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Need2Know
 Posted:
Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:05 am |
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Love never dies. -1 Corinthians 13:8
Not many of our earthly activities will translate into eternity. In fact, most of what you'll do today won't be on your agenda when you're in heaven.
There won't be any need to swing by the dry cleaners, no soccer practices, no car lines at the kid's school, no last-minute dashes to the supermarket, no trips to the vet, and no rush-hour commutes. But there is something that will translate into our heavenly existence, and that's love.
Love will never die. It's as eternal as God is, and it will be ever-present in His everlasting kingdom. One day, the material universe as we know it will pass away, yet love will endure. Time will suddenly cease, yet love will continue on. If you've been born again, if you're looking to Jesus as your sole source of salvation, if you're a new creation in Christ-love will be with you forever.
What's the point? Since love is going to be a big part of our eternal occupation, it only makes sense that we commit to it now. The more fluent we are in God's agape love here on earth, the more prepared we'll be for what will come so naturally to us there. Besides, earth is never more heavenly than when the love of God is on full volume in our hearts.
Don't let love be something that you'll eventually get around to. Don't put it off for later. Let love, the self-less and unconditional love of God, invade and dominate your heart right now. Invest in a loving lifestyle and you can be sure to reap a return in heaven.
Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT)
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:27 am |
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I Will Not Fear
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8
Fear is a universal problem. It hits us like a wave, threatening a menacing undertow. Scripture identifies the overwhelming emotion of fear almost 1000 times with words like fear (441 times), afraid (167 times), tremble (101 times), terror or terrified (121 times), as well as, dread, frighten, and faint. God's Word provides solutions for healing and hope from the deluge; the most common exhortations from God Himself are: Fear not, (33 times), Do not fear (37 times) and Do not be afraid (33 times).
Here's the problem: God is seldom further from you then when your heart is filled with fear. Ask yourself, Do I struggle with fear? Is that the reason I sometimes feel so far from God when I need Him most?
The antidote for fear is the promise of God's presence. I cling to the resolution that I will not fear because God is with me always. The harder the days get, the more He moves towards you. Sometimes it feels like God is backing away from you when you're going through a hard time but that's not true. Is your heart breaking? He is rushing toward you. He stands there with you in the fire.
Here's the truth: If you could hear the Lord praying for you, you would not fear a thousand enemies. Right where you are this moment, think of the Lord Jesus as in the next room, on His knees in front of the couch or a chair. His nail-pierced hands are held out and He's lifting you and your need to His Father. He knows your exact situation and He's asking His Father to "Give her strength, Lord." "Give him wisdom, God." "Give them patience. They're going to wreck it on their own, Lord. Give them faith that will overcome their fear!" It's an incredible assertion in Scripture that Jesus Christ is not only with you He’s actually interceding before the Father on your behalf. And don't you know that God listens when His Son is praying?!
Hear the words Jesus prayed for you in John 17:13-19,
But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
--James MacDonald
Lord Jesus, thank You for praying for me. Amen
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N2K
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:34 am |
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So God created man . . . Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)
The Bible teaches that God created us. We aren't the result of atoms and molecules randomly running into each other. We aren't arbitrary. We've been deliberately designed. There's forethought, there's a plan, there's intelligence, and there's logic behind what and who we are.
Why is it so important for us to know this? Because where there's design there's also direction. Where there's a purpose there's also a program. When God created us, He created us with something in mind-to be and to live a certain way. What we are dictates what we should do. Essence drives activity. Construction determines function.
Here's what we need to note next; God created us to be social beings. We see this illustrated by the fact that the first thing God made after He created the first human was another human! He didn't leave man alone for very long because man wasn't designed to exist in complete solitude or total isolation. All of us were designed to interact, to commune, to communicate.
Communication is God's direction and program for us. It's what He designed us to do&and we instinctively do it. Just look at the surge we've seen in cell phones, text messaging, and websites like Facebook and Twitter. What's the underlying impulse that draws young and old, from Pole to Pole, to these things? It's our embedded impulse to communicate, to converse, and to connect.
This principle will serve as the foundation to our understanding of prayer. Over the next several days, we're going to build on this foundation brick-by-biblical brick. But for now, it all starts with this inner desire that God has given us to communicate, to talk, and to transact with someone or something outside ourselves.
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N2K
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Posted:
Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:30 am |
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VERTICAL GREATER THAN HORIZONTAL
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else . . . Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
We've established that we've been created to communicate, to interact, and to engage in relationship. God has pre-programmed us with this disposition to relate, and we're obedient to it without even thinking about it.
But not all relationships are equally beneficial for us. Some are bad, some are good, some are better, and one is best. And if a person is truly wise, he will make it his priority to pursue that one relationship that's best for him. So which relationship is best? As the title indicates, the vertical (God) is greater than the horizontal (others). Yes, the greatest relationship that a human being can ever experience is a relationship with God.
Think it through: Humanity is a fallen race, a sinful breed, a tainted product (Romans 5:12). No matter how kind, patient, noble, or forgiving people are, it doesn't erase the fact that sin dwells within them. At some point it will come out. There can never be a perfect relationship with another human being because all human beings are imperfect.
Then there's God, who is perfect in all His ways and in whom there is no sin at all (Deuteronomy 32:4, Habakkuk 1:13). Everything about God is superior to us in every way, and a relationship with Him is superior to a relationship with anyone else. It will never repay us with sin, but will only yield goodness and love. It's the best relationship we can ever have, and so it's the relationship that we should seek above all else.
If we don't, we're setting ourselves up for sorrow and disappointment because we're pursing something sinful and imperfect. But when God is first, we start from a point of perfection, which makes it possible for us to order and manage the imperfect relationships in life.
We've been created to communicate and relate, and the greatest relationship possible is a relationship with God.
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N2K
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Posted:
Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:28 am |
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There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
--2 Timothy 4:8
Did you know that you can live with God’s protection and provision? You can live every single day in His love! How do you do that?
One way is to embrace your future by living for eternity. Or, as Steven R. Covey says, “Begin with the end in mind.” That’s how you and I are to live our lives as followers of Christ.
When everything around you is crumbling, when you’re facing danger and difficulties and deception of all kinds, your outlook on life will be determined by your “up-look.”
And if your up-look is to love Christ’s return and to long for His appearing, knowing that at any moment He could come for you, then you are living in His love.
As today’s verse says, “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
When we are daily embracing our future with God, that keeps us in His love!
WHEN EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS CRUMBLING, WHEN YOU’RE FACING DANGER AND DIFFICULTIES AND DECEPTION OF ALL KINDS, YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE WILL BE DETERMINED BY YOUR "UP-LOOK."
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N2K
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Posted:
Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:10 am |
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But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Matthew 6:6 (NLT)
It's important for us to understand that prayer is an act of discipline. That is, it's something that requires our special attention and effort. That's what Jesus is teaching us in Matthew's Gospel above. He tells us to break from our regular routine and have a deliberate attitude when we talk to God. Prayer is an act that deserves concentration and disciple.
But it's more than that. It's also a disposition, an ongoing attitude, a continual leaning. We get a glimpse of this in Nehemiah's life. He was disciplined in prayer, but he also had a disposition of prayer. Watch how prayer was his natural and spontaneous response to the king's question:
The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?" With a prayer to the God of heaven I replied . . . (Nehemiah 2:4-5 NLT)
Nehemiah didn't say, "Can you hold that thought while I go away by myself and pray in private?" No, his prayer was automatic and in real time. That's because Nehemiah had a prayerful disposition. Just like a compass that's always pointing north, Nehemiah's soul was perpetually in a prayerful position. For him, prayer was ongoing. His heart's constant cry was, "Hey, God, I'm keeping this channel clear and open, and I'm reserving it for you and me to dialog throughout the day."
Prayer is more than just a discipline; it's also a disposition. If we don't get this, we'll restrict our perspective of prayer. We'll see it as something that happens in the middle of life's challenges, instead of seeing life's challenges as happening within the constant context of prayer.
Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT)
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:25 am |
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The Clock Is Ticking
We may not know the exact day or hour of the Lord’s return, but the Bible tells us how to hasten it. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14, NIV).
by Franklin Graham
Thanks to global communications, our generation has an unprecedented opportunity to complete the task of global evangelism. Think about how easily accessible information is to the whole world. In August, two-thirds of the world watched the Olympics on television as they were broadcast from China. There are more than 100 million cell phones in Africa. The Internet is trickling into even the most tightly closed countries.
As the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has plugged into that technology, God has enabled us to lead more people to Christ in the last five years than we did in the previous 50.
Tens of thousands of evangelists who have been trained through BGEA are boldly sharing the Gospel with tribes and tongues in virtually every nation.
Most of us can remember when communism was the biggest obstacle to world evangelism. Twenty years later, look what our Lord has done to draw back the iron curtain. The Gospel is spreading in China, the world’s largest nation. Though it can still be difficult for believers in parts of the former Soviet Union, the Gospel is being faithfully proclaimed. In other parts of Asia and Africa, Christianity is thriving.
Only the Father knows the time of the Savior’s return, but since the Bible tells us that it is always imminent, we should all have a sense of urgency in sharing the Gospel with our friends, families and communities. Don’t let another day pass without making sure those you love know how much Jesus loves them, too.
Time is short. Now is the hour. Jesus said, "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:4-5, NIV).
Christians have a God-given responsibility to share the light of Christ with the whole world. "You are the light of the world," Jesus told His followers in the Sermon on the Mount. "A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV).
Let’s do it quickly.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:36 am |
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If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.--John 12:26
This is a good day for you to have a spiritual DTR (Defining The Relationship) with Christ. In fact, I believe every person who calls themselves a Christian should take stock and evaluate where they are with Jesus Christ on a regular basis.
Jesus is constantly calling us to commitment and to define our relationship with Him. He wants to know, as He often said, “Are you with Me or are you against Me? Are we really a thing or do you just date Me on Sundays? Am I just a friend with benefits or do we really have something that’s real, something that’s relational and something that’s forever?”
So many people treat God as though He is a distant relative rather than a vital part of life. But Jesus refuses to let us get away with that in our relationship with Him! You know, when people in the Bible came face-to-face with Jesus they didn’t walk away the same people.
They were dramatically transformed… for good or for bad. Some received Him, some rejected Him, but every one who came in contact with Christ was powerfully impacted by Him. The Bible tells us of a rich young ruler who had a DTR with Jesus when Jesus called him to follow Him fully (Matthew 19). But that man went away sorrowfully, rejecting Christ because He couldn’t handle the commitment. So what about you? Is it time that you had a DTR with Jesus Christ? Just like Jesus asked the disciples after He fed the multitudes in John chapter 6,
He’s asking you, “Are you with Me? Are you willing to walk with me every day of the week… not just on Sundays?” It’s my prayer that you will define your relationship with Jesus Christ today… that you will commit your love and life to His Lordship, His will, and His ways.
CONSIDER YOUR LIFE AT WORK AND AT HOME FROM MONDAY TO SATURDAY. IS JESUS A PART OF IT?
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:23 am |
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Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
--Psalm 51:12
If you’re not really happy with your life today, maybe you think a change would be good.
So many of us fall into the trap of thinking that changing our jobs, changing our appearance, or changing our environment will make us happy. But it just isn’t true!
All of these external changes may temporarily improve your life but none of them can change your life. None can make you truly happy. You may move around. You may change cars. You may even change jobs. But you know what? Wherever you go, it’s the same old you, right?
It’s not that your circumstances or your surroundings need to change. It’s your heart that needs to change. It’s your heart that needs a new birth.
The Bible is pretty clear when it talks about our hearts. In Jeremiah 17:9, it says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.” The heart, according to the Bible, is not good!
Which means your heart needs a spiritual change. I’m not talking about a resolution—promising to be better, do better, or live better. I’m talking about a revolution!
It’s something so radical, so dramatic, that it’s like beginning life all over again! It’s a new beginning! It’s an inward change! Your heart undergoes a spiritual transformation when God takes it and transplants it with His love and His heart.
So my challenge to you today is to let God transform your heart. Realize that no external change can truly make you joyful or fulfilled. Only a heart transformed by God will. So let Him create a new beginning in you today!
ASK GOD TO RESTORE THE JOY OF YOUR HEART TODAY.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:04 am |
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As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
--Matthew 9:9
In our Scripture verse today, Jesus says, “Follow me.” The words were written in Matthew 9:9 as a command. Jesus didn’t ask Matthew to follow Him if he felt like it. No. Jesus said, “Follow me. Start today… and follow me for the rest of your life. Don’t ever stop following me.”
But what does that mean for your life today? Notice that the words follow me actually mean “to walk along side the road with me.” Jesus, the great God of the universe, told Matthew, a social outcast, to walk with Him!
And you know what? Jesus says the same thing to you today! The great God of the universe is saying to you, “Follow me.” Not “Walk way behind me,” but “Walk with me.” God wants to be your friend!
“But Pastor,” you say, “there are things in my past, things that God could never forgive me for. It’s too late for me.”
No it’s not. Jesus Christ is passing your way. And He’s calling your name and saying, “Follow me!” This is a great deal! You can leave your sin and your past and walk into a brand new life and a brand new future with the Lord.
Do you want to take Jesus up on His offer to follow Him today? If so, I want to invite you to say this prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. My life is full of mistakes. But I also know that you died to take away all my sin and bad choices and give me a new start. I accept your offer today. I will walk with You!”
If you said this prayer, I want to welcome you into the family of God! Get ready for an incredible journey with Jesus Christ!
IF YOU MADE A DECISION FOR CHRIST TODAY, TELL SOMEONE ABOUT IT!
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Thu Oct 09, 2008 7:45 am |
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Faith . . . gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
As you make your way through God's Word, it doesn't take long before you start to notice a trend-God is very interested in producing faith in His people. By faith, we're referring to the description given above: Faith is what enables us to be certain about the things that we can't see.
This goes against human nature, which is sensory-driven. Human nature defines reality based on the evidence that can be acquired through our sense of sight, sound, taste, touch, and hearing. God wants us to live on a higher level. He wants us to define reality based on who He is and what He has said. And it takes faith in order to do that. It takes trust in things that we can't see.
One of the most common objections to prayer there is that you can't physically see whom you're talking to. "If I could just see God on His throne surrounded by a multitude of angels, then I'd pray for sure."
But again, God doesn't want us to be creatures that are limited to our senses. He wants us to be people of faith, and it's no coincidence that something as central to our spiritual well-being as prayer really requires us to trust in what we can't see. Prayer is God's way of keeping us on the faith-track.
But prayer doesn't just require faith, it also builds it. Whenever we experience spiritual realities in prayer, whether it's an answer to prayer or hearing God's still small voice, it strengthens our confidence in those things. The fact that we can't see whom we're praying to speaks of God's love for us, because by not showing Himself to us, He's showing us how to walk and grow in faith.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:44 am |
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STRATEGIC PRAYER
Jesus replied, "You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind." Matthew 22:37 (NLT)
We've seen that true prayer is a heart-cry and not an intellectual exercise. But that doesn't mean we can't use our heads when it comes to prayer. In fact, we're called to love and honor God with all that He's given us, including our minds.
One way of doing this is by taking a strategic approach to our prayers, by breaking them down into different categories so we can get a better grasp on things. There are basically four different types of prayers, and we can easily remember them by remembering the acronym A.C.T.S.
"A" stands for adoration. This is the type of prayer where we express our understanding of how remarkable and magnificent God is. We could actually pray like this forever since God's majesty is endless.
"C" stands for contrition. When we offer a prayer of contrition, our hearts are humbled before God as we acknowledge and confess our sinfulness to Him. This is where we find cleansing and restoration for our souls.
"T" stands for thanksgiving. This type of prayer is pretty self-explanatory. It's when we deliberately thank the Lord for accomplishing something or providing something in our lives or in the lives of others.
"S" stands for supplication. Supplication is when we approach God asking that He act on our behalf. We also offer supplication when we ask God to move in the lives of others.
We should also take note that these are set in a healthy order. When we start from the point of acknowledging God for who He is, it humbles us to acknowledge who we are, which naturally leads us to a place of gratitude. At that point, our requests will have been filtered through a greater understanding of His heart.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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| Need2Know
Posted:
Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:02 pm |
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They [Paul and Silas] were . . . thrown into prison. The jailer . . . put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:23-24 (NLT)
Shortly after arriving in Philippi on his second missionary journey, Paul was arrested, beaten, and thrown into the local jail along with his traveling companion Silas. What happened next had never happened before and will never be forgotten.
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. (Acts 16:25 NLT)
As these two men lay chained and wounded, the Bible tells us that they began to pray and sing hymns. Then suddenly, the ground shook, the walls crumbled, the doors swung open, and the bonds were broken (Acts 16:26). It was a divine jail-break and an outpouring of God's power. But notice where it call began: It began with prayer.
Notice how the Bible tells us their prayers transitioned into praise and worship. There's an incredibly thin line between prayer and praise, especially prayers of adoration. After all, praise is the natural vocal extension of an attitude of adoration. Someone once defined the difference this way; "Worship is the prayer of adoration at full volume."
The point for us to ponder is the close connection between prayer, praise, and the power of God that follows. It may not result in a jail-break. But it may involve the breaking of some spiritual and emotional bonds, and it may include freedom from something so enslaving that we've stopped looking for the key a long time ago. God wants to set us free from those things, but we need to remember that it all starts with prayer.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:47 am |
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Q: In I John 4:2 the Bible states "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God." The Islamic faith, Jehovah's Witnesses and many sects acknowledge that Christ came in the flesh, with most believing he was a prophet or wise teacher. How does one know what the true teaching of God is? - B. R., Sunrise
A: John wrote this Epistle to counter the dangerous teaching of Gnosticism that threatened the early church during the first three centuries. Gnosticism taught that matter was inherently evil and spirit was good, thus they denied Christ’s humanity to preserve Him from evil. This, of course, flies in the face of Scripture which says: He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused his death--death on a cross -Philippians 2:7-8-.
The humanity of Christ is not what separates Him from the Jesus of other faiths. It is His claim to be God: "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). No other faith on earth, except Christianity, embraces this scriptural truth. All others, as you have pointed out, make Him less, and thus, strip Him of His ability to provide salvation for mankind: Jesus is the only One who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save people ….” (Acts 4:12).
Last edited by Need2Know on Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
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N2K
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Posted:
Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:07 am |
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Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Don't be molded by the world. Wow, isn't that a tough one to obey? It's a reminder that what we think is one of the places of greatest spiritual warfare. Sloppy thinking is more than sloppy, it's dangerous because we are fed messages constantly that distort God's truth and holy values. But rather than being incensed by the world acting like the world, let's be transformed by renewing our minds and doing what Paul said he did -- take every thought, every word, captive for Christ. We often think a tithe is giving ten percent of our money, but an even more vital tithe is giving ten percent of our thought time totally to the things of God!
O Lord, please guard my soul from pride, my heart from callousness, and my mind from too much focus on unimportant things and not enough on your things. Teach me in my heart what it means to be about my Father's business, especially in the world of my thoughts! Through Jesus, my greatest example of time spent with you. Amen.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:35 am |
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The Search for God
No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God.
— Romans 3:11
Often we hear people say, "I'm on a spiritual journey. I am trying to find the truth. I am trying to find the light. I am trying to find God. I'm searching for God." Yet the Bible says that no one is really searching for God.
You would think that with all the religious belief systems in the world, this could simply not be. Yet God plainly declares in His Word, "If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me" (Jeremiah 29:13).
Let me be blunt: If you are seeking God, then you will find your way to Jesus Christ. And if you don't find your way to Jesus Christ, then you are not seeking God.
You might be playing religious games. You might be dabbling with various belief systems. But the true seeker will find the true God, and those who claim to be true seekers yet reject Jesus Christ are not being honest with God or with themselves.
Religion is humanity's search for God. But Christianity is God's search for humanity.
I have heard people say, "I found the Lord 10 years ago," as though God had been lost. But God wasn't lost; we were. God is seeking to save us, and if we really want to know Him, then we will find Him.
People do not come to Jesus Christ because they bristle at the thought of being sinful. They are unwilling to accept God's assessment of them. They are unwilling to acknowledge their guilt. That just bothers them.
Instead, they want to believe they can get to heaven by their own merit, by their goodness, and by their own deeds. But the Bible says that simply isn't so.
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N2K
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Posted:
Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:45 am |
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
--John 1:1
What does “the Word was God” in today’s verse mean? It means “face to face with God.” It describes the most intimate kind of communion and union.
Christ left the intimacy and “face-to-faceness” with God… He left the glory of heaven and the majesty of God’s presence… and came to earth.
Think about that for a moment. Jesus left heaven to be born in a stable… to walk among men on the dirty streets of Galilee. He lived and died and rose again as a human being.
Isn’t it amazing that God would walk among us? But why would He do this?
He did it because He loves you and me… and He wants you and me to come into a personal relationship with Him. But because we are separated from God by our sin, we can't know God or experience God or get near to God in His absolute holiness. So God came near. He came down in the person of Jesus Christ and paid the price for our sin by dying on the cross.
So let me ask you, how have you responded to Jesus Christ in your life?
If you’ve accepted Him as your personal Lord and Savior, I praise God that you’ve made the best decision you will ever make. But if you haven’t made this decision, what’s stopping you from accepting God’s free gift of eternal life right now?
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:15 am |
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Fearing God
"They have no fear of God to restrain them."
— Romans 3:18
I think there was a time in history when God was misrepresented as a divine being who threw lightning bolts down from heaven on people who displeased Him. We've heard derogatory references to fire-and-brimstone preaching.
But I don't think this is the problem today. We don't hear that much about preachers delivering fire-and-brimstone messages anymore.
What we do hear are messages about how we can be successful. We hear messages about how God will prosper us. But it is more rare to hear about a holy God who wants us to repent of our sins and walk with Him. That is not very popular anymore.
In a way, I think many people have come to develop a new God, an all-loving, benign being who is hovering up there in the universe.
If that is your God, then I'm sorry to tell you this is not the God of the Bible. That is a god of your own making.
Without question, the real God is a God of love who loves you deeply. But the real God is holy. Not only should we love God, but we should also fear Him.
What I mean by "fearing God" is not necessarily to be afraid of Him. It is to have a respect for God, a reverence for Him. One of the best translations of the term I have heard is, "A wholesome dread of displeasing Him." I think this is lacking in lives of many people today, and sadly, even in the lives of people in the church.
While it is true we will stand before a God of love one day, it is also true that we will stand before a holy God. So we need the fear of God.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
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Posted:
Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:46 am |
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How's your heart?
by Greg Laurie
In his book "The Grand Weaver," my friend Ravi Zacharias says, "At the end of your life, one of three things will happen to your heart: It will grow hard, it will be broken, or it will be tender."
Some people have hard hearts because they have faced disappointments in life. Maybe your own heart has grown hard because you can't stand the pain. You might be mad at God and mad at the world and have therefore desensitized yourself to it all. You don't want to hurt, so you don't want to care. And you don't want to love.
As you may know, my own son unexpectedly died in July of this year. Needless to say, we deeply mourn his loss and cry every day. He was a wonderful young man, only 33 years old, and we miss him terribly. I have been asked, "Greg, are you mad at God for allowing this tragedy?" No. But I am sad – very, very sad. Even so, I am not mad at God. How could I be mad at a God who forgave me of all my sins and forgave my son of all his sins and holds him safely in his arms at this very moment? I love God.
Yet I realize that every life will have tragedy. Every life will have serious (and sometimes devastating) disappointments. And every one of us will have to face death – the deaths of people who are close to us and our own passing one day.
Yet the Bible warns us not to harden our hearts: "Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble" (Proverbs 28:14 NLT).
Or maybe you have a broken heart. Your dreams have been shattered. Your hopes have been dashed to the ground. People have let you down. You might be going through a valley of sorts. Maybe you have just faced a catastrophe. Maybe someone close to you has just died. Maybe you are so despondent that you have even thought of taking your own life. You need to know there is a God who cares about you and loves you. Jesus said that he came to heal the brokenhearted. And He can do that for you, if you will allow him.
The Bible says that Jesus is not out of touch with our reality. He has been through weakness and testing. He has experienced it all – all but the sin. So let's accept what he is ready to give. Take the mercy. Receive the help.
Maybe you have a tender heart – that is what I hope to have. A tenderhearted person says, "I don't necessarily understand what you are doing, God, but I choose to trust and follow you." That is where I am at. I don't understand God's ways. But he doesn't promise me a peace that gives understanding; he promises me a peace that passes human understanding. I have experienced that peace. And I hope that my heart will grow more tender as a result.
We need hope for our hurting hearts. You might be filled with personal pain. You might be suffering. You might be wondering if your heart could ever be changed. Jesus has hope for you. And he offers these hopeful words to everyone with a hurting heart:
Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
– John 14:1–3 (NLT)
When Jesus spoke these words to the disciples, they were afraid because one of their own, Judas Iscariot, had just defected. And then Jesus dropped the bombshell: He was going to leave them. They thought, How can we live in a world without Jesus? They didn't understand that he was going to the cross to die for their sin and ours and then rise again from the dead so that we could have meaning in life and hope beyond the grave. And most importantly, he was going to take up residence in their very lives. All they heard was that he was going to leave. And it shattered their world.
So Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled." Another translation of this would be, "Don't let your heart shudder." He was saying, "In the light of the imminent cross, listen: It may seem like your world is falling apart and that darkness will overtake you. But don't let your heart be troubled."
Then he tells them why they don't have to be troubled. It is the same reason we don't have to have hearts full of fear: "Trust in God, and trust also in me." In the original Greek, this is a command. Essentially, he was saying, "Listen now, I know what I am doing here. My word is true. And you will see that in time."
Do you believe in God? Or do you believe in politicians? Or technology? Or money? All these ultimately will let you down. But Jesus says, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me."
I have had to stand on that, because when I think about the fact that my son isn't going to visit or call or that I won't see him again on this earth, it is really, really tough. And I have to remind myself of what the Bible says, which is that when a person believes in Jesus Christ, he goes to heaven when he dies. So I am basing my faith on that promise of God. And what a great joy it is.
How tragic it would be if I didn't have that hope. Take the worst-case scenario of life: Finding out that you are going to die, having someone close to you die unexpectedly, or having your child die. Know this: Jesus will be there waiting for you – tears in his eyes – helping you through each step of it. He has been there for me – and for my family – in every way. And he will be there for you.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 8903
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Posted:
Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:48 am |
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The Supreme Worth of God’s Word
2 Timothy 3:16-17
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with God’s words. The Holy Spirit oversaw the writing of His message to be sure it was relevant, reliable, and without error.
The Scriptures contain the Lord’s complete revelation about His character, kingdom, and plan of salvation. Consider the variety and importance of the topics covered in this timeless book: the creation of our world; the fall of man; the presence and power of sin; the penalty owed for transgression; future judgment; Satan’s program; our need for a Savior; His offer of forgiveness; the redemption of mankind; the history of faith; and wisdom for living. Questions about life’s meaning, man’s purpose, the source of evil, and life after death are also answered.
All sections of the Word are valuable and interconnected. For example, the gospels tell about redemption, while the Old Testament contains prophecies about the Messiah who would come to save us. John 1:29 proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God, who would take away our sins; Leviticus and Numbers help us understand this concept through descriptions of the sacrificial system. The first book of the Bible teaches us that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). And in the New Testament, we learn that everyone’s salvation is by faith alone, and not through works (Eph. 2:8-9).
God gave us the Bible so we might know Him personally, be adopted into His family, and bring glory to His name. Make it your goal to become more familiar with the most important book ever written.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 8903
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Posted:
Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:37 am |
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Life-Changing Prayer
Colossians 1:9-10
Philippians 4:6 says that it’s good to bring requests to the Lord, and we often ask Him for certain blessings, desired outcomes, and healing for loved ones. But there are times when, in God’s omniscience, He sees that a “no” would ultimately result in greater good.
So, what supplications can you be sure are in accordance with His will? The apostle Paul recorded specific petitions he made on behalf of the Colossians, and you can offer these life-changing prayers for the people in your life.
First, request that they “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9). In this way, you are asking God to give them direction and the ability to see life from His viewpoint.
Second, ask that they “will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (v. 10). The only way to succeed in this is through the control of the Holy Spirit. He fills hearts with a longing for God and creates the desire to please Him through obedience.
Third, pray that their lives would count (v. 10). There is a difference between being busy and being fruitful. Many Christians assume that to have an impact for God, they must volunteer in numerous ministries at church or become a missionary or pastor. But the truth is, effectiveness in God’s work depends on what He calls each person to do.
Too often, Christians pray for others only during hardships. But Paul continuously lifted up the Colossians to our Father (Col. 1:9). As you mention others by name to the Lord, consider the areas that the apostle addressed.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 8903
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Posted:
Tue Oct 21, 2008 6:42 am |
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An Invitation to Rest
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let each one who hears them say, "Come." Let the thirsty ones come—anyone who wants to. Let them come and drink the water of life without charge.
— Revelation 22:17
One December, I was on my way to New York and had a connection through Chicago. It was very cold outside, and as I was walking through the airport terminal, I noticed a large advertisement.
It featured a sunny, tropical beach with beautiful, turquoise-blue water, white sand, and an empty beach chair. That picture was so alluring and so appealing because of where I was at that particular moment.
I think that photograph represented something all of us really want: rest, relaxation, and time off. Jesus has something to say to the person who is exhausted and worn out. He has something to say to people who have been chewed up and spit out by life—people who are frustrated, who are hurting.
Here is His personal offer of rest to those who will respond: " 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light' " (Matthew 11:28–30).
Here we really have the Christian life in a nutshell. Here we see what it is to come to, to know, and to walk with Jesus Christ. This invitation stands today, but it will not stay that way forever.
What is the invitation? Jesus says, "Come to Me." That's it. It is so simple, yet it is so profound. And we see this same invitation echoed throughout Scripture.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 8903
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Posted:
Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:12 pm |
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East To West
Here I am Lord and I'm drowning
In your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don't want to end up where you found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight
I know you've cast my sins as far
As the East is from the West
And I stand before you now
As though I've never sinned but today
I feel like I'm just one mistake away
From you leaving me this way
Jesus can you show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can't bear to see the man I've been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scar[r]ed hand to the other
I start the day the war begins
Endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again
Your [T]ruth is drowned out by the storm I'm in
Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away
From you leaving me this way
Jesus can you show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can't bear to see the man I've been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scar[r]ed hand to the other
I know you've washed me white
Turned my darkness into light
I need your peace to get me through
To get me through this night
I can't live by what I feel
But by the truth your word reveals
I'm not holding on to you
But you're holding on to me
You're holding on to me
Jesus, you know just how far
The East is from the West
I don't have to see the man I've been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
(The arms of your mercy I find rest)
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scar[r]ed hand to the other
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 8903
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Posted:
Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:18 am |
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The Two-Part Invitation
" 'Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.' "
— Matthew 11:29–30
In Matthew 11, Jesus follows His invitation to rest with the invitation to take His yoke and learn from Him. He is telling us there is more; His invitation to rest is a package deal. If we are true followers of Jesus Christ, then we will take His yoke upon us. But what does that mean?
The concept of a yoke would have been readily understood by the people of Jesus' day. It was a steering device that was placed on animals to guide the plows or carts they were pulling.
So Jesus, in essence, is saying, "Take my steering device upon you." He is saying, "Let me be in control of your life. Let me guide your life. Let me direct your life."
You might be thinking, "Here Jesus says that He will give me rest. Now He is saying to put on His yoke and learn. That sounds like work."
I want you to know that it will be as much of a weight to you as wings are to a bird. It will be a joy, because now, instead of wasting your life serving yourself or living for pleasure or success or whatever else one lives for, you will be channeling your energies into following and serving Jesus Christ.
You may give up some things to follow the Lord. But what you give up can't begin to compare to what He has given you. It is not just a great thing to do with your life. It is the most satisfying to do with your life.
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 8903
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Posted:
Thu Oct 23, 2008 8:31 am |
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WHAT DID JESUS DO?
. . . looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith . . . Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)
"What would Jesus do?" It's become a cultural catch-phrase, a cliché, and even a punch-line for a lot of people these days. Regardless, it's still a great question to ask ourselves because when it comes to the things of God, Jesus is our "standard for straight." If we're lost or unsure about anything pertaining to our faith, we're always pointed in the right direction just by looking at Jesus.
He set the standard, He left an example for us to follow, and we shouldn't miss the fact that He not only prayed on a regular basis, but prayed thankful prayers on a regular basis. Take note of what He said in His following prayers:
At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike." (Matthew 11:25 NLT)
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. (John 6:11 NLT)
Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me." (John 11:41 NLT)
Do you see the pattern here? We have Jesus, who is the eternal and sinless Son of God, expressing a thankful attitude towards His Father in His prayers. Now think this through: If Jesus prayed thankful prayers, then how much more should we (who are infinitely indebted to Him) pray thankful prayers?
"What would Jesus do?" For one thing, we know He would pray thankfully because that's exactly what He did. The real question is "Will we?"
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N2K
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 8903
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