Death Destroyed

 

O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? 1 Corinthians 15:55

The good news is for everyone who will receive it – just as the angel told the shepherds when Jesus was born, ‘DO NOT BE AFRAID, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’ – Luke 2:10,11.

The birth of Jesus was the beginning of the end for death. ‘The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ – 1 Corinthians 15:56,57.

The birth of Christ brought God to man; the cross of Christ brings man to God.

THIS is why we celebrate Christmas!

Father, thank You that through Your Son Jesus, death has been destroyed. We can have eternal life when we say yes to You. Help us to, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Struggling?

[Not in your own strength] for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Philippians 2:13

Struggling with something? Feel like you just can't get that monkey off your back. You know, that sin you keep struggling with. Keep reaching for the heart of God. He’s helping along the way as we look to Him, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. We’re not perfect, never will be. I KNOW that God is pleased that we even want to try to do what’s right and what pleases Him.

Jesus went to the Cross and nailed sin to it so that we could ask for forgiveness for our sins. He bore the shame of guilt so we wouldn't have to. Stop beating yourself up and just do the best you can. If you're trying your best and others don't see changes in you, DON'T worry about it and DON'T let it stop you from trying to do what's right. If they care to know, they'll eventually see changes. DON'T get impatient, for we are changed from the inside out and it takes time for it to be seen in the natural realm.

God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation - he incurs no damnation]. John 3:17, 18

Keep stepping, keep walking in God’s grace.

We CAN'T do it on our own. We CAN'T follow all the letter of the 'law'. Allow Christ to live His life THROUGH you. That sure takes the pressure off of us, knowing that we can do things through Christ who gives us the strength. Philippians 4:13 says, I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. Christ IN US really is the (only) hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

To know God's presence is to know God's power.

Father, give us grace and power to say no to things that are displeasing to You. Remind us to ask for a way out when we're being tempted with something (or someone) and help us to sit in Your presence and wait for the grace, power and strength to walk away from it. Love on us. Help us not to beat ourselves up when we mess up for there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Help us to not give up. Thanks for all Your help Holy Spirit in helping us to make right, godly choices and for teaching us in the ways of God. In Jesus’ name, amen.


related blogs of mine: In Times of Weakness 
                                  God's at Work
                                  Can YOU Just Say No (contains part of my testimony)

The Unpardonable Sin

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9




If you're worried you committed the unpardonable sin (rejection of Christ forever) you probably haven't, if you had you wouldn't care.

Hearing the thought in my head that I'd committed the unpardonable sin kept me from seeking Jesus FOR YEARS, stupid devil. I still remember when I first heard the lie. I was about seven, and I was sitting in the back seat of my parents station wagon. It was night time. I heard the lie in my head so loud that I'd committed the unpardonable sin that I could have sworn that everyone in the car heard it, too. Scared me half to death. I believed the lie. I received the guilt. Ashamed, I buried the thoughts, didn't think I could ever talk to or come to Jesus (even though occasionally I tried), and didn't tell anyone about it for years. Every now and then when I tried to talk to Jesus, I'd remember the words I heard all over again and feel hopeless and like I was unworthy to approach Him.

Years later, as the Holy Spirit started wooing me, I began to hear a bombardment of the lies that I'd committed the unpardonable sin again. And right behind it came this voice, which I now know was coming from the Holy Spirit and I just knew I was supposed to say it aloud when I heard it. I heard, and confessed 'If there's even a 1% chance that I didn't commit the unpardonable sin I've still got a chance to serve Jesus and go to Heaven. I'm gonna take that chance.' Keep in mind, that in hearing this voice I hadn't even dedicated my life to the Lord yet. But saying it gave me power to believe there was STILL hope for me ... and there was.

I'm leaving you well and whole. That's My parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you the way you're used to being left - feeling abandoned, bereft. So don't be upset. Don't be distraught. John 14:27

I used to be in the clubs every night boozing and partying. Bless His heart, the Holy Spirit, tried so hard to get through to me any way He could. When I would be getting dressed and ready to go clubbing, He started telling me 'I love you.' I thought it was satan lying to me trying to get me to serve him. So I'd say back to the voice, 'I rebuke you satan, in the name of Jesus' ('cause I had a Christian upbringing). The Holy Spirit would say, 'I love you, MICHELLE.' I'd say, 'That ain't gonna work, I rebuke you satan, in the name of Jesus.' I just knew in my heart, wounded as it was, that Jesus certainly couldn't love ME. God forgive me, I was rebuking God because the voice was His, not satans. The Holy Spirit followed me right in to the clubs - I would be out on the dance floor, where I was so often, and it would be like there all of a sudden was no one on the floor but me (alone in the crowd). I felt so out of place. It was becoming less and less fun. The Holy Spirit was trying to change my desires, so that the wrong I was doing would no longer be fun for me, so that I'd see the void & need for Him that I was trying to fill with other things.

Looking back I love how the Holy Spirit kept working with me, refusing to give up on me, being patient, till I came to Him. It actually took severe heart and breathing problems to get me to the point of desperation (stupid stubborness) and to call out on my Jesus and ask Him to come into my heart (for the second time - the first time was twenty years earlier - I didn't stay in the Word and went back to my old self after a week).

God will NEVER give up on us. God still loves us even when things go wrong, He's still our Father and He still loves us.

The enemy's tactic - draw us away from God by planting seeds of doubt - RESIST. Don't live under the guilt and fear like I did, any longer ... Christ WILL NOT cast out any who come to Him with a sincere heart.

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out (drive away). John 6:37

Ultimately, rejecting Christ forever is the only way we can commit the unpardonable sin - come to Jesus and repent if you need to.

The Lord knows how to reach each of us.

Father, I pray that You quieten the voice of the enemy. Help us to trust and focus on Your voice alone, give us discernment for it. Remove any guilt that we've committed the unpardonable sin after we confess our sins to You. In Jesus' name, amen.

God's Great Love

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

God’s love for us is so deep that we have a hard time comprehending it. It reaches down to us through the darkness of this sinful world, even though we are hopelessly undeserving. The Bible says that before God created our planet, He had decided to display the depth of His love for us through His Son’s death on the cross.

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 1 Peter 1:20

In my imagination I look back over time and see the Lord raising mountains to majestic heights, cutting valleys for flowing rivers, and stretching out vast plains. I envision Him creating the mighty oceans and beautiful lakes. Then I see Him pause and reflect on the goodness of His creation. He gazes at that part of the world where His Son will be born. He knows that Jesus will be rejected and crucified. With a sweep of His hand He could obliterate the world and spare His Son from the agony of the cross. But He doesn’t.

Because of God’s love, the Son came to earth and was slain. On Calvary He died to pay the penalty for our sins.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

God's love does not waver, does not get pulled off track, does not run dry with time. God is not regretting anything He has done for us. He would do it all over again, if needed. His love is not conditional on how wise or perfect we are.

His love never fails.

Prayer: Father, help us to realize just how much You love us. You loved us so much, You sent Your Son to die in our place. That kind of love, unconditional love, is beyond my comprehension. Thank you doesn’t seem quiet enough. May we spend our life trying to bring You the honor that You’re due. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Why Can't We Hear? *

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that he will not hear. Is 59:1,2.
Sometimes there is so much "noise" in our lives that God simply can't hear us. But wait a minute. We're talking about the Almighty God, here. What could possibly plug up His ears so that He can't hear?

Sometimes we plug God's ears with our sins. Often we come to Him, expecting Him to hear us and answer our prayers but we aren't willing to let go of the things that are keeping us apart, that are keeping Him from being able to hear us!

And just what are those 'things'? Pretty much any sin will do, but the book of Ezekiel offers further insight: 'Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?' Eze 14:3
Is there something that you put in a higher place than God? Do your priorities always reflect a "God first" attitude? Is there something you just aren't willing to let go of? If so, then it is causing interference, and God simply can't hear you. If it seems God isn't answering your prayers, search your hearts for pet sins and for "other gods".

But what if that sincere heart search comes up empty? What if there aren't any pet sins or "other gods" in your life, and you know God hears you? Why, then, can't you hear His voice?

The reason we often can't hear Him is that there is so much interference in our lives. The interference is sometimes caused by worry and sometimes by stress.

Sometimes it is caused by our personal desires or the fact that we are focusing on our problems instead of on Jesus. But whatever the cause, He hears us and He answers us, but something keeps us from understanding His voice.

So what's the solution? Move closer to the person you're speaking to. Turn your ears towards His mouth, cupp your hand around your ear, and put your full concentration into listening.

What happens? You'll eventually understand what He's trying to tell you!

When you can't hear God's voice, you need to move closer to Him. You need to focus your attention on Him and Him alone. You need to focus your faith on Him, forgetting the problems all around you, ever believing that He will come through with an answer. You need to push aside your personal desires and be willing to let Him lead in your life. Only then will His voice begin to resound, crystal clear.

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. Heb. 12:2

Prayer: Father, help us to slow down & listen for Your voice. We choose to lay down things we've put before You. Forgive us for our sins. Speak to our hearts, Lord & help us to understand what You're saying. Help us to be willing & obedient. In Jesus' name, Amen.
* via Lyn Chaffart (except 4 prayer)