Changed

1 Jn 3:10  In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

 Modern Christianity places a huge emphasis on grace, and rightly so. It is by grace we are saved.  Yet, salvation produces a real change in our lives.  Too often, this truth is neglected.  A real experience of salvation changes us from our old sinful life of loving our self supreme to a new life of loving God supreme and loving others as our self.  This love is shown in the way we live and produces a life of righteousness.  This life of righteousness is the distinguishing mark of those who are the children of God.  Anyone who doesn’t love others and live righteously is not of God.  Grace, love and holiness are not opposed to each other, in fact you cannot have one without having the other as well.  Let no one deceive you.

He is worthy of praise

Psa 145:3  Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. Psa 145:4  One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

Our God is worthy of praise.  His holiness, His goodness, His purity, His love, His compassion, His wisdom and His power are beyond our comprehension.  The greatness of God elicits praise.  Those of us who know Him must let others know who He is, let them know of His wondrous works.  Our greatest obligation is to the generation that follows, to tell them of our great God.  Let us not fail to rightly portray our God to those who come after us.  Praise Him.

God is still God

Dan 4:32  And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

 No matter how powerful the nation or ruler, God is still God.  Nebuchadnezzar was the ruler of the world empire, the most powerful man on earth.  Yet God humbled him, made him become as an animal grazing in the fields to show him that God was the ruler over all the earth.  No matter how powerful nations and rulers appear, they are still ultimately responsible to God.  God still rules, God still ultimately determines the destiny of nations.  Don’t fear, trust the future to God.     

Hate evil

Psa 97:10a  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:

 There is a tendency in Christianity today to equate the love of God with a tolerance of evil.  Such is far from the truth.  Part of loving God is to hate evil. To love God is to also love holiness, to love all that is good, to love all that God is.  We need to take time to consider the wickedness of sin, to see the absolute hideousness of sin and evil, to see the hurt and suffering caused by sin.  We need to consider the affront to God that sin is.  Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.  Begin by hating evil in yourself.  Don’t tolerate sin in your own life, for the love of God.    

Who are we trying to please?

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

 We all live with a certain pressure to fit in, to get along. However, there are times when we cannot go along, or fit in, and still please God.  Our primary focus in life must be to please God, to be His servant.  We cannot please God and be His faithful servant if we get caught up in pleasing people.  Remember, we have One whom we must please, whether it is popular or whether it is not.

He will keep what we have committed to Him

2 Ti 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 There are times that we may suffer for the cause of Christ.  We may suffer for being faithful to God.  Yet we have no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed because we know God.  We know who He is, we know His faithfulness, we know His power.  We know who we are trusting our lives and our eternal destiny to, and we know He is able to keep us to and through the final judgment.  Continue faithful, bear the cross when required.  Our God is faithful.

While we are still speaking

Isa 65:24  And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

 We need God’s help in so many ways, yet we so often fail to realize how willing God is to answer our prayers. This passage shows us God’s readiness to answer prayer in that He answers as soon as we call, while we are yet speaking.  Do you have needs?  Bring them to God, He is more than ready to help.

Near

Jer 23:23  Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

 There are times when God seems far away.  There are times when our own difficulties, disappointments and discouragement seem to scream “Where is God?”.    Yet God is always near.  He is always right at hand, with us, ready to help.  God is always with us, He knows what is happening.  His love and care remain the same.  It is a trick of Satan to make us believe God is no where to be found, to discourage us from seeking His help. Take faith, our God is near at hand.

None like Him

Jer 10:6  Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.  Jer 10:7  Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

 Sometimes it helps to step back and take a look at the big picture.  This is God’s world, His creation.  It was created by Him and for Him, and for His purposes it exists.  God still reigns supreme.  Nothing has taken Him by surprise; nothing has occurred that He was unprepared for.  There is nothing that is beyond His wisdom.  He is still the creator God to whom all creation shall answer.  There is none like Him.  He is greatly to be feared and reverenced. Take courage…our God still reigns.

Unblameable in holiness

1 Th 3:12  And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 1Th 3:13  To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

 Our goal in all things is this:  to be found in the image of Jesus Christ, holy, blameless, at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Our desire should be to be established in holiness.  Part of this process of being established in holiness is to increase and abound in love toward one another.  Holiness is love lived out; living life behaving as love behaves.  Holiness is doing what is right, obeying God’s commandments.  But it is more than that; it is doing the right things for the right reasons, with the right motives. Live in love, live a holy life.

Build on the foundation

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

 This wonderful salvation begins with repentance from our sins and faith in the sacrifice provided by Christ.  However, this is just the beginning, the foundation.  This Christian life is to be a life of growing in our knowledge of God and coming to know Him better and better.  It is a life that is alive, vibrant, progressing in our relationship with God.  Today, many professed Christians are not spiritually healthy and growing.  They have become stunted, babes in Christ.  A foundation is vital to a strong house, but we cannot stop when the foundation is laid.  Give effort to progress in knowledge of God, both by experience and by His word.  It is the path to Christian maturity that yields the pleasant fruits of this great salvation.  

A new person

2 Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 Salvation is a radical change both within and without.  Salvation involves action on our part in repentance and faith, but salvation also involves a divine work by God as well.  We are indeed a new creature, a new creation, alive with spiritual life.  We have turned from the old life of pleasing our self to a new life of love and gratitude toward God.  We have a new perspective that changes everything.  We are alive to spiritual realities.  This is the salvation of the Bible.  We live in a time of much religion, but not enough true salvation.  Don’t settle for anything less than real salvation.  

Here am I

Isa 6:8  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

 God is still looking for “Here I am” Christians today.  In a time of wickedness and apostasy, faithful servants of God are needed now as much as ever.  “Here I am” Christians are prepared and waiting for the Lord’s call.  They are ready to be used of God, committed to carrying out His will. Are you ready and waiting for God’s call? 

Seek His guidance

Psa 25:4  Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

 This is the cry of both the beginning Christian and the mature Christian.  When first converted, we need to seek the Lord for His leading and guiding in everything.  After we have lived for God a while, learned His will, heard His word, we still need to seek the Lord for His leading and directing, in everything.  An earnest plea for God to show us His will, to lead and guide our life, should be a daily prayer.  We need His help.  We should desire His way, not our way.  His way is the way of life, the path of blessing, the road home to heaven.  Seek God to lead and direct your life daily.

Encourage one another

2 Co 7:5  For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 2Co 7:6  Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

 Discouragement is a common enemy to be faced in this Christian life.  Many of the great heroes of the faith battled discouragement at times.  Paul found himself in distress and trouble.  There were conflicts all around, and he had fears and anxiety within.  There are times when we are surrounded by trouble and stressed by fears.  Paul found help from God.  God gives strength and encouragement to those who are down and in difficulty.  Are you in similar circumstances?  Look to God.  God sent the encouragement to Paul through Titus.  God often uses our brothers and sisters in the Lord to help and encourage us.  Take advantage of the help from God.  If you are down, don’t absent yourself from the house of God.  That may be God’s chosen method of bringing you grace and help.    

Live the life

Joh 8:31 b If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

 The proof of the reality of our relationship with God is not in our words but, rather, in our deeds.  A real relationship with God brings a change of heart that desires to know and follow the will of God, as revealed in His word.  In a day when very little premium is placed on a holy life, let’s not forget that this is the evidence of the Lordship of Christ in our life. 

God watches over the faithful

Psa 101:6  Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

 God is mindful of the faithful.  God takes note of those who love Him and live a holy life.  He is attentive to their needs and His presence is with them.  These are the ones God chooses to do His work, to be His servants.  Let us live in such a way that we may be used of God in this dark time.

Angels round about

Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

There are times that we can feel all alone in this world.  There are times when we can’t seem to sense the presence of God.  However, help is always near at hand for those who love the Lord.  God always has help surrounding His children, camp round about, ready to deliver.  Trust Him.  God has made provision and His help is at hand.    

He will deliver

Jer 39:17  But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. Jer 39:18  For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.

 The rise of evil can cause the righteous to fear.  Satan will always use the threat of persecution to strike fear in our hearts.  We have in this passage an assurance that God is always in control, and He is constantly aware of His children.  Those who trust in God shall never been forsaken by God, He will not allow them to become prey and helpless to the evil around them.  Take heart, bravely face the future with your trust in the almighty God.  

Pray

Col 4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

 Accessing our help from God comes in the form of prayer.  Prayer is the single most important function of a Christian life.  Prayer is the conduit of receiving help from God.  Prayer is the spiritual connection that builds our relationship with God.  We are to continue in prayer, persevere in prayer.  We are to stay alert, watchful in prayer, don’t let it slack.  In all, we are to maintain an attitude of thankfulness to God.