“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14 NIV)
Paul knew all about ungodliness and worldly passions. For while he was upright in many ways in his earlier life (Philippians 3:4-6), Paul considered himself the “worst of sinners” (I Timothy 1:16) because he directly persecuted the church of the Lord. He had been filled with anger and hatred toward those who followed Jesus. His inflamed passions led him to imprison believers and to approve of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1). Yet, in spite of this, Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and revealed to Paul that He had chosen him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
When Paul left Judas’ house after three days of prayer and reflection on his life (Acts 9), he was a changed man. I believe in those three days he realized the emptiness of his life and how wrong he was. And I believe he reached that point because of the grace of God.
Grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions because it cleans our slate, it erases all the bad stuff we’ve done. It frees us up. So often, sin is like a vicious, downward cycle. We sin; we feel bad; we sin some more; we feel even worse; we sin again hoping to feel better and end up again feeling worse. But when the grace of God appears to us, when He says, “I forgive you,” it gives us the opportunity to be free of the vicious cycle, to get a fresh start. And when we embrace His grace, there is incentive to say “No” to sin because we have experienced freedom from the vicious cycle sin causes.
Today, if you are caught in the grip of sin, know there is hope through the grace of God. It can wipe your slate clean, just as it did Paul’s, and teach you how to say “No” to ungodliness in your life. God’s grace is indeed the only way out of the vicious cycle of sin.
© Jim Musser 2016
“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’” (John 10:7-10 NIV)
It seemed right out of a soap opera. A married man with children. A young mistress. A torrid love affair. The wrath of a woman scorned. For three days, I listened to the sordid details of a marriage destroyed as a member of a civil court jury. It was heart wrenching to see the brokenness of the individuals involved on both sides and the havoc wreaked by sin. As I sat in the jury box listening, I was reminded of Jesus’ words in this passage.
There is nothing redeeming about Satan. His intentions are ONLY to steal, kill, and destroy. Disguising sin as something alluring and exciting is his game. He draws us into his trap by deceiving us, by blinding us to the actual consequences of our actions. Like moths lured to the light of a fire, he wants us to see only the beautiful light, not the looming destruction that is an integral part of it. And if we fall for it, there will be something stolen, killed, or destroyed.
In the case I listened to, it was trust and love that were destroyed. Stable childhoods were stolen and consciences seared. The sin that became so enticing has wreaked destruction not only on the lives of the principals involved, but will likely negatively affect their descendants. Sin is that potent, that destructive. It may offer a temporary reward, but the price one has to pay is very steep.
Think about any sin, be it sexual immorality, greed, bitterness, dishonesty, etc. They all lead to something being stolen, killed, or destroyed. It may seem attractive at the time to engage in an adulterous or immoral affair, to set your hope on money or things, or to hold onto a grudge toward someone, but these temptations are designed to take away from you the wonderful life God has promised to those who love Him and submit themselves to Him. Steal. Kill. Destroy.
Today, recognize the power of sin to destroy, not only you, but also others around you. It may look attractive, but what lurks behind that façade is a trap waiting to ensnare you and take away the life God has promised you.
© Jim Musser 2016
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” (James 1:22-24 NIV)
The mirror is an ubiquitous object around the world. There are very few people who neither own nor have access to a mirror. Think about how many times a day you see your reflection. In the bathroom, in the hallway, in the car. And what do you see? Ah, that is an important question.
Mirrored images are accurate representations of ourselves, but that objective image can get marred when it reaches our cerebral cortex. It can become disconnected from reality. A skinny young woman sees a reflection of a fat one. An old man still sees a younger version of himself staring back. An outwardly successful person can feel a failure’s gaze.
The truth is we rarely see ourselves correctly. We tend to err toward thinking too much of ourselves or thinking poorly of ourselves. As a teenage boy, I stood in front of a mirror looking at my hair. If there were locks of hair sticking out, I cut them off. After I finished, I was quite pleased with the way I looked. Until I went to a hair stylist, who shook his head at what was a disastrous haircut. I had misperceived what I truly looked like.
I think the same is true spiritually. Often we see ourselves in ways that are wholly inaccurate. You may view yourself as a “pretty good” person and be content with that image, when God says you are a sinner and fall way short of His glory (Romans 3:23). You may still see yourself as a terrible individual because of your past even though the Lord says you are forgiven if you have confessed your sin to Him (I John 1:9). You may think it normal to be bitter towards someone who hurt you, until you realize you are to forgive just as Christ forgave you (Colossians 3:13).
The Word of God serves as an accurate mirror for us to see our true selves. It corrects any distorted images, good or bad, that we may have of ourselves. It really is the only true mirror into which we can gaze and get an accurate reflection of who we are.
Today, if you want to know who you really are, then spend time gazing into the mirror of the Word. Study carefully the image it reflects. It is likely you will find the previous view you held of yourself quite different from the one it reflects.
© Jim Musser 2016
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (I Timothy 6:17 NIV)
One fear people often have of following Jesus is that life will end as they know it. No more fun. No more laughter. Life, they imagine, will be so dull and boring. This view, I think, flows from a belief that God does not want us to have fun and enjoy life. In its extreme, this conjures up images of God on His throne peering down from heaven on the lookout for anyone enjoying themselves and zapping them when He finds them. According to this view, a life devoted to God is sure to be a miserably dour experience.
Now there are those who call themselves Christians who view God this way and are willing to submit to what they think He calls them to, and perhaps this is from where many get this skewed and inaccurate view of the Lord. Yet, this brief statement by Paul paints an entirely different picture of God. He says the Lord, rather than wanting us to have no pleasure in life, instead “provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” Really?! Now there is something to shout from the mountaintops—God wants us to enjoy ourselves! Everything He created is for our enjoyment.
But Paul throws out this caveat: True enjoyment comes from first putting our hope in God. He did create all things for our enjoyment, but the things He created are not to become a substitute for Him. And therein lies the proverbial rub—many people seek enjoyment, pleasure, or entertainment as their god. They worship the created instead of the Creator.
God truly intended us to enjoy life, but He specifically created us to enjoy it through Him, not apart from Him. Today, know if you are seeking to follow the Lord, life is yours to enjoy.
© Jim Musser 2016
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.” (Matthew 23:27 NIV)
Jesus knew our tendency is to focus on how we appear to others rather than on whom we truly are. That our concern tends to be more on what others think about us than what God already knows about us. He called out the Pharisees for this, but He also calls us out as well by the very fact His words are preserved in the Scriptures for us to read and meditate upon.
And the Church desperately needs to do this. Why? Because it has become enamored with how things appear rather than how things truly are. I recently read a Facebook post by a pastor proclaiming life change was taking place because a group was at a big conference. Now I have been to enough conferences, revivals, etc. to know the vast majority walks away relatively unchanged, just as they do coming out of the church doors week after week.
This may strike you as harsh, but think about it for a moment. How much of our impression of the movement of God is based on outward things—the sheer numbers or the emotions proclaimed? Many people proclaim “great things” are happening at their churches or at certain conferences, but what is that opinion based upon? Typically, it is the numbers, the emotions, or the feel people have in being there. Rarely is there talk about the hard evidence of transformation—not just attendance but actually lives that exhibit true change.
It is so easy to be fooled by the outward show, but the true test is what is taking place on the inside. We can show up to a lot of events, but the question is, are we encountering Jesus in such a way that leads to real change in our lives? Sadly, I think, as we look across the breadth of the Church, the answer is no. Lots of activities and lots of people showing up, but little transformation. Great experiences? Yes. Emotional highs? Yes. Life-transforming change? Very little.
I write this because I have worked with many students who have been to plenty of conferences billed as “life-changing,” but they were not changed. They have been in “dynamic and powerful” youth groups, but came to college with little understanding of what following Jesus involves besides participating in Christian events and adhering to certain beliefs. And more importantly, I have experienced this myself. Of all the conferences I have attended since becoming a Christian, I can say only one was truly transformative for me. Change for me has rather come from seeking to walk daily with Jesus, obeying Him, and confessing to Him when I don’t.
In an age of hype and emotionalism, I think we have missed what the key to life-change really is. It is not chasing after emotional and spiritual highs, or keeping up the pretense of some great spirituality, but rather humbling ourselves before God by acknowledging our sinfulness and our deep need for Him. Only then will we experience true transformation.
Today, appearances aside, what do you look like on the inside? If it is a very different picture, then know the Lord has already seen it and would love to clean it up. All you have to do is come to Him and humble yourself, and then true transformation will begin.
© Jim Musser 2016
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” (I Timothy 6:11-16 NIV)
I like action movies, not so much those “B” movies with gratuitous violence, but those like the “Bourne” movies or ‘Taken.” There’s a plot that’s constantly moving and keeping you on the edge of your seat. They’re definitely not boring.
In talking with people both inside and outside the church, I often get the feeling they view the Christian life more like a boring movie than an action flick, long on words and short on action. But if you read the Scriptures carefully, like this passage, you will see there is a consistent call to action.
“Flee,” “pursue,” “fight,” “take hold,” all are action verbs. There is nothing passive about them. Flee from what? The temptations of the world, particularly greed. Pursue what? The qualities of God. Fight what? All the forces seeking to convince us to give up our faith, to believe and live like the rest of the world. Take hold of what? The promise of eternal life for those who follow Jesus, a promise which is held out to us but which we must embrace.
There is nothing passive about following Jesus. We are in a battle with evil forces, forces that seek to deprive us of what God has promised to those who are faithful to Him. If we sit passively by and do nothing, we will be defeated. Paul knows this and instructs Timothy accordingly.
Today, heed Paul’s words. Consider what you need to do in order to win the battle being waged against you. Now is not the time to sit idly by; now is the time for action.
© Jim Musser 2016
“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. (II Thessalonians 1:3-4 NIV)
Growth is a part of life. If a baby isn’t gaining weight, the parents know something is not right. If a toddler doesn’t progress from crawling into walking, it is an indication something is wrong. If a child doesn’t show intellectual progress as she proceeds through elementary school, parents and teachers know something is amiss. Growth is a given in life for babies and children.
The Scriptures often compare our relationship with God to physical development. Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be “born again” (John 3:3). Peter writes that we should be like newborn babies in seeking spiritual nourishment so we can “grow up in our salvation” (I Peter 2:2). And Paul writes that our goal as followers of Jesus should be to mature so that “we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:14-15 NIV). Spiritual growth is expected.
The question is, do we see anything wrong when we are not growing? Are we content with remaining in the same spiritual state we reached a year ago? In my years of ministry, I have seen many people content with their spiritual immaturity. Aside from attending a weekly meeting, they make no effort to gain spiritual nourishment. I have met people who have been believers for most of their lives who are, in most respects, still in spiritual infancy. Something is indeed amiss because, like babies and children, we are to continue to grow spiritually.
When we examine our lives, we should see a steady growth pattern from the time we first surrendered ourselves to Jesus. That is the norm. If it is anything different, then something is amiss.
Today, take a look at your life. In the past year, what growth do you see? If there is little to none, then know this is not normal. Something is wrong and intervention is warranted because God intends for you to keep growing and maturing.
© Jim Musser 2016
