Message from Scripture: 11/30/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from Eph. 4:29: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

 

Whether we realize it or not, our words are powerful tools that can either build up, or tear down, those who hear. Whichever is the case depends on us, in what words are used, and how they are spoken. Paul said we should not be characterized by speech that is rotten or worthless, that can be hurtful or harmful in nature, but instead that which gives grace to those who hear.

 

When we think of the word grace, we typically associate it with God’s grace in Christ, of the blessings we have from God sending His Son to die for us. Our words should reflect the grace of God at work in us, which gets to the root meaning of grace, which is to rejoice. It carries the idea of that which causes joy or bestows a favor. It is a kindness granted or desired, a benefit, thanks, gratitude. This is what our words should mean to others, that which builds up and reflects the goodness of God at work in our hearts, expressed by our communication to each other.

 

One person has said the tongue is the best and worst thing we each possess. It can help or hinder; it can build or destroy. This is why the psalmist prayed, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psa. 141:3). Today, let’s serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by using our words to impart grace to others, and perhaps lead others to the grace God offers us in His word about Christ. May our speech glorify and honor the Lord, and build up those around us. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/29/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from 1 Pet. 5:5: “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’”

 

Some of you might remember the song that was popular some time ago that started, “Oh, Lord, it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way.” Of course, it was a spoof of how some are prone to act. For the child of God, though, humility is an essential characteristic of following Christ, something we need to be reminded of at all times.

 

Jesus’ disciples argued among themselves several times during Jesus’ earthly ministry about which one of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24), even in the shadow of His death on the cross. Perhaps no greater object lesson was offered them than Jesus washing their feet, taking the role of a household servant to show, even if He was the Son of God, He came to serve. He reminded them, “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:13-15).

 

It's easy to be impressed with who we think we are, but in reality, all that we have, all that we are, all that we do, is possible only because of God. Rather than think more highly of ourselves than we should, we should humble ourselves and realize we are who we are because of God blessing us as He has. It is to recognize and give God His proper place in our lives, as Lord, and we as His servants. Such an exalting of God and a meekness of ourselves puts things in a proper perspective, and allows God to shape us in His image. Today, let’s reflect the greatness of God by submitting to His will and each other in the fear of Christ (Eph. 5:21), and see what great things God can do in and through us. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/22/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from 2 Pet. 1:20-21: “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

 

There are those today, even in our brotherhood, who would deny the inspiration of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17), telling us it was written for unique situations in former times, and is thus subject to being reinterpreted for our day and time. For example, what Paul wrote to Corinth was true for them, but not necessarily for us today. We are free to change it as we see fit for today. This certainly isn’t how Paul understood Scripture.

 

To the church at Corinth, Paul wrote of sending Timothy, who would remind them of his ways “which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17).  No matter where Paul labored, or to whom he wrote, he understood it all to be the will of God, and all applying to us as Christians.  By reading each of his letters to the various churches, we do learn about the unique situations many of them faced.  Not only this, we also have a complete picture of God's will, and how it applies in every situation we can encounter today.

 

The Hebrew writer tells us the word of God is living and active (Heb. 4:12), and able to cut through our motives to reveal our true hearts. All of Scripture is applicable to us all (Rom. 15:4), for one day we will be judged by it (Heb. 4:13). It offers us a complete understanding of what we must do to be saved, of how we can live the Christian life, of having the promise of eternity.  All Scripture is inspired of God, and all Scripture reveals God and His will to us.

 

May we not read our desires and feelings into Scripture of what we want it to say, but be willing to conform ourselves to what it does say. God bless.

 

Robert

 

For What Do We Give Thanks?

 

Dr. Ralph Wilson, on the website “Joyful Heart,” writes these words about the first Thanksgiving. “On December 21, 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth rock. Through the dead of winter the colony struggled with poor and meager food, strenuous labor, a biting wind that chilled to the bone, and the ravages of disease. Nearly half the 102 Mayflower passengers did not live to see spring refresh Cape Cod Bay. Indians named Samoset, Squanto, and Massasoit helped the English settlers plant, hunt, and fish. The bountiful harvest that autumn led Governor Bradford to invite the Indians to celebrate God's goodness. Ninety tall braves accepted the invitation to join the Pilgrims in a feast of Thanksgiving to God for His blessings.”

 

What lesson did the Pilgrims learn that first Thanksgiving? For one, they learned they needed God. No matter how hard they had labored, they had to face issues beyond their control to survive. Who could have anticipated the harshness of that winter’s weather, and the diseases that would strike them? Even after doing their best, they were not masters of their own destiny. They also learned they needed others to help them cultivate the land, and each other to lean on through those tough times. No wonder the Pilgrims and Indians joined together for a celebration of thanksgiving. What they had to be most thankful for was their relationship together.

 

As we approach another Thanksgiving holiday, there is so much for which we can grateful. God has richly blessed us, in spite of all the difficulties we face individually, or as a nation. And while it is good to thank God for the blessings of life, those blessings are dependent on the provision of God. We can still be thankful for a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, even if the stuff of life is not as abundant as we would like. Paul reminds us, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:12-13).

 

We should be thankful for having relationships with others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. In difficult times they are there to encourage us and lift our spirits. In good times, they are there to rejoice with us. It’s not what we can get out of them that counts, as much as it is what they mean to us. “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His loving kindness is everlasting” (Psa. 136:1). “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor” (Rom. 12:10). Where would we be without God and Christ, without each other in Christ?

 

This Thanksgiving, be thankful you have family and friends to be with. Be thankful for the memories of family and friends who are no longer with you. Be thankful for all the material blessings God offers you, and the spiritual blessings provided in Christ. Be thankful for the nation we live in, even with the problems it has. Be thankful for the specifics of your life that enable you to have the quality of life you have. But most importantly, be thankful for having a relationship with God, with Christ, and with each other in Christ. These relationships will carry us on when the possessions of life pass. Without these relationships, what would we be, and where would we be? What hope would we have? “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:3-6).

 

μαράνα θᾶ (1 Cor. 16:22)

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 8/20/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from Rev. 21:4: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

 

We live in a fallen world, a world filled with the consequences of sin. Sin has touched everyone’s life, as all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). We are impacted by our own sins, by the sins of others we may interact with, and sin as a general principle at work in the world since the time of Adam and Eve. Who is capable of tracing out every path it takes in our lives, of understanding all the sorrow it brings to life? For the Christians John was writing in Revelation, there was suffering for living the Christian life, whether in one’s life personally, or how persecution of others affected you emotionally.

 

So it is for us now as well. We may not be persecuted by others for our faith, but the influence of sin does impact us. Who hasn’t made sinful choices that later would be regretted? Who has not attended a funeral or memorial service and not felt the harsh feelings of losing a loved one? Who is not frustrated with how the world is, with sin governing so many people’s lives, and the effect that has for those simply seeking to do what’s right?

 

We must never forget, no matter how difficult our circumstances may be, God is still blessing us. In this life there is more than enough reasons for weeping, but we must remember we are looking toward heaven, where there will be no more tears. If we live for Christ, what we have sown in tears will bring joy in the end. Today, let’s go out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who was willing to suffer for us, that we might have the promise of something better tomorrow. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/18/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Psa. 146:6; “He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever.”

 

We are familiar with the theory of evolution, which states life came into existence as a single cell organism and, over long periods of time, progressed to more advanced states of being, changing from one species to another to account for the diversity of life today. It is in opposition to Scripture, which affirms God to be Creator of heaven and earth, and all that is in them.

 

Evolution has many flaws in its reasoning, but consider this one. According to evolution, the coelacanth is a lobe-finned fish that first appeared about 350 million years ago. Fossils found in many parts of the world indicate that, during their history, they ranged from 6 inches to nearly 5 feet in size, and inhabited lakes, swamps, inland seas, and oceans. Paleontologists thought that the coelacanth had become extinct about 70 million years ago. However, in 1938, a fishing trawler off the eastern coast of South Africa captured a living coelacanth. In recent years, more specimens have been taken, and when the modern coelacanth is compared to its fossil relatives, they are found to be identical.

 

This is amazing, considering evolution demands this fish should have undergone drastic transformations during its 350 million year history. It hasn’t. The modern coelacanth, for all practical purposes, is the same as those recorded in the fossil record. This is why it is called a living fossil. It is also a strong testimony to the truth of Scripture, that reveals to us life reproduces “according to its kind” (Gen. 1:11-12, 21, 24-25), as God designed and created life to do.

 

Never doubt what God has revealed to us in His word. It alone provides the answers for life today, life eternal. Live by it today, and be blessed.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/17/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Eph. 5:18-19; “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.

 

In the book, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, Conybeare and Howson list four contrasts between heathen practice and that of the Christian in this passage of Scripture. (1) Christians were not to be full of “spirits” (wine) but of the Holy Spirit. (2) Christians were not to sing “the drinking songs of heathen feasts” but “psalms and hymns.” (3) The music of Christians was not “of the lyre (harp) but the melody of the heart.” (4) The songs of Christians were not “to the praise of Bacchus or Venus, but of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

What Paul wanted these Christians to understand, and us today as well, is that obedience to the gospel demands abandoning a lifestyle of sin for that of righteousness, as defined by the righteous God in His word. The blood of Christ doesn’t sanctify sin, making it acceptable to God, but separates us from it for a better way of life, one that reflects the image of God, in which we were created. Paul wrote, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:1-2).

 

No one should want to continue in a lifestyle, or return back to it, that only condemns, when we can be like Christ, live like Christ, and have our hope in Christ. Satan wants to deceive us into thinking anything will do, when in contrast God tells us to live is Christ, for Christ is life (Phil. 1:21; Col. 3:4). We are unique people in a world of sin, which shows others what life can really be like.

 

Today, let’s go out and serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, knowing we have the best life for today, and the only life that offers eternity. Let others take note of what a difference Christ makes. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/16/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Rom. 12:21; “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 

When Paul speaks of overcoming evil with good, the word good refers to that which is profitable and useful, that which is best, especially of people. It is to show that which is upright and virtuous. This should be important to our daily walk with God, as Jesus pointed out it is an essential element of the nature of God (Mark 10:18). James reminds us that it is because God is good that He provides us with every good thing we need. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (Jas. 1:17).

 

The good that the Father provides us in Christ is unique and different from what the world has to offer. John goes on to say, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:16-17). To live by worldly values will only bring sorrow, trouble, and heartache. They last only for today, not for eternity. God’s will is good, proven in everyday living by those who set it in their hearts and make it their way of life (Rom. 12:2).

 

Many in our society deny the intrinsic value of God and His word, of that which is good. We are told everything is basically acceptable and nothing holds value over anything else. If that is true, then why is there so much suffering in life, so much pain, so much discontent? Satan is the author of evil, and uses it to destroy us. May we show the will of God at work in our lives, that we can be victorious and prevail over sin, setting an example of what is good and the fruit it can bear that blesses one’s life. Let us “abhor what is evil; cling to what is good” (Rom. 12:9), and be children of God in doing so. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/15/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Rom. 7:18; “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.”

 

Paul knew as well as anyone what it is to struggle against sin. When Paul speaks of his flesh, he’s not talking about his physical body, but of fleshly desires, the desires of the flesh that are aroused by living in a sinful world. Since we all have desires, we have to distinguish those that are good from those that are bad, sinful. Living in a world under the influence of the evil one (1 John 5:19), and thus sin, we will find ourselves at times attracted to play out such desires in our lives. Paul well knew the battle against sinful desires, the flesh, in contrast to walking by the Spirit, the will of God revealed to us by the Spirit in the word. How do we eliminate the influence of sin that is so pervasive around us, and emphasize that which is spiritual in its place?

 

God has not left us without His help. He bids us to pray to Him, to confess the sins that so easily beset us, and seek His help in crucifying them and replacing them with spiritual values and principles instead.

 

We must spend time in God’s word to know the right way to go, to identify sin from righteousness, and redirect our goals and ambitions. We must mediate on Scripture if we are to practice its precepts and principles.

 

Fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ also helps remind us of what is important and encourage each other in whatever areas we are weak. We can help each other overcome our temptations by holding each other accountable.

 

Let’s think on these things this evening, and set them in our hearts to make tomorrow even better living for Christ. God bless.

 

Robert

 

God’s Expectations

 

What is it that God expects of us as His children? In the denominational world, some would say nothing, that once you confess Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, you cannot be lost, so any lifestyle will be okay with God. Others insist that God will work His will in you, that you can’t accomplish anything anyway, so whatever you offer must come from God and will therefore please Him. While they acknowledge the Bible does have commands for Christian living, the reasoning goes He knows you will never measure up, so it’s all good. For others, what God expects is dependent on the conditions one faces. If it’s convenient to obey God, fine, but if that changes, that’s okay as well. Even in the Lord’s church, the idea of submission to the will of God varies greatly. What is it that God expects of His children?

 

In reality, what one believes about God’s expectations greatly depends on where one’s heart is. Whether one looks for excuses and exemptions from serving Him, or seeks His will genuinely and devotedly, depends on how much one loves, how much one entrusts his or her life to God, how much one understands all that has been given to us freely by God through His Son. As Jesus pointed out, “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47). We all are forgiven much, because the price of redemption is the blood of Christ. How can one think of the Son of God becoming flesh (John 1:14), living a sinless life while being tempted in all ways (Heb. 4:15), enduring the agony of the cross (Isa. 53:5), and not be touched deep inside, so one wants to respond by surrendering one’s life to Him? If we truly love, will we not truly want to live for Him?

 

I’ve heard some express the sentiment that, once one is immersed, we’re in God’s grace and no matter how one lives, basically it’s all good. In that statement is a lack of understanding on how much God loves us, and how little we must love Him to say that. Shouldn’t we desire to crucify self to allow Christ to live in us (Gal. 2:20)? Shouldn’t Christ be our life (Col. 3:4)? Which commands of God are we exempt from seeking (John 15:10)? Can we ignore seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33)? Isn’t the kingdom of heaven promised to those who do the will of the Father in heaven (Matt. 7:21)? Where does our Lord say we can choose to live for self and have the promise of eternal life (Heb. 5:9)?

 

None of us will keep the will of God perfectly, but that isn’t the point. Whether we do our best for Him or not is. No matter the external circumstances, God expects us to sacrifice for Him, as Jesus did for us. John reminds us, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). As one missionary put it years ago, we should ask ourselves, are we standing on the promises or sitting on the premises? God’s grace is sufficient for us, but we should offer our best to be recipients of His grace. From the beginning, God created good works for us to live in (Eph. 2:10), and by His grace we can still do this. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12).

 

The real question we must ask ourselves when considering what God expects of us is how much does He love us, and how much do we love Him? Whether we live for Christ, or seek exclusions from doing so, is a matter of the heart. God’s word, Scripture, is clear on His expectations for us as Christians. It isn’t ignorance that keeps us from living for the Lord, but a lack of love. How do you respond to the love of God and His expectations for your life in Him? “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

 

μαράνα θᾶ (1 Cor. 16:22)

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/13/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is 1 Tim. 1:13; “I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief.”

 

In this letter to Timothy, Paul spoke of his past, of what he was before obeying the gospel and becoming an apostle to the Gentiles. He was a blasphemer, one who slandered Christ; he was a persecutor, one who injures another deliberately; he was a violent aggressor. Some translations tone this down, using the term insolent, or to insult. The term for violent aggressor, however, means a persecutor of others who mistreats them for the pleasure which the affliction of the wrong brings him. This was the contempt Paul had for Christians, whom he was convinced were destroying Judaism.

 

Paul underwent a radical change after his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. He knew Jesus truly was Lord. He sincerely repented and found God’s mercy, coming to know for himself the persecution that would be inflicted on him, just as he had on others (Acts 9:16). Ultimately, he would die for the faith.

 

What can we take away from the life of Paul? No matter how far away you may get from God, in Christ there is always a way to His grace and mercy. No sin is so great that, if we repent and submit to the will of God, He is not willing to forgive. This is the depth of love He has for us, the power of the blood of Christ shed for us. Satan would have us think we are so corrupt, so defiled, God wants nothing to do with us. Nothing is further from the truth.

 

While we know this is not cheap grace, and that God expects us to do our best, He also knows we are human, weak and sinful. If we return to Him, He receives us as His own. Today, let’s go out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and show the wonder of God’s amazing grace in how it changes our lives from death to life. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/12/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Jas. 2:26; “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

 

In this passage of Scripture, James vividly reveals how the kind of faith that saves, that pleases God, is an obedient faith, a faith that responds in submission to the will of God. The one who hasn’t been cleansed of their sins by the blood of Christ is what one might call a spiritual corpse. Life for him is a living death. Even though he is physically alive, walking and breathing, he is dead while he lives. This is not a figure of speech. It doesn’t mean they look dead, or are in danger of death, or are standing on the precipice of death, or even looking death in the eye, but they are really dead spiritually.

 

This isn’t just true of those who haven’t been immersed into Christ, but those who aren’t willing to live by the gospel, as James’ readers had already obeyed the gospel. It’s what Peter describes in 2 Pet. 2:20. “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.”

 

Living the Christian life is the best life one can live, the only life promised by God that gives us assurance of eternal life in Jesus Christ. But it must be lived to provide these promises to us. To obey the gospel and do nothing, or return to the way of the world of sin, brings only futility in judgment. Why not choose what is best than allow Satan to deceive us into what leads to condemnation?

 

The Hebrew writer reminds us, “But exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:13). Today, let’s go out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, showing the beauty of life Christ offers today, and eternally. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/11/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Eph. 6:13; “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

 

Today is Veteran’s Day, a time for honoring those living and dead, who have sacrificed for the sake of our freedom, those times in human history worthy of our remembrance and respect. Some made the ultimate sacrifice, while others still bear the scars, physically and emotionally, for what they offered of themselves. Each generation must take to heart the lessons of the past, remembering the principles of sacrifice and those who make them for us, lest in forgetting, we give up that for which those sacrifices were made.

 

We must never forget the sacrifice Christ has made for us either, and the sacrifice He bids us to offer of our lives for Him, as many before us have done. We are to “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:3), offering in everyday living our commitment to Christ and the gospel, being an example to others, showing Christ in us. We should help fill up “what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church” (Col. 1:24), showing how important our faith is to those around us.

 

Spiritually, there are still battles to be fought against Satan and sin, in each generation. We must not only remember what has gone before us, but what still lies ahead. Each of us must fight the good fight of faith, if we are to take hold of eternal life (1 Tim. 6:12). Do you remember the price Christ paid for you to be where you are spiritually? Are you willing, as those who have preceded us did, to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel? We must not only remember what has gone before us, but what still lies ahead. Are you part of the heritage of faith? It’s something to think about. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/10/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Phil. 2:6-7; “Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a slave.”

 

The depth of love seen in Christ’s incarnation is that, in doing so, He emptied Himself of the privileges of deity to become human, but not just any human. Not a worldly ruler, not an earthly philosopher, but a slave, a servant of God for our sake. The cross He endured was for us, not His benefit, that His blood could wash away our sins. Jesus’ will was altogether consumed in the will of the Father, which is the essence of what being a slave is.

 

Scripture bids us to walk in the footsteps of Christ and become a slave of the Lord ourselves. We might ask, “Isn’t that a terribly demeaning and degrading thing to do?” If it were to any human master, then the answer would be yes, but not when we serve Jesus Christ as He served God. To serve Christ is to be freed from the worst master of all, that of Satan and sin. Paul reminds us we, “having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:18). God counts us not just slaves, but His beloved children, heirs of God through Christ (Gal. 4:7).

 

If Christ could lower Himself to be a slave, is it too much to ask that we do the same? Peter reminds us, “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).

 

Today, let’s go out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the role He took for us, and find fulfillment in our role given us by God, which blesses us today, and holds promise for eternity. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message of Scripture: 11/09/2021

 

Today’s message from Scripture is Rom. 6:19; “For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.”

 

How well has humanity done in following God’s commandments? Throughout history, not very well. It is part of the human experience, once influenced by sin, to want to determine for oneself what is right and best. Sin always leads one into more sin, and the negative consequences that accompany it. In reality, it is a death spiral, deeper and further into sin, which leads to death (Rom. 6:23). Unless the process is arrested, as was the case by their renouncement of sinful practices and turning to the righteousness of God, it only gets worse, never better. The very nature of sin leads to more sin, worse sin, and the devastation that follows in its wake.

 

Sin creates dissatisfaction, and whatever is established in it will just lead to a greater influence of it in life. Without the influence of God’s divine will, there is no real authority for right or wrong. We can experience God’s blessings by living in His parameters, or we can substitute the desires of the flesh, which constantly change and bring negative consequences to life. Are we willing to take a slippery slope which will ultimately consume us?

 

Today, let’s go out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the fulness of His truth, and live it out in the fulness of our lives. We are all influenced by something or someone, so why not allow God through His word to lead us to life? Make a difference in yourself and others today, by letting them see God in you. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message of Scripture: 11/08/2021

 

Today’s message from Scripture is Eph. 1:7; “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

 

How many of us have been comforted, and thrilled, to sing these words? “Redeemed how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.” Without redemption, we are lost in our sins, but with it, we have the hope of eternal life. No wonder it means so much to so many! What does it really mean, though, to be redeemed?

 

The Greek term means to let go free for a ransom. Redemption is used in the New Testament as the recalling of captives (sinners) from captivity (sin) through the payment of a ransom for them, i.e., Christ's death. Sin is presented as slavery and sinners as slaves (John 8:34; Rom. 6:17, 20; 2 Pet. 2:19). To be redeemed is to be delivered from the bondage of sin into the freedom provided by Christ.

 

Being redeemed carries the idea of deliverance from the power and consequences of sin, made possible by Christ, who laid down His life as a ransom for us. Paul elsewhere reminds us, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). While we sorrow that our sins cost Jesus His life on the cross, we rejoice God and His Son consider us of such great worth and value that Jesus paid the price and placed us in His kingdom. Today, let’s show by how we live the value of the price paid by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message of Scripture: 11/06/2021

 

Today’s message from Scripture is 1 Pet. 5:7; “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

 

It is interesting that, in the Greek, the word for anxiety, or worry, is the same term as not to worry or be anxious, but without what is called the alpha privative. Putting the Greek letter alpha, or our letter a, in front of a word, negates it. So, the same word for worry, with the addition of one letter, becomes not to worry.

 

Satan uses every opportunity to destroy us. He wants to destroy the peace we have, to leave us unsettled in our thinking by the circumstances we face in life, to not trust the promises of God, and see life from the worst possible perspective. This is what happens when we leave God out of the equation of life, and think the burdens of life are ours alone to bear. However, like the word for anxiety, or worry, just by adding one element to our lives, worry can be eliminated, and peace restored. That element is found in God’s promises for us, fulfilled in Christ.

 

In Christ we have all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). We have God’s love, peace, joy, hope, mercy, grace, and everything else needed to have confidence in life. God has a plan for every life, and if we trust in Him, if we live for Him, that plan, though it may come with tribulations at times (John 16:33), ends in eternal life. Paul reminds us, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out” (1 Tim. 6:7). Nothing physical will endure beyond today, but what we are in Christ goes with us forever. He also reminds us, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18). God is always with us, and no matter what life brings our way, in Christ we are more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37).

 

Add God to your life, and your anxieties can be overcome by the strength God supplies. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Consistent Christianity

 

“Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58).

 

When Paul wrote the church in Corinth, they were unsettled in various ways regarding their faith in Christ, and how that faith was being expressed. They should have matured spiritually by this time, but were still fleshly, immature in their thinking, needing still to overcome envy and strife. They were divisive regarding their use of spiritual gifts, exalting those who had the gift of tongues over others. They were prideful about their estimate of themselves regarding their knowledge spiritually, which was lacking. Paul loved these Christians (2 Cor. 11:11), but they needed to understand what it meant to live consistently for Christ.

 

Paul reminds them in 1 Cor. 15:58 what the goal is of the instruction they had received about Christ and the gospel, about the impact it was to make in their lives. First, they were to be steadfast, meaning settled and steady; it carries the idea of permanent. They must be stable and steadfast, continuing in the faith and not shifting away from the hope of the gospel (Col. 1:23). Along with this, they were to be immovable, not to shift or change, not to be moved from one’s place. In this instance, it has to do with their faith in Christ and the life it was to produce in them.

 

This is both the goal and challenge we have as New Testament Christians. It is one thing to know the gospel message, it is another thing to understand its implications for everyday living, but it is entirely different to practice these principles consistently. The language Paul uses indicates the necessity of continuing in these things, not off or on, hit or miss. Without this, they would not be able to excel in the Lord’s work in Christian living. It is our assurance the life we live for Christ is not in vain, but will bring about the desired goal, eternal life.

 

In each of our lives, Satan actively engages in trying to separate us from our relationship with God in Christ. He tries to convince us we can live as we choose, and no matter how inconsistent we may be, no matter how far off course we may be, God will be good with it. While we all struggle against sin, and will fail to live as we should at times, our motivation and goal is to be consistent in living for Christ, in making His will our will. We live dangerously when we become complacent about our relationship with Christ, when the word of God is not part of our daily lives, when we allow our reasoning to supersede what God’s revealed will declares to us.

 

Paul pointed out that, when they acted from jealousy and strife (1 Cor. 3:3), when the desires of the flesh overpowered the desire for righteousness (1 Cor. 6:13), when pride was more prevalent than humility, they were not being steadfast and immovable in their faith. “‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’ For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (2 Cor. 10:17-18). What about us today?

 

Paul offered this advice to these Christians, who were allowing the flesh to overwhelm the spiritual. “Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). In our world today, where so many succumb to the world in which they live, we must be diligent to remember what it is we live for, and that living consistently in Christ is crucial to gaining the reward. “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1).

 

μαράνα θᾶ (1 Cor. 16:22)

Robert

 

Message of Scripture: 11/04/2021

 

Today’s message from Scripture is Gal. 2:20; “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

 

In reading this passage of Scripture, can you imagine Paul just doing what he wanted in life, without considering how God’s will fit in to it? Too many have bought in to the deception that, no matter how one chooses to live, God will approve, and will bless whatever thoughts or actions one pleases to do. Paul, however, reminds us that we must die to ourselves and allow Christ control of our lives. There is no area of life where God’s will does not apply, no situation where it doesn’t come first in making one’s decisions and how one lives. As Paul said elsewhere, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3).

 

There are some questions, then, we must ask ourselves. When you approach your job, is it from God’s perspective? When you are at home, with your family, do you live as God’s person, fulfilling God’s role? Do you use your financial resources according to what is godly and righteous? Is recreation for renewal, physically and spiritually? There is nothing we approach in life where God shouldn’t take priority in how we view it and how we live it. How can you have his richest blessings if you live only for self? Is God the one for whom we really live?

 

May our lives be for what is good, what molds us in the image of God’s good will, what build us up spiritually. May our choices, decisions, and actions in life be to God’s glory and honor (1 Cor. 10:31). Today, let’s determine to always die to self and live for Christ, that His purpose for salvation can be completed in us. May others see Christ in you. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message of Scripture 11/04/2021

 

Today’s message from Scripture is Gen. 1:27; “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

 

Give an infinite number of monkeys an infinite number of typewriters, or so the story goes, and they will eventually produce the works of Shakespeare. In reality, however, if you give six monkeys one computer for a month, what they make is a mess. Researchers at Plymouth University in England report that primates left alone with a computer attacked the machine, and failed to produce a single word. Eventually they produced five pages of text, composed primarily of the letter S. Later, the letters A, J, L, and M crept in.

 

What are the odds that monkeys could randomly type words, which could be pieced together to form one of Shakespeare’s plays? Mathematicians have considered them to be infinitesimally small, almost non-existent. But now what are the odds that monkeys can type any words at all, much less any that could be pieced together and form any coherent document, or that they could ultimately do so word for word? Accidents and chance most often produce chaos, not intelligent design.

 

I am reminded of what Paul says of those in His day who deliberately rejected the knowledge of God. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:19-20).  Only by understanding the will of our Creator, His way for salvation, for life, for eternity, do we have life worth living. Let’s go out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and show the world what living in the image of God really is. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 11/03/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from John 8:31-32; “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

In our current society, truth is something that is subject to the feelings of the individual, what is convenient for one to believe at any given moment in time. The very concept of objective truths that are always true, no matter the time or place they exist, is rejected. Such a belief is self-contradictory, as there are those principles, such as basic laws of nature, that never change. To ignore or reject them can have dire consequences.

 

Scripture speaks of God’s word as truth (John 17:17). The word for truth in the Bible speaks of that which is real, pure from all error or falsehood. In the New Testament especially, it refers to divine truth or the faith and practice of the true gospel as from the true God, declaring the existence and will of the one true God, in opposition to the worship of all that is false. It is divine truth, gospel truth, as opposed to what is taught by pagan, purely human philosophy.

 

Scripture It is not of human origin, but from God to us (2 Pet. 1:20-21). It is able to make us complete and whole (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Not one of God’s words will fail to accomplish its intended goal (Isa. 55:11). It will judge us on the last day (John 12:48). We should spend time in it each day, to know it, and live it, that its truths can set us free from sin and provide life for us.

 

Today, let’s go out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, knowing He is the truth (John 14:6), and He will lead us in truth today and forever. That is the truth people need to see and hear in a world lost in sin. God bless.

 

Robert

 

Message from Scripture: 10/29/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today comes from Eph. 1:7-8; “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

 

When you consider how God blesses us, we realize He doesn’t skimp, or is miserly in what He offers, but provides us everything we need in abundance. In this passage, Paul speaks of how God has given His grace to us richly, fully, and complete. The term for riches can be used of material things, such as land or money, but here it is used of those spiritual blessings God provides so freely to us.

 

True riches, true wealth, is not in material things but are, as Paul writes here, in the spiritual. As Paul writes, our forgiveness is “according to the riches of His grace.” God has not given “out of” His riches, as if there is a limited amount available, but according to, or dictated by, His riches. Because of His great love for us, He richly offers all things we need to have life in Him. As Paul said in Eph. 1:3, we have every spiritual blessing in Christ provided for us, that we can experience and live in the fulness of life Christ offers.

 

It is an awesome thought to consider, though we have sinned and fall short of His glory (Rom. 3:23), we have everything we need to have an abundant life in Christ (John 10:10). His love, grace, mercy, peace, and all else essential to spiritual living, is always ours in Christ. If we will but yield our lives to Him, we have all we need, freely provided in the Son.

 

Life is always filled with its trials and tribulations, but our God is more than adequate to offer us the riches of His grace to cover our sins by Christ’s blood, and provide every blessing needed to live faithfully for Him. May we go out to serve our Lord and Savior, knowing what He provides us fully and completely. God bless.

 

Robert