“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Titus 3:3-7
Harry Houdini was a master escape artist. Tied by chains and ropes and placed in confining quarters, he could be counted on to free himself from his predicaments. One day Houdini did not escape - but died.
Although the unbeliever may invent all kinds of escape devices to deal with his life on earth - drugs, vacations, riches, pleasures, good works - he never can escape eternal death. Born in sin and alienated from the Source of life, the Lord Jesus Christ, man is bound by the chains of death. All of his attempts to avoid the divine decree of eternal punishment are utterly futile.
There is only one path of escape from the judgement of everlasting separation from the God of the ages - personal faith in and reliance upon the Savior, Christ Jesus. The instant a person turns to Christ to forgive his sins, he has made the great escape from eternal death into eternal life. What an escape. From darkness to light. From despair to hope. From futility to meaning. From the domain of Satan to the kingdom of God (Col. 1:13-14).
Have you looked to Christ as your only escape from sin’s penalty of death? If not, run to the cross today - where Jesus shed His blood to pay for all of your sins - to receive your everlasting liberation.
“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men...” 1 Timothy 2:5
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Practical Obedience
“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
Just before you leave the house for an overnight trip, your son hugs you and say, “I love you, Dad. Have a good trip.”
“I love you too, son. Don’t forget to clean out the garage like I told you, okay?”
“You bet, Dad.”
The next evening you arrive at the door. Your son greets you.
“We missed you, Dad. We love you so much.”
“I missed you too, son. It’s good to see you. Did you get the garage clean as I told you?”
The boy lowers his head. “No, sir.”
Loving God, while definitely a matter of the heart, is gauged ultimately by our obedience to Him. Words of praise and adoration are pleasing to the Father. But the practical test of our love for our Heavenly Father comes in whether or not we do what He asks.
Has God asked you to correct an area of disobedience in your life? Are you participating in an activity that he forbids in His Word? Are you living out the truths of the Scriptures by allowing the Lord Jesus Christ to express His life through you - by loving unconditionally, giving generously, serving others, providing Godly direction for you children? Loving God is emotional, but without practical obedience it is incomplete.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
John 14:15
John 14:15-21
Just before you leave the house for an overnight trip, your son hugs you and say, “I love you, Dad. Have a good trip.”
“I love you too, son. Don’t forget to clean out the garage like I told you, okay?”
“You bet, Dad.”
The next evening you arrive at the door. Your son greets you.
“We missed you, Dad. We love you so much.”
“I missed you too, son. It’s good to see you. Did you get the garage clean as I told you?”
The boy lowers his head. “No, sir.”
Loving God, while definitely a matter of the heart, is gauged ultimately by our obedience to Him. Words of praise and adoration are pleasing to the Father. But the practical test of our love for our Heavenly Father comes in whether or not we do what He asks.
Has God asked you to correct an area of disobedience in your life? Are you participating in an activity that he forbids in His Word? Are you living out the truths of the Scriptures by allowing the Lord Jesus Christ to express His life through you - by loving unconditionally, giving generously, serving others, providing Godly direction for you children? Loving God is emotional, but without practical obedience it is incomplete.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
John 14:15
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
With All Your Heart
But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40
Some people have problems with the Lord Jesus Christ’s command to love Him with all of their hearts, all of their souls, and all of their minds: “I do not like someone - even if that Someone is God - commanding me to love them. I want my love to come freely.” Such a reservation melts when we consider why God sets the commandment of love above all others. As we allow the Holy Spirit to love Him through us, we love God with all of our strength because He is worthy of our devotion.
The Lord created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them - including us (Gen. 1:1; 2:7, 22). Christ has saved us from eternal destruction. He supplies all of our needs (Phil. 4:19). Christ Jesus died and rose again - for you and me. Understanding God’s majesty and glory is the wellspring of our love. He has done so much for us. How can we not love such a One?
We also love God with all of hearts because He knows that devotion given to any other person or thing besides Himself is harmful. God created us for Himself. When our highest and noblest love is directed to something or someone else, we have been seduced into treachery. Loving God frees us from competing idols which only enslave us.
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good...” Psalm 107:1
Some people have problems with the Lord Jesus Christ’s command to love Him with all of their hearts, all of their souls, and all of their minds: “I do not like someone - even if that Someone is God - commanding me to love them. I want my love to come freely.” Such a reservation melts when we consider why God sets the commandment of love above all others. As we allow the Holy Spirit to love Him through us, we love God with all of our strength because He is worthy of our devotion.
The Lord created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them - including us (Gen. 1:1; 2:7, 22). Christ has saved us from eternal destruction. He supplies all of our needs (Phil. 4:19). Christ Jesus died and rose again - for you and me. Understanding God’s majesty and glory is the wellspring of our love. He has done so much for us. How can we not love such a One?
We also love God with all of hearts because He knows that devotion given to any other person or thing besides Himself is harmful. God created us for Himself. When our highest and noblest love is directed to something or someone else, we have been seduced into treachery. Loving God frees us from competing idols which only enslave us.
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good...” Psalm 107:1
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Intimacy of Prayer
“Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:22-23
What does it mean to be intimate with God? The believer who lives close to the Father’s heart is free to express his feelings to Him. You don’t not have to be uptight with God. He knew every detail of your life the moment He created you. When you were saved, the Lord Jesus Christ understood all of your past failures and hangups and your future struggles.
Because you are now His child for all eternity, you can be completely honest with Him. You can pour out your hurts, your anger, your disappointments, your secrets, and your dreams to the Lord. He will never reject you (Heb. 13:5). You can never turn away His steadfast love.
There will be times when you do not understand what God is up to in your life. God’s presence may seem distant. Because you have God’s assurance of His presence and because of His unceasing activity on your behalf, you can still cling to Him because of His love for you. Refuse the advances of competing lovers - many, fame, power - and deny doubt and unbelief.
Have you that kind of intimacy with God so that the Father is your most adored Friend? Does your unswerving allegiance belong to Him? If not, confess your need for such a relationship and let Him gather you into His waiting arms.
“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him...” Psalm 145:18
What does it mean to be intimate with God? The believer who lives close to the Father’s heart is free to express his feelings to Him. You don’t not have to be uptight with God. He knew every detail of your life the moment He created you. When you were saved, the Lord Jesus Christ understood all of your past failures and hangups and your future struggles.
Because you are now His child for all eternity, you can be completely honest with Him. You can pour out your hurts, your anger, your disappointments, your secrets, and your dreams to the Lord. He will never reject you (Heb. 13:5). You can never turn away His steadfast love.
There will be times when you do not understand what God is up to in your life. God’s presence may seem distant. Because you have God’s assurance of His presence and because of His unceasing activity on your behalf, you can still cling to Him because of His love for you. Refuse the advances of competing lovers - many, fame, power - and deny doubt and unbelief.
Have you that kind of intimacy with God so that the Father is your most adored Friend? Does your unswerving allegiance belong to Him? If not, confess your need for such a relationship and let Him gather you into His waiting arms.
“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him...” Psalm 145:18
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Ultimate Purpose of Prayer
“Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my groaning.
Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
for to You I pray.
In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice;
in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”
Psalm 5:1-3
The goal of a married couple is not just to stay married but to develop a personal intimacy that touches body, soul, and spirit. Likewise, the goal of a believer is not just to be a Christian but to cultivate an intimate, devoted relationship with our Heavenly Father. In both instances honest, sincere, and consistent communication is the key to such oneness and nearness. For the Christian, that process is experienced through a deepening, growing, expanding prayer life.
God’s goal in prayer is not just to answer our petitions or hear our complaints or solve our problems. Although He does address each of these needs, they are only a part of our Lord Jesus Christ’s ultimate purpose in prayer - oneness and union with Him.
God wants you to know Him; to enjoy Him; to live continually in the light of His favor, wisdom, and truth. He desires a genuine relationship with you, His child. Daily, abiding prayer is the spiritual closet where you and the Father are drawn into a personal intimacy in which God’s love for you and your love for Him become the bedrock of your faith.
If you have not done it already - starting this month, make it your goal to know God intimately. Then watch your prayer life move into a new dimension.
“You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” -John Bunyan
consider my groaning.
Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
for to You I pray.
In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice;
in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”
Psalm 5:1-3
The goal of a married couple is not just to stay married but to develop a personal intimacy that touches body, soul, and spirit. Likewise, the goal of a believer is not just to be a Christian but to cultivate an intimate, devoted relationship with our Heavenly Father. In both instances honest, sincere, and consistent communication is the key to such oneness and nearness. For the Christian, that process is experienced through a deepening, growing, expanding prayer life.
God’s goal in prayer is not just to answer our petitions or hear our complaints or solve our problems. Although He does address each of these needs, they are only a part of our Lord Jesus Christ’s ultimate purpose in prayer - oneness and union with Him.
God wants you to know Him; to enjoy Him; to live continually in the light of His favor, wisdom, and truth. He desires a genuine relationship with you, His child. Daily, abiding prayer is the spiritual closet where you and the Father are drawn into a personal intimacy in which God’s love for you and your love for Him become the bedrock of your faith.
If you have not done it already - starting this month, make it your goal to know God intimately. Then watch your prayer life move into a new dimension.
“You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” -John Bunyan
Sunday, April 24, 2011
He is Risen!
“Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.’ So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.
And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
So the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and that He had said these things to her.” John 20:1-18
He is Risen, Indeed!!!
And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
So the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and that He had said these things to her.” John 20:1-18
He is Risen, Indeed!!!
Friday, April 22, 2011
God is For Us!
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Just as it is written,
‘FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.’
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39
Not only is God’s Spirit in us but also God is for us. There is amazing power and freedom in knowing that Almighty God is now on our side. Have you ever blown your marriage due to immorality? If you are a believer, God is still for you. Have you backed off from your commitment to God? Have you ignored His counsel, refused His direction? As staggering as it seems, God is still for you. Here’s why. When Christ died, God’s judgement was fully executed on His Son. His wrath against sin was vented.
God’s love is steadfast for those who receive the gift of eternal life by faith in Christ Jesus. You may sin and rebel, but His love for you does not change. Yes, He will discipline you; yes, He will chastise you if necessary. But all correction is filtered through His loyal, blessed love.
God is for you, not against you. Because of the cross, you can abide in His presence permanently and experience His love by personal faith in Jesus Christ. Paul declared that nothing can “separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:39).
“...If God is for us, who is against us?” Romans 8:31
Just as it is written,
‘FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.’
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39
Not only is God’s Spirit in us but also God is for us. There is amazing power and freedom in knowing that Almighty God is now on our side. Have you ever blown your marriage due to immorality? If you are a believer, God is still for you. Have you backed off from your commitment to God? Have you ignored His counsel, refused His direction? As staggering as it seems, God is still for you. Here’s why. When Christ died, God’s judgement was fully executed on His Son. His wrath against sin was vented.
God’s love is steadfast for those who receive the gift of eternal life by faith in Christ Jesus. You may sin and rebel, but His love for you does not change. Yes, He will discipline you; yes, He will chastise you if necessary. But all correction is filtered through His loyal, blessed love.
God is for you, not against you. Because of the cross, you can abide in His presence permanently and experience His love by personal faith in Jesus Christ. Paul declared that nothing can “separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:39).
“...If God is for us, who is against us?” Romans 8:31
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