Coffee With The Lord

People feel inferior for all kinds of reasons… Their background, their heritage, their family, their vocation, their education or lack of it, their lack of money or possessions, even their nationality or color of their skin… 

One word from the viewpoint of “the gospel” and true Christianity can be used to describe this tragedy… “Nonsense!”  God sent His Son, Jesus, to offer Himself to save anyone in “the world” who would put his or her trust in Him! (John 3:16)  The “mystery” of the gospel is that “’the Gentiles’ (even the phrase in Greek is inclusive… it means “those from all nations”) are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel!” (Ephesians 3:6).  Add to that God’s declared redemptive desire… “The Lord is … not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3.9)  To finish out the picture, the book of Revelation reveals a final redemptive scene in which all off heaven is gathered before the Divine throne singing this song to the “Lamb, who was slain” … “Worthy are you… for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a king and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth!” (Revelation 5.9-10)

All of that to say, It doesn’t matter the reason why you may feel unworthy or inferior… God sent His Son to make you worthy and provide your sense of adequacy “in Christ”… As a result of this, when I read this prophetic word in the Bible today (in the Old Testament yet!) I rejoiced!

“Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely separate me from His people’; and let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’ … I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.  And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be His servants, … these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples!  The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts declares, ‘I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.’” (Isaiah 56:3–8 ESV)

 Don’t know about you, but I’m grateful for this prophetic promise fulfilled in Christ Jesus!  I’m a gentile after all and my heritage is from a nation that viciously persecuted God’s chosen people … my family didn’t have much money or prestige … yet the Lord included me!  And He included you too… doesn’t matter your background, your past or your present… In Christ Jesus you are accepted!  He makes you worthy!

The Bible is the centerpiece of my time with the Lord every day… As you know, I call it “COFFEE WITH THE LORD.”  It’s a time I open with a season of worship.  Then I take my Bible and pray this prayer… “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things out of Your Law (i.e. God’s Word” – Psalm 119.18)  Then what follows is a time of Bible reading, reflection, conversation with the Lord, and journaling.

One of the passages I read today contains a wonderful invitation and promise for those who are truly hungry for what ultimately satisfies.  An invitation to leave the “spiritual junk food” that we sometimes fill our bellies with and instead eat and drink the spiritually delicious, nutritious feast spread out on God’s table in His word.

The passage I read today urged us to listen closely to God’s voice – to seek Him with all our heart.  The result?  Life!  And the promise of experiencing God’s incredible love fulfilled in our lives. 

God’s plans for us are so much higher than ours – they’re in a totally different dimension – higher and better than we can even imagine!  And the good news?  If we’ll cooperate with what He’s trying to do in our lives He’ll surely fulfill His purpose and promise – just as surely as the spring rains water the earth and seeds that are sown there spring up and produce a harvest. 

And the outcome of living this way… Joy, celebration, rejoicing… an incredible party “here on earth, just as it is in heaven!”

Just let me say, you REALLY should read Isaiah 55 for yourself today!  But just in case you haven’t I’ve posted most of it for you below…

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“Come, everyone who thirsts!  Come to the waters!  And he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food!

“Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love…

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

Good, eh?!

Just let me make this declaration after having read Psalm 16 this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord”… IT PAYS TO SERVE THE LORD!!!  I’m convinced I’ve chosen the best way – the only really good way!  Not much comment today… mostly Scripture – it says it all, it says it best!

“Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.  I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’  As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight!

“The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply…

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.  I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.  I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore!” (From Psalm 16 ESV)

One more time… IT PAYS TO SERVE THE LORD!!!