Living Our Manuscript of Life

Verses:  Ephesians 1:1-14

My thoughts about the verses:

Throughout the Bible there is a sense that we have to accept the grace of God to walk in the inheritance of love and grace.  In this first part of Paul’s letter he addresses the issue much differently.  He says that we are the chosen people who had been predestined to come to Christ because of God’s love.

II want to spend a few minutes on the term predestined.  This word can cause a lot of chaos in the world of Christianity.  We are taught that we receive salvation because we love God.  We are told once that we accept the fact that Jesus died for our sins and arose from the grave victorious our gift is everlasting life.  If this is so how can it be predetermined who will accept Christ.  Would this not make our choice to accept Christ unimportant?

I grew up in a very strict Baptist Church.  Being the rambunctious student of the Bible predestination was one of the hard things for me accept.  Yet, this is my personal opinion of predestination and how it fits into our own personal choice.  First we must accept that God is omnipotent.  God knows all things, created all things, and loves all things.  In understanding this we can come to the conclusion that God knows what our choice will be when we are given the opportunity to accept Jesus.

I compare it to the reader of a really good book.  As you are reading the story you start to feel how the plot will go.  As you are reading you come to figure out you start to figure out what is going to happen before it ever happens.  Even though the book may have unexpected twist an turns we know for most purposes that the hero or heroine will make it to the end of the book.  So as we are reading we are getting more information on the one that we assume will come out in the good.  We turn each page learning more and more about the person. 

In my eyes our life is written into the book of life before we ever start.  Yet, we are presented with twist and turns that we can choose to be the hero/heroine or the bad guy.  God flips the page and lets us continue on our life without trying to change our mind.  Yet, in the end God knows who will come to accept.  When we come to the end of our lives God has read our book which he wrote and watched us do exactly what was written.  Yet, it is our free will to do those things.  God doesn’t force us to make decisions the choice is truly our own.

Prayer:

We praise you omnipotent God for your love.  We praise you for the opportunity to accept Jesus in our life.  We thank you for the free will that you have given us.  We think you for the gift of salvation.  We ask that you walk with us and help us live the life that will bring great joy to you.  In the name of the Almighty God we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted Jesus in your life?  As God turns the page of your manuscript are you one of the chosen?  What do you need do to today to write a positive twist into the manuscript of your own life?

God is Always There in Our Time of Need

Verses: Bel and the Dragon 1 : 31 - 42

My thoughts about the verses:

Think about the hardest time in your life.  We all have that moment where we feel alone and abandoned.  That time when we feel that we are stuck in a hard place.  We feel that no one can help us.  We feel trapped in a situation that we are sure we will face the ultimate end.

We have all been there trapped in a situation that we feel like there is no way out.  We may feel like we are facing the loss of relationships.  We may feel as if we will lose our jobs.  We may feel that we may loss our very life.

Then all of a sudden we have a miracle happen.  Someone comes in our life that changes everything.  They help us when we thought there was no help.  They show us away to get out of the situation we are in.  It takes a moment to realize for ourselves that God has blessed us in our time of greatest need.

Imagine being Daniel and facing the impossible.  The only option he had was to pray to God to help him.  He is standing there and the lions that are hungry are not attacking him.  He knows their hunger because it has been a week since he has eaten.  Out of nowhere God sends Habakkuk to his rescue.  He then has to accept that God is his true salvation.

We have to accept that God is our true salvation.  There is one thing that you did to show your true love.  When Jesus went to the cross he died for us.  It was love that he gave his life.  The sacrifice was the pure lamb that came to do the utmost sacrifice for all of us.

God is there for each and every one of us.  God doesn’t pick and choose who will be accepted into the family.  In our darkest hour, our God is there helping us through life.  We are never alone.  In those moments that seem impossible, God is there guiding us and being our helpmate.  God will use us to help others in need.  God will use other to help us in our time of need. 

Christians around the world need to make sure that they live a “true Christian life.”  We need to open our hearts to the world.  We need to allow God to work through us.  We need to be Jesus to someone today.  We need to accept that God is there and we have no fears.

Prayer:

We praise you God.  We thank you for your love.  We worship you because you loved us first.  We praise you for you have sacrificed all for each and every one of us.  Help us walk with ultimate faith in you.  We ask that you use us to help others.  We ask that you teach us to accept the help of others.  In the name of the Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you felt trapped in a situation?  Are you struggling today?  Have you asked God to help you?  Are you helping others in their time of struggle?  Are you willing to be Jesus for someone today?  Have you accepted the salvation that comes through the death of Jesus?  Are you willing to accept the many miracles that happen each and every day?

Stand Strong When Your Friends Turn Against You

Verses: Bel and the Dragon 1 : 23 - 30

My thoughts about the verses:

Have you ever been hurt by someone that you really trusted?  Had your life turned upside down because you feel that you have lost a special bond because of distrust?  We all have probably walked in this situation.  We have someone that we consider our dearest friend who has stabbed us in our back.  Our life is turned upside down because we worry who we can trust now.

I can only imagine the situation the King was going through.  He actually liked Daniel and considered him a confidant.  He was still dealing with the fact that Daniel had uncovered the foul play that the priest was doing.  Now he is standing there and just witnessed Daniel destroy the Dragon that the Babylonians held with high respect.

Now he is standing there and the people are saying that he has become Jewish.   He is being threatened because of what they believe.  He is afraid that they will overthrow his kingdom.  He is afraid that they will kill him because of his current actions.  He feels that he has to give in to them or he will lose all that he has.

 I really think that this applies to a lot of people in the LGBTIQA community.  They are trapped in a closet because of their truth is known they may face harsh circumstances.  I see so many people that have had their lives changed once they decide to open the door.  Many people in the community have lost their close friends even family members because they have shared their identity.

It is crazy to think that friends and family members turn their backs on people when they are in their time of greatest need.  When you first come out of the closet there is this sense of needing people to understand you.  Yet, all so often those that you thought would be on your side through thick and thin let you down.  They feel as if they can’t condone a behavior so they say things that are hurtful. 

The hardest thing for me was losing my connection with the Church.  I had so many friends that were part of that community.  My life was so dedicated to Christ at that time that it hurt deeply to be shunned.  I felt as if they had stabbed me in the back.  I really was hurt to the point that I thought why live.  How could I continue on with my life if I had lost God?

This fear that you have lost God is in the minds of many that step out of the closet door.  It doesn’t matter what they want to share there is this deep fear that the Almighty will shun you.  When the church tells you that what you are doing is a deadly sin.  Then you wonder if God will forgive you for who you are inside.  It took me a long time to accept that God created me in the perfect image of the Creator.  Since I was created in the image of the Creator I had nothing in my life that was different from God. 

At the same time I am one of the lucky ones.  I was able to find a place where I felt safe and connected with God.  This helps me finish taking that last step out of the closet of fear that I had lived in for so long.  It didn’t matter at that point what others thought instead it only mattered that God loved me for Who I was.  I pray that people who are coming out of their closets of fear will find that same place and hope. 

I will share that the people that stabbed me in the back truly hurt me.  Yet, I will also tell you that those that stood up for me and accepted me for the beautiful part of creation that I am healed me from the pain.  We need to be there for others that have that knife driven into their back.  We need to be friends to those that feel lost and hurt in this world.  We must accept that we can be Jesus to someone today.  When we stand up for the lost and hurting we are living a true Christian life.

For those of us who have hurt our friends, family and Brothers/Sisters in Christ we need to ask ourselves these questions?  Are you willing to accept the hurt and pain that you inflicted on someone?  How do you feel today that you may have pushed someone away from Christ forever?  We need to accept that our actions can destroy the hearts and souls of others.  The first step in bringing healing to those that you have hurt is to ask for their forgiveness. 

I will share that those that have done that in my life have helped me overcome my losses.  I am a better person because what I have went through.  Yet, I wish that I didn’t have to go through this because of the actions of people that I truly loved and admired.  I want others to know no matter what anyone has told you God Loves you.  You can find a place of shelter in the arms of our Blessed Savior.

Prayer:

We thank you God for loving us for who we are.  We praise you for never turning your back on us.  Help us accept that you are there even we people hurt us.  Help us accept that love that you so freely give to us.  In the name of the Savior we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you ever hurt someone by your words or actions?  Have you ever been hurt by someone that you love?  Are you willing to accept God’s love and forgiveness?  Are you ready to walk in the love of God?

Our God Isn’t Made of Clay and Bronze...Our God is the Living God

Verses: Bel and the Dragon 1 : 1 - 22

My thoughts about the verses:

Today there are so many that worship things that are not living.  We treat our houses like they are fortresses in which support and sustain us.  We treat our cars we reverence and respect.  We have o many things in our life that we give homage to.

Think on this a moment what is your one prized possession.  Do you treat that possession with higher regard than you do God?  Many people had to admit that they do have one or more things that they put before they put God in the equation.  Our world has become a materialistic society.  Yet, this isn’t a new phenomenon this has been going on for centuries.

We forget that our God is living amongst us.  We see the things that we have as sacred and desire to have more things.  Yet, we often forget to praise God.  We put our desires before worshiping God.  We spend a lot of our time on Earth working and trying to get more things.

It is amazing how many rich people are unhappy.  They are unhappy because the things that they have are not enough.  They get bigger and better things.  Yet, the newness wears off and they are back to square one.  They are looking for something that will last and fulfill their lives.  Yet, often times they look pass the love of God.

This is where Cyrus was in his journey.  He had created an image of clay and bronze that he worshiped to.  He would come each day bringing it sacrifices of abundance of food.  He had accepted that it was a true god because each morning the food was gone.  He assumed that only a true god could do this.

Daniel on the other hand knew that his God was not made of clay and bronze.  He knew that his God had given breath and life to all things.  He knew that his God would sustain him and that his sacrifices were just one more way to worship God.  The sacrifices were never meant to feed God.  They were meant to honor God for the multitude of gifts that God had given to the people.

There they stand in a great debate.  Cyrus who had trusted Daniel as a true friend confronts him because of his lack of trust in the god bel.  The god in whom Cyrus had built because he thought it was better than anything else in the world. Daniel on the other hand worshiped the living God.  Cyrus asked why he didn’t serve Bel and Daniel said my God is not made of clay and bronze my God is the living God.  This angered Cyrus and he wanted to kill Daniel on the spot.

Cyrus pointed out that Bel would eat and they proved he was also alive.  Daniel said that it was something was afoot there was no way that Bel was eating the food.  Angered Cyrus calls the priest of the temple and asked about the food.  They stated to the King that if he placed the food on the altar and sealed the door that he would see that the food would be eaten and it would prove the power of Bel.

Right before the door closes Daniel tells his servants to spread ashes on the floor before the door is sealed.  Only they and Daniel and the King knew that this had occurred.  The next morning the King and Daniel go to the temple.  Cyrus sees that the door has not been tampered with and when he opens the door all the food is gone.  He immediate thinks that Bel had eaten the food.  Yet, Daniel through laughter has him look at the floor.  There were the foot prints of the priest and their families. 

Cyrus at this point realizes that he has been fooled and kills the priest and their families.  Yet, what I see is more important is the fact that he turns from the god that he believed in because of the fact that he had been fooled by his priest.  He turns the statue over to Daniel.  It is at this moment Daniel destroys the temple and this God of clay and bronze.

I want us to realize that the only true God that we need to serve and worship is the Creator of this Earth.  God breathed the breath in our life.  God gives us all that we need to live.  God gives us comfort and love.  Our God is living and is in the heart of all that believe.  God wants us to turn our life over to the Savior.  God loves us just the way we are.  We need to accept that God is our salvation and our peacemaker.  We need to turn our lives over to God so that we can live a fulfilled life.

Prayer:

We praise you God for you are the only true living God.  We worship you for your love and salvation.  We thank you for never walking away from us.  Help us put the things of the world after you.  Help us praise you all the days of our life.  In the name of the Living God we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Is there something that you put before God?  Are you willing to open your heart to God?  Are you willing to love God?  Are you willing to accept the salvation of God?  Do you see today that the only Living God is the Creator of the world?  What do you need to do today to walk closer to the God of life and salvations?

Do Not Bear False Witness

Verses: Susanna 1 : 47 - 64

My thoughts about the verses:

Our mouths are the most dangerous weapon in our entire arsenal.  We can hurt people more with what we say or don’t say than anything else we can do.  I have heard all my life “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”  I am here to tell you that this is a myth that we teach children and live in our adult life. 

Words can destroy a person.  Words can lead a person down a path that sometimes ends in loss of life.  We have seen it in the news the last few years where kids who are cyber bullied end up taking their life.  They have no way of escaping from the taunts and lies that follow them.  They feel so worthless that they feel their only option is to disappear and the only way that they think they can do this is through death.

Many in the LGBTIQA community have been abused by evil words.  The sad part is that these words come from people who state that they are Christians.  This then pushes the person who needs a safe place away from church.  Many times it leads them to get angry at God and push God to the side. 

Then we have parents that do not understand when the daughter or son tells then the truth about their sexual identity or gender identity.  The guilt and shame that parents, friends and family put on this group are dangerous.  People above all things need to be accepted by the ones that they love.  When they are pushed away from these individuals by hate and misunderstanding they are often feel trapped.  There are so many cases of people who have just come out of the closet taking their own lives because of the words that have been spoken.

Words have a way of affecting us down to the very core of our soul.  How many people have bad self-images because of the words that have been spoken to them?  Think about those people that have heard that their fat that turn to anorexia.  Look at the people that have been called ugly that hide themselves away from people and get trapped in their own houses. 

Words are destructive and we have an obligation to not hurt others.  We need to stop spreading untruths and lies.  We need to accept people for who they are.  Instead of calling them names we need to point out the positives.  People with high self-esteems have lived in an environment in which they have been loved.

You can only imagine the judges as they face Daniel.  They did not have an opportunity to work out their story.  They had thought that no one would dare stand up to two judges and leaders of the church.  Yet, here is this man coming out of the crowd saying stop doesn’t kill this woman until she has fairly been tried. 

When read this I thought of the story of Solomon.  Two women come before him one claims that the baby is her own; even though she knew she had accidentally killed her own child.  The other woman comes weeping claiming the child is hers.  Solomon is having a hard time deciding who the child is because both mothers are distraught.  So he thinks for a moment and asks for a sword.  He then says I will divide the child with this sword so you can both have half.  The first mother says that she will live it.  The other mother in tears says do not harm my baby if he must live with her I would rather that than for him to die today.  Immediately Solomon knew who the mother was.  Because the actual mother wanted the baby to live and wasn’t willing to sacrifice it.

Daniel knows these stories so he says to the elders separate the men and I will ask both of them questions.  The first judge he confronts and asks since you saw what tree were they under.  The judge, with an air of reverence, states a mastic tree.  Then David says today you will be cut in two.  Then the second judge is brought in front of him.  The same question is asked.  The second judge immediately responds and evergreen oak.  David then tells him today he will be split in two.

You have to understand that there are huge differences between the two trees.  There is no way that they could have mixed up the trees if they had seen the scene like they did.  They through their words had testified against the innocent.  They also through their words proved that they were deceitful.  Through their words the innocent woman was cleared of the deed they had accused her of.  It was their words that led them to their own death.

We have to understand and accept that our words can do harm.  We have to make sure that we do not hurt others by what we say.  It is also true that we must hurt others by what we do not say.  If Daniel had gone along with the stoning of the woman he would have done the same act that the judges had done.  Yet, he would have been responsible for her death because he did not speak out.  Use your words sparingly.  Stand up for those that are hurt.  Yet, do not hurt people with the words you use against them.

Prayer:

We praise you God for the wisdom that you bestow to each of us.  We thank you for living within us guiding us.  Help us to stand up for those that have been hurt by what people say.  We ask that you never let our words hurt others.  We also ask that you do not let us be silent when we see wrong being done.  In the name of the Give of Wisdom we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have your hurt someone because of the words you have spoken?  Have you ever stood silent when you see someone being treated unfairly?  Are you hurting today because of the words people have spoken to you?  Do you need hope in your life?  Is today the day that you ask the God of love to come into your life?

Standing Up For Those Who Have Been Falsely Accused

Verses: Susanna 1 : 28 - 46

My thoughts about the verses:

As I read this I thought of the saying Walk a Mile in Someone else’s Shoes.  Imagine now walking in Susanna’s sandals.  Here she is being accused of an act that she did not commit.  She knows that the people trust the judges and deep inside she knows that she is going to die that day.  She is entering with tears into a place where she knows that no matter what she will be found guilty of something.

Now let us walk in the sandals of the judges.  They are still lusting over Susanna.  Even in this moment where there are going to testify against her they are still desiring her because of her beauty.  Imagine not feeling at all shame for what you are doing to this woman.  They walked in angry that she had denies them the pleasure they wanted.  You have to understand their vengeful attitude and their desire to kill this woman so that their sin will not be found out.

Now let us walk in the sandals of those that were watching this event.  They too were also innocent.  They were being betrayed by people they trusted.  They had no idea that the judges were going to use them to eliminate the one person that could damage their reputation.  You have to think of what is going in their mind.  They all had the opinion that Susanna in the past was a vitreous and religious person.  Now they have to accept that she has committed adultery and their impression of her is ruined.  How could they make the mistake to assume she was an upright citizen?

Then for a moment walk in the shoes of Daniel.  I believe it is quite ironic the stance he makes in this moment and time.  Reminds me of when Jesus told the Pharisees and

Sadducees the one that had not committed sin should be first to throw a stone at the one that they accused of adultery.  Daniel is looking in the eyes of this woman and he feels there is more to the story.  He sees for himself the look that the judges are giving her.  He must have questioned why they were in the garden.  How could know one know they were there?  He tells them that he is not going to be held responsible for killing this woman. 

There he stands alone protecting the innocent.  God had filled him with knowledge that surpasses those around him.  You can almost see the look on the faces of the judge.  You can hear them saying to each other how dare he not believe us.  You can see the look on Susanna’s face.  Someone with the same love of God and connection with the most high had stood up to the angry crowd.  You can see the crowd as they think about the situation.  It is a lot like Pontius Pilate as he washes his hand as the people shout crucify.

Have we not been one or more of these shoes ourselves at different times of our lives.  We may be the accusers that want to hide the truth by accusing someone else of doing wrong.  Through our gossip with others we have ruined the relationship of others.  We may have even destroyed their faith in God because as a Christian we have accused them of committing sins that they have never committed.

I would say most of at one time or the other have walked in the shoes of Susanna.  We know that we haven’t done anything wrong.  Yet, people treat us like we are guilty.  They act like we have done things that make us less important than they are.  We have been accused of sins that we haven’t done and therefore we feel that God has let us down.  Through people’s gossip we have people that treat us different than others.

Many of us at one time or another has jumped on the bandwagon of someone who is leading us down the wrong path.  They are doing the best to convince us that they are good leaders.  Yet, in reality they are leading us down a path of destruction.  They are using us as a tool to destroy others.  We believe that they are strong Christians so we are willing to follow them.  Yet, in the end we realize that we are hurting innocent people along the way.

Prayer:

O Holy God we thank you for your love.  We praise you for your wisdom and grace.  We ask that you give us a heart that helps those that are innocent.  We ask that you help us help others?  Help us never judge others?  Help us be like Daniel and live a life of wisdom and grace. In the name of the God of Knowledge we pray.  Amen

Questions:

We must look at our lives and see if we have ever behaved like Daniel.  Are there moments in your life that you stood up for someone that was being mistreated?  Have you helped the hurt and needy of the world?  Have you walked with a heart of compassion showing those around you the grace of God?  Do you open your home, church, for those that are oppressed?  Do you need to do something today to be more like Daniel?  Have you given your God the best of you?  Are you ready to walk like Daniel for the rest of your life?

Stand up for those that are Disenfranchised by Religious Leaders

Verses: Susanna 1 : 15-27

My thoughts about the verses:

Standing your moral ground is very hard to do in many situations.  You do not want to lose friends.  So instead of doing what you should do you do things that you should not do.  You lie, cheat, steal, do drugs anything to stay friends the people around you. 

People who are disenfranchised from society are even more tempted to do things that are outside their moral compass.  They fear that the people around them are the only ones that will be their friends.  They fear of isolation jeopardizes people.  What makes it even worse is most of these individuals are pushed away from organized religion.  These limits the people that they can be with that will accept them for who they are thrown out into the world to make it on their own.

It is very sad when you think about it one of the groups that have the hardest time is the LGBTIQA.  Many churches have isolated them.  The churches preach that they are sinners.  This push has isolated people that need a safe place to be free and to live within the boundaries of God.  This forces them to hunt for a place where they can be themselves.  The bars become the place where they can feel free.  The saddest part of the whole thing is that many have turned to Alcohol and drugs to ease their pain of being alienated from society.

Let us take a closer look at what Susanna was facing in this moment of her life.  She was being confronted by two men that were seen as leaders in the community.  They were judges that had brought people down for breaking the law.  They gave her two options neither one of them would end well.  She could agree to have sex with them and go against her religious belief of not committing the act of adultery.  Her second option was to say no.  They had already told her if she refused they would say that she had had an affair with a young suitor that got away from them.

Susanna was a very religious person.  She knew the law.  She was in a lose/lose.  She could die an innocent Peron or she could live her life knowing that she had given into this two men.  She refused to have adulterous behavior with the elders.  At that moment she had signed her destiny.  She knew that she would die because they would accuse her of adultery even though she had not done anything.  Yet, she also knew that she would die with a clear conscious and God would know the truth if no one else on Earth did.

They immediately acted out their plan because of what they considered her stand against them.  They couldn’t handle the rejection so they opened the gate and began making noise to convince the members of the house that they had foiled the meeting of Susanna and her young suitor.

I want people that read this to understand that I am not against the way that people have turned to in their despair to fit in.  I am ashamed of Church leaders that have pushed people away.  There are so many people in the community that were raised in religious institutions.  They have accepted the love of God in their heart.  Yet, through the actions of the Church they start doubting if God really loves them.  They need an outlet to deal with their rejection.  So it is no wonder that they turn to places where they feel safe.

The Church has to change their view on society.  They have made a lose/lose situation for so many people.  They teach them if they are LGBTQIA that they are not worthy to be accepted by God.  This group of people then searches for a place to be free and to feel worthy.  The Church then comes back and says that look they are living in sin. 

I challenge people that truly believe in God to stop this vicious cycle.  We have to open our doors and hearts to people that feel disenfranchised.  We have to give them a safe place in which they can live their life accepted for who they are.  We have to stop pushing people away from the Church then mocking them when they turn to things that we deem immoral.  Christians have to take responsibility for what they have done to people.  We have to acknowledge that we have pushed people out of the Church because of our feelings of insignificance.  If a church truly believed that they were living right they would open their door to all.

This is for those that feel that they have no option but to do things that give they contact with people that will accept them for who they are.  There are places beside bars that will accept you.  There are churches that will allow you to worship in a place of where you are accepted for who you are.  I know that there are times that I go to bars to be able to show love to my partner without judgements.  Yet, I also have Churches, organizations and other outlets that allow me to be free.

I once was like so many of the people that currently feel disenfranchised.  My home church had pushed me away.  They had alienated me and I felt like there was no place that was safe for me.  I was in a lose/lose situation.  I could go to places that accepted me and hang out with certain groups of people that were not necessarily living a Christian life.  I could also stay hid in my closet worshiping God in secrecy.  I chose to do both.  My friends that didn’t believe in God didn’t want to hear my “Christian Stuff.”  My studies were proving to me that I was a beloved child of God with nowhere to worship in the open.

The day came where I found a group of people that accepted me for just who I was.  I was finally free to be a Lesbian and a Christian.  I tell people now that I am a Christian that just happens to be a lesbian.  I want you to feel a since of hope.  You can still have the friends that you have now.  Yet, ask yourself do I need a church home in which I can feel free to be me.  I will share with you that there are ways to find these open churches with very little effort.  Just simply do a search of progressive Christian churches.  Check out the list and you will find people that do not judge based on your sexual or gender identity. You can also search by gay friendly churches.  I will let you know that is how I found my first “Church home.  It is the place where I came free and I was allowed to live within the moral compass that I longed to live in. 

I am not saying I am perfect by any means.  Yet, I am free to be who I am with my mistakes yet in the eyes of God I am a perfect Human being who accepted the grace of God.  No matter what remember that God accepts all, loves all, and wants you to be a member of the Church that was created by the power of the blood of Jesus

Prayer:

O holy God hear our praises and prayers.  We thank you for loving us just as we are.  We worship you for the love that you so freely give.  Help us make choices that are in a ‘godly manner.  We ask that you be with those Churches that are pushing people away by their words and actions.  Help us Dear God is the children that will make you happy.  In the name of the Loving God we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Do you feel alone?  Are you afraid God will not accept you for who you are?  Have you been isolate from Church?  Is today the day that you find a place where you can be free?  Simply ask God and God will provide all you needs.  If you believe in this pray to God right now to open the door, or window that you need to step through to find the peace that is truly waiting for you in the arms of God?

Lusting Will Cause You to Turn Your Eyes Away From God

Verses: Susanna 1 : 1 - 14

My thoughts about the verses:

The first thing that we must learn is that the four people in this story all knew the law.  They had been taught how to live within the law.  They knew the consequences from turning away from God.  The Judges knew most certainly what the law was and they had brought judgements against others that had disobeyed the law.  Susanna knew the law because she was brought up with an understanding of the law by her parents.  Daniel we know not only knew the law, but lived the law even under threat of death.

Next we must look at what is lusting.  We can all admit that if we lust after a person who is with someone else we are sinning.  We can see if we lust after possessions that someone else has we are disobeying the law.  Yet, lusting goes much deeper.  We know many that talk about their lust of life.  Lusting for life means that you put your desires before the will of God.  We want the best shoes, the best clothes, the best jobs; in fact we want the best of everything we can.  We lust for the things that we think will make us better or famous. 

Yet, what happens when we start lusting for things when we know the law of God.  Are we not convicted of our desires?  We will soon find that we have to make a choice to walk away from what we desire or walk away from God’s will.  The choice is ours.  As it is written, you cannot serve two masters.  This is very true.  We cannot want the things of this world and at the same time keep our eyes set on the goals of God.  We will often find that what we want for ourselves is the complete opposite of what God wants. 

Jesus fulfilled the law.  Yet, we need to understand that if we put our desires, lusts, before the goals of God we are walking away from Jesus.  We have the chance in our life to walk hand in hand with God.  Yet, so often we grab onto the hand yet, if we are told to do something that what we want we drop the hand and go our own way.  We do not let god be our guide instead we allow the things that we desire to be our guide.

We need to look at our lives and see if we put God first in all things.  We need to see if we are following Jesus even if it is taking us away from what we really thought we wanted.  We have to accept that God wants what is best for us.  We must decide if we are willing to follow Jesus or do we continue going down our own path.  The choice is for each individual to choose. 

Prayer:

We praise you God for your guidance.  We thank you for your abundant love.  Help us to put aside the things of this world that are against you will in our life.  Help us come to accept that you only want the best for us.  Help us be a lighthouse for the world not a roadblock.  In the name of the Redeemer and Guide we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted that God wants great things in your life?  Are you continuing to desire things that are against the will of God?  What do you need to turn over to God today?  Are you ready to commit fully to the will of God letting go of the things that keep you from fully focusing on God?