Quiet Moments With God: On Bended Knee

Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing. The faithful have vanished from the earth. Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts,. May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. They say, "We will lie to our hearts' content. Our lips are our own--who can stop us?" The Lord replies, "I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do. The Lord's promises are Pure, like silver refined in a furnace purified seven times over. Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, eventhough the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.
Psalm 12

 "The godly are fast disappearing. The faithful have vanished. Neighbors lie to each other. We will lie to our heart's content. The wicked strut about and evil is praised."

This sounds a lot like our present society, doesn't it. This morning, as I read these passages I saw recent newspaper headlines, my church,  neighbors, friends, family . . . me. I saw me. All of us do evil. And our society feels as if its spiraling downward deeper and deeper into sin. Perhaps it is, but evil has existed since The Garden. There is nothing new under the sun.

Also during this morning's reading, passages of hope rose up. "Help, O Lord. The Lord replies. I have seen. I have heard. I will rise up. The Lord will protect. The Lord's promises are pure."

When I consider my sins I want to look away. I hate them. The words of the apostle Paul from Romans 7 help me to see the truth. He says, "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Even Paul was a sinner. If that is so, then how can we change, not only ourselves but the world?

The Lord provides the way. He is our help and our strength. He sustains us when we can no longer stand. He gives us the words to speak when we must. And reminds us to remain quiet when we should. He enables us to love and to forgive. He is full of mercy.

If we want to change the world, we need to begin with Him. Change takes place one bended knee at a time.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Quiet Moments With God -- Forgive Me

Sometimes I hate being human. I react too quickly and open my mouth when I should keep it closed, particularly when I'm offended or hurt for someone else. The Holy Spirit quickly convicts me, reminding me who I am. I am a child of God. And all that I do and say I do as a representative of Him. When I'm at my worst I dishonor Him.

This morning I did just that. And I know of no way to retrieve my words. Once spoken they can't be undone. An apology may be helpful, but the damage is done.

Like all mankind I'm plagued by sin--plain and simple.

Paul understood all of this well. In Romans 7:14-16 he said, "We know that the law is spiritual, but I am unspiritual,sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing."

Forever on my knees--that is where I find myself, seeking God's forgiveness. I suppose I should be thankful that at least I know when I've done wrong. There was a time I wouldn't have recognized my sin. I am growing in Christ, but sadly I have a long way to go. I'm guessing we all do.

Don't give up. When you do or say something that dishonors God or hurts another seek God. He will forgive. And after you've done that, do your best to correct the wrong done or seek forgiveness from the one you've wronged. They may not forgive, at least not right away. Give them time. If it doesn't happen, go on but never forget the consequences of sin. Lean hard on God for strength, compassion and love for we are to love even our enemies.

We will never achieve perfection while on this earth, but when we place our whole selves in God's hands we can be assured that we will grow and become more like Him. And the more we're like Him the more people will see God. And that can change the world.

Grace and peace to you from God.

Bonnie

Tips For Triumphant Living -- Cut That Out

I hear God telling me, “Bonnie, just cut it out.” Does God talk like that? I don’t know but that’s what I heard from Him this morning. Clearly, I have choices.

Today is Good Friday and it’s interesting that my Bible time and devotional time both pointed me to the same issue—sin. I’ve got plenty. And I’m a repeat offender. Sigh.

As I think about Christ going to the cross on my behalf and my feeble attempts at reigning in destructive sin patterns I just shake my head and wonder why. He gave me everything. I want His will to be my will and yet I fall so short. “Lord, forgive me.”

Matthew 5:29 is pretty straight forward about this sin issue. It says, So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

We know Jesus isn’t speaking figuratively, but that doesn’t lessen the point. We tolerate sins that have the power to destroy us. How much better it would be to get rid of them. Why don’t we?

I’m grateful God is merciful and patient, but that does not mean He will spare me from the consequences of my sins. So, as I consider the sacrifice made on my behalf, on all our behalf’s, I mean to spend time talking with God about my bad behavior. He has the answers. I need to listen and then obey. If I’m to glorify Him I need to decide whether or not I’m going to submit to Him, completely—all of me.

How about you?

Grace and peace to you from God.

Bonnie

Quiet Moments With God--A Heavenly Command

While reading Colossians 3:1-17 several verses jumped out at me. Verse three says “Put to death therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." Verse fourteen says, "Put on love." The following verses 12 – 13 continue with, "Therefore, as God’s chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Put to death is not a suggestion. It is a command. God does not command us to do something we cannot do. In light of that, we must be capable of fulfilling His will in these areas.

The consequences of not obeying His decree is frightening. Verse six says, Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Clearly God is opposed to sin, and He will justly punish those who do sin.

So where does that leave the believer? Thankfully, we are covered by the blood of Christ and will not have to pay the ultimate price for our sin, but will stand before The Father pure and blameless.

Nevertheless, that does not give us license to do “whatever” we please. He says we are to put to death what belongs to our earthly nature. We must steadfastly face our sin and thrust a sword into the heart of it. We may not face wrath, but there will be consequences for unrestrained transgressions. Just as a father disciplines his children so God disciplines us.

Fulfilling the second command in these verses, to Put on Love, is vital to everything we hope to do in this world and the next. Without love we cannot clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. First Corinthians spells out just who we are without love. It says we are a clanging cymbal, we are nothing, and we cannot gain anything without love.

The love of Christ is accessible to us all, but first we must believe in His sacrifice and accept His gift of salvation. Only then will we be able to do all He asks of us.

Grace and peace to you from God.

Bonnie

Quiet Moments With God--Slave or Free?

In the book, “My Utmost For His Highest” Oswald Chambers states,"If a child gives in to selfishness, he will find it to be the most enslaving tyranny on earth."

I’ve been giving in to my “inner child” all my life. Oswald is right; those things that rule our lives enslave. I groan at the weaknesses that keep me from living in the place God desires for me. Sin shackles.

The way to freedom is to yield to Christ. My spirit says, "Yes," but my flesh says, "No." Sadly, there is still so much I have not yet yielded.

I seek God’s forgiveness and offer my life to Him, but the battle goes on--flesh against spirit. Even the apostle Paul fought this war. In Romans 7:19 he said, "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing."

Here on earth humans will not know perfection, but we are not without hope. Christ offers us a future that is free of sin. His death made it possible for us to, one day, stand before God holy and blameless.

The song “I Can Only Imagine,” lifts me above the restraints of the world. I am reminded that one day I will stand before my Lord and know absolute freedom from sin. In awe I shall stand and then I will dance, surrounded by God’s glory.

I can only imagine.

Grace and peace to you from God.

Bonnie