DON'T GET EVEN

 

DON’T GET EVEN

Rom. 12:19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord. NLT

One of the normal things to do as a child is to get even with those who does him wrong. I know I did it. Regardless whether it was a sibling or not, I wanted to make things even, or get the upper hand. You do me wrong, then I will do you wrong. It was the law of nature. Sadly, many never grow out of their childhood years. They are bent on getting even whenever they are wronged, often causing much harm, even death. It is a theme that is interwoven throughout the things that entertain us; it is the cause of what we call road rage. Avenging ourselves only seems like the right thing to do.

However, God does not see things as we see them. He says to let Him take care of those who wrong us. It is not our role to play God with others. Instead of getting even, we are to strive to just let things go and move forward with grace and love. We are to forgive those who wrong us and strive to live peaceably with them. We are to pray for those who have vengeful hearts instead of making them pay for what they do.

God is just and He will take care of whatever business needs to be taken care of. If vengeance is needed, He will take care of it at the proper time. He alone knows when it is time to execute justice. He does not act on the same timetable that we do. He sees what we don't and knows whether or not the vengeful soul will repent. He gives everyone ample amount of time to change their attitude and actions. He would much rather wait and not have to mete out vengeance than to do it quickly and lose a soul.

When someone wrongs you, don't take matters into your own hands. Instead take them to the Lord and let Him take care of it. He is able and will do the right thing every time.

PEACEFUL LIVING

PEACEFUL LIVING

Rom. 12:17-18 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible. NLT

How we respond to those who would persecute us says a lot about our relationship with God. When we have a heart that is bent on justice instead of mercy, we have sin in our heart. In order to do what is honorable in God's eyes, we need to have a heart that wants to treat others not as they deserve, but for their good. The right thing to do is to always strive to do that which is good, regardless whether it is acknowledged, appreciated, or accepted. We can't control the thoughts and reactions of others, but we can control, with the Lord in control, our own.

As much as is possible, we are to live in peace with everyone. It is sometimes literally impossible to be at peace with some people, but our part is to try our best to make and maintain the peace. Don't let your reactions be governed by your sinful nature or the actions and words of others. Let the Lord rule your heart and give you a heart of love and peace for everyone. Just remember, when others act in sinful ways toward you, their real problem is their problem with God, not you. Do the right thing and pray for them. The worse it gets, the more you should pray. God's love compels us to pray for those who would do evil to us. Let others see God at work in you and not your sinful nature.

As much as possible, live at peace with everyone; this is God’s will for you.

ENJOY BEING WITH OTHERS

 

ENJOY BEING WITH OTHERS

Rom. 12:16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! NLT

Churches seem to be the worst offenders of this verse. Some church bodies are so into their own world that they will not fellowship with anyone else. They think that to do so would put their doctrinal position into jeopardy. They fear that they might think differently about things and no longer stand on solid Biblical ground. Thus, they choose not to fellowship with other church bodies or work with them for the advancement of the Gospel.

Living in harmony with one another is often difficult and not done. Rather than work through issues, there is the tendency to just break fellowship with one another. It happens a lot within the church. One may sit next to someone in church and even serve alongside of them but be out of fellowship with them. Such living is sin.

Some try to act important in the church. They get the idea because of what they do or have accomplished in life that they are better than others. In God's family, no one is any more important than anyone else. Period. No one is worthy of being exalted to a higher status than anyone else. Instead, we are to enjoy each other's fellowship. Church life would be so much more enjoyable for everyone if we would do this.

Protect your soul. Don't think you know it all; you don't. No matter how much you may have learned about life, the Scriptures, how to apply them, and people, you don't know it all. We are all in the learning process. There is so much more to learn than what you think you know. Don't let your knowledge puff you up; it is sin.

Humbly use what you do know for the honor and glory of Christ, learn what you can, and never forget there are always going to be those who know more than you do and can do more things you can and do them better. Live in harmony with others and you will enjoy your life a whole lot more.

JUST GET ALONG

 

JUST GET ALONG

Rom. 12:16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! NLT

I wonder what life would be like if we were to take to heart this verse of Scripture. Would things be different in our homes, churches, and on our jobs? Let's face it, we like to think of ourselves as being important. We want to be the center of attention. We want to put ourselves on a pedestal and to act like we are the go-to person in our world. It is ingrained in us, and it takes a lot of effort to live humbly before others. The only sure way we are going to overcome this sinful tendency is to live humbly in Christ. We must keep the Lord on the pedestal of our heart at all times. It is when we step up and try to stand on the pedestal with Christ that we get ourselves into trouble.

We must understand something about ourselves. We don't know it all! I don't care how educated we may be, how long we have been Christians, how many hours we have poured ourselves over the Scriptures, how well we are versed in the Biblical languages, or what our position may be in the church, we do not know it all. In fact, we know very little of what there is to know. There are things the Lord has hidden from us. We must learn to humbly accept and appreciate what we do know and accept by faith what we don't. It's not for us to know all things. God knows and that is enough for us to know. Let us strive to not let our differences in understanding separate us.

Our goal is to live in harmony with each other. Sometimes it's not too hard to do, but sometimes others make it very difficult. Our part is not to change the way others may react towards us. We are to strive to be the ones who live peacefully. We can't control how others live or think, but we can control ourselves. Learn to relax and enjoy the company of ordinary people. Learn to agree to disagree on things that separate you agreeably and get on with living and working together for the glory of Christ on earth.

EMPATHY FOR OTHERS

 

EMPATHY FOR OTHERS

Rom. 12:15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. NLT

Do you emphasize with others? Are you able to get into what they are experiencing and share with them the joys and sorrows of life? Are you able to come alongside of others and truly become one with them in what they are going through? If so, you are a true friend. You are someone special. You are loving them in the same way God loves you.

God gets into our skins. He is able to identify completely with all the emotions of life we go through. He was fully human and understands the highs and lows of our emotional lives. He is able to meet us where we are at and minister to our present need.

God loves us so much that he is not swayed by our momentary emotions. His love for us does not depend on our happiness, rather our happiness depends on His love for us. God understands, accepts, and overlooks our fickle emotions. If God's love flows through us, we will be the same way towards others.

Everyone needs someone in their life who will emphasize with them in the highs and lows of life. Will you be that kind of a friend for someone today? Rejoice with those who are happy and be genuinely glad for them. Sorrow with those who are sad and strive to make them know they are not all alone in their sadness, that someone really does care.

WHEN OPPOSITION COMES

 

WHEN OPPOSITION COMES

Rom. 12:14 If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don't curse them; pray that the Lord will bless them. NLT

Being a Christian is not always easy in a world that is populated and ruled by non-Christians. Selfishness abounds everywhere, in all walks of life. When sin rules the heart of man, there is a resistance to the Gospel and those who carry it in their hearts. There is constant spiritual warfare going on and those who are not in Christ will do everything they can to squelch or destroy those who are in Christ. It has always been this way, and it always will be until Jesus returns to judge the world and purge it of sin.

So, what are we to do to those who are out to make our lives miserable or even destroy us? We are to pray for them! We are not to pray for them to be harmed; we are to pray for the Lord to bless them. Wow! It doesn't seem right or fair to be asked to pray for our enemies, but that is exactly what we are to do. We are to ask the Lord to bless them. What does that mean?

Ask the Lord to bless them with a heart open to the Gospel. Ask the Lord to bless them with a softened heart. Ask Him to bless them with a heart of compassion. Ask the Lord to be gracious and merciful to them that they might have an opportunity to hear and receive the Gospel. Ask the Lord to bless them with life and not death.

When we ask the Lord to bless those who would persecute us, it not only opens the door for the Lord to minister to their hearts, it also ministers to our hearts. When we are praying for the good of others, it changes our attitude and heart for them. Instead of wanting revenge, we want love for them. The Lord changes us so that we will have a heart like the heart of God, a heart of love for those who would persecute us.

A word of caution, don't pray for those who are against you, if you don't want the Lord to change you. Prayer changes us so that we can deal with life in a manner that pleases God. If you don't want God to help you handle those who persecute you in a godly way, don't bother to pray.

Also, don’t bother to pray if you have vengeance on your mind. Let the Lord make things right. Instead, pray for the Lord to make himself known to those who would persecute you or make life miserable for you and to graciously work in their lives to save and sanctify their souls.

LOVE IN ACTION

 

LOVE IN ACTION

Rom. 12:13 When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night. NLT

Jesus said to love your neighbor as you love yourself. When you are in need, you will do all you can to meet your need. If you can't satisfy your need, you will seek help from others for your need. It is a natural instinct to have our needs met.

Today's verse instructs us to treat others the way we want to be treated. If someone in the household of faith has a need, we are the ones who need to respond to their need. We should not pretend that the need doesn't exist. If it is within our ability to do so, we need to reach out and minister to the brother or sister in need. We can't help everyone, but we can help someone. It is not okay with the Lord for us to do nothing.

Why? Because actions speak louder than words. God's love is an active love. It is a giving and not a hoarding love. God's love motivates us to reach out to others, to be hospitable when we can, even to the point of inviting guests to spend the night if the need arises.

The true measure of God's love in us is determined by how we relate to others in need. We live in a very self-driven world. The world is getting smaller and smaller to us as we isolate ourselves from it. We become engrossed in our own little sphere of life and so often fail to recognize, let alone respond to, those in need around us. Blessed are those who show their love for God by reaching out to those in need and do what they can to help them.

GOD'S PLANS FOR US

 

GOD’S PLANS FOR US

Rom. 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. NLT

We don't know what God has in store for us except His coming and heaven. He does not unravel for us our tomorrows. He may give us general direction as to where we are heading, but He does not give us the details. We should never concern ourselves about that which we have no control over. The Lord is already where we will be so we simply should rejoice that He is there and is leading us to it. We know that when we get there we will never be alone. The Lord has a plan and we must learn to rest in Him and let Him work it.

Sometimes trouble is a part of His plan for us. Why? Because that is where we grow the most in our ability to trust and love Him. We need tough times to teach us that the Lord is faithful and able to see us through them. We need to learn to be patient and not let our troubles throw us for a loop. They do pass and all things do work out for them who love the Lord.

We learn trust and patience through prayer. We must be disciplined prayer warriors. We learn best on our knees that God is real and able to help us through whatever life brings us. We learn the most about how precious our Lord is through prayer. We must have time alone with our Lord in our prayer closets if we are going to survive and thrive spiritually. Prayer is the key to successful godly living.

We learn trust and patience through worship. We must have regular time in our lives when we pause to admire God, appreciate what He has and is doing for us, and express gratitude to Him for all He means to us.

We learn trust and patience through fellowship with other believers as we learn how He works in and through their lives.

We learn that God is good all the time and whatever His plans are, everything will be alright. His ways are always what is best for us and we patiently trust Him as He unravels them in our lives. We do not get ahead of the Lord nor do we lag behind Him. We go where He wants us to go, do what He wants us to do, when He wants us to do it.

In good times we rejoice as we feast on the riches of His blessings and give Him thanks. In bad times we give Him thanks as we lean on Him because we know He is at work to make us more like himself through the lessons we learn from life’s hard knocks.

God’s plans are always good for us and wise is he who lets the Lord have His way with him.

BE GLAD, PATIENT, PRAYERFUL

 

BE GLAD, PATIENT, PRAYERFUL

Rom. 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. NLT

We don’t know what all the Lord has planned for us in this life. We do know some things about our lives after we die, but as for our lives on earth, we have to live by faith and not by sight for God does not let us in on all that He has planned for us.

We want only goods things to come our way. We don’t want pain or sorrow. We don’t want to face life’s difficulties. But, the Lord doesn’t promise that our lives will be that way. He allows the adversities of our lives to come. All kinds of bad things may come our way and if they do, chances are that we won’t like it one bit. Paul tells us to be glad for whatever comes our way. It’s easy to be glad when things are going well; it’s a much greater challenge to be glad when things aren’t going well.

We are to be patient when trouble comes our way. We can be patient when we realize that we are not forsaken by God while we are in the midst of our troubles. We can be patient when we realize that troublesome times serve a very real purpose in the development of our faith and character. We can be patient when we stay in constant touch with Christ.

Consistent prayer helps us to maintain gladness in our hearts. When we are in constant fellowship with Christ, we are not easily swayed by the difficult times of life. It is when we are out of fellowship with Christ that we struggle through our problems. Always be prayerful and you will find the strength and wisdom you need to deal with troublesome times.

GLAD FOR GOD'S PLANS

 

GLAD FOR GOD’S PLANS

Rom. 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. NLT

We don't know all that God is planning for us, either here on earth or in heaven. God doesn't tell us everything we want to know. He tells us more about heaven than He does about the life we are living on earth. It seems obvious to me why He withholds from us a lot of the things we want to know.

If we were to know what God is planning for our day, we might not even get out of bed in the morning! We may alter our living in anticipation of what was coming our way. We may cease to do that which is good because of what we may know lies ahead. What we know might affect the way we treat others or think about them. We simply aren't responsible enough to handle insight on what our day may bring.

Rather than dwelling on what we don't know, we are to rejoice in Him whom directs our paths. Don't sit around and ponder about what lies ahead, instead be glad for it. Be glad because you know that God loves you and will not allow anything to happen in your day that is not good. You may not see it the way God does, but He knows what you don't. He knows how everything works together for your good, and He allows to happen whatever you need in order to help you trust and love Him more. He will never abandon you in your walk of faith. He goes with you no matter if your journey is smooth or rough sailing. He is always with you to help you, and if necessary, to carry you on your journey of faith.

When trouble comes your way, be patient. Let the Lord work things out. Pray much as you journey through life and trust Him who promises to be with you, guide you, sustain you, encourage you, and bless you.

DON'T BE LAZY

 

DON’T BE LAZY

Rom. 12:11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. NLT

It is so easy to be lazy. It is in our genes. Given a choice most of us would prefer to not work too hard. We do what we have to do, but are reluctant to do much more than what duty calls for. Paul reminds us that we need to fight the temptation to be lazy in our work. We must strive to do our best at whatever it is we have to do.

Work is a privilege for those of us who can do it. Consider the multitude of people who can't work due to circumstances beyond their control. Perhaps they are not able to work due to health concerns. Perhaps there just aren't any jobs to be had. To have a job is something which we ought to be thankful for and show it by the way we work. Our work ethic is important because it carries over into the rest of our lives.

We tend to want to be lazy when it comes to serving the Lord. We do not put any more effort into what we do than we have to. We often serve the Lord more out of duty than love. We serve reluctantly and not enthusiastically. We tend to get by doing as little as we can and still be respectful.

The more we love the Lord, the more we will want to do for Him. Work is not a pain but a joy, for those who are in love with the Lord. Serve the Lord enthusiastically in all you do, for he who loves the Lord considers all he does an act of love and worship before Him.

Your work ethic and attitude are a reflection of your relationship with the Lord.

REALLY LOVE ONE ANOTHER

 

REALLY LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Rom. 12:9-10 Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. NLT

What do people do when they fall in love with each other? How do lovers treat each other? There is so much emphasis placed on love these days; yet, so many of us act in unlovely ways. Why is it that people who love each other can’t seem to get along with each other? Could it be that we have bought into the wrong bill of goods? Could it be that we have built the foundation of our relationships on the wrong understanding of what love really is?

God is love, so we must start there. If we are ever going to make love work, we must learn how to treat one another as God treats us. We can't be perfect lovers, but we certainly can come a whole lot closer to God's love than we normally do. God defines his love in a practical way in I Cor. 13:4-8a. We need to strive to live out His kind of love and not what is so commonly practiced in the world.

Any attempt to "love" apart from God's love is not real love. Don't be like those who are pretending to love their spouses, children, neighbors, or friends. Love them as God loves them. I am convinced that if we were to really get serious about how we love each other, we would turn the world upside down for Christ. We may not change the world, but certainly we can help change those in our own little worlds.

Who in your life could benefit from God's love? Will you be the one to love them even as God loves you? You may not change the world by living life and loving others God’s way, but you may change one life for all of eternity.

DO THINGS WELL

 

DO THINGS WELL

Rom. 12:6 God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. NLT

No matter what you may think of yourself, God has given you the ability to do certain things well. Take a few moments and think about what you do well. It doesn’t matter what it might be. There are some things that you do well. Everyone does some things well. Others may not even be aware of what you can do, but you can do it. Don’t be afraid to admit that you can do something well. It won’t catch the Lord by surprise; He made you and gave you the abilities to do it.

Whatever it is that you do well, I want you to know that God wants you to do what you do to serve Him. There are ways that you can honor Christ and benefit others by doing what you do well. If you do what you do as an act of worship unto the Lord, He will bless your doings. He honors those who honor Him.

When you don’t use your abilities to honor Christ or to benefit others, you are wasting away your life. Only what is done for Christ will endure after this life is over. Don’t deprive the Lord of your abilities; you only hurt yourself when you do. Use what God has given you to do to the best of your ability for Him and you will be blessed with a life of great satisfaction and joy.

YOU ARE ABLE

 

YOU ARE ABLE

Rom. 12:6 God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. NLT

It seems like a very unnecessary statement to comment on, but I believe it has tremendous importance for us as the Church. We live in a day in which people with special looks, abilities, and athleticism are put in the limelight. They educate us, entertain, us and usually make us feel inferior because they have something we don't, can do what we can only dream about doing, or look better than we do.

People who stand out in a crowd are popularized. They get all the attention and seldom are the abilities of the majority even noted. With modern day technology, it is not hard at all to get one's face in front of millions of people if you have abilities or looks that stand out.

But, what about the rest of us? Don't we matter? Yes, we do. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. What we do well may never be recognized or acknowledged, but that is not the point. What we do matters a great deal to God if we are doing it for His honor and glory. You may only do one thing well, but if it is done for the Lord it matters a great deal to God.

We are given different abilities so that there will be no lack in the body. Each one doing what they do best for the common good accomplishes much. The parking lot attendant, usher, or coffee maker is just as important to the health of the church as is the pastor, song leader or musicians. Do what you do well for the glory of Christ and great will be your reward in heaven.

YOU ARE IMPORTANT

 

YOU ARE IMPORTANT

Rom. 12:4, 5 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. NLT

So many of us struggle with this truth. We may find our niche in the Church, but then so often we fail to acknowledge or appreciate what others do. We are prone to think of others or even ourselves as insignificant and not needed in the functioning of the church. We may appreciate what others do, especially if they are leaders in the church, and take for granted the roles that everyone else plays.

Our text today reminds us that each of us plays a significant role in the body of the Church. Everyone is equally important to the health of the Church. We all do different things and if anyone doesn't do what they are given to do, the body suffers. Ideally, we all serve in the area of our giftedness, but if we don't, what we do is still very important. It takes the whole body functioning together to be a healthy church the Lord can use.

We are a needy people. As we strive to live out our faith in and outside of the Church, we need each other. We need to know that we need each other. We need to know that we are not alone. We need the support, wisdom, encouragement, guidance and love of each other. We need to draw from one another what we need in order to remain faithful to Christ in the world. No one can be effective in faith by being a lone wolf. It is as we serve and commune together that we are made strong and effective.

We are a community of believers; let us each do our part for each other that the Lord may by lifted up and honored amongst us. Let us strive to always be aware of our need for each other. Let us often give thanks to the Lord for each other. Working together, let us always strive to lift up the name of Jesus in all we do.

HOW GOD SEES US

 

HOW GOD SEES US

Rom. 12:3 As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. NLT

Let's be honest with ourselves today. For the most part we think pretty well about ourselves. We look around us and see a whole lot of people who are worse than we are. We know we aren't perfect, but we are closer to perfection than a lot of people are. We keep our names out of the newspapers. The law doesn't seek us out for questioning. Judges don't know who we are. We aren't irresponsible citizens or workers. We just aren't too bad.

However, God sees us differently than we see ourselves. God sees us in light of His holiness and not in light of others. He doesn't care how we stack up against others. His measuring stick is different than ours. He is concerned about our standing with himself and nothing else. When we see ourselves through His eyes, we aren't nearly as good as we thought we were. We know that we fall so far short of holiness. We know that we are not good people at all compared to God. And, all that really matters is how we are in God's eyes.

Measure yourself by your faith. Are you living close to the heart of God? Do you see yourself in light of your standing with God? Do you know that you need the Lord? Do you understand you need Him more now than you ever did in your life? The more you recognize your need for the Lord, the greater will be your faith in Him and the more aware you will be of His presence in your life.

A HEALTHY SOUL

 

A HEALTHY SOUL

.Rom. 12:3 As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. NLT

When was the last time you took an honest look at yourself to see how your faith was doing? I suspect it has been awhile. We so often assume all is well with us and the Lord instead of knowing for sure whether it is or not. We assume that because we are not doing bad things, saying bad things, or dwelling on bad things, that all is well. We assume that because we get along with others and are responsible citizens that all is well. We assume that because we go to church and occasionally read our Bibles and pray that all is well. But, is it well with your soul?

We can easily fall into the trap of going through the motions of faith and not be living in the faith. We ought to be more like Christ than the world. We ought not to be participating in evil things. But, all of our goodness is nothing apart from Christ. It is impossible to be right with God apart from a saving knowledge of Christ and a living knowledge of Him as Lord.

When looking at yourself in the mirror of Christ's righteousness, forget about how good you think you are. Forget about what others think of you. Forget about a confession you may have mouthed in the past. Look at Christ, and see yourself in comparison to Him. He alone can make us holy before God. He alone determines the value of our faith. If you are living submissively and obediently to Christ, then all is well with your soul. If you are not, then you need to repent and get right with Him while you can.

LIKE JESUS OR THE WORLD?

 

LIKE JESUS OR THE WORLD?

Rom. 12:2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will is. NLT

There are far too many copycats in the Church today. Far too many people bring into the Church worldly behavior and customs. Some people hide what they do and seemingly get away with it, while others are exposed and brought to public shame. No one gets away with anything because the Lord knows and judges the soul according to their deeds. We need to wake up now before we are lulled to sleep spiritually and lose out on salvation. We cannot be like the world and like Christ at the same time. We must choose what we are going to be like, the world or Christ.

We need to humble ourselves before God and let Him transform the way we think about who we are and how we ought to behave and think. What is going on in the name of Christ today is not working very well. We are slipping farther and farther away from holy living. We are not loving each other like we should be. We need a blood transfusion and mind transformation that we might be who God created us to be in Christ Jesus.

When we are aligned with God, we will know what His will is and how we must live in order to be pleasing and acceptable to Him. I fear that there are a lot of people in the Church today who do not please God at all. Many people go through the motions of salvation, but do not know Christ as their Savior and Lord. We desperately need to be a people after God's own heart and not like the world. Be honest, are you more like Jesus or the world? Let the Lord make you anew into a person after His own heart, holy and acceptable to God.

GIVE HIM YOUR ALL

 

GIVE HIM YOUR ALL

Rom. 12:1-2 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice---the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. NLT

God wants all of us. He wants not only our hearts, but our minds and bodies as well. He wants to have control of all of our living. We can't compartmentalize God and give Him access to only part of us. How we apply this truth varies with each of us. The Spirit of God convicts us in different ways. The important thing is that we not withhold from God any part of who we are. His love for us is unconditional and we should not put conditions on our love for Him.

God wants all of us so that we will not conform ourselves to the ways of the world. The things the world thinks are important are not pleasing or acceptable to God. We are not to value the things the world values. Rather, we must learn to value the things of God. Until we do, we will never know what it is God wants us to do or the peace that comes from knowing His will for us.

There is no greater joy than to know what God wants for us in life. Don't miss out on that joy by withholding from Him that which is rightfully His as the Lord of life. Let the Lord transform you completely. Love Him with all your body, mind, and soul.

HEART AND MIND SALVATION

 

HEART AND MIND SALVATION

Rom. 10:9-10 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. NLT

Salvation is rooted in both the heart and mind. Why both? It is one thing to believe the truthfulness of the Gospel and it's another thing to believe it to the point where the Gospel is allowed to change us. True salvation changes the heart. It changes the desires of the heart to sin to a desire not to sin. A change of heart changes what we think about things. Our thinking goes from an earthly focus to a godly focus. We become more interested in the things of God than we do the things of earth.

Salvation moves us from what we believe about God to a belief in God. We personalize the Gospel. Knowing what is true moves to knowing Truth. Lip service becomes heart service.

Anyone can claim to be a Christian, but not everyone who professes to be one is one. Words spoken must be backed up by a heart change. We must act on what we profess. We must let Jesus become Lord of our hearts.

Merely mouthing words will not save you. Such an approach cheapens what Christ did for us. He came to take away our sin, not condone it. He doesn't enter our hearts to co-habit with sin. He makes us right with God so we won't sin. He lives in us to help us overcome sin, and when we do fall, to help us deal with it so it won't linger in our hearts any longer than necessary.

Do you have any unconfessed sins in your heart today you need to get rid of? Give them to the Lord right now so you can live in victory and enjoy the peace that only He can give.

HOW TO BE SAVED

 

HOW TO BE SAVED

Rom. 10:9-10 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. NLT

Here is the Gospel message in a nutshell. We can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus. It's not very hard at all. It involves opening up our hearts to believe in who Jesus is and what He did for us at Calvary. It involves declaring our faith in Him and confessing our sins to Him so He can make our hearts right with God.

We must know that Jesus is Lord of life, that is, that He is the supreme ruler over all things. We must know that He is the one who took upon himself the condemnation for our sins. We must know that His death on the cross makes it possible for us to have our sins forgiven and forever forgotten.

Declaring that it is true is not quite enough though. We must believe in our hearts that it is true. It means that we commit ourselves to this wondrous, marvelous truth. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and God raised Him from the dead and brought Him back to heaven from whence He came. When we truly believe in what Jesus did for us we are then saved. It means that we believe in Him and forsake our sins. It means that we let Him redirect our lives so that now we live for Him and not for ourselves or anything or anyone else.

Salvation is a heart change. We change what we live for and what we desire out of life. We change what we feel about sin and our need for becoming holy in our hearts. Everything changes both now and forever once Jesus saves us.

NOTHING IN ALL CREATION

NOTHING IN ALL CREATION

Rom. 8:39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. NLT

Hear what Paul is saying here. NOTHING IN ALL CREATION will ever be able to separate us from the love of God. NOTHING. It is impossible for us to ever go anywhere or do anything that will keep us away from God's love. God loves us. Period. It's hard to wrap ourselves around this wonderful truth. God loves everyone equally the same. He is not capable of not loving us. He will always love us.

Now, we can spurn His love and not know His love. It doesn't mean we aren't loved; it means that we have chosen not to be loved by Him. What a tragic way to live. So many go through life not knowing the love of God because of their decision to live in sin. It's always there, but unless one repents and chooses to live life in Christ, they do not know what the love of God is all about.

How do we know that God loves everyone? He showed it to us at Calvary. Jesus did not die for just a select few. He died so that whosoever would want to be saved can be saved. He died for the whole world with no strings attached. It is possible for every human being ever born to be saved. There is no greater proof of one's love than to die in the place of another. Jesus did that for us. Not only did He die for us, He went face-to-face with Satan and defeated him and his death grip over us. We no longer have to die in our sins; we can now die in Christ's righteousness and go to heaven when we die.

The greatest news man has ever heard is that God loves him just the way he is. God opens up His heart to anyone who desires a relationship with Him. He turns no one away. Yet, He loves us so much that He does not make us love Him. We can spurn His love and make our eternal bed in hell. The choice is ours to make. Do you know what it is to be loved by God and to love Him?

GOD'S HOLY LOVE

 

GOD’S HOLY LOVE

Rom. 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. NLT

First of all, are you convinced that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ for you? Do you know for a fact that Jesus can never stop loving you? It is impossible for God to stop loving you. He loves you no matter what. No matter how you treat Him or how little attention you may give to Him, He loves you. You can do nothing to keep God from loving you. Nothing.

Now, just because God loves you, it doesn’t mean that He will condone your lifestyle or how you respond to Him. God’s love does not negate His holiness. God loves you, but He will never overlook sin. He always will hold you responsible for sin in your life. You will have to answer to Him for your sin.

There are a lot of people today who deny the reality of God’s judgment on sin since God is love. They deny the reality of hell since a loving God would never send a soul to a godless place of eternal torment. What they fail to accept is that God’s love is balanced by His holiness. He does not send anyone to hell who has not chosen to go there. God extends His love to all and invites them to accept Him as their Savior and Lord, but most will not accept His offer of love. He loves them and longs for their fellowship, but will not force himself on anyone. All who will be in hell will be there because they chose to reject God’s offer of himself to them.

There is a huge difference between knowing about God’s love for us and knowing the love of God for us. Are you living in the overflow of God’s love? Do you know the wondrous truth that nothing in all of creation can stop the Lord from loving you?

Dear friend, I want you to know that God loves you. His love for you never stops or changes. He longs for you to live in the bountiful richness and fullness of His love.

GOD REALLY LOVES YOU

 

GOD REALLY LOVES YOU

Rom. 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. NLT

How convinced are you that this verse is really true? Be honest. How many times have you wondered if God really loved you and was for you? Maybe you still wonder. Satan is very good at casting doubt on our being loved by God. We think we have done or said things that would cause God to love us no more. We think that God doesn't love us because we aren't loving Him. We come up with all kinds of reasons to believe that we are not loved by God, but we are.

God loves us regardless of any conditions or circumstances we may come up with. We don't even have to be His child in order for God to love us. God is love. But, just because we are loved by God doesn't mean that we can do what we want and be found acceptable to God. God can only accept us as His children on the basis of Christ's righteousness within us. We will not make it to heaven just because God loves us; we need Jesus.

Dear child of God, don't listen to Satan's lies. You cannot stop God from loving you. You may mess up royally and need to be taken to the wood shed, but if you do, be assured that God loves you and is doing it for your good. Life may be very difficult and seemingly hopeless, but be assured, God loves you and is nearby to help you through whatever you are facing. You may have been abused by others or judged wrongly, but God loves you. God loves you, always has and always will.

There is one thing you can always count on, God loves you. No matter what you may have done or find yourself now doing, God loves you.

NEVER ALONE

 

NEVER ALONE

Rom. 8:31 What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? NLT

Maybe you have never known what it is like to have people against you, but I have. It’s not a very pleasant experience. No one wants others to create pain and suffering against them. No one wants to be on the receiving end of someone else’s wrath. No one wants to be accused of things that are demeaning or that might be hurtful. It just isn’t a good time of life.

Yet, today’s verse helps to put things into perspective. Jesus was on the receiving end of much persecution, both verbally and physically. He was constantly under scrutiny from His enemies. He rarely faced a day in which He wasn’t under fire. He knew what it was like, and He wants us to know as well that when God is on our side, we can overcome the worst of satanic attacks.

When you go through life’s adversities, just try to remember that you are not alone in your battles. The Lord is on our side at all times. So in reality, who can ever be truly against us? The Lord makes available to us all the resources of heaven to help, so what can overpower us?

Whenever you come under fire, look to the Lord and all He has done. Whatever you may face in life, the Lord is on your side. Dwell in His presence and on His Word and you will have the resolve to not buckle underneath it all. Victory is certain for all who keep Christ as their shield and protector.

IF GOD IS FOR US

 

IF GOD IS FOR US

Rom. 8:31 What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? NLT

What can we say? If God be for us, who can be against us? What does it really matter who is against us if God is for us? Think about it. God is the absolute creator and authority over everything. He is the one who gives and sustains life. He is absolute power and there is nothing that can ever come close to withstanding Him. He is God and if He is for us, we are safe and secure. There is nothing to fear when God is with us.

The real issue then is how do we know for sure that God is for us? There is only one way that we can count on God being for us, and that is for us to be living in Christ. We must not only proclaim our allegiance to Him, we must live like He is our Savior and Lord. God is with those who are with Christ, and He is not with those who do not know Christ. It's as simple as that.

There is so much God wants to do in us. There is so much He wants to show us. There is so much power He wants to display through us. There is so much He wants to give us of His goodness and love. But, He will not do anything for us if we don't seek Christ and His forgiveness. What Jesus did at Calvary is the key to know that God is us.

If God is not for us, then He is against us. We must choose which way it is. Do you know for a fact that God is for you? If so, thank Him and praise Him today for your salvation and the life you live in Christ. If you don't know that God is for you, you can know it for a fact right now. Call on the name of Jesus, confess your sins, ask Him to forgive you, and accept what He has done for you at Calvary and you will be saved and you will know God is for you.

CHOSEN TO BE LIKE CHRIST

 

CHOSEN TO BE LIKE CHRIST

Rom. 8:29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn with many brothers and sisters. NLT

God chooses us in Christ to be like Christ so that Christ would always be first in our lives. We are chosen to be like Christ. Paul tells us in Phil. 2:5 that we need to have the same attitude that is in Christ. So, we need to measure ourselves in light of how well we are living like Christ did.

Christ was a servant-leader. Everything He did He did according to God's will for Him. He came to us for no other reason than to do God's will. If we are not doing God's will for our lives, we are not right with God. We need to prayerfully evaluate what we are living for, and if we are not living to do God's will for us, we need to change our ways. If we don't, we are living in sin.

Christ was a loving servant. He did not do what He did to draw attention to himself. He did what He did because He loved those He was with and tried to help them understand and know God on a personal level. His whole life on earth was to help others to be who God created them to be, children of God. If we aren't living as servants to help others know God and know Him better, we are living in sin.

Christ was a sacrificial servant. He often set aside His own needs for the sake of others. He did not pass up an opportunity to help someone who genuinely wanted His help. He showed us by example that we ought to sometimes go out of our way in order to help those in need. If we aren't willing to reach out to others in need, we are living in sin.

Jesus was a righteous servant. He did the right thing at the right time all the time. He lived close to the heart of God and knew the mind of God. He never failed to not do God’s will for His life. In fact, doing God’s will was the only thing that mattered to Him and He would not stop until He had done it. We, too, should always discern God’s will for us and do what is right in God’s eyes while doing it.

Everything we do should be to bring Christ honor and glory amongst men. We have been saved to not hoard our salvation, but to pass it on. We are saved to be difference-makers in the world. We are to be so like Christ that others can readily see Him in us. Our lives should be focused on one thing, to lift Him up so that all will see that indeed He is the Son of God, the firstborn of all creation, the Lord of life and the church.

TO BE LIKE CHRIST

 

TO BE LIKE CHRIST

Rom. 8:29-30 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory. NLT

There is much discussion in church circles about election of the saints. I do not want to even go there. I am not wise enough to figure out God's ways, and I admit that I don't completely understand how it all fits together.

The point that I do understand is that it is God's desire and plan to make all who are in Christ like Christ. We are to become like Christ. We are to become a righteous and holy people. We are to take on the character of Christ. When others see us they are to readily know that we are children of God. There should not be a need for those who know us to wonder whether or not we are Christians. We should be a people who live to please God and not man. We don't act or talk like non-Christians do. We don't focus on what the world can offer us, but rather what we can offer the world through Christ.

It is God's plan that you be like Christ. He took you in and gave you a right standing with himself. He promised you a life filled with His glory. And He expects you to live like it. Instead of trying to change one another over to our understanding, we should be focusing on how to help one another become more like Christ in holiness and righteousness.

GOD'S GOOD WORK IN US

 

GOD’S GOOD WORK IN US

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

The emphasis is on God. God causes everything to work together for our good. It is God who does the work and everything God does is done right. God does everything perfectly and in love. Nothing that God works out in our lives is a mistake. He has perfect knowledge and does what is best for us. We may not see it or understand it, but nevertheless it is true. God alone knows what we need to experience and know in order for our lives to become all that He has planned for us to be.

God's work in us is like pieces of a puzzle. Individually the events of life may not seem to be good for us, but when put together with the rest of our lives, they fit perfectly and make perfect sense. We cannot see the completed picture because of the seemingly chaotic mess of the pieces strewn all over the place. But, God sees the whole picture and knows where each piece goes.

These truths apply to all who love the Lord and are living in relationship to Him. Don't let the events of life throw you. God is in control and will complete the puzzle of your life. When He is done putting all the pieces together, it will be a beautiful picture indeed. Let the Lord do all He desires to do with your life and you will be amazed at how beautiful of a person you will become. You will be like a bride fit for a King.