Month: April 2022

The Christian man: Looks at himself in the mirror yet does not forget who he is (James 1:23-25). In using sound judgment, he obeys the Word of God; As God has allotted to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). The Christian man fights the good fight of faith and holds onto a good conscience (1Timothy 1:18-19); He crucifies his sinful nature with its passions and desires and keeps in step with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:24-25). The Christian man loves his wife as he loves himself sacrificially and receives respect from her (Ephesians 5:33); He does not provoke his children but brings them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). The Christian man shows respect for authority both at work and in his community and serves wholeheartedly in everything he does as if he were serving the Lord and not man (Ephesians 6:5-7); He uses his gifts in proportion to his faith (Romans 12:6), often speaking to men for their edification, exhortation and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). The Christian man lets his love suffer long and is not boastful or proud. Nor is he rude or self-centered. His great love for God allows him not to be easily angered or remember past conflicts. The Christian man does not rejoice over sin, in any way, but only in what is true. The Christian man’s love always protects those around him, always has hope for the future in spite of circumstances that surround him. Giving him an enduring and persevering character (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). The Christian man can expect opposition when they do God’s work (2 Timothy 3:12); So will do everything to stand firm (Ephesians 6:13-14), with the full armor on, will wait on His Master, who will grant him the Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8). The Christian man will lay down his crowns at the feet of his Savior, hearing these words. . . Well done thou good and faithful servant! Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34).

Father God, thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ. The Savior of the world who has blessed us with the sacrifice of Himself on the cross, and by Your Spirit’s power gloriously has risen from the dead! We celebrate our risen Lord and our inheritance to spend all eternity with You! Bless us to be a blessing to others and help us fulfill Your calling on our lives. In Jesus name, Amen

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shinning garments. Then as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ (Luke 24:1-7)

Beloved friend, we will soon be celebrating Passover, remembering our Lord’s sacrifice on Good Friday, and celebrating with Christians around the world of the Lord’s resurrection! The tomb is empty. Praise God that He has included us in His heavenly kingdom and has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us there. That where He is there we will be also. It is glorious to know how secure our future is for all eternity in this uncertain and very lost world. People have no idea of the coming judgment on this world. If you and I would live with the kingdom viewpoint, perhaps we would make an impact on those who are outside the family of God. I read the story of Nicholas Herman (1611-1691) who was a Carmelite mystic born in France who became a Christian at the age of 18. He became a lay brother of an order of Carmelites in Paris where he worked in the kitchen as a “servant to the servants of God” until his death. He is best known though, for his little book of sayings, published under the name Brother Lawrence, called “The Practice of the Presence of God.” When he lay on his deathbed, Brother Lawrence said to those around him, “I am not dying. I am just doing what I have been doing for the past 40 years, and doing what I expect to be doing for all eternity.” When someone asked, “What is that?” Brother Lawrence replied, “I am worshipping the God I love! ” Friends, can we do the same? Love the Lord with all of our hearts for what He has done for us? Will we be praying earnestly that He be gracious and merciful to our unsaved families and friends as we gather together for these approaching Advent days. Just the way He was merciful and gracious to us? Let us enter in our Father’s kingdom without any regrets of not doing our Father’s will. Let His standard of service to Him be ours as well. When He rewards us, it will be fair and just.

Prayer, Father God, Easter is not only Your Resurrection Day of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. But it is our day of hope, joy, and victory. And our hearts are so desperate for encouragement, as all around us lie the broken lives, failed relationships, and fading dreams of so many people whom we know and love. Through Your Son, You invited us into Your family as You tore the curtain from top to bottom of what separated us from Your holy presence. We celebrate You, and the hope of eternal life You offered to us by leaving our life of sin, and accepting Your Lordship in our lives. Lord, for those still searching, help them find hope in You today. For those who are discouraged, lift the heavy burdens. For those still in bondage from sinful habits or lifestyles, help find them find deliverance and eternal security in Your loving arms. Lord, we welcome You to be in our midst from the solemn Good Friday’s remembrance of Your death on the cross, to the fully set free life of the born again Christian who relies upon Your Spirit to fulfill Your will for us. In Jesus name, Amen

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore/Because of this, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of live. (Romans 6:1-4)

Many Christians live as “Inbetweeners”; they live between Egypt and Canaan, saved but never satisfied, living in between the cross on Good Friday, and the Resurrection Easter morning. Believing in the cross but not entering the power and glory the resurrection of Christ brings. Our union with Christ assures our future eternal salvation and our own resurrection after we die. But verse 4 teaches that we even share Christ’s resurrection power today. In Christ we have eternal life even though we are not yet living in eternity.

Sin is a terrible task master, looking for a willing servant in the human body. The body is not sinful; the body is neutral. It can be controlled either by sin or by God. A person’s fallen nature which is not changed at conversion, gives sin its arena from which it can attack us at will and trying to destroy our faith and lead us away from God.

The tendencies to presume in or even abuse God’s grace on one hand and ignore human responsibility on the other continues to be at the heart of our struggles to grow spiritually. By reading Romans chapter’s 6, 7, and 8, point to us that victory over the flesh, liberty to walk in the newness of life, and security of being sanctified in the Word of God, are all found in Jesus Christ, and what He has already done for us and not in anything we can do to earn it ourselves.

Trusting in Christ is an act of the will based on what He has done for us. It is an intellectual act, of both mind and body as completely His, not an impulsive decision nor based on an emotional level without counting the cost. We yield ourselves to God because of His grace and not by the law of performance on our part. We must not insist on always being right, but rather live righteously. Today, true Christians are walking according to the Spirit of God, abiding in His love and fulfilling His will for their lives by simply surrendering to God daily their life and their will so that Christ can be glorified in their daily walk with Him.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You have blessed me beyond measure with Your great love by giving us Your mercy and grace. Help me to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s power freely given to those who fully surrender their hearts to You. And help me to be the same to others, use me to be a blessing, just as I have been blessed by You. In Your name I pray, Amen.