God's Bridge

Mr. Rushing was a great Sunday school teacher who had a real gift to get his eighth-grade boys’ class involved in the lesson. One Sunday, he decided to ask a question to get them involved in the lesson. “If gold stood for good deeds and grey for bad deeds what color would you be?”

“I’d be streaky,” answered Ron. “I’ve done a bunch of things that are really bad. As a matter of fact, I would probably end up looking kind of blurry.”

No doubt all of us end up looking rather “blurry.” We all fall short when measured against God’s definition of “good.”

God is holy, and we are unholy - or “sinful.” There is a great space between the righteous Creator - God - and guilty sinners – “us.” We may try to build a bridge of good works and kind deeds from where we are to where God is. But sooner or later the works and deeds would fall short of the gate into heaven, and we would find ourselves “out there” dangling in space. In words that are clear and impossible to misunderstand the Psalmist wrote, “For no one living is righteous before You.”

But God built a bridge from where we are to where He is. It is called “the cross of Calvary.” It’s where His Son hung on a cross one day until He was dead. Then, He was laid in a tomb until His Father brought Him back to life. And it is this “bridge” - this cross of Calvary - that we “cross” by faith alone.

Any person at any time from any place can cross this Bridge of Faith and be cleansed of sin and made righteous.

Prayer: It seems impossible, Father, that all we have to do is to reach out, grasp Your hand and cross that Bridge. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 143:2b For no one, living is righteous before You. 

God's Bridge

Mr. Rushing was a great Sunday school teacher who had a real gift to get his eighth-grade boys’ class involved in the lesson. One Sunday, he decided to ask a question to get them involved in the lesson. “If gold stood for good deeds and grey for bad deeds what color would you be?”

“I’d be streaky,” answered Ron. “I’ve done a bunch of things that are really bad. As a matter of fact, I would probably end up looking kind of blurry.”

No doubt all of us end up looking rather “blurry.” We all fall short when measured against God’s definition of “good.”

God is holy, and we are unholy - or “sinful.” There is a great space between the righteous Creator - God - and guilty sinners – “us.” We may try to build a bridge of good works and kind deeds from where we are to where God is. But sooner or later the works and deeds would fall short of the gate into heaven, and we would find ourselves “out there” dangling in space. In words that are clear and impossible to misunderstand the Psalmist wrote, “For no one living is righteous before You.”

But God built a bridge from where we are to where He is. It is called “the cross of Calvary.” It’s where His Son hung on a cross one day until He was dead. Then, He was laid in a tomb until His Father brought Him back to life. And it is this “bridge” - this cross of Calvary - that we “cross” by faith alone.

Any person at any time from any place can cross this Bridge of Faith and be cleansed of sin and made righteous.

Prayer: It seems impossible, Father, that all we have to do is to reach out, grasp Your hand and cross that Bridge. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 143:2b For no one, living is righteous before You. 

Who Cares For The Lonely?

Some time ago, the body of a man was found in a deserted building in New York. In his pocket was a note that read, “I’m nobody. Nobody cares for me. I’m like a peanut inside of a shell on the walkway in Yankee Stadium. So, I decided to stomp on myself once and for all.”

There is no feeling that runs so deep, is so acute or more widespread than loneliness. The feeling of being abandoned or uncared for or unloved is one that grips the souls of far too many - even the Christian.

We read a store in the Bible about a man who had been forced to run and hide from others to save his life. Years later he wrote, “Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for me.” His words are all too familiar and his feelings universal.

But notice: He looked around, but he did not look up. Had he “looked up” he could have discovered someOne who cared deeply for him, was looking for him and loved him. This One not only cares, but He did something to show us that He cares.

The Bible states that “Since God did not even spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?”

Remember the stories of Noah in the ark, Job in the pile of ashes, Moses being hid in a basket, Jonah in the belly of a fish, Daniel in the lions’ den and Paul in prison?

God carefully cared for them, and He will also carefully care for us!

Remember: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Prayer: In moments of loneliness, Lord, may we look upward and find Your outstretched arms waiting for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm142:4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for me. 

Who Cares For The Lonely?

Some time ago, the body of a man was found in a deserted building in New York. In his pocket was a note that read, “I’m nobody. Nobody cares for me. I’m like a peanut inside of a shell on the walkway in Yankee Stadium. So, I decided to stomp on myself once and for all.”

There is no feeling that runs so deep, is so acute or more widespread than loneliness. The feeling of being abandoned or uncared for or unloved is one that grips the souls of far too many - even the Christian.

We read a store in the Bible about a man who had been forced to run and hide from others to save his life. Years later he wrote, “Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for me.” His words are all too familiar and his feelings universal.

But notice: He looked around, but he did not look up. Had he “looked up” he could have discovered someOne who cared deeply for him, was looking for him and loved him. This One not only cares, but He did something to show us that He cares.

The Bible states that “Since God did not even spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t He also give us everything else?”

Remember the stories of Noah in the ark, Job in the pile of ashes, Moses being hid in a basket, Jonah in the belly of a fish, Daniel in the lions’ den and Paul in prison?

God carefully cared for them, and He will also carefully care for us!

Remember: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Prayer: In moments of loneliness, Lord, may we look upward and find Your outstretched arms waiting for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm142:4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for me. 

What To Do With Ttrouble

A young businessman, deeply troubled, went to his pastor. After a deep sigh, he said, “I have some huge problems. I don’t know what to do, and I need your help. Will you pray with me?”

What a great way to look at problems: through the eyes of prayer. That was what David did. “I pour out my complaints before Him; before Him, I tell my trouble.”

Whatever may have been troubling David was not as important as going to God in prayer. He did not go to his friends and complain. He did not go to the leaders of his army and gripe. Nor was he paralyzed in confusion or fear. He did what every godly person does: he went to God and prayed. And it was not an insincere prayer or a prayer that was meaningless. David “poured out” his complaints and troubles. He left his troubles, so to speak, “on the floor.” He kept nothing inside of himself. He put it where God could see what was troubling him.

Far too often we go to others and complain about our troubles knowing that they can do no more than listen or offer us sympathy. Sometimes we sit and sulk and feel sorry for ourselves. Other times we climb into bed and try to hide from them by falling asleep - only to awaken and see them before us on the ceiling.

David did the most sensible thing that any of us can do: Go to God and “pour out” our “troubles” and look to God for His wisdom, guidance, and solutions. God knows the answer before we even identify the problem. So, it makes good sense to go to Him first!

Prayer: It is so strange, Lord, that we often look to others for help rather than You. May we look to You first. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 142:2 I pour out my complaints before Him; before Him, I tell my trouble.