Choosing Affliction

Heb. 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Choosing affliction really is not normal. Most of us refrain from anything that will cause us pain, discomfort, or hardship. Why would a person who seem to have everything the world had to offer at that time, refuse it? Choosing between wrong and right comes from a desire to live for God. It does not make worldly sense to reject popularity and riches for a path that will bring criticism and objection. Choosing to live a Christian life that is based on the teaching of God’s word will ostracize oneself from the mainstream of worldly thinking. The notoriety that the world offers and the pleasure that riches can buy are but for the moment. Like vapor, they will soon pass away and it will vanish. Choosing the values that are eternal, values that Christ taught believers. Love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. Follow His commandment regardless of what the world and the progressive thinkers of this day may say. Standing for love, grace, mercy, and righteousness (right living) is contrary to human desires. Choosing Christ as Savior and Lord will change our desires and like Moses, we can choose to serve God over serving sin.  

Thunderstorm from God

Hosea 6:3 if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain,

After a long dry spell of warm weather, the falling of rain is refreshing. A good rain will wash away the debris and soak the ground with moisture to allow the grass and flowers to flourish. We have gone a few weeks without any significant amount of moisture here in the Denver metro area. I enjoy the dry air, but if we want to see the new life of spring, we need to see some rain. We often go through dry spells in our spiritual life, we go day by day doing what is right and doing our best to follow Him, but every once in while we need a thunderstorm from God. We need Him to come down from heaven and flood our hearts with His glory and presence. Let the heavens open up and let the rain of His love and grace fall upon us. We are in need of fresh outpouring of rain. Stay faithful to follow the Lord, cry unto Him and beseech Him for His presences. He shall come unto us as the rain.

Make the Right Choice

Gen 13:11  Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

Making the right choice is not always easy to make. We sometimes faces choices that appear to be easy to make. We choose the way that seems to less difficult to travel or a path that is already path for us. By nature, we take the way of least resistance. Why ask for more work than we need to do. The easy way is not always the best way. As Lot found out, he thought he was making the profitable choice by choosing the well water plains of Jordan, but Lot failed to seek God. We will never know what God would have told Lot if He had been sought, but the matter is that Lot made a choice without God. Taking a direction without the leadership of God often leads to unwanted circumstances. Making life choices that are strictly done with selfish indent are always a recipe for disaster. God wants us to make choices that will not hinder us from drawing closer to Him. Any choices that draws us away from God is probably the wrong choice. Choices that can determine our destiny must be made prayerfully and with a motive to please God. May we always seek God for those choices that are life changing. 

Unfeigned Faith

2 Tim 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

The current political tread is all about “Fake News” News that is fabricated that may have some bases of truth, but is often twisted to serve someone’s point of view. Information that is often taken out of context or sometimes just plain made up. Fake faith is pretending to believe, but not willing to stay true to that belief. Saying you are a Christian, but not keeping His commandments or willing to follow in His Word. Fake faith is shelf serving, it wants others to perceive that they are righteous and upright. It desires to be seen of men and be praised. Unfeigned faith is true and genuine. It seeks to know God and desires to have a closer walk with Jesus. It believes that God is the maker of all things and controls the affairs of men. Unfeigned faith is sincerely believing that God is a rewarded of them that diligently seek Him. Unfeigned faith does not live for this world. The journey is important, but it is not what we live for. Unfeigned faith lives for things that are eternal where moths and rust cannot destroy. Many people have fake faith, but God has a remnant that is His true church, and their unfeigned faith will see them through.

Walking in Truth

Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

Walking in truth assumes we know what truth is. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and  the life, no man can come the Father except by me” Walking in truth is to walk in Christ, to live in the Vine and to live a life that reflects the teaching of the Savior. The world says that what is truth to one person, may not be truth to another person. That there are different ways to find God. God does lead people in different ways, but ultimately, we all must enter through the cross. Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, and few be that find it. Walking in truth is finding that God, through Christ, desires us to live a life of praise and do all things to glorify His Name. Someone who walks in truth will not live carelessly without regard to His commandments. Temptation may come, and in a time of weakness, Satan may cause us to fall. If we walk in truth as God desires us to, we can overcome the wicked one and stay in perfect fellowship with the Father. We all have a choice to walk or not walk in truth. The Psalmist said, “I will”, he made a choice to do the will of God. may we always call out to God for help to say “I will”. He will never leave us or forsake us.

The Joy of the Lord

John 16:22  And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

“The world did not give it to me, and the world cannot take it away” The joy of the Lord is not the making of anything this world has to offer. There will be days of sorrow and sadness as we live in this world, but we do not live for this world, we live for another world. Joy comes knowing the every sin is under blood of Jesus, joy comes knowing the Holy Spirit lives within our heart leading and guiding our lives. Joy is knowing that are names are written the lambs book of life. It time for us to just more than survive, it time for us to thrive in the joy of the Lord. We overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. We testify that our happiness and contentment comes by doing the will of God and living in the presence of God. It is joy unspeakable, and full of God’s glory. 

Temptation is Real

Heb. 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Temptation is real and everyone born into this world faces them. Our faith in God is often tested when we face temptation. It is seen as a time of trial and hardship. We are tempted to give up and cast our faith away when it appears that God has forsaken us or does not care for us. Why would God allow such tragedy to come into my life? Then there is the temptation to give into our fleshly desires. Desires that are selfish and are forbidden in God’s word. A man is tempted to look upon a women and lust after her, fulfilling the sexual desires of the flesh. A person is tempted to take that which is not there, coveting possessions of others, and one is tempted to lie to avoid unwanted consequences or to get something they want. Whatever kind of temptation or test we face, we are not able to handle it on are own. We need a Savior who Himself has faced temptation and knows what we face. He is able to come to our aid and rescue us in the hour of our need. To overcome temptation, we must practice the presence of God, we need the Holy Spirit in our lives to give us the power to overcome our weaknesses. We our just earthen vessel, but God has promise to be with us and fill us with His presence. In the face of temptation, let us depend on His grace and the blood of Christ to give us the victory. 

Behind the Veil

Matt. 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Behind the veil in the temple was the Holy of Holies. It was the sacred place know to the Jews where God’s presences was known. Only the high priest entered into this place, and only once a year. On the wondrous cross, in a spring day of the holy land, Christ was put to death by the people and the rulers of that day. Jesus, the God-Man, He who was without sin died to take on the sin of the human race. From the creation of Adam and Eve, to the birthday of a new born child in 2017, He died for you and me. The veil that separated man from God’s Glory was rent in two from top to bottom giving all access to the throne of grace. He paid the price that we may come boldly into His presence without fear of condemnation or judgment. He who believes that He died and rose from the dead is given power to be called the sons of God. Let us now walk through the rented veil and give Him glory, honor, and praise!