How We Really Are Without Jesus

“There is none righteous, no not one; there is none who does good, no not one.” Romans 3:10, 12

If asked by others what kind of person we are, most would say a pretty good one. We don’t beat our wives, steal from our neighbors, or kill our enemies. Those “bad” people are in jail. Even in jail there is a pecking order of who is better than others. No one, after all, is bad; are they?

What if we got up one morning and looked in the mirror and saw what God sees in our human condition. We would be so revolted we would never want to look in the mirror again. We would be scared to death. The truth is there is no one who is good. God alone is good; Jesus said so. That is why we need a Savior; that is why Jesus came. He forgives who we are and creates in us an image of Himself. We really need that and need to understand it each day. We need to live with conscious intent to walk in our new resurrected relationship with God.

Dear Father, Thank You for loving me when I was unlovely. Help me to reveal Your loveliness each day. Amen.

                                               The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

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The Saving God is also the Judging God

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness.” Romans 1:18

When I was young we had records. There were no cassettes, CD’s. We had records that spun at 45 rpm’s. Each of those records had a hit song on one side and a less popular song on the flipside. Romans 1:18 is the flipside of mankind’s view of God. We like all the stuff about love and the sacrifices He made for us. We like the healing and feeding. It is easy to talk about. But God is also righteous and will judge all unrighteousness.

For the first half or Romans 1, Paul lays out the power of Christ for salvation. The second half of the chapter is about the power of God for judgment. Paul pulls no punches as he lists what God hates. He pulls no punches on the just judgment of God against sin. We need to know both halves of Romans 1. We need to let the world know that there is a flip side to their view of God.

Dear Father, Help me not to be silent about Your power to judge as well as save. Let me not be silent about sin. Amen.

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The Verse Heard 'Round the World

“As it is written: ‘the just shall live by faith’.” Romans 1:17

How big of a spark does it take to light an inferno? This verse was the spark God planted into the soul of Martin Luther and lit a fire of spiritual rebirth not seen since the days of the early church. “How can we be right with God,” he asked. Daily he strove to be right through confession, self-denial, prayer, fasting, and more good works. He was worn out and no closer to God than when he had begun. Then he realized the importance of this verse.

We are not justified by works, for all our works are tainted by our own selfish motives and sin. We are justified by the work of Christ on the cross where He died to forgive us our sins. It is faith in His finished work that gives us hope and peace and assurance of heaven. Then we can live joyfully -- not only for eternity but for today as well. Then we will learn to trust Him for our everyday life as well as eternal life. We will live by faith.

Dear Father, Thank You for doing the work through Jesus Christ so that I might be saved and live with hope each day. Amen.

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Not Ashamed of Christ

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.” Romans 1:16

Young people can be very sensitive about their home life. If it is not, in their opinion, a happy home, they may never bring their friends there. I had such a friend in high school. He would take me to his house IF he thought his mother would not be home. One day she came home and I found out why he was ashamed.

Jesus Christ is our Home. He is our Head. He is our Hope. He is our Healing. Nothing He has ever done could possibly make us ashamed of Him. And yet too many people treat Him like my high school friend treated his home. Not being ashamed doesn’t have to mean just going door to door and handing out tracts, though it could. Not being ashamed means that the Name of Jesus is easily on our lips and a defense of Him is ready at all times to come from our mouths. We could all be a little more proud of our parentage.

Dear Father, Thank You for giving me Christ and making me Yours. May I never be ashamed! Amen. 

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A Bond-servant of God: Or In Charge of God

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ” Romans 1:1

How do we like to view our relationship to God? Do we stop at the concept of Him being our Father, our Shepherd, and our Friend? Do we see Him as Paul saw Him – the Master? The word servant in this verse is a little misleading. Most servants were paid employees in the Master’s house. That isn’t the word Paul uses in his introduction to the Church in Rome. The word here is actually slave. That’s right, Paul saw himself as the bond-slave of God the Father.

Americans hate the idea of slavery. We love the idea of employee and even more love the idea of being boss. We don’t like situations where we have no options. A slave has no options. A slave just does what he is told. That is how Paul said he was to respond to God. This is exactly the same word that Peter uses in I Peter 2:16 to describe how we are to live our lives as well. Who will be the boss in our life is a truly critical question. Are we God’s servant, or are we are own master?

Father, You have bought me with a great price; help me to daily be Your humble servant. Amen.

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Jesus is God the Son

“Verily, verily, I say unto you; before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58

The other day I spoke of what church goers say to annoy their pastor. Today we will look at what the world says to annoy me. “Well, pastor,” they smirk, “after all, Jesus never said He was God.” They have just lit my fuse. When they say this I am always reminded of the Jews who were falsely accusing Jesus. These modern scoffers are the same sons of the devil as they were.

In Exodus chapter three, when Moses was telling God why he couldn’t obey God’s call, God told Him by what Name He would be known. God would be known by the Name, “I AM”. That is why the Jews tried to stone Jesus for even using that name. It belonged exclusively to God. It did and it does. So, when Jesus uses it He is asserting that He is God. Some cults even remove this verse from their Bible. Those who come to Christ must believe that He is the Son of God, for no one else could take away our sins.

Dear Father, Thank You for sending Your only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins. Let me never be deceived by the devil that Jesus is other than who He said He was. Amen.   

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

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Our Devil Quotient

“You are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because no truth is in him.”      John 8:44

What an indictment! Satan is a murderer. Satan has no truth in him. Satan is a liar. That isn’t just the indictment against the devil. Jesus applied it to those who rejected Him. In my book Deceived, I show how an entire segment of the professing Christian community is under this strong judgment of God. We shouldn’t just read the Bible to find out how awful everyone else is; we should be looking for ourselves on every page.

Are we truthful? The devil isn’t; he’s the father of lies. Are we loving? He is a murderer. Are we honest? He is a thief. Do we love God’s law? He hates God’s law. Do we love the fellowship of the saints? He wants to keep us from the fellowship of the saints. It wouldn’t hurt us to honestly assess our “devil quotient”. We are to let our light so shine that others see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Do others see our light, or do they see our “devil quotient”?

Dear Father, Help me to let Your light truly shine through me each day. Amen.

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Living Like Abraham

“If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.” John 8:39

While this verse might seem to apply only to the Jews; it really applies to all who claim faith in Abraham’s God. The Jews rejected Abraham’s God by rejecting Jesus as the Christ. The Muslims have rejected Abraham’s God by denying that Jesus is the Son of God. Many Christians have rejected Abraham’s God by denying the true divinity of Christ. That is the major idea of the context of this verse. But it has another one as well.

The Jews wanted to kill Jesus. Would Abraham have wanted to kill Him? He had a chance, you know. When Jesus came to Abraham to warn him of the destruction of Sodom, what did Abraham do? He killed the fatted calf to honor Jesus. He bowed down before Him. He prayed to Him. He believed Him. He loved Him and obeyed Him. Those were the works of Abraham. Galatians tells us that all who come to Christ by faith are sons of Abraham. These are the works that should be evident in our lives as well.

Dear Father, I want to act like a child of Abraham each day and give You the proper honor and devotion that you deserve. Amen. 

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No Longer a Slave to Death

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36

“I can’t wait to get out of this house and live on my own and make my own rules!” Parents have heard that sad song for generations, maybe even since Adam. Teens often feel that they are just a slave in their homes. It is not a justified feeling; it is a rebellious human feeling. It was the feeling of Adam and Eve in the Garden. They wanted to be like God and make their own rules. They didn’t want a children’s role anymore.

All people of all ages have felt the same. I want to be in control. Jesus pointed out that that idea was slavery. Adam and Eve had become slaves of sin as soon as they ate the fruit. The Jews had rebelled against God and been conquered by the Babylonians and then the Romans. Their sin had brought them into subjection to foreign rulers. Even in such a state of bondage they still rejected God’s provision for freedom. It was to be freedom from the real cause of slavery. They could be free from sin and so can we. It can only be done through Jesus Christ. He died for our sin that we might become free of its curse and be restored as children of God. Rebellious pride led to the downfall of Israel. It still leads today to the eternal downfall of millions. Only through Jesus Christ can we be freed from slavery to sonship with God.

Dear Father, Thank You for sending Jesus to make me free to be Your child. Help me walk obediently in that freedom each day. Amen.

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Led by the Infallible Word

“I am the Light of the World. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

How do we know how to live? Do we, like politicians, take a poll to see which way to go? Do we seek advice from the prophets of this age? Do we rightly go to God’s word and seek it there? Psalm 119 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” We remember from John 1:1 that Jesus Christ is God’s Word. Jesus said in John 7:16, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.” Jesus lived and taught the enduring Word of God.

How do we know how to live for God we never read the Word of God? How do we know if we seldom hear it? If we went to school one day out of every seven and then test day came, how would we likely do? Jesus said quite clearly, “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness.” He didn’t say that he who gives lip service to Him would not walk in darkness, but that he who follows Him wouldn’t. This is why we read in Timothy, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” Let us follow in His Light and clearly see our way in the darkness of this world.

Dear Father, Thank You for Jesus and Your written word. Help me daily to learn them better and follow them more closely. Amen.

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There is Forgiveness with Jesus

“Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more’.” John 8:11

The adulterous woman had been caught and judged. Before her sentence was carried out her judges brought her to Jesus. That is where every guilty sinner needs to be brought. After a little bit her judges all left her and she was alone with Jesus. These next words are so important. “Neither to I condemn you; go and sin no more.” She had been judged by the law, the righteous Law of God. Jesus had mercy on her. That is the Gospel. Jesus told her to go and sin no more. That is the practical use of the law to guide our steps.

God’s righteous Law applies to all men, past and present. It was not a time sensitive set of rules, but His lasting expectation for the behavior of men. All men break that law; and that is called sin. We break it every day. God, in His mercy, has given His Son to forgive us our sin, but not ours alone. We must bring sinners to Jesus for His mercy on them as well. He is ready to forgive all who will kneel before Him and claim Him, the Son of God, as their Savior.

Dear Father, Thank You for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Help me to keep your Law and confess when I break it. Help me to bring others to find forgiveness in Christ. Amen. 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

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Bringing Your Family to Jesus

“For even His brothers did not believe Him.” John 7:5

Has all your family trusted Christ as Savior? Does it hurt you to have them reject Him? Take heart. Jesus’ brothers did not believe Him. They lived with Him. They played with Him. They went to school with Him. They heard Him preach and saw His miracles. They didn’t believe Him. Not yet, anyway.

There are two books in the New Testament to show us that things changed. James and Jude are two of Jesus’ brothers. They are two who didn’t believe Him and then they did. How did this happen? I Corinthians 15:7 says simply, “After that He was seen by James.” After His resurrection, Jesus sought out His brothers to tell them one more time that He was truly the Son of God. On that last visit they believed in Him. Jesus just kept loving His family and sharing the Good News of who He was. At last they believed Him. Take heart; Jesus knows how much you love your family. He loved His, too. He cares for your family as much as He cared for His. Let your family see Jesus in you; let them hear Jesus from you. Let Jesus change their hearts.

Dear Father, I thank You that You understand all my feelings including my love for lost relatives. Father, I place them into Your hands. Amen. 

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Staying with Jesus

“Peter answered, ‘To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’.” John 6:68

After looking at one of the saddest verses in Scripture it is refreshing to find this one. The multitude of disciples had left Jesus when He told them hard things to understand. But Peter spoke up for the remaining twelve and said, “Where else can we go? Only You provide eternal life.” That is faith commitment. That is true spiritual insight. There is no place to go for life and hope and peace besides Jesus Christ.

Over the many years of my pastorates a lot of people have come to church and been on fire for a while. But then, they are gone. They are not just gone from my church; they are gone and not going anywhere. I have never encountered a pastor who did not have the same frustration. Then there is the octogenarian who has been a member since birth. They don’t just sit; they work and pray. They stay through the good times and the lean times. They send you notes saying they are praying for you. Like the widow’s mite, they share their resources. And when they talk about Jesus their eyes light up and the tears of joy roll down their cheeks. That is a faith commitment. That is seeing Jesus as the true refuge for the soul.

Dear Father, let me be the one who stands by the testimony of my faith; the one who knows there is no other place to go but Jesus. Amen. 

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Abandoning Jesus

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” John 6:66

Talk about a sad verse of Scripture, this is it. People liked to follow Jesus for a variety of reasons. He was popular, at least with the common man. He was kind, even to the lepers. He was giving, as in feeding five thousand men plus women and children. He was interesting, as in more exciting to hear than the arguing between the Pharisees and Sadducees. In the modern world we could say that Jesus put on a good show and fed the people while He did it. But when it came down to calling them to a faith life, looking at the Father instead of the world; when it came time to call them to believe in that which was contrary to their perceived ideas; well it was different. Then the crowds of disciples left Him.

What about us? Are we in it with Jesus for the good things? Are we liking the “moving” worship services spiced with espresso coffee? Are we loving the variety of services our church “provides” for us? Are we loving the good show and not the Savior? Jesus looked at all those loving the good show and told them difficult things about really following Him. They left? What are we looking for in Jesus? Are we looking for a good show or a Lord who has expectations of us? Will the next and better “good show” pull us away from our current one? Or will we be satisfied with serving instead of being served? Will we be content to eat the True Bread of Life or demand glazed donuts with it? This moment in Jesus’ ministry was truly a sad story.

Dear Father, help me focus on Jesus and not seek the “good show” that attracts the flesh but leaves the spirit unfed. Amen. 

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Jesus, True Bread for Eternal Life

“For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the Bread of Life.” John 6:33 and 35

The bread of God isn’t a thing. It is a person. If I feed someone bread today will they live forever? No! But if someone comes to Christ today, believing that He is the full provision of God for life now and forever; then they will live forever. Jesus had just fed five thousand people with a few loaves and fish. They remembered the wilderness wandering and how God had fed them every day for forty years. They wanted the same earthly provision from Jesus. “Prove you are God by feeding us bread every day for forty years,” was their taunt. Jesus said I can do better than that. “I am the Bread of Life. This is the bread which comes down from heaven that one may eat of it and not die.”

The question is, would we like to eat bread forty years and then die, or would we like to eat the Bread of Life and live forever? Jesus gave Himself on the cross for our sins. The night before He did that He took bread and gave it to His disciples and said, “This is my body which is broken for you.” The true Bread of God is Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. He who feeds on this bread will live forever. As we share the love of God with those in need, we must not forget to make sure they also hear that it is Jesus Christ who alone can save them, not just from hunger, but from eternal death.

Dear Father, thank You for the gift of the Bread of Life and the eternal feast it provides for me. Amen. 

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Not Works, but Faith

“This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29

The Jews had come to believe that salvation was through works; so they asked Jesus what “work” they must do to please God. All over the world people are still asking that question. They look to anyone who will give an answer; anyone that is except Christ. All religions have a code to live by if you want to get to heaven. For all of them salvation is by works. So, Jesus gave the simple true answer. The work of God is to believe in Christ. In other words, the work is not a work at all; it is faith. It is not blind faith in an indifferent god. It is faith in the revealed Son of God, Jesus Christ, sent by a loving God who cares for His creation.

This was Paul’s message to the Philippian jailer. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” It was Peter’s answer to the Jewish leaders. “For there is none other Name under heaven given whereby we must be saved.” It is John’s purpose for writing the fourth Gospel, “These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in Him.” It is by faith and not works that we are saved. Jesus did the work on the cross and we believe in Him. That is the work of God.

Dear Father, let me not become distracted by trying to earn my salvation; but let me daily rejoice in the finished work of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

How Not to Annoy Your Pastor

“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” John 5:46

Do pastors get annoyed? Yes! We get annoyed. When someone tells me that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament must be different gods; it annoys me. First it annoys me because these people have obviously read neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament. Without information they have come to a conclusion, and an errant conclusion at that. In Malachi 3:6 God says, “For I am the LORD; I do not change.” In Hebrews 13:8 the Bible declares, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” We have One eternal God revealed as Father, Son and Holy Ghost; who changes not.

That is important for us because it draws us into a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Old Testament. It is there that we first find Christ. In Genesis one He is the Creator. In Genesis three He is the promised Savior. In Genesis 6-8 He is the Ark of Safety. In Genesis twelve He is the Seed of Abraham that will bless all the world. And so on throughout the entire Old Testament. Don’t annoy your pastor. Learn to love the Old Testament and rejoice in Christ who is written about there. Remember, Jesus told the Jewish teachers that this is true and that they should read it more carefully.

Dear Father, help us each day to rejoice in Your eternal Word which teaches clearly about Jesus Christ. Amen.

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You Must Worship Jesus to Truly Worship God

“He who does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent Him.” John 5:23

There are billions of people in the world today who say that they believe in God. Jesus says that number is much smaller than many claim. What is the evidence that we know God? We must acknowledge Jesus Christ as His Son. There are over one billion Muslims in this world and they all profess to know God. But they don’t. Why? Because they say that Jesus Christ is a prophet and proclaim firmly that “Allah is not begotten and Allah does not beget.” Allah has no son. Jesus said that to know God we must first give honor to Jesus as His Son. Billions more people are Hindus and Buddhists. They all claim to know God or be searching for Him. But they reject Jesus as God’s Son and therefore have turned away from truly searching for God or truth.

Jesus didn’t leave any doubt about His relationship to the Father. He is the only begotten Son of God. He is the eternal Word, who with the Father made all things. He is the one who said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” Do not be fooled by imitations. Unless people confess that Jesus Christ is the One True and Only Son of God, they don’t know God. What they are offering is a foundation of sand in this life and a worthless certificate to enter the next. Accept the only One who died for our sins and rose again for our justification and about whom the Father said, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.”

Dear Father, help me daily to remember that there can be no substitute for Jesus and no other way to You than Him. Amen. 

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Faith in God, not in Miracles

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” John 4:48

I think I have heard it too many times to count. Why doesn’t God just show Himself and prove that He is real? Wow! I even hear that statement from believers, and it makes me sad. Let’s just look at a brief history of why it saddens me. In Exodus God delivered the Israelites from Egypt with many signs and wonders. But when they got to the other side of the Red Sea, they belly-ached and cried and moaned that Egypt was better and even made themselves a golden calf and called it god. Signs and wonders did not convince them. Centuries later Elijah called for God to send fire from heaven. God did and the people believed and followed God for about a month. Signs and wonders again didn’t do the trick.

Jesus showed signs and wonders all the time. Just count up how many miracles He did. What did the people do with Him? The crucified Him! Today’s verse wasn’t a commentary on what the people needed; it was a sad criticism of what they thought they needed. And people still ask for the same things today and then still don’t believe. Paul wrote to the Romans, “The just shall live by faith.” What God desires from us is faith that He is true, that His Son was the perfect sacrifice for sin, and that Christ’s resurrection from the dead provides eternal life to all who will believe in Him. Signs and wonders are not the means to salvation. Faith is.

Dear Father, help me to live by faith in the truth of Your word and in the death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

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A Loving Introduction to Christ

“Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’.” John 4:7

How easy is it to begin a dialogue about God? We often freeze up at the very thought of how to do it. But Jesus makes all the rough places plain. He makes talking about Him as simple as a four word introduction, “Give me a drink”. It wasn’t just the words He said that brought about the conversation; it was the kindness He showed in saying those words. Jews despised Samaritans and the Samaritans felt the hatred as a real lash on their backs. Jews wouldn’t even speak to Samaritans; but Jesus did.

His comments to her were couched in kindness. He didn’t run away when He saw her. He didn’t have anything nasty to say to demean her. He simply talked with her like He would talk to His own friends. That she found in Him a person who would treat her with dignity surprised her. It opened her up to hear words of even greater love from His lips. All conversations with others who are outside the church don’t have to begin with buttonholing them and saying, “Let me tell you about your sin and God’s grace.” They do need to begin with love, kindness, and the reality that we are genuinely concerned for them. Then, like the woman at the well, they just might give us the opening we need to make the greater story of Christ’s love for them clear.

Dear Father, Thank You for coming to us through the love of the cross and the humility of Christ. Help us to go in the same way to a world that needs You. Amen. 

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Jesus Needed to Obey the Father, and so do We

“But He needed to go through Samaria.” John 4:4

Have you ever needed to do something unpleasant? Could you have avoided the task and done something differently but with a less positive outcome? Maybe surgery was your best option but you chose physical therapy. Or, maybe changing jobs was truly the best option but you chose to stay where you were? We often avoid doing the necessary for the less painful options. But in this passage we see that Jesus NEEDED to go through Samaria.

Actually there was a path around Samaria that good Jews took from Judea to Galilee. Jesus didn’t take it. He took the path He needed to take. He needed to meet with a woman who was in great need; she just didn’t realize it. He needed to confront an entire town with the truth of who He was; they just didn’t know they needed it. The outcome of Jesus doing what He needed to do was salvation for many. The second outcome was that others second guessed His choice. We have to consider in our lives what choices we need to make to follow God and forget about those who would second guess our lives. We are in Christ and we need to follow Jesus who needed to go through Samaria.

Dear Father, Your Son did what He needed to do for Your glory. Please help me to do the same. Amen. 

The Friday Benediction

Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend.  Amen

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day. 

You Haven’t Been This Way Before

“For you have not passed this way before.” Joshua 3:4

Happy New Year! You have probably heard that simple comment many times already today. But what does it mean? Isn’t everything just the same old same old as before? Not really. Have you ever lived this next year before? Do you know what will happen in this year? Probably not. It isn’t just same old same old. It is new. There will be new people and some new experiences. Every year brings something new.

In this New Year we will all need guidance because we haven’t been this way before. That was God’s instruction to Joshua as the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land. They were going to confront many new things and God wanted to make sure that they had their eyes focused on him as they did so. The ark of God went before them. It contained God’s Law, our rules to live by; and it contained the budded rod, our promises of an all-powerful God; and it contained a jar of manna; the constant provision of the caring God. In this New Year we have to remind ourselves daily that we need this awesome God to guide us. We need to remind ourselves that He is the God who has never failed. We need to stand back every day and take account that we are strangers in a strange land and that every moment we will need the all-knowing God to lead us.

Dear Father, as we enter this New Year, keep our minds sharp to remember that only You know how to lead and can lead us successfully. Amen. 

You can contact me and find inspiring Christian books at my website: www.davidccraig.net

If you don’t already subscribe to this blog, you can do so and receive it each day M-F by choosing the Abundant Grace section on my website and signing up for free delivery every day.