1 JOHN - The Defense Rests

The judge peered down at me.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

What could I say? I was guilty of every sin that had been brought against me.

My Adversary was good…very good.

He had used witnesses against me…He had used Scripture against me. And he had used truth – I couldn’t deny one word of his accusations. I was guilty…

"No, Your Honor. The defense rests."

"Then I suggest you begin your closing arguments."

I had no closing arguments. How can you argue, when you know you're guilty of every wrongdoing, every errant act, every thoughtless word – I had SINNED!

I was about to stand up and plead guilty, when a note was passed to me. It read: "Someone is here to speak for you."

I turned and looked into the softest eyes of the strongest face I have ever seen.

And He began to speak for me.

He used His own witness…He used Scripture. And He used truth. He finished with a simple, yet profound, statement:

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

"Agreed," said the judge, as he pounded his gavel. "Not guilty."

I thought of this little courtroom drama when I read this week's "Bible Pick 'Ems." It comes from the book of I John:

"My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous." (1 John 2:1)

John offers reassurance to us when we're feeling guilty and condemned. We know we have sinned. And Satan wastes no time in pointing fingers at us.

"For the accuser of our brothers and sisters…[is] the one who accuses them before our God day and night." (Revelation 12:10)

He is good…very good.

But don't give up hope!!

We have the best defense attorney in the universe!

And He is pleading our case!

Jesus is our Advocate, our Defender – and He speaks His truth. He has already suffered the penalty in our place. We can't be tried for a case that no longer exists.

"Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us." (Romans 8:34)

“He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” (Hebrews 7:25)

So, don't be afraid to ask Jesus to plead your case – He has already won it!!

What is the biggest "case" that Jesus has won for you?

"When in doubt, search God out!"

JOEL - The Locusts Are Coming

I love dominoes.

I especially like the ones with the different colored dots.

There are many fun games to play with dominoes. I enjoyed that. But my favorite thing to do was to line them all up, real close together, and then topple them all down – just by pushing the first one over.

Such a harmless tap of my finger – but oh, what it sets into motion!

Sin is like that.

Sometimes we can start with the smallest "innocent" decision or action, and without even knowing it, we set a series of consequences into motion.

Because sometimes that first "little" sin is merely the first domino – the one that makes all the other ones fall.

When I read today's "Bible Pick 'Ems" I was reminded of that:

"Listen, all who live in the land. In all your history, has anything like this happened before?...After the cutting locusts finished eating the crops, the swarming locusts took what was left! After them came the hopping locusts, and the stripping locusts, too!" (Joel 1:2, 4)

I investigated some commentaries to help understand the different types of locusts. Here's a quick overview of my research:

--Some scholars have suggested that the words indicate four stages in the

development of locusts

--Others believe that the locusts symbolize four different invading armies

--Many believe that the creatures here spoken of are different

kinds of locusts, so named from their number or voracity

--The law mentions several sorts of locusts – in fact, more than 80 different

kinds have been observed

--Slight as they are in themselves, beautiful and gorgeous, they are a scourge

that grows in successive devastation

--Each judgment, though in itself desolating, is later followed quickly by

another, and thus they complete their destructiveness

--Morally, also, four chief passions can desolate successively the human heart:

--lust – which so pollutes the heart it possesses

--vainglory (pride) – which exalts itself with empty presumptions

--gluttony and covetousness and materialism – appetites of impious desires that

are indulged in too immoderately, leading ever

more fiercely to any object of

ambition

--anger and impatience – whose flames wither the fruit of virtue

When some vices succeed to others, one plague enters to devour the *field* of the mind, while another is leaving it.

As much as I would love to tell you that I have no experience of this type of "plague" – I have to be honest. There was a time when my life was invaded by sin.

I made one small decision – at least it seemed small at the time – but it became the first domino to fall in my life.

Unbeknownst to me, the first wave of locusts had arrived.

It doesn't take much

–

one crucial lapse of judgment, one singular step over the line into sin, one selfish ignoring of faith and values, can lead to a "swarm effect."

An *innocent* beginning can quickly turn into devastation.

And you can end up feeling like the Israelites:

"Despair…wail…weep…The fields are ruined, the land is stripped bare. The grain is destroyed, the grapes have shriveled, and the olive oil is gone….And the people's joy has dried up within them." (Joel 1:10-12, parts)

Yes, I finally looked around at the mess of my life and realized – I was a wilderness. I was far from home, far from the Lord who loved me. And I wanted to return.

My repentance was quick. His forgiveness was instantaneous and complete. And though my healing took a little longer, I fully understood like never before, that the Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love.

He is eager to relent and not punish.

I will never forget the day when I knew that I was headed down a new path. I had a *random* meeting with a woman (no coincidence – this was a divine appointment). We talked, I told her about my story. She said some of the most powerful words I have ever heard – and oddly enough, they were from the book of Joel:

"The LORD says, 'I will restore to you the years
 that the swarming locust has eaten,
 the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter…Once again…you will praise the LORD your God, who does these miracles for you.'"

(Joel 2:25-26, ESV and NLT)

I hugged her with tears in my eyes.

Oh dear ones, God proved to be faithful.

He did indeed restore and revive me, renew and re-establish me. He paid back – many times over – the time that I lost.

My lesson for today?

It's two things.

First, be very careful when dealing with dominoes. One small sin can be the first catalyst to an onslaught of ensuing consequences – and one day you will find yourself devastated.

But, there is hope.

For the second lesson is this – we have a great and gracious God. And He is perfectly able, and completely willing, to forgive the repentant sinner. He can heal broken hearts, He can restore shattered relationships. He can mend and mold a faithful life out of the locust-eaten fields of iniquity.

Anyone who calls on God's name can be saved.

"I will pardon my people's crimes…and I, the LORD, will make my home…with my people." (Joel 3:21)

Do you, or does someone you know, need to hear this message of hope?

Won't you pass it on?

(I'm linked today with Charlotte at Spiritual Sundays, and Peggy at Soaking On SONday. And please feel free to visit me during the week at my other blog, Sharon Sharing God!)

"When in doubt, search God out!"

LUKE - Accident Forgiveness

Weren't we all teenagers at some point in our lives?

Notice I'm not asking how long ago that was!

Did you ever do anything you felt REALLY bad about?

(OK, I better see every hand raised out there in Blog Land!!)

I can recall one incident so vividly, it’s like it happened last week.

My dad and uncle owned a business in Pasadena. And at some point in time, they decided that it was a good idea to lease two company cars – two brand-new 1970 Pontiac Firebirds. I'm pretty sure that this was my "hot shot" uncle's idea!

My dad's car was awesome!

One night, I needed to borrow a car to go to a church party. OK, I'm 16, the ink is barely dryon my driver's license, and my dad lets me use HIS car. He actually offered it to me!

I know!! Honestly, what was he thinking?!

After picking my jaw up off the floor, I graciously accepted…

"OK, Dad, if you insist."

I went to the party, and when it was over, a bunch of my friends and I thought it would be coolto drive over and see a boy that I had a secret crush on – because I was behind the wheel of a radically "hot" car.

We thought this was a great idea, because nothing screams "GOOD DECISION" like a car full of 16-year-old girls!

Anyway, we got to talking, got to flirting, and time ran away. When I finally headed home, my 11:00 PM curfew had disappeared in a teenage fog of…

Oh, he's so cute!

Do you think he likes me?

How's my hair look?

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

OK, so now it’s like 1:00 in the morning, it's pouring rain, and I have to park the car in the garage. Our driveway was very steep, and Dad parked his car on the right-hand side of the garage, so you had to make kind of a sharp turn at the top of the driveway, just past a retaining wall.

You KNOW what's coming, don't you?

Yes, I made that turn, just a LITTLE early, and heard the most awful sound as "brand-new" Firebird met concrete block wall. Man, it still hurts today.

I tried backing up…SCRAPE.

I tried going forward…SCRAPE.

The car was sorta stuck on the wall.

In a panic, I finally just gunned the engine and the car leapt forward, almost piling intothe corner of the garage. I got the car parked, and looked at it. There was a huge dent, andmassive scratches right through the paint, all along the whole side of the car. OH MAN! I quietly entered the house so I wouldn’t disturb anyone's sleep…

OK, OK, yes…I was trying to sneak in! You guys are awful strict!

I was almost to my bedroom when I noticed my mom sitting alone in the dark, shivering with fever and chills, sicker than a dog with the flu, waiting up for me.

I didn't sleep much that night.

The next morning I got up early, bringing all $200 in my savings account, to confess to my dad what I had done to his car. He told me to keep my money – he would "take care of it."My dad didn't get mad, he didn't punish me – He forgave me.

Jesus told His disciples a similar principle about forgiveness, and it's found in today's "Bible Pick 'Ems":

"If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks for forgiveness, you must forgive." (Luke 17:3-4)

Jesus took forgiveness very seriously – it was His whole mission on earth.

Can we do any less?

"…and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." (Matthew 6:12)

"'Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?'

'No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!'"

(Matthew 18:21-22)

(Linked today with Charlotte and Ginger at Spiritual Sundays, and Peggy at Super Sunday. Please feel free to hop on over to my other blog during the week - Sharon Sharing God)

"When in doubt, search God out!"

1 JOHN - Our Advocate

The judge peered down at me.

“Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

What could I say? I was guilty of every sin that had been brought against me.

My Adversary was good…very good.

He had used witnesses against me…He had used Scripture against me. And he had used truth – I couldn’t deny one word of his accusations. I was guilty…

“No, Your Honor. The defense rests.”

“Then I suggest you begin your closing arguments.”

I had no closing arguments. How can you argue, when you know you’re guilty of every wrongdoing, every errant act, every thoughtless word – I had SINNED!

I was about to stand up and plead guilty, when a note was passed to me. It read: “Someone is here to speak for you.”

I turned and looked into the softest eyes of the strongest face I have ever seen.

And He began to speak for me.

He used His own witness…He used Scripture. And He used truth. He finished with a simple, yet profound, statement:

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

“Agreed,” said the judge, as he pounded his gavel. “Not guilty.”

I thought of this little courtroom drama when I read this week’s “Bible Pick ‘Ems.” It comes from the book of I John:

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.” (1 John 2:1)

John offers reassurance to us when we’re feeling guilty and condemned. We know we have sinned. And Satan wastes no time in pointing fingers at us.

“For the accuser of our brothers and sisters…[is] the one who accuses them before our God day and night.” (Revelation 12:10)

He is good…very good.

But don’t give up hope!!

We have the best defense attorney in the universe!

And He is pleading our case!

Jesus is our Advocate, our Defender – and He speaks His truth. He has already suffered the penalty in our place. We can’t be tried for a case that no longer exists.

“Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” (Romans 8:34)

“He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” (Hebrews 7:25)

So, don’t be afraid to ask Jesus to plead your case – He has already won it!!

"When in doubt, search God out!"

1 CORINTHIANS - Do Not Judge

I wonder why “reality shows” have become so popular?

I’m sure there are many reasons – but I think, at least in part, it’s because we enjoy watching other people behave badly.

We humans love to compare ourselves with others. We love to feel like we’re “better” than someone else. Sometimes, I think we take a perverse pleasure in other people’s failures.

We measure our worth by the yardstick of someone else’s behavior – and we secretly applaud when they “come up short.”

We are a judgmental bunch…

Today’s “Bible Pick ‘Ems” serves as a warning – to be careful what we think of others.

“As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove that I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time – before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.”

(1 Corinthians 4:3-5)

WHOA!

Paul is speaking to the church at Corinth. He is urging them to think of him, Peter, and Apollos as mere servants of Christ. Paul understood one of the great “reversals” of the Kingdom of God – to be the greatest, you have to be the least.

“But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” (Matthew 19:30)

“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)

It is tempting to judge people, especially fellow Christians. Unfortunately, it’s rather easy to evaluate whether or not they are “good” followers of Christ. It’s what we do to make ourselves feel or look better. But that is arrogance, pride. Only God knows a person’s heart – including our own – and He is the only One with the right to judge.

Paul left the judging up to God. He compared himself only with Jesus. He realized his sinfulness, and he understood his limitations. He was grateful to be a servant of the Most High, and did not waste time comparing himself to the standards of man.

Jesus was his yardstick…

We must do what God tells us to do in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit.

He will judge our hearts, and He will reward His servants.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you…why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” (Luke 6:37, 41)

"When in doubt, search God out!"