Sanctification Isn't Passive..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Sanctification Isn't Passive

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Did you know that God didn't save you just to keep you from hell and get you into heaven? His top priority while you are here on earth is to shape you into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). But at this stage of our sanctification, He doesn't do it all for us. We have a responsibility to cooperate with Him and actively participate in the process. Yet many Christians have a passive attitude about the life of faith. They tolerate sin and smooth it over with the age-old excuse, "Nobody's perfect!"

When you received Christ as your Savior, you took the first step in your walk with Him--a walk that will last the rest of your life. However, you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The Enemy may have lost your soul, but he's going to do everything he can to hinder, sidetrack, and discourage you. The last thing he wants is a saint who's on fire for the Lord and useful in the kingdom.

But many believers have abdicated their responsibility to live holy lives. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. Sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically, but in truth, we should abstain from anything that interferes with godliness.

Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn’t be there? If so, you need to drop it now. You don't want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctification continue.

God Promises His Return..... Craig Denison

 God Promises His Return

Craig Denison

Weekly Overview:

There is only one constant in this ever-changing world, and that’s the character of our heavenly Father. The very earth itself is undergoing changes constantly. What seems the most immovable now will one day be done away with. But God is unchanging. God is unwavering. He’s completely faithful and committed to seeing through the promises he’s made you. As we look this week at the promises of God may you ground yourself in his unchanging love. May God’s character become your source and refuge—your constant and unshakable foundation.

Scripture:“In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:2-3

Devotional:

The second coming of Christ will mark the end of this age with resounding and final punctuation. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.” Jesus promises that he is coming back for you and me. He’s returning to make his lordship known to all the earth. Upon his return, he will destroy once and for all the destructive works of the enemy. He’s going to rid the earth of the damage sin has caused, and bring about the final restoration of all things to himself.

Jesus’ return will be both powerful and triumphant. It will be a time of sorrow for those who did not believe in him and a time of rejoicing for us, his Bride. Jesus is coming back in all his glory, lovesick for those who have been brought into his fold by faith. You see, he’s coming back for you because he loves you. He longs for the day when you can be with him, face to face, held back by nothing. He’s so overjoyed to walk in relationship with you right now, but like you, he longs for something greater. Like a bridegroom patiently awaits the marriage ceremony, he’s waiting, expectant for what is to come.

It’s his love that is our source of hope. It’s his desire for our final restoration to him that is meant to give us cause for joy here on the earth. What you’ve known of life thus far is not all there is. What you’ve experienced of God is just a drop in the vast ocean of his loving kindness. Jesus says in John 14:2-3, “In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” He desperately wants you to be where he is. If you are a believer, he’s promised that you have a place in his kingdom. You can have hope here that all the suffering, trials, temptations and heartache you’ve experienced on earth will pass away with his return. Written within his promise to return is his promise of a life lived free from all the destruction sin has caused.

We’re meant for relationship with our Savior both here and in the age to come. He’s made a way for us to experience him both now and forever by his death and resurrection. Your greatest joy should come from this truth. Your highest calling is meant to be drawn from his promise of relationship. All of eternity hinges on his promise to return. And he who gave up his life for you will return to lead you to the Father. Spend time in his presence today. Experience the very God who will return in all his glory. Live today in light of his promise, and experience the love and hope of your God who is faithful to bring to fruition all that he’s promised you.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the powerful, hope-filled truth of Christ’ return.

“In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” John 14:2-3

2. Where do you need hope today? Where do you need the truth of Jesus’ return to transform your emotions?

3. Let the truth of Christ’s return sink into your heart. Allow it to heal any place in your heart that feels hopeless.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

Looking toward the day of final restoration is meant to give you fuel to live in light of eternity. This life on earth is but a vapor in the scope of your eternal life. It’s a dust blowing in the wind. It doesn’t mean today doesn’t matter. What it does mean is that you know how your life will turn out. You know how the story ends. May the glorious, triumphant ending of your story produce steadfastness and hope in your heart today.

Extended Reading: John 14

A Script to Preach to Myself..... LYSA TERKEURST

 A Script to Preach to Myself

LYSA TERKEURST

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony …” Revelation 12:11 (NIV)

I’ll never forget the first time a girl in elementary school told me I was ugly.

I remember it felt like the world stopped spinning, and suddenly, everyone was looking in my direction, nodding in agreement. Red-hot shame filled my cheeks. I ran to the bathroom. I stared at my face in the mirror. I didn’t bother to wipe away the tears and snot. I just stood there wishing I could cover up whatever it was that made that girl determine I wasn’t acceptable.

But I realized it wasn’t just a part of me that she thought was ugly. It was the sum total of me. In her estimation, I was ugly. Not just my hair or my nose or my body … it was all of me. And the saddest part of all … I agreed with her.

It’s been decades since that unfortunate incident that said way more about that other little girl’s issues than mine. But I can still find myself staring into the mirror agreeing with statements that are so opposite of God’s Truth. We know that the enemy is the father of lies. (John 8:44) But where I get tripped up is when my insecurities make his lies feel like the loudest truth in my head.

That’s why we have to set our minds and our hearts on the absolute Truth of God’s Word. When our insecurities beg us to believe we aren’t “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14), we must look to the hope-filled pages of Scripture to remind us of the difference between lies and truth.

The enemy wants you to stare and compare in all the ways you already feel inadequate. He wants you to doubt God’s goodness in how He made you. So, if you start hearing the enemy’s script, recognize it for what it is: false accusations.

Here’s a cheat sheet to remind you how he whispers in your ear:

“If only you were …”

“You aren’t enough …”

“You are too much …”

“If God really loved you …”

“People think you’re so …”

“Why can’t you just …”

“Why does she always get …”

“Why can’t you ever …”

Sweet friend, don’t help the enemy get you into a state of defeat by believing and repeating his scripts. God will lead you with love and conviction but never accusation or condemnation. He isn’t measuring you by what you are or aren’t accomplishing, what size your jeans are, how your kids are behaving today or how much money you have in your bank account. He loves your heart. He wants your heart. Reject the lies and start listening to the One who knows you completely and loves you fully.

Let’s start preaching God’s Truth to our hearts in the midst of whatever insecurities are taunting us today. It is the most powerful way to help us fight the lies and accusations of the enemy. We will defeat him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11, paraphrased)

Oh, how I love that last verse.

God’s message of hell-defeating hope is often most powerfully preached from the lips of those whose pain has been turned into the purpose of telling people about what God has done in their lives.

Jesus has brought the blood. We can bring the words of our testimony.

Also, never forget who is “… the accuser of our brothers and sisters …” (Revelation 12:10b, NIV) and that his vicious lies will always go after your most vulnerable insecurities and doubts.

We must let God’s words become the words we live by. Let’s change the scripts begging us to believe anything opposite of God’s Truth.

He is with you, He will not leave you, and He absolutely will see you all the way through this.

God, help me seek You alone to tell me who I am when I am tempted to believe lies about myself. Today, I am choosing to flip the script and preach Truth to myself. I know You love me, You won’t leave me, and You will absolutely see me through whatever I am facing right now. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 119:98, “Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.” (NIV)

Proverbs 30:5, “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (NIV)

Do This..... Lisa Morrone

Do This
Lisa Morrone

 Today’s Truth

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. (I Corinthians 11:23b-25 NIV)

Friend to Friend
I haven’t been inside my church since March 2020. COVID-19. Enough said.

My heart (which resides inside my extroverted body) aches deeply. I’ve missed corporate worship; I’ve missed the energy of the assembled body of Christ responding to the spirit-led teaching of my pastor; I’ve missed the before and after church conversations in the lobby—but what I’ve been especially missing was taking Communion!

Many months into our “church at home” routine I finally confessed to my husband my longing to take part in the sacrament of Holy Communion again. He replied quite matter-of-factly, “So then let’s take communion after church service tomorrow.” Sunday morning, I walked into the kitchen to find my precious hubby filling small glasses with a bit of red wine and placing out some broken pieces of unleavened crackers on a plate. My soul exhaled with contented anticipation.

Depending upon your individual church denomination, you may refer to this biblical ritual of Holy Communion simply as Communion, or maybe as The Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist. Whichever term you use, its origin comes from the final meal which the Lord Jesus and his disciples shared the night of his arrest.

The apostle Paul recounts Jesus’ instruction to “do this” in I Corinthians 11:23b-25:

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.

The Last Supper which Jesus ate on earth happened to be the Passover meal. This would have required all the bread accompanying the meal to be of the non-leavened kind (to remind those eating it of the haste of their ancestor’s exodus from Egypt). Also, on the table, according to Jewish tradition, would have been four cups of wine, representing four promises the Lord Almighty gave to his people recorded in Exodus 6:6-7:

1. “I will bring you out from the land of the Egyptians..." 
2. "I will deliver you from slavery..." 
3. "I will redeem you…" 
4. "I will take you as my own people..."

While we don’t know for certain which cup of wine in the sequence, Jesus lifted up, blessed, and passed around, my best sleuthing rests on that it was the fourth, "I will take you as my own people..." cup. I have come to this (semi-certain) conclusion based on Mark 14:26 which tells us this piece of information which occurred immediately after the meal was finished: “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Again, according to rabbinical tradition, it is after partaking of this forth cup, the hallel, that Jews participate in the reciting and singing of Psalms and hymns. All this to say that when we “do this in remembrance of Him, we are to be reminded that Jesus will, indeed, take us as His own people—or to put it another way— “I have gone to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2-3)

That Sunday, and many Sundays since, my husband and I have come together in our home to “eat this bread and drink this wine.” We do it in remembrance of Jesus.

Have you been missing participating in communion because you, like me, have been “attending” church from home? Or, maybe, given the infectious times we’re in, your church has decided to indefinitely postpone gathering around the Communion Table, or passing the elements. If so, consider joining me and the worldwide community of believers in honoring the Lord’s wishes by participating in this most sacred rite, because partaking in Communion brings us into communion with our Savior.

Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, I acknowledge Your death on the cross—the wounding of your flesh and the pouring out of your blood—as a propitiation for my sins. Thank you that your ultimate sacrifice brought me the ultimate reward, eternal life. May I be acutely aware of this transaction whenever I take part in Holy Communion.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn: If it’s been a while since you’ve taken Communion, prepare to take it at home this week following your church service. You certainly don’t need to use red wine. A bit of red-colored juice is a perfectly suitable substitute. But I do encourage you to use some yeast-free bread or matzah-type cracker—for authenticity.

Examine Yourself...... By Andrea Herzer

Examine Yourself
By Andrea Herzer

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” - Matthew 7:4-5

Nine years ago, I needed to do physical therapy on my knee. Because I have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, it was determined that water therapy would best suit my needs. The therapy pool was warm enough to relax my muscles, and finally being able to exercise made me feel like a kid again. It helped my pain so much that we installed a therapy pool with a swim current in my backyard; it is a glaringly large backyard behemoth. Despite its looks, I am grateful to have it. I work hard to keep it sparkling clean so that I will never have an excuse not to use it.

One day, I noticed that the water level was getting a bit low. I got out, still wearing my water shoes, and dragged our hose over to fill it when I noticed a bug in the pool. In order to skim the bug, I had to get back into the pool, but I successfully skimmed this one tiny creature out. As I turned around to admire the crystal clear water, I saw that the surface was covered with grass clippings! In my eagerness to remove a tiny bug, I neglected to examine myself before getting into the pool. Today’s Bible verses immediately came to my mind. If I had examined myself before trying to remove that tiny speck of an insect, I would not have created such a mess!

When Jesus taught these verses on judging others, he was addressing the issue of hypocrisy. The word is from the Greek “hupokrités” which means an actor or pretender. We act like hypocrites when we pretend to be without sin, preferring instead to correct others of their shortcomings. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). Imagine someone with an actual log in their eye trying to remove a small splinter from the eye of a friend. Jesus says this is what we are doing when we try to correct someone without first examining ourselves. I imagine that someone with a splinter would not take too kindly to having it pointed out by a person who has a tree trunk in their eye!

God gives us this instruction to remind us not to stand in judgment, but He is also showing us the need to examine ourselves carefully. We need the humility that comes when we search our hearts and confess our sins to God if we are to help someone else with their sin. Once we take that “log” out of our eye we will be able to see more clearly to help others. If you recall the pain a log in your eye caused you, and you are grateful to have it removed, you will be much kinder and gentler the next time you notice a speck needs to be removed from another person’s eye.  (See Galatians 6:1

Practice true repentance that leads to genuine fellowship with God and others. Don’t dirty the waters of your relationships by rushing in to judge without the proper perspective of a humble and contrite heart. Straining a gnat might be good for a pool, but it can be tough on a relationship, and both require self-examination or you risk making a big mess. Spend some time in prayer right now. Ask God to show you any “logs” of sin that might be blocking your view. Confess your sin and thank Him for the forgiveness that is yours in Jesus Christ.

2 Simple Ways God Reveals Himself (Romans 1:20)..... By: Mandy Smith

 2 Simple Ways God Reveals Himself (Romans 1:20)

By: Mandy Smith

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. - Romans 1:20

God is everywhere. Take a step outside and you will be surrounded by the intricacies and fascinating systematic creation that was created by our God. He is in the mountains, the beaches, jungles, ocean depths, prairies, farmland, desserts, and valleys. To see His creation is to see a piece of Him. As it says in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Not only can we feel His presence in His creation but there is more knowledge that He wants to share with us through it all.

1. He Delights in Beauty

Look around as the seasons change and you will see beauty upon beauty emerging from its cocoon. An orange fiery sunset, crystal clear waters, snowcapped mountain peaks, miles of sunflower fields…the list goes on and on. Sometimes something is so beautiful we can only stand in awe of its presence.

God shines from His creation. It is just a glimpse of the beauty we will fully behold in Heaven. Eden was perfect. The trees, food, river watering all the vegetation, and the first two people created in perfection, Adam and Eve. Though sin entered the world shortly after, the beauty of the remains is all we see of a glimpse of the New Eden that will be restored in Heaven.

To see God’s creation is to see God. “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:7-10

2. His Timing Is Perfect

God not only times our lives into a patchwork quilt of His will but also the cyclical timing of a 24-hour day, 365-day year, and constant motion of planets spinning on their axis at just the right angle is a testament to His control. To see the change of seasons in nature is to see God’s perfect timing, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”

Your dream may not be visible, or your heart may be aching from a loss. Remember that the same God that ordains the sun to rise and set is the same God that has your heart in the palm of His hands. In His timing, all is made right whether here on earth or in glory, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

What Children Need to Know..... From A Family Life Series

 What Children Need to Know

From A Family Life Series

Mark 10:13,14

And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them."

Children and Easter. New life and new beginnings. What better time to share the gospel with your children?

But what does a child, or any person, need to know to become a Christian? The following are the basics:

First, children need to be taught who God is and how He loves them. They need to know what sets Him apart from humans.

God is holy; He is perfect. People, however, are not perfect.

God is just; He is always fair. We are not just in all our decisions.

God is love; He desires a relationship with us. That's why He sent His Son. We are not always motivated out of our love for another.

Second, children need to be taught that their sins must be forgiven (see Rom. 6:23). Many parents in this culture of tolerance feel uncomfortable talking about hell. God is patient, but He is not tolerant. His justice calls for an atonement (a payment, a penalty) for people's sins. Our children must have some understanding that their sins can keep them out of heaven. Their sins must be paid for. And that is what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

Finally, children need to know that they receive God's forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ (see Eph. 2:8,9).

Faith involves repenting of our sins, turning to God in faith and trusting Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord. When we repent, we acknowledge our sins before God and express our sorrow about our sins to Him.

Those are the basics of what children need to know. The question you're probably asking is, "How can I explain concepts like these to children?"

That's what I'll cover next time.

Prayer: That God would work in your children's hearts to bring them to Him.

Discuss: How have you done as a couple in explaining the gospel to your children? How can you arrange your Easter activities to take time to explain the gospel to your children?