Our Gentle God

By D’Ann Davis

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.  If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 
Isaiah 1:18-20

Throughout the book of Isaiah we see myriad announcements to different peoples about their impending doom if they do not repent to the Lord, and their subsequent salvation if they do.  Though in Chapter 1, verses 18-20, we see the tenderness of God highlighted in an intimate way.  In a book that so exalts His transcendence in judgment and justice over the nations and His Sovereign reign over the future, this handful of verses is a snap-shot of His equally powerful immanence and tender care.  God is just, God is righteous, God is merciful, and in these verses we see that He is also close and reasonable.

God gently calls to the people of Judah to reason with Him and think through their actions.  Their rebellion against Him would not only defile them but would be their ruin.  God is a generous and good God.  He wants us to walk in the fullness of all that to which He has called us.  He does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), but wants us all to come to repentance.  He is patient and longsuffering with us and we see that highlighted in verse 18.  God assures His children that if they would repent, even though their sins were as scarlet, He would cleanse them and make them white as snow.  He emphasizes that in sowing repentance they would reap the benefits of life in Him, but in sowing rebellion, they would reap destruction.

God makes the same tender call to us all the time.  Do we hear His voice?  Verse 20 tells us “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  Are we listening to the words of His mouth?  Let us hear His gentle, kind call, knowing that it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).  When God speaks to us asking us to reason with Him and think through what we are doing, let us not hear condemnation, but invitation, knowing that through the blood of Christ, even our darkest stain might be made clean.  Hear His call today.  If He is calling you to reason together with Him, then listen to His word, and come and be made clean.

To Know My Heart

By Ricky Chelette

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
Psalms 139:23-24

Who really knows you? I mean really knows all about you – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Truth is, we are not very good at knowing ourselves. We say we want to be authentic people, but even in our intended authenticity we are posers. “People wouldn’t like me if they really knew me,” we say to ourselves. So we hide. We pretend to be what we perceive people want, only to feel grieved and alone because no one knows us. We are peculiar and broken people.

Jeremiah 17:9 gives us further insight into our heart by telling us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick [or wicked]; who can understand it?” It seems the Word of God knows we have a difficult time being honest even with ourselves. In fact, the next verse states, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind.” So the request of the Psalmist for the Lord to search his heart is not unreasonable, but Biblical. In fact, God is the only one who really can help us with our wicked heart.

In Psalm 139 the writer pleads with God to search his heart; to know him and to direct him in a way that would lead to something real – something authentic – the everlasting way.

We need the Lord to show us our hearts and to search them out to find the “grievous way” or some translations say, “hurtful or offensive way” within me. I think we all have those wicked ways within us: Our secret thoughts, our manipulative ways, or dreams and lust for power and control, and even our desire to be desired more than to point people to Jesus. In every case we want something or someone more than we want Jesus and that grieves the heart of God. Why? Because Jesus gave His life for us and He wants our hearts and lives devoted to Him. He is worthy of our praise and allegiance.

For over thirty years I have walked with men and women, desperately trying to point them to Jesus. I have not led them perfectly, and at times, not even well, but I have felt the hurt when some have chosen the path of their heart’s wicked way rather than the Jesus Way. I have grieved and cried and pleaded, but often to no avail. But unlike God, I didn’t create a single one of them. I didn’t die so they could be reconciled to God. I didn’t take the wrath of God on myself for them. I simply walked a bit along the way of life with them. If I feel grief on their behalf, I can’t imagine the grief our Lord must feel when He looks into our hearts and sees our wickedness.

When we read the entirety of Psalm 139, we see the great hope – the hope we have if we will confess our wickedness and follow Jesus. He already knows us. He made us

and knit us together intentionally before we were ever a thought in our mothers’ hearts. He knows all of us and still loves us like no other can (Ps 139:1-16). What are you waiting for?

Are you feeling unknown, unknowable, too wicked, undesirable, or even too far gone for help? God sees you and knows every part of you. If He is showing you the wickedness of your heart today, confess it and receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). He wants to put us on the “everlasting way” – a way that leads to life, is filled with hope, and brings Him glory and us great joy. Won’t you join Him on the everlasting way today?

What I Learned From Taylor Swift’s Christmas

By D’Ann Davis

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work with us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." 
Ephesians 3:20-21

A month or so ago I was perusing a social media website and I came across a story about Taylor Swift. She apparently had decided to bless some super fans who frequently tweeted her by investigating all of their social media outlets to learn information about them, and she then sent them hand-picked gifts and hand-written letters. She would notify them by tweeting them and adding a Santa emoticon to let them know they were some of the chosen fans. She went to great lengths to find presents she thought they would like and wrapped them herself, and her notes to them were tailored with comments and questions about things like their children or pets, demonstrating she really did look into their lives. She mailed them the boxes and they filmed their responses and posted them to their social media outlets. In some cases Swift even visited their homes and spent time with them.

In a culture where celebrities often fall into self-worship and annoyance at the very fans who drive their success, it was neat to see a celebrity, if for but a few moments, seek to make a big impact on the lives of those who follow her. And this is what struck me, not that Taylor Swift would be so kind to do something for people who were of little to no consequence to her everyday life, but that God, an almighty perfect Father far above any earthly personality, would condescend to our level on a daily basis to be with us. Swift may be really great, I cannot speak to that, but she is no Jesus Christ. And God seeks on a daily basis to connect with us, to come to our level, to be reconciled to us. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us of Jesus, “though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” If we can be so moved by something so small as a celebrity coming down to the level of those who follow her, how much more so might we be moved by an Almighty Creator who loves us enough to reconcile us to Himself even when we spurn Him?

In watching the video I was also struck with sadness over the elation of these fans. I was saddened because my heart hoped they know the only true God who is the only One worthy of worship and praise. Some of these fans may very well know Jesus, and I cannot speak to that at all, but I know many people do not know Jesus and seek to find the object of their worship elsewhere, often in the identity of another creature. My heart hurt for the lost who do not know of a greater way, a greater hope in Jesus Christ, the true Savior and Redeemer of our souls.

Lastly, I was convicted over the joy these fans had over their gifts. Truly, Taylor Swift could have picked out a cinder block for them and they would have been ecstatic. They might have initially been confused but would have nearly immediately found a way for this to actually be the best possible gift Swift could have given them because it is the best cabinet brace, the best door holder, or the best gardening piece ever. It would have held deep value for them because it was what she sought to give them, and they loved her so much it would not matter to them that it was initially not what they thought they would get. They would have found a way to believe it was good in trust of her character and out of love for who she is. Oh that we might have such trusting open hearts to the gifts from our Father! We serve a good and perfect Father who always generously gives us what we need beyond what we could possibly hope for or expect. We have a God who provides our daily bread in addition to bestowing blessing upon blessing on us. We have a God who gives us every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, per Ephesians 1:3. Let us learn from Swift’s fans and be more excited that the Lord of lords and King of kings would want to give us anything. Let us be so moved by Him that even those gifts we deem burdens would stir worship and affection in our hearts for Him. And finally, let us realize that the truest and best gift of all is that of Jesus Christ and relationship with Him.

From the Inside Out

By Ricky Chelette

“Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”
Mark 7:14b-15

We are a body-obsessed nation. One report says that the fitness industry will rake in over $24 billion dollars this next year. The ASAPS (American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) reports that Women had more than 10.3 million cosmetic procedures, 90.6% of the total. The number of cosmetic procedures for women increased over 471% from 1997. Men had more than 1 million cosmetic procedures, 9.4% of the total. The number of cosmetic procedures for men increased over 273% from 1997.

Sales of organic products in the United States jumped to $35.1 billion in 2013, up 11.5% from the previous year’s $31.5 billion and the fastest growth rate in five years.

And though I believe Jesus wants us to care for our body (the temple of the Holy Spirit – 1 Cor. 6:19) with good food and exercise, He is even more concerned about our heart. When life isn’t going well, when we are stressed, pressured, or something doesn’t go our way, whatever is already in our heart comes out of us. Often times, it is neither pretty nor Christ-like.

In Mark, Jesus was instructing the disciples about the things that defiled a person. For the Jew, strict dietary laws ruled whether something was clean or unclean. Unclean foods were not allowed. Clean foods were. It was as though to eat pork made one unclean and bad, while eating fish with scales made one clean and good. Jesus tries to show them that following the law, though good and seemingly obedient, did not actually change the condition of a person’s heart – the point of His teaching. They were so concerned with following tradition they missed the bigger truth Jesus was teaching them. It is easy for us to do the same.

It is always in the crucible moments of life that we see our heart. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

The only way we can transform the heart is to allow the Word of God, His truth, to wash away the wickedness and replace the lies we so often believe, with the truth of God. When our heart grows in new affections for the things of God rather than the satisfaction of pleasures, we will find ourselves living different lives, and responding to others with the grace, mercy and understanding we have received.

What is your reaction to this morning’s traffic? How do you respond when the check out lane you are in places the “closed” sign just as it is your turn? What do you say to the ticket agent when your flight has just been canceled or postponed causing you to miss your connecting flight? How many times have you passed the person asking for money at the intersection thinking, “just get a job!”? Maybe this new year we should spend less time worried about our appearance and our diet and more time joining David in praying,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Ps. 139:23-24)

Think Right

By Ricky Chelette

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. …practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8

I daydream a lot, do you? Well maybe it is not a lot and maybe its not even daydreams, but it doesn’t take much for my mind to wander off into thinking about all kinds of things: What so-and-so is up to? Does that dove outside my widow have a nest near by? How did someone think to make a computer so small and so powerful? How many people called into work sick today who really aren’t sick? How is black a color if it really is the absorption of all colors? My mind thinks about a lot of things.

Those thoughts are not so bad and some of them, if answered, are even rather interesting. But I know that my mind can also go to places it shouldn’t. I can think of all kinds of evil, vile, wicked, and yes, even perverse things that only draw my heart away from God. I can easily become enamored with personal pleasures over spiritual truth. I have to admit, I get those thoughts. I bet you do too.

Paul, being an astute observer of human nature and knowing man’s bent toward sin, was well aware of such bad thinking. He knew the body would never go to a place where the mind had not already been. He wanted the people in Philippi to be holy, Godly people. And he knew there were many who try to pull them away from Christ, those he called, “enemies of the cross of Christ” (3:18). These people weren’t necessarily doing terrible things (though some were), but their focus was not on the things of God. They elevated personal pleasure and satisfaction as the goal of human flourishing, redefining sin, and elevating feelings over truth.

Paul knew that to keep our lives on track with Jesus we needed to think correctly. We need to keep our mind on things that are lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. It’s not much different today. In a world where most messages we hear draw us away from God rather than to Him, Paul’s words seem as contemporary as the evening news. We can learn something from his admonition.

One great way to keep our mind thinking right is as simple as starting every day with God’s Word. I know it sounds hokey, but I can personally attest that it will change your life and your thoughts. Pick a Bible reading plan from YouVersion.org or other site. Pick a plan that you can reasonably do each day and make it the first thing you do in your day. Sure it will mean you have to wake up a little earlier or make time in your day for it, but it will help you see the things that are “worthy of praise.” Your daydreams might just turn into God moments of clarity, revelation and truth. Think upon these things!

A New Year

by Ricky Chelette

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 
John 16:33

Happy New Year! The crowds have disbursed, the roar of the revelry has subsided, and everyone has moved past the late night to greet the new year with excitement and anticipation. We have made resolutions, vowed that this year will be better than the last, and committed ourselves to live, love, and learn better! It all sounds grand, and it is, but most of us won’t keep those commitments past the third week. Though our intentions are good, our flesh is weak and we likely will be eating the left over cake despite the diet.

We all start the new year with the best of intentions, but life is hard. We are fallen people living in a fallen world. When the ball drops on the new year, we think we can outrun it, overcome it, or just climb over it, but if we are not careful, some of us will get run over by it. It doesn’t have to be that way.

These words of Jesus recorded in John’s Gospel should be etched upon our hearts, “but take heart; I have overcome the world.” Though the world will quickly seek to suck the joy out of our allegiance and commitment to Jesus, Christ promises that He has already overcome the world!

Despite the difficulties you and I will face in the coming year, if we depend on Jesus, He will see us through. The solution will likely not look the way we anticipated, but the outcome is assured – we are His and He has overcome!

In a day when temptations crouch behind every corner seeking to pull us away from the Jesus Way, He assures us that victory is ours if we are His.

Rom. 8:17 tells us that we are, “joint heirs with Christ.” That means whatever belongs to Jesus also belongs to His followers. You have already overcome the world if you are in Christ. As Christians, we need to live like we believe that even when we doubt.

Living the Christian life in the new year will not be without its difficulties. Jesus plainly says, “In the world you will have tribulation.” But Jesus has already overcome the world. We are victorious.

So when you see that ball rolling your way and you think there is no way out, remember whose you are and who you are. Have confidence that If it rolls over you, He can resurrect you. If it hits and hurts you, He can heal you. If it seems to block your way, He can build a bridge over it. If it creates fear in you, remember He has given you faith.

Through Jesus you are an overcomer. When we trust in Him, we will find the best reality in the new year – “that in me you may have peace.”

The Day After Christmas

By Ricky Chelette

“But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
Exodus. 17:3

Christmas is over. The packages have been opened. The eggnog and Christmas goodies have been consumed. We’ve attended the Christmas Eve service and heard about the coming of a Savior to redeem the world. It all went… relatively well.

So why the sad face? Could it be that once again our expectations outweighed our experience? Could it be that in the midst of the presents and Aunt June’s fruit ambrosia, we took our sights off the celebration of Christ’s coming and instead, fixated on our needs, our expectations, and ourselves?

If history serves us well, it seems that great moves of God are often followed by times of intense struggle and even doubt. The children of God have had this problem since their beginning.

The Exodus story is just one great example. The passage in Ex. 17 happens after God has delivered the children of Israel by the parting of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:27-30), provided water for them when there was none (Ex. 15:24-25), and allowed manna (a food created by God) to daily rain down from heaven to provide for all their nutritional needs (Ex. 16:4-5). God has been at work and the people have seen it and experience it, yet they complained. We are a lot like the Israelites. 

It is easy to lose sight of what God has or is doing in our lives when we shift our focus from eternal to temporal; when we stop thinking about Jesus and start thinking about ourselves.

On the other side of Christmas we need to be grateful: 

   • Grateful we have a Savior who entered our world

   • Grateful we have been spared the wrath of God

   • Grateful we have a Savior who came to rescue us

   • Grateful we have been given the opportunity for eternal life

   • Grateful we have momentary troubles that find their resolve in Him

   • Grateful we have a love that will never leave us nor forsake us – Jesus

   • Grateful we have The Message of hope and can share it with others

   • Grateful we have Jesus

The problem with the Israelites and the problem with you and me is we lack an attitude of gratitude and a hopeful perspective of His Sovereign rule in our lives. Like the Israelites, we want to manage every moment with little faith and even less vision. We want predictable outcomes and plausible plans. God wants to create faith-creating tension and miraculous plans. In doing so we can take no credit and He gets all the glory.

On the day after Christmas bask in the miracle and majesty of the Savior who became a man, in order that we might become saved. Contemplate the surrender of heaven for the surroundings of fallen earth. Wonder at the miracle of virgin birth and the faith of Mary and Joseph. Embrace the truth of His coming to do for sinful humanity, what sinful humanity could not do for itself. Be overwhelmed with Him and underwhelmed with you. But please don’t grumble; be grateful. Take a moment and write down things for which you are grateful and give God thanks.