If my wife cheated on me she couldn’t take it back, nor fix it, nor avoid it or repair without my forgiveness and willingness to reconcile.  Do you concede that point?  Regardless of her reasons for doing so, mistake, realistic cause, drunkenness, stupidity, deception or evil intent, once the act was committed it cannot be undone.  It may be forgiven but the impact of the act will be felt throughout our lives.

Adam was the first man, made from dirt, filled with God’s own breath, from whom all mankind looked for their foundation, origin and bloodline.  Therefore, since Adam’s relationship was entirely unique and his position direct before God, once he had committed the sin which God forbade the action of the original sin could not be undone.  There are no do overs with regard to sin, it only takes one to earn the its consequence, death.  My inability to grasp this idea of finality within justice will never free me from the act or its requisite consequence.  It is the same with simply choosing to ignore God’s existence, expecting that my sitting upon the fence or disbelieving in His existence will somehow free me of the unavoidable consequence of my own sin.

To understand this concept of unavoidable judgment, it is imperative that I understand at least the idea of God’s Holiness.  God cannot lie, cannot simply pardon sin or look the other way, because this would be entirely contrary to His Nature and His Word.  Therefore God, intimately knowing us, prepared a method by which we may be forgiven and cleansed of this stain of sin, indelibly inked upon each of our souls.  That is the extent of His love for mankind for it required His divine intervention in life as His human form, Jesus Christ.  That is also His hatred of sin, such that when judgment comes down, not only will believers be eternally pardoned but sinners and sin itself will be eternally condemned and removed from His presence eternally.  He cannot overlook the act, He is willing to forgive, but just as with the issue of my wife’s infidelity it is up to Him to decide the parameters for that forgiveness or reconciliation.  What He requires is repentance, belief and reliance upon the sacrifice Jesus Christ made upon the Cross of Calvary as adequate, final and substitutionary payment for my sin.  I am sorry for my adultery against God, but now I must ask His forgiveness, cleansing and reconciliation so that our relationship might be healed, renewed and continued.  I sinned, He told me how to fix it and I chose to act in reliance upon that offer of forgiveness and reconciliation, simple.

Father, forgive us for attempting to avoid, obfuscate or complicate this easily understood Truth.  I hate my own sin, but I cannot fix it.  My desire to absolve myself of its stain and the subsequent price of my sin are irrelevant, just are those other things over which I have no control.  I want to be back in Your Good Grace.  I want a living relationship with You Lord.  Therefore, I admit, ask forgiveness for and turn away from my sin, knowing that until I do so my sin prohibits that living and loving relationship we both desire.  Thank You for knowing me well enough to provide a way by which I might be cleansed, renewed and reconciled to You for all eternity.  Lord, help me, now that I have received this gift to tell everyone I meet about this tremendous opportunity for action.  May my Family all come to this simple and essential choice so that we might walk with You throughout this life and the next.  Praise You for Your Awesomeness.  In Jesus’ Holy Name.

What would God have me say, especially when I don’t have the skill with words to convey anything Divine?  When I embrace this thinking is typically when He reminds me that it has nothing to do with my capabilities, talents, worthiness or eloquence.  He came to Earth in a manger to demonstrate the unimportance of the container.  It is His Character that defines the message, the inadequacy of the messenger has little impact.  It is about being a vessel for His Holy Spirit.  He has thoroughly demonstrated that He may use, unbelieving Kings, like Cyrus, or even an gentile prophet as Baalam.  God threatens to even use rocks and inanimate objects to deliver His message if His ambassadors will not.  Considering those facts, He certainly can use a man who believes, loves, surrenders and serves His Good Will.  I don’t know what He is saying to you while I am speaking, I only know that if you listen you will hear whatever He wishes to tell you.

Do you know your God?  For what we know and believe translates in to actions.  Solomon, whose name translates into peace, a man who was blessed with building the first Temple, knew God intimately yet disobeyed God’s warnings.  How is that possible?  A man so richly blessed to whom God appeared, how could someone in direct possession of the proof that all men crave fail to heed God’s direction?  Yet in Solomon’s disobedience we find the gold of God’s message to mankind, obey God and enjoy what He gives you.  Or the equally weighty concept that wisdom begins at the point where we fear Almighty God.  For Solomon knew God and yet He still fell.  What does that portend for any Christian, especially them who have not taken time to get to know the Father?  How can we hope to overcome where such great champions, who have known God directly, backslid to a distance far from His presence?

That is why it is so important for us to know whom we serve.  Not just talk about God, as some foreign concept or the basis of our Grandfather’s faith, but through intimate understanding, based upon a close pursuance of relationship with God.  The world will always call believers away from service, obedience and a walk of Grace.  The siren’s of satan whisper incessantly, haunting, luring, tempting believers away from God’s intended path for saints.  Diligence, vigilance, trustworthiness and dependence upon God are the believer’s greatest friends.  Remaining in the Word of God that sets the enemy to flight is our only protection from the incessant pull of trivial lust.  Believing that there is nothing in life more frightening than is an eternal, omniscient, omnipotent and jealous God.  That is the moment at the outset of our understanding and path to wisdom.  For if nothing in this world may hold dominion over our minds, fears, drives and ambitions but the Will of Almighty God, then we will always keep perspective.  We must crave, hunger for and eagerly pursue a relationship through a sanctifying walk in the Holy Spirit, redeemed and reacquainted to the Father by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

How do you know if you are doing anything to please God if you don’t know who God is or what He wants from each of us?  How will you dampen or silence the incessant temptings, condemnation and discouragements of the enemy if you do not know how Jesus defeated our worldly foe?  How will you give up the outcomes to God, living by His power, authority and intentions for this life if you do not recognize the direction and guidance of His voice within your heart and mind?  What is success in this life?  I challenge all of us to investigate and firmly establish this understanding within each of our hearts.  My job is to plant the seeds of God’s Word, tell people of the cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ and Walk daily with the Holy Spirit as my teacher, guide and comforter, indwelling me for His Good Purposes.  The outcomes are not my responsibility.  I have a relationship with the Father, loving Him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength as He commanded.  I know Him and He me.  That is my greatest treasure, knowing whom I serve.  In Jesus’ Name.

What ties you to this life, is it a dream, a family or marking time?  Are you spiritually centered, connected to the universe, convinced that all things are one and one all things?  Does it all seem foolish, these child-like characters trying so hard to impress a God you’ve never seen?  Can you save them, staunch their wounds, find them food and shelter long enough to stem the tide of guilt or shame?  Or do the lights feed your cravings?  Seeing me, about me, regarding me with whom else but me.  What do you truly feel about the unborn, slain before their time?  I know you feel that there is more than justified reason and choice, but what do you truly think when you think upon a disallowed child?  Is there some universal accounting in this force you seek or is there no destiny, no price, no victory?

Is it important for each of us to determine a personal definition of evil and good?  Or are we free of these things, simply applying the principals associated with being in Rome, doing what a Roman does?  Is life and character transmutable, malleable, ductile, as clay in the hands of a wanton child, proclaiming innocent perspective and selfish understanding?  I cannot hear your heart over the overwhelming echo of my own shouted, no and mine.  Why do we get up each day facing the wind, standing with courage if there is nothing worthy of the fight?  Certainly there must be something for which you would struggle?  Life cannot simply be about your four walls, good tires and the umbrella moments.  The question is not so much for what you would die, but for what you live?  And if I live for something then have I an established position, role, character, upon which I mount my defense or assault?  If life is about standing for something then why would I ever achieve anything substantive by expending all my efforts so that I may spend the maximum available time upon my keester?

Yes, this life is about the struggle, yes, it is about the fight.  The problem is that each of us gets to determine the nature and the purpose of our battles.  Why a problem, because given the self defining aspects of this purpose driven struggle, then what happens when we cannot even agree on what is worthy of the fight?  If you are fighting for more relaxation and I am fighting to free children from poverty or bondage, we ourselves are going to be in a conflict over time, treasure and resources.  That is the danger of the original sin, for we determine the definition of what is good and evil, we become our own gods.  No longer are we perfectly aligned with the Creator’s design and purpose, but now we choose our own calling, fighting for what we deem worthy of our expended days.  You see if enough people decide, collectively, in agreement that what God says is evil is now proclaimed good, we are then forced into defiance of God by cooperating with the majority.  And equally we are subjected to being named with evil by those who want to redefine, ignore or mock God’s intention.

So that being understood, worldly determined purpose is unveiled, reduced to its common factors; God said one thing and if we say another.  We are then self-defined as anti-God.  And if we do not believe in God’s offer of salvation through Christ then we are subsequently, anti-Christ.  You see, I would love to define the world in my own image, making my own rules so that I am free of obligation, accountability and fault, for that is the nature of my selfish internal man.  However, I also do not want the responsibilities of being God, preferring to let Him define His universe and simply complying with the rules He’s proclaimed.  It is not easy, and it immediately puts me at odds with those who have redefined good and evil according to their own perspective.  I do not wish to be at odds with man, but I much less wish to be at odds with God.  So again I am left with a choice, for after all that is what this life has always been about, a choice.  I choose God and hope that you do as well, but I understand that He loves you enough to let you choose otherwise.

You see I did not define my own purpose in this life, it was given me by a Holy God.  There are requirements of a man who serves God those being that I want to listen and obey God’s intention for my life, out of reverence, compliance and to achieve maximum fulfillment.  I must then also accept that I will not be able to please many who have chosen some other ambition, drive or god.  I pray to encourage you to do good today, but as you may define good in a different manner than does God.  I must then hope that you obey God and do good today for the purpose of His good Will.  The Bible says that there is a way that seems right to a man but its steps lead directly to Hades.  Won’t you at least seek God’s definition first before embarking on a path leading to such a horrible, permanent place?  I pray that your eyes are opened to the absolute, immutable Truth of God and I hope that I have planted the seed of your inquiry.  Praise God in Jesus’ name.

What is that thing, that gift you are afraid to show the world, but when alone brings you closer to God?  Are you a closet painter, dancer, designer or writer?  Do you have the unique talent of quieting stormy arguments or healing broken hearts?  Are you the one who ends up feeding everyone when they are too tired to care, bringing them back to themselves?  Are you an amazing orator, story teller or crooner?  What thing or things do you have that would amaze the world if they knew?  I am not talking about secrets or evil thoughts, even though there will be some who have forsaken the light, using their talent for wickedness.  I am talking about the things, righteous and pure that give hope, healing, patience, peace or insight.  Who did God make you to be that you aren’t showing the world?

I like to sing, write, hug, listen, dream, design and bandage the wounds of those who will trust me to give them comfort.  I may be good at worldly tasks, like business, bills or building, but these gifts were meant for God’s Good Purpose.  When properly applied, even when shy or uncomfortable, the Lord allows me to make a real difference in the lives of those around me.  Isn’t that purpose?  Isn’t that happiness?  Isn’t that wealth?  Certainly there are times when I daydream I were in position of authority, but that passes as I listen to the dreams of a child.  For I am in authority, the authority of King Jesus, to proclaim the light to a world captured by darkness.  Where are your greatest successes?  Are they on a wall in an “I love me” room so that you might be reminded of your feats?  Or are they the peaceful minds, hearts and prayers of those who remember the love you gave them when they could not even for a moment imagine themselves worth loving?

What then have you been withholding from this desperate world?  That talent that would inspire or catch to fire the kindling of spiritual fuel in the lives of those who remain dormant, misdirected or deluded?  Can you show them Christ without showing them the Spiritual Gifts He has given you?  You are the miracle they were meant to behold, the transformed mind they so desperately desire.  Will you keep your light under the basket of shame, disbelief or self-service or will you come into view, chancing all for the opportunity to lead someone to salvation?  Give me your gifts and I will show you discipleship.  They cannot help but be moved when they see and are amazed at what God has done within you, through you, beyond you.  Step into the spotlight for that moment, the moment it takes for people to see briefly the Light of Christ.  We are princes and priests, representing a Holy and Mighty God, whispering of coming Glory.  Will you show them your resemblance to the King of Everything?  Dance for us, let us see God, please, I pray show me His Light.

Father I thank you for this week and the sights I have seen and the people with whom I am amazed.  They were truly your greatest gift to me, with them I will never meet despair.  For in their eyes, tears, song and care I see You clearer each and every day.  Praise Your Holy Name, Jesus I love You.