CHANGED HEARTS

 

CHANGED HEARTS

Rom. 2:29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God. NLT

All throughout the Scriptures we see God's special love and favor upon the Jewish people. It all began with Abraham who was found to be righteous in God's eyes because he believed and trusted in God without reservation. God honored the heart of Abraham by promising him that his descendants would inherit the Promised Land and would be so great in number that they could not be counted.

Although God made it clear that His promise was to be kept through the nation of Israel, we discover that this promise was not confined to the Jewish people. God's promise of blessing is for all whose heart is right with God. All who know Jesus as Savior are part of the fellowship of God that He had with the Jews. For in God's eyes, a Jew is one whose heart has been made righteous by the shed blood of Christ at Calvary. God promises are for all who are His children.

No one is excluded from God's promises and blessings whose heart has been changed by God's Spirit at Calvary. We are an anthem of praise that ascends unto God. His glory is seen in all who are His. He takes delight in His children and they are a living testimony of God's grace and mercy for all to see.

WHAT GOD WANTS

 

WHAT GOD WANTS

Rom. 2:18 Yes, you know what he wants; you know right from wrong because you have been taught his law. NLT

Very few people can honestly say that they have no clue as to what God wants from them. Most, if not all, people have a moral code they live by that originates in God. They know what they ought to do and what they ought not to do. Now, whether or not they do what they know is right or not is another story. Everyone makes choices of whether or not they will do what they believe to be right. God holds everyone accountable for their choices.

The more knowledge we have of God, the more responsible we are for abiding by His laws. Knowledge of God raises the bar of responsibility. No one can claim ignorance when it comes to living in obedience to righteousness. All righteousness flows from Calvary.

Jesus is our righteousness. He alone can make us acceptable to God. He alone can stand between God and man and bring us together. Jesus clearly has shown us what is right and wrong. Without His righteousness, no one will see God. Jesus is our shield from God's wrath. He makes it possible for us to be good enough to be in God's presence. But, in order for us to be found to be righteous before God, we must confess our sins to Jesus and forsake them. We must believe that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day and is now seated in heaven at God's right hand.

You know what God wants from you. He wants you to accept Christ as your Savior and live life in Him. It is what is right before God, and all who live in Christ will never go wrong. If you haven't turned to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins yet, you are making a choice right now as to whether you will or not, and God holds you accountable for your choice.

The right thing to do is to take God and your relationship with Him seriously. He commands you to be holy before Him. Nothing else will do.

LIVING FAITH

 

LIVING FAITH

Rom. 2:13 For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God’s approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God’s sight. NLT

It’s not what you know that will get you to heaven; it’s who you know. If you have been in the Church for any length of time at all, you probably get confused with this point. Christian education is very important for our spiritual direction and growth, but often times we are more focused on learning than we are on living. We can know all the right answers and still be lost. We can talk knowingly and at great length about faith, but if we are not living it ,we are nothing more than a bunch of windbags.

The Lord gives us opportunity to live so that we will put into practice what we learn. The lost world doesn’t need to know what we know; they need to know who we know and how to live in Him. God will judge us by how we live, not by how we think.

If your knowledge is not backed up by your living, you are a fool. Only the righteous in heart will see God. Only those who are living in and by faith will make it to heaven.

Biblical knowledge can be an asset and it can be a liability. It is not an end in itself; it’s merely a means to an end. Let us be careful that we don’t forget to live out what we learn. God will acknowledge only those who practice what they profess to know.

We don’t put faith in what we know. In and of itself, what we know is dead. Hell will be populated with people who know the truth but never lived it. Faith that gets us to heaven is living faith.

KNOW AND OBEY

 

KNOW AND OBEY

Rom. 2:13 For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's eyes. NLT

Most of us know enough about the Scriptures. We are exposed to them enough so that we are fairly familiar with the Gospel and how it should impact our living. The more our exposure is, the more knowledge we gain. Some of us are well-versed in the Scriptures. The problem with us is that we often confuse our knowledge of the Scriptures with our knowledge of God. We tend to rely on what we know as being our passport to heaven. We think that just because we know and understand truth that Truth lives in us. Nothing can be further from the truth than that. What makes us right with God is living the truth, not knowing it.

All knowledge is dead to our souls until Christ breathes life into us. Life is about living in relationship with Christ, not trying to figure Him out. It is about letting Him control and influence our thinking and living. Knowledge is important, but it is not an end in and of itself. Be careful that you don't fall in love with what you know instead of Who you know. Knowledge alone is deadly for the soul.

Hell will be full of people who know about God. In fact, everyone in hell will know about Him, for the Scriptures declare that every knee will bow before Him and declare that He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Yes, what you know may very well get you into hell. Be sure that you know the Lord and not just about Him.

If Jesus is not your Savior and Lord today, open up your heart to Him today. You will be glad you did both for now and all of eternity.

FROM THE HEAD TO THE HEART

 

FROM THE HEAD TO THE HEART

Rom. 2:13 For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight. NLT

Knowing and doing are two entirely different things. There are so many who were taken to Sunday School and church early in their lives who have chosen to not live what they learned. They may be able to recall and sing the songs they learned, they may be able to recite some of the more well-known Scriptures that they memorized, they may even be able to understand what it all means, yet they have chosen to not live it.

It is good that one learns the simple things of the Gospel. It is good that people have the truth ingrained within them. It is good that we know that Jesus loves us and wants to have a relationship with us, but none of it will do us any eternal good if we don't take it to heart and let Jesus be our Savior and then Lord.

What we know does not make us right with God. It may influence our lives and help us to live "good" lives, but it will not get us into heaven. God is not impressed by what we know, no matter how well we know it. He does not accept those who do not accept Him.

Only those who accept Jesus as their Savior and strive to live righteous lives will make it to heaven when they die. God declares righteous those who live righteously before Him.

We must get what we know in our heads into our hearts if we are going to have eternal life with God.

ARE YOU LISTENING?

 

ARE YOU LISTENING?

Rom. 2:5,6 But no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done. NLT

Are we listening? We better be. There is coming judgment from God for all those who do not listen to Him. God knows those who are listening and those who aren't. For those who stubbornly refuse to listen to God, certain judgment is coming.

Most people are so stubborn when it comes to the way they live life. They prefer to live in sin and its momentary pleasures than listen to God and repent. Most have no intention of changing their behavior. They would rather be a part of the crowd than stand on their own two feet and do what is right before God. Most know better, but it doesn't seem to matter to them that judgment is coming.

Because of the nature of a sin-darkened soul, most would even deny that there is coming a Judgment Day. Most don't give it a thought and live like they will live forever here on earth. If they do believe in the eternal, they figure that they have plenty of time to repent before they die, not looking at the reality that eternity is but one breath away for any of us.

Most people do not have a sense of urgency regarding their soul. Yet, God makes it very clear that there is a price to pay for living in sin. Listen to what God says before it is too late. If you don't pay attention to Him now, you will later, but then it will be too late. Now is the day of salvation. Turn to the Lord today while you can; your day of judgment may begin tomorrow.

SLOW TO JUDGE

 

SLOW TO JUDGE

Rom. 2:1 You may be saying, "What terrible people you have been talking about!" But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things. NLT

The things this verse is referring to are listed in yesterday's verses (Romans 1:28-32). The point that I want to make today is that we must be careful how we judge others. It is so easy to get on our self-righteous soapboxes and point out the sin in others. It is another story for us to look in the mirror and see our own sin. None of us is innocent when it comes to sin. We all are guilty of it and we must first look inward before we can look outward.

In God's eyes, we forfeit our right to point fingers at others when we harbor sin in our own hearts and refuse to acknowledge it or do anything about it. Repentance begins at home. We must fight the desire to be self-righteous and point the finger at others who sin. Only God has the right to judge and condemn the heart. Only God can see the heart through the lens of a holy love.

Before you judge another guilty of sin, look into your own heart with the expectation of finding something there. What sinful thoughts, attitudes, or activities do you need to confess today?

SIN ONLY GETS WORSE

 

SIN ONLY GETS WORSE

Rom. 1:28-32 When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, geed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning, and are disobedient to their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them too.

Two observations that I want us to see today: one is that when we refuse to acknowledge God we invent new ways of sinning, and the other is that people living this way do so even though they are fully aware of the fact that God's death penalty is on those who do.

The nature of sin is that it is never satisfied. In order to quench the thirst of sin, people have to continue to try and create new ways of doing it. It is a futile, hopeless, and deadly way to live, but it is inescapable for those who choose to live in sin. Things never makes things better, they only make matters worse. Sin always seeks to destroy that which God has made good.

The nature of sin is that it is not blind to the truth. A sinner may deny the truth, ignore it, and dismiss it, but he can't escape it. God makes it clear to all that sin has its consequences. No one can escape God's message that there is eternal death for those who choose to live in sin. No one has an excuse. Everyone will be held accountable for the choices he makes.

Living in sin never satisfies. It always multiplies, trying to find that elusive dream of happiness or meaning to life. Sin makes the soul miserable, and since misery loves company, it has no issue with making other people’s lives miserable as well.

SEXUAL PERVERSION

 

SEXUAL PERVERSION

Rom. 1:28 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. NLT

There is no college degree needed to understand what God is saying here. If man chooses to reject Him, His Word, and His ways, God will let him live in the filth of his sin and bear its consequences.

The world of Paul’s day was no different than ours is today. There was a blatant disregard for God and people were pursuing sinful pleasures. Immorality was common. Sexual expressions contrary to God’s design for sex were common. Homosexual activity was common. God could have prevented mankind from doing it, but He didn’t. He wants us to live within His moral boundaries out of our willful desire to please Him, not out of forced obedience.

The Lord gave us sexuality to honor Him. We honor Him as we join with Him in the process of creating life. God in His wisdom gave us desires that were to be fulfilled by the opposite sex. Our attraction to each other would aid in the bonding of the hearts into oneness and ensure that mankind would flourish. What God created for good, man in his sinfulness soon perverted.

Man soon glorified his sexuality and it became an end in itself instead of the means to an end as God designed it to be. Man pursued the pleasures it brings instead of pursuing God. Man did what was right in his own eyes and chose to dishonor God. Sin causes us to distort and pervert that which God created for good. Whenever we choose to do something contrary to God’s intended purposes, it is sin. All immoral behavior is sin. God sets the boundaries for our sexual behavior and anything outside of those boundaries is sin.

In order to honor God, we must live submissively to Him. We must live by His standards and not create our own. Great judgment will come upon all who pervert God’s laws for life and holiness.

GOD ABANDONED THEM

 

GOD ABANDONED THEM

Rom. 1:28 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. NLT

People had rejected God. They had made the choice to do what was right in their own eyes. They took the low moral road and went after the momentary pleasures of the flesh. They did not have moral boundaries in place. It got so bad that God had had it. He simply quit on them and let them live by lust. He did not send anyone to warn them of what was ahead. He no longer showed them the way of righteousness.

God does reach His limits of tolerance. He warns and instructs man over and over again and when man refuses to listen, God lets them go on to wallow in their sinful behavior. He lets them be objects of His wrath. He no longer tries to rescue them. God gives us the freedom to choose what we want to do, but what happens as a result of the choices we make is on our souls.

All homosexual activity is sin. You may or may not agree with me, but God said it and I believe it. God makes it clear that those who participate in homosexuality or any other type of immoral behavior, are sinning against Him and will face the consequences. No amount of political correctness or popular opinion are going to change the facts. Everyone will stand before God and He will judge the soul based on Christ's righteousness and His Word.

You cannot be right with God and live immorally before Him. If you have a problem with that, argue with God about it. God abandons those who live immorally. It is true of us as individuals and us as a society. If we don't repent and change our ways, certain judgment will soon be upon us.

CHOOSING TO NOT BELIEVE

 

CHOOSING TO NOT BELIEVE

Rom. 1:25 Instead of believing what they knew was true about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen. NLT

We choose what we believe in and live by. Even though God has made himself clearly known for all to see and believe in Him, most people ignore what they know to be true. They choose to believe the lies of Satan because then they don’t have to change. They would rather live without Christ than with Christ because they don’t believe Christ can really do anything for them. They believe that the offerings of the world are far better than anything the Lord can offer them. They choose to devote themselves to the things of the earth rather than the things of heaven.

When we choose to live without Christ, we rob ourselves of the joy of living. Any joy that sin may bring us is only for the moment. The need for enjoyment is never satisfied and one keeps chasing after the next thing that brings joy to life. There is never a deep and abiding peace that comes from knowing the satisfaction that Christ gives through the forgiveness of sin.

We make choices every day that affect the soul. We either protect our souls from the lies of Satan, or we choose to fall prey to them. We choose what we believe about God. No one is forced to believe in Him. He has given ample reason to everyone to believe in Him. No one has an excuse for rejecting the witness of God about himself and salvation.

No matter how much darkness may surround one’s life, the Light is there to be seen. God does not deny anyone access to the Light. If the heart is willing, the truth will be found. God has revealed himself as the Creator and Lord of all life.

Let us praise our Lord today for who He is and for making himself known to us that we might be saved.

CHOOSE TO BELIEVE

 

CHOOSE TO BELIEVE

Rom. 1:25 Instead of believing what they knew was true about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen. NLT

It's all about the choices we make. We choose to either believe God or we choose to believe the lies of Satan. There is no other option. We either believe God or we believe what Satan says. Period.

God has made it very clear in creation, His Word, and the lives of His children that what He says is absolute truth. Choosing to not believe it does not change it. God gives us the freedom of choice and when one deliberately chooses to believe in Satan's lies, he falls quickly into a very deep sin pit. Instead of worshiping God, he worships the things God has created or provided for him. Believing lies, he lives without hope beyond what this world has to offer. He forever searches for peace that never comes. He never finds satisfaction that his soul needs and craves.

There is no room in the soul for anyone but God. He will not tolerate a crowded soul. We either let Him live in us and rule us, or we let sin invade and infest the soul and keep us away from God. God will not stay where He is not wanted. And, God will not stay when He is treated as a second-class citizen, one who really is not important to us.

Satan wants us to believe that God doesn't have to be the all-consuming presence in our lives. He wants us to believe that there is room in our souls for God and the world. He wants us to believe that God is not a jealous god and that He will put up with our divided loyalties. Satan is a liar. God will not be mocked. He is either our Lord and Savior or He isn't. If He is, then He will have rule over all our soul and not just what we want to give Him.

 

GOD IS EASILY SEEN

Rom. 1:20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities----his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. NLT

Modern day astronomers have been telling us that there are approximately 100 trillion stars in the universe. Now they are saying that they are wrong. Recent observations have led them to believe there are instead around 300 trillion stars in the universe. It was noted that if you were to count the cells in every one of the 6 billion people on earth, you would have approximately 300 trillion cells. God is constantly giving us new information about the life He created. How can you account for the existence of 300 trillion stars apart from God? How can you logically think that by mere chance all 300 trillion of them found their place in the universe and stayed there on their own? How is it possible for there to be so much of existing matter out there for anyone to reasonably deny that there is a Creator who caused it all? On top of that, marine biologists are discovering new life all the time in the depths of the ocean. Life that just happened to be there????

God has clearly made himself known to man. He has shown us His mind in all He has created. He has shown us His nature by what He has created. He has shown us His external power through all that exists, and He has shown His internal power through all who believe. You cannot dismiss the changes that take place in the human heart of those who believe and accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord. There is no explanation as to how the worst of us can become the best of us, other than it is an act of God. There are multitudes of programs and material written to try and help people to change their behavior and ways of thinking. Yet, the only real lasting change comes through faith in Christ. He alone can change us from the inside out.

When you observe the evidence, no one has an excuse for not believing in God and knowing Him. God has put everything together the way He did so that there is no mistaking that He did it. He created things in such a way that no one can ever duplicate it. He created things big and small in such a wide variety and interdependently that any reasonable person would know that God did it.

From creation alone no one has an excuse for not believing in God. To not believe is a willful choice and puts the person at odds with God and accountable to Him.

GOD'S ANGER

 

GOD’S ANGER

Rom. 1:18-19 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. NLT

There is certain judgment against those who push God away, who refuse to let Him have a place in their hearts. God will not mess around with people. He has given us ample awareness of who He is and what He wants from us. There is an enormous price to pay for rejecting the Lord.

The truth of God is known instinctively by man. God has written plainly for everyone to see that He is God. It is written in all of creation. He has raised up a witness for Him all over the world. He has given each of us a consciousness about right and wrong. There simply is no escaping the fact that man has ample opportunity to know about God. He has also made it possible for everyone to know Him on a personal level through the many witnesses He has raised up to tell people about how to do it.

Sin has certainly distorted God’s witness and so blinded many that they no longer see God. However, God can be found by anyone who sincerely wants to find Him. It is not impossible for anyone to be saved. God wants man to come to Him. All we have to do is follow the signs of life that lead us to Him.

God’s anger is justified and it will be satisfied. All who push Him away will answer to Him for it. There is no one who will not stand before God and be judged for what they have done with the knowledge He placed in their heart. We are held accountable for the knowledge we have of Him. No one will be able to resist or stand up against God’s anger. Don’t mess with God; you will lose your soul if you do.

SIN'S SERIOUSNESS

 

SIN’S SERIOUSNESS

Rom. 1:18-19 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. NLT

We say we believe this, but I do wonder if we really do. Our actions often betray our beliefs. Think about it. We are often far more sin tolerant than we should be. We excuse sin far too easily, both in ourselves and in others. We act as if sin is not that big of a deal. We act as if God will not judge us for our sins.

Yet, the Scriptures clearly teach us that sin is taken very seriously by God. It pushes us away from God. God will never tolerate sin in His presence. When we sin, we alienate ourselves from God and we stay alienated until we confess our sins to Jesus and seek His forgiveness.

Sin left unattended will fester and grow in us. It is like cancer, and it will make us an evil and wicked people. We cannot stop sin from growing in us on our own. We must have Christ's help. Without Christ's righteousness, we are helpless sinners.

Do not believe the lie that sin does not matter. God will show His anger from heaven against all who sin against Him. The day is coming in which the full fury of God's wrath will be released on earth. Jesus is coming to take the Church out of the world and when that happens, there will be nothing to restrain sin. Things will get very ugly very fast. Don't mess around with sin. When we confess our sins to the Lord, He will faithfully forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Sin will not go away on its own. We need Jesus.

God has made sure that we can't plead ignorance. He has placed within us a sin sensitivity. We know what is right and wrong and no one can claim innocence because they didn't know they were a sinner. God will hold each of us accountable for the knowledge that we have and what we do with it.

CHRIST IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

CHRIST IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

Rom. 1:17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." NLT

We tend to get this verse wrong. We start out on our journey with God by faith, but then we get the idea that we have to take over and work our way into heaven from there. We tend to want to make ourselves righteous instead of trusting Christ to be our righteousness. The Good News makes it clear that it is God who makes us righteous, not ourselves.

Salvation is proven by our works, but it is never achieved by our works. Christ alone is our righteousness. He alone can make us pure in heart and keep us pure. He alone will get us to heaven. The sooner we believe and accept it, the sooner we will live in victory and peace.

When we try so hard to be pure before God on our own, we struggle mightily. We are weak in the flesh and cannot overcome sin without Christ's help, no matter how hard we try. We are no match for Satan or his demonic forces. We can live in victory when we live and trust in He who has overcome Satan. Only in Christ are we able to relax and live in peace. It is by faith alone that we receive eternal life, and it is by faith that we will see our faith give way to sight in heaven. From start to finish, we are righteous before God in Christ alone.

ASHAMED?

 

ASHAMED?

Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes---Jews first and also Gentiles. NLT

Are you ashamed of the Good News? Before you answer that, think about it for a moment. How well do you show Christ in you? How well do you share the Good News with others? When was the last time you actually talked about your faith with someone? Do the people in your life know you go to church and are a part of the life of the church? Do you make your commitment to Christ and His Church more important than all the other commitments in your life? Does admitting you are a Christian embarrass you or make you uncomfortable when you are not surrounded by other Christians?

Good New! You have within you the power of God, and it is at work in you! You are not the same person as you once were because God has the power to change you. You do not have the same goals in life because the power of God has changed your way of thinking as to what life really is all about. You are not wandering around aimlessly through life because the power of God has given you a reason to live and a reason to die. The power of God is actively at work saving and transforming your life for the glory of Christ.

As a child of God you are part of the Kingdom of God, and it will never die or be defeated. You belong to He who has overcome the world. You belong to the Ruler of the universe! Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is the great, I AM. He is the source of all life. He is the reason life exists and is the reason why all who believe in Him will never die. If you are not ashamed to admit that you are a part of His family, let your life show it. Let all who will listen hear you say it. Let your words and your actions let all in your world know that Jesus is Savior and Lord.

A LOVING HEART

 

A LOVING HEART

Rom. 1:11 For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. NLT

I admire the heart of the Apostle Paul. As he thought of the church at Rome and wrote this letter, his longing was to visit them so that he could share with them a spiritual blessing. He wanted to help them on their journey of faith. He wanted to help them understand better the ways of God so that they would grow strong in the Lord.

The Church would be in much better shape than she is today if this would be the heart of every church leader. In fact, if we all had the same spirit, most of the problems in the Church would not exist. We should desire for one another spiritual growth. The longing of our hearts should be to help each other in our spiritual journey.

In order for us to have such a heart of love, we need to be a people of grace. We need to not let our hang ups with one another drive a wedge between us. We need to be able to overlook our differences for our mutual good. We need to be quick to forgive and strive to forget the things that upset us. We need to stay focused on Christ as the head of the Church and quit trying to be the head ourselves. We need to quit competing with one another for souls; instead, we should work together to reach the lost. We should refuse to play the comparison game; instead, we should fulfill our mandate to be the church for those God entrusts us with.

In order to have such a heart, we need to take care of our own souls. We need to seriously develop within us hearts of righteousness. We need to never stop growing in our faith. We need to never stop learning how to better live in and for Christ. We, nor the Church, will ever get any better than we are until we do.

NOW, NOT LATER

 

NOW, NOT LATER

Acts 24:25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified. "Go away for now," he replied. "When it is more convenient, I'll call for you again." NLT

The Apostle Paul was making his defense before Felix and the Roman counsel. He spoke clearly of life and the hand of God in it. He shared what the Lord had done in his life and how those who were against him were defying God's obvious witness. Paul gave a very clear message on the righteousness and self-control only found in the living Christ. He warned those in attendance of God's impending judgment.

Felix took to heart what Paul said and it terrified him. He knew enough about what Paul was saying to know that it was all true. He also knew that his own heart was not right with God. The Holy Spirit had gotten to him and he was very troubled. Like the Gospel song puts it so well, "Almost persuaded now to believe; almost persuaded Christ to receive."

Yet Felix did not embrace Christ. He put it off for some more convenient day. I remember what it was like being in Felix's shoes. I did not always respond to the urging of the Holy Spirit. I, too, believed but wanted to commit myself to the Lord when it was more convenient for me to do so.

We are not told if Felix ever had another opportunity to be saved. I hope he did, but the chances are good that he probably didn't. Or, if he did, the chances are good that he did not sense the urging of the Spirit again like he did that day.

We don't know how long we will live. We don't know how many more opportunities we will have in life to come to the Lord. We don't know if we will ever again feel the persuasive voice of God calling us into fellowship with Him. If you do not know Jesus as your Savior, accept Him now. Some more convenient day may never come for you. Today is the day of salvation. Don't let it pass you by. Hell will be full of almost believers.

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

 

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Acts 20:28 “And now beware! Be sure that you feed and shepherd God's flock--his church, purchased with his blood--over whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.” NLT

Paul was giving his farewell address to the elders of the church at Ephesus. He had spent considerable time at the church preaching, teaching and disciple making. He had poured his heart into the church and knew that this was going to be the last time he would be with them. He had a deep love for the church and wanted them to do things the right way.

Paul knew that without strong leadership there was the danger of the church slipping backwards. He warned the church elders to do their job, to feed and shepherd the flock. No church will stay on track with the Lord and have an impact on her community without proper nourishment and guidance. Every church needs leaders who take serving the Lord seriously, who take their faith seriously.

Paul reminded them that the church was not theirs. Jesus purchased the Church with His shed blood at Calvary. Jesus alone is the head of the Church. No one individual or group of individuals run the Church. When man takes over the controls of the church, bad things happen. There is the danger of false teaching taking root. There is a huge pride issue amongst the leadership. There are power issues. There is the danger of controlling who may, or may not, serve in the church beyond what the Scriptures teach.

Paul also reminded them that their roles as leaders in the church was by God's appointment and not men. If church leadership is determined by any other way, problems generally arise. Church leaders should only be approved after waiting on the Lord. There should be adequate time for the church to discuss and pray over potential leaders. There should be clear guidelines and expectations spelled out. No one should be allowed to serve in leadership in the church who is not spiritually qualified to do so. When we do things God's way, good things happen.

Let God’s Word guide us when we select leaders in the church and when we decide whether or not we should be a leader in the church. God gave us clear guidance in this area because He knew what sinful man was capable of and the damage that can be done in a church where ungodly men rule.

DOING GOD'S WILL

 

DOING GOD’S WILL

Acts 20:24 But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love. NLT

I really like this statement by the Apostle Paul. It is a real challenge to me. Do I really consider my life to be worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work God has assigned to me? I have always lived my life striving to do what God has given me to do ever since I gave Him all of my heart. For me, life simply is not worth it if I am not doing with it what God wants for it.

In order for this statement to be true of any heart, we must first know what it is that God wants us to do with our lives. I have heard so many people over the years who never have seemed to have settled this issue for their lives. It's really not too hard to know what God wants you to do. It begins with a fully surrendered heart before Him.

A fully surrender heart is one who holds nothing back from the Lord. It is one who sees himself as God's and not his own. It is one who is willing to do anything or go anywhere the Lord wants him to do with no strings attached. Anything short of a fully surrendered heart and it becomes very difficult to discern God's will for one's life.

The main thing we are all called to do is to tell others the Good News about God's kindness and love. The means to do that will vary, but the mandate is the same. We are to tell others about God's love and saving grace. Each of us has a mandate from God to be His ambassadors. We are expected by God to let our lights shine in the world and to influence the world for Christ. If you are not doing that, you are living in disobedience to God; you are not doing His will for you. Make the most out of your life and make it count. Do all that the Lord has given you to do, be a voice for Him in the world.

NO MATTER THE COST

 

NO MATTER THE COST

Acts 20:22-24 "And now I am going to Jerusalem, drawn there irresistibly by the Holy Spirit, not knowing what awaits me except that the Holy Spirit has told me in city after city jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus---the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love." NLT

Paul was saying his goodbyes to the elders of the church in Ephesus. He knew that this would be the last time he would see them on earth. He knew that what lied ahead of him in Jerusalem was not going to be good for him. But, he also knew that God was leading him there. Paul understood the dangers and they did not bother him. He valued the opportunities to be a witness for Christ more than he did life itself.

We fight for life. We do everything we possibly can do to make sure we can still live. We don't want to die and often fear it. We associate death with the end of all living instead of its beginning. We don't want to let go of what we know and enter into the unknown. However, Paul had a different perspective on things.

Paul understood that death was a steppingstone to life. He knew that on the other side of life lived Christ and all who die in the faith. He did not fear death; rather, he welcomed it. Far more important to Paul was seizing the opportunities he had to serve the Lord by telling others about Him. He was far more interested in living each moment for Christ than dwelling on his uncertain future on earth.

Are you more concerned about your dying than you are your living? Don't squander your life away worrying about when you may die. Instead, serve the Lord. Occupy your mind with the things of God and you won't have time to dwell on that which may frighten you. There is so much that you can do for the Lord. Don't waste your time on those things beyond your control. Treat each day as the Lord's Day and serve Him well. If you do, there will be peace in the valley of the shadows of death for you.

For the child of God, we die to live and live to die. We understand that on the other side of death lies eternal life with our Lord. So, no matter what it may cost you in this life, live for Jesus. It will be worth it all when we see Him face-to-face.

HE CHANGED ME!

 

HE CHANGED ME!

Acts 20:24 But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love. NLT

The Apostle Paul understood what life was all about. For him, the only thing that mattered was his telling others about Jesus. He had to do other things, but everything revolved around his passion for Christ. Paul was so passionate about Christ because he knew from personal experience what life was like without Christ and what a difference Jesus had made in him. The difference was so profound and deep that he couldn’t do anything else with his life.

I wonder if one of the reasons why so many of us are not equally driven to tell others about Christ is because we haven’t had the life-changing experience Paul had. Paul was shaken to the very core of his being by Christ. The Lord changed him from being a self-driven, passionate hater of the Church religious zeolot steeped in tradition, to a Christ-driven lover of the Church. Paul was not the same man after his encounter with Christ. He thought differently about things and he acted differently.

For far too many of us, we don’t think or act too much differently after we accept Christ as our Savior as we did before we met Him. We seem to be content to go on doing what we want to do. We don’t want to consider doing anything radically different. We don’t have the passion that Paul had for Christ or the lost who need to know Him. Why? How can we say Jesus is our Savior and Lord when nothing much has changed in us?

We need to learn to appreciate what the Lord has and is doing in us. We need to capture the wonder of His touch. We need to think more about the difference Christ does make in our lives. We need to let go of our hold on us and let the Lord take control. We need to get serious about what it means to have Jesus in our hearts.

Jesus does radically change us. He cannot be in us and not change us. He never quits changing us. He changes us and gives us a deep passion for those who don’t have the same heart for Him as we do. Sharing our faith with others becomes the driving force in all of our living. Let Jesus have His way with you and “He changed me!” will be your rallying cry.

THINK FOR YOURSELF

 

THINK FOR YOURSELF

Acts 17:11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth. NLT

Wait a minute. The people of Berea searched the Scriptures to check up on Paul and Silas to make sure they were telling it like it is? Paul, the pillar of the church and author of much of the New Testament??? Why would anyone question Paul and Silas?

It makes no difference who we are; we are all capable of err in our thinking and teaching. No one is so spiritually-minded that they can't mess up in their interpretation of the Scriptures. No matter how educated a person may be, how long they have been a Christian, or what they may have accomplished for Christ, he is capable of err.

The Scriptures are our sole authority for life and practice. What we read and hear must be evaluated in light of the Scriptures. Do not accept anything as being true until you evaluate it in light of what God says in His Word. Think for yourself over the Word, and if what you read and hear ring true, then learn from it and seek to apply it to life.

One of the church's biggest problems is that we are not well-grounded in the Scriptures. We don't often think for ourselves about what the Scriptures say. We let others do our thinking for us. You will never grow spiritually until you examine the Scriptures for yourself and let the Lord speak to you from it. Besides, we remember best what we discover to be true from our own study and meditations.

May the Lord bless you as you study the Scriptures for yourself so that you will be a workman that needs not to be ashamed.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Acts 17:11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth. NLT

As a preacher this verse has always been a challenge for me. I want people who listen to me and read what I write to always evaluate what comes out of me in light of what the Scriptures teach.

It is easy to let others do the thinking for us. It is easy to believe what someone says just because they are supposed to know what they are talking about. It is easy to believe someone because of who they are in the world. It's easy to believe those who speak eloquently. It is easy to believe those who use the Scriptures to make their points.

Yet, we should never accept what we hear and read unless it is backed up by the Word of God. We should do our own studying and thinking of the Word. We must be careful as well that we don't take things out of context when we do our studying. Scripture always backs up Scripture. If the rest of the Scriptures do not support our conclusions, then we need to change our thinking.

Like the Bereans, we need to have open minds. We need to always be willing to change our understanding if the Spirit of God gives us new insight and greater understanding. We must always read the Word with an attitude of learning what God is saying. We also must not accept what someone says if it is not supported by the Word of God. A wrong interpretation of the Word is false teaching and must be rejected and corrected when it is brought to light.

IN TUNE WITH GOD

 

IN TUNE WITH GOD

Acts 16:6-7 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had told them to go into the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not let them go. NLT

Paul and Silas were on the road serving the Lord. They were going from place to place preaching and teaching the Word. They were doing it because the Lord had clearly shown them that they were to do it. They went where they knew the Spirit was leading them to go.

It is important that in our service to the Lord that we remain sensitive to the voice of God so that we will be in the right place doing the right thing at the right time. So often, we plunge ahead like a bull in the China closet. We often make the decision as to where we will be and what we will be doing. I suspect that there are far too many people in the Church who are busy doing the work of the Lord without being sent by the Lord to do it. Are you sure that what you are doing is the Lord's leading on your life and not your own?

Paul and Silas were so in tune with the Spirit that when He prevented them from going where the Lord didn't want them to go, they recognized it and didn't go.

It is important that we don't force doors open that the Lord has shut. There are good reasons why sometimes the Lord says no. We must be humble and wise enough to listen to God's nos. Far too often we stubbornly push our way ahead. The result always is that we hinder or damage the cause of Christ.

Are you doing what the Lord wants you to do, or are you doing what you want to do and then expect Him to put His stamp of approval on it? Only when we align ourselves up with God's will are we able to be whom He wants and needs us to be in His work on earth.

SPEAK FROM THE HEART

 

SPEAK FROM THE HEART

Acts 11:15 "Well, I began telling them the Good News, but just as I was getting started, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning." NLT

Here Peter was in Cornelius' house. Everyone there had been waiting for Peter to arrive. They were waiting to hear the Word of God from Peter. Before Peter got into the Word, he shared with them his personal testimony of how God had spoken to him in a vision. Peter's personal testimony was enough. He barely got started sharing the Good News and the Spirit of God came upon those gathered and overpowered them.

I wonder what it would have been like to be in a service like that. The people were ready and waiting to hear from God. They were focused on the message and not the messenger. They did not want to be entertained, they wanted to hear from God. I wonder, what would be different in our churches today if everyone were to be as anxious to hear from God as Cornelius and his family were?

Sometimes our personal testimony is enough. Peter did not wow the people with his knowledge or understanding. He just told them about his encounter with Jesus. Knowledge and understanding are important, but sometimes we let them get in the way of our worship. God doesn't need what we know to do what He desires to do in someone's life. He just needs us to be willing to be real about what God has done for us. We need to be careful that we don't allow our minds to crowd out our hearts when we talk about Jesus. I fear that in so many cases, we speak from our heads and not our hearts.

If you want to see God in action, let Him first move through your heart.

READY TO HEAR

 

READY TO HEAR

Acts 10:33 "So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now here we are, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you." NLT

This is the account of Cornelius and Peter. The Lord had just spoken to Peter about getting rid of any prejudices he had about who could or could not be saved. Cornelius was amongst those whom Peter would have denied access to grace before God had spoken to him. God had been working on Cornelius and his heart was hungry for the Gospel. God had told him to send for Peter and he did. When Peter arrived, Cornelius and his household were ready and waiting to hear from God.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we too were sent to a people who were ready and waiting to hear from the Lord? But wait a minute, Jesus said that the harvest field was ripe and ready for the harvesting. There are people all around us who are ready to be told about God's love and saving grace. All we have to do is to go into the harvest field to find them. And if we can't go for some reason, we are to pray that the Lord will send laborers who can go. We don't go and expect them to come to us, but it doesn't work that way. The Lord sends us out, not in. We are to bring them in, and you can't bring them in unless you first go out. If we are not reaching out with the Gospel in their world, we are not functioning in God's will.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we, who already are believers, would have the same spirit as Cornelius? I wonder what would be different in our homes and churches if we were to eagerly wait before the Lord for a message from Him. When was the last time you were ready and waiting to hear from the Lord? Would He have something important to say to you? There is only one way to find out.

READY TO SERVE?

 

READY TO SERVE?

Acts 8:30-31 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah, so he asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, when there is no one to instruct me?” And he begged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. NLT

There was a high ranking eunuch in a chariot not too far away from Philip. He was not there by accident. He was reading in the book of Isaiah, but did not understand what he was reading. He was searching for God in His Word. He was doing a very good thing. He did not know God, but he was smart enough to know where to look for God. There was something in him that was missing and he knew it.

God sent the eunuch Philip’s way because he knew Philip could help him. Philip was an early leader in the church. He was going from town to town preaching the Gospel. There were things about Philip that the eunuch could relate to, so the Lord arranged a meeting. Let us not minimize the opportunities the Lord gives to us come alongside of someone with the Gospel. You may be the only person someone will listen to.

The eunuch needed someone to explain to him the meaning of what he was reading. Philip was grounded in faith and knew well the book of Isaiah. So when the two of them got together, Philip explained to him the meaning of what the eunuch was reading. Are you knowledgeable enough with the Scriptures that you can explain it to someone seeking answers from it? Never minimize the importance of daily being in the Word and studying it.

Philip did not hesitate to come alongside of the eunuch to help him. Do we care enough to take the time to come alongside of those searching for God? There is no greater agenda on earth than to share the Good News with those who want to hear it.

The end result of this meeting was that the eunuch was saved on the spot and immediately baptized in a nearby body of water. Philip’s mission was complete and the Lord immediately took him and put him in another place of service.

ALWAYS BE READY

 

ALWAYS BE READY

Acts 8:30-31 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah, so he asked, "Do you understand what you're reading?" The man replied, "How can I, when there is no one to instruct me?" And he begged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. NLT

There are several things that jump out at me from these verses. Philip was an early church leader, an evangelist. He went from town to town telling others about Jesus. Philip was tuned into opportunities to be a witness for the Lord. He was prompted by God to approach this eunuch who was in his chariot, reading from Isaiah. Philip didn't know him, but he understood that this man was searching for understanding about God.

It causes me to pause and wonder how attuned we are to the Lord. Are we aware of those about us who are searching for the Lord? Are we busy telling others about Him? Or, are we so caught up into living that we don't seize or take the opportunities the Lord gives us to be a witness for Him?

This man did not know the Lord, but he was looking in the right place; he was reading the Scriptures. There is no better place to look for the Lord than in His Word. We need to do it for ourselves, and we need to encourage others to do it as well. God does not hide himself in His Word; they testify of Him from beginning to end.

This man did not understand what he was reading. He was reading from Isaiah, and he invited Philip to sit down with him and help him to understand. It's not always that easy; in fact, it seldom is. But, Philip was ready. He was well-versed in the Scriptures and could explain to the eunuch what Isaiah had written. We discover that as Philip explained Isaiah's prophecy to him, that the eunuch believed and was baptized.

May the Lord help us to be equally well-versed in the Scriptures so that when we have the opportunity we too can readily be a witness for Him. Someone's soul may very well be in the balance. Study well the Scriptures so that you can be a workman that needs not be ashamed when someone searching for Jesus crosses your path.