Great Joy!

Jude 1: 24

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy….

 

Now it’s time to be totally honest.

Have you ever complained that while enduring trials in this life, you’ve felt like God’s abandoned you?

Maybe you’ve even thought that maybe God was away on an extended vacation.

You’re not alone.

 

The God who placed and named the stars in the sky, is God all the time.

The same God who knit you together in your mother’s womb, has never had a vacation.

The God who filled the seas with water, and the God who raised the mountains high, is still calling all of the shots.

Whether you believe that or not, doesn’t really matter.

 

He is our King—He is our Savior—and He cares way too much, to ever leave us hanging.

He’s the same God who brought us up and out, from the depths of sin itself.

 

The Bible says that we have been placed in the very hand of God, when we have confessed our sins, and repented of our personal darkness.

We can’t climb into His hand on our own—and I’m pretty sure His love for us, will always keep us close by.

 

He’s the One who keeps us from falling—and He presents us without fault.

What other God can do that? None that I know of.

 

That should bring about great and abundant joy……

Imputed!

Romans 4: 6  (NKJV)

….just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

I’ve always wondered what the word “imputes” mean, so I looked it up.

It’s means to be… “credited” or to be… “put on our account”

I remember when my Mom would have one of us kids go to the local corner grocery store—and she sent money with us—the grocer would credit that amount to Mom’s account.

Did you know that’s what God does, through His Son, Jesus Christ?

He imputes or credits righteousness unto us.

At the moment a person believes upon the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ, God makes us righteous.

Is it possible to lose that righteousness? That’s been debated for many a year.

Maybe it’s when Jesus isn’t Lord of our lives anymore? Maybe something or someone else has taken His rightful place.

A.W. Tozier once said…. “Either Jesus is Lord of all—or He’s not Lord at all!”

A little boy, after giving his heart to Jesus during a Sunday school class, said afterward…. “It feels like Jesus is living in my house—and me in His!”

No Bible scholar in the world, could explain it any better.

Is Jesus living in your house—and are you living in His?

That’s what righteousness is, at least through the heart of a little boy.

Maybe Jesus was right, when He said, we must become like little children.

He did not say we should act like them, though…

Humble Yourself!

1 Peter 5: 6 – 7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

 

When God ushered His people into the world, He did not make us to leave us somewhere in the darkness.

No, when He took the time to look upon created man, He took a long gaze and said in a satisfying way…. “It is good.”

 

Unfortunately, not long after that, sin came into the world and fellowship between God and man was broken.

But then in His great love and mercy for us, He sent His one and only Son, to restore that fellowship.

 

It was then, that those who received the grace of Jesus, were made into a new creation.

Now we were saved, and God could say it again with great satisfaction….. “It is Good!”

 

The fact is, our sin soiled garments, were washed clean and made righteous again.

We were allowed to wear the righteous robes of Christ Jesus.

 

Now here’s the important question…..

Are you washed in the Sons’ blood—are you forever cleansed in His sight—and are you forever in His heart?

 

Maybe on this first day of the week, we should take a good look in the mirror.

Are you dressed in the righteous robes of Christ—or still wearing the robes of man and of this world?

 

It might be a good idea to humble ourselves under His mighty right hand—so that He may lift us up……

A Perfect Home!

John 14: 2

“In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

Do you really believe, that there is a home waiting for you in Heaven?

I guess we’d have to say there is, because we know that Jesus could never lie.

Jesus would be a pretty cruel guy, if this promise of a home in Heaven, was some sort of delusion or dream.

Heaven is a place where Jesus is, in the literal sense. He lives there in His resurrected body, and we’ll be there one day too.

Heaven and our home, is definitely on God’s GPS.

There is an absolute specific location.

We can trust in that fact, because Jesus said so.

American’s are always dreaming of having their perfect dream home. Think of how many people actually watch HGTV.

Tell me that if money wasn’t an object, we all have in mind a dream home, where we could have every amenity, and enjoy every great comfort.

In Heaven, this won’t be a dream—it’ll be a reality!

If in fact, you’ve never thought about what your perfect home would be like, think about your Heavenly home.

Nothing in the world, could be this perfect.

Actually, that perfect home won’t be in this world, it will be in a world, all of its own……

You'll never make it?

Philippians 1: 6  (NKJV)

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ….

 

I remember a time when I was considering a move to full time ministry.

I wasn’t really sure I had what it takes.

Then I overheard someone from my family say…. “He’ll never make it—and it’ll never last!”

 

That was over 10 years ago, and since it came from someone close to me, it almost made feel like crying.

Did you know that’s what the world says about most of us Christians?

“They’ll never make it!”

 

Funny thing is, the devil hasn’t changed his tactics one bit over the years.

He’s still trying to rub stuff in our faces, and he’s constantly trying to rain on our parade.

 

Do you know what it’s like to tell someone, that they’ll never amount to anything?

Has anyone ever told that to you?

Here’s what I would do…..I’d send those lies right back to the pit of hell where they came from!

 

Rest in the Word of God, my friends.

Remember this….We have been purchased by the precious blood of the Lamb.

By what He accomplished at the cross, we’ll not only amount to something in this life—we’ll amount to something even greater in the next…..

Practice shouts of praise!

Revelation 7: 12

"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!"

There was once a farmer, who would often shout… AMEN!, or… PRAISE THE LORD!, during various parts of the church service.

It got so much out of hand, that some of the Elders and Deacons of the church paid him a home visit to his farm.

At the end of their friendly conversation, the man offered this….

“I know that I’ve disturbed many a church service in my day, but you know as I sit there and reflect on all the Lord has done for me, I can’t contain myself.

When I consider how He died in agony, and how He spilled His blood on the cross for me, and how He’s forgiven me, and how He’s filled me with His Spirit, I can’t help but shout.

Why, even while I drive my tractor here on the farm, I just have to give God praise!”

If being a believer in Jesus doesn’t excite you, and going to Heaven one day doesn’t excite you, then what will?

I can’t speak for you, but for me, it sure is exciting to know the Lord Jesus Christ is a personal way!

When was the last time you raised your hands and shouted…. “PRAISE THE LORD!”?

I know some folks, don’t believe that should ever happen in the church.

I think when we all get to Heaven, we’re going to see a lot of that going on.

If that makes you want to crawl under a church pew when someone shouts in church, get ready for that happening all the time in Heaven.

Maybe right now—when no one else is looking—maybe this would be a good time to offer a shout of praise?

You could even do it right this moment, while you sit in front of your computer screen.

We might as well start practicing now…..

Battle Ready!

Psalm 71: 17

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

School for most kids, ends this week.

But even as we begin to think about a summer away from school, be reminded that the devil is already planning for the new school year to come.

Did you know that Satan is on a killing rampage?

He’s trying to kill our memory, and send us sailing in a sea of forgetfulness.

He’d actually like to wipe out from our minds, the Christian heritage that made this country so great.

He’s starts at a very young age, and the school room seems to be the logical place to start.

His first line of defense is aimed at our children.

School used to be a place where children grew in the knowledge of all good things—especially good and Godly things.

Now in public schools, prayer is out—the Bible is out—creation is out—history of the signers of the Declaration of Independence are out too—not to mention the Ten Commandments.

But we’ve replaced them with….bomb sniffing dogs—metal detectors—security guards—and evolution. I wonder how that’s working for us?

So how can we tell future generations, the marvelous deeds of God, when He’s not allowed on the school grounds?

I think we have an important job to do, and we had better figure out a way, fast.

Maybe we need to train our children about God in the home—if we’re not going to do it in the school? How about the church?

We better begin teaching our children, to walk in the ways of the Lord, and to move out against the evil tides of this world.

We can win this battle, but we better find a way pretty quickly, before it gets too late in the game.

I’m sure the Commander in Chief of the Lord’s army, has a great battle strategy, if we would only engage it…..