Message from Scripture: 12/31/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from Isa. 35:8. “A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way” (Isa. 35:8).

In highly symbolic and beautiful language, Isaiah pictures the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity.  He saw the way home as a superhighway, direct through the desert from Babylon to Jerusalem.  They were leaving a land where they had lived as strangers and endured suffering, but now they would return to their homeland, to come home.

I can think of few things in life that bring greater joy than coming home.  I know with the COVID pandemic, travel is limited at best, or nonexistent for most of us. However, no matter where you may go, there is no greater feeling than to walk in the door of your house, to know you're home. There's a feeling of security and comfort you have at home, that you can't have anywhere else. No matter the size, shape, or condition of the house, it's there that you live and call home.

As Christians, we're on the way home, too. Paul wrote, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).  Elsewhere he wrote, “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1). This year we have had many make that journey, but we know, when Christians die, they are going home. How sad, when some people die, they are leaving home. What a difference Christ makes! Without Him, life has no real value or meaning; with Him, all our labors have eternal results.

May we always have the attitude Paul commends to us, who encourages us to live so our goal is to “be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).  As we look to a new year, let us walk every day the way that leads to our heavenly home. God bless.

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/30/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from 2 Pet. 3:17-18. “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

Have you ever noticed how children like to be carried by their parents? Sometimes, a child responds this way for security, the comfort received by being held. At other times, there may be a degree of laziness, a child not wanting to walk, but have the adult expend the energy instead.

There is an analogy with this, and how some Christians live. How many people depend on someone else to “carry them along” in the kingdom, in the work of the church?  How many expect to receive the benefits of others who have matured in their faith, and serve faithfully?  How many Christians want to be carried into heaven by the efforts of others?

There is a real danger in having this attitude. As long as a parent, or mentor, or someone else, is there to influence them positively, they may do okay, but when that person is not there to carry them, their spirituality fades and can be diminished.  Their relationship with God is based on someone else, and they have not learned what a deep, personal faith in Christ is all about.

A faith that must be carried is subject to who is carrying it for us, as well as whoever or whatever else comes along life’s way. Seek to have your own faith that is focused on God, that trusts in Him, that will abide in Him no matter what. By trusting in God, by allowing Him to carry us along in life, we have a faith that offers victory (1 John 5:4). Live by your faith in Christ through God’s word, and have a great day. God bless.

Robert

 

Living Your Legacy

 

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Let those of us who are mature think this way” (Phil. 3:13-15a).

What will your legacy be?  At some point in our lives, we no doubt will think about what we will leave behind for others, especially for our children and grandchildren.  What will come to mind when they think of the lives we’ve lived, the things they remember us having said to them in the course of a lifetime?  What will come to mind when they reflect back on how we faced life?  Will it be more than photographs, money, or the things we surrounded ourselves with in life?

Certainly nothing is wrong with providing for the needs of family, of mementos reminding them of time spent together.  But is that all we will leave them?  We are created in the image of God, which means we are spiritual as well as physical beings.  Life is not to be lived just for the flesh but for eternity.  No legacy for life is complete without leaving a legacy of godliness, of spiritual values and teaching, of an example that was set for eternity.  In the above passage, Paul emphasizes this as his goal for living, the goal all who are mature in their faith should have and seek.  When he sums up his life for Timothy later, he says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).  No doubt, when Timothy’s life went on without Paul’s physical presence, he would not only recall times they spent together, but his teaching, his example.  His legacy to Timothy was to live for eternal life.

As I think back on the life of my parents, I remember the sacrifices they made for us to have what we needed in life, as well as time spent with them, their joys and sorrows, but most importantly our shared faith.  I understand God’s will for my life today because of their legacy of spiritual teaching and godly influence.  Their love of God and His Son was part of the love they instilled in me.  That love is real in me because of the truth they led me to in Scripture, so that my confidence would be in God, which was where their confidence was as well.  To have my dad’s Bible, and hold it in my hands today, not only reminds me of our lives together then, but of life eternal which he shared with me from it.

In our society, it seems few are concerned about a spiritual legacy anymore.  The assumption is we all will go to heaven, no matter how we have lived.  Whatever rationalizations are offered for such a view, it is a lie of Satan too many believe.  Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  If we take nothing else from his words, we understand submission to his will is fundamental in living the Christian life, and without it we cannot please him.  Life in the flesh is to be lived by faith in the Son of God, whose legacy to us is his sacrificial love (Gal. 2:20). 

When we consider the life of Christ, lived in complete surrender to the will of the Father, and the lives of his faithful followers recorded in Scripture, how can we logically suppose that lives committed only to selfish desires and physical pursuits will please God?  What a tragic legacy to leave for others.  As we consider a new year before us, and the changes we can make for good, may our love for God, our faith in Christ, our devotion to Scripture and living a sanctified life make a difference in us, in our legacy.  Let us press on toward the prize.  May life be Christ so death will be gain.  First and foremost of all, let your legacy be not just earthly memories, but also a heavenly influence.  “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?  The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!” (Prov. 20:6-7).

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice.”

 Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/19/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is John 15:13; “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

When Jesus spoke these words, He would soon practice this very principle, not just for the eleven apostles, but for everyone. He would willingly go to the cross, suffering its shame, its pain, its separation from the Father, that by His death, by the shedding of His blood, we have the only hope for eternal life. Peter would later refer to this sacrifice for us all when he said, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

I believe Paul expressed this truth in a very real sense when he said, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). In a very real sense, Paul would have been willing to sacrifice his salvation, to be cut off from Christ, if doing so would bring about the salvation of the Jews. If you read the other letters of Paul, you know how much being with the Lord meant to Him. But he was willing to let that go if it would mean salvation for others. Of course, we all will be judged on our own merits, but what a spirit Paul showed, what a love he had, for his fellow Jews.

To genuinely care for the souls of others is to have the heart of Christ. Jesus would go on to define who is His friend by adding, “You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). This is what Jesus did to fulfill the will of the Father for us, and it’s what we should do if we are to fulfill God’s will in our lives. We were not taught of Christ just to save our own souls, but that we might help others find salvation in Him as well. What if we all were willing to do all we can to help others know and obey Christ? What a difference it would make in our own personal lives, the lives of others, the promise of eternity? Do you have someone you love, you care about, that needs to know Christ? How much does it mean to you? When they know how much you care, they will care enough to know Christ. Put your life on the line for Christ, and see the difference you can make in others. God bless.

 Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/18/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is John 5:28-29; “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Many years ago, two young men were engaged, or had already married, Lot's daughters. One night, Lot showed up unexpectedly at their home with a story that seemed so incredible to them they thought it was a joke. Lot had invited two visitors to stay at his house.  When a riotous crowd had begun to try to break down his front door, these men had caused the crowd to be blinded. Once inside his home, they announced that the LORD had sent them to destroy Sodom.  Lot and his family had to flee the city as soon as possible! How tragic, then, that, the following day was especially horrific for them as suddenly, flaming balls of sulfur began pelting the city, turning Sodom into one giant incinerator.

We don't know how quickly they died, but thoughts similar to these may have raced through their minds. “We were warned! This didn't have to happen to us!” Is not today much like that night in Sodom? God has announced through both Jesus and his apostles that a day of judgment is coming. And yet, does it not seem like some people are treating God's message as though it’s just a joke? Some continue to go about living their life assuming that “there will always be a tomorrow” or “if there really is a final judgment, I'm OK because I'm basically good enough.” Others who have obeyed the gospel may trust more in their past obedience to the gospel, than they do their present condition. “Haven’t I been baptized? Aren’t I covered by His grace?  At the final judgment, I’ll be okay because God loves me too much to condemn me.” Are you sure?  You can be sure if Christ is Lord of your life, and your life is lived for Him. Live confidently today, so you’ll live with Him forever. God bless.

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/17/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Matt. 15:28; “Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.’”

If you are familiar with the context of our Scripture, you know how it seemed Jesus was being rude to her initially, trying to discourage her from bothering Him and His disciples. In reality, He knew how strong her faith was. It was His disciples who needed to learn a great lesson about faith from this woman who not an Israelite. What lessons can we learn from her pleas to the Lord for help?

One thing we learn is that, no matter what Jesus or His disciples said to her, she refused to give up her focus on Christ, as He alone could offer her the answer she needed for her little girl to be healed. There are many things we encounter in life that can distract us, divert our attention, and keep us from pursuing what is really important. By focusing our attention on Jesus, we find what really is important, and the help we need for all of life. As the Hebrew writer reminds, we must keep our eyes focused on Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2).

Another thing we learn is, no matter how difficult the going gets, we shouldn’t give up on our faith. Jesus used the term “dog” to describe her in comparison to the Jews, but she didn’t leave or deny her faith in Him. She reminded him even dogs have needs too. Faith enables us to endure, to bear with rejection and adversity, to trust in Him who has been our strength in times past, and will continue to be throughout our lives. Even the prophets of old endured difficulties in serving God. So did the apostles. So will we, as Paul said, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). We must remember the goal is worth it all.

Only an active, growing faith can make life really worth living, and only a life of faith makes a difference in the end, which is what makes faith great. Have a great day today. God bless.

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/16/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Phil. 3:7-8; “ But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”

During his earthly ministry, Jesus asked his disciples an important question; “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). In our reading for today, Paul said he was willing to count everything as rubbish to gain Christ; what is it we gain if we gain Christ, if we’re willing to follow him and his will?

We gain the forgiveness of our sins. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

We gain an abundant life, certainly spiritually. “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet.1:3).

We gain eternal life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).

Whatever we give up for the gospel, we gain so much more, so much more of a better life, so much more of His rich blessings in return. Don’t let the world deceive you into thinking it offers all there is to have. God is the one who loves us, provides for us, and He alone offers eternal life. Have a great day in Him. God bless.

Robert

 

Salvation is Nearer

"Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed" (Rom. 13:11).

It’s that time of year where we tend to go rushing about, shopping for gifts for the holidays, perhaps gathering (safely) with friends and family for get togethers and special time with each other, and a host of other things that demand our time and attention. You will notice, as we get closer to the actual events, people who have been putting things off get more frantic about trying to find the right gift for friends and loved ones, begin to settle for about anything they can find! Traffic increases, and stress levels are high. For a time dubbed “peace and good will for others,” there seems to little of such to be found.

While many struggle trying to get everything done that life seems to demand,  each day we live, we also come that much closer to eternity, as well.  This is what Paul emphasizes in the passage above.  Each day we live brings us one day closer to our Lord's return.  Each day we live brings us one day closer to our departure from this existence, if the Lord tarries.  While it's easy to get caught up in everyday activities and responsibilities, we are steadily moving closer to eternity.  How prepared are you to meet God in judgment?

In our youth, it seems we have an endless supply of tomorrows, more than the yesterdays we have.  However, each day we live, the number of tomorrows we have shrinks, and our yesterdays accumulate.  Yes, we all one day will reach the point where all our tomorrows are yesterdays, where we depart from this existence and face eternity.  There aren't an infinite number of days to obey the gospel, and to do the will of God.  "We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work" (John 9:4).  What opportunities do you have for Christ, and what are you doing with them?

Salvation draws nearer each day, if you're a faithful child of God.  If not, condemnation draws nearer.  Don't postpone for tomorrow what you should do today for the Lord.  You may not have tomorrow.  Live each day in Christ, and be ready to meet Him in glory, whenever the day comes.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice.”

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/12/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is 1 Thess 5:16-18. “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

In Paul’s closing remarks in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, he mentions three qualities that should be part of every Christian’s life: joy, prayer, and thanksgiving. Certainly we have much to rejoice in, considering God is always for us and is working His good will out in our lives. We are blessed to have a heavenly Father who wants us to communicate our needs to Him, as He is ready and willing to help us through the trials of life. We can give thanks that God is the God He is, who loves and cares and helps us through what we face in life, and provides us with eternal hope.

Not only are these three qualities God’s will for us in Christ, but the measure with which we engage in them is to be abundant as is God’s blessings. We should always be joyful. We should pray without ceasing. We should give thanks in everything. This is the measure we should offer of ourselves to God, constant and sure in engaging in them. The idea is, always engage in the lifestyle these attitudes promote, as they lead to a greater holiness in us, and a greater testimony of Christ to those around us.

For God to accomplish His goal in us, which is to mold us in His image and prepare us for eternity, then we must never ever give up on thinking and living as He desires. This is the only way we can genuinely reflect His image in our lives..Our faith in Christ should not be a something thing, an occasional thing, or a whenever it’s convenient thing. It is not to be practiced only in case of an emergency, or when we feel pressured into it, but always, without ceasing, in everything and in every way, Christ in us.

Paul is saying these qualities are to become part of who we are, our lifestyle in Christ at all times. Let’s make sure we practice these things because God is living and working in and through us for His good pleasure, which is the salvation of our souls. Today would be a great time to start! Have a great day in Christ. God bless.

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/10/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is 3 John 2. “ Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”

This passage of Scripture has always fascinated me, in the comparison John makes between Gaius’ soul and his physical health. These two qualities, to prosper and be in good health, are then qualified by the statement, “just as your soul propers.” In other words, John wants his life to be blessed in the same measure that he is blessed spiritually. John can express this because he knows Gaius is sound and strong spiritually, in his relationship with God and the salvation he has in Christ.

I wonder at times if this statement can be made of us? If the state of our soul, the vitality of our spiritual life, was a reflection of our physical health and well-being, what shape would we be in? Would there be a vitality to our lives, a wholeness of our bodies and  our health? Or would we be weak and near death instead? If our physical condition was a reflection of our spiritual state, how well would we be?

When Paul spoke of the Corinthians’ abuse of the Lord’s Supper, he reminded them there was a real connection with that abuse and the condition some of them were in. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and ill, and some have died” (1 Cor. 11:29-30).

May we take care of bodies that we may have the best health possible, but more importantly, may we make sure our soul is right with God, that we have the spiritual vitality to please God and have the hope of eternal life. God bless.

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/9/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Josh. 1:8. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

When God commissioned Joshua to take over the responsibility for leadership of the twelve tribes of Israel, he commanded and advised him to give God’s Word a very prominent place in his thoughts and actions. God commanded him to look upon it as a guidebook for successful living, encouraging him to meditate on it day and night. What is the Bible, God’s word, to you?

The Holy Bible is uniquely the Book of God. The Scriptures provide us with authoritative guidance for conduct that is pleasing to God. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

As the very word of God, Scripture requires us to respond to it as such. Our Lord encouraged his disciples both to hear and to heed the words he taught them. Jesus said, “Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). If it is of divine inspiration, we should pay close attention to follow what it tells us to do, to please God today, and to have assurance of eternal life later.

What have you done with the Word of God? Have you neglected it? Have you ignored it? Are you following what it says? Spend time with it this evening, and let it guide your every thought, every step, every action you take. In doing so, you will find God’s way for life. God bless.

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/8/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Deut. 19:14. “You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess.”

Before the extensive use of fences, property was marked out by stones or posts, set up to determine the divisions of family estates. By its very nature, It was easy to remove one of these landmarks, and set it in a different place. A dishonest person could enlarge his own estate by shrinking that of his neighbor. Boundaries in ancient society, then were important, marking who owned what was enclosed, and what was able to take place within the security of its borders. We can understand why people in those days wanted to protect them, and why those who wanted to alter them were so strongly opposed.

There is a spiritual application to all this. God has established certain boundaries we are to live in, for our well-being, now and eternally. Satan, however, wants to destroy these landmarks, and destroy our heritage and inheritance.

For example, God establishes faithfulness, while Satan moves the boundary to unfaithfulness. Scripture reminds us being faithful is blessed of God (Prov. 28:20), while unfaithfulness leads to the second death (Rev. 21:8).

God establishes His love in Christ, and nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39), but Satan wants to replace this landmark with sinful desires that will destroy (1 John 2:17).

God establishes hope based on what Christ has done for us (Heb. 6:19), but Satan wants to replace this with despair (2 Cor. 1:8).

Let’s live in the boundaries God offers in His word, where His blessings are, where life is found. Satan only wants to condemn us by moving the boundaries of righteousness to sin. Hold fast to what is good, and find everything good God provides. God bless.

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/7/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Eph. 5:2. “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Today is Pearl Harbor Day, the 79^th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which sent our nation into WWII, an event which President Roosevelt would call a day that would live in infamy. For those who lived through that day, and the events that would follow, it defined that generation, what has been called the greatest generation, for their willingness to sacrifice for the good of others, who sacrificed even their own lives for the sake of liberty and freedom. Sadly, many people today are unaware of those sacrifices made, or that this day is different to others in what it reminds us.

As members of the kingdom of God, we remember the sacrifice Jesus offered of Himself for us. Paul reminds us, “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross” (Phil. 3:8). What a sacrifice was made that we could have the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus willingly went to the cross, to shed His blood for us. It didn’t happen by accident, nor was He forced into it against His own desires. It was for this that He offered Himself up, that we might have the hope of eternal life, a sacrifice without which we would have no hope.

Today, it is appropriate to remember the events of 79 years ago, and how we are beneficiaries of the sacrifices made by those who fought for our freedom. It is also appropriate that, each day, we should remember what Christ has done for us, and what we can be in Him. May we never forget the Son of God becoming the Son of Man, dying a horrible death on the cross, that we could be free from the consequences of sin. Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). What a price was paid, but what a life we now have to live. God bless.

Robert

A Transformed Life

 

“And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light” (Matt. 17:2).

 

For just a moment, in our physical timeline, Jesus' disciples saw the glory and majesty that truly belonged to the Lord. The brilliance of His physical presence was to help Peter, James, and John understand He truly was the Son of God, as God assured them (17:3-5).  Peter would later refer to this event and say, “For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased'” (2 Pet. 1:17).

Although we do not take on the physical appearance Jesus did when He was transfigured, Christians are to be transformed.  “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:1-2).  Paul uses the same term for our transformation that was used of Jesus' transfiguration (μεταμορφόω, metamorphoo).

Sin produces a distortion of our lives, shaping and molding us into its hideous and ugly image, which results in death.  Through Christ we are set free from sin and created anew in Him.  We put aside a mindset on sin to one renewed by the will of God.  We show by our lives being lived in Christ and His will what is “good and acceptable and perfect.”  This transformation begins when we obey the gospel and continues throughout our lives.  We are to “put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him” (Col. 3:10).  This means we must “grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:15).  We should constantly imitate Christ in our lives (Gal. 2:20). We should ever seek to be more and more like our Lord. There is no place no place where we can say, “This is good enough.” We should ever strive to reflect more of our Lord in ourselves. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). It’s a lifelong process.

The end of such a transformed life is to be transformed into the image of our Lord Himself.  "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:2-3).  To share in this final transformation provides the greatest promise and hope of all.  Jesus was transfigured, and we are able to transformed now and eternally.  May we pursue the life that can help us change brings each day from reflecting the carnal to the spiritual.  "By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice.”

Robert 

 

Message from Scripture: 12/5/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Acts 3:6. “But Peter said, ‘I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!’”

 

Do you give much thought about what we can give to God? Typically we think about all the things God gives us, but it’s just as important for us to think about what we can offer to God. What are some things we can offer to God from our own lives?

 

The foundation on which we offer anything to God is in offering ourselves to Him. Paul reminded the Christians in Rome, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service” (Rom. 12:1). Paul commended the congregations in Macedonia, “as they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8:5).

 

We can offer our words to God. Paul tells us, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph. 4:15). Only truth will prevail on the last day; only the truth of God will forgive us of our sins and commend us to others who need the truth to save their souls. We should speak words of truth.

 

We can do good for each other as an offering to God. Paul said, “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:10).

 

 God has blessed us with everything we have, and are, and can be in Him. Let’s make use of these in ways that bring Him honor and glory. What a testimony this will be to those around us, of what God can do when we yield to Him. It will enable you to have a great day. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/4/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is 2 Pet. 1:10-11. “Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.”

 

Scripture is clear to us God calls us through His word, which insures it is the same from one generation to the next, and that it is readily available to all who desire to find life in Christ. Paul reminds us, “It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2:14). It’s no wonder then, that Peter speaks about how we need to make certain that God’s call of the gospel, and His choice of us in coming in faithful obedience to His will, is certain, or sure, a fixed point of reference our lives are anchored to.

 

Peter says we must be diligent to have this certainty in our hope of eternity. It has the idea of making every effort to do one's best, to be eager. Such diligence is seen in practicing what the gospel teaches, to do our best to live by its precepts and principles. If we remain rooted and grounded in its teachings, and surrender our lives to living by them, we can have confidence about the salvation Christ has provided for us.

 

Of course, we’re not speaking about earning our salvation by works of human merit, but instead doing our best to live by faith, knowing God’s grace and mercy is operative in our lives as well. Our best efforts alone can’t secure us eternal life, but doing our best by the grace of God keeps us in His love and mercy, where our hope lies, and God’s promises are fulfilled.

 

Peter isn’t saying we will never sin after obeying the gospel, but that we have access to God’s forgiveness in Christ to cleanse us and keep us in His life. If we make sure He is in our thoughts and lifestyle, we can have confidence of what God will do for us in Christ. That is the way to have a great day today! God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/3/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Matt. 9:36. “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”

 

In Matt. 9, we see Jesus engaged in what was typical of His earthly ministry, which involved Him interacting with others, meeting their needs, and authenticating His claim to be the Son of God. In doing this, He testified not only to who He was, but who we are, what we need to be if the great work He came to accomplish, the salvation of our souls, is to be completed.

 

In Matt. 9, Jesus revealed His lordship over all. We see Jesus as the Lord over disease, over life and death, over blindness, even over demons. He possessed all authority over every aspect of the creation He brought into existence. Surely, He has the authority to help us with the course of our lives as well.

 

In Matt. 9, we see the importance of faith in Him as Lord. Each act of healing was accompanied by faith, whether the paralytic’s friends bringing him to Jesus, or the grief stricken ruler seeking Jesus to restore his child’s life, or the woman with the hemorrhage being healed, or of the two blind men who received their sight. If Jesus is Lord, He is to be believed in who He is and what He can do.

 

In Matt. 9, we see how obedience was the response in acknowledging His lordship in faith. There are more than enough examples to show us God’s power is revealed when faith leads us to obey. It has always been true, in God’s will for mankind, for faith and obedience to be coupled together if we are to please Him (Heb. 11:6).

 

It has been said, whether in obeying the gospel, or living the Christian life, the hardest part is not in what God asks of us, but in making up our minds to do it. Do you have the faith in Him to make that choice and live for Him? Let’s show by our words and deeds a genuine faith that seeks Him and seeks to live for Him. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/2/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Heb. 11:1. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

 

Paul spoke of living by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7), meaning the course of our lives should be determined by our faith in God, by spiritual values, not just what is seen or experienced in the visible world. For some in our society today, faith in the unseen seems foolish, out of touch with reality. The question really is, “What is reality?” Since the physical universe is to be destroyed and will cease to exist (2 Pet. 3:10a), is not the spiritual the reality that we should believe in and live for?

 

There are two things the Hebrew writer assures us about our faith in God. First, it is the assurance we have that what we hope for will come to pass. People can hope for all kinds of things, but many times the hope is a wish that may not be grounded in what can or will happen. It is logical to believe in the evidence God provides for His existence, seen in creation itself and the reliable and verifiable message He offers in Scripture. It is the ground of confidence, assurance, guarantee, or proof that what we hope for is real and genuine.

 

Not only this, but faith offers us conviction in the unseen realm of the spiritual. It is the basis on which we can accept the truthfulness of God’s testimony. Some might ask where this conviction comes from. From fables or stories handed down from long ago? That which is simply myth or legend? No, from verifiable truth that assures us the basis of our faith is real, that ordering our lives by its precepts and principles offers something that endures beyond the fragile world of the flesh we live in today.

 

The fleeting nature of the physical tells us there is more to life than just today. It is our faith that gives purpose and meaning to life, that which endures. May we, by faith, live for the eternal, and know the best God has waiting for us beyond this veil of tears. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 12/1/2020

 

Our message from Scripture today is Matt. 13:24-25.  “Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.’”

 

Tares being sown in someone’s field was an attempt to ruin that person’s harvest. Tares were weeds that resembled wheat, until they matured, when the heads turned black. This is why in the parable the owner of the field said wait until the harvest, or judgment, when it would be evident which was which. What can we learn from the parables of the tares for our lives today?

 

We learn there are imperfections in life. There will always be weeds in the field; there are no fields where only flowers grow. Even though God’s plan for the church is perfect, we who comprise it are fallible human beings. We need God’s grace, persistence, and a spirit of humility to overcome Satan’s designs to destroy us.

 

We learn that appearances are deceiving. We can’t know every situation that goes on in another person’s life, what their true motives are, or the condition of their heart; God, however, does. “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11).

 

We learn that the fruit our lives produce is the final test of where we spend eternity. Paul said, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal. 6:7-9).

 

May we seek to sow the seed of the kingdom, which bears good fruit in our lives, and the lives of those who yield to the will of the Father. Eternity is too important to do anything less. Have a great day. God bless.

 

Robert

 

What Really Profits

 

Charlemagne was the King of the Franks from 768, the King of the Lombards from 774, and the Emperor of the Romans from 800. During the Early Middle Ages, he united the majority of western and central Europe. He was the first recognized emperor to rule from western Europe since the fall of the Western Roman Empire around three centuries earlier (Wikipedia).

 

He died Jan. 18 in AD 814, but his tomb was opened several times, with the first after his death being carried out by Otto III in AD 1000. According to contemporary chronicles, as Otto entered the underground chamber, he was struck by the vision of Charlemagne seated upon a throne, wearing a golden crown and holding a scepter, his fingernails sticking out the gloves (https://www.seeker.com/father-of-europes-bones-found-1768280980.html). It has also been said he had a Bible in his lap, and one of his fingers had been placed on Mark 8:36 (or alternately Matt. 16:26); “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

 

Charlemagne was considered a great ruler during his day and afterward. It is interesting the effort he took in death to try and convey for all time that greatness. Unfortunately, even though a curse was placed on anyone who disturbed his tomb, it was entered on several occasions, each time removing some of the valuables he had with him in death, much as the tombs of the ancient Pharaoh’s were disturbed to be looted. Eventually, his bones were placed in a coffin, and he no longer sat on a throne. The Scripture he supposedly pointed to was aptly illustrated in how his majesty in death was removed and forgotten.

 

Death is the element of life all of us can identify with, as everyone must die, until the Lord returns (Heb. 9:27). It touches everyone’s life, rich or poor, great or small, male or female, young or old. The measure of one’s life isn’t seen by the standards assigned by others, as they are based on arbitrary human criteria subject to change. The passage Charlemagne pointed to, who was glorious in life and temporarily so in death, reminds us of the eternal. It is how one lives his or her life before God that truly matters. The psalmist in Psa. 73 became envious of the rich, until he considered this. “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end” (Psa. 73:16-17). The standard of people may matter to them before death, but after death, God’s will becomes paramount. His will, and how we lived by it, is what truly matters (John 12:48).

 

Charlemagne had a crown of gold, but the child of God has a crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Charlemagne had a scepter as if he still ruled, but the Lord alone has an eternal scepter, an eternal rule (Heb. 1:8-9). Charlemagne pointed to Scripture, but Christ is the Word of God (John 1:1). All have sinned (Rom. 3:23), but Christ lived a perfect life by which He has conquered death for us (Rev. 1:18). In reality, Charlemagne is simply a person in a long line of people who hoped their accomplishments, their wealth, their influence, could continue on after them. Our lives only count if we live in Christ for Christ, as He alone offers us eternal worth and value.

 

Where do you value your life? Just for here, or the hereafter? You don’t have to be an emperor to follow in the wrong footsteps. “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21). Praise God for what He offers us in Christ, a life worth living today, because it results in eternal life later. What does it profit anyone to gain today, but not heaven? “There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).

 

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

Robert