No Surprises Here!

 I woke the other day with the words to a song on repeat in my mind:

God only knows what you've been through ... there's a kind of love that God only knows ... 

To this, I will say a wholehearted AMEN! 

But while I considered the words to this song, another phrase came up from deep within:

God already knows what you're going to do. 

And still, He chose you.

When we study Scripture, we learn about men and women who made choices in their lives, some completely rejecting God's authority, others misguided by thinking that they were helping God.

The truth is, there is nothing we can do to help Him. Jesus told us, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). 

Everything we receive, everything we accomplish, is because He gave us the ability. 

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

But He knew we would try. Which is why, I believe, He left us His word. It is our manual for daily living. It is also our go-to for the days when everything we try goes wrong, and we need to find wise counsel. Scripture is our infallible authority on all things from relationships to finances to health--mental and physical.

Scripture is also amazing in its ability to encourage us when we flounder and fail in our efforts to assist God in keeping His promises. We can see this in the account of Abram and Sarai's agreement to use a slave woman as a surrogate since Sarai couldn't have a child (Genesis 16). Then later on, David's attempt to cover up his infidelity with Bathsheba by sending Uriah to his death. And yet, Scripture calls David "a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14).

One might argue that David's failure occurred after the pronouncement of Samuel. And it did. However, let's fast forward to the book of Hebrews 11, where David is listed among the heroes of the faith. His name was not lost on God's heart. Nor was God caught off guard, for David declared in Psalm 139:

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

You comprehend my path and my lying down, 

And are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

You have hedged me behind and before, 

And laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me,"

Even the night shall be light about me;

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day,

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

Jeremiah, also, encountered the LORD with his own doubts and received this response from Him:

Newborn photo courtesy Google Images

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

Before you were born I sanctified you;

I ordained you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

I am not saying we're all called to be prophets. Although Paul did say, "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1). 

I am saying that if God knew David before he was formed in the womb, and if God Himself formed Jeremiah in the womb, then it stands to reason that all humanity falls into the "before I formed you in the womb I knew you ..." category.

So take heart, friend. Life can be hard, feel lonely, and threaten to crush us. We can have confidence in God's abundant grace and mercy. We can trust His faithfulness to accomplish what He has promised. There is nothing we can do or say that will throw Him off.

This is not a license to go on sinning. Instead, it's hope that when we realize our propensity to sin and humble ourselves before Him, He is faithful and just and will forgive us (1 John 1:9).

We don't have to hide or suffer in anguish. This is what the devil would have us do. It renders us ineffective in our lives because we're overcome by the guilt of our sin.

I had a pastor once say, "Agree with the devil quickly, then turn to Jesus, who paid the price for all of it." In other words, say, "Yes, I did that." Turn to Jesus and say, "But thank you, Jesus, for redeeming me."

We don't have to roll over. Just pivot and embrace the One who paid it all with all of Himself.

Until next time, go rest in His perfect love. 💜

💜 Karlene J 💜

Good News

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12)

There's a lie circulating in Christian circles that may seem right and above board. But, as we learn, the worst deception is the one that appears real enough to buy into it.

One of the saddest comments I hear these days is, "I believe in Jesus, but how can I be sure I'll be in heaven when I die?"

It's understandable coming from someone new to the faith. But to hear it from someone who has been "saved" and part of a Christian body of believers for years is troubling.

There are many religions circulating that will keep people questioning, worried they'll fall short of paradise. They are instructed that their goodness and charitable works would earn them points towards eternal paradise. 

Christianity should not be listed among them. It may sound like bad news, but there is nothing we can do to earn our way into eternal life. 

Scripture tells us, "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by HIs blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:10-12, 23-26 NKJV).

But there is good news.

This is where the gospel--meaning good news--should breed hope mixed with joy in anticipation of our future with Christ.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). 

I'm sure we all know people who follow a belief system that dictates they perform specific rituals and practices to "earn points" with God, and maybe they will earn enough by the time of death to gain entrance into heaven. Sadly, many groups of protestant believers have been convinced of similar teachings.

We hear the arguments begin with:

If only I prayed more ...

If only I believed better ...

Maybe if I served--given--more ...

She's been a good person ...

I'm sure there are more you have heard.

To be honest, I have fallen into the trap of measuring up, being enough, volunteering more, trying to be more, and doing more, so that God would be pleased with me.

And it has been exhausting.

In this statement alone, we can know something is wrong.

Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

If we are exhausted, trying to please our Lord, the problem is not with Him. Or His promise.

Paul's letter to the Philippians reassures us: 

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you with all joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think of this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace" (Philippians 1:3-7 NKJV).

We are also told in Ephesians 1: 13-14, "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." 

I could list a host of thoughts that plagued my mind, telling me that I'd messed up too much, or that I would never measure up. And they are true. BUT they are only part of the truth. 

The finished work of the cross, the blood of Jesus Christ, has become our righteousness. We can never be good enough. But thanks be to God, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him" 2 Corinthians 5:21.

I'll leave you with some more Scripture to meditate upon:

1. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
2. Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
3. Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
4. Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"
5. 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure."
6. 1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.
7. John 3:15 ... that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
8. Romans 3:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
9. 1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 
10. Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should be come heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Until next time, rest in His grace and mercy. Allow the truth of the gospel be stir us to the praise and glory of our Father and Lord, Jesus Christ.

💜 Karlene J 💜