Romans 7-8 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Romans 7:1-8:39.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32).

For some reason, I keep thinking I need to save myself. I want the reins of my life. I want to be the one in control. I need to get it all fixed and then bring it to God to show how pleased He can be with me. And I wonder why I continue to be covered up with stress, anxiety, and then wander back into sin. It’s like I want to be able to say to God, “What then shall you say to these things? If I’m for You, God, does it matter who else is against You?” I need to see that this is getting everything backwards.

Instead, God is for me. Who can be against me? Satan wants me to believe that my mistakes mean God is against me. He’s not. He is for me. He is so for me, He sent Jesus to die for me. If He did that, how will He not give me all I need to overcome? I simply have to let go of my control and grant Him control. I have to trust Him. When I do, then I start to have peace and joy.

I have a choice today. I can either focus on how bad I mess things up or I can focus on how powerful God is to fix things? The first leads to despair and sin; the second leads to peace and victory. Today, I want to focus on God and His power to fix things. How about you?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. The struggle with these two chapters is they are my two favorites, jam-packed with all kinds of helpful stuff to me. I return to these chapters over and over again. It was hard to pick just one thing to talk about . So, what struck you in today’s reading? I know something had to impact you on than what I mentioned. You can add your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Luke 23-24 (ESV) by Wordles*

Today’s reading is Luke 23:1-24:53.

“And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him. But they all cried out together, ‘Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas’–a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder…’Why what evil has he done?’…But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will” (Luke 23:14-19, 22, 23-25).

Perhaps it should read more like this:

“And after examining Jesus before you, behold, I did not find your Son guilty of anything. Neither has anyone. Look nothing deserving of death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him. But the Father said, “Crucify my Son, release to me Edwin’–a man who had been brought into judgment for lusting, lying, selfishness, arrogance, immorality, and a host of other sins. ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But the Father was firm, demanding that Jesus should die. And His voice prevailed. So Pilate decided that the Father’s demand should be granted. He released the man who had been guilty of all manner of sin, for whom God asked, but he delivered Jesus over to the Father’s will.”

Do I need to say more?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can provide your input by clicking here.

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Today’s reading is Hebrews 9:1-10:39.

“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).

I see that I have a problem. Even though I’m in Christ and have received forgiveness, I allow my conscience to be plagued by my past sins instead of purified from them. I know there must be a balance here. If I completely forget that I’ve sinned, I will forget my need for Jesus. However, when I allow my past sins to plague me, I generally get sucked back into them because of the guilt and shame they carry.

The Hebrew writer demonstrates that Jesus’ death cleanses and purifies my conscience. The part of me that considers right and wrong and chooses to act is set aright by Jesus. As it is purified, I’m set free from the bondage of dead works in order to serve the living God. That is exactly what I want.

If I am going to serve the living God today, my conscience must be purified by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is going to purify my conscience, I need to quit dragging those dead works back into my conscience. Instead, I need to let them stay in the past, purified by Jesus and His death so that today I can serve the living God. Dwelling on those past mistakes doesn’t help me. It hurts me. Jesus has dealt with them. I need to let it go at that.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Mark 1:1-2:28.

“And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:16-17).

At times, I can hardly fathom that Jesus would want anything to do with me. I keep thinking that I need to work more righteousness in order to attract Jesus to me. But exactly the opposite is true. If I were righteous on my own, then Jesus would go spend His time somewhere He was needed. Instead, He came into the world and continues to work in the world to be with people just like me: sinners.

As He spends time with me, I will become righteous. But I do not have to become righteous to get Jesus to spend time with me. My sins are why He came to earth in the first place.

I think today, I’ll spend some time with Jesus. I know He’ll want to.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is John 3:1-4:54.

Before getting to today’s thoughts, let me say thanks with your patience as I had to take a sabbatical from this blog during most of November. I hope to stay with you all the way through December and get started again in January. I hope this daily look at God’s word is helping you as much as it is me.

Now, on to today’s thoughts.

What are you worth?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Chemistry and Soils our bodies are made up of the following chemicals and minerals:

• 65% Oxygen
• 18% Carbon
• 10% Hydrogen
• 3% Nitrogen
• 1.5% Calcium
• 1% Phosphorous
• 0.35% Potassium
• 0.25% Sulfur
• 0.15% Sodium
• 0.15% Chlorine
• 0.05% Magnesium
• 0.0004% Iron
•  0.00004% Iodine

Additionally, our bodies contain trace quantities of fluorine, silicon, manganese, zinc, copper, aluminum, and arsenic. When we add to that a study done by the Imperial State Institute for Nutrition in Tokyo, Japan about the value of your skin, we learn that to a metallurgist, interested only in the mineral make-up of your body, you are worth about $4.50 (http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/worth.asp).

However, to a black market body parts seller, you are worth a great deal more. Your heart would be worth $57,000, a kidney is worth $91,400, a lung would be worth $116,400. That however is nothing compared to your antibodies worth $7.3 million, your DNA worth $9.7 million and your bone marrow worth $23 million. All in all, in the human body chop shop you are worth about $45 million (http://soundmedicine.iu.edu/archive/2003/quiz/humanWorth.html). Of course, that is completely illegal and doesn’t do you much good because you have to die to get all that value out of your body.

We have heard all our lives what we are worth to people around us. Some of us heard, “You are worth a million bucks” from our parents and peers. Some of us heard, “You ain’t worth a plug nickel” from them. Sadly, this value was often presented to us based on how well we measured up to some standard they had developed for us. So, whether the message was positive or negative, many of us have a mistaken sense of our value. If you are like me, you know your performance doesn’t really measure up to how others view you; therefore many of us believe we simply aren’t worth much.

Today’s reading should obliterate that thought. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believe in him should not perish but have eternal life.” I know it is easy to read that most popular of verses and gloss right over it. It is easy to think of ourselves as separate from that world that God loves. He loves the world, that is, He loves all those people out there. How could He love me? We need to reread this verse. God loved the world so much with us in it, that He gave His Son for us.

Understand this: God looked down at you and said, “You’re worth a Son to Me.” I don’t care what anyone else has ever said about your worth. God has said, “You’re worth a Son.” Rest in that today.

***Question: What do you do to find your sense of worth and value in God and not in the world around you?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. I admit, I cheated a bit. Today’s reading reminded me of a sermon I preached some time ago entitled “Worth a Son.” If you’d like to read or hear the whole sermon. Click here.

Today’s reading is Mark 15:1-16:20.

“And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, the stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify Him.”

Mark 15:16-20

This passage really moved me today. I couldn’t help but think about what that day would have been like for Jesus if He had stayed in heaven. That day would have looked a lot more like Revelation 5. Instead of mocking homage, He would have received real worship. Instead of soldiers twisting a crown of thorns and placing it on His head, kings would have cast down their own crowns at His feet. Instead of being beaten about the head, He would have been kissed on His feet. Instead of being showered with spit, He would have been showered with praises. Had Jesus stayed in heaven, His deity would have been evident, the penultimate beings in the universe would have bowed before Him demonstrating His ultimate power and majesty. His radiant garments would shine. His words would have been commands for complete surrender and obedience. Angels and heavenly beings would have honored Him that day, if He had stayed in heaven.

But He didn’t. He left heaven. He left its glories. He left its worship. He set aside the appearance of deity. He came down here and became one of us. Therefore, on that day, He was beaten, mocked, spit upon, berated, degraded, and ultimately crucified. 

I can hardly fathom the love that would make that choice. Jesus had a totally different day than I would have opted for. Why? Because He loves me. If Jesus had chosen the day that would have been better for Him, He would still be worthy of all praise and glory because He is the divine creator. However, I would be lost and without hope.

Thank you, Jesus, for your choice.

***Question: What can we do to mirror Jesus’ choice, to sacrifice ourselves for others?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC