, in private, that steadies our heart and steers our life.

Worship isn’t always visible, except as it becomes visible through the “fruit” of our life. If we want to know what we truly “worship,” we must allow the Lord to sit us on the precipice of our life and reveal to us all the kingdoms to which we bow from day to day.

What is the “fruit” which reveals my worship? And here again, it’s not only and always the material things we desire or the attention from others we crave or the prestigious position to which we aspire. The “fruit” which sets us apart and defines the object of our affection (worship) is how invested we are, not in the religious aspects of our “commitment,” but in the devotion we show to Jesus when no one is watching.

Is private and continual communion with our Savior what we long to have in the course of our day? Do we crave His closeness? Do we desire above all things to sense His heart and to hear His voice? When no one sees us but Him, are we dodging His glances, or embracing His invitation to sit with Him in quietness and stillness?

Why do you think Jesus made it a habit of spending time alone with His Father? It wasn’t to impress anyone. It was to prepare His heart and mind for battle with the enemy of His soul. After hearing Jesus preach and after watching Him heal and deliver multiple people, why did His disciples ask Him: “Lord, teach us to pray?” They understood, as we must understand, that activity for Jesus, if it’s going to be effective and meaningful from an eternal perspective, must be derived from time alone with Him.

C. T. Studd, the British Missionary wrote: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” If you’re selling your soul for anything but Jesus, you’re worshipping at the altar of the wrong god.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Worship

“Jesus replied, ‘The Scriptures say, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.”’” (Luke 4:8 NLT)

Having pastored for many years, I love listening to a good sermon. Yep, you heard correctly, I don’t enjoy listening to a bad sermon. What do I consider a “bad” sermon? Primarily, a sermon not based on Scripture or given in the spirit and light of the Holy Spirit’s presence. It has more to do with being true to the Bible than it does delivery. While delivery may entertain, solid, Biblical instruction feeds my soul. That’s one of the main reasons I love my church, because whomever speaks in any given service or on any given day, I can know with certainty I’m going to hear from the Lord.

But preaching is only part of what I love about public or corporate worship. I’m not sure how this will come across, but I love watching others worship. I sit in the same spot every week, and apparently many others do as well, because I see the same people every week. I know the ones who raise their hands and sing enthusiastically.

We have more than 50 language groups represented in our church, so different cultures bring their own “style” to worship, and I love it! One of our black Pastors dances and sways and exudes energy I only wish I still had – and I love to watch him. Others are quiet and still, but I can “see” that they’re fully engaged. Some shout and clap, while others stand quietly weeping with the joy of God’s holy presence. Some, of course, could care less what is happening, they’re just counting the minutes until it’s over.

I’ll be turning 75 this month, so I’ve been in thousands of gatherings and have experienced worship in many ways and on many levels. I still love the old hymns like this one written by Robert Grant:

O worship the King, all glorious above, And gratefully sing His wonderful love; Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavillioned in splendor, and girded with praise.

Then the chorus that says:

Frail children of dust and feeble as frail, to Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail: Thy mercies, firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. Amen.

Corporate worship is truly a joy for me. But I also love the “sermons” and songs of praise I hear every morning on my walk. I watch the sun rise and listen to the beautiful choruses sung by the birds and even the cars whizzing by on their way to who knows where. The sounds of morning in the city remind me that life is unpredictable, and on many levels, inexpressible.

God is so multi-dimensional, as evidenced in the manifold ways He gives expression to His creativity. Through nature and, of course, through human beings. Life is an act of worship. If you want to discover what someone believes, discover what they worship.

Is it their body? Their home and possessions? Their family? Their job? Their money? Whatever their “god” is, it will reveal itself through how they live, how they spend their time and money. Which causes me to wonder – do people in my spheres of influence concur with me that I worship the only True and Living God? Does Jesus “seep” out of my pores as I love my wife and serve my community? Does my life really “look” any different than a person’s life who doesn’t know Jesus? I want it to, but how will I know for sure?

Let’s pick this up in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is It All Just Emotion?

“But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. (Hebrews 12:35b-36 NLT)

A common lie that some believe is that Christianity is just emotion and it’s just for the weak. “A crutch for those who can’t handle the pressures of life.” There are few times I worship, individually or corporately, that I don’t express emotion. Sometimes I laugh out loud when I see how well the Lord is caring for me, providing for me, loving me. At times I cry, especially when I think of the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made to make my redemption a reality, and when I think of those I love who have yet to see the light of His love.

Emotion is a very real and impactful piece of my walk with Jesus, but it’s not the reason or foundation. If you think about it, how boring and lifeless would any relationship be without emotion? I love my wife and children with my mind, but I also love them with my heart. I love to laugh with them and celebrate their victories. But I also cry with them when their hearts are heavy or they’re in a dark place.

To view a life in Christ as simply based on emotion is to look at the parade of life through a keyhole. To believe that people who would rather die than violate their trust in Jesus is based on shallow emotionalism, is to fail to understand the rich and powerful dynamic of faith and belief. Yes, of course, love, which some think of as an emotion, is at the core of our confidence in Christ, but love isn’t simply how I feel about something or someone, it’s a decision I make based on intelligent and prolonged investigation.

For someone to make a cursory observation and conclude the only reason someone would desire to walk with God is to satisfy our emotional needs or because we are intellectually “crippled,” is to fail to understand the brokenness of mankind and our need of community. We need each other as human beings, but our far greater need is for forgiveness, healing, and wholeness that can only be found in a relationship with God through Christ.

And, yes, I readily admit, there are people who have found purpose, fulfillment, contentment, and in some measure, “wholeness” apart from Christ. But the wholeness of which I speak supersedes our need to muster the wherewithal to make it through this life. The wholeness that Jesus offers gives us the matchless gift of His presence with us, not only in the blip on the proverbial screen we call life on this planet, but for all eternity.

What Jesus died to give is literally unattainable in any other way than a genuine, life-transforming relationship with God, made possible by the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of God’s only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” and the only pathway to eternal joy and bliss, the likes of which this world cannot even conceive.

How can I have the audacity to believe such a far-fetched, “pie in the sky” tale? Because I know and love the Author of that “tale.” He confirms it’s Truth everyday in a thousand ways as we walk life’s pathways together. Am I weak, broken, and in need of a “crutch” to get me through life? Yes, I am and yes, I do! And I will as long as this old body has life.

The revealing truth is, we’re all in the same boat. This life will one day end and when it does everything will become crystal clear. What we “know” by faith now will become sight, even for those who don’t now believe. But with one HUGE difference. For those of us who know, love, and are currently serving the Savior, it will be a time of celebration, joy, and revelation. But for those who have failed to place their trust for eternal life in Jesus, it will be the beginning of an eternity of misery I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

I implore you, even if you think I’m absolutely bonkers – PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG! Do your own investigation, not simply by reading all the books and articles of the ones you know agree with you but read and investigate the books of men like C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel, J. Warner Wallace, John Piper, Timothy Keller, Chuck Colson – the list is virtually endless of men and women who have been intrenched in non-Christian lifestyles who have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And yes, of course, I’ve read books by those who have varying opinions, but they’ve served only to heighten my confidence in the God who never lies.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is Jesus God?

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 NLT)

The lie that cripples a lot of people, whether they’re trying to make sense of why they should come to Christ, or that can prevent them from developing what faith they desire to have in Him, is the whole issue surrounding the God-Man, Jesus.

When I was pastoring in Ohio, there was a woman who was very faithful in attending services, but whenever the subject of Jesus’ divinity came up, she always had questions. Often, I would point out Scriptures that affirmed Jesus as the Son of God, God poured into human flesh, but there was something that was preventing her from believing. Actually, it was “someone,” but human arguments couldn’t persuade her.

That’s not uncommon. If you think about it “logically,” as a believer, it makes perfect sense, but for a person who isn’t filled and enabled by God’s Spirit to “see” God’s Truth, it’s going to seem like nonsense. Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 2:1: “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.”

Satan can couch “lies” in such believable terms that unsuspecting people will “swallow” them hook, line, and sinker. A popular argument that especially younger people continually hold to is “proof!” Show me proof! Yet, when proof is presented to them mathematically in the astronomical odds of any one person in history fulfilling the Messianic prophecies, they just shrug.

If you follow the flow of history, from the Garden to today, given all the advances of modern science, medicine, the arts, technology, and many other areas, where has it gotten us? Is the world better today than when God destroyed the earth with a flood? Sin may be more sophisticated and attractive, but it’s no less deadly. Fear is rampant and nearly every day there’s someone blowing something up or shooting people, young and old, for no other reason than the depravity of man.

We are sinners in need of a Savior, and no man this earth could ever produce could qualify. Only a God-man – God poured into human flesh in the womb of a virgin, unstained by human involvement, perfect man, and perfect God sent to us in the form of an infant. Only God could perfectly fulfill the demands of a holy and righteous God; only God could defeat the temptations of evil; only God could be a suitable sacrifice for the sins of all of mankind; only God could be so loving and so selfless as to lay down His sinless life for the benefit of others; only God!

Even as I write, my mind goes to thoughts of the senseless murder of the only perfect Person to ever live. How could “they” have done such a horrific thing? But here’s the truth. Had you and I been living then, we’d have likely been just as blinded to His perfection as the religious people who engineered His demise. Our sin put Him on the Cross as surely as the sins of the Pharisees and their Roman cohorts.

Today, by the grace of God and the illumination of His Spirit, we see Jesus for who He is – God in human flesh – who lived and died to do for us what we could never in eternity ever have done for ourselves. We’re His holy “hands and feet” to together embody His presence and influence those in our spheres of influence.

By God’s grace and with the Holy Spirit’s help, let’s become such advocates for our living Savior that our family and friends can see how believable the divinity of Jesus is by the way we live, and move, and have our being in Him.

Let’s be, individually and collectively, the evidence that Jesus is God through the way we love and live to His honor and fame.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Is God Angry With You?

“Then the Lord became angry with Moses. ‘All right,’ He Said. ‘What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you…’” (Exodus 4:14 NLT)

This is a rather delicate subject, and I don’t want to imply anything that isn’t Biblically accurate, so I will tread lightly. The Lord’s “anger” can look quite different depending on the context of His anger, but my point in this post is that, yes, God does get angry with us, but no, it will never keep us from coming to Him.

Remember, over the last few days we’ve been looking at lies that are behind our unbelief, whether as a believer in Christ, or an unbeliever. Some lies so impact and persuade us that they prevent us from coming to the Lord at all, while the same lie may not keep us from coming to the Lord but can impede our growth and progress in our faith.

One lie that fits in that category is believing God is angry with us, so much so, He would never forgive us. The only sin for which we can’t be forgiven is the sin that prevents us from asking Him for forgiveness. When we allow our sin to be so magnified in our sight that it minimizes Christ and doesn’t allow us to see Him as the God-Man who came to free us from our sin and shame, it disables us from asking for His forgiveness.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

In the verse above, the word translated “anger” can actually mean a change of expression, or a difference in the look of your face. Moses is trying with everything within him to weasel out of the job God was calling him to do – lead the children of Israel out of captivity to Egypt – but Moses is so focused on what it might cost him that he can’t conceive of how it would ever work.

We do a similar thing when the Holy Spirit is dealing with us, either when He’s drawing us into a relationship with Jesus or when He’s positioning us to move in a new direction in our life in Christ. Often the issue with us, as it was with Moses, is that we project our anger or regret from past sins, onto God, blaming Him for the feelings we have against ourselves.

Our inability or unwillingness to forgive ourselves becomes, in our heart and mind, God’s anger or frustration with us. Satan uses what we believe we deserve – anger, punishment, unforgiveness – as an excuse for not allowing the Spirit to have His way in our lives. Our anger at ourselves blinds us to the very thing we most need from God.

Believing God is angry with us serves as the justification in our mind to keep pushing God away, when the exact opposite is actually true. God took out all His holy wrath on Jesus on the Cross in order that our sins can be cast into the sea of His forgetfulness, never to be remembered against us again. Yes, of course, God’s anger with sin and Satan were and are intense, so much so that the devil and his emissaries will be cast into the lake of fire to be punished for all eternity.

But Jesus’ willingness to die in our place diffused God’s wrath against us and opens a door of opportunity for us to be forgiven and free of guilt and shame for all we’ve done to violate God’s laws and to break His heart. I understand how deep regret for our sin can look like God’s anger. In our mind we reason: “How can God NOT be angry at me for what I’ve done?”

Yet, that’s when the richness of God’s love and grace shine forth, illuminating our spirit with Truth and opening our heart and mind to the fact that Jesus has taken upon Himself the punishment we deserved, turning God’s wrath into love for us and a willingness to forgive us that will take us all eternity to understand.

Whatever you’ve done. However angry you think God is at you for all the ways you’ve sinned against Him, understand this: He loves you! He’s for you! He’s with you! And His arms of love are open, waiting to receive you. His forgiveness is yours for the asking – no matter how far you’ve strayed or how intense your anger is with yourself.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Does God Keep His Promises?

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” (Romans 4:20-23 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we began looking at lies that lurk in our heart or mind that either prevent us from coming to faith in Jesus or hinder us in our walk once we come to Him. Today I’d like to look at another lie that Satan plants with the intention of crippling our faith, and that is that God doesn’t keep His promises.

There are basically only two reasons we would believe that lie. First, we misunderstand the nature of His promise(s), or we create a promise we think He should keep, so, when in our mind He doesn’t keep it, we blame Him. God is Truth, thus, doesn’t have the capacity to lie. It would violate His character to say or do anything that was untruthful. It would be like God not loving or acting in an unloving way. It’s literally impossible.

Have you ever made a bargain with God? “Lord, if you’ll do ‘this,’ I’ll do ‘that’?” So, if “this” doesn’t happen, in my mind God hasn’t come through (i.e. keep His “promise”), so I feel justified in being unhappy with Him. Who is hurt in that scenario? Me, right? God is immutable, which means He is unchangeable. So, it’s a lose-lose for me.

When we “bargain” with God, seeking to manipulate or use God to get our way, it never works out very well for us. Yet, Satan will twist truth or deceive us into believing lies about God that will only serve to push us further from the Lord, making our lives more miserable.

It’s estimated that there are nearly 7,500 promises God makes to us in the Bible, yet it seems we don’t pay much attention to them until we get in a “hopeless” situation. When our back is against the proverbial “wall,” that’s when we’re combing the Bible looking for a “promise” from God to heal or help us.

I read an article by Rick Reed that included the backstory for the song “Standing on the Promises” by Robert Carter. Carter came to the Lord at age 15 and was a gifted man who became a coach, ordained minister, doctor, musician, and songwriter. At age 30 he was diagnosed with a heart issue that threatened his life, so, like any of us who know and love the Lord, he prayed. But how he prayed was unique and worthy of sharing.

“Connie Ruth Christiansen, a teacher of college academics, the Bible, drama and music wrote of Carter, ‘He knelt and made a promise that healing or not, his life was finally and forever, consecrated to the service of the Lord.’ She added that Scripture took on new life for Carter. He truly began to lean on the promises that he found in the Bible.”

He didn’t try to bargain with God, he essentially prayed like Jesus in the Garden, “not my will but Yours be done.” The Lord gave him 49 more years and, though he had other physical issues with which he had to deal in his life, he didn’t die of heart problems.

When we stop “bargaining” and start committing all we are to all God is; when the Word of God, including all of God’s promises, becomes our constant companion; then we learn very quickly that God has never made, and will never make, a promise He doesn’t keep.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What’s the Lie Behind Your Unbelief?

“’Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully.’” (Mark 12:14a NLT)

You can know something is true without following Jesus, but you can’t follow Jesus without knowing Truth. The Pharisee’s had insight into the fact that Jesus taught what was true, but they completely missed the fact that He was the embodiment of all Truth.

In much the same way that unbelievers in Jesus can recognize and even know some things to be true, we, as Jesus followers, can know the Truth, but still harbor pockets of unbelief that can cripple our growth in Christ. How so?

One very common issue is projecting onto God beliefs we have concerning our earthly father. Our first thoughts of God as Father are largely based on our ideas about our earthly father. For example, if my dad was loving, kind, caring, a good provider, etc., I find it very easy to see God in a very positive, loving way. But if my dad was mean, a drunkard, vulgar, unfaithful, and I was afraid and never sought him out or desired to be in his presence, it’s understandable that I would have reservations about trusting God or seeing Him as the loving Father that He is.

We formulate ideas and form opinions based on our experiences as a human being, and it’s common, whether we’re a believer or not, to project those ideas and opinions onto God and Jesus, thus making it harder to fully commit ourselves to that God, we perceive Him to be.

So, today I’d like us to look at some of the lies we’ve come to believe, whether we realize it or not, and begin to unmask them for what they are. Hopefully, as a result, we can see our gracious, good, loving, kind, and generous Father for who He is, in light of how the Bible paints Him.

A very common lie we often believe, especially if we grew up in a difficult environment, is that God isn’t good. Even as adults when we see how unfair the world is, how evil, how uncaring, and selfish, how violent, and cruel, it’s easy to stand back and judge God for “not doing anything about it!”

Yet, even in the garden, when life was perfect, God put humans in charge of the earth and everything on it. When mankind fell, disobeying God and displacing His priorities in our lives, evil gained a foothold and Satan began his reign of terror upon the earth and her inhabitants. It’s only getting worse in our day, but we can’t lose sight of how our good and gracious God has used His influence in the hearts and minds of His people across the ages to be the caregivers of civilization. Most of the hospitals, Universities, Orphanages, and other centers of provision for human need were established by believers.

We’re still the ones responsible for protecting the lives of the unborn, those being trafficked, low-income and the homeless. These kinds of needs can’t be “fixed” by throwing more money at them. The “cure” isn’t financial alone, it’s emotional, mental, physical, but most importantly, it’s spiritual. Not until we band together as the Body of Christ can we put a dent in the needs of our lost world.

It’s not like God is in heaven wringing His holy hands, uncertain as to what needs to happen. He’s in full control, so much so not a sparrow falls to the ground without His notice. He’s called and equipped people across the ages to step up, and He’s continuing to do that today. But there are so many distractions it’s getting harder and harder to hear His voice above the turmoil of our daily activities. It’s not that God doesn’t care or that He isn’t good, it’s more that we, as His favored creation, have gotten so self-centered, we’ve not only lost sight of Him, but of His creation over which we’ve been given authority.

We’ll continue to look at the lies behind our unbelief in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Be Blessed Beloved Child

“I am in them and You are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me.” (John 17:23 NLT)

*Please read carefully and be attentive to the Holy Spirit as you read this devotional by Sylvia Gunter. This was just too good not to share. Also, If Sylvia’s material blesses you as it’s blessed me, you are invited to purchase material or give a donation at the bottom of the page. Every penny goes to The Father’s Business ministry. I have no overhead and no ministry other than writing these posts, so I will never ask you for any donations. Used with permission.

Receive God’s Word in John 17:23 NLT. “I in them and you in me… Then the world will know…and will understand that you love them as much as you love me.”

At His baptism and transfiguration, God affirmed His love and pleasure in His Son. He said to Jesus, “You are the Son I love. I am well pleased with You” (Mat. 3:17; 17:5). Because you are in Him, the Father loves you with the same love (John 17:23,26). You are God’s beloved; that is the most intimate truth about you. It has to be true, because Jesus said it. Be blessed to live from the blessing of belovedness, not trying to attain it.

You are precious to your Father. He celebrates your existence. You were infinitely loved before you were wounded. That’s the truth of your life. There is no burden on you to prove you are worthy of being loved, of being heard, of being respected, honored, and given dignity. Your life is an unceasing “yes” to the truth that you are beloved because of God’s great love. In Him you are accepted and valued.

It is your spirit connection with your Father that matters. People do not give you legitimacy. True legitimacy comes from the One who chose you with everlasting love. Your Father says, “I called you by name from the very beginning. You belong to me. I know you as my own, and you know Me as your own true Father. I carved you in the palms of My Son. I hide you in My embrace. You have My infinite tenderness.”

Say “Yes” to your belovedness, your significance, your worth, and your belonging. His “Yes” is engraved on your heart. Rise up to discover how to fulfill your deepest essence of who you are, beloved in God your Father and kept in His Son.

Be blessed in the name of the Beloved Son. Matthew 3:17 NKJV

Taken from Safe In The Father’s Heart: Finding The Love You Have Always Wanted, page 111 © 2014 Sylvia Gunter and Elizabeth Gunter. Click here to learn more and order For archive of past devotionals:www.thefathersbusiness.com

Safe In The Father’s Heart Study Guide for Small Group & Individuals This study guide invites you to dig deeper into the principles in Safe In The Father’s Heart. Everyone has a different experience with their earthly Father which impacts the way they see God as Father. A small group can be a safe place to explore your own story and learn from others as you all grow in your love and appreciation for who God is as Father. To Learn More Click Here

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Why Is Faithfulness So Vital?

“Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2 NLT)

While travelling with my daughter across some of the western states, we stopped at Yellowstone National Park. I’d heard of “Old Faithful,” but had only seen pictures, so I was looking forward to seeing what all the fuss was about. They had scheduled times when it would erupt, so we gathered with many others at the appointed time.

I’m not going to lie to you, for me it was anticlimactic. Watching water spew into the air isn’t all that exciting to me, but then it dawned on me – it’s not only what it does, it’s what it is, and the predictability of when it does it’s spewing that’s impressive. I wonder if that’s how the Lord views us sometimes?

My life is pretty anticlimactic. Not many people would drive very far to see me, and I’m fine with that. But there is Someone I’d give anything to see one day. His name is Jesus. But as I understand Scripture, one of the requirements to be finally and forever ushered into His eternal presence is faithfulness. What is faithfulness and why is it so important?

Being faithful speaks to consistency and dependability, just like Old Faithful. In the context of the Christian Faith, it speaks to consistently following and reflecting the character of Christ, depending upon the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and equip us to do the work that results in eternal life, not only for us, but for those with whom we consistently share Jesus.

Faith and belief are derived from the same Greek root word, so, in some respects, are two sides of the same coin. A person can be very faithful to wrong beliefs, and it will render no eternal benefit. For example, I can faithfully carry out the duties and responsibilities of my given profession, earning promotions and gaining recognition, but if my only concern in the end is a paycheck and the accolades of others, from an eternal standpoint, it’s a waste of time and effort.

Unless and until Jesus is magnified in and through our faithfulness, we’ve missed the point. Faithfulness is so vital because it illustrates the character of Christ; it points to His faithfulness to us as His followers; it demonstrates to others that we’re trustworthy and reliable, just like Jesus.

Our faithfulness, as Jesus followers, must be centered in and focused upon His promises. We’re not faithful simply for the sake of being faithful, there’s purpose and meaning in our faithfulness because it paints a picture of what our faithfulness is leading to. The underlying foundation upon which our life of faith is based is our confidence in the truthfulness of not only who Jesus is, but on what He said and did to fulfill the requirements of God’s law that we are helpless and hopeless to fulfill ourselves.

Faithfulness shouts dependence upon our trustworthy Father in heaven with whom we can only have access through faith in Jesus. Jesus said in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” Our faithfulness should confirm our love for and trust in Jesus’ completed work on Calvary, in our place and to pay the penalty of our sin.

Perhaps the most important implications of our faithfulness are they link us to Life (Jesus), root us in His promises, and equip us to carry on His work until He comes again. Our living has purpose and meaning because everything we are or ever hope to be is anchored in hope in our living Savior. A life lived apart from faithfulness to Jesus is a wasted life because it misses the point of why we’re taking up space on this planet.

Blessings, Ed 😊