Found Alone

All the things that we hold dear, do they pale in comparison to what we have in Christ? That is the question that confronted the first century Hebrew Christians. That is also the question before each of us today.

The Message Bible translation puts it in plain speak for us as to what our answer must be.

Hebrews 12:28-29.
Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

An Exhortation to Steadfastness

We finished our study on the Cross of Christ. All the blessing of the cross are mine, but I must take hold of it by faith alone in the finished work of Christ. This pulls at us because by nature we think we have to do something. Well, the "do something" is to believe.

This week we began a study of the Book of Hebrews. I sensed that the Lord is preparing us for the trials that are to come as His return draws near. Hebrews is one continued plea to cleave to Jesus. Our faith in Christ will be severely tested. What we have in Christ is superior than anything this world can offer us. In fact, Hebrews 13:14 tells us that For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

So the exhortation to us in these last days is to be steadfast, patient and hopeful in all that God has revealed and won for us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

I am a Friend of God!

Today during devotion, the Lord said he is able to say it best and so again this week, I let his Word speak to us.

Romans 5:9-11 (The Message)
Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!

The Final Verdict is in and it is in Today!

For the last 2 weeks we have looked at the Doctrine of Justification. A truth that is simple, yet profound. As His word tells us, "then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). So, the Lord had us read his Word, from several versions, and he gave us understanding.

Romans 3:21-24 (The Message)
But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

How does this gift become ours? Our faith. Faith means the acceptance of this work of God in Christ, complete reliance upon it and utter abandonment of any individual work as the basis of justification (right standing with God).

Now that is Good News. As Brenda said at bible study - "Just delight in God!" Amen.

The Cross of Christ - Triumphant Until The End!

If you remember the television series called Branded with Chuck Connors, you will remember the opening scene in which Connors was stripped of all his insignia from his Army uniform. He was the sole survivor at the battle of Bitter Creek and was accused of being a coward, abandoning his unit. It was a powerful scene, as the commanding officer walked around him and ripped each insignia off, then taking his saber, breaking it in half, and throwing it outside of the gate. Connors then walks out slowly, a defeated man.

I share this because this is the picture the Lord gave me as we looked at Colossians 2:15 (He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him). The word disarmed means to "strip off." At the cross, Christ disarmed the spiritual powers, stripping them of their insignia of rank. Christ triumphed over his spiritual enemies, winning divine triumph over the cosmic powers.

This victory is ours too. Satan is a defeated foe and the battle is won. We persevere against Satan's "parting shots" at us, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated. As the Message Bible translation so aptly shares with us "He's wild and raging with anger; he hasn't much time and he knows it (Revelation 12:10).

The Only Cleansing Agent - The Blood of Jesus

This was another week where I wondered out loud to the Lord about how "short" the lesson was. We soon discovered that He had much more for us than what was found in our outline. First, we had the largest group of ladies to attend our bible study since we began last September. It was wonderful to see Donna bringing out more and more chairs and each of us making room at the dinner table for all the sisters. Isn't that the big picture he wants us to see - there is always room for one more. And what a feast He prepared for us! Isn’t that what He wants to do – yet we just settle so often for the scraps.

Last week's lesson looked at the Doctrine of Redemption, yet this week the Lord wanted us to know that not only were we purchased out of slavery with the death of Christ, but the blood of Christ is a daily cleansing agent for us as we walk out our life on this side of salvation. We avail ourselves of this through His life giving Word.

Philippians 4:4-9 from the Message Bible helped us to truly visualize this life giving and cleansing work of His Word. Ask Debby. She testified that 12 years ago after receiving heart wrenching news, the dead works (Mark 7:15-23) in her life was a "six lane highway." The life giving Word in her life was just a worn beaten path. Yet, when she took hold of Philippians 4:4-9, the "six lane highway" is now the "peace of God that surpassing all understanding."

It was just a wonderful time to hear the sisters encouraging one another. He made the lesson short so that we might hear and know "The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad” (Psalm 126:3).

A Paradox

Today we examined the doctrine of redemption. Our slavery to sin could not be broken but for the intervention of Jesus Christ who could pay the price we were unable to pay.The ultimate cost was his life. The resultant state of the believer is that we are redeemed to freedom, but this freedom means slavery to God. "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (1 Cor 6:19-20). The redeemed are saved to do the will of our Master. May we continue to seek him in all things.