Saved by Grace

Corrupt Communication

2012-03-02T12:42:00.001-08:00

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” believes in His Son’s death, burial and resurrection to pay for our sins (John 3:16).

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul explains the Gospel of grace – that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, 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.

Recently there has been a controversial trend, known as the "King's Way," for some in positions of Christian leadership to attempt to reach out in friendship to Muslims by saying that we all worship the same God. Evangelical Christian groups are invited to participate in this partnership with mosques, but they are prohibited from sharing the Gospel.

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? We have the Good News that keeps people from hell, so why would we not share it?

Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, a former Muslim who has been preaching the Gospel since he was born again, is awaiting execution in Iran rather than renouncing the truth. He is a true friend to his flock, one who lays down his life for his friends (John 15:13), willing to die for telling the truth so that others may live.

May our prayers be with him and others who face persecution and death rather than speaking corrupt communication. His captors have offered to spare his life if only he would renounce Jesus, but Pastor Yousef says:

"I am resolute in my faith and Christianity and have no wish to recant.”

(February 5, 2012):
Fight or Flight?)

What Are You Looking At?

2012-02-24T15:37:00.001-08:00

Everywhere we look in today’s world we see monuments to man’s ingenuity, creativity, and lusts: skyscrapers; cars and planes; billboards and screens flashing seductive images; logos symbolizing corporate power and wealth. In some cities these all but crowd out the evidence of God’s wondrous creation – majestic landscapes, beautiful flowers and trees, and amazing animals (John 1:3). Many deny or tend to forget that we too are God’s creation, fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

Whatever idols we have fashioned to indulge our eyes, these are only possible through the gifts of intelligence, artistry, and resources God has entrusted to us (James 1:17). How sad that many pervert these gifts to mock Him rather than to glorify Him, and that many feast their eyes on images of the world’s darkness rather than His light. Yet what we look at affects who and what we are.

Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

God’s Word gives us clear warnings about what not to look at -- we should “set no wicked thing before [our] eyes” (Psalm 101:3). We should not look back at the attractions and preoccupations of our lives before we were saved (Luke 9:62; Genesis 19:26).

The Bible is full of examples where the “lust of the eyes” (1 John 2:16) has led to sin, including Eve beholding the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6) and David spying on Bathsheba washing herself (2 Samuel 11:2).

Jesus warned so sternly of this danger that He said:

Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (see also Matthew 5:29; 18:9).

As always, God exchanges His good gifts for our sinful desires, so He indicates what we should be looking at instead, and the blessings that will result.

In Exodus, the laver (washbasin) of brass, an important piece of furniture of the tabernacle, was made of looking glasses (mirrors) donated by the women coming to worship (Exodus 38:8). Although their custom had been to bring their personal mirror with them to the temple to check on their appearance, they surrendered them so that God’s house would be glorified. What a great reminder to spend less time primping in the mirror and more time worshipping God!

As we turn away from sinful and evil images, here is what God says we should look at instead:

--The beauty of God’s creation, which reflects His glory (Psalm 19:1).

--The Godly example set by our spiritual mentors, teachers and pastors (Psalm 101:6).

--The fields of unsaved souls ripe for harvest (John 4:35), considering how we can “open their eyes, and… turn them from darkness to light” (Acts 26:18).

--Jesus Christ, Lamb of God (John 1:36), the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), Who gives us life and light (2 Corinthians 4: 3-6; Numbers 21:8).

--His Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105).

--The heavens, which remind us that He is waiting to receive us (Acts 7:55) and that He is coming back to meet us in the air (Luke 21:28; Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:13).

As we shift our focus from the world to heavenly things, we will be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), which will be kept in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Look up and live!

Have Faith!

2012-02-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

Everyone has faith in something. Atheists – even those on the portly side – sit in chairs every day without doubting that the chair will support their weight, even if they’ve never encountered that particular chair before. Every airplane passenger takes a giant leap of faith as they cross the threshold from solid ground into that relatively small, pressurized space soon to be hurtling through the skies at great speed, controlled by a pilot they have never met before.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Yet faith alone is not enough – the object of our faith is crucial. Why does faith in God elude so many people? The evidence of the Creator is all around us in the amazingly intricate way our bodies, and all of nature’s wonders, are designed (Hebrews 11:3). Our minds correctly tell us that something does not come from nothing and that beauty, function, order and intelligence do not arise by chance (Psalm 53:1).

If we come across a book of poetry, it would be nonsensical to assume that the ink molecules randomly aligned themselves on the page to form meaningful symbols, and that chance caused the letters to link together in vocabulary words, and that over time, those words happened to assemble into verses of great beauty, emotion and meaning.

Even those who come to the common-sense conclusion that there must be an Intelligent Designer may not accept saving faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord, Son of God, and God Himself (Luke 4:34; John 1:1). But the Bible, God’s Word, plainly tells us that faith in Jesus as Savior is the only way to eternal life (John 3:16;14:6).

Why doubt the Bible? It is internally consistent despite authorship by about 40 men of diverse backgrounds over a span of about 1500 years. It is historically and scientifically accurate, and advances in these fields corroborate facts and principles recorded in God’s Word thousands of years ago. So many Bible prophecies have been already been accurately fulfilled that the odds are astronomically against this happening by chance.

God has made it easy to believe in Him because His creation testifies of His greatness (Psalm 19:1), and because His Word spells out for us His amazing creation and plan of salvation through faith in His Son (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15). He even designed us with a conscience to warn us when we are doing wrong (John 8:9). Without God, the concepts of right and wrong make no sense, because value judgments would merely be a matter of personal preference rather than reflecting God’s absolute standard. Yet most sane individuals in all cultures inherently realize that stealing, murder and other sins are wrong.

The Bible says we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), which most of us will admit if we examine ourselves honestly (1 John 1:8). God is holy and just (Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 32:4 Revelation 4:8), and therefore sinners are doomed to pay the punishment – eternity in hell – for breaking His laws (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:22; 10:28). Yet God loves us so much that He sent His only Son as a perfect, sinless sacrifice to die on the cross to pay the debt we owe. His Son rose from the dead that all who have faith in His death for our sins, His burial and His resurrection will have eternal life in His presence (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15).

Even a child can understand that he is a sinner and that God’s Son, Who had no sin, took the punishment for us so we can go free. In fact, we need a simple, childlike faith, free of intellectual objections and pride, to accept God’s plan of salvation and to trust in Him alone (Matthew 18:3-4). Salvation is a free gift of God’s grace through our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). There is nothing we can do to earn it, which is why pride and self-reliance keep so many from salvation (Matthew 19: 23-24).

Why should we have Bible-based faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven? Because without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We can have an intellectual knowledge of Bible verses, attend church and tithe regularly, and even take part in religious ceremonies such as baptism and communion, and yet never have a relationship with Jesus as our personal Savior (Matthew 15:8). Church members who call themselves Christians yet lack a childlike faith in Him will be doomed to eternity in hell rather than receiving eternal joy and peace in His presence (Matthew 7:21-23).

Once we are saved, faith will give us patience (James 1:3) as we wait for answers to prayer, trusting in His perfect timing (Isaiah 40:31). Faith allows us to work tirelessly for Him, even though we may not see the fruit of our labor until we hear Him say: Well done, though good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21).

Faith will bring us peace through trials (Philippians 4:7), as we trust that God is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Faith will even bring us victory over death, as we know that we will be reunited with our loved ones in Christ who have gone home to Him (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).

If you haven't already done so, put your faith in Jesus Christ today!

(February 5, 2012:

First or Last?

2012-02-10T12:53:00.000-08:00

The world today is obsessed with being first, and if you’re not Number One, the world says you need to try harder. They say winning isn’t everything; it is the only thing. The need for domination in every aspect of life is so extreme, and the perceived consequences of not being first are so great, that some schools have even done away with announcing a valedictorian, for fear of wounding the self-esteem of the remaining students who were unable to achieve this honor.

But the Bible teaches a totally different perspective. Our need to be first at any cost is based on a misplaced pride in our own strength, talents, and accomplishments (Isaiah 2:10-12; Luke 18:9-14). Yet our own righteousness and good works are no better than filthy rags because they are marred by sin (Isaiah 64:6). In God’s eyes, our only merit is based on the righteousness of His Son, and the completed work He did on the cross to pay the debt for all our sins, past, present and future (Romans 3:22; 4:5; 5:17-18; 6:18).

God, and God alone, places us first when we deserve to be last. We are wretched sinners, and before we trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the only way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15; John 14:6), we are doomed to spend eternity in hell. After we trust Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become children of God, joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17), and even His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) designated to spread His Good News on earth and to rule and reign with Him in Heaven (Matthew 25:21). We can do nothing without Him (John 15:5), but with Him, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

When we are saved, one of the many burdens God takes from us and exchanges with His blessings is our pride, which He exchanges for His humility and servant’s heart (Philippians 2:5-7; Mark 10:45). The more we humble ourselves to serve others in this life, the greater will be our reward in Heaven (Matthew 23: 10-12; Luke 14: 7-11).

All believers in Jesus Christ as Lord will enter into the kingdom of Heaven and spend eternity with Him, regardless of whether we were saved moments before death, like the thief on the cross who had no time to do good works for Him or even to be baptized (Luke 23:40-43), or whether we were born into a Christian home, were saved as a child, and consecrated our life to Him, like Timothy (2 Timothy 1:1-5). As Jesus explained in the parable of the workers, each got the same wages regardless of whether he joined the workforce first or last, early in the day or late (Matthew 20: 1-16).

Once we become a child of God, we no longer have to worry about our ranking or status because we will always be first in His eyes. How can each of us be first? Because He loves us each of us infinitely, so no comparisons are possible. He loved each of us so much that He gave His only Son to die for “whosoever” – any one of us who trusts Him -- to give us eternal life (John 3:16).

As I have heard Andy Stanley preach, “God can’t possibly love you any more than He already does, and He can’t possibly love you any less.” Although the believer will be motivated by that love to do good works for Him, we don’t have to do good works to earn more of His love because He already loves us infinitely (Ephesians 2:8-9). No matter how dark our past has been, and no matter how many times we fall short of His commandments, we can’t lose any of His love because that love is infinite (Romans 8:38-39).

Praise God that He is the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13). Our existence is justified only through and by Him (Acts 17:28). If we put our own pride last and surrender completely to His will, He will exalt us beyond measure (Luke 18:9-14; 1 Peter 5:5-6), and in glory we will be like Him (Romans 8:18,30).

Fight or Flight?

2012-02-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

Did you know God prepared your body -- and your spirit -- to overcome trouble by fight or flight? In medical terms, the sympathetic nervous system is that part of the involuntary nervous system, beyond our voluntary control, that helps us get out of trouble. It’s sometimes called the “Fight or Flight” response because it’s designed to help us fight – i.e. to resist an attacker, or to take flight. – i.e. to run away if we sense that the enemy is too powerful and that we’d be better off escaping than trying to fight back.

Whether our best response to trouble is to fight or to flee, God designed our bodies to be able to respond physically to either challenge – and a brilliant design it is! (Psalm 139:14)

But as Christians, our main battles are not in the physical realm, but in the spiritual (Ephesians 6:12). Just as God designed us with a built-in mechanism to protect our physical body from attack, He also gave us a spiritual “fight or flight” mechanism to help us resist spiritual attack, as explained in His Word.

The three enemies of our spirit are the devil, the flesh, and the world. The Bible tells us to fight or resist the devil (James 4:6-8; 1 Peter 5:6-9), to flee temptation that would cause us to yield to our fleshly desires (1 Corinthians 10:1-14; James 4:4), and to separate ourselves from the world, loving God instead of worldly pleasures and powers (1 John 2:15-17; Ephesians 2:1-9).

Although we must resist, or fight against, the devil, we must flee temptation. Specific evils the Bible warns us to flee from are fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18), idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14), greed or love of money (1 Timothy 6:10), and envy and arguments (1 Timothy 6:4-5).

The Bible has numerous examples of people who gave in to these evils rather than fleeing from them, with disastrous results. Nonetheless, we can thank God that these are recorded in His Word, both as a warning to us and as a reassurance that we are not alone in facing these struggles. Temptation in general, and these specific temptations, are common to the fallen human condition because of our sin nature. But God promises us an escape from every temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Paul often uses the metaphor of the Christian life being like a fight or warfare of the soldier going into battle (1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7), as in the hymn “Onward Christian soldiers.” Our sin nature is still a force we must do battle with even after we are saved. That sinful spirit is still there, creating lust, which causes us to want more than we need and should have. In turn, that lust causes us to envy those who we think have more than we do, which leads to fighting and war (James 4: 5-6). Only by the grace of God, Who indwelled us with His Holy Spirit when we were saved, can we restrain our sin nature and break this vicious circle.

Resisting the devil involves drawing close to God and humbly recognizing that in our own "strength" we are nothing, but that He has already won the battle for us (1 Samuel 17:47; Jeremiah 17:5-8; Psalm 44, 4-8; Psalm 55: 22).

Satan tries to attack us through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (Genesis 3:6). If we have pride in and confidence in our own flesh, that pride is misplaced and foolish, and we are bound to fail because God will only make His power available to us when we yield to Him completely and humbly (Ephesians 6:10:10; 1 John 4:4)

To resist the devil, we must also put on the whole defensive armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and use the sword of the Lord -- His Holy Word -- to fight the devil and watch him flee! (Matthew. 4:5-11; James 2:19; 1 John 4:4). The secret to successful combat with Satan and his minions is to grab hold of God and refuse to let Him go! If we seek God in earnest, fervent prayer, He will bless us richly!

Prayer is the safest method of replying to words of hatred. The Psalmist prayed in no cold-hearted manner, he gave himself to the exercise—threw his whole soul and heart into it—straining every sinew and muscle, as Jacob did when wrestling with the angel. Thus, and thus only, shall any of us speed at the throne of grace. Charles Spurgeon: Evening by Evening, January 15.

Praise God that He provides us with an escape from every temptation and with armor to withstand every one of Satan’s attacks! May we realize that the battle is the Lord’s, and put our trust in Him alone!

God's Exchange

2012-01-27T15:12:00.000-08:00

Would you trade the toaster oven in your hands for what’s behind Door Number 3? It might be a new car or a lump of coal – on a game show, there is no way of knowing. One thing is for sure, though -- you have to give up what you have to get something new.

With God, we have the assurance of knowing that what we will get by trusting Him is infinitely better than what we give up, because you can’t outgive God. When we pray for Him to meet a specific need, He does not just add a little something to what we already have; He takes away a burden and replaces it with a priceless gift (Philippians 4: 4-6).

What’s the catch? There is no catch, except that we have to release the burden to Him before He will bless us with the gift. If we clutch on to the old and familiar because we’re afraid to let go, we lack the faith that He knows what we need before we even ask Him (Matthew 6:8), and that He will answer our prayer exceeding abundantly beyond what we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20; 1 Timothy 1:14).

This is not a prosperity gospel or a name-it-and-claim-it philosophy, because we should recognize that not all our specific requests are in line with God’s perfect will, and that His blessings are often not in the material realm. As we become more conformed to Christ’s image (Philippians 3:10), and trust Him more and more, He will grant us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4) because those desires become more aligned with His perfect will for us.

When we feel that God is not blessing us as we had hoped, it may be because we haven’t yet asked Him (James 4:2; Matthew 7:8; 21:22; Luke 11:10), or because we’re asking for something to satisfy our fleshly wants rather than our spiritual needs (James 4:3). Or it may be that our heart is not right with God because we have not forgiven those who have wronged us, or we have not repented of our sins, or because we are relying on our own limited resources to solve the problem, instead of trusting in His abundant grace.

But God delights in blessing His children with good things beyond our imagination! (Matthew 7:11; Ephesians 3:20; 1 Timothy 1:14) If we have faith to leave our burdens at the foot of the cross, He will fill us up with blessings beyond measure (Hebrews 11:6). He will exchange:

Our sins for His righteousness (Hebrews 12:11)

Our bondage for His liberty (James 1:25)

Our weakness for His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 40:31)

Our exhaustion for His rest (Matthew 11:28)

Our loneliness for His presence (Hebrews 13:5; Proverbs 18:24) and for brothers and sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:2)

Our pride for His humility (Philippians 2:5-7; Mark 10:45)

Our limitations for His omnipotence (Luke 18:27; Matthew 19:26; Philippians 4:13)

Our ignorance for His wisdom (James 1:5; Colossians 2:3) and teaching (John 14:26; Ephesians 1:17-18)

Our confusion for His direction (Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 119:105)

Our guilt for His forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9; Romans 8:1; Colossians 1:13-14)

Our doubt and fear for His perfect love, faith, and the peace that passes all understanding (1 John 4:18; Philippians 4:7).

Our sin sickness for His healing (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24)

Our tears for joy in Him (Philippians 4:4; Psalm 5:11; 1 John 1:4)

Our lack for His abundance (Philippians 4:19)

A death sentence of eternity in hell for abundant life now and eternity with Him in Heaven (Ephesians 2:1; John 3:16).

Dying to self for living with and in Him (Galatians 2:20)

Being children of the devil for being children of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).

A story has circulated on the Internet about a little girl who dearly loved a necklace of plastic pearls she bought at the dime store after scrimping and saving her allowance. Her father asked her to trust him to give them to her so he could give her something better, but each time he asked, she turned away defiantly with pouting and tears, clinging to the plastic pearls even though their coating had long since flaked away. After all, she had worked so hard and given up so much to get them.

Finally she realized that her love for her father and her desire to please him outweighed her attachment to her necklace. Reluctantly, timidly, she removed them from her neck and offered them to him. Imagine her surprise and delight when he placed around her neck a string of perfectly matched, cultured pearls of great beauty and value.

How often are we like the little girl, refusing to give up the childish trinkets we acquire by our own efforts, letting them take on the importance of idols in our life? Why are we so often afraid to exchange what we have for what the Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer longs to give us?

Change Me Now!

2012-01-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, when reviewing song lyrics I wrote about salvation, I realized that the climax of the song was the lyric, “Change me now – make me a new creation!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Emphasizing that lyric and expressing the change made all the difference in the interpretation of the song and its power to communicate God’s message. Imagine my surprise when that night, a dear sister in Christ lent me a book entitled, “Lord, Change Me!”

There are no coincidences with God, so I wondered what God was revealing to me. Clearly we are changed so dramatically at the moment of salvation that Jesus referred to it as being born again (John 3:3-7). At that very instant the burden of our sin is lifted from us forever (Romans 8:1-2); its stain on our soul is washed away (Psalm 51:2, Acts 22:16, Revelation 1:5); and the Holy Spirit indwells us (2 Corinthians 5:5) with the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

From that moment on we have access to the infinite love, power, wisdom and righteousness of God living within us (Colossians 1:27). We are no longer enemies of God (Romans 5:10) condemned to death (Romans 8:7; Colossians 1: 21), but His children, joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17), ambassadors of the Gospel of grace (2 Corinthians 5:20), and even future priests and rulers within His Kingdom (Revelation 20:6). We are blessed with abundant and eternal life (John 10:10; John 3:16).

I was saved 11 years ago, but I feel God has a fresh message for me now about change. As radical as the change at the moment of salvation is from death in sin to newness of life (Romans 6:4), so sudden is the change that awaits us at the moment of the Rapture. In the twinkling of an eye we will be transformed from an ailing, aging physical body to a glorified body that will never get sick, feel pain, age, or die. At the same moment our sin nature will be gone forever, replaced with the perfect righteousness and holiness of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51-58).

At salvation we receive justification, or positional sanctification, because we are justified in Christ’s perfect sacrifice to pay our sin debt in full (Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:9; Hebrews 10:10,14). It is “just as if” we had never sinned. When God looks at us, we are holy or sanctified in His eyes, because He sees the perfect righteousness of His Son instead of seeing our sins (Romans 5:15-18; Hebrews 10:14-17). At the Rapture we receive glorification, or complete sanctification, as we become like Christ in every way (Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 3:4).

But I believe that God was reminding me of what happens in between the moment of salvation and the moment of the Rapture. We are not meant to stagnate during that time, but to increasingly be transformed into the image of Christ, through a process known as progressive sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 2:21). It is not an instantaneous change like being born again or like meeting Christ in the air, but it is a time-intensive, often arduous process causing us to groan in our spirit (Romans 8:19-25; 2 Corinthians 5:2-4).

Paul spoke of it as working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). We are saved not by works but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet once we are saved, we must “run the race” (Philippians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1) and “fight the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7) to become progressively conformed to His image (Colossians 3:1-4).

God allows us to go through trials to identify with Christ’s suffering that will make us more like Him (Romans 8:17-18; Philippians 3:10) and that will bring us patience and hope (Romans 5:3-5). He may not immediately answer our prayers in the way we had hoped because He wants us to wait on Him (Isaiah 40:31), to strengthen our faith and reliance on Him. If we strike out on our own without seeking the wisdom He will freely give us when we ask for it (James 1:5), we will be struggling in our own flesh instead of fulfilling His perfect will for our lives.

Especially for those of us saved later in life, we have a long history of being conformed to the world, of defining who we are in terms of worldly standards, and of following idols of status, power, wealth, and prestige. It takes time, prayer, and meditation in God’s Word to be renewed and transformed in our mind (Romans 12:2). It takes diligent, devoted study and discipline to begin to think with the mind of Christ that entered us at the moment of salvation, and not to fall back on the easy solutions so familiar to our carnal mind (Romans 8:6-9).

I had been praying “Change me now!” but now I realize that it’s like praying, “Lord give me patience, and do it right away!” Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, God will change me, not immediately, but continually during my earthly journey. May we learn to wait upon the Lord so that He can complete the good work He began in us the moment we were saved (Philippians 1:6).

When God Talks

2012-01-13T18:21:00.000-08:00

When God talks, people don’t always listen. But we should, for when God speaks, it is so, and it is done (Isaiah 55:11; Ezekiel 12:28).

God wrote some of His Word directly on tablets of stone (Deuteronomy 9:10), and the Holy Spirit inspired chosen men of God to write the rest (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Unlike any other religious text, the Bible is not only internally consistent, but also historically and scientifically accurate, as well as tried, true, and pure (2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 18:30; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 2:15).

Archaeological and scientific discoveries and advances increasingly support corresponding facts in the Bible. The state of the art and of knowledge in all these disciplines changes, and their theories come and go, but the Word of God is eternal and unchanging (John 1:1; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35).

Many Biblical prophecies, such as those concerning the earthly ministry of the Messiah, have already been fulfilled exactly, with astronomical odds against this happening by chance. Those prophecies and promises not yet fulfilled will one day come to pass, and we should live accordingly, in faith and not in unbelief (Hebrews 4:1-7).

Jesus Christ, Son of God, spoke the universe into existence and saw that it was good (Genesis 1; Hebrews 11:3; 2 Peter 3:5). He used the power of His tongue to heal (Luke 5:13; 17:14; 18:42; John 5:8-9), forgive sins (John 8:11), cast out demons (Matthew 8:16), lead others to believe in Him (John 8:30), and even to raise the dead (John 11:43-44; 5:28-29).

His Word is sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17), piercing straight to the heart to convict us of our sins and of our need for His saving grace. For those who hear, believe, and act upon His Word, it cleanses us from sin (Ephesians 5:26), sustains us (Matthew 4:4), blesses us (Luke 11:28), identifies us with God (John 8:47; 1 John 2:5), and gives eternal life (John 5:24-26). Jesus withered a barren fig tree with a single utterance (Mark 11:14, 20-22), and when He returns, His Word will defeat all His enemies (Revelation 19:11-16).

Knowing this, how should we choose our own words? Words have the power to build up and to tear down. With our tongue we can bring joy, love, truth, and comfort, or incite anger, hated and strife (Philippians 2:14-16; James 3). We can glorify God with words of praise and thanksgiving, or we can dishonor Him with filthy speech and blasphemy (Ephesians 5:4,6,19-20).

Like Jesus, we can speak the truth of Scripture to war against the devil and watch him flee (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10-11). Or, like Satan, we can twist and corrupt that truth (Genesis 3: 1-5; John 8:44) so that we are false teachers speaking lies (2 Corinthians 2:17; 4:2; Matthew 7:15).

When we face Jesus Christ at the judgment, we will have to give account for every idle word (Matthew 12:36-37). Not just for lies, gossip, backbiting, and slander, which we know God hates (Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 10:18), but for which His Son has already paid the price in full by dying on the cross. “Idle” words imply those words spoken without much thought or care – not necessarily harmful in themselves, but perhaps preventing an opportunity to encourage, exhort, or witness (Romans 10:17; Acts 4:31). Do we chat about our latest fashion finds or football scores to fill the awkward silence, shutting out the Holy Spirit’s voice prompting us to tell someone about Jesus?

As we present our bodies to Him as a holy, acceptable living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), surely our tongue should be the member we especially consecrate to His service. When God speaks, may we listen, believe, and do what He says, following His perfect will for our lives.

In the Beginning

2012-01-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

What a blessing to know that before anything was, God was. And not just God the Father, but the Triune God also manifest as God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The word translated as “God” in the first chapters of Genesis is “Elohim,” a plural noun using a singular verb, indicating that the three aspects of God act as One Being. The Spirit moved upon the surface of the waters (Genesis 1:2), showing His role from the beginning of creation in providing the power or energy needed to carry out the plan of God the Father. And the Son also played an integral role, speaking into existence the Father’s plan.

As God said, so it was created: light (Gen. 1:3); Heaven (Gen. 1:6-8); Earth and Seas (Gen. 1:9-10); vegetation and trees (Gen. 1:11-12); sun, moon and stars (Gen. 1:14-16); sealife and birds (Gen. 1:20-21); and land animals (Gen. 1:24).

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The Word is another name for Jesus Christ, King of Kings (Revelation 19:13), so given because whatsoever He speaks is done, whether it be creation of the universe, healing and forgiveness of sins (Luke 5:12-13; 18-25; Matthew 8: 1-17), or defeating the enemies of Israel at the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19: 11-16).

John 1:1 tells us that Jesus Christ was not only there at the beginning with God the Father, but that He Himself was (and is) equally God, the Creator of all. He is the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8,11; 21:6; 22:13), existing before time and eternally present when time is no more.

Genesis 1: 26 And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.
(capitals mine)

This verse is another clear indication of the triune nature of God -- one of the divine mysteries that we will never fully understand until we reach glory. Yet we may draw some insight from this verse, because human beings also have a three-part nature: body, mind and spirit. Each of us is a unique person defined by these three aspects, which must all be present and functioning for us to realize our God-given potential.

Before we do anything, we must first think of what we are going to do, even if the time between the thought and the action is so short that the action seems like an involuntary reflex. Thus, our body responds to our mind and carries out the planned action. But our soul or spirit – our motivating force that underlies and determines all we do and how we react to what happens to us – shapes and energizes our thoughts. So our soul or spirit determines what we think, and, accordingly, what we say and do.

That is why believers are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), as His indwelling Holy Spirit motivates and directs our thoughts (Romans 8:9-11), giving us the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5). If we die to our sin nature and follow the mind of Christ, our words and behavior will show others that we belong to Him (Romans 12:1-2), and our body will be His temple reflecting His presence (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

God made us in His image; He is a triune Being; and we have a three-part nature. One way to consider the triune nature of God is that God the Father is the Originator or the “mind” of the plan, including the plan of creation, of salvation, or of anything in between or thereafter. God the Son could be regarded as the Embodiment of the plan, the One Who spoke the worlds into existence and Who wrapped Himself in human flesh to redeem us (John 1:14), and the Holy Spirit as the Empowerment of the plan (Micah 3:8; Luke 4:14; Romans 15:19; 2 Timothy 1:7). The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to draw attention to Jesus Christ (1 John 4:2-3; 1 John 5:6), Who is the only Way we can know the Father (John 1:18; 5:37; 14:7,9).

How amazing it is to think that the Creator of all loves us so much that He created us in His image, gave His Son to redeem us, and indwelled believers with His Holy Spirit to empower us with the mind of Christ. May we glorify Him in all we think, speak and do (Romans 15:6).

In His Arms

2011-12-30T14:06:00.000-08:00

I had it all together, until it all fell apart. I was an Ivy League educated physician with research accolades, a successful practice, a loving and devoted husband, and a gifted, handsome son. And even a fulfilling, creative hobby that had become a passion – ballroom dance – that my husband and I could share and that had carried us across the globe to share our love of dance with others.

Yet on April 17, 2000, the beautiful melody of our carefully orchestrated lives came to a screeching halt in a crescendo of offbeat discords. A call from the police had interrupted our son’s tenth birthday celebration at a theme park the day before, as the alarm at my mother’s house had sounded and she could not remember how to disarm it, or even how to unlock the dead bolt at the front door to let in the police. When we arrived she was wielding a butcher knife, trying to cut the wires to the blaring alarm, and then she planted herself against the wall, stubborn as a mountain goat, as we pleaded with her to come to the hospital with us.

Over the next few hours she quickly returned to her mild mannered, loveable self, and the doctor could find nothing wrong. Yet I feared that she had had a mild stroke and that Alzheimer’s disease was stealing away the mother I loved, just as it had her mother who had been my constant companion from the time I was born until she died when I was 14.

My grandmother had left me a legacy of faith and prayer that sustained her through a lifelong series of hardships. As a 16 year-old bride she emigrated from the Ukraine to Nova Scotia; lost nine children – all but my mother -- in childbirth or to pneumonia in early infancy; and lost her husband to a brain aneurysm when he was only 35. She moved to New York as a single parent, raising my mother by working long shifts in a bakery as she had never learned to read or write. Yet she was faithful to God through it all, praying to Jesus, drawing strength from her faith in Him, and even scrimping together enough money to donate to her church a beautiful mural of Ruth gleaning in the wheat fields of Boaz (Ruth 2:8).

Despite my grandmother’s example, I had always been a seeker – praying to God without knowing Him, reading the Bible dispassionately as a student of literature and history without grasping its significance (2 Timothy 4:3-4). In college I explored New Age philosophies and Eastern religions, never finding the truth I desperately hoped would transform my empty life and fill it with peace and joy.

An evangelist sat next to me on a long train ride when I was in college, patiently explaining that the only way to Heaven was through Jesus, Son of God (John 14:6), Who came to earth wrapped in human flesh (John 1:14) to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. His death on the cross paid the debt for all our sins, past, present and future, so that whoever acknowledged and turned away from their sins, and had faith in His death, burial and resurrection, would be forgiven and have eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:1-28; John 3:16). But I was a know-it-all, self-righteous, desperately lost college girl who resented the intrusion into my study time and argued with the well-meaning stranger over the merits of reincarnation.

My futile search continued, leaving me empty and unsettled about my future and about how to cope with setbacks, sadness and trials. On that life-changing morning of April 17, 2000, my husband and I had to travel from Florida to New York for a dance competition, even though our dancing had taken giant strides backward and we could barely step on the dance floor without bitter arguing. Our son was hurt and disappointed that his birthday was spent mostly in the doctor’s waiting room, and my mother’s health was uncertain at best.

That morning we stopped at my office before leaving for the airport, only to find more bad news and chaos. The mail brought notice of two separate legal actions, each without basis, yet both attacking my professional credibility and threatening my career. To make matters worse, our office manager announced she was quitting without notice, leaving the practice in utter turmoil.

As we rushed off to the airport, I was too numb to care, overwhelmed by the office situation, my mother’s health, the legal battles, our son’s missed birthday, and our dancing which now brought more frustration than joy. We boarded the plane with feelings of resignation and doom, and my shoulders and neck were as tense as wet ropes wrung dry. My mouth felt like chalk, and my head throbbed as if a salsa band inside clanged off key and off time. I strapped myself into my seat and pinched my eyes shut for takeoff.

I tried to fight back the tears when suddenly there was no need to fight anything. The tension melted away like glacial ice warmed by the radiant sun, flowing into living water that engulfed me and floated me upward. A divine embrace protected and sheltered me, blessing me with complete peace, perfect love.

“Jesus,” I said aloud. It was both a prayer and a greeting. In His arms the words I had heard before without understanding, that He was my Savior and that through Him I had eternal life, became the only truth, the only reality worth knowing. At that moment I knew I would follow Him anywhere. In Him I was a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15), my sins forgiven (Romans 8:1-4), a child of God (Romans 8:14-17). I had been His enemy (James 4:4) and rebelled against His truth, yet He had adopted me as His own and even had appointed me to be His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20), to tell others of how He had changed my life (Matthew 28:19) and to honor and glorify Him in all that I do (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:23).

As I remembered the evangelist who had told me of Jesus two decades earlier, I hoped he was not discouraged over planting seeds of truth and love seemingly wasted on my hardened heart (Matthew 13:3-23). I look forward to seeing him in glory and thanking him for the effect his words ultimately had in showing me the Way. Through the years I have thought often of that encounter, and of my grandmother’s loving model of faith and prayer, as they remind me that God’s Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11) and that our work for Him is never in vain (Hebrews 6:10).

Less is More

2011-12-23T12:35:00.000-08:00

The world equates grandeur and power with showy displays of wealth, force and excess. Worldly success is measured in mega-numbers, whether dollars in bank accounts or bodies in church pews. Music is blasted at deafening volume, and even food is super-sized.

But God, the source of all power, wisdom, love and light (1 John 4:7-8; 1 John 1:5), is often understated and subtle when He speaks. If you’re distracted by the world’s fanfare, you can miss what He has to say.

He spoke to Elijah not in the roar of the wind, in the shaking of the earthquake or the blaze of the fire, but in a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12).

God first brought His only begotten Son, Creator and Ruler of all, to this earth not as a conquering warrior, high priest, or revered king, but as a lowly infant. The Son first appeared not in the battlefield, temple, or palace, but in a filthy stable, born among the animals (Luke 2:7). His first utterance was not a declaration of leadership or an eloquent sermon, but the helpless cry of a newborn.

Yet that humble beginning marked the greatest story ever told – Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). God the Son left His throne in Heaven, was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35), and wrapped Himself in human flesh. His earthly life and ministry reflected self-sacrificing love, forgiveness, humility, and self-control. He was born not only to teach us about God the Father, and about how He wants us to live, but He was born primarily to die. He could have summoned legions of angels to rescue Him from an agonizing death (Matthew 26:53), but He went meekly as a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7, Acts 8:32) arguing nothing in His own defense.

His holy, sinless life was the perfect, and only, sacrifice that could reconcile Holy God to sinful man (1 John 4:10). As His death on the cross paid in full the punishment due all our sins, past, present and future, He redeemed us from sin and death. When God the Father looks at those who trust His Son, He no longer sees our sins, but only the perfect righteousness of His Son (Romans 8:1-4).

He died not just to pay for our sins, but to rise again, that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life with Him in Heaven (John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-13), and abundant life (John 10:10) the moment we repent of our sins and place our faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

But for us to receive the full blessing of being in His perfect will, we must hear what He has to say. If our own voice clamors for attention, we will drown out His still, small whisper (Psalm 46:10; Zechariah 2:13). If we fill our life with our own grandiose plans for accomplishments we believe we can achieve in our own strength, there will be no room for Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yielding to Him, preparing our heart to receive and cherish Him, will allow His light to shine through us (Matthew 5:16) and His living water to flow through us to bless others.

If we are king of our own life, we, like Bethlehem, will have no room for the Holy Infant, Emmanuel (Luke 2:7).

We must decrease so that He can increase (John 3:30), our lives becoming vessels emptied of self and filled with His glorious presence. We should rejoice in our frailty, knowing that His strength is made perfect in our weakness, allowing His power to rest on us (2 Corinthians 12:9).

This Christmas, my prayer is that each of us will receive the Gift of His Son (2 Corinthians 9:15), and that we will give back to Him the gift of our own lives, so that our fleeting time on earth (James 4:14) may be transformed from our own inconsequential purposes to His eternal glory (Romans 5: 1-2; Romans 15: 5-7;15-17; Philippians 1:11; 1 Peter 5:10; Psalm 84:11 ).

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Be Fruit-full!

2011-12-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

When God told Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful,” (Gen. 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, having dominion over all the animals.

Now that we are in the 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 so that people know we belong to Christ by our words, our works, our attitude, and our behavior (Luke 6:43-45).

When we get married, we have on opportunity for the light of Christ to shine, not only through each of us individually, but through our new, combined family and community. 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.

Gal. 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, and 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 (Gal. 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, 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 9 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.

Highly Favored

2011-12-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

The angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary that she was “highly favored” with God, yet she was “troubled” when she heard this news (Luke 1: 26-29), with good reason. After recovering from the fear and awe Gabriel caused her by his visitation and life-changing news, Mary had so much more to face as the reality hit her of this incredibly difficult yet significant assignment.

As a teenaged, betrothed virgin, she was pregnant, not with just any child, but with the Son of God conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:30-35). She would face rejection and criticism by her community, and the hurt and bewilderment of her fiancé Joseph, who thought she had been unfaithful and betrayed him (Matthew 1:18-19). She would escape the prying eyes and wagging tongues by traveling to the hill country to reach her cousin Elizabeth, an old woman also miraculously with child (Luke 1:36-40).

Then Mary and Joseph would set off for Bethlehem (Luke 2:4) on a long, bumpy journey with her precious Child bouncing up and down with each step of the donkey. She would wonder why no innkeeper could find room for the promised Messiah or His earthly family (Luke 2:7). She would endure the pain of childbirth in a smelly stable on scratchy hay, without any earthly comfort or help other than that given by her inexperienced husband and the warmth of the animals.

She would wonder why the King of Kings was not welcomed, recognized, and worshipped by most of those He came to save (John 1:10). She would face the pain and fear of knowing that Herod was trying to kill Him (Matthew 2:16-18) and that a sword would pierce Him and her soul also (Luke 2:34-35).

Yet the Bible says she was highly favored. How had she found favor with God? When faced with the impossible, Mary knew she had no strength, wisdom, experience or support of her own, and that the Lord Himself was her strength and her salvation. She turned it all over to Him, accepting His will and her role as “the handmaiden of the Lord” (Luke 1:38) with grace, courage and praise (Luke 1:46-49). He chooses those whom He favors not based on their ability, but on their availability and yieldedness to His will.

How did God show His favor toward Mary? God often favors His chosen servants not with worldly success, power, prestige, comfort and riches, but with trials that He can use to accomplish His will to His glory. Yet if He called you for a specific mission, He will provide all you need to complete it.

God sent angels as ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14) -- He sent Gabriel to Mary to inform her of His plan (Luke 1:30-35); and He sent an angel to Joseph so that He would help Mary carry out this plan (Matthew 1:20-25). He sent Mary to Elizabeth so that they could encourage and uplift each other (Luke 1:39-45). He sent angels to tell shepherds to worship the newborn King (Luke 2:8-20) and He sent a star to lead wise men to also worship Jesus (Matthew 2:2-11), giving Mary confirmation that her Child was indeed the Son of God. He spoke through dreams to protect Jesus from the evil plot of King Herod (Matthew 2:12-23).

We can do nothing apart from God (John 15:5,8), but with Him, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37).

So no matter what our weaknesses or what resources or experience we seem to lack, let’s be yielded to God’s will, and give Him praise as He works through us! His grace is sufficient; His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9); and to Him belongs all the glory!

Luke 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.… And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.… 46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

Transformed!

2011-12-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about how a lowly, plodding caterpillar becomes a glorious, free-flying butterfly? At precisely the right time in its life cycle, the caterpillar attaches itself to a twig and forms a shell, or chrysalis, around itself. Within that chamber, it releases digestive enzymes that completely destroy what was once the caterpillar. From that pool of raw materials, new tissues form that are unique to the butterfly and in no way resemble those of the caterpillar. With precise timing, the new tissues develop into the new creature, complete with wings as delicate and intricate as fine lace.

But the amazing process doesn’t stop there. Before it can take flight, the newly born butterfly has to free itself from the chrysalis representing what is left of its old self. As the fragile wings fight to emerge, the abdomen pumps fluid into the wings to give them strength. Once the butterfly breaks free from its imprisoning shell, it rests upside down for sunlight to dry its wings, and then it has the power to soar from one colorful, fragrant flower to the next. The struggle is essential for the butterfly to live and to fly – if a well-meaning onlooker cuts the chrysalis to “help” the butterfly out, its wings will shrivel up and it will die.

If God has engineered this incredible transformation of caterpillar to butterfly (which totally deflates any evolutionary argument of “chance” formation not only of the caterpillar, but of the completely redesigned butterfly), how much more can He work the miracle of transformation in our lives?

In the physical, He unites a single egg and sperm into a completely unique being who develops from that single cell, not yet visible with the naked eye, but within nine short months fighting her way out of the dark, protective cocoon of her mother’s body to enter a new world of light, sound, and love. God knew that unique person before she was even knitted together in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5), and throughout her life He keeps track of every hair on her head (Luke 12:7).

Each day, cells throughout our body die so that new cells can replace them, allowing the transformation from sickness to health, from life to death (Psalm 30:2-3). A seed planted in the ground decays before it is transformed into a living plant (1 Corinthians 15:36).

Physical changes, such as water vapor in clouds condensing to form rain (Job 28:24-26; 36:27-30) or freezing to form snowflakes, each one different from the next, follow laws God established for these daily miracles we often take for granted. Chemical reactions He engineered transform elements and compounds into very different substances, with dramatic results that allow all kinds of observable and incredible phenomena such as those that fuel our cars and even our bodies.

In the spiritual, the transformation is no less dramatic. As we are born again (John 3:3-8), we become new creatures, progressively conformed to His image. Like the emerging butterfly, the struggles and sufferings we undergo are an essential part of that process (Philippians 3:10). Ultimately, the saving power of God’s love transforms us:

--From sin to righteousness! (Psalm 51:1-10; Isaiah 61:10; Romans 6:18)

--From death to eternal life! (John 3:16; Romans 6:23)

--From worldly darkness to His light! (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24)

--From defeat to victory! (Philippians 3:12-14; Psalm 30:1)

--From sadness to joy! (Psalm 30:5,11; Revelation 21:4-5)

--From anxiety to peace! (Philippians 4:6-9)

--From enemies of God to children of the King, joint heirs with Christ, and ambassadors appointed to spread the Good News of the Gospel! (Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 16:13-15).

--From corruptible bodies to glorified bodies! (2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Romans 8:18-23; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

Praise God that through our faith in Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, He can wash away our sins, turn our sorrow into joy and praise, and renew a right spirit within us (Psalm 30). As we die to our old sin nature, we are born again and progressively shaped through sufferings into His image (Romans 6:3-11; Philippians 3:10). He can transform us from a sinful wretch to a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) destined for eternal life with Him!

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection…11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Fellowship of Christian Bloggers

2011-11-28T06:11:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Tony Kummer, creator of the Devotional Christian website, for including Saved by Grace in the Fellowship of Christian Bloggers!

If you have a moment, please visit this website including many inspirational Christian blogs. We are honored and blessed to be included here.

Tony also has a related children's ministry website with many great ideas and free resources for sharing Jesus with children.

May you all have a blessed week!

Laurie

Be Thankful for the Giver!

2011-11-22T19:57:00.000-08:00

With the Thanksgiving holiday begins the official Christmas shopping season, as stores vie for our attention and our dollars while we seek the perfect presents for our loved ones. No matter how much we try, some gifts fall short, and instead of the joyful surprise and appreciation we had hoped for, we hear a polite “Gee, you shouldn’t have,” or “It’s the thought that counts.”

Often we try to give our loved ones, especially our children, what we know they need instead of what they think they want. Classic books, educational software, warm mittens and socks get left behind under the piles of wrapping, while the child disappears into his room with the worldly video game given by a well-meaning family friend or relative. For an older son or daughter, a membership to a towing and roadside protection emergency service has a lot less appeal than a gift card to the mall, until that fateful night when their car breaks down on a dark, lonely road.

Hopefully as the child grows up he would realize that Mom and Dad gave gifts motivated by their deep love and caring, wanting to nurture him and to guide him along the right path. Better yet, he would be thankful not only for the gifts, but for the giver, realizing that he was blessed with loving parents who wanted to encourage their child to follow God’s perfect plan for his life.

It may be a lot to hope for such maturity in our children, especially if we ourselves are less than thankful for the gifts God gives us. Even when things are going well, we tend to gloss over God’s many blessings upon us. In the Thanksgiving season, and whenever we take the time to reflect on God’s provision, it is easy to give thanks for what we perceive as blessings -– religious freedom, prosperity, good health, loving relationships, quality time with our family.

But do we faithfully thank God for those blessings that are harder to recognize? When we go through trials of sickness, financial loss, death of a loved one, rejection, divorce, do we give thanks? Our first reaction may be to question God or to be angry with Him. Yet Paul tells us to give thanks in EVERY thing, for this is the perfect will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

How is it possible to be thankful for trials? Clearly not in our flesh, but only through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, Who teaches us that God is sovereign and all-powerful; that He loves His children infinitely (1 John 4:9); that it gives Him great pleasure to give His children good gifts (Matthew 7:11); and that He works all things together for good for those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

This side of glory, we cannot always understand or see the amazing ways that God is using tribulation in our life to accomplish His perfect will for us. We do know that trials can strengthen our faith in and dependence on God, can build our character by conforming us more and more to the image of His Son, and can give us the compassion and experience needed to help others going through similar circumstances (Romans 8:16-18; Phil. 3: 10-14).

If we trust and love God, we can be thankful for all things. The phrase “He really shouldn’t have,” truly applies with Him, because it is beyond our comprehension that the Creator of all things would willingly subject Himself to the suffering needed to pay for our sins in full (Colossians 1:12-29; 1 John 3:16). With Him, the thought really does count, because He thought enough of us to give His only Son as the perfect sacrifice for our sins (Romans 8:32), so that all who repent and trust in His death, burial, and resurrection have eternal life (John 3:16; 2 Thess 2:13-14; Romans 1:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). How amazing that as Jesus faced the agony of crucifixion and the even more painful separation from His Holy Father as He took on our sins, He thought of us and prayed for us in the Garden of Gethsemane! (John 17)

At Thanksgiving and always, let us give thanks not only for every thing, but especially for Him, our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer (Psalm 103:3-5; 104:1-15) Who loves us enough to give His only Son to save us, to clothe us in His righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), to give us eternal and abundant life in His presence (John 10:10), to adopt us as His children (Romans 8:14-17) and joint heirs with Christ (Galatians 4:6-7), and to appoint us as His ambassadors on earth (2 Corinthians 5:20) and joint rulers with Him in eternity!

Praise Him with Dance!

2011-11-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

As born-again Christians (and active members of a Baptist church), my husband and I often get funny looks when people learn that we are dancers. God has blessed us with musical, dancing, and choreographic abilities, and we believe He would have us use these gifts to His glory and to spread His Word to an audience unaccustomed to hearing the Gospel.

It is true that the Bible condemns worldly forms of dancing, such as the dance Herodias’ daughter performed to entice Herod to execute John the Baptist (Mark 6:22-28), or the naked dancing of the Hebrews before the golden calf idol they had made (Exodus 32:18-25).

However, about two thirds of the references to dancing in the Bible portray it in a positive light, as a form of praise, worship, and expression of joy. Dancing is contrasted with mourning (Ecclesiastes 3:4; Jeremiah 31:13; Lamentations 5:15), and it was used to celebrate victory in battle (1 Samuel 18:6; 30:16) and the return of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:25). Miriam led the Israelite women in a dance of praise after God parted the Red Sea to deliver them from Egypt(Exodus 15:20-21). David danced before the Lord to praise Him for bringing the Ark back to Egypt, and when his wife Michal disapproved, she was punished by not bearing any children (2 Samuel 6:14-23).

Two of the Psalms call on worshippers to praise God with dance as well as music!
Psalm 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Psalm 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Through the years it has become clear to my husband and me that our ministry is to dance to Christian music for audiences that may be largely unchurched, in settings that are more secular than sacred. Our prayer each time we set foot on the dance floor is to honor Him with our dance, to dance for His glory, and to soften hearts to His Word. We have been blessed to have missionaries and people in church leadership praying for us in this mission.

If God calls you to a specific work, He will see you through it! God has blessed our ministry by granting us the strength to continue in physically demanding choreography, including overhead lift work, despite my husband’s heart condition (mitral valve regurgitation) and our age. We are old enough to be the parents or even grandparents of most other performers in this style, and we have been dancing together for more than 20 years even though the career of a male dancer in this style is usually limited to 5 years or less because of injuries and overuse.

God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness; His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9); and with Him, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26; Philippians 4:13)

Isaiah 40: 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

He has opened doors for this ministry exceeding abundantly beyond what we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), and it is amazing to look back over the years to see how He began preparing us for it long before we were even saved! (Jeremiah 29:11)

Lately God has also blessed me with Christian lyrics to secular and classical songs, which we dance to in the hope that the audience will be more attentive to the words when they recognize the music, and that the next time they hear the tune, their hearts will remember the Christian message.

Some of our pieces are on YouTube:
“Save Me!” (2011; lyrics/vocal by Laurie Collett)

“All I Need is You” (2011; lyrics/vocal by Laurie Collett)

“Power and Joy” (2009)

“O Holy Night” (2008)

“Silent Night” (2009; Theatrical Waltz)

If you feel so led, please view them. Your prayers for this ministry would be greatly appreciated.

To lead souls to the Lord, believers need to go where the lost are, bringing God’s Word and the good news of the Gospel outside the church (Matthew 28:19-20). In any endeavor, vocation, or hobby, God calls us to do all to His glory, that others may see Him through us and want to follow Him.

Colossians 3: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Renewed!

2011-11-11T14:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted a “do over?” Unfortunately, we can’t take back ugly words spoken in anger and haste, nor can we wipe from history’s pages mistakes we’ve made and hurts or wrongs we’ve inflicted in the process. Time and opportunities lost can never be bought back.

But our God is a God of second, and third, and seventy times seven chances (Matthew 18: 21-22). The moment we put our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation, we became a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15). This change is so dramatic that Jesus spoke of it as being born again (John 3: 3-8).

With His grace, we can start over every time we repent of our sins and ask Him for forgiveness. We can put behind us mistakes of the past and reach forward to our brilliant future (Philippians 3:12-14) as His children and ambassadors. He can wash away our sins, turn our sorrow into joy and praise, and renew a right spirit within us (Psalm 30; Psalm 51).

He divided time into day and night (Genesis 1:5), so that we could remember not to carry over hurts, grudges, or anger into the next day (Ephesians 4:26). We can cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7) each night as our head sinks into the pillow, and we can praise His name each morning as we realize that His love is as faithful as the sunrise. Each day is His special gift to us, worthy of rejoicing over (Psalm 118:24), and His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Meditating on His Word is the perfect way to renew our mind (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23). Rather than letting the world dictate what we think and how we act, we can keep our eyes fixed on Him and focus on His light, love and goodness (Phil. 4:6-10). If we ask Him to, He will align our mind more and more with the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), being conformed to His image even if through sufferings (Phil. 3: 9-10).

Like Paul, we should be torn between the desire to be here on earth with our loved ones, serving them and others while we seek to do God’s will, and the desire to trade in this ailing body and corrupted heart for the glorified, sinless being that awaits us (Phil. 1: 20-24; 2 Corinthians 5: 1-8; Romans 8:18-23). Our ultimate renewal shall come in our holy new body, with our new name (Revelation 3:12), living eternally with Him in the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2).

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

One Extra Hour!

2011-11-04T09:15:00.000-07:00

What would you do with one extra hour? For those regions observing Daylight Savings Time, this Sunday is the time change most of us prefer. As we set the clocks back one hour, it seems like we get an extra hour to sleep or to stay up late doing what we enjoy or what we need to do. Of course, we don’t really get any extra time. The clock keeps on ticking, and our time left on earth gets shorter with every passing second, as does the time before we will see Jesus face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). Our life is “but a vapor” (James 4:14), as short-lived as the visible puff of air we exhale on a cold day.

As we compare our lives with those around us, we notice that money, talents, health, intelligence, power, beauty, and other blessings are not distributed equally among us. Every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17), and God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), distributing them according to His divine plan and His holy justice. The devil, who relentlessly paces the earth (Job 1:7) and who is the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), jockeys to obtain position and favor for his henchmen, while trying to remove these advantages from believers who are productive for God.

But in terms of time, each of us has the same opportunities and limitations. Each of us has 24 hours in a day, no more and no less. When that day is gone, it’s gone forever. We can’t store, buy, borrow, steal, or create time.

But we can redeem the time! (Ephesians 5:16; Colossians 4:5). With prayer and the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can make each moment on earth have eternal significance. Once the clock stops on earth and we enter eternity, time lasts forever. So our top priority here should be to maximize our experience there, realizing that we will enjoy eternally the rewards we earn for our earthly service.

Every soul led to Christ, every believer encouraged and uplifted, every gift given with the right motive to further His kingdom, will be the gold, silver and precious stones that will endure the fire of judgment (1 Corinthians 3: 12-14) and be a crown we can lay at Jesus’ feet (Revelation 4:10-11). Imagine what it is like to hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21; Luke 19:17) and to be rewarded with positions of responsibility in the Millennial Kingdom!

God created and controls time just as He created and controls everything else. One day to Him can be as a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8), and His power is so unlimited that He created the universe in six literal days (Exodus 20:11; 31:17). He created day and night as a measure of time (Genesis 1:5), and set aside one day of seven as a day of rest to divide time into weeks (Genesis 1:31-2:3; Exodus 20:11; 31:17). His creation and alignment of the sun, moon and planets gave rise to time divisions of months, seasons and years (Genesis 1:14).

He designed our bodies to have internal rhythms in tune with those daily, monthly, and yearly cycles. Because He even designed atoms to have their own internal frequencies, extremely accurate atomic clocks can measure time using the microwave signal that electrons in atoms emit when they change energy levels.

Time marches on, but nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26). He can even stop the sun and moon in their tracks in answer to prayer if it serves His purposes (Joshua 10: 12-14). He can add 15 years to a life that should have ended, although when He did so for King Hezekiah in answer to his prayer (2 Kings 20: 1-11), there were negative consequences that Hezekiah could not have anticipated, including defeat by Babylon (2 Kings 20:12-18) and Hezekiah’s son Manasseh growing up to be one of the most evil kings Israel ever had (2 Kings 21: 1-6).

If you knew that that extra hour on Time Change Sunday, or any hour, would be your last, how would you spend it? I think most believers would get their hearts right with God by earnestly repenting of their sins, making right any wrongs by asking others for forgiveness and by forgiving them, expressing love to family and friends, and telling everyone who would listen that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

But we are not promised tomorrow (James 4:13), or even another hour, so as we decide how to spend our time, shouldn’t we make the above our top priority? Yes, the demands of work, school, family, and everyday life are many and pressing, but we can find ways to redeem the time and make every moment count.

Before we rush off in twenty different directions tilting at windmills, we can take time to read God’s Word (Psalm 119:97,105,133),and to pray that He would open the right doors, show us the right paths, and guide us through the day’s journey (Psalm 5:3; 143:8; Mark 1:35). The peace and wisdom found in prayer will order our thoughts and steps (Psalms 37:23; Proverbs 3:5-6), calm our anxieties, and make us more focused and productive in all we do. Whatever we do, we can do it to glorify God in an attitude of service and excellence (Colossians 3:23).

While showering and dressing, we can renew our minds (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23) with Christian radio or CDs. If we’re stuck in traffic, we can use the time to listen for God’s directions and to pray for our loved ones. While we wait in a checkout line at the supermarket, we can pray that all those in the store who are not saved will come to know Christ as their Savior, and that all the believers there will grow in faith, wisdom, and fruitfulness. Or, we can strike up a friendly conversation with the person behind us in line and pray that God will open the door for us to witness.

In the waiting room at the doctor’s office, why not bring our Bible to increase our wisdom, joy and peace, instead of thumbing through old magazines? Someone might ask us about what we’re reading, and it could be a divine appointment to share the meaning of God’s Word in our life.

In a sense, every hour that we’re on earth is that “one extra hour,” because it allows us a new beginning, a time to start over in ways that are pleasing to Him. So let’s not waste our allotted time – let’s redeem it!

What to Wear?

2011-10-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

As I passed by the TV my husband was watching last night, 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 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)

Our Bible study class verse is Proverbs 31:30: Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

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)

Mary or Martha?

2011-10-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Are you more like Mary or like Martha? (Luke 10:38-42) Surprisingly, many of us identify with Martha because doing, serving, and complaining suit us better than being, receiving, and listening.

When we keep busy, particularly if we are busy with Christian service, we feel like we are accomplishing something important. The rewards are usually tangible, as we may see hungry people getting fed, more people sitting in the church pews, or more tithes or donations to missions. We may feel that we are at least in part responsible for that measurable success. People may even notice our labor and thank us for it or give us positions of greater responsibility.

But if others don’t notice our efforts and accomplishments, or if we feel saddled with the lion’s share of the hard work, we may get angry and even complain, perhaps even to those we are serving.

Both Martha and her sister Mary loved Jesus dearly and believed He was the Son of God, and Jesus loved them (John 11:1-27). Martha showed her love by opening her home to Him and making sure everything was perfect for His visit. No doubt she had planned the meal long in advance and saved money to purchase the best ingredients to prepare His favorite foods. On the day He would come she must have cleaned every corner of the house, picked flowers to decorate the home, and perfumed the air with spices and the aroma of freshly baked bread. When He arrived, she may have washed His feet and plumped the pillows where He would sit, and then began cooking the delicious meal.

No wonder she became frustrated, running from hearth to table, as she practically tripped over Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet! Mary sat listening to His every word, instead of helping her sister prepare the meal. Martha’s anger caused her to lash out at Jesus, the very One Whom all her hard work was to honor!

But the Lord’s response was not what Martha had hoped for. Instead of rebuking Mary and telling her to help Martha with serving, Jesus acknowledged Martha’s concerns and her efforts, but praised Mary for her choice. Being in Jesus’ presence was precious to Mary, and she savored every loving smile and tender word He gave her, which could never be taken from her.

God created us for His good pleasure, for intimate fellowship with Him (Ephesians 1:4-9; Philippians 2:13). If we spend all our time working, even for good causes, and distracted by the noisy pleasures and demands of the world, we will have no time to hear His voice and feel His love. Those lost moments, the sweet fellowship we can share, and His wisdom specific to the task at hand, will never be regained. A wise theologian once said that he was too busy not to pray! Jesus set the example by starting each day alone in the company of His Father, and praying often (Luke 3:21; 5:16; 11:1-4; Matthew 26:36).

Psalm 46:10: Be still, and know that I am God:

When I was a medical intern, a wise attending physician used to say, “Don’t just do something – stand there.” When faced with a crisis, it’s a natural instinct to rush around doing this and that in an effort to “help.” But that can be the worst possible response when the patient is suffering from an unknown condition. As the doctor administers different drugs or procedures that mask the symptoms, it may become more difficult to diagnose the actual problem, and the interventions may actually be harmful. It is often far better to observe the patient as the disease reveals itself, and to listen to those with more experience who are far better equipped to guide the evaluation and treatment.

Similarly, if we respond to a crisis or even to the demands of Christian life by rushing about in our own flesh, we often make things worse instead of better. If we’re floundering in the middle of stormy seas, swimming against the current may actually take us further from the shore. Far better to conserve our strength by resting in His embrace, waiting for His voice to guide us to safety.

Oswald Chambers: You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in overactivity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God’s redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.

May God grant us the wisdom to be good stewards of the time, resources, and talents He has blessed us with, using them to serve Him, yet always returning quietly to His feet, content to be His child, following His guidance, filled with His love, joy and peace.

God Answers Prayer!

2011-10-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

As born-again Christians, we believe that God is in control and that His will is done. Why, then should we pray?

We should pray because His Word commands us to (Psalm 62:8; Luke 11:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), as an act of worship pleasing to Him, and because it changes us. Our prayers should not be directed toward changing God’s mind, since we know God does not change (Hebrews 13:8), but to align our mind and heart with the indwelling mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

God always answers the prayers of His children who are right in their heart attitude toward Him (Isaiah 65:24), meaning they are not coming in rebellion or lusting after the flesh (James 4:3), but rather in humble submission, earnestly seeking God’s will and His face. Sometimes He answers “Yes,” sometimes “No,” sometimes “Yes, but in the right time,” and sometimes “No, because what I want to give you is even better than what you have asked for.”

It pleases God to give good and perfect gifts to His children (Luke 11:13), so if we ask Him to meet our needs in accordance with His perfect will, we can expect to be blessed. The clearest example of this is the sinner’s prayer, which is one prayer God will always answer “Yes!” because it is His perfect will that all should be saved. When the lost person realizes he is a sinner, turns away from his sin, and trusts in Christ as the Son of God, the perfect sacrifice for our sins Who died on the cross, was buried, and rose again that we also may have eternal life, God will save him.

However, the blessing we receive from prayer may not always be what we had prayed for, and it may even seem to our limited vantage point to be quite the opposite. When we ask for healing of our loved one who is sick, and that person dies, we may despair that God has not heard our prayer or cared enough for us to answer it as we had hoped. Yet if that person was saved, God has indeed given him perfect healing and perfect peace, and he will use the situation to bring good into the lives of others in ways that we cannot begin to understand until we reach glory (Romans 8:28).

Paul asked God three times to take away his “thorn in the flesh,” a physical ailment that brought him great distress, but that kept his pride in check. God said “No,” because the lesson Paul learned of God’s grace being sufficient was a far greater blessing than physical healing would have been. This lesson enabled him to rejoice and be fruitful even when imprisoned, abandoned, and in other dire straits, because he was relying on God’s strength instead of trusting in his own flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

God the Father even said “No” to His own Son when Jesus asked that if it were possible, that the cup of suffering would pass from Him, yet the Son yielded to His Father’s will (Matt. 26:39).

God sometimes allows us to go through illness or other storms of life because they bring us closer to Him. If we seek His perfect will, He may sometimes calm the storm, as He did for His disciples in the boat on the troubled sea (Matthew 8: 24-27). But at other times, His perfect answer to our prayer may be to calm us instead, bringing us the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and the fellowship of His suffering that conforms us to the image of His Son (Philippians 3:10).

As we pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, helping us to pray in accordance with God’s will even when we don’t know what to ask for (Romans 8:26). He will teach us to trust Him (Proverbs 3: 5-6), deepening our faith (Mark 11:22-24) as we accept that He knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), and that He will give us what is best for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Thank God for His infinite wisdom and infinite love, so that He answers our prayers in the best possible way!

Are You Too BUSY?

2011-10-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

In spiritual warfare, the Commander in Chief of the Christian army is the triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We can march forth victorious knowing that the battle is the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47), and that we are on the winning side (1 Corinthians 15:57; Romans 16:20).

Still, to be effective, we must know our enemy and his strategies. Satan is not God’s equal or even His opposite; as a fallen angel, he is a being who was created by God to have supernatural powers that are limited by God Himself. When he was Lucifer, an angel of light, God endowed him with great beauty, wisdom and talent. But when his sin of pride caused him to rebel against God’s authority and to exalt himself above his Creator, God exiled him from heaven, along with those angels who joined in the rebellion (Luke 10:18; Isaiah 14:12-15).

God allowed Satan temporary control of the world, its institutions and its governments (Ephesians 6:12). God allows Satan to tempt and attack even His own children, but always for our own ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Satan can do nothing to us that God Himself does not allow (Job 2:6). God turns Satan’s evil weapons into instruments designed for our good, to conform us more to the image of His Son through suffering (Philippians 3:10), to strengthen our faith on Him, to give us compassion and experience to help those going through similar trials (1 Corinthians 10:13), and even to give us greater joy in our mountain top experiences.

We should not be afraid of Satan or his demons, for God’s perfect love for us casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). Even so, we should respect the devil’s power and understand his strategies. Satan may try to intimidate us, but we can prayerfully use the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6: 11-15) to fight him off, just as Jesus did when tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).

As a former angel of light (2 Corinthians 11: 14), Satan may appeal to our sense of beauty, working through the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh (1 John 2:16), just as he did with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:6). He surely will appeal to our pride, trying to convince us that we are self-sufficient and don’t need God. And as the father of all liars (John 8:44), he will distort the truth, which is why we need the discernment to realize that anything added to, taken away from, or changed in God’s Word makes it a lie.

All Satan wants is one little piece of our heart where he can set up shop (Ephesians 4:27). We must resist the devil, and flee from temptations that can harm us (James 4:7; Proverbs 6:27; 1 Corinithians 10:13). If we give in to that bad seed of doubt or fear that undermines our faith, or to that one sin that so easily tempts us (Hebrews 12:1), or to that false teaching that perverts the Gospel ever so slightly (2 Peter 2:1), Satan has established a stronghold. A single virus-infected email can crash your computer. A tiny drop of cyanide in a glass of pure water turns it to poison. Breathing in an anthrax spore can destroy our whole body. It is even more vital that we use the whole armor of God t0 repel Satan’s seemingly innocent intrusions.

When all else fails to neutralize effective, fruitful Christians, Satan tries to keep us BUSY. According to an Irish web designer in Galway, BUSY stands for Being Under Satan’s Yoke. Mature believers who are in God’s will may keep from sinning, at least in their actions. Yet they may all too easily get distracted by things that are not bad, but that keep us from God’s best. God wants us to be productive, but not so busy that we lose our focus on Him and fail to hear His voice. Unlike Satan, Jesus promises us a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light because He will give us rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

Do we want to be like Martha, who loved Jesus but became too burdened with serving to sit at His feet, or do we want the joy and peace her sister Mary experienced by keeping her quiet time with Him her first priority? (Luke 10:38-42)

Time is the one resource that constantly gets depleted and can’t be bought back. When an opportunity passes by to witness to an unsaved soul, to encourage a fellow believer, to minister to someone in need, or to share love and joy with your family, it may never come again. Satan loves to keep us BUSY.

Do we serve on so many committees that we never have time to read God’s Word? Do we spend so much time tracking worldwide news that we don’t pray for missionaries risking their lives around the globe? At church functions, are we so preoccupied with preparing food, or passing handouts, or managing the sign-in, that we ignore those who need a kind word or a loving touch? Do we spend so much time at home cooking, cleaning or paying bills that we don’t notice when our loved ones just want us to spend quality time with them? Satan loves to keep us BUSY.

For those who have turned from their sins and trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only Way, our eternal destiny in Heaven is secure. But how sad it would be to learn of His perfect plan for our lives that we missed because Satan kept us too BUSY.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Collect Souls for Jesus!

2011-09-30T13:52:00.000-07:00

Many people go through life collecting things. Some of these collections, like rare stamps or coins, may have great monetary value, and the collector may even count on selling his prized possessions to support him in his old age or to finance a child’s college education. Some collections have no intrinsic value but become an heirloom to pass on through the generations, like baby’s first tooth, lock of hair, photo, and rattle. Other collections, like dried flowers pressed in a book to commemorate special occasions, are valuable only to the collector for the memories they bring to mind.

While material collections may bring security, pleasure or happiness, we should be careful not to give them undue importance:

Luke 12:15 And [Jesus]said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Then there are the “collections” that can actually harm the collector or those around him – pornography magazines, leftover prescription medications, notches on a bedpost representing sexual conquests, music or DVDs reflecting questionable values, and empty chocolate boxes, wine bottles, or menus from restaurants where the collector overindulged fleshly appetites. Taken to an extreme, collecting anything material, even if valuable or pleasing, can lead to hoarding, with the resulting clutter preventing repairs and visits from friends and even endangering health.

But the bottom line is that when we leave this earth, we can take none of these collections with us, and we should use what God gives us to further His kingdom, storing our treasures in Heaven where they bring us eternal benefits (Luke 12:16-34).

As the Rapture draws nearer, we should all realize that the only treasure that matters is what we can lay at Jesus’ feet and that will withstand the purifying fire. The gold, silver and jewels that emerge unscathed from the fire of judgment are those deeds done with the right heart and the right motive to further Christ’s kingdom, while those “good deeds” we did out of pride or for our own selfish motives will burn up like wood, hay and stubble (1 Cor 3: 11-15).

One of the best crowns we can lay at Jesus’ feet is the soulwinner’s crown – a living crown of those souls we helped bring to Jesus (I Thess 2:19-20) – not necessarily by being the one who led the unsaved person through the sinner’s prayer, but rather by playing any part in the process. Planting or watering the seed by witnessing, sharing a tract, inviting someone to church, supporting missions can all make a difference (1 Cor 3:5-9). Not until we reach Glory will it be fully revealed to us how each prayer we prayed for missionaries, or how our gifts to support missions, led to specific people being saved! What a blessing it will be to meet these people in Heaven!

A prime example in the Bible of a “soul collector” is the apostle Andrew. As soon as Andrew was saved, he shared his acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah with his brother Peter (John 1:41). Even though Peter, and not Andrew, became part of Christ’s inner circle, Andrew did not appear to grow bitter, but rather kept right on collecting souls for Christ. Although it was Peter who preached the sermon at Pentecost that led to thousands of souls being saved (Acts 2:41), Andrew must have shared in that crown to lay at Jesus’ feet, simply because he was the one who brought Peter to Christ!

Through Andrew’s passion for collecting souls, he was able to play a part in one of Christ’s recorded miracles by bringing the boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus, resulting in the multitudes being fed, and no doubt many being saved (John 6:8-9). Later, Andrew shared the Gospel with the Greeks (John 12:20-22), even though many of the Jews did not yet realize that God intended for them to be part of His Kingdom too, and not just His chosen people the Hebrews.

So let’s follow Andrew’s example, lay up our treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20), and be soul collectors for Jesus!

Are You Suited Up?

2011-09-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

As soldiers for Christ (2 Timothy 2:3-4), we are involved in spiritual warfare every day (Ephesians 6:12). Our sin nature attacks the indwelling Holy Spirit, and Satan wages war against God, His angels, and every believer. Time is short, and we must use each moment wisely and with Holy Spirit inspiration to gain ground in this battle. Until we meet Christ in the air at the Rapture, our marching orders are clear.

First, we must be saved, turning away from our sins and trusting that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ allows all who have faith in Him to have eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:3-8; John 3:16), Then, we must stand fast on what we believe (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17), not being lured by the enemy into traps of false teaching. We must follow God’s general will for our lives, which is to study His Word, to follow His commandments, to yield control to the Holy Spirit, to submit to one another and uplift one another in self-sacrificing love (Colossians 3:12-25; James 2:14-17), to pray, rejoice and give thanks continually (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-19); and to attend church (Hebrews 10:25).

We must follow the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) while there is still time. Those who heard and understood the Gospel before the Rapture, but rejected it, will be deceived by the supernatural acts and powers of the Antichrist, and their hearts will be blinded to the truth of the Gospel (2 Thess. 2: 8-12).

And finally, to be effective in this battle, and to follow the orders above, we must put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18). We wear a raincoat in stormy weather, a helmet if we’re riding a bike, and oven mitts if we’re lifting a turkey out of the oven. A pro hockey player would be laughed off the ice if he showed up for a game without his gear, and a surgeon would be banned from the OR without his scrubs.

Many people put a lot of time, effort and money into being appropriately attired for various activities, putting on each garment and accessory with care. Those who wear uniforms to work know that each part of the uniform must be neat, clean, and in good repair, or they risk losing their jobs. Being in God’s army means that we could be deployed on a special assignment at any moment, and that enemy forces will be waiting in ambush to destroy us and our mission (1 Peter 5:8). Yet how often do we foolishly set out without the protection of God’s armor?

The phrase “a chink in the armor” means that even a tiny hole or defect in the protective gear leaves its wearer vulnerable. Our defense is only as strong as the weakest link, which means we must start each day prayerfully putting on each piece of the armor of God.

The truth of God’s Word will guard our purity and keep us from sexual sin, and the perfect righteousness of Jesus is the breastplate protecting our heart from doubt as the devil criticizes us for our past sins (1 Thess 5: 8; Ephesians 6, v.:14). Preparing to spread the Gospel will keep our feet marching to places where we can witness for Him (v. 15). The attacks of the devil bounce off the shield of our faith in Christ, turning the attack back against Satan (v. 16).

Our salvation is the helmet (1 Thess 5: 8), protecting our head, our mind and our senses, allowing us to filter all we see and experience through the perspective of being a child of God. The sword of God’s Word is our only offensive weapon (Eph. 6: v. 17), and it is all we need! God used it to speak all of creation into being, Jesus will use it at the Battle of Armageddon to defeat Israel’s enemies, and it is enough for us!

So let’s get ready for battle, and prayerfully (v. 18) put on each piece of armor so we can fight a good fight (2 Timothy 4:7), ward off Satan’s attacks, and bring glory to Jesus!

Ephesians 6: 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

What’s the Hurry?

2011-09-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

I believe that most born-again believers who seek God’s will have a sincere desire to lead people to the Lord. Through His Word, we have life-saving information that can change the destiny of souls from eternal punishment in hell to eternal and abundant life with Christ. So why wouldn’t we want to tell people? If we had practical, easy-to-follow information about how to cure a deadly disease like cancer, wouldn’t we be shouting it from the rooftops? (Luke 12: 2-3)

Yet, when it comes to witnessing, many believers feel inadequately prepared to share the Gospel, or too shy to share their faith with others, or too afraid that others will reject, mock or even persecute them for their “intolerant” or “narrow” Christian views. There are, of course, good counterpoints to all these arguments. We don’t need a seminary education to share the Gospel – the woman at the well, once realizing who Jesus was, rushed out and told everyone (even those who ostracized her) that she had found the Messiah, and she led many to Him (John 4:4-42).

For those who feel they are too shy to verbally witness to someone, God can use them anyway because He looks not for ability, but availability. The Holy Spirit will give them the words to say (Luke 2:11-12). Moses was a shy, stammering, reclusive desert dweller (Exodus 4: 10-12), yet God chose him to speak up to Pharaoh to set God’s people free from captivity (Exodus 3-4). And thanks to modern methods of communication, even the painfully shy or actually mute are without excuse – most people in the developed world can witness through the forum of the Internet, and anyone can enclose a tract with a bill payment, or even leave one with a tip in a restaurant or in a public place where it can be easily found.

As we get further into the End Times, Christians everywhere can expect persecution (Matthew 24: 9-10). In America we are still blessed to be able to assemble freely for worship and to have easy access to Bibles and Christian literature, while our brothers and sisters in other countries face imprisonment, torture, and even death for their faith in Christ. How often do American believers pass up opportunities to witness because we’re afraid our liberal friends will avoid us or think we’re politically incorrect?

Yet Jesus said that if we are ashamed of the Gospel, He will be ashamed of us before God the Father and His angels (Luke 2:8-10; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26). Lost people may think we are narrow-minded to say that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and that there is no other way to Heaven (John 14:6), but we know that many will die and go to hell while trying to enter Heaven by the broad gate (Matthew 7: 13-14).

So let’s assume that we are born-again believers, seeking God’s will, with the ability to share with others how Christ has changed our life and maybe even with a few Bible verses to point someone to salvation. Let’s assume that we choose to obey God rather than to fear the criticism of men. Now we’re all set to witness, but do we? At that point a dreaded enemy drags down all our good intentions – procrastination.

We’re around our family a lot, so we’ll just wait for a better time to share the Gospel, when our spouse isn’t consumed with financial worries and our children aren’t pressured over final exams. We see our coworkers every day, but they’re not going to be open to hearing our testimony when we all have to work overtime to meet our deadline. We could invite our neighbors to church and tell them about Jesus on the way over, but they’d probably make us feel guilty for not mowing our lawn on Sunday like they do. And as for strangers God places in our path each day, we’d like to witness to them, but we have to hurry to get home, or to work, or to church, or wherever.

So we put off witnessing, which is why the laborers are few even though the fields have a bountiful harvest ready to be gathered in (Matthew 9:37; Luke 10:2). We’re not promised tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1), but we act like we have all the time in the world. We invest (or foolishly spend) our time in what’s important to us in this life (Luke 12:16-21), not realizing that our life is but a vapor (James 4:14). Before we know what hit us we’ll be face to face with Jesus, without excuse for why we didn’t share the Gospel. Or, we will be rewarded eternally for sharing the Good News of Christ’s suffering and death on the cross to pay our sin debt, and of His resurrection that all who believe in Him will have eternal life (John 4:35-36).

David Jeremiah retold an illustration first offered by New Testament scholar William Barclay, about Satan discussing with three of his demons their plans for tempting and ruining man. To paraphrase slightly, the first demon said, “I’ll tell them there is no God.” But Satan replied, “That won’t fool anyone – they know there is a God. The second demon said, “I’ll tell them there is no hell.” Satan said, “That won’t work, because men know deep in their hearts that they are sinners and deserve to be punished in hell.”

The third demon hit the nail on the head. “I’ll tell them there is no hurry.” Satan smiled knowingly and replied, “You will ruin men by the thousands. The most dangerous of all delusions is that there is plenty of time.”

So let’s not put it off a moment longer – let’s go share the Gospel today!

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Are You Still Standing?

2011-09-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

As we approach the 10-year anniversary of 9-11, it is sad to remember that the twin towers of the World Trade Center are no longer standing. Instead, a painful void in the skyline symbolizes all the lives lost that day, as well as the loss of peace, security, freedoms, and other positive emotions and values that were threatened by these terrorist attacks.

Yet, still standing in the midst of the destruction was a 17-foot-long crossbeam, weighing at least two tons, miraculously planted vertically in the devastated landscape, with the correct proportions to represent a cross. This symbol reminds us that God had not abandoned us on that tragic day (Jer. 29:11-13; Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 91). His presence was clear in the countless stories of people spared from being at the Trade Center that hour because of strange “coincidences,” as if there are ever any coincidences with God (Romans 8:28).

His sheltering angels caught His children who leapt or were thrown from the burning buildings and carried them to Heaven. His Holy Spirit empowered those on Flight 93 to have the courage to crash the plane in a remote area of Shanksville, rather than let it destroy its intended target, which would have resulted in far greater loss of lives and national security. And His power, boldness, and self-sacrificing love filled the hearts of those firemen, police and rescue workers who gave their lives that others might escape death.

Yes, the 9-11 cross is still standing, now in the 9-11 museum despite lawsuits by an atheist association that is attempting to have it removed. But sadly, America seems to be teetering off balance from its foundation on Biblical principles cherished and upheld by those who framed this nation. As we as a nation turn our back on God, as we lose our footing down the slippery slope of political correctness, as we fail to take a stand for what is right, we will surely fall.

As born-again believers, it is our responsibility to humble ourselves and pray for forgiveness, individually and collectively as a church and as a nation:

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

And, as Christians, it is our duty to stand fast on the rock of our salvation, to stand up for what we believe, and to not back down in fear of those who speak against the truth or who seek to prevent us from worshipping the God of our salvation. When Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God as we fight the battles of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6: 11-18), he tells us to “stand against the wiles of the devil” (v.11), “to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (v. 13).”

As in any battle, sometimes we stride forward making great advances against the enemy, but at other times we are doing well just to hold our ground. The important thing is not to retreat, not to fall, not to backslide as Satan attacks us. As we remember 9-11, let us stand fast in our profession of faith (1 Corinthians 16:13), in our responsibility to uphold what is right in our nation and globally, in our unity to spread the Gospel (Philippians 1:27-28), in our love for one another, in our Christian liberty through grace (Galatians 5:1) and especially in our position as born-again believers, children and ambassadors of the one true God (Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Corinthians 16:13-15).

Jer. 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

God Notices Your Labor!

2011-09-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

As we celebrate Labor Day this weekend, many may be in less than a joyful mood due to financial worries. For those looking for work, the long weekend may be no different from other days, and just a painful reminder that they are unemployed. Many are working to make ends meet at a job that does not meet their expectations or qualifications. Others find that their job responsibilities have grown because fewer people are hired, but their pay stays the same or even decreases. Even worse, it often seems that our employers, coworkers or clients don’t notice our hard work or appreciate the good job we do.

But God always notices! He knows our hearts (Psalm 139:23), and He can tell whether we’re working in joyful service because of how He has blessed us beyond measure, or whether we’re going through the motions grudgingly, doing the minimum we need to do to get by.

By forgiving our sin debt, by giving His only begotten Son to die for our sins, and by giving eternal life to all those who repent and believe that Jesus rose from the dead (John 3:16), God has blessed us far beyond what we could ever imagine. And yet, He delights in heaping blessings on us even beyond that, and in great abundance (John 10:10; Luke 12:32; James 1:17). This gives us reason to find joy in all circumstances and to give thanks for everything (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), even if our sin nature feels we have reason to complain rather than to be thankful.

For every task we do at work or at home, no matter how menial or insignificant it seems, there is a reason to find joy in it and give thanks for it. If we are washing our dirty dishes, we can be thankful for the good meal we ate, the family we shared it with, and for running water. If we’re losing patience because of customers’ endless complaints, we can be thankful that there are customers so that we have a job, and we can rejoice in the opportunity to bring them satisfaction and peace rather than anger (Matthew 5:9). In whatever situation we find ourselves, we can thank God by putting our whole heart, soul and might into glorifying Him, making each moment of our life a living prayer to Him. He will always remember and reward us for our service and worship even when no one else notices.

Col. 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.… 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

We are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20), and Christians should give a good testimony at work and wherever a job needs to be done because we are willing to go the extra mile and with the right attitude.

Even when we assemble for worship in God’s house, no good deed is too trivial to escape His attention! A kind word or smile for someone who is hurting may be exactly what God intended to encourage that person to be faithful to His will (Hebrews 10:23-25). When was the last time we gave thanks to the person who showed up early Sunday morning to turn the air conditioning on, or to the person who made sure there was toilet paper in the restroom? Do we even know who these people are? But God knows and keeps track of their faithful service to His children and to all who come to hear His Word.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Our labor is not in vain! Employers, coworkers, and customers, and even family, friends, and Christians, may not always show their appreciation, but God faithfully keeps track of all we do to His glory and will reward us in due time, if not in this world, then in Heaven where we can enjoy the benefits forever!

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Love in Christ, and may you have a blessed Labor Day weekend!

Laurie Collett

Get Ready!

2011-08-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

As we check the news each day it surely seems that we are approaching the End Times, as event after event seems to fulfill Bible prophecy and Christ’s warnings of the end of the age -- earthquakes with increasing frequency and in unusual places, wars and rumors of wars, widespread famine, rising food prices, false prophets and teachers, and disease epidemics (Matthew 24). As millions on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard are getting ready for what could be the most devastating storm in half a century, we should be even more concerned about preparing for our spiritual destiny.

What should we do until the Rapture, when all who have trusted Christ as our Savior will be instantly caught up to meet with Him in the air, transformed into glorified beings, and spending eternity in the light of His presence? (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53)

First, we must be saved. We must turn from our sins and trust in Christ, and only Christ, to save us from the penalty of sin, namely death (Romans 6:23). We must have faith that His suffering and death on the cross paid for all our sins, past, present and future, so that when Holy God looks at believers, He sees not our sins but the perfect righteousness of His Son that reconcile us to Him (blog post). We must believe the Gospel of grace , that the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ allows all who have faith in Him to have eternal life (John 3:16).

Second, we must know what we believe! We must stand firm in our beliefs (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17) and not be shaken by false teachers or scoffers! We must be ready, “in season and out of season,” (2 Timothy 4:2) to share God’s truth with others whenever the Holy Spirit opens the door to such an opportunity.

Third, we must follow God’s general will for our lives. This means following His Word to do those things we know He wants everyone to do, and not to do those things He doesn’t want us to do, which is not easy because of our sin nature! (Romans 7:14-25). He wants us to be joyful and thankful, to pray without stopping, to be led by the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-19), to study His Word, to tell others about how He has changed our lives, to attend church (Hebrews 10:25), to encourage and uplift others (1 Thessalonians 5: 11-19), to live together in harmony, and to have an attitude of submission, self-sacrifice, and love toward one another that will result in our meeting the needs of others (Colossians 3:12-25; James 2:14-17). He doesn’t want us to sin, i.e. to break the law of the Ten Commandments (Col. 3:5-10).

Fourth, we must follow the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). What a blessing that not only has God adopted us as His children (Ephesians 1:5), but that He has appointed us to be His ambassadors! (blog post). He has entrusted us with the awesome responsibility of going forth to spread His Word, to teach, and to baptize in His name. Not all of us can or should go to a foreign mission field, but each of us should be a missionary, or a witness for Him, in the unique sphere of influence where God has placed us, and each of us should support foreign missions through prayer and/or financial support.

Fifth, we must put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18) to be able to carry out God’s general will and the Great Commission. As we become more faithful in these, God will reveal to us more and more about His specific plan for our life, and to be in His perfect will is the greatest blessing we could ever have! We must recognize that we fight a spiritual battle daily (Ephesians 6:12), our sin nature warring against the Holy Spirit, and Satan and his demons fighting against God, His angels, and every believer. The world and its stress and empty values will try to seduce us from God’s priorities (Romans 12:2), but we should set our sights on heavenly things, lay up our treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6: 19-21), and keep our focus firmly fixed on Jesus (Colossians 3:1-4).

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Why should we follow these marching orders? Because Jesus is coming back soon, and time is running out! Let’s make haste to win crowns to lay at His feet (2 Timothy 4:8), to hear Him say “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21-23) and to enjoy the rewards He will give us throughout eternity!

1 Cor. 15: 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Love in Him,

Laurie Collett

2011-08-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

UWAHUPRNSTK6

Ask Not What You Can Do For God!

2011-08-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Praise God that we don’t have to do anything to be accepted as His adopted children, because our salvation is not based on our works, but on His grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). It’s true that once we are born again, we want to keep from sin and to do good works to further His kingdom, not because we have to, but because we want to! Our good works don’t get us saved, but they flow from us once we are saved because we love Him for taking us in despite our being so unlovable. Good works are the living proof of our faith (James 2:14-26).

But the amazing thing is that God loves us even while we are sinners (Romans 5:8). And that no matter what we do, He couldn’t love us any more or any less (1 John 4:8-10;19). Even though we were God’s enemies, He adopts us as His sons (Ephesians 1:5) once we turn from our sins and trust Jesus as our Savior. He doesn’t adopt us because of anything we can give Him, because He is completely self-sufficient and needs nothing, and because all that we have He gave us in the first place (James 1:17).

He adopts us because it is His will that all should be saved and come to repentance, and our coming to Him as children gives Him great pleasure because He loves us infinitely. Parents seeking to adopt a child don’t ask whether the child can pay rent, or if he can afford to pay for his own education, or if he will work in the parents’ business. It’s not about what the child can do for them; it’s about what they can do for the child because of the great love they want to share.

It’s the same way with Our Heavenly Father – we can’t earn His love or work our way to being adopted by Him – we can only trust in His infinite love and accept His gift of amazing grace. We are accepted by God because we trust in Jesus, His Son, and His perfect sacrifice on the cross to pay for all our sins. Jesus rose from the dead to give us eternal life, all of which is reason to praise Him! (Ephesians 1:6-8).

God’s mercy is to redeem us through the blood of Jesus, forgiving our sins that deserve eternal punishment in hell. Because of His grace, He gives us what we don’t deserve – eternal, abundant life with Him beginning at the moment of our salvation and continuing through Heaven and the Millennial Kingdom throughout eternity. We can trust His wisdom to give us what we need, not necessarily what we think we want. He created us for His pleasure, and nothing pleases Him more than to see us fulfilling His perfect will for our life.

Ephesians 1: 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

God’s grace is to give us the inheritance worthy of His children, namely all His blessings including eternal life with Him in Heaven. He saved us for a purpose – which is to praise and glorify Him in all we do. So, ask not what you can do for God, but know through His Holy Word what He will do for you. And then, rest assured that as His child, you will want to spend your earthly days doing His will, praising, and glorifying Him!

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Come to Daddy!

2011-08-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

Have you ever stopped to think how awesome it is that believers have the privilege of calling the omnipotent Creator of all “Abba Father,” a term of endearment similar to “Daddy?” (Galatians 4:6)

Like a little child, we can run into His outstretched arms knowing that He will catch us, draw us close to Himself and love us infinitely and unconditionally (Luke 15:20). He is even more approachable and available than the best imaginable Daddy could be. Unlike an earthly parent, He always has time for us (2 Peter 3:8), and He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He will never reproach us or punish us because His Son’s perfect sacrifice was the complete punishment for all our sins, past, present and future (Colossians 1:14).

This is not to say that He will prevent us from suffering in this earthly life, but rather that He will only allow us to suffer when it is for our own ultimate good or for that of others (Romans 8:28). Like a wise earthly father, God may allow us to suffer if He knows it is the only way we can learn from our mistakes and turn away from our sin to His perfect will for our life. Sometimes He allows us to endure trials so that our character can become more patient and compassionate, like that of His Son (Romans 8:16-18; Phil. 3: 10-14), so that our faith and dependence on Him will be strengthened, and/or so that we will have the experience to counsel and comfort others going through trials.

Thanks to the mystery of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all who have faith in that Gospel are no longer enemies of God condemned under the law (Romans 8:1). Instead, we are reconciled to Him (Colossians 1:20-22), sons of God and joint heirs with Christ (Galatians 4:6-7). The Holy Spirit that enters us at the moment of salvation calls out to Abba Father, seeking fellowship with Him and urging us to be more like Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Oswald Chambers 8/8: Prayer in the Father’s Honor (from My Utmost for His Highest):

If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the history of the Son of God’s birth on earth is true of every saint. God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, “Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ’Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” (Luke 2:49). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.

Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He having His wonderful way with me? Is God’s will being fulfilled in that His Son has been formed in me…, or have I carefully pushed Him to one side? Oh, the noisy outcry of today! Why does everyone seem to be crying out so loudly? People today are crying out for the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for God’s Son right now— no room for quiet, holy fellowship and oneness with the Father.
Is the Son of God praying in me, bringing honor to the Father, or am I dictating my demands to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the time of His manhood here on earth? Is God’s Son in me going through His passion, suffering so that His own purposes might be fulfilled?

So let’s allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to direct our prayer life, our hope in eternal glory, and our fellowship with Our Father! Let’s turn the reins over to Him, to make us more like Christ in every waking moment and to do all for the Father’s glory!

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Don’t Squander Your Inheritance!

2011-08-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

Have you ever inherited money, or even a house or a family heirloom, from a relative and wanted to make sure you used the gift in accordance with their wishes? Or perhaps you have written a will, entrusting whatever assets you have to your children and praying that they will use their inheritance wisely?

As believers, each of us has received an amazing inheritance from God Himself, because we are His children and joint heirs with Christ (Ephesians 1:5,11-14; Romans 8:16-17;29-30). That inheritance includes salvation, meaning that through God’s grace, we will have eternal life with Christ (John 3:16) rather than the eternal punishment our sins deserve. It also includes spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3-4), such as the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide, instruct, encourage, and intercede for us; 24/7 access to the throne room of God knowing that we can boldly approach Him with our prayer requests that are in accordance with His will (Hebrews 4:16); and the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Another aspect of our inheritance is that even though we once rebelled against God and were His enemies, He now allows us to be His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), witnessing to others so that they too might be saved, encouraging and uplifting other believers, and generally working to further His Kingdom.

Sadly, many believers squander their inheritance, and are glad to receive their “get out of hell free” card but let the rest of it go to waste. They ignore the Holy Spirit and follow their sin nature instead; they neglect prayer, God’s Word, and worship with fellow believers; and they put worldly priorities ahead of obeying Christ.

Although we usually think of an inheritance as bringing us obvious benefits, sometimes we have to go beyond the surface of the gift to appreciate its true value. As believers, our inheritance also includes sharing in Christ’s sufferings during our earthly life – an inheritance that we might at first consideration prefer to decline. But it is only through our trials and tribulations that we are progressively made to be more and more like Christ (Romans 8:18; Phil. 3:10-14).

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Our earthly suffering also strengthens our faith, brings us closer to God, and gives us patience, compassion and experience to help others going through similar trials (Romans 5: 1-5). We can therefore rest assured that God uses even our suffering for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28).

So let’s not squander our heavenly inheritance – let’s use it to glorify Christ, to help bring others to Him, and to invest in His Kingdom so that we will have more treasures to enjoy throughout eternity!

Matthew 6:19-21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Dead or Alive?

2011-07-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

One of the paradoxes of the Christian life is that we must die to truly live. A dried up seed planted in the ground must be dead before it can give rise to new life, first as a tender shoot bursting through the soil, then as a mature plant bearing fruit and seed propagating new plants (1 Corinthians 15: 36-38). Jesus suffered and died on the cross to pay the price for all our sins, and rose again to a glorified body and eternal life.(1 Corinthians 15: 1-4).

As we trust Christ as our Savior and turn away from our sins, we die to our flesh, that is, our sin nature, that would control us (Romans 6:6-14), and we become a new creation in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Until we receive our glorified body at the Rapture, however, and are truly sanctified or made into His image, we must fight the spiritual battle daily between our sin nature and the indwelling Holy Spirit, putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-17). The Gospel, or Good News, of grace that Paul preached to the Gentiles is that salvation comes from faith in Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection to new life.

1 Cor 15: 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Before the beginning of the world, God knew who would accept this amazing offer to become His child and share in all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3-15), yet the mystery is that He did so without taking away our free will to choose eternal life in Christ or to reject Him and suffer eternal death in hell.

Although we must daily fight the battle between sin, which ultimately results in death (Romans 6:23), and the new, abundant life we received at the moment of salvation through the indwelling Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ has won the war on our behalf. We know how it will all turn out; we can look forward not only to the Rapture but to His glorious appearing as we return to earth with Him to fight the Battle of Armageddon; and we can stand victorious on His promise of eternal life.

1 Cor: 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

…55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Is God “Unfair”?

2011-07-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

As we have been studying, the Gospel of grace is that Jesus, Son of God, came to earth as the perfect sacrifice, to die to pay for all our sins, and to rise again that all who turn away from their sins and believe and trust Him as Savior will have eternal, abundant life with Him in Heaven. God, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, owes us nothing, yet He has so graciously extended this offer to “whosoever” will accept it (John 3:16; Romans 10: 9-13).

Despite this awesome, all-inclusive offer, sometimes unbelievers and even Christians struggle with their perception that God is unfair. Reasons they state for His “unfairness” include:

--He is intolerant and exclusive, because “good” people and people with sincere faith in other paths to salvation will not be allowed into Heaven. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that belief in Christ is the only way to Heaven (John 3:18; 14:6; Acts 4:12;) and that no one is good or righteous (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-23). Only His grace can save us, and no amount of good works we do could counterbalance the fact that we are all sinners, deserving eternal separation from God and eternal punishment in hell (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8-9). Belief, no matter how sincere, in a path to salvation that is untrue will not make it true, and genuine faith that is misplaced cannot save anyone.

--Or, people may believe that God is unfair because those who have reached the age of accountability but who have never heard the Gospel will not go to Heaven. Yet the Bible clearly tells us that it is our responsibility to spread the Gospel ourselves (Matt. 28:18-20) and to send preachers to places where we can’t go (Romans 10:14-17).

If people who had never heard the Gospel would go to Heaven by default, then we as believers would lose our awesome privilege and duty to share the Gospel with others. What incentive would we have to tell others the Good News, if they would go to Heaven anyway provided they had never heard of Jesus? Actually, we would just sit at home and be afraid to ever even mention Jesus’ name, because if we presented the Gospel only to have those we told reject it, we would feel responsible for their going to hell.

--Or, people may wonder why those who are saved on their death bed get to enjoy the blessings of eternal life in Heaven with Christ just as do those who were saved at an early age and led full, productive lives committed to and obedient to Christ. But Jesus told the parable of those who were hired to work in the vineyard all receiving the same wage they were promised, regardless of whether they began work at daybreak or sundown (Matt. 20:1-16).

Jesus also promised that all believers would face Him at the judgment seat, so that those who had earned crowns for what they had done in this life to further His kingdom would be able to lay down those crowns at His feet and be rewarded with responsibilities in the Millennial Kingdom in proportion to the good works they had done for Him with the right motives (1 Cor 3:11-15). In the parable of the talents, Jesus also explained that those who are faithful to use their gifts to further His kingdom will be rewarded proportionately (Matt. 25:14-30).

--Yet another objection people bring up about God’s alleged “unfairness” is that those who have been “working toward” trusting Christ, by attending church, struggling intellectually with belief in how to be saved, and obtaining a “head knowledge” of the Gospel will still go to hell unless they are born again, repenting of their sins and trusting Christ, and Christ alone, as their Savior (2 Tim 3:1-9).

Well, just as you can’t be a liitle bit pregnant, you can’t be a little bit saved – it’s an all or nothing experience. Until the sinner realizes that he is a sinner who can do nothing to help himself (John 15:5), and that it is only God’s grace through faith in His Son’s finished work on the cross that can save him (Ephesians 2:8-9), he is bound for hell. Trusting his good works or his good intentions or his spiritual seeking to get him to Heaven simply won’t work. There may be levels of punishment in hell, and those who never heard the Gospel will still be separated from God, but those who sat in a church pew week after week and heard the Gospel, yet rejected it and trampled it underfoot, may face not only separation from God, but punishments so severe that we can’t begin to imagine them.

Yes, God is “unfair,” but only in the sense that He has rewarded those who don’t deserve one iota of His blessing with His infinite mercy, love, and grace. He is the Creator and Ruler of the universe Who owes us nothing. We are wretched sinners, unable to take our next breath unless He so wills it, and unable to resist sin and to do anything good unless we are empowered to do so by His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Before we were saved, we were enemies of God and rebels against God, yet God forgave each of us who has repented and trusted Christ. He has let us out of the prison of sin, death and hell. Not only that, He has adopted us as His children and granted us His inheritance. Beyond that, He has made us His ambassadors to spread the Gospel, so that He can reward us not only with eternal life in His presence but with blessings beyond human imagination. Praise God that He is so “unfair!”

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Devotions for Tea Time

2011-07-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

As our ladies’ Bible study group has been looking forward to enjoying traditional English tea together, I began thinking about the custom of sharing tea with friends and what it represents.

In addition to quenching our thirst, tea revives, comforts, warms and relaxes us all at the same time. It reminds me of how the Holy Spirit lovingly cares for every believer by His indwelling presence. God promises that all who trust Him as Savior will have an inner source of “rivers of living water” (John 7:38)

John 4: 14 [W]hosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

A hearty cup of hot tea can give us our second wind when our spirits sag, but God Himself has promised to revive our spirit and our heart when we turn to Him in sorrow and repentance for our sins, and in the humility of realizing that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Tea not only comforts us when we are feeling cast down, but offering another person a cup of tea is a comforting gesture of kindness and hospitality. It brings to mind images of a grandmother inviting her sick grandchild to snuggle under a warm blanket in her rocking chair while sipping tea, or a family allowing a stranger to come in out of the storm and warm himself by the fire as a cup of hot tea takes the chill off his bones. It reminds me that God comforts us in our sorrow and trials by showing us His tender mercies, so that we can comfort others who are suffering.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

When we are tense, a cozy cup of tea can relax us, especially when we take the time to enjoy the ceremony of serving and drinking tea from fine china, with all the accompaniments, in the presence of friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter what is making us anxious, we as believers have our own source of the peace of God that passes all understanding and keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

So let’s enjoy our tea as a time of sweet Christian fellowship, and use the occasion to pause to remember and thank God for His many blessings.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Do You Know the Gospel?

2011-07-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

As we have seen in our study of the evidence for a Pretribulation Rapture of believers, it is apparent that God in His Word and in His divine plan has always dealt differently with the Church and with Israel. The Church is the body of believers, predominantly Gentiles, who have repented of their sins and trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior. Israel is God’s chosen people, a nation of Jews, most of whom have not yet realized that Jesus was their promised Messiah (Romans 11:7-12). As we study God’s Word, we must “rightly divide” it (2 Timothy 2:15), distinguishing what applies to the Church from what applies to Israel.

The Church will be Raptured to meet Christ in the air (1 Thess 4:16) and be spared from the wrath, or tribulation, to come (1 Thess 5:9). During the tribulation, or “time of Jacob’s trouble,” (Jeremiah 30:7), many Jews will be saved through the evangelization of the 144,000 Jewish male virgins (Revelation 7:4-8) who will suddenly and supernaturally realize that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Son of God.

The Gospel of the Kingdom, preached to the Jews by Jesus and the apostles during His earthly ministry (Matt. 4:23; 14:17; Mark 1:14-15), is that Jesus was the promised Messiah who will rule over the Millennial Kingdom for 1,000 years with true peace on earth.

The Gospel, or Good News, of the Kingdom was first preached by John the Baptist as he warned Jews to repent, or turn away from their sins, to be baptized as a symbol of that purification, and to prepare for the coming Messiah and His Kingdom (Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:4).Once the Church is Raptured, God will again turn His attention to Israel, spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom to that nation as well as to all nations (Matt. 24:14).

But the Gospel first preached by Paul to the Gentiles is a different Gospel – the Good News, of the grace of God (2 Thess 2:13-14; Romans 1:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). This Gospel is what every believer must trust in to be saved. This Good News is that Jesus, Son of God and God Himself (John 1:1) left Heaven and came to earth as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, to take the punishment and pay the debt for all the sins of mankind, past, present and future, by suffering and dying on the cross and being buried (Col. 1:12-29).

Only in this way can sinful man be reconciled to a just, holy God, for when God the Father looks at a saved person, He sees not our sins, which have been completely attributed to Jesus’ account. Instead, He sees the complete, perfect righteousness of His Son, which through a spiritual transaction that can only be described as a “mystery,” (Col. 1:26-27; Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:6-14) is attributed to our account. Just as Jesus conquered sin and death by being resurrected on the third day, so can every believer on Him have eternal life with Him in Heaven.

The baptism that believers undergo as an act of obedience to Christ symbolizes our faith in the Gospel of grace by portraying the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. It also symbolizes our commitment to die to our sins and walk with Christ in the newness of life (Romans 6: 3-11).

2 Thess 2: 13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, as we observe the signs of the times and feel the Rapture to be even closer today than it was yesterday, let us follow Christ’s Great Commission and spread the Gospel of God’s grace by going forth, teaching all nations, and baptizing them in His name! (Matt. 28:19-20).

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Don’t Be Fooled! Don’t BeTroubled!

2011-07-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

As we have been studying, God has promised that all those who have been saved by trusting in Jesus will not go through the great tribulation (1 Thess 1:10; Romans 8:1). Those who know Jesus as their personal Savior Who died on the cross as full payment for all our sins, Who was buried, and Who rose from the dead to give eternal life to all who trust Him, will be spared from the wrath to come.

1 Thess. 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instead of going through “Jacob’s trouble,” (Jer. 30:7-22) believers will be Raptured, to meet with Christ in the air (1 Thess 4:16-18), and to spend the 7-year tribulation with Him in Heaven, before returning to earth with Him to fight the Battle of Armageddon. Paul had explained all this to the Thessalonicans, but false teachers crept in as soon as he was gone, and they believed the misinformation that the tribulation had already begun even though they had not been Raptured (2 Th 2.1-6). Today we have the truth clearly spelled out in the Bible, but are all too easily swayed by false teachers who want us to think that we must go through God’s wrath, or, worse yet, that He won’t come back for us at all.

As Paul explains, the tribulation cannot occur until the Antichrist is revealed, and the Antichrist can’t begin to commit the atrocities he is destined to commit until he is let loose, so to speak, when the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit leaves the earth (2 Thess 2.7-9). The Holy Spirit indwells each believer, so when the church is Raptured, the Holy Spirit is no longer present on earth to keep the Antichrist in check. This will allow him to commit the “abomination of desolation” (Matt. 24:15) midway (3.5 years) through the tribulation, desecrating the altar and declaring in the temple that he is God. Finally, the Jews will realize they have made a terrible mistake in thinking that he would bring them peace, and they will flee for their lives (Matt. 24:16-22.

So Paul urges the church at Thessalonica, and all believers who read his words as they have been recorded in Scripture, not to be fooled or troubled by false teachings, but to hold fast to God’s promise to return for His children and to spare them from the wrath of the great tribulation. What should we do until then? Paul says to stand fast, know what we believe, be comforted by His Word, and continue in good words and works (2 Thess. 2:13-17).

We must follow Christ’s Great Commission, to go and teach and baptize those in all nations (Matt. 28:19-20). The signs of the approaching second coming (Matt. 24) should make us realize that time is short, and that we should make salvation of the lost our highest priority. This is especially important because Paul explains that those who heard and understood the Gospel before the Rapture, but rejected it, will be deceived by the supernatural acts and powers given to the Antichrist, and their hearts will be blinded to the truth of the Gospel (2 Thess. 2: 9-12).

Those who openly rejected the Gospel before the Rapture, and those who professed to be Christians and regularly attended church, yet never had a personal relationship with Christ, will not be saved during the tribulation. It so important, now more than ever, to witness to and pray for our loved ones and others who are unsaved. There is more hope for a faraway tribe who has not yet heard the Gospel, because they could be saved during the tribulation, than there is in America, especially the Bible belt where the Gospel is so widely preached.

1 Cor. 15: 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

That is why studying prophecy is important – Jesus wanted us to realize that He could return for us at any moment, to recognize the signs of the times and to know what lies ahead. That way, we can use what He told us about the future to realize the urgency of living for Him every moment of every day we have left.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

God will Spare Us from the Coming Wrath

2011-06-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

As we have been studying signs of the End Times, the question has arisen of the evidence for the Rapture of all believers occurring before the tribulation. Rapture is the event in which Jesus will descend from Heaven and believers will rise up to meet Him in the air, the dead in Christ first and then living believers, all transformed instantaneously into glorified bodies (1 Thess 4:16-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-53). Jesus will return to heaven with the Church, where we will stay during the tribulation.

The Rapture is imminent (could happen at any time) but will occur at an unknown date and time (Matt. 24: 13, 42). This unknown day and date must apply to the Rapture, and not to the Battle of Armageddon when Christ returns with His armies, because 3.5 years (1260 days) occur from the abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15-16) to the return of Christ to defeat Israel’s enemies.

The abomination of desolation refers to the Antichrist, whom the Jews previously thought of as their peaceful Messiah, desecrating the Temple and stating that he is God (2 Thess 2:4). Finally the Jews will realize his deception and they will flee for their lives. This will occur halfway through the 7-year tribulation (Dan 9:27), which ends with the Battle of Armageddon. So the timing from the abomination of desolation to the Battle of Armageddon is known (3.5 years), and the unknown date and hour for the Lord’s coming must refer to the preceding Rapture. Jesus warns only those in Judea to flee, and not other nations.

Paul tells us that God will spare believers from the wrath to come, i.e. the tribulation, which must be because we are Raptured before the tribulation occurs (1 Thess 5: 1-9; 1 Thess 1:10).

1 Thessalonians 5: 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ

Paul also tells us that the Holy Spirit will be removed from the earth before the Antichrist will be revealed (2 Thess 2: 7-8). The Holy Spirit now resides in every believer, so when we are all Raptured, the Holy Spirit will leave with us, allowing the Antichrist to do his work unopposed.
After the Rapture, the believers enjoy the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19: 7-9). We will stay in Heaven with Christ until the great tribulation on earth is nearly over, about 7 earthly years.

We will return with Him to earth as His armies to fight the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:14). If the Rapture were not until the end of the tribulation, we would be caught up in the clouds with Christ and then turn right around and go back with Him again to fight the battle, leaving no time for the marriage supper.

In the first 3 chapters of Revelation, Christ addresses each of the churches, i.e., the believers. The church is mentioned 19 times in these chapters as being on earth. Thereafter, the churches are never mentioned, and the focus turns to the Jews living in Israel. John is called up to Heaven in his vision in much the same way the believers will be caught up at the Rapture – with the sound of a trumpet and a call to “Come up hither” (Rev 4:1).

John sees Christ seated on His throne in Heaven, surrounded by 24 elders, or representatives of saved believers, dressed in white robes (Rev. 19) and wearing crowns (Rev 4:2-4) that believers can win to lay at Jesus’ feet (2 Tim 4:8). Because they already have the crowns, the judgment seat of Christ must have also already occurred (2 Cor 5:10). So the believers are already Raptured before the tribulation begins, and the events of the tribulation are described in subsequent chapters of Revelation.

As the tribulation unfolds, an angel descends to earth and seals the servants of God to protect them from destruction (Rev 7:3). There are only 144,000 people sealed, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Believers can be considered to be the servants of God, and it stands to reason that He would protect us also, unless He has already done so by removing us at the Rapture before the tribulation begins. The 144,000 Jews are sealed on the earth, while we, a very large number of believers from all nations, are in heaven worshipping God (Rev 7:9-10).

Jesus compares His coming to the times of Noah and of Lot – in each case, the righteous believers who had faith in God were removed from destruction and harm, so it follows that the Rapture will remove believers from the harm and destruction of the tribulation to follow (Luke 17: 26-30). Those who reject Jesus as Savior will be left behind in the tribulation; those who trusted Him will be Raptured to Heaven.

1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

How Will You Spend Your Days?

2011-06-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

As we have been studying in Matthew 24, no man can know the day or the hour of Christ’s return (Matt. 24:36), but He wants us to be aware of the signs that mean it is getting closer. As we follow the daily news, all of what Jesus described seems to be happening, and we look forward to that day with great anticipation. The signs described by Jesus in the Olivet discourse point to the great tribulation, which will occur after the Rapture, so our meeting with Christ in the air will occur even sooner!

Terrible things will be happening on earth during the great tribulation (Matt. 24:29), but we have no reason to fear if we have repented of our sins and trusted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. If so, we shall be caught up with Him in the air at the Rapture and live eternally with Him and other believers in Christ, including those who died before us (1 Cor 15:51-54; 1 Thess 4:15-17)

Knowing that the Rapture is imminent, meaning that it could occur at any time, and we could meet Christ face to face at any moment, we should live each day as if it were our last. We should die to our sin nature and yield to the indwelling Holy Spirit, so that we can resist the devil, become more like Christ (Phil. 3:10), encourage other believers, spread the Good News of the Gospel, and follow God’s perfect will for our life.

At the same time, we should not be discouraged by what may seem to us, in our impatience, as a delay in Christ’s return. We need to be firmly grounded in our faith in God’s promises so that we will not be shaken by those scoffers who take this delay to mean that Jesus will not keep His promise to return (2 Pet 3 :3-4). Rather, we should understand that God’s sense of timing is perfect and altogether different from ours.

We are limited by our earthly life span to consider time in terms of those few years, but in eternity, our earthly years are but a vapor, (James 4:14) gone as quickly as the visible puff of breath we exhale into the air on a wintry day. God has no limitations, and for Him, time stands still, which may help to explain how He can know everything, past, present and future; how He can be everywhere at once; and how He can deal with all our prayer requests at the same time. For Him, one day can be as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Pet 3 :8; Psalm 90: 4-12).

What scoffers perceive as a delay or even a failure of Christ’s return, we as believers should realize is a sign of God’s infinite patience and mercy. He is not willing that anyone would die unsaved and go to hell. The longer He waits to return, the more time there is for the lost to repent of their sins and be saved.

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Because He gave each of us free will, He will not force anyone to make that decision, and because He is just and holy, He must judge those who reject Him.

The timing of Christ’s return is in the Father’s hands alone, yet He does not want us to sit idly by. He wants us to pray for His return, to lead lost souls to Him, and to win crowns that we can lay at His feet (2 Timothy 4:8). If we watch for His return and are Rapture-ready (2 Pet 3:11,14), He will reward us richly (Matt. 24:45-47). His eternal rewards are the only ones that matter, because everything on earth will be consumed and burned up (2 Pet 3:10,12-13; Isa 51:6). Therefore, our priorities should be with accumulating heavenly rewards, and not earthly treasure (Matthew 6:19-20).

Only He knows how many days are left, but we can all know how He expects us to live each day by studying and following His Word (2 Pet 3:18).

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Thy People Shall Be My People

2011-06-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

As we saw last time, as we are progressively sanctified and conformed to His image, our natural emotional response to fellow Christians can mature from philia, or brotherly love, into self-sacrificing agape love. Christ's indwelling Holy Spirit lets us love unconditionally and sacrificially, not only other believers but also the unsaved (1 Pet. 1:22).

2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

Peter explains the progression of how Christians can develop agape love to one another. We have to work at it and be passionate about this transformation! It doesn’t come naturally. It starts by being saved, i.e. having faith in Christ, which allows us to be obedient in our desire to please Him. Obedience makes us more likely to be virtuous and less likely to sin, and more likely to study His Word and gain Biblical knowledge and Godly wisdom. That will improve our self-control, or temperance, and give us more patience toward others when they disappoint us. That makes us more conformed to Christ’s image, first showing philia or brotherly kindness toward other Christians, and finally showing charity, or self-sacrificing agape love for one another and also for the lost (John 13:35).

Jesus Himself showed how philia can become agape when He said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13). Jesus even called Judas “friend,” who betrayed Him (Matt. 26:50), but Jesus went from philia to agape as he paid for the sins of Judas and of all men. The self-sacrifice of Christ did not end with His pain, suffering, and even death, but, it led to His joy at being the means of salvation for all mankind (Hebrews 12:2).

Similarly, the friendship and kindness we show to others will be returned to us many times over, and even acts of self-sacrifice for our friends will reap eternal rewards. An excellent Bible example of this transformation from kindness and respect, to sharing a common belief, to self-sacrifice without expecting anything in return and ultimately to blessings beyond measure, is the story of Ruth.

Naomi and her two sons lacked faith in that they left Bethlehem, where God had promised to provide for them, during a time of famine (1:1). They traveled to Moab, where Naomi’s husband died and her sons each married a Moabitess woman, one of whom was Ruth and the other Orpah (1:4). This also was an act of disobedience to God’s command of not intermarrying with pagan people.

When Naomi’ two sons died about 10 years later , both her daughters-in-law initially offered to stay with her, but she encouraged them to return to the homes of their parents so that they could stay in their home country of Moab and find new husbands there (1:8-13). This is agape love on Naomi’s part, because she is now a sad, old woman who has lost her husband and sons, yet she is willing to risk traveling alone back to Bethlehem so that she would not be a burden to Ruth and Orpah and so that they could make new lives for themselves. Orpah willingly agreed, but Ruth’s friendship toward Naomi went far deeper, and she begged her to let her accompany her to Israel (1:14-16).

16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

Ruth pledges her life to Naomi, not only accompanying her on the journey, but wanting to go wherever she goes and to live wherever she lives, accepting Naomi’s people as her own even though she has never met them and knows nothing about the country and its customs. She even accepts Naomi’s God as her own, which shows that the agape love of a believer toward an unsaved person may lead them to the Lord.

But the blessings she reaped back in Israel, along with the barley she gleaned in Boaz’ field (Ruth 2), were not only the faithful friendship, love and good advice of Naomi (3:1-5), but provision for her physical needs (3:15), a loving marriage to Boaz (4:13), and even giving birth to a son who would be a forefather of to Jesus Christ Himself! (4:17). She gave up all she knew, but she gained faith in the only true God, and with that, the blessings that only He can offer.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

How Do You Love Him?

2011-06-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Greek words used for love in the Bible include philia, or brotherly love (Romans 12:10; 1 Thess. 4:9; Hebrews 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Peter 1:7). connoting friendship; and agape, or self-sacrificing love, of which the best example is Jesus suffering and dying on the cross to pay all our sin debt in full. Phileo means to have an affection, sentiment, kindly feeling, or fondness based in the heart toward another person. Philia is based on a natural emotional response toward another, whereas agape is based on the will, volitionally doing what is best for another even when he is unloveable. Thank God that He shows agape toward us even though we are sinners with wicked hearts (Jer. 17:9; Rom. 5:8).

Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament contrasts many aspects of philia and agape. Philia is a natural, emotional response of the heart, but agape is learned through studying God’s Word and following Christ’s example, and applied through the will. Philia is discriminatory and conditional, shown toward those who please us, bring us delight, or do nice things for us. Agape is non-discriminatory and unconditional, shown toward everyone because we consider them to be precious in God’s sight and esteemed more highly than we value ourselves.

Philia is bound to fail, as it occurs because of what someone does or because of what he is like. Ultimately those conditions change and people displease us. But agape never fails (1 Cor. 13:8), as it occurs in spite of what people do or what they are like.

The difference between philia and agape is seen in John 21:15-17, when the resurrected Jesus calls aside Peter, who is filled with remorse over denying Christ 3 times, just as Jesus as predicted he would. To reconcile Peter to Himself, Jesus asks Peter 3 times, “Do you love Me?” Twice the word Jesus uses is “agapeo,” but when Peter says that he loves Christ, he uses the word “phileo,” which implies a lesser intensity and commitment than the self-sacrificing agape love Jesus has shown to all of us.

It is as if a wife asks her husband, “Do you love me so much that you would risk your life to save mine?” and he answers, “Well, you know I have warm, fuzzy feelings for you when you serve me breakfast in bed.” Each time Peter avoided the real issue of what Christ asked him, Jesus gently explained what agape love means, by saying “Feed my sheep.” Jesus wanted Peter to put his own needs behind those of the lost sheep he had to bring to Christ. Ultimately, Peter did just that, making the ultimate sacrifice of dying a martyr’s death and being crucified upside down (John 21:18).

Friendship often starts with philia, as an emotional response to someone who shares a common sense of purpose and belief system. It is natural to like people who think and feel the same way we do on important issues. But true friendship occurs when philia lead to self-sacrificing, unconditional agape love. We see this in the family of God, where new believers in Christ join the church, or body of other born-again Christians who share the common experience of having turned away from, or repented of, their sins, and of having turned toward Christ as their Savior (Rom.12:10). You gain new Christian friends when you are saved, and, conversely, if you are a friend to someone who is lost, you may lead that person to trust Christ as her Savior.

Through studying God’s Word, prayer, worship, and Christian fellowship, new believers become progressively changed, or sanctified, to become more like Christ. Philia, or natural affection they feel toward other believers, then becomes more like the self-sacrificing love of Christ as they begin to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). As we are progressively sanctified and conformed to His image, our natural emotional response to fellow Christians can mature into agape love as His indwelling Holy Spirit lets us to love unconditionally and sacrificially, not only other believers but also the unsaved.

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

Love in Him,

Laurie Collett

Now is the Time!

2011-06-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

As students of history have seen proven over and over, and as the media took great delight in reporting last month, any attempt to predict the date of Christ’s second coming only makes the self-proclaimed “prophet” look foolish. Sadly, it also discourages and even devastates those gullible enough to believe the “prophecy,” while discrediting and making a mockery of Christians’ well-placed faith in the Rapture. As Christ so clearly told His disciples,

Matt. 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 (Matt. 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 (Rev.16:16), the Rapture, in which all believers in Christ are caught up to meet with Him in the air (1 Cor 15: 51-54), must happen at least 7 years before! So, as close at it seems the second coming must be, based on the signs of the times, it is actually 7 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 timing is very different than ours (2 Pet 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 Pet 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 Pet 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!

Matt. 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.

2 Cor 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.)

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Too Sinful to be Saved?

2011-05-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

We have studied how 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; Matt. 8:24-32; Mark 5:1-20), this man was in a state of nakedness, which in the Garden of Eden was first a sign of innocence (Gen. 2:25), but then of shame since Adam and Eve sinned (Gen. 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 (Gen. 3:21), which meant that animals had to be killed. There was no death until sin entered in by the fall (Rom. 5:12), but 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 would consist 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), with power to cast them into hell (Luke 8:31, Rev. 20: 1-3, 2 Pet. 2:4). This shows that salvation comes not by believing in God alone (James 2:19), but by repenting of sins (2 Corinthians 7:10) and trusting Christ as Savior (John 3:16).

Can someone be too sinful to be saved? The recent capture and execution of Bin Laden gives the civilized world cause to rejoice that he will 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 (1 Cor 15). Yet that gift must be accepted to be valid, and, although only God knows the heart (Ps. 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 Tim. 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; Rom. 10:13), and that no matter what our past before we repent and trust Jesus, He can use us for His glory. As we saw 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, his sins forgiven 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 grace through faith we can leave behind our nakedness and be clothed with His righteousness (Rev. 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 does nothing to counteract our sin or the laws we have broken. Instead, 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.

Love in Him,

Laurie Collett

Clothed in His Righteousness

2011-05-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

As we have studied, Jesus was able to bear the punishment for all our sin so that it would be imputed to His account, while His perfect righteousness was attributed to our account. When Holy God, the righteous Judge, looks at those who trust Christ as their Savior, He therefore sees the perfect righteousness of His Son, and not our sins that would otherwise separate us from His holiness. Jesus, while completely divine and also perfectly holy, was able throughout His earthly ministry to mingle with, touch, heal, and raise the unclean, sick, wicked and even the dead without ever being corrupted or defiled by them.

Jesus freely gave forgiveness of sins, peace, and eternal life to the sinful woman who washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and poured out her earthly treasure, in the form of perfumed ointment in an alabaster box (Luke 7:37-50). Jesus cast out demons from a naked man who lived in the tombs, and healed Him rather than rejecting this outcast whom society considered to be crazed, wicked, and unclean (Luke 8:27-36).

What is the significance of this man's nakedness? Before the Fall, nakedness was a sign of innocence. God created us in His own image, and before sin entered into the hearts of Adam and Eve, they were naked yet not ashamed (Gen. 2:25). The first couple were literally one flesh, as God created Eve from Adam’s side (Gen.2: 21-24). This first marriage was not only God’s example of what every marriage thereafter should be – an intimate, exclusive union of man and woman (Matt. 19:3–6) but also a beautiful foreshadowing of the mystery of Christ’s union with the church, or body of believers (Eph. 5: 30-33).

After the fall, when Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, their nudity took on a different meaning because they became aware of sin, they realized the role that sexual temptation can play in sin, and they attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves (Gen. 3:7-8). Before this they had enjoyed perfect fellowship with God; now their sin separated them from that fellowship and gave them reason to fear God (Gen. 3:10).

In the Garden, there was no death until sin entered in by the fall. For that reason Adam and Eve and all the animals were herbivores, eating only fruit and plants. Once Adam and Eve sinned, the first death occurred when God killed animals to clothe Adam and Eve and hide their nakedness, or cover their sin (Gen. 3:21). This sacrifice was a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that would not just cover our sins but remove them for all time.

From that day forth, man has had a sense of modesty and shame resulting in the wearing of clothing to cover nakedness. When man rebels against God and instead of being ashamed of his sin is proud of it, as is so often the case today, modesty tends to disappear. In the case of the demon-possessed man, we see it in the extreme, where the indwelling evil is completely unchecked by the Holy Spirit or any Godly influence and he runs around in public completely naked.

Thank God that Jesus does not reject us in our sinful state, but that He seeks us out where we are, casting out our wickedness to restore us to our right mind and to fellowship with Him, so that we can sit humbly at His feet (Luke 8:27-36) and unite with Him spiritually as the bride of Christ. Praise God that by grace through faith we can leave behind our nakedness and be clothed with His righteousness.

Rev. 19: 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Love in Him,

Laurie Collett

Jesus Feels Your Pain

2011-05-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

As we have been studying, Jesus was fully divine while being fully human, yet completely holy and without sin. As He mingled with sinners in His earthly ministry, He shared their griefs and sorrows, and He felt hunger, thirst, pain and fatigue as they did, tempted in all ways as we are yet without ever yielding to temptation or sinning (Hebrews 4:15). In no way was His perfect virtue corrupted by encountering, touching, healing, forgiving and raising unclean, sinful, diseased, and even dead people.

Jesus had compassion on the widow who lost her only son (Luke 7:12-16). He was unmistakeably dead, and Jesus unequivocally raised him so that he immediately sat up and began to speak! Jesus felt sorrow and compassion for His friends Mary and Martha, and He raised their brother Lazarus from the dead (John 11). It is such a comfort to any of us who is grieving over any loss, whether rejection or betrayal from others or even loss of a loved one to death, to know that Jesus Himself sees our sorrow and has compassion on us even when we turn away from Him.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Matthew 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

Jesus touched and forever changed the lives of outcasts by giving them physical and spiritual healing. Praise God that He allowed His Son to walk among us, entering this world not in the form of the King of Kings that He truly is (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14), or as the Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) who would not lower Himself to enter our sinful, filthy and corrupt world. Rather, Jesus came as the Son of Man who took on the form of a humble servant and became the perfect sacrifice to pay our sin debt that all who believe in Him are justified by His righteousness and have eternal life.

In thankfulness, therefore, let us pour out all we have to honor Christ by serving others, just as the sinful woman washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly perfumed ointment (Luke 7:37-50). Let us trust Jesus, who cast demons out of those who were possessed, to cast out our wickedness so that we may be restored to our right mind and sit humbly at His feet (Luke 8:27-36).

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Pour Out Your Life for Jesus!

2011-05-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

Not long ago we celebrated Mother’s Day, to honor our mothers, and all the women in our life who have been a Godly influence and support for us. What makes a mother’s love so special is her willingness to give herself sacrificially for her children. For this type of self-sacrificing love (known as “agape” in the Greek) we have no better role model than Jesus Himself.

As we have been studying, Jesus the Son is fully divine like God the Father, yet He is different in that He came to earth specifically to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. As He paid our sin debt in full by dying on the cross, He bridged the great gulf between sinful man and holy, righteous God. Now when God the Father looks at any believer who has trusted Christ as Savior, He sees not our sins, but the perfect righteousness of His Son which has been imputed or attributed to our account (Rom. 5:12-18; 2 Cor 5:18-21).

We can no doubt think of many sacrifices our own mother, or other Godly women who have nurtured us, have made for us and for their children. We thank them and bless them for that every day, as well as for being an example of how a woman should be industrious, providing for her children and her household, honoring and enhancing the reputation of her family, fearing the Lord and growing in faith, and being charitable and merciful to others (Prov. 31; 2 Tim 1:5).

Prov. 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.… 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.… 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Because Christ suffered and died for us, we should willingly surrender all to Him. The Bible tells how a sinful woman, probably a prostitute, broke open her alabaster box filled with costly perfumed ointment and used it to anoint Jesus’ feet after she had washed them with her tears and dried them with her hair (Luke 7:37-50). She poured it all out freely and lovingly to Him – her tears of sorrow from her life of heartbreak, her hair adorning her beauty that she may have misused for money or favor from men, and the alabaster and ointment that may have been the sum total of her worldly wealth, perhaps her dowry.

But as she spent all she had on Him, what she gained was priceless – the stability of faith in Him, forgiveness of all her many sins, and peace she could never have known before. Jesus left His heavenly throne to come to earth in the flesh, where He suffered and gave His life so that our sins have been forgiven.

Although Jesus is now back in Heaven, we can still pour out our lives to Him by serving and sacrificing for others (Matt. 10:42), whether for our children, our brothers and sisters in Christ, or for the unsaved who need to hear the Good News of the Gospel before it is too late.

Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Galatians 6: 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Love in Christ,

Laurie Collett

Don't let your faith be shaken!

2011-05-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

As Christians, we should not expect that we will never suffer, but in fact we should expect that we will have to undergo trials and tribulations and even persecution or painful suffering, just as Christ did. That is part of our calling and our walk with Christ (1 Pet 2:21; 1 Thess 3: 3-4).

But we should not be moved, meaning shaken or disturbed, by our trials, because we should have faith that God is working them together for our good (Rom. 8:28). The fear of persecution should not lead us to give up our beliefs or lose faith. It is part of our inheritance as children of the King to undergo trials as He did, and preachers who tell listeners that once they are Christians, their troubles will be over, are not preaching the truth.

Paul tells us that he would give up anything imaginable, even his physical life, rather than not have Christ in his life (Phil 3:8). After he was born again he was not only beaten, shipwrecked, persecuted, and imprisoned (2 Cor 11: 24-27), but he was most likely excommunicated by the Jews and rejected by his own family.
At the day of judgment, Paul, and all believers, should depend on salvation only through belonging to Christ.

As a Pharisee, Paul tried before he was saved to becoming righteous by works, namely by keeping the law, which because of man’s sin nature is impossible. The righteousness of believers is only possible through God’s grace by their faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross and in His resurrection.

Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

When we are saved, we have the mind of Christ within us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our Christian walk, through prayer and studying the Word, should be to become more and more like Christ by knowing Him better, by putting aside our own fleshly desires and sin nature and yielding to God’s will, even if that means that He will allow us to suffer and to go through tribulation so that our character may be purified and our faith and compassion increase.

Phil 3: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

As we have been studying, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice allowing reconciliation between sinful man and just, holy God. His physical suffering, humiliation, rejection by His people, His friends, and especially the separation from His Father (Matt. 27:46) as Christ took on all the sins of mankind -- past, present and future -- allows those who repent of their sins and trust in His finished work on the cross to have eternal life. As Christians, we will no doubt go through trials, but these serve to mold us more into Christ's image and to draw closer to Him

1 Pet 2: 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

The Mysteries of the Cross

2011-05-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting paradox regarding the mysteries of the cross: Jesus died for our sins that we might have eternal life. Jesus is part of the Triune God, fully Divine, yet fully human in His earthly ministry and tempted in all ways as we are, yet He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

God is perfectly holy (1 John 1:5) and perfectly just. Although He is love (1 John 4:8), and has infinite love, He cannot allow sinners or sin to enter into His presence. So, in His perfect plan of salvation, He gave His only begotten Son as the perfect sacrifice (John 3:16), the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

In a transaction of infinite love, justice, holiness and perfection, Jesus took on, suffered and died for all the sins of the world, which were imputed to Him, or debited against His account. Simultaneously, His perfect righteousness and holiness were imputed to all believers, or credited to our account. (Rom 5:12-18; 2 Cor 5:18-21; Isa 53:4-11). He completely removed our sins from us, in a perfect transaction foreshadowed by the "scapegoat" in Old Testament times that carried the sins of Israel far away into the wilderness (Lev. 16:20-22).

Therefore, when Holy God the Father, the righteous Judge, looks at believers who have repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus' finished work on the cross, He sees not us and our filthy sins, but only the perfect holiness of His Son. Therefore, as joint heirs with Christ, just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead, believers will be resurrected to eternal life in Heaven with Christ (Rom. 6;8)

Yet, here is one of the mysteries: God the Father "turned His back" on Jesus as He suffered and died for our sins, because His perfect holiness could not look on sin. For that reason, Jesus cried out "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46; Ps 22:1-8) because in that moment, He felt the agony of being separated from His Father with whom He had always known perfect, intimate fellowship. At that moment, Jesus related to God not as His Father, but as the righteous judge Who had to punish sin.

So, the conundrum is, given that both God the Father and Jesus the Son are both perfectly divine, how could Jesus bear all our sins while God the Father could not even look at them? I believe that is one of the mysteries we will not fully understand until we reach glory. However, one clue to this might be that while all three members of the Trinity are equally divine, they are different.

God the Father always demands perfection, whether through animal sacrifice in the Old Testament (Ex 12:5; 29:1; Lev. 1:3), which only covered sin, and ultimately in the perfect, sinless sacrifice of His Son (1 Pet. 1:18-19; Eph. 5:2), which removed us as far away from our sins as the East is from the West (Ps 103:12).

Jesus the Son was fully divine yet fully human in His earthly ministry (yet without sin; Heb 4:15), He came to earth expressly to save sinners (Luke 19:10), and He died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8). He was the perfect fulfillment of the Old Testament law (Matt. 5:17), yet He touched lepers, He allowed Himself to be touched by diseased and sinful women, He ate with sinners, He cast out demons, and He forgave sins.

Thank God that Jesus does not demand perfection from us, but that He died for us while we were yet sinners, and He freely gives salvation to all who repent and trust Him, taking us just as we are in our lowly and sinful state. Thank God that through the perfect, sinless sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 9), His righteousness is imputed to our account (1 Pet 2:21-25), and when God the Father looks at us, He sees not our sins, but only the perfect holiness of His Son.

Welcome to Saved by Grace!

2011-05-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Saved by Grace, a Christian Bible study by Laurie Collett. Through His grace and the indwelling Holy Spirit, it is my prayer that all who read this blog will be strengthened in their faith and encouraged to develop an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to serve Him and one another.

If you do not yet know Jesus as your personal Savior, please follow this link:

http://www.fbc301.org/bridge.html

to learn how your sins can be forgiven and you can be absolutely sure you will be in Heaven when you die.

Your comments, questions and suggestions are welcome. If you would like to be included on our email list to receive our weekly devotional Bible Study, or if you have any prayer requests or I can help you in any other way, please email at it000016@hotmail.com

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Love in Him,

Laurie Collett