Category: Assurance

Sin v. Virtue

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 NASB
“Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.” Psalms 105:3 NASB

January 2, 2020 – Looks like we all survived the New Year festivities! What about the dreaded New Year Resolutions? How are we doing with those? Many years ago, I made the decision not to make resolutions anymore. Honestly, I think that one of the best resolutions that anyone can make is to take life one day at a time. If we aren’t spending our time looking over our shoulders for pursuit from our past, or fretting about the future, how much time would it free up for us?

The best ones of all?

“Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 NASB
“Glory in His Holy Name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.” Psalms 105:3 NASB

We can focus on which of the seven ‘deadly’ sins we struggle with (for me, that would be all of them) – pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth – or we can put our focus on the LORD and the seven virtues Jesus modeled so faithfully for us – prudence, justice, temperance, courage, faith, hope, and charity.

If we focus on these virtues and on rejoicing in the LORD always, don’t you think everything else would fall into place? The enemy will fight us on this, and he’ll fight hard, because he doesn’t want us content in the LORD. He’ll throw roadblocks and ‘bricks’ at you, but know this:

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the Love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.” Romans 8:38‭-‬39 NASB

Yes, it’s hard right now, but our eternal life with our LORD will be worth it! HALLELUJAH and AMEN!!

Living On The Incline

“Christianity is lived on an incline, and if you’re not moving forward, you’re slipping backwards.” – Tauren Wells, God’s Not Done With You, a 10-day devotional on Bible.com.

“Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.” Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.” Matthew 26:69‭-‬74 NASB

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17 NASB

It’s a slippery slope we live on; so easy to fall into envy, greed, jealousy, lust, gluttony, pride, anger, laziness…..

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8‭-‬9 NASB

Now is a good time to concentrate on the positive. It’s also a time when many of us make resolutions for the new year. I quit making them, at least publicly, because I never kept them. Actually, there is one that I have made, and it is the same one as this year comes to an end and we go into a new year. Spend as much time as possible in study, prayer, and meditation. I believe that when we put God first, everything else will fall into place. Not always how we want, or think it should be, but according to God’s Will.

“The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalms 34:17‭-‬18 NASB

Pray always. Whether in your quiet place, or a church building, or walking down the street, it’s simply having a conversation with the LORD. He always hears us.

Heroes

I had a lot of heroes while growing up. Gene Autry, Roy and Dale Evans, Zorro, Superman ….. the Black Stallion, RinTinTin, Flicka, Lassie (yes, animals were among my heroes!) ….. just to name a few. Later in life, I began to understand how difficult life can be. As I witnessed them coping with all that life threw at them, I realized that my Mom and Dad, and my Grandma Thomas were my real life heroes. Ultimately, I have come to see that there are truly many heroes in the world. Every day, countless people – police, firefighters, service members, emergency responders, and more – put their own lives on the line over and over for us, people they don’t know. There is no way to adequately express our gratitude for these heroes! However, the biggest, greatest, most important hero of all time gets skipped over.

Here are the Words of Jesus, God the Son, to the Father God, before Jesus was even conceived and born, from Psalms 40:6-8 (quoted in the book of Hebrews).


“Therefore, when He [JESUS] comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You [the Father] have prepared for Me; In whole burnt offerings and  sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the Book [Old Testament] it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God.’ ”  After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and  sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “Behold , I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first [animal sacrifice] in order to establish the second [sacrifice – Jesus]. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:5‭-‬10 NASB


To paraphrase the Rev. John Flavel from a sermon in 1754, “All the OT saints were saved on credit, Jesus’ sacrifice paid the bill”. His blood to cover our sins. My sins. Your sins. Have you accepted the payment Jesus made for our sins? Mary’s little Lamb, the final sacrifice, once and for all. He is the Lamb to be sacrificed, and the Shepherd to protect us. He is the only One Who can save you.

“Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow…..”

Who is your Hero?

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ

Are you wavering, or faltering in your faith?

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, Whom He appointed Heir of all things, through Whom also He made the world. And He is the Radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the Word of His power. When He had [* BY HIMSELF * KJV] made purification of sins, He sat down at the Right Hand of the Majesty on high, …..” Hebrews 1:1‭-‬3 NASB

“…… but sanctify Christ as LORD in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the Hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.” 1 Peter 3:15‭-‬16 NASB

“JESUS is God’s BEST Word and His LAST Word.” (Mark Hitchcock, Pastor) JESUS is the Permanent Representation of the Father, the Most High God. Everything prior in God’s Word, the entire Old Testament, is simply leading up to the arrival of Jesus; His birth, because Jesus is the answer the world has always looked for….. JESUS is the LAST WORD.

JESUS IS:

Inheritor – He is heir to ALL things, yet he was born in a stable and buried in a borrowed tomb.

Creator – He is LORD of everything. The Ages belong to Him; all of time and space. He is preexisting and eternal, He is timeless. He is older than His mother and the same age as His Father. (John 3:32,36; all of Colossians 1, and especially verse 17).

Radiator – His Glory is inherent to Him, God of God, the Revelation of the Glory of God, He is the shining Radiance of God.

Representor – Jesus is the exact imprint; the Stamp of God; the FULL, EXACT, FLAWLESS REPRESENTATION of God (Hebrews 1, especially verse 8). If you see Jesus, you see God!

Sustainer – He constantly supports, sustains, and maintains His Creation. (Colossians 1:17) He carries it in His Hands.

When we feel like our life is coming apart, financially, emotionally, spiritually, He is the ONLY One Who can hold us together. He is the Perfect Redemption, the final Sacrifice. One offering; once and done. With His death, the need for the blood of animal sacrifice was negated. JESUS is the final Word of GOD, and He WILL have the Last Word in history.

Note: My thanks to pastor Mark Hitchcock of Faith Bible Church, Edmond, OK for the inspiration and for all of his great sermons.

Defender

You may have noticed I haven’t posted in a few weeks. For a moment, I let the worries of the world overtake me. For many people, and for many reasons, this most beautiful season is also the most difficult. Could be that a loved one isn’t present for a variety of reasons. It can be because of a lack of funds or other inability to serve people we love. Depression hits hard. Despondency is widespread.
Psalm‬ ‭42:11‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ declares, “Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.”

Francesca Battistelli and Steffany Gretzinger were singing “Defender” on the radio as I read this verse this morning:
When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart

Then I heard “Casting Cares” by Finding Favor:
When fear feels bigger than my faith
And struggles steal my breath away
When my back’s pressed up against the wall
With the weight of my worries stacked up tall
You’re strong enough to hold it all

God’s Word answers my fears, our fears, and His musicians sing the words I/we need to hear. HE is the Defender, our Strength and our Deliverer. HE takes care of the weak, the frightened, the lonely. HE is always here with us, if we just open our eyes, our hands, and our hearts to Him.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:28‭-‬31 NASB

ivan-96 / Getty Images

I Lied…..

I lied. I’m not strong. I’m not courageous. I’m insecure. My faith wavers. I’m weak and I worry. I’m afraid God is too busy, and that I’m not important enough to Him, for Him to concern Himself with my petty life and issues.

The Disciples knew the Truth. They knew Jesus. They ate and drank and walked with Him; they laughed and cried and slept with Him. They were with Him when He prayed and when He preached. They were eyewitnesses to His life on earth, and still they doubted. They lied, they were weak and afraid. Peter, the Rock, the man who established the church, denied that he even knew Jesus, even after he (along with James and John) witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountaintop, and heard the LORD GOD proclaim Jesus His Son: “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” ” (Matthew 17:5 NASB) They were with Him when He died on the cross, they witnessed His resurrected body, and they saw Him ascend in the clouds (Acts 1:9).

It makes me feel a little better knowing that they struggled with their human feelings and emotions, too. Even so, they persevered.

“Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the LORD – for we walk by faith, not by sight – ” 2 Corinthians 5:6‭-‬7 NASB

“Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, rejoice! Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the Peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4‭, ‬6‭-‬7 NASB

I must persevere. In and of myself, I am nothing except a bundle of weak and cowardly flesh. However: with the LORD JESUS in my life and the Holy Spirit in my heart, I am invincible.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31, 35‭, ‬38‭-‬39 NASB

AMEN!


Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), woodcut. Saint Michael fighting the Dragon, from: The Apocalypse

Faithful Suffering

Faithful suffering. First Jesus, then Paul; actually, all of the Apostles served as our examples of this.

“Blessed be the GOD and FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by GOD.” 2 Corinthians 1:3‭-‬4 NASB

“But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” [Psalms 116: 1-10] we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He Who raised the LORD JESUS will raise us also with JESUS and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that the Grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the Glory of GOD.” 2 Corinthians 4:13‭-‬15 NASB

I don’t suffer faithfully, or gracefully. Do you? Does it make you mad when bad things happen to you or your loved ones? I spent a large part of my life mad at God because of all the bad in my life…. I didn’t want anything to do with Him since He let all of it happen. At the same time, I ignored or denied that any of the good came from Him. My Faith was nonexistent. It took some major disasters to get my attention off me and my faithless suffering, and back into the LORD and my childhood Faith.

I still don’t want any suffering or bad stuff; however, now I can recognize where it really comes from. I know that no matter what the enemy throws at me, my LORD is with me, beside me, supporting me, carrying me when I need it. I still worry, and I still get angry, but I’m learning through Faith that I am not alone. You aren’t alone either, if you’ll allow Jesus to walk with you.

Cracked and Broken

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 NASB

“For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; …..” 2 Corinthians 4:6‭-‬7 NASB

“But God
Rich in mercy
You came to save me
Now I’m alive
But God
Strong and mighty
You reached down for me
So I could rise
Now I’m alive”

(Words by Zach Williams)

Can you relate?

Brokenhearted

“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” Psalms 34:18‭-‬19 NASB

Friends fall away. Loved ones pass on. Pets have short lives. People disappoint us. Jobs end. Businesses fail. Loss happens. We grieve. Life goes on. It. Just. Isn’t. Fair.

Nobody – ever – said life is fair. The enemy made sure of that from the moment he tricked and deceived Adam and Eve, and he has successfully continued his reign of unfairness ever since. It doesn’t matter how ‘good’ you are, or to what lengths you go, life is not and never will be ‘fair‘. Was the life Jesus led here on earth ‘fair’? No, not by any stretch of the imagination! The Son of heaven, the only perfect, sinless human to ever live, hungry, beaten, tortured, and finally stretched out a brutal cross to die an agonizing death. Fair?? Not at all. And we – imperfect, sinful, selfish – complain because we are passed over for a job promotion or because we are lonely.

And yet our GOD never leaves us to deal with our llives alone.

Amazing Grace. Sweet Mercy. Awesome Love.

“In Him we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace…..” Ephesians 1:7 NASB

Amen.

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