Condemned No Longer - by Greg Laurie -
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.-Romans 8:1
When you become a Christian, God does not see you in your sin. He sees you in His Son. God sees you for who you are in Christ, not who you were in sin.
The apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (verse 1 NKJV).
Maybe you're thinking, "I've messed up." But God doesn't see His children that way. Rather, He says, "This is my child now. This is the one I have forgiven. This is the one I'm not condemning any longer."
God always sees us for what we can become. For example, Jesus gave Peter his name. He was Simon when Jesus walked up to him and said, "'You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas' (which is translated, A Stone)" (John 1:42 NKJV).
If there was anything that Simon was not, it was a rock. Simon was hotheaded, vacillating, and argumentative. But Jesus was saying, "From now on, you're a rock."
I wonder whether the other disciples were laughing. Rock? Does Jesus actually know Simon?
Oh yes, He knew him. But Jesus wasn't calling him what he was; He was explaining what he would become.
I also think of Gideon, who was hiding from the Midianites when an angel of the Lord appeared to him. The angel said, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" (Judges 6:12 NKJV). That's hardly a mighty man of valor.
But God does not see us in our failure; He sees what we can become. We see the past, but God sees the future. We see a mess, but God sees a message. God can change everything in our story-if we will let Him.
Who is God?by Max Lucado
So who is God? Can I trust Him to take care of me? How much time do you have?The weather changes—but God is UN-changing! Fashion changes. Even change changes. But Hebrews 6:17 says God is always the same—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
So can we trust God? Is He powerful enough? You and I are limited—I think that goes without saying! One sneeze in my direction, and I’m contaminated, sick with a cold and out for a week. No one can soil or stain God. No sin contaminates Him.
We’re limited by brain capacity, time, relationship overload, and responsibilities—you can only be at one soccer game at a time after all! And patience! But God? He has no limit to his time, power, knowledge and love.
Check it out for yourself in Psalms 147:4-5
He counts the stars
and names each one.
Our Lord is great and very powerful.
Our Convictions Our Defense
Romans 14:20-23
A person of conviction has become convinced, by either evidence or argument, that his beliefs are true. Today, most men and women would rather live by preference than conviction. They choose to believe something based on certain conditions and circumstances. When the situation changes, so does their loyalty. In other words, a lot of people vacillate on issues that require a firm resolve.
Contrast this wishy-washy approach with the mindset of the great men and women of Scripture. Despite many years of unfair treatment, Joseph never wavered in his commitment to godly principles. As a result, he was in the right place at the right time to ensure Israel’s survival (Gen. 50:20). Daniel, another righteous man in an idolatrous land, earned the trust of foreign kings by standing firm in his beliefs (Dan. 1:20). When his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego also refused to compromise their beliefs, they influenced a king to recognize Jehovah as the one true God (3:29).
Instead of following your own preferences, choose to live by godly conviction. The Bible has much to say about the most important aspects of your life. See if God’s principles and promises hold true. Through prayer and study, allow Him to firmly root you in solid biblical convictions.
God's Work of Providence
“Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.” (Psalm 65:9)
The 65th Psalm speaks especially of God’s great work of “providence” as supplementing His primeval work of creation. The latter was completed in the six days of the creation week (Genesis 2:1-3). The work of providence, however, still goes on, perpetually reminding us of God’s care for His creatures. “He left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17).
God’s providential concern, however, extends not only to men and women. “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle” (Psalm 104:14). “So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. . . . These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season” (vv. 25, 27). “Behold the fowls of the air: . . . your heavenly Father feedeth them” (Matthew 6:26).
Note that He is not their heavenly Father, He is your heavenly Father—yet He feeds them! He is merely their maker and provider; yet a single sparrow “shall not fall on the ground without your Father” (Matthew 10:29).
He even provides for the inanimate creation, “upholding all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3). The omnipotent God of creation is thus the ever-sustaining and ever-caring God of providence.
Still, some choose not to believe, even though “that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen . . . so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20). HMM
Thoughts of the Heart
“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6)
These two verses, describing the incurable wickedness of the antediluvian world that finally brought on the global Flood, contain the first two of over a thousand occurrences of the word “heart” in the Bible. Note the contrast: man’s heart was evil; God’s heart was grieved.
Both the Hebrew and Greek languages treated the heart as the center of a person’s being, the seat of all feelings and thoughts, and we do the same in English. The writers knew that the heart was a physical organ, with its function of circulating the blood as basic to physical life. Leviticus 17:11, among other Scriptures, notes that “the life of the flesh is in the blood,” but only rarely was the word used thus in Scripture. Nearly always the word is used symbolically in reference to the deep essence of a person’s being. It is also used occasionally to refer to the innermost part of physical objects (e.g., “the heart of the earth,” as in Matthew 12:40).
In this first occurrence, it refers to the “thoughts” of the heart. Somehow, before one thinks with his mind, he thinks with his heart, and these deep, unspoken thoughts will determine the way he reasons with his brain. Jesus confirmed this in Mark 7:21: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts.”
How important it is, then, to maintain a heart that is pure. In fact, in sharp contrast to the first occurrence of “heart” in the Old Testament referring to man’s evil thoughts, the first occurrence in the New Testament is in the gracious promise of Christ: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). HMM
Loved with a Steadfast Loveby Max Lucado
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22–23 RSV
Jeremiah was depressed, as gloomy as a giraffe with a neck ache. Jerusalem was under siege, his nation under duress. His world collapsed like a sand castle in a typhoon. He faulted God for his horrible emotional distress. He also blamed God for his physical ailments. “He [God] has made my flesh and my skin waste away, and broken my bones” (Lam. 3:4 RSV).
His body ached. His heart was sick. His faith was puny. . . . He realized how fast he was sinking, so he shifted his gaze. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’ ” (vv. 21–24 RSV).
“But this I call to mind...” Depressed, Jeremiah altered his thoughts, shifted his attention. He turned his eyes away from his stormy world and looked into the wonder of God. He quickly recited a quintet of promises. (I can envision him tapping these out on the five fingers of his hand.)
1. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
2. His mercies never come to an end.
3. They are new every morning.
4. Great is thy faithfulness.
5. The Lord is my portion.
The storm didn’t cease, but his discouragement did.
—Fearless
Thank you precious Savior, that your love is steadfast. Thank you that your mercies are new every morning. Thank you for your great faithfulness, not only to me but to all your people from the first day of creation. When I am tempted to become depressed and distressed, may I choose to gaze on you. May I remember that you are my portion. May I hope in your unceasing love, amen.
Go to the Ant
Proverbs 6:6-8
God is a masterful Creator. He has integrated many of His principles into the fabric of nature so that we can see His handiwork and learn of Him (Ps. 19:1-6). If you desire to acquire wisdom, do not neglect to look outdoors for His lessons.
Now, of course, the outdoors sometimes comes inside. If you’ve ever battled ants in your kitchen or pantry, wisdom probably isn’t the first trait you would attribute to them—you probably would choose a description more like determination. But to the lazy person, God points out these tiny creatures as an example of wise living. Simply consider how many characteristics of the ant people would be smart to adopt: preparation, cooperation, perseverance, diligence, unity, and the list goes on. So interacting with righteous men isn’t the only way to acquire wisdom. God also wants us to observe the lowly ant that He created to work in community.
Our quest for wisdom is to be rooted in Scripture and covered in prayer. But don’t overlook the many lessons unfolding right outside the front door. Ask God for “eyes to see” (Mark 8:18). Then take every chance to grow in understanding so your capacity to live by His principles will be strengthened.
| A Created People “This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.” (Psalm 102:18) Only God can create, and whenever this verb (Hebrew bara) is used in the Bible, the subject of the verb, either explicitly or implicitly, is God! However, certain “progressive creationists” contend that “creation” does not have to be instantaneous but can be a protracted process—some form of evolution. The verse above is used as a proof text for this position, the idea being that the Jewish “people” are being gradually created (“molded”) into a nation that will eventually bring praise to God. This type of scriptural distortion illustrates the extremes to which theistic evolutionists and progressive creationists will go in order to force long evolutionary ages into Scripture. In the context, the psalmist is not speaking of a long process but a future event. He is speaking of a future time to “have mercy upon Zion,” when “the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come” (v. 13). At that future time, “the LORD . . . shall appear in his glory” (v. 16). Then will come the glorious day “when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD” (v. 22). It is only then that “the people shall be created” who “shall praise the LORD.” When a person receives the Lord Jesus Christ by faith as his Creator and Savior, he does indeed become “a new [creation]” (2 Corinthians 5:17), and the miracle of regeneration is always recognized in Scripture as an instantaneous event accomplished by the Creator in the mind and heart of the believer at the time of conversion. As for the Jews who are alive when the Lord returns, “in that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David” (Zechariah 13:1). Multitudes will believe and become, at that time, “new creature[s] in Christ Jesus.” HMM |
Acts 9:1-16
The apostle Paul had a strong commitment to know and serve Jesus Christ. His passion and love for the Lord was obvious—Jesus was always central in his thinking, whether he was working as a tent maker, preaching to the crowd, or even sitting in chains at prison. What fueled his love for the Lord?
Paul's conversion experience on the Damascus Road was a motivating force in his life. Grateful for the gift of grace he had received at salvation, the apostle told many people about his encounter with the resurrected Christ and its impact on him. We, too, have a story to tell of God's mercy in saving us and of the new life we have in Him.
Developing a vibrant faith requires time and energy plus a commitment to obey God. Regularly studying the Bible will strengthen your beliefs and give you courage to speak. Caring about the spiritual welfare of others will move you into action. Do you have a passion to serve Jesus wherever He leads?
Leaning on a Spider's Web - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
The same happens to all who forget God. The hopes of the godless evaporate. Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider's web.-Job 8:13-14
Hopelessness has become something of a national epidemic. As columnist Karol Markowicz wrote, "The economy is booming. Crime has fallen dramatically all over the country. We're richer and safer than ever. Yet we're in the middle of this terrible malaise."
The Book of Job puts it this way: "The hopes of the godless evaporate. Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider's web." (Job 8:13-14 NLT).
Have you ever leaned on a spider's web? That is what it's like to lean on this world. If you put your hope in the world, then your hope is misplaced. It won't help you. It won't solve your problems.
I believe there are three basic reasons people find themselves depressed: (1) they are depressed about their past, (2) they are depressed about their future, or (3) they are depressed about their present.
The good news is that Romans 8 gives us promises about our past, present, and future. Romans 8:1, for example, tells us there is no condemnation for our past. If you're a Christian, then you're a child of God. You've asked God to forgive you of your sin, He has forgiven you, and there's no condemnation for you.
And Romans 8:38 tells us that as Christians, there is no separation from God in the future. So we don't have to be afraid of our future. Then Romans 8:28 assures us that whatever we're going through as children of God ultimately will work together for good.
Maybe you find yourself feeling anxious about your future. Or maybe you have a whopper of a problem that you're dealing with at the moment. Then again, maybe you've done something that you wish you hadn't done, and the ramifications are still part of your life today.
There's still hope. Hope has a name, and it's Jesus.
We, Being Many
�For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.� (Romans 12:4-5)
All too frequently in today�s Christian circles, we place certain individuals and certain gifts on a pedestal, and all too often the resulting pride is devastating. Pride may be the favorite tool of Satan. Pride was the reason Satan rebelled and lost his exalted position (Isaiah 14:13-14). He appealed to Eve�s pride in the garden (Genesis 3:6), similarly tempted Christ in the wilderness (Luke 4:6), and uses it on us today. Be warned! �God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble� (James 4:6): �Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall� (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Paul, through the Holy Spirit, chose to introduce his teaching on the use of spiritual gifts and unity of the entire body with a warning against pride, admonishing �every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith� (Romans 12:3). His discussion on the many-membered body that follows leaves no room for pride. Nor does the parallel passage in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.
The apostle points out that each Christian forms an equally essential part of the whole. Since we are all equal in God�s eyes, and all mutually dependent upon one another, what room is there for pride? Likewise, Paul points out that each Christian possesses an equally vital connection with Christ. Who are we to tell Christ a part of His body is less valuable than the rest? He is concerned for each one equally. �For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory?� (1 Corinthians 4:7). JDM
�For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.� (Romans 12:4-5)
All too frequently in today�s Christian circles, we place certain individuals and certain gifts on a pedestal, and all too often the resulting pride is devastating. Pride may be the favorite tool of Satan. Pride was the reason Satan rebelled and lost his exalted position (Isaiah 14:13-14). He appealed to Eve�s pride in the garden (Genesis 3:6), similarly tempted Christ in the wilderness (Luke 4:6), and uses it on us today. Be warned! �God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble� (James 4:6): �Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall� (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Paul, through the Holy Spirit, chose to introduce his teaching on the use of spiritual gifts and unity of the entire body with a warning against pride, admonishing �every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith� (Romans 12:3). His discussion on the many-membered body that follows leaves no room for pride. Nor does the parallel passage in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.
The apostle points out that each Christian forms an equally essential part of the whole. Since we are all equal in God�s eyes, and all mutually dependent upon one another, what room is there for pride? Likewise, Paul points out that each Christian possesses an equally vital connection with Christ. Who are we to tell Christ a part of His body is less valuable than the rest? He is concerned for each one equally. �For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory?� (1 Corinthians 4:7). JDM
Jesus Heals a Blind Man by Max Lucado �As [Jesus] passed by, He saw a man blind from birth�
(John 9:1).
This man has never seen a sunrise. Can�t tell purple from pink. The disciples fault the family tree. �Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?� (v. 2).
Neither, the God-man replies. Trace this condition back to heaven. The reason the man was born sightless? So �the works of God might be displayed in him� (v. 3).
Talk about a thankless role. Selected to suffer. Some sing to God�s glory. Others teach to God�s glory. Who wants to be blind for God�s glory? Which is tougher�the condition or discovering it was God�s idea?
The cure proves to be as surprising as the cause. �[Jesus] spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes� (v. 6).
The world abounds with paintings of the God-man: in the arms of Mary, in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the Upper Room, in the darkened tomb. Jesus touching. Jesus weeping, laughing, teaching � but I�ve never seen a painting of Jesus spitting.
Christ smacking his lips a time or two, gathering a mouth of saliva, working up a blob of drool, and letting it go. Down in the dirt. (Kids, next time your mother tells you not to spit, show her this passage.) Then he squats, stirs up a puddle of � I don�t know, what would you call it?
Developing Convictions
Jeremiah 17:5-8
An acorn needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall, sturdy oak tree. Likewise, men and women of conviction develop gradually through committed Bible study and prayer. Ready to get planted firmly in biblical truth? Here�s how:
Make a list of issues for which you need to form a conviction. Here are questions to help you get started: Do you consider the Bible true and trustworthy? Do you think that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved? What is the Holy Spirit�s role in the lives of believers and unbelievers? Are we to forgive others in every situation? How should Christians approach finances? What�s your purpose in life? What is your role in the church and at work? How should you think and act regarding social issues like capital punishment, abortion, and racism?
It is my hope that these questions will open the eyes of those who haven�t contemplated how their personal philosophies have developed. It�s time to change that. Study the Bible and make God�s Word the cornerstone of your thinking. A concordance will point you to scriptures that relate to the above topics. Evaluate what the Bible says rather than looking at an issue through the lens of personal preference. Ask, What does God say? rather than What does this mean to me?
Once you know what God says, you have a choice to make: Believe Him and commit to living according to your conviction, or continue being tossed by waves of doubt and indecision (James 1:6). Root yourself in God�s Word and be called one of His oaks of righteousness (Isa. 61:3).
Joy Is Better than Fun
�Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.� (Jeremiah 15:16)
People today seem always to be looking for fun or entertainment. �Fun� is never mentioned in the Bible, so it is evidently not considered to be a very significant part of the Christian life. The word �entertain� is used to speak of hospitality, and such activities as �play� and �reveling� only receive condemnation. (Playing is appropriate for children and animals, of course.)
Christians, however, have something far better than worldly fun�they have heavenly joy! This is the unique privilege of the redeemed, and there are many channels through which this joy can be experienced.
First of all, Christian joy comes through the Word. As even Jeremiah (�the weeping prophet!�) could say: �Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart,� as in our text. Then we rejoice in God�s great salvation: �I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation� (Isaiah 61:10).
There is great joy also in the privilege of prayer and having our prayers answered: �Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full� (John 16:24). Christian service and witnessing are a source of tremendous joy when their fruits are finally seen. �They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him� (Psalm 126:5-6).
And there is much, much more! �Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice� (Philippians 4:4). After all, we know personally the very Creator of all that is good, �in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory� (1 Peter 1:8). HMM
The Communion of the Saints
�That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.� (1 John 1:3)
The words �fellowship� and �communion� in the King James Version are both translations of the same word (koinonia) in the Greek New Testament. The fellowship of which the New Testament speaks is one of the most important doctrines of the Christian life. In the early days, �they continued stedfastly in the apostles� doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. . . . And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart� (Acts 2:42, 46).
It wasn�t long before heresies, schisms, and non-Christian practices began to fragment the churches; nevertheless, fellowship is still a vital biblical doctrine toward which all Christians should strive.
Today, with our multiplicity of sects and denominations, the concept of the communion of the saints seems almost an anomaly. Yet there is still a very real and blessed fellowship among Bible-believing Christians of all denominations, and this is one of the great blessings of the Christian life.
True fellowship, of course, must be based on truth in doctrine and practice. As our text indicates, real spiritual fellowship with fellow Christians must be based, first of all, on fellowship with the Father and the Son. �If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin� (1 John 1:6-7). Christian fellowship is not, as many seem to think, built on food and fun, but on truth and light. HMM
Fear of Worst-Case Scenariosby Max Lucado
What�s your worst fear? Jesus did more than speak about fear. He faced it. In Mark 14:35-36, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane�s garden, ��Abba, Father,� everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.��
The cup equaled Jesus� worst-case scenario � to be the recipient of God�s wrath and to experience isolation from his Father. And what Jesus did with his fear shows us what to do with ours. He prayed! He even requested the prayer support of friends. Jesus� prayer was brief. It was straightforward and trusting. Do likewise. Be specific about your fears. Call them out in prayer. Make them stand before God and take their comeuppance!
Evangelism: Every Believer's Calling
Acts 1:6-8
One Sunday, a man approached me between services to share his story. He'd been addicted to drugs and was leading a hopeless life when he heard a Scripture verse in a sermon. He said that one passage led him to place his trust in Jesus. The man was saved, and God transformed his life.
Every believer has a story. Oftentimes, the more we surrender to God, the greater our ability to see His hand in our life. And the more we watch Him work, the stronger our desire to share with others all that He has done.
The same was true of the early disciples. A small crowd gathered around Jesus before His ascension. They heard His command to spread the gospel around the globe, making disciples and baptizing people from all nations. Surely this seemed like an overwhelming task for a handful of followers, but they obeyed. Their personal experiences with Christ undoubtedly motivated them to share the good news, and they also must have gained confidence from Jesus' promise of His presence and power.
We, too, should be taking Christ's command seriously. One of our highest callings as believers is to tell others about Him. As was true for the early Christians, our own experience with the Savior is the most exciting and convincing story to tell.
Are you passionately telling others about Christ? Loving God involves not just having a personal relationship with Jesus but also sharing Him with others. The world around you needs the power of Christ. Let the Holy Spirit guide and enable you to share effectively with those around you.
Forward Motion - by Greg Laurie -
(John 9:1).
This man has never seen a sunrise. Can�t tell purple from pink. The disciples fault the family tree. �Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?� (v. 2).
Neither, the God-man replies. Trace this condition back to heaven. The reason the man was born sightless? So �the works of God might be displayed in him� (v. 3).
Talk about a thankless role. Selected to suffer. Some sing to God�s glory. Others teach to God�s glory. Who wants to be blind for God�s glory? Which is tougher�the condition or discovering it was God�s idea?
The cure proves to be as surprising as the cause. �[Jesus] spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes� (v. 6).
The world abounds with paintings of the God-man: in the arms of Mary, in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the Upper Room, in the darkened tomb. Jesus touching. Jesus weeping, laughing, teaching � but I�ve never seen a painting of Jesus spitting.
Christ smacking his lips a time or two, gathering a mouth of saliva, working up a blob of drool, and letting it go. Down in the dirt. (Kids, next time your mother tells you not to spit, show her this passage.) Then he squats, stirs up a puddle of � I don�t know, what would you call it?
Developing Convictions
Jeremiah 17:5-8
An acorn needs nutrients and time to grow into a tall, sturdy oak tree. Likewise, men and women of conviction develop gradually through committed Bible study and prayer. Ready to get planted firmly in biblical truth? Here�s how:
Make a list of issues for which you need to form a conviction. Here are questions to help you get started: Do you consider the Bible true and trustworthy? Do you think that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved? What is the Holy Spirit�s role in the lives of believers and unbelievers? Are we to forgive others in every situation? How should Christians approach finances? What�s your purpose in life? What is your role in the church and at work? How should you think and act regarding social issues like capital punishment, abortion, and racism?
Once you know what God says, you have a choice to make: Believe Him and commit to living according to your conviction, or continue being tossed by waves of doubt and indecision (James 1:6). Root yourself in God�s Word and be called one of His oaks of righteousness (Isa. 61:3).
Joy Is Better than Fun
�Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.� (Jeremiah 15:16)
People today seem always to be looking for fun or entertainment. �Fun� is never mentioned in the Bible, so it is evidently not considered to be a very significant part of the Christian life. The word �entertain� is used to speak of hospitality, and such activities as �play� and �reveling� only receive condemnation. (Playing is appropriate for children and animals, of course.)
Christians, however, have something far better than worldly fun�they have heavenly joy! This is the unique privilege of the redeemed, and there are many channels through which this joy can be experienced.
First of all, Christian joy comes through the Word. As even Jeremiah (�the weeping prophet!�) could say: �Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart,� as in our text. Then we rejoice in God�s great salvation: �I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation� (Isaiah 61:10).
There is great joy also in the privilege of prayer and having our prayers answered: �Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full� (John 16:24). Christian service and witnessing are a source of tremendous joy when their fruits are finally seen. �They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him� (Psalm 126:5-6).
And there is much, much more! �Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice� (Philippians 4:4). After all, we know personally the very Creator of all that is good, �in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory� (1 Peter 1:8). HMM
The Communion of the Saints
�That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.� (1 John 1:3)
The words �fellowship� and �communion� in the King James Version are both translations of the same word (koinonia) in the Greek New Testament. The fellowship of which the New Testament speaks is one of the most important doctrines of the Christian life. In the early days, �they continued stedfastly in the apostles� doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. . . . And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart� (Acts 2:42, 46).
It wasn�t long before heresies, schisms, and non-Christian practices began to fragment the churches; nevertheless, fellowship is still a vital biblical doctrine toward which all Christians should strive.
Today, with our multiplicity of sects and denominations, the concept of the communion of the saints seems almost an anomaly. Yet there is still a very real and blessed fellowship among Bible-believing Christians of all denominations, and this is one of the great blessings of the Christian life.
True fellowship, of course, must be based on truth in doctrine and practice. As our text indicates, real spiritual fellowship with fellow Christians must be based, first of all, on fellowship with the Father and the Son. �If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin� (1 John 1:6-7). Christian fellowship is not, as many seem to think, built on food and fun, but on truth and light. HMM
Fear of Worst-Case Scenariosby Max Lucado
What�s your worst fear? Jesus did more than speak about fear. He faced it. In Mark 14:35-36, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane�s garden, ��Abba, Father,� everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.��
The cup equaled Jesus� worst-case scenario � to be the recipient of God�s wrath and to experience isolation from his Father. And what Jesus did with his fear shows us what to do with ours. He prayed! He even requested the prayer support of friends. Jesus� prayer was brief. It was straightforward and trusting. Do likewise. Be specific about your fears. Call them out in prayer. Make them stand before God and take their comeuppance!
Evangelism: Every Believer's Calling
Acts 1:6-8
One Sunday, a man approached me between services to share his story. He'd been addicted to drugs and was leading a hopeless life when he heard a Scripture verse in a sermon. He said that one passage led him to place his trust in Jesus. The man was saved, and God transformed his life.
Every believer has a story. Oftentimes, the more we surrender to God, the greater our ability to see His hand in our life. And the more we watch Him work, the stronger our desire to share with others all that He has done.
We, too, should be taking Christ's command seriously. One of our highest callings as believers is to tell others about Him. As was true for the early Christians, our own experience with the Savior is the most exciting and convincing story to tell.
Are you passionately telling others about Christ? Loving God involves not just having a personal relationship with Jesus but also sharing Him with others. The world around you needs the power of Christ. Let the Holy Spirit guide and enable you to share effectively with those around you.
Forward Motion - by Greg Laurie -
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.-Romans 8:5
Every now and then I meet one of those biological freaks of nature who don't gain weight, even though they eat anything they want to. For the rest of us, that isn't the case.
Then there are people who are in great shape for a reason. They get up in the morning and exercise. They also think about the things they eat, like my friend Skip Heitzig.
Awhile back we went out for lunch at a meatball place. I ordered a hoagie-type sandwich with spicy meatballs, sauce, and melted provolone cheese (because that's how it's done at a meatball place). Meanwhile, Skip ordered chicken meatballs.
I thought, "What? Chicken? You don't make meatballs out of chicken." And then he ordered-I almost can't say it-a kale salad.
However, Skip is a very thin guy, and I am not. So maybe there's something to his lunch choices.
Now, let's compare that to the spiritual life. Someone gets up in the morning and reads their Bible. They pray. And during their commute, they listen to Christian radio, worship music, or some podcasts that encourage them spiritually.
Even on their lunch break, they take some time to open up God's Word again. They're involved in church and attend every weekend. But they also participate in a small group or a midweek Bible study. As a result, they're doing well spiritually.
That isn't legalism or righteousness from works. Rather, it's working righteousness. There is our part as well as God's part, and we need to recognize that.
When you get up in the morning, you make the choice whether you will walk in the Spirit or walk in the flesh. And the best way to avoid going backward spiritually is to go forward in the Spirit. God wants His spirit to permeate every area of your life.
Paul's Growth
�For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.� (Romans 12:3)
Many times today we look at Paul and wish to be greatly used of God as he was. But Scripture teaches us that use of Paul as a role model requires a proper view of Paul�his humility and his submission to Christ.
Paul didn�t start out as a humble servant. In fact, before his conversion, he was quite proud of his pedigree (Philippians 3:4-6). He was the overseer at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). He was fanatical, the haughty persecutor of the early church (8:3). In grace, he was informed of his error by �Jesus whom thou persecutest� (9:5), and soon Paul recognized the worthlessness of his background and human achievement, and counted all these things �but dung, that I may win Christ� (Philippians 3:8).
Once his view of Christ was proper, Paul�s view of himself began to decrease. In AD 56 or so, Paul, who had been set apart for a ministry to the Gentiles �from my mother�s womb� (Galatians 1:15), called himself �the least of the apostles, that am not meet [fit] to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am� (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).
While in prison several years later, Paul wrote to the Gentile churches he had founded, marveling that this ministry was given �unto me, who am less than the least of all saints� (Ephesians 3:8). Shortly before he was beheaded in prison for his faith, he testified �that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief� (1 Timothy 1:15).
As Paul grew older, his evaluation of his own worth decreased. As one draws closer and closer to the light, he is able to see more clearly his own unworthiness. JDM
�For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.� (Romans 12:3)
Many times today we look at Paul and wish to be greatly used of God as he was. But Scripture teaches us that use of Paul as a role model requires a proper view of Paul�his humility and his submission to Christ.
Paul didn�t start out as a humble servant. In fact, before his conversion, he was quite proud of his pedigree (Philippians 3:4-6). He was the overseer at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). He was fanatical, the haughty persecutor of the early church (8:3). In grace, he was informed of his error by �Jesus whom thou persecutest� (9:5), and soon Paul recognized the worthlessness of his background and human achievement, and counted all these things �but dung, that I may win Christ� (Philippians 3:8).
Once his view of Christ was proper, Paul�s view of himself began to decrease. In AD 56 or so, Paul, who had been set apart for a ministry to the Gentiles �from my mother�s womb� (Galatians 1:15), called himself �the least of the apostles, that am not meet [fit] to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am� (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).
While in prison several years later, Paul wrote to the Gentile churches he had founded, marveling that this ministry was given �unto me, who am less than the least of all saints� (Ephesians 3:8). Shortly before he was beheaded in prison for his faith, he testified �that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief� (1 Timothy 1:15).
As Paul grew older, his evaluation of his own worth decreased. As one draws closer and closer to the light, he is able to see more clearly his own unworthiness. JDM
Preoccupied . . . in a Good Way - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.-Romans 8:14
I'm adopted. A man named Oscar Laurie, one of my mother's husbands, adopted me and treated me as his son. That is where I got my last name. He's in Heaven now, and I still feel a great love for him.
In the same way, God chose us and adopted us as His children. This is important to remember when we're going through something stressful that causes us to worry. God wants to hear from us.
The apostle Paul wrote, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit" (Romans 8:5 NKJV). That's what it means to have the Holy Spirit dominate our minds.
Setting our minds on the things of the Spirit is to be preoccupied with things that preoccupy the Holy Spirit. And what would those things be? The rest of Romans 8 answers that question.
For example, verses 15-16 tell us that God removes the fear of rejection and assures us that we are His children. Then verses 26-27 tell us that the Holy Spirit gives us confidence to approach God in prayer.
God wants us to think about the fact that He has adopted us, loves us, and welcomes us.
The opposite of this is thinking about sinful things. A lot can fall into this category, such as lust, anger, or hatred. Or, it can be empty things like fame and fortune.
Jesus said, "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs" (Matthew 6:31-32 NLT).
Spirit-led people are spiritually minded people. So be preoccupied with the things of God.
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)
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 triunity 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
�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 triunity 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
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