Forgiven People Forgive

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”(Matthew 6:14-15)

Jesus quickly forgave when people offended Him, and He found no need to be right or defend Himself. He reconciled all things good in the light of His Father’s sovereign will. Therefore, He encourages us to do the same – forgive, forget, move forward, and press into the Father’s will.

 

If I do not forgive, I keep those who sinned against me in a prison of my resentment; and someone must guard that prison — me. I will be chained to bitterness and misery unless I do as Jesus commands and forgive.

 

There is no time for fretting over offenses, slights, and hurts from days gone by, when the Lord offers us freedom through forgiveness.

 

We must never forget the price Jesus paid for our forgiveness. Let us be sure to forgive others quickly and completely, just as He does for us.

 

Forgiven people forgive.

 

Let's Pray - Father, may I quickly and completely forgive others their trespasses, just as You have forgiven mine. Amen.

One Thing I Do

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)

 

The Christian life is progressive and energetic, and Jesus showed this by His determination to glorify His Father and finish the work He was given. He knew His earthly life would end tragically on the Cross of Calvary, yet nothing could deter Him, even for a moment. His was a life of moving on in the will of God. The same should be true of us.

 

Every encounter, every conversation, every activity, and every moment of rest in our Lord's earthly life was ordered by God, so that all righteousness would be fulfilled, and nothing left undone.

 

"It is finished!" 

 

Jesus was not hindered or distracted by things around Him. People would come and go, love Him or hate Him, bless Him or slander Him, fall at His feet or spit in His face, praise Him or plot against Him, follow Him or abandon Him — it mattered not one bit. His deep concern for us caused Him to focus on the Atonement, and nothing else.

 

So, forget everything else and joyfully focus on Christ, just as He did for us — for you.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, help me to move forward in my walk. I am willing to let every concern fall to the wayside, so that I can pursue You with all my might. In Jesus, Amen.

Beginning and the End

And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (John 6:65)

 

The ministry we have (if it is authentic ministry) is from heaven, and it is not our own. Its value is not in what we can do for God, but what He can do through us once we give up our own ideas and present ourselves to Him a living sacrifice. Activity is not life, and work could be the sign that we have no intimate connection with the Father at all. Our methods, degrees, organizations, committees, and gatherings may well betray an independence from God and a leaning toward our own understanding. Intimacy with the Lord will always be the sign of God's servants and anointed ministry. Above all things, we must draw near to Him!

 

The Holy Spirit is the only true Teacher and Minister in the New Testament Church. He is the One who fills and empowers us to serve God acceptably, and any efforts to minister the Gospel without Him are futile at best and destructive at worst.

 

Therefore, God's servants must seek the Lord and pray more fervently as the Day approaches. The servant who will humble himself and pray will move the hand of God more than a company of men dependent on their own righteousness and resources. We can confidently fling all our cares on God, who called us and is faithful. He knows all things, and our calling is secure in His love. Amen.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, the main thrust in my life is the determination to be at Your feet. I reject the focus on worldly success that has taken hold of so many. You are my one and only desire. In Jesus alone, Amen.

 

Capture Every Thought

. . . casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ . . . (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Worry is wrestling with our thoughts, but the Lord calls us to wrestle in prayer. If we pray and worry, we are double-minded, and we cannot expect to receive anything from God, because worry is an expression of fear, while prayer is an expression of faith. God responds to our prayers and our faith, not our worries and fears.

 

Scripture tells me to take every thought captive and make it a prisoner of my devotion to Jesus Christ, and I can only do that in prayer. My thoughts alone will always lead me astray, until I learn by strict discipline to drag them kicking and screaming before the throne of God. My faith feeds on prayer, and that is where I find victory over my fears. So, when it comes to all that concerns me, I will remember this — I must not think about it, and I must not worry about it. I will pray about it.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, thank You for teaching me to pray and not worry. I believe You answer prayer, and my prayers open the windows of heaven. I will continue to look up and bow down. Amen.

Just Worship Jesus

But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me." (Mark 14:6)

Let everything and everyone else alone and follow Jesus. Others may not understand or approve of your worship and your deep devotion to Christ but worship Him anyway. Every concern – no matter how legitimate – must be joyfully ignored when it competes with worshiping our Lord in spirit and truth.

 

Once we believe that He knows all things, and all things are established and consist in Him, we receive the attitude of a child who looks to his parents without the slightest doubt that all is well. With that attitude, we can enter the Kingdom, and we come to know the King.

 

Let us not hurt the Lord by doing “Christian work,” all the while overlooking Christ. May worshiping the Lord be our highest priority — our life. Let it be said that we have found the best place at the feet of Jesus.

 

Let's Pray - Father, give us the confidence to worship at Your feet and abandon every other care. Above all things, we desire to be found in Jesus, and we trust You with every aspect of our lives. In Christ alone, Amen.

Do Not Doubt

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8)

 

We all lack wisdom at times, so this instruction is for every believer. James simply wants us to recognize the fact that we are desperately in need the Lord's counsel, and he directs us to simply come to Him and confidently ask for it.

 

Those who do not walk by faith will ask and still doubt. They do not know the Lord well enough to trust Him.

 

James calls those who ask and still doubt God "double-minded," or “double-souled.” They keep their feet on both sides of the line, worldly-minded while claiming to have the mind of Christ, who confuse soul-ties with fellowship, taking one step forward spiritually and two back. They are committed to God and the church on their own terms, driven and tossed by the wind, never willing to be still, to be rooted, or able to bear fruit. They will not receive any of the things they ask God for, simply because He cannot and will not trust them with those things — spiritual things.

 

Beloved one, examine yourself. How would your life change if you truly asked without doubting, and if you walked and talked with God more closely? Today is the day to take God at His Word, to come to Him like a child, and to ask in faith. Come without doubting and ask. You’ll find that the Lord is good, He gives freely to all who ask in faith, and His mercy endures forever.

 

Let's Pray - Lord, forgive me for doubting You and being unstable in my walk. I submit myself to You anew, and I believe You will answer every prayer according to Your goodness, and according to my faith. In Christ alone, Amen.

Worship or Waste

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for 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.” (Mark 14:3-9)

One of the hardest things for a Christian worker to do is to keep the focus on Jesus and off the world and the work. The Lord of glory was right there in the room with His disciples, yet they took issue with a woman who was determined to worship Him. In their minds, she should have made better use of her time and resources. They missed the essence of the matter, being snared by their own selfishness.

 

This woman may not have followed protocol, she may not have been an expert on scripture, she probably wasn't highly esteemed, and she wasn’t one of the twelve – but she knew Jesus was the Messiah and her Savior; and she ministered to Him in a way that honored and strengthened Him for the horrific experience that lay before Him.

 

"She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial."

 

The woman in this passage did what the disciples should have done, but they were caught up with everything and everyone but Jesus. We are still talking about her and what she did because she did it solely and strictly for Jesus, and that is all that matters to God.

 

Thus, we have a true picture of acceptable worship and ministry – that which focuses on Jesus Christ alone. That is the Bible's definition of ministry, and it must become ours. Are we motivated to glorify the Lord in all we do? That is how the Lord will judge our works — and He will judge.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, forgive us for ministry that comes from our own sense of righteousness. Help us regain a Christ-centered focus and seek the Kingdom first and last. Amen. 

Our Own Devices

Now Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" And Saul answered, "I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore, I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do." Then Samuel said: "Why then do you ask me, seeing the LORD has departed from you and has become your enemy?" (1 Samuel 28:15-16)

Saul could no longer go to God in prayer. After years of refusing to walk uprightly, the Lord had withdrawn from him, and he was left to his own devices and the consequences of his sin. Saul took drastic measures to save himself, but he would not be able to cover the tracks of decades of recklessness and pride. He saw the end coming, and he could do nothing to stop it, because God refused the repentance he looked for, though he sought it with tears. How sad!

 

Note how many Christians are like Saul – hiding behind the thin veil of status or religion, yet far from the Lord and devoid of the Spirit of grace. Beloveds, we are still enjoying a time when the hand of God is extended to us, so let us humble ourselves in His sight and receive the wisdom He offers in His Word. Do not be fooled into the malaise that defines so many, and let us not be like Saul, who drifted away and never found his way back.

 

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. (Hebrews 2:1)

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, may we heed Your warnings and receive Your wisdom while it is available to us. May we not be like Saul and Esau, who lived recklessly and tempted God. Help us, Father. Amen.

Bearing Much Fruit

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

When Jesus says we can do "nothing" without Him, He's not suggesting we are unable to do things, just nothing of eternal or spiritual significance. It is quite possible for us to set and reach goals, to make names for ourselves, or even to become successful without God. Empires, nations, fortunes, and great legacies have been built by folks who have never taken a second to acknowledge the Lord. Many magnanimous feats have been done without a single prayer lifted to heaven.

 

Jesus, though, is looking toward the day when our works and words will be judged according to God’s holy standard — and His standard is Christ. Nothing short of perfection will withstand His white-hot scrutiny. The sharp two-edged sword that proceeds from His mouth will separate the worthy from the worthless — and separate the things He did in us from all we did in our own strength. In other words, things that some count as "something," Jesus counts as "nothing."

 

" . . . let us make three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" - not knowing what he said. (Matthew 17:4) 

 

Some, like Peter, suppose Jesus is pleased with our earnest efforts to do good and make a difference in the world in His name, but that is a grave error. Peter looked to do what he considered a great and noble thing, yet the thing he should have done was to be quiet and listen.

 

"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Matthew 17:5)

 

We must learn to wait on the Lord, to be still, and hear Him clearly. Our "work" is to abide in Jesus, and that takes much more time and effort than we first thought. Be still today and wait, because you can do nothing good without Him; but be encouraged, because all good things are possible with Him.

 

"He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit . . ." 

 

Let's Pray - Dear God, I fully realize Your ways are superior to mine. Every day, I will ask You to fill me with the knowledge of Your will. I humble myself in Your sight. Amen.

It’s Not About Me

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (John 5:19)

 

"It's not about me!" These are some of the most important words I speak to myself. Once I realize the world does not revolve around me, what I think, and what others think of me, I am ready to receive the life and perspective of the Lord. Once my feelings and my agenda are set aside, and I find myself at the feet of Jesus, the Lord can have an honest conversation with me — a conversation that will change my perspective from an earthly one to a heavenly one.

 

When I wake up tomorrow, I must start the entire process again, "It's not about me!" — because my flesh and my pride will never relent as long as I live. Dying to myself is a day-by-day, moment-by-moment, conversation-by-conversation thing, and so is coming alive in Christ! That is where I am free — when it's not about me!

 

Let's Pray - Dear Lord, please help me resist the temptation to place myself and my thoughts on the throne. That place is set aside for Jesus alone. Amen.

Love Never Fails

Let love be without hypocrisy. (Hebrews 13:1)

God is love, and we cannot love apart from Him. His love is unique and unfathomably profound. It is beyond what we can give or appreciate, and it is fully expressed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, our love must mirror His love, or we are merely hypocrites — bad actors.

 

Love embraces good and rejects evil. Love is kind, generous, consistent, durable, and humble. Love moves decisively, overcomes obstacles, and manifests in service to others. Love gives more than it takes. Love is alive, pure, and without agenda. We must love freely, and withholding love is not an option — it is not ours to withhold.

 

The Father knows the difference between love and everything else. True love looks like Jesus, it harkens to Jesus, it honors and glorifies Jesus, it worships Jesus, and it imitates Jesus. It is not churchy or religious, not soulish, not formal, nor is it cold, calculating, or carefully measured out. God has loved us tenderly and extravagantly, and He expects us to love those around us the same way.

 

I must no longer count what love may cost me, but what it cost Christ — and it cost Him His life. Therefore, I will love like He loves. Love never fails, and I must never fail to love.

 

Love never fails. (Romans 13:8)

 

Let's Pray - Father, help me to lead with love and end with love, because God is love, and God never fails. Thank you for the love that never gives up, never gives out, and always gives all. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Godly Life

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:17-18)

The only Teacher is Jesus Christ, and His life is ours only through the Holy Spirit. No amount of well-intentioned striving will achieve the goal of wholeness, holiness, and health in Him — we must receive those things in the Holy Spirit. This truth is central to our understanding of the scriptures. Yet, it is the obstacle that frustrates so many — that is, we have no chance of doing what the Bible instructs until we surrender and exchange our strength for the Lord’s. Only then can we successfully obey the instruction in this verse — and obey it we must.

 

It is not good enough to be good citizens of earth, but we must first be good citizens of heaven. God's standards are nothing like the world's, and there is no possibility of reaching them by striving to be good Christians — we must die to ourselves and let Him live His life through us. For instance, it is not possible for me to live peacefully with others in my own strength, no matter how hard I try. But if I learn to see the difficult person or situation as an opportunity to share the love of Christ, I will succeed every time. My love may not be received, but what matters is Christ revealed in my words and deeds, and God will handle the rest. That is the path to peace the Lord has laid out before His children. Let us walk that path daily.

 

Let's Pray - Dear Father, give me Your Spirit so I can do all You instruct. I realize I cannot do anything worthy on my own. I surrender all to You, right now! Amen.

Character and Time

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

True Christian character is revealed in the tireless war it wages against the forces of evil all around it. Those who have character understand the battle for life and righteousness is the Lord's, and the victory is at hand no matter the present circumstance. We know that the earth is the Lord's in all its fullness, and He is fully in control of all things. The life of Christ in His children will outwork, out flank, and outlast the wiles and wickedness of hell, and we will endure to the end to glorify the Savior acceptably.

 

God's grace and mercy are working effectively in us, and we are to display that work in every deed and conversation. That is how the Lord is glorified, how the lost are found, how the blind see, how the naked are clothed, and how the poor hear the good news. That is how we overcome evil with good, and that is how we overcome evil with God.

 

Let's Pray - Father, I understand the Holy Spirit is developing godliness in me day by day, and may I let patience have its perfect work. Help and encourage me on this journey to spiritual maturity and thank You for being patient with me. Amen.

I Must Endure

". . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things He suffered." (Hebrews 5:8)

It never dawned on me that Jesus had things to learn. I always assumed that because He was God, He knew everything there was to know. Yet the scriptures teach He emptied Himself of the privileges and prerogatives of His deity, and became like us in every way, yet without sin (Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus humbled Himself to the lowly status of a child, student, and servant – and the method the Father used to train and mature Him included suffering. Only then was He able to receive the mantle of High Priest, which was the Father’s purpose for Him.

 

I point these things out so we might realize the marvelous hand of God in our lives, even in things that hurt and things we don’t like or understand. When we begin to view our sufferings in light the eternal weight of glory God has for us, we can endure them with a joy that blesses God and confounds the world. Most importantly, we give pleasure and glory to the Lord when we trust Him with our lives through every season and circumstance. So, smile – the more stress and difficulty, the more pleased the Father is to help us, and the more it makes us like Jesus!

 

Let's Pray - Lord, if Jesus suffered for me, I must be willing to do the same for Him. Help me to press on when I am weary and perplexed. There is a greater weight of glory stored up for me when I endure. Amen.

Wholly Following God

Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. (Joshua 14:8)

How do you want to be remembered? What would those who know you best say about you and the life you live? Most importantly, what would Jesus say? Since we will surely give an account for our lives, what should our testimony be, and how do we live in a way that we will one day hear the Lord say, “Well done . . .”?

 

Caleb was a man known for one supreme attribute — he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. This was true of him as a young man and in his old age. He didn’t just follow God, but he wholly followed God, and that fact differentiated him from others. The Bible is filled with stories of God’s people — yet there are some who stand out above the rest, who seem larger, stronger, and more dynamic than others. Daniel, Abraham, David, Moses, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Elijah, and Ruth come to mind. What was their secret? What did they have in common? Like Caleb, they wholly followed the Lord when everyone else opted for something other and something less.

 

Do you “wholly” follow the Lord? Is that what others would say? Is that what the Lord would say?

 

Let’s Pray – Dear Father, thank You for giving Your children a different spirit from those in the world. May we walk closely with You, and may it be known that we have made the choice to follow Jesus wherever He leads. We will wholly follow You, Lord. Amen.