Love your enemies — not just your friends and those who treat you well. This is the emphasis of Jesus’s sermon on the mount when He says,
Matthew 5:48 NLT But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
It’s easy for us to be offensive and petty when we are offended. In fact, that is probably our default — “you hurt me, so I’ll hurt you” seems to be how our pride and our flesh screams out for what it thinks is “justice”.
But God has a different way. And it isn’t to be a spineless coward either. Mercy and loving our enemy is strength under control. We may have the strength, the ability, the opportunity, and even the self justified motive for why we might destroy our enemies, but we are told to love them — and to leave Vengeance to the Lord.
Romans 12:19 NLT Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
This advice in the New Testament builds upon what we see in the Old Testament:
Psalms 94:1 NLT O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!
Leviticus 19:18 NLT “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
The New Testament goes beyond loving your fellow kinsman and neighbor even to living your enemy. And isn’t this how Good loves us?
Romans 5:6-11 NLT When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
And such a call is beyond the weakness of our flesh and pride. So Lord God our Redeemer and our strength, you must do this in us and through us. Since this is who you would have us be. Help us to not resist your Holy Spirit and to willingly die to ourselves and be raised to life in you today. Amen.
If we were only of this world, we might be tempted to talk about measuring our own sin. We might make the discussion about ourselves.
But as a Christian, the answer is ONLY FOUND IN THE GOSPEL.
Righteous = Washed by the Blood of the Lamb.
I have no righteousness of my own because even my best is filthy rags. As a born again, abiding in Christ, follower walking in The Way — any actual good is Christ at work in and through me, not my own striving harder to appear or be seen as good.
The Holy Spirit of God grows in me like a seed taking root in fertile soil and bears the fruit of God’s character and nature. So I can’t boast or take credit or compare myself to others — because it’s isn’t my work. It isn’t something that mere men or women are capable of doing in their own but is a miracle only possible by the hand of God.
This is the gospel — that He has saved us who were not worthy of being saved, and He did it by living the life that we could not, and now we die daily to ourselves as vessels carrying the Holy Spirit that does in and through it what we could not do apart from the power of God at work. If His hand is not doing it, the most white washed, law keeping, pious on the outside is still dead and wicked on the inside, regardless of outward appearance, show and pretense.
He invited even the thief on the cross to come, believe and be made white as snow. He invites even me, and even you to humble yourself and not rely on our own works but to trust in Him alone to do the true work of making us righteous for His name sake and for His own glory — not ours.
Even any decision to surrender, believe, follow and obey is a reaction of gratitude for what He has done for me — something He stirred and wooed and called me into. Thank you Jesus!
Supporting Scripture:
Isaiah 64:6 NLT [6] We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
1 Corinthians 15:3 NLT [3] I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.
John 3:16-17 NLT [16] “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [17] God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
Colossians 1:26-29 NLT [26] This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. [27] For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. [28] So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. [29] That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT [8] God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. [10] For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
John 20:19-23 NLT [19] That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. [20] As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! [21] Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” [22] Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Acts of the Apostles 19:2-6 NLT [2] “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” [3] “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” [4] Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” [5] As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.
Galatians 3:19-27 NLT [19] Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. [20] Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. [21] Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. [22] But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. [23] Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. [24] Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. [25] And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. [26] For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. [27] And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.
2 Timothy 1:9-10 NLT [9] For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. [10] And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.
Luke 18:9-14 NLT [9] Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: [10] “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! [12] I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ [13] “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ [14] I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Matthew 25:34-46 NLT [34] “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. [35] For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. [36] I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ [37] “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? [39] When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ [40] “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ [41] “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. [42] For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. [43] I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ [44] “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ [45] “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ [46] “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
Revelation 7:13-17 NLT [13] Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” [14] And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. [15] “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. [16] They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. [17] For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
They are so sweet and special to me that it does me some painful good to see their pictures and read back through their obituaries this time of year. And having a wife and friends who will “sit in the mud with me” during this time is such a blessing.
As my emotions rise and tears surprisingly stream down my cheeks, today’s verse on the YouVersion Bible app reminds me of my own weakness being an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to do His work:
Romans 8:26 NLT [26] And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
And I’m also encouraged by my broadcast from a year ago today on patiently enduring:
Whatever you are going through today, my friends — I’m grateful for the opportunity to sit in the mud together. In fact, I’m about to head out on a nature hike in the rain if you want to combine the analogy with the reality. Much love, hugs, tears, encouragement and prayers — for Him seeing us through it. Amen.
Thelma “Nana” Edge
Thelma Edge
January 4, 1934 — January 18, 2022
Thelma Mae Brackins Edge, 88, wife of the late Billy Gene Edge, passed on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at her home in Campobello. Born in Spartanburg County on January 4, 1934, a daughter of the late Edward Curtis and Alice Sprouse Brackins.
Mrs. Edge was a lifelong resident of Pacolet Mills until moving to Campobello in 2018. She was a 55 plus year member of Brown’s Chapel Baptist Church. She was involved in feeding the youth, volunteering in the nursery at church and socializing with Young at Heart. She enjoyed cooking for her family.
Survivors are a daughter, Jean Ballinger (Jim) of Spartanburg; siblings, Bertha Harrold of Central Pacolet and Betty Hutt of Union; and a grandson, Harold Ballinger (Mandee) and great granddaughter, Mia Ballinger of Campobello. Numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by sisters, Ethel Morgan, Virginia Crawford, and Nancy Brock; a brother, Jimmy Brackins.
Visitation will be 1:00-3:00 PM, Monday, January 24, 2022, at Floyd’s Pacolet Chapel. Funeral Services will follow in the chapel at 3:00 PM. Burial will be in Pacolet Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Brown’s Chapel Baptist Church, P.O. Box 396, Pacolet Mills, SC, 29373.
Billy Edge
August 17, 1934 — January 26, 2019
Good Servant, Billy Gene Edge, 84, of Pacolet Mills, SC, went home to be with his Heavenly Father Saturday, January 26, 2019 at Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home.
Born August 17, 1934 in Cherokee County, SC, he was the son of the late Troy Webster and Bessie Norah Barner Edge. He was the husband of Thelma Brackins Edge for 67 years. Billy started his lifelong career as a carpenter with Fiske-Carter Construction Company for 40 years, then ending it with Roebuck Buildings Co. Inc.
He was a member of Brown’s Chapel Baptist Church where he was a Deacon, Sunday School teacher, and worked with the youth. He enjoyed gardening and woodworking. Survivors include his loving wife, Thelma Brackins Edge of the home; a daughter, Jean Ballinger (Jim) of Spartanburg, SC; a grandson, Harold Ballinger (Mandee) of Campobello, SC; a great granddaughter, Mia Ballinger; and sisters, Patra Ford (The Rev. Jerry Ford) of Union, SC and Pamela Easler of Spartanburg, SC; along with numerous nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his brothers, Roy Edge, Clyde Edge, and Hugh Edge.
Visitation will be at 6:00 – 8:00 PM Tuesday, January 29, 2019 at Floyd’s Pacolet Chapel, 141 Memorial Drive, Pacolet, SC 29372. Funeral service will be at 2:00 PM Wednesday, January 30, 2019, at Brown’s Chapel Baptist Church, 350 Green Street, Pacolet, SC 29373, conducted by The Rev. Ralph Jett and The Rev. Jerry Ford. Burial will follow in Pacolet Memorial Gardens, 141 Memorial Drive, Pacolet, SC 29372.
The family will be at the home of Harold and Mandee Ballinger.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Brown’s Chapel Baptist Church, P.O. Box 396, Pacolet Mills, SC 29373.
The family would like to give a thank you for the special care given by Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV
This month has been insane. I don’t even have the time to write it all down here. When I saw today’s verse, at first I just went into study mode. But then I realized how much I really and truly need more faith, more hope, and more love right now in my life. I’ve really been trying to stir myself up and to endure gracefully. I’ve tried to encourage so many others that I see hurting during this season — and I’m hurting too. So I think this verse is perfectly timed for me.
I used to think that the proper order should be hope, faith and love — like a set of steps. I thought about hope as “not quite faith”, as a type of “gamble” where I didn’t quite think the odds were in my favor but it “might happen”. In the common English language, this is how many of us might use the word “hope” — whereas “having faith” that something will happen usually describes someone who is mostly confident that it “will happen”.
This difference in our common use of these three spoken terms today — versus their use in our modern day translation describing the three graces of faith, hope and love (that Paul spoke about in his letter to the Corinthian church over 1900 years ago) — makes me appreciate the bracketed guidance that the AMPlified version offers us:
1 Corinthians 13:13 AMP [13] And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.
The extra detail can throw some readers off and doesn’t make it an easy translation to preach from — but it sure is helpful for studying and digging in (to really chew on what is being said).
Anyone can take a verse and twist it to their own preferences — look at how Satan does this to tempt Jesus — look at how religion has been misused to justify war and oppression through the ages — look at how religion is used by some even today to fuel hatred and division — look at how even well meaning students like myself can misunderstand on first glance and want to sort and order things to my own whim if I’m not a good Berean willing to study and learn (rather than manipulate).
But the graces of Faith, Hope and Love do not speak of generic human feelings, emotions, attitudes or perspectives. They speak of gifts from God that are the power of Christ in this body of believers who walk in The Way. The graces aren’t about me sitting myself up to maybe hope a little, and eventually being strong enough to have faith, and to aspire to one day be strong enough to love — as if training myself to eventually run a marathon. All of this would just be the striving of men, not something spectacular and amazing! These three speak of the power of God!
Faith is a gift from God:
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11 ESV [8] For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, [10] to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
And we receive this gift by hearing the Word of God:
Romans 10:17 ESV [17] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Faith (trusting God’s promises), Hope (confident expectation that He is fulfilling His promises) and Love (that grows out of His love for me) are graces given to us — not demanded of us. They aren’t precepts to just be learned and applied and practiced and sharpened by people who are conscientious and are good citizens. Our God makes the bold claim that people who we see outwardly as faithful and hopeful and loving people can’t even stand proud of this themselves — because if it is true, genuine faith, hope and love it isn’t from them. Imagine how infuriating offensive such a statement would be to those who are proud of the image and reputation they have created outwardly for themselves — if their true intentions are to leverage that for their own benefit rather than it actually being the genuine graces of faith, hope and love.
Would it infuriate me to hear that I can’t expect that person to love me back just because I’ve been doing what I think is loving towards them — that what I’m doing is trying to be controlling and manipulative, and that shows nothing of real love at all? Could I hear that I need to repent and ask God to give me His love — so that I might actually love others well?
Would it infuriate me to hear that my attempts to try harder at stirring up or proving my faith by my actions, service, and consistent practices are actually undermining any real opportunity for faith because I’m still making it about myself rather than being humble, contrite and surrendered? Could I hear that I need to repent and ask God to give me the gift of faith that comes from Him?
Would it infuriate me to hear that my confidence in a sinners prayer, or a baptism, or a church membership, or service to others, or regular attendance, or constant tithing, or building a ministry, or knowing the Bible is not a source of hope that can be relied on and that it all falls short of the hope and confidence that we are given freely through Christ Jesus?
I apologize if my study this morning has been more academic than relatable. But I don’t need us to just read together and like each other, or like the topics we’re discussing, or enjoy writing and reading about good, intellectual, wise things. We need the power of God to lay hold of our thoughts, our minds, our hearts, our words, our actions, and our lives. We need the grace of God that is so much more powerful that anything we could muster up in ourselves. We do not need to play at Christianity — we need to walk by the power of the Holy Spirit of Almighty God in The Way that Jesus Christ had shown us. We make an amazing claim that only God himself can fulfill.
May you know the grace of God and may your lives be blessed by His abiding presence in and over and through your lives, my friends. Lord, help us to be what we could not be on our own — like you. Amen.
I have a friend, Michael Mcleymore, who runs an amazing rehab/ recovery program in Union County, South Carolina, called The Prodigal’s Home. He recently had another inspiring post that he shared from a moment in the life of their program. At the end, he closed with:
“No agenda, one motive: be the love of Jesus! “
One of the ugliest things about people who are involved in “good things” is when we find there is an hidden agenda. When we find out that someone has laid out a chess match type of manipulation/transaction of a situation where they give the impression that they are being good, generous, charitable, etc. — but it turns out they were actually just doing it for themselves.
Even religious people who think that doing more good deeds in this life will earn them a greater reward somehow — may actually be working under a hidden agenda to benefit themselves, rather than truly being “motivated to love and serve others”.
It is the motive that matters.
As a Christian, we are to be motivated by the love of Jesus for us, that in turn motivates us to love others. This motivation that rises up out of faith that He loved us first — it is truly the foundation for the disciple of Christ.
If our theology, traditions, dogma and ceremonies don’t all grow from this root — from this motive — they are fruit from the seed of a poisonous tree — they are about the self-righteous measuring and comparing of our own good and evil — rather than a being drawn close to the Lord to walk as He walks.
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:9-10 NLT
People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Proverbs 16:2 NLT
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT
Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored. But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s! So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! * * * Romans 8:5-17 MSG
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NLT
I spent my lunch yesterday talking with Calvin, the bartender at the Sushi restaurant across the street from my office. Looking at us from the outside, one might consider us an unlikely pair of friends — he is a young, extremely tall, athletic black man wearing his waiter’s attire, and I am an older, very short, portly, white gentleman wearing dress pants and shirt with a sweater vest from The Masters. But here we were listening to hip hop music, talking about Rap City’s the Bassment “back in the day”, talking about bettering ourselves daily, and how important it is for us both to lead our families through avoiding some of our own mistakes and knowing that one big mistake isn’t “the end”. It is wonderful how much we truly have in common where it really matters!
I mention Calvin in reference to this verse because he is a father who genuinely loves his kids (you can see it in his eyes when he talks about them). And he wants them to not make foolish mistakes that will cost them their best life.
And this is God’s perspective on sin, my friend. Even with sin that is pleasurable to us for a season, He knows that it comes with a higher cost than anything it offers in return. He isn’t “arbitrarily making rules” to enforce upon his subjects so they will “obey Him” — like some harsh slave owner with an eager whip in hand watchful for an opportunity to use it. Choice comes with consequences — that is the very definition of choice — we choose and we get what we choose.
“Sin” is just a fancy, religious word for choosing what is not best — making a foolish decision. So the consequence of a life of “sin” is a “death” of things like opportunity and purpose. People will always argue amongst themselves over the list of “rules” — but “sin” isn’t just a checklist of 7 laws of Noah, or 10 commandments on stone, or 613 Levitical commandments.
And there is a contrast that happens as we begin to understand this free gift of God and as we get to know Jesus Christ (who is quite different from us, yet also like us) as a friend. His friendship, a closeness with Him, accepting His offer of a relationship (which we will do repeatedly not just once) is a free gift that will lead us and guide us away from the foolish decisions and into the wise decisions — away from costly consequences and into beneficial consequences — away from death and into fullest life.
And all that I’ve mentioned up to this point, even an atheist can understand and see the clear benefit upon cultures and societies of the core teachings and example of Jesus Christ, while they note the horrors and atrocities of wars and atrocities committed under the disguise of “religion”. We can see throughout history the wisdom of a community/nation full of people making wise choices versus the cost and foolishness of a community/nation full of people making foolish decisions. It seems easy to hide our individual “sin”, but when foolishness runs rampant, it is clearly a cancer killing us and not a party to just be enjoyed. And this visible truth reveals evidence of something greater and beyond just this physical life that we can see and touch and taste and smell. We are promised a life eternal — something after — something even greater — with all kinds of evidence that these promises are true.
If a man chooses Christ instead of sin — on this side He has chosen benefit and blessing and peace as His consequences. And I’m not talking about guaranteed health wealth and prosperity (those can actually be “sin” if we give up what is best in trade for them). But if a man chooses sin in this life, there will be those consequences and cost in this life.
If you have “sin” in your life that you know is costing you unnecessarily — I’m not here to guilt you into shame over your “wickedness” or being “evil”. As a father myself, that perspective when dealing with my daughter just isn’t particularly useful or helpful if I want her to learn and change her habits. But acknowledging “foolishness” and how the best might be “stolen from her” by poor choices is valuable. God isn’t surprised by your “sin”, you aren’t so especially wicked or evil or foolish — because all of us have fallen short and given up opportunity and purpose at times in this life.
But He offers us a reminder, a hand reached out in love, an example in His life, a guide in His Word, and a teacher in the Holy Spirit — to lead us not just through this life, but to prepare us for our forever home!
Is Christ your friend?
Would you like Him to be, but you aren’t sure how?
He promises that if you genuinely seek Him that you will find Him.
Time in His Word, praising and worshiping Him alongside other believers, and intimate time with Him in prayer are key.
And once you have seen that He is a trustworthy friend and a Good Father, believe Him, accept His promises, confess your belief, and share the reason for your hope through baptism and a life of loving and serving others and sharing what treasure you have found.
Does God and creator of the heavens and earth seem to be an unlikely friend to “someone like me”? I know, right? Nevertheless, He is. Truly, He is.
If you have any questions or would like help, please feel free to comment below or contact me.
Sometimes someone else’s “songfire” is just what we needed to set us ablaze!
So what do I mean by “songfire”?
It isn’t just about singing, but the power of song is something universal that most people will understand. We’ve all heard certain songs and singer’s performances that reach out and captivate us beyond the pretty sounds and melodies and harmonies — that somehow touch us deep inside personally.
And fire is also another concept that we can grasp and understand how a little spark when fueled and stoked by the winds can level whole forests. And we’ve all felt how those internal flames can at times burn white hot and uncontrolled — and leave scorched earth in the wake of our careless actions or words in a “heated moment”. That’s even what we call it — a “heated moment” — acknowledging this universally understandable concept of “internal flame”.
So what is “songfire”?
“Songfire” is your worship. And whether you are religious or not, we all “worship” something. It is whatever sets you ablaze and lights up your being. It is whatever captivates us and drives us in that unique way that sets fire to us and to those around us.
We see this in movies about love stories where we are spectators to others “songfire” being poured out onto each other, and it inspires and influences us.
We see this in addictions where people’s whole lives have become clearly centered around one thing and it is clear where the “songfire” of their life is being sucked out of them and consumed by their addiction, and it convicts us and serves as a warning.
We see people passionate about certain causes and standing up for their side of an argument strongly against others who are passionate on another side of an argument spewing their “songfire” at each other like arrows, stones and hellfire, and it opens our eyes to how the proper source and use of our “songfire” makes all the difference in our own lives — and in how our lives will impact others.
What lights you up?
What gets you excited?
What is your “songfire”?
What do you worship?
If it is things of this world, those things will pass away, rot, rust, decay or be destroyed eventually.
If it is a person, they will eventually let us down when we set them upon a pedestal high enough for them to fall from.
If it is riches, they will prove a neverending chase, with less and less true satisfaction — proving the more that we gain, the more that we will desire — if that is our “songfire”.
If it is pride and honor amongst others, that is also fleeting vanity and will not last — as loyalty amongst men is only as faithful as,”What have you done for me lately?”
However, if your “songfire” comes from the eternal flame of the spirit of Almighty God, what could ever extinguish such a fire? And who could stand in our presence and not be touched by the tongues of these flames if we are ablaze with such “songfire”?
Are you hungry for this type of “songfire” in your life?
Have you had a taste of it yourself, or felt the tongues of someone else’s flame, and you want more of it for yourself?
“Songfire” is worship. And worship is abandoning those other things that have been hindering or distracting us — giving up what is bad — or even giving up what is good — for devotion to what is best.
Decide today the source and focus of your “songfire” friends. It really matters Decide, and time is valuable and fleeting..
Decide today who you will serve, what your life will worship, and consider how that will impact all around you as well.
Talk to Jesus about this, friend. He is a wise advisor, an authentic advocate for what is best for you, and a friend whose “songfire” is warm and freeing to your soul and to those around you. His “songfire” will not leave scorched earth, but will refine your heart and remove the impurities and poisons that have been holding you back and stealing your joy. Amen.
1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Acts of the Apostles 2:1-4 NLT
23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 NLT
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 NLT
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:12-17 NLT
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
I believe it will be profitable to contemplate the following on this subject.
Christ didn’t lower/eliminate/destroy the law:
“Do not think that I came to do away with or undo the Law [of Moses] or the [writings of the] Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I assure you and most solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke [of the pen] will pass from the Law until all things [which it foreshadows] are accomplished. So whoever breaks one of the least [important] of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:17-20 AMP
The purpose of the Law is to increase and expand awareness of what sin is (falling short of genuine holiness), and make clear our inability to meet the true requirements of true holiness, and our need for grace as a free gift of salvation from God (and not of ourselves):
But the Law came to increase and expand [the awareness of] the trespass [by defining and unmasking sin]. But where sin increased, [God’s remarkable, gracious gift of] grace [His unmerited favor] has surpassed it and increased all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, so also grace would reign through righteousness which brings eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21 AMP
But God, being [so very] rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment). And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, [because we are] in Christ Jesus, [and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption]. For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]. Ephesians 2:4-10 AMP
The purpose of this grace is not a license to sin, but this call to freedom ands eternal life is a baptism into the death of Christ to be raised to newness and life:
What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that [God’s gift of] grace may increase and overflow? Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer? Or are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways]. For if we have become one with Him [permanently united] in the likeness of His death, we will also certainly be [one with Him and share fully] in the likeness of His resurrection. We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. For the person who has died [with Christ] has been freed from [the power of] sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live [together] with Him, because we know [the self-evident truth] that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has power over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin [ending its power and paying the sinner’s debt] once and for all; and the life that He lives, He lives to [glorify] God [in unbroken fellowship with Him]. Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin [and your relationship to it broken], but alive to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts and passions. Do not go on offering members of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness. But offer yourselves to God [in a decisive act] as those alive [raised] from the dead [to a new life], and your members [all of your abilities—sanctified, set apart] as instruments of righteousness [yielded] to God. For sin will no longer be a master over you, since you are not under Law [as slaves], but under [unmerited] grace [as recipients of God’s favor and mercy]. What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under [God’s] grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)? But thank God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed. And having been set free from sin, you have become the slaves of righteousness [of conformity to God’s will and purpose]. I am speaking in [familiar] human terms because of your natural limitations [your spiritual immaturity]. For just as you presented your bodily members as slaves to impurity and to [moral] lawlessness, leading to further lawlessness, so now offer your members [your abilities, your talents] as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification [that is, being set apart for God’s purpose]. When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness [you had no desire to conform to God’s will]. So what benefit did you get at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? [None!] For the outcome of those things is death! But now since you have been set free from sin and have become [willing] slaves to God, you have your benefit, resulting in sanctification [being made holy and set apart for God’s purpose], and the outcome [of this] is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:1-23 AMP
The written law can act as a baby sitter of sorts to the spiritually immature who do not understand what sin truly is (sin is not a checklist that some live up to and some do not — all have fallen short of true holiness and require the grace of God through Christ Jesus):
Now what I mean [when I talk about children and their guardians] is this: as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave even though he is the [future owner and] master of all [the estate]; but he is under [the authority of] guardians and household administrators or managers until the date set by his father [when he is of legal age]. So also we [whether Jews or Gentiles], when we were children (spiritually immature), were kept like slaves under the elementary [man-made religious or philosophical] teachings of the world. But when [in God’s plan] the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the [regulations of the] Law, so that He might redeem and liberate those who were under the Law, that we [who believe] might be adopted as sons [as God’s children with all rights as fully grown members of a family]. And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave (bond-servant), but a son; and if a son, then also an heir through [the gracious act of] God [through Christ]. But at that time, when you did not know [the true] God and were unacquainted with Him, you [Gentiles] were slaves to those [pagan] things which by [their very] nature were not and could not be gods at all. Now, however, since you have come to know [the true] God [through personal experience], or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and worthless elemental principles [of religions and philosophies], to which you want to be enslaved all over again? [For example,] you observe [particular] days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [to the point of exhaustion] over you in vain. Believers, I beg of you, become as I am [free from the bondage of Jewish ritualism and ordinances], for I have become as you are [a Gentile]. You did me no wrong [when I first came to you; do not do it now]. On the contrary, you know that it was because of a physical illness that I [remained and] preached the gospel to you the first time; and even though my physical condition was a trial to you, you did not regard it with contempt, or scorn and reject me; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus Himself. What then has become of that sense of blessing and the joy that you once had [from your salvation and your relationship with Christ]? For I testify of you that, if possible, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me [ to replace mine]. So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? These men [the Judaizers] eagerly seek you [to entrap you with honeyed words and attention, to win you over to their philosophy], not honorably [for their purpose is not honorable or worthy of consideration]. They want to isolate you [from us who oppose them] so that you will seek them. Galatians 4:1-17 AMP
It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed]. Notice, it is I, Paul, who tells you that if you receive circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], Christ will be of no benefit to you [for you will lack the faith in Christ that is necessary for salvation]. Once more I solemnly affirm to every man who receives circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], that he is under obligation and required to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, if you seek to be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] through the Law; you have fallen from grace [for you have lost your grasp on God’s unmerited favor and blessing]. For we [not relying on the Law but] through the [strength and power of the Holy] Spirit, by faith, are waiting [confidently] for the hope of righteousness [the completion of our salvation]. For [if we are] in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but only faith activated and expressed and working through love. This [deceptive] persuasion is not from Him who called you [to freedom in Christ]. A little leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church]. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view [contrary to mine on the matter]; but the one who is disturbing you, whoever he is, will have to bear the penalty. But as for me, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision [as I had done before I met Christ; and as some accuse me of doing now, as necessary for salvation], why am I still being persecuted [by Jews]? In that case the stumbling block of the cross [to unbelieving Jews] has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you [by teaching that circumcision is necessary for salvation] would even [go all the way and] castrate themselves! For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another. For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “Y ou shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].” But if you bite and devour one another [in bickering and strife], watch out that you [along with your entire fellowship] are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do. But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law. Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:1-6, 8-26 AMP
And we see that God’s law has been faith not self-righteousness even from the beginning with Abraham:
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather humanly speaking, has found? [Has he obtained a favored standing?] For if Abraham was justified [that is, acquitted from the guilt of his sins] by works [those things he did that were good], he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed in (trusted, relied on) God , and it was credited to his account as righteousness (right living, right standing with God).” Now to a laborer, his wages are not credited as a favor or a gift, but as an obligation [something owed to him]. But to the one who does not work [that is, the one who does not try to earn his salvation by doing good], but believes and completely trusts in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God). And in this same way David speaks of the blessing on the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed and happy and favored are those whose lawless acts have been forgiven , A nd whose sins have been covered up and completely buried . Blessed and happy and favored is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account nor charge against him .” Romans 4:1-8 AMP
And Christianity tells us it is the opposite — that our best is filthy rags — that we are incapable of true selfless love apart from the Lord — that anything pure and true in a believer comes from the Holy Spirit of God and not from self. Yet, we seem surprised and offended by people’s weaknesses, hurts, and struggles — and expectant and demanding of others’ perfect outward appearance to meet our standards.
The Kingdom of God definitely turns the ways of the religious on its head.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.
2 Peter 1:10 NLT
Life Application Study Bible Peter wanted to rouse the complacent believers who had listened to the false teachers and believed that because salvation is not based on good deeds, they could live any way they wanted. If you truly belong to the Lord, Peter wrote, your hard work will prove it. If you’re not working to develop the qualities listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7, maybe you don’t belong to him. If you are the Lord’s-and your hard work backs up your claim to be chosen by God (“called and chosen”)-you will never be led astray by the lure of false teaching or glamorous sin.
So we should ask ourselves — if I say that I am a Child of God, is my life developing to demonstrate such an extraordinary claim?
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
2 Peter 1:5-7 NLT
What does this look like?
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
Galatians 5:22-25 NLT
This isn’t a demonstration of our “worthiness” or our “earning” anything — because no man or woman is worthy in and of themselves, nor can any man earn his own way — all fall short of the glory of God.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Romans 3:23 NLT
God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!
Psalms 53:2-3 NLT
The things that Peter describes in 2 Peter 1 that we should “Do these things, and shall never fall away” are:
faith…
moral excellence…
knowledge…
self-control…
patient endurance…
godliness…
brotherly affection…
love for everyone.
You see these are character/nature/ being and not a checklist of actions. So this is a demonstration of either Christ alive in us, God making His tabernacle with His people, in them and through them with those He has called and chosen — or the absence of such a personal and life altering relationship with Almighty God.
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
John 15:1-17 NLT
The fruit comes from God and is the trustworthy and true evidence of His indwelling His children. It isn’t how religious someone is, or how much they know “about” God — do you truly know and love God? Does He truly know you and live in and through you?
“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
Matthew 7:15-23 NLT
If you look at your life today, and you can see your need to be changed, your need to be reborn, to be washed from your sin and changed on the inside to sell after and grow and live in the ways of God, for His glory instead of for your own, I have Good News for you, friend.
If you have never truly repented and believed,
If you have always opposed God or just given Him lip service or Sunday service,
Never truly surrendered your whole life because you believe His way is the only way, the only truth, the only life,
Read this Good News:
Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
Mark 1:14-15 NLT
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. ”
John 3:16-21 NLT
And this is not a decision to be taken lightly, frivilously, or half heartedly, but with full commitment and surrender:
Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own people.” It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
Hebrews 10:26-39 NLT
Count the cost and be fully decided today in your heart who it is that you serve.
A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”
Luke 14:25-35 NLT
We are called to repentance and belief, dear brothers and sisters. Hear the call:
So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
Luke 15:3-10 NLT
And you, prodigal sons and daughters, who have been in the slop with the odds instead of in your Father’s house and you need to be drawn back in, read this:
To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. ’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
Luke 15:11-24 NLT
Lord, grant us today the gift of repentance. Call us ot of sin and into the faithful lives that you have set before us. Come, live in and through us, as we surrender our lives to your way, your will, your purpose, your plan, and your glory. Hallelujah, Amen!
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
I John 4:9 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.4.9.NKJV
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/isa.9.6-7.NKJV
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Romans 5:6-11 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.5.6-11.NKJV
No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:13-21 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/jhn.3.13-21.NKJV
Harold J. Ballinger 