MANDATORY FORGIVENESS

 

MANDATORY FORGIVENESS

Matt. 6:14-15 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But, if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” NLT

Forgiveness is not an option; it’s a necessity for all who want to have a relationship with God. If we don’t have tender and merciful hearts that are willing to forgive those who wrong us, God will not show us mercy and forgive us. Does that get your attention?

Forgiveness is one of the fruits of godly love. It is natural for those who are living in fellowship with God. An unwillingness to forgive means that there is a sin issue going on it the heart. It is contrary to the nature of God to not forgive.

Forgiveness is not conditional. There is no offense that we can claim is unforgivable. It is not easy to forgive someone who hurts us. Our natural reaction is to withhold forgiveness until the offending party tries to make things right by apologizing for what has been said or done. However, as God’s children, that is not what we should be doing. We should take the matter before the Lord and allow him to help us have a forgiving heart.

Our response is to forgive regardless if it is sought for or not. We are responsible for our reaction, not someone else’s. We must forgive and let the Lord handle the rest. Refusing to forgive is sin. It stops the flow of God’s love in us.

If someone has wronged you and hurt you and you haven’t forgiven them, ask the Lord right now to soften your heart. Don’t let the matter stand between you and the Lord. No matter how hard it may be to do, determine in your heart that with God’s help, you will forgive. Ask the Lord to give you the willpower to forgive. At first, you may only be able to forgive with your mind. But if you persist, the feelings will follow. The status of your soul before God depends on it.

FORGIVENESS AND PRAYER

 

FORGIVENESS AND PRAYER

Matt. 6:14-15 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But, if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” NLT

This is a truth that we often do not think about. All of us have been wronged by someone at some time in our lives. Whether it’s a family member, a trusted friend, a mentor, a teacher, a co-worker, or anyone else, we have been hurt by others. Some people are cruel by nature and have no regard for how they might hurt another. Some people hurt others and don’t even know that they did it. Regardless of how we have been hurt, Jesus says we must forgive them in our hearts.

How do we forgive people when they have hurt us, sometimes very badly? First of all, we must seek the Lord’s forgiveness for how we have hurt Him. Every time we sin against God, we hurt Him. Sin is an affront to God’s character. It offends Him. It is saying we don’t care that it bothers God. It is defiance. So, we must first deal with how we have hurt God and seek His forgiveness. We must admit that we are guilty and are helpless to get rid of our sin without God’s help.

God’s willingness to forgive us is tied into our willingness to forgive others. It is so because a heart that is not humble and merciful enough to forgive doesn’t deserve to be forgiven. If we aren’t willing to extend love and grace to others, we can’t expect God to extend His love and grace to us. Whether or not forgiveness is asked for, we must forgive those who have wronged us.

Forgiveness is not merely an emotional act of the will, it is an act of obedience. We must be willing to let go of the pain and anguish of heart that we feel. It’s not easy, but with Christ’s help, it is doable. We must ask the Lord to help us be obedient in this and then daily act like we have forgiven. We must strive to put into practice godly love (see I Cor. 13:4-8a).

Another aspect of forgiving others is forgiving ourselves. Sometimes this is the hardest part, but if we want to really know the peace of God that comes from forgiveness, we must be willing to forgive ourselves for the wrongs we have done. We need to let go of whatever pain and harm we have caused and let the Lord lead us forward. We will never be free in our souls until we ask the Lord to help us forgive ourselves and leave those things under the blood as well.

DON'T BE A BABBLER

 

DON’T BE A BABBLER

Matt. 6:7-8 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him.” NLT

Many people like to babble on when they pray. Some don’t seem to know when or how to pray short prayers, regardless of the setting they are in. Some seem to pray long prayers to impress others. Some pray on and on as if the world depended on their prayers. Some pray on and on and don’t really say much when they pray. Effective prayers are prayers that flow from the heart to God’s heart, no matter how long or short they may be.

There are some who pray the same prayer over and over again thinking they are being heard in heaven. Repetitious prayers are usually not from the heart; they are rooted in the head. Recited prayers are nothing but empty words. They may be okay when you are a child and first learning how to pray and give thanks, but they are not okay when you grow up. When I was a child I knew I should pray and the only way I knew how to pray was to pray the prayers of childhood: “Now I lay me down to sleep……” and “Thank you, Lord, for this food……” But as I grew up I learned how to talk to God as a friend should. I discovered I can talk to Him about anything that was on my heart and mind.

God already knows exactly what we need before we even talk to Him about it. There is no sense in beating around the bush. When we babble on we often miss the whole point and forget to even talk to the Lord about our needs. The direct approach is always the right approach when we approach God. We should never hesitate to be honest with God when we pray. It is alright to tell Him what we are feeling, what we don’t understand about, what is going on in our lives, what we need answers for, etc. God already knows exactly what is going on inside of us and invites us to share them with Him.

SINCERELY PRAY

 

SINCERELY PRAY

Matt. 6:7-8 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him.” NLT

Words don’t mean much if they don’t come from the heart. We may pray and pray and pray, but if we aren’t sincerely praying from the heart, we are just making a lot of noise. We may impress other people by our praying, but our praying falls on deaf ears.

There are some people who repeat the same prayers over and over again. Some people don’t know how to pray any other words than what they have been taught. When I was a kid, “Now I lay me down to sleep…..” was a prayer I repeated over and over again. At meal time many will say a simple prayer of thanks that they say every time. Some people will repeat a certain chant they have been taught. It doesn’t matter how many times we may repeat these prayers, if they do not come from a heart connection with God, they are meaningless words that don’t reach the ears of God.

God knows our hearts before we even pray. He knows our needs and wants us to express them in words. He wants to hear the expressions of our hearts, not out mouths. For God, it’s all about relationships. He doesn’t want to be talked at; He wants to be talked to. If you find yourself praying the same prayers over and over again, you need to stop it now. You need to talk to the Lord as you do to your friends. You need to speak from your heart and not just repeat the same things over and over.

The Lord hears and answers the prayers spoken from a sincere heart.

UNSEEN PRAYING

 

UNSEEN PRAYING

Matt. 6:6 “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.”

Jesus is speaking out strongly against showing off our religion. He is making it very clear that a person of genuine faith does not need to promote it or broadcast it. Genuine faith shows naturally through the way we live and speak.

We like to be around people who really know how to pray. There is just something that seems to set them apart from us. We equate how they pray with the godliness of their hearts. What we don’t often consider is that how a person prays doesn’t always tell the true story of their heart. Just like people can imitate faith without being saved, people can imitate prayer without being right with God, or even saved.

Jesus here emphasizes the importance of private prayer. When we pray when no one is around, it is noticed by God. God hears us when we pray from a genuine heart, no matter who may, or may not, hear us when we pray. In fact, there is great value in prayer without words. We can be surrounded by a great host of people and pray without anyone knowing it. The Lord listens to the heart more than He does the words.

Words sometimes simply fail us. There are times when we don’t know what to say or how to say it. But, the Lord knows. When we lift our hearts to Him without words, He hears us and answers our prayers. Reach out to the Lord and He will reach out to you. Don’t pray to be heard by man; pray to be heard by God. If others hear you when you pray and join you as you pray, it is good. It is also good if only you and God hear you when you pray.

Praying to be heard by man are not prayers heard by God.

REGULAR PRAYING

 

REGULAR PRAYING

Matt. 6:6 “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.” NLT

This is a lesson on prayer that we dare not ignore. It is so easy to pray to impress instead of to beseech God. There is a part of us that wants to be well thought of. We want others to look at us and be impressed by how “spiritual” we are. We like to “wow” others by the way we speak and pray. Let’s be honest. It’s true, isn’t it? Some people pray more to impress others than to honestly beseech God. They turn up the passion in public that they otherwise don’t have in private.

Jesus instructs us to not pray just to be heard by others. We should be people of prayer always. We need to pray in private. There are far too few of us who get alone with the Lord to pray. Prayer should be a priority of our lives. All of us should spend time alone with the Him away from the ears of others.

The desire to pray flows from the heart. A lack of prayer in our lives indicates that we are not in a right relationship with God as we should be. You want to spend time with whom you love. If you love the Lord, you will want to spend time with Him.

We should have a daily plan to pray and to pray with a purpose. Prayer is far more than an add-on to our agendas. It is essential to our agendas. It is foolish to jump into living without first drawing from Him who lives eternally. Prayer is connecting to God. It is an act of worship that should be as natural to us as breathing air.

If you don’t get alone with the Lord on a regular basis, I encourage to change your ways right now. It is essential for spiritual health. You will never grow in your love for God without a consistent prayer life. You will never notice God working in your life if you don’t pray. You will never know the thrill of victory in Jesus without praying.

FOR GOD'S GLORY

 

FOR GOD’S GLORY

Matt. 6:1 “Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.” NLT

It seems like much of the Church has gotten pretty careless in this area. With the ready accessibility of mass media, there are so many who want to broadcast for the world to see their good deeds. There is so much self-promotion going on in the Church that one has to wonder what is really going on.

We like to be noticed and we want others to be attracted to us. We want others to want to support our endeavors. We want to be the popular church in town. We want others to know what we are doing.

In light of our verse today, I wonder what the Lord thinks about the way we do things. I wonder how many of us do things that go unnoticed. I wonder if the Lord is pleased with our doings or if He has a problem with what we do because of why we do them.

We like to be admired, but if that is what motivates us in what we do, we are in deep trouble with the Lord. The praise of man will be the only reward we get for our labors. And, if we are not careful, feasting on the praise of others may cause us to drift away from the Lord and make it difficult to find our way back.

Whatever you do in the name of Christ, be sure you do it for the Lord’s glory and honor and not your own.

UNNOTICED SERVICE

 

UNNOTICED SERVICE

Matt. 6:1 “Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.” NLT

Let’s face it, we like the attention. We like it when people take notice of the things we do. And if no one notices, we are prone to tell them what we have done. It is a battle that we constantly have to fight. It is ingrained within us to want to be noticed and recognized.

The problem we run into is that pride is what drives us to clamor for attention. We believe that we are worthy of being noticed. We believe that we are responsible for the good that we do. We want to be well thought of.

Jesus said, “Don’t do it!” He knows all about our pride issue and wants us to stay away from it. He knows that only the humble in heart can live righteous lives. Attention grabbing is sin. Wanting to be acknowledged by others at all costs is sin. When we live for the praise of man, we lose out on the praise of God. God rewards those who are not into themselves. He blesses those who do good out of love for Him. He honors those who honor Him by living for Him and not self.

Do whatever you do out of love for Christ and to bring Him honor amongst men. Do good because it is the right thing to do for Christ, whether anyone notices it or not. Let the desire to live righteously drive you, not the desire to be noticed. If you do these things, great will be your reward in heaven.

JUST GET ALONG

 

JUST GET ALONG

Matt. 5:23-24 “So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” NLT

How we get along with others does matter to God. When we have unresolved issues with one another and seek to approach God, we are going to have problems. God requires us to live in peace with one another as much as possible. Our responsibility is not how others will respond to us, but how we respond to them. Sometimes peace simply is not going to happen because of the attitude of another, but we must have the right attitude if we are going to have an audience with God.

Many times we try to move on from a broken relationship and bury our feelings under our living. Instead of seeking reconciliation, we strive to keep busy. It is fairly easy to do when we are serving the Lord. We soon forget the painful feelings. Whether we are the cause of the pain or the other person is, they are soon forgotten.

But, the Lord doesn’t let us off the hook that easy. He knows whether or not we sincerely tried to be reconciled. If we haven’t, He brings it back up so that it can be dealt with. It does no good to ignore God’s prodding. In fact, He tells us plainly that when He reminds us of our broken fellowship, we are to go to that person and seek peace before God will accept our worship of Him.

Is there some broken relationship that you need to try to mend today? You will never be right with God until you seek the person out and try to be reconciled. It won’t be easy to humble yourself and try to mend the fences, but it will be so worth it. Ask the Lord to help you do it and He will. The only thing that can stop you is you.

A HEART FOR WORSHIP

 

A PURE HEART FOR WORSHIP

Matt. 5:23-24 “So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” NLT

There is a very important spiritual principle here that we dare not overlook. The Lord requires of us a pure heart in worship. We cannot have a proper relationship with Him when we are not right with each other. Broken relationships that are not mended scar our hearts. They prevent us from having a pure connection with God. The Lord requires us to be reconciled with those whom we have a problem with before we present ourselves to Him.

There are relationships that simply cannot be fixed. I understand that. However, that doesn’t mean that we are off the hook from at least trying to mend them. We are to live as far as it is possible within us at peace with all men.

Broken relationships leave a bitter taste in our mouths. When we are out of sorts with others, we are out of sorts with the Lord. We can bury our feelings to some extent, but they never go away. They are debris that clutters up the soul. And the Lord will not let us harbor ill feelings and be right with Him.

Do you have fences that need mended? Is there anyone in your life that you are out of sorts with? The Lord requires you to seek reconciliation before you present yourself to Him in worship and service. It’s not an easy thing to do, but you must try if you are going to be right with God. If your attempts at reconciliation fail, at least you tried and you can approach the Lord with peace and confidence. If you are successful, then the door is opened for renewed fellowship with both God and man.

Is there someone you need to talk to today?

ROCONCILIATION THEN PRAY

 

RECONCILIATION THEN PRAY

Matt. 5:21-24 “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” NLT

The thought that really jumps out at me is that of being reconciled with others before we approach God in worship and prayer. There is no way that we can live at peace with everyone. There are simply some people who will refuse to let things go and live in peace. The Lord is not saying that we must first resolve all human conflict before we can approach Him.

What He is saying is that we must not harbor anger or sinful thoughts towards others in our hearts. We must be willing to let go of the hurts others have caused us and forgive them without reservation. We can’t control the emotions or thoughts of others, but we can control our own. God will not let us draw near to Him if we bring sinful thoughts or emotions with us. We must first approach Him by way of the cross and seek the forgiveness of Christ. Also, if the problem is us, we must not only ask the Lord to forgive us, we must go to the person we have hurt and seek their forgiveness.

One of the reasons why so many prayers go unanswered and peace eludes us is that we don’t obey the Lord in this. The Lord expects His children to get along. If they have personality clashes, they must learn how to live with each other in a civil and God-honoring way. We may not be the best of friends with everyone, but in Christ we are kinfolk. We must learn the language of love. We must not let our differences alienate us and keep us from sharing the love of Christ together.

Like any good parent, God will not tolerate uncivil behavior amongst His children. They must learn how to iron out their differences and live in peace with one another. Our peace is at stake—our peace with each other and our peace with God.

LAW FULFILLED

 

LAW FULFILLED

Matt. 5:17-18 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose is achieved.” NLT

Keeping the law of God has created all kinds of confusion in the Church. There are some who insist on living by the letter of the law. There are some who want to discard the law altogether. And there are those who are somewhere in-between. How do we resolve this issue that so often divides the Church?

Much of our confusion stems from the fact that we don’t properly understand the relationship that the law has with grace. The law was given to show us our need for grace. In the law we discover that we are all sinners and that we cannot be good enough to save our souls. It is impossible for anyone to live totally obediently to the law. We all fall short and the sooner that we admit it, the better off we will be.

Grace is God doing something to help us meet the demands of the law. We are saved by grace, not by keeping the law. There is saving merit only in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, not in the law. The law shows us what holy living is like, and Christ makes living holy lives possible.

The law is very useful for showing us how God expects us to live. The standards of God are high and unattainable without Christ living in us. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit after He went back to heaven to guide us, instruct us, and enable us to live holy lives. He helps us to be able to apply the law to daily living. Christ met the demands of the law and now He is with us to live by it without the bondage and condemnation it brings to those who fail to live by it.

You will never get to heaven on the shirttail of the law. Jesus is the only one who can get us into heaven. There is no alternative to repentance. Live in Christ and you will meet all the demands of the law for holiness and you will make it to heaven when you die.

HIDE IT UNDER A BUSHEL, NO!

 

HIDE IT UNDER A BUSHEL, NO!

Matt. 5:15-16 “Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” NLT

It cannot be done. If there is light, it will shine and others will see it. By the very nature of its existence, light is seen. The issue is not whether or not it will be seen; it’s where it will be seen and by whom.

A light that shines only in one’s house only benefits those in the house. Outside of the influence of the light there is darkness. We, who are in Christ, are lights in the world. So, we must consider where we are letting our lights shine.

In order for light to be effective it has to shine in the darkness. We need to take our faith out of the church and into the world. We must shine in the workplace, in the coffee shops, in the businesses we frequent, in the places we go for entertainment, in the homes of our friends, and wherever we may go. A light that is turned off does no good at all. It is Christ who gives us light and if we are living in Him, we cannot turn Him off. If we are not letting our lights shine, we are in essence saying that we are ashamed of our Lord and being identified as one of His.

The same thing holds true for what we do. Our deeds reflect our faith. It should be obvious to all by the things we do that we belong to Christ. Our actions often speak a whole lot louder than our words. We should be seeking to honor and bring glory to the Lord in all we do in the world.

Our witness and our works reflect Christ in us. They do honor Christ amongst men. They inspire others to look to Christ who is the source of our lives. When we let our lights shine in the world, God is praised in heaven and on earth.

LIGHT UP THE DARKNESS

 

LIGHT UP THE DARKNESS

Matt. 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world---like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” NLT

No matter how strong of a light you may have, if you don’t turn it on, it won’t shed any light. A light source is dark until it is turned on. No one benefits from a light that is not lit. A dimmed light may be useful, but it has very little real impact on the world around it. The stronger the light, the more useful and valuable the light will be. If the light does not shine, no one will be able to see where they are going. A light that shines is easily seen by those in the darkness.

We are the light of the world. If we are not good sources of light, the world will continue to stumble around in darkness. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we can ruin our effectiveness as light sources. The world depends on us to show them the way out of their darkness. Are you a good source of light? Are you letting your light shine in the world? One of the ways we can do it is through the good that we do in life. Our actions often speak louder than our words. We show the world what difference Christ makes in human life by the things we do. We live out love and godliness in all things. There is no separation between what we say and what we do at work, home, play, or church.

Let your light shine for the glory of Christ our Lord. In order to do that, we must keep close to Christ, who is the source of our light. We must stay in constant touch with Him through the Word of God, in our prayer closet, and in the church fellowship. We must never neglect our salvation or take it for granted. If we wander away from Christ, our light will dim or even go out.

Those in the darkness have no excuse if they choose to remain in the darkness instead of following the light shining to help bring them out.

CHRIST HIDDEN IN YOU?

 

CHRIST HIDDEN IN YOU?

Matt. 5:15-16 “Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” NLT

Don’t do it. Don’t keep Christ hidden in you. Don’t compartmentalize your faith. Let Christ be seen in you all day long every day of your life. Let all see Christ in you. May all who know you and see you in action be moved to praise the Lord because of His presence in you.

Now, I know the world will not praise God for Christ in you. In fact, most will rebel against you and even reject you because of your faith. The world does not want to see Christ. They are in denial about Him and if they could, they would totally wipe out His presence in the world. The world may not take kindly to your faith, but one thing they should never be able to do is to deny the fact that you are different because Christ is in you.

Let your deeds proclaim Christ in you. You can make a difference in the world by simply letting Christ be seen in you. Your deeds will not go unnoticed. People may deny what you proclaim, but they can’t deny the good that you do. Whatever you do in Jesus’ name is noted by God and recorded in heaven. He is a rewarder of all those who do good through Christ.

If no one knows you are a believer by the way you live and talk, then you need to reexamine your faith; something is amiss. You cannot hide Christ in you. His glory outshines the sun and His glory resides in you.

Is Christ in you? If He is, you cannot blend into the world and go unnoticed. The natural thing for a light to do is shine, dispelling the darkness around it. Stand out from the crowd, do good, and you will make a difference in the world for Christ.

SALTLESS SALT

 

SALTLESS SALT

Matt. 5:13-14 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world---like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.” NLT

Jesus is making a declaration here that we must not take lightly. There are many things we can say about salt and how it would apply to our spiritual lives, but that is not what I want us to dwell on at this time. Salt is good until it loses its flavor. When it loses its saltiness, it’s good for nothing and must be thrown away. It makes us stop and think about ourselves. If we lose our godliness, what good are we to the Lord? If we wander away from the Lord and live in sin instead of godliness, are we so secure in Christ that we can guarantee that He would never cast us aside? It should cause us to at least pause and consider the application here. It should cause us to consider carefully how we are living in Christ.

Jesus is saying that if we are indeed in Him, we will shine in the darkness so all can see Christ in us. We cannot keep our faith under wrap. Christ is seen in the way we live and talk. We stand out in the world. Christ cannot be hidden in us.

Are you living in Christ for the entire world to see that Christ lives in you? Is it obvious to all that you are a child of God? Are you living an attractive life for Christ? It seems to me that Jesus is saying there is grave danger for our souls if we aren’t.

I challenge you to make a renewed commitment to Him today.

SALT OF THE WORLD

 

SALT OF THE WORLD

Matt. 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.” NLT

Salt is useful for a lot of things. It adds flavor to otherwise bland food. It preserves food from spoilage. It creates a thirst in us for water that we need to sustain life. It can also aide in healing when the body is injured (However, when salt is put on an open sore, it burns. The pain is real, but in the end the pain goes away, and the wound is healed.). In some cultures salt is deemed to be so valuable that it is used as a form of currency. It also is used to cure things. However, if too much salt is used, it can ruin things as well.

The body of Christ is the salt of the earth. When we are functioning properly, we have a huge impact on the world. When we quit acting like Christians and blend in with the world, we lose our saltiness. We no longer are of any eternal value to the world. Once we lose our ability to be salt, we become of no good at all to the cause of Christ. We need to be careful so that we don’t lose our saltiness.

By the way, salt left in the saltshaker is no good either. We may be the best salt in the whole world, but if we don’t get out of the shaker and get into the world, we are no good at all. The Lord sends us out into the world, not into our holy huddles. Food does not enter into the saltshaker to be salted.

Salt can be ruined if it is not properly cared for. If you water it down, you can no longer use it. If you let it get contaminated by foreign objects, it loses its natural qualities. We must be careful that we protect ourselves from those things which might contaminate us and render us useless.

Salt is a wonderful thing, if it is used for its intended purposes and in the right amount. Be who God created you to be, the salt in your world.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Matt. 5:13-14 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world---like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.” NLT

These two verses make it clear that God does not accept those who are not who they are called to be in Christ. We are salt and light in the world and when we don’t have an impact on the world or let the world see Christ in us, we are good for nothing as far as God is concerned.

This should be a sobering truth to us. We have to look at ourselves and examine whether or not we are making any difference at all in the world for Christ. Some are doing many great things for Him and others appear to do nothing at all. While it is a losing proposition to compare ourselves to others and what they are doing, we must be doing what we can for the sake of Christ. No one will get by with doing nothing. We are created in Christ Jesus to be productive. Faith that is not making a difference in the world is dead.

Faith that is real is seen. We shine in different ways and with different degrees of intensity, but if we are living in Christ, we do shine. Other believers should be able to see Christ shining in us and the world should be able to see it as well. Lights are useless and soon gotten rid of if they don’t do what they are supposed to do, shine. We should be showing the way to God for all to see.

Look at yourself. Are you having an impact on the world for Christ? Can others easily see Christ in you? Are you showing others the way to God by the way you live and talk? God will not embrace you as His own if you are not living out your faith in the world in which you live.

WHAT YOU CAN BE

 

WHAT YOU CAN BE

Matt. 4:18-20 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out to them, “Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and went with him. NLT

What strikes me in these verses is that Jesus knew the potential in Peter and Andrew. They were fishermen by trade, but they were far more than that in the Lord’s sight. Fishing was the only thing that they had ever known. They undoubtedly came from a long line of fishermen. There was nothing wrong with being fishermen, but it no longer was to be what they were to do. The Lord had other plans for their lives.

We are not told, but it seems only reasonable to assume that they weren’t the only fishermen out in that part of the sea that day. But, they were the ones the Lord chose to call. He knew things about them that no one else knew; He knew their hearts. He knew that they were humble men, open to doing what God wanted them to do. We are not told how they knew that Jesus was worthy of being trusted and followed, but they knew He was. They recognized Him as being God, even though at the time they did not fully understand what that meant.

Jesus did not see them as fishermen; He saw them as servants who would one day be pillars of the early church. He did not see their limitations; He saw their potential. We can be assured that when the Lord compels us to change the course of our lives and follow Him that He knows what He is doing. The Lord knows what we are capable of, even if no one else thinks we can do it. He never makes a mistake when He gives us an assignment in life. If we are willing to give Him our all, He will do amazing things in us and through us.

SOUL FOOD

 

SOUL FOOD

Matt. 4:4 But Jesus told him: “No! The Scriptures say: ‘People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God.’” NLT

Sometimes we simply don’t get it. We are led to believe that what we need is what we find in the world to give us life and sustain it. We take great pains to be sure that we have food to keep us going. We do all that we can possibly do to provide what we believe will make us happy. We seek always to please ourselves, with little thought of there being something more. Satan knows how we are wired and tries to use it against us. Satan knew how hungry Jesus was after being on a fast for 40 days. He knew that people who are desperately hungry will do just about anything to get something to eat. He knew that he had Jesus right where he wanted Him. What he didn’t know was that Jesus knew what was far more important in life than physical comfort and satisfaction.

Life is about discovering what comes from God and feasting on it. Life is spiritual and not physical. Life is eternal and he who understands that and is committed to taking care of his soul first and foremost, will find the pleasure, comfort, and satisfaction he seeks. We need food for our bodies to sustain us, and we need food for our souls to sustain us. If we neglect either one, we will starve ourselves to death. Lack of nourishment opens the door to all kinds of sicknesses and diseases. A lack of the right kind of nourishment can be equally destructive. Be sure to take care of both your body and your soul.

Feed your soul with what it needs for growth and stability, a steady diet of the Word of God. You will never have a healthy soul without it. Daily feed on the Word of God. Eat it slowly so that you don’t miss any of its nourishment. Let it settle deep into your soul so that you can get the full benefit from it. Wash it down with prayer. Stay in close touch with the Lord daily. And, be careful so that you don’t feed your soul with stuff that is not good for it. There is much that we tend to take in that is destructive to the well-being of our souls. A consistent well-balanced and sufficient spiritual diet will make your soul healthy, wealthy, and wise.

GOD AND TEMPTATION

 

GOD AND TEMPTATION

Matt. 4:1-2 Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the Devil. For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry. NLT

Why was Jesus led out into the wilderness? He was about to endure the most intense testing of the soul man could ever imagine. Satan was going to exploit His vulnerabilities. He was going to do his very best to sidetrack Jesus so He would not fulfill His role as the promised Messiah.

Jesus had left the only dwelling place He had ever known, the dwelling place of God. He had never been anywhere but in the presence of perfect holiness. He had never been tempted with the allurements of sinful pleasure. Satan thought he could get to Jesus and he threw at Him his best shots.

Jesus spent 40 days and nights preparing himself for this day of temptation. He fasted before God and did all He could do to be ready. The spirit was willing to say no, but would His flesh endure the assault of Satan?

At the end of His time of preparation, Jesus was ready. He was fresh off of time spent with God. He had been immersed in the Word He knew so well. He had been in sweet fellowship with our Father. He was prepared for whatever Satan could throw at Him. He would not cave in.

It is imperative that we too live in a state of readiness. We stumble and fall into sin because we have not prepared our souls for the battle. We rush into our days with little time spent with the Lord. We get preoccupied with earthly things and seldom take the time to think about the Lord. We are not immersed in the Word so that we can readily bring it to mind when temptation comes. Is it any wonder that we often fall into sin?

Don’t take for granted the state of your soul. In order to be strong, you have to consistently feed it. You must linger in the Word and in the presence of the Lord. It takes time and effort, but you can do it. You must do it if you are going to live right before God.

If you try to stand up to Satan on your own, you will soon discover you are over matched. We cannot resist temptation effectively without the Lord’s help. Arm yourself with God’s Word, spend plenty of time in fellowship with Him, and you will find that you have a much greater success record than you ever had before.

PREPARED FOR TEMPTATION

 

PREPARED FOR TEMPTATION

Matt. 4:1-2 Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the Devil. For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became very hungry. NLT

Have you ever wondered why Jesus was led into the wilderness and why it is important for us to know? I believe that it was important for Jesus so that He would be properly prepared for what was to come. Jesus was about to go through the most intense period of temptation that anyone would ever know. He was going to be offered all that Satan had to offer. He was going to be tempted on the deepest levels of His soul. God knew what was ahead for Him, and so the Holy Spirit came alongside of Him and led Him to a place where He would be prepared to handle the temptations.

Often we face our temptations and fail so miserably because we are not prepared to handle them. We usually go with the flow of life and deal with things as we face them instead of taking a proactive approach and live in a state oF readiness for whatever we face. We then are blindsided and caught off guard. Instead of having our spiritual defenses in place, we are vulnerable and often fail to withstand the temptations to sin.

Being prepared means we take our relationship with God seriously. We take the time to be alone with Him and draw from Him our strength and wisdom on how to resist Satan. We arm ourselves with the Word of God so that we can refute Satan’s assault. It is what Jesus did. And when Satan tried to twist the Word to accomplish his goal, Jesus properly handled the Word and shut Satan down. It takes time and focus to be able to effectively deal with temptations with the Word of God, but it’s our only hope of being victorious.

Don’t wait until temptations strike to try and overcome them. Arm yourself well beforehand with the Word of God and fellowship with Him. You cannot defeat Satan on your own; he is far too crafty and knowledgeable. Wait on the Lord and He will renew your strength and equip your soul for what is ahead.

MORE THAN JESUS?

 

MORE THAN JESUS?

Matt. 3:10 “Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” NLT

There are many who preach and teach a fruitless Christianity. They say that how you live and what you do don’t really matter much if you accept Jesus as your Savior. They say salvation without sanctification is all that you need to get into heaven. They claim that because we have eternal life in Christ we don’t have to do much or be much in order for us to make it.

But, God’s Word speaks often of fruitful Christian living. There is a strong message from God about living holy lives and producing much good fruit. How we live and what we do does matter to God. He expects His children to live like they are His children. He holds us accountable for our sins and what we do with our salvation. Jesus emphasized over and over again the need to show through what we do the genuineness of our faith. He made a bold statement in our verse for today that anyone who is His who does not produce good fruit will be cut off from Him and thrown into the fire.

There is no such thing as a fruitless Christian and no such thing as a Christian producing bad fruit. We need to take this seriously. Living in Christ results in a life that pleases God. It draws others to God through the things we say and do. It is very dangerous thinking to say that our living doesn’t really matter once we are saved. A child of God will live like a child of God!

Be warned! If you are not producing good fruit, you will be cut off and thrown into the fire. Good fruit is godly fruit. It is not just what we do, it’s who we are. It should be evident that we are producing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) in our lives. If we are becoming a people after God’s own heart, we will back up our faith with our works. Faith without works is dead.

PRODUCE, OR ELSE

 

PRODUCE, OR ELSE

Matt. 3:10 “Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” NLT

I don’t believe that most of us really believe this is true. We live like judgment is not going to happen for a long time. There doesn’t seem to be any urgency at all about our lives. We live in the flesh with little real regard for the spiritual. We know that judgment is going to happen, but not today, not now.

There is little concern about the fruitfulness of our lives. We seem to believe that being saved is all we need to be concerned about. It is not uncommon for professing believers to live with very little, if any spiritual fruit to show for their lives. Most believers will not even reach one soul for Christ in their lifetime. There is a contentment to be pew sitters and not be doers of the Word. There is little thought given to the need to be productive servants of the Lord.

Jesus warns us in today’s verse that there is serious judgment that is going to take place for all who do not produce good fruit. Words don’t mean much if they aren’t backed up by actions. A true child of God shows it by the way life is lived. A true believer does much good and influences many people for Christ throughout his life. Christ cannot be in you without changing you and making you into an effective life witness for Him.

Are you producing good fruit, fruit that is pleasing to the Lord?

CHANGING LIVES

 

CHANGING LIVES

Matt. 3:8 “Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God.” NLT

Repentance without a change of life is merely words spoken. Actions do indeed speak louder than words. Christ in us changes us. He changes our desires from a wanting to sin to a not wanting to sin. He changes our attitudes. He changes our thought lives. He changes our priorities in life. He changes our goals for living. There is nothing about us that is not affected by Christ in us.

We all grow in faith at different paces. Some are dramatically made new at the moment of salvation. Others see a far more gradual change in their lives. Still others the process of changing is very slow, but it is steady. No matter how long it takes to change us, progress is made in a true believer’s heart. I Cor. 1:30 tells us that Christ is our wisdom from God, our righteousness, and our holiness. Therefore, we must be changing if we are living in Him. We take on His nature of righteousness and holiness. We put off the old self and take on Christ’s nature. The old passes away and all things become new.

Change should be evident to those who know us. Christ makes a noticeable difference in us. If others have to ask us if we are children of God, then something is wrong. We cannot live in the presence of God without God being seen in us.

We never stop changing and becoming as long as we live. There is a lot of work the Lord needs to do in all of us to make us holy. No one will ever achieve perfect holiness on earth. Sometimes the work He does in us is very deep and cannot be readily seen. If nothing is happening in us then we need to let the Lord re-examine our hearts and let the Lord have His way in us.

It is impossible to live in Christ without being constantly changed to become more like Christ.

LIVE WHAT YOU PROFESS

 

LIVE WHAT YOU PROFESS

Matt. 3:8 “Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God.” NLT

Many people claim to be right with God. It is not uncommon for people to identify themselves as being a Christian. There is still churches being built and filled with people who identify themselves with Christ.

Yet, evil continues to flourish. Things are getting worse, not better. It is not uncommon for all kinds of evil to be exposed. Morality is scorned by a large part of society. Theft is common and on the rise. Daily murders make the headlines. Divorce is on the rise both in and outside the Church. Internal squabbles plague the Church. Society is in a real mess, in spite of the claims of so many to be Christians.

It’s not what we claim to be that matters; it’s who we really are that counts. Our actions speak louder than our words. If how we live doesn’t match with what we profess, we are not what we claim to be.

Living in Christ means that we have turned away from our sinful practices and are now living right with God. We no longer act and react like we used to. We no longer say things we used to say and in the way we used to say them. We no longer think like we used to think. We no longer are driven by the passions that used to drive us. We no longer live for the things we used to live for.

A true believer in Christ is changed by Christ to be a reflection of Christ in the world. Prove that you are indeed a child of God by the way you live.

GOD IS WITH US

 

GOD IS WITH US

Matt. 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).” NLT

God is with us. GOD is with us. God is WITH us. God is with US. No matter how you say it, this is the grandest news man has ever heard!

GOD is with us. The designer, creator, and sustainer of all that is, is with us. The beginning and end of all things is with us. The giver of all life and the hope of all ages is with us. He who knows all things knows us for He became one of us. He cannot be contained for all of heaven and creation are His footstool, became flesh and dwelt for a while amongst us.

God IS with us. No matter how distant God may at times seem to be, He IS with us. How can we know for sure it is true? He said it is so. He has declared that He is with us, that He will never leave or forsake us, even unto the end of the earth. He is seen and found by anyone who sincerely looks for Him, even in the worst of life’s circumstances.

God is WITH us. God did not create us and leave us to fend for ourselves. He does not reside in heaven and leave us alone. God is with us. He is with us in whatever we go through in life. He is with us to help us when we lose our way. He is with us when we are confused and frustrated. He is with us all the days of our lives, both now and forever.

God is with US. God is with us, His children. God is with all who come to Him for the forgiveness of their sins and choose to live under His authority over their lives. He has chosen US to be His children and live holy lives. Do not fear what comes your way, God is with US.

Immanuel, God with us, is heaven’s story. Embrace it. Live it and heaven will come down and glory will fill your soul.

GOOD FROM BAD

 

GOOD FROM BAD

Matt. 1:6 Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (his mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). NLT

I am so thankful today that God does not give up on us and that He brings good out of lives that are not so good. David messed up royally. He got caught up in his lust and it led to adultery and murder. He had it all, the blessings of God and the favor of man, yet it was not enough to keep him from sinning. He took his eyes off of God and let them fall on Bathsheba. What a mess he made of his life for a few fleeting moments of pleasure!

Yet, God is merciful and patient. He did not give up on David. He spoke to his heart and convicted David of his sin. David confessed his sin before God and sincerely sought God's forgiveness. It was granted to him, and God brought good out of the bad mess David had made of his life. David married Bathsheba and out of a relationship that began in adultery, a line of descendants came in which Jesus was born.

No matter what you may have done, or perhaps are now doing, God can clean up your mess and bring good out of it. He loves you and wants to bless you. Blessings flow from confession. God will not bless you as long as you harbor sin in your life. Read David's prayer of confession in Psalm 51 and make it your own. You will be glad you did.

God specializes in making good from the bad things we do when we confess our sins to Him with sincere hearts and let Him have control of us.

CHEATING GOD

 

CHEATING GOD

Mal. 3:8-10 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!” But you ask, “What do you mean? When did we cheat you?” “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!” NLT

“Should people cheat God?” Let us pause and reflect on this question. How might we cheat God? Malachi addresses the issue of tithes and offerings. God, through Malachi, challenged His people to be faithful givers to Him. He equated their disobedience in giving to their difficulties in life. He promised to bless His children if they brought to Him their tithes and offerings. There are other ways that we cheat God as well.

When we fail to acknowledge God before man, we cheat Him. When we fail to be a witness for the Lord we are depriving others of the opportunity to perhaps come to Him. We are cheating the Lord of the opportunity to speak to a person’s needs.

When we fail to give thanks and praise the Lord, we are cheating Him of the glory He so richly deserves. Others need to hear what God has done and our gratitude to Him for doing it.

When we fail to serve the Lord, we are cheating Him. God gives us gifts and talents to use to reach others with the Gospel message. He graciously blesses us to use us and when we don’t let Him use us, we are cheating Him of the glory He deserves.

When we fail to spend time alone with Him, we are cheating Him of our fellowship. The Lord longs for us to spend time alone with Him in His Word. It is there that He speaks most often to us. It is there that we learn how to live holy lives that please Him. The Lord longs for us to spend time alone waiting before Him. Prayer is a vital part of our fellowship with God and when we don’t pray, we are cheating Him of our fellowship.

Can God accuse us of cheating Him? Ask Him in what ways you have cheated Him. Wait quietly for Him to answer. Listen to what He is telling you and start now doing something about it. Perhaps you are cheating God in other ways. Let Him guide you. God wants to bless you, but when you cheat Him, you are keeping Him from doing it. Let Him have His way with you.

RETURN TO THE LORD

 

RETURN TO THE LORD

Mal. 3:6-7 “I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already completely destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my laws and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. NLT

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.” God is the same as He always has been and always will be. But, do we really believe it? Think about it for a few moments. There is so much confusion about God floating around in the church. Many have come to the conclusion that what we once believed to be true no longer is. Many have taken the liberty to redefine God’s words and given meaning to them that are totally different than what has been understood in the church for many centuries.

Many have taken the liberty to rewrite the Scriptures to suit their own agendas and opinions. There is great effort put into changing things around so that what was once known to be sin is no longer sin. Words and thoughts are put into God that were never revealed by God to be there.

God has not changed His mind or His Word! God has not rewritten His Word or given man permission to do so. God has declared once and for all what is sin and what isn’t. We have no right to question or try to change what is clearly declared to be sin in God’s Word. Just because we may find it hard to conform to its teachings does not mean that we have permission to dismiss it and try something else. The Word of God is absolute truth for all people for all time.

You will never find anything in the Word of God that is not true and applicable to life. God’s standards for holy living, His warnings against sinning, and His promises are irrevocable and unchanging. We will stand before Him and be judged on how we have lived according to His Word. God will not be mocked by those who now seek to alter or disregard the Word. We all will reap what we sow. We choose daily whether or not we will go to heaven or hell by the way we live according to God’s Word.