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."
31 What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Amazingly enough, this is a question that we should be asking ourselves regularly. ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’
In Romans 8 alone, Paul has written extensively to prove this very point.
God loves us, he sent his son Jesus to die for us, he gave us the Holy Spirit to be our counselor and guide and to remind us of everything Jesus told us.
In lieu of this, this question holds amazing implications for us as believers… understanding the dynamics of how God feels about you will change your life.
When we are holding this perspective in view and weighing everything else that happens against this revelation of God’s unceasing love, unceasing protection towards you and me, then the rest seems less than relevant and unimportant.
David held this perspective throughout his entire life, he wrote in the Psalms, “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6).
He penned this in the midst of the high potential for great turmoil and unrest.
Reasonably, the people would be mightily afraid of that turmoil and unrest as in the briefest of moments people’s lives could go from wonderful to catastrophic.
Reasonably, the people wanted to know who would protect them and who could protect them and who should be protecting them from the coming Roman fury.
Significant questions to ask since no human being could long stand against a Roman soldier with Roman training carrying Romans Swords, Roman Spears.
Who could stand up to or against the commands of an unstable Emperor Nero?
Based on human history, Paul knew the Emperor was going to do whatever was on his mind, was going to give his orders and his will would not be questioned.
Ask yourselves this question: how many times Paul had asked himself the same question during his missionary journeys when he had no control over his life, how much time did he have to live, who was going to be trying to end his words.
Paul undoubtedly had asked himself – “who was powerful enough, who was loving enough, who was strong enough, could protect him from “what’ next?”
But all of his life – he had earned one very valuable lesson – there was always God who would never, ever leave his side under any circumstance (Psalm 121)
He could write about God’s eternal vigilance (Psalm 23) because he knew God and knew that God always loved him and in light of that, nothing else mattered.
Just as asking this question is important, so is our reminding ourselves of the answer.
‘If God is for us, then who is against us?’
Who can be our foe if God is on our side?
With growing confidence, Paul goes on in the next couple of verses to explain how God is the one who justified us (Romans 8:33) and Jesus is the one who died for us (Romans 8:34) so in reality who can bring an accusation against us.
This is so critically important to teach our children, the stranger on the street.
This is so critically important for everyone to hear.
This is so critically important for everyone to listen to.
This is so critically important to for everyone to learn.
This is so critically important to understand.
This is so critically important for us to “wrap our minds and our lives” around.
So many people, too many people miss it in life, take God’s grace for granted, if they do not understand the boundless extent of God’s daily love towards them.
Jude tells us to keep ourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:21) because he knew that having this revelation equips the saints to be powerful in the kingdom.
It is amazing to me to know that God chose me and called me to be his child.
It is beyond amazing to know Jesus died for me, while yet his enemy, and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us all – “As Iron Sharpens Iron!”
It is amazing to know that nothing can separate me from his love.
Understanding this will empower you to overcome any obstacle you face.
Understanding this will release you from the fear that keeps you in chains.
David said in the Psalm,
“The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall, I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
And in today’s passage Paul asks,
“What, then, shall we say in response to this?”
What is there to say?
Could anything be a stronger encouragement to faith than the unalterable evidence of what God has already done for the salvation of His people of faith?
God is the Sovereign Lord, and it is from Him that our salvation comes and with Him that our salvation forever rests and remains undeniably, eternally secure.
God who gave so amazingly and so abundantly of Himself to provide salvation will certainly give continued, final salvation, protect His Children at all costs.
To those who are “in Christ Jesus” ……
there are no rational grounds for apprehension for their salvation is secured.
In spite of my many unanswered questions,
with my whole heart, I believe.
I believe in the living God, the joy of the universe,
who is the pulse and purpose of all things seen and unseen,
who from the dust of earth calls up living beings to be children of eternity,
who through countless ages has provided for us many liberators
and tirelessly seeks to bring victory out of defeat and life out of decay.
I believe in Jesus the Christ, God’s one and only true Son,
who is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh,
who took upon himself the healing of the human race,
who bearing the burden of our sins went to Golgotha carrying his cross,
who was betrayed, crucified, dead and buried in a borrowed tomb,
who on the third day was found to be gloriously alive,
meeting with those who trust him and serve him to the end of the world.
I believe in the Holy Spirit of God,
within and among all who cherish Christ and his way, truth and life
who brings hope out of despair, love out of apathy, and joy out of sorrow,
who unceasingly regenerates and reforms and transforms His church
that it may always be the contemporary body of the risen Christ,
loving the world through prayer, word and deed.
I believe that even I am caught up in the resurgent life of Christ Jesus,
and that nothing in life or death can separate me from his love and joy.
In spite of unanswered questions, yes! I believe. Amen!
This affirmation, this glorious revelation leaves me absolutely speechless!
Today, I am blessed to know and understand that God loves me, and nothing can or will separate me from him.
Today we celebrate our life for what and where it is, with our families, may we take time to praise God for the marvelous thing he has done by sending Jesus.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Thank You, God, for being my Father and forgiving all my sins, not because I deserve it, but because in absolute love Christ died in my place to pay the price for my sins, all of them. Thank You for all You have done for me, will continue to do, and that my future glorification is as equally complete in Christ as my past justification, when I first trusted Jesus as my only Savior. Thank You that because I am in Christ, You are 100% ‘for me.’ Let me never forget that amazing truth. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.
17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word [treasuring it and being guided by it day by day]. 18 Open my eyes [to spiritual truth] so that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. 19 I am a stranger on the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. 20 My soul is crushed with longing For Your ordinances at all times. 21 You rebuke the presumptuous and arrogant, the cursed ones, Who wander from Your commandments. 22 Take reproach and contempt away from me, For I observe Your testimonies. 23 Even though princes sit and talk to one another against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. 24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Let us begin with a short prayer from today’s biblical text for this devotion,
17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word [treasuring it and being guided by it day by day].
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen
The prayer of the Psalmist is for God to deal “bountifully” with His servant.
We read this prayer because we opened our Bibles, and we opened our eyes.
When we opened our eyes, we gave God full and unfettered access to our souls.
Except,
When we never open up our Bibles, what will we consistently never find?
When we sporadically open up our Bibles, what do we consistently expect to find?
When we consistently open up our Bibles, what do we consistently expect to find?
When we habitually open up our Bibles, who do we consistently hope to find?
When we habitually open our eyes to read our Bibles, what is likely to happen?
If like David, we could, would, should, expect to discover “wondrous things.”
If we are like David, we expect to discover “wonderful things” done by God.
Remember, David only had a small portion of the Bible God’s given us today!
The reality is this…
There is no wasted moment reading God’s Word!
Let me qualify that statement a bit – there is no wasted moment reading God’s Word when we do with consistently open eyes, consistently open hearts, souls.
Even if you only read a single verse, you are hearing from God himself.
And you have the chance to “behold wondrous GOD things” in his Word.
From now on, starting today, learn a new habit, never let a single day pass without consistently reading at least one verse.
We can do that, right?
With consistent practice, then “enlarge thy tent”- read two… Three… Four…
And before you know it, you are consistently reading whole entire chapters.
This tiny habit, consistently done will consistently snowball and change your life.
Will we do this?
Perhaps and then again, perhaps not ….
Psalm 1:1-2Amplified Bible
Book One
The Righteous and the Wicked Contrasted.
1 [a]Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of [b]scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.
Perhaps we are in that moment of life when we are not consistently feeling so blessed, not feeling so very fortunate, or so prosperous and so favored by God.
And that is why we have our eyes and our hearts, and our souls closed off now.
Psalm 13:1-4Amplified Bible
Prayer for Help in Trouble.
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy exalt himself and triumph over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; Give light (life) to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, 4 And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.
Have you ever spent seasons where consistently getting into the Bible felt more like ceaseless drudgery than ceaseless delight?
Where you perhaps have felt guilty, because you knew you should be studying God’s Word every day, but you just simply never felt like consistently doing it?
If so, you’re not alone.
Many “steadfast, stout hearted” Christians said that their biggest struggle in their devotional life was a lack of desire to “read the Bible and to pray daily.”
This certainly isn’t something to feel guilty about.
Instead, it’s a consistent reality a lot of us will consistently face every day.
One has to wonder – if we consider all of the intrigue David experienced on a daily basis, if we recall all of his efforts to hide from Saul, avoid his enemies and avoid his own son, Absalom, his hours, days and weeks spent hiding in caves,
Did David really have the time to consistently read and study God’s Scriptures every single day – or have them read and then interpreted to him “on the run?”
But what if it could be different for us?
Imagine this…
Changing your mindset …. use what we have learned from our consistently inconsistent efforts at reading and studying and praying through the Bible,
To learn a new habit – we can consistently and habitually get our hearts, minds and souls into…… letting God open our eyes, revealing, teaching us about trust.
Psalm 13:5-6Amplified Bible
5 But I have trusted and relied on and been confident in Your lovingkindness and faithfulness; My heart shall rejoice and delight in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
A great place to begin learning and practicing this new habit is with Psalm 119.
This lengthy but beautifully written Psalm has its entire focus on the Word of God, which contains the instructions of our Heavenly Father for His Children.
How we consistently need the Word of God, for it is our daily food, and it is refreshment for our souls.
Psalm 119:1-7Amplified Bible
Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.
119 How blessed and favored by God are those whose way is blameless [those with personal integrity, the upright, the guileless], Who walk in the law [and who are guided by the precepts and revealed will] of the Lord. 2 Blessed and favored by God are those who keep His testimonies, And who [consistently] seek Him and long for Him with all their heart. 3 They do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. 4 You have ordained Your precepts, That we should follow them with [careful] diligence. 5 Oh, that my ways may be established To observe and keep Your statutes [obediently accepting and honoring them]! 6 Then I will not be ashamed When I look [with respect] to all Your commandments [as my guide]. 7 I will give thanks to You with an upright heart, When I learn [through discipline] Your righteous judgments [for my transgressions].
When I slowly, subtly, begin to give thanks to God with an upright heart ……
When I slowly, subtly begin to learn ….
When I slowly, subtly, begin to discover ….
When I slowly, subtly, begin to change what I believed to be unchangeable ….
When through discipline, I start to realize it is God who is consistently trying to reveal something indescribably wonderful – to “shock open” my eyes and soul.
How we should consistently treasure the Word of God, for it is our #1 guide and #1 teacher, our strength, and our #1 sure and certain and consistent defense.
How we should consistently read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word of God, for it is consistent life and health, it is peace and light, it is joy and hope.
And as the Psalmist trawls the depth of its treasures, his whispered prayer is: “Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your Law.”
We are not only servants and students of the Word, but we are sons and daughters of its Author, and so that should stir our hearts to search the Scriptures daily to discover the truths in which the Lord desires to teach and train us, as well as the areas in which He seeks to guard and correct us.
As His children, we should treasure His Word in our heart that we might not sin against Him, and as we reach for our Bible, our prayer should mirror that of the Psalmist: “Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your Law.”
We need to ensure that our eyes are wide open to all that is in the Word as we saturate ourselves in His wonderful ways, reflect on the beauty of His person.
We should crave for the milk of the ever-Living, ever transformational, Word of God so that we may continually grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and we should habitually meditate upon the meat of the Word so that we may walk in spirit and truth and live in submission to the guiding of the Spirit.
Day by day, our prayer should consistently be: “God, my Father, God, my teacher, open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your Law.”
When our eyes are open and earnestly looking to Jesus, they are not searching out the things of this world.
When our heart is gasping for the Lord, it is not lusting after the things of the flesh.
But when our eyes are consistently closed in disinterest or discouragement, our own imagination can be consistently, tragically, funneled in a wrong direction.
Let us continually, consistently look to the Lord in excitement, open our eyes in prayerful expectation that we WILL see the wonderful things that are written in Scripture and contemplate on the glories that are contained in the Word of God.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Heavenly Father, I pray that You will open my eyes, that I too may behold wonderful things from Your Law. Open my eyes so that I may contemplate the glories of Your person and gain nourishment from Your instruction. Open my eyes, I pray, to see the consistently wonderful truths in the precious Word of God. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
11 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem; but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one [person] out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths remained in the other cities. 2 And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
As time passes us by ……
And time will consistently pass us by ……
We can consistently bet our lives on it and time will always consistently win.
As the clock keeps right on ticking even after we remove the inner workings of the watch, even after we slam the snooze button, or we unplug the alarm clock.
Examining pros and cons, benefits, detractions of daylight savings time.
Time keeps right on going whether we like it or not, consistently, every second.
Time is going to do whatever it is time wants to do – consistently, every single moment of every single second of every single day – for quite literally, eternity.
How do we consistently contemplate leading lives of such equal consistency as Christians in this consistently busy, consistently fast paced, changing world?
To begin with, we might try consistently contemplating our living out this consistency exactly where God has placed us.
We are needed where we are planted, in our homes and community as a church.
There are constantly people who consistently live with real needs all around us.
What if we consistently sacrificed our lives on a daily basis, celebrating what God has done in us, by serving others and sharing the good news of Jesus? What if we consistently stepped out into God’s neighborhood to make a difference?
In Nehemiah 11, we see a people, immediately after rededicating their lives to the Lord their God, and renewing their covenant with Him in chapter 10, stayed consistent and began taking consistent and decisive, definitive steps to fulfill their renewed covenant commitment by moving their lives into Jerusalem.
This was not an easy or safe task, but one that showed their consistent devotion to God, which they declared in the previous chapter 10.
What we learn from this is that leading lives of consistency is not a one-time thing; not once a month, not weekly, but hourly and even second by second.
We are called to consistently sacrifice for God’s mission and to be an example (of Jesus) to others consistently.
It is forever easy to say you want to be more constant with your walk with Jesus after a great night of worship, but it is another to live it out in all your daily life.
How consistent are you to consistently live out the faith you consistently profess?
Can you make a change today that will help you live more consistently for Jesus?
1 John 2:4-6Amplified Bible
4 Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him. 5 But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him: 6 whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.
Now, we will discuss other side of consistency being inconsistency. What does it look like when you know that someone’s words are different than their actions?
In 1 John 2 we see a sobering picture of what consistency is, and what it is not.
Paraphrasing the first part of chapter 2, John essentially says that if you say you have “consistently” received the love and grace of Jesus Christ, but do not live by His commandments, then you are a liar, and the truth of God is not in you.
In other words,
if you have put your faith in Jesus and there is no outward change, no want nor desire to know Him more, no want to love the things He loves, no care for His mission with consistency, then you should stop and really examine your heart.
You should contemplate stopping and examine your walk and relationship with Him, because something consistently appears to be consistently out of order.
Our walk and growth in Jesus will never be perfect… so please do not hear me saying when we have the slightest mess up, we should question all of our faith.
What I am saying is what John is: when we do sin, we have an advocate with the father, who has paid the price for our mess-ups and His name is Savior Jesus.
Lord and Savior Jesus set the perfect example, which should consistently serve to consistently inspire us to consistently strive for consistency in all our faith.
Someone who is consistent behaves in the same way, has the same attitudes towards people or things, or achieves the same level of success in something.
In consistency, there is no contradiction.
there is continuity, practice, determination, faithfulness, balance, harmony, stability, orderliness, reliability and quality.
As Christians, we need to accept nothing less than true consistency!
Paul and Barnabas spoke of the need for a congregation to be consistent
– Acts 13:4343 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to {consistently} continue in the grace of God.
Consider contemplating Acts 14:2222 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to {consistently} continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
From God’s own Words, the declaration is clear that we as Christians should be consistent in godly living, consistently continue in the covenant ways of God.
There is no need for anyone to think that consistency is not needed in our lives!
When we do everything, God requires from us, we must not slack nor be distracted because there is nothing to glory about it.
We still have a whole lot more Kingdom work to do for the transformation process to continue.
Luke 17:1010 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
Reality: God has shown the greatest love to mankind by the death of His Son. God has done more for us by allowing us to find an entrance into His church.
Because more is consistently done for us, we have a consistent obligation to do more to ensure the transformation process God intends continues to manifest.
It not only brings consistency, but it also shows reflection that we are grateful to God for the work of redemption.
“To whom much is given — of them much shall be required.”
The blessings we consistently enjoy are not the fruit of our merit — but the fruit of God’s consistent and never changing and always and forever available mercy.
By how much the more grace we have received (Romans 6:1) — by so much the more the maximum magnitude of glory we are obliged to return unto the Giver.
A grateful mind is a great mind.
A consistent life means that we carefully consider the effect our lifestyle on our society.
A consistent life is a looking-glass, wherein Christ sees His own likeness.
A consistent life means that we recognize that our dependency is on God.
We must be consistent in our Christian lives because we know our consistency is not derived from our finite strength or finite skill but from the power of God.
Godly duties performed are regarded before God when we allow Christ fills them.
Any good work we do can never be sustained without the support of Christ or the power of the Holy Spirit.
If we ever do any good work, it is still not the reason for our continued physical existence – Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the very reason why we are alive.
When we have kept all the commandments, there is one commandment above all to be kept; that is, “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags!”
In most of our works — we are abominable sinners; and in the best of our works — we are consistently unprofitable servants, consistently unconscionable sinners.
Hebrews 13:8Amplified Bible
8 Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.
Let us always go in the unchanging, unchangeable strength of our Savior God.
What areas of our “Christian life” are consistently showing inconsistency?
How can we consistently make those continuous changes God presents to us?
And consistently focus on what Jesus is consistently calling each of us to do?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Great God in heaven, unchanging, unchangeable Savior, I believe in you and trust in you. I want to walk as Jesus walked. I want to abide in You. Be with me as I go about my day. Help me to make wise, wiser, decisions as I work to be more like you. Amen.
16 Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the roads and look; ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is; then walk in it, And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’
Matthew 7:13-14Amplified Bible
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Just because a certain path seems right does not mean it’s the right one to take.
But that does not mean it is wrong either.
We must, therefore, ask and trust God to show us which way to go.
He knows the end from the beginning.
God will lead us in the right way.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11.
What a wonderfully assuring thing it is to believe that even when we are faced, confronted by the biggest and most difficult decisions in life, the Word of God for the Children of God makes known to us the sure paths that will bring life.
WHAT ARE CROSSROADS?
Literally, a crossroad is a road that crosses another.
It is the place where two or more roads intersect.
Figuratively, to be “at a crossroad” is to be at a stage in one’s life when it is necessary to choose a path that will affect one’s life in truly profound ways.
A crossroad is a place of decision.
It is a place of doubts and questions.
A crossroad is a place where we wrestle with conflicting voices.
It is a transit point.
A crossroad is a gate or access point.
It is a place of separation and goodbye.
A crossroads is the end of a chapter and the beginning of another one.
A crossroad is a critical moment.
It can be a place of crisis, where the pains of yesterday connects us to the hope of the coming tomorrow.
A crossroad is a place of opportunity, where the road ahead offers promises.
A crossroad is a point in your life where you have several options that you need to weigh.
Each option on each crossroad will lead you to a different destination or goal.
Each path on each crossroad will to a different destination.
Crossroads are unavoidable.
Crossroads are inevitable.
Every day, we make significant decision that will affects our lives positively or negatively.
The choice to continue the same straight path is no longer possible.
A decision has to be made.
The straight road has now split into two or more.
Which decision will you make?
Looking left, right, back from where you came, and looking straight ahead.
Where do you turn?
Do you turn back to where you came, choose a path to follow, or do you stand around in the middle of the road and continuously scratch at your bald spot?
Which road is the right one?
And carefully, prayerfully weigh the consequence of choosing a decisive path?
Today, you may be standing at a crossroad.
Your crossroads could be one to decide your ministry or career path.
It could be the start or end of a relationship.
Your crossroad could be a choice of making a change right now or if you wait too long it might just become “too late” – whatever “too late” means to God.
It could be the choice of what course to study for what career field in college.
Do you make a choice of asking mom and dad – about entering into the military, or do you just go ahead on your own and enlist, ask for mom and dad’s support.
Your crossroad could be whether to start a business or hold on to your job.
It might be starting a relationship with that “special, lifelong someone,” and doing the career thing or to get married and starting a family of your very own.
Perhaps you are in a crossroad where you are faced with the decision to stay where you are or move on to another place – to another job or career field.
Perhaps it might even be a decision to finally put in your retirement papers.
Whatever pathway you decide to take, it will definitely affect the course of your life and destiny for an indeterminate period of time.
Are we ready for that “indeterminate period of time” right this exact moment?
When standing at the crossroads, the one thing we really need is guidance.
God definitely has set aside a path for us which leads to life! (Psalm 16:11)
He promises to guide, instructs, direct us when we are at the crossroads of life.
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21.
God will always give you and me a direction to take in life.
But you and I still need to sharpen our hearing ability.
Matthew 7:13-14Amplified Bible
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.
The parable of the two gates pictures the people of Earth walking on two roads.
One road is broad, and many walk that way.
The other road is narrow, and few find the gate to it.
These two roads don’t lead to the same place (Matthew 7:13-14).
We are fond of dividing the world into two.
We speak of the rich and the poor, but there are many people who are neither rich nor poor.
We speak of the bosses and the workers, but many people are neither, and some are both.
We speak of the educated and uneducated, but some people have education yet lack wisdom, whilst some uneducated people are very wise.
This just shows that dividing the world in two, or even three, is usually presumptuous, simplistic, inaccurate, and perhaps even alienating.
But does this apply to all cases?
In particular, is the world divided into the saved and the unsaved —those in God’s way and those following Satan?
Many folks would call that a presumptuous, simplistic, inaccurate, and alienating view of the world.
Only Two Ways
Rabbi Jesus, however, here divides humanity in just that manner: people are travelling either the broad road to destruction or the narrow road to life —just two groups and no exceptions (Matthew 7:13-14).
Later in that chapter, he again divides people into two groups: the wise who hear and do his words (Matthew 7:24), and the foolish who do not hear and do his words (Matthew 7:26).
On a later occasion, Jesus spoke of how he will, at the last judgment, separate the people of all nations into two “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32-33).
The “sheep” at his right hand will inherit the kingdom prepared for them (Matthew 25:34).
The “goats” at his left hand will be sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).
When these two groups have gone their way, nobody else shall remain (Matthew 25:46).
So, when Jesus pictures the two gates, or two builders, or the sheep separated from the goats, he has included all human beings.
Each of us is on one of those pathways.
Or to point the finger, you, I, are in one of those groups.
Which one?
The Way of the Many
Not only has Jesus divided the world in two, but appallingly, he has numbered those who are on the road to destruction as “many” and those on the road to life as only a “few” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Why are there “many” going in at the wrong gate, walking on the wrong road?
Jesus gives no reason for the number.
He does not even indicate that the number cannot be changed.
He leaves it open that the majority could walk the way to life, and only a few walk the way to destruction, or for that matter everyone could walk the way to life leaving deserted the road which leads to inevitable destruction.
When Jesus says, “enter by the narrow gate” (Matthew 7:13), presumably he means anyone who listens to him say that, can make the choice do exactly that.
Why would Rabbi Jesus tell everybody to enter by the narrow gate, and walk the narrow way, if most of them cannot do that?
You might say, “Jesus does give the reason why many go down the broad way.
It’s the nature of human beings to choose what’s easy, not what’s hard.”
Well, I am not so sure.
People do all kinds of things that are difficult because they think those things are right, they enjoy the challenge, they deem the reward well worth the effort.
Surely the Christian life is a worthy challenge, and brings a wonderful reward, such that you would expect many more people to choose it than actually do.
Choosing Destiny
Anyway, there is nothing compelling people to follow the broad way leading to destruction, even though most people do.
Destiny doesn’t force people to follow one of the two roads.
They choose the gate they enter; they choose the road they walk; hence they choose their destiny.
There is nothing preventing people from following the right way leading to life, even though few do.
The Way of the Few
Although Jesus speaks of two roads, only one of them is of his making.
Jesus never desired that there be a road to destruction, and he never caused anyone to follow it.
The broad road represents a way of living designed by Satan.
Jesus provides an alternative way, represented by the narrow road.
When Jesus says, “enter by the narrow gate” (Matthew 7:13), he refers to the gospel way of living.
In early times, Christianity was actually called “the Way” (Acts 19:9,23).
In fact, Jesus called himself the way: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except by me” (John 14:6).
Seeking the Way
When Jesus mentioned the narrow gate and the difficult path beyond it, he said, “And few there be who find it” (Matthew 7:14).
There are two ways you can find something.
One is to stumble upon it by some fortunate circumstance; the other is to seek it by making an intelligent and systematic search.
Rabbi Jesus tells us which way to find the gate to the true way:
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7 NASB).
Total Commitment
We can gather from this that walking the narrow way means making an absolute and total commitment to Jesus Christ.
It means loving him, obeying him, depending on him, worshipping him, giving all of us to him, being his utterly committed and utterly devoted disciples.
And where do we start?
The Holy Spirit tells us clearly what to do to begin this journey, as follows…
DIVINE GUIDANCE and DIRECTION!
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23:1-2.
When God is your Shepherd, you have access to all things that you need.
Divine guidance is God having the final say in running the affairs of your life.
When He’s leading, you are never alone.
God has a definite blueprint for your life and a road map to get you there.
WHAT TO DO WHEN AT LIFE’S CROSSROADS?
1. Know God.
Do you know Him?
Most people know about God, but they don’t really know Him.
To know God is to spend time with Him.
It is a relationship!
To know God is to obey Him.
To know God is to fear Him.
To know God is to trust Him unconditionally.
You must have a continuous daily fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
2. Be known by God.
Are you a child of God? (John 1:12-13)
Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? (Romans 10:9-13)
You must be born again. (John 3:1-15)
3. Pray the prayer of enquiry.
Prayer of enquiry is prayer for insight, guidance and direction.
It is asking God what to do about a particular situation.
Prayer of enquiry is to know God’s will concerning an issue.
It is a prayer to ask God why? Which? How? and When but NOT Why?
Ask him to give you ears to hear and eyes to see the ways He is speaking to you.
Consider fasting occasionally to help you focus more on God.
4. You must have faith.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight:” 2 Corinthians 5:7.
It is not for those who will walk by sight or logic.
Have unconditional faith in God’s promises to guide you.
5. Cultivate the presence of God through praise and worship.
Praise invites God into your situation immediately.
And where God is, there is liberty and fullness of joy. (2 Corinthians 3:15-18)
He will guide you when you give Him high praise and worship.
6. Dig deeper in the Bible.
The Bible has been rightly defined as, “Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.”
The Bible is our spiritual GPS, always available to tell us which way leads to where we want to go and how to turn around if we get on the wrong path.
7. Be humble. Psalm 25:9.
He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.
God loves humble people
8. Cultivate quietness.
Set aside a consistent time every day to meet with God.
Try starting out with a half-hour quiet time, and after you’ve developed greater intimacy with Him, increase that time to an hour.
It usually takes about five to ten minutes during the start of your quiet time to clear your mind enough to focus fully on God, so do not rush your quiet time.
9. Practice unconditional love.
Live without unforgiveness, malice, bitterness and anger.
10. Listen.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27.
God can speak through the following ways:
His Word. Psalm 107:20.
Audible voice. Genesis 12:1;
Dreams. Judges 7:13.
Visions. Genesis 46:2; and Prophets. Ezra 9:11.
Let your heart be still. Psalm 46:10
Block out the distraction.
Tune in to heaven’s radio.
11. Seek wise counsel
To some people, crossroads are places of confusion.
Don’t be afraid to ask for directions and seek wise counsel from family, trusted friends, a pastor or counsellor.
12. Be patient; Don’t be in a hurry.
No matter how long it takes, be confident that God has heard your prayers and will respond. Let your mind be at rest. Don’t try to rush through the process.
“Show me your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.” Psalm 25:4.
There is comfort in knowing God is guiding, leading and instructing us, especially when we are standing on crossroads.
But not many people are willing to ask for direction.
Come to God today!
Don’t live your life on logic, human reasoning, and trials.
It will only lead you to broken heart, failures and disappointments.
God has a better plan.
Don’t take steps on your own or make important decisions without asking Him.
Always strive to know the will of God concerning everything you are doing.
SO, WHAT’S OUR DECISION?
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.
There is no neutral ground.
The Lord Jesus, who on the Cross at Calvary made the greatest sacrifice for us at the crossroad of Golgotha, said there is a broad road that leads to destruction and a narrow road that leads to eternal life.
What road have you chosen?
If you realized you are on the wrong road, why not repent and get on the right road today?
If you are willing to repent and surrender your life to Jesus Christ, then pray this prayer right now:
LORD Jesus, I come to You right now. I know I am a sinner, please forgive me my sins. With my mouth, I declare that Jesus, from today, I accept You as the LORD of my life. Change my heart from a disobedient heart to a heart that will obey You. With my new heart, I believe that it is because of me that You came into this world; You died for my sins, take away my problems, fill me with Your Holy Spirit, write my name in the Book of Life, and make me brand new in Jesus mighty name.
PRAYER POINTS
1. O Lord, have Mercy for placing my confidence in human reasoning, in Jesus name.
2. By Your Mercy, O Lord, save me from every wrong decision I have made, in Jesus name.
3. O Lord, open up my spiritual understanding, in Jesus name.
4. O God, teach me deep and secret things, in Jesus name.
5. O Lord, thank You for the revelation power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name.
6. O God, remove from me every form of distractions that has blocked my spiritual eyes and ears, in Jesus name..
7. My Father, give me the spirit of revelation and wisdom in the knowledge of You, in Jesus’ name.
8. Open my spiritual eyes, O Lord, to see visions concerning my life, in Jesus name.
9. I reject the manipulation of the spirit of confusion, in Jesus name.
10. My Father, guide and direct me in knowing Your mind, in Jesus name.
11. If . . . (mention it) is not Your will for me, O Lord, re-direct my steps, in Jesus name.
12. Thank God for answering your prayers.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit …..
For the music director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.
8 Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have [a]displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2 From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established [b]strength Because of Your enemies, To do away with the enemy and the revengeful.
3 When I [c]consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have set in place; 4 What is man that You think of him, And a son of man that You are concerned about him?
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
In this psalm the glory of God and the glory of humanity are folded together like the fingers of two hands.
And yet it seems like a mismatch.
What is our fragile existence compared to the majesty of God?
Yet Psalm 8 links the wonder of human existence with divine splendor.
God is pleased to fold his glories into ours to create a unique and wonderful fellowship.
As a boy, I would look up into the heavens on a clear night, through a telescope my father gave me, and we would see an array of uncountable numbers of stars.
If we know our constellations, we can tell where the “Big” and “Little Dipper” are, and we can find the North Star by its brightness – but from how far away?
Do we still follow the Mars Rover Perseverance Launched in 2020?
Do we still have the child like curiosity of what the surface of Mars looks like?
Do we still look at the images being sent back?
Aside from what we “see” on the surface of Mars, its rocks, its hills, its craters, its far distant mountains, its further distant horizons and sun rise and sunset.
What else do we see which may not be so obvious to the human eye?
We see the ‘tracks’ of humanity left by the Man-Made Perseverance Rover!
Yet, we have yet to actually put human feet to Martian soil.
But we have that curiosity – what does it look like?
But we have that curiosity – what would it feel like to be the first to step on it?
But we have that curiosity – what would it feel like to hold soil in our hands?
But we have that curiosity to keep right on trying, overcome the technological obstacles in our path which keeps us from answering those questions I asked.
We have that insatiable drive to overcome the enormous challenges, to invent the non-existent technology which would be needed to truly set foot on Mars.
Probably not in our generation – maybe not in the next two or three or four, but it is inevitable that one day humanity will launch that Manned Space Craft like it did in July 1969 – the Apollo 11 Moon walk by Late Astronaut, Neil Armstrong.
8 (0) For the leader. On the gittit. A psalm of David:
2 (1) Adonai! Our Lord! How glorious is your name throughout the earth! The fame of your majesty spreads even above the heavens!
3 (2) From the mouths of babies and infants at the breast you established strength because of your foes, in order that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
4 (3) When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place — 5 (4) what are mere mortals, that you concern yourself with them; humans, that you watch over them with such care?
The psalmist tells us that God, the Creator and Author of our humanity, is mindful of our human tracks, as faint as they may seem in the universe.
Between the infinite abyss of outer space and the quanta of subatomic particles are the very unique and singular personal prints of life made in God’s image.
Heaven zooms in on this track, for it holds the undeniable promise of a glorious communion with its Author and its Creator and its Maintainer and its Sustainer.
Put yourself in David’s place on that singular night which he craned his neck up, whether it was from his perspective as a shepherd or viewpoint of a King.
How big was the Moon that night he penned that verse?
Against the backdrop of that Moon,
How many stars did he count before he simply gave up trying to count them all.
Until God finally reached His own point of connection, a time of quiet, intimate, contemplative relationship deep inside David’s soul – and we have Psalms 8?
No matter how plain your life may seem, your Creator wants to weave his own vision of His own handwork deep into yours – as Deep as He reached David’s.
Nowadays, just what keeps us and our children from reaching those “depths?”
An insatiable “Lack of Curiosity?”
An insatiable “Lack of Faith?”
An insatiable “Lack of Hope?”
An insatiable “Lack of Love?”
An insatiable “Lack of Perseverance?”
An insatiable “Lack of God, the Father, God the Son and God, the Holy Spirit?”
Psalm 8:1-4The Message
8 God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.
2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you; toddlers shout the songs That drown out enemy talk, and silence atheist babble.
3-4 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?
God the Father, on the other hand, always has us on his mind.
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them . . . ?”
Though we don’t often act like it, we humans are at the top of creation’s glory.
“God created mankind in his own image . . . male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).
But then their sin scarred his image in them.
It wasn’t obliterated, but it was definitely blurred in an indescribable manner.
Yet every image bearing child reveals more of God’s glory.
Creation bears God’s fingerprints; we bear his very likeness.
The psalmist’s question is profoundly humbling and wondrously uplifting: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them . . .?”
We are each made in the image of God.
And though the rebellion of sin reverberates in our daily lives, God still sees his likeness in us.
His Son came to redeem and restore us.
We are “growing in the knowledge of God”(Colossians 1:10).
What a blessing it is that God is mindful of his image bearers!
What a blessing it is to know his image bearers have a fruitful purpose!
Look up into the heavens as David did that night – what is your purpose?
Contemplate and Meditate upon the Future which God has in store for us!
It does not matter at what stage of life you find yourself in this exact moment.
Become insatiably curious for witnessing God handiworks in that future!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
You, O Lord, are more wonderful than our lips can proclaim! When we look up, consider the awesome works of your hands, Your .01% consideration, love for us is more than amazing! You have actually trusted us with the whole of the earth, And put everything we see under the care of our hands. Lord, O Sovereign Lord, the earth is filled with your glory!
Lord God,
Mere words are not enough to express Your awesomeness,
Your majesty, Your holiness.
Our highest expressions of theology are but baby talk next to You:
Your creation, Your very self.
Make us insatiably curious and aware, through Your Holy Spirit,
that You are absolutely in heaven’s fullness and here among us.
May this awareness lead us to approach this hour more carefully.
The words we speak, the tunes we sing, the worship we bring,
the thoughts we think, the joy and sadness we feel, the life we live,
may these be an aroma ultimately pleasing to You.
For in spite of the inadequacy of our words,
this humble and incomplete expression of worship is addressed to You.
Make it complete, whole, full to overflowing,
O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.
In Savior Christ’s name we pray. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
14 Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Sitting in our rocking chair on our front porch on a sunny day.
Sitting in our rocking chair under our covered front porch on a rainy day.
Sitting in our recliners, watching television, doing crosswords or Sudoku.
Sitting in our Doctor’s offices or in an Urgent Care setting or Emergency Room.
Sitting in some waiting room waiting for some report on our loved one’s health.
Sitting outside Pastor’s office – the report was not what we were waiting for.
Sitting in our Pastor’s office – the report was not what we were hoping for.
Waiting …. and waiting …… and waiting some more …… for who knows what.
Reasonable …… Unreasonable Expectation we will all be …… for some reason(s)
Patient in our afflictions.
Patient in our sufferings.
Patient in our Patience.
Demonstrating sound Christian Principles …..
Modeling those Sound, Disciplined, Expected, Christ-Like Christian Behaviors,
Patient hope.
Patient perseverance.
Patient endurance.
Patient Patience …..
as we wait for the Lord to work in the difficult circumstances of our fragile life.
Such an “I’ll try to hold myself together for as long as I am strong enough, until God arrives” exhibition encourages someone’s faith in God to be strengthened.
Conversely, as one’s faith is often tested in those long and painful seasons of life, when patient endurance is called upon as we trustingly wait for the Lord to act, submissively waiting on the Lord’s promises to be fulfilled in prayer, and praise, and thanksgiving, we actually wait not with patience – but impatience.
The reality of it all is more like – “the Lord God should have been here an hour before anything, and literally everything, went awry a hundred different ways.”
It is absolutely correct to believe that Patience is a “fruit of the Holy Spirit” –
“I just wish God had given me all of His before things suddenly just flew apart.”
There always seems to be that “I got this thing under control gap” between what is communicated to us in the Word of God for His Children and reality.
When reality hits us square in the face – and it definitely will hit us somewhere, then the lessons of Scripture, somehow seem to end up in that somewhere else.
Yes! We need to confidently wait for the Lord to act on our behalf, knowing that His promises are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ Jesus, and we all definitely need to faithfully wait upon the Lord with His psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, making music to the Lord in our praying hearts, with thanksgiving and praise.
But we first need to discipline ourselves to actually: “Wait Upon the Lord!”
Somehow, stop ourselves from taking that one more step into our distresses!
Get a grip on ourselves …..
Look out into the world …… what is the world offering you in this moment?
Look upward unto the hills from whence cometh our help …… (Psalm 121 NIV)
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Both now and forevermore …..
Look upwards unto the Heavens …. from where our help actually did come from.
John 14:1-3 NIV
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
When we are in step with the Holy Scriptures, when we are quieting ourselves, when we are sitting on a bench, walking in step with Christ, abiding in Christ, waiting for Christ, our inner heart is empowered, and our courage is enlarged.
When we turn our eyes upward instead of focusing outward, we are waiting for His quiet and quieting presence, resting in His love, our soul is strengthened by the Spirit of the Lord, for His strength is made perfect in our restful weakness.
When we take all of God at His Word and trust Him unquestioningly, despite our inner fleshly nature and outer distressing circumstances which scream at us to do something, we will be enabled, from within, to wait on the LORD and be of good courage. For we have been promised that He shall strengthen our heart.
The Lord has His own way of restoring us unto Him the Joy of our Salvation!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Heavenly Father, too often my old sin nature calls upon me to take hold of the reins of my life instead of waiting, abiding in You and resting in Your promises. Help me to learn to wait on You alone and to be of good courage, knowing that You are in perfect control of my life and all I am called upon to do is to quietly wait for You to act on my behalf and to confidently wait on You with prayer and worship and a heart of blest and blessed thanksgiving and praise. In Jesus’ name, Gloria! Alleluia! AMEN.
Because of God’s greater and more perfect wisdom, I try hard to trust Him to determine what is much better and best, for me, along with His perfect timing.
Sometimes I realize the mere timing of the answer is a miracle in itself to show that it truly came from my God and not something of my own Power or Volition.
I have been ‘living’ these long years of my existence with this living thing called “my place and my station in my life” and when stuff happens, that’s where it all happens, exactly where I am at that very exact and exacting station of my life.
I was on my Shabbat with my wife on that cruise ship when we caught Covid 19.
All the precautions we all took, all of the negative pretest requirements we and everyone else did to even get ourselves board the cruise ship -the handwashing and hand sanitizing required before we sat down to our meals – and the masks.
Still, somewhere and somehow, in those moments – we brought Covid19 home.
Life – is a many splendored and joyous thing, an indescribably mysterious thing but it is also an impossibly fragile thing, changing every single ‘living’ moment.
Why are we not all fervently praying for every single living, changing, moment?
James 5:13-16Common English Bible
13 If any of you are suffering, they should pray. If any of you are happy, they should sing. 14 If any of you are sick, they should call for the elders of the church, and the elders should pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Prayer that comes from faith will heal the sick, for the Lord will restore them to health. And if they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 For this reason, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous person is powerful in what it can achieve.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen
In today’s modern techno everything the eye can see, the hand can touch world sometimes it is too hard for us to start to imagine, realize the power of Prayer.
After all, man has accomplished so much that often we look for solutions to life’s problems in the natural world before even seeking God. It is often said that “Prayer Changes Things!” We should also add, “Prayer Changes Us!”
• It is true that our prayers will change things around us but sometimes our prayers are just meant to change us
• To make it more personal, “God always meant My Prayer was to Change Me!”
• At times, after prayer, our living situation even remains the ever same – but, by God’s grace, we come through it thinking and acting and behaving different.
To be brutally honest this moment of this day in an effort to help us all, I must admit there have definitely been times I have often wished that every prayer that I prayed would be directly and definitively and most decisively answered.
And I have wished that my prayers would be answered instantly, instead of the often “Wait” signal that comes from Heaven. But if I truly were to have those wishes answered, I would need to have God’s wisdom to go along with it, for sometimes we pray for things that are less than what God has in store for us.
So, I can definitely say it’s a good thing that God says “No” to some things, and “Wait” for others because He knows what is best for us. As I oftentimes say –
• We want what’s Good for us and God wants what’s Best for us.
• Once too many “Oftentimes” they are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.
“If that’s the case, then why pray at all?”
Though there are times when God says “no/wait,” I do know this – when I don’t pray, I’m left to handle things on my own power without Divine intervention!
Because of His perfect wisdom, I trust Him to determine what is best for me, along with His perfect timing.
Sometimes the mere timing of the answer is a miracle in itself to show that it truly came from God and not something of our own Power or Volition.
God loves to delight His children.
God loves to surprise His children and He loves to do things in such a way that it displays His glory to the absolute utmost and 100% maximizes our dependence.
I have tried to be a praying person for the majority of my Christian life.
Has it worked? – I have no earthly or heavenly way of knowing.
Has it fixed me entirely? Apparently not, because i still have a long way to grow.
We have no doubt prayed about some things, hoping for prayer to fix it, right?
• When we are Sick – we pray for God to Heal us
• When we are Poor – we pray for God to Provide
• When we have been Wronged – we pray for the Justice of God to make it Right.
• When we’re Confused – we pray to God for Clarity
• All of those prayers are good prayers
• God calls on us to trust Him in such moments to Move- to Work – and to Act on our behalf
• But still, prayer doesn’t “fix” all of the situations we encounter in this life.
In the Book of Acts, Chapter Four, we read the event of Peter and John being arrested for preaching about Jesus. Later, they are released after a strong lecture from the temple police about not continuing to spread the gospel. the church, in response, begins to pray. And here’s the spoiler alert —
• The persecution issue actually gets worse after the church prayed
• Prayer did not fix it
• The problem remained
• But prayer did change the situation or to say, it changed the variables.
Acts 4:23-30Common English Bible
The believers pray
23 After their release, Peter and John returned to the brothers and sisters and reported everything the chief priests and elders had said. 24 They listened, then lifted their voices in unison to God, “Master, you are the one who created the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 25 You are the one who spoke by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant:
Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers gathered together as one against the Lord and against his Christ.[a]
27 Indeed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with Gentiles and Israelites, did gather in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and plan had already determined would happen. 29 Now, Lord, take note of their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with complete confidence. 30 Stretch out your hand to bring healing and enable signs and wonders to be performed through the name of Jesus, your holy servant.”
The fervent Prayer changed the Variables – the ones who were praying to God:
Acts 4:31Common English Bible
31 After they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking God’s word with confidence.
What did the church pray for in the face of persecution?
greater boldness – greater power – a greater witness. And God answered that prayer, not by fixing the persecution problem, but by changing the variables.
• After this prayer, the meeting place shook
• They were all filled with the Holy Spirit
• Then they preached the Word of God with boldness
• All the believers were united in Heart and Mind
• And they felt what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.
We sometimes place a burden on prayer that prayer was never meant to handle.
• We treat prayer like a magic formula
• We treat prayer like there is a genie in a bottle waiting to be rubbed, released.
• We treat prayer like we have just been granted three “blank check” wishes.
What we essentially say to God is, “God, I have this issue, and I’m asking you to fix it for me.” And when the problem doesn’t resolve or go away quickly, we feel –
• Disappointed with God
• Discouraged about our circumstances
• Disgusted with our own lack of faith
What if, instead of expecting prayer to “fix” all of our negative circumstances, we actually trusted instead that God designed prayer to change the variables.
• Could it be that when I’m asking for God to fix my broken finances, His real desire is to for me to change, for me to grow my ability to manage my finances?
• Perhaps, instead of miraculously fixing areas of conflict in my marriage, God’s real aim is to change me and my spouse to be more like Jesus toward each other
God often heals, provides in response to prayer in dramatic, miraculous ways.
• I’ve seen it and, actually, genuinely, so have each of you!
• I believe in it and, actually, genuinely, so do each of you!
But more often my Brothers and Sisters,
God goes to work changing us and the people around us from the inside out – sometimes slowly and progressively – to be able to handle our challenges in different ways which we already had revealed to us but were too scared to try.
Here’s what I believe prayer does –
• Prayer changes all of the variables at work in any given situation, making possible either a miraculous and instantaneous deliverance or the slow, progressive change and growth necessary for overcoming adversity
• Let me try to frame it like this ….
o How many times did you pray not to have that surgery – Had surgery anyway
o How many times did you pray to meet that financial need – but lost money anyway or fell “just a wee bit” short of paying essential monthly bills anyway
o How many times did you pray judge would be lenient – but were sentenced to paying some monetary fine, received “points” on your drivers’ license anyway
o How many times did you pray for that new job – Did not get the job anyway
• PRAYER DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING BUT IT CHANGES EVERYTHING
• Oftentimes we need to understand that Prayer changes us not necessarily the circumstance always
• God is always challenging us to work on ourselves in an effort to become more like Him
Handling life without prayer is like playing basketball with a flat ball.
• It just doesn’t work
• And we expect prayer to make us pro players who never miss a shot and we expect to happen overnight
• But prayer really gives us an inflated ball
– BETTER EQUIPMENT
– BETTER SKILLS
– BETTER OPPORTUNITIES
– MORE STRENGTH
– MORE SPEED AND STAMINA
– so, the game becomes winnable
• Prayer isn’t a magic formula that instantly and easily fixes everything
• But prayer is definitely powerful enough to change the variables of any situation to which we apply its power
Yes, my brothers and sisters,
– PRAYER DOESN’T FIX EVERYTING BUT IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
• Our prayers do not ever alter God’s sovereign plan
• It’s not like we pray and God says, “Woah, hey now! Didn’t expect that one. Okay, gotta change things quickly. Time to shift things around. Let’s see, I’ll put this here and this here and…”
• God is not the penultimate Project Manager, trying to juggle the lives of who knows how many millions and billions of people as they each make their own preferred choices apart from His unchangeable, unknowable sovereign plan.
• He has planned and ordained history, and He knows precisely what will happen
• My prayers don’t change the wise, good, sovereign plan of the Almighty God
• Phew. Thank God they don’t because some of my prayers throughout the years….never mind
But in another sense, prayer really does make things happen.
Scripture is clear that God wants us to pray and that He really and truly does respond to our prayers.
Scripture makes it beyond “Crystal Sea” clear that prayer does change things.
James 5:13-15Easy-to-Read Version
The Power of Prayer
13 Are you having troubles? You should pray. Are you happy? You should sing. 14 Are you sick? Ask the elders of the church to come and rub oil on you[a] in the name of the Lord and pray for you. 15 If such a prayer is offered in faith, it will heal anyone who is sick. The Lord will heal them. And if they have sinned, he will forgive them.
The logic here is pretty simple.
• If you’re sick, call the elders to pray for you and God will hear and answer that prayer
• On the flip side, if you don’t pray the prayer will not be answered
Okay, so you are probably asking yourself at this point – well, what does prayer change then?
• Prayer changes Us
• Prayer changes the world around us
• God sovereignly uses our prayers to fulfill His perfect plan
• Yes, prayer does change things – therefore, we should pray
Prayer is, for the most part, an untapped resource, it is an –
• Unexplored continent where untold treasure remains to be unearthed
• It is talked about more than anything else and practiced less than anything else
• And yet, for the believer it remains one of the greatest gifts our Lord has given us outside of salvation through our ONE Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ALONE!
I wonder how we would respond if someone were to ask us in this moment – “why are you praying?” and we say, “I don’t know, I just felt this impulse,” –
• God would not get the glory He would get if we answered, I’m praying because Jesus is my Lord and has the right to overrule human plans in answer to prayer.
• I’m praying because the Spirit of God is a Spirit of love and compassion and forgiveness and will hear my prayer, even my many unspoken ones, for mercy.
Prayer and faith go hand in hand.
Genuine faith is grounded in God’s promises, a true understanding of God’s will.
Because of God’s perfect wisdom, I trust Him to determine what is best for me, along with His perfect timing.
Sometimes the mere timing of the answer is a miracle in itself to show that it truly came from my God and not something of our own Power or our Volition.
I close this devotional offering with a Poem:
Exhortation To Prayer Poem
What various hindrances we meet In coming to a mercy seat! Yet who that knows the worth of prayer, But wishes to be often there?
Prayer makes the darken’d cloud withdraw, Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw, Gives exercise to faith and love, Brings every blessing from above.
Restraining prayer, we cease to fight; Prayer makes the Christian’s armour bright; And Satan trembles when he sees The weakest saint upon his knees.
While Moses stood with arms spread wide, Success was found on Israel’s side; But when through weariness they fail’d, That moment Amalek prevail’d.
Have you no words? Ah, think again, Words flow apace when you complain, And fill your fellow-creature’s ear With the sad tale of all your care.
Were half the breath thus vainly spent To heaven in supplication sent, Your cheerful song would oftener be, “Hear what the Lord has done for me.”
by William Cowper(November 26, 1731-April 25, 1800)
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God, my Sovereign, Builder of all things, I know that when I acknowledge your authority and your power that you will make my paths straight in front of me. Please empower me to live a greater life in Christ. May your Holy Spirit who lives in me draw me closer to you. Give me a mind of understanding. Let me see as you see, and not as the world sees. I trust your judgment fully and know that my own judgment is limited. I believe you have everything in control, and you will guide me exactly where you want me to go. Gloria! Alleluia! Amen.
1 Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the [a]saints and faithful [b]believers in Christ [who are] at Colossae: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father.
3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we pray always for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] [c]love which you have for all the saints (God’s people); 5 because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] 6 which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it]. 7 You learned it from [our representative] Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf 8 and he also has told us of your love [well-grounded and nurtured] in the [Holy] Spirit.
The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.
Today we are going to examine some important questions.
Is Jesus making a difference in your life?
Does Jesus have any degree or meaningful measure of influence over your life
The answer to this question is important because the answer to this question will tell us where we are at with Jesus and just how important He really is to us.
This devotional message is not intended to beat anyone down; it is meant to “stop our world from spinning off into the depths of “who knows where and why and when,” to challenge us to soar to greater heights with our great God.
How many times have we seen a person in athletics not reach their potential?
The NFL is getting ready to kick off its 2022 season.
Each of the teams started training camp with 90 players on their roster.
Now, before the season starts next Sunday, teams must get down to a roster of 53 players who “made the team by their efforts to meet “what it takes to win.”
That means that a whole lot of players of all experience levels will not be on the playing field – they “did not reach their potential, did not make the teams cut.”
How many times have we seen students of all ages go through their schooling and never reaching their potential?
It is a sad experience to read of the scandals of students just being “passed.”
Parents, Educators and Teachers and Coaches losing influence over that child’s life and witnessing then the growing and maturing influence of the “streets.”
Belonging to “families” becomes belonging to “drugs, guns and street gangs.”
It is a sad sight to see isn’t it.
People around them whisper about the waste of talent and potential they see.
• I believe the 21st century church is at a critical crossroads; this church is at a crossroads.
Individually, we must all decide how much we are going to let Jesus be our Lord, we all have to determine if we are going to totally give ourselves over to Him or are we just going to barely influence, scratch the surface, to be happy with that.
Corporately, we must all decide how much and IF and HOW and WHEN and WHY we are going to let Jesus be our only INFLUENCER our ONLY SAVIOR.
• Where we are at with Jesus is where the church will be at with Jesus.
Are we going to be “Christian?
Are we going to be a church that is absolutely sold-out on Jesus or are we going to be a church that is happy with scratching the surface of what GOD can do?
• I hope that as we delve into, through the book of Colossians, we will all learn something, some things that will help to challenge us to go deeper with Jesus.
Apostle Paul is writing this letter to a church that is struggling with some false teachings that were prevalent at the time.
This letter is written with three major purposes in mind;
these purposes are still absolutely valid today.
o To encourage the readers not to go back to their former way of life.
o To direct the people’s attention to Jesus and to get them to fully trust and worship Him and to fully recognize who He is.
o To emphasize the influence and virtue of Christ’s forgiveness and kindness.
Today we are going to look at four indicators that prayerfully will tell us if we are letting Jesus be our primary influencer, the primary difference in our lives.
Colossians 1:1-8New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2 To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:
3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the[b] Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. 7 This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our[c] behalf, 8 and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
I. IS JESUS THE CENTER OF YOUR FAITH?
I love the way this letter starts out.
It starts with the Apostle Paul in verse 2 saying that he is writing to the FAITHFUL brethren at Colossae.
Then he moves to telling the readers he is thankful for them and that he is praying for them always.
• Then he moves to what he is thankful for.
• He is thankful that he has heard of their faith in Jesus.
• When you think about it, this is an impressive statement.
The faith of the Church at Colossae is so great that it is known all around.
• Notice too that their faith is in Jesus; it is centered and based on Him.
• Their faith in Jesus made such an impact on the lives of those in the church that they gained a reputation for their faith.
• I wonder what people would say about the church as they walked around Colossae.
• I wonder what people say about the 21st century Christian Church when the subject comes up?
What are we known for?
If culture is the primary influencer, making the difference in our lives ….
• If Jesus is the primary influencer, making the difference in our lives,
will we then be known for our faith in our Master Rabbi, and Savior Jesus?
• The only way that our Master Rabbi Jesus, our Lord and Savior Jesus will be our influencer, the difference in our lives is if we have an undying faith in Him.
• I have seen too many people over the years play the church game.
We can get so caught up in things to the point that Jesus is not really the center of our faith.
For many the center of their faith is the status quo, it is their jobs, family or entertainment.
• Paul was not thankful for the church at Colossae because they had a really nice and diverse, inclusive, influential, politically correct and welcoming building.
He was not faithful because they sang a certain type of music or had a certain order of service, he was thankful for them in part because of their faith in Jesus!
• Faith means in part to trust.
Who do you trust?
Into whose hands do we really put your salvation?
Who do you turn to in times of trouble?
Who do you give the glory to when things go well?
• If Jesus is the center of your faith, your life will be different.
I hope that our church is known for our faith.
That will not ever happen unless two things happen.
First, our faith has to be evident in our lives and secondly, we need to be involved in the lives of other people so they can see our faith in action.
II. IS YOUR LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN EVIDENT?
The second thing Paul is thankful for is the love the church had for the brethren and for all the Saints (Christians)!
• Is Jesus making a difference in your life?
If He is, He will be the center of your faith.
The fact will manifest itself in how much love you have for your brothers and sisters in Christ.
• We have talked a lot about love in the past and we will continue to do it in the future.
This is an important issue.
IF you cannot love the most unlovely of us, then Jesus in not exerting any meaningful influence or making any measurable difference in your life.
• Jesus loved Judas?
He had plenty of reasons not to, but He did.
What is your excuse for NOT loving Judas?
• We cannot ask lost people to come in and love those we will not love.
If Jesus is influencing you, making a difference in your life, it will show by how you are able to love ALL of the brethren – WITHOUT EVEN ONE EXCEPTION!
1 John 2:9-11New American Standard Bible
9 The one who says that he is in the Light and yet hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother and sister remains in the Light, and there is nothing in him to cause stumbling. 11 But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
We can say how much we love Jesus all we want, tell Him how sold out we are to Him all we want, but if we do not love one another, they are empty statements.
• If Jesus is making a difference on our life, we will love the brethren!
III DOES YOUR FAITH REST IN YOUR HOPE IN HEAVEN?
• In verse 5 we find out why and how the Christians at Colossae had such a great faith.
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel
• Their hope was focused on what was laid out for them in heaven.
• If Jesus is making a difference in your life, you will be able to realize there is a big picture.
You will not want to get even or take vengeance on every injustice done to you.
• Paul is thankful for their hope; faith and hope are always tied together.
Faith is based in hope.
• There has to be a pot of gold if you will at the end of the rainbow.
1 Peter 1:4-5GOD’S WORD Translation
4 We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that cannot be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
If we have no hope of heaven, then we will not be able to persevere when we need to.
The things of the world will look too attractive to pass up if our faith does not rest in hope.
• One of the blessings of hope is it allows us to sacrifice the present on the altar of the future (Reverend Dr. John MacArthur Jr.)
• That runs contrary to human nature.
Young children, for example, have a difficult time waiting for something they want.
The world wants it and wants it now.
• The Christian has a different perspective.
He is willing to forsake the present glory, comfort, and satisfaction of this present world for the future glory that is his in Christ.
In contrast to the “buy now—pay later” attitude prevalent in the world, the Christian is willing to pay now and receive it later.
What makes Christians willing to make such sacrifices?
Hope, based on faith the future holds something far better than the present.
Romans 8:18-21GOD’S WORD Translation
God’s Spirit Helps Us
18 I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us. 19 All creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal who his children are. 20 Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the hope 21 that it would also be set free from slavery to decay in order to share the glorious freedom that the children of God will have.
If Jesus is influencing, is making a difference in our life, our hope in the future will truly allow us to sacrifice the present things for the future gain of heaven!
IV. IS GOD’S WORD PENETRATING YOUR LIFE?
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel
• Where did they get this hope, faith, and love?
Look at verse 5, they heard the word of truth, the gospel.
• They did not get their faith, hope, and love from the bottom of a cereal or Cracker Jack box; they believed it because they heard the word of God!
Romans 10:15-17New American Standard Bible
15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who [a]bring good news of good things!”
16 However, they did not all heed the [b]good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word [c]of Christ.
CONSTANTLY BEARING FRUIT
• Wherever the gospel seed is sown, fruit grows. If the gospel has penetrated your life, your life will be fruitful for God. The fruit production will never stop.
• I absolutely love strawberries!
Every summer, a farmer plants acres and acres of strawberry plants and every year I can remember from my youth I can remember the farmer said they would get so many strawberries off them throughout the season we would get sick.
• With the strawberry plant, there would come a season when it would quit producing fruit.
For the one who has had the gospel penetrate their life, they will produce fruit in every season of life!
• Paul says for those at Colossae, that the Word has been bearing fruit from the day they heard and understood the word!
• Maybe some are not producing fruit because they are do not understand the Gospel Word.
The more you read it, eat it, the more understandable it becomes!
Psalm 34:8-10New American Standard Bible
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! 9 Fear the Lord, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no lack of anything. 10 The young lions do without and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.
CONSTANTLY INCREASING
• Not only will our lives produce fruit, but it will be in the increase all the time! As you grow and mature, you WILL produce more and more fruit for God!
• The spiritual growth of individuals will lead to new converts being won to Christ.
That was the easily observable pattern of the early church. (Acts 2:43-47)
Acts 9:31New American Standard Bible
31 So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria [a]enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it [b]continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.
You do not need some fancy program in order to grow; you need Jesus to make a difference in the lives of each one of us in the church!
• Part of the reason a church stops’ growing is because individuals within that church stop growing!
• If Jesus is making a difference in your life, the word of God will be penetrating your life and you will produce fruit for Him.
• Are you withering in the vine or are you feeding yourself with the Word daily?
V. ARE YOU AN EPAPHRAS?
5 because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] 6 which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it]. 7 You learned it from [our representative] Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf
We do not know a lot about Epaphras except for the couple of times Paul mentions him in the letter and once in Philemon.
• He is called a fellow bondservant who is a faithful bondservant.
He was most likely an evangelist.
• Notice in verse 7 we are told they learned the gospel from Epaphras! He was producing fruit. He was not going to leave it to someone else to teach people.
• You cannot teach what you do not know, and you cannot know what you do not study!
We are told in Colossians 4:12 that he was one who labored hard for Jesus.
• If you were mentioned in the Bible, what would Paul say about you?
• I hope we could all strive to be like Epaphras.
He was most likely nothing special; he was just willing to let God use Him!
• If Jesus is making a difference in your life, you will be a changed person!
Colossians 1:4-6Amplified Bible
4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] [a]love which you have for all the saints (God’s people); 5 because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] 6 which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it].
It’s wonderful when someone comes into the kingdom of God.
That person receives God’s gift of grace through faith in Jesus, and they begin a new life of walking with the Holy Spirit.
The new believer realizes that their old life of selfish pursuits offers nothing that will ever satisfy.
They have turned their back on the darkness and are enjoying the light of the world, Jesus.
Praise God for his love!
Paul is filled with thanks to hear that the people of Colossae have come to faith in Christ Jesus and are showing their love for all God’s people.
He even says, “We always thank God . . . when we pray for you . . .”
They have become wonderful examples of living by faith in Jesus.
They believe and trust, they love, and they hope in what God has already stored up in heaven for them.
Drawing all this together, we can say with Paul that the faith of the Colossian believers is rooted in Jesus Christ.
Friends, my prayer is you will have faith in Christ Jesus; my hope for you is that in Jesus’ name you are loving others, giving yourself up for them, and growing in hope in all that God has promised and is storing up for you in heaven.
Stay rooted in Christ,
Anticipating the immeasurable reality of God’s kingdom on earth as it most definitely and decisively is in heaven.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Faithful Father, thank you that you have plans for your church that are for our good and your glory. The Bible says the church is your house, you dwell in the midst of your people. Let us be built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. Let us be built together in a way that honors you. May Christ dwell in our hearts through faith so that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior. Amen.
We are called. We are sent: Taking our Savior’s Gospel to the end of the world requires us to change as well as requiring the Church to change. God has given each of us has the opportunity to change and grow until our very last breath.
Every living thing must change to survive and fulfill its purpose.
Change is absolutely necessary to life.
If we choose or decide we are unwilling and we steadfastly refuse to change, what we do is we elect to live the balance of life in stagnation.
Many lives could be drastically improved if people would only embrace change.
To change, first there must absolutely be a change of heart, body, soul, mind, a change attitude, an acceptance of change of lifestyle and a change of direction.
The church at Jerusalem had begun a good work but were slow to embrace change.
Yes, they willingly sent representatives to Samaria and then to Antioch, but control was limited.
The church at Jerusalem was basically a Jewish congregation whose background limited their vision for expansion.
Yet the church with a vison for worldwide ministry, must embrace a broader vision.
The book of Acts can be divided into three areas: The ministry of the church at Jerusalem, the ministry of the Church at Samaria and Antioch, and the ministry of the church to the world.
In today’s devotional lesson, we see the early church in transition. This is the beginning of missionary ministry to spread of the gospel message around the known world. Paul now replaces Peter as the central figure in the book of Acts.
This lesson begins the first of the Apostle Paul’s three missionary journeys.
After delivering the famine relief money to the elders at Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch.
They took with them John Mark, a cousin of Barnabas.
The Church at Antioch now became the base of operation for Paul’s missionary ministry.
Jerusalem was still the mother church, but the missionary church was Antioch.
The Mother Church was basically Jewish, but the Missionary church was filled with men of diverse background.
Two things stand out about this diverse church.
First, they were people committed to the leading and working of the Holy Spirit, and secondly, they were Spirit gifted prophets, teachers who gave themselves to humility, prayer and fasting, seeking God’s will for the next move of the church.
These prophets and teachers disciplined themselves, were actively seeking out God’s will for their callings, Ministry plan, Missional direction for the Church.
What is the plan?
What is the next move?
Read Acts 13:2
2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.”
The Holy Spirit of God was preparing people, getting people ready to take His Church and their calling their ministry and their mission unto the next level.
“Take it to the Next Level!”
Today that phrase has become a common expression.
What does it mean?
What does it require?
Do we have the right stuff to take ministry to the next level?
The church at Antioch was positioned to take the gospel to the next level.
Acts 1:8 Amplified Bible
8 But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”
In the book of Acts, Chapters 1-7 deals with the gospel in the city of Jerusalem.
Chapters 8-12 Learning whom God has “Set Apart,” “Called and will be Sent.”
Being introduced to who the “major players” of the early church, tasked with the Mission and Ministry, taking and proclaiming and teaching the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ “into, unto the whole world”- into Judea and Samaria.
Chapter 13 marks the beginning of Mission and Ministry taking the gospel unto the utmost part of the world, the whole earth.
Chapter 13 marks a clear change in the direction of the church.
They had one Message – the unchanging truth of the Word of God.
The church at Antioch were willing to take that unchanging truth into the “known world,” to communicate change, embrace Christ, embrace change.
Many of us realize that change inevitable.
Growing and maturing things must inevitably embrace change.
The Church must embrace change to survive and fulfill their purpose.
Embracing Christ, embracing change is necessary for the life of the church.
If the church is unwilling to embrace their Savior Jesus Christ, embrace change, she elects to embrace the world, live the balance of her existence in stagnation.
Many Churches could drastically improve their outreach, if only they would embrace their Savior Jesus Christ and embrace the change, He gave His life for.
Embracing real change means really embracing a change of mind, a change of attitude, a change of style and sometimes even their environment or location.
The early church at Jerusalem had begun a good work, it would always be the foundation, they were embracing their Savior and God was now on the move.
Now once again, the church must embrace change because God is on the move.
Remember unchanging, relentless God is always and forever is on the move.
God still on mission and His church still has a mandate.
In the early days of Christianity, Jerusalem was the center of operations.
But now God is moving his center of operations to Antioch.
Why would God move the headquarters, his center of operations?
Many historians and Bible scholars say that the Church at Jerusalem were narrow and restrictive in its focus.
They were unsure about the limitations of the gospel message.
They were perhaps too reluctant to move too fast because they were unsure of what it meant, how mightily it would genuinely impact their personal futures.
God simply moved on. God always moves on when a church loses its missions mindedness and compassion for souls.
Many today have lost their mission mindedness, thinking only of themselves, pursuing self-gratification.
Many “pew warmers” fail to realize that the fulfilment they seek, the joy they hunger for is found is found beyond the dust in their pews, in obeying the call of Holy Spirit, giving instead of receiving. That’s another lesson for another time.
Antioch was a newly formed nimble church, so God choose to use it as the launching pad to take ministry to the next level!
Throughout history, God’s mission has been to take the Gospel message to the whole world that all could be saved.
The book of Acts reveals God’s pattern for advances His mission and expanding His Church.
God had “set apart” and chose to use these men – Paul, Barnabas, Mark, Peter.
God began at Jerusalem with a small group of men, but they became narrow in their focus and God moved on.
Then a fresh move of God began at Antioch with a small group of multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic men, “Set Apart” “Called and Sent” to be His servants.
God selected men who accepted the call and embraced His mission.
There are several things that positioned the Church for missionary ministry.
First, they were called out by God.
Not every believer, follower in the church at Antioch would or could be used for this special kingdom Expansion.
Acts 13:2Amplified Bible
2 While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.”
God selected Barnabas, a Levite from the island of Cyprus, cousin to John Mark.
The name Barnabas means “son of Consolation” or “son of exhortation.”
When we first learn of him, Barnabas had moved to Jerusalem, and acquired property there.
He sold “a field,” and contributed its price to the support of the poorer members of the church at Jerusalem.
His unique gifts would be extremely valuable in carrying gospel to unknown regions of the world.
Then God selected Rabbi Saul, a brilliant scholar and Pharisee fully devoted to God, maximumly zealous for the Word of God, for God’s full, complete truth.
On the Damascus Road, the Resurrected Jesus Himself touched Saul’s eyes.
Completely blinded and helpless, Saul rested, fasted and prayed for three days.
Jesus himself called and sent his servant Ananias to Saul/Paul, to touch his eyes and release him from his sudden condition of blindness. (Acts 9:10-17)
10 Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called [a]Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul; for he is praying [there], 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him, so that he may regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, especially how much suffering and evil he has brought on Your saints (God’s people) at Jerusalem; 14 and here [in Damascus] he has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on Your name [confessing You as Savior].” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.” 17 So Ananias left and entered the house, and he laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came [to Damascus], has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit [in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles].”
Saul became Paul the apostle to the Gentiles who speaks several languages.
Acts 9:18-25 Amplified
18 Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took some food and was strengthened.
Saul Begins to Preach Christ
For several days [afterward] Saul remained with the disciples who were at Damascus. 20 And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This Man is the Son of God [the promised Messiah]!” 21 All those who heard him continued to be amazed and said, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem attacked those who called on this name [of Jesus], and had come here [to Damascus] for the express purpose of bringing them bound [with chains] before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining [theological evidence] and proving [with Scripture] that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
Paul was a visionary Christian statesman and strong evangelist with the shepherd heart.
Paul grew up as a prominent citizen of Tarsus.
The city of Tarsus surpassed all other universities, such as Alexandria and Athens, in the study of philosophy and educational literature.
Paul was a well-educated, free born Jew with an expanded world view.
God selected, “Set Apart,” these two men for this special assignment.
In our zeal to share the gospel, we will sometimes seriously underestimate the importance of the call of God upon our lives.
God had uniquely gifted Barnabas and Paul for the beginning phrase of this ministry expansion.
They were uniquely gifted with the right educational background, linguistics skills, openness with a consuming desire, physical strength and the spiritual sensitivity necessary for this critically essential, vitally important assignment.
I believe all the men in the church at Antioch were gifted, but not all were chosen for this special assignment.
Not all believers can do effective street ministry.
Not all ministers can plant new churches and new faith communities.
As the saying goes,
“If God guides, He will provide.
If it’s God’s choice, it’s God invoice.
If it’s God’s will, then its Gods bill.”
The church at Antioch prayed and fasted, and then God selected Barnabas and Paul for the new expansion of the growing and maturing church.
A side note, John Mark, who was a cousin to Barnabas chose to accompany them on their journey soon became homesick and turn back.
Not everyone can be used in the pioneering stage of laying the groundwork for new ministry.
God must select them.
To be commissioned, often “seasoned” for ministry and missions,
we must be prayerfully open to the timing of the Holy Spirit.
1. These Believers Were Prayerfully Open.
The Believers at Antioch was open to God. They were opened to one another, and they were opened to Change.
This church did not follow the exact pattern of the Church at Jerusalem.
They used a leadership team of prophets and teachers to guide the church.
They all expected to hear from God.
They understood and appreciated their Jewish background but did not allow it to hinder the flow of the Spirit.
They were opened to one another, appreciating the gifts and abilities of one another.
Even though they were enjoying the fellowship, they were opened to the Holy Spirit.
If we are going to be commissioned for ministry, we must be prayerfully open.
If we are going to be commissioned for mission, we must be prayerfully open.
Acts 13:1, 2a Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said….
Isaiah 43:18, 19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
This church was willing to embrace God was definitely doing something new.
There are still some new things in God.
God has new styles, new approaches, new songs, and even new dances.
God never changes, compromises his standards, but his methods often change.
Message and the mission are the same, but the methods always changed.
Transportation is still transportation, but the methods of transportation has changed.
Church is still the church, but its methods of reaching the masses have changed and will always and must continually and must continuously change.
If we are going to be “called and sent,” “set apart,” used today (2022), we must embrace new effective methods of spreading the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, the church uses simple and complex websites, social media, podcast, radio, television, books, tapes and CDs, DVD’s a monthly, quarterly newsletter, giant screens, multi-media, power point and a host of other techno things.
Ministers are using every available means to spread the gospel.
I believed Jesus would be using everything at his disposal, so did Paul and Peter.
The Church at Antioch was open to new things.
The church must remember to gather to glean and then scatter to sow.
There is a time to gathering to learn and grow.
However, there must also be a time to scatter and sow.
There must also be a time of harvesting what was sowed and for gleaning.
The church at Antioch was open to God and it was also open to one another.
2. These Believers Recognized God’s Voice, Embraced the Door of Opportunity
Acts 13:2 “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”
The Church at Antioch was able to recognize God’s voice and embrace this new door of opportunity.
They did not see their church as an end.
Their church was a means to an end.
God was calling leading members of their church to enter new harvest fields of kingdom enterprise.
It would be a ministerial opportunity and missionary journey fraught with great risks, with little creature comfort, long days, long walks, sleepless nights, much opposition, relentless persecution, and threats of great suffering – even death.
It was an assignment full of possibilities.
Barnabas and Paul saw it as a great door of opportunity.
1Corinthians 16:9 Paul describes his work, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”
Paul recognized it as “a great door for effective work.”
We too must be prayerfully open to see the wonderful doors of opportunity in our generation.
This commission would take these believers to many major cities and regions like Corinth, Ephesus, and Macedonia.
God working with them confirming his word with signs and wonders.
These were areas where few Christians would venture.
Some cities were major financial and commercial center, rich and cultured.
These cities were full of idolatry, wonders of the ancient world filled with immorality, polytheism and legalized prostitution.
Yet Paul saw these cities with thousands of lost souls as opportunities for the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The difference between a pessimist and an optimist is that a pessimist sees a problem in every opportunity…an optimist sees opportunity in every problem.
God provides gifted ministers and wonderful ministry opportunities that lives can be touched with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Each believer must catch the vision of reaching the lost in their personal world, seize the opportunities by sharing the gospel with other as the Holy Spirit leads.
Are you and I ready to do our part in this kingdom of God enterprise?
I pray you and I will embrace Christ’s voice and embrace our opportunities.
3. These Believers Accepted the Challenge as Their Life’s Obligation.
Acts 13:3Amplified Bible
3 Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them [in approval and dedication] and sent them away [on their first journey].
The believers at Antioch embraced this new call of God as their life obligation.
Barnabas and Paul became spiritual debtors.
When the church had prayed for them and laid hands on them, they release them to the work of ministry and mission.
Barnabas and Paul accepted their new assignment as a divine obligation to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
I wonder if believers today feel an obligation to take the gospel to the world?
Or do most believers step back and decide to leave it to the ordained clergy?
It is wise here to carefully note there was no ordained clergy in the church at Antioch, just prayerful believers who took the great commission seriously.
Every believer has a vital part to play in carrying the gospel to all the world.
If you cannot go, at least assist in sending some faithful evangelist.
These believers accepted their ministry and mission as their life’s obligation.
Each and every believer has been uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit to fulfill their respective roles in the kingdom.
I cannot do your part of the work for you, and you cannot do my part of the work for me.
We are all “set apart” “called and sent and commissioned” to do God’s work.
Paul didn’t say here that “a great door” had opened for Barnabas and Timothy.
Paul said, “a great door has been open unto me.”
He felt the obligation.
He was obligated to God, to the church that sent him and unto the lost people everywhere.
Paul embraced the mission and did the work. God is still opening doors, but it is our responsibility to go through them.
Do we really care what happens to the unsaved people around us?
Barnabas and Paul embraced the challenge by declaring, “Yes, we care and yes we can!”
The church at Antioch was positioned, was “set apart” “called and sent and commissioned” for missionary ministry because they were prayerfully open: open to God, Savior Jesus, the Spirit, open to change, and open to one another.
The church was positioned for ministry because they recognized the voice of God and His door of opportunity.
The need was great, the crowds were massive, and the laborers were few.
This church answered the call.
They embraced the mission and accepted the challenge as an obligation.
Each person accepted their assignment as an obligation. Paul felt himself a debtor to Christ for all the grace he had received. Regardless of the opposition, Paul was willing to press on. He was willing to face opposition if necessary.
Romans 1:14-17Amplified Bible
14 I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.”
4. These Believers Faced the Problems but Saw Possibility in Every Problem.
They move in faith, willingly faced every problem because they could see the possibility.
Whenever God moves, there are always people who want to oppose Him.
Some oppose the work of God without realizing what they are doing.
Others knowingly oppose the word of God and good.
The first problem, Barnabas and Paul was Elymas, a sorcerer who withstood the faith and the Message of the gospel.
Later, at Ephesus, it was open opposition from the worshippers of Diana and businessmen who made their living by selling idols of Diana.
Opposition will always come from outside forces that resist the advancement of Christ and His Kingdom message.
Then came opposition from within the movement.
Immature Christians who will oppose other Christians because of the lack of knowledge.
Paul and Barnabas were opposed by Jewish Christians who should have been glad to see the spread of this new movement.
God was working among the Gentiles was a concept that many Christian Jews could not receive.
Barnabas and Paul pressed on because the saw the possibility in every problem and in every sin darkened soul when Savior Christ was added to their kingdom.
But perhaps the worst opponents of the gospel today, we face is not persecution from our enemies from without or within,
but its nominal Christians who hear the messages, understand the mission, see lost people, but do nothing, “waiting for all those others” to make a difference.
Those who never ask themselves, “What am I doing to make a real difference in our church, our community, our work, our school?”
Am I really a soldier of the cross? Maybe it is time to Re-Think our assignment.
Those commissioned for the mission are:
Christians prayerfully open to God,
Christians prayerfully open to change,
Christians who are prayerfully open to one another;
Christians, who are recognizing the voice of God,
Christians who are recognizing His door of opportunity is always open,
Christians who always see the need, value people and will seize the moment.
Christians who are positioned for ministry will embraced the opportunity and accept the challenge as an obligation.
Finally, Christian believers must expect opposition and be willing to labor and work and press on towards the upward goal of Christ, despite the opposition.
All kinds of doors will always be open before sincere Christians.
Christians must be disciplined, must prayerfully consider every opportunity.
Some are just distractions.
Others are good ideas masquerading as God ideas designed to consume precious resources.
There will be always and forever be opponents, from within and without, but Christians should neither meditate nor ponder on the problem, they must seize the opportunities within the problem, embrace the greater truth of their Savior.
Christian must choose to be a part of the solution, not the problem.
I choose to do my part!
I choose to be open to the Holy Spirit and to other Christians;
I seek to hear God’s voice and recognize His doors of opportunity:
I choose to embrace that opportunity as a divine obligation;
and I choose to do my part in the Kingdom of God even in the face of opposition.
1 Corinthians 15:58Amplified Bible
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].
As born-again, baptized believers we are “set apart.” by God.
As born-again baptized believers we are “called and sent” by God.
As born-again baptized believers we are commissioned for ministry.
As born-again baptized believers we are commissioned for missions.
Amen?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
All-Knowing God, thank you that you are our shield and strength. Your word says that you will bless your church abundantly. Please protect our church leaders, both ordained and laity, from attack and fill them with fresh vision as they labor to shepherd your people. Strengthen their spirit and restore their souls through the work of your Holy Spirit. May they find rest in your loving care. May the love of the Father, the tenderness of the Son, and the presence and intercession of the Holy Spirit, quicken, gladden our hearts and bring peace unto our souls, today and for all days. Through Jesus Christ, our Savior, Gloria! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
Other than death and taxes, some people aren’t sure about anything.
Many people have a fear of commitment.
They drift through life uncertain about anyone or anything.
But that’s a miserable way to live.
After all, our identity is formed by the commitments we make.
That’s why the little word “Amen” is so important.
Many think “Amen” is just an ancient word that marks the end of a sermon or prayer.
Many children sitting through an especially long sermon will spend their time waiting to hear the Pastor shout his “Amen” so they can just head for the exit.
But “Amen” doesn’t mean “It’s over now.”
“Amen” means “in truth it is so.”
Adding “Amen” to a prayer or confession means declaring it to be “absolutely positively” true!
In biblical times, it was the custom of the whole congregation to respond to God’s Word and the prayers of their leaders with a united “Amen.”
That’s what we see in our reading today. The entire creation, represented in the four living creatures, offers “Amen!” to the good news of the victorious Christ!
What about you?
What about me?
What about the Church?
Revelation 5:11-14Amplified Bible
Angels Exalt the Lamb
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.
We look at God and ourselves through the basics of the Christian faith.
What is my response?
What’s your response?
What is the Churches response?
Your “Amen” declares this Christian faith is your steadfast, immovable faith.
We have been taught always to let your “Amen” sound in all you say and do.
If we were asked by someone, family, friend, neighbor, or a complete stranger, to describe the Christian life in a few words, what would we say to them?
If we were asked what does God want from us more than anything else what would be the very first words you would say?
“He wants me to love Him just as much as He first loved me.” (1 John 4:7-21)
The answer is that the living Lord wants to have a love affair with you.
The Bible says that we were created as an object of God’s love.
God made you to love you.
He made me to love me.
He made me to be an object of His love.
He made you to be an object of His love.
He made the church to be an object of His love.
That means that we were all created for the purpose of having a relationship and, as a result, the most important thing you can know in life is that God loves you. And the most important thing that you can do in life is to love Him back.
Rabbi Jesus was asked in Matthew which command in the Lord law is the most important?
Rabbi Jesus gave this answer.
Matthew 22:37.Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
One version says to Love the lord your God with all your passion.
Nothing is more important.
If we all do this with the same measure God first loved us, we will fulfill our primary purpose in life.
If we each learn to love God and we let God love us, our lives have fulfilled its meaning, its purpose.
If we miss this part of our life, our life risks failure on a grand scale.
Because we have missed the very reason that God created us and put us on earth – to love and be loved with quite literally all that we are.
There’s a term in the Bible for expressing love to God.
That term is called “worship”.
People often think of worship as a ritual or routine or something that we are to do only in context with a church.
Worship simply means expressing love to God.
Any time we are expressing love to God, we are worshiping whether we are by yourself, in a small group or in a large crowd.
When you express love to God in any way you are worshiping.
Today we’re going to talk about how to express your love to the Lord.
Expressing our love to God is not only something we do individually, but also something we do together.
In fact, as I reflect back over my Christian life, some of the most powerful and meaningful moments took place in worship services.
Someone once described the goal of worship is to make it easy to find God and making it difficult to forget him.
The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse into what worship in heaven will be like.
John describes a day when around the throne of God are gathered around the throne are millions of angels and believer for worship.
Read and reflect, read and ponder, read and meditate upon John’s description:
Revelation 5:11-13Amplified Bible
Angels Exalt the Lamb
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.”
I don’t know about you, and I cannot speak for you, but I can’t wait for that day.
I just ponder and meditate and smile wide that there is a day coming when everything in heaven and everyone on the earth will worship the Lord Jesus.
I hope that we will all realize that what John saw is something that we will likely be a part of.
Can we imagine being a part of such a grand and majestic scene?
I don’t know about you, but I just can’t wait.
After listening to what John saw I would imagine that we would each equally think that our worship to the lord from such a few would sound just as great.
I think that true worship from a few believers is just as powerful when everyone is singing from their hearts in worship to God.
The great thing is that we get ample time to practice for that great day in Christ.
I saw on the Internet a book called “Ten Thousand Ways to Say “I Love You.
I thought that maybe today we would cover all 10,000.
Except that is far from conceivable for this devotional writing.
So, actually, I have narrowed it down to six and a half.
What I am going to share with you are ways to tell God you love Him.
I acknowledge, recognize, you very likely are already doing some of these but maybe you didn’t know that as you did then you were saying “I love you, Lord.”
1. By singing to the Lord Jesus Christ.
You have probably noticed that music and love usually go together because music comes from the heart.
It’s not something you and I do intellectually.
It’s something that comes out of our inner being, our emotions.
There are many love songs in the world.
There are radio stations that are dedicated entirely just play love song.
But did you know that there are more songs written about Jesus Christ than any other topic in the world?
Nothing even comes close in second place.
Christianity is a singing faith because Christianity is not about a religion but it’s about a love affair.
It’s about a relationship with God, that God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you and the wants His children to love Him back.
Psalm 147:1 Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 147
1 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
Psalm 147:7-8Authorized (King James) Version
7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: 8 who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
Nothing will make us more aware of God’s love and God’s presence in our life than singing to the Lord.
I know some of you are saying, “But you don’t understand. I can’t sing.”
The Bible does not say that you have to be able to carry a tune.
2 Samuel 6:12-16Amplified Bible
The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem
12 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So, David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David with rejoicing and gladness. 13 And when those who were carrying the ark of the Lord [by its poles] had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 And David was dancing before the Lord with [a]great enthusiasm, and David was [b]wearing a linen ephod [a priest’s upper garment]. 15 So David and all the house of Israel were bringing the ark of the Lord up [to the City of David] with shouts [of joy] and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 Then, as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, [c]Michal, Saul’s daughter [David’s wife], looked down from the window above and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she felt contempt for him in her heart [because she thought him undignified].
The Bible just says, Make a joyful noise.
I don’t know about you but that is something that I know I can do, and I believe you can too.
What I find it rather interesting that when we go to a ball game or if we are at a wedding that most time, we do not seem to have a problem raising our voices.
When we are in our own “worship space” there are times that we would get so caught up in the worship service that we would be in a little world of my own.
I know there were times that the people would spend the worship time making fun of us as we worship the Lord Jesus Christ.
I know of quite a few Sundays where one of the church people came to me and asked me if the next service I would “worship” act like the rest of the people.
It was kind of like the guy who was on a trip and on Sunday morning he went to church. As the congregation would sing a song that touched him, he would say Amen or praise the Lord. Well after the second song one of the ushers went and escorts him away and asks him to please refrain from making those comments.
Then when the pastor got to preach the man really began to say Amen brother or praise the Lord.
Finally, the usher went to the man and said please sir you have got to refrain from saying what he was saying, doing what you are doing. The man said I am so filled with love for the Lord that I just can’t help myself. The usher said Well, you did not get that here, so don’t bring it here and be sure not to leave it hereas you leave.
Psalm 95:1-4Amplified Bible
Praise to the Lord, and Warning against Unbelief.
95 O come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with songs. 3 For the Lord is a great God And a great King above all gods, 4 In whose hand are the depths of the earth; The peaks of the mountains are His also.
Notice that the Psalmist says let us sing and let us give a joyous shout.
Singing is an important part of you learning to express your love to God.
I have been in churches where people got upset because of the type of music that was sung or over the church worship team using a computer and screen.
Did you know that most of the music written about Jesus Christ contains scriptural principles that will help and strengthen your Christian life?
Did you know that music can inspires you, it can refresh your soul and it can rejuvenate you?
Did you know that if you are depressed that singing a worship song will help you because the singing gets your mind on the Lord Jesus Christ?
I have even noticed that there have been sometimes when I didn’t feel like participating in worship, when I didn’t feel like getting involved, when I just wanted to be an anonymous spectator in the last pew in the back of the balcony.
What I learned from that was that I needed to warm up my heart by singing to the Lord Jesus.
By getting involved in worship of the Lord Jesus will help change my mood.
Worship is setting aside all the busyness and distractions of my life of the past days and week and just giving my complete undivided attention unto the Lord.
It is an opportunity to focus our hearts and minds on exactly how much we love the Lord and how utterly grateful we are for exactly what He’s done for us all.
You know that we can worship God more than just at church?
As I have said worship is simply expressing our love to God.
So, if a person is a born-again Christian, then wherever we are the Lord God is there and we can worship because the presence of the Living Lord is within us.
That means we can worship in the shower.
We can worship in our backyards mowing the lawn, having a barbeque.
You can worship washing dishes.
You can worship driving to work and on the golf course.
You don’t need to be in a certain place to express your love to God, but we need to remember the writer to Hebrews informs us that we are to gather together and when we do, we encourage each other, we are a witness to our community.
We also gather to learn what the Lord has for us, and we gather to express our love to God.
Here is the thing when we gather for our services, and we enter into the worship service our Lord and Savior and King becomes the audience.
So, when we sing to the Lord Jesus, we are expressing our love for Him.
I want you to think about this for a moment.
If we say we are born again by His grace and that we love Him yet when we come to a worship service and we don’t want to express or worship or love the One, we say we love beyond all; just what are we genuinely communicating to God?
A lot of people have said Well, you just don’t know what I went through this week. My answer would be well the Lord got you through the week isn’t that a reason to express your maximum love and give your maximum thanks to Jesus.
2. By TALKING to the lord Jesus Christ.
When a relationship stands still then that relationship isn’t growing and if the relationship is not growing then the relationship is basically going nowhere.
A relationship that is going nowhere soon won’t be a relationship at all.
Well, the same is true with our relationship with the Lord.
On the days when we a have deep, significant talk with God our relationship grows and matures. On the days when you have little or no talks with the Lord our relationship is not growing and if something is not growing then, by logic, it must be in the steady and ongoing process of decaying.
When you really love somebody, you don’t just want to spend time with them.
You also definitely want to talk with them.
Psalm 116:1-4Amplified Bible
Thanksgiving for Rescue from Death.
116 I love the Lord, because He hears [and continues to hear] My voice and my supplications (my pleas, my cries, my specific needs). 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore, I will call on Him as long as I live. 3 The cords and sorrows of death encompassed me, And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, please save my life!”
Would you indulge me for a moment?
Does your prayer and worship life still have spark or has your Christian life become tiresome, exhausting, routine, dull, joyless, listless and .01% lifeless?
If there’s no real joy or spark any more, well there’s a simple remedy for that.
Start talking and spending time with the Lord God again.
Maybe you are not talking to the Lord like a child talking to the Living Lord.
Maybe you are talking like you are the parent and the Lord is the child.
Maybe you are talking but what you are saying isn’t coming from the very essence of your life.
Talking or Prayer is not some duty that you have to do.
It’s a holy and sacred privilege that you get to do.
You get to talk to the Creator of the universe, and He wants to talk with you.
This expression of worship also has a community aspect to it.
All through the Bible and through the long concourse of history we find pockets of Christians gathering for the sole and soulful, soul-filled purpose of prayer.
Sometimes their prayers are prayers of praise. Sometimes they are prayers of intercession. Sometimes they are prayers looking for comfort or they are prayers that are looking for a deeper relationship with the Lord.
I pray prayer a priority of your life and I want you to know that you don’t have to use a special voice or certain words. Talk to Jesus like He is your best friend.
What do you talk to God about if you want to express love to God?
Anything and everything that you would, you should talk to your best friend about and all the stuff you would never talk to even your very best friend about.
You talk to the Lord about your hopes, your fears, your dreams, your anxieties, the things you are embarrassed about, the things you’re proud of, the things you’re ashamed of, goals, ambitions, your hurts, the things you care about.
You talk to the Lord about every part of your life because the Lord knows every part of your life a whole lot better than you do.
There isn’t a part of your life that you can’t come to God, and you talk about.
3. By LISTENING to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Listening is one of the greatest gifts you can give to somebody.
Listening is hearing what the other person is saying without thinking up an answer to what they are saying.
When you listen to someone, you’re saying, they matter to you that you value what they have to say.
That you value their opinion because they’re important to you.
When we don’t listen to somebody, we’re basically saying that person isn’t important that what they have to say isn’t of any value.
One of the ways you express love to anybody is by listening to them.
The same is true with God.
Every time you listen to God, you’re saying that the Lord is important to you, and you place a high priority upon, put great value what the Lord has to say.
Listening is the most misunderstood and left off part of prayer.
Most people think that prayer is just talking to God.
That’s only fifty percent of prayer.
Psalm 46:10Amplified Bible
10 “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”
The other fifty percent of prayer is “shutting ourselves up” and being quiet and exalting the LORD first, then in the beauty of HIS quiet, letting God speak to us.
In our world today I could all too easily imagine that most people are in too much of a hurry to do this.
I remember reading about a person who said that his time with the Lord use to go like this.
“Hi, God, it’s me. I’ve got these ten things I need from You today. Thank You.”
It was not until he started writing down his prayer that he realized what his prayer times were actually like.
He said he never stopped and wait or even listen to see if the Lord had anything to say to him.
One of the most important steps you can take is set aside time to listen to God.
All of us have pressure packed filled schedules.
God said that we are to set aside one day per week for rest and worship.
This rhythm of life is so important that God put it in his top ten lists.
Leviticus 23:3. You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week is holy because it belongs to me.
Perhaps the reason some of us can’t hear God is that our lives are so fast and so full and so noisy, that there is no room in our daily calendars for ‘hearing’ God.
God has been trying to speak to us, yet we say why don’t I ever hear the Lord?
The reason is because we either not listening or that our lives are so full that we have not intentionally ‘scheduled’ anytime to deliberately listening to the Lord.
The Christian world today isn’t like it used to be.
There was a time when we could pause in the middle of the day and say, “God, Do You have anything you want to say to me or have me listen to, right now?
Today as I watch Christians who seem to be so occupied with their phone, iPods and social media and texting that it is little, no wonder, that you can actually be talking to someone and while you are talking, they are texting to someone else.
God speak to us through the Bible, His word.
If you’re not spending any time in this book obviously, He’s not going to speak to you through this book because you’re not reading it and not listening to it.
God speaks to us through the experiences we go through in life.
God speaks to us through trials.
But you’re not listening.
You’re not reading these principles in this book and you’re not being aware that God may be trying to tell you something through that irritation.
God speaks to us through other people, through the advice of Christians and godly people who will say, What about this?
God will often speak to you through another person.
In my life, God has often provided direction, insight and confirmation through other people.
Here is another reason why you need to be in community with other believers.
Proverbs 11:14. Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.
God will speak to you the loudest and the clearest through the wise counsel of spiritual mature friends.
Do you have a trusted circle of Christian’s friends to whom you can go to seek God’s counsel?
God will speak to you through impressions.
He puts ideas in your mind.
Now, not every idea you get is from God.
When you get an idea from God, we call it an inspiration.
When we get an idea from the devil, we call it a temptation.
When we get an idea from ourselves, we just call it dumb!
But how do you know if an impression is from God or not?
Test it. The Bible says you’re to test it.
Did you know the Bible says that hearing God’s voice, being able to listen to God and hear God speak is the test of whether you’re really a true believer or not, whether you’re in the family or not, whether you’re headed for heaven or not?
In John’s Gospel narrative Jesus talked about Him being the Good Shepherd.
John 10: 4; 16. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
If you’ve never ever got an idea or an impression or heard from God, you have every reason to wonder, if you really know God?
Do you really have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
Are you truly a believer or have you stepped across another “worldly” line?
4. By PUBLICLY IDENTIFYING with Jesus Christ.
Mark 8:38. If any of you are embarrassed over me and the way I’m leading you when you get around your fickle and unfocused friends, know that you’ll be an even greater embarrassment to the Son of Man when He arrives in all the splendor of God with His army of the Holy Angels.
If a Christian, by their lifestyle, says I’m not going to let anybody know I’m a Christian, I’m not telling my neighbors or I’m not telling my friends or the people at work that I am keeping it a secret then you don’t really love God.
If you love somebody, you’re not ashamed of them.
You publicly identify with them.
Again, here is a place where the church community helps us to worship the Lord.
When we see others who take their stand for Christ, it should give us courage to do the same and we should also let our brothers and sisters know that we are willing to stand with them in a testimony about our Lord, Savior, Jesus Christ.
Christianity is not about a secret club with secret words and codes.
Christianity is about making one faith in Jesus Christ a public faith.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-15. You are the light of the world, like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.
I wonder if maybe sometime in our past we were encouraged to have a kind of a flashlight witness and we were to only let it shine in church.
We all know that it is easy to talk about the Lord when we are surrounded by our brothers and sisters.
I don’t even remember being told too many times that when I left the church that I was to publicly allow my faith to shine so everyone could see it.
I do not know about you, but too many times I have found it very difficult to be that light that was set on the hill for the world to see.
Can you imagine what your wife would have said if you said let’s get married, but we won’t tell anyone. When no one is around we will be husband and wife but when we’re in public let’s quietly pretend like we don’t know each other.
Well, a Christian shouldn’t be saying that they love their Savior Jesus Christ when they are outwardly communicating being ashamed of Him. We need to publicly identify ourselves with Christ. That’s how we show our love for Him.
Think for a moment what Jesus did for you.
1. He saved us from the penalty of sin. He paid for your forgiveness. Think of the thing that you feel the most guilty about. The thing that has caused you the most shame in your life, the thing that you wish had never happened and you regret deeply. Now thank God because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
2. He saves us from the devastating, catastrophic power of sin. He breaks its grip in our lives. He gives us a new resurrection power to be able to make visible changes so we’re not the same anymore. He can do new things in our lives that we always wanted to do but never thought or hoped we could do on our own.
3. Eventually, He saves us from the presence of sin as we graduate to heaven where there will be no sin, no sorrow, no suffering, no pain, and no grief.
1 Corinthians 2:7-9Amplified Bible
7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom once hidden [from man, but now revealed to us by God, that wisdom] which God predestined before the ages to our glory [to lift us into the glory of His presence]. 8 None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written [in Scripture],
“Things which the eye has not seen, and the ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed].”
There’s another way we can declare, and we can communicate we are a Christian and that is through baptism.
Baptism says I believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus Himself as a thirty-year-old adult went down to the Jordan River was baptized by John to say, this is how I want it done. It’s a picture of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Second, it’s a picture of what happens to you. You’re dying to an old way of life.
Colossians 2:12. Going under the water was a burial of your old life. Coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as He did in Christ.
When we are baptized, we are saying I’m dying to all my old sins.
They’re forgiven, they’re forgotten, and they’re out of my life. I’m beginning a brand-new life in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Third, it symbolizes your new life in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:27. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start.
It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe, Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original promise.
5. By BEING COMMITTED to the Lord Jesus Christ.
So often we think about commitment from a purely individual perspective. In Scripture you find the people of God making commitments.
For example, at the end of Joshua’s life, Joshua challenges the people of God to stay committed to God.
Joshua 24:20-22. If you forsake the Lord and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you. But the people answered Joshua, saying, no, we are determined to serve the Lord! You are accountable for this decision,” Joshua said. You have chosen to serve the Lord. Yes, they replied, we are accountable.
Joshua 24:25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, committing them to a permanent and binding contract between themselves and the Lord.
Acts 2:43-47Amplified Bible
43 A sense of awe was felt by [a]everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] [b]were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole]. 45 And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need. 46 Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, 47 praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
Love is all about commitment.
You don’t really love somebody unless you’re committed to their best.
Nothing ever significant happens in life without commitment.
Your commitments determine your future.
You are becoming whatever you are committed to.
So, you better choose your commitments carefully.
If you’re committed to the wrong thing, you’re going to risk becoming the wrong thing.
You can’t lose by being committed to God.
Some people are defined by their circumstances, but strong people are defined by their commitments.
The Bible tells us in 2 Chronicles 16:9a.
For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
6. By GIVING to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have found that whenever I have even mentioned this subject that most Christians get a bit upset.
The thing is I don’t understand why.
The subject of tithing is a Biblical one.
Jesus and the apostle Paul talked about it.
I have been in churches where I have actually had people get up and walk out of the service.
Well, the only reason I can figure out is that the Lord probably been dealing with them and they though that the Lord was using me to pick on them.
I remember reading about a man who was being baptized and when he was just about to get into the water, he said to the Pastor I need just a few minutes more.
Now the pastor figured that the man had to go to the bathroom so he said can’t you wait until after I baptize you?
The man looked at the pastor and said I don’t need a minute for that reason.
“I want to get my wallet and my checkbook so they can be baptized with me.”
The first generations of Christians were givers.
And they did it together.
It is amazing what can be done, accomplished when we each give our little bit.
As you and I listen carefully to the history record of the early church, we need to understand that I don’t see this as the Lord instructing that we sell everything that we have and put it in a community pool.
I do see this as the Lord teaching that when there was a need within the church that the Christians did what they had to do to meet that need.
Acts 4:32-35Amplified Bible
Sharing among Believers
32 Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one [of them] claimed that anything belonging to him was [exclusively] his own, but everything was common property and for the use of all. 33 And with great ability and power the apostles were continuously testifying to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace [God’s remarkable lovingkindness and favor and goodwill] rested richly upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds of the sales 35 and placing the money down at the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to each as anyone had need.
Did you catch the words of v. 34?
There was no poverty among them.
Now I want you to understand the scripture isn’t saying that everyone was rich.
What the Scripture is actually saying is that the needs of the people were all being met.
They had all that was required to meet the needs of every person in the church.
Can you imagine what would happen in our churches if we got serious about sharing with those in need?
Can you imagine what would happen if we were so serious about our Jerusalem that we would make available whatever we had to those in need?
Giving is at the very core of love.
When you love someone, you want to give to them.
You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving.
It is impossible to say you love God and not give.
I can claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ.
I can claim to love God.
But the Bible says there is one way to really test the sincerity of your love.
2 Corinthians 8: 7-8. Just as you excel in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in complete earnestness, see that you also excel in the grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love.
God tests the sincerity of your love by looking at your giving.
Why does He do that?
Because you’re giving show your heart and how much you love the Lord your God.
He wants you to become like Him.
God so loved the world that He gave.
You can become like God and become a generous giver, or you can become like everyone else in the world and become a hoarder.
I want you to know that the major person who doesn’t want you to become a give is Satan.
I have discovered that there are really basically two kinds of people in life.
There are cheerful givers and fearful givers.
Cheerful givers say, I’m going to give.
It all belongs to God anyway.
He gave it all to me.
I wouldn’t have anything without God so I’m going to give it all to Him and He can take care of all my needs.
Then there are the fearful givers.
These are the ones who say we can’t afford to do this.
They are the ones who feel that it is their job to be their own god and look after and protect their interests.
If we feel that we have to protect our interest that is a sign that we don’t trust the Lord as fully as we ought to.
It is also a sign that we don’t look at everything we have as coming from the Lord. It is also a sign that we don’t love the Lord as much as we say we do.
It is also a sign that Jesus Christ isn’t the only Lord and only love of our lives.
Matthew 22:37-39Amplified Bible
37 And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’
What is the central change God wants in our lives?
So many of the changes we desire are important but not central to life: weight loss, better study habits, development of leadership skills, more peace of mind, even ethical and moral improvement.
These are all good things, but they’re not the main thing.
The legal expert who questioned Jesus understood the main thing, and he wanted to know if Jesus knew.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” and “love your neighbor as yourself.”
That’s the central change God wants in our lives, and it will make us like Jesus.
To keep these priorities straight in a world filled with choices, we must, with the Spirit’s help, keep our eyes on the cross, because at the center of the cross is the love of God. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Heavenly Father, thank you that you are the light of the world, guiding our steps on your path. Your word says that you are a Good Father who gives us good gifts. Thank you for the gift of the church, a community of your children that you have gathered together to worship, serve, pray and love. Give us thy strength to live as ambassadors for you in the world. Lord, bless your church and keep us pure, make your face shine upon us. Turn your face towards us and give us peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.
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). 