No Condemnation?

Good Morning!! Because God is completely holy, even our greatest deeds and thoughts are sin-soaked, filthy rags in His perfect sight. We stand guilty before a virtuous and fair judge; justice will be served (He will not compromise His own righteousness in order to have mercy on us) and so we must be condemned.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.—Romans 8:1 (KJV)

But those who are in Christ have their punishment transferred to Jesus, so that they are without condemnation. We who believe on Jesus Christ have the assurance that He has taken our place,...acted as our substitute,...and so, in spite of our great and many shortcomings, we are seen without condemnation. Christ’s perfect sacrifice on all our behalves, has wiped our criminal records clean. 

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:5 NIV)

Lord, help us to follow the promptings and leadership of Your Spirit,...because as the bible teaches; "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God". (v.14 KJV) Amen.

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

 

God's Gift

Good Morning!! How was the earth formed out of nothing? It was the power of God (Jeremiah 51:15). How does God have His way in the hurricane or the tsunami? By His great power (Nahum 1:3). What holds our planet, our solar system, our universe together? It is the power of God (Hebrews 1:3). How is our faith sustained through the challenges of this life? We are kept by the power of God.

who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.—1 Peter 1:5 (NIV)

Isn't it a wonderful comfort to know that our faith, which did not originate in us, to begin with (Ephesians 2:8), is upheld by the strength of God Himself? Our may faith certainly have its ups and downs,...but what a great blessing to know that the One who has begun this good work of salvation in our hearts through faith, will continue the work He has begun. As Augustine reverently observed; "God is not a deceiver, that He should offer to support us, and then, when we lean upon Him, should slip away from us."

The same force that makes the mountains continue, is continually working in our hearts and souls,...by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Father in Heaven, it is only by Your power that we are kept through faith,...and it is Your faithfulness which continues this work of salvation in us until the very end. At times our faith may be weak,...but it is planted in the ability of the Almighty God. Amen.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   

 

A Time Of Repentance

Good Morning, My Friend!! Repentance means forsaking sinful and rebellious ways in order to please our Creator God. But Jesus here takes it yet a step further. Repent,...and believe in the gospel. Jesus is warning that time is marching forward, to a definite and purposeful conclusion. He calls us to repent and to believe,...because repentance not only loosens our selfish hold on the things of this world,...it also embraces the good news of another world.

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."—Mark 1:15 (NKJV)

The good news that Jesus brings is actually true, that the God of Heaven really has disdained to give His only Son on behalf of sinners. We are called to believe what might otherwise seem too good to be true. We are called to trust the God Who cannot lie,...to rest in the perfect work of a perfect Savior. What about you? Will you see repentance as some sort of straitjacket to keep you from the good things in life,...or have you begun to understand that repentance is embracing the source of Life itself?

Repentance involves a change of heart, that leads to a change in action.

Holy Spirit, help us today, as we stop running from God,...and begin to truly reveling in Him. Amen. 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Sin Is Death

Good Morning!! In a nutshell, the scene of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden provides a perspective of many vital truths, that are further explored and expanded upon throughout the remainder of Scripture,...we see the devil's desire to undermine our faith in God. We've even allowed him to convince us that God’s protections are little more than restrictive buzz-kills.

but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."—Genesis 2:17 (NIV)

As we gaze at the sickening sight of perfection being seduced into rebellion, the most poignant reminder, is the fact that even the seemingly smallest sins have enormous and eternal and horrific consequences. There is no such thing as "getting away" with sin,...every sin has its own built-in, unavoidable calamity. And the greatest tragedy of every sin is that it leads to separation from God.

Each sin leads to death, a separation from the Truth and the Life that is only found in Jesus.

Each time we are faced with temptation, we have the opportunity to stand firm and nurture our fellowship with Christ, or to waiver and wreck our relationship with Him.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   

 

Jesus, Our Model

Good Morning!! On the cross, Jesus was not only suffering from the wounds of scourging, beating, slapping, and crucifixion,...He was also bearing all the sins of all His people,...and the wrath of God, for them. If there are any words to describe, or parallel experiences, to illustrate the misery this must have been, it would literally be " hell on earth ". So who could have ever expected, to see one of the thieves crucified next to Him turn to Him,...and ask for a place in His kingdom. But, what was even more striking, more shocking, was to see the One who was suffering so much,...turn to the thief and speak words of comfort.

Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."—Luke 23:43 (NIV)

If Jesus can think of others at a time like this,...what possible excuse could we offer, for ever being self-centered or self-absorbed, in our so called times of struggle, or affliction. If Jesus can help and encourage and comfort while hanging on the cross, then we can certainly minister to others in the midst of our own pain or grief or loss,...can't we?

Jesus instructs us to,...expects us to,...moves us to, think of others even in the midst of our own suffering.

May looking to Jesus take our eyes off of ourselves, and inspire us to reach out to those around us, who are hurting and hopeless and just as needy. Amen.

"I pray that we become grace givers,...we ask that God allow us to see and accept others as He does."  

Death Has No Power

Good Morning!! Whereas death was once to be greatly feared, as the result of sin entering into the world, it is now made an occasion for rejoicing, as the vehicle that brings us into the presence and likeness of Christ. As Christians, we need to stop being afraid of death. Instead of acting as if death was the end, we need to see if for what it is,...the door of salvation, and the start of a new life with Christ.

...All things are Yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are Yours,—1 Corinthians 3:21b, 22 (NIV)

What a strange thing to say,..how can Paul claim with a straight face, that everything,...even death,...has been given to God’s people and belongs to them? It certainly does not feel as though the world belongs to us,...that our present life is completely under our control, or that the future is ours for the taking. Least of all, death doesn't ever feel as though it's mastered or owned or tamed,...more than anything else, death reminds us of just how frail we are, and what little power we have over our surroundings. And yet, Paul claims that they are all ours, if we are Christ’s (3:23). Even death has been made a servant to the people of God.

Yes, even death is yours,...to serve you for your good, and for God’s glory.
Rejoice today, then, in the possessions that are ours in Christ.

 

My Lord, my God, death's sting no longer has any power over us,...because of Your gracious gift of Jesus. Amen.

 

"I pray that we become grace givers,...we ask that God allow us to see and accept others as He does."

Refresh And Renew

Good Morning!! We have constant reminders of our limitations,...drink coffee?...try start a day without it,...or going a few nights without sleep,...or on a run without water. Every one of us, is in need of constant replenishment,...because we are not self-contained or autonomous creatures. What is true of us all physically, is even more evident spiritually. No one walks this earth in self-supplied satisfaction. Although we do not always go to the right source,...we're always looking for a renewal of some kind, somewhere,...to which we can come and drink deeply, and consistently return.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.—Isaiah 40:30-31 (NIV)

For those that wait on the Lord,...who look to Him for refreshing or allow Him to restore their souls, find that His supply is never empty or ending,...His sufficiency never runs dry. Young or old, rich or poor, sick or healthy,...God is able to supply our every need,...not just for a moment, but over and over throughout our lives. Are you waiting on His good purpose, on His good timing, on His good supply,..."those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength."

If even the Energizer bunny needs to stop sometimes, to re-charge his batteries,...why not us?

Holy Spirit of God,  teach us to lay our heads on the pillow of God’s grace, so that we too might find the deep and much-needed renewal that only He can provide. Amen.

"I pray that we become grace givers,...we ask that God allow us to see and accept others as He does."   

 

Pray The Gospel

Good Morning!! As we endeavor to proclaim the gospel, whether to a congregation or to an individual, we must realize the challenge of overcoming the humanistic thinking, that's so prevalent in our day,...or just the indifference that's just as equally widespread. If the gospel is to have success in our time and in our culture, we will need the Lydia-like blessing of hearts opened by the Lord to attend the message (Acts 16:14).

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.—2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NIV)

In Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians, he had asked simply, "Brethren, pray for us," and here he asks that they should pray for the success of the gospel. He desired that they pray for the gospel to be spread,...and that it be received and honored. The language in today's verse conveys the thought of a river flowing freely, unobstructed, unhindered. Paul knew there was going be opposition to the gospel. There would be persecution to face, criticism to overcome, and error to be challenged,...so he prayed these things wouldn't hinder the free flow of the message.

How wonderful it is to experience the Spirit of God opening a heart, enlightening a mind, or humbling a will!

Father God, we pray for the gospel to have free course, to flow uninhibited and unobstructed across the globe,...converting souls, and making the simple, wise. May Your Word be glorified and honored, as It is received as the Truth,...and embraced to the glory and praise of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"I pray that we become grace givers,...we ask that God allow us to see and accept others as He does."  

You Can't Be Right, While Doing Wrong

Good Morning,...I'm Praying For You!! Have you ever heard claims for the power of prayer that seemed exaggerated? I have. I’ve heard it said, or at least implied, that anyone who asks anything from God will always get it if they believe "hard enough." That is just plain false. Jesus taught that some “prayers” are simply "vain repetitions." Isaiah says that God hates and rejects the prayers of his people when they are disobeying him (Isaiah 1:15-16).

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.—James 5:17-18 (NIV)

But the whole Bible teaches that a certain kind of person, praying in a certain way, can profoundly affect what happens in this world,...but first, the person has to be "righteous." This doesn’t mean one who always does right. That would rule out all of us. The "righteous" are those who trust in God’s promise of salvation in Christ and are clothed with his righteousness.

Willfully doing wrong, will never bring about right results.

Our Lord, our God, teach us to pray effectively. Let us pray miracle working prayers that glorify and honor You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

"I pray that we become grace givers,...we ask that God allow us to see and accept others as He does."    

If We Can Listen, We Can Learn

Good Morning, My Friend!! Jesus taught his disciples by saying; "Take heed how you hear." Must of us, usually think of hearing as something that just happens,...you either hear, or you don't. Yet, we've all experienced, the different ways of hearing. That's why Jesus urged, in effect, "Listen carefully!" Think how important that is in our everyday living. If you want to pass a test at school or do a good job at work you need to heed the instructions of your teacher or your boss.

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,—James 1:19 (NIV)

Even here, James, puts more weight on listening. The best way to form, and deepen friendships is to be an interested, caring listener. Haven't you found that your best friends are those who listen to you,...and know that you'll listen to them too? Attention at the highest level, is the art of listening to God.

If it's important to hear other people,

...how much more urgent it is to hear the living God!

 

If Jesus really is a friend of ours,
...then we ought to spend more time listening to Him.

 

"If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."

Our Strength Is By Grace

Good Morning!! It is not hard to find someone who will give support to the powerful, attention to the famous, notice to the remarkable, or recognition to the accomplished. Virtually everyone is willing to jump on the bandwagon of some well-known, talented, or beautiful person. But God gives encouragement to the faint. He gives strength to the exhausted. He does not join the crowds hurrying after celebrities,...He seeks out the broken-hearted and the overlooked, and gives them the greatest honor imaginable,...His attention and His love.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.— Isaiah 40:29 (NIV)

 

While this is liberating, and also invigorating,...it's humbling,...even humiliating, to realize, that we truly have no merit,...that we can stake no claim to His assets, we have no might apart from His. Yet, He still sends us reinforcements, of strength and provision. It's God’s grace, not our value or virtue, that draws Him to a hurting, helpless humanity.  We can let all our collected claims of good works and inherent worth, fall around our feet, as we reach out to a God,...Who only heals the sick, Who only mends the broken, Who only gives strength to the powerless.

 

It doesn’t matter how others might see or describe us,...if we are broken-hearted and helpless before the Lord,...then prepare for a strength infusion from the most High Himself.

 

Help us Father God, because we can not help ourselves. Amen.

 

"If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."

 

 

Accept Only True Comfort

Good Morning!! There are a thousand different places and people and pleasures that promise comfort and healing and satisfaction…but their comfort is vain, their promises are empty. Cosmetics are not the fountain of youth they claim to be, cars do not satisfy the cavernous need for pleasure that people have, and college will not fill the need for knowledge that every one of us feels. They comfort in vain.

The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.—Zechariah 10:2 (NIV)

 

So many religious leaders, philosophical seers, and academic icons pretend to understand the needs of mankind,...and claim to have found the answers to life’s biggest questions,...but today's scripture says; they have seen a lie. They're just as blind, in their own musings and speculations, as those whom they persuade to follow them. The only true promise, the only full comfort, to be found in all the universe is found at the feet of Jesus. Jesus is the Way, He is the Truth,...in Him is the Life and Light. Anything else, or everyone else, that makes a pretense of being able to take the place of God, our creator,...is selling you a lie, and offering empty promises,...they're just plying false comfort.

If you're looking for a soul-filling, need-meeting, pleasure-supplying comforter,...you're looking for Jesus.

Let us always first ask the Lord for what we need, so that we will not be fooled or disappointed. His comfort is not in vain. Amen.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 

Say On Course

Good Morning!! We need to do more than simply read God's Words, we must allow them to become deeply rooted in us,...and apply them to each experience of our day. Sometimes we give into what we feel minor infractions, writing them off because we're just human. But even the small infractions, creates a subtle change in our hearts. It's at these times more than any other, that we need to seek God the most,...asking Him to revive and restore our souls.

Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored.—Lamentations 5:21 (NIV)

Jesus is the light of the world and when His light illuminates from our lives, there is suddenly the capacity to impact not only our daily routines, but the world in which we live. Our Father has awakened our souls to His truth, and we should know when we are drifting away from it.

"The success you'll have if you will follow the Lord and His Word, not turning to the right or the left, is that you can be guided in the same way that Moses, Joshua and David were guided by God."

(I am With You Always, Chip Ingram, p. 72)

 

Forgive us Lord, as little by little, we have not even been aware of how we have drifted off course. We seek Your face and direction. Instruct us and place us back on course,...purify our hearts and help us to be the salt that preserves, and the light, that reflects You. Amen.

 

"If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."   

Submit Yoirselves

Good Morning!! The primary point of today's scripture, that Paul would have us grasp and take to heart has an inevitable implications for marital relations,...and it's that marriage is a picture of Christ’s communion with His church. A husband’s selfless, sacrificial love for his wife is only a shadow of Christ’s love for His church,...no husband will ever love, or sanctify, or edify his wife as perfectly,...as Christ loves and sanctifies and edifies His church. Yet it remains our job to try.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,...—Ephesians 5:24 - 26 (NIV)

 

But that's not all, the other implication that flows out of Paul’s instruction concerns our attitude, toward our beloved Savior. HE requires more than reciprocal love, not just warm appreciation,...but true submission. As members in the body of Christ, we are to recognize that Christ is our head, that He has authority over us. This means that whatever He requires of us, whatever He speaks to us from His Word,...we must be willing to do,...trusting, knowing that He has our best interest at heart.

Be good to one another,...be good for one another.

Lord, help us to be submissive, when, where, and in anyway that bring honor to You. Amen.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 

 

Don't Give In To Sin

Good Morning!! There are so many different ways, by which we are enticed, to sin. We might want to fit in, or belong,...we might be intimidated by a stronger personality,...we might see some chance for personal advancement. Enticements can even come in the form of a well-meaning, but foolish, peers who offer counsel,...that is contrary to God’s Word.

My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.—Proverbs 1:10 (NIV)

‘...if sinful men entice you…’ Notice that we are not to be concerned with the pitfalls and shortcomings of others. What entices someone else to sin, might not even be a temptation for you. But here is the vital principle: whatever sins do entice you, do not give in to them. Be careful not to console yourself with the fact that you have not committed the same sin as someone else,...there are plenty more left, for you to fall prey to. Regardless of the many enticements to sin which we might encounter, here is the simple, straight-forward admonition;...do not consent. Though others may entice you to sin, they cannot force you to sin. We can never say someone else "made me do it." When you feel the tug of sin,...do not consent to its invitation.

It's not enough to pursue wisdom,...we must learn to avoid foolishness, as well.

Holy Spirit, help us to set our minds, by God’s grace and power, to say "No" to every one of Satan’s advances,...and to consciously consent to the claims of Christ upon our lives. Amen.

"It's not what's in our pockets that makes us thankful,...but what we have in our hearts."    

To, And For Jesus

Good Morning!! There are so many of Jesus’ instructions that by our very action, we show that we haven't fully understood, or considered for that much,...certainly not believed, or practiced. He exhorts us " take no thought for tomorrow " and yet we worry ourselves to death. He promises " my yoke is easy " and yet we prefer to labor under our own. He says, " If you love me, keep my commandments " and yet we work so hard to separate the two. He warns " you cannot serve God and money " and yet we always try to join the two,...promising that "if we had more, we'd give more ".

 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'—Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

 

But perhaps the #1 revelation, which is most widely ignored is this: if you do anything for the least of Jesus’ brethren, it is as if you have done it to Jesus. Are you really living like this is true? Have you gone to a nursing home, and spent time with a stranger; given to foreign evangelism; reached out to a broken addict; taught your children, and grand-children the Bible,...all as if you were doing it to, or for Jesus? So often we hurry by the invisible, hurting faces of Jesus’ brothers and sisters,...because we consider them beneath us. And yet our king, Jesus says; " what you do for or to them, you do for and to me."

Help the hurting, dust the furniture, teach the Bible, give to the needy, encourage the downcast just the way you would if Jesus was the One you were encountering today,...because you are.

 

 Holy Spirit, help us to do all we do, for and to the glory of God. Amen.

"It's not what's in our pockets that makes us thankful,...but what we have in our hearts."

Honor Your Parents

Good Morning!! The instruction for children that Paul gives here is two-fold. Children, first, are to obey their parents. It does not matter whether they agree with them, understand their rules, or see their individual flaws. Children are to obey their parents promptly, cheerfully, and completely—as long as they are not being asked to disobey God’s clear commands ("obey…in the Lord").

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;—Ephesians 6:1, 2 (NIV)

 

Parents, you have an obligation to teach this part of the Bible to your children, as much as any other portion of Scripture. Your children should know that God requires obedience and honor from them, toward you, for His glory. Being just your child’s "friend", rather than their parent, is not an option God gives us. And of course, if children are to obey their earth-bound parents, and honor them with their actions and words,...how much more should we, children of God,...honor and obey our Heavenly Father?

 

Honoring one’s parents means respecting the position of authority that they have over you, as their child,
...and showing that respect in our words and deeds. 

 

Holy Spirit, help us to revere, honor and obey our Heavenly Father,...in public and in private,...for it is only right and appropriate, that He be glorified, in all we do. Amen.

"It's not what's in our pockets that makes us thankful,...but what we have in our hearts."

 

Guidence

Good Morning!! Only about 35 percent of all adults have 20/20 vision without correction, and maybe you are among the fortunate. Even so, you can't see into the future,...or into the hearts of your friends,...or which of the unlimited number of outcomes, of the many choices we have to make daily, will be right. When we consider the limitations of our vision, no matter who we are,...we all should appreciate the incredible privilege offered to us, by God Himself. He promises to instruct and inform us, of the correct paths to take in life, not using our finite and limited vision,...but His perfect, all-seeing, all-knowing eye as our guide.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.—Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

 

Knowing that each of us faces a myriad of hair-pulling, gut-wrenching decisions at different times in our lives,...and recognizing that even the smallest decisions can have big ramifications for our lives,...what an amazing gift this is! And, yet, so many of us prefer to stumble blindly through the deadly obstacle course of this world, setting our own course and choosing our own turns,...just so that we can say, " I did it my way."

 

The One Who knows all ends offers to lead us to the perfect destination for each of us!

 

Father God, we thank You, that Your perfect wisdom and vision are always available to us,...being no more than just a prayer away. Amen.

 

"It's not what's in our pockets that makes us thankful,...but what we have in our hearts."