"Private Or Public Salvation"

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."  John 12:32

 

Jesus came into the world to seek and save those who were lost.  He came to give His life as a ransom for our sins.  He came to provide the way for forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with the Father and eternal life.  He would accomplish this by becoming "flesh and blood".  He became a man, a man who was born as a baby in a manger. 

 

When He was born, He was born in secrecy.  He was born in private.  He was born in seclusion.  He was born in a stable without an audience and without a crowd.  Only His parents, a few shepherds and some wise men saw Him.  Though He had a mission, His time had not yet come to fulfill it, so His birth was kept "secret".

 

But when His time came to fulfill His mission, it was no private matter.  He was crucified on top of a hill, lifted up on a cross, high above for all to see.  It was not done in secret.  Though salvation is a private thing that takes place in the heart, it is also a public thing that others should witness.  When we come to Christ for salvation, we should do so publically.  We should let someone know.  Sadly, we are allowing people to come to Christ "under the radar".  We ask them to do it in secret.  In our churches we ask everyone to close their eyes and if you want to accept Christ raise your hand.  Then we all say a "sinners prayer" together and that is the end of it.  Why?  We don't want to embarrass anyone.  

 

If a person is embarrassed for anyone else to see them come to Jesus, then they aren't really coming to Jesus.  He said that if we are ashamed of Him before men, He would be ashamed of us before the Father.  Jesus didn't die in private.  He did it for all to see.  He wasn't ashamed to hang on that cross for you.  Why are you ashamed to receive Him before others? (Let me say this-- I know there are parts of the world where your life is in danger if you publically acknowledge Christ.  I am not talking about that.  I am talking about those who aren't in that danger.  Yet, even in those conditions, many still openly and boldly accept Jesus not fearing for their lives, but willing to die for Him.) 

 

What message are we communicating to people?  We are telling them it is alright to be a "private" Christian.  We are telling them it is alright to serve in secret.  We are teaching them that faith in Christ does not require boldness. We present salvation as something "embarrassing" instead of the glorious new birth that it is. Jesus said that if we confess Him before men, He would confess us before the Father. 

 

Have a great day.  Jesus came in a manger in secret, but He died on the cross publically for all to see.  Is your salvation private or public? 

 

"Waiting For The Lord's Time"

"But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law."  Galatians 4:4

 

"When the fullness of time was come, God sent."  God has a timing for everything.  We have a timing as well and more times than not our timing and God's timing conflicts.  We want everything now.  We don't want to wait.  We think the perfect time for anything and everything is now. 

 

Probably one of the hardest things for us to do is wait.  Especially when the matter appears to be urgent.  We can't wait.  We can't wait on God to move.  It has to be done now.  So we take matters into our own hands and "make it happen" when we want it to or when we think it should.  This is one of the main reasons why we get in trouble. 

 

Look at some Biblical examples of those who did not wait on God to bring the answer, meet the need, fulfill the promise or provide.  King Saul didn't wait for the prophet Samuel to return with the Lord's message.  As a result, he was rejected from being king by God.  Abraham and Sarah didn't wait for God to fulfill the promise of giving them a child.  They took matters into their own hands and produced an Ishmael.

 

Waiting may be hard.  Waiting may go against our nature.  Waiting may seem like a waste.  But it will always be in our best interest to wait on the Lord.  God's timing may seem late.  It may seem like it will never happen.  But His timing is perfect.  And when the fullness of God's time comes to your situation, you will be glad you waited.  Because His answer and the way He presents His answer will be perfect and marvelous.

 

Have a great day.  Wait for God's timing.   

 

"The Only Foundation"

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."  Matthew 7:27

 

You can't just go out and pick a spot of land to build a house on and start laying boards or bricks.  You have to prepare the spot for a foundation.  You can't just build it on any type of soil-- especially sand.  It has to be built on something that is solid, something that will support it-- like rock.  Why?  If the foundation isn't solid, the house is not save.  It is in danger of falling. 

 

Our lives are the same way.  We have to build them on something.  But what we build them on is important as well.  We can't build them on just anything or they aren't "save"-- they will fall. 

 

Many people are trying to build their lives on fame, fortune, entertainment, education, religion, prestige, popularity, wealth, accomplishments and so on.  These are not good foundations.  Some of these may have a place in the house, but the house can't be built on them or it will fall.  There is only one foundation to build a house on that will support that house-- something solid like rock.  In the same way there is only one foundation to build our lives on that will support our lives-- Jesus.  He is the only true, firm, solid foundation.  Everything else will not support our lives.  Anything else will cause us to fall.  Anything else is dangerous.  Anything else will give way.  Anything else will erode.  Anything else will shift and move.  Anything else will cause chaos and will collapse.  Anything else will not give us comfort, support and peace of mind. 

 

What foundation are you building your life upon?  Is it solid?  Is it unstable?  Is it Jesus or something else?

 

Have a great day.  There is only one foundation upon which we can build our lives that will support it-- Jesus. 

"What Is In The Manger?"

"And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."  Luke 2:12

 

When the shepherds went to the manger, what they saw was a beautiful baby boy.  When the magi went to see the babe, they saw a baby boy who was to be the king of the Jews.  All they saw was a baby lying there.  But lying there was so much more than just a baby.  It was so much more than a king. 

 

Lying in the manger was the eternal God.  It was love that was lying there.  It was a cross and an empty tomb in the manger.  It was a crucified Savior who would take away our sins.  Lying in the manger was the hope of mankind.  It was the one who would pay the ransom for mankind.  It was the one who would take our punishment and deliver us from judgment.  It was the one who would free us from bondage.  Lying in the manger was the answer to all our problems.  It was a Lamb who would be sacrificed for our sins.  It was the Prince of Peace.  It was the one who would reconcile and mend our broken relationship with the Heavenly Father.  It was the Healer of our bodies.  It was the way, the truth and the life.  Lying there was the one who had all power and authority in heaven and earth.  It was the one who was there at the beginning and by whom all things were made and exist.  It was the one who will be there at the end. 

 

When you look at the manger, what do you see?  Do you only see a babe that is wrapped in swaddling clothes?  Do you only see a beautiful baby boy?  Do you only see a Christmas story?  If so, then look again.  There is so much more lying in the manger than a sweet little baby boy.

 

Have a great day.  Is a baby the only thing you see when you look at the manger?       

"Working And Tolerating"

"I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."  Revelation 2:19,20

 

For the last several days we have been talking about using our God-given authority and the control we have over things/sins/attitudes in our own lives.  We said that we don't have to allow certain things to control us.  We said they only can if we relinquish control and give them that authority.  We said the way that happens is by not taking authority over then but permitting them to stay in our lives-- co-habatating with them.  We also said the root of why we allow them is lack of faith and trust in God.  We gave examples of what happens if we allow them to stay and if we take authority over them through the Bible story of David and Goliath.  We also learned that if we don't take authority over them, they will take authority over us and wind up destroying us.  Today I want to bring out one last point on the subject.  We are going to look at this from God's perspective.

 

The church of Thyatira had a lot going for it.  The Lord commended them for their works, charity, service, faith and patience.  They did much good.  But He had something against them.  They "suffered"-- which means:  to allow, permit, to allow one to do as he wishes, not to restrain, to let alone, tolerate-- something that God did not permit.  What He had against them was the very thing we have been talking about all week.  They permitted the wrong spirit to influence and lead them.  They listened to a leader who appealed to their flesh and manipulated them to compromise.  They allowed false doctrine.  They were swayed by lies and sin.  They compromised with sin and error.  They were involved in sexual immorality.  They were compromising Godly standard.  They were involved in idolatry-- they had begun to put other things before God.  They were being led by false reasoning.  They rejected the Lord's authority.

 

As a result, God would bring judgment upon their sin if they did not repent.  The judgment described in the scriptures is very serious-- it even involves death if not repented of.  We may tolerate sins, etc., but God will not tolerate it.  Why?  Because He loves us and is jealous over us with a pure love.  He will not tolerate it because He knows it will destroy us in the long run.  He does not tolerate it because He is the only one who deserves our worship-- because He is the only one who died for us so that we can live. 

 

You may be doing wonderful works, great works, commendable works for the Lord but if you are tolerating/allowing/co-existing with those things in your life that God hates, that God condemns, that God does not permit, that God calls sin, that are contrary to His Word, His standard of living and Christ-like character, then you need to repent.  It is not a light thing with Him.  It is serious.  Just look at Thyatira if you don't believe it is.

 

Have a great day.  Your good works and deeds won't be enough to save you if you are tolerating sin and ungodly attitudes in your life.