WEAK

When we hear the word “weak” in our society, it does not conjure up a very good picture. Whether it is a person that is weak or the branch of a tree, we generally think of the subject referred to as being inferior.

It is not so with God. He created us for His purposes. When we acknowledge God as our Creator as well as realizing that we cannot accomplish His purposes on our own, we are often seen as being weak. God sees it as admitting that we need Him!

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

As I get ready to leave the house this morning to go and continue the work on the SPRING Student Center, I feel very weak; my back hurts, my elbow hurts and I’m tired. However, since I know that this project is exactly where God wants me to be and I know it is HIS project. I can go knowing that He will accomplish all that needs to be done.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

I must look to Christ for my strength. Jesus said,

For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5b (NLT)

He will keep me going and provide help to complete His task.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:3 - 4 (NLT)

Does this work in all situations? The answer to that is found in the above passage; we have everything we need for living a godly life. The minute I forget that and start living for myself, I’m going to fall. The last part of this passage from Second Peter shows that our goal is escaping the world’s corruption caused by our own human desires. When we succumb to our desires, we separate ourselves from His power.

So the next time you feel weak, whether physically, in public speaking or some other task that God has called you to do, realize that the Lord is more than able to keep you from failing and to cause His purposes to be fulfilled in your life.

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PURPOSE

Who determines what you will do today? Is it your boss? Is it one or both of your parents? Or, is it God?

When we operate on a daily basis simply meeting needs as they arise, we can often forget our overall purpose in life. Now maybe you have forgotten what that purpose is and it has been condensed into “just getting by.”

I want to suggest that perhaps you reassess what that purpose is…look at the overall picture of your life. What do you want folks to remember about you? Then look at your daily routine and see how that fits in to the plan.

Jesus stated His purpose like this,

I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will. John 5:30b

Now that seems like a great purpose. What is God’s will for you? Jesus said, If you love me obey my commandments (John 14:15). His commandments to us were to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). Wouldn’t it be fantastic if people remembered you for your love of God and loving others?

Determine today to do the will of God regardless of what comes into your path.

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MOCKED

There are those who say, “God can’t help you. He doesn’t really exist outside your mind.” Of course, there are many variations of this kind of thinking but we can try to help those people out by telling them stories of how God HAS worked in our life.

Those of us that are call ourselves followers of Christ need to give God glory in ALL things.

Listen to this story from the Old Testament. The king of Assyria was trying to get King Hezekiah of Jerusalem to give up without even a fight…

¹⁷The king also sent letters scorning the LORD, the God of Israel. He wrote, “Just as the gods of all the other nations failed to rescue their people from my power, so the God of Hezekiah will also fail.” 2 Chronicles 32:17 (NLT)

King Sennacherib doubted, not only that the God of Israel couldn’t help Hezekiah and his people but also that if He tried He would fail.

Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to God in heaven. ²¹And the LORD sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword. 2 Chronicles 32:20 - 21 (NLT)

Prayer is our most powerful weapon. It tells God that we know we can’t do something and we need Him to do it. God will not allow His name to be mocked for long. There will be consequences to those who are ridiculing Him.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7 (NASB)

Sennacherib not only lost the war, but also lost his life because he mocked God.

From then on King Hezekiah became highly respected among all the surrounding nations, and many gifts for the LORD arrived at Jerusalem, with valuable presents for King Hezekiah, too. 2 Chronicles 32:23 (NLT)

Because the story was told throughout the land…even the “surrounding nations” who didn’t believe in the God of Israel sent gifts to Him.

Tell your story of how God has worked in your life that all may honor him.

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MISSIONARY

The word “missionary” is generally thought of as someone who goes to a foreign country and tells people about God. They have gone there in response to Jesus’ words that we know as “The Great Commission.” It is most often quoted from Matthew 28:19-20, but is found in some form or another in all the Gospels. Here is Mark’s version:

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Mark 16:15 (NLT)

My question to you is, “Where is the ‘world’” of which Mark speaks? Is it possible that it is right where you live? Could God have placed you in the city where you are right now to be a missionary for Him?

The town of 3500 people in which I live has almost 30 churches. Yet, there are only a handful of teens in all of them. There are 500 students in the high school alone. That, to me, is a “mission field.” That is why we are building the SPRING Student Center. Those that work there with me are missionaries.

Think about that in relation to where God has placed you.

Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” John 20:21 (NLT)

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ACCEPT

I have a confession to make. I used to look down on other people that called themselves believers and didn’t believe the way I did. I wouldn’t even consider them believers! The problem is that is totally contrary to God’s teaching.

Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. Romans 14:1 (NLT)

Thankfully, I dealt with that issue. The danger though is people that call themselves “believers” and then have beliefs that totally contradict God’s Word. This is not what this passage is talking about.

For example, if a believer in Christ chooses to have a glass of wine, who are we to say he is “bad, back-slidden, etc.” and try to argue with them about it? On the other hand, if a professing believer in Christ engages in “sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these,” (Galatians 5:19-21) there is certainly room for discussion!

Having been a youth pastor for many years now, I have learned to “pick my battles.” Dressing in all black doesn’t seem to be up there with sexual immorality. Loud music in a style that isn’t my favorite didn’t make the list of “thou shalt nots.”

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. ³Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. ⁴For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. ⁵There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. Ephesians 4:2 - 6 (NLT)

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PRIORITIZE

We are generally an impatient people. We want to have it now. We want power, recognition and a list of other things that all come from fleshly desires.

This particular verse jumped out at me today. It reminded me of Solomon’s request to God for wisdom in governing His people. Remember, God gave Solomon riches and power as well because his heart was lined up with God’s desires first.

Here’s the verse I was talking about…

King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to live in obedience to the LORD his God. 2 Chronicles 27:6 (NLT)

What is it that you want in your life today? Whatever it is, make sure that you are careful to FIRST live in obedience to the LORD your God. Like my life verse (Matthew 6:33) says,

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UNFATHOMABLE

If we can’t see, taste it, touch it, hear it or smell it, we have a hard time understanding what something is. We are a people that like to have things quantifiable. We respect scientists because they can “prove” things.

Yet, these same principles do not work when it comes to God, the Creator of all that exists including you and me. We must take His Word for things. A former student of mine put it well when he said, “Since creation is past, we cannot prove or disprove anything using the scientific method.” We must simply trust God, or have faith in Him. We must come to the point where we can admit we don’t and can’t know everything that God knows. He is far above us. The upside of that is that He also loves us.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! ³⁴For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? ³⁵Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? ³⁶For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33 - 36 (NASB)

Rest today, in the incredible love of the Almighty God…

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CLEARLY

I am blessed to live in an area where God can clearly be seen. The mountains that surround me on three sides speak of His mighty power. The vast open spaces speak of His eternal nature. He shows His love by providing water from beneath the surface of the earth. God is unmistakably here.

Why then do so many refuse to recognize His presence? How can anyone deny His existence? How can so many that claim to be His followers act as though He were not here? Listen to what Paul has to say to the church at Rome…

¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:18 - 20 (NASB)

We are clearly without excuse and in danger of incurring the wrath of the mighty God who caused a flood to come upon the earth, the same powerful God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone.

Let us instead declare the greatness of God as the songwriter so aptly put it…

O Lord my God when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder; Thy pow'r thru'out the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou art.
How great Thou art. Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art. How great Thou art

When thru the woods and forest glades I wander, and hear the birds
sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die I scarce can take it in. That on the cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home
what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, My God how great Thou art.

© 1941, 1953, 1955 Stuart K. Hine, Renewed 1981 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135) CCLI# 2330071

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BEFORE

Troubles come into everyone’s life at some point or another. So often, we try to fight our own battles rather than trusting in the Lord. Here’s a fantastic passage from God’s Word that shows a better way!

Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD. ⁶He prayed, “O LORD, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 2 Chronicles 20:5 - 6 (NLT)

Then Jahaziel, a prophet of the Lord spoke,

He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15 (NLT)

The response of the King on hearing God’s word was to

WORSHIP…

Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD. 2 Chronicles 20:18 (NLT)

Trusting that God would do what His word had foretold they sang

PRAISES OF THANKSGIVING…

After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!” 2 Chronicles 20:21 (NLT)

The faith they had in God’s word was remarkable. God rewarded their faith

PROMISE was FULIFILLED

²²At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. ²⁴So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:22,24 (NLT)

Trust God with your battles. Listen to His word (the Bible). Worship Him and sing praises of thanksgiving BEFORE you see the results and He will reward your trust in Him.

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RESPONSIBILITY

I have seen discipline in the family change greatly during my lifetime (wow, that makes me sound old!). Spanking used to be part of the parenting “repertoire” but civil liberties or child abuse laws (?) have changed all that.

Is discipline in the church being changed from what God intended as well? Let’s see what Paul has to say in his first letter to the church at Corinth.

¹²It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. ¹³God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12 - 13 (NLT)

The Old Testament reference (“Scriptures”) here is Deuteronomy 17:7. God is talking about someone who violates the covenant He has made with them and in verse 3 of chapter 17 and says, “For instance, they might serve other gods or worship the sun, the moon, or any of the stars—the forces of heaven—which I have strictly forbidden.” He goes on to say, that they should be put to death by stoning! Now that ought to make us extremely grateful for God’s grace!

The last part of verse 7 (Deuteronomy 17) is what Paul has referred to in our main passage for today. It says, “In this way, you will purge the evil from among you.”

Obviously God took evil (sin) among His people seriously and that is the message Paul is trying to convey to the church at Corinth and the Church today. The problem is we tend to overlook things like that because we don’t “want” to offend a particular person. In the end though, we offend God.

¹¹ My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline,

and don’t be upset when he corrects you.

¹² For the LORD corrects those he loves,

just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3:11 - 12 (NLT)

“Wait,” you say, “that is speaking of the LORD’s discipline, not our church.” WHOSE CHURCH? The Church is the body of Christ and Jesus is the head of that body.

We have a responsibility to God to make sure that His body, what we call church, is “clean and pure.”

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EYES

American Idol is a huge smash on television. Now there are other shows coming out where different people (bands, etc.) compete for things like recording contracts and more.

Contests or talent shows like that are nothing new. Ed Sullivan used to showcase different talents. The Miss America Pageant and others like it have been around for years.

If we place ourselves in the spotlight, there are always eyes trained upon us to compare us to others.

There is one set of eyes that I want to please. It has nothing to do with outward appearance or how well I sing, but with my inner most thoughts and desires…

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9a (NLT)

My prayer for you today is that the Lord would strengthen you as He gazes upon a heart that is “sold out” to Him.

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HARMONY

I’ve been a music lover and musician for as long as I can remember. You and I may not have the same taste in music, but we can usually agree on what good harmony is.

When I was going to college, I had to listen to a lot of 20^th Century music that was often devoid of traditional harmony. While I can say it took skill to write, put it all together and perform it, I can say with much more delight that I like sounds that “get along with each other” much better.

I think God feels that way about His children. He prefers us to act together in harmony. Hear these words of Paul:

¹⁰I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NLT)

It reminds me of a tug-of-war contest. If all the people on one side are pulling together and the people on the other side pull when they feel like it, at different times from their other teammates, guess which team is going to win!

We are in a spiritual battle and the forces of darkness in this world seem to be pulling together as they vie for the lives of our young people and those who don’t know the Lord Jesus as their Savior.

Come on Church, unite, live and act in harmony for your ONLY purpose; living a life that is Christ-like, showing others the love of God and leading them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.

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FULFILL

There was some discussion a few days ago on “following the law.” I didn’t mean to imply that the law was bad, only that we were no longer “slaves” to it. The law in it’s entirety pointed out that we are sinful creatures and none of us can keep the law in it’s entirety. Apart from Jesus, we can’t do anything!

Jesus said,

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15 (NASB)

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment in the law was, He replied,

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸“This is the great and foremost commandment. ³⁹“The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37 - 40 (NASB)

For us to follow the myriads of laws, commandments and/or the tradition of the Rabbis we would have to be “brainiacs” to simply remember what they are. Jesus, when He came “fulfilled” the law and we, through Him, may accomplish the same.

Jesus did not set us to thinking about all those little “pieces” of what is considered law, but gave us a one-word prescription…love. Paul summarizes that thought in Romans 13:8-10 (NASB),

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. ⁹For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

So, when we are tempted to do something out of selfishness or to prove we are right or for any other motive than love…we are not merely breaking the law but the heart of Jesus, the One who died a horrible death on the cross for our sin. Love Him and love each other with God’s kind of love. That will fix the problem!

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EVERYTHING

This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24 (NASB)

³³ Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

³⁴ For who can know the LORD’s thoughts?

Who knows enough to give him advice?

³⁵ And who has given him so much

that he needs to pay it back?

³⁶ For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Romans 11:33 - 36 (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT)

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WHICH

There are a lot of people running around these days “modifying” the Bible. Some do it in the name of PC (political correctness) as with the “degenderization” of the scriptures (him = people; her = people, etc.). Still others change God’s Word to suit their fleshly desires (I want to do ________, the bible says it’s wrong, so I’ll re-interpret it to fit my desires).

Paul tells the Corinthians…

⁴For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! 2 Corinthians 11:4 (NKJV) (see also Galatians 1:6-10)

Notice it doesn’t say “receive a different Spirit.” The “s” is in lower case. The Nelson Study Bible (Copyright © 1997 by Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville) has this to say about verse 4:

Another Jesus would be one who was a man but not God, or crucified but not risen. A different spirit would be one of fear, not faith (4:13)—of bondage, not freedom (3:17; see Gal. 5:1). A different gospel would be one of law and not grace, one of works and not faith.

There will be smooth talking preachers who try to lead us down a different path, but it is still our responsibility to stay close to the One True Jesus. His Spirit lives in us and warns us when things are against the Truth. There are no “new revelations.” God’s Word has been around a long time and does not change.

If fear gets in your face…remember

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) ⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

If bondage comes into your life…remember

Romans 6:6 - 7 (NKJV) ⁶knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷For he who has died has been freed from sin.

If people try to tell you that you have to follow the “law”…remember

Romans 6:14 (NKJV) ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Galatians 2:21 (NKJV) ²¹I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

The Gospel is simple…

¹⁶For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

Which Jesus will you believe in, the One in God’s Word, or the one that lets you do whatever you want?

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HOME

Home on the range…

Home is where the heart is…

There’s no place like home…

Home has always been important in our society. That’s where our family lives, where we were brought up and where we feel most comfortable. There is a home I haven’t mentioned that’s even more important…

¹ Lord, through all the generations

you have been our home!

² Before the mountains were born,

before you gave birth to the earth and the world,

from beginning to end, you are God.

Psalms 90:1 - 2 (NLT)

That’s the “home” where our heart should be centered. The Lord God Almighty.

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HE

Today’s WORD is for me and all that have partnered with me in the project that God has set before us called, The SPRING Student Center. It is also for you because God sets projects before us all.

We can all become bogged down in the details of the work or discouraged because something didn’t go the way we thought it should. In the following passage from First Chronicles, David is warning his son Solomon about that discouragement…

Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly. 1 Chronicles 28:20 (NLT)

God is with you and me as we go about His work. Notice, David says, HE will not fail you...that He is God almighty. HE will not forsake you…that He is God almighty. HE will see that the work is finished, and may I point out the word correctly. God will see to it that His plans, His projects are completed correctly.

So how can any of us get discouraged when it is God working through us that is not only the planner or architect of the project, but the general contractor and building inspector!

I think that when we get discouraged we need to go back to verse 28 in this same chapter where David was telling his son the background and requirements for success and encouragement.

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. ¹⁰So take this seriously. The LORD has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.” 1 Chronicles 28:9 - 10 (NLT)

1. Know God intimately

2. Worship God

3. Serve God

4. Seek God

We are to do these things with a willing mind and all of our heart or inner desire. So, what’s the answer?

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and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

CERTAIN

Not too many things in life are guaranteed. Special sales can disappoint. New cars may break and need repair. That new computer may not even start up when you take it out of the box. You’ve heard people talk about a “sure thing” in regards to horse races and that does not always work out.

One thing is certain though, God loves us. Because of this love, all the other things that God has shared with us in His Word are a certainty. For example, He has promised us eternal life if we believe in His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Look at the following and see how Paul put it in his letter to the church at Rome:

¹⁶So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

¹Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 4:16, 5:1 (NLT)

If you want a “sure thing,” trust in God. Look at His Word and see what other promises and certainties that you can count on.

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FAITH

We want to believe we can accomplish something on our own that is worthy, that we are good because we try hard. The reality is the only “good” thing we can do is trust in God.

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. Romans 4:5 (NLT)

The problem is if someone does not believe in God, we have to love them, understanding that they cannot hear or understand the things of God. Only then, as we love them, will they “see” Jesus in us and, by His grace, believe.

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. ⁸ Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin.” Romans 4:7 - 8 (NLT) (Greek version of Psalms 32:1-2; Hebrew says, “cleared of guilt”)

We need to realize that we owe it ALL to Jesus. Perhaps then we won’t be so judgmental, harsh or even cruel to non-Christians. If someone trusts us, they may take a serious look at what we believe and come to know Christ for them.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8 - 9 (NASB)

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