“...for we walk by faith, not by sight.” II Cor 5:7
As we come to the end of 2008, we stand on the threshold of a new year.
These last few months, we have witnessed the downturn of our economy, we have elected a new president, we have voted on a proposition that has literally divided our state and the prospect of a quick recovery seems slim at best.
But here is the truth to hold on to - we are to walk by faith, not sight.
It’s not what we see, but who is in control.
It’s not what we think, but what He knows.
It’s not what appears to be, but what actually is.
Our God is on His throne and has all things under control. I may not see it all, nor do you, but He is not worried or dismayed.
My friend, keep moving forward. Keep your eyes on Him and He will see you through. The God we worshiped in 2008 is already in 2009, and our God is greater than any problem or situation we will face. So be strong, take courage, and let’s move into 2009 by faith and see what God is going to do.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
He is Coming
“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.” II Tim. 3:1-5
Every prophesy concerning Christ’s birth, life, and death was perfectly fulfilled. Every promise Jesus made to His disciples or those who believed in Him has been accomplished. Only one remains - His return.
Jesus told His disciples in John 13:36: “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow me later.” The disciples tried to mentally process what Christ was teaching, but it was difficult. It wasn’t until Jesus appeared to them after His death that they actually began to assimilate His words.
The promised coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost gave a new freedom to the disciples. They were no longer limited by their human perspectives. Instead, they were freed to experience the eternal mind set of God. The Holy Spirit illuminated their minds with a spiritual reality so they could know God’s will an act accordingly.
For the most part, the world in which we live has disregarded God’s commandments as trivial and out of date. The apostle Paul told us this would happen. He also said it would be a sign of Christ’s impending return. As believers, we can take comfort in that He will indeed return to us. Pray that when He comes, He will find you waiting faithfully.
Every prophesy concerning Christ’s birth, life, and death was perfectly fulfilled. Every promise Jesus made to His disciples or those who believed in Him has been accomplished. Only one remains - His return.
Jesus told His disciples in John 13:36: “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow me later.” The disciples tried to mentally process what Christ was teaching, but it was difficult. It wasn’t until Jesus appeared to them after His death that they actually began to assimilate His words.
The promised coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost gave a new freedom to the disciples. They were no longer limited by their human perspectives. Instead, they were freed to experience the eternal mind set of God. The Holy Spirit illuminated their minds with a spiritual reality so they could know God’s will an act accordingly.
For the most part, the world in which we live has disregarded God’s commandments as trivial and out of date. The apostle Paul told us this would happen. He also said it would be a sign of Christ’s impending return. As believers, we can take comfort in that He will indeed return to us. Pray that when He comes, He will find you waiting faithfully.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Stay Focused!
“Peter therefore seeing him said to Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!’” John 21:21-22
It is interesting how Peter dared to question Jesus about John’s life in John 21:21-22.
A sure way to lose the peace of Christ offers is by taking your eyes off Jesus and placing them on the lives of others. This doesn’t mean we should stop caring for those around us. It simply means not to get caught up in keeping up with your neighbor.
Each of us has probably found ourselves wishing we had the blessings God has given someone else. We don’t realize it; but when we do this, we essentially tell God that His care and blessings for us are not good enough.
Anytime we take our eyes of Jesus we run the risk of losing our peace. Anxiety sets in, and we find ourselves tossing and turning in bed at night because we are no longer anchored emotionally to the Prince of Peace.
Jesus gave Peter one command, “You follow Me!” Fix your eyes on Jesus. Commit yourself to focusing only on Him. Learn to thank Him for the many blessings He has provided.
Do this and He will guard your life with His eternal peace.
It is interesting how Peter dared to question Jesus about John’s life in John 21:21-22.
A sure way to lose the peace of Christ offers is by taking your eyes off Jesus and placing them on the lives of others. This doesn’t mean we should stop caring for those around us. It simply means not to get caught up in keeping up with your neighbor.
Each of us has probably found ourselves wishing we had the blessings God has given someone else. We don’t realize it; but when we do this, we essentially tell God that His care and blessings for us are not good enough.
Anytime we take our eyes of Jesus we run the risk of losing our peace. Anxiety sets in, and we find ourselves tossing and turning in bed at night because we are no longer anchored emotionally to the Prince of Peace.
Jesus gave Peter one command, “You follow Me!” Fix your eyes on Jesus. Commit yourself to focusing only on Him. Learn to thank Him for the many blessings He has provided.
Do this and He will guard your life with His eternal peace.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
All of Him
“For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete...” Col 2:9-10
Jesus came so He might reveal the Father to mankind. He said: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father...” John 14:9. In our humanity we cannot physically look upon the image of God and survive. Moses could only look upon a veiled likeness of the glory of God. Elijah pulled his cloak over his face as the shechinah glory of God passed by him.
Yet through the Lord Jesus Christ, we can enter the presence of God and thereby learn His ways and become attuned to His voice. Only through Christ can we truly come to know the Father and His love for us.
Warren Wiersbe writes: “Four hundred years before Christ was born, the Greek philosopher Plato wrote, ‘To find out the Father and Maker of all this universe is a hard task, and when we have found Him, to speak of Him to all men is impossible.’ But Plato was wrong! We can know the Father and Maker of the universe, for Jesus Christ revealed Him to us.”
The exciting news is that we don’t have to wait until we die to know the Father or His Son.
He is alive today through the power of His Word and the Holy Spirit who abides in each believer. All of the Father is ours through Jesus Christ who lives within us.
Jesus came so He might reveal the Father to mankind. He said: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father...” John 14:9. In our humanity we cannot physically look upon the image of God and survive. Moses could only look upon a veiled likeness of the glory of God. Elijah pulled his cloak over his face as the shechinah glory of God passed by him.
Yet through the Lord Jesus Christ, we can enter the presence of God and thereby learn His ways and become attuned to His voice. Only through Christ can we truly come to know the Father and His love for us.
Warren Wiersbe writes: “Four hundred years before Christ was born, the Greek philosopher Plato wrote, ‘To find out the Father and Maker of all this universe is a hard task, and when we have found Him, to speak of Him to all men is impossible.’ But Plato was wrong! We can know the Father and Maker of the universe, for Jesus Christ revealed Him to us.”
The exciting news is that we don’t have to wait until we die to know the Father or His Son.
He is alive today through the power of His Word and the Holy Spirit who abides in each believer. All of the Father is ours through Jesus Christ who lives within us.
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Key to Spiritual Freedom
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17
The religious atmosphere of Jesus’ day was tremendously ridged. Jewish leaders were locked into a false, preconceived mind set over what they thought their Messiah should be.
The sad note was that the Jews were so entrapped by religious tradition and the recorded words of Moses they could not bare the thought of Messiah not adhering to every jot and tittle of Jewish custom. Jesus came as the fulfillment of the Law not the fulfillment of tradition. Every prophecy from the Old Testament was fulfilled in Christ.
The Pharisees were both angered and appalled by Christ’s refusal to place “good works” above a humbled heart before God. They were so worried about their outward appearance that they disregarded their spiritual condition.
We are not saved by righteous acts.
It is true, God does call us to act righteously; but the Pharisees and Scribes had made icons out of the Law and Jewish tradition. When Christ came, He commanded the people to worship God, not the traditions of man. He did not abolish Mosaic Law - He completed it.
The key to spiritual freedom is seeking the purity of a relationship with God first and not the approval or praise of others. Only then will Christ’s life be real to you.
The religious atmosphere of Jesus’ day was tremendously ridged. Jewish leaders were locked into a false, preconceived mind set over what they thought their Messiah should be.
The sad note was that the Jews were so entrapped by religious tradition and the recorded words of Moses they could not bare the thought of Messiah not adhering to every jot and tittle of Jewish custom. Jesus came as the fulfillment of the Law not the fulfillment of tradition. Every prophecy from the Old Testament was fulfilled in Christ.
The Pharisees were both angered and appalled by Christ’s refusal to place “good works” above a humbled heart before God. They were so worried about their outward appearance that they disregarded their spiritual condition.
We are not saved by righteous acts.
It is true, God does call us to act righteously; but the Pharisees and Scribes had made icons out of the Law and Jewish tradition. When Christ came, He commanded the people to worship God, not the traditions of man. He did not abolish Mosaic Law - He completed it.
The key to spiritual freedom is seeking the purity of a relationship with God first and not the approval or praise of others. Only then will Christ’s life be real to you.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Celebrate!
“And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
Merry Christmas!!!
Merry Christmas!!!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Greatest Gift
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” II Cor 9:15
Soon after Christ’s birth, a brilliant, new star appeared in the heavenlies. So powerful was its light that it drew three wise men first to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem in search of a king the prophets said would come.
These were men of great knowledge - philosophers, priests, and astronomers. They were also men who believed a mighty deliverer had been born. Only in our loftiest imagination can we speculate what these men felt at their first sight of God’s Son. Perhaps the gifts they offered conveyed the message of their hearts.
The gold placed at His feet denoted kingship. Only royalty and future leaders were honored this way.
Frankincense was given as a sign of His divinity.
Myrrh was representative of His suffering (bitterness) and future death.
These were not thoughtless, cheap gifts. Gifts such as these often represented of a lifetime’s wages. However, they were not the greatest gift of all.
The greatest gift the world has ever known is the gift God gave us through Jesus Christ.
As you celebrate His birth, celebrate His life and lordship. All that Jesus has He offers you as a free gift of love and grace.
Soon after Christ’s birth, a brilliant, new star appeared in the heavenlies. So powerful was its light that it drew three wise men first to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem in search of a king the prophets said would come.
These were men of great knowledge - philosophers, priests, and astronomers. They were also men who believed a mighty deliverer had been born. Only in our loftiest imagination can we speculate what these men felt at their first sight of God’s Son. Perhaps the gifts they offered conveyed the message of their hearts.
The gold placed at His feet denoted kingship. Only royalty and future leaders were honored this way.
Frankincense was given as a sign of His divinity.
Myrrh was representative of His suffering (bitterness) and future death.
These were not thoughtless, cheap gifts. Gifts such as these often represented of a lifetime’s wages. However, they were not the greatest gift of all.
The greatest gift the world has ever known is the gift God gave us through Jesus Christ.
As you celebrate His birth, celebrate His life and lordship. All that Jesus has He offers you as a free gift of love and grace.
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