Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Help For The Hurting

SCRIPTURE

Heb 2:17-18 (Living) And it was necessary for Jesus to be like us, his brothers, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God, a Priest who would be both merciful to us and faithful to God in dealing with the sins of the people. 18 For since he himself has now been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like when we suffer and are tempted, and he is wonderfully able to help us.

Heb 4:3 (Living) For only we who believe God can enter into his place of rest. He has said, "I have sworn in my anger that those who don't believe me will never get in," even though he has been ready and waiting for them since the world began.

Heb 4:14-16 (Living) But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting him. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since he had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned. 16 So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.

Heb 5:7-9 (Living) Yet while Christ was here on earth he pleaded with God, praying with tears and agony of soul to the only one who would save him from premature death. And God heard his prayers because of his strong desire to obey God at all times. 8 And even though Jesus was God's Son, he had to learn from experience what it was like to obey when obeying meant suffering. 9 It was after he had proved himself perfect in this experience that Jesus became the Giver of eternal salvation to all those who obey him.

OBSERVATION

We have all seen a lot of suffering in this world; I have seen my wife with her struggles, suffering physically everyday with ailments that no doctor has been able to relieve. I hear about the intense suffering of patients battling with their fight against cancer. I have seen despair crushing down on helpless people, I have seen pictures of torture victims in other countries. We have all seen people on television that suffer from hunger and famine.

God’s son came to earth he saw a world full of hurting people, he saw the persecution, he saw the sick the hungry, and he saw the despair of hopelessness (Compassion of Jesus- Matthew 9:36, 14:14, 15:32, 20:34).

Jesus experienced temptation, he was pushed by Satan to give in to human weakness, he was hungry, and he was dealing with Satan’s tricks. He cried out loud when he saw the “lost sheep” everywhere. In agony he told his disciples in the garden "My soul is crushed with horror and sadness to the point of death.” He prayed to God in the garden to save him from the cruel death on the cross (Hebrews 5:7) and from the cross he cried out with a broken heart, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)

We have a compassionate Savior that is fully aware of our pain because Christ shared in our humanity, the temptations and the suffering that he went through enables him to sympathize with us and help us.

As simplistic as it sounds, yet difficult to do we have to trust in Jesus, we must “come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need”. It sounds simple in theory but in the midst of the battles we have to remember to stay before the throne, the throne where we will receive mercy and grace (4:16).

We all seek to find rest hopefully we do better than God’s people that were moving to the Promised Land. They labored in the desert because of their unbelief. They labored in the Promised Land and never took control of it because they didn’t have faith that they would win the battles (3:18, 19).

Some times God brings us through some desert land and we have to remember to keep the faith. If you are weary of the suffering that you are going through please keep the faith. Take comfort in the promise that God’s rest is still available today (4:1) he invites us to:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)

APPLICATION

Therefore we should:

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Heb 10:22-23 (NIV)

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For in just a very little while,
"He who is coming will come and will not delay.
Heb 10:35-37 (NIV)

PRAYER

Father I know many people that are suffering and longing for relief, strengthen their faith Lord until you bring them into your rest.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Jesus Is The Greatest

SCRIPTURE

Heb 1:1-4 (NIV)  In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Heb 2:1-4 (NIV) We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? Those who heard him confirmed this salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, to us. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

OBSERVATION

Just like a child that has never met his parents and longs to know them, God knew that we would want to know him. God has always been revealing himself to his creation, in the past he used the prophets by using dreams and visions and he even spoke to Abraham and Moses personally.

But now God has revealed himself in a better way. He has given us his son, which is an exact representation of himself, just like looking in a mirror.

The scripture says that Jesus is:

• Heir of all things
• Creator of the universe
• Sustainer of all things
• The radiance of God’s glory
• Our Savior

• Sitting at the right hand of God.
• God’s son
• Worshipped by God’s angels
• Going to rule forever on his righteous throne

Wow, just like a small child that believes his dad is the greatest, we should be even more so impressed that the God that created us has everything under control.

Therefore since we have an awesome and righteous God we must be very careful that we do not ignore his plan for making us right with him, if we do then how will we escape our just punishment for everything that we have done wrong?

APPLICATION

I know that my creator is the awesome God of the universe. I will thank him for caring about me and for making me right with him.

PRAYER

Thank you Lord for your great salvation!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Salvation Is Available To All

SCRIPTURE

Romans 9:30 – 11:36

Romans 10:4, 8-13 (Living) They don't understand that Christ gives to those who trust in him everything they are trying to get by keeping his laws. He ends all of that. 8 For salvation that comes from trusting Christ--which is what we preach--is already within easy reach of each of us; in fact, it is as near as our own hearts and mouths. 9 For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation.

11 For the Scriptures tell us that no one who believes in Christ will ever be disappointed. 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect: they all have the same Lord who generously gives his riches to all those who ask him for them. 13 Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.


OBSERVATION

How awesome that God loves all of us the same and that he gives everybody the opportunity to be right with him.The righteousness that comes through faith (9:30), it came from God (10:3) and it is available to everyone that believes it (10:4).
How do we get right with God? All you have to do is “tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (10:9-10)
How simple is that? Declare that out of God’s kindness (11:5,6) Jesus is your Lord and believe that Christ death didn’t keep him down but that he came back to life again and went on to heaven.

How do we know that we will live again? Because Christ is our example, if he died and returned to life and then went on to heaven then we can be sure that he has the power to do this same thing for us.

How did we become a part of the blessings promised to the Jews? It is nothing that we did to earn it, all along God wanted everyone to come to him in repentance so there really isn’t much difference between us; we are all alike (10:11-13), we have been grafted into the family tree. But don’t think that you are something because you are in the family tree and others have been cut out for you know that he can cut you out too (11:17-21), you have to remember that God is kind but he is also just (11:22).

How long is this offer good for? God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises (11:29).

How wonderful is our God?

Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his counselor and guide? And who could ever offer to the Lord enough to induce him to act? For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore (11:33-36).

APPLICATION

I will always be thankful that I am included in the blessings that be promises to his own people, I have been grafted into his family tree.

PRAYER

Thank you Lord for making it simple to become on of your own, I didn’t earn it, I just had to believe. Thank you that anyone can call upon you and be saved (10:13).

Monday, September 22, 2008

The Lord's Plans

SCRIPTURE

Romans 8:28-30 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 9:14-16  What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

1 Chron 29:11-12  Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

Isaiah 45:9-11  "Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'He has no hands'? 10 Woe to him who says to his father, 'What have you begotten?' or to his mother, 'What have you brought to birth?' 11 "This is what the LORD says-- the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands?

OBSERVATION

Here is possibly the most difficult concept to understand, it is so obvious how small our brains are, at least mine is.

God is in control, not only is he in control but he is in complete control. Whether in heaven or on earth, king or peasant. He is personally involved and he has a personal investment in us. No problem for me to understand, but I have to remember that he is still in control even though he has given me a free will. If we have free will then how can he still be in control? Instead of being a harsh dictator forcing his will on us he somehow lovingly works out his will through our will.

It seems unfair from a human perspective that some of us would be chosen and others are not chosen and he knows which are chosen and which are not even before we were born. Out of all the thousands of people on the earth he chose Abram, he chose Isaac over Abraham’s other sons, and out of twelve brothers God chose Joseph. Think about Jacob and Essau, Jacob was chosen over Essau before their birth. Actually that’s how it is for everyone, he has always known the outcome of our lives.

God knew when he made me that I would accept Jesus as my Savior. He knows when he makes somebody that will not accept Jesus as his Savior, but still he makes that person anyway. He knew which person would be a great humanitarian and which person would become a killer. He knew that Cain would kill Abel. He could have only made perfect people incapable of doing wrong but then we wouldn’t love him out of our own desire and free choice and that’s what true love is.

He has determined that some will be healed from an illness and others won’t, some will live through war and some will die. Some will live to one hundred years and some will not leave the womb alive.

Job suffered without an explanation, as I heard pastor Adrian Rogers say “Job didn’t have the first few chapters of the book of Job to explain to him what was going on,” he just had to live through it. Countless millions have suffered with disease and have endured pain that is never healed. Some live with torture and persecution while others live with liberty and freedom.

I can not understand a lot of these things, but I do know God and as I learn more and more about him I know that I can trust him for the things I do not understand. The main essence of God’s being is that he is holy that is his highest moral excellence, the thing that separates him above all else. The Bible tells us that he is a just judge, that he is merciful and loving and that he doesn’t want anyone to perish.

His plan has always to show himself as a just and loving God no matter what circumstances we are in that fact does not change.

Romans 11:36  For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore.

APPLICATION

No matter what happens in life there is a purpose and there is a good chance I will not understand the purpose because my God is way bigger than me. I will trust him no matter what.

PRAYER

Help me Lord in the difficult moments to rely on you and remember that you loved me enough to send your son to die for me.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Romans 1-8 In Review

When I finished the book of Acts I almost didn't start the book of Romans, I was tempted to jump to another book.

I am glad I didn't it's been fun.

Here is a basic outline of what I have learned in Romans so far:
  • God has something against me.
  • The law proved that God really does have something against me.
  • We need to be made right with Him.
  • The way to be made right with God is through faith, just like Abraham was.
  • Now that you are right with God you will have peace and joy.
  • You also have become a friend of God and a part of the family.
  • Because of this we can say that we have a new life.
  • We are alive in Christ but struggling to become more like Christ.
  • It is a struggle to live the new life but we have the power through the Holy Spirit to be more than conquerors.

Friday, September 19, 2008

In The Family -Part 2

SCRIPTURE

Romans 8:29-39 For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him--and all along he knew who would--should become like his Son, so that his Son would be the First, with many brothers. 30 And having chosen us, he called us to come to him; and when we came, he declared us "not guilty," filled us with Christ's goodness, gave us right standing with himself, and promised us his glory.

31 What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God is on our side, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won't he also surely give us everything else?

33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has forgiven us and given us right standing with himself.

34 Who then will condemn us? Will Christ? No! For he is the one who died for us and came back to life again for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us there in heaven.

35 Who then can ever keep Christ's love from us? When we have trouble or calamity, when we are hunted down or destroyed, is it because he doesn't love us anymore? And if we are hungry or penniless or in danger or threatened with death, has God deserted us?

36 No, for the Scriptures tell us that for his sake we must be ready to face death at every moment of the day--we are like sheep awaiting slaughter; 37 but despite all this, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us. 38 For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God's love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, 39 or where we are--high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean--nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us.


OBSERVATION

“God’s son would be the first with many brothers” yep we are indeed a part of the family just as we said yesterday that we have a lot of benefits that come to us as a child of God and they just keep on coming, here are some more.

When we stand in God’s courtroom there will be nothing to worry about. Who could possibly condemn you?

Will it be God? No, remember He is the one that made us right in His sight through Christ.

Will it be Christ Jesus? He is our advocate in heaven and besides why would He suffer and die for us if it didn’t have any affect?

Will it be anything else? No way! There is nothing that can keep us from God’s love now that you are in His family.

When the hard times come did He stop loving us? No, remember we said that this new life is hard, we are slaves to righteousness, it is a battle as we saw in Romans 6. Remember that we saw yesterday that we must share in the suffering here on earth if we are going to share in the glory that is to come.

We are more than conquerors and nothing can throw us out of God’s family.

APPLICATION

No matter how bad things get I will remember that I am in the family of God and that I will overcome.

PRAYER

Thank you Jesus that you take care of your children in this life and beyond.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

We Are In God's Family

God has a big, big house.
SCRIPTURE

Romans 8:15-23 (Living)  15 And so we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves, but we should behave like God's very own children, adopted into the bosom of his family, and calling to him, "Father, Father." 16 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we really are God's children. 17 And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for all God gives to his Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. 19 For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children. 20,21 For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay --the things that overcame the world against its will at God's command--will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God's children enjoy.

22 For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event. 23 And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us--bodies that will never be sick again and will never die.

OBSERVATION

Yesterday we talked about the power that we have from the Holy Spirit to live this “new life” and that He makes us able to please God.

Since we are able to please God (Romans 8:4-5) then we should not be afraid of Him but instead we should act like a member of His family. We are His children with all the rewards that come from having a rich father.

We have many benefits as His child, I will mention some today and share some more of them tomorrow. He has prepared a kingdom for us (Matthew 25:34), He has a new body for us (verse 23), He gave us his Son don’t you think that He will give us everything else (verse 32)?

But if we are going to be a part of that future glory then first we have to endure some trouble here on this earth (verse 17). Just like it is in your family, there are hard times that you go through, lots of trouble everywhere sin has caused all of creation to suffer (verse 22-23) but hopefully you ride out the storms together and come through them closer than you were before.

Just don’t get too worked up about this suffering that you are doing down here because it isn’t nothing compared to the glory that is to come. And beside that “we know that everything that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans (verse 28).

APPLICATION

I will wait patiently for Christ return despite the difficult times that I must go through.

PRAYER

Jesus, help me to remember that I have the easy life. I could have been born in a country that doesn’t tolerate faith in You, suffering along with so many countless others. They have it bad just like Paul did but he was still able to say that this pain isn’t anything compared to what is to come in heaven.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Help, I Can't Do This Alone

SCRIPTURE

Romans 7:15-25 I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can't. I do what I don't want to--what I hate. 16 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. 17 But I can't help myself because I'm no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things.

18 I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can't make myself do right. I want to but I can't. 19 When I want to do good, I don't; and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. 20 Now if I am doing what I don't want to, it is plain where the trouble is: sin still has me in its evil grasp. 21 It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love to do God's will so far as my new nature is concerned; 23-25 but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God's willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.

So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I'm in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.

Romans 8:4-8 (Living)So now we can obey God's laws if we follow after the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old evil nature within us. 5 Those who let themselves be controlled by their lower natures live only to please themselves, but those who follow after the Holy Spirit find themselves doing those things that please God. 6 Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, but following after the old nature leads to death 7 because the old sinful nature within us is against God. It never did obey God's laws and it never will. 8 That's why those who are still under the control of their old sinful selves, bent on following their old evil desires, can never please God.

OBSERVATION

Yesterday we discussed the new life that we have through Christ and that we have to choose to be controlled as if we are a slave to righteousness. I hope that everybody that read that is back again today because there is something that I didn’t tell you.

This new life stuff, it is hard! I am trying to do what is right but oh no I blew it again. I wanted to watch my mouth, I wanted to be nicer to her, I wanted to pray and read my Bible and I meant to stay away from that. Within my own power I can not follow God’s perfect law for very long.

How can I possibly do it? God will never tell us to do something that we don’t have the power to do. I don’t have the power to do it on my own but thank you Jesus that you sent a helper to us like you said that you would.

The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to do those things that are pleasing to God, the power to overcome our old way of life that is trying to get us to live according to this world.

For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants. Phil 2:13 (Living)

APPLICATION

I will stay plugged into the power source. The Holy Spirit is the only power that I can use to live a life that is pleasing to God.

PRAYER

Thank you Jesus for sending the Holy Spirit to give us the power to please God with our lives.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Give Up The Control Button

SCRIPTURE

Romans 6:1-4,12,17-18  What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

OBSERVATION

I like to be in control, my biggest regrets are the ones that I made when I was in charge of my life. Paul said that we are supposed to be living a new life but that is a difficult concept to understand when you have been in church since before you were born and you believe the lie that you never did anything that was too bad. We are all bad when we use the correct measuring stick. I grew up in church and became a Christian at nine years old, I have been in church 98% of the Sundays that I have been alive, I was a compliant kid so how much new life did I need?

No matter how good we are we still have to decide who is in charge of our life. It took almost forty years for me to understand that I was letting the old sin nature reign. I was a Christian but I had not been living the new life, I was choosing the wrong master.

We all have to decide if we will follow the sinful desires of this world or as a Christian should be doing, we should be living a new life that is opposite of the way that the rest of the world lives.

Away then with sinful, earthly things…You are living a brand new kind of life that is continually learning more and more of what is right, and trying constantly to be more and more like Christ who created this new life within you. Col 3:5, 10 (Living)

The choice is mine every hour of the day, I am just one step from stupid. Am I going to follow the desires of this world or will I choose the slavery that leads to holiness and eternal life

APPLICATION

I will choose the correct master and remember that:

You should have as little desire for this world as a dead person does. Your real life is in heaven with Christ and God. Col 3:3 (Living)

PRAYER

Father God thank you for the privilege of living in this country and growing up in a Christian home. Thank you for a deeper knowledge of you, I pray that I will make the right choice every hour to live a new life that is free from the desires of this world.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Our Forever Friend

SCRIPTURE

Romans 5:1-11 So now, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to be patient. 4 And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. 5 Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well. For we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

6 When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him. 7 Even if we were good, we really wouldn't expect anyone to die for us, though, of course, that might be barely possible. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since by his blood he did all this for us as sinners, how much more will he do for us now that he has declared us not guilty? Now he will save us from all of God's wrath to come. 10 And since, when we were his enemies, we were brought back to God by the death of his Son, what blessings he must have for us now that we are his friends and he is living within us!

11 Now we rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God--all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done in dying for our sins--making us friends of God.

OBSERVATION

The last time I talked about that we have all sinned (3:23) and that we cannot became right with God through good works (3:20, 28). Even Abraham, chosen to be the father of the Jewish nation, you figure he must have been of pretty good character but God told us that even he was declared righteous only through his faith (4:3).

Now today I can see in chapter five, the benefits that we receive as a result of our good standing with God. Now we can know real peace with God and we can have joy that will last in the good times and the bad. Joy that is based on the hope of knowing that despite all these trials we still have Gods power through the Holy Spirit.

What an awesome relationship that we can have with our creator! We have been saved from all of God’s wrath that we deserved. Its amazing that He did all these things for us before we were His friends. No greater love could God have shown than to die for His enemy’s, but now because of that death we can become friends of God.

Col 1:20-21  It was through what his Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him--all things in heaven and on earth--for Christ's death on the cross has made peace with God for all by his blood.  This includes you who were once so far away from God.


APPLICATION

I will remember the benefits that God gives to all His friends. I will check out the list of benefits in Psalm 103!

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…

PRAYER

Don’t let me forget how much that you have done for me, none of which I deserve.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Do You Measure Up?

SCRIPTURE

Romans 3:9-10  What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one.

Romans 3:21-24  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 4:1-3  What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about--but not before God. 3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

OBSERVATION

Are you good enough? We always think better of ourselves than we should, there is always somebody that we can use as an example of how bad we could be, that makes us feel pretty good about ourselves. Problem is that the goal is to be righteous and I can’t see anybody making that big of a claim about himself.

How in the world can I expect to meet the criteria, I don’t see much chance that I will become righteous no matter how long I live. Actually Paul tells me that I have no hope of achieving this goal in my own power but there is a way to make it happen:

Romans 3:23-24  Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious ideal; 24 yet now God declares us "not guilty" of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins.

Wow! We have offended God but he freely declares us “not guilty” and the only thing that I had to do was to trust in His only Son that paid the price for all the ways that I fall short of the goal of being righteous.

Thankfully all I have to do is follow Abraham’s example, his faith was credited to him as righteousness. We can look back and see how many times that he blew it and fell short but God declared him “right with Him” through faith alone.

Psalms 32:1-5  What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.

APPLICATION

I believe that I didn’t stand a chance to perform up to God’s standard, but He always knew that I couldn’t and had a plan from the beginning to make me right with Him. I will trust God and His promise to take away my guilt and clear my record.

PRAYER

Thank you for taking the burden away of trying to be good enough to have a relationship with you.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Hypocrite!

SCRIPTURE


Romans 2 – 3:8

19 You are so sure of the way to God that you could point it out to a blind man. You think of yourselves as beacon lights, directing men who are lost in darkness to God. 20 You think that you can guide the simple and teach even children the affairs of God, for you really know his laws, which are full of all knowledge and truth.

21 Yes, you teach others--then why don't you teach yourselves? You tell others not to steal--do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery--do you do it? You say "Don't pray to idols" and then make money your god instead.

23 You are so proud of knowing God's laws, but you dishonor him by breaking them. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say that the world speaks evil of God because of you.

25 Being a Jew is worth something if you obey God's laws; but if you don't, then you are no better off than the heathen. 26 And if the heathen obey God's laws, won't God give them all the rights and honors he planned to give the Jews? 27 In fact, those heathen will be much better off than you Jews who know so much about God and have his promises but don't obey his laws

OBSERVATION


Its annoying when you are counting on someone and they don’t live up to their word. We have all done it to our spouses, friends and family but I must add one more to the list that we have done it to.

How many times have we made promises to God or we commit ourselves to obey Him and then we turned out to be a traitor.

We dare to judge others and pass that judgement along in gossip, which sometimes is disguised as a prayer request, but so often we forget that in some other situation we may be guilty of the same exact sin.

“When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are talking about yourselves, for you do these very same things. And we know that God, in justice, will punish anyone who does such things as these. Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them and overlook you when you do them, too?”

Not so with God He gave us His word and He will follow through “He will give each one whatever his deeds deserve” (verse 6). “But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all that obey him, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. For God treats everyone the same.“

APPLICATION


I will show mercy to those that stumble in their Christian walk in hopes that they will extend the same mercy to me when I fail.

PRAYER


Help me Lord to obey your commands consistently.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

God Has Good News For You

Scripture

Romans 1

Observation

Paul starts off his letter to the Romans by introducing himself as a servant of Jesus set apart for telling the good news, he is God’s man for spreading the gospel truth.

The gospel truth that was promised by God had now been fulfilled through Jesus. This is good news that is available to everybody through God's power we are made right with him.

Paul warns us that if we reject this truth that we are going to see God’s wrath instead of the grace that is being offered to us (compare verse 5 and verse 18).

God has revealed Himself to all mankind so that we are without excuse and when we reject Him and refuse to worship Him then we are inclined to set-up a god that we will worship. This sin sends us down a slippery slope that leads us into an ever-increasing pattern of rebellion (verses 18-31).

I can see now why there is so much badness in this broken world today, the scripture tells us that it is just a natural consequence of a world that does not accept the good news and come into a right relationship with our creator.

Application

I will not be ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. -Romans 1:16

Prayer

Lord I pray that I will be wise and not give glory away that belongs to you, I will continue to be a witness for you.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Don't Stop Spreading The Good News

SCRIPTURE

Acts 28:16, 23, 30-31  When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to live wherever he wanted to, though guarded by a soldier.

23 So a time was set, and on that day large numbers came to his house. He told them about the Kingdom of God and taught them about Jesus from the Scriptures--from the five books of Moses and the books of prophecy. He began lecturing in the morning and went on into the evening!

30 Paul lived for the next two years in his rented house and welcomed all that visited him, 31 telling them with all boldness about the Kingdom of God and about the Lord Jesus Christ; and no one tried to stop him.

OBSERVATION

Despite a difficult journey and being shipwrecked, Paul makes it to Rome and is placed under house arrest, which lasted for two years.

What an opportunity! From here Paul writes the books of Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon. And he still has time to start a house church, which was allowed to prosper without opposition.

That is something that the early church in Israel wasn’t allowed to do. I am reminded of the house churches in China that are persecuted. The pastors and the congregations come under harsh treatment for their faith but despite the persecution the church continues to grow. I am reminded of what Paul said in his letter to the Philippians:

Phil 1:12-14  And I want you to know this, dear brothers: Everything that has happened to me here has been a great boost in getting out the Good News concerning Christ. 13 For everyone around here, including all the soldiers over at the barracks, knows that I am in chains simply because I am a Christian. 14 And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here seem to have lost their fear of chains! Somehow my patience has encouraged them, and they have become more and more bold in telling others about Christ.

Paul suffered so much throughout his ministry for the kingdom but he said it was all for the good of spreading “the Good News concerning Christ.”

APPLICATION

I will pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ, those that pay the price everyday for their beliefs.

PRAYER

Make me bold in sharing the gospel in a land that has no opposition to it being shared. I thank you for the opportunity to live in such comfort, forgive me for living too comfortable so that I have not been bold enough about sharing the Good News.

Monday, September 08, 2008

Stubborn Determination

SCRIPTURE

Acts 22:3-5  "I am a Jew," he said, "born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, but educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel, at whose feet I learned to follow our Jewish laws and customs very carefully. I became very anxious to honor God in everything I did, just as you have tried to do today. 4 And I persecuted the Christians, hounding them to death, binding and delivering both men and women to prison. 5 The High Priest or any member of the Council can testify that this is so. For I asked them for letters to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, with instructions to let me bring any Christians I found to Jerusalem in chains to be punished.

Acts 22:12-16  There a man named Ananias, as godly a man as you could find for obeying the law and well thought of by all the Jews of Damascus, 13 came to me, and standing beside me said, 'Brother Paul, receive your sight!' And that very hour I could see him!

14 "Then he told me, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Messiah and hear him speak. 15 You are to take his message everywhere, telling what you have seen and heard. 16 And now, why delay? Go and be baptized and be cleansed from your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'

Acts 24:14-16  "But one thing I do confess, that I believe in the way of salvation, which they refer to as a sect; I follow that system of serving the God of our ancestors. I firmly believe in the Jewish law and everything written in the books of prophecy; 15 and I believe, just as these men do, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the ungodly. 16 Because of this, I try with all my strength to always maintain a clear conscience before God and man.

Acts 26:30-31  Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. 31 As they talked it over afterwards they agreed, "This man hasn't done anything worthy of death or imprisonment."

OBSERVATION

There are many devout people today, earnest and very sincere in what they believe. Just like them Paul was as well, first he was devout for the old way, the way that did not follow Christ. He was very zealous to protect the Law and the Prophets without truly understanding what they said about Christ.

Just like Paul, Ananias was very devoted to the old way but as we see in his response to Paul, he had accepted the good news and had become a follower of Jesus and now he is asking Paul to do the same.

The Jews bringing Paul to trial were just as sincere (22:3), but they were sincerely wrong and had missed the Messiah.

APPLICATION


I need to have a stubborn determination to share the good news about what Christ has done; in the face of many different belief systems that exist today; I need to share the truth with as much enthusiasm as Paul had.

PRAYER

Make me as bold as Paul in taking a stand

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Keep God's Will In Focus

SCRIPTURE

Acts 20:22-24  "And now I am going to Jerusalem, drawn there irresistibly by the Holy Spirit, not knowing what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit has told me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus--the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.

Acts 21:10-15  During our stay of several days, a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea 11 and visited us. He took Paul's belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and turned over to the Romans.' " 12 Hearing this, all of us--the local believers and his traveling companions--begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 13 But he said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! For I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but also to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." 14 When it was clear that he wouldn't be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The will of the Lord be done." 15 So shortly afterwards we packed our things and left for Jerusalem.

OBSERVATION

Paul lived his life with a single purpose that he must work to tell others the Good News of the gospel, what a bold statement. There are so many things that get in the way of what we are here to accomplish on this planet, the cares of this life press us and distract us everyday and the devil is pleased.

He is pleased that we are sticking up for our own interest, that we are protecting our self-esteem and our pursuit of worldly treasure. He loves it that we are bogged down in debt and trying to pay the bills but can’t get ahead meanwhile we are distracted from our God given task. What a delight for him that we are fighting each other even our spouses, family members and our fellow Christians.

Paul says it again elsewhere:

That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me but what is best for them, so that they may be saved. 1 Cor 10:33 (Living)

And Christ said:

Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For anyone who keeps his life for himself shall lose it; and anyone who loses his life for me shall find it again. Matt 16:24-25 (Living)

Would I be willing to be thrown in jail or to die for Christ purpose? What a difficult concept, totally contrary to the plan that Satan gets us trapped in, as we buy into his lies.

APPLICATION

I am here as a pilgrim just passing through and I need to travel light and stay on task, working to tell others the good news.

PRAYER

Lord help me to live each day from your perspective of my life and my purpose for being here. Keep me from the cares of this world and help me to please you by doing your kingdom work.

Saturday, September 06, 2008

He Is A Big God

SCRIPTURE

Acts 17

OBSERVATION

The gospel reached Greece in chapter 16 when Paul and Silas went to Philippi.

Now after being thrown in jail and then being asked to leave town they head toward Thessalonica where they encountered more trouble. For three weeks he taught them about Christ, many people in the crowds were persuaded and became believers but there were troublemakers in the crowd as well. They had to sneak out of town and just down the road they came to Berea.

The Bereans accepted Paul’s message even better than the Thessalonians did for they were diligent to search the scripture and verify what Paul was teaching to them. Never the less he was still sent packing and now he reached Athens.

In Athens they were accustomed to hearing many different philosophies and beliefs and they allowed Paul to speak without any threats of harm. Paul spoke from Mars Hill about the multitude of gods that they worshiped, he gave this speech just across from the Acropolis which had temples to pagan gods, across from the Acropolis were other temples.

No wonder he told them that our God "made the world and everything in it, and since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples” (Acts 17:24)

Our God is too big for that!

APPLICATION

I will remember that you are the big God that I can depend on and trust in.

PRAYER

Help me understand that you are big enough to handle anything that comes my way. Help me to remember that you alone sustain me and you are always with me.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Change Is Good

SCRIPTURE

Acts 16

OBSERVATION

The first mission trip Paul and Barnabas received their instruction from the Holy Spirit, now for their second trip they are trying to make their own plans but they had to wait for the Holy Spirit to verify which direction to go.

On the road again and this time Paul takes Silas and their first stop is northern Greece, which is the area of Macedonia, they meet Lydia in Philippi and she became a believer. While they are staying in Philippi they are beaten and thrown into prison on false charges.

What a place for a revival to take place! Our pastor would love to have a “captive” audience, the jailer and the prisoners were all stuck listening to Paul and Silas as they pray and sing hymns. It had to have an effect on them all because when the chains came loose nobody bolted for the doors that were standing wide open. The gospel had an effect on the jailer as well and then when he took Paul and Silas home with him they began to preach to his entire household and they are saved.

The gospel changes lives; the prisoners didn’t run when they had a chance and the jailer took his prisoner’s home with him and nursed his wounds. What Paul later told the Corinthians is true:

2 Cor 5:17-20   When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! 18 All these new things are from God who brought us back to himself through what Christ Jesus did. And God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into his favor and be reconciled to him. 19 For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men's sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 20 We are Christ's ambassadors. God is using us to speak to you: we beg you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, receive the love he offers you--be reconciled to God.

Many questions come to mind here. Are you in Christ? Do you look like a person changed by Christ? Do you live a different way from how the rest of the world does? Am I behaving like it is a privilege to tell others?

I have been a Christian for a long time but I still do not look enough like Christ, and I still do not behave like an ambassador should. Yes I am a good man and I talk to people about God but I am not behaving like an ambassador that is privileged to tell the wonderful message. I have just suffered the lose of two friends, one that my family is confident is with God right now but the other person that was with her nobody is confident about were he is sending eternity right now. I didn’t know him very well but I wish I had been friendlier and had taken more time to know him well enough to know where he stood with God.

7 For the Holy Spirit, God's gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them. 8 If you will stir up this inner power, you will never be afraid to tell others about our Lord. 2 Tim 1:7-8 (Living)

APPLICATION

I will be friendlier to others to win an opportunity to give them the good news, which is my privilege to do.

PRAYER

Impress on me Lord the shortness of life and the importance of the task that I am here to accomplish.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Sacred Cows Can Stink The Place Up

Scripture

Acts 15:1-2, 10-11  While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers:

“Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.

10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

Observation

Why does it have to be so hard? Why do we have so many rules about church?
  •     It has to start at this time, it has to finish at this
  •     The choir needs to sing
  •     Why is my favorite hymn being ignored
  •     The pastor sure went long today
  •     That's the deacons job
Some of the stuff that we dwell on and the rules and procedures that we support need to be changed.

Good news, a group of Pharisees became believers. Bad news: they are still hanging onto the rules. These newly converted Pharisees that could not keep the law are now trying to burden the new Gentile believers with it, didn't they remember how badly the law was being abused and how none of them were able to keep it. How can they succeed when the Pharisees didn't.

Application

Church shouldn't be a place that is "stinked" up with a bunch of rules. I will remember to do church with an attitude of love and forgiveness instead of a bunch of rules about being good and doing the right things.

Prayer

Help us to let go of the sacred cows in our thinking on how to do church.