At the Assembly, we recently concluded a class for new Believers called, "The Foundation Experience." In feedback I received from several participants, it was noted that praying with and for each other was the best part! That group did experience some wonderful answers to prayer, including healings, personal guidance, and even a report about God helping with a custody issue in court. I hope those who were part of that class never forget the privilege and joy of praying for others. God answers prayer! Do I understand exactly why an all-knowing Father asks us to pray? No, but I obey anyway.
When we gather for Sunday worship, I love our prayer time! When I extend the invitation to people to come for prayer, anywhere from 20-30% of the congregation makes their way down to the front of the church. There I see extended families stand with their arms around each other. Tears fall freely as hearts are open to God's presence. As I, and other elders from the church, move down the line anointing people in the Name of Jesus, (see James 5:16) we are calling on the Spirit of God to bring healing, hope, and restoration. Over the years, I have seen the light of faith come in the eyes of those who are standing there! Sometimes the crush of the weight of the human need standing in front of me breaks my heart, and I too, begin to lead in prayer only to find myself too choked with emotion to speak. People bring cancer diagnosis, pending divorce action, threatened lay-off, hearts broken by disappointment - and so much more to their Heavenly Father.
The connection that is formed by the Spirit of God, the pure love that fills the room at that moment, is indescribable. It is a holy moment. To someone seeing this with human eyes it might appear to be foolishness, just an exercise in wishful thinking. To me it is a miraculous intersection of Heaven and Earth: powerful, and unbelievably life-giving. The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." (James 5:16, The Message)
Do you pray with others? Honestly, I find a lot of "prayer meetings" among Believers distasteful. Too often, once a person thinks he is grown up in Christ, he loses the earnest childlikeness of genuine prayer. When prayer becomes a time to display one's piety, or when some feel the need to go on and on, stringing Bible phrases and church clichés together in long, boring speeches to God, I just want to get away and get real! Jesus says, "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (Matthew 6:7, NLT) Some of the most powerful prayers I have ever known were just a wordless hunger for God's Presence, a humble silence before Him that brought people together. In the quiet and submission to His will, the Spirit of God connected them together with a divine 'electricity.'
Even Jesus knew the value of shared prayer. On the night before He became the Sacrifice for the sins of the world, He was crushed by the knowledge of the way of Cross that lay before Him. The Lord of Glory made this request of his friends - "They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, "I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me." (Mark 14:32-34, The Message) Somehow Peter, James, and John failed Him that night, falling asleep when just needed them to be with Him. They missed the opportunity to experience the Presence of God.
So, when your pastor says, "let us pray," don't allow your mind to wander off. Don't just go to sleep. Instead, join your heart with others. Pray earnestly for the needs presented and your own needs as you enter in to His love.
Ponder this amazing promise - "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:19-20, NIV) Let us pray!
Here's a blessing to claim, a promise from the Word. Take these words with you today.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-21, NIV)
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Moving on!
This evening about a dozen 8th grade students from Good Shepherd Christian Academy (http://www.GSCAcademy.com) will go through graduation ceremonies. Some schools call the ceremony where degrees or diplomas are presented to graduates, commencement, a word that I think is more appropriate to the occasion. Commencement is a word that indicates a new start - 'moving on.' Our young students will move on to high school. Some high school students will move on to college; others into the workplace. College grads, with freshly printed degrees, will look for an entry level job.
Graduation, whatever the level of education, is not so much about completion as it is about starting something new! The differing perspective of graduating students is most interesting. Some are anticipating the next step; others reluctantly yield to the inevitability of leaving familiar settings and friendships.
So, Believer, in this season of commencement are you moving on or are you trying to make the world stand still?
Are you full of vision, eager to work with God to make a difference or are you trying to hang onto some place where the memories are sweet?
The Word challenges us to let go of yesterday - both its successes and failure - as we keep pursuing God's plans. Paul writes of the power of Christ's Resurrection and then urges all Believers to understand the 'now' and 'not yet' perspective in which they live. "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. ( completeness) But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." (Philippians 3:12-14, NLT)
Every day we need to hold a personal commencement ceremony. We take yesterday's lessons as preparation for today's work, as we look for new possibilities that God is preparing for tomorrow! Only when God draws our earthly life to a close will we truly be able to say, "It is finished." Until then, we are keeping step with the Spirit; and what an adventure life with Him can be.
Ready? Set? Go!
_____________________
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven my Treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Be Thou My Vision
Hull, Eleanor / Byrne, Mary E.
© Public Domain
Graduation, whatever the level of education, is not so much about completion as it is about starting something new! The differing perspective of graduating students is most interesting. Some are anticipating the next step; others reluctantly yield to the inevitability of leaving familiar settings and friendships.
So, Believer, in this season of commencement are you moving on or are you trying to make the world stand still?
Are you full of vision, eager to work with God to make a difference or are you trying to hang onto some place where the memories are sweet?
The Word challenges us to let go of yesterday - both its successes and failure - as we keep pursuing God's plans. Paul writes of the power of Christ's Resurrection and then urges all Believers to understand the 'now' and 'not yet' perspective in which they live. "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. ( completeness) But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." (Philippians 3:12-14, NLT)
Every day we need to hold a personal commencement ceremony. We take yesterday's lessons as preparation for today's work, as we look for new possibilities that God is preparing for tomorrow! Only when God draws our earthly life to a close will we truly be able to say, "It is finished." Until then, we are keeping step with the Spirit; and what an adventure life with Him can be.
Ready? Set? Go!
_____________________
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven my Treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Be Thou My Vision
Hull, Eleanor / Byrne, Mary E.
© Public Domain
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Just about clean hands?
I think it was Ford Motor Company that had the slogan, "Quality is Job # 1" a few years ago. In the late 1980's the Japanese automobile companies made superior cars. It wasn't a 'style' issue. Putting a high tech radio or a shiny paint job on a car cannot ultimately compensate for a poorly built power train. When consumers realized that foreign cars were lasting longer and needed fewer repairs, the market shifted toward Japanese products. In response to loss of sales, American car makers renewed their emphasis on quality. Within a few years they were building cars that were the equal of Toyota and Honda, though the reputation of foreign cars having a higher quality persists even today. The lesson was that nothing substitutes for real quality!
Living in a way that pleases and honors our God is "Job #1" for us! Most Believers affirm the importance of living a holy life. But, do we actually produce, or are we content with just putting on a good show? Are we content to put a superficial religion over a heart full of pride, selfishness, or greed? Do we think that we have pleased God just because we show up in church, or keep a Bible on the coffee table, or avoid the really 'big' sins?
Jesus saw misplaced emphasis on external religion among the Pharisees. They made sure to keep the rituals of their religion, carefully washing their hands and observing the minute points of the Law, but missed the point of a quality relationship with God. Here's what Jesus said about that. "Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’" Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" . . . Peter said, "Explain the parable to us." "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. "Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’" (Matthew 15:10-20, NIV)
Don't miss the point! Jesus wasn't against washing hands before dinner! But He reminded them and us that we must not confuse being sanitary with being holy. A well-scrubbed body, a carefully screened vocabulary, or well rehearsed socially acceptable manners can conceal a filthy heart and it is the dirt in one's heart that concerns the Lord much more than the germs on one's hands. We are so quickly turned away from a genuine pursuit of knowing and loving God into a superficial religion. Giving the Holy Spirit access to our inner thoughts and attitudes and inviting God to put us through His school of faith that makes us like Christ are hard, costly, and painful choices.
It is much easier just to 'wash our hands' and consider the work of holiness accomplished.
Are you a quality Christian, one who really loves God, who has surrendered every part of his life to the Lord Jesus Christ? He will work deeply and persistently to transform those who love Him and who walk obediently with Him day by day. And, the best thing is this: A beautiful holiness will emerge that is authentic and heart-deep! Never settle for a Christianity that is just about clean hands. Seek a pure heart.
Here's a prayer from the Word. Let it shape your prayer today.
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ... Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. .... Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you." (Psalm 51:1-2, 10, 12-13, NIV)
Amen.
Living in a way that pleases and honors our God is "Job #1" for us! Most Believers affirm the importance of living a holy life. But, do we actually produce, or are we content with just putting on a good show? Are we content to put a superficial religion over a heart full of pride, selfishness, or greed? Do we think that we have pleased God just because we show up in church, or keep a Bible on the coffee table, or avoid the really 'big' sins?
Jesus saw misplaced emphasis on external religion among the Pharisees. They made sure to keep the rituals of their religion, carefully washing their hands and observing the minute points of the Law, but missed the point of a quality relationship with God. Here's what Jesus said about that. "Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’" Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" . . . Peter said, "Explain the parable to us." "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. "Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’" (Matthew 15:10-20, NIV)
Don't miss the point! Jesus wasn't against washing hands before dinner! But He reminded them and us that we must not confuse being sanitary with being holy. A well-scrubbed body, a carefully screened vocabulary, or well rehearsed socially acceptable manners can conceal a filthy heart and it is the dirt in one's heart that concerns the Lord much more than the germs on one's hands. We are so quickly turned away from a genuine pursuit of knowing and loving God into a superficial religion. Giving the Holy Spirit access to our inner thoughts and attitudes and inviting God to put us through His school of faith that makes us like Christ are hard, costly, and painful choices.
It is much easier just to 'wash our hands' and consider the work of holiness accomplished.
Are you a quality Christian, one who really loves God, who has surrendered every part of his life to the Lord Jesus Christ? He will work deeply and persistently to transform those who love Him and who walk obediently with Him day by day. And, the best thing is this: A beautiful holiness will emerge that is authentic and heart-deep! Never settle for a Christianity that is just about clean hands. Seek a pure heart.
Here's a prayer from the Word. Let it shape your prayer today.
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ... Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. .... Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you." (Psalm 51:1-2, 10, 12-13, NIV)
Amen.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Molding the man
Sean, my 29 year old son, took the pulpit at the Assembly in my place last Sunday. In his opening remarks, he joked about the various ways I made his life miserable during his teen years. He poked fun at my unyielding demand that he be home by curfew with the often repeated statement that "nothing good happens after midnight." He told about how, when he was 14 years old, I started giving him a clothing allowance of $12 each week with the admonition that he plan wisely to make the money stretch to cover underwear to overcoats! He remembered the infamous mileage charge he had to pay for using my car which made a trip to the neighboring city for a Coke a $20 expense. (I think he exaggerated that one!) But then he told how that he now considers those things "blessings" which taught him the value of discipline and the importance of learning to budget his resources.
Did I make mistakes as a Dad? Too many to recall! Sometimes I remember a harsh word, a mis-judgment, or a failure to recognize some effort made by my kids and my heart aches. Did they only feel the discipline or did they know my love? I wish that time allowed for some do-overs. What I would give to have some of those moments back, to live them with the wisdom that I now possess. What I know is that I loved them with my whole heart and would have gladly died for them if that were demanded of me. I tried to be the best Dad I could be. My focus was not on their comfort or even on mine; it was on developing mature, self-sufficient godly men and women who would be useful to the Kingdom of God.
The Bible says that God is our Father and that He, too, focuses less on making us comfortable than He does on molding us for maturity. And, the best part? He never makes a mistake! Take a look.
"Have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God." (Hebrews 12:5-11, The Message)
Believer, does it feel like God is making your life miserable?
Does it seem that He says, "No!" more frequently than "Yes!"?
I know that feeling. Sometimes I even pray, "Father, could you let up just a little?" I think He's pushing me too hard, asking me for what I could never produce, making me do the impossible. But, He isn't! Our perfect Father knows our capabilities, sees now the person we will become, and purposes to lead us into those paths that will make us the people who best serve Him. It's not all hard, either! My kids remember that alongside of the tough discipline of our home, there were liberal amounts of laughter. Our dinner table conversations were sometimes out of control, legendary even in their outrageousness; so much so, that their friends coveted the experience of being at the Scott's house for dinner. God has moments of great joy planned for us as well.
So, trust Him. Center yourself in His love and obey Him.
"It pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God."
____________________________
All things work for our good,
Though sometimes we can't see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth,
Our Father knows what's best for us;
His ways are not our own.
So when your pathway grows dim,
And you just can't see Him,
Remember, you're never alone.
God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.
He sees the master plan.
He holds the future in His hands.
So don't live as those who have no hope;
All our hope is found in Him.
We see the present clearly,
But He sees the first and the last.
And like a tapestry,
He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him.
God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.
Trust His Heart
Carswell, Mason© 1989 Dayspring Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) / May Sun Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) / Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) / Causing Change Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Did I make mistakes as a Dad? Too many to recall! Sometimes I remember a harsh word, a mis-judgment, or a failure to recognize some effort made by my kids and my heart aches. Did they only feel the discipline or did they know my love? I wish that time allowed for some do-overs. What I would give to have some of those moments back, to live them with the wisdom that I now possess. What I know is that I loved them with my whole heart and would have gladly died for them if that were demanded of me. I tried to be the best Dad I could be. My focus was not on their comfort or even on mine; it was on developing mature, self-sufficient godly men and women who would be useful to the Kingdom of God.
The Bible says that God is our Father and that He, too, focuses less on making us comfortable than He does on molding us for maturity. And, the best part? He never makes a mistake! Take a look.
"Have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God." (Hebrews 12:5-11, The Message)
Believer, does it feel like God is making your life miserable?
Does it seem that He says, "No!" more frequently than "Yes!"?
I know that feeling. Sometimes I even pray, "Father, could you let up just a little?" I think He's pushing me too hard, asking me for what I could never produce, making me do the impossible. But, He isn't! Our perfect Father knows our capabilities, sees now the person we will become, and purposes to lead us into those paths that will make us the people who best serve Him. It's not all hard, either! My kids remember that alongside of the tough discipline of our home, there were liberal amounts of laughter. Our dinner table conversations were sometimes out of control, legendary even in their outrageousness; so much so, that their friends coveted the experience of being at the Scott's house for dinner. God has moments of great joy planned for us as well.
So, trust Him. Center yourself in His love and obey Him.
"It pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God."
____________________________
All things work for our good,
Though sometimes we can't see how they could.
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth,
Our Father knows what's best for us;
His ways are not our own.
So when your pathway grows dim,
And you just can't see Him,
Remember, you're never alone.
God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.
He sees the master plan.
He holds the future in His hands.
So don't live as those who have no hope;
All our hope is found in Him.
We see the present clearly,
But He sees the first and the last.
And like a tapestry,
He's weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him.
God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.
Trust His Heart
Carswell, Mason© 1989 Dayspring Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) / May Sun Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) / Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) / Causing Change Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, June 09, 2008
He's Done It!
People have always looked for for magical means to change their life situations. In the Middle Ages, kings employed legions of men who claimed that they could find the secret of elemental transformation - with a primary goal of turning ordinary lead into precious gold. We no longer pursue that aim, but we still want quick fixes for our problems. Companies get rich offering Americans 'magic' pills that will produce weight loss without diets or exercise programs. Counselors, often with with dubious credentials, claim to be able to rid us of our hang-ups and emotional pain in a couple of sessions were we can learn the secrets of life! And we all know about the myriad wealth schemes that drop into our email, promising instant riches.
But the truth is that all things of value - whether health or wealth - require steady efforts in a long process.
Building wealth requires careful stewardship, wise investments, and not a small amount of the blessings of the Lord with what we call fortuitous circumstances.
Extending good health demands that we monitor our consumption of foods, that we regularly exercise, and that we maintain our bodies by taking care of issues that arise before they become major problems.
Enjoying a wide circle of relationships, one of life's richest rewards, demands maturing beyond childish selfishness and learning to share in the lives of others as we extend forgiveness.
BUT, (there is always that exception, isn't there?) there is a transformation, a place of healing for the soul, that is a gift of great worth available to all, beyond our purchase.
The Bible tells us the story like this:
"Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. Youused to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeyingSatan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. ... All of us usedto live that way, following the passions and desires of our evilnature. ...and we were under God's anger just like everyone else.But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that evenwhile we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when heraised Christ from the dead.
(It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!)
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms-all because we are one with Christ Jesus..... God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this;it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's
masterpiece." Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT
Wow! I hope you didn't read those words too quickly. The promise is so big that it boggles my mind! "Dead, now alive! "Saved... special favor. God's masterpiece!" Why would God would love a sinner like me (and you, too) with a love so great and so wonderful and so powerful -- that we can be saints, not in some moment in the future, but here, now?
Yet, that is what we are: saints, perfect today, in the sight of God because of an amazing work transformation that He accomplishes by the Spirit in us. He offers us beauty for our ashes, hope for our despair, whole lives for the broken ones - and all at His expense! This is THE glorious and amazing truth of Christianity.
To be sure, we have a responsibility to 'work out' the implications of God's love in our day to day lives. There are disciplines of the Spirit to be learned so that the likeness of Jesus is re-created in us more completely. But, do not let anyone tell you that you can be more saved than you are at this moment. There is nothing to be added to His salvation. The work done at the Cross is a complete work on our behalf at the altar of Heaven!
"For Christ didn't enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself,and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins.He doesn't do this every year as the high priests did under the old plan with blood that was not their own;if that had been the case, he would have to sacrifice himself repeatedly throughout the course of history. But instead he sacrificed himself once and for all, summing up all the other sacrifices in this sacrifice of himself, the final solution of sin. Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ's death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.
Hebrews 9:24-28 MSG
Have you humbly knelt before Jesus Christ and with faith, renounced your own attempts at pleasing God?
Have you embraced, in faith, this gift of life that is offered to you without cost? If not, why not do it right now - right where you are?
Simply thank God for making a spiritual transformation possible, for forgiving you for the offenses against Him that you have committed both in ignorance and rebellion. Invite the Spirit of God to fill your life and to make you a new person!
And, amazingly, He's done it!
But the truth is that all things of value - whether health or wealth - require steady efforts in a long process.
Building wealth requires careful stewardship, wise investments, and not a small amount of the blessings of the Lord with what we call fortuitous circumstances.
Extending good health demands that we monitor our consumption of foods, that we regularly exercise, and that we maintain our bodies by taking care of issues that arise before they become major problems.
Enjoying a wide circle of relationships, one of life's richest rewards, demands maturing beyond childish selfishness and learning to share in the lives of others as we extend forgiveness.
BUT, (there is always that exception, isn't there?) there is a transformation, a place of healing for the soul, that is a gift of great worth available to all, beyond our purchase.
The Bible tells us the story like this:
"Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. Youused to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeyingSatan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. ... All of us usedto live that way, following the passions and desires of our evilnature. ...and we were under God's anger just like everyone else.But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that evenwhile we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when heraised Christ from the dead.
(It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!)
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms-all because we are one with Christ Jesus..... God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this;it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's
masterpiece." Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT
Wow! I hope you didn't read those words too quickly. The promise is so big that it boggles my mind! "Dead, now alive! "Saved... special favor. God's masterpiece!" Why would God would love a sinner like me (and you, too) with a love so great and so wonderful and so powerful -- that we can be saints, not in some moment in the future, but here, now?
Yet, that is what we are: saints, perfect today, in the sight of God because of an amazing work transformation that He accomplishes by the Spirit in us. He offers us beauty for our ashes, hope for our despair, whole lives for the broken ones - and all at His expense! This is THE glorious and amazing truth of Christianity.
To be sure, we have a responsibility to 'work out' the implications of God's love in our day to day lives. There are disciplines of the Spirit to be learned so that the likeness of Jesus is re-created in us more completely. But, do not let anyone tell you that you can be more saved than you are at this moment. There is nothing to be added to His salvation. The work done at the Cross is a complete work on our behalf at the altar of Heaven!
"For Christ didn't enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself,and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins.He doesn't do this every year as the high priests did under the old plan with blood that was not their own;if that had been the case, he would have to sacrifice himself repeatedly throughout the course of history. But instead he sacrificed himself once and for all, summing up all the other sacrifices in this sacrifice of himself, the final solution of sin. Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ's death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation.
Hebrews 9:24-28 MSG
Have you humbly knelt before Jesus Christ and with faith, renounced your own attempts at pleasing God?
Have you embraced, in faith, this gift of life that is offered to you without cost? If not, why not do it right now - right where you are?
Simply thank God for making a spiritual transformation possible, for forgiving you for the offenses against Him that you have committed both in ignorance and rebellion. Invite the Spirit of God to fill your life and to make you a new person!
And, amazingly, He's done it!
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