Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Third Gift of Easter - Life

"Because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:10-11

Easter is the promise of life.  And not just this short life, here on earth.  No, God had already given us that gift long before Jesus arrived on the scene.  Jesus' death, and resurrection, give us the ultimate gift - eternal life.  When you think about it, this gift is so the opposite of what we deserve, eternal death. 

The Psalmist knows God's promise:  that He will not abandon us, that we will be with Him forever.  It's a heart-filling promise to know that no matter what kind of death we may see, we will not stay forever in the grave.  We will have life - eternal life! - as soon as this life ends.

Jesus talked so much about life in the book of John.  Look at the two following passages from John 3:16-17 and John 10:9-10:  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." And then, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The promise, the gift, the story of Easter is about this - life!  Abundant, eternal, full - life!  Life here, and forever!  Life complete, and absolute! 

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Second Gift of Easter - Hope

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7

"In his name the nations will put their hope."  Matthew 12:21

Hope is another one of those words.  A word we use a lot, even stand upon, but what does it really mean?  As always, let's go back to the dictionary.  Dictionary.com uses the following as one definition:  "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best."  I think even better are the synonyms listed:  longing, expectancy.

Look at the verses above and substitute longing and expectancy.  "I long for the Lord."  "The nations will put their expectancy."   

Hope is belief that what we want is what we can expect.  For instance, we hope to see God when we die.  But hope is not a useless, pipe dream.  It is an expectation.  As Christians, we expect to see Him one day.

Christ's death and resurrection on Easter brought us the fulfillment of the gift of hope.  Because of His promise of everlasting life, we have hope that this life is not the end.  We have the gift of expectation!  We shouldn't go through life, living with some vague, truly hope-less hope of eternity.  We can life expecting that we have an even greater purpose after this life ends!! 

The apostle Paul based everything on this hope.  As he stood trial in the book of Acts, he said, "And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? (Acts 26:6-8).

The promise of resurrection is hope fulfilled.  It is longing to see loved ones, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, friends . . . oh, to see them again!  It is expecting to spend eternity with God - without sin, without impurity, without tears.

Don't live this special Easter week without expectation of God's promise fulfilled.  Believe that what He said is true, that what He did is real, and that what He wants--is you.

Monday, March 29, 2010

The First Gift of Easter - Salvation

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."  Zechariah 9:9

This is one of my favorite verses.  I just used it last week!  But this week I want to focus on Easter, and focus on how what God foretold in the Old Testament, He accomplished in the New Testament.  So we are going to be looking at scriptures from both areas of the Bible.

Salvation is a word that is difficult to define.  We say, "I got saved" . . . what exactly does that mean?  Dictionary.com tells us that the theological definition is "deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption."  But come on now, what does it really mean - to you?

The "story" of Easter, in my opinion, is not the promise of salvation.  It's the deliverance of salvation!  It should be the final chapter in God's love story to His people.  Yet because of His great love for us, He keeps writing and writing . . . His love story, His great romance, is written on our hearts, day after day.

Isn't that what salvation is?  Love, fulfilled?  Love, delivered?  Love, proclaimed?  Or perhaps a better phrase is Love, accepted!

John chapter 12 tells the fulfillment of this prophecy:   "The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.  They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Blessed is the King of Israel!' Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,  'Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt.'"  (verses 12-15)
 
Can you imagine that day?  Can you imagine being right there in front of Him, seeing prophecy fulfilled, loving Him, worshiping Him,  enjoying Him?  The good news - the great news - is this:  one day we won't have to imagine anymore!
 
This Easter week, take some time and think about the moment of your acceptance of salvation.  The moment that you accepted God's love into your heart and life.  Let's thank him for it, with real, eternal gratitude.  

Friday, March 26, 2010

Keep Cool, Boy

(I could not get to a computer yesterday; sorry to interrupt the flow!  Back to it today!)

"God's servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey."  2 Timothy 2:24, the Message

If you have ever been uncomfortable around a believer who is constantly a pot-stirrer, you have good reason to feel that way.  The Bible is clear that while we should not shrink away from an important fight (spiritual warfare is all around us!!) neither should we boil for the boiling's sake! 

I'm not talking about natural reactions to life's unfairness or uncertainty.  I'm not talking about consequential hurt feelings from another's attack.  I'm talking about people that cannot have a conversation without getting upset.  Can't drive without getting angry, can't have a day at work without gossip and problems . . . can't have a Sunday worship without getting upset.

We're called to be different than that, set apart.  I'm not making this stuff up, folks!  Leviticus 20:26 says, "You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."  In Jeremiah 1:5 He says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart."

God's Word is not something to disobey, ignore, or distort.  It's time to get serious about what He tells us to do!  First of all, we should be gentle, calm and cool simply because He said so.  Period.  That's it.  But secondly, we are given the perfect example of this character trait in Christ Himself.  We are told of His coming gentleness in the Old Testament:  "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zechariah 1:9)  And Jesus describes Himself that way too:  "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  (Matthew 11:29)

If you don't know the movie, West Side Story, the following may not resonate.  (Sidebar - Rent it!  See it!  Know it!)  There's a song in the musical called "Cool" where one of the gang leaders, Riff, is cautioning a buddy to calm.  The lyrics go like this:

Boy, boy, crazy boy,
Get cool, boy!
Got a rocket in your pocket,
Keep coolly cool, boy!
Don't get hot,
'Cause man, you got
Some high times ahead.
Take it slow and Daddy-O,
You can live it up and die in bed!

Boy, boy, crazy boy!
Stay loose, boy!
Breeze it, buzz it, easy does it.
Turn off the juice, boy!
Go man, go,
But not like a yo-yo schoolboy.
Just play it cool, boy,
Real cool! 


So stay cool.  Keep calm and carry on.  I'm not saying that losing your temper now and again is an eternal issue for you.  But what if it is for someone else?  What if your lost cool is someone's lost soul?

Something to think about.  More next week.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Sleep

"Oh, thank God—he's so good! His love never runs out.  All of you set free by God, tell the world! Tell how he freed you from oppression, Then rounded you up from all over the place, from the four winds, from the seven seas. Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live, Half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion. Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God. He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great draughts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat."  Psalm 107:1-9, The Message

I am exhausted.  I'm out of town, haven't slept the whole time we've been gone, and I'm just at the end of my rope.  It's hard to have fun and enjoy the time with your family when you're tired.  Everyone wonders why I'm so grouchy . . . but I haven't been able to sleep!

So I feel desperate this morning, and find myself calling out to God for sustainance.  I'm grateful that He's never tired, that his attitude towards me isn't based on his level of exhaustion.  I'm glad my performance has no impact on his outlook. 

But there are times I need real, practical help from Him.  Help that isn't spiritual, emotional, or mental - I just need sleep!  And if you've ever struggled with this, you know that the more tired you are, the harder it is to sleep (why is that?).  If I'm rambling today, hopefully you know why!

When you're tired, you don't think straight.  You're anxious, jittery.  Unable to follow through.  You're "nice" gene is hidden under your "GRRR!" gene.  You're prone to repeat yourself.  You ache, everything hurts, and you're prone to repeat yourself.  ;0)

But through all this, God sustains.  First, God calls on us to get rest in the first place, just like Jesus did.  "The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'  So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place." 

Then, He gives us the rest we need.  Even if we are struggling with physical exhaustion, He quietly comes, making our hearts content, filling us with peace, soothing away the anxiety that comes with the package. 

So if you are thoroughly used up today, needing rest and renewal, just come to Him.  He can give you the rest you need. 

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

When Sadness Is Your Companion

"I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.  My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes."  Psalme 6:6-7

I'm familiar with sadness.  I've lived with it before, as my constant companion.  I've struggled with an almost child-like desire to be happy because my friend was happy, to out-do the "up" factor of those around me.

But there are times when . . . I'm just sad.  I've spent years praying that God would alleviate this -- problem.  Because that's what it is, right?  Sadness, depression, despair - they are all bad things.  God should deliver me from bad things.

What a selfish attitude I've had.  How is it that I deserve a princess life, with flowers and singing birds, and never deserve down times?  How is it that I have decided that my life wasn't meant for sadness?

This weekend my family and I have been seeing a lot of monuments and museums.  And do you know what I realized?  No one ever created a monument based on happiness.  There's no museum that was born out of good times.  Heroes aren't born, they are built.  And as for me?  My strengths have been hewn on the moments I have overcome, not on the moments that came easily.  My joys are made complete by the knowledge that they don't come lightly.  My lifetime is building on a pattern of highs and lows, joys and sorrows, ups and downs. 

It's when I'm weak . . . that He's strong.  It's when I'm sad . . . that His joy sustains me.  It's when I'm lonely . . . that He is my closest friend.  It's always when things seem "bad" that His goodness shines through.  Look at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.  Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, and why?  Because theirs is the kingdom of heaven (verse 3).  Ummm . . . I'll take that!!

Don't let yourself fall into the devil's trap that if you struggle, if you're sad or down, that you are a spiritual failure.  In reality, you are in the perfect position to allow God's love, life and joy to shine through you!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Kind of Healthcare We Really Need

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases."  Psalm 103:2-3

I'm sitting here listening to the debate in Congress on the healthcare bill.  Grrrr . . . I really cannot even comment on that.  But this debate over the preceding months has really made me think about the role of healthcare in our lives.  Not just physical health, but emotional, spiritual and mental health, also. 

In our lives we need the ultimate Doctor - the Great Physician.  No health care bill, no government regulation, no medical practitioner can come close to providing the kind of healing we truly need. 

There's only one Doctor with real x-rays, vision that sees clear down beyond bone and mass to the true heart of the person.  This Doctor doesn't need tests, a prescription pad, or medicines.  He doesn't need to figure out the problem.  He knows the problem.  And He has the answer.

God knows it all, you know?  I mean, I know that you know, I know that I know . . . but do you really know?  When you are at the doctor, awaiting a diagnosis with sweaty palms and a worried heart . . . He already knows.   When your marriage is rocky, and you don't know what to say or which way to turn . . . He already has a plan.  When your future seems uncertain, and your path seems rocky . . . He has already created the way. 

Knowing this about Him, why would we ever want to trust anyone else?  I've been blessed with a great doctor, and a great surgeon that I have had to use over the last couple of years.  I trust them.  They have proven themselves to be true to me.  But I trust God so much more!  He has proven Himself to be faithful and true time after time. 

Those aren't just adjectives.  "Faithful" and "True" are actually His names, did you know that?    In Revelation 19:11, it says "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True."  That rider is Jesus!  And what a joy to know that the words used to describe Him, describe Him so completely that they are His names!  That's awesome!

If we trust our health to our doctors, even our legislators - is there any reason to not trust God?  He alone heals completely, sustainably, and eternally.  He heals the true hurts - not just putting bandaids on mortal wounds.  He is the one who said, "As for you, I'll come with healing, curing the incurable, because they all gave up on you and dismissed you as hopeless . . . I'll turn things around for Jacob, I'll compassionately come in and rebuild homes.  The town will be rebuilt on its old foundations, the mansions will be splendid again.  Thanksgivings will pour out of the windows, laughter will spill through the doors.  Things will get better and better.  Depression days are over."  Jeremiah 30:17-20, the Message

He can do it.  Will you trust Him?

Friday, March 19, 2010

The Heart of the Matter

 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
       and by his wounds we are healed.
 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
       each of us has turned to his own way;
       and the LORD has laid on him
       the iniquity of us all.
 7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
       yet he did not open his mouth;
       he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
       and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
       so he did not open his mouth.
                                                        Isaiah 53:5-7

These verses bring us to the heart of the Christian faith.  It is one of the echoes you hear over and over again throughout the Bible.  This passage tells us the key to salvation.  We all have sinned.  Not one of us is better than the next one of us.  We're all flawed.  We don't deserve salvation.  But Christ gave it to us anyway.  His punishment is our peace.  His wounds are our healing.

I don't understand it.  I don't understand why He had to die for me.  I don't understand why it took so long for me to come to Him.  I don't understand why at times I still struggle with His love for me.  I don't understand how Romans 3:23-24 can be true:  "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."  I just know that it is true. 

My mind is too feeble to understand everything about God.  I don't understand eternity, I don't understand creation, I don't understand so many things.  The more I know about Him, the more I am filled with wonder.  The more I know about Him, the more I know about me.  The more I know about Him, the more I want to know.  My mind can never be too filled with God.

There's a song by Don Henley called, "The Heart of the Matter."  It's really a woe is me, she left me kind of song.  But part of the chorus goes like this:

"The more I know, the less I understand.
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again.
I've been trying to get down to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness."

The heart of the matter of salvation is this:  Though we have gone astray, He purchased our freedom and offers it to us freely.  And it's really as simple as that.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Coming Home

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because' "  Luke 15:13-16, 20, 31-32    

We have just read one of the most famous stories of the Bible.  There are so many levels on which to read this!  Today we're going to focus - as we did yesterday - on the wanderer coming home.

In this story, the son already knows his father.  (Of course!)  It's not like he wandered away unwittingly, not knowing what he was getting himself into, or leaving behind.  In the stories from yesterday, a sheep had roamed, and a coin had disappeared.  Not exactly willing acts!

But this story is different.  This son knew.  He knew his father, and his home, and his family.  He knew what he was leaving behind, but the bright lights of the big city (such an embellishment on my part!) were calling his name.  Too late, after he had spent everything he had, he realized just what he had sacrificed for a few days of good times.

Can you imagine the shame he must have felt coming home?  Maybe he dreaded walking up the road to his old home.  Perhaps his feet dragged as he approached, his mind racing, wondering, how will I knock on that door?

Do you know how that feels?  You've messed up -- in a big way this time.  You can't possibly imagine forgiveness, or reconciliation, let alone celebration. 

And yet . . . it happens.  I don't know why or how God can love us so much.  The only way I can explain it is because He IS love.  I'm just so thankful that He DOES love!

As the father in the parable describes it, "this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."  It's time to party!  If God Himself tells a story like that, how much more will He celebrate the reality of the lost being found?

There's a song by Bill & Gloria Gaither called "Welcome Back Home."  It's about this parable.  Of course, I can't find the lyrics anywhere, but my fabulous brother knows ALL music and I'm sure he'll email them to me.  And then I'll post them.  For now just know that when the lost is found, heaven parties!  And I imagine that Jesus is the loudest one, hooping and hollering and shouting "hallelujah!  My brother's coming home!"

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Wanderer

Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." 
Luke 15:3-7

Do you ever doubt how much God looks for you?  If you've been reading this blog for very long, you know how much my heart longs for you to know just how much He loves you!  No matter how far away you might wander, no matter what rocks or hills He has to climb to find you, He'll do it - and rejoice when you come home with Him!

Have you been a wanderer in your life?  A lot of us have.  It's hard for some to feel settled, to feel at peace, to be willing to put down roots, whether it's physically, emotionally and spiritually.  Maybe you've roamed because you've been rebellious.  Perhaps you simply have no idea how to stay put.

This can really be a tough area to understand!  I'm not anxious to get into the emotional and psychological reasons for drifting in life.  I just want you to know that if you are a wanderer, God knows where you are.  He has always known, and He is waiting for you to be ready to let Him find you.

Let's look at the next section of this scripture passage:   "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."   (verses 8-10)

There are three common themes here:  First, something important is lost.  Second, the lost is found.  And finally, there is rejoicing.  Do you understand that when YOU were saved, the angels rejoiced over you?  Isn't that amazing?

If you haven't been found, it's not too late!  God longs to fellowship with you.  He longs for you to be found.  Even though He has always known where you have been, the moment when you find Him - your "found" moment - is one He is waiting for!

And when you are found - oh!!  The celebration!  The great joy!  Imagine what heaven is like, each time a soul is saved.  I can't wait to see it!

Tomorrow we are going to look at the next section of this scripture, the story of the prodigal son.  See you tomorrow!

Monday, March 15, 2010

How Will I Know Him

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."  John 10:1-5

Often we are faced with choices that are difficult to make.  It's funny, what creates the problems in life are generally not the "good verses evil" choices but the "so-so verses ehhh" choices.  As Christians, we often say, "I just want to do God's will for my life . . . but how do I know what He wants me to do?"

This scripture passage answers that question plainly.  We will know what to do because we will hear his voice.  It will be very plain and clear.  You might be feeling a bit frustrated reading this, because you might be struggling to hear his voice.  That's a very common issue for believers, but I have the answer.

There are three steps to recognizing the Shepherds voice.  The first step is to know Him, and know Him well.  The second step is to wait for Him.  And third step is to welcome His answer. 

If you don't recognize His voice . . . you don't know Him well enough.  Plain and simple.  Black and white.  The only way to know His voice is to know HIM.  And there's no easy way around this.  If you can't distinguish His voice from all the other voices around you, then you are struggling to know Him completely.

How do we know Him completely?  We know Him by studying Him, not just reading a few verses several times a week.  Think about when you have fallen in love, and have worked to get to know that person better.  You study him, don't you?  You work to learn his favorite foods, her likes and dislikes, his favorite color, favorite team, etc.  That takes work and purpose!

Yet we act as if we don't need to work to be a Christian.  It IS work - hard work!  It takes discipline, practice, and focus.  Those attributes lead to growth - growth doesn't just happen!  So we study Him, get to know Him better, so that when He does speak, we will be able to distinguish His voice from the noises around us.

The second step is to wait for Him.  Sometimes, when we pray and ask for direction, God doesn't seem to answer right away, so we head out on our own.  We forget that He is always working around us, and He is getting things prepared for us.  The circumstances might not yet be right, so we must be patient and wait upon God. 

There is a saying, a proverb that we have all said (including me), but now I just hate it:  "Whenever God closes a door, He opens a window."  Not true!!  Sometimes God closes the door, locks it, nails it shut, and tells you to stay there and wait!  How do I know?  Isaiah 40:31:  "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  We get to WAIT for Him.  We GET to wait for Him.  It's a privilege, not a punishment.

We need to change the way we view waiting for God.  Just because He is not speaking to you now doesn't mean that He is never going to speak.  Don't be so impatient for His voice that you miss it completely.

Finally, we need to welcome His answer.  There are times that we are not going to like the direction God is going to give us.  (He knows that, by the way.)  So we can ignore the voice that we hear, telling ourselves it's not God, that's not what I want to do!!  But it IS Him! 

Our pastor this morning spoke of a ten day fast he did in college.  He was praying about three specific things - a girlfriend, a job, and singing opportunity.  At the end of the ten day fast, he hadn't heard answers from God at all.  He was frustrated!  But on the 11th day, he clearly heard from God - and received not one of the things he wanted!  However, it wasn't too long before he could look back and see how God was creating good things for him, and if he would have gotten what he thought he wanted, he would have been miserable.

You know, sometimes we just need to suck it up and let God be God!  We need to quit whining and worrying about what we want, and be totally sold out to His will, His desires, His ways.  Those are the only things that are going to get us anywhere, anyway! 

Jesus' story about the sheep hearing his voice reminds me of Lady Wisdom in the book of Proverbs.  In chapter 1, verses 20-21, it says:  "Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;  at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech."

The voice of wisdom - God's voice - is calling to us all the time.  It takes practice to hear Him.  Are you willing to do what it takes to let Him be your shepherd?

Friday, March 12, 2010

Hey Jude . . . the end

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."  Jude, verses 20-23

I love the way Jude concludes his letter.  He's been kind of a downer so far, hasn't he?  He's a thinker, kind of deep, and he has a passion for the church.  He's maybe even a worry wart - warning, pleading with the church to be on guard, to be careful. 

Jude isn't the only New Testament author with this warning.  His letter is identical to 2 Peter chapter 2 - in some cases nearly word for word!  (No, no, it's not plagiarism.  Scholars assume that one of them used the other's text as reference.  It's not clear to me which book was written first.) 

Jesus also spoke caution, warning of the devil's influence and infiltration in John 10:  "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (verse 10).  So we know how important it is that we - the church - be careful and alert.

How do we recognize false teachers?  The best way to know falseness is to know truth.  And our truth comes from the word of God.  The first step, therefore,  is to accept that the Bible is truth.  You really can't go any further until you accept this as fact.  The next step, logically, is to study the Bible.   Seek out truth for yourself.  Don't settle for someone else's interpretation of truth - you must know it yourself to live it.  (That's not to say that we don't need the explaining and teaching of those who are called by God to preach His message.  We do!  I'm just saying don't stop there.  Listen, and then follow up and read for yourself.)  And then you will be able to distinguish if that interpretation as false. 

I remember having a class on religious studies in college.  I knew that it was an examination of all religions of the world, and so I went in expecting it to be theologically diverse.  But I was excited on the first day to learn that the teacher was also a Methodist pastor.  I couldn't wait to hear what he said.  Imagine my immense surprise when this minister said that although he believed most of the Bible was true, he just couldn't believe the fact of the virgin birth.  (!!!!  I could go on and on and on . . . !!!!) 

I wondered, how did he get to decide that some parts of the Bible were true and some weren't?  Would he feel the same way if a murderer decried punishment because he or she had decided that the "Don't murder" commandment was wrong?  Geesh. 

I'm digressing.  The third step is to thoughtfully and prayerfully probe a teacher's heart.  Jesus said in Matthew 12:33, "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit."  There is no way we have the ability to inspect the fruit of teachers, preachers and religions if we do not know how to inspect their fruit.  And that again take us back to knowing the word, and studying its truth.  Again in Matthew, this time in chapter 7, Jesus warns us in verses 15-16:  "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?"   

A teacher whose heart pours out gossip, slander, lies, attitudes -- those are thorns.  You don't pick yummy, juicy, sweet tasting grapes from a thorn bush.  You get thorns from a thorn bush.  So any teacher who, upon inspection, does not posses Christ-like attributes should be a concern!  We all have weaknesses, but a Christian is consistently allowing God to perfect those weaknesses.

The final step is to continually put God first, never a teacher, preacher, or pastor.  As Jude says in the verses below, only God is our savior.  He alone deserves glory, majesty, and power.  He alone is the authority.  Anyone who tries to lead you to putting their teaching before God's is a danger.  Pray for them, try to confront them and lead them back to their first love, but if they do not accept your gentle reproaches - stay away from them.  

Look, again, there's nothing to be afraid of if God is on your side.  Look at these last two verses:    "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen".

When we focus on God, not man, we are not led astray by false teachers - HE keeps us from falling.  Can I get an amen??  I know you can do it!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Hey Jude - Day Four

"These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever."  Jude, verses 12-13

The first part of Jude, as you can tell, is way dark and distressing.  It's a warning to the church to be on the look out for the "wolf in sheep's clothing."  In fact, false teachers had infiltrated the church.  Jude was zealous in his communication with the church to be careful.  You can hear the pleading in his voice, the burden in his writing as he warns his brothers and sisters of his concern.

A commentary on Jude says this: "Through his blistering condemnation of the false teachers in his letter shines Jude's love and pastoral concern for his fellow Christians' faith and salvation. He was concerned that they be preserved from falling prey to the licentious teachings in their midst, and that those who had fallen for it be delivered from it. He called on his fellow Christians to contend for the faith entrusted to them. He built them up for the battle they were to wage against the false teachers by holding before them the love of God who would keep them in Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation."

How should we handle those in the church who seek to tear apart the church, the very body they claim to be apart of?  This kind of tempestuousness is not only found in the church building; but it's found in friendships, workplace environments, and family relationships.  It seems there is always someone ready to tear you apart, eager to bring you down from the mountain.

While it's true that sometimes this person is not a believer, I'm amazed at how often they are!  So how do we combat these joy-robbers, soul-stealers, peace-pirates?  Remember at the beginning of this book, Jude urges the reader to defend his faith.  And as simple as this sounds (so often the simple truth is the wisest), it is through the basics of Christianity that we defend ourselves.  We pray.  We read our Bibles.  We worship.  We love.  We make sure our hearts can withstand this attack.  

But then . . . we move on.  The Bible is clear that we are to remove this kind of person from our fellowship - in other words, quit socializing with them.  Don't give this person a pathway into your heart.  Someone who knows the truth of salvation is perverting God's grace when they seek to destroy other Christians.  We all know the kind of Christian I'm talking about - the gossiper.  The liar.  The pot-stirrer.  

The Message puts verse 12 like this:  "These people are warts on your love feasts as you worship and eat together."  he he he Warts on your love feasts.  I love it!  I can picture that, can't you?  Take a look around your life.  Is there someone who is picking you apart, trying to bring you down, stealing your joy?  It's your job to stop it!  The Body of Christ is meant to build, not to destroy.  Romans 14:19 says, "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." (NKJV)

Be on guard for warts.  And make sure you aren't a wart for someone else!  

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Hey Jude - Day Two

[Once again, having major troubles with pre-planned posts.  This post was supposed to be Tuesday's . . . somehow Wednesday's posted first.  Perhaps I'll get it all figured out soon!!  One can always hope . . .]

"I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish."  Jude, verse 3, The Message

Today, we move from talking about mercy, peace and love - to fighting!  How is it that Jude can slip so easily and quickly between this spectrum of emotion?  Jude realized that while God offers us the good stuff (mercy, peace, love, etc.) the enemy is fighting hard!  And we have a responsibility - a call, if you will - to fight back!

One of my former pastors, Ron Gilbert, preached a sermon calling Christians to stop being on the defensive, and start working on the offensive.  I distinctly remember him saying that we need to be "storming the gates of hell" instead of waiting for the enemy's next attack.

How do we fight for the faith entrusted us?  God clearly gives us direction on this.  We are to have spiritual weapons of warfare, as Paul tells us in Ephesians:  "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

Think of these weapons.  Truth.  Righteousness.  Readiness.  Faith.  Salvation.  The Spirit.  Prayer.  Paul so expertly equates these spiritual weapons with offensive and defensive weapons that soldiers would have been seen wearing at that time.  Yet, the concept is timeless.  Let's quickly look at these weapons, one by one.

The devil is a liar.  So we fight with truth.  He is the master of sin.  So we fight with righteousness.  Satan breeds rebellion.  So we fight with readiness.  He is the author of disbelief.  So we fight with faith.  Satan endangers eternity.  So we fight with salvation.  He uses destruction to create chaos.  So we fight with the peace of the Holy Spirit.  Satan denies relationships.  So we fight with prayer

Folks, it's really that simple.  Are you tired of being under attack?  Do you feel like you are constantly besieged by problems?  Is spiritual exhaustion your constant companion?  Then get on your feet!!  Get up!  Fight!  Stop being a lazy Christian, and recognize that our faith is a gift, and a gift worth fighting for.  And let's call it what it is - if you are not using the weapons listed above, of course you will be under attack!!  The forces of evil attack where there is weakness, just like any other army would.

The book of Jude always has me singing the Beatles song, "Hey Jude."  I was looking at the lyrics today and was amazed at how easily some of the words transfer to our topic.  So I have substituted the word "it" - as in, faith - for the word "her:"

Hey jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let <it> into your heart
Then you can start to make it better.

Hey jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get <it>
The minute you let <it> under your skin
Then you begin to make it better.

You got problems?  So does everyone else in life.  Stop lying down and letting your faith be attacked.  Stand up!  Make it better!  Use the weapons God gave you to defend your faith!

And remember . . . keep blazing!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Hey Jude - Day Three

"Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire."  Jude, verses 5-7

My Sunday School class is studying hell right now.  It is not fun.  I can't stress enough, it is not fun!!!  I do not enjoy it in any way.  However, it's only scary for an individual if that individual thinks they may be going there.  In other words, believers can study hell, know that it is a terrible and awful thing, but not be afraid.  Because believers know that hell is not their future.

The same goes for the verses we are studying today.  There will ultimately be a reward for our choices on earth.  Did we choose God, or not?  Black and white.  And before someone starts whining about a vengeful God, look at these three examples, above.  God FIRST delivered the Hebrews out of Egypt (Exodus 14 & 15).  The angels were in God's home FIRST before they decided to rebel (Isaiah 14:12-15).  God was willing to save Sodom and Gomorrah FIRST before destruction if just ten righteous people could be found (Genesis 18). 

God is always calling us to Him.  Begging, pleading with us to come to Him.  How many times must we hear his plea before we submit to Him?  The entire Bible is filled with His calling.  But one day we won't hear those calls anymore.

This is a downer post today, huh?  ;0)  I know, we all want to hear the good stuff, the love stuff, the fun stuff.  But we need - I need - to make sure that we all know the consequences for not accept the good stuff, the love stuff, the fun stuff.

If these verses make you sick to your stomach, or if you first tendency is to stop reading because of the content, or if you are saying crass things about me about being preachy - try to pray.  If you can't pray right now . . . email me.  I'll pray for you.  There's nothing to be afraid of . . . if you are His.  Absolutely nothing!!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Hey Jude

"Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:  Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance."  Jude, verses 1 & 2

I love this little book.  It is short, simple, and to the point.  Let's begin at the beginning.  First, after Jude identifies himself (by the way, it is quite possible that Jude, although he identifies himself as a "servant of Jesus" and a "brother of James," was actually Jesus' brother, also.  See http://www.keyway.ca/htm2003/20030514.htm for references), he identifies his audience:  those who are loved by God and kept by Jesus.  What faith this brother had!  He knew that his big brother was keeping those who loved Him eternally safe! 
(By the way, two points for anyone who can tell me the other book of the Bible written by a brother of Jesus.)

But the part I really want to get to today is the simple sentence, "Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance."  Not just be yours - but be yours in abundance!  Isn't that the key to life with God?   He continuously promises abundant life:  "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."  (John 10:10)

What does abundance mean?  Think of it as an overflowing fullness; an overwhelming amount; or a over-sufficient supply.  And then think of an overflowing fullness of mercy; an overwhelming amount of peace; a over-sufficient supply of love.  Remember the verse in Romans we used a couple of weeks ago, "we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"  (5:5)

When we live with abundance, we can't find enough ways to hold onto it.  We live in constant states of "over" - overflowing, overwhelmed, over-sufficient.  But, if God wants to give us abundant life, why don't more of us live that way?  What holds us back?

I'll tell you what I think it is.  I think we don't have our containers ready.  It's as if we expect God to be whacking us in the head, not overflowing us with love and mercy.  When problems come our way, we look for a way out.  We pray that God will take away whatever is bothering us.  We don't bother to ask Him to teach us to be ready, to teach us to hold on, to teach us get through.  We just want out!  How can He give us mercy, peace, and love in abundance when we are always looking for a way out?

Let me tell you this:  mercy, peace, and love are most evident when times are difficult, not easy.  When we are broken, His strength shines through.  And so often His strength is evidenced by . . . let's see . . . oh yes, mercy, peace, and love!   

The Message version writes verse 2 like this:  "Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!"  So quit whining, worrying, and wavering.  Relax . . . rest . . . be open . . . God will do something amazing for you!

Friday, March 5, 2010

To Make Your Life Pur(ell)

"He'll be like white-hot fire from the smelter's furnace. He'll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He'll take his place as a refiner of silver, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He'll scrub the Levite priests clean, refine them like gold and silver, until they're fit for God, fit to present offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will Judah and Jerusalem be fit and pleasing to God, as they used to be in the years long ago."  Malachi 3:2-4

The final step in God's cleaning process is a pure and holy life.  He disinfects us of our ugly desires, evil thoughts, and disgusting ways.  Sometimes this process happens quickly; sometimes it takes years; but the truth is, that God works His cleansing through us throughout our entire lifetime.

Is that a comfort to you?  Or a thorn?  It takes trust, doesn't it, to allow God to have your whole lifetime to work His process of perfection in you.  Remember, His purposes are only good, and only for your benefit.

Are you worried that there are things God would want you to give up?  God will definitely work on you, but in a perfecting way, not a shaming way.  The same God who wants to purify you and cleanse you from sin is the God who made you with your thoughts, desires, and likes. 

Perhaps you are a rebel, through and through.  Did you know that God loves rebels?  He uses those who don't go along with the status quo as great and mighty warriors.  I'm thinking, for example, of David, who went against the odds and the "better judgment" of others to take on - and defeat - the giant Goliath.  I'm thinking of Paul, who rebelled against the scribes and Pharisees - the Jewish "church" that he had been a part of - to drink in the love of God and preach His gospel.  There's Rahab, the prostitute who protected the Hebrew spies, and later was part of the lineage of Jesus Christ.  There Peter, John, and the other disciples who rebelled against the Roman empire and Jewish leaders to preach and teach the word of God.  There are rebels through and through the Bible that God used in great and mighty ways.

Oh yeah, they are also linked in that they sometimes rebelled against God, too.  But God used them, perfected them - for His great purpose.  And He'll do the same for you.  Guaranteed.

Don't be afraid to allow God to purify your life, disinfecting your heart, thought and actions of sin.  Zephaniah 3:9 says, "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder."  What a promise!  When God purifies you, you serve Him shoulder to shoulder.  Not from afar - He promises to work right alongside with you.  Wow!!  That should get us excited!

This is the end of the "cleaning" series.  There are two today because I'm losing the battle with learning how to schedule my posts!!  ;0)  Next week - the book of Jude.

See you then - Keep Blazing!!

Shake the Dust Off

24-31This Decree, therefore, of the Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
   the Strong One of Israel:
"This is it! I'll get my oppressors off my back.
   I'll get back at my enemies.
I'll give you the back of my hand,
   purge the junk from your life, clean you up.
I'll set honest judges and wise counselors among you
   just like it was back in the beginning.
Then you'll be renamed
   City-That-Treats-People-Right, the True-Blue City."
God's right ways will put Zion right again.
   God's right actions will restore her penitents.  Isaiah1:23-25, the Message

God loves you, and I've said that a lot on the blog, right?  He loves you.  But, He doesn't take sin lightly.  I'd hate to think that I speak so much on his love that I neglect the entire truth of His word.  That truth is that He does want our lives cleaned up - redecorated, if you will.

But my point this week is that it's not our job to do the redecorating.  He is the one who recreates us.  And as lovely as that sounds . . . sometimes it's painful.  This is the point where God dusts up our junk, the messes we have made of our lives.   It's not just that He pats us on the head and says, don't worry, I'll clean it up and you won't have to lift a finger.  He does clean it up, but it's often a time-consuming, heart-consuming process. 

Look at the above verse:  "I'll give you the back of my hand, purge the junk from your life, clean you up. . . .  God's right ways will put Zion right again. God's right actions will restore her penitents."  When we allow Him to clean up our lives, it's not a passive thing.  It's very much an action, but the action lies in following God, not trying to stay ahead of Him.

Sometimes God has a lot of work to do to clean up our lives!!  And He requires our obedience, that as He leads, guides, and directs us, we follow Him.  We can't say we want restored lives and yet refuse to follow His recipe for renewal!  (That's a lot of R's!) 

Titus 3 says this:  "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (verses 3-7)

All the changes that God makes in us are generous, done for His good purpose and our great hope.  I've never - ever - heard of anyone who gave their life to Christ who regretted it.  Or thought that God had done something wrong to Him.  People have fallen away from God, that's true, or become angry and bitter because of people, sin, or even His church (heaven forbid!) but I've never known anyone who gave themselves fully over to God who regretted it later. 

There is no regret when it comes to God, just regret for our former lives.  Yet He washes that from us, if we let Him.  He sweeps away the mess, if we hand over the broom.  He arranges our lives, if we give Him the control.  He dusts us up, if we give Him the cloth.  That's a lot of ifs.  But the ifs are on our part, not His. 

Let Him do the tough stuff!!  Mr. Clean has nothing on God!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Best Decorator in the World

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11  He arranges our path and our future;  

You know how there are just some people who know how to fix up a room?  You walk into their homes and it's like .... I don't know, a decorating magazine?  A Pottery Barn store?  An episode from HGTV?  Every room you walk into looks perfect.

God is like that.  He arranges the rooms of our lives in a perfect way.  He lights our path.  He colors our dreams.  Everything He chooses is perfect.

He arranges our path and our future, just like He said in Jeremiah.  And everything He does is perfect.  And if that's true (and it must be, because Deuteronomy 32:4 says "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just"), than everything He does for us must be perfect.

Once God has cleansed us, and swept the sin out of our lives, He starts to show us our path.  We can be scared, and want to run back to the way of life we used to know, or we can trust that this God - this perfect God, with the perfect plan - loves us enough to have a perfect life for us.

Not an easy life.  Not a fairy-tale life.  But a perfect life, that is perfect because it was created and is directed by Him.

Towards the end of his life, King David wrote in 2 Samuel 23:3-5:

The God of Israel spoke,
       the Rock of Israel said to me:
       'When one rules over men in righteousness,
       when he rules in the fear of God,
  he is like the light of morning at sunrise
       on a cloudless morning,
       like the brightness after rain
       that brings the grass from the earth.'
  "Is not my house right with God?
       Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant,
       arranged and secured in every part?
       Will he not bring to fruition my salvation
       and grant me my every desire?

He has made a covenant with you, arranging and securing every part of your life.  He secured it through the death of His son, Jesus Christ, and the redemption of His blood.  He loves you and wants you to have a perfect life - through Him.

So you CAN trust Him to arrange, decorate, and plan your future.  Because He is perfect, and His plans for you are perfect too.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Make a Clean Sweep

 21 "Remember these things, O Jacob,
       for you are my servant, O Israel.
       I have made you, you are my servant;
       O Israel, I will not forget you.
 22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
       your sins like the morning mist.
       Return to me,
       for I have redeemed you."
 23 Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this;
       shout aloud, O earth beneath.
       Burst into song, you mountains,
       you forests and all your trees,
       for the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
       he displays his glory in Israel."  Isaiah 44:21-23

So often we hear, when I get my act together, I'll go to church.  When I get over this ________ (addiction, attitude, fill in the blank!), I'll come back to God.  Where have we ever gotten the idea that God wants us to get "right" first, and then come to Him?

I think I know some of where it comes from.  We don't want this big holy God to see what a mess we are.  We allow ourselves to forget that He already knows!  (We're awfully dumb, aren't we?)  We think that we come to God as messes, He is disgusted with us, shaking His head at us, at having to "fix" us again.

God is disgusted with sin, not with us.  Let me say that again - HE IS DISGUSTED WITH SIN!!  In our humanness, we can't distinguish between the two.  We say, I am a sinner.  God hates sin so He must hate me. 

I'll admit, I've been there.  Often.  I can't understand how God could love me.  Yucky, icky, unclean me.  I don't understand how He, at the very least, isn't exasperated by my shortcomings, faults, and weaknesses.  When I hang on to those precepts about my Creator, I'm completely ignoring what His word tells me.

His word says that He is strong when I am weak.  That my faults can be used for His glory.  And that He longs to use His broom on me, as the scripture says above:  "I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."  Don't you hear the longing?  He's saying, I have already forgiven you.  Come back to me!  I want you, I love you, I'm here for you.

Romans 8:38-39 says,  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  NOTHING can separate us from His love.

Don't get me wrong.  Sin can keep us separated from a relationship with Him, if that's what we choose.  But NOTHING separates His love from us.  In other words, there is nothing we can do to make Him stop loving us!

It's His joy to sweep away our sin!  Remember the words to this song today:

 
I will never be the same again,
I can never return, I’ve closed the door.
I will walk the path, I’ll run the race
And I will never be the same again.

Fall like fire, soak like rain,
Flow like mighty waters, again and again.
Sweep away the darkness, burn away the chaff,
And let the flame burn to glorify Your name.

There are higher heights, there are deeper seas,
Whatever you need to do, Lord do in me.
The Glory of God fills my life,
And I will never be the same again.
I will never be the same again – Hillsong United

 

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Laundry Soap

When I was writing last week's blogs I kept coming back to the way God cleanses us.  He washes us until we are clean; then, He sweeps up our messy lives; He arranges our path and our future; He dusts up the junk we leave behind; and He disinfects the areas that needs to be erased. 

Today we'll talk about how He washes us clean.  Look at Psalms 51:6-8:

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts
       you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
       wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
       let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

The significance of "hyssop," is that it was a plant used for ritual cleansing purposes in the Jewish custom.  It was an aromatic plant similar to marjoram  (I know you want to run right out and get some so that you can identify the smell!)

The psalmist is saying to clean me so that I smell good!  Clean me so much that I am whiter than snow!  That's clean, right?  How is it that God can possibly get us so clean, after we have been so unclean?

Have you ever felt that way?  That there's no way God could forgive you, what you've done.  After all, you're a stinky rotten mess.  I know I've felt that way sometimes.  But yet, God longs to forgive us.  He has spent our lifetimes and beyond calling to us, loving us, showing us the pathway to Him.

I might have pointed this out already in an earlier post (I'm getting old and forgetting what I say!), but have you ever looked at Jeremiah 29:11 in context?  Look at the entire paragraph:

 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." 

Look at the terms He uses with the Hebrew nation:  "My gracious promise."  "I will listen to you."  "I will be found by you."  "I will gather you."  "I will bring you back."   These are words from someone who is deeply in love and who is pleading for the one He loves to come back to Him.  It's not just a promise for the future, it's a pleading, a yearning . . . you can almost hear the ache in His voice . . . "come back to me.  Come back." 

That's how He can forgive us, and make us whiter than snow.  It's His love, and only His love.  Nothing we do, no salary we earn, no station in life, no good we do on earth can ever make us worthy of His forgiveness.  His love and His grace do that. 

Remember the old hymn, "I Shall Be Whiter than Snow?"

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul;
Break down every idol, cast out every foe—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Refrain:
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract every stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

There's only one way to get the ultimate wash - Christ's blood, through His love, is the only way.  Won't you let Him wash you today?