New Picture

Sandie and me at the Crab Shack, 'bout to eat some good seafood.

Chonda Pierce

Some 'stability' for your Saturday. Enjoy Chonda Pierce's rendition of "The Three Little Pigs".

How To Grow

The parting thought yesterday was to keep growing in Christ. As their spiritual father, Paul now tells the Corinthians [and us] how to grow in I Corinthians 3.
1. You Can Grow When You Quit Acting Like Immature Children 3:1-4
As we said yesterday, there is nothing wrong with being a baby--we all were one at one time. The problem is when you stay a baby Christian all your life. Get the bottle out of your mouth and start eating meat.
2. You Can Grow When You Worship The Lord, Not the Leaders 3:5-9
Recall, some of these Corinthians had their own favorite preachers (1:10-13ff). Some preferred Paul's preaching over Apollos' preaching. Some liked Peter best. But here, Paul brings out the fact that the ministers all work together ( I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.) Paul said focus on God, not the leader.
3. You Can Grow When You Continue To Build on the Foundation of Jesus 3:10-12
4. You Can Grow When You Realize There is a Day of Inspection 3:13-15
For Christians, there will be a judgment day (2 Cor.5:10). This is the Judgment Seat of Christ that will take place immediately following the rapture.
5. You Can Grow When You Know God Lives Within You 3:16-17
Paul says you need to get something straight--put your hand on your chest--that's where God lives. In the O.T. he dwelt in the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle, and later Solomon's Temple. That's where God hung out. Today, He hangs out in believers' hearts. The Holy Spirit does not come for an occasional visit. He is a permanent resident to make believers holy. We tell our kids to quit running in the sanctuary. To be theologically correct we should be telling the little sanctuaries to quit running in the building. And when we realize that God lives in our hearts and not a building, then we'll begin to grasp this and begin to grow.
6. You Can Grow When You Adjust Your Attitude 3:18-23
Now, start growing in Jesus!

Carnality

Today we read 1 Corinthians 2. We looked at some of the background information yesterday and noted that Paul said they had no excuse for their sinful behavior. In chapter two, spilling over into chapter three, Paul puts his finger on a problem that is still plaguing the church today. The church is made up of three kinds of people.
1. The Natural Man 2:14
This would be the non-Christian. It's a picture of an unsaved man who has been conceived in sin and shaped by iniquity. A natural man doesn't have the Spirit of God dwelling in him. Two characteristics to note: a) No Appreciation for Spiritual Things-- They do not receive or accept or embrace spiritual things. b) No Comprehension of Spiritual Things-- He not only doesn't appreciate them, he doesn't even understand them. When a lost person is on the church roll, count on problems and major headaches.
2. The Spiritual Man 2:15-16
Here Paul puts forth the spiritual man as the objective standard for all of us to follow. He is capable of discerning spiritual things, because he has the mind of Christ. He is saved and Christ dwells within him.
3. The Carnal Man 3:1-3
The major characteristic of a carnal man is immaturity. Nothing wrong with being a baby. We all start there--physically and spiritually. When one is born again, he begins his Christian journey as a babe in Christ. Nothing wrong with that. But there is something wrong when a person has been a Christian for 20-30-40-50 years and he or she is still a babe in Christ. And like number one, when a church is full of carnal Christians, expect problems and major headaches. Let me list a few characteristics of a carnal Christian:

A. Babyish: 3:2-3: Self-centered and selfish. Their phrase is "I've got to get my needs met." My question is "when are you going to grow up and start meeting someone else's needs?"
B. Bitterness: (envy) 3:3. This was part of the Corinthian problem and division (see 1:10ff).
C. Battling: (strife) 3:3. Some folks are just born battlers, always in a squabble. If you see someone who always likes to fight in church, you're looking at a carnal person.
D. Brokenness (division) 3:3. Not broken in the spiritual/good sense (like broken over your sins) but in a bad sense--one who is always seeking ways to cause division within the church. This is one who is always seeking a way to cause a break in the fellowship.
E. Barrenness: 3:3 "ye walk as mere men", In other words, you act like you are not even saved. Paul says I look at you and I see a barren fruit tree...no fruit, just like a lost man-barren.

One parting question and thought: How old are you in Christ? 5-10-20-30-40-50 years? Then act your age and keep growing in Christ.

No Excuse

Imagine this: The 'First Baptist Church of Corinth' calls you to be their pastor. They tell you, "Come be our pastor, but we want to let you know that we've got a few problems. First of all, we've got four different groups/factions here--four different cliques all fighting each other within the church. We've got a man who has taken up with his step-mama and they are living together. We've got lawsuits pending within the church. We've got people living immoral lives. We've got some saying you can't get married. We've got another group getting drunk at the Lord's Supper. We've got another group speaking in tongues and flaunting their gifts. We've got another group who doesn't believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. Other than that, we've got a pretty good church...will you come and be our pastor?" Yea, you betcha. They couldn't pay me enough to go and pastor a church like that. Yet, all of these are the problems and sins that were taking place at the church of Corinth. And these will be the problems Paul tackles in this letter to them.
The city of Corinth had over a half a million people and was located on a narrow isthums. It had two ports and thus was a major sea port in that day. We all know about sailor, sea port towns. They had a XXX section of town. The city was morally corrupt. In fact, the phrase "Corinthianize" was coined there. It meant to live lewdly, to behave like a Corinthian, to live like a prostitute.
Now pay close attention to what Paul said in the opening of his letter. "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus." 1:2. Geographically these Christians were AT Corinth, but spiritually they are IN Christ. Paul is removing any possible excuses for the sin in their church (which he will proceed to address in this letter). They couldn't excuse their sin because of the wicked geographical location of their church. And neither can you or me. You can't say, "Well, I let a four letter word slip today because of all these rough necks I work with." No! You may work in an awful place, but dear Christian you are IN Christ Jesus. And mark it: "sanctified in Christ Jesus", that is, set apart. You are in the world but not of the world and you can not use the world as an excuse for your sins, because regardless of where you are geographically, spiritually you are in Christ. Therefore, be a light in this dark world and shine for Jesus!
Trivia Question to think on:
Corinth is the most sinful, carnal church in all of the Bible. Why do churches today name themselves "The First Baptist Church of Corinth"?

Speech Therapy

Paul closes his epistle to the Romans with some final greetings and a final warning. This warning is found in 16:17-20. Here Paul makes one final theological application to his first main point of the letter: All men are sinners. Paul says to "note those who cause divisions..." "mark them", in other words, keep your eye on them; identify them, and "avoid them." Paul was warning these "simple" i.e., "sincere", "innocent", "unsuspecting" Roman Christians to watch out for those who go around dividing churches with their false gospel, false doctrine, and false information.
Today, a rock solid church may be on guard against a false gospel and false doctrine, but that's when Satan is sneaky. He then uses 'false information' to divide a church, in other words "gossip". Gossip is an extremely painful sin that destroys lives and the life of a church. And gossip does not necessarily mean false information. You can injure people with the truth as well. Proverbs 11:13 says, "A talebearer reveals secrets (to hurt someone), but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter." And just as Paul instructed us to avoid such people, the writer of Proverbs admonishes us as well, "He who goes about as a tale bearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips." (Prov.20:19).
Prayer:
"Lord, help me to be on guard against anyone who causes divisions in my church. And help me to avoid them in all possible ways. Lord help me to not be like divisive people, because they are a slave to their own desires. They are not true servants to Jesus Christ, because they hurt people with their words. Lord Jesus I pray that my speech will always be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that I may know how to answer each one. In Your name I pray, Amen."

Prayer

Today's devotional reading comes from Romans 15. What Paul will do here (and tomorrow in ch.16) is wrap up with some future plans. The verses I us want to meditate on today are 15:30-33. Here, Paul begs for their prayers. Remember, at the time of writing this letter, Paul is in Corinth making preparation to go back to Jerusalem. And you will recall from our book of Acts devotions, there was much trouble awaiting Paul in Jerusalem. And through that entire ordeal, Paul ended up a prisoner and that is how he eventually made it to Rome--in Roman custody. I am convinced that what protected Paul and eventually got him to Rome is found right here. Here he asked them to pray for:
1. His Safety v.31a
2. His Success v.31b
3. His Satisfaction v.32
(Go back and read these two verses.)
It's interesting that Paul began this letter telling the Romans that he prayed for them (ch.1:9-10), and now he closes the letter asking them to pray for him. I am convinced that the greatest yet simplest thing we can do for the Kingdom of God is PRAY. And yet therein lies the problem. It's so simple that we pass over it and neglect it. We say to people, "Well the least I can do for you is pray." No! That's the greatest thing you can do! What greater thing can you do than to reach up to the strong arm of Almighty God and ask Him to intervene in someone's situation? That is the greatest thing you can do! Prayer is vitally important. Think about it. Search the Gospels and you'll see, Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, but He did teach them how to pray. So let's pray for each other and not neglect this great privilege.
Closing prayer:
"Heavenly Father, I pray for all those that read this each day. I pray for their protection and Your provision in their lives. I pray that You would give them discernment so they can discern Your will for their lives. I pray that You would give them quality time to spend with You so that they can be restored and renewed each day. I pray that You will supply all of their needs today, and that You will strengthen their faith. Help them Lord to endure through any trials that, in the end, will only serve to strengthen their faith. Thank You for their willingness to serve and the sacrifices they make. Father, may You complete the good work that You began in their lives till the Day of Jesus Christ. In the powerful name of Jesus I pray, Amen."

World's Youngest Preacher

Check out this young preacher. He's too cute. Click on link below and enjoy.

www.apostoliclive

Life Transformation

When we began Romans we stated that it is probably the most practical, logical, systematic presentation of the Gospel in all of the Bible. Let's review, and I think you will agree.

1. DOCTRINAL: THE GOSPEL OF GOD; The Revelation of the Righteousness of God [ch.1-8]
[The principals of the Gospel]
2. DISPENSATIONAL: THE GOSPEL & ISRAEL; Vindication of the Righteousness of God [9-11]
[God's provision for Israel]
3. DUTIFUL: THE GOSPEL LIVED OUT; The Application of the Righteousness of God [12-16]
[The practice of the Gospel]

And today, we begin that final section where we now live out those principles of the gospel. This section answers the question: "Now that I'm saved, does God care how I live?" And Paul's answer is "Absolutely!" The Gospel produces a Life of Transformation (ch.12), a Life of Subjection (ch.13), and a Life of Consideration (14-15:13).
Want to know God's will? Paul gives us 3 keys in 12:1-2.
1. A Yielded Life: "present your bodies a living sacrifice..."
2. A Separated Life: "And do not be conformed to this world..."
3. A Transformed Life: "but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

Prayer: "Lord Jesus, I dedicate my body to You, as Paul pleaded with all believers to do. Because of Your mercy, I offer myself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to You; I will not allow myself to be conformed to the principles of this world. But I will let my mind be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and put into practice the principles of the Gospel. Then, I will discover Your will for my life, which will glorify You. Thank You Jesus for this life changing transformation. In Your name I pray, Amen."

Israel's Restoration

Romans 11: Israel's Future--Their Restoration by God.
"Has God cast away His people? God forbid!" You students of prophecy, that verse (11:1) should be underlined in your Bible, because many people teach that God is finished with Israel. They say that the church is now the recipient of the blessings that were promised to Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth. God is not through with Israel, and Romans 11 throws a deathblow to this bogus theology. Paul takes the time in this chapter to prove that God is not finished with Israel by calling five witnesses to the stand to prove there is a future in God's plan for the Jews. I'll just list them for you.
1. Paul Himself 11:1
2. The Prophet Elijah 11:2-10
3. The Gentiles 11:11-15
4. The Patriarchs 11:16-24
5. God Himself 11:25-36
And so, we close this section (9-11) knowing that God has proven Himself to the Jews. He chose them sovereignly, deals with them equitably, and promises He will not give up on them eternally. Thus, the question we began this section with: "What about the Jews? They were sovereignly chosen by God. Now they've rejected Him. Are they separated from His love? Are they lost? And if so, what hope do WE have? If they were once God's chosen people and are no longer walking with Him, what chance do we Gentiles have?" Answer: God has NOT given up on them! After the rapture, God will once again turn His attention to His chosen people. And their restoration gives us the assurance of Romans 8 "nothing can separate us from the love of God!" Amen!

More Pictures

More Pictures: Amanda and VaRanda at Daytona

Vacation

Sweetie and Me in Daytona, FL

Just now getting around to posting a vacation picture.
Trivia:
On Monday July 21st of 2008, we rolled into Orlando, Florida just a little after noon, the very city I was born in on a Monday July 21, 1964 at high noon (according to my mother). I haven't been to Orlando in quite a few years and boy has it changed. And I surely can't imagine what it was like 44 years ago. Anyway, just some trivia for inquiring minds.

Equal Opportunity Savior

In Romans 10, we look at Israel's present condition and her rejection of God. Here, Paul points out that God's present dealings with Israel shows His equity. Truly, God is an equal opportunity Savior as seen in those famous verses of 10:9-10. These two famous verses are preceded by an introductory verse we overlook (v.8). Here Paul says "...the word is near you...is most accessible, thus the Savior is most accessible. This is what we preach that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you SHALL be saved!" The emphasis is on the Lord Jesus, that is, on His deity. "O Israel, believe that the Jesus of the NT is Yahweh of the OT. Believe that the babe of Bethlehem is the resurrected Lord of glory." It's faith in those two great miracles: The Incarnation that says Christ came down from heaven and the Resurrection that tells us that Christ came up from the dead.
Believing in that...believing that Christ came and fulfilled the Law, that He is the sinless Son of God and became a man, and became sin for us, died in our place and rose again proving that He has completed His salvation work, and God was satisfied--FAITH IN CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE--that's what brings salvation! And this, Paul says, is the remedy for Israel's rejection. Remember the question from yesterday, "what about the Jews? They've rejected God and now God has turned from them...then what hope do we Gentiles have?" And Paul would answer, "Yes, they have rejected Christ, but Christ is their remedy, just as He is your remedy." Today, God is offering salvation to the Jew on exactly the same terms as the Gentile, and He makes no national difference at all. "All have sinned" (remember that was Paul's first main point in this letter) and All can be saved, if they will just believe. There is no distinction between Jew and Gentile either in the matter of sin or in the manner of salvation. Remember our little motto to underline the theme of this chapter: "Our God is an Equal Opportunity Savior!"
Have you called upon Him as Savior and Lord? (v.13). If I could take Jesus out of my heart and put Him into your heart for just five seconds, you would believe. But I can't do that. You have to receive Him personally, on your own. It's a personal choice that I wish you would make today before it's eternally too late.

Burden for the Lost

Up to this point in Romans, Paul has taught us the fundamental doctrine of salvation (ch.1-8). We've learned about justification and sanctification. Now as we move into this next section (ch.9-11), Paul teaches us about vindication. Here Paul will explain the unbelief of Israel and vindicate the faithfulness of God in His dealings with Israel.

Here, Paul anticipates this question: "Paul, you say that we are saved by the grace of God, justified freely by His grace, and that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God....then how come the Jews, who were sovereignly chosen by God, have rejected this message and have been (seemingly) rejected by God? If God was not faithful to the Jews, how do we know He will be faithful to the church? Are they separated from His love? Are they lost? And if so, what hope do WE have?"

Very good questions. The very character of God was at stake. So before Paul moves on to the application of our salvation (ch.12-16), he must deal with the vindication of God's faithfulness (ch.9-11). Now these three chapters break down as follows:

Ch.9: Israel's Past: Their Election by God--God's past dealings with Israel shows His sovereignty.
Ch.10: Israel's Present: Their Rejection of God--God's present dealings with Israel shows His equity. Truly God is an equal opportunity Savior, because He still gives Gentiles an invitation to salvation, while giving the Jews the same opportunity.
Ch.11: Israel's Future: Their Restoration by God--God's future dealings with Israel shows His integrity.
In closing out for today, I call your attention back to 9:1-3. Note that Paul had a heavy burden for his people. His heart's desire and prayer was for Israel to be saved (see also 10:1). Do you have a heavy burden for the lost? Is your heart's desire for your family, friends, co-workers, classmates to be saved? Let's pray.
Prayer: "Lord Jesus, I pray that You will give me a burden for the salvation of my lost family and friends like Paul had for his Jewish family and friends. Lord I pray that what breaks Your heart will break my heart. So Lord, I pray that You will begin to work in the heart and lives of my lost family and friends, and then use me as an instrument in Your hand to witness and share with them of Your great saving love. Father embolden me to proclaim Your gospel. Fill me with Your Spirit. Jesus, in Your name I pray, Amen."

Victory in the Spirit

Paul began talking about his second main point, sanctification, in Romans 6. Today he concludes that thought in ch.8. Romans 6 introduces us to sanctification: putting into practice what we already are in position--(justification ch.1-5). Romans 7 is about defeat. Paul knew he was justified but questioned why he didn't act like it. He struggled with sin just like we do, and when one struggles, that indicates defeat. Paul concluded ch.7 with this question: "Who will deliver me from this body of death?"(7:24). The key word in that question is "who". Paul answers his own question in 7:25, "I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord..." The 'who' is Jesus. Who will deliver me? Not, 'what will deliver me?' It's not a 12 step program or a support group (and those may have their place), but WHO will deliver me? Jesus Christ. That's answer-part one. Answer part two is found in Romans 8. Who will deliver me...? The Holy Spirit! Romans 8 begins with "no condemnation" and ends with "no separation". Ch.8 is about victory through the Holy Spirit. Let's pray back to God those early verses of ch.8.

Prayer: "Lord, now there is no condemnation against me, because I am in Christ Jesus. The power of the life-giving Holy Spirit is mine through Christ Jesus. Jesus I thank you for sending the Holy Spirit for He has released me from the compulsive cycle of sin and lust of my old nature. Now I can obey Your laws by following the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life, and refusing the lust of my old nature. Thank You Jesus for saving me from the penalty of sin, and thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to deliver me from the power of sin daily in my life. It's in Your powerful name I pray, Amen."

Sanctification

I was away from my computer yesterday, so today we take up Romans 6-7 and Monday we will look at Romans 8. All three of these chapters deal with Sanctification, Paul's next main point in this letter. The best way to describe sanctification is to compare it with justification.
Romans 3:21-5:21............ Romans 6:1-8:39
JUSTIFICATION............... SANCTIFICATION
1. Saved from the penalty of sin... 1. Being saved from the power of sin.
2. Past Tense............................... 2. Present Tense.
3. Is a declarative act of God........ 3. Is a progressive act of God.
4. Positional Truth....................... 4. Practical Truth.
5. Our position in Christ............... 5. Putting into practice our position.
6. Saving faith.............................. 6. Practicing faith.
7. Gets us into heaven................. 7. Sanctification gets heaven into us.
8. End result of is salvation...... 8. End result is obedience and holiness.

Quotes:
"Holiness starts where justification finishes, and if holiness does not start, we have the right to suspect that justification never started either." [Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans, vol.3]

"Salvation is not only a transaction, but a transformation..." [John MacArthur, Romans, vol.1]

Benefits of Justification

Romans 5. Paul has been expounding on his first main point: Justification. He has described and defined it. And, as we saw yesterday, he illustrated it with Abraham. Now he brings this topic to a close in ch.5 as he prepares to move to his next topic: sanctification (ch.6-8). In this chapter (5), Paul discusses the Benefits of Justification (5:1-11) and then the Basis of Justification (5:12-21). Let's just look at the Benefits for today's devotion.

Benefits of Justification:
1. Peace With God 5:1
"Therefore, having been justified by faith..." That one phrase summarizes Paul's entire argument of ch.1-4. "We have [benefit #1] peace with God." We were enemies with God (v.10), but now are at peace with God as a result of justification by faith. The war is over. The arms of rebellion have been laid down. This speaks of a new relationship that exist between God and those who place their faith in Him. To have peace with God means to be in a relationship with God in which all the hostility caused by sin has been removed.
2. Access To God 5:2
The Jew was kept from God's presence by the veil in the Temple, and the Gentile was kept out by a wall in the Temple courtyard with a warning that read: 'if any Gentile went beyond this point he would be killed.' But when Jesus died, He tore the veil (Luke 23:45) and broke down the wall (Eph.2:14). Now, in Christ, believing Jews and Gentiles have access to God, and we can draw on the inexhaustible riches of His grace.
3. Glorious Hope 5:2b
"Peace with God" takes care of the past. The war is over. "Access to God" takes care of the present; "hope of the glory of God" takes care of the future. One day we'll stand in His glory!
4. Christian Character 5:3-4
Justification is no escape from the trials of life. Jesus said, "In this world ye shall have tribulation." (John 16:33). But for the believer, trials work for him and not against him. Suffering builds Christian, Christ-like character.
Prayer:
"Lord Jesus, now that I am declared right with You by faith, I can experience lasting peace. Since my faith in Jesus, I can enter Your grace, I can boast of looking forward to Your glory. Also, I can rejoice in my sufferings, knowing they work patience in my life. And patience produces endurance and when I endure, I get Your approval which gives me hope. Thank You Jesus for pouring Your love into my heart by the Holy Spirit whom You gave me. In Your Name I pray, Amen."

Here's a few more to think on...
5. God's Love 5:5-8
6. Salvation From Future Wrath 5:9-10
7. Reconciliation With God 5:11

Justification Demonstrated

Romans 4. Yesterday, Paul defined justification (ch.3). Today he demonstrates it, that is, he gives us an Old Testament illustration of justification (ch.4). Here Paul proves that God always justifies people by faith. [An important thing to note here is the fact that Jewish rabbis always took their arguments back to Abraham.] So Paul, as a Hebrew of Hebrews who used to be a Pharisee himself (see Phil.3:4-6), will utilize this strategy for his defense, "For what does Scriptures say?" (4:3) That's a good lesson for you and me. Whenever we are asked for a moral, ethical, or eternal answer, we should always ask, 'What do the Scriptures say?' 'What does the Bible say?' The Bible is our final authority. It's not what I think or you think. It's what GOD SAYS! Period!

So, what does the Scripture saying concerning justification?
1. Abraham's Faith Was Apart From Works 4:1-8
When was Abraham saved? When God called him from the land of Ur of the Chaldees? When he took his son Isaac up Mount Moriah? No! God declared Abraham righteous when he simply believed God! When is a man saved? When he follows God's call obediently? Or when he offers himself sacrificially? No! A man is saved when he simply says, "Lord, I believe You. I believe what Your Word says, that when I believe in You, turn from my sins and trust in You, then I'm saved and secure!"
2. Abraham's Faith Was Apart From Circumcision 4:9-12
Justification didn't come to Abraham by faith plus circumcision. He believed God before he was ever circumcised. Circumcision did not confer righteousness. It confirmed righteousness. So too, you can be baptized a dozen times but it won't save you if you don't believe in your heart that the work was already done on the cross and that the price is already paid. It's not about your performance. It's what He's already performed. It's not faith plus something. It's faith in Christ and faith alone.
3. Abraham's Faith Was Apart From The Law 4:13-16
Instead it is by grace. Shall we say any more?
4. The Nature of Abraham's Faith 4:17-25
Paul closes with an Analysis of Abraham's Faith (vss.17-22), and the Application of Abraham's Faith (vss.23-25). In fact, let's apply vss.23-25 in a closing prayer:
Prayer:
"Lord, I know this kind of faith wasn't for Abraham alone, but it is also for me; You will accept me as You accepted Abraham. I too believe Your promises that just as You brought Jesus back from the dead, You will forgive all my sins and declare me righteous before You. Jesus, in your powerful name I pray, Amen."

Sin--Salvation

OUR PROBLEM: 3:1-20,23
Romans 3. Thus far, Paul has been building his case that all men are sinners and under the wrath of God. He dealt with the Pagan Man, the Moral Man, the Jewish Man, and now he'll drive his point home: ALL men are sinners! "There is none righteous, no not one....there is none who does good, no not one....for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." That's our problem. We are sinners. Understand, we're not sinners because we sin. We sin because we're sinners. We're not liars because we lie. We lie because we're liars. We're not gossipers because we gossip. We gossip because we're gossipers. You get the picture. We miss the mark. We have all sinned (past tense), and continue to fall short (present tense) of the glory of God. Our nature is sin-sin nature. A dog barks because he is a dog--that's his nature. A cow moos because he is a cow--that's his nature. And we sin because we're sinners by nature. Thus we need divine intervention.

GOD'S PLAN: 3:21-31
Now Paul moves to his next point: Justification. What is justification? It is the divine act where God declares one righteous. An easy way to remember what it means is to say: "Justification--'Just-as-if-I am-righteous.'" In other words, when you place your faith in Christ, He places His righteousness in you. And unless He does that, we're lost-without hope. So, if anyone is to be justified, God Himself must graciously supply the righteousness needed for acquittal. And that is accomplished only by His shed blood and appropriated by faith alone. Christ has already shed His blood and purchased your redemption. Now, have you appropriated that righteousness by faith? If not, please pray:

Prayer: "Lord, I know I am a sinner for You have revealed that to me. Lord I admit that I have sinned against You, and I now repent of my sin and ask that You forgive me and have mercy on me. Lord Jesus, by faith I now receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for dying on the cross for me and for saving me today. I ask You right now to be my Savior and Lord. Please come into my life and take control, and make me the kind of person You want me to be. Thank You for giving me eternal life. Jesus, in Your name I pray. Amen."

Judge Not

Today's reading Romans 2. Paul has given us his thesis in 1:16. Then he began to establish his first main point that all men are sinners. He started with the perverted gentiles-the Pagan Man (1:18-32). Now in chapter two he points out that the Moral Man (2:1-16) and the Religious Man (2:17-29) are sinners as well. What should get our attention is 2:1. The self righteous Moral Man, at this point, would protest that he does not commit the vulgar sins of the Perverted Pagan of ch.1. But the key word here is 'inexcusable'. Paul is saying, "Have you ever criticized anyone for anything? Then you are without excuse, because your criticism arises from the fact that you have a conscience, which now recognizes sin in another, because it (your conscience) is aware of the existence of sin in self." In other words, the very fact that you can detect sin in another proves your own sin fallen condition. It takes a sinner to recognize a sinner. And Paul is saying that in the very act of condemning others, you automatically condemn yourself, because you're guilty of doing the same things. Even psychologist will tell you that people tend to criticize in others the negative traits that they themselves are guilty of. Psychologist call this "projection".
But we better be careful, for when God judges, He looks not only at the act itself, but also the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking into our hearts. And Jesus said, "With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." Matt.7:2. Who of us would dare to stand before God and say, "My God, judge me as I have judged others"? We have judged others as sinners--(which we forget, we are too)--and if God should judge us in the same way, we would be condemned to hell. But thank God, He judges us on the basis of the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ. [Oswald Chambers].
Prayer:
"Lord, I have no excuse for my personal sin, because I criticize others who do the same sin. Lord, in judging others, I condemn myself because they behave no differently than I do. Lord forgive me of my judgmental spirit, and I thank You for judging me on the basis of the miraculous atonement of the Cross of Jesus Christ, in whom I have placed my faith. In Jesus Name, Amen."

Romans

Romans is probably the most practical, logical, systematic presentation of the Gospel in all the Bible. Paul wrote it: 1) to teach them (and us) the fundamental doctrine of salvation--ch.1-8. 2) to explain the unbelief of Israel and vindicate the faithfulness of God in His dealings with Israel--ch.9-11, and 3) to give practical instruction concerning Christian living--ch.12-16. Paul's theme is simply the Gospel of God, and his thesis statement can be found in 1:16-17. Then, in the first three chapters, Paul establishes his first main point: All men are sinners. And in today's reading, at the end of the chapter, he takes up the first type of fallen man: The Pagan Man-The Heathen, 1:18-32. (In ch.2-3, he'll deal with: The Moral Man-The Hypocrite, and The Religious Man-The Hebrew. All 3 groups need salvation, for all have sinned and fallen short...3:23).

And it's the Gospel that has the power to save fallen man (1:16). Paul's absolute confidence in the Gospel is based on three things:
1. Based on the Gospel's Supremacy: "not ashamed" --Paul knows it to be far superior to any religion or philosophy ever known on earth. The world in Paul's day was dominated by three lines of thought: a) Greek logic. b) Roman law. c) Hebrew light. But all paled before the Gospel. In the face of all three, Paul could say "I am not ashamed of the Gospel...."
2. Based on the Gospel's Sufficiency: "It is the power of God unto salvation..." You see, this world does not need a better system of education, or more social reform, or more political solutions, or new ideas. It needs what it has always needed--the Gospel!
3. Based on the Gospel's Simplicity: "It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes." Could anything be more simpler than that? The Gospel call is to a simple trust in God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as personal Savior from sin.

Prayer:
"Lord, Paul planned to see the Romans soon so that he could minister to them just as he had to others. And Lord, like Paul, I am ready to proclaim the Gospel to any and all. Lord, I am not ashamed of the Good News of Jesus Christ, for it is powerful to get people to believe so they can be saved. Lord help me to always share this life changing Gospel in a clear and simple way. And when I do, I know that Your Word will not return void. In Jesus Name, Amen."

Quote:
"Religions are man's search for God; the Gospel is God's search for man. There are many religions, but one Gospel."
--E. Stanley Jones

Can Do

Today we complete the book of Acts. Paul has finally arrived at Rome as a prisoner. Here, he would remain under house arrest for two years. We have now seen how the Gospel spread from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost part of the world. Now may we continue that which was begun by the first century saints--continue to preach the gospel to all the world.

Tomorrow we begin the great book of Romans. Paul had already written the letter to the Romans. He wrote it while he was staying in Corinth for three months (way back in Acts 20:1-3). Way back then, Paul wanted to go to Rome so bad, but his plans always seemed to be frustrated. But understand this. Paul's frustration back then was God's orchestration. Because of God's hindering, we now have the Book of Romans. Back then, Paul didn't give up and throw up his hands because of what he couldn't do. Instead, he did what he could do. He picked up his pen and began to write the greatest explanation of the gospel we have in one letter--the Book of Romans.

That's a good lesson for you and me. A lot times we focus on what we can't do. "Man I want to go there and be a part of that ministry." Or, "I want to go to that church and lead that ministry; but I'm prevented. I'm hindered from doing so."-- And we end up focusing on what we can't do, rather than focusing on what we CAN DO! We should be saying, "I may not be able to go to Africa, but I can work with the children in RA's or GA's." Or, "I can go to the homeless shelter and work with them one week." Or, "I can work in the jail ministry." Or, "I can visit the sick and shut-ins of my church." The key to being successful in ministry is NOT focus on what you cannot do, but to concentrate on that which you CAN DO! Problems for Paul always became opportunities. For example, now while Paul sits in custody in Rome for two years, guess what he does? He pulls out his pen and parchment and writes the letters of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Again, focusing on what he could do, not what he couldn't do.

So the next portion of our reading for next few months will be the Epistles of Paul, beginning with the great Epistle to the Romans. Hope you're looking forward to it. I know I am. God bless.

Storm Stories

Acts 28:1-15. Just as God had promised, everyone survived the storm. Not one soul was lost. Which today does bring me to the topic of storms. There are two basic types of storms in our lives. There are Storms of Correction and Storms of Perfection. Storms of Correction blow into our lives when we are out of the will of God. Just ask old Jonah about Storms of Correction. He was disobedient, rebellious, and running from the will of God. Thus, he found himself in a Storm of Correction. Sometimes we, like Jonah, find ourselves rebellious and running. Then God blows up a Storm of Correction to get us back on track.
Then there are Storms of Perfection, where God continues to perfect us and conform us into the image of His Son. I think about the disciples in Matthew 14. Jesus put them in a boat and sent them to the other side of the lake while He went up the mountain to pray. Now let me ask you, did Jesus know that He was sending them into a storm? Absolutely! Had the disciples done anything wrong? No. It was a storm to perfect their faith. If you are in a Storm of Perfection right now, you can mark it down, God knows where you are--He sent you there to perfect your faith.
Well, what kind of storm is this that we read of in Acts 27? May I suggest to you that it is a Storm of Direction. God knew He was taking Paul to Rome. But God also knew there were people on the island of Malta who needed to hear the gospel. So the Lord blew Paul and the crew off course for this to happen. God changed their direction. Sometimes God has to blow storms into our lives to change our direction in order to minister to someone whom, otherwise, we would have never ministered to.
Storms of Correction, Storms of Perfection and Storms of Direction--how can you know which one you are in? Improve your meteorological skills. How do you do that? Pray. Talk to your heavenly Father. Listen. Stay in His Word and listen to His voice--His Word, and walk in the Spirit daily. Be submitted to the Lord, and He will reveal to you what it is you need to know in the storm. Remember, He's the Master of the Sea.

Believe God

Acts 27. Paul always desired to go to Rome, and now he is on his way, traveling on an all expense paid voyage courtesy of the Roman Department of Corrections. As you know, Paul is a state prisoner of the Roman Empire. God's ways are not always our ways (see Isaiah 55:8-9). Now Paul warned them not to sail (v.10) because the time was a bad time to sail. It was coming up on winter because "the Fast was already over"--meaning the Day of Atonement which was in October. The dangerous time for sailing the Mediterranean ran from about mid-September to mid-November or even later. Paul knew something about sailing. He had been shipwrecked three times and had spent an entire day and night in the open ocean (2 Cor.11:25). So he was more than qualified to give them advice. But the centurion believed the master and owner of the ship (v.11). Contrast that with Paul's words in v.25 "take heart, men, for I BELIEVE God..." Note, Paul didn't say that he believed in God, and most certainly he did. But it says, "I believe God." In other words, Paul believed what God SAID, that all would be safe and that all would make it to Rome (v.24). Bottom line: Paul believed God's Word. The centurion had believed in man's word (v.11). Who's word do you believe in? Man's word or God's Word? Now let's glean a few more lessons.
Lessons on how NOT to know God's will:
1. Be impatient.
The sailors were impatient. It was not the season for sailing, but these guys wanted to get on with their journey. Are you impatient? Slow down. Wait on the Lord. The Bible says that "Whoever believes will not act hastily." (Isaiah 28:16).
2. Take a vote.
The centurion said, "Okay Paul, I hear what you're saying, but I also hear the owner, the captain and the crew," and thus Paul was outvoted. God is not an American. The Kingdom of God is not a democracy--it's a Theocracy. When we make decisions relating to the Kingdom on a democratic basis, we're in a heap of trouble. Just ask Moses. The first time a vote was ever taken in the Bible, the 10 spies outvoted the two and Israel wandered for 40 years. Do you know what a vote does? It intentionally creates division. And yet that's the process the church has decided to use in decision making. We need to know what the heart of God IS--not what the majority SAYS!
3. Test the winds.
"The answer is blowing in the wind," may be true for Bob Dylan, but it's not true for you and me as believers. "The south wind blew softly..." (v.13).It often does. "supposing that they had obtained their desire"... they pushed on (v.13b). How often we make this mistake. Beware when the south wind blows softly, especially when it blows in the teeth of advice given by a man who is in touch with God (as Paul was in this case). Too many have been lured away by the south wind. Let the Word of God, not circumstances alone, steer you into God's will.
4. Seek Comfort.
The sailors sought ease. They wanted to get to Phoenix (v.12) and winter there. Why? Because 'it was happening' in Phoenix. There were lots of restaurants, movie theaters, night time adult entertainment in this city. You get the idea. It was a sailors city. "Why should we stay here? We're only sixty eight miles from Phoenix. That's where it's happening. Let's sail on." When we try to discern God's will, we sometimes ask, like these sailors, "where is it most comfortable? Where is it the easiest?" Instead of asking, "What does the Lord know will be the best for me?"

And you probably thought we were going to talk about the storms of life. Well, that's another sermon for another day. God bless.

Fishing Opportunities

Today's NT reading is Acts 26. Now Paul gets to speak before Agrippa and Festus, or better, he gets to give a reason for the hope that is within him (an apologia-defense--remember Acts 22:1?) And, just like Acts 22, Paul retells his testimony: His life before he met Christ, the day he met Christ, and his life since he met Christ. Paul never let an opportunity slip by. He seized any and every opportunity to share Christ. Which reminds me, when he finally reaches Rome (he sails there tomorrow in the next chapter, 27), he'll sit down and write Ephesians. And in that letter he would write, "See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Eph.5:15-16. "redeeming the time" literally means 'to buy up every opportunity'. You see, in all of Paul's epistles, he wrote from experience. Any way, back to our story. Paul proclaims the gospel to them and then pleads with them to be saved. "Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You almost persuade me to become a Christian.'" (v.28). That's probably one of the saddest verses in the Bible. Agrippa was so close, but yet so far. He made no decision for Christ. And no decision is a decision. It's a decision against Christ. What do you have to do to be lost? Absolutely nothing. Jesus said, "He who believes (makes a decision for Christ) is not condemned; but he who does not believe (makes no decision) is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18. To become a Christian might have cost the king some sneers, but to not become a Christian cost him his soul.

One more lesson for you and me. Paul was a soul winner. Was Paul successful here? Yes he was. Because, we don't win them. God does the winning-the saving. We do the telling and leave the results to Him. God is the one who saves when people surrender their lives to Him. Our responsibility is to simply tell them. To be biblically correct, we're not to be soul winners; we're to be gospel tellers. Jesus called us to be fishers of men. Now I like to fish. But I know some folks that LOVE to fish. You see, when I go fishing, if they don't start biting soon, then I'm ready to go home. But a true fisherman, who LOVES to fish, will sit in that boat all day, even if he catches nothing. What we need in the Body of Christ are some folks that'll just fall in love with fishing. In other words, just fall in love with telling others about Jesus, and let Him do the catching. When you tell someone about Jesus, and they do nothing--that's not failure on your part. That is success. You have done all that God ever required you to do-tell them the good news. Now it's their responsibility as to what they do with it. So today and everyday don't pass up those opportunities. And remember, fall in love with fishing. A true fisherman never misses an opportunity to fish.

Mansion Over The Hill Top

Click on the link for a humorous look, yet a serious take, on your mansion.

http://www.raptureready.com/photo/mansions/mansions.html

Judge Not

Today's reading: Acts 25. Paul was still in custody, and there has been an administration change (see Acts 24:27). Felix was pulled from power and called back to Rome. He was replaced by Festus. It was only natural that a new governor would want to get off on the right foot with the official leaders in his new territory, so Festus goes to Jerusalem to meet the officials and high priest there. Of course, we know that these Jewish leaders were the sworn enemies of Paul, and their plan was to ambush and kill Paul (Acts 25:2-3). They "informed" Festus "against Paul". They brought all of their false charges against Paul to Festus. But Festus smelled trouble and said, "that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly", and if you want to accuse this man, then you'll have to come with me to Caesarea (v.5). Now while Festus was no saint, we do learn something from him and this story. He heard the charges against Paul but was wise enough to know that there are two sides to every story. Let us learn this lesson well. A great deal of evidence may be brought against a perfectly innocent man. Therefore, let us be slow to condemn persons of unblemished character. Let us be slow to judge anyone, because we do not know all the facts. Let us be slow to jump on the band wagon to accuse anyone. In fact, let's allow the only One who has the right and ability to judge-Jesus Himself! "For the Father...has committed all judgment to the Son." John 5:22.

Testimony #2

Yesterday we learned the basic ingredients of a personal testimony: 1) Your life before Christ. 2) The day you met Christ. 3) Your life since Christ came in and saved you. Today let me give you some practical guidelines.

Practical Guidelines:
DO's and DON'T's:
Do give the gospel clothed in your own experience. Give a lot of the gospel and little of your life. In other words, be sure your testimony gives the biblical gospel message. Be specific about the message and general about your personal life. After they hear it, can they be saved just by what you said? The main ingredients in Paul's testimony should be ours: 1) Consciousness of Sin. 2) Conviction of Sin. 3) Conversion. 4) Commitment to Christ.

Don't refer to your age or to dates. Don't mention specific cities or places. Why? Because it's not necessary that they know you were 14 years old when you realized that you were a sinner and your life was displeasing to God. What is necessary for them to know is that you were a sinner and your life was displeasing to God! And if you were saved much later in life, don't glamorize your sinful past. Don't talk in such a way that you sound as though you miss being lost. Bottom line: Don't give lots of unnecessary details. Be brief and be biblical.

Take some time and write out your testimony. Putting it on paper forces you to think through your salvation experience. One more tip: Take a biblical presentation of the gospel, like the Roman Road, and use that as a template to weave your testimony through. When you're done, you'll have a biblical presentation of your testimony--lot's of the gospel, little of your life. Write it out and then be ready to share the reason of hope that is in you.

Testimony #1

Today we continue our story in Acts 22. Taken into protective custody, Paul now obtains permission to speak to the crowd that wants to kill him. "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now" (v.1). The Greek word translated "defense" is "apologia", from which we get our word "apologetics". Theologically, "apologetics" means defending the faith--giving reason and rationale for the things we believe. Peter said in 1 Peter 3:15, "...sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a DEFENSE (APOLOGIA) to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear..." Peter uses this same Greek word instructing us that we are always to be ready to give an explanation of the spiritual hope we have in Jesus Christ. We are to testify to a lost world what Christ has done for us.

Well, Paul testifies here on the steps of the Fortress Antonia, and, in doing so, gives us a Biblical model for our own testimonies. First, he told of his life before he met Christ (v.2-5). He identified with the Jews by speaking to them in Hebrew, telling of his credentials and brought out the fact that he was even reared in Jerusalem (in this city-v.3). Next, Paul told of his conversion (v.6-16). He told of how Christ arrested him on the road to Damascus. He gave the details of how Jesus approached him, spoke to him, and saved him. And finally, Paul described his life since that day on the road to Damascus when the Son of God stepped out of heaven and into his heart (v.17-21). Here Paul described how God had called him to minister the gospel to the Gentiles. Of course, Paul didn't get to finish because when he said that word "gentiles" the riot was on again (see v.21-22ff).

So here we have the basic ingredients of a testimony. First, share with an unbeliever your life before you met Christ. Identify with him or her. (for we are all sinners...). Then tell of your conversion experience--how you came to know Christ. Tell of the day when Christ stepped out of heaven into your heart. And finally, tell of how your life is today in Christ. That's the outline for your testimony. I encourage you to write it out so it will be clear in your mind, then, when someone asks of the reason of hope that is in you, you'll be able to give an 'answer' 'defense'-- 'apologia'.
Tomorrow, I'll give you some tips on sharing your testimony in "Testimony #2". Until then, God bless and always be ready to share your faith.