A NEW LIFE TO LIVE!

 

A NEW LIFE TO LIVE!

II Cor. 5:17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! NLT

No two believers come to Christ exactly the same way. We all travel down a different path of life and experience life in different ways. The Lord meets each of us on our unique paths and draws us to himself. What may work for me would not necessarily be what you need in order to believe and surrender your heart to Christ. He alone knows how to best touch our souls.

No two believers grow in Christ exactly the same way. Some of us seem to grow up overnight, while some of us take years to grow up. Some of us take root right away and begin to show signs of dramatic change, while for others change happens at a snail's pace.

Regardless of how we are changed or how quickly it may happen, the fact of the matter is, we who are in Christ will all change. Jesus changes me. I cannot be who I was before Jesus entered my life. Everything I was is open to change. I am not who I was, I am a new person in Christ. I am under new ownership. I follow new rules for living. I have a new example to follow. If I don't let Jesus have any part of me, then I am denying Him as my Lord. It may take a while for the Lord to change me, but change me He will if He is indeed my Savior and Lord.

Jesus is both Savior and Lord. We cannot have one without the other if we are going to live lives that are pleasing to God. In other words, God is never pleased with those who claim Jesus as their Savior but refuse to let Him be their Lord. Jesus is both and it is impossible to live in fellowship with Him without both being true in our hearts. If He is not your Lord, you are not moving in the right direction in your life.

If Jesus is your Lord, nothing stays the same. You continue to grow and change. Holiness characterizes who you are. Sin gradually loses its hold on you.

THE OLD HAS TO GO

 

THE OLD HAS TO GO

II Cor. 5:17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! NLT

We say it, but do we mean it? By the way many of us live, I question how much we really mean it. We hang onto our old ways. We don’t let the Lord change us where we need to be changed. We resist getting rid of those things which once brought us meaning and pleasure. We do not take on the new life that is ours in Christ very easily.

When Christ takes up residence in our hearts, things cannot remain the same. He is righteous and holy and cannot dwell where sin dwells. He does not sit idly by and not deal with sinful habits. He deals with sinful motives and attitudes. He changes the way we think and feel. He roots out everything in our hearts that is not pure and holy.

The work of Christ in us is a process. For some of us, it takes a long time for us to get rid of our old ways and for some of us the process is much quicker. One of the strongest hindrances we have to change is the breaking down of our wills. In order for us to grow in Christ, we must have the desire to grow. The Lord will not violate our wills. He wants us to want to change before He sets in motion what needs to be done to make us change.

The goal of Christ in us is to make us holy. It is what we will be if we yield ourselves to His lordship over us. If we resist Him, we will never have the peace and victory that we long for in our walk with Him. Let Him have His way in you and you will be much happier.

COMPELLED BY LOVE

 

COMPELLED BY LOVE

II. Cor. 5:14-15 Whatever we do, it is because Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them. NLT

Do you do whatever you do out of your love for Christ? Does His love control you to the point where you treat others as Christ would treat them? It is something to think about. One of our greatest challenges as children of God is to act in a Christ-like way towards each other, even when we are not treated in a loving way. If Christ's love controls us, we will be compelled by His love to treat others with an unconditional and sacrificing heart.

Jesus died for everyone. Regardless of how awful a person may be, Jesus loves them with all His heart and died for them. He does not want anyone to die in their sins and, neither should we. Regardless of how badly we may be treated by someone, we should always long for their salvation. Our prayers should be for their soul's rightness before God, not our revenge. And, it is not our place to sit in judgment over anyone, only the Lord can do that. We may note the wrong done, but let the Lord handle any judging that may need to be done. Pray for the salvation of those who do wrong and leave it at that.

We may judge the actions of others and hold them accountable for their actions, but that is as far as we dare go. Only God is able to judge the heart and condemn someone to hell.

We have died to the old life we once lived if Jesus is in our hearts. There is no part of our old life that we should hang onto or that should characterize who we are when we become children of God. Jesus changes our character and our desires. We no longer live to please ourselves, we live to please God. Period. If you are still trying to please yourself, you are not pleasing God. If you are more concerned about who others think you are than who God thinks you are, you are not pleasing God.

In Christ, we have new identities. We are not our own, we are His. Pleasing God should be the primary motivation of our lives, always.

CONTROLLED BE LOVE

 

CONTROLLED BY LOVE

II Cor. 5:14-15 Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please themselves. NLT

We cannot do anything of eternal worth without the love of Christ controlling us. His love is what motivates us to do for others instead of doing only for ourselves. His love stirs up within us hearts of gratitude that moves us to want to serve the Lord.

Jesus did not die for just some of us. He died for all people everywhere for all time. He died so that all who have a desire to be right with God may do so. He died so that we can have the power within us to change. He died to change the desires within us from being sin-driven to being God-driven. He died so that we would seek to please Christ and not ourselves.

We cannot have it our way and still be in Christ’s way. We cannot please God when our priorities are all messed up. We are compelled by Christ to love Him more than anything or anyone else in life and then to love others as much as we do ourselves.

What do you do daily out of your love for Christ? What do you do for others because you love them? What do you do for yourself? How much time and energy do you give to each of these? What does it say about your priorities to love and be driven by love? Be honest with yourself. Shouldn’t the fact that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead for us move us to live to please Him first and foremost in our lives?

If we truly love the Lord, we will be driven away from sin and drawn to Him. We will want to please Him in all we do and bring Him honor and glory in all things.

OUR JUST JUDGEMENT

 

OUR JUST JUDGMENT

II Cor. 5:10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies. NLT

We know that it is true, that each of us will stand before God someday to be judged, but often we don’t act like it. Many of us don’t take our walk with the Lord seriously. There are many who are not too concerned about how they live out their faith. They say and do things that please themselves rather than the Lord. They act as if there is all the time in the world to live rightly before God. They don’t pursue godliness. They don’t seek out the Lord through Bible study and prayer. They have an agenda in life, but it is not the Lord.

We reap what we sow. When we live loosely before God, it shows and we will be held responsible for it. The Lord will not play games with us on Judgment Day. There justice will overrule His compassion. There will be no more chances, no more mercy. On Judgment Day we will get exactly what we deserve for the life we have lived.

Don’t mess around with God, because He won’t mess around with you. Each one will receive whatever he deserves for the good or evil he has done in this life. We will be judged by the standards of His righteousness.

STAY FOCUSED

 

STAY FOCUSED

II Cor. 4:16-18 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. NLT

Are you weary of the battles you have to fight in your life? Does it seem like you have more than you can handle on your plate? Do you wonder whether or not it is even worth it? Do you wonder if the Lord even cares about your struggles? Do you wonder if it is even true?

DON'T GIVE UP! Take a moment and try to look beyond your circumstances. I know it's hard, but take a moment and consider what God has promised to do for the faithful. Think about it. Life as we know it today won't last very long. There is unending life ahead of us. God declares very loud and clear that there is a heaven and a hell. We cannot see them now, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. Nothing in life makes any sense at all if it wasn't true.

By faith we know that heaven awaits those who believe and are faithful to Him. Hang in there! God is leading you through this life to prepare you for life with Him. He knows what you need to go through in order for you to become stronger. He knows how to help you through your moment so that you can be better equipped to live for Him both now and for eternity.

What you face in this life doesn't last long, no matter how untrue that may seem. What is ahead of you will make what is behind you seem so trivial. As you gaze upon the Lord you will grow to understand and appreciate your earthly struggles. As you keep your eyes focused on Jesus you will see more and more of what lies ahead. You will get a taste of the glory that awaits you and your appetite for it will get stronger and stronger. What joy awaits those who don't give up!

Stay focused on that which lies before us. Stay focused on Christ, the author and finisher of our salvation. Stay focused on what the Lord has given you to do in this life. Stay focused on what you need to do daily to stay spiritually fit. Stay focused and you will never lose your way home. Stay focused and someday soon you will be with Jesus for all of eternity. Stay focused; whatever you may go through in this life will be worth it all when you see Jesus face-to-face.

PREPARED TO PERSEVERE

 

PREPARED TO PERSEVERE

II Cor. 4:8-10 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. NLT

Very few of us will ever know from personal experience what Paul went through for the sake of the Gospel. He was a marked man and everywhere he went he faced great opposition. He was often physically attacked and came near to death upon several occasions. He was battered and bruised for Christ’s sake, but he never gave up.

What enabled Paul to go through what he did getting to the point where he would put his life on the line for Christ? Was he some super saint that the Lord was especially watching over? Did he possess something special that no one else was given? I don’t believe so.

What enabled Paul to survive and keep going back for more was his undivided devotion to God. Paul was consumed by the reality of his relationship with Christ. Paul not only talked about his faith, he actually lived it every waking moment of his life. His priority was to live rightly before God. He was consumed by a passion to reach out to the lost for Christ. He was consumed by a passion to edify the Church so that she would be effective witnesses for Him. Paul was not concerned about the comforts of life. He was a determined man bent on honoring Christ in the world, no matter what it may cost him personally.

We may not be called upon to live like Paul did on earth. We may be allowed to live in comfort and not be daily threatened because of our faith. We may not experience the sufferings that many face. But, we are called upon to have similar passions for Christ that Paul had. We should strive to become consumed by our love for Christ and others. We should strive to be all that we can be in Christ so we can be all we can be for Christ.

Stay in close fellowship with Christ at all times and you will be prepared to persevere for Christ no matter what life may bring you. People struggle and fail in their walk of faith simply because they fail to prepare their souls for their walk and work to stay spiritually fit and prepared.

OUR PRECIOUS TREASURE

 

OUR PRECIOUS TREASURE

II Cor. 4:7-9 But this precious treasure---this light and power that now shine within us---is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own. NLT

What is your most prized treasure? Where do you keep it? What do you do to make sure it is safe and well taken care of? Which of all your treasures, do you treasure the most? How does your most precious treasure affect your living? You can tell how much you value your treasure by the effect it has on your life. Nothing of real value to you is kept hidden.

What are your most prized spiritual treasures? What are you doing to keep them protected and safe? What effect do they have on how you live life?

Among our many treasures in Christ are the light He shines on our darkened souls and the power He gives us so that we can live in that light and let it shine for all to see. If it were not for the help of our Lord, we wouldn't make it to God. It is impossible for us to enjoy the benefits of Christ's light apart from Him. It is impossible for us to do anything of eternal value apart from the working of Christ in us.

Jesus lives in us, as weak and fragile as we are. He chooses to live in us so that everyone can see that what makes us who we are in Him is because of God's glorious power at work in us. We are not self-made. We are products of God's amazing workings in us. On our on we would never make it to heaven. We would never find our way out of our darkness into His light.

"Thank you, Lord, for your amazing gifts of light and power. Help me today to value what You have given to me and are doing in my life. Lord, don't let me ever get away with hiding it. Help me to live in such a way that everyone can see You in me. May all who know me know that You are indeed the living God who lives in me. In Jesus' name. Amen."

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE SATAN

 

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE SATAN

II Cor. 4:4 Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don’t understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of Christ. NLT

Don’t underestimate the ability of Satan to destroy the soul. He is the most dominating force on earth. He has been given full reign over the world until Jesus comes. He is being used by God to separate the believers from the non-believers. Satan has the power to blind the spiritual eyes of man, and he uses it well. Satan uses all kinds of deceptions to keep people away from God. He is evil to the core and will do anything to deceive and destroy man. Satan understands that his fate is sealed in heaven, that he will spend eternity in hell. He is miserable because of the choice he made to reject God, and misery loves company. Satan set himself up as an enemy of God, and we dare not lose sight of that.

Those who are blinded by sin cannot see or understand the Good News that is shining all around them. God has made it possible for everyone to believe because He is everywhere. He has proven His realness so clearly that no one has an excuse for not seeking Him. Yet, those who live in sin have no desire to come to the Light because in doing so their sins would be exposed to them and they would then be forced to do something about it. Those in darkness stay in the darkness and have no desire to leave it.

Those in the darkness do not understand the message we proclaim. They fail to see the glory of Christ all around them. Therefore, the only way they will be able to see the realness of Christ is to see Him in us. They may be able to deny that God has revealed himself in nature, but they cannot deny the change they see in us. Let us let our lights shine so brightly in the world that Christ will be attractive to all who see and know us.

BLINDED TO THE GOSPEL

 

BLINDED TO THE GOSPEL

II Cor. 4:4 Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News that is shining upon them. They don't understand the message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. NLT

Don't be surprised by the ignorance of the world concerning God and His message of salvation. Don't let the world's evil ways throw you. Satan is the ruler of this world for now. He has been given free rein to do his thing while he can. He has blinded the unbeliever so that their minds can't see or comprehend the truth. To them the Gospel is foolishness and not worthy of anyone's attention, let alone life.

Why has God allowed this to happen? I believe it's because He wants those who believe in Him to do so because they want to. God is love, and love is an act of the will. We choose to love or not to love someone. We are not forced to love God. We must choose to love Him. When we choose not to love Him, our eyes are blinded and we cannot see our way to God. God, if He is acknowledged at all, is not seen as one who desires, or even can have, a relationship with us. There is an absence of God in the world because the world denies that God can be He whom He reveals himself to be in the Word.

It is foolishness to think that we will ever convince the world about God through our words. We must back up our words with works. Others must see God in action in and through us before they will believe. The only hope we have of reaching the lost for Christ is to let them see love in action. We must earn the right to tell them with our mouths the wondrous truths about God's glorious light that is shining on them.

The world is blinded by sin so that the Gospel message is hidden from it. There is no understanding of it and to the world it is foolishness. The Lord sends us out into the world to be visible lights so that some may come to know Him as we do. Let your faith be seen wherever you are at in this world for the honor and glory of Christ.

NEVER GIVE UP

 

NEVER GIVE UP

II Cor. 4:1-2 And so, since God in his mercy has given us this wonderful ministry, we never give up. We reject all shameful and underhanded methods. We do not try to trick anyone, and we do not distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know that. NLT

If you are in a ministry be sure that it is from God and not something you decided to do on your own. If you are doing all you do to honor and glorify Christ, then certainly what you do is of God. It should be our constant desire to do what the Lord lays on our hearts to do. It is a wonderful thing to know that what you are doing is of God and not you.

Don’t give up. The Lord is the object of your ministry, not you. You serve for Jesus’ sake, not your own. There is much work that needs to be done, and the Lord is counting on you to do your part. If you quit trying, then you are depriving others of the opportunity to learn and grow through you. You may be the key the Lord wants to use to unlock the door to someone’s heart.

Be sure that you do things God’s way. Don’t resort to using methods that are self-serving or that gives the Lord a black eye. The goal is to lift up Christ before the world in an honorable way. We should always strive to draw people to Him, not give them reason to shun Him.

Be careful how you use God’s Word. It is tempting at times to use it wrongly for selfish purposes. It is easy to distort the Word to get people to follow us instead of Christ. It is tempting to distort the Word so that sin is not exposed and dealt with. It is tempting at times to distort the Word to put ourselves in a positive light. Be careful how you use God’s Word.

Remember, God knows at all times what you are doing and why you do what you do. Always tell the truth in love. Conduct yourself in such a way that no one will be able to accuse you of not being honest in your dealings.

REMOVE THE VEIL

 

REMOVE THE VEIL

II Cor. 3:15-18 Yes, even today when they read Moses' writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. NLT

Until Jesus removes the veil, a dark cloud hangs over our heads that prevents us from seeing clearly the light. The veil confines our sight to a very small world that is corrupt and distorts truth. The veil prevents us from being seen for who we really are, wonderfully and uniquely made people in His image. No one can remove the veil that hangs over us except Jesus.

Once the veil is removed, everything changes. We are able to see the Lord: who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing. We are able to see who we are as seen through His eyes. We are able to see why we live and what happens when we die.

When the veil is removed, we experience for the first time in our lives true freedom. The Lord releases us to become the person He created us to be. He frees us to become mirrors that reflect the glory and goodness of God. He frees us to become more and more like Him so all can see Him in us.

Some of us have a hard time letting go of the veil. We become comfortable living in a very confined space and we lose sight of the bigger picture of God's grace and love. We resist the effort of God to remove our veil. We hang on as tightly as we can, convinced that it is better to live in our own little world than it is to explore the glory of God's world. We settle for so little when the Lord wants to give us so much.

What about you? Have you allowed the Lord to remove the veil from off your heart? Are you letting Him take you where you have never gone before? Are you living in the freedom He has provided for you, or are you still lingering in the bondage of sin? Are you a pure reflection of God in His holiness, or are you a tarnished mirror?

The Lord wants us to be more and more like Him. There is no better time than right now to let Him help you do it.

A SWEET PERFUME

 

A SWEET PERFUME

II Cor. 2:14-15 But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume. NLT

The Apostle Paul understood what the Lord had done for him and was now doing in his life. He knew the Lord was with him and was using him to tell others about Him. He knew his service to Christ was like a sweet perfume that ascended up to God.

We too are like a sweet perfume before God when we faithfully seek Him out and serve Him. God is well-pleased with all who are faithfully telling others about the Lord and are spreading the Good News. You may not think you are much or are accomplishing much as you faithfully serve the Lord, but make no mistake about it, the Lord sees you and is well-pleased with you. You don't have to be noticed by man in order to be noticed by God. God does not measure our successes like we do. He just calls us to faithfulness. Let your light shine wherever you go and tell as many people as you can about the Lord, and you will be like a sweet perfume to God.

Growing up we often had what we called a testimony time in our services. It was a time set aside for the saints to share what the Lord had been doing in their lives. More and more churches these days are doing away with it, and that is a tragedy. We need those times to bear witness of our Lord. We need to be able to share our love for our Lord in public and talk about Him. It too is a sweet perfume that ascends to the throne of God.

A CLEAR CONSCIOUS

 

A CLEAR CONSCIOUS

II Cor. 1:12 We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have been honest and sincere in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own earthly wisdom. That is how we have acted toward everyone, and especially toward you. NLT

Paul was honest in his self-examination. Because he always sought to do what was right before God, he was sure that he had not done anything wrong before the church at Corinth. Paul humbly declared his innocence. He was absolutely certain that he had been honest with them about their spiritual condition and that he had dealt with them out of a heart of love.

How could Paul be so sure of himself? He totally depended on God’s grace and not on any wisdom of man. Whatever Paul preached and taught, he learned it from the Lord. He spent much time in fellowship with God and he listened intently to what the Lord taught him. Paul was consistent in his living and treated everyone everywhere he went the same way. Paul’s only agenda was to do what God had given him to do God’s way.

How about you? Do you have a clear conscious that you are doing everything right before God? Are you honest and sincere in all your dealings with others? Are you spending adequate time with the Lord in fellowship through His Word and in prayer to make it happen? Are you sincerely striving to do your best to obey and serve the Lord?

May the Lord give you a quiet confidence in all you do that you are doing it right as you walk amongst men. May your walk be a walk of grace. May others know that your wisdom comes from God and not man.

PASS IT ON

 

PASS IT ON

II Cor. 1:3-5 All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. NLT

We have a mandate from God to pass it on. As we are blessed by God, we are to be a blessing to others. As we experience God's amazing grace, we are to come alongside those who are in need of the same grace in their hour of need and help them. Nothing in life that we go through is without purpose or value. God allows us to discover His ability to help us through all of life's circumstances so that we in turn can help others as they go through them. No one is unique in what they live through. Others have gone through it before them and others will go through it after they do.

See the importance of your life experiences. What have they taught you about God? How have they helped you to become who you are today in Him? Pass it on. You have a story to tell that will help others. Someone must hear what you have to say. Someone's faith may very well hinge on your testimony.

Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace in bringing you this far in life. Praise Him for seeing you through the harsh circumstances of life. Praise Him for all He has taught you about life, faith, and Him. Praise Him and pass it on.

Praise the Lord today for His wonderful promise. No matter how tough life may get, no matter how much we may have to suffer, there is an abundance of God's help to see us through. Let not your heart be troubled. Don't fret over those things you cannot control. Don't let life overwhelm you. Our God is able to see us through whatever life may bring our way. Let this wonderful truth comfort you. Press on in the all sufficient power and grace of our God. Bring it on, for our God is able to deliver us!

Praise the Lord for all those who have helped us in our times of need. Praise Him for those who came alongside of us to help us get back on our feet and moving once again. Praise the Lord, and pass it on.

When you suffer and find comfort in the love of Jesus and the Word of God, pass it on. God allows us to experience a wide variety of things in life so that we will learn a lot about faith and ourselves and so that we can share with others how the Lord has helped us when we experience what they are experiencing. Those who know best what another is going through is he who has personally lived through it himself.

Let the Lord use you to comfort and strengthen others through their times of need. Let Him use you to draw others to Him for the comfort and strength He alone can give.

DO NOT WAVER

 

DO NOT WAVER

I Cor. 16:13-14 Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done in love. NLT

Strong words. Mighty words. Inspiring words. Words that will change your life forever if you will but do them. Be on your guard. You can never go off duty guarding your soul. Your soul is always under attack and the moment you quit watching over it to protect you, you will be assaulted and hurt. Satan is very patient and he will pounce on you the very first chance he gets.

Stand true to what you believe. Do not waver on what you know to be true. Unless it is the Lord who teaches you otherwise, don’t let Satan trick you into believing what isn’t true. Take a stand for that which is true. Don’t sit on it and let others defend it. Know what and why you believe. Get grounded in the Word itself and not just what others tell you it says. Be sure what you believe can be verified as true by the Spirit of God who is the author of the Word.

Be courageous. One of the greatest needs the Church has today is for the children of God to be courageous. We don’t want to ruffle feathers. We want to be politically correct so we don’t offend anybody. We water down what we know to be true so that everybody can embrace us. We have lost our voice because we no longer are bold enough to withstand the forces of evil around us and speak out against them.

Be strong. Our strength goes away so easily. We fail to exercise discipline in spiritual matters. We become too busy and excuse ourselves for not exercising our spiritual muscles. We justify ourselves and become convinced that all we need is an hour or two of church a week to stay in tune with God. We feed on spiritual junk food and expect it to satisfy our needs. We feast on milk when we need some meat and potatoes. We neglect God’s Word, prayer, witnessing, and service and think it’s okay.

And everything must be done in love. People are drawn to love. We earn the right to speak out when we do it in love. People will listen when they know we truly do love them. And, the most loving thing we can do for others is to: stand true to what we believe, be courageous, and be strong.

DON'T FALL ASLEEP

 

DON’T FALL ASLEEP

I Cor. 16:13-14 Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done with love. NLT

Be on guard. It is a very dangerous thing to let down your guard when it comes to your soul. All Satan needs is a little crack and he will squeeze in and wreak havoc in you. Satan is always on the watch for opportunities, so we must be always alert and on duty to protect our souls.

Stand true to what you believe. Don’t cave in when opposition comes. Know what you believe and why you believe it based on God’s Word so that you will be able to stand. Knowing what you believe comes from diligent and faithful study and prayer. Fellowship with other believers in worship and service are essential. If you don’t stand on what you believe, you will fall.

Be courageous and strong. Don’t avoid opportunities to take a stand for Christ. Boldly let your light shine in the darkness of the world. You have a message within you that must be told. Seize every opportunity you can to let the world know about the Lord.

As you stand strong and serve the Lord, always do it in love. Don’t let pride or self-righteousness get a foothold in you. Live and speak compassionately. Let a genuine concern for the souls of others drive you. People can dismiss the arguments of the head, but they can’t easily dismiss the love that comes from a heart genuinely in love with Jesus.

BE STRONG AND STEADY

 

BE STRONG AND STEADY

I Cor. 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. NLT

Be strong and steady. How do we do that? So many of us are weak and unsteady in our walk with the Lord rather than strong and steady. We are only as strong and steady as we are in the Word and prayer. There are no shortcuts to victorious Christian living. We must consistently feed our souls. We must spend much time with the Lord who gives us strength for the journey.

Enthusiasm for the Lord’s work is directly tied to our commitment to Him. Much serving is done more out of duty than desire. Many lose their enthusiasm along the way. These things happen when we try to serve on our own strength. When we rob ourselves of our time with the Lord we lose our desire not only for Him, but our desire to serve Him.

Satan wants to take the joy out of our serving. He wants to convince us that what we do is a waste of time or that we are inadequate for the task. He wants us to quit trying and will do anything he can to accomplish his goal. What we need to always know is that whatever we do for the Lord is not useless, a waste of our time. The Lord honors those who honor Him and will use what we do for His glory.

Your contribution to the building up of the Kingdom of God is very important. Do it with enthusiasm and joy. Do it because you love the Lord and know that He blesses the work of those who seek to please Him. In fact, the key to victorious living in Christ is to love Him foremost in your life. If you serve Him without love, you serve Him in vain. And, you will probably be very unsteady in your walk with Him.

The key to loving the Lord above everything else is spending much time in fellowship with Him: reading your Bible, praying, and worshiping Him.

ATTITUDE MATTERS

 

ATTITUDE MATTERS

I Cor. 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Paul had just given us a glimpse of what is in store for us when Jesus comes. He reassured us that living in Christ is not in vain. Jesus is coming again! And when He does, he will gives us bodies fit for heaven where we are going.

In light of this wonderful truth, Paul admonishes us to remain strong and steady. The only way we can remain strong is to take care of ourselves. We must feed our souls with a proper diet of His Word, we must learn how to apply His Word to our lives, and then we must do it. It does no good at all to flex our muscles and admire them. We must use our strength for good. If we don’t, we will lose our strength and be good for nothing.

Steadiness comes from standing and walking on solid ground. Unless there is some physical reason why we can’t be steady, the ground we walk on determines our steadiness. Be sure you walk always on Christ, the Solid Rock.

Do what you do for and with the Lord with enthusiasm. Don’t approach your service with a sense of duty. Serve the Lord out of your love for Him. Serve Him for His glory and not your own. When you serve the Lord with the right attitude, nothing you do for the Lord is wasted or useless. God blesses the service of those who serve Him out of love. Good always comes out of a life driven by a genuine love for God.

Jesus is coming again! The very thought of it ought to excite us and spur us on to great service and living. The promise is certain. We who are faithful have a place in heaven reserved for us. Jesus is coming to take us home when our work on earth is done. He knows how we are living and serving and will reward us accordingly. If that doesn’t excite you, then you need to get on your knees right now and repent. We ought to live in eager anticipation of our Lord’s return. We should live for Him and serve Him enthusiastically each step we take in our life journey. Jesus is coming for me!

YOU WILL DIE

 

YOU WILL DIE

I Cor. 15:50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These perishable bodies of ours are not able to live forever. NLT

No amount of will power or money is going to stop the aging process. God has ordained a certain amount of time on earth for us and then we die. We don’t know how much time we have; it is hidden in the mind of God. It is why we dare not squander the time we do have. We can’t assume we know and wait to the ending of our lives to do what is right before God. We can’t pretend it doesn’t matter how we live. Each of us is going to die on God’s appointed day, and when that day arrives, it will be too late to change how we have lived.

We are not going to take our earthly bodies with us when we die. Our flesh and bones will lie in the grave and return to the dust from which we came. We are spiritual beings encased in the flesh, and when we die, we will take on our spiritual bodies. There is a body that is fit for heaven and one that is fit for hell.

We need to be careful which body we give more attention to in this life. If we spend all of our energy on keeping our earthly bodies in good shape and fail to keep our spiritual bodies in shape, we have lived foolishly and in vain. Of far greater value to us is our spiritual bodies. Our bodies will decay and rot in the grave. Our souls will not die.

We will live in the spirit forever. What we do now on earth determines where we will live in eternity, with whom we will spend it, and how well we live. You alone control what type of life you will live forever. Heaven or hell? It’s your choice.

COME TO YOUR SENSES

 

COME TO YOUR SENSES

I Cor. 15:33-34 ...Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for bad company corrupts good character. Come to your senses and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t even know God. NLT

Some of the people in the church were advocating a lifestyle of sin. They were saying that because they were in Christ they could enjoy the pleasures of sin without worry. They were content to rest in grace and not deal with sin issues they had. They were like so many of us today.

Somehow we have gotten the idea that because we live in grace sin in our lives is not that big of a deal. We aren’t as conscious of sin as we once were. We don’t care as much today about sin as we did in previous generations. We are more prone to dismiss or overlook sin in our midst. We justify ourselves because of grace. We allow ourselves to hang around with those who are living in sin. We aren’t bothered about where we go or what we do. We aren’t as sensitive as how others affect our character as we once were.

One of the reasons why the Apostle Paul held the church accountable for their tolerance of sin in their midst was because he knew how it would tarnish and damage the character of those who were godly in the church. Because of our tendencies to not make waves, we are prone to lower our standards to accommodate those who are living in sin. He knew that instead of the faithful building up the unfaithful by their example, the unfaithful would tear down the faithful by their example.

It is easy for sinners to hide in the church when the church doesn’t expose and deal with sin in her midst. It is easy for sinners to justify their sin when the church doesn’t speak out about sin. Is it any wonder that the Church is moving down the slippery road of self-destruction?

I am not advocating a return to legalism. We do live in grace and are not bound by the law. However, we are not free from the law in the sense that it reveals sin in us and forces us to deal with it if we are going to be right with God. The standards of the law are very high and it is impossible for anyone to reach them, which is why Jesus came to be our Savior. But living in grace does not mean we can lower our standards. We must constantly strive to reach the standards of grace revealed to us in Christ Jesus. There is no room in grace for a lifestyle of sinning.

BAD COMPANY AND CHARACTER

 

BAD COMPANY AND CHARACTER

I Cor. 15:33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for bad company corrupts good character. NLT

Bad company corrupts good character. We need to come to grips with this truth. We become victims of the company we keep. We tend to adapt ourselves to the standards of the company we keep. Rather than jeopardize friendships, we fail to live by what we know to be true while we are with them. We go along with things that we know we shouldn’t. We begin to talk similar to the way they talk. We often develop similar attitudes they have about people and things. We find it far more comfortable to hide our light under a bushel instead of letting it shine.

We need to be discerning about this. We need to befriend sinners, but we dare not let sinners drag us down into compromising our faith. We need to be careful how deep of a friendship we allow ourselves to develop with sin-controlled people. We need to pay attention to what they say and not be persuaded by things we know to be contrary to the truth.

Surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you in your faith. You need people in your life that you can have heart fellowship with, people who you can talk freely to about the things of the Lord. For your soul’s sake, invest your heart in those people who will edify your soul and not tear it down.

Softening one’s convictions often is so subtle that one scarcely notices it is happening. It is so easy to surround yourself with people who do not have strong, if any faith. We need to never forget today’s warning: bad company corrupts good character.

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT

 

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT

I Cor. 15:3-4 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me----that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said. NLT

We have different aspects of the truth that we consider important. Every church body has strong convictions about what is and what is not a right understanding of the truth. We become so set in our ways that we develop strong feelings against those who don’t see things our way. We like to stay within the circle of those who think the way we do. The reason why there are so many different types of church bodies is this very thing. We pick out certain truths within the truth and make them absolutely essential to our faith.

However, we need to get back to the basics. Our greatest need is to rally together at the cross. Our message is nothing else but this--that Jesus died for our sins, was put in the grave, and on the third day rose from the dead. Jesus, who lived a sinless life on earth, became our sin sacrifice. He laid down His life so that all who believe in Him would have eternal life. This is the truth we must proclaim. We must set aside our differences in understandings and stand as one on the sure foundation of Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have nothing to say to the world if we don’t proclaim salvation in Christ. The world doesn’t care about our differences. It doesn’t need to know what we think we know to be true about certain Biblical teachings. The only thing the world needs to know is that God loves us and is our Savior and Lord.

It is way past time for the Church to dwell on that which is most important. Our message is clear and the mandate to proclaim it is clear. When we fail to stand together at the foot of the Christ, look up to see our Savior who died for us, bow before Him in worship, and let the world know about Him, we live in disobedience. It is not about us; it’s about Him and Him alone.

SEEING IN A POOR MIRROR

 

SEEING IN A POOR MIRROR

I Cor. 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see with perfect clarity. NLT

This is the love chapter of Scripture. Here the Apostle Paul describes for us what God’s love is like. He strives to help us understand that we must learn how to properly love one another more than any other thing in our daily living. Godly love is the driving force in any godly person’s life. If we have everything going for us and rise to the top of the class in the life of the Church and fail to be godly in our love for others, we have nothing. We are but noise makers.

There are many things we think we know that we don’t know. We like to tie up the Scriptures into a neat little package. We study it, meditate upon it, and come to the conclusion that we have perfect knowledge of it. We like doctrine. We talk about it and promote it. We frame all Scripture around it and question all who think differently than we do. Now we see things imperfectly. We must not be so quick to conclude that we have all the right answers. We must take a stand on what we believe to be true, but we also must approach Scripture open-mindedly. We must never shut our minds up to the point where the Spirit can’t change them. There are certain Biblical truths that are none debatable. What God has clearly spoken up against applies to all of the body. But, those truths that can be easily seen and understood in different ways should never be tied up into a neat little package and encased in stone.

Someday we will all see perfectly clear the whole of the Gospel, but that someday is not today. When we disagree on understandings, let us resolve to agree to disagree agreeably and unite our hearts and gifts together for the glory and honor of Christ as we serve Him and take the Gospel message out into the world.

One of Satan’s greatest delights is when we, the body of Christ, let our imperfect knowledge divide us and keep us from functioning as one for the glory of Christ. Let us not become tools in Satan’s hands to render the witness of the Church weak and useless because of our differences.

PARTIAL UNDERSTANDING

 

PARTIAL UNDERSTANDING

I Cor. 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. NLT

I believe it is important for us to remember this truth. No matter what we may think we know and understand, we only know partially what is true. There is far more to truth than what we think there is. Because we don’t see things as God does, we often draw conclusions that simply are not completely accurate. We don’t think the way God does about things. His mind is way too complex for us to always be on the same page as Him.

We must strive always to understand truth, and there are certain things we can be confident of that we get it. However, there is always the reality that our ability to understand things is limited by our capability to understand. What we must always understand is that there is room for other interpretations and understanding on some things. Where we may disagree with other believers on, we let the Lord take care of it. It is His business and if He wants to change the thinking of someone, He will do it.

What this means to me is that I must always strive to be gracious about what I know to be true and gracious towards those who I may disagree with. When we get to heaven we will all understand things more clearly. We will know everything we need to know; faith will no longer be necessary because we will live in the presence of Truth forever and ever.

Let us always strive to love each other, not just those who agree with us on the truths of Scripture. On those things which God has clearly spoken, let us stand as one on them. On those things which are not clearly spelled out, let us not get hung up on them and let them divide us.

CHURCH GIFTS

 

CHURCH GIFTS

I Cor. 12:31 And in any event, you should desire the most helpful gifts. NLT

The Apostle Paul had just reminded the Church of what some of the gifts God had given the Church were. The list was not all-inclusive and the list was not intended to be for everybody. There are a lot of ways that God molds and equips His children for service. Paul lists some gifts the Spirit had given the church of his day that many today still argue over as to whether or not they are valid expressions of worship. Churches have been divided and even destroyed over them. Our convictions will continue to divide and even destroy fellowships for as long as Jesus tarries.

Because we are who we are we tend to box God into our belief systems. We get defensive and close our minds to whether or not there is room in the body of Christ for other ways to worship and serve the Lord than our own. No one is going to change the minds of those who abide by a different understanding of Scriptural application. That is a matter between the Lord and His children.

The important truth for us to grasp today is that no matter what your God-given gifts are, they are to be used for the nurturing and well-being of the body. God does not give gifts to be hoarded; they are to be used. Whatever your gift(s) is, use it for the common good of the body. If no one is being built up in Christ, then use discernment on your usage of your gift. There are numerous ways you can help to strengthen and spur the body of Christ on for service. Our goal is to be positive contributors to the body, not dividers. Do what you do for Christ and not to be seen by man.

The particular gift a person has is not important. What matters is that we use what we have for the common good of the body and for Christ’s glory in the Church.

ALL ARE IMPORTANT

 

ALL ARE IMPORTANT

I Cor. 12:27 Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. NLT

Here is a message I wish that we could all get. There is only one body of believers and we belong to Christ. All who are living in Christ by faith are connected to each other. We have no right to exclude any believer from our fellowship. We are to embrace in love all who are in Christ. We don’t have to agree on all things, but we do have to love and support each other. The Church has segregated herself over things that don’t have anything to do with our salvation. It is not God’s way.

Every member of the Church is a vital and necessary part of it. There is no such thing as an insignificant part of the body of Christ. We all have roles to play. When we deny each other the opportunity to fulfill our role, we are hindering the work of God amongst men. We must find ways to involve every believer in the work of the church. We must learn to appreciate our distinctiveness and work together for the common good of the church.

We must get rid of the idea that everyone has to be like us in order for us to embrace and work with each other. We must learn how to disagree agreeably for the glory of Christ. As long as the Church remains divided, Satan is going to gain the upper hand in the world. If we can’t work together for Jesus’ sake, we are not living right with God.

It’s no wonder the world does not take the Church too seriously when we let our differences rule our relationships instead of uniting together in Christ to bring Him to the world.

We will always have our differences, but there is only one thing that should matter to us all and that is to honor and glorify Christ in all we do. Every member of the Church is essential and important and the sooner we accept and embrace that, the better.

NO PECKING ORDER

 

NO PECKING ORDER

I Cor. 12:27 Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. NLT

Much has already been said about this very important truth. I just want to remind you today that you are who you are because God made you that way, and you are a necessary part of the body of Christ. No one can be you except for you. You are not, nor can you ever be, like someone else. You are as equally necessary and important to the cause of Christ as the most visible and talented servant of the Lord. Don’t believe the lie of Satan that you aren’t. There is no pecking order in God’s Kingdom. He sees and loves all of His children equally. We all live by the same rules and will be held accountable for them. No one will stand before God and given a break because of who they are or what they have done.

So the next time you are prone to feel sorry for yourself or question your worth to God because you aren’t like somebody else, just remember this verse. YOU are a separate and necessary part of the body of Christ. You are on equal footing with all of God’s children. In God’s eyes,, there is no such thing as a pecking order. He loves you for who you are, not for who others think you are, or who you may think you are.

CARE FOR THE SUFFERING

 

CARE FOR THE SUFFERING

I Cor. 12:26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. NLT

The question that comes to my mind as I think about this verse is, “Do we suffer with those amongst us who suffer?” It is so easy to get so caught up in our own lives that we neglect those who really need someone to come alongside of them and care as they go through their sufferings. Regardless whether the suffering is physical, financial, emotional, mental, or spiritual, it helps to know someone really cares. Many of us mask our sufferings. We pretend all is well when it really isn’t. We keep things to ourselves that should never be kept. How can we expect the comfort that comes from Christ when we shut others out?

People are the means in which the Lord often addresses our needs. He hears and answers our prayers through the help others can give. It makes no sense at all to suffer alone when the Lord provides others in the body to help us.

Granted, there is always the risk that someone will not act in a godly way towards us. There is the possibility that some who claim to be in need really aren’t in need. There are some who will take advantage of others and bleed them dry under false pretenses. However, can we justify not helping one another out in times of need simply because of the behavior of some? It would rob the body of the joy of living out the Gospel. We need to be wise and discerning, but not cold-hearted.

Look around you. Is there anyone in the church whom you know is suffering? Do you care enough about them to suffer with them? What about you? Are you suffering? Don’t deny others the opportunity to show their love for you by keeping silent. We are in this together. No part of the body should ever suffer alone.

Let others into your suffering world and lovingly enter the sufferings of others; you will be glad you did.

EQUAL AND EQUALLY TREATED

 

EQUAL AND EQUALLY TREATED

I Cor. 12:25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. NLT

All members of the body are equals and should be treated as such. No one deserves more honor and praise than another. We live in a world where we like to honor those who are more visible. We praise those who display their gifts more publicly than others. We honor those who others honor and tend to neglect those who serve behind the scenes. However, we dare not forget that what enables some to display their gifts more publicly is the work that those behind the scenes do who are never noticed. Every member of the body is equally important.

What this means for us is that we need to be more careful about how we distribute our praise and thanksgiving in the body. We need to appreciate the service that everyone does in the church. When was the last time anyone thanked the janitor of the church for the job he/she is doing to keep the church building looking so nice? What about the one who does the church bulletins? Who made the coffee everyone enjoyed during Sunday School? Who thanked the ones who came to church early and got everything ready for the worship services? What about the ones running the sound systems? Who puts fresh flowers around the church for others to enjoy? When was the last time you thanked the person running the sound system or keeps the library going? What about the person who provides fresh flowers in the sanctuary? There are so many things that are done that go unnoticed or appreciated.

Isn’t it about time that something was done about it? What can you do to help encourage or brighten up someone’s day today? Give them a call just to tell them they are appreciated for what they do or send them a note of appreciation. Better yet, buy them dinner or take some baked goods over to their homes for them to enjoy.

We do what we do out of our love for Christ, but we all need encouragement along the day.