GOD IS JUST

 

GOD IS JUST

Ezek. 18:25-28 “Yet you say, ˜The Lord isn’t being just!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one who is unjust, or is it you? When righteous people turn from being good and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds. And if wicked people turn away from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. They will live, because after thinking it over, they decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.” NLT

It is very simple really. God lets us choose whom we will serve. If we choose to not live in His righteousness, we will pay the price for it. If we choose to live righteously, we will be rewarded for it. We cannot live on past laurels and think that it’s good enough. It is how we are living now that matters to God. Judgment will be made on how we are living when we die and the motives of our souls.

It is possible for righteous people to get caught up in sin and reject God in their lives. And it is possible for sinners to reject their sins and turn to God. No matter how we may think about it, God does not change His mind about sin. It is an abomination to Him and must be punished.

I believe that sometimes our concept of eternal security can become a false security. Salvation does not give us a license to sin. We are not free in Christ to live contrary to His holiness. We can never get away with sinful living. Salvation changes the heart of man so that he no longer can be comfortable with sinning against God. It moves us to want to please God by resisting the urge to sin against Him.

Past profession doesn’t always translate into present living. It behooves us to always be vigilant guards over our souls. He who sins must repent, change his ways, and go and sin no more. God rewards those who turn from their sins and live in Him.

SAINT TO SINNER

 

SAINT TO SINNER

Ezek. 18:24 However, if righteous people turn to sinful ways and start acting like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their previous goodness will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins. NLT

This truth should get our attention. Regardless of how you understand the issue of eternal security of the soul, we must hear what this verse says. The fact of the matter is, if righteous people turn away from the Lord and live lives of sin, they will die in their sins. Whether or not one’s previous righteousness will still get them into heaven only the Lord really knows. He alone knows those who are worthy to be with Him throughout eternity.

Can righteous people turn to sinful ways and act like other sinners? This verse seems to suggest they can. We cannot go beyond what the Scripture says. We know that there are those amongst the righteous who do turn away from God and go their own way. There are those who end up denying the faith and live sinful lives. Were they ever saved? Only the Lord knows the answer to that. All I know is what the Word proclaims.

This verse tells us that all the previous goodness of the righteous who turn from God will be forgotten. It’s a hard truth to digest. Other people can debate what it means. Should we make a distinction between a person’s righteousness and his goodness (see Ezekiel 33:13)? All I know is that God says what He means and means what He says. Does the fact that we live under grace and not the law change this truth? I am not smart enough to give an absolute answer to that one. We are told that their previous goodness will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.

One thing is for certain. I do not want to die for my sins. In order for us to avoid this, we must strive to live righteously at all times. When we are living submissively to Christ, this is a non-issue for us. The Lord blesses and rewards those who live godly lives. When we live righteously before God and die in our righteousness, we will be ushered into heaven when we die. There is no debating the destiny of those who do not wander away from God.

FROM GOOD TO BAD

 

FROM GOOD TO BAD

Ezek. 18:24 “However, if righteous people turn to sinful ways and start acting like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their previous goodness will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.” NLT

Let me be very upfront. I don’t have it all figured out. I have been a student of God’s Word all my life and I still have to simply accept the fact that I don’t know how to balance out all that the Word says about our salvation. What I don’t know, I know to be true because God said it. It may not all fit into my understanding, but it doesn’t have to. I will just let the Word say what it says and leave the rest up to someone else to determine how it all fits together.

A lot of questions can be asked from today’s verse. Who determines who is among the righteous and who isn’t? Can the righteous fall into sin, and if so, how? What happens to the righteous if they do fall into sin? Is the death spoken of here that of physical or spiritual death? Is it eternal or not? To what extent does God allow us to sin and not die? Can the believer revert back to a life of sin and still make it to heaven? Only God knows the answer to that one.

If we are continuously striving to live a life of submission and obedience to Christ, it’s not an issue to be concerned about. The Lord alone knows the righteousness of the heart and He will accept all those who are righteous in His eyes. Our opinions about ourselves don’t matter. What God thinks of us in light of the cross does. He will not make any mistakes in judgment.

Is your heart right with God today? Are you living the righteous life you claim to have? Or, are you acting more like a sinner than a saint? God knows how you are living and your thought life and will hold you accountable for them. Take to heart what God says. He means exactly what He says.

GOD DOESN'T LIKE IT

 

GOD DOESN’T LIKE IT

Ezek. 18:23 “Do you think, asks the Sovereign LORD, that I like to see wicked people die? Of course not! I only want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.” NLT

The Lord absolutely hates it when someone dies in their sin. He hates it when people have no one to save them from an eternity in hell. He hates it when He has to watch someone force their way into a godless eternity by choosing to reject Jesus as their Savior. He hates it, but there is absolutely nothing He can do to keep it from happening.

God is holy love. His love prevents Him from forcing His will upon us. He gives us the freedom of choice and the responsibilities that go with it. He will never force us to submit to Him or respond to His love. He will always love us, but will only embrace those who love Him back.

God is holy and will never allow sin in His presence. He hates sin because it’s the exact opposite of His holiness. Sin causes us to go against God’s holiness. It takes us away from God and keeps us away. Sin is the kiss of eternal death. It is the cancer of the soul and if left untreated, will cause us to spend eternity in hell with no hope of escape. The only remedy for sin is a blood transfusion with the blood of Jesus.

God has done all He can do to save us from our sins. The rest is up to us. Once we learn about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, we are held accountable for our knowledge. We choose whether or not we let Him be our Savior. No one who has heard can escape responsibility for their choice. You choose where you will spend eternity. You have no one to blame but yourself if you miss out on heaven.

Is Jesus your Savior today?

LOVE AND HOLINESS

 

LOVE AND HOLINESS

Ezek. 18:23 Do you think, asks the LORD, that I like to see wicked people die? Of course not! I only want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. NLT

We must understand this truth. The Lord does not like to see wicked people die. God knows that those who live wicked lives will go to hell when they die if they don’t repent. They must be sent to hell for no sin can ever be in His presence. In human terms, it’s not God’s most favorite thing to do. His holiness demands it, but His love does not want to do it.

The Lord does all He can do to get people to repent. He shows himself to us in a multitude of ways. He can be found by anyone who sincerely is looking for Him. He bears witness of His existence and love in all of life. For those who have eyes to see, what man needs to know about God in order to be saved is everywhere. God wants people to open their eyes and see Him. He wants them to see themselves as sinners in need of a Savior.

But, He also know that sin darkens the mind of man and prevents the soul from seeing or wanting God. The deeper one goes into sin, the harder it is for the soul to find God. God allows man the freedom to choose how deep into sin he will go. No one has to be a slave to sin. Living in sin is a choice that is daily made. It is the natural tendency of the heart, but it is not the way it has to be. God provides a way out of sin and a way to stay out of it. It is God’s heart desire for us to choose to come out of sin and live in righteousness. There is a way out; there is hope for the soul. Jesus is the way, truth, and life. We come to God only through Him.

“Thank you, O Lord, for your righteousness and holiness that keeps us out of hell when we give you our hearts. Thank you, Lord, for making it possible for us to know the love of God for us and to be bathed in it daily. Thank you, Lord, for saving our souls and setting us free. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

SINNER TO SAINT

 

SINNER TO SAINT

Ezek. 18:21-22 But if the wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my laws and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. NLT

Wicked people do what wicked people do; they blatantly sin against God. Nothing they do should ever surprise us. But, wicked people are not necessarily stuck in their wickedness. People can, and do, change. When wicked people get tired of their wickedness and turn to the Lord, they change their ways. When they do change, they shall live and not die in their sins. It is an amazing thing when the Lord redeems the wicked.

No matter how bad of a life a person may live, when Jesus takes residence in the heart, an amazing thing happens in heaven. God wipes from His memory bank all their past sins. He has the mysterious ability to remember their sins no more. He looks upon the righteousness of Christ in the soul and looks no further. It seems like God would be like us, but He’s not.

When we are forgiven and let Christ take over our lives, we still remember what we have done. We may be able to bury our wicked deeds deep within our memory bank, but they are still there and come back to haunt us throughout our lives. Satan refuses to let us forget how bad we were and he tries to convince us we are still as bad as we were. But, God declares us to be different. We become new creations in Christ; the old self passes away and we become new in Christ.

In Christ, we live. We live differently, and we are deemed to be righteous in Christ. We live honorably before God and man. What we do pleases God. Only in Christ can our wickedness be done away with. Only in Christ can God consider us to be righteous. Yes, the wicked can be miraculously changed. It is possible for our standing with God to change. It is possible for us to live eternally in God’s presence.

Don’t ever let Satan try to convince you otherwise. It is impossible for us to do it, but with Christ all things are possible. Believe God, trust Christ with your soul, and you will be forever set free from the sins that bind and destroy you. No matter how bad of a sinner you may be, Christ can forgive you and change your life forever.

HE WHO SINS DIES

 

HE WHO SINS DIES

Ezek. 18:20 The one who sins is the one who dies. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. NLT

The one who sins is the one who dies. I cannot die for you and you cannot die for me. No one can take the blame or responsibility for my sins but me. No matter how much I may love you and want to spare you the consequences of sin, I can’t. There are a lot of things we can do for each other, but intervening before God in each other’s place for our sins is not one of them.

Only Jesus is qualified and capable of sparing us from the consequences of sin. Only Jesus can satisfy the demands of God’s justice and make us holy before Him. Only Jesus can forgive us and remove our sins from us. Only Jesus can make it possible for us to not sin against God. Only Jesus can spare us from eternal separation from God.

The closer you walk in fellowship with Jesus daily in your life, the less you will fall into sin. He will change the desires of your heart so that you won’t want to sin. Jesus opens our eyes to see sin for what it really is, the destroyer of our souls.

You will spend eternity where you deserve to be. If you choose to be with God, you will let Jesus take away your sins now. You cannot take one with you into heaven. They must all go. If you choose to hang onto any of your sins, you will answer to God for it. He who sins will die and spend eternity in hell without God.

Choose you this day whom you will serve, God or Satan. Today is the day of salvation; you may never make it to tomorrow. Don’t be a fool. Confess your sins to the Lord today, accept responsibility for them, ask Him to forgive you, trust in His forgiveness, change your ways, and serve Him. You will be forever glad you did.

PROTECT THE TRUTH

 

PROTECT THE TRUTH

Ezek. 13:1-3 Then this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, speak against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies. Tell them to listen to the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says. ˜Destruction is certain for the false prophets who are following their own imaginations and have seen nothing at all!’” NLT

This is a timeless message for all who would be leaders in the Church. There are false preachers, teachers and representatives of Christ everywhere. The Church is full of people who are not telling the truth or are using the truth for their own purposes and gain. It will not bode well for them on Judgment Day. We dare not ignore what they are doing.

Instead of standing up against them, we so often look the other way. We tolerate their teachings or for the sake of unity try to meet on common ground. We tend to talk about them behind their backs, but not to their faces. We need to speak out against them and their teachings. We need to proclaim truth to them that perhaps they may repent. If they don’t heed the Word, perhaps some of those who follow them will.

God declares that destruction is certain for those false teachers. There is no hope for eternal life in Christ for those who are not proclaiming the truthfulness of God’s Word. They follow their own delusional thinking. They will be held responsible for their false teachings.

Let us be diligent protectors of the truth. Let us not grow weary in our proclamation and defense of God’s Word. Let us not turn away from those who are proclaiming untruth and pretend that it doesn’t matter. The very soul of man is at stake! We must be vigilant defenders of the Word of God. There are those who are undermining and seeking to destroy the Word. If we aren’t defending the truth, by our actions we are agreeing with those who say that God and the Word are no longer relevant to us. We will answer to God for it.

How can we say we love the Lord and people when we don’t do what we can to protect and proclaim the Word of God? How can we justify letting people be led into hell by those who are preaching another Gospel? Do we really want to stand before the Lord on Judgment Day knowing that we stood silently by while souls were being led into hell?

FALSE PROPHETS: BEWARE!

 

FALSE PROPHETS: BEWARE!

Ezek. 13:1-3 Then this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, speak against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies. Tell them to listen to the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says. ‘Destruction is certain for the false prophets who are following their own imaginations and have seen nothing at all!’” NLT

Ezekiel was told to speak out against those false prophets of Israel who were inventing their own prophecies. We need to do the same thing today. We need to speak out against those who are preaching and teaching another Gospel. I am not speaking about the non-essential differences of doctrine in the Church today, but those who blatantly promote other ways to heaven. There are many who pervert the Gospel message to promote their own agendas and ideas. There are those who endeavor to justify sin by declaring that what they do is not sin. There are many who pick apart the Bible and declare it outdated and no longer relevant to our lives. There are those who take things out of the context in which they are written in order to make it say what they want it to say.

We have a mandate to speak out against these false prophets and stand clearly on what God declares is truth. We must preach and teach only the Word of God. We must not cater to those who do not accept Biblical truth as being truth. We are to not listen to their rhetoric or have fellowship with them. It is our mandate to speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth of God’s Word. We must protect our pulpits and never let false prophets have access to them.

Destruction is certain for all who would promote another Gospel message or who would distort it. We must warn them of what is to come for them if they don’t repent. We must as well guard our hearts and minds so that we don’t get caught up into their untruth. We must diligently study God’s Word so that we will know the truth. The eternal destiny of our souls is at stake.

How can we be sure of what is actually true or not? Dig into the Scriptures for yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and give you understanding. Is what you believe supported by the rest of the Scriptures? Is it widely accepted to be true by the Church throughout history? Does it help you to grow into holiness before God? In other words, study carefully what you believe and don’t accept things as being truth just because others may say it is true.

GUARD AGAINST SIN

 

GUARD AGAINST SIN

Ezek. 3:20-21 “If good people turn bad and don’t listen to my warning, they will die. If you did not warn them of the consequences, then they will die in their sins. Their previous good deeds won’t help them, and I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. But if you warn them and they repent, they will live and you will have saved your own life too.” NLT

These verses have always had a sobering effect on me. The Lord says that if good people turn bad and refuse to listen to Him, they will die. It is possible for good people to turn bad. Can they lose out on their salvation? Only the Lord knows that for sure. The issue is that we can slip into a life of sin if we are not carefully guarding our souls.

It is imperative that if we see a brother or sister in Christ fall into sin that we warn them of what they are doing. Sin blinds us and they may not even realize what they are doing. If no one tells them, they will die in their sins. I shudder to think what that may mean for them as they stand before God. God says their previous good deeds will not help them. They will be judged by the condition of their heart when they die.

If we decide not to get involved and warn them, the Lord will hold us responsible for our callous attitude. He will treat us justly. But if we do care and warn them, we will be off the hook. If they heed the warnings and repent, they too will be off the hook.

Let these verses sink deep into your soul today. Let us take care of our souls and not let sin overtake us. Let us humbly seek the Lord’s righteousness all the days of our lives. Let us be faithful witnesses to those living in sin. Let us not let fear keep us from warning others to repent. Let us proclaim salvation often to all who would hear that some might be saved.

GOOD PEOPLE TURNING BAD

 

GOOD PEOPLE TURNING BAD

Ezek. 3:20-21 “If good people turn bad and don’t listen to my warning, they will die. If you did not warn them of the consequences, then they will die in their sins. Their previous good deeds won’t help them, and I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. But if you warn them and they repent, they will live and you will have saved your own life too.” NLT

Every time I read this passage and meditate on it, it challenges me. I know God spoke to Ezekiel during a different time than we live in. The Israelites were living under the law and not grace. God dealt with His people differently then than He does now. Yet, I can’t help but take this passage and draw a parallel to our living.

The Lord suggests that good people can turn bad. Can godly people turn away from their godliness and sin against God? I believe so. We do not lose our freewill when we give our hearts over to Christ. We still choose between good and evil. We still choose whether or not we are going to live by God’s Word or not. We daily make spiritual choices. So, what happens when godly people turn away from God and choose to live in sin?

This passage tells us that the people of Ezekiel’s day would die if they did not repent. Does this mean that they would lose their standing with God? I will let others debate that issue. All I know is what the Word declares. Here God says that their past goodness would not help them. God says He would hold them responsible for their sins. I believe that God has not changed. He still holds us responsible for our sins. How can it be otherwise? God is holy and there will be no sin in heaven whatsoever. One way or another, all sin will be dealt with before we are allowed into heaven. God makes it clear in His Word that when we sin we must confess it and seek Christ’s forgiveness. Only the pure in heart will see God. What happens if we don’t confess our sins and seek God’s forgiveness? He will deal with us accordingly. He judges each of us by the righteousness of Christ and the standards of His Word. He will judge each of us rightly.

I would caution each of us to not ignore this truth. It is a very serious thing to harbor sin in our hearts. It leads us away from God and soon takes over our lives. If we turn away from God and live sinful lives, we will stand before God and give an account for our lives. Listen to what God says about sin; let His Spirit lead you according to His Word.

ACCOUNTABLE FOR TELLING

 

ACCOUNTABLE FOR TELLING

Ezek. 3:18-19 If I warn the wicked saying, “You are under the penalty of death, but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. If you warn them and they keep on sinning and refuse to repent, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved your life because you did what you were told to do.” NLT

God’s warning to Ezekiel has always pricked my soul. It is serious business to be given a message of warning from the Lord to people. He compels us to tell people that sin is a death sentence for the soul. People who live in sin will die in their sins and spend eternity in hell. There is no sugar coating the message. We must tell people of God’s judgment that they might be saved.

If we don’t obey the Lord and share the Gospel with them, the Lord will hold us responsible for it. Exactly what punishment we will get, I don’t know. All I know is that it is a grave responsibility He has placed upon us. He has commanded us to go into the world and make disciples. We can’t make disciples out of the unsaved. We must first lead them to the cross that they might be saved. We must not shrug this warning off. The Lord holds us responsible for being witnesses of the Truth.

There are those to whom we share the Gospel with who will not heed our message. Some will reject the opportunity to be saved. There is nothing we can do about it. They will be held accountable for their decision and we will not be held responsible for their decision. If we do our part, we will be blessed by the Lord for doing what He has commanded us to do. They will die in their sin, but we will be saved.

Let us remain faithful witnesses for the Lord whenever we have opportunity that some might be saved. Never give up on a lost soul. As long as there is breath, there is opportunity to be saved. Do your part, tell whoever will listen that Jesus loves them and desires a relationship with them. Tell them, and the Lord great will be your reward in heaven.

WARN THE WICKED

 

WARN THE WICKED

Ezek. 3:18-19 “If I warn the wicked saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. If you warn them and they keep on sinning and refuse to repent, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved your life because you did what you were told to do.” NLT

We are the message bearers. God wants everyone to know that sin leads to hell. He wants everyone to hear what the consequences of disobeying God are. He has placed upon us, His chosen ones, the responsibility to tell them. We cannot control how the wicked will respond to the message, but we can control whether or not we tell them.

If we fail to warn the lost of their lostness, the Lord will hold us responsible for our failure. We may still stay in fellowship with the Lord, but we will not be in His favor. He does not save us so that we will hoard the Good News. If we truly appreciate the wonderful gift of our salvation, we will want to tell all we can about it. How can we not be excited enough about our salvation to not want to share it with others?

There are going to be those who will respond positively to the Good News and be saved and there will be those who will keep on sinning and refuse to repent. It should come as no surprise to us that most will reject the message. Jesus made it clear that people in the dark stay in the dark because they know that in the light their deeds will be exposed. And once deeds are exposed, they must be dealt with and changes made in behavior. Most people either fear change or simply do not want to change. Most people will continue to sin and reject the Good News. Only the Holy Spirit can change the heart of man, and if He can’t get through to people, why should we expect positive results?

When we obey the Lord and share the Good News, we will be blessed by God. Our obedience assures us of our own salvation. All we can do is plant the seed. It is the Lord alone who can make it grow. The Lord has saved us to be bearers of the Good News. Do not disobey God in this. Spread the Good News whenever and wherever you can. Great will be your reward in heaven when you do.

I AM SENDING YOU

 

I AM SENDING YOU

Ezek. 3:7 “I am sending you to the people of Israel, but they won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me. For the whole lot of them are hardhearted and stubborn.” NLT

Scripture does not tell us how Ezekiel received this news. God told him directly that He was sending him to a hardhearted and stubborn people. Ezekiel was sent to be a witness to them in spite of the fact that they would probably not listen to him and rebel against him. There would be those who would mock him, seek to physically harm him, speak lies about him, criticize him, and ignore him completely. The future did not look too bright for Ezekiel; it was not a mission very many of us would want to go on.

Yet, is it not what we are to do daily? Think about it. The world is not a friendly place for the Gospel. Most people do not welcome the Christian message, and the farther away we get from the holiness movement of days gone by, the more unwelcome the Gospel is. Most people in the world are not children of God. Most people are either antagonistic towards the Gospel, agnostics, or apathetic towards it. The world is populated with people who have very little grounding in the things of God.

Yet, the Lord tells us to go into the world with the Gospel and make disciples. He knows what the world is like. He knows most people are stubborn and hardhearted. He knows there will be much opposition to the Gospel message. In spite of what the world is like, the Lord says to go into it and make disciples. He knows that there are people in the world who are actually open to the Gospel message and are just waiting for someone to present it to them.

The Lord is working in people’s lives to prepare them for the Gospel. We don’t know who they are and that is why we are to just keep on being witnesses and ambassadors for Christ. It’s not our role to convince people of the Gospel; it’s our role to proclaim it. When it falls on fertile soil, we will know it and then we can begin the process of disciple making. The Lord gives us a mandate to take the Gospel into the world. We are to preach and teach it as often as we can. We are to train ourselves in the Gospel so that when the opportunities come we can help those who will receive it.

The Lord does not send us alone. He is with us each step we take, and we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses to support us. The Lord has yet many souls to save. The harvest is ripe and ready. Are you praying for those who are going? Are you doing all you can do to reach the world for Christ? Are you praying about where He is sending you?

TEST, EXAMINE, CONFESS

 

TEST, EXAMINE, CONFESS

Lam. 3:40-42 Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the LORD. Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, “We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us.” NLT

I suspect that most of us do not do much examining and testing of our ways. Far too many of us do not take an honest look at ourselves to see whether or not we are living and thinking as we should. Admitting sin in us makes us uncomfortable and guilt-ridden so we try not to think about it. Sometimes in an effort to avoid taking an honest look at ourselves, we avoid spending time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer. We fill our time up with a lot of busyness so that we can somehow excuse ourselves from the time we need to listen to what the Lord has to say about us.

Yet, we have no greater need than to be honest with ourselves before God about sin. We will never have peace with God and enjoy the blessings of His life in us until we examine our hearts and minds and repent of our sins. I suspect many of us rest too much in the false security of grace. We think that since Christ has forgiven us we no longer need to be forgiven. We minimize the effect of sin on us and simply don’t bother with taking it to the Lord. We fail to accept the fact that sin damages our capacity to fellowship with God and our ability to let our lights shine in the world.

Put your soul to a test in light of God’s Word. Let the Holy Spirit examine you. Let Him convict you of sin, and then, confess your sins to the Lord. There is mercy and loving grace waiting for you in the arms of Jesus. Be honest; what sins do you need to look at and confess today? God says you have them and to deny it is to call God a liar.

AN HONEST LOOK WITHIN

 

AN HONEST LOOK WITHIN

Lam. 3:37-42 Can anything happen without the LORD’s permission? Is it not the Most High who helps one and harms another? Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the LORD. Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, “We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us.” NLT

The Lord is sovereign. He rules over all life and knows all things. Nothing that happens escapes His notice or happens without His permission. He works in ways we don’t often understand, but it’s always with good in mind. He knows how to best accomplish His goal of making us holy. We must learn to go along with what God is doing and not resist it. Trust Him in all things and it will go well with your soul.

Rather than struggle against God, we should humble ourselves before Him and look honestly within. Times of testing are great for self-examination. We need to always be vigilant over our souls. We must not ignore or deny our sins. We must confess our sins before the Lord and seek His forgiveness. No sin, no matter how big or small, should be left alone. Holiness is always God’s plan for us. It should be the goal of every believer’s heart as well.

This is a moment of confession. Do you have sin in your heart that is standing in your way of becoming holy before God? Is there anything there that you need to confess? Is there anything you have said, done or thought that is sin? The Lord is waiting on you right now to own up to them and confess them to him. Don’t let pride stand in your way of a pure heart before God.

EXAMINE YOUR WAYS

 

EXAMINE YOUR WAYS

Lam. 3:40 Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the LORD. NLT

Today I challenge you to take this verse literally. I challenge you to examine your ways. What do you do daily in your life outside your home, in your home? Do you intentionally line yourself up to the Word of God to the best of your ability? Do you consider it important to live by Biblical guidelines or not? How does your actual doings line up with your believing?

Do you think others would think the same way about you that you do? When was the last time you asked your spouse, children, friends, or co-workers what they thought about how you are living out your faith? Most of us have never actually sought out the observations of others. We are either afraid of what we may hear or too proud to put ourselves out there for examination. Of course, we should be even more concerned about how God would evaluate our living in light of His Word.

Upon careful examination, if you know that you have much to be desired as a child of God, turn to the Lord and repent of your sins while it is on your mind and heart. Do not let pride stand in your way. It is okay to not be okay with the Lord. No one is spiritually perfect. No one always gets it right. We all fall short of God’s standards and need to repent. To never repent of your sins is the worst thing you can do. Sin left unattended to hardens the soul and if enough sins accumulate, God no longer has a hold on you. You can neglect your soul’s need for repentance and get to the point where God no longer is a part of your living.

Don’t be foolish and let sin hang around. Confess your sin before God, ask for His forgiveness, and make a commitment that you will strive to not repeat your sin with His help. Keeping the soul free from sin to the best of our ability is the soul’s salvation security. It is the pure in heart who will make it to heaven. God commands us to be holy and He means it.

Is your heart right with God today?

STAY THE COURSE

 

STAY THE COURSE

Lam. 3:31-33 For the LORD does not abandon anyone forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion according to the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. NLT

What these verses say to me is that the Lord never gives up on us. As long as we have breath, we have hope. The Lord loves us and will always do what He can do to bring us back to Him when we wander away. The Lord does not like it when people leave Him. He doesn’t like it when people live in misery because of their sin. The Lord wants only what is best for us, a relationship with Him through Christ.

Now, I do believe that we are able to abandon the Lord. We do have the freedom to live in sin if we want to. The Lord will not stop us from self-destruction. He does honor the stubbornness of the heart bent on rejecting Him. He will do whatever He can to draw us back to Him, but He never holds us captive against our wills.

Grief is a good thing for the soul out of fellowship with God. It helps the soul to know that things are not as they should be with God. It draws the soul out of self and sin to the Lord. It reminds us that God loves us and desires a relationship with us. The Lord does not want to cause us sorrow but does hesitate to use it in order to draw us to Him.

If we truly love the Lord, we will have no desire to leave Him, we will stay the course. If we are keeping our souls fed with the Word and stay in touch with the Lord through our prayers, we will not wander away. It is only as we totally neglect our souls that we wander away from Him. You cannot expect to keep in touch with God if you ignore Him.

It is not for me to determine whether or not a child of God can keep on wandering away from God to the point where He will not return. I will let that up to the Holy Spirit to determine that for the soul. All I can attest to is God’s love for the soul and His faithful and determined pursuit of the soul. He will pursue a wandering soul as long as there is breath in the soul. He has no desire that anyone would perish. He longs for everyone to spend eternity with Him, even though He knows most won’t. Stay on the course of His love and righteousness. Hell exists for those who abandon the Lord.

WONDERFULLY GOOD

 

WONDERFULLY GOOD

Lam. 3:25-27 The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of his discipline. NLT

The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek Him. I have found this to be so true in life. History reveals just how blessed we really are. When I can see where I am today in light of where I might have been if I had not waited on Him and sought Him out, I can only shudder. My life would have been so much different and devastating without the Lord in it. It is a good thing for us to look at our lives through the lens of history from time to time.

We owe all the goodness of our lives to the graciousness of our Lord. He has blessed us so much and spared us of so much because of our faith in him. He is wonderfully good all the time to those who seek him out.

It is good to wait quietly for our salvation. We sometimes get anxious about when the Lord is going to either come back or take us home. Life can become wearisome. We can get tired of the effort and all the drama around us. But, it is much better for our peace and health to trust the Lord. He knows when the time is right. He knows what He is doing and what yet needs to be done. Let us not let what goes on around us cause us to be anxious. Wait quietly before the Lord. Live in the moment confidently and boldly because the Lord is on the throne.

It is good for us to submit to the discipline of the Lord, especially those who are young in the faith. Discipline is needed to keep us on the right track. It helps us to not wander away from righteous living. It teaches us humility before God. It helps us to always remember that Jesus is Lord, not us. Young or old, we need to submit to the Lord’s corrective hand on us.

Good things come to those who diligently seek the Lord and wait patiently before Him.

WAITING ON THE LORD

 

WAITING ON THE LORD

Lam. 3:25-27 The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. And it is good for the young to submit to the yoke of his discipline. NLT

Waiting for the Lord is hard to do, isn’t it? We want God to act and act now. We want to dictate how and when the Lord acts, but it simply does not work that way. The Lord is sovereign and moves independently from man. When we wait on the Lord and follow where He leads, life can be a very wonder-filled experience. We may wonder why things are the way they are while at the same time be filled with wonder at God’s goodness and faithfulness to us.

Like most in the church, I long for the Lord to come back and take us home. It is so easy to get so caught up in His coming back that we cease to be effective in our living here. There is so much living for Christ in the world to do. We must keep busy serving the Lord. There is a multitude of people all around us who are not saved. They need people to show and tell them the way of salvation. We are mandated by the Lord to go into the world and make disciples. We are to preach and teach the Word. We are to be His ambassadors in the world. Yes, we should be looking forward to the day of our salvation, the day in which we will go to be with Him in heaven, but we must keep busy while we wait.

When we are young is when we most need discipline. Youth are enthusiastic and usually cannot see the bigger picture of things. They generally have a lot of energy and don’t know how to best corral it for their good or the good of others. We tend to be like youth when it comes to our faith. We may be very enthusiastic with a lot of energy to serve the Lord, but we lack discernment and wisdom. We need to learn how to grow and serve. We need to learn how to balance out our longings for heaven with our living here. We need to learn to let the Lord be in charge of His coming. We need to see the world as He sees it, as lost and in need of a Savior. We need to submit to the Lord, serve Him where we are planted, reach out to the lost, and wait quietly for the day of our salvation. We can be too heavenly minded to be much good for the Lord on earth. Seek the Lord and serve Him now, and we will see Him later.

UNFAILING LOVE

 

UNFAILING LOVE

Lam. 3:22,24 The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” NLT

The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! Isn’t that great news?!! It is the best news that man could ever hear. The Lord never fails to love, because He is love. Satan tries hard to convince us that we are not loved or worthy to be loved, but what he says is nothing but a lie from hell. God is not able to do anything but love us. Now, this does not mean that God will embrace us in His love regardless of what we do or become in life.

God is holy love. He will never embrace those who defy Him or live unholy lives. God is absolutely perfect in holiness, and no sin will ever get near Him. God does not ever condone the sin of His children. He never ignores sin or overlooks it. All sin must be dealt with by Christ before we can be embraced by God. Only Christ’s righteousness in us makes us approachable to God. We must never be presumptuous and take our sin lightly. Our only hope of drawing near to God is Christ’s righteousness and holiness.

God is merciful and faithful. Every day is a testimony of God’s mercy towards us and His faithfulness to us. If it were not so, no one would be left on earth to live for Him. Heaven would be an unreachable place. No one would be able to see God, let alone experience Him in their lives.

As God’s children, we inherit the righteousness and holiness of Christ so we have a sure hope that we will be with God someday. Great is God’s faithfulness to us, and He will see us home to be with Him. But, we must cooperate with Him and strive to live holy lives. We must not cater to sin or ignore it when we do sin. We must stay in close fellowship with Christ by confessing our sins and being fixated on Him. We must strive to live obediently to God’s Word and seek to please Him in all we do. Heaven awaits those who do these things.

A GREAT DAY IS COMING!

 

A GREAT DAY IS COMING!

Jer. 31:33-34 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, “You should know the LORD.” For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins.” NLT

A great day is coming! There is coming a time in which life as we know it is going to change. God promises His children, the nation of Israel, a time in which everyone will know God. It will be a time in which all will live in harmony with God. It will be a time in which the way of holy living will be the norm for His people.

We live in a different time right now. Most people do not know the Lord. Most people scarcely know about Him, and they don’t care to know about Him. Most people are opposed to God, and they have issues with those who do know Him. It’s not easy to live godly lives in a world that is hostile towards God.

Until a better day comes, we need to equip ourselves so we can live godly lives in the world. We do that by hiding the Word of God in our hearts and minds. We become familiar with what God says to the point where it governs the way that we live. We think Biblically about things and live Biblically. We become so convinced of the truth of God’s Word that we pass it on to others. We endeavor to teach them as well how to live life in a way that pleases God.

Most do not know what it is like to be forgiven. They live in the darkness of sin and wickedness prevails. Mankind is heading for a confrontation with God. There is coming a time in which God will reign down punishment on mankind. He will clean up the world from its wickedness and create a new heaven and earth where His children can dwell in peace and safety.

It is our duty know to tell them, “You should know the Lord.” We have yet a little time left to warn those who will listen. Today is the day of salvation, and the day will soon end. Go; go and tell all who will listen, that some will be saved and spared the day of God’s judgment on the earth.

GOD'S GOOD PLANS

 

GOD’S GOOD PLANS

Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” NLT

This verse has often been used to encourage us as we live the life of faith. Although the Lord was speaking specifically to the nation of Israel and encouraging them at a low point in their lives, we can be encouraged in our journey of faith as we meditate on this verse.

The Lord knows the plans He has for us. We don’t always know what the Lord has in store for us. We wonder sometimes what the Lord is up to in our lives. We long to see what He sees that lies ahead for us. But, it is enough to know that the LORD knows. Nothing that comes our way surprises Him. We can take comfort in knowing that the Lord has plans for us. We can rest and not be caught up in anxiety about the future because the Lord is already in our tomorrows and is leading us there. There is nothing to fear or be concerned about because the Lord will not let us down, nor will He forsake us. The Lord planning out our lives reassures us that we have purpose for living each step we take.

The plans the Lord has for us are good and not disaster. We may not always see the good, but in the scope of God’s plans, they are always good. The Lord never plans anything but good for us. He understands how all the details fit together for the honor of God. We don’t get it most of the time, but knowing that indeed His plans are for the good should ease some of our concerns and let us rest in Him.

The plans of God for us are to give us a future and hope. No matter what we may be facing in life, we can face it with confidence and even boldness knowing that the future is bright because the Lord has it under control. There is coming a day of rest for us. Things will be better than what they are now. When we persevere we win. Victory is ours in Christ Jesus. If we don’t see it here on earth, we WILL see it in heaven where all traces of life’s difficulties will be erased forever and ever.

The Lord has plans for you that are good. Your future is bright if you don’t cave in. Trust the Lord who has all things under His control and you will be blessed.

GOD KNOWS THE FUTURE

 

GOD’S KNOWS THE FUTURE

Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” NLT

You may not know what the future holds for you, but the Lord does. He knows all that lies ahead of you, both the good and the bad. He knows your ups and downs. There is nothing that you will face in life that He doesn’t already know about, and He is preparing you today for what lies ahead.

What you need for your future the Lord knows and lovingly is providing you with it today. You may not see it or understand it, but be assured that the Lord is taking care of you. He lovingly is equipping you for your good, and He will be glorified because of it. Do not take lightly what the Lord is doing in your life today, because you need it for all of your tomorrows.

Learn well what the Lord is showing you about Him and life. Search the Scriptures daily so you will learn all that you need for today and your future. Observe what is happening in your life so that you can learn important spiritual lessons from it. Learn from others who have walked the path you are on so that you can learn how to handle what lies ahead of you.

The plans the Lord has in store for you are all good. He does not let you go through anything in life that is not good for you. Trust in God’s goodness and do not let Satan cause you to doubt it. Nothing that happens in the life of the godly is bad if we but have eyes to see the goodness of God. Things may be difficult for us to go through, but we can go through them victoriously for Christ gives us the means and strength to do it.

Keep your eyes focused on the truth of God’s love and goodness, and your future will be bright, full of hope and the peace of God will steady you each step you take. The Lord plans on walking with you each step you take until He gets you home to heaven. Trust God; He will not let you down or disappoint you as you boldly step into your future.

BUT, WHAT DOES GOD SAY?

 

BUT, WHAT DOES GOD SAY?

Jer. 23:35-36 You should keep asking each other, “What is the LORD’s answer?, or “What is the LORD saying?” But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the LORD.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the LORD Almighty. NLT

So much is being said in the name of the Lord these days it’s hard sometimes to know what is from God and what isn’t. How can we know for sure what is from God? We go to the Word of God and examine the Scriptures carefully. We need to ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance so we can gain understanding. We must make sure that our understanding is supported by the rest of the Scriptures. We must know that God never contradicts himself or goes beyond His Word.

People use the Word of God often for their own gain. They sometimes use it to stir up trouble amongst the brethren. They use it to promote their own ideas or agendas. We must be very careful what we listen to, believe, and teach. It is good to examine the thoughts of man by the Word of God, but we must be sure it’s for the right reasons.

God honors the searching of an open and honest heart. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. God wants us to understand what He is saying to us. We just have to be willing to listen with humble and submissive hearts.

Just because someone says that it is true from God doesn’t mean anything unless it is supported by the Word of God. Be very careful how the Word is used. It can be used to support just about anything if it’s taken out of context or piece­­­-mealed together. The whole of Scripture is truth. All of the Word together is profitable for our understanding and living. We cannot pick and choose what we want to live by and believe. Live by the whole counsel of God and the truth will set you free.

THE POWER OF THE WORD

 

THE POWER OF THE WORD

Jer. 23:29 “Does not my word burn like fire?” asks the LORD. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes rock to pieces?” NLT

Do not underestimate the power of God’s Word. It burns like fire. Fire is not discriminatory; it consumes whatever is in its path. Fire burns best those things that are all dried up. There are some things that do not burn as easily as others, and there are some things that refuse to be consumed. People when exposed to God’s Word are like combustible material. People who are most affected by God’s Word are those who know that their souls are all dried up. They come to the point where they have no hope left in their lives for soul satisfaction. They have tried and failed to find a life worth living for. God’s Word also deeply affects those who may not be totally dried up but know that there is more to life than what they are now experiencing. They find some enjoyment in life but know that something is missing. God’s Word affects those who know they are in need.

Those who are not generally affected by God’s Word are those who have let sin harden their hearts to the point where they stubbornly refuse to listen or get near to the Word. They dig in their heels and fight hard against anything having to do with God or His Word. They refuse to be open to the possibility that God’s Word is absolute truth. They scorn anything that has to do with God. They refuse to acknowledge that they are in need.

The Word of God is like a mighty hammer that smashes rock to pieces. It does what God gave it to us to do; it penetrates deeply into the soul and destroys all that is not of God. When it is received, it pulverizes sin. It does not spare any sin that it exposes. The Word of God is very effective in bringing about change in the heart of anyone who is open to it. When we read the Word with humility and expectation of receiving something from God, we will hear from God and be changed when we let it rule our hearts.

If we are not affected like we should be by God’s Word, the problem does not lie within the Word, it lies within us. God’s Word does not return to Him void. It always does what God sends it out to do when we are open to it. So, if you find that God’s Word doesn’t do anything for you, examine your soul.

Also, if you find that you simply cannot understand what you read, examine your heart. And if your heart is pure before God, ask Him to make things clear to you. He loves you and will not withhold from you anything you need to know for your faith walk.

LIFE IS A CHOICE

 

LIFE IS A CHOICE

Jer. 21:8a Tell all the people, “This is what the LORD says: Take your choice of life or death!” NLT

Life is a choice. We do not choose whether or not we are born, but we choose whether or not we are born again. We alone can make the decision whether or not we will believe and accept Jesus as our Savior. No one can avoid making the choice. God has revealed himself sufficiently to everyone so that they can make a decision in their heart to believe in Him or not.

No one will miss out on heaven because they did not have a chance to believe in God. Each will be held responsible for the knowledge they have been given.

One of life’s greatest tragedies is when someone takes away or destroys the ability of another to choose. Every human being deserves the opportunity to choose whom he will serve and the type of life he will live. I believe God will hold everyone who robs another of their right to choose, whether it be by force or deception, responsible for it.

We also choose the type of life we live in Him. For some, Jesus in nothing more than a good fire insurance policy. For others, Jesus is Lord. We choose whether or not we live in victory or defeat. We have no one to blame but ourselves if we don’t allow Jesus to be Lord of our lives.

Every day we make choices regarding our eternal destiny. We choose whether or not we are going to sin against God or not. We choose whether or not we are going to learn more about what sin is so we can know what to do in order to please God. We choose what we are going to invest our lives in, the pleasures of earth or the pleasures of heaven. We choose and God holds us accountable for our choices. Choose to live life today in Christ. Choose to align yourself up with His holiness. It is the pathway to heaven.

PASSION FOR THE LORD!

 

PASSION FOR THE LORD?

Jer. 20:9 “And I can’t stop! If I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am weary of holding it in!” NLT

Oh but that this verse would be the life verse of every child of God! Oh but that we all would be so consumed by the Lord that our voices could not be contained! But, it simply is not that way, is it? Have you ever asked yourself why? I believe there are many reasons why we don’t have such an all-consuming passion for the Lord and His Word.

We talk most about those things which excite us. Most of us simply are not all that excited about the Lord. We fail to pursue Him to the point of no return. We are satisfied with where we are in Him and are not all that interested in more of Him in our lives. We give lip service to Him, but that is about it.

We fix our attention on more tangible things and become consumed by them. We focus on the offerings of the world and think that it is enough to satisfy our souls. We spend most of our time chasing after the things of earth instead of the things of heaven. We put greater value on what we can see instead of what we can’t see.

Rarely do we become so consumed by the Lord like Jeremiah did. Rarely are we able to say that we are so overpowered by Him in our lives that we MUST tell others. Rarely does our desire for the Lord compel us into action.

We need to capture the passion of Jeremiah for the Lord. We need to be so consumed by Him that we HAVE to tell others about Him. We need to make the Lord our number one passion in life. It is the only way we are going to have a lasting impact on our world. May the Lord help each of us to fix our hearts on Him to the point where we too have an all-consuming passion for Him to the point where we can’t do anything but tell the world about Him.

Such passion is contagious. When the messenger catches the passion for the Lord, the message becomes full of passion. When the message is passionate, the listener catches the passion. Pray much for those who proclaim the Word that their hearts will be consumed by an unquenchable passion for the Lord.

SET US ON FIRE!

 

SET US ON FIRE!

Jer. 20:7-9 “O Lord, you persuaded me, and I allowed myself to be persuaded. You are stronger than I am, and you overpowered me. Now I am mocked by everyone in the city. Whenever I speak, the words come out in a violent outburst. ‘Violence and destruction!’ I shout. So these messages from the LORD have made me a household joke. And I can’t stop it! If I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am weary of holding it in!” NLT

The Lord persuaded me. Has the Lord ever persuaded you to do something for Him, maybe even something you did not want to do or thought you couldn’t do? If we are serious about our faith, there will be times in which the Lord will lay upon our hearts to do things. When He does, we then have a choice to make, do we do it or not?

Jeremiah let the Lord persuade him. He yielded himself to the will of God and did what God wanted him to do. We are not told, but I believe he did it without too much resistance. Jeremiah walked with the Lord and knew Him to be faithful. He knew God to be trustworthy and worthy to be obeyed. He loved the Lord and wanted to please Him. He understood the consequences of what it would be like if he did not obey God. He knew that it would be hard to live with himself, for there would be no peace within his soul.

Jeremiah’s obedience did not make his life any easier. People mocked him and considered him to be a laughingstock in the community because he dared to proclaim God’s message to the people. Obedience often does come with a price. The world does not welcome those who take a firm Biblical stand and speak out against sin. The world does not want to hear from God or about Him and will often try to make life miserable for those who do. But, we need to be like Jeremiah; we need to be so consumed by our obedience to God that we cannot be silenced, no matter what.

Oh, but that the Word of God would have such a hold on us that it burns in our souls like fire! Oh, but that it would so consume us that we cannot hold it in, no matter how hard we try! The world desperately needs God’s children who will not stop proclaiming the Gospel to them. The world needs you and me to be consumed by the Word of God and set on fire by it. The coming of the Lord is soon, and the harvest field is ripe. The day of salvation is almost past, and the world is full of souls who are not saved.

“Lord, help us to care! Set a fire in us for the lost! Lord, when we read your Word, use it to fire us up. Use it to move us into action. Lord, do not let us sit idly by and wait for your coming. Send us out into the world with the Gospel message that souls may be saved while there still is time. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”