Repentance (Luke 15:7) by turning our life over to God we set Heaven to rejoicing ... with an understanding from Oswald Chambers.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:7 (NIV)

I tell you… there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine persons who do not need to repent.

STORY by Oswald Chambers:

It is not repentance that saves me; repentance is the sign that I realize what God has done in Christ Jesus. The danger is to put the emphasis on the effect instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience that puts me right with God? Never! I am put right with God because prior to all else, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, instantly the stupendous atonement of Jesus Christ rushes me into a right relationship with God. By the miracle of God's grace I stand justified, not because of anything I have done, but because of what Jesus has done. The salvation of God does not stand on human logic; it stands on the sacrificial death of Jesus. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creatures by the marvelous work of God in Christ Jesus, which is prior to all experience.

OBSERVATION:

Sometimes we can be smug about the life we live. Sometimes we compare ourselves to others. Sometimes we take credit when credit should be placed on other’s shoulders. Sometimes we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. But when we try to think that way spiritually we fail at the very thing that brought us into the special relationship with Christ in the first place.

Repentance is nothing more than turning towards God and affirming what God has done through Jesus Christ for us. We did nothing more than turn to accept the gift. The gift is Gods. The giving is Gods. The act is Gods. The offer is totally his. And here is the ultimate truth … no one and nothing can make the same offer.

To be truthful … it does not make sense … theologically, emotionally, psychologically … or any other “logicallies” you can think of … BUT that is how God operates. Funny isn’t that God offers something that only he make happen. Oh, yes, we do have to turn around.

And here is the good news in all of this … our act of turning to accept sets the chorus of the entire heavenly host to praising. And all we did was turn to accept.

PRAYER:

We’re turning Lord … we are turning! We get it … not by our spiritual bootstraps, but by your gracious and mercy driven love. We get it! We get it! Now help us live as people who have it!

Doing the Will of God (1 John 2:17) with a keen insight by Dwight Morrow.

SCRIPTURE: 1 John 2:17  (TM)

The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

STORY:

One day Dwight Morrow and his wife, the parents of Anne Lindbergh, were in Rugby, England.  After wandering through the streets they realized that they had lost their way.  At this moment an incident occurred that entered into Morrow's philosophy and became a guiding principle in his life. He stopped a little Rugby lad of about 12 years. "Could you tell us the way to the station?" he asked. "Well," the boy answered, "You turn to the right there by the grocer's shop and then take the second street to the left. That will bring you to a place where four streets meet. And then, sir, you had better inquire again."  

"This  answer came to symbolize for Dwight Morrow his own method of approaching complicated problems," writes Harold Nicolson in his excellent biography. "It implied in the first place a realistic skepticism regarding the capacity of human intelligence. It was in the second place an object lesson in the inevitability of gradualness. And in the third place, it was a parable of how, when the ultimate end is uncertain, one should endeavor to advance, if only a little way, in the correct, rather than the incorrect direction."

OBSERVATION:

Knowing and doing the Will of God is difficult at best. There are many books published addressing the concept. There are multiple weekly studies to help us understand this subject. There are tons of sermons filling volumes in nearly every seminary library on this idea. It is challenging and can often test the soul of the most faithful.

I’m always a little leery of the person who speaks so convincingly of knowing what God’s will is for the church, for a situation or the nation. It is a complicated and deeper than many minds can comprehend.

Dwight Morrow made the discovery that what we can know is how to get a little further along in our journey. What should be our next step? Which direction should we take?  Nothing more, but nothing less.

The real challenge is having the courage to do what we know we should do at any particular moment in life. I really believe that is sufficient knowledge about the Will of God. Anything more is just wasted information.

PRAYER:

Give us the courage, Lord, to do what we know you want us to do. 

Mercy unwarranted and unearned but granted out of love (Matthew 20:30) with a story by Luis Palau.

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 20:30 (TM)

Suddenly they came upon two blind men sitting alongside the road. When they heard it was Jesus passing, they cried out, "Master, have mercy on us! Mercy, Son of David!"

STORY as told by Luis Palau:

A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and justice demanded death. 

"But I don't ask for justice," the mother explained. "I plead for mercy." 

"But your son does not deserve mercy," Napoleon replied. 

"Sir," the woman cried, "it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for." 

"Well, then," the emperor said, "I will have mercy." And he spared the woman's son. 

OBSERVATION:

When it is undeserved … mercy. When forgiveness is unwarranted … mercy. When it isn’t even asked for … mercy. When it is unearned … mercy. When it seems to be unfair … mercy. Two blind men requested it. Why should Jesus grant them their appeal? Mercy is the reason. Why should Napoleon grant a mother’s plea? Mercy is the reason.

What have we done to blessed as we have been? What kind of life have we lived that God should grant unto us all that he has poured into our life? Why … mercy is the answer.

Mercy is usually linked to grace. While two very different attributes I believe that they should be forever linked. No two qualities describe God’s response to our reality. Mercy granted when it is undeserved.

Let us look around us this day and find individuals to whom we should grant mercy … with love, understanding and forgiveness. Some of the saddest people living this life are those who have received mercy, but somehow cannot give it to others. May that not be our story.

PRAYER:

Make us sensitive to those around us today. Help us to celebrate the mercy received by giving mercy. It is undeserved, unwarranted, unearned, and unfair … and yet there it is. Thank you for giving it to us. Now may it be grant it to others.

Boasting in the Cross and the Cross alone (Galatians 6:14) with a story of Rambrandt's painting of The Three Crosses.

SCRIPTURE: Galatians 6:14 (TM)

For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate.

STORY:

If you were to look at Rembrandt's painting of The Three Crosses, your attention would be drawn first to the center cross on which Jesus died. Then as you would look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, you'd be impressed by the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. Finally, your eyes would drift to the edge of the painting and catch sight of another figure, almost hidden in the shadows. Art critics say this is a representation of Rembrandt himself, for he recognized that by his sins he helped nail Jesus to the cross.

OBSERVATION:

St. Paul understood and so did Rembrandt. We put him there … one nail at a time.

A word of anger … the nail is driven. With a feeling of prejudice … the nail is driven. Ignoring the poor and the needy … the nail is driven. Passing on gossip … the nail is driven. Allowing addictive behavior to have control … the nail is driven. Speaking ill of others (this includes those who are running for political office) … the nail is driven. In many and various ways we take hammer in hand and add blows to the nails of the cross.

And yet, that very crucifixion in which we participate sometimes unknowingly is the very means of salvation for those who drive the nails. It becomes the one and only thing in which we can boast. Everything pales. Nothing else matters. It is central to who we are. The world cannot offer what it offers us. Even as we continue to drive the nails.

In the cross of Christ I glory,

Towering o’er the wrecks of time;

All the light of sacred story

Gathers round its head sublime.

PRAYER:

We don’t understand how you can forgive us for causing you so much pain. We are glad that you do. May we only boast in its power and authority. 

Prayer (Jeremiah 33:3) the spiritual means to find practical answers.

SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

Call to me and I will answer you.

STORY:

While crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner, F.B. Meyer was asked to address the first class passengers. At the captain's request he spoke on "Answered Prayer." An agnostic who was present at the service was asked by his friends, "What did you think of Dr. Meyer's sermon?" He answered, "I didn't believe a word of it." That afternoon Meyer went to speak to the steerage passengers. Many of the listeners at his morning address went along, including the agnostic, who claimed he just wanted to hear "what the babbler had to say." 

Before starting for the service, the agnostic put two oranges in his pocket. On his way he passed an elderly woman sitting in her deck chair fast asleep. Her hands were open. In the spirit of fun, the agnostic put the two oranges in her outstretched palms. After the meeting, he saw the old lady happily eating one of the pieces of fruit. "You seem to be enjoying that orange," he remarked with a smile. "Yes, sir," she replied, "My Father is very good to me." "Your father? Surely your father can't be still alive!" "Praise God," she replied, "He is very much alive." "What do you mean?" pressed the agnostic. She explained, "I'll tell you, sir. I have been seasick for days. I was asking God somehow to send me an orange. I suppose I fell asleep while I was praying. When I awoke, I found He had not only sent me one orange but two!" The agnostic was speechless. Later he was converted to Christ. Yes, praying in God's will brings an answer.

OBSERVATION:

Facing a challenge? Pray. Dealing with bad circumstances? Pray. Struggling under a burden? Pray. Having some doubts? Pray. Life seems out of control? Pray. Worry consuming every waking moment? Pray. Aches and pains too much? Pray. When everything else fails … pray.

Why is it that we turn to pray only as the last resort? Why do we needlessly carry a burden by ourselves? Do we think that the problem is too small or too big to bother God?

Prayer is fundamental to our relationship with God. Prayer should be more than a few, “Now I lay me down to sleep…” or “Good food, good meat, good Lord let’s eat.” Prayer is placing ourselves into God’s reality. Prayer brings our spirit into harmony with God’s purpose. Prayer is opening ourselves up to God’s possibilities. Prayer lifts our eyes off of ourselves so that we can have a better view the Kingdom of God.

Prayer carries the heavy load or the lightest. Prayer lifts the biggest burden or the smallest. Prayer eliminates the cobwebs of the soul. Prayer turns lives around. Prayer strengthens the weak. God is only a prayer away.

PRAYER:

Teach us to pray at all times and in all circumstances … and may it start today.