Coffee With The Lord

A brief post in “coffee with the Lord” this Saturday morning…

1. A direct apostolic warning from God to those in our culture who practice sin (some of whom are religious leaders) and those who are deceived (and those who are deceiving others)!
2. A cause for great rejoicing for those who have experienced God’s forgiveness and transformation of their lives!
3. An incredible message of hope to ALL!

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God!”  (1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV)

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 follows a time of Bible reading, reflection, conversation with the Lord, and journaling most mornings.

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.

The passage urged us to listen closely to God’s voice – to seek Him with all our heart. The result? Life! 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.

I read some wonderful news this morning in the Bible for anyone who has experienced the Lord’s discipline because of rebellion and sin… Wonderful words from the Lord for Prodigals who have had their fill of the empty husks of sin and have come to their senses in the pigpen and have decided to come home to the Father (Luke 15.11-32)…

The imagery in this passage is that of a rejected barren woman… received, accepted and embraced by a loving husband…

“Sing, O barren one! … Enlarge the place of your tent! …Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded for you will not be disgraced!  You will forget the same of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood!

“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.  For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God.  ‘For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.  In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,’ says the Lord, your Redeemer.  ‘This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you.  For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”  (From Isaiah 54:1–10 ESV)