Tuesday, July 31, 2012
REVIVAL OF SPIRIT Part 2
7 31 12 Revival of Spirit Part 2
Scripture: Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. [Slavery to sin The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Note: The essential point I was trying to make in yesterday’s devotional is Christians in America have lost their first love…their love for Jesus Christ. So what happens when you lose your first love for Christ? A good question to start the second part of a devotional I started yesterday and it involves the second article that I mentioned
This article was written by Dr. Richard Land and used by Billy Hallowell in an article he wrote for The Blaze, a conservative news and opinion website owned by American media personality Glenn Beck.
RICHARD LAND ON THE NATION’S SPIRITUAL CRISIS: ‘IF AMERICA DIES, SHE’LL DIE FROM SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS’ [Posted on July 27, 2012 at 9:19pm by Billy Hallowell on the Blaze.]
Richard Land, president of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, told the audience at “Under God: Indivisible” that America is “at a fork in the road.”
Rather than facing a choice between going left or right, Land said that America is weighing a decision that will lead her to take an upward or a downward trajectory.
“If America dies, she’ll die from self-inflicted wounds,” he opened the speech, with the audience reluctantly agreeing. “We face a far greater peril from our own immorality and our own adultery than we ever faced from the British army or the German air force of the Japanese navy or the Soviet missile command.”
Land told the audience that the future of America depends upon “what the saved people do.” It is Christians, he said, who hold the responsibility to set the dangerous course the nation is taking back on track.
“[We face] a titanic struggle between those who want to remake America and those who want to restore America,” Land continued. “There are some forks — once they’re taken, you can’t go back.”
The audience cheered his message on, as Land reiterated the need for Christians to step up to the plate.
So what happens when you lose your first love for Christ? The results are the same whether you are a nation or an individual you start a downward trajectory. You lose your freedom and become enslaved physically and spiritually. Any nation or a person on a downward trajectory becomes sexually immoral, impure, filled with every type of evil, every type of debauchery, corruption and dishonesty. You turn from the living faith to the false faith of idolatry and witchcraft. Self becomes your God and your theological positions arise out of your flawed thinking which is influenced by God’s enemy, Satan. Satan is the father of lies, hatred, discord, fits of rage, envy and drunkenness. A person on a downward trajectory is becoming more and more like their true god, Satan. Like him you become a depraved individual without any hope of inheriting the kingdom of God.
I said there is no hope and there is none as long as you persist in your rebellion against God. God continues to speak, continues to reveal the truth in hope that when you hear the message of his love for you, you will repent and once again return to him. It is to the overcomers that Jesus has given the right to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.
I, like Dr. Richard Land, see our nation on a downward trajectory. Everything that I mentioned in the above paragraph is clearly visible in the lives of the majority of those who live in America today. As believers we need to cry out to God for mercy and a fresh outpouring of his grace. We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will once again pay a visit to our nation and through a mighty outpouring of the Spirit’s power change the hearts of millions of Americans. Then and only then under the reign of Christ will our enemies be defeated.
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, I have answered the cry of my people on numerous occasions but it must first start with my people recognizing their sin and the wickedness of the way in which they live. This is a humbling experience and yet it is so very important. Your ways or not my ways and as long as you continue to walk in your way you are moving further and further away from me. When you confess your sin and repent of your sins, seeking a new relationship with me, I will hear that prayer and I will forgive your sin and bring healing to our relationship. It is then, that you will be empowered to walk in my Way.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
Monday, July 30, 2012
REVIVAL OF SPIRIT Part 1
7 30 12 Revival of Spirit Part 1
Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Revelation 2:4-7 (NIV) Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Note: Last week I read two very interesting articles in light of what’s going on in our nation, a nation that has forsaken its love for God. It grieves my heart to make that statement. If we, as the people of God, don’t open our eyes and see what is going on around us and respond to this battle that is being waged, we will be held accountable by God. Notice the text. It is believers that have forsaken our first love, not unbelievers. Unbelievers do not have, nor ever have had, a love for God. They cannot forsake something they’ve never had. Only believers who have had a love for God can forsake it.
The first article I would like to share with you is a Poll conducted on 7- 20- 12 by OneNewsNow.com., a website site that describes itself as providing, “Your Latest News from a Christian perspective.” OneNewsNow asked a question on their website that was responded to by 4,854 people. The Poll question follows an opening statement:
“Many say that only a spiritual revival will change things in America. Question: “What key area needs to change for that revival to take place?” Below are the choices made by the respondents with the percentage for each choice indicated to the right.
“What key area needs to change for that revival to take place?”
• Our politics - 9.48%
• Our churches – 9.46%
• Our homes – 12.03%
• Our hearts – 69.04%
The majority of the respondents got it right. Without a change of heart by believers there will never be a change in the homes, in the churches, in politicians. A change of heart is the evidence of God’s Holy Spirit bringing revival into the believer’s heart. As you look at those around you who claim to be Christian, how many of them are living out their faith? Is there a noticeable difference between them and non-believers? Do they seem to enjoy their relationship with Christ and other believers? How many are visibly living out “The Biblical Faith” revealed to us in the Word of God? How many openly express their love of Jesus Christ, and their willingness to live a life of godliness and holiness? How many do you know who have forsaken the love of God and have openly embraced the love of the world? Understand, to embrace the world is to embrace Satan. To follow the world is to follow Satan. To love the world is to love the things of the world and those are the things that are a stench in the nostrils of God. As believers we truly do stand at a fork in the road.
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, you are at a fork in the road. You have a choice to make. One choice leads to death, the other leads to life. Are you willing to turn your back on the gods of this world? Have you worshipped at their altars long enough to know they are altars of gods who have no power and provide no peace. All they offer are empty illusions based on lies, lies that imprison and destroy. These lies are ultimately seen for what they are---lies of Satan. Since you accepted me as Savior and Lord have you made much progress in relinquishing your heart and its desires to me. Ask yourself, is Jesus really Lord of my life; is he Lord of all? Choose this day who you will serve. Is it to be the gods of this world or the God revealed in the Holy Scripture? Others may choose whatever god they desire to serve, but what about you, who do you choose to serve?”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. David
Friday, July 27, 2012
WAY OF SALVATION IS CLEARLY COMMUNICATED
7 27 12 Way of Salvation Clearly Communicated
Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Mk 16: 14-16 Later Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 2:21 (NIV) “..everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Acts 16:30-31 (NIV) He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."
Romans 10:9 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:10 (NIV) For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Romans 10:13 (NIV) for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 6of the 25 verses of scrip. that reference salvation in the NT.
Note: Aren’t you glad the Scripture is very clear in how a person is to be saved? No second guessing, no reading between the lines, no secret codes or formulas, just a very clear message of how to be forgiven of your sins and have a relationship with God. The message presented to us is the gospel. The response of the hearer is limited; it’s either you agree and believe or you disagree and reject. It’s that simple.
Yesterday I read about a voicemail that been left on the answering machine of a man by the name of Dan Sheeran. Dan was having his pants tailored and asked the tailor to leave him a message on his voicemail when they were ready to be picked up. The tailor left the message on his voicemail as requested. The tailor’s speech was highly accented but his English was clear enough to be understood by his customers. What the tailor didn’t know was the answering machine he left the message on was part of a Google speech to text program that would take his voice message and convert it to type and send it via e-mail to Dan. This is where the problem began. At this point I’ll let the article speak for itself: “Mr. Sheeran “Just wanted to let you know that your pants is already done and ready for pickup.” “Ok, then you can pick up your pants at Nordstrom.”
This is the message Mr. Sheeran, a 44-year-old technology executive got instead: “Just wanted to know that your punches ordered the done in the Dipper pickup. Ok. Then you can pick up the French abortion.” [WSJ Article “Say What”]
The reason I found this so interesting is because I have recently purchased a speech to text software program and it has given me several deep belly laughs because of the way it translates this southern boy’s speech. The best one was a recipe I was typing for Eleanor that called for 1 cup chopped onions. The program typed in 1 cup chopped Iranians. After three repeats, I typed it in myself.
It seems we live in a time when it really is difficult to understand one another. One group in particular is Politicians. They seem to speak an entirely different language than most of their constituents. When challenged it seems that they can easily shift their position by saying something like this: “you misunderstood, or that’s not what I was trying to say, or as one of our recent Presidents who was caught in an indiscretion said, "It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is."
Communication can be a challenge but thankfully what God has communicated to us in his Word, the Bible is always going to be the same. God wants to have a relationship with you and he reveals to you what you must do for that to happen. He reveals that there is only one Way, that one way being the Way of his Son, Jesus Christ. In fact he makes it very clear that Jesus is not only the only Way but he is also the only Truth, and the only Life. God declares this position of his to be truth! You can accept it or you can reject it but your response to God’s truth doesn’t change the fact that it still remains the truth.
By the way, what you say to the Lord in prayer is always clearly understood. He not only hears the words you speak but he knows your heart. You never have to worry about being misunderstood, misquoted or having to justify, or clarify yourself because he knows the real you. And as Eleanor would say, “that’s a ‘hallelujah!”
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, cry out to me and I will hear your voice. My ears are attentive to your cries for mercy. Come to me for forgiveness of your sins. With me there is always forgiveness available. Don’t be fearful. Come to me, place your hope in my love for you and do not fear. I have revealed to you my Word. Continue to walk with Christ and his unfailing love will provide your full redemption.” (Psalm 130:2-7)
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Thursday, July 26, 2012
PRODIGAL SON
7 26 12 Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Luke 15:11-32 (NIV) Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. 25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"
Occasionally, you run across an article that really speaks to your heart and this is one of those. The story speaks for itself. I know, for I too am a prodigal son. Thank God there’s not a place too far away for him to hear or too filthy and dirty for him to not want anything to do with you. I am a work of grace and give all glory and honor to Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior. david
“Why would God go to all the trouble to endure our bad choices and our flagrant sinning in order to have relationship with us? Hear the story of the lost son from the modern setting as told by Philip Yancey in his book, ‘“What’s so Amazing about Grace.”’
Yancey tells the story of a prodigal daughter who grows up in Traverse City, Michigan. Disgusted with her old fashioned parents who overreact to her nose ring, the music she listens to, the length of her skirts, she runs away. She ends up in Detroit where she meets a man who drives the biggest car she’s ever seen. The man with the big car – she calls him “Boss” – recognizes that since she’s underage, men would pay premium for her. So she goes to work for him. Things are good for a while. Life is good. But she gets sick for a few days, and it amazes her how quickly the boss turns mean. Before she knows it, she’s out on the street without a penny to her name. She still turns a couple of tricks a night, and all the money goes to support her drug habit.
One night while sleeping on the metal grates of the city, she began to feel less like a woman of the world and more like a little girl. She begins to whimper. “God, why did I leave? My dog back home eats better than I do now.” She knows that more than anything in the world, she wants to go home. Three straight calls home get three straight connections with the answering machine. Finally she leaves a message. “Mom, dad, it’s me. I was wondering about maybe coming home. I’m catching a bus up your way, and it’ll get there about midnight tomorrow. If you’re not there, I‘ll understand.” During the seven hour bus ride, she’s preparing a speech for her father. And when the bus comes to a stop in the Traverse City station, the driver announces the fifteen-minute stop. Fifteen minutes to decide her life.
She walks into the terminal not knowing what to expect. But not one of the thousand scenes that have played out in her mind prepares her for what she sees. There in the bus terminal in Traverse City, Michigan, stands a group of forty brothers and sisters and great-aunts and uncles and cousins and a grandmother and a great-grandmother to boot. They’re all wearing goofy party hats and blowing noise-makers, and taped across the entire wall of the terminal is a computer-generated banner that reads – Welcome Home!
Out of the crowd of well-wishers breaks her dad. She stares out through the tears quivering in her eyes and begins her memorized speech. He interrupts her. “Hush, child. We’ve got no time for that. No time for apologies. We’ll be late. A big party is waiting for you at home.” [Contributed By: David Simmons, Sermon Central]
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, it seems that only those who have been plucked out of the pigsty really understand the depths of my love for them. You may be thinking, I don’t ever remember being in a pigsty. Let me remind you that the sin of eating a small piece of fruit in the Garden of Eden is all it took for Adam and Eve to die spiritually. I share that with you to help you understand it’s how I view sin that’s important, not how you view it. Many have a tendency to think that some sins are worse than others; that some sins are considered small indiscretions. Trust me, that is not my view of sin. One sin is all it took for all of mankind to die spiritually and to be in need of a Redeemer and Savior. I’m not interested in how good some of you think you are. My hope for you is for you to be guided by my Holy Spirit and see your real need, the need of forgiveness. It is only then that you are able to call out to me for mercy. When you do you will be able to see sin through my eyes.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
DISCIPLESHIP
7 25 12 Discipleship
Scripture: Luke 14:28 (NIV) "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?
Note: Our text for today reminded me of a joke I heard some years ago. It seems that a truck load of men drove up to the lumberyard to get some building material. They sent one of the men inside to make the purchase. He told the sales clerk that he needed 10 two by fours for a project they were working on. The sales clerk asked him how long he wanted them. He said he didn’t know and he would check with the foreman of his group. He came back in several minutes later and the clerk asked him once again, how long you want them. He replied, “We want them for a long time we are building a house.” A slight breakdown in communication!
In the above Bible text Jesus asked the question, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?” We need to make this same consideration in following Christ. If you want to follow Jesus there are costs involved. Sometimes this may include: families, relationships, jobs, future plans and security. As difficult as it sounds, our success depends on our willingness to count the cost and believe it is worth it. It cost Jesus everything. The truth is, we gain so much more than we ever lose. All we lose are the things that are not good for us. We gain Jesus, eternal life, peace, forgiveness, hope, wisdom, strength. The apostle Paul came to the conclusion, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil 1:21).
Please understand, this does not mean that we must deny or lay aside our God-given abilities, interest or intellect. It simply means that we are willing to devote all we are, our strengths and weaknesses to Christ. We are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, making it known to God, family and friends that we are no longer going to conform to the pattern of this world but through the grace of God we are going to allow the Holy Spirit to transform us by renewing our minds and giving us a mind that is like Christ. Then we will know and be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will (Rom 12: 1-2).
Owen Bourgaize, a licensed lay Baptist preacher in England wrote the following: “If our Christianity has not cost us everything that this world counts dear, we really do not know the meaning of serving God. The Lord is calling people today who will follow him in the pathway of the Cross - being emptied of everything.” Bourgaize is talking about a faith in Christ that few will ever experience. It’s the type of faith that knows trying times and difficulties are going to come. It’s the type of faith that lends itself to our asking many questions, some of which will go unanswered. But it’s also the kind of faith that when placed in Jesus brings us a joy that cannot be found in the world. It’s the kind of faith that enables you to know regardless of what is going on around you, regardless of how confusing and complicated life becomes, before the last Word is spoken the Author of life will have made all things perfectly clear. The cost is great. The rewards are greater still.
Word from the Lord: Beloved, many who profess to love me seldom darken the door of my Church much less bend the knee to pray. They seldom give of themselves, their resources, their time because they are simply, too busy with other things. Many have counted the cost of following me and discovered it to be a price too high to pay. My Son saw the need, counted the cost and was willing to pay the price; his life for the life of the world. To be like him your cost will be the same. You must surrender your life to him. My servant Paul understood this. He saw death as gain. He gave that which he could not keep, his earthly life for that he could not lose, an eternal relationship living in the presence of Christ. Paul’s earthly life, his earthly mission came to an end but his heavenly mission and heavenly life with Christ continues.
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
THE APOSTATES AMONG US
7 24 12 THE APOSTATES AMONG US
Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NIV) In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Note: There has been and always will be those among believers who will not put up with sound doctrine, those who do not want to hear the Word of God being preached in the power of the Holy Spirit. By sound doctrine I mean the true “gospel” concerning Jesus Christ, his birth, death and especially his resurrection. I also mean the full message of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. The apostle Paul wrote a letter to Timothy reminding him to be on guard during the last days for those who would attempt to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. (The last days started at Pentecost and end with his second coming. Joel 2:28-29)
The last days will be characterized by the increase of blatant immorality and be clearly seen in how people live their lives and compromise with the world and evil. Notice some of the characteristics we find listed in the book of 2 Timothy 3:1-5. I am not quoting here but paraphrasing: They will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, proud, ungrateful, without love, unforgiving lacking self-control, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Paul said they would have a form of godliness but deny its power. Paul counseled Timothy to have nothing to do with them for their lives will end in destruction.
From the beginning of the Christian church there have been many who have claimed to be Christians. They go through the motions, say all the right words and give the appearance they are living lives that will honor God but they are intolerant of the true New Testament faith, a faith that is described as being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They see no need for believers to live holy and pure lives. They see no need for believers to separate themselves from the ungodly behavior and practices that are common in the world in which they live.
Beloved, the closer and closer we get to Jesus’ return, the more and more you will see many professed Christians abandon the faith, turning their backs on God and closing their ears to the truth. They will no longer see nor want biblically based sermons or teachings. They will see no need in taking a strong stance against evil behavior and against sin. They are willing to trade their eternal security, their relationship with God, to get along and live at peace with all people. Their hunger for the word of God ceases and they began to prefer teaching and preaching that approves a worldly compromised lifestyle, a lifestyle of sin. They prefer teaching and preaching that is not critical of the way in which they now live and see absolutely nothing wrong with the evil that is being practiced around them. Rather than being appalled by the evil that will become increasingly more prevalent, they prefer preaching and teaching that makes them feel good about themselves and approves of their new theological beliefs. They are perfectly happy with their way of life and see no need for repentance for themselves or those around them. They cease believing in hell and speak of a loving God who will not judge sin in the world and ultimately welcome all into his presence; in other words they like preachers to preach and teach what their itching ears want to hear (2 Tim 4:3).
The closer we get to the very last days, the end of time as we know it, ungodliness will be very noticeable. This should not cause us to lose faith or to bemoan the situation that’s going on around us. The believers, those who remain faithful to the Bible, faithful to Christ, and faithfully follow the Holy Spirit are going to be persecuted but God’s grace will see them through. There is no room for despair simply because so many of the prophetic signs pointing to the second coming are being fulfilled on a daily basis. What it should do is to make us look up for our redemption is closer than it’s ever been. We should be eagerly awaiting the soon coming of our God and King, the Lord Jesus Christ.
END TIMES SURVEY
What Would You Do Before the End of the World - Eat Junk Food?
An asteroid is on a collision course with the earth and you have one hour left to live. What would you do in your last 60 minutes?
Not surprisingly, the majority of Britons questioned in a survey -- 54 percent -- said they would like to spend it either with or on the phone to their loved ones. But the survey revealed a strong hedonistic streak -- 13 percent would sit back, accept the inevitable and reach for a glass of champagne. Sex appealed to 9 percent while just 3 percent would turn to prayer. 2 percent intriguingly said they would reach for some fatty food while another 2 percent decided, with just an hour's life to go, that it was time to start looting.
What would you do if you knew the end was near? I hope it would be in keeping with what the Bible says that we are to do. What does it say? It says you, “ought to live holy and godly lives (2 Peter 3:11). (Contributed by Joel Southerland; with slight editorial additions by me.)
I asked you a question earlier. What would you do if you knew the end was near? I don’t want to shock you but I do want to speak truthfully… It is! The end is near! We may not know the hour nor the day but it will happen when we least expect it according to the Word of God. Are you ready!
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Monday, July 23, 2012
DID YOU FORGET TO PRAY
7 23 12 Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Note: I read the following article in dismay. I kept looking around to see if anybody was watching my reaction. Surely this is a joke. But no…it’s for real. I should have known in the day and age in which we live, it was just a matter of time until someone would offer this type of service; a prayer service for all those who are too busy or forgetful to pray. For a fee an “Information Age Prayer” will pray for you on a regular basis. This way prayer will not interfere with your busy daily schedule.
This is the description of what this company will do for you, or in your behalf.
“Information Age Prayer” is a subscription service utilizing a computer with text-to-speech capability to incant your prayers each day. It gives you the satisfaction of knowing that your prayers will always be said even if you wake up late, or forget.
We use state of the art text to speech synthesizers to voice each prayer at a volume and speed equivalent to typical person praying. Each prayer is voiced individually, with the name of the subscriber displayed on screen.
At Information Age Prayer we think our service should be used like a prayer supplement, to extend and strengthen a subscriber's connection with God. Traditional prayer is an integral part of this connection and should never be forgone, even after signing up. You can subscribe for yourself, or you can purchase a subscription as a gift to friends or family."
Subscription rate for a discounted package deal is $19.95 a month. The Protestant Prayer Bundle includes, The Lord’s Prayer, The Morning Prayer, 5 Get Well Prayers and a Prayer for Peace." [If you want to check it out, go to: http://talkingthewalk-cal.blogspot.com/2009/04/information-age-prayerwhat-will-they.html]
Can you believe it? The Bible text for this devotional (reread if necessary) indicates that prayer is personal. The person praying is told to not be anxious about anything. A prayer service I’m sure is not anxious about anything especially when it comes to praying the way in which God would want us to pray. Individually, we are told to pray about everything and our prayers should be in the form of praise, petition with thanksgiving. We are to acknowledge our needs, our concerns, our joys and our sorrows. A believer’s prayers are filled with praise. We praise God for we believe in our heart that he is able to answer our prayers that we share with him, everything that concerns us. When we pray with thanksgiving, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will be ours. This is God’s peace not the peace of the world. Only God’s peace is able to guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. This type of praying sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
Often our prayers are based on emotion; the emotion of love, the emotion of God’s presence and the emotion of God’s keeping power. No one but you and the Holy Spirit know you in this way. It was the apostle Peter who encourages all of God’s children to: “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Beloved, this means all your anxieties, all your cares, and all your challenges. Are we smart enough to start doing that today? I hope so for my sake and for your sake.
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Friday, July 20, 2012
FORGIVENESS
7 20 12
Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Matt 6:14-15 (NIV) For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
FORGIVENESS
Note: Christian Publicly Forgives Man Who Murdered Family
Arturo Martinez-Sanchez was left for dead after attackers viciously beat him with a hammer. His wife and 10-year-old daughter were murdered in the random home invasion. But, citing his Christian faith, Martinez-Sanchez is choosing to forgive. The 39-year-old says his faith has made it possible to forgive the killer, who perpetrated what local police call one of the most heinous crimes in memory.
“As a believer in Christ, I know that God forgives all the sins of those who have faith in Him. In this, I am instructed to forgive first,” Martinez-Sanchez says.
“Knowing that God will forgive murderers if there is true repentance, Bryan Clay will stand in judgment before Him. It is my prayer that my wife, Yadira, and my daughter, Karla, are in heaven waiting for my sons and me to arrive to spend eternity with them. In fact, I know this is true.” [Charisma News, July 16, 2012]
What a horrible and evil event to go through. It’s impossible to imagine the pain and suffering, the loss that this man must have felt. I honestly don’t know if I would have responded in the same way he did. I hope and pray I am never faced with having to make this type of decision. Arturo Martinez-Sanchez extended his forgiveness to Bryan Clay because as a Christian he knew that this is what God would want him to do.
This is one of the hard-sayings of the Bible, one that many believers know about but have little understanding. Jesus has just finished teaching his disciples about, “how to pray.” A part of this model prayer was to ask God to forgive us of our debts (sins) as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. The way this reads implies that my forgiveness is conditional upon my willingness to forgive those who have sinned against me (Matt 6:5-13). Obviously, my willingness to forgive those who have sinned against me it is important to God or he would not have included this warning. If I refuse to forgive others, God will refuse to forgive me (Matthew 6:15).
Jesus is not teaching that a person can earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others. This would be contrary to the exercise of faith in the grace of God which he makes available to us in Christ. Forgiving those who sin against us would be evidence of the attitude of a believer who because of their own sin saw their great need for God’s forgiveness. Paul the apostle proclaimed this important teaching of Christ to the church in Ephesus when he was teaching them how to “live as children of light.” “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph 4:32). He taught the same thing to the church at Colossae when he taught them “the rules for holy living.” “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Col 3:13).
Why is this so important to Jesus? As believers we are to be like Jesus. Our unwillingness to forgive would be a poor reflection of Jesus’ character in our lives and evidence that we are resisting the Holy Spirit’s work in us as he conforms us to the image of God’s Son (Rom 8:29; 1 John 3:2b). Jesus came to die for sinful man. He gave his life so that our sins could be forgiven and we could have a right relationship with God. If we are being conformed into Christ-likeness we too will be willing to forgive those who have sinned against us. This is the essence of the gospel: we sinned against God; he forgave us. It’s not a question of whether or not we are to take this command seriously. The question is am I willing to be obedient to the teachings of Jesus Christ. If we can say yes to this question then the Holy Spirit is doing a good work in us, transforming us into the image of Christ. Is it easy, NO! Is it doable, YES - IN CHRIST!
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, your spiritual journey is a process of becoming more and more like me. This transformation will not be completed until to you stand in my presence and see me face to face. I want you to see each day as an opportunity to walk faithfully before me and grow in purity and holiness. I want you to be a strong witness of God’s redeeming work, as one who has been forgiven and is willing to forgive. Let my Word be your spiritual food and drink. It is the only nourishment available to you that will keep you strong in your witness and testimony, enabling you to faithfully follow me, submitting your will to my will and my way.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Thursday, July 19, 2012
SPIRITUAL DO-OVER
7 19 12 Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Note: Do you know what a “do-over” in tennis is called? It’s called a “let.” It’s a term that allows a tennis player to re-serve a ball that touch’s the net but stays in play. Do you know what a “do-over” in golf is called? It’s called a Mulligan. If all the players agree it’s an extra stroke that is given to a player who has made a bad shot without a penalty involved. It’s human nature to like “do-overs,” or second chances. If the player or participant has little talent “do-overs” and second chances don’t usually help the final score.
There is a spiritual “do-over” or second chance that works all the time. It is available to all people who call on the name of the Lord for forgiveness and salvation. The Bible refers to this “do-over” as being “born again.” Being born again is the ultimate second chance. It is an opportunity for the individual to be made spiritually brand new. In addition to being forgiven of our sins we are declared righteous in the sight of God. The Holy Spirit begins the transforming work in enabling us to be conformed into the image of Christ. Being born again results in a new life, a new heart, and a new hunger and thirst for God’s Word. There is a word that describes this type of spiritual “do-over.” It’s the word Christian. In the Bible, the word Christian is often translated as “little Christ” or “Christ like” ones. That’s because in your spiritual “do-over” you have “…put on [your] new self, [which is] created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” [Ephesians 4:24] The new self you have put on is Christ.
Because of this “do-over” the Holy Spirit begins a transforming work in you. He transforms the way in which you think and the way in which you behave and live. You are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated—you are re-created. Your old way of life was worldly. Your new life reflects the character of Christ. His character is now your character, his way is your way; the way of holiness, integrity, sexual purity, wholesomeness, and separation from evil. Your new heart desires to please God in everything you do. Christ likeness is your eternal “do-over.” You are a new creation in Christ Jesus and belong totally and completely to God.
The motor home has allowed us to put all the conveniences of home on wheels. A camper no longer needs to contend with sleeping in a sleeping bag, cooking over a fire, or hauling water from a stream. Now he can park a fully equipped home on a cement slab in the midst of a few pine trees and hook up to a water line, a sewer line and electricity. One motor home I saw recently had a satellite dish attached on top. No more bother with dirt, no more smoke from the fire, no more drudgery of walking to the stream. Now it is possible to go camping and never have to go outside. We buy a motor home with the hope of seeing new places, of getting out into the world. Yet we deck it out with the same furnishings as in our living room. Thus nothing really changes. We may drive to a new place, set ourselves in new surroundings, but the newness goes unnoticed, for we’ve only carried along our old setting. The adventure of new life in Christ begins when the comfortable patterns of the old life are left behind. [Contributed By: Stephen Smarowsky]
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, do you need a “do-over,” a fresh start. Remember I am the God of the second, third, fourth, and fifth…….chance. I am able to remove all the stench and filth from your trip to the pig sty of the world. Call to me and let me lovingly restore you to holiness. Relinquish the throne of your life to me. By now you should be able to see that your way is not going to work. You can’t improve your life through your own efforts and in your own strength? Trust me in this. I call you to a new life and spiritual “do-over” and I have the strength to make it happen.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
HEALING and FORGIVENESS
7 18 12 Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Mark 2:5-12 (NIV) 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some teachers of the law were…thinking to themselves…Who can forgive sins but God alone?" …Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking…and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?... 9 Which is easier: to say … 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Note: Two different groups of people were there that day. One group saw an act of God, called it a miracle and they were amazed. The other group saw an act of God, a miracle, and called it blasphemy. What a contrast!
The first thing Jesus did when he saw the demonstration of the men’s faith was to forgive the paralytic of his sins. The Scribes response to this reveals their motive for being there. They were not there to witness the greatness of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, they were there to look for something that they could use to discredit him and have him arrested. The paralytic and his friends witnessed a miracle. They came fully expecting their friend to be healed. They believed if they could get close enough to Jesus he had the power to heal him. They believed in the power of Jesus Christ to heal and because of their faith they were rewarded.
The scribes witnessed blasphemy. They knew that what Jesus said to the man about his sins being forgiven was an admission by him that he is God. To the paralytic this was the miracle he needed and wanted – to be healed. Jesus knew the thoughts of the paralytic and his friends and he knew the thoughts of the scribes. He asked the Scribes, “which is easier to say ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘get up, take your mat and walk?’” Jesus demonstrated to the scribes that he was in fact God because He was all-knowing. He is also all-powerful and possessed the authority necessary to do what he was about to do. He performed a healing miracle, a miraculous work of God. He spoke forgiveness to a sinner and in the power of his voice, commanded the paralytic to take up his mat and walk. What Jesus wouldn’t do that day, was allow himself to be intimidated by a bunch of hypocritical, self-righteous Jews.
What group are you in? Are you in the group that has the faith to know and to claim the promises Jesus has made to you or are you in the group that’s looking for a way to discredit Jesus? Hopefully you are in the first group. If so you know the following is true:
1. Jesus will forgive a person’s sins when they come to him in faith believing that he can heal them of their sin-sickness. He knows the thoughts and the motives behind why the person is coming. He knows if the person wants to be forgiven so they can be physically healed, or if they want to be healed and forgiven so they can have a righteous relationship with God. Jesus knows their hearts and why they come but He expects us to come for all the right reasons.
2. Jesus loves you and is concerned with your welfare, your body, your thoughts and your emotions, but he is much more concerned with your spiritual well-being. He wants you to come to him in faith, asking him to forgive you your sins and to give you the gift of eternal life.
3. The third point has to do with one of my favorite verses of Scripture, 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Notice the progression. We come to Jesus, to confess our sins. When we do this we are exhibiting our faith, our faith in his faithfulness and our faith in his justice. Then we believe by faith that what we have done is pleasing to him and he will do what he says he will do, forgive us our sins and purify us from all our unrighteousness. Please take note of the word all in the scripture – all means all! There is no greater witness for God than one who knows he is forgiven!
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, why labor under the load of sin? Come to me in faith and I will forgive all your sins and give you the power to live your life for me. I can set you free from all guilt and shame. I can give you peace of mind, resulting in good health. I love you and want you to be whole.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they encourage you to faithfulness. david
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
IF ONLY
7 17 2012
Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Philippians 1:6 (NIV) “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Note: Adam and Eve awoke to an absolutely beautiful day. But why shouldn’t it be, they lived in Paradise. Everything was perfect around them; perfect weather, perfect temperature, perfect sunlight, perfect availability of food, everything was absolutely perfect. They had it all but they were not satisfied. How could this be? They had available to them everything they needed in order to live the abundant life. They had a right relationship with God. Often they walked with him in the cool of the garden at the end of the day. Their every need had been met. They were to take care of the garden and all the animals; an idyllic setting. How could anyone want more? Human nature from the very beginning of time has always wanted more. Dissatisfaction will always set the stage for sin. In this case Adam and Eve’s eventual fall from grace. Even though they had been given everything, everything they needed, including a rich and intimate relationship with God, they felt as though they had been shortchanged.
It’s during times like this Satan comes into a person’s life and uses their complaints to make them feel they have been cheated. I have a feeling that many of you, me included, have felt this way in your lifetime. Things are not going as they should. If only things were different; if only God had allowed me to do this or that; if only I had that job; if only I had that degree; if only I had married that person; if only I had received a large inheritance; if only, if only…things would be different. If only, if only…if only! The mantra of the dissatisfied person!
The children of Israel had been led out of captivity. They had spent 430 years in a land that was not their own. At first it had gone well, and then the political winds changed and life was hard. They cried out to God, God delivered them and promised to take them to a land flowing with milk and honey. God miraculously brought them forth out of Egypt in answer to their prayers. His actions resulted in their being fully free. They were no longer in bondage to Egypt but then discovered a new type of bondage, the bondage of dissatisfaction. In fact they became so dissatisfied they were willing to trade their freedom for onions. Can you imagine that? I can’t! Their dissatisfaction kept them from experiencing God’s best. Are we guilty of doing the same thing? Are we willing to trade God’s best for us for something of no lasting value? Their desire to please the flesh rather than God was costly. It is for us too.
Their dissatisfaction and ours proves and old adage to be true: If you look hard enough and long enough, you’ll find something to complain about! Paradise, the Garden of Eden lost its appeal to Adam and Eve. Has heaven lost its appeal to you? Are the difficulties you’re going through clouding your heavenly vision, causing you to doubt God’s saving and keeping power? Beloved, go to the Word of God, the living Word of God. Go to Jesus and be refreshed. Let him lift you up and carry you if need be. He will lead you safely through, not as a victim, but as a victorious child of God. Are you confident that God who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus? You can be by changing your focus. Look around you and see the hand of God at work in the blessings that are yours. The special gift of his presence, friends, family, freedom, forgiveness, salvation, and the Word of God are yours in Christ. The blessing of prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit, His abiding presence, your eternal home, are all just a few of the countless blessings God has given to you.
One of the most tragic events during the Reagan Presidency was the Sunday morning terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, in which hundreds of Americans were killed or wounded as they slept.
A few days after the tragedy, I recall coming across an extraordinary story. Marine Corps Commandant Paul X Kelly, visited some of the wounded survivors then in a Frankfurt, Germany, hospital. Among them was Corporal Jeffrey Lee Nashton, severely wounded in the incident. Nashton had so many tubes running in and out of his body that a witness said he looked more like a machine than a man; yet he survived.
As Kelly neared him, Nashton, struggling to move and racked with pain, motioned for a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote a brief note and passed it back to the Commandant. On the slip of paper were but two words -- "Semper Fi" the Latin motto of the Marines meaning "forever faithful." With those two simple words Nashton spoke for the millions of Americans who have sacrificed body and limb and their lives for their country -- those who have remained faithful. [J. Dobson & Gary Bauer, Children at Risk, Word, 1990, pp. 187-188.]
One day we will be lying on our beds in the process of dying. If you were unable to speak but could write what would be your final two words, your final witness to God’s grace? I sat this morning and thought of that question. What would I write? It came to me in an instant, a work of the Holy Spirit, and I share it with you today. CHRIST ALONE! I am unapologetic, I love Jesus and I love to sing the love songs written about him. The following is one of my favorites.
IN CHRIST ALONE
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
[Songwriters: Stuart Townend, Keith Getty]
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Who Is the Greatest?
Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his
Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry
of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear
the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation
but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Mk 9:33-35 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the
house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" (34)
But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was
the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the twelve and said, "If
anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of
all."
Note: When God looks upon the earth and observes how people are
serving him he doesn’t look for those who may be thought of as being
important, super intelligent or those who have made a name for
themselves. He looks for those who are most like his Son, Jesus
Christ. He wants those who are willing to do any job regardless of the
importance of their position or status. He looks for those who have a
servant heart. These are the ones who would be considered great in the
eyes of God. He is not looking at those who are arguing about who is
the greatest. His eyes are on those who are so busy serving they have
no time for arguing.
Those considered great in the eyes of God will exhibit the
characteristics of Christ. They will be humble, faithful, encouragers,
comforters; those who came to serve rather than to be served. This is
what God is looking for in his followers.
What would true greatness look like? What does the Bible say about greatness?
(1) Mt 20:25-28 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that
the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials
exercise authority over them. Whoever wants to become great among you
must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your
slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Obviously greatness has nothing to do with a person’s position,
accomplishments, power, influence or even intelligence but has to do
with an individual’s willingness to serve others in the same spirit as
that of Christ.
(2) True greatness is faithfulness to God’s call. Faithfulness in
carrying out the ministry that God has given you. Rom 12:6-10 reveals
a clear picture of what greatness would be like in a faithful servant:
“If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if
it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the
needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him
govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Their love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves.”
A large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s
Northfield Bible Conferences in Massachusetts in the late 1800s.
Following the European custom of the time, each guest put his shoes
outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of
course this was America and there were no hall servants.
Walking the dormitory halls that night, Moody saw the shoes and
determined not to embarrass his brothers. He mentioned the need to
some ministerial students who were there, but met with only silence or
pious excuses. Moody returned to the dorm, gathered up the shoes, and,
alone in his room, the world’s only famous evangelist began to clean
and polish the shoes. Only the unexpected arrival of a friend in the
midst of the work revealed the secret.
When the foreign visitors opened their doors the next morning, their
shoes were shined. They never knew by whom. Moody told no one, but his
friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference,
different men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret. Perhaps the
episode is a vital insight into why God used D. L. Moody as He did. He
was a man with a servant’s heart and that was the basis of his true
greatness. [Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence.]
True greatness is to do the work of Christ wherever God chooses to
place you and to do it out of your great love for Him. Aspire to
Greatness in God’s eyes not in the eyes of the world.
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it
for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your
heart. He loves you!
Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry
of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear
the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation
but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: Mk 9:33-35 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the
house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" (34)
But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was
the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the twelve and said, "If
anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of
all."
Note: When God looks upon the earth and observes how people are
serving him he doesn’t look for those who may be thought of as being
important, super intelligent or those who have made a name for
themselves. He looks for those who are most like his Son, Jesus
Christ. He wants those who are willing to do any job regardless of the
importance of their position or status. He looks for those who have a
servant heart. These are the ones who would be considered great in the
eyes of God. He is not looking at those who are arguing about who is
the greatest. His eyes are on those who are so busy serving they have
no time for arguing.
Those considered great in the eyes of God will exhibit the
characteristics of Christ. They will be humble, faithful, encouragers,
comforters; those who came to serve rather than to be served. This is
what God is looking for in his followers.
What would true greatness look like? What does the Bible say about greatness?
(1) Mt 20:25-28 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that
the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials
exercise authority over them. Whoever wants to become great among you
must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your
slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Obviously greatness has nothing to do with a person’s position,
accomplishments, power, influence or even intelligence but has to do
with an individual’s willingness to serve others in the same spirit as
that of Christ.
(2) True greatness is faithfulness to God’s call. Faithfulness in
carrying out the ministry that God has given you. Rom 12:6-10 reveals
a clear picture of what greatness would be like in a faithful servant:
“If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if
it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the
needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him
govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Their love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves.”
A large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s
Northfield Bible Conferences in Massachusetts in the late 1800s.
Following the European custom of the time, each guest put his shoes
outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of
course this was America and there were no hall servants.
Walking the dormitory halls that night, Moody saw the shoes and
determined not to embarrass his brothers. He mentioned the need to
some ministerial students who were there, but met with only silence or
pious excuses. Moody returned to the dorm, gathered up the shoes, and,
alone in his room, the world’s only famous evangelist began to clean
and polish the shoes. Only the unexpected arrival of a friend in the
midst of the work revealed the secret.
When the foreign visitors opened their doors the next morning, their
shoes were shined. They never knew by whom. Moody told no one, but his
friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference,
different men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret. Perhaps the
episode is a vital insight into why God used D. L. Moody as He did. He
was a man with a servant’s heart and that was the basis of his true
greatness. [Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence.]
True greatness is to do the work of Christ wherever God chooses to
place you and to do it out of your great love for Him. Aspire to
Greatness in God’s eyes not in the eyes of the world.
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it
for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your
heart. He loves you!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Do you feel rich today?
Don’t forget to pray. Ask God for insight and an understanding of his
Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry
of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear
the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation
but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV) For you know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he
became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Note: Do you feel rich today? If you do you can thank Jesus Christ for
his willingness to become poor. “He became poor” because he saw your
need. He not only saw your need but he also knew that he was the only
one able to meet your need. Your need, my need, the need of all people
everywhere is the same. We need to have a right relationship with God.
So Jesus put aside his heavenly glory and became a man, a man not to
be served, but One who came to serve others. Before his life was over,
his willingness to serve mankind cost him everything. Think of this
astonishing statement: “He became poor…so that we might become rich.”
Obviously we’re not talking about earthly riches. Earthly riches are
about having great wealth and possessing great power and influence.
This way of thinking is the opposite of the spiritual riches that are
available to those who have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
In fact the greatest riches we have are in Jesus Christ our Savior and
Lord, and in serving Him. Hear it again, He is our richest blessing!
The amazing thing about our becoming rich is that we had nothing to do
with it. We didn’t work for it. It was given to us as a gift. The
richness of our relationship is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. As
we grow and mature in our faith we are able to see how rich we are in
love, forgiveness, salvation, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are
rich because we have been given the wisdom of God, the peace of God
and enriched by the loving presence of our Savior and Lord. We are
rich beyond measure! We have a heavenly estate in a place with streets
of gold, a place of perfect health. We are rich because all of the
righteous of God will be there, family and friends and millions we
have never met. How rich we are as a result of Jesus coming to the
Earth. His coming resulted in our being made rich toward God on earth
and the blessing of His eternal riches throughout time and eternity.
I hope and pray that today you have eyes that enable you to see the
wonderful way in which you have been enriched by the coming of Jesus
Christ.
Have you ever heard the story of the greatest mining strike in US
history? If not here is a brief article that gives us a little history
about it.
“In the 1860s, the Comstock Lode in western Nevada became one of the
most lucrative mining strikes in American history, yielding hundreds
of millions of dollars in gold and silver. But, amazingly, many who
mined this site missed these riches.
Sparked by the California gold rush in 1848, earlier prospectors had
searched western Nevada, focusing on the quest for gold. But, as
Ronald James points out in his book, The Roar and the Silence, because
of their obsession with gold, the first miners did not realize they
were “digging into one of the wealthiest silver lodes in the
world…Miners ignored the mineral-bearing black rock and pursued the
precious metal they knew best.”
Eventually, it was realized that these rocks were rich in silver, and
the Comstock boom began. But countless miners had failed to realize
that their hands were touching great riches. They had lost a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, because they were not discerning
enough to examine the rocks that were before them.” [Unknown source]
How many times in our lives have we had something similar to this
happen in our journey of faith? We have many opportunities to grow
closer to the Lord, our homes have numerous Bibles, our communities
have numerous churches, Bible studies abound and we are too busy with
the things of the world to get involved. We let the various
opportunities that would have enable us to grow in the knowledge of
Christ slip through our fingers. His precious presence is seen as
“black rocks” and not worth mining so we continue our search for
significance and meaning to life never knowing we had it in our hands
and let it slip away. Today I pray the prayer the apostle Paul prayed
in behalf of the Ephesians believers. I pray that God will open the
eyes of your hearts and that your hearts will be enlightened in order
that they may know the hope to which God had called you, “the riches
of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably
great power for us who believe.” [Eph 1:18b-19 (NIV)]
Dear friends, I have a favor to ask. Will you ask God to open your
eyes and my eyes allowing us to see the riches of his blessings all
around us? Will you pray that we will never settle for anything less
than God’s best? Ask him to allow us to receive the richness of his
blessings that enables us to be a strong in the faith. Ask in behalf
of all of us for the richness of God the Holy Spirit’s power. Ask him
for the ability to discern the truth and for opportunities to be used
as a blessing in the lives of others to his praise and glory. I will
pray these things for you and pray that you will never limit your
expectations of God’s riches by thinking small thoughts. I pray that
you will think big thoughts for our God is an awesome God. When you
read this, can I get a witness? That means you can shout an Amen and
Amen if so led.
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, you are surrounded by a great cloud of
witnesses. They are cheering you on and every time you gain a victory
over sin they praise God for your faithfulness. Continue to daily run
the race of faith. Run with perseverance and stay on the path I have
it marked out for you. My Spirit will always lead you toward the
finish line and will help you finish and finish well. Perseverance
requires you to keep your eyes on Jesus for he is the perfecter of
your faith. The race may not always be easy but the strength you need
will be supplied.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it
for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your
heart. He loves you!
Word. This insight or enlightenment is a work of grace and a ministry
of the Holy Spirit. Pray you will have eyes to see and ears to hear
the marvelous ways that God is showing his love to all his creation
but especially to his family of believers.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV) For you know the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he
became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
Note: Do you feel rich today? If you do you can thank Jesus Christ for
his willingness to become poor. “He became poor” because he saw your
need. He not only saw your need but he also knew that he was the only
one able to meet your need. Your need, my need, the need of all people
everywhere is the same. We need to have a right relationship with God.
So Jesus put aside his heavenly glory and became a man, a man not to
be served, but One who came to serve others. Before his life was over,
his willingness to serve mankind cost him everything. Think of this
astonishing statement: “He became poor…so that we might become rich.”
Obviously we’re not talking about earthly riches. Earthly riches are
about having great wealth and possessing great power and influence.
This way of thinking is the opposite of the spiritual riches that are
available to those who have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
In fact the greatest riches we have are in Jesus Christ our Savior and
Lord, and in serving Him. Hear it again, He is our richest blessing!
The amazing thing about our becoming rich is that we had nothing to do
with it. We didn’t work for it. It was given to us as a gift. The
richness of our relationship is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. As
we grow and mature in our faith we are able to see how rich we are in
love, forgiveness, salvation, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are
rich because we have been given the wisdom of God, the peace of God
and enriched by the loving presence of our Savior and Lord. We are
rich beyond measure! We have a heavenly estate in a place with streets
of gold, a place of perfect health. We are rich because all of the
righteous of God will be there, family and friends and millions we
have never met. How rich we are as a result of Jesus coming to the
Earth. His coming resulted in our being made rich toward God on earth
and the blessing of His eternal riches throughout time and eternity.
I hope and pray that today you have eyes that enable you to see the
wonderful way in which you have been enriched by the coming of Jesus
Christ.
Have you ever heard the story of the greatest mining strike in US
history? If not here is a brief article that gives us a little history
about it.
“In the 1860s, the Comstock Lode in western Nevada became one of the
most lucrative mining strikes in American history, yielding hundreds
of millions of dollars in gold and silver. But, amazingly, many who
mined this site missed these riches.
Sparked by the California gold rush in 1848, earlier prospectors had
searched western Nevada, focusing on the quest for gold. But, as
Ronald James points out in his book, The Roar and the Silence, because
of their obsession with gold, the first miners did not realize they
were “digging into one of the wealthiest silver lodes in the
world…Miners ignored the mineral-bearing black rock and pursued the
precious metal they knew best.”
Eventually, it was realized that these rocks were rich in silver, and
the Comstock boom began. But countless miners had failed to realize
that their hands were touching great riches. They had lost a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, because they were not discerning
enough to examine the rocks that were before them.” [Unknown source]
How many times in our lives have we had something similar to this
happen in our journey of faith? We have many opportunities to grow
closer to the Lord, our homes have numerous Bibles, our communities
have numerous churches, Bible studies abound and we are too busy with
the things of the world to get involved. We let the various
opportunities that would have enable us to grow in the knowledge of
Christ slip through our fingers. His precious presence is seen as
“black rocks” and not worth mining so we continue our search for
significance and meaning to life never knowing we had it in our hands
and let it slip away. Today I pray the prayer the apostle Paul prayed
in behalf of the Ephesians believers. I pray that God will open the
eyes of your hearts and that your hearts will be enlightened in order
that they may know the hope to which God had called you, “the riches
of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably
great power for us who believe.” [Eph 1:18b-19 (NIV)]
Dear friends, I have a favor to ask. Will you ask God to open your
eyes and my eyes allowing us to see the riches of his blessings all
around us? Will you pray that we will never settle for anything less
than God’s best? Ask him to allow us to receive the richness of his
blessings that enables us to be a strong in the faith. Ask in behalf
of all of us for the richness of God the Holy Spirit’s power. Ask him
for the ability to discern the truth and for opportunities to be used
as a blessing in the lives of others to his praise and glory. I will
pray these things for you and pray that you will never limit your
expectations of God’s riches by thinking small thoughts. I pray that
you will think big thoughts for our God is an awesome God. When you
read this, can I get a witness? That means you can shout an Amen and
Amen if so led.
Word from the Lord: “Beloved, you are surrounded by a great cloud of
witnesses. They are cheering you on and every time you gain a victory
over sin they praise God for your faithfulness. Continue to daily run
the race of faith. Run with perseverance and stay on the path I have
it marked out for you. My Spirit will always lead you toward the
finish line and will help you finish and finish well. Perseverance
requires you to keep your eyes on Jesus for he is the perfecter of
your faith. The race may not always be easy but the strength you need
will be supplied.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it
for His Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your
heart. He loves you!
Friday, July 6, 2012
GROWING OLD
7 6 12 Growing Old Matt 24 35
Scripture: Matt 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Spoken
by Jesus.)
Note: Have you ever stopped to consider how many things you have that
are eternal in nature? Most of us haven’t.
We are much more concerned with things that are temporary rather than what is
eternal. All the toys, all the things we have accumulated in this life will
either rot, rust or simply fade away. There
is very little about life that is permanent. Two of the most noticeable
observations of this truth have to do with aging and physical strength; youth
and its beauty fades and so will our physical strength.
I love what Robertson McQuilkin
wrote in Our Daily Bread about
this very topic: "God planned the strength and beauty of youth to
be physical. But the strength and beauty of age is spiritual. We gradually lose
the strength and beauty that is temporary so we'll be sure to concentrate on
the strength and beauty that is forever."
The
Bible puts it in a little different perspective, 2 Cor 4:16-18 (NIV) “Therefore
we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are
being renewed day by day. 17 For
our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far
outweighs them all. 8 So we fix our
eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal.”
Did
you notice what the passage says about how we are to view the problem of aging?
The apostle Paul said, regardless of what’s going on in our physical bodies we
do not lose heart. Why? Because God continues to work in us and through us to
accomplish his will. His will is for us to be like him, spiritually and in
bodily form. We are like him in spirit because we have been born again and we will
be like him in our bodies because we are promised a glorified body like his.
Paul was writing words of encouragement to them and to us. He tells us that we
are not to be concerned with the outwardly wasting away of our bodies because we
are being renewed inwardly day by day. He encourages us to fix our eyes on what
is unseen rather than what is seen. What is unseen is the completed work of
Christ in us, the completion of God’s promises to us who are in Christ. As Paul
writes, “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
So my friends, here’s the
reality. Everything about us, everything we acquire, everything of this world
including our flesh will not last and will be destroyed. But, and here is the
good news, everything about us that is of the Spirit is eternal. What are some
of these eternal things that are ours? The Word of God, the Love of God, the Promises
of God, all of these things will last forever for they are of the Spirit. The
love that we share with one another, the joy of our salvation, the peace of
God, the living hope that is ours in Christ, the assurance of our faith, the
presence of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, are all permanent and will never
pass away. We may think we have little that will last and this may be true but
as a believer we can, through faith and obedience, work toward having more; more
of things that are eternal in nature. Eat the
Word, breathe the Word, sleep the Word, do all as though you are doing it unto
Christ. If you do you will mature in Christ and bear Spiritual fruit and have
treasures in heaven. Why worry about the temporary things of life? We have very
little control over them and they will pass away? Instead, why not invest your
life in those things that have eternal value and consequences; things that we
are led to do by the Holy Spirit; things that are found in the Word of God. Two
come to mind: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said these are
the two greatest commandments. Why not give it a try? If successful you can
look forward to treasures in heaven and joy and peace while here on earth.
I read a humorous article
recently that might bring a smile to our face because it speaks to our getting
older.
“Man is like an
automobile. As it gets older, the differential starts slipping, and the
u-joints get worn, causing the drive shaft to go bad. The transmission won't go
into high gear and sometimes has difficulty getting out of low. The cylinders
get worn and lose compression, making it hard to climb the slightest incline.
When it is climbing, the tappets clatter and ping to the point where one
wonders if the old bus will make it to the top. The carburetor gets fouled with
pollutants and other matter, making it hard to get started in the morning. It
is hard to keep the radiator filled because of the leaking hose. The thermostat
goes out, making it difficult to reach operating temperature. The headlights
grow dim, and the horn gets weaker. The memory chip drops a few bytes, and the
battery needs constant recharging. But if the body looks good with no bangs,
dents or chipping paint, we can keep it washed and polished, giving the
impression that it can compete with the newer models and make one more trip
down the primrose lane before the head gasket blows. Gentlemen, start your
engines.” [Pinging Like Crazy in Tulsa, in Ann Landers, Spokesman Review, Dec. 24, 1993]
I hope this gave you
a good laugh or at least brought a smile to your face. Those are the muscles by
the way that need to be exercised frequently as we grow older and are able to
take life less seriously.
Word from the Lord: “Beloved,
it shows great wisdom when you redirect your vision from the things that are
temporary to the things that are eternal. I invested my life in you and I want
you to invest your life in me. That investment will pay you tremendous
dividends, dividends beyond your wildest expectations.”
Did the Lord speak to you today? Why not write it down and claim it for His
Glory.
Prayer: What do you need to pray
to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He loves you!
If you are not interesting in receiving these devotionals please let me
know and I will remove you from the list. I hope you enjoy them and that they
encourage you to faithfulness. david
Thursday, July 5, 2012
DAY OF THE LORD
7 5 12 Day of the
Lord 2 Pet 3 8 12
Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8-12 But do not forget
this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and
a thousand years are like a day. 9 The
Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come
like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be
destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since
everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?
You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as
you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.
Note: God is so different from us. He is not bound
by the laws of nature or any type of limitation that affects mankind. His ways are far above our ways and our ability
to understand. He is a mystery and we can only understand what has been revealed
to us by his Son through the power of his Spirit. One of the greatest
differences between us and God has to do with time. From the moment we are born
we are under time constraints. We live in time, sleep in time, work in time and
die in time. Time is a great equalizer among mankind. All have it. Some may
have more than others but we all have a measure of time allotted to us.
The average life span in the U.S. as of 2011 was 87 years.
That is 31,755 days. What if someone had given you $100 for each day of your
life? That would amount to $31,755 per year, and would have totaled $3,175,500
dollars during an 87 year lifetime. A lot of money! If this example was true, each day would now
have value…each day would have a value of $100. Now here’s what I’m getting
to: how are spending your time? Are you
getting your money’s worth?
Time is a funny word. We can be ahead of time or behind the
times. We can do things in our own good time or we can wait for a better time.
We can set a time or we can let time fly. We can do things from time to time or
we can bide our time. It can be said that we have had the time of our life or
that we are living on borrowed time. We can be pressed for time and we can run
out of time. We can waste time or redeem the time. We can do things when the
time is ripe or we can miss out on things because time has passed us by. And in
our working careers we heard this expression often, time is money.
If time is really
important and we only have so much of it, then at some point in time, no pun
intended, we must give serious attention to how we spend it. In the future all
of us will have to give an account to God for how we used the time he allotted
to us. Without question, we need to be
spending our “time” wisely.
The good news is God has given us sufficient time to prepare
for the end of time. Not only has he given us the time, he has also given us
his Holy Spirit to enable us to master the time available to us.
So what do we do? How do we spend our time? What kind of
people ought we to be as we look forward to the day of God
coming? We are to
live our lives as holy and godly people. God will return in his perfect time.
When he comes he will judge the earth and all those who from the beginning of
time have rejected His offer of Life in His Son, Jesus Christ. At this time the
mission of the church will be fulfilled. The gospel will have been proclaimed
in the entire world.
·
It is out of his love and timing that God
created the heavens and the earth.
·
It is out of his love and timing that God
created mankind.
·
It is out of his love and timing that he sent
his one and only son to pay the penalty for the sin of mankind.
·
It is out of his love and timing that he
redeemed sinful man and adopted him into his family.
·
It is out of his love and timing that God
established the church, the visible expression of his earthly presence.
·
It is out of his love and timing that he will
destroy the work of Satan.
·
It is out of his love and timing that he will rightly
judge those who appear before him at the Great White Throne of Judgment.
·
It is out of his love and timing that God does everything
for he is the God of love and his timing is perfect.
Word from the Lord: “Beloved,
examine yourself. How well have you spent your time, the time I have made
available to you? Have you redeemed the time by trusting in me for your
salvation? If you have, it’s time to rejoice. If not, it’s time to accept my
offer, my life for your life. Time may be much shorter than you think. Please listen to your heart and turn to me. I
love you.”
Did the Lord speak to
you today? Why not write it down and
claim it for His Glory.
Prayer:
What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He
loves you!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
FREEDOM
7 4 12 FREEDOM Lk 4
18 21
Scripture: Luke 4:18-21 (NIV) 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and
recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's
favor." 20 Then he rolled up
the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in
the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and
he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your
hearing."
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY
Note: One of the greatest sermons ever preached was preached by Jesus Christ at
a synagogue located in his hometown. It is considered by many to be one of the
greatest because it identifies the ministry of Christ and what he came to do in
behalf of sinful man. His text is recorded in Luke 4:18-21. The text reveals
the mission and ministry of the Messiah when he comes to the earth. It speaks
of how the Messiah will be empowered by the Holy Spirit and will perform a
mighty work of grace for all of mankind. It emphasizes several things the
Messiah is going to do that should be considered “good news” to the poor and to
those enslaved to sin. His message is a message of freedom and the proclamation
of the Day of the Lord’s favor. The primary emphasis of the text is on the
freedom that will be ours through the work Jesus will do through the Spirit of
the Lord. And the results of his work will be freedom for all of mankind who
choose to be free by placing their faith in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul reveals to us
in his second letter to the Corinthians “…where the Spirit of
the Lord is, there is freedom.” What kind of freedom is Paul talking about? It’s a “spiritual freedom” possible only in
Christ Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- · It’s a spiritual freedom that liberates people from their enslavement to Satan and their enslavement to sin. Enslavement to Satan will always result in enslavement to sin.
- · It’s a spiritual freedom that can only be obtained in one Way and that is through the acceptance of God’s gift of salvation in his Son, Jesus Christ.
- · It’s a spiritual freedom that results in the blessing of forgiveness of sin.
- · It’s a spiritual freedom that results in a person being born again by the Holy Spirit.
- · It’s a spiritual freedom that results in being able to have a personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
- · It’s a spiritual freedom that enables the believer to continue to experience freedom from sin in their walk of faith through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within them and guides them into the Way of Righteousness
- · It’s a spiritual freedom that results in our spiritual maturity and our usefulness to Christ as his ambassadors. We take his message to a world that is dyeing and on its way to hell and eternal separation from God.
True freedom
is not being able to do whatever you want, but to do all that you should do as
a follower of Christ. This freedom is spiritual freedom. It is never used as an
excuse for sinful behavior or to cover up evil or to justify hurtful, selfish
behavior toward others. True
Christian freedom frees the individual to do what Jesus Christ desires them to
do. Spiritual freedom means that we are willing slaves to Christ. Willing to
serve him with a heart’s desire to do everything we do to honor him and exalt
his holy name.
Freedom
High atop the United States Capitol dome in Washington stands the statue of the stately “Freedom Lady,” almost 20 feet high. Her face is framed by a crest of stars. A shield of stars and stripes is in her left hand. The sculptured Freedom Lady was brought from Rome during a fierce storm, and the captain ordered some cargo thrown overboard. The sailors wanted to include the heavy statue, but the captain refused, shouting above the wind, “No! Never! We’ll flounder before we throw ‘Freedom’ away.”
High atop the United States Capitol dome in Washington stands the statue of the stately “Freedom Lady,” almost 20 feet high. Her face is framed by a crest of stars. A shield of stars and stripes is in her left hand. The sculptured Freedom Lady was brought from Rome during a fierce storm, and the captain ordered some cargo thrown overboard. The sailors wanted to include the heavy statue, but the captain refused, shouting above the wind, “No! Never! We’ll flounder before we throw ‘Freedom’ away.”
Dear friends, never ever throw freedom
away. Never ever allow yourselves to once again become a slave to sin. A good
friend of mine used to express the danger of sin in the following way:
Three
things sin will always do:
·
It will cost you more than you want to
pay.
·
It will take you farther than you want
to go.
·
It will keep you longer than you want to
stay.
That’s a wise admonition and most of us
can speak to its truth because at some time or another in our lives we have all
been in the world’s pig sty. Thank God that in Jesus Christ we have a Way Home.
Did the Lord speak to you today?
Why not write it down and claim it for His Glory.
Prayer:
What do you need to pray to the Lord today? Listen to your heart. He
loves you!
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