If the Lord were to come back today, would you be confident or ashamed of the life that you are living? Notice that John says “when” He appears and not “if.” There is no question the Day of the Lord is drawing near, and if you study end-time prophecy, you can see that everything is in place for His return. John warns us to be ready so that when He returns we may have confidence before Him. How can we have confidence? By abiding in Him. The word abide means to dwell or remain fixed in. By staying in His word and walking in His ways, you can have confidence in the day of His return. I am living for that day and pray that I am found faithful.
For the King,
Pastor Daniel Batistelli
There are so many wonderful things that the Lord has granted us. We read how He grants us wisdom, knowledge, strength, healing, and eternal life. That is only a few of the things! Paul says in the above verse we have been granted two awesome things. The first being our belief in Him. The second, and probably least enjoyed, to suffer for His sake. The sufferings we undertake for our faith are not throwing God for a loop or catching Him off guard in anyway, but they have been granted to us, meaning they are something we can actually take pleasure in. Maybe that’s not what you expected to read today. Take joy in the sufferings that are faced for the name of Jesus, just like the followers in Acts 5:41. Rejoice knowing that you are His forever!
Resting in Him,
Pastor Sean Boehm
Sometimes it’s healthy and helpful to not only remember that we are saved but to contemplate what we’ve been saved from. Here David describes three aspects of our sinful nature. “Transgression” (peshah)– a going away, a departure, or a rebellion. “Sin” (chattath) – coming short, or falling short of the mark, an arrow that not only misses the target but falls short of it. “Iniquity” (hawon) – corrupt, twisted, or crooked.
When we surrender to Christ, God blesses us by “forgiving” – literally it means to have our sins “lifted off.” By “covering” – atoned for by the blood of the lamb (OT) and Jesus’ precious blood (NT). And He “does not impute” – does not count, will not keep in a ledger or record. It’s wiped clean. And if we are honest with God and ourselves (no deceit), we can walk in the blessed assurance of our salvation.
Good reminder,
Pastor Gerard Deleeuw
Have you ever compiled a list of all of the things God has done for you? If you’re a Christian, He’s saved you and you’re going to Heaven for eternity. He’s forgiven you of your sins and given you the power to defeat them. The list could just start there and go on and on.
It’s important to remember all of these blessings when things aren’t going so well, like they are in the world nowadays. Maybe your marriage is hurting or you’re having problems paying the bills because you lost your job during this pandemic. But if God has been there for you in the past, won’t He also be there for you in the future?
This is a trap the writer of this Psalm, Asaph, fell into a lot. He always looked around at the wicked and saw them prospering and it hindered his faith for a time. Then he would remember the Lord and His promises, along with His past actions, and it would restore his soul.
Is the Lord for you or against you? Make a list, I think the answer is clear.
Thanking the Lord for all His benefits,
Pastor Ron Kitchell
I love the thoughtfulness that the Proverbs provoke and the insight the Lord gives us through them. Look at our example this morning. A word that is delivered at the right time is like an apple of gold set in a setting of silver. An expensive sculpture in gold of an apple would surely draw attention to the fact it is set in a far less valuable setting of silver. The contrast would bear notice.
Solomon’s intended lesson for us is to say how rare it is to find fitting words, ones spoken at the right time and received to the benefit of the hearer. So today ask the Lord to use you to deliver a word from Him at the right time and for the blessing of the hearer. May you be his mouthpiece to bless!
May I speak Your Word well, Lord,
Pastor Jack Abeelen
Paul spoke these words to the Ephesian church elders while he was passing through Miletus on his way to Jerusalem. It was a serious subject matter to Paul since he was once again bringing something up that he had already repeatedly taught them over the course of three years. Speaking to them as overseers, he warned that the church body would be attacked externally by “savage wolves” (Acts 20:29) and internally by those seeking to glorify themselves (Acts 20:30). The overseers were not only to watch out for the flock but for themselves as well (Acts 20:28).
Even though Paul was speaking to overseers, we, as every day Christians, need to heed Paul’s warning. Our adversary is looking to devour us and can render us useless to God’s kingdom by subtle and not-so-subtle means. Our battle is spiritual and relentless. The weapon that we carry is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The way for us to keep our spiritual sword sharp is to daily sharpen it with God’s word, and as we engage in this sharpening process, we become more knowledgeable and informed about God’s commands, precepts, and character. When we are intimately familiar with Him, then it becomes easier to identify the wolves and imposters sent by the enemy to derail our walk with God. Lord, may we make your word a daily priority, and may you grant us discernment and wisdom as we grow in the knowledge of you.
Jeff Mericle
Repeatedly, the Apostle Paul described himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and his choice of words often conjures up all the abuses of slavery that have existed since men began to impose this evil upon others. Earlier in chapter 6 of Romans, Paul spoke of being set free from the bondage to corruption, and becoming a slave of God (Romans 6:22).
However, in this verse, Paul describes the wonderful difference for a believer enslaved to God instead of being enslaved to sin. It is a slavery unlike any other that has existed on earth. Instead of being bought by an evil man, and overtaken by fear for what he will do to us, we have been purchased and redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Though bought by Him, our very identity as a slave has been changed, for our Master has adopted us into His family and given us an inheritance as a child of the King: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
It even affects how we address the King. We can use the same term of endearment used by Jesus in the garden, “Abba!” It’s breathtaking the High King of Heaven would stoop to allow His subjects to address Him in this intimate and personal way.
So, the question is, how often do you feel the longing for the satisfying water only He can give, or sense the desperation that unless He helps you, all will be lost—how often do we cry out to Him, “Abba!” How about today? How about now?
Tom Day
I’m sure in the checkout line at a grocery store you’ve come across tabloids with tons of juicy details regarding famous celebrities, trendy life hacks, daily horoscopes, political scandals, and all sorts of information. People are feeding on this everyday on TV, on their phones, and sadly also in schools. With all this foolish information out there, it’s truly not difficult to understand why our nation is in the state it is.
The only way this can change is firstly through prayer because God can do anything, but the second way we can participate in this is by disciplining ourselves in seeking the knowledge of God. By allowing our minds to be transformed by Him so much that it reflects in our lives. A life transformed by the knowledge of God is a life that has something to offer this lost nation. So let’s continue to dig into our Bibles, grow our understanding, and increase our effectiveness to share with the world the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).
Pastor Jason Witt
When the people of Israel had forgotten the Lord their God and replaced Him with the false idols of their hearts, God could have forsaken them; but He didn’t.
It’s interesting, because so often when we think of worshipping an idol, we imagine an ancient dude kneeling before a stone statue. We may fail to recognize that sometimes in our hearts, we are that ancient dude or dudette.
It is in our hearts that we establish idols in our lives. Any idea, thing, or person that takes the place of God and holds our trust is an idol. Praise the Lord that He will not leave us to slide away from the truth. If we have been unfaithful in our hearts, He will fight to win us back. He will seize us by the heart and will shine the light of His holiness upon us. He will convince us by our conscience of our need to repent. The Lord then stands with arms wide open, ready to forgive, heal, and restore.
Lord, show my heart to me. Help me to place all of my trust directly into your willing hands.
Jeff Deal
We have been made alive by the Spirit of God, so let’s live our lives by the Spirit and not by the flesh. We reckon the flesh dead as we “crucify the flesh with all of it’s passions and desires.” Because the outcome of a life lived in the flesh is obvious, we become “conceited, provoking one another, and envying others.” Who wants to be like that anymore? But a life lived in the Spirit of God is more desirable and the fruits of that life are unmistakable, bearing “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
So, what is the best way to kill our flesh? Starve it to death, don’t feed it with the things it thrives on. And then feast on the things of God, things that will make you Spiritually strong. Get into church and the word of God, fellowship with your Father in prayer, share with others the gospel that saves. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
Pastor Doug Hardin
