Saved by Presence

Saved by Presence

Genesis 19: ¹⁸ Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords! ¹⁹ Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. ²⁰ See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”

 

²¹ And he said to him, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. ²² Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.”

 

Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

 

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After being told to “Escape to the mountains”, realized what the angels were saying. He understood that Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding suburbs would be destroyed. He thought quickly and asked to go to a nearby little city. The angel granted his passage to this city and would not destroy it.

 

My Observations:

• Lot’s presence in the little city saved everyone there from destruction.
• Lot knew the area well, possibly because of skills he learned from the Chaldeans, or Abraham or Terah.
• Lot was afraid of the people who captured him years prior and did not want to take a chance of running into them again.

 

Lot and his family were allowed to go to the small city that did not have a name. Lot named it Zoar, meaning small or insignificant. GOD would protect this small group of people because of Lot. GOD still does this. By this example, HE does not destroy places where HE has a believer, unless HE urges them out.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about this conversation between Lot and the angel?
• Have you ever wondered why you are in a certain place?
• Can you realize that your presence in a place blesses it because of GOD’s favor on you?

Problem Solver

Problem Solver

1 John2: ²² Who, then, is the liar? It is those who say that Jesus is not the Messiah. Such people are the Enemy of Christ—they reject both the Father and the Son. ²³ For those who reject the Son reject also the Father; those who accept the Son have the Father also.

 

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Admiring the rich and powerful, I took to listening to his or her words. I picked out a characteristic that seemed to be common about all of them. They seemed to be problem solvers. The bigger the problem, the more people they needed to follow them.

 

• I followed people I thought would solve big problems.
• I quickly stopped following people who were not problem solvers.
• I wanted to solve big problems.

 

John compares those who believe in JESUS as the Messiah to those who do not. He does this by asking a rhetorical question “Who, then, is the liar?” He provides the answer given to him by the HOLY SPIRIT, stating that those who say JESUS is not the Messiah are liars. He also mentions that people who reject JESUS as the Messiah reject GOD.

 

My Observations:

• Rich and powerful people may claim to be problem solvers, BUT JESUS is the only one who can solve every problem.
• Humans have tried to solve problems for centuries, BUT GOD laughs at any attempt to do what HE does.
• Problems, persecution and pain are current situations for many, BUT JESUS is the only one who can heal all situations.

 

Attempting to blind humans into thinking there is no problem is what the Enemy of CHRIST wants. I mean, what better way to keep people from getting his or her problem solved, than to make up multiple lies about “higher powers” or random “universe” occurrences or “relative truth?” GOD sees through it all.

 

JESUS volunteered to solve the ultimate problem, namely eternal death. What does this have to do with current life? Everything! Each day we have a choice, follow the way of the world or follow CHRIST. Each decision can contain pain or promise, thoughtlessness or thankfulness, grudge or grace. I am glad JESUS is my problem solver.

 

Challenge

• Why does the writer speak about “rejection?”
• Have you ever placed your trust in humans who claim to have answers to big problems?
• Will you place your trust in JESUS who is the Messiah, the Savior of the world, by accepting HIS love and become adopted into GOD’s true family today?

Predetermined Love

Predetermined Love

Ephesians 1: Because of his love ⁵ God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose. ⁶ Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! ⁷ For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, ⁸ which he gave to us in such large measure!

 

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Living in an unforgiving world is sometimes difficult. My mistakes are placed in front of me and I place their mistakes in front of them. Mistakes were made all over. This sometimes makes me question if I am truly forgiven.

 

• I sometimes doubt GOD’s love so I try to control my actions to prevent more trials.
• I sometimes think my actions are greater than GOD’s, so I attempt to do “right” so HE will answer my prayers favorably.
• I sometimes question GOD’s love when I and others are met with trouble.

 

Paul is given some powerful words by GOD. He explains that it was GOD who decided to accept HIS SON’s proposal to save all of humanity. JESUS voluntarily stepped up and gave HIS life for all who would accept HIS gift. GOD decided this would serve HIS purpose of loving redemption, well. HE lost everything to save us.

 

My Observations

• It was not my actions that made GOD love me, rather HE loved me first.
• GOD saw all my sins and decided to save me anyway.
• My entire existence needs to praise GOD because of the incredible amount of grace HE has shown me.

 

It is impossible for me to mess up when I was chosen before I was born. I mean, GOD decided HE would make it easy for me to have a loving relationship with HIM by giving me a gift that is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately there is a war inside me and everyone, that fights against this precious gift.

 

Satan tainted all of humanity, causing each and every one of us to desire to be GOD. Our sin nature wants to be in “control” versus accepting the love GOD has poured out in large measure. BUT GOD did something extra. When I surrendered my life to JESUS, HE gave me the HOLY SPIRIT to fight that battle for me. I am eternally grateful for GOD’s great grace!

 

Challenge

• What actions do you see in this passage of scripture and who did them?
• Do you believe that all your sins are forgiven or just the ones you stopped doing?
• Have you ever felt that GOD is judging you versus loving you?
• Will you stop believing the lie about GOD’s love for you and believe HE loves you dearly and has given you a gift you can freely accept, namely JESUS who died for you and is alive today?

Set Free

Set Free

Galatians 1: From Paul, whose call to be an apostle did not come from human beings or by human means, but from Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from death. ² All the believers who are here join me in sending greetings to the churches of Galatia:

 

³ May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

 

⁴ In order to set us free from this present evil age, Christ gave himself for our sins, in obedience to the will of our God and Father. ⁵ To God be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

 

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“Read the Bible” were the words I did not accept or want to hear. I felt I had fallen too far away from GOD and it seemed like there was no path to return. But the pleasure of sin was no longer working. It was a path to a “dead” end.

 

• I was tired of being a goody, goody so I tried sin and it felt good for a while.
• I soon found out that more things went wrong than right when I followed my own thinking.
• I felt even more lost and had no place to turn.

 

Paul writes a letter to the church of Galatia. He opens the letter with greeting of hope. He wants everyone to have “grace” and “peace” that only comes from the HEAVENLY FATHER and the LORD JESUS CHRIST. He knew the people were in bondage to sin.

 

My Observations

• Extreme circumstances seems to make two paths for me, one towards GOD and one away from HIM.
• GOD loves when I choose the right path back to HIM.
• Since the evil of this age is so easy to fall into, GOD made a way out that I never would have chosen, namely JESUS, who is my Savior.

 

Thousands of years ago, the times were labeled as “evil.” But what if the times are getting worse? I mean, what if hope in GOD is disappearing and placed on the waning pursuits of humans? It would seem hopeless and I would turn from one sin to the next trying to be “happy.”

 

Then when I looked at a true follower of JESUS, I would see that he or she was not shaken by the evil times. “What made them keep going?” I asked myself. I surrendered my life back to JESUS and little by little I started to see. HE did not take situations away from me, but protected me through them. I was then set free from the sin I easily fell into. I am grateful for being forgiven.

 

Challenge

• What do you get from the writer’s greeting?
• What action do you see that is needed from you in this passage?
• Will you accept the fact that JESUS took care of all problems you will face and you do not have to “try harder” to please HIM, but simply believe HE gave HIMSELF for you?

Faith Stands Firm

Faith Stands Firm

1 Corinthians 15: And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm. ² That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the gospel if you hold firmly to it—unless it was for nothing that you believed.

 

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Does GOD love me when I don’t get my way? This is the question I pondered many times. When I didn’t get healed a certain way at a certain time, I wondered if HE could hear me, then I wondered if what I believed was even true or not.

 

• I questioned GOD many times when I got scared during certain situations.
• I tried to fix people, situations and relationships using “my” own thinking.
• I wondered if the part of me that did not believe would some day overtake the part of me that does.

 

Paul switched over from addressing issues written to him to speaking of the main reason we all exist, namely the Good News about CHRIST. Paul makes this statement personal to everyone who reads the letter. He states “You are saved by the gospel” but he qualifies his statement with “if you hold firmly to it”. Wait. Can I lose something precious because of my fickle faith? No!

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to know that HIS salvation of me is permanent.
• GOD wants me to understand that when HE placed the HOLY SPIRIT in me, it sealed my salvation with HIM eternally.
• GOD wants me to trust that no one can pluck me out of HIS hand once HE wrote my name in it.

 

Believing in JESUS’ death burial and resurrection is the foundation of faith. I mean, when I believe that all humans fell when Adam sinned it is the start of a good foundation. I can then understand it took a sinless human to save humanity. That human was JESUS who was / is also GOD.

 

HE was murdered by HIS creation and was raised from the dead. Anyone who believe in this will have everlasting life. But what about this life? HE sent the COMFORTER to live inside me to keep me from straying away from this belief. The HOLY SPIRIT makes my faith stand firm, not me. I am glad GOD gave me salvation that is permanent and to those who also believe it is permanent for them.

 

Challenge

• What do you really believe about salvation?
• Do you think salvation has nothing to do with your finances, relationships, health or happiness?
• Wil you relax and know it is alright to question GOD and your relationship with HIM?
• Will you also know the Good News can only be “Good News” if you can depend on the promises JESUS made?

Loved Before or After

 

Loved Before or After

Romans 4: ⁹ Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. ¹⁰ Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! ¹¹ And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. ¹² And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

 

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After being ridiculed about my hair, glasses clothes and body shape, I wondered what was left to love. There were other groups who did not like my skin color either. I felt quite alone. “JESUS loves you” someone said. “How?” I wondered. No one else seems to love me. I thought.

 

• There were times when I wondered if I could be loved.
• There were times when I felt like an outcast.
• There were times when I believed the ugly labels some people placed on me.

 

Paul explains circumcision to a group of people who felt privileged for doing so. He explains what David wrote in a Psalm regarding people being blessed because their sin is not counted against them and are forgiven. This forgiveness was for everyone, Paul explains. He was trying to break their habit of trying to exclude people.

 

• GOD wants me to welcome anyone HE sends to me or sends me to.
• GOD wants me to show love to my neighbor regardless of how they look or act.
• GOD wants me to tell people HE loves them, no matter what sin they have done.

 

GOD’s love is not prejudiced. HE loves those who hate other people and who hate HIM. HE loved the world so much that HE died for it. JESUS, being GOD, saw all the sins I would commit and died for me anyway. HE loved me before I loved HIM. I did not have to change for JESUS to love me. HE changed me after I knew HIM.

 

• Are you around people yet feel alone?
• Do you feel like an outcast?
• Will you believe that GOD made you and loved how HE made you and is so pleased with you that HE, through JESUS, died for you and was raised from the dead for you?

Rescued

Luke 17: ³⁰ ‘It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.³⁵ Two women will be grinding corn together; one will be taken and the other left.’

³⁷ ‘Where, Lord?’ they asked.

He replied, ‘Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.’

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After the football game I dreaded the thought of navigating my way back home. I had to take extra buses and I just knew they would be crowed and hot. I noticed a few familiar people going towards a car.  “Can I get in?” I asked. “Nah… There’s not enough room” they replied disappointingly. I could clearly see room for me in their car.

• There have been times when I have been left out.
• There have been times when I was not part of the special group.
• There have been times when I wished I could be part of the “in” crowd.

JESUS tells HIS disciples about the harsh reality of what will take place when HE returns to gather HIS people. HE explains that one day, after HIS ascension to heaven, HE will return to collect only those who believe in HIM. Some people in the same household will be gathered with HIM and others will not.

• GOD says to me “Believe that MY SON has provided the only way back to ME.”
• GOD says to me “Focus on MY SON and you will be saved.”
• GOD says to me “JESUS is the only way, the only truth and the only life.”

JESUS’ bold message may turn people off and HE, unfortunately, knew it. HE knows some people will harden their hearts and call HIM a fairytale. Many will choose to go in their own direction, BUT GOD wants me to be part of HIS “in crowd.” HE wants me to open up my heart and believe that JESUS died specifically for me. I am welcomed into HIS family.

• Are you doubting GOD’s love for you?
• Do you feel left out?
• Can you believe GOD will welcome you into HIS family with open arms, no matter what sin you have committed?