Christ’s Blood :The Necessity

Read | Romans 3:21-26

Romans 3 communicates the very heart of Scripture. Apart from the cross of Christ and His atoning death, no one can be declared righteous.

In other words, there is only one way to become a child of God—through the blood of the Savior (John 14:6). Good works and right living will not earn the Lord’s favor, because every person inevitably sins, and a sinner cannot enter the presence of holy God. The shedding of Christ’s blood on the world’s behalf made it possible for anyone to be cleansed of sin and have a relationship with the Creator. The only requirement is trusting Jesus as Savior.

For God to be just, He must remain true to His own principles. His holiness dictated that “the soul who sins will die” (Ezek. 18:4). The penalty for sin—namely, death—had to be paid in a way that was acceptable to God. He explained through Moses why a blood sacrifice was required: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement” (Lev. 17:11). A life must be given for a life to be spared.

On that basis, the heavenly Father provided a perfectly sinless sacrifice for all mankind. The only way God’s justice could be satisfied and His holiness could be maintained was for Jesus Christ to take our guilt and sin upon Himself and die in our place.

When we say that there is only one way to the Father, we mean that a person must believe Jesus Christ died as a perfect sacrifice. To trust in anything else is to ignore God’s holiness and the admonition of His Word (Acts 4:12).

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Encouragement For All Seasons

Apr 22, 2013

Read | Deuteronomy 7:7-9

Spring, summer, fall, and winter—these are the seasons of the year. Life also has its seasons. Some are filled with joy, while others are characterized by difficulty. Take comfort because there is a principle from the Bible that can encourage and sustain you through every season: Our God is faithful.

We learn about this attribute of the Lord from passages like 1 Corinthians 1:9, where Paul says, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” To say that God is faithful means He always does exactly what He says He will do.

How reassuring it is to know that He will keep His promises to His children and never leave their side, whatever “season” of life they are in. No matter how deep, how dark, how depressing, how hopeless, or how good things may seem, the child of God can count on the Father’s abiding presence.

So regardless of your present trials or triumphs, embrace these three truths:

1. God will be faithful to you because it is His very nature (Ps. 36:5).

2. God knows all about your situation; you are never alone in any season of life (Ps. 139:7-12).

3. God is omnipotent, so He has the power to meet every single need, and He knows how to move you through the various seasons of your life (Rom. 8:28).

Hold onto this fact: You will change and seasons will change, but our wonderful God is always the same. That means He won’t fail you, He won’t waver on you, and He won’t vary—you can fully rely on Him. And He will never forget about you; He is with you always. Great is His faithfulness!

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Trusting God in All Situations

Read | Romans 8:28-29

Psalm 34:7 promises that every believer is encircled with God’s presence. We are also assured that even the hardest parts of life will be woven into His plan and nothing can touch us without His permission. That’s good news.

The idea that God is present in everything often brings up a lot of questions in the Christian’s mind. For example:

• Does the Lord cause people to sin? God never initiates sin, nor does He lure us to transgress. His purposes are to rescue us from sin’s power (Col. 1:13) and transform us into Jesus’ likeness (Rom. 8:29).

• How can the Lord use our sin for good? Through the times we fail, He will reveal to us our true nature—that is, our weaknesses, faults, and pride. His Spirit will convict us of wrongdoing and lead us to true repentance (John 16:8). Furthermore, He will teach us the consequences of disobedience and the wonders of His forgiving nature.

• Is God present in the lives of those who are not in His family? The Lord is involved with unbelievers, but in a different way: He continually extends His love in order to convict them of sin and their need for a Savior. However, He does not ignore their rebellion (Rom. 1:18; 2:2).

Now consider the life of Jesus Christ. Though our Savior was without sin, He suffered in many ways during His earthly life because of others’ spiritual rebellion, ignorance, and failures. But notice how the heavenly Father used His Son’s suffering for our good and His glory.

The Holy Spirit is willing to teach us more about this important topic. So request His guidance. Whenever you open the Bible, come with an open mind, and be ready to align your thinking with God’s truth.

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Christ Our Friend

“I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known unto you.”– Jn  15:15.

I HAVE READ somewhere that when Michael Angelo was in the height of his fame, a boy named Raphael, destined to be his worthy successor –was introduced to him as a promising-pupil. At first the lad was employed in the simplest duties of the studio, cleaning brushes and mixing paints, but as he developed the qualities of exactness, punctuality, and sympathy, he became entrusted with increasing responsibility, until the master made him his friend and confidant. So we come to Christ, first, as redeemed from the slavery of Satan, to be His Servants, and He calls us His friends.

A friend will reveal himself. All the world may suppose that it knows a famous man, but after all, if he calls me his friend, I expect to get closer to him and hear from his own lips items of confidential information. Thus it is with the Lord Jesus. He manifests Himself to those who love Him, and keep His word, as He does not to the world.

A friend will interest his friends in his undertakings. It is a joy to Christ when those whom He loves are able to take a share in His world-wide redemptive schemes. For us, of course, it is a high honour, but it is as great a pleasure and delight to Him as it is for some loving soul to have the pleasure of working with that other twin-soul, to which it is attached. It is wonderful that Jesus is glad to have us as His fellow-workers.

A friend will be interested in our failures and successes. Not otherwise is it with our Lord. When He sees some peril menacing us, does He not make the trial-hour one of special intercession? If we fail, He meets us with the same tender affection, not alienated from us, but only intensely sorry, ready to point out the cause of our failure and to encourage us to try again. If we stand our ground, He meets us as we come forth from the fight, glad for us, eager to refresh us in our weariness, careful to heal any wound that we may have received.

Such is the Friendship of Jesus. He is always the same, His love never wanes, its manifestations are never remiss. Is it not worth while to make every effort so to keep His commandments that our entire abandonment to Him may induce His entire abandonment to us?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we pray that Jesus Christ may become dearer to us. May we love Him as a personal Friend, and hide ourselves in the hourly consciousness of His presence. May we have no taste or desire for things which He would disapprove. Let His love constrain us not to live unto ourselves, but to His glory. AMEN.

F.B. Meyer

Religious But Lost

Read | John 3:1-6

English: Jesus and Nicodemus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nicodemus would probably be welcome at any church today. He seems like an ideal member—principled, knowledgeable, morally upstanding, courteous, and humble. However, Nicodemus had two big problems despite all of that outward religious appeal: first, he was blind to the truth, and second, he was spiritually dead.

The man was lost. That is, he did not have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus adhered to strict Jewish codes and laws, so he was certainly religious. But the problem of the lost person is not attitudes, conduct, or even character. We can change and control those things through sheer determination, and many folks do. What people really need is a change of their basic nature. We come into this world with a natural “bent” away from God.

Jesus explained to the observant rabbi that all his outward goodness couldn’t erase, replace, or change his nature. Instead, every person who desires to serve God must be born again. The Lord promised that if Nicodemus received Him as Savior, then he would enter into a brand-new life. His old sinful nature would be transformed so that he could have a real relationship with God. Instead of appearing to be a religious man, Nicodemus would be a true believer.

No one gets into heaven on the strength of good works and kind behavior. When we stand before God, the only thing that will matter is whether our old sin nature has been replaced. We want to show Him the living Spirit we received when Jesus came into our life.

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Focused Faith

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Jesus prayed to the Father: “All mine are thine, and thine are mine; I am
glorified in them” (John 17:10). “The love wherewith thou hast loved me may be
in them, and I in them” (verse 26).

Jesus makes it very clear: When we are one with Him, we enjoy the very same
love of the Father that He enjoys. God delights in us as much as He does in His
own Son.

The Bible also tells us God is our Father, just as He is Christ‘s Father. Jesus
testified: “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your
God” (John 20:17).

So, how hard are you striving to please God? Do you go through seasons in which
you feel you are delighting Him? And do you have “low” seasons when you feel you
are displeasing Him?

Beloved, you have to put facts ahead of your feelings. And the fact is, God’s
pleasure in you has nothing to do with your strivings, intensity, good
intentions or actions. No, it all has to do with your faith.

I believe God wants us to have what I call a “focused faith” that says, “All
your faith may be focused on the principle that if you wish to stand holy
before God, you must come to Him in Christ.”

The writer of Hebrews warns against having “. . . an evil heart of unbelief, in
departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). This is an issue of faith! When
we move away from the foundational doctrine of being accepted by God through
Christ, we are turning back to the law, the flesh and spiritual bondage!

“We which have believed do enter into rest . . . For he that is entered into
his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (4:3,
10). Scripture makes it clear: The evidence of faith is rest.

The only way to bring your striving, sweating, troubled soul into peace is to
convince yourself, “I am in Christ and I am accepted by God. He delights in me,
regardless of whether I am up or down. No matter how I feel, I know my position
in Christ—that I am seated with Him in heavenly places!”

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20961?src=devo-email

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How to Avoid Fighting A Needless Battle

English: The Last Supper of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Colossians 2:15 I remember in the first Gulf War against Iraq, the Americans and allies so decimated the Iraqi military communication system, that several days (and even weeks) after the war was concluded and the arms laid aside, there were Iraqi soldiers who were still fighting because they didn’t know that Iraq had retreated and the war was over. It reminds me of many people in the world today who live their lives struggling to obey and make the best of life in this dark world. Yet they never find victory because they don’t know the war is over. But for those who accept the victory of Jesus Christ through what He accomplished for you upon the cross, peace will come into your heart, the battle will be done, and the truth of our Lord’s words on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), will become reality in your life. As Christians, we don’t fight for victory. We fight from victory. And thanks to Christ’s work on the cross, that victory can be yours today if you’ll only trust in Him. When you do, you can have every confidence that the victory against sin and darkness is yours and you’ll live forever with Jesus Christ! FIGHT FROM VICTORY—NOT FOR VICTORY—BY PLACING YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST AND DECLARING THE WAR AGAINST SIN AND DEATH TO BE OVER! Pastor Graham

God Is With You

Romans 8:28 28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Do you feel misunderstood and forsaken by the people you love? Have you been falsely accused and stripped of everything, without a dime to your name? Maybe today, you feel that you have hit rock bottom and you wonder if you can ever rise again. Joseph, who was sold by his brothers into slavery (Genesis 37:28), went through all these experiences and emotions. Still, he was conscious that God was in it with him every step of the way. Though his life was a “mess”, he believed that it was not an accident. Though the things that were happening to him were not good, he believed that God was making all things work together for his good. And it was indeed so — Joseph eventually rose to occupy the most powerful position in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:40) Probably, this consciousness that God was in it with him was the reason he forgave his brothers when he met them again later in his life. Joseph told them, “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5) So like Joseph, whatever you are facing now, be conscious that God is in it with you. Be Jesus-conscious. Though you may have nothing or not much now in the natural, the truth is that you have everything when you have Jesus! The same Jesus who went around enriching others with 12 baskets full of leftovers, a net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fishes, and who never impoverished anybody, will empower you to prosper and succeed in life. The same Jesus who went about doing good will cause good to explode in your life. The same Jesus who went about healing the sick and never giving anyone sickness will keep you in divine health and protect you from harm. Beloved, because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8), as He was with Joseph, He is with you right now. And He will empower you to live the high life — the abundant lifein which you will see God’s promises manifest!Pastor J. Prince

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The Need for Friendship

Read | 2 Timothy 4:9-22

Independence is a prized attribute in our culture, but biblically, it isn’t a worthy aspiration. Nowhere in Scripture will you find the erroneous quote, “God helps those who help themselves.” The very fact that the Lord formed the church–a community of believers–should tell us that He did not create people for self-sufficiency or isolation.

When we place faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us so we can have a fulfilling relationship with the Lord and satisfying friendships with one another. In God‘s design, a close, committed biblical friendship between two believers serves to build both toward Christlikeness. Look at any of the saints in Scripture, and you will find evidence of reliance upon a close friend or confidante for support. Paul, in particular, spoke freely and often of his dependence upon dear companions and encouraged others to form intimate partnerships as well (2 Tim. 2:22).

It’s interesting to me that our modern culture seems to be headed in the opposite direction. The farther our nation drifts from God, the more pervasive our self-sufficient attitude becomes. Neighbors treat each other with suspicion instead of congeniality, and that mindset has invaded the church as well. We’re hesitant to give to others, which in turn makes us reluctant to receive.

Scripture tells us to love one another, bear our brothers’ burdens, and confess our sins to fellow believers (John 13:34 ; Gal. 6:2; James 5:16). In other words, we’re to give ourselves away to others and receive from them in return. That’s how church members can stimulate one another to Christlikeness.

Dr. Charles Stanley

Saying What’s Correct,Correctly

 

Official portrait of Justice (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each person. Colossians 4:6 I remember when I was young, we had a little saying that went, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But as I’ve grown older, I’ve discovered that it’s not true. Words can be devastating. Gossip, slander, rumors, and innuendo can destroy a person’s life. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, during his confirmation to the court, had many terrible things said about his character. At one point, he remarked, “I would have preferred an assassin’s bullet to these proceedings.” That’s how damaging words can be. Yet very often today, many people simply say whatever they think and don’t even consider how it makes others feel. As Christians, we have the responsibility to speak God’s truth, but to do it in love. Yet, the reality is that many believers slander those whom they’re supposed to love. There’s a difference between speaking what’s correct, and speaking what’s correct correctly. Words have power. So let your speech be full of grace. Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the right words to say when they need to be said. And above all else, keep an attitude of love and welcome toward all who need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ! SPEAK THE TRUTH, BUT DO IT IN LOVE, AND ALLOW GOD TO USE YOU TO WARMLY WELCOME THE LOST INTO THE KINGDOM! Pastor Graham