"A Great Company"

"The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it."  Psalm 68:11

The spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not given as a mandate to just a few chosen persons.  It is a commission that is given to all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is given to those who have put their faith and trust in Him as Savior and Lord. 

But you may say, "I am not a preacher.  God hasn't called me to be a missionary.  I can't teach a Bible study."  This may be true because there are certain gifts and callings that God places on every individual.  The scripture even asks, "Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?"  The answer here is, "No".  The scriptures also describe the believers as members of a body.  The physical body consists of many parts.  Not just one.  We aren't just a bunch of eyes, or ears, or toes, etc.  So is the body of Christ.  Not all of us are eyes.  Not all of us are hands.  Not all of us are pastors, or prophets, or teachers, etc.  But that doesn't mean that you don't have a part in fulfilling the commission. 

The commission was "go ye".  Ye means you.  You is whoever you are.  What has Jesus done in your life?  Then publish it.  The word publish means:  to bear news, bear tidings, publish, preach, show forth; to gladden with good news; to announce (salvation) as good news.  What has He delivered you from?  Then tell the good news.  What has He saved you from?  Then announce it to others.  What change has He made in your life?  Then share the good news. 

We have a word that others need to hear.  We have a word of hope in hopeless times.  We have a word of peace in confusing times.  We have a word of encouragement in discouraging times.  We have the answer to all the questions.  We have a light in darkness.  We have good news to share.  If you are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and He has saved you and changed your life, then you are part of this great company that is to share it with the world.  If we all shared it, our world would receive the hope, help and answers that it is looking for.

Have a great day.  There is a great company of people who are to share the message of good news with the world.  Are you part of that company?  Then are you sharing it?     

For further reading:
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Mark 16:15

"Accepting And Denying"

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."  2 Corinthians 5:14,15

When we receive Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord, there is an "accepting" that takes place.  We accept the fact that we are sinners.  We accept the fact that there is an eternal punishment that awaits us because of our sins.  We accept the fact that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves from that punishment.  We accept the fact that Jesus came, died and rose again to save us from our sins and take our punishment.  We accept the fact that faith in what He did is the only way to receive forgiveness and eternal life. 

There is also a "denying" that takes place.  We then deny ourselves.  We no longer rule our own lives.  We don't live the way we want to live.  We don't follow our own fleshly lustful desires.  We aren't the head of our own lives anymore.  We surrender our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and then follow Him-- His will, His plan, and His desire for our lives. 

This is where many people have an issue.  They want to be the "lord" of their own lives.  They want to do what they want to do.  They don't want to have to deny their own agenda.  They don't want someone else telling them what they can and can't do.  They want to be their own "boss". 

Salvation and Christianity just doesn't work like that.  You can't have Jesus as Lord and yourself as Lord.  The two of you can't govern your life at the same time.  You can't serve Him and your flesh.  You can't follow Him and self both just as you can't be hot and cold at the same time. 

Is it too selfish of a request, is it too demanding, is it too unreasonable for the One who gave His life for you to ask you to give your life to Him?  He was beaten for you.  He was punished for you.  He was mocked for you.  He DIED for you!  If He died for you and purchased you from eternal punishment with the price of His own blood, it is only reasonable that you "should not henceforth live for yourself, but for the One Who died for you." 

Have a great day.  Jesus died for you.  It is only reasonable that you should live for Him. 

 

"The Sign Of Deception"

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you."  Matthew 24:3,4

When the disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming (return), the first sign He listed was deception.  Then He went a step further in defining the deception.  "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."  The first sign would be spiritual deception. 

Aren't we seeing this already?  Spiritual deception is abounding throughout the world and even in the church.  It comes through the teaching that many and all ways lead to God.  It is all right to believe what you want to believe as long as you are not hurting anyone.  Just be good and that is good enough.  Good works, or even having good intentions, will save you.  There is no heaven and there is no hell, it is all a state of mind.  Humanism, philosophy, enlightenment, education, reincarnation, etc.  These are only a few of the teachings that are being propagated.     

Spiritual deception was the first weapon the devil used on mankind, and it will be one of the last.  Therefore, we must heed the warning of Jesus that we are not deceived.  If it were possible even the very elect would be deceived.  How do we keep from being deceived? 

In order to keep from being deceived, be like the wise man who built his house upon the rock.  Jesus is often called the Rock.  Build your life upon Him.  He told Peter that upon this rock He would build His church.  That rock was the revelation of who Jesus is-- the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  Know what you believe about Him according to the teaching of the Bible, hold firm to the truth about who Jesus is and don't be persuaded otherwise.   Know His Word.  Don't believe everything you hear, or see, no matter who it comes through, but try the spirits.  Search the scriptures for yourself.  Don't depend on someone else to tell you what they say.  Stay close to the Holy Spirit-- He is the revealer of truth and will warn you when deception comes. 

If you will know Jesus, know the truth about who He is, know His word, stay rooted and grounded in it, listen to the voice of His Spirit, then you will stand when the floods of deception, error and false doctrine come.  If you don't, you will be like the foolish man and you will be swept away by the flood of false religious deception.   

Have a great day.  The best way to keep from being deceived is by knowing the truth.

For further reading:
Genesis 3:1,5
Mark 13:22
Matthew 7:24-27; 16:18
1 John 4:1
John 5:39

"Zacchaeus"

"And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature." Luke 19:2,3

As children we learned the story of Zacchaeus who "climbed up in the Sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see".  We learned that he did this because he was a "wee little man"-- he was little of statue. 

Allow me a little license here to give my opinion about Zacchaeus.  The Bible tells us a few things about him.  It says that he was a little man.  He says that he was a tax collector.  It says he was rich.  I believe that because of his size he felt intimidated and inferior.  He was probably the blunt of many "short" jokes.  He was probably made fun of and laughed at.  He may have been bullied and picked on.  Being a tax collector made him feel powerful.  Being rich made him feel superior.  His position gave him pride.  It probably made him arrogant.  He was no longer the laughingstock but had the "last laugh" because he had the authority to legally take money from the people, however much he chose to take, and could punish those who did not comply. His word was law.  He "worked" for the Roman government so that meant he was a "big fish in a big pond".  In short (no pun intended), he thought his position and possessions would give him value, prestige, riches, a comfortable life and honor-- it would make him "somebody". 

But one day he heard Jesus was coming.  Zacchaeus swallowed his pride and climbed up a tree so he could see Jesus when He passed by.  One of the lessons we learn from this story of Zacchaeus is that our worth and our value (that which makes us "somebody") is not in what we possess, in who we are, in our reputation, in our popularity, in our accolades, or in our position.  I believe he learned this lesson himself.  He was made fun of by the people because of his statue.  He was hated by the people because of his position as a tax collector.  People will never make us feel as special and as valued as we really are.  Our positions and riches will never give us that security either.  But Jesus loved and accepted him.  Jesus is who made Zacchaeus somebody.  Jesus is who makes us somebody. 

Have a great day.  Your worth and value is not measured by any external thing you possess or title you hold, but by the fact that Jesus loves you. 

"He's Still Faithful"

"If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself."  2 Timothy 2:13

The word for faithful here is defined:  of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties; that can be relied on.

The scriptures tell us that God is faithful.  He is even called Faithful.  He is faithful to do what He says He will do.  He is faithful to keep His promises.  He has always been faithful, and He will always be faithful. 

The faithfulness of God is not based, or contingent, upon our faithfulness.  God's faithfulness is based on His own nature and character.  His faithfulness is based on who He is, not on what we do.

Even if we are unfaithful, it does not change God's faithfulness.  Even if we don't believe His Word, it does not change His faithfulness.  Even if we don't obey His commands, it doesn't change His faithfulness.  Even if we don't appropriate His promises, it doesn't change His faithfulness.  Even if we rebel against Him and go our own way, it doesn't change His faithfulness.  Even if we accuse Him of being unfaithful, it does not change His faithfulness.  Even if we deny Him, it does not change His faithfulness.

He is a faithful.  He will do what He says.  If He says He will bless the righteous, He will bless the righteous.  If He says He will punish the wicked, He will punish them.  If He says He will be with you, He will be with you.  If He says He will meet your need, He will meet it.  If He says He chastens those He loves, He chastens them.  He is faithful to do what He says He will do even if you don't believe in Him.  He is God and cannot deny Himself.

If you are wrestling with believing that He is faithful, then stop.  He is... period!  What you do or don't do, what you believe or don't believe doesn't change His faithfulness.  He is going to be faithful to what He says even if you aren't faithful to Him or to believe Him.    

Have a great day.  God's faithfulness is not based on your faithfulness; it is based on His nature.