Real Security Is…
People go to great lengths to safeguard their money, health, jobs, computers, phones, homes, families, and minds against dangers that threaten their well-being. They look for security in a variety of places like their bank account balances, home alarm systems and workplace seniority. But all of the security measures people take have one thing in common: they can fail at any time, which means they don’t really offer security at all. Real security is having something which guarantees a good future for you that can never be lost by you or taken from you. That’s the kind of security that is only found in the love of Jesus.
Fully Known, Fully Loved Part 3
God loves us just as we are, but He loves us enough not to leave us as we are. Instead, He stays with us to transform us from the inside out into people who both hide less and less and have less and less to hide. The One who matters the most, knows us most, and loves us most. Secure in His love for us, we are moved to love Him back and extend His love to others, knowing that when the all-seeing God of the universe looks upon us in Christ, though He sees everything about us, what He sees most is a beloved son or daughter.
Fully Known, Fully Loved Part 2
It’s a good thing that Jesus knows every micro-detail about you because you don’t ever have to wonder if He loves the real you or just the sanitized-for-public version of you that others see. He doesn’t love you more on “good” days when you do all the things He wants you to do, and love you less on the “bad” days when you stray and disobey; He loves you all days and always because you are treasured by Him. To be sure, He doesn’t love our sins. In fact, He hates them. But that didn’t drive Jesus away from us; that drove Him to the cross for us, so we might be forgiven for, and freed from, our sins and welcomed into the family of God.
Fully Known, Fully Loved Part 1
There is not a human being on the face of the earth who fully discloses every thought, feeling, motive, desire, and attitude to others. We hide many of those things within ourselves, hoping that no one ever finds us out, because we fear that the ugliness we keep tucked away would drive others away. So, we put on a mask, and we put on a show, make-believing we are something that we are not. But there is Someone who knows the real you and loves you with a costly, undeserved, willing, lasting, transforming, blessing love. You are fully known by Jesus and fully loved by Jesus, even with all of your sins and shortcomings.
He Leads, We Follow … That’s It
Many people see the commands of Christ as “restrictive rules” that are keeping the good stuff out of our lives instead of seeing them as “gracious guardrails” that are keeping our lives out of the gutter. He is our Good Shepherd Who protects us, provides for us, empowers us, refreshes us, delights us, guides us and delivers us safely to our eternal home in heaven. How? We hear His voice (the words of the Bible with all of its instructions, truths and promises made clear to us by the Holy Spirit) calling us into His care, and by faith we do as He says. He leads. We follow. That’s it. He takes care of us by taking care of all the rest.
Set Free From A Tyrant
The enemy of your soul doesn’t care about you. His only interest in you is as a victim. He wants to “steal and kill and destroy,” and a primary way he attempts to do this is by leading you astray. This is how he does it: by making sin look attractive, and obedience seem restrictive. He wants you and me to believe that sin isn’t sin, that sin is worth it, that sin isn’t that serious, and that sin won’t cost too much. Jesus leads our lives to deliver us from sin and deliver to us abundant life now and eternal life later. When He calls us to follow Him in loving obedience, it is not because He’s a tyrant; it’s because He intends to set us free from one.
Jesus Cares
Jesus is not only a doer of good to you, He is also an un-doer of bad done to you by others. They hurt your heart; He heals it. They distance themselves; He draws near. They sting you with their words; He soothes you with His. They overlook you; He pays attention. They cheat you; He blesses you. They intend to harm you; He works it out for good. They judge your sins; He dies for them. When there is a lack of care, no one cares, others care only about themselves, or they can’t provide the care you need … Jesus is a friend who cares, and He will show you that care in whatever way He knows will do you the most good.
Jesus Is Not Like Others
If there is one thing you can be sure of, it is this: people will hurt you. It may be accidental, or it may be intentional, but it will happen. There will be things said and left unsaid, things done and left undone, which bruise and break your heart and spirit. But there is a sweet-like-honey truth to overcome the bitter taste of how others treat you: Jesus is not like others. He is a friend who will never betray you, abandon you, disparage you, neglect you, exploit you, condemn you, harm you, mis-prioritize you, belittle you, mistreat you, lie to you, pretend with you, or withhold love from you. He will only do good to you.
Things Are Out Of Our Control, But…
Jesus invites us to come to Him to rest in His righteousness to merit eternal life for us and rest in His sovereignty to manage everyday life for us. He is in charge of the results and outcomes. He controls circumstances and situations. He commands our future and eternity. No matter what we face today, let us remember that what happens in our lives is not ultimately decided by chance or luck, humans or demons, Satan or self. Things will work out as they should. Because there is a wise, powerful, loving Savior who reigns over all for the good of those who trust in Him. Things are out of our control. But they are never out of His.
You Were Made To Be
God didn’t create you primarily so you could make a lot of money, take a lot of trips, have a lot of fun, and indulge in a lot of temporary pleasures. Those things may be a part of your experience, but they are a means to this end: “to let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Today, be mindful of the beautiful calling upon your life: You were made to be an image-bearer. A difference-maker. A Jesus-treasurer. A God-glorifier. A good works doer. That is why you are here … so, go shine your light!
