How Do I Stop Worrying
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
As I began my morning praying God's Word, I didn't foresee the news that would come later that afternoon. I didn't realize how much I would need to hold on to the promise woven into Philippians 4:6-7. But God knew.
As the verse came to me, the words didn't seem to resonate deeply within my peace-filled heart. I knew these words to be true, but I wasn't worried or anxious about anything. Nonetheless I prayed the words and went on with my normal routine.
Later that afternoon, my dad called. His usual pleasantries about the weather and questions about the grandkids were short this time. My mom was in the hospital. The symptoms pointed to a stroke, but the doctors were still unsure.
Hours of waiting and tests would ensue before we'd know anything. Only thing is I'm not a waiter. I am a doer. When life unravels and reels out of control, I do anything within my power to fix the situation. When situations cannot be fixed, I worry. Subconsciously, I believe I'm exercising some sort of direction over circumstances I can't possibly change. My parents lived over 500 miles away. Even the desire to simply jump in my car and be present was not feasible at the time.
In the midst of my search for sense in the senseless, the words I prayed from today's key verse came to me: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
I realized with stark clarity how God was preparing me for what was to come. These verses gave me clear instruction for what I was to do with my worry. I was to give it to God.
With a new sense of direction, I prayed for my mom and my family. I prayed for the doctors who were working to find a diagnosis and the staff who were caring for her. I thanked God for getting my mom to the hospital safely and for the availability of the care she needed. I thanked Him for giving the living Word I needed.
As I prayed, my doer nature realized I was doing something. Although I still had no control over the situation, I was bringing it before the Almighty One who did. And that was the very best "doing."
An unspeakable peace came over me and just as the Scripture verse states, I did not understand it. But I was so grateful for it. His instruction and promise carried me until we were able to get some answers.
Hours later, my dad called saying my mom was going to be okay. As suspected, she had experienced a stroke, but with physical and occupational therapy the doctors expected her to regain much of her previous functionality. Weeks later, I came home for Christmas and listened as she played Christmas hymns on the piano. I was amazed. Not only had God given me peace when I needed it, but He had answered our prayers in a way I didn't anticipate.
When we carry the Word of God in our hearts, it becomes a weapon against worry and anxiousness.
Things beyond our control will happen in our day-to-day lives, but we can equip ourselves with the Truth that protects our hearts and minds. When we do this, the words become like a soothing balm for our anxious souls.
Confidence replaces doubt and peace replaces worry. We find sweet rest because instead of relying on our own strength to carry us, we rely on the promises found in Christ Jesus.
Dear God, thank You for the power that is found in Your Word and the gift of prayer. When life is overwhelming, help me to remember the promises found in Scripture. Help me to realize that when I pray, I am bringing my cares before the One who cares perfectly. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
". And what I have forgiven - if there was anything to forgive - I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." 2 Corinthians 2:10b-11 (NIV)
I called my sister expecting her normal cheerful voice. Instead, I got a flat, "Hello."
My first reaction was concern. After all, she would have known it was me. Something was definitely wrong.
"Hey, sis, what's up?" I asked.
"Nothing," she replied. "I just can't talk right now."
We ended our call quickly, but as I set down my phone, my initial concern turned to another kind of worry. If there wasn't something else amiss, maybe she was mad at me. What had I done wrong?
Normally, I would have accepted her reply at face value. After all, sometimes I'm busy and can't talk. But earlier that day, another friend ended our conversation abruptly. So when it happened again, I figured the problem was me. I started to replay our past discussions in my mind, looking for something I might have said or done to offend both of these women so dear to me.
Rather than see those as two completely independent situations, I connected them and arrived at an erroneous conclusion. It was like Satan took a Sharpie marker and drew a straight line right from one to the other and then to a very vulnerable place in my heart. Ridiculous thoughts jumped into my mind: They don't like me anymore. If they are going to get mad at me for nothing, then I'm just going to ignore them. If they want to talk to me, they can call.
I sat in my self-righteous, offended state and stewed.
After a while, perspective returned. It was clear I'd taken two separate situations that had nothing to do with me, and turned them into a reason to take offense. It was really rather self-centered, and showed a lack of love for my sister and friend.
Rather than think the best, and acknowledge I didn't know the whole situation in either case, I let my mind go to a defensive, unloving place. I became judge and jury and declared them guilty.
The same thing happened to the Apostle Paul when he chose to write a letter to the believers at Corinth rather than visit personally. Paul had intended to journey to those believers, but after a difficult first visit, Paul changed his plans. Paul didn't want to inflict more pain on the members of the church or himself. But rather than think the best and trust in Paul's love for them, the Corinthians assumed Paul's change was due to selfish reasons.
Our key verse is part of that letter. I find it interesting that one of the first key pieces of instruction in the letter included direction on how to restore a fellow believer who had done wrong. Paul urges the believers at Corinth to forgive this man. Yet I wonder if Paul wrote this direction thinking of their offense at his choice.
Paul wrote: ". And what I have forgiven - if there was anything to forgive - I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes" (2 Corinthians 2:10b-11).
Paul knew that holding on to offenses was dangerous. It was, and is, a scheme of Satan to separate and destroy relationships. Rather than take offense, Paul encouraged the believers to forgive. And in verse 8, Paul gives these clear instructions . a new way to deal with offense, "I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him."
That day when two conversations were cut short, Satan tried to connect the dots and convince me I had a reason to be offended. But God's Word shed light on that scheme and told me to do the opposite. Rather than embrace offense, I needed to reaffirm love.
Later that day, I sent my sister and friend loving text messages. I got two in return.
The next time Satan tries to connect the dots, I need to remember his schemes, and refuse to play that game. Rather than jump to conclusions that could harm a relationship, I need to look for ways to reaffirm love.
Heavenly Father, thank You for modeling love when offended. Help me choose to reaffirm love when I want to retreat in the face of offense. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
"The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:8 (NIV)
Psalm 121:8 makes a proclamation that is hard to believe: "The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Does the Lord really watch over me perpetually? How is this even possible? I didn't have a mental model for the mere scope of this assignment. That is until my daughter introduced me to an app called RunKeeper.
This app tells me how far I've run, the average time per mile and my overall time, down to the second. It graphs the various elevations and shows me an overview map of exactly where I have run. If I showed you my run history, you would see maps of beaches, mountains and all kinds of locations and terrains around the world.
Here's what's even more amazing. RunKeeper not only tracks and records my locations, it does so for 10 million other runners as well! If humans can invent a piece of technology to track the steps of 10 million people simultaneously, is it really much of a stretch to believe God can track 6 billion of us?
I guess not. God is transcendent; He is above all. God is also immanent; He is near. Very near.
How near? A few verses earlier the writer tells us ". the LORD is your shade at your right hand;" (Psalm 121:5b, NIV).
So, I now have a mental concept of God's capacity to watch and track all of my comings and goings, now and forevermore. Yet, I am still left with one more puzzling question - why?
Why would God want to do this? Most of my days would make an insomniac fall asleep. Personally, I love my routine and the minor assignments on my "to do" list. I just can't see how this could possibly be a good use of the Divine Creator's time.
The answer is not hard to find. It is stamped on almost every page of Scripture. God watches over our coming and our going now and forevermore because He loves us andcares deeply for us.
Easy to understand, but hard to grasp that the one true God over all deeply loves and cares about us.
Right now I am sitting in a hospital room. My grandson arrived into the world yesterday. As he lies in his crib, I tower over him watching his every move - every twitch of his eye, and every move to the right or to the left. A yawn is big news. The smirk on his face evoked by gas sure looks like a genuine smile in my book.
To anyone else, this would seem like a colossal waste of time. Not for me or my wife or daughter or son-in-law. I love my grandson. Oh my, this is how God feels about me but with so much more depth and perfection. Somehow, we must all come to terms with this reality and soak it in.
Right now, my grandson has no clue of my intense love and protection over him. One day he will. The same is true for us with God. We wander through life unaware He has been tracking us morning and night. The goal is to one day become aware of God's presence in our lives. When we do, we write our own Psalm - maybe not as eloquent as the one above, but just as meaningful. Maybe that day for you is today!
Dear Heavenly Father, I now understand that You have the capacity to watch over my coming and going now and forever more. How overwhelming! What is even more overwhelming is the reason You do this. You are driven to watch my every move because You love me and care for me. I don't fully grasp why You have chosen me, but I am aware of it and it makes me feel safe. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
The Priesthood of Believers
Revelation 5:9-10According to Scripture, the believer's citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). In other words, we're not going to be citizens of an eternal kingdom; we already are.
What's more, every person who professes Jesus Christ as Lord is part of God's priesthood. In the ancient Israelite culture, priests were the privileged servants of Almighty God. They carried out all the tasks related to keeping the Law and preserving the spiritual well-being of the people. They cared for the temple, offered sacrifices, and interceded on behalf of the community.
When John says in Revelation 1 that you and I are priests, he is placing us among the ranks of a people set apart as God's servants. It is a blessing and calling to worship the Lord, to adore and honor Him, and to ensure that all glory is given to His name. Our duties also include interceding on behalf of others.
The one priestly task we do not have to do is perform sacrifices. God Himself offered the final sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, when His Son died in our place. Our part is to bear witness to the breadth and depth of His love for all people. Once you grasp the fact that God looks on His children-every one a former slave to sin-with unconditional devotion, you can't keep quiet about it.
Believers are special in the eyes of their God and King. We are a sacred people and a holy order. What are you doing with your life? As a believer, you are not your own anymore (1 Corinthians 6:19). You are a priest and a privileged servant of the Most High God.
Stop Robbing the Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:14-21
Every day, you get out of bed, put on clothes, and walk to the table to eat breakfast. You greet the rest of the household and maybe read the paper. A few minutes later, you drive to work at 60 m.p.h. on a strip of asphalt where other vehicles can pass by within four feet. In the first hour or so that you're awake, your body completes thousands of complex tasks that are so routine they go unnoticed.
Our physical frame is a creation of remarkable beauty and intricacy. And while certain parts seem more attractive than others, all are useful. The body's interdependent nature-that is, the way every part relies on other parts to perform properly-is an apt metaphor for a Christ-centered church. When believers use their gifts and talents to operate together lovingly, the whole body functions properly to the glory of God.
However, churches today are filled with people who feel insignificant. Upon seeing the successful work of others, they decide they're not really needed or assume they haven't got the "right" talents to make a worthwhile contribution. Those are lies from the Devil. When his misguidance succeeds-which is all too often-he manages to get one more Christian to back away in hopes that someone else will do the Lord's work.
Hanging back instead of seeking a place to serve is a form of thievery: you're robbing the Lord's church-His people-of your unique contribution. Your role might be small or go unnoticed, but it is vital to Jesus Christ and to the smooth functioning of His body on earth.
Do We Really Need One Another
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
Believers have two responsibilities. The first is to worship God and the second is to work for His kingdom. Where and how we serve is based upon our unique talents, skills, and calling. But the one place where we are all expected to give of ourselves is the local church.
When you were saved, the Lord baptized you by the Holy Spirit into His church-the body of believers who live all over the world but are united by trust in Jesus Christ. You then chose, according to the will of God, to become part of a local, autonomous group of believers. He placed you there because He knows that you are needed (1 Cor. 12:18). You are significant to your home church.
The church is more than a community. It is an interdependent body with individual members who were created by God to function in communion with one another. We Christians, like the world at large, are a diverse group, and that means we often have to strive hard for unity. But our differences are actually something to be celebrated, because each person uniquely contributes to God's purpose. A church that is truly operating as a unit-with all its varied gifts, talents, personalities, and intellects focused toward kingdom goals-must be a beautiful sight before the Lord.
Christianity isn't a spectator religion. We all have jobs to do in God's kingdom. The body of Christ functions best and most beautifully when all members resolve to serve God and each other to the best of their ability (v. 25). What are you doing for your church?
From Alienation to Reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Separation, rejection, and alienation are unpleasant experiences that we usually try to avoid at all costs. But we live in a fallen world, so we cannot totally escape them.
Isolation from other people is bad enough, but what's worse is that many individuals live apart from the heavenly Father. How tragic and futile life must be when it is spent completely detached from its Creator. God planted within each of us a desire to be in relationship with Him, so until we find our connection to Him, we will always feel that something is missing.
And yet as crucial as that relationship is to our well-being, something stands in its way: Whether by our thoughts or actions, we have all violated the Lord's commands (Rom. 3:23), and our pure, holy God cannot be in the presence of sin. Romans 6:23 states that the penalty for sin is death, which is an eternal separation from the Lord. Therefore, we will always have a void.
What a bleak outlook for mankind! But our loving Father solved the dilemma by sending His Son to pay our penalty. Fully God and fully man, Jesus lived the perfect life, took all our iniquity upon Himself, and died a gruesome death on the cross. No longer are we condemned for our wrongs, because Christ took our place. And three days later, He victoriously rose to life.
Salvation is available to anyone who believes and receives this remarkable gift. John 3:16 describes how reconciliation puts an end to our alienation: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
How to Query GodJohn Piper
Thoughts on Romans 9:20: You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"
Clearly Paul was displeased with this response to his teaching about God. Does this mean that it's always wrong to ask questions in response to Biblical teaching? I don't think so.
Paul had said some controversial things. Peter admitted that Paul was sometimes hard to understand: "There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16). Paul had said that God "has mercy on whom he wills and hardens whom he wills" (Romans 9:18). The point was: his will decides finally whether we are hard-hearted or not. "Before they were born or do anything good or evil" God had mercy on Jacob and gave Esau over to hardness (Romans 9:11-13).
Someone hears this and objects in verse 19, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" To this Paul responds, "You, a mere human being, have no right to answer back to God."
The word "answer back" (antapokrinomenos) occurs one other time in the New Testament, namely, in Luke 14:5-6. Jesus is showing the lawyers that it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. He said to them, "'Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?' And they could not answer back (antapokrithenai) to these things."
In what sense could they not "answer back"? They could not show him wrong. They could not legitimately criticize him. They could not truly contradict what he said. So the word "answer back" probably carries the meaning: "answer back with a view to criticizing or disagreeing or correcting."
That, I think, is what displeased Paul in Romans 9:20. This leaves open the possibility that a different kind of question would be acceptable, namely, a humble, teachable question that wants to understand more if possible, but not rebuke or condemn or criticize what has been said.
For example, in Luke 1:31 the angel Gabriel comes to the virgin Mary and says, "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus." Mary is astounded and baffled. Virgins don't have sons. She could have scoffed and argued. But instead she said, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34). She did not say it can't happen; she asked, "How?"
Contrast this with Gabriel's visit to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. The angel comes and tells him, "Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John" (Luke 1:13). But Zechariah knew that "Elizabeth was barren and advanced in years" (Luke 1:7). Different from Mary, his skepticism gave rise to a different question. He said, "How shall I know this?" Not: "How will you do this?" But: "How can I know you'll do it?"
Gabriel did not like this answer. He said, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time" (Luke 1:19-20).
So I conclude that humble, teachable questions about how and why God does what he does are acceptable to God. To Mary God gave a very helpful answer, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Luke 1:35). This did not remove the mystery, but it helped.
I can't remove the mystery from Romans 9. But there may be more to understand than we have seen and I do not want to discourage you from pressing further up and further in to the heart and mind of God.
Wanting to be teachable with you,
Pastor John
Our Great Mission
Matthew 28:18-20
If you're a believer, you are part of the awesome body of Christ, which is called to bring His light to the world both individually and corporately. Though many see the church as a social organization, that's not what the Bible says it is. Sometimes we forget that our purpose isn't simply to have fellowship, sing, preach, and worship. Jesus entrusted us with good news of the true life He offers to everyone. This calling isn't just for foreign "missionaries"-it's for every believer. Your mission field includes your family, friends, coworkers, and perhaps even a people group God puts on your heart, often right in your community.
Before returning to heaven, Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission, in which He promised to be with believers to the end of the age. That pledge still stands. He doesn't send us out to do His work on our own. Vowing never to leave us, He gave the assurance that all tasks He assigns will be achieved through us by His Holy Spirit.
What an honor to be included in the Lord's redemptive plan for the world! He invites you to have a vital part in His kingdom work of transforming what is broken and giving new life. Everything you do in obedience is an opportunity for His Spirit to work powerfully through you!
He is still speaking His message of assurance to us: You'll have Me as your companion, your captain, your victory. You'll have Me as your resource, your energy, your anointing. Everything you need, you'll find in Me. How does recognizing the greatness of your calling change the way you see your daily life?
You All
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy." (Philippians 1:3-4)
The Names of God
"And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in." (Genesis 7:16)
"And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in." (Genesis 7:16)
Many stirring books have been written on the general subject of the names of God. Most of the names make use of one or two of the three primary names. The first is Elohim, meaning "mighty one." It is a uni-plural name-plural in form but singular in meaning and verb usage, suggesting the uni-plural nature of the triune Godhead, appearing in most English translations as "God." It most often is used when worldwide events or attributes are discussed, including creation, judgment, sovereignty, transcendence, and salvation. The second is Jehovah, meaning "the self-existent one," which appears as "LORD" in English translations. It stresses God's holiness, nearness, concern for man (especially Israel), hatred of sin, love of sinners, and His revelatory nature and communication. The third is Adonai, a more general term meaning master and used of both men and God. It appears as "Lord" in English Bibles.
For example, the name Elohim, the transcendent, uni-plural, Creator God, is appropriately used exclusively in Genesis 1:1-2:4, the account of creation from God's perspective. Throughout the rest of Genesis 2, the account of creation from man's perspective, the combination name Jehovah-Elohim is used. Man was at this point without sin, in full accord with his Creator, and experiencing the fullness of His love and communication. The curse, as related in chapter 3, changed things forever, and in chapter 4, Adam and his offspring, painfully aware that their sin has broken God-established relationships, relate better to Jehovah, the Savior. In our text for the day, we see Noah obeying the orders of Elohim, the sovereign judge, to enter the Ark, but Jehovah, the loving Savior, making them secure. JDM
The New Birth
"Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1:18)
"Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1:18)
The term "born again" has come into wide use in recent years-too wide and popular, in fact, for many who use it have little comprehension of its meaning. First of all, there can be no real Christian who is not a "born-again Christian." Jesus said: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. . . . Ye must be born again" (John 3:3, 7).
The Creator of the new birth is the Creator of the universe, as the text declares. He begat us as a kind of first fruits of His creatures. The new birth is not a new leaf, or a new morality, but a new creation! "Except a man be born of . . . the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
The miracle is accomplished through faith in Christ, believing the record of His saving work, as revealed by the Scriptures. "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (1 John 5:1). "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23).
Those who are truly born again will inevitably exhibit the characteristics of a spiritual birth, just as those who are born physically exhibit signs of physical life. As one characteristic of the new birth, "whosoever is born of God doth not commit [i.e., 'practice'] sin" (1 John 3:9). Another sign is that of true Christian love, for "every one that loveth is born of God" (1 John 4:7). Furthermore, "whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
The new birth is not a religious cliché but a miracle generating everlasting life. "According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5). HMM
What Is His Name?
"They shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:13-14)
"They shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:13-14)
Moses had been specially trained by God for the task ahead. He had been raised in Pharaoh's household and had no doubt learned the wisdom of Egypt. Moses was well acquainted with authority, both exercising it and submitting to it. It comes somewhat as a surprise, then, that when told by God that he would be the one to lead his people out of bondage, he both objected to assuming such a leadership role and even questioned God's authority over the situation.
But when he first realized that he couldn't talk God out of using him, Moses expressed doubt as to God's ability to bring this about. He asked God for more proof of His authority over mankind, evidently feeling that merely being "the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (3:6) was insufficient authority. He couched his question in a roundabout way, claiming that the unbelief of the people of Israel was such that "they" would want to know, but this was not the case at all. When Moses first explained God's plan to the "elders of the children of Israel" (4:29), "they bowed their heads and worshipped" (4:31).
God graciously answered Moses with the wonder-filled declaration "I AM THAT I AM." He is the self-existent One. He is, simply because He is. No one made Him. He made all else that is, including Moses and the Egyptians. This assurance empowered Moses for forty years and should be enough to empower us. "I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else" (Isaiah 45:5-6). JDM
The Indwelling Christ
"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)
"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)
The fact that Jesus Christ is actually in each believer is both a great mystery and rich in glory. In fact, it is our very hope and assurance of glory in the age to come.
How Christ may be both seated at "the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3) and yet living in us is surely a mystery, yet it is fully true. He Himself told His disciples: "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. . . . Abide in me, and I in you. . . . He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 14:23; 15:4-5).
The apostle Paul also confirmed this great truth: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20). One of his prayers for the Ephesians was "that Christ [might] dwell in [their] hearts by faith" (Ephesians 3:17).
The mystery as to how this can be is resolved in yet another mystery-that of the tri-unity of the Godhead. Christ, the Second Person, is present in His people through the Holy Spirit, the Third Person. Christ said: "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter. . . . Even the Spirit of truth; . . . for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17).
In fact, as our text says, His indwelling presence is our very hope of glory, for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9).
Thus, where we go, He goes; whatever we say, He hears; even what we think, He knows. Christ, by the Holy Spirit, is our ever-present comforter and guide and counselor. This is, indeed, a glorious mystery! HMM
Lord of the Living and the Dead Romans 14:7-12
In the New Testament, Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ. Although we rarely use this term in our daily lives, we are all quite familiar with another word: boss. That is basically what Lord means-one possessing authority, power, and control. The Word of God describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, and the Lord of lords and King of kings (Col. 1:15-18; Rev. 3:14; 17:14).
The realm of Christ's reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth. No one-not even those who deny His existence-can be free of His rule or outside His sphere of authority. Although Satan tries to convince us that liberty is found in doing what we want, true freedom is acquired only through submission to Christ's loving lordship.
Even death cannot release anyone from the authority of God's Son. He is Lord of both the living and the dead. All people must decide to either yield or rebel against Him, but they have the opportunity to make this choice only while they are still living. After death, they will acknowledge Christ's lordship through accountability to Him. If we have not bowed the knee to Jesus in life, we will be forced to bend it in the judgment.
Have you submitted to Christ's rule over your life? His authority causes anger or fear in individuals who have not yet yielded to Him, but those who have experienced His lovingkindness, trusted in His goodness, and surrendered to His authority take comfort in knowing Him as the Lord of their lives.
Written for Our Learning
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)
Let no modern Christian ever think that he can ignore the Old Testament and base all his faith and practice on just the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, as vital as they are. Even the apostle Paul, who wrote more of the New Testament than anyone else, depended heavily on the Old Testament Scriptures for his exposition of the New Testament doctrines he had received "by the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:12).
For example, in the longest and most doctrinal of all his epistles-that is, Romans-he actually quoted from the Old Testament no less than sixty times, even though the epistle had been specifically addressed to Gentiles (Romans 11:13).
In his letter to the Gentiles at Corinth, after an extensive discussion of the Old Testament account of the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness, he said: "Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Corinthians 10:11).
In this passage, the word translated "examples" is the Greek tupos, from which we derive our word "types." Thus the experiences of the Israelites were actually revealed by God to be "types" of Christ and our relation to Him. Therefore, in addition to the many explicit prophecies about Christ in the Old Testament, many other Scriptures can be profitably expounded as "types" of Christ. Indeed, in all the Old Testament Scriptures, as Christ Himself taught, are "things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). HMM
In the New Testament, Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ. Although we rarely use this term in our daily lives, we are all quite familiar with another word: boss. That is basically what Lord means-one possessing authority, power, and control. The Word of God describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, and the Lord of lords and King of kings (Col. 1:15-18; Rev. 3:14; 17:14).
The realm of Christ's reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth. No one-not even those who deny His existence-can be free of His rule or outside His sphere of authority. Although Satan tries to convince us that liberty is found in doing what we want, true freedom is acquired only through submission to Christ's loving lordship.
Even death cannot release anyone from the authority of God's Son. He is Lord of both the living and the dead. All people must decide to either yield or rebel against Him, but they have the opportunity to make this choice only while they are still living. After death, they will acknowledge Christ's lordship through accountability to Him. If we have not bowed the knee to Jesus in life, we will be forced to bend it in the judgment.
Have you submitted to Christ's rule over your life? His authority causes anger or fear in individuals who have not yet yielded to Him, but those who have experienced His lovingkindness, trusted in His goodness, and surrendered to His authority take comfort in knowing Him as the Lord of their lives.
Written for Our Learning
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)
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