What to Wear?

Photo by Claudia Bertolero Runway Photos 2019

During the Obama administration, my husband was watching TV one night when a clip came on of a “surprise guest” on a talk show. The gentleman entered the set wearing a business suit and an Obama mask, and when he lifted the mask, the surprise was that it was President Obama himself!

Celebrity masks are big sellers at Halloween, but that clip made me wonder if the face we present to the world each day, even if our own, is more of a mask than our true self. Do we rush out of the house Sunday morning grumbling about how our spouse or children made us late, have murderous thoughts about the driver who cut us off, and then enter church with a cheery but somewhat forced smile?

This time of year always prompts discussions of how Christians should react to Halloween. The celebration began as a pagan ritual calling forth and consulting with spirits of the dead and celebrating death itself, at a time when the coming winter forced farmers to kill off sickly animals. Skulls and skeletons were important emblems representing death. The holiday was then was appropriated by the early Christian church as All Saints’ Day revering martyrs, and the night before was All Hallows’ Eve.

The Bible is clear that Christians should not take part in sorcery, witchcraft, fortune telling or other dealings with the spirit world, for we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Leviticus 19:31; Isaiah 8:19; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Galatians 5:19-22; Deuteronomy 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17). Costumes resembling demons, skeletons, wizards, vampires, or witches would therefore seem inappropriate.

Yet, some “Halloween alternatives” for children, such as a Parade of Nations to inform children of customs and native dress in lands where missionaries serve, may be educational, fun, and a good opportunity to explain the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and to explore the lives of missionaries. Even passing out candy and “Jesus Loves You” stickers or tracts may be a good ministry and witness opportunity.

But while we’re considering how or whether to dress up our children on October 31, we should address the deeper question of what to wear each day to honor Christ. Dressing modestly in attire that He would find pleasing and that would set us apart from the secular world goes without saying. But we need also to consider our countenance – are we so busy with worldly cares, or so preoccupied with physical beauty, that we neglect to let His light, peace and joy shine through us? (Matthew 5:14)

As King Solomon wrote, "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised (Proverbs 31:30).

If our relationship with Christ is foremost in our heart, others will see it on our face, even if they don’t recognize the source of that inner beauty. To be told “I want what you have in your life, even though I don’t understand what it is or how to get it,” is not only a great tribute to the Savior Who changed us, but an open door to witness about His love.

So as we look in the mirror October 31 or any other morning, let us remember 1 Peter 3:3-4, which tells us not to beautify ourselves with “that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

Praise God that His blood has washed away the stains of sin (Revelation 1:5) from the filthy rags of our own attempts at goodness (Isaiah 64:6), and that now we are clothed in the beauty of His salvation and righteousness:

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Instead of putting on a costume or other outfit meant to impress, let us put on the whole armor of God to fight off the attacks of Satan (Ephesians 6:11-17). For those who don’t know Christ, Halloween may be especially scary or just an excuse for drunken partying and sexual sin. But Christians should remember that on Halloween as on any other day, we must watch out because Satan is prowling about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8).

Praise God that we have victory in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57), and that He Who is in me is greater than he who is in the world! (1 John 4:4)

Laurie Collett Copyright 2011

Edited and reposted from the archives

 

Stillness

 

Photo by Laurie Collett 2025

Recently my husband and I were blessed to have a midweek escape for a few days at our favorite beach getaway. Even better, we felt as if we had the privacy of being castaways on our own deserted island, yet with all the comforts of home.

In the quiet fall season, after families on summer vacation leave the island, and before “snowbirds” come for the warm Florida weather, the beach is relatively quiet. But today it is empty, save for the two of us, a few nesting shore birds, a great blue heron surveying the coast, and a lone osprey circling overhead. The weather is perfect, sunny and warm but not humid, with an occasional refreshing ocean breeze. The sky is a soothing shade of robin's egg blue, with a few feathery clouds scattered artistically about.

But most astounding to me is the ocean, as smooth as glass, except for a few lacy ripples along the shoreline. The sun sparkles on the calm surface, silvery light streaking through the azure water in an intricate pattern.

The last time I remember it being this still was just over one year ago, on our last visit of the season before the devastation of Hurricanes Milton and Helene. The island took a direct hit in both storms, but thankfully no one was harmed.

 Although it was a great blessing that the beachfront homes (on stilts) remained structurally sound, everything underneath washed away – decks, stairs, air conditioners, sheds, golf carts, electrical and plumbing lines all gone overnight, as well as the community pool house.

Initially there was no power or phone service and the roads were impassable. Checking on damage had to be done by drone images or by climbing a very tall ladder to enter the house. For six months after the storms, the homes were not habitable because there was no sewer.

Thankfully, however, most homes are now repaired and insurance has covered a large part of the expense. Yet today as I view the stillness of the ocean, I pray that this is not the calm before the storm, as this year’s hurricane season has six weeks remaining.

Just as I had experienced on the last visit before last year’s hurricanes, the stillness today is such a welcome respite from the busyness and turmoil of daily life. We need to come apart with God (Mark 6:31), away from the world’s distractions, temptations, and discord, just as Jesus did even during the busiest times of His ministry (Matthew 14:23). We need to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

Activity, even potentially beneficial activity such as serving in church or volunteer work for a good cause, is no substitute for spiritual growth. Such growth cannot occur without quiet time dedicated to knowing Jesus Christ better and to worshipping Him. We cannot forsake prayer, Bible study, and faithful attendance to corporate worship and to Christian fellowship without drifting away from God, no matter how sincere our motives in other aspects of Christian service (Hebrews 10:25).

We must be like Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet and learning from His Word, and not like her sister Martha, too caught up in busyness and in serving to worship Him. We must choose quiet fellowship with Him, as did Mary, over being burdened and anxious about “Christian” activity (Luke 10:38-42).

The stillness we experience when alone with God may allow us to recover from intense spiritual warfare, or to prepare us for physical or emotional trials or spiritual battles to come. Both were the case with the prophet Elijah after God gave him a great victory against the false prophets of Baal. The one true God poured out fire on the soggy altar and brought torrential rain in the prolonged drought, then Elijah slew all of Baal’s prophets with a sword. Yet he was ready to give up and even asked God to take his life when the evil queen Jezebel threatened to kill him (1 Kings 18-19).

But God knew exactly what Elijah needed. He led him to a shady spot under a juniper tree to sleep. God then sent him an angel who told him to eat and drink, giving him a freshly baked cake and water. After a second night’s sleep, the angel again gave him food and water, which sustained him for a 40 day-and-night journey to Horeb, the mount of God. There God spoke to Elijah, not in the strong wind, earthquake or fire He first showed Elijah, but in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:4-12). God then gave Elijah clear instructions regarding His plan for him.

Often we find the stillness to be calming and restorative. Yet at other times, we may grow impatient, wrongly perceiving that God is ignoring us or delaying His response to our prayers.

As my husband and I stroll along the deserted beach, we realize that the still waters allow us a glimpse of life and activity teeming beneath the surface, which are usually invisible in the ocean waves. First we notice schools of tiny silver-green fish along the shore, darting this way and that. Then pairs or triplets of gray fish, about the length of my hand, playfully switching positions.

To our surprise and delight, the ocean is so calm that we spot an 18-inch fish, gray with yellow-tipped fins and black markings on the underside.  It swims steadily alongside us as we walk, occasionally darting at great speed through a swarm of smaller fish, causing them to scatter.  Soon we realize that our ocean friend is not alone, as similar fish appear nearby.

“All we’re missing now to complete this picture is a dolphin,” my husband said.

As if on cue, a large black fin and curved gray body of a graceful dolphin appeared, barely emerging from the water, diving below the surface, then reappearing some distance away!

It reminds me that God is always at work for our ultimate good and His glory, even when we don’t perceive His plan to work all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  We don't see the myriad species and the flurry of activity in the ocean when choppy waves distort the surface -- we need the stillness to see what lies beneath. Nor can we appreciate or understand God's plan for us if we are too distracted by the clamor of the world, our own desires, and even our own activity, whether or not such activity seems to be productive or done in His service.

Once we become God's children by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we can have faith that He will lead us beside the still waters and restore our soul (Psalm 23:2-3).

He may do this to allow us to recover from intense spiritual warfare or to prepare us for the next spiritual victory, for we know that the battle is the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47), and that the victory is certain through His Son! (1 Corinthians 15:57).

May we thank God for the rare periods of stillness in our lives when we can most clearly hear His voice and perceive His perfect plan for us. May we deliberately seek out quiet time with Him, hear His still, small voice, and seek His face through prayer, studying His Word, and praising and worshipping Him alone and with fellow believers!

Copyright 2025 Laurie Collett

Shining Light in Dark Places

 

How is God’s Word like laparoscopic gall bladder surgery?

A friend of ours had her gall bladder full of small stones removed. She showed up at the office surgery suite early in the morning and had the surgery done by laparoscopy, in which a tiny incision allowed insertion of a fiber optics light source, cutting tool, and cautery device. After she slept off the short-acting anesthetic, she went home the same afternoon as the surgery, rested at home for a day, and returned to work and full activities the following day.

Decades ago when I was a medical intern, gall bladder removal was major surgery requiring a full incision, cutting through the abdominal muscles, opening the abdominal cavity, removing the gall bladder, and completely repairing the cut muscles and skin. The gastrointestinal tract would often shut down temporarily from the trauma; bleeding could be significant; and infection could occur. The patient could expect several days or even a week in hospital, followed by recovery at home for several weeks.

Now, thanks to fiber optic and laparoscopic technology, surgeons can achieve the same result safely and effectively in a day. The focused light illuminates the darkness within the body to visualize the internal organs, and the same flexible instrument allows cutting and cauterization to remove the diseased tissue and seal off damaged blood vessels.

Of course, laparoscopic gall bladder removal is possible only if done once the problem of gall stones is first detected. If left too long, infection or blockage of the bile duct may occur, and the patient is too sick for laparoscopy to be done safely. Then the patient requires the major trauma of open surgery to clean out the pockets of infection, blockage and decay.

It reminded me that God has two main strategies for removing spiritual sickness from the lives of His children (Mark 2:17), and for saving those who are still dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13). Both strategies ultimately achieve the same result, but one is relatively painless, simple and efficient, whereas the other is a long, arduous process involving considerable pain, suffering and complications.

God’s Word is designed to shine His light into the darkest recesses of our heart and soul (2 Peter 1:19). It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, showing us what we should do to fulfill His perfect will for our lives (Psalm 119:105,130). It is sharper than a two-edged sword, cutting out the dead tissue from the very core of our being, even our soul and spirit, and the thoughts and intentions of our heart (Hebrews 4:12).

When we trust God’s Word to save us by placing our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), He seals us with the Holy Spirit of promise (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). No longer can we fall prey to powers of spiritual darkness or disease that would threaten our salvation (Romans 8:38-39).

We are blessed to have God’s Word readily available to us to reflect His light into our lives so that we can do a spiritual checkup (James 1:23-25) and examine the condition of our heart (Psalm 139:23-24). We hear it preached from the pulpit; we can listen to it on the radio or TV; and most of us have more than one Bible in our homes. But do we allow it to penetrate into our being and do its healing work (Matthew 8:8,16; Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24), or do we just let it roll off like the proverbial water off a duck’s back?

Having a medicine cabinet full of remedies for our ills does us no good unless we take them as directed. If we take God’s prescription of daily preventive use of His Word (Acts 17:11), we will recognize and confess our sins (1 John 1:9), and we will ask for and receive His forgiveness (Psalm 25:18; 32:1; Matthew 9:6; Acts 26:18). We will be better able to hear His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12) directing us to good spiritual health and restoration in Him (Proverbs 3:5-8; Matthew 12:13; Mark 8:25).

But if we ignore His Word, God resorts to more drastic measures to convict us of our sins, chastise us to get us right with Him (Hebrews 12:5-8), and grab our attention with heart-stopping crises.

The same principle applies to those who are not yet saved. How much better it is to hear and accept the Gospel as a small child (Matthew 18:3-4), before our “grown-up” pride and disbelief have hardened us! That is why we must begin teaching God's Word to our children at an early age, at home as well as in church. If we are not saved as children, God may need to allow catastrophe into our adult lives so that we fall to our knees and realize that we are sinners desperately needing a Savior!

My husband and I have an unsaved friend whom we have known for years, to whom we have witnessed many times whenever God has opened the door. But his eyes always glaze over and he changes the subject. The message is simple, yet he has repeatedly refused to hear. He often complains that he is living under a dark cloud, as one disaster after another has threatened his relationships, family, livelihood and health. But he still doesn’t realize that God may be resorting to extreme tactics to get his attention.

It begs the question, would you rather listen for and obey God’s still, small voice right away, or would you rather wait until He smacks you on the side of the head with a 2 x 4?  The choice is ours – we can meditate on Scripture daily and be doers, not just hearers, of the Word, or we can wait until our soul-sickness is so severe that we need radical surgery. May we offer ourselves to the illuminating, healing laser light of God’s Word today and every day!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

Corrupt Communication

Unclean spirits coming from the mouths of the dragon,
beast, false prophet (Revelation 16:13)

Despite the tremendous potential for good of the Internet, which offers a vast wealth of knowledge and instantaneous communication worldwide, it is also fraught with peril. Scammers are now highly sophisticated, impersonating law enforcement, banking officials, or even loved ones in their quest to deceive and defraud their victims. Artificial intelligence can quickly summarize available knowledge on any given topic, but do its users check its validity?  Can we trust what we read, hear and see online, when doctored photos and even videos run rampant?

Many years ago I personally experienced the potential harm of corrupt communication. One night, the shrill ring of the phone startled my husband Richard and me from a sound sleep. It was a business acquaintance of his, asking if it were true that Richard was stranded in Spain after his credit cards, cash and passport were stolen. How much money did he need to borrow, and how could she wire it to him?

Emerging from our dazed confusion, we finally pieced together that Richard’s email account had been hacked, and that the hacker had sent an individual email to each of my husband’s contacts, explaining the above made-up scenario and requesting a loan. Unlike most junk email and phishing scams, this one appeared to come from my husband’s correct email address and contained his name, increasing the chances that a good-hearted recipient would think it was a legitimate call for help rather than a blatant lie.

Earlier that night I had awakened from sleep with two Bible verses going through my head: “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33) and “let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay” (Matthew 5:37). I hadn’t even made the connection until I mentioned this to my husband later in the day, and he said, “Sounds like that email hoax to me.”

It made me think about how important it is for us to avoid “corrupt communication” (Ephesians 4:29). Our family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ who know we claim His name regard us, at least to some extent, as His representative (2 Corinthians 5:20). What we say therefore reflects on Him, whether rightly or wrongly. Those in positions of leadership must be especially careful not only that their speech honors Him, but also that it is doctrinally sound and pure.

We must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), not being hurtful or judgmental, or causing offense that would be a stumbling block to another’s faith (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 1:23; 8:9; 1 Peter 2:8; 1 John 2:10). Yet in our eagerness to be kind, accepted or politically correct, we must not gloss over truths that may be painful to hear. Saying “He’s in a better place,” about a lost person who died may make his family feel better, but it is directly opposed to Biblical truth and may remove the urgency the family members might otherwise feel about getting right with God.

It is true that only God knows the heart (Psalm 44:21; Luke 16:15; Acts 15:8; 1 John 3:20) and that deathbed conversions may occur, so we can’t know for sure what any person’s eternal destiny may be. In the above situation, it may be best to focus on that, and to thank God for offering eternal life in heaven to “whosoever” (John 3:16) believes in His Son’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) to pay for our sins .

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul explains the Gospel of grace – that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, so that all who have faith in Him will have eternal life. He warns against “evil communications” (v. 33) with those who would dilute or even deny this truth, which is the only means to salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We must not allow false teachers to compromise our knowledge of this truth (2 Peter 2:1) and our urgency to share it with others, as Christ commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).

Our own testimony and witness to others must not in any way corrupt the Gospel. Instead, it must build up and instruct the hearer regarding God’s grace and salvation through His Son (Ephesians 4:29). Similarly, Jesus warns us to speak the truth plainly – yes meaning yes, and no meaning no (Matthew 5:37). If we muddle these together, we distort what is right and wrong, black and white, into shades of gray.

End-Times prophecy speaks of a false one-world religion, described as an adulterous woman sitting on a scarlet beast and speaking blasphemy, with the title "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. In the name of tolerance and political correctness, current trends advancing this apostasy include the acceptance of all religions as leading to God and to Heaven, despite Jesus' own words that He is the only Way (John 14:6). 

For example, some in positions of Christian leadership attempt to reach out in friendship to Muslims by saying that we all worship the same God. However, our God is clearly different from how the Koran portrays Allah. Christians recognize a Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all equally God, whereas Muslims do not recognize Jesus as God, but only as a prophet superceded by Mohammed. Our God is love (1 John 4:8), and He is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:8; 1 Corinthians 1:9), unchanging (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), and true (Romans 3:4; Titus 1:2), promising eternal life to all who have a personal relationship with His Son (John 14:6-7). This promise is based only on His grace, and not on any works we could do to try to earn our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). When God chastises His children, He does it as a loving Father, for our ultimate good (Hebrews 12:5).

But Allah is viewed by some as punitive and one to be feared, and salvation demands works such as pilgrimages to Mecca and repetitive daily prayers. Even so, Muslims can never be sure they have done enough to merit entrance into Paradise.

The truths of Christianity may be viewed by some as exclusive and even as intolerant and offensive. This is hardly surprising, because Christ and His Word say that His truths cause division among family members (Matthew 10:21; 34-35); that He is the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6; Acts 4:12); that our hearts are wicked (Jeremiah 17:9); and that we have all broken God’s laws in thought if not always in deed (Matthew 5:28). The doctrine emphasized by Paul is indeed offensive -- that we are all sinners; that no one is righteous; and that we have all fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10, 23).

Yet to “reach out” to nonbelievers or to strike up “friendships” with them by denying these Biblical truths may gain a “friend” during this lifetime, yet lose a soul to hell for all eternity. What kind of “friend” keeps silent about the words of eternal life? (John 6:68) Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39), but doesn’t true love demand that we speak the truth? 

Picture a scenario in which a friend comes to me for medical advice about her child dying from pneumonia. She asks if I think bathing her child six times daily will cure her, instead of allowing the hospital to give her the recommended antibiotics, Would it be loving for me, in the name of tolerance, to tell her that bathing is a perfectly acceptable cure if she sincerely believes it will work? I would rather proclaim the truth and risk losing a friend than be "tolerant" and allow the child to die. We as Christians have the Good News that keeps people from eternal death in hell, so why would we not share it? 

Christian persecution continues to grow exponentially in severity and in prevalence, which is one of the "labor pains" preceding Christ's return (Matthew 24:8-10). According to the Esther Project, more than 70 million Christians were martyred throughout history; of these, more than half were martyred in the 20th century in communist and fascist regimes. May we find boldness, courage and inspiration in their willingness to die rather than to renounce their faith. In comparison, it seems such a small price to ask of us to be willing to share the truth of the Gospel without fear of being politically incorrect, unpopular, or considered intolerant.

© 2012 Laurie Collett 

Expanded, edited and reposted from the archives

Now is the Time!

Photo by Donatas Dabravolskas 2024

One day, I believe very soon, Jesus Christ will meet with His church, or His called-out assembly of believers, in the clouds. Without warning, we will instantaneously be changed into immortal, glorified bodies that will never sin, die, age, sin, or experience death, pain or sorrow. In these bodies, we will rise to meet Him and all our loved ones in Him, and live with them in Heaven throughout eternity. Praise God for this glorious promise and living hope (1 Peter 1:13) of the Rapture! (1 Corinthians 15: 35-57).

As students of history have seen proven over and over, any attempt to predict the date of Christ’s second coming only makes the self-proclaimed “prophet” look foolish. Just recently, a pastor in South Africa convinced his flock that the Rapture would occur on September 23 or 24, and urged them to quit their jobs, sell their homes and all their possessions. 

He even issued instructions for how to be Raptured, which did not mention the necessity of being saved by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). Instead, he told his followers to stand up, hold their arms out to the sides, relax and look up, for if they looked back at the Earth, they would turn to a pillar of salt, as did Lot's wife (Genesis 19:26). Not only does this fail to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), but it seems incredibly time-consuming for an event that Jesus told us would happen in the "twinkling of an eye!" (1 Corinthians 15:52)

Sadly, such false prophecies discourage and even devastate those gullible enough to believe them, while discrediting and making a mockery of Christians’ well-placed faith in the Rapture. As Christ so clearly told His disciples,

Matthew 24:36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Nonetheless, Christ clearly wanted us all to be aware of the signs that would precede and build up to His second coming, as He further described to His disciples in the Olivet discourse (Matthew 24), including men falsely claiming to be Christ (v. 5); wars and rumors of wars (v. 6-7); famines, diseases, and earthquakes in varied and unexpected places (v. 7), persecution of Christians (v. 9), false prophets (v. 11), and spread of the Gospel message to all nations (v. 14).

These general signs will culminate in a very specific sign, the “abomination of desolation,” (v. 15). The Antichrist, who will have been regarded as a peacemaker and messiah, will desecrate the holy temple in Jerusalem, most likely by slaughtering a swine on the altar, clearly revealing that he is not the promised one the Jews are awaiting, but quite the opposite. This ushers in the great tribulation (v. 21) and ultimately Christ’s second coming (v. 30).

As we hear of all that is going on the world today we must realize that all these general signs are present and increasing, suggesting that the second coming will be very soon. Even more exciting is the realization that before Christ returns with His armies of believers to fight the battle of Armageddon (Revelation16:16), the Rapture must happen at least seven years before! So, as close at it seems the second coming must be, based on the signs of the times, it is actually seven years closer!

Of course, even the disciples who watched as Christ ascended into Heaven believed, as we do, that Christ’s return is imminent, meaning that it could occur at any time. God’s timing is always perfect, and His sense of time is very different than ours (2 Peter 3:8). We can thank Him for what we experience as a delay in His return, because it gives more souls an opportunity to be saved (2 Peter 3:9), and because it gives us more time to lead others to him and to win crowns to lay at His feet.

The world mocks Christians for believing that Christ will come again (2 Peter 3:3-4), but we can be blessed by knowing that we can have the crown of righteousness to lay at His feet just by eagerly looking forward to His second coming! (2 Timothy 4:8). Although we don’t know what day or hour the Rapture will occur, we do know for certain that it is closer today than it was yesterday, and that we should live each day as if it were our last before He comes again!

Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

And we also know that for those who don’t yet know Christ, that now is the time for salvation. We’re not promised tomorrow, so let’s be ready for His sure, imminent return, and waste no time in telling others about Him. Let's make sure that we and our loved ones are saved, that we are yielding to the Holy Spirit daily, following His Word and doing His work!

 

2 Corinthians 6: 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Copyright Laurie Collett 2011 

Reposted from the archives, edited and expanded 

Too Sinful to be Saved?

Conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus

As we see the signs of the times all around us, evil is increasing exponentially as we near the Lord's return. Believers may sometimes wonder if some are beyond the point of redemption by the Lord's saving grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Jesus was able to forgive, cleanse, heal and raise up those who were sinful, unclean, diseased, and even dead (Luke 7,8; John 11) without in any way corrupting or defiling His own holiness and purity (Hebrews 4:15). Before Jesus drove out devils from the demon-possessed man (Luke 8:27-35; Matthew 8:24-32; Mark 5:1-20), this man was in a state of nakedness. In the Garden of Eden, this was first a sign of innocence (Genesis 2:25), but it then signified shame after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:7).

Man’s attempts to deal with his sin are woefully inadequate. His nakedness was not properly clothed until God covered him with animal skins (Genesis 3:21), which meant that animals had to be killed. There was no death until sin entered in by the fall (Romans 5:12). This first recorded death foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, that would not just cover our sins but remove them for all time (John 1:29).

The demon-possessed man was not only naked, but outcast from the city and from society, living among the tombs, which the Jews considered to be unclean. He was possessed by so many evil spirits that they called themselves Legion (Luke 8:30), referring to a Roman army division that consisted of about 6,000 warriors, and they were cast into a herd of about 2000 swine (Mark 5:13).

Interestingly, these evil spirits immediately recognized Jesus as the Holy Son of God (Luke 8:28) Who had power to cast them into hell (Luke 8:31, Revelation 20: 1-3, 2 Peter 2:4). This shows that salvation comes not solely by believing in God (James 2:19), but by repenting of sins (2 Corinthians 7:10) and trusting Christ in a personal relationship with Him as Lord and Savior in addition (John 3:16). In fact, once Jesus healed the formerly demon-possessed man, he was not only clothed and in his right mind, but sitting at the feet of Jesus (Luke 8:35).

Can someone be too sinful to be saved? The capture and execution of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 gave the civilized world cause to rejoice that he would no longer commit evil acts of cold-blooded murder and terrorism. Yet as Christians, we should be saddened, not necessarily by his physical death, but by the absence of any outward sign that he had repented of his sins and trusted Christ, which would have kept him from being doomed to hell.

Even Bin Laden or Hitler or Stalin were not beyond the all-cleansing, all-forgiving, gift of grace and eternal life so freely given by Jesus as He died on the cross to pay the sin debt, in full, of all sinners, past, present and future (Romans 5:8). Yet that gift must be accepted to be valid. Although only God knows the heart (Psalm 44:21), sadly, there is no evidence that any of these did so.

The apostle Paul, who was Saul before he trusted Christ, described himself as chief among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) because he zealously persecuted, imprisoned and even executed Christians (Acts 22). Yet God used him to write a large part of the New Testament, to evangelize the Gentiles, and to plant many churches. Thank God that no one is beyond His saving grace (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13), and that no matter what our past before we repent and trust Jesus, He can use us for His glory. As in the case of the sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly ointment, the person who is forgiven much will love Christ all the more (Luke 7:38-50).

Even a man formerly ruled by 6,000 demons can be restored to his right mind, forgiven of his sins, and sitting humbly at Jesus’ feet in right fellowship to Him. When Christ changes us it should be obvious to everyone who knew us before. Praise God that by His grace through our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) we can leave behind our spiritual nakedness and be clothed with His righteousness (Revelation 9:7-9; Isaiah 61:10).

Because Jesus paid our sin debt by suffering and dying on the cross and being separated from His Father, in our place, we can leave behind the nakedness of sin and shame and the filthy rags of our own righteousness, which do nothing to counteract our sin or the laws we have broken. When we come to the end of our own strength and realize that without Him we are nothing, we have nothing, and we can do nothing (John 15:5), He covers us with His salvation and His righteousness (Romans 5:6-21). 

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The wickedness, evil and overt hatred in today's sin-corrupted world bring many to rage and despair. Yet once we have trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only Way to Heaven, our gratitude for His gift of eternal life should encourage us to forgive others as He has forgiven us. May we remember that each of us is created in His image, and that no one is too sinful to be saved by His mighty power! May the Holy Spirit empower us to forgive, love, and pray for our enemies to be saved, for then they will become our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Copyright 2011 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives, edited and expanded 

Be Fruit-full!

 

                                                                                                    

When God told Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful,” (Genesis 1:28), He was of course referring to having children. Yet I believe He also wanted the first husband and wife to have productive lives according to His will, tending to the beautiful garden and bountiful fruit trees, and having dominion over all the animals. 

Adam and Eve's disobedience and rebellion against God had severe consequences (Genesis 3). They were expelled from the garden; they had to work by the sweat of their brow just to eat, and they caused all mankind to be subject to the curse of sin, which is physical and spiritual death.

Thankfully, God had a plan for man's redemption since before the beginning of time. Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Lamb of God (John 1:29) and God Himself, came to earth in human form to die in our place, paying our sin debt in full. He then rose again on the third day, proving that He is God, and offering the gift of eternal life to all who trust Him as their Lord and Savior (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). 

Now that we are in this age of grace, we can also interpret “Be fruitful” to mean not only to be prolific and productive, but also to produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) so that people know we belong to Christ by our words, our works, our attitude, and our behavior (Luke 6:43-45).

When a man and woman marry, they have an opportunity for the light of Christ to shine, not only through each one individually, but through their new, combined family and community. Ideally, their marriage should portray the perfect union of Christ and His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:21-33). The wife should submit to her husband's Godly authority as the church submits to the perfect will of Christ. The husband should love his wife self-sacrificingly, even as Christ loved the church and died to save her.

For that to happen, each of the partners individually, and combined in the marriage, must have the fruit of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:9). This will keep us from the works of the flesh, which can destroy individual lives and a marriage through evil deeds and thoughts including adultery, hatred, anger, drunkenness, etc. It is a daily battle between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

We can’t work to produce the fruit of the Spirit. It is not naturally found within us, but it flows from us when we are saved, turn away from our sin, and put our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only Way to Heaven. Then the Holy Spirit indwells us and produces this fruit, if we yield to Him and die to our sin nature (Galatians 5:14-16).

Love refers to “agape,” the self-sacrificing love best portrayed by Christ on the cross, shedding His blood to be the perfect sacrifice and complete payment for our sins (Matt. 26:27), and God the Father giving His only begotten Son so that sinners could be reconciled to Him (John 3:16). God is love, and if we know Him, we will love one another (I John 4:7-8)

Joy in the Lord can be constant even in times of trials and tribulation, no matter what the external circumstances. As born-again believers, we have reasons to be joyful (Philippians 4:4) – God loves us; He has forgiven our sins; He allows us the privilege of prayer 24/7, He has indwelled us with the Holy Spirit; He communicates with us through His Word; He has adopted us as His children and appointed us as His ambassadors, He will return for us, and we will live eternally with Him in Heaven (1 Peter 1:5-8).

Our peace, which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) comes from knowing that our sins are forgiven, that we are reconciled to God, that He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), and that we have eternal life in Him. (Romans 5:1-2)

The fruit of the Spirit we’ve spoken of so far are sweet and pleasant, but we can’t pick and choose which fruit of the Spirit we would like – they all come together when we are saved and the Holy Spirit indwells us. That’s why Paul refers to it as fruit of the Spirit, and not fruits of the Spirit. Some, like long-suffering, or patience, are not as pleasant, because they are the result of trials and tribulation (Romans 5: 3-5). 

But self-sacrificing love requires suffering, sometimes brought on by the one we love, or at least putting the other person’s needs ahead of our own. Self-sacrificing, agape love is patient, kind, seeking to meet the needs of the other person, always thinking the best of the other person, not expressing anger, being constant through all circumstances. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

The Greek word for gentleness in Galatians 5:22 is the same word which is translated kindness in 2 Corinthians 6:6. It means goodness, wanting to please others and to be pleased with what they do, mildness of temper, calmness of spirit, not easily flustered, polite, always putting the needs of others before your own (2 Corinthians 10:1, Psalm 18:35).

Goodness is another fruit of the Spirit expressing doing good for others, spiritually by educating them in the Word, and meeting their physical needs also (Romans 15:1-4; Exodus 34:6; Psalm 107:9).

Faith is the belief we must have in order to be saved and in order to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Our faith is in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the perfect, holy sacrifice to pay for all our sins. In Galatians 5:22, the word “faith” also refers to trustworthiness, keeping your word and promises, keeping the secrets or confidences of others. God is faithful to keep His Word and His promises, and He is faithful and unchanging in His love for us, and we should strive to do the same (Psalm 119:90; Isaiah 25:1).

Believers are meek because their power and destiny are based on the indwelling Holy Spirit, not on their own strength, status, or circumstances (Matthew 5:5). Paul tells the believers that to be good ambassadors for Christ, they should be humble and meek, patient toward one another, and putting up with each other’s faults (Ephesians 4:1-2)

As Christians we have access to all the wisdom and power of God within us through the Holy Spirit, but when others ask us about it, we must answer meekly, not showing off that power, but sharing the truth with humility and love (1 Peter 3:15). Jesus could have summoned legions of angels to rescue Him from the cross and to destroy His enemies, but instead He went meekly like a sheep led to the slaughter.

If a wife who is saved is married to an unsaved husband, He may become saved through her meekness. He may see Christ in her not through displays of power, but because she lives a sanctified life, is submissive to the will of God and of her husband, and puts her husband's needs ahead of her own (1 Peter 3:1-4). In marriage, as in life, submission to the one in authority does not diminish our power but confirms it, and is pleasing to God.

Temperance means power or control over the sin nature, including tendencies toward sexual immorality, drinking alcohol, using other intoxicating substances, angry outbursts, and overindulgence. Galatians 5:23 says “Against such there is no law,” meaning that we will never get in trouble by using too much self-control. Temperance is a stepping stone to patience, godliness, and self-sacrificing love (2 Peter 1: 5-8).

All the fruit of the Spirit represent qualities of Jesus Christ Himself. The nine words emphasize different aspects of these qualities, but they are all interrelated and based on self-sacrificing love. Similarly, all the names of God emphasize His different attributes, but they all describe the same God. When we are saved, all these qualities enter our heart through the indwelling Holy Spirit, but we don’t always show these qualities because our sin nature fights against them.

In marriage as in life, we will show the fruit of the Spirit if we die to self and yield to the Holy Spirit, loving God and loving one another, doing His will and putting the needs of the other person ahead of our own. In a Christ-centered marriage, the wife can submit to her husband because the husband loves her completely and with a spirit of self-sacrifice.

Ephesians 5: 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.

Copyright 2011 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded, and reposted from the archives