To Live is Christ...

1. They are people of prayer. They realize that only God can convict and convert, and they are totally dependent upon Him in prayer. Most of the highly evangelistic Christians spend at least an hour in prayer each day.

2. They have a theology that compels them to evangelize. They believe in the urgency of the gospel message. They believe that Christ is the only way of salvation. They believe that anyone without Christ is doomed for a literal hell.

3. They are people who spend time in the Word. The more time they spend in the Bible, the more likely they are to see the lostness of humanity and the love of God in Christ to save those who are lost.

4. They are compassionate people. Their hearts break for those who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They have learned to love the world by becoming more like Christ who has the greatest love for the world.

5. They love the communities where God has placed them. They desire for the light of Christ to shine through them in their communities.

6. They are intentional about evangelism. They pray for opportunities to share the gospel. They look for those opportunities. And they see many so-called casual encounters as appointments set by God.

7. They are accountable to someone for their evangelistic activities. They know that many good activities can replace Great Commission activities if they are not careful. Good can replace the best. So they make certain that someone holds them accountable each week, either formally or informally, for their evangelistic efforts.

Do you care about God and His message? Do you have a passion to reach the lost people around you with the Gospel of grace?

—Thom Rainer, Seven Characterisitics...

“You have offended the infinite God with your sins, but an infinite price has been paid. You ought to be judged for your sins, but the Son of God has already been judged for the sins of the whole world, which He received in Himself. Your sins ought to be punished, but God already punished them in His Son. The wounds from your sins are great, but more precious is the balm of the blood of Christ.

Moses pronounces a curse against you (Deut 27:26), because you have not kept everything that has been written in the book of the law, but Christ has been made a curse for you (Gal 3:13). The handwriting has been written against you in the court of heaven, but Christ’s blood has deleted that (Col 2:14).

Therefore, your passion, O loving Christ, is my ultimate refuge.”
—Johann Gerhard, Sacred Meditations VII

"I am persuaded I ought to confess sin more. I think I ought to confess sin the moment I see it to be sin; whether in company, or in study, or even preaching, the soul ought to cast a glance of abhorrence at the sin. If I go on with duty, leaving sin unconfessed, I go on with a burdened conscience, and add sin to sin. I think I ought at certain times of the day, to confess solemnly the sins of the previous hours, and seek their complete remission.

When I have sinned, however, I feel an immediate reluctance to go to Christ. I am ashamed to go. I feel [I should not go, for if I would it is] as if I were making Christ the minister of sin—to go straight from the swine-trough to the best robe. [And I have] a thousand other excuses. But I am persuaded they are all lies direct from hell.

John argues the opposite way—‘If any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father’ (1 John 2:1) … The holy sensitiveness of the soul that shrinks from the touch of sin, the acute susceptibility of the conscience at the slightest shade of guilt, will of necessity draw the spiritual mind frequently to the blood of Jesus. And herein lies the secret of a heavenly walk. Acquaint yourself with it...as the most precious secret of your life. He who lives in the habit of a prompt and minute acknowledgement of sin, with his eye reposing calmly, believingly, upon the crucified Redeemer, soars in spirit where the eagle’s [wings cannot fly].”

—Octavius Winslow, No Condemnation in Christ Jesus, pp. 79—80.

“He spares not His Son, but sends Him in quest of the exiles. He comes into the land of banishment, lies in an exile’s cradle, becomes a banished man for them, lives a banished life, endures an exile’s shame, dies an exile’s death, is buried in an exile’s tomb. He takes our place of banishment that we may take His place of honor and glory in the home of His Father and our Father. Such is the exchange between the exile and the exile’s divine substitute. Though rich, for our sakes He becomes poor. Though at home, He comes into banishment, that we may not be expelled forever.”

—Horatius Bonar, “The Restoration of the Banished”

"Christianity is not a self-help religion meant to enable moral people to become more moral. We don’t need a self-help book; we need a Savior. We don’t need to get our collective act together; we need death and resurrection and the life-transforming truths of the gospel. And we don’t need them just once, at the beginning of our Christian life; we need them every moment of every day.”

—Fitzpatrick & Johnson, Counsel from the Cross, p. 30.

Mark 1:17 -- Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."

In Mark we find Christ meeting Simon and Andrew as they were casting fishing nets into the sea. He challenges them to follow Him. They then spend the next couple weeks making their decision, trying to figure out if it will cost them financially, damage their reputations, etc. ----- Wrong. Simon and Andrew immediately left the nets and followed Him. They instantly recognized Christ's authority in their lives.

It may be that one reason why we don't see more people "leaving their nets" and following Christ is because we, in the Church, have not presented the authentic, real, living Lord Jesus in all of His splendor, majesty and glory. When we see Him for who He is, no possession, no worldly honor or success can compare with the King of kings!

Peter makes a profound statement in John 6:68: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life." Peter had come to the conclusion that there was no other one to follow. There is nothing else that matters other than Jesus Christ and His Word.

Have you asked the Lord to infuse your life with the conviction that He alone is worth following? Do you hunger and thirst for knowing the One who has the words of eternal life? Does your passion for Jesus cause a stir in others to know about Jesus and "leave their nets"?

Hebrews 12:1-3 -- Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus....For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

Runners will tell you that the toughest part of a race is not the end--it's just before the end. Many milers find that the third lap of the four is usually their slowest. Why? That's when you feel dog tired and wonder why you ever started running in the first place.

You may find today that your faith is like that. At some point, after you've been a Christian for several years, you may fall into the rut of a "mid-faith crisis." It's characterized by restlessness; a desire to return to the days of youth; a questioning of commitments, identity and personal values; and a loss of enthusiasm for a Christian walk in your work, family, friendships, and everyday routine.

Consider these questions and diagnose whether you are suffering from a "mid-faith crisis"

• Have you lost your zest for Christ-likeness?
  
• Lost your love for people?
  
• Kind of bored with God and with church?
  
• Can't be impressed anymore?
  
• Do you have joy?
  
• Is your job a chore, or are you doing it as unto the Lord?
  
• Are you wondering why your circumstance seems so unfair?
  
• Do you find you can't remember when you last confessed a sin to God?
  
• Are temptations becoming more alluring?
  
• Are you in a valley?

Rom 6:3-11, Rom 8:5-16

"Lord, I have really messed up my life. I wish I could just start over..." Have you ever felt this way? Maybe you are even wondering if life is worth living. Well, there is some bad news and some good news. The bad: we cannot change our past--it is firmly set in history. The good: we can start anew, no matter where we are right now.

The Holy Spirit specializes in giving new life. All who have believed in Christ and trusted in Him for salvation have His Spirit dwelling within them. New life begins immediately for all who choose to accept His offer of the forgiveness of their sins. There is no more condemnation, and we are set free to live for Christ.

How easy life would be if we reached sinless perfection at regeneration. However, our old sinful tendencies--which the Bible calls "the flesh"--are not removed at salvation. Yet we are not without hope, for the Holy Spirit took up permanent residence at salvation. He is ever present, empowering us to say no to the flesh and yes to Christ.... Have you ever stopped to consider the strength of the One who lives within you? He has all the power of almighty God, who raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 8:11). So when we go through hard times we should ask, "Is my situation really more difficult than Christ's resurrection?"

By setting our minds on the things of the Spirit and living under His authority, we can put to death the sinful actions and habits that have made a mess of our lives.

The Lord wants to set us free from addicting pleasures and drives that lead only to pain and heartache. Begin today by letting the Holy Spirit lead you into new life. Replace sinful habits with the characteristics of Spirit-living: Phil 4:8-9.

It doesn’t matter how complicated, how desperate, perhaps even hopeless your life has become. No matter how overwhelmed you may feel by your problems, if your trust is in Jesus Christ, you can be sure that he is praying for you now and through that prayer he will provide for you the resources to bring you relief or enable you to carry on.

The most important thing that you and I need to learn about prayer is this: first of all and ultimately, prayer is not something we do but what Jesus does for us.

Richard B. Gaffin, “Christ, Our High Priest in Heaven"

"You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever" (Ps 16:11).

Why do we share a relationship with the Father? Do I serve him only for my benefit? God's primary purpose for creating intimacy with believers is to reveal himself.

In a genuinely loving relationship, each person wants to know more about the other. As believers, we are sometimes guilty of taking a more self-interested approach and forget that God is the rightful center of our attention. Instead, we head to church or into quiet time looking for something to inspire us, motivate us, or help us.

Our Father wants His children to understand how He operates. The only way to gain that knowledge is by allowing God to reveal himself in our experiences. That means we must be willing to go through difficulty and pain as well as happiness and peace. A man can read that the Holy Spirit is the believer's Comforter, but he does not know this truth until he has need of solace. God becomes much bigger and more real in our lives as we lean upon him. Yes, through God's working in our lives we experience the benefits of this relationship, but the greatest benefit we receive is simply by being closer to God as a result of the trial. We find joy by simply being in his presence, not by having our present circumstances work out the way we want them to.

The Christian life is not about feeling good and deriving the greatest personal benefit from our connection to God. Rather, the Lord builds an intimate relationship with each of His followers. In that way, He can reveal more about Himself--truth by truth--as a believer needs that knowledge. What a privilege!

The most important relationship we can have in this world is the relationship we develop with God through Jesus Christ. As we draw closer to God, Jesus is magnified in our lives and the greatest need we possess is addressed.

Will you draw close to him today, focused on his worth instead of your own?

Consider these verses: Ps 16:11, Ps 73:25-26

Suppose I asked you to characterize your relationship with God. Is he like a friend that you meet only occasionally for coffee? Or is he at the opposite end of the spectrum--a valued member of your household who is included in every aspect of daily life? Most likely, the nature of your bond falls somewhere in between.

Whatever the state of your relationship with the Lord, be assured that he wants something closer and more meaningful. God desires a connection so deep and strong that words like friendship and fellowship cannot fully describe it. He created us for spiritual intimacy. We are equipped to relate to the Lord in a unique way, for we are made in God's image.  Like him, we can think, reason, feel, and make choices. He desires that we see his beauty in a special way as we draw closer to him and replicate his image. He desires to do a remarkable thing in each of us!

Jesus called His followers "friends" (Jn 15:15), and Paul wrote that believers are "sons of God" (Gal. 4:7). Those are not distant, impersonal relationships. When we spend time with the Lord, we grow as close to him as a beloved child to a Father. Some believers have the mistaken idea that doing something "Christian" is the way to make God happy. But the way to please our Father is by being Christian. He wants us to live in such a way that others see He is our Father and best friend.

Does your heart cry out for God as the Psalmist's did: "I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever" (Ps 73:25-26)?

Do you live as though God is the ultimate desire of your heart?

Hebrews 5:12-14 - You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food...Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

We live in a fast-paced world that demands instant results. For many, waiting has become a lost art. But one of God's ways of maturing us in our faith is quite different from the quick answers that we expect in our fast-paced, go-go-go world. The character qualities that God values take time to develop, and they only come by spending time in his Word.

Discernment is a trait that does not come instantaneously. Rather, it is cultivated by saturating the heart and mind with Scripture. The transcendent Lord of the universe wants to share His thinking with us through His Word. What could be more important or valuable in life than having the capacity to know the mind of God?

Our lives are filled with situations that require discernment. Sometimes we can be so busy trying to find the will of God and direction for our next step that we fail to hear His voice. He is calling us to come to Him and spend some quiet, unhurried time absorbing the truth of His Word.

After listening to the Lord, we can begin applying what we have learned. Only as we put His Word into practice in our lives will we have our "senses trained to discern good and evil" (Heb 5:14). The Scriptures open our eyes to see all of our experiences from God's perspective so that we can make wise choices.

Our challenge for today and every day is to make it a priority to spend time with the Lord in His Word. We may have to reorganize our schedule or wake up earlier. But it's worth the effort--discernment and wisdom await us if we put into practice the truths we absorb each day.

Gal 6:14 -- May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

The cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched atop a chapel. Carved into a graveyard headstone. Engraved in a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice, don't you think? Strange that a tool of torture would come to embody a movement of hope.

The cross was the consummation of all that Earth's preceding history looked forward to and the moment that all of subsequent history looks back on. It is the pivotal moment in human history where Jesus died for sin, conquering both sin and death. There is power in the cross! This must not be lost, and the message of the cross must not be neglected!

Psalm 63:1-8 -- O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water...

We've all heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A similar concept applies to our hearts and minds. The fuel that we give them each morning greatly affects the remainder of the day. Think of time in God's Word, prayer, and meditation as spiritual nourishment for your relationship with the Lord.

David provided an excellent example of what it is like to begin the day the right way. In Psalm 63, he described seeking the Lord early (a literal translation of "earnestly"). He woke up ravenous for his Creator, and after filling his yearning soul with the fullness of God, he broke out in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. Even when night came, he was still thinking about his heavenly Father as he lay in bed (v. 6).

Just imagine having a day like that--filled with joy and gratitude to God. This is possible when we set apart the beginning of our day to spend with the Lord, listening to him speak through his Word and talking to him in prayer. Our blessing will be even richer when we stay mindful of God throughout the day and into the night--contemplating who he is and how he works. Seeking the Lord not only fills our empty souls; it also increases our hunger for more of him.

Do you find it a struggle to set apart time with the Lord each morning? Lifelong habits begin with baby steps, not grand, overwhelming resolutions. Start today--set aside 15 minutes just one morning. Try this for a few days, and see if the Lord begins to satisfy your soul and increase your hunger for him.

2 Cor 6:2 - Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation!

We recently celebrated Easter, enjoying new life and new beginnings. But without Jesus it is just another holiday. What makes it so different? If you have never received Jesus as your Savior you are probably asking this very question. The truth is that Jesus makes all the difference in the world. His death and Resurrection are essential to having any hope in the life hereafter. The Bible teaches that all men will die and will face an eternity in either heaven or hell.

Where will you spend eternity? If Jesus is not in your life as Lord and Savior Christ you have no hope of heaven with God; your future includes only judgment in eternal, excruciating torment. But you can know that you are bound for life with God.

What do you need to know to become a Christian?

• God is the creator; therefore, he deserves worship from his creation. However, our sin has created a chasm whereby we do not worship God as he should be worshipped.
  
  • God is holy; he is perfect. People, however, are not perfect.
  • Man is in dire straights: he is sinful, and God is displeased with man's sin.
    
• God is just; he is always fair. God cannot justly allow sinful men into his perfect heaven.
  • God is patient, but He is not tolerant. His justice calls for an a payment / penalty for man's sins.
  • Because of our sin, God will be just to condemn us to eternal punishment unless we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
    
  • Your sin will keep you from God and his heaven. Sin separates man from God and must be forgiven in order for man to have a relationship with God (see Rom. 6:23).
• God is love; he desires a relationship with man.
  
• God requires perfection. That's why he sent Jesus, his Son.
  
  • Jesus is holy; he has never sinned. He never sinned in his life on earth. Jesus is perfect, and he is acceptable to God.
  • Your sins must be paid for somehow, and that is what Jesus Christ died for us on the cross.
  • Because Jesus is perfect, through his death and resurrection, when we believe in him (and repent of sins) he becomes our perfect substitute that God accepts. When we turn our lives over to Jesus, God's requirements are satisfied because God sees Jesus as our replacement, and Jesus is perfect. Our sins are washed away (forgiven) by Jesus perfection.
    
• You may receive God's forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ (see Eph. 2:8,9) and by repenting of your sins, turning to God in faith and trusting Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord. 
  • When we repent, we acknowledge our sins before God and express our sorrow about our sins to Him.
  • God will never turn aside any who come to him through Jesus Christ! He will forgive your sin if you will only come.
    
• Those who accept Jesus as Savior and live for him will have eternal life in heaven with God.
  

"He is not here, but He has risen" (Luke 24:6).

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins ( 1 Corinthians 15:16-17).

The pivotal point in all of human history is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The one thing that separates Christianity from other religions is that God conquered death. And sin-my sin, your sin-was atoned for.

If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen— nothing else matters. Christianity hinges on the Resurrection. If Christ is who He claimed to be, and He didn't come back from the dead, then as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:16-18, our faith is worthless and "we are of all men most to be pitied" (v. 19).

"On Christ, and what he has done, my soul hangs for time and eternity...I have nothing else to rely upon but the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived, died, was buried, rose again, went to heaven, and still lives and pleads for sinners at the right hand of God.”
- Charles Spurgeon

John 17:20-21 - "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me."

As I reflect on the teachings of Christ, I find that much of His instruction dealt with maintaining peaceful and harmonious relationships within the body of Christ. He taught His disciples to break down barriers in relationships and to be unified. He taught them to forgive each other (Col 3:13) and to show loving compassion (Eph 4:32). But I wonder if we consider the import that Christ gave to this issue. The very nature of our salvation rides upon the love and unity we show within the body of Christ (1 John 1:7, 10-11, 1 John 3:10-24)!

The prayer in the verses above is our Lord's "high priestly prayer," which he uttered near the end of His life. Why did He focus on unity and oneness at that crucial point? Could it be that the strongest demonstration of the Holy Spirit's power in our lives might be in the manner that imperfect Christians live in "other worldly" unity with one another?

But it isn't always easy, is it? When you have conflict with your friends, roommates, or your parents, you probably tend to withdraw from intimacy. You may withdraw in bitterness to let the anger fester, or you may simply lash out in anger and "devour one another" (cf. Gal 5:15). When we live this way, how do we exhibit the change that Christ has made in our lives? We don't. Unity is important, for it displays that our lives are different.

Consider how you can change your patterns of behavior so that Jesus is honored and God is glorified through your life. It must start with humble prayer and petitioning our Father for forgiveness, but it is also important that we learn to communicate and to develop helpful habits. You may have to choose to "love the unlovely" or to "love your enemies" (Luke 6:35). Maybe you need to have one meal a day with your family and use the time to chat without and arguments or disruptions. Or maybe you'll take a walk and talk with a troubled roommate who just needs you to be there as they struggle with this life's trials.

Resolve to live in unity with the body of Christ so that you will display Jesus to this world through the difference he has made in your life.

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, nor are your best days ever so good that you are beyond the need of it.”

- by Jerry Bridges, Discipline of Grace, p. 18.

Stop for a moment and consider your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests and success? Or are you committing your life to pleasing Christ? Pleasing self is futile! The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment is serving Christ. As His followers, we should model our lives after His, and Mark 10:45 tells us that "even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve." We honor Him by doing likewise. Are you investing in the lives of others? Do you understand that we are instructed to love one another as one evidence of an eternal perspective which pleases Christ (cf. Gal 5:6, 5:13-14)?

We have many excuses for not getting involved in the lives of others--such as a lack of time or experience or of having the wrong personality for the task. But God's call for each of us is unique. He will provide the words, ability, and circumstances so that we can achieve what He wants done. Remember, our Father is the one who makes the difference. We are merely tools, and we're blessed to be used by Him. Yet it begins with an attitude which is resolved to serve Christ by serving others; no one is exempt from this command to love, serve, and support our fellow believers (Gal 6:2, 6:10).

Are you demonstrating your love for the Lord by serving others? Live in such a way that each evening you can tell Him, "Lord, as best I know how, I have attempted to serve Your purpose today."

Consider the significance of 2 Cor 5:17...

• Did Christ come to merely improve our existence in Adam or to end it, sweeping us from depravity into his new creation?
• Is Christianity all about spiritual and moral makeovers or about death to self and resurrection unto an entirely new life?
  
• Is the Word of God a resource for what we have already decided we want and need, or is it God’s living and active direction for life that is wholly distinct from human desire, morality, wisdom and experience?
  

*Romans 6:14-18; Galatians 2:16, 19-20

Bookstores devote entire sections to "self-help" titles, and those titles make millions of dollars annually. Yet have you ever considered that the self-help concept is flawed, for mere men can do nothing to help or improve themselves, in areas of any real value, due to the sin nature (and the affects of sin upon the mind). We can clean up our attitudes and actions temporarily, but lasting change is possible only through the Lord Jesus Christ. Only when God's Spirit is living within us can we be shaped into successful followers of God.

It's critical to realize that the Law wasn't intended for salvation. The commands given through Moses are designed to teach us what sin is and how mankind violates holiness (cf. Gal 3:19, 23). To lead a God-pleasing life, we must follow biblical principles, but doing so isn't enough to get us into heaven (Gal 3:21, 22). The Law was created to drive us to the Savior for salvation; through it, we understand our inability to adhere to the Lord's rules without His help (Gal 3:24).

Embedded within the Law is a warning that sin's penalty is death (Gen 3:3, 21; Rom 6:23) because it is impossible to keep the Law (Gal 2:19). Christ is the fulfillment of the Law since He took our sin upon Himself and died (Gal 3:13). When we accept His sacrifice on our behalf, we're covered by divine grace, and His Spirit comes to permanently indwell us.

It is through the Spirit's application of Scripture to the heart that the Christian is challenged to bring fleshly habits and thought patterns under submission to the Word. He illuminates the believer's mind with regard to biblical meaning and application. Therefore, it is important to continue to take in God's Word, for it is useful "to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17, NLT).

There is no self-help in the believer's life. We are to surrender to the work and way of God's Spirit; he is the one who helps and guides us into the way of truth.

The majesty of God’s forgiveness is lost entirely when we lose what must be forgiven. What must be forgiven is not just what we do but who we are, not just our sinning but our sinfulness, not just our choices but what we have chosen in place of God. When we miss the biblical teaching, we also miss the nature of God’s grace in all its height and depth.

In biblical faith it is God’s grace through Christ that does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. And as we have seen in our study of Galatians, the message of the gospel is that you are saved by grace through Christ’s work and nothing else at all. As soon as you add anything to it, you have lost it entirely, and you miss the majesty of God's forgiveness.

HOW DOES CHRIST’S ASCENSION TO HEAVEN BENEFIT US?
- The Heidelberg Catechism, Question # 49

"First, he pleads our cause in heaven the presence of his Father. Second, we have our own flesh in heaven - a guarantee that Christ our head will take us, his members, to himself in heaven. Third, he sends us his Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee. By the Spirit’s power we make the goal of our lives, not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand."

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time (Eph 5:15-17).

In a moment of clarity, this question sliced through my fog of fatigue: "Have you wasted your day? I hope you did something of value today; you wasted a whole day if you didn't!" The question strikes abruptly. Did I give my all for God at my job today (Col 3:23)? Did I speak in love and encouragement to those I came in contact with? Did I stay cool under pressure, or did I lose my temper (and my testimony)? Have I done my best for God? Did I exhibit an eternal perspective?

You may be sitting at home and in the next 10 minutes you may have the opportunity to invest your time with your family...will you? What will you grant your attention to? Self-indulgent, self-satisfying diversions??? Will you do something of value with your time...even tonight? You may think, "It's just one night, and besides, I'm exhausted." But consider how one night, followed by another, day after day, 365 times, adds up to a year. Make no mistake, the nights and years will pass with increasing velocity.

Right now you are reading, and you may think that you do better than average with your time. But consider: Did God call us to be merely better-than-average Christians, or to be obedient and to excel? You say, "But it's just one night. What can I accomplish tonight?" Will you waste it spending all evening in front of the television? Or invest it in eternity? Moreover, what will you do tomorrow? How will you invest your time?

Do you realize that according to Eph 5:15 it is the fool who does not make the most of his time? Will you live foolishly? With the power that God supplies, you may leave a legacy that counts--a legacy of godliness that will outlive you. If you struggle with priorities, as I do, you might want to commit to memory those verses in Ephesians 5 (vv. 15-17). The "fool" Paul wrote about is something we never intend to become; it just happens-one day at a time.

Ask God to help you keep your priorities straight in the midst of the pressure and schedule you face. Ask Him to give you courage to do right.

Did you do something of value today? If you didn't, you acted foolishly, wasting a whole day of your life. Make the most of your time--invest it in eternal things!

Consider him who endured such opposition...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Heb 12:3).

Remorse out of fear is merely sorrow for the consequences of sin, sorrow over the danger of sin — it may bend the will away from sin for the fear of punishment, but the heart still desires that sin. Repentance out of gospel conviction, however, is true sorrow over sin, sorrow over the grievousness of sin — it melts the heart away from sin. It makes the sin itself disgusting to us, so it loses its attractive power over us. We say, ‘this disgusting thing is an affront to the one who died for me. The question we must ask is, "Am I truly sorry for the sin, or sorry for the consequences for that sin?"

The gospel creates the only kind of grief over sin which is clean and which does not crush. It says: "Look at Jesus dying for you! He won’t leave you or abandon you–how then can you respond as you are? He suffered so you wouldn’t do this thing! You are not living as though you are loved --as his child!" It is not because he will abandon you that you should be holy, but because this is the one who at inestimable cost to himself has said he won’t ever abandon you!

How can you live in the very sin that he died to deliver you from?

*The following has been taken from the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards. This is only a small portion of his resolutions. The order has been changed to a logical priority that I perceive.

• Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.
• Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
• Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
  • Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
• Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
  • I frequently hear persons in old age, say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.
• Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
• Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.
• Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
  • Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
  • Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.
  • Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.
  • Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.
• Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it.
• Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
• Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.
• Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
• Resolved, never to do any thing of which I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not; unless I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.
• Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion.
• Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what am I the better for them, and what I might have got by them.
• Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
  • Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,- what sin I have committed,-and wherein I have denied myself;-also at the end of every week, month and year.
  • Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of.

*Adapted from Max Lucado's, In the Eye of the Storm, pp. 150-154.

The first of the year is known for lists.  Lists are reassuring; they comfort us. They suggest that the crazy, zooming, blooming chaos of the universe can be mastered and tamed within the cage of a tidy column. To list is to understand, solve, and even control. For that reason we can’t resist the urge, at the end of the year, to form lists. They help create order out of chaos. The practice can be commended for it helps us prioritize our lives, understand what's important, and to develop a purpose and plan for where we'd like to go.

My list is the one I have entitled my Laws of the Lighthouse. The Laws of the Lighthouse are immutable, immovable truths. Candidates for this list only qualify if they have characteristics which function as lighthouses do:
    • They warn of potential danger.
    • They signal of safety.
    • They are stronger than the storm.
    • They shine through even in the midst of fog.

The Laws of the Lighthouse define the way I navigate my life. Observe them and enjoy secure passage. Ignore them and crash against the ragged rocks of reality.

The wise captain shifts his direction according to the signal of the lighthouse. Here, then, are the lights I look for, and the signals I heed:
    • Love God more than you fear hell.
    • Make major decisions in a cemetery (i.e. understand your mortality and make decisions in light of your limited time on earth).
    • When no one is watching, live as if someone is watching.
    • Succeed at home first.
    • Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.
    • Pray 10x more than you fret.
    • Listen 2x as much as you speak.
    • Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
    • Only harbor a grudge when God does.
    • Never outgrow your love of sunsets; enjoy God's creation and marvel at his glory on display.
    • Treat people like angels.
    • ‘Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of stinginess.
    • God has forgiven you; you’d be wise to forgive others.
    • Don’t feel guilty for God’s goodness.
    • Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
    • Live everyday as if it's your last.
    • Live the way you'd like to be remembered in your eulogy.

*Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, pp. 150-154.

All-powerful God had entered the world as a baby. Yet, were someone to chance upon the sheep stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem that morning 2,000+ years ago, what a peculiar scene they would behold. The stable stinks like all stables do. The stench of urine, dung, and sheep reeks pungently in the air. The ground is hard, hay is strewn about, cobwebs cling to the ceiling, and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor. A more lowly place of birth could not exist.

Off to one side sit a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor; perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him--so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.

Nearby the weary father, Joseph, sits, on the verge of sleep. He can't remember the last time he sat down, and now that the excitement has subsided a bit he leans against the wall and feels his eyes grow heavy. He still hasn't figured it all out, and as he drifts in and out of sleep he considers the words of the angel, "You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matt 1:21).

Wide awake is Mary. The teenage girl sits in a smelly stable marveling at her new baby. The pain of child-birth has been eclipsed by wonder. She looks into the face of the baby...Her son...Her Lord. She can't take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High...And he will reign over the [Jews] forever; His kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:33).

He looks like anything but a king. His face is prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being.

Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter. This baby had overlooked the universe. His golden throne room had been abandoned for a dirty sheep pen. And worshiping angels had been replaced with kind but bewildered shepherds.

Meanwhile, the city hums. The merchants are unaware that God has visited their planet. The innkeeper would never believe that he had just sent God into the cold. And the people would scoff at anyone who told them the Messiah lay in the arms of a teenager on the outskirts of their village. They were all too busy to consider the possibility (*Foregoing adapted from Max Lucado's God Came Near, p. 24).

Some things never change...As Christians consider the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season the world continues on, oblivious to the Christ and the purpose of his journey to earth. The world around us is lost in commercialism and materialism.

Santa has taken the place of Christ, embodying the culture to a T, for he is fanciful, exuberant, over-weight, and highly commercial. He is a symbol of our society's ills: materialism, greed, and media domination. (The Christian must understand that Santa carries more in his bag than toys alone!)

Sin is not just breaking the rules, it is the worst kind of rebellion--putting yourself in the place of God...as Savior, Lord, and Judge. Therefore, when we sin we must immediately bow in repentance before God and beg for his forgiveness. Yet we must be careful that we do not come simply out of duty or of common remorse. For remorse says, "I broke God’s rules"; real repentance says, "I broke God’s heart." The difference may seem subtle, but it is of vital importance. Gospel repentance looks to the sacrifice of Christ on Mt. Calvary and seeks to restore a broken relationship; whereas, legalistic repentance / remorse is convicted because of the awareness of sin's punishment and consequences. True Gospel repentance must be the order of the life; it is convicted by mercy and is consumed with the love of Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:4,5 -- And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed by life. When we consider our responsibilities in school, family, work, church, extended family, etc., feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness can rise suddenly and envelop us like a thick fog.

Yet you can keep from being overwhelmed by focusing on the sufficiency of Christ. He is alive today, and He stands ready to guide you along the way!

God wants us to know Him, to receive His blessings, and to live a life of peace, purpose and pardon. The Bible contains many wonderful principles and truths, but these principles will be only stale dogma to you unless we allow the person of Jesus Christ to be at the center of our lives. As A. W. Tozer states, "The most important thing about you is what you think about God."

No matter how inadequate you feel, God is completely able to do what appears impossible. His power is most evident when we are weakest. As Paul says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

Submit to Him today and ask Him to be your sufficiency and your strength.

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -- 1 Thess 5:18

It is easy, and natural, to react negatively to those nagging little problems--the heavy traffic making you late for school or work, the snow in your shoe getting your sock wet, that thing your friend does which really annoys you. We could go on and on with every little thing that comes into our lives which irritates and upsets us. We may call it many things: "bad luck," getting ticked off, or just shrugging your shoulders while muttering "What's the use?"

We often react in these ways because we have failed to consider and apply the words of 1 Thess 5:18. What occurs when we begin to measure our walk with God by those 4 simple words: "In everything give thanks"? To our amazement, we may start to notice a change in our attitudes about life in general. I know that as I began to truly understand those words I realized that God wants to penetrate every area of my life.

Let's consider 3 reasons God commanded us to give thanks in all things:

1. First, giving thanks in all things expresses faith--faith in the God who knows what He's doing; faith in the God who sovereignly rules in all that happens to us. Isn't that what He wants from us--wholehearted faith?
2. Second, He knew we wouldn't naturally give thanks. Giving thanks in all things means I am no longer walking as a mere man, grumbling and griping, but walking as a spiritual man (see 1 Cor. 2:14-15). A spiritual man sees God at work...even in the mundane or agitating circumstances. This is part of what makes us different as Christians; we are distinguished by reacting in the opposite way to which the unregenerate would react given the same situation. We can show the vitality of our Christianity by giving thanks in all things. Isn't that a portion of what's wrong with 20th century Christianity? Don't we divorce God from the details of daily experience? Don't we ultimately dislike those things that we can't seem to control? Let's be honest, we'd rather gripe, complain and be miserable about circumstances than give thanks.
3. Finally, God wants to teach us how to deal with those things which peeve us so aptly tackle the daunting enemy that lies before us. Often, all we see are the grains of sand irritating us, and we think that if we could just remove all those irritants then we could get on with real life. But we fail to realize that the grains of sand are the real life tests that God sends us each day. He uses those irritants to instruct us and to see us mature in Christ.

Tell God you want to submit to Him so you may learn the lessons He has for you in the midst of daily life. Ask Him to teach you through life's little irritations. Do you have some irritations that you often react negatively to? Before you try to eradicate them from your life, why don't you stop and give thanks for them and ask God to teach you what you need to learn?

God's children are called to live holy lives that are marked by a deep reverence for Him. One strong motivation for righteous living is the cross and what it represents.

The cross is a reminder of our innate position as outsiders, separated from God because of sin. It points to our need for a Savior.

The penalty for sin is death (Rom. 6:23); however,  the only acceptable payment is the shedding of innocent blood (Deut. 17:1). Since we are all guilty, we cannot pay for our own sins. But it was on the cross that Jesus took our place and endured God's wrath so we could be forgiven. The crucifixion marks the provision whereby God's justice may be satisfied and His mercy demonstrated. It is the only means by which could be reconciled to the Lord and adopted into His family. Only through faith in Jesus Christ can we be saved (John 14:6).

Sadly, many have forgotten about God's requirement of holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16). Instead of holding fast to His standards of attitude and behavior, we embrace some worldly values that seem more comfortable or self-satisfying (cf. 1 Peter 1:14). We pursue secular ideals such as pleasure and material wealth instead of godly ones like servanthood and obedience. These goals are encouraged by our culture, which has no fear of the Lord and regularly ignores His warnings and commandments.

To counteract the culture's influence, keep the meaning of the cross before you. What more compelling reason do we need to pursue holiness then to reflect upon the fact that Jesus died for us--that we may be holy! It is then that you'll be motivated to pursue holiness in honor of the One who gave His life to save you.

Do you ever think that your sins are too bad, and that forgiveness for those sins requires you to get your act together first? If so, you don’t fear God. You are minimizing his forgiveness. You are acting as though his forgiveness is ordinary, just like that of any person or make-believe god. God's forgiveness could never be earned that's what makes his gracious forgiveness so wonderful!

When we act as though God could never forgive our sins unless we change first, we mitigate God's grace and try to place ourselves in the driver's seat. We, then, are quite important and able to do something to merit forgiveness; thus, God is relegated to a lesser position because he is not "able" to forgive someone so sinful (since we must first get our act together). This shows we don't fear God--we "fear" ourselves and what we can do to merit something that can never be merited. Genuine faith is expressed in, and animated by, a reverential awe (this is the basic meaning of the biblical idea of the fear of God). God is truly glorious and gracious in the forgiveness of sin; we must embrace this, in awe of the Father's wonderful work, and place our sins on His altar, resting in His majestic power to forgive. It is then we show we fear God, and He becomes big in our lives.

If we lack awareness of the awesome and majestic sovereignty of God in the forgiveness of sin, we will not have the depths of meaningful faith existing in our hearts, which we are intended to enjoy (Ps 5:7; 89:7).

Eph 1:22 -- And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church.

A.W. Tozer once mused:

Christ's present position in our churches may be likened to that of a king in a limited monarchy. He is lauded and supported; however, his real authority is small. In name, that king is head over all, but when a crisis comes along someone else makes all the decisions. On formal occasions he appears in his royal attire to deliver tame, colorless speeches which were put into his mouth by the actual sovereigns of the country. The whole thing is no more than good-natured make-believe....

Ready for some good news? . . . Jesus Christ is stronger!

• Stronger than my fears about the future or my shame over a past that cannot be altered, though I wish so much I could do some things differently.
• Stronger than my tired prayers with well-worn phrases and weary pleas.
• Stronger than my need to know now, and have the trial terminated.
• Stronger than the enemy of my soul who would discourage me with my own failings and disillusion me with the faults of others.

Q: What is the primary and highest purpose of man?

A: It is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (Rom 11:36, 1 Cor 10:31, Ps 73:24-28).

“I have often wondered, perhaps in part simply because the term is so rarely used today, what it might mean to ‘glorify’ God forever. It will undoubtedbly mean a great many things, but one of them surely must be that we will continually thank him.

We will thank him for his graciousness and goodness to us, and for inviting us into conversation. Along this line, I would think that we anticipate our ‘chief and highest end’ every time we behold something beautiful and find that after we have exclaimed, ‘Ah, how wonderful!’ we are almost compelled to say ‘Thank you!’

Our destiny is to say these small words forever and so experience the gratitude that is the perfection of happiness.”

—Craig M. Gay, Dialogue, Catalogue & Monologue (Vancouver: Regent, 2008), pp. 48-49

Friends,

I, like many of you, am a facebook junkie. Like many of you, I waste way too much time checking out profiles, groups, etc…I love communication! This morning I popped onto facebook real quick after getting home from work. As I began to putz around and check out my “facebook friends’” statuses, notes, and wall posts, I was amazed at the incredible amount of complete self-absorption that I saw. It’s not like I haven’t seen it before, but for some reason I was particularly grieved today.

It is easy for people to spill their guts on a social networking site for all the world to see, and it becomes quite obvious where their focus and affections lie. I was struck by how many “Christians” out there, who theoretically have the greatest Treasure in the world in Jesus Christ, spend so much time wallowing in self-absorption and self-pity. Don’t get me wrong – people have real problems, and I do feel badly for them and want to pray for them and help them if possible. But the frustrating thing for me is, many “Christians” seem eager to look to everything but Jesus Christ as a solution to their problems! They will look to peer sympathy, a human answer to their problems, distractions (entertainment, games, etc.), blatant sin, or whatever… but they apparently forget the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 11:28-29: “COME TO ME, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find REST FOR YOUR SOULS!” What a promise!

Friends, can I encourage you today to take your eyes off of yourself and to fix them on a loving Savior who never changes? Jesus is the answer – make Him your focus, your comfort, and your guide!

John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. 
  -Jesus (John 16:27)

"It is utterly impossible that God should deny his love to a soul wholly devoted to Him, and which desires nothing so much as to serve and please Him; He can not disdain his own image, nor the heart in which it is engraven: love is all the tribute which we can pay Him, and it is the sacrifice which He will not despise." 
  -Henry Scougal (The Life of God in the Soul of Man, p. 69)

I've been doing more thinking & Scripture study on the topic we discussed at the end of the summer.

Much of the confession/forgiveness issue comes down to our understanding of the nature of past, present, and future salvation.  Here is how it breaks down (notice the parallels):

Initial salvation (conversion, regeneration, justification, adoption, redemption, etc.) - salvation from the penalty of sin

-        Response to sin: confess (agree with God about it), repent (turn from it), and ask for forgiveness (absolving of guilt and punishment through Christ’s substitutionary death).

Present salvation (sanctification) – salvation from the power of sin

-        Response to sin: confess it, repent, thank the Lord for His forgiveness, and ask for strength to practically break free from those sins.

Future salvation (glorification) – salvation from the presence of sin

-        No sin to worry about ever again… praise the Lord!

As you can see, Christians must continue to have an attitude of sorrow for our sin (confession) and we must constantly be turning away from it (repentance).  But God sees His children as righteous in Christ!  Why ask for forgiveness from God if we already have received it?

The New Testament teaching regarding forgiveness, when directed toward Christians, always emphasizes mutual forgiveness among Christians (on the basis of Christ having forgiven them) – for example, Matthew 18 and Ephesians 4:32.  Any command to ask forgiveness from God is directed toward unbelievers.  The Lord’s Prayer may be the one exception to this, but as I’ve mentioned before, I think there are some dispensational considerations that come into play there.

What a blessing that we can talk about forgiveness so freely – almost taking it for granted!  Praise that Lord for the awesome gift of His Son’s righteousness credited to our account!  Let’s live in the freedom and joy and power of that reality.

Questions?  Feedback?  Let me know at mmoses@fbclo.org.

When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt 9:36)

Do you even notice them?

They pass you every day on the sidewalk. They live 30 yards from your front door. You wait behind them in line at Kroger. They sit just a few feet from you at a restaurant, talking and laughing with their friends while you talk and laugh with yours. You speak to them at Burger King and Applebee’s but usually only to place your order or to ask (impatiently) for a refill.

They are lost people. Made in the image of God, just like you and me. Dead in their sins, and enemies of God, just like you and I once were. And far too often, we pass right by them without even a second glance.

We like to talk about our desire to see unsaved people believe the gospel, receive Christ, and join our church. However, we will never be a part of this wonderful work of God unless we take the first step… and see the crowds.

Jesus was a busy guy. He had a mission from God that would forever change the course of history and eternity. And he had only 3½ years to accomplish it! Yet He found time for lost people. Whether it was an immoral woman at a Samaritan well or two blind men on the street, Jesus stopped. And spoke with them. And helped. He made time for them because they were not just faces or an inconvenience. They were a top priority for Him. He knew that He would receive glory as lost people repented and believed.

Most of us are also busy people. We’re involved in jobs, classes, family, friends, church activities, entertainment, hobbies, and multiple other things that sap our time and focus. But let me encourage you today to make it a priority to see the crowds. See lost people and feel compassion for them in their harassed and helpless condition. Ask them how they are doing. They are hurting from the effects of sin! And they are looking for answers in all the wrong places. They need Christ! Have a Bridge tract or a Cornerstone invitation ready in your pocket or purse. Take time for a conversation with them. Introduce them to the Shepherd.

Want opportunities to present Christ to lost people? They are all around you. Just open your eyes!