Learning The Hard Way: David

Sometimes, lessons have to be learned the hard way, and in the case of David, tragedy was the outcome of sin. Forgiveness is sometimes only obtained at great cost, and character is often forged in the fires of mental anguish. The story of David and Bathsheba is found in the book of 2 Samuel, as King David falls to temptation, and commits a great sin against the Lord, and ultimately pays a very heavy price for it. 

David was beloved by the people from the time that he was just a young shepherd boy, because of his courage and great faith in the defeat of Goliath. He went on to become king, he commanded armies, and was very powerful, and sometimes, power breeds corruption. One evening, as he was on his rooftop, he saw a beautiful woman named Bathsheba, and he enquired about her. However, after he found out that she was the wife of one of his soldiers, he makes the decision to take her for himself anyway. She becomes pregnant, and when David finds out about it, he sends her husband, Uriah, to the frontline of the battle, and commands his forces to draw back, ensuring that Uriah would be killed. David then takes Bathsheba for his wife, but this thing was very displeasing in the eyes of the Lord. David realizes the grievous nature of his sin when God sends the prophet Nathan to speak to him and open his eyes to what he had done. We read in 2 Samuel 12:1-19..."And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; and it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Judah; and  if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead." A very hard lesson, indeed. Not only had David committed adultery with Uriah's wife, he had then committed murder in order to cover it up. Because of these terrible sins, and the fact that his actions brought reproach upon God's people, God did not spare the child that Bathsheba bore to David. Although David later went on to gain forgiveness, and return to right standing with God, it came at a very steep price.  

David wrote the 51st Psalm soon after Nathan the prophet had spoken with him, as the weight of his sin came crashing down upon him..."Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me." The acknowledgement of our sin is the beginning of repentance, and it is this godly sorrow that leads us to seek God's forgiveness.

David goes on to say in verses 10-12..."Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." David realizes the fact that his sin has driven a wedge between himself and God, and that it is his responsibility to remove it. He prays for renewal, for cleansing, and for restoration. In the book of Acts, God calls David "a man after his own heart".  Why would God speak so highly and identify so closely with a man who would do the things that David had done? First of all, we know that David had great faith. He had proven his faith from the time that he was young. Only great faith can overcome the fear of death that David faced when he defiantly slew Goliath. Secondly, David was humble, and he was reverent toward God. Also, he trusted in the Lord completely, and he was devoted to Him. He recognized that his blessings came from God, and he gave Him all the glory. However, David was human, and he was subject to the frailties and weaknesses of the flesh just as any of us are. Although there was a terrible price to pay for the sins that David had committed, God did forgive him. David was restored to right standing before God, but he had to seek it out with many tears. We see the anguish that David's sin had caused him in Psalm 51, as well as many other places where David eludes to the pain that his own sin had caused. David was truly repentant, and this is just one of the reasons why God loved David, just as He loves each of us. He is always willing to forgive us, and if we will humbly approach His throne of mercy, He will restore us. David's prayer of repentance is a recurring theme throughout all of scripture, and should be our heartfelt plea to God on a constant basis..."Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

Learning The Hard Way: Jonah

We've all had times in our life when we have had to learn a lesson the hard way. Sometimes, consequences have to be imposed upon us, and we must suffer loss or damages in order for things to really sink in. Sometimes, even tragedy has to strike before our eyes are opened. There are many biblical examples of people who had to learn lessons the hard way, and I'd like for us to take a look at some of them and the consequences that they faced, as well as the lessons that they learned.

We'll begin this week with Jonah, and the hard lesson that he learned when he tried to run away from God. After he was told by God that he was to go to the city of Nineveh to speak out against the people and their evil ways, Jonah made the decision to run away. He found a ship, and paid his fare to board it, and was bound for a place called Tarshish, hidden from the eyes of the Lord, or so he thought. But God knew where Jonah was. He sent a great storm which threatened to sink the ship. The crew of the ship began to throw everything overboard in a vain attempt to lighten the load, but Jonah knew why the storm was raging. He eventually told the crew that it was he himself that was the cause of the tempest, and they reluctantly threw him overboard in order to save the ship. It was then that Jonah began to learn a very hard lesson, as God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. We read in Jonah, chapter 2..."Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and He heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed.

Salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." Jonah found himself in a terrifying situation, inside of this great fish, but he turned to the Lord in his anguish, and realizing why all these things had come to pass, he renewed his vow to the Lord. Jonah learned the hard way that we cannot run from the face of the Lord. He is omnipresent, sees all things, and knows all things, and we must accept His will for our life. So Jonah went to Nineveh as the Lord had commanded, and he preached there, telling the people to turn from their wickedness, or else the Lord would destroy their city in forty day's time. The people of Nineveh received the words of the Lord, and repented of their evil ways, and every inhabitant of the city, including the king, fasted and prayed, and covered themselves in sackcloth and ashes, fearing the wrath of the Lord. This would seem to have been quite a successful mission for Jonah, as the Lord spoke through him, and this great city repented from its wicked ways, and turned to God. However, we read in Jonah, chapter 4 that Jonah was very unhappy about the mercy that God had shown in sparing Nineveh. Jonah was about to learn another hard lesson. Jonah 4:1-4 tells us..."But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?" It seems as though Jonah was bitter at the idea that God would be merciful to this wicked city, that inwardly he actually yearned to see it destroyed for its evil ways. It was, after all, a Gentile city, and therefore, in Jonah's eyes, the people of Nineveh did not deserve God's mercies at all. However, God sought their repentance, and whether they were Jew or Gentile did not matter to Him at all. Jonah's bitterness probably also stemmed from the fact that his own people, the nation of Israel, were so unrepentant in their ways, and God's mercies had been withheld from them because of it. 

And so, Jonah went out of the city, and he made himself a dwelling in the boughs of some trees, and sat down, and waited to see what would become of Nineveh. We are not told exactly how long Jonah waited, but we can reasonably assume that he had waited until the forty days had expired, impatiently waiting, and hoping that God's wrath would be kindled against Nineveh and that the city would be destroyed. As Jonah sat there, under a tree, God, in His mercy, made a gourd to grow, for cover over Jonah, to shield him from the sun, and deliver him from his grief. This made Jonah very happy. However, God was not finished with Jonah yet. We read in Jonah 4:7-11..."But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. And God said unto Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then the Lord said, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should I not spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?" This is the way that the book of Jonah ends, and we are not told how Jonah responded to God's reasoning with him. All that we can do is to examine closely the lessons that Jonah was being taught. It seems as though one of Jonah's biggest problems was his pride. Rather than rejoicing at the fact that Nineveh had repented, and turned to God, Jonah is bitter at the fact that God has shown mercy to them. God shows mercy to Jonah in providing a gourd in order to shield him from the sun, but when he removes it, we see that Jonah's anger is easily kindled and once again he entreats the Lord to take his life. Herein lies the lesson that Jonah needed to learn. God had given Jonah a second chance, just as He had given a second chance to Nineveh. It is not in our best interest to concentrate on our surroundings, or our feelings, or our emotions, and to let them control us. We are to be thankful to God for his mercy and provision for us, and accept the fact that this world is His to do with as He wills. Jonah had no part in making the gourd that provided him with shelter, just as he had no part in Nineveh turning back to God, other than being a messenger. Jonah's problem was with his heart. He had no right to be angry for the loss of the gourd, just as he had no right to be angry over the repentance of Nineveh. The question that God asked Jonah two separate times is a very valid one, and is one that we all need to ask ourselves from time to time, "Doest thou well to be angry?" We need to remain humble, to keep our pride and our anger in check, and be thankful for God's mercy, whether it is directed toward us or toward others. We have to accept God's will for our life, knowing that He loves us and that only He knows what is best for us. 

What Is Jesus Doing Now?

Have you ever wondered to yourself..."Where is Jesus at this moment?" or "What is Jesus doing right now?" I'd like for us to try to address these questions, and take a look at what Jesus has told us that He would be doing in the time between His ascension back into heaven and the time that He returns. 

First of all, let us begin by acknowledging the fact that Jesus has the power to be in more than one place at any given time. We know that Jesus is with us as we worship, as we are told in Matthew 18:20..."For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." So, we see that He is with us as we gather together in a church service, or as we come together to pray. However, we know that after Jesus ascended into Heaven that He had other business that He had to attend to, and that He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us as a comforter and guide. Jesus tells us in John 16:7..."Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you." Furthermore, He tells us why the Holy Spirit was given in John 14:26..."But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." The Holy Spirit is given to be our guide, and to lead us in our daily lives, and He brings to our minds the things that Jesus taught. He is the "voice of reason" in a whirlwind of thoughts in our minds. He is the "still small voice" when everything is swirling around us, seemingly out of control. 

So, what is Jesus doing right now? This may seem to be a bit of an odd question, but it is a valid one. We know that He gave His life on the cross for our sins, that He was buried, and that God raised Him on the third day, that He ascended into Heaven, and that He will one day return to judge the world in righteousness, but what is He doing right now, at this moment? We know that He is alive, and so we wonder, what is the work that He is involved in right now? 

One beautiful aspect of the ongoing work of Jesus is the fact that, right now, as we speak, Jesus is preparing a place for us. Just think about this...Heaven is going to be so overwhelmingly beautiful, so splendid, so spectacular, that Jesus Himself is still working on it...we are told in John 14:1-3..."Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." What a beautiful and comforting thought, to think that our Savior loves us so much that He is preparing a place for us more magnificent than anything that we could ever imagine. 

This brings us to the intercessory work of Jesus on our behalf. So amazing is His love for us that He mediates between us and God on a constant basis, and each time that we fail or falter, He reclaims us as His own. We are told in Romans 8:34..."Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Webster's dictionary defines "intercede" as..."to mediate between parties with a view to reconciling differences." Jesus mediates between us and God continuously in order to reconcile us back to Him, as we read in Hebrews 7:25..."Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing that He ever liveth to make intercession for them." So, why would Jesus intercede for us, when we are so unworthy? Paul tells us in Hebrews 4:15-16..."For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

 Let us take a moment to try and wrap our minds around these facts...not only did Jesus suffer and die on the cross in order to pay the price for our sins, but He is working to prepare a place for us, a home in Heaven when this earthly life is over, and He is in a constant state of mediation and intercession between us and God in order to keep us in right standing, and to ensure our place in the Book of Life. We will never be able to comprehend the depths of His love for us. Let us always be mindful of His intercession on our behalf, and attentive to the guidance of His Holy Spirit, as we yearn for the beautiful home that Jesus is preparing for us.

Where Will You Spend Eternity?

This week, I'd like for us to take a look at the concept of eternity. We cannot, as human beings, fully understand the scope or magnitude of eternity. We think, "well, eternity means forever", and this is true, but how do we define forever? Let's try to put things in terms that we can relate to, such as a drop of water. Think of your life, your entire life, from the day that you were born, till now, and through till the end of your life, as a single drop of water.

Just one drop of water, encapsulating all that you were, or are, or ever will be. Your entire life as a single drop of water. Now, let's think about that one drop of water in comparison with an ocean. We can't fathom how many individual drops of water there could possibly be in an ocean, in our mind they are innumerable. If one drop of water in this ocean is our entire lifetime, and the ocean represents eternity, what does this tell us? We cannot fully grasp the scope of eternity. But what if this ocean we spoke of is just a drop of water in another ocean? And what if there is no end to the number of oceans? So we see that while we will not be able to understand the full magnitude of eternity as long as we are in this human body, constrained by our feeble concept of time, we have to understand that it is without end. This is really all that we need to understand, that eternity is without end. So, the question becomes, where will we spend it? This is the most important question that we could ever ask ourselves. We have been given free will, and we are free to make the decision as to whether we will spend eternity in heaven, free from pain or sadness, surrounded by the love of God, or whether our time on this earth, and the pleasures that it can bring us, are worth forfeiting this eternal happiness. 

Sadly, many people simply do not understand, because they have not been taught, or have never been exposed to the truth, and so in their minds this earthly life is all that there is. No greater tragedy exists than the soul who does not understand its worth. And really, this is what the entire problem is. If we do not understand our worth, and the price that was paid for our soul, we will never come to terms with eternity. We find this most eloquently laid out in John 3:16..."For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This is our main point of focus. We will either inherit eternal life, or we will suffer eternal death. There is no other option. The coming to terms with this reality is paramount to our salvation. The simple fact is, our eternal destiny does not hinge on our belief or disbelief in it. Truth is truth, whether we choose to believe it or not. 

So, in light of eternity, what are we to believe? How can we be assured of an eternal home in heaven, as opposed to everlasting punishment? First, we must understand that we are much more than this physical body that we inhabit. We are a living soul, which will live forever. Genesis 2:7 tells us..."And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." While our bodies may wither and die, our soul will continue on for all eternity. Physical death is an absolute, something that all human beings must face. Hebrews 9:27 says..."...it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" God has given us the very breath that we breathe, and He sustains us. If we know that we are a living soul which will live forever, long after our physical body is gone, we can begin to look at our life in different terms. Many times we hear the questions asked, "What is the meaning of life? Why am I here?" And these are very valid questions to ask. We all need to have purpose, to find peace, and this question, unresolved, lingers in our minds. Simply put, the reason for our existence is to bring glory to God for His amazing love for us, and to share His love with others.

Understanding that our soul, our very essence, is immortal, is critical to our perspective, for if we do not place the proper value on our eternity, we will not take the necessary steps to ensure ourselves of a home in heaven when this earthly life has ended. So, let's examine these steps...

First, we must hear the gospel... The truth that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a perfect sinless life, and gave Himself as the supreme sacrifice on the cross to pay the price for our sins, in order to reconcile us back to God.

Second, we must believe the truth...Our belief in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, and in His death, burial, and resurrection is crucial to our salvation.

Third, we must repent of our sins...The act of repentance is a changing of our minds, a coming to terms with our sin, and our helpless state to do anything about it apart from Jesus. We must become fully aware that only the precious blood that Jesus shed on the cross can save us, and accept His sacrifice on our behalf.

Fourth, we must confess our belief...We must confess our belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and in His sacrifice for us. 

Fifth, we must be baptized for the remission of our sins...The act of baptism is a necessary step in our salvation as it brings us in direct contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus. 

If you have not made preparations for eternity, please do so before it is everlastingly too late! Nothing could be more pressing, or vitally important, than securing a home in heaven when this life has ended. Having read this blog post, you have already taken the first step toward your eternal destiny...you have heard the truth. Now, let this truth sink in, and study the bible in order to cultivate and strengthen your belief, pray for His guidance, and let Him lead you. I pray that you will give your heart to Jesus and secure your place in the Book of Life...

When God says "No"...

We have all had instances when we asked God for something, for help with a situation, for guidance, or for provision, and He has come through for us in a big way. Or, maybe, it has been in a small or subtle way, but we knew that our prayers had been answered. These instances help to bolster our faith, and they let us know that God hears our prayers, and that He loves us. But, what happens when God says "No"?

I'd like to begin by stressing the fact that just because God may deny a request does not indicate that He no longer cares for us, or that He no longer has our best interest at heart. It does not mean that He is not listening to us anymore, that He is mad at us, or that we no longer matter to Him. In fact, it may mean just the opposite. Let's look at a few instances in the bible where God's answer was "no", and the repercussions of these incidents...

The first instance we'll look at is the rejection of Moses' plea to enter into the Promised Land, in Deuteronomy 3:25-26..."I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan." Because of Moses' disobedience in smiting the rock at Meribah that provided water for the children of Israel rather than simply speaking to it, as God had commanded, he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land with the children of Israel, but in His mercy God did allow Moses to see the land before he died. So we see that God's "no" in this case was due to disobedience.

The next instance we'll look at focuses on the Apostle Paul, as he prays to God to remove a "thorn in the flesh" from him...In 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 7-9..."And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." We are not told specifically what this "thorn in the flesh" was, but we know from the book of Acts that as Paul was on his way to Damascus he was blinded by a great light from heaven. This information, when coupled with evidence given later on in Galatians, chapter 4, seems to support the notion that it may very well have been poor eyesight which affected Paul greatly. Let's look at Galatians 4:13-15..."Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me." We see from our text in 2 Corinthians that Paul prayed earnestly three separate times for this thorn in the flesh to be removed, but to no avail. However, after the third time, God spoke to Paul, and revealed to him the fact that His grace was sufficient for Paul, and that the strength of God is made perfect in our weakness. Paul seems to understand this, as he acknowledges the fact that, had it not been for this thorn in the flesh, he may very well have been exalted above measure. This weakness was given to Paul as a blessing, in order to help him to maintain his humility. And so, we see that God's "no" in this case was in order to protect Paul from himself, to help him to remain humble.

Another very profound instance of God's answer to prayer being "no" is found as Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane. This incident is recorded in all four gospels, but let's look specifically at Luke 22, verses 41-44..."And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Jesus was fully human, and fully God, and in this instance, the human side of Him agonized over what He was about to do, and over the fact that the shedding of His blood was the only way for humanity to have redemption. And although His agony was more than any of us can even begin to fathom, so much so that we are told that His sweat was as drops of blood, still God's answer to His prayer was "no." Jesus deferred Himself to the will of God, and gave Himself on the cross of Calvary for all of us. In this case, the "no" that God gave was in preparation for the fulfillment of prophecy, and for the completion of His plan of salvation.

The thing that we must come to terms with when God says "no" is the fact that we simply do not know what is best for us. We need to accept that God's plans for our life are much bigger than our own. He alone sees the bigger picture. We have a very limited view, and our view is tainted by our own desires. I know from personal experience on at least three separate occasions, in very different situations, that earnest prayers that I prayed were met with a resounding "no". These are difficult things to deal with, especially when we feel that our request is what we truly need, and that it is in conjunction with God's will. These can be very strong tests of our faith, and sometimes it may take many years to come to an understanding as to why our request was denied. In some cases, we simply may never know. But in these instances, we have to come to the conclusion that it is God who knows what is best for us, not we ourselves. We are to lean on His word for the answers when they are hard for us to accept. We are told in Jeremiah 29:11-13..."For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." When we ask something of God, and His answer is "no", we need to simply accept that only He knows the plans that He has for us, and that He loves us with a love that we cannot begin to fathom. He will always have our best interest at heart. When God says "no", let us not think of it as a rejection, but rather as a redirection. Trust in His love, He knows what is best for you.

Mercy and Grace

This week, I'd like for us to examine two very vital, and yet very different, biblical concepts, mercy and grace. Many people are under the mistaken impression that these terms are interchangeable, that they are the same thing, but this is not the case. I have a plaque which explains the difference very well. It reads..."Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve. Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve." Let's examine these differences a little further...

Ephesians 2:1-9 gives examples of both mercy and grace, and contrasts one with the other in a very profound way..."And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."

We were all dead in sin, bound by original sin, as well as our own sins. We are completely and utterly dependent upon God's mercy, because we owe a debt that we cannot pay. We are unclean from birth, and are unable to break free from the bondage of sin, and since we are told that the penalty of sin is death, this is what we deserve. The death penalty is our sentence. We are told in James 1:14-15..."But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." And in Romans 6:23..."For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." It is only the great mercy of God that provides us with hope. The word "mercy" is defined as "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." It is certainly within God's power to punish us for our sin, but He is longsuffering and compassionate, and has provided us with a way out, a second chance. His mercy was the catalyst which led Jesus to make the decision to come to this earth to suffer and die for us. In contrast, let's look at the definition of "grace"..."the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners." We see that there is a profound difference between these two concepts. While mercy lends itself to a holding back of deserved punishment, of a compassionate decision to withhold the consequences of our sin, it is contrasted by grace, which is the giving of a gift that we could never deserve. It is the gift of Jesus Christ which saves us from our sin. Grace is the foundation of our salvation, activated by faith, and given as a free gift of God. We can take no credit for any part in our salvation, not even in our own faith, because it is the gift of God. We truly owe it all to Him. Without His supreme sacrifice, we would have no hope. Our eternal destiny is entirely contingent upon His death, burial, and resurrection. He is our hope, our Savior, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And so, with a thankful heart, may we ever depend upon His mercy, and find rest for our souls in His grace.