SOAP: Day Eleven – Free Indeed

Posted on October 11, 2019 by George Crone

Being a born again recovering addict creates all kinds of conflict.

When you think about it though, it really shouldn’t. God’s description of “old things passing away” you’d think would mean that our old natures (addictions, fears, self-worth issues, etc…) would be on the list of old things that died.

But I don’t think I’m alone in saying that once the newness of relationship with Christ wears down (and ideally that should never happen!) then the old emotional baggage of traumas, negative thinking patterns, fears, and resentments seem to bubble back up from someplace long dead and buried.

What I think is happening is that once Jesus’ Spirit joins with our spirit at that beautiful moment of conversion and Justification is 100% complete, then the rest of ourselves (mind, body, and soul) begins the process of believing and obeying in varying degrees.

The process of Sanctification is a different beast than Salvation. It is made up of our intentional acts of the will, acts of faith, acts of mercy, acts of patience, acts of grace and it simply takes time.

Jesus wants to heal every aspect of our body, mind, and soul to match that of our fully redeemed Spirit within us. The question I believe is what parts of me am I willing to give to Him.

I have no idea if any of that will have anything to do with today’s SOAP journey, but it’s where my heart and mind are this morning and I just wanted to share.

Embrace

Scripture

John 3:22-36 (ESV)

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Observation

  • v22 – He was baptizing
  • v23 – People were coming
  • v26 – all are going to him
  • v27 – cannot receive one thing unless it is given from heaven
  • v29 – rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.
  • v29 – This joy of mine is now complete
  • v30 – He must increase, I must decrease
  • v31 – He who is of the earth.. speaks in an earthly way
  • v32 – He [from heaven] bears witness to what he has seen and heard
  • v32 – no one receives his testimony
  • v33 – Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal that God is true
  • v34 – whom God has sent utters the words of God, gives Spirit without measure
  • v35 – The Father loves the Son
  • v36 – Whoever believes has eternal life
  • v36 – -Whoever does not obey shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him

Application

v22 – The works of baptism are important to Jesus. God, Himself is doing hands-on ministry work, not just preaching, teaching and healing. I can’t help but wonder what Jesus said as he baptized people. Do I value the works of ministry and celebrate the baptism ceremonies at church just as Jesus did?

v23 – The imagery of the first revival, the initial gathering of people coming to see Christ, to be baptized, to follow and learn from Abba Father directly. What a time this must have been. Is my life an attraction that draws others around me to want to come to Him? 

v26 – All are going to him? My psychology red flags are going off here. John was baptizing also, so clearly not ALL are going to him. And what’s your point, other’s can’t get baptized by someone else, especially Jesus himself? This is clearly an example of extreme thinking and jealousy and it is toxic. Are there any areas in my life where jealousy creeps in and bitters my heart toward the good works of others?

v27 – Cannot receive one thing! I think of Psalm 112 “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord…” God is at the center of everything and so far beyond my understanding. Do I place all my thoughts and actions at the foot of the Cross for His approval and blessing? How often am I serving me and expecting Him to supplement my plans?

v29 – Rejoices greatly at His voice. I feel every ounce of complacency being called out in me. Is not the Bible the Word of God, is it not His Voice? Is not the times when I pray expecting to “hear from God” me waiting on HIS VOICE? Is not the times when I’m in the company of other believers who are praying for me or speaking life into me the very voice of God? Do I rejoice when engaging with God in all forms? And not just rejoice, but rejoice GREATLY? God is not just some dude who helps us out and my pastors and Christians peers are not just “good people”. These are the ministers of God Himself in my life. 

v29 – This joy of mine is now complete. Is my joy complete? What is the status of my joy, am I filled with praise and worship more than I am fear and doubt? Am I complete or am I still waiting for something more?

v30 – He must increase, I must decrease. It’s not about me, it’s not about me, it’s not about me, none of it is about me, when will I truly understand that my life, my testimony, my ministry, my dreams, my salvation, … none of it is about me.

v31 –  Humans can only speak of earthly things. We will get glimpses of God’s goodness but we can only speak of God in terms that our finite minds can understand. The ways of God are so far beyond my comprehension. How often do I run the risk of believing my thinking and writing adds wisdom to the Gospel instead of always recognizing humbly that I will at best only poorly be describing the Indescribable greatness of God?

v32 – He bears witness to what He has seen. How much more has God seen and heard than we will ever see this side of heaven? How could I come to God’s Word and not be filled with a desperate need to absorb everything He says? This SOAP process is a good step. EVERY WORD MATTERS! Do I believe that with such desperation that it’s like a longing for air when being held underwater? 

v33 – WHOEVER. Again, it’s a choice. God’s knowledge, power, mercy, and love is available to EVERYONE, but only those who chose to believe and proclaim receive the promises. Do I count myself among those who have set my seal on the Truth of God? 

v34 – Jesus was sent by God and He was given unlimited access to The Spirit. Again, does this message strike deep to my core that there is no one more beautiful, more wonderful, that there is no one like Him? Am I overwhelmed by God?

v35 – The Father loves the Son. I can’t tell you the hundreds of hours I have in counseling in dealing with my earthly father wounds. Have I gotten past my own father’s limitations to come to trust and love my true Father’s heart and love for me? Are we not adopted son’s and daughters and in that not loved by the same measure that God loves His own Son?

v36 – Again! Whoever believes. Depending upon the translation there are more than a dozen passages stating “whoever believes”. The Kingdom of Heaven opens to those who believe. Am I truly among the believers?

v36 – those who don’t obey (by believing) shall not see life but receive wrath. Uh, no thank you! 

Prayer

Wow, Lord, I’m not sure what is stirring in my heart but I feel a big shift this morning. So much of my recovery journey has been about believing that Sanctification is the difficult process of moving from unholiness to holiness and that belief has actually perpetuated my self-condemnation in the areas of my heart and mind that are not fully of You. The beautiful message blossiming within me is the reminder that this is about You and not me. And that the battle is not with my flesh and bones but with believing that everything You say about You and me is true. I have been set free, I am a child of God, I already have everything in me that is needed to live a holy life, I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The old is gone, the new has come. My battle is to believe there is no battle. There will be hardships, but You are bigger than anything this world can throw at me, even unto death. Any old thoughts, feelings or lies about myself or my future or even about You that I may have believed for decades is just that, ghosts of an ignorant past that no longer exist. You are mighty to save, and I have been saved. It is my faith that sets me free, thank You Jesus!

Wow, it may not show up on the pages, but that turned into a couple hours of intense revival in me. During this time I received a phone call from another brother in recovery who was battling temptation and the gospel message that came out of my mouth and heart for him mirrors much of what is shared here today. I saw him as shadow boxing with his old man who is dead. My belief that sanctification is supposed to be really hard was challenged head-on and I saw for the first time that claiming “it is hard” is where the problem begins. If I think this walk with God is hard then it will be hard. But if I believe He has set me free then my battle is with believing “it is done” and not focusing on “what still needs to be done”.

We can do all things through Christ who sets us free. Glory to God!

Blessings in Christ,

George

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
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SOAP: Day Ten – For Whoever Believes

Posted on October 10, 2019 by George Crone

It’s probably not an invalid assumption to say that John 3:16 is one of the most widely known Bible verses by everyone, believer and non-believer alike.

The temptation, of course, is always to focus only on this verse which reveals His incredible love and sacrifice for us. Truly there is no greater love, nor will there ever be. One Death, One Atonement. Millions upon millions saved.

I, however, before I even press into these passages today want to open my heart, mind, and spirit to the accompanying verses around John 3:16 to see if there is a lesser-known story that holds equal significance and relevance.

So Father, come. May you be the inspiration that peels away the veil over our eyes. Draw us into Your Word as only You can. 

Scripture

John 3:16-21 (ESV)

For God So Loved the World

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Observation

  • For God
  • So loved
  • the world
  • he gave
  • his only
  • whoever
  • believes
  • in him
  • God did not send his son… to condemn
  • whoever believes
  • light has come… people loved darkness rather than light. Everyone who does wicked hates the light, lest he is exposed
  • whoever comes to the light reveals his works have been carried out in God

Application

  • For God – This is His doing and His Story. It’s not about us (yet). How easily do I get stuck thinking our relationship is about what I want or bring to the table?
  • So Loved – This is still solely His Heart and His posture towards us. And He didn’t just love, He SO LOVED. When I love, do I love with that kind of intensity? 
  • the world – There we are, His love reaches out to all of creation; everyone throughout all time and space. He chose whom He loves, and He chose the world. If God is our model for our own behavior, do I love everyone? Or am I more selective who I call “my neighbor”.  Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself)
  • He gave – Again, this is His choosing His actions for His desires and pleasure. He didn’t take, He gave. How do I give of myself; my time, my treasures, my talent? How often do I give?
  • His only – the supreme sacrifice is to give away all that you have. To give even one is to leave yourself with none. Do I come even close to giving my last, my only? Or am I more likely to give from my excess and convenience?
  • Whoever – this is an open invitation. He so loved the world that He gave His only to… Am I a “whoever” who has chosen to receive this gift? Or am I still questioning, holding back, trying to decide if God is real or trustworthy?
  • Believes – once I consider myself to be a part of the “whoever club”, my call is to believe. Beliefs are ground zero for every thought, emotion and behavior we have in life. Do I truly believe?
  • Believe what? Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, God Himself, and the Second Person of the Trinity. Do I believe Jesus died and rose for my salvation?
  • God did not – this is important. We mostly hear what God did do, but this was so important that He wanted to make sure we didn’t misinterpret his intent. Jesus did not come to judge but to save. When I think about my standing with God, do I feel condemned for my sin-nature, failures, and weaknesses… or do I feel saved through the atoning work of His Son on the cross?
  • Again, whoever believes – this is the second time God has made it very clear that it doesn’t matter who we are, where we come from, or what we have done… the offer is extended to WHOEVER BELIEVES. Am I a true believer? Or maybe just a critic, fan, or curiosity seeker?
  • People loved darkness rather than light. Where do I fall in this category? Do I have people in my life who know all of my darkest hearted thoughts and/or behaviors? Can I look at God in the face when being exposed to my own sin? Does shame keep me hiding, or does the Goodness of God draw me into the light of honesty and confession no matter what I say or do that I’m not proud of?
  • Again, whoever does… who? Whoever… does what… comes to the light… Have I and do I regularly make the commitment to live in the light? Am I honest with myself and others? 

Prayer

Lord, there is no greater sacrifice than to give up “our only”. I can’t even imagine in the light of day what would drive a parent to let his son be mocked, tortured and savagely murdered for the comparatively few people who truly are receptive and grateful for the price Jesus paid. The gospel creates so much tension in the heart, to confess not hide, to surrender not fight, to love not hate, to give not take, to sacrifice not horde. Our one choice to receive salvation then frees us to then give up everything else. It seems like such a high price for us to pay when in fact it still pales in comparison to all that You have given. I’m so grateful for the places I have said yes and am equally aware of the things, the pleasures, the safety, the idols that I still cling too. Father God, thank You for Your Mercy that each day offers me the opportunity to surrender more of me to glorify more of You. May we all be continually willing to reach deeper into our own wellspring for others in response to the bottomless Wellspring You have given us. 

Well, so much for not overly focusing on 3:16. Each word carries so much relevance. There is likely no greater love story than the one God has written to us. May we all be filled with gratitude and inspiration in our shared journey of redemption.

Blessings in Christ,

George

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

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The Saturday Morning Mindset

Posted on October 9, 2019 by George Crone

3 blogs in one day, it’s a new record for me! Just whipped this one out on my coaching website, might be something interesting there for ya?

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SOAP: DAY 9 – To See The Kingdom Of God

Posted on October 9, 2019 by George Crone

For me, SOAP is a personal journey into the Word of God. Today is a good example of how “there are no rules” when opening the Bible.

The Observation section is about extracting the few verses or even clips of information that stood out to you. I believe this is how God speaks to us.

Today’s selection is long, with more red letters than anything we have stepped into before. I felt anxiety when first looking at it thinking this will be 100 pages long and take me a dozen hours to properly expose any relevance.

That is not the case however, I was reminded that as I move through today’s text, I am looking for anything that jumps out at me. SOAP is not a bible study in the sense that you are looking for deep theological and historical accuracy and teaching truths.

It is about finding what is relevant at the moment. What is God trying to reveal? What does His Word spark in your soul? 

So for that, it is organic, just let it flow. It can be as in-depth or shallow as you feel led to step into each time you come to the plate. This likely won’t be the last time you ever read this verse, and the next time something completely different may jump out.

SOAP should never feel like a “have to”, it should always be a “want to”, filled with expectation that God will indeed meet you there, as I know He will for me right now.

Scripture

John 3:1-15 (ESV)

You Must Be Born Again

3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Observation

  • unless… he cannot… see… enter…  the kingdom of God
  • the flesh is flesh… Spirit is spirit
  • are you the teacher… yet you do not understand
  • we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive…
  • whoever believes in him may have eternal life

Application

  • UNLESS. This is an action item. It is saying without doing A you cannot experience B. Yes it is God who calls us to him, reveals himself, it is his faith that runs in our veins, and his blood that cleanses us, but still. We must be born again! Am I born again? Have I experienced revelation in the Spirit realm of which I had never experienced before being born again? Was I blind and now I see? If the bible and God and spiritual matters seem like folly, then I would hazard a guess it is because the Holy Spirit has not overtaken our own spirit.
  • There are two worlds at war, much like it explains in Galatians 5. The flesh will always be the flesh, with its desires and schemes. But the Spirit is regenerated. It is 100%, whole, completed works of Christ with us. The only way to overcome the flesh is to walk in the Spirit. That doesn’t mean that our humanity ever dies, but Christ in us wins every time if we choose Spirit over the flesh. In what areas do I still not surrender to the good and perfect will of the Spirit in me?
  • A teacher that doesn’t understand, that hits a little close to home honestly. How easy it is to regurgitate the bible and yet not live out its precepts. Hug someone at church and flip the bird to someone on the freeway. I receive grace and mercy on my knees and then offer judgment and resentment to those I’m in conflict with. Paul stated he kept his flesh in check so that after he preached he would not be disqualified. In what ways am I still hypocritical in my faith?
  • The theme continues, we bear witness to the explainable things we can see, hear and feel… but how much do we still not believe in the unknowable things of God? How much do doubt and near mockery of spiritual things still hold residence in the deepest recesses of the mind or heart?
  • Whoever believes… I can’t express enough in my own life how I’ve discovered that “hidden” beliefs are at the core of everything that ails mankind. Buried deep in our subconscious are the voices of self-doubt and condemnation, fear and worry, judgments and unforgiveness. In what ways do I profess belief yet still have evidence of disbelief in my life? Self-worth? Ability to resist temptations? That I’m a new creation and the old is dead? That I have everything I need to live a holy life? The word tells us who we are and what we can do, do I live as if that was true in every way imaginable?

Prayer

Father God, Your Word continues to be deeply probing, exposing, the two-edged sword. And I welcome it Lord, for this is what sanctification looks like. May I always give you permission to expose the areas in my life where hypocrisy or worse heresy seeks to thrive in a mind and body that I profess to be dead to sin. Only You know the true depths of my heart Lord, may you continue to reveal to me the areas in my life that are not living and loving free through the mercies and wonders of all that You have done for me. May this day You be glorified in all ways through our total reliance on the Gift of the Holy Spirit that is You within me, may we all live as the born again beautiful miracles that we truly are.

As mentioned before, there are so many deep theologically significant relevancies to our daily life found within God’s Word that 50 people could look at the same passages and come up with 50 different viewpoints on relevancy. For today, these are mine.

Did you become aware of something different?

As always, my prayers that each of you have a wonderful day, let’s all go love on someone today.

Blessings in Christ,

George

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Everyday Parables – Clean Sheets

Posted on October 9, 2019 by George Crone

I don’t know why, but for me everything has meaning. There is a deeper message in the patterns of life or a quote taken out of context. It’s the way I think, feel and make sense of the world.

Many times when I try and share the relevance in the seemingly irrelevant things of everyday existence I get comments like “you make my head hurt” or “can’t we just hang out for a change”.

But my mind is never off, it’s always trying to figure out the deeper lessons in life. And it’s become so prevalent that it happens to me all day long in seemingly ridiculous ways.

… is it a gift?

… a curse?

… Is it God?

Maybe even mental illness or just flights of imagination?

I’ve decided I would let you guys decide for yourself and open the door on another part of me.

The good news is, these will be short, very short, not like my typical 2,000+ word essays.

Prayerfully something in these diatribes can prove useful, insightful or simply anecdotally amusing.

And if you think I’m nuts, share that with me too. I would love to get your feedback on these or hear some of your own.

This one came to me as I crawled into bed last night and is still resonating with me this morning. It has the honor of being the first parable I’m sharing with my WordPress family and I’m not sure how I feel about that, you will understand more as you read it.

sheet fan

Sheet Fan $99  | Image Source

Parable #1 -Clean Sheets

It has been a difficult stretch, my CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) has been in a flare-up and when that happens I can be bed bound for days straight, housebound for a week or even longer.

And during the last few days, something has been feasting on me overnight. I wake up with fresh welts all over my lower legs, arms, and even kneck and face. I don’t have pets, have never had fleas, don’t see any flying critters, it’s not bed bugs.

I don’t know what it is, BUT IT HAS GOT TO STOP!

So yesterday I made the extraordinary effort (for me) to strip the bed and head down to the local laundromat for the $5 per load giant machines to wash the comforters, sheets, bed wraps, cases… EVERYTHING.

And although I am a morning shower person, last night I showered before bed.

I then put on clean jammies, burned incense and even listened to Indian flute music through Alexa… this night NOTHING was going to get to me!

Can you imagine the scene?

A hot shower, fresh clean bedding, fluffed pillows, clean clothes, lavender scent in the air.

As I crawled into bed I literally felt like I was on vacation and this moment was one of pure paradise.

I buried my face into the pillows and inhaled deeply, wrapped the comforter up tight around my neck, and almost cried at how beautiful this moment truly felt.

And then it happened… small stomach cramps… a shifting intestinal bubble… a bead of sweat on the brow… and the release… paradise lost in a flash as this olfactory bliss became a dutch oven.

And then it hit me, how much is this just like our faith walk?

We come to the cross, covered in shame. We blew it again, our sins exposed until our emotions are raw. And God, as always, responds with “what sin” and we are washed clean by the atonement of His Son.

It is never about us, we can’t out-sin the cross.

And just how long does it take before our white-robed, written-in-the-book of life freshly clean, confessed, repented and redeemed bodies go out and stink up the neighborhood again with the stench of pride, lust, anger, resentment, entitlement, selfishness, fear or some other “human condition” that can’t be easily controlled… just like flatulence in clean sheets. 

Welcome to the place where Christianity meets humanity, nobody said it was pretty. 

So, what do you think, silly? profound? rediculous?

As I mentioned, these come up all the time. Being that this is the first one I’m sharing, it will be the anchor for a new themed series I will link in the menus above. All future parables will be short and to the point, and you can draw from them whatever you may.

And hopefully, I don’t begin to make your head hurt.

Blessings in Christ,

George

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SOAP: Day Eight – Do You Remember?

Posted on October 8, 2019 by George Crone

Boy, just getting in under the wire here. I can’t say I recall ever doing a Bible study at the end of the day – morning is my sweet spot. It is now late and I’m tired and my desire (and path of least resistance) is to let it go, skip today. Who will notice or care?

However, I made a 30-day commitment with myself to do a SOAP entry every day in October and remembering that original desire (goal) gives me the extra motivation to get it done at any cost.

And I’m grateful that I’m now sitting down to dive for it is this level of steadfast commitment that is needed to succeed in every endeavor throughout our entire life. It’s not a strength of mine, and it’s a good muscle to strengthen.

cleansing the temple

Jesus Clearing the Temple | Image Source

Scripture

John 2:12-25 (ESV)

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus Knows What Is in Man

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

Observation

  • And they stayed there a few days
  • He drove them all out of the temple
  • His disciples remembered that it was written
  • It has taken 46 years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in three?
  • the disciples remembered… and they believed the Scripture and the Word Jesus had spoken
  • they trusted him, but he did not trust them, for he already knew what mankind was like (NLT)

Application

  • This first one sparked a memory of when a close friend had passed away and several of us stayed with his widow for 3 days and nights. It was such a heavy time of grief but I also remember the laughter. The only way we get through this is in community; the suffering is made easier and the celebrations are made sweeter. How am I moving towards building deeper intimate communities around me?
  • What a drastic contrast! From a loving supportive community to now a different kind of community, filled with greedy money-changers and an immoral marketplace, all under the approval of the “religious elite”. Their motives are dark, self-serving, filled with justifications for their oppression of the common people who are there simply in faith to the religion and God they love. Jesus, as man, did not use miracles to confront this evil, he used righteous anger, courage, and boldness to stand up for the oppressed and confront the evil practices. How often (or ever) do I rely on God’s Spirit within me to boldly stand up for the meek and oppressed? 
  • This is the first of two times it is said that “his disciples remembered”. Do I remember what I read in the Bible? Do I remember the lessons of my trusted pastors and esteemed colleagues and elders in ministry? Do I remember all the blessings, protection, grace and guidance I have received over the years? Our strongest and most embraced memories should be that of God’s mercy and goodness and not that of the places and times that evil took a swipe at us.
  • It took 46 years for man to build the temple and only 3 days for God. How often do I rely on my own plans and timelines thinking “it is my best” when it pales in comparison to what God could do if only I leaned on Him with greater faith and patience?
  • they remembered and believed… Nuff said!
  • This last one I’ve chosen to reflect on is interesting. He came to die for mankind, and in this place, there are many who believed, yet “he didn’t trust them”. God has always known our hearts, he knows MY heart, and yet he still went to the Cross, he still loves me, he still wants us as ambassadors of grace, truth, compassion, protection, and restoration, as best we can with what he gives us. Am I filled with such immense gratitude that I can think of nothing else than how to serve, honor, worship, obey and glorify Him?

Prayer

Abba Father, the price was too high, but You paid it anyway. I do remember all that You have done for me, I remember Your word when I’m faced with temptations and Your power within me when I’m faced with unbeatable odds. I trust You in the seasons of longsuffering and now know that You were with me long before I even fully believed you were real. I confess however I still rely on my own understanding and believe in my own strength far too often. Thank You that You promise to finish what You started in me and that You stand in the gap where in my weaknesses I fail.   

As I reflect on this, I realize that remembering the good is the shortest path to gratitude, and gratitude is the foundation for peace, joy, and love. May we all remember the goodness of God this, and every day.

Blessings in Christ,

George

Posted in bible study, God's story, gratitude, Jesus, my story, S.O.A.P, Salvation, The Cross, trials | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SOAP: Day Seven – Do Whatever He Tells You

Posted on October 7, 2019 by George Crone

I have done several series over the years, all of which are significant chapters in my faith walk. In fact, you could likely walk out the first 9 years of my faith by going back through this site alone.

  • Seasons of consistent writing, and months without writing anything
  • Times of great encouragement and seasons of great struggles, confusion, and heartache
  • Times of faith, and times of fear.
  • Periods of healthy self-worth and demonic self-condemnation

One thing is for sure, when I’m engaged with the Bible on a consistent basis, what’s important to God becomes more clear to me.

For me, John 1 appears to be all about the revelation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the foundations of His Ministry was all about Him calling people to Himself and people CHOOSING to follow, sometimes at the cost of giving up everything.

This is all very relevant to us as believers today, and it lead, I believe, to some very probing questions at the foundations of our faith:

  • Am I convinced that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah?
  • Do I truly believe that I heard His call and am now following Him?

I enjoy letting this journey be organic. Today we kick off John 2 and honestly, each day, I have no idea what to expect and this opening paragraph is a basic indication of where my heart and thoughts are prior to stepping into today’s SOAP exercise.

Lord, we come again today expecting to hear from You. Give us discernment to extract what is relevant to us personally in this very intentional season of SOAP and getting to know You more through Your Words, the Bible. 

 

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The Wedding at Cana |Paolo Veronese 1563  |  Image Source: Wikipedia

Scripture

John 2:1-11 (ESV)

The Wedding at Cana

2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Observation

  • On the 3rd day
  • There was a wedding celebration
  • Jesus, his Mother, and disciples were invited
  • Mary said “they have no wine”
  • Jesus replied ‘what does this have to do with me’
  • Mary said “do what he tells you”
  • Jesus said “fill….” and they “filled…”
  • This, the first of His signs… manifested His glory.
  • And the disciples believed in Him

Application

  • The text “on the 3rd day” jumped out at me. Gee, any other significant event take place “on the third day?” I’m not sure of any significance here but I’m fascinated by patterns and having Jesus’ first miracle come 3 days after His official introduction to the world as the Messiah seems at the least, coincidental.
  • And what was it that Jesus was doing on this 3rd day? He was celebrating a wedding and enjoying the festivities. And his first miracle was making “good wine”. I so often in my own life feel so driven to serve and focusing all my energy on the “important stuff” that I can feel like I’m “wasting time” at social events. Is God saying we are to enjoy all of it, that balance is important? That being with others in a casual/social environment is equally important as the work we do directly for Him? Am I living a balanced work/social life? Are they even separate if everything is centered on the goodness of God?
  • Jesus was invited. My assumption is if He wasn’t invited, He wouldn’t have been there? In my day-to-day life, am I  constantly “inviting Jesus” into all that I do?
  •  Jesus provided the first recorded miracle (water into wine) in response to His Mother’s request. We are to always ask for God’s Will not ours be done but did He not also say “you don’t have because you don’t ask” and “ask for anything in my name and it shall be given“. Wine surely doesn’t seem very important, yet He provided. Obviously, this is not a license to turn God into a gumball machine, but are there things in my life that I may believe aren’t worthy of asking for because I think they are not important to God? Maybe that is for Him to decide and not me and we are to bring EVERYTHING to Him.
  • It would appear Jesus’ reply “what does that have to do with me” indicates He originally intended to not do anything about the situation. Even after His reply, on faith, Mary then said “do what He tells you” to the servents. Mary asked Jesus responded. Then Jesus directed, and the staff responded. How often do I consider that when I become aware of a need or someone makes a request of me that it could be in response to someone else’s prayers? Jesus’ love is transactional, how often do I consider the situations in my life Divine Appointments instead of inconvenient burdens? And what about Mary’s command, DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU… how perfect a message for us all! 
  • This was the first of many miracles. Do I see the seemingly impossible life rescues and unlikely outcomes in my own life as being one of the “many miracles” of God? Even the hard stuff?
  • And His disciples believed Him. How many times have I seen the miracles of God? Am I still naive enough to question if coincidences?

Prayer

The timing on this message Lord is (go figure… not coincidently) an answer to a burning question. Not one hour before sitting down to do this SOAP exercise today a good friend and I were talking on the phone discussing my struggle with choosing between being an all-in entrepreneur or spending more time with social engagements. My conclusion was you can’t have both and do either well. Yet this passage clearly says TAKE TIME TO ENJOY RELATIONSHIPS. Thank you Father that you speak to us in many wonderful ways, and that Your Word is always faithful to never come back void. At least for today, I will look for ways to connect directly with others more often, thank you for not ever leaving me the way I am but showing me ways in which I can grow… if I choose to do what You tell me. 

How about you guys, any compartmentalized all-or-nothing, driven-by-your-career kind of people out there who struggle to find work/life balance? Feel free to join the conversation.

Blessings in Christ,

George

Posted in bible study, God's story, my story, S.O.A.P, SOAP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SOAP: DAY 6 – How Glorious To Be Seen

Posted on October 6, 2019 by George Crone

Good morning SOAPers! Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Lord, You are faithful to meet us every time we open Your Word if we are faithful to come expecting to hear from You, our Abba Father. These are the very first few days of Your ministry and we are witnessing how You gathered Your disciples. My heart desires to know what it is to respond to Your invitation with the same expectancy and zealousness as they did over 2,000 years ago. So speak to us Lord, we come to listen and learn. 

Jesus-calling-His-disciples

Scripture

John 1:43-51 (ESV)

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,[a] you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Observation

  • He found Philip and said Follow me
  • We have found him
  • Can anything good come out of Nazareth?
  • Come and see
  • Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him
  • Jesus “BEHOLD…”
  • How do you know me?
  • I saw you
  • Because I said I saw you believe? You will see much greater

Application

  • I realize now that throughout my entire life I was aware that something was missing, that I was being pursued and many times had the invite to “follow Him” but I wasn’t done chasing pleasure, career, and worldly securities. It took until my mid 40’s before actually believe I had tried everything else in this life and nothing satisfied. Each morning Jesus extends the same invite, follow me. Am I not only willing but eager to do that today with all of my heart, mind, and body?
  • People were excited about discovering the Messiah and they wanted to tell others. Our testimonies to others, that “we have found him” matters. Without my evangelism, those whom God puts in my path each day may miss out on the message of eternal hope and rescue that He intended for me to share with them. Am I taking my calling to make disciples of all the earth seriously?
  • Bitter much Nathaniel? “Can anything good come out of that city”. It’s very real that prejudice and preconceived ideas surrounding the Gospel of Christ exist, but they are false. God is love and He can melt even the most cynical heart. But notice what comes next…
  • “Come and see”. They offered an invite to Nathaniel to find out for Himself. They didn’t try and convince him through fanciful arguments or fear tactics, they simply provided an invitation for him to discover for himself. How often do I turn down opportunities to invite others to church or share the gospel because I’m afraid of “their” prejudices? Those walls are not for me to break down, I only need to invite them into His Presence. 
  • Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him. He sees us coming. And I’m sure, conversely, He sees us walking away. Am I always willing to ask God to test my heart and know my desires? There are no secret places with God, He sees me. 
  • Even Jesus uses my new favorite word, BEHOLD! I continue to love the emotion brought about by that proclamation and how it is mean to really grab our attention for what is about to come next. Do I always pay close attention when Jesus speaks? Do His words stir my soul to action?
  • And what he said, in essence, was “Nathaniel, I see you, I see your character. You are one who has no deceit”. How scary and wonderful to be known and seen. Am I grateful God sees me, or fearful of what He sees? How I live matters! 
  • And how much does Nathaniel’s response mirror our own? How can you know me, we’ve never met. It’s easy to think God is too busy running the universe to know me. Do I always recognize just how known and loved I really am?
  • Jesus replies “I saw you”. That blew Nathaniel’s mind. Realizing Jesus saw him was all he needed to be convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the King of Kings. How much is that true for me? Am I in awe of God’s omnipresence? 
  • And Jesus then responds, you thought that was cool, you ain’t seen nothin yet! Talk about building up anticipation! Do I continue to anticipate the revelation of God’s power and love in my life every day?

Prayer

Abba Father, the renewed revelation that you know everything about me and call me your adopted son and invite me to follow each day is a beautiful thing. Your mercies are new each day and Your Promises are true, if only I will acknowledge You in everything I do. I continue to be renewed by Your Word Father, thank You that You see us, pursue us, call us, save us, and then lead us. May my best efforts at faithfulness this day honor Your name, Lord. 

I’ve begun taking the highlighted questions out of each day and putting them on a single sheet as a daily inspiration to help me keep these “call to action” items front and center.

I’m really enjoying this SOAP journey so far, how about you guys? 

Blessings in Christ,

George

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SOAP: Day Five – Come And You Will See

Posted on October 5, 2019 by George Crone

Many argue that the Bible isn’t relevant any longer, that it is simply a collection of stories from ancient times long past.

SOAP is the answer to that misconception. The Word is alive and if we come to it with a hunger and thirst for finding relevance, we will find it, because it is there.

There are many ways to study the bible, but this SOAP journey for me is incredibly personal

The Bible is God’s way of speaking to us… but are we listening? Am I listening? And if I do find relevance, what am I doing with the revelations?

Today is one of those days, in these few short verses I find myself challenged in ways I’ve only had a slight awareness of before. This is next-level stuff as God continues to reveal what it is to be a follower of Christ.

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image source: Wikipedia

Scripture

John 1:35-42 ESV

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 

38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)

Observation

  • “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
  • They heard and followed
  • Jesus saw them following
  • Jesus asked, “what are you seeking?”
  • They asked “where are you staying”
  • Jesus replied “come see”
  • “We have found the Messiah”
  • “… you shall be called…”

Application

  • There goes John again shouting from the rooftops, BEHOLD! I literally used that word every time I felt tempted or challenged or frustrated throughout the day yesterday. For me, that word now evokes a sense of amazement, power, hope, holiness, divinity, majesty… all in a single word! I’ve heard it said, “don’t tell God about your problems, tell your problems about God”. BEHOLD is a great way to shout at a problem and minimize its enormity. It’s great that it works for me, so when others are in hard times, how can I use the concept of BEHOLD to encourage, strengthen and help cast vision for them? Is that not the great commission, to share the Good News?
  • They heard and followed… it makes it sound so easy. These few words however signify the turning point that all of humanity faces at some point in their life. Someone takes us to church, or shares their testimony, or evangelizes us in some manner and at that point, our story becomes “I heard and followed”, or “I heard and scoffed and turned away”. John simply said “BEHOLD” and people’s lives instantly changed direction in every way imaginable. I literally spent decades going to church here and there and even reading the bible once in a while, but in hindsight, it was only out of curiosity or image. It wasn’t until 2011 (at 45 years old) that I dropped to my knees and cried out to Jesus and proclaimed my profession of faith that He died and rose so that I didn’t have to suffer any more. My life changed in an instant as I have not had another drink or drug since that exact moment. It’s one thing (and quite easy) to call myself a Christian, but quite another thing (and much more sacrificial) to actually follow Christ; where am I today, honestly? Do I follow Him only where it suits me, or in all areas of my life?
  • Jesus saw them following. A reasonable assumption is if they weren’t following, then Jesus wouldn’t have seen them. They had to hear the news that the Messiah had been found, then choose to follow, and THEN Jesus noticed them following. I am so incredibly grateful for my decision to follow, and I totally see how all the years before when I had begged God for stuff it never happened but after that fateful morning in 2011, everything changed. Am I still a faithful follower?
  • Like other verses in the Bible, Jesus asks “what are you seeking” or “what can I do for you”. Surely He knows what each of us needs, I’m always fascinated when Jesus asks people questions. It’s not for Him to get the answer, it’s for us to become self-aware. When Jesus asks others a question, I always find it helpful to ask myself the same question to see if it applies and is relevant: what am I seeking from Jesus? 
  • They asked “where are you staying”. I find this a good “follower” question. They didn’t ask Jesus right off to just start handing out gumballs, they called him Rabbi (teacher) and declared their desire to simply hang out with Him. How much do I overcomplicate my Christian walk by asking for profound revelations or supernatural blessings when in fact all I need to do is spend time in His presence and listen?
  • Jesus invited them to “come stay”. But again, they had to be intentional about their desire to be with Him. When I open God’s Word, is it with a desire to hear from God? Is it from a place of gratitude and humility and simply being honored to hang out with Him? Do I choose to “stay” with Him or just visit occasionally? When I pray do I see myself as being in His presence? These are important questions!
  • Can you almost hear the excitement in their voice? “we have found the Messiah”. I know for the first year or two after my conversion in 2011 I too, through my testimony, was telling everyone (and I mean everyone, grocery store lines, at the office, at the doctors) “I have been saved”. Not being married I can’t say for sure, but I suspect just like a marriage after the years roll on we can get complacent in our relationships. They are “just there” all the time and seeing our spouse can become routine, expected, un-exciting. Am I still excited about Jesus? Do I still have the level of enthusiasm I once had when telling others my testimony? I bet God knows how excited or complacent I am when I pray or open His word or minister to others? How will I feel when giving an account of my level of enthusiasm toward God 10 years into our relationship, 20, 30? What can I do to get that level of enthusiasm back?
  • I remember an exercise years ago where a Pastor had challenged us to get with God to discover “our new name”. At the time it just seemed fanciful or made up and it didn’t mean much. Years later, however, as I was looking for a name for one of my (short-lived) ministry ideas the word JOR came to me. I had no idea why. After a few days, I realized I had been doing this blog for over 8 years (Journey of Redemption – JOR) and my nickname in English is Geo but name in Spanish is Jorge, which could be Jor? At that time I was mindblown at the coincidence and I came to believe that something in my calling is tied to this blog, for Journey of Redemption has been my only consistent endeavor throughout the last decade… and so Jor is my new name. Do I still see myself as a new creation living under my new identity in Christ? Or do I often feel like the old man has come back to take up residence? The beauty is, the old man is forever dead and it is the work of sanctification that seeks to undo all the damage (internal and external) that he had done. It is a Journey of Redemption 🙂

Prayer

Wow Father, in only 7 verses I feel almost overwhelmed with the amount of relevant insight Your Word has impressed upon me this morning. Above all else, I’m convicted by the fact that I feel nostalgic about remembering what it was like when I felt BEHOLD for the first time in 2011 which is (embarrassingly) in stark contrast to how I feel about you now. And to see how my life resembled (past tense) what you describe here much more than it does now. I chose to follow, I was overfilled simply by your presence, I loved telling others of your goodness and power to heal and even resurrect. You know my heart and you know that I still believe and feel this way, but there is no denying that I have grown complacent, or maybe the better word is comfortable with you. That excitement has faded into a matter-of-fact, and I don’t believe that is how it is supposed to be. I want the fire to be reignited Lord, and I believe You are doing that through my season of intentionality through this SOAP endeavor. You are right in front of me all the time and I’m sorry that I almost take you for granted. I repent of that here and now and vow, at least for this day, I will once again sing and dance to your goodness and tell others of your mercy and steadfast love and unmerited favor which you relentlessly shower on me. Thank you, Jesus, may you be glorified in a million different ways this day by your followers all over the world. 

Have you discovered your new name? I’d love to hear what it is and how you got it in the comments below. 

Blessings in Christ,

George

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SOAP: Day Four – BEHOLD!

Posted on October 4, 2019 by George Crone

After yesterday’s biblical smack-fest in The Word, I was surprised to find myself still eager to press back in this morning. There seems to be some relational psychology involved, for when you trust and love your Father, a good smack-down is welcomed because you know that He only provides insight into the things that will improve your life.

I didn’t have that kind of earthly father, which makes me so incredibly grateful to now have a trustworthy, loving and all-knowledgeable Heavenly Father whom I can now go to for direction, care, understanding, compassion, wisdom, and healing.

Truly, He is Abba Father! Today I come and sit at The Master’s feet, speak O Lord.

Scripture

John 1:29-34 (ESV)

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Observation

  • BEHOLD!
  • He takes away the sin of the world
  • for this purpose, I came… that he might be revealed…
  • I saw the Spirit descend… on him
  • I have seen and borne witness… this is the Son of God
  • John baptizes with water, but Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit

Application

  • Behold! What an awesome word. I can imagine someone shouting that in a crowd and scaring everyone… BEHOLD!!! These first few passages in John 1 continue to impress upon me the magnitude of what is happening here. This is the revelation of The Messiah. Take a moment and imagine the incredible buzz. I think back to my conversion experience where my mind was blown that God was actually real and everything in my life changed. This is no small thing… BEHOLD!!!!
  • The Lamb came to take away the sin of the world. Again… WOW, what a claim! For thousands of years A Messiah was prophesized, was this really Him? Could it be that centuries of waiting on the promises is over? We read of the historical event and ponder, but I often wonder, how will Jesus be received when He returns again? How will I receive Him? I imagine seeing reports on the news of a man in the Middle East or Isreal “claiming” to be THE ONE and would anyone believe Him? Would I believe the claims? Will He come in a blaze of glory so we know for sure or will there be room for doubt?
  • John’s “purpose” was not his ministry of baptism, that was his calling and how he served God. His purpose was to reveal Christ to the world. How much is our (my) calling the same? I find it so easy to make plans on how I can serve His church and His people but is it for my ministry to increase or for Him to be revealed to a dying world? I think of the admonitions in Revelations to the churches, “I see your service but you lost your first love”. In what ways have I learned to play church and lost sight of The Lamb?
  • Was John the first to witness the Trinity? The One who sent him to baptize must have been God, and he was told of the Spirit descending upon Jesus was the way he would recognize The Messiah. And how true is that still today? The voice of God (however we hear Him) reveals the Holy Spirit who gives us insight into the Heart of Christ. Is there anything more beautiful than the wholeness of the Trinity and what the Triune God offers and reveals to us all? I’m feeling very grateful at the moment.
  • John’s entire life was about this moment; the revelation of Christ to the world. It ultimately cost him his life, but how much would you suspect he would say it was all worth it? I know there are places in me that resist being completely poured out for His glory, how much regret will that bring when I meet Him face-to-face? What more in me needs to die (pride, fear, doubt, self-sufficiency) so that He may increase?
  • I don’t remember being baptized as a young child, but I sure remember my profession of faith and baptism as an adult. It was a season where everything in my life was changing, truly it was revelation of the old man dying and new being born. The beautiful reality is there is no “un-baptism”. Once we are born again through The Spirit, He dwells in and with us for eternity. Our sin does not separate us, for The Lamb died once for all transgression. How many times do I fall back into self-condemnation thinking I should what, be more perfect? Be less human? This journey of sanctification is hard, but I will never again need to be re-baptized.

Prayer

Lord, Your Word continues to challenge and exhort. We are born into a sinful world and at some point, everyone hears “behold!”, and from there we get to choose what we do with that proclamation. I do regret that I heard the claims when I was young but it wasn’t until my 40’s that my heart turned to The Lamb. I am grateful that you prompted my heart to want to know you more, that you remained true in not leaving me as I was, and even now promise to not leave me as I am. You are a faithful God who continues to love and grow me through unmerited grace and favor, and that brings great comfort and joy to me this morning. It is true that you aren’t finished with me yet. At least for today, I will hang on tightly to the word BEHOLD and be deeply aware of all that comes with that proclamation. 

Feel encouraged the join the conversation, what if anything do you take away from today’s passage?

Blessings in Christ,

George

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