No Use Pretending

For we all stumble in many things.

James 3:2

We commonly make two mistakes with respect to life in Christ. Either we ourselves underestimate the value of what is truly good about it, or we misrepresent that goodness to others, portraying the Christian's life as something other than what it is. The great gifts available in Jesus Christ -- the forgiveness of sins and the hope of heaven -- are of incalculable worth. It took the death of the Son of God to make these gifts possible, and we err greatly if we ever undervalue them. But we err no less if we misrepresent what the Christian's life is like in a world damaged by sin. "There is no escape from an aching soul, only denial of it. The promise of one day being with Jesus in a perfect world is the Christian's only hope for complete relief. Until then we either groan or pretend we don't" .

The tools are surely available in the Scriptures to build a better life in this world than would be possible by any other means. As Paul put it, godliness is "profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:8). But even at its best, the Christian's life may involve great sorrow and difficulty. It's true that God offers to sustain us through the pain, but it's unwise to pretend that the pain doesn't hurt.

Sometimes, though, we do pretend. In our pride, we conceal the heartache of deep needs that God allows, for the time being and for our ultimate good, to remain unfulfilled. And in our pride, we also cover up the reality of our continuing struggle with sin.

Yet the problem is not always pride. Often it is the popular but mistaken doctrine that we can obtain complete relief and total joy right now, and that if we hurt emotionally or if we struggle with sin, then we've just not reached the plateau of happiness where more committed Christians live. We may be suffocating in a "spiritual" climate where pretense is rewarded and honesty is frowned upon. If so, we're missing the very thing that can draw us toward a richer taste of God: a deeply felt, realistic acceptance of the imperfection that yet remains within us.

 

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Psalms 58:3

TODAY'S TOUGH QUESTION:
My sister's baby boy lived just one year then died. Where will he spend eternity? What if he had died in the womb?

Let's start with your second question. First, it is important to know that even though a child in the womb does not "breathe" it is alive in the mother. Therefore it has a soul and a spirit as well as a living body in the prenatal state. This, in essence makes your two questions one. What happens to children who die before they are old enough to accept Jesus as their lord and savior? Everyone needs salvation, even those too young to know it. We are all born into sin. However, those children who die prior to reaching their individual age of accountability are under the blood and saved by the blood of Christ. Remember, Jesus died for all, including the children. Children who are to young to accept Jesus, and understand what they have done, will spend eternity in heaven with God. It is very important that just as soon as your children are old enough to understand, you lead them to Christ. See Mark 10:14


TODAY'S MIRACLE:
Conception and childbirth. Just sit quietly and think about it for a few minutes.

TODAY'S EXAMPLE OF GOD'S LOVE:
Jesus blesses the children. See Mark 10:13-16
 

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them

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There is nothing that cannot be accomplished with prayer, except that which is outside God's will.
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TODAY'S PRAYER:
Dear heavenly Father, we love you. We adore you. You alone are King of kings, and Lord of lords. Father, your work is unbelievable. We cannot even begin to comprehend your ways. We look at your miracle of childbirth and are just blown away. How could you have even conceived of such, let alone created it? Father, we know that your ways are not our ways, and we acknowledge that you are sovereign. Father, we pray for all children who die before knowing Jesus personally, and we pray for their parents. Dear God, we pray for the salvation of those parents who don't yet know Jesus. Father, put it on their hearts that "now is the time" so that they may also spend eternity with Jesus, and with their children who have gone ahead of them. Father God, we thank you that you made provision for those children too young to accept Christ for themselves. We thank you that those children will spend eternity in heaven with you. What a generous act of love. In His name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus is still in the life changing business.

Matthew 12:20"A bruised reed shall he not break and smoking flax shall he not quench till he sends forth judgment (justice) unto victory."

 

When most people think of Jesus, especially Pentecostals, they generally seem to think on the spectacular. The miracles, the resurrection, raising the dead, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that...sometimes we forget though that one of the main things we should think about is the fact that Jesus is STILL in the life changing business!

May I remind you of what the Apostle Peter said in his first epistle chapter 2 verse 9 when he said "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him that called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light."

 

Our text is an OT prophecy that was spoken some 700 years before the birth of Christ. It speaks of a bruised reed that Jesus would not break and a smoking flax that he would not quench. Most, as I do, believe that this is speaking of people, and more specifically, people that have been hurt in this life, people that are about to give up, people that are about to throw in the towel.

When you think about it, there has never been a time like today where we see so many bruised, battered and broken lives. Everywhere we look we see all around us, shattered and torn lives. Remember Jesus said that "the thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy!"

Whether it's abuse, divorce, alcohol, drugs, depression or oppression, and yes even Christians falling away from God, as we look around us we see Satan's destruction everywhere we look.

But praise God the devil may come to steal, kill and destroy, but that wasn't the end of that verse! Jesus said "I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly!  I just came here to tell you tonight that Jesus Christ is still in the life changing business!

 

                                    Mephibosheth

In 2 Samuel 9 David had just ascended to the throne of Israel. He then says Is there any left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathans sake? In verse 3 he uses the term Kindness of God.

You see, this young man Mephibosheth was heir to the kingdom of Israel, he was the son of Jonathan, the grandson of King Saul........

David calls for him, Mephibosheth says "I am a dead dog."

But David, a type of Christ here, says "Fear not. For I will restore everything back to you that you‘ve lost.....

Mephibosheth had probably grown up thinking it was David's fault. He had probably heard all of his life, "you wouldn't be in this condition if it weren't for David! It's all David's fault!

That's how some look at God! They look at all of the brokenness in their lives and they think "this is God's fault!" They think if God was really a loving and good God he wouldn't have let these awful things happen in their lives!

But I'm here to tell you today that God is not the author of your misery! God is not the cause of your problems! God wants you to be the head and not the tail! God wants you to lend and not borrow, God wants you to be the victor and not the victim! God wants you to rise and up and declare that you are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus!

 

If you are bruised and battered tonight I'm telling you Jesus Christ can heal your hurts and your pains, I'm telling you that you can CAST ALL YOUR CARES on him for he cares for you! I'm telling you tonight that just like Mephibosheth, Jesus Christ will restore everything to you that Satan has stolen and then some. Jesus is still in the Life Changing business!

 

When you look at the woman in the NT that was caught in adultery, she was a wreck, bound by sin and sinful desires and judgment had been set for her, but Jesus stepped in, Jesus stepped on the scene and gave her a new life for Jesus said in John 10:10

The thief comes to steal and to kill and to destroy, but I have come that you might have life and life more abundantly!

When you look at Mark 5 and see the demoniac, living in the tombs, naked, cutting himself with stones, screaming at the top of his lungs, bound by demonic power, COULD there be a more bruised and tragic life? A lost soul torn by a legion of demons! But then Jesus comes along! And when Jesus finishes with him he is found clothed, sitting, resting and in his right mind! I may not know a lot, but I know this, Jesus Christ has the power tonight to set you free! I don't care what chains of darkness have you bound, Jesus is still in the Life Changing business!

 

Is it any wonder that the prophecy from Isaiah 61 that Jesus read and fulfilled at the start of his ministry says the following.

That he would bind up the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, open prison doors to them that are bound, give beauty for ashes, give the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness.

 

Have many here tonight have experienced the loving hand of this great Savior? How many know tonight what I'm talking about? You know what it's like to be so down you didn't know what to do then all of a sudden he starts taking the spirit of heaviness off of your shoulders and begins to robe you with the garment of praise.  Jesus is still picking up bruised reeds and with his loving care touching them and healing them. Let's praise him tonight!

 

Jesus also said a smoking flax would he not quench. I relate that to a struggling child of God.

I'm reminded of Peter. Jesus looked at Peter and said Satan desires to sift you as wheat.

I want to remind you that we are fighting a real enemy that has a real agenda, and that is to destroy your life.

Many times we go through these trials and feel like we've lost and that we're not going to make it. We were on fire before, just like Peter was. Peter was ready to die for Jesus and before you know it the fire in his life was nearly totally extinguished. But Jesus reached out to him with love, Jesus said "I'm not gonna let you go Peter, my love for you is to strong and my mercy is to great. A smoking flax will he not quench."

 

You may be here tonight and feel like there's nothing that can be done for you. You may feel that there's no hope for you! There are hurts inside you that you feel are going to tear you apart.

Or you may be here and you used to be on fire for God, but through trials and storms in your life, your just a smoking flax and a bruised reed!

 

If you will let him, Jesus Christ will heal your broken heart! If you will let him, Jesus will allow the fire of the Holy Ghost to burn in your life again! Will you come tonight and let him touch you? 

 

 

 Where's the Scent?

"The Lord disciplines those he loves ... for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 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."

Earl Nightingale told how on one National Secretaries Day he gave his secretary flowers and she remarked how beautiful they were. She also said that she couldn't understand why they didn't have any scent.

He informed her that the flowers came from a hothouse and explained that because flowers raised in this type of environment have everything done for them, they don't have to attract insects to pollinate them. As a result, they lose their scent. In the same way fruit raised in a hothouse, because it doesn't need to attract insects to scatter its seeds, doesn't taste as good as fruit grown in its natural environment.

It's similar to the child who w anted to help a butterfly out of its cocoon by putting a slit in it and, in so doing caused it to die. He didn't realize that the struggle to get out of the cocoon is needed to strengthen the butterfly's wings, which enables it to fly.

When people do too much for us or overprotect us, especially in our early developmental years, they can do serious harm to us. And even in adulthood the problems and difficulties we have are what strengthen us, build out character, and teach us wisdom, understanding, and compassion-if we let them. This is why God disciplines those whom he loves by allowing us to go through difficult times.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to yield to your discipline and to see in all the struggles and problems of life that you are wanting me to 'grow in faith and love and every grace / might more of your salvation know / and seek more earnestly your face.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Hebrews 12:6, 10, 11 (NIV).

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THE MEASURE OF A MAN

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven..."(See Matthew 5:1-12).

Some years ago the Observer published an article entitled: 'How Do You Measure Up As A Man?' The article stated that some extensive research had been conducted on the 20th century standards for measuring a man. The criteria were quite interesting to say the least. They were as follows:

1. His ability to make and conserve money 2. The cost, style and age of his car 3. (This is my favorite) How much hair he has 4. His strength and size 5. The job he holds and how successful he is at it 6. What sports he likes 7. How many clubs he belongs to 8. His aggressiveness and reliability.

Jesus Christ's estimation of the measure of a man (and/or a woman) were in stark contrast. His values are as follows:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit...those who mourn...the meek...those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...the merciful...the pure in heart...the peacemakers...those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Hmm...I wonder how I measure up. Sobering thought!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to evaluate my life not on the basis of what the world or others think or say, but on what you say in your Word, the Bible. And help me to love accordingly. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

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