Month: March 2016

Selling Out for Jesus Christ

Mark 10:22
Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
The rich young man came to Jesus to inquire how he could inherit eternal life.  The young man proclaimed knowledge of the commandments and his complete compliance to the commandments, assuming this to be enough.  Jesus responded, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
The young man could not part with the things of this world.  He chose the world over the kingdom of God.
Our Heavenly Father has nothing against our possessions or our money.  Abraham, Moses and David all had great wealth.  Yet they all did what God asked them to do.  They placed their relationship with Almighty God above all else.  They used their wealth to help meet the needs of their people so that God would receive the glory.
At some point in our walk as disciples of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will inspire us to surrender all that we are and all that we have to Jesus. Nothing less will be acceptable.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for all the provision that You have given us. We exalt Your name for the endless flow of Your blessings in our lives, most of which we take for granted.  We pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire and strengthen us to lift up Your name each day above all the things of the world.  We ask, Father, that You prepare our hearts to surrender all that we have and all that we are to You.  May we freely part with the provision that You have given us to meet the needs of those around us.  May it all be for Your glory and the gain of Your kingdom.  We ask these things in the name of the One who calls us to follow Him, Jesus Christ.

Our Model for Following Our Visions

Acts 26:19
And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven.
The apostle Paul was brought before the Judean Monarch, King Agrippa, to defend himself and his gospel.  In his defense, he told the king why he was doing what he was doing, “I obeyed the vision from heaven.”  Paul was not driven by a well thought out plan based on practicality or his own competence.  He went out and proclaimed the gospel against all hindrances imaginable, many of which could not be overcome without the hand of God.  He also went where God told him to go at the time that God told him to go.
Paul is our model for following visions.  When urged by the Holy Spirit to do so, we should move forward without regard for our own capabilities for God always provides what is needed to complete His good work.  Just as important, we should not rush ahead in consideration of our current skills and circumstances.  We should only move when and where the Holy Spirit urges us to move.

While we are not likely to have a vision for our lives delivered to us in a dramatic encounter with Jesus like the apostle Paul did, we are all called to respond to the plan that Almighty God has willed for our lives.  If we are diligent in seeking “our vision”, it will be revealed to us in a manner that will be sufficient to guide us and inspire us to pursue our vision.  It will be given to us when the way has been prepared in advance for our success.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You allowing us to serve You.  We rejoice in knowing that we will serve You for all eternity.  We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us to seek and discover Your plans for our lives.  We ask that You teach us how to turn to You alone for our direction.  We ask that You teach us how to wait on You to prepare the way before we move.  We ask all these things in the name of Our Wonderful Counselor, Jesus Christ. 

Proclaiming the Gospel Through Our Life in Christ

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
We are commanded to preach the Word of God.  We are commanded to be prepared to preach the Word.  Are we ready?
Jesus Christ, the Living Word, came to earth to teach about His Father in heaven and to reveal the salvation plan.  A large portion of His message was presented through the way that He lived and loved among the people.  He used His miracles to exhibit His love and to gain attention for His message – especially for those that would not listen to His message otherwise.
So it is with us.  Because most of the world now has hardened hearts for the spoken Word, we must draw them to the Word by the way that we live our lives.  Our living testimony of the miracle that occurred in our lives through Jesus Christ must be the message that those around us see day in and day out.  Once they see the miraculous way that our lives have changed and they see the joy that we have regardless of circumstances, the comfort we have regardless of our trials and the love that we share through good times and bad, they will be drawn to the fount that sustains us.  The way we live will say more and teach more than we could convey with eloquent speech.  To preach the Word is more about how we live than how we orate.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the living presence of Your Son in our lives.  We bless the name of Jesus who dwells within us so that we may be vessels of His perfect love.  We pray that we may become broken vessels, surrendered to Our Savior, so that the world may be drawn to Him by the Light that lives within us and shines forth from us.  Once those around us have been drawn to us by the lives in Christ that we are living, we pray that You give us the strength and the boldness to proclaim the gospel.  We ask that You open the ears of those around us and prepare their hearts to receive their Savior.  We ask all these things in the mighty name of the One who gives grace to the humble, Jesus Christ. 

What Once Ruled Over Us is Now Under Control

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
When we accept our salvation, we join Jesus Christ in crucifixion.  Just as He accepted death on the Cross to wash away our sins, we accept the crucifixion of our own flesh in order to set aside our old nature and take on the nature of the One who dwells within us.  

Our new nature rises through the indwelling spirit of Our Savior, Jesus Christ, to bring us victory over our sin stained flesh.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we find ourselves mortified by the sin in our lives.  By the grace, that is not of ourselves, we are made fully aware of our iniquities.  We even can find comfort in knowing that what once ruled over us is now under control.
Unfortunately, our flesh does not go without a fight and the enemy will ramp up his efforts to turn us away from our new life in Christ.  But rest assured, Our Savior put sin to death on the Cross and ushered in His endless grace for those that accept His gift of unconditional love.  Even though our flesh will call us to go back to our old nature, we are equipped to overcome that call.  If we learn to live in dependence upon Our Savior, we are freed to lead holy lives.  By faith, not in ourselves, but by faith in Jesus Christ, we are able to relinquish our old lives in the flesh in exchange for our new lives in spiritual union with the One who loved us so much that He was willing to die for us.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the new lives that You have given us through the sacrifice of Your Son on the Cross.  We exalt the name of Jesus who shed His blood for all men.  We rejoice in knowing that we are conquerors over our flesh through the endless flow of grace provided by Our Savior.  We pray, Lord, that You will hold us steadfast in Your grace.  We ask, Father, that You will give us the wisdom to toss aside any claim to our own merit and the strength to take hold of, and never let loose of, the faith in Christ that sustains us as heirs to Your kingdom.  We ask all these things in the name of Our Lord, Our King, Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Standing on the Rock

John 6:67
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
After teaching a particularly difficult lesson, a number of Jesus’ early disciples turned away from following Him.  This was a crisis time in the early church.  At that point Jesus inquired of His apostles, “You do not want to leave too, do you?”  If the apostles had chosen to walk away from Jesus because His teaching was too hard, where would the church be today?
We are in a crisis time in our churches today.  Pastors are being challenged to answer Jesus’ question regularly.  Unfortunately, too many of them are quick to create new standards when their beliefs are different from the clear directives of God’s Holy Word.  The arguments presented by the pastors who are turning away from the teachings of Jesus are so eloquent and enticing.  They provide a pathway that seems easier and more attuned to our fleshly desires or, at the very least, is more compliant with what we are willing to tolerate. 
We must decide how we will answer Jesus’ question.  Are we going to walk away from His Holy Word and seek out and accept our own new version of Scripture? Are we going to choose not to follow God’s Holy Word as it is written?  In effect, are we going to walk away from Jesus because His lessons are too hard for us to follow?

Let us stand with the apostles.  Let us stand on the Rock.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You that You have provided Your inerrant Word for us to follow.  We pray that You enlighten us.  We ask that You open our minds so that we may understand the exact standard to which You are calling us.  We beseech You that You may perfect Your strength in our weakness so that we may be steadfast in following the way, the truth and the life that is Your Son, Jesus.  We ask all these things in the name of the Rock upon whom we stand, Jesus Christ.

In All These Things

Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
You were just told that your job has been eliminated.  Or maybe the school called to let you know your child had been suspended for selling drugs.  Or perhaps you are finding yourself ostracized by your neighbors because of your pro-life beliefs.  How are you responding to your circumstances?  Are you depressed?  Are you in despair?  Are you fearful?

Jesus teaches us that we should expect these types of trials in our lives.  To think that we will not have challenges or trials because we are children of God is in direct opposition to what Jesus teaches us.  So expect tribulation, but take courage for in all theses things we are more than conquerors through Our Savior.
Do not miss the importance of Jesus teaching “in all these things” we will be more than conquerors.  Because Jesus Christ has paid the price in full for each of us, we can and will rise up and find joy in the midst of all of our troubles.  The undaunted presence of Jesus Christ makes the world’s challenges impotent.  No thing nor no power can put a wedge between us and the love of God that provides our resilience. Not only will we overcome, but our faith, our trust in God and our joy will increase through the experience.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for liberating us from our present sufferings by providing the hope that comes from the freedom and glory that has been set aside for us through Your Son, Jesus.  We exalt His precious name for making us conquerors over evil and our own flesh.  We pray for the courage and the strength to face and defeat every trial that the enemy throws our way.  We rejoice in knowing that the victory is ours because it was first won on the Cross.  We ask all these things in the name of Our Blessed Hope and Assurance, Jesus Christ. 

Answers to Things That Are Hidden From Us

Jeremiah 33:3
Call to me and I’ll answer you, and will tell you about great and hidden things that you don’t know.
The Word of God is very specific.  He spoke the words in this passage to Jeremiah, but His promises are relevant for all men.  Wisdom and understanding concerning all matters of life are available to us.  All we have to do is ask Our Heavenly Father who loves us more than we can imagine. 
Did you notice the little detail in the passage that He will give us answers to things that we do not know?  Did you consider this works for things big and small?  Need to know how to make a certain household repair that you find challenging, ask Him.  He promises to to answer us and tell us things we do not know.  Need to know what direction to take your business or your career, ask Him.  He promises to provide answers that have been hidden from us.  He will deliver them at the time that He knows is perfect for us.
Our responsibility in receiving this awesome blessing is being persistent in asking for wisdom.  If we wait to call on Him when everything comes crashing down on us, we may not be able to handle all that God has ready for us.  It is a building process.  The Lord knows that we are not able to digest too much information at one time.  He will feed us slowly as a baby is fed liquids until it is ready to move on to more solid foods.  He will feed us in accordance to His will and plan for our lives.  His “new knowledge” for us will be dispensed at the perfect time. 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for providing the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, including secret things and inaccessible things.  We humbly ask You to provide us the wisdom that we need to get through each day.  We ask that each day You will build our understanding of who You are and what Your plan is for our lives.  We rejoice in knowing that all things are possible through Your Son, Jesus.  We ask all these things in the name of the One who determines our steps, Jesus Christ.

Satisfied by the Joyful Countenance That is Jesus Christ

Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
There is nothing on this earth that satisfies like the love of Our Heavenly Father.  He created a void in our hearts that can only be filled by the presence of Jesus in our lives.  When we allow Jesus to be our sustenance, there is nothing that the world can offer that measures up.

Living under the fountain of life that is Jesus Christ is to have a future filled with joy.  It is to have sufficient balance against all of our griefs and sorrows.  It is the enlightenment that steers us away from wasting our precious time pursuing the things of this earth.  It is the light that produces good works in us.  It is what prepares us for our inheritance in the kingdom of Our Lord.
Unfortunately, too often we chase every type of earthly pleasure in efforts to fill the void in our hearts.  We choose to live in darkness instead of in the light of the One who loves us perfectly.  May our eyes be opened so that we see what Our Savior has set aside for us.  May our hearts be prepared to receive all that Jesus holds for us.  The fullness of our joy will never be reached until we turn to Our Savior for completion.  He, and He alone, is the one who satisfies every desire of our hearts.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your unfailing love.  We rejoice in the joy in our hearts that You have provided by allowing us to receive Your Son, Jesus.  We pray, Lord, that the Holy Spirit will inspire us to fill our days with the sweet presence of Our Savior and that the Holy Spirit will provide us with the wisdom to turn away from the offerings of this world.  We ask, Father, that as we receive all that has been set aside of us that the world will be drawn to Your Son by our joyful countenance.  We ask all these things in the name of the Joy of the World, Jesus Christ.