 As a parent, when our children stumble, we don’t disown them. We may punish or reprimand, but cast them out of the family? We cannot! They are biologically connected to us. Those born with our DNA will die with it. God, our Father, engenders the same relationship with us. Upon salvation we become as John 1:12 says, “children of God.” He alters our lineage, redefines our spiritual parenthood, and in doing so, secures our salvation. Paul says, “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13). And a soul sealed by God is safe! God paid too high a price to leave us unguarded. Again, a reminder from Paul in Ephesians 4:30, “He has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.” What a difference this assurance makes!
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 Have you ever thought about why the Earth needs the moon? Do you know how whirlpools form, what makes something glow in the dark, or the incredible properties of blood? Enjoy today's devotion from How Great Is Our God, the all-new follow-up to the bestselling devotional Indescribable, with 100 new devotions that showcase the greatness of our Creator. If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. Blood. Some people faint at the sight of it, but you couldn’t live without it! Blood is made up of red and white blood cells floating in a liquid called plasma. The red blood cells are a kind of delivery system. They carry oxygen and other nutrients to all the cells in your body, and then they carry away all the waste, like carbon dioxide. Blood is pumped through your body by the heart. Your heart is one strong muscle, and it’s fast too — it can pump blood to every cell in your body in less than a minute! Blood travels through tubes called blood vessels. The vessels that carry blood away from your heart are called arteries, while the ones that carry it back to your heart are called veins. The white blood cells are the warrior cells. They work together with your immune system to fight off germs and diseases. Your blood is pretty powerful and important stuff! But the blood of Jesus is even more powerful. Because He is the Son of God, lived a perfect life, and never sinned — not even one single time — His blood can carry your sins away and give you the forgiveness you need to live forever with God. All you have to do is believe and obey Him. When Jesus gave His life for you on the cross, it was both terrible and beautiful—terrible for the way Jesus was hurt, but so beautiful for the gift of love and forgiveness and heaven He gave to you and me. Lord, it’s hard to think about Jesus’ death on the cross, and I’m so sorry for all He suffered. But I am so grateful for His blood that washes my sins away. HOW GREAT! Platelets are another very important part of your blood. (You say it the way it looks: PLATE-let.) When you get a cut or scrape, these little guys spring into action, sticking together to stop the flow of blood — called clotting. They not only keep blood inside your body but also keep germs out!  Some historians clump Christ with Moses, Muhammad, Confucius, and other spiritual leaders. But Jesus refuses to share the page. In John 14:6 Jesus declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” He could have scored more points in political correctness had he said, “I know the way,” or “I show the way.” Yet he speaks not of what he does but of who he is: “I am the way!” His disciple Peter announced, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Believe in yourself? No, believe in him. Believe in them? No, believe in him. And John 3:16 promises to those who believe in him “they shall not perish but have eternal life.” Believe in him. Believe in the One He sent!  MATTHEW 10:30Why do we put God in a box? Why do we have no problem praying for God to heal a child’s cancer, but feel odd asking Him to fix our stuffy nose? Do we assume He’s too busy to deal with the little stuff, or are we limiting what He’s capable of and what He cares about? That one thing. I know I can’t talk to God about that! He’s probably sick and tired of me asking for help with that. He’s probably wondering why I haven’t licked it yet. Better wait until I get it straightened out. Plus, He’s got lots of kids to save from fires, persecuted Christians overseas to rescue, and calamities to keep calm. He doesn’t have the time or interest in whether I take the new job, buy that used car, or volunteer at my kid’s school. I can take care of this, and He can work on the important stuff. But what constitutes important to God? What if He enjoys when I ask Him to not let it rain on the day of my yard sale? What if He sees me as His child just as the Bible says, and because of that, He cares about every single aspect of my day? What if He wants me to ask so that He can answer? What if He likes giving me the desires of my heart and showing me how He can work out even the tiniest detail just for me? What if we realized when we limit our approach to God we’re really limiting God? He wants to love us, be with us, and be a part of everything we are a part of each day. He wants to walk hand in hand, hear every problem, and be the center of our life. He wants constant conversation and constant trust. Anything less, such as thinking some parts of our life don’t interest or involve Him…that’s simply putting God in a box. And that’s not where He belongs.  I have a feeling most people who defy and deny God do so more out of fear than conviction. For all our chest pumping and braggadocio, we’re anxious folk. We can’t see a step into the future, can’t hear the One who owns us. No wonder we try to bite the hand that feeds us. But God reaches and touches.
If he’s touching you, let him. Mark it down! God loves you, and He loves you with an unearthly love. You can’t win it by being winsome, you can’t lose it by being a loser. But you can be blind enough to resist it. Don’t, for heaven’s sake, don’t. For your sake, don’t. Others demote you. God claims you. Let the definitive voice of the universe say, “You are part of my plan.”  Many of us had parents who expected standards of behavior or achievements we could never meet, which may have led to a breakdown in our relationship with them. Or perhaps we are the demanding parents who have required too much of our children. Sometimes a similar relationship breakdown occurs between God and ourselves, and we may feel that we are alienated from God because we can’t meet God’s perfect standards of holiness. We know about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the support of the Holy Spirit, yet because we feel inadequate, we can’t really form an intimate and constant relationship. An element of guilt or shame keeps us from God. Well, what does God expect of us? In my inaugural address as president, I quoted Micah’s overriding, transcendent standard for our lives: “To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This crystallizes the essence of our faith and makes it attainable. Are we able to do this? If we live up to these standards, we can live a life pleasing to God. Many of us had parents who expected standards of behavior or achievements we could never meet, which may have led to a breakdown in our relationship with them. Or perhaps we are the demanding parents who have required too much of our children. Sometimes a similar relationship breakdown occurs between God and ourselves, and we may feel that we are alienated from God because we can’t meet God’s perfect standards of holiness. We know about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the support of the Holy Spirit, yet because we feel inadequate, we can’t really form an intimate and constant relationship. An element of guilt or shame keeps us from God. Well, what does God expect of us? In my inaugural address as president, I quoted Micah’s overriding, transcendent standard for our lives: “To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This crystallizes the essence of our faith and makes it attainable. Are we able to do this? If we live up to these standards, we can live a life pleasing to God.  How much does Jesus know God? When Jesus says in Matthew 10:31, “You are worth more than many sparrows,” you can trust him. He knows the value of every creature. And when Jesus says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” you can count on it. He knows; He has walked them. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish…” (John 3:16). When Jesus speaks about God, he is the ultimate authority. Trust him!  Jesus invites, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28).
Do yourself a favor. Underscore, underline, and accept this invitation. Jesus says, Let me teach you how to handle long Mondays, and cranky in-laws. Let me teach you why people fight, death comes, and forgiveness counts. We need answers and Jesus offers them. But can we trust him? There’s only one way to know and that is to seek him out. Lift up your eyes, set your sights on Jesus. No passing glances or occasional glimpses. Search the crowded streets and shadow-casting roofs until you spot his face, then set your sights on him. You’ll find the Only One and Only! |
AuthorMy name is Cal, I'm the chief (and only person at this blog...I am a relatively new Christian and currently attend Union Church in Danville VA visit us online at https://www.unionchurch.co/ Archives
August 2020
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