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Liberty Worship Center

Author: Bert Mendelson

  • Authority with Humility

    Jesus showing humility washing a disciple's feet

    Authority with Humility

    John 13:2-5 (NASB)

    2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
    3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,
    4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
    5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

    Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray Him. He also knew that He was the Son of God, Who had come from His Father and was returning to His Father. He also knew that these things were going to start that very night, so He only had a short time left with His disciples. He wanted them to understand what He had been teaching them for the last few years, so He gave them an object lesson.

    Foot Washing

    Foot washing in that day was very useful. They typically wore open sandals and walked on dry, dusty roads. These were also roads used by horses, donkeys, and other animals, so they were definitely not clean. Normally, foot washing was done by individuals themselves. If you were a guest in someone’s home, they would usually bring some water for you. If you were a highly honored guest in a wealthy person’s house, they would have one of their servants wash your feet. To wash someone else’s feet was not an honor. It actually showed how the other person was far more honorable. Why would Jesus do this?

    John 13:12-15 (NASB)

    12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
    13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
    14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another s feet.
    15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

    Jesus wanted us to see and follow His example.

    Deity

    John 1:1 (NASB)

    1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
    2 He was in the beginning with God.
    3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

    John tells us in his gospel that the Word (Jesus) was God, has always been God, and He always will be God. He also had an equal part in the creation of the universe. This shows us that He had all of the supernatural qualities of God, the Father—eternal life (having been with God from the beginning), omnipotence (He created everything in the universe), and omniscience (fully knowing the mind of the Father and the Holy Spirit).

    Humility

    Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB)

    5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
    6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
    7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
    8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

    Even though Jesus was equal with God the Father, He humbled and submitted Himself to His Father’s will. He “emptied Himself” so that He could become a man. When He became a man, He did not choose to become a rich or powerful man. He chose to be born as a baby into a poor family. He then grew up as a regular boy, then became a typical Jewish man.

    Ministry

    When He started His ministry, no one knew Him, because He had not gone to the “best” schools or grown up with “important” people. For His support, He depended on the contributions of others—some of which were women (yet another “embarrassing” thing). He had humble beginnings and a humble life.

    Death

    Being crucified was not just a shameful thing; in the Jewish law, it was a curse. Before He was crucified, He was whipped, mocked, spat upon, and beaten. A rich man gave Him his own tomb, because neither Jesus nor His family had enough money for one themselves.
    During the Last Supper, Jesus knew all of these things were about to happen, yet He still took the time to wash His disciples’ feet.

    Example

    John 13:12-15 (NASB)

    12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
    13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.
    14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another s feet.
    15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

    Jesus said that He gave us this example, so that we “also should do as I did to you.” How many times, though, do we do just the opposite? If someone does or says something that we don’t like, we get offended. We might even think or even say that we are just as important as they are. “We have rights, after all.“

    Service

    Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB)

    3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
    4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

    If we consider others as more important than ourselves, we won’t be worried about being offended or hurt. We will be focused on how we can help those around us.

    Lord, help us to know how we can help our brothers and sisters around us. Make us humble, as You were humble. Let us serve You by serving Your people.

    Give us the heart and mind of Christ.

    In Practice

    We might wonder how we can help others. What can we do?

    Matthew 25:34-40 (NASB)

    34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
    35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
    36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.
    37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?
    38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
    39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?
    40 “The King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.

    There are people all around us who need help. Are we there for them? It can be uncomfortable and even inconvenient. It might cost us money, friends, family, or reputation. If we see Jesus, in His people, needing help, are we willing to take the risk?

    Elders

    In the early church, we see that there were pastors and elders in each church. They had the responsibility to look after the needs of the people and lead them in their Christian walk.

    1 Peter 5:1-3 (NASB)

    1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed,
    2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
    3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

    Being in a position of leadership can be difficult. Many times, you have to make hard decisions, and if you make a mistake, others will be affected.
    At the same time, some want to be in a position so that they can have power or influence over people. Some even do this to make a lot of money. Peter was telling them that was not right. If we are putting others before ourselves, ungodly ideas won’t even cross our minds. We will simply want to do what is best for others. A leader should live what he teaches others. His or her life should say more than what their mouth says.

    Moses

    In the Old Testament, we see Moses who led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, defying the king of the most powerful nation in the world at that time. He then led the Israelites for forty years in the desert, while meeting with God personally in the tent of meeting on a regular basis. He had the ultimate authority over all of the people of Israel, with God backing him up, but he never lorded it over them. He remained humble, and allowed God to stand up for him.

    Numbers 12:3 (NASB)

    3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)

    Paul

    When Paul was a young man, he was very prideful. Before he met Jesus, he persecuted Christians. After he was saved, he submitted himself to the leadership in the church, and God gradually raised him up. He became one of the greatest apostles ever. God brought him up to heaven and showed him things that he was not even allowed to tell anyone else. He had authority over many churches, but he did not exercise it for his own purposes.

    1 Thessalonians 2:5-9 (NASB)

    5 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed God is witness
    6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.
    7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.
    8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
    9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

    Paul and his travel companions would even work (Paul made tents) quite often, so that they did not have to depend on donations from the churches they were establishing.

    Husbands

    Ephesians 5:25 (NASB)

    Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

    If a husband is going to lead his house as Christ loved the church, he needs to be willing to sacrifice himself—his pride, his finances, his time—for the benefit of his wife and children.

    Daily Life

    Most of us are in some type of leadership, whether we realize it or not. You might be a parent, responsible for your children, or you might be a manager or boss, responsible for employees. You might be a friend to someone, not realizing that you are responsible for influencing them in a godly way, leading them to Jesus, and humbly serving them, putting their needs above your very own—just like Jesus did.

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  • Identity

    identity

    Identity

    Identity

    Who we are to other people, and who we are to ourselves, is what we call our identity. Too often, how people view us is not accurate. We could even say the same about ourselves.
    How do we become who we are? Mainly, through three ways:
    1. Genetics; who we are at birth
    2. Ourselves; what we choose to do and become
    3. Groups; with whom we associate and assimilate
    4. God; if we let Him, God can and will change our lives for the better.

    Genetics

    Jeremiah 1:5 (NASB)

    5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

    It’s true that just because God knows the future doesn’t mean He causes everything to happen. For example, He knows that people will do bad things, even though He doesn’t want them to.
    God knew Jeremiah before he was born, and he knew you before you were born. You are special to Him.

    Genesis 1:27 (NASB)

    27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

    Just like a parent’s children are special to them, we are special to God. He created the whole universe, but we are the only creation made in His own image — in the image of God Himself.
    God did not make a mistake when you were in your mother’s womb. He did not make a mistake when you were born. You are unique; there has never been anyone else exactly like you, and God loves you — the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly. So, why are so many people confused about who they are?

    The Liar

    John 8:44 (NASB)

    44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

    Jesus said that the devil, also called Satan, is not only a liar; he is the father of lies. The devil is pure evil, and he will say anything to harm us, because that is who he is.

    Greener Grass

    There is an old expression: “The grass is always greener on the other side.” It seems to be human nature to think that other people have it better than we do. In some ways, that could be true; In other ways, not so much. The Apostle Paul went through a lot of suffering and persecution. If anyone had a right to envy others, he did. He didn’t focus on that, though. He said that he found the secret of contentment.

    Contentment

    Philippians 4:11-13 (NASB)

    11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
    12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
    13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

    Paul was saying that he had times when he was prosperous, and there were times when he suffered need. There were times when he had plenty to eat, and times when he went hungry. He learned, though, how to be content in every circumstance. In verse 13, he said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” That doesn’t mean that he can become Superman. It does mean that he can rejoice in who he is in Christ, knowing that Jesus will provide for him and never leave him alone.

    Part of the Body

    We might think that we have nothing to offer others around us, or that what they have or who they are is so much better than what we have or who we are. Paul said that was not the case; we are all important in the eyes of God.

    1 Corinthians 12:20-22 (NASB)

    20 But now there are many members, but one body.
    21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
    22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

    We might think that we have nothing to offer others around us, or that what they have or who they are is so much better than what we have or who we are. Paul said that was not the case; we are all important in the eyes of God.

    Our Part

    Philippians 2:12-13 (NASB)

    12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
    13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

    Jesus paid the price for our sins. We can’t earn our way to heaven. At the same time, God expects us to do our part. We need to trust Him that He knows what He is doing, and He is working for our own good.

    Romans 8:28 (NASB)

    28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

    Just like we saw with Paul, we need to learn how to trust God and be content with who we are and where we are. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t work to be better; of course we should. We just need to be content wherever we are, whether or not we “succeed.”

    Pride

    Pride can be a tricky thing. One minute, you think you are better than others. The next minute, you find out that you’re not, and your world is shattered. Jesus gave us the perfect example of humility.

    Philippians 2:5-8 (NASB)

    5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
    6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
    7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
    8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

    Jesus knew Who He was. He knew that He was God. At the same time, He knew that His place was to willingly submit Himself to His Father. Sometimes, that could be very hard.

    Matthew 14:35-36 (NASB)

    35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by.
    36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

    If we put the needs and desires of those around us above our own (as Jesus did), we will find that place of contentment, and won’t be looking to be someone or something else. We can find happiness in our place in Jesus.

    Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB)

    3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
    4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

    Groups

    1 Corinthians 15:33 (NASB)

    33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

    Have you ever seen how people who have been married for a long time start to look more like each other? Quite often, they can even finish each other’s sentences. We influence the people around us, and they influence us. It might be for the better or for the worse. Paul warned the Corinthians and the Ephesians about that.

    Ephesians 5:6-8 (NASB)

    6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
    7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;
    8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

    Another old saying is, “You are what you eat.” If the only people we associate with are bad, and the only things we hear are lies, we will start to believe them. We will probably also start to spread these same lies to others, because we now think that they are true.
    We see that the opinions of other people can be false, and even our own opinions can be false. So, how can we find out what is true? What is our true identity?

    What Does God Say?

    Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB)

    20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
    21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

    When we give our lives to Jesus, we are “born again.” Since I was born in the United States, I am a citizen of that country. When I was born again, I became a citizen of that eternal country. My citizenship is part of my identity.

    John 15:14-15 (NASB)

    14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you.
    15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

    Jesus said that we are His friends, not His slaves, if we do what He commands us to do.

    Romans 8:14-15 (NASB)

    14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
    15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

    If we are led by the Spirit of God, we have become sons (and daughters) of God. We are led by the Spirit of God by:
    • Coming to Jesus, turning away from our sins, and asking Him to forgive us.
    • Doing God’s will.
    • Spending time with God every day (in prayer and worship).

    Identity

    God created you and loves you. You are special to Him. Focus on Him and enjoy His presence, then you won’t get confused by this world. You will know who you are in Christ: a child of God, beloved by his or her Father!

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  • Abundant Life

    man facing clouds during golden time

    Abundant Life

    Life

    John 10:10 (NASB)

    “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

    An abundant life — that’s what we all want. Why does it seem so elusive? Jesus said that He came so that we could “have life, and have it abundantly.” So, why don’t we always feel that “abundant life?”

    The Thief

    In the scripture above (John 10:10), Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” The thief here ultimately refers to Satan. Satan was an angel who became so prideful that he actually challenged God.

    Isaiah 14:12-14 (NASB)

    12 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!
    13 “But you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.
    14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.

    We might think that was pretty dumb. How could any created person or thing be powerful enough to overthrow God? That is a perfect example of how pride can blind us to even the most obvious things. No one, no matter how powerful or intelligent they are, can even come close to approaching the infinite power and intelligence of God.
    Since God judged him, Satan now hates God. Because we were created in the image of God, Satan hates us, too. He wants to do everything he can to destroy us. If he can’t destroy us, he will try to make us miserable.

    Other People

    Many people think that having a lot of things will make them happy. Some people are even willing to take things from other people, because that seems easier to them.

    Proverbs 1:18-19 (NASB)

    18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives.
    19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors.

    Stealing actually destroys the life of the thief. They think they are getting ahead; they think they are creating an abundant life, but they aren’t. They are ruining their own lives, even if they have many things.

    Ourselves

    Luke 12:15 (NASB)

    Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

    We spend our lives going to school, work, or other places. We work jobs, so we can make money. Then, we spend the money to buy things. Do we own our possessions, or do they own us? If we are living to simply get more things, thinking that will make us happy, we are in for a rude awakening. Jesus said that even if you have a lot of things, they won’t bring you real life — something worth living for.

    Building

    Psalm 127 (NASB)

    1 <A Song of Ascents, of Solomon.>
    Unless the LORD builds the house,
    They labor in vain who build it;
    Unless the LORD guards the city,
    The watchman keeps awake in vain.
    2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
    To retire late,
    To eat the bread of painful labors;
    For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
    3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD,
    The fruit of the womb is a reward.
    4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
    So are the children of one’s youth.
    5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed
    When they speak with their enemies in the gate.

    Solomon was king of Israel, King David’s son. He was the richest and wisest person in the world. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines (wives, but without the rights that full wives had). He had an army that could conquer any other army in the world. He used this to expand his kingdom more than anyone before him.
    Even with everything that he had in this life, he recognized that without God, none of it mattered. “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” (Psalm 127:1) Building a life, or things in a life, without God is useless. Even if you have short-term success, it won’t last.

    The Curse

    Adam and Eve had it made in the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, they gave in to temptation. Because of that, God cursed us work much harder in order to survive.

    Genesis 3:17-19 (NASB)

    17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat from it;
    Cursed is the ground because of you;
    In toil you will eat of it
    All the days of your life.
    18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
    And you will eat the plants of the field;
    19 By the sweat of your face
    You will eat bread,
    Till you return to the ground,
    Because from it you were taken;
    For you are dust,
    And to dust you shall return.”

    We know all too well that it takes hard work in order to “get ahead.” At the same time, we see in Psalm 127 (above) how God tells us that building anything on our own is not the way to go. He also tells us that children are blessings from God. We should enjoy our families and friends. People are eternal souls. As such, the people that we influence in a godly way are all that we can bring into heaven with us. Nothing else in this life is eternal.

    The Curse

    1 Corinthians 15:19-22 (NASB)

    19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
    20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
    21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
    22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

    The Apostle Paul was another man who had a lot going for him when he was young. Then, he met Jesus, and he found a much better life. Even though he was put in prison, beaten, mocked, and probably lost his inheritance and family, he considered that it was worth it. Living for Jesus and telling others about this new life was far greater than anything this world had to offer.
    In verse 22 above, Paul references how Jesus saved us from the curse of Adam. Jesus paid the price and took our punishment on Himself. Yes, we still have to work, but we don’t have to live this life on our own, in our own strength.

    Peace

    John 14:26-27 (NASB)

    26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
    27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

    With all of the horrible things going on in the world, it’s almost impossible to have peace. Jesus said that He left us with peace. If we give Him all of our worries and cares, we can live in His peace.

    1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)

    6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
    7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

    The Bible tells us to give all of our anxiety to Jesus. What we consider major problems in our lives, is nothing for Him; He can handle them. He simply wants us to trust Him. We need to do our part, but after that, trust Him with the outcome.

    Abundant Life

    How can we live an abundant life? By living it in Jesus, with the help of the Holy Spirit — our Helper and Comforter.

    John 14:16-18 (NASB)

    16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
    17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
    18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

    This is the secret of life — living it with Jesus. Without Jesus, there is no real life. With Jesus, everything around us makes sense. What was a hard life becomes just what Jesus promised: an abundant life.

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  • Another Gospel

    Bible with gospel message

    Another Gospel

    False Gospel

    Galatians 1:6-9 (NASB)

    6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
    7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
    8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
    9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

    After his greeting to the Galatian churches, Paul tells the churches in Galatia the main reason that he wrote this letter to them. He heard that they were believing that the gospel message (God’s good news of salvation to all of us) that he had preached to them was wrong. The Galatians had some people come to them, telling them that Paul was wrong. Since then, most people have come to the conclusion that what Paul was preaching was not wrong. He was telling them the truth.

    Meaning of Life

    There are people who will spend their whole lives looking for the meaning of life, but never finding it. They will travel to far places, talk with people from other cultures, and read book after book, trying to find this elusive message. People will tell them that it is some deep, dark secret that only a few people know. Some people even say that there are many ways to heaven and peace in this life; we just need to be “sincere” and “good” (by their own definitions). There are many ideas of God. Who is right?
    Thankfully, God gave us His book, the Bible. That’s where we can find answers to all of these questions, if we are willing to read and do what it says.

    Old Testament Law

    In Paul’s day, there were some people who had come to the Galatian churches, saying that the Gentiles (non-Jewish people) needed to live like the Jews, including following all of the Old Testament laws. Paul told them that was wrong.

    Galatians 2:21 (NIV)

    I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

    Just like the false teachers in Paul’s day, many people today say that as long as we live a “good” life, doing more good than bad, we can make it to heaven. In essence, they think they can earn their way to heaven. If that’s the case, why did Jesus have to die? Did God make a mistake? No, God never makes mistakes, and God cannot lie.

    Holy Spirit

    Galatians 3:1-2 (NASB)

    1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
    2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

    When Paul first told the people in Galatia about Jesus, they received the message and believed in Jesus through the Holy Spirit. They didn’t have to do any great works or pay any money. Jesus had already paid the price for their forgiveness when He was crucified on the cross.
    These false teachers were now telling the people that they might have started off by simply believing in Jesus, but now they have to do all of these other things in addition to that. Paul told them, in no uncertain terms, that was wrong.

    Galatians 3:3-4 (NASB)

    3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
    4 Did you suffer so many things in vain if indeed it was in vain?

    True Gospel

    What, then, is the actual, true gospel?

    Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)

    9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
    10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

    Here, we see that there are two things required to be saved: confessing and believing. If we do these, we will be “saved.” Saved from what, though?

    Saved From

    Romans 3:23 (NASB)

    for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

    First, we see that no one ever has, or ever can, be good enough to be entitled to the glory of God.

    Revelation 20:14-15 (NASB)

    14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
    15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

    This is the punishment that awaits everyone whose name is not in the “book of life.”

    Saved To

    Revelation 21:1-4 (NASB)

    1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
    2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
    3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
    4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

    This is the future reward that God has prepared for everyone who is “saved.” We hear that expression, and as we have just covered, different people have different ideas about it. Let’s go back to Romans 10:9-10.

    Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)

    9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
    10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

    Confess

    Romans 10:9 says that we need to “confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord.” In the Greek, this word for “confess” means to agree with what someone else has said. It could also mean to “profess”, or make a statement of what you believe. In other words, this is not something that we should just keep to ourselves. If we believe in Jesus, we need to tell others about this. That way, they can find this same joy. Verse 10 even says that when we do this, the end result is our salvation.

    Believe

    We also need to “believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.” When we think of believing something, we think that it’s a matter of knowing and acknowledging that a particular fact is true. If that’s the case, that’s easy. If we research it, we find that there are many accounts, both in the Bible and outside of the Bible, that affirm the historical fact that Jesus lived, died, and rose from the dead. In fact, even demons admit it.

    James 2:19 (NASB)

    You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

    The “believe” that Paul writes about in Romans 10:9 above is more than agreeing with the facts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It means that we put our trust in him — we “believe in Him” by saying that we are ready to give up our old ways of thinking and living, so that we can start thinking and living differently. This is what Jesus called the “abundant life.”

    John 10:10 (NASB)

    10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

    Gospel

    The word “gospel” means “good news.” The good news that Paul was preaching was not a list of rules and regulations. At the same time, it was not a matter of doing whatever you want and calling that “freedom in Christ.” God expects us to live godly lives, according to the examples we have in Jesus and the apostles. If we do that, we will live the gospel; we will live the good news. We will live the abundant life with Jesus, now and for all eternity!

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  • Seeing the Unseen

    unseen - mountain covered with clouds

    Seeing the Unseen

    Eternal

    2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NASB)

    17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
    18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

    Paul wrote these words while both he and his readers were suffering intense persecution. They had lost many of their friends, had their possessions stolen, were beaten, and even killed. He still refers to it as “momentary, light affliction” (2Cor.4:17). How is this possible?
    It’s like how we don’t see the stars during the day. They don’t go hide somewhere until nighttime, then suddenly pop out. The light from the sun is just so much brighter than the dim light from the stars. The stars are simply overshadowed.
    Paul was comparing their very real suffering to eternal glory, and he said that it was “beyond all comparison.” Compared to eternity, everything else in this life fades away.

    Earthly Tent

    2 Corinthians 5:1 (NASB)

    1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

    A tent is not a permanent structure. It keeps the rain off, and gives some privacy. It’s not very durable, though, and it provides very little protection (it’s not somewhere you want to be with a tornado coming).
    Paul is saying that our heavenly, glorified bodies are part of what can’t even be compared to what we have now.
    I am constantly amazed by the incredibly intricate, complex, wonderful creation that God has given each one of us with our bodies. At the same time, they can get sick, injured, have parts wear out, and eventually, fail.
    When we are young, our bodies are in pretty good shape, and it’s tempting to put all of our attention on our looks. We see that with many TV and movie actors. When they get old, they get one surgery after another, trying to keep this old tent looking like it used to. At some point, it just doesn’t work. God has an eternal solution.

    Heavenly Dwelling

    2 Corinthians 5:2-3 (NASB)

    2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,
    3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked.

    God has a much better plan for us. This earthly tent, this body, will pass away. Our souls and spirits will live on forever, though. God will create a new body for each one of us — one that is not burdened by sin the way this one is. The new body will be eternal; it will never decay. Since it won’t be tainted by sin, we will be able to be in the presence of God in a much greater way. That is an experience that we can’t really imagine.

    Groaning

    2 Corinthians 5:4 (NASB)

    4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

    Yes, we have all groaned in this body — usually because we pulled a muscle or got injured or maybe even the dreaded paper cut. Paul is talking about something much deeper. Our spirits groan within ourselves, because we long to be with our Creator. Most people don’t even realize it, but we all feel it. We might try to fill this longing with drugs, alcohol, ambition, or other things in this life. It can only be filled by being reconciled (brought back together) with God. Even then, we know that there is still more.

    Spiritual Down Payment

    2 Corinthians 5:5 (NASB)

    5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

    A pledge is something that we might give as a sign of “good faith”, showing that we intend to provide much more in the future. It’s like making a down payment on a house, then signing a mortgage saying that you promise to pay them a certain amount of money for the next 30 years.
    This “partial down payment” of the Holy Spirit is the same Holy Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead. He also filled the disciples on the Day of Pentecost, when they started speaking in tongues. For the last 2,000 years, He has healed bodies, raised the dead, and been a constant comfort and loving teacher. And yet, there is much more to come.

    Absent From the Lord

    2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NASB)

    6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord —
    7 for we walk by faith, not by sight —
    8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

    The Greek word that is translated here “good courage” means to be confident, of good cheer, bold. Even though we are groaning in our spirits, longing to be fully reunited with the Lord, we can rejoice and have confidence that God is with us, helping us and loving us, day by day.
    Most people fear death. Paul was looking forward to being “absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” He was fully convinced of the existence of something that he could not see. He had seen too much and experienced too much to doubt. He couldn’t wait to be with Jesus in his glorified body, unshackled from this body of sin in which we all live.

    Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

    6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

    What God begins He will complete. He won’t stop until this good work He began in us is perfect.

    Faith

    Hebrews 11:1-3 (NASB)

    1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
    2 For by it the men of old gained approval.
    3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

    Faith is what we have when we don’t see something, but we still believe it. Notice how this says that this is how “the men of old gained approval” (verse 2). No one saw when the universe was created, but we believe that it was created (because it exists). I have never seen my great-great-great-grandfather, but I believe that he lived. This is simple logic; that’s easy. Sometimes, God calls us to believe things that are not logical.
    Having faith is seeing the unseen, believing in something that we can’t touch. If we are to live an overcoming, godly life, though, it is vital.

    Pleasing God

    Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)

    6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

    If we want to please God, we have to have faith; we have to believe Him; we have to see the unseen. Pleasing God requires us to “believe that He is” (even though we have never actually seen Him) “and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (even though that doesn’t always happen).
    There are certain people whom I know are good. If someone told me that they did some horrible thing, I probably wouldn’t believe them, because that has not been my experience with them. It’s the same way with God. I have walked with Him for many years, and I have seen Him do amazing things in my life and in the lives around me. Faith gets easier with practice and experience.
    God is always good, even when we don’t or can’t see it. His love is always with us, even when we don’t feel it.

    Seeing the Unseen

    We live our whole lives depending on our five senses. God wants us to go beyond that. He wants us to see the unseen and believe the unbelievable. When we do that, we will enter into a world that few people will ever experience on this earth.

    We will live in the supernatural.

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  • Unveiled

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    Unveiled

    The Veil

    2 Corinthians 3:12-14 (NASB)

    12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,
    13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.
    14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.

    Paul was telling the Corinthians about the veil that existed over the minds of many Jews in his day. He referred to a veil that Moses used many years prior.

    Moses

    Exodus 34:33-35 (NASB)

    33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
    34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded,
    35 the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

    When Moses would speak with the people, he would remove the veil, so that he could be understood clearly. After that, he would replace the veil. He was probably somewhat self-conscious, because his face glowed, after spending time meeting with God. Moses also removed the veil while speaking with God, out of respect and recognition that God sees and knows everything anyway.
    The Jews revered Moses, probably more than he deserved. In Hebrews, the writer is explaining how Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, because Jesus built the house, and Moses is simply a part of the house.

    Hebrews 3:3-6 (NASB)

    3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.
    4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
    5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;
    6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

    The Law

    Moses was definitely an incredibly faithful, humble servant of God. At the same time, he was just a servant. God used him to bring the “Law” to His people, the Jews. This included the Ten Commandments, along with many other laws. These laws were to show the Jews how to live, get along with each other, and how to worship God. They also showed how simply following the letter of the Law was not sufficient, as Paul writes in Romans 8:1-4.

    Romans 8:1-4 (NASB)

    1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
    2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
    3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
    4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

    Jesus came to bring us a better way — the way of the Spirit of Life. Unfortunately, the Jews of that day could not see how Jesus was the fulfillment of what Moses, the Law, and the prophets had predicted many years before this. Because they did not want to believe, they missed the point. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God had been planning and arranging people, kingdoms, places, and events, so that people could see His salvation. We can only see what we choose to see, though.

    The Veil of the Law

    2 Corinthians 3:14-16 (NASB)

    14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
    15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;
    16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

    The “veil” that was blinding the Jews was the Old Testament Law, symbolized by Moses. Moses was a godly servant. The Law was good and holy. People had taken what were good things and made them stumbling blocks, so they could not see what was right in front of them. The only way to see clearly is to turn to the Lord (verse 16). I have experienced this in my own life, and I have seen it in the lives of many others.

    Educated Ignorance

    Being very intelligent and very educated is not always what we need. If someone is out in a wilderness with no one around to help, and they need to survive on their own, they need to know what plants are safe to eat. They need to know how to catch and cook fish and other animals. Their extensive training in electrical engineering might be great, but it won’t help them in this situation.

    Intelligent Believers

    1 Corinthians 1:26-30 (NASB)

    26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
    27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
    28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
    29 so that no man may boast before God.
    30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

    Salvation from sin and death is so simple that anyone can believe. At the same time, God is so wonderful that no one can comprehend all that He is and does.

    The Purpose of the Bible

    God wants a relationship with each one of us. When we exchange this relationship for learning and following rules, we miss the whole point. The Bible is God’s word. He has given this to us to lead us to Himself. When we use it to create patterns and formulas, only so that we can get what we want out of this life, we are being incredibly shortsighted. This would be like a couple who fall in love and get married. After they are married, one of them decides that they have this whole “marriage thing” figured out. They can go live their own life, doing whatever they want, and when they need or want something, they can come home and ask for it. If they don’t receive it, they will blame their spouse.

    Liberty

    The Old Testament Law was good, but people had turned it into a trap. They thought that by following certain rituals, they could get the blessings of God. It’s easy to do that same thing today. We might think that by simply doing certain things, such as volunteering or giving or memorizing scriptures, we can obtain the blessings of God. We can even be involved in “ministry” and lose perspective of the main purpose — Jesus.

    2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NASB)

    16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
    17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
    18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

    We can have liberty — freedom — when we are “in the Spirit.” When we meet with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will find true freedom. When we make our Christian lives a list of dos and don’ts, we lose sight of Jesus.

    Remove the Veil

    This life, this world, and all the things in it, are a veil over our eyes. God is calling us to be “transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor.3:18). Married couples who have lived and loved each other for many years begin to sound and even look like each other. Lord, help us to have this relationship, this life, with You — now and forever!

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  • The Unity of Love

    people, friends, together, happy, kid, person, young, group, love, friendship, prayer, church, teenagers, joyful, fun, adolescent, youth, silhouette, university, studying, people, people, people, people, people, friends, friends, friends, together, group, friendship, church, youth

    The Unity of Love

    Unity

    Psalms 133:1 (NASB)

    Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
    For brothers to dwell together in unity!

    Unity, being in agreement with those around us, is a wonderful thing. It’s something that God has designed for us. Unfortunately, life and human nature tend to get in the way, and our unity is destroyed. The Bible gives us ways to fix this.

    Creation

    Genesis 1:27 (NASB)

    God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

    In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. We are all descended from them. We all look different, with many variations, but we all have red blood, DNA, hearts, lungs, arms, and legs. We might be tall, short, fat, skinny, have black hair, red hair, or no hair; dark skin, light skin, or many variations in between. It’s easy to look at someone else and focus on how they are different. If we look more closely, though, we would see that we are a lot more alike than we are different.

    One Body

    Romans 12:4-5 (NASB)

    4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,
    5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

    When we gave our lives to Christ, we became part of the body of Christ. We all look different, and we all have different abilities. That just means that we are meant to serve as different parts of the body.

    True Diversity

    1 Corinthians 12:18-21 (NASB)

    18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
    19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?
    20 But now there are many members, but one body.
    21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

    God placed each one of us in His body, not we ourselves. If God did it, it’s perfect. If we try to do things our own way, we have problems. If every part of the body was the same, it couldn’t function. Expecting everyone else to look, act, feel, and speak the same way you do is not realistic, and it can lead to problems.
    At the same time, some people will say that we need to accept someone’s sinful actions, because they are being “diverse.” Being different is not wrong; doing sinful things is wrong. Why is it wrong? Because God says it is. That’s not being mean; it’s just being honest.

    Jude 22-23 (NASB)

    22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
    23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

    We can love someone while hating their sinful actions. It’s hard for both people involved, but that is love. Leaving someone in their sin is not.

    Love

    John 13:34-35 (NASB)

    34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
    35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

    John 15:12-13 (NASB)

    12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
    13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

    Jesus said this was His commandment, not suggestion. We are commanded to love one another. Love is both a choice and a feeling. There are probably some people around you that you don’t care to hang out with. There are probably also times when your best friend or spouse has a disagreement with you. This is when the love choice comes in.
    It’s easy to hate or be offended. Loving the other person in a hard situation is a choice. It’s one that Jesus made for us.

    Jesus’ Love

    Romans 5:8 (NASB)

    But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

    We were not just annoying; we were sinners, opposing everything that Jesus had given to us. Jesus didn’t tell us to do certain things, then He might think about dying for us. While we were at our lowest point, with no chance of eternal life, He died in our place, simply because of His love for us. He made the choice to love us, while we were unloving and unlovely.

    Love One Another

    John 15:12-13 (NASB)

    12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
    13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

    If Jesus can love us this much, we should be able to get along with each other. It could be that the other person didn’t mean to offend you. Even if they did, stop and think about what Jesus forgave you of. It’s definitely far worse than what someone else could possibly do to you.

    Forgive

    Matthew 6:14-15 (NASB)

    14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
    15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

    Jesus made it very simple. It’s only fair and just that He would expect us to love and forgive each other.

    Forgiveness is a critical part of love.
    Without forgiveness, you can not love.

    What is Love?

    1 Corinthians 13:1 (NASB)

    If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

    Paul tells us that if we don’t have love, whatever we say is just a bunch of noise. He then tells us what love is not.

    Spiritual Gifts

    1 Corinthians 13:2 (NASB)

    If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

    Having spiritual gifts is wonderful, but that is not love.

    Self Sacrifce

    1 Corinthians 13:3 (NASB)

    And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

    Giving up all of our possessions and even dying is not necessarily love.

    True Love

    1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NASB)

    4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
    5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
    6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
    7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

    Notice in this list how love always puts the other person first. Love “does not seek its own.” Love refuses to believe the worst, even if it seems obvious. It is always holding out hope for the other person. Love always gives, never takes. Love will accept a gift, but it will never demand or expect.

    Unity

    1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (NASB)

    26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
    27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

    If we have love, we will have unity. Without love, unity will always fail. If one of us fails, we all fail. If one is honored, we can all rejoice. We should always be happy for their success, never jealous.

    Truth

    1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (NASB)

    4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
    5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
    6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

    Our unity has to be based in truth. Accepting someone’s sin so we can be “unified” is not love. Love “rejoices with the truth.”
    The truth is that Jesus loves us. Because of that, we are able to love each other. When we do, we will be unified in our purpose to tell everyone else about His love.

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  • Profitable Living

    Beach-Chair-Sunrise-at-Singer-Island-Florida

    Profitable Living

    1 Corinthians 6:12 (NASB)

    12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

    Profitable

    Most of us have jobs that we go to every day. Maybe, you’re a stay-at-home Mom or Dad, taking care of young children or an elderly relative. We all do things for a reason. If it’s a job, it’s probably to make money. When you are looking for a job, one of the primary things you are interested in is how much it pays. It’s easy to get caught up in just the money, though. Why are you working where you are? Is it just to make a paycheck, or do you believe that God has placed you there for other reasons.
    In 1 Corinthians, Paul was trying to get that church to focus on living godly lives, so that they would not have sin blocking their relationship with Jesus.

    Sanctified

    1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NASB)

    9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
    10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
    11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

    The word, “sanctified”, means “set apart.” When we gave our lives to Jesus, He set us apart from the world, and set apart to Him. It’s easy to hear how the world tells us that sexual sin, such as sex outside of marriage or homosexuality, is “normal”, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is still wrong and harmful to those who are caught up in it.
    At some places of work, many of the employees take their jobs for granted, and they don’t give a full day of work most days. If someone else does, they might get mocked or even attacked. That still doesn’t make what they are doing right, even if they think they are justified in their actions.
    Paul lists other sins, such as getting drunk, cheating other people, or simply longing for what other people have.

    Cleansed

    In verse 11, Paul says that the Corinthians did these things before, but Jesus came, washed away their sins, made them righteous in the eyes of God, then set them apart as a holy people, like a bride who makes herself beautiful for her groom on her wedding day.

    Revelation 19:7 (NASB)

    7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

    Ephesians 5:25b-27 (NASB)

    25 just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
    26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
    27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

    Jesus washed us and made us clean when He gave His own life on the cross, taking our sins on Himself, and taking our punishment that we deserved. He did not stop there, though. He wants us to keep getting closer to Him. Sin will keep us away, though.

    Liberty

    Some people might say that since Jesus forgives sin, they can do whatever they want, then ask Jesus to forgive them later. In other words, “It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.” Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should do it. I can hit my head against a wall, but that doesn’t mean I should hit my head.
    We can choose to go for a walk, or watch TV and eat chips. Both are allowed, but walking is more profitable for us in the long run.

    1 Corinthians 6:12 (NASB)

    12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

    At the end of that verse, Paul says that he “will not be mastered by anything.”

    God or Wealth

    Matthew 6:24 (NASB)

    24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

    We are always serving a master. Either we are slaves to God, serving Him in righteousness, or we are slaves to wealth, serving ourselves and, ultimately, Satan. A slave in Paul’s time could be someone who was so poor that they would sell themselves (their labor) to someone else, if the rich person agreed to pay off their debts. They could also become a slave if their country was conquered.
    If we are serving wealth, we are selling ourselves (our souls) to serve it. We might think that our money and possessions are serving us, but we are actually serving them.
    If we choose to serve God, we understand that He paid off our debt of sin that we had no other way to pay. We willingly give ourselves to Him, to serve Him. We gladly give up our old lives of sin, so that we can live in His righteousness.

    Romans 6:16-18 (NASB)

    16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
    17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
    18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

    Slaves of Righteousness

    Matthew 8:34-36 (NASB)

    34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.
    35 “The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.
    36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

    If the Son (Jesus) makes us free, we have true freedom. We no longer are slaves to sin, unless we choose to go back to that sin.

    Hosea’s Wife

    In the Old Testament, there was a prophet by the name of Hosea. God told him to marry a woman who was living an ungodly life, as an example of how the Israelites, God’s chosen people, were treating Him.

    Hosea 1:2-3 (NASB)

    2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.”
    3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

    Hosea loved his wife, Gomer. He took her from the horrible, degrading, sinful life she was stuck in, and he gave her a new life, full of love and purpose. For whatever reason, though, she gave in to the temptations of sin. She left her husband and children and chose to become an actual prostitute slave. Hosea had to buy her out of her slavery.

    Not the Same

    Hosea 1:2-3 (NASB)

    1 Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”
    2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley.
    3 Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you.”

    What Gomer had done to Hosea was not just embarrassing; it was humiliating. He was supposed to be a holy, godly prophet; and example to the people. Hosea still loved Gomer, and he obeyed the voice of God. He humiliated himself and paid what amounted to a significant amount of money to get her back. When she came back, though, their relationship would never be the same. She had taken his love and forgiveness and trampled on them.
    This is how we treat God when we choose to sin. He bought us with His blood and made us clean. Then, we get tempted by the things around us that everyone else says are so wonderful. We forget how we were actually slaves to them before, and we willingly go back into slavery again. Even though Jesus can forgive us, our relationship with Him is different.

    Not the Same

    Hebrews 10:28-29 (NASB)

    28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
    29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

    We need to never forget what Jesus has done for us. Whenever we are tempted to sin, we need to stop, think, and remember what it was like. Remember the shame and guilt. Remember the feelings of loneliness and emptiness. Remember how Jesus saved us out of it all.

    True Profit

    John 10:10 (NASB)

    10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

    1 Corinthians 6:12 (NASB)

    12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

    Don’t allow the enemy to take what Jesus has given you. Jesus gave you a new life, and abundant life; live it. Jesus is willing to forgive, but let’s make a commitment to never hurt Him and our relationship with Him. Let’s live godly, abundant lives — slaves to life in Christ, not slaves to death.

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  • The Riches of God

    stars

    The Riches of God

    Romans 10:33 (NASB)

    33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!

    Riches

    When we think of riches, we might think of a billionaire, such as Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos. Maybe, we think of winning the lottery, or having a really big house and an expensive car. What if you owned everything in the world? Would that be enough? This is what Jesus said:

    Matthew 16:26 (NASB)

    26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

    Soul

    So, it seems that our eternal souls are each worth more than everything in the whole world. That’s why we might talk about someone who “sold their soul” for fame and glory. At the end of this life, we will all come to the conclusion that none of it really mattered. Our souls are more valuable than all of it.
    What does God (the One Who created everything and is smarter than anyone else) consider valuable?

    Treasure

    Matthew 13:45-46 (NASB)

    45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,
    46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

    This merchant knew the real value of pearls, and he knew he wanted this one, unique, incredible pearl. He had never seen anything like it before; it was spectacular. He valued this pearl more than anything else he had ever seen. Perhaps another person, who did not understand the value of pearls, would not have appreciated this particular one, but he did.
    There is an expression, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Grammatically, this phrase sounds somewhat silly, but it means that there are subjects that are so foreign to us that we don’t even know what questions to ask.
    For example, if you wanted to build a ship to take you to Mars, would you know where to find the materials to make the outside of the ship, and how to test them? Would you know how to design the spacesuits? How much thrust would each rocket engine need? How much fuel would you need? After you answer all of these questions, you would realize you need to start over and examine everything again, many times.

    Wisdom

    Proverbs 8:10-11 (NASB)

    10 “Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.
    11 “For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

    In the Bible, the word wisdom can mean either the accumulation of knowledge or knowing how to use that knowledge; we need both. Knowledge (facts) without wisdom (knowing how to use those facts) is wasted.

    James 2:19 (NASB)

    19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

    Acknowledging the fact that God exists means very little, unless you do something about it — the right thing. James says that the demons know that God is real, but that doesn’t mean that they serve Him. They have the facts of God’s existence and His nature, but they are not willing to humble themselves, follow Him, trust Him, and be godly servants.

    The Kingdom of Heaven

    Godly wisdom is precious — more valuable than most of what we value — but what does God value?

    Matthew 4:17 (NASB)

    17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

    Jesus preached that the “kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He spoke of many things, but it all revolved around the kingdom of heaven. Some people think that Christians have to give up all the “fun” things in life. In reality, that’s like saying that in order to have fun, I need to give up hitting myself or eating poison. Just because someone else says that something is fun doesn’t mean that it is good for me — or even fun, for that matter.

    Abundant Life

    John 10:10 (NASB)

    10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

    It’s true that heaven is a wonderful place, but Jesus said that we didn’t have to wait for heaven to experience an abundant life. What He has given us in this life is incredible.

    2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NASB)

    21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
    22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

    God’s Holy Spirit, the third Person of the trinity, has been given to us as a pledge, a down payment of what God has for us. Who is the Holy Spirit, and how does He help us?

    Power of God

    Romans 8:11 (NASB)

    11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

    This same Holy Spirit Who was given to us is the One Who raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus had been tortured, crucified, then laid in a tomb for three days. His body was being guarded by Roman soldiers. Nothing could stop God’s plan, though. His unlimited power gave life to what was lifeless. Jesus was now in His eternal, glorified body. Nothing that Satan tried could possibly succeed. God’s ways never fail.

    Romans 8:31-32 (NASB)

    31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
    32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

    We go through trials in this life, but compared to the power of God, they are all nothing. We have the same unlimited, eternal power of God’s Holy Spirit in our corner.

    Comfort of God

    John 14:26 (NASB)

    26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

    The word translated “Helper” here means “someone called alongside to help.” This could just as easily be translated attorney, doctor, or friend. Jesus could not possibly fulfill His mission of being with all of us, all the time, in this life, if He had stayed as a man. The Holy Spirit can be with all of us, all the time. He can help us, comfort us, remind us of the words of Jesus, and be with us all the time.
    We never have to feel alone, because we never are. We never have to worry, if we are in His hands. His love, power, and grace have no limits.

    Future Riches

    Revelation 21:10-11, 18, 22-23 (NASB)

    10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
    11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.

    18 The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

    22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
    23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

    What we have waiting for us is amazing, but what God has given us now is even more amazing. He has given us Himself — salvation, comfort, friendship. God’s riches are incredible, eternal, and here for us now.
    Don’t wait; reach out to Him today.

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  • Near

    person spreading arms near water and mountain range

    Near

    Romans 10:8 (NASB)

    But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart” — that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,

    Walls

    Many times, we think that God is far away — too far for us to reach. In reality, He is closer than we think.
    We know the Kenner floodwall. It’s about 10′-12′ high in most places. If you want to get to the other side, you either have to get a tall ladder and climb over or go a long way around. Either way, you’re not going to simply walk through it.

    Kenner floodwall

    We could be on one side of the wall, and we just want to get to the other side, but it seems like there is just no way. It is solid concrete. I could try hitting it with my fists or kicking it. Either way, I’m not getting through.

    Floodwall

    That’s how it seems sometimes with God. He says that the kingdom of God is “in our midst”, but where is it? How can we break through that wall?

    Luke 17:20-21 (NASB)

    20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed;
    21 nor will they say, Look, here it is! or, There it is! For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

    If the kingdom of God is right next to us, why can’t we see it?

    Luke 18:17 (NASB)

    17 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

    Pride cannot get us through the wall. Sheer determination will not work, either. Someone might think they can buy it.

    Luke 18:24-27 (NASB)

    24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!
    25 “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
    26 They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?”
    27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”

    We need a way to get through that wall if we are going to reach God. Obviously, we can’t do it on our own. We need a doorway, like a floodgate.

    floodgate

    John 10:9 (NASB)

    9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

    Since we could not do it on our own, God provided a way for us to reach Him — Jesus.

    John 14:6 (NASB)

    6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

    Many people try to reach God using many different methods and beliefs. Jesus said that He is the only way, though. We can’t just say that we found another door and try to go through it. Worse yet, we can’t simply fool ourselves and others that it actually is a door. You could even paint what looks like a door, and say that one day, if you do all the right things, you will be able to get through that door. No matter what it looks like, at the end of the day, that wall is still a wall; you’re not getting through by yourself.

    Kenner floodwall

    Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB)

    13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.
    14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

    Jesus is the only way to reach God. Every other way will always end in failure. If we follow Him, though, we can start on an amazing journey.

    Glory to Glory

    God tells us that we don’t have to stop getting closer to Him after we give Him our lives. He wants us to keep growing, keep getting closer to Him and becoming more like Him.

    2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NASB)

    17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
    18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

    In the same way that Jesus is the only way to reach God, He is also the only way to draw closer to God. Young children don’t usually grow at the same rate all the time. They might grow a little, but then seem to “plateau”, or stop growing. Then, they will suddenly have a “growth spurt”, and they quickly outgrow all of their clothes.
    Christianity can be the same way. Too often, though, people will get to a certain point, then tell themselves that they are close enough. They will just stay at that point until they die and go to heaven. For me (and I’m sure many others), that’s not enough. If God says that He has more to give me, I want it.

    Closer

    God wants a closer relationship with us. Are we willing to do what it takes to draw closer to Him? As we just read, we can see the glory of the Lord, but not directly. In Paul’s day, mirrors were usually fashioned, shiny pieces of metal, such as brass or silver. They were not as clear as ours are today. That’s the way it is when we see the glory of God; we can’t see it clearly. It could be that sin is blocking our view. It could be that we haven’t matured fully.

    1 Corinthians 13:11-12 (NASB)

    11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
    12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

    God wants that close relationship even more than we do, but He can’t be in the presence of sin, so that keeps us separated from Him.

    Future Hope

    1 John 3:2-3 (NASB)

    2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
    3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

    There will be a day when we will see Him as He is, because we will be set free from this body of sin, and we will be given a glorified body — one that is pure, redeemed and washed by the blood of Jesus. For now, we need to overcome while we are in this corrupted. Ever since Adam, we have had this curse to overcome. We know that it’s possible, though. Jesus showed us how.

    How Close?

    How close can we get? I believe that God has more than we can even imagine, even in this life.

    Ephesians 2:4-7 (NASB)

    4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
    5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
    6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
    7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

    God took Paul to the third heaven. He gave visions to Peter. He saved Joseph in Egypt and raised him up. If God loves all of us equally, as the Bible says (Acts 10:34), then we could all have the kind of closeness that John, David, Abraham, or Moses had.

    Friend

    Exodus 33:11 (NASB)

    11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

    Some people are blessed to have a good friend — someone with whom you can share the good times and the bad, someone who will always be there for you, and you will always be there for them. When you talk with them, it is easy, comfortable, and you feel safe. This is the way it was for Moses.

    Numbers 12:3 (NASB)

    3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)

    I think the humility of Moses was probably the main reason that he had the close relationship with God. The more that we can empty ourselves of our own foolish pride, the more room we make for God.

    Joshua

    Notice the hunger that Joshua had for the presence of God.

    Exodus 33:11b (NASB)

    When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

    Joshua would stay by the tent as long as he could — even after Moses left. This is the hunger and thirst that Jesus told us we should fervently desire.

    Righteousness

    Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

    6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

    Righteousness is when we are in a right relationship with God, because we don’t have any sin separating us. What are we willing to pay for righteousness? What are we willing to give up? How much are we hungering and thirsting?
    C.S. Lewis, in his book, “The Weight of Glory”, said this:

    It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (emphasis added)

    Why are we so often willing to settle for the cheap “trinkets” that sin has to offer, when we can have the priceless treasures that God is offering us?
    Lord, help us to never settle for sin, or even going “halfway” toward You. We want all of You — all of Your presence, all of Your gifts, all of Your glory, and all of the persecutions that come with them.

    …from glory to glory…

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