Prayer 101

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Christ gave some wise instructions regarding prayer in this text from the Sermon on the Mount. Let’s observe what He has to say and how it can impact our prayer lives. 

Pray Humbly. 

Ask. Asking is to humbly recognize the superiority of the One to whom we are praying. When we realize who God is, and who we are, we should be in awe of the privilege we have to go before Him. Rejoice in the gift of prayer, and begin your prayer time with a humble spirit, remembering that you are praying to the One who created you. 

Pray Earnestly. 

Seek. The Word translated “seek” means to look for something earnestly. It is diligent, not casual. More than just reciting prayers, it is earnest praying. 

The effectual fervent prayer..availeth much. James 5:16

If your prayer lacks enthusiasm, it will not accomplish much. 

Pray Believingly. 

Knock. If you have to knock, the door is closed. Knocking shows faith that someone will hear and open the door. True praying must involve faith. 

A story is told that one day Alexander the Great was asked a huge request. He immediately granted it. His associates were surprised and asked him why. Alexander said the fact that the man asked said he believed Alexander could fulfill the request and that greatly honored him, so he immediately granted it. Likewise faith pleases and honors God. 

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 

Pray Reverently.

Knock. There are two words in the Greek for “knock”. One refers to an unceremonious pounding, the other to a polite knock. The word in this verse does not convey rudeness, kicking the door in, but a courteous knock. We are praying to God, not to man. While we are to come boldly in prayer we are not to come belligerently. We do not demand or insist but request reverently. 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Pray Persistently

Ask...seek...knock. These three words are all in the present tense. This means we must keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking. God wants us to pray continually, not sporadically. 

Too often we give up quickly in praying. We pray once or twice for something then quit. Our lack of persistence in praying often exposes our lack of sincerity in praying. 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

God wants to hear from you! Follow Jesus’ instructions for prayer in Matthew 7. 

Pray humbly, earnestly, believingly, and reverently. Most importantly, pray persistently! 

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18

Why You Need to Read the Bible (and 4 Tips to Help)

For most of my life following Christ, I struggled to read my Bible. Frankly, I didn’t really want to. It felt boring, and sometimes a little difficult. I’d read it so I could check it off my to-do list. When I didn’t read, guilt would weigh on me. 

Most of my growth came from Sunday sermons and Christian books I read- I survived on other people explaining God’s Word to me. 

My problem? I didn’t understand the worth of Scripture! I didn’t understand how much my soul needs the Word of God to survive and thrive. 

I saw my time in Scripture as a task to complete, a command to obey, something I should do because that’s what good Christians did. 

I failed to see the Bible as spiritual nourishment for my heart. 

God’s Word = Food

A huge turning point came for me when I heard some teaching comparing God’s Word to food. Just as our physical bodies need food to grow strong, to nourish our cells, and even to stay alive, so our souls require the Bible for sustenance. 

If I stopped eating, my body would become weak and eventually it would shut down. As a Christian, if I ignore the Bible and don’t make time to read it, my soul will become weak and unable to function well. It would be crazy for me to choose to quit eating. And if you think about it, it’s crazy for a Christian not to nourish themselves with the word of God! 

We actually see the food illustration used a few times in the Bible. 

I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread. Job 23:12

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth. Psalm 119:103

But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’.” Matthew 4:4

I love the words Jesus quotes in Matthew 4. We can’t survive on food only, we need the words of God! 

One of the most poignant passages for me has been this verse in Jeremiah. 

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart. Jeremiah 15:16

Notice in this verse, Jeremiah says that God’s Word became a joy to him and the delight of his heart...but how did that happen?

He found the words of God and “ate” them. He read them and meditated on them. He learned them. Perhaps he memorized them.

He knew God’s words!

The point is, before God’s words delighted Jeremiah’s heart, he spent some time with them. I learned that I needed to do the same.

I asked God to give me a desire for His Word. I learned to love the Bible by reading it and thinking about it, by talking about it with my husband and friends, by memorizing it, and by listening to scripture-filled music. 

The more I consistently filled my mind with God’s Word, the more I realized how much I need it! As I began to open my Bible more often, I began to look forward to reading it. 

Guilt

Bible reading is a topic that often brings up feelings of guilt and shame for Christians. We’ve failed at Bible reading plans in the past, and we don’t want to try again and risk more failure. We’ve come across difficult verses or chapters and felt embarrassed that we don’t understand what they mean. We don’t want to admit how many times we’ve chosen naps, television, and social media instead of God’s Word. Bible reading feels like a chore we’ve been assigned, and even thinking that makes us feel guilty. 

Does this sound like you? 

I felt this way for a long time. But as I spent more time reading the Bible, I realized that it isn't a chore. It isn’t a task that earns me more favor with God. Reading Scripture is how I can know God! When I changed my focus from completing a task to trying to see God in His Word, everything changed. 

The Bible is the story of who God is and how He has demonstrated His love to humans throughout history. If we approach our Bible reading with this mindset, it becomes a way to learn more about who God is and to grow closer to Him as we understand Him more. 

Over the past few years as I’ve learned to love the Bible more and spent more time reading it, I’ve seen God work  in my heart in ways He never has before. He has grown me and changed me to be more like Him, and He has used His Word to do it. 

Read God’s Word, and watch Him change you! 

Here are a few tips that have helped to spend more time in God’s Word. 

1. Just read it! Just read. Fancy commentaries and Bible studies can be helpful, but they’re not necessary for reading God’s Word. You don’t need a brand new journal and a perfect pen to glean something from Scripture. A quiet house and a steaming cup of coffee are not necessary to have a productive devotional time. Don’t allow a desire for perfection to keep you from reading the Bible. God’s Word is effective even if it is read in a messy kitchen or at a noisy soccer practice! 

2. Ask yourself, “What does this chapter/verse/passage teach me about God?” This helps me to focus in and find something to glean from what I’ve read. Sometimes I get a little too focused on myself, so asking this question helps me to remember that the Bible is all about who God is. 

3. Use an audio Bible! I used to think that listening to an audio Bible didn’t really count as reading it, but someone pointed out to me that for many many years most people didn’t have access to their own Bible to read- they only heard it read aloud! (See Nehemiah 8 for an example.) Using an audio Bible has been so helpful for me on days when I don’t seem to have the time to read. I listen when I’m washing the dishes or folding laundry, or when I go on a walk. I’ve even found that I retain it better when I listen while doing a task with my hands. YouVersion is a free app that has an audio Bible. Go download it! 

4. Don’t let a Bible reading plan stress you out and cause you to give up. Bible reading plans are great. I’ve found one that I love and have been using for a couple years. But too often I hear people say they haven’t been reading their Bibles because they’ve gotten too far behind in their reading plan and they can’t catch up. It doesn’t matter if you follow a plan perfectly! It doesn’t matter if you read through the whole Bible every single year. What matters is that you spend time in God’s Word and get to know Him more! Please don’t let the desire to complete a Bible reading plan perfectly paralyze you and stop you from spending regular time in Scripture. Just read something today! 

I hope these suggestions are helpful to you, but mostly I hope you are encouraged to open your Bible today. I’d like to share a promise from the book of Isaiah:

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 

Isaiah 55:11

When your Bible reading seems dry and boring, when you don’t feel like reading, when you don’t totally understand a passage, find hope in this promise. God’s Word won’t return empty! As you keep being faithful in reading, He will be faithful to change you more and more into His image. 

Follow the Good Shepherd

There are a lot of competing voices in the world vying for your attention, but there is one voice you must listen to. There is only one true Shepherd- listen and follow His voice!

The Voice of the Shepherd

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. John 10:1-6

The book of John highlights a conversation Jesus had with the Pharisees- a very contentious and frank conversation. In chapter 10, He begins a parable dealing with a sheep pen, sheep, a shepherd, a gatekeeper, and a door.

The hearers would have understood the basic structure of the sheep pen and that there was only one legitimate way to enter it. 

Just like the sheepfold, there is only one way for people to enter God’s kingdom. There is only one door! 

Don’t try to get into the kingdom another way.

If you follow any other way, Jesus promises that you are not following the ONE and ONLY WAY, the ONE and ONLY shepherd of your souls, Jesus. If you follow the ways of the thief and the robber, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Christian, you have a responsibility to walk, keep, seek, follow, fully and steadfastly obey, consider, live out, be taught by, recount, rejoice, and meditate on the VOICE of our Savior!

We don’t need to listen to our inner voice. That voice has gotten me into trouble more times than I care to admit! We don’t need to listen to the competing voices of the world. There is no hope in those voices. We need to listen to the voice of the Shepherd who is leading us on the long journey home. 

There is only one true Shepherd. Are you following His voice?

The Door of the Shepherd

Did you know God is concerned about your security? He is! And that is why He sent the ultimate door that can never be broken down...Jesus.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:7-10

Quite literally the shepherd would act as the door to the sheep pen. At night he would lie in the gap between the stone walls protecting the sheep inside the pen from animals, robbers, or thieves. 

What makes Jesus the Door so unique? The Good Shepherd is a divine door that opens to eternal life. There are all kinds of doors that make all kinds of promises but only open to lies and hopelessness. 

The Divine Door- Jesus- opens to HOPE!

The word saved in this passage is best understood safe. Jesus is saying that a good shepherd will provide safety for his sheep. There is eternal significance here as well. His sheep are eternally safe from eternal death! 

As if there is something better than the promise and hope of eternal life, look at the last part of verse 10. “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

The abundant life is the full and overflowing life! Full and overflowing with what? It is a full and overflowing spiritual life! This is the abundant life God’s door opens to. A life that is contrary to the life the world offers. 

I look at the life that most Americans are running after- the “American Dream”- and yet I read that there are higher rates of stress, depression, and hopelessness than ever before. Why? Because this isn’t Heaven. 

It makes sense that the unbeliever would pursue this “dream” here and now. Riches, comfort, and happiness in this life is all they have to hope for. 

CHRISTIAN! DO YOU REALIZE YOU HAVE MORE TO HOPE FOR THAN THESE THINGS?

You will have more riches, comfort, and happiness than you will know what to do with in Heaven?

But until then, are you living in light of who you are in Christ? Are you living the abundant life now? 

Satan wants God’s sheep to feel and act fearful, anxious, and timid. But God’s sheep are no ordinary sheep because God’s sheep are in Christ. We are secure! We are bold because we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and we are capable through Christ to accomplish great things for Christ. 

The Life of the Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:11-13

The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Jesus values His sheep that much! He is willing to face personal harm in order to ensure the safety of His precious sheep. Jesus would not only die, but He would do so willingly. 

This is the gospel. We are not all automatically His sheep. We must be purchased so that He might be our shepherd. The life of the Good shepherd appeases the wrath of God so that the sheep are not destroyed by it. Jesus took God’s wrath for you. 

Why? Because of His great love for you. 

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. John 10:14-18

In verse 14 John points out that the Good Shepherd not only lays His life down for His sheep, but He knows them. 

If you are in Christ, the Good Shepherd knows you! He has an intimate and extensive knowledge of who you are. He knows the very number of the hairs on your head. He knows every cell in your body. He knows your thoughts before you think them and He knows your actions before you do them. The astounding thing is, He still loves you with an everlasting love!

Oh, and by the way, you know Him, too! From the day you became a follower of Jesus Christ you have been given the capacity to KNOW God! He has given you a hunger and thirst for righteousness. And He who began that good work will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus!

The Deity of the Shepherd

In John 10, we have seen different facets of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Now we’re going to look at perhaps the most important aspect of our Good Shepherd- His deity. 

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.” John 10:22-26

God had long testified about the coming of the Messiah and so this scene is a bit mind-boggling. Why?

The One this people had longed for over the centuries had finally arrived and they didn’t like what they had been given. 

The Pharisees asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Why would they say this?

The Jewish leaders wanted to pin Jesus down and thus have cause to get rid of Him, discredit Him, or even kill Him. What they wanted was a clear testimony from Jesus about who He claimed to be so that they could use it against Him!

Jesus looks them square in the face and says, “I have told you this over and over. The problem isn’t my telling; it is your hearing.” 

The Jewish leadership had a hearing problem. Their ears were stopped up with sin and so they couldn’t hear the testimony of the Messiah!

Again, He speaks to their main issue. It is not because He has not told them, it is rather because of their hard-hearted unbelief. Unbelievers do not believe all that Jesus has to say. Simply stated, they are not His sheep. 

Do you believe what Jesus says about Himself?

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one. John 10:27-30

Sheep hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. They are His. The genuine sheep hears the voice of the Good Shepherd. We hear and we know the truth that comes from God, our Heavenly Shepherd.

Sheep are known intimately by the Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep! He knows each one with all their imperfections, idiosyncrasies, and sinful desires, as well as talents, abilities, and personalities. If you are His sheep, rest assured, your shepherd knows you from top to bottom and back around again. He knows the good, the bad, and the ugly. And guess what? He loves you!

Sheep follow the Good Shepherd. Jesus says His sheep not only hear His voice and are intimately known by Him, but they follow Him. In other words, the sheep do what the Good Shepherd wants- they obey!

The Good Shepherd gives eternal life. The Jews listening to Jesus must have been flabbergasted for they knew eternal life came through a strict adherence to the Law. But here, Jesus claims to be the one who gives eternal life! What an amazing proclamation!

The Good Shepherd is God, very God!

Do you hear His voice? Does His Word resonate with your soul? Do you praise Him that you are known by the omnipotent God of the universe? Do you follow the Savior? This is the crux of the Christian life. The Good Shepherd, Jesus, has led the way and expects His sheep to follow. Are you following Him?

8 Standards of Christ's Kingdom

In Matthew 5:1-12 Jesus clearly lays out what it takes to be part of His Kingdom.

There are eight standards in these verses that I would like to draw your attention to.

If you name Jesus as your King, each of these MUST be true of you or you have NO part in His Kingdom!

In His own words, Jesus said, “You are either for me or against me.

The King’s subject must be destitute. 

Before we discuss this, I want to point out  the term “blessed” which means “happy, fortunate, and blissful.” However, we must understand this term with the undertone that I believe Jesus intended as He spoke to the faithful.

Here is how I would define “blessed” -a deep, abiding joy based not on one’s circumstance but on the God of the circumstances.

So, for each Beatitude a blessing is PROMISED for a STANDARD lived. And the standard here is that the disciple must be destitute -poor in spirit.

What is poor in spirit?  It is when you come to grips with the fact that you are spiritually bankrupt! You have nothing to offer. You are dead in your sin and destined to spend eternity in Hell. 

For the disciple, the subject of Christ’s Kingdom, it is a continual reminder that if it weren’t for God’s grace and mercy, I would be lost, lost, lost! How dare I ever be arrogant! What do I have to offer the King? Nothing, so I MUST be poor in Spirit!

All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. Isaiah 66:2

Are you poor in Spirit? Then the Kingdom of God is yours now, present tense. Starting in your heart and culminating with Christ’s literal, future rule on this earth!

The King’s subject must be broken. 

The fact is we are all broken and in desperate need of repair. When we come to terms with our sin it breaks our hearts.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

The weight of our sin should break us. We should be like Isaiah when confronted with the holiness of God.

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Isaiah 6:5

We should be disgusted by our sin, not revel in it.

Repulsed by our transgressions, not enthralled with them.

We should sound like Paul when it comes to our sin:

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Romans 7:24

By the way, Paul was a seasoned Christian when he penned those words...And like Paul, we must continue to mourn over our sin.

The unbelief that creeps into our hearts over time.

The barrenness we allow to overtake our soul.

Our lack of communication with God.

"Prone to wander, Lord I feel it! Prone to leave the God I love!"

What Jesus is saying here is this...His subjects must live a life of continual repentance. You must keep your sin-list with God short and never, NEVER grow comfortable with sin!

Are you broken by your sin? Let Christ comfort you!

The King’s subject must be compliant. 

Meekness is not weakness. We hear the word meek and we instantly imagine a coward, someone who hides in the corner or runs away in fear. But that's not what the word means at all.

John MacArthur says, "Meekness is the opposite of being out of control. It is not weakness, but supreme self-control empowered by the Spirit."

And that is what the subject of Christ’s Kingdom is, meek, under control.

Not fly-off-the-handle, lose your cool, hot-tempered, but meek. Strong, but under control. Knowing that your words have the power to hurt or heal. Your actions have the power to injure or encourage.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

If you are truly poor in spirit, if you are truly mournful over your sin, you will be meek and you will inherit the earth. 

The King’s subject must be needy. 

We live in a needy culture.

I need a new house, I need a new car, I need this, I need that!

As a subject of the kingdom, there is something I truly need.

I need to be filled with righteousness! I need to hunger and thirst for it. How does this hunger and thirst become satisfied? In salvation, Christ imputes, or assigns His righteousness to me.

For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

I have no righteousness of my own. I am in desperate need of Christ’s.

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 42:1-2

We yearn to be more like him! We long to know Him and the power of His resurrection. Just like our physical hunger and thirst are perpetual in this life, so we continually desire for His righteousness.

Are you needy for Jesus? You need Him far more than you realize.

The King’s subject must be merciful. 

“Mercy is love for those in misery and a forgiving spirit toward the sinner. It embraces both the kindly feeling and the kindly act.”- William Hendricksen

The subject of Christ’s Kingdom understands mercy. Their account with God was so great there was no way they could pay the enormous debt owed. All they could do, all I could do was fall down before Him and hope for mercy. And He gave it RICHLY! Liberally!

How then could a disciple of Christ withhold mercy from another? They shouldn’t, they can’t!  In fact it is a barometer of whether you are a believer or not.

But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:15

Jesus promises that those who give mercy will receive it.

The King’s subject must be untainted. 

The Scriptures are clear.

None is righteous, no not one. Romans 3:10

Then how could Jesus say “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God"?

Isn't this a paradox?

No, not at all, for all things are possible with God. He gives His subjects a spiritual heart transplant!

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

He cleanses His disciples and gives us the propensity for purity!

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18

You can be pure! You can say no to sin! You can be whole!

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 

"Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth." 1 Peter 2:21-22

Because of Jesus, we can have victory over sin.

The King’s subject must be a reconciler. 

We are no more like God than when we help people make peace with God...in fact Jesus refers to peacemakers as sons of God!

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. Colossians 1:19-22

As shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

As subjects of Christ's kingdom, we are called to share the good news of Jesus with others and to show them how to make peace with God.

Are you helping people to be reconciled to God?

The King’s subject will be persecuted. 

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12

Persecution of believers has been a long standing tradition!

Cain killed Abel...

Joseph was persecuted by his brothers, and in Egypt he was thrown into prison...

Moses was reviled again and again...

Isaiah was reportedly sawn in two...

Nehemiah was oppressed and defamed...

Jesus Himself was put to death...

Stephen was stoned...

Peter and John cast into prison...

James beheaded...

The Apostle Paul’s Christian life and ministry was one long series of bitter and relentless persecutions..

Believers will be persecuted!

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. John 15:19-20

But Jesus says that when we are persecuted, we are blessed. He says, the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are persecuted.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5

We should consider it an honor and a joy to suffer for Christ.

Destitute.

Broken.

Compliant.

Needy.

Untainted.

A Reconciler.

Persecuted.

Talk about a counter-cultural way of life!

If you simply made it your goal to live out the standards of Christ’s Kingdom, what would your life look like? What kind of impact do you think you would have on those around you?

Are you a subject of the kingdom of Jesus?

It's About Time

Busy! Busy, busy, busy! I am JUST SO BUSY!

When I ask people how they are doing, a vast majority of the time their response is “I am just so BUSY!”

I don’t doubt them, I’m sure they legitimately are “busy”. The question is, busy doing what? What are we so busy doing? And the next question is, “Should we be busy doing what we are so busy doing?”

These are questions we must, especially as believers in Christ, grapple with. 

Now, I love planning. I have my planner, I set my goals, I try to carry out my tasks with faithfulness and productivity! And no doubt you have a planner or a calendar that is full of the things you have determined should be accomplished in your day, week, month, year, etc…

But what about God’s plans for you? What about God’s calendar? Do you have the same agenda for yourself that God has for you? Have you considered this as a possibility? 

If we are going to be busy, perhaps we should be busy doing the things the Lord has on His planner for us. Well, there are many tasks or projects the Lord wants us to be doing. And I am excited to share two of them with you from Colossians 4:5-6. One of them has to do with how you WALK and the other has to do with how you TALK. 

1. Use Your Time Wisely as You Walk with Unbelievers 

Every day, you and I walk among those who do not believe. In fact, in most cases we are surrounded more by unbelievers than believers! They are either alive in Christ or the “walking dead”!

In his book “The Weight of Glory”, C.S. Lewis says, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” 

Such a profound thought! Jesus tells us clearly that there are more unbelieving than believing.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14

And so the Apostle Paul gives a clear admonition to those in Colossae and to us today on how we are to walk. 

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Colossians 4:5

Walk in WISDOM toward outsiders -Who are outsiders? Those who have yet to bow the knee to Jesus Christ. Those who are not followers of Christ. And the challenge from Paul is that we believers ought to walk in WISDOM around them! What does a WISE WALK look like? Well, he answers the question in the second half of the verse. “making the best use of the time.”

So, a believer is to demonstrate wisdom to the unbelieving world by making the best use of his or her time. What do you think Paul had in mind when he wrote this? Well, we get a clue from another letter that Paul wrote that sounds quite similar…

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17

And we see some similarities...Don’t live your life in an unwise way -be wise! How? By using your time well! Why? Because the days are evil! In other words, as we live in this sin-ravaged world, use your time well not by doing your will, not by doing the will of the world, but by doing the will of the Lord! 

As Christians, we are agents of God sent on assignment. Picture yourself in the morning getting out of bed, hearing the “Mission Impossible” theme playing…

“Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to carefully live your life in a WISE way among outsiders. This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds.” 

You and I, because we are believers, choose to accept the mission. We choose to carefully live our lives in a wise way among outsiders. But where are the instructions on HOW to accomplish this? What does this even look like? 

The wisdom of Christ is the Gospel. You and I have the glorious privilege of carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ to the “walking dead” among us. We have the honor of sharing the life-giving Word of God that is FOOLISHNESS to those who are dying but to those who have ears to hear, it is the sweetest sound one can ever hear. It is the sound of Jesus calling…

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

And the reason He can say that His yoke is easy and His burden is light is that He carried it for you to Calvary and hung on it, having his own soul tormented so you might find rest for yours. He bore the punishment that you so richly deserve and He gave you rest!

This is wisdom! This is the Gospel! And those of us who have submitted our lives to this profound truth now have the privilege to share it with those who are yet to come to faith in Christ. 

You may be thinking, “God could never use me! I have no Bible or seminary degree. I get all tongue tied and sound like a fool! There are way better candidates out there that God can use other than me”.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

The reasons you think God cannot use you for the communication of the Gospel are the exact reasons why He can, and He will. 

So, how do you walk in wisdom? Walk like Jesus!

How do you make the best use of your time? Be a fool for Christ by sharing the wisest message ever given, the Gospel. 

2. Use Your Words Wisely Because You Only Have So Much Time

Paul moves from the feet to the lips. Look at how he finishes his thought…

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:6

Our words are powerful. Solomon reminds his readers of this fact in Proverbs 18. 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21

And so, Paul, with his last admonishment of this letter, instructs this dear church to use their mouths for good! And his first instruction is...“Let your speech ALWAYS be gracious”.

James 3:8 says “no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” And then Paul comes along and says quite the opposite. 

But please notice that James says, “no human being can tame the tongue.”

But God can! God through the power of the Holy Spirit can change the speech of the redeemed man or woman to reflect the character and grace of God Himself. Only God can do this because only God can change the heart.

And so,Paul can legitimately say to these Christians in Colossae and to us as well, “Speak with graciousness”. 

Now certainly we are to do this to all people, but in the context of this passage, Paul is referring to how believers ought to speak to unbelievers. There ought to be a marked difference in how a believer speaks in the world verses the unbeliever. 

Grace (χάρις) -attractiveness, charm, winsomeness, favor, care/help, kindness.

This is how I picture Jesus talking with most people. I believe He spoke the truth in love! I believe He was charming, winsome, and kind. 

 Why would the woman at the well in John 4 continue to engage in a conversation with a Jewish Rabbi unless he was gracious in his speech? He said very hard things to her and about her. He knew she was in an adulterous relationship and told her about it and yet she wasn’t offended to the point of leaving the conversation! We don’t have the benefit of hearing the intonation of the exchange between Jesus and this woman, but I am willing to bet that even though He spoke hard truth to this unbelieving woman He did it with an abundance of grace and winsomeness.

We must speak truth to people. The unbeliever who remains unconverted will spend an eternity in hell. This is the raw, unadulterated truth. 

By the way, what does this truth do to your heart? Does it break it? Does it tear it up? Does it cause compassion to well up in your soul? 

That person you have worked with for 5 years that doesn’t know Jesus will spend eternity in hell unless they turn from their sin and turn to Jesus as their only hope for eternal life! Do you talk with them about this reality?

How do you talk with them about this reality? If we can learn anything from Paul and Jesus, it is we are ALWAYS GRACIOUS in how we talk to those who need Jesus. 

But Paul doesn’t stop with graciousness. Because gracious speech in and of itself won’t draw someone into a saving relationship with Jesus. But if you throw a little salt in there, well, now you’re going to make them a little bit thirsty! I’m sure you have heard the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” Well there’s another saying that goes along with that one...“But you can put salt in their oats.” Why in the world would you put salt in a horse’s oats? Well, to make him thirsty of course! 

Friends! You need to put a little salt in your gracious speech to make people thirsty for more!

You only have so many words to speak over the course of your life. And when I think of some of the foolish things I have said, it’s embarrassing! Why not purpose to do what Paul says in this passage? When it comes to dealing with that lost friend, neighbor, family member, whomever God places in your path, let your speech ALWAYS be gracious -and put a little salt in so they get thirsty for more -that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Why don’t you try it this week? I’m sure you can find some time to obey the Lord and talk to someone about Jesus this week. Pray each day for God to direct you to the person who needs to hear about Jesus. And then, do it! Start up a gracious conversation with them and then ask them a salty question and see where God takes it! 

Yes, we are busy people and our day planners and calendars are full to the point of overflowing! But, If we are going to be busy, perhaps we should be busy doing the things the Lord has on HIS PLANNER for us. 

In light of this, what changes do you need to make to your planner to accomplish what God has for you in the time He has given you? May you make the BEST use of the time He has entrusted to you!

God's Pop Quizzes

For some reason, the education process is met with reluctance. Perhaps it is because the process has built-in accountability along the way. That accountability is also known as testing. Testing ensures students are driven to learn. No testing, no pressure. No pressure, no tangible, immediate reason to learn. 

God gives believers tests all the time! Think of them as “God’s Pop Quizzes.”

Should we moan and complain like we did when we were in school when we had to take a pop quiz? No, We should embrace testing because we know that God’s Pop Quizzes are for our good!

There are 5 things you need to know about God’s Pop Quizzes…

1. Expect God’s Pop Quizzes

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12

We shouldn’t be shocked by trials for the simple reason that we live in a sin-cursed world. When we become a follower of Christ, our perspective changes. We start to live for Jesus. And when we live for Jesus, the world cannot understand it and is willing to persecute us for it. 

Church tradition holds that after Paul's death, Timothy served as bishop of the church at Ephesus, a seaport on the west coast of Asia Minor, until A.D. 97. At that time a group of pagans were celebrating the feast of Catagogion, a festival in which they carried images of their gods about the streets. Timothy met and scolded them for their idolatry. They beat him with clubs, and he died two days later.

This is the reality the churches faced in Peter’s day and it is becoming more and more of a reality for us today. Christians around the world are being persecuted and killed for their beliefs daily. While we haven’t experienced this yet in America, no doubt that day will eventually come.

What should we do?

Be bold and be prepared!

2. Rejoice in God’s Pop Quizzes

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:13-14

Two times Peter uses the word REJOICE. First, believers are to rejoice when we share in the sufferings of Jesus. We know sufferings will come, and we dare not shrink away from them. In fact, simply enduring suffering isn’t sufficient. No, we are to rejoice in them. To be glad for them! To celebrate them! 

Why? Well, he answers it with the second REJOICE. We rejoice in the midst of the test because we have faith in our future rejoicing! Christ’s glory will be revealed at the second coming where everyone will see Him for who He is! 

The believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit because of Christ and as a result should be fully satisfied no matter the circumstances. Why are you blessed? Because the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you. 

In the Old Testament, after the Exodus, God manifested Himself to the children of Israel in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. This was referred to as the shekinah glory cloud. Later when the tabernacle was built and then the temple, the cloud would fill the holy of holies again representing the presence of Yahweh.

Because Jesus’ death tore the temple curtain in two and allows us to be in relationship with God, Christians have this same Spirit of Glory and of God resting on us. When a believer suffers, God’s presence specially rests and lifts him to strength and endurance beyond the physical dimension.

Don’t fret about future persecution. God’s future grace will get you through when you need it. 

3. Don’t Be Ashamed During God’s Pop Quizzes

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 1 Peter 4:15-16

As Peter has said before, if we as Christians break human laws, we ought to be punished accordingly. 

For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 1 Peter 2:20

Here again Peter challenges us with the fact that as Christians we no longer live like the unbelieving. If we are to suffer it should only be for righteousness. As Christians we are not to resort to murder, thievery or any kind of evil. 

As a Christian, we are to return good for evil!

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:14-21

Look back at verse 16 and see what Peter is saying here. If you suffer as a Christian, don’t be ashamed! Don’t be embarrassed! Don’t feel humiliated! Instead, glorify God!

4. Witness While Taking God’s Pop Quizzes

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 1 Peter 4:17-18

There is this idea in some Christian circles that once a person becomes a Christian, their life is filled with love, joy and peace without the faintest hint of trial and tribulation. And if you do come into contact with trial and tribulation there is something wrong with your faith. Well, that simply isn’t true! Consider the Apostle Paul who had a thorn in his flesh.

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

God tests His people for the purpose of purification. He uses it to refine us and grow us into the image of His son. Nothing is ever wasted and some of the best things I have learned are from the hardest trials God has brought me through. 

If God isn’t afraid to use hard and difficult means to purify, cleanse, and make Himself a holy people, how will he treat those that reject the Gospel?

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” . . . Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. . . . And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46

When you are enduring the pain of God’s testing just remember two things…

1. God is using this test to help you be more holy and to grow in the grace and knowledge of his truth. 

2. This is as bad as it gets for you. This is as good as it gets for the unbeliever. Allow the trial to cultivate compassion in your soul for those that are lost!

It was the suffering of Christ on the cross that caused the guard to say, “surely this man was the Son of God!” 

It was the suffering of Paul and Silas in jail that caused the Philippian jailer to take the faith seriously.

It was the suffering of the church in Thessalonica that caused the Macedonian world to take notice and hear the gospel of Jesus Christ! 

People want to know if what we believe is worth dying for. And when they see what we are willing to endure for our Savior, then our faith becomes compelling for them to consider. And so, in the midst of our own trial, as hard as it may be, we must turn our focus to the needs of those around us who have a far greater need...an eternal one!

Pray that God will help you to have a heart for those who are heading toward a Christ-less eternity...no matter what trial you are enduring at the moment.

If we do not have the correct perspective, suffering can derail us into a mire of despair and hopelessness. We might start to ask, “Why is God doing this to me?” 

And with the wrong perspective, we can come to some very wrong conclusions. This is why it is crucial for us to be people of the Book! It is in the Bible we learn that God is molding and making us into His people. And trial and tribulation are his main crafting tools to accomplish such a task!

This is the secret, folks! If you are a Christian, you have already trusted Christ for your eternal life...Now, how about trusting him with every detail of your life?

Though He slay me, I will trust in him. Job 13:15

That is exactly what Jesus did…

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:21-25

Christian, What is your attitude toward God’s Pop Quizzes? Ask Jesus to help you trust him more and more! 

Remember the words of Job.

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. Job 23:10

Find Hope and Encouragement in These 3 Questions

Is there anything better than a steaming cup of coffee first thing in the morning?

Do birds fly? Can fish swim? 

 I’m sure you’ve used these kinds of rhetorical questions before. 

The dictionary defines rhetorical question as “a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer”.

In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions in order to prove a powerful point- God is greater than anything we will face! 

Question #1: If God is for us, who can be against us?

The world is against us.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:19

Our flesh is against us.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:17

Satan is against us.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

But God is greater!

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31

The world, the flesh, and the devil are warring against our souls but they will not prevail if we are in Christ!

Look again at the second part of Romans 8:31…

If (since, because) God is for us, who can be against us? 

This rhetorical question is designed to give us hope that we will never face condemnation again. God, through Christ, has paid our sin debt and we are his children. There is none greater than God and if He no longer condemns us, we have nothing to worry about!

Our salvation is sealed, and until our salvation is complete and we see Christ face to face, we press on toward the mark! And because He is for us, we never give up in the midst of the intense battle of this life. We have a God who is a warrior and He is fighting for us.

You will face challenges this week. But God is greater! Do you believe it? 

Question #2: Who has sacrificed more than God?

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32

Let’s talk salvation for a minute in light of this verse. 

The text clearly says...God the Father did not spare (set aside, preserve, protect) his own Son but gave Jesus up for us all, who are sinners and enemies of God.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

God is not a faraway despot, an autocratic narcissist demanding our allegiance and worship at no cost to Him personally! HE GAVE HIS SON SO YOU COULD ENJOY HIM FOR ALL ETERNITY!

I cannot fully comprehend the transaction that took place on the cross 2,000 years ago. But somehow the Trinity became fractured for a time. The Father not only separated from the Son, but He punished His Son by pouring out His unmitigated wrath upon Him so you could receive forgiveness and become His child. 

He executed this plan, formulated before the foundations of the earth. 

Why? LOVE! His LOVE for you! 

If you are not in Christ, please, turn to him!

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:18

If you are in Christ, look at the last half of verse 32.

...how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 

Believer, do you see what Paul is saying here? Look at what God lavished on you while you were his enemy! He sacrificed His beloved Son so you could live eternally and not be eternally condemned in Hell! 

If God treated you that well while you were his enemy, imagine how well he is going to treat you now that you are his son or daughter! 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”. 1 Corinthians 2:9

Believer, He has given you a new life bought not with silver or gold but with the very lifeblood of His precious Son Jesus! 

Question #3: Who can accuse the people of God?

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:33-34

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? The fact is, everyone can! 

The question isn’t IF I deserve accusation. I do. I fall woefully short much of the time. 

But please notice the spirit in which Paul asks this rhetorical question. The assumed answer to this question is “no one!” No one can bring an accusation! 

But how is this possible if I understand clearly that I should be accused and condemned?

This brings us full circle back to verse 1 of chapter 8.

There is therefore now NO condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

We deserve the accusation. We deserve the condemnation. But the condemnation we deserve has been laid upon the one who deserves nothing but praise and worship! 

Again we see God actively orchestrating our redemption through the act of justification. 

When accusations come before my heavenly Father –the judge of the universe –He declares me innocent because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

My justification was born out of His substitutionary atonement –in other words my innocence is only possible because Jesus died for me. 

Believer, the only person that has the right to accuse you has figured out an amazing way to save you and not condemn you! It’s called the gospel! 

Satan can’t accuse us.

We can’t accuse each other.

God chooses not to accuse us, if we are in Christ…

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:35

Separation from Christ’s love is impossible if we understand the gospel. The finished work of Christ has cemented our standing before God.

Paul then gives a litany of possible scenarios that demonstrate clearly His love will never leave us or forsake us. 

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35b, 38-39

But please notice in this list what our loving God will allow to endure as part of our journey in this life. Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword...while the believer may face suffering and persecution in this life, it is not an indication that they have been torn away from the love of Christ. Jesus Himself suffered persecution and so we should expect it too. 

But we have HOPE!  We are loved by Christ and he will never leave us nor forsake us. Nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus.

I’d encourage you to spend some time meditating on Romans 8. Let these verses fill you with encouragement and joy. The word of God brings hope, truth, and healing to our desperately needy souls. Praise God for his kindness to us!

4 Incredible Gifts You Receive In Christ

It is common for runners to "hit the wall" as they push themselves past their comfort level. Here's how the long distance runner Dick Beardsley described it:

"It felt like an elephant had jumped out of a tree onto my shoulders and was making me carry it the rest of the way in." 

Hitting the wall is a very real physical condition. Once carbohydrates and hydration are diminished, the body wants to stop. The body burns out of energy and becomes so tired it can't go forward. 

What is true for the body is true for the soul. Spiritually speaking, sometimes we also hit the wall. We feel like an elephant has jumped on our back. We hit that can't-do-this spiritual fatigue. Life is an endurance race, in which we all will at some point "hit the wall" and want to quit. (1)

Is that you? Feeling like a great big fat elephant is sitting on your shoulders? Are you discouraged? Well, I believe the text of scripture we are going to dive into has the potential to get the elephant off your back and get you back on track!

You Are Unstoppable Because of What You Have in Christ 

When I don’t spend the necessary time balancing my checkbook and keeping an accurate understanding of where we are financially, I get a little bit nervous. Why do I get nervous? Because I don’t know clearly where we stand financially.

I think the same type of worrisome angst can happen to us spiritually if we fail to keep track of where we are at with the Lord. This is Peter’s goal in the first part of his letter to the dispersed Christians who are starting to undergo persecution for the faith. He wanted them to understand clearly what they had in Christ Jesus. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

1. You have the Father’s Great Mercy

Peter is very careful to start verse 3 off with clear praise and blessing to, not only the Father, but to the second person of the Trinity, Jesus. Each person of the Godhead has a distinct role in the salvation process. The Father is the architect of the plan, Jesus is the executor of the plan, and the Spirit of God is the enabler of the plan. Peter blesses God for the plan of redemption. 

A major component of God’s plan is mercy –withholding just punishment. 

Of any of the disciples don’t you think Peter understood mercy the best? Think of how many times Peter deserved the wrath of Jesus on many occasions and yet he experienced mercy instead…

Peter wants the believers in the dispersed churches to remember that they too deserve punishment. They have broken God’s Law over and over and He is perfectly just in sentencing them to eternal Hell. 

But praise God He is RICH in mercy (Eph 2:4). If you are in Christ, you are a beneficiary of God’s great mercy!

2. You have Salvation through the Resurrection

What is the result of His great mercy for the follower of Christ? Salvation! He saved us! 

According to the text, he caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 

Now, let’s spend some time thinking through the implications of this verse. 

God is the cause of your salvation–“Caused us to be born again” is one word in the Greek. Isn’t this an amazing concept? God loves you so much that even though, according to Romans 5, you and I are enemies of His, He desires for us to have new life. 

Dead people don’t know what they want and there is no way dead people can make themselves alive. Dead people are dead until an outside force causes them to be alive. God is that force. God causes your salvation!

Through Christ’s resurrection, God demonstrated His power over death. You have a living hope because you have a living Savior!

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Do you sense the encouragement and hope Peter is offering these churches? He is reminding them what has happened to them and now, he is reminding them what is in store for them. And the same is true for us! Look at verse 4…

3. You have an Amazing Inheritance

God, our Heavenly Father, promises us an inheritance. There is something very special about the inheritance our Heavenly father has for us. Something far better than any estate one can receive in this life. 

Check out the three powerful words Peter uses…

Imperishable–“Not being subject to breaking down, thus lasting forever.” 

If you are in Christ, your inheritance is absolutely, 100% Everlasting! Permanent! Never-ending! IMPERISHABLE! Doesn’t that encourage you? 

Undefiled–“Free from stain or blemish...untainted in the eyes of God.

Unfading–“Characterized by never losing quality or beauty”

Three words that have similar definitions means Peter is making a powerful point here. These three words are a triad of hope! Do you get the sense that the inheritance for the follower of Jesus is a sure thing? But there is yet another promise from God that Peter points out…

Kept in Heaven for YOU!

Your inheritance is secure because whatever God secures is fully secure! Why can Peter make such a bold claim? Look at verse 5…

4. You have a Salvation that WILL be Revealed

...to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 3:4-5

Did you notice what this passage says? Not only is your inheritance being guarded for you, but you are being guarded for your inheritance! Do you see it? God’s power is guarding you! 

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2

For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back? Isaiah 43:13

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me? Jeremiah 32:27

 It is God’s power that is guarding us. 

And if God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

How does God choose to guard us? Through FAITH! Faith is the key. 

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 

Peter is telling his readers that if they have faith, they have a SURE Salvation.

Is it any wonder why Peter starts verse three off with blessing and praising God? If you are in Christ, you are free! You have hope! There is nothing that this life can throw at you that God’s promises do not override. 

Christians should have a holy boldness when it comes to their walk with the Lord. Again, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

You are unstoppable to live out the Christian life because of what you have in Christ! 

Exercise your confidence! According to this text, you have nothing to worry about. Everything you are hoping for...eternal joy, peace, and love are waiting for you on the other side. So while you are on this side, live boldly.

Ask an unbeliever if you can pray for them…

Build a relationship with your neighbor by inviting them over for dinner…

Volunteer at Love INC, The Family Life Center, Forgotten Man Ministries, etc. and give people hope...

Invite someone to do a Bible study! 

What do you have to lose? You are unstoppable! 

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” -Jim Elliot

(1) Adapted from John Bishop, God Distorted, (pp. 171-172)

Does Truth Matter?

Does truth matter?

When the cash drawer is off by $50 at the end of the night, the truth matters. 

When a wife finds evidence causing her to suspect her husband of cheating, the truth matters.

When the courtroom is full and all eyes are on the key witness, the truth matters. 

If the truth matters in these situations, it matters even more when it comes to the state of your eternal soul. We simply cannot afford to ignore the truth - the stakes are too high! 

In John 18, Jesus stands before Pilate. He says, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.” Pilate answers him with a question: “What is truth?” 

Jesus came to earth to show us the truth! In fact, Jesus Himself is the truth. Pilate asks the question “What is truth” to Jesus, who IS the truth. What a beautiful irony!

Jesus never hides this claim. To his disciples he discloses his identity in the clearest terms possible when He says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Truth is embodied in a person- Jesus Christ. Jesus doesn’t just claim to have the truth, He claims to BE the truth. If you want to know truth, you need to know Jesus. 

If Jesus is the truth, then what He says is truth and we must listen, believe, and obey. 

This is my goal with Finding the Truth. It is my desire to help equip believers with the truth as well as compel unbelievers to embrace truth. I’ll be covering topics like “How to Study Your Bible” and “Why You Should Study Theology”, among other things. I’m looking forward to sharing what I’ve learned with you as I grow in my understanding of truth. 

Truth gives life. Truth gives hope. Truth is Jesus! I hope you’ll join me in learning, knowing, and living the truth of Jesus Christ.