Moments With God

Consider It Pure Joy

General — Posted by sharaug @ March 10, 2008 09:19
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James 1:1-12

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." James 1:2-8

Most of us are familiar with the musical "Oklahoma." In the opening scene of this musical the cowboy comes riding out on his horse singing, "Oh what a wonderful morning. Oh what a wonderful day. Oh what a wonderful morning. Everything is going my way." The truth is that life often is not easy and does not always go the way that we think it should go. Even in times of difficulty and challenge, however, we need to believe that God is faithful and is working things out in our lives for His glory and our ultimate good.

Abundant life is not found in things going our way, but abundant life is found in submitting to God’s way. Following the Lord's plan for our lives leads to His joy in us even in times of trial in our lives. Our Scripture passage today says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." (James 1:2) Can you and I consider it pure joy when our days are filled with small irritations and interruptions? Can we consider it pure joy when we have a splitting headache? Can we consider it pure joy when our children are sick or when they have kept us up all night? Can we consider it pure joy when our work load is heavy, and we have little free time for ourselves? Can we consider it pure joy when we face serious illnesses or surgeries? Can we consider it pure joy when we lose our jobs? Can we consider it pure joy when we face any trial or difficulty in our lives? Only in Christ’s strength and wisdom can we consider all these things pure joy.

There is value in the trials of life. That is why God allows them! "The testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:3b-4) Through trials and difficult situations in our lives you and I develop and prove our faith. Difficult times in our lives develops patience, endurance, and steadfastness in us. Difficult times in our lives develops trust and dependence on God instead of in self. We can learn these things only through being placed in difficult circumstances where you and I experience the need for patience, endurance, and trust in God.

We need to be joyful even in trials, because this is the only way we can truly mature spiritually. Trials are the only way we can see God working out the details of our lives. Only in trials can we see the Lord bringing us from victory to victory in our lives. Sometimes we are perplexed when difficult situations arise in our lives or in the lives of the people we love. But we must remember that the Lord is working in all things for His glory and our ultimate spiritual good. He will never abandon us, but He will always be with us. When we are knocked down He will pick us up. Also, in light of eternity our present difficulties are inconsequential. They are preparing us for eternal and glorious rewards in heaven! Someday we will see the Lord face to face and be in His blessed presence forever! When we are perplexed about life’s difficulties and do not know what to do next we can come to the Lord for wisdom and strength. If we ask for His wisdom and strength in faith and without doubting, He will see us through any difficulty in this world. He will help us find joy even in the midst of difficulties!

 

 

Cancer Parables

General — Posted by sharaug @ March 05, 2008 13:04
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"I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11

While on earth Jesus often told stories about every day life situations to teach Godly truths. These stories that Jesus told are called parables and are recorded in the Bible. There are many things that happen to us in our lives today also that can be a kind of reminder or parable of truths taught us in the Bible. As I have been recently contemplating my journey through my cancer treatments these past many months, I have also seen many parables or pictures of Biblical truths.

My first line of treatment for my cancer was chemotherapy. The chemotherapy medicine flowed intravenously through my veins to all the parts of my body. This was in an attempt to rid my entire body of any possible cancer cells. So we also need to infuse our spiritual veins with God’s Word. If we allow the truths of God’s Word to infuse and permeate out lives, the sin and unhealthy elements present in our lives will be eradicated and destroyed. Consequently, our lives and characters will begin to be better reflections of Jesus. Then we will begin to "shine like stars in the universe." Philippians 2:15b

In my cancer journey I also experienced surgery. This was a treatment meant to radically eradicate the tumor and area of cancer discovered in my body. So also the Word of God radically seeks to point out, eradicate, and cut away areas of our lives which are not pleasing to the Lord or are in need of refining. Hebrews 4:12 states, "For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

My final stage of treatment for cancer in which I am now involved is radiation. While chemotherapy medicine flows all through the body, radiation is equipped to target the precise area where cancer was discovered. Radiation attempts to eradicate any lingering cancer cells which may yet be lurking. This is because even a microscopic cancer cell could eventually develop again into full-blown cancer. We must also be very careful that we do not cherish sin in our hearts. (Psalm 66:18) We must not even cherish or hold close to our hearts sins which we consider small or inconsequential. First of all there is no such thing as small sins. Secondly, just as microscopic cancer cells can develop into uncontrollable cancer, so the "small" sins of our lives can soon develop into big sin problems and a lost of our zeal for the things of the Lord. Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You." We must seek to be constantly radiated by God’s Word, so that sinful attitudes and actions can be nipped in the bud. We must also seek to be constantly radiated by God’s Word, so that we can become increasingly more beautiful reflections of our Lord Jesus Christ! May this be our passion!

 


He Plans My Life!

General — Posted by sharaug @ February 29, 2008 12:13
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Psalm 139:13-24

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."" Psalm 139:23-24

God presence is always with us! This is a source of great comfort and confidence for the child of God. God has been with us from our birth! In fact, the Lord God planned for your and my lives before we were even born! The Psalmist says to the Lord in prayer in Psalm 139:13-16a, "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body." The Lord was active in our conception and development in our mother's bodies. He was watching over us even as a pre-born baby in our mother's womb!

God has also planned for every moment of our lives! The psalmist goes on to say in Psalm 139:16b, "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." Every day of our lives has been sovereignly planned for us by the Lord. The Lord will be with us every day and moment of our lives that He has sovereignly planned for us. He also has a purpose for our lives. Psalm 138:8a says, "The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me." Each of us have been placed on this earth for a particular purpose, and that purpose is part of God's eternal plan. We need to serve the Lord in joy and contentment where God has placed us. Our purpose is to bring glory and praise to God in our small corner of the world.

What a comfort it is for us to know that the great God of the universe is always with us in our small corner of the world. He is always there to help and guide us in living our lives for His glory. God's thoughts expressed in His creation, in His actions in this world, and in our lives are so awesome. It is a precious blessing to know that the great God of the universe is with you and me every moment of every day. Each day when we awaken we can say anew to the Lord, "When I awake I am still with You." (Psalm 139:18b)

It should be our consuming passion to serve and please the Lord. The Psalmist of Psalm 139 prays this in conclusion to his prayer, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24) May this be our prayer also. The Lord already knows everything about us, but it should be our prayer that He search our hearts and see if our every thought and motive is filled with a desire to serve the Lord. When the Lord examines our hearts does He find hearts that our filled with love for Him, or does He find lives filled with the temporal things and the pleasures of this world? The Lord is always with us seeing our every motive, thought, and action. May He search our hearts and lives and see lives which are totally devoted to His glory!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


He is Always With Me!

General — Posted by sharaug @ February 24, 2008 10:51
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Psalm 139:1-12

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast." Psalm 139:9-10

The Lord God knows and understands us better than we know and understand ourselves! Isn't that an awesome thought? The Lord God knows our every action and our every thought. Even before we speak the Lord knows what we are going to say. The Lord hems His children in "behind and before" (Psalm 139:5a) He is carefully watching over us for our protection and well-being. The Lord's hand is always with you and me; so we can not escape from His protection, love, and control. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." (Psalm 139:6) Such knowledge of God's continual presence in our lives and His continual knowledge and protection of us is too wonderful for us to fully comprehend. God's wondrous acts in our lives are beyond our total understanding!

There is no place you and I can go to escape the Lord. Our consuming passion always should be to live our lives in the presence of the Lord. Even if we would desire to escape the Lord's presence, however, we would not be able to escape His presence. His presence is always with us and watching over us. In Psalm 139:8-12 the Psalmist said to God in prayer, "If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You." No matter how far up or down we could travel the Lord would still be there. No matter how far east or west we could travel the Lord would still be there. No matter if it is night or day the Lord is still present with us. God's presence is always with us! Nothing we do can separate us from His presence! It is impossible to get out of His sight. He knows where we are at all times. The Lord knows our every action and thought every moment of every day. This knowledge is a source of comfort, joy, and confidence to the child of God. The Lord sees and hears our every heartache and need, and He is right there to comfort and help us. He is always gently leading and guiding us with His love and protection. Even when His children are temporarily in a place that is out of His will He has us in His hand. The Lord will lead us back to the center of His will. What awesome confidence it gives the child of God to know that the Lord is right beside, behind, and before us each day and moment of our lives! What an awesome God we serve!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Radiation and My God

General — Posted by sharaug @ February 18, 2008 13:09
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Today I began my radiation treatments. This was the first of 33 treatments. I have already completed 8 chemo treatments and had mastectomy surgery on October 16, 2007. I was diagnosed with breast cancer on July 18, so it has been a long journey already.

Today as I had to lay very quietly for my radiation treatment, I decided to use this time to repeat over and over in my mind a couple of my favorite Bible verses. This helped to calm me.  I came up with this idea recently when reading in a devotional book written by women who have gone through cancer. The verses I repeated to myself were Zephaniah 3:17 and Romans 15:13.

Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." What an awesome verse in the Bible! Our Lord is always with us even in trials. In fact, He is especially with us in trials. He not only has the desire to help us, but He is mighty and has the power to save and help us. Further He quiets us with His love. He is the great peace giver. What is even more awesome He actually delights in us and rejoices over us with singing! Wow!

Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Our God is our source of hope. This kind of hope is not a wishful longing for something which one is not certain of receiving. God's hope is a certain reality which we have not yet received. It is the certainty of an eternal future with Him. It is the certainty that all we experience on this earth is preparing us for that eternal future. It is also a certainty that all life's trials help us to better reflect Jesus and serve Him better even on this earth, That gives us joy and peace, as we trust in Him and makes our hope overflow. This does not mean we will not waver and sometimes give in to discouragement and fear.  In spite of Satan's attempts to discourage us, however, what a joy it is to know Jesus when we go through hard times.

Trials are never for nothing. I would never in a million years have chosen breast cancer, but there have been blessings. I have experienced in an overwhelming way the love and prayers of my family and church. There have been so many concrete and practical demonstrations of love from God's people. It has also opened up a certain freedom in me which is hard to explain. Most importantly it has drawn me closer to the Lord and reminded me in a new and fresh way that I can do nothing in my self. I am totally dependent on the Lord.

Please pray for me as I go through my radiation, and pray that there will be no reoccurrence of my cancer.  Next time that I blog I will return to my regular devotionals, but I felt the need to share this with you today.


Lives Lived for Him

General — Posted by sharaug @ February 13, 2008 11:15
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Hebrew 13:10-25

"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrew 13:20-21)

How dedicated are we to living our lives for the glory of the Lord? Is it our passion to grow in our love and service for the Lord? Is it our passion to die to our selfish desires and to invest in the things of the Lord? Is it our passion to get rid of the sins in our lives and to live holy lives for the Lord?

In the Old Testament times the high priest would offer animals as sacrifices for the sins of the people. These sacrifices were pictures or symbols of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our sins. We no longer make animal sacrifices, because our sins have been washed away once and for all by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. After the Old Testament high priest had sacrificed the animals, he would then take these animals outside the city to be burned. This is a picture of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and death outside the city of Jerusalem. It also is a picture of the removal of our sins by Christ's blood and sacrifice on the cross.

Christ's death was the one and only sacrifice for our sins. Hence, we must in gratitude live our lives in thankfulness and holiness before Him. We must seek to rid our lives of sin, and we must live our lives as holy sacrifices to the Lord. Christ must be exalted in our daily activities. Christ must be exalted in our thoughts, actions, attitudes, and in our characters. We must daily spend time in His Holy Word, and then we must apply the truths of God's Word to our daily lives. Our lives must demonstrate personal sanctification and growth in our desire to serve the Lord. We must be willing to live holy and pleasing lives for the Lord even if it means persecution. "Let us, then, go to Him---bearing the disgrace He bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come." (Hebrew 13:13-14)

Our lives must be lived as personal sacrifices of praise to our Lord and Savior. "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess His name." (Hebrew 13:15) We must continually praise and thank God for all He does for us and for all He gives to us. We must also praise the Lord for who He is in His holy character. We must offer praise and thanks to the Lord through our lives and through our words. We must offer sacrifices of praise to the Lord during both the "good times" in our lives and during the times which we consider "bad times." God is working out His glorious will for our lives even in difficult circumstances, and we must continually have a thankful heart and a heart filled with praise.

We must also offer personal sacrifices of praise in our lives by our kindness, patience, and selflessness towards others. Hebrew 13:16 reminds us, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." We must offer sacrifices of praise to our Lord in even the small things that we do throughout the day. In even these small things it should be our goal and desire to praise God and to bring joy to our fellow believers.

It must be our prayer for ourselves and others that the Lord will equip and enable us "with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever." (Hebrew 13:21) The Lord Himself, our great Shepherd of our lives, equips and gives us everything we need to do His holy will. May it be our heartfelt desire to offer our lives as sacrifices of love and praise to Him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holy Lives for the Lord

General — Posted by sharaug @ February 08, 2008 10:29
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Hebrews 13:1-9

True faith demands holy living. Our salvation is all of grace, and our salvation is through absolutely no merit or work on our part. If we truly love the Lord and have rested our lives in faith in Him, however, we will seek to increasingly live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.

One way we live holy lives for the Lord is by loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. Hebrews 13:1 tells us, "Keep on loving each other as brothers." Romans 12:10 tells us, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." We need to show practical concern and love for our fellow Christians. We must be willing to be there for them, listen to them, help them with their physical needs when necessary, and pray for them. This kind of love for others only comes from the Lord. This kind of love for others only comes from humility when we measure ourselves against the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another way we live holy lives for the Lord is by living lives of moral purity. We must keep our marriages pure, and we must honor the sanctity of our marriages. Hebrews 13:4a says, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure." We must be diligent in keeping our marriage vows, and we must be diligent in keeping purity and faithfulness in our marriage relationships. We must continually work on our relationships and our communication with our spouses, because Satan strives to break and attack our marriages. In the Bible Christ is often pictured as the bridegroom, and the church is often pictured as the bride. Our relationships with our spouses must be loving, caring, and self-sacrificing. They must exemplify and be pictures of the relationship between Christ and the church.

We also live holy lives by being content and at peace in our hearts. Hebrews 13:5a tells us, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have." We need to be content with where God has placed us in our lives, and we need to be content with what God has given us in material possessions. We need to find our contentment and joy in the Lord and in our service to Him. Our contentment and joy must be found in living our lives for the Lord's glory. True joy and contentment will never be found in our pursuit of possessions. True contentment and joy are found only in the Lord. If our lives are centered in the Lord; we have found true joy, contentment, and peace. Then the Lord will keep His promise to meet all our needs. Hebrews 13:5b goes on to give us a wonderful promise. God says to us, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." The Lord will never fail or forsake us. He will meet our every need. Hence, we can rest content and at peace in Him.

Yet another way we can live holy lives for the Lord is by persevering and continuing in the truths of God's Word. We must be diligent in our own study of God's Word. We must not be caught up in the philosophies of the world around us which often can sound so logical on the surface. Hebrews 13:9a tells us, "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings." Our lives must be based squarely on the truths of the Word of God alone and on nothing else. We as individuals are so easily swayed by worldly philosophies, and we must be on guard against it. Everything we do, say, and think must be governed by the truths of God's Word alone.

As redeemed children of the Lord Jesus Christ we must live holy lives of purpose and purity. We must live lives of love for others, and we must show contentment and perseverance in the things of the Lord. May it be our passion and desire to live holy lives for the Lord!

 


Persevere With Joy

General — Posted by sharaug @ February 03, 2008 06:10
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Hebrews 12:12-28

"Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and week knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."(Hebrews12:12-14)

In the race of life that God has given us we must endure and persevere. We have received so much from the Lord. Therefore, we must show our eternal gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ by surrendering every area of our lives to Him. We must not grow weary in the particular race of life in which God has placed us, but we must continue diligently and vigilantly in our faith.

We must not grow weary in the day to day struggles of life. "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and week knees." (Hebrews 12:12) We must continue in the things of the Lord Jesus and in doing the things which are pleasing to the Lord. We must keep our eyes focused on the Lord Jesus and not on our problems. We must keep our eyes focused on the Lord's second coming again for us someday. We must reflect on what the Lord has done for us in the past, and we must press on in life's race. We must reflect on the Lord's awesome promises in His Holy Word. We must also help and encourage others in their race of life; so that those who are physically, emotionally, and spiritually "lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (Hebrews 12:13b) We can best help others in their race of life by setting an example of perseverance in the faith in our own lives. We must do our best to help and not hinder the spiritual welfare of others, especially those who are wavering in their faith. We can and must also pray for others.

In our race of life we must also be diligent in our faith. Verse fourteen of Hebrews 12 suggests that we must pursue peace with others as much as possible. We also must be diligent about pursuing practical holiness in our lives. We must become more Christ-like in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions every day. We must serve the Lord and live for Him in our small corner of this world where He has placed us. We must serve Him with contentment, joy, and diligence. Our practical holiness must begin to match our already secure holy position in Christ which was given to us through Christ's sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

In our race of life we must also be very vigilant in our faith. We must be on our guard against bitterness or settled anger in our lives. We must be on our guard against pride, hatred, and rivalry against others. We must be so vigilant in our faith that our lives remain Godly before the Lord. We must never compromise our faith for temporary ease or pleasure in this world. Such compromise with the world will deprive us of the Lord's blessings. There is no joy in this world apart from the Lord and apart from living in obedience to Him. Our lives must be totally devoted to the Lord in every area of our lives. When we stray into sin and fail the Lord we must immediately repent and return to Him. We must also do all we can to help others to be spiritually on guard in their lives.

Finally, in our race of life we must keep our eyes on the goal. That goal is our eternal future and inheritance with the Lord Jesus Christ! Our eternal inheritance in Christ is purely by the grace of God and comes from nothing in ourselves. We must be careful that we do not refuse, neglect, or take for granted the salvation that we have in Christ alone, however. Absolutely nothing on this earth can begin to compare to what we have in Christ Jesus. Everything else will pass away one day. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." (Hebrews 12:28)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


God's Discipline

General — Posted by sharaug @ January 29, 2008 04:51
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Hebrews 12:4-11 and Romans 5:3-5

Sometimes when we face trials and difficulties in this life we may be tempted to begin to question God's love for us. It is precisely because the Lord loves us, however, that He allows trials and difficulties in our lives. Hebrews 12:6a tells us, "the Lord disciplines those He loves." Trials and difficulties are for our good. They help to conform us to the Lord's image instead of the way our natural selves wish to go. Trials and difficulties are instructive and corrective training for our spiritual good.

Because the Lord is sovereign and perfect in His ways, we must not question His reasons for allowing trials in our lives. Hebrews 12:7a tells us, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons." Our human fathers and mothers disciplined us for our good, and because they loved us. We respected our parents for that. "How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (Hebrews 12:9b) Far from being a reason for discouragement or despair, God's discipline is a basis for encouragement. God's discipline proves the Lord's love for us. God's discipline in our lives should spur us on to greater perseverance in the faith.

One of the definitions given in the dictionary for the word discipline is "to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control." This may or may not involve punishment. Athletes and soldiers need to become disciplined in their skills, or they are worthless as athletes or soldiers. Parents discipline and instruct their children, so that they will become healthy and productive adults. "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness." (Hebrews 12:10b) God wants us to become more and more conformed to His will. He wants us to grow in practical holiness. This will not happen, if we do not undergo a certain amount of His discipline.

God's discipline in our lives is meant for correction, not judgment. God's discipline in our lives is meant to keep us from bad things and is meant to keep us humble. God's discipline in our lives is meant for our education for better service for the Lord. Romans 5:3b-5 tells us that we can actually "rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." We can actually rejoice in our sufferings, because trials and difficulties are not meaningless. Difficulties in our lives are God's way of getting our attention. Difficulties and trials in our lives are God's means of producing His character in our lives. God's discipline produces in us His "hope" or blessed assurance of our future eternal destiny. This blessed assurance is based on our knowledge of the Lord's love for us!

Trials and difficult times in our lives can be painful, but they are for our ultimate spiritual good. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11) If we submit to the Lord's discipline with a submissive spirit, God's discipline is beneficial to us. God's discipline produces Godly righteousness and holiness in us. God's discipline is ultimately the road to the Lord's true joy and peace in our lives. This is only true, however, if we willingly submit to the Lord's discipline. We have the choice whether to become bitter or better through life's trials. Some things that happen to us in our lives are very difficult to understand. The only way to peace and joy, however, is to trust the Lord in all things. The Lord is sovereign and very wise in all He allows in our lives. He also loves us, and we can trust Him. There is always ultimate spiritual victory for the child of God!

 


The Race of Life

General — Posted by sharaug @ January 24, 2008 12:14
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Hebrews 12:1-3

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

In our Scripture passage today Paul is using the imagery of Greek games in a huge amphitheater as a picture of the Christian life. Paul suggests in this passage that the Christian life is like a race. As athletes in this race of life "we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses." (Hebrews 12:1a) These "witnesses" are the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11. These heroes of faith are not spectators, but are wonderful and inspiring examples of faith to us in our lives of faith. Even though these heroes of faith are no longer living, they still speak to us through the record of their lives in God's Holy Word. They bear witness even after their death to God's faithfulness and of our need to persevere in the Christian life!

As an athlete in the race of life we must persevere and endure. We must endure and persevere even when life hands us difficulties and trials. We must be faithful in our trust, love, obedience, and service to the Lord to the end. Our race in life is not a short sprint, but it is a race that lasts our entire life. In order to be able to run the race of life with perseverance we must first "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." (Hebrews 12:1b) We must not have our hearts weighted down with sin. We must seek to grow in practical holiness, so we can better run the race. Even "good" things in themselves can hinder our race. Jesus Christ needs to be number One in our lives. We must not let anyone or anything (even good things in themselves) divert our attention or sap our energy and enthusiasm for the things of God.

We must "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1c) We each have a specific race to run in our lives that is unique to us. Your life's race with its joys and trials are different than your fellow Christians. Every detail of our lives was planned from eternity by the Lord! We must be content with the life the Lord has given us, and we must run "the race marked out for us" with joy and perseverance. Our race in this life must not be in pursuit of money, comfort, or even happiness; but rather our race in life must be centered on bringing glory to Jesus Christ alone.

In order to run the race of life successfully we need to "fix our eyes on Jesus." (Hebrews 12:2a) Jesus is the goal of our faith. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will have ultimate victory and will persevere in our race of life. The race of life is often demanding and sometimes difficult. We can successfully run this race only by keeping our eyes on Jesus. We need to take our eyes off ourselves and others, and we must focus them on the Lord. Jesus Christ persevered to the point of suffering hell on the cross for us! He also arose and gives us His resurrection power to run the race of life with perseverance! The Lord gives us the courage to face tomorrow and to run the race of life that He has uniquely planned for us. He has our particular race all marked out and planned for us. We need to run that race with determination and in the joy of bringing glory to God. We are not running the race to win heaven, because that has already been purchased for us by Jesus Christ's atoning blood. Rather, we are running the race of life with perseverance in order to bring praise and glory to God by our lives! We must get up and run the race of life. Victory is already ours in Christ Jesus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Conquering Faith

General — Posted by sharaug @ January 19, 2008 05:57
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Hebrews 11:30-40

Faith is taking God at His word. True faith is accepting and believing the promises of God, even those promises which have not yet been fulfilled. True faith brings about courage even in disaster and trial. True faith hangs on even in times when our faith is being ridiculed. True faith has the courage to conquer through Christ in our struggles in life. True faith is being absolutely certain of our eternal security in Christ. We have a choice in this life. The choice is to trust in our own fallible instincts and wisdom or to trust in God's precious promises in His Holy Word.

After God rescued His Old Testament people from slavery in the land of Egypt, He began leading them to a new land. In this new land they would be able to serve the Lord in freedom. This trip to the new land which should have taken forty weeks took forty years, however. This was because these Old Testament people of God refused to trust God's promises, and they instead trusted their own instincts and fallible human wisdom. So God punished them, and they had to wander in the wilderness for forty years. When that unbelieving generation had died and the next generation emerged God finally allowed His people to enter the promised land. Doing things are own way and disobeying God's will always get us into trouble. Living our lives in obedience to God always brings blessings and victories. We will still have struggles in this life, but there is always victory for the Christian if not in this life then in eternity. "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:57)

Joshua and the children of God's Old Testament people who died in the wilderness showed the kind of victorious faith that could conquer in the struggles of life. When the people of God were finally able to enter the new land that God had promised them they had to fight against the wicked inhabitants of the land. The first city they had to conquer was Jericho. Read the exciting story of God's people entering the new land and the fall of the city of Jericho in the early chapters of the Old Testament book of Joshua! Hebrews 11:30 reminds us that "by faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days." The walls of Jericho fell by the miraculous work of the Lord! The people had to do nothing, but trust and obey and watch the Lord work! In our struggles in life we too need to just trust and obey and rest in God's promises. The Lord will work out the details of our lives.

Hebrews 11 lists many heroes of faith. They include Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. They also include Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel. All these heroes of faith had weaknesses in their faith and often failed, but they clung in faith to the promises of God. They therefore found victory in Christ. Rahab, a pagan prostitute who turned to the Lord in faith and repentance from her sins, is listed in Hebrews 11:31 as one of the victorious heroes of faith! She even became one of the ancestors of Christ. Faith has no barriors! Her story can also be found in the Old Testament book of Joshua. Gideon, another hero of faith, fought a huge enemy army with only 300 men! Read the exciting story of how God gave Gideon the victory in the Old Testament book of Judges chapters six and seven. Then take the time to read the other exciting stories of the other Old Testament saints in the early books of the Bible. Through their conquering faith they were able to do great things in the strength of the Lord. Over and over their "weakness was turned to strength." (Hebrews 11:34) Many of the Old and New Testament heroes of faith suffered horrific persecution, but they held on in conquering faith. Even in persecution they were victors in Christ and received His eternal rewards! God takes care of His own even when we do not understand why we are going through certain struggles in life. Like the heroes of faith of old we need a conquering faith!

 

Acting Faith

General — Posted by sharaug @ January 14, 2008 05:19
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Hebrews 11:23-29

It must be our consuming passion to grow in our love relationship with the Lord. It must be our consuming passion to live our lives in total and uncompromising obedience to the Lord. In Hebrews 11 Moses is listed as one example of such an uncompromising faith. Moses exhibited an acting faith in his life. Moses exhibited a faith that was willing to obey the Lord's Holy Word and will. Moses was willing to reject the world and it's philosophies and plans. Instead Moses was willing to act and submit in faith to God's will and plan for his life.

The kind of faith Moses exhibited in his life was first seen in his parents. At the time of Moses' birth God's people were slaves in the land of Egypt. The Pharaoh or king of Egypt had made a law that all the boy babies of God's people had to be thrown into the river and drowned. Moses' parents refused to obey that edict, however. The exciting story of Moses' mother's successful attempt to protect baby Moses and God's intervention and protection is found in the book of Exodus. Through it all God was working and protecting Moses, and Moses' parents were able to show their uncompromising and obedient faith in the Lord! They also were able to instruct Moses in his early years in the things of the Lord.

After living with his parents for his very early childhood years Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter, and Moses lived in the palace for many years as a child and adult. Moses could have stayed living in luxury and tremendous wealth all of his life, but he was unwilling to do that. "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:24-27) Moses was willing to give up all the splendor and wealth of living in the palace of Egypt as a prince in exchange for the blessings of God. Moses realized that the world has little to offer in comparison to the riches and blessings in Christ! Moses realized he was really giving up nothing in comparison to belonging to the Lord and experiencing the Lord's blessings in his life! We too must show that uncompromising obedient faith and obedience in our lives

For many years after Moses left Egypt he lived in the desert. During those difficult years God was preparing Moses for the important job of leading God's people out of slavery to a new land. So too God sometimes puts us in difficult "desert" situations and periods in our lives. We too must submit in obedient trust and faith. God has His perfect plan and purpose for our lives even when we do not understand it at the time. After many years in the desert God called Moses to go back to Egypt and lead God's people out of Egypt away from slavery. Moses had to confront the Pharaoh, and through a series of plagues which God sent on the people of Egypt God's people were finally released from Egypt! When Pharaoh had a change of mind and pursued God's people, God's people "passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned." ( Hebrews 11:29) God protects His people, and there is sure victory in the Lord in His perfect timing! We all face tests in our lives. Are we like Moses willing to forgo the perks of the world for our uncompromising obedience to the Lord? Satan tries to make his ways so attractive, but God's way and plans for our lives are always perfect and right. Are we willing to forgo the pleasures of this world for the riches in Christ? Nothing the world has to offer begins to compare to the blessings and joys we have in Christ!

 

 

 

 
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