Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Good Works=Not Enough

GOOD WORKS=NOT ENOUGH
Romans 2:6, 11
“God will give to each person according to what he has done…God does not show favoritism.”

“No, Briana!” Briana’s Mom said, her eyes firm, mouth in a straight line. Briana pulled the cord, staring straight into her Mom’s face, and the lamp crashed to the floor.

Obeying authority is clearly not what human beings do naturally—ever since the first disobedient act—when Eve bit into the apple (Genesis 3:13). Obedience is a choice. Just because many people generously and freely give help to others does not mean that their good works are a “get out of hell free” card. No way! Respecting one’s elders, following directions, obeying commands are all learned behavior.
No individual is condemned by what he does. Condemnation comes because of who he is—someone whose nature is bent away from God. People choose to sin because it is our nature to do so. (Remember Eve). People are just naturally rebellious. Submission to authority is taught. And this is a lesson we all must learn—unfortunately, most must learn it the hard way.

There is no one sinless, good enough, or wise enough to please the Lord.
Scripture is clear: Romans 6:23 states, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Therefore, we all have sinned. No one is exempt. Until the moment of salvation, (when a person accepts Jesus’ gift of forgiveness for sins), we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1). This means that our spirit is lifeless apart from Christ, even before physical death.

Therefore, we are unable to save ourselves, good works are not enough! Good works—serving others, giving whatever is needed—is a product of our gratitude for God’s lavish gift of eternal life with Him through faith in Christ.

Justification (acceptance) by the Father comes to believers through grace because of their faith in Christ. To those who persevere in doing good works seeking glory for God, He gives honor and immortality. To those who are self-seeking and reject the truth, following evil, there will be wrath and anger. Said another way: There will be trouble and distress for everyone who does evil; but glory, honor, and peace is reserved for everyone who does good (Romans 2:8-10).

So, what is your choice of lifestyles?

Take Home Nugget


One creature I know that strives to please and obey their masters is our pet dogs. How much more does our Father want to bless us when we obey Him!
Holy Father, I admit to You my guilt,
Gladly accepting Your grace.
Mold my life and help me grow
Until I behold Your face.

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, April 9, 2010

Our Highest Calling

OUR HIGHEST CALLING
John 1:12-13
The Message: “But whoever did want Him, [Jesus Christ], who believed He was who He claimed and would do what He said, He made [them] to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves.”

God created people for His glory. He delights in forming intimate relationships with every one of His children. His Son, Jesus, fulfilled the Father’s redemptive plan for His way-ward kids. As the first-born, Jesus’ resurrection paved the way for our resurrection—predicted on the Father’s Kingdom calendar. But how can we be sure—you detective Sherlocks—who’re seeking proof before swallowing this sugar pill?

Jesus provides us proof. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the exact replica of the Father, having performed the Father’s very words and deeds (John 5:19, 12:50, Hebrews 1:3). Jesus showed us our Father by living among us. He demonstrates how to relate to our Father.

Invitation arrives by Scripture messenger. God invites us to join His family (John 3:16). How will you R.S.V.P His invitation?

Adoption is the closest tie we can form with another, other than being blood- related. At salvation, upon receiving Jesus’ gift of forgiveness of sins, we’re adopted into God’s family. This sets us up for forming intimate relationships with our parent, Father God, and brother, Jesus. Family relationships are eternal, providing members support, encouragement, and love.
Friendship develops through building relationships with one another. By calling His disciples friends, Jesus advanced their relationship to another level (John 15:15). This applies to Jesus’ future relationships—us! Jesus is the best friend we have. He’ll never desert us—no matter what.

Presence is what kids crave with family members. In the instant a child accepts Jesus as Savior, God’s presence indwells Jesus’ newest sibling. That’s even closer than an earthly family member could ever be!
How will you respond on God’s R.S.V.P.? Aren’t you thrilled at His invitation? Wait, there’s more…

Take Home Nugget


Our Father invites us into His family through faith in Jesus Christ. Our highest calling is to believe in Him and live for Him every day of our lives (John 20:31). After being members of God’s family, His Spirit will work in us towards making our family resemblance unmistakable—in thought, word, and deed.
J.D. Griffith
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me—
All His wonderful passion and purity!
O Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine,
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
Orsborn

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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Heart of the Cross

HEART OF THE CROSS
1Corinthians 1:18-30

V.18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

The cross--while foolishness to some—represents God’s brilliant plan for His children’s salvation. His heart is at the heart of the cross.
Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, is risen from the dead! Hallelujah!


We celebrate Jesus’ conquering sin and death. For us!!! Now that’s power! Let’s celebrate our victory of salvation—by the power of God’s grace and love—at the heart of the cross.


God’s righteousness is revealed through Jesus’ sacrifice—shedding His blood to satisfy the penalty of sin. God’s unconditional love for us is proven by Jesus’ dying for sinners, even for those who reject Him. God’s faithfulness is exposed in John 3:16: Redemption won at great cost, for every person who believes in Jesus. Believers are eternally secure because the price Jesus paid is the heart of the cross.


And that’s not all. Satan is disarmed (Colossians 2:15). Satan lost authority over believers, who gain strength from the Holy Spirit to resist him. We can stand firm against temptation. The Holy Spirit guides us to victory. Our victory is achieved through faith in Jesus—the authority behind the heart of the cross.


Celebrating Easter is the reason we’re Christians. Jesus is King in our lives because of the Father’s awesome plan for our eternal salvation: Jesus rose from the dead; we will rise from the dead. Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand in Heaven; our eternal destination is Heaven.


Celebrating Easter is the heart of the cross.


Take Home Nugget

Believers have a ready answer when someone asks, “Why wear a cross?” It’s not as silly as the world thinks, because the world cannot believe the Bible truths. We wear a cross because it represents God’s heart. We have confidence and security of salvation today, tomorrow, and forever. God’s love streams from a cross that was erected over 2,000 years ago—the heart of the matter and the reason for our faith.

J.D. Griffith

We are more than conquerors
Through Him who loves us so;
The Christ who dwells within us
Is the greatest power we know.

Carmichael




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Friday, April 2, 2010

Debt Rescue=Holy

DEBT RESCUE=HOLY
Colossians 2:13-14
The Message: “Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead, as He had Christ. When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ. Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross.”


Baptism, debt relief, and Springtime of New Beginnings signify the hope people grasp in the dark three hours of Good Friday (Matthew 27:45). During Christ’s agony hanging on the cross, we worship Him as Savior, Priest, and King.

While adults recognize that material indebtedness reflects badly on their credit report, sin-debt is a much worse problem. Those who live in the “flesh” (See Spiritual Hierarchy devotion: Flesh Man, category C), are constantly tempted to rebel against God. This affront to the Father’s Holy nature translates into debt we owe—debt that we cannot repay without believing in Christ and accepting His forgiveness. This permanently cancels sin-debt—past, present, and future.

Before Jesus came to earth, the ancients sacrificed perfect animals in sin-payment. This sacrifice would absolve an entire nation’s sins for a year. Only the Priest could enter the Holy of Holies room--where God dwelt—in those days.
Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection changed everything. He became our High Priest, whose sacrificial death made holy anyone who trusts in Him as Savior.
Although Jesus never has to repeat this atoning sacrifice for our forgiveness, He currently sits at the Father’s right hand and intercedes on our behalf (Hebrews 7:24-25). Permanently. Twenty-four-seven. Jesus’ debt payment reconciled (REC-on-siled, means accepted consented) Holy Father to His believing children.
Although the cost to our Savior was enormous, He freely paid the price we owed. Taking upon Himself OUR SINS, He rescued us from permanent death by paying our debt in full.

HALLELUJAH!
Take Home Nugget
The moment we receive Jesus as Savior, His atoning work is credited to our account. We become God’s kids, co-heirs with Christ. In an instant, we’re changed from debtors to inheritors (1Peter 1:3-4).
May this truth saturate your soul, and influence your thoughts, attitudes, and choices.

Won’t you pledge, with me, the sentence, below?
J.D. Griffith

“Oh Lord, I now admit my guilt,
And I accept Your grace;
Transform my life and help me grow
Until I see Your face.”

Hess
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Cost of Salvation

COST OF SALVATION
Mark 15:34
“’Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’—which means, ‘My God,
My God, why have You forsaken Me?’”


Can you hear the anguish in our Savior’s voice? This, in my opinion, is the closest point where Jesus wondered if His willingness to come to earth was worth it. He gladly surrendered His divinity and became human (John 1:14). He learned human limitations cheerfully. He voluntarily chose followers, and walked the earth to places where he was alternatively welcomed and mocked. He never had a home as an adult (Matthew 8:20). His ministry often tested His patience (see for examples: Matthew 23:13-39, Mark 4:13). Jesus’ mission was to live perfectly and die for us (Philippians 2:6-7).

How humans must have frustrated Jesus! But He never complained until realizing that He’d been abandoned by the Father. Why? Again, it’s our fault. We’re the reason for Jesus’ first separation from the Father—ever. Romans 6:23a clearly states that the wages of sin is death. While we enjoy life’s pleasures, can we ignore the fact that our sins caused Jesus this much grief? What else did it cost Him so we could live happily carefree, without the awful burden of sin? For our sakes Jesus suffered…

Physical pain. Before the crucifixion, Jesus was humiliated, mocked, and savagely beaten (See Matthew 26:67,27:27-31, Mark 14:65, John 19:1-3). Weakened, he needed help to carry the cross—the instrument of His death (Matthew 27:32-33). Then He was nailed to it, hands and feet. Being hoisted up and falling into a hole jarred new pain that endured until His excruciating death.

Man’s sin. After living a perfect life, Jesus never knew disgrace or bitter regret. But while hanging on the cross, gasping for breath, Jesus felt the full weight of all our sins (2Corinthians 5:21). What else could we pile onto the One who is blameless?

Abandonment. There you have it. We couldn’t have hurt Jesus more, if we tried. Was Jesus separation from The Father a surprise? Was Jesus shocked by this new torture—so close to surpassing what He could bear? Listen with your Spiritual ears, again, to the opening Scripture.
Divine judgment. Their fellowship broken for the first time since eternity past, Jesus gritted His teeth, and endured—for our sakes. John 19:30 announces that Jesus’ atonement for our sins is done. Thank you, Jesus!

Take Home Nugget
Whew! Jesus suffered so much on our behalf, and still loves us more than we can imagine. He died willingly so that we could become part of God’s family.

It’s up to me to yield to the throne of Christ, and bid Him to rule and reign in my life.

J.D. Griffith


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Friday, March 26, 2010

Spiritual Hierarchy

SPIRITUAL HIERARCHY
1Corinthians 2:10-3:3
Vv. 2:14-16: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. Who is equal to such a task?”

St. Paul’s sermon to the Corinthians booms in our ears today. Spiritual and physical realm accommodations (ac-COM-o-DA-shons, meaning living space or place) range from mansions to crude lean-to shelters. Each person falls into one of three categories that constitute the levels of spiritual hierarchy:

A. The Natural Man level is for every person who has not accepted Christ as Savior. Many in this category are capable of performing good works, and are respected—even adored. Numerous philanthropists (fil-AN-thro-pists, meaning generous humanitarians) fall into this category. Several well-known humanitarians (hu-MAN-i-TARE-i-ans, meaning charitable people) belong here. But because they remain unforgiven, they are separated from the Lord. They are not part of God’s family. The Holy Spirit does not dwell within them, and they cannot understand the things of God.

B. The Spiritual Man is the group of Christian believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit, and surrendered to His control. Although no person in this level is perfect, each one is quick to recognize transgressions, and confess sin. Their repentance is genuine, and they strive to maintain hearts in perfect working order. The Holy Spirit guides their lives in wisdom and understanding. Their eyes remain focused on Christ.

C. The Flesh Man describes believers who juggle living between two worlds. One foot is planted in the Spiritual realm; the other keeps toes dipped inside the natural realm—not willing to let go of worldly desires. At salvation, believers are remade in a new nature, with God’s Spirit guiding from within. Although Jesus is steering, some cannot discard sinful urges in their lives--quenching the Spirit within.

Every person falls into one of these categories. After careful evaluation, in which one does your soul dwell? Is your residence a mansion or crude shelter? Does this please you?

Take Home Nugget

The Lord will help you move to the category of your choice. He waits patiently for you to seek Him. He’s thrilled when His children want a closer relationship with Him. He invites you to move into His mansion, living in peaceful security.

No place is more secure than abiding in Christ.
Dedicated to Daughter, Amanda Kugel, on her 30th Birthday.

J.D. Griffith

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Illusion

ILLUSION
2Corinthians 12:9
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

“Watch me walk looking ahead, eyes up instead of focusing on the ground” Mira bragged. “My balance is back, too!” She twirled around in a circle, laughing—proving her point. There was no hint of her falling down. “You’d never believe that I was in a wheel chair last week, would you? No one would guess that I’ve got Multiple Sclerosis.”
“Are you ready to return to school?” Mira’s Mom asked her brave thirteen-year-old daughter. Mira’s gleaming green eyes sparkled, her long brown braids dancing in her happy jig.

Nurse Hatfield, Mira’s school nurse smiled her approval, “Dr. Dorsey said how pleased he is that the steroids worked in returning your health. He also released you to return to school when you’re ready. Are you ready, Mira?”

“Well, to tell you the truth” Mira’s words stumbled, her head down, revealing her inner conflict. “Uh,um, I’m not sure. I don’t trust myself.” She mumbled.
Pastor Jeanette Young patted the chair beside her. “Sit down, Mira. There’re truths that you should consider.”

“OK.” Mira sat down and looked into Pastor Jeanette’s eyes.

“I need to tell you things that the world would laugh off as just being plain stupid.
People work at appearing strong, but that’s just an illusion. They use the strength of their emotions to manipulate, the force of their personality to control, and their intellect to intimidate others. But these are signs of weakness, not strength.”

“When we’re truly strong, we admit our limitations, acknowledging dependence on God. So, while the world sees weakness, we know better. Our frail weakness proudly boasts our true strength—power through Christ.”

“What, I mean how’s that, Pastor?” Mira asked, intrigued.

“Remember when Jesus’ disciples jostled for positions of prominence? Jesus shut them up by saying, “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26). Greatness comes when we assume positions of weakness.”

“This is a hard truth, Mira. But I know that you can embrace it and cling to Jesus’ strength. Trust Jesus’ words, and imitate Paul. Remember his words in 2Corinthians 2:10, ‘When I am weak, then I am strong.’ It’s Jesus’ strength, not Paul’s.”

“I get it, Pastor. I can return to school now, and trust Jesus’ strength to get me through each day” Mira smiled and nodded at her Mom and Nurse Hatfield.

Take Home Nugget

Do you prefer the illusion of strength to the reality of weakness? God wants you to realize that true strength comes from total dependence on Him.
We’re to live lives that give God the glory.
Living in Biblical light:
Weakness in Jesus’ strength becomes our story.
He alone controls power and might.

J.D. Griffith
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