The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10b, NASB). 

There is a popular slogan by Under Armour that says, "Protect This House." I think what it means is that as we exercise, we are helping our body by keeping it healthy. There are many other ways to seek physical health and protection. Where do you run for strength and protection?

Lately, this verse above has been on my mind. God sent Ezra and Nehemiah in these days to restore Jerusalem in very realistic, visual ways, as they rebuilt the temple and the city walls, respectively. The focus in this chapter is that as Ezra read God's law out loud, the people began weeping.

Why were they weeping? These people were weeping at the reading of God's Word and as they realized their sins. I think God's Word can be challenging and lovely at the same time. We can see He is holy and deserves the utmost respect and worship, and I think the people may have felt regret or sadness over their sin.

Kelli Martin

What did Ezra say about it? He asked them to not grieve or mourn. I think the purpose here is that God, in that moment, was there to restore His people not just physically but also spiritually. It was also time to start the festival of booths. God was proving His faithfulness to restore His people.

He can restore us today as well, as we turn to Him in belief and with a heart of repentance. He gave His Word out of love, so that we could know Him more. It is good to be sorrowful over our sins so that we see the need to turn from them and toward God, but we must trust that God also lets us turn to Him and come to Him. He is a forgiver. Let's embrace that and walk in faith in that.

Let's take a moment to praise Him because He has shown how He wants to restore us. Let's share with others, by word and by action, our source of joy and strength.

Check out all of the first part of chapter 8 in Nehemiah here: Nehemiah 8:1-12 (NLT)

According to His Mercy

"So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous." Romans 6:18-19

Kari Beougher

My Dad is a pastor and professor and loves to use stories about his children as illustrations. Unfortunately, over the years I have frequently been used as his illustration for sin. When I was 15 months old, I was playing outside and walking toward the road. Concerned, my parents said, "Kari Michelle, don't you dare put one foot in that street." So I walked over to the road, bent down and put my two hands in the street. Though I obviously don't remember this, I have heard the story enough times to feel as though I do. My Dad's point is that they did not have to teach me how to sin or choose disobedience. Integral to our human nature is the propensity toward sin and the inability to choose righteousness. Left to ourselves, we are absolutely unable to live in a way that is pleasing to God.

The good news of the Gospel is "although you were formerly ALIENATED and HOSTILE in mind, ENGAGED in EVIL deeds, yet He has now RECONCILED you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him HOLY and BLAMELESS and BEYOND REPROACH- if indeed you CONTINUE in the faith firmly ESTABLISHED and STEADFAST, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel..." (Colossians 1:21-23).

While we were still ENGAGED in evil deeds, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins and thus reconcile us to God. Now, we who were formerly unable to choose obedience are made righteous through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY."

Today, may we thank God for His incredible mercy and grace toward us. May we continue in our faith, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit and the desperado

"'But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 
And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 
concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 
and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 
and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged'" (John 16:7-11, New American Standard Bible).

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit" (1 Peter 3:18, New American Standard Bible).

Have you heard the song "Desperado" by the Eagles? The illustration to the left is of the band, by Mark Stutzman (from www.rollingstone.com). The word "desperado" means criminal, but it reminds me of old stories about cowboys in the American wild west. I could be way off in my interpretation, but the desperado described seems to be about someone who seeks freedom by living apart from people and love (you can find the lyrics here, at azlyrics.com).

As believers, the Holy Spirit points out sin that separates us from God (John 16:8-11). The purpose of  conviction is to help us see our need for a healed relationship with God, our Creator, Savior, and King. God loves us, and Jesus paid the price for sin already. The hope is that we come to Him for forgiveness, restoration, and a closer relationship with Him.

1 Peter 3:18 explains that the end goal for the convicting is to make us alive in the Spirit. Is there some part of your life that is away from God? God wants us to desire Him more than sin and then put our trust in Him and His lead.

Lord, thank You for loving us enough to want to bring us back to Your presence, even when we sin. Convict us; help us see where we need more of You. May the Holy Spirit convict others, too, so they can also know and trust in You. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999).

We pray hearts turn to God

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you..." (Acts 3:19-20, New American Standard Bible).

"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent" (Acts 17:30, New American Standard Bible).

Have you been inside a tunnel before? I remember riding in a car through a tunnel on vacation in Alaska with my parents and a friend. As we approached it, I noticed this tunnel went through a mountain, and I wondered how long it would last. It was cold outside, a sort of biting cold, even though the sun was shining. Once we were inside, it was dark and felt hollow, although there were lights along the sides as guides. It was an interesting experience, but I was relieved to be on the other side in the open air and sunlight again.

Similar to the darkness of the tunnel, sin can make us feel trapped. When we see the damages that come from our sin, we may wonder if there is a way out. The Holy Spirit can help us see sin in our life and see that the way out of it is to turn to God for help. When we turn to God, it is like God is reaching out to pull us into His light.

God sent Jesus to rescue us from sin (Romans 5:19), and He asks us today to repent and return to Him (Acts 3:19). This is a message to all people in all nations (Luke 24:47, Acts 26:19-20). When we believe in Jesus and ask for forgiveness from our sins, He will be faithful to forgive us and will give us the Holy Spirit to help us to walk with Him (Acts 13:38-39). Times of refreshing come from the Lord, as our sins are wiped out and forgiven (Acts 3:20, 26).

Do you know someone who is caught up in sin today? Maybe it is ourselves. Let us pray that others, especially unbelievers, may turn from their sin, too, so they can have a restored relationship with God.

Lord, lead us away from sin. For that person on our mind, the one who does not know you, help them to turn from sin, too, so their sins are forgiven and so they can experience new life with You. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999)
Photo from http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/

Bringing truth into focus

"And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment... But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come" (John 16:8, 13, New American Standard Bible).

A camera lens, like the one recycled to make into owl eyes in the photo above, helps bring things into focus. Owls can see in three dimensions - height, width, and depth - and their eyes are efficient in processing light. Similarly, a camera lens is made to capture what is true and in front of the photographer. As believers, the Holy Spirit is there to help us process God, His will, and to reveal to us what sort of relationship God wishes to have with His people.

Who is the Holy Spirit? Matthew Henry once wrote, "Bodily presence drew eyes, but the Spirit draws hearts" (Matthew Henry Commentary). Jesus drew much attention, but the Holy Spirit heals our hearts. The Holy Spirit is a part of who God is; He is a part of the Holy Trinity. He convicts, comforts, and teaches truth.

Similar to the owl's eyes at night, the Holy Spirit helps bring the truth of God into focus. He reveals truth about God, and He helps us see the guilt of all people because of our rebellion against God and His will (1 Corinthians 2:10). As we accept Christ as Savior of our lives, the Spirit abides in us (John 14:17). Sent by the Father and the Son, He will teach us and bring to mind things God has taught us (John 14:26, John 15:26). Let us pray that the Holy Spirit helps an unbeliever on our mind see His truth.

Lord, work within us through the Holy Spirit. Please work in the life of someone on our mind who does not know You. Help convict us of sin and help us see truth that comes from You. Amen.

Above study based on the workbook HeartCall: Women Sharing God's Heart (Jaye Martin, 1999)
Photo from http://www.etsy.com/shop/focusonart

catching my fall

This week, my understanding of God's power has increased through a series of events. All were humbling, some were from the Bible, some from teachings about it, but one is embarrassing!

Tuesday, the girls that I babysit had two neighbors ask them to play in their backyard. As I walked towards the girls, who were playing on a swing, I tried to pet their neighbor's Shetland Terrier. One of the girls called my name, I looked up, and walked onto a covered pool! I fell and was close enough to the edge to not slide into the middle. I think the girls were playing and didn't realize, and I just laughed.

Sometimes, I let sin fog my mind, and then I feel like it is inescapable. It takes time for me to realize that God is the only one who has the power to save me.

This week, as I listened to Tony Rose speak, he said (rephrased): "You are in a race. Your biggest competitor? You." He referred to this verse to show how to find power to run:
"For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart." – Hebrews 4:12 (HCSB)

Why, this sin that holds on to us can actually help us see our need for God. He, in His incomparable mercy and absolute power, has given us the opportunity to turn to Him and away from sin. When we focus on the sin and do not forgive ourselves, do we truly trust in His incredible power? Hebrews 4:16 (HCSB) explains: "Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time."

Christ is strong enough to fight the sin! I pray that we are quick to turn to Him when we fall.

Other verses: Daniel 6:26-27
Picture from swimmingpoolcovers.blogsavy.com