He Is Able
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
Despite man’s arrogant pride, he is utterly unable to save himself or to make himself acceptable to God. Neither is he able to keep himself saved nor, above all, is he able to defeat sin and conquer death.
But God is able! The word “able” (Greek dunamai) is closely related to the word for “power” (Greek dunamis), both speaking of God’s spiritual dynamics. He is all-powerful, His ability is without limit, and His power “works in us”!
Therefore, “he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (Hebrews 7:25). Because the gospel of Christ is the “power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16), God “is of power to stablish you according to my gospel” (Romans 16:25).
Even when great troubles and sorrows and temptations come, He is able. “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). He “is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 1:24).
In fact, He is able to meet every need of our lives and even to use us in His service. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
Finally, “he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). That day will surely come, but then He will give us bodies of glory, for “he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:21). HMM
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Ephesians 3:20)
With Eternity in View - By Greg Laurie -
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. -John 16:33
History records many stories of great heroes of the faith, one of whom was Polycarp. He was a committed Christian living during the time of the Roman Empire. The Caesars thought they were gods, and they wanted the people to start worshipping them as such. The basic routine was for Roman subjects to swear by the genius of Caesar, essentially saying that Caesar is lord. It made the Caesars happy, but it proved to be a dilemma for Christians, because for them, Jesus was Lord.
Among them was Polycarp, who was arrested and brought to the arena. The Roman proconsul gave him a choice: either curse the name of Christ and make a sacrifice to Caesar, or die.
So Polycarp answered, "For eighty and six years have I been his servant, and he has done me no wrong, and how can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?"
They took him to the stake to be burned, and when the soldier lit the fire, the flames encircled Polycarp but didn't touch him as he sang praises to God. So he was thrust through with a spear, and his blood extinguished the flames.
"Such a tragedy," we say. But I don't think of it as a tragedy. Everyone has to die. The tragedy would have been if Polycarp had denied the Lord. We put so much stock in what happens here and now, but we don't think about eternity.
Maybe you're going through a fire of sorts right now, a time of great difficulty. I want to remind you that if you're a Christian, Jesus Christ is there with you. So don't lose hope. I know it may seem like there is no end in sight, but take heart. He is with you. And He will see you through it.
Keep Your Eyes on the Finish Line - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? -Galatians 5:7
I don't like puffy biographies that read like a promo piece, telling the story of an individual who did no wrong. Rather, I like to read biographies that tell me about someone's strengths and weaknesses, their foibles and their shortcomings. I can't relate to a perfect person, because I'm not one.
One of the things I appreciate about the Bible is that it's such an honest book. It gives us its heroes, warts and all. It tells story after story of those who flourished spiritually at first, but then they withered. There are so many who had great potential, but then they crashed and burned.
Saul, the first king of Israel, comes to mind in that regard. He appeared to have all the right qualities. He was charismatic. He was handsome. He was tall. He was sharp. He had a certain humility about him. Most importantly, God's Spirit had come upon him and anointed him for the task at hand.
After he became the king of Israel, everything was going well for a relatively short time. But Saul allowed himself to give way to pride, paranoia, and jealousy. It consumed him, and he met an untimely end on the battlefield.
Saul essentially wrote his own epitaph when he said, "Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly" (1 Samuel 26:21). How true that was. He threw it all away.
If you want to finish well, then here is what it comes down to: It comes down to you. What do you want to do? God wants every one of us to finish the race and fulfill our ministry. The question is do you want to do it? Do you want to cross the finish line? If so, you will. If not, you won't. It's entirely your choice.
What Worry Costs Us
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. -1 Peter 5:7
A story is told of a man who was walking toward a city one morning when he saw Death walking in the same direction. The man stopped Death and said, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going into that city to take one hundred people," Death replied.
"That is horrible," the man said.
"It's what I do."
So the man ran to the city ahead of Death and warned everyone he could. When evening fell, he saw Death walking away from the city. The man ran up and said, "I thought you were going to take only one hundred people. Why did one thousand die?"
"I kept my word," said Death. "I took only one hundred people. Worry took the rest."
That's how life can be. Worry can get us. Studies have shown that 75 to 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are stress-related complaints or disorders. Yet most of what we worry about never actually happens. In a survey on worry, Dr. Walter Calvert reported that only eight percent of the things people worried about were legitimate matters of concern. The other ninety-two percent were either imaginary or never happened.
The word worry is derived from an Old English word that means, "to choke." That's what worry does: it chokes us.
The Bible says, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7). The idea of casting is throwing something. It would be like carrying extra luggage, and a friend says to you, "Hey, let me take that load."
"Gladly," you say. "Thank you!"
That's what Peter was saying here. Take your worries and throw them upon Christ, because He cares for you.
Live Fully - By Greg Laurie - Greg Laurie -
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. -Joshua 14:14
We have a lot of half-hearted people filling the pews of churches today. They want to give the bare minimum to the One who gave everything for them. They have too much of the Lord to be happy in this world, but too much of this world to be happy in the Lord. They are in a miserable no-man's land.
The Bible tells the story of Caleb, one of the unsung heroes of Scripture. He never lost his edge spiritually, and in every sense he finished well. He was faithful to the end.
After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Caleb, Joshua, and the Israelites entered the Promised Land. The land was being parceled out, and Caleb was promised a portion of it. We pick up his story in Joshua 14, where he was asking for what had been promised to him:
"I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. . . . Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day" (verses 7-8, 12).
If you want to live the Christian life as it was meant to be lived, then, like Caleb, you need to wholly follow the Lord your God.
After I became a Christian, I started meeting some half-hearted Christians who wanted to play with the world and still be Christians. That made no sense to me. I knew how empty and futile it was.
I urge you, don't lead a half-hearted life. Like Caleb, wholly follow the Lord your God.
The Road of Discipleship Galatians 1:11-17
After Paul's conversion, he disappeared into the desert for three years, during which time the Holy Spirit instructed him in the ways of God. He emerged, ready to communicate divine truth.
The Lord speaks to believers so that they will comprehend the truth, conform to the truth, and communicate the truth. These same steps form a roadmap to discipleship. What happened during Paul's desert years was only the beginning of a life-long process--God renewed his mind and transformed him into the image of Christ. For the apostle, that change began with connecting his rich biblical knowledge to the revelation that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Paul knew Scripture thoroughly, but the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah made him reconsider the foundation he'd been trusting. Everything he knew about God had to be reevaluated in light of this new information. Paul had a history of wanting to please God, so the Holy Spirit no doubt found him a willing pupil.
The apostle's spirit had to be shaped according to the Father's will. And the Lord kept working on him long after Paul left the desert and began his ministry. Every person who reads his letters is a witness to the work of God in a submissive man.
The Lord's discipleship roadmap looks similar for every believer. Like Paul, you are the Holy Spirit's student, and the knowledge you reap from Scripture should be changing your life. Be like the apostle in this way to become a disciple maker by sharing what you learn with others.
Our Righteousness
Ephesians 2:1-10
Anyone who thinks of himself as a pretty good person ought to take a look at God�s assessment of humanity. He says we all come into the world spiritually dead and are ruled by Satan, his world system, and our own sin nature, or flesh. In the Lord�s eyes, we are children of wrath who deserve only punishment.
On the other hand, God is so pure and holy that He is totally separated from all sin and cannot look upon it with any favor or approval (Hab. 1:13). Everything He does is appropriate and beneficial; by comparison, even mankind�s righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). Yet even though we have nothing of value to offer Him, the Lord wants us for His own and has done everything necessary to draw us close.
Those of us who have placed faith in Jesus Christ have been made spiritually alive in Him, and all our sins have been forgiven. There�s a striking contrast between what we were and who we now are in the Lord. But this change has nothing to do with how good we�ve been. Even the faith with which we respond to the Savior comes from God. We can never make ourselves righteous; it�s all a gift from Him. And once He declares us justified, we will never be pronounced guilty again.
God has said that in the ages to come, He wants to show the �surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us� (Eph. 2:7). For all eternity, we will be showered with this awesome demonstration of His love. As great as our blessings are now, they�ll pale in comparison to what awaits us in heaven.
The Living Word/The Word of Life
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” (Philippians 2:16)
There is such beautiful correlation between the Living Word (Christ) and the written Word (the Bible) that certain Scriptures could well apply to either one. Such is the case with our text. The Philippians were exhorted to hold forth the Word of life, which presumably could mean either Christ, the Living Word, or else the Scriptures, which speak of eternal life.
The same dual meaning can be discerned in such texts as 2 Timothy 4:2 (“Preach the word”) and Hebrews 4:12 (“The word of God is quick, and powerful”). In fact, there are many beautiful figures of speech that are applied in the Bible to the ministries of both Christ and the Scriptures in a believer’s life.
For example, Christ is “the light of the world” (John 8:12), but also “the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light” (Proverbs 6:23). Similarly Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), but He also said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4).
The Lord Jesus Christ said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). God also promised that “as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, . . . So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth” (Isaiah 55:10-11).
Both are described as the very personification of truth. Jesus said, “I am . . . the truth,” and He prayed to the Father, “Thy word is truth” (John 14:6; 17:17). Finally, both must be received: “Receive . . . the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21), for “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God” (John 1:12). HMM
Remembering God's Blessings
Psalms 9:1-2
We are given amazing privileges when we trust in Jesus. Recalling these promises is a good way to maintain a thankful heart, even when facing challenges in other areas. Consider four such blessings:
Hardships, temptations, and tests will touch us all, but the Lord allows difficulty for a reason--even when we don’t understand why (Rom. 8:28). Therefore, submit yourself to the Father, thank Him for His wisdom, and be confident that He will accomplish His purposes for you.
Conformity
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29)
One of the greatest dangers facing Christians is the temptation to become conformed to the things of the world around them, thus destroying their testimony for the Lord. We are specifically commanded, in fact, “Be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). One cannot serve two masters, and the great privilege of the believer is the privilege of becoming conformed, not to a dying world, but to the living Christ.
But first we must be conformed to His death, dying to the world and its standards. The greatest desire of the apostle Paul was to “win Christ. . . . That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:8, 10).
Death is far from the end, however. When Christ returns, He “shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21). In this verse, the Greek for “fashioned like” is the same as “conformed to.” These corruptible, dying bodies we now live in will one day be changed. As Christ rose from the dead, we also shall rise, and our bodies, like His, will be alive forevermore.
Even that wonderful prospect is not the best of it, however. Not only will our bodies be incorruptible like His, but we shall be like Him—like Him in holiness, like Him in love, like Him in wisdom. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him” (1 John 3:2). In the words of our text, we are actually predestined to be conformed to the very image of the Son of God! HMM
After Paul's conversion, he disappeared into the desert for three years, during which time the Holy Spirit instructed him in the ways of God. He emerged, ready to communicate divine truth.
The Lord speaks to believers so that they will comprehend the truth, conform to the truth, and communicate the truth. These same steps form a roadmap to discipleship. What happened during Paul's desert years was only the beginning of a life-long process--God renewed his mind and transformed him into the image of Christ. For the apostle, that change began with connecting his rich biblical knowledge to the revelation that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Paul knew Scripture thoroughly, but the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah made him reconsider the foundation he'd been trusting. Everything he knew about God had to be reevaluated in light of this new information. Paul had a history of wanting to please God, so the Holy Spirit no doubt found him a willing pupil.
The apostle's spirit had to be shaped according to the Father's will. And the Lord kept working on him long after Paul left the desert and began his ministry. Every person who reads his letters is a witness to the work of God in a submissive man.
The Lord's discipleship roadmap looks similar for every believer. Like Paul, you are the Holy Spirit's student, and the knowledge you reap from Scripture should be changing your life. Be like the apostle in this way to become a disciple maker by sharing what you learn with others.
Our Righteousness
Ephesians 2:1-10
Anyone who thinks of himself as a pretty good person ought to take a look at God�s assessment of humanity. He says we all come into the world spiritually dead and are ruled by Satan, his world system, and our own sin nature, or flesh. In the Lord�s eyes, we are children of wrath who deserve only punishment.
On the other hand, God is so pure and holy that He is totally separated from all sin and cannot look upon it with any favor or approval (Hab. 1:13). Everything He does is appropriate and beneficial; by comparison, even mankind�s righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). Yet even though we have nothing of value to offer Him, the Lord wants us for His own and has done everything necessary to draw us close.
Those of us who have placed faith in Jesus Christ have been made spiritually alive in Him, and all our sins have been forgiven. There�s a striking contrast between what we were and who we now are in the Lord. But this change has nothing to do with how good we�ve been. Even the faith with which we respond to the Savior comes from God. We can never make ourselves righteous; it�s all a gift from Him. And once He declares us justified, we will never be pronounced guilty again.
God has said that in the ages to come, He wants to show the �surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us� (Eph. 2:7). For all eternity, we will be showered with this awesome demonstration of His love. As great as our blessings are now, they�ll pale in comparison to what awaits us in heaven.
The Living Word/The Word of Life
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” (Philippians 2:16)
Remembering God's Blessings
Psalms 9:1-2
We are given amazing privileges when we trust in Jesus. Recalling these promises is a good way to maintain a thankful heart, even when facing challenges in other areas. Consider four such blessings:
- Christ’s gift of salvation. No matter what trial we’re facing, it is microscopic next to the enormity of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. The cross was a steep price to pay, but the Savior willingly took our place in order to offer us forgiveness and eternal life.
- Assurance of God’s love. The Lord cares for us unconditionally--that is His very character (1 John 4:16). Unfortunately, the storms of life can cause us to question this, but Romans 8:31–39 unequivocally tells us that nothing can separate us from God’s love.
- Answered prayer. We have the awesome privilege of talking to the Father about anything burdening us--and He never grows tired of listening to His children. Our omnipotent, omniscient God is not only able to help us in any situation; He also knows the best possible way to do so.
- A personalized plan. The Lord has a will, plan, and purpose for our lives that He will accomplish if we obey Him. No one is exempt from adversity, but we can trust God to bring good from everything He permits to come our way.
Hardships, temptations, and tests will touch us all, but the Lord allows difficulty for a reason--even when we don’t understand why (Rom. 8:28). Therefore, submit yourself to the Father, thank Him for His wisdom, and be confident that He will accomplish His purposes for you.
Conformity
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29)
Gratitude in Affliction Psalms 119:65-72
At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God's blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn't seem like a blessing--such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks. By making four foundational decisions, we can begin to see the value of our adversities and respond with appreciation.
Believe and trust the Lord. Only by viewing life from a scriptural perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.
Accept the situation as coming from God--either directly sent or permissively allowed. If we truly believe He's working for our good (Rom 8:28-29), we can choose to receive each difficulty as coming from His loving hand. Then we can say "Thank You."
Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God "[is] good and does good" (v. 68) allows us to confidently place our lives under His authority.
Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.
Now, think about that circumstance you would like changed, and with a new mindset, offer this prayer to God: "Lord, I accept this situation as coming from You. In faith and trust, I place myself under Your loving authority, and draw from You the strength I need to endure with gratitude."
One of the Most Important Principles in Reading the BibleJohn Piper
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
One of the most difficult handicaps for a Christian to overcome is spiritual nearsightedness. It is easy to see temporal things but hard to think on eternal things.
Paul, however, in the midst of an extremely busy and difficult temporal life, somehow did manage to keep his sights on that eternal life to which he was called. The wonderful redemption that Christ purchased for us with His blood is nothing less than “eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12); and therefore “he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). Consequently, as joint-heirs with Him, “they which are called . . . receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15). He is, surely, the “God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus” (1 Peter 5:10) and has there provided for us “everlasting habitations” (Luke 16:9).
All of these eternal things—eternal redemption, eternal salvation, eternal inheritance, eternal habitations, and eternal glory—are of infinitely greater value than the temporal things that crowd our minds and limit our goals. They are all a part of the wonderful eternal life we have already received through faith in Christ. It is significant that the phrase “eternal life” (or “everlasting life,” which is the same Greek phrase) occurs no less than 44 times in the New Testament. God speaks of it often, and so should we!
The very first eternal thing mentioned in the Bible is the “everlasting covenant” God has made with all men (Genesis 9:16). The last is the “everlasting gospel” to be preached to all men (Revelation 14:6). HMM
At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God's blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn't seem like a blessing--such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks. By making four foundational decisions, we can begin to see the value of our adversities and respond with appreciation.
Believe and trust the Lord. Only by viewing life from a scriptural perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.
Accept the situation as coming from God--either directly sent or permissively allowed. If we truly believe He's working for our good (Rom 8:28-29), we can choose to receive each difficulty as coming from His loving hand. Then we can say "Thank You."
Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God "[is] good and does good" (v. 68) allows us to confidently place our lives under His authority.
Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.
Now, think about that circumstance you would like changed, and with a new mindset, offer this prayer to God: "Lord, I accept this situation as coming from You. In faith and trust, I place myself under Your loving authority, and draw from You the strength I need to endure with gratitude."
One of the Most Important Principles in Reading the BibleJohn Piper
Sometimes readers of the Bible see the conditions that God lays down for his blessing and they conclude from these conditions that our action is first and decisive, then God responds to bless us.
That is not right.
There are indeed real conditions that God often commands. We must meet them for the promised blessing to come. But that does not mean that we are left to ourselves to meet the conditions or that our action is first and decisive.
Here is one example to show what I mean.
In Jeremiah 29:13 God says to the exiles in Babylon, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." So there is a condition: When you seek me with all your heart, then you will find me. So we must seek the Lord. That is the condition of finding him.
True.
But does that mean that we are left to ourselves to seek the Lord? Does it mean that our action of seeking him is first and decisive? Does it mean that God only acts after our seeking?
No.
Listen to what God says in Jeremiah 24:7 to those same exiles in Babylon: "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart."
So the people will meet the condition of returning to God with their whole heart. God will respond by being their God in the fullest blessing. But the reason they returned with their whole heart is that God gave them a heart to know him. His action was first and decisive.
So now connect that with Jeremiah 29:13. The condition there was that they seek the Lord with their whole heart. Then God will be found by them. But now we see that the promise in Jeremiah 24:7 is that God himself will give them such a heart so that they will return to him with their whole heart.
This is one of the most basic things people need to see about the Bible. It is full of conditions we must meet for God's blessings. But God does not leave us to meet them on our own. The first and decisive work before and in our willing is God's prior grace. Without this insight, hundreds of conditional statements in the Bible will lead us astray.
Let this be the key to all Biblical conditions and commands: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13). Yes, we work. But our work is not first or decisive. God's is. "I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10).
Eternal Things“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
Our text today gives four commands for believers to obey, each of which is difficult but nonetheless “is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (v. 15). It comes in a lengthy passage (2:11–3:12) that discusses the matter of authority and a Christian’s proper response to it. Ponder each command:
Honor all men. This could be translated “Give honor to all.” While the verb is the same as in the last command, its verb tense is not the same, here indicating a continued, conscious choice to do this, while honoring “the king” indicates the development of a lifestyle of showing respect to civil authority. Evidently our day-to-day encounters with sinful “men” require us to be continually choosing to regard them with honor and dignity. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3).
Love the brotherhood. Our agape love—God’s kind of unselfish, undeserved love—should extend, on a habitual basis as seen in the verb tense, to all believers. “See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22).
Fear God. A lifestyle marked by a reverential fear of God is in mind here. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7).
Honor the king. As mentioned above, this is to be a life’s commitment, continually recognizing the God-given authority of human government (1 Peter 2:1-14).
“Having your conversation [i.e., manner of life] honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (v. 12). JDM
Jesus the Source of Peace Colossians 1:15-20
Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness--we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins--past, present, and future--was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice, and God’s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus’ blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now that sin’s power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ’s peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).
The story of the prodigal son’s return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price--the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
Abide
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)
As recorded in John 14–16, many of Christ’s last words to His disciples as He was about to leave them regarded abiding. The word meno occurs 18 times in this discourse and is translated not only “abide” but also “remain,” “dwell,” “continue,” and “be present.” Let us look at what He told them about abiding while He was “yet present” (14:25) with them.
First, “the Father . . . dwelleth in me” (14:10), “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” (v. 11). That is, they are one and the same, inseparably abiding together, giving great power to those believing on Him (v. 12).
Furthermore, the very Spirit of God, the “Comforter,” will “abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive . . . but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (vv. 16-17). “I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you” (v. 20).
Abiding in Him, as we see in our text and in verse 7 (as opposed to the tragic end of those who “abide not” [v. 6]), brings forth much fruit, and that fruit shall “remain” (v. 16).
There is one requirement—that we keep His commandments (14:23 and 15:10), and if we do so, we will “continue” and “abide” in His love (vv. 15:9-10). “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (15:11). Not only are we to abide while in this world, but throughout eternity. “In my Father’s house are many mansions [same root word, meaning abiding places]: . . . I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (14:2-3). JDM
Did He Really Die?
�And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.� (Mark 15:44-45)
The absolute and total physical death of Christ is essential to the gospel. Certain liberals and detractors have for years tried to obscure or deny this vital teaching, claiming that Christ merely �swooned� on the cross and later revived in the tomb, then appeared to His followers who falsely claimed His resurrection.
But to the Christian, the death of Christ is not an option. The Bible teaches that sin had separated each man from God: �For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,� being declared righteous only �through faith in his blood� (Romans 3:23, 25) that was shed on the cross. �Without shedding of blood is no remission� of sin (Hebrews 9:22). There can be no Christianity without the real death of the real, sinless Son of God.
It seems that the gospel writers, in recounting the events of the crucifixion, go to great lengths to make sure no one misunderstands. In Mark 15, for example, nearly 20 people are mentioned who no doubt would testify to His death. Consider the likely testimony of the Roman guards who had tortured Him to the point of death (vv. 15-23), nailed Him on the cross (v. 24), and watched Him die. The executioner (v. 25) and the centurion (vv. 39, 44-45) were trained in killing. They knew how to recognize death. The thieves (v. 27), the mocking passersby (v. 29), the chief priests and scribes (v. 31), the grave keepers (v. 46), all would have had no doubt. Pilate was convinced (vv. 44-45), as were His many friends who watched (vv. 40-41, 47).
There can be no doubt Christ surely died, and He died �to give his life a ransom for many� (Mark 10:45). JDM
Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness--we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried to find it, but our efforts failed.
When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins--past, present, and future--was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice, and God’s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus’ blood (2 Cor. 5:17).
Now that sin’s power over us has been broken, we can live in accord with God. He sent His Holy Spirit to be our personal guide in this new life, helping each of us experience Christ’s peace (Rom. 8:6). We also can look forward to an eternity spent in heaven, where righteousness, tranquility, and joy abound (Rom. 14:17).
The story of the prodigal son’s return is a picture of our reconciliation with the Lord (Luke 15:11-24). The son had chosen to leave his father, living instead to please himself. Repentant, he eventually returned home; his father joyfully greeted him and forgave him, and there was harmony between them. God has done all this for us.
Our unity with the heavenly Father came at a great price--the sacrifice of His only Son. Christ gave His life for us so that we could be reconciled to God (Col. 1:20). Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
Abide
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)
Did He Really Die?
�And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.� (Mark 15:44-45)
Justice and Mercy Romans 3:21-26
The sinful condition of mankind presents us with a dilemma: How can a holy, righteous God forgive our sins? If He deals with us only on the basis of His justice, every human being would suffer the eternal punishment of His wrath, which their sins deserve. But if He extends mercy instead of justice, no one would pay the penalty for sin, and God would then cease to be just.
There was only one way the Lord could stay true to His nature and at the same time forgive our sins. The solution was to satisfy His justice by pouring out His wrath on a substitute. Then the penalty for sin would be paid, and He would be free to extend mercy to sinners. This is the only plan that accommodates both aspects of His divine nature. So Christ came as our substitute; He took the punishment for our sin, enabling us to experience the Father�s mercy. Now, by placing faith in Jesus, anyone can be justified--that is, declared legally righteous.
God�s plan of salvation is simple enough for a child to understand. Yet at the same time, the complexities of the transaction that occurred at Calvary are far beyond human comprehension. Although we may not fully grasp what transpired there, we can know that the cross is the greatest possible display of the Lord�s love for us.
Can you even imagine the cost of your salvation? The magnificent plan of the Father and the willing cooperation of the Son prove your tremendous value in God�s eyes. From His perspective, you are worth all the pain and suffering that was necessary to secure your eternal presence with Him in heaven.
If you are delusional, raise your hand - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
The sinful condition of mankind presents us with a dilemma: How can a holy, righteous God forgive our sins? If He deals with us only on the basis of His justice, every human being would suffer the eternal punishment of His wrath, which their sins deserve. But if He extends mercy instead of justice, no one would pay the penalty for sin, and God would then cease to be just.
There was only one way the Lord could stay true to His nature and at the same time forgive our sins. The solution was to satisfy His justice by pouring out His wrath on a substitute. Then the penalty for sin would be paid, and He would be free to extend mercy to sinners. This is the only plan that accommodates both aspects of His divine nature. So Christ came as our substitute; He took the punishment for our sin, enabling us to experience the Father�s mercy. Now, by placing faith in Jesus, anyone can be justified--that is, declared legally righteous.
God�s plan of salvation is simple enough for a child to understand. Yet at the same time, the complexities of the transaction that occurred at Calvary are far beyond human comprehension. Although we may not fully grasp what transpired there, we can know that the cross is the greatest possible display of the Lord�s love for us.
Can you even imagine the cost of your salvation? The magnificent plan of the Father and the willing cooperation of the Son prove your tremendous value in God�s eyes. From His perspective, you are worth all the pain and suffering that was necessary to secure your eternal presence with Him in heaven.
If you are delusional, raise your hand - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
Just finished reading a story about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delaying tax reform because he can't get enough votes. Same old story with him. Remember the last big vote was repeal of socialist healthcare and he couldn't hold his own Republicans together to vote to end something they all promised to end. We have had over a decade of a do-nothing Congress. The previous "president" remedied the situation with executive orders. The current president is working around Congress through administrative actions and executive orders. Congress, which is supposed to be the check and balance on the President and the Supreme Court, is more of "send me a check to keep my balance."
Republican or Democrat, Congress seems to be the weak link in every year's government. Inaction has resulted in turning the presidency into a near-dictatorship, where the enforcement of laws is selective and the power of law has become vested in agencies, administrative law that enforces an agenda. During the previous administration, Congress was a non-factor in budgeting (against its Constitutional duty) as well as the check on a president that refused to enforce many laws that Congress passed. Today, Congress generally prefers globalism to the "put America first" agenda of the president, and has acted accordingly-which is essentially no action.
Some people want to fix this situation with term limits. In reality, every election for a representative or senator is a term limit. So those who want term limits are trying to fix another problem with a legal solution. That problem is delusion among citizens. The definition of delusion is the holding of beliefs that are contradictory to evidence or reality. Many people complain about "Congress," but when election time rolls around, they continue to reelect their congressman. They believe it's everybody else's congressman that is the problem-not theirs. This is widely confirmed by polls. Citizens give Congress extremely poor marks, but their own congressman gets high marks. Meantime, the country declines.
The same sad commentary could be said of the church in America. There are many complaints about bad doctrine; seeker sensitive light-weight church; self indulgent, extra-biblical and emotional teaching; a lack of making disciples; and just plain nonsense that is driving our youth and others away from Christianity. Yet, when it comes down to it, people think their pastor is doing a great job. Or the pastor has set it up that no one dare question what he is doing. How many times have you heard, "Well, I don't think he is teaching the Bible as it should be taught, but he's a really nice guy"? Good citizenship in country and in the kingdom of God requires responsibility, and responsibility requires action. Jesus said in Matthew 24:4, "Take heed that no man deceive you." Delusion is self-inflicted deception. Recognize it and act on it.
Daily Devotion: A Thermometer or a Thermostat? - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. -Luke 1:26
It's interesting how cities are known for certain things. Rome is known as the Eternal City. Paris is called the City of Lights. New York is the City that Never Sleeps. And Las Vegas has been nicknamed Sin City.
Nazareth, too, could have been called Sin City in the first century. Overrun by Roman soldiers it was one of those places you went through on the way to another place. Nazareth was also known for its sin. One commentator described it as a hotbed of corruption. This is why, when Nathanael heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, he asked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46).
Imagine if Jesus were born today. We might expect Him to be born in Jerusalem, or maybe in Rome, London, or Paris. But what if He were born in Las Vegas? The Savior has arrived: Jesus of Las Vegas. That's what it would have been like to use the term Jesus of Nazareth.
In that wicked city, however, lived a young woman of royal blood. Living in an impure world, Mary was pure. She showed it is possible to live a holy life in an unholy place. We often blame our wicked culture for the way we are, but the fact is that it's our job as followers of Jesus to permeate and affect our culture.
Here's a question to ask yourself: Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? A thermometer is affected by its surroundings. Depending on the temperature, it goes up or down. In contrast, a thermostat affects its surroundings. Unlike the thermometer, it controls the environment around it.
Do you merely react to what is happening around you, or do you have some kind of impact on it? Are you changing the culture, or is the culture changing you?
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