Members of His Body

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

The Lord loves His Church so deeply that He calls us His "body." We are the manifest presence of the Lord on earth, for He abides in us and with us in Spirit. Therefore, He says we are the light of the world, just as He is that Light. He is returning for a perfect church, and we must be found walking in the perfection of the Spirit and the bond of peace when he returns.

 

Jesus is our Peace. We are to be perfect (complete, healthy, and holy), just as He is; and the members of His church stand as one, just as the Father, Son, and Spirit are One.

 

Membership in the church is not a matter of agreement to a certain set of rules and regulations, attendance at meetings, or participation in religious enterprises, no matter how noble. Membership in the body of Christ is the spiritual position given to every believer, whereby he or she receives the everlasting life God pours out on those He saves. We are now members of a heavenly family, not an earthly one; we no longer go to church, we are the church.

 

As members of His body, we are the expression, the hands and feet of the Lord. We prove that our God is a God of love, and He is still reaching out to the lost and broken.

 

Every member of His body preaches the Gospel — not some special set of believers, but all of us. Our message is this — God is ready, willing, and mighty to save! That is what it means to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Welcome to the family.

 

Let's Pray - Father, lead us into oneness with You and with one another, as You are one with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Help us to value every relationship within our spiritual family. May we love one another as You love us. Amen.

 

Keep It Simple

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. (Colossians 2:4)

 

There will never be an end to teachers who claim they have a deeper understanding than others have received. This brand of "revelation" always runs counter to the Gospel both in substance and simplicity. It claims a unique and superior perspective and sets itself beyond the reach of "average" saints. This type of teaching is most often rooted in pride. We are called to reject such nonsense, as it is an age-old trick of Satan, who understands the temptations of the flesh and man's tendency toward high-mindedness. God gives and honors the simplicity of faith in Jesus Christ, for in Him alone is the counsel of God.

 

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)

 

Beware of those who boast of their knowledge of mysteries and hidden things that only a superior class of "teachers" have. These are men and women who turn the preaching of the Gospel into enterprises and empires, and they have fallen headlong into the snare of Satan. 

 

Christ is the revelation of God, and He speaks so clearly that even a child can understand — and when we are like children, we will hear Him every time.

 

May the Lord protect us from false teachers and give us greater discernment to hear what the Spirit says to the church.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, I will cling to the simplicity of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Help me to walk in the assurance that He is all I need. Amen.

 

Jesus on the Throne

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell . . . (Colossians 1:19)

Perhaps you have been searching for meaning, enlightenment, and fulfillment, and you cannot say you have found it. Could it be the Lord's message to you is simpler than you expected? Could it be you have set yourself and others, your goals, your wants, even your leisure in the central chamber of your heart? God has promised to give you more than you could ever ask or think, and He kept that promise in Jesus. When you received the Savior, you received everything you will ever need.

 

Everything!

 

So, go ahead, focus on Him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Put Him in the center. God has put Him on the throne up in heaven. Put Him on the throne of your heart.

 

Let's Pray - Lord, I have placed You on the throne and in the center of my life. You will find me in Your house, in Your word, and in the closet of prayer as a lifestyle. That is my desire and my choice. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Whatever He Says

His mother (Mary) said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:5)

Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew) . . . (John 2:7-9)

The work God has given us to do is to believe and obey every word He says. This is where a servant's faith is most severely tested. It was not enough for these servants to fill the water pots with water, but then to serve it to the guests who are expecting wine!

Do you believe God can turn your water into wine? Is your faith childlike enough to obey and trust Him? We are not true servants of Jesus Christ until we trust Him like that. Water becomes wine only when we obey His commands – even the absurd ones! 

. . . but the servants who had drawn the water knew.

 

There are things about God that no one knows except those who serve. A servant is someone who sets his or her own concerns aside to receive and obey the Word of the Lord. A servant realizes God's ways are superior, and obedience is the key to every door in the Kingdom.

 

Have you made up your mind to serve God? It will never happen until you stop serving yourself, stop thinking about yourself, stop promoting and defending yourself. Jesus can only raise up the life you lay down.

 

“Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, help me to grow in obedience, and to trust You with the results. My answer will be, "Yes, Lord. Have Your way with me." Amen.

These Last Days

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son . . . (Hebrews 1:4)

Jesus occupies the center of every believer's heart, just as He does the Father's. His relationship to God is that of the Firstborn Son, and He enjoys a favored status that He is gracious enough to share with us. By His supreme sacrifice, He has welcomed us into the family of God, and He is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. We deserve none of this, but Jesus paid the price on Calvary, and we only need to believe and confess that He is Lord to enter in and receive all the blessings of sonship. This is the word God has spoken to us by His Son, and no other word can compete with the Truth, that Christ is the only way to God.

 

When the writer of Hebrews speaks of "these last days . . .,” he is not speaking in historical terms, but spiritual. Once Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to take His place at the right hand of God, He ushered in the "last days" as it pertains to God's redemptive calendar. In Christ, the plan of God is clear and complete, and there can be no question as to the finished work of Calvary and the position of the Church, now seated securely in the heavens with Jesus.

 

It is this writer's firm determination to warn against turning back to any system or understanding that diminishes the superiority of Jesus, for no one preceding Him compares to Him, and there will certainly be no one after Him! Jesus is the Word of God; and truly, there is nothing else to say.

 

God . . . has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. 

Let's Pray - Thank You, Father, for speaking to us and welcoming us into the Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life for us. He is all we need. Amen.

The Narrow Gate

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:21-23) 

It is hard for those with great possession, great talents or skills, great appeal, or profound influence to walk through the narrow gate that only the "poor in spirit" can enter. The words of Jesus cut through every good intention, every ounce of human goodness, every effort at self-justification, and they point to the need in each of us — He is everything we need.

 

To receive Jesus, there must first be the realization that we can do nothing apart from Him — nothing spiritual, nothing of any eternal consequence, and nothing holy. We can only serve God on His terms and by the power of His Spirit. Then, we can focus on Jesus, pick up our cross, enter the life He alone offers, and follow Him.

 

We suppose God is sympathetic to us and His love is unconditional, but that is an egregious error. God's love is very much conditional, and Jesus is God's condition. No one comes to the Father but by Jesus and the terms He lays down.

 

"Go your way, sell whatever you have . . ."

 

This is where our devotion lives or dies because the Lord's terms are strict and unchanging. His Word is clear and binding — all or nothing.

 

Remember, Jesus gave all, and so must we.

 

Let's Pray - Father, Jesus is the only way to heaven. May I turn away from every effort to please You and simply look to Jesus. He is the beginning and end of my faith. Amen.

Confess Your Trespasses

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)

 

There is lifesaving and life-changing power in confession. Confession unleashes the dynamic power of the truth, as we agree with God about our words and actions. When we confess, we bring light and freedom to bear on things that would otherwise remain in the dark. Our faults and sins wield power over us as long as we keep silent about them. That is why James encourages us to release those things and receive God's forgiveness and comfort in exchange — to confess.

The sins we commit are not our greatest problem, but the sins we hide. Millions are in pain and bondage today, and their entire outlook on life is affected by the fact that they carry sins they should have confessed long ago; and once we have hidden sins longer than we should, we can become blind and numb to their corroding effects. This is why every Christians must be on guard against the devastating effects of unconfessed sin. 

 

Find a trustworthy Christian friend today and confess your faults. Be whole and healed, in Jesus' name.

Let's Pray - Father, I will confess my faults and failures today, that I might experience the blessings that come with being clean. Thank You for Your church and my brothers and sisters, to whom I will be accountable, and to whom I will confess. Amen.

Kingdom, Power, and Glory

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever . . . (Matthew 6:13)

 

Let us not be distressed over the challenging times in which we live. Jesus has prepared and encouraged us, and we do not panic or respond fearfully when things are hard. He has taught us to respond to trouble and tragedy with prayer and to pray without ceasing; that is spiritual wisdom and understanding. Therefore, we enjoy an unshakeable peace because we have placed every care at His feet.

 

That is our lifestyle; prayer, worship, and the confidence that God has the entire world in His hands. Remember, Jesus is not going to overcome the world — He already has.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, teach me to walk faithfully, even in exceedingly tough times. I have the deepest confidence that You see all and know all, and You will make all things good in time. Thank you, Father. Amen.

Just Look Up

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Jesus quickly forgave and forgot when men offended Him. He found no need to be right or defend Himself when He was wrongly accused or attacked. He reconciled all things in the light of His Father’s sovereign will.

 

Therefore, let us do what Jesus modeled for us – forgetting, letting go, and pressing forward toward the vision of glory the Father places in our hearts. There is no time in our fleeting lives for mourning missed opportunities, outdated relationships, mistakes, and misunderstandings. While we all experience hardships and disappointments, the Lord offers us a new day and season, if we will just look up!

 

What we see has everything to do with our focus and our perspective. If we wait on the Lord, we will see things from a heavenly vantage point. But if we get bogged down with the things of the world, we will frustrate every effort of the Spirit to take us higher and deeper in heavenly things.

 

The danger we face is not overt sin, but a divided soul, never able to get free from the chains of earthly matters. Remember, we have been set apart for God. May we be committed to Him and to our heavenly citizenship.

 

Let's Pray - Father, I am ready and willing to move forward in my life. I refuse to be held back by anyone or anything in my past. The best for me is yet to come. In Jesus alone, Amen.

Every Good Gift

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (James 1:17-18) 

James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes to believers from above, and He wants us to know what is of God and what is not. In James' mind, nothing good rises to God from the earth. If it is good, it is of God and comes down from God, and there are no exceptions.

 

Every good work we do in the service of God is born of the Spirit dwelling in us. James speaks of this as "the meekness of wisdom," which is quite different from the forceful and strident spirit some display. James calls worldly wisdom earthly, sensual, and demonic. The tell-tale signs of this type of spirit are envy, selfishness, confusion, and every other evil thing. God has called us to something much better. He has called us to Himself in Jesus, and He has given us the Holy Spirit who will never relent until we and our works are perfected in Him. The Lord is producing good fruit in us, and that fruit is evidence of the holy seed He has planted in our hearts — purity, gentleness, humility, mercy, productivity, and impartiality.

 

May we know what is good and what is not — what is from God and what is not. Let us be sure our works and our wisdom are from above and our fruit is good fruit.

Let's Pray - Dear Father, we gladly receive everything You pour out upon us. We look to You daily, for all good things come down from heaven. We love You. Amen.

Present Your Bodies

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

We need not become experts in religion or ministry, but in exclusivity — that is, taking ourselves back from the world and from ourselves, that we might be able to offer our lives to God exclusively, which is the only reasonable thing for us to do.

 

Therefore, we must first deny ourselves and lay down our rights before we have anything to offer the Lord at all. Truth is, some have so little to give, for their hearts and time are committed to a myriad of folks, causes, activities, affinities, and affections. And even so, we can convince ourselves that we are living for God. Help us, Lord!

 

God has called us to live consecrated lives. A consecrated life is not an isolated life or a petted life; but a life set apart for the Lord's purpose. The Holy Spirit gives us the focus and discipline, and He makes us useful and pleasing to the Father. He is bringing us into the full measure and stature of sonship, where we bear a remarkable likeness to Christ, not to the world.

 

Each day, we are to present God the lives Jesus came and died for — lives that are no longer ours, but His! The Lord does not want anything from us; He wants everything!

 

Let's Pray - Father God, I take my life back from myself and offer it to You once again. I am willing to lose my life and gain eternal life, and to serve You without reserve. That is what any reasonable saint will do. In Jesus, Amen.        

Shine the Light

So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. (Exodus 34:30)

Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. (Numbers 12:7)

 

You know a man who has seen the Lord, because he is different than he was, and he is distinct from other men. His face shines, as it were, and most men stand apart from him, because the light he shines exposes their darkness. He is separated unto God, and the things of this world do not interest him.

 

Christians who have seen the Lord are like Moses not very common. The Lord has drawn them into His confidence more so than most, and He is able to invest Himself in them more deeply. God shares His heart and thoughts with them, and like Moses, He can trust them to minister holy things to His children without selfishness or agenda. The light they've seen makes them humble, not haughty or proud. The Lord will never reveal Himself to a proud man or woman, for pride is of the devil, and there is no fellowship between God and Satan. 

May the Lord find that you and I are trustworthy stewards of revelation; and like Moses, may our faces shine brightly for all men to see Jesus clearly.

Let's Pray - Father, may I live and speak in a way that Your love shines brightly for everyone to see. May Jesus be magnified in me today. Amen.

Woe is Me

So I said:
Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5)

We can truly know ourselves until we know God, for only God can show us who we really are. The Lord created us, and only He has the intimate knowledge of every facet of our humanity — our essence, our origin, our present, and our destiny. Isaiah discovered this truth when saw the Lord, and he at once confessed his low moral estate in the presence of a holy God — "I am a man of unclean lips." He saw God, then realized the helpless sinner he was.

 

Lord, open our eyes like You opened Isaiah's!

 

"Woe is me, for I am undone!"

 

Isaiah saw the truth about God and himself, and now he was ready to see everyone and everything in the light of that truth. Now he was able to judge all people and all things as God judges them. That is the true meaning of "revelation" — seeing as God sees.

 

May every preacher of the Gospel see like Isaiah saw and wait on God before preaching a single word!

 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, I am nothing apart from You, and I find nothing good in me unless it has been imparted to me by Jesus. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. I will worship You in Spirit and in truth! Amen.

If We Confess

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)

Our Lord is determined to set His children be free from the bondage of sin and death, and He has prescribed the Blood of Jesus as the only power able to accomplish His desire. The weight of sin on humanity was so awful and pervasive, that the Father had to send His Son to pay the price and lift the burden of judgment and damnation off the shoulders of every man, woman, and child who would simply believe.

 

You see, there is nothing unholy or unclean in heaven, nor shall there ever be. So, the Lord made provision for us in His Son, imputing His righteousness and holiness to us in exchange for our sin and sadness. Now, heaven resides in us, and we will one day reside in heaven.

 

We can stand before a Heavenly Father who sees us wrapped in the grace and glory of His Son. This is the thought of God as it pertains to men, and there is no other thought, no other way, no other Gospel. Thank God for the profound, yet simple path to Life — Jesus Christ.

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, thank You for every provision made for us by the shed blood and broken body of our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we never turn away from the powerful simplicity of the truth in Christ. There is truly no other way. Amen.

Patience and Perfection

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4)

Before the Lord can use us as change agents, He must first change us. God is doing a new thing in you, and “new” means something that has never been done before. The life of this new creature is not learned overnight. It is a beautiful and difficult work that only the Lord can accomplish, and He does that work according to His will, His Spirit, and His timing. So, be still and trust Him. Let Him have His way with you. He knows what He is doing, and He knows when to do it.

The saint who "lacks nothing" is one who is filled with the Holy Spirit and the wisdom that prepares him or her for every situation and conversation. This preparation is a sovereign work of God that cannot and will not be done according to our efforts or desire; but the Lord employs times and seasons to accomplish His work as He sees fit. 

We suppose God will move according to our prayers and requests, but that is not so. He will move according to His will, and by patience, He perfects our will to agree with His. So, empty yourself, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. When He fills you, you will be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  

Let's Pray - Father, have Your way and complete Your work in me. You are sovereign, and Your will is superior to mine. I humble myself in Your sight. Amen.

Discerning and Wise

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (James 3:1) 

We live in a day where many Christians have taken it upon themselves to speak in the name of the Lord. Some even call themselves apostles and prophets.  Many follow these voices, and far too often end up damaged and shipwrecked due to their lack of discernment and discipline.

 

The Bible warns us to be very careful and to judge these men and women by their fruit. If we are filled with the Word, we will recognize the presence or absence of the Word in their teaching. If we are full of good works, we will recognize and rightly discern theirs. Every Christian must endeavor to be well equipped to wisely discern what we see and hear. Thank God for His Holy Spirit!

 

"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:22-23)

 

It is a dangerous thing to read the warnings in Scripture and imagine they are spoken to others and not to us. Notice, the Lord says "many" who engage in ministry will be judged for deceiving themselves and their hearers. It is far too common a thing to witness men and women ministering in the flesh and offering strange fire before the Lord. God is not fooled or mocked, and the heart and works of every minister will be revealed on that Day for all to see. Those of us who preach the Gospel do well to heed these words and judge ourselves, so that we might not be judged.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, we are saved by grace through faith, and we must minister by grace through faith. May every minister who calls on Your name examine himself or herself today. Wash us clean and set us free from all ambition and agenda. In Jesus, Amen.