Ward's Words | BY WARD PIMLEY

Sharing the Lord's Message of Grace

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Author: Ward Pimley

  • Meditation–LIVING WITHOUT GOD

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter. Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

     

    “They rejected the LORD’s laws. … They worshiped useless idols and became useless themselves.” 2 Kings 17:15 (NCV)

    LIVING WITHOUT GOD IS NO LIFE AT ALL.

    It’s like brown grass, with all the potential for being a vibrant green but, instead, lying dormant, covering the ground like an ugly carpet.J10.ABANDONED PLAYGROUND

    It’s like a dried up well, once a symbol of life-giving water, but now just a mass of bricks, a pulley system with ropes and a bucket, and a mucky hole in the ground.

    It’s like an empty promise, once a commitment to engage in something meaningful with someone — a spouse or child, maybe a sibling or friend, or possibly an organization — and now just words in the air, devoid of all meaning.

    Life without God is going through the motions of life. It’s mere existence. It’s the shell of a human being waking up each morning to replicate the daily grind of a sea of days called “life” without really living through it.

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    WITHOUT GOD, THERE IS NO PURPOSE to our existence except for the fleeting joys we manufacture — love of working, enjoying our families, taking vacation trips, joining a health club, following a professional sports team, meeting with friends — all of which leave us empty inside, so we have to manufacture another event or diversion to calm the ache, to quench the longing, to fill the void.

    Inside, our souls scream for more.

    We hear snippets of hope from the Bible …47.Open_Bible1

    •  “God has placed eternity in the hearts of men.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
    •  “I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)
    •  “For I know the plans I have for you.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
    •  “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 21:4)

    +++

    WHEN WE REJECT THE LIFE-GIVING message of God’s love and the rules He establishes for our welfare, we’re left holding an empty bag, a broken toy, a keyless ring.

    We’re left with a snippet of despair: “Let’s eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we’ll die.” (Ecclesiastes 8:15; Isaiah 22:13)

    When we reject God’s purpose for our lives, we worship artificial made-up non-existent gods who can do nothing … and then we are stuck with the useless lives we have created.

    +++

    THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT GOD broke through human existence with a message of love and compassion and forgiveness. He offers living water, the bread of life, and a counselor to guide us.

    All that’s left for us to drink deeply of that well, to gorge ourselves on that bread, and to hold that counselor in our hearts is to believe, believe that God is who He said He is and then worship Him.

    When we do that, we can have it all — Life Abundantly and Eternally.

    PRAYER

    O LORD God the merciful and mighty, how majestic is Your  name in all the earth. I look to the hills to see where my strength comes from and see it comes from the Lord, maker of 68. Holy_Bible_Crossheaven and earth. Lord, you have made man little less than the angels. Who are we that You would care about us or take note of our activities, except that You were the One who created us, who called us out of the dust and fashioned us in Your image, man from dust, woman from man, man born of woman, interlocked in common need of being reunited with You. Lord, forgive us our errant ways and shower us with Your blessings of grace and mercy, forgiveness and compassion, and most of all of Your love. Lead us, O Lord, to believe in Your Son, to fellowship with Your Son, to worship Your Son, to follow Your Son. We lift this prayer in the holy name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen

     

    QUESTIONS:

    1. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is who He said He is, God Himself in the flesh? Doesn’t that statement just make you want to bow down and worship Him and thank Him for His love and mercy? If not, what holds you back? What are you afraid of?
    2. Have you felt the emptiness of life, when there seems to be no purpose beyond whatever meaning we can give it? How well has that worked? How long does that last? Have you ever wondered if maybe God placed that emptiness in your soul to draw you toward Him?

    3. What would it take for you to ask God in prayer to show you His glory and His purpose for your life? Would you take that moment now and just ask Him?

    Would you like us at LoveAndGrace to pray for you?  If so, just indicate in the Comment field. God bless!

  • Meditation–Bearing Fruit: Obedience or Performance?

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter.

    Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

    “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

    “[Jesus] did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.” (John 2:25 NIV)

    JESUS MUST HAVE BEEN SO FRUSTRATED!

    67.Jesus_Welcomes_AllJust imagine: He created the world and everything in it. His greatest creation was mankind, which He made in His own image. Now, He watches with dismay as His creatures, filled with pride, disobey His various commands, all intended to help them live lives of abundance.

    Then, in earthly form, He joins His fellow Jews in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, where He performed “miraculous signs” to show His divine nature and saw, in response, that “many people” believed in Him.

    But Jesus was not fooled.

    In the account that John gives us, we read: “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man” (John 2:24-25 NIV).

    While the rest of us are buying into the superficial, Jesus is drilling into the core. While we see the smiles and handshakes, He sees the darkness and doubt.

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    THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR: God knows our hearts, even though our compatriots are fooled by the veneer we project and often hide behind.

    Susan Maycinik presented in Discipleship Journal a comparison chart between “Obedience” and “Performance,” where Obedience meant following God’s plans for our lives and Performance meant the rote carrying out of tasks, mostly to please others or convince them of our holiness.

    “The line between obedience and performance can be a blurry one,” she wrote, but we know from reading Scripture, such as the passage from 1 Samuel 16, cited above, that while man sees the outward show, God sees the inner workings. We see the performance; He sees behind the curtain.

    In this adaptation of her chart, where do you see yourself?

        • Obedience — Joyfully seeking quiet time with God
          • Performance — Reading a quick devotion to avoid guilt
        • Obedience — Meditating on God’s Word and using it in prayer
          • Performance — Scanning a Bible passage quickly to check it done
        • Obedience — Inviting guests to your home for dinne
          • Performance — Fretting over how well the evening will go
        • Obedience — Following God’s prompting to start a small group
          • Performance —Reluctant to share leadership with anyone in the group
        • Obedience — Doing your best
          • Performance — Wanting to be considered the best
        • Obedience — Saying yes to whatever God asks of you
          • Performance — Saying yes to whatever people ask of you
        • Obedience — Following the prompting of God’s Holy Spirit
          • Performance — Following a list of manmade requirements
        • Obedience — Springs from fear of God
          • Performance — Springs from fear of failure

    +++

    I NEED TO CONFESS SOMETHING.

    Many times — more often than I should admit — I cross that thin line between acting with a servant’s heart and acting out of self-righteousnessJ10.JESUS_WASHING_FEETjpeg

    Yes, I can tell the difference. When I am acting as Jesus did when He stooped to wash His disciples’ feet, I can feel the love in my heart and the joy of making a difference in someone’s life.

    But when I’m busy serving my self, I’m looking for the applause, the acclaim, the recognition, and I lack the joy. I’m focusing, instead, on the sacrifice I made.

    The Bible says,

    “Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!” (Psalm 128:1 ESV)

    +++

    THAT IS WHERE I WANT TO BE.

    I want to give my all to the Lord as He calls me into service. I want to do so because He gave His all to me to reclaim me — my life, my future, my eternity — for His own.

    That is where you want to be, too.

    If you don’t know Him yet as your Savior, please ask Him what He wants of you and then open your heart to His unending love.

    If you have done that already, then you know exactly what I mean by saying, “I want to be obedient to the Lord, not to perform for man’s approval.”

    68. Holy_Bible_CrossPRAYER: Our Heavenly Father, please forgive me when You’ve called me to a task and I give it half-hearted energy or complain while at task or look for commendation from other men. Lord, You are the One who called me to task, and You are the One who will judge my heart. I owe all to You, my Savior. Thank You for the gift of life. Please lighten my heart as I seek to obey You. In the name of Jesus, Amen

    QUESTIONS:

    1. How often do you fulfill an obligation for a good and noble cause and (a) wonder if you’ll get the proper recognition you deserve from the organizers  and fellow volunteers or (b) feel the joy in your heart because you’re helping out where you believe God is calling you?
    2. Do you ever feel like Jesus can see right into your soul, and He knows that you really don’t want to be doing this job right now, even while you’re trying to convince everyone else you do?
    3. Can you fully embrace the instruction Jesus gave us in Matthew 25 when He said that however we treat “the least of these,” those who cannot do for themselves, we’re doing for Him? Does that give you greater joy in the task at hand?

  • Meditation–OBEYING GOD’S WILL

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter.

    Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

    “The men of Israel tasted the bread, but they did not ask the LORD what to do.” Joshua 9:14 (NCV)

    HOW OFTEN DO WE begin a “good work” for the Lord without first asking Him if this is His will.Aug 17 Meditation

    We can learn from the the Book of Joshua what happens when we fail to consult the Lord’s will for our lives, even on matters where it seems obvious we are doing right. We also can learn from Joshua how He blesses us when we do obey Him, even when we do not immediately see the wisdom of His plan.

    Yes, Joshua failed to consult the Lord regarding the Gibeonites who deceived him into thinking they had traveled a long distance to surrender, when they actually were a neighboring people marked for slaughter. As a result, a foreign influence was left in the land. 

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    HOWEVER, LATER JOSHUA did consult the Lord regarding warfare against Israel’s northern neighbors. The Lord gave the armies over to Joshua and commanded him to destroy their lands, even crippling their horses and burning their chariots.

    This time, Joshua obeyed, and he continued to be victorious in his battles, thus, clearing the land for the Jews, as the Lord had promised:

    “Joshua did to them as the LORD had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.”  —Joshua 11:9 (NET)

    Over and over again, we see the OT accounts of Israel vacillating between obeying God and disobeying Him. Over and over again, we see God blessing them when they obey and disciplining them when they rebel or disobey.

    We learn from Saul’s example in 1 Samuel 15, that God prefers our obedience to our sacrifices. That is, He wants us to obey His voice rather than assume on our own, that we’re doing the Lord’s will.

    “Then Samuel said: Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.” — 1 Samuel 15:22 (CSB)

    J9.JESUS-GREAT COMMISSION+++

    BEFORE HIS ASCENSION, Jesus gathered His disciples before Him and gave them their final instructions. He was about to go to the Father and, soon, would send the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide His followers.

    He started by reminding them that “all authority in heaven and on earth” had been given to Him. In the entire universe, only the Father has more authority than Jesus, including Satan and any of his demons.

    Jesus told His disciples to baptize the nations and teach them “everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20 NIV).

    Again, the instructions to love others, pray for them, minister to their needs, show compassion and mercy, and forgive them were not just “nice things” to keep in mind or suggestions for their consideration.

    They are “commandments.” They are to be obeyed.

    We, as believers, claim God’s promises to give us peace beyond understanding and Paradise for eternity; in turn, God claims for us that we honor Him by obeying His will for our lives.

    68. Holy_Bible_Cross

    PRAYER: O Lord, our Heavenly Father, how often do we presume to know Your plans for us because of our conviction that such-and-such an action is the right course to take, that we forget to stop and ask. You have told us over and over again that You prefer obedience to sacrifices and good works. You want us to praise You and glorify You, and we do this by obeying You. Lord, forgive us for our prideful disobedience, and turn our hearts and steps back to You. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

    QUESTIONS:

    1. Have you ever experienced what Joshua did where you thought you were obeying the Lord’s will for your life but neglected to ask Him first? How did that go for you? Was your effort blessed?
    2. Why do you think it’s important to seek the Lord’s will in all matters without assuming He’ll support our efforts based solely on our own understanding?
    3. Do you think our failure to consult God about His will stems from our personal pride that we “know” what He wants or does it stem from our lack of belief that He will respond to our prayer?

     

    Would you like us at LoveAndGrace to pray for you?

    If so, just indicate your request in the Comment field. God bless!

  • Meditation–PRAISING GOD’S PATIENCE

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter.

    Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

     

    The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  — 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

    But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them [sinners], Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.  — 1 Timothy 1:16 (CBS)

    GOD MERCIFULLY SAVED ME.

    J9. PATIENCEHe was patient with me, knowing that, in time, I would believe.

    Easily and with great justification, God could have wiped me off the face of the earth. Instead, through patience — love and grace and mercy — He endured my disobedience and walk in darkness so that He could claim me as His own for eternity.

    I am not alone. I am not a special case. I am not the exception to the rule.

    The Bible says, “He wants all people to be saved and to come to a  knowledge of the truth.” — 1 Timothy 2:4 (NET). Again, He says, “‘I take no pleasure in the death of anyone,’ declares the Sovereign LORD. ‘Repent and live!’” — Ezekiel 18:32 (NIV).

    The Lord’s patience will run out for everyone at some point. Those who continue to J9. OPEN BIBLE w IMAGEreject Him will be punished, but before then, they will have been given many chances to see the Lord’s righteousness and live. Fortunately for me, He gave me the time I needed to realize I needed Him in my life.

    My birth date was June 26, 1947, but my rebirth date was November 10, 2010. It’s the second date that I celebrate with joy; the first date just placed me in the game.

    Both life-giving events are precious to me, but the first date is made precious only because of the second one.

    Praise God! Praise Jesus Christ! Praise the Holy Spirit!

    68. Holy_Bible_CrossPRAYER: O Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your patience with me. Thank You for knowing I would come to faith, that I would bend the knee and seek Your forgiveness for my sin, that I would ask the Holy Spirit to come into my life and remake me in Your image. Lord, forgive me for my sins and failures, for my pride and thoughtlessness, for my self-centeredness. Remold me, O Lord, in Your image so that every day I may come to love You more, pray to You more, depend on You more, and become more and more like You. In Jesus’ holy and precious name, Amen

     

    QUESTIONS:

    1. Do you realize that God’s patience is designed to bring more people to repentance?
    2. Do you believe that God’s mercy means: (a) He doesn’t care about us, (b) He is indulgent and accepts our failures without comment or penalty, or (c) He will continue to work on our hearts to bring us into His grace?
    3. If you think Question 2 (c) could be true, what is your response? What holds you back? If you have accepted God’s grace, how can you extend His blessings to those whom you meet?

    Would you like us at LoveAndGrace to pray for you?  

    If so, just indicate in the Comment field. God bless!

  • Meditation: GUARDING OUR THOUGHTS

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter.

    Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

    “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” — Proverbs 4:23 (NCV)

    “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” — James 1:15 (NLT)

    SO, EVEN OUR THOUGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO GOD’S JUDGMENT?

    Well, Jesus was pretty clear about it in Matthew 5 (27-28), when He said that it’s not just a sin to commit adultery, but that if any man or woman looks upon another person with lust in their hearts, that person “has already committed adultery” (NKJV).

    Does that mean it’s not enough that we not do harmful things … or make derogatory comments …we can’t even think those thoughts even if we don’t say or do them?

    Isn’t that a bit much?

    Who can go through a whole day without thinking sinful thoughts? It’s tough enough avoiding the actions and comments.53. Man_Woman_praying

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    MAYBE THAT’S THE POINT.

    God knows our sinful hearts. He knows how we work. After all, He created us, and He knows our rebellion.

    There’s a well-known misquote of a Bible verse that says “money is the root of all evil,” when the actual verse says it’s “the love of money” that is the root of evil and that “through this craving,” many have wandered away from the truth and faith in Jesus (1 Timothy 6:10 ESV).

    James reminds us that it’s our desires that “entice us and drag us away” (James 1:15 NLT).

    God knows that as soon as we start harboring thoughts, whatever they may be, those thoughts will overtake us and begin to drive our comments and our actions … a little at a time … until they completely take us over.

    Our Lord Jesus Christ warned us again in Matthew 15:11, when He said it’s not what goes into our bodies that defiles us but what comes out of our bodies.

    What defiles us is what comes out of our hearts … and our thoughts.

    +++

    GOD, IN HIS MERCY, has given us the way out.

    He tells us what we should be thinking about:

    “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8 NLT).

    How do we do that?

    Paul tells us:

    “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV).

    Amen! God is good!

    68. Holy_Bible_CrossPRAYER: Our Heavenly Father, You know our thoughts are impure. You know we wander from the truth. We stay connected for a short time, then go astray. You keep pulling us back … through reading Your Word, through worship, through fellowship. Thank You for Your mercy. Change our hearts, O LORD, to hearts that seek the Risen Lord, that witness to the life-saving power of the Holy Spirit, that spread the message of redemption. We lift this prayer in the name of Jesus, Amen

    QUESTIONS:

    1. Are there thoughts that you’ve been struggling with that you would like to turn over to the Lord? He says He’s faithful and just and will forgive us when we own up to them. What stops you from confessing your sins to Him right now?

    2. Why do you think our Lord insisted that our thoughts (and hearts) defiled us? Do you agree with the Bible’s teaching that our sinful behavior comes from our desires? Do you believe our sin is solely traceable back to Satan or the world’s pull on us?

    3. Do you believe that harboring only pleasant thoughts is something you can control on your own, or do you recognize that you need the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, both to convict you and to instruct you?

    Would you like us at LoveAndGrace to pray for you?  If so, please indicate in the Comment field. God bless!

     

  • Meditation–LIVING FOR ETERNITY: GOD’S PROMISES

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    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter. Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

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    “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

    “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Colossians 3:2 (NLT)

     

    THE BIBLE TELLS US our days are numbered.

    The reminders are numerous. Here are just a few: Job 14:5, Genesis 6:3, Psalm 90:10, Matthew 10:30. 

    48.GodsGraceGod knows what that number is for each of us, but we have only an estimation, based on actuarial tables, personal lifestyle, and family history.

    That brings us to this question: Knowing that our time is short, what will we do with it?  

    For those of us who are believers, we can look forward to an incredibly pleasant eternity with Jesus. Those who are not believers most likely do not foresee the fate that awaits them. 

    The Bible says, “For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven” (Hebrews 13:14 TLB).

    Jesus told the repentant thief what He tells each of us who come to Him for forgiveness, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43 NIV).

    +++

    Knowing this world is not our home, Francis Chan, the noted pastor and author, urges us to live this life in light of all eternity. He says:

    “People accuse me of going overboard in preparing for my first ten million years in eternity. In my opinion, people go overboard in worrying about their last ten years on earth.” (Francis Chan, You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity, Claire Love Publishing, 2014).

    How have you lived your life so far? Have you made some mistakes, accumulated some regrets, long for a “do-over”?

    Chan offers this ray of hope: “Don’t get overwhelmed by how much time you have already wasted, and don’t dwell too long on past mistakes. Just take the next step. And keep the end in view.” (Chan, Ibid.).

    Heaven is our home. Jesus promised He would take us home to be with Him: “After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together” (John 14:3 CEV).

    Ask God to forgive you for your sinful past, then put the past behind you. Reach for God’s love through His Son and His Holy Spirit.

    Believe in God’s promises.

    68. Holy_Bible_CrossPRAYER: O Lord our God and Heavenly Father. You are so faithful and true. You have promised an eternity in Paradise with You if we seek Your face and repent of our sins. O Lord, we do so with grateful hearts and thankful spirits. You are the Great Redeemer, the Creator and Protector of our souls. Take us to Your rest when our earthly journey ends. In Jesus’ name we lift this prayer. Amen

    QUESTIONS:

    1. Do you live as though your days are numbered or as if tomorrow will never come? Do you believe the Lord’s admonition that we should place our trust in Heaven, where our possessions are secure, or in our own hands? That is, do you want to live for Christ or for yourself?

    2. Do you believe there is a Heaven? Jesus says there is. He also says there is a Hell. Do you believe that’s true? Do you know where you will spend eternity? It will be one or the other. Do you know how to guarantee you will spend it in Heaven?

    3. Are you being fed sufficiently in your spiritual life? Are you daily reading God’s Word, praying to Him, and gathering with other believers to “do life” together? Do you worship the Lord by singing praises and blessing His name or do you merely “attend” church?

    4. Would you like us at LoveAndGrace to pray for you? If so, just indicate in the Comment field. God bless!

  • Meditation: Living in Christ–Fruit of the Spirit

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter. Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

    “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.” Luke 6:43 (NIV)

    “Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.” Colossians 1:10 (NLT)

    “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23a (ESV)

    THE LORD JESUS CHRIST made it abundantly clear that He expects those of us who believe in Him to witness about His life and mission (Matt. 4:19; Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 9:1-6; Luke 10:1-23: Acts 1:8).

    We are to share the Good News.56. Prayer-Partners-men

    One problem: How many of us feel comfortable talking about our faith? How many of us feel we can do it well?

    An advertisement for a “witnessing tutorial” recently asked whether our efforts fail because we’re:

          • spouting Bible verses, or
          • judgmental and scolding.

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    WHEN JESUS SAYS, “You will know them by their fruits. … A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:16a, 18a NKJV), we might assume there is an objective standard by which God will measure us … and, yes, we no doubt imagine His divine magic marker writing a big “F” in a bright color next to our name.

    It doesn’t need to be that way.

    Part of our witness is the way we comport ourselves without talking — you know, whether we show patience when others are fuming, or whether we extend grace and forgiveness when others vow to get even.

    So, first, are we “living out” the Gospel in our daily lives? Staying in prayer as the apostle Paul teaches us (1 Thess. 5:17) is a key to showing the fruit of the Spirit. Without such prayer, we’ll revert to our sinful nature, and that will destroy our witness, regardless of how many Bible verses we spout.

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    SECOND, WE STILL NEED TO TALK about our faith, and we need to do it in a way that encourages others to want to know more about Jesus, not push us away.

    67.Jesus_Welcomes_AllHow do we do that, especially if we do not feel “gifted” to speak eloquently?

    Same as living out our witness — stay “prayed in.”

    Ask God for His guidance, and then speak your truth. Speak from the heart. Tell someone how Jesus has made a difference in your life. One or two sentences to describe the “old you,” a transition to say you came to see Jesus Christ as God and the Savior of mankind, and a quick word or two about how you see the change in your life.

    Here’s an example:

    “Joe, I’m glad you asked me. I wasn’t always this “patient,” as you put it. I used to be an angry man, like there was a storm cloud above my head all day long. I would growl and bite anyone who crossed me.

    “You know, I came to realize my marriage was failing, and my kids wouldn’t talk to me, and we were losing business at work. I took stock of my life, and one of my neighbors suggested I go to Bible study with him. For some reason, I said ‘okay,’ and something just took.

    “Eventually, I accepted Jesus in my heart and asked Him to cure me of my bad temper. Well, He went to work on me, and here I am. I’ve got a long way to go before I’m where Jesus is, but He and I are making progress.”

    +++

    NOTHING POLISHED. Nothing professional. No fancy words or Bible verse memory tests, just a heartfelt confession that becomes a strong personal testimony.

    Oh, you wonder where the right words will come from?

    How’s this for a Godly promise: “For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” Luke 21:15 (NIV).

    That promise came from Jesus, Himself. Yes, He said it in the context of His followers being persecuted, but He added, “This will result in your being witnesses to them.” Luke 21:13 (NIV)

    You see, when Jesus call us to act for Him or to speak for Him, He promises to help us through the process.

    How’s this for a promise? It’s from Matthew 28, verse 20b (NLT): “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

    You can count on it.

    ==68. Holy_Bible_Cross

    PRAYER: Our Heavenly Father, please help us live lives that show the Fruit of the Spirit and not the evil side of us that is worldly. Then, when people see how we live and ask us about the joy in our hearts, would You help us tell them simply and lovingly how Jesus has transformed us. All the praise, honor, and glory are yours, Father God, and we are grateful recipients of Your saving grace. In Jesus name we raise this prayer. Amen

    ==

    QUESTIONS:

    1. How comfortable do you feel witnessing for Jesus in your everyday life? Do you accept the Lord’s command that we are to show His love, grace, and mercy to others and, when the occasion arises, share a word about our faith experience — or do you think “religion” is a private matter?

    2. Even when you sense the Holy Spirit’s prodding, do you feel uncertain of what you would say, even though you have the Lord’s promise that He will help you? Would you feel more comfortable leading your friend or family member to a pastor or other “skilled” Christian, even though your testimony is likely far more effective in reaching someone close to you?

    3. Do you believe your Christian faith and your walk with Christ are producing any “fruit”? Do those who know you — family, friends, neighbors, co-workers — know you are a born-again Christian? Do they think you’re just a “nice person”? What could you do to make them aware of your faith commitment?

    4. Can we at LoveAndGrace pray for you? Just send a prayer request via the Comments section.

  • Meditation: PETER’S THREE ANSWERS TO JESUS

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter. 

    Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

    =

    “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  (Matt. 16:15-16 NIV)

    “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.” (John 18:17 NIV)

    Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” (John 21:15a NIV)

    +++

    AS BELIEVING CHRISTIANS, who can name our date of salvation and proudly carry our Holy Bibles to worship and weekly Bible study, our hearts beat proudly to read the words of Peter, the impetuous apostle, to the Master’s question.

    After Jesus asked His disciples who their families, friends, and neighbors thought He was, He drilled down to the essential question that He asks of all of us:

    72.Jesus_Teaches“Enough of this dancing around the issue,” He might have said. “In the end, it doesn’t really matter who these others think I am. The real issue is ‘Who do YOU think I am.’”

    Yes, Peter jumps in with the God-inspired response: “You are the Messiah, the Christ of the living God, who was and is and is to come, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. All things were made through You and nothing was made except what was made by You to serve Your glory.”

    While Peter didn’t make a speech, in essence, that’s what he was proclaiming.

    We love to read his answer over and over because we know that is the correct answer—and in our hearts, it’s our answer, too.

    +++

    UNFORTUNATELY, THE STORY doesn’t end there.

    There’s a second answer that Peter gives, at a different time in a different place, when the circumstances were different.

    It’s one of denial.

    “Are you a believer?” the co-worker asked. “Are you a follower of Jesus Christ, the alpha57.Playground-tauntsand the omega, the beginning and the end?”

    “Oh, no, not me!” Peter responded. “Whatever are you suggesting? Where would you have gotten that idea? No, I’m just like everyone else. I don’t believe in that nonsense. A bunch of religious kooks, if you ask me.”

    Sometimes, we act like the first Peter, but too often we tend toward the second Peter.

    Maybe our words aren’t so strongly stated, but maybe it’s because we don’t speak at all.

    We remain strangely quiet when the circumstances require us to speak up; we blend into the crowd when the circumstances require us to step forward; we look to “discretion” when the circumstances require us to be bold.

    +++

    WHICH PETER ARE YOU?

    Truthfully, we probably are both Peters. Sometimes we do speak out our faith and we do so boldly without regard to the reactions of others. At other times, we’re not so sure we should speak out, and so we say nothing.

    While being quiet could well be the correct posture at that moment, that moment soon passes, replaced by another moment, and in that second moment, our silence is denial of our Lord.

    Fortunately, for believers, there is Peter’s third answer. When Jesus is resurrected, He corners Peter and asks him if he loves Him. Peter says he does. Two months later, when the Holy Spirit is given to him and the other disciples, Peter becomes a lion for the Lord.

    After that, Peter never waivers, even unto the point of crucifixion. Legend says he demanded to be executed upside down, considering himself unworthy to be executed head up as the Master was.

    +++

    31-jesusteachingreligiousleadersGOD IN HIS MERCY gives us another chance … and another chance … and another chance.

    With the Holy Spirit’s prodding, we slowly become more Christlike in our thoughts, actions, and words.

    We will have moments of bold witness, and we will have moments when we fail to speak out when we should, but the Lord will give us more moments to share our faith.

    Our prayers should be that over time, we’re more like the first Peter more often than the second Peter.

    In the end, we should become the third Peter (see John 21:15-22).

    “Yes, Lord, You know I love You.”

    Then He will tell us what He told the third Peter:

    “Follow Me. Feed my sheep.”

    ***

    PRAYER: Our Father God, we know that we will  let You down sometimes, even while we will step up boldly at other times. Help us grow in the Holy Spirit so that the bold times outnumber the timid times. Lead us to know when we should act, when we should speak, and when we should remain quiet and in the background. In the end, Lord, we should follow Your lead, not our own. In Jesus’ name. Amen

    ***

    QUESTIONS:

    1. Are you a Christian who believes your actions speak of your love for God so that it is unnecessary for you to speak about your witness? Can you find biblical support for your position?  

    >What do you make of Peter and John in ACTS 4 who proclaimed they were “unable to stop speaking” about the Lord and what they had seen?

    2. Do you ever feel you don’t have the “right words” to say or that you don’t know the Bible well enough to witness or that your faith is either too new or too shaky to be a good witness?

    >What do make of Jesus’ words in LUKE 12 when He says the Holy Spirit will direct your speech?

    3. Have you ever experienced an opportunity to witness — in deed or in word or both — and failed to “pray up” before you began, figuring you had the situation well in hand?

    >What do you make of Jesus’ admonition in JOHN 15 when He says that without Him we can do nothing?

    4. Can we at LoveAndGrace pray for you? Just send a prayer request via the Comments section.

    ###

  • Today’s Meditation … Grace And Sin

    Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter. Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

    ===

    “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” Judges 21:25 (NLT)

    “This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19 (NKJV)

    ===

    EVIL. PURE EVIL.

    There is evil in the world. There are evil people in the world. There are evil deedscommitted every day in the worl46. Rebellion_Against_Godd.

    Much of the evil is unspeakable: torture of political prisoners, rape of women and girls as an act of war, abandonment of born children and abortion of those unborn, acts of terrorism against unsuspecting innocents — all of those in addition to acts of nature that cruelly take human lives.

    We yell and scream, “Why? “Why, O Lord, is there such evil in the world?”

    Some cry out without naming the Lord because they don’t believe He exists; or, if He exists, that He’s relevant or cares about us.

    +++

    THE ANSWER SURROUNDS US.

    52.SinGod created a perfect world and allowed his prized possession — men and women — the freedom to choose to obey Him and be blessed or to disobey Him and be cursed. We chose to disobey Him. Evil is the result.

    Yet, the Bible tells us that God so loved us that He sent His only Son into the world to live as a sinless human being among us and then, being found without blemish, slaughtered for our sakes, to pay the debt for our sins and to restore fallen mankind to Him. (see John 3:16)

    The Bible says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” — John 3:17 (NIV)

    Men still rejected Him, loving the darkness and their own sin more than the grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness offered by their Creator. (see John 3:19) By rejecting the Creator, men also reject a guiding light; and, without a guiding light — be it a king or priest or prophet — men still do what is right in their own eyes. (see Judges 21:25)

    For those who do believe, who are called by His name and seek forgiveness, repenting of their evil deeds and their sinful heart, God promises everything — Paradise with Him forever. The Bible says, “Everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16b (NLT)

    +++

    PRAYER: Our Father God, how could we  repeatedly reject Your loving and merciful overtures of support? How could we be so blind to the life-giving promises You make, 68. Holy_Bible_Crosspreferring, instead, to live out the sinful desires of our hearts? You have been so gracious and forgiving, so quick to love us and so slow to condemn us. Thank You for being a God of mercy as well as a God of judgment. Lord, hear our prayer of repentance, forgive our sins, and restore us to a right relationship with You — and keep us on the straight path that You have laid out for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen

    +++

    QUESTIONS:

    1. Is the God of the Bible real for you? Do you believe He created you and the world around you and that He has a plan for your life? If not, what keeps you from taking the step of faith necessary to claim your inheritance as a child of God?
    2. Do you use the excuse of pointing out the sins of others, ignoring the clear fact that God will hold you accountable for your actions?
    3. If you were to die today, do you know (or can you guess) where you will spend eternity — be it with God, without God — or do you maintain there is no after-life? If you were willing to open your heart to God’s saving message, do you know what you should do about it or whom to consult?
    4. Can we at LoveAndGrace pray for you? Just send a prayer request via the Comments section.

    ###

  • GOD’S CHARGE: DEFEND MY WORD

    Weekly Message by Ward Pimley

    Slipping from the truth of God’s Holy Word is an easy and dangerous slope. It occurs within churches that want to re-interpret the Bible to make it “relevant” to a fallen world; it occurs within the hearts of churchgoers who fail to take the teaching of salvation seriously and mistakenly assume their perfect attendance means something.

    “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.” — Jude 1:3 NLT

    “If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.” — 2 John 1:10-11 NLT

    God’s Word Is Under Attack

    We know God’s people around the world — in Turkey, Nigeria, China — are in physical peril. Many of them are killed, tortured, or imprisoned for  their beliefs.

    71.Hatred_Targeting_Christians

    But, in the Western world, God’s Word is under attack, as well.

    Of course, we can look at FBI “hate crime” statistics, which show violent crime targeting Christians to be low compared to crimes against Jews and Muslims, but the real story for Christians lies beyond the statistics.

    To see the real culprit in the Western world, we need to look not to reports of violent crimes against believers — we need to look at how “respectable” people distort the Word of God.

    Satan’s ways to punish Christians in Nigeria or Iraq or Turkey won’t work in the U.S. or Canada or other Western countries. His line of attack will be more subtle.

    Group Think

    MOST OF THE ATTACK we face in Western countries is “group think” — the mindless, reflexive opposition that can be laughed off. Mention your faith in Jesus Christ or allude to His life-changing impact on your life, and someone is bound to throw out “a bunch of hypocrites” without any more thought behind the comment than a sneeze.

    71.Hatred_Christians_pin

    Here are just some more notable examples of this intolerance, notable solely because the Christians impacted are famous, not because the  response is any different from what everyday believers face:

    • Vice President Pence is belittled for following the “Billy Graham rule” when associating with women in the office, a rule that pastor and author Max Lucado also follows;
    • Later, a television talk show hostess labeled the vice president “mentally ill” for believing the Lord talks to him;
    • Christian bakers are sued and threatened with loss of their business when they refuse to bake cakes honoring homosexual “marriage” ceremonies;
    • Collegiate Bible-based groups are removed from campus for promoting God’s values regarding sexual orientation and marital activity against the college’s or university’s secular values of “inclusion.” Most of the college population would approve of the administrations’ actions, if the “victim” group is Christian.

    Social media have become a cesspool of anti-Christian bias and hatred.

    The Rev. Franklin Graham’s Twitter posts, offering Scriptural encouragement or asking for prayer in the wake of an earthquake, mass shooting, train wreck, or other tragedy or disaster are routinely met with vitriolic ugliness from the depths of hell, usually from the militant homosexual lobby.

    Yes, faithful believers also respond to Graham’s posts with prayers and gratitude, but the hatred gets intermingled with God’s redeeming grace.

    How It Impacts Us

    THAT’S THE ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION, isn’t it? What difference does it make to us? How does all of this swirl of activity impact our cozy lives, lived out in our comfortable homes with the love and support of our families and close friends?

    What, if anything, are we supposed to do about it?

    71.Jesus_Commands_Love

    The Bible — God’s Word — seems to be pretty clear that Jesus has commanded us to take part in the world, to proclaim His message from the rooftops, telling the mighty and the lowly alike, that Jesus has paid the price to redeem us from our sin.

    Besides the verses that begin this column, here are just a few more of God’s commandments to us:

    • “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” — Mark 8:35 (ESV)
    • “But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” — Acts 4:19-20 (NIV)
    • “For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” — Galatians 6:5 (NLT)
    • “But how can people call on him if they have not believed in him? How can they believe in him if they have not heard his message? How can they hear if no one tells the Good News?” — Romans 10:14 (GW).

    No Way to Avoid It

    LOOK FOR AN ESCAPE HATCH all you want. Search for the asterisk that says “only sometimes” or “when you’re in the mood.” Or even ask for advice from your friends, the ones who are struggling with their own faith commitment, for advice.

    When you’re done looking in the wrong places for the wrong answer, Jesus invites you to come back home.

    71. Looking-at-the-Cross

    Come back to the Truth of Jesus’ message. You know what it is: Your sins are forgiven, grace and mercy are offered to you, and the assurance of salvation is yours.

    In exchange, Jesus wants you and me to testify to His love in our lives. We will not be measured by someone’s response; only by our giving.

    If we offer the truth of Jesus Christ to a loved one, or a neighbor, or a co-worker, or even a total stranger, Jesus will not downgrade us if we’re met with rudeness or disdain or anger.

    He will not hand us a demerit or two if this person remains unconvinced, unmoved, or unrepentant.

    However, He will scold us if we miss the opportunity to share the Good News that lives in our hearts.

    Why Pass Up the Invitation?

    WE KNOW THE WORLD remains as hostile to the saving message of Jesus Christ today as it always was, even before He was born and prophecy told of Him.

    Slipping from the truth of God’s Holy Word is an easy and dangerous slope. It occurs within churches that want to re-interpret the Bible to make it “relevant” to a fallen world; it occurs within the hearts of churchgoers who fail to take the teaching of salvation seriously and mistakenly assume their perfect attendance means something.

    How God’s heart must hurt for the lives of His broken people.

    Before He ascended back to heaven, Jesus told His disciples that the Father had given Him “all authority” on heaven and earth. With that legitimizing statement, He then commanded them — and us — to spread His message of love and forgiveness to everybody in the world (Matthew 28:18-20).

    It should be our joy to comply!

    ~PRAYER~

    44. Cross_on_Bible

    O Lord, our God and Savior, please forgive us when wefail to protect and defend the Holy Word of God, when we fail to live according to its principles, when we fail to forgive others as we have been forgiven, to love others as we have been loved, and to serve others as we have been served. Strengthen our voices, O Lord, to speak in favor of the Truth that has changed our lives and that can change the lives of those whom You place in our paths. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN

    ~QUESTIONS~

    1. Do you see God’s Word under attack from a disbelieving world? Do you see this occur in your life or only in the lives of others? If you don’t experience rejection, disbelief, censure, could it be that you are not witnessing for the Gospel?
    2. Do you believe we are called to defend Jesus’ testimony, or is “religion” something that should be kept private, i.e., it’s just your own business and no one else’s what you believe? Is your answer supported biblically? If not, do you want to change something in your life?
    3. Do you believe universal and eternal truth exists? If so, is this something we can know? How would we know what it is? Jesus said He is the Truth. Do you believe Him? Would you like to? Can you talk to someone (comment on this blog, for example) for direction?