Spirit-Anointed Preaching, Part 4

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:1-2

The ministry of the man called to preach the Word of God should be characterized by four biblical qualities:

Fearless: “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). The man of God must not be afraid of what people think or say about his preaching if it is square with the Word of God.

Faithful: He must be faithful in his study and proclamation of God’s Word, not relying heavily on another’s insight but on what God gives him through prayer and meditation. He must also be consistent in his daily walk with the Savior.

Fruitful: The pastor’s ministry should be productive in terms of his spiritual growth in Christ as well as the growth of those who sit under his teaching.

Fervent: The minister’s love and devotion to God should be the heartbeat of his ministry. Literally, he should be “boiling hot” (the Greek word-picture of fervent) in his hunger to know and serve Christ. Passionless preaching usually comes from a lukewarm heart.

The pastor who is fearless will lead; the pastor who is faithful will persevere; the pastor who is fruitful will be involved in the lives of others; the pastor who is fervent will help awaken dormant and dead souls.

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it...” Ezra 7:10

Spirit-Anointed Preaching, Part 3

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25

Spirit-anointed preaching has one divine prerequisite: Spirit-anointed or controlled living. Any pastor who has prepared a sermon can tell you how difficult a Sunday sermon can be when his personal life is out of step with the Holy Spirit.

We cannot separate our preaching from our living. Preaching is derived from Spirit-filled living, not vice versa. It’s no mistake that the men whose ministries have affected the multitudes were men whose affections and actions were ruled by the Holy Spirit.

The pastor who is the servant of sin during the week will find it very difficult to be God’s oracle on Sunday. That’s the way God has designed it because He is interested in what motivates a man, not just his message.

When a minister is controlled by the Spirit, he is living an obedient life “...so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32). When a minister is controlled by the Spirit, he is living a pure life. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).

A pastor who is obedient and pure in motivation and behavior has the power of the Holy Spirit for a truly Spirit-anointed ministry. The Holy Word of God is to be proclaimed by holy men of God.

“...man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Spirit-Anointed Preaching, Part 2

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

How does the Holy Spirit saturate our teaching? Most significantly He fills our messages and ministries with His supernatural power as we preach and stand on the infallible Word of God. The Scriptures are the precise communication of God Himself Who is Spirit and Life: “...men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Pet. 1:21). “All Scripture is inspired (God-breathed) by God ...” (2 Tim. 3:16).

The Word of God was conceived and born through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The minister who is committed to its reliability, infallibility, and relevance to all of life will find supernatural results as he is faithful to proclaim it.
                               
Several years ago, a West Coast pastor shared how the power of the Word is evident when simply reading it: “We spend six weeks as a congregation reading the book of Revelation every Sunday evening... When we got through, we had a phenomenal concept of the power of Jesus, of the sovereignty of God, of the security that is ours on this planet, and of the utter, complete, unquestionable triumph of the church of Jesus Christ...I am convinced that pure, raw, direct, exposure to the Word of God will absolutely change people’s lives...”

“They read from the book, from the law of God...” Nehemiah 8:8

Spirit-Anointed Preaching

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19

Pastors are called upon for an assortment of ministry-oriented tasks. They must preach, counsel, lead, guide, visit, encourage, edify, and teach. Since very few of us are gifted in equal measure for the above endeavors and since each area requires the divine touch, it’s apparent that something more than mere human ability is required. That something more is the supernatural anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit.

It is the Spirit alone Who can convict us, guide us, and teach us the things of God. The Holy Spirit alone can convince man of the reality of sin and his need for the cross as the remedy. Human wisdom and reasoning - while persuasive and entertaining - are like clouds without rain, producing no spiritual fruit.

That’s why Paul told the Corinthians: “And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God”
(1 Cor. 2:4-5).

Faith that rests on good sentence structure, neat outlines, or pertinent illustrations will not produce spiritual transformation. Faith must lean on Spirit-anointed and saturated preaching and living.

“And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit...” Luke 4:14

...That You May Know...

“The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
1 John 5:10-15

The most important decision you will ever make is whether you will receive or refuse the offer of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Since your eternal destiny depends upon such a determination, do you think God wants you to be in continual confusion concerning the consequences of your decision?

Absolutely not. God is interested in you developing a growing, loving, secure relationship with His Son. As our Father, He wants us to be aware of our indisputable sonship. John’s epistle removes any doubt about salvation being a vacillating experience - moving in and out of the presence of God, forever wandering between heaven and hell.

“He who has the Son has the life...” (1 John 5:12). When you invite Christ in as Savior, He is there to stay. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5). You are sealed with the Holy Spirit. You are a son of God. Jesus abides in you because you are forgiven of your sins through His death. The obstacle to knowing God has been removed through His sin-bearing work at Calvary.

Your acceptance of His salvation by faith is a decisive act that puts Christ in you forever. Your behavior may hinder your enjoyment of God’s presence, but it can never for one second alter your oneness with Him.

“...having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.” Ephesians 1:13

The New Covenant

“And He said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.’ And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’” Luke 22:15-20

The word testament - as used in the biblical Old and New Testaments - originates from the Greek word for covenant. According to Bible Professor Charles Ryrie, “The word covenant meant an arrangement made by one party which the other party involved could accept or reject but not alter.” The primary basis for the old covenant was the Mosaic law. The sole basis for God’s new arrangement in dealing with sinful man is the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

The elements we reverently share at the Lord’s table are visual and tangible reminders that the forgiveness of God has been extended to man at a tremendous price: the spilt blood and bruised and broken body of Jesus Christ. The blood and body of Jesus were the supreme sacrifice for sin which was the only one that God, in His holy justice, could accept.

Since Jesus laid down His life for our sins, we now can receive God’s new covenant of forgiveness. We can have peace with God because the blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all of our sin. The next time you hold the cup and bread in your hands, remember that all of the grace, love, mercy, and hope of God is now yours because of the agony experienced by Jesus on the cross.

“...we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus.” Hebrews 10:19

Dressed for Battle

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Proper dress is essential. If you’re a football player, you put on shoulder pads. If you’re a state trooper, you wear a uniform and a gun. If you’re a Christian, only one wardrobe will do: the full armor of God with which we can resist and overcome Satan. The reason we are to put on and take up this military-sounding apparel is simple: We are in a battle against an unseen foe, and you don’t dress casually for warfare. The suit looks like this:

The loins of truth: This is the truth of what God’s Word says about you. You are accepted by Him unconditionally. You are His child. You belong to Him forever. This is your guard against deception.

The breastplate of righteousness: This is your standing with God. He has declared you innocent of all sin through the blood of Christ. This is your guard against guilt.

The preparation of the gospel of peace: This is your means for sharing the good news of salvation with others, bringing them to the offer of peace through Christ. Your guard against complacency and self-centeredness.

The shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit: This is commitment to and reliance upon the Word of God for every circumstance - refusing to yield to temptation or to falter in trials. Your guard against unbelief and doubt.

Be ready, be prepared, be dressed!

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood...” Ephesians 6:12

Giving Thanks

“In the Lord I take refuge;
How can you say to my soul,
‘Flee as a bird to your mountain;
For, behold, the wicked bend the bow,
They make ready their arrow upon the string
To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed,
What can the righteous do?’

The Lord is in His holy temple;
the Lord’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
And the one who loves violence His soul hates.”
Psalm 11:1-5

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the day!

Our Position in Christ, Part 2

“Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:3-11

Located in Washington, D.C., are one hundred U.S. House of Representatives. Each represents the voting constituency of his or her home state. Some representatives from small districts represent only thousands of voters, while senators from large states - such as California and New York - represent millions. As our elected state officials, their votes legally represent their constituencies. For the record, their votes are our votes.

In a way this is how identification works. Jesus was not only our substitute on the cross, dying for us, but He was also our representative. John Scott, in his book The Cross, defines representation as “one who acts on behalf of another in such a way as to involved the other in his action...As our representative, He (Christ) did what we, by being united to Him, have also done: We have died and risen with Him.”

It was in His death, burial, and resurrection that Christ represented the entire human race. We are identified with Him, and we receive the merits of Christ’s work when we place our faith in Him and His redemptive labor. We are freed from the guilt and penalty of sin (died with Him) and empowered to live (risen with Him) an overcoming life.

“...through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life...” Romans 5:18

Our Position in Christ

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

The first five chapters of Romans overflow with the great Bible doctrine of justification by faith which is the foundation of our salvation. Through the cross we have been declared righteous, and we have been changed from our former relationship of enmity with God to friendship with God.

In Romans 6 Paul introduces a new truth which the believer must embrace by faith and apply if he is to experience a growing, victorious Christian life. It is the principle of identification, and affirming its meaning and relevance is the first step to becoming more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:37). Identification means that we have been identified or placed by God into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. In God’s eye and mind your sin was on the cross with Jesus.

That’s not all. You were also raised with Christ (Eph. 2:6). Jesus’ resurrection includes us because of our union with Him. This fact is just as certain as justification and reconciliation. To experience its reality, you must simply believe what the Bible says: You are crucified and risen with Christ (Rom. 6:4). Your role is to reckon or count it as done (Rom. 6:11).

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus...”
1 Corinthians 1:30

Complete in Christ, Part 2

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10

On a scale of one to ten, how complete would you say your life is? What person, job, object, or achievement would make your life more fulfilling? Most of us would have probably scored moderately high on the first question and added a few names or items to the second.

Did you know though that the Apostle Paul insisted that once we place our trust in Christ as Savior, at that instance we become “complete in Him”? The word complete in the original Greek meant full. When a person is full, he has no room for anything more. Think about this: If Christ is in you, your life is “a ten.” In Jesus Christ is “the fullness of Deity” (Col. 2:9). That is, Christ is the sum of all perfection - without blemish or want.

The same Christ resides in you and supplies “all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). Therefore, when you have Christ, you have it all. You lack nothing. You possess eternal and abundant life. In Him is all of the wisdom, love, patience, kindness, and comfort you will ever need. No demand is unmet through the limitless resources of the indwelling Christ. Since you are complete in Him, your search for meaning is over. Christ is your life and that is enough.

“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” John 1:16

Complete in Christ

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8

After World Wars I and II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, POW has become a universally understood acronym. But did you know that countless more billions have become spiritual prisoners of war through the enslaving philosophies of the world system?

Satan deceitfully crafts appealing schools of thought which promise men freedom but in reality bring only frustrating servitude. While the dead-end reasonings of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates were with the ancient, we encounter our own clever but misguided rationales:

Materialism promises a fulfilled life through the accumulation of goods and objects. Perhaps it is best described in the bumper sticker that reads “He who dies with the most toys wins.”

Humanism teaches that man is the center of the universe and that God is irrelevant. In fact, humanism says that, in essence, man is God - able to do anything he really desires.

Hedonism is the pursuit of personal pleasure and happiness through whatever means - drugs, sex, recreation. “If it feels good, do it” is its motto.

The outcome is the same: spiritual bondage and eventual spiritual death because they lack the capacity to impart genuine spiritual life.

“...the world through its wisdom did not come to know God...” 1 Corinthians 1:21

The Spirit of Truth

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” John 14:15-21 

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:25-27

How does God Himself, Whose immensity cannot be measured, reside in such frail bodies as ours? How does the transcendent Christ live in finite human temples?

While we may not comprehend the vastness of this principle, the method by which God imparts His presence is plain and clear in the Scriptures: Christ lives in us through His indwelling Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit Who supernaturally brings the reality of Christ into our earthly frames.

As the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is just as much deity as the Father and the Son. He imparts the life of Christ to us through His residence in our lives. The Holy Spirit reveals and shares with us all that Christ is. By making His home in us, He assures us of the presence and power of the risen Christ.

Because the Holy Spirit possess all of the attributes of deity and because He inhabits our mortal bodies, He is infinitely adequate to meet any of our needs. He is not a God far off but a God Who is near. The resurrected Christ is your sure and steadfast hope for all of life, a hope that is every believer’s to claim because of the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit.

“...for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.”
John 16:14

The Essence of Triumphant Living

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” Colossians 1:24-29

Although the Christian life was never meant to be mysterious, we often act as if it is. Promises of discovering the newest biblical principle for victorious Christian living allure us. Seminars entice us with claims of revealing pivotal steps for fulfilled living. An assortment of books advertise their authors’ unique ingredients for the abundant life.

They all communicate the idea that if we can just uncover the key principle or verse or thought, then we can finally arrive in our Christian experience. The Scriptures, however, decry such shrouded secrecy. As the full revelation of God’s plan and purposes, they clearly light our path and illumine our minds.

At the core of Paul’s teaching concerning the vibrant, profitable Christian life is: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). That, in a nutshell, is the essence of triumphant living. It is no longer a mystery waiting to be solved by a solid fact for ever believer.

Jesus in us is all we need. His indwelling provides hope, comfort, strength, wisdom, direction, and joy. There is nothing mysterious about it. We are to depend on Him in ever detail of our existence. We already possess the answer for every demand of life - Jesus Christ within us.

“...resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself.” Colossians 2:2

Is Jesus First?

“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” Colossians 1:18

As Paul addresses the deity and power of Christ in the first chapter of Colossians, he continually stresses the preeminence of Christ. Paul says He is “the firstborn of all creation,” “the firstborn from the dead,” and the One Who is “to have first place in everything” (Col. 1:15, 18). Paul’s use of the term first place is not, however, the comparative term we sometimes imagine. He is not saying that Jesus is prominent - that is, that Christ is first, my family second, the church third, my job fourth, and so on. That isn’t Paul’s or God’s intention.

What Paul - and the Spirit Who inspired him - are attempting to communicate is that Jesus is preeminent. That means that Jesus is above and beyond anyone and anything. Jesus is to be first in our homes, first in our finances, first in our relationships, first in our jobs, first in our leisure time, first and foremost in every conceivable aspect of life. Nothing can compare to Christ. He came not to be on the top of a priority list but to fill all with His fullness.

Is Christ the undisputed Lord over all of your life, reigning supreme? Have you allowed Him “to have first place in everything”?

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things...” Romans 11:36

Focus on Christ

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.’” Matthew 16:13-18

“Okay, kids, let’s get ready for church.”
“Aw, Dad, do we have to go today?”
“My throat hurts and the kids in my Sunday school class pick on me.”
“Honey, I’m just worn out. Why don’t we rest today?”

Can you identify with this scene? Too often it’s a typical portrait of a Sunday morning household for which the church has lost its appeal. Somewhere along the way their zeal for and devotion to Christ have been lost and replaced by a rather lukewarm desire for worship. How does it happen? It can and does occur when the church becomes steeped in tradition, organization, and ritualism.

We don’t come to church just to hear the pastor, to sing, and to study. We come so that we might join in genuine worship of the Head of the church - Jesus Christ. Deliberately humbling ourselves and acknowledging God’s greatness are the ways to start revitalizing our worship experience. While worship is definitely a lifestyle, Sunday can take on a new meaning and bring renewed joy and energy as we focus on Christ.

“To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus...” Ephesians 3:21

The Radiance of His Glory

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:1-3

Simply knowing that in Christ is the fullness of all deity is not enough. That is where we begin, but it must not be where we end. Peeking into the glory of God should bring us humbly to our knees in glad worship. The Maker, Creator, and Sustainer of all things - including us - should be the continual object of our joyful praise.

Such a holy glimpse must have been the experience of Robert Grant who wrote these words:
“O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His wonderful love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunder clouds form,
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, not find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender! How firm to the end!
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.”               

“Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” Psalm 145:3

My Source of Refuge

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15-17

Are there times in your life when everything seems too much? When one more problem, one more of anything will be the final straw? Such overwhelming emotions have flooded all of our souls at some point. Perhaps they might describe exactly how you feel at this very moment. If so, then Paul’s description of the majesty of deity of Christ can be a wonderful brook of refreshment and spiritual nourishment for your frayed, weak spirit.

In these marvelous verses Christ is portrayed for exactly Who He is: the King of all things, men, and places - be they seen or unseen. Though quite doctrinal, these verses contain the fantastic truth that can lighten our loads and bring merriment to our hearts. Christ, Who created all things - stars, galaxies, oceans, continents, men - will give us His unlimited power to endure and triumph.

Measure your woes against God’s creative power. Can He deal with it? Does He have the resources to pull you through? A resounding yes is the only answer. We are weak but He is strong - and His strength becomes ours as we trust Him.

Our Inheritance

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:9-14

Many of our homes are filled with precious treasures that were passed down to us from previous generations. Because we have families, we share their legacy in the values and the wisdom they have tried to teach us and even in the material goods they have left behind. The same concept of a rich spiritual inheritance is repeated throughout Scripture. The singular, wonderful through expressed is this: All that belongs to Jesus Christ belongs to His saints.

As in most earthly inheritances, two stipulations apply: A death must take place, and we must be family members. Our spiritual inheritance was initiated and made possible by the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. “...He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place...” that “...those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance”
(Heb. 9:15).
                           
That inheritance can be enjoyed only by God’s children who have placed their faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection and thereby have become saints. The believer’s inheritance includes the forgiveness of his sins, the presence of God in this world, and the riches of eternal life in the age to come. Can any earthly inheritance compare?   

“To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away...” 1 Peter 1:4

The Word of Truth, Part 2

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Each age has no end of philosophies, reasonings, and belief systems that are presented as truth. For truth to be substantiated it must meet three unyielding criteria.

Truth must be universal in that it must apply to everyone: African, European, American, and Asian. There can be no cultural distinctions if it is unalterable truth.

It must be uniform in that it must apply to everyone in the same manner. The criteria for applying ultimate truth cannot be differentiated to any degree. It must work equally as well for children as with adults - for the well-educated and the unschooled.

Truth must be unending in that it must be eternally valid. What was true for the fifth-century man must also be truth for the twentieth-century man.

Using those guidelines, there is only one body of truth that can suffice - the Word of Truth, the Bible. It applies to everyone - in the same manner - for every age. Whether one is a conquistador or a computer operator, rich or poor, black or white - the Bible is the truth upon which everyone can build a lasting life. It is the wisdom for salvation, liberated living, and eternal security. Are you building your life on the unalterable, all-sufficient truth of the Bible - or are you following the vain reasonings of man?

“...God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 2:25

The Word of Truth

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” John 17:14-17

There are three questions that everyone must eventually answer:
1. Where did we come from?
2. Why are we here?
3. Where are we going?
                               
Philosophers, sages, and prophets have sought to provide solutions - all usually with unsatisfactory conclusions. The Bible, however, claims to have the only adequate response to each of these questions because it provides God’s omniscient perspective in contrast to the futile reasoning of man who is limited by time, education, observation, culture, and prejudice.

First, we come from God. He created us in His own image. We were placed on earth by God and for God. We are not the product of impersonal time or chance. Our origins are rooted in the eternal mind of God.

Second, we are here on earth to know and glorify God in our relationships and through our works.

Third, we shall return to God - for judgement if we have ignored or rejected His terms for knowing Him (reconciliation through the cross) or for everlasting joy if we have embraced His purposes and presence through the person of Jesus Christ.

All of these answers are revealed in the Word of Truth - the Bible - which alone can answer the perplexing problems than confront each generation.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life...” John 14:6

Where Your Security Lies

“The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
but the Lord weighs the motives.
Commit your works to the Lord
and your plans will be established.
The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,
even the wicked for the day of evil.” Proverbs 16:1-4

The older we grow, the more security-conscious we become. The prospects of putting kids through college and providing for retirement, savings, and investments take on disproportionate significance. In reality, however, our sense of well-bing is never assured. Economic collapse, sickness, political or environmental fluctuations, or any number of unknown factors could seriously jeopardize our best-laid plans. That is possible at any stage of life. That is the disquieting point of Proverbs 27:1: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

Our only genuine security lies in our relationship with Jesus Christ. That is universally applicable because God is sovereign which simple means that God is in control. He “guides and governs all events; circumstances, and free acts of angels and men and directs everything to its appointed goal for His own glory” (J.I. Packer, The New Bible Dictionary).
               
Your security lies in His power to work everything for your good and His glory. That is also eternally relevant because God is immutable. That means God is always the same and operates on unchanging principles.

“For I, the Lord, do not change...” Malachi 3:6

The New You, Part 3

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:12-17

How do we know what this new identity is? Paul gives a partial listing as he describes the qualitites of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, peace, and love. There are more characteristics, of course; but think of them this way. Each virtue is a part of our new wardrobe of righteousness.

Through the grace of God, each of these moral and spiritual garments has been hung in the innermost closet of our being. They are gifts from God - distributed equally to all men. However, like dressing for each day, it is our decision whether or not we will wear this heavenly attire. That is why Paul tells us to “... put on a heart of compassion...” (Col. 3:12). These spiritual garments are useless unless we wear them. How do we do that?

First, know they are already yours. You are “complete in Christ.” Everything you need as a person is yours to wear as a believer. You cannot purchase them with self-discipline or noble intent. You are “in Christ.” Therefore, they are yours.

Second, they become yours by simple faith. Just say, “God, I thank You today that You have given me the patience I need. I put on the patience of Christ.”

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25

The New You, Part 2

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:20-22       

“So also it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45

Trying to live a victorious Christian life while fighting ourselves is a losing proposition. But experiencing Christ’s triumph on a consistent basis against the power of sin makes the abundant life feasible.

The Bible speaks of it this way. Before we were saved, we were “in Adam.” That means we were totally apart from Christ, separated from His life, dead to His presence. We were enemies of the cross.

Once saved, by a supernatural act of God, we were placed “in Christ.” That means we are now entirely pleasing to the Heavenly Father. There is no part of our being that He does not lavish with His love. We are totally accepted in the Beloved because our old sin nature (what we were before Christ) has been crucified with Christ.

Even more the triumph of Christ over sin is now available to each of His children. Since we are in Him, all of His divine resources - His Word, His Spirit, His power - are ours to conquer the power of sin that indwells us but is no longer our master or our identity.

For the Christian, it is Christ and us against the power of sin, not Christ and me against me and sin. Our victory over dominating habits, treacherous passions, and emotional strongholds is entirely possible - for Christ is in us and for us.

“...Who will set me free...? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ...” Romans 7:24-25

The New You!

“But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” Colossians 3:8-11

In the 1860s our nation was embroiled in a bitter civil war - one part of our country pitted against the other. In this century America also has fought in wars with and against other nations. As a believer, you participate in a spiritual battle with consequences that are just as deadly. Understanding the nature of the conflict, however, can greatly alter the outcome. Here’s why. When you received Christ as Savior, you not only received a new spirit, but you also became a distinctly new person. Your old identity apart from Christ has done away with.
                       
How does that affect your walk with Christ? Tremendously. As a new creature in Christ, you are no longer at war with yourself. It is not a civil war - the old John Doe versus the new John Doe. If that were the case, you would always be at odds with yourself, and that can be frustrating at best. Such tension often leads to a mediocre Christian experience - winning some and losing a lot.

The truth that sets you free is this: The battle you face is partisan - the new you against the principle and power of sin that still indwells you. This is a winnable war.

“So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.” Romans 7:17

The More You Sow...

“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written,

‘He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever.’

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Two farmers planted in the spring. One sowed twenty acres of wheat - the other seventy-five acres. When harvest came, guess whose barn was full?

The law of sowing and reaping is God’s fundamental, universal law. And it works just as systematically and resolutely in the spiritual realm as it does in the earthly. If we need love, we must sow loving words and acts in the lives of others. If we are low on friendship, we must become a friend to someone else. That is why giving is God’s only plan for abundant living. “Now this I say, he who sows (gives) sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows (gives) bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6).

We cannot cling to our money, our time, or our talents - and expect them to increase. They must be put into circulation. Sowing involves death. When we give to others, it means we have to die to something that we want or need. Generous giving is impossible apart from daily dying to self. But as we trust the Lord of the harvest in distributing our goods and dying to self, we can be assured of an abundant return in God’s time. It is God’s way of blessing.

“There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more...” Proverbs 11:24