January 31
Death lurks in the shadows of our minds. We know that it doesn’t matter how well life seems to be going, it doesn’t matter how much in control we seem to be, or how many things appear to be going our way, Death can pull its prank at any time and everything that appeared to be so good will suddenly be forever over.
The dread of the inevitable eventuality that will, on the appointed day, overtake each of us, looms somewhere on the horizon, rather like a highway robber whose intent is to take from us the most precious thing we have—life. There is no way to alter our route to escape it; we cannot hide from its claim to us.
Or can we? In John 11:25-26, Jesus makes a remarkable assertion. Here He says to Martha who is weeping at the loss of her beloved brother, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Jesus is here proclaiming His victory over death; stating the fact that there is life beyond death.
He is reassuring Martha—and us—that the individual who has received Christ as Savior and Lord passes from life to LIFE! We may therefore proclaim as did Paul in I Corinthians 15:55, “O, Death, where is thy sting! O, Grave, where is thy victory!” Jesus affords us the right to be more than conquerors because He overcame death for us!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Third Day
January 30
The events of the Third Day were beyond anything any man could conjure in his imagination. God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, the Hope of Israel had been crucified. The One who many had seen as the Deliverer who would set God’s people free from bondage to Rome had suffered a humiliating public execution.
His closest followers had fled like rats on a sinking ship. The public officials who hated Jesus because they perceived their own power to be threatened if He did, indeed, prove to be the Holy One of God, gloated in their riddance of Him. Those who’d believed they’d found the Messiah wallowed in despair.
But the Third Day, Jesus did exactly what He had said He would do! He arose from the tomb! He defied death, hell, and the grave! The angel rolled the stone away and Jesus emerged—Conqueror of death! Victor over the grave! To the astonishment of those who mourned His death, He appeared—the God of Life! Reports of His resurrection were received with amazement.
Thomas, one of the twelve, expressed the skepticism so many reflect today when he said he couldn’t believe unless he saw the wounds in His hands and side. When Jesus did appear to him, Thomas proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus’ response was, “Because you have seen Me, you believe. Blessed are those who have not seen yet believe” John 20:25-29.
May we be among those who believe—whether or not we see—for if we do, we shall surely see Him face-to-face on that great and glorious day!
The events of the Third Day were beyond anything any man could conjure in his imagination. God Incarnate, Jesus Christ, the Hope of Israel had been crucified. The One who many had seen as the Deliverer who would set God’s people free from bondage to Rome had suffered a humiliating public execution.
His closest followers had fled like rats on a sinking ship. The public officials who hated Jesus because they perceived their own power to be threatened if He did, indeed, prove to be the Holy One of God, gloated in their riddance of Him. Those who’d believed they’d found the Messiah wallowed in despair.
But the Third Day, Jesus did exactly what He had said He would do! He arose from the tomb! He defied death, hell, and the grave! The angel rolled the stone away and Jesus emerged—Conqueror of death! Victor over the grave! To the astonishment of those who mourned His death, He appeared—the God of Life! Reports of His resurrection were received with amazement.
Thomas, one of the twelve, expressed the skepticism so many reflect today when he said he couldn’t believe unless he saw the wounds in His hands and side. When Jesus did appear to him, Thomas proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus’ response was, “Because you have seen Me, you believe. Blessed are those who have not seen yet believe” John 20:25-29.
May we be among those who believe—whether or not we see—for if we do, we shall surely see Him face-to-face on that great and glorious day!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
It Doesn't Get Better Than That
January 29
Some of us take an avid interest in the lives of people who seem to have ‘made it,’ in those whose lives exceed the ordinary. They appear, from our vantage point of ordinariness to, ‘have it all’. We follow the events of their lives and bask vicariously in the glamor and excitement that elude our own.
We perhaps think we’ve gotten short shrift in the scheme of things; that life’s greatest gifts have been doled out to others but not to us. We may acknowledge that the green-eyed monster of envy has crept into our thinking and that we are discontented at the core of our being with who we are.
There is an amazing word in John 1:12 that should forever dispel the notion that any one of us lacks any good thing that makes life worthwhile. No, it has nothing to do with our social strata or the amount of money in our portfolio. It isn’t contingent upon how many people find us fascinating or noteworthy. It exceeds the trappings the world considers to be of value.
It says, “To all who receive Jesus Christ, to those who believe in His name, He gave the power to become the children of God.” Whether rich or poor, whether famous or unknown, whether scintillating or dull as dishwater, we who have Christ as Savior and Lord are children of the Living God. It simply doesn’t get any better than that!
Some of us take an avid interest in the lives of people who seem to have ‘made it,’ in those whose lives exceed the ordinary. They appear, from our vantage point of ordinariness to, ‘have it all’. We follow the events of their lives and bask vicariously in the glamor and excitement that elude our own.
We perhaps think we’ve gotten short shrift in the scheme of things; that life’s greatest gifts have been doled out to others but not to us. We may acknowledge that the green-eyed monster of envy has crept into our thinking and that we are discontented at the core of our being with who we are.
There is an amazing word in John 1:12 that should forever dispel the notion that any one of us lacks any good thing that makes life worthwhile. No, it has nothing to do with our social strata or the amount of money in our portfolio. It isn’t contingent upon how many people find us fascinating or noteworthy. It exceeds the trappings the world considers to be of value.
It says, “To all who receive Jesus Christ, to those who believe in His name, He gave the power to become the children of God.” Whether rich or poor, whether famous or unknown, whether scintillating or dull as dishwater, we who have Christ as Savior and Lord are children of the Living God. It simply doesn’t get any better than that!
Friday, January 28, 2011
In Divine Concert
January 28
It challenges credulity but defies coincidence to study the myriad Old Testament scriptures that are types and shadows of Christ or that are straightforward prophecies of His birth, life, death, and resurrection and come to any conclusion other than that the New Testament Jesus is exactly who He is purported to be by the Christian Scriptures.
Anyone who studies the Old Testament with an open mind, who recognizes the scriptures that speak of Jesus and connects them to the events of His life in the New Testament must conclude that Jesus is God Incarnate, God with us, Emmanuel, Our Savior.
The 39 books of the Old Testament were written over a lengthy span of history and by almost as many authors, so it is impossible to think that they had collaborated on a theme and projected it in concert with one another. It further defies logic to imagine that a single individual, born thousands of years after these prophetic utterances were made, could have filled them by random coincidence.
The only logical deduction at which any objective, thinking individual can arrive is that Jesus Christ was prophesied through the ages by men who wrote in divine concert as God spoke to them and that as Acts 10:43 declares, “All the prophets testify about Jesus of Nazareth—and everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
It challenges credulity but defies coincidence to study the myriad Old Testament scriptures that are types and shadows of Christ or that are straightforward prophecies of His birth, life, death, and resurrection and come to any conclusion other than that the New Testament Jesus is exactly who He is purported to be by the Christian Scriptures.
Anyone who studies the Old Testament with an open mind, who recognizes the scriptures that speak of Jesus and connects them to the events of His life in the New Testament must conclude that Jesus is God Incarnate, God with us, Emmanuel, Our Savior.
The 39 books of the Old Testament were written over a lengthy span of history and by almost as many authors, so it is impossible to think that they had collaborated on a theme and projected it in concert with one another. It further defies logic to imagine that a single individual, born thousands of years after these prophetic utterances were made, could have filled them by random coincidence.
The only logical deduction at which any objective, thinking individual can arrive is that Jesus Christ was prophesied through the ages by men who wrote in divine concert as God spoke to them and that as Acts 10:43 declares, “All the prophets testify about Jesus of Nazareth—and everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Great Offense
January 27
The Apostles of Jesus Christ took His call to evangelism seriously. In Mark 16:15, He told them to, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” They endeavored to do just that.
In an age without mass communication, without the funding of a powerful organization behind them, the people who had been close to Jesus—who witnessed His miracles, who heard His powerful teaching, who felt His love and compassion extended, even toward those who hated Him, who saw Him arise the third day—could not but tell others, even if it meant their own deaths to do so.
They went into all the world as He had tasked them to do. They shared the truth of Him with everyone they encountered in every nation they entered. They endured much hardship because of their resolve to carry out the Great Commission. All but one of the Apostles died cruel and violent deaths. They were burned, they were stoned, they were beheaded, they were crucified. Only John died of natural causes in old age while exiled on the Island of Patmos.
And just what was it that they said that was so offensive to the unbelievers around them? The same thing you have perhaps found ignites the ire of the unbelievers around you: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31.) Self-righteous men who are filled with hate could not then and cannot yet today, accept Christ’s love or His message of their need for the salvation He died to supply to them.
The Apostles of Jesus Christ took His call to evangelism seriously. In Mark 16:15, He told them to, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” They endeavored to do just that.
In an age without mass communication, without the funding of a powerful organization behind them, the people who had been close to Jesus—who witnessed His miracles, who heard His powerful teaching, who felt His love and compassion extended, even toward those who hated Him, who saw Him arise the third day—could not but tell others, even if it meant their own deaths to do so.
They went into all the world as He had tasked them to do. They shared the truth of Him with everyone they encountered in every nation they entered. They endured much hardship because of their resolve to carry out the Great Commission. All but one of the Apostles died cruel and violent deaths. They were burned, they were stoned, they were beheaded, they were crucified. Only John died of natural causes in old age while exiled on the Island of Patmos.
And just what was it that they said that was so offensive to the unbelievers around them? The same thing you have perhaps found ignites the ire of the unbelievers around you: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31.) Self-righteous men who are filled with hate could not then and cannot yet today, accept Christ’s love or His message of their need for the salvation He died to supply to them.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Eternal Access
January 26
Although it is not the will of God that our sin eternally separate us from Him, we know salvation is not a blanket gift that covers all manner of man’s recalcitrance without some action on the part of the individual.
We cannot be saved collectively, therefore church membership cannot be the key that unlocks Heaven’s portal to us. Even if we have warmed the same pew in the same church for the entirety of our days, we cannot be assured of heaven.
There is no guarantee that our good works will cause Heaven’s gates to swing open wide for our entry. We all know about the billionaire philanthropists who disperse great quantities of their wealth toward good causes, but their generosity will not grant them favor in God’s eyes on that great eternal day. No, the one thing that anyone may do that will assure him entry into Heaven immediately upon his departure from this life is found in John 3:18.
Here it says, “Whosoever believes in Jesus, God’s Son, is not condemned.” No sin he’s ever done is held against him. No blasphemous word he’s ever uttered will speak against him. No kindness he has left undone will condemn him. There is no accusation the enemy of our souls can bring against him that will stand before God, for belief in Jesus washes him clean and allows him eternal access to Heaven and to the Christ who reigns there.
Although it is not the will of God that our sin eternally separate us from Him, we know salvation is not a blanket gift that covers all manner of man’s recalcitrance without some action on the part of the individual.
We cannot be saved collectively, therefore church membership cannot be the key that unlocks Heaven’s portal to us. Even if we have warmed the same pew in the same church for the entirety of our days, we cannot be assured of heaven.
There is no guarantee that our good works will cause Heaven’s gates to swing open wide for our entry. We all know about the billionaire philanthropists who disperse great quantities of their wealth toward good causes, but their generosity will not grant them favor in God’s eyes on that great eternal day. No, the one thing that anyone may do that will assure him entry into Heaven immediately upon his departure from this life is found in John 3:18.
Here it says, “Whosoever believes in Jesus, God’s Son, is not condemned.” No sin he’s ever done is held against him. No blasphemous word he’s ever uttered will speak against him. No kindness he has left undone will condemn him. There is no accusation the enemy of our souls can bring against him that will stand before God, for belief in Jesus washes him clean and allows him eternal access to Heaven and to the Christ who reigns there.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Why Worry?
January 25
What can we do that would really tick God off? What heinous sin could we commit that would relegate us to the destiny of those bound for hell? What misstep might we take that could put us on the Road to Perdition without any possibility of turning back?
The answers to those questions are, ‘Nothing.’ ‘None.’ No misstep.’ So, why should we concern ourselves about eternity? If there isn’t anything that can keep us from God’s love, why not simply live our lives and trust that all is well and we are bound for heaven just as we are?
Because Romans 6:23 tells us that “The wage of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” If we do not allow ourselves to receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus, our loving God will be compelled to pay us the due wage of our sin—eternal death, eternal separation from God.
We must have faith in Jesus in order to gain the spiritual heritage to which His sinless life, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection make us heir. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without this faith, “…it is impossible to please God for anyone who comes to Him must believe…that He rewards those who seek Him.”
What can we do that would really tick God off? What heinous sin could we commit that would relegate us to the destiny of those bound for hell? What misstep might we take that could put us on the Road to Perdition without any possibility of turning back?
The answers to those questions are, ‘Nothing.’ ‘None.’ No misstep.’ So, why should we concern ourselves about eternity? If there isn’t anything that can keep us from God’s love, why not simply live our lives and trust that all is well and we are bound for heaven just as we are?
Because Romans 6:23 tells us that “The wage of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” If we do not allow ourselves to receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus, our loving God will be compelled to pay us the due wage of our sin—eternal death, eternal separation from God.
We must have faith in Jesus in order to gain the spiritual heritage to which His sinless life, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection make us heir. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without this faith, “…it is impossible to please God for anyone who comes to Him must believe…that He rewards those who seek Him.”
Monday, January 24, 2011
A Simple Step
January 24
Confession is good for the soul. This is an old adage that is profoundly applicable in the spiritual realm. In one way or another, Christian denominations subscribe to this doctrine of the faith that, like the deity of Christ, distinguishes them from adherents of other religions.
Confession is practiced by another monotheistic religion, Judaism, although Jews do not subscribe to the Christian tenet that Jesus is the Son of God and is thereby equal to God. The world’s third monotheistic religion, Islam, denies both of these doctrines.
In fact, Islam embraces a doctrine that in essence says that Allah made us, therefore he understands us and ‘winks’ at our sins as long as the believer endeavors to adhere to his law. It is further believed that if one keeps his sins concealed rather than confessing them, they will not be counted as heavily against him as if they had been discovered.
Returning to Christian thought as expressed by the greatest expounder of it of all time, the Apostle Paul, we need only turn to Romans 10:9, 10 to read the clear message of salvation and its relationship to confession. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Confession. A simple step. Take it!
Confession is good for the soul. This is an old adage that is profoundly applicable in the spiritual realm. In one way or another, Christian denominations subscribe to this doctrine of the faith that, like the deity of Christ, distinguishes them from adherents of other religions.
Confession is practiced by another monotheistic religion, Judaism, although Jews do not subscribe to the Christian tenet that Jesus is the Son of God and is thereby equal to God. The world’s third monotheistic religion, Islam, denies both of these doctrines.
In fact, Islam embraces a doctrine that in essence says that Allah made us, therefore he understands us and ‘winks’ at our sins as long as the believer endeavors to adhere to his law. It is further believed that if one keeps his sins concealed rather than confessing them, they will not be counted as heavily against him as if they had been discovered.
Returning to Christian thought as expressed by the greatest expounder of it of all time, the Apostle Paul, we need only turn to Romans 10:9, 10 to read the clear message of salvation and its relationship to confession. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Confession. A simple step. Take it!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A Man Like No Other
January 23
Jesus came to earth to live the perfect life we are incapable of living and to die in our place as the penalty for our failure to do so. Even His fiercest critics could find no fault in Him. The best with which they could accuse Him at His trial was that He called Himself the Son of God, making Himself equal with God.
We would hardly blink at such an assertion today. There are rock stars, sports heroes and entertainment personalities whose lives reflect the essence of deity that we have conferred upon them. The enormous amounts of money they make and the influence they wield in every area from diet to politics evidences the fact that we hold them in great esteem.
Yet, if we scrutinize their lives, we discover that they are flawed vessels just as we are. We have conferred upon them great wealth and power but the bottom line is that they have ‘warts’ just as we do. They live personal lives that are often irresponsible at best and violent at worst. They lie to those with whom they are intimate and the façade they carry—their public persona—lies to us.
Jesus, on the other hand, the perfect Man whose very name is above all names walked always in integrity. He never sought the limelight. He desired only to glorify the Father with Whom He was One. He said of Himself in John 6:47, “I tell you the truth, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” Because He walked in truth and honor, we may trust the integrity of that life-transforming promise.
Jesus came to earth to live the perfect life we are incapable of living and to die in our place as the penalty for our failure to do so. Even His fiercest critics could find no fault in Him. The best with which they could accuse Him at His trial was that He called Himself the Son of God, making Himself equal with God.
We would hardly blink at such an assertion today. There are rock stars, sports heroes and entertainment personalities whose lives reflect the essence of deity that we have conferred upon them. The enormous amounts of money they make and the influence they wield in every area from diet to politics evidences the fact that we hold them in great esteem.
Yet, if we scrutinize their lives, we discover that they are flawed vessels just as we are. We have conferred upon them great wealth and power but the bottom line is that they have ‘warts’ just as we do. They live personal lives that are often irresponsible at best and violent at worst. They lie to those with whom they are intimate and the façade they carry—their public persona—lies to us.
Jesus, on the other hand, the perfect Man whose very name is above all names walked always in integrity. He never sought the limelight. He desired only to glorify the Father with Whom He was One. He said of Himself in John 6:47, “I tell you the truth, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” Because He walked in truth and honor, we may trust the integrity of that life-transforming promise.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
God's Mercy Extended
January 22
A great theologian was once asked the most profound truth he had learned in his life-long study of the Word of God. His answer was, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” And so it is. Apart from that one precious revelation of the heart of God, nothing else matters.
The love of Jesus is the springboard of every temporal blessing. Even the unbelieving sinner reaps the benefit of that love, for our God allows good things into the lives of the just and the unjust. What some see as a reward for following Christ is really the mercy of God extended to the entirety of mankind.
And the statement that conveys the pervasiveness of His love and salvation extended to all who will receive it is most clearly stated in John 3:16 where we are told, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
If we can grasp the magnitude of that assertion, we can be transformed from mere temporal life within a tabernacle of flesh to eternal life that sets our spirit free to soar into the heavenly place where we may commune with our loving Savior! In that place with Him we will see beyond time to our place in eternity.
A great theologian was once asked the most profound truth he had learned in his life-long study of the Word of God. His answer was, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” And so it is. Apart from that one precious revelation of the heart of God, nothing else matters.
The love of Jesus is the springboard of every temporal blessing. Even the unbelieving sinner reaps the benefit of that love, for our God allows good things into the lives of the just and the unjust. What some see as a reward for following Christ is really the mercy of God extended to the entirety of mankind.
And the statement that conveys the pervasiveness of His love and salvation extended to all who will receive it is most clearly stated in John 3:16 where we are told, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
If we can grasp the magnitude of that assertion, we can be transformed from mere temporal life within a tabernacle of flesh to eternal life that sets our spirit free to soar into the heavenly place where we may commune with our loving Savior! In that place with Him we will see beyond time to our place in eternity.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Full Assurance of Faith
January 21
Nothing stands between you and God but you. Although there was once a veil of separation between the Most High and sinful man, that veil was rent when Jesus hung on the cross and announced that His mission was finished, the price for sin was paid; man is no longer separated from his Lord.
It is difficult for an individual who is accustomed to forging his own way through life to realize that the only significant transaction for time and eternity has been accomplished in his behalf. All he needs to do is accept the completed work done by Jesus on the cross and his salvation is assured.
The reality that man owed a debt he could not pay and Jesus paid that debt which He did not owe, that the great gift of salvation is placed before every fallen member of the human race is a powerful revelation of the love and mercy of the Christ we serve.
In Hebrews 10:19, 22, Paul states the outcome of the gift. Here he says, “Brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts cleansed from guilt and our lives washed with pure water.”
Nothing stands between you and God but you. Although there was once a veil of separation between the Most High and sinful man, that veil was rent when Jesus hung on the cross and announced that His mission was finished, the price for sin was paid; man is no longer separated from his Lord.
It is difficult for an individual who is accustomed to forging his own way through life to realize that the only significant transaction for time and eternity has been accomplished in his behalf. All he needs to do is accept the completed work done by Jesus on the cross and his salvation is assured.
The reality that man owed a debt he could not pay and Jesus paid that debt which He did not owe, that the great gift of salvation is placed before every fallen member of the human race is a powerful revelation of the love and mercy of the Christ we serve.
In Hebrews 10:19, 22, Paul states the outcome of the gift. Here he says, “Brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts cleansed from guilt and our lives washed with pure water.”
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Trust Him
January 20
Prayer doesn’t seem to be working for you? You lay awake on your bed at night crying to the ceiling and the ceiling doesn’t answer? There seems to be some sort of ‘test of faith’ going on and you can’t quite complete it and hand in your paper. You have no confidence of getting an ‘A’ when you’re finished.
Your feelings tell you it’s all been for nothing. You’ve striven to be the kind of a Christian who makes a difference in the world, but your efforts have exhausted you and your striving has seemed to accomplish nothing but your own weariness with the futility that appears to be the outcome of your labor.
You are not alone. Anyone who has named the name that is above every other name has traversed the same path of disappointment at some time or another in his walk with the One who has promised He will never fail or forsake the believer who trusts in Him (Hebrews 13:5).
Paul could have succumbed to this kind of disappointment, to faith-destroying negative thinking, but he chose to reaffirm his faith at the point of his exceeding trials. In II Timothy 1:12 he gives us his reason, “…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed to Him…” You may trust Him, too.
Prayer doesn’t seem to be working for you? You lay awake on your bed at night crying to the ceiling and the ceiling doesn’t answer? There seems to be some sort of ‘test of faith’ going on and you can’t quite complete it and hand in your paper. You have no confidence of getting an ‘A’ when you’re finished.
Your feelings tell you it’s all been for nothing. You’ve striven to be the kind of a Christian who makes a difference in the world, but your efforts have exhausted you and your striving has seemed to accomplish nothing but your own weariness with the futility that appears to be the outcome of your labor.
You are not alone. Anyone who has named the name that is above every other name has traversed the same path of disappointment at some time or another in his walk with the One who has promised He will never fail or forsake the believer who trusts in Him (Hebrews 13:5).
Paul could have succumbed to this kind of disappointment, to faith-destroying negative thinking, but he chose to reaffirm his faith at the point of his exceeding trials. In II Timothy 1:12 he gives us his reason, “…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed to Him…” You may trust Him, too.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
We Need Fear Nothing!
January 19
Jesus is one with the Father. That truth is central to the Christian faith. That truth is the essence of what differentiates Christianity from Judaism from which it is an off-shoot and from Islam, the world’s third monotheistic religion. Of course, there are myriad other differences, but that one is basic and non-negotiable.
Because Jesus and the Father are one, we can accept the veracity of Christ’s deity. We know that when John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God,” that reference is to Jesus and His unity with the Father.
If we go all the way back to Genesis 1:26 where Moses, the first Jewish author of the Old Testament spoke of the nature of God, we see words that affirm the triune nature of God: “Let US make man in OUR image; after OUR likeness, let us make him.” With the understanding of WHO Jesus is, of the greatness of His person and the matchlessness of His power, may we embrace to ourselves the wonderful words of John 10:27-29…
“My sheep know My voice. I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them from My hand. My Father is greater than all and no one can snatch them from My Father’s hand.” When we have given our lives to Jesus, allowed Him to be our Savior and Lord, we are secure for evermore. He is one with the Father, the Creator and Maintainer of the universe. None is greater than He—we need fear nothing!
Jesus is one with the Father. That truth is central to the Christian faith. That truth is the essence of what differentiates Christianity from Judaism from which it is an off-shoot and from Islam, the world’s third monotheistic religion. Of course, there are myriad other differences, but that one is basic and non-negotiable.
Because Jesus and the Father are one, we can accept the veracity of Christ’s deity. We know that when John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God,” that reference is to Jesus and His unity with the Father.
If we go all the way back to Genesis 1:26 where Moses, the first Jewish author of the Old Testament spoke of the nature of God, we see words that affirm the triune nature of God: “Let US make man in OUR image; after OUR likeness, let us make him.” With the understanding of WHO Jesus is, of the greatness of His person and the matchlessness of His power, may we embrace to ourselves the wonderful words of John 10:27-29…
“My sheep know My voice. I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them from My hand. My Father is greater than all and no one can snatch them from My Father’s hand.” When we have given our lives to Jesus, allowed Him to be our Savior and Lord, we are secure for evermore. He is one with the Father, the Creator and Maintainer of the universe. None is greater than He—we need fear nothing!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
His Complete Triumph
January 18
How can we gain the assurance we yearn to have that all is well? How can we believe that we are secure when circumstances we once thought were unshakable seem to be not only shaken but crumbling around us? Oh, yes, we have read the end of the Book and we know ultimately Jesus triumphs.
But what can we do in the meantime? What do we do with the insecurities that arise out of the devastation of everything we once thought was beyond the potential to fail? Manufacturing giants have failed. The economic woes of local governments are compounded by double-digit escalation of operating costs.
Home owners are trapped with mortgages that reflect housing values that have plummeted. Jobs are difficult to find and those who have them fear losing them. This is not the stuff from which a profound sense of security will arise. This is the brokenness from which panic ensues. So, what are we to do? How can we face uncertainty without fear?
In I Timothy 3:13, Paul gives us an insight that can be the foundation of our security in an insecure world. Here he says, “Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” No matter what else may fail, those who serve the Lord will find the assurance of His complete triumph, not only over His ancient foe, but over our personal concerns.
How can we gain the assurance we yearn to have that all is well? How can we believe that we are secure when circumstances we once thought were unshakable seem to be not only shaken but crumbling around us? Oh, yes, we have read the end of the Book and we know ultimately Jesus triumphs.
But what can we do in the meantime? What do we do with the insecurities that arise out of the devastation of everything we once thought was beyond the potential to fail? Manufacturing giants have failed. The economic woes of local governments are compounded by double-digit escalation of operating costs.
Home owners are trapped with mortgages that reflect housing values that have plummeted. Jobs are difficult to find and those who have them fear losing them. This is not the stuff from which a profound sense of security will arise. This is the brokenness from which panic ensues. So, what are we to do? How can we face uncertainty without fear?
In I Timothy 3:13, Paul gives us an insight that can be the foundation of our security in an insecure world. Here he says, “Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” No matter what else may fail, those who serve the Lord will find the assurance of His complete triumph, not only over His ancient foe, but over our personal concerns.
Monday, January 17, 2011
One to Rely Upon
January 17
Is there anything in life that can be depended upon? Is there anything that can remain unshaken in today’s troubled and volatile world? When a once prosperous state (California) teeters on bankruptcy and a nation has already plunged into economic oblivion (Greece) it becomes clear that we can’t rely on money for our stability as we once thought we could.
Can we look to our leaders for wise guidance through the quagmire of woes that stare us in the face? Can we anticipate that our elected officials will chart a well-plotted course for us to lead us from our distress? That seems unlikely when we consider that documents of thousands of pages in length are passed into law without our law makers having read them.
Surely we can trust those closest to us to ‘be there’ for us in the throes of the upheaval that is all around us. We may have to concern ourselves with economic uncertainty and the vitriolic hatred of terrorists and political corruption, but surely those we love will weather these storms by our side. Yet divorce statistics paint a different picture of our interpersonal relationships.
So, what can we trust? Isaiah 54:10 gives us an answer that can keep us secure when the tumultuous winds of adversity blow all around us. Here the Lord says through His prophet, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed. I the Lord will have constant compassion on you.” We can trust Jesus.
Is there anything in life that can be depended upon? Is there anything that can remain unshaken in today’s troubled and volatile world? When a once prosperous state (California) teeters on bankruptcy and a nation has already plunged into economic oblivion (Greece) it becomes clear that we can’t rely on money for our stability as we once thought we could.
Can we look to our leaders for wise guidance through the quagmire of woes that stare us in the face? Can we anticipate that our elected officials will chart a well-plotted course for us to lead us from our distress? That seems unlikely when we consider that documents of thousands of pages in length are passed into law without our law makers having read them.
Surely we can trust those closest to us to ‘be there’ for us in the throes of the upheaval that is all around us. We may have to concern ourselves with economic uncertainty and the vitriolic hatred of terrorists and political corruption, but surely those we love will weather these storms by our side. Yet divorce statistics paint a different picture of our interpersonal relationships.
So, what can we trust? Isaiah 54:10 gives us an answer that can keep us secure when the tumultuous winds of adversity blow all around us. Here the Lord says through His prophet, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed. I the Lord will have constant compassion on you.” We can trust Jesus.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Inseparable
January 16
The Apostle Paul had his share of trouble and hardship. He had been beaten many times and he had been shipwrecked in the course of his travels in the behalf of the Kingdom of Christ. He had been stoned. He had been imprisoned. In II Corinthians 11:25-33 he reiterates much that he has suffered for Christ
When he asked for deliverance from a physical affliction, the Lord’s answer to him was, “My grace is sufficient for you; My strength is made perfect in your weakness,” (II Corinthians 13:9), and Paul was satisfied. The suffering inflicted upon him meant nothing to him. All he desired was to serve Jesus.
And he knew that nothing that came against him had the power to undo him. Paul was convinced that the enemy of the soul of man may scheme and assail, but without success, for the Christ within each believer is far greater than the enemy who attacks from without (I John 4:4).
In Romans 8:38, 39, he states his conviction quite succinctly: “I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor demons; I am convinced that neither the present nor things to come; I believe that no power, no height, no depth—nothing at all—can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The Apostle Paul had his share of trouble and hardship. He had been beaten many times and he had been shipwrecked in the course of his travels in the behalf of the Kingdom of Christ. He had been stoned. He had been imprisoned. In II Corinthians 11:25-33 he reiterates much that he has suffered for Christ
When he asked for deliverance from a physical affliction, the Lord’s answer to him was, “My grace is sufficient for you; My strength is made perfect in your weakness,” (II Corinthians 13:9), and Paul was satisfied. The suffering inflicted upon him meant nothing to him. All he desired was to serve Jesus.
And he knew that nothing that came against him had the power to undo him. Paul was convinced that the enemy of the soul of man may scheme and assail, but without success, for the Christ within each believer is far greater than the enemy who attacks from without (I John 4:4).
In Romans 8:38, 39, he states his conviction quite succinctly: “I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor demons; I am convinced that neither the present nor things to come; I believe that no power, no height, no depth—nothing at all—can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Working Toward Our Help
January 15
Our heavenly Father understands our desire to see the realization of our prayers. He who fashioned us in the womb knows our frame. He realizes that we tend to harbor a number of negative traits. We are selfish. We are impetuous. We are prone to anger. We are inclined toward doubt.
That we are selfish is evident in much of what we say and do in a day. Our impetuousness drives us to hasty actions and even more ill-thought-out words that exacerbate our problems rather than alleviate them. When we are frustrated in our misguided effort, our tempers flare—then we lay the blame at His feet.
We doubt Him. When we have done so much on our own, without consulting Him; when our efforts inevitably fall apart, we then cry out, ‘Oh, God, why won’t You help me?!’ Even then, if we will lay the mishandled mishmash at His feet, He will undertake in our behalf.
The promise of Hebrews 11:1 stands, even when we have neglected to trust the Lord until we have convoluted our situation beyond our ability to effect its remedy on our own. Even then He assures, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Even then He is working toward our help.
Our heavenly Father understands our desire to see the realization of our prayers. He who fashioned us in the womb knows our frame. He realizes that we tend to harbor a number of negative traits. We are selfish. We are impetuous. We are prone to anger. We are inclined toward doubt.
That we are selfish is evident in much of what we say and do in a day. Our impetuousness drives us to hasty actions and even more ill-thought-out words that exacerbate our problems rather than alleviate them. When we are frustrated in our misguided effort, our tempers flare—then we lay the blame at His feet.
We doubt Him. When we have done so much on our own, without consulting Him; when our efforts inevitably fall apart, we then cry out, ‘Oh, God, why won’t You help me?!’ Even then, if we will lay the mishandled mishmash at His feet, He will undertake in our behalf.
The promise of Hebrews 11:1 stands, even when we have neglected to trust the Lord until we have convoluted our situation beyond our ability to effect its remedy on our own. Even then He assures, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Even then He is working toward our help.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Call, and I Will Answer
January 14
God is always on call. You won’t get His answering machine. You don’t have to go through His secretary to reach Him. You are important to Him and He opens His Throne Room to you the moment you present yourself before Him. In fact, He longs to spend time with you, whenever you make the time for Him.
The time God has for you will be purposeful. He doesn’t invite you into His presence merely to keep you occupied in order to interfere with your responsibilities. He has every intention of enhancing your life when you allow Him to become a significant part of it through your relationship with Jesus.
In Jeremiah 33:3 the prophet makes a very profound assertion in God’s behalf. Here we are told that we may, “Call unto Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you do not know.” That is quite an affirmation of the reality that the God of Heaven and Earth wants to bless His people.
It’s quite a promise. We call. He answers. He shows. It doesn’t say that if we beseech Him continually He will incline His attention toward us at a convenient moment. It doesn’t say He will indulge our supplication if we present it according to protocol. No. We call; He answers; He demonstrates mighty things before us.
God is always on call. You won’t get His answering machine. You don’t have to go through His secretary to reach Him. You are important to Him and He opens His Throne Room to you the moment you present yourself before Him. In fact, He longs to spend time with you, whenever you make the time for Him.
The time God has for you will be purposeful. He doesn’t invite you into His presence merely to keep you occupied in order to interfere with your responsibilities. He has every intention of enhancing your life when you allow Him to become a significant part of it through your relationship with Jesus.
In Jeremiah 33:3 the prophet makes a very profound assertion in God’s behalf. Here we are told that we may, “Call unto Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you do not know.” That is quite an affirmation of the reality that the God of Heaven and Earth wants to bless His people.
It’s quite a promise. We call. He answers. He shows. It doesn’t say that if we beseech Him continually He will incline His attention toward us at a convenient moment. It doesn’t say He will indulge our supplication if we present it according to protocol. No. We call; He answers; He demonstrates mighty things before us.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Heaven's Treasure
January 13
God is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t have a ‘pecking order.’ He does not esteem some individuals to be of high degree over those man considers to be lowly. God sees all men through the prism of Jesus Christ. Nobody is considered to be of lesser or greater worth because of who he is or what he’s accomplished.
Once, while contemplating the inequities of life, I lamented to myself—or, perhaps more correctly, complained before the Lord—‘How can it be, if God is fair, that some men are so rich and others are so poor? Why are some people healthy while others are sick? Why do some live long, fruitful lives while others die so young?
And the Lord spoke to me at the point of my pondering. He said, ‘Christ is the equalizer. Apart from Him, a man is impoverished no matter how great his wealth may be. With Jesus, a poor man possesses the treasure of eternity. The healthy man, apart from Jesus is suffering from the sickness of sin, while the sick man who knows Christ is every bit whole. The live man who knows Him not is dead in his trespasses. The dead man who knows Jesus is alive forever!’
Those words impacted my perception of fairness. They caused me to know that the God we serve is absolutely fair. As His Word says, “God will respond to the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their plea…”Psalm 102:17. The Almighty One does not turn a deaf ear to any man’s cry. He does not turn any man away empty. He lays before everyone the opportunity to esteem the eternal above the temporal—and to possess Christ—Heaven’s Treasure!
God is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t have a ‘pecking order.’ He does not esteem some individuals to be of high degree over those man considers to be lowly. God sees all men through the prism of Jesus Christ. Nobody is considered to be of lesser or greater worth because of who he is or what he’s accomplished.
Once, while contemplating the inequities of life, I lamented to myself—or, perhaps more correctly, complained before the Lord—‘How can it be, if God is fair, that some men are so rich and others are so poor? Why are some people healthy while others are sick? Why do some live long, fruitful lives while others die so young?
And the Lord spoke to me at the point of my pondering. He said, ‘Christ is the equalizer. Apart from Him, a man is impoverished no matter how great his wealth may be. With Jesus, a poor man possesses the treasure of eternity. The healthy man, apart from Jesus is suffering from the sickness of sin, while the sick man who knows Christ is every bit whole. The live man who knows Him not is dead in his trespasses. The dead man who knows Jesus is alive forever!’
Those words impacted my perception of fairness. They caused me to know that the God we serve is absolutely fair. As His Word says, “God will respond to the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their plea…”Psalm 102:17. The Almighty One does not turn a deaf ear to any man’s cry. He does not turn any man away empty. He lays before everyone the opportunity to esteem the eternal above the temporal—and to possess Christ—Heaven’s Treasure!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
He Hears--He Saves
January 11
God never tunes us out. We may ignore Him for decades but if we repent of our ways and turn to Jesus, He will receive us and restore us to Himself. We may, even as believers, drown ourselves in the cares of life, but His Word affirms that when we, “Cast all our cares upon Jesus…” He will take them upon Himself, for, “…He cares for us” I Peter 5:7.
The price has been paid for our redemption, for our restoration to fellowship with the Holy One. Be we gentile or Jew, the God of Israel, the One who has shown Himself to be faithful and strong through all the circumstances of life, will receive the man or the nation who returns to Him, for we are blood-bought, we are redeemed.
If that is the case, why would any stand apart from Him? Why would anyone elect to traverse this Vale of Tears without the mighty arm of the Lord to hold him securely, to guard him from all harm? The answer to that question is as varied as there are men who deny themselves the joy, the hope, the power, the blessing of walking side-by-side with Jesus.
But the promise stands. It is for all people—every kindred, nation, tribe and tongue may claim it when, “In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I cried for His help and He listened to my supplication” Jonah 2:2. Whenever we call, whatever our circumstances, even from the belly of a whale, HE will hear and HE will save!
God never tunes us out. We may ignore Him for decades but if we repent of our ways and turn to Jesus, He will receive us and restore us to Himself. We may, even as believers, drown ourselves in the cares of life, but His Word affirms that when we, “Cast all our cares upon Jesus…” He will take them upon Himself, for, “…He cares for us” I Peter 5:7.
The price has been paid for our redemption, for our restoration to fellowship with the Holy One. Be we gentile or Jew, the God of Israel, the One who has shown Himself to be faithful and strong through all the circumstances of life, will receive the man or the nation who returns to Him, for we are blood-bought, we are redeemed.
If that is the case, why would any stand apart from Him? Why would anyone elect to traverse this Vale of Tears without the mighty arm of the Lord to hold him securely, to guard him from all harm? The answer to that question is as varied as there are men who deny themselves the joy, the hope, the power, the blessing of walking side-by-side with Jesus.
But the promise stands. It is for all people—every kindred, nation, tribe and tongue may claim it when, “In my distress I called to the Lord and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I cried for His help and He listened to my supplication” Jonah 2:2. Whenever we call, whatever our circumstances, even from the belly of a whale, HE will hear and HE will save!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Prospecting for Eternal Treasure
January 10
God’s provision is complete. His spiritual treasure is all around for us to gather as we ply His Word for nuggets of golden truth. From the beginning of the Bible to the end, we find our King’s treasure trove pouring out for us to glean of the wealth of His eternal truth.
Yet, like prospectors in earth’s goldmines, we must dig into the veins of truth in order to find all that is there for us to possess. We do not wish to be content with the mere scattering of nuggets that can be gleaned from panning the surface of what is revealed to us. We want to dig deeply and discover all He has for us.
Toward that end, He has provided the Holy Spirit as our Partner in prospecting. Jesus has promised that the Comforter would come and that He would teach us all truth (John 14:26). When we open our hearts to Jesus, the Third Person of the Trinity becomes the Indweller of our spirits and He guides us in the way we should go in order that we may discover the fullness of God’s will for our lives.
How does this happen? Jesus says in Matthew 7:7, 8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” God knows we will value truth more if we seek it for ourselves—as the prospector who searches values the wealth he gains.
God’s provision is complete. His spiritual treasure is all around for us to gather as we ply His Word for nuggets of golden truth. From the beginning of the Bible to the end, we find our King’s treasure trove pouring out for us to glean of the wealth of His eternal truth.
Yet, like prospectors in earth’s goldmines, we must dig into the veins of truth in order to find all that is there for us to possess. We do not wish to be content with the mere scattering of nuggets that can be gleaned from panning the surface of what is revealed to us. We want to dig deeply and discover all He has for us.
Toward that end, He has provided the Holy Spirit as our Partner in prospecting. Jesus has promised that the Comforter would come and that He would teach us all truth (John 14:26). When we open our hearts to Jesus, the Third Person of the Trinity becomes the Indweller of our spirits and He guides us in the way we should go in order that we may discover the fullness of God’s will for our lives.
How does this happen? Jesus says in Matthew 7:7, 8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” God knows we will value truth more if we seek it for ourselves—as the prospector who searches values the wealth he gains.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Kept in His Hand
January 9
We cannot count ourselves blessed if we alone are blessed. It is the longing of our hearts to rest in the assurance that those we love, those to whom we have witnessed the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, are also blessed. We long not merely for temporal, but also eternal favor upon ourselves and those around us.
The great God we serve indicates His understanding of our deep yearning for the well-being of our loved ones in Isaiah 65:23, 24 where the prophet says, “They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they shall be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call, I will answer; while they are speaking, I will hear.”
What a precious promise! The Almighty One sees our heart! He knows the depth of our longing for meaningful results to the labor we perform. He knows it is our desire to lay up treasure for our children—our natural children and our spiritual children! He knows we covet the blessings of time and of eternity—especially of eternity—for those we hold dear. And He says they’re ours!
Jesus came to make available to us all that had been lost by Adam and Eve in the Garden. Whereas they were required, after the fall, to toil to survive and to endure pain in childbearing, we are now told that our labor will be fruitful and those with whom we share the message of salvation will be kept in the hollow of His hand. We know He hears us as we whisper our prayers for those we love.
We cannot count ourselves blessed if we alone are blessed. It is the longing of our hearts to rest in the assurance that those we love, those to whom we have witnessed the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, are also blessed. We long not merely for temporal, but also eternal favor upon ourselves and those around us.
The great God we serve indicates His understanding of our deep yearning for the well-being of our loved ones in Isaiah 65:23, 24 where the prophet says, “They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they shall be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. Before they call, I will answer; while they are speaking, I will hear.”
What a precious promise! The Almighty One sees our heart! He knows the depth of our longing for meaningful results to the labor we perform. He knows it is our desire to lay up treasure for our children—our natural children and our spiritual children! He knows we covet the blessings of time and of eternity—especially of eternity—for those we hold dear. And He says they’re ours!
Jesus came to make available to us all that had been lost by Adam and Eve in the Garden. Whereas they were required, after the fall, to toil to survive and to endure pain in childbearing, we are now told that our labor will be fruitful and those with whom we share the message of salvation will be kept in the hollow of His hand. We know He hears us as we whisper our prayers for those we love.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Longing Fulfilled
January 8
John 16:23, 24 extends a powerful promise to the people of God from the lips of the Lord Jesus Himself. Here He says, “I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be full.”
Could Jesus have made a more expansive promise than that? Could any promise given to us fulfill the longing of our hearts and souls to the degree that this one does? “…My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name…” Oh, what love the Father has for us! Oh, what power is in the name of Jesus!
Combine the fact of the Father’s love with the power of the Son’s name and heaven and earth open before the supplicant! We may achieve the goals we yearn to attain and we may possess the things we long to own—it seems the promise is without reservation! It seems the ticket to ‘Easy Street,’ the way to lifelong self-indulgence and aggrandizement.
Yet, the reality is that if a man truly loves Jesus with all his heart, soul, mind, and spirit, his supplication before the Father will reflect that love. He will not ask for the trappings of power and wealth, for those things will have no allure for him. The man after Christ’s heart will ask for the treasures of the Kingdom--for souls won to the Lord—and his longing will be fulfilled.
John 16:23, 24 extends a powerful promise to the people of God from the lips of the Lord Jesus Himself. Here He says, “I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be full.”
Could Jesus have made a more expansive promise than that? Could any promise given to us fulfill the longing of our hearts and souls to the degree that this one does? “…My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name…” Oh, what love the Father has for us! Oh, what power is in the name of Jesus!
Combine the fact of the Father’s love with the power of the Son’s name and heaven and earth open before the supplicant! We may achieve the goals we yearn to attain and we may possess the things we long to own—it seems the promise is without reservation! It seems the ticket to ‘Easy Street,’ the way to lifelong self-indulgence and aggrandizement.
Yet, the reality is that if a man truly loves Jesus with all his heart, soul, mind, and spirit, his supplication before the Father will reflect that love. He will not ask for the trappings of power and wealth, for those things will have no allure for him. The man after Christ’s heart will ask for the treasures of the Kingdom--for souls won to the Lord—and his longing will be fulfilled.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Eat the Fruit of Your Labor
January 7
The Lord wants to bless His people. He holds out great opportunities for enrichment to those who will but place their lives at His disposal. We read in Psalm 128:2 David’s encouraging words, “You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.”
We sometimes tend to read verses like that one and make the quantum leap of interpretation that assures that all believers will be possessors of great wealth. While some people of faith do have tremendous financial resources, we cannot equate promises such as this one entirely with the monetary realm.
The Lord indeed wants us to have financial blessings. He wants us to labor and to reap the reward of our work. There is a verse that says, “Do not muzzle the ox that treads the corn…” I Timothy 5:18, and goes on to clarify, “…the laborer is worthy of his hire.”
Yet beyond the gain afforded to us by our work, we have also the assurance of spiritual gain when we labor for the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58) where we are told that we are to, “…abound in the work of the Lord, for your labor for Him is not in vain.” He is a rewarder of those who work to further the Kingdom of Christ.
The Lord wants to bless His people. He holds out great opportunities for enrichment to those who will but place their lives at His disposal. We read in Psalm 128:2 David’s encouraging words, “You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.”
We sometimes tend to read verses like that one and make the quantum leap of interpretation that assures that all believers will be possessors of great wealth. While some people of faith do have tremendous financial resources, we cannot equate promises such as this one entirely with the monetary realm.
The Lord indeed wants us to have financial blessings. He wants us to labor and to reap the reward of our work. There is a verse that says, “Do not muzzle the ox that treads the corn…” I Timothy 5:18, and goes on to clarify, “…the laborer is worthy of his hire.”
Yet beyond the gain afforded to us by our work, we have also the assurance of spiritual gain when we labor for the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58) where we are told that we are to, “…abound in the work of the Lord, for your labor for Him is not in vain.” He is a rewarder of those who work to further the Kingdom of Christ.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Turned Around
January 6
The dissertation of Paul in Philippians 3:7-9 is the affirmation of a man who has turned his life around. Where once he had temporal goals at the heart of his being, he now had a totally spiritual orientation. There was nothing that he once held dear that he had not totally abandoned. There was nothing regarding Jesus that he once scorned that he had not come to embrace.
He said of himself, “Whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. I consider everything I gained to be loss compared to the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whose sake I have lost all things and count them but dung that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.
“I have no righteousness of my own through obedience to the law; I have only the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus. It is the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” When Paul’s dark eyes were opened, when he could see the squalor of his own goodness, he embraced the One whose pure life enabled Him to place a robe of righteousness upon those who believe Him.
When Paul’s eyes were opened to behold the glory of the Holy One whose life, death and resurrection had the power to transform an ordinary flawed man from sinner to saint, he received the Gift that made all things new—that made him a man of passion for the Lord—the Gift that made him a man who had gained Christ and thereby gained the treasure of eternal life.
The dissertation of Paul in Philippians 3:7-9 is the affirmation of a man who has turned his life around. Where once he had temporal goals at the heart of his being, he now had a totally spiritual orientation. There was nothing that he once held dear that he had not totally abandoned. There was nothing regarding Jesus that he once scorned that he had not come to embrace.
He said of himself, “Whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. I consider everything I gained to be loss compared to the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whose sake I have lost all things and count them but dung that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.
“I have no righteousness of my own through obedience to the law; I have only the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus. It is the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” When Paul’s dark eyes were opened, when he could see the squalor of his own goodness, he embraced the One whose pure life enabled Him to place a robe of righteousness upon those who believe Him.
When Paul’s eyes were opened to behold the glory of the Holy One whose life, death and resurrection had the power to transform an ordinary flawed man from sinner to saint, he received the Gift that made all things new—that made him a man of passion for the Lord—the Gift that made him a man who had gained Christ and thereby gained the treasure of eternal life.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Our Tree of Life
January 5
We’ve all heard the riddle, ‘What would you do if the world were to come to an end tomorrow?’ and the answer is, ‘Plant a tree.’ This wise counsel indeed propagates the notion that hope springs eternal; man should never give up. Where there is life, there is hope; where there is Christ, there is life after life.
We long for the assurance of fulfillment in life and of joy in the presence of the Lord when our brief sojourn in time is done. Of our longings, the Word says in Proverbs 13:12, “A longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” This speaks of the importance of those things that profoundly impact our hearts.
The things for which we yearn deeply are the stuff that makes the essence of life. We cry within our spirits to have a sense of well-being. We want to know that all is well for not just ourselves but for those whom we love. We pray and seek the face of the Lord in the behalf of our family, our friends, our brothers in Christ. And He assures us that He hears and cares.
He knows that when we attain the object of our deep striving, we will thrive in our inner man as does the well-watered tree that spreads its branches to give shade and offer its fruit to sustain life. Our lives benefit the lives of those around us when we bask in the assurance that our Jesus never fails. No matter what tidings befall—He is our unshakable Tree of Life!
We’ve all heard the riddle, ‘What would you do if the world were to come to an end tomorrow?’ and the answer is, ‘Plant a tree.’ This wise counsel indeed propagates the notion that hope springs eternal; man should never give up. Where there is life, there is hope; where there is Christ, there is life after life.
We long for the assurance of fulfillment in life and of joy in the presence of the Lord when our brief sojourn in time is done. Of our longings, the Word says in Proverbs 13:12, “A longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” This speaks of the importance of those things that profoundly impact our hearts.
The things for which we yearn deeply are the stuff that makes the essence of life. We cry within our spirits to have a sense of well-being. We want to know that all is well for not just ourselves but for those whom we love. We pray and seek the face of the Lord in the behalf of our family, our friends, our brothers in Christ. And He assures us that He hears and cares.
He knows that when we attain the object of our deep striving, we will thrive in our inner man as does the well-watered tree that spreads its branches to give shade and offer its fruit to sustain life. Our lives benefit the lives of those around us when we bask in the assurance that our Jesus never fails. No matter what tidings befall—He is our unshakable Tree of Life!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
He Has Done All
January 4
We desire recognition for our labor—for the work that we do to sustain our families—and we expect to see our career goals advanced as we invest ourselves toward the professional and financial goals we have set for ourselves. We desire to be effective for the Kingdom of Christ and His purposes as we serve to reach men with His truth.
Yet we know that in an ultimate sense, we can do nothing and be nothing apart from His hand of blessing upon our endeavors. We understand that it is His good pleasure to allow us to attain recognition for our labors, both in the natural and in the spiritual realms, but we also know that He wants us to understand that He is the ultimate Source of all we accomplish.
The prophet in Isaiah 26:12 says, “Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished, You have done for us.” The veracity of this assertion is absolute and its import is weighty. Isaiah addresses the matter of the environment in which we carry out our endeavors—it must be one of peace if we are to ultimately succeed.
We will be able to accomplish little in an atmosphere of contention and strife. War-torn areas are not noted as springs of great invention or endeavor. Peace produces great gain. Yet beyond an environment in which our labor may thrive is the reality that it is the Lord who gives the increase. He who will not share His glory with another affirms that it is indeed HE who has done all for us!
We desire recognition for our labor—for the work that we do to sustain our families—and we expect to see our career goals advanced as we invest ourselves toward the professional and financial goals we have set for ourselves. We desire to be effective for the Kingdom of Christ and His purposes as we serve to reach men with His truth.
Yet we know that in an ultimate sense, we can do nothing and be nothing apart from His hand of blessing upon our endeavors. We understand that it is His good pleasure to allow us to attain recognition for our labors, both in the natural and in the spiritual realms, but we also know that He wants us to understand that He is the ultimate Source of all we accomplish.
The prophet in Isaiah 26:12 says, “Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished, You have done for us.” The veracity of this assertion is absolute and its import is weighty. Isaiah addresses the matter of the environment in which we carry out our endeavors—it must be one of peace if we are to ultimately succeed.
We will be able to accomplish little in an atmosphere of contention and strife. War-torn areas are not noted as springs of great invention or endeavor. Peace produces great gain. Yet beyond an environment in which our labor may thrive is the reality that it is the Lord who gives the increase. He who will not share His glory with another affirms that it is indeed HE who has done all for us!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Life's Treadmill
January 3
At times we may feel like we’re on a treadmill—forever moving but going nowhere. At times it seems we accomplish nothing—in spite of our best effort. We labor diligently at our job, perform every task to the best of our ability yet find we are overlooked at times of recognition and promotion.
We invest our heart in rearing our children but find a ‘generation gap’ has indeed opened between us and our offspring. The words we say to them seem to be misunderstood at best and are sometimes totally tuned out. They don’t hear what we say and they don’t understand our heart’s yearning to touch them.
Steadfast friendships elude us. We extend ourselves to others but there is no reciprocation. We feel afloat in a wide expanse of sea and we feel alone. At the times when we perceive ourselves to be lost to all human contact and temporal success, may we remind ourselves that we have One who sees and recognizes our heart. Jesus knows our labor and He honors all that we endeavor to do for His glory.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 says, “Everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil. This is the gift of God.” It is the Lord’s will that we achieve a sense of accomplishment and its accompanying satisfaction with our effort. If it appears no one else sees or cares, may we take joy in the knowledge that the ultimate Judge of all men’s hearts and labors has perfect insight and His reward is in His hand. Nothing we do for Jesus is without purpose--or without reward.
At times we may feel like we’re on a treadmill—forever moving but going nowhere. At times it seems we accomplish nothing—in spite of our best effort. We labor diligently at our job, perform every task to the best of our ability yet find we are overlooked at times of recognition and promotion.
We invest our heart in rearing our children but find a ‘generation gap’ has indeed opened between us and our offspring. The words we say to them seem to be misunderstood at best and are sometimes totally tuned out. They don’t hear what we say and they don’t understand our heart’s yearning to touch them.
Steadfast friendships elude us. We extend ourselves to others but there is no reciprocation. We feel afloat in a wide expanse of sea and we feel alone. At the times when we perceive ourselves to be lost to all human contact and temporal success, may we remind ourselves that we have One who sees and recognizes our heart. Jesus knows our labor and He honors all that we endeavor to do for His glory.
Ecclesiastes 3:13 says, “Everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil. This is the gift of God.” It is the Lord’s will that we achieve a sense of accomplishment and its accompanying satisfaction with our effort. If it appears no one else sees or cares, may we take joy in the knowledge that the ultimate Judge of all men’s hearts and labors has perfect insight and His reward is in His hand. Nothing we do for Jesus is without purpose--or without reward.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
My Works or His?
January 2
Man is called to press on. Jesus sets men free from sin and shame in order that they might accomplish two goals: 1. attain Heaven as their eternal home, 2. take others with them to Heaven. The first step toward that dual purpose of salvation is, of course, receiving Christ as Savior and Lord.
Unless and until an individual opens his heart to Jesus and invites Him into the throne room of his life and allows Him to reign from the throne of his heart, he cannot take even the first step toward either of those goals. The Bible tells us that on the great Day of Judgment there will be those who will protest.
They will say, “Didn’t I cast out demons in Your name? Have I not prophesied and done many wonderful works?" And Jesus will answer, "I never knew you.” Nothing we have done on our own, that is not under the blood of Jesus, can be accrued to our account. But when we have given Him our heart, when we have laid our life at His feet and surrendered to His purposes, He will give us labor to perform in the behalf of His Kingdom.
Like Paul, we will say, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…One thing I do: forgetting that which is behind, I strain toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Jesus Christ…” Philippians 3:12-14, 16. We will spend ourselves in order that the Kingdom of Jesus may be furthered among men. We will count our life’s purpose to be the promotion of His purpose—the salvation of souls—and we will press toward that goal all our days.
Man is called to press on. Jesus sets men free from sin and shame in order that they might accomplish two goals: 1. attain Heaven as their eternal home, 2. take others with them to Heaven. The first step toward that dual purpose of salvation is, of course, receiving Christ as Savior and Lord.
Unless and until an individual opens his heart to Jesus and invites Him into the throne room of his life and allows Him to reign from the throne of his heart, he cannot take even the first step toward either of those goals. The Bible tells us that on the great Day of Judgment there will be those who will protest.
They will say, “Didn’t I cast out demons in Your name? Have I not prophesied and done many wonderful works?" And Jesus will answer, "I never knew you.” Nothing we have done on our own, that is not under the blood of Jesus, can be accrued to our account. But when we have given Him our heart, when we have laid our life at His feet and surrendered to His purposes, He will give us labor to perform in the behalf of His Kingdom.
Like Paul, we will say, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…One thing I do: forgetting that which is behind, I strain toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Jesus Christ…” Philippians 3:12-14, 16. We will spend ourselves in order that the Kingdom of Jesus may be furthered among men. We will count our life’s purpose to be the promotion of His purpose—the salvation of souls—and we will press toward that goal all our days.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Faithfulness to the Task
Happy New Year!
May the year ahead be one of happiness and blessing for you. May you be blessed not only temporally but spiritually, not only in the ‘outer man’ but more importantly, in the ‘inner man,’ in the part of you that shall live forever.
IN TABLES OF THE HEART
In II Corinthians 3:3 it says, “You are declared to be the epistle of Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God; not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart.” May we allow Jesus to speak to us, to write His heart to us, in the tables of our heart as we seek Him together daily.
January 1
Faithfulness to the Task
Man is forever striving for more, for better. Toward that end, he makes resolutions at the start of each New Year. He will improve himself. He will make wiser food choices so his weight will conform to the prescribed limit of the height/ weight ratio charts. He will monitor his investments more closely. He will…
The list goes on. As we stand at the threshold of a new year, we see ourselves in that man whose intentions are good. We also know from past years’ failed resolutions that our performance of those intentions shall probably fail. We want to attain the best that our potential affords to us, but we trudge along in our rut and remain as we are.
Yet, we do not have to perpetuate the least of ourselves. We do not have to strand ourselves on the Island of Status Quo. We can, by God’s grace and empowerment be like the Apostle Paul who at the end of his life’s journey could recount the faithfulness of the Lord who enabled him to achieve all that was set before him. In spite of imprisonment, Paul fulfilled his God-ordained destiny. In spite of our hardships, we can, too!
May we be able to say as Paul said in II Timothy 4:7, 8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Now there awaits me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge will give to me on that day—and not to me only but to all who long for Jesus’ appearing.” The Holy Spirit will empower us as He did Paul to do all that is given us to do—and then give us a crown of righteousness for our faithfulness to the task.
May the year ahead be one of happiness and blessing for you. May you be blessed not only temporally but spiritually, not only in the ‘outer man’ but more importantly, in the ‘inner man,’ in the part of you that shall live forever.
IN TABLES OF THE HEART
In II Corinthians 3:3 it says, “You are declared to be the epistle of Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God; not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart.” May we allow Jesus to speak to us, to write His heart to us, in the tables of our heart as we seek Him together daily.
January 1
Faithfulness to the Task
Man is forever striving for more, for better. Toward that end, he makes resolutions at the start of each New Year. He will improve himself. He will make wiser food choices so his weight will conform to the prescribed limit of the height/ weight ratio charts. He will monitor his investments more closely. He will…
The list goes on. As we stand at the threshold of a new year, we see ourselves in that man whose intentions are good. We also know from past years’ failed resolutions that our performance of those intentions shall probably fail. We want to attain the best that our potential affords to us, but we trudge along in our rut and remain as we are.
Yet, we do not have to perpetuate the least of ourselves. We do not have to strand ourselves on the Island of Status Quo. We can, by God’s grace and empowerment be like the Apostle Paul who at the end of his life’s journey could recount the faithfulness of the Lord who enabled him to achieve all that was set before him. In spite of imprisonment, Paul fulfilled his God-ordained destiny. In spite of our hardships, we can, too!
May we be able to say as Paul said in II Timothy 4:7, 8, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Now there awaits me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge will give to me on that day—and not to me only but to all who long for Jesus’ appearing.” The Holy Spirit will empower us as He did Paul to do all that is given us to do—and then give us a crown of righteousness for our faithfulness to the task.
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