LET IT GO

 

LET IT GO

I John 2:15-17 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from the evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever. NLT

How attached to this world are you? Are you living for the enjoyment of the things it offers? Are you caught up in this life and find yourself reluctant to let it go? If so, then stop it! Too much attachment to the world robs you of fellowship with God. You cannot have a healthy relationship with God while clinging to worldly life. What you see in this world is not going to last. No matter how promising it may be, all worldly stuff is fading away and will soon be gone. The things of the world can never fulfill their promise to satisfy the soul. When you crave and cling to the things of this life, you will be disillusioned and dissatisfied. The things of the world are addictive and the more you have of it, the more you will want.

Dear child of God, you must understand this truth. Our life is eternal. It is not tied to the world. Life that satisfies can only be found in Christ. Only the Lord can deliver on the promise to fulfill the desires of the soul. Only Jesus can sever the ties you have with the world so that you can do the will of God.

If you are hanging on too tightly to the things of the world, you need to loosen your grip and let go while you can. The longer you cling, the harder it is to let go. The longer you cling, the less likely you are to find and do God's will for you. The longer you cling, the less likely you will make it to heaven. The longer you cling, the less likely you will be to even want to make it to heaven. The things of this world are evil and from Satan himself. They will never deliver on their promise to satisfy your soul.

 

LOVING THIS WORLD

I John 2:15 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. NLT

Have you stopped loving this world and what it offers to you? You cannot be right with God until you do. Let the Lord show you today where your attachments are. Let Him show you who, or what, you value more than Him. Let Him show you how unreliable and unfulfilling the things of the world really are. Let Him show you that all the promises of the world to satisfy the soul are empty lies from Satan.

The bottom line is that when you long for the things of this world and strive to obtain them, you really don’t love the Father. You strive to obtain that which you love. Our actions speak louder than our words. You can claim to love God, but if He is not your passion, your words do not mean much. Your soul cannot be divided on this. You cannot love the Father of truth and the father of lies at the same time. God will not share our affections with the world.

Loving the world is an act of treason for those who claim to love God. It is declaring that what God promises is not true. He promises to satisfy the soul. He promises to give us something worth living for. He promises to reward those who are faithful to Him. He promises to meet our every need. He promises to break our attachments to the things of the world. When we grow attached to the things of the world and rely upon them to make us happy, we are denying that God can meet the needs of our souls, that He is not enough for us.

You cannot live for the things of the world and love God at the same time.

LOVE AND HATE

LOVE AND HATE

I John 2:9-11 If anyone says, "I am living in the light," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble. Anyone who hates a Christian brother or sister is living and walking in darkness. Such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness. NLT

It matters what we think about others and what we feel about them. Some people hurt us and sometimes very deeply. It may be physical, emotional, or mental. However it may be, we sometimes get hurt and it may alter our lives completely. For some, the damage is so severe that life becomes very difficult, and it affects one’s ability to live in victory in Christ. When negative things happen to us because of others, we are prone to develop negative feelings and thoughts about them, making any kind of fellowship with them virtually impossible.

Yet, John tells us that we must love and not hate those who hurt us. It is not impossible to love those who hurt us, otherwise God would not have instructed John to write it. Our biggest hurdle to move from hate to love is our will. We do not want to change. We like to live with an attitude of hate because it somehow makes us feel in the right. We have been wronged, and the other party is guilty. We want to take matters into our own hands and see that justice is served. We want revenge. Therefore, we savor our feelings and resist the need to change. However, if we are to be right with God, we have no choice, we must move from hatred to love. The question is, "How is that possible?"

God is love. The only way we can love those who hurt us is for us to immerse ourselves in God. We must determine in our hearts that we need God. We must know that it is impossible for us to change apart from a deeply rooted connection with God. We must seek God. We must enter into His presence as often as possible. We must consistently draw near to God until we know that our heart changes. We must first experience the love of God for ourselves before we can love those who hurt us. There is no other way to move from a hate-filled heart to a love-filled heart.

A true child of God does not linger in the darkness of hatred. In fact, he is incapable of living in hatred. God is love and when God is in us, we become vessels of love. As long as darkness envelopes the soul, God is not there. God is light and love and where He is they fill up His dwelling place.

Dear friend, if you are struggling to forgive and love someone today in your past or present, spend all the time you need in the presence of God. Do not shortchange yourself. Wait on the Lord and He will change you. He will fill you with a heart of love. Pray about this until you pray through. 

LOVE AND LIGHT

 

LOVE AND LIGHT

I John 2:10 Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble. NLT

Living in Christ dictates how we love. If we truly love others, we will be careful not to hinder them in their walk with the Lord. We will be careful what we say and do so that we don't cause anyone to stumble. We will take seriously the effect we have on our fellow believers.

When we are in discussions about the Bible, we will think before we speak so that we don't say things that the Bible does not teach. It is easy to talk about our opinions, but unless our opinions are formed by the Holy Spirit, we can say things that will confuse others or cause them to believe things that aren't true. It is imperative that we are well-grounded in the Word before we endeavor to speak with authority on it.

When we are with others, we will be careful how we act. We will strive to control our actions and reactions. When we begin to lose control of ourselves, we will remove ourselves from the situation before we conduct ourselves in an ungodly way. It is not easy to do, but for the sake of our witness, we must strive to do it.

We will not take advantage of others. We will treat them with kindness and respect. We will to the best of our ability be a help and not a hindrance to their walk with the Lord. We will be good influencers and not bad influencers in the walk of faith of those we come in contact with.

If you love the Lord, it will show in how you live amongst His children and the world. You will not be a stumbling block to someone's faith.

LOVING OTHERS

 

LOVING OTHERS

I John 2:9 If anyone says, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. NLT

It is not possible to love the Lord and not love His children.  Let us stop for a moment and think about this.  Think about those who are a part of the church that you have strong disagreements with because they don’t believe as you do.  Think about how you feel about them.  It’s easy to sit back and judge them because they don’t see “the light” in the same way you do.  It is easy to question whether or not they are even saved.  We develop strong feelings about those who are not walking in the light as we are walking in the light.

Yet, the Word teaches us that if we are living in the light, we will embrace all who are believers in Christ.  We may not understand their thinking or approve of their living, but that doesn’t get us off the hook.  Our responsibility before God is to love all those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We don’t always know for sure who are saved, but it really doesn’t matter.  We are to be channels of God’s love to the Church and world.  Godly love should define who we are.  It should be evident in all we do and say.  We are to live out godly love and let the Lord deal with the rest.  God is love and as His children, we inherit His love.

If we let our differences alienate ourselves from other parts of the body of Christ, we are living in darkness and not the light.  It’s something to think about as you think about your attitude towards those who you don’t know or understand within the body of Christ. And, it's something to think about when you consider your attitude and feelings towards those within the Church who you have problems with, those who may have wronged you and caused you grief and pain. To love God is to love others. Godly love is not selective love; we are to be vessels of love to all because God loves us and everyone else, too.

OBEDIENCE IN LOVE

 

OBEDIENCE IN LOVE

I John 2:3-6 And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. If someone says, "I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did. NLT

Being saved is more than just saying you are. A true child of God will obey the Word of God. There will be a conscious and determined decision to strive to live according to the teachings of Scripture. There will be a desire to learn and understand the Word so that the Word can have its proper effect on how life is lived. It's not too hard to figure out those who are trying to obey the Lord from those who aren't. The difference between the ways of the Word and the world are like night and day.

One of the sure proofs of a life lived in obedience to God is the love that comes from the heart. We obey God because we love Him. We love Him because it is the natural response of a heart who has been forgiven and filled with the presence of Christ. We love Him because we are so grateful for His forgiveness and willingness to adopt us as His children. We love Him because of His willingness and efforts to change who we were into a people like Him. We love Him because of His loving provision for our needs now and for all of eternity. If we are true children of God, we cannot resist the urge to love Him back, for He first loved us. He sought us out to save us. He is the one who prepared us for the day of our salvation. There is no greater love than the love of God for us and then the growing love we have for God.

He who claims to know God and yet does not love God and obey Him is a liar. The Truth is not in Him. Are you telling the truth when you say that you love God?

OUR SOUL SECURITY

 

OUR SOUL SECURITY

I John 2:3 And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. NLT

It doesn’t take much thinking to understand this simple, but profound, truth. Satan wants us to be in doubt about our salvation. He wants us to focus on the uncertainty of our salvation instead of the certainty of it. He wants to convince us that we can’t really know for sure where we stand before God. He wants us to believe that we are not worthy of salvation or that we aren’t being good enough to be saved.

John reminds us today that the proof of our salvation is not in our feelings or thoughts, it’s in our obedience. Those who are truly saved are those who strive to obey God. Obeying God requires us to know what God commands. In order to know what God requires of us, we must be students of His Word. We must read the Word with open hearts and minds, prayerfully seeking how it applies to our living. We must humbly accept God’s instruction and be willing to admit it and change when we fail to live it.

God has given us ready access to His Word. He exposes us to its teachings in many different ways so that we have no excuse for not knowing His commandments. God does not leave us in the dark and then expect us to keep His commandments. The more we know and understand His Word, the more responsibility we have to live by it. Whatever knowledge we have, we are to live it.

As we submit to the authority of God over us, the more knowledge we are given and thus increasing our responsibility to live holy lives. No one can claim innocence in this. God makes available to us all the resources we need to submit to Him and obey Him. He who does not obey God is living in sin and cannot have fellowship with Him or know that indeed he is saved.

If you belong to God you will obey Him and become like Him in your character.

JESIUS, OUR ADVOCATE

 

JESUS, OUR ADVOCATE

I John 2:1-2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world. NLT

The Word is given to us to help us to know what is sin and how not to do it. God does not want any of us to sin, even though He knows we will. Knowing our spiritual weaknesses that causes us to sin, God provided for us a Savior who not only can forgive us, He can help us to not sin. Jesus is on our side. Whenever we do sin, He is there to stand in-between God and us so that God in His anger will not destroy us. Jesus pleads the case before God for all who are in His care and sins. He is our advocate. He does not go to the defense of those who are not His, they are on their own to answer to God, they have no protector. In Christ there is forgiving grace. He honors those before God who honor Him. There is no sin that He cannot and does not forgive if there is genuine sorrow for it. If we are genuinely sorry, we will change and not continue to live in our sin.

Jesus pleases God completely. He did what He was sent here to do. He lived a sinless life so He could die a sinner's death. He became the perfect sacrifice for sin. There was nothing left undone that had to be done for us to be forgiven by God. He forgives us, but not just us. He forgives all who come to Him for forgiveness. There is forgiveness for everyone in the world if they want it. No one is beyond the reach of God's love, forgiveness and love. No one.

God is not happy one bit when we sin. He hates it. But, when we do sin, we have someone who can appease the wrath of God, Jesus our Savior. God can only forgive us through Christ Jesus our Lord. He allowed Jesus to come and provide a way for us to be forgiven for our sins because of His love for us. He has no desire to see anyone die and go to hell. Turn to Jesus and let Him take care of your sin problem.

BE HONEST

 

BE HONEST

I John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But, if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. NLT

It all begins with honesty. The fact of the matter is no one can say they don't have a sin problem. No one. Our problem with sin begins at conception and stays with us until we die. We are not only tempted by sin, we do it. If you think you are so spiritually minded that you no longer have a sin problem, you are in denial and not accepting the truth. God says we have sinned. If once we are saved we no longer have a sin problem, then why does God speak so clearly over and over again in His Word about the sins we have to overcome? He says we are in a spiritual war. We win some battles and we lose some. We are powerless to withstand the onslaught of sinful temptations and desires Satan throws at us in our lives on our own. And who can honestly make the claim that they are always so in tune with God that they cannot fall? We are in the flesh, live in a sinful world, and are not able yet to live like we are in heaven. So we need to be humble and honest enough to admit we sin.

The good news is that our sin does not have to enslave us. When we sin, there is a way to make ourselves right with God. We acknowledge our sin, confess our sin to Christ with sincerity of heart, ask Him for forgiveness with the intent of not doing it again, and then Christ, who is always faithful to His Word, will forgive us and cleanse our heart from all unrighteousness.

The Lord will not automatically forgive us when we sin. He does not force himself on us. We must come to Him seeking forgiveness before He will do it. True sorrow wants to be forgiven.

Is there any sin in your heart today that needs forgiven? Be honest. Examine your heart in light of what you know to be true from God's Word. What have you done or thought about that you know is sinful? Don't waste another opportunity to have a clean and pure heart. Confess your sin to Christ right now and He will forgive you.

NO SIN?

 

NO SIN?

I John 1:8-10 But if we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. NLT

If you have been in Christ for any length of time at all, it is so easy to convince yourself that you are right with God and have no sin. Let’s be honest about this. When was the last time you actually saw yourself as being guilty of sin? I believe that we are good at this because we fail to give much thought to what might be sin to us. We are not prone to examine carefully the things we say, do, read, see or hear in light of God’s holiness. We don’t often examine ourselves to see how much we think like the world thinks about things. When we see our lives in light of the Word and God’s holiness, we have to admit that indeed we are guilty of sin.

God declares us guilty of sin, and we are only fooling ourselves when we think otherwise. You and I are guilty of sin. In fact, to think otherwise is in itself sin. It is a prideful attitude to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We are to be humble in heart before God knowing that we fall short of His holy standards and that we need His help. John goes so far as to call us liars when we claim to not have sin in our hearts and He is right on.

The good news is that when we confess our sins to the Lord, He is faithful and just and will forgive us for our sins and purify our hearts. I am not suggesting that we need to stop and confess sin every time we mess up, but I am suggesting that we should consistently be aware of our sin and seek Christ’s forgiveness as the Spirit prompts us to. We are not to live in condemnation, but neither are we to ignore our need for forgiveness. The Lord will never refuse to forgive those who come to Him with humble and broken hearts over sin.

Peer into God’s holiness. See yourself as God sees you. What sinful thoughts or deeds do you need to confess before Christ today?

LIVING IN GOD'S PRESENCE

 

LIVING IN GOD’S PRESENCE

N God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. NLT

If is the key word in today’s verse. Not all who claim to be in Christ live in the light of God’s presence. To live in the light of God’s presence means that we become saturated with the glory of Christ. It means that we become holy before God. It means that we take on the mindset of God regarding faithfulness to the truth as being the way to live. It means we take on the heart of God regarding sin.

We can only have true fellowship with others when we live in the light of God’s presence. We are not able to set aside our sinful attitudes and behaviors without it. We cannot change how we think about others without God’s help. We cannot stop thinking more highly of others than we ought without God’s help. We cannot stop thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought without God’s influence. We cannot stop being self-serving without God’s help.

We can only live as we ought with each other through the shed blood of Christ at Calvary. What we are unable to do for ourselves, Christ does for us. He purifies our hearts so that we are not driven or controlled by sin. He changes our attitude about ourselves and others. He unites instead of dividing people. What cannot happen without Christ is made possible in Him. We can live at peace with each other. We can be one in heart for the glory of Christ. We can work together to reach the lost when we are controlled by Christ. We can have a genuine love and concern for one another in Christ.

Where there is strife and divisions in the fellowship of the church, there is an absence of the lordship of Christ over the church.

IF we are living in the light of God’s presence, we will live out His Word in the church and the world. We will be a people after God’s own heart, a holy people.

LIVING IN THE LIGHT

 

LIVING IN THE LIGHT

I John 1:5-7 This is the message he has given us to announce to you. God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. NLT

Here is the message loud and clear: we cannot live as children of God and still live in sin. When we live in fellowship with God, we lose the desire to live in sin. It does not mean we will never sin, but it does mean that we will want to not sin more than we do sin. We will grow in our desire to please God and lose our desires to do what doesn't please Him. Anyone who claims to have Christ as their Savior and continues to live in sin without allowing Christ to change their desires, is a liar. They may claim all they want about their being a Christian, but in God's eyes, they aren't.

If you profess to be a child of God and are not living like one, be warned. You must begin to let Christ change you. You must seek Him out and walk away from sin. You must develop the discipline of considering first what God says about things before you attempt to do them. There is no wiggle room here.

As children of God, our fellowship should be with each other. We should be striving to get our inspiration and guidance from other believers, not the world. We can have friendships with non-Christians, in fact we should have, but we need to make sure we look to godly people to meet our spiritual need for fellowship rather than the world.

The blood of Christ unites all believers together in unity and love. We are one body. We are all on equal footing at the cross. It is when we stray from the cross that we become self-important and divided. We have no hope of being one apart from Him.

When we are living in the light, we are living in the righteousness of Christ. Our sins are forgiven and we strive to not let sin back into our hearts. We separate ourselves from sinful lifestyles. We not only profess to be child of God, we live like we are.

When we are living in Christ we are saturated by God’s truth. We are on a quest to learn more of what God desires for us and wants us to be. We are given understanding of these things by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

Living in the light keeps us out of the darkness of sin.

GOD IS PURE LIGHT

 

GOD IS PURE LIGHT

I John 1:5-6 This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. NLT

We must understand this powerful truth. God is pure light. There is no hint of darkness in Him whatsoever. There is no possibility that sin will ever be a part of who God is. God always separates himself from sin and is repulsed by it. He hates sin. Sin cannot come anywhere near to God.

When God enters into our hearts, He passes on to us His attitude about sin. He changes the way we look at sin. Sin becomes an issue with us because it is everything against the nature of God. We develop a repulsion for sin. The more we are controlled by God, the more strongly we will feel about sin. It should never be acceptable to us to sin against God.

How we feel about sin is an indicator of how holy we really are. No one will ever feel the same way God does about sin, but we should not be comfortable with it and tolerate it as much as we do either. God changes us and we no longer are habitual sinners. We develop a resistance to sin when we live in Christ. We stop doing the things we once did. We develop the ability to do what is right in God’s eyes instead of that which He hates.

If we are not uncomfortable with sin in our hearts, we are not right with God. If we continue to do that which God calls sin, we are not right with God. If we leave the sin in our hearts alone, we are not right with God. If we are not bothered by the sin we are surrounded with, we are not right with God. Sin and God’s holiness are like water and oil; they simply do not mix.

We are far too tolerant of sin we are exposed to. Let’s be honest about it. We do not turn away from it when we are being entertained like we should. Some sin we will not allow ourselves to be entertained by it, yet there are many sins that we are not repulsed by when we are being entertained. We watch TV programs and movies with sinful behavior, lies, and unholy language in them because we like the shows. We listen to music that is not good for our souls because we like the beat or singer. We go places that we shouldn’t be at because we want to be with the crowd or because it’s a popular place to be. Isn’t it true? Aren’t we far more tolerant of sin than we should be?

Jesus died to take away our sin, not to tolerate it in us.

WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE

 

WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE

I John 1:3 We are telling you about what we ourselves have actually seen and heard, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his son, Jesus Christ. NLT

This is the heart of all witnessing, just telling others what we have personally experienced with Christ. What we say can be argued against, but there is no denying the changes that take place when Jesus changes the heart. Telling our story is telling His story. We need to be telling others about who we are today compared to who we were before Christ. We don’t gloat over our past as if it was some badge of honor we wear, but we recall our past to acknowledge what Jesus has done and to praise Him for it.

The goal of all witnessing should be so that others may have fellowship with us in Christ. It should be our heart’s desire to be able to enlarge our circle of people we can have fellowship with in Christ. Every lost soul is a potential soul mate in Christ. Without Christ, there is always something missing in our relationships. No one can understand and appreciate the influence of Christ in us without experiencing it themselves.

It should concern us when we deny ourselves fellowship with other believers because of differences in understandings and lifestyles. We are all different and we need to get over it. Christ unites the body, never divides it. We label ourselves and often let our labels keep us away from those who are labeled differently. Shame on us! It grieves God’s heart when His children can’t, or won’t, get along. We are not in competition for lost souls!

We should have friends who are not believers, but we cannot have fellowship with them in Christ. If we care about their friendship and souls, we will not be shy about sharing with them what Jesus has done for us. There is no greater witness than the witness of what Christ has done for you and in you.

TELL YOUR STORY

 

TELL YOUR STORY

I John 1:1 The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of life. NLT

The thing I get from this verse is that John is sharing from his own encounter with Jesus his faith in Him. John was one of the disciples who was with Jesus during His stay on earth. John daily walked with Jesus, talked to Him, and witnessed the things He did and taught. Jesus had a profound impact on John's life. He changed everything about John and what he understood about himself and life. John was so impacted by Jesus that he simply shared with the world what Jesus had done for him.

John, like countless others who have followed him, knew from personal experience that Jesus is God. He was very close to Jesus while He was on earth and knew deep within in his soul that Jesus is God. Once a person knows Christ from deep within his soul, he discovers that there is nothing else worth living for.

We are no different than John. We have a story to tell. We may not be led by the Spirit to put it down on paper for the world to read about it, but we can share our story. Everyone in Christ has a story to share how Christ has affected their life. There is no magic formula for being a witness for Christ. We don't have to be a Biblical whiz. We don't have to know all the steps of the Gospel message. All we need to know is what the Lord has done for us. We need to know what difference Jesus has made in our lives and share it. If we truly have been touched by the Master's hand, we cannot contain it. Our lives, words, and expressions will show it. We cannot be with Jesus without it being seen. Our witness is a natural expression of what Jesus has and is doing in our lives.

Whenever you can, just tell your story. Tell all who will listen the difference Jesus has made in you. No one can deny your personal experience if it is backed up by your life. People can argue over words and deny their truthfulness, but they cannot deny the difference Christ makes in the lives of the redeemed.

People need to know what a difference Christ makes in life. Will you show them? Will you tell them?

WARNING!

 

WARNING!

II Peter 3:17-18 I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can watch out and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people. I don't want you to lose your own secure footing. But grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. NLT

Warning! There are wicked people all around us, even in the Church. Their agenda is not to help us, but to tear us down. They want our confidence. Many simply want our money. They are not concerned about us personally. They want us to believe what they are telling us without questioning whether or not it is true. They are good at what they do and can be very persuasive. If we are not careful, many of us will be led astray.

The only safe and secure footing we have is in Christ. Anyone who would undermine our relationship with Christ is to be avoided. Anyone who would distort in any way God's Word is to be avoided. Anyone who would suggest we follow them instead of Christ is to be avoided. There is no alternative way to God. Jesus is the way, truth and life. He alone has our best interests at heart and is worthy to be followed. He alone wants to help you. He alone can be trusted with your soul.

Growing in our faith in Christ is not an option, it's a necessity. If you are not growing in Christ, you are on a slippery slope and could lose your grip on Him. It is absolutely essential for you to keep your eyes fixed on Christ, and Him alone. He alone is able to save your soul and present you before God as faultless, fit for heaven. He will complete in you your salvation if you stay focused on Him. Strive to keep growing in grace and your knowledge of Him, and God's special favor will be upon you.

MAKE EVERY EFFORT

 

MAKE EVERY EFFORT

II Peter 3:14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God. NLT

We live in a time of expectation. We expect the Lord to come soon. We expect Satan to be taken captive to harass us no more. We expect there to be a time in which we can actually live the Word of God without failing. We expect that all believers will soon be able to live humbly and honorably with each other in love and peace. We know these things are going to happen, and we wait in anticipation of it. Until that day comes, we must do the best that we can.

We must make every effort to live pure and blameless lives. Every effort means every effort. We must do our best to stay pure and blameless before God. We know what we are to do; now it is up to us to do it. We must put forth the effort to be pure and blameless. We must do the things that will enable us to stay pure and not do the things that make us impure. We must not neglect disciplining our souls so that when we are tempted we will have the desire to say no to it.

God will not keep us pure and blameless without our doing our part. Godliness is not a given; we must purposely strive to obtain it. We must take seriously our need to be saturated by God’s Word and to be in our prayer closets. We must take seriously our need to desire to please God and not ourselves or others. If you are not putting in the effort, you will never live a pure and blameless life before God. We need to be as concerned about our souls as we are everything else that is a part of our living.

The reward of our effort is peace with God. Those who are pure in heart and blameless in living are not guilt laden. They do not have shame because they sin against God. They are able to rest in the security of God’s love and grace. They are indeed blessd.

HOLY LIVING

 

HOLY LIVING

II Peter 3:11 Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! NLT

First, it is a fact that God is going to bring this world we live in to a close with fire. He doesn’t tell us just how that fire will come. It is interesting to me that there is enough fire power in the nuclear weapons now being stored around the world to literally destroy the earth as we know it. All it would take would be for the wrong person to hit a button and the destruction would begin.

In light of the certain and unpredictable coming fire from God to destroy the earth, we ought to take life seriously and live in readiness for it. God commands us to live godly, holy lives. If we are saved by the blood of Christ, we are expected to move forward by God’s grace into holiness of heart and living. There is no way that we can justify not becoming a holy people.

Holy people react strongly against sin that wants to invade their lives. They do all they can to protect their souls from sin’s temptations. They keep their souls strong by faithfully and consistently exercising spiritual disciplines. Holy people respond to others out of godly love and strive to always live at peace with others. Holy people value the things that make them stronger in faith.

If we are not living as a holy people before God and He comes for us, we will answer to God for it. God is holy and will not tolerate unholy living by those who claim to be His own. Holiness is His measuring stick. Are you ready for the Lord’s coming? No one knows when the Lord is coming back, all we know is the certainty of it and the importance of our being ready for it. If you are holy, as He is holy, you will be ready.

THE DAY OF THE LORD

 

THE DAY OF THE LORD

II Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything in it will be exposed to judgment. NLT

The day of the Lord is set in heaven. No one knows when that day will come except God. When that day comes, it will catch everyone by surprise, like a thief in the night. Why doesn't the Lord want us to know when it will be? He knows the heart of man. He knows that if we knew, we would wait until the very last minute to get right with Him. The world would be void of the good that could be done if His people were living instead of waiting. Our sinful nature is such that we will not concern ourselves with living in and for Him until we absolutely have to. He also knows that life is so fragile, and if man were to wait, many who could be saved will be lost for eternity because death came upon them before that day and they weren't ready to die. In His great love for us, God in mercy hides the day the Lord is coming from us.

When the Lord does come, there will be no mistaking it. The Lord is going to change everything we know to be real. All creation will be affected by it. There will be a sound that will reverberate throughout all of creation followed by a purging fire. All the earth will be exposed, and judgment will come. It will be a time that will cause all men to tremble with fear, except for those who are ready for it. For those who are saved, it will be the greatest moment in all of history. It will be a day of celebration beyond words. It will be the day in which we will see the Lord!

Judgment Day is coming, whether we are ready for it or not. We may be here physically for it, or we may be in the grave waiting for it. Either way, it's coming. If we are not in Christ on the day of its arrival, it will be too late. The Lord gives us ample time and opportunity to be saved and if we pass them up, there will be no mercy shown.

Are you ready for Judgment Day? If you die before it comes, it will be your judgment day. Now is the day of salvation. He who waits for another day, may never see another day to get ready. Live each moment of each day as if it were your judgment day. It very well could be.