Do Not Depart

Encouragement and Tools to Abide in God's Word

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Only God

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CrossI have such a hard time knowing how to share my testimony.   Mainly because I don’t ever want to glorify or excuse any of the wayward moments of my life … I don’t want to make an object lesson of my sin or my rebellion … I don’t want any part of what is seen in me to be about me.

Because I’ve lived that way … selfish, self-centered, needing attention, desperate for approval … from you, from everyone, from anyone.  Well, anyone but Him.

It’s not that I didn’t know … I was raised in a Christian home, in church, by a family that had for generations served the Lord and continues to do so.

It’s not even really that I didn’t care … I did.  I desperately cared and longed to live a life that honored God.

It’s not that I didn’t know how … I had been taught and I had many people in my life who modeled steadfast faith in the Lord.

It’s simply that I made a choice … one choice to take the fruit.  It seemed so small at the time – it always does.  And that choice led to more choices and more choices.  And many consequences and tears and sorrow.

There are some dramatic moments in my story … I’ve made some really bad decisions.

But that’s not my testimony.   Because the testimony I have is this:  Only God.

Only God can take a scared, insecure girl and give her the gift of communicating His truth.

Only God can bring true beauty from the ashes of moral impurity.

Only God can give new life to one who was willing to take her own life.

Only God …

So that’s my testimony, my declaration of faith.  It’s all I have …

Only God.

It’s all any of us have.

Only God.

As John Newton said, “And though my memory is fading, the truth seems very clear:  I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.”

Maybe your story makes you feel unworthy, unloved, useless …

I can relate. But I choose to stand on this sweet truth:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

I’d love it if you would take a moment to share your “Only God” story with us today.

{Perhaps what I have shared resonates with you.  I have written a small ebook about a portion of my journey when the battle between flesh and spirit was very real.  I’d love to share it with you … My Life, God’s Grace.}

 

The Cross is not enough

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Or “Why we need the Resurrection!”

Jesus’ death on the cross is not sufficient to provide the abundant and eternal life God has promised us. Does that statement shock you? The cross is not enough. A dead Savior has no power. But our Savior is not dead – He lives today and reigns as King over all creation!

The apostle Paul made it very clear to the Corinthian Christians:

And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 1 Cor 15:17-19, NLT

Peter also knew that our eternal hope depended on the resurrection of Christ:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:3-4, NIV

So why do we so often leave out the Resurrection when we share the Good News of Jesus? We don’t forget to talk about the Cross. And yes, praise God, the death of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary provided the payment that my sins – and yours – had earned. Our sins deserved the death penalty. Our sins brought us spiritual death and separation from our holy God. But Jesus Christ took that penalty on Himself. The perfect, sinless God who became man died so we could have forgiveness. But that is only part of the Gospel message.

Paul never forgot the resurrection. He knew that without it the Gospel was incomplete. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul succinctly expresses the Good News. He boils down the message to its most important components.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Cor 15:3-4

Yes, Jesus’ death paid the price of our sin, but His resurrection provided our hope for life – both now and eternally. Don’t miss these important truths:

  • Jesus’ resurrection proves that everything He said and did on earth was true. See John 14:20
  • Jesus’ resurrection defeated death! That victory was His and ours! See Romans 6:9
  • Jesus’ resurrection provides us with new life in God. See Romans 6:10, Col 3:1
  • Jesus’ resurrection guarantees our physical resurrection. See Rom 8:11, 1 Cor 15:20-21
  • Jesus’ resurrection gives us power for this life. See Philippians 3:10, Romans 8:11

Have you forgotten about the resurrection? It is the power of God for those who believe! Because Christ has been raised, we will be raised! Believers, we have the same power living in us that raised Christ from the dead! Let’s shout it out!

One of the Forgiven Much

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The Meal at the House of Simon the Pharisee
Image via Wikipedia

My story of walking in relationship with Jesus Christ began when I was a small child. Like Sandra, I grew up in a Christian family and have as many memories of being in our small church as I do of being in my childhood home. At the age of four I confessed my sin to the Lord and asked Him to save me, and by the grace of God the rest of my life story reflects an overall pattern of consistent growth in knowing and loving my Savior.

When you have a testimony like that it is tempting to become smug. It is tempting to start thinking of oneself as a “good” person, a “good” Christian… it is easy to lose sight of the lavish grace of God. I am convinced that these attitudes are at the core of so many issues in our churches from legalism to hatred to lack of grace for “sinners.”

When this type of amnesia and “me-centeredness” creeps slowly into my heart, there is a passage in Luke chapter 7 which quickly shakes me back into reality.

When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.“ Luke 7:37-39

Jesus’ answer to Simon the Pharisee resonates in my heart –

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
 “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

… Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:40-43, 47

This one account has re-framed my personal testimony in my mind. You see, those of us who have grown up as good girls in the church can become little Simons. We can lose sight of the fact that no one is good but God alone. Our religiousness and our reputation can blind us to the truth that there is no one righteous – that all of us carry with us a debt of sin so big that forgiveness is something we are desperately in need of.

I must remember that I am one of the forgiven much.

The question is not “how does my sin compare to those around me?” The issue is that my debt of sin is wide and high and deep – and I can call myself a follower of Jesus only because his grace and forgiveness offered to me through the cross is wider, higher, and deeper.

My life story is not dramatic. I used to think of my personal testimony as “boring” – there is nothing inherently gripping or shocking about it. But friend, hear me when I say this – my life story is this way not because I am good, but because God’s grace is great. He saved me out of my own sin and pride and depravity; He saved me from so much pain and destruction I would have brought upon myself if left to my own devices. I am not good – my God is good and His grace is deep.

Over the years of my life it seems that God has beaten the message of grace into my thick skull and sometimes calloused heart. The amazing and freeing truth is that it is only when I am broken and weeping over my own sin at the feet of Jesus that I am able to love Him deeply, offer grace to others freely, and discover who I really am.

That is where I discover that I am one of the forgiven much.

Why the Cross? – (Part 2)

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I just have to start today’s post saying “THANK YOU” to the Lord for so great a salvation. This study has been a reflection of grace for this wretched sinner made saint! Perhaps it’s been the same for you.

Today, I’d like to do something a little different. At the end of this post are several links to songs that are beautiful expressions of thankfulness to the Lord for choosing nail pierced hands, a crown of thorns and a spear torn side. After reading “Why the Cross?” will you take a few minutes to listen to at least one of those songs, think about what He has done for you and worship Him – He is absolutely worthy!

Here’s today’s post:

Yesterday we took a journey to the beginning of time as we know it. We looked at the fall of man and the institution of the sacrificial system. Today we are going to focus our attention on the New Testament and the cross of Christ. But before we look forward to the cross, we’re going to look back at an epic event of monumental proportions. The Passover.

Moses had given Pharoah his final warning, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go,'” But Pharoah’s pride was bigger than his brain and he refused to listen to God for the last time. Unfortunately, this was going to cost him more than he ever imagined.

The plague of death was on its way. It would be a night of broken lives and shattered dreams as the plague of death seized every firstborn soul. But God’s people were given a way to protect themselves and their families. They were to take a spotless lamb, kill it and apply the blood to their doorposts. If they would do that, then the the plague of death would “pass over” them.

“The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13

And that’s exactly what He did. He saw the blood and He passed over them. It was God’s grace on a people who would trust Him enough to do what He says.

Now, fast forward some 1400 years to a quaint upper room where Jesus sits with His disciples as He shares His last meal with them. It was the first night of Passover. It would be a Passover like no other, for the Lamb of God would lay His life down as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole human race.

You see, every sacrifice before that time was a “type” of Christ. A fore-shadow of what was to come. The Creator of the universe would become the spotless Lamb that would not just cover our sin, but cleanse it once and for all. He was the only One who could, because He is the only One who is perfectly sinless.

He came as the High Priest as well as the Sacrifice. Hebrews 9:12 says, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Hebrews 10:1,10&12 says, “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”

Jesus came to be the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sins. That’s why we no longer have to sacrifice animals on the Day of Atonement. Christ is our atonement. We no longer kill the Passover lamb because, as John the Baptist pointed out, Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

As Jesus took His predetermined place on a cross between two thieves, His last words echoed through the portals of time – “It is finished!” He did what was necessary to restore our relationship with God that had been lost in the garden of Eden. What was lost in the fall was gained on the cross!

To be honest with you, no one knows why God chose to redeem mankind through the blood. Perhaps it was to demonstrate how vile sin is before a holy and righteous God. But He is God and we are not. He calls the shots. He makes the rules.

All I can say is I’m so thankful He chose to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. If He didn’t, you and I would be without hope, without peace, without purpose and without God. It was the cross that bridged that gap between a righteous God and fallen man.

Oh sweet sister, please take a few minutes to thank Him for the cross. As I write this, my heart is overwhelmed with unspeakable gratitude to a Savior who didn’t have to come. Who chose to be forsaken so I would never have to be. What a wonderful Savior! To Him be glory, honor, praise, worship and adoration forever and ever!

Click one of the links below and contemplate how great a price He paid for us.

“Thank You for the Cross” – Hillsong

The Wondrous Cross – Matt Redmon

Nothing But Your Blood – Matt Redmon

Have you received Christ and what He has done for you on the cross in payment for your sin? Please take a minute and share what the cross means to you.

Why the Cross? (Part 1)

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Why The Cross? – Part 1

Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to go to the cross? Or what the cross has to do with your life today? How can a 2,000 year old event possibly be relevant to us?

It’s rather complicated, yet clearly simple.

Man was created to live with God forever but he disobeyed God’s simple command to abstain from eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam’s sin placed all of mankind under the curse of sin and left us all in need of a Savior. The cross was God’s preordained response to our need for redemption. That’s why Jesus came…to reestablish our relationship with God that had been broken because of sin.

That’s the short version. But Scripture Dig doesn’t exist to sum things up. The passion of our heart is to thoroughly convey the truths of God’s Word as we all seek to grow and know Him more (at least to the extent our small space in cyberspace will allow in a blog). So, we’re going to take a walk through Scripture to get a thorough understanding of the plan and purpose of the cross.

It all began in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve lived the dream life. They had everything they could possibly need, Beautiful rivers flowing through jewel laden lands; food for the taking and the presence of the Living God. Certainly, beyond anything we could ever imagine.

But there was one stipulation – God told them they could eat from any tree in all the land, except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His warning was clear. “…for in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen 2:17)

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before the enemy of our souls came dressed in snake’s skin with destruction on his heart and lies on his lips. Eve succumbed to the enemy and Adam succumbed to Eve. And that was the beginning of the end.

The forbidden fruit brought an awareness of their own nakedness. They quickly clothed themselves with fig leaves and tried to hide themselves from God. “Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” Gen 3:9

The Lord knew where they were and what they had done, but it was confession time for the not-so-dynamic duo. The fig leaves may have covered their nakedness, but their sin and their shame remained.

After a couple of attempts to pass the buck, they knew they had to face the consequences. It was immediate death. Not physically, but spiritually. They were given the knowledge of good and evil and found themselves on the wrong side of the track.

With Adam and Eve standing there wearing nothing but their sin, shame and a couple of fig leaves, the Lord came to their rescue and clothed them in a coat made from animal skin. Since the skin of an animal is not available unless blood has been shed and death has occurred, it was obvious what had taken place. The animal’s life was sacrificed to cover the culpable couple’s sin and shame.

Genesis 3:21 says, “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”

In what was the first animal sacrifice, we find a picture of things to come. Before the sacrificial law was ever established, Abel, Noah and Abraham offered sacrifices to the Lord as an act of worship. But the system of sacrifices wasn’t officially instituted until Moses passed through the Red Sea and set God’s people free.

In Exodus 28 we find Aaron ordained by God as the first high priest – the one responsible for carrying out acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. In Exodus 28 & 29, we encounter variety of offerings ordained by God, but in Leviticus 1 – 7 we find a more detailed description of Israel’s sacrificial system.

There was one sacrifice described in Leviticus 16 that was held once a year to “take away sin.” It was the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) – the Jewish High Day. During that holy day the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies where he offered a blemish-free bull before the Lord. He then sprinkled it’s blood on the Mercy Seat. Two goats were then offered. One as a sacrifice, the other as a scape goat. A bloody picture of the need for our sin to be cleansed and carried away.

All because of sin!

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:22 that, “according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

Although space limits our ability to thoroughly cover the concept of the sacrificial system, today we we able to lay the Old Testament foundation for the cross. Tomorrow, we will move into the New Testament and discover why the cross was not only important, but necessary.

Do you struggle with understanding the purpose and the plan of the cross? Did anything in this post help you understand or appreciate why Jesus went the cross?



Only One Way?

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From where I was standing in the packed crowd, I saw hands holding the spike over her feet just before a man did what I never believed people still do … he nailed that spike into the feet of a woman, crucifying her before the electric crowd. For seven years she repeated the ritual, attempting to pay for her own sins and those of her family; she pledged to continue her vow for seven more years in a determined plan to save herself and loved ones.


If she’s willing to do so much to save herself, shouldn’t it work?  Is there really only ONE WAY to bridge the gulf of our sin?  That seems kind of intolerant, doesn’t it?

It’s not easy for our world today to swallow the idea there’s only one way to knowing the true God. We live in a “post modern” world, which means “there is no such thing as absolute, objective, or universal truth,” according to John MacArthur in his book Why One Way. Instead of recognizing one reference point for truth and an Ultimate Authority, our world is more comfortable, even passionate, about the freedom to decide your own truth based on experience.

No wonder eyes roll when people hear Jesus’ claim in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Instead, our world is intoxicated by the chance to have a god of their choosing.

It sounds so “B.C.” to talk about idols and offerings, but it’s really so “modern.” Around the world people still bow to golden images, offer hair as a sacrifice, give themselves in crucifixion, whip themselves publicly, and give gifts to silent objects made by men.  Sometimes old idols take new forms, as people try to find another way to know God, another way to fill their emptiness, and another way to pay for their sin. The confusing invitations to take easier, more visible routes/detours is nothing new … Paul encouraged his young mentee Timothy about expecting many lies to be told by teachers who would try to entice seeking souls to embrace myths instead of truth. But Jesus is the Truth.

Since God is holy, He has to have our sin problem dealt with to draw us near. And since He is merciful, He offered His Son as our atoning sacrifice. 1 John 2:1-3 declares that Jesus is THE atonement for our sin, for the whole world’s sin. He is the ONE WAY for the whole world, regardless of race or color or geography.

“If you confess with you mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be a saved” Rom. 10:9.

Narrow?  Yes.  Jesus even said in Matthew 7 that the way to God is a narrow way. We have to get down off of our crosses, turn away from our idols, and look to Him alone for rescue. 

After the woman was crucified in her hands and feet, the crowd shouted triumphantly. A team of men lowered the cross and released her, sending her away to have her wounds cared for. They prepared the cross for the next person … to try in vain to do what only Jesus can do through giving His sinless life in perfect love.


The Dig Team prays that those who read have chosen the narrow way that leads to abundant and eternal life in Jesus Christ alone. Do you know that Jesus is your One Way?


Brush with Death

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My life did not flash before my eyes. I was too concerned about how – or if – I was going to make it back to the beach. Our family trip that day was not supposed to end with me drowning in a riptide.

It was our first day on the beach with our rented boogie boards, and I was the first one in the water. Wanting to catch the waves where they were breaking, I headed away from the shore. By the time I realized they were breaking too far out, the water was over my head. On the board from the waist up, I started kicking to get back to the beach. After a couple of minutes I had not made any progress. In fact, I was farther away from the beach and farther down the shoreline. The board was strapped to my wrist so I let it trail behind me and began to swim. I swam until I was exhausted and swallowing water, but I was even farther from shore. No matter what I did or how hard I worked, I could not save myself.

Seeing I was in trouble, my husband grabbed another board, left the safety of the beach and came to my rescue. My three children watched from shore. I could hear the youngest crying for me. When Wayne reached me, he calmed me down and talked me through riding out the riptide so we could get back to the beach. Moments later I was reunited with my family.

The next day I learned that one or two tourists die each year in rip tides at that very beach. I thank God I was not a statistic.

Have you ever had a brush with death? If you’re a Christian you have. You’ve been pulled out of the rip-tide of eternal condemnation by a loving and merciful heavenly Father and plopped into the safety of the Kingdom of God.

If you’ve never given your life to Christ – if you’ve never entered into a saving relationship with Jesus – then you still face an eternity separated from God. Don’t wait another day. Accept the rescue He offers. Don’t be an eternal statistic. (How to know Jesus)

If you’ve experienced God’s eternal rescue, share a bit of your story with us today. How did God save you? What did He save you from?

*This story is excerpted from “God’s Truth Revealed” by Kathy Howard, published by New Hope Publishers, 2010.


Salvation & Sanctification

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I grew up in the church where my mother grew-up, my grandfather grew-up, and my great-grandfather helped start. Members of my family had held every position in that church from organist to usher to Bible study teacher. Church felt like home. I wanted to be there more than I wanted to be anywhere else. Pastors, Sunday School teachers, camp counselors, and VBS volunteers all encouraged my growing faith, up to the night I prayed and asked God to “make His home in my heart” when I was six years old. Even then I knew I was a sinner and I knew I needed forgiveness.

If you were to observe my life from that moment to this, you might think I had it pretty easy. I appeared to follow the straight and narrow path, as the saying goes. I was at church every time the doors were open. I was active in my youth group. I went to a Baptist college, where I found another great church home and was active there. After graduating from college, I went to seminary and taught at a Christian school. There I met my now husband, who is a pastor.

But I certainly wasn’t perfect. I’m still not perfect. The truth is, I need the cross today as much as I needed it the first time I confessed my sin, was forgiven, and adopted into the family of God. I can easily slip into a Pharisee-like faith, where I get out my check-list and convince myself I’m a good Christian (or at least a good enough Christian when I compare myself to others).

Jerry Bridges writes about me “Christian Pharisees” in his book, The Disciplines of Grace. He warns against an attitude of, “varying degrees of self-satisfaction with one’s Christian life. We can drift into this attitude because we are convinced we believe the right doctrines, we read the right Christian books, we practice the right disciplines of a committed Christian life, or we are actively involved in some aspect of Christin ministry and are not just ‘pew sitters’ in the church.”

The cure is the cross. I must preach the gospel to myself every day. I am a sinner. I need God’s grace. I am a sinner. I need God’s grace.

Am I saved? Yes. But I’m not perfect. I’m in the life-long process of sanctification. 2 Thessalonians 1:13 says, “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.” I am so thankful God continues to give me abundant, amazing grace so that I can fulfill His call for me by His power. I cling to the cross–first for my salvation, and every day since then for my sanctification.

If you can’t recall a time in your life when you asked God to forgive your sin and Christ became your Savior and Lord, please contact us so we can encourage you to take steps of faith toward God- ScriptureDig {at} comcast {dot} net

Like trying to cure cancer with a lightbulb…

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LONDON - NOVEMBER 16: In this photo illustrat...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

An interesting little device was discovered in the attic of my grandparent’s home a few years ago. This strange contraption that appeared to date from the first half of the 20th century was equipped with lightbulbs and gages… and boldly inscribed upon it was the claim that it was the cure for cancer.

This gadget has spawned more than one discussion of whether or not it should be taken to the Antiques Roadshow to try to figure out what in the world it is! We don’t know if it was intended to be a hoax, a fraud, or if someone mistakenly thought that they really had the cure for diseases that plague us still today.

Old medical treatments often intrigue me. We shake our heads at the thought of bleeding sick people with leeches or curing cancer with a lightbulb. Because doctors did not understand the cause of the symptoms they were seeing, their “cures” sound outlandish and childlike to us. They didn’t understand what the problem really was, so they couldn’t even begin to understand how to solve it.

Each one of us has a serious disease that is eating us alive. It is a sickness that is often misdiagnosed, and the cures that we frequently self-prescribe are far from effective because they fail to treat the real problem.

The sickness we suffer from is sin – we are completely and totally depraved. It is true that we are not all as bad as we could be; not many of us have committed adultery, murdered another person, or otherwise become felons. But sin is invasive in our lives. It pervades every ounce of our being.

My thinking is distorted by sin and I cannot perceive things correctly on my own. My emotions are distorted by sin and my feelings lie to me. My will is distorted by sin and I do not want to do what I should do. Even when I attempt to do what is right and good, my perception of what is good is often skewed, my emotions steer me away from truth, and frankly I often just don’t want to do it.

I am a sinner.

There are common “cures” that are often prescribed for this debilitating sickness – but none of them will cure the problem any more than a lightbulb will cure cancer.

Denying it.

Some people attempt to solve their sin-sickness simply by denying it. “How dare you say that I am a sinner! I am not a bad person – I’ve never murdered anyone!” This approach is common… and tragic. For no matter how much we try to deny it, no one is good but God alone. We are sinners, whether we recognize it or not.

Rationalizing it.

Similar to denying it, this approach relies on comparison and denial. “I’m not as bad as that person over there…” We try to rationalize away our sin by thinking that being a “sinner” means that a person is the worst of the worst in society – an obvious blight on the human race. But, like a cancer patient claiming that she doesn’t have cancer because her tumor isn’t as large as the one in the patient next to her, this fails to address the real and deadly problem.

Baptizing it in religion.

This approach is common… and deceiving. Many people believe that the cure for their sin-sickness is to be more religious. To go to church frequently, to sing in the choir, to hang crosses on chains around their neck, pray prayers before bedtime, or perhaps investigate the approaches other religions have taken to deal with their disease of sin. This false “cure” is like a person who believes that their cancer will go away if they just act like a healthy person… you might be acting the part on the outside, but the cancer is still eating you alive from within.

Overshadowing it with good works.

Some people are very aware of their sinfulness and therefore try to “do more good than bad.” They give to charity, volunteer for worthy causes, and tire themselves out with an agenda packed with admirable deeds. This is the spiritual equivalent of hospice – it takes away the sting of pain from knowing the guilt in your own heart… but the cancer has not been cured.

There are many so-called “cures” for this sin-sickness… but there is really is only one solution. It is available to you free of charge – but that doesn’t mean it came without cost. The price was incalculably high, but it has already been paid.

To be continued tomorrow…

Our Rescue

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For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14, NASB

I spend one morning a week volunteering at our local crisis pregnancy center.  Over the past seven years, I have had the honor of spending time with hundreds of women and sharing with them the hope we have in Jesus.  One of my favorite parts of what I do is the privilege of sharing the gospel message with people who are hurting, hopeless, and desperate.  The beautiful truth of our rescue from the “domain of darkness” is one I never tire of repeating.

Yesterday, Julie reminded us of the sweet truth of our Rescuer’s love for us.  Today, my heart is to share with you what our rescue involves … what salvation gives us.

In John 3, Jesus explains to Nicodemus that we must be born again.  Not literally, of course, though Nicodemus did require some further explanation.   It’s our spirit that must be reborn … that part of us that was created for fellowship with God, in His image.  Our spirit that rejected God and chose self in the Garden … and every day since.  Our spirit is reconciled to Him through salvation.  And through that rescue, through salvation, we are changed.

Salvation gives us new life.

“What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons.  They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone.  A new life has begun!”  ~ 2 corinthians 5:17 NLT

Salvation gives us new certainty.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate from his love.  Death can’t and life can’t.  The angels can’t and the demons can’t.  Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.  Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  ~ Romans 8:38-39 NLT

Salvation gives us new direction.

“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people.  You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession.  This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”  ~ 1 Peter 2:9 NLT

Have you experienced that rescue? Paul explains in Romans quite simply what this salvation requires:  “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (10:9).  Confession is that awareness of your need for rescue, for a Savior, for Jesus.  Belief is the understanding that He is the only way, nothing you could ever do would be enough.    And so salvation results from this: Confession of your need and belief that He is the only Need-Meeter.

Maybe you know Him, you belong to Him … Today, won’t you praise Him for rescuing you?

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But maybe you don’t … Maybe you are unsure what all this means or uncertain of His love for you.  Perhaps you want to know more.   We’d love to share with you about this great Rescue that we have experienced. Email us … ScriptureDig {at} comcast {dot} net.

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Recommended Listening:

Jesus, Messiah {At this point in my life, in the midst of chaos and change, I find myself clinging to the beautiful truth that HE IS “Jesus Messiah, the Name above all names, Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel.  The RESCUE for sinners, the Ransom from Heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of All.”}

Rescue {Another sweet song of promise … “I need You, Jesus, to come to my RESCUE! Where else can I go?  There’s NO OTHER NAME by which I am SAVED, capture me with GRACE!”}

Image via flickr

The Rescuer’s Love

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Last week in Guatemala lives were lost in mudslides and flooding. Rescuers risked their lives to search unstable land and debris for those they knew were alive, but in need of saving. Some rescuers met their own deaths in attempts to reach the lost. When the saviors arrived, they were not to be stopped in attempting to reach the dying, but they could not defeat death.


Jesus came to earth in response to the need to rescue those facing certain death. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). He was reaching out to those in dire straits, doomed to the end sin brings (Matt. 9:13) as Teri Lynne shared last week.  His love is for those who are without hope, totally helpless, staring death in the face if a Rescuer doesn’t reach them.  We know the compassions of our Lord do not fail (Lamentations 3:22) and He exercised the greatest love when He gave His life for us (John 15:13).   While He is a holy God, everything about Who He is communicates His loving nature, so He acts in His compassionate desire to “tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).   As we look at salvation this month, God’s whole plan to spare us from our deserved end is proof of His love for us. He offers us, the dying, trapped in the suffocating mud of our sin, the chance to have our sins blotted out and remembered no more (Isaiah 43:25).

What could possibly be so enticing in the midst of the mud to make us want to stay longer, maybe until the risky “final hour,” before we reach out and take the Rescuer’s hand?

God demonstrated His heart for the dying by giving His own Son’s life as an expression of His great love for us. I can’t fathom sending my beloved child into a horrible death so they could send others out to safety at the price of their own life. I’m sure I would hold back my precious child, beg them not to go into the blackness, and call their name to return to me. But God sent Jesus in for us. It’s a love that doesn’t begin to describe human rescuers; only the Divine can love like this:  “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).  Kristi shared last week how only God is good. To be reached and rescued by such a great love, it seems only two responses are appropriate:  gratitude to the Savior and help to the others still trapped in the mud.


Is God’s love this great for every man? I know it is.  Luke 15 tells the story of a shepherd, a shepherd who left 99 sheep to go search for one lost sheep.  When he found it, he put it on his shoulders in protection, claimed it as his own, and carried it to safety.

From one sheep who was dying to another, it’s a great view from the shoulders of the Shepherd, and my heart is grateful He came for me.

How has God shown you His ongoing love in your life?

(photo Assoc. Press)

Steph’s Story

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My backstory isn’t a pretty one. In fact, I didn’t even begin life as an sweet little planned bundle of joy. My mom was raped and I was the result.

I was adopted by two wonderful parents who loved me and raised me as their own. But from the age of 3 until about the age of 12 my concept of love became skewed and shattered as I was repeatedly molested and raped by two different people in my family.

I was pregnant at 17. Then married. Divorced and a single mom at 19. I spent the next five years looking for love in all the wrong places – which is exactly where I met my husband – in a bar. He was the drummer in the band and our lifestyle was a reflection of the whole rock and roll band scene. Not a pretty picture. But then again, no picture is pretty without God in the middle of it.

Sitting in my apartment one afternoon, I watched a tele -evangelist share a message I had never really heard before. Or maybe I had, but this time it began to make sense. I wanted what he talked about. Salvation. Eternal life. A real relationship with Jesus. But I also wanted my life to remain mine. And so it did. Even though I cried, prayed and thought I was saved, my life remained my own and I remained unchanged.

But about two years later, at the age of 24 I was ready. Ready to surrender all I was for all Jesus is. I knew He was the only one who could save my wretched self, and this time, I was not only ready – but I was willing.

It was a sweet October day in 1987 when Jesus reached down, captured my heart and life and radically changed this broken girl with a bad past and a bleak future. Jesus loved me just as I was. With all my failures. With all my sins – He still loved me so much that He died for me. I didn’t have to ‘prove’ my love for Him, I just had to accept His love for me.

For the first time in my life, I understood what the term, “born again” meant. That’s exactly what I was…brand new…born again by the Great I Am. Sin became something I not only noticed in my life, but for the first time it grieved my heart to grieve His. God’s Word nourished me more than food. It consumed me and I found that it was unlike any other book on planet earth. It changed me. I became incessantly passionate about living for the Living God.

Twenty three years later, I still am.

Through the years, He has continually called me to serve His daughters – passionately teaching His Word, speaking His truth and His principles into lives of women who are hurting and in need of hope, redemption, restoration and forgiveness. I love when God’s girls fulfill their God-given destinies and become who they were created to be.

Today, I shared parts of my painful past that I normally like to keep neatly wrapped in the Christian package stamped “Clean” and hidden from view. Although the Lord has allowed me the privilege of using my past to speak redemption and hope into other women’s futures, it’s not something I freely share.

But I had to. Someone reading this post today needs to know that your value is not based on what you have to offer someone. It doesn’t lie in the web of lies someone has told you. You are loved because you are His creation. Because He chose to place you on planet earth for such a time as this and He longs for you to run to Him – to accept His love for you. It doesn’t matter what your past has whispered to your heart; God delights in using broken vessels. I know because I am one.

Sweet friend, you are never too battered, too broken, too dirty, too unlovable, too unworthy or too unforgivable. He is a Loving God who can make beauty out of ashes. So, for whoever it is that I’m writing this to today, I’m asking you to give Jesus the ashes of your life and let Him make it something beautiful. That’s exactly what He did for me and I know He’ll do the same for you.

So that’s my story, ladies…and I’m stickin’ to it. What about you? Do you have a testimony you can share about when Christ saved you? Do you struggle with accepting God’s love for you because someone else has skewed your view of what real love is?


The Reality of Hell

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One of the women came into my Sunday School class this week after the first service and said her six year old asked her what hell was, since my husband mentioned it in his sermon. She had a nervous laugh when she said she would have to tackle that topic on the way home with her son. The doctrine of hell is tough whether you’re six, thirty-six, or sixty-three! But hell is real, and the reality of it should make a real difference in our lives.

The Reality of Hell for the Lost:

We know of the reality of hell from Scripture. 2 Thessalonians describes hell as a place for those who do not know God or obey the gospel. It mentions flaming fire, affliction, vengeance, punishment, and destruction–away from the presence of God. (We know God is omnipresent. Therefore, hell is away from the mercy and grace of God, not actually away from God Himself.) Revelation 20:10 says it goes on “day and night forever and ever.” The reality of hell is not a party with friends and a lot of beer (contrary to the recent movie title, “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell”). The reality is enough to literally put the fear of God in people. Like the jailer in Acts 16, who rushed to Paul and Silas, trembling with fear we want to ask, “What must I do to be saved?”

“… but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” Romans 5:8-9

We are saved from hell and the wrath of God through the redemption of Christ’s blood!

The Reality of Hell for the Redeemed:

Why does the doctrine of hell matter for those of us who are saved?

  • It shows us the seriousness of our sin. When I was six and lied to my parents, I was guilty of sin and therefore deserved the punishment of hell. As Teri Lynne wrote yesterday, sin is serious and has serious consequences.
  • It helps us understand the holiness of God. God is so holy, He must separate Himself from sin, and therefore must separate Himself from sinners who never accept the gift of salvation. (For more on God’s holiness, see Kristi’s post from Monday.)
  • It motivates us to proclaim the gospel. The rich man in Luke 16 was sent to hell after his death. He begged Abraham to go tell his brothers about the place of torment (v. 27). As Christians, we know there is a place of eternal torment and we must share this truth. As John Piper said, “It’s very hard to give up on the gospel if you believe there is hell, that after this life, there is an endless suffering for those who did not believe in the gospel.”

Hell is real. And although it isn’t an easy topic to tackle, it’s worth “digging in” and knowing the truth. How does thinking about this reality affect you today?

Oh the Consequences!

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Consequence:  the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.

Looking back over my life I realize that seldom have I understood the full consequences of seemingly meaningless choices.  I could never have known how the poorly-considered decision to disregard truth about purity would lead to the most devastating event of my life just five years later.  But neither could I have begun to predict that the casual choice to attend a concert on June 12, 1995 would lead to a marriage that has now celebrated more than 14 years together.

“She took of its fruit and ate, and also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” ~ Genesis 3:11 ESV

Such a tiny, little thing.  Something we do every day without a second thought … she ate and then she shared with the one beside her.  And yet that tiny, little thing had such consequences.  Not just in her life but in all our lives.   It wasn’t the bite … it wasn’t the sharing.  Those were outward.  The issue was the heart.  Both Eve’s and Adam’s.   The issue wasn’t about following the rules ~”Don’t eat from that tree.”  The issue was far deeper ~ They didn’t trust the nature of God and so they acted in opposition to it. {Read Kristi’s post yesterday for more on this idea of the deeper issue of sin.}


And because they … and we, every day since … chose opposition to God’s nature, sin, we live in the results, the consequences of that very choice. We have traded God’s nature for our own and in doing so have also made the following trades.

Trading Confidence for Shame

In the garden they walked with God, sharing an intimate, face-to-face relationship with Him.  They lived in the truth of being created in His image, unbroken fellowship with Him.   But after their choice, they hid from the God who called to them (Genesis 3:8-9).  Why?  Because they had given up the confidence they had in their relationship with God for shame.  Verse 7:  “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.  And they sewed fig leaves together and make themselves loincloths.”

“They knew that they were naked.”   This sentence speaks so clearly of the assurance Adam and Eve had in their relationship with God and with each other.   They had been unaware of and unashamed by their nakedness … What a vivid picture of trust.  We trade our confidence in God for shame before Him as a result of our sin.

Trading Love for Blame

Created specifically for each other, Adam and Eve enjoyed a communion with each other unlike any human relationship since.  A perfect love, fulfilling every description uttered in all of Scripture.  Likewise, they lived in the fullness of God’s love for them.

Until … “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate” (v. 12)  and “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (v. 13).

Blame.  Oh that sad result of sin!  His fault, her fault.  Someone else’s fault.  In our culture refusing personal responsibility has become an art form.  “The victim mentality” has taken firm grasp on the hearts and minds of people – believers and unbelievers alike.  And we have even blamed God … “If God was really loving, He wouldn’t have …”

In our quickness to assign blame, we have lost the beauty of love. This kind of love:

Love never gives up.  Love cares more for others than for self.  Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.  Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.  ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 MSG

Trading Wholeness for Pain

Unbroken communion with God, each other and all of creation.  That’s what they had. The only two humans to ever have experienced on earth what will be again in the new Jerusalem:

“Behold the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be their with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” ~ Revelation 21:3b – 4 ESV

This description of what will be in Heaven is also a description of what was in the Garden.  God dwelling with them, walking with them.  And yet, the choice to reject His nature led to this one devastating result –  life with pain. The spiritual pain of separation from God, the emotional and social pain of difficulty in human relationships, and the physical pain of hardships in all of life … The results of trading wholeness for pain.

It’s so easy to focus on the behaviors and outward consequences of sinful choices … But it is always those deep truths of the heart that bear the deepest wounds of sin’s results.   How I pray that I’ll be always mindful of the sorrow-filled results of trading an obedient, G0d-seeking heart for a sinful, God-rejecting one.

No one is good but God alone

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Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber ...
Image via Wikipedia

People don’t really like to talk about “sin.” It’s an uncomfortable word… no one revels in being called a “sinner.” It is becoming increasingly politically incorrect to say that there is such a thing as right and wrong. Lifestyles are not unbiblical or sinful, they are “alternative.” God’s love and mercy are applauded, while the thought of a holy God righteously judging sin is avoided.

So, what is sin? Do we even know?

People often think of sin as violating God’s laws. This is absolutely true. Stealing, murdering, committing adultery are all sin- they are all examples of breaking God’s law.

But it goes deeper than that.

In Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” found in Matthew 5-7, He points to specific laws in the Old Testament and elaborates on them. The people had “heard it said” that they should not murder or commit adultery, but then He broadened the statement. Murdering is wrong, yes, but it begins in a heart full of hate – hating your brother is the root sin. Committing the physical act of adultery is wrong, but it begins in a lustful look – lust is the root sin. Even if these things are never acted out on, even if no laws were technically violated… they are sin.

Why?

Sin is anything contrary to the nature of our holy God. Our completely righteous, completely loving, completely just God. The core of His nature is holiness – He always acts completely righteously because that is who He is. He loves completely because that is who He is. The laws He has given us in His Word flow out of His nature – to do what is right is to act in a way consistent with His character, to sin is to do (or be!) anything that contradicts anything in His nature. God created mankind in His image, and people are valuable to Him – so they were to value human life, also. Because He is love, we are to love. Because He is a God who makes and keeps covenants, the marriage covenant is to be guarded and treated as holy.

Even if we somehow manage to outwardly follow all the “rules” (and wow – I know that I have not managed to do so!) we are still sinners at heart. No matter how hard we try, all the “good” things we try to do, the “good” people we try to be will fall woefully short of God’s standard.

In Mark 10:17-22, we find a fascinating interaction between Jesus and a faithful rule-follower:

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'”

“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus is trying to help this man see his own failure to live up to God’s standards. No one is good but God alone! Keeping all of the commandments did not make him good. In his heart, this man loved his wealth more than he loved God or the people He made – and henceforth, his heart was full of sin. He had fallen short of God’s nature.

That really is the essence of sin – falling short. We have all fallen short of God’s standard. Perhaps compared to one another some of us might look “good,” but in comparison with the Holy One, no one is good but God alone.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

Romans 3:23

Created By God & For God

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“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:16 (NASB)

OK Scripture Diggers, I’m so excited! I wish I could sit down with you all – coffee in hand, Bible and study books spread across the table – because I really want you to see this with me! We all know that it is foundational to our faith that we were created by God. But the Lord structured His Word in such a way that we could never attribute our existence to anyone or anything but Him.

In Genesis 1:1, we find these words, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” And in Genesis 1:27, the Bible says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

The very first verb we come across in the Word of the Living God is the word , “created.” But, because the English language does not convey the complete essence of this word, we can’t really fathom its magnitude. Go with me for a minute, because I think this will blow your mind! I know it did mine. :-)

The original word for created (Gen 1:1) is the Hebrew word bara’. It means exactly what you think it does…to create, to form, shape or fashion. But the beautiful surprise is that in the 40+ times this specific form of the word create is found in scripture, it is not combined with any other subject but God. If grammar isn’t your thing, let me clarify it. God (subject) created (verb) man (direct object). Whenever you find bara’ (created) – God is the One doing it.

Think about that! God’s choice of words leaves no room to doubt the nature of our existence. Only God can bara’  (create). Don’t you just love how God makes Himself known to us in ways we have yet to discover! There is no mistake about it – He is our Creator! He is THE Creator! (Oh, please tell me that rocks your world like it does mine!)

As the world tries desperately to deny the creation of you and I, the Living God made sure we knew it could have happened no other way.

We did not just ooze from a jillion year old slime pit, nor did we morph from a monkey into a man. We were created by God – and we were created for God.

Knowing we were created by God reminds us that we are so much more than some random cosmic collision of molecules. We were the intentional, well-thought-out masterpiece of the Creator of the universe. He personally fashioned each one of us and placed us on planet earth the exact time and the exact way He wanted to – and that defines our lives as significant while also holding us accountable to the One who created us.

There’s comfort and confidence in knowing we were created by and for the Living God. But there is also the sobering realization that we will one day stand before our Creator and give an account for our time here on planet earth.

You see, if He created us for Himself – for His good pleasure, then He is also our Judge and He makes the rules. We can’t just pass our time on earth and acknowledge Him as our Creator if we never submit our lives to His plan. So, what are His rules? What’s His plan?

RULES: Absolute Perfection – Pure & Holy “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

PROBLEM: Sin – We’re all sinners by nature and by choice – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 – “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23a

PLAN: The Cross of Christ – The Perfect Sacrifice of His Son on the Cross to Pay for Our Sins  – “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 – “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” 1 Peter 3:18

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Trusting Christ as Our Savior, Surrendering to Him as Our Lord – “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Romans 10:13 – “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” John 1:10-12

I really am so excited by the way God reveals Himself to us in His Word! I love how He loves us and longs for us to know Him personally.

He is our Creator. He is our Savior. He is our Lord.

We were created by Him. We were created for Him.

Do you know Him? Have you ever called upon your Creator to save you, forgive you of your sins and help you live your life to please Him? Have you surrendered to Him as Lord of your life? If not, will you do that today? If you have, will you share a word of testimony in the comment section?

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11 (KJV)


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