Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and [the voice] of the living creatures and the elders; and they numbered myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands (innumerable), 12 saying in a loud voice,
“Worthy and deserving is the Lamb that was sacrificed to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And I heard every created thing that is in heaven or on earth or under the earth [in Hades, the realm of the dead] or on the sea, and everything that is in them, saying [together],
“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (Christ), be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped [Him who lives forever and ever].
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
The Bible makes it crystal clear that history is moving purposefully towards a definite conclusion.
That reality is one of the distinctive features of the biblical worldview.
One way that Christianity distinguishes itself, in other words, is in the matter of how all things come to a close.
Sometimes, in looking at old historical photographs we may just find ourselves asking,
“Where am I in this picture?”—or, “Am I even in this picture?”
“Do I recognize the person, the people or the place or the moment?”
“Is it a random small piece of history or a very specific and significant one?
“I wonder what is really happening in the picture – what is its real story?”
Is there enough personal interest in the story for me to do more research, to want to know every single detail of the time, the people, the place, the events?
When it comes to our envisioning or picturing God’s plan, though, every single person, people and place on earth is included in Revelation’s picture of history.
No one is missing from the story.
Everyone who believed or did not believe on Jesus as their Savior are included.
And when history comes to a close, it will surely end in division and separation.
Jesus spoke about this separation when He said that the sheep and goats will be divided (Matthew 25:31-46): light and darkness will be delineated, and those who believed on Jesus as their Savior will be set apart from those who do not.
No one will be left out, though tragically some will have chosen to be shut out.
Therefore, our position in this big picture matters.
All of history’s ebb and flow is to be viewed in light of the fact that there is a throne in heaven and that throne is not empty; rather, it is occupied by God, who is in control. Jesus is King, and He is seated at the right hand of the throne.
Although many do not yet recognize His kingdom, many refuse to recognize His Kingdom, or have not been introduced, it doesn’t alter the reality He yet reigns.
From humanity’s fall to the end of time there exist, as the great fourth-century theologian Augustine of Hippo put it, two rival cities—two rival loves.
By our sinful human nature, we are involved in the city of man, and only by God’s grace will we ever be involved in and ever be devoted to the city of God.
2 Corinthians 5:1-5Amplified Bible
The Temporal and Eternal
5 For we know that if the earthly tent [our physical body] which is our house is torn down [through death], we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our [immortal, eternal] celestial dwelling, 3 so that by putting it on we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened [often weighed down, oppressed], not that we want to be unclothed [separated by death from the body], but to be clothed, so that what is mortal [the body] will be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection]. 5 Now He who has made us and prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the [Holy] Spirit as a pledge [a guarantee, a down payment on the fulfillment of His promise].
The Word of God says The earthly city, the city of man, our earthly tent, our physical body is destined to be torn down by time, pass away through death.
But the heavenly city, God’s kingdom, will absolutely go on forever and ever!
Reading our text from Revelation 5:11-14, the many Angels around the throne and the voice of the living creature and the Elders, who numbered “myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands – innumerable (verse 11) recognized Him.
Saying in a loud voice –
“Worthy and deserving is the Lamb that was sacrificed to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” (verse 12)
From within the context of our own 21st jumble of our own “Christian-ality”
Our own personal expressions of devotion, personal expressions of obedience, adherence to the precepts and commandments and covenants set by our God,
In our ministries and missions, our forays into all the streets and back alley ways, all the highways and byways and boulevards of God’s Neighborhood, Luke 10:1-3, Acts 2:43-47, 1 Corinthians 12:14-26, and Galatians 3:27-29)
Enemies or Friends, Faults, Failures, Fears, Flaws, Sins not withstanding …
In the eyes of God, we are ALL Children of God …. Without any Exceptions,
From the fears, failures and faults of mankind, however, exceptions okayed,
Do ALL Lives absolutely, unequivocally, without exception, equally Matter?
Do we recognize with our whole hearts our souls, our voices – Jesus as King?
How each of us give God in Christ an answer is a matter of eternal significance.
And how we give an answer to God is also a matter of present consequence. (Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 23:23-33, Mark 3:31-35, Mark 4:21-29, Mark 7:1-16, Luke 10:25-37, Luke 11:33-36, Luke 19:1-10, John 5:1-15, and Acts 3:1-10)
If Jesus is your One and Only true King, then you will live as His subject, seeking to obey Him even when His command cuts against all your biases, preferences.
If Jesus is your King, you will be loyal and obedient to Him above all others, for this world is not yours or mine home and you and I are just passing through.
As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
Be sure to live as a citizen of a better country and a subject of a greater King.
When our earthly tents take their last breaths, will we spend eternity joining with Angels and Elders in bringing Him honor and glory, praise and worship?
I pray we may give a good answer to God, do so in our words and conduct today.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God of ALL truth, sometimes I not sure if I’m actually hearing your voice, or if it’s just my own thoughts or even another spirit. Sharpen my spiritual hearing, Lord, so I can recognize your words when you are speaking to me. Help me know it’s really, only you, with no doubt or second-guessing. When I’m asking for your guidance in important decisions, give me your peace that surpasses understanding with your answer alone. Help me remember that your words to me will never go against your written word in the Bible. Give me a clear mind and push out all my confusion. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, My King and My Savior and Best Friend Amen.
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word [the message, the basis] of faith which we preach— 9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
The most common name for God in the entire Bible is the Greek word kyrios, which means “Lord.”
Combining its use in the Old Testament (when translated from Hebrew to Greek) and the New Testament (written in Greek), the word kyrios for “Lord” appears an estimated 6000 times.
The word kyrios originally meant “power” or “might,” but over time it came to mean “lord” or “master.”
When the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew to Greek, it used kyrios for “Lord” wherever the words YHWH or Adonai occurred in the Hebrew text.
The Jewish writers of the New Testament, who were likely raised reading Scripture in both Hebrew and Greek, similarly used kyrios whenever they referred to Yahweh and Adonai.
Further, they used kyrios in a radically new way, declaring Jesus also is Lord.
In Romans 10, for example,
Paul uses kyrios in a discussion about Jesus, quoting God’s Prophet Joel 2:32, which states, “Everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved.”
Paul uses kyrios in this passage to refer to both Jesus and Yahweh as Lord, declaring that both are the one true God.
In this example we see the central teaching of the Bible, built on this single foundational truth: Jesus is Lord!
In the 1st Century both Jews and Gentiles lived under the military might and “fist of iron” rule of the Roman Empire and therefore under the rule of Caesar.
As Rome would conquer different territories they would allow them to keep their gods and religious practices as long as they openly recognized Caesar is, was and always would be their first and foremost and only lord over them.
For the early 1st century Christians to say that all of life in general and their lives specifically are under the lordship of Jesus created a bit of tension.
Although their freely confessed commitment to Jesus often made them better citizens, the Roman government often saw this as subversive and rebellious.
Christians would not allow Jesus to be just another god on the smorgasbord of Roman an Greek gods, neither would they seek to limit His rule in their lives.
Neither would they walk away or retreat from that confession – publicly or privately – would they retract that confession – even at the risk of their life.
Many are the Christians who have been killed and martyred and continue to be martyr, who have not renounced their faith in their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
“Jesus is Lord” is true Christianity but can look very different than our American brand of Christianity.
American brand of Christianity—we go to a church worship service where everything is decorated nicely (nothing wrong with that), where we do rituals to help us in worship (nothing wrong with that either), where we hopefully have a spiritual encounter with God (definitely a good thing), and then go back to the rest of our daily life until we can get our next dose of Jesus (not OK at all).
Unfortunately, what we have done is successfully moved God to nothing more than an occasional pit stop in the middle of a frantic fast ‘race track’ paced life.
To say “Jesus is Lord” means He invades every single area of our lives—every single circumstance – good, bad, catastrophic – it absolutely all belongs to Him.
Maybe we do not have a pantheon of Roman gods or Greek gods we worship, but we still have our own unique cultural pantheon of “gods,” all competing for our fullest possible attention, for our maximum expressions of absolute allegiance.
Proverbs 8:13Amplified Bible
13 “The [reverent] fear and worshipful awe of the Lord includes the hatred of evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.
Proverbs 11:2Amplified Bible
2 When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame, But with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind.
Proverbs 13:10Amplified Bible
10 Through pride and presumption come nothing but strife, But [skillful and godly] wisdom is with those who welcome [well-advised] counsel.
Proverbs 16:18Amplified Bible
18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 17:19Amplified Bible
19 He who loves transgression loves strife and is quarrelsome; He who [proudly] raises his gate seeks destruction [because of his arrogant pride].
Proverbs 21:4Amplified Bible
4 Haughty and arrogant eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked [their self-centered pride], is sin [in the eyes of God].
Proverbs 21:24Amplified Bible
24 “Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names Who acts with overbearing and insolent pride.
Proverbs 29:23Amplified Bible
23 A man’s pride and sense of self-importance will bring him down, But he who has a humble spirit will obtain honor.
Your Question for the Day – What Is the Real Meaning of “Jesus Is Lord”?
In the New Testament, Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ.
Although we rarely use this term in our daily lives, we are all quite familiar with another word: boss.
That is basically what Lord means—one possessing authority, power, and control.
The Word of God describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, and the Lord of lords and King of kings (Col. 1:15-18; Rev. 3:14, 17:14).
Jesus is Lord: Scripture Meaning
Following the resurrection, the term “Lord,” being applied to Jesus, became more than an indication of devotion or respect.
Stating, “Jesus is Lord,” became a way of recognizing Jesus’ divine standing.
Biblical References of Jesus as Lord started with Thomas’ declaration when Jesus arrived at the apostles after His resurrection:
“Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28).
From thereafter, the message of the Apostles was that Jesus is Lord, signifying that “Jesus is God.”
Peter’s bold and powerful sermon on the Day of Pentecost carried that idea:
“Let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36).
Peter later declared this in the house of Cornelius, stating that Jesus is “Lord of all”(Acts 10:36).
It is important to note that in Romans 10:9 Jesus’ lordship is connected to His resurrection: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
The declaration “Jesus is Lord” indicates that Jesus is God. Jesus holds “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).
He is “Lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5); “our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1:4); and “the Lord of lords” (Revelation 17:14).
What Makes Jesus a “Lord”?
The realm of Christ’s reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth. No one—not even those who deny His existence—can be free of His rule or outside His sphere of full, complete and absolute authority.
Although Satan tries to convince us that liberty is found in doing what we want, true freedom is acquired only through submission to Christ’s loving lordship.
Even death cannot release anyone from the authority of God’s Son. He is Lord of both the living and the dead.
All people must eventually decide to either yield to or rebel against Him, but they have the opportunity to make this choice only while they are still living.
After death, they will acknowledge Christ’s lordship through accountability to Him.
If we have not bowed the knee to Jesus in life, we will be forced to bend it in the judgment.
Have you and I genuinely submitted to Christ’s absolute rule over our lives?
The thought of His absolute authority over all life causes anger and fear in individuals are use to being in self-control, who have not yet yielded to Him.
Those who have experienced His loving kindness trusted in His goodness and have willingly “thrown their hands up” and surrendered to His authority take His full measure comfort in knowing Him as the Lord of their whole entire lives.
Right now, in this very exact and even more exacting moment,
Who is fighting for your attention and allegiance?
Who do you say is actually winning the fight for your attention and allegiance?
Can you and I accept that this fight has already been fought and is already won?
Do we dare confess – whether publicly and privately – we know who fought it?
Do we, will we, dare confess – both publicly and privately – who has already won?
1 Corinthians 15:57Amplified Bible
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Surrender your life to him today, worship him! Jesus is your Lord and your God!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Holy and gracious God, You are the greatest of all. You are the Creator and Lord of All. You are full of wonders that no mere human can comprehend. Lord, I seek to understand you and your ways so that I can live according to your commandments. I pray for your divine illumination in my heart and mind. Help me see what you intend for me to see. Help me understand what you intend for me to understand. Open my eyes, my ears, my mouth to see you, hear and speak your whispers. Amen.
12 [a]Therefore I urge you, [b]brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be [c]transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Try imagining a father… A perfect heavenly father who loves you a million times more than anyone could ever hope to love anyone; a true heavenly father who is perfect, compassionate, gracious, merciful, loving in all of his dealings with us.
This amazing father offers one of the rarest of all commodities on this planet, forgiveness.
He resets the relationship.
He removes the garbage.
He does not pretend that the sin didn’t happen, but he covers it, he removes the shame, the embarrassment is gone, he makes the relationship what it ought to have been all along – through the life blood of his own Son – Savior Jesus Christ.
Today we will talk about imagining something called redemption.
Chip and Joanna Gaines are unquestionably amazing and very inspiring to me.
Not just them but all of those programs on HGTV.
Are any of you readers with me on this?
So, these people take outdated properties and pour a ton of effort and love and money into getting rid of their former ugliness, restoring the beauty of them.
Presto… Now another family they have their dream house! And suddenly we need a wall with shiplap upon it. And better landscape. And an open concept.
There is a Bible name for stuff like that – redemption.
To redeem something simply means that somebody puts up the effort and the money to buy back or to purchase something so that it can become their own.
HGTV features properties that have seen better days but now they’re going to get a new chance at life.
Tune into Motor Trend and one will observe several TV shows revealing that this happens to old, rusted out automobiles turned into modern classics as well.
The specialty of Savior Jesus Christ is doing this very same thing – but not to property, not to automobiles, and not to furniture, not to rusted blades but to human beings who were originally made in his image but became horribly scarred, disfigured by sin – our sin and the sins others committed against us.
Jesus is called a Redeemer because he rescues the sinner from his/her problems and dilemma’s, he ransoms, he buys back those who have been given up on, he takes the lost and the least likely, transforms them into a trophy of his grace.
You see… Savior Jesus is absolutely interested in…
– Your health
– your heart
– your faith
– your relationships
– what you believe
– the details of your life
– your spiritual sanity
– your eternal home
– your eternal destiny
But what we are going to prayerfully discover today is Jesus doesn’t just redeem people, but he also lays his hands and redeems every messed-up thing in life.
If you remember the movie “I can only imagine” you see a picture of how God takes an angry and alcohol fueled raging man and can change not only him but also the reprehensible actions of his life that had harmed so very many people.
Only God can do something like that.
That’s why we’re here today because we want God to do something like that…
For you.
For me.
For everyone who with their whole heart and their whole soul and their whole life – freely confess the Lord Jesus Christ as their one and only personal Savior.
If old cars can be brought back to life…
If old homes can be brought back to life…
If old furniture can be brought back to life…
If old-rusted knives can be reforged, resharpened and repurposed, and given an opportunity to refunction and reuse in someone else’s kitchen (Proverbs 27:17)
Why cannot people be likewise brought back to life?
Isn’t this part of what happened in the Prodigal son story? (Luke 15: 11-32)
Good father, rebellious son.
Son demands “rightful inheritance to live his own way – apart from his father.”
Good father gives his rebellious son is inheritance.
Rebellious son wastes his inheritance on everything bad while good father hopes that one day his rebellious son will come home.
Rebellious son spends his inheritance his way but only ends up in a pigsty.
Rebellious son wakes up and feels the gravity of his sin and decides to go home.
Rebellious son does not know, nor cares, what will happen when he gets home.
Good father sees defeated, rebellious son walking up the road and runs to him and smothers him with undeserved grace and kindness and hugs and kisses.
Good father restores rebellious son to the family.
Good father throws a party and it’s at that party that he says this… Luke 15:23 …and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’
Right there, in that Parable, is the power that our heavenly father has called redemption – the dead live again. The lost are found again. The orphan is part of the family again. The dirty or clean again. The useless are made useful again.
The broken are fixed and Messes become messages, Tests become testimonies.
Today, let me paint you 4 pictures of redemption.
I love these kinds of messages because we are talking about what God does and what God does is full of 100% hope, gives max faith to trust him in the process.
Four things today ….
1. God redeems people.
2. God redeems souls, hearts, bodies and minds.
3. God redeems your worst days.
4. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
1. God redeems people.
What is Redeemer God’s response to all of us less-than-perfect people, and wholly messed up people, and even those who seem to have gone too far?
Romans 5:19-21Amplified Bible
19 For just as through one man’s disobedience [his failure to hear, his carelessness] the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one Man the many will be made righteous and acceptable to God and brought into right standing with Him. 20 But the Law came to increase and expand [the awareness of] the trespass [by defining and unmasking sin]. But where sin increased, [God’s remarkable, gracious gift of] grace [His unmerited favor] has surpassed it and increased all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness which brings eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
These verses talk about sin, lots and lots and lots of sin.
• Bad sin,
• more and more sin,
• overwhelming sin.
• Read that no matter how far….
• how deep,
• how messed up,
• how wide,
• how perverse,
• how destructive,
• how utterly damning,
• how stupid,
• how embarrassing sin is to the sinner and what sin has brought to your life- the condemnation, the complications, the associations, the reputation – grace goes absolutely, significantly, infinitely further. It is God’s unlimited character.
The Apostle Paul is saying …. If your sin is abundant, grace is more abundant.
If sin brought the garbage in, grace will take it out and clean out the house.
If sin has made a mess, grace will clean up the mess and sanitize everything.
If sin has stolen anything and everything of value, grace will find those stolen goods and redeem them, buying them back.
If sin has disfigured you, grace does plastic surgery and restores you
If sin has left you laying in the gutter, grace puts you in a mansion.
Grace untangles the knots…
Grace puts broken things back together
God’s grace redeems you or rescues you or buys you back out of sin.
Redeeming grace is God going abundantly, infinitely further than your sin.
Redeeming grace is never lacking nor skimpy.
Redeeming grace is always “so very much more” than anything sin does to us.
Redeeming Grace is exceeding, drenching, saturating, over the top, abundant, and is of the very highest quality as well as the maximum measure of quantity.
Redeeming Grace is never about barely enough or just a little bit; redeeming grace is God always giving you absolutely everything he knows that you need.
Do you see the incredible power of redeeming grace?
– It seeks you out while you are out of it
– It climbs over every obstacle, every sin, every degrading things, all our opposition, all our ignorance
– It pays the price
– It engages our heart and mind and makes us aware
– It gives us the faith to believe
– It does the work to recreate us
– It forgives
– It empowers us anew
– It puts us in the family
– It never brings up the past
– It creates a new future
What more can God do?
Grace in its purest form is our God’s radical redeeming intervention into our ‘rusted’ lives to rescue us from darkness, to forgive us of sin and to transform us – the undeniably undeserving – into followers of Jesus. His grace delivers us the entire gift of salvation without conditions, limits and without reservation.
Grace reaches to the undeserving not to validate but to clean up the mess that sin has made.
Grace is the activity of God intervening in life with God’s resources to restore us to God’s created intention.
2. God redeems souls, hearts, bodies and minds.
Psalm 107:1-9Amplified Bible
Book Five
The Lord Rescues People from Many Troubles.
107 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His compassion and lovingkindness endure forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, 3 And gathered them from the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the [a]south.
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a [solitary] desert region; And did not find a way to an inhabited city. 5 Hungry and thirsty, They fainted. 6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He rescued them from their distresses. 7 He led them by the straight way, To an inhabited city [where they could establish their homes]. 8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, And for His wonderful acts to the children of men! 9 For He satisfies the parched throat, And fills the hungry appetite with what is good.
One way to prayerfully, better understand, the beauty that God created is to understand its opposite: the ugliness and sorrow of being separated from God.
Because of our sin, this world is not the way it ought to be.
Sin has brought hardship and ugliness into our lives and into this world, though God designed it all to be good and beautiful.
We know that God has restoration in mind because we don’t feel “at home” in a world broken because of sin.
We are homesick for a world of peace and beauty.
We are homesick to be with God.
When we’re stuck in brokenness and facing the ugliness of this world of sin, we feel mightily homesick for God’s world of goodness and beauty.
Psalm 107 points out the sorrow and longing of this homesickness.
The world can feel like a wasteland, providing no place where people can rest, no place where they can settle and be at peace.
But the Lord, whose “love endures forever,” offers redemption.
The Lord hears his people cry out in their trouble caused by sin, and he delivers them from all distresses. God brings them to a place where they can settle and live in peace. “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
Ultimately, we know that all of life’s goodness and beauty will be restored when Jesus comes again, the new life he provides us even now gives us an ever- living hope for eternity with God.
Romans 12:1-2New King James Version
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b] reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
God’s redeeming grace, the one moment when that supernatural work called salvation – the day that Jesus and the Holy Spirit enter your life – what God seeks to do now is to refocus your thoughts, transform you from the inside out.
He is not going to leave you in the same condition he found you.
He’s not going to continue to let you think the way you thought, to do what you did, be enslaved to those addictions, go right back into everything your life was.
The two big words here in this passage are…
– “Let God…”
That simply means that you put yourself in a position where God can do the work.
The great story of Zaccheaus (Luke 19:1-10) in the Bible illustrates this; when faced with his sin he left it.
He allowed the work of Jesus to not just forgive him of his sin, but he left his sin.
– The other big word in this passage is “transform.”
The redeeming power of God does not happen all at once.
All of your bad thoughts do not just go away at the snap of the proverbial finger.
All of your bad habits don’t just go away either.
All of your previous beliefs don’t just go away.
All of your selfishness doesn’t just go away.
The transformation that God does is a changing of your mind which changes your heart which changes your behavior, but it takes time for this to happen.
It also takes a few other critically essential things: being in the word of God, being in the church, being in prayer, being in fellowship with other godly people, being filled with the Holy Spirit, filling your mind with God things.
And here is a compare and contrast of what a redeemed person looks like…
Galatians 5:19-25New King James Version
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: [a]adultery, [b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, [c] murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [d]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
3. God redeems your worst days.
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Here is some hope and assurance that we need;
God even redeems the things we think are irredeemable, have no value, that could never be of any good in our life. God’s redeeming grace even covers that.
Look at Joseph as he looks at his brothers who years prior had tried to kill him out of jealousy and rage and then tried to cover up their actions before Jacob.
Genesis 37 through 44 – Joseph is betrayed by his brothers …. sold to traders, lived a precarious life in Egypt – but with God on his side, rose to high power.
Then one day, several years later, Joseph’s brothers enter into his presence.
The brothers don’t recognize their younger brother whom they presumed dead.
Genesis 45:3-5New King James Version
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. 4 And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So, they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
Grace has no time or geographic boundaries covers all the way back to the beginning and grace is so powerful that it takes us all the way to the end.
Not only that but God’s grace is so comprehensive. so thoroughly extensive that it takes all the sin that was killing us and redeems it.
Grace rules over sin and takes away its damage and turns what was bad into something called a testimony.
A testimony is how what sin was using to destroy us God is now uses to destroy sin!!!
Grace makes us right…no matter how wrong we were.
Grace makes us acceptable…no matter how unworthy we were.
Grace makes us favored…no matter how unfavorable we have been.
God redeems…
– Addictions
– Wasted years
– Prison time
– Lost money
– Dumbness
– Stupidity
– Accidents
– Things done against you
4. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Psalm 107:1-3English Standard Version
Book Five
Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So
107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble[a] 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say…
– He has chosen me.
– He has rescued me.
– He lives in me.
– I live in the palm of his hand.
– He is changing me.
– He is making me.
– He is transforming me.
– His hands are on my past. He is leading me into his future.
– His grace is overflowing to me.
– His riches overflow to me.
– My needs are met by his glorious resources.
– I have joy in the Lord.
– I have a song to sing.
– He is working it out.
Philippians 1:3-7NKJV
Thankfulness and Prayer
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Father God, Creator, Author and Redeemer and Restorer of my life, teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your Holy Spirit lead me on level ground. I see your faithfulness and goodness in what you have done for me throughout my life. I think about these things, and I thirst for you. Let me hear of your unfailing love every morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Keep me on firm footing for the glory of your name. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north [where the ten tribes have been taken as captives] and say,
‘Return, faithless Israel,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not [a]look on you in anger. For I am gracious and merciful,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not be angry forever. 13 ‘Only understand fully and acknowledge your wickedness and guilt, That you have rebelled (transgressed) against the Lord your God And have scattered your favors among strangers under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the Lord. 14 ‘Return, O faithless children [of the twelve tribes],’ says the Lord, ‘For I am a master and husband to you, And I will take you [not as a nation, but individually]—one from a city and two from a [tribal] family— And I will bring you to Zion.’
15 “Then [in the final time] I will give you [spiritual] shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and [true] understanding. 16 It will be in those days when you have [repented and] multiplied and increased in the land,” says the Lord, “they will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will not come to mind, nor will they [seriously] remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again [for instead of the ark, which symbolized My presence, I will be present].
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
The prophecy from the Lord through His Prophet Jeremiah speaks of God’s promise to give us spiritual shepherds to feed and nourish us with knowledge and understanding that would cause an increase in the lives of His people.
Spiritual Shepherds then …. We call them Pastors today.
A question is being asked today: What is a pastor according to God’s heart?
Well, before we try to answer that question, let’s take the time out and define what a pastor is.
Well according to the dictionary, Pastor is a noun, it is defined as a Christian minister or a priest who is a leader of a congregation.
But according to the Word of God, a Pastor is a shepherd, a spiritual shepherd who leads God’s people, which is the church.
The pastor is one who oversees, he leads, he guides, he protects, he teaches, he trains, he counsels, he preaches to, he prays with and for it, and He feeds and nourishes and grows the church with spiritual food which is the Word of God.
In Jeremiah 3:15, the Lord says, And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
The knowledge and understanding that the pastors are to feed us with is the Word of God.
Acts 20:28 says, “Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood.”
The New Testament, word of His grace (Acts 20:32), says that it is God Who gave us Pastors.
“And now I commend you to God [placing you in His protective, loving care] and [I commend you] to the word of His grace [the counsel and promises of His unmerited favor]. His grace is able to build you up and to give you the [rightful] inheritance among all those who are sanctified [that is, among those who are set apart for God’s purpose—all believers].”
They are shepherds and father-like ones God has given us to be one of the channels of His grace to us.
Ephesians 4:8 – 11 says,
“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.”
They are a critically essential part of His design for our life and His Church.
This is not a day to be without the gift of a Pastor in your life.
Yes, the pastor is to feed the church through preaching and teaching the Word of God.
But yet a question is still being asked: What is a pastor according to God’s heart?
Now, the key phrase is Pastors according to God’s heart.
And it is important to know what a pastor is according to God’s heart because there are a lot of people who call themselves pastors, but they are not Pastors according to God’s heart.
So, the question is, what is a pastor according to God’s heart?
Well, a Pastor according to God’s heart is someone who is:
1. Called by God.
2nd Timothy 1:8-10 says,
“8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord or about me His prisoner, but with me take your share of suffering for the gospel [continue to preach regardless of the circumstances], in accordance with the power of God [for His power is invincible], 9 for He delivered us and saved us and called us with a holy calling [a calling that leads to a consecrated life—a life set apart—a life of purpose], not because of our works [or because of any personal merit—we could do nothing to earn this], but because of His own purpose and grace [His amazing, undeserved favor] which was granted to us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago], 10 but now [that extraordinary purpose and grace] has been fully disclosed and realized by us through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who [through His incarnation and earthly ministry] abolished death [making it null and void] and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
2. Chosen by God.
John 15:16 says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name; he may give it you.
3. Annointed and Appointed by God.
Acts 20:28 says, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
4. Sent by God.
Romans 10:13-15 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.”
5. Given to the church by God.
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ ….
7. A man of prayer, not just for himself, but for his family, and for the church…
Matthew 26:41 says to “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”
8. A man who studies the Word of God that he may present Jesus Christ in his preaching and teaching as the central theme of the gospel message, and that his preaching and his teaching will be considered sound doctrine.
2nd Timothy 2:14-15 says,
An Unashamed Workman
14 Remind the people of these facts, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God to avoid petty controversy over words, which does no good, and [upsets and undermines and] ruins [the faith of] those who listen. 15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.
9. A man who willingly, sacrificially, patterns his whole life after the life of Jesus Christ so he may be an example of Jesus Christ before his congregation.
1 Peter 5:1-3 says,
Serve God Willingly
5 Therefore, I strongly urge the elders among you [pastors, spiritual leaders of the church], as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness [called to testify] of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory that is to be revealed: 2 shepherd and guide and protect the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not [motivated] for shameful gain, but with wholehearted enthusiasm; 3 not lording it over those assigned to your care [do not be arrogant or overbearing], but be examples [of Christian living] to the flock [set a pattern of integrity for your congregation].
10. A man who rules and leads well, not just in the church house, but also in his own house…
I Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”
11. A man who loves God and who loves God’s people.
I Peter 1:22 says, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto the feigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.”
12. A man of deep compassion who goes above and beyond to care for people.
Matthew 9:13 “Go and learn what this [Scripture] means: ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], and not [animal] sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call [to repentance] the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to change], but sinners [those who recognize their sin and actively seek forgiveness].”
Matthew 15:32
Four Thousand Fed
32 Then Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and have nothing [left] to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, because they might faint [from exhaustion] on the way [home].”
Mark 6:34 “34 When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd [waiting], and He was moved with compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd [lacking guidance]; and He began to teach them many things.
A man who is patient with people.
A man who is kind and gentle with people.
A man who is humble.
A man who is unselfish.
A man who is peaceable.
A man who has the joy of the Lord as his strength.
A man who loves praising and worshipping God and leading his people to worship God.
A man who is willing and loves to serve God.
A man who loves working with the youth as well as the senior citizens.
A man who loves ministering to singles, as well as the married couples.
A man who ministers to those in prisons as well as those in the hospitals.
A man who believes in doing the right thing and being holy.
A man who is courageous and strong in the Lord.
A man who will stand up for righteousness, and speak out against sin.
A man who is honest and truthful.
A man with a vision from the Lord.
Proverbs 29:18 says, Where there is no prophetic vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
13. Last but not least, a man who is born again.
John 3:3 says, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” To be born again, you must be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Last but not least, it must be understood that a pastor according to God’s heart is not a perfect pastor.
King David was a man who was after God’s heart, but he was not perfect.
But yet God used him mightily to be one of the most powerful kings of Israel.
God used him to write most of the Book of Psalms we have in our bibles today.
And like wise Pastors who are according to God’s heart are not perfect, but God uses them anyway.
That is why as the church we should pray for our pastors, support our pastors, honor our pastors, love our pastors, take care of our pastors, obey our pastors so they can do the job that they have been called to do without the unnecessary trouble, to do the often-thankless labor as a pastor with joy and not with grief.
In the midst of a season when they are needed most, pastors are burning out at an alarming rate!
As Christians, we should feel deep agony over this fact, especially since the main reason for it appears to be . . . us!
The very Christians who comprise the congregations of pastors who are rapidly dropping out of ministry are often the cause.
God has not called us to criticize or damage our pastors.
He has called us to love them (1 Cor. 13:1-13), to be submissive to their leadership (Heb. 13:17), and to pray for them (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
The Father has called our pastors and has ordained them to be our shepherds (Acts 20:28).
How can you pray effectively for your Pastors and their families?
Make a commitment to pray for them daily. If your pastors knew that you, your family, and others were praying for them, and for their families, each day . . . can you imagine what an encouragement that would be? Would their hearts be lifted if they knew that they could share a need or a concern with your family and you would take it to the Lord on their behalf? You know it would!
Pray that your congregation will allow them to minister in a loving and caring environment. Many pastors and their families feel very alone in the midst of their churches. Often, they don’t have close friends in the congregation to whom they can go with burdens. They may feel that they can’t share needs because they, of all people, should have everything together. In truth, the pastor’s family is just like yours. They struggle with similar issues and problems. They desperately need others to come alongside of them and commit to fervent, continuous prayer so that the enemy won’t have the opportunity to do damage.
Your pastor’s ministry will only be as effective as the prayer that fuels it. If you want a joyful, Spirit-filled shepherd, who confidently leads their congregation into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and demonstrates a passion for revival and for reaching the lost, then you must pray for them – and for their families!
Here are some specific ways that your family can pray for your pastors and their families:
1. Pray that your pastors will always have a passion to know Christ more intimately.
2. Pray that your pastors will minister out of a humble spirit.
3. Pray that your pastors will minister from the Spirit’s power.
4. Pray that your pastors will be persons of prayer and of the Word (Acts 6:4) in order to live a holy and pure life.
5. Pray for the families of your pastors.
6. Pray for protection against the schemes of the devil.
7. Pray blessing into the life of your pastor(s) and their families.
Becoming the Answer
Now you have prayed for and blessed your pastor(s) and their families, here are some practical ways to care for, encourage, show your appreciation to them:
Submit to the spiritual authority of your pastor(s) and encourage others to do the same…especially if there are any who are complaining or grumbling.
Extend hospitality to your pastor(s) and their families by inviting them to your home for a meal or including them in family activities. Think of other creative ideas.
Recognize that your pastor(s) and their families go through the same struggles as everyone else’s families and be empathetic rather than critical.
Give your pastor(s) and their spouses time together while you care for their children or hire someone to do so.
Fix a meal and take it to them with an encouraging note.
Take a basket of items you know would encourage them. Find out some things they like to snack on, or some of their favorite coffee, card games, etc.
Find out if there are any needs in their home that need attention: leaky shower, car repairs, yard work, etc. and see that they are taken care of.
Send notes of encouragement and appreciation from your whole family; have your children draw pictures or write their own notes.
Recruit as many people as you can to pray regularly for your pastors and their families. Try to cover them in prayer seven days a week.
Encourage your church leaders to send your pastor(s) on a spiritual retreat regularly so that they can be renewed and refreshed by the Holy Spirit.
Use your imagination.
There are so many things you can do to show your love and appreciation.
Be determined to pray for and care for your pastors and their families and allow God to work in and through you by encouraging other families to do the same.
Your simple efforts will do much to advance the cause of Christ in your church and community, as God does a mighty work in and through your pastor(s) lives.
May your thoughts and prayers and those of many others in your church, along with expressions of kindness, care and appreciation, keep pastors and their families safe, joyful and productive and above all other things, well-loved and highly cherished for many years to the glory and honor of Savior Christ Jesus!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Creator God, Author of all Life, Divine Shepherd of us all,Thank you for a pastor that seeks You with their whole heart. The pastor’s singular desire, Lord, is to serve and please You. So, Father, show the pastor the way. Give the pastor Your vision. Grant Your clarity. Make the complex simple. And then give the pastor boldness to step out in faith to accomplish Your plans for their ministry and for our church. It’s easy to be distracted by many voices, so Father let the pastor hear but one voice, and let that voice be Yours. These things I pray with hope and expectation, in Jesus’ name.
9 For God has not destined us to [incur His] wrath [that is, He did not select us to condemn us], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died [willingly] for us, so that whether we are awake (alive) or asleep (dead) [at Christ’s appearing], we will live together with Him [sharing eternal life]. 11 Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
I can remember the moments like they were yesterday ….
“Mom, I can’t do this!” I cried.
“Yes, you can my son.
I know it’s going to be hard for you but stick with it.
The payout will be worth the effort.”
It wasn’t the news I wanted to hear, but I followed her advice and didn’t quit.
At 12 years old, I was hired for my first job.
I was the newspaper boy for more than an entire street.
Every day after school, I had to come home, put my school stuff down, grab my over-sized newspaper bag from where it was hung up and go to the bottom of my yard and wait for the newspaper delivery guy to bring me my daily supply.
I then had to cut the wire which held them together, count them out to be sure I had them all, then load any addons into the middle of the days paper and finally load them into my delivery bag – then start walking, riding my bike to my route.
Every single day – rain storms or sunshine or snow or sleet or raging heat – the paper had to be delivered – politely, with a smile, on time, to the right house.
There were more days than I could count where my protest was the rage of the house – it literally woke people up early in the morning from their sound sleep.
How many of those bad weather days, especially on Sundays when the paper was the heaviest with all of its additional sections and all its advertisements.
Many was the day when I feigned sickness to try and get out of it for one day.
Despite my array and diversity of protests, my mom refused to let me quit.
She encouraged me to press on and to push through and keep working hard.
At the end of it all six years later, I learned a whole lot about getting the job done – no matter what the day or evening or weather brought – perseverance!
Those days when I had to balance my job and my schoolwork helped form me into who I am today and taught me a very valuable lesson about perseverance and payout as my own savings account grew to quite the tidy sum afterwards.
The catalyst?
My mother’s daily encouragement.
Sometimes, my mother’s several times a day, daily encouragement.
God rest my Mother’s soul ….
Throughout Scripture, God’s word heavily encourages us to not be discouraged, inspires us continuously to not grow weary, and to not stop meeting together.
From Genesis through Revelation, we are instructed to encourage one another.
Jesus told his followers, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Scripture clearly tells us that believers will endure hardship, but Jesus and the Biblical writers also gives an encouragement that we can overcome the world.
Without encouragement, we lose hope in the midst of troubles and afflictions.
Life can be difficult, full of persecution and hatred.
At times, recognizing that there is meaning in the seemingly inconsequential things we do seems next to impossible.
We may want to give up.
Yet, He who is faithful calls us to be faithful and gives us the power to do so.
1 Thessalonians 5:11Amplified Bible
11 Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing.
Christian encouragement is a command, but one we find awkward to employ in everyday life.
It does not have to be uncomfortable, though.
Like any other skill, we get better at it with practice.
But – we do have to practice it – at every available opportunity.
With that in mind,
here are five suggestions to help you grow in your ability to encourage others.
1. Turn to the Word of Go for the Children of God
Not everyone is naturally comfortable crafting the perfect words for a given situation.
In practicing encouragement, I have found that the fewer words I use of my own, the better.
This realization has relieved me to encourage all the more, and with greater truthfulness.
I don’t need to fumble around my words to encourage; I need God’s Word.
Let the Scriptures be your starting point for encouraging others.
Share with fellow believers where you see the Spirit working in and through them.
Point out the fruit of the Spirit you see growing in them (Galatians 5:22-23).
Regularly affirm them in their spiritual gifting and the faithful use of those gifts (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12).
Our celebrating of someone’s effort at bearing spiritual fruit and gifting is an excellent place to start on the path towards true Christian encouragement.
2. Be Specific
Our encouragement is most meaningful when we take enough interest in others and are specific with our encouragement.
Be observant of those in your believing community.
Who is quick to volunteer and serve others?
Who models self-control in their words and actions?
Who exhibits patience with those who talk perhaps more than they should?
Who exhibits perseverance in those situations and tasks which require long term commitment and planning and rigorously careful attention to detail.
Based on what you observe, offer concrete examples of how you have seen this person live out their faith.
It’s deeply encouraging for someone to hear someone speak these words to you,
“I needed to tell you I saw God’s grace at work when you did this or said that.”
Specific examples in specific situations bless the hearer and show that you have taken genuine interest in them.
The person’s age is not a deciding factor here – everyone needs to hear those words which inspire them on to better and greater things – like self-esteem!
3. Be Intentional
Give thought to who could use encouragement.
When I was Pastoring my small church, I and my ministry team deliberately set aside some time during some of our team meetings to encourage one another.
We choose an individual in advance to focus on for each meeting, then took intentional time to tell them specifically how we saw them being used by God.
Their smiles were deeply gratifying to see, their expressions of gratitude -were invariably warming to my Pastor’s heart and to the small group of attendees.
It deepened us as individuals and fostered a necessary bond as a community.
Whether we work for a church or not, we are all doing the work of ministry, and because it is difficult work, we all need encouragement.
The best way to be intentional is to think ahead and praise someone based on where you see faithfulness and fruit of the Spirit in a brother or sister.
That is intentionality in encouragement, and it draws us away from the depths.
4. Be Selfless
Have you ever held back from encouraging someone because you were afraid you might feed their pride?
Have you ever withheld encouragement because you viewed someone as a rival in your work environment or your circle of friends?
We all have, but Christian encouragement and flattery sit at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Don’t let fear of being seen as a flatterer cause you to curtail your genuine words of encouragement.
Don’t let your own hiccups and hang-ups inhibit your praise of others.
The one who encourages practices selflessness, taking the words of Proverbs 12:18 to heart: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
We have a choice to be selfish or selfless in our encouragement.
We can either harm by the selfishness of our silence or diminished praise, or we can heal by the selflessness of our fruitful words driven by the Holy Scriptures.
5. Be Bold and Courageous
Please do not just encourage for godly things already done but encourage also the pursuit of godly things not being done, as well.
We often need godly courage in order to give someone else godly courage.
Remember the Prophet Nathan as he dared enter into David’s throne room to confront him about his adulterous actions with Bathsheba, his criminal actions with Uriah, the Hittite – Bathsheba’s husband – conspiring to get him killed?
If a friend is in grievous sin – gambling, pornography, adultery, cheating, drugs and alcohol to abuse and even participation in criminal activities, find words to encourage them toward desiring Christlikeness, instead of high-risk behaviors.
If a friend is engaging in gossip, find words to encourage them toward Christ-honoring speech.
Be a gracious friend rather than a legalist focusing on ‘necessary’ outcomes.
The more you can try to identify with your friend’s battle, the more loving your encouragement will be – the even more likely you friend finds God (Psalm 51).
Use Christian boldness and courage to confront sin with kindness, gentleness.
I believe encouragement should take its place alongside any list of spiritual disciplines.
I have personally found few exercises to be more challenging and affirming to my walk with Christ and to my ability to befriend my own brothers and sisters.
When we encourage someone, we have the opportunity to speak healing truth into their life.
We do this by grace through a heart changed by Christ and words drawn from Scripture.
In this Christlike way, may we strive to excel in edifying, building up the church in God’s Neighborhood – bringing people together in God (1 Corinthians 14:12).
In the early church, a man named Joseph was given the nickname, Barnabas.
This name literally means, son of encouragement.
Through this man’s steadfast encouragement, the zealous Saul who became the apostle Paul was gradually accepted by the church in Jerusalem and through the encouragement of Barnabas, Mark was given his second chance after a failure.
Who doesn’t need a second chance?
Encouragement gives hope when we want to give up and burnout.
Encouragement allows us to not be overwhelmed by the pains of life.
Encouragement is necessary in our walk of faith.
Encouragement makes it easier for believers to love as Jesus loves.
Encouragement makes it easier to put others before ourselves.
Encouragement breeds patience and kindness and perseverance.
So, encourage one another, spur one another on toward love and good deeds, remind one other of the truth of God’s love.
Encouragement allows us to more fully experience God’s life more abundantly.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Affirm …
We believe and know
that Jesus is the Holy One of God.
We believe that he is the Christ,
the Son of God,
who was to come into the world.
We believe that he is in the Father
and the Father is in him.
We believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God,
and that by believing
we have life in his name. Amen.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
We give you all thanks and praise, O God, for you have destined us for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
You created the earth and entrusted it into our hands. You called a people to be your own, and when they were cruelly oppressed you raised up your prophet, Deborah, and spoke through her of the day of deliverance.
You have spoken to us through your Son, Jesus, teaching us to look to you and trust in your kindness, and to be faithful stewards of your gifts. He was scorned and mocked and died for us but was raised by you. You have promised a day of judgment and deliverance, when Christ will come as unexpectedly as a thief in the night, to reveal the children of light and gather all who have been trustworthy with what you have given into his kingdom of joy.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high, we offer you thanks and praise at all times through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
16 Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
In Colossians 3:16, Paul writes this:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God.”
Now, here’s the most interesting thing: this passage from Colossians 3 is about our encouraging and admonishing one another but the source and foundation of our encouraging one another is to ensure we are each worshipping together.
The best way in which we can encourage one another in life is to make sure that we all edify each other, we all build each other up in the faith, we grow stronger in God’s family, we grow stronger together as a people of praise and worship.
And if we get our praise and worship right and become strong as a spiritual family, that will then spill over into how we live our lives throughout the week,
and we will each be taking God with us in our hearts into the everyday lives of all those others in God’s own Neighborhood which we live and work and play.
And that is, as Paul suggests, is perhaps the greatest encouragement of all.
If we have found our happiness, our contentment, our fulfilment, in the worship of God in the context of a loving and supportive spiritual family, then we will know God’s encouragements and presence in every aspect of our lives.
The praise and worship of God within the context of a Christian church family is foundational to knowing, living out, His happiness and fulfilment in our lives.
And in this passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, especially verses 16 and 17, we see firstly how the church family gathers together for praise and worship and then secondly, how that extends, pours itself out into every aspect of life.
So, as we think about this idea, let’s start by thinking what we actually mean by the idea of ‘praise and worship’.
And there’s three things I want to say about this.
1. Worship engages us with the Word of God in the Bible
Colossians 3:16, Paul writes this: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
This is referring to the teaching and life of our Savior Jesus, of course, that we find in the four Gospels.
But it’s also true to say that literally the whole Bible points readers to Jesus and so there’s a very real, deep sense in which the whole Bible is the word of Christ.
And Paul uses this interesting word, ‘dwell…’: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” and that implies a deep rootedness in our lives.
As a Pastor can visit you in your home and it is always nice to do that, but they do not ‘dwell’ in your home; They ‘dwell’ in their own homes.
My home, where I ‘dwell’, is where I go to relax and get some rest, the place where I can chill out with my family and recuperate after a tough day at work.
We see this word ‘dwell’ in another important verse, in John’s Gospel where he wrote that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”.(John 1:14)
God became incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ, and he dwelt among us, he lived among us, and as the people were moved to, they came to him for rest and recuperation, encouragement and challenge and healing and experience God.
And there’s something important about the idea of God’s word dwelling in us.
Because in all the storms and chaos and confusions of life, we can return to God’s word every single day, find our rest, Shalom and relaxation there and recuperate with God as he speaks to us through the Bible and also be challenged and healed as we grapple with the harsh truths found deep in God’s word to us.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
There is a richness in God’s word that we won’t find anywhere else.
There is a fullness and a completeness to God’s word: we can turn to the Bible in any season of our life, no matter what we are going through, no matter how we are feeling – and we will each receive the richness of God’s presence in our life.
But there’s just one more interesting point to note from this phrase: “Let the word of God dwell in you richly…”
In the original Greek, the word ‘you’ is in the plural, not the singular.
So what Paul is saying is this: that it’s not just us as individuals that need to dwell in the Word, soak ourselves in the Scriptures.
But this is a corporate activity for us to focus on as a church family together.
As the body of Christ, we, together, are to ‘dwell richly in the word of God…’
Together, we are to read and study the Bible, be shaped by the Bible, and allow the Bible to transform how we are as a church and how we develop our mission, ministry and gather together regularly for praise and worship of God together.
Letting the word of God dwell richly is very much a covenanted community act, not something that we just do exclusively as individuals.
So, in the context of this passage from Colossians 3, then, we are to encourage one another – as the Body of Christ, the family of God – to study the word of God together, and be shaped by it as a family as we come to worship together.
So what does that look like in practice?
Well that leads on to the next point, which is this:
2. Our praise and worship engages both the mind and the emotions
In verse 16, Paul says this:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.”
As we come to praise and worship, we want to be engaged together in both our mind and our emotions.
Firstly, our minds: “Teach and admonish one another in all wisdom”.
In Church, the idea of a sermon may seem, to people, to be outdated: there are few places in society today where someone talks to a group of people for 20 minutes in an uninterrupted way in order to work through the text of a book!
But sermons are still important in all religious settings, whether Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish or whatever, because it is through the sermon that we engage together as a faith community to encourage through the sacred texts.
And the church, this church family, is a learning community.
All of us are learning together.
Just because I might have an education in Theology or Ministry, a clergy collar on, does not necessarily mean I somehow know God any better than you do.
We are all on a uniquely God designed, God planned, journey into a far deeper relationship with our God. And I too need to learn with you and from you what that looks like and hopefully I can encourage all of you in some small way too.
So, we each still need to gather together, we each need to explore together the teachings of the Christian faith so we can find our way on our spiritual journey.
But worship of God is not all about the mind: it should engage the emotions too.
As Paul says in Colossians 3:16:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.”
Our praise and worship of God comes from our hearts, our emotional centre, as we each reflect on what God has done for us, what Jesus has done for us and the forgiveness, new life that we have received through Jesus’ death on the cross.
As we come together to worship, we reflect on God’s amazing love for us and we are each inspired, moved in our hearts to sing, to praise, to receive Communion together, have our hearts warmed as we meet together in the presence of God.
The Psalms, the old and new hymns, the songs, the Communion, should not just be ritualistic acts we go through. Instead, as Paul says here, we worship “with gratitude in our hearts” for what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.
And as he also says in this verse, our worship is “to God”.
We aren’t singing for one another, or to just do something pleasing amongst ourselves: God is our audience when we sing, when we worship, when we receive Communion, and God is ‘pleased’ with our worship… (Psalm 19:14)
It does not matter if we have a good singing voice or a bad singing voice.
It doesn’t matter if we feel worthy or unworthy when we receive Communion.
It doesn’t matter what clothes we wear to church.
It doesn’t matter what people may think about us.
We only have an audience of ONE when we praise and worship – and that one is God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
And hopefully and prayerfully God is always ‘pleased’ with our worship…
So firstly, worship of God engages with the word of God, the Bible.
Secondly, worship of God engages both the mind and the emotions.
3. Our worship impacts on how we live throughout the week
In verse 17, Paul writes this:
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Praise and Worship is not something that we do just one day a week, on a Sunday, or on those occasions throughout the week when we come to church.
Our whole life, every aspect of our life, should be an act of worship. We are to honor God with the way we live and all our behavior’s, all our relationships, all our responses should aim to be an act of worship to God.
When we are at work, we offer our work as an act of worship to God.
When we are cooking dinner, we offer our cooking as an act of worship to God.
When we are looking after the kids, when we are looking after our loved ones as Care Givers, we offer encouragement, love and care as an act of worship to God.
Everything we do is an act of praise and worship to God.
Of course, we will fail, and fail often, because we are fallible and weak. But it should be our very highest aspiration to honor God in every part of our life.
And what we do when we come to church, to meet together in worship, should energize us and orient our thinking towards God so that when we leave there after an act of worship, our minds and our hearts are focused exclusively on our God, and we seek to reflect that in how we are in the world outside those walls.
But it’s not ever going to be easy to do that, of course, and we desperately need the encouragement of one another to worship God in our own churches and the steadfast encouragement of one another to live for God throughout the week.
And that’s why I believe that the Apostle Paul here puts this teaching into the context of encouraging one another.
We simply cannot live out the Christian life on our own.
We absolutely and desperately need the encouragement of one another.
We each absolutely and desperately need the steadfast and immovable encouragement of one another so that we can deepen our walk with God.
So, this passage from Colossians 3:16 and 17 is a really important one for us to read and study and pray over and desperately hold onto because it stresses our dependence on Jesus, on one another, and our need to encourage one another.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Let’s do all we can to encourage one another in the faith.
How do we do that?
Firstly, by encouraging one another to come to worship and while there, to engage with God through his word to us in the Bible and to engage with God through our emotions in the liturgical acts undertaken within its sanctuary.
Then to encourage one another to take God with us when we leave our worship services and to do all we can to live our lives as acts of worship, pleasing to God.
We are the Body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in God’s Neighborhood.
We are the Church living and moving and ministering in God’s Neighborhood.
We walk by faith not by sight through God’s backyards and His Neighborhood.
The Christian faith is a community of faith weaving in and out of His Alleys.
The Christian faith is a community of faith weaving in and out of His Streets.
It is the community God has given to you and me for this season in our lives.
Let’s be sure to encourage one another as we walk together with God and, with gratitude in our hearts, thank him mightily for all that he has given us through the sacrificial life and death of his Son, our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God of all wisdom and enlightenment, help me understand your word. Give me insight into the meaning of your commandments and how I should follow them. As I meditate on your wonderful miracles, may I be encouraged and empowered. As I study how you have fought our battles from the stories in the Bible, may I truly be strengthened. Help me know how you want me to put your word into practice. Assist me to know you more fully through your word and be pleasing to you. Amen.
16 Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Something spectacular happens when the saints gather to encourage, sing songs and strengthen one another in the Word of God.
This is how we are equipped to live, love, move and minister in the world; shining the maximum measure of God’s message to all we encounter, by the recollection, refreshment the Holy Spirit brings when believers are together.
This is what our focus should be.
First, we are to be immersed in the Word of God. Paul said, ‘to let the word of Christ dwell richly.’
We should let it saturate us until it overflows, and we are able to teach it with all wisdom.
This is exactly what Paul instructed Timothy,
“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth” (II Timothy 2:15 AMP).
If you dwell richly in the Scriptures, then that is exactly what will richness and prosperity will be revealed through your life, and by the measure of richness it receives it will be measurably, exponentially transformed by the living Word.
Amazingly, as we each progress in this spiritual discipline then the next step happens involuntary.
Worship—singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as well as gratitude and thankfulness overflows from the heart.
Without fail, as I dig into the Scriptures praying, researching, studying those commentaries to bring you these devotional messages, each morning my heart was made full, and my spirit was “quickened”, and worship naturally flowed.
Sometimes it came in the form of solemn hymns or upbeat music or praying, many times it was a smile of gratitude to God for the daily truth I learned, but whatever the form, it came from a heart truly responding to Word of Christ.
The Word of Christ
“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (I Corinthians 1:30).
The Lord Jesus was meek and lowly, full of compassion and great mercy – and the gracious words that fell from His lips were life and health and healing.
We are exhorted to let His Word dwell in us richly, both His spoken and written Word, for they produce in us an abundance of life and the spirit of true wisdom.
The Holy Spirit has made His dwelling place in our hearts, and He teaches us, He jars our memories, leads us in all truth:
“You have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true, it is not a lie.”
What an amazing blessing to have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, teaching us, interceding for us, leading us.
And He has taught us to abide in Christ, to remain in fellowship with Christ, to live as Christ would have us live, in constant union with Him.
We should meditate and drink deeply on the Word of Christ, for His words bring light and joy to the spirit, indescribable, undeniable richness of life to our souls.
We should take the richness of His speech and the true jewels which encrust the glorious messages of salvation and shower them down in blessed teachings and wise counsel over the heads of those that are His kingdom of priests, His royal nation, a people set apart for the Lord to serve Him and to worship Him in time and through eternity.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus rejoices over His children with singing, proclaiming His unconditional love towards us while pouring out His eternal heavenly grace over all that believe on His name.
Should we not let His Word dwell in us richly in humble thanksgiving and holy and humbled reverence as we blend our voices with heavenly choirs of angels?
Should we not sing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs with eternal gratitude in our enriched, inspired hearts to our great and gracious God?
Jesus Christ is the Wisdom of God; He is God revealed (Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 1:3).
This is why we are covenanted, instructed to let the Word of Christ dwell richly because in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”(vs 2:3).
Today, I join with the Apostle Paul in studying Scriptures, praying this for you; singing hymns from deep within my deeply enriched and deeply inspired soul,
I ask, “God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding”(vs 1:9b).
May you know Savior Christ, letting His truth dwell in you.
May you overflow into worship, gratitude from hearts filled of Jesus Christ.
To Him be all glory and might and majesty and dominion and praise and power for ever and ever! Amen.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us now Pray,
God of truth, sometimes I not sure if I’m actually hearing your voice, or if it’s just my own wandering thoughts or even another spirit. Sharpen my spiritual hearing, Lord, so I can recognize your words when you are speaking to me. Help me know it’s really all about you, with no doubt or second-guessing. When I’m asking for your guidance in important decisions, give me your peace that surpasses understanding with your answer. Help me remember that your words to me will never go against your written message in the Bible. Give me a clear mind and push out all my confusion. Amen!
18 Who is a God like You, who forgives wickedness And passes over the rebellious acts of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He [constantly] delights in mercy and lovingkindness. 19 He shall again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power]. Yes, You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. 20 You shall give truth to Jacob And lovingkindness and mercy to Abraham, As You have sworn to our forefathers From the days of old.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Sometimes words are just not enough. God’s creation – it leaves you speechless.
Your spouse’s strength of character – it bears no comparison.
Your child’s imagination, laughter, growth, maturity – it tests your vocabulary.
Sometimes words can’t ever say enough.
The prophet Micah understood that concept as well.
His prophecy alternates between visions of doom and hope.
In chapter 7 he starts with a very bleak picture: “What misery is mine! … The godly have been swept from the land; not one upright man remains” (vv. 1, 2).
The prophet sees both Israel and Judah in need of reformation.
Both kingdoms were living in affluence, which produced selfish materialism.
Morals floundered, and corruption abounded.
Exile was awaiting.
Yet Micah does not despair but can end his prophecy with such great hope.
He sees that God will graciously forgive his people and restore her fortunes, and this puts Micah over the moon – All he can really say is, “Who is a God like you?”
What a beautiful question!
This exclamation is a play on the meaning of Micah’s own name: “Who is like Yahweh?”
Micah’s question is one that other nations – Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians –also asked as a way of praising their gods.
Yet Micah by no means implies that there are other gods.
The one and only God is 100% incomparable because of his forgiving character!
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin?”
Another way of reading this is, “Who is a God like you, who carries away sin?”
We come across that phrase in Leviticus 16, concerning the Day of Atonement.
Aaron the high priest was to lay his hands on the head of the live goat, confess all the iniquities of Israel over it, thereby transfer those iniquities to the goat.
Leviticus 16:22 says, “The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place.”
Through the high priest the Lord transferred the burden of Israel’s guilt to another, and that substitute carried away all Israel’s sin and guilt.
And that’s what Micah is getting at.
God “pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance.”
In mercy Yahweh preserved for himself a remnant, and he forgives that remnant!
This applies to us today as the church of Christ.
When you consider forgiving the people who have hurt you, you must always consider how much Jesus has forgiven you!
You don’t deserve His love and can never earn it.
He forgave you because He is a merciful, gracious God.
Because you have already been forgiven of ALL your sins and set free, you must forgive others by becoming so transparent that His mercy and grace will radiate through every aspect of your life.
You are never to be a giver of condemnation but always a giver of mercy.
Mercy is distinctly different from forgiveness because God is merciful to us even when you don’t sin, just as you can be merciful to those who have never done anything against you.
God’s mercy doesn’t just forgive your failures and faults but reaches deep into all your weakness and need.
His attitude toward you is merciful.
We are his possession by grace.
We don’t deserve forgiveness and salvation.
But it has been promised to God’s family, God’s inheritance, in Christ!
And it is given only to those who, like Micah, are deeply sorrowful over their sins, and cry out for forgiveness.
Micah’s song of praise continues: “You do not stay angry forever.”
The remnant would experience the judgment and punishment of the Lord.
But marvel upon marvel, the Lord does not hold onto his anger.
So, the people of God could look away from their time of judgment and toward the Lord.
They could rejoice that this was just temporary. “You do not stay angry forever, but you delight to show mercy.”
This is all very remarkable.
Micah is saying that the Lord acts this way
– God carries away our sins,
– God forgives our rebellion, shows his mercy
– because that’s just who he is.
It kind of leaves us scratching our heads and asking, “Why is he that way?”
The only answer we get is, “It is my delight to do it this way!”
Our God, by his very nature, is so very ready to forgive sinners.
That leaves us dumbstruck at the forgiving character of our God.
We see God’s forgiving character especially in his Son.
The words Micah uses in verse 18 are also used for the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. Verses 10-12,
Yet it was the Lord’s will (pleasure!) to crush him and cause him to suffer … Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore (carried away) the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
The LORD God does not wink at sin.
He offered the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ.
He came to take our sin outside the city, to the cross of Golgotha.
He shared in our sins.
That is just who Christ is.
It moves us to bow our heads, bend our spirits to say, “Who is a God like you?”
Do you see his incredible mercy for sinners?
Mercy is also related to grace.
Grace is what saves you – mercy is what sustains you.
Mercy eliminates the pain; grace cures the disease.
Mercy offers relief from punishment; grace offers pardon from the crime.
Mercy is a word you will hear used in the legal system.
After the conviction has been made, the jury has unanimously declared the persons guilt, the sentence is about to be handed down, MERCY is begged for.
The Hebrew word for mercy is “chesed”
which means to get inside someone’s skin,
to look at where they view life and feel what they are experiencing; to move in and act on behalf of the one whose hurting.
That is exactly what Jesus did when He chose to leave the indescribable comfort and glory of Heaven to become one of us.
Mercy has also been defined as the giving of compassionate treatment, having the disposition to be kind and forgiving when kindness and forgiveness are not your first thoughts, would not define or characterize any of your first actions.
As God gives you a fresh start each new day, so should you reach beyond the pain and give to those who have hurt you a fresh start through your forgiveness.
Mercy is forgiveness soaked in the life blood of Jesus, soaked in the love of God.
Every day, when you forgive, the anger, bitterness, resentment and pain that you feel from the wrong suffered at the hands of another is weakened.
It’s only through the giving of mercy that our emotional wounds will be healed.
If you do not show mercy and forgive the unforgivable you may never find total and complete healing for your spirit, mind and body.
Right in this exact moment, do you see your God is ever ready to give mercy?
Right in this exact moment, do you see that your God is ever ready to forgive?
Only when you fully see all these can you genuinely embrace a holy fear of our awesome God, only then can you worship him truly, in utter speechlessness.
This is the God whom we adore.
Cherish and embrace his mercy for repentant sinners!
Cherish and embrace his forgiveness for repentant sinners!
Cherish God as God cherishes you!
Embrace God as God embraces you!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Loving Heavenly Father, Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy forgiveness and mercy which you have shown. You have loved me with immeasurable love. You are love. I pray that I will be strengthened in my inner being – in my soul – with the love that is wider than I can understand, deeper than I am able to imagine, and greater than I could ever know. As You encourage and embolden my life, may I more fully know the mystery of the Gospel as revealed through my life. In the love of Christ, I pray. Amen.
14 For if you forgive [a]others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
I believe most people have arrived at the conclusion that it is utterly impossible as human beings to avoid somehow and, in some way, offending others by our words, or lack of words and being offended by others, when we are still alive.
And, while we do not have the ability to control how others feel or act when they somehow feel offended by us, we do very much have free will over our own lives to decide how we will react or will not react when allegedly offended by others.
Our making the choice – Forgiving others wholeheartedly is the definite secret of a happy and prolonged relationship in all facets of life: in our family, in our work, at school, in Church, community, neighborhoods, mission and ministry.
It is definitely not easy to forgive others, but it’s what Jesus commands us to do.
Even if the other person is not really sorry, even if we are not very sorry about our actions, we still have to forgive sincerely in order to fulfil the will of God.
Matthew 6:14-15Easy-to-Read Version
14 Yes, if you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, then your Father in heaven will also forgive your wrongs. 15 But if you don’t forgive others, then your Father in heaven will not forgive the wrongs you do.
Jesus’ teaching here at the end of the Lord’s Prayer might be confusing.
It almost sounds as if we have to earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others.
So, we definitely need heavy dose of a different kind of thought process here.
Ephesians 4:30-32Amplified Bible
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin]. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]. 32 Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave [a]you.
I envision about any kitchen sponge that has not been used for a long time.
When you put it under the tap, at first the water runs right over the sponge.
But if you set that old sponge in a bucket of water for a few minutes, it will gradually and inevitably transform, will soften and becomes usable again.
Our own hearts and our souls and our spirits can be, can become like that too.
When we hold onto new resentments and old bitterness’s, nursing our anger, hugging old grudges close to our chests, hearts can become as hard as a rock, and God’s grace for us will be like water running over a rock – it won’t soak in.
At this point – someone needs to get on our case – come into our throne rooms and disrupt our lives, disrupt our dysfunctional patterns of behaving, thinking.
We are not hiding anything from God – but we are trying to – and this will most definitely get big time God’s attention – God will send someone – guaranteed!
That moment of confrontation will inevitably occur – someone will arrive and will get up inside our personal space – then we will have to make some serious choices – push that other person back out the door they entered or “get God!”
Reckon ourselves with our actions – then reckon, reason things out with God:
Psalm 51:1-12English Standard Version
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 Have mercy on me,[a] O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right[b] spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
But when we are “pried” open by our remembrance of God’s forgiveness of us, we are “exposed” to forgiving others, we become soft like a moistened sponge.
God, our Father’s boundless and bottomless grace soaks in and saturates the entirety of our hearts, and we become abundantly available to share his grace.
Just as a wet sponge moistens other things when it touches them, we can share grace, the blood of Christ helping to wipe others’ dirt away as we forgive others.
Dying to our accumulated resentment, anger, and bitterness softens our hearts to receive God’s all-encompassing amazing grace, to share it freely with others.
Psalm 103:11-13English Standard Version
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so, the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
Why should any of this matter – of what relevance – of what significance to me?
The question of genuine forgiveness is one of eternal importance and relevance.
And why is it, you may ask, so crucial that Christians forgive?
For starters, Jesus’ statement in today’s text is quite a compelling reason, for “if you do not forgive others…neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Suffice it to say then, we had better make sure we are forgiving “our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).
Here’s the bottom line: forgiveness is such a central element to Christianity that it is an indicator of salvation!
Not that we are saved by any works of our own, such as forgiving others, but that when we are reconciled to God through the lifeblood of our Savior Jesus Christ, our new life will be eternally marked by grace giving and forgiveness.
Remember, our unrighteousness was exchanged for Jesus’ righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), our wrong for His 100% right, our injustice for His justice.
God meets our enfeebled efforts at rebellion and pride with His matchless grace in and through the person and work of our only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Those to whom grace is extended should also extend grace, and those to whom forgiveness is extended should also extend forgiveness.
Forgive as you have been forgiven.
Not because it’s easy, but because it’s at the very exact core of who you are in Christ.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Dear Lord, search my heart. Reveal to me any remaining burs of hurt where I have attempted to forgive apart from You. I pray You would cover these hurts in Your healing grace, and through Your strength, empower me to forgive others as wholly and completely and utterly as You first forgave me. In Savior Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Chaos was everywhere or as one translation puts it; the earth was a total wasteland. It was filled with darkness.
And in the darkness, the Spirit of God moved to prepare for God’s creative work.
The Lord is a Creator!
God is a God of order!
For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.” Hebrews 3:4.
God took a mess of chaos and made it orderly.
From ugliness emerged beauty.
Chaos is replaced by order.
Purpose takes the place of emptiness.
God transformed darkness into light.
Are things falling apart around you?
Life rarely turns out the way we’ve planned.
We all have those times when life seems to take an unexpected turn and we wonder what to do.
Perhaps there is a problem in your relationships?
Are you facing difficulties at work or is it unemployment?
Do you have a health issue?
Are you experiencing a crisis in your ministry, business, or family?
Has your house quite literally collapsed around you?
Has your house quite literally fallen into the sea?
There’s no cause for alarm.
You’re not alone!
The Holy Spirit is present with you.
Your life may seem to be without purpose, but God’s there to turn it around.
He’ll never leave you or forsake you.
So be conscious of His presence everyday!
The presence of God gives us inward peace and joy even though our external circumstances may be turbulent.
Be still and place your hope in Him.
Psalm 46:1-3Amplified Bible
God the Refuge of His People.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to soprano voices. A Song.
46 God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble. 2 Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas, 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains tremble at its roaring. Selah.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
The ancient cities were often protected by large surrounding walls and imposing gates.
Inside the walls was peace and a safe atmosphere where commerce could thrive.
God is our fortress!
The Lord is our refuge.
He is the constant and consistent place of refuge and safety in the times of trouble.
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
There is not a promise in the Bible that says we’ll be free from troubles.
Yet those whose confidence is in the Lord have nothing to be afraid of.
Fear is a faith killer!
When a believer is afraid, it means he does not trust God enough to bring him or her out of trouble.
To act on our fear is to act as though the problem is bigger than the Almighty God.
But the truth is, there is nothing too big for Him.
“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…….” 1 Corinthians 14:33.
The Online Dictionary defines chaos as, “A condition or place of great disorder or confusion.”
It is a state of havoc.
Chaos is discord.
It is a state of anarchy and lawlessness.
Chaos is a state of mess.
It is mayhem.
Chaos is disruption.
It is a state of disturbance.
Chaos is turbulence.
It is a state of pandemonium.
Nothing flourishes in a state of chaos.
Chaos takes away your joy and peace of mind.
But God is a God of order and not chaos.
PERFECT PEACE:
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3.
Everyone desires peace.
We want peace in our mind, marriage, business, circumstances and ministry.
But God has something much better for us! His agenda is for us to experience His perfect peace every day.
“Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27.
The world defines peace as ‘a concept of friendship and harmony in the absence of strife, hostility and attack.’
It is a lack of conflict.
Peace is the handshake between two enemies.
It is the laying down of arms.
Peace is the lack of trouble.
It is freedom from the fear of violence between individuals or groups.
So human peace is based on feelings and circumstances!
It is conditional upon the fulfillment of a certain assumption.
Worldly peace is not permanent!
In every generation, there has always been treaties made to hopefully ensure world peace, yet so many times these treaties are violated and short lived.
But God always has His own better alternative.
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom which means ‘calm, tranquility, serenity, harmony, wholeness, completeness, and wellness.’
Shalom is an inner sense of contentment and quietness, regardless of the circumstances.
Perfect peace is internal stability!
You may be in the midst of the worst kind of trouble and still have peace.
It is irrelevant to the chaos around.
Perfect peace is calmness and reassurance in the midst of conflict.
Perfect peace is not the absence of a storm but the ability to remain calm in spite of the hopeless situation.
It is the calm of mind and heart that isn’t shaken by adversity.
Perfect peace is to be joyful in the midst of unhappiness.
It is not a trouble-free life; perfect peace is serene in the midst of difficulties.
Perfect peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7.
So, how can we stay calm when there seems to be turmoil all around?
In a broken world, how can we find stability?
How do you keep calm when things aren’t going the way you want them to?
1. Seek peace with God.
Sin makes us enemies of God but the blood of the righteousness of Christ brings us peace with Him.
It is therefore important that we seek peace with God.
Are you still living in sin?
Have you encountered the Lord Jesus?
Are you saved and living a life pleasing to God?
Perfect peace begins when we enter into relationship with God through Christ.
So, fix your broken relationship with God first. Proverb 16:7.
2. Remember the goodness of the Lord.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:” Psalm 103:2.
God knows our tendency to forget.
That is why He is adamant that we should be intentional about remembering His goodness.
It’s good to look back and praise God for His presence, power, provision, and the people He has placed in our life.
Forgetting leads to unbelief and discouragement.
Remembering helps us overcome fear.
It fuels thanksgiving, praise and worship.
Spend time daily reflecting on God’s goodness. Psalm 77:11-12.
3. Take it to God in prayer.
Until you cast all your burdens on the Lord, you may not know perfect peace. Prayer will stay your mind on God and fill your thoughts with His peace.
“In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” Psalm 18:6.
Take everything to God in prayers, pray without ceasing and let the peace of God reign in your heart. Colossians 3:15.
4. Read and Meditate on the Word of God.
God wants us to fill our hearts constantly with His Word.
When a crisis comes up, He wants His Word to be so deeply rooted and firmly established in our hearts that we will automatically react to what His Word says instead of reacting with fear. Psalm 112:6-8.
Turn to the Scriptures for fresh spiritual nourishment each day.
5. Guard your heart.
We often relinquish the peace that God has given us by the words that we allow to come out of our mouths when we are under stress.
So, control your tongue!
You and I will never enjoy perfect peace unless you learn to control it.
In other to control your tongue you need to guard what goes into your heart and what you believe in.
The information you feed into your mind determines what you believe.
So, if your heart is troubled, it means you’re looking at, and feeding in, the wrong information.
If your heart is full of worry, fear and doubt, in the times of crisis, it will bring forth words of defeat.
If your heart is full of the Word of God, your tongue will constantly speak it.
6. Give thanks.
A lifestyle of continuous thanksgiving, praise and worship keeps us in perfect peace.
Paul and Silas had peace in the prison; they gave thanks to God at the midnight season of their lives.
Although this may be the last thing you feel like doing in times of yet it’s what God first requires of us.
You can keep a bright outlook in the midst of crisis.
You can have peace when there’s trouble and chaos all around.
The Joy of the Lord is your strength.
7. Win the battle over worry.
Worry is the chief robber of peace.
It prevents you from lying down and sleeping in peace at night.
So, whenever a troubling thought shows up in your mind, pray about it.
Give it to God, and step forward in faith as He leads you.
Ask Him to exchange your worries for peace.
Don’t let your worries grow into fear.
8. Place your trust in God.
Even when you don’t understand why He has allowed certain challenges, you can trust His love and purpose.
Shift your focus away from your circumstances.
God is bigger than your challenges and is able to help you.
9. Get rid of bitterness.
Refuse to hold onto anger and resentment.
Flush out the poison of bitterness.
Choose to forgive as an act of your will, despite your feelings.
Trust God to bring about justice rather than wasting your time and energy trying to get revenge.
A vengeful attitude is a cancer of the mind.
It destroys joy and peace.
Be willing to pray for the people you’re forgiving, and act in love toward them.
Enjoy the freedom that forgiveness gives.
11. Don’t give up!
Remember that God is not through with you yet.
Wait on God to complete His good work in your life.
Keep placing your hope in God and finding your strength in Him.
12. Be still.
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10.
The original Hebrew word used for being still is Raphah.
It means for us to stop striving, to cause yourself to let go and to willingly submit ourselves wholly unto God and his control, surrender to God, to stop worrying, to relax or to be quiet.
When we’re still with God we become small, He becomes big. (John 3:29-30)
When we become smaller, we place less and less trust in ourselves.
We begin to put our trust in Him.
When we’re still God’s gentle whispers are heard.
We will have perfect peace of mind when we stop striving.
“I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.” Psalm 16:8-9.
In this world we will have troubles.
You may be in a situation right now where everything around you seem to be falling apart.
Maybe it is your ministry, career, health, or business or whole life.
Perhaps there’s a crisis within your family.
Sometimes the challenges of life shake us off balance, blowing us to and fro in ways that we never expected.
But God doesn’t want us to live stressed out!
He wants us to live a life of rest and peace.
It’s the will of God that we stand firm in faith and unshaken in the storms of life.
We should not be afraid, agitated, and intimidated when trouble comes.
God is our Rock and Refuge!
He is our Strength and Shield!
With Him by our side, we’ll not be shaken.
So, pray! and stand firm, be still read your Bibles and be at peace!
When you’re at peace, you’re displaying your unconditional faith in God.
If you focus on Him, you won’t be moved by circumstances.
The mind that is stayed on God is always calm.
You will be renewed and refreshed!
When you release your burdens to the Lord, you’ll find rest for your weary soul.
When you prioritize your thoughts on God, you’ll experience His perfect peace.
“10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.” Isaiah 54:10.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Father, thank You for always being with me in the times of trouble, in Jesus name.
2. O Lord, teach me how to find Your presence in the midst of uncertainty, in Jesus name.
3. Father, help me to turn away from my circumstances and enable me to be still, in Jesus name.
4. O Lord, help me to stay steadfast in my faith, in Jesus name.
5. I will not allow my heart to be troubled, but I will trust in God, in Jesus name.
6. O Lord, help me to stand firm. Help my heart not to be troubled, in Jesus name.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 