Tag Archives: the Gospel

Wonder No More

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Gal 2:11-21

To anyone who wonders if, or hopes they’ve done enough good to go to heaven – READ THESE VERSES! Paul answers your questions clearly:

You are not good enough!

No amount of law-abiding behavior, no matter how loving or compassionate you are, no matter how many times you go to church, or how well you are thought of at work – you aren’t good enough to earn your way to heaven. Good people go to hell the same as bad people.

The fact is, Jesus died on the cross to pay the death penalty for sinners. We all have sinned. Even you. What Jesus did there on the cross is the difference between heaven and hell. You can’t come close to equalling that.

If we could somehow pay the death penalty for our sin then live again, or if we could do enough good to erase the sins we’ve committed, Jesus should have just stayed in heaven. His painful death would be worthless.

Paul tells us he was crucified with Christ. We know he wasn’t put on that cross with Jesus. But Paul often talks about the surrender he made to Jesus that changed his life. He calls it dying to self. Paul doesn’t live on his own anymore. It’s Jesus living in him! I hope you can say the same.

Do you wonder if you’re going to heaven? Answer this: have you repented of your sin and accepted the work of Christ on the cross as the payment for your sin? Have you surrendered to God and is Christ living in you in the person of the Holy Spirit? Are you, like Paul, allowing God to live through you?

If you can’t say yes to those questions then Scripture tells us you aren’t going to heaven. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one goes to the Father except through Jesus. There is no room for, “well he’s such a good person. Certainly God will accept him.”

My prayer is that you can honestly say yes to those questions. I pray that Jesus is your Savior, that you have surrendered to Him and accepted His grace, the forgiveness of your sins. Heaven awaits you.

If you wonder if you are going to heaven, wonder no more. The answer is as plain as day.

Find Us Faithful

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Genesis 50

G. Campbell Morgan once said that a believer’s work in the world is not finished when they put him in the ground. Think about that for a minute.

Joseph was a faithful and productive servant of God during his 110 years on this earth, and continued to be used by God for the next 400 years after his death. He was probably embalmed and placed in a sarcophagus since he was an Egyptian ruler. But the Israelites held onto the remains even after they were forced into slavery.

What did that coffin represent to the generations after Joseph? Salvation!

Joseph’s last words to his family was when – not if – God comes to your aid and takes you back to Canaan, take my bones with you and bury me there. Joseph’s remains were a constant reminder of God’s promises to Israel, and the hope of His salvation.

Years ago Steve Green wrote a song entitled “Find Us Faithful.” It is my prayer. The chorus says:

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.

Google the lyrics, or better yet go to You Tube and hear Steve Green sing it. It will make you stop and think.

What is it you want the memory of you to inspire? When your children think of you after you’re gone, what do you hope comes to mind? Your money will be spent, your belongings will be discarded. But your influence will live on.

Understanding that truth, there might be some changes you (and I) might want to make while we still have a chance. The footprints we leave will lead somewhere. Do you care where? Will they lead our loved ones to God, or away from Him?

May all who come behind us find us faithful.

When I Die

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Genesis 47:28-48:22

I suppose the older you get the more you think about dying. In truth, our bodies begin to fail, reminding us that we won’t live forever. So we tend to sit more and have more time to consider what’s ahead. We write our wills to assure our children are cared for when we’re gone. Jacob did that.

Jacob didn’t write down his wishes and have it notarized. His word was as binding as any contract as he spelled out what he intended for each of his and Joseph’s sons. Warren Wiersbe in his study on the Psalms entitled Be Authentic (David C Cook publisher) points out that Jacob went a step further than merely planning ahead for his children. He even planned his own funeral.

Jacob did not want to give the wrong impression by being buried like an Egyptian in Egypt. Even though he most likely would have had an impressive send-off, Jacob did not want anyone to question where his heart was. He insisted on being buried with his family like a believer in Holy God. Make no mistake, Jacob was saying he rejected the gods of Egypt, and wanted that to be a plain message even after he died.

I’ve told my family I really don’t care if they have a public funeral service for me or not. I won’t be there, so whatever they need is fine with me. But if there is a service at all, I do want it to glorify God. I want the Gospel clearly and powerfully proclaimed. I want hymns sung – especially “And Can It Be” (all the verses) and the song “Find Us Faithful.” I want my send-off to be less about me and more about the God I love, the God I serve, the God who loved me and loves everyone who would attend my funeral enough to die for us. I want it made known that with my final act, I invite them to give their lives to Jesus so that my funeral will not be, “Good-bye,” but “See you later.”

Maybe I should write this down.

Every Single One

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Genesis 36

This chapter lists the descendants of Esau, the Edomites who were life-long enemies of Israel. I’m sitting here wondering why God included this genealogy in His Word. What can we learn of Jesus here, or of God’s plan of redemption? Since the Bible doesn’t explain the reason, I am left to form an opinion. So here it is:

I am reminded of the name of God spoken by Hagar – El Roi – the God who sees me. We often divide the world into two camps – believers and non- believers, or friends and enemies.

We talk about the “them,” and as a result the “they” lose their individuality, maybe their humanity in our minds.

What I see here in Genesis 36 is the God who sees every individual, that He died for every person, that He knows them by name.

God, forgive me when I lump all non-believers into a group I am separate from, a group I can keep at arm’s length because “they” are not like me. May I see them as moms and dads, sons, daughters, boys, girls for whom Jesus died…

Every single one of them.

Happily Ever After

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Genesis 24:61-67

What must she have thought when Isaac lifted her veil, and she looked into his eyes for the very first time? The anticipation must have been crazy. Was Rebekah filled with joy the moment she was actually in his presence, knowing her life would never be the same, that this was a precious forever relationship she had entered?

I anticipate the moment Jesus lifts my veil and I am able to gaze into HIs eyes for the very first time. I can hardly wait to know as I am known, to see and feel His love in a way I’ve never experienced before. I am His. He is mine. Forever.

Isaac and Rebekah have a sweet, cute-meet. But their happily ever after didn’t happen. I, on the other hand, the Church, the Bride of Christ will have our happily ever after: no sin to separate us, no sorrow to put a strain on our relationship, no distractions, no temptation, no guilt or doubt.

…and they lived happily ever after.

Righteousness

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Genesis 6

Warren Wiersbe (Be Basic; David C Cook publisher; 2010; p 105ff) challenges us to be men and women who have the same attributes as Noah. Genesis 6:9 gives us four traits to emulate. Noah was righteous, blameless, and he walked with God. Verse 22 tells us Noah was obedient.

I’m going to consider each characteristic separately for the next four days. So today the question is: what is righteousness?

Is righteousness the same as religious? Is it something I can aspire to achieve? The Apostle Paul has quite a bit to say about that.

In Galatians 2:21 he says that if we could be righteous through the law, meaning being good and following the rules, then Christ died for nothing. So, no, we can’t be good enough to call ourselves righteous. If we could, Jesus sure went through a lot of grief for nothing. And we know He didn’t die for nothing.

Religion doesn’t save, nor does God accept our good deeds as a trade-off for sin.

Again in Titus 3:5 Paul says:

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness comes from God, from his own mercy, and not from anything we do. Righteousness, or being right before God, isn’t something to be bartered.

And in 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul explains:

For our sake he (God the Father) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might becomes the righteousness of God.

Did you catch that? In Jesus we BECOME the righteousness of God. We don’t earn it. We become it through faith in the risen Savior. Paul emphasizes our need of God’s righteousness when he quotes an Old Testament passage:

There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10)

The precious truth is that even though we can’t hope to be right in God’s eyes because of our sin, Jesus – who IS righteous – places His own righteousness on anyone who believes. We become the righteousness of God Himself!

Proverbs 21:21 says:

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.

Pursuing righteousness doesn’t mean trying harder to be good or acceptable to God. It has nothing to do with how “good” we are. Pursuing righteousness means pursuing Jesus.

Commit your way to the Lord, trust him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. (Proverbs 14:34)

The Lord’s righteousness, His perfect standing before God, becomes mine and He who IS light will shine through me as bright as broad daylight.

When you consider Noah, God’s light shown through him all those years he was hammering on that big boat and preaching the need for repentance. He stood out like a sore thumb in a world of sin and rejection of God. So should we.

Are you pursuing Jesus? Have you submitted to Him and allowed Him to dress you in His righteousness for all the world to see? This is my prayer for us all.

Quit Trying So Hard

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Ephesians 1-5

I don’t know how anyone, after reading Paul’s words, wouldn’t want what God has to offer:

Grace, mercy, love, acceptance, strength, purpose, family, identity, redemption, wisdom, enlightenment, peace, being rooted and established in love, goodness, righteousness, and truth.

Who doesn’t want those things? People try so hard to find them in so many places and in so many ways. Yet here they are, offered as gifts to anyone who believes in Jesus as the Christ, the Savior of souls.

If you are one who is searching, search no more! Quit trying so hard to find what is right in front of you. Surrender to Jesus and I know all these things will be yours.

Then, when Christ dwells in your heart through faith, “…I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know the love that surpasses knowledge -then you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (3:17-19)

I’m praying for you.

Grace

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2 Chronicles 30:19

When Hezekiah was king the dam broke. The people had been worshiping worthless idols, living in disobedience. I imagine they probably felt good about themselves thinking they were just fine doing what they were doing. But they weren’t fine. People living apart from God are never truly fine.

Like it or not. Deny it or not. There is a void placed by God in every human heart that can only be fulfilled by God Himself.

When the people heard the Truth and recognized their sinfulness, they couldn’t get to God fast enough. The dam that had separated them from God broke and the flood of repentance poured out. Hundreds of people hurried to the temple to offer sacrifices for their sin. In fact, so many came that the priests had trouble keeping up with the flow.

Then Hezekiah prayed:

May the Lord who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God… even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.

You see, these people didn’t take time to clean themselves up. They went directly to the blood of the sacrifice. The rules of the sanctuary as had been explained by Moses weren’t abolished. But by the grace of God they were fulfilled on behalf of those who came seeking God for forgiveness.

And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. (verse 20)

Paul tells us:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

What we see here in 2 Chronicles and what is affirmed throughout the New Testament is that you don’t need to stop sinning, do X amount of good things, quit smoking or swearing BEFORE you go to God. Hezekiah calls it setting our hearts in seeking God. Paul calls it faith.

If you, dear one, would just run to the blood of Jesus instead of trying to make yourself feel worthy, if you would just place your faith in Jesus, the dam will break. The separation between you and God will be washed away and you will receive the beautiful, complete gift of salvation.

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31)

The grace of God saved the Jews whose hearts were set on seeking Him. That same grace of God can save you, too.

Good Intentions

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2 Samuel 4

Recab and Baanah must have expected a different outcome. Wasn’t Saul David’s enemy? So it would make sense that Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth would be David’s enemy, too. David’s power was increasing. Saul’s camp was weakening. Racab and Baanah, from Saul’s camp, made the decision to break ranks and defect to David’s side. And just so David would understand their sincerity, they killed Ish-Bosheth and brought his head to David.

“Look what we have done for you, King David. We know you will welcome us and throw a party in our honor because we have defeated your enemy.” (not exactly a direct quote if you’re wondering)

Recab and Baanah actually gave God credit for the murder (4:8). They were covering all their bases.

David did not accept their well-intended good deed. Instead, he ordered the execution of Recab and Baanah.

I am reminded the same kind of thing is happening today. So many religions, so many individuals believe that if they are good people, if they go to church occasionally, if they treat people with respect and don’t kick the dog, God will welcome them into heaven and throw a party in their honor. It makes sense, in the eyes of many, that God owes them heaven because they do things in His name. Their intentions are good. God should accept that.

There are those who believe people from every religion – or no religion – will be welcomed into heaven for their good intentions. They tell themselves a loving God wouldn’t send a nice guy to hell. They seem to say, “Take what we give you, God, and be grateful.”

Jesus tells us:

Many will say to me in that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers.” (Matthew 7:22-23)

Here’s the thing. When Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” He meant that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one – not even really good people – comes to the Father except through Jesus. In fact, there is no such thing as a really good person because all have sinned. There is no one righteous – not even one.

Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior and allowed Him to place His goodness on you? If not, you may stand before Him on that day holding Ish-Bosheth’s head with all the good intentions in the world. But it will cost you your life.

Living What We Believe

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Leviticus 8-11

I recently saw the phrase, “Christian Atheist,” referring to believers who live like God doesn’t exist. I think it can refer to people who believe some, but not all Scripture is true. People who go to church, maybe even preach, who are holding onto sins they refuse to surrender to God. They are Christians who believe God makes exceptions to His rules, and live like they will avoid the consequences spelled out in Scripture.

Nadab and Abihu fit that category. There have been times I have fit that category.

Are you a believer? Is Jesus your Savior? Do you read your Bible, go to church, sing in the choir or teach Sunday School? Then the question is, are you living the truth of what you know? Or are there sins you have yet to surrender to the cross?

James tells us our faith without works is dead. (2:14-26). Faith without living lives that honor God with every choice is as useful as a corpse. Having faith in God yet living like He doesn’t exist is not faith at all. It’s what Christian Atheists are made of.

Dear Christian, if we want to live what we believe, we need to stop right now and confess our sins. All of them. We need to repent, which means turn from those sins, and with the help of the Holy Spirit never repeat them again. It means to surrender to the demands of God as spelled out in His Word, and receive the grace and mercy Jesus died to give us.

Then one step, one choice at a time, we must live to glorify God and not ourselves, to point our loved ones to Jesus as He is revealed in Scripture. We must love our neighbor enough to speak truth, love God enough to stand firm.

It means living like our Holy God really does exist, and to be as serious about sin as He is. It means living what we believe so that others will see Jesus in us and want what we have in Him.