Thursday, August 31, 2017
True Beauty
Verse of the day: Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Proverbs 31 is a popular, and
well-known, proverb for its description of what the ideal, godly, virtuous, wife
looks like. It describes her as one who is industrious and active. She truly
loves, and is kind. She plans well for the future and is discreet. She is
well-respected, both in and out of her home; but most of all, she fears God.
The sad fact of the matter is that too many relationships fall apart,
especially amongst Christians, because we fail to evaluate, and recognize, true
beauty. This verse, although applied to the virtuous woman, applies to both men
and woman, as far as character is concerned. God tells us that “charm”, or “favor”,
is deceitful. In other words, charm is fraudulent. Many people who are charming
outwardly may be captivating, charismatic, and delightful to be around for
short periods of times; or only when gathered socially with others. However,
behind closed doors, that person is far from truly being all of these. Once we
allow them into our lives intimately, they turn out to be mean-spirited,
abusive, rude, and unpleasant to be around. Sadly, too many people, yes, even
Christians, fall for people who outwardly are pleasant to the eyes, but are
rotten to the core. It is like having a nice, shiny, apple that looks delicious
on the outside, but when we bite into it, it is rotten and worm-filled. God
tells us that outer beauty is passing, or vain. We may be attracted to someone
who has a nice body or a face that is very easy to look at, but all that passes
with time. So many things, or events, can affect outer beauty. An accident can
leave a person outwardly deformed. Stress wears the body down and causes beauty
to fade. Age causes bodies that were once firm to sag, and faces that were once
young and smooth to wrinkle. Sickness and disease can affect our outward
appearance adversely, and some people just get weary of trying to maintain a certain
level of health and start eating unhealthy and not exercise; thereby no longer
being beautiful by the world’s vain standards. When all that is gone, what do
you have left? If these external things are the measure we use to choose the
person we want to “spend the rest of our life with”; once the charm and beauty
fade, what will we do? I can tell you what we would do, because the statistics
scream it loud and clear. The sad fact is that Christians have not proven to
the world that we are any wiser in the matter of relationships, mostly because
we have become as vain as the world when it comes to judging, or discerning,
character. We are blinded by the superficially way too often. We need to stop
looking at who a person is on the outside, and see who they are on the inside.
This takes time, prayer, and godly wisdom. A truly beautiful person is one who,
first and foremost, seeks the Lord. For us, the born again believer, it is one
who we can be equally yoked with. A born again believer has no business being
unequally yoked with an unbeliever (2 Cor 6:14). A child of God sees beauty in
the same way God sees beauty, from the inside out. When we find that person who
is beautiful on the inside, because they fear, or have reverence for God, and
serve Him faithfully, we have truly found a great treasure. Their words, deeds,
and actions will reflect their heart for God. Our love for one another, as
Christian spouses, should be founded in our relationship with Jesus Christ. It
is only then that relationships will survive, when sickness comes, when age
deteriorates us, and when all the vanity of outer beauty fades away, or is
taken away in the blink of an eye. In and of ourselves, we can all be pretty
ugly as human beings, because we are all born with a sin nature. Only when we
accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and develop an intimate relationship
with Him, can we truly be beautiful people, as we fear Him, and shine His light
brightly in this world, and in our relationships. We need to stop using vain
and superficial measures to determine who our life-mate will be. We need to
start relying on the Lord to lead us to the right person, in His time, in His
way; and the best way to do that is to focus our attention on serving Him, and
let Him lead us, as we serve Him, to the person that will be right for us;
because they will be the person who will have a heart for God before they give
their heart to us. By the same token, let us not forget that we need to also be
that type of Christian spouse for whomever God chooses for us.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Seasons Will Come and Go
Verse of the day: Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time
for every purpose under heaven:
The longer we live, the more we should realize that
life is a cycle of events. As these event recycle into our lives, we have the
ability to make choices in response to what happens. Just like the seasons
change (weather-wise), so God has appointed certain seasons in our lives. There
is a season to experience the joy of a birth or the sorrow of the death (v.2).
These we have absolutely no control over. How we respond to them will depend on
how much we trust God and His promises. Other season will come into play as God
allows circumstances and situations to enter our lives. Whether we laugh or
cry, and for how long, will vary with the circumstance(s) and with how much we
are relying on the Lord. Whether we love, hate or forgive, break away from a
relationship, or mend one, will vary, based on the level of intimacy we have
with Jesus, and our willingness to obey God’s Word. Regardless of what season
of life we find ourselves in, God has told us what His desired response is, in
the pages of His Word (2 Tim 3:16-17). In every season, and with everything God
allows to come and go, He has a purpose. His greatest purpose is to mold us and
shape us into the people He wants us to be, for His glory, and our good; and He
reminds us of this when He tell us that He works all things together for our
good (Rm 8:28-29). In order for us to be more like Jesus in our response to
life, God must allow the various seasons to come and go in our lives. Each
season, regardless of how joyful or how painful, works together to shape our
attitude and response to God and others. Some seasons may linger longer; as
they work the areas of our lives that we refuse to allow God to make changes in.
Others seem to come around fiercer than the last time they came around. For us
who are born again believers, it is an opportunity to grow stronger and trust
God more. The bottom line is that in life we will experience many things; some
of these things will be received with joy, while others we will dread having to
endure. Although God is the One who is in control, and is the One who will
determine what events will come and go in our lives, it is up to us to choose
how we respond to them. With each season, we will have the opportunity to
choose joy, even when there seems to be no logically reason, humanly speaking,
to have joy. We can choose to have peace, even in the midst of the most
turbulent season (Phil 4:6-7). We can choose to give thanks and praise, when
others see no reason for it. We can love when others tell us that we should
hate, or when people do things to us that stir up a desire in us to respond
with hate. We can forgive when the world tells us that it is okay to seek
vengeance. The reality of life, as a born again Christian, and child of God, is
that regardless of what season we are in, there is One who walks with us, and
sees us, through that seasons of our lives. He never leaves us, He never
forsakes us, and He is our strength through each season He allows (Phil 4:13;
Heb 13:5-6). Regardless of what our favorite season may be in life, know that
each season is profitable in our walk with God; and the end of it all, if we
respond properly, is that we will grow in our faith, and grow in our intimacy
with our God.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Glory to His Name
Verse of the day: Psalm 29:2
Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Can any of us, who are called by the Lord's Name, readily proclaim that our life glorifies His Name? Can others look at our lives and give God praise for how we live for Him? Would our worship be truly acceptable if God measured it by what was in our hearts (which He does) when we come before Him? How often have people been looked down on, or have we looked down on someone, when we/they show up to church wearing anything less than a suit and tie or "nice" dress? Yet, those who are wearing the suits and ties or "nice" dresses are not always right in their hearts. How often have we heard a Christian use the Lord's Name in vain? How often do we do things that clearly do not honor God or His Name. As God's children we are to do all that we can to lift up the Lord in our lives. There is no other that deserves glory or our worship more than God. He is perfect, without blemish, holy, and the One to be praised, over all, in our lives. In whatever we do, He must increase in our lives so that others see more of Him than they do of us (Jn 3:30). He must be always given the glory for what He accomplishes in us, and through us. We are nothing without Him, and anything we do that has eternal value is only accomplished because He is the One who enables us with talents, abilities, gifts, and His power. Too often, we fool ourselves into thinking that worship is all about dressing up in our best, singing a few songs, and getting a certain feeling; all the while harboring sin in our hearts. True worship is about how we live for the Lord. 1Corinthians 10:31 tells us that whatever we do, whether we eat or drink, we are to do it all for the glory of God. Hebrews 13:15 tells us to offer the continual sacrifice of praise. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to give thanks in everything, because this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. True worship is not about how we present ourselve before God, externally, once or twice a week. True worship is about how we live for God seven days a week. It is about worshipping Him in spirit and truth (Jn 4:24). God wants our worship, and our giving Him glory, to be from a pure heart, as we do our best to live holy and pure lives, in the power of Christ, and based on His righteousness (not our own). This will require that we constantly ask Him to examine our hearts, and work in us so that our hearts are right with Him. Let us strive to be careful about not mishandling the Name of God that is to be glorified before a lost and dying world. Let us worship Him with praise and thanksgiving, regardless of the circumstances; and let us live a life of truth, with our hearts being right with Him, in Christ, so that our worship will be genuine, and bring Him the glory He truly deserves.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Can any of us, who are called by the Lord's Name, readily proclaim that our life glorifies His Name? Can others look at our lives and give God praise for how we live for Him? Would our worship be truly acceptable if God measured it by what was in our hearts (which He does) when we come before Him? How often have people been looked down on, or have we looked down on someone, when we/they show up to church wearing anything less than a suit and tie or "nice" dress? Yet, those who are wearing the suits and ties or "nice" dresses are not always right in their hearts. How often have we heard a Christian use the Lord's Name in vain? How often do we do things that clearly do not honor God or His Name. As God's children we are to do all that we can to lift up the Lord in our lives. There is no other that deserves glory or our worship more than God. He is perfect, without blemish, holy, and the One to be praised, over all, in our lives. In whatever we do, He must increase in our lives so that others see more of Him than they do of us (Jn 3:30). He must be always given the glory for what He accomplishes in us, and through us. We are nothing without Him, and anything we do that has eternal value is only accomplished because He is the One who enables us with talents, abilities, gifts, and His power. Too often, we fool ourselves into thinking that worship is all about dressing up in our best, singing a few songs, and getting a certain feeling; all the while harboring sin in our hearts. True worship is about how we live for the Lord. 1Corinthians 10:31 tells us that whatever we do, whether we eat or drink, we are to do it all for the glory of God. Hebrews 13:15 tells us to offer the continual sacrifice of praise. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to give thanks in everything, because this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus. True worship is not about how we present ourselve before God, externally, once or twice a week. True worship is about how we live for God seven days a week. It is about worshipping Him in spirit and truth (Jn 4:24). God wants our worship, and our giving Him glory, to be from a pure heart, as we do our best to live holy and pure lives, in the power of Christ, and based on His righteousness (not our own). This will require that we constantly ask Him to examine our hearts, and work in us so that our hearts are right with Him. Let us strive to be careful about not mishandling the Name of God that is to be glorified before a lost and dying world. Let us worship Him with praise and thanksgiving, regardless of the circumstances; and let us live a life of truth, with our hearts being right with Him, in Christ, so that our worship will be genuine, and bring Him the glory He truly deserves.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Monday, August 28, 2017
What Then Shall We Do
Verse of the day: John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that
you believe in Him whom He sent.”
So often, as followers of Jesus, we view the
Gospel message as something to be preached to others, which it is; however, the
Gospel message is also a message that we, regardless of how long we have been
saved, need to live out each day. Regardless of how mature we are in our
relationship with the Lord, we must never forget that the Gospel is the
foundation of our faith. When the people asked what they should do to work the
works of God, the answer they received was to believe. Our relationship with
God is grounded in our belief in Jesus as Savior, and what He did for us on
Calvary (Jn 3:16). Our salvation came to us by God’s grace, and not by anything
we did to deserve it (Eph 2:8-9). As born again Christians, our faith, or
belief in Christ, does not end there. In all that we do, in our daily living,
and in serving Him, the foundation is still faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But
without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who
comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Everything that we do must
be based on the fact that we are trusting God’s promises that we are His and
cannot be taken out of His hands (Jn 10:29-30). When we are called to love our
enemies, when we are persecuted, when we are called to help others, when we are
in distress, when we have a need, when we are serving and need courage to speak
or do something in the Name of our Lord, we need to be grounded in our faith,
and believe that Jesus is who He says He is, and that He will do what He
promised He would do. When we do our good works, which we are called to and
created for in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10), we must do them out of faith; and by
doing them we show our faith (Jm 2:18), because we show that we are trusting
God in those times when He is asking us to perform those works in seemingly
impossible circumstances, and probably at the height of being persecuted. The bottom
line is that for us, God’s children, the Gospel message is not something we put
in our pocket, and only take it out when we are going to share it with others.
The Gospel message is something we live out every single day, because for some,
we are the only Gospel they have ever read. Let us live by faith, and glorify
God by not only proclaiming that Jesus died for us and offers eternal life, but
let us also live as Christians who have already accepted Jesus’ offer, and are
now living as those who are already heaven-bound. May it be reflected in our
attitudes, actions, words, and deeds, all for the glory of God.
Sunday, August 27, 2017
True Strength
Verse of the day: Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls
are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.
How do we who are born again believers measure
strength? Do we use the world’s measure? Is strength measured by how physically
strong we are? Is it measured by how much motivation and stamina we have in
gaining riches? Is it measured by how we are able to “put people in their place”
when they try to take advantage of us or do something that offends us? Do we
take pride in our reputation as someone who does not take flak from anyone? The
fact of the matter is that any physical strength that we exhibit is not real
strength. Physically speaking, we are feeble and fragile. I am sure that we
have either seen or heard of someone who was physically strong, or someone who
was considered strong because of their achievements; yet, we have seen those
same people suffer some physical trauma or illness that rendered them
physically helpless. True strength is found and grounded in Jesus Christ. The
Apostle Paul wrote the following in Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
When he wrote this, he was referring to the fact that he learned how to be
content with whatever state he found himself in. Whether he lacked or had much,
he found strength in Christ to endure whatever God allowed. Part of the issue
with us being unable to be content with whatever state God allows us to be in
is that we lack the self-control. Although we have all the strength we need, in
Christ, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; we still fail to keep our
passions and fleshly desires under control. When we covet, it comes from us putting
our eyes on what others have, and rather than thank God for what we have, we
complain about what we think we lack. We fall into this trap in relationships
as well, as we look at other relationships and desire to have what others have;
not knowing what is really happening behind closed doors. When we fail to take
the precautionary measures needed to guard our minds, we expose ourselves to
our flesh being aroused, and before we know it, we are going after that which
God does not desire for us. The end result is that we open ourselves up to all
sorts of attacks from Satan and his demons. Temptation comes, and we wonder why
we give into it. James 1:13-15 tells us that we fall to temptation, not because
we are tempted by God, but because we are drawn away and enticed by our own
desires. Our inability to control our tongues open us up to falling to the sin
of gossip, and speaking in a way that does not honor God, when in fact, God
calls us to speak in a way that encourages, and builds others up (1 Pt 3:10; Pr
17:9; Col 4:6; Eph 4:29). Great strength is exhibited by those who can hold
their tongue, especially when angry (James 1:19). Proverbs 16:32 tells us that,
He who
is slow
to anger is better than the
mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. It takes great strength to
return kindness when evil is done against us, or when we refuse to revile those
who revile us, just as Jesus demonstrated for us (1 Pt 2:23). The bottom line
is that a person who does not have self-control is like a city whose walls are
broken and has no way of keeping the enemy from entering and causing great
damage. Nehemiah 1:3 reads as follows: “And they said unto me, the remnant that
are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and
reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are
burned with fire.” We cannot expose ourselves to all kinds of ungodly things,
and expect that we will not be affected by it. Once we allow our minds to be
affected, and we weaken our defenses, we open the door for the enemy to come
through and cause great damage in our walk with Christ. Our salvation is
grounded in Jesus Christ, and there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves;
His salvation comes by God’s grace (Eph 2:8-9). However, that does not remove
the responsibility we have to do that which will strengthen our self-control so
that we do not shipwreck our walk. We must be in constant prayer, being mindful
of God’s presence, studying His Word, obeying it, and avoiding those things
that stir up our fleshly appetites. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reads, No temptation has overtaken you except such as is
common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond
what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,
that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 reads, Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus
I fight: not as one who beats
the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into
subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become
disqualified. Philippians 2:12-14 reminds us that we are to work out our
salvation with fear (reverence) and trembling (distrusting self to complete
it), relying on God completely, and without complaining. True strength can only
be found in, and exhibited in our lives with, Christ Jesus alone.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Afflicted for Our Good
Verse of the day: Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I
have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.
How many of us enjoy being afflicted? I would have to
honestly say that I do not enjoy it. However, as born again believers, our view
on being afflicted should differ from that of the world’s view. We must
understand, first and foremost, that God ALWAYS has a purpose for what He
allows us to encounter and go through in our Christian walk. Sometimes, the
affliction is God’s way of getting our attention so that we will have a greater
understanding of who He is in our lives, and who He wants us to be as His
children. Sadly, what has a tendency to happen is that we put our eyes on the
fact that the unsaved seem to prosper and experience the “good things” in life,
while we suffer. The fact of the matter is that whatever it is that we learn
during our times of affliction is far more valuable than all the riches this
world has to offer; because what we learn should draw us closer to God, help us
grow in our knowledge of Him, and help us grow in our faith. 1 Peter 1:6-7
tells us,” Wherein ye
greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through
manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more
precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be
found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”.
James 1:2-4 also tells us, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into
various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking nothing.” Here, in this Psalm, the writer tells us that the affliction
suffered has an end result which is good, and profitable, because it gave him
the opportunity to learn God’s statutes. This sentiment is a repetition of
verse 67, where the Psalmist wrote, “Before I was afflicted I
went astray, But now I keep Your word.” When God chooses to
afflict us as a form of discipline, this is a good thing. Why you ask? God’s
discipline in our lives is evidence that we are His children, and as His
children He will discipline us because He loves us, and desires the best for
us. Hebrews 12:4-12 reminds us that we are not to be discouraged when God
disciplines us, because His discipline is an indication of His love for us.
Furthermore, even though the chastening may not be joyful, instead being
painful, to go through; the end result is that it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness for those trained by it. It also reminds us that we honor our
earthly fathers who discipline us out of selfish reasons, but God’s discipline
is selfless, and ultimately for our good. The bottom line is that God desires
that we walk in holiness, and righteousness, and if we stray from that path, He
will allow affliction to come to us in order to steer us back on the path He
wants us to walk on; a path that keeps us close to Him, helps us to know Him better,
and teaches us to trust Him more. In the end, there is nothing that compares to
the value of walking intimately with God, staying close to Him in prayer,
having a better understanding of His truths, and being doers of His Word.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Heart Check-up
Verse of the day: Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try
me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there
is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Many of us have heard about the
importance of having a physical check-up every year to make sure that we are
healthy and have no underlying illnesses that have not been detected or have
not yet shown any outward symptoms for. For us, the born again believer, it is
of utmost importance that we have frequent heart check-ups. King David writes
of God’s omnipresence and omniscience in this Psalm. We are reminded that there
is no place that we can go, or hide in, where God is not present (v. 7-12).
There is nothing we do, or think, that God does not already know (v. 1-4). He
created us and knew us, even before we were formed in our mother’s womb (v. 13-16).
We would do well to reflect on how good God has been to us, and continues to be
toward us, even though what we deserve is eternal condemnation. Jeremiah 29:11
tells us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. Psalm 40:5
reminds us that if we were to declare all the wonderful works that God has
done, and His thoughts toward us, they would be more than we can number. With
that said, how foolish it would be for us to think that we could do anything in
secret that is not seen by God; or how foolish it would be to think that God
does not know our thoughts, imaginations, and all that goes on in our hearts.
There is no sinful thought, wrongful motivation or intention, which God does
not see. There may even be sins hidden away in our hearts that we do not see.
How often are we critical of others because of their attitudes and actions, yet
we exhibit the same attitudes or actions ourselves? Even if we do all that we
can to live godly and righteously before God, we must always be ready to go
before God and ask Him to dig deep within us and unearth that which lies in the
deep recesses or our hearts, that we cannot see. He may choose to allow trials
and tribulations to come into our lives in order for that which He desires to
change in us to surface; for this reason we must be thankful for those times of
trouble that God uses to show us that we are lacking in our attitude, and our
tendency to react wrongly when the waters are stirred up in our lives. King
David here asks God to show him what is in his heart, not for the purpose of
God finding out what is there (for God already knows); but instead, King David
himself wants to know if there is any hidden sin in his life that needs to be
eradicated. Psalm 19:12 reminds us, “Who can understand his error? Cleanse me
from secrets faults”. When we truly have a heart for God, we are willing to
allow God to not only show us what is in our heart, but also be ready to allow
Him to do whatever necessary to remove whatever it is, in whatever manner He
chooses to remove it, and lead us on the path of that is good for us, and
promotes the glory of God for others to see as we represent Him here on earth.
Thursday, August 24, 2017
What God Sees Matters Most
Verse of the day: 1Kings 9:4 Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments,
In Yesterday's Daily Devotional we discussed the importance of internal change vs. external actions. The Apostle Paul expressed that the practice of outward rituals (or exercise) was of little worth, while godliness was of more value (1 Tim 4:8). Here in this verse, we see God's conversation with King Solomon, the son of King David and Bathsheba. There is no one better to bring this point home to us than God Himself. King Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD, his own house, and more, when God appears unto him this second time, and speaks to him in regard to His approval of this house by consecrating it to Himself. However, we must take note that when He speaks to King Solomon in respect to what his relationship to the LORD should be, He uses his father, King David, as the example to follow. Today, too many Christians who are more focused, and judge others, only by the outward actions, would probably have condemned King David, bad-mouthed him, and would not have allowed him to serve within the local church's congregation. Yet, here, God holds King David up as the example to follow. Why was that? It certainly was not because of his actions; for we know that outwardly he failed a few times, and did not always do outwardly that which honored God. Yet, inwardly he was a man after God's own heart, and God acknowledged and recognized King David in that manner because of what He saw in his heart. He describes King David in a way that most of us probably would not have described him, based on what we know of his life. However, God said that King David "walked in integrity of heart" or completeness, innocence of mind, will, heart, soul, and understanding. He also described him as walking in "uprightness", or moral straightness or evenness. When we read this, we should be encouraged, because if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that even though our hearts may be for God and His ways, our words, actions, and deeds, do not always reflect that. It is in those moments that we, as born again believers, must be eternally grateful to Jesus that His righteousness before our Heavenly Father is what makes us acceptable, and gives us the ability to come before our God with repentance, and confession, so that we can continue our walk with the Lord. This should also encourage us to continue serving the Lord, even when those around us condemn us when we stumble, rather than help us stay in the fight. When we are the ones who encounter those who stumble, this should serve as a reminder that we are to be careful about how we respond, and what opinions and judgment we express, as we do not know their personal relationship with God, or what God sees in their heart. Our responsibility is to do that which is outlined for us in Galatians 6:1-3, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." The bottom line is that as human beings we can have all kinds of opinions about others, based on what we see of their actions, and others can have their opinions about us, that can discourage us and cause us to walk away from continuing to serve God. However, the only opinion that really matters in our Christians walk is that of the One who sees our hearts. We must do all we can to not hinder the process of God changing our hearts so that we are more like Christ each day in our words, attitude, actions, and deeds. We must also not minimize the consequences of disobeying God's Word, and know that each word, action, and deed, comes with its consequences. King David was a man after God's own heart, and God acknowledged him as the example to follow, but He was not referring to the example of his human, sinful, actions that caused him and his family much trouble and pain. I cannot express enough the importance of having our outward living come from a heart that is truly a heart after God and His ways.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
In Yesterday's Daily Devotional we discussed the importance of internal change vs. external actions. The Apostle Paul expressed that the practice of outward rituals (or exercise) was of little worth, while godliness was of more value (1 Tim 4:8). Here in this verse, we see God's conversation with King Solomon, the son of King David and Bathsheba. There is no one better to bring this point home to us than God Himself. King Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD, his own house, and more, when God appears unto him this second time, and speaks to him in regard to His approval of this house by consecrating it to Himself. However, we must take note that when He speaks to King Solomon in respect to what his relationship to the LORD should be, He uses his father, King David, as the example to follow. Today, too many Christians who are more focused, and judge others, only by the outward actions, would probably have condemned King David, bad-mouthed him, and would not have allowed him to serve within the local church's congregation. Yet, here, God holds King David up as the example to follow. Why was that? It certainly was not because of his actions; for we know that outwardly he failed a few times, and did not always do outwardly that which honored God. Yet, inwardly he was a man after God's own heart, and God acknowledged and recognized King David in that manner because of what He saw in his heart. He describes King David in a way that most of us probably would not have described him, based on what we know of his life. However, God said that King David "walked in integrity of heart" or completeness, innocence of mind, will, heart, soul, and understanding. He also described him as walking in "uprightness", or moral straightness or evenness. When we read this, we should be encouraged, because if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that even though our hearts may be for God and His ways, our words, actions, and deeds, do not always reflect that. It is in those moments that we, as born again believers, must be eternally grateful to Jesus that His righteousness before our Heavenly Father is what makes us acceptable, and gives us the ability to come before our God with repentance, and confession, so that we can continue our walk with the Lord. This should also encourage us to continue serving the Lord, even when those around us condemn us when we stumble, rather than help us stay in the fight. When we are the ones who encounter those who stumble, this should serve as a reminder that we are to be careful about how we respond, and what opinions and judgment we express, as we do not know their personal relationship with God, or what God sees in their heart. Our responsibility is to do that which is outlined for us in Galatians 6:1-3, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." The bottom line is that as human beings we can have all kinds of opinions about others, based on what we see of their actions, and others can have their opinions about us, that can discourage us and cause us to walk away from continuing to serve God. However, the only opinion that really matters in our Christians walk is that of the One who sees our hearts. We must do all we can to not hinder the process of God changing our hearts so that we are more like Christ each day in our words, attitude, actions, and deeds. We must also not minimize the consequences of disobeying God's Word, and know that each word, action, and deed, comes with its consequences. King David was a man after God's own heart, and God acknowledged him as the example to follow, but He was not referring to the example of his human, sinful, actions that caused him and his family much trouble and pain. I cannot express enough the importance of having our outward living come from a heart that is truly a heart after God and His ways.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
"Inside Out", Not "Outside In"
Verse of the day: 1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
As born again believers we can make the mistake of thinking that we are being "spiritual" by the things we do. It is funny how we often care more about what others see on the outside than what is going on in the inside. How often have we seen or met someone who seemed so physically fit, and their physique made us envious; yet, we later hear that they have been diagnosed with a fatal illness or they have died from heart failure? There are those who exercise their body, but care little about what they take into their body; so that outwardly they look healthy, but inside they are slowly killing themselves? It is no different for us, the follower of Jesus. We Christians are sometimes good at putting on that outward facade that gives the illusion that we are mature in our faith, but in the inside we are far from God. We practice our religious rituals and abstain from speaking a certain way or doing certain things, but all that changes when we are alone, or when we think no one is watching. In 2 Timothy 3:5, the Apostle Paul describes these people as, "having a form of godliness but denying its power." In the same verse he warns, "And from such people turn away!" This would be a good time to be reminded that God is always watching, and always sees what we are doing. Not only does He see what we are doing; He sees past it and right into our hearts (1 Sam 16:7). The fact of the matter is that this is part of the problem when we find ourselves repeating the same sinful behavior over and over again. We try to overcome our sinfulness by implementing some religious ritual or process, only to find that we fail over and over again. The reason we fail is that true change does not start from the outside, and what we are doing outwardly. Instead, real change comes from the inside, and works its way outwardly to our words, actions, attitudes, and deeds. Exercise is important for the body. However, physical exercise only profits for a short while. We grow older and our bodies do not function the same. If we fail to take care of what we put into our bodies, what we do outwardly will be of little to no worth. It is no different for us spiritually. It profits us nothing if we are simply going through the religious motions without real change happening in the inside. That change begins with a true relationship with Jesus Christ. It begins with recognizing that our salvation, and ability to be who God wants us to be, begins with God's saving grace (Eph 2:8-9). Spiritually speaking, our bodily exercises of praying, fasting, and doing good, only truly profit us when we are being doers of the Word, as a result of trusting God, acting by faith, and knowing that all our works, in and of themselves, without Jesus are like filthy rags to God (Is 64:6). Yes, we must exercise our faith physically, but it must be as a result of true change in the inside. True change from the inside is profitable in that it is a truer indication that we are trusting Jesus alone for eternal life, and as a result, we seek to live outwardly in such a way that our words, actions, attitudes, and deeds are profitable for the spread of the Gospel and the glory of God.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
As born again believers we can make the mistake of thinking that we are being "spiritual" by the things we do. It is funny how we often care more about what others see on the outside than what is going on in the inside. How often have we seen or met someone who seemed so physically fit, and their physique made us envious; yet, we later hear that they have been diagnosed with a fatal illness or they have died from heart failure? There are those who exercise their body, but care little about what they take into their body; so that outwardly they look healthy, but inside they are slowly killing themselves? It is no different for us, the follower of Jesus. We Christians are sometimes good at putting on that outward facade that gives the illusion that we are mature in our faith, but in the inside we are far from God. We practice our religious rituals and abstain from speaking a certain way or doing certain things, but all that changes when we are alone, or when we think no one is watching. In 2 Timothy 3:5, the Apostle Paul describes these people as, "having a form of godliness but denying its power." In the same verse he warns, "And from such people turn away!" This would be a good time to be reminded that God is always watching, and always sees what we are doing. Not only does He see what we are doing; He sees past it and right into our hearts (1 Sam 16:7). The fact of the matter is that this is part of the problem when we find ourselves repeating the same sinful behavior over and over again. We try to overcome our sinfulness by implementing some religious ritual or process, only to find that we fail over and over again. The reason we fail is that true change does not start from the outside, and what we are doing outwardly. Instead, real change comes from the inside, and works its way outwardly to our words, actions, attitudes, and deeds. Exercise is important for the body. However, physical exercise only profits for a short while. We grow older and our bodies do not function the same. If we fail to take care of what we put into our bodies, what we do outwardly will be of little to no worth. It is no different for us spiritually. It profits us nothing if we are simply going through the religious motions without real change happening in the inside. That change begins with a true relationship with Jesus Christ. It begins with recognizing that our salvation, and ability to be who God wants us to be, begins with God's saving grace (Eph 2:8-9). Spiritually speaking, our bodily exercises of praying, fasting, and doing good, only truly profit us when we are being doers of the Word, as a result of trusting God, acting by faith, and knowing that all our works, in and of themselves, without Jesus are like filthy rags to God (Is 64:6). Yes, we must exercise our faith physically, but it must be as a result of true change in the inside. True change from the inside is profitable in that it is a truer indication that we are trusting Jesus alone for eternal life, and as a result, we seek to live outwardly in such a way that our words, actions, attitudes, and deeds are profitable for the spread of the Gospel and the glory of God.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
It Should Not Surprise Us
Verse of the day: 1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the
fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when
His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
In John 15:18 Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated
Me before it hated you”, and in verse 20 He said, “Remember the word that
I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted
Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours
also.” The Apostle Peter reminds us here that it is not a strange thing
to be persecuted for living the Christian life. Do we, as God’s children, who
know the Word, really expect it to be any different for us than it was for our
Lord? Why would it surprise us that the unsaved, and those that claim to be
Christians, but may not be born again, would lash out at us for doing what is
right or proclaiming God’s Word before them? We are called to be light in this
world (Mt 5:14-16), and when we live as light in this dark world, we will face
opposition because the darkness does not like the light. John 3:20 tells us, “For
everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest
his deeds should be exposed.” Jesus was the Light of the World, and the
end result of that was that they beat Him and crucified Him. Why would we not
expect people to mock us, and berate us, and try to silence us when we name the
Name of Jesus? The Apostle Peter tells us to rejoice when we are partakers in
Jesus’ sufferings. There is coming a day when He will reappear, and that will
be a glorious day for us. Sadly, many born again believers who compromised
their faith to avoid persecution will be greatly disappointed when they realize
how much reward was lost. In Matthew 5:11-12 Jesus said, “Blessed
are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against
you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your
reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Take what the Apostle Peter wrote in verse 16, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him
glorify God in this matter.” The bottom line is that if we are persecuted for
doing good and living for Christ, we have no reason to really be surprised by
this. I will close with what the Apostle
Peter told us in chapter 3, verses 13-17, And who is he
who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’
sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be
troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and
always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you
a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame
you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better,
if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Monday, August 21, 2017
Our Greatest Comfort Comes By Faith
Verse of the day: Psalm 42:8 The Lord will command His
lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me— A prayer to
the God of my life.
It is unknown if King David wrote this during the time
he was running from King Saul or the time of his son Absalom’s rebellion. It is
likely that it was during Absalom’s rebellion. I am sure that many of us have
felt like King David felt during this time; a time when everyone, including
loved ones, seemed to turn their backs on us, leaving us no one but God to turn
to. During those times we may feel that even God has forsaken us. It is a
difficult place to find ourselves in. However, like King David, it is okay to
sorrow and cry out to the Lord. Showing emotion during difficult times is not a
sign of weakness, it is normal. God has created us in His image (Gen 1:26), and
He is a God who is emotional. Jesus exhibited joy, sorrow, and anger while He
was here with us (Jn 11:35; Lk 10:21; Mt 21:12-17). The key to overcoming these
times of great sorrow is to hold on to our faith. King David expressed a great
desire to be back in fellowship with God (v. 1-2), as he was obviously driven
away from the place where he worshipped. He laments the fact that this trouble
is the result of God’s displeasure (v. 7); and if this was the time of Absalom’s
rebellion, then he certainly has grounds for that sentiment, as this would have
been part of the consequences of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba (2 Sam
12:7-12). Nonetheless, in spite of that, King David was still confident of God’s
love, and His lovingkindness, toward him. This is the key to getting through
times when we are overwhelmed emotionally by difficult times and times when people
have turned against us and abandoned us. Regardless of what our heart and
emotions may tell us, or what our enemies, the demons, may whisper to us, God
is still with us (v. 3). Regardless of what people may say in mocking us
because it appears that God has abandoned us; we must hold on to His promise
that He will never leave us nor forsake us (v. 10, Heb 13:5-6), and His promise
that nothing can separate us from His love (Rom 8:35-39). Many of us have
experienced those moments of great desperation or sorrow that kept us awake at
night, or awoke us in the middle of the night. The best remedy for those
sleepless nights is praise. If we truly have faith in God and His promises,
then regardless of what He allows into our lives, whether by someone else’s
initiation or as a result of consequences of our own choices, we will still
hold on to the hope we have in Christ. Although King David was suffering as a
result of his own choices, he held on to the confidence, faith, and hope, he
had in God’s love for him. God is not a god like any other. He is the one and
only God. His love for us does not waver, and He is not fickle like human
beings are. People will forsake us when they are offended by us, even if there
is no cause for offense. Loved ones will forsake us and abandon us; sometimes
in during the times we need them most. People closest to us may choose not to
forgive us when we stumble and sin against them and God, even those we call
brothers and sisters in Christ. However flawed we may be as human beings, our
God is not like that, and we must not put God in that light. His love, grace,
mercy, patience, and forgiveness, are supernatural and go beyond what any of us
are capable of, in and of ourselves. Therefore, when we find ourselves in the
worst of times, feeling completely abandoned and alone, know this one thing,
God is always with us, and we can always count on His love and lovingkindness to
see us through. So let us, even in the darkest of times, continue to praise
Him, and seek Him, knowing that his anger or silence is only for a moment.
Psalm 30:5 reminds us, “For His anger is but
for a moment, His favor is
for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
Sunday, August 20, 2017
God’s Spirit Should Make the Difference
Verse of the day: 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the
world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have
been freely given to us by God.
The simplest way I know how to explain wisdom is
the ability to apply what we have understood, based on the facts we have
gathered. Whether that wisdom is godly or worldly will largely depend on the
source of our facts, and whether our understanding comes from God or the world.
James 3:13-17 reads as follows:
13 Who is wise
and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in
your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality and without hypocrisy.
We see a lot of unrest around us, and sadly, we have
to admit that we see too many of us “Christians” who are lacking godly wisdom
in how we are responding to the way the world is behaving, and how we are
approaching the challenges that God is allowing into our lives, as a result of
this unrest. The fact of the matter is that the world is getting further away
from God as the time of His return draws nearer and nearer. Matthew 24:6-12
reads as follows:
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not
troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is
not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All
these are the beginning of
sorrows.
9 “Then
they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by
all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will
hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And
because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
In these times, we who are truly born again believers
should not be surprised by what is taking place, and therefore should not be
responding in the same manner as the world is responding. The biggest reason
for this is that we have been given the Spirit of God who enables us to discern
that which is spiritual, while the unsaved is unable to because they have not
the Spirit of God (v. 13-16). As God’s children, we are able to receive and
understand the deep things of God that He has already revealed to us in His
Word (v. 9-11). Before we came to know Jesus as Savior we had very little, if
any, knowledge of man’s depravity; and we knew nothing of who God really is.
The Jews had the Old Testament Scriptures, yet even the most religious of them
formed the wrong picture of who God is, and who Jesus is, as evidenced by their
rejection of Him as their Messiah. We must be careful that we, as His children,
do not do the same thing. God has given us His Spirit, and made us new
creatures in Christ. As a result, we should no longer see God or man from a
worldly perspective, but now have a new perspective; a heavenly one (2 Cor
5:16-17). Now that we have the Spirit of God indwelling us, we should gain a
better understanding of what it means to be a born again child of God. We
should be gaining knowledge about what it means to be justified (declared not
guilty) by God, in Christ. We should have a better understanding of what it
means to go through the process of sanctification (being made more like Christ),
and how the trials that God allows plays a part in this. Godly wisdom is the
result of knowing what to do with all this biblical knowledge and understanding
we are gaining. However, how do we gain this knowledge and understanding if we
are not spending real time in God’s Word, and actually making it a priority in
our lives? How do we gain wisdom if we are too busy listening to the world and
blindly following its wisdom and our own fleshly desires? It is no wonder that
we seem no wiser than the world in the way we approach life, behave toward one
another, or respond to all that is going on around us, when we spend little time
seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, especially if it
contradicts our own desired outcome. It is high time that we start applying the
wisdom of God to our lives and stop falling for every wind of doctrine that
comes our way; that is appealing to our own selfish wants. As Christians, our
views of the world, and its behavior, should set us apart, not make us fit in.
It is a shame that during a time when we have been given the greatest
opportunity to be witnesses for Jesus; instead, we have chosen to fit in for
the sake of not offending the world and avoid persecution. The bottom line is
that regardless of how much unrest there is in the world, the child of God
should have peace, and joy, because we have the truth of God’s Word, and the
Spirit of God, who not only helps us to gain godly knowledge, but also gives us
understanding, and helps us to apply that truth in a godly manner, and from a
heavenly perspective. As if that were not enough, we have eternity spent with
our Living Hope which is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior to look forward to.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Living Examples for Christ
Verse of the day: Philippians 4:9 The things which you learned and received and
heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
The one thing the Apostle Paul did not have any
reservations about saying was, “follow me” or “imitate me”. We see it in this
verse, as well as in 1 Corinthians 4:16, and 11:1. The Apostle was
not being arrogant in making that statement, but was confident in the fact that
he was doing all he could to imitate Christ, and that if others imitated or
followed him, they would in essence be following Jesus. Can any one of us, as
born again believers, be able to truly say that? The fact of the matter is that
as Christians we are being an example to others. The example we set will either
glorify God or bring a blemish to our testimony, and to Christ’s Name. We will
either shine for Christ in the way that we live, or we will be hypocrites
before the eyes of the world. As modern day Christians, we have no excuse for
not living the kind of life that would enable us to say, “imitate me” or “follow
me”, “and you will be a follower of Jesus Christ.” We have all that we need to
live an exemplary Christian life. We have the Holy Spirit, who will guide us.
We have God’s Word to learn from, as the Spirit teaches us and illuminates the
Word for us. We have daily access to the Lord through prayer. The key is that
we must not only read the Word, and pray, but we must also put what we know,
and what we learn, to practice. That is one of the key things that the Apostle
Paul says in this verse, when he wrote, “these do”. In other words, I have set
the example for you, now you practice what you have seen of me. If we are the
example that others have as a source to imitate, would it bring others closer
to the Lord or put them on a path that leads them further away? Would those who
seek to be closer to the Lord follow our example or avoid us because we are
being hypocrites in our approach to living for Christ? We should not be
ignorant of the fact that our ultimate Example of how to live this life is
Jesus Himself, but God also wants to use us, as He used the Apostle Paul, to be
the living examples of what it means to live holy, and righteously; not “holier
than thou” or “self-righteously”. We need to be avid, diligent, students of God’s
Word, who pray continually, and rely completely on the Lord’s leading to apply
the truths of the Scriptures to our lives in our attitudes, words, and deeds.
We must be, as James puts it in James 1:22, “doers of the Word, and not just hearers”.
The example that the Apostle was referring to, in this verse, and within its
context, that he had set for the Christians at Philippi, was how they could
experience the peace of God by living a holy life, and relying on the Lord and
His strength. He encouraged them to be together in unity, rejoicing always, and
bringing all their cares to the Lord in prayer so that the peace of God, which
passes all understanding, would guard their hearts and minds (v. 2-7). He also
encouraged them to meditate, or think, on things that promoted purity, holiness,
and righteousness. The end result in all of this would be that they too would
learn how to live a life of peace and contentment. With all the unrest and
tribulation that we see and experience, how refreshing it is for us to be the
living example of what it means to have a life filled with God’s peace. How encouraging
it would be for those around us to be able to have a living example of what it
means to live a life of contentment, which promotes peace in our lives. The
bottom line is that we have the ability to live this kind of life because we
have the Prince of Peace. The key is not only knowing this, but making sure
that we are doing our best to put these into practice on a daily basis, and not
giving up if we happen to stumble along the way.
Friday, August 18, 2017
How Can It Be?
Verse of the day: Psalm 8:4 What is man, that You are mindful of him? and the son of man, that You visit him?
How can it be that God put such value on man that He has given His Son for our salvation? What are we in comparison to the rest of God's creation? When we consider how vast the heavens are, and the works of His hands, who are we to think that we deserve anything but eternal condemnation? We are weak and sinful. Outside of Jesus, we are wicked and we devise evil in our hearts (Jer 17:9). Yet, God was, and is, merciful toward us in that He offers us eternal life freely and deals with us, even when we sin against Him, in a such a way as to bring us back into fellowship with Him (Rm 2:4). When we consider how small we are in comparison to His angels (v. 5), and some of His other awesome creation (Job 41), how can we not wake up each day and not know that we, especially as born again believers, are blessed beyond what we know or even sometimes acknowledge? When God first created man, He gave man dominion over His creation (Gen 1:26). Yet, in all of this man rebelled against God (Gen 3). Now, Christ has dominion, and in Him, we too will have dominion. Do we not know that we will judge angels (1 Cor 6;3-4)? How incredible it is that we, one of God's weakest creations, have such high standing with God that He would give His only begotten Son for us. Hebrews 2:9 reads, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." The next time any of us begins to feel sorry for ourselves and begins to complain about what we do not have, or how bad our life is, especially if we already know Jesus as our Savior, let us stop and think that when we deserved to be destroyed, and suffer eternal condemnation, He chose to love us and save us (Rm 5:8). Let us give Him praise today for His goodness to us, and for the fact that He cares for such insignificant creatures as us, who have the honor not only being created in His image, but saved the One who is His express image, Jesus Christ (Heb 1:3).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
How can it be that God put such value on man that He has given His Son for our salvation? What are we in comparison to the rest of God's creation? When we consider how vast the heavens are, and the works of His hands, who are we to think that we deserve anything but eternal condemnation? We are weak and sinful. Outside of Jesus, we are wicked and we devise evil in our hearts (Jer 17:9). Yet, God was, and is, merciful toward us in that He offers us eternal life freely and deals with us, even when we sin against Him, in a such a way as to bring us back into fellowship with Him (Rm 2:4). When we consider how small we are in comparison to His angels (v. 5), and some of His other awesome creation (Job 41), how can we not wake up each day and not know that we, especially as born again believers, are blessed beyond what we know or even sometimes acknowledge? When God first created man, He gave man dominion over His creation (Gen 1:26). Yet, in all of this man rebelled against God (Gen 3). Now, Christ has dominion, and in Him, we too will have dominion. Do we not know that we will judge angels (1 Cor 6;3-4)? How incredible it is that we, one of God's weakest creations, have such high standing with God that He would give His only begotten Son for us. Hebrews 2:9 reads, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." The next time any of us begins to feel sorry for ourselves and begins to complain about what we do not have, or how bad our life is, especially if we already know Jesus as our Savior, let us stop and think that when we deserved to be destroyed, and suffer eternal condemnation, He chose to love us and save us (Rm 5:8). Let us give Him praise today for His goodness to us, and for the fact that He cares for such insignificant creatures as us, who have the honor not only being created in His image, but saved the One who is His express image, Jesus Christ (Heb 1:3).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Jesus Others Yourself = JOY
Verse of the day: Psalm 4:6 There be many that say, who will show us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of Your countenance upon us.
What a sad question to be heard asked by God's people. Why do I say that? Well...because we, as born again believers, have had so much good done to us, that we should be asking, "Lord, to whom shall I show good to today?" Sadly, too many of us in Christianity have become like the unsaved in being more concerned about our own wellbeing, than the wellbeing of others. Philippians 2:3-4 tells us to do nothing out of selfish ambition, but look after the interest of others, not only our own. Philippians 2:21 tells us that those who belong to Jesus do not look after their own interest, but that of others. We see the same thing said in 1 Corinthians 10:24. I must remind us, however, that when we do this, we must do it expecting nothing in return, because the majority of the people we do good to are people who are seeking for someone to good to them, without a thought of what good they can do for others, including us. This is one of the things that is supposed to set us apart as God's children. We are to do good, even if it is not returned unto us, and even if the person we are doing good to is our enemy (Mt 5:44). Here, in this chapter, the Psalmist is not looking for anyone to do good unto him, other than God. The goodness he seeks from God is God's favor and friendship. In verses 7 & 8, he expresses what that goodness, and favor, looks like, and its end result. In verse 7 we see that while the world, and the worldly, seek material things from others, and from God, the Psalmist finds contentment in the joy and peace that can only come from having God's favor. Jesus told us, in John 14:27, that the peace He gives us is unlike the peace that the world offers. In other words, what the world offers cannot, and does not, compare to the peace we have in Christ. The source and foundation for the joy that is in our hearts is our relationship with God in Christ Jesus. We have been reconciled and adopted into God's family because of what Jesus did for us on Calvary. Proverbs 14:13 tells us that even in laughter our hearts can be sorrowful. How often do we see others, and even we sometimes, cover up our sorrow with laughter? The joy that we have in Christ is just the opposite and shines through, even in the most sorrowful of events in our lives. In verse 8, the Psalmist tells us the blessed end result of seeking God's joy and peace over that which the world offers; the ability to lay down in peace, and sleep, knowing that God has everything under control. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to bring our care to God because He cares for us, and Philippians 4:6-7 tells us that when we bring our concerns to God in prayer, with thanksgiving, His peace, which passes both our understanding, and the world's, will guard our hearts in minds, through our relationship with Christ Jesus. There is no amount of money or worldly goods that can give us the kind of peace that will allow us to rest as peacefully, and as securely, as knowing that God is our Protector, Provider, and Peace-giver. There are many who have much of what the world offers, but they sleep not a wink, and many have even taken their own live, committing suicide; because in the end, the world has nothing of true worth to offer. The only things of any real value in this world, and the one to come, is grounded in our relationship with Jesus. If we, who are His children, really want true peace and joy, we must first find it in our relationship with Him; then we must seek ways to share that with others, rather than always looking for others to do good to us. We have all the good we need in the person of our God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
What a sad question to be heard asked by God's people. Why do I say that? Well...because we, as born again believers, have had so much good done to us, that we should be asking, "Lord, to whom shall I show good to today?" Sadly, too many of us in Christianity have become like the unsaved in being more concerned about our own wellbeing, than the wellbeing of others. Philippians 2:3-4 tells us to do nothing out of selfish ambition, but look after the interest of others, not only our own. Philippians 2:21 tells us that those who belong to Jesus do not look after their own interest, but that of others. We see the same thing said in 1 Corinthians 10:24. I must remind us, however, that when we do this, we must do it expecting nothing in return, because the majority of the people we do good to are people who are seeking for someone to good to them, without a thought of what good they can do for others, including us. This is one of the things that is supposed to set us apart as God's children. We are to do good, even if it is not returned unto us, and even if the person we are doing good to is our enemy (Mt 5:44). Here, in this chapter, the Psalmist is not looking for anyone to do good unto him, other than God. The goodness he seeks from God is God's favor and friendship. In verses 7 & 8, he expresses what that goodness, and favor, looks like, and its end result. In verse 7 we see that while the world, and the worldly, seek material things from others, and from God, the Psalmist finds contentment in the joy and peace that can only come from having God's favor. Jesus told us, in John 14:27, that the peace He gives us is unlike the peace that the world offers. In other words, what the world offers cannot, and does not, compare to the peace we have in Christ. The source and foundation for the joy that is in our hearts is our relationship with God in Christ Jesus. We have been reconciled and adopted into God's family because of what Jesus did for us on Calvary. Proverbs 14:13 tells us that even in laughter our hearts can be sorrowful. How often do we see others, and even we sometimes, cover up our sorrow with laughter? The joy that we have in Christ is just the opposite and shines through, even in the most sorrowful of events in our lives. In verse 8, the Psalmist tells us the blessed end result of seeking God's joy and peace over that which the world offers; the ability to lay down in peace, and sleep, knowing that God has everything under control. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to bring our care to God because He cares for us, and Philippians 4:6-7 tells us that when we bring our concerns to God in prayer, with thanksgiving, His peace, which passes both our understanding, and the world's, will guard our hearts in minds, through our relationship with Christ Jesus. There is no amount of money or worldly goods that can give us the kind of peace that will allow us to rest as peacefully, and as securely, as knowing that God is our Protector, Provider, and Peace-giver. There are many who have much of what the world offers, but they sleep not a wink, and many have even taken their own live, committing suicide; because in the end, the world has nothing of true worth to offer. The only things of any real value in this world, and the one to come, is grounded in our relationship with Jesus. If we, who are His children, really want true peace and joy, we must first find it in our relationship with Him; then we must seek ways to share that with others, rather than always looking for others to do good to us. We have all the good we need in the person of our God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
When He Said “All Things”, He Means It (Part 3)
Verse of the day: Romans 8:31-32 What then shall we say to these things? If
God is for us, who can be against us? He who did
not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with
Him also freely give us all things?
As we continue to consider what
it means for God to work all things out for our good, we cannot discount all
that the Apostle Paul pointed out in this chapter. We have been adopted into
His family (v. 15). He has given us His Spirit who intercedes and strengthens
us (v. 16-17, 26-27), and does this all by His grace. So, if He has done all
this when we do not deserve it, why would we doubt that He would work out all
circumstances for our good? If God is for us, there is no one that can stand
against us; for nothing can separate us from His love, whether tribulation,
distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, death, angels, or
anything else for that matter (v. 35, 38-39). The greatest thing that God did,
and biggest sacrifice that He made, was not sparing His Son, our Lord and
Savior for our salvation; and He did this even while we were yet His enemies
(Rom 5:8). If He made such a sacrifice, the Apostle Paul asks, “How shall He
not with Him also freely give us all things?” The bottom line is that God is
not obligated to do anything for us or in our favor. Yet, He freely offers us
eternal life, and therefore, anything short of that is not impossible when it
comes to God working situations and circumstances out in our lives. No matter
who comes against us, or what schemes others try to launch against us, God will
intervene in His own way, and in His own time. There are even those moments
when we make a mess out of our lives by the decisions and choices we make, and
yet, God in all His love and grace, still can make, and will make, something
beautiful from it. This does not mean that there will not be consequences that
are painful or that we may have to endure for the remainder of our time here;
but God is faithful to us, even when we fail. We can always praise God that He
is better to us than we deserve and is always ready to restore us to fellowship
with Him and rebuild what has been broken, when we repent, confess, and turn
back to Him (1 John 1:8- 2:2). The bottom line is that we must not forget that
we have a promise from God; a promise whose foundation is in the fact that God
first gave us His Son freely, and promises to take care of us (1 Peter 5:7),
even through the most difficult of circumstances, when we do not understand it,
or maybe even like it. In the end (and I cannot say this enough) it will always
work out, without fail, in our best interest, for our good, and for His glory.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
When He Said “All Things”, He Meant It (Part 2)
Verse of the day: Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do
not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the
mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according
to the will of God.
Waiting can be one of the greatest tests of our
faith as we await the fulfillment of God’s promise to work all things out for
our good. While we are trying to endure our trials, many of us will turn to God
in prayer (which is the proper response to trials). However, our prayers often
turn into bargaining sessions with God or prayers which are more selfish in
nature than we may realize. Quite often, depending on how severe we view the
trial, we may not even know where to begin or what to say. We, as born again believers,
should find great comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit who indwells us, also
helps us in these times. When all we can do is groan in the midst of
challenging circumstances, we can rest assured that the One who knows what is
in our hearts will intercede on our behalf. He not only will intercede, but He
will also provide us with the strength to endure and move forward in our
weakest moments. As human beings who do not like pain and suffering, we can be
pretty shortsighted when it comes to dealing with the challenges God might
allow into our lives, and seeing what good can come out of them (Eccl 6:12). We
have a very short view of what is going on in our lives, while the One who
calls us to trust Him sees the whole picture. Because we can only see what we
see, we have a tendency to ask for solutions, in prayer, that are not in line
with what the Lord may want to accomplish by allowing the circumstances to be
prolonged. However, we can know this; that God will not abandon us in our time
of need, and will walk with us every step of the way (Heb 13:5-6). Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego are great examples of men who literally walked through
the fire for refusing to bow to anyone other than God, and experienced the
saving grace of the Lord (Daniel 3). Sometimes God’s plan is to allow us to
walk through the fire so that we can see His power at work, and build our trust
and faith in Him. The Israelites experienced this when they reached the Red
Sea, during their exodus from Egypt, and Pharaoh and his army pursued them. God
allowed them to be in a position with absolutely nowhere to go, at least from
their perspective. It was only then that He was able to show them His great
power of deliverance when He parted the Sea for them so that they could cross
on dry land (Exodus 14). This God who we read about in these biblical accounts
is the same God who saved us and we serve today. The Holy Spirit, praying on
our behalf, helping us through our difficulties, is the same God who helped
those three men and the people of Israel. All things work out for our good,
ultimately, because God works out His will in each situation, and accomplishes
His purposes (not ours), regardless of how difficult or impossible it may seem
to us. God has set up so many safeguards for His children as He brings us
through the most difficult of times. The bottom line is that we must believe
this to be so. No matter what the outcome, it is always in accordance to God’s
will and purpose, and for this reason it always works out for our good, and
ultimately God’s glory.
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