Romans 5

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

 ”You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.  

 ”Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

 ”But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

 ”Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

 ”The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Sermon.

We Shall Not Be Shaken

 A special thanks to Kaitlin Atmore of Mission Amare for writing this post. Thanks Kait

When I read missionary biographies, I often get discouraged because of the faith they had to follow God anywhere – Amy Carmichael to India , Hudson Taylor to China, Jim Elliot to Ecuador and many others.  To them, following and trusting God seemed to be like breathing.  You just do it.   No questions asked.  If you didn’t do it, you’d die.  For many Christians today though, following God is what you do when you “feel called”.   We send out missionaries who claim they’re God’s “called”.  We support them because they’re “called”. But we forget some things, namely, that all Christians are called to spread the Gospel, not just some, (Mark 16:14-20), and we lose sight of the One who called us.

Why was it so easy for the aforementioned missionaries to follow God so seemingly effortlessly?  How did the men and women featured in Hebrews 11 – The Chapter of Faith – get there?   By seeking and obeying the Lord, that’s how.  If you read the stories of Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua and others, you will find why they had such great lives of faith.   It was because they sought the Lord in everything.  When they didn’t seek him, they fell and fell hard.  The Old Testament is full of stories of victories attained only by the Hand of God.   Without Him, there was only failure.

In Psalm 16:8-10, David says,

 “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.   Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.”  

In contrast, read what Jeremiah 17:5, 6 says,

“Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.  He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come.  He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.”             

When we trust and seek the Lord, we will not be shaken and our whole being shall rejoice and be glad.   When we trust man and this world, we’re compared to a shrub in the desert – dry and lifeless.  Now I ask you, which sounds more appealing?  Trusting the Lord or man?   Trusting the Lord, of course!  If we all were to trust God as much as we unconsciously trust man (i.e. sit in man-made chairs, etc) think just how much we could accomplish for His glory!  

 When we put all our faith in God there leaves no room for self-glorification too!  

Trials are sent along our way so that our faith may increase.  We have hardships so as to learn to depend on the Lord in all things.   However, it is not by trials alone that our faith increases.  When we seek the Lord in small, daily things our faith begins to grow slowly and surely.   It can be difficult to set the Lord before us always.  It’s hard to wait on Him, because we want things to be done in our time and in our way.   But the Lord’s way is best.  Let us live a life that shows this to be true.  We can because, like the Psalmist said in Psalm 16:8, the Lord is at our right hands and we shall not be shaken!   

Rest for the Weary

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11: 28-30

My dad preached on this passage and it was very encouraging to me. I’ll give you he link to his sermon cause I’m prety sure he did a beter job explaining it then I ever could

http://www.freegrace.co.za/2007/04/28/rest-for-the-weary-matthew-11-28-30/

Forgiven

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9

Every week at church I hear this verse and I am extremely thankful for its truth. It is a wonderful comfort to know that if I truly confess my sin I will be forgiven and my relationship with God will be made right again. If I truly confess God will not deny me forgiveness. If I truly confess, he will purify me from that sin.

I hope this is as comforting to you as it is to me!

“May the Name of the Lord be Praised”

Job was a great man upright in the faith and with great wealth.

 Job 1:1-5 – “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.  He had seven sons and three daughters,  and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

  His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.  When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.”

He was blessed by God. One day however God decided to test his faith. God mentioned Job to Satan and told Satan how godly he was. Satan challenged this and God allowed Satan to do with Job whatever he wished only he could not lay a hand on Job’s body. (Job 1:1-12)

So Satan caused different bands of raiders to attack and plunder Job of all his livestock. The raiders killed his servants and took everything. Then Satan killed Job’s family. (notice that the only reason Satan was able to do these things was because God enabled him to) (Job 1:13-19)

In response to this Job said the most remarkable thing: “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship  and said: 
       “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
       and naked I will depart.  
       The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
       may the name of the LORD be praised.”

  In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”

He realized that everything belongs to the Lord and that he deserved nothing on earth. Not even his family. Instead of charging God with wrongdoing he Praised the Lord and worshipped him. The Lord graciously gave him all of his possessions and now took them all away and yet Job didn’t complain or hold a grudge. What amazing faith! We also need to realize that we deserve absolutely nothing that we have. Not even our faith in Christ.

Job didn’t hold on to the things of the world too tightly. He didn’t idolize them. That is why he was able to say what he did.

Another thing Job realized was that when God gives to us  we are happy, but when he takes away we get mad. And so this is what he said to his wife: “His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

  He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
      In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”

So when trouble comes upon us we need to accept it as God’s will, realize that everything belongs to God and be thankful for his testing us. In all things we are to be thankful. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your
name
And blessed be Your name
When I’m found in
the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed be your nameEvery blessing
You pour out I’ll
Turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed
be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed
be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining
down on me
When the world’s “all as it should be”
Blessed be You name
And blessed be Your name
On
the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in
the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away

My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

I will bless Your name

Blessed
be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed
be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away

My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name”

-NewsBoys

Blessed Are Those…

Matthew 5:1-12 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
 Blessed are those who mourn,
      for they will be comforted. 
 Blessed are the meek,
      for they will inherit the earth. 
 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
      for they will be filled. 
 Blessed are the merciful,
      for they will be shown mercy. 
 Blessed are the pure in heart,
      for they will see God. 
 Blessed are the peacemakers,
      for they will be called sons of God. 
 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 ”Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

This is another very well known passage of Scripture: The Beatitudes. Even though we may have heard it so many times before please just stop and think it through again and let it encourage you. The passage speaks for itself so it won’t need much explanation .

Just one thing though:

 ”Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

We don’t face much persecution in our day to day lives. You might think you do, but at least you’re not put to death or tortured. However we do face insults and so on for our faith. But look at what Christ says! When people insult us for our faith they are actually giving us a blessing! They are giving us treasure in heaven! So we need not get angry or upset when people insult us. They can insult as much as they want. In fact Christ says rejoice and be glad when people persecute us! For great is our reward in heaven! Now that obviously doesn’t mean we should go around looking to be persecuted, but I’m sure you all already knew that .

When Death Strikes

Death as we all know is the penalty of sin. Rom.6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death;but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

When we think of death we are fearful. When we experience the death of a loved one we grieve. Death is not at all a nice thing. I’m not sure how many of you have experienced losing a friend or family member, but for those of you that have I hope to be of encouragement to you because I know how it feels.

One day as was at a chess tournament all day. I was having a really great time there and I was extremely happy. When my mother came to pick me up I could tell something was wrong. She looked extremely sadened by something, but I didn’t ask why. When I got home my dad gathered the family together to tell us something. When we all sat down I immediately knew that someone had died by the look on my parents faces. Then my dad started crying and told us what happened. A friend of my brother and I had passed out and drowned while taking a bath the night before. That was two years ago now and I’ll never forget it…

After the news had been broken to us my dad told us that we must mourn for our friend otherwise we would be depressed for the rest of our lives if we just resisted our emotion. And that is the first step to dealing with a loved one’s death. We must mourn and accept what has happened. It might take a long while to sink in (it took me a month), but we must grieve. Even Christ mourned the death of his friend Lazarus (John 11).

John 11:33-36 - “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her, also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled, and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said, ‘Lord, Come and see.’ Jesus wept. And so the Jews were saying, ‘Behold, how He loved Him!”

Christ knew that he would raise Lazarus from the dead, but he still wept in order to show his love for Lazarus and to comfort the family.

There are some who say that weeping is a sign of weakness (especially for men). But that is obviously not the case as we see in this event of Christ’s life. Being a man does not mean never expressing any emotion. Expressing emotion is a huge part of being a true godly man.

This passage also shows that mourning is not a bad thing, but a blessed thing: Matt. 5:4 - “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.”

Is that not what we need? We need to be comforted and mourning is the way to do it. And to avoid putting even more stress on yourself do not worry about the future and how you will continue to cope. Just take it one day at a time and things will all work out.

Thankfully this friend of mine who died was a Christian and expressed that fact in his baptism a few months before. It should bring us tremendous comfort to know that a loved one has gone to be with the Lord. Even though we mourn because they depart from us, we should also be full of joy that they have gone to heaven which is a much better place than earth. So let that bring comfort to you if a loved one departs. Thank God for their time they spent on the earth and for your friendship and love of them.

One day we will all eventually die in one way or another. As Christians though we need not fear death. Christ has conquered sin and death on the cross! Death has no power over us as Christians. Our bodies may die, but we gain “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

1 Cor. 15:54-58 -  “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (Isaiah 25:28)

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where O death is your sting?” (Hosea 13:14)

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
 

More Than Conquerors

Romans 8: 28-39 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.  What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 
  

 ’”For your sake we face death all day long;
      we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”‘

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What an encouraging thought to know that we are “more than conquerors” in Christ! Being a conqueror is a great thing, but being even more than that is an even greater thing.

What does it mean to be more than a conqueror? Well a conqueror has victory over his enemy, but it is still possible for him to later fall in defeat to that same enemy. As more than conquerors we can never fall in defeat. As Paul says there is absolutely nothing that can tear us away from the love of Christ and thus make us fall. Sin has been conquered by Christ once and for all and will never be able to achieve any victory.

 So be encouraged by this passage when in doubt, despair or difficult circumstances and know “that  neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Doubt and Despair

Doubt is another thing that can often plague us. Especially when we begin to doubt our faith in Christ. If we continue doubting that will eventually lead to despair. Again (as with worry) doubting is a sin and the only way we can overcome it is with the help of Christ. We must always be looking to him.

Often times I have doubted my faith. I’m not a Christian that doesn’t have these doubts. Because of this and many other sins I have likened myself to Pilgrim in Pilgrim’s Progress and I always find myself in the Slough of Despond. If we feel like this, however, we shouldn’t let it discourage us. Now obviously that is not an easy thing to do. In fact we cannot do it on our own. Again we must be relying on Christ. That is the only way.

Here are some passages that deal with doubt: Matt. 14:31 – here we see that doubt is a matter a faith. Being sinners our faith is weak and so we doubt.

Matt. 21:21,Mark 11:23 – Again doubt and faith are shown together.

James 1:6 – Here James describes our doubt and we see some of the sinfullness of it.

Jude 1:17-23 – This is one of the most important. We must be merciful to those who doubt. If we see someone doubting and going through a time of trial we cannot proudly act as if we are somehow better than them. Rather we are to help them through their trial and build them up in Christ. This is how the Body of Christ (the Church) is suppose to be working.

Now when you are doubting take heart! The fact that we doubt, realize that it is wrong, and are sad and mourning over it is testimony to the fact that we are truly Christians and that God is at work in our life! While we are doubting this may be hard to see. That is why when we are not doubting or going through some trial we need to be preparing ourselves and filling ourselves up with the truth of the Gospel!

Here is a really encouraging passage that has to do with our sufferings: Romans 5:1-4 – “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Worry

Matthew 6:25-34 — “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Worrying is something that we all do. Most likely every one of us worries about something every day. Clearly from this passage though it is sin. Christ says, “Do not…”. That is a command. It is very easy for us though to fall into this sin. We worry about all the work we have to do the next day, how well things will turn out with a friend, how well we do on an exam,etc. There are just so many things.

Well Christ has commanded us not to worry. You’d think that would be enough to make us stop worrying. But as sinful humans we cannot. Christ realizes this and goes on to speak about why we should not worry. The last verse is the key. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Indeed each day does have enough trouble on its own. We need to just take it one day at a time. That doesn’t mean we can’t plan for the future, but rather to not cause ourselves more stress by worrying about it. This isn’t just “another lousy command” (not that any of God’s laws are lousy, though sometimes we may feel that way) that we have to follow. It is a freeing command.

I have personally found this passage very encouraging and freeing. I always worry all the time. I know that I shouldn’t but as a sinner I do. But then one day I decidedly did not worry about anything. That doesn’t mean I became careless. I found that by doing so a huge burden was taken off my back and I could finally breathe! Now I’m not trying to brag or anything I’m just using myself as an example. It’s very hard, but it is possible. The only way it is possible is through Christ and Christ alone. Making a decision to not worry is just part of it. But even that is not by myself. Without Christ I wouldn’t even be making that decision. But “I can do all things through Christ who strngthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

So I encourage all of you to stop worrying! For the Father takes care of the birds of the air and we are so much more valuable thatn they. So how much more thatn will he take care of us and give us what we need, when we need it!

I just thought this would be a great reminder even though we have all heard it so many times.