Message from Scripture: 5/30/2020
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Mark 11:22, where Jesus told His disciples, “Have faith in God.”
One sin that seems to overwhelm God’s people, whether in the past or present, is the sin of having little faith. With an increase of faith comes a greater trust in God and a more devoted lifestyle in Him. Even though He was the Son of God, you can definitely say that Jesus lived by faith in the Father and by faith in obedience to His will; as simple as this seems, perhaps many have failed to live a genuine Christian life because their lives haven’t been lived by faith, by a real, Biblical faith.
We understand living by faith isn’t always easy. Sometimes we would rather walk by sight than by faith. Sometimes the faithlessness of others can discourage a greater faithfulness in us. However, faith is absolutely essential if we’re to have assurance God is with us. When Jesus said “have faith,” He uses the imperative mood, which means it is a must, without which we will fail in living the Christian life. We simply can’t please God without faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6).
The kind of faith that pleases God isn’t just knowing He exists, but a faith that obeys, that submits, that lives in and for Him. “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (Jas. 2:26). How does faith grow and become a greater force in our lives? Spend time in Scripture, as faith comes from the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). Follow the example of those who live by faith (Heb. 11). Use the faith you have and watch it work in maturing you in Christ. It is the source of our victory over sin (1 John 5:4).
Sometimes in our worship we sing the song “Living by Faith.” Do more than think about it, or sing about it; live it and make it an active power at work in you. Today, live by faith. Have a great day. God bless.
Robert
Bible
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Friday, May 29, 2020
Message from Scripture: 5/29/2020
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Jer. 48:10; “Cursed be the one who does the LORD'S work negligently.”
The word “negligently” is translated various ways in different translations. Some use the word lax, others slackness, remiss, deceitfully, neglect, and one says it’s not doing the LORD's work with all of one’s heart. The Hebrew term carries the idea of inadequate action or work. Jeremiah reveals in this passage that Babylon would be God’s agent of judgment against Moab due to the sins of that nation. They were to do the work God had given them to do with diligence, not laziness or negligence.
The concept of doing the Lord’s work diligently, with commitment and a sense of urgency, always applies to those who serve God. God has a work for each of us to do in His kingdom. How do we approach living for Christ? Considering the excellence of God in sending Christ to die for our sins, how can we give anything less than our best in serving Him?
Paul reminded the church in Colossae to do their work heartily as for the Lord, knowing we serve Christ (Col. 3:23-24). Paul encouraged Timothy to do his best, a worker who has no need to be ashamed (2 Tim. 2:15). Paul reminded Titus, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity” (Titus 2:7). And to the church in Corinth, he encourages them to do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).
Paul said in Rom. 2:6, God will repay each of us according to our deeds. Do we approach living for God with dedication or complacency? We must offer our best, for love will do nothing less. In offering our best to God, He gives us His best in return. May God be praised in our reflecting His excellence in us, and we being blessed in doing so. Have a great day today. God bless.
Robert
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Jer. 48:10; “Cursed be the one who does the LORD'S work negligently.”
The word “negligently” is translated various ways in different translations. Some use the word lax, others slackness, remiss, deceitfully, neglect, and one says it’s not doing the LORD's work with all of one’s heart. The Hebrew term carries the idea of inadequate action or work. Jeremiah reveals in this passage that Babylon would be God’s agent of judgment against Moab due to the sins of that nation. They were to do the work God had given them to do with diligence, not laziness or negligence.
The concept of doing the Lord’s work diligently, with commitment and a sense of urgency, always applies to those who serve God. God has a work for each of us to do in His kingdom. How do we approach living for Christ? Considering the excellence of God in sending Christ to die for our sins, how can we give anything less than our best in serving Him?
Paul reminded the church in Colossae to do their work heartily as for the Lord, knowing we serve Christ (Col. 3:23-24). Paul encouraged Timothy to do his best, a worker who has no need to be ashamed (2 Tim. 2:15). Paul reminded Titus, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity” (Titus 2:7). And to the church in Corinth, he encourages them to do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).
Paul said in Rom. 2:6, God will repay each of us according to our deeds. Do we approach living for God with dedication or complacency? We must offer our best, for love will do nothing less. In offering our best to God, He gives us His best in return. May God be praised in our reflecting His excellence in us, and we being blessed in doing so. Have a great day today. God bless.
Robert
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Message from Scripture: 5/28/2020
Today’s message from Scripture comes from 2 Tim. 2:1; “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy was the last letter Paul wrote before being executed for his faith in Christ; these were not easy days in which to be a Christian. It was a time when a follower of Christ could be nailed to a cross, or thrown to wild animals, or burned as a living torch. In such perilous times, Paul’s advice to be strengthened by the grace found in Christ is timely and needed. The term translated “strengthened” can also be phrased “empowered,” and the imperative mood states just how essential it is to live in the grace of Christ in difficult times. What does God’s grace offer us when our faith is challenged?
Grace in Christ gives us hope to sustain us, knowing that life in Him is a treasure entrusted to us (2 Tim. 1:14). It is never a cause for shame, but a message to be proclaimed. It isn’t to be doubted, but something we know in an absolute sense, regarding who God and Christ are. It is something in which we can be convinced that their promises are sure and steadfast. It is enduring no matter what life brings our way.
Grace in Christ also gives us a life worth living, because it is a life that Christ Himself was willing to live for the Father. The threat of persecution could be a distraction to one’s faith. God’s provision keeps us focused, not on the problems of life, but the great possibilities Christ provides no matter the problems we face. “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity’” (2 Tim. 2:19). We have a firm foundation that is the basis of living for Christ, and not the iniquities of the flesh.
The grace of God in Christ. Without it, we are nothing; with it, we have everything we need to survive and thrive, no matter what. Be confident in Christ, and in all He provides for our lives in Him. God’s grace in Christ helps us be victorious. Have a great day. God bless.
Robert
Today’s message from Scripture comes from 2 Tim. 2:1; “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy was the last letter Paul wrote before being executed for his faith in Christ; these were not easy days in which to be a Christian. It was a time when a follower of Christ could be nailed to a cross, or thrown to wild animals, or burned as a living torch. In such perilous times, Paul’s advice to be strengthened by the grace found in Christ is timely and needed. The term translated “strengthened” can also be phrased “empowered,” and the imperative mood states just how essential it is to live in the grace of Christ in difficult times. What does God’s grace offer us when our faith is challenged?
Grace in Christ gives us hope to sustain us, knowing that life in Him is a treasure entrusted to us (2 Tim. 1:14). It is never a cause for shame, but a message to be proclaimed. It isn’t to be doubted, but something we know in an absolute sense, regarding who God and Christ are. It is something in which we can be convinced that their promises are sure and steadfast. It is enduring no matter what life brings our way.
Grace in Christ also gives us a life worth living, because it is a life that Christ Himself was willing to live for the Father. The threat of persecution could be a distraction to one’s faith. God’s provision keeps us focused, not on the problems of life, but the great possibilities Christ provides no matter the problems we face. “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity’” (2 Tim. 2:19). We have a firm foundation that is the basis of living for Christ, and not the iniquities of the flesh.
The grace of God in Christ. Without it, we are nothing; with it, we have everything we need to survive and thrive, no matter what. Be confident in Christ, and in all He provides for our lives in Him. God’s grace in Christ helps us be victorious. Have a great day. God bless.
Robert
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Message from Scripture: 5/27/2020
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Matt. 12:28; “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
The Bible records some pretty amazing things, which are called miracles. The miracles of Jesus and His apostles clearly reveal Him as the Son of God, as our Scripture reveals. Miracles were fundamentally connected with the revelation of God’s word (Heb. 2:3b-4). While miracles have been fulfilled in the complete revelation of God’s word, within His word we find affirmation that the God who could do the impossible then, can still do the impossible today.
We understand, in times past, God accomplished that which was impossible for people to do on their own. As an example, the Hebrew writer reminds us, “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised” (Heb. 11:11). God spoke of this event as something extraordinary, wonderful, an impossibility beyond the ability of humans (Gen. 18:14).
While the times of miracles has passed, God can still do what is impossible for us to do. Jesus spoke to His disciples about how the deceit of riches can make it difficult to enter the kingdom of heaven. When asked who can be saved, who can accomplish salvation on their own efforts, Jesus responded, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). Paul put it this way; “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).
We should never lose our sense of wonder and awe, of deep appreciation and gratitude, for what God did for us in Christ. Salvation is impossible without God’s intervention through the blood of Christ. Praise God for His mercy and grace in Christ. Today, and every day, rejoice in our cleansing of sin in Christ, and the newness of life we have in Him. God bless.
Robert
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Matt. 12:28; “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
The Bible records some pretty amazing things, which are called miracles. The miracles of Jesus and His apostles clearly reveal Him as the Son of God, as our Scripture reveals. Miracles were fundamentally connected with the revelation of God’s word (Heb. 2:3b-4). While miracles have been fulfilled in the complete revelation of God’s word, within His word we find affirmation that the God who could do the impossible then, can still do the impossible today.
We understand, in times past, God accomplished that which was impossible for people to do on their own. As an example, the Hebrew writer reminds us, “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised” (Heb. 11:11). God spoke of this event as something extraordinary, wonderful, an impossibility beyond the ability of humans (Gen. 18:14).
While the times of miracles has passed, God can still do what is impossible for us to do. Jesus spoke to His disciples about how the deceit of riches can make it difficult to enter the kingdom of heaven. When asked who can be saved, who can accomplish salvation on their own efforts, Jesus responded, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). Paul put it this way; “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).
We should never lose our sense of wonder and awe, of deep appreciation and gratitude, for what God did for us in Christ. Salvation is impossible without God’s intervention through the blood of Christ. Praise God for His mercy and grace in Christ. Today, and every day, rejoice in our cleansing of sin in Christ, and the newness of life we have in Him. God bless.
Robert
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Message from Scripture: 5/26/2020
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Jas. 4:17; “So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.”
Socrates once asked, “How is it, that people know what is good, but do what is bad?” Jesus put it this way; “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?” (Luke 6:46). What Christian is there who isn't concerned about the difference between knowing and doing? What Christian is there who doesn’t want to do something about it? There must be some way to take what we know to be true, and apply it to the desires that motivate us. Scripture offers two elements of truth that, if we understand them, and take them to heart, can make a positive difference in how we live and how we behave.
First, we are tempted to sin when we lock God out of our thoughts, ignoring His presence and His infinite greatness. We need to emphasize, no matter where we are, where we go, or what we do, God's presence is always with us. For the Christian, this should be a strength, an encouragement to do what's right, to overcome temptation. It is God who said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).
Second, we must remember Christ can return at any time. This means we should live each day as if it's our last, ready for His return. “For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2).
Since God always watches over us, take God with you. Develop an awareness of His abiding presence, and find the strength it provides. Since Christ will return, take to heart the implication of our Lord's return, and live in expectation of this grand and glorious event. When we understand these two important truths, what is good can have a greater impact in our lives than what is bad. It helps us seek what is good and do it. Have a great day today in Christ. God bless.
Robert
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Jas. 4:17; “So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.”
Socrates once asked, “How is it, that people know what is good, but do what is bad?” Jesus put it this way; “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?” (Luke 6:46). What Christian is there who isn't concerned about the difference between knowing and doing? What Christian is there who doesn’t want to do something about it? There must be some way to take what we know to be true, and apply it to the desires that motivate us. Scripture offers two elements of truth that, if we understand them, and take them to heart, can make a positive difference in how we live and how we behave.
First, we are tempted to sin when we lock God out of our thoughts, ignoring His presence and His infinite greatness. We need to emphasize, no matter where we are, where we go, or what we do, God's presence is always with us. For the Christian, this should be a strength, an encouragement to do what's right, to overcome temptation. It is God who said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).
Second, we must remember Christ can return at any time. This means we should live each day as if it's our last, ready for His return. “For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2).
Since God always watches over us, take God with you. Develop an awareness of His abiding presence, and find the strength it provides. Since Christ will return, take to heart the implication of our Lord's return, and live in expectation of this grand and glorious event. When we understand these two important truths, what is good can have a greater impact in our lives than what is bad. It helps us seek what is good and do it. Have a great day today in Christ. God bless.
Robert
Monday, May 25, 2020
Message from Scripture: 5/25/2020
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Psa. 119:127; “Therefore I love Your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold.”
Psalm 119 deals exclusively with the written Word of God; what the psalmist reveals about God's Word in this psalm is his great love for the written Word of God. For us as Christians, we have the added perspective knowing what Christ provides for us. If we love Christ, we will love the Word of God, as Christ is the living word (John 1:1, 14). What is it about Scripture that draws us to it?
We love God’s word because it is breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16). Peter reminds us, “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” (2 Pet. 1:20-21).
We love God’s word because it tells us how to overcome our sin. Scripture bring us from sin to salvation; it reveals God's will for living a saved life. “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thess. 2:13).
We love God’s word for what it offers us as His children. It offers us both comfort for today, and victory for eternity. As Paul reminded the Corinthians, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57).
What a difference Scripture makes when it fills our hearts and minds, when it helps guide us in our choices and lifestyle. Spend time in God’s word today. It will make a difference that will last forever. God bless.
Robert
Today’s message from Scripture comes from Psa. 119:127; “Therefore I love Your commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold.”
Psalm 119 deals exclusively with the written Word of God; what the psalmist reveals about God's Word in this psalm is his great love for the written Word of God. For us as Christians, we have the added perspective knowing what Christ provides for us. If we love Christ, we will love the Word of God, as Christ is the living word (John 1:1, 14). What is it about Scripture that draws us to it?
We love God’s word because it is breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16). Peter reminds us, “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” (2 Pet. 1:20-21).
We love God’s word because it tells us how to overcome our sin. Scripture bring us from sin to salvation; it reveals God's will for living a saved life. “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thess. 2:13).
We love God’s word for what it offers us as His children. It offers us both comfort for today, and victory for eternity. As Paul reminded the Corinthians, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57).
What a difference Scripture makes when it fills our hearts and minds, when it helps guide us in our choices and lifestyle. Spend time in God’s word today. It will make a difference that will last forever. God bless.
Robert
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Wasting Away & Renewed Day by Day
The human body is an amazing organism; while the mapping of the human genome may have taken some of the mystery of life away, the process of life is still amazing and complex. The story of life isn’t really told on an external level; the cellular structure of life is where much of the action really is. The human body is said to consist of an estimated 20 to 30 trillion cells. Dozens of different kinds of cells are organized into specialized groups called tissues, and different tissue types are assembled into organs; all together, these assembled organs form the human body. All cells are derived from previously existing cells, and cell replacement is essential for life to continue.
In the human body, for example, an estimated 25 million cell divisions occur every second in order to replace cells that have completed their normal life cycles. Cells of the liver, intestine, and skin may be replaced every few days, and recent research indicates that even brain cells undergo cell division in the part of the brain associated with memory. Millions of times per second in the human body, cells die as an essential part of the normal cycle of cellular replacement; when cells stop normal cell division they start to age, which is part of the process of aging and death.
This is the visible part of what goes one within us. Paul may not have understood all the biological processes that cause this to happen, but he could make an inspired observation that is as true today as then. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-18).
Physically, the process of aging could also be called the process of dying. This is the result of sin (Rom. 5:12), and unless our Lord returns, this is what awaits us all. Beside this physical process itself, one can add the uncertainty of life. None of us knows what each day we live will bring. Who knows if we will suffer from a fatal accident, or some other unforeseen catastrophe? James reminds us, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes” (4:14). Death cannot be mastered in this life.
Paul, however, offers us encouragement in knowing that, as the flesh grows weaker, the inner person, that which is spiritual, is being renewed. The power of death cannot not destroy us spiritually, and the spiritual can continue to grow even as the flesh draws closer to its demise. This is how, if we live for Christ, death is gain (Phil. 1:21). God has prepared a spiritual body for us, fit for eternity (1 Cor. 15:53), which is not subject to the ravages of sin. It is incomparable to the physical body, as to its nature and glory. We live for that which now is unseen, what will last for eternity, a spiritual body like Christ’s (1 John 3:2), which knows nothing of mourning, or crying, or pain, or death (1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 21:4).
Paul’s challenge is to look beyond the ravages of today to the splendor of tomorrow, not to that which is seen, but that which is unseen. To do this we must walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We must trust in God and His purposes for life. Where is your focus in life? “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25).
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.”
Robert
The human body is an amazing organism; while the mapping of the human genome may have taken some of the mystery of life away, the process of life is still amazing and complex. The story of life isn’t really told on an external level; the cellular structure of life is where much of the action really is. The human body is said to consist of an estimated 20 to 30 trillion cells. Dozens of different kinds of cells are organized into specialized groups called tissues, and different tissue types are assembled into organs; all together, these assembled organs form the human body. All cells are derived from previously existing cells, and cell replacement is essential for life to continue.
In the human body, for example, an estimated 25 million cell divisions occur every second in order to replace cells that have completed their normal life cycles. Cells of the liver, intestine, and skin may be replaced every few days, and recent research indicates that even brain cells undergo cell division in the part of the brain associated with memory. Millions of times per second in the human body, cells die as an essential part of the normal cycle of cellular replacement; when cells stop normal cell division they start to age, which is part of the process of aging and death.
This is the visible part of what goes one within us. Paul may not have understood all the biological processes that cause this to happen, but he could make an inspired observation that is as true today as then. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:16-18).
Physically, the process of aging could also be called the process of dying. This is the result of sin (Rom. 5:12), and unless our Lord returns, this is what awaits us all. Beside this physical process itself, one can add the uncertainty of life. None of us knows what each day we live will bring. Who knows if we will suffer from a fatal accident, or some other unforeseen catastrophe? James reminds us, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring — what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes” (4:14). Death cannot be mastered in this life.
Paul, however, offers us encouragement in knowing that, as the flesh grows weaker, the inner person, that which is spiritual, is being renewed. The power of death cannot not destroy us spiritually, and the spiritual can continue to grow even as the flesh draws closer to its demise. This is how, if we live for Christ, death is gain (Phil. 1:21). God has prepared a spiritual body for us, fit for eternity (1 Cor. 15:53), which is not subject to the ravages of sin. It is incomparable to the physical body, as to its nature and glory. We live for that which now is unseen, what will last for eternity, a spiritual body like Christ’s (1 John 3:2), which knows nothing of mourning, or crying, or pain, or death (1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 21:4).
Paul’s challenge is to look beyond the ravages of today to the splendor of tomorrow, not to that which is seen, but that which is unseen. To do this we must walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We must trust in God and His purposes for life. Where is your focus in life? “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25).
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.”
Robert
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