Aug

30

Got life?

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Sin is a horrible thing. Both in life and even death, the results of sin will have an immeasurable impact on our lives for we reap what we sow. When an unrepentant man dies, he dies under the weight of his own sin. Who can pardon one’s own accursedness? Certainly, not that man.

But Jesus took all that away. His trip to the cross on our behalf paved the way to life everlasting. Rest assured, when a believer dies, his soul does not decay through death; it remains untarnished. It’s alive—shiny and bright—in the presence of our Redeemer.

 “There is now no condemnation for those who believe” ~ Romans 6:14

 All of God’s faithful, through the redeeming power of Christ, are united with him in life and also death. The first Adam brought death but Christ brought us life. By faith, we are united to Christ, and by his resurrection we are assured of our own. Through the sin of the first Adam, all men became mortal. Through Christ’s resurrection, we have been given immortality.  For us, death means we enter a glorious rest and a new life that is everlasting. Not by our own moral fortitude but through the grace of Messiah Jesus.

 

Aug

24

Where’s your true strength?

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No other stronghold is needed to keep a believer steady in the face of a storm than when we grab a hold of the rock of our salvation—our blessed Lord Jesus. The winds of defeat may rage all around us, but the buffeting blows can only threaten; they cannot take us down.

When a frightened David cried out for protection from the threats of Saul, he said, “You are my Lord…apart from you, I have no good thing.” In the midst of his situation, David knew that through his adversity, the only sure thing to keep him safe was his Lord.

When we place our trust in our Lord’s care, we know that we’ve entered a sacred place amid enemy territory. While the battle rages, we can be as sure as David and say, “My heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure because you will not abandon me…”

There’s nothing that can separate us from the Lord, his love, and his protection. Though our worldly foes—the flesh and the devil—would wish it otherwise, their efforts cannot stand up to the Lord’s plans and purposes for us. Should we go through hard times in the midst of keeping with the Lord, it is all part of his honing and refining to make us into the image of his beloved son. There is nothing to fear.

While on earth, there will be trouble, but Jesus tells us to take heart because he’s overcome the world!

Aug

16

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Sometimes, our efforts to share the gospel feel like we’re just spinning our wheels. Like a laboratory rat, the wheels go round and round, but we see little progress in the lives of those to whom we’ve ministered. We pray for people or lend encouragement, invitations, etc., and yet there is no fruit for our labor.

Yet, the word of God says that when we serve Him out of a pure heart, it is not our job to reap the harvest. That’s the Lord’s doing. When we are committed to the Lord’s work, our labor is never in vain just because we don’t see change. Our job is to continue to sow the seeds of love. The rest is up to the Lord.

When our expectations don’t meet reality, remember that the work we do is for His glory and not our own. All that is done for the Lord is what counts—whatever the perceived outcome.

Encouraging others to love and good deeds should be an extension of our love for Christ as he leads us; otherwise, we may find our spirits dragging and frayed. Our efforts to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ as ministers to others is our joy, for he is the strength of our lives and he lends the ability. God’s plans and purposes are being fulfilled whether we see the results or not. He is still on the throne.

“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58

Aug

09

A new song

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With the past several months a blur due to the imposed constraints of quarantine and restrictions taking precedence because of a global pandemic, it’s amazing to realize that spring slipped right by and now the calendar says…yikes, August?

While the new breed of “cancel” culture is thriving, so, too, is the Lord thriving. Our local government may mandate closings, but there’s more liberty in the oracles of God than any man can thwart. As believers, nothing has changed for us, only the culture around us. We remain steady in Christ despite our circumstances.

So, with the government’s restrictions slowly being lifted and most of Pennsylvania now in the green zone, we have double the reason to rejoice. May we sing a new song unto the Lord for delivering us from everything—most importantly, our sins through Christ.

Aug

03

What Path are you on?

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Walking down the right path, we can rest assured of our security and safety. Despite the winds of defeat or the storms that buffet, no other anchor is needed to keep a believer’s head above water than holding onto the blessed rock of our salvation, our savior, Jesus.

In Psalm 16, David seeks the Lord and flees to him for protection from the threats of Saul. “You are my Lord,” he says. “Apart from you, I have no good thing.” David’s desire to cling to the Lord through his adversity is an example for believers today. “I will set the Lord continually before me; because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

David, like all believers, knew that God was his security and would never leave him. When we walk with the Lord and place our trust in his hands, we can rest knowing that he’s got our backs. “Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure because you will not abandon me to the grave (Sheol) nor will you let your holy one see decay.”

On earth, there will be trials but by abiding in God’s word, we will not fall into the pit of destruction nor will we be shaken with every wind of trouble. If we stay on the path he ordains, we can rest in knowing he’s there.

Like David, we, too can say, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”