II Peter 3:8-9 But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving everyone time to repent.
What God says He will do, He will do. It may not be according to our time table, but He will do it. God is not bound by our time table, with Him there is no timeline. A day with the Lord is as a thousand years to us. The point is that we can't put God in a time box. He accomplishes His plan and fulfills His promises at the right time, no matter how long it may take.
We try to pinpoint the Lord down. Many have given diligent study to the coming of the Lord, but no one will ever be able to figure it out. The Lord is coming again, that much is absolutely certain. When He comes is unknown to us and will always remain that way until He actually comes.
Peter tells us why the Lord has not already come, He is giving man every opportunity He can to be saved. He loves us and doesn't want any of us to go to hell. He has a tremendous amount of patience and love and will not come before the time He has set in heaven.
From all appearances it would seem like He has to come now. The world is bad and doing nothing but getting worse. Nature seems to be all out of whack. Wickedness is everywhere. The church is losing her identity as light in the world; we are falling asleep. Yet, there are yet those who are to be saved.
I believe that if the church were to catch the vision for the lost and reach out to them like we should be doing, we can hasten the day of His return. We have a mandate to be witnesses for Christ in anticipation of His return. Our message is like that of Jonah to the Ninevehites , "Repent! For the Day of Judgment is at hand."
May the Lord find us faithful in service until the day of His return.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
GOD'S FIERY JUDGMENT
II Peter 3:7 And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish.
God has commanded it; He will destroy the heavens and earth by fire. When He judges mankind, He will purify all that is by fire. The only ones who will survive God's judgment will be the godly in heart.
This should cause us to pause and think for a moment. Today man has the ability to destroy the world with fire. There are enough countries in the world who have nuclear weapons that can literally destroy life as we know it. Just to know that man could do it should cause us to realize that the coming of the Lord has to be very near. God promises us that He will do it, not man.
Knowing this should cause us to consider our readiness for Christ's coming. We have been lulled to sleep by our modern day comforts, but it's time for us to wake up before it's too late. Far too many are not looking for the Lord's return and thus are careless about how they live their lives. Few pursue godliness. There seems to be a contentment with the minimal involvement in the life of faith. God does not hold a promiment place in the heart of most.
Don't mess around with your standing before God. Take your faith seriously or you may very well be left behind when Jesus comes. He commands holiness in our hearts. He commands our submission to Him and obedience. How about it? If Jesus comes today, would you be ready?
God has commanded it; He will destroy the heavens and earth by fire. When He judges mankind, He will purify all that is by fire. The only ones who will survive God's judgment will be the godly in heart.
This should cause us to pause and think for a moment. Today man has the ability to destroy the world with fire. There are enough countries in the world who have nuclear weapons that can literally destroy life as we know it. Just to know that man could do it should cause us to realize that the coming of the Lord has to be very near. God promises us that He will do it, not man.
Knowing this should cause us to consider our readiness for Christ's coming. We have been lulled to sleep by our modern day comforts, but it's time for us to wake up before it's too late. Far too many are not looking for the Lord's return and thus are careless about how they live their lives. Few pursue godliness. There seems to be a contentment with the minimal involvement in the life of faith. God does not hold a promiment place in the heart of most.
Don't mess around with your standing before God. Take your faith seriously or you may very well be left behind when Jesus comes. He commands holiness in our hearts. He commands our submission to Him and obedience. How about it? If Jesus comes today, would you be ready?
Saturday, October 29, 2016
LET JESUS BE YOUR LORD
II Peter 2:20-21 And when people escape from the wicked ways of the world by learning about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up with sin and become its slave again, they are worse off than before. It would have been better if they had never known the right way to live than to know it and then reject the holy commandments that were given to them.
I can't help but be taken aback when I read passages of Scripture like this. No matter how one may interpret it, Peter gives us a very stern warning about what it is like for those who turn their backs on Jesus. I believe it's a warning that we must take seriously.
When people escape from the wicked ways of the world, they can only do it through Christ. No one is able to separate himself from the world without Christ's help. We must learn all that we need to know about Jesus and embrace Him as our Savior. I believe Peter is referring to more than just a head knowledge of Christ here. Just knowing about Christ does not set us free from the world.
When people let sin entangle them again, they are worse off than they were before. This is true because in essence they are spitting in the face of Christ and rejecting what He has done for them. They are telling the Lord that what He did for them doesn't matter, that they don't regard Him as worth keeping.
When people do not embrace Jesus as Lord as well as their Savior, they are easily led into sin. It takes more than forgiveness to keep a person in Christ; it takes commitment as well. We cannot give the Lord part of us; we must give Him all of us. We are easily lured into sin because of its powerful draw. We are weak and vulnerable and without Jesus being our Lord, we are very likely to fall into sin.
Don't put yourself in a position where it is even possible for you to be led back into sin. Give Jesus all of your heart, mind and soul. Let Him be Lord over everything you are. Determine in your heart that you will not let sin defeat you. Instead, defeat Satan by letting Jesus be Lord of you.
I can't help but be taken aback when I read passages of Scripture like this. No matter how one may interpret it, Peter gives us a very stern warning about what it is like for those who turn their backs on Jesus. I believe it's a warning that we must take seriously.
When people escape from the wicked ways of the world, they can only do it through Christ. No one is able to separate himself from the world without Christ's help. We must learn all that we need to know about Jesus and embrace Him as our Savior. I believe Peter is referring to more than just a head knowledge of Christ here. Just knowing about Christ does not set us free from the world.
When people let sin entangle them again, they are worse off than they were before. This is true because in essence they are spitting in the face of Christ and rejecting what He has done for them. They are telling the Lord that what He did for them doesn't matter, that they don't regard Him as worth keeping.
When people do not embrace Jesus as Lord as well as their Savior, they are easily led into sin. It takes more than forgiveness to keep a person in Christ; it takes commitment as well. We cannot give the Lord part of us; we must give Him all of us. We are easily lured into sin because of its powerful draw. We are weak and vulnerable and without Jesus being our Lord, we are very likely to fall into sin.
Don't put yourself in a position where it is even possible for you to be led back into sin. Give Jesus all of your heart, mind and soul. Let Him be Lord over everything you are. Determine in your heart that you will not let sin defeat you. Instead, defeat Satan by letting Jesus be Lord of you.
Friday, October 28, 2016
THE ORIGIN OF GOD'S WORD
II Pet. 1:20-21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves, or because they wanted to prophecy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.
Two things must clearly be understood here. One thing is that no part of God's Word comes from human origin. All Scripture comes from the heart and mind of God. God has told us everything He wants us to know about life and need to know. There is so much more He could have told us, but it is not for us to know now. Perhaps someday He will reveal more things to us, but not now. There will always be a limit on what we will know and understand because we are not God, but we can be sure of this: the Scriptures are absolutely true from beginning to end because they come from God himself.
The other thing we must understand is that God was absolutely in control of the revelation process. The writers of the Scriptures did not write because they wanted to do it; they were compelled by God to do it. God determined who would write and when it would be done. He determined how it would be done and what would be said. Be His direction alone we have the Scriptures. They are God's complete revelation and they are completely true. Period.
God is responsible for its content and we are responsible for our obedience to it. What we need to know about it, God makes it known. Some parts of it are beyond our understanding and we accept it as true simply because God said it. We never will be able to perfectly understand it, but we are made perfect before God when we live out what we do understand.
The key to Christian living is being students of the Word who live what they know.
Two things must clearly be understood here. One thing is that no part of God's Word comes from human origin. All Scripture comes from the heart and mind of God. God has told us everything He wants us to know about life and need to know. There is so much more He could have told us, but it is not for us to know now. Perhaps someday He will reveal more things to us, but not now. There will always be a limit on what we will know and understand because we are not God, but we can be sure of this: the Scriptures are absolutely true from beginning to end because they come from God himself.
The other thing we must understand is that God was absolutely in control of the revelation process. The writers of the Scriptures did not write because they wanted to do it; they were compelled by God to do it. God determined who would write and when it would be done. He determined how it would be done and what would be said. Be His direction alone we have the Scriptures. They are God's complete revelation and they are completely true. Period.
God is responsible for its content and we are responsible for our obedience to it. What we need to know about it, God makes it known. Some parts of it are beyond our understanding and we accept it as true simply because God said it. We never will be able to perfectly understand it, but we are made perfect before God when we live out what we do understand.
The key to Christian living is being students of the Word who live what they know.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
WORK HARD ON SALVATION
II Pet. 1:10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away.
Hard work never hurt anybody. In fact, hard work will help you and not hinder you in the development of your life and soul. Hard work produces good results. It is an essential part of our walk with Christ.
If you are in Christ, you will strive to do all you can do to please Him. You will be determined to honor Him. You will give Him your best effort for He is worthy of nothing but your best. Working hard on the development of your soul is absolutely essential for healthy growth. We stop growing and being effective when we stop working.
It is easy to spot those who take faith seriously and are working hard to grow it. Godly character cannot be hidden. Others can readily see those who are maturing in faith. The things that come out of their mouths and the things that they do testify to the workings of Christ in them.
Those who are working hard at working out their salvation do not stumble or fall away from Christ. It is those who are lazy and don’t work out their faith that slip and fall away from Him. There simply is no way to keep grounded in Christ apart from hard work. We must work hard at maintaining and growing in our spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer and witnessing. We must hold ourselves accountable and constantly commit ourselves to these disciplines. We must never take for granted our salvation. Instead we value it above all things and constantly work hard at keeping it fresh and alive in our souls.
Hard workers must surround themselves with others who are working hard for maximum encouragement and inspiration. Hard workers learn from each other how to make their hard work pay off.
Hard workers are an example to others that indeed in Christ all things are possible. Great is the reward in heaven for those who always are working hard at working out their salvation.
Hard work never hurt anybody. In fact, hard work will help you and not hinder you in the development of your life and soul. Hard work produces good results. It is an essential part of our walk with Christ.
If you are in Christ, you will strive to do all you can do to please Him. You will be determined to honor Him. You will give Him your best effort for He is worthy of nothing but your best. Working hard on the development of your soul is absolutely essential for healthy growth. We stop growing and being effective when we stop working.
It is easy to spot those who take faith seriously and are working hard to grow it. Godly character cannot be hidden. Others can readily see those who are maturing in faith. The things that come out of their mouths and the things that they do testify to the workings of Christ in them.
Those who are working hard at working out their salvation do not stumble or fall away from Christ. It is those who are lazy and don’t work out their faith that slip and fall away from Him. There simply is no way to keep grounded in Christ apart from hard work. We must work hard at maintaining and growing in our spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer and witnessing. We must hold ourselves accountable and constantly commit ourselves to these disciplines. We must never take for granted our salvation. Instead we value it above all things and constantly work hard at keeping it fresh and alive in our souls.
Hard workers must surround themselves with others who are working hard for maximum encouragement and inspiration. Hard workers learn from each other how to make their hard work pay off.
Hard workers are an example to others that indeed in Christ all things are possible. Great is the reward in heaven for those who always are working hard at working out their salvation.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
KNOWING GOD CHANGES US
II Pet. 1:6-8 Knowing God better leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The more you grow in your knowledge of God, the better you become in your relationship with Him. Knowing God is first a heart knowledge and then a head knowledge. A head knowledge without heart knowledge produces nothing of eternal value in the soul. Knowledge that does not produce fruit in our lives is useless.
Knowing God always flows from Calvary. No one can have a relationship with God apart from Christ. We are condemned to hell because of our sins unless Jesus is invited into the soul and forgives us for our sins.
Knowing God changes us from the inside out. It changes our ability to maintain control of our heart motives and desires. God enables us to take charge of our soul’s progress. As we gain control over our sinful nature and begin to live godly lives, we learn how to patiently endure in our walk through life. We grow to understand that we are works in progress and must allow time for God to mold us into godliness. We don’t give up on God and we don’t give up on ourselves.
As we patiently endure, we become more and more godly for the more God chips away at our sinful nature, the more like Him we become. It takes a lot of work to become godlier than the sinful creatures we are. It takes determination and unwavering commitment to the process.
Godliness translates into godly love. We develop a genuine love for all. We first learn how to love all who are a part of the family of God and then we learn how to love those who are not saved. If we can’t love other believers, we will never love those for whom Jesus died outside of the faith. In fact, if we can’t love other believers, then we can’t truly say we love God.
As we change and become a holy people before God saturated by His love, we become useful and productive members of God’s family. We become vital parts of what God is doing to reach those who are lost for Him. We become the light and salt of the world for the glory of Christ.
The more you grow in your knowledge of God, the better you become in your relationship with Him. Knowing God is first a heart knowledge and then a head knowledge. A head knowledge without heart knowledge produces nothing of eternal value in the soul. Knowledge that does not produce fruit in our lives is useless.
Knowing God always flows from Calvary. No one can have a relationship with God apart from Christ. We are condemned to hell because of our sins unless Jesus is invited into the soul and forgives us for our sins.
Knowing God changes us from the inside out. It changes our ability to maintain control of our heart motives and desires. God enables us to take charge of our soul’s progress. As we gain control over our sinful nature and begin to live godly lives, we learn how to patiently endure in our walk through life. We grow to understand that we are works in progress and must allow time for God to mold us into godliness. We don’t give up on God and we don’t give up on ourselves.
As we patiently endure, we become more and more godly for the more God chips away at our sinful nature, the more like Him we become. It takes a lot of work to become godlier than the sinful creatures we are. It takes determination and unwavering commitment to the process.
Godliness translates into godly love. We develop a genuine love for all. We first learn how to love all who are a part of the family of God and then we learn how to love those who are not saved. If we can’t love other believers, we will never love those for whom Jesus died outside of the faith. In fact, if we can’t love other believers, then we can’t truly say we love God.
As we change and become a holy people before God saturated by His love, we become useful and productive members of God’s family. We become vital parts of what God is doing to reach those who are lost for Him. We become the light and salt of the world for the glory of Christ.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
APPLYING GOD'S PROMISES
II Pet. 1:5 So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better.
God’s promises don’t do us any good at all if they are not applied to life. We will benefit from them only to the extent that we apply them. God’s Word is always true and helpful, but only if we put forth the effort to let it work in us. When God’s promises fail to work for us the problem lies within us and not His Word.
When God’s promises are allowed to work in us, then our faith grows and we become the people of holiness God created us to be. Moral excellence is not achieved by accident. It comes from diligently applying God’s Word to our lives. The more we live by the Word, the more the Word lives in us. We become what we feast on. Achieving moral excellence is not an option for the believer; it’s God’s will and command for us.
When we get our hearts right with God, then we soon discover we get to know God better. The more we grow in faith, the more we understand the workings of God in us and through us. It’s a never ending discovery. It’s a process that we are so privileged to be a part of. God wants us to know more and more about Him. He wants us to enjoy Him more and more. He wants us to discover all that He desires to do in us and through us.
God wants these things for us, but He won’t make it happen for us without our willingness to make it happen. We must do our part and put into practice His promises. We must set our hearts on things above before the things above can become a part of us.
God’s promises don’t do us any good at all if they are not applied to life. We will benefit from them only to the extent that we apply them. God’s Word is always true and helpful, but only if we put forth the effort to let it work in us. When God’s promises fail to work for us the problem lies within us and not His Word.
When God’s promises are allowed to work in us, then our faith grows and we become the people of holiness God created us to be. Moral excellence is not achieved by accident. It comes from diligently applying God’s Word to our lives. The more we live by the Word, the more the Word lives in us. We become what we feast on. Achieving moral excellence is not an option for the believer; it’s God’s will and command for us.
When we get our hearts right with God, then we soon discover we get to know God better. The more we grow in faith, the more we understand the workings of God in us and through us. It’s a never ending discovery. It’s a process that we are so privileged to be a part of. God wants us to know more and more about Him. He wants us to enjoy Him more and more. He wants us to discover all that He desires to do in us and through us.
God wants these things for us, but He won’t make it happen for us without our willingness to make it happen. We must do our part and put into practice His promises. We must set our hearts on things above before the things above can become a part of us.
Monday, October 24, 2016
GOD'S PROMISES
II Pet. 1:4 And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.
The same Power that saves us and makes us holy gives us rich and wonderful promises to sustain and help us in our journey of faith. All of God’s promises are given to help us make it home to heaven. Some of His promises are applicable to our daily living now and some have to do with what is yet to come.
We must be careful that we don’t claim a promise of God given to a particular people for particular situations and assume they are ours for the claiming today. We can learn much from how God helped people make it in the past, but we can’t just pull verses out of context and make them work for us today unless they are supported by other Scriptures. It is bad theology and wrong doctrine to misapply and interpret Scripture to suit our desires.
God’s promises are always given for a purpose. They help us to escape the evil of the world and the desires that evil stirs up within us so that we don’t sin against God. God’s promises are given so that we will be able to participate in His holiness. They enable us to be victors over sin and not victims of it. They enable us to be lights in the world and not carriers of darkness.
God has not withheld anything from us that help us to live godly lives. All of His promises are true and helpful for our souls. They are rich and wonderful to our souls. We ought to not only claim them and use them, we ought to thank the Lord often for them.
God’s promises enable us to stand strong in Christlike faith. They protect us from falling into sin. They inspire us to persevere in faith until we get home. They enable us to be effective witnesses for the glory and honor of Christ in the world. Stand on the promises of God and don’t sit on the premises and you will know victory in Jesus.
The same Power that saves us and makes us holy gives us rich and wonderful promises to sustain and help us in our journey of faith. All of God’s promises are given to help us make it home to heaven. Some of His promises are applicable to our daily living now and some have to do with what is yet to come.
We must be careful that we don’t claim a promise of God given to a particular people for particular situations and assume they are ours for the claiming today. We can learn much from how God helped people make it in the past, but we can’t just pull verses out of context and make them work for us today unless they are supported by other Scriptures. It is bad theology and wrong doctrine to misapply and interpret Scripture to suit our desires.
God’s promises are always given for a purpose. They help us to escape the evil of the world and the desires that evil stirs up within us so that we don’t sin against God. God’s promises are given so that we will be able to participate in His holiness. They enable us to be victors over sin and not victims of it. They enable us to be lights in the world and not carriers of darkness.
God has not withheld anything from us that help us to live godly lives. All of His promises are true and helpful for our souls. They are rich and wonderful to our souls. We ought to not only claim them and use them, we ought to thank the Lord often for them.
God’s promises enable us to stand strong in Christlike faith. They protect us from falling into sin. They inspire us to persevere in faith until we get home. They enable us to be effective witnesses for the glory and honor of Christ in the world. Stand on the promises of God and don’t sit on the premises and you will know victory in Jesus.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
GET TO KNOW JESUS BETTER
II Peter 1:3 As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness!
The goal of every Christian’s life must be to know Jesus better than we do now. The soul of man will never contain all that Jesus is. We will never exhaust the knowledge we can have of Him. We must always keep our eyes fixed on Him and observe His workings in our lives and amongst man. The more we see and learn, the more we discover there is to see and learn. We stifle our growth when we think we have it all figured out.
The more we learn of Christ, the more we discover of His divine power. We will never be able to tap into all of His power, but what we do discover is that there is more than enough power in Him to enable us to live godly lives. There is no justifiable reason for a believer in Christ to not pursue godly living. There is no excuse for a faith that is not growing and maturing. There is no justification for a life that is not becoming more like Christ. There is no way that a believer in Christ cannot change his ways when he is living in Christ.
Christ has called us to receive his glory and goodness. His intent in saving us is to fill us with himself so that we may be His images on earth. He has so much to accomplish on earth before He returns for us and we are His chosen vessels to do it. We are His hands and feet. It is through us that the Lord will be seen and much good will be done.
The Lord wants us to be the best we can be in Him so that we can be the best witnesses we can be in the world. When we cheat ourselves of the best that Christ offers us, we cheat God of His glory. We are His image-bearers and if others cannot see Christ in His holiness in us, then we can’t really say we are saved. When we confess our sins to Him, He can then fill us with His glory and goodness for others to see.
The goal of every Christian’s life must be to know Jesus better than we do now. The soul of man will never contain all that Jesus is. We will never exhaust the knowledge we can have of Him. We must always keep our eyes fixed on Him and observe His workings in our lives and amongst man. The more we see and learn, the more we discover there is to see and learn. We stifle our growth when we think we have it all figured out.
The more we learn of Christ, the more we discover of His divine power. We will never be able to tap into all of His power, but what we do discover is that there is more than enough power in Him to enable us to live godly lives. There is no justifiable reason for a believer in Christ to not pursue godly living. There is no excuse for a faith that is not growing and maturing. There is no justification for a life that is not becoming more like Christ. There is no way that a believer in Christ cannot change his ways when he is living in Christ.
Christ has called us to receive his glory and goodness. His intent in saving us is to fill us with himself so that we may be His images on earth. He has so much to accomplish on earth before He returns for us and we are His chosen vessels to do it. We are His hands and feet. It is through us that the Lord will be seen and much good will be done.
The Lord wants us to be the best we can be in Him so that we can be the best witnesses we can be in the world. When we cheat ourselves of the best that Christ offers us, we cheat God of His glory. We are His image-bearers and if others cannot see Christ in His holiness in us, then we can’t really say we are saved. When we confess our sins to Him, He can then fill us with His glory and goodness for others to see.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
BE CAREFUL!
I Peter 5:8-9 Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
We must always be aware and on guard against the Devil’s attacks. Satan is always on the move, waiting to attack those who let their guard down. Satan knows where we are vulnerable and will seize every opportunity he has to exploit our weaknesses. Wisdom would teach us to be as smart as he is and recognize where we are most vulnerable to his attacks. Knowing where we are most likely to sin gives us a decided advantage over Satan.
Satan also knows when we are most vulnerable. He senses when we become lax in our relationship with the Lord and is ready to pounce on us without warning. He senses when we are going through difficult times and is ready to attack our faith. He senses when we let our guard down and is eager to attack our moral resolve.
We must take whatever measures we can to protect our vulnerabilities. We must take deliberate action to avoid circumstances that would put us in harm’s way. It makes no sense whatsoever to put ourselves in a place where we know we will be tempted to sin. We must learn how to avoid places where we might compromise our faith. No matter how difficult it may be for us to do, we must stay out of harm’s way.
We must take a firm stand against Satan and remain strong in faith. Taking a firm stand means that we will refuse to waver in our resolve to not yield to temptation. No becomes a very important word in our vocabulary. We must stubbornly resist Satan. The best way to do this is to stay grounded in the Word of God and wear out our prayer closet. We are only as strong as the time we spend with the Lord. There is no better protector of the soul than the Word of God in the mind and heart of man.
No matter how much of a spiritual battle you are facing, you are not alone. People everywhere are fighting the same battles you are and are living in victory. There is great comfort and encouragement in knowing that we are not the only ones fighting our battles. Satan wants us to believe that no one understands what we are dealing with. He wants us to believe that our situation is unique. Don’t believe his lies. There is strength in numbers and you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who can testify there is indeed victory in Jesus.
We must always be aware and on guard against the Devil’s attacks. Satan is always on the move, waiting to attack those who let their guard down. Satan knows where we are vulnerable and will seize every opportunity he has to exploit our weaknesses. Wisdom would teach us to be as smart as he is and recognize where we are most vulnerable to his attacks. Knowing where we are most likely to sin gives us a decided advantage over Satan.
Satan also knows when we are most vulnerable. He senses when we become lax in our relationship with the Lord and is ready to pounce on us without warning. He senses when we are going through difficult times and is ready to attack our faith. He senses when we let our guard down and is eager to attack our moral resolve.
We must take whatever measures we can to protect our vulnerabilities. We must take deliberate action to avoid circumstances that would put us in harm’s way. It makes no sense whatsoever to put ourselves in a place where we know we will be tempted to sin. We must learn how to avoid places where we might compromise our faith. No matter how difficult it may be for us to do, we must stay out of harm’s way.
We must take a firm stand against Satan and remain strong in faith. Taking a firm stand means that we will refuse to waver in our resolve to not yield to temptation. No becomes a very important word in our vocabulary. We must stubbornly resist Satan. The best way to do this is to stay grounded in the Word of God and wear out our prayer closet. We are only as strong as the time we spend with the Lord. There is no better protector of the soul than the Word of God in the mind and heart of man.
No matter how much of a spiritual battle you are facing, you are not alone. People everywhere are fighting the same battles you are and are living in victory. There is great comfort and encouragement in knowing that we are not the only ones fighting our battles. Satan wants us to believe that no one understands what we are dealing with. He wants us to believe that our situation is unique. Don’t believe his lies. There is strength in numbers and you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who can testify there is indeed victory in Jesus.
Friday, October 21, 2016
ENTRUST ALL THINGS TO THE LORD
I Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
The key word in this verse is all. There is a tendency to hang onto some of those things we worry about. We worry because we do not trust the Lord as we should. If something concerns you and you don’t know the outcome, do you take it to the Lord or stew over it? When you take it to the Lord, do you pick it up later and carry it around with you, or do you leave it with the Lord to take care of it? Do you give Him only the big stuff and hang onto the smaller things? Do you try to deal with things on your own rather than let the Lord deal with things?
What it really boils down to is our faith. When we worry over things, we are essentially saying either we don’t believe God will take care of them for us or we question His ability to do it. When we give the Lord control over our lives, it involves control over all those things which concern us. We either trust Him or we don’t. There is no peace for the soul who cannot, or will not, trust the Lord in all things.
If we truly believe in the power of God to take care of us and His love for us, we will trust Him to take care of all the things in life, both the known and unknown things. We either believe that He is sovereign over us and will work all things out for our good or we don’t. To hang onto things and worry about them is living by sight and not faith.
What it really boils down to is this: when we fret and stew over things, we are essentially doubting that God really cares enough for us to take care of those things. We are doubting that He will do what He has said He will do for us. If you tend to be a worrier, ask the Lord to help you trust Him more. Ask Him to help you believe that He has you covered and will work things out for the good and for His glory. Ask Him to take charge of all your worries and cares.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
SO HUMBLE YOURSELVES
I Peter 5:6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.
We don’t do a very good job of humbling ourselves. We look in the mirror and relish who we are and what we have accomplished. We admire ourselves and convince ourselves that we are the ones who made us into the people we have become. Let’s be honest with ourselves about this. We tend to give ourselves credit for our accomplishments in life. We wrestle with pride. We can’t avoid it.
We often struggle to admit it when we mess up, either with God or others. Pride wants us to think that we haven’t done anything wrong. It wants us to not admit our sins and mistakes. It wants us to be defensive instead of humble in heart. Pride keeps us from being blessed by God.
God commands us to humble ourselves before Him. He wants us to accept the fact that it is only through Him that we can do anything in life that is noteworthy. No matter how resourceful or talented we may be, it is God who enables us to be who we are and do what we do. He holds the key to life and death. He is the distributor of gifts. He is the one who allows us to live to become who we are.
Every one of us is born with great potential. God gives us the framework to do great things in life. Rather than boast about our role in becoming who we are, we should humbly give thanks to the Lord. It is God’s creative design that determines our gifts and talents. We are responsible for developing and using our gifts, but without the Lord, we have nothing of which to boast about.
Self-pride is sin and is damaging to the soul. It robs God of the glory and honor due Him. It takes the focus off of God and puts it on us. We must get our pride under control and humble ourselves before our Creator. We must give Him alone the glory and honor for what we do in life. The Lord will honor all who honor Him. Great is the reward of the humble in heart, who lives by His power and seeks to honor and glorify Him in all things.
We don’t do a very good job of humbling ourselves. We look in the mirror and relish who we are and what we have accomplished. We admire ourselves and convince ourselves that we are the ones who made us into the people we have become. Let’s be honest with ourselves about this. We tend to give ourselves credit for our accomplishments in life. We wrestle with pride. We can’t avoid it.
We often struggle to admit it when we mess up, either with God or others. Pride wants us to think that we haven’t done anything wrong. It wants us to not admit our sins and mistakes. It wants us to be defensive instead of humble in heart. Pride keeps us from being blessed by God.
God commands us to humble ourselves before Him. He wants us to accept the fact that it is only through Him that we can do anything in life that is noteworthy. No matter how resourceful or talented we may be, it is God who enables us to be who we are and do what we do. He holds the key to life and death. He is the distributor of gifts. He is the one who allows us to live to become who we are.
Every one of us is born with great potential. God gives us the framework to do great things in life. Rather than boast about our role in becoming who we are, we should humbly give thanks to the Lord. It is God’s creative design that determines our gifts and talents. We are responsible for developing and using our gifts, but without the Lord, we have nothing of which to boast about.
Self-pride is sin and is damaging to the soul. It robs God of the glory and honor due Him. It takes the focus off of God and puts it on us. We must get our pride under control and humble ourselves before our Creator. We must give Him alone the glory and honor for what we do in life. The Lord will honor all who honor Him. Great is the reward of the humble in heart, who lives by His power and seeks to honor and glorify Him in all things.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
SERVING THE LORD WELL
I Peter 5:1-4 And now a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share his glory and his honor when he returns. As a fellow elder, this is my appeal to you: Care for the flock of God entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly--not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example. And when the head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honor.
Peter is writing specifically to church leaders here, but I believe it applies to everyone who claims to be a child of God. Church leaders have greater responsibilities and will be judged accordingly, but everyone who wants to make it to heaven needs to pay heed to Peter's instructions.
A child of God is a servant of God. He takes seriously the role he plays in the Kingdom of God. He watches carefully over his soul and does all he can to help others do what is right before God. What he does he does in love. He eagerly serves the Lord, not grudgingly. He does not exploit people, but seeks to help them the best he can. He lives honorably before God as an example to others to follow. He does not sit idly by resting on his laurels as a child of God, but works hard at what God wants him to do.
When we live life the way God wants us to, we will be greatly rewarded when Jesus comes to take the church home to heaven. Our reward in heaven will be eternal and we will forever share in our Lord's glory and honor. Diligently stay the course of faith and invest in the life of others. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
Peter is writing specifically to church leaders here, but I believe it applies to everyone who claims to be a child of God. Church leaders have greater responsibilities and will be judged accordingly, but everyone who wants to make it to heaven needs to pay heed to Peter's instructions.
A child of God is a servant of God. He takes seriously the role he plays in the Kingdom of God. He watches carefully over his soul and does all he can to help others do what is right before God. What he does he does in love. He eagerly serves the Lord, not grudgingly. He does not exploit people, but seeks to help them the best he can. He lives honorably before God as an example to others to follow. He does not sit idly by resting on his laurels as a child of God, but works hard at what God wants him to do.
When we live life the way God wants us to, we will be greatly rewarded when Jesus comes to take the church home to heaven. Our reward in heaven will be eternal and we will forever share in our Lord's glory and honor. Diligently stay the course of faith and invest in the life of others. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
GIFTED TO SERVE
I Peter 4:10 God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.
God has given you at least one gift to serve Him with. Some of us have many gifts. Gifts are given with responsibility. We are responsible for using our gifts and how we use them. We are responsible for developing our gifts. God’s gifts are spiritual in nature.
Spiritual gifts have a purpose, and that is to honor and glorify Christ with them. Whatever our particular giftedness may be, we are to use them for God’s purposes and not our own. It is good for us to try to be the very best we can be if it’s for Jesus’ sake and not our own. He who uses his gifts to make himself known or to stroke his ego is abusing his gifts and dishonoring Christ.
Gifts are given as an expression of love. Because God loves us, He gives us means whereby we may serve Him. He never gives us a task to do without the means to do it. Your gifts are instruments in your hands to help you serve the Lord according to His plans for your life.
There is a wide variety of gifts given. The Lord combines our various gifts together so that together we can fulfill the will of God to reach the lost for Him. The various gifts given complement each other if used for God’s glory and not our own. Gifts do not define who we are and we should never let them. They should be seen as vessels in God’s hands to serve and honor Him.
Manage your gifts well. Don’t use them wrongly. Don’t use them sparingly. Don’t hide them. Don’t deny others the pleasure of observing you use them. Don’t hinder others from seeing God at work in you because of your not using your gifts. And, don’t abuse your gifts by using them to point to you instead of our Savior.
God has given you at least one gift to serve Him with. Some of us have many gifts. Gifts are given with responsibility. We are responsible for using our gifts and how we use them. We are responsible for developing our gifts. God’s gifts are spiritual in nature.
Spiritual gifts have a purpose, and that is to honor and glorify Christ with them. Whatever our particular giftedness may be, we are to use them for God’s purposes and not our own. It is good for us to try to be the very best we can be if it’s for Jesus’ sake and not our own. He who uses his gifts to make himself known or to stroke his ego is abusing his gifts and dishonoring Christ.
Gifts are given as an expression of love. Because God loves us, He gives us means whereby we may serve Him. He never gives us a task to do without the means to do it. Your gifts are instruments in your hands to help you serve the Lord according to His plans for your life.
There is a wide variety of gifts given. The Lord combines our various gifts together so that together we can fulfill the will of God to reach the lost for Him. The various gifts given complement each other if used for God’s glory and not our own. Gifts do not define who we are and we should never let them. They should be seen as vessels in God’s hands to serve and honor Him.
Manage your gifts well. Don’t use them wrongly. Don’t use them sparingly. Don’t hide them. Don’t deny others the pleasure of observing you use them. Don’t hinder others from seeing God at work in you because of your not using your gifts. And, don’t abuse your gifts by using them to point to you instead of our Savior.
Monday, October 17, 2016
DEEPLY LOVE OTHERS
I Peter 4:8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
Most important of all, this is a very critical part of living a holy life and being ready for Christ’s return. We must show deep love for each other. There are different ways to love. We love deeper those whom we are attached to more. What does it mean to love someone deeply?
It means first of all that we are drinking deeply from the well of God’s love for no one can love deeply without drawing it from Him. God is the substance of all love. It means as well that our capacity to love is growing. The more we are invested in God, who is love, the greater we grow in our ability to love. To love someone deeply involves intent and purpose. It means that we don’t just wait for it to happen, we make it happen. We take an interest in others and involve ourselves in their lives. We get to know others from the heart well enough so that we are quick to forgive and slow to anger. We seek to always maintain peace by setting aside our personal wants and issues when necessary.
We are to love each other deeply because when we do we are able to live in peace with each other. A heart full of love is a forgiving heart that is not easily offended. When the heart is full of God’s love, grace abounds. Forgiving each other becomes the natural thing for us to do. We let that which has been forgiven remain in the past. We extend graciousness to those who sin instead of condemning them. We look out for each other and strive to help each other move forward without the baggage of sin weighing us down. In other words, we commit ourselves to grace-filled relationships that never run dry.
Everyone needs to know that their sin doesn’t define who they are. We all need to know that we are genuinely loved and accepted unconditionally. Knowing we are loved encourages us to want to do better, to be better. Love covers over a multitude of sins.
Most important of all, this is a very critical part of living a holy life and being ready for Christ’s return. We must show deep love for each other. There are different ways to love. We love deeper those whom we are attached to more. What does it mean to love someone deeply?
It means first of all that we are drinking deeply from the well of God’s love for no one can love deeply without drawing it from Him. God is the substance of all love. It means as well that our capacity to love is growing. The more we are invested in God, who is love, the greater we grow in our ability to love. To love someone deeply involves intent and purpose. It means that we don’t just wait for it to happen, we make it happen. We take an interest in others and involve ourselves in their lives. We get to know others from the heart well enough so that we are quick to forgive and slow to anger. We seek to always maintain peace by setting aside our personal wants and issues when necessary.
We are to love each other deeply because when we do we are able to live in peace with each other. A heart full of love is a forgiving heart that is not easily offended. When the heart is full of God’s love, grace abounds. Forgiving each other becomes the natural thing for us to do. We let that which has been forgiven remain in the past. We extend graciousness to those who sin instead of condemning them. We look out for each other and strive to help each other move forward without the baggage of sin weighing us down. In other words, we commit ourselves to grace-filled relationships that never run dry.
Everyone needs to know that their sin doesn’t define who they are. We all need to know that we are genuinely loved and accepted unconditionally. Knowing we are loved encourages us to want to do better, to be better. Love covers over a multitude of sins.
Sunday, October 16, 2016
JESUS IS COMING SOON!
I Peter 4:7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
We know it’s going to happen. We know that the Lord is coming soon; we just don’t know when. Believers have anticipated His coming since the church was first established. Many have tried to predict when it will happen. Many ministries have come and gone over trying to pinpoint when the Lord is coming. No matter how much we may believe that it’s going to be in our lifetime or soon thereafter, no one except God knows. He keeps that information to himself. No matter how convincing the research may seem, the Lord will come back when God determines it is time and not a moment before.
God does not tell us when it’s going to happen because He knows the heart and thinking of man. He knows that many would wait until the very last moment to get right with Him instead of living in Him and for Him. He knows that the work of the Kingdom would not get done. He knows that many would not make it into heaven if His children were to know because they would be more into waiting than serving.
Since we don’t know when the Lord is coming, we should be alert and ready. We should never be unprepared. We should earnestly seek Him and serve Him. We should take our duty to go into the world and make disciples seriously. We should take seriously our need to be a holy people. We should earnestly develop the disciplines of our faith that we might continue to grow in grace and our understanding of Him and His ways.
We should earnestly be disciplined in our prayer lives. There is no way we will ever be right with God and effective in service without prayer. There is no way we will be motivated to be witnesses for Christ in and outside of the church without a committed prayer life. There will be no way we will be ready at all times for the Lord’s coming without a strong prayer life. If you do not have a strong prayer life that translates into a strong faith life, ask the Lord today to help you develop one. Your soul and the souls of many others are in the balance.
The end of the world is coming soon; we just don’t know when. Many will live and die before that day comes. It is imperative for the eternal security of our souls that we live each day as if it were to be today. Don’t let the Lord’s coming for you catch you unprepared.
We know it’s going to happen. We know that the Lord is coming soon; we just don’t know when. Believers have anticipated His coming since the church was first established. Many have tried to predict when it will happen. Many ministries have come and gone over trying to pinpoint when the Lord is coming. No matter how much we may believe that it’s going to be in our lifetime or soon thereafter, no one except God knows. He keeps that information to himself. No matter how convincing the research may seem, the Lord will come back when God determines it is time and not a moment before.
God does not tell us when it’s going to happen because He knows the heart and thinking of man. He knows that many would wait until the very last moment to get right with Him instead of living in Him and for Him. He knows that the work of the Kingdom would not get done. He knows that many would not make it into heaven if His children were to know because they would be more into waiting than serving.
Since we don’t know when the Lord is coming, we should be alert and ready. We should never be unprepared. We should earnestly seek Him and serve Him. We should take our duty to go into the world and make disciples seriously. We should take seriously our need to be a holy people. We should earnestly develop the disciplines of our faith that we might continue to grow in grace and our understanding of Him and His ways.
We should earnestly be disciplined in our prayer lives. There is no way we will ever be right with God and effective in service without prayer. There is no way we will be motivated to be witnesses for Christ in and outside of the church without a committed prayer life. There will be no way we will be ready at all times for the Lord’s coming without a strong prayer life. If you do not have a strong prayer life that translates into a strong faith life, ask the Lord today to help you develop one. Your soul and the souls of many others are in the balance.
The end of the world is coming soon; we just don’t know when. Many will live and die before that day comes. It is imperative for the eternal security of our souls that we live each day as if it were to be today. Don’t let the Lord’s coming for you catch you unprepared.
Saturday, October 15, 2016
READY TO EXPLAIN
I Peter 3:15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.
The context surrounding this verse is about suffering for doing what is right before God and how to respond to it. Most of us are pretty good at complaining about our suffering. It is nothing new; the Israelites were masters of it. They were very discontent and often complained to Moses when they had to endure suffering instead of being grateful for what God had provided.
Instead of complaining about what we don't have, we should turn our eyes upon the Lord and thank Him for what we do have. A complaining or dissatisfied heart cannot worship the Lord. Worship is always Christ-centered with gratitude and praise for what He has done and is doing in our lives. Worship is resting in the goodness of God. It is expressing to God our adoration for Him.
We should be quick to share the hope and help we have in Christ and very slow to share about our sufferings or what we don't have that we wish we had. When we have grateful hearts it's easy to talk about it to others. When we appreciate all that the Lord has and is doing, we express it often. People need to hear how good and loving God is towards us. They need a message of hope, not despair.
Feast on the riches of His grace and you will always be ready to explain to others how precious and wonderful the Lord is to you.
The context surrounding this verse is about suffering for doing what is right before God and how to respond to it. Most of us are pretty good at complaining about our suffering. It is nothing new; the Israelites were masters of it. They were very discontent and often complained to Moses when they had to endure suffering instead of being grateful for what God had provided.
Instead of complaining about what we don't have, we should turn our eyes upon the Lord and thank Him for what we do have. A complaining or dissatisfied heart cannot worship the Lord. Worship is always Christ-centered with gratitude and praise for what He has done and is doing in our lives. Worship is resting in the goodness of God. It is expressing to God our adoration for Him.
We should be quick to share the hope and help we have in Christ and very slow to share about our sufferings or what we don't have that we wish we had. When we have grateful hearts it's easy to talk about it to others. When we appreciate all that the Lord has and is doing, we express it often. People need to hear how good and loving God is towards us. They need a message of hope, not despair.
Feast on the riches of His grace and you will always be ready to explain to others how precious and wonderful the Lord is to you.
Friday, October 14, 2016
ONENESS IN MIND AND HEART
I Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another, with tender hearts and humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it.
Knowing what we should be like and actually being it are two totally different things. The body of Christ should be of one mind. We fail miserably at this point. There are so many different ways we think about the Scriptures and we let our differences divide us. It has gotten to the point where parts of the body isolate themselves from other parts and won’t even have fellowship with them.
We should be full of sympathy toward each other and we struggle with this. We live in a very personal world and often lack a real concern for those amongst us who are struggling or suffering. We should show love to one another and for the most part, we love only those whom we are comfortable with. We should have tender hearts and humble minds and often have neither.
We should not repay evil for evil, which means we should repay evil with good. Getting revenge or seeking justice for ourselves is harmful to the body of Christ and should never be what we do. When others say unkind things about you, don’t lash back or seek to justify yourself. Instead, be kind and gentle in your response to them. Let your tender spirit be your witness and avenger. Go the extra mile of love and seek to do good to those who are not good to you. It may not be natural or easy, but it is what God wants you to do.
When we act in a godly way towards each other, it pleases God and He will bless us for it. We are not responsible for what others may say or do, but we are responsible for our response to them. Strive always to do that which is right in God’s eyes which means that you don’t cause trouble amongst the brethren. It is much better to keep our mouths shut than open them and say things that may divide the body. God wants us to be a blessing and not a curse to the body of Christ. He blesses those who do what is right and pleasing in His sight.
Oneness of mind, oneness of heart, and living humbly with others are God’s will for you in the church.
Knowing what we should be like and actually being it are two totally different things. The body of Christ should be of one mind. We fail miserably at this point. There are so many different ways we think about the Scriptures and we let our differences divide us. It has gotten to the point where parts of the body isolate themselves from other parts and won’t even have fellowship with them.
We should be full of sympathy toward each other and we struggle with this. We live in a very personal world and often lack a real concern for those amongst us who are struggling or suffering. We should show love to one another and for the most part, we love only those whom we are comfortable with. We should have tender hearts and humble minds and often have neither.
We should not repay evil for evil, which means we should repay evil with good. Getting revenge or seeking justice for ourselves is harmful to the body of Christ and should never be what we do. When others say unkind things about you, don’t lash back or seek to justify yourself. Instead, be kind and gentle in your response to them. Let your tender spirit be your witness and avenger. Go the extra mile of love and seek to do good to those who are not good to you. It may not be natural or easy, but it is what God wants you to do.
When we act in a godly way towards each other, it pleases God and He will bless us for it. We are not responsible for what others may say or do, but we are responsible for our response to them. Strive always to do that which is right in God’s eyes which means that you don’t cause trouble amongst the brethren. It is much better to keep our mouths shut than open them and say things that may divide the body. God wants us to be a blessing and not a curse to the body of Christ. He blesses those who do what is right and pleasing in His sight.
Oneness of mind, oneness of heart, and living humbly with others are God’s will for you in the church.
Thursday, October 13, 2016
JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS!
I Peter 2:24-25 He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.
Jesus took matters into His own hands. He personally took upon himself our sins on the cross. He did not pass the buck and let someone else take away our sins. He alone carried our sins. He alone was qualified to do it; He alone was pure enough to do it. Only Jesus had enough love in His heart to do it. It was our sins that put Him there, but our sins were not enough to keep Him there. It was His love for us that nailed Him to the cross and kept Him from crying out to God to deliver Him. It was His love that kept Him on the cross until God's perfect plan for our salvation was completed.
Sin is the cancer of the soul. Jesus enters into the heart of those who turn to Him and confess their sins before Him. He lovingly and graciously reaches into the filth of our sinful hearts and surgically removes all our sinful cancer cells. He does not miss a one of them. He heals us completely and pronounces us clean! We become whiter than snow in God's eyes. He casts everyone of them into the sea of His forgetfulness where they will stay forever and ever. If we confess our sins, He will forgive us and make our hearts pure before God.
Without Jesus we are like lost sheep wandering about in life. With Jesus as our Shepherd we know the way to God. Jesus guards our souls from all that would harm us. He is never off duty. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He never tires of us and will always help us as we journey through life on our way to heaven.
Let us thank and praise Him right now. "Lord, you are our everything--our Savior, guide, protector, lover, provider, and right standing before God. Lord, we cannot thank you enough for all you have done and are now doing in our lives. We owe You our very souls, and we thank you today for saving us and keeping us right with God. Lord, we can't thank you enough. May our lives today be a thanks offering unto You. In Your name we pray. Amen."
Jesus took matters into His own hands. He personally took upon himself our sins on the cross. He did not pass the buck and let someone else take away our sins. He alone carried our sins. He alone was qualified to do it; He alone was pure enough to do it. Only Jesus had enough love in His heart to do it. It was our sins that put Him there, but our sins were not enough to keep Him there. It was His love for us that nailed Him to the cross and kept Him from crying out to God to deliver Him. It was His love that kept Him on the cross until God's perfect plan for our salvation was completed.
Sin is the cancer of the soul. Jesus enters into the heart of those who turn to Him and confess their sins before Him. He lovingly and graciously reaches into the filth of our sinful hearts and surgically removes all our sinful cancer cells. He does not miss a one of them. He heals us completely and pronounces us clean! We become whiter than snow in God's eyes. He casts everyone of them into the sea of His forgetfulness where they will stay forever and ever. If we confess our sins, He will forgive us and make our hearts pure before God.
Without Jesus we are like lost sheep wandering about in life. With Jesus as our Shepherd we know the way to God. Jesus guards our souls from all that would harm us. He is never off duty. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He never tires of us and will always help us as we journey through life on our way to heaven.
Let us thank and praise Him right now. "Lord, you are our everything--our Savior, guide, protector, lover, provider, and right standing before God. Lord, we cannot thank you enough for all you have done and are now doing in our lives. We owe You our very souls, and we thank you today for saving us and keeping us right with God. Lord, we can't thank you enough. May our lives today be a thanks offering unto You. In Your name we pray. Amen."
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
SHOW RESPECT FOR EVERYONE
I Peter 2:17 Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God. Show respect for the king.
Show respect for everyone, not just those you agree with or like. We should respect the fact that everyone is created by God and given a soul. We should respect the fact Jesus died for all of us, no matter how "bad" a person may be. We should respect the fact that God has given honor to human life. Some people act in such a way that we can no longer respect them for what they do or say, but they still are people created in God’s image and their lives are not a trivial thing.
Respect should be a given in the household of faith. We are command by God to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. You cannot properly love those who you have no respect for. No matter how much we may disagree with each other, we must respect each other. Who are we to trivialize someone whom Jesus died for and redeemed? Every believer is worthy of our love and respect.
A proper respect is rooted in a proper fear of God. Much of the church has lost a sense of fear for God. Whether we want to admit it or not, we have trivialized God by eliminating our fear of Him. God commands our respect. He is God. He is holy. He is judge. He is Lord. A fear of God is essential for a healthy soul and healthy relationships within the church.
What we think about God affects how we live on earth. God commands that we respect those who rule over us. Earthly rulers are ordained by God to keep order and to take care of His people. Without those who rule over us, there would be utter chaos.
In the church, we are commanded to respect our pastors and teachers. Unless someone is leading the church astray or is not living a godly life, we should lend them our support and love. We should come alongside of them to help them fulfill God’s calling on their lives. We should respect them by heeding their instruction and applying it to our lives. We should respect them by always striving to grow in grace and honoring the Lord in all things.
Show respect for everyone, not just those you agree with or like. We should respect the fact that everyone is created by God and given a soul. We should respect the fact Jesus died for all of us, no matter how "bad" a person may be. We should respect the fact that God has given honor to human life. Some people act in such a way that we can no longer respect them for what they do or say, but they still are people created in God’s image and their lives are not a trivial thing.
Respect should be a given in the household of faith. We are command by God to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. You cannot properly love those who you have no respect for. No matter how much we may disagree with each other, we must respect each other. Who are we to trivialize someone whom Jesus died for and redeemed? Every believer is worthy of our love and respect.
A proper respect is rooted in a proper fear of God. Much of the church has lost a sense of fear for God. Whether we want to admit it or not, we have trivialized God by eliminating our fear of Him. God commands our respect. He is God. He is holy. He is judge. He is Lord. A fear of God is essential for a healthy soul and healthy relationships within the church.
What we think about God affects how we live on earth. God commands that we respect those who rule over us. Earthly rulers are ordained by God to keep order and to take care of His people. Without those who rule over us, there would be utter chaos.
In the church, we are commanded to respect our pastors and teachers. Unless someone is leading the church astray or is not living a godly life, we should lend them our support and love. We should come alongside of them to help them fulfill God’s calling on their lives. We should respect them by heeding their instruction and applying it to our lives. We should respect them by always striving to grow in grace and honoring the Lord in all things.
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
FREEDOM TO NOT SIN
I Peter 2:16 You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God’s slaves.
As believers, we are not slaves to sin; we are free from them. What this means in a practical sense is that our attitude towards sinning changes when we are in Christ. Instead of looking for ways to sin, we look for ways to not sin. We strive to avoid those things which lead us into sin. We avoid fellowship with those who will lead us into sin. We take responsibility for our souls and strive to not sin.
We are the protector and guardian of our souls. It is our duty to help ourselves keep our hearts pure. Only Christ makes us righteous before God, but only we can take actions that keep us righteous. The Lord does not give us a free pass to heaven that allows us to excuse sin in our lives. We must do the work that accompanies salvation.
Being free to live as God’s slaves means that we live the life and not just talk the talk. We live under the authority of God’s Word. We conform ourselves to His holy life. We become living witnesses and servants of Christ. We actively minister in a dark world God’s amazing grace. We seek always to do what is right in God’s eyes, not excusing ourselves when we don’t.
Many who proclaim Christ as their Savior live as if they are still in bondage to sin. They just don’t seem to get a handle on this. They struggle with sin and never seem to get victory over it. They seem to be content with their bondage believing that since they are "saved" they are forgiven and all is well. But, such living is not appropriate or acceptable for children of God. Christ saves us from our sins and changes our attitude about sin. We no longer are okay with sin. We no longer ignore it. We confess it and strive to not repeat it in our lives.
Christ redeems us for His glory and it is essential for our salvation that we live to glorify Him.
As believers, we are not slaves to sin; we are free from them. What this means in a practical sense is that our attitude towards sinning changes when we are in Christ. Instead of looking for ways to sin, we look for ways to not sin. We strive to avoid those things which lead us into sin. We avoid fellowship with those who will lead us into sin. We take responsibility for our souls and strive to not sin.
We are the protector and guardian of our souls. It is our duty to help ourselves keep our hearts pure. Only Christ makes us righteous before God, but only we can take actions that keep us righteous. The Lord does not give us a free pass to heaven that allows us to excuse sin in our lives. We must do the work that accompanies salvation.
Being free to live as God’s slaves means that we live the life and not just talk the talk. We live under the authority of God’s Word. We conform ourselves to His holy life. We become living witnesses and servants of Christ. We actively minister in a dark world God’s amazing grace. We seek always to do what is right in God’s eyes, not excusing ourselves when we don’t.
Many who proclaim Christ as their Savior live as if they are still in bondage to sin. They just don’t seem to get a handle on this. They struggle with sin and never seem to get victory over it. They seem to be content with their bondage believing that since they are "saved" they are forgiven and all is well. But, such living is not appropriate or acceptable for children of God. Christ saves us from our sins and changes our attitude about sin. We no longer are okay with sin. We no longer ignore it. We confess it and strive to not repeat it in our lives.
Christ redeems us for His glory and it is essential for our salvation that we live to glorify Him.
Monday, October 10, 2016
BE THE REAL DEAL
I Peter 2:15 It is God's will that your good lives should silence those who make foolish accusations against you.
God wants you to live in such a way that your life will shut up those who would accuse you of wrong or hypocrisy. When we don't live the way He wants us to, we are out of God's will for our lives. God will not bless those who are not living honorable lives before Him.
How we live affects our witness, whether we want to admit it or not. When we don't practice what we preach, we are giving others ammunition to use against the body of Christ and even Christ himself. People want to know what works in real life, not theories about what works. There are all kinds of theories out there about how life should be lived and if we don't show the world how life in Christ works, we do more harm than good.
People can come up with all kinds of arguments against what we believe, but they can't argue against what works. When we live godly lives it silences those who oppose it. They may not embrace it for themselves, but they can't refute godliness as it is lived out.
Are you living God's will for you? Are you living in such a way that no one can question whether or not your professed faith is real or not? You cannot live a godly life until you let Jesus be your Lord as well as your Savior. Only those who are fully surrendered to Christ will do God's will for them.
God wants you to live in such a way that your life will shut up those who would accuse you of wrong or hypocrisy. When we don't live the way He wants us to, we are out of God's will for our lives. God will not bless those who are not living honorable lives before Him.
How we live affects our witness, whether we want to admit it or not. When we don't practice what we preach, we are giving others ammunition to use against the body of Christ and even Christ himself. People want to know what works in real life, not theories about what works. There are all kinds of theories out there about how life should be lived and if we don't show the world how life in Christ works, we do more harm than good.
People can come up with all kinds of arguments against what we believe, but they can't argue against what works. When we live godly lives it silences those who oppose it. They may not embrace it for themselves, but they can't refute godliness as it is lived out.
Are you living God's will for you? Are you living in such a way that no one can question whether or not your professed faith is real or not? You cannot live a godly life until you let Jesus be your Lord as well as your Savior. Only those who are fully surrendered to Christ will do God's will for them.
Sunday, October 9, 2016
BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE
I Peter 2:12 Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world.
How careful are you with how you live amongst men? Do you say one thing but teach something else by how you live? Are you acting and reacting around others in such a way that they know Christ makes a difference in you? Non-believers are not stupid. They can spot phony believers pretty easily. They know whether or not Christ has changed us. If they see in us things that don't match up to what we preach and teach, they will more than likely not listen to us. The world generally pays little attention to the Christian message because they don't see it at work like we say it does.
When we live honorable lives before God and man, people will notice. They may not accept what we say with their minds, but they have to accept it with their hearts. Deep down they will know that we are who they would like to be. When the world sees the Gospel working like it is supposed to be, they will respect us, even when they don't agree with us and oppose us.
Strive to live in such a way that the world cannot refute the difference Christ makes in you. Practice what you preach. Be as consistent as possible in your application of Biblical truth. Don't give others an excuse to reject the Gospel because of what they see in you. Instead, give them a reason to embrace it because of how they see it at work in you.
How careful are you with how you live amongst men? Do you say one thing but teach something else by how you live? Are you acting and reacting around others in such a way that they know Christ makes a difference in you? Non-believers are not stupid. They can spot phony believers pretty easily. They know whether or not Christ has changed us. If they see in us things that don't match up to what we preach and teach, they will more than likely not listen to us. The world generally pays little attention to the Christian message because they don't see it at work like we say it does.
When we live honorable lives before God and man, people will notice. They may not accept what we say with their minds, but they have to accept it with their hearts. Deep down they will know that we are who they would like to be. When the world sees the Gospel working like it is supposed to be, they will respect us, even when they don't agree with us and oppose us.
Strive to live in such a way that the world cannot refute the difference Christ makes in you. Practice what you preach. Be as consistent as possible in your application of Biblical truth. Don't give others an excuse to reject the Gospel because of what they see in you. Instead, give them a reason to embrace it because of how they see it at work in you.
Saturday, October 8, 2016
ON FOREIGN SOIL
I Peter 2:11 Dear brother and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls.
We must understand this truth. As the old Gospel song put it, "This world is not my home; I’m just a passing through….." Most of us tend to get deeply attached to this world. We don’t see ourselves as misfits in it. We act as if this is where we will be forever. We must change our mindset if we are ever going to live rightly before God.
We are out of place here. Heaven is our real home and we must act like it. We are citizens of heaven more than we are citizens of earth. Our identity is in heaven, not on earth. We are not like everybody else. We are righteous and holy before God. We do not do as the world does. We don’t think like the world thinks. We don’t live for what the world lives. We don’t fit into the world’s culture. We are uncomfortable living in the world.
We must understand that we have to take charge of our souls. We must keep away from those things which stimulate evil desires within us. We must keep our souls pure before God so that we are fit for heaven. We must not let the world entice us away from God. We must not let life on earth keep us away from diligently pursuing God. We must make the purity and growth of our souls the number one priority of our lives.
We must understand that the ruler of this world now is Satan. This is his turf. He has full reign over it and is constantly on the prowl looking for victims. He is relentless and will not give up on his quest to lure us away from God. He is focused on us and will do everything he can to hinder our growth in Christ or destroy our souls. We are in a spiritual warfare as long as we are here on his turf. In order to defeat him we must aggressively seek the Lord at all times. In Christ alone are we going to make it to our heavenly home.
We must understand this truth. As the old Gospel song put it, "This world is not my home; I’m just a passing through….." Most of us tend to get deeply attached to this world. We don’t see ourselves as misfits in it. We act as if this is where we will be forever. We must change our mindset if we are ever going to live rightly before God.
We are out of place here. Heaven is our real home and we must act like it. We are citizens of heaven more than we are citizens of earth. Our identity is in heaven, not on earth. We are not like everybody else. We are righteous and holy before God. We do not do as the world does. We don’t think like the world thinks. We don’t live for what the world lives. We don’t fit into the world’s culture. We are uncomfortable living in the world.
We must understand that we have to take charge of our souls. We must keep away from those things which stimulate evil desires within us. We must keep our souls pure before God so that we are fit for heaven. We must not let the world entice us away from God. We must not let life on earth keep us away from diligently pursuing God. We must make the purity and growth of our souls the number one priority of our lives.
We must understand that the ruler of this world now is Satan. This is his turf. He has full reign over it and is constantly on the prowl looking for victims. He is relentless and will not give up on his quest to lure us away from God. He is focused on us and will do everything he can to hinder our growth in Christ or destroy our souls. We are in a spiritual warfare as long as we are here on his turf. In order to defeat him we must aggressively seek the Lord at all times. In Christ alone are we going to make it to our heavenly home.
Friday, October 7, 2016
YOU ARE A SOMEBODY!
I Peter 2:9-10 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. "Once you were not a people, now you are a people of God. Once you received none of God's mercy, now you have received his mercy."
I like to think about these verses. I may not be a "somebody" in the world's eyes, but I am a very special person in God's eyes. He has chosen me to be His very own! He has elevated me to a position of service and responsibility. He has made me holy in His sight. He has enabled me to be a light in a dark and hopeless world. I am a somebody, because God has made me that way.
Dear friend, as you read this today, I want you to know with your heart that you are a somebody to God. Don't believe the lie of Satan that you aren't. Our Lord has put His life into your life and made you very special. You are a child of God. You are crafted by God to play a very special role in His kingdom. You are an integral part of what the Lord is doing amongst the people you live around and associate with. You live as a witness for Christ in your world that no one else can do. The Lord has chosen YOU to be loved by Him. He has chosen you to be nurtured and empowered to serve Him. He has chosen you to be a testimony of His amazing grace. He has chosen you to show others the goodness of God.
I want you to know today that you are a somebody to God. You belong to Him and not the world. You are who you are because the Lord wants to bless those in your life with your life. Hold your head up high today and act like the somebody you are in Him. Let the Lord have His way in you and you will never have to feel like a nobody again.
!
I like to think about these verses. I may not be a "somebody" in the world's eyes, but I am a very special person in God's eyes. He has chosen me to be His very own! He has elevated me to a position of service and responsibility. He has made me holy in His sight. He has enabled me to be a light in a dark and hopeless world. I am a somebody, because God has made me that way.
Dear friend, as you read this today, I want you to know with your heart that you are a somebody to God. Don't believe the lie of Satan that you aren't. Our Lord has put His life into your life and made you very special. You are a child of God. You are crafted by God to play a very special role in His kingdom. You are an integral part of what the Lord is doing amongst the people you live around and associate with. You live as a witness for Christ in your world that no one else can do. The Lord has chosen YOU to be loved by Him. He has chosen you to be nurtured and empowered to serve Him. He has chosen you to be a testimony of His amazing grace. He has chosen you to show others the goodness of God.
I want you to know today that you are a somebody to God. You belong to Him and not the world. You are who you are because the Lord wants to bless those in your life with your life. Hold your head up high today and act like the somebody you are in Him. Let the Lord have His way in you and you will never have to feel like a nobody again.
!
Thursday, October 6, 2016
YOU ARE CHOSEN
I Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
Note first of all, we are a chosen people. God chose us to be His own. We are not a part of God’s family by accident. God looks into the heart of man and chooses those whom He knows will follow Him. He chooses us not because of who we are, but because of who we can become in Him. God calls all people to repentance, but chooses only those who are willing to repent.
We are chosen for a purpose. God chooses us so that we will become a holy people able to serve Him. He chooses us to be His and not the world’s. He chooses us to be His own special people, a kingdom of priests. Priests are those who serve God amongst man. They represent God before man, bringing man to God. Priests can only serve God with holy hearts. They must always strive to keep their souls pure before they fulfill their priestly duties. They understand that God is holy and must be respected and treated as holy.
God chooses us to show the world the goodness of God. We are the witness of God in the world. We are the way God has chosen to reveal himself to the world. In order for us to be the people God created us to be, we must keep our souls right before Him. We must let His light shine deeply into our souls. We must always seek Him and let Him have access to every crevice of our souls. We cannot be a holy people unless we go all the way with Him. We must be totally committed to Him.
God’s desire is to lead us out of, and away from, the darkness into His wonderful light. His plan is to lead you so far away from the darkness that all you can see is the Light. You will never see the Light while peering into the darkness. You will only be the light whom God has called you to be in the world by staying in the light and letting it capture your soul.
Your life is the only goodness of God many people will ever see.
Note first of all, we are a chosen people. God chose us to be His own. We are not a part of God’s family by accident. God looks into the heart of man and chooses those whom He knows will follow Him. He chooses us not because of who we are, but because of who we can become in Him. God calls all people to repentance, but chooses only those who are willing to repent.
We are chosen for a purpose. God chooses us so that we will become a holy people able to serve Him. He chooses us to be His and not the world’s. He chooses us to be His own special people, a kingdom of priests. Priests are those who serve God amongst man. They represent God before man, bringing man to God. Priests can only serve God with holy hearts. They must always strive to keep their souls pure before they fulfill their priestly duties. They understand that God is holy and must be respected and treated as holy.
God chooses us to show the world the goodness of God. We are the witness of God in the world. We are the way God has chosen to reveal himself to the world. In order for us to be the people God created us to be, we must keep our souls right before Him. We must let His light shine deeply into our souls. We must always seek Him and let Him have access to every crevice of our souls. We cannot be a holy people unless we go all the way with Him. We must be totally committed to Him.
God’s desire is to lead us out of, and away from, the darkness into His wonderful light. His plan is to lead you so far away from the darkness that all you can see is the Light. You will never see the Light while peering into the darkness. You will only be the light whom God has called you to be in the world by staying in the light and letting it capture your soul.
Your life is the only goodness of God many people will ever see.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
NO NEUTRALITY WITH JESUS
I Peter 2:8-9 And the Scriptures also say, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that will make them fall." They stumble because they do not listen to God's word or obey it, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests. God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
There are two things I want to emphasize from this passage today. The first is that Jesus is the stumbling block in many people's lives and the other is that we are who we are in Christ so that we can be a witness in the world of God's transforming power.
Two things happen when we are confronted by Jesus: either we will embrace Him or we will reject Him. To embrace Christ is to become like Him. There is no such thing as an unchanged child of God. It may not happen quickly, nor may it be easily seen, but change does indeed happen. When Jesus enters the heart He begins to get rid of all that is unholy there. He changes the way we live and think. He replaces all that is not consistent with the holiness of God with those things which are. To reject Christ is to resist the changes He wants to make in us. There is an outright rejection and a subtle rejection. An outright rejection is slamming the door in Christ's face and refusing to even let Him in. A subtle rejection is to let Him in, but resisting the changes He needs to make in us. It is giving lip loyalty to Him but not a life loyalty. When we fail to embrace Christ with all of our heart, mind, and soul, He becomes a stumbling block to us.
We who are in Christ take on a new identity and become living witnesses of God's transforming power. We are on display in the world of God's goodness. We become beacons of light in the darkness of the world. We don't blend into the world, we stand out from it. It becomes obvious to the world that we don't belong here; we are citizens of heaven. We do not hold dual citizenships. We are chosen by God to represent Him on earth. We are priests of God, a holy people, a people who belong to God.
A child of God is outstanding and out standing in his field.
There are two things I want to emphasize from this passage today. The first is that Jesus is the stumbling block in many people's lives and the other is that we are who we are in Christ so that we can be a witness in the world of God's transforming power.
Two things happen when we are confronted by Jesus: either we will embrace Him or we will reject Him. To embrace Christ is to become like Him. There is no such thing as an unchanged child of God. It may not happen quickly, nor may it be easily seen, but change does indeed happen. When Jesus enters the heart He begins to get rid of all that is unholy there. He changes the way we live and think. He replaces all that is not consistent with the holiness of God with those things which are. To reject Christ is to resist the changes He wants to make in us. There is an outright rejection and a subtle rejection. An outright rejection is slamming the door in Christ's face and refusing to even let Him in. A subtle rejection is to let Him in, but resisting the changes He needs to make in us. It is giving lip loyalty to Him but not a life loyalty. When we fail to embrace Christ with all of our heart, mind, and soul, He becomes a stumbling block to us.
We who are in Christ take on a new identity and become living witnesses of God's transforming power. We are on display in the world of God's goodness. We become beacons of light in the darkness of the world. We don't blend into the world, we stand out from it. It becomes obvious to the world that we don't belong here; we are citizens of heaven. We do not hold dual citizenships. We are chosen by God to represent Him on earth. We are priests of God, a holy people, a people who belong to God.
A child of God is outstanding and out standing in his field.
Monday, October 3, 2016
JESUS, OUR CORNERSTONE
I Peter 2:6 As the Scriptures express it, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem, a chosen cornerstone, and anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed."
A cornerstone is the main stone in the building. It is the first stone laid and must be the best stone it can be. It must be able to withstand the pressure placed upon it by all the other stones without crumbling or cracking. If the cornerstone fails, the rest of the building is in serious jeopardy of falling.
God has chosen Jesus as the cornerstone or our faith. Now we know that God is perfect in knowledge and judgment so it is no mistake Jesus was chosen. Jesus is the perfect one upon which to build all those of faith. He is able to withstand all the pressures placed upon Him without fear of failure. He is able to hold the household of faith together without fear of ever shifting or changing. He is flawless in character and will always be as He always has been so that the household of faith will never have to question His ability to hold us together.
Jesus is the perfect choice to be the cornerstone of our faith and all who believe in Him will not be disappointed. He keeps every promise He makes. He purifies the heart and makes it holy for all who will allow Him to do it. He will supply every need we have, if we let Him. He will enable us to keep steadfast in faith if we let Him. He will help us to resist Satan and overcome sin if we let Him. He will use us as key building blocks in His kingdom if we will let Him. He will take us by the hand and lead us safely home to heaven if we let Him.
The key to Jesus being the cornerstone of faith for us is our giving Him permission to fill that role. He will keep His covenant of grace to us, but not against our will. Don't deny the Lord the opportunity to be your cornerstone of faith. Let Him have His way with you.
A cornerstone is the main stone in the building. It is the first stone laid and must be the best stone it can be. It must be able to withstand the pressure placed upon it by all the other stones without crumbling or cracking. If the cornerstone fails, the rest of the building is in serious jeopardy of falling.
God has chosen Jesus as the cornerstone or our faith. Now we know that God is perfect in knowledge and judgment so it is no mistake Jesus was chosen. Jesus is the perfect one upon which to build all those of faith. He is able to withstand all the pressures placed upon Him without fear of failure. He is able to hold the household of faith together without fear of ever shifting or changing. He is flawless in character and will always be as He always has been so that the household of faith will never have to question His ability to hold us together.
Jesus is the perfect choice to be the cornerstone of our faith and all who believe in Him will not be disappointed. He keeps every promise He makes. He purifies the heart and makes it holy for all who will allow Him to do it. He will supply every need we have, if we let Him. He will enable us to keep steadfast in faith if we let Him. He will help us to resist Satan and overcome sin if we let Him. He will use us as key building blocks in His kingdom if we will let Him. He will take us by the hand and lead us safely home to heaven if we let Him.
The key to Jesus being the cornerstone of faith for us is our giving Him permission to fill that role. He will keep His covenant of grace to us, but not against our will. Don't deny the Lord the opportunity to be your cornerstone of faith. Let Him have His way with you.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
GOD'S BUILDING PROJECT
I Peter 2:4-5 Come to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by the people, but he is precious to God who chose him. And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are God's holy priests who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ.
This is God's plan for all His people. We are created in Christ to serve Him as His chosen priests amongst men. We are not zombies roaming about on earth biding our time. We are living stones, actively doing the Lord's bidding. We are first and foremost spiritual beings. Who we are in Christ takes precedence over everything else.
We are holy priests before Him. We are not participants in sinful living. We are characterized by who we are in Christ and not who we are in the world. We are different because Christ makes us different. We are not perfect, but we are perfected in Him. And, the more we live in Christ the more we show it.
No matter who you may think you are or aren't, God says you are special. You are specially created in Christ for Him. You have a very important role to play in the work of the Kingdom. You are a somebody because God says you are. Your value is not measured by the world's standard; it's measured by God's standard. We must not listen to what others say about us or compare ourselves to anyone else.
We are a work in progress. The Lord is building you into His spiritual temple. He knows you are not who you need to be or will be. He will not stop working on you until He is ready to take you home. Be patient and don't let what may seem to you to be a lack of progress discourage you. The Lord will complete what He has begun in you.
Live like the person God says you are. The Lord believes in you. Believe you are who He says you are.
This is God's plan for all His people. We are created in Christ to serve Him as His chosen priests amongst men. We are not zombies roaming about on earth biding our time. We are living stones, actively doing the Lord's bidding. We are first and foremost spiritual beings. Who we are in Christ takes precedence over everything else.
We are holy priests before Him. We are not participants in sinful living. We are characterized by who we are in Christ and not who we are in the world. We are different because Christ makes us different. We are not perfect, but we are perfected in Him. And, the more we live in Christ the more we show it.
No matter who you may think you are or aren't, God says you are special. You are specially created in Christ for Him. You have a very important role to play in the work of the Kingdom. You are a somebody because God says you are. Your value is not measured by the world's standard; it's measured by God's standard. We must not listen to what others say about us or compare ourselves to anyone else.
We are a work in progress. The Lord is building you into His spiritual temple. He knows you are not who you need to be or will be. He will not stop working on you until He is ready to take you home. Be patient and don't let what may seem to you to be a lack of progress discourage you. The Lord will complete what He has begun in you.
Live like the person God says you are. The Lord believes in you. Believe you are who He says you are.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
CRAVE SPIRITUAL FOOD
I Peter 2:2-3 You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
There is such a thing as impure spiritual milk. It is those things that are not true to God’s Word. It is compromised or distorted truth. It is convenient truth. It is insufficient truth. It is truth that never inspires or challenges one to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.
It is imperative that we crave for that which is pure. For the health of your soul, be sure that you only sit under the teaching of the authoritative Word of God accurately proclaimed and taught. Think enough about yourself to not settle for anything that impedes your spiritual growth. You deserve to learn the whole truth of God’s Word.
We must crave pure spiritual milk. We must desire to be nourished by the Word. We must grow in our desire for it. We must constantly desire to discover what the Word says and seek to apply it to life. It is impossible for the soul to mature in faith without a steady input of the Word.
We must never be satisfied with what we have. We must cry out for more. Like a baby who cries for his milk, seemingly never satisfied, so should it be with us with the Word of God. There should be an insatiable appetite for more. We must understand this crucial truth; we cannot survive spiritually without a consistent feeding of our souls with the Word of God. A casual or occasional reading of the Word simply will not meet our soul’s needs.
The natural goal of every believer should be to grow into the fullness of faith. It is abnormal for a believer to not want to grow in faith. It is abnormal for him to be comfortable with where he may be in his faith walk and not seek to grow.
Tasting the Lord’s kindness should inspire us to even greater experiences with Him. The Lord’s kindness is His embracing love. It is to know we are forgiven and have eternal life. It is to know His peace and the joy of salvation. Blessed are those who constantly crave more and more of the Lord at work in them.
There is such a thing as impure spiritual milk. It is those things that are not true to God’s Word. It is compromised or distorted truth. It is convenient truth. It is insufficient truth. It is truth that never inspires or challenges one to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.
It is imperative that we crave for that which is pure. For the health of your soul, be sure that you only sit under the teaching of the authoritative Word of God accurately proclaimed and taught. Think enough about yourself to not settle for anything that impedes your spiritual growth. You deserve to learn the whole truth of God’s Word.
We must crave pure spiritual milk. We must desire to be nourished by the Word. We must grow in our desire for it. We must constantly desire to discover what the Word says and seek to apply it to life. It is impossible for the soul to mature in faith without a steady input of the Word.
We must never be satisfied with what we have. We must cry out for more. Like a baby who cries for his milk, seemingly never satisfied, so should it be with us with the Word of God. There should be an insatiable appetite for more. We must understand this crucial truth; we cannot survive spiritually without a consistent feeding of our souls with the Word of God. A casual or occasional reading of the Word simply will not meet our soul’s needs.
The natural goal of every believer should be to grow into the fullness of faith. It is abnormal for a believer to not want to grow in faith. It is abnormal for him to be comfortable with where he may be in his faith walk and not seek to grow.
Tasting the Lord’s kindness should inspire us to even greater experiences with Him. The Lord’s kindness is His embracing love. It is to know we are forgiven and have eternal life. It is to know His peace and the joy of salvation. Blessed are those who constantly crave more and more of the Lord at work in them.
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