Mark 10:21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
What a hard passage. This rich young man had just assured Jesus that he had "kept all the commandments since his youth"...the first of which is "have no God before Me"Exodus 20:3
This seems to be the commandment we all struggle with, and just like this young man, we often don't see it until we are forced to choose. The tragedy in this case is that when Christ's words revealed the idol, he was not willing to abandon it.
Jesus didn't tell him to sell everything in order to punish him... Jesus loved him, he was simply answering his question... "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"
The answer...worship Me alone...and that will always be the answer.
It was the answer in the garden of Eden, and it will be the answer when Christ returns.
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else...
"He went away sad, because he had great wealth." What irony. The young man walked away from Jesus, and unimaginable riches in Heaven, because he too greatly valued his temporary wealth on earth.
The question is what do you value?.... money? reputation? position? ....when Christ's words reveal your idols will you abandon them, or will you abandon Jesus? Apparently those are our only two options. Jesus Loved him, but as he "went away sad" there were no negotiations.
Tear down, and destroy anything that compromises your allegiance to Christ, then hold on for the ride...because His next words are..."come follow Me"
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
2 Cor 5:17 Gal 2:20 8/18/15
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
God didn't sacrifice His Son to only make you free from sin at your death. He did it to also set you free in your life.
God didn't sacrifice His Son to only make you free from sin at your death. He did it to also set you free in your life.
The high price of our sins is a huge aspect of the Cross, and spending eternity with our Father is the ultimate crown. But that eternity doesn't have to wait. If you are in Christ, your eternity has already begun. The verse doesn't say "will be a new creature", it says "IS a new creature".
What a gift from our Heavenly Father - that the old filth and failures have passed away...they have nothing to do with us anymore. We ARE clean, and new, and free.
By the power of the Holy Spirit we can walk differently than the old creature.
If you have accepted Christ, and you hear a voice talking about your past - you can be sure it is not God...God has taken care of your past - and His voice will always talk about your future.
By the power of the Holy Spirit we can walk differently than the old creature.
If you have accepted Christ, and you hear a voice talking about your past - you can be sure it is not God...God has taken care of your past - and His voice will always talk about your future.
Mercy is an amazing thing, forgiveness is incredible. But being made new...starting over...completely disassociated with the failures of the past. THAT is amazing grace... and an act of loving holiness that we cannot yet fully comprehend.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me
The Holiness of Christ has been forwarded to your account....Don't waste another second in the past. It is no longer your past. The old creature has nothing to do with you. It has been eliminated and in it's place is a new man, washed in the blood and free from the chains.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
James 1:14-15, Romans 6:18, 1 Cor 10:13 8/11/15
James 1: 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Sin is a process.
It's not a one time occurrence that we commit and leave behind. If we entertain evil desires, and are dragged into sin, it starts a process that unless interrupted ends in death. Sin is never stagnant...you are either moving away from it- or moving towards it. When you allow it to take hold in your life it begins to grow and its ultimate goal is destruction.
There are no "pet" sins, or sins that you can control...ANY sin, when it finishes growing - will kill things in your life. Either you destroy sin, or its destroys you.
I talk a lot about God's Grace, and if you know me, you know why... but God knows the destructive power of sin...and His Grace gives us freedom FROM sin, not freedom TO sin.
Roman 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Seize that freedom and never underestimate the destructive power of sin, or the price God paid to deliver you from its' grasp.
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able
Take an honest look at your life, and make sure there are no areas where you are being "dragged" away and enticed. If you are, do whatever it takes to break free, stop the process, and live your life as a slave to righteousness...the only way to true freedom
Sin is a process.
It's not a one time occurrence that we commit and leave behind. If we entertain evil desires, and are dragged into sin, it starts a process that unless interrupted ends in death. Sin is never stagnant...you are either moving away from it- or moving towards it. When you allow it to take hold in your life it begins to grow and its ultimate goal is destruction.
There are no "pet" sins, or sins that you can control...ANY sin, when it finishes growing - will kill things in your life. Either you destroy sin, or its destroys you.
I talk a lot about God's Grace, and if you know me, you know why... but God knows the destructive power of sin...and His Grace gives us freedom FROM sin, not freedom TO sin.
Roman 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Seize that freedom and never underestimate the destructive power of sin, or the price God paid to deliver you from its' grasp.
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Mathew 14:25-31 8/4/2015
Mathew 14: 25 .... Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Many lessons in this passage:
-1. You should be careful what you ask Jesus for.
- 2. Peter shouldn't worry about wind when he is walking on water.
- 3. Peter sank when he looked at the problem instead of Jesus.
- 4. Jesus caught Peter before he went under.
All great lessons, worthy of their own devos
...but today let's talk about how Peter's faith allowed him to do something extraordinary...
Granted, he might have been embarrassed when he sank in front of his friends.
And It probably hurt to have Christ ask why he had doubted.
And when it was over there were 9 or 10 guys who were safe, dry, and warm in that boat.
But in all of history there is only one man other than Jesus who walked on water...Peter.
That's impossible to do when your sitting in the boat.
If you act on your faith you might sink. There may be embarrassment. In the worlds eyes you may fail....but you also might walk on water.
So if you want to do something extraordinary, every morning challenge yourself to keep your eyes on Jesus, and get out of the boat.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Many lessons in this passage:
-1. You should be careful what you ask Jesus for.
- 2. Peter shouldn't worry about wind when he is walking on water.
- 3. Peter sank when he looked at the problem instead of Jesus.
- 4. Jesus caught Peter before he went under.
All great lessons, worthy of their own devos
...but today let's talk about how Peter's faith allowed him to do something extraordinary...
Granted, he might have been embarrassed when he sank in front of his friends.
And It probably hurt to have Christ ask why he had doubted.
And when it was over there were 9 or 10 guys who were safe, dry, and warm in that boat.
But in all of history there is only one man other than Jesus who walked on water...Peter.
That's impossible to do when your sitting in the boat.
If you act on your faith you might sink. There may be embarrassment. In the worlds eyes you may fail....but you also might walk on water.
So if you want to do something extraordinary, every morning challenge yourself to keep your eyes on Jesus, and get out of the boat.
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