Jesus is Lord!

Isaiah 53:3-11
3 He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
9 And they made His grave with the wicked but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

God pulled back the curtain of time to let the people of Isaiah’s day look ahead to the suffering of the Messiah and the result of forgiveness made available to all people.  In the Old Testament people offered animals as a sacrifice for their sin.  Here, the sinless Man of God offers Himself for our sins.  He is the Lamb of God offered for the sins of all people. Christ suffered for our sake, bearing our sins to make us acceptable to God.  He suffered great pain for our weaknesses and for our healing.  He gave so much and asks so little of us in return.  He asks only that we believe.  How much is that for us to give in return for all that He has done for us.  Because of the suffering Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, we can be in the presence of God the Father.  We come before Him without sin, completely washed clean and can have a relationship with Him.  And not only in this world, but in the world to come.  During this Christmas season praise Him for His sacrifice and accept His gift of love.  Only by believing in Christ will you ever know true peace and joy.  There is no other way.  Jesus said, ” I am the Way, the truth and the life.”  Today is the day of salvation!

Have a God Day!

Ephesians 1:9-14
9 God’s secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. 10 And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ-everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. 12 God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. 13 And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Because we know that Jesus Christ came the first time, we know He will come again.  99.9% of the Bible has already happened.  There is just a small percent yet to take place.  Long ago, God gave promises to His people about things that were to happen long in the future.  Through His prophets God told us everything that was going to happen long before it did.  And everything happened just as He said it would and it happened in His time.  The Old Testament is full of the prophecies God promised His people. And today we have the promise of God that He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, everything on earth and in heaven.  This is yet to happen, but we can have confident peace and assurance that Jesus Christ will rule on this earth, just as He said He would. But before we get to that time, God’s purpose for each of us today is to know of His love for us through what Jesus Christ has already done.  He died on the cross for every sin ever committed.  Believing in Him and then receiving His grace is God’s purpose for every human being.  Before Christ comes to rule on earth, God wants Him to rule in our hearts.  Where are you today with the Lordship of Jesus Christ?  Does He rule in your heart?  Open up to His gift of love and receive from Him the love that is waiting for you.  Only by believing and then asking for His forgiveness will any of us rule with Christ when He does come back?  Know the peace of God by accepting Him now and rule with Him when He returns.

Have a God Day!

Galatians 3:26-29
26 So you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians-you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and now all the promises God gave to him belong to you.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Some Jewish males started each day by praying, “Lord, I thank you that I am not a Gentile, a slave or a woman.” Faith in Christ transcends these differences and makes all believers one in Christ.  Because all believers are His heirs, no one is more privileged than or superior to anyone else.  For Paul to say there “is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female,” was a revolutionary statement.  He was going against the belief of the day.  Christianity removed all the social barriers.  He could have added rich or poor, young or old and healthy or sick.  God removes all of these barriers that man has made.  All are equal in Christ Jesus.  Do not allow your preferences to separate you from people who may be different than you.  God has removed the barriers, why should you put them up again?  Remember that Christ died for all people and it is not up to us to judge who would be more worthy of His love.  All are worthy and all people are loved by God. All do not love Him, but that does not remove His love for them.  If God loves them, how can we do any less?  Show the love that God so freely gives to you to those you come in contact with each day.

Have a God Day!

Galatians 5:16-25
16 So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. 18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.  19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Paul describes the two forces fighting within those who belong to Christ Jesus.  We have the Holy Spirit living in us, directing us to be like Christ and we have our sinful nature pulling us into sin.  These forces are not equal; the Holy Spirit is God and has all power.  But He will not override our own desire, so if we desire to sin, we can and many times do.  We all have evil desires, we can’t ignore them.  In order for us to be lead by the Holy Spirit, we must deal with them.  They must be crucified with Christ.  The Holy Spirit will transform us into His image as we trust Him more and more.  We take our desires before Him and nail them to the cross and ask Christ for help and guidance.  The Spirit produces His fruit in us and we depend on Him. When we join our life to Christ, the fruit of the Spirit become a byproduct of Christ in us.  As a result, we fulfill His intentions for us and that is to love God and our neighbor as we love ourselves.  If you want more fruit of God in your life, then nail your evil desires to the cross of Christ and seek to become more like Him.

Have a God Day!

Psalm 119:4-13
4 You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully.
5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your principles!
6 Then I will not be disgraced when I compare my life with your commands.
7 When I learn your righteous laws, I will thank you by living as I should!
8 I will obey your principles. Please don’t give up on me!
9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules.
10 I have tried my best to find you- don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your principles.
13 I have recited aloud all the laws you have given us.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is a deterrent to sin. Memorize the Word of God to keep Him in your mind.  And as we allow the Word to work in our lives, it is planted deeper into our hearts. It is our plea for God not to give up on us.  God has given us a map and directions to follow.  He has told us if you do this, then this will happen.  We are not saved from the consequences of our sins but we are saved from the judgment.  God will always forgive our sins, if we confess them to Him. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Even though we are not saved by works, we are saved for works.  Which means once we understand salvation, God expects us to keep His commands.  We are to work at understanding His map and live the way that Christ Jesus did when He was here on earth.  Because we will never live without sin is not an excuse to not even try.  God expects us to know Him and to become more like Him.  This is our mission, this is our goal.  If you are not working at becoming more like God, you are becoming less like Him.  Hide the Word of God in your heart and make the effort to be more like Him every day of your life.

Have a God Day!

Hosea 10:12
12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Hosea repeatedly used illustrations about fields and crops.  Here he is comparing a stony field to our stony hearts.  But this field has been plowed and is no longer hard.  And this is what happens to our heart when we submit to the Lord.  The hardness of our hearts can be broken by acknowledging our sin and receiving God’s gift of forgiveness.  The Holy Spirit comes in and plows the hardness of our heart.  This process happens layer by layer and the work will not be done until we are with Him.  It is not a once and for all process.  We allow sin back into our lives and our hearts will become hardened again.  We will need the continued work of the Holy Spirit as long as we live on this earth.  But as a mature Christian, we understand this and we keep seeking God to expose those areas of our life that are not completely submitted to Him.  God will gently work with us to impart His righteousness to us.  This helps us to understand Philippians 1:6 more, “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” Repent from your sins and let the Holy Spirit continue the work of sanctification in your life.

Have a God Day!

Jeremiah 29:8-14
8 The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says, “Do not let the prophets and mediums who are there in Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams 9 because they prophesy lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the LORD. 10 “The truth is that you will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and bring you home again to your own land.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Thousands of years later, people are still seeking what the future holds from every source except God.  More people are going to every other god to learn what is in the future for them.  But God the Father has always been very clear about what the future holds for all of us.  He has laid out a very detailed map.  And today that map is still the most published Book in the world.  These words spoken through Jeremiah so many years ago are still relevant today for each and every one of us.  God knows what our future holds, He know what the future of the world holds.  And for those of us who acknowledge Him as Lord, the future always looks good because we will be with Christ.  For those who will not accept His great gift of love, the future is uncertain.  God wants only the best for you and He will make it happen in all circumstances.  Even in our suffering God is working for our good.  It is always difficult to see that when we are in pain, but our faith can remain strong because we have His Word on it. In the struggles you face, repeat this promise given to us by God our Father and trust that Christ Jesus has already suffered and knows exactly what you are going through.  Look to no other source than God and the Word that He has given us.

Have a God Day!

1 Timothy 6:6-12
6 Do you want to be truly rich? You already are if you are happy and good. 7 After all, we didn’t bring any money with us when we came into the world, and we can’t carry away a single penny when we die. 8 So we should be well satisfied without money if we have enough food and clothing. 9 But people who long to be rich soon begin to do all kinds of wrong things to get money, things that hurt them and make them evil-minded and finally send them to hell itself. 10 For the love of money is the first step toward all kinds of sin. Some people have even turned away from God because of their love for it, and as a result have pierced themselves with many sorrows.  11 O Timothy, you are God’s man. Run from all these evil things, and work instead at what is right and good, learning to trust him and love others and to be patient and gentle. 12 Fight on for God. Hold tightly to the eternal life that God has given you and that you have confessed with such a ringing confession before many witnesses.
The Living Bible, (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1997.

Is it a sin to have money?  Many will try and tell you that it is, but it is your attitude toward money that can become the sin.  Paul tells us it is our love of money that is the sin.  This is so true of many of the things God has given us.  God intended us to use and enjoy all of the good things of this world, as long as we understand that every good thing comes from Him.  1 Corinthians 10:26 tells us, “For the earth and every good thing in it belongs to the Lord and is yours to enjoy.”  Taking a vow to poverty is taking a vow to not be in a place to have anything above God in your life.  As long as we understand that everything belongs to God and that every good thing comes from Him, we will not let the love of money become first in our life.  This takes all the pressure off of us.  It is by God’s provision that our needs will be met.  This does not mean we sit back and do nothing, it means we understand that God is provider of all and we are to use the skills He has given us to provide for ourselves and our families.  It is understanding that God is owner and we are care takers.  It is following His commands and tithing and giving gifts beyond the tithe for the work of God.  Someone has to give to supply others to go out and preach the Good News.  Rejoice in the good things God has given and remember to praise the One who has given it to you to enjoy!

Have a God Day!

Galatians 2:17-21
17 But what if we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then find out that we are still sinners? Has Christ led us into sin? Of course not! 18 Rather, I make myself guilty if I rebuild the old system I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, I realized I could never earn God’s approval. So I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. 20 I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ to die.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

How have we been crucified with Christ? Legally, God looks at us as if we had died with Christ. Because our sins died with Him, we are no longer condemned (Colossians 2:13-15). Relationally, we have become one with Christ, and His life becomes ours. Our Christian life began when, in unity with Him, we died to our old life (Romans 6:5-11). In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that would keep us from following Christ.  This is also dying with Him (Luke 9:23-25).

But the focus of Christianity is not dying but living. Because we have been crucified with Christ, we also have been raised with Him (Romans 6:5). Legally, we have been reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:19) and we are free to grow into Christ’s likeness (Romans 8:29). And in our daily life, we have Christ’s resurrection power to help us to remove and refuse sin (Ephesians 1:19-20).  We no longer are alone, for Christ lives in us, He is our power for living and our hope for the future (Colossians 1:27).

Have a God Day!

Mark 9:33-37
33 After they arrived at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples settled in the house where they would be staying. Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing out on the road?” 34 But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35 He sat down and called the twelve disciples over to him. Then he said, “Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”  36 Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

God’s great paradox is; we are called to a life of faith where elevation comes through being humbled, blessing comes through denying self, we receive and gain our lives by laying them down.  This lesson for the disciples is relevant for us today.  When Jesus choose His inner circle of disciples, He did not go to the religious leaders, who were very educated in the scriptures.  Instead He went to the uneducated, the ignorant.  More than likely the disciples did not even know how to read when Jesus choose them.  Everything about the coming of the Savior was very humble.  He never demanded to be treated as God or as the King He really was.  During His ministry, He never had a home nor did He accumulate wealth.  Instead Christ showed us a way to live according to the love God offers to us. We are to give up our “right” to have our way.  Only by dying to self will we ever understand the love of God given to us through Christ Jesus.  Only by denying ourselves will we ever receive the only thing that will matter on the Day when we stand before God. The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation, think about giving up your “right” to have your way.  Choose to give it up and humble yourself.  Seek to act as Jesus would by denying yourself and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through you.
 
Have a God Day!