My previous three ABC posts are: Rest with Him Run with Him, Stand Steady in His Strength, and Totally Trust the Truth. Today's post is: Understand His Unfailing Love.

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‍Understand His Unfailing Love? Synopsis of John 19:1-16.

‍Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor during Jesus' ministry. The Jewish chief priests went to Pilate in order to get his permission to crucify Jesus. Pilate stood face to face with Jesus and was confused by His silent strength and unwavering mindset. In the midst of the limited but powerful conversation, Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" This unresolved internal conflict led Pilate to the persuaded external decision of turning Jesus over to the Jews to be crucified. Sadly, Pontius Pilate never understood the unfailing love of Jesus Christ.

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‍Understand His Unfailing Love! Synopsis of John 3:1-16; 7:50-52; 19:39-40.

There was another man named Nicodemus who also stood face to face with Jesus. One night, during Jesus' earlier years of ministry, Nicodemus asked the Teacher (Jesus) several difficult questions. As he was listening intently to His answers he became confused, but he did not walk away. Instead, Jesus' inviting words of being born of the Spirit captivated Nicodemus' heart. From this middle-of-the night encounter with the great Teacher, Nicodemus began to understand the unfailing love of God, and he longed to know more of this beautiful Truth. Consequently, at the time of Jesus' trial, Nicodemus boldly defended Jesus before his own Jewish council; he was no longer afraid to be a Christ-follower. And after Jesus was crucified, Nicodemus loyally helped bury His body.

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When looking at these two men, here are a few questions:

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Do I tend to give into peer pressure or do I make a stand when it comes to who Jesus is?

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Do I truly understand God's love for me?

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Do I believe that God's word is His love letter to me?

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Both men in the passages above asked questions. Pontius Pilate was pulled toward the truth when listening to Jesus, but then, he was wishy-washy and stepped away. Nicodemus, on the other hand, decided to keep walking persistently forward. He asked one question at a time and gleaned from Jesus' thought-provoking words. Jesus honored Nicodemus' searching heart by giving him insight into the truth of who He is: the One who will give His life as a ransom for many.

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Remember, Jesus literally died to give you His unfailing love. Today, right now, He longs to be gracious to you, He waits on high to have compassion on you. (Isaiah 30:18). Don't back away from His words of truth; don't give into the pressure of the world. Instead, be persistent with your questions, and He will be faithful with His answers. Make it your ambition to understand His unfailing love and, I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

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‍"Let him who boasts, boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things," declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:24)The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.  (2 Chronicles 16:9)

My three previous ABC posts are entitled: Stand Steady in His Strength, Totally Trust the Truth, and Understand His Unfailing Love. Today's post is: Victory Belongs to His Valiant Warrior.

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‍Victory Belongs to His Valiant Warrior? Synopsis of Judges 13-16.

‍Long ago there was a man named Samson who was given  rare and extreme physical strength. God intended Samson to use this mighty power to begin deliverance from the hand of the Philistines who had been oppressing the Israelites for 40 years. Samson did indeed kill many Philistines with his matchless strength, but his weakness, the desire of foreign women, kept him from being known as a valiant warrior for his people. As a matter of fact, Samson is most remembered for his tragic downfall which came through a woman named Delilah. Delilah betrayed Samson by telling his enemies the secret of his strength; as a result, his valiant victories as a warrior were no longer his to obtain...until one last redemptive act.

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‍Victory Belongs to His Valiant Warrior! Synopsis of Judges 6, 7.

Another man named Gideon was also living during an oppressive time. The Israelites lived in constant dread of the Midianites' plunderous attacks. Gideon was so frightened by this raging army that he would thresh wheat in a wine press so that he would not be seen by them. Ironically, while Gideon was hiding in this place, the angel of the Lord approached Gideon and said, "The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior." God saw something in Gideon that Gideon himself was not yet aware of: courage. Gideon chose to trust God's perspective of him. This inexperienced young man humbly obeyed the Lord's instruction concerning leadership and battle strategy; as a result, Gideon soundly defeated the vast Midianite army with only 300 men. God's strength prevailed and victory belonged to His valiant warrior, Gideon.

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‍When looking at Samson and Gideon, here are a few questions:

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What are my greatest strengths? and weaknesses?

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Do I realize that both my strengths and weaknesses can be used to bring God glory?

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What is a way I can use my unique gift for the Lord today?

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In the above passages, I see a paradox. Samson, full of strength and might, was made powerless by just one woman. Gideon, however, who was the least in his tribe and the youngest in his family, defeated a vast army of trained soldiers. Samson lost touch with his God-given gift and began using it for his own desires; in contrast, Gideon tapped into his "weakness" and kept the Lord as his Commander, trusting him to do great things.

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Each one of us has been blessed uniquely. Let's seek to use our gifts for His glory only. He wants to do great things through you and me, but our gifts and abilities are mere avenues of revealing God's glory to people. Samson missed the point and was humbled; Gideon embraced the truth and was exalted. Fully trust, humbly obey, and then confidently march into your battle. (Also realize you will always have an enemy that fights against the progress of His glory). Victory belongs to HIS Valiant Warrior!

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‍For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? The God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me up on my high places. He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Ps 18:31-34

The three previous ABC posts are entitled: Totally Trust the Truth, Understand His Unfailing Love, and Victory belongs to His Valiant Warriors. Today is: Walk Wisely, Worship Well.

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Walk Wisely, Worship Well? Synopsis of I Kings 3:5-15, 10:23-29, 11:1-7, 11.

‍After the death of King David, his son Solomon reigned over Israel. David had emphatically charged his son to seek the Lord and follow Him with his whole heart. Solomon did intend to reign with the Lord's wisdom. In fact, instead of asking for more riches and honor, Solomon asked the Lord for an understanding heart to judge the people and discern between good and evil. God blessed this selfless request, and from this heart of wisdom Solomon wrote many of the Proverbs. He also built God's magnificent temple in Jerusalem. If only King Solomon could have walked as wisely as his Proverbs taught and worshipped well in the temple he built. Sadly, Solomon strayed when he married numerous foreign wives who pulled his heart away from the one true God.The end of Solomon's reign was nothing like the beginning; because of his waywardness, the kingdom of Israel was ripped apart.

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‍Walk Wisely, Worship Well! Synopsis of John 1:19-27, 3:22-26, Matt. 14:1-12.

‍Hundreds of years later, a man named John entered Israel's scene. He was appointed from birth for one purpose: his sole ambition was to point people toward the Messiah, Son of the living God. When the people of Jerusalem asked him who he was, he answered, "I am the voice of the one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'" All the days of his abbreviated life, John proclaimed Jesus as the One who came to take away the sins of the world. John the Baptist walked wisely and worshipped well. Although John was beheaded for his strong faith in Christ, his divine message of repentance still lives today.

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When looking at these two men and their life path, here are a few questions:

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Is there something or someone in my life that might be pulling me away from walking wisely and worshipping well?

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Is God's word directing my steps?

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When I ask for wisdom, do I genuinely accept it by obeying the voice of the Lord?

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Solomon: a rich ruler like the world had never known. John: a lowly man who wore camel skins and ate locust and honey. What a contrast. Although their physical circumstances were different, both men's heart conditions started out the same. Solomon and John were fully committed to the Lord. However, Solomon gradually strayed while John remained steadfast.

The world's path and the Lord's path are quite different. We get to choose our path. If you want to walk with the Lord, ask Him to help you take note of any subtle pull that's misleading you He knows we are prone to wander and he will be there ready to offer you his helping hand. Although John did not gain the riches and honor this world has to offer, he did gain these words from Jesus the God-man, "I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John." (Luke 7:28) And also, after John's last breath on earth he gained all the riches of eternal life. On the other hand, at Solomon's end, he was left wanting.

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Let's challenge ourselves every morning to live for the One who created us and loves us. Let's walk wisely and worship well. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36

My previous ABC posts are entitled: Understand His Unfailing Love, Victory Belongs to His Valiant Warrior, and Walk Wisely, Worship Well. Today's post is: eXtra portion of His eXcellent Spirit.

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eXtra portion of His eXcellent Spirit? Synopsis of Matthew 12:38-34.

‍The greatest Teacher of all time used the simple technique of using common word pictures to illustrate profound truths. For example, on one occasion when Jesus was talking to the Pharisees, He told a story of a particular man's heart. This man had "cleaned up his act", and Jesus compared this decision to cleaning a house. He was telling the Pharisees that even though the house had been swept clean of filth, it needed to be filled with something else, otherwise the same evil spirit would end up coming back with seven more wicked than itself, and live there; and the last state of that man would be worse than the first. Sadly, although His eXcellent Spirit was offered to the Pharisees to possess "full homes", they instead chose "void-of-truth houses" to represent their hearts.

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‍eXtra portion of His eXcellent Spirit! Synopsis of 2 Kings 2:1-14.

‍On the other hand, there once lived a man named Elisha.   God appointed him as a prophet to follow his mentor Elijah, who had done great and mighty things through the Lord's powerful Spirit for 25 years. Elijah asked Elisha, "Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you." Elijah replied, "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit"… And then, as they were walking along and talking together suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to leave in a whirlwind. Afterwards, Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak; and indeed, he did inherit an eXtra portion of His eXcellent Spirit. God's power worked through Elisha as he prophesied and performed miracles in Israel for over 50 years.

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When looking at these two biblical passages, here are a few questions:

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Do I realize that the HOLY Spirit lives in me through faith in Christ?

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Am I operating from the Spirit or from the flesh concerning both my interactions and decisions?

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What are some practical ways that I can operate from the powerful Spirit that abides in me? (Hint: "Call on Christ", "Helper please Help", "Rest with Him, Run with Him").

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It's easy to legalistically "clean house" and "do the right thing," but remember, if it's void of love, it means nothing (see 1 Cor. 13). God's Spirit is love. My deepest heart's longing is to be filled with His Spirit. Allow His love to pour in and take over! In tough situations, ask for an eXtra portion of His eXcellent Spirit! Then expect to be filled to overflowing with His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Nothing compares to this choice life-style! It is completely fulfilling and eternally gratifying!

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"Remind me O God, You are what I want! Please make Yourself at home in my heart.  Fill me to overflowing. I want Your ways; I want to give You to others. Thank You for Your promise: You give your Spirit without measure." John 3:34

My previous ABC posts are: Victory belongs to His Valiant Warrior, Walk Wisely, Worship Well, and eXtra portion of His eXcellent Spirit. Today's post is: Your Savior Yearns for You.

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Your Savior Yearns for You? Synopsis of 2 Corinthians 11:3.

‍From the beginning of time, there has been an enemy that would desire nothing more than to entice you to believe that he is your savior. Some of his biblical titles are: serpent, deceiver, thief, accuser, and Satan. He is also referred to as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). This enemy yearns for you, and will go to great measures to lure you away from the truth of God's love. His personal pre-meditated traps that he uses in this world come in the form of lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of one's lifestyle(I John 2:16). Paul writes to his fellow believers, "But I am afraid that just as Eve was led astray by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ"  (2 Cor. 11:3. Your flesh is weak, and his pull is strong, BUT…

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Your Savior Yearns for You! Synopsis of John 15:13.

‍From the beginning of time, there has been a true Savior that would desire nothing more than to lure you into His unfailing love. Some of His biblical titles are: Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, Teacher, Healer, and Comforter. He also calls Himself a Friend. He wants to walk by your side as your wise companion each and every day, even into eternity. He was willing to die a sinner's death in your place in order to make this happen. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 25:13). Your flesh is weak, His pull is stronger. How sweet it is to be enveloped in His everlasting arms.

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When looking at the above comparison, here are a few questions:

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Do I believe God loves me?

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How do I sometimes fall prey to the enemy's deceptions?

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What are some of my favorite Names of God? Why?

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The contrast between one "savior" and the other Savior is immense. It's the difference between darkness and light, confusion and peace, wrestling and rest. Realize there is a war going on over your heart and mind, and then hear this truth: Your Savior yearns for YOU! He is calling you by name right now. He has already gone to battle for you, and given HIS LIFE on your behalf. Your enemy, on the other hand, has no genuine interest in you whatsoever. Everything he has to offer--power, prestige, wealth, security--it's all a sham. Ah, what a triumph for the people of God to learn the difference between the Deceiver and the Devoted One.

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Hear these words from your true Savior and then may your soul find rest in Him alone:

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‍Do not fear, for I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

The previous ABC posts are entitled: Walk Wisely, Worship Well, eXtra Portion of His eXcellent Spirit, and Your Savior Yearns for You. And today's final ABC post is Zealous for His Kingdom Zion.

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‍Zealous for His Kingdom Zion? Synopsis of Esther 3:1-15, 7:3-10.

The term "Zion" is another name for the city of Jerusalem, but it can also refer to the entire people of Israel (and then to all of God's people).  Long ago, Haman the Agagite hated the Jewish people simply because Mordecai, a certain Jew, would not bow to him at the king's gate. This one act of defiance by Mordecai infuriated Haman, so he sought revenge. With the king's permission, he used his anger to devise a wicked plan that would not only kill Mordecai, but would also bring about the complete annihilation of the Jewish people. He was zealous to destroy God's kingdom. But as always, God's loving power is greater than man's evil schemes. God purposefully placed Queen Esther, also a Jew, for such a time as this to intervene and prohibit Haman from killing the Jewish people. So "Zion" lives on; but Haman, on the other hand, was hung from the very gallows he intended for Mordecai.

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‍Zealous for His Kingdom Zion! Synopsis of Isaiah 62:1-7.

‍On the other hand, there was a prophet of old who spoke God's word to His people. He declared with fervor, "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet" (Isaiah 62:1). When Isaiah spoke, he was filled with the Spirit of God; he accurately portrayed God's intentions towards His people, both in judgment and redemption. He spoke of the future Messiah. Through Isaiah, God promised that the suffering Zion (and all God's people to this day) would inherit new names such as these: Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord, and Sought After (Isaiah 62:12). These new names that Isaiah prophesied about belong to any and all who claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus Himself made this possible by His sacrificial death on the cross.

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When looking at these two men, here are a few questions:

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Who am I today, the self-seeking-Haman, or the Christ-proclaiming-Isaiah?

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Who, in my world, doesn't know the Lord or needs encouragement in their faith walk?

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Am I zealous for others to know the Lord?

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In the contrasting passages, we see Haman plotting destruction, while Isaiah was preaching salvation. Haman was promoting hatred of a people group, while Isaiah was promoting the love of God. Haman died an unwilling but deserving death "on a tree"; Isaiah prophesied about Jesus, who died a willingly but undeserving death "on a tree."

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I must make a choice of where I put my passion, where I spend my time, how I spend my energy, and then live with either the consequence or the blessing of my choices.

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‍O God, first I want to thank You for Your zeal for me! YOU did not keep silent. Heaven opened and Jesus came. You gave Your life so that I could be called "Holy, Redeemed, Sought After." Thank You! Now I ask that Your zealous love would consume me. Help me to put my self agenda down, and pick Your beautiful will up. Fill me with your truth; please, I want to be Your mouthpiece. Amen.