Many

Can you count the grains of sand on those adorable baby feet? Could you count the grains of sand on a beach? On all the beaches? In all the deserts? On our entire planet?

No.

The first question—the baby’s feet—would be more than most of us would have patience for. And, frankly, why would you even bother? Those chubby footsies help us make the point that there is a lot of sand on Earth. Scientists estimate that 65 million square miles of our planet is covered by sand—and that’s just surface area. 

The word “many” in the following scripture might make you think of sand.

“And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.”

— Romans 5:16, ESV

The “free gift” mentioned is eternal salvation. By grace you are saved through faith. God offers the free gift of salvation to all who confess their faith in His son, Jesus Christ, as their Lord and Savior.

People need God’s free gift because of our “many trespasses"—The Understatement of the Ages. Trespasses is another way to say “sins.” This scripture is contrasting God's one free gift with all human sin of all time. Humans beings are sin machines. We can not help but to break God’s law. We naturally do things our own way. Seven billion people inhabit our planet now. An estimated 108,000,000,0000— one hundred and eight billion!—have called Earth home throughout its existence.

The understated "many” doesn’t come close when counting all those sins. The actual number of all human sins of all times might be better described as countless or innumerable.

Yet no matter how many people, no matter how many sins, God offers salvation to ALL who ask.

How many times will we be awed by His free gift?

How many times will we be humbled by His infinite grace?

If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior or would like to know more, then click here or contact me. And please share this post, comment, and subscribe.

Overcoming Isolation

Isn’t it crazy. With all our devices—smart phones & plain old phones, iPads & computers—and all our means to stay connected—calling, texting, emailing, writing, Skype, FaceTime, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, Pintrest—that we can still be so lonely. So isolated. Isn’t it crazy.

We are lonely people. We live within proximity but without presence. We have relationships without personal contact. We exercise familiarity without true feelings. 

Due to fear. Or busyness. Or pride. Or selfishness. Or pain. Or past. Or depression. Or psychosis. We live alone in a world of people. We live not truly knowing or being known.

We are naturally self-centered and tend to view the world through the filter of our own lives. But we were not designed to be isolated. God created us for relationship. With him and with others. God calls us to live for him and for others.

1 Peter 3:8-12 shows us how to overcome isolation. 

Be selfless—verse 8 says, “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” What characteristics of selflessness are listed here? Exercising them will break isolation as you do good to others. 

Be forgiving—verse 9 states, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” Unforgiveness leads to bitterness, anger, enmity, and hatred. Forgiveness restores unity and breaks isolation. 

Be self-controlled—verse 10 quotes, “For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.’” How do you  control your speech? You might be able to control it sometimes by yourself, but God can change your heart and your speech will follow.

Be peace-making—verse 11 instructs, “They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.” Where does true peace comes from? Peace overcomes isolation; it reconnects you with God and people. 

Be righteous—verse 12 reminds, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Where does my righteousness come from? Righteousness restores unity. It overcomes isolation.

If you are wondering how you become any of the five "be" statements above, then seek God first. Break your isolation from him. Through his love, by the Holy Spirit, he will work this character qualities within you.

Then put down your electronic device. Step away. Go look someone in the eye. And have a real conversation.

Weight Limit

"It doesn't take a theological degree to win someone for Christ. It takes love willing to build a bridge sufficient to bear the weight of the Gospel." - Clarence Gillett

A retired missionary and current friendship partner sharing the love of Jesus Christ with international students, Clarence knows what he is talking about. If you took a snapshot of Clarence, he'd look like your average American fella. But to meet him, observe him, and hear him speak you'd perceive much more.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience," states Colossians 3:12.

Had Clarence memorized that verse? Had he decided to make it the hallmark of his life? Or had he walked so closely with Jesus that the character of our Lord just shown through?

Clarence lives his words. Walks the talk. Living as a loving Christ follower. Sharing that love by his actions from his character.

Colossians 3 continues its challenge in verses 13-14, "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Clarence made me think.

He should make you think, Christ follower.

Am I sharing the good news of new life in Jesus?

Am I loving others like Jesus as I share?

Are compassion and kindness traits I am known for?

Would my friends call me humble and gentle?

Am I patient?

Does my family know me as forbearing and forgiving?

And what about love. 

Do I love like Jesus?

Freely. Passionately. Winsomely.

It takes God-powered, other-centered love to build a bridge that will bear the weight of the Gospel.

The bridges I build will be limited by love I give.

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Come, Thou Fount

My spirit was stirred as when an angel touches a pool in singing “Come,Thou Fount of Evening Blessing” with those gathered in revival meeting last night.

A London hoodlum, 17 years old and full of self, went to hear Evangelist George Whitefield preach in 1752. He later recorded that he went with the purpose “of scoffing at those poor, deluded” Christians. Yet, in the power of the Holy Spirit, drawn by the irresistible grace of a loving, heavenly Father the hood was converted instead.

Robert Robinson, who had led a life of debauchery and crime, came to eternal, saving faith in Christ. His life was never the same. Soon he was called to preach and eventually to pastor. He penned what would become his most famous work, Come, Thou Fount, at 22 in 1757.

As you read his five, original verses that follow, will you let the cleansing, powerful fountain of God wash you anew. Or wash you for the first time.

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it,

Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,

Till released from flesh and sin,

Yet from what I do inherit,

Here Thy praises I'll begin;

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Here by Thy great help I’ve come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood;

How His kindness yet pursues me

Mortal tongue can never tell,

Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me

I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,

I shall see Thy lovely face;

Clothed then in blood washed linen

How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;

Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,

Take my ransomed soul away;

Send thine angels now to carry

Me to realms of endless day.

There is power in the imagery of a fountain, pure and clean, springing from rock and giving life to it's surroundings as with Refugio dos Falcoes, Brazil above.

There is greater power in God as the Holy Spirit can change any live. Confess your sins, friends, as He is faithful and just to forgive all sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What you’ve done. What’s been done to you.

All the wickedness. All the guilt. All the pain. Can be washed away. In the fount of every blessing.

Spacewalk

U.S. Astronauts began a risky spacewalk about two hours ago to repair & upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope.  Among their maneuvers will be a camera upgrade. The old one allowed us never before seen views of space & will end up in the Smithsonian. The new one will look deeper into space & is the size of a baby grand piano.

The little boy inside me spoke up, "Wow! Wouldn't that be a cool thing to be doing this morning! Walking in space. Floating around. Seeing Earth like a glowing ball. Awesome!"

The grown man inside spoke next, "That took years of dedication & training to get there.  And even though those guys are weightless they are in those heavy, cumbersome suits.  And for each one guy out there working he actions are directed by countless many."  You've seen the space movies, right?  How many people watch monitors & give instructions & updates down here while a handful are up there?

The Christ-follower inside had the last word, "I can be weighed down & encumbered by the sins of this world, yet freed to weightless dependence as I confess to my Savior.  I am part of the Body of Christ, the church, & although we are many we seek our direction from only One, our Lord Jesus."  What needs confession today?  How is he directing me to follow?

Following Jesus.  A lifewalk.