You Can't Fool God - By Greg Laurie -
"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly." -Luke 21:34
Abraham Lincoln said, "You may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all the time."
Jesus told a parable about a man who planted a field of wheat, but during the night his enemy came and sowed tares in the same field. The tares initially looked like wheat, but it wasn't until much later that the farmer realized it wasn't wheat at all.
God has His real believers just as Satan has his tares among the wheat. They breathe the same air. They enjoy the same sunshine and the same rain. They eat the same food. They go to the same schools. They live in the same neighborhoods. They go to the same churches. They sing the same songs. They talk the same talk. But one of these days, God will separate the wheat from the tares and the true from the false. It isn't for us to do; it's for Him to do.
But because there are a few phonies, a few hypocrites, or even a few believers who have seriously blown it, does this mean that the claims of Christ are false? No. Jesus has been everything He has promised to be.
That doesn't excuse Christians from being His representatives. We should try to be good representatives of Jesus Christ. We should do our best. But please understand. People will fail, but God will not fail.
God knows and sees everything. The shallow excuse of there being too many hypocrites in the church will not hold water on Judgment Day. God's question to you will be, "What did you do with My Son called Jesus? What did you do with Him?" You will have to answer that.
A Life Worth Living - By Greg Laurie -
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. -John 10:10
One day you will have your final meal, you will make your last statement, and you will breathe your last breath. What if you were to sum up your life right now? What would you say about your purpose on earth? What truths would you want to emphasize to friends, children, and family? What regrets would you have?
In Acts 20 we have the final words of the apostle Paul to the elders of the church he had started in Ephesus. Without question his words speak to any of us who are called to leadership in the church. But they also speak to us as Christians, telling us what our priorities ought to be.
I want to call your attention to one word in this passage: joy. Paul said, "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). The word joy in this verse could be translated "exceedingly happy."
Were things going reasonably well for Paul? No. Paul had just said, "The Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me" (Acts 20:23). Paul was a man who knew what suffering was, what hardship was. Yet he was saying that in the midst of it all, there was joy.
Sometimes people think Christians live the most boring lives conceivable. Nothing could be further from the truth. The happy life is the holy life, the life that is lived for God. Jesus not only promised us life beyond the grave, but He certainly promised us a dimension of life on this earth that is worth living.
Wrong on Two Counts
�Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.� (Matthew 22:29)
�Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.� (Matthew 22:29)
When the Sadducees, who were the theological, philosophical, and scientific elite of the day, came to Jesus with a trick question in an attempt to discredit Him, He responded with the stinging rebuke in today�s verse. While His response dealt specifically with the fact of resurrection and the nature of the afterlife, His twofold evaluation of self-reliant scholars still fits today, particularly in regard to evolutionary speculations.
By the time Darwin had published his book Origin of Species attributing evolutionary progression to natural selection, he had probably become an atheist and so set about to ascribe creation to natural causes. He attributed to nature abilities that clearly belong to God alone. He knew something of the Scriptures, but his memoirs show that he had little understanding of basic biblical teaching. He felt that if there was a God, He had little power or had not been involved in the affairs of this earth. Most atheistic evolutionists today follow Darwin�s intellectual footsteps.
But what of Christian intellectuals, theistic evolutionists, progressive creationists, or advocates of the framework hypothesis, who claim to know God but yet deny His awesome power in creation? They too reject the clear teaching of Scripture regarding creation, relegating God to the mundane task of overseeing the evolutionary process, reducing His power to something man can accomplish. Peter aptly describes this attitude when he calls it willful ignorance (2 Peter 3:5).
It has been suggested by some that all human error can be traced to one or both of these categories: not knowing (and/or believing) the Scriptures, and underestimating the power of God. JDM
Secret of Forgiveness You will never forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you. Is it still hard to consider the thought of forgiving the one who hurt you? If so, go one more time to the room. Watch Jesus as he goes from disciple to disciple. Can you see him? Can you hear the water splash? Can you hear him shuffle on the floor to the next person? Keep that image.
John 13:12 says, �When he had finished washing their feet. . .� Please note; Jesus finished washing their feet. That means he left no one out. Why is that important? Because that means he washed the feet of Judas. Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer. That�s not to say it was easy for Jesus. That�s not to say it�s easy for you. But that is to say, God will never call you to do what he hasn�t already done!
John 13:12 says, �When he had finished washing their feet. . .� Please note; Jesus finished washing their feet. That means he left no one out. Why is that important? Because that means he washed the feet of Judas. Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer. That�s not to say it was easy for Jesus. That�s not to say it�s easy for you. But that is to say, God will never call you to do what he hasn�t already done!
The Throne of Grace Hebrews 4:14-16
Almighty God is righteous and just. Romans 3:23 tells us that all people have sinned and are inadequate to be in His presence. As a result of His wrath against sin, we were doomed to eternal separation from Him.
But thankfully, the story doesn�t end there. In His love and mercy, God sent His Son to walk among us. Jesus experienced the hardship and temptation common to all people, yet He never sinned. The Savior chose to die a gruesome death in our place, paying the penalty for our wrongs.
There is no deeper love, Scripture tells us, than a man who gives up his life for a friend (John 15:13). Jesus went even farther--dying for us while we were still His enemies (Rom. 5:10). In fact, He would have sacrificed Himself even if you were the only person ever to exist.
Promising forgiveness and eternal life, Christ asks sinful man to believe and follow Him. When we trust in Jesus, we are adopted as God�s children and receive His indwelling Spirit, who blesses abundantly with joy, peace, and guidance. Always welcome before the Throne of Grace, believers have access to converse with the Father at any time. He promises to hear and respond to our seeking, repentant hearts. And Jesus intercedes for us, praying on our behalf.
We don�t deserve the Lord�s invitation to have an intimate relationship with Him. Yet in His grace, He is loving and compassionate toward us. What a privilege to be able to approach the King�s throne, knowing He listens, understands, and cares. Rest in God�s love, and enjoy sweet fellowship with Him.
Almighty God is righteous and just. Romans 3:23 tells us that all people have sinned and are inadequate to be in His presence. As a result of His wrath against sin, we were doomed to eternal separation from Him.
But thankfully, the story doesn�t end there. In His love and mercy, God sent His Son to walk among us. Jesus experienced the hardship and temptation common to all people, yet He never sinned. The Savior chose to die a gruesome death in our place, paying the penalty for our wrongs.
There is no deeper love, Scripture tells us, than a man who gives up his life for a friend (John 15:13). Jesus went even farther--dying for us while we were still His enemies (Rom. 5:10). In fact, He would have sacrificed Himself even if you were the only person ever to exist.
Promising forgiveness and eternal life, Christ asks sinful man to believe and follow Him. When we trust in Jesus, we are adopted as God�s children and receive His indwelling Spirit, who blesses abundantly with joy, peace, and guidance. Always welcome before the Throne of Grace, believers have access to converse with the Father at any time. He promises to hear and respond to our seeking, repentant hearts. And Jesus intercedes for us, praying on our behalf.
We don�t deserve the Lord�s invitation to have an intimate relationship with Him. Yet in His grace, He is loving and compassionate toward us. What a privilege to be able to approach the King�s throne, knowing He listens, understands, and cares. Rest in God�s love, and enjoy sweet fellowship with Him.
Holy Conversation
�Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.� (2 Peter 3:11)
�Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.� (2 Peter 3:11)
The picturesque phrase �holy conversation� occurs only twice in the New Testament, both in Peter�s epistles; one in his very first chapter, 1 Peter 1:15, the other in today�s verse. The other is, �But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.� This distinctive King James rendering does not really mean �clean speech� but assumes the older, more precise meaning of �conversation,� namely �behavior,� especially behavior that involves other people. The Greek word translated �holy� primarily implies �dedicated to God.� Thus, holy conversation simply means living in such a way that our entire manner of life is oriented to honor God and to influence other people to honor Him.
These two exhortations of Peter tell us why we should live this way. The first incentive is simply the holiness of God Himself: �Be ye holy; for I am holy� (1 Peter 1:16). We have become children of God through faith in Christ, and we should therefore behave �as obedient children, not fashioning [ourselves] according to the former lusts in [our] ignorance� (1 Peter 1:14).
The second incentive given just before the words of today�s verse is the ever-imminent return of Christ, following which, eventually, �the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat� (2 Peter 3:10). Incentives, both past and future, are thus given for holy living in the present!
Eight of the 13 occurrences of �conversation� (Greek anastrophe) are in Peter�s epistles, stressing his vital concern that Christians ought to demonstrate �all holy conversation and godliness� in their lives. 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.
The Throne of Glory
1 John 1:1-4
When you pray, how do you approach God? Numerous Christians visualize a holy, righteous being and approach Him with feelings of fear, unworthiness, and reluctance. On the other hand, many believers picture the Lord as a pal and talk to Him with little reverence.
Neither approach is healthy. Our finite minds cannot fully grasp that God is both loving and holy. Let�s first explore the holy, fear-provoking side of the Lord. As you read today�s passage, visualize the incredible power around heaven�s throne. It fills my heart with awe and wonder.
Before Jesus walked on earth, the temple contained an area called the Holy of Holies, where God�s presence resided. Only the priest could enter--and just on specified days, after ritual cleansing and preparation. If he did not get himself ready exactly according to scriptural rules, he would be struck dead. To be in God�s presence requires obedience. In fact, because of the Almighty�s absolute holiness and perfection, He is unable to commune with sinfulness, which is the condition of all mankind (Rom. 3:9). Therefore, every one of us is guilty and deserving of condemnation. Thankfully, though, God did not leave us helpless, but out of His grace and love, sent His Son to be our Redeemer.
Every page of Scripture can deepen our understanding of God�s greatness. Are you amazed at His presence and deeds? To understand more about His character, discipline yourself to read and meditate on the Word. Then take time to praise Him, for He alone is worthy of our adoration.
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.
The Throne of Glory
1 John 1:1-4
When you pray, how do you approach God? Numerous Christians visualize a holy, righteous being and approach Him with feelings of fear, unworthiness, and reluctance. On the other hand, many believers picture the Lord as a pal and talk to Him with little reverence.
Neither approach is healthy. Our finite minds cannot fully grasp that God is both loving and holy. Let�s first explore the holy, fear-provoking side of the Lord. As you read today�s passage, visualize the incredible power around heaven�s throne. It fills my heart with awe and wonder.
Before Jesus walked on earth, the temple contained an area called the Holy of Holies, where God�s presence resided. Only the priest could enter--and just on specified days, after ritual cleansing and preparation. If he did not get himself ready exactly according to scriptural rules, he would be struck dead. To be in God�s presence requires obedience. In fact, because of the Almighty�s absolute holiness and perfection, He is unable to commune with sinfulness, which is the condition of all mankind (Rom. 3:9). Therefore, every one of us is guilty and deserving of condemnation. Thankfully, though, God did not leave us helpless, but out of His grace and love, sent His Son to be our Redeemer.
Every page of Scripture can deepen our understanding of God�s greatness. Are you amazed at His presence and deeds? To understand more about His character, discipline yourself to read and meditate on the Word. Then take time to praise Him, for He alone is worthy of our adoration.
The President, the Passengers, & the Patience of GodJohn Piper
Sometimes we are so overwhelmed at being treated better than we deserve that we must exult in the all-sovereign God--the God of birds' flight and Obama's rise. When King David pondered how many were God's "wondrous deeds," he said, "I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told" (Psalm 40:5). That's the way I feel watching God's public mercies in the last few days.Have you considered how unlikely was the crash of USAir flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009--not just the rescue but the crash itself? Picture this: The Airbus A320 is taking off at an angle--maybe 30 degrees. It's not flying horizontal with the earth. Not only that, it is flying fast--not full speed yet, but perhaps four times as fast as your car would go at top highway speeds.
The geese are flying horizontally with the ground, more or less. They are not flying in a cloud like a swarm of bees. They fly level with the ground, often shaped like a V. In view of all that, what are the odds that, traveling at this speed and at this angle, this airplane would intersect with the flight of those geese at that very millisecond which would put a bird not just in one of those engines, but both of them?
Two laser-guided missiles would not have been as amazingly effective as were those geese. It is incredible, statistically speaking. If God governs nature down to the fall (and the flight) of every bird, as Jesus says (Matthew 10:29), then the crash of flight 1549 was designed by God.
Which leads to the landing in the Hudson River--which is just as unlikely. The airbus now has no thrust in either engine. The flight attendants said it was as quiet as a library in the plane without the sound of engines. The plane is now a 77-ton glider with its belly full of fuel. Captain Sullenberger decides to land in the river. Anywhere else would mean one big fireball.
He banks and misses the George Washington Bridge by 900 feet and glides the plane into a perfect belly landing. A few degrees tilt to the front or back or the right or left and the plane would have done cartwheels down the river and broken up. On the water, the flight attendant does not let passengers open the rear door. That would have flooded the cabin too fast. The emergency doors and front doors provide exits for everyone and the plane floats long enough for all of them to climb out. Ferry boats are there almost instantly. The captain walks the aisle twice to make sure everyone is off. Then he leaves. Later the plane sinks.
If God guides geese so precisely, he also guides the captain's hands. God knew that when he took the plane down, he would also give a spectacular deliverance. So why would he do that? If he means for all to live, why not just skip the crash?
Because he meant to give our nation a parable of his power and mercy the week before a new President takes office. God can take down a plane any time he pleases--and if he does, he wrongs no one. Apart from Christ, none of us deserves anything from God but judgment. We have belittled him so consistently that he would be perfectly just to take any of us any time in any way he chooses.
But God is longsuffering. He is slow to anger. He withholds wrath every day. This is what we saw in the parable. The crash of Flight 1549 illustrates God's right and power to judge. The landing of the plane represents God's mercy. It was God's call to all the passengers and all their families and all who heard the story to repent and turn to God's Son, Jesus Christ, and receive forgiveness for sin.
I am writing these thoughts on the evening after the inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the United States. I cried twice today. There were two points when I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Once was when I prayed with some brothers after Obama's speech and was overcome with the sinfulness of my own racist background. The other was in trying to express my emotion to an African-American brother about what this must mean for him.
As much as I reject Obama's stance on abortion, I am thankful to the bottom of my soul that an African-American can be President of United States. The enormity of it all is unspeakable. This is God's doing. The geese were God's doing. The landing of Flight 1549 was God's doing. And the Obama presidency is God's doing. "He removes kings and sets up kings" (Daniel 2:21).
And I pray that President Obama has eyes to see. The "miracle on the Hudson" and the "miracle in the White House" are not unrelated. God has been merciful to us as a nation. Our racial sins deserved judgment a thousand times over. God does not owe America anything. We owe him everything. And instead of destruction, he has given us another soft landing. We are not dead at the bottom of the Hudson.
O that Barack Obama would see the mercies of God and look to the One whose blood bought everlasting life for all who trust him. The parables of God's mercy are everywhere. The point of them is this: God is a just and patient Ruler, and Jesus Christ is a great Savior. Turn. Turn. Turn, O President of the United States and passengers of this planet.
Full of thanks for all God's mercies,
Pastor John
Incorruptible Things
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.” (1 Peter 1:18)
Cities of Refuge
“Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.” (Numbers 35:14)
When the Israelites entered the promised land, God told Joshua to provide six “cities of refuge” into which those who had slain someone could flee for refuge until a trial could ascertain the facts and render a proper verdict. As such, these cities are a type of Christ, through whom “we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18).
The names of the six cities are given in Joshua 20:7-8 as Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan. The meanings of these names seem planned especially to foreshadow this spiritual application.
Kedesh means “holy place,” and Christ in the New Jerusalem is the ultimate refuge, for “the Lamb [is] the temple of it” (Revelation 21:22). Shechem means “strong shoulder,” which answers to the “strong consolation” we have in Christ when we flee to Him for refuge.
Hebron means “fellowship,” and we who have come to Christ have been “called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9). Bezer means “strong hiding place.” The Scripture assures the believer that “your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
Ramoth means “high place,” and when we are hidden in Christ, God also has “made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Finally, Golan apparently means “enclosure for captives,” and this would speak of our being set free from sin and death to become captive to Christ. “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive” (Ephesians 4:8). Thus, the cities are appropriately named both for their immediate purpose and as a picture of Christ as the Savior of sinners. HMM
“Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.” (Numbers 35:14)
Jesus and the Flood
“For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:38-39)
The Lord Jesus Christ not only believed in the special, recent creation of all things by God (note Mark 10:6-8), but also in the worldwide Flood of Noah’s day, including the special preservation of life on the Ark. The Flood in which He believed was obviously not a “local flood,” for He compared it to the worldwide future impact of His Second Coming.
Neither was it a “tranquil flood,” nor a “selective flood,” for Jesus said, “The flood came, and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:27). It is clear that He was referring to—and that He believed—the Genesis record of the great Flood! There it says that the whole earth was “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:13), having first been filled with people, and that the resulting world-cleansing deluge was so cataclysmic that “every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth” (Genesis 7:23). Indeed, “the flood came, and took [literally ‘lifted’] them all away.”
This is what Jesus said, and what He believed, and therefore, those who are truly His disciples must also believe this. The destructive effects of the Flood can still be seen today not only in the biblical record, but also in the abundant evidences of cataclysmic destruction in the rocks and fossil graveyards all over the world. To refuse this evidence, as do many modern intellectuals, can only be because they “willingly are ignorant,” as Peter said in referring to this testimony (2 Peter 3:5). HMM
“For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:38-39)
God's Everlasting Covenants
“And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” (Genesis 17:7)
The phrase “everlasting covenant” (or “perpetual covenant”) is used no less than 16 times in the Old Testament, plus once in the New Testament. It always refers to a covenant promise of God to man, made in grace, for only He can make an everlasting promise.
The first everlasting covenant was made with Noah (Genesis 9:16), a promise never to send a worldwide flood again, sealed with the sign of the rainbow.
The second is recorded in today’s verse and was God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants. The promise was to give them “the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession” (Genesis 17:8), and the seal was to be the rite of circumcision.
Many of the “everlasting covenant” promises have to do with Israel. Some were stated unconditionally, but others were “broken” because of man’s rebellion against God’s covenant terms. One of the latter was the covenant of the Sabbath. “Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath . . . for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:16-17).
The last reference is the most important of all: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21). HMM
“And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” (Genesis 17:7)
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?
The Message the World Needs to Hear
Mark 16:15-20
Suppose I asked what the mission of the church is--how would you answer? Although the church accomplishes many tasks, its only message to the world is the gospel of Christ. Everything else we do is merely an extension of that primary goal. The gospel we offer the lost is superior to every worldly philosophy. Never outdated or in need of correction, it is always sufficient to meet humanity's greatest need: reconciliation with the Creator.
Although the message is always the same, methods of making it known are many--including the spoken word, music, printed material, and electronic media. But all these avenues of communication require the individual involvement of God's people. It is every Christian's responsibility to use his or her spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to help fulfill the Great Commission.
Some Christians think that this role is given only to pastors, missionaries, or other people with an "up-front ministry." But all of us have the responsibility to be involved in whatever way we are able and in whatever opportunity God gives us. Not everybody is called to go abroad as a missionary, but we all can give, pray, and tell friends and family what the Lord has done for us.
When you're truly committed to getting the gospel out, God will reveal what work He is calling you to do. He has a place for every one of us--nobody is insignificant or unusable. The limiting factor is not the Lord's ability to use us but our availability to His call.
The Priesthood of Believers
Revelation 5:9-10
According 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.
Sinning against the Spirit - By Greg Laurie -
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?
The Message the World Needs to Hear
Mark 16:15-20
Suppose I asked what the mission of the church is--how would you answer? Although the church accomplishes many tasks, its only message to the world is the gospel of Christ. Everything else we do is merely an extension of that primary goal. The gospel we offer the lost is superior to every worldly philosophy. Never outdated or in need of correction, it is always sufficient to meet humanity's greatest need: reconciliation with the Creator.
Although the message is always the same, methods of making it known are many--including the spoken word, music, printed material, and electronic media. But all these avenues of communication require the individual involvement of God's people. It is every Christian's responsibility to use his or her spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to help fulfill the Great Commission.
Some Christians think that this role is given only to pastors, missionaries, or other people with an "up-front ministry." But all of us have the responsibility to be involved in whatever way we are able and in whatever opportunity God gives us. Not everybody is called to go abroad as a missionary, but we all can give, pray, and tell friends and family what the Lord has done for us.
When you're truly committed to getting the gospel out, God will reveal what work He is calling you to do. He has a place for every one of us--nobody is insignificant or unusable. The limiting factor is not the Lord's ability to use us but our availability to His call.
The Priesthood of Believers
Revelation 5:9-10
According 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.
Sinning against the Spirit - By Greg Laurie -
But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife's consent, he kept the rest. -Acts 5:1-2
Ananias and Sapphira had a choice: They could give a lot. They could give a little. Or they could give absolutely nothing. Nothing was required of them. But they decided to act as though they were giving a lot when they really were not. They wanted to appear to be a little more holy than everyone else. This was a sin of hypocrisy, and it was offensive to God.
What intrigues me about this passage is that it says they lied to the Holy Spirit. Then it says they tested the Holy Spirit. It seems as though this was a specific sin against the Spirit of God.
Sometimes I think it's hard for people to relate to the Holy Spirit. They can understand God the Father and God the Son, but God the Holy Spirit? That seems a little too mystical for them.
The Holy Spirit is not some force or power; He is a distinct personality. Jesus, speaking of the Holy Spirit, said, "And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment" (John 16:8).
The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was pretending to be something they were not. They were hypocrites. Ananias wanted people to think he was thoroughly devoted to God when he wasn't.
Before we're too quick to condemn Ananias and Sapphira, let's ask ourselves a question: have we ever done anything spiritually to impress someone else? Don't pretend to be a holy man or a holy woman if you don't really want to be one. This is offensive to God. I'm not saying it's better to be a sinner. What I am saying is that it's worse to pretend to be holy when you really don't want to be. The only person you're fooling is yourself.
The Heart of the Matter - By Greg Laurie -
"But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." -Matthew 9:13
When Jesus walked this earth, He reserved His most scathing words for self-righteous, religious hypocrites. When a woman caught in the act of adultery was brought before Jesus, the religious elite said to Him, "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" (John 8:5).
Jesus stooped down and began writing something in the sand. Whatever He wrote must have been very revealing, because one by one, they all left, from the oldest to the youngest. Then Jesus turned to the woman and said, "Where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" (verse 10).
"I have none Lord," she said.
"Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more" (verse 11).
He could have said, "Haven't you heard what the Bible says? Why are you breaking the commandments of God?" But Jesus didn't give her a lecture. In fact, He got rid of the religious hypocrites and dealt with her graciously. I think Jesus knew she already had realized the enormity of her sin and was willing to turn from it. Thus, He pardoned her. Does that mean Jesus approved of the way she lived? Far from it. God is very clear about how He wants us to live.
I think we spend too much time boycotting what nonbelievers do and not enough time giving them the answer to their problems. There is a place to say what we're against. But the bottom line is that people are empty. They need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's expend our energy there. Let's expend our energy in proclaiming the gospel, because the heart of the matter is that people are lost. They need Christ, and we need to take that message to them.
Of unity and division - Bill Wilson -
President Donald Trump lit it up last night with his State of the Union address. So much so, that amid "USA" chants in the House chamber, a Democrat congressman got up and left. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) frowned at the call to work together and remained sitting during a rousing ovation. Black Democrats who were sitting together remained stone-faced when Trump said that unemployment was at its lowest rates in 45 years and that black unemployment was the lowest on record. The news media continued to criticize Trump with snide remarks about his wife's dress. ABC went so far as to say the speech was divisive, gloomy and stoked racial tensions. The real cap on the night came from CBS.
A CBS poll following the speech showed that 75% of those who watched the speech approved of it, only 25% disapproved. Interesting, though, about this rating is the demographics of those who watched the speech. Some 42% said they were Republicans, 33% were Independents, and 25% were Democrats. This could indicate that no matter what a Republican says, no matter what the facts are about the good things that are being done, no matter if people have jobs who never had them before, no matter what-Democrats are going to disapprove of anything and everything a Republican does. This is not unity. This divisiveness coming from Democrats and the media is not even American.
The sides of this coin are drastic for our nation and its people. We need to learn how to work out our problems with respect and civility. Those who are openly hostile obviously have another agenda. That would be the case with the mainstream media and the leadership of the Democratic Party. Notwithstanding, those polled who said they were Democrats, appear to agree with their party's leadership-at least 25% of them. This radical, visceral approach to politics is destructive. Jesus said in Mark 3:24, "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." We are a divided nation as evidenced by the disrespect and ignorance shown by those who refuse to agree on the good that has been accomplished.
President Trump said, "If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything. ...All of us, together, as one team, one people, and one American family. We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag. Together, we are rediscovering the American way. In America, we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of the American life. Our motto is "in God we trust."... As long as we have confidence in our values, faith in our citizens, and trust in our God, we will not fail." Who can disagree with this? -- Those who neither share these values nor trust in God. That is the difference between unity and division.
PLEASE VISIT MY WIFE'S WEBSITE. SHE RUNS "YOUNG LIVING" WHICH PROVIDES ALL NATURAL OILS THAT CAN BE USED INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY INCLUDING A DIFFUSER WHICH PUTS AN AMAZING ODOR IN THE AIR. THIS PRODUCT IS SO AMAZING AND KNOW THAT YOU WILL GET YEARS OF ENJOYMENT FROM IT. GO TO HTTP://WWW.YOUNGLIVING.ORG/CDROSES
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.