Category: Easter

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Jesus Christ, A Loving Savior Today!

For March 12, 2023
In our contemporary world, love has many meanings. It can name an emotional attraction for job, house, vehicles, classical music, pizza, that odd Christmas sweater, and that pair of comfortable jeans. To the Greeks, we can express parental (storge), fraternal (phileo), or sensual (eros) love. However, Jesus transcends these concepts when He establishes this new paradigm (my emphasis),

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35 (AKJV)

The Greek agape (Strong-G26), is the highest form of pure love because God is its power source. Our Lord is holy, and His love is without sin and selfishness. We are incapable of such pure altruistic love with our human strength alone, since our love seeks reciprocation. The Holy Spirit’s power makes it possible—although difficult—for Christians to express God’s agape love in ways that serve the recipient’s best interests.

The Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8), and He continues to express it unselfishly. In the beginning, He created a perfect habitation for imperfect humans. After we fell and sin contaminated the world, He showed mercy to Adam and Eve through a promised Redeemer, who would nullify sin’s curse and dominion forever.

God’s love preserved humanity through Noah, when sin was rampant in the earth. Later, He produced a people of faith through Abraham to be a blessing to others. God’s love motivated Him to deliver His people from Egyptian bondage, part the Red Sea, give them His Law, feed them in the wilderness for 40 years, and give them a “Promised Land.” His love foretold of David’s successor, who would establish His Kingdom of justice and peace forever.

Agape motivated Jesus to leave glory to inhabit human flesh, walk on earth for thirty-three years, and share His message of love, faith, and redemption. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, encouraged the downtrodden, and taught a most captivating and distinct message.

He showed exceptional love to His betrayer, Judas, who attended His last Passover Seder. He could have exposed or condemned him, but He did not. Instead, He gave Judas permission to betray Him, “That thou doest, do quickly.” (John 13:27) Although Judas did not recognize it until it was too late to turn back, Jesus was offering Judas a last chance to repent.

Later, while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, agape led Jesus to accept His vicarious death on the cross for our redemption. The Disciples were sleeping, and He was praying alone to His Father. He asked His Heavenly Father if it was possible to escape death.

Yet, He chose to fulfill God’s will, not His. After being beaten, spat upon, and crowned with thorns, Jesus still surrendered Himself to be humiliated, stripped naked, and crucified so that we might know His love and forgiveness.

Isn’t it ironic how The Eternal Creator made the trees and metal ore that His creation—the human species—fashioned into a wooden cross and metal spikes used to bring salvation into a sin-cursed world? What a remarkable demonstration of unselfish, everlasting love for us!

Although we affixed Jesus to a wooden cross and placed Him on a hill between two thieves before throngs of mocking people, yet He still loved us. He could have commanded legions of angels to destroy us, but He did not. Instead, He surrendered His life to pay the penalty for our sin,

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:14-18 (AKJV)

Three days later, He rose from the dead, declaring He had all power in Heaven and earth! His love raised Him from the dead to ascend into Heaven where He intercedes for us before the Father. His love sent us the Holy Spirit to comfort and abide with us while we await Jesus’ glorious return. Then we shall know His pure love in its full measure forever. Hallelujah!

God’s love provides what is best for us. 1 John 4:10 tells us we should never measure love by how much we love God. Instead, we should measure love by how much He loves us, and how He sent His Son to pay sin debt. His unselfish love makes us right before God, as He sees His own amazing grace.

Jesus Christ relinquished His deity and glory, not for what we could do for Him, but for what He needed to do for us at Calvary. No longer are we without hope for redemption. God’s love lifted us from despair into the presence of God forever, as this familiar hymn attests,

Love Lifted Me1
James Rowe (1865-1933)

I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea, Heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me– Now safe am I.

All my heart to Him I give, Ever to Him I’ll cling, In His blessed presence live, Ever His praises sing. Love so mighty and so true, Merits my soul’s best songs; Faithful, loving service, too, To Him belongs.

Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves; He will lift you by His love, Out of the angry waves. He’s the Master of the sea, Billows His will obey; He your Savior wants to be– Be saved today.

Refrain:
Love lifted me, Love lifted me, When nothing else could help, Love lifted me; Love lifted me, Love lifted me, When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.

All that the Lord requires from us today is to accept His love by surrendering ourselves to His Lordship—by faith—believing that we can have the forgiveness of sin along with the gift of eternal life because of His loving sacrifice at Calvary. As a result, you will know God’s peace and His abiding presence forever, as you bask in His eternal and amazing love. Won’t you turn to Him as your Savior today?

What a Wonderful Savior!

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How Can We Reveal Christ Today?

For March 5, 2023
On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus reassured His Disciples that His followers would continue the Kingdom work He began. His work to bring glory to His Father would not end at His death. Instead, it would continue unimpeded until He returns,

I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. John 14:12-13 (NLT)

The Universal Church or the Body of Christ is comprised of diverse members who show Christ through their effectual love for God and others, demonstrated through benevolent service to God and others. Human beings are ill-equipped to perform such altruism consistently, so God gave us His Holy Spirit to empower us with the spiritual gifts that enable us to perform admirably—consistently,

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. …It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 11-13 (NLT)

When we place our faith in Christ, and are Born Again, the Holy Spirit endows each of us with a spiritual gift we can use to honor Christ and serve others. The local church is the primary agent by which we see the fulfillment of Ephesians 4:12, equip and edify others for service or ministry.

Through our Christian service, many spiritual gifts are displayed, but we can honor Christ and benefit our churches and communities using these eight spiritual gifts,

    • Helpers (1 Corinthians 12:28) unselfishly share their time, talents, and resources to assist others. Easily recognized, they are first to respond to needs. They also shun recognition, because God will reward them. A fine biblical example is Ruth, who helped Naomi.
    • Givers (Proverbs 3:27, Romans 12:8, and Galatians 6:10) share their resources unselfishly to meet needs. They, too, respond quickly and prefer anonymity. Givers delight meeting needs without repayment. God provides them with resources to share with others. Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan shows how givers respond to the needs of others.
    • The Wise (1 Corinthians 12:8 and James 1:5) can see problems from God’s perspective and they respond appropriately. More than human intellect, the wise deliberate and act in ways that glorify God and astound people. Solomon’s resolution to the two prostitutes who claimed to be the mother of one infant astonished everyone because it was from God.
    • Exhorters (Romans 12:8) share Scripture to console discouraged Christians. Without fanfare, exhorters take great pleasure in helping people gain a renewed inspiration and motivation to serve God. Jonathan exhorted David to trust in God and stay on course as the future king of Israel.
    • Evangelists (Ephesians 4:11) can share Christ with positive results. God calls, equips, and inspires people to serve Him in this capacity. The Bible tells about Philip the evangelist at Caesarea.
    • Pastors (Jeremiah 3:15, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Timothy 3:1–7, and Titus 1:5–16) nurture people toward spiritual maturity. Not recent converts, they are spiritually mature leaders who serve under the authority of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. God serves as both teacher and leader.
      • As a Teacher (Romans 12:7 and Ephesians 4:11), the pastor explains the Bible so that others can understand and apply to life, just like Jesus, who taught with great effectiveness.
      • As a Leader (Romans 12:8 and 1 Corinthians 12:28), pastors give oversight with tact, vision, and prudence to maximize resources and provide direction.

God used Moses to shepherd and instruct the Children of Israel while leading them out of Egyptian bondage.2

There will be many fulfilling moments in our lives that show how God loves, protects, and provides for us. We grow confident that He directs our steps and will never leave or forsake us. Our Christian experiences enhance our knowledge and strengthen our faith in God and His Word.

Some believe that ministers are more effective when they have had a troubled past. However, our ministry effectiveness is up to God. It’s always appropriate to acknowledge our sinful past in testimony as we contrast it to the eternal, abundant life that we now have in Christ.

All Christians require accountability, but those who have had years of painful episodes should complete a spiritual treatment program before they engage in ministry, since untreated or unresolved, counterproductive “baggage” can surface and expose others to spiritual, physical, emotional, or psychological injury.

1 Timothy 5:22 (NKJV) tells us not to “lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.” Thus, taking vetting precautions will help lessen the risk of the server’s relapse and harm to others.

The saving of souls, growing in faith, and the serving others define ministry effectiveness from God’s perspective. This is how we can reveal Christ and glorify God, which is all that matters.

As Enoch walked with God daily (Genesis 5:24), it’s possible to accept Christ and abide in Him for a lifetime. Those of us who follow this pattern are living demonstrations of His amazing grace and miraculous power.

We can reveal Christ today when we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, so we can give a prompt response to the hope within us with meekness and godly reverence. (1 Peter 3:15) Won’t you give the Lord Jesus your heart today and reveal Him nobly to a lost and needy world?

What a Wonderful Savior!

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The Grace of God that Brings Salvation

For June 5, 2022
I am appalled by the heightened lawlessness, hostility, and violence where people should express civility, emotional maturity, and understanding. Although some would argue that humanity is growing into a morally responsible creatures and that life is getting better for humans everywhere. Yet—by nature—the human heart is desperately wicked; filled with hatred, greed, pride, lasciviousness and all forms of evil. And that outside of the transforming power of Christ, we are left to our own morally detestable devices.

But when a person feels the full weight of their guilt and shame associated with living a life of sin and selfishness, along with the emptiness from ignoring and rejecting God and godly things, they can realize that the only person who can deliver us is Jesus Christ the Son of God,

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:9-11 (NIV)

When we come to Christ, by faith, the Holy Spirit enables us to grow into morally astute practitioners of the Christian faith who refrain from exploiting others. With our growing moral consciousness, we produce the living fruit that validates our Christian witness,

A person who has genuinely repented will stop doing evil and begin to live righteously. Along with a change of mind and attitude, true repentance will begin to produce a change in conduct.3

We become new creatures in Christ and literally turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6). In the home, we attend church regularly, read God’s Word, serve the Lord and others, and pray as uniquely gifted members of one homogeneous entity, safe from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, as we treat each other with dignity and respect and not as objects of personal gratification.

The family is not exempt from sickness, poverty, death, and other life issues that affect us all. We can remain true to God and each other by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ to meet every need.

In the workplace, we are God’s faithful stewards. We are reliable and responsible for company resources, we submit to authority, we follow instructions, and we do not express petty sentiments toward our coworkers. We are also positive, exemplary team players who celebrate the achievements and comfort the distresses of our colleagues.

In addition, we are prompt, work hard, take only allotted breaks, leave when scheduled, and never defraud the company with bogus sicknesses or injuries to get time off or to collect disability payments. Trustworthy with the Lord’s resources, we will receive His eternal commendation.

Using Jesus Christ as our role model, we can improve our social condition by advancing the causes of others and treating people with the esteem and dignity they deserve. Understanding that God created us as equals in His image, we show it is possible to interact with others with sincerity, honor, and respect, regardless of class or gender.

Giving and receiving forgiveness is at a premium as we avoid keeping records of past wrongs as self-appointed judges, since we are equal debtors in the sight of God. Jesus rightly says in John 8:7 (NLT), ”All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”

Our new life influences all areas of our daily human interaction as expressions of Christ’s love through responsible service to others. Exploitation, euthanasia, abortion, violent assaults, and degrading media have no place where Christ’s scepter of righteousness rules our hearts,

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 (NKJV)

The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and we are bought with a price and belong to Him only (1 Corinthians 6:9, 20). The Tree of Life reflecting in us can heal the nations, as God promised in Revelation 22:2.

Our understanding of who we are from God’s perspective enables us to practice a pure religion that is Spirit-driven and undefiled before God and the world. Won’t you trust Christ today as your personal Savior and experience the grace of God for yourself? Your world, and that of others, will change in ways you can’t begin to imagine.

What a Wonderful Savior!

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Forgiveness Is Personal With Eternal Consequences!

For May 22, 2022
In Matthew 18, Jesus Christ offers a timeless lesson on forgiveness that features a somber warning to those who will not forgive others. His parable’s central message is that God forgives us—through faith in Christ—and He expects us to forgive others likewise.

A comparison and contrast between the Forgiving King and the Unforgiving Servant reveal some startling implications.

The man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full. When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart. Matthew 18:28-35 (NLT)

One initial impression notes that the servant imprisoned his fellow servant to recover the money by doing whatever was necessary to collect any outstanding debt. However, as we study the passage, it becomes clear that the Lord is teaching a profound lesson on forgiveness: We should have compassion on others, even as He has shown pity towards us!

We tend to keep track when we are offended and we bear grudges when we should overlook the offense and forgive the offender. We also construct a “sin sliding scale” by comparing sins as if one is more heinous than the other. Such comparisons are futile since all of us have sinned and are equal debtors in the sight of God. (Romans 3:23)

The parable begins with the Forgiving King reckoning a servant who owed ten thousand talents. The talent was the largest measurement for precious and non-precious metals for the Jews. Its weight ranged anywhere from 90 to 120 pounds, (or what a “normal man” could carry), and it represented the wages a common person earned over a “lifetime.” The value of a talent was worth somewhere between $1,000.00 and $1,500.00 in today’s US dollars. Multiply this by ten thousand, and we have a debt ranging between $10 and $15 million to illustrate our sin debt and how much the Lord forgives us.

In this parable, God is the Forgiving King who loves and forgives us in ways that are far beyond our comprehension. We take for granted the enormity of our sin debt, which has been canceled through the redemptive work of Christ. He exercised special, individualized care to blot out our sin debt and restore our lost fellowship as our great High Priest, as Hebrews 9:11-12 (NLT) tells us,

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

 Immediately after the Unforgiving Servant left the king, he met another servant who owed him 100 denarii. The denarius was the most basic unit of Roman coinage and equaled a normal day’s wage of approximately sixteen or seventeen cents in today’s US money.4 When multiplied by one hundred, we have a minuscule debt totaling no more than about seventeen dollars.

Compared to the massive debt forgiven, this minuscule debt could have been easily forgiven—and forgotten. But instead, the Unforgiving Servant explodes in anger and assaults his fellow servant by grabbing him by the throat, violently choking him, and yelling: “Pay me what you owe me!” (Matthew 18:28)

The unfortunate fellow servant acknowledges his debt, and he begs for mercy: “Have patience with me and I will repay you!” Although both servants made similar requests for mercy, there were two vastly different outcomes.

As equals, we should forgive and forget offenses because God forgave and forgot ours at Calvary. The Lord commands us to express His kindness toward others, especially those who need our forgiveness. Although sometimes forgiveness is difficult for us, Jesus warns it is required to secure God’s forgiveness. Thus, He requires us to extend forgiveness equally—to those who ask for forgiveness—and to those who do not ask for forgiveness in all other areas of our daily, human interaction.

Matthew 18:15-17 outlines a three-step process that can guide us towards radical forgiveness for church settings that can be modified for everyday use,

      1. Contact the offended person(s) for reconciliation.
      2. Use a mediator or mediators to help clarify the issue(s) to everyone’s understanding.
      3. Utilize appropriate church leadership (i.e., pastors, deacons, elders, etc.), who are led by the Spirit to resolve the matter through the Word of God and prayer.

The Unforgiving Servant suffered the consequences of his actions as the Forgiving King imposed severe punishment. The Bible rightly teaches, “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31 NLT)

Performing the ministry of reconciliation is part of a lifelong process of spiritual wholeness and harmony. Won’t you show God’s love towards others today through your forgiveness, to the degree and magnitude He’s forgiven us? Our world needs it today—as do we.

What a Wonderful Savior!

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My Peace I Leave With You!

For May 8, 2022
Through Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to God and can have peace with Him forever,

I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid (John 14:25-27 NLT).

Jesus also promises,

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33 NLT).

Regarding the peace of God, one commentator writes,

[Peace with God] expresses the state of reconciliation. Sin is the source of all discord and war between man and God, and between man and man; and hence there can be no peace until this curse is removed. All other peace is an idle dream and illusion. Being at peace with God, we are at peace with ourselves and with our fellow men.5

Our peace with God is complete and eternal. We have been accepted into His holy and righteous presence and are no longer at odds with Him because of our sinful past. Jesus says He will repel no one who comes to Him by faith (John 6:37).

Being under conviction of our imperfect and sinful condition, we—for the first time—can realize how fallacious and destructive our human pride can be. We also see the irrationality of immoral behavior considering God’s moral commands, and the futility of expressing apathy towards Christ and rebellion towards God. Once we truly envision who we are as sinners and who God is as holy, we can humbly confess that we will never satisfy God’s righteousness with our own strength.

In this reflective state, God’s Holy Spirit sensitizes our hearts about our critical need for a Savior, whose righteousness exceeds ours and satisfies God’s righteous standards, which are still in effect, despite the latest popular opinion polls.

The Spirit helps us realize that without Christ, we are under eternal condemnation because we are “born in sin and shaped in iniquity” as the byproducts of this fallen world. (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:1-3). The Spirit also draws us to accept Christ as Savior and Lord because He paid our sin debt and redeemed us back to God, so that we can experience His peace forever.

Peace translates into a clear conscience that frees us from our sinful past and opens new future opportunities beyond our wildest dreams. The Spirit provides us with peace and tranquility to dispel our anxieties and fears so that even when we face turmoil, we can be at peace and have sleep that is sweet (Proverbs 3:24).

The Helper replaces our worries, anxieties, and fears with His calm assurance and ease as we concentrate on the Lord,

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV).

Adversity, difficulty, and temptation do not devastate us because the Helper within us, sustain us. God is faithful, and He has promised not to allow anything to overwhelm us,

God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT).

With His peace, we can be peaceful toward others by not expressing ill will. The Lord sees all our works, both good and bad, and He will avenge accordingly (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19).

Ours is a perfect peace that will last forever. It is not attached to circumstances but subject to His sustaining work in us. Herein lies our source of optimal comfort (my emphasis),

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things… and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:4, 6-9 NIV).

Our past is irrelevant, since it has been nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). We stand, totally reconciled by the blood of Jesus Christ. We were once enemies, but now we are at peace with Him. This is God’s grace, and it is truly amazing. Won’t you give your heart to Jesus Christ, and experience His lasting peace today?

What a Wonderful Savior!

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