Heads or Tails – Choice Not Chance
Back at the norm today, Father. I’m grateful that all of my routes went smoothly and really the whole day went without a hitch! Some might call that good luck, but I give You the credit for every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens]… James 1:7a AMP
Acts 2:14-21 (<<click here to read the passage)
Throughout biblical history, humankind has always had a choice. In a way, it’s like a coin. We either choose heads or tails. But in this instance, there is absolutely no chance involved. We have been given the free will to decide for ourselves what we want – we either choose heads or we choose tails. We cannot pin the blame on anyone else for our poor choices and no one else can take the credit for our wise choices. The end result is entirely decided by us and only us.
Thinking along those lines got me pondering about grace and mercy. These two concepts are cornerstones of our faith. If God did not extend them to us, we would be hopelessly lost with no possibility of salvation.
I poked around and found an excellent article entitled, What Is the Difference Between Grace and Mercy?, on the Christianity.com website (click the title to read it).
Here is a super easy-to-understand layout of what the concepts of grace and mercy mean. (They paraphrased it from Willmington’s Guide to the Bible).
Mercy and grace…can be differentiated as follows: mercy is the act of withholding deserved punishment, while grace is the act of endowing unmerited favor. In His mercy, God does not give us punishment we deserve, (eternal death) namely hell; while in His grace, God gives us the gift we do not deserve, (eternal life) namely heaven.
Our eternal destiny is totally, entirely, wholly, completely, up to us.
Today’s passage follows these parameters. Peter here is quoting the Old Testament Prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32). Acts 2:17-18 ties into what happens when we choose to accept God’s grace and mercy, whereas Acts 2:19-20 ties into choosing not to accept His grace and mercy.
Completeness in Him or separation from Him. It is our choice.
You would think it would be a no-brainer, but humanity often doesn’t see it that way. Salvation or condemnation, again the choice is ours. Yet the final reward for those who choose grace and mercy is found in verse 21,
But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. NLT
What will our choice be? Heads…or tails? And just as important in eternal impact, is the question, will you be a beacon of hope to help others make their choice, too?
Jan 3rd, 2022, Mon, 6:58 pm
Wishes Do Come True
Ah, to sit and write once more. My respite has been appreciated but there has definitely been a part of me eager to return. Father may my mind quickly home in on the word You have to go forth. Amen.
Acts 2:14-21 (<<click here to read the passage)
How often in any given week do we wish? “Oh, I wish the day would end!” “I wish they would get their due! They are nasty to everyone that crosses their path!” “Man, I wish I had a million dollars!”
Of course, many of us are familiar with Jiminy Cricket’s song in Pinocchio, When You Wish Upon a Star.
I’ve heard the phrase, too, “don’t wish your life away”. To do so is to always be thinking about the future so that you don’t do or enjoy things now.
But I want to make it clear that wishing is not necessarily a bad thing. For example, in the book of Numbers, Moses had “had it up to here” with all the responsibility he had in dealing with the rebellious and troublesome Israelites. So, God acted to bring him some relief. He filled the elders of Israel with “some of the Spirit” that was upon Moses. It’s a pretty cool story found in Numbers 11:1-30 (click the reference if you’d like to read it.)
But the verse I want to point out is from the 29th verse. In the New Living Translation Moses exclaims to his young aid, Joshua,
“Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!”
In today’s passage, God made Moses’ wish come true! So almost 1600 years after Moses made his wish, God fulfilled it!
Even when Moses made his exclamation to Joshua way back when God already knew what the future held. Moses introduced the nation of Israel to God’s Law and in and through Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, God fulfilled the entirety of that Law…something humanity was never able to do! For thousands of years, we stumbled and fumbled but were not successful in abiding by it.
Even with Jesus’ great feat, God wasn’t done! He took it one step further enabling us to fulfill the Law, as well…but not on our own – that just wasn’t possible. We are weak and fallible. BUT…add the Holy Spirit to the equation and we can accomplish the impossible. It was just a gift for the 120 gathered in the upper room of today’s passage! The Holy Spirit is given to us, as well! “…everyone who calls on the name of the Lord” earnestly seeking His healing and forgiveness “will be saved.” vs 21
AND, we are enabled and empowered to serve our Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, strength…and love our neighbors as ourselves because of it! (Deuteronomy 6:4–5, Mark 12:30)
Trust in Him and He will see you through to accomplish His will today!
Jan 2nd, 2022, Sun, 7:58 pm
I Struggle
Today has been difficult, Father. There are many contributing factors, but this overall time of my life has been difficult. But in all honesty, most of those factors point back to me. Others on multiple fronts have made their contributions but I have to own my contributions and how I have taken their contributions and, in some cases, twisted them to my mindset.
I am human just like everyone else. I hurt. I cry. I mess us. Perfection is far from my grasp. Only because of Your grace and mercy, Father, do I carry on and continue to strive for the holiness that You call me to.
A few years back, a dear, dear friend of mine gave me a book of Puritan prayers. It is entitled, The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. I have not looked at it for some time but as I looked back through some of my older posts, the Lord led me to a prayer that once more speaks to me. What it has to say is not pretty, but far too often it has been true in my life.
It’s hard to put it out there but I struggle. We all struggle…some of us are just better at covering it up. But cling to this fact, we are not alone. It is encouraging to know, too, that we can be “more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:31-39)
I’ve read through this prayer, and I’ve prayed through it, too. It is well worth sharing…
YET I SIN
Eternal Father,
Thou art good beyond all thought,
But I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind;
My lips are ready to confess,
…..but my heart is slow to feel,
…..and my ways reluctant to amend.
I bring my soul to thee;
…..break it, wound it, bend it, mould it.
Unmask to me sin’s deformity,
…..that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it.
My faculties have been a weapon of revolt against thee;
…..as a rebel I have misused my strength,
…..and served the foul adversary of thy kingdom.
Give me grace to bewail my insensate* folly,
Grant me to know that the way of transgressors is hard,
……………that evil paths are wretched paths,
……………that to depart from thee is to lose all good.
I have seen the purity and beauty of thy perfect law,
……….the happiness of those in whose heart it reigns,
……….the calm dignity of the walk to which it calls,
………….yet I daily violate and contemn** its precepts.
Thy loving Spirit strives within me,
……………brings me Scripture warnings,
……………speaks in startling providences,
……………allures by secret whispers,
………………yet I choose devices and desires to my own hurt,
…………………impiously resent, grieve,
…………………….and provoke him to abandon me.
All these sins I mourn, lament, and for them cry pardon.
Work in me more profound and abiding repentance;
Give me the fullness of a godly grief that trembles and fears,
…..yet ever trusts and loves,
…..which is ever powerful, and ever confident;
Grant that through the tears of repentance I may see more clearly
…..the brightness and glories of the saving cross.
Amen…so be it.
A couple of words I had to look up
*insensate: without sense, understanding, or judgment; foolish.
**contemn: to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt.
Dec 21st, 2021, Tues, 7:13 pm
A Helping of Salty Satisfaction
Another “what more can happen today?” kind of day! Father, You’ve gotten me through it all. Thank you for all the many things that have happened today. Guide my thoughts to what You want to be shared with all who will listen. Amen.
Acts 2:1-12 (<<click here to read the passage)
I don’t know if everybody feels this way, but quite often I just crave something salty. I love potato chips, pretzels, Doritos, corn chips, cheese curls, you name it, if there are any around, I’ll gladly take a few to munch on!
Many people can’t get enough salt. We have one family member who has been known to salt potato chips! We’ve noticed, too, that some older people tend to salt everything without even tasting it first. Many of us yearn for salt! We’re drawn to it. No matter what other delicacies there might be about, we go for that helping of chips.
Wouldn’t it be great if, in our relationship with Jesus, that we were so “salty” that people were drawn to us? That just being around us, they were able to fill a deep yearning within themselves? That they literally crave our company because of the need we met for them?
Jesus said at the beginning of Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth.”
My Life Application Study Bible says,
When the gathered crowd recognized that something supernatural was taking place, they naturally wanted an explanation. At this point, Peter stepped forward and explained the truth about God. This should be the pattern in our lives as well. Hopefully, we are living in such a way that people will see Christ in us.
Our goal then should be to live a life of “saltiness”, so much so, that no matter what other things in life – those delicacies the world puts out in lavish displays – that they will go for that handful of “salty” satisfaction that we bring to their lives. May we use those opportunities to explain our “Christian hope”.
Our friend Peter said it well in his first epistle,
But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy – acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 AMP
Lord Jesus, use us. May our time spent with You fill us with a flavor so strong that people are attracted to us. And when they come may we readily and confidently show them the hope found only in You. Amen.
Dec 20th, 2021, Mon, 7:46 pm
Setting the Stage
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
….to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
….your faithfulness in the evening… Psalm 92:1-2 NLT
Acts 2:1-12 (<<click here to read the passage)
There was one thing I did my freshman year of college that I had not done before college and have not done since. I took part in a small theatric presentation of a play entitled The Great Physician – a story of Luke, the writer of the Gospel that bears his name, as well as the book of Acts.
I had a very small role and as a slave owner I had one whole line, “Stop or I will have you boiled in oil!” I remember some bits and pieces of rehearsals; I remember having make-up put on and having mascara put in my beard so it would be black and not the brown it was at the time. It took place at Mt. Vernon’s Memorial Theater (It was way before the facilities the university has today.) There was nothing exceptionally elaborate about it, but it was a really enjoyable experience.
We had decent props and backdrops and all the other things needed for our performance. All in all, we made sure both literally and figuratively that the stage was set for an evening of entertainment, having done everything we could to draw a good crowd.
In today’s passage, the stage was set for an event that would propel the Good News of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) out into the world! His timing was as it always was …perfect! And it was not for entertainment purposes but aimed to change to the very core the lives of men, women, and children across the world!
Jesus had returned to heaven, the apostles – as they were now called – and the many other followers of the Way, that is all the believers were meeting together in one place. v1 NLT One hundred and twenty of them had come together …with one mind and one purpose… and …were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together]… Acts 1:14 AMP
They had done their part to prepare themselves for what God was sending.
It “just so happened” – no coincidence here! – that the coming of the Holy Spirit took place on the day of Pentecost. It was one of the three great festivals that took place every year in Jerusalem. It was a celebration of the first fruits of the harvest and in addition to native local Israelites brought in devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven. v5 AMP
God had assembled a receptive audience.
The stage was set, but now to draw the crowds to where the one hundred and twenty were gathered. And God was prepared!
Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. v2 NLT
And when they – the devout and God-fearing crowd – heard the loud noise, everyone came running… v6b NLT
Everything was exactly as it needed to be for God’s desire to be fulfilled. The Spirit had come and now the world – the whole world – would know!
Dec 19th, 2021, Sun, 7:27 pm