TRAIN YOURSELF

 

TRAIN YOURSELF

Heb. 5:13-14 "..And a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right. NLT

The only way to grow strong spiritually is to put forth the effort of feeding yourself on the deeper things of God. There is far more to know and experience in God than salvation. Knowing Jesus as your Savior is just the beginning of what God has for you in life. God wants you to tap into what He has provided for you. He wants you to become mature in faith so that you not only know the difference between right and wrong, but that you will be able to consistently do what is right.

Maturity in Christ doesn't just happen on its own. We must train ourselves in spiritual matters. We must dig deep into God's Word, exploring its truths and striving to apply them to life. We must learn how to pray and do it regularly. We must be involved in the fellowship of believers through worship and service. We must learn to submit to and obey the Lord in all things. It takes a lot of effort on our part and there are no shortcuts. In fact, it takes a lifetime of training.

We have a personal responsibility in our training to know that which is right from wrong and then do it. We cannot rely on others to teach us everything we need to know. No one can do our spiritual exercises for us. Each of us must invest ourselves in our training. We can, and must, learn from others. But, we must put forth the effort ourselves to learn then to apply it to life. Any training process is hard work and requires personal sacrifice. There is discomfort and pain associated with it. But, anything worthwhile achieving requires the best of our efforts.

Don't be satisfied with the milk of the Gospel when you can be feasting on the steaks.

SOLID FOOD

 

SOLID FOOD

Heb. 5:14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong, and then do what is right. NLT

Most believers are not good eaters. They are content with eating the bare minimum of spiritual food. They are content with not growing up. They tend to like being dependent on others. They don’t like to move beyond their comfort level. They acquire a taste for the bare essentials of the faith and are unwilling to try something else. Because they are content with where they are at, God withholds solid food from them. He does not force feed anyone and allows them to continue to act like babies if that is what they want to do.

However, to not grow up is contrary to nature. God created us to grow into maturity. His desire for us is to become adults in our thinking and living. He knows that only the mature are able to live righteously before Him. He knows that only the mature will survive the tests of faith they are sure to encounter. He knows that only the mature are going to be able to be ready for the day of His return.

Becoming mature in faith requires proper training. It involves commitment, sacrifice and perseverance on our part. It requires making our relationship with God our number one priority in life. We must be willing to discipline our souls to stay on track.

Maturity requires us to consistently be exploring new truths to feast on in His Word. It requires us to spend quality time in prayer, feasting on His presence. It requires us to train our ears to hear God when He speaks. It requires us to willingly put into practice the things the Lord teaches us.

The more we feast on the spiritual food God provides for us, the more food He provides for us. He constantly gives new food to try for those who are mature in faith. And the more food we try from His hand, the stronger we grow in faith. Blessed are those who have an insatiable appetite for those things which make the soul grow into holiness of life.

Becoming mature in faith does not happen overnight. It’s a process that never ends on earth. There are always new things to learn, new adjustments to make, new challenges to apply from God’s Word. Great are the rewards for those who stay the course until Jesus comes.

MILKY CHRISTIANS

 

MILKY CHRISTIANS

Heb. 5:13 And a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right. NLT

In the previous verse, we are told to grow up in the faith. There were many in the church who were spiritual babies who should have been spiritual adults. These people did not understand the deeper things of faith and had to be spoon fed. Their faith should have shown signs of maturity, but they were far from it.

There are many repercussions with a child of God who never grows up. Not only does it affect his own living, it affects those people who could benefit much from a much more mature friend. Immature Christians often give Christianity, and thus Christ, a black eye. They say and do things that are not honorable before God or man. They often influence others to follow in their footsteps and fail in their faith walks.

An immature Christian has a hard time distinguishing between right and wrong. They lack clear Biblical boundaries to govern their behavior. They are not able to hear the voice of the Spirit and often stumble and fall into sin. They are easily mislead and confused as to what is or is not sin. They are very inconsistent in their walks of faith and are generally those who keep the pot stirred up. They are usually the ones who create division in the church.

God requires His children to grow up. There comes a time in which each of us needs to be weaned off the milk and start chewing on steaks. We need to let go of ourselves and let the Lord have His way in us. It is God's plan and when we don't cooperate with Him, it is disastrous for us and the church.

Go deeper. Dig deeper. Drink deeper. Do yourself a favor and get with the program. You need what God offers you. You need to be serious about your relationship with Christ. If you are not growing you are dying. You will never make it if you are not growing up.

GROW UP!

 

GROW UP!

Heb. 5:12 You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. NLT

There is a very real Scriptural and spiritual deficiency in the Church today. There are many people who attend church all their lives and have very little real awareness of basic Bible texts and how they affect faith. There are many who have no real understanding of salvation and sanctification. There are many who do not have a Bible at home, and if they do, never open it during the week. There are many who have never talked to anyone about soul issues because they are confused themselves. There are many who do not know how to pray or get very flustered if they are ever asked to pray.

It is way past time for Christians to grow up. We must accept responsibility for our spiritual deficiencies and commit ourselves to spiritual growth. If we cannot grow in the church we attend, we must find a different church to go to. We must commit ourselves to helping ourselves to grow. We must read our Bibles on a consistent and regular basis. We must discipline ourselves to pray in private and move to being able to pray in public. We must spend time with spiritually mature people who can teach and lead us. We must not go along with the crowd but instead, determine in our hearts that we will let Jesus have control of us. In other words, we need to grow up and grow up fast.

We need to grow into maturity in faith and we must be willing to reach out to others and help them to grow. The Church desperately needs people who can lead, teach, and be worthy examples to follow in the faith.

It is not normal for a child of God to not grow up and it's not normal for the church to not grow up. Don't be part of the problem; be part of the solution. Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord daily.

I understand that people grow at different rates and in different ways, but what concerns me is the lack of growth in most professing believers today. Somehow we have bought into the idea that it doesn’t matter, that God is okay with it. But, He isn’t. He makes it very clear in His Word that we are to be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord that we may be holy in the presence of God.

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND

 

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND

Heb. 5:11 There is so much more we would like to say about this. But you don't seem to listen, so it's hard to make you understand. NLT

Are you a good listener, or do you like to talk a lot? Generally speaking, being a good listener takes work. Most people would rather talk than listen, even if they don't know what they are talking about. Most people want to be noticed and talking is one of the best ways to get attention.

However, we learn the most when we listen rather than talk. While we are talking our minds are not thinking or meditating. We aren't hearing much of anything of significance as long as we are talking. But when we are listening, we are giving our minds an opportunity to work. We absorb information and once learned, can find useful application for it.

It is especially important for us to be good listeners when it comes to eternal truths. We need to learn how to engage our minds when we hear God's Word. We need to learn how to take what we hear and apply it to our living. We never gain understanding by not listening.

We need to learn to listen to God when He speaks to us and His messengers who speak to us. We need to listen well enough to recognize the voice of God when He speaks to us.

The Lord makes it possible for us to understand what we hear, but we must be willing to be still and listen for Him to speak to us. The less distractions we have, the better we will be able to hear. And, the more we want to hear, the more likely we are to hear.

God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Those who know how to listen will grow the best in Christ.

APPROACH GOD BOLDLY

 

APPROACH GOD BOLDLY

Heb. 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. NLT

Is there ever a time in which we don't need His mercy and grace? We all need God to withhold from us what we deserve for our sins and give us His wonderful gift of forgiveness and blessings. We all need to stay on God's good side where there is help for us in our struggles with sin. We all need what God has provided and offered to us. No one is able to be accepted by God without His help. No one will be allowed into His presence without His help. Our greatest need is to continuously seek God's help in our daily living.

Because God has provided all we need to live in victory in Jesus through His Spirit, we are to come boldly into His presence. We are to not hesitate to approach God and ask for His help. We are not to approach Him in fear, because Jesus has taken away our sins and made us approachable to God as His children. We can boldly approach God because we have the right to as His children. We can boldly approach Him because we know that He is able to do whatever needs to be done to help us in our times of need. We can be bold because we know as our Father He will discern between what we need and what we want and only give us those things which we need and are good for us. We can be bold because we know that God is perfect love and will help us to become more and more like Him as we continue to trust Him.

What an awesome privilege we have! Let us make it a point to take full advantage of it and continuously boldly approach God with all our needs. It is there where we will not only find our help, but also the restoration of our souls. It is there where we will learn to love Him more and how to praise Him more. It is there where we will be equipped to face life victoriously and make an eternal difference in the world in which we live.

The more in the habit we are in approaching God, the bolder we will become in our approach. Why? Because the more time we spend in the presence of God we spend, the more of God’s holiness rubs off on us. And the more holy we are in heart, the more peace and confidence we will have when approaching Him.

Approach God boldly, for there is sufficient grace and mercy in Him to see you through whatever you may face in life.

JESUS, LIKE US

 

JESUS, LIKE US

Heb. 4:14-15 That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. NLT

We have One in heaven who is on our side. He constantly stands between us and God, presenting himself as our holiness and righteousness. He constantly is there to make sure that we are identified as God's own. He is there for us; therefore, let us cling tightly to Him. Let us never quit trusting Him. Let us never let go of our grip on Him, because if we do, we then have to stand before God on our own, and we simply can't do that.

Jesus understands what it is like to be human and fight evil. He knows what it is like to have human weaknesses. He knows all about the temptations we face because we live in the flesh. Jesus went through it all. He experienced all the temptations to sin you and I face as we grow up into adulthood. He was not protected against the normal tendencies to sin we all face in life. Yet, Jesus was able to face His temptations without letting them get the best of Him. He never yielded to temptation and became guilty of sin. Therefore, He is qualified to impart his righteousness on us. He alone can make us holy.

How was He able to never sin? I think there are a lot of reasons that come into play. He had strong, godly parents. He had a very close relationship with God. He paid attention and learned well the ways of God. He had the right attitude towards God in that He wanted to do what was right before Him. Jesus was very perceptive and knew how to withstand temptation from an early age. He also knew the power and ways of Satan and chose not to let him get the upper hand in His life. He learned early on in life the value of prayer. He loved to spend time alone with God. He learned early in life the value of God's Word. He was a student of it and learned how to apply it to His life.

Yes, Jesus is God. He has been God before there was anything else but God. But, in His infinite wisdom God took upon himself human life. While on earth, Jesus was fully man, subject to all the temptations, trials of life, and weaknesses we deal with. It is why we can turn to Him for help; He understands.

While we are not God, we can learn much from Jesus as to how to overcome our sinfulness. Where there is a will, there is a way to overcome our temptations and tendencies to sin.

The question is, "Are we willing to live like Jesus did?” Are we willing to let Him help us daily to be a holy people, a people after God’s own heart?

JESUS: OUR HIGH PRIEST

 

JESUS: OUR HIGH PRIEST

Heb. 4:15-16 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. NLT

Isn’t this the best news you could ever hear? Jesus, our High Priest, understands our weaknesses! How is that possible? How can Jesus, who is God himself, the creator and sustainer of all things, who has no beginning or end, understand what it is like to be us? There is only one way that anyone can understand those things that make us weak and that is to face them himself. No matter what your weaknesses are, Jesus faced them. He was tempted to sin just like you are. He faced the all-out attack of Satan on His soul. Satan left nothing on the table. He did his very best to get Jesus to sin when Jesus was the most vulnerable. Yet, Jesus did not sin.

We can boldly approach God’s throne asking for His help because Jesus is there for us and understands not only what we are facing, but how to help us not sin. We can boldly face God with our weaknesses knowing that there is help for us that is sufficient for our needs. It doesn’t get any better than this!

When we take to God all that tempts us, we find mercy and grace to help us. God does not leave us hanging. We are not turned away because we are weak; we are given help to overcome. We are not punished for being weak; we are given mercy. We find in Christ strength in His grace to overcome. Don’t delay. There is help for you today and every day in the presence of God. There is never a day or moment in life whereby you don’t need Jesus’ help to overcome your weaknesses. Won’t you let Him help you? Wise is he who calls upon the name of the Lord before his weaknesses surface and haunts his soul.

GOD'S LIVING WORD

 

GOD’S LIVING WORD

Heb. 4:12-13 For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done. NLT

Don't underestimate the power of God's Word to change the soul and do not take it for granted. If we allow it to do what it does naturally, we will be constantly changing into a people more like God, a people after His own heart. There is no part of our souls that is beyond the reach of the Word. No matter how deep the sin or hurt may be, God's Word can reach it and make it well. If we are open to what God says, we will hear what we need to hear in order for us to be healthy and whole.

Also, don't underestimate the power of God's Word to penetrate the most seemingly hardened soul. Our role is not to give up on people, no matter who they are or what they have done. We must pursue them with God's Word. If we can't do it physically, we certainly can do it spiritually. We can take the Word we hear and pray it over the lost. We can claim the promises of God to forgive and embrace all those who turn to Him over them. We can take God's Word and pray for it over those who can't or won't pray for themselves.

We must never take the Word for granted. We must learn it, digest it, and share it. Let the Lord worry about the application of it. It never returns to Him empty-handed. It will always accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. He will use it, but He can't if we don't get it off the table and use it.

God’s word is alive in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the Word of God fleshed out. He fulfilled the law of God by showing us how to live by it, in His righteousness and not our own. The Word of God is His living Word. It is our pathway to God.

God's Word is full of living power for all who will read it, meditate upon it, and seek to live it. It is not just a book about God, it is our lifeblood to God. Let God release His power in you through His Word today.

GOD'S PENETRATING WORD

 

GOD’S PENETRATING WORD

Heb. 4:12-13 For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all of creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done. NLT

The reason why we should make spending time in God’s Word a priority in our lives is that it is full of living power. When we come underneath the scrutiny of the Word, we are moved to address issues in our lives that need changed. We are cut to the heart, and our sinful thoughts and deeds are exposed. The Spirit convicts us so that we might change and serve the Lord with pure hearts. The Word always demands more of us than we demand of ourselves. We need to know what God knows about us. We need to know our sinful thoughts and deeds so that we might repent of them and have pure hearts.

God knows all about us. He knows those things which are hidden from the eyes of man, including our own eyes. He strips away our own righteousness so that we may take on the righteousness of Christ. God exposes our sins now so that when we stand before Him, we will not have to fear that are sins will be exposed then and be judged. It is God’s Word that exposes our sins. Anyone who is sincere about their faith will be sincere about the time they spend in the Word.

It is far better to listen to God’s voice now and repent than to ignore it and have to explain to Him later why we didn’t do it. It is not too late to come under the scrutiny of God’s Word and live under its authority over us. Today you have the opportunity to submit to God and make His Word a priority in your life. Please don’t pass up the opportunity. You will regret it if you do. No sin is worth trying to hide or hang on to.

Let God’s Word penetrate deep into your soul.

DO YOUR BEST

 

DO YOUR BEST

Heb. 4:11 Let us do our best to enter that place of rest. For anyone who disobeys God as the people of Israel did, will fall. NLT

This is a message that must be heard and believed. Disobedience is a major determining factor as to whether we will make it to heaven or not. Disobedience is sin and must be dealt with before God. There is no rest for the soul who does not obey God.

Now, in order to obey God, we must know what it is we are to do and not do in our walk of faith. There is no way we will know what to do if we don't spend adequate time in the Word of God. We must read it, meditate on it and listen to it as much as we can. It is impossible to know what God commands us to do by just listening to what others tell us. It is our responsibility to do all we can do to learn from God. The more we learn, the more we grow in faith and our ability to live it out.

We must do our best in our walk of faith. Most people do not do their best to obey God. No one perfectly obeys Him, but most people don't seem to care enough to put much effort into it. They take advantage of God's grace and believe they will get by with it. Holiness is not on the radar of their minds. They pay more attention to getting ahead in the world than they do getting ahead in faith.

People stumble and fall into sin simply because they do not obey God. They rely upon themselves for strength and quickly learn that it never works, but they keep on doing it. Our only chance of living in victory over sin is to humbly strive to obey God in all things. We have no one to blame but ourselves when we fail.

We will stumble and fall, yes. But when we are doing our best with the Lord’s help, we will win our war over sin and make it to heaven when we die.

BE CAREFUL AND DILIGENT

 

BE CAREFUL AND DILIGENT

Heb. 3:12-14 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, as long as it is called "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. NLT

I don't think we are as careful about our own souls as we should be. For those of us who are actively serving the Lord (and if you're not, shame on you!), it is much easier to give instruction than receive it. We become lazy about our own souls. We are not as diligent about protecting our souls from evil as we should be. We allow evil thoughts and desires to find a place in our hearts. We must be aware of our own need to stay away from evil and keep ourselves pure before God. Sin will lead us away from God. The more we sin, the farther away from the Lord we drift.

We must be diligent about warning each other about wandering away from God while we can. The day of opportunity for us to draw near to God is now. We must do what we can before the heart becomes so deceived by sin that it becomes hardened against God. We dare not let up on our pursuit of godliness, first in ourselves, and then in the lives of others.

If we are faithful to the Lord and pursue Him with pure hearts, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. What in heaven is reserved for us is given to all who live faithfully in Him until He calls us home.

Are you as firm in your faith today as you were when you first believed? Be honest with yourself. Should we not be more firm? What has happened? Don't waste another moment of opportunity. Renew your commitment to the Lord before you drift far enough away that you don't even care.

GOSPEL INDIFFERENCE

 

GOSPEL INDIFFERENCE

Heb. 2:3a What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself? NLT

Indifference to the Gospel is the death keel of the soul. It is a very dangerous thing to not take the provisions of God for our salvation seriously. Most who believe will accept with their minds that Jesus is man’s salvation, but they don’t accept Him with their hearts. It is not what we believe about Jesus that saves the soul. Only a life commitment to Him through the repentance of our sins saves us from an eternity in hell.

I believe this is an issue that all believers need to take to heart. Many who profess faith in Christ are indifferent to the Gospel message. They do not conform to the image of Christ. They do not let the Spirit of Christ work in them to change them into godliness of heart. They do not engage themselves in spiritual disciplines that create growth in godliness. They treat their salvation as a trivial matter. How can God be pleased and accept those who are indifferent to their salvation?

How can we expect to escape God’s consequences if we neglect salvation? For those without Christ, the consequence is eternity in hell where they will forever think about what they have done. For the believer the consequence is a miserable life lived on earth. There will many battles fought and lost with Satan. There will a constant tension between the Lord and the heart that is not totally committed to Him. There will be life lived without the blessings of God, no peace or joy in their salvation. There will be a life lived that is stunted and of no real use in the work of the Kingdom.

If you are indifferent to your salvation, repent now while you can. Ask the Lord to break the chains of your indifference. Ask Him to purify your heart and give you a passion for the things of God. God’s favor rests upon those who regard their salvation as first importance in their lives.

The Lord made it very clear in the book of Revelations that those who straddle the fence and are not committed to Him completely are repulsive to Him. Because they are lukewarm, He says He will spew them out of His mouth.

Indifference is not an option if you want to make it to heaven. God demands our total commitment to Him. He demands that we become holy, even as He is holy.

Do you need to talk with the Lord about your indifference, your lack of commitment to Him?

CAREFULLY LISTEN

 

CAREFULLY LISTEN

Heb. 2:1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. NLT

I suspect that most of us are not careful listeners. We are easily distracted by the noises around us. We are prone to let our minds wander and we fail to grasp important truths being spoken. We filter what we hear through our own ideas and quickly dismiss those things that would challenge us to think deeply about things. Being a good listener takes discipline and self-control. We need to submit our thoughts to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to help us stay focused. We need to allow ample time in our lives so that we can actually hear what God wants to say to us.

A careful listener strives to remember what he hears. Very few people are able to retain what they hear for more than a few hours, if that much. We need to hear truth over and over again in order for it to sink in. In order to do that, we must faithfully be in a church where the truth is proclaimed. We must be consistent readers and thinkers of the Word.

When we fail to listen to what God says in His Word, we more than likely will drift away from it. By nature we are prone to embrace the lies of Satan. We are easily deceived and need to protect our minds by staying in constant touch with the Word of God.

We are responsible for guarding our souls. We must listen carefully to the Word and apply it to life. We must stay grounded in the Word so that we don’t drift away from God.

Also, how are we going to discern truth from error other than to listen to God through His Word? God means what He says and says what He means. He never contradicts or nullifies what He has spoken.

Listen very carefully to the truth from God or you may drift from it.

LISTEN TO THE TRUTH

 

LISTEN TO THE TRUTH

Heb. 2:1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. NLT

Listening very carefully to the truth is good soul protection. But, just listening to truth is not enough. We can hear the truth, learn it well, and even proclaim it well, but if we don't embrace the truth from our hearts, it is to no avail. Many people drift away from the truth because they never allow the truth to change their heart. We can even convince ourselves that we are living in the truth when in reality the truth is not living in us.

The only way truth can make any difference at all in our lives is through our personal relationship with Him who is Truth. Jesus is truth personified. He is the only one who can take the written Word and make it the living Word. It is not enough to know the truth; we must know Him who is the Truth as well. Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. Hell will be full of people who listened well to the truth but who never really knew the Truth.

The only way to know Christ is through a personal commitment to Him at the cross. We must come to Him with our sins, confess them, seek His forgiveness, and embrace His forgiveness. We must give Him permission to come into our hearts and clean house. We must let Him change us and redirect our lives into lives of service for Him.

When we let Jesus take over our lives, we won't drift away from Him. It is when we wrestle with Him over control that we stumble and fall. As long as you try to control your life you will drift away from the Lord. He will not force you to listen or submit to Him.

Also, as long as you hold back some sins from Him, you will not have Jesus dwell in your heart. He will not dwell where sin dwells. Period.

Are you listening carefully to the truth you have heard from Him?

JESUS: GOD'S GLORY

 

JESUS: GOD’S GLORY

Heb. 1:3 The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. NLT

How we relate to Christ and treat Him is how we act towards God. What we believe about God directly affects what we think about Jesus. Let us pause for a moment and consider what we do think about God. Is God for us whom He reveals He is, or have we put Him into our own little boxes within our comfort zones? Is God all powerful, all knowing, perfect holiness, and everywhere we are at? Is God as demanding on us as the Scriptures reveal Him to be? Or, have we limited God to that which we are comfortable with, what we want Him to be?

I am convinced that God should make us uncomfortable. We should always see God as one who is perfect in all things good and who calls us to become like Him. There should always be an edge to our relationship with God. We are not who we should be or could be. We do not measure up to God's standards and He knows we don't and will hold us accountable for it. We should always respect God in His holiness.

We should respect God in His glory. God radiates himself throughout all of creation. We see God in all He has made if we but take the time to observe and appreciate what we see. We see God in His workings in human life. Each changed life is a witness to God's power and greatness. We see God in history as He preserves the faithful and faithfully acts according to His Word. God is seen in His glory by all who open their eyes to see. He reveals His glory to us through His Son, our Savior and Lord.

At the same time, we should respect Him in His love. Jesus is God's love in action. Jesus becomes for us what we are not on our own. He is our righteousness and holiness before God. He makes it possible for us to live by God's holy standards. We become holy to the degree we allow Jesus lordship over us. We dare not rest in His love and think that our work on earth is done. We must strive to constantly apply grace to our lives with the intent of becoming more like Him in His holiness. We must work out our salvation. We must not minimize the importance of becoming a holy people, a people after God's own heart. To not become holy mocks the name of Jesus.

Most people want to believe that God will overlook their sinfulness or lack of commitment to Him because He is love. They want to believe that He would never allow them to go to hell because He loves them. But, what they don’t understand is that God is holy love. Because He is, Jesus came to set us free from sin’s hold on us. He sets us free to become a holy people, a people fit for heaven.

Sin is what put Jesus on the cross and sin is what will send people to hell.

TRUST AND LOVE

 

TRUST AND LOVE

Philemon 4-5 I always thank God when I pray for you, Philemon, because I keep hearing of your trust in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. NLT

Paul was a man who really appreciated the faith of others and supported them in prayer, his writings, and in his conversations with others.

Even though Paul was writing this letter while in prison, he was thinking of Philemon and wanted him to know that he was praying for him. Wow, what an encouragement that must have been for Philemon to know that a man of the stature of Paul was praying for him! It makes me wonder who we could encourage in their faith walk by praying for them and letting them know we are.

Paul heard good things about Philemon. He heard about his trust in the Lord and the love he had for all of God’s people. Paul probably already knew how real Philemon’s faith was because of the time he had spent with him, but it sure helps knowing that others see the same thing as we do. It makes me wonder if others can see in us our trust in the Lord and our love for others.

Trusting the Lord sometimes is easier than loving others. Love is seen in how we act towards others, say to them, say about them, and do for them. It’s not always easy to love others, especially those who do not return our love. Loving others who make our lives miserable is a true test of our love for God. How do we feel about those whom we disagree strongly with spiritually, politically, and socially? How does our love play out in the real world?

If we truly love the Lord, we will trust Him in all things. We will trust Him even when everything within us screams out at us to not do so. If we truly love the Lord we will love others without conditions and sacrificially.

Live so that everyone who knows you will know your trust is in the Lord and that you love all of God’s people.

STAYING TRUE TO GOD

 

STAYING TRUE TO GOD

Philemon 1 This letter is from Paul, in prison for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. NLT

It intrigues me that Paul was in prison for preaching the Good News. If you know anything at all about the Apostle Paul, you know he was not one to back down from preaching the Gospel. He did not care what others thought of him, he was determined to stay true to the Lord and His Word.

We live in a time in which most are more concerned about what others may think about them than they are about staying true to God’s Word. We are more into being “politically correct” than proclaiming what God says and let the chips fall where they may.

Staying true to God and His Word may get us into hot water in the world. Some people do go to prison because of their faith now. I believe that there is a strong possibility that being put into prison for our faith will become more and more common as we try to live out our faith in a hostile world.

Jesus told us to count the cost before we commit to following Him. If you knew that you could very well be put in prison because of your faith or how you live it out in the world, do you love the Lord enough and believe strongly enough in Him to continue living for Him? If you aren’t sure about your level of commitment, you need to get alone with the Lord and spend time with Him until you settle the issue. Your life for all of eternity may depend on it.

God promised that things are going to get more and more evil the closer we get to Christ’s coming. More and more people are going to be antagonistic towards us who believe. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling now and you won’t fear what may lie ahead for you.

DIVISIVE PEOPLE

 

DIVISIVE PEOPLE

Titus 3:10-11 If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with that person. For people like that have turned away from the truth. They are sinning, and they condemn themselves. NLT

They are everywhere. There are people who seem to have a natural talent for causing divisions in the Church. Some are blatant troublemakers and others are subtle. Paul tells Titus to not waste time on that kind of a person. There should be unity and peace in the church, not divisiveness. He was to give the troublemaker a warning, two at the most, and then he was to have nothing to do with the person.

It’s not an easy thing to do and it’s a very unpopular stand to take. We do not want to alienate anyone. We don’t want to get the reputation of being “holier than thou art.” Rarely do we have the boldness to suggest to someone that they need to leave.

Divisive people have wandered away from the truth. Whether it is an obvious departure from the truth or the spirit of the truth doesn’t matter. As God’s children, we are to strive to live at peace with one another to the best of our ability. In order to do that, we need a lot of grace, patience, and understanding. But, when there can be no peace, for the sake of peace, there must be a parting of ways.

Stirring up trouble in the church is sin and the person who does it stands self-condemned. A lot of trouble can be averted by simply holding those who cause division in the church accountable for their actions.

If you tend to be divisive, let this be a warning to you, stop it now! Take it to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you and help you to stop. Ask Him to give you a heart of love and a desire to be a peacemaker.

WHY JESUS SAVED US

WHY JESUS SAVED US

Titus 3:4-5 But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. NLT

Think about it. Mankind has really made a mess of life. We have done irreparable harm to our environment, we have conceived of every kind of imaginable sin, and we have pushed God out of the public arena. In spite of what we have done, God has showed us His love and kindness by showing us our Savior and given us an opportunity to have a better life.

God is like that, no matter how bad a mess man makes of life, He is there to show us a way to get cleaned up and live a better life. He is merciful and desires nothing but what is best for us.

God starts where we need it the most, our sinful hearts. He exposes our sins and convicts us of it. He answers our prayer of repentance and washes away our sins. He purifies us and makes us clean, whiter than snow. The old is done away with and we become new creations in Christ.

Isn’t that awesome! The slate is wiped clean. We have a fresh, brand new, start. No matter what we have done, in God’s eyes it’s as if it never happened.

If you have messed up, don’t give up. You are not hopelessly lost. You are not without hope. God is merciful. He can wash away your sins and give you a new and fresh start through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Do not believe Satan’s lies that you are beyond hope. Don’t listen to the naysayers that say you can’t start over. No matter how bad things may be for you, believe God. He can make you a new person in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Why did Jesus save us? So you and I can be forgiven for our sins, made pure before God, and be with Him eternally, all because He loves us.

CIVIL CITIZENS

 

CIVIL CITIZENS

Titus 3:1-2 Remind your people to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not speak evil of anyone, and they must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. NLT

God wants us to live in peace. He doesn't want us to live on the edge, always riled up about something. We may not like or agree with all that is going on around us, but we should strive to live well in our world. It is easy to dislike the world we live in and those who rule in it. But, unless there is obvious misuse of power and abuse of those who rule over us, we are to be law-abiding citizens who strive to do good.

It is a good thing for us to pray for our leaders. Instead of always finding fault with them, we should pray for them. We should leave the judging up to the Lord who alone is able to judge the heart. Our duty is to do good and pray for them.

It is a good thing for us to not participate in gossip and degrading discussions. It is easy to speak evil of people we don't know. God knows what we talk about and He will hold us accountable for it.

It is a good thing for us to be gentle and show true humility to everyone. It is good, but it is not easy. Our sinful nature does not act that way. It takes a lot of determined effort on our part to resist the temptation to be driven by selfish ambition and pride. It is a battle that we are never completely freed from. The more we live in Christ, the more likely it is that we will win far more battles than we lose. The most effective way to change the world we live in is for the body of Christ to live godly lives consistently in the world. We are commanded to be a holy people.

Are you praying for those who rule over you? The list would include your leaders in government, at work, in the church, or perhaps even at home.

Are you living a godly life outside of the church? Does your life reflect Christ in such a way that you are making a difference in your world? You may be the only true witness for Christ someone will ever have.

We are to submit to our civil leaders and their representatives. We are to support them as they carry out their duties. However, if they are not civil in how they govern us, we are to obey God and not man. When we live godly lives, striving to live in peace with everyone, there is nothing to fear, God will honor and reward you, no matter what man may or may not do to you.

WHY JESUS DIED

 

WHY JESUS DIED

Titus 2:14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right. NLT

Jesus gave His life. No one took it away from Him. No one could have done anything to Him without His permission. No one could have put Him on the cross or take Him down without His permission. Jesus died for our sins willfully. He surrendered himself fully to God’s will when He went to the cross.

Jesus died for our sins to free us from every kind of sin. There is no sin excluded. Every sin conceived by man or Satan himself is included. He died, taking every sin upon himself, and cleaned up every heart given over to Him.

Jesus died to make us His very own people. We are no longer His enemies, we are adopted into His family and become His children. We now, in Christ, have a living, every day relationship with God himself.

As God’s children, we are to be totally committed to Him. And, this is where most people stumble. Most who profess to be children of God are not totally committed to Him. Most are content to live life their own way instead of God’s way. He is not allowed to make a real difference in their lives.

There are going to be a multitude of people who think they are fine with God who will find out how wrong they are on Judgment Day. God commands us to be holy, a people like Him, a people after His own heart.

There is no such as forsaking some sins and hanging onto others. Sin is an abomination to God. Jesus died to take away all our sins and if we don’t let Him, He cannot be our Savior or Lord.

If you are not fully committed to the Lord today, it’s not too late to open up your heart and let Him take control of you. Do it now before it’s too late.

READY TO GO

 

READY TO GO

Titus 2:12-13 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. NLT

It is very clear from God, we must turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. You can’t turn from what you are not facing. So, when we are confronted with sinful temptations, we don’t linger in front of it, we turn away from it and get away from it as soon as we can.

We live in a very evil world. It takes a lot of self-control to stay right with God. We must want to be right with God more than we do to enjoy the pleasures of sin. The only way we can do that is to be devoted to God. We must seek out God, spend time alone with Him, and work on establishing a love relationship with Him. We must see Him as our most valuable element in our lives. We love Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls.

When the Lord is our focus, we develop a longing to be with Him. We begin to share the Apostle Paul’s passion for Christ. We will strain with all we have to not mess up, to make sure we will go and be with the Lord when we die.

We only know the Lord a little bit now. When we are with Him in heaven, we will know Him fully. His glory fills heaven. There is no sin or its effects in heaven. For the child of God, heaven indeed is a glorious place filled with His glory and grace.

Jesus is coming soon. For the redeemed it is the most anticipated event yet to come. Expectation fills the air. Being ready to go home with the Lord is our passion. The King is coming and none too soon. There’s a longing in the soul for that day in which Christ will be revealed for all to see.

Turn away from evil, be devoted to the Lord in all things, live godly lives ready for the Lord to come. When you do, you will be ready to go.

GRACE REVEALED

 

GRACE REVEALED

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. NLT

Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve; it is His favor on our lives. We are sinners deserving only an eternity in hell, but God loves us and did not let us get what we deserve. He did what was impossible for us to do; He made it possible for us to be made holy, able to be in His presence.

Everything God has ever done for mankind has been an act of grace. God has revealed himself to man ever since the time of Adam and Eve. He slowly, but surely, helped man to know He is holy and that he needed a Savior.

At just the right time God entered into our world and revealed himself as our Savior, the one who could make us right with himself. He took upon himself our sins when He went to the cross. He satisfied His own wrath against sin and opened the door of salvation for all.

Now anyone can be saved from God’s judgment against sin. Anyone can be made right with God. Anyone who admits their sins, confesses them to Christ, asks for forgiveness, and commits themselves to a changed life in Him, will be qualified to be in God’s presence.

Salvation is for everyone. No one is excluded from God’s offer of salvation. No sin is beyond God’s ability to eradicate. No one is so bad that he cannot be forgiven.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise Him who has brought salvation down to man!

“Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord, for giving to me, my great salvation so rich and free!”

SIN ALLOWED IN GRACE?

 

SIN ALLOWED IN GRACE?

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right. NLT

There are those amongst us who seem to think it is alright to accept sin in our midst. There is a very loose attitude about sin because we are a people of grace and not law. We don't get too concerned about sinful practices, after all it is a matter between the individual and God. We tend to accept sin so that we don't disrupt the peace. Right conduct before God is preached and taught, but often not held up as a mandate for living. We know better and should do better.

Jesus did not die for our sins to let us get by with sinning. He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin. He forgives us to purify us. Jesus does not take a neutral stand on sin. He hates it. It is what put Him on the cross. Our sin is what Jesus had to take upon himself, even though He had never known sin before. Sin is the only thing that can drive and keep Jesus away from us.

It is our Lord's will that we would be totally committed to doing what is right. My question for you today is, "How committed are you to doing what is right before God?" It is not okay with God for us to tolerate sin in our lives. God has revealed His grace to us so that we would turn away from sin and its pleasures and live godly lives before Him. Even though we are surrounded by sinful pleasures, we dare not indulge in them. Exercise self-control, live rightly before God, be devoted to Him alone, and live in anticipation of the coming of Christ to take us home.

Is sin allowed in grace? Not in God’s eyes. All sin is repulsive to Him and worthy of His wrath against it.

CORRECT TEACHING

 

CORRECT TEACHING

Titus 2:8 Let your teaching be so correct that it can’t be criticized. Then those who want to argue will be ashamed because they won’t have anything bad to say about us. NLT

It is imperative for our own souls and for the sake of others that our teachings be correct and above reproach. It is so easy to fail at this. We don’t study well enough and pray over what we study to get a proper knowledge of the Word. We often let our own ideas determine how we interpret and apply the Scriptures. We readily accept as true what others tell us without examining the Word for ourselves to see if it is true. We tend to not think too deeply about what we read. We do not ask the Holy Spirit to guide our thinking as we think over the Word. We tend to not put Scripture into the context of Scripture for a proper understanding of it. In other words, we don’t invest the time we need in the Word to make sure our teaching is correct. We are spiritually lazy.

It is good for the soul to make time for public and private Bible studies. We can learn much from others by sitting under their teachings. We can learn much from the thinking of others as the Word is discussed. We can examine our understanding in light of the understanding of others and correct our thinking as needed. It is good for us to discover how the Word is being applied in the lives of others. The more time we spend in fellowship over the Word, the better chance we have of getting it right.

As good as public Bible studies are for us, we dare not excuse ourselves from our own time with the Lord in His Word. It is imperative for the health of the soul to be alone with the Lord and let Him speak to you through His Word.

Correct understanding of the Scriptures leads to correct application which diffuses the arguments of those who would seek to find fault with us. Let the Lord guide you in all your thinking as you learn from the Scriptures that which is true.

RESPONSIBLE TEACHING

 

RESPONSIBLE TEACHING

Titus 2:6-7 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. NLT

We need to take responsibility when teaching others. We need to encourage those who follow us to live wisely in all they do. One of the biggest problems that we have today is that our young people have not been taught the essential things that produce wisdom in them and have not been encouraged to seek them. Most young people have pretty much had to fend for themselves when it comes to things that really matter in life.

We need to take responsibility for the kind of an example we are setting for those who follow us. Our young people learn best by watching those who are teaching them. They are perceptive and know by watching whether or not we really believe what we teach. Consistency in living a godly life is essential for our teachings to have any value at all. When what we say is backed up by what we do, others take note and are encouraged to believe that they can do it too.

We only have one chance to influence future generations to follow the Lord. We must not shirk our responsibility before God. How we live not only affects our own souls, it affects the souls of all those who follow us. Let us strive to always be encouragers of the faith of others and not discouragers. Let us be careful how we live. We are influencers of others, whether we think we are or not.

RIGHT LIVING AND TEACHING

 

RIGHT LIVING AND TEACHING

Titus 2:1 But as for you, promote the kind of living that reflects right teaching. NLT

The Apostle Paul is telling Titus to promote a lifestyle that is consistent with sound doctrine. He is saying that if we are not living godly lives then we aren't living what comes from God. If we are teaching and preaching a lifestyle different than holy living, we are not living right with God. There is no middle ground where we can justify not doing what we know God says for us to do. If we are not living holy lives, we are not living in obedience to God, and we are not in fellowship with God.

The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God. All of the Scriptures are inspired and useful for our living. And the Word clearly commands us to live holy lives.

It is not easy to always do what we know God commands us to do. Holy living is indeed a very difficult life to live because we are living in a sin-infected world with, by nature, sinful hearts. We are naturally drawn to sin and the only way we can resist it is to willfully seek Christ's help. We must determine in our hearts and minds to do what is right before God instead of what our flesh desires. We must resist the temptation to compromise what we know is right. We must keep our eyes fixated on Christ and not on the allurements of sin. It takes great determination to do what is right before God and no one does it perfectly all the time.

The key to practicing what we preach is to keep our souls saturated with God's Word and spend much time in close communion with God. We must read the Word of God with open hearts and minds, ready to listen and learn from God. We must desire to grow in holiness. We must refuse to let things into our hearts and minds that are not beneficial for our soul's well-being.

The reward for living a life that reflects right teaching is being richly blessed by God both here and in heaven. Our failure to do it is the absence of God's fellowship and blessings both now and forever.