The Work of Christ

Christ died to REDEEM us (Titus 2:11-14)
·        Deliverance from evil by payment of a price
·        Ransom: deliver a prisoner of war

Died because of our offenses and was raised for our justification (Rom. 4:24,25)

·        Problem: sin
·        Solution: payment for sin – blood of Christ
·        Justified = just-as-if-I’d never sinned

He lives to save (Heb. 7:25; 1 Tim. 2:3-6)

·        He wants our salvation
·        Requires knowledge of His will
·        Jesus is the go between; mediator; intercessor; ransomed us bringing salvation

When our mind is focused on Him, He will bring us in to glory (Col. 3:1-4)

·        Focused on God and His will for our life
·        Benefit: Jesus us will bring us into Glory

The Loving Father Listens

There are times in our lives when the pressures of this life beat down upon us with such intensity that it is hard to pick oneself up and keep going. In times like these, it doesn’t seem anything will work out the way we hoped. Then when we try to talk to others about our pain and suffering it seems nobody wants to listen. On these occasions, it would be easy to just give up and throw in the towel. Don’t be hasty! Never forget that God loves you and He will listen to you.

In Exodus 2, we are told of Moses’ actions stopping an Egyptian from beating a fellow Hebrew. He killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. The next day, Moses stopped two Hebrews from fighting. The response was “Do you intend to kill me as you did the Egyptian?” Moses knew that his actions would be found out. Rather than being a source of strength for the Israelites, a deliverer of the children of God, and a source of power to stop the bondage, Moses was looked at in a negative light. Moses fled to Midian and tended flocks for Jethro.

In the process of time (40 years — Moses being content living with Zipporah, his wife, serving his father in law) things did not get better for the children of Israel. They “groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage” (Exodus 2:23). God’s children, His chosen people, were crying out for help. They were hurting. They were oppressed. They were forced into labor. They needed help. They needed a deliverer. They cried out to God who not only would hear, but would respond to help His children.

God Hears His Children: God heard their groaning (2:24). He heard their cry (3:7,9). When a father hears the cry of his children, he wants to help and does whatever he can to provide for his loved one (Cf. Matt. 7:7-12). God, our Father, hears our cries (1 Peter 5:7). When others do not seem to care, when it seems others will not listen, take your heartache to the Father.

God Knows Our Sorrows: God knew the sorrow felt by the children of Israel because of the taskmasters (3:7). Likewise, God knows our hearts (Luke 16:15). The Father knows what we need before we ask (Matt. 6:8). God will supply all our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). Because of the great gift of Jesus Christ, we can come “boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). God knows and sympathizes with our pain.

God Watches Over Us: God looked upon the children of Israel (2:25). He saw their oppression (3:7,9). “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cries” (Ps. 34:15; 1 Pet. 3:12). As much as we try to look out for one another, we cannot always be there. As much a blessing as it is to have a judicial system to punish the evil, and law enforcement to help enforce and execute the laws, harm sometimes comes upon us. The best security system in the world cannot guarantee that they will be there for us when we really need them. However, we have a Father who is always watching over us. What comfort it should bring to us to know that God is always there for us.

God Remembers His Promises: God remembered His covenant with Abraham (2:23). It isn’t that God had forgotten, but that the time had come to deliver on His promise. The children of Israel were about to start home. This is good news for Christians. God will keep His promises. We can trust Him. He is faithful and just (1 John 1:7-9). God has promised those who obey Him eternal life and one day, He will deliver.

God Knows His Children: God acknowledged them (2:25). God knows those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19). He cares about us and recognizes us as His.

God Delivers The Oppressed: God came down to deliver His children out of the Egyptian bondage (3:8). God sent Moses to lead the people to the promised land of Canaan. Our loving Father sent His Son, Jesus, the Christ, to be our Savior. He delivered us from sin, bondage and death.

When times get tough, remember, God knows His children, watches over us, hears our cries, knows our sorrows, keeps His promises, and will and has delivered us from oppression. Our loving Father is listening!

Psalm 3 - Trust in the Lord

From time to time, problems and the stresses in life get to us. When we are discouraged, it is common for us to hang our heads. Rather than moping around, let us understand that the Lord is our shield and He will lift up our heads (v.3). The Lord is our source of encouragement.

There are times when we feel like we are under attack. We may be afraid and unsure of ourselves or our future. In the last few weeks, with my health issues and suffering a heart attack, there were many fears and most of the things I struggled with in my mind were things that I couldn’t do anything about. But one thing I knew. Like David, I knew where to turn. I too “cried to the Lord with my voice” (v.4). Things were happening to me that are beyond my knowledge. I met new doctors, nurses, technicians, EMT’s and so many more whom I did not know. But I know God who does have the knowledge and He is the one who is really in control. So I prayed and I am confident He heard me, and I am thankful for it.

There are also times in life when no matter what we do, everything seems to blow up in our faces. After a steady diet of failure, our appetites begin to fail us. Nothing seems to satisfy our cravings. When we lay down at night, we don’t get any rest. The good news is that the Lord sustains us (v.5). He provides me with rest and satisfaction from hunger (Matthew 11:28-30; 5:6). He provides the spiritual and physical needs we have when we put Him first (Matthew 6:33).

We probably do not have ten thousands of people (or our children) against us to kill us and take our position, like David. We may not have to flee for our lives and worry about what might happen in our sleep. Even so, we all have times when we struggle with things of this world. I assure you that on my first night home from the hospital, I was a little fearful to go to sleep. I had been taken care of every moment of the day for 6 days straight by some of the best people I have ever met (Hendrix Hospital). And now, I had to go to sleep at home, without a blood pressure cuff, IV ports, someone checking my blood sugar every couple hours and administering meds and being hooked up to machines measuring every process of my heart. Like David I prayed, “Save me, O my God!” In Him, I could rest.

The true source of encouragement, rest and spiritual fulfillment is found in the salvation of the Lord (v.8). Without the Lord, we are lost and have no hope. The good news is that Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). There is no other name wherein we can be saved (Acts 4:12). If you are searching for encouragement, rest, sustaining power, and salvation, they are found in the Lord. No matter what you may be going through, there is hope. No matter how difficult your battle, God can deliver you. If I can help you meet the Lord, let me know. It will save your life and give you a new heart.

How To Get A Wife (or Husband)

Ever wonder if the Bible has any tips on how to find the right girl or boy, the girl or boy of your dreams?  There is some good news.  There are many examples found in the Bible of how men found their wives.  Consider some of these suggestions from the book, “Still More Hot Illustrations:”

1. Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she is yours (Deuteronomy 21:10-13).

2. Find a prostitute and marry her (Hosea 1:1-3).

3. Find a man with seven daughters and impress him by watering his flock (Moses – Exodus 2:16-21).

4. Purchase a piece of property and get a woman as part of the deal (Boaz – Ruth 4:5-10).

5. Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife (Judges 21:19-25).

6. Have God create a wife for you while you sleep. But be careful; it’ll cost you a rib (Adam – Genesis 2:19-24).

7. Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman’s hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman, then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place (Jacob – Genesis 29:15-30).

8. Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest (Xerxes – Esther 2:3,4).

9. When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, “I have seen a woman I like. Now get her for me.” If your parents question your decision, simply say, “Get her for me. She’s the one for me” (Samson – Judges 14:1-3).

10. Don’t be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity (Solomon – 1 Kings 11:1-3).

Okay, Okay, so you don’t think these are good options. You are probably thinking, “Denny is crazy.” Well, that may be true, but the suggestions above are not to be seriously followed. In fact, I would not recommend these as good examples of ways in which a Christian would choose a bride.

How can the Christian choose a wife or a husband? How can we choose a mate that will help us to have a productive and joyful life on earth and who will help us to go to heaven? 

1. What are some of the things the Christian should look for in a mate?

2. We want to find someone who understands that God designed the home (Genesis 2:18-25).

3. We want to find someone that understands that marriage is to last until “death do us part” (1 Corinthians 7).

4. We want to find someone who understands that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and who understands that God allows divorce only in the event of fornication (Matthew 19:3-9).

5. We want to find someone who understands that the husband and wife are joint-heirs of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7).

Where are we going to find such a person? I suggest that we start by looking at the life of the person we choose to date:

Look for a person who loves God. The lawyer asked, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus asked the man what the law said. The response was, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind” (Luke 10:25-27). This person will want to do what is right in Gods eyes in everything they do. They will understand that if they truly love God, they must keep His commands (1 John 5:3). This person will want to train his or her children according to God’s will. This person will be the best employee or employer, neighbor, friend, and member of the community that he or she can be, knowing that his or her influence could bring others to Christ. This person will want to please God in all that he or she does.

Look for a person who loves his or her fellow man. The lawyer continued the above quotation by saying that one should love “thy neighbor as thyself” (verse 27). Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). In what has been called the “Golden Rule” Jesus said, “All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them” (Matthew 7:12). This person would not ask another to do something that would cause harm or hurt. This person would consider the virtue of another more important than fulfilling his or her own lusts. This person would be respectful and humble, treating others with honor. This person would understand that the value of a soul is the price of blood, Jesus’ blood, and would treat each person they come in contact with accordingly. 

There are many other characteristics, which should be considered in choosing a mate, but these two are the best place to start: one who loves God and who loves his or her fellow man.

Serve the Lord (Psalm 2:11,12)

Having the proper respect and reverence for God is essential. The Psalmist declared that we are to serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. The fear and trembling that we have is a reverence, respect, and awe for God, not a feeling of doom. Christians are to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Godly fear is demonstrated when we humble ourselves, submitting to the will of the Lord. There is a judgment day coming. Unless we serve the Lord with godly fear, we have no hope of eternal life.

Serving the Lord requires a proper attitude toward instruction. David wrote, “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry” (Ps. 2:12). This is a phrase that means that we should embrace discipline or be willing to receive instruction. Our attitude ought to be one of a willingness to receive correction from the Lord. Proper service to God means that we will admit our faults and work to make our lives acceptable to God. Rather than an attitude that says, “you can’t tell me what to do,” we should submit to God’s will in our lives. Let us strive to study the Bible each day and make changes to our lives accordingly.

The good news is that when we serve the Lord in godly fear, and listen to His instruction, we will grow in faith (Romans 10:17) and we will be blessed. David continued, “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Ps. 2:12). Do you want to live a blessed life? Then submit to God in reverence, making changes to your life according to the word of God, and put your faith completely in God. You will be rewarded with an abundant life (John 10:10).

He Shall Prosper - Psalm 1

There are many blessings in being a Christian. The Psalmist declared we will be blessed when we do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the paths of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. The picture is the progression of how sin can enter our lives and keep us from the blessings of God. We must avoid falling into that progression by seeking to meditate on and delight in the word of God.

How would you like to know that your life is going to be blessed by God, knowing that whatever you do, you shall prosper? Oh, God doesn't guarantee you will be rich or get everything and anything you want in life. He never promised us a mansion on earth, but He does have a mansion prepared for us in heaven (John 14:1-6). Even so, God guaranteed a fruitful life to the one who delights in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. Those who follow God’s word will be like a tree planted by a river: they will be fruitful.

The opposite is also true. The Lord has promised that the one who is ungodly will drift away in the wind like chaff and will perish. The ungodly will not stand in the day of judgment. Therefore, not only will they fail to prosper in this life, but they also will not have a heavenly home after this life is over. Instead of being a prosperous happy soul, we will be unfruitful in this life and will not gain eternal life when this life is over.

Let us work heartily to prosper in this life (both in our work and in our spiritual lives), laying up treasure in heaven, knowing that we shall receive a glorious home in heaven in the here after.

We Can't Stop

The author of the song, There is Just One Way, delivered to man a powerful message. I really don’t think James Rowe would realize how far the world would have gone when he penned these words in 1920. It was a time known as the “roaring 20’s” for its rapid technological advances, electricity, prosperity, social clubs, idolization of sports personalities, and celebrity worship. The French called it the “crazy years.” Even so, I don’t think he would have thought about “entertainers” such as Lady Gaga being almost naked and performing on an awards show for all the world to see nor do I think he would envision a former child star, Miley Cyrus, preaching morals and integrity to little girls moving to a position where she sings a song about drugs (Molly is slang for ecstasy, the so called date rape drug), drinking, homosexuality, partying and sex while saying “we can’t stop” and “twerking” (provocative movement that simulates sexual activity) while almost naked and using both people and props to show vulgar sexual activity. No! I doubt the author had the slightest idea of how far the morality of our nation would fall.

The words to There is Just One Way are encouraging to the child of God:

There are many paths through this world of sin, But there’s only one I shall travel in; ’Tis the old Cross Road, or the way called “Straight” — There is just one way to the pearly gate.

Refrain: There is just one way to the pearly gate, To the crown of life and the friends who wait; ’Tis the old Cross Road, or the way called “Straight” — There is just one way to the pearly gate.

There are some who sneer at the old Cross Road, At the pearly gate and the soul’s abode; Yet I mind them not, but, with happy song. And assurance sweet, still I press along.

Others risk their souls on some new-made way, Thinking they will come to the gate some day; Oh, may they find out, ere their lives are done, That the old Cross Road is the only one.

Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus may push the homosexual agenda, the party lifestyle, drinking, promiscuity and drugs. They may say that they can do what they want and they can’t stop in their behavior and that it isn’t our business what they do in the first place. However, they are wrong in their lifestyle choices and they are wrong in trying to promote this sinful behavior.

What we must do is stand in opposition to the ways of the world and preach that there is only one way to live that is pleasing in the sight of God and that will get us to life in heaven. There is just one way to go to heaven and that way is Jesus Christ our Lord.

We can’t stop telling others about Jesus who died to save their souls. We can’t stop telling others about forgiveness available to those who repent and come home. We can’t stop telling others about the fellowship we share as Christians in the body of Christ, the church. We can’t stop telling others about how our homes can be a wonderful blessing when they follow the will of God. We can’t stop telling others about how marriage can be great when we follow God’s plan. We can’t stop telling others about how our lives can be the salt and shining light that can help others to know Christ and bring glory to God. We can’t stop standing on the B I B L E. We can’t stop putting on the whole armor of God. We can’t stop fighting in the Christian army. WE CAN’T STOP!!!

I hope and pray that we stop being passive, quiet, and almost apologetic in our faith in Christ. It is time, past time, that we stand up and fight for the Lord. The world is in all out war against us. Stand up and fight for Jesus! Souls are at stake! Let’s help them know the truth!