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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Is Forgiving Yourself Biblical (Part 1)


 A few years ago, someone chided one of our staff for teaching
that you need to forgive yourself.  He protested that this is not a
Biblical idea. Was he right or was he wrong?  It is true that many
self help experts exhort people to forgive themselves.  One writer
exclaims, "The kindest and most compassionate thing you can do
for yourself and others is to forgive yourself ."  Forgiving yourself
without first receiving God's forgiveness is wrong because in
essence you take God's place of being God!  
   Yet, day after day, many sons and daughters of God pitch their
tents in the dark forest of guilt and shame.  The only path out into
the light is to present the specific sins before your Father which
plague your conscience and receive the full forgiveness provided
for you in Christ.  Ephesians 1:7 states, "In Him (Christ), we have
redemption, through his blood the forgiveness of our sins." God's
abundant provision provides past, present and future forgiveness.
   Remenber, He loves us. 

Friday, October 21, 2011

What is the Key to the Christian Life? (Part 2)


   We are continuing to answer this question originally posed last week. In Isaiah 40:31 we are told that living from our union with Christ enables us to "renew" or "gain new strength" which literally means to "exchange". If we live from our union with Christ, we will exchange our strength for His strength.  
          Three beautiful word pictures are given to us to help us visualize this truth. The first says, 'They will mount up with eagle's wings".  An eagle lives in high places. He unfolds his wings and flies on the strength of the wind. Daily, we are to unfold our wings of faith and ask Christ to live through us.
          The second says, "They will run and not get tired. My wife is a runner and she tells me there is something called a "runner's high" runners sometimes experience. The runner feels so strong that she believes she could run forever. As we depend on Christ in us, we will be able to run in this life and not get as tired emotionally and mentally.
          Finally, "They will walk and not become weary." There are many places we must walk every day. We need to get out of bed each day and get dressed, get the kids ready, go to our job, walk in obedience to God's Word, and love people. Only as we depend on Christ to live through us in the power of the Holy Spirit can we walk through life and not become so weary.
          I have asked a question to thousand of people through the years.  The question is "Would you be willing for the next seven days to ask Jesus to fill you with His love and live His life through you"?  I cannot guarantee that we will feel any differently, but if we will do this by faith,  I believe we will see God work in and through us in new ways.   Will you take the challenge today?   If so, why don't you tell the Lord and ask Him to remind you for the next seven days?
          Until next time, remember He loves us!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

What Is the Key to The Christian Life? (Part 1)


For many years, I was convinced that living the Christian successfully was the result of reading the Bible, praying, fasting, worshipping, serving, etc. Yet, I found myself growing more and more miserable.  My remedy?  Redouble my efforts.  The results?  Mental, emotional and physical burn out. Back then, I lived from the outside in.  I thought that those “disciplines” would make me a complete Christian
Today I do those same activities but from the inside out.   Yet, they are not the key.  Then what is the key?  Isaiah 40: 31 reveals the clear answer.  Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”
First, the key is for those who wait.  The word “wait” in verse 31 is interesting in the Hebrew.  It literally means to be bound together with something or someone.  In this case, we who believe in Christ are bound together with Him.  Romans 6:5a says, “For if we have become united with Him…”  You were united with Christ the day you were saved.  The key to living a successful Christian life is Jesus living in and through us every day.  Are you daily asking Him to do that whether you feel like it or not?
Until next time, remember He loves us!  

Friday, October 7, 2011

Lies Seem True the Longer We Live in Darkness

Years ago I led a mission trip to Bermuda. Yea, I know.  You are thinking a mission trip to a beautiful island? Well, people there need a relationship with Jesus, too.     One night I was walking back to the home where I was staying during the trip. There were no lights as I walked and every sound produced fearful thoughts that I was about to be jumped. Soon, I saw a dark figure headed straight for me. My thoughts raced just as fast as my heart. "Here it comes" I thought. I am definitely going to get jumped. As this island native approached, I prepared for fight or flight.   Then...he said, "Hello" and kept walking.  I had believed lies because in the darkness of the night my thoughts seemed like reality. While believing those lies, my feelings were following right along and made what I believed seem even more true.    This story illustrates our spiritual lives. The longer we live  in darkness in any area of our lives, the more the lies in our head seem true. Let me give you some examples of common lies Christians believe. "I have to obey God for Him to bless me and love me."   Not true. We obey God because we are responding to our confidence that He already loves us and has already blessed us in Christ with everything we need to live our lives.  "What I do defines who I am."  Not true. My spiritual birth defines who I am. My faith in Christ gave me a new spiritual birth. Knowing who I am in Christ will directly affect my behavior and obedience to God."  "I am sinning and disobeying God because I am not committed enough to Him."   Not true. While we certainly need to be 'submitted' to God, being more committed to God often means deciding that we will try harder to obey Him. Instead, we need to ask Christ to live His life through us so we can obey God and His Word. Jesus said in John 8:32, "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free".  If His truth sets us free then what keeps us imprisoned?  Obviously lies!   Why don't we ask God to show us the lies we are believing about Him, ourselves and others so He can replace those with His truth.    Until next time remember He loves us! 

Be Free in Christ,