Category: Christian Living

I stagger and am in awe of the mercy that God shows to me each day.  Who am I that He would show me mercy?

In Matthew 5:7, in the amazing list of Beatitudes, Jesus says “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”   As a child of God we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are a new creation.  Being merciful is a reflection of God that is lived out and demonstrated in that new creation.  It is a part of who we are, how we think, and how we act.

Why does this matter?  Why should we be merciful?  Let me give just three reasons…(there are plenty more though)

First, being merciful is evidence of who we are in Christ.  It gives testimony to the working of God in our lives and allows us to demonstrate the mercy of God that he has shown towards us.  We live our lives in the light of the truth that we will not be judged for our sins but will instead be shown mercy.

Second, it is in the light of His mercy that we live a life of sacrifice for Him.  Paul reminds us in Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”  In the light of, and simply because of the mercies of God, we live our lives as spiritual worship to God.  We present ourselves as that living sacrifice, in Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, because of the abundant and undeserved mercy that he has shown us.

Lastly, we are commanded to be merciful.  In Luke 6:36 Jesus gives perhaps the most simple and concrete command to his followers.  He says “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”  This command sounds a lot like the Lord’s command to “Be holy because I am holy” found in Leviticus 11, 19, and 20 as well as in Peter’s reminder to the church found in 1 Peter 1:16.  We cannot be perfectly merciful in the same manner that God is merciful any more than we can be completely holy.  But mercy is a part of God’s character and we are to reflect His mercy to others.  We are to demonstrate, declare, and show people of the mercy that He has shown to us.  We reflect His mercy when we give testimony to His sustaining work in our lives.  We reflect His mercy when we give a reason for the hope that is within us.  We reflect His mercy when we live our lives for Him and only Him.  That is what mercy looks like when it is reflected in our lives.

 Mercy, without reflecting and crediting its Author and Creator, is simply human magnanimousness.  True mercy is a reflection of Almighty God, His richness, and gives Him alone all the honor and glory!

Tragic.  Horrifying.  Vicious.  Wicked.  Despicable.  Evil.  Senseless.

These are just a few of the words used that have been used recently to describe the tragic events all around the world.

We wrestle and try to understand the reasons behind why people do these kinds of things, but the reality is we cannot fully know the true intent of the individuals that committed these wicked and evil acts.  We cannot fully know the reasons that, in their hearts and minds, justified committing these acts.  We just cannot fully know the “why”.  Many want to gain some insight into their thinking or motives so that we can explain the outcome.  Perhaps the better question to ask is “what” or “where” the real root of the motivation is.  What is the ultimate source of their evil actions?  The answer is actually not that hard to find.  In fact it is stated very clearly in the Bible. The source of the problem is the heart of man.

In Matthew 15:19, says “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, etc…”  So there it is, the source of the problem, man’s heart.  That then begs the question…can we fix it?  Can we know how to fix a man’s heart?  Well, in Jeremiah 17:9 it says “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”  So if the problem is the deceitful and wicked heart of man, and we as humans cannot truly know it, what is the answer?  What do we do?  How do we fix it?  Well…WE can’t!

But don’t be discouraged.  There is a solution.

But it is not found in the halls of Congress, or enacted from the bench of the Supreme Court.  It is not found in the policies created by elected officials, or in the violent protests seen around the world. It is not found in the self-help books, or the power of positive thinking.  In fact, the solution can not be achieved by anything that mankind can do or say or think.

The solution is found in a saving relationship with Christ Jesus alone.

Only Christ Jesus can make a person a new creation, creating in them a new heart, and bringing about lasting change.  Second Corinthians 5:17 says “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  That includes the heart of a man.  And perhaps one of the best ways for people to come to know Jesus and to have their heart changed for all eternity, is for them to hear it from someone that has experienced that heart change first-hand.

Today more than ever we need to demonstrate a Christ-like love to our neighbors.  This is not the kind of love that says “Hey look at me…I am loving people…check me out.”  But rather the private, personal kind of love that seeks to heal, encourage, support, and show compassion.  It comes in everyday conversations and activities.  People need to see in us, and hear from each of us, of our love for them, and of Christ’s great love, grace and mercy.   We need to love others as Christ loves us.  We need to love with humility, boldness, and grace.  We need to intentionally and abundantly love our neighbors in real, tangible, and practical ways.

Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.  Let’s make today the day that we become compelled by Christ’s love for us, and to love others as never before.

There is a movie that came out a few years back called Next starring Nicholas Cage.  In the movie, Cage’s character has the ability to see a few minutes into the future allowing him to elude the police, avoid being blown up, and woo his co-star, Jessica Biel.  Have you ever wanted to see into the future even if just for a few minutes?  What would you do with that kind of ability?  Would it change the way you live your life?

Would you use that ability for noble causes like helping your child avoid a painful accident?  Or perhaps you would use it to save someone from making a bad financial decision.  What about preventing the start of an argument that would lead to emotional or physical pain.  Or perhaps you would have less noble causes in mind such as playing the winning numbers just before the lottery is drawn.

What about in the spiritual realm of your life…would you use the ability to help someone avoid a sin in their life?  Or perhaps you might know that there is someone that has an unspoken need and you stop them from doing something they would later regret in order to meet that need.  What about the biggest event that nobody can predict…the return of Christ?  If you could know in advance that he was coming back in just a few minutes, would you put off something until the last moment?  Or would you work feverishly doing His will until the very last second?  The truth is, we can’t see the future.  We don’t know what is next.  The life of the believer is rooted in faith and in the assurance that God is sovereign, trustworthy, faithful, and omnipotent.  We must walk by faith, for there is no other way to truly let Christ be Lord of our life.

In Matthew 14:29 Jesus called out to Peter who was standing safely in the boat out on the sea.  In response to Peter’s request for validation of Christ’s identity, Jesus had just one word of response and command for Peter… “Come”.  Pretty simple.  Not a complicated command.  Come.  So, Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and started to walk. What would control the heart of a man, so much, that he would step out of a boat and believe that he could walk on water?  Think about the faith that Peter had to take that first step.  Now stop for a moment and think about this; if Peter could have seen just a few minutes into the future, and he saw himself start to doubt and sink, do you think he still would have stepped out of the boat?

The Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20 starts with the word “Go”.  There is far more to that verse, but it starts with the command to “Go”.  So why do we seem to be in the boat still at times?  We have to be willing to be obedient and go, in faith, knowing that God is has a plan and that He is right beside us through those times when we may start to have doubts.  We cannot go without Christ, any more than Peter could walk on water without faith in Christ.  We have to step out of the boat.  We will never fulfill the work He has for us though, if we do not first “Go” in faith.

Another example of deep faith in the Lord is found back in Genesis.  In Genesis 12:1 the Lord spoke to Abram and the Lord told him simply to “Go”.  This was a different kind of command to Go but the test of obedience was no less significant.  God said “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you”.  Basically, he told him to get on the camel and start riding and he would show Abram later where they were going.  Abram’s obedience took simple, deep, demonstrable faith in God.  It is that mustard seed kind of faith.  It is the kind of faith that moves mountains.  It is kind of faith that makes you obey the Lord, uproot from your comfort zone and go, not knowing anything about what the Lord has in store for you.   Have you ever had that kind of faith?  Are you willing to leave all for Him if He asks you to?

I love to see how each of these men of faith responded.  Peter’s response when the Lord told him to “Come” was a model of obedience.  In Matthew 14:29 it says “…Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus”.  He got out of the boat and started walking.  Period.  What was Abram’s response when the Lord told him to “Go…”? Genesis 12:5 says “So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…”.  Abram immediately went.  There is no indication that there was any hesitation from either of them.  There was no arguing.  No “fleecing” for confirmation.  No negotiations, nagging, or nay-saying.   They just obeyed, walking in faith.  Peter could not see what was going to happen, nor did Abram know what lay in store down the road.  If they could, it would have completely eliminated the need for faith.

In calling Jesus our Lord and Master we have also told Him that we are willing to live this life by faith.  Are you willing, like Peter and Abram, to get out of the boat or to get on the camel and to go forth as the Lord has prompted and commanded you?  Obedience to the leading of the Lord in our lives is evidence of our faith in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Well the Christian walk is not about the benefits…it is about God.  It is about laying down your life, all of you, for Him.  For His glory.  We are told throughout scripture that we will “…encounter various trials”, that we need to “…take up our cross daily”, and that in this world “…you will have tribulation”.  Being a follower of Christ comes at a cost which we need to count before we ever become a believer. 

 But once we are a child of the King, a follower of Christ, held in the Hand of God, we experience something absolutely incredible and undeserved.  We get the “perks” that only a child of God can receive. You see, once we become a believer we are “in Him”.  We are “in Christ”.

There are countless verses in scripture that talk about the blessings of God when we repent of our sins and give our life fully to him.  But there are several key verses in scripture that talk specifically about what we receive simply, and solely because we are now “in Him”.  I like to refer to these verses as the “In Him Hymn“

Verse one…Acts 17:28 “…in him we live and move and have our being“.  We are no longer living and moving in this world as the world does, but we are now in Him, living in His righteousness, filled with the Holy Spirit so that we become the temple of God.  We do not move in this earthly realm any longer separated from God, but our being moves constantly “in Him”.”  How incredible to realize that we are forever in Him as we live our life, taking up our cross, enduring trials, and sharing the truth of who He is with others!

Verse two…2 Corinthians 5:21 “…in him we might become the righteousness of God“.  Perhaps the most amazing blessing for all eternity is that because we are “in Him”, His righteousness is imputed to us.  Nothing we could have done, can do now, or could ever do would result in our becoming the righteousness of God.  Only “in Him” is this possible.  Praise the Lord for the truth of this passage.

Verse three… Ephesians 1:7 “…in him we have redemption through his blood“.  “In Him” we are redeemed.  Only through the shedding of his blood as propitiation, as payment in full, can we say that we are redeemed.  It took the ultimate sacrifice by the Son of God, the Son of Man, Christ Jesus alone, and that was the shedding of his blood as a the atonement for our sins.  By being “in Him”, in Christ alone, we have redemption.

Verse four…Ephesians 1:11 “…in him we have obtained an inheritance“.  Now we are talking…the real stuff…the stuff with value that I can spend on me right?!  Nope.  Wrong kind of inheritance.  This is an eternal inheritance set aside for those that are “in Him”.  In 2 Peter 1:4 it describes this inheritance as being “…imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you“.  We do not get to see it now, but we will enjoy that inheritance for an eternity. It is the living hope of eternal life, our salvation, that is so precious and reserved only to those that are “in Him”.

Verse five…Ephesians 1:13 “…In him you also…were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit“.  Sometimes we wonder when the benefits will change, when the perks will be removed, when the “special offer” expires.  Well, when you are “in Him” the assurance of your salvation, the blessing of that eternal hope, is sealed with the promised Holy Spirit forever.  God does not go back on his word, change the contract, and the warranty doesn’t expire. We are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit for all eternity.  In the words of the hymnist Frances J. Crosby “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.“

How amazing to experience the blessings of being “in Him”.  Do not forget, as you travel the road of life, to remember the promises of scripture that tell us not only the costs of being a believer, but that also explain to us the blessings and assurances of a life lived “in Him.“

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”  2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Sometimes the situations in life that we find ourselves in are just plain hard.  It can be hard to endure through a trial in life.  It can be hard to persevere in the midst of extreme pressures in life.  It can be hard to stand firm when the seas are raging and the waves are buffeting us.  It can be hard to suffer for the sake of Christ Jesus.

Affliction is just plain hard.

In 2 Corinthians 4:8b Paul writes that “We are…perplexed, but not driven to despair“.  In the midst of afflictions Paul was perplexed at times.  Perhaps there was doubt.  Perhaps there was a lack of understanding as to why things were going the way they were.  Maybe he realized that he was just unable to fix the problem on his own and wasn’t sure what to do.  Despite being perplexed, he never lost hope…he didn’t despair.  Have you ever been there?  Have you ever been at the end of yourself with no idea what to do next…no idea how to get out of the affliction?  Have you ever found yourself buried by the difficulties in life, the physical, emotional, mental struggles with the things that seem to bring you to a point of near hopelessness?

Now come on, if there was ever a persecuted Christian that could be driven to despair it was Paul.  If there was ever a person that could throw up the white flag and say enough with the beatings and scourging and prison time, it was Paul.  But no, Paul wasn’t driven to despair.  Rather than despair, in the midst of the afflictions, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, he carried on…he persevered…and he did so in order that Christ could be magnified.   He persevered through it all by carrying with him the memory, the example, of the suffering death of Jesus.  He endured by holding fast to that knowledge, so that in his own afflictions he might manifest Christ to others.

Are afflictions hard? Yes, absolutely. Are we perplexed by them sometimes? Of course! Do we sometimes feel like we are at the edge of despair? If we are honest with ourselves, yes. But as Paul wrote, we are to be remembering the sacrificial affliction of Jesus “…so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”  In our times of affliction we must live with the awareness of the suffering death of Christ, so that through our “momentary afflictions” we too might manifest the sacrificial love and righteous life of Jesus.