Last week we discussed the fact that God puts all mankind into three categories.  He lays those out for us in 1 Corinthians 2:14-5.  The first category is what is referred to as “The Natural Man”.  He / She is one is tied to earthly things and blind to Eternal things.

Now, let's take a look at the second category of people. Paul also describes to us….
2.  CARNAL PEOPLE:




























Well the last category of people that the Bible describes are referred to as….
3.  SPIRITUAL PEOPLE:













If you are in the carnal category, then let you suggest that you begin to take your Christian life seriously.  Be faithful to Church.  Get involved and find a place in our Church where you can serve God.  Make the Bible and prayer a vital part of each day of your life.  Grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

The category we all want to be a part of is the spiritual.  Listen to something A. W. Tozer said:
"A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels the worst.  He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge."

A real Christian may be, in the words of Tozer, an odd number, but we should all want to be a part of that number. God sees us all in one of three categories.  In which does He see you?


Bro. Jeff

It may surprise you, but God actually puts people into categories.  The question that I want to ask is how does God categorize people?

Well, in 1 Corinthians we find that God actually puts people into categories.  As we look at our text we will find that the Bible tells us that there are three categories into which God puts people.

In our text we find these three categories.  In 1 Corinthians 2:14 the Bible speaks of the "natural man."  In 1 Corinthians 2:15 the Bible refers to one who is "spiritual."  Then in 1 Corinthians 3:1 the Bible speaks of those that are "carnal."

Every person reading this today is in one of these three categories.  When God looks at each of us, He sees us as either as a natural, carnal, or spiritual person.  God puts all of us are in one of these categories.
 
Now, which category does God place you in?  This will be the subject of our devotion over the next two weeks.

The first category that Paul describes for us is….
1.  THE NATURAL PERSON:












 










 






 


Please understand that I am not talking about religious or being a Church member.  You can be religious and belong to a Church and still be a natural man.

That was my case for a number of years.  I was religious but lost.  I didn’t have the proper understanding of Salvation.  Someone shook my hand, I was baptized and joined a church, however, I was not saved.

I had had a religious experience but was still lost. Consequently,  I remained bound to earthly things and blind to eternal things.  I was a baptized Church member, but God still classified me as a natural man.

Now next week we will look at two more categories of people but for now please take a moment and reflect upon your life and ask yourself if you are Bound to Earthly Things and Blind to Eternal things?
 
If so, you are a lost Natural person and need to be born again!


Turn to Christ and be saved!

Bro. Jeff

Last week we left off in Galatians 2:20 trying to answer the question “How am I supposed to live the Christian life?”  The concept that Paul teaches is a simple one but it is extremely difficult to accomplish.  In fact last week we said that it was an impossibility.  Throughout Paul’s writings he talks about three types of death.  (1)Death to Sin, (2) Death to Self, & (3) Death to Safety.  This verse, in my opinion, is talking about all three.

So where does “living the Christian life begin”?  It begins with a funeral – YOURS.  You must die to self!

Then when that is achieved Paul says you need to….
2.  LET THE SAVIOR LIVE IN YOU:











Then lastly in order to “live the Christian life”...
3. YOU LET THE SPIRIT WORK THROUGH YOU:
















I pray this helps you to understand what the Christian life is all about.  Remember it starts with your funeral every day!


Bro.  Jeff

That’s a great question, don’t you think?   I’m sure that countless books have been written with that theme in mind.   So let me give you the short answer to that question….

Believe it or not, the answer is YOU don't!

There have been a countless number of people who have become Christians in the last 2,000 years.  But only one person has ever lived the Christian life, and that was Our Lord Jesus Christ.  I am going to make an amazing statement, but I believe it is true.

The average Christian knows far more about how to BECOME a Christian than how to BE a Christian.

The average Christian will say, "I'm trying to live the Christian life the best way I know how."  When a Christian makes that statement, I can automatically tell them they're probably not doing a very good job of it.

I heard of a man who was walking by a seaside cliff in the darkness.  He thought he knew the path, but the path evidently had fallen away by erosion, and he stepped over the cliff into the darkness.  As he was falling, he found an overhanging limb; he grabbed hold of it and he was dangling there with his feet in midair.

He began to scream at the top of his voice for help, but no one could hear him.  His hands began to get weak, his palms clammy, his fingers began to ache. He said to himself, "I've just got to hold on; I've got to hold on; I can't fall."

Beneath him you could hear the roaring waves and he could see in his mind the jagged rocks below, but finally his strength was gone.  His fingers relaxed their grip; he slipped and he fell three inches to a solid rock ledge that had been beneath his feet the entire time.

There are so many Christians who know they need to "go out and whip the world," but they're exhausted from trying so hard and getting continually beaten up.  The whole time not realizing the solution lies right at their feet!

The single verse that we are going to look at this week and next, in my mind, is one of those "must" memory verses.  It is also probably the most comprehensive, compact, complete description of the Christian life in the entire Bible.

It is Galatians 2:20….
Now the truth of this verse is simple:  Live and let die.  That may sound weird, but here is the central fact of the Christian life - If you are going to live the Christian life, YOU must die.  And you cannot live until you die.

Now I know that sounds like a paradox, but it is nevertheless true.  I want you to listen to the things you must do, that if you will do, you will truly begin living the Christian life victoriously - maybe for the first time since you became one.  First of all....

1.  LET SELF DIE TO YOU:

























Next week we will pick up on two more things that we must do in order to live the Christian life, but for now remember…..

Let Self Die To You,

Bro. Jeff

One of the most powerful, strongest, yet despondent words in all the English language is the four-letter word H-E-L-P.  It is the ultimate admission that a position of humility has finally been attained.  Why?  Because only the humble, not the proud, only the broken, not the arrogant, dare to use this word.

Help! - it is the cry of a college student who sits down to take his final exam, only to discover he has studied the wrong chapters.

Help! - it is the cry of a man sitting at a table surrounded by a stack of unpaid bills, hungry children, and an empty bank account with no job in sight.

Help! - it is the cry of a woman who has poured her life into family and home for twenty-five years only to have the husband she adores walk in and say, "I'm leaving.  I have met someone else, and I don't love you anymore."

Help! - it is the cry of a teenage boy whose self esteem is found in a drug-induced stupor and whose best friends are a hypodermic needle and strong nostrils.

Have you ever been in a position where you needed help?  More than that, have you ever been in a position where the only one who could possibly help you was God?

There is an old familiar story about a man who was walking along the edge of a cliff and he fell over.  About a third of the way down the cliff he reached out and grabbed this vine that was growing out of the side of the rock.  He was hanging there dangling thousands of feet from death, and he began to cry out, "Help!  help!  help!  Somebody help me!"  All of a sudden a deep voice was heard from heaven that said, "My son, I will help you."  The man said, "Oh dear God, I am so glad to hear your voice.  I'm so grateful that you will help me.  Please get me out of this predicament."  Then God said, "I will if you will do exactly what I ask you to do."  The man replied desperately, "Oh God, I will do anything you ask me.  Just get me out of this mess."  God answered, "Let go of the vine."  The man excitedly said, "What?"  God repeated, "Let go of the vine."  Panicked, the man responded, "You've got to be kidding."  Then God said, "If you want me to save you, let go of that vine."  The man pondered in deep thought for a moment, looked up into the heavens, and pleadingly asked, "Is there anybody else up there?"

I want to say to you that if you are in a position where your only help and your only hope is God, don't be discouraged, be encouraged.  Because God has you right where He wants you!

In Psalms 121, the Psalmist was in dire need of help.  Evidently, he was in such a position and a predicament that there was no other place to turn but God.  And out of this experience God taught the Psalmist three lessons that he shares with us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; three lessons that I do not believe he ever forgot.

Here they are….
1.  THE LORD IS OUR PROVIDER:





 






 
2. THE LORD IS OUR PROTECTOR (vs 5):

• Psalm 84:11 reminds us that , "...the LORD God is a sun and shield:"
• Psalm 18:30 says, "...he is a buckler to all those that trust in him."

 






3. THE LORD IS OUR PRESERVER:



 



I want to tell you today God has wrapped us in the flags of his grace and his love.  When friends abandon you, remember God is your Provider.  When foes attack you, remember God is your Protector.  When fears assail you, remember God is your Preserver.
 


Bro. Jeff

Last week in the book of Proverbs, Solomon taught us about the danger of simply putting ourselves in situations that will only cause us to be tempted.  The take away from last week’s devotion was...  When we put ourselves in tempting situations we are exposing ourselves to temptation and therefore inviting temptation.  We all have situations that must be avoided at al costs.  

Continuing in Proverbs 7 we need to say a word about what could have been avoided.
Proverbs 7:21 say's the young man "yielded" to the harlot's fair and flattery words.  If he had not been where he was and around whom he was around, he would not have found himself in such a tempting situation, and therefore could have avoided yielding to the temptation.  As with all, yielding to temptation and moral failure could have been avoided.
 
I am sure many of you remember the TV show Hee Haw.  On one of the episodes, a patient comes to see Doc Campbell and tells him that he broke his arm in 2 places.  Doc Campbell replies  "Well then, stay out of them two places!"  Good advice, would you not agree?  Someone has written what is entitled "Autobiography in Five Short Chapters."  Listen to it carefully for I think it speaks well to our subject:




The moral of the story is obvious.  If there is a deep hole in the street that you keep falling in, go down a different street.  Quit putting yourself in tempting situations.

We need to be fully aware that we cannot put ourselves in the face of temptation and not be affected.  It doesn't matter who you are.  If you put yourself in certain situations, you are only asking for problems.

Solomon observed through his window a young man making a wrong decision.  He watched him turn down a street that he should not have entered.  He watched as he was enticed and seduced simply because he placed himself in a tempting situation.

Let me give you a second lesson about yielding to temptation that we learn as we look through Solomon's window.  We not only need to learn to Recognize the Potential of Yielding to Temptation, but also:

2. REALIZE THE PRODUCT OF YIELDING TO TEMPTATION

 




 



Let me point out one more lesson that we learn as we look through the window of Solomon. Can I strongly encourage you to listen closely?  When it comes to temptation we must also:  

3. RESIST THE PULL TO YIELD TO TEMPTATION



God's Word is to be written upon the table of our heart.  We are to learn God's Word and listen to God's Word.  We are to put it in our heart.  As the Psalmist said in 119:9...
 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word"
 
How can we keep our live clean?  It is by taking heed to God's Word.  D.L. Moody used to say, "This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book."  Read the Bible daily.  Obey the Bible daily.  Let it be the guide of your life.  There are many reasons why we should do so, and none more important than enabling us to resist the pull of temptation.
Thank you Solomon for letting us look through the window with you!  May your wisdom reside in our hearts this day.

Bro. Jeff

A certain fellow parked his car in a no-parking zone and left a note on the windshield that read, "I've circled the block for 20 minutes.  I'm late for an appointment, and if I don't park here I'll lose my job.  Forgive us our trespasses."

When he came back he found a parking ticket on his windshield and a note that read, "I've circled this block for 20 years, and if I don't give you a ticket, I'll lose my job.  Lead us not into temptation."
It has been often said that opportunity knocks only once, yet have you ever noticed temptation bangs on the door constantly?

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that there is no temptation that has taken us but "such as is common to man." The word "common" speaks of that which is human.  To be tempted is only human and to be human is to be tempted.

Let me go on record and say that all men face temptation.  And all women face temptation too. Temptation is as the Bible says a human and common experience.  The question that we should ask is, are we saying yes to temptation or are we saying no.
 
Oscar Wilde, the well-known British writer once said, "I can resist anything except temptation."  I am afraid he summed up the attitude and experience of many.

Instead of conquering temptation, many are conquered by temptation.  When tempted, instead of overcoming, many are overcome.

Such was the case of a young man that Solomon observed on one occasion.  There was an evening that Solomon was looking out his window and he saw a group of young men.  He wrote in Proverbs 7:6-7:  
The word "youths" that he used primarily speaks of a son, so what Solomon saw was a group of boys, young men.  He described them as "simple ones."  The word "simple" means, "silly, naive, gullible."

I can imagine that he looked out his window and saw this group of young fellows walking down the street or standing on a street corner going on with the usual foolishness that goes on with a group of boys.  He watched as they laughed and joked with one another, cutting up and going on, acting silly.

But then his attention was drawn to one particular boy in the group.  In Solomon's own words, he "discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding" (Vs.7).  The word "discerned" describes how his attention was particularly drawn to the one youth.  Solomon spoke of this one youth as "void of understanding."  He saw him as one who was lacking in real judgment, one who was prone to make wrong decisions.
 
The reason he recognized that the youth was "void of understanding" was because Solomon watched him as he bid adieu to the rest of the group and turn down a certain street.  Solomon described the scene in Proverbs 7:8: "Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house."

The word "street" that is used is very enlightening.  It literally means a "back street."  The word "passing" means, "to cross over."  I can hear him as he said to the others, "Fellows, I got to run. I'll see you later."  He crosses the street and then turns down a back street.

Solomon watched as "he went the way to her house" (Vs.7).  The word "went" describes someone strolling along.  It literally means, "To tread pompously."  I can see him strolling casually along the street, going his merry way, and then as verse 10 tells us:
"And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart."  As he strolls along he comes upon a certain woman.  As verse 8 describes, she was standing on her corner, the place where she was usually found.  Notice how Solomon described this woman. Solomon describes how she was dressed in a very enticing and seductive way.  The way she was dressed revealed who she was, what she was, and what she wanted.  In verse 10 he speaks of her as being "subtil of heart."  She was very crafty and cunning in heart.  Her purpose on that street corner was obvious.

Verse eleven said she was "loud."  The word "loud" speaks of a "loud noise" and was sometimes descriptive of a hum.  She sees the young man coming: "H-m-m-m-m," she says, "How are you? Need some company, Big Boy?"

Solomon also speaks of her as being "stubborn" in verse 11.  It would seem that at first the young man said no, but she doesn't give up so easily.  She was very persistent.  She doesn't walk off and start looking for another customer.

Verse 13 tells us "she caught him, and kissed him."  The word "caught" speaks of how she restrained him.  I can see her as she steps in front of him, begins running her fingers through his hair, and over his body.  She began to kiss him and say, "Oh, come on sweetie. We can have a good time together."

She says in verses 16-18: "I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. [17] I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. [18] Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves."
She offers him her bed and body.  She says, "Come on in my place and I show you a really good time."  With her looks, touch, and seductive words, she seeks to appeal to the young man.  The result: (vs. 21)
Underscore the word "yield."  With her persuasive, seductive, smooth talk, she caused the young man to yield.  With her flattering speech she seduced him.

Solomon watched out his window and saw a young man "void of understanding", a young man make the wrong decision, a young man that came face to face with temptation and yield to the temptation that confronted him.  As Solomon looked out his window, he not only saw one guilty of the world's oldest profession, but one guilty of the world's oldest problem-yielding to temptation.
 
Let's look through the window of Solomon and seek to learn lessons that will help us to respond in a different way when confronted by temptation.

The first lesson that I want us to learn as we look through Solomon's window is:
1. RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL OF YIELDING TO TEMPTATION!















As with this young man, there are situations that must be avoided at all cost.


Bro. Jeff

I am mindful that our motives in giving can be very diverse.  In another look through a Bible window,  I want us to look through the windows of heaven and as we do so we want to see the ultimate motive for giving.  What is the ultimate motive for giving?  It is simply that God has told us to give.  We can be motivated to give for tax purposes.  We can be motivated to give for compassionate reasons.  We can be motivated to give because we love our Church and are excited about what is going on in the Church.  Yet, the ultimate reason to give is simply because God, our heavenly Father, has commanded us to give.  If we had no other reason to give, the fact that God has told us to give is enough.

The passage before us in Malachi chapter three gives us some wonderful lessons on giving.  It tells us how to give and what will happen when we give.  Let's consider the passage by looking through the windows of heaven.

1.  WHAT HAS GOD REQUESTED?








2. WHAT DID GOD REBUKE?






3. WHAT WILL GOD REWARD?








When we look through the windows of heaven, we will see lives that are being blessed because they gave to God.


Bro. Jeff

In Acts 20 we find the story of a young man named Eutychus.  We read in verse nine of him sitting in a window listening to the Apostle Paul preach.  Looking through this window we see a somewhat humorous story but one in which we can see three different types of Church members.  We should Ask ourselves, which one am I?

1.  AM I ATTENDING MY CHURCH?








2.  AM I APATHETIC TOWARDS MY CHURCH?






3.  HAVE I BEEN AWAKENED BACK TO CHURCH?









What kind of Church member are you?  I pray you are an awakened member who is regularly attending your church.  Don’t fall from this window.  You may not have the same outcome as Eutychus did.


Bro. Jeff

This week, I want us to look through a third window in the Bible and as we do so, let's learn how to react and respond to the criticism and attacks of others.  In 2 Samuel 6:16 we find Michal, Saul’s daughter looking out a window and criticizing her husband, King David.  
Here we find David the object and subject of Michal's criticism.  Let’s unpack the storyline.
The scene before us in 2 Samuel 6 was a very special day in the life of King David and the children of Israel.  It was a day of great celebration and rejoicing.
The reason this was such a festive scene is because what we are witnessing is the return of Ark of the Covenant to its rightful place.  For 100 long years the Ark had been separated from the Tabernacle and its God appointed place and now it was returning.

The Ark of the Covenant symbolized the presence and power of God among His people.  The loss of the Ark meant that God's presence and power had departed from them.  Because of what it had meant for Israel to lose the ark, you can imagine what it meant to them to once again have the ark in their midst.  No wonder there was dancing, shouting and the sounding of the trumpets, along with the offering of burnt offerings and peace offerings as the ark was brought into Jerusalem.

We read they brought up the Ark with shouting.  The word was sometimes descriptive of a battle cry.  It speaks of a loud noise.  The streets were ringing with the shouts of the people of God.  There was great joy felt in their hearts and it could not be contained.  Their heart-felt joy burst and gushed forth in vocal and visible expressions of praise to the Lord.

If this had been the average Baptist Church it would have been a hushed and solemn affair, with bowed heads, and people mumbling in subdued tones, "God is in His holy Temple. Blessed be His Name."

In fact, some act as if when a person is saved their feelings and emotions must be divorced from anything that is spiritual.  It is all right to shout at a ball game, but God have mercy on your soul if you make as much as a peep at Church.

The Bible says in Psalm 32:11: Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Just as David found reason to rejoice and celebrate, we have reason to rejoice and express our praise to God.  But this rejoice was short lived for the one in the window.  The bible says that Michal despised David in her heart.  The word means to "disesteem."  She looked down on David with contempt and scorn.
 
Follow the story a little further. We read in verse 19 that when the festivities were over, the people returned to their houses.  As the others, David returned to his house.  

We read in 2 Samuel 6:20:Let me take a moment and explain her words.  When Michal accused David of uncovering himself before the handmaids of his servants, she is not saying that he was dancing around naked in the streets.  If you notice in verse 14, the Bible says that David girded himself with a linen ephod.  The linen ephod probably consisted of the linen robe normally worn by the Levites.  When she spoke of how he uncovered himself, she was speaking of how he had laid aside his crown and royal robes and attire and clothed himself in the common garment of the Levites.  Instead of dressing like a king for such an important occasion, he had dressed as one of the people.  When she spoke of vain people, she was referring to the everyday, ordinary person on the street.  Are you with me??

Michal reminds me that criticism can often come from those who are nearest and dearest to our hearts and lives.  Criticism can also come from those who are perfect strangers, but in many cases, it comes from those we know.
 
Notice the way in which Michal is always described.  I think it is very enlightening.  We read in verse 16 that she is called "Michal Saul's daughter."  Then in verse 20 she is called "Michal the daughter of Saul."  She was the daughter of the embittered Saul, a man who was known for his fits of rage and contempt of David.  David was known as a man after God's own heart, but Michal was known for being more like her father.
 
You see two different people with two different sets of spiritual values. David loved the Lord; Michal had little place for God in her life.  David was committed to the Lord; Michal lived for self and thought only of herself.  David sought to give glory to God with his life; Michal sought only the material and temporal.  While David was out celebrating the goodness of God and worshipping, Michal was at home pouting and boiling with her own selfish feeling.

Verse 16 says that when she saw him, "she despised him in her heart."  She despised the devotion to the Lord she saw expressed by David, because she lacked the same devotion in her own heart.

There may be some of you that can relate to David.  I can think of a wife or husband that is saved, loves the Lord, serving God and seeking to honor Him with his or her life, but they have a spouse that is not saved or does not have the same spiritual values they do.

They won't come to Church with you and from the time you get home they are gripping about you going to church all the time.  Dinner’s not ready.  You get involved and serve in the Church. You start getting ready to go to visitation or some Church activity and they fuss at you because you spend so much time down at that church.
 
You hear such things as, "Why don't you just pack your bags and move down there at that Church. That's all you think about and talk about."  Some of you who are reading this may find your devotion being despised.

Michal brought into question David's motives.  She not only criticized what he did, but also why he did it.  She even suggested that he did it to be seen by others.  She claimed that he uncovered himself in the "eyes of the handmaids of his servants."

 I have found through the years that criticism has often come when someone misunderstood the motives of others. "Oh," someone says, "She is just doing what she does to get attention."  Or, "He just wants to be seen and get recognition."  Since our hearts cannot be seen by the human eye, we often find ourselves the object of someone's anger and scorn.
Have you been the recipient of someone's criticism?  If so, how do you handle criticism?  How should you react and respond?

Well, we can react and respond with anger, with our own words of criticism, with revenge and retaliation, or we can react and respond in a way that is Christ-like.

Notice in verse 21 how David responded to Michal's criticism:
David says, "What I did I did for the Lord.  I wasn't trying to draw attention to myself.  I was not bringing shame to you or myself.  I was doing it all for the One who chose me and made me king."

Once David justifies his actions notice carefully what he says, "Therefore will I play before the Lord." The word "play" literally means, "to laugh," and used here in this case speaks of being merry and praise.

David says to Michal, "I don't care what you say about me, I am going to continue to praise the Lord and rejoice in what He has done."  In short, David is saying that Michal's criticism is not going to stop him or silence him.  David was determined to keep praising the Lord!
When we find ourselves the object of someone's criticism, don't let the critic or their criticism discourage you, defeat you, or distract you. Just keep on living for God, keep on serving God, and keep on honoring God in all you do.

Don't let criticism stop or silence you, however, a good way to treat criticism is to do as H.A. Ironside suggested to Robert A. Cook.  Cook, then president of King's College in New York had been receiving some rather pointed criticism. He sought his dear friend, H.A. Ironside, and poured his heart to him about the matter.  Ironside listened and then said, "Bob, if the criticism about you is true, mend your ways!  If it isn't, forget about it!"

David not only determined that he would keep on doing what he had been doing, but also made the decision that he would even humble himself all that more.


He said, "I will yet be more vile." The word "vile" means, "to take lightly." "Michal," David says, "If you think what I did was taking lightly who and what I am, then I am going to take myself even more lightly."  Now he adds, "I will be base in mine own sight." The word "base" means, "to humble." "Michal,"  David says, "I am going to humble myself even more."  I think that David was thinking to himself, "If it were not for the Lord, I would not be a king. I owe it all to Him. What have I to be proud about anyway?"

David was purposing in his heart to serve God as he had never served Him before.  He was making the decision that he would honor God as he had never honored Him before.  Instead of letting the criticism stop him, he allowed it to motivate him.  The same ought to be the same for us.  Instead of letting criticism break us, we should let it build us.  Take your critics and their criticism to the Lord.  Let their attacks draw you closer to the Lord.  Let what they say and do only bind your heart closer to God and His Word.

Have you been criticized?  Are you being criticized?  Then like David, don't let it stop or silence you. Let it be the catalyst to greater devotion.


Brother Jeff

There is a song that I used to sing when I was in the Bloomingdale Choir written by J. P. Schofield.  It is entitled “Saved, Saved”.

Listen to it’s words:
Schofield wrote the song after one of Mordecai Ham's meetings in Gonzales, Texas.  Ham was preaching on the subject, "Christ Our Refuge."  In the audience was a man that had already killed four men.  This man listened to Ham explain that Christ is a refuge for sinners of any and every stripe and that the "Cities of Refuge" described in the Old Testament, are a type of Christ, who is a haven of hope and eternal forgiveness for all who will flee to Him.
Well, midway through the sermon this man jumped up from his seat and shouted: "Saved! Saved! Saved!"  Sitting there in his seat, he found Christ as his refuge.  Schofield was so inspired that the next afternoon he composed both the words and music for the song.
Now I don’t know about you but I like the word "saved."  Unfortunately, it is not a word that is popular among many religious groups; yet, it is a word that I love to use.  I just like the thought of saying I'm saved.  It is a good Bible word.  

We read in Ephesians 2:8:The word "saved" declares a wonderful Bible truth!  The word simply means that we have been "delivered."

The Bible tells us in Colossians 1:13: 
Praise God, I have been saved!  I have been delivered from the power of darkness and the wrath to come.

This week I want us to look at salvation through the window of Rahab the harlot.
As we do so, we see one that was saved and delivered from the power of darkness and the wrath to come.  In Rahab we have a wonderful Old Testament example of salvation.
Joshua 2:18 speaks about our “window for the week”.


Let's look through this window and see what it means to be saved and what happens when we are saved. First, notice with me:

1.  THERE IS THE LORD THAT WE TRUST FOR SALVATION!







2. THERE IS A LIFE THAT IS TRANSFORMED BY SALVATION! 


 


3. THERE IS THE THREAD THAT IS A SYMBOL OF SALVATION!


 
If you have been saved there is to be an announcement of your faith.  The first act of announcing your faith is following the Lord in baptism.  In baptism, you show forth as you stand in the water, the death of Christ.  You show forth by your being lowered in and under the water the burial of the Christ.  You show forth in your being raised from the water the resurrection of Christ.  You are to follow the Lord in baptism as a public testimony that your faith rests in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That act of announcing your faith is to be followed with you sharing your faith with others.  Time will not permit me to get into it, but as you read the story of Rahab you find her sharing her faith with her family.  What you have found in Christ you are to share with others.
When we look through the window of Rahab, we see a salvation that is found in the Lord Jesus, a salvation that makes the difference for time and eternity!


Brother Jeff

Up front I want to say I’m sorry about taking last week off from writing our weekly devotion. Moving forward I will try to avoid that scenario as much as possible.  With that said, for the next few weeks, I want us to look through several Bible windows.  There are several "windows" found in the Bible and as we look through these windows there are lessons to be gleaned that address many areas and needs of our life.

The first window that I want to bring to your attention is the "window" of Noah's ark.  As we look at the story of Noah and his ark, we can draw many spiritual lessons for us to strengthen us in our daily lives.

The purpose of the ark was to provide a place a shelter, safety, and security for Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed all mankind.  We read in Genesis 7:7,
I’m well aware that the storm was an act of God's judgment upon the sinfulness of the society of Noah's day, but none-the-less, Noah found himself in the storm.  Spared, yes!  Safe, yes! Secure, yes!  But none-the-less, Noah was in the storm.  And because I’m sure that some of you who are reading this are going through a “storm” right now in your life I want us to look at our storms through the window of the ark.

Here are what I believe to be some helpful things to consider as we look through this window.
1. IF WE LOOK OUT IT CAN SHAKE OUR FAITH!



2. IF WE LOOK IN IT CAN SETTLE OUR FAITH!










The last “Look” we can take is to look up.

3.  IF WE LOOK UP IT CAN STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH!





I pray this is a gentle reminder this week to keep your eyes firmly fixed upon our loving heavenly father.  In doing so we will not be distracted from our call or
discouraged by our circumstance.


Bro. Jeff

The Christian life has often been compared to a race and it is a race in which we take one mile at a time.  To be more precise, it is a race that is run one day at a time.

Someone has said:
In the final devotion in the series "Day by Day," I want us to learn the truth from 2 Corinthians 4:16 that although life may batter us, it does not have to beat us.  Each day we can become stronger in spite of what is going on around us.


This verse reminds me that….
1. THERE ARE DAILY BURDENS WE ALL ENDURE



On the other hand, we find that Paul also tells us that….
2. THERE IS A DAILY RENEWAL THAT BUILDS US UP







In a closing thought, Paul tells us that….
3. THERE IS A DAILY REALIZATION THAT BLESSES US




I pray these devotions have been a blessing to you. Even so “Come Lord Jesus”!


Bro. Jeff

As we continue looking at the occurrences of the words "day by day" in the Bible, we find them in what is often called "The Lord's Prayer."  In this prayer the Lord is teaching us to pray and how to pray.

Someone has said that many Christians offer their prayers like sailors use their pumps -- only when the ship leaks.  Another has said that we treat prayer like a spare tire -- we only use it when we need it.  However, the "Lord's Prayer" teaches us that there are some things we should pray for "day by day."

The prayer can be broken down into two divisions.  The first half of the prayer concerns the nature of God and the second half of the prayer concerns the needs of man.  We find our words "day by day" in the second half that concerns our needs.

In Luke 11:3 we are taught to pray, "Give us day by day our daily bread."  In teaching us to ask for bread day by day, Jesus was teaching us to pray and ask God to supply the daily needs of our life.

In speaking of "bread," Jesus was speaking of more than just cornbread, loaf bread, and biscuits.  Bread is symbolic of the physical needs of life.  The Bible says in Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
So what is God telling us when he gave us this model prayer?

First of all He is say….
1.  I’M INTERESTED IN YOU!




2.  I CARE ABOUT YOU!







The final truth that I see in the words, "Give us day by day our daily bread," is that God is saying….
3.  I CAN MEET EVERY NEED YOU HAVE!


I close with a story I once read about a man who owned a little country grocery story.  It was just before Christmas and one evening a poor-dressed woman came into the story and asked if she could have just enough food to make Christmas dinner for her children.  The grocer asked how much money she had and she replied, "My husband was killed in the war and I have nothing to offer but a little prayer."  The store owner was not a religious man and there was not an ounce of sympathy in him.  He laughed and said mockingly, "You write your prayer on a piece of paper and I'll weigh it and give you what it is worth."  The lady reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, handed it to the man and said, "I wrote this during the night while watching over my sick baby."

The grocer took the piece of paper and spoke loud enough for everyone in the store to hear, "I will give you all the food that these scales will hold until they are perfectly balanced." He began to put food on the scales, but to his surprise the scale would not go down.  In his embarrassment he continued putting food on the scales, but still the scale refused to go down. He kept piling food on until there was enough to fill two large bags.  He became angry and frustrated and said, "That's all these scales will hold, but you will have to put the food in the bags yourself, I'm busy."  With trembling hands and tear filled eyes, the woman filled two bags of food, thanked the store owner and left.

After everyone left the story, the grocer examined the scales and found they were broken.  The man would never forget what happened.  Why had the scales broken at that particular time? Why had the woman come in at just that time?  He never saw the woman again but through the years he kept the piece of paper on which her prayer had been written -- "Please Lord, gives us this day our daily bread."

The needs of life are daily, but the Lord has promised to meet our needs "day by day."


Praise His Name,

Bro. Jeff

• Through Joseph (Genesis 39:10), we saw how we must learn to overcome temptation "day by day."
• In the daily offering of the two lambs (Exodus 29:38), we saw how we must also deal with sin in our life "day by day."
• Last week (2 Chronicles 30:21), we saw that praising the Lord is to be done "day by day" in our life.

Now, draw your attention to Nehemiah 8:18 and how reading the Bible is to be a "day by day" exercise of the Christian life.

This week I want us to look at this thrilling scene from Nehemiah 8 and learn of the place the Bible is to have in our life "day by day."  In the text before us, we see three things that are related to our Christian lives.

The first thing I want to point out is….






The second thing I want to point out is…






As we love and learn from the bible we then…..






If your Bible could and was keeping a diary about your interaction with it, what would it say about you?  Let us all make a firm commitment this week to read our bibles "day by day."


Brother Jeff

• Through Joseph (Genesis 39:10), we saw how we must learn to overcome temptation "day by day."
• In the daily offering of the two lambs (Exodus 29:38), we saw how we must also deal with sin in our life "day by day."
• Last week (2 Chronicles 30:21), we saw that praising the Lord is to be done "day by day" in our life.

Now, draw your attention to Nehemiah 8:18 and how reading the Bible is to be a "day by day" exercise of the Christian life.

This week I want us to look at this thrilling scene from Nehemiah 8 and learn of the place the Bible is to have in our life "day by day."  In the text before us, we see three things that are related to our Christian lives.

The first thing I want to point out is….






The second thing I want to point out is…






As we love and learn from the bible we then…..






If your Bible could and was keeping a diary about your interaction with it, what would it say about you?  Let us all make a firm commitment this week to read our bibles "day by day."


Brother Jeff

The Psalmist declared in Psalm 119:164, "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments."  When he spoke of praising the Lord seven times a day he was not confining or limiting his praise to just seven times.  The word means by extension an indefinite number.  The ideal is that his day was filled with praise.  He was declaring that he was constantly and continually praising the Lord.

We read in Hebrews 13:15, "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."  As believers, we are to be as the Psalmist. We are to constantly and continually be praising the Lord.

This week I want us to consider giving God daily praise and learn some important principles & procedures from the life of Hezekiah.

First, as we look at the scene before us we are reminded that:
1. PRAISE SHOULD BE A COMMON EVENT








Secondly, let me say that:
2. PRAISE SHOULD ALSO BE A COMMUNAL EXPERIENCE









Lastly, let me say that:
3. PRAISE SHOULD BE A CONTINUAL EXERCISE

Let me close by just saying a word about three results that are experienced when we learn to praise the Lord day by day.  

First, I point out that praise directs our thoughts.  Praise keeps us focused on the Lord and His goodness and grace in our life.  You can't praise without turning your eyes upon Jesus and all of God's blessings in your life.  Praise enables to keep our hearts and minds on the Lord.

Also, praise comforts our hearts.  Praise keeps us from being bogged down and becoming bitter by the seemingly injustices and unfair events of life.  Praise allows us to see the good in the midst of the bad for praise forces us to see the Lord in all events and happenings of life.

Lastly, I remind you that praise glorifies the Lord.  Our praise brings great pleasure to the heart of God.  There are many results to praising the Lord day by day.

I would like to encourage all of you who are reading this and have forsaken the house of God over the last year to come back this week and join in the celebratory experience of collective worship.  Give God the praise he deserves and glorify the Lord in the midst of his sanctuary with the people of God.


Bro. Jeff

Last week we saw that as Christians, we have daily duties and responsibilities.  The Christian life is a daily proposition.  We are looking at these daily duties as illustrated and implied in the reoccurring words of the Bible, "Day By Day."

In our first study we saw these words in Genesis 39:10 where we read, "And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her."  From this scene in Joseph's life we reminded ourselves that we must learn how to overcome temptation "day by day."

This week we are going to look at the matter of Dealing With Daily Sin. In Exodus 29:38 we once again find the words "day by day" and are reminded that we must not only overcome temptation on a daily basis but we must also deal with sin on a daily basis.

The great evangelist, Billy Sunday, from the beginning of his ministry until his death in 1935 was relentless in his attacks on sin.  He was fond of saying, "I'm against sin.  I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, and I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist.  I'll butt it as long as I've got a head.  I'll bite it as long as I've got a tooth.  When I'm old and fistless and footless and toothless, I'll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition."

When it comes to sin in our life, it is something that we must deal with until we go home to glory.  Sin must be dealt with day by day.

In verse 38 we see that one of the responsibilities of the priests were to offer daily sacrifices to the Lord.  There was to a lamb offered in the morning and a lamb in the evening.  These were known as the Tamid, the perpetual offerings.  The purpose of these two lambs on a daily basis reminds us that sin must be dealt with DAY BY DAY.

So what can we learn from looking at this ancient commandment given by God to Moses for the children of Israel and apply it to our daily Christian lives now.  Well first off all…

1. WE MUST BE WILLING DAILY TO CONFRONT OUR SIN.











2. WE MUST BE WILLING DAILY TO CONFESS OUR SIN.






3. WE WILL EXPERIENCE THE DAILY CLEANSING OF OUR SIN.

1. Nothing between my soul and the Savior, Naught of this world’s delusive dream; I have renounced all sinful pleasure; Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between

Dear brother or sister I pray that when you lay your head down on your pillow tonight you can say along with Charles Tindley….

There’s nothing between my soul and the Savior.


Bro. Jeff

Over the next couple of months, I am going to focus our weekly devotional lessons toward the daily duties of the Christian.  Several times in the bible we find the phrase “day by day”.  God provides these occurrences to help us focus on important areas of our Christian life that call for daily attention.  

The first matter that I want us to consider this week is found in association with the life of Joseph, the son of Jacob.  

We read in Genesis 39:10…
With this experience that Joseph encountered we are reminded that temptation is a daily experience and must be overcome on a daily basis!


We often laugh at statements like the one above perhaps thinking of a delicious dessert that we failed to say “no” to, or a car that we impulsively bought thinking we had to have it; only to find out later it was a lemon.  There are some temptations that may not seem as severe as others, but when it comes to our Christian life, we must learn how to overcome all temptations.

Years ago, I came across a spiritual equation that I have never forgotten: "temptation plus opportunity equals trouble."  It is possible for someone to be tempted yet not have the opportunity to fulfill that temptation.  On the other hand, someone may have the opportunity, but not be tempted.  It is only when you get the two together that you have a problem.  

Allow me to point out a few things in regard to the temptations that Joseph faced.  Hopefully, they will help you with the temptations you fight this week.  

First, let me point out that…



Lastly, we must...

The story of the brave men at the Alamo in 1836 has always inspired me.  One particular story that is told about the events demonstrates the extraordinary bravery of the men who died there for Texas independence.

On March 5, 1836, Col. Travis, knowing that the situation had become hopeless, gathered his men on that Saturday afternoon and said,

"We must die. Our business is not to make a fruitless effort to save our lives, but to choose the manner of our death."

Travis, only 26, saw three possibilities.  They could surrender and face execution, or try to fight their way out, or "remain in this fort, resist every assault, and to sell our lives as dearly as possible."

The story goes that then Col. Travis drew his sword and slowly drew a line in the dirt and said, "I now want every man who is determined to stay here and die with me to come across this line."

Immediately, Tapley Holland stepped across the line proclaiming, "I am ready to die for my country!"  All but two men followed him.  Jim Bowie, lying sick on a cot, asked some of his men to carry him across.

Only Louis Moses Rose, a French soldier of fortune, failed to step across the line.  He slipped out at night and managed to make it through enemy lines.

The next day, March 6, Santa Anna's forces breached the walls and every man who had crossed that line died.

Christians are living in times when the line has been drawn in the sand.  In a world that has become so churchy and the church has become so worldly that you can't tell the two apart, the line has been drawn in the sand.

Christians, as always, live in this world, but the tragedy is that in our day and time Christians have become more and more like the world.

The call of our age is for Christians to step across the line and be the kind of Christian God desires and the kind of Christian the Bible describes and commands.

The great need of our hour is for Christians who will be a light to dispel darkness rather than a mirror reflecting our culture.  In short, we need to be Christians who are card carrying members of the counter culture, and who will not change or compromise, but will live by convictions that are rooted and grounded in God's Word.

Keep these three things in mind this week when you are facing compromise…

1.  YOU MUST FIGHT AGAINST THE CHANGE 

In Romans 12:2 Paul admonishes every Christian, "And be not conformed to this world."

The word "conform" means "to fashion like" or "to be conformed to the same pattern."

The world in which Christians live seeks to shape and fashion our life into its own image and likeness.  Daily, there is the pressure to think like the world, adapt to the world, thus live as the world.

However, the Christian is commanded not to pattern their selves or allow themselves to be patterned after the world or the age in which we live.

 2.  YOU MUST BE FEARFUL OF COMPROMISE

Dr. R.G. Lee said, "We live in a world of invertebrate theology, jellyfish morality, see-saw religion, India-rubber convictions, somersault philosophy, and a psychology that tells us what we already know in words we don't understand."

Some types of compromise are good.  When building relationships and businesses compromise can be a powerful tool, but when it comes to our Christian values & practices there can be no compromise on the part of the Christian.  It must be black and white with gray being out of the question.

There were several young Jewish boys carried into Babylon, but only four are called by name; Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  It would appear that all the others compromised with the appointments of the king, but not these four.

Vance Havner said, "If you try to be everything to everybody, you will end up being nothing to anybody."

Their eternal place in the Word of God and the testimony they left us would have been forfeited if they had compromised.  Therefore, compromise is something that every Christian should fear.

There are blessings that can be sacrificed on the altar of compromise.

3.  YOU MUST SEARCH DILEGENLY FOR GODLY CONVICTIONS

How was it that Daniel and his friends stood when it seems that everyone else seem to adopt and adapt to the Chaldean culture?  It was because they had convictions.  If one does not have convictions, they will easy give way to the pressure of the world to conform.

They would not change because they had convictions.  They would not compromise because they had convictions.  Daniel 1:8 says, "But Daniel purposed in his heart."

The word "purposed" means "to put, place, set, fix."  There were some things that were fixed and settled in his heart.

In a world, even the church world, where it seems that there are no absolutes, it is important that the Christian purpose in his or her heart that when it comes to certain things they will have to “draw the line.”

It has been said that if we do not stand for something we will fall for everything.  How true!

Dear Christian, if you have convictions while living in this world, no doubt, this will put you in danger.  But your convictions will also work as a preservative that will stand as a testimony of God’s grace down through time.

Oh, I can hear the carnal and worldly church crowd who believes everything is right and nothing is wrong saying, "You are one of those hard-line fundamentalists."

You can brand me anyway you want to, but convictions are necessary.  They not only guide us, but they also guard us from change and compromise.

Long ago, William Law warned that the world is now a greater enemy to the Christian than it was in apostolic times:  "It is a greater enemy, because it has greater power over Christians by its favors, riches, honors, rewards, and protection than it had by the fire and fury of its persecutors.  It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance of enmity.  Its outward profession of Christianity makes it no longer considered as an enemy, and therefore the people are easily persuaded to resign themselves up to be governed and directed by it."

In a world in which the majority of Christian seem comfortable and conformed to this world, dare to be a Daniel.  Draw the line in the sand.  It may not be popular, but it will be worth it.

In closing let me say that I’m proud to be a card-carrying member of the counter culture!


Brother Jeff Sizemore

Everyone knows that the basic job description of the church was given by the Lord Jesus Christ in The Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

First, we are to teach all nations or (make disciples) by winning people to Jesus.  Then we are to mark disciples by baptizing them into the church.  Then we are to mature disciples by teaching them the Word of God.  All of this can be summarized by the word RECONCILIATION.

We are told in II Corinthians 5:18 that God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.  Reconciliation is simply when we take the hand of a sinner and place it in the hand of the Savior, and the result is salvation.

But the text before us gives what I believe to be one other ministry of the church.  We are not only to make disciples, mark disciples, and mature disciples, but we are also to mend disciples. This is the ministry of RESTORATION.

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

You can sum up the function of the church in two words:  reconciliation and restoration. Reconciliation is our ministry to fallen sinners.  Restoration is our ministry to fallen saints.
Fanny Crosby wrote a great old hymn called "Rescue the Perishing."  You can see both ministries recorded in this song:

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying. (this is the ministry of reconciliation)
Weep o'er the erring one, lift up the fallen. (this is the ministry of restoration)

In Galatians 6:1 Paul is dealing here with a situation of a broken brother; someone who has been sabotaged by Satan, ambushed by the adversary, and has fallen into sin.  In military terms we would call them "casualties of war."

Now it is important to understand he is not talking here about an unbeliever, a person who lives in unbroken sin and rejects God.  This is a brother who is overtaken.  The word there means "to be caught by surprise."  In other words, this Christian was not out looking for sin, but because he wasn't looking for it, he tripped and fell into it.

Paul tells us in these two verses:

1. What needs to be done
2. WHO needs to do it
3. The WAY it is to be done
4. And WHY it should be done.

He gives us a clear description of the ministry of restoration.

The law of Moses has ten commandments, but the law of Christ has just one - LOVE.  Our ministry is RESTORATION, our manner is a spirit of MEEKNESS, but our motive is the LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST.  "Tender loving care" is not a new concept.  Paul was preaching it 2,000 years ago.

One of the ways you can know that you are saved is if you love your brother in Christ.  We are told this in 1 John 3:14...

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

So one test of whether or not you are saved is:  Do you love your brother?  But what is the test of whether or not you love your brother?  How can you really know that you love your brother the way Jesus wants you to love him.

Well, here is the acid test:  If you really love your brother in Christ, when he is cut, you feel the wound.  When he falls, you feel the pain.

The first question ever asked by a human being recorded in human history was this one:  "Am I my brother's keeper?"  Well Paul gives the answer unequivocally here – Yes, I am!  I am responsible TO my brother. I am responsible WITH my brother. I am responsible FOR my brother.

Every empty spot and every empty pew in our church represents some member who has fallen. Many of them will get up if we will just be about the business of mending broken brothers.
So for those of you who want to please the Lord this week, find a sinner and tell them about the love of Jesus Christ and the judgment that is to come and participate in the ministry of Reconciliation.  But also look for a broken brother or sister as well, and love them and mend them and be about the ministry of restoration.  Both are the calling of the follower of Jesus Christ.


His Forever,

Bro. Jeff

The year was 1995. It was called "Global Mission with Billy Graham."  It took over a year to pull off and by the end of the event it would be the largest single evangelistic effort in the history of Christianity.

Bob Williams who was the Director of International Ministries for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, had set an incredible goal:  Through the medium of satellite technology, he wanted to reach the largest audience ever to hear a series of messages by Billy Graham.  In order to appreciate the size and scope of what he was trying to pull off, these are just some of the things that were involved:

• 185 countries participated by satellite. 
• The event was broadcast in 117 different languages. 
• It took over 300 hours of transmission time from 10 uplink antennas to 29 time zones, using 30 different satellites. 
• 1 billion people viewed the broadcast television special in 117 countries all at the same time.
• It took 10 miles of video and audio cable. 
• 45 digital beta cam recorders (the most in any one location of the world) 
• Digital trans-Atlantic satellite transmission 
• 75 technical personnel on a 24-hour per day schedule 
• Equipment valued at $15 million.

Dear Christian, can you imagine speaking to, and being heard by one billion people at the same time?  Let me ask you a question.  If you could speak to the nearly 9 billion people alive on this planet right now and you could only say 4 words to them, what would you say?  Here is what I would say?  I would say what one-day every person who has ever lived is going to say and that is…."Jesus Christ is Lord."

The name Jesus literally means "Jehovah saves."  Jesus is His HUMAN NAME.  As Jesus, He is our mediator.  He stands between sinful man and holy God.  As sinless man He takes the hand of God; and as saving God, He takes the hand of man and joins the two together and becomes our MEDIATOR.

1 Timothy 2:5  For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

He is also called Jesus Christ.  The name Christ literally means "Anointed One."  Christ is His HOLY NAME.  As Christ He is our Messiah.  The Jesus of the New Testament is the Messiah of the Old Testament.   Jesus is not only the Gentile Savior, He is the Jewish MESSIAH.

But His last name is the name which is above every name, which one day everyone will say, and that is, Lord.  Lord is His HEAVENLY NAME.  As Lord He is our MASTER.

Now the name Lord has several meanings. It could mean Sovereign, it can mean Master, it can mean Ruler, it can mean King. They are all so rich because they describe the way we relate to Jesus, and the way He relates to us.

A great preacher once said:
"Let a man get right on the lordship of Christ and he is right all down the line on every issue.  It means that the flagship of the fleet is the lordship of Christ, and if that ship leads all the other ships—— church membership, fellowship, discipleship, stewardship, worship, will follow the flagship!"

So, the question before you today is not “Is Jesus Christ Lord?” That has been established whether you believe it or not.  The question is:  Is He your Lord?  To help you answer that ask yourself these 4 questions:

1. Why did Jesus die? 
2. Why was Jesus buried? 
3. Why was Jesus raised from the dead? 
4. Why is He alive and reigning on the throne of the universe right now?

Now the answer usually given to that is:  "To save us from our sins."  That is a good answer, but it is only a partially true answer. Here is a more thorough answer to that question?  Romans 14:9 says this...
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
 
Jesus did not just die to cleanse you as Savior, He died so that you can claim him as Lord. In fact, that is exactly the way we are to preach the Lord Jesus. Paul said in 2 Cor. 4:5....
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

Now Jesus is our Savior, and He is also our Redeemer, and we are to preach Him as both.  But we are primarily to preach Jesus Christ as Lord.  If you have asked God to save, then you have made the greatest decision that you could ever make, but in reality, you really made your last decision.  Because the moment you come to Jesus Christ as Lord, He is to make all the decisions from then on.  You are just to carry them out.

When the Apostle Paul met Jesus on the Damascus Road, he asked him the two greatest questions anybody could ever ask.  The first question he asked was before he got saved; the second question he asked was after he got saved.

The first question was: "Who art thou Lord?"  We understood just exactly who the Lord was and who the Lord is.  His second question was: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:5-6)

Jesus saves us as Lord, and therefore we are to serve Him as Lord.   That is why the bible says in Romans 10:9….
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
 
If you are reading this today and saying to yourself, "Well, I have accepted Jesus as my Savior, but I've never received Him as my Lord," then you do not understand the gospel and the cross of Christ.   We do not dissect Jesus and take Him as savior and refuse Him as our Lord.  We are to receive Him as Lord and Savior.

On a similar note, we cannot make Jesus Lord.  God has already done that because in Acts 2:36 it tells us...
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

 If we are simply looking for eternal fire insurance then we mustn’t come to Jesus because He's not an insurance agent, He is Lord of all!

So, the question is not: "Is Jesus Christ Lord?"  That has been settled.  The question is: "Is He your Lord?"  Have you surrendered your life to Him?  If not, stop what you are doing right now, bow your head and acknowledge His rightful ownership over your life.  Declare Him to be “Your Lord” today!


Bro. Jeff

Psalms 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

You have got to stop listening to yourself.  Of all the voices that can lead you astray, your own voice may be the deadliest.  David was in the throes of depression when he spoke to himself--- “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?”  He chose to stop listening to himself and started talking to himself.  David probed even deeper, “O my soul, why are you disquieted in me (in turmoil)?”

When you are depleted and depressed, you are not thinking right.  Words are the overflow of the heart, and it is not healthy or helpful to listen to yourself when you are in a pit.  Your heart will chastise you, condemn you, and take you further down into despair.

You must speak the Truth to your own heart.  Find a Scripture that address your situation.  You need to hear Truth---God’s Word is truth.  Re-uttering some lie the Devil has whispered in your ear will never have a “lifting effect.”  David moped around for a year or so under a heavy cloud of guilt.  He never would have found restoration by feeding on the trash coming out of his heart.  Follow David’s example after a failure. Have the courage to verbally confront yourself. Instead of talking to another human, give yourself a truth-talk.

If you have messed up—'fess up. Tell God the real things. You don’t need to confess the same thing numerous times.  Admit it to God once, and then thank Him for forgiveness.  It is not God’s will for you to spend endless days moping and mourning.  When you fall down, don’t stay down.  God’s grace is far greater than your guilt.  Tell yourself to “Get Up!”

Do this immediately.  Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself.  Here’s the rest of David’s speech to his troubled heart: “Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” (Ps. 42:5).   He went from the Pit to Praise—And you can too!

Author

Harold Vaughan

It was June 18, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo. The French under the command of Napoleon were fighting the Allies (British, Dutch, and Germans) under the command of Wellington. The people of England depended on a system of semaphore signals to find out how the battle was going. One of these signal stations was on the tower of Winchester Cathedral.
 
Late in the day it flashed the signal: "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N- - -D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D- -." Just at that moment one of those sudden English fog clouds made it impossible to read the message. The news of defeat quickly spread throughout the city. The whole countryside was sad and gloomy when they heard the news that their country had lost the war.
 
Suddenly the fog lifted, and the remainder of the message could be read. The message had three words, not two. The complete message was: "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N-----D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D-----N-A-P-O-L-E-O-N!" It took only a few minutes for the good news to spread. Sorrow was turned into joy, defeat was turned into victory!
 
So it was when Jesus was laid in the tomb on Wednesday Evening. The message was He was dead. Those that followed Jesus were so discouraged. It seemed that everything they had believed had been dashed against the cross. But on the morning of the third day, we got a new message. The discouragement and defeat of His followers was turned into joy and triumph. He had risen from the dead!
 
Romans 1:3-4  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
 
The word “declared” carries the basic idea of marking off boundaries. From that term comes our English horizon, which refers to the demarcation line between the earth and the sky. In an infinitely greater way, the divine sonship of Jesus Christ was marked off with absolute clarity in His incarnation. Easter, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead, declares that Jesus is the divine Son of God. The resurrection only confirms who He is.
 
The resurrection also confirms that what He did on the cross had been accepted by the Father. He was raised as a testimony that the work of salvation was complete. When Jesus died on the cross He was dying as a sacrifice for our sins. The resurrection confirmed that His sacrifice had been accepted by the Father. Therefore, we can sing:
 
Tis done, tis done,
The great transaction tis done.
 
Dear Brother or sister walk today in the assurance that what was accomplished at the cross was the finished work of God.  Nothing more needs to be done but for the repentant sinner to believe in that finished work.  We don’t work FOR victory, we work FROM victory!
 
Bro. Jeff

I recently read about a Good Friday service in a black Baptist Church that I would like to have been in. Let me share the events of that service.  During the service, seven preachers preached back to back on the subject of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. When it got down to the seventh and last preacher, you would have thought all that could have been said had been said. Yet, an old black pastor got up and entered the pulpit. He looked at the congregation and started softly,
 
"You may be living on Friday, but Sunday's coming."
 
Well that caused one of the deacons to yell out, "Preach Brother! Preach!"
 
That was all the encouragement that the old preacher needed. He came on louder and said, "It was Friday, and Mary was crying her eyes out and the disciples were running in every direction, like sheep without a shepherd. But that was Friday, yet Sunday's coming!"
 
Well by this time people in the congregation started to pick up on the message. Women were waving their hands in the air shouting, "Well, well." Some of the men were yelling, "Keep going." He picked up the volume even more and said, "It's Friday, The cynics were looking at the world and saying, 'As things have been, so shall they be.' But those cynics didn't know that it was only Friday. Sunday's coming!"
 
He got even more louder as he went along and kept saying, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming." By the time he got to the end of the service, he yelled, "Its Friday," and the whole church yelled back in one accord, "But Sunday's coming."
 
This Friday is what is referred to as “Good Friday,” that was the day when the angry mob was shouting, "Crucify Him; crucify Him.”  One could have heard his devilish and sinister laugh in the background. When Jesus breathed His last breath and His head slumped upon a breathless chest, how all of the demons of hell must have broke forth in celebration and jubilation.
 
The kingdom of darkness must have reverberated with cheers of victory and cries of, "We've won, we've won!" And all the time, Satan sat proudly upon his throne gloating over what had occurred.
 
But, if I could, I would like to be able to go back and say to the dancing demons, "Its Friday boys, but Sunday's coming." I would like to stand at the foot of the cross, stained with blood, and shout to the top of my voice, "Satan! Its Friday, but Sunday's coming!"
 
I would like to say to all those grieved by His death, "Take comfort, It's Friday, but Sunday's coming." I would like to say to those glad for His death, "Its Friday, but Sunday's coming." I would like to say to the one gloating over His death, "Its Friday, but Sunday's coming."
 
Dear Christian, take courage this week that you may be experiencing a Friday in your life, but rest assured “Sunday’s Coming”!
 
Bro.  Jeff

Lamentations 3:40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

When I read the words of Jeremiah in Lamentations 3:40, I think of Charles Tindley's great hymn "Nothing Between":
Nothing between my soul and my Savior, Naught of this world's delusive dream; I have renounced all sinful pleasure; Jesus is mine, there's nothing between.

Refrain: Nothing between my soul and my Savior, So that His blessed face may be seen; Nothing preventing the least of His favor; Keep the way clear!  Let nothing between.

Dear brother & sister, can we honestly say that there is there's nothing between our soul and our Savior?  Is the way clear so that there is nothing preventing Him from showing His favor in our life?  Is there anything in our heart and life that is displeasing to Him?

The words of Jeremiah also make me think of the words of the Psalmist:
Psalms 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Both the Psalmist and the prophet were saying, "Lord, let there be nothing between me and God.

Someone has said that people repent on Sunday for what they did on Saturday and plan to do on Monday.  Well, Jeremiah was not speaking of such a shallow and hypocritical attitude about sin.  He is talking about coming clean before God.

Ivor Powell tells a story of an old man in Wales, who, when called on to pray would always pray, "Lord, clean all the cobwebs out of my life."

It never failed that when he prayed, he would pray the same prayer.  One fellow in the church had had enough of the prayer and the next time that he prayed the prayer, he jumped up and shouted, "Lord, kill that spider!"

Jeremiah is calling for more than a few cobwebs to be cleaned out of our soul.  He is calling for a killing of the spider.  Again, he is calling for the believer to come clean before God.

Why is it that we are not seeing revival in our churches?  Why is God's power and blessings not resting upon us, either church or individual?  Why are we so ineffective in the prayer-closet and in reaching lost souls?

Dr. Percy Ray was a very anointed preacher in his day.  They said that when he prayed you knew he was talking to God.  He was asked on one occasion over lunch what he thought was the biggest problem in our churches today.  He took a bite of food and chewed on it for a minute and then answered in his rough voice, "Sin!"

There is really no need for enlargement on his answer.  Sin! That is our problem!  It is the reason we are not seeing revival.  It is the reason we are powerless and fruitless.  It is not our culture.  It is our sin!  It is not our age we live in but our sin we live in!  It is not conditions around us that is the cause of the problem but rather the condition that is within us.  It is our sin!

Church let us begin to pursue a life of Holiness so that God can once again begin to revive us, bless us, and save our lost loved ones!


Bro. Jeff Sizemore