HONOR MARRIAGE

 

HONOR MARRIAGE

Heb. 13:4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery. NLT

This instruction is timeless and never more needed than today. We live in a time in history in which the sacredness and importance we place on marriage is quickly fading. We are driven by selfish interests and desires to the point where we are quickly losing our sense of integrity. Moral right and wrong are no longer absolute truths that guide us. We are driven more by our passions than our souls. The ways of the world are in the Church and gaining a greater influence over us.

God takes marriage as He designed it, seriously. He makes it clear in His Word that marriage is defined as a committed relationship between a man and a woman that is for life. He does not approve of divorce and in a godly marriage there is no escape clause. He holds us accountable for our faithfulness to our vows of fidelity. He commands us to honor marriage, which means as well that we take an invested interested in our relationship with our spouse and strive to make it a good one.

To honor marriage means as well that we don't cave into the world's thinking on marriage. God sets the rules and definitions, not man. Marriage is not what most people say it is. We must examine our understanding in light of God's Word. Like it or not, God's definition of marriage is today what He declared it to be from the beginning, that of the union between a man and a woman. He who disagrees has to convince God He is wrong.

God promises to judge all who are immoral and establish marital relationships outside of marriage. By that I mean getting emotionally or physically involved with someone other than one's spouse in a way that should only be reserved for one's spouse. It is morally wrong to forsake your vows of fidelity to your spouse. It is sin and God will judge it. Period.

We must protect our hearts and minds and refuse to entertain thoughts that would jeopardize our moral integrity in marriage. We alone can say no to the temptations that surround us. If you are struggling in this area of your life, you must confess it before the Lord, seek His forgiveness, and ask Him to help you. If you don't, you will face God's wrath for it someday.

Also, in order for a marriage to be what God created it to be, there has to be a legal binding of the relationship. Laws vary across cultural boundaries, but nevertheless, as long as the law of the land does not violate God’s standards of morality, there must be a legal binding together of the relationship. In God’s eyes, there is no such thing as a common law marriage.

The marriage institution is the most sacred relationship amongst mankind. It behooves us to take it seriously and honor the Lord in it. A couple who takes lightly marriage will answer to God for it.

CONTINUE IN LOVE

 

CONTINUE TO LOVE

Heb. 13:1 Continue to love each other with true Christian love. NLT

Why is loving each other in Christ so hard for us to do? There are so many divisions in the Church today that are the result of our inability to love each other that it is scary. What is our problem? I know that sin breaks the bond of fellowship, but shouldn’t we be able to overcome our sin if the love of Christ is in us?

True lovers of Christ find a way to love those they disagree with. There will always be things that we don’t agree on, but they should never hinder us from loving the redeemed. We often use our differences as an excuse to not love and fellowship with other believers. We take a holier-than-thou attitude towards those who are different than us in understanding instead of embracing them. Why? Doesn’t Jesus love all His children? How can we say we love Him and not love those for whom He died and redeemed?

Loving each other is a lifelong process. We are to continue to love. There is no time limit on when we can stop loving each other. There are no conditions given as to who we are to love, only a command. When we fail to love the brethren, regardless of the church family they may be a part of, we are sinning against God.

Loving others involves grace and forgiveness. You cannot love someone you are not willing to forgive, regardless of what they may have said or done to hurt you. Think about it. I know that it is hard to love someone who may have hurt you, but in Christ it is commanded and made possible through Him.

Consider how the love of Christ can be fleshed out in the Church and then do it. Begin in the church you are a part of and then branch out to all of God’s children. If you do, you will please God.

OUR INDESTRUCTIBLE KINGDOM

 

OUR INDESTRUCTIBLE KINGDOM

Heb. 12:28-29 Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a consuming fire. NLT

The Kingdom of God cannot be destroyed. Therefore, let us approach God with thanksgiving always. Consider this great life Christ has given us in Him. Meditate upon it until you are overwhelmed by it. Let this mysterious life of God’s love fleshed out in you capture your heart. Think much about what it means to have your sins forgiven and forgotten by God. Consider the horrible life Christ has saved you from both here on earth and in all of eternity. Take in the wonder of the workings of God’s grace in you until your soul rises up in great thanksgiving.

We are receiving the Kingdom of God. We don’t have it yet. We are moving towards that day in which it will be ours to claim. The life of faith is a process requiring us to daily walk with the Lord. As long as our hearts are open vessels that can receive the things of God, we will lay hold of the Kingdom someday.

With gratitude in our hearts, let us always strive to please God by living with a worshipful spirit of holy fear and awe. It is good for the soul to live with a deep sense of God’s holiness. We should respect the holiness of God, knowing that no sin will ever enter into His presence. Let the awareness of God’s holiness move you to diligently guard your soul from sin. It is good to have a holy fear of God. If we don’t fear God in His holiness, we will not stand guard over our souls and we will let sin creep in.

We should never lose our sense of awe over who God is. It is good for the soul to dwell on the glory and majesty of God. It is good to consider the greatness of God in power and love. It is good to feast on the absolute perfection of God in all that is good and holy. It is good to feast on the unfathomable mind of God and His eternal life. God is beyond all of our imaginings.

We have no real sense of who God really is in all His glory. He gives us only a little glimpse of himself because the human mind cannot comprehend Him. It is good for us to never lose our sense of awe of Him.

God is a consuming fire and all will pass under His fiery gaze. No sin will be kept hidden from Him. He will not be deceived by our righteousness. Only those whose righteousness is Christ will survive His searching gaze. He will not misjudge any soul. All who are in Christ will be with Him forever and ever and all who aren’t in Christ will be in the cesspool of His wrath forever and ever with all those who are cast into the lake of fire where there will be ceaseless pain and agony of soul and body.

Don’t mess around with your soul. Choose Christ today because no one is guaranteed a tomorrow. All that awaits you in your tomorrows is eternal hellfire if you die without knowing Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.

BE A WATCHMAN

 

BE A WATCHMAN

Heb. 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison. NLT

Each of us is a watchman in the household of faith. We are to look after each other so that none of us miss out on God’s favor. God favors those who live in Christ, so we need to be aware of each other’s walk of faith and if we notice things aren’t right, we need to get involved and redirect the soul back to Christ. We tend to ignore each other’s progress in faith. Out of fear of being perceived as judgmental, nosey, or better than others, we don’t say anything. We are afraid of offending someone so we keep quiet. But, it’s not what the Lord wants us to do. We are to show love and concern for each other and that means we sometimes need to point out to others a need to get back on track spiritually. Many problems could be avoided if we were to do this.

We must be aware of those amongst us who are not saved. Some people attend church simply because they like to hear what is being said. Some attend because they believe with their heads but not their hearts. Some attend because of the expectations of others. Some attend for personal gain in the sight of man. Whatever the reason, not all who attend church do so because they are saved. We must be careful that we don’t allow those who are not saved to poison those who are. There are those in the church who will lead others astray. They will preach and teach another Gospel. They will convince others that sin is no big deal, that a loving God will never allow anyone go to a place called hell.

Scripture warns us that in the last days there will be much unbelief in the Church. People will be persuaded by those who will tell them what they want to hear instead of the truth. Keep your soul in a good, godly condition and you will recognize these deceivers in the Church. Stay right with God and you will not be poisoned by their teachings. Stay in the Word so that you can recognize truth from error. Stay on the lookout and help protect each other from these false teachers. Keep your eyes peeled lest anyone amongst you miss out on salvation because they have believed a lie.

HOW TO HAVE PEACE

 

HOW TO HAVE PEACE

Heb. 12:14 Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. NLT

Notice first of all that we are to try. We cannot live with peace with those who refuse to live peaceably. We have to do what we can on our part, but we can't make others do what is right if they are determined not to. That being said, how are we live a peaceful life?

We live a clean and holy life before God. We do what is right before God. We don't ignore our sins. We don't neglect our time in God's Word or prayer. We don't shrink away from opportunities to serve the Lord. We don't rest on our laurels and coast along in faith. We always strive to learn more about the Lord, His ways, and how to apply them to our lives. We seek excellence in our walk with the Lord.

Satan wants us to believe that it's not necessary and really doesn't matter. He wants us to believe that all we need is to confess Jesus as our Savior and we are home free. But, those who are not holy will not see the Lord. It's a sobering thought isn't it? We don't hear this truth being taught much anymore. But, it does matter to God how we live. Our lives must match up to our teachings. God does not play games with us. Those who are not living in holiness will not see Him. Christ is our holiness so we must live in Christ and become more and more like Him. There is no getting around this truth.

How about it? Are you looking like Christ, or is your Christ looking a lot like you? Are you acting and thinking like Christ is in you and controlling you? If not, you need to bow before Him right now and let him straighten out the mess you are making with your life. We are created by God in Christ to be holy and unless we are, we won't see the Lord. God's words, not mine.

PEACEFUL LIVING

 

PEACEFUL LIVING

Heb. 12:14 Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. NLT

The truth of the matter is that we are not going to live at peace with everyone. There simply are people who have personal issues that won’t allow them to get along with us. They are cantankerous and will not allow themselves to let go of the things about us that bother them. However, their spirit does not let us off the hook. We must do our part and try to live at peace with everyone. We cannot excuse ourselves because of the attitude and behavior of others. The Lord commands us to do our part and strive to live at peace with everyone.

We are to seek to live a clean and holy life. Here is an area that every believer in Christ needs to linger over. So many of us pay little heed to the need we have to keep our hearts pure and live a holy life. God’s standards are very high and He commands us to strive to live by them. Holiness is not an option; it’s a necessity if we are going to see God. There is no excuse for the believer to ignore this command from God. Holy living is vital for all who desire to see the Lord. There is no leniency on this. God is holy and will never tolerate unholy people in His presence.

The message is very clear; unholy people will not see the Lord. Holy people do not live in sin. They do not take a nonchalant attitude about sin. They do not have a self-righteous attitude. They are not proud of their goodness. They do not rely on past righteousness. They see themselves as a broken people before God and seek His face for forgiveness. They understand that Christ’s forgiveness is their only hope for seeing God. A holy people are a humbled people before God who constantly seek to know Him in a deeper way.

Can you honestly declare yourself to be holy before God today? If not, today is the day of salvation. Today your heart can be cleansed and be made pure before God. Today He can declare you to be holy through Jesus Christ our Lord. Confess your sins and He is faithful and just and will forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

ARE YOU WEARY?

 

ARE YOU WEARY?

Heb. 12:12-13 So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong. NLT

Life can be wearisome, especially as we grow older. We get more prone to tiredness and our bodies begin to fail us. The same thing can hold true in our spiritual lives. We can get battle weary. It can get to us after a while. Satan is a relentless enemy and seldom leaves us alone to rest.

If you find yourself getting weary, get a new grip on the Lord. What you have been doing to keep you faithful to the Lord may not be working as well now for you. Examine what you are doing. Do you need to spend more concentrated time in the Word? Do you need to allow for more time in your prayer closet? Do you need to include some Bible study fellowship in your routine? Do you need to be better prepared for worship? Do you need to be more involved in church life? Do you need to switch churches so that the preaching and teaching is more Biblical and practical? Do you need to take a rest and let others minister to you instead of you doing all the ministering? Do you need to rest more in what Christ can do instead of what you can do? You will never be able to regain spiritual strength so that you can stand steadily if you don’t get a newer, more firm grip on the Lord.

Let the Lord mark out your path. Let Him lead you through your life. Observe His ways and follow them. Don’t be foolish and follow a path that leads you away from the Lord. Let the Lord set your course and with determination follow it.

When we live with the Lord being our priority and director of life, we influence those around us to stay the course of faith. Those who follow us are strengthened by the example we set before them. There is no greater witness than the witness of a life lived well in faith.

TAKE A NEW GRIP

 

TAKE A NEW GRIP

Heb. 12:12-13 So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong. NLT

Are you getting tired and weary in your struggle against sin? Do you find yourself slipping more and more into it? It might be in how you act, what you think about, or how you react to life and others. Be honest, are you losing battles that you know you should be winning?

Now is the time to take a new grip on your faith. Tell the Lord about your struggles and failures. Tell Him about your frustrations over not being able to resist your desires to sin. Ask Him to give you the strength to hold on tighter. Ask Him to show you a better way to live. Ask Him to take over the guiding system of your life and mark out a straight path for you to follow. Ask Him to take you deeper into His Word and to speak to you more clearly and loudly through His Spirit. Ask Him to give you the power to do these things.

There are those who are following in your footsteps. Like it or not, you are having an impact on others and how they relate to God. How you are following Christ will make a difference in those who love and respect you. You will either make or break some people's faith.

You are either a part of the problem or the solution in others' lives, depending on your own faith walk. The Lord holds us accountable for how we walk with Him. Are you stumbling around or walking strong? Is your pathway straight, leading you to heaven, or do you wander around in circles?

Hang on tightly to the Lord, stand firmly on the solid ground of faith, be a good example worthy to be followed. Great is your reward in heaven.

DISCIPLINE AND HOLINESS

 

DISCIPLINE AND HOLINESS

Heb. 12:10b-11 But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening---it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. NLT

I can remember growing up under my father's discipline and I can testify to the fact that it hurt! My dad came from the old school where physical discipline was acceptable. My dad used belts to hold up his britches and he used them to teach us right from wrong. Dad was not afraid to correct our behavior with his belt. We knew what we would get if he ever found out what we did so it was a great deterrent for wrong behavior. I don't ever recall a time in which I can say I enjoyed his discipline. I do remember many of the lessons I learned from his discipline.

And, I am thankful to this day that he did not know all the things that I did growing up. If he had, I probably would have a much harder time sitting down and writing this devotional!!

I learned to respect my father. I may not have always agreed with him that a spanking was justified, but I sure did learn from my mistakes and tried not to repeat them. I learned early on that it was in my best interest to obey my father.

I believe that most people in the Church today have very little respect for God. They don't fear Him in the sense that I feared my dad. As a result, I believe we have failed to learn many valuable lessons of faith we need to know.

I learned right from wrong. Without his guidance, I probably would have done a whole lot worse things than I did growing up. I knew that there were certain things that I could not do and I did not do them. I understood that there were consequences for my crossing the line and doing what I wanted to do instead of what my father wanted me to do.

I learned that disciple was good for me. It kept me on a good path. I learned it was to my advantage to do what was right. I discovered that life was far less painful for me when I listened to my father than when I didn't.

I attribute much of who I am today to my father's discipline. He caused me to want to do what was right before him and ultimately before God, my Father. Wanting to please God motivates me to listen to Him and obey Him. We don't like to be disciplined, but it produces in us godly living. In fact, without discipline from God, no one will make it to heaven.

If God’s discipline is lacking in your life, you need to ask yourself why. Are you really listening to God? Are you as concerned about doing what is right in His eyes as you should be? Are you striving to be holy in heart? Without God’s discipline, you will never be holy in His sight.

GOD'S DISCIPLINE

 

GOD’S DISCIPLINE

Heb. 12:8 If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all. NLT

The question we must address is what is the Lord's discipline? We talk about it, but do we really know what we are talking about? Let us consider some things to get our thinking going.

Discipline becomes necessary when we do something wrong. You praise someone when they do something right and discipline them when they mess up. It is the way we teach one another what should not be done. We don't like to be disciplined and most of us don't like to discipline others. Yet, it is necessary if someone is going to move forward and mature.

Discipline should be done when someone is obviously sinning and giving the name and cause of Christ a bad name. For the sake of Christ's honor, we must strive to keep His name holy amongst men.

Discipline should be always done with love and purpose. If it's done with a mean spirit, it will not accomplish its purpose; people will resist and resent it. The Lord always deals with us compassionately, yet with firmness. He will not let us get away with our sinning without making it very clear that there are consequences to the choices we make.

The Holy Spirit is God's primary disciplinarian. He chastises us and convicts us when we sin. He shows us what we have done and what we should have done. He is relentless and keeps reminding us of our sin until we repent. He sometimes allows adversity to come our way if we don't pay attention to Him. He will sometimes use other people in our lives to urge us to repent. He will sometimes withhold His blessings on our lives.

If we never experience God's discipline, it means that we are not really children of God. We are far from perfect and we do mess up, sometimes a lot. We need God's correction and chastisements. We should welcome God's intervention in our affairs. It is a good thing to be disciplined. Without it, we will never make it to heaven.

A person who is never disciplined is soft and unable to cope effectively in life. He takes for granted what he has and develops a sense of entitlement to it. He becomes spoiled and can’t handle it when he doesn’t get what he wants or things don’t go his way. He gets in a rut of non-growth that he can’t get out of. In other words, he’s a real mess and not a person you want to be around much.

The Lord’s discipline is a good thing and blessed are those who receive it.

DON'T SLOW DOWN

 

DON’T SLOW DOWN

Heb. 12:1-2a Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. NLT

First, you are not alone in your faith. It may seem like it at times, but there are a lot of people just like you who have faith. They are everywhere you go. You may not know who they are, but they are there alongside of you and surrounding you. Don’t believe the lie of Satan that you are the only one who believes.

Since we are part of a huge cloud of witnesses, let us get rid of everything that keeps us from moving forward in our faith. Sin can easily creep in and wrap itself around our souls and squeeze the life out of us. Let us be sure that we confess all our sins and keep our souls pure. A sin-laded soul moves very slowly.

There are many other things that can slow us down as well in our spiritual progress. We can get caught up into earthly concerns and neglect our souls. We can pursue earthly pleasures instead of feeding our souls. We can live as if we were lord of our lives instead of Jesus. We can procrastinate on pursuing godly living to the point where we never get it done. We can believe the lie that there is always tomorrow to take our faith seriously. We can get careless and fill our minds with false teachings. We can fail to keep our souls in shape as we go.

In order to run well the race of life, we must be free of all the baggage that slows us down. We must be in good spiritual condition. We must never lose sight of Christ who is the author and finisher of our salvation. A race well run is one run with purpose and zeal. It demands our best effort. It demands our total focus. It demands that we run with perseverance until we win.

There are many reasons why people may slow down: looking around you at others instead on your goal—Jesus, not being in good shape (improper diet, too much food), lack of purpose, not being in a proper frame of mind, etc.

No one who starts out in faith can lose their faith if their faith is focused on Jesus alone. Get rid of everything that may slow you down or distract you. Run with all you got to win the prize, Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOCUSD ON JESUS

 

FOCUSED ON JESUS

Heb. 12:2 We do this be keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. NLT

In verse 1 we are admonished to get rid of everything that hinders us from growing into maturity of faith. We are slowed down to the point where there is scarcely any movement at all sometimes by all the baggage we carry around. In our verse for today, we are told how we can best free ourselves up so that we can grow up. We do it by fixing our eyes on Jesus. As long as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, we will find our way to Him.

Notice that our spiritual walk begins and ends with Jesus. We have no relationship with God apart from Jesus. He is the one who made it possible for man to be accepted by God as His own. Jesus is the author of our salvation. He is the one in whom salvation originates. Before the world was ever created, it was determined by God that Jesus would die for our sins on the cross. He is the one who came from heaven to carry out God's salvation plan. He is the one who did away with the blood sacrifices of the Old Testament by the shedding of His own blood. It was Jesus alone who broke the chains of death that had bound humanity because of their sin.

Jesus is the one who will see our salvation through to the end. It is in Christ that we are able to have fellowship with God. It is in Him that we are able to live in victory over sin. It is Jesus who holds the keys to heaven. God will allow us to be a part of heaven only if we have a personal relationship with Jesus. It is on the merit of Christ alone that we will make it home. He will see us home to heaven if we continue to live in relationship with Him.

Notice that faith depends on Jesus, not us. There is nothing that we can do to make or keep us right with God. We depend on what Christ has done for us, forgiving us for our sins and making us righteous and holy before God. No matter how hard we try to be good, it won’t work. It is Christ who makes us acceptable to God.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Don't let the world around you distract you, blind you, or lead you astray. Understand how the world is affecting your soul. Get rid of all that is diminishing Jesus in importance in your life. Focus on Him alone for He alone is the beginning and end of your salvation. He alone can make and keep you holy before God. Live in Christ as if your life depends on it, because it does.

SURROUNDED BY WITNESSES

 

SURROUNDED BY WITNESSES

Heb. 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. NLT

We are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith. We are not alone in our faith. Everywhere you are, there are fellow believers. Don't let Satan convince you otherwise. Some people don't wear their faith well and are harder to identify, but they are there. There are people around you who understand your faith struggles and issues. There are those nearby who love the Lord like you do. If you are down because you think you are all alone, ask the Lord to show you those who are His.

We are constantly being overloaded by things that weigh us down and impede our progress. Sometimes we are the ones who create the load and sometimes we let others do it to us. There are many things that we carry around needlessly. The things that jump out at me are: the worries of this world, the quest for prominence and success in this world, the drive to please people, the drive for earthly comforts--both now and when we retire, and the sins we hang onto. Whatever it is that is slowing us down in our walk of faith, we must rid ourselves of it, especially the sin that we let hang over our souls. Sin is a powerful deterrent to spiritual progress. It keeps us away from the heart of God. The more sin we allow to hang around, the farther away from God we become and the harder it becomes for us to live in God.

We are running a marathon and not a sprint. In order to endure the race, we must be in good shape spiritually. Sin is excessive baggage that will prevent us from finishing well the race set before us. It robs us of our vitality and prevents us from enjoying the race. If you have unresolved sin issues in your life, you must deal with them if you are going to finish the race.

Whatever it is that may be weighing you down spiritually, get rid of it today. The Lord will set you free from them if you will let Him, and you will be so free that will feel like you are soaring like the eagles.

TESTED FAITH

 

TESTED FAITH

Heb. 11:17-18 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, though God had promised him, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted." NLT

The faith that Abraham lived was one of absolute commitment, trust, and confidence in God. God promised Abraham that Isaac was going to be the one that God was going to use to keep His promise to him of a nation of people too numerous to count who would possess the land of Israel. We understand that God was pointing to Christ who would come from Abraham's seed. Abraham believed God explicitly. He knew it was going to happen. He knew Isaac was going to be the beginning of the fulfillment of God's promise.

Yet, God tested Abraham's belief. He demanded that he take Isaac up to Mt. Moriah and offer him up there as a sacrifice before God. Abraham had no clue as to what God was up to. From all outward appearances it would seem like God had changed His mind and had other plans to fulfill His promise. Yet, Abraham knew in his heart that God would keep His word. He absolutely trusted God's character and knew He would fulfill His promise through Isaac. Abraham did not know how God would do it, all he knew was that He would. Abraham was willing to obey God explicitly. Not only would Isaac die, but as far as he knew, so would the fulfillment of God's promise. Abraham did not waver in his knowledge of God's trustworthiness and faithfulness. God would keep His word.

What an awesome challenge for our faith today! Do we know God well enough to trust Him no matter what appears to be going on around us? Do we have an absolute confidence in God's character that enables us to live without doubting His promises to us? Are we absolutely committed to God?

When we fail to believe and trust in God absolutely, we are in essence casting doubt on who He is. True faith is that which is grounded in the perfect holiness of God's character. It is knowing that God is absolute Truth and He will always be true in all He says. The test of your faith is how you live out what you know to be true of God.

LIFE WITHOUT FAITH

 

LIFE WITHOUT FAITH

Heb. 11:6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. NLT

You will never please God without faith actively working in your life. Faith is not just what we believe about God, it is putting into practice what we believe. It is living as if it were true. There is a huge difference between mental belief and living belief.

If you want to have an audience with God, you are going to have to live connected to Him. You cannot get by with what you know to be true. You must let Jesus purify your heart and then live like you are pure. You must practice what you preach and then God will reward you.

Of course, the reward every true believer longs for is heaven. We live for heaven and we die for heaven. We sincerely believe that what God has promised is true on earth and in heaven. We strive to do our very best to actively pursue Him and let Him live out His life in and through us.

In a sense, the reward of heaven is ours to have today. When we are living a life of faith rooted in the life of Christ, we are living in heaven. We are living in the presence of God. Heaven is far more than what we have now in Christ, but it is also an eternal life in Christ. In Christ, the glory of heaven fills our souls and helps us deal with life on earth. Faith is the unleashing of heaven's glory and power in our lives.

Do you have a faith rooted in a relationship with Christ or rooted in your knowledge of Him? Only those who take God seriously and live out their faith in Him will please Him and see Him someday.

Life without faith is a life lived in hell eternally and a life lived in misery here on earth. It is a life without hope and peace. It is life lived without God in it.

PLEASING FAITH

 

PLEASING FAITH

Heb. 11:6 So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. NLT

There are many, many people today who try to please God without faith in Christ. They are willing to confess belief in God, but not in Christ as the way to God. They strive to be good people and convince themselves that it is enough in order to be accepted by God. Some will profess to believe in Jesus but their belief in Him is nothing more than lip service. They do not entrust themselves to Him for salvation and strive to make it to heaven on their own.

It is impossible to please God apart from a living faith in Christ because Jesus is the only one who truly pleases God. Jesus perfectly obeyed God and offered himself up as the sacrifice for our sins. Jesus alone is the glory of God personified. There is no way to please God outside of the righteousness and holiness of Christ which He bestows on those who trust Him to be their Savior.

It is not enough to believe there is God; we must believe in God’s way to eternal life. Anyone can make it to heaven if they believe in their heart that God has made himself known to man through the life of Jesus and trusts in Him to be his Savior. Jesus rewards all who come to Him for the forgiveness of their sins with eternal life. There is no other way that God is going to be pleased with you and accept you as His child.

Not only must we have saving faith, we must have living faith. Saving faith translates into living faith for those who have sincere hearts. We live lives that are consistent with our salvation. We allow the Lord to continuously change us and teach us new things. We grow into holiness of life as we live out our faith. If you are not growing, you are not going to heaven when you die. Life begets life. If you are alive in Christ you will produce evidence of it in your life. Faith without works is dead. There is no life in those who do not show evidence of it in their lives.

Words spoken without actions to back them up are meaningless. What we say does not please God unless it is backed up by godly living, which requires much faith to accomplish. Anyone can claim to be a follower of Christ, very few actually follow Him.

It takes no faith to claim to be a Christian, but it takes great faith to actually live like one. Those who actually live by faith are those who please God and will see Him some day face-to-face.

WHAT IS FAITH?

 

WHAT IS FAITH?

Heb. 11:1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot see. NLT

How much confidence do you have in the Lord's ability to bring to pass what He has promised? Do you act like it's a done deal, or do you act like maybe it won't happen? The Lord often speaks to us through His Word about what He intends to do. He will speak to us through the voice of His Spirit disclosing His intentions for us. He will sometimes use other people to give us direction. The Lord gives us hope in our times of discouragement and despair knowing that we need a fresh voice from God. He spurs us on with His promises when we need help to keep on moving forward.

Often we need help to keep the faith. We need help to stay focused on the workings of the Lord in our lives. We cannot see God and often fail to see what He is doing. We need God's testimonies of what He is doing. We need to hear how God is living amongst us so we can open our eyes to see it happening. Faith is rooted in our awareness of God and His activities. It is letting God involve us in them. It is going beyond what we see and putting our trust and confidence in God's plan for us. It is living in the certainty that God is true to His word and will bring to pass what He has promised.

Is your faith rooted in God, someone else, or yourself? Only God is trustworthy. He alone is able to deliver on His word. He alone is able to tell it like it is without the possibility of err. He alone is able to know the beginning from the end and work all things out accordingly. He alone knows what we need and lovingly supplies it out of the richness of His love and grace for us.

Blessed is he who has a faith deeply rooted in God.

KEEP ON TRUSTING

 

KEEP ON TRUSTING

Heb. 10:35-36 Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. NLT

When the going gets tough, so many of us get going---in the wrong direction. We don't like the tough times of life and rather than face them with confidence and boldness in faith, we flee from them. We try to avoid tough times. We don't like confrontation and are prone to cower away when backed into a corner. When it makes things easier on us we are prone not to express our faith in Christ. We tend to speak out only when we know that it will be well-received by the company we are in. We act sometimes like we are ashamed of the fact we are children of God.

We are reminded in today's verses that we should never be this way. We are going to face troubles in this life, but we should face them with our eyes fixed on Christ and not our troubles. We should always strive to please Him and represent Him well no matter what happens. What is important is what is before us and not what is around us or behind us. We can deal with whatever we encounter in life with confidence and boldness when we are centered in Christ.

When we face difficult circumstances in life we need to pray for patient endurance so that we will not waver or back down in our confidence in Christ or witness for Him. We need God's help if we are to remain faithful to Him in all things. Daily ask Him for whatever it takes for you to remain strong in Him and be a strong witness for Him. He has promised great rewards for us who are faithful to the end doing His will for our lives.

May the Lord find you faithful today. May we be as faithful to Him as He is to us.

SINNING MATTERS

 

SINNING MATTERS

Heb. 10:26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. NLT

I am not going to attempt to interpret this verse. As with any Scripture it must be understood within the context of the rest of the Scriptures. I will let smarter people than me wrestle over it. What I want us to think about today is this: God takes seriously how we live. He never has and never will tolerate sin. He cannot for He is holy. There is not any part of His being that is not holy. He is absolutely perfect and sin can never be anywhere near Him. Sin is detested by God. It is what forced Him to allow Jesus to die a criminal's death on the cross.

God will never allow us into His presence with sin in our lives. Jesus makes us presentable to God by forgiving our sins and making us holy. But if we spurn Jesus and reject His holiness by deliberately sinning, there is no hope for us, regardless of how far along we are in our walk with Him.

We must deal with our sins by throwing ourselves at Jesus' feet and plead with Him for His mercy. We must not take sin lightly. There simply is no hope for us if we neglect our salvation and refuse to walk in holiness of life.

Do you have any sin hanging around in your life that you have not let Jesus take care of? Don't let spiritual pride keep you from admitting and confessing sin. No one is immune from sin. We are not God, and we do sin. Deal with it. Don't let it hang around and fester in your soul. The longer we let sin hang around, the more of a hold it has on us and the more likely we are to sin against God. We need to be constantly vigilant over our souls and take our sin to Jesus whenever it rears its ugly head. Today is the day of salvation. Don't blow your opportunity to be forgiven.

DELIBERATELIY SINNING

 

DELIBERATELY SINNING

Heb. 10:26-27 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. NLT

We must always let the Word speak for itself. It is a dangerous practice to fit it into our theology and make it say what we want it to say. Let us hear what the Word says to us today. A key word in our understanding of these verses is the word if. This is a conditional state. The consequences of our abandonment of faith are severe.

If we DELIBERATELY continue sinning after we know better, we are in deep trouble with God. Deliberate speaks of intent. Deliberately sinning is not done accidentally, but on purpose. It is a determined way of life. It is true of those who have a cheap concept of grace. The thought is that once we are saved we are not going to be punished for sin so it doesn’t matter whether or not we sin. It is taking lightly God’s hatred for sin and abusing His grace. It is essentially saying that Jesus’ dying for our sins wasn’t that big of a deal; it doesn’t affect the way we live.

Receiving the full knowledge of the truth can be interpreted to mean just intellectual knowledge or heart and mind knowledge. I will let others determine that. What matters is the attitude of the heart towards sin. There is no saving grace for those who determine in their hearts to live a sinful life. Sinful conduct breeds sinful consequences. God will never condone sin or excuse it. Sin in the heart will be punished. A sin-infested heart will not enter into heaven. The reality of it is God will condemn all who insist on living in sin and not grace.

Saving grace changes the attitude we have towards sin. We no longer can tolerate living in it. We strive to overcome it. We seek God’s continuous help in identifying it and ridding ourselves of it. Godliness becomes our way of life instead of sinfulness.

How do you feel about sin? Does it bother you when you do it? Are you deliberately striving to not sin? Are you more concerned about your soul’s standing before God than you are the pleasures of sin? When we deliberately sin against God, it is showing God great disrespect. It is abusing His wondrous grace.

CHURCH: A NECESSITY

 

CHURCH: A NECESSITY

Heb. 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back is drawing near. NLT

I have a hard time understanding how attending church has become an option and not a necessity for many professing Christians. It seems like many of us feel like we can maintain our level of fellowship with God and avoid fellowship with His people. Many of us find all kinds of excuses for not being in church. Rarely are our excuses valid ones. Church life is not a convenience; it is a necessity for the child of God. We need to be in an environment where we can be spurred on in our faith by community worship. And when it is not possible for us to attend church, we must seek our spiritual instruction and fellowship in other ways so we don't dry up and lose sight of our Lord.

We need each other. We need to encourage each other. We need to hold each other accountable for our walk with the Lord and warn each other when we begin to stray. We need to help each other remain strong in the Lord, especially as we approach the day of Christ's return.

Shame on us when we get the idea that being a part of a church family is an option instead of a necessity for us. Shame on us when we buy into the idea that less church is a better church. Quickly fading are the Sunday evening and midweek services that once were the norm for the church. Shame on us for getting the idea that it's all about me and not you. Shame on us for allowing our commitment to church life to become a convenience.

Let us make a covenant with our Lord today to make church life a priority in our lives. If you are in a Bible believing and proclaiming church, remain faithful to her and be involved. If you are not, then for your soul's sake, find one and get involved. You will be glad you did.

If your church is struggling or has problems, don't be a part of the problem and run away too quickly. First get involved and try to work out the issues through Christ. Join with others in the body around the throne and strive to resolve the problems Biblically. If there then continues to be problems that won't go away, find a church fellowship where your soul can be nourished and you can serve in.

The church is Christ's physical body on earth. Woe is he who lives as if he weren't a part of His body and that the church doesn't really matter.

DON'T NEGLECT CHURCH

 

DON’T NEGLECT CHURCH

Heb. 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back is drawing near. NLT

I cringe when I hear of people who profess faith in Christ and seek to justify staying away from the fellowship of God’s people in worship. I know how bad churches can be. I know the hurts that are inflicted by church people on each other. I know that church life can be detrimental to one’s mental and emotional health. I understand how avoiding the church can seem like a good idea at times. The church is made up of sinners and sometimes it really shows.

However, I believe it is very damaging to the soul to totally dismiss church life because of the actions of people. There is an ample supply of churches available to us so that we can find a church where we can worship the Lord without strife. And if the only church available to us is full of problems, we can still worship amongst God’s people without participating in the strife.

Neglecting the church because of the actions of some of her people is not a good solution to the problem. We need the fellowship of the church. We need to know that we are not alone in our walk with the Lord. We need to know that other people are hearing the Gospel message and identify with it just like we do, even if they don’t live it. We need to come underneath the spoken Word. We need to be in an environment where we will hold ourselves accountable for how we live out our faith. We need to be around a people who encourage us in our faith and spur us on to greater faith. We need to be where we are warned about what happens when we get careless and even neglect our faith. We need to be challenged by others to stay connected to the Lord through prayer and the reading of the Word.

The Lord is coming soon. No one knows how soon it will be, but He is coming for His church. It is imperative that we stay connected to the church through faithfully being a part of it so that when the Lord does come, we will be ready. It is very dangerous and damaging to the soul to let other people or things interfere with our need to be involved in the life of the church. We participate in church life because we love He who is the head of the Church and because we need it for the sake of our souls.

BE AN ENCOURAGER

 

BE AN ENCOURAGER

Heb. 10:24 Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. NLT

When was the last time you gave any thought at all to ways you can encourage others? Chances are this is not one of the things on your list of priorities to do. If we do encourage someone, it’s more of an accident than an intentional behavior. Let us take a few moments and think about this today.

First of all, who do you know that could use some encouragement today? Everyone needs it at various stages of life, so it shouldn’t be hard to come up with someone. Give a name to someone you know who could use some encouragement. Now, ask the Lord to give you some ideas on how to best encourage them.

Perhaps your someone is going through some physical issue that is causing much anxiety for them. Perhaps there is anxiety over financial issues. Perhaps there are marital issues going on. Maybe there are relationship issues that need resolved. Maybe there is frustration and discouragement over a lack of success with goals being pursued in life. Perhaps your someone is being criticized and not being treated well by others. Whatever the issue, think about ways that you might be able to do good and lighten the load on their shoulders.

Sometimes just being a compassionate friend is enough. Sometimes words spoken help. Sometimes something we personally do is what is needed. Everyone needs to know that someone cares and is there to support them in their journey of life. You cannot truly say you love someone until you are willing to act it out.

Notice that we are to be encouragers to outbursts of love and good deeds. Outbursts are spontaneous reactions. When we are motivated lovers of Christ it generates outbursts of love and good deeds. When we purposely set out to encourage others, we will always find ways to do it. It should come naturally for us. We cannot truly love Christ and it not show in how we relate to one another.

The good news is that when you are an encourager, you will be encouraged by the love of others in your times of need for encouragement. Godly love is characterized by being encouragers. It is simply getting involved in each other’s lives and ministering to needs where needed. Don’t just talk love talk; live it out for the glory of Christ.

UNWAVERING FAITH

 

UNWAVERING FAITH

Heb. 10:23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. NLT

Do you waver sometimes in your faith? Be honest. Are there times in which you question whether or not it’s all true, or if it’s worth all the struggles? I believe it happens to all who live in faith. Because we cannot see or be with Christ physically in our daily walk, we are sometimes overwhelmed by life’s circumstances to the point where it is hard to hold onto our faith. In moments of weakness or weariness, we begin to wonder and perhaps wander. Today’s verse reminds us to hold on tightly to our faith.

The journey can be very rough. Some of the faithful are persecuted to the point of death. Some are ridiculed and in the eyes of man made out to be fools. Whatever responses we may encounter or circumstances we may find ourselves in, we must hold on tightly without wavering. What we know to be true in the light is always true in the dark. What is true when things are going well for us is true when the going gets rough. God is faithful and true always. He can be trusted to keep His promises to us regardless what life may bring our way. In sickness or health, in life or death, God is true and faithful. God’s Word is trustworthy. What He has spoken is backed up by who He is. Hang on tightly to what you know to be true about God and what comes from Him.

If you are going through a time in which your faith is weakening, I urge you to go to the Word and remind your soul of who God is. Read what John says about Him in the Gospels and in his epistles. Read through the Psalms and hear what the Psalmists say about Him. Read the Gospels and meditate on Jesus and what He has to say about His relationship with God. Read the Word and let it refresh your soul.

God’s promise is that when we believe and not doubt our faith will be rewarded. He promises great victory for those who hang on tightly with an unwavering confidence and hope in Him. God will deliver on His promise, so keep on keeping on in your trust in Him.

HOLD ON TIGHT

 

HOLD ON TIGHT

Heb. 10:23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. NLT

Without wavering can be difficult at times. We are very susceptible to the happenings of life as they happen. When things are going bad, we get caught up in them and begin to have doubts about the goodness and faithfulness of God. We are prone to wonder about God who claims to love us and always have our good in mind as He works in our lives. If we are not careful, we begin to question whether or not God can be trusted to keep His promises to us. If we are not careful, we might even wander away from Him.

Without wavering can only be accomplished by holding on tightly to God at all times. When things are going our way we have a tendency to put faith on the back burner. We tend not to keep our faith fresh. We tend to neglect the feeding of our souls. Wise is he who understands the need to keep the Lord before all things in life at all times. The more we cling to the Lord in the good times, the better we will be able to cling to Him in the bad times. The good times of life are a training ground for the bad times.

It is imperative for the well-being of our souls that we never stop growing in grace. We must be fully committed to the process of growth. We must become knowledgeable about the goodness of God and His trustworthiness. We must know from the depths of our hearts that the Lord is capable of keeping us secure in Him regardless of the storms of life. We must know that He is faithful and will see us home if we but trust Him.

The Lord is true to His promise to see you home. He will never leave you or forsake you. He who is in Christ will be with Christ for all of eternity. Never let go of this wonderful truth.

BOLDLY APPROACH GOD

 

BOLDLY APPROACH GOD

Heb. 10:19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. NLT

We have no right to approach God’s throne apart from Christ. We have no merit to approach Him. We have no access to God apart from Jesus. God can tolerate only those who come to Him through Jesus. Because Jesus is our Savior, we can boldly approach Him.

As His children, we do not have to fear approaching God. We need to fear Him, but not fear approaching Him. We must never lose our respect and reverence for God when we approach Him. He is holy God and holds the fate of our souls in His hands.

As His children, we have the right to approach God. We have an open invitation to approach Him. Jesus shields us with His righteousness. We can boldly bring anything we desire to Him. We can be honest with Him about anything. We can vent our emotions before Him. We can share with Him everything on our hearts and minds. We might as well, He knows all about what we are thinking and feeling anyways.

We can approach God boldly because He has promised that if we ask Him anything within His will we shall have what we ask for.

We can approach Him boldly because He already knows what we want and need before we even ask for it.

We can boldly approach Him because He encourages us to ask and not give up our asking. He hears us and answers the prayers of the sincere, humble heart before Him.

We can boldly approach God because we know that He loves us and wants to help us. We know that He wants to take our burdens off our shoulders. We know that He wants to shower us with His goodness and bless our ways. We know that He wants to help us make our way home to Him. We know He wants to redeem the soul of every man. We know that He wants to pour love into our souls. We know He wants to heal us and make us whole. Knowing these things are true, let us therefore boldly enter into the presence of our God and dwell there until He calls us home.

PERFECTED

 

PERFECTED

Heb. 10:14 For by that offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy. NLT

When Jesus offered himself on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins, something absolutely amazing took place; He perfected all those whom He is making holy. Being perfected is not the same thing as being perfect. No one on earth aside from Christ himself has ever been perfect. It is impossible for us to be perfect. We will never get to the point where we cannot be tempted and then fall into it. Being perfected means that we are completely saved when we come to Christ for our salvation. There is nothing else that can be done for us. Christ completely makes us presentable to God as His children. We are seen by God through the righteousness and holiness of Christ. We are fit for the Kingdom of God.

It is a mysterious and wondrous thing Christ has done for us. No one can fully grasp how amazing it is to be seen by God as perfectly fit to come into His presence. No one can fully grasp how a perfect God can tolerate a sinful man in His presence.

Those who are perfected are those whom Christ is making holy. This is an ongoing process that never stops. We are always being worked on. It is Christ’s mission to make us holy. We cannot have fellowship with Him if we are not letting Him make us holy. He will not change us against our will, but if we are willing, we do become a holy people. If we resist His work within us, we cannot claim to be His children. There is a definite working of God in us that causes us to change if we are indeed His children. We are permanently declared to be perfected when we let the Lord have His way in us.

A perfected soul is a holy soul, pure and ready to go and be with the Lord.