2 Corinthians 6
14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:
“I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the LORD Almighty.”
There’s a balancing act that must go into place here. I absolutely believe that Christ followers have no business teaming up with non-believers. Be that in business ventures, or in marriage! We who follow Christ have no business teaming up with those who follow satan! Period. I have told students for decades that they have no business dating a non-Christian, and I stand by that advice, as I believe this passage clearly supports my position. However, I also do not want to swing so far to that side that Christ followers would never have anything to do with non-believers. Some would take this passage and say, “see, we shouldn’t even talk to the pagans.” Excuse me…how can we be salt and light if we totally separate ourselves from non-believers? Partner with them? Never? Engage them in life situations where we can let Jesus shine forth through us? You betcha! Walk that balance beam for Jesus, baby!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Clear Effective Communication of God's Word
2 Corinthians 4
1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
When you try to speak the plain truth using plain language or methods, you can run into a lot of opposition. Those whom satan has blinded will oppose you at every turn. They will do everything from trying to water down the message to flat out rejecting the substance of the message. The rejection should not be surprising, but the watering down is so disappointing. My prayer today is that God’s Word is communicated clearly, effectively, and without compromise.
1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
When you try to speak the plain truth using plain language or methods, you can run into a lot of opposition. Those whom satan has blinded will oppose you at every turn. They will do everything from trying to water down the message to flat out rejecting the substance of the message. The rejection should not be surprising, but the watering down is so disappointing. My prayer today is that God’s Word is communicated clearly, effectively, and without compromise.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Patience and harmony
Romans 15
1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Patience is not one of my strong suits, although I am better than I used to be in this area of my life. I know that God has to be infinitely patient with me, so I am encouraged in the knowledge that I can be more patient. I can hold my tongue. I can live in harmony, even when opinions differ. It is not easy, but it is necessary for joining together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Patience is not one of my strong suits, although I am better than I used to be in this area of my life. I know that God has to be infinitely patient with me, so I am encouraged in the knowledge that I can be more patient. I can hold my tongue. I can live in harmony, even when opinions differ. It is not easy, but it is necessary for joining together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Transofrming Thankfulness
Romans 12
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
On this day after Thanksgiving, I again want to proclaim my love for God and give Him thanks for every good and perfect gift. May my life be a sacrifice of praise. As I daily take stock of the numerous blessings I have received, it is my desire to live in such a way, that others are attracted to Jesus because they see how He is working in my life. Lord, thank You for opening my eyes, my ears, and my heart to Your Word. May my transformed life give You the glory always.
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
On this day after Thanksgiving, I again want to proclaim my love for God and give Him thanks for every good and perfect gift. May my life be a sacrifice of praise. As I daily take stock of the numerous blessings I have received, it is my desire to live in such a way, that others are attracted to Jesus because they see how He is working in my life. Lord, thank You for opening my eyes, my ears, and my heart to Your Word. May my transformed life give You the glory always.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
God's Love
Romans 8
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
On this Thanksgiving Day, 2009, I am so thankful for the love of God and the unbreakable bond in that love. It still boggles my mind that God would even WANT to love me. It is so humbling to think that God would WANT to use me in some small way to build up His Kingdom. It is amazing to me that God’s Grace and Mercy are mine. I try to show that same kind of love, mercy and grace to others. While I still struggle in that area with certain people, I know that it is my Christian duty to love them like God loves me. Help me, Lord to live out that love every day, not just on Thanksgiving Day.
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
On this Thanksgiving Day, 2009, I am so thankful for the love of God and the unbreakable bond in that love. It still boggles my mind that God would even WANT to love me. It is so humbling to think that God would WANT to use me in some small way to build up His Kingdom. It is amazing to me that God’s Grace and Mercy are mine. I try to show that same kind of love, mercy and grace to others. While I still struggle in that area with certain people, I know that it is my Christian duty to love them like God loves me. Help me, Lord to live out that love every day, not just on Thanksgiving Day.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Sin's Power Is Broken
Romans 6
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
The NLT headlines this passage of Scripture: “Sin’s Power Is Broken.” And since we in the Restoration Movement love to cite Romans 6:3-5 in our defense of baptism as part of the salvation process, I wanted to put the whole thing in context. We die to sin when we are united with Christ. We are untied with Christ when we are immersed (baptized) into His death, and raised with Him into a new life. That is what Christian Baptism pictures. It is in baptism that we come into contact with the Blood of Jesus (His death), and are united with Him to be shed of our sin. Yeah, a little country-fied lingo there. We are dead to the power of sin when we unite with Christ and we unite with Him in faith through baptism. Doesn’t get much more simple than that, folks.
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
The NLT headlines this passage of Scripture: “Sin’s Power Is Broken.” And since we in the Restoration Movement love to cite Romans 6:3-5 in our defense of baptism as part of the salvation process, I wanted to put the whole thing in context. We die to sin when we are united with Christ. We are untied with Christ when we are immersed (baptized) into His death, and raised with Him into a new life. That is what Christian Baptism pictures. It is in baptism that we come into contact with the Blood of Jesus (His death), and are united with Him to be shed of our sin. Yeah, a little country-fied lingo there. We are dead to the power of sin when we unite with Christ and we unite with Him in faith through baptism. Doesn’t get much more simple than that, folks.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Something For Which To Be Thankful!
Romans 3
22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
I am so glad that God provide an escape from the penalty of my sin through His Son Jesus! While I fall short of God’s glorious standard (I LOVE the way the NLT renders v. 23), that standard has been met on my behalf through the Person of Jesus. My faith in Him leads to my obedience to the Gospel, so that the blood of Jesus shed on my behalf cleanses me of my sin. Now THERE is something for which to be THANKFUL during this Thanksgiving season!!!
22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
I am so glad that God provide an escape from the penalty of my sin through His Son Jesus! While I fall short of God’s glorious standard (I LOVE the way the NLT renders v. 23), that standard has been met on my behalf through the Person of Jesus. My faith in Him leads to my obedience to the Gospel, so that the blood of Jesus shed on my behalf cleanses me of my sin. Now THERE is something for which to be THANKFUL during this Thanksgiving season!!!
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