Letting God Means Letting Go

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits...The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. Psalm 103:1-5

Have you ever suffered something unfairly? Ever been mistreated? Ever gotten the short end of the stick? Ever been effected by someone else who did the wrong thing?

Yeah, that's called injustice; that's called iniquity.

Here's the good news: If you've suffered from someone being unjust or sinful, God's going to make it right. We know that this promise especially holds true for one day in eternity, that He will judge all people and render justice to all things. But if you look at the life of David, you see that he believed God for justice in the everyday things he faced.

If you read through the Psalms, you see David write over and over again about people falsely accusing him of wrong, attempting to harm him without cause, and spreading lies about him. He was a man who was personally familiar with injustice and iniquity. But no matter what men said or did, he trusted God.

What's even more interesting is that you see David make it one of his life's goals to bring justice and righteousness to the nation of Israel. He declares, My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence (Psalm 101:6-7).

David didn't just look to God for justice; he determined to be God's tool of justice and righteousness wherever he went.

How about you? Do you trust God for justice in your own life? That's good, but if justice is important to you for yourself, then make it important to you when others suffer unjustly.

As a church, we've done this by giving toward needs in Africa. When they needed Bibles, we sent more than they asked for. When they opened medical offices, we helped them. When they wanted to expand into dentistry, some generous dentists in the congregation donated three dental chairs. We've helped them reach the lost with the gospel through radio.

But you don't have to go to Africa to find injustice. What can you do today to begin bringing God's justice and righteousness to your home, neighborhood, or workplace?

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You for the promise that You will bring justice and righteousness to all who are oppressed! Thank You for that promise in my life. As I look to You for justice, please help me to be Your tool for righteousness and justice wherever I go.

Amen

Upper Management

Then Moses said to the LORD, See, You say to me, Bring up this people. But You have not let me know whom You will send with me.' And He said, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.' Exodus 33:12,14

What gigantic things are you facing these days? Are there any transitions you're going through right now?

You know, transitions are usually hard. They mean leaving familiar things behind and entering into new things, and we don't always know how we'll do with those new things. Well, Israel had a huge transition once. It was something called The Exodus; maybe you've heard of it. They were leaving Egypt, where they had been slaves for four hundred years, and heading to the land God had promised to give to their forefathers.

Their first stop on that journey was Mt. Sinai where God gave them the Ten Commandments and the instructions for building the Tabernacle. Just as God began telling them it was time to leave the mountain, there was some confusion about who was going with them.

At one point, God tells the people that He's sending an angel to help them enter the Promised Land, but Moses goes back to God and says, You haven't told us whom You will send with us. It's almost like Moses was arguing with God a bit, wanting more from Him, wanting to see more specifics of what God was saying.

But here's God's answer: My presence will go with you.

My Presence-it's the greatest gift of God. Not present, like a present under the Christmas Tree-presence. And wanting more of His presence in your life is what you should be asking for.

And He promises right here, My presence will go with you and I will give you rest. Halleluiah! What a great promise of God. Don't miss that. Don't somehow undervalue that promise of His presence with you. The presence of the Lord is going to go with you wherever you go.

He will not leave you. He will not forsake you. Forget about all of the rest of your Yeah, but... He's with you. Done deal. Never leave you. My presence will go with you.

The matter is settled. There are no more questions to ask. Whatever transition you're going through right now, whatever gigantic things you are facing, God's presence is with you, even right now while you're reading these words, setting you apart and setting you free into all that He has for you.

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You that Your presence is always with me! I know that, no matter what I face, I can always overcome it and conquer my circumstances because You are with me!

Amen

High Noon

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as he sat at the table...But when Jesus was aware of it, he said to them, Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.' Matthew 26:6-7,10

Do you ever wonder what people think about you at church?

I think most of us want to say no, but I know those people are out there during worship times, asking, If I raise my hands, will people think I've become a fanatic? Or if I sing out, what will people think of that? I don't have a very good voice, after all.

We've got to ask ourselves, when was the last time our worship was unrestrained? Really we just need to say that it's time to get our eyes off of our surroundings, as Mary does in our verses today. She could not care less about how people were viewing her there in that house. I mean they're sort of saying, Invitation list, is she even on it?

She didn't care. She is uninhibited. She is just pouring it out.

And Judas is this fraud on the side that wants her condemned and ostracized for her un-

restrained worship. He holds on tightly to everything that he wants to control.

Have you ever thought about this? I mean Judas has been around Jesus more than Mary has been around Jesus. And while Mary recognized what an honor and joy it was to be with Jesus, Judas had let it become common. He was like, Oh, excuse me. Is it time to eat again? Is it time to read the Bible again? Oh, here come the blind again. Great, more lepers.

And if we're not careful, that's what can become of us. Oh, I already know the story from Matthew 26. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's the thing about the perfume bottle and all. We need to be careful lest we allow our massive exposure exteriorly to never take root and penetrate us on the interior.

It's almost like Judas was saying, You know what? I grew up in church. I've been a Chris-

tian my whole life. But it didn't make him a worshiper, and it doesn't make you a worshiper. It doesn't make you one who is fully surrendered and devoted over to the Lord, as Mary was.

Listen, don't just say you're a Christian. Prove it with unrestrained worship.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I love you! I am so completely blown away by all that You have done for me and how You love me! And I just can't hold myself back from giving You absolutely everything I am with the fullness of my heart. I worship You now without restraint!

Amen

Power Presence

Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.' Luke 8:47-48

Where were you twelve years ago? How much have the past twelve years defined who you are?

In our verses today, a woman had been suffering from an infirmity for twelve years. She had been bleeding for twelve years, and she had spent all her money trying to get well, but with no effect. Not only that, but she would have been unclean according to Jewish law during that whole time, so unclean, in fact, that anyone who touched her would become unclean, too.

But as Jesus is on His way to heal a man's daughter who is about to die, this woman presses through an impossible crowd and touches His cloak. Jesus stops dead in His tracks and asks who touched Him.

And you know what that should tell you today? It should tell you that there's no issue and no individual that is insignificant to God. If you could get this written onto the tablet of your heart, it would forever change your life.

He stops for this woman. I mean, there is this giant press to get to the man's house in time to save his daughter. He is well known in that town. And now, this woman appears on the scene and would prove to us the very heart of God that there isn't any issue too small. If you're saying today, Well, I don't think God really cares about me, I'd take issue with you, because He cares enough for this woman to stop that push to get to the house of this prominent man.

There is no issue, no individual that is insignificant to God. You've got to know that. Maybe you've been pushed down and held back and have an identity crisis going on, now for someone to stand up and say, No, God loves you. That's what the life of Jesus is all about. This is why He came and suffered and died for you. There isn't any issue in your life that He overlooks.

There isn't anyone who is insignificant to Him. You are real and you really matter. You! Not just the religious leaders and rulers of the synagogue like this guy in our story is. You and me and this woman who can't stop bleeding are of supreme worth to God, for there is no one who is insignificant to Him.

Will you press through to touch Him today?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for stopping for that woman! Knowing that You stopped for her gives me confidence that You will stop for me. Please let me touch You so that I may be healed!

Amen

Home Safe

If anyone's work which he has built on [the foundation of Jesus Christ]() endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:14-15

There is a reward on your life. No, I'm not talking about the Wanted posters hung up in post offices. I am talking about the quality of your eternal life.

The quality of my eternal life? you ask. Yes, there are those who will have much better lives in Heaven than others.

How can that be? you wonder, and the answer is simple. Jesus paid for our salvation, but He did not pay for our reward. Everyone who believes in Him is saved by the grace His death and resurrection purchased, but it is the works we do that determine how great our reward in Heaven will be.

What are you doing with your life? Is it all about the success of what you can gain here and now? Or will you receive a reward then and there because of how faithful you have chosen to be?

Are you using the gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given you to build His kingdom or your kingdom? Are you the first one in line to serve or the first one in line to be served? When was the last time you asked yourself what God might want you to do with your life or, for that matter, is it still your life or have you given it to God?

If you keep faith in Jesus then your salvation is sure, but your reward is not. How great will your reward be?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for saving me! Please give me wisdom to live my life for eternity instead of simply for what I can get right now.

Amen

Living for the Day

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We talk a lot about the external signs of Jesus' impending return-the rising tension in Israel, the chaos growing in nations like Iran and China, and the incredible signs we see in the Earth-but what's even more important are the internal signs that Jesus is coming soon.

Here in our verses today we find an incredible list to help us understand what these powerful internal signs should be.

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. You know what? I think most of us get discouraged if we prayed about something for ten minutes and it hasn't happened. We're like, What's wrong? What's going on? I've been praying for this for ten minutes.

Here's something for you: We know Franklin Graham as an incredible man of God who brings the gospel to the nations, but for years he was a stinking rebel. And it was only in the kindness of people who prayed for years without ceasing and in their kindness that he was brought to repentance to become the man he is today.

I remember hearing another story about a particular region in Russia that prayed that Billy Graham would come and preach there. And they prayed for 18 years that he would come before it happened.

Some of you have been praying for your kids. Keep praying. It doesn't matter how long you've already been praying; keep praying. Pray without ceasing.

Look what comes next: In everything give thanks. Now please note. It doesn't say for everything. It says in everything. I don't think the Bible is unreasonable, okay? I don't think we're thankful for deaths in our families or for terrible sicknesses, but even in those things, during those times, in everything give thanks, because God will see you through.

Living out this list means that our lives become a sign of Jesus' coming return, testifying to them that our time is short and we all need to be right with Him. More than that, for ourselves, living out this list means being ready for Jesus' return.

Are you ready?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for the reminder that You are coming soon! Help me to live out this list so that I will always be ready for Your return!

Amen

The Only Life Worth Living For

And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!' And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.' Revelation 18:2,4

You know, you hear talk from time to time about whether there are aliens on other planets or not. I think all this talk is really silly, because there are already aliens right here on Earth. Oh, you didn't know? Well, there are aliens on Earth, and if you believe in Jesus, then you're one of them. See, the Bible calls us aliens in this world because we're not from here, we don't belong here, and we're not going to stay here for long. Our home is Heaven.

But so many believers act like our lives here are so much more real than the eternal lives that God has given us. They live like this world is their home and they pile up all the things that make this world homey.

With all that's going on in the world and in the Body of Christ, we need to look at things in light of scripture. Our verses today make it clear that the world system of Babylon is one day going to come to a crashing end, but more than that, they call us as Christians to come out from that system, lest we share in her sins and plagues.

How do you know whether you're still hanging around Babylon? Let me put it this way. What are you in love with? Is there anything on this planet that you love more than God? Because what should be restricting you here is your affections for God being greater than your affections for the things of this world.

So which one are you living for? How much of you ends up getting invested in the things that, in the end, don't really matter? Are you keeping your trust in the trust of Christ, or do you find yourself seeking after the securities of this world? Are you still believing in the system? How do you measure the wealth of your life?

You're like, Bob, be careful, please. Do you know who you're speaking to?

I do. And I only speak as such because of my great concern. Is your wealth determined by the Babylonian system of this world? Is your wealth determined by what you have here and now, on a world standard? Or is it measured by what you give and entrust into the hands and safekeeping of the Lord?

Prayer Lord God,

You are my God and I trust You with all I have! More than that, I love You more than anything here in the world. Lead me and guide me, so that I can live consistently with my trust and love for You!

Amen