Coffee With The Lord

Do you know a person of influence?  What level of access to do you have to them?  Do you have to send a letter? Can you get a response from them with an e-mail?  Could you pick up the phone and call them?  Would you have to go through a secretary?  Do you have their personal cell number?  Would they respond to a text message that you sent them right away?  Would they have time for you if you just dropped by to see them?  Do they ever pick up the phone just to call you?

Good questions eh?  Everyone needs to know a person of influence!  They can help you when you have a problem.  They can get things done!  They have connections!  When they speak or act things happen!  I know a humble pastor in a foreign country with restrictive laws about proselytizing.  He answered a question a person asked him about becoming a Christian… it was a setup!  He was jailed.  Fortunately he had a person in his church who knew the king of that country and had influence… That person appealed to the king and he was released.

Common people – ordinary people – humble people often have no one of influence to help them!  What a tragedy!  Without help, they can be victimized and oppressed!  Blessed is the leader – the person of influence – who understands their God-given role to be that of helping those without a voice, without power, without protection, and without influence!

Good news!  Those who worship the Living God – those who are Christ followers – always have a Person of influence they can appeal to!  I read these wonderful words today during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” …

“This is what the High and Exalted One says – the One who rules forever – whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged!’” (Isaiah 57:15 the NET Bible)

The New Testament assures the humblest Christ follower that “we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ’s faithfulness!” (Ephesians 3:12).  Because of Jesus – in His name – I can enter the heavenly throne room without fear and approach the King of Kings and Lord of all Lords with the unashamed cry of a needy child… “Heavenly Father!”  (“Abba!” … Daddy!)

Avid readers love their books…  If asked, in a moment they can give you their short list of favorites.

Well, at the top of my short list is the Bible!  No, more than that… the Bible for me is a book of a completely different kind… It may have human writers, but behind it all is the “inspiration” of the Living God!  He is its ultimate source – prompting, guiding and superintending the entire writing process so that what we have in Scripture (another word for the Bible) is the infallible, authoritative, completely reliable Word of God!

I’ve got a short list of other stuff to be sure… But the Bible?  No other piece of literature like it! … GOD’S WORD!!

How do I feel about the Bible?… In my Bible reading this morning during “Coffee with the Lord” I read Psalm 19 and part of it “took the words right out of my mouth!” … In fact, I’d like to post them today, not simply as David, the psalmist’s, words… but as MY personal tribute to The Bible…

“The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life! The rules set down by the Lord are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced!  The Lord’s precepts are fair and make one joyful! The Lord’s commands are pure and give insight for life!  The commands to fear the Lord are right and endure forever! The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy and absolutely just!  They are of greater value than gold, than even a great amount of pure gold; they bring greater delight than honey, than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb!  Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there and those who obey them receive a rich reward!

Gotta tell you, I don’t just like the Bible… I LOVE the Bible!

From sinner to saint… Is it really possible? Can an individual who has just “scummed life up” become a true “saint” – an authentically righteous, devoted follower of Jesus?

There are people who doubt it. There are others who, believe it or not, could care less… “Live and let live” is their mantra.

I read a wonderful passage today written by Apostle Paul to individuals who lived in a very wicked, immoral city – ancient Corinth – a city whose name had actuality become a byword for immorality…

First of all… It does matter! This is what he said…

“Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT)

People like that – people who practice sin – will not get to heaven! In fact the Bible is clear… the only other option is “the other place” – a place of torment.

But Apostle Paul is equally clear about something else in the very next verse… Sinners – people with “scummed up lives” – can change, can be saved, can become authentically righteous!

“Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed! You were made holy! You were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God!” (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT)

Oh what a wonderful truth! What an awesome reality! God can do it! God can do it for someone you know and love! God may have done it for YOU… and I know you’re forever grateful! (Oh yeah… and it DOES matter!)