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 is a God of second chances. This New Year, it is important to remember that.
Whatever defeated you, whatever held you back in 2015, is part of the "old things" that have "passed away" - and you are "new" in Christ.
The price God paid for your redemption is far too precious for you to hang on to old blame, and guilt. No sin on earth approaches the power of the blood that set you free.
When you place your faith in Jesus, you are not only cleansed by His blood, you no longer bear any resemblance to the sinner who committed those transgressions. You are re-born as a "new creature". God says "...I will not remember your sins" (Isaiah 43:25) because frankly, they have nothing to do with you. "As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)
When you consider the price He paid, you will know it is not a partial fix ... anything that incomprehensibly expensive is, and must be, a final resolution ... if you hear a voice saying you are still stained....it is not God.
Take this new year, and make it a year of Grace... Grace accepted, and grace offered.
As Jesus breathed his last mortal breath he said "It is finished!"... He was referring to your redemption..... live your life in the freedom produced by the finality of that statement.
His mercies are new each morning, and your "newness" was bought at a high price. Use it well.
"Perhaps the butterfly is God's way of showing that you can go through a great deal of darkness, and still become something beautiful" - anonymous
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Luke 2:11 Isaiah 55:9 12/22/15*2*
Luke 2:11
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."
...and that changes everything.
That sentence changed the trajectory of human history forever. Our calendar is based on this event, as though one countdown ended and another began when this child was born.
As you celebrate this holiday season, take a moment to strip away everything that distracts from the actual meaning of Christ's birth. The lights, the gifts, the tree, all of it... even the good things like family, friends, and spending time together...while nice, they have little to do with the actual phenomenon we celebrate.
Forget all the traditions and consider this one moment in history, as though it is the first time you've heard of it..." a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah"
In the greatest act of love ever recorded, God sent a sacrifice to change us from objects of wrath, to objects of love. To offer us a relationship instead of rules. This act of love transformed us from a people separated from a Holy God, to children encouraged to enter the thrown-room and crawl into the lap of the King.
The impact of this birth is impossible to over emphasize, and the benefits of this gift are of a magnitude that we cannot fully comprehend. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9
Enjoy celebrating this Christmas season. Enjoy the blessing of family and loved ones.
But take time to step back, strip away the distractions, and realize that we are celebrating the most pivotal event in all of eternity
....and that this birth, and your response to it.....literally....changes everything.
Merry Christmas
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
2 Corinthians 7:10 Psalm 51:4 John 8:11 12/15/15
2 Corinthians 7:10
10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
We seem to view all sorrow the same way....as something to be avoided. But there is a difference in worldly sorrow, and Godly sorrow.
Worldly sorrow is self focused and does not lead to change. It leads to more self centered sorrow. It produces the self pity that makes us all victims.
Godly sorrow, on the other hand, is God focused and brings us to something vital to salvation...and that is repentance. "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge." (Psalm 51:4)
It is important to realize that Godly sorrow is not repentance...but it leads to it. Godly sorrow is the catalyst that moves us to agree with God's judgement, and change direction, and that is repentance.
To the women caught in adultery Jesus said “...neither do I condemn you,” then He said “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11) We eagerly accept that we are not condemned, but sometimes miss the call to repent. Repentance means we change the reason, and the way we live.
You do not change so you can be saved....you are saved so you can be changed.
The power of the Holy Spirit is what brings repentance, frees you from sin, and allows you to become "a new creation".
There is no way to overemphasis the importance of that fact. If we try to change on our own power, we fall back into worldly sorrow, and continue downward until something dies.
Agree with God. Accept His judgement. Accept His loving Grace.
....then allow His Spirit to lead you to repentance and a life that reflects the trans-formative power of the cross.
"The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance."
10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
We seem to view all sorrow the same way....as something to be avoided. But there is a difference in worldly sorrow, and Godly sorrow.
Worldly sorrow is self focused and does not lead to change. It leads to more self centered sorrow. It produces the self pity that makes us all victims.
Godly sorrow, on the other hand, is God focused and brings us to something vital to salvation...and that is repentance. "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge." (Psalm 51:4)
It is important to realize that Godly sorrow is not repentance...but it leads to it. Godly sorrow is the catalyst that moves us to agree with God's judgement, and change direction, and that is repentance.
To the women caught in adultery Jesus said “...neither do I condemn you,” then He said “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11) We eagerly accept that we are not condemned, but sometimes miss the call to repent. Repentance means we change the reason, and the way we live.
You do not change so you can be saved....you are saved so you can be changed.
The power of the Holy Spirit is what brings repentance, frees you from sin, and allows you to become "a new creation".
There is no way to overemphasis the importance of that fact. If we try to change on our own power, we fall back into worldly sorrow, and continue downward until something dies.
Agree with God. Accept His judgement. Accept His loving Grace.
....then allow His Spirit to lead you to repentance and a life that reflects the trans-formative power of the cross.
"The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance."
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
James 1:2 1 Peter 4:12 Romans 8:39 12/8/15
James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance
To understand this verse we have to understand the meaning of Joy.
Most people confuse Joy with happiness. But it is much deeper, and does not depend on circumstance.
In this verse, trials are seen as "spiritual weightlifting"....and joy is the "burn" you get when it is done correctly. Not a pleasant feeling, but there is satisfaction when it is achieved. That burn tells you that you are getting stronger, and athletes intentionally push themselves until they feel it.
God says Trials should be viewed in the same way. The temporary pain will build permanent endurance.
If our culture lacks anything today, it is endurance. We are accustomed to instant gratification, and we are quick to wave the white flag if things get difficult. It seems we have been taught that it should be easy...but God never said that, in fact He said the opposite:
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." ( 1 Peter 4:12)
In other words, we should not be surprised by trials, and when they come we should view them as opportunities to grow. We must be encouraged when we feel the burn, and know that we are gaining strength.
Add to that encouragement the fact that..." neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:39) .....and that combination of "encouragement and inseparability", is the definition of "Joy".
To understand this verse we have to understand the meaning of Joy.
Most people confuse Joy with happiness. But it is much deeper, and does not depend on circumstance.
In this verse, trials are seen as "spiritual weightlifting"....and joy is the "burn" you get when it is done correctly. Not a pleasant feeling, but there is satisfaction when it is achieved. That burn tells you that you are getting stronger, and athletes intentionally push themselves until they feel it.
God says Trials should be viewed in the same way. The temporary pain will build permanent endurance.
If our culture lacks anything today, it is endurance. We are accustomed to instant gratification, and we are quick to wave the white flag if things get difficult. It seems we have been taught that it should be easy...but God never said that, in fact He said the opposite:
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." ( 1 Peter 4:12)
In other words, we should not be surprised by trials, and when they come we should view them as opportunities to grow. We must be encouraged when we feel the burn, and know that we are gaining strength.
Add to that encouragement the fact that..." neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:39) .....and that combination of "encouragement and inseparability", is the definition of "Joy".
"The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction."
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon
Joy is not in things; it is in us.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
2 Timothy 1:7 2 Cor 10:5 12/1/15
2 Timothy 1:7
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
We live in a culture paralyzed by fear and anxiety. We worry about offending.
We worry about being excluded. We worry about worrying.
All that creates in you something God never intended... Fear
If you are feeling timid or fearful, then those feelings did not come from God.
God has placed you here to accomplish amazing things. There are no JV Christians. No one is second team, intended to watch from the sidelines. God has equipped you with everything you need to make a huge impact on the world around you....but you cannot be afraid.
Instead God has GIVEN you power, love, and a sound mind. You don't have to pray for them -
He has given them to you already....you just have to use them.
Stop letting fear make you weak.
Stop letting hate take away your power.
Stop letting your thoughts control you... instead you control them. God tells us to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5)
Courage is not ignorance of danger, it is simply trusting a power larger than that danger.
If you choose faith and reject fear, it will alter your life. It will let you live, and love courageously.
Let's boldly act with purpose, and impact everyone God puts in our path.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
We live in a culture paralyzed by fear and anxiety. We worry about offending.
We worry about being excluded. We worry about worrying.
All that creates in you something God never intended... Fear
If you are feeling timid or fearful, then those feelings did not come from God.
God has placed you here to accomplish amazing things. There are no JV Christians. No one is second team, intended to watch from the sidelines. God has equipped you with everything you need to make a huge impact on the world around you....but you cannot be afraid.
Instead God has GIVEN you power, love, and a sound mind. You don't have to pray for them -
He has given them to you already....you just have to use them.
Stop letting fear make you weak.
Stop letting hate take away your power.
Stop letting your thoughts control you... instead you control them. God tells us to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5)
Courage is not ignorance of danger, it is simply trusting a power larger than that danger.
If you choose faith and reject fear, it will alter your life. It will let you live, and love courageously.
Let's boldly act with purpose, and impact everyone God puts in our path.
"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point."
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)