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Are you living the very best life?
With so much to celebrate about life, have you noticed certain things are off-kilter?
Our loving Creator writes on our hearts ability to identify right and wrong. Still, in this dark world where death reigns because of one man’s sin, try as we may, on our own, we can’t fully get on top of the moral sense we’ve been given.
Matthew 1:23
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| “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23 |
Have you heard God the Father lowered his Son Jesus by birth into humanity—not to condemn the world—but in order that the world might be saved through him?
By faith given us, we take responsibility to confess our own condition and confess to others what we believe about Jesus who stepped up to take away our guilt. A God-given conscience, doing what it is designed to do, turns toward our Savior, respectfully, prayerfully seeking help to resist temptation and bless others.
Messes exist in weakness or lack of faith. Efforts we propose to improve relationships don’t always make it happen. Battles are lost when the bar is set high, opposition is harsh, impure thoughts, frightening actions and selfish attitudes enter the picture. Harm done isn’t repaired, nor bullying prevented. Inability to articulate, precisely, each point where one and another has gone wrong proves the complexity of our predicament. Nitpicking doesn’t correct the problem, but only compounds it. Disrespect, mistrust and conflicts remain unresolved. Irresponsibility shows up when we
- value our own perspective more than Christ’s mercy
- have a cold heart, turned hard, hostile to the Gospel
- reject, deny or aimlessly wander from Truth
Abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness to reign in life is through the one man Jesus Christ. Word and water of baptism is for all nations—all people, including infants to receive God’s gift of faith. It’s possible to misunderstand how faith comes to us [not we come to faith]. People may let go of it and reject the faith received in baptism; yet, it’s still available to return to, hang onto and be changed by.
Our good thoughts, words and actions won’t come close to earn what Jesus accomplished for us. Gratitude for faith’s gift of righteousness in Christ motivates capacity to live rightly. A life-long process of maturity begins by meditating on pure teaching of the Bible which tells of God’s good purpose to restore people as He created them. The Spirit of Truth teaches us to acknowledge and hate sin, as well as how to live in the grace of Christ. Knowing Jesus is dependable to intercede for us, forgiving and removing sin, we enjoy the peace our Heavenly Father wants for us even now in the fallen world this side of heaven! Faith is a beautiful and mysterious gift given to and for us because our Creator knows and loves each of us more than we can imagine.
- The Savior was born to destroy the works of the devil.
- Jesus, perfect man while remaining divinely God,
- because of His love for us, willingly obeyed His Father’s plan to redeem us.
- Violated, abandoned, betrayed,
- lifted on the cross of crucifixion,
- He died, was buried, descended into hell and
- on the third day bodily rose from the grave!
- Jesus ascended to heaven where
- He prepares a place for people who are living by and dying in the faith,
- whom, together with Christ, will celebrate His victory forever!
Matthew 5:4
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| “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 |
As we mourn over our own sins as well as sorrows and suffering we must endure, we are blessed by God’s comfort in the hope He gives.
There are two ways to grieve: with hope or without hope. All who grasp the gift of reconciliation with God, in Christ, will be changed to immortal [or raised imperishable] with a perfect body and soul on the Last Day—separated from unbelievers ignoring the gift of faith who will go on [or be raised] to endure everlasting punishment. Christians urge everyone to be baptized and follow Jesus. We don’t want anyone to be on the unbeliever-path when Jesus returns.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14
From birth to death, by faith, the Holy Spirit’s secure comfort guides us along the hard path of this life into the wonderful next life.
“Seek yourself only in Christ and not in yourself and you will find yourself in him eternally.—Reformation Relevance: A sermon on preparing to die
Examples of help to ask for in Jesus Name:
- to recognize one’s own sin
- for strength to flee evil
- for grace to receive the balm which heals: forgiveness
- for motivation to be in the Word daily
- to be guided to a firm stance on the mercy of our Lord
- for integrity and wellness for self and everyone
- for reminders God knows exactly what’s going on and to trust His purposes
- to let go of desire to micromanage others
- for contentment in unexpected situations
- for assurance of God’s goodness
- for encouragement to be thankful and share gifts
- for relief from concerns about temptations
- for protection from harm, danger
- to increase compassion
- for wisdom to enrich communication
Jesus is moved with compassion. The work of Jesus washes us clean from our own problems as well as cleanses us from infectious toxins we catch from others. Jesus sympathizes and stands in with those who mourn. Consoled and refreshed in spirit, we trust and praise His holiness.
Matthew 5:9
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| “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9 |
Our peace-loving brother-friend Jesus gave His life for us. Forgiving the worst in us, He makes us right.
We were created to love God with our whole being and love other people as much as we care about ourselves—easier said than done. We all fall for the devil’s temptations in thoughts, words and deeds. Unchecked sin is failure to admit our own failures and weaknesses. The effect of this kind of pride drains warmth from relationships.
- negligence to care
- squash people for thinking differently than we do
- invent selfish schemes which disturb others
- impose unrealistic demands
- settle into an entitled, bitter, irresponsible mindset
- justify participation in quarreling, meddling, isolation or violence
- tune out another’s viewpoint to avoid the whole truth
To
deny, hide, or project our own problems onto another
is to twist reality. The devil stirs up lies to
cause brain fog and clog a clear conscience. Satan uses abusive tactics which aim at
coercive control of a target person. The father of lies works night and day to breakdown the faith of as many people as he can snatch. Infected
with ill-motives to bypass personal responsibility, we gravitate to
- spread lies, blame or slander
- misread someone whom we’ve blamed
- create a tension of walking on eggshells for someone
- expect someone to repent of something that isn’t actually his/her responsibility
- silence someone by refusing to hear him/her
- refuse to answer questions
- misjudge
- hold someone in contempt
God’s opinion matters most. Experiencing the peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding, baptized children of God abhor what is evil, hold on tightly to what is good, desire to honor and make peace with others.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. Proverbs 15:18
Matthew 6:9-13
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| Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:9-13 |
The gentle Teacher gives words to pray and take to heart in The Lord’s Prayer.
Notice how Jesus emphasizes the importance of grace? Jesus desires we ask for everything we need including forgiveness, as we also have forgiven those who’ve embarrassed or wronged us.
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Psalm 32:1-7
In the Name of Jesus, we have opportunity to forgive the one who’s asked to be forgiven as well as forgive and pray for enemies who don’t realize or admit they need care.
The devil tempts us to form a grudge against someone who embarrasses us or sees things differently than we do. Jesus warns us of the serious consequence of refusal to forgive.
See what Jesus says about denying or carelessly withholding forgiveness. Is ego so big we’ll forfeit God’s mercy? Please, call it what it is and get rid of the grudge!
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14 … Listen to a talk about The Lord’s Prayer
Satan’s goal is to promote failure of everyone who wants to lead people to Jesus. Generous Christians are the devil’s main targets. He tempts active power-trips which divide, slander, condemn and silence others. The devil would have us hide or minimize our own sinful pride. He wants nothing we do to benefit another, rather hurt or embarrass someone. He’ll tempt us to forget that many people, including the one he wants us to destroy, have mercifully responded gently with compassion toward us. He’ll tempt the owner of harsh, bad behavior to twist it and misplace fault on the innocent. Rather than respond with patience, he’ll tempt us to react rashly. Satan pushes an entitlement mentality which relentlessly mistreats another who isn’t fulfilling unrealistic expectations. He works to oppose dignity and respect.
Faith would have us pray that we aren’t callously wise and intelligent, but only in our own mind.
Quickly resolving issues is always best and leads to restoring relationships. God forces no one to behave properly. In this sinful world when both parties aren’t united in the goal, reconciliation between people isn’t guaranteed. Everyone longs to hear specific, prompt apologies, comforted with assurance of regret regarding the exposed damage. Offering an overdue or repeated apology may or may not increase potential forgiveness. Humans are imperfect and limited at various levels of maturity physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Forgiveness may look far different than how we imagine and expect.
- forgiving is best for everyone
- forgiving someone isn’t dependent on
- trusting them or
- agreeing with them
- the Spirit of Christ enables grace which forgives and loves unconditionally
- refusing to forgive is disastrous for one’s own soul and distresses others
Matthew 6:26
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| Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26 |
The all-knowing Almighty Lord helps us get in tune with His Word to help us understand that we may rest in His provision. As we study Scripture, He guides us to reminders of His grace for us as well as our responsibility to offer grace to others.
Matthew 7:15-20
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| “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20 |
Legal experts criticized Jesus for eating with sinners.
Have
you ever been annoyed with someone’s actions (or lack of actions) and were unable to have effective communication with them? Did you choose to give it to the Lord in prayer? Did you add
insult to injury, throw a fit, yell, behave violently? Did you calmly talk “at” them without asking questions, listening or caring about their issue? Have you stomped away to skip a meal rather than dine with them? Have you ever felt embarrassed by someone’s action (or lack of action)? Have your hurt feelings excused your choice to unfriend and estrange them? Do you complain about things that aren’t yours to control? Do you dominate conversations in a way that silences and offends another?
Self-centered focus disappoints. Delusion expects another could read our mind or be able to make things just right for us. Conceit misconstrues respect, honor, and gratitude. No one is meant to be a robot, doormat, nor anyone capable of humanly-defined perfection. Unrealistic divine expectations of a person puts them on a pedestal, above God. All people are sick with sin. It’s hard to admit we are wrong. Jesus is still there, willing to eat with us. He patiently desires we
- pray to resist temptations to make ourselves and others into idols
- pray His will be clarified, and for patience
- ask Him to reveal our own sin, and lead us to repent
- trust He provides grace and mercy; receive it gratefully
- thank Him in all circumstances, even suffering which produces endurance, character and hope that looks forward to what’s coming in Christ
Matthew 9:12-13
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| But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13 |
Jesus the carpenter’s son is our Great Physician who prescribes His humility so that we may flee evil and safely walk with Him.
Thankfully, Jesus always forgives when, by faith, we are compelled to repent. No matter how badly we are injured, we may come to our trustworthy Creator. Mercy, refuge and rest restores us back to health and energizes us with humility to forgive others. Though someone dishonorably harbors resentment or whatever the rift may be, we are blessed in forgiving them. We can’t hold our breath while waiting for reconciliation to happen with another, since it isn’t ours alone to control. It takes two. Christ doesn’t force anything. He makes safe space for vulnerability, desiring we come to cherish the cleansing value of reconciliation. Being quick to forgive is a blessed way of life for those who value the reconciliation God offers.
The Almighty Caregiver died for us to make us well, build us up and save our life from the pit. He invites us to His House for bread and wine, Ordinary Means, Extradordinary Gifts. The Church is a hospital for sinners who don’t deserve, yet are eligible to participate in Jesus’s paid plan, offered free for us. The needy family of faith come to get full coverage, protection and relief of anxiety. Even sorrows of this world cannot stop joyful celebration of mercy, grace and debt-free living. All of us have two options
- trust Jesus’s propitiatory plan and live forever
- decline Christ’s atonement and pay the price of eternal death
The open enrollment period is limited, a time unknown to everyone except our Heavenly Father. Wisdom would grab the divine opportunity immediately! If you aren’t familiar with spiritual wellness received by the water of baptism and Word, ask about it. You’re always welcome to show up at God’s house where you can check into His healthcare package that fills participants with the Spirit of Truth!
God’s gifts are grasped when, giving up an inclination to control others and situations to get what we want, instead, we trust Jesus for all that is needed—resting in honesty and treating people with sympathetic warmth.
Like infants depend on someone to take care of them, we can completely trust God cares to hear from us about our own wrongs and inadequacies as well as every troubling situation.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
At the moment we receive the faith given to us by baptism into Christ’s death, we are
reconciled with God! Having an intimate relationship with Him in the Word, receiving grace to repent and understanding about perfection in Christ, He points us to look forward to full restoration when Jesus returns.
“…As I live my ordinary Christian life, is it possible—God forbid—have I turned myself into a walking, talking temptation for a fellow Christian? If so, there’s only one thing for me to do—to repent and throw myself on the mercy of Jesus Christ, our Savior. He is the only one who can take away the sin of all of us, both the tempted and the tempters. He is the only one who can clean up these impossible messes and set us free to be pure, kind, honorable children of God.…” Dr. Kari Vo
Human capability, alone, can’t cure the cause of pain.
We can’t repent enough or do enough to save ourselves; if we could, we would never sin again. We need Jesus who has authority to supply us with humility. Freeing us to reveal every mistake, concern, trouble, pain, fear, dark thought, He cleanses us of each ill and failure that stains us. The Divine Doctor’s manner is compassionate, forgiving, and safe. Always on call, nothing is impossible with Him while under the protection of His plan. He defeated sin, death and the power of the devil for us.
The Church dispenses regular doses of Jesus.
Direction and companionship to exercise the faith are part of God’s wellness plan for us. Along with hearing how wrong it is to blow-off our faults and weaknesses, we get encouragement, confidence, freedom to repent, and just enough strength for each day. We need to hear we are absolutely forgiven in Christ. It’s such a blessing to hear this, often! The Gospel is a life-giving spiritual antidepressant with zero side effects. Christ’s humility serves us peace which surpasses understanding as we trust His promises.
Matthew 10:16
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| “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16 |
“Jesus warns His disciples to expect persecution as they carry out their mission of being His witnesses. This opposition to the Gospel is evidence of sin’s grip on the human heart. When we experience abuse because of our loyalty to Jesus, we have his assurance that the Holy Spirit will help us to speak the right words. He will use our Gospel testimony to soften the hard hearts of unbelievers. • Holy Spirit, help me to stand firm to the end and faithfully witness to Christ in word and deed. Amen.”
The Lutheran Study Bible
In this world, we expect to be mercilessly challenged physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Jesus suffered all of the effects of our damaging behaviors. Our Lord compassionately understands prayers for protection from temptation as well as prayers for deliverance from evil to escape harm’s way. Satan’s employed wolves in the world try to taint humility, crush contentment and seduce us to selfishly seek the false notion of a perfect life here and now.
As long as we are breathing, we can seek true wisdom and utilize God-given discerning brains to believe Jesus shelters from hell everyone who trusts Him. Difficult experiences and
weariness are met with power received in Gospel growth and rest, knowing the best and perfect life is yet to come when Christ returns.
Matthew 11:28-30
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| Come
to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 |
Heaviness and labor pains are difficult like
- child bearing
- hard work to make a living
- taking to heart God’s commands
Being joined to Jesus turns restlessness to rest. He was sent to pull us out of the anxious messes we keep falling into.
The faith, reminding us it’s not always going to be this hard, gives freedom to enjoy His peace while we allow Him to walk with us and help us live in love for Him and love for one another.
Matthew 12:20
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| a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; Matthew 12:20 |
Satan’s deception creates arrogance and jealousy in attempt to smother truth, humility and contentment. Christ works the very opposite way and has already won the contest with evil.
Gentle Jesus did not come to quarrel and make a big deal out of who He is, but to protect, heal, restore our dignity and establish peace on earth by removing sin, guilt, and the sting of death. The lasting victory of justice He’ll bring in a moment when the trumpet sounds on the final day. His judgement will separate believers firm in the faith to eternal life with Him, from unbelievers to eternal punishment with Satan.
Matthew 25:8
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| And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ Matthew 25:8 |
Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning while we watch and wait for Jesus to call our name upon His return! Grace-Faith-Scripture-Christ meets our every need. The Holy Text prescribed has unlimited refills. Read the Bible or begin with a summary designed to train people in the faith. God’s plan goes beyond death we all must face to assurance of eternity with our Creator, restored to perfection, separated from every evil, ill, tears and death.
Spiritually illuminated, frequently absorbing the Light of the Bible, we pray to hunger for Truth. Apart from anything we decide or accomplish ourselves, we depend on our Redeemer according to His will. Jesus Is The Mediator of the New Covenant. In baptism and believing, the Holy Spirit’s true faith sets us free by the work of Christ. Our Heavenly Father desires mercy, not sacrifice.
“The ‘good life’—yes, the very best life—is lived knowing our Creator.” —What is the good life? by Matthew C. Harrison
