11And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God. 13And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. 14And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. 15And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. Exodus 16:1-15(KJV)
Today’s story follows of Moses leaving Egypt, as we follow children of God trudging towards the Promised Land, but looking back over their shoulders to the abundant food they left in Egypt. The talk on the trail may have been of freedom, but in their minds Israel’s children were still slaves. They looked one way and thought another.... They talked freedom, but thought slavery.... They started out watching God as He beckoned them through the clouds by day and the fire by night.... But at the same time they held on to Pharaoh’s hand…! Canaan and Egypt were in the same valley but in extreme opposite directions. To reach one, you had to turn your back on the other... Your Eyes Are On Canaan, But Your Mind Is In Egypt!
Choices There were really only two choices (besides laying right down there in the dust and dying). Choice number one was to return to Egypt. Not a good choice; Pharaoh would have killed half of them and made the other half do twice the work. The other choice was to pay the price for freedom. The Israelites understood hardship, pain and death; after 430 years as a nation of slaves to the Egyptian dynasty, they knew suffering. Now, released by the order of Pharaoh, driven in one night from their homes towards a never-seen land supposedly "flowing with milk and honey", and led by a prophet carrying only a stick and the promises of some God with no name, that they couldn’t see - these slaves were nervous about the future.
Fear Turns to Grumbling
Their fear turned to grumbling - complaining, if you will. This is a good place to begin for anyone in a Christian church fellowship. Like Barney Fife, we ought to nip complaining in the bud!
According to the text (v.4) the Lord sent the manna as a test to see if, when the complainers got what they were asking for, that they would then begin to follow Him. They didn’t! As soon as they got the bread, they complained. That’s not too different from church congregations; many of them today are not growing, fading away to nothing. They call a pastor to lead them, and then complain about everything he does that’s different than what they were doing before he got there. Then, if the church doesn’t grow in spite of their complaining they blame the new pastor for not having vision.
The people of Israel blamed Moses for bringing them out of Egypt to "die in the wilderness". That wasn’t a fact - they survived. But they were afraid, and complaining comes from fear and lack of faith in the leadership God has placed in your midst. Moses equated complaining about God’s chosen leader with complaining against the Lord Himself. (16:7).
Complaining is a sure sign of amnesia, when people have forgotten how God has provided for them. And it is a sign of lack of faith. For the children of Israel freedom was losing its shine when the cost of that freedom - learning to trust and follow God rather than their familiar slavery patterns back in Egypt - became their reality. It is much easier to accept a little certain misery rather than an unknown freedom.
When God Has Set You Free You Should Act Like It! So many Christians pray to be released from habits, only to long for the very thing from which God sets them free. Israel’s people prayed for four centuries to be released from their bondage. When it finally came all they could do was look back towards Egypt.
As we began looking at this passage we talked about profitable lessons. This passage carries the help we need to begin cooperating with God’s declaration of our freedom from such things. There are five points to see:
Decide to Trust God
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”. Proverbs 3:6 (KJV) When the children of Israel finally agreed to trust God, It took them forty years of wandering in the desert, but it did happen, and they stopped complaining against their leadership, and began to move together as a family. I know our nation would be a lot better off if there were less complaining and more decision to trust God.
Plan Ahead to Worship
The manna was to be gathered for 6 days a week. And on that 6th day they gathered two day’s worth. God made a plan for man’s life that includes work, rest and worship.
Gather Every Day - Early!
Having the promise of God is not supposed to take away your responsibilities. In fact, it awakens the true believer as to how he should go about handling his real responsibilities. The children of Israel had a legitimate need - food. They could have spoken to their leaders without grumbling and murmuring. The Bible tells us:
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
Make certain you have your daily manna-time with Jesus.
Don’t Hoard Your Manna. Our needs spiritually are about the same. Many folks, are attempting to live on yesterday’s manna. Friends, living on yesterday’s spiritual experiences as if they are today’s adventure with Christ will starve your spirit. It will turn your service for Christ into a wormy leftover. The reason God gave the children manna fresh every day was so they would learn to depend on Him daily and not wander. It is the same with you. Your daily dependence on Him spiritually is vital to your vitality as a servant of Christ.
Don’t Grumble - Eat Your Manna.
Enough has been laid before you about grumbling. God’s people failed the test time and again because they refused to trust God and cooperate with Him. In spite of it all God provided for their needs. God’s provision for YOU in life can be either a powerful affirmation of your faith as you trust Him without grumbling or it can be a constant reminder of your fear and faithlessness. The choice is up to you. Your Eyes Are On Canaan, But Your Mind Is In Egypt.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Enjoy A Winning Attitude
This week you can enjoy a winning attitude.
1. But seek ye first the kingdom of God
2. Focus on the future
3. Live with a servant’s heart
4. Practice the Praise Principle
5. Reach for God’s Hope
1. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." —Matthew 6:33
Jesus is offering us the supreme blessing of God's presence right now, right here, whatever we're going through, whatever problems or pains are afflicting us, whatever failures or frustrations we're up against so let's look up to heaven and open up our hearts to God. God alone fills the deep hunger of our souls.
How do you connect with God and take His goodness in? There are so many ways.
• Pray
• Read the Bible as God's words to you today
• Confess your sins and thank God for his forgiveness
• Praise and worship God for his goodness
• Thank God for the ways He's blessed you
• Invite God into whatever you're doing right now
• Care for others in Jesus' name
Continually feeding on God in these ways - is how we satisfy the longing of our souls.
"O God, you are my God. my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Because your love is better than life. I will praise you as long as I live. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods." (Psalm 63:1-5)
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
II. Focus on the Future. (Philippians 3:12-14)
“Not that I have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
It is only by the grace and mercy of God that you can forget the past. You may have had experiences in the past that caused you deep hurts. You may have been abused, experienced injustices, bitterness, hatred, and rejection by those you loved. Forgetting – healing of memories – only comes from the grace and love of God. To dwell on the past or focus on the future is up to you. It is a choice you make. You can wallow in the past or chose to focus on the future. Paul testified in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, and the new has come.”
III. Live with A Servant’s Heart. Phil. 2:1-13
A person with a winning attitude is one that has a servant’s heart.
Jesus said: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15
IV. Practice the Praise Principle. Phil. 4:4-9
Paul throughout his life accentuated the positive. He practiced the praise principle. Phil. 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
(1) Practice giving thanks in every circumstance for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thess. 5:18
(2). Surround yourself with positive people. The Apostle Paul continually recruited prayer partners. His prayer partners build him up in prayer and with encouraging words. Negative people do not pray for you and tend to pull you down.
Phil. 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
In your family and marriage what do you look for? Do you look for faults, what is wrong, or do you look for ways to bring the best out of your mate and children? How do you break a negative, nit-picking, fault-finding, destructive cycle in a marriage? Stop centering on what’s wrong. Start looking for what is right and good and focus on those things. The fact is there is good and bad in everyone. The difference is what you focus on.
V. Reach for God’s Hope
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:3-4; Three facts about hope:
Our hope comes from an eternal person;God has given us a living hope through Christ, a hope that will never perish, spoil or fade.
Our hope comes from an eternal promise
“In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:2-3
Our hope comes from an eternal plan
“But God demonstrates His love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8
Hope is a gift from God
Hope is given to all by faith
Hope changes our lives and transforms how we think and how we act
This week you can enjoy a winning attitude.
1. But seek ye first the kingdom of God
2. Focus on the future
3. Live with a servant’s heart
4. Practice the Praise Principle
5. Reach for God’s Hope
1. But seek ye first the kingdom of God
2. Focus on the future
3. Live with a servant’s heart
4. Practice the Praise Principle
5. Reach for God’s Hope
1. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." —Matthew 6:33
Jesus is offering us the supreme blessing of God's presence right now, right here, whatever we're going through, whatever problems or pains are afflicting us, whatever failures or frustrations we're up against so let's look up to heaven and open up our hearts to God. God alone fills the deep hunger of our souls.
How do you connect with God and take His goodness in? There are so many ways.
• Pray
• Read the Bible as God's words to you today
• Confess your sins and thank God for his forgiveness
• Praise and worship God for his goodness
• Thank God for the ways He's blessed you
• Invite God into whatever you're doing right now
• Care for others in Jesus' name
Continually feeding on God in these ways - is how we satisfy the longing of our souls.
"O God, you are my God. my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Because your love is better than life. I will praise you as long as I live. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods." (Psalm 63:1-5)
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
II. Focus on the Future. (Philippians 3:12-14)
“Not that I have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
It is only by the grace and mercy of God that you can forget the past. You may have had experiences in the past that caused you deep hurts. You may have been abused, experienced injustices, bitterness, hatred, and rejection by those you loved. Forgetting – healing of memories – only comes from the grace and love of God. To dwell on the past or focus on the future is up to you. It is a choice you make. You can wallow in the past or chose to focus on the future. Paul testified in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, and the new has come.”
III. Live with A Servant’s Heart. Phil. 2:1-13
A person with a winning attitude is one that has a servant’s heart.
Jesus said: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15
IV. Practice the Praise Principle. Phil. 4:4-9
Paul throughout his life accentuated the positive. He practiced the praise principle. Phil. 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
(1) Practice giving thanks in every circumstance for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thess. 5:18
(2). Surround yourself with positive people. The Apostle Paul continually recruited prayer partners. His prayer partners build him up in prayer and with encouraging words. Negative people do not pray for you and tend to pull you down.
Phil. 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
In your family and marriage what do you look for? Do you look for faults, what is wrong, or do you look for ways to bring the best out of your mate and children? How do you break a negative, nit-picking, fault-finding, destructive cycle in a marriage? Stop centering on what’s wrong. Start looking for what is right and good and focus on those things. The fact is there is good and bad in everyone. The difference is what you focus on.
V. Reach for God’s Hope
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:3-4; Three facts about hope:
Our hope comes from an eternal person;God has given us a living hope through Christ, a hope that will never perish, spoil or fade.
Our hope comes from an eternal promise
“In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:2-3
Our hope comes from an eternal plan
“But God demonstrates His love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8
Hope is a gift from God
Hope is given to all by faith
Hope changes our lives and transforms how we think and how we act
This week you can enjoy a winning attitude.
1. But seek ye first the kingdom of God
2. Focus on the future
3. Live with a servant’s heart
4. Practice the Praise Principle
5. Reach for God’s Hope
Monday, April 27, 2009
"Before You Pray"
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
16“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6: 5-7, 16-18
Most of us would profess fairly easily that we believe prayer is important. Most of us would have to confess, perhaps not so easily, that we do not pray as we should. Part of the problem, I suspect, about our failure to pray more frequently is our feeling uncomfortable in prayer. We don't seem to know "how to" pray.
And because we get all hung up in the "how to" part, feeling inadequate for the task, embarrassed by the act, unable to address God as we feel we should, many of us simply don't. We don't pray.
Prayer represents the most clearly defined means through which the people of God have access to the mind and power of God.
In prayer we stretch out our arms to God, We communicate with God as we allow God to communicate with us, and we find comfort in the fact that God's arms are outstretched to us.
Prayer time is our time to confide in God, as we allow God to influence our attitude, our choices, our behavior, and our deepest longings. In other words, it is through prayer that God will touch us and God will heal us and God will influence us.
Prayer is the time that we gain the strength to become better and to become stronger.
Prayer is the means through which we gain strength to live according to the will of God.
No prayer, no growth. No growth, no prayer.
I have concluded, as I look at this text, that effective prayer has everything to do with attitude. Arrogance, doubt, pride, anger-all of these things will hinder prayer. Selfishness, jealousy, rebellious thoughts-intending to do things that are not pleasing to God even when you pray-all of these things will hinder our connecting to God in prayer.
The words may be right; the position may be right, but if the attitude is not right, if there is too much baggage, if there is too much stuff, too much mess in your spirit, you may miss God. If you are walking around carrying grudges, I want you to know that you may very well have too much stuff going on, on the inside to pray.
It’s one's attitude about sin that makes the difference. Mistakes and moral slip-ups do not impede the possibility of entering into the presence of God. That which hinders our entering into the presence of God is how we view the sin that we commit. If you are comfortable with your sin, if you are making excuses for the wrong that you do, I submit to you that that type of attitude will keep you from praying effectively.
First John l: 8 says, "If we claim to be with¬out sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
If you can rid yourself of five key areas when you fall down on your knees or stand in the presence of God, the power of God will fall down on your life, and God will hear your prayers, and God will move in your situation in real power.
These are:
1. Lack of concern. By nature, you and I tend to be lazy and lethargic when it comes to prayer. The flesh does not want to pray, but the Spirit does. So in our moment of weakness He comes along beside us and helps us want to pray.
2. Lack of communion. Many people don't pray because they feel like there is a distance between them and God. But Galatians 4:6 says, "...God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father." The Holy Spirit helps us sense God's presence-the closeness of our communion with Him-when we pray.
3. Lack of content. As humans, not only do we not naturally know what to pray for, we don't even know how to pray! So what does the Holy Spirit do? He teaches us what to say. How does the Holy Spirit do this? By teaching us to listen. When we listen to God in prayer...when we stay long enough at the place in prayer...God is able to clarify His will and teach us what to say when we pray.
4. Lack of capability. We lack the strength, we lack the energy, and we lack the steadfastness to pray. But the Spirit of God comes along and energizes our prayer lives. When we worship God in the Spirit, we are invigorated!
5. Lack of concentration. Is it strange to you how anything and everything will distract you when you finally try to pray? I'm convinced the devil will do anything he can to keep us from talking to God. So the Spirit of God does warfare against the enemy to help us concentrate when we pray.
As you learn to pray with the power of the Holy Spirit, I want you to remember God is at His strongest when we are at our weakest. Consider what the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10:
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Effective prayer happens when:
One’s spirit is purged of selfish desire and fleshly atti¬tude.
Faith replaces doubt and submission replaces rebellion.
When there is a spirit of cooperation present in the life of the one who prays.
A spirit of cooperation is one that says, “Lord God, just as I am without one plea; I come into your presence. I submit to your lordship. I am determined to get all of the clutter out of my life because I want nothing more than to cooperate with you as you purpose to make my life better.” The best attitude for prayer is the attitude that is humble, receptive, and teachable; this opens up all of the possibilities of God.
When we pray, we do not just pour out our heart to God, but rather we seek God with all of our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength as we seek to communicate with God with the right attitude.
We are justified today if we cry out, "Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me."
Lift up your hands without fear and doubting and stand in the presence of the Lord knowing that whatsoever ye ask in his name, he shall do it, according to his plan.
Guard your heart and guard your mind against the stuff that might hinder your prayer, and when you pray, stand before God and declare, "Lord, all that I am and all that I ever hope to be, I owe it all to thee. God, you've been good to me.”
16“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6: 5-7, 16-18
Most of us would profess fairly easily that we believe prayer is important. Most of us would have to confess, perhaps not so easily, that we do not pray as we should. Part of the problem, I suspect, about our failure to pray more frequently is our feeling uncomfortable in prayer. We don't seem to know "how to" pray.
And because we get all hung up in the "how to" part, feeling inadequate for the task, embarrassed by the act, unable to address God as we feel we should, many of us simply don't. We don't pray.
Prayer represents the most clearly defined means through which the people of God have access to the mind and power of God.
In prayer we stretch out our arms to God, We communicate with God as we allow God to communicate with us, and we find comfort in the fact that God's arms are outstretched to us.
Prayer time is our time to confide in God, as we allow God to influence our attitude, our choices, our behavior, and our deepest longings. In other words, it is through prayer that God will touch us and God will heal us and God will influence us.
Prayer is the time that we gain the strength to become better and to become stronger.
Prayer is the means through which we gain strength to live according to the will of God.
No prayer, no growth. No growth, no prayer.
I have concluded, as I look at this text, that effective prayer has everything to do with attitude. Arrogance, doubt, pride, anger-all of these things will hinder prayer. Selfishness, jealousy, rebellious thoughts-intending to do things that are not pleasing to God even when you pray-all of these things will hinder our connecting to God in prayer.
The words may be right; the position may be right, but if the attitude is not right, if there is too much baggage, if there is too much stuff, too much mess in your spirit, you may miss God. If you are walking around carrying grudges, I want you to know that you may very well have too much stuff going on, on the inside to pray.
It’s one's attitude about sin that makes the difference. Mistakes and moral slip-ups do not impede the possibility of entering into the presence of God. That which hinders our entering into the presence of God is how we view the sin that we commit. If you are comfortable with your sin, if you are making excuses for the wrong that you do, I submit to you that that type of attitude will keep you from praying effectively.
First John l: 8 says, "If we claim to be with¬out sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
If you can rid yourself of five key areas when you fall down on your knees or stand in the presence of God, the power of God will fall down on your life, and God will hear your prayers, and God will move in your situation in real power.
These are:
1. Lack of concern. By nature, you and I tend to be lazy and lethargic when it comes to prayer. The flesh does not want to pray, but the Spirit does. So in our moment of weakness He comes along beside us and helps us want to pray.
2. Lack of communion. Many people don't pray because they feel like there is a distance between them and God. But Galatians 4:6 says, "...God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father." The Holy Spirit helps us sense God's presence-the closeness of our communion with Him-when we pray.
3. Lack of content. As humans, not only do we not naturally know what to pray for, we don't even know how to pray! So what does the Holy Spirit do? He teaches us what to say. How does the Holy Spirit do this? By teaching us to listen. When we listen to God in prayer...when we stay long enough at the place in prayer...God is able to clarify His will and teach us what to say when we pray.
4. Lack of capability. We lack the strength, we lack the energy, and we lack the steadfastness to pray. But the Spirit of God comes along and energizes our prayer lives. When we worship God in the Spirit, we are invigorated!
5. Lack of concentration. Is it strange to you how anything and everything will distract you when you finally try to pray? I'm convinced the devil will do anything he can to keep us from talking to God. So the Spirit of God does warfare against the enemy to help us concentrate when we pray.
As you learn to pray with the power of the Holy Spirit, I want you to remember God is at His strongest when we are at our weakest. Consider what the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10:
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Effective prayer happens when:
One’s spirit is purged of selfish desire and fleshly atti¬tude.
Faith replaces doubt and submission replaces rebellion.
When there is a spirit of cooperation present in the life of the one who prays.
A spirit of cooperation is one that says, “Lord God, just as I am without one plea; I come into your presence. I submit to your lordship. I am determined to get all of the clutter out of my life because I want nothing more than to cooperate with you as you purpose to make my life better.” The best attitude for prayer is the attitude that is humble, receptive, and teachable; this opens up all of the possibilities of God.
When we pray, we do not just pour out our heart to God, but rather we seek God with all of our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength as we seek to communicate with God with the right attitude.
We are justified today if we cry out, "Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me."
Lift up your hands without fear and doubting and stand in the presence of the Lord knowing that whatsoever ye ask in his name, he shall do it, according to his plan.
Guard your heart and guard your mind against the stuff that might hinder your prayer, and when you pray, stand before God and declare, "Lord, all that I am and all that I ever hope to be, I owe it all to thee. God, you've been good to me.”
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A Sermon For Mama
How To Hang In There!
“For which cause we faint not;” 2 Cor. 4:16a; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Keeping on doing what God has called you to. I don't suppose there is anyone more qualified to teach us how to "hang in there" for the Lord than Apostle Paul. Here is a man who endured some of the greatest hardships possible for Christ. He was hated by both Jews and Gentiles. He was misunderstood and attacked even by other Christians. He was eventually executed for nothing more than preaching Jesus Christ. And yet, at the eve of his life, he was able to record, “I have fought a good fight I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”
And I believe 2 Corinthians 4 tells us how he did it.
I. PAUL ACCEPTED THE MINISTRY GOD GAVE HIM. 2 Cor 4:1
Paul's was not an easy ministry. He was not accepted by the other Apostles for several years. He was constantly challenged and questioned even by the other Apostles throughout his ministry. He suffered shipwrecks and beatings and stonings and jailings, on a regular basis. But he accepted the ministry God gave him. The context of this verse is in view of the trials he faced because of his ministry. And yet, despite all that, he simply writes, seeing we have this ministry... we faint not. We would do well to learn from this to accept whatever situations we have!
Sometimes all of us get to looking around and wishing we had it like someone else has it! If we want to continue for the Lord, the first step has to be, to accept the position that God gives us in the work of the Lord! We need to come to the place where we accept whatever ministry God chooses to give or not to give us personally. The truth of it is whatever position we have in the plan of God for the church and for His ministry, IS A MERCIFUL POSITION!
II. PAUL HAD A PROPER PERSPECTIVE OF HIS PROBLEMS verses 8-9
Paul makes four contrasts here;
A. Troubled - not distressed; The word troubled means to be crowded, pressured. The word distressed means to be in calamity. If I can, He is saying that he is squeezed, but not squished!
B. Perplexed - not in Despair; The word perplexed means "at a loss" The word despair means "completely lost"
C. Persecuted - not forsaken; The word persecuted means "hunted" The word forsaken means "deserted."
D. Cast down - not destroyed
What Paul is saying is, "Sure, I got problems, but I am not defeated!"
"I have fallen a few times, but I have always been able to get back up!"
"I have had some times when I wasn't sure which way to turn for a while, but I have never been so lost that I couldn't eventually get out of it!"
I was thinking Troubled, but not distressed. That looks to me to be the in the soul. Perplexed, but not in despair appears to me to be in the mind. Persecuted, but not forsaken is in the body. Cast down, but not destroyed is in your very life. In every aspect, of humanity, while there were trials, Paul recognized that the trials had not completely overwhelmed him.
If we are going to hang in there. We too, must come to the place where we recognize that the trials we face are not totally devastating!
They may hurt. We may not enjoy them; We might have wished we hadn't had to go through them. But there isn't a one of them that has to destroy us! In fact, for the Christian, even the ultimate trial, that of losing our life isn't really a defeat, but a victory!
The third thing I saw in 2 Corinthians was
III. PAUL HAD HIS EYES FIXED ON THE RIGHT THINGS.
Verses 10-18 There are three things I want to point out to you in these verses, in reverse order from how they are listed in the chapter:
We need to
A. Look at the Eternal, not the Temporal.
Verse 18 So many of our troubles could be resolved if we had our eyes on heaven, not earth.
I understand how difficult that is. I struggle with it every single moment of my life.
Paul said in Romans "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us."
And all he was saying was that we ought to look for the heavenly/eternal things, not the earthly/temporal things!
Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.”
What he was saying was that we ought to look for the heavenly/eternal things, not the earthly/temporal things. Much of the reason we struggle with the Christian life, and one of the reasons some give up on their course, is that they get their eyes fixed on how things are today, Right now.
If that is how Paul looked at things,
***He wouldn't have been willing to give up his career in the Pharisee's religion for Christ.
***And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his Pastor associate pastor's position in Antioch to be a missionary church planter.
***And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his freedom to be a blessing to the poor saints in Jerusalem
***And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his life, to keep his testimony for Jesus Christ!
Paul could hang in there because his eyes were fixed on heavenly/eternal things, not earthly/temporal things! He was content to suffer some losses here in order to have more rewards waiting in heaven!
We need to
B. Look at others, not self
Verse 12 Paul was willing to go through the trials that he did, and hang in there for the Lord, because he was concerned more for others than he was for himself. Paul was the one who went so far as to say that he could wish himself accursed from Christ that his kinsmen, the Jews would be saved. Paul said he became all things to all men that he might by all means save some. Paul's concern in life was not for himself and how he faired physically, but for others and how they faired spiritually! He was willing to suffer any trial, any hardship, any difficulty so long as he was still seeing souls being saved and given eternal; life in Jesus Christ!
I understand that is the opposite of what every thing in this world tells you. But joy comes from putting Jesus first, other next, and ourselves last! That helps us keep our problems in perspective too, when we see how others are doing! THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO HAS IT TOUGHER THAN YOU DO! Find them, and help them, AND YOU WILL FIND NOT ONLY JOY, but the strength to hang in there and finish the course God gave you.
And finally, we need to
C. Look at Christ's Living, not dying.
Vs 11 One of the differences you'll find between us and the Catholics is that they use a cross with Christ still hanging there. We use a cross with Christ come off it. While we do not want to minimize what Christ did when He died on the Cross we also don't want to get stuck there. Christ not only died and was buried... HE ROSE AGAIN HE ROSE TRIUMPHANT, HE ROSE VICTORIOUS, and HE ROSE GLORIFIED and His triumph translates to our triumph today, His victory translates to our victory today, And his glory works for our glory too!
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there he any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8.
If all we picture, when we picture Christ, is Him hanging on the cross... We will have a dead and defeated religion. But if, whenever we see Christ, IN HEAVEN AND STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD! Now, we have a faith that is alive powerful, and filled with promise and hope!
Thinking on these things helps you to see God, and seeing Him, makes us aware of His Spirit all around and through us. Conclusively those who think on these things are blessed with God's presence bringing; assurance, certainty, and a profound confidence.
Thinking on these things helps you to see God, who, in patient hours of quiet thoughts and prayer, come to understand the words "Be still and know that I am God."
Thinking on these things helps you to see God and say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth."
Think about the omnipotence of the God who rules the entire universe. And be thankful that He can right all the wrongs of men.
For In the twinkling of an eye, God can transform mortal man into an infinite, immortal being.
In a fleeting moment, God can provide water in dry places, and food in a barren land,
In an instant, God can turn hopeless defeat into glorious victory.
In the space of a heartbeat, God can make an insurmountable mountain into a level pathway.
In the swiftness of a passing thought, God can remove seemingly invincible barriers and obstacles, and prepare the way for believers.
In the speaking of a word, God can close the curtain of' time, and open the unending day of limitless infinity.
In the exhaling of a divine breath, God can blow away the dark clouds of opposition and the dust of oppression.
In the rapidness of a lightning flash, God can heal a broken heart and restore a wounded soul.
And that, my beloved, is the number one tool to keep you, Hanging in there!
Thank you, Mama for helping me to "Hang In There"
“For which cause we faint not;” 2 Cor. 4:16a; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18
Keeping on doing what God has called you to. I don't suppose there is anyone more qualified to teach us how to "hang in there" for the Lord than Apostle Paul. Here is a man who endured some of the greatest hardships possible for Christ. He was hated by both Jews and Gentiles. He was misunderstood and attacked even by other Christians. He was eventually executed for nothing more than preaching Jesus Christ. And yet, at the eve of his life, he was able to record, “I have fought a good fight I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”
And I believe 2 Corinthians 4 tells us how he did it.
I. PAUL ACCEPTED THE MINISTRY GOD GAVE HIM. 2 Cor 4:1
Paul's was not an easy ministry. He was not accepted by the other Apostles for several years. He was constantly challenged and questioned even by the other Apostles throughout his ministry. He suffered shipwrecks and beatings and stonings and jailings, on a regular basis. But he accepted the ministry God gave him. The context of this verse is in view of the trials he faced because of his ministry. And yet, despite all that, he simply writes, seeing we have this ministry... we faint not. We would do well to learn from this to accept whatever situations we have!
Sometimes all of us get to looking around and wishing we had it like someone else has it! If we want to continue for the Lord, the first step has to be, to accept the position that God gives us in the work of the Lord! We need to come to the place where we accept whatever ministry God chooses to give or not to give us personally. The truth of it is whatever position we have in the plan of God for the church and for His ministry, IS A MERCIFUL POSITION!
II. PAUL HAD A PROPER PERSPECTIVE OF HIS PROBLEMS verses 8-9
Paul makes four contrasts here;
A. Troubled - not distressed; The word troubled means to be crowded, pressured. The word distressed means to be in calamity. If I can, He is saying that he is squeezed, but not squished!
B. Perplexed - not in Despair; The word perplexed means "at a loss" The word despair means "completely lost"
C. Persecuted - not forsaken; The word persecuted means "hunted" The word forsaken means "deserted."
D. Cast down - not destroyed
What Paul is saying is, "Sure, I got problems, but I am not defeated!"
"I have fallen a few times, but I have always been able to get back up!"
"I have had some times when I wasn't sure which way to turn for a while, but I have never been so lost that I couldn't eventually get out of it!"
I was thinking Troubled, but not distressed. That looks to me to be the in the soul. Perplexed, but not in despair appears to me to be in the mind. Persecuted, but not forsaken is in the body. Cast down, but not destroyed is in your very life. In every aspect, of humanity, while there were trials, Paul recognized that the trials had not completely overwhelmed him.
If we are going to hang in there. We too, must come to the place where we recognize that the trials we face are not totally devastating!
They may hurt. We may not enjoy them; We might have wished we hadn't had to go through them. But there isn't a one of them that has to destroy us! In fact, for the Christian, even the ultimate trial, that of losing our life isn't really a defeat, but a victory!
The third thing I saw in 2 Corinthians was
III. PAUL HAD HIS EYES FIXED ON THE RIGHT THINGS.
Verses 10-18 There are three things I want to point out to you in these verses, in reverse order from how they are listed in the chapter:
We need to
A. Look at the Eternal, not the Temporal.
Verse 18 So many of our troubles could be resolved if we had our eyes on heaven, not earth.
I understand how difficult that is. I struggle with it every single moment of my life.
Paul said in Romans "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us."
And all he was saying was that we ought to look for the heavenly/eternal things, not the earthly/temporal things!
Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.”
What he was saying was that we ought to look for the heavenly/eternal things, not the earthly/temporal things. Much of the reason we struggle with the Christian life, and one of the reasons some give up on their course, is that they get their eyes fixed on how things are today, Right now.
If that is how Paul looked at things,
***He wouldn't have been willing to give up his career in the Pharisee's religion for Christ.
***And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his Pastor associate pastor's position in Antioch to be a missionary church planter.
***And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his freedom to be a blessing to the poor saints in Jerusalem
***And he wouldn't have been willing to give up his life, to keep his testimony for Jesus Christ!
Paul could hang in there because his eyes were fixed on heavenly/eternal things, not earthly/temporal things! He was content to suffer some losses here in order to have more rewards waiting in heaven!
We need to
B. Look at others, not self
Verse 12 Paul was willing to go through the trials that he did, and hang in there for the Lord, because he was concerned more for others than he was for himself. Paul was the one who went so far as to say that he could wish himself accursed from Christ that his kinsmen, the Jews would be saved. Paul said he became all things to all men that he might by all means save some. Paul's concern in life was not for himself and how he faired physically, but for others and how they faired spiritually! He was willing to suffer any trial, any hardship, any difficulty so long as he was still seeing souls being saved and given eternal; life in Jesus Christ!
I understand that is the opposite of what every thing in this world tells you. But joy comes from putting Jesus first, other next, and ourselves last! That helps us keep our problems in perspective too, when we see how others are doing! THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO HAS IT TOUGHER THAN YOU DO! Find them, and help them, AND YOU WILL FIND NOT ONLY JOY, but the strength to hang in there and finish the course God gave you.
And finally, we need to
C. Look at Christ's Living, not dying.
Vs 11 One of the differences you'll find between us and the Catholics is that they use a cross with Christ still hanging there. We use a cross with Christ come off it. While we do not want to minimize what Christ did when He died on the Cross we also don't want to get stuck there. Christ not only died and was buried... HE ROSE AGAIN HE ROSE TRIUMPHANT, HE ROSE VICTORIOUS, and HE ROSE GLORIFIED and His triumph translates to our triumph today, His victory translates to our victory today, And his glory works for our glory too!
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there he any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8.
If all we picture, when we picture Christ, is Him hanging on the cross... We will have a dead and defeated religion. But if, whenever we see Christ, IN HEAVEN AND STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD! Now, we have a faith that is alive powerful, and filled with promise and hope!
Thinking on these things helps you to see God, and seeing Him, makes us aware of His Spirit all around and through us. Conclusively those who think on these things are blessed with God's presence bringing; assurance, certainty, and a profound confidence.
Thinking on these things helps you to see God, who, in patient hours of quiet thoughts and prayer, come to understand the words "Be still and know that I am God."
Thinking on these things helps you to see God and say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth."
Think about the omnipotence of the God who rules the entire universe. And be thankful that He can right all the wrongs of men.
For In the twinkling of an eye, God can transform mortal man into an infinite, immortal being.
In a fleeting moment, God can provide water in dry places, and food in a barren land,
In an instant, God can turn hopeless defeat into glorious victory.
In the space of a heartbeat, God can make an insurmountable mountain into a level pathway.
In the swiftness of a passing thought, God can remove seemingly invincible barriers and obstacles, and prepare the way for believers.
In the speaking of a word, God can close the curtain of' time, and open the unending day of limitless infinity.
In the exhaling of a divine breath, God can blow away the dark clouds of opposition and the dust of oppression.
In the rapidness of a lightning flash, God can heal a broken heart and restore a wounded soul.
And that, my beloved, is the number one tool to keep you, Hanging in there!
Thank you, Mama for helping me to "Hang In There"
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Prayer This Day
Heavenly Father, today I praise your Holy name, for you have brought forth wonders, majesty, and grace. I pray, God, you allow our hearts and minds to be calmed and ready us for the days to come. Help us, Lord, to honor you in all we do. We seek your protection and guidance over our new leader, his family, his staff, and this nation. Give us victory over our obstacles. We also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Born of God; Simple as A, B, C, D
Jesus said, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3 NET).
The Bible teaches us that we become a child of God only through the new birth.
Those who believe on Jesus Christ become God’s children. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
It is not a physical birth, but a spiritual birth, and it is something that is received by the person who believes in Him (1 Pet. 1:23). The start of the new birth is with God.
It is the teaching throughout the New Testament (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10).
Without Christ we are spiritually dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1-3).
We need divine life, and that is what God provides through the new birth.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36, 16; 1 John 5:13).
How do we not become a child of God?
There is absolutely nothing that man can do to add to his spiritual birth. This is made very clear in John 1:13, “who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
No amount of human,religious activity, or moral teaching can change the essential nature of man.
Therefore, it is imperative that man’s deepest need is to be born again.
You do not become a child of God by anything you say or do.
You do not become a child of God by being a member of a church.
You do not become a child of God by being sincere.
The Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith in Christ and not of works.
It is the free gift of God. “What must I do to be saved?”
The Bible says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31).
You must believe in Jesus alone;
You must trust Him alone;
You must accept Jesus' sacrifice for your sins alone and nothing that you do in any way.
We become a child of God when God gives us His life.
By whose authority do we become the children of God? Jesus. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right . . .” It is the authority of Jesus Christ. Those who believe on Him have the right to become the children of God.
It is an act of God. We receive that life the moment we believe on Christ.
It comes from God and is received only on the basis of God’s grace.
Those who believe become God’s children.
Only by receiving Christ do we gain the right to become a child of God.
There is nothing in our human nature or character that can bring about a spiritual birth. All human effort is ruled out and incomplete.
We are “born of God.” There is no other way to become a child of God. It is life in Christ and is divine in origin. The whole emphasis in this verse and in John chapter three is the activity of the Spirit of God, "not human effort, works or merits.” The Holy Spirit gives us a new spiritual nature.
When He gives us this new nature we are "born again" (2 Pet. 1:4).
Here are four steps as simple as A, B, C, D
Admit
The first step is to admit that we have ignored God and therefore need a Saviour. As the Bible puts it, we are all sinners. We have broken God's laws, and not even lived up to our own ideals. Part of the seriousness of sin is that it separates us from God. God is all-holy and absolutely pure. He hates sin. He cannot dwell with it. He cannot even look at it. We are cut off. : "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). So we need a Saviour. We cannot save ourselves. We must humbly and honestly admit this. Jesus said .."he had come to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Believe
We must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose again on the third day to be the saviour of the world. John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (NIV).
What we have to believe is:
• Believes that there is a loving, personal all powerful God who has created the universe, loves and cares for humanity.
• Recognizes that they have ignored God, either intentionally or unintentionally, and so has turned away from him. They are a rebel.
• That Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, uniquely divine, who came down from heaven and became man.
• That he deliberately went to the cross to die for the sins of the world.
He bore them in his own body. He "was made sin for us".
In his immense love for us he took upon himself the penalty that our sins deserved. That as the perfect man, death could not contain him. On the third day he rose to life. Because he lives, we may live also.
Jesus is the Son of God, who died and rose for us.
• Believes that Jesus, God's Son, by his death on the cross, has bridged the separation between God and man. He has taken the punishment our rebellion deserves. Also, Jesus, by his resurrection, has guaranteed our new life now and in the age to come.
• Believes God's call to repent and has turned from rebelling and submitted to his Son.
• Has put their complete trust in Jesus for forgiveness, direction in life and fulfillment of all God promises. It starts and stops with Jesus.
Consider the Cost
We must consider this fact. If we commit our life to Jesus Christ, he will be our Lord as well as our Saviour. He offers us salvation, but he demands our thoughtful and total commitment. Receiving Christ will mean a willingness to turn from everything we know to be wrong. He will become master of:
Our ambitions and our career;
Master of our time, money and talents;
Master of every area of our life.
This is what he asked of his disciples. This is what he asks of us. He told them, as he tells us, to count the cost of following him.
Do
What is there to do? The first steps have been in the mind, not the will. It is not enough to intellectually believe that he died to be the Saviour of the world and rose to be the Lord of the Universe, we must ask him to be our Saviour and our Lord. "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matt. 3:8, NIV) It is this act of personal commitment which so many people miss. As Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it", Mk.10:15.
“ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it” (Matthew 16:23-24)
"I am the way, the truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6).
"Therefore if any man is Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new thing have come" (2 Cor. 5:17).
The Bible teaches us that we become a child of God only through the new birth.
Those who believe on Jesus Christ become God’s children. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
It is not a physical birth, but a spiritual birth, and it is something that is received by the person who believes in Him (1 Pet. 1:23). The start of the new birth is with God.
It is the teaching throughout the New Testament (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10).
Without Christ we are spiritually dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1-3).
We need divine life, and that is what God provides through the new birth.
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36, 16; 1 John 5:13).
How do we not become a child of God?
There is absolutely nothing that man can do to add to his spiritual birth. This is made very clear in John 1:13, “who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
No amount of human,religious activity, or moral teaching can change the essential nature of man.
Therefore, it is imperative that man’s deepest need is to be born again.
You do not become a child of God by anything you say or do.
You do not become a child of God by being a member of a church.
You do not become a child of God by being sincere.
The Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith in Christ and not of works.
It is the free gift of God. “What must I do to be saved?”
The Bible says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31).
You must believe in Jesus alone;
You must trust Him alone;
You must accept Jesus' sacrifice for your sins alone and nothing that you do in any way.
We become a child of God when God gives us His life.
By whose authority do we become the children of God? Jesus. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right . . .” It is the authority of Jesus Christ. Those who believe on Him have the right to become the children of God.
It is an act of God. We receive that life the moment we believe on Christ.
It comes from God and is received only on the basis of God’s grace.
Those who believe become God’s children.
Only by receiving Christ do we gain the right to become a child of God.
There is nothing in our human nature or character that can bring about a spiritual birth. All human effort is ruled out and incomplete.
We are “born of God.” There is no other way to become a child of God. It is life in Christ and is divine in origin. The whole emphasis in this verse and in John chapter three is the activity of the Spirit of God, "not human effort, works or merits.” The Holy Spirit gives us a new spiritual nature.
When He gives us this new nature we are "born again" (2 Pet. 1:4).
Here are four steps as simple as A, B, C, D
Admit
The first step is to admit that we have ignored God and therefore need a Saviour. As the Bible puts it, we are all sinners. We have broken God's laws, and not even lived up to our own ideals. Part of the seriousness of sin is that it separates us from God. God is all-holy and absolutely pure. He hates sin. He cannot dwell with it. He cannot even look at it. We are cut off. : "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). So we need a Saviour. We cannot save ourselves. We must humbly and honestly admit this. Jesus said .."he had come to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Believe
We must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose again on the third day to be the saviour of the world. John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (NIV).
What we have to believe is:
• Believes that there is a loving, personal all powerful God who has created the universe, loves and cares for humanity.
• Recognizes that they have ignored God, either intentionally or unintentionally, and so has turned away from him. They are a rebel.
• That Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, uniquely divine, who came down from heaven and became man.
• That he deliberately went to the cross to die for the sins of the world.
He bore them in his own body. He "was made sin for us".
In his immense love for us he took upon himself the penalty that our sins deserved. That as the perfect man, death could not contain him. On the third day he rose to life. Because he lives, we may live also.
Jesus is the Son of God, who died and rose for us.
• Believes that Jesus, God's Son, by his death on the cross, has bridged the separation between God and man. He has taken the punishment our rebellion deserves. Also, Jesus, by his resurrection, has guaranteed our new life now and in the age to come.
• Believes God's call to repent and has turned from rebelling and submitted to his Son.
• Has put their complete trust in Jesus for forgiveness, direction in life and fulfillment of all God promises. It starts and stops with Jesus.
Consider the Cost
We must consider this fact. If we commit our life to Jesus Christ, he will be our Lord as well as our Saviour. He offers us salvation, but he demands our thoughtful and total commitment. Receiving Christ will mean a willingness to turn from everything we know to be wrong. He will become master of:
Our ambitions and our career;
Master of our time, money and talents;
Master of every area of our life.
This is what he asked of his disciples. This is what he asks of us. He told them, as he tells us, to count the cost of following him.
Do
What is there to do? The first steps have been in the mind, not the will. It is not enough to intellectually believe that he died to be the Saviour of the world and rose to be the Lord of the Universe, we must ask him to be our Saviour and our Lord. "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matt. 3:8, NIV) It is this act of personal commitment which so many people miss. As Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it", Mk.10:15.
“ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it” (Matthew 16:23-24)
"I am the way, the truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6).
"Therefore if any man is Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new thing have come" (2 Cor. 5:17).
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