Joy and the Overcomer

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

The world and its mindset are under the sway of Satan, and they are fiercely hostile to the Person, message, and church of Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus continually encourages His disciples to follow Him closely, lest the difficulties and cares of life draw us away from the victorious life He ordains for us — those who overcome.

 

The overcomer is full of "good cheer," because the love of God is the assurance of victory and good success. The present hardships draw us to God, and there we find peace that defeats our fears, and our faith grows with each victorious experience. Our lives are the proof that we can live for God in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation, and we can do so joyfully. 

 

Where there is overcoming life and love, there is joy. We absolutely refuse to lose our joy, because the joy of the Lord is our strength and our life.

 

Let’s Pray — Dear Father, You are my strength and my joy. I release every care and concern, and I make the choice to trust and obey Your Word. Jesus has overcome the world, and I have overcome in Him. In Christ alone, Amen.

My God and My Experience

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of what goes on around us, but what God is doing within us. We often pray for that which is going on in the world, in our work, in our homes, in our relationships, for what we want God to do for us, with us, and through us. Perhaps we should pray even more earnestly to know what He is doing within us. That is where the real work is done, and that is what this passage reveals.

 

Jesus walked the earth with a heavenly mindset, and His heart was set on His Father’s will, so He humbled and submitted Himself to the experience obedience dictated. An obedient life may be difficult at times, but it is the only path that will afford us all God desires for us, and it is the ground He uses to do His great work within us.

 

When we learn to see our trials as necessary preparation for all we are becoming in Christ, we will endure, praise Him, and thank Him for His love and grace.

 

Let’s Pray —Dear Lord, thank You for Your patience and strength that bring me through every difficulty with a song of praise and victory. Be glorified in me today. Amen.

My God and My Character

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble.

Christian character is not something we are born with. It is acquired through time and experience with God in Christ, and no other way. Character is the reward added to us as we pursue our relationship with the Lord with determined focus and energy. It is the evidence of an ever-deepening dependence on Him and His grace. It is Christ living, speaking, and serving through us in real time and tangible ways. 

Peter shows us what character development looks like, and we simply cannot afford to treat his instructions as optional. Our Lord is coming back for a church without wrinkle or spot, and her members must be holy and prepared when He returns. This is the work we must do to be presentable to God, and no one can do the work for us — it is our reasonable service. 

You and I are to pursue Christian character through,

• virtue (moral excellence, integrity, chastity, uprightness)
• knowledge (intimacy, familiarity, closeness, certainty)
• self-control (sobriety, discipline, maturity)
• perseverance (determination, patience)
• godliness (Christlikeness),
• brotherly kindness (gentleness, winsomeness, helpfulness)
• love (possessing and reflecting God’s heart for all).

May the Lord bless and help you mightily on your journey to Christian character. 

Let’s Pray — Dear Father, thank You for Your patience and mercy on me as I grow into the image of Your Son. May Christ be glorified all along the way. Amen.

Stand Your Watch

I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.

Then the LORD answered me and said:
"Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:1-3)

 

If we allow, God will pepper our lives with blank spaces, times and seasons of stillness and quiet, times where you feel passed by and forgotten, overlooked and excluded, left out, left for dead. But for God’s man or woman, these are the most precious and opportune seasons where we learn to be small and humble in His sight, knowing He never leaves or forgets us or His promises to us. 

 

What spirit will we harken to in those times? Will we serve Him, seek Him, wait on Him with patience and perseverance? Or will we take things in our own hands and make a way for ourselves? 

 

Be sure to wait on God in these times — and be careful not to fill in God’s blanks. 

 

Let’s Pray — Father, thank You for the patience and faith to be still, quiet, and satisfied while I wait on You. I have learned that You are good, and  Your timing is perfect. Amen.

How We Know

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:17-19)

John the Beloved teaches us that God is love. When we love as He loves, we are actually manifesting the true and living God in the world, so they are without excuse because of our witness. God’s love is undeniable and unmistakable, as it is of a higher order than the world’s love, and no other love can be compared to it. God’s love is without manipulation or agenda, it gives its all and expects nothing in return — it is not exhausted nor frustrated, because God is neither exhausted nor frustrated. 

 

Therefore, when we abide in Him and He abides in us, we enjoy the perfect union that casts out all fears of failure, inadequacies, and shortcomings that typify every other relationship. We even experience fear-free and uncomplicated relationships with others, because we are pursuing those friendships according to God’s will and not ours! We are fearless lovers of God and men, because of our complete immersion into the life of the Spirit and our status as perfected, justified, glorified children of God. This is the state of His children who are fully identified with Him in love. We have nothing to fear, because Christ has defeated Satan and sin, and we are in Christ.

 

. . . because as He is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17) 

What a privilege it is to be representatives of Christ in a desperate and needy world. When we identify with the Lord, we are changed from within, and we no longer desire to pursue our own agenda for those around us (even our “Christian” agenda), but we are completely surrendered to the Lord’s will for every life. We are confident that He who has begun a good work in us will see that work completed, and we are not encumbered by the fear that torments every man who does not know Jesus as Lord. That man knows in his heart that he will give an account for his words and deeds; and if he does not acknowledge that, it is because he is puffed up with pride and deceived in his mind — The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1) We, however, declare Him boldly, continually, and fearlessly. That’s how we know we are the children of God! 

 

Let's Pray - Father, thank You for the blessed assurance that I am Your child. You are perfecting me in Your love, and I have great faith and confidence in Your power to finish the work You started. Amen.

 

A New Heart

Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:7-11)  

The Christian life is the progressive life, and we are to grow from faith to faith. In other words, God intends that we never stop growing in grace and love as long as we are on this earth — and that is a good thing. John is not contradicting himself as he writes of the “old” and “new” commandments being both the same and different.  God’s commandment has always been to love our neighbor as ourselves, yet before the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we had little chance of successfully obeying that command. John is telling us that the new commandment is the same as the old, only made more real and accessible to us in Jesus Christ, through the power given us by the in-dwelling Spirit. So, while the commandment is not new, we are new creatures able to approach the original standard with the vigor of Spirit-filled, born-again believers! 

 

Love is the litmus test for any authentic relationship with Jesus Christ, and where there is hatred, the Holy Spirit does not and will not abide. No spiritual work can be done in an atmosphere of darkness and sin, and there is no circumstance under which hatred and contempt for fellow believers is acceptable, because the Lord has given us His Holy Spirit and we cannot hate others any longer. Therefore, the Lord holds us accountable for walking in the light of His countenance — in forgiveness, in freedom, in purity, in peace with one another, and in love.

 

Let's Pray - Father, let us make every effort to be found in true fellowship with every believer. Thank You for Your unrelenting standard of love and Christ-likeness. Amen.

Look to the Manger

“And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." (Luke 2:12)

What a strange place to stash a priceless, extravagant Gift — a barn, an animal stall in the dark of night! I’m sure it wasn’t heated or air conditioned, it didn’t smell so good, and there were no beds, linens, or even a bathroom. And how do you think Mary and Joseph felt when the promises of God led them on a long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in the ninth month of her strange and inexplicable pregnancy? Yet the fulfillment of all God’s promises could not be found in the palaces, treasuries, or museums of the world -- but in a manger. Look to the manger.   

 

If God wanted the world to receive the Gift of Jesus Christ, why would He hide Him where most of us were sure not to find Him? And how do we find our way there? The manger can only be found by students of the Word following the ways of God, and when we seek Him with all our hearts, we will find Him! When we finally recognize Him as He truly is (and not how we want Him to be), we discover He was guiding us all along — guiding us by our faith. Faith always seeks Jesus and leads us to the humble, hidden, obscure depths of intimacy with Him. Seek and you will find. Look to the manger.

 

Let's Pray - Father, thank you for leading us by faith and bringing us to the feet of Jesus Christ. That is the most high place, and that is where we belong. Amen.

Simplicity of Heart

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:20)

Joseph and Mary were not "special" people; just righteous, simple, and willing to be obedient. We must be the same in our day. Simplicity of heart allows us to hear, obey, and finally see God in ways we never dreamed possible. Who knew that their simplicity would allow Joseph and Mary to see God face-to-face? Who knows what your obedience will allow you to see?

The Spirit of God will "conceive" things in us that are beyond what we have ever expected, if we will simply believe. Things will occur in the life of faith that will astound our common-sense limitations, and we must be childlike enough to receive and rejoice in those things. That is what it means for the Kingdom of God to come on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus told Nathanael he would see angels ascending and descending upon Him if he believed (John 1:50-51). Do you believe? 

 

Let’s Pray – Father, thank You for the simplicity of hearing and believing the Word of God. I choose to take You at Your Word whenever You speak, even when it is hard to believe — especially when it’s hard to believe! Amen.

Let This Mind

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus . . . (Philippians 2:5)

If Christians are not mindful, we will be be stumbling block to those our Savior wants to reach. We become a hindrance and grief to the Holy Spirit with our agenda and proclamations, and we will make demands that sinners cannot possibly meet — that we ourselves can’t meet. Jesus never possessed this attitude. He never expected anyone to know or please God, but He prayed that men would see God in Him and believe. 

Once we see God in Christ and believe in Him, we are on the path to heaven; and as we continue to look to Jesus and trust Him, we are transformed into the image of the Christ we behold. We now worship God in spirit and in truth. That is the mindset that pleases God. That is the mindset we need. 

Let’s Pray — Precious Lord, thank You for the Mind of Jesus Christ. May my reality be based on the knowledge of Christ and nothing else. Jesus is enough. Amen.

Your Sanctification

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more,  just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.  For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-3a)

Every believer has a desire to know the will of God for his or her life. The Holy Spirit places the longing to know and be close to the Father deep within us, and as we grow in Christ, that longing only increases. God has made His will for us plain and simple; that we love and obey Him and receive His Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Then, the will of God becomes clearer to us as we walk in the simplicity of childlike faith. As we realize that God wants us to know Him as He knows us, we will find the clear path to understanding He offers us in Jesus. Things only become complicated as we lean to our own understanding; but the moment we turn to the Christ, truth and light burst forth like the morning sun. 

 

If we are His, we now have God Himself within our hearts, and the Holy Spirit is here to reveal and verify the will of God. When we yield to His instructions and promptings, we walk in the divine will of the Father without fail. So, if people want to know and understand more about the will of God, they should be able to see it clearly by looking at us! We are the will of God on display for the world to see. Let each of us take the responsibility of living for King Jesus seriously. Remember, this is the will of God – your sanctification!

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, thank You for choosing me and setting me apart for Your divine purpose. I yield to the Holy Spirit, and I ask that You reveal Jesus to and through me daily. In Jesus alone, Amen.

I Am Persuaded

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

God can trust a faithful saint with less, with little, or with nothing. He can trust him or her with disappointment, disillusionment, and failure. He can expose the overcomer to impossible situations and challenges, because nothing is impossible with God, and with God, impossible is nothing. 

 

The only true enemy for the overcomer is that which would separate us from Christ. So we put on the full armor of God and do pitched battle against anyone or anything that might move us from the holy ground on which we stand — and Lord is able to make us stand. This is our confidence. We have all we need in Him, and we give Him all He wants from us — and all He wants from us is faith.

 

Let’s Pray — Father, Your Word teaches me that nothing can or will separate me from the You. As long as You are with me, I will not falter or fear. You are my confidence, and my life is found wrapped up in the fullness of Christ. Thank You for this understanding — for this unfathomable gift. Amen.

Less Might Be More

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:41-44)

God calculates, thinks, measures, and evaluates differently than we do. He weighs things on a different scale — a spiritual scale. He searches the heart, not external things. He is not impressed by many or much, and He is not limited by little or few. He is attracted to emptiness and humility more than success and riches. He is impressed and pleased by faith and disappointed and saddened by the lack of faith. Those of us who overcome recognize these things, and therein is our joy and our success.

 

I have never met an overcomer who wasn’t successful. That is because our success is defined by the victories we experience when we trust God in all things. Jesus is the center of our focus and our thoughts — so, we view everything and everyone through a spiritual lens, and we see clearly, as only those who walk in the light see. 

 

Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see You in all things.

 

Let’s Pray — Dear Lord, give me heavenly values, so I can see men and women as You do — so I can see myself as You do. Amen

In That Hour

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it." (Luke 10:21-23)

Coming into the knowledge of God is not an intellectual achievement, nor is it a matter of merit, but one of privilege — the sovereign choice of God to reveal Himself as He sees fit and to whom He wills. No amount of effort or study can prepare you for this gift, no amount of money can purchase it, nor can pedigree or degrees fetch it. In fact, God uses what we consider foolish to confound worldly wisdom, and He prefers the lowly and humble to the exalted. He values the meek and gentle over the forceful, and He reserves His best for those who approach Him as paupers rather than princes — “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . .”

 

We rise to the highest estate when we fall to our knees, and we know the most when we forsake all we’ve learned and simply hear Him. It is God’s good pleasure to give us the Holy Spirit when we simply ask, seek and knock. And when we seek Him first, all we would work for is given to us. This is the peace beyond understanding only the children of the King enjoy. 

 

Are you simple and small enough to be blessed? Are you humble enough to be great? Hungry enough to be filled? This is what God requires before He reveals Himself to you . . . “for they will be filled.”

 

Let's Pray - Lord, I simply humble and quiet myself in Your sight. Thank You for touching me and lifting me up. In Christ alone, Amen.

Communion Before Community

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Matthew 26:6-13)

 The Church is not a community organization, a cultural awareness club, a relief organization, or a group of activists doing good deeds. The true Church has no agenda but worship and obedience to God through Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Only a Church living in communion with Christ can rightly serve others in God's estimation. All our efforts to do good are woefully inadequate and a waste of grace, unless we are viably connected to the vine and led by the Holy Spirit moment-by-moment. He is the only true minister in the Church!

 

Our primary focus must always be communion with Jesus Christ. No one cares for the poor, lost, and unfortunate like He does — and He will equip and send us out to be a witness and a blessing, if we will wait on Him. Our Lord's approach is not emotional, political, economic, or social, but spiritual; and we are best prepared to help others when we are closest to Jesus and identified with His ways and means. 

 

Let us refuse the pre-occupation with serving people, their needs, and their interests. There is a proper time and venue for meeting those needs, but this is not the primary focus or mission of a Bible-believing church. We must trust God with the affairs of men, and keep our focus on Him! This is a difficult but essential point in our quest for spiritual maturity.

 

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23)

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, please forgive us for seeking to serve men out of any goodness of our own. Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the only answer for men and their needs. May we preach no other message. Amen.

Come to the Father

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. (Luke 15:13) 

But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." And he arose and came to his father. (Luke 15:17-20a)

 

The prodigal (wasteful) lifestyle is an unfortunate choice driven by many false notions about life. The son in Jesus’ story reminds us of many young lives we witness today — a false sense of immortality, entitlement, carelessness, and a disdain for any type of rule or authority. These traits are often passed off as youthful indiscretion or “sowing wild oats." But some fail to realize we reap what we sow! 

 

Proverbs 14:12 says, There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. 

 

We have all, at one point, gone astray, determined to have life on our own terms, only to realize our ways are unprofitable, because they are not God’s ways. The prodigal son was headed toward death — death of his hopes and dreams, death of his potential and future, death of his relationship with his father. 

 

Then, "he came to himself!" This was the blessed turning point in his life, as it was for those of us who realized our rebellious ways were leading us down a path of destruction. He repented and found a father who was more than ready to receive him again, as if he’d never left. What a marvelous picture of our Heavenly Father! Let us turn back to God today. Let us fall into His outstretched arms. Don’t keep Him waiting.

 

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8)

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, thank You for Your marvelous patience with us. Thank You for never leaving or forsaking us, and for always receiving us when we turn back to You. May we walk away from prideful and wasteful living and run to the Living God! Amen.

Are You Trustworthy?

“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” (Matthew 25:23)

God loves nothing more than relationship. This is proven by the fact that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us all that we might become His children and have unbroken fellowship with Him. An essential earmark of that fellowship is trust. God is trustworthy, and we must become so. 

Trust means the parties involved can depend on the other’s faithfulness, truthfulness, and loyalty. Trust allows us to expect righteous dealings from one another, and we share a mutual understanding of acceptable behavior and agreed upon standards. Trust means each party does its best to keep up its end of the bargain and to honor the other without fail. Marriages, families, churches, and governments function well with trust or they fail altogether without it. May we all become trustworthy in our Lord’s estimation.

 

While the Lord never instructs us to trust in men (or ourselves), He does expect us to become trustworthy. He has every right to expect such, because He’s given us His Holy Spirit as our Guide and Teacher. We will give an account for how we handle our lives and the opportunities afforded us, so we must give our undivided attention and earnest effort to living acceptably before the Lord. Are you being trustworthy and faithful in God’s eyes? It’s a matter of reward or loss, so you need to be sure.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, teach me to be a trustworthy steward of all You place before me. I want to hear You speak the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant . . ." In Jesus' name, Amen.

For Ministers Only

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17) 

 

As ministers of the New Covenant, we work exclusively for the Lord and His interests in the lives of His sheep and His church. We do not work for men, or boards, or denominations, but for God. Wherever there is any battle for our allegiance, we must remove ourselves from the fray and re-establish the pre-eminence of Christ at once — and that without regard to the consequences. Therein is the difference between a son and a hireling. 

 

The message we preach and the life we live will make men and women uncomfortable, but that is to be expected — it is simply the friction between the spirit and the flesh. It is a holy discomfort that drives some men to their knees to seek the Lord, while others run to and fro looking for a shepherd who will cater to their flesh and make them feel at ease. So be it.

 

The road to heaven is difficult and treacherous, and if you portray it in any other way, you are a traitor to the Gospel. Jesus had to die to make a way for us, and we, too, must put our earthly members (our ways and our will) to death that Christ might live in our mortal bodies. 

 

We are not called to the ministry to make friends with our sheep, but to see them become friends of God — and that is an entirely different matter. Wield the sword (the Word) on behalf of your Lord and leave the outcome to Him. 

“I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matt 10:34)

 

Let's Pray - Father, I pray that Your ministers will resist every temptation to preach another Gospel, for there is no other message than Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Strengthen us and fill us with Your Holy Spirit, and we will endure until the end and glorify Your name. In Jesus Christ, Amen.

Things Not Seen

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

 

Our faith is the shield that armors us against the storms of spiritual attacks. It steadies us when sorrows crush our emotions, and when disappointments threaten to steal our hope. Faith assures us of God's care and presence when the winds and rain threaten to destroy our possessions, unsettle our minds, and steal our peace. Faith keeps us walking righteously, and we trust in God when others fall into despair and sin. Thank God for faith.

 

Every difficulty is an opportunity to believe God and exercising our faith in Him is the greatest work of all. Even a mustard seed of faith is greater than mighty works, and a small measure of trust is greater than a lifetime of labor. God sent His Son, that He might become the center of our hope and joy, and that we might put all our confidence in His love and power. That was and will always be the Father's will, that we trust in Jesus as if our lives depend on it. In truth, our lives do depend on it; for true life and new life come from faith — faith in Jesus Christ. 

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, I realize there is no substitute for faith. So, I come to You daily, and I come believing that You love me, see me, and hear me when I call. I will walk by faith, looking forward to one day seeing Your face. In Jesus I pray, Amen.

Born of God

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.  And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:3-9) 

 

The Lord has a “zero-tolerance policy” for sin in the life of His children. The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is this — He has set us free from the dominating power of the sin and Satan. By continuing in sinful indulgences, we are telling Him He does not possess the power to deliver us from evil. But the proof that we are truly saved is the freedom we now possess to live in the same purity in which Jesus lived, because we are in-dwelt by the same Spirit! It is absolutely imperative that we do everything in our power to maintain the life bought for us on Calvary and realized in us by the Holy Spirit. The failure to walk in this freedom means we are not truly born again, for those born of the Spirit glorify the Lord with holiness and obedience, which reflects Jesus Himself and pleases our Heavenly Father.

 

The Lord's work at Calvary is sufficient to break the shackles of sin and bondage, and that work releases us from the prison of our past transgressions and sinful experiences. The fact that we now have power over the sin which once dominated us is a startling new reality, and that newness is ours in Christ. We are truly “new creatures," and we cannot be bound by fear and failure any longer; we have been set free to live for Jesus! 

 

Thus, holiness is the essence of the Christian life, not just the by-product. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus says, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Only He is able to accomplish this perfect work in us; and if we are truly His, He will accomplish that work. Amen!

 

Let's Pray - Precious Lord, thank You for setting me free from sin and death, and for giving me eternal life. I will sing of Your great love both now and forever. In Jesus Christ, Amen.

Few Are Chosen

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, "Repent . . ." (Acts 2:37-38a)

Could it be that the Gospel is a great deal simpler than some preachers have made it? Peter spoke the indisputable truth — Jesus the Messiah came to the children of Israel, he loved them, taught them, healed them, fed them, raised their dead, gave many infallible proofs, was rejected by His people, crucified, rose on the third day, showed Himself to many, ascended to heaven, and He still wasn't done! He sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and those who were in the temple heard and saw it! Once Peter explained to them what they were witnessing, they asked the question that was begging to be asked — "What now!" 

 

Simply put, this is how things work in the Kingdom. God confronts us with truth and our response is determined by the condition of our hearts. Some heard, received correction, and repented, but most did not. That is why the Lord said, "Many are called, but few are chosen." Another way of putting it is, "Many are corrected, but few are willing to receive correction." 

 

May we receive God’s correction.   May we be found walking in repentance. May we be found among the few.

Let's Pray - Lord, may I be quick to hear Your voice and to turn to You immediately when You speak. May my ears and eyes be open toward heaven today. Thank You for revealing Yourself and Your will to Your servant. In Jesus, Amen.

Anxious for Nothing

Be anxious for nothing . . . (Philippians 4:6)

 

The level of anxiety we routinely carry about is the sign that we have not yet won the battle for our peace, the simple and imperturbable belief that our Lord is Who He says He is and will do what He promised to do. The prevalence of fear in our hearts is the sure sign that we do not have enough experience with God, and He is constantly working to bring us to a simple and childlike faith that seeks His face and obeys His voice all the time. 

 

One sign that we still have far to come in this area is the desire for more, bigger, greater, and higher things here on earth. Contentment rooted in a heaven-ward focus is a lost virtue in a church that is obsessed with herself, her image, and her agenda. The church is to be completely pre-occupied with her Husband/Savior, Jesus Christ -- not His blessings, but His Person and character, His Word and His will, His Cross and His crown. We are not to be so concerned about principles, but earnestly seeking His Presence! Therein is peace, for in His presence is fullness of joy!

 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, I trust You, and I'm learning to trust You more and more each day. I understand You have my life and the whole world in Your hands, and I rejoice in that truth. Be magnified in me today. Amen. 

Jesus My Advocate

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6)

Sin is the one and only thing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Therefore, the Father sent Jesus as the answer to our hellish dilemma, and all who believe in Him are instantly received into God’s blessed family with all the benefits of heaven placed within us, and victory is given to us over all the things around us! The sacrifice Jesus made is sufficient to wipe away every transgression ever committed, and only sinners who have been washed in His blood and baptized by His Spirit are chosen to receive this inheritance of everlasting life. That life does not begin when we die, but when Christ quickens us by His grace and His work on the Cross of Calvary. We are called to live this life today, and that Spirit-filled life is the confirmation that we are saved. 

 

This overcoming life leaves no doubt that we are saved. Our faith in the Word of the Lord gives us victory where death once loomed and strength where we were weak and defeated. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to do the things God commands, and by doing those things, we prove we are His and we have been saved. Because we are His, we are pleasing in His sight, and our conduct in Him is chaste, pure, and holy. Nothing less than a life built on God’s perfecting power is acceptable to Him, and the true child of God is one determined to hold fast to the liberty he has been given to live according to God’s will. 

 

So, simply put, there need be no doubt who is saved and who is only deceiving himself. We know we are saved because of the power we have received to love and to walk as Christ walked. May our faith and obedience put every fear and doubt to death as we boldly live for the Lord for all to see!

 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, thank You for the cleansing power of the Blood of Jesus. May I be living proof of that power, and may my life give you glory each and every day. In Jesus alone, Amen.

A New Reality

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?" (John 3:9-10) 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

 

Jesus Christ Himself is the ultimate correction of the Father for us all. He is the light of the world, and everything (and everyone) is lost in darkness without Him. That is the message Jesus was conveying to Nicodemus, and that is the message He is speaking to us. As long as we look for answers from God, we are missing the Answer He has already given, and there will be no other word than what has been spoken — Jesus Christ. 

 

Efforts to solve men's problems, deal effectively with the issues and ailments all around us, to make a difference, or to make the world a better place are foolish and futile in the light of God's revelation in Christ. The reason so many, even in the church, are fearful, confused, and frustrated is the failure to understand that our complete and obsessive focus must be on Jesus and Him alone. He is the WORD of God. That is what Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, and it was very difficult for him to hear.

 

Jesus' words are spirit and life, but Nicodemus was accustomed to law and religion. That is why he and the Jewish leaders were so confused about the Lord and His work. Jesus was drawing him to the truth — He had come to give His life and save those who would believe. That was the wonderful plan of God, and that is what He was sharing with Nicodemus. We are called to share the same message with the world today. Let us be sure to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that message alone. Nothing else and no one else matters but Jesus. 

 

Let's Pray - Father, open the ears of men and women all over the world to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Release us from the bondage of religion and bless us with spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Perfectly Joined Together

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
 (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Behold, how good and how pleasant it isFor brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Paul does not mean that saints should not be free to think for themselves, or that we should agree on each and every detail as it pertains to the faith. We are not all the same, and we do not all respond or feel the same about the world around us. When Paul speaks of divisions, he is not speaking of a problem with us as individuals, but individualism. That spirit will always seek to set itself apart from and above other believers, and it wars against the unity and the accountability God desires for His church.

We must wage a fierce fight against the temptation to strike out in a direction of our own choosing. When we are joined together, willing to submit to one another, accountable, and obedient, the Lord rewards our unity in marvelous ways. There, we will find the Lord commands a blessing, and a fresh anointing flows to us from heaven. Let that be so of our fellowship, and may we walk together — clean, free, unified, and pleasing to God.

Let's Pray - Dear Father, teach us the value of submitting ourselves to one another. May we walk in the unity of the Spirit and enjoy the bond of peace that proves we are the children of God. Amen.

From That Time

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17) 

. . . and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. (Matthew 4:22)

 

I am convinced that the repentance is among the most awesome privileges any man or woman will ever have — it is a gift of God. Repentance is more than the determination to stop sinning, and it is more than feeling sorry for our sins, no matter how sincere we are. Repentance is the decision to turn from our ways and to follow Jesus. That is when He gives us a new life, and that new life takes divine energy to live. 

 

Repentance is an unfathomably rich and gracious opportunity to position ourselves to see and receive the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God? It is the life and perspective He gives us when we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ and receive His Holy Spirit. No one will see the Kingdom of God without repentance.

 

Kingdom life brings us an ever-changing, ever-advancing viewpoint on all things. As we open our hearts to worship Him in spirit and in truth, we experience remarkable changes as the power of God invades every facet of our being, and we gladly offer ourselves a living sacrifice for Him to employ as He wills! It is an exciting journey, and the choice is ours, if only we will REPENT!

 

Let's Pray - Lord God, I appreciate the gift of repentance more and more. It is not only the opportunity to turn from my sins, but the doorway into a life of devotion and ministry. I will repent and turn to You every time the Spirit instructs me, through the power that dwells in me. Amen.

Offenses Must Die

. . . and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:3-6) 

God’s economy is antithetical to that of the world. His values are higher, because they are spiritual, and His ways are superior, because He is holy. God’s standards are strange to the casual observer, the casual Christian, and to the unbeliever alike. For example, the requirement that we become like children is ludicrous to the world, but essential for eternal purposes. Humility is the door God has provided for His “little ones.” Yet, in our efforts to be something in this world, we can miss the most precious spiritual truth — we are the "children" of God.

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6)

That which compromises or violates the well-being of a child is a great offense to God. Therefore, it is of the gravest importance that we pay attention to our behavior and avoid any controversy whatsoever with another child of God. We are to be “perfect” in our dealings with one another, and if anyone has a legitimate issue with us whatever, we must not sleep until we humble ourselves and set things straight with them. If there is a trait or disposition that offends, we must tend to it and put it away. We are not to counsel it, coddle it, think or pray about it — but take the initiative and put it to death. Offenses must die so God’s children can live and be free — free indeed. Help us, Lord.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, I desire to be blameless in my dealings with others, particularly with those within the household of faith. Teach me to measure my words and actions, and to treat each conversation as an opportunity to shine Your light and share Your love. In Jesus, Amen.

Before We Go

And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. (Exodus 4:24) 

In this passage, the love of God and the anger of God collide in a baffling way. Moses was God’s man going forward with God’s plan, with His commission and permission – then the same God who sent Moses met him on the way with the purpose of killing him! This should cause us to ask what habit, action, mindset, or sins are we carrying that is an offense to God? Where has Satan hitched a ride on our heaven-bound expressway? What old issues and attitudes are a hindrance to your new season? What is there about you or within you that needs to be cut off? Where do you need to repent before moving forward? These are the questions we should ask ourselves before taking another step.

 

Let's Pray - Father, open our eyes and show us the truth about ourselves. We desire to be righteous and blameless in Your sight, and that is only possible when the Holy Spirit shines His light on our lives. Help us, Lord. Amen.

Beware of Contempt

“Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (Luke 7:48-50)

The singular truth of the New Testament is Jesus came to save sinners — not black sinners, white sinners, brown sinners, yellow sinners, or red sinners. There is no skin color in the kingdom. There are no good sinners and bad sinners — no cultured sinners and uncultured sinners — no acceptable sinners and unacceptable sinners — no worse sinner and better sinners — just sinners in need of a Savior. Those of us who are saved would do well to remember this.

 

Christian workers, especially those of us from prosperous places, must be careful that our prejudices and a sense of superiority and privilege do not frustrate or limit the grace of God. That is a danger for ministers and missionaries, and we are often unaware, because pride is blind to itself. Let’s not ruin the opportunity to reach souls by protecting ourselves and projecting our world view. We must repent of even the slightest bit of superiority or contempt for the very people we are sent to help. 

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, it is a privilege to serve You and minister to those who are lost and needy. May we see ourselves and others as You do, and may we pursue Your interests in the world, not our own. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Endure and Enjoy

Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:10)

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance . . . (Proverbs 15:13)

 

Surely, as the Word says, we enter the Kingdom of God through many trials and much tribulation. That is because the forces of darkness are set against the children of light at every turn. As long as we are on earth and until Jesus returns, that will be so, and we must be prepared. Satan is relentless, but our God reigns supreme, and we are more than conquerors in Him. Therefore, we are given wisdom and strength to endure every trial and pass every test, and to do so joyfully. Truly, the battle is the Lord’s, and the victory is ours in Him. So, Jesus expects us to be of good cheer, for He has already overcome every obstacle we will ever face. Let's be found in Him, and in His presence is fullness of joy!

 

How far so many have fallen from the strength and joy of the Lord! Many Christians I witness are known by everything and anything except love and joy. Yet the Lord’s expectation for His children is that we would face every day with a heavenly outlook and joyful expectancy. It should be obvious that we truly believe Jesus might come back for us at any moment, and that is a wonderful and awesome prospect. When we keep our eyes on Him, He gives us the power that transforms us into men and women of faith and hope, and we are prepared for the task at hand, no matter how difficult, mundane, or pointless it may seem at the moment. 

God has a purpose for us to fulfill, and He blesses us with the perseverance and patience to do His will with a winsome joy that glorifies Him and encourages others. So, enjoy as you endure. That is God’s will for His children. That is His will for you.

 

Let’s Pray - Dear Father, I am determined to walk before You joyfull and with a bright and uplifted countenance. I have learned to trust You and give You the sacrifice of praise You deserve. In Jesus alone, Amen.

Dwelling in Unity

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the Lord commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore. (Psalm 133)

 

For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. (Ephesians 5:30)

 

Unity - as one (not one, but “as” one), existing and operating as a unit, united, in agreement, accountable and accounted for. (My definition)

 

Believers, collectively, comprise the church of Jesus Christ, and individually, we are members of His body. As such, we are the expression of our Lord on the earth, and our fellowship is to reflect the perfection and unity of the Holy Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They express oneness in all they are and all they do, and so must we, if we are children of God. 

 

We are not called to dependence on one another or independence from one another, but interdependence with one another. We are much better together.

Psalms 133 likens our unity to the anointing oil poured upon Aaron the High Priest, who was set apart for God’s purpose and pleasure. We, too, are a royal priesthood, set apart by the Spirit to witness of our King and Savior, Jesus Christ, all to the glory of God the Father. It is our Lord’s greatest desire that we be unified by our love for Him and each other, found together enjoying the peace and power of unity, and separated from the world. When we lay aside our agenda and pick up our crosses, we are able to prefer others before ourselves and come together as one, thus fulfilling the law of love as Christ requires. 

 

Remember, the Lord would have us unified and focused on one thing only — Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, please continue to pour Your Spirit upon us as we come together in true fellowship as believers in Jesus Christ. It is an honor to members of Your church and heirs of Your promises. In Jesus alone, Amen.

Pearls of Wisdom

“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." (Matthew 7:6)

When you speak of order to an undisciplined man, he will resent you, because he is immature in his ways and his thinking. It is foolish to discuss visions with a blind man or expect hard work from one who is lazy. A prideful man will disdain your good counsel, and an angry man is impossible to reason with. So, while we are to share God's Word and wisdom freely, we must also realize some do not have an ear to hear, eyes to see, or a heart to understand. It is important to be discerning, and we must know when and where to engage others or to be silent. Help us, Lord.

We have all wasted our good words and resources, only to realize we were unwise to share them with those unwilling and unable to receive them. Even the right words spoken at the wrong time or place will be unprofitable for the hearer. Therein lies the danger of going forward without being led by the Spirit. Our desire to do good must be submitted to the Lord's leading and timing, because only He knows who will hear, see, and receive. 

 

Wait for God's direction before you say another word or take another step. Your time and wisdom are too precious to waste.

Let's Pray - Father, teach me to be still and quiet until it is time to speak. May I treat every encounter and conversation as a precious opportunity to share the love of Christ. In His name alone, Amen.

Never Lose Heart

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1)

 

Our Lord is sharing something essential with His disciples — prayer is the only way to maintain a hopeful outlook through the bleak seasons we are sure to experience. The prayerful saint is the hopeful saint, and Jesus wants our hope to flourish, so we must pray! 

 

Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:46)

 

Jesus told us we will suffer tribulation in this world; yet we are to be of good cheer, because He has overcome the world, and we are found in Him. There are people and circumstances for which we would lose all hope apart from the assurance we receive from prayer and intercession. The Lord has ordained that life as His formula for spiritual sustenance and success. 

 

A praying saint may travail and suffer, he may struggle and wonder when God will answer, she may grapple with feelings of defeat and depression – but the fact that we persevere in prayer is the surest sign we have not given up. The prayer of faith girds and guards the heart of the intercessor, keeping us connected to an invisible stream of spiritual strength through faith. We never doubt that God will keep His Word and glorify His Son, if we will just believe. 

 

May the Lord increase the faithful in the earth, and may we never take our eyes off the promise or the Promise Keeper. May we pray and never lose hope. 

 

Let's Pray - Father, Your Word says You will keep me in perfect peace, as long as my eyes and heart are fixed on You. Help me stay focused and prayerful, so that I might see Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus alone, Amen.