The Mystery of Godliness

Sunday, July 17, 2016, 7:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Is Your All on The Altar?” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Timothy 3 (ESV).

Although this passage of scripture is directed specifically to the subject of the spiritual qualifications of elders (overseers) and deacons, we should not write it off as not applicable to us. Just because we may not be in a position of spiritual leadership over other people does not mean we can, thus, live however we want. What is required here of these spiritual leaders is no different from what God requires of all of us who are his followers. Basically, this is a lesson on godliness, and how we should all live who are Christ’s followers, servants and messengers. So, we should pay careful and close attention to these words here, and we should inquire of the Lord as to where we are lacking, and as to where we need to change. I know I am doing that this morning. I hope you will join me.

Above Reproach (vv. 1-7)

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

What does it mean to be “above reproach”? Basically it means to live a life of such moral and godly character that we do not bring dishonor or shame to the body of Christ or to the name of Jesus. It means that we are not living in conscious and willful sin against God in any area of our lives, but as far as we know, we are living righteously before God and man, not because of our own goodness, but because of the righteousness of Christ credited to our accounts, and because, by the Spirit, we are walking in the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh. Therefore, our consciences are clear, because we know we are walking in obedience to our Lord, and that we are not resisting his voice by going our own way.

With regard to having one spouse, I believe this goes back to creation when God created woman from the rib of man. The man declared that woman was now bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and that she was to be called “woman,” because she was taken out of man. And, then we read (Gen. 2:24): “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Thus, it was God’s original intention for man to have but one wife, and this thought is reiterated in the New Testament with regard to the subject of divorce and in comparing the relationship between a husband and a wife to that of Christ and his church (See: Matt. 19:5; Eph. 5:31). I believe we can, thus, apply this principle to the subject of lust and adultery. Having one spouse means we do not unite ourselves, as one, in thought or in deed with another.

If we are sober-minded, we take God and his word seriously. We don’t make light of what is of God or find humor in what is ungodly. A sober-minded person also does not sway with the wind, and is not easily influenced by the world and by what appeals to the flesh of humankind. If we are walking in godliness, we will exercise self-control, and we won’t be out-of-control in thought, word or deed. We will believe and practice trust in our Lord and not in ourselves and other humans, and we will live like we believe Jesus died to set us free from the control of sin over our lives, instead of making excuses for continued willful sin against God. Hospitality, as well, is something we should all practice. We should invite neighbors and family and fellow believers into our homes and share with them our food and shelter and the love of Jesus. And, we shouldn’t fight (quarrel) with people, etc.

Lastly, we must be in our homes what we are in public, i.e. our walk should match our talk, and we should be consistent no matter who we are with. We should not present one thing out in the public eye while we are something completely different in the privacy of our homes. We should not be teaching moral purity to others while we vegetate on TV shows, movies, and specific places on the internet which glorify sin, especially sexual sin, or while we participate in sexual sin via what we look at and lust after when no one else is looking. Laptop computers, electronic tablets (like IPads) and smart phones have made it way too easy for people to view pornographic images without anyone knowing, and this is a serious problem in today’s church and among people who call themselves ministers of the gospel. We also should not, if we are heads of households, be trying to lead others if we are not even leading those in our own homes whom God has given us to lead spiritually.

A Clear Conscience (vv. 8-13)

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Oh, this is a BIG ONE! Not one of us should be double-tongued, i.e. we should not be deceitful or engaging in trickery. When we are double-tongued, we “talk out of two sides of our mouths.” This kind of person might say one thing one time but then turn around and say just the opposite another time, sometimes to different people, and sometimes to the same person. Sometimes it is just because he (she) is a people pleaser and so says what he or she thinks people want to hear. Other times this is done as a way to manipulate or to trick people, to create confusion in people’s minds, and/or to deceive. I had a teacher once who told me I was taking a project too seriously and I should just have fun with it, but I knew how he graded, yet I took his advice. Sure enough, he downgraded me, even though I did what he said to do. Abusers and manipulators will use this tactic to try to get people off balance so that they can take advantage of them. People like this are lacking in integrity.

We need to be people who have a clear conscience and whose consciences are not seared by years of resisting the Spirit of God and of giving in to the temptations of the devil to do what we know is evil. If we know we are living in sin, we shouldn’t act like we aren’t. We should not put on a mask to cover up the sinful lifestyles we are knowingly living in secret. In other words, we should not pretend, in public, that we are living godly and holy lives, if in private we are doing what is truly evil in God’s sight. Especially if we are teachers of the Word, we should not be resisting the Holy Spirit and consciously doing what we know is opposed to God and is opposed to his Word. We should daily confess any known sins, repent of them, and turn to follow our Lord with our lives, seeking Him and His will for our lives.

And, then we must hold to the truths of scripture and the faith we profess and not waver in opinion every time someone says something that sounds good. We don’t want to be like infants, tossed here and there by every wind of teaching. This does not mean we can’t examine the scriptures and test what we believe to make sure what we believe is scriptural and not something man made up. But, when we are sure of what we believe, and why we believe it, we should stand strong in that belief and not be easily persuaded by human opinion. But, standing strong in the faith does not mean winning intellectual arguments. It means we live what we say we believe, and we live and walk with integrity.

How One Ought to Behave (vv. 14-16)

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

    vindicated by the Spirit,

        seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

    believed on in the world,

        taken up in glory.

Jesus Christ is our example for how to live godly and holy lives. Even though he was/is God, and he dwelled in heaven, he humbled himself by coming to earth and taking on human flesh, and he became a servant. He suffered like we suffer, and was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. He was despised and rejected of humankind so much so that they hung him on a cross to die. Yet, when he died our sins died with him, and when he was resurrected, he rose victorious over sin, hell, Satan and death on our account. When he rose from the dead he appeared to many people, including to his disciples (his messengers), who then proclaimed Christ and his gospel among the nations so that many people believed in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of their lives.

So, we should willingly lay down our lives and become servants of our Lord Jesus in doing whatever it is he has called us to do because we love God and because we care about the salvation of human lives. We should not live selfish lives given over to doing what pleases us, but we should desire to please our Lord in all that we do, say, think and are, and it should be evident by how we live our lives that our desire is sincere and not phony. We, like Christ, should be crucified in death to sin, and we should be resurrected with Christ in newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). And, we should be proclaiming him and his gospel of salvation to the world around us so that many others can have faith in Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life with God, too.

Is Your All on the Altar? / Elisha A. Hoffman

You have longed for sweet peace,

and for faith to increase,

and have earnestly, fervently prayed;

but you cannot have rest,

or be perfectly blest,

until all on the altar is laid.

Would you walk with the Lord,

in the light of His Word,

and have peace and contentment alway?

You must do His sweet will,

to be free from all ill,

on the altar your all you must lay.

O we never can know

what the Lord will bestow,

of the blessings for which we have prayed,

'till our body and soul,

He doth fully control,

and our all on the altar is laid.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Your heart does the Spirit control?

You can only be blest,

and have peace and sweet rest,

as you yield Him your body and soul. 

The Lord is Faithful

Thursday, July 14, 2016, 6:00 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “You Never Let Go.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5.

Belief in the Truth (vv. 2:13-14 NASB)

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God chose us before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (See: Eph. 1:4-6). God told Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5). The psalmist David wrote: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb… all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Ps. 139:13, 16).

For those of us who are in Christ Jesus by faith in him, we were chosen by God to be in Christ Jesus even before he created the world. He chose each and every one of us to be holy and blameless in his sight, not just positionally through the blood of Christ shed on the cross for our sins, but experientially through the power of God’s Holy Spirit working within us, as we cooperate fully with that work of grace. He chose us not only for salvation from the penalty of sin, but also for salvation from bondage to (the control of) sin. He did not choose us merely so that we could escape hell and have the promise of heaven when we die. He chose us for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

What this means is that we were chosen by God, even before he created the world, to be “progressively transformed by the Lord into His likeness (similarity of nature)” (biblehub.com). This is a process of making us holy, set apart for God, and set apart from (different, unlike) the world, because we are becoming like Christ in thought, word and deed. When we truly have faith in the truth, that faith is actualized by our obedience to the truth so that we are not just hearers of the Word, but we are doers of the Word. It was for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit – the process of making us holy - that we were called of God, that we might attain God’s divine approval (See: Ro. 3:23; Ro. 6:23).

Stand Firm (vv. 2:15-17 NIV)

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Because we were chosen by God for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth, and because it is God who calls us, and thus it is he who equips us, who empowers us, and who transforms us into his image, we are able to stand firm and to hold fast to the teachings of scripture. We just have to appropriate to our lives what he has done for us and what he has provided for us. We have to accept it into our lives and apply his truths to our lives in his power and strength at work within us. Daily we must die to sin and self and we must put on the armor of God with which to fight off Satan’s evil attacks against us, but we don’t do this in our own strength or human flesh, but by the Spirit within us.

To stand firm and to hold fast to the teachings of scripture (God’s God-breathed words to us) means that in attitude, thought, word, and in deed, we hold a firm position with regard to the teachings of Christ and those of his NT apostles, who gave us the gospel of salvation. This is not speaking of taking a firm stand intellectually so that we can win arguments with people, though. This is speaking of our lifestyles. If we believe, for instance, that Jesus set us free from bondage to sin, then we should live like we say we believe. We should not give the devil a foothold in our lives, and we should not play with sin.

In other words, and in all practicality, this means that we should not practice gossiping, overeating, slandering others, homosexuality, adultery, lying, cheating, stealing and the like. There should not even be a hint of immorality in our lives, and we should not allow ourselves to be entertained by the sins of others via TV, movies, video games, social media, music and music videos and the like. Jesus Christ should truly be Lord (owner-master) of our lives, and we should live holy lives in submission to him. So many Christians today spend hours upon hours vegetating on TV, movies, the internet, pornography and all entertainment which glorifies sin, and little time with God in his Word, seeking his face and his will for our lives, and then in obeying what his Word teaches. This should not be!

And Be Honored (vv. 3:1-5 NIV)

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

There are so many people today who are preaching a half-truth diluted gospel in order to win friends and influence people. They appeal to human flesh, and they avoid the hard truths of the gospel so that they don’t offend anyone, so that everyone will like them. They teach that we don’t have to repent of sin, and that we don’t have to obey the teachings (instructions) of Christ and of his NT apostles, even though scripture teaches that we must. And, they tell people that God is pleased with them no matter what they do, and that he delights in them even when they are consistently and willfully sinning against him. These are all lies of Satan to try to turn people away from the truth of the gospel, and in order to win people for his kingdom. These liars and deceivers are wolves in sheep’s clothing, and their goal is not your eternal salvation, but to destroy the church.

One of their greatest tactics against those of us who are holding fast and who are standing firm to the teachings of scripture is to try to discredit us and the gospel, and to convince people that we are intolerant, bigoted, hateful extremists who must be rejected, cast aside, and silenced, or reprogrammed. These wolves in sheep’s clothing are among those who are severely persecuting the saints of God throughout the world, and who are bringing this persecution to America, which, up to this point, has not known much severe persecution against those who call themselves followers of Christ. But persecution against serious followers of Christ has been going on for some time now in America, but in subtler ways, to where it is not noticed by the vast majority, yet that is going to change soon.

So, we need prayer and encouragement, and we need to trust in our Lord to sustain us and to empower us to stand strong in our faith in the face of great opposition, and to keep doing what he has called us to do, even if we are hated for it in return. We need to pray that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, because it is being dishonored in so many places now, including within the institutional church in America, in many or most cases. We need to pray to be delivered from wicked and evil people, too, although God may not always deliver us physically. What I mean is that we are taught in scripture that we will share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, and that we will be hated and persecuted for our faith in Christ, and that we are destined for this. Yet, he will deliver us spiritually through these difficult times, if not from them physically and/or emotionally, too. He will carry us through, and he will give us everything we need to endure and to remain strong.

You Never Let Go / Matt Redman

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

Your perfect love is casting out fear

And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life

I won’t turn back

I know You are near

And I will fear no evil

For my God is with me

And if my God is with me

Whom then shall I fear?

… Lord, You never let go of me…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pn4KQqSrrA

The Sound of The Trumpet

Sunday, July 10, 2016, 5:55 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “You Never Let Go.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 (ESV).

Together With Them (vv. 4:13-18)

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

We read in this passage of scripture that the “dead in Christ will rise first,” so I believe we need to first of all understand what it means to be “in Christ.” If we do not understand what it means to be “in Christ,” according to God’s word, we may read this passage and find ourselves holding on to hope, for sure, but a false hope, based on a lie.

Jesus Christ said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self and take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) him. He said that if we want to save our old lives (of living for sin and self), we will lose them, but if we lose our lives for him (die with him to sin), we will save them, i.e. we will have eternal life with God (See: Lu. 9:23-25). Paul, when called of Jesus to the ministry, was called to open (spiritually) blinded eyes, to turn them from darkness (sin, wickedness) to light (truth, righteousness, Jesus), and from the power of Satan (his control over our lives) to God (to faith in Jesus Christ), so that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ (See: Ac. 26:16-18).

When Paul taught the gospel of our salvation, he taught what Jesus taught. He taught death to sin, i.e. that when we come to faith in Jesus Christ that we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and we are resurrected with Jesus Christ in newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (See: Eph. 4:17-24; Ro. 6:1-23). When we are “in Christ” by faith in him, we count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Sin no longer has mastery over us, but we are now slaves to righteousness; to God. The benefit we reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life (See: Ro. 6:1-23). In other words, God’s grace to us is not a free license to continue in sin without guilt and remorse. His grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live godly, upright and self-controlled lives while we wait for his return (See: Tit. 2:11-14).

We also read that if Christ is in us, our bodies are dead because of sin, yet our spirits are alive because of righteousness. Therefore “we have an obligation – but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God” (See: Ro. 8:1-14; cf. Lu. 9:23-25). Peter said that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). Paul said that Jesus died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us (2 Co. 5:15). He also said that Jesus died, “in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit” (See: Ro. 8:1-14).

So, if you want to hold on to the hope that your loved ones, who have died physically, are with Jesus, and that Jesus will bring them with him when he comes again to take us who are still alive (in Christ) to be with him, then you need to know that “in Christ” means crucified with Christ in death to sin, and resurrected with Christ in newness of life, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And, the same applies to us who are still alive, and who profess to be “in Christ,” and who are purportedly waiting his return.

Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He did not die merely to give us an escape from hell and the promise of heaven when we die. People are not with Jesus just because they lived a “good life,” by human standards, or because they were “nice” to people, and so everyone liked them. We are “in Christ” only by faith in him, because of his grace to us, but that faith entails being crucified with Christ so that we no longer live, but Christ now lives within us (in the person of the Holy Spirit), and he is now Lord of our lives.

Times and Seasons (vv. 5:1-11)

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Nonetheless, there are many, many people today who are preaching “peace and security,” rather than teaching the righteousness of God in our lives. They are preaching or are saying what itching ears want to hear, in order to make people feel good about themselves, right where they are, doing what they are doing, even if it means they are walking according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. They are telling people that nothing bad will happen to them, and that God is pleased with them no matter what they do, even if they are bound in sin. They are even preaching the blessings of God over these people, many times fully knowing that they are walking in sin’s deceitfulness. These deceitful teachers’ consciences are seared. They have no fear (awe, respect, honor) of God. And, they are not teaching the fear of the Lord, but are presenting God as not much different from them.

Don’t listen to them! They are preaching lies! God’s word is real clear. If we walk according to the flesh we will die without Christ, not in Christ. If we say we have fellowship with God, but we walk (conduct our lives) in darkness (wickedness), we are liars, and the truth is not in us. If we hold on to our old lives (of living for sin and self), we will lose them for eternity. The righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in those who walk not according to the flesh, but who conduct their lives according to the Spirit. Only those being led by the Spirit are the children of God. “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected” (1 Jn. 2:4-5). “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him” (1 Jn. 3:6) - speaking of continuous sin, i.e. walking according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit.

So, don’t believe the lies. Turn your life over to Jesus Christ today, and make him Lord (owner/master) of your life. Cooperate with the Spirit’s work of grace in your life in putting sin to death and in raising you to walk in Christ’s righteousness and holiness. Holiness is not optional. We can’t “believe” in Jesus Christ and have nothing change in our lives, or have only superficial changes. This is not saying that belief in Jesus means we will live in sinless perfection from this point forward, but that sin should no longer be our master, and we should now be servants of righteousness. Daily we should be putting sin and self to death and we should be walking in the Spirit, following our Lord Jesus in obedience and in surrender to his will for our lives. This is why he died, that we might follow him wherever he leads us in doing what he has called us to do and to be.

One day Jesus Christ is going to return to judge the world and to receive his bride to be with him forever. Don’t get caught asleep and unaware so that you do not escape the coming wrath. Our God is a loving God, for sure, but he is also a just God, and a righteous God, and he will judge, and people will have to face eternal punishment in the lake of fire. Yet, for those who are truly “in Christ,” by God’s grace, through faith in Christ Jesus - who have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and who have been resurrected with Christ in newness of life - they will have the hope of eternal life with God. And, our Lord will see them through every trial and tribulation until he takes them home to be with him. So, they never have cause to fear. Even though Satan may threaten us, and his servants may reject and persecute us, we have no reason to ever be afraid, because our hope in Christ is secure forevermore, and no one can take that away from us. Amen!

You Never Let Go / Matt Redman

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

Your perfect love is casting out fear

And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life

I won’t turn back

I know You are near

And I will fear no evil

For my God is with me

And if my God is with me

Whom then shall I fear?

…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pn4KQqSrrA

Walk to Please God

Saturday, July 9, 2016, 4:47 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Near the Cross.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (ESV).

Encouraging Others (v. 1)

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

We all need encouragement, not just the kind that cheers us or that reassures us, but also the kind that inspires, reinforces, and that urges us to live holy lives, pleasing to God.

In today’s world, and in the worldly church, encouragement is often presented only as that which makes us feel good about ourselves, but it also means to spur, to urge, and to incite, i.e. to move someone to action. So, if we are in a situation that calls for someone to motivate us to move to a particular action, and all someone does is pat us on the back and reassure us that we are ok just where we are, then that person truly has done nothing to encourage us, or to help us, or even to show love to us.

Yet, if we do encourage others in a way in which we urge them to change course, or to progress in a particular direction, we may be accused of being negative, critical, and/or of discouraging and disheartening others. I believe these accusations are purposeful, as Satan does not want us to be urged to change course, and so he presents love as something which just accepts people where they are, and as that which just makes them feel good inside.

Yet, the Bible teaches love, not as something which just makes us feel warm and fuzzy all over, but as something for which we give up our lives (our reputations, time, energies) to help meet the legitimate needs of others; and as that which considers what is in others’ best interest over our own reputations, and over our own personal comfort. In other words, if we truly love people, we will share with them the true gospel of salvation, and we will urge them to live holy lives, pleasing to God, even if it gets us hated and falsely accused in return. And, we will do so because we care about others’ true needs, and their relationships with God, and their eternal destiny more than we care about whether or not people are going to like us.

Your Sanctification (vv. 2-8)

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

“Sanctification” is a big word that not everyone understands its meaning. According to Strong’s Concordance, it means “the process of making or becoming holy, set apart, sanctification, holiness, consecration” (See: biblehub.com). According to Helps Word-Studies, it means “the process of advancing in holiness; use of the believer being progressively transformed by the Lord into His likeness” (See: biblehub.com). And, the word “holy” means to be set apart for God, and from the world (different, unlike the world) because we are becoming like Jesus.

When we believe in Jesus, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and we are resurrected with Christ in newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). So, this life-long process of sanctification begins when we die with Christ to sin and we are born anew of the Spirit of God (See: Ro. 6:1-23; Ro. 8:1-14).

So, what should this “sanctification” look like in our lives? Well, first of all it means that we are turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God that we might receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ (See: Ac. 26:16-18). It means we deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) Jesus Christ. It means we lose our lives (are crucified with Christ in death to sin) so that we might have eternal life with God (See: Lu. 9:23-25). And, it means that we live our lives in the power and working of the Spirit within us like we believe that Jesus Christ died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (See: 1 Pet. 2:24).

What this means in all practicality is that we no longer live like the world lives. We don’t immerse ourselves in today’s culture in order to relate to the world thinking we are somehow going to influence people for Jesus Christ. Jesus, although he lived in the world, was not of this world. He did not copy their customs, and he did not follow their human traditions, and he did not sin, nor did he applaud sin in others. And, neither should we. This is not saying that once we become Christians that we will live in sinless perfection, but it means we will die daily to sin and live daily to righteousness; that we will walk according to the Spirit, and no longer according to the flesh, and that by the Spirit we will daily put to death the misdeeds of our sinful flesh in order that we might live with God for eternity.

So, that means that our lifestyles should reflect this teaching from God’s word. We should not be engrossing ourselves in the things of this world - in their philosophies, morals, ethics and values - but we should be bathing ourselves in the Word of God and we should be doers of the Word and not hearers only. In other words, we can’t spend the majority of our non-working hours filling our minds with what is worldly, evil, and immoral, and even applauding or being entertained by the sins of others, and then expect to live holy lives pleasing to God. We need to get rid of what is hindering our walks of faith so that we can run with perseverance the race God has marked out for us. We need to cut those things out of our lives which are dishonoring to God, and we need to let Christ rule in our hearts and to determine our steps and guide us each day in the way he wants us to go.

Brotherly Love (vv. 9-12)

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

When we truly love our brothers and sisters in Christ, or the people of this world, we do not do to them what will cause them harm. I believe this includes willfully withholding from them what we know will benefit them because we are more concerned about people liking us. In other words, we can harm others physically, spiritually and/or emotionally either through willful or thoughtless actions towards them or through holding back what we know they need because we are thinking about ourselves more than or in place of loving them. The Bible calls sin, not just things like lying, cheating, stealing, and committing adultery, etc., but it says if we know the good we ought to do, and we don’t do it, it is also sin.

Near the Cross

Fanny J. Crosby / William H. Doane

Jesus, keep me near the cross;

There a precious fountain,

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calvary's mountain.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the bright and morning star

Sheds its beams around me.

           

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand

Just beyond the river.

         

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BasJqHsCIo4

These Afflictions

Friday, July 8, 2016, 6:37 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Thessalonians 3 (ESV).

We Are Destined (vv. 1-5)

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

When we truly follow Jesus Christ with our lives, not in name only, and not just casually, but with our whole hearts, Satan is going to come after us to try to break us down, in hopes we will falter in our faith, or that we will abandon the faith altogether. He will pull out all the stops, i.e. he will go all out and will hold back nothing in his effort to try to destroy us and our faith. Yet, we must know that God is absolutely sovereign and is in power and control over all things and all powers. Satan can do nothing without God’s permission. Satan cannot even exist if God does not allow it. God could have destroyed Satan after he rebelled against God, or after he tempted Eve and Adam to sin against God, but God allowed Satan and the fallen angels to exist and to live to tempt us and to cause havoc in our lives.

So, why does God allow this? Well, scripture teaches us that when we are weak, God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. We are taught that these things happen to us that we might learn to rely on God and not on ourselves. We also are aware that through tribulations we learn to persevere, to be patient, and that we are strengthened in our faith. As well, God “disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.” “To those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12). We also know that when we go through trials, and God comforts, strengthens and counsels us through them, that we can then give the same comfort to others when they go through their times of grief, sadness, pain and suffering. Mostly, I believe, God allows trials in our lives to humble us, to get us to turn to him, and to mature us in our walks of faith.

It would appear to me that our trials also help us to not live selfish lives, but to care about one another. When we go through suffering, we are able to empathize with others who are suffering, and we are able to show them greater compassion. And, that is what we need to do. When those within the family of God are going through tough times, or when they are being tempted by Satan to give way to fear, we need to encourage them in their walks of faith. We need to help them see the light at the end of the tunnel, and to know that there is hope, and that they should not give up the fight. And, then we need to teach them how to fight, i.e. that we are all in a spiritual battle, and that God has given us spiritual armor to put on daily so that we can fight off Satan’s evil attacks against us (Eph. 6). We also need to let them know that Jesus already won this battle for us, so Satan is already defeated. We just have to live like we believe that, and not give way to fear and intimidation.

Standing Fast (vv. 6-10)

But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

I know that I want nothing more than to see my brothers and sisters in Christ walking in the Spirit, not being controlled or led by the flesh, and following our Lord Jesus Christ in surrender and in obedience to his will and purposes for our lives. I want nothing more, as well, than to see my unsaved loved ones come to genuine faith in Jesus Christ, to be crucified with Christ in death to sin, and to be resurrected with Christ in newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” I long to see my brothers and sisters in Christ living in victory and in the joy of the Lord, and serving God’s purposes for their lives. I see so many who call themselves Christians living utterly defeated lives because they regularly give way to sin and the flesh and live not much different from those who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and it breaks my heart. So, I pray consistently for them, believing God to revive their hearts.

I echo Paul’s statement here that “now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” This is why I do what I do, first out of obedience to my Lord, and then because I want to see all who profess the name of Jesus to stand fast in their faith in Christ Jesus and to not live wishy-washy or defeated or roller-coaster spiritual lives. It brings me great joy to see my fellow Christians standing fast in the Lord, meaning to stand or to hold a firm position in the Lord and in their walks of faith, “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Eph. 4:14). So many within the church are being led astray by such craftiness and deceitfulness, and are believing lies instead of following after the truth. Satan is very clever, and he has worked his way into the church to try to destroy her, so we need to pray for the church to be revived and to stand fast in the Lord in these trying times.

In Holiness (vv. 11-13)

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

We need to be praying for each other more, and not just for physical ailments. I have been to many prayer meetings in church gatherings over the years where the prayer requests mainly revolve around those who are going through physical suffering. This is good that we pray for those who are suffering physically, but what is being neglected greatly in the church is honest confession of sin and of spiritual struggles, and prayer for one another to be victorious in battle over Satan’s evil schemes against us.

Many people are afraid to admit their failures or their weaknesses for fear of rejection, and rightly so, because when we do admit our weaknesses, there are those who will reject us. And, so Christians end up keeping their struggles a secret, and the sins increase and abound, and the church ends up going downhill spiritually because even so many pastors are struggling with sin addictions, and they are not living spiritually victorious lives. They may be afraid to admit their sins, and so they can’t lead their sheep to victorious Christian living. And, then the gospel gets compromised in order to pacify guilt over sin, and then Christians don’t end up standing firm in the Lord or walking in holiness. So, they need help!

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah / William Williams / John Hughes

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land.

I am weak, but Thou art mighty;

Hold me with Thy powerful hand.

Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,

Feed me till I want no more;

Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,

Whence the healing stream doth flow;

Let the fire and cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through.

Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,

Wondrous are Thy works of old;

Thou deliver’st thine from thralldom,

Who for naught themselves had sold.

Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer

Sin and Satan and the grave,

Sin and Satan and the grave.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side.

Songs of praises, songs of praises,

I will ever give to Thee;

I will ever give to Thee. Amen.

Steadfastness of Hope

Tuesday, July 5, 2016, 7:24 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Near the Cross.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Thessalonians 1 (ESV).

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

In the Lord Jesus

Paul, and his fellow laborers in the gospel, addressed this letter to the church of the Thessalonians. Now, this was not a church like we might think of as church today, especially here in America. Normally, when people inquire as to what “church” you attend, they are asking what building (edifice) you go to, or with what church denomination you are affiliated. It is a lot like club membership. Yet, what they are referring to is the institutional church, which is not the true church of Jesus Christ, although the true church does exist within the confines of the institutional church.

So, some people may ask, “What is the difference?” Well, the institutional church is a human-based business which is incorporated (in America) under the federal government of the USA, and it is marketed and run just like any other human-based business. The US government is the head of this church, and the people who are members of this organization are subject to their rules. If they don’t follow the government’s rules, they could lose their not-for-profit tax exempt status, and would have to pay whatever consequences might come of that. Basically, the institutional church is a state-church (See: http://hushmoney.org/501c3-problems.htm - *not an endorsement of all article’s content).

In contrast to the institutional church is the church in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This church is a living organism with Christ Jesus as its head. It is made up of true followers of Jesus Christ, across the globe, abiding in various locations. These are those who by faith and through the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives were crucified with Christ in death to sin, and were resurrected with Christ in newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). They are those who walk not after the flesh but who conduct their lives according to the Spirit, not in sinless perfection, but who by the Spirit are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, and are clothing themselves with Christ.

Produced by Faith

These followers of Jesus Christ are not those who make a profession of Jesus Christ only, and who live no different from the people of the world. They are also not those who think they can earn or deserve their own salvation via “good works.” They understand that they are saved from their sins only through Jesus’ death on a cross for our sins, and only through the power and working of the Holy Spirit in their lives in turning them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they could receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ (See: Ac. 26:16-18). Yet, they also know that it is by faith that we are saved, and that faith is proved genuine by their obedience to Christ and to his Word, not in sinless perfection, but in a consistent walk in the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh (See: Ro. 8:1-14; 6:1-23; Lu. 9:23-25).

Imitators of Christ

An imitator can be one who pretends to be someone else, and/or who acts out the role of someone else for entertainment purposes. Yet, an imitator can also be one who is a follower of someone, i.e. someone who is guided by another and who obeys what that person tells him or her to do. The latter definition is the one which describes being an imitator of Christ. When we imitate Christ we follow his lead and his example, all in the power and working of his Spirit within us, as we cooperate fully with that work of grace in our lives. We daily listen to our Lord’s voice speaking to us through his word and via his Spirit, and we obey him. Our heart’s desire is to be like Jesus and to be a light for him and for the gospel to the world around us in loving them with Christ’s love, and in walking the talk, not just talking the walk, and in sharing the message of the gospel of our salvation so they, too, can be saved.

When we read the word of God each day, and we spend time with the Lord in prayer, this needs to not be a ritual we perform, as well as we need to read not just for knowledge. When we study the Word of God we should do so prayerfully, asking the Lord to speak to us via his Spirit, and to quicken us in our understanding so that we can apply his Word to our daily lives. In this way, the word of God will come to us in power and not just in words. And, we will accept his Word into our lives with deep conviction of the Spirit so that we desire to do what it says, as well as so we do what it says. Yet, when this happens, we will face much persecution, even from within the church, from the leadership as well as from many of our brothers and sisters in Christ, because so many who profess the name of Jesus today are not doing this, and so we will appear odd or strange to them.

We should live such godly lives among the people of this world, and among our fellow believers in Christ, that our faith will become known to others by reputation. As well, our lives should be such that people will want to imitate our faith, and they will view our lives as an example they want to follow. Of course, we need to be humble, and honest, and we need to give God all the glory for whatever he does in our lives, and admit when we fail. Our goal should always be to please our Lord and not to receive praise from human beings. But the lives we live should not be “good” by human standards, but by God’s standards, having had our lives turned to God from idols in order to serve the living and true God, and not to please ourselves. In other words, just because others think we are “good Christians” does not mean we are living holy lives, pleasing to God. So, we need to know the difference.

Near the Cross

Fanny J. Crosby / William H. Doane

Jesus, keep me near the cross;

There a precious fountain,

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calvary's mountain.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the bright and morning star

Sheds its beams around me.

           

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand

Just beyond the river.

         

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BasJqHsCIo4

Christ in You

Wednesday, June 29, 2016, 5:30 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Near the Cross.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Colossians 1:15-29 (ESV).

He is Preeminent (vv. 15-20)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

“He,” in this passage of scripture, is referring to Jesus Christ, the Son of God the Father, “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (v. 14). He is God, he was with God in the beginning, and all things which were made were made by him, i.e. he is our creator. He is completely sovereign and supreme over all which he created, including he is over all kings, kingdoms, rulers and governments on this earth. He is also the one who determines who is going to rule what countries, too. He sets (establishes) rulers in their places (See: Ro. 13:1; Jn. 19:11; Dn. 2:21; 4:17). He even gives us rulers who are evil, because they serve his ultimate purposes for our lives, oftentimes to draw us to (or closer to) God.

So, if you are one who plans to vote (in America) in this election, then know that, no matter how you vote, God is still going to be the one who establishes rulers in their places, and he will be the one ultimately to decide who ends up ruling over us. As well, I believe there is no real difference between the political right and the political left. I believe they are just two sides of the same whole, and they are both headed the same direction, which is to the rule of the beast (See: Rev. 13) and the one world government and one world religion. This is the direction the world is headed, and it is going there fast. But just know that God/Jesus is in control over all things, and that all which takes place will serve his purposes, mainly to draw people to faith in Jesus Christ and to revive his adulterous church, I believe.

Jesus Christ is also head over the church, his body. Now the church is not a building. It is not a business of human origin, nor is it a corporation under the headship of any human government. That does describe the institutional church, but that is not the true church. We don’t “go” to church. We “are” the church, although we do go to gatherings of the church. So, attending church merely means we are gathering together with fellow believers in Jesus Christ for the study of the Word, for fellowship, for prayer and for communion, no matter the location or the day. Yet, many who profess the name of Jesus have turned the church into something God did not intend. They made it into a human business, marketed just like any other business, and with the government (in America) as head in place of Christ. So, God is calling his true church to separate themselves from what is not of him so that he is her only head for, I believe, the institutional church is under the judgment of God.

Reconciled to God (vv. 21-23)

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

To be reconciled means to be reunited with God. When God first created humans, they had not yet sinned, so they enjoyed perfect fellowship with God. Yet, when they did sin, that separated them from God, and thus all humans have been born into sin and are separate from God, and we come up short of attaining God’s divine approval (See Ro. 3:23). So, God the Father sent his Son Jesus Christ to the earth to die on a cross for our sins. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that when he died, our sins died with him and were buried with him. When he was resurrected from the dead, he rose victorious over Satan, sin, hell and death for you and for me. Through his death and resurrection, he provided the way for us to be reconciled (reunited) with God. Through faith in Jesus Christ we can be reunited with God and can have eternal life with God both now and forevermore. Amen!

What that means for us, though, is so much more than just being forgiven of our sins and having the hope of heaven when we die. When Jesus died, he put our sin to death on a cross so that when we come to him in faith we might also die to sin and be resurrected with him to newness of life. Peter said that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. Being reconciled to God means we don’t live like we lived before. Instead of walking in the flesh and doing evil deeds, we are now empowered by God to walk according to the Spirit, and to no longer gratify the evil desires of our flesh. Jesus reconciled us to God so that we might live holy lives, pleasing to God – all in the power and working of his Spirit now living within us, and not in our own flesh.

So, how is this accomplished? Well, for one, we can’t just pray a prayer and then be congratulated that we are now free from all punishment and that heaven is our eternal destination. It doesn’t work like that. Coming to faith in Jesus Christ means we die with Christ to sin and we are resurrected with Christ to newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” We walk by faith, and not by sight. And, that faith is continuous, not a one-time experience which guarantees heaven no matter what. In John 3:16 we read that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes (believing) in him might not perish but have eternal life. That word “believe” is present tense, which means we must believe today and tomorrow and the next day and so on and so forth until the day we die, or we are taken up to heaven.

Mature in Christ (vv. 24-29)

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

We were not born just to die. We were born to live. In other words, we are not born of the Spirit of God just so we can go to heaven one day. We were born from above in order that we might glorify God with our lives, that we may live in him and him in us. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ so that we (our flesh) no longer live, but now Christ lives in us, and the life we now live, we live by faith in Jesus Christ, who gave his life up for us.

Christ in us, via the Holy Spirit, encourages, strengthens, and empowers us to live godly and holy lives, pleasing to God. As we submit to the cross each day, and surrender our wills to the will of God for our lives, we continually give over lordship of our lives to Jesus Christ so that he can live out his life through us. And, this is why Jesus died, that he might cleanse our hearts from sin, come in to dwell within us, and to live his life out through us, not just to give us an escape from hell and the promise of heaven when we die. A saved life should be a Christ-filled life submitted to the cross of Christ, and surrendered to Christ’s Lordship.

Jesus also did not die so that we would remain spiritual infants all our lives. He died that we might mature in Christ – in faith, love, and in purpose. We are to continue in the faith, “stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard.” We are to grow in Christ through sitting at his feet each day, listening to him speak his words to our hearts, and via obeying what his word teaches us. Jesus died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us (2 Co. 5:15). If we continue to live sinful lifestyles, we will die in our sins, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the misdeeds of the flesh, we will live eternally with God (See: Ro. 8:1-14; cf. Lu. 9:23-25).

So, if you are counting on a prayer you prayed one day to get to heaven, think again. We must continue in Christ, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel, and we must daily be putting to death the deeds of the flesh and putting on Christ and his armor. This is not to say we must live in sinless perfection, but lack of perfection should never be used as an excuse for continued and willful sin against God. Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, so let his Spirit today crucify you with Christ in death to sin, and resurrect you to newness of life in Christ, now lived to his righteousness.

Near the Cross

Fanny J. Crosby / William H. Doane

Jesus, keep me near the cross;

There a precious fountain,

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calvary's mountain.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the bright and morning star

Sheds its beams around me.

           

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand

Just beyond the river.

         

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BasJqHsCIo4