Wednesday Morning Devotional

A Hatred for Sin

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. — 1 Corinthians 11:31

So I’m planning for a communion service at my church. I read in 1 Corinthians 11:28 that I am supposed to examine myself. I am to judge myself to see if there is any evidence that I am truly in Christ. Most days, there isn’t a doubt in my mind. Others, I spend a lot of time praying and even crying out to God because I hate how sin rears its ugly head in my life, heart, and mind.

I am evaluating my salvation experience. I have written in WMD several times that I asked Jesus into my heart as a sixteen year old teenager. People watching me for five years after that would have seen a change of absolutely zero percent. If there is one thing that I do know from reading the Bible, it is the fact that when men have an encounter with Jesus, they do not remain the same. Even if someone rejected Him, they left with the matter even more solidified in their hearts that they did not need Him or want Him. Some even left with the desire in their hearts to murder Him.

I “received” Jesus 23 years ago. I thought that was all there was to it. I thought “saved” meant simply that I now got to go to Heaven. I had no clue that “saved” meant from lust, rage, greed, lying, laziness, foul language, lack of discipline, discontentment and many other things living inside of my heart. I have always wondered why I got worse instead of better after that wonderful day that I was so convicted that I had to call my youth pastor to come and pick me up and pray with me.

I think I now know.

I had a hatred for the fact that I was not going to Heaven. However, I did NOT have a hatred for the sin that lived within me. Therefore, my loving Heavenly Father let me wallow with the pigs for a while. I only see God in my life back then in the fact that there was a conviction, an alarm if you will, that would trigger every time I made a willful decision to sin. At first it was a scream . . . “NO! Adam, do not go there!” Later, it became a voice . . . “You really should stop doing this.” Finally, it became a faint whisper . . . “You know this isn’t MY way.” God allowed me to sin down my own path, but not for one moment did He ever leave me. He was always there.

I look back on those years as the most wasted years of my life. I caused so much heartache and destruction. God gave me an ultimatum: “Live for me, or live for yourself. If you choose to live for yourself, I am done convicting you of sin.” For the second time in my life, I feared God. But, for the first time in my life, I counted the cost of living for Him. I took an honest look at what it looked like to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him.

I chose Him. I chose His Ways. I realized really quickly that His ways were quite contrary to my own ways. His ways were much, much higher than mine.

When I finally got it . . . I mean really got it . . . I mean when He opened up the floodgates and filled my heart and soul with a Holy Presence that I had never felt before, I hated sin. I had allowed it for five years to separate me from this unfailing, unbelievable, matchless love that now flooded my heart and mind. I realized what a horrible trade I had made. To this day I still ask for forgiveness for those wasted years, and yes, I know I need to stop that. I know God is faithful and just to forgive us for our sins if we repent. It is just that I hate what sin stole from me. I hate how even today that I can’t recognize it many times until it has already produced some of its destructive fruit. I hate watching it keep others blind. I hate how destructive it is in my own life and the lives of others. I hate to watch it rob the students I teach of their education. I hate how it takes, takes, and takes everything of real and eternal value only to give a return of fleeting moments, and I mean moments of temporary pleasure.

Yes, I am developing quite a hatred for sin.

Are you?

How has God worked a hatred for sin in your own life?

Later

Adam

Performing for God

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” — Matthew 7:21 – 23

To me, these are the scariest words that came out of the mouth of Jesus Christ. I absolutely cannot read these words without doing an evaluation of my heart. I have read this passage many times. I used to focus on how cool those miracles were that were performed. I mean, driving out demons and performing miracles sounds pretty awesome. If I saw someone do that, I would definitely think they had it going on. However, as I read it today, one word sticks out … perform. Even for the hard core King James person, the word is “done.” Let’s simplify the passage to this: Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not perform well enough for you? Did we not ‘do’ enough? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.”

I don’t know how many years I spent trying to perform for God. I would have told Him something like this: “God, didn’t I go to church every week? Didn’t I play on the worship team? Wasn’t I on the leadership team at my church? Didn’t I read through the Bible? Didn’t I put money in the offering plate? Didn’t I preach enough times in the pulpit? Didn’t I write devotionals on Wednesday mornings for people to read and hopefully learn more about you?” Even reading this list now, it seems to me that I would have “done” enough to be fairly confident on the day that I stand before Him. However, God isn’t into performances…He’s into “knowing.”

The reason for sending the people away was not that they didn’t “do” enough, it was simply that Jesus did not know them. He had no relationship with them. They obviously loved what the name of Jesus could “do” for them, but did not love the person who owned the name. This forces me to change my line of questioning. I must ask this question and this question only: What evidence do I have that I know Jesus? I don’t get to use ANY of the stuff I mentioned in the above paragraph. It has nothing to do with what I do for Him, it has everything to do with ‘knowing’ and being intimate with Him.

I often hear people tell me that they need to get back to “doing” things for God. I used to agree with them, but now I don’t. Think about this: If you did everything you thought you should do for God, would He really be impressed? Would the God of Heaven really clap His hands for you? I doubt it. I’m not saying it’s impossible. I mean, Jesus left Heaven in Daniel chapter 3 for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s “stand” for the Lord. Jesus stood up for Stephen in Acts 7:54-55. But the thing is…these guys weren’t performing for God, they were simply in love with Him and His ways. To them, dying was great gain. All that stuff that I mentioned, and all that stuff the people mentioned in Matthew 7 can be glorified by people. People come up to me and tell me sometimes after I play or preach ”Adam…YOU did great!” If I could add a little “prophesying in His Name, driving out demons, and performing miracles,” I might just be able to get me a Television ministry and raise millions and millions of dollars…all in His Name! The thing is…Jesus could not care less about any of that stuff. He wants to know the answer to one question and one question only…Do you know Me? You don’t get back to ‘doing’ things for God, you simply spend time with Him because you want to be in His Presence.   You spend time with Him because you want more of Him.

I say all of that to ask this question: If you claim to be a Christian, what evidence do you have that you really know Him? Are you performing for Him? Or, are you in love with Him?

Later

Adam

Using God’s Stuff

And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. — Luke 15:12

Until a couple of weeks ago, the thought had never occurred to me that the prodigal son had to use daddy’s stuff in order to live how he wanted to live. In the same way, people who reject God have to use the gifts that He gave them in order to live the way they want. Let me explain.

If I could only take one thing back from my past, it would be my decision to be sexually immoral in my teens and early twenties. I have no excuse. I knew exactly what the Father expected of me. God gave me a gift . . . Purity. That purity was designed for me to give my wife after we took our marriage vows. Instead, I demanded my share of the property now. I took my Father’s gift and squandered it in wasteful living. Just like the father in the story, God forgave me. But, just like the father in the story, God didn’t give me back what I had squandered. Fortunately, He did replace all that with something better . . . Himself. He welcomed me home even though I wasted what He gave me.

In 2011, a study determined that 22 million people, or about 9% of the American population use illegal drugs. In order to use illegal drugs, a person has to use the breath that God gave them. They must use the veins that were created on the day He breathed life into man. They must use stomach He created or the lungs that were formed. All to fill a void that He gave His life to fill.

If you are reading this, God gave you a mind that can think, learn and discern. The majority are simply wasting their God given intelligence. This year, I will watch student after student waste their educational opportunity. After they barely graduate and can’t find a job, they will wish they had done more with their time. I will watch people cling to their cell phones rather than cling to God’s Word. I will watch people get boyfriends or girlfriends and forget all about the things of God. They will use the desires God has given them and move far away from Him.

Lest you think I am bashing people, I am mostly bashing myself . . . For I have done the majority of these things.

But, like the prodigal son, I didn’t like where all this wasteful living led me. I didn’t like the pigpen. Therefore, with the smell of sin all over me, I went back to my Father begging to be His servant.

He restored me as His son.

Lord, may I never take what you have given me and do anything but honor You for the rest of my days.

Later

Adam

My friend, Scott, wrote today’s WMD.

Outnumbered and Overwhelmed

I feel like God is speaking a very specific message to me for my life right now, but it’s also one I think He wants me to share, to send a word of hope to someone. Are you hurting? Do you feel lost? Confused? In all that’s going on, does it seem like nothing makes any sense? Trust me, you’re not alone.

Now let me ask you a very personal, deep question, one of those you don’t really like to even think about answering. Be honest, do you feel like God has left you, like He’s not even there? Truthfully, I have at times. And He has always shown Himself, in little ways that I clearly saw.

Today, He has shown Himself to me through His Word. In Judges 6-7, we read the story of Gideon. We first find him basically hiding out from his enemies, when an angel appears to him. After a bit of delaying by Gideon, God begins to work and He tells Gideon He is going to use him to lead the army to a victory over their enemy. An enemy that already outnumbers them, and currently they have 32,000 men in their army.

Ever feel outnumbered and overwhelmed? I bet Gideon did. And that’s when God begins to work. By sending more soldiers? Or maybe some powerful allies? Nope. God says they have too many, and He trims Gideon’s army to 10,000. Does that make any sense to you? It didn’t to me either, but God works in mysterious ways. In this case, mysterious soon became insane or crazy, because He then trims the army down to 300. Totally illogical, wouldn’t you agree? And with only these 300, God gave them victory. In what made no sense, God produced a miracle.

Does your life make sense right now? Have you considered your miracle may be about to come? I hadn’t. But God has reminded me today, and encouraged me, and I want to do the same for you. Hope. Trust. Obey. Take it from me, God knows what He’s doing. Good luck, and God bless!!

Scott

Swapping Appetites

Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. — Ezekiel 3:3

Give us this day our daily bread. — Matthew 6:11

I’ve been trying to get back into really good shape. I’ve been working out six days a week with some pretty good results. However, the one thing I cannot seem to do that hinders my progress, is eat right. If cake wasn’t wonderful . . . I’d be fine.

The other thing I’ve been doing is praying through the Lord’s Prayer. Not just reciting it over and over, but spending some time on each point. After saying “Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name” I camp out there and just breathe that fact in for a while. I contemplate and tell Him just how awesome He is. The other day, when I got to “give us this day our daily bread”, I thought about how I have not for one single day ever lacked for physical bread. I have never lacked for any amount of food whatsoever. In fact, I have always had access to many times more than my share of “daily bread.” I have also eaten way more than my share of daily bread.

I didn’t realize this until I downloaded this app called “My Fitness Pal.” Upon entering all my information, I found out that I need 2,250 daily calories. I quickly found out, I was getting that amount way too often at single meals. I made some fairly difficult adjustments, and within a couple of weeks, I was on track and melting away.

Ezekiel said that he ate the scrolls . . . they were sweet and satisfying. I do not lack for spiritual bread either. I have Bibles galore. I have more than my share of books that honor Him. My spiritual pantry is loaded. Why don’t I gravitate toward them like I do the food in my kitchen cabinets? I am praying for an appetite swap! I want His Word to become ridiculously sweet to me. I want to devour it and just keep on eating. If I‘m honest, I’ve been giving Him a minimal amount of time lately. Yes, I was making it a point to pray and read a little of His Word every day, but it wasn’t tasting to me the same as it was to Ezekiel. I was spiritually eating just barely enough to keep me alive. Zeke and I were definitely not experiencing the same thing.

Lord, I pray for your power and wisdom. Help me begin a new habit and break an old one. Help me desire prayer and your Word more than I desire food, for such a desire can only come from You. Help me gravitate toward my Bible, prayer, and the things of You in the same way I gravitate towards my refrigerator and kitchen cabinets. Grant me the experience of Ezekiel in this verse I am contemplating. May your Word be the sweetest thing I’ve ever known. May everything else pale in comparison. Help me get to the place where I can’t get enough of your sweet, sweet presence.

There is none like you, Lord!

Later

Adam

Back to Work

“Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” She said, “Drink, my lord”; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.”” — Gen. 24:17-19

Abraham’s servant had just prayed for a woman who was willing to work to come forth as the bride for Isaac. When Rebekah came forth and was willing to water 10 camels, he was simply astounded. Here is a woman that could have just gotten by with offering him a drink of water. It would have taken her all of a couple of minutes to complete this task. Instead, she signs up for hours of work by offering to draw for his camels “until they have finished drinking.”

Had Rebekah not been willing to go above and beyond, we would not even know who she is. She would have been forgotten. As it stands, when the camels had finished drinking, he gave her “a nose ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.” (Genesis 24:22). To the best of my math abilities, this was right at about 4.2 ounces of gold. As of right now, gold is $1,290.99 per ounce. Rebekah unknowingly earned herself $5,422.16. Most importantly, she set herself up to be the wife of Abraham’s son, Isaac.

What does this have to do with us?

If we are a people who claim to follow Christ, shouldn’t we have this same attitude towards work? I mean, we seem to be a people who are just as lazy, if not lazier than the world. It’s like we expect God to bless us for doing absolutely nothing. When He does not bless our laziness, we complain. Americans, who still for the most part claim to be Christians, are quite possibly the biggest “give me something for doing absolutely nothing” group of people that exist. We, just like the world, take shortcuts and refuse to pursue excellence.

As the new work season approaches for teachers and students, let’s pray for an attitude like Rebekah. Let’s not let a single day pass where we do not put on an attitude of excellence. Let’s never complain that it is Monday while wishing for Friday . . . Life is short enough without wishing it away. Instead, go to work willing to go astoundingly above and beyond the call of duty. Why? Let’s do it for a few reasons:

1. People who are far from God are watching. When others ask you “Why are you like this?” You get to tell them that you are serving the Lord Jesus Christ. He is worthy of excellence! He gave His best . . . I’m simply giving Him my best.

2. It sets you up for blessing. Imagine you are a student. You learn to treat school like an 8:00 – 4:00 job. During those hours you set your mind to work relentlessly, going well above and beyond the minimum of what is required. By the time you graduate, you will have created a work ethic that is extremely desirable to colleges and future employers. Like Rebekah, you will be paid well. This stands in stark contrast to the attitude of the majority: “I’m here, I showed up . . . Pay me. Give me maximum reward for minimum effort. I know I never did homework, never paid attention in class, and rarely tried, but give me an A anyway or my mom will attempt to have you fired.” (Not that I’m bitter and actually had this happen to me or anything)

3. There is an eternal award that most Christians are forfeiting. I can’t say it any better than the Bible does: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

This Monday, the countdown is on.

If you are a teacher reading this, let’s give 190 days of flat out excellence. Let’s work, not for our Principal, but for the Lord Jesus Christ. Show the world the joy that comes only through Him.

If you are a student, for 180 days simply amaze your teacher with your effort. Make other students wonder what has happened to you. Make them ask “why are you trying so hard?“ It may just open the door for you to tell them about Jesus.

Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year!

Later

Adam

Do You Love Me?

I will go ahead and preface this writing by saying this: It is just crazy how some of these WMD’s come about.

Do you love me? — John 21:16

I used to love the rock band KISS back in the day. I did what just about every other aspiring guitar player in the world used to do . . . I pretended to be Ace Frehley, like daily. I recently ran across my dad’s old “Destroyer” album. I pretty much wore that thing out as a teenager. Of course, I was a whopping one year old when that album actually came out. Anyway, there is a song on there called “Do you love me?” The song basically says “you like all of my money, fame, places I can take you, and things I can do for you . . . But . . . Do you love me?” The writer is wrestling with a rich man’s problem: Does this person love me for who I am? Or is this person only hanging around

because of my money and my status?

After being a twelve year old for a few minutes, my mind drifted to Jesus when he said these words to Peter in John 21. Three times Jesus asked Peter “do you love me?” Why?

Well, Peter had given up his walk with Jesus. He picked the fishing nets back up and simply went back to his old life. Remember that Jesus had said to Peter “follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men.“ Peter gladly walked away from his current life. But here in John 21, he had quit. Peter had gone back to his old life. I wonder if Jesus felt like the writer of the KISS song. Peter loved seeing the miracles, loved hearing Jesus teach, loved seeing Jesus interact with people, and basically loved seeing Him be the Almighty Son of God. Peter loved everything that Jesus did for him. But, did Peter love Jesus? Or, did Peter simply love the things that Jesus could do for him?

That is the question He is asking me today.

That is the question He is asking you.

The truth is, I love what He has done for me. I wanted to be a rock-n-roll star . . . He made me a teacher and a preacher. I prayed that he would make my elementary school girlfriend my wife . . . He gave me Tonya when I was 24 (and actually had a job). I prayed that people

would want to listen to my wonderfully written songs and guitar solos . . . He made it so that people listen to me teach His Holy Word. I asked for money and fame . . . He gave me peace and contentment. In no way, and I mean in absolutely no way, has He ripped me off. All of these things required a period months or years where I laid down what I wanted while waiting patiently to receive what He wanted for me. This is never an easy thing to do. I may have felt ripped off in the short term, but in the long run, He has done nothing but make my life better. Following Him and His ways have benefited me.

But, do I love Him?

I’m wrestling with that question. I want to love Him with all of my heart. I want to serve Him with everything that I am. I want my life to point others to Him and honor Him in all of my ways. I want my heart to be pure. I want to want Him more than anything. I want do what He wants me to do and not do the things He doesn’t want me to do. I want to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him.

But, sometimes I don’t. I get it wrong more than I get it right. What does this mean?

I knew I wasn’t preaching this past Sunday. I tried and tried to come up with a Sermon for the next Sunday in which I would be preaching. I wanted God to go ahead and give it to me. He didn’t. He basically told me “I’ll give you the sermon when I want you to have it . . .

Never too soon, and never too late.” I realized right then and there, I was serving for the wrong reasons. I had spent a whole week wanting God to do something for me. I wanted Him to give me something. I focused on the Bible and I focused on preaching, but I missed out on the most important thing . . . Him. I never focused on Him.

The only reason I write this tonight is pretty simple. I stepped outside, looked up in the clear night sky at the beautiful stars and felt Him. No words. No effort. It was just a moment where I remembered how great and awesome and powerful He is. I remembered just how small and frail I am in comparison. I remembered just how awesome it is that He even takes a man like me into consideration.

One more time He wrapped His loving arms around me. I remembered what it was all about in the first place.

His love for me.

His love for you.

I do love You, Lord. There is none like You!

Later

Adam

Dead Faith

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? — James 2:14

James, the brother of Jesus, says that faith without works is dead. When I first read this years ago, I thought this meant that if I didn’t do the things I knew I was supposed to do as a Christian, I was not saved. The more I thought about how pitiful I was at “doing” Christianity, the more I would worry that there was no place for me in Heaven. This way of thinking led me to a life with no victory in Jesus. The accuser would constantly whisper in my ear that I did not truly belong to God. I would try to remember that Jesus loved me and gave His life for me, but I was never sure.

Now that I have been growing in the Lord for 23 or so years, I am beginning to understand what James was talking about. Notice the question: Can that kind of faith save anyone? Can other people look at me, knowing that I profess to be a Christian, and see by my actions that Christ is worth following? If not, my faith is dead. Let me explain.

As a young believer, I received the good news of the Gospel of Christ. I knew that God wanted me to do my best in school, honor my parents, not have sex outside of marriage, not cuss, and not drink alcohol or smoke. I don’t remember anyone actually telling me these things, I just knew in my heart and mind that my body was now a temple for the Holy Spirit and there were things you did and things you didn’t do.

Also as a young believer, I led nobody to Christ. Why? Because I repeatedly chose to behave the opposite of how I knew to behave. On the few instances it was revealed that I was a Christian, I remember the words “you don’t act like one.” The Gospel stopped dead in its tracks with me. I had faith, but no works. My non-believing friends knew that I used the same foul words they did, drank the same alcohol they did, talked about and made fun of others just like they did, cheated just like they did, and slept around with my girlfriends . . . just like they did. Why would they want to simply add Jesus and church attendance to a corrupt lifestyle? They wouldn’t. Therefore, my faith when unaccompanied by works, was dead.

Slowly but surely, I began to be more obedient to Christ. One of my first tests of faith was to tell the truth to my boss when everything in me wanted to lie about something stupid I did at work. God made it very clear to me that I was to tell the truth regardless of the consequences I would receive. I really thought I would be fired if I told the truth. Possibly for the first time, I chose to obey God and go against my natural tendencies. I did not get fired. More importantly, I learned that God could be trusted. Even better than that, my co-workers and my boss saw a little glimpse of true Christian behavior. They absolutely couldn’t believe that I told the truth.

To this day, the hardest and greatest thing I ever chose to do in obedience to God is break off a sexual relationship I was having with one of my girlfriends. I was constantly convicted. She would see me play songs in church, hear me talk about the Bible and my faith in God, and all the while we both knew that what we were doing was wrong. When we finally talked about it, she felt like her intellectual knowledge that Christ died on the cross was enough to save. I felt like we should be obedient to God and actually do what His Word said. I didn’t really want to break up, but we broke up. When I told my friends the truth about why we broke up, they were flat out astounded.

Now, I say all that to say this: God is not after your behavior. He is after your heart. If He truly wins your heart, He will eventually get your behavior. However, if you refuse to do what you know in your heart is right, your faith is without works and is dead. Why? Because if your Christianity doesn’t produce a light for others to see, what good is it? If non-believers do not see the contrast of your life in the light and their life in the dark, you are simply a person hiding your light under a basket. Take off the basket, let others see the light of God inside of you. Why would they want what you have if you don’t do any of what you say that you know to be true?

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. — Matthew 5:16

Later

Adam

Who Gets a Pass?
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. — Ecclesiastes 12:14

I love having good, objective, religious conversations. I’m talking conversations when people are being completely open and honest about what they believe. My favorite comes from talking with other believers about how God is working in their lives. I draw encouragement and strength as I hear the wonderful things God is doing in the hearts and lives of others. Unfortunately, a lot of Christians will only have religious conversations with other believers. It can be very difficult to engage someone who is anti-God in a religious conversation. I have had a few. I want to write today about something I have learned through these conversations.

The number one reason people oppose the God of the Bible deals with His goodness. They say “If God is so powerful, so loving, and so caring, why is there evil in the world?” In my minimal experience, the conversation always takes a turn down this road. It is a good question. Ponder that for a moment before reading on. If God is so powerful, why are there helpless six year old boys and girls being rented out to adults in the sex trafficking trade? I know that sounds like an awful thing to put in a WMD, but if you ever engage someone who hates the God you love in a conversation, this kind of question is coming. How would you answer such a question?

In wrestling with this, I came across Ecclesiastes 12:14. What if the person who calls the goodness of God into question could insert their name here for God? For Adam will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. The fact of the matter is, Adam doesn’t know what is inside a person’s heart . . . God does. Therefore, let’s pick this little verse apart.

1. For God will bring every deed into judgment . . . There is a future tense here. God will bring every deed into judgment. Upon breathing the last breath we will ever take, you and I have an appointment with God. Every deed will be examined. Whatever evil deed has been done by any person, that deed will be judged. Nobody gets away with anything.

2. Including every hidden thing . . . Is it possible that someone could read this devotional who has nothing hidden in their past that they are absolutely ashamed of? The truth is, I have things hidden that I hope stay hidden. I have done more than my share of evil things. I can only ask for the mercy and forgiveness of God, try to make things with those I’ve hurt as right as possible, and truly repent so I never go down that road again.

3. Whether it is good or evil . . . I don’t know the good things you have done in your past. I don’t know the evil things either. Honestly, I’m glad I’m not responsible for that kind of knowledge. God has it and knows what to do with it. If I did have it, I wouldn’t know what to do with it. I don’t know how to judge evil in light of eternity nor do I know how to reward goodness. God does.

Yes, evil exists in the world in varying degrees. Yes, evil deserves to be punished. But, consider this: If everyone dropped dead as soon as they did something evil, would you still be alive right now?

I wouldn’t.

Therefore, if we were going to eradicate all evil in the world right now, who gets a pass? Better yet, who gets to decide who gets a pass? Would you want that responsibility? Could you honestly give yourself a pass?

I couldn’t.

In light of all of this, I choose mercy at the cross. I choose to submit myself to the God who will make these judgments. You may be reading this and have an awful past, but through Christ, you can have an unbelievably bright future. He knows how to remove sin. He knows how to change hearts. He does this for anyone who submits themselves to Him and His ways. He has never and will never use force to make anyone submit to Him. I write today in hopes that someone who does not know Him will begin a new walk with Him.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. — Psalm 34:8

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. — Ecclesiastes 12:13

Later

Adam

Choosing to Love the Unlovable

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. — Luke 6:35

Some things in the Bible are hard to understand, especially as a beginning Christian. This scripture is one of them. In Luke 6, Jesus says we should do good to people who do not appreciate our goodness. We should actually show love to our enemies. We should loan to people we know won’t pay us back. We should just give our stuff to people when they ask for it and not demand it back when they don‘t return it. Jesus says even sinners do things for people they know they can trust. As His followers, we don’t get to be like everybody else. We are to purposefully show love to those we don’t even like.

This has to be the hardest thing in the world. Several years ago, a few of the teachers at my school discussed this from an educational perspective. We concluded that this tells us as teachers that we should give our best to the students that we wish we could kick right on out of our classes. Every teacher likes to teach the “good” kids. Jesus would say “even sinners love to teach the good kids.” However, we as followers of Jesus must treat the “bad” students the same as the good. In most cases this will require extra effort and time on our part. If you are like me, you say “why in the world would I want to do that when I know it won’t help?” Those kids won’t do the work. It won’t make a difference. They won’t pay attention. They won’t care. They won’t __________. Why should we do this when we know we probably won’t get anything in return?

Here are three reasons:

1. God just might intervene and use us as the tool that gets one or more of “those” kids back on track. We could be the ones that help them break free and do something with their lives. Maybe by the way we show that we care, we make them want to become good students and make something of themselves. Maybe they don’t recognize what we were doing until they are older and become parents. Maybe they choose to break the cycle of destruction in their own family line and their behavior stops with them and does not repeat for another generation. Maybe it is a future teacher down the road that reaps the reward of our work. If this happened with one out of a hundred kids, wouldn’t it be worth it?

2. We are the most like God when we do this. He gave His Son to die for us when we didn’t deserve it. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). He gave us His best expecting no immediate gratification. In light of that . . . How can we not do the same for others and show the world what He is like?

3. He will REWARD us! In Luke 6:35 it says if we do this “your reward will be great.” I don’t know what this means as far as being rewarded down here or in Heaven when we get there, but I don’t really care either way. If someone takes from me and I can just let it go, or if I give and don’t expect anything in return, whatever God chooses to reward me with will be MUCH better than just getting back whatever it was that was taken from me in the first place. His rewards are ten thousand times better than man‘s rewards.

I know this is tough stuff. Just don’t think that because I’m writing this that I have it all together and do this perfectly. The only thing I’ve become really good at is recognizing that I failed to do it after the fact. But sometimes, and I mean sometimes, I get this right and it opens the door to the ultimate conversation. Eventually, somebody always asks “Why are you like this?” My answer is always the same . . .

Because the living Lord Jesus Christ . . . is like this to me!

Later

Adam