Month: March 2025

We live in an anti-world don’t we?  You know a world full of resistance and opposition.  Sometimes it feels like we live in a world where if we’re for, then we’re against.  It’s hard to keep up with our antis sometimes.  But, there is one anti we must devote ourselves to.  Accepting Christ – Rejecting Sin.  This anti, opposite, is one where there is no wiggle room.  Jesus said you’re either for me or against me.  Not just a smidge.  All in or all out, opposites.

The Greek word for “opposite” is antikeimai. See that first part, anti, means opposed to, set against, resistant to. Think about that. In order to receive that cure, to be made healthy, we must do two things – accept and reject. Accept Jesus as the Son of God and reject our sin. We must be anti-sin. If we aren’t anti-sin, we are anti-Jesus. Ouch.

Galatians 5:16-17 say:

Live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit.
Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
The old sinful nature loves to do evil,
which is just the opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants.
And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires.
These two forces are constantly fighting each other,
and your choices are never free from conflict.

The Holy Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of our sinful nature. If we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives there is life! If we allow our sinful nature to control our lives there is death!

Accept the gift of salvation from Jesus, then do the opposite, reject the sin in your life. I am a sinner. A full-blown sinner. I don’t want to be, but I am. I often feel like the Apostle Paul who also struggled with opposites.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:18-25

Do you ever feel that way? You want to do right but you do the opposite? You don’t want to, but you do. You are not alone. We can all be Paul’s or Paulette’s!

The marvelous beauty in this is found in verse 25. Jesus Christ is the answer! We are accepted because Jesus was rejected. His death gave us life. Sit with that thought a minute.

God so loved the world that he gave His only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Believing is life – perishing is death. Opposite.

The moon has been spectacular the past few early mornings. Did you see it? Wow! I have a thing about the moon. I mean I love the sun, it’s a magnificent creation, our daylight and our dayheat. But, there’s just something about the moon, the nightlight in the dark.

I’ve been looking Heavenward much more often lately, for many reasons, one being the SpaceX rescue of the astronauts from the International SpaceStation. I just can’t hardly imagine being an astronaut, being in the heavens and just that much closer to Heaven. I’m imaging if I were an astronaut (not a space cadet!), and I flew 250 miles into the heavens where all you could see were stars, planets, sky, I’d probably not get much work done (what do they do on the ISS anyway?) because I couldn’t keep my mind on my work. I think I’d be starstruck, awestruck. Even 250 miles would put me that much closer to Jesus. Anyway…

First thing each morning, after getting my coffee (of course, priorities!), I turn off all our outside lights before heading to my desk. That way, when I sit down to spend time with Jesus, all I can see before I turn on my desk light is the Heavens. It is unbelievable what you can see when you turn out the lights! Little glimpses of Heaven.

This morning, like most mornings, I sit and gaze at the moon. All moons are beautiful and all moons are special. Why? Because it turns up every night since being placed carefully in the sky, on the Fourth Day! It’s never missed a day yet. Even with the naked eye you can see outlines and details on the moon, even at almost 240,000 miles away. Spectacular! So, in the darkness, I moonbathe. Ever been moonbathing? It’s similar to sunbathing, only better. The moon this morning is at about 12:00 in the south. Today’s a moonburn day. From where I’m sitting the view is completely unobstructed. Not like some days. Today, I don’t have to search for the moon behind branches and trees. Hmmm… The light shines in the darkness – heard that before? I close my eyes and I sit. I feel the moon on my face and I bathe in the glory of the One who created it. Hallelujah!

I think about how well I can see the moon in the darkness, and how incredibly bright it seems to be. So bright that it casts shadows. Then I think, would I realize how bright the moon was if it wasn’t so dark. When the sun’s out, it is always bright, there is no darkness. Do we even notice? Not much. I don’t always see the sun, because it’s always there. Does that make sense? I don’t recognize how bright the light, until I’ve seen the darkness. I would not be able to glory in the moon and the One who created it, if it were always light.

Life’s like that too, you know. We must sometimes travel in the dark to recognize the light. There are many different kinds of darkness. Physical darkness – illness. Spiritual darkness – sin. Emotional darkness – anxiety. Relationship darkness – separation, abuse. Financial darkness – there’s just not enough. We’ve all got dark. But there’s an incredible hope, a Light.

Because of God’s tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.
Luke 1:78-79

Do you see what that says? When we are overcome with darkness, when the night is pitch black, when the dark hole is so deep, God will break upon us. He will visit, descend, show up, make Himself known, appear, through the Light of Heaven, Jesus His only Son, because of His tender mercy.

Psalm 112:4 puts it another way:

When darkness overtakes the godly, light will come bursting in. The Lord is generous, compassionate and righteous.

When we are in our darkest moments because we’ve made an ever-loving mess of things, or due to circumstances completely beyond our control because we live in a fallen world, when darkness has overtaken us – our spirits, our thoughts, our actions, our wallets, our relationships, our whatevers, the Light, not a light, but the Light will come in. It doesn’t say that Light may show up, that it will peek in, that it will be subtle, it says BURSTING in. Jesus always shows up. Not just a tiny speck of light in the darkness, but a full moon, so bright you can find your way. Oh, Jesus, BURST forth!

Here’s the thing, the Light comes, not because of who we are or what we do, but because of who He is. Remember what it said? He is merciful. He is peace-filled. He is generous. He is compassionate. He is righteous. He is Light. The light does shine in the darkness and the darkness has not extinguished it. It just can’t. What incredible Light for our darkness. The Light that gives Light to everyone. To all who receive Him. To all who call upon Him.

You know, sometimes our eyes start to adjust to the darkness, our lives do too, that’s called compromise, complacency. Even though our eyes may adjust some, until we see the Light, we are still walking around in the dark, bumping into things, not seeing things clearly. Sometimes we don’t know how dark it has really been until we turn on the Light.

No matter what your darkest night is, there is a Light just waiting to burst forth and shine Life, and illuminate your darkness. Come to the Light!

If Jesus said, come on, let’s go. If He said, follow me. If He said, drop everything. If He said, I have something for you to do. If He said, I have somewhere for you to go. If He said, I have some folks you need to talk to. What would I say? What would you say? I will follow, I will drop everything, I will do what you want me to do, I will go where you want me to go, I will talk to who (whom) you want me to talk. Those are all the right answers, right? Those are all the things we’re supposed to say if we are followers of Christ, right?

Well, let’s talk reality. For me, I’d say, with great enthusiasm…Yes, yes, yes, I will follow, I will drop everything, I will do what you want me to do, I will go where you want me to go, I will talk to who (whom) you want me to talk but, let me first finish this load of laundry – I need clothes to take; run to the store – I need snacks for a road trip; gas up the car – how else will I get there; run to the bank (yes, we still do that) – you need a little jingle in your pocket; make a call – people gotta know where I’m going; set my email autoreply – someone else has to take care of others in my absence; get a horse/chicken/dog/cat-sitter – someone needs to take care of my babies here while I’m there. I am one prepared woman!

Then I’d say…Where’re we going? All that way? Am I going alone? That might be best. Who else is going? Do they have to? Will they be good traveling companions? Maybe. How long does it take to get there? That long? What route will we take? That’s a busy road you know. Who are we going to see? Why them? Do they know us? I don’t know them. What will we say? Can we write out a script? Will they like us? What’s not to like? Can we stop and eat on the way? Let’s get our priorities in line. Are we there yet? How much longer? All these thoughts would flit through my mind in a nanosecond. Jesus would probably look at me and say good grief girl! Relax! Slow down! I’d be going but, but, but…

Did the Disciples have any of those same thoughts when Jesus called them? We don’t really know what all of them were thinking when they were called. I kind of hope they had some of the same thoughts I did. I’d like to think of them as just as human as me because they were just as human as me, as you.

The Disciples were not called by chance, they were called by choice. Jesus prayed, called and instructed those He chose. Jesus prays, calls, and instructs us as well. Why? Because we are Chosen. Chosen to be His. Chosen to follow Him. Chosen to be His Disciples. Chosen to spread His Word.

Look what Jesus said to His Disciples in Matthew 10:

Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel – God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received.
Matthew 10:7-8

You know it’s the same for us, right?

Jesus Prays:

I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father – that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.
John 17:20-21

Jesus Chose:

You didn’t choose me, I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.
John 15:16

Jesus Instructs:

Don’t take any money with you. Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with an extra coat and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed. Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy man and stay in his home until you leave for the next town. When you are invited into someone’s home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it’s not take back the blessing. If a village doesn’t welcome you or listen to you, shake off the dust of that place from your feet and leave.
Matthew 10:9-14

Jesus prayed. Jesus called. Then He gave instructions. Where to go. Where not to go. Where to stay. What to say. What to do. How to do it. He prayed. He called. He instructed. Because He’s a Forever God, He’s still doing that today. He’s praying for us. He’s chosen us. He instructs us.

The question is not really “if” Jesus calls, it’s “when” Jesus calls. Is there something He’s calling you to do? Is it something too big? Is it something too scary? Is it something too uncomfortable? Is it something too difficult? If we are His, He is calling. If we are His, we go in His power. If we are His, He is right there beside us, every step of the way, praying for us and instructing us, actually going before us. When Jesus calls, how will we answer?

Jesus call us; o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea;
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, saying, “Christian, follow me.”
Jesus calls us from the worship of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us, saying “Christian, love me more.”

In our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls, in cares and pleasures, “Christian, love me more than these.”
Jesus calls us – by Thy mercies, Savior, may we hear They call;
give our hearts to Thine obedience, serve and love Thee best of all.

“Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.” Psalm 73:25

Do we desire God?

That’s the question of the day. That’s what I want us to think about. For some of us we shout with a resounding “Yes!” For others, we’re not quite sure. For others, we can say nope, never thought about it. For others, we may say, I don’t even know who He is. As Christians, it does seem like a question we should be able to answer without much thought. But the world does press in, doesn’t it?

I’m sure most of us can admit we want God’s provision and His protection, who doesn’t want a provider and a protector? But what about His presence?

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this
parched and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1

Is God our God? Do we earnestly seek Him? Does our soul thirst for Him? Do we long for God with our whole body, mind, and spirit? Everything that we are? Does our mind know God but our heart not experience God? Do our bodies, by our actions reflect that we know God? Do our hands, our feet, our hearts physically reach out to him? Do we long for the Spirit of God to bubble up from within?

“If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 29:13-14a.

We’ve got to do the looking on our own. No one can look for us. Let’s get to it.