"but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel" (II Timothy 1:10).
Through sin came death. By the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, death has been abolished. To abolish means to deprive of force, influence, or power, to render inactive or inoperative. Hallelujah! Jesus is alive and death is abolished!
I love it! Death, man's great enemy rendered inoperative by the Gospel of Jesus, what Easter joy! Without Christ, death ought to be feared. The world pictures death as a threatening figure in a black robe with skeleton hands holding a sickle, looking to harvest souls away from life. With Christ, everything changes, especially death. Matthew Henry described death as 'a kindly messenger coming to bid us to the Father'.
Have you received salvation in Jesus? Could there be a better day to receive eternal life than Resurrection Sunday? Why not bend your knee to His Lordship today? Happy Easter...Jesus is risen...death is abolished!
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Honoring Our King
"And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified."
Jesus was mocked the day of His crucifixion, he was laughed at spat upon and scorned. The mocking of Jesus didn't stop on Good Friday, sadly it has continued even to this current generation.
The very sins that Jesus died for are today encouraged and openly paraded about. To speak out against these sins is considered legalistic or even hateful. Christians today are pressured into the false notion that to love the sinner is to accept their sin. It is unfortunate that much of the church has bought into this notion, believing it reflects love and grace, when in fact true love warns of sin, and acceptance of sin mocks the cross of Christ.
The cross was ugly, brutal, and fatal, because sin is ugly, brutal, and fatal. Our message of love to the world is to turn from the death of sin, to life in Christ. May our lives honor Jesus in the midst of a mocking world, as we stand for His truth.
Jesus was mocked the day of His crucifixion, he was laughed at spat upon and scorned. The mocking of Jesus didn't stop on Good Friday, sadly it has continued even to this current generation.
The very sins that Jesus died for are today encouraged and openly paraded about. To speak out against these sins is considered legalistic or even hateful. Christians today are pressured into the false notion that to love the sinner is to accept their sin. It is unfortunate that much of the church has bought into this notion, believing it reflects love and grace, when in fact true love warns of sin, and acceptance of sin mocks the cross of Christ.
The cross was ugly, brutal, and fatal, because sin is ugly, brutal, and fatal. Our message of love to the world is to turn from the death of sin, to life in Christ. May our lives honor Jesus in the midst of a mocking world, as we stand for His truth.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Thinking Of You
"....and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5
The thought of someone thinking about you all the time could be good or bad, it could be really sweet or kind of creepy. If your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend told you that they thought of you all the time, I'm sure you'd smile and feel warm and fuzzy. If someone you didn't know, or hardly knew, told you they thought about you all the time, I doubt you'd smile and most likely you'd be scared.
Of course the difference in how you might feel about someone thinking about you, would depend on who they are, and how well you know them.
In Psalm 40, David says that he can't even number the thoughts that God has about him, and it doesn't creep him out, in fact it brings him encouragement and comfort. There might be some who would panic in knowing that God was thinking about them all the time, but David rejoices in such knowledge. It speaks of the type of relationship he had with the Lord and how well he knew his God.
I'm with David, I love the fact that the Lord thinks about me all the time. I know Him, and in the cross He has proven His love for me, so I'm totally blessed that He thinks about me all the time.
In this rough and tumble world where we get bruised and battered, it's easy to feel forgotten. That is why it's important to stop and remember how much the Lord loves you. I doubt there are refrigerators in heaven, but if there were refrigerators in heaven, God would have one, and picture of you would be on it! He really does think about you all the time, and oh how much He loves you.
The thought of someone thinking about you all the time could be good or bad, it could be really sweet or kind of creepy. If your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend told you that they thought of you all the time, I'm sure you'd smile and feel warm and fuzzy. If someone you didn't know, or hardly knew, told you they thought about you all the time, I doubt you'd smile and most likely you'd be scared.
Of course the difference in how you might feel about someone thinking about you, would depend on who they are, and how well you know them.
In Psalm 40, David says that he can't even number the thoughts that God has about him, and it doesn't creep him out, in fact it brings him encouragement and comfort. There might be some who would panic in knowing that God was thinking about them all the time, but David rejoices in such knowledge. It speaks of the type of relationship he had with the Lord and how well he knew his God.
I'm with David, I love the fact that the Lord thinks about me all the time. I know Him, and in the cross He has proven His love for me, so I'm totally blessed that He thinks about me all the time.
In this rough and tumble world where we get bruised and battered, it's easy to feel forgotten. That is why it's important to stop and remember how much the Lord loves you. I doubt there are refrigerators in heaven, but if there were refrigerators in heaven, God would have one, and picture of you would be on it! He really does think about you all the time, and oh how much He loves you.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
True Love
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
So I got up early this morning to run out and get my sweetheart her favorite coffee and a bagel. I was hoping to give her breakfast in bed, but she was up before I got back! Anyway, on the way home from the bagel place I was listening to a radio station and the morning radio personalities were giving all kinds of Valentines Day statistics.
They were pretty much making fun of the day, and I wasn't paying real close attention as they were conversing about the most popular gifts, and how much chocolate is eaten. I'm not a big social media guy, but I found it interesting that apparently there is a 49% increase in relationship status changes on Valentines Day. One stat they gave as sort of a warning, and it did get me thinking. They didn't give any sources but they said, 10% of relationships that break up, do so on Valentines Day. Ouch, that seems cold!!
I guess Valentines Day might stir up some important questions, and make one wonder about key issues. Is he or she really my Valentine? Do I really love her, or does she really love me? If the stats I heard on the radio are correct, this day of romance causes a good number of folks to wonder about the reality of true love in their relationships.
This day may have you wondering too. You may be thinking about that one you love, or longing for a special someone to love, or according to statistics you might be breaking up with that not so special someone. If this day has stirred up some wondering about love, know that there is one love you need never wonder about, and that is the love that God has for you.
God has demonstrated His love for you in the cross, and that tremendous love for you has not wavered one bit, ever. On this day that love is celebrated, we of all people ought to be the most joyous, for in Jesus we have the assurance of the greatest love ever known.
Happy Valentines Day!
So I got up early this morning to run out and get my sweetheart her favorite coffee and a bagel. I was hoping to give her breakfast in bed, but she was up before I got back! Anyway, on the way home from the bagel place I was listening to a radio station and the morning radio personalities were giving all kinds of Valentines Day statistics.
They were pretty much making fun of the day, and I wasn't paying real close attention as they were conversing about the most popular gifts, and how much chocolate is eaten. I'm not a big social media guy, but I found it interesting that apparently there is a 49% increase in relationship status changes on Valentines Day. One stat they gave as sort of a warning, and it did get me thinking. They didn't give any sources but they said, 10% of relationships that break up, do so on Valentines Day. Ouch, that seems cold!!
I guess Valentines Day might stir up some important questions, and make one wonder about key issues. Is he or she really my Valentine? Do I really love her, or does she really love me? If the stats I heard on the radio are correct, this day of romance causes a good number of folks to wonder about the reality of true love in their relationships.
This day may have you wondering too. You may be thinking about that one you love, or longing for a special someone to love, or according to statistics you might be breaking up with that not so special someone. If this day has stirred up some wondering about love, know that there is one love you need never wonder about, and that is the love that God has for you.
God has demonstrated His love for you in the cross, and that tremendous love for you has not wavered one bit, ever. On this day that love is celebrated, we of all people ought to be the most joyous, for in Jesus we have the assurance of the greatest love ever known.
Happy Valentines Day!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Be Faithful
"My soul is greatly troubled; but You, O Lord, how long? Psalm 6:3
There is a constant in life that we are all aware of, life will have its share of hurts and pains and sorrows. Whenever the hurt or pain or sorrow come we accept it as part of life, but we also want to know something very important....how long?
I have always thought it was funny that we classify our miserable flu bugs by hours, but it does help us bear the agony to know how long. Of course when it comes to how long, we will always choose the shorter rather than the longer. I don't think anyone if given a choice would select the 24 hour flu over the 12 hour flu.
Through my years of walking with the Lord I have grown in trusting Him, even in the seasons of suffering. There is one area I have struggled a bit in trusting the Lord, and that is in the area of timing. It seems His timing and my timing never seem to line up, and of course He always seems to choose the longer time, while I pray for the shorter.
I believe the key in endurance for us, is not to focus on the how long, but to focus on remaining faithful in the moment. If I focus on the clock or the calendar, counting hours and days, I am sure to lose heart. If my focus is on pleasing the Lord through the hurts, pains, and sorrows, He will give the daily grace and strength to see me through.
In reality our how long in not that long. The Lord requires of us that we are faithful to Him today, and not to worry about tomorrow. So if you are in a season that has you asking how long, the answer is today....you be faithful to the Lord today, and let Him take care of the results.
There is a constant in life that we are all aware of, life will have its share of hurts and pains and sorrows. Whenever the hurt or pain or sorrow come we accept it as part of life, but we also want to know something very important....how long?
I have always thought it was funny that we classify our miserable flu bugs by hours, but it does help us bear the agony to know how long. Of course when it comes to how long, we will always choose the shorter rather than the longer. I don't think anyone if given a choice would select the 24 hour flu over the 12 hour flu.
Through my years of walking with the Lord I have grown in trusting Him, even in the seasons of suffering. There is one area I have struggled a bit in trusting the Lord, and that is in the area of timing. It seems His timing and my timing never seem to line up, and of course He always seems to choose the longer time, while I pray for the shorter.
I believe the key in endurance for us, is not to focus on the how long, but to focus on remaining faithful in the moment. If I focus on the clock or the calendar, counting hours and days, I am sure to lose heart. If my focus is on pleasing the Lord through the hurts, pains, and sorrows, He will give the daily grace and strength to see me through.
In reality our how long in not that long. The Lord requires of us that we are faithful to Him today, and not to worry about tomorrow. So if you are in a season that has you asking how long, the answer is today....you be faithful to the Lord today, and let Him take care of the results.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Always New
Colossians 3:10 "and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him."
It's a fact of life, that all the stuff we have gets worn out with use and over time. My favorite jeans, shoes, t-shirt, whatever I have and use will eventually lose its newness and fade away. It's great fun having all of our post Christmas new things, but they aren't new for long. Nothing can be new forever, in fact the instant you first use it, it is no longer new.
You might be wondering if I'm depressed going on about everything getting old, and worn out, and faded....but I'm not! In fact my pondering the old and new has gotten me pretty excited.
My thoughts were triggered by the fact that a new year is upon us, and there is all the annual talk about resolutions and new starts, about getting rid of the old and beginning anew. Of course as I hear all of this, I'm reminded of what I already stated, what is new will soon be old. But the exciting part to me is this: There is one thing that never gets old and is in continual renewal, that is our relationship with the Lord.
How exciting it is to understand what a living and vibrant relationship with God brings about. Just think about all that is new in Jesus....we have been given a new song (Psalm40:3); we are given new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:23); a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19); a new heart (Ezekiel 18:31); we are new creations, and all things are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17); and this is all in Jesus, the new a living way Hebrews 10;20).
It is a fact of our spiritual lives in Jesus, that our outward man may be perishing, but our inward man is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). How great is it, that in Christ we aren't getting older, we are just getting newer everyday. Make it your resolution to work on your relationship with Jesus, which will forever be new. Happy New Year.
It's a fact of life, that all the stuff we have gets worn out with use and over time. My favorite jeans, shoes, t-shirt, whatever I have and use will eventually lose its newness and fade away. It's great fun having all of our post Christmas new things, but they aren't new for long. Nothing can be new forever, in fact the instant you first use it, it is no longer new.
You might be wondering if I'm depressed going on about everything getting old, and worn out, and faded....but I'm not! In fact my pondering the old and new has gotten me pretty excited.
My thoughts were triggered by the fact that a new year is upon us, and there is all the annual talk about resolutions and new starts, about getting rid of the old and beginning anew. Of course as I hear all of this, I'm reminded of what I already stated, what is new will soon be old. But the exciting part to me is this: There is one thing that never gets old and is in continual renewal, that is our relationship with the Lord.
How exciting it is to understand what a living and vibrant relationship with God brings about. Just think about all that is new in Jesus....we have been given a new song (Psalm40:3); we are given new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:23); a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19); a new heart (Ezekiel 18:31); we are new creations, and all things are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17); and this is all in Jesus, the new a living way Hebrews 10;20).
It is a fact of our spiritual lives in Jesus, that our outward man may be perishing, but our inward man is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). How great is it, that in Christ we aren't getting older, we are just getting newer everyday. Make it your resolution to work on your relationship with Jesus, which will forever be new. Happy New Year.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Joy To The World
Hebrews 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth"
The shock of the shootings in Connecticut hasn't worn off, and with every new story and picture the ache returns. The fact that this evil came upon little ones causes the grief to linger. I must keep reminding myself that our prayers for the families and people of Newtown are effectual, so it is important to keep praying.
I was talking to someone who said that the shooting had robbed them of their Christmas joy. I had to agree because I felt much the same way. Not long after that conversation I was in the car listening to a Christmas music station. I have to admit I was pretty numb to some of the old traditional songs, Frosty, Silver Bells, and Rudolph, didn't do too much for me. When I was about to switch stations the hymn "Joy to the World" came on and it set my focus right and the joy returned. It was the third verse that struck a chord within me...."No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground, He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found."
With all the evil that we are bombarded with we are constantly reminded that we are living in a fallen world that is under a curse brought on by our own sins. The words of that third verse reminded me why we sing Joy to the World. The world desperately needs a savior, and God sent us one, oh what joy, the Savior born in Bethlehem has come!
We often feel like strangers in this world, and I guess we should, because it's not our true home. But let's not get a hard heart toward the world. Just think of how much our perfect and holy Jesus was a stranger here, yet He gave of Himself completely for this worlds salvation. We have been given the only message of hope for this world, and now it rings more true than ever. Don't let evil rip off your Christmas joy, when it gets dark share the message that brings light, the Savior has come to end the curse and ban all evil. Joy to the World!
The shock of the shootings in Connecticut hasn't worn off, and with every new story and picture the ache returns. The fact that this evil came upon little ones causes the grief to linger. I must keep reminding myself that our prayers for the families and people of Newtown are effectual, so it is important to keep praying.
I was talking to someone who said that the shooting had robbed them of their Christmas joy. I had to agree because I felt much the same way. Not long after that conversation I was in the car listening to a Christmas music station. I have to admit I was pretty numb to some of the old traditional songs, Frosty, Silver Bells, and Rudolph, didn't do too much for me. When I was about to switch stations the hymn "Joy to the World" came on and it set my focus right and the joy returned. It was the third verse that struck a chord within me...."No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground, He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found."
With all the evil that we are bombarded with we are constantly reminded that we are living in a fallen world that is under a curse brought on by our own sins. The words of that third verse reminded me why we sing Joy to the World. The world desperately needs a savior, and God sent us one, oh what joy, the Savior born in Bethlehem has come!
We often feel like strangers in this world, and I guess we should, because it's not our true home. But let's not get a hard heart toward the world. Just think of how much our perfect and holy Jesus was a stranger here, yet He gave of Himself completely for this worlds salvation. We have been given the only message of hope for this world, and now it rings more true than ever. Don't let evil rip off your Christmas joy, when it gets dark share the message that brings light, the Savior has come to end the curse and ban all evil. Joy to the World!
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