IT'S ALL GOOD

 

IT’S ALL GOOD

Rom. 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. NLT

This verse speaks volumes about God and His involvement in our lives. He stays involved because He loves us and wants only what is best for us. He longs to see us be a holy people who are fit for heaven when we die. Therefore, He is always at work to help make it happen in us.

We have a hard time seeing the good in many of the events of our lives. We struggle and look for ways to make our struggles stop. We see our struggles as a bad thing, not pausing very often to consider that what we may perceive to be bad might indeed be good.

God declares that He is working all things out in our lives for our good. We must know that this is true, because to believe otherwise means that we question God's character. God cannot lie and since He declares that all things work together for our good, they do.

God knows what is going on in our lives. He knows what we need in order to be who we need to be in our walk with Him. He knows how to make all things that happen to us good for us. Trust in God. Do not look at things from a negative perspective and doubt the goodness of God because life is not easy for you. You may not see the good in what is happening now, but God is in control, and it is good for you.

God does not abandon His children and let them deal with life without Him. He is always at work making their lives better. Let the Lord help you and teach you more about how to live in Him. Let Him teach you about himself. Let Him teach you about yourself. God loves you more than you love Him. Yield to Him and He will fulfill His purpose in your life for His honor and glory.

GOD HELPS US TO PRAY

 

GOD HELPS US TO PRAY

Rom. 8:26-27 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. NLT

If there ever was a passage of Scripture that should keep us motivated to pray, it is these verses. We are reminded that when we pray, we don't pray alone. Whether we pray when we are in distress or when things are good, we don't pray alone.

Most of us know what it is like to be under distress. It's just a part of living on earth. The natural response for those who believe in God is to pray for help during those times. If we don't pray much at any other time, we do when we are in distress.

The wonderful and comforting news is that the Holy Spirit is with us and helps us when we are underneath the load of life. When we call for help, the Spirit is there to help us. Even greater news is that when we don't even know how to pray for help, the Spirit does and prays on our behalf for us.

Wow! Talk about a loving Heavenly Father! Words are sometimes very hard to come by for us, but not with God. He knows our hearts and our circumstances, and He knows our needs. He hears our heart cry and comes to our rescue. He knows exactly how to best minister to our needs and does it.

Don't just pray when you are in great need; we are to pray without ceasing. But, when you are in great need, don't get discouraged thinking that your prayers are not being heard or answered. Keep on praying for the Holy Spirit is with you and praying for you as well, in a way that only God knows and understands.

WORDLESS PRAYING

 

WORDLESS PRAYING

Rom. 8:26-27 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. NLT

One of the great blessings from God is His ability to know our hearts and pray for us when we can't pray for ourselves. Often, we get confused even as to how to pray. Yet, the Spirit knows what we need and intercedes on our behalf. And sometimes we pray and it's not enough, so the Spirit takes it to the next level and goes to the Father in ways that we can't on our behalf.

I don't know if you have been there or not, but there have been times in which I had to pray and didn't even know how to pray. All I could do was to call out Jesus' name, and it was enough. I didn't know how to unload my burden. I didn't know anything else to do. So I prayed, "Jesus, Jesus, oh Lord Jesus," and He gave me the peace I needed and longed for. The Spirit is there always to help us as we pray. He prays for us in heaven's language and always in line with God's will. And when we can't pray, it's okay. The Spirit takes the groanings of our heart and takes them to our Father. What a comfort and joy this wonderful truth is for us who believe!

Our Father knows the heart of every believer and moves in response to our needs as expressed by His Spirit. Dear brother and sister, rejoice today! Praise Him from whom all blessings flow! Praise Him for His Spirit who is with us always when we pray, even when praying seems like an impossibility, even when praying seems like the last thing we want to do.

GETTING OUT OF SIN

 

GETTING OUT OF SIN

Rom. 8:12-14 So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. NLT

One of the things that sets apart true believers from the rest is how they are affected by sin. A child of God is not under obligation to sin when tempted. Without Christ, the natural thing to do is not resist the temptation and plunge right into sin. As believers, we are to stand up against Satan and not give in to sinful urges. With Christ's help, we are able to do that.

The reality of it is, if we keep falling into sin, we will fall so deep into it that we will not be able to find our way out of it and into fellowship with God. The end result of all sin is eternal separation from God. Hell awaits those who live in sin and stay there. The only hope we have is to let the Holy Spirit take us by the hand and lead us out of sin to Calvary.

When we turn to Christ for the forgiveness of sin, we turn away from sinful living. We do not continue to live like we have lived. We stand up to Satan and say no to sin. We seek instead to live holy lives before God. God's children do not seek to sin against God. We are not perfect and will sin, but it is not what we normally do. Instead, we seek to do what we know is right before God and please Him. Pleasing Him becomes the desire of our hearts instead of pleasing ourselves or others.

If you are not being led by the Holy Spirit away from a life of sin, you are not a child of God.

LIFE CHOICES

 

LIFE CHOICES

Rom. 8:12-14 So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. NLT

Make no mistake about it; we all are tempted to sin every day and often several times a day. We can’t avoid temptation; it is interwoven into our world. As long as we are on earth, we will encounter sinful behavior and temptations.

The fantastic news is that if we are living in Christ, we no longer are compelled to sin. We have the ability to resist it. We now have a choice as to whether or not we will sin. The Lord makes it clear to us what is sin and what the consequences are. It is then put on our shoulders what we are going to do about it.

If we choose to continue to live in sin, there is no hope for our souls. We will die in our sins and face a godless eternity in hell. But, if we choose to not sin and live to please the Lord, our souls will be saved. The Spirit of Christ empowers us so that we can stop sinning against God.

All who choose to stop sinning and live righteous lives in Christ will be saved. God calls us His children and will see us safely home to heaven. Children of God act like children of God. They do not persist in living in sin. They make a conscious decision to walk away from sin and live for the glory of God.

NO COMPULSION TO SIN

 

NO COMPULSION TO SIN

Rom. 8:12-14 So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. NLT

As a child of God, you do not have to sin. No one is making you sin. No matter how compelling the urge may be to sin, you do not have to do it. When the Lord takes up residence in your heart, He overpowers your sinful nature and takes control over it. Therefore, if we sin it is because of choice not compulsion. We are no longer driven by our sinful nature, and we can't make the claim any longer that "the devil made me do it."

Sinful choices lead to spiritual death. If we insist on living in sin, we will be held accountable for it. If however, we choose to let the Holy Spirit control us and lead us away from the urges of our sinful desires, we will live. We will not be perfectly pure, but we will win far more battles with sin than we will lose. The more we immerse ourselves in the life of the Spirit, the more we will live in victory. The Spirit has all the power we need to be overcomers. He guides us into all truth and teaches us the ways of God.

If you are a child of God, you have the Spirit of God within you, and you will be influenced by His presence. You will noticeably change from being a slave to sin to being a slave to righteousness. You will notice a change in your desires. You will notice a change in how you react when you do sin. The Spirit will not let you get away with it. There will be guilt and shame that will lead you to repentance. You will be moving closer to God instead of away from Him.

WHAT WE THINK ABOUT

 

WHAT WE THINK ABOUT

Rom. 8:5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. NLT

One of the ways to really know where you are at in your standing with God is to take an honest look about what you think about. We think about those things which matter the most to us. The more value we put on something, the more likely it is that it will have a place of dominance in our thinking. We categorize the things of our lives and give more attention to those things of greater value to us.

We live in a sin dominated world. We cannot escape its influence. We find it everywhere we go and in everything we endeavor to do. Do you let into your mind sinful things? What are you entertained by? What do you read? What do you listen to? Most people do not give much thought to whether or not it is pleasing and acceptable to God. Most people dwell on things that are detrimental to the soul without even realizing the affect those things have on it. What we dwell on is determined by who controls our hearts.

If the Spirit of Christ controls your heart, you will think about the things that please the Lord. You will consider whether or not what you are doing or entertaining yourself with is okay with God. You will make it a priority in your life to feast on godly things. You will desire to spend time with the Lord rather to spend it wallowing around in Satan’s cesspool.

How much you value your relationship with the Lord is reflected by that which dominates your thinking.

THE THOUGHT LIFE

 

THE THOUGHT LIFE

Rom. 8:5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. NLT

One of the ways in which we can gage the wellness of our souls is to consider what we think about most in life. If our thoughts are mainly in the gutter, focused on self, or focused on the wrong doings of others, then we are not living right with God. If our thoughts are captivated by the momentary pleasures of the world, the things of the world, the accomplishments of the world, or our status in the world, we are not living right with God.

Those who are controlled by the Spirit of God think mainly about the things that please Him. They dwell on getting to know Christ better and how to live in ways that please and honor Him. They seek to live how and where the Lord wants them to. Their ambition is in heaven and not on earth.

Where is your mind? What captivates your thoughts? We think about what we feast on. Our minds are not empty vacuums that are unaffected by what we dwell on. What we read, watch, and listen to do affect our thought lives. We are responsible for who we are. You cannot excuse yourself or blame anyone else for what goes on in your mind. What goes in stays there.

If you have a problem with your thought life, it's not too late to do something about it. You can take control of your thought life. Repent of your sinful thinking and begin today to dwell on those things that will build up your soul instead of tearing it down.

FORGIVEN, FORGOTTEN SINS

 

FORGIVEN, FORGOTTEN SINS

Rom. 8:1-2 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. NLT

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ because He has taken care of our sin problem. He graciously forgives us for whatever we have done and has forever taken it out of our hearts. He has put all of our sins underneath His blood and given us in their place His righteousness and holiness. He changes the essence of who we are so that we can now be children of God and live lives that honor Him.

There is no condemnation because the Holy Spirit has freed us from the power of sin that leads to death. The end result of sin is separation from God. It keeps us away from God and makes us incapable of doing anything that pleases Him. Sin is a barrier that we cannot cross to get to God. But, because Jesus has broken the power of sin's hold on us, the Spirit is able to break down those barriers that separate us from God. He frees us up so that we can live in, and enjoy, fellowship with God.

Don't let Satan deceive you into thinking that you are not good enough for fellowship with God. Don't let him convince you that all of your sins have not been forgiven. Don't let him get away with holding you down with false guilt or shame over forgiven sins. Forgiven sins are forgotten sins. They are no more in God's eyes. Christ's righteousness has taken care of them for you. Satan is a liar. Shut him out and ignore him.

There is no condemnation for a true child of God. Now, live like you have been set free.

CONSEQUENCES FOR SIN

 

CONSEQUENCES FOR SIN

Rom. 8:1-2 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. NLT

Here is a message that should be proclaimed loud and clear. If you are living in relationship with Christ, there is no longer any condemnation of your heart because of sin. No matter what Satan may do to try and convince you otherwise, Jesus sets us free from sin’s condemnation. When Jesus forgives us for our sins, they are forever forgotten by Him. He purifies the soul and fills it with His righteousness. We are brought into the presence of God to live forever.

We often are plagued with memories of what we have done. We cannot escape the memories of how we brought shame to ourselves, others and God. It is hard to erase from our memories things we wish to forget because Satan won’t let us forget them. He often brings them up at inappropriate times to harass us. He is the master exploiter, and he will not let us forget.

There is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus, but often there are consequences we must live with. We can’t undo what has been done. Sometimes our sinful behavior causes us to live in painful physical, mental or emotional circumstances. Sometimes what we have done affects others in similar fashion. Jesus does not undo what we have done. We are forgiven for them, but have to live with the consequences of them. There is much to learn from past mistakes. Instead of bemoaning what we have done, consider the good that has come from it. If we allow the Lord to do it, He will make us a much better person of character because of it.

Don’t let Satan hang you up because of your past. Jesus doesn’t condemn you for it and neither should you. Fix your eyes on Jesus and live for what is ahead of you. He has the power to set you free if you will let Him.

NO CONDEMNATION

 

NO CONDEMNATION

Rom. 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. NLT

We struggle with sin. Sometimes we win the victory over it, and sometimes we lose the battle. We look back on our failures with guilt, shame, and regrets. If we are not careful, we may even question how God can love us because of what we have done. Instead of bringing it to Christ and seeking His forgiveness, we dwell in the affect our sin has had on us or others. We begin to think that we are not worthy of forgiveness and may even question the validity of our relationship with Christ.

If this sounds too familiar to you, hear the Word of God today: So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. If you are a child of God, the gracious love of Christ forgives you! He will not walk away from you because of what you do or think. He will chastise you to get you to repent, but He will not forsake you. You may deserve judgment, but you find mercy and grace in Him. Don't wallow around in the negative consequences of sin, go to Jesus and you will be loved and forgiven, no matter what you may have done. He will help you to overcome your sin problem if you will only let him. You don't have to live in spiritual misery. There is hope, peace, and victory in Jesus.

The next time you are tempted to think that somehow you have driven Christ away from your heart, think on today’s verse. The Lord doesn't condemn you, and neither should you.

INTERNAL WARFARE

 

INTERNAL WARFARE

Rom. 7:21-25 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. NLT

Are you at war? Do you know the tension and weariness of fighting spiritual battles? Do you ever want it to just stop? It is impossible to live in relationship with Christ and not have a constant war going on in your soul. No matter how mature in faith we may be, we will always be bombarded with the temptations to sin. There will always be a desire within us to yield. We will always want to enjoy the momentary pleasures of sin. We will never be so strong that we can't sin against God. When we shore up one area of weakness, another area weakens. We must always remain vigilant over our souls and strive to protect them from sinning against God.

Don't kid yourself. You are capable of sinning against God! No one can live a sin- free life in the flesh. And no one is so close to God that he does not live in the flesh. It is no fun fighting the spiritual war that rages within us. It makes for a miserable time in our lives when we stumble and fall. We are most vulnerable when we believe too strongly in ourselves and think we can get by on our own. It is when we begin to slack off on our relationship with the Lord through his Word, prayer, and fellowship that we really begin to get into trouble.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be the way it often is. We do have all the help we need to win the battle over our sins. We have a Savior! We have one who will help us and enable us to live in victory. All we have to do is stay tightly connected to Him. The victory is ours in Christ Jesus!

THE LAW IS GOOD

 

THE LAW IS GOOD

Rom. 7:14 The law is good then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. NLT

There is nothing wrong with God's law. It is very useful for our spiritual lives. It shows us what kind of behavior is acceptable to God and what isn't. It shows us our sins so that we might turn to God for His forgiveness. It raises the bar of our expectation on how we ought to live. It shows us how to be holy.

The law is good; it's us that are the problem. We are by nature sinners. We are not capable on our own of living by God's law. We all fail to perfectly walk by the law. If we stumble on just one little point, we are guilty of breaking the whole law. Jesus even took it a step further; He said that if our motive for keeping the law was wrong, we were guilty of breaking the law. Like it or not, we are slaves to sin from the day we are born until we die, unless we repent and ask the Lord to forgive us for our sins.

Repentance is our only hope for escaping the demands of the law. We cannot be righteous without it. When we acknowledge our sins before God, ask the Lord to forgive us with a sincere heart, embrace our forgiveness by changing our behavior so that we live by God's standards and not our own, we will be declared righteous by God and accepted by Him.

Only in Christ is there no condemnation for sin. Only in His righteousness and holiness are we able to have peace with God. Only in Him can we be assured that we will go to heaven when we die. Only in Christ are we set free from a life to sin to live for God.

I AM THE PROBLEM

 

I AM THE PROBLEM

Rom. 7:14 The law is good then. The trouble is not with the law but with me, because I am sold into slavery, with sin as my master. NLT

The law shows me how to be holy before God. It is good for my soul to know how to live to please God. It is good that I don’t have to wonder what does or does not please God. It is good for me to understand why I need a Savior.

There is nothing wrong with the law, but there is plenty wrong with me. I see myself in light of God’s standards and my heart is broken, for I quickly recognize the mess I have made of my life and the consequences that await me. I see myself as guilty of sin and I have no one to blame but myself. The law makes it very clear what is sin, and I know I do it. Sin darkens my soul and I am powerless to do anything about it. No matter how hard I may try, I cannot live by the law of God.

The law is good because it drives me to the Savior. Jesus came and fulfilled all the demands of the law. Human effort cannot make one righteous through the keeping of the law, but Jesus is able to make us righteous before God. What the law could not do, Jesus did. What I cannot do, Jesus did. My acceptance by God is not based on whether or not I can live by the law; it is based on whether or not I live in relationship with Christ. In the law, I am found guilty by God. In Christ, I am found to be pleasing and acceptable to God.

The law is good because it reveals my sin and my need for Christ. It makes me realize just how helpless I am to overcome it on my own. It helps me to know just how much I need Jesus.

NO EXCUSE FOR SIN

 

NO EXCUSE FOR SIN

Rom. 6:15-16 So since God's grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval. NLT

God's grace never justifies or excuses sin. Never. We will either become masters over our sinful nature or slaves to it. It can never be both ways. We choose our destiny. We choose whether we will become masters or slaves. Christ came to set us free, but He does not free those who don't want to be free.

If we choose to become masters over sin, we must choose to live as close to Christ as we possibly can. It is not our righteousness that will enable us to prevail. Only the righteousness of Christ can defeat sin in us. Only in Christ can we gain the upper hand and say no to sin. Only in Christ do we find the desire and willpower to overcome sin.

Never forget, it was sin that put Jesus on the cross. It is sin that has brought down the wrath of God on earth. It is sin that will bring life as we now know it to an end. Sin is cancer to the soul. It is your enemy, not your friend.

The choice is yours to make today. Are you going to be an overcomer or a slave to sin?

NO TO SIN, YES TO CHRIST

 

NO TO SIN, YES TO CHRIST”

Rom. 6:22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. NLT

We say it, but do we really believe it? Can you honestly say that you are free from the power of sin and that you are a slave of Christ? I believe that if we really are free from the power of sin we would live more like Christ in His righteousness and holiness. We would say no to sin more often. We would be more contemplative before we say and do things that may hurt others or ourselves. We would think more Biblically and be drawn to the things that would build us up instead of tear us down. We would do a better job of getting along with one another.

Being a slave of God means that we are submissive to Him and obey Him. It means that we are indebted to Him and depend on Him for our daily sustenance. It means that we serve Him and put ourselves on the back burner. It means that we seek His glory and not our own.

As His children, we should be doing those things that lead us to holy living. It means that we daily take the time we need to feed and nourish our souls. It means that we intentionally strive to focus on those things which are pure and wholesome for our souls. It means that the pursuit of holiness governs our conversations and living.

When we act like we are children of God, it results in eternal life with Him. It is the most powerful way to live on earth. It is the way of contentment and peace. It holds us steady through the many ups and downs of life.

VICTOR, NOT VICTIM

 

VICTOR, NOT VICTIM

Rom. 6:11 So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God. NLT

If you are a child of God, you should consider yourself dead to sin. What this means is simply that a child of God no longer considers himself to be held captive by sin. He no longer is bound to sin when faced with temptations. He no longer is a victim, but a victor. He sees himself as being able to live for the glory of God by living a holy life before man.

A child of God no longer dwells on sin or seeks opportunities to do it. He strives to squelch any attraction sin may have on him. He senses when he is being drawn into it and takes measures to get away from it. He sees sin as an enemy and not a friend. He understands the nature of sin is death and strives to not sin against God.

A child of God sees life from a totally different perspective. He sees himself as free from the burden and condemnation of sin and strives to live for the glory of God. Life is no longer temporary pleasures, but eternal joys. His life becomes a living testimony of how great God is and how majestic He is in love and mercy. He honors Christ in all he does. His life becomes a living testimony of God's grace and it brings glory to God as he lives amongst men.

How do you see yourself? Are you living in victory or a defeated life? Are you living in the freedom from sin’s bondage or are you a victim of sin? Claim the victory today that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.

DEAD TO SIN

 

DEAD TO SIN

Rom. 6:11 So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. NLT

The first step to living a victorious life in Christ is to consider ourselves dead to sin. We must have an attitude that sin no longer is able to lord it over us. We must take a positive outlook on our spiritual lives. We must see ourselves as no longer powerless against sin. We must know that we can say no to sin and walk away from it. We must see ourselves as better than victims of sin. We must develop a negative attitude about sin; it is our enemy, not our friend.

The other essential step to victory is for us to see ourselves as able to live for the glory of God through Christ. We must know that we can stand strong and true. We can please God in the way we live. We can overcome the sins that plague us. We can live in such a way that both God and man know we are children of God. We must know that in Christ we can resist any temptation. We can be useful servants of Christ.

Don’t let Satan deceive you into thinking that you are too weak, that you can’t live in victory. He knows you can and he will do everything he can to keep you from believing it. There is great victory and great things in store for all who overcome.

You can’t do it alone. You need the help of the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth and empower you to do it. You also need the support of other believers as you strive to overcome sin. You are not alone in your struggles. Many have already gone through what you are going through or are now going through it. It’s no shame to admit you are weak and need help; the shame is to not admit it and try to go it alone and fail.

SIN: ENEMY OF THE SOUL

SIN: ENEMY OF THE SOUL

Rom. 6:1-2 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? NLT

A child of God in whom God lives does not live in sin. His attitude changes towards sin when Jesus changes his heart. Sin becomes our enemy, not our friend. We no longer can be comfortable when we sin. We no longer can ignore it. We no longer can excuse it or justify it. Sin becomes a very deep thorn in our hearts that causes us much pain as long as it is there. How can it be anything less? Sin is what put Jesus on the cross. It is the only reason why He had to suffer and die. It is the only thing that could have caused God to turn His eyes away from His Son for the longest three hours history has ever known.

Indeed, how can a true child of God knowingly continue to live in sin? How dare we take such a light perspective on the life and death of Christ!! He who loves Christ will hate the sin that put Him on the cross! We cannot live in sin and when we do sin, we flee to the Lord for forgiveness. If we don't have a godly attitude towards sin, we don't have God at work in our lives. He changes the way we think about sin.

Sin is not just in the world around us, it’s in our churches, and it affects much of what we do and say. We don’t want to offend anyone so we remain silent. We no longer emphasize holy liivng. We preach love and not accountability. Is it any wonder the world is getting more and more blatantly evil? Sin matters to God, and it should matter to us!

OH, THE WONDER OF IT ALL!

 

OH, THE WONDER OF IT ALL!

Rom. 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. NLT

The wonder of salvation is this: while we were still sinners, Christ came and died for us. Thousands of years had passed since Adam and Eve first sinned. Man had become quite the sinner. There wasn't anything that was beyond his ability to do against God. He had pushed God to the limits of his patience time and time again. Mankind did not deserve a Savior! He deserved judgment, not mercy.

Yet, in spite of what we had become and deserved, God sent Jesus to be our Savior. He loved us in spite of the fact we were so unlovable. He loved us, even though we had spurned Him and gone our own wicked ways. Don't ask me how He could have such a love for us, I can't even begin to fathom it. All I know is that God loves us with that kind of love.

Because of sin, we are not able to love God. God first loves us and draws us to himself so that He can pour out His love into our hearts. We can only love Him through Jesus' love. When Jesus forgives us, we then can love God and experience forgiveness from God, for ourselves, and for others. There is no way to know what true love is apart from the love of God as displayed through the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord.

Do you know the love and forgiveness of God today? Do you? Do you know that God so loved you that He let Jesus die in your place on the cross of Calvary so your sins could be forgiven? Do you know that what kept Jesus on the cross was not the nails, but His love for you?

Oh, the wonder of it all that God loves you and me! Such amazing love, how can it be? I don’t know, but that is the God we serve. Never forget, Jesus went to hell and back for you. What are you doing for Him?

TROUBLES? GOOD FOR YOU

 

TROUBLES? GOOD FOR YOU

Rom. 5:3-4 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us to learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. NLT

It is easy to gloss over these verses without really embracing them. We know problems and trials are a part of living. We know that they are unwelcome intrusions in our lives. None of us purposely goes out seeking after them. If we had our way, they would not exist at all.

But wait a minute. The Lord says that they are good for us. In other words, if we don’t have problems and trials along the way, it is bad for us. How can that be? How can life’s difficulties be good for us?

It is when we go through life’s difficulties that our character is formed. We need to go through suffering in order to develop strong character. We need strong character in order to make it to the end of our lives with confidence in our salvation. We need tough times to help us to learn to lean on Christ for our strength and power instead of our own. We need to learn that the Lord is dependable to help us. We need to learn that the Lord is always true to His Word.

As unpleasant as problems and trials may be, think about the bigger picture when they come your way. Understand that God uses them to help us. Learn to appreciate them for they are always good for us in the long run. Learn to give the Lord thanks for them and for His presence with you through them all.

In fact, if you find yourself spiritually stagnant, perhaps you should ask the Lord to send some trouble your way so that you can grow and learn to lean on Jesus more than you have been.

REJOICE WHEN TROUBLEED

 

REJOICE WHEN TROUBLED

Rom. 5:3-4 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us to learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. NLT

Wait a minute! When was the last time you rejoiced because you were having problems and trials? If you are like most people, probably never. Instead, we tend to complain about them and feel sorry for ourselves because of them. We often will do everything we can to avoid problems and trials, even though we know they come, usually unexpectedly.

The Apostle Paul really suggests something radical here in today's verses. He says that we can REJOICE when troubles and trials come. Rejoice?!! Yes, rejoice. How is that even possible? Well, we need to look beyond the moment and at the bigger picture of our lives. We need to ask ourselves what we might learn from our troubles. If they were caused by something we said or did, then we can learn not to do it again. If they happened because of something out of our control, then we can learn to deal with them in a manner that would honor Christ and strengthen our faith.

Some of us are slow learners, but if we are looking to get better at all, we do learn. One of life's most important lessons is to learn from our experiences. We learn to endure what we are going through, knowing that better times are ahead of us. No matter what it is, it doesn't last forever and we are better for having gone through it. Endurance helps us build strong character and strong character helps us to know that the most important thing in our lives is our salvation, that the moment will pass away but our salvation will last forever.

The next time you face problems or trials, think about these things. Lean on the Lord for your wisdom and strength. He will see you through the moment and your faith will grow as a result of it. There is much good through the tough times of life, if we will but have eyes to see it. Rejoice, for the Lord is with you and will see you through to the other side of all your trials and tribulations.

Rejoice, for no matter what troubles or trials you may face in life, great is the reward in heaven for those who persevere in the Lord.

We are overcomers when we put our confidence and trust in the Lord.

PEACE WITH GOD

 

PEACE WITH GOD

Rom. 5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. NLT

There is no other way to be made right with God other than by faith. In fact, without faith, we have no clue as to what is really right in God's sight. It is God who makes it clear how we should live. It is God who gives us understanding and guides us on how to apply to life His ways. Without faith, living to please God is nothing more than guess work, hoping we get it right. Without faith, everything we do is based on our efforts, and the work of Christ at Calvary is rendered meaningless.

Even if it were possible to live rightly before God on our own, we would still have our sin problem. It is impossible for right living to take away our sins. Right living may be able to cover up our sins in such a way that no one would ever know what we have done, but God knows. God knows every sin we have ever committed and holds us accountable for them, unless we turn to Christ and let Him take them away. Only the righteousness of Christ can wash away our sins. When Christ deals with our sins, God then sees Christ in us instead of our sins, and we are deemed to be righteous in His sight.

God makes it very clear that we cannot save ourselves, no matter how hard we try. We must trust in what God has done on our behalf and on what He can do in our lives. We must trust in His ability to do what we can't do, get rid of our sin problem. We must believe that Christ's righteousness alone is our salvation. Rejecting Christ as the way, truth, and life condemns one’s soul to hell.

There is no greater comfort than to know all is well with our souls before God. There is a deep, abiding peace that only a righteous heart can know. It is a peace that sees us through whatever may come our way in life. It is a peace that passes all understanding and it is only found in Christ.

HOW THE RIGHTEOUS LIVE

 

HOW THE RIGHTEOUS LIVE

Rom. 4:20-22 Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. And because of Abraham's faith, God declared him to be righteous. NLT

Abraham serves as an example of how a righteous man lives. He never wavered in believing God's promise. God had told Abraham that his descendants would be so many that they could not be counted and that they would inhabit the Promise Land. Abraham believed God explicitly. He knew that it would be so because God said it. End of story. We would do well to follow Abraham's example and simply believe what God has promised simply because God said it.

In fact, Abraham grew in his faith in what God had said. We read of some very severe testings of his faith, like the time he was commanded to take his only son, Isaac, from his wife, Sarah and offer him up as a sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham passed the test with flying colors and God provided a ram in place of Isaac. We would do well to follow Abraham's example and grow in our faith to the point where we would be willing to give our all to the Lord without reservation.

Abraham was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything He promised. We say we believe God, but so often we don't live like we do. We believe with our lips, but struggle to believe with our feet. We need to be like Abraham and absolutely believe that God is able to do all that He has promised.

Abraham believed God without any reservations, and he was considered to be righteous before God. We too are declared righteous when we believe and live like we truly do believe in God's promises and that He is able to fulfill them.

JESUS DID IT ALL

 

JESUS DID IT ALL

Rom. 4:4-5 When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work. NLT

The Apostle Paul is making it clear here that we cannot work our way into God's favor. Salvation is a gift from God and to see it any other way will prevent us from being saved. We are made right with God by receiving what He has done for us at Calvary. Jesus did all the work needed for our salvation. He took upon himself all of our condemnation for sin. He satisfied the law's demand of death for he who would sin against God. He alone was able to do it because He alone was able to live a sinless life on earth. He did all that there was to do for us to be forgiven by God and accepted by Him into His family.

We do not, nor can we ever, earn our way into heaven. We live in Christ to work, but we don't work to live. What we do proves that what Christ has done in us is for real. We live in Christ and live for Christ. All of our living should be a reflection of our salvation. We work out our salvation, but never for it. No one is made righteous because of what they do.

It is also true that no one who is truly saved will fail to show it in how they live. Works always follow salvation. We cannot live in Christ without living for Him. As long as we are able to move, we show the righteousness of Christ in us. We serve Him in all we do. We cannot be saved and do nothing for Him. He gives everyone of His children tasks to do. He equips us to do our tasks and sends us out into the world to do them. If we fail to live for Christ, we are disobeying Him and it is sin.

WHAT JESUS DID

 

WHAT JESUS DID

Rom. 3:27-28 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. NLT

There is absolutely nothing that you can do to be accepted by God. You will never be good enough or do enough to cause God to accept you as His child. The only way anyone can be accepted by God is by faith in what Jesus has done. Jesus offered up His life as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He alone was able to do anything about sin because He lived a sinless life. His death was our death. He took upon himself all of our sins and God’s wrath for our sins. He made things right between God and us. His work on the cross to make us righteous before God is not lacking in any way. His was the perfect solution to an impossible situation. Man can now have a relationship with God free from guilt and shame.

You cannot do anything to save your soul and you can’t do anything to keep your soul saved. Jesus does it all for us. He is quite capable of getting us to heaven. All we have to do is to live in Him. We must stay connected to Him, allowing Him to be both our Savior and Lord.

Have you allowed Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sins? Have you committed your life to Him and let Him be Lord of it? If Jesus is not your Savior and Lord, don’t put it off any longer. He is the only hope you have of ever making it to heaven.

BOAST IN GOD'S WORK

 

BOAST IN GOD’S WORK

Rom. 3:27-28 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. NLT

We have nothing to boast about when it comes to our souls. We owe our salvation to the Lord, and we owe His workings in our lives to Him. There is nothing we can take credit for. We are saved by grace, kept by grace, and will make it to heaven by grace.

Jesus did all there was to do for our salvation. There is nothing left to do on our part. He started and finished the work of salvation at Calvary. He didn't need our help then, and He doesn't need it now. All we can do is accept what He did for us by faith. We trust in His finished work. We confess our sins to Him, repent of them, and by faith claim His forgiveness, righteousness and holiness.

We cannot take credit for keeping our souls saved. It is by faith that we let go of the control of our lives to the Holy Spirit and let Him work in us our salvation. We simply give Him the freedom to make us holy. We put into practice the faith we have and let the Lord do the rest. He will only work with a willing and yielded vessel. He can only do in us what we are willing to let Him do.

When we live by faith and obey the Lord, the Lord will see us through unto heaven. Our readiness for heaven is guaranteed when we live by faith in His finished and ongoing work in us. He makes us holy, a people after God's own heart, a people fit for heaven. If we must boast, let us only boast in the working of Christ on our behalf at Calvary and the workings of the Holy Spirit in us daily to make us holy.

JESUS TAKES AWAY SIN

 

JESUS TAKES AWAY SIN

Rom. 3:22 We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. NLT

Two things of great importance are found here in today’s verse. The most important truth that anyone can know is that we are made right with God when we trust in Christ to take away our sins. If we do not trust in Christ for our salvation, we cannot be right with God. Jesus is the only way we can get rid of our sins. He alone has the power and authority to forgive. He alone has the right to take them away and throw them into the sea of God’s forgetfulness. To trust Jesus to save us is to confess that you have sinned, take responsibility for it, acknowledge that He alone can forgive you, ask Him to forgive, accept His forgiveness, and live like you are forgiven by not living the life of sin anymore.

The second great truth we find here that all must know is that no one is excluded from the possibility of being saved. All who desire salvation can be saved, regardless of who we are or what we have done. There is no sin greater than God’s ability to save us from it. It may matter to man what we have done, but it doesn’t matter to God. He can and will forgive the vilest of sinners who sincerely come to Him for forgiveness.

Jesus came into our world to take away our sins. He is no respecter of persons. Salvation is available to anyone who sincerely seeks Him regardless of the sin. All have sinned against God. There is no sin that can keep you out of heaven if you turn to Christ in sincere repentance.

Don’t let sin rob you of the joy of salvation in this life or in the life to come.

MADE RIGHT WITH GOD

 

MADE RIGHT WITH GOD

Rom. 3:22 We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. NLT

This is the greatest news mankind has ever heard. It is shouting news that should be proclaimed everywhere to everyone who will listen. We are made right with God when we trust in Christ to take away our sins. Our sins can be taken away from us, and Jesus is the only way it can be done. It is a horrible thing to have to carry around with us our sins. They make us ugly and robs us of peace that our souls long for. God has shown His great love for us by putting our sins upon Jesus as He hung on the cross. Jesus can free us from all of our guilt, shame, and bondage that sin brings.

Jesus alone can take away our sins. No man can stand before God on our behalf and declare our sins are forgiven. Nothing we can do can make our sins go away. We can't bury them and make them go away. Only Jesus can rid our souls of sin's infestation and the certain judgment of God because of them. Only Jesus can make us righteous before God.

No one has a corner on salvation. Anyone who comes to Jesus can have their sins taken away. God has no favorites amongst people. He doesn't care who we are or where we are from; we can all be saved. No one is excluded from God's offer of salvation. No one. All who come to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins are made right in God's sight, and their sins are taken away from them, as far as the east is from the west, to be remembered no more.

HOPELESS AND HELPLESS

 

HOPELESS AND HELPLESS

Rom. 3:19-20 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses and to bring the entire world into judgment before God. For no one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God’s law, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying it. NLT

The Law was given to those who do not know Christ on a personal level. All who try to live life without Christ are subject to the Law’s demands and punishment. We who live in Christ are subject to his laws and demands, which lead to holy living.

The reason why God gave us His Law was to help us understand our sinfulness and to understand that we can never live in relationship with God on our own efforts. It is impossible for anyone to think they don’t need God based on the Law. God clearly exposes our sin. He is perfect holiness, and we are perfect sinfulness.

The more we study the Law of God, the more frustrating it becomes to those of us who try to live by it. We are constantly confronted with the fact that we aren’t living by it. No one can do on his own what God commands us to do.

However, God did not leave us hopeless and helpless. He came to earth in the form of a man to do what we could not do. He became the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He displayed His power over sin by living a sinless life and then taking our place on the cross. We deserved to die because of our sin, but Jesus did it for us. Jesus took every sinful act and thought of man and rendered them powerless over us. He stripped Satan of his hold over us. He made it possible for us to be righteous before God without keeping the Law. Every mandate of the Law was fulfilled in Christ.

If you are trying to satisfy God’s wrath by legal means, you will never have peace with God. You will never know that your sins are forgiven and you will never have the confidence that you will go to heaven when you die. Our only hope and help is in the righteousness of Christ. Jesus is the only way we are ever going to live obediently to God.

CHRIST, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

CHRIST, OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

Rom. 3:19-20 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses and to bring the entire world into judgment before God. For no one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it. NLT

The law was given by God to keep people from having excuses for their sins and to show everyone that they are facing the judgment of God. The law clearly states that those who keep it are made righteous before God. The catch is that no one is able to keep the law perfectly. No matter how hard a person may try to live by the law, he will fail miserably and fall short of God's perfect standard.

Paul makes it even harder when he says that the more we discover about God's law, the clearer it becomes that we are not doing it. The law of God is very demanding and to fail at just one point makes us guilty of breaking the whole law.

Even if by some miracle someone were to be able to perfectly obey the law, Jesus makes it even harder when He made it clear that God judges the motives of the heart as well as the letter of the law. Why we do what we do matters as much as what we do. And, no one can honestly say that they always do the right thing with the right attitude.

Our righteousness is never in what we do or don't do; it's only in Christ. The soul is made right with God only through the finished work of redemption of Christ on the cross of Calvary. So, if you are trying to make things right with God by what you do, stop it now and trust in Christ alone. He alone can save you and keep you saved.