Thank You, Jesus

What is freedom?  To our last dog, DC, it was being out of his pen to "paint" every tire in the yard.  The word "freedom" doesn’t’ begin to describe its true value, yet the word rolls off our tongues with way too much ease. Do you know ... The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men. Some names well known in American history - John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson - other names not so well-known. Have you ever wondered what happened to those others men who signed our Country's certificate of birth?  Five signers were captured as traitors, and tortured before they died; twelve had their homes ransacked and burned; two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, while another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, never questioning the cost of freedom -- the price of it is always great.  The freedoms we share as Americans were literally paid for with courage, commitment, and blood of men whose dreams of liberty far outweighed their own lives.  So it is with spiritual freedom;  the Cost is immeasurable ... like no other.  It cost God something extremely precious: His only Son, Jesus.  Pure and unblemished, His desire that we be eternally free far outweighed His own life.  There in the Garden, He spoke our words of liberty, "Not my will, Father, but Thine be done."  He pledged His life, His divinity, and His Godly honor for our liberty.  Lest we forget, the cost of freedom is always great as is our salvation ... thank You, Jesus!

Prayer Partner

Why is it we sometimes have trouble saying "I don't know." Perhaps the struggle in admitting not-knowing is rooted in the foolish idea that we should know everything. My Mama would often describe someone as a "know-it-all" ... trust me, it was not a compliment. A struggle I face sometimes is not knowing exactly how to pray for someone or for my role in a particular situation. God says,The Holy Spirit "helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He Who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27 NASB). What a wonderful truth we have here as children of God who bring before God their cares and those of others. When we don't know how-or-what to pray, The Holy Spirit helps us in those moments of not-knowing; here we are promised that He (The Holy Spirit) speaks to The Father in ways we neither know nor can put into words! In every plea we bring before God, we are to pray it is His will (not ours or others) that be done: "And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us." (1 John 5:14 ESV). Consider what a sweet and fully sufficient advocate we have in The Holy Spirit - our divine ... Prayer Partner.

My Good

Team work is a good thing especially when all team member are working toward one goal! Scripture tells us that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28 NASB). We struggle at times to understand or see the "good" in the troubles we encounter. How can cancer, broken relationships, loss of a job, financial headaches, sorrow and death be a work towards good! We must read on: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son" (V.29 NASB). Before the foundation of the world The Creator knew those of us who would one day be one of "those who love God," renouncing our hostility toward Him and obediently following Jesus. Once a child of God, everything we face in this life - joys, sorrow, afflictions - He uses for one purpose: to bring us into the images of Jesus His Son. Is God the author of evil - of course not! The days are evil and "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (1 John 5:29 ESV). Nonetheless, because God is sovereign and nothing happens outside of His control, He allows both the good and the bad in our lives to bring us into a sharper and more glorious image of Christ Himself. Instead of moaning and groaning and fighting against what God is doing in our lives, be a [spiritual] team player, submitting to His authority and realizing our "good" is His ultimate goal. CityAlight sings this: "There is hope in every trial - For I can trust the Lord - He will turn my heart towards Him - And help me bear the thorn - So in faith I follow Jesus - On the road not understood - For I know that He is working - For His glory and my good." What a challenge for every day and every trial: all things for ... my good.

This We Know

Those who know Mister Bill well also know he has a few "Bill-isms" - personal beliefs cleverly stated in few words. For example, "sometimes you choose your own blessings" or one I hear [too] often "I know things." In Paul's familiar chapter on love, he writes: "for we know in part ... but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with" (1 Corinthians 13:9-10 NASB). The Greek word "perfect" means "end" or "complete" and [mostly interpreted] as the completion of all things - the second coming of Christ. Oh, how I would like to "have known" twenty years ago what I know today! While wisdom comes with age, even human wisdom can't compare with the All-Knowing and All-Wise God and Creator of all things! James writes that anyone who lacks wisdom should ask it of God Who gives it generously (James 1:5); he also writes, "the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17 ESV). We live in a day when information and knowledge is one click-or-scroll away, however, true wisdom is only a prayer away to those who will humble themselves before the Lord (James 4:10 ESV). I admit Mister Bill does know many things and is usually right about those things; lest any of us, however, forget the "perfect" has not yet come and we do indeed know only in-part. We are wise to remember it is The Lord Who knows all and is sovereign over all ... this we know.

Compelling Evidence

Do you find yourselves needing a conversion chart sometimes: centimetres to inches, litres to gallons, kilometres to miles, etc.? The Greek word "epistrepho" means to turn back or turn around. Paul describes it like this: tTo put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life" (Ephesians 4:22 ESV). When a person turns around, changes his-her mind about who Jesus is, and believes God raised Jesus from the dead, that person is "saved" or converted. To believe in Jesus is the profound simplicity of The Gospel! Subsequently, there is a conversion indicator to such a change: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV). New patterns of thinking and behavior, new passions and longings are outward evidences of the inward change. Mister Bill is usually my source of conversion information, but it is Christ alone Who rules [or not] the Believer's heart and reveals the truest conversion. For those who love Jesus, it's s a good consideration - that is ... compelling evidence.