Tag: Good news

The Privilege and Responsibility of Sharing the Salvation Story

Acts 26:18
To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

Paul was sent before King Agrippa by the Jews in an effort to have him killed or at least imprisoned. Paul explained to King Agrippa how he had been led by an encounter with Jesus to abandon his efforts to oppose the message of Jesus of Nazareth and to then turn to a life of proclaiming the message of Jesus to the world.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul is describing to King Agrippa the directive and the message that Jesus gave him to bring to the people. The message summarizes for us the fullness of our blessing in Christ, but it also provides us with the responsibility that we share with Paul. For we are all called to spread the Good News that we have received.

It is not uncommon to hear and see people in all walks of life openly professing their disdain for Jesus Christ. People around us need to know and we need to be constantly aware that without our precious Savior, we are doomed to eternal damnation. The sin nature absolutely blocks any possibility that we would choose the light of Jesus Christ over the darkness of Satan. Fortunately for all mankind, Our Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us to overcome our frailty. Through His mercy, He provides a pathway to victory over the darkness in our lives. Through His perfect love and forgiveness, He has given us His Son to be Our Savior. Through His salvation plan, He calls each of us to participate in sharing His salvation story.

Let us choose the Light of the World. Let us choose to be lights to the world. Let us boldly spread the message of the salvation story. Let us insure that everyone around us knows that Jesus washes us clean with His blood so that we can bath in His light and abide with Him for all eternity.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for providing Your Son, Jesus, to atone for our sins and allow us to live in Your magnificent light for all eternity. Your Word tells us that there will be no need for the sun or the moon in eternity for Your light will be sufficient. We pray, Lord, that you will show us how to live in Your perfect light and share it with the world around us. Help us to become living testimony of the loving kindness, mercy and grace that you have provided to us through the sacrifice of Your Son. Father, may our Christian experience be marked by the light that we provide to those around us that are in the darkness. We ask these things in the name of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

Putting Our Trust in Almighty God in the New Year

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

What better way to start the New Year than to proclaim our hope promised to us in Jeremiah 29:11. Hope in the promises of Our Savior will never fail us. Hope in Our Savior will never disappoint us. Hope in Our Savior will result in nothing short of us spending eternity in bliss under the glory of Almighty God in the company of the gathering of saints.

We should know that our hope and our future is not limited just to us as individuals. We should claim this hope for our nation as well. If we return to being a nation that puts its trust in God, as our currency declares for all to see, we will see our nation rise up once again to claim its seat as the most powerful nation on earth.

But it all depends on where we place our hope. Society would lead us to believe that our hope is rested in the men and women who are our elected officials. They certainly play a role. But as the promise of Jeremiah teaches, our hope is in the Lord who declares His good plans for us. Yet in our society today, we find it often regarded as shameful to proclaim hope in Jesus Christ. In Paul’s writings to the Romans, he prepares us for these times as he establishes that there is to be no shame in following and putting our eternal hope in Jesus Christ. Who could have ever imagined that there would be a time when this teaching would be relevant throughout most of the Western world. Yet here we are.

Christians are mocked daily on talk shows, news shows and entertainment shows. To publicly stand for the very truths given to us by Our Heavenly Father makes us bigots, haters, etc. Now more than ever, we are called to share our good news with the world around us. The hope that we have in Christ is the only hope left for our nations.

Let us wait not a minute longer to proclaim our personal and national hope in Jesus Christ. Let us boldly claim His promise for our welfare and our future.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for this new year that You have given us. We thank You for providing the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom we need to see through false teaching and the strength that we need to stand against the lies that this world is trying to get us to accept. We pray also, Father, that Your Holy Spirit will give us the courage we need to boldly present the “way, the truth and the life” that is in your Son, Jesus. We ask all these things in the precious, holy and mighty name of Jesus Christ.

The Pleasing Words of Men is no Substitute for the Inerrant Word of God

1 Corinthians 2:1
When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan.

Persuasion is man’s means of swaying the thoughts of other fellow men and women. By nature and certainly by cultural pressure, when most of us try to persuade anyone on any topic, we are usually careful not to offend anyone if we can avoid it. One of the biggest mistakes that we make as Christians is to carry over this mindset when we talk about the salvation message with non-believers. If we are not careful, we end up manipulating the salvation message to please the ears of the listener. All the while, we are actually withholding from them the truth and the power that is in the Word of God.

The apostle Paul in his teachings to the Corinthians emphasized the point that the power to convert was not in fanciful speech. He knew that the people would not be stable in their faith if they were resting on the words of men and not on the power of God’s words. He also knew and taught that His teaching had no power without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Be certain that Jesus did not come to earth worried about His message being politically correct. In fact, He stated clearly that His teachings would be sure to divide households. Know that politically correct messages will get no one into heaven, nor will they keep anyone out of hell. Only the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and delivered by His servants produces the supernatural power that leads to real persuasion and conversion.

Let us be sure to boldly proclaim the powerful saving Words of the bible and not our own words designed to tickle the ears of others. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of those around us to receive and accept the Truth.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the power that Your Holy Word has in transforming our lives. We rejoice in knowing that we are serving You and pleasing You when we share Your inerrant Word with others. We pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire us to be bold in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and direct us in choosing the right message for each time we are in a position to share our testimony. We ask, Father, that You prepare the hearts of those around us to receive the truth and respond to Your message of salvation. We ask all these things in the name of the Word of God, Jesus Christ.

All of the Father’s Gifts are Perfectly Timed

Galatians 4:4
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus was born when He was? Mankind certainly could have benefitted from His arrival at any point in time. So why was He born exactly when He was born?

Consider that Jesus was born at a time when the whole world spoke and understood one language. The Greek language, which had been mandated during time of Alexander the Great, remained the prevalent language spoken throughout all of Rome’s conquered territories. The early evangelists could travel to any point in the Roman Empire, deliver their message in Greek and know that their message would be understood.

Because the Romans had built a massive road system unlike anything the world had ever known, travel was relatively easy. The early evangelists were able to get to any major population group within the Roman Empire. To add to the ease of travel, unlike most other time periods before Christ’s arrival, the Roman Empire quieted the warring factions. Worldwide peace was established for over 200 years. During this time frame, Roman centuries were posted along the major roadways to insure that there was no impediment to safe travel within the conquered territories.

As a final element of God’s perfectly timed plan, we find that the Jews had been dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. Even though there was no longer a central temple for the Jews, there were active synagogues built throughout the Roman territory. These synagogues were attended regularly. They made for easy access points to disseminate the Good News of the Gospel throughout the land.

With all these factors coinciding perfectly, it is remarkable how ideal the circumstances were for the rapid spread of the story of Jesus and His salvation message for all of mankind. And it was all in perfect accordance with the many prophecies that were fulfilled to the letter. The arrival of Our Savior was not only perfectly timed, it was a confirmation of the infallible nature of the Word of God.

Let us consider in awe that Almighty God was just as purposeful in selecting our time on this earth as He was in selecting the time for His Son. Let us recognize that we were all created for this exact time and place in the history of mankind. Let us rejoice in knowing that Our Father in heaven has a specific plan for our lives on this earth and with Him for all eternity.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the miraculous birth of Your Son, Jesus. We thank You for giving each of us the gift of life. We rejoice in knowing that You created each of us with a sovereign, gracious purpose for our lives. We bless the name of Jesus who shed His blood so that we may be worthy to do the things that You have created us to do. We exalt the Holy Spirit for standing by us so that we may overcome our weaknesses. We pray for the strength to persevere in pursuing Your will for our lives and not our own. May the fruit of our efforts be our gifts back to you this Christmas season and all the days of our lives. We ask all these things in the name of Your dearly beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

Living in the Confidence and the Power of the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:11
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as Our Savior, we are immediately and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit of the Lord. The Holy Spirit works in and through us to accomplish the will of God. His power leads us, convicts us, teaches us, and equips us to do the work that God has set aside for us.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we receive all of His gifts: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We are provided these gifts so that we may proclaim the Good News of the Gospel through our living testimony.

The Holy Spirit’s powerful indwelling is an amazing gift we should never take lightly. Because the Spirit of the Lord is within us, we also receive the powers that Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would receive by way of the Spirit of God resting upon Him. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed that Jesus would be endowed by the Holy Spirit. “And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him–the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:2

Let us live in the confidence and the power that the Holy Spirit gives us. Let us use the wisdom and understanding we are given to perceive the truth that God reveals to us so that we are able to convey it to others. Let us use the counsel and might that we have been given to originate, plan and execute the work that God calls us to do. Let us take our new found knowledge and fear of the Lord so we are able to live our lives surrendered to Jesus Christ.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gifts and the power that we receive through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We praise the name of Jesus who made it possible for us to receive this supernatural blessing that empowers us far beyond our natural capabilities. We pray that the influence and power of the Holy Spirit will be manifest in all that we do. We ask that we may be made fruitful vessels of the fullness of Your Holy Spirit working in our lives. We ask all these things in the name of Our Keeper and Our King, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Died to Work a Great Change in Us

Romans 5:10
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

God is holy, holy, holy. Sin cannot exist in His presence. To have any type of sin remaining means eternal separation from the Father in heaven. Thus, every person in heaven must be without sin. There cannot be even the slightest stain. Every person in heaven will be holy.

Jesus gave up His life for the atonement of all sin. He died to save us from the penalty of our sin. He died to work a great change in us. He died so that we might be acceptable in the presence of His Father in heaven.

The Good News of the Gospel is that God provided the way for our complete cleansing through the death of His Son, Jesus, on the Cross. It is the shed blood of Jesus that washes us clean and allows us to stand before the Father white as snow forever. Our Heavenly Father required nothing from us except to accept Jesus as Our Savior. Jesus did all that was required for us to stand before Almighty God. Everything that was required was finished on the Cross.

Let us give thanks to Our Redeemer King who gave up His life on earth so that we might have eternal life. Let us live in the fullness of the reconciliation that He provided for us with Our Heavenly Father. Let us seek the Holy Spirit to help us live worthy and holy lives here on earth as we prepare for our eternal holiness.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for allowing us to have eternal access to Your heavenly kingdom. We praise You. We love You. We bless Your name. We rejoice in knowing that we will worship You forever. We pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us everything in our lives that is displeasing to You. We ask for the grace to walk the perfect path of sanctification that You have set aside for us through the sacrifice of Your Son. May we live in the fullness of the One who gave His life for us. May we surrender daily to our Blessed Hope and Assurance, Jesus Christ.

God’s Word is Everlasting

Deuteronomy 4:2
You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you.

Throughout the ages, God’s Word has always been challenged to some degree. But in today’s world, God’s Word is being challenged in totality. It was gradual at first, but now God’s detractors are bold and aggressive. Their messages are widespread and unforgiving. If you do not fall in line with the untruths that they sell, you are a bigot and a danger to society.

We are being told over and over again that the world’s values are changing and that we all need to change with it. In other words, God’s Word is not meant to be everlasting. It was only good for a different time and place.

When given the opportunity to share the Good News, we may find ourselves trying to massage the message so that it is more palatable to the listener. How dare we presume that our words are more pleasing to the lost than the Word of God? When we are sharing God’s Word with the others, we should speak the truth as it is written. We are doing the lost a great disservice if we give them anything other than the full truth. Our words are powerless when they are not grounded in the Word of God. Yet when we speak under the authority of the Word of God, our words hold the same truths and promises as the Word of God. Our words offer hope and assurance for those who are in need.

Let us seek a higher level of understanding of what is written in the Bible. Let us apply the teachings of the Holy Scripture to our lives. Let us move in the kingdom authority promised to us in God’s Holy Word.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us Your inerrant Word so that we may have knowledge of who You are, so that we may know how much You love us, so that we may know that You have created us in Your image and so that we may know that You have a perfect plan for our lives here on earth and in Your eternal kingdom. We exalt Your Name for all the promises that You extend to us in Your Holy Word. Lord, we pray that You open our minds to receive the truths in Your Word. We pray that You equip us to share the perfect truth in Your Word with those that You have placed in our lives. We ask all these things in the name of the Word Made Flesh, Jesus Christ.

Jesus Sent Us a Helper

John 16:7
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

From time to time, you may hear someone say, “I sure wish that I had lived in the time of Jesus. It would be easier to know and follow Him.” Jesus, Himself, revealed to the apostles that life with the Holy Spirit would be better than life with Him on earth.

The lives of the apostles confirms His message. The apostles were slow in understanding the teachings of Jesus. They were even slower in adopting His power and His ways. They scattered like the wind at His death. In fact, they were still in hiding even after the Resurrection. It was after the appearance of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that everything changed for the apostles. Their knowledge of the teachings of Jesus became complete. They were filled with the boldness to go out and proclaim the Good News, even under the threat of death. And at once, they were able to exhibit the powers of casting out devils and healing the sick.

Everything that the apostles experienced after Pentecost is available to us today. All we have to do is surrender to Our Savior and live in the spirit and not in the flesh. The Holy Spirit is our supernatural resource. The Holy Spirit is our comforter in troubles. The Holy Spirit is our leader in all truth. The Holy Spirit is the power behind all of our good works for the kingdom of God.

Let us surrender to the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let us seek His inspection, His instruction and His guidance. Let us live in the fullness of what He reveals to us. Let us rejoice in knowing that He is always with us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we praise You and thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to be our Helper. We thank You that we do not have to stand alone against the torments of our own flesh and the attacks of the enemy. We come before You to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We claim Your promise that You will perfect Your strength in our weakness. Through this process, may we come to a full understanding of who You are. May we become living examples of our relationship with You. May we serve the world around us through the gifts that You provide us through the Holy Spirit. We ask all these things in the name of Our Risen King, Jesus Christ.

Be Alert for the Fullness of Christ in the Springtime

Song of Solomon 2:11
For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.

Just as the earth goes through seasons, so do we. Remarkably, our supernatural seasons tend to coincide with the natural seasons. As we respond to the gloominess of the dark winter days, we tend to become inactive like the flowers and the trees. As the spring arrives, we tend to become more lively. We enjoy a sense of calmness and peace accompanied by a sense of expectation. We look forward to a fruitfulness in our works.

We should be alert in the spring of the year to seek the new things that God is trying to release into our lives. If we are growing in Christ, we will always be taken to higher levels in service, praise, worship and fellowship with Our Savior. May we turn away from the darkness of the winter past and turn toward the light of Jesus Christ. May we look for the arrival of the harvest around us as the cold, hard ground of winter becomes the fertile, soft soil of the spring.

Let us dust off any complacency that has arisen in our winter time. Let us shake off the things that have us stuck in one place. Let us claim the breakthrough anointing that Our Father has prepared for us as we draw nearer to Our Savior who is anxious to release new fruit in our lives. Let us rejoice in knowing that the One who releases us into our new springtime anointing for fruitfulness and intimacy is the same One who promises never to forsake us during our journey into the new season.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the seasons in our lives. We thank You for taking us through the dark of the winter so we can see You more clearly in the light of the spring. We pray that Your Holy Spirit will inspire us to seek the newness and boldness in Christ that You have planned to release in us this spring. We pray that You will use us to harvest the souls of the men and women surrounding us as You prepare their hearts to be fertile grounds for Your Good News. May new fruit come from our growth as Jesus’ disciples this year. We ask all these things in the name of the eternal spring, Jesus Christ.

The Unfailing Hope for Our Future

1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

God is love. His love is unconditional and without end. His love for us is expressed explicitly through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. His love for us is reinforced daily by the counsel of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Through His love, Almighty God gives us an unfailing hope for our future. Let us not lose sight of the truth that our hope for our future is so much more than how we feel about our future or what the world tells us about our future. Our hope rests upon a very special love gift from God. Our hope is built upon the Good News of God for the world that He loves us so much that He gave us His Son so that we may have eternal life.

Through His love, Almighty God also gives us His Holy Spirit to stand by us, to give us the strength to bear all things that come against us and the spiritual maturity to endure all the tribulations that make up life on this earth. His grace is poured out on us in this manner so that we may overcome the world.

Most importantly, Almighty God created a spot in our hearts so that we could receive His love and return it to Him. He gave us the capacity to share His love with the world around us. He gave us the Holy Spirit so that our love could be an endless spring. When we are living in accordance with the Holy Spirit within us, we are capable of extraordinary service to those around us. By returning our love to the Father through our service to those around us, we become living testimonies of His perfect love.

Let us prepare our hearts to become vessels of God’s perfect love and forgiveness. Let us show the world His love through our compassionate sharing of the love He has given us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us unconditionally. We thank You that Your love flows to us endlessly. Prepare our hearts, Lord, so that we may become vessels of Your perfect love. Cleanse us, Lord, of anything in our hearts that would restrict the flow of Your love in our lives. May we bear much fruit for Your kingdom through the spontaneous release of Your love to the world around us. We pray, Father, that the world will be drawn to Your Son when they see Your love at work in us. We ask all these things in the name of the One who delights in our steadfast love, Jesus Christ.