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DEVOTIONALS
Designed to encourage and challenge.
ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION
The salvation God provided at the cross leaves no room for doubt. If you have received Christ as your personal Savior, then the Father wants you to be one-hundred percent sure you are saved, and secure in Him. Let me give you a three-fold test you can apply to your understanding of salvation.
First, ask yourself, "What does the Word of God say?" The Bible's teaching about salvation is clear, it leaves no room for uncertainty. Acts 16:31 says it well: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." That's it. No ifs, ands, or buts, it doesn't say maybe, or believe plus....; it just simply says, "believe."
Second, ask yourself, "What is the witness of the Spirit?" Romans 8:16 teaches that " The Spirit Himself testifies that we are children of God." When we by faith receive Jesus as Lord, the Father sets His Holy Spirit within us. This ever-present, indwelling Spirit is the one who enables us to relate to and communicate with God. The eternal witness inside us continually testifies that we are saved....regardless of how our feelings about salvation ebb and flow.
Third, ask yourself, "What is the desire of my heart?" When the Spirit takes up residency within the human heart, changes occur. A yearning for intimacy with the Lord and a sensitivity to His will start to develop. This doesn't mean that we will never sin, but it does demonstrate our born-again spirit reaching out for the Almighty. May I say, you can know that you are saved. If you have made a commitment to trust Jesus Christ and Him alone, as your Lord and Savior, then rejoice today as a saved and secure child of the King. Our salvation is not a hope so salvation, it is a know so salvation. You think about that.
The Price For Rejecting God
Many people believe they will go to heaven because they tried to live a good life. Here is the simple truth. Those who receive Jesus Christ's gift of salvation will spend eternity with God, whereas those who refuse the gift will not. The price for rejecting Christ is separation from God for all eternity.
When a person becomes a believer, he recognizes that he is not good enough in himself to deserve anything from God. Man's sinful nature, which is characterized by rebellion against God, has alienated him from his Creator. No matter how hard a person tries, he cannot avoid sinning again, because he still has his old sin nature. However at the moment of salvation, Christ forgives all his sins, declares him no longer guilty, and gives him a brand-new nature.
Therefore, if a person rejects the truth that salvation comes only through the atoning death of Jesus Christ, he has nowhere else to turn. His good works are not enough to get him into heaven, a place of sinless perfection, because his transgressions remain unforgiven. The penalty for sin is death; [Separation from God] if Christ's substitutionary sacrifice is rejected, the guilty party must pay the price himself.
These words are not meant to scare you into receiving salvation; they are a warning about what the future holds if you reject the Lord Jesus Christ. God has set before you a choice between eternal life and death: "Choose life in order that you may live....by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him" [Deuteronomy 30:19-20].
THE STRUGGLE WITH THE FLESH
When the word flesh appears in the New Testament, it usually refers to our fallen nature within us, that wants to indulge in self-gratification. It is the pattern of thinking and conduct that opposes obedience to God.
When people say, "He's just doing what comes naturally," they are describing someone living in the flesh. Our natural impulses are geared, not toward pleasing the Lord, but toward personal comfort and pleasure. That means doing whatever it takes to satisfy one's own personal lust. People go to great lengths to fill the emptiness within, even participating in the acts of sexual immorality, contention, idolatry, and carousing.....see Galatians 5:16-26. But nothing can truly appease the flesh, which always selfishly wants more.
When an unbeliever acts out of self-interest, believers cannot say he should know better. There is no Holy Spirit inside him to sound the alarm, when he is wrong, or to enable him to act in a righteous way. But the Christian has no such excuse, since God's Spirit dwells within, prompting appropriate behavior and thoughts. However the tug of the flesh remains with the believer, since we do not shed our humanity until we reach heaven. So we still have the capacity to give in to sinful inclinations and sow corruption into our life.
To protect ourselves from fleshly desires, we must place complete trust in the Holy Spirit. Only He can point out sinful actions, thoughts, and attitudes. What's more, He can fill us with the desire to obey God's Word, and enable us to make right choices. You think about that.
THE DANGER OF A HARDENING HEART
So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'There hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.' " [Hebrews 3:7-11]
The Hebrews who left Egypt had proof of God's existence and commitment to them. Yet, when the time came for them to claim their promised land, they hardened their hearts against the Lord and refused to believe He would give them victory over the people living in Canaan. So they rebelled, resisting Joshua and Caleb's pleas and coming up with justifications for their unbelief. Because of their rebellion, God disciplined them with forty years of wandering in the desert.
May I say, the way to a hardened heart is a gradual process. It begins with unbelief; that is, hearing but not accepting all or part of God's Word as true. Instead, a person rebels, choosing to manage his or her own affairs without the Lord's direction, which involves ignoring God's Word, ignoring the conscience, and justifying ungodly behavior. Eventually, the heart becomes so calcified that the individual is no longer affected by the whisper of God's Spirit.
Stubbornly persisting in choosing our own way is dangerous. Not only does the Lord discipline those who rebel against Him; He also withholds blessings. If we take seriously God's warning not to harden ourselves against Him, then we must always be obedient. Over time as our heart grows more receptive to His promptings, we will find that we are unable to make a wrong move without being convicted by the Spirit. You think about that.
A DECLARATION OF LOVE
Henry Morehouse began preaching at the age of sixteen. He always began his sermons with the same scripture, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." He recited this same verse every time he came to the pulpit. Yet he never ran out of things to say.
We can learn a great deal from this preacher. We're always seeking the newest teaching, movement, or fad in everything. We become impatient if we hear the same thing repeated over and over again. We feel that we have to grow beyond such a basic teaching as John 3:16. But, God's Word doesn't say to grow beyond the knowledge of salvation, it says to grow in the knowledge of salvation. You'll never know anything better, higher, or deeper than the love declared for you in that verse. So, distance yourself from the things that complicate your life and your relationship with God and get back to the simplicity of your first love, Jesus Christ. Get back to that simple verse that is as life-changing today as it was the day it first changed your life. You think about that.
ON THE EVE OF DESTRUCTION?
According to the Lord's own Word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [1Thes. 4:15]
Before one country declares war on another country they remove their ambassador. The same will hold true for us as the ambassadors of Christ. God will remove us out of harm's way before He pronounces war on this Christ-rejecting world. Therefore, as members of the Body of Christ we will be delivered from the wrath to come [1 Thes. 5:4-9].
This may well be the year that the Lord returns for His Church. Perhaps even today! It certainly appears the world is on the eve of destruction, as it tries the patience of God. Time may be short! who knows? It could be today, it could be another one hundred years, or even another one thousand years, the truth is no one really knows. But we need to be looking and witnessing, as we patiently wait for the fulfillment of our blessed hope. It is essential that we live in light of the Rapture. So we need to be busy about the Lord's work.
So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me His prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, [2 Timothy 1:8]
Even though the unsaved are oblivious to the perils that await them, it is our responsibility to tell them that God loves them and Christ died for their sins, before it is to late. Don't put off until tomorrow what needs to be done today! D. L. Moody told his Sunday School Bible Class of young people, which was quite a large number at the time, that he would share with them how to be saved the following week. That same evening two-thirds of his class perished in the Chicago fire. Afterward Moody said he would never again delay in telling someone how Christ died for their sins. As God opens up the doors of opportunity, let us be found faithful in our witness. May God bless you child of the King.
SODOM REVISITED
Some years ago, William John became the first homosexual to receive ordination by The United Church of Christ. Several other denominations received similar revelations regarding the holiness of homosexuality. We know from scripture that the Lord loves homosexuals, but not the sin of homosexuality, just as He loves us but not our sins. We are taught that we must love and pray for people regardless of their sin. For these supposed men and women of God to suddenly "discover" that homosexuality is now fine and holy is a sign of the times we live in. Ministers have become so "enlightened" that they know even less than the citizens of Sodom. The Sodomites at least knew enough not to put on religious airs or invoke the name of God to back up their sin. There was no First Church of Sodom. But leaders of some denominations have established that very thing, which goes to show you that seminaries and collars do not make one godly.
You are responsible for holding true to God's Word. We are not to be swayed by political correctness. Make no deals or compromise with the dark. Be the salt of the earth that God called you to be. Pray for those who are in error that they might come to know the truth. Pray that they will receive the gift of salvation. May God bless.
MAKING AN IMPACT
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. [Matthew 5:13-16]
God desires for all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). It is God's will for each of us to live in such a way, that our life would be a godly influence on others. Note in the in text above, Jesus used to very distinct words....salt and light...to illustrate our mission.
Salt is an additive used for flavoring and preserving. Its presence penetrates and spreads throughout any food on which it is sprinkled, and makes a significant difference in flavor. Believers are to function the same way as salt...by spreading the gospel of Christ as we interact with others. Notice also in the text that Jesus warns the saltiness of our life will decrease if we practice ungodly habits and attitudes. Child of God chronic patterns of sin will render us both tasteless and ineffective.
Jesus also calls us to be light, just as He was (John 1:4,9). Light drives out darkness, reveals what is present, illuminates the path, and warns of danger. We are to do the same by reflecting the Savior's presence through our conversation and conduct. May I say just as soot on a glass lantern diminishes its light, sin's presence decreases the validity of our testimony and reduces our influence. The more sin there is in our life, the less divine light we will reflect. You think about that.
HOW OBEDIENCE RELATES TO LOVE
The night before Jesus' crucifixion, He reminded His disciples of the connection between love and obedience. Jesus said "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me" (John 14:21). In God's mind loving and obeying Him are inseparable. May I say we are to have the same mindset.
Question! what commands are we to obey? Jesus said that the Law and the Prophets are summed up in two commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind," and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37,39). Through consistent study of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit will reveal how to live out these commands, and provide us with the power to obey. Every time we submit to the Spirit's leading, we are saying "I love you" to God. When we let go of selfish attitudes and put someone else first, when we show forgiveness instead of anger, when we demonstrate a thankful heart in the midst of hard circumstances, we express love for our Lord. But if we live in conscious, deliberate disobedience to Him, Jesus says we do not love Him. You thank about that.
STUDYING GOD'S WORD
STOP..."Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) Before you open God's Word, stop all other activities and remove distractions. Give the Lord your full attention. Be still and consciously enter into the presence of the Savior. Look unto the Lord Jesus. Do not rush into His presence, but enter reverently and lovingly.
READ..."Give attendance to reading." (1 Timothy 4:13) Read the Word of God thoughtfully and carefully. Plan to read the Scriptures with some sequence. Read a passage thoroughly. It is better to read a short passage well than to read a long portion with little comprehension.
MEDITATE..."Thou shalt meditate therein day and night." (Joshua 1:8) After reading a passage, ask this question, "What is God saying?" Think about what you just read. Meditate on God's Word. Notice key words and phrases, and seek to find God's emphasis. You will likely re-read some portions of Scripture as you meditate on God's message to you.
WRITE..."Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables." (Habakkuk 2:2) As God by His Spirit speaks to you, take the time to write down the truths you are discovering in His Word. Perhaps you have found a promise to claim or a command to heed. Perhaps God has shown you a sin that needs to be confessed or a stumbling block to avoid. In your own words, make a record of what God is saying. Expressing your thoughts in words will help you remember what you have learned about God.
PRAY..."Men ought always to pray, and not to faint." (Luke 18:1) When you are abiding in the Lord and in His Word, you are ready to meet Him in prayer. Our Savior not only longs to speak to us, He also longs to hear us speak to Him. Pray specifically about the things He has revealed to you in His Word.
OBEY..."Observe to do according to all that is written therein." (Joshua 1:8) God's revelation to us demands a response. His Word is to be acted upon. The purpose of knowing Scriptures is not to obtain knowledge, but to glorify God by living in obedience to His will. When the Lord speaks to you through His Word, obey His commands, and obey immediately.
SHARE..."....The same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2) The Holy Spirit will continue to teach us His Word if we are willing to pass it along to others. Deliberately share with others the treasures you have found in the Scriptures. Be a living testimony of the power of the Word of God.
It is my prayer that these seven principles from God's Word, when applied to your study of the Bible, will be as helpful to you as they are to me. May God richly bless.
PRAYING ON THE ARMOR OF GOD
To prepare yourself for each day's spiritual battle, make this prayer, or one like it, part of your morning routine:
Dear Heavenly Father. I know that as I get out of bed today, I'm stepping onto a battlefield. But I also know You have given me everything I need to stand firm against attack. So in the power of Your Holy Spirit, I put on the armor You have provided:
First, I place the helmet of salvation on my head. Protect my mind and imagination. Guard my eyes, that no sin would creep in. Focus my thoughts steadily on the things that please You. Second, let the breastplate of righteousness keep my heart and emotions safe. Third, let me not be governed by my feelings, but by truth. Wrap Your Word around the very core of my being like a belt, and safeguard me from error. Fourth, Dear Lord as I put on the sandals of peace to guide my steps. Plant my feet in Your truth, and empower me to stand firm against attack.
Next I take up the shield of faith. Protect me from the fiery arrows of the Enemy, and create a wall of opposition to the Devil's schemes. And finally, I take up the sword of the Spirit....Your Word. Set in my heart and mind in a fresh and exciting way, Your Word, so I will always be ready to deflect attacks and to pierce hearts with Your truth.
I know that I will face assaults today, Lord, but You have empowered me to stand firm. Give me strength for the battle today. In Jesus Name amen.
Child of God, without your God-given spiritual weaponry, you're as vulnerable as a soldier who shows up for battle wearing only a bathing suit. Get dressed for success! "for the battle is the Lord's"
THE LAW BRINGS A CURSE
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them" (Galatians 3:10). Note! The words continue and all tell us the law demands 100% faithfulness 100% of the time. This may sound unreasonable, but how many married men or women are satisfied with 99% faithfulness from their spouse? If you could go eighty years without sinning, then sin, the law would curse you. This too might sound unreasonable, but if you go eighty years without killing anyone, then snap and kill someone, the law won't let you slide just because you've never done it before, neither will God!
"But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident..." (Galatians 3:11). The Greek word for evident is translated certain when Paul says, "we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out" (1 Timothy 6:7). You'll never see a U-Haul trailer behind a hearse! And it is just as evident (certain) that no one, I MEAN NO ONE! can be justified by the law. Friend you might look good in your neighbor's sight, but we are talking about in the sight of God. Even Abraham looked good to his neighbors, but he couldn't boast before God (Romans 4:2), for God knew he lied about his wife.
No, "...for the just shall live by faith," (Gal.3:11), that is to say the way to be just is by faith. "Yet the law is not of faith, but the man who does them shall live by them" (Gal.3:12). May I say God is fair. If you could obey Him perfectly, He would give you eternal life. It is not technically correct to say the only way to heaven is by faith. But while there are two ways to get to the moon, by rocket and by jumping, one of these two ways is impossible! The same applies to faith that justifies and to the works of the law (Rom. 2:6-10). It is just as impossible to get to heaven by the works of the law, as it would be trying to go to the moon by jumping.
Thankfully "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). "that the blessing (salvation) of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through..." Through what? Through Israel? Through circumcision (baptism)? Through the the law? No...no, but through Jesus Christ.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). Notice it does not say, believe and be good. It just says believe and be saved! "Christ died for our sins...and...rose again" (1 Cor.15:3-4). Friend don't try to add any good works to Christ's finished work. For salvation is for "...him who does not work but believes" (Rom. 4:5).
CAN I COMMIT THE UNPARDONABLE SIN?
And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. (Matthew 12:31)
Read verse 22 through verse 32 of Matthew 12 for the context. Now to answer the question. No one today can commit the unpardonable sin. According to the Bible, the only sin God will not pardon is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, (watch this) Committed by the Pharisees (see context). Though the Jewish religious leaders were shown compelling evidence that Jesus was God's Son, they sought to undermine Him in hopes of maintaining their own prestige. After witnessing Christ's miracles, the Pharisees blasphemed by attributing His supernatural power to Satan. Jesus' response to their sin was a warning that whoever spoke this way against the Holy Spirit would not be forgiven.
Since people living now do not have the undeniable physical presence of Jesus Christ in the world, they can't recreate the Pharisees' sinful event. However, it is possible today to end-up in an unpardonable state. This happens when a person rejects the Holy Spirit's call to salvation and holy living, and then dies in a condition of unbelief.
Here are the stages leading to an unpardonable state. An unbeliever chooses to sin, even though he knows what he is doing is wrong. He resists the Holy Spirit's gentle prompts towards conviction and salvation, and over many years hardens his heart against God. A time comes when the Holy Spirit makes no impression, and any desire for the Lord has dried up. There isn't a sermon or song able to move him. His heart is harden to the gospel message.
No sin can separate you from God's love. Only a conscious decision to reject the Lord can result in you spending an eternity apart from God in a devil's hell. Friend if you are not saved, I beg you please do not wait another minute to receive His offer of salvation.
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