The Church

10/31/12 Today I want you to focus on the church. Listen to what the bible says about the church. As you read each of these, if you are part of God’s church, then pause and give thanks to God for what he has done for you. The church is the body of Christ, Eph.1:22-23, Col.1:24; the church of God, Acts 20:28; the dwelling place of God, Eph.2:22; the family of God in heaven and earth, Eph.3:15; God’s flock, 1Pet.5:2; the fold of Christ, John 10:16; the assembly of the firstborn, Heb.12:23; golden lampstand, Rev.1:20; God’s building, 1Cor.3:9; God’s field, 1Cor.3:9; the heavenly Jerusalem, Heb.12:22; the holy city, Rev.21:2; the house of Christ, Heb.3:6; house of God 1Tim.3:15; household of God, Eph.2:19; the lamb’s wife, Re.19:7; Pillar and ground of truth, 1Tim.3:15; a spiritual house, 1Pet.2:5; the temple of the living God, 1Cor,3:16,17. As you can see we have much to be thankful for. Our Lord and Savior is awesome! This year while you give thanks for so many things and people, don’t neglect to give thanks for the church. These are the ones that you will spend eternity with. These are the ‘brethren’ that you are to serve with both now and forever. These are the ones that God has called out of the world and to Himself. This is the church of which our Lord said that not even the gates of hell will prevail against her. The church is the salt and light in a corrupt and dark world. The church is the people of God who testify for the only One who can save the world. Let’s be thankful for the church and let’s be what God says we already are - the church! Prayer: Father in heaven, thank You for sending Your Son so that I can be a part of that glorious assembly that will one day stand before You clothed in purity and full of great joy. Do whatever You wish with me to help be the church that You say we already are. In Jesus name, amen.

New Testament Christian

10/30/12 Think about this for a moment. When a person is saved God regenerates them, gives them a new heart (born again). The eternal third person of the Almighty God indwells in them, they are made new creatures, the old has gone and the new is come 2Cor.5:17, He grants them faith and repentance Acts 11:18, 20:21. And they forgive even their enemies. Acts 7:60. Their lives are so plain that Barnabas saw the grace of God in people at Antioch. Acts 11:23. Yet in many churches today we have people who say they are saved but never witness or obey God because they seldom if ever hear Him or even think about Him. Rarely do we see any amazement at what God does in the hearts of people, we see little proclamation of the word, and few speak boldly and share their testimony.( It may be that perhaps they have no real testimony.) We have members who do not love the brethren and therefore cannot love God. We have members who are “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. 2 Timothy 3:2-5 When you are saved you receive the Holy Spirit and though you will still struggle with sin you begin to love God and love what He loves and hate sin because he hates it. Unless we return to this authentic New Testament Christianity we cannot expect God to bless us. And not only are we in danger of judgment but those we love will be affected as well. Prayer: Lord, revive me. Grant me a deep and abiding repentance that I may return to my first love (Rev.2:4). Restore the joy of my salvation. Create in me a clean heart.(Psa.51;10, 12) And grant that I may speak the name of Jesus with boldness and clarity, and in love and power. (2Tim.1:7) In Jesus name, amen.

Be honest

10/29/12 Satan is a thief and he seeks to destroy your witness and your life. If he cannot destroy from without he will attempt to deceive from within. Hypocrisy is dangerous and deceptive. I must constantly be asking myself: do I pretend to have a devotion when I preach that I don't have? Do I preach things that I don't experience? Do I say things that I don't believe? Do I declare commitments that I've not made?" And, very frankly, the very question that struck fear into my is, “Am I being honest?” Is there any pretense in your life?" We must constantly examine ourselves. There are times when I feel as if my heart is getting cold and hard. I must go before the Lord and seek Him until He warns and softens it again. A prayer that I have for myself (and for you) is that I will not be a hypocrite. This does not mean that we won’t struggle; it means that we admit that we are in a battle and the struggle to live a life of transparency before the Lord and others is real. Satan, the devil is real so don’t take him lightly. I’m listing some scriptures about him. As you look at them ask yourself if Satan has influenced you with his lies and craftiness. Who is this enemy? 1. Satan the accuser rev12. 2. Father of lies John 8:44 3. god of this world 2cor 4:4 4. an infidel or unbeliever 2 Cor. 6:15 5. prince of the bottomless pit or angel of the abyss (destroyer) Rev. 9:11 6. angel of light 2 Cor. 11:14 7. star of the morning, son of the dawn Isaiah 14:12 8. the enemy or the avenger Psalm 8:2 9. evil one Matthew 6:13; John 17:15 10. adversary 1 Peter 5:8 11.ruler of demons (Beelzebub) Matthew 12:24 12 the destroyer Job 15:21; 2 Thes. 2:3 13. the tempter Genesis 3:1; Matthew 4:3; 1 Thes. 3:5 14. the dragon Rev. 12:7-13; Rev. 20:2 15 the serpent Genesis 3:1-4, 13; Rev. 12:9; Rev. 20:2 16 the deceiver Genesis 3:13; 2 John 7; 2 Thes. 2:3 Prayer: Lord, You are greater than my enemy. I surrender myself to You. Keep me from the evil one by Your power and wisdom and for Your glory. In Jesus name, amen

Do you have the Holy Spirit?

10/26/12 In Acts the receiving of the Spirit is described; it is experimental not only inferential. Everyone who received the Spirit not only knew that they had the Spirit but they could point to and describe their experience - this so uncommon today. Paul ask the Ephesians is Acts 19:1-2 … "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." We usually ask someone if they believe and if they yes, then we infer that they have the Holy Spirit. Paul doesn’t ask that. He wanted to know if they had received the Holy Spirit. This implies being able by some experience to describe the event in some detail. Acts goes into enough detail and ways of describing the coming of the Holy Spirit. At least six stories or instances in the book of Acts are recorded for us and in every one the coming of the Spirit is with experienced effects. 1. At Pentecost there was hearing and speaking in tongues (known languages) and praising the mighty works of God and had power to witness (1:8; 2:4, 11); 2. in Samaria there is something so obvious in experience that Simon saw it and is amazed and wants to buy the power to make it happen (8:18); 3. in Caesarea at the house of Cornelius there was speaking in tongues (languages) and praising God (10:46); 4. in Ephesus where Paul found the disciples of John the Baptist there was speaking in tongues(languages) and prophesying (19:6); 5. at Paul's conversion there is extraordinary boldness and empowering to witness (9:17, 22); 6. and in Acts 5:32 Luke says that God "gave the Holy Spirit to everyone who is obeying him." So obedience to God is a mark of his presence. Rom.8:9 says that if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he is not His. Do you have the indwelling presence of God’s Spirit in you? Can you demonstrate it? Prayer: Father, thank that You have given us Your Spirit. May we live by the power of the Spirit and not ourselves. In Jesus name, amen.

Is our nation being judged?

10/25/12 Our nation is in trouble. In fact it seems to me that we are being judged by the Lord. Why do I think this? Throughout history nations has been judged by God. (Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and Israel, are just a few of them.) And there are similarities with all of them. They were continually at war. Our troops have been fighting on same foreign soil since WWII. Secondly, there was no real solid or sound leadership in those nations that were judged. (Need I say more?) Third, sexual immorality was abundant in those countries and they thought nothing of it. In fact not only did their laws allow it but the religious leaders even approved of it. Today in our own country not only are laws being formatted to allow same sex marriage, but we also have churches springing up across our land that not only allow such practices but even approve of them. And fourthly, like bygone countries, our nation is being evaded by foreign powers. We call them terrorist. And lastly, our economy, like the other nations, is grumbling as we speak. In spite of all these things I don’t lay of all the blame on the government or congress or any of the leaders, though they will be judged too. I believe the problem lies with us – the church, God’s people! When are we going to wake up? Is there an answer? Is there a word from God? I believe there is. And since we have a word from God I have hope because He is merciful. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God says, ”if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Notice God says that if His people will humble themselves, pray, seek His face, turn (repent) from their wicked ways then He will HEAL OUR LAND! I don’t think anyone questions the fact that our land needs healing. Here is the Judges’ solution. If we will obey God in the power of the Holy Spirit then I believe the church will be restored to its rightful place as salt and light to a miserable and darken world and our land will be healed. Prayer: Father, in heaven, You are holy. Grant us repentance and a broken and contrite heart. Return to us the joy of our salvation Heal our land and let it begin in me.

Carnal Christian (part 2)

10/24/12 Carnal Christian? (part 2) Some would say that Jesus has saved them but they haven’t surrendered to Him as their Lord. Theologically they are saying that they are justified but not sanctified, It is like asking Jesus to save you but still allow you to sin. Imagine saying to the Holy, Holy, Holy God, “I want you to save me but I don’t want to be holy.” It would be saying that I want God to save me in my sin not from my sin. Matt.1:21. Our Savior came to take away our sin. John 1:29. This carnal Christian idea does not see the seriousness of sin nor do they seem to understand how much even one sin offends God. That is exactly what Paul says in Rom.6:1-2: What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! If the carnal Christian teaching is right then Paul should have answered the question with an affirmative. Instead his answer was the strongest negative possible. What bothers me the most is that this false doctrine portrays an inadequate and low view of Christ. It pictures Him as a savior who is weak and helpless and unable to save anyone from their path of destruction unless they allow Him. At the same time it pictures man as in complete control of His life. Man becomes sovereign instead of God. God is reduced to someone like an old grandfather type who winks at his grandchildren’s sinfulness and continues to supply them with more gifts so they can sin even more. This false doctrine portrays Jesus as Savior but not Lord. They think they someone can accept Him as Savior and then later (if they choose to) as Lord. Again this is foreign to the teaching of the Bible. Even at the announcement of His birth Jesus was declared both Savior and Lord. Luke 2:11. Jesus is one person. All who truly receive Him must receive all of Him. Matt.7:23. There are other points of concern that I have but my burden is for so many of those who have been led astray into thinking that they are saved when in reality they may not be. My dear reader, do not be among those who will hear the words of our Lord, Depart from me because I never knew you. Prayer: Lord, You came and died on the cross to take away my sin. Your word says that sin will not have dominion over me. Help me by the power of Your Holy Spirit to live by faith for that is pleasing to You

Carnal Christian?

10/23/12 Some believe that you can be a Christian but not live like one, thus the carnal or sinful living while still claiming to be a Christian. Space will not allow me to go into much detail so I will give you the highlights of my thoughts. First, the Scripture clearly puts all people into one of two categories – saved or lost, sheep or goats. Either you are born again or you are not. There is no third category. Second, the only place this is mentioned is in 1Cor.3. The Corinthians were certainly carnal in their preferences of one leader over another but it was certainly not a way of life for all of them. (Paul did imply that some of them may not be saved. 1Cor.15:34, 2Cor.13:5) All of us struggle with sin. I am not advocating perfection; but I am saying that for anyone to claim that Jesus has saved them from their sin yet show no sense of repentance or desire to live a life that is pleasing to God is a very dangerous and deadly doctrine. Matt.7:21-23 Third, the new covenant that was the result of Christ shed blood insured at least two things for all who are in the covenant – forgiveness of sin and a changed heart. Heb.10:15-17. If the carnal Christian theory was true it would then appear that a new life and new heart were optional. And I can be justified (saved) but give no evidence of sanctification (holy living). It would then appear that the ‘Holy’ Spirit, if He is even in the so called believer, is at best dormant. Why would the thrice holy God even consider saving someone so they could continue in the very thing that he hates and His wrath is against it? Fourth, if there has not been a radical change i.e. a new heart, then we have no reason to believe that Christ’s blood has covered our sin and our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life because there would be no distinguishable difference a biblical faith and the kind of faith (belief) that the demons have. James 2:19. When the gospel has really been believed then those whom God has justified will live by faith. Rom.1:16. Receiving the gospel is receiving God’s power in the Holy Spirit to live by faith. (There is no other way to please God.) Living by faith means that you trust in what God says and act on it. If anyone tells you that he is a believer but still lives in his sin, it is your duty to assure him that his faith is like those of the demons and he is not saved. Love him, pray for him, and witness, but do not compromise the gospel. Life and death are at stake. Prayer: Father, I still struggle with sin but not the sins I used to struggle with. Thank You for your grace and the power of Your Spirit to live a life that You are pleased with.

Sin and forgiveness

10/22/12 Unbelief! What a hideous sin and the root of all other sins. In a moment of unbelief the very Savior that shed His blood for your sin is despised and rejected. His precious blood is treated as a common thing and trampled on underfoot as if it was meaningless and the Spirit of grace is insulted. (Heb.10:29). The word of the Lord is denied and ignored. Even the father Himself is treated as if either he doesn’t exist or doesn’t care. Unbelief says there is no fear of God and though only misery and destruction await them they still continue in this hideous sin (Rom.3:16-19) Unbelief says that you can be your own God. (Gen.3) Unbelief has a inseparable twin, pride. Both are joined at the heart. Anyone who lives in unbelief will never be pleasing to God. Yet all have sinned and committed this horrible, unsightly, hideous, sin. Unless the Spirit of God works in you to convict and persuade you, you will die in sin and be separated from God forever in hell. But in Christ we have redemption through His blood! (Eph.1:7) Though you only deserve hell, Christ died for your sin in order that you might be with Him forever. He not only conquered death but he conquers sin in your life. Because of what Jesus Christ did for you your sins are forgiven and sin no longer has the power it once had on you. You are FOREGIVEN! Your sin has been taken away and you are now free to serve the One who freed you. Praise the Lord, what an amazing Savior we have! The blood is indeed precious, very precious. How often do you confess your sin? Are they specific and detailed enough that you see them as God does? Prayer: Father I have sinned against you and all that You say and do. Forgive me and allow me me to walk with You in peace.

Amazing Love

1013/12 Christ died for me! How many times have we spoken to someone about love? We have no doubt told people we love them. But when someone is willing to suffer for me, or even instead of me, I know that they love me because they demonstrate it. This is how I can know that God loves me because He died for me. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God made his love so conspicuous that it is almost impossible to miss it. God the Son died for me! What amazing love! “Amazing love! How can it be that thou my God should die for me!” (Chorus from the song, “And Can It Be”) God manifested in the flesh, died for me. Some have difficulty believing that God the Son died because some don’t believe that Jesus is God. But if Jesus was anything other than God, God would not be loving. If Jesus was a created being then God sent someone or something to do His work of love. That would make God to be some kind of cruel despot that would send someone else to suffer and die so that people would love Him. It would be like you paying someone else to suffer so that people would love you. Our affections and desires are toward people who actually suffer on behalf of others. We are drawn to people who willingly suffer for the good of others. When God demonstrated His love, God came in the flesh suffered and died so that we might live. Also, if Jesus was not God then when He came to reconcile us it was based on a lie. His claim to take on our sins would be false. He claimed that He would reconcile those who broke the law and put those sins away from them. He was actually breaking God’s law instead of fulfilling it. If Jesus wasn’t who He said He was then He was actually an enemy of God because only God can remove sin and reconcile sinners. Think of it this way: A terrible crime has been committed against you. Then someone tells you that they went to the person who offended you and forgave them. That would be wrong because that person wasn’t offended, you were. And only you have the right to forgive because you were offended. It is the same with God. As sinners we have ‘offended’ God and only he can reconcile us, not some other created being. God demonstrated how much he loves you by His death on the cross. It was there that Jesus as very God of God paid for your sins and mine. What amazing love! Since He demonstrated His love for us, how can we do any less? Are you willing to suffer if need be to love as God loves you? Prayer: Father, how amazing You are that You would so wonderfully and completely demonstrate Your love! Help me to love as You love. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)

Love (part 2)

10/12/12 If we are left to ourselves we will not love God. Love is first initiated by God. “We love Him because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) Love includes not only what God does for us but what He does to us. The barrier that hinders us from loving God as we should is sin. 1 John 4:10 says, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” God is the great lawgiver and His laws must be obeyed. Failure to do so will mean ‘just’ punishment - death. God’s wrath abides on the person who chooses to live apart (unbelief) from God and His word. (John 3:36) Since we are doomed and condemned, God sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. God did this for us because He loved us. Propitiation means that God’s wrath was satisfied and the judgment that was against was paid in full by the death of the Son of God. This is love at its best; this is divine love, God’s love for us. It through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ that our sins are forgiven (literally sent away) and the barriers to love God and experience that love has been removed. And we are to love in the same way that Jesus loves us. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16) As I mentioned yesterday love is the only motive that God approves of because it is His motive. When we apply this wonderful truth it becomes easier to understand what Jesus meant when He told His disciples that if they were to follow Him they must deny themselves and take up their cross. (Luke 9:23) Love is giving yourself to the Lord and then through Him to others. Do you really love the Lord? Is He truly the desire of your heart? Are you willing to do whatever He says and go where He says to go? Prayer: Father, thank you for first loving me and freeing me from sin so that You can love through me. Show me opportunities to love with the love of Christ. In Jesus name, amen.

Love

10/11/12 There is only one God approved motive that is acceptable to live the Christian life – LOVE. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If you would pause for a moment and consider your sins you will find that they are more numerous than you can imagine. And yet our gracious Lord died on the cross and the One who knew no sin became sin so that you and I might live before Him. And His motive was love. When a person is saved (born again) God pours His love into that person and enables them to love by His Spirit. (Rom.5:5) 1 John 4:7-8 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. Love is the supreme motive because God is love. 1 John 4:8 is often misunderstood. ‘God is love’ does not mean that love is God. The original language has an article before God. Literally the text reads, “The God is love.” This means that God’s nature and character is love. Kenneth S. Wuest translates verses 7-8 this way: “Divinely-loved ones, let us be habitually loving one another, because this aforementioned love is out of God as a source; and everyone who is habitually loving, out of God has been born with the present result that he is regenerated and knows God in an experiential way. The one who is not habitually loving has not come to know God, because God as to His nature is love.” This is powerful. Not only does God love us but everyone who has been born again (regenerated) loves as God loves because the Spirit of God who inhabits you enables you to love. As Wuest puts it, love is out of God as a source. The defining character trait of every born again believer is love. That is why the Apostle Paul said that without love his words were nothing more than a clanging cymbal. And without love Paul said in effect I am nothing and I will gain nothing. (1Cor.13:1-3) Without love all your works are empty and will amount to nothing on judgment day. Without love you will not obey the Lord. Without love you will not only not be holy you will not want to be holy. You must have love, God’s love. And the only way to get that amazing love is the new birth. Have you repented of your sin and trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Can you prove it by how you love? Prayer: Father, your work of love for me and in me is amazing. Grant me opportunities to love as you love. In Jesus name, amen.

Holiness (part 3)

10/10/12 Holiness is necessary because God is holy and He expects us to be holy and walk with Him. We must have a desire to be holy out of our love for the Lord and desire to be close to Him. Remember God demands that we walk as Jesus walked. 1 John 2:6 says, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (The word ‘ought’ means necessary or obligated.) As I pointed out a few days ago, the Lord Jesus walked with the Father in complete agreement. This is genuine fellowship – walking with God and becoming holy as He is holy. Our fellowship is with the Father, in the Son, by the Spirit. This is an amazing reality! We can fellowship with the thrice holy God. But how is this possible? How can a sinner (unholy) walk with the Holy One? It is because of the blood of Jesus! 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. The fellowship spoken of here is fellowship with God. Some understand the ‘one another’ of this passage to mean other believers and there is an element of truth to that. But the context, before and after this verse, is clearly speaking of fellowship with God. As followers of Jesus we desire to walk with God. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin and provides the means for one who is unholy to walk with the Holy One. No wonder Peter referred to the blood of Christ as precious. (1Pet.1:19) This is amazing love: that Christ would not only shed His blood so that my sins can be forgiven but His blood also provides the means for me to fellowship with Him. Through the blood of Christ I can walk in sweet fellowship with the God! Even as these words flow from my fingers I cannot express the feelings of love and gratitude that I have for the One who died for me so that I might have fellowship with Him. Anyone who rejects this great love treats the blood of Christ as a common thing, tramples on it, and insults the Spirit of grace. (Heb.10:29) Eternal punishment in hell is all that is life for them. Do you express your love for the Lord? Could you tell and show others how you walk with the Lord? Prayer: Fathers, words are not adequate to express my love for You in sending Your Son to shed His blood for me. Today I want to draw as near to You as possible. Help me to walk with You. In Jesus name amen.

Holiness (part 2)

10/09/12 Holiness is a work that God begins inside of you. This work or process is often referred to as sanctification. Sanctification is the process that God does for us and with us to make us holy This work that God does goes to the deep recesses of our being. God takes His word and works in us down to the soul and spirit. (Heb.4:12). Generally speaking this work is a three-fold process – conviction, confession, and cleansing. Conviction is what the Holy Spirit does to persuade you that you have sinned. He may convict you while you are reading His word, or perhaps by what someone has said or done. Conviction may come as result of a circumstance or trail. But the point to be aware of is that conviction is a result of the Holy Spirit working in you so that you understand that you have sinned and offended God. As a result of the convicting work of the Spirit, confession takes place. Confession includes being sorry or regretful for what you did, but it is much more. Kenneth Wuest’s word studies says this about confession, “Confession of sin on the part of the saint means therefore to say the same thing that God does about that sin, to agree with God as to all the implication of that sin as it relates to the Christian who commits it and to a holy God against whom it is committed. That includes the saint's hatred of that sin, his sense of guilt because of it, his contrition because of it, the determination to put it out of his life and never to do that thing again.” God works in you to until you see the sin as God sees it. As a result we confess. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The word ‘confess’ means to say the same thing or agree with what someone else is saying. When you have true confession before the Lord you are in agreement with God about your sin. After conviction and confession take place our gracious Lord cleanses us and removes the filth and vileness of that sin that has broken our fellowship with God. All of this is possible because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ 1 John 1:7). (Lord willing I will write more about this tomorrow.) This work of sanctification (holiness) must never be separated from our new birth. God will sanctify those who are saved. Without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb.12:14). When was the last time you were convicted and confessed your sin before the Lord? Can you name the sin(s)? Can you describe how you felt before, during, and after confession? Prayer: Father, help me to be still and allow You to penetrate my hard heart. Even if the process is painful it is worth it because I want to walk closer with You in sweet fellowship. I ask this because of Jesus and His shed blood. Amen.

Holiness

10/08/12 When God begins his work of conforming us into the image of His Son, He has one goal in mind – holiness! Ephesians 1:4 tells us that, “ He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Even before we were born God chose us and expects us to be holy. Holiness is far more than being without sin. While it involves purity, character is also included. Warren Wiersbe in his book, On Being a Servant, wrote, “Holiness is to the inner person what health is to the body. Holiness is wholeness, Christlikeness, the fruit of the Spirit being revealed in our lives…God doesn’t make us holy so that we can enjoy it. He makes us holy so that He can use us to do the work He wants us to do” 1Pet.1:15 reinforces what Wiersbe said, “ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, “ As you can see holiness involves who you are as well as what you do. One of the ways you know that God is at work in you is that you have a desire to be holy and to live a holy life simply because that kind of life is what pleases the Lord. The best way I know of to “be holy” is to spend time in the presence of the Holy One. Prayer, meditation in the Word, and obeying what God says to you is the only key I know for you to become holy. Do you have a desire to please the Lord? Do you spend time with Him? Do you read you Bible asking the Lord to speak to you so that you can draw closer? Prayer: Father, I want to be as holy as sinner can be because that is pleases You. Help me to take time to be holy and feast on your word. In Jesus name, amen

How does God work through us?

10/05/12 How does our Lord work through us? First we become new creatures. We repent of our sin and believe in the Lord Jesus and what he has done for us and he makes us new. This happens when we are born again. Our Lord said that you must be born again or you will not enter His kingdom. (John3:7) You must be made new because there is nothing to work with. The flesh (our carnal nature) is corrupt and nothing good dwells in the flesh. (Rom.7:18). When we are born again, as new creatures, we are given a heart that loves the Lord. God sets up His dwelling place in our being. We become His temple (a building where worship takes place) and a body that is useful to the Master. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” It is at this point that God begins to work in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Phil.2:13). As worship from the new heart takes place, the Spirit of God convicts you of sin and as you turn from it God shows you the way to live (His righteousness). (John 16:8-9) Now that you are a new creature, you will need power. Ephesians 3:20 says “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” When you have a desire to obey from a heart that loves the Lord you are granted supernatural power. This kind of lifestyle should be normal for the believer. I think the reason some call it other things (victorious living, deeper life, etc.) is because so few seem to live the life that Jesus intended. I don’t want to oversimplify this work of God. It should humble us and cause us to bow in worship and adoration because the Infinite, Almighty, Ever-present God is not only working in us but willing to allow us to work with Him to accomplish His will. You are a work in progress. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) Have you been born again? Do you really want to obey God just because you love Him? When was the last time that you sensed the presence of God while you were in private worship? Prayer: I am in awe that you would willing do all this for me and with me. I love you Lord. Thank You for first loving me. In Jesus name, amen.

The Normal Christian Life

10/03/12 I want to speak to you about a subject that is not often spoken about. And because of this many of God’s people are living defeated lives. This subject is referred to by various names. Some call it the victorious life; others refer to is as an exchange life or delivered life or even a deeper life. Whatever you may call it, I’m simply going to share what the Bible says about this truth and let you decide. (I think it should be the normal Christian life.) This teaching comes from the Lord Himself. Our Lord Jesus came as God in the flesh and as the perfect man. As such, He has given us an example of how we should live. Even though he was God in the flesh He only did according to the Father. John 5:19 says, “Then Jesus answered and said to them [the Jews} , "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. The Son of God did things exactly like His Father because it was His Father in Him doing the work through Him. The manner that Jesus is speaking of is by God’s Spirit. In John 14:10-11 our Lord is clear about this, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Jesus plainly tells His disciples that it is the Father who dwells in Him that does the work. And as evidence our Lord said they could believe what they saw - the work that God the Father was doing through His Son. (See John 10:38) Since this is how the Son of God lived, it must be how we live. Our Lord expressed His will for us to live this way in His high priestly prayer. He prayed “21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (John 17:21-23) We know that Jesus is Savior and Lord by what he said, what He did, and how He did it. When our Lord works in us and through us the world will see the works and glorify the One who does them. (Matt.5:16) I will write more on this, but for now let others see Jesus in you! If called upon could you give evidence that Jesus is in you? What work(s) could you point to? Prayer: Lord, I’m want You to live Your life through me. Today I die to sin because I am in Christ and Christ is in me. I want others to see the Christ that is me and bring glory to the Love of my life. In His name amen.

Living in Christ

10/02/12 Since we have such a sinful nature and everything we do is tainted then you may begin to think that it is hopeless. But I can assure you it is not. No sooner than Paul had written about the sinful nature than he penned Rom.8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Paul knew well that the law of sin warred against his mind and brought him into captivity (Rom.7:23). He knew that in his own strength and will-power he was helpless (Rom.8:18). But there was another law that had set him free. This law was none other than the very Spirit of life. Paul knew that it wasn’t what was in him, but something on the outside that was put on his inside. If he was ever going to be fruitful for the glory of God, it would have to come from One greater than himself. The Spirit of Jesus would live His life through the person of Paul. This is what Paul meant when he wrote to the Philippians, “For me to live [really live] is Christ.” (Phil.1:21) This is what he meant when he wrote to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal.2:20) This abundant life that Jesus promised (John 10:10) would not come from our resolve to do better or by our self-determination. It comes to the extent that we surrender to Christ. I must die daily in order to live! I must die to my efforts and my ways, and whatever else is mine. I must begin to see myself as a part of Christ’s body. I am his hands and His feet and His mouth and so on. When a skilled craftsman builds something that is a work of beauty, no one praises his hands, they praise him. When the Lord does His work through us, He is glorified and we are blessed. If we truly want our Lord to be glorified we must allow Him to will and work in us according to His good pleasure (Phil.2:13). Are you willing to go before the Lord and allow Him to examine your motives and attitudes? Is the Lord really working through you or are you simply trying to do the best you can? Remember your best, apart from Christ, is like the filthy rags that Joshua had on. Can you honestly say, “For me to live is Christ!” Prayer: Father, You do in me and through me as You wish. I surrender my all to You. In Jesus name, amen.

Difficult people

10/01/12 The greatest challenge we face in life is people. People can be difficult to deal with. Even the best of friends can have disagreements that may never be resolved on this side of heaven. The apostle Paul and his encouraging friend Barnabas could not agree on what to do with John Mark. As a result they had to go separate ways (Acts 15:36-40). (Paul did resolve the issue with Mark later is his ministry 2 Tim.4:11.) King David’s long time friend and worship companion, Ahithophel, betrayed him and even sought to kill him (Psa.55:12-14). While I could give more examples of difficult people there is one particular person that causes me the most difficulty and that is the one I want to deal with. And while I’m at it, this person is the most difficult one that you deal with as well. That person is the one you see in the mirror each day. The one who gives me the most grief is me! The reason that I cause others as well as myself difficulty and grief is because of my sinful nature. There is within each of us a sinful nature that the Bible usually refers to as the ‘flesh.’ We inherited it from our ancestor, Adam. Every one that has been born has inherited this hideous sinful nature that is contrary to God and everything that He represents. Most of those who will read this know that sin is wrong, it is breaking God’s law (1 John 3:4) and sin is omitting what we should be doing (James 4:17). But sin runs far deeper that most of us realize. There is not a part of our being that is not tainted by sin. When I am at my very best sin is still a part of what I am doing. The Bible says it this way, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find” (Rom. 7:18). Paul knew sin was so strong in his life that he was unable to even to do one single ‘good’ act without it being tainted by sin. Remember Joshua the high priest clothed in those filthy garments (Zech.3). Those garments represented his attempts to do ‘good’ things apart from God. His ‘good’ works were so tainted by his sin that the devil could accuse him and be truthful. When you and I attempt to live apart from Christ we will not accomplish anything that is pleasing to our Lord (John 15:5). When we begin to see our wretchedness from God’s perspective we will flee to the cross and allow the blood of our precious Savior to cleanse us and make us fit for the Master’s use. How long has it been since you were convicted of a particular sin? What did you do about it? Prayer: Lord Jesus, if not for you I would be lost in my sins and bound for a hell that I deserve. Thank you for saving me and cleansing me. Work in me and through to do accrdong to your good pleasure. In Your name, amen