Category: Encouragement

Good News!

The literal meaning of the word “gospel” is: good news. But the gospel is more than just good news. It’s the best news! It gives meaning and purpose to our existence, and points the way to eternal life in a perfectly restored world.

Today I want to share the gospel with you, the essence of the Christian faith.

The Romans Road.

In his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul laid out the fundamentals of Christianity. The “Romans road to salvation” is a selection of key verses from that letter that succinctly present the gospel message.

We’re going to examine those verses, and delve into their meaning and application. I encourage you to read the entire book of Romans so that you can appreciate the verses in their full context.

Bad news first.

The first few chapters of Romans are a bit of a downer. Paul is “setting the stage” so to speak, and the picture he paints is quite grim. It turns out that no matter how good you are, you’re not good enough to earn God’s favor. God judges you against His standard of perfection, and you simply do not measure up. You have sinned (an archery term meaning: missed the mark); you fall short.

Key verse:

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 3:23

It gets worse.

Ok, so you’ve sinned. Is it really that big of a deal? As it turns out, yes. Our sin is an affront to a holy God, and the penalty is death. Not just physical death, but an eternal separation from God, the source of all that is good.

Key verse:

For the wages of sin is death…

Romans 6:23a

We are all guilty of sin, and therefore, we are all sentenced to death. The importance of this truth cannot be understated. Until a person realizes they are a sinner facing eternal punishment, they cannot see their need for salvation.

For the hard-hearted, the seed of the gospel dies here. The proud man will not acknowledge he is a sinner. He shakes his fist at God in defiance. Such a man is doomed if his heart does not change. But for those who acknowledge the sinful nature inside themselves, a nature that behaves contrary to God’s laws, there is hope.

The solution.

The second half of Romans 6:23 is our first look at the good news.

…but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23b

Yes! A reprieve! A gift that replaces death with life! A gift made possible by Christ Jesus.

The obvious questions are: “how does Jesus provide this gift?” and “how does one receive it?”

The ultimate sacrifice.

Because God is just, He cannot let sin go unpunished. But because God is merciful, He made a plan to both punish sin and forgive sinners like you and me. How did He accomplish this? He came to earth as a man: Jesus. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Then He took our penalty upon Himself, and suffered death in our place. The blood He spilled on the cross paid our ransom in full.

Key verse:

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8

Salvation.

Jesus’s death on the cross paid for our sin. His resurrection confirmed that He had the power and authority to make this atonement on our behalf.

Now we come to the nuts-and-bolts of salvation: repentance and faith.

Repentance means admitting that you are a sinner, and turning 180 degrees from your sin toward God. It means acknowledging that God is right, and you are wrong. It means confessing to God your personal need for forgiveness, and asking Him for it.

Faith means trusting that God will make good on His promise. It means believing that because of what Christ did for you, you have been made holy in His eyes, and will not suffer His righteous judgement.

Key verses:

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:13

When you repent and put your faith in Christ, you receive the gift of salvation. As a result, you become a new creature (see II Corinthians 5:17). Christ becomes your King. This is what it means to be a Christian.

Blessed assurance.

Our journey down the Romans road ends with reassurance that our hope in Christ is not misplaced.

Key verses:

Therefore, 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 5:1

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38 – 39

If this is your first exposure to the gospel, or if you have heard it before but never responded to it, I pray that the message pierces your heart. May you be moved to repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ.

If you are already a Christian, let the gospel encourage and inspire you. Thank God for your blessed hope, and look for opportunities to share the good news with others!

Memorizing Scripture.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been memorizing one new verse of scripture a day. When I was trying to decide what to write about for this post, my daughter said, “Daddy, why don’t you write about the verses you’ve been memorizing?” That sounded like a great idea to me, so here goes!

Why memorize?

Memorizing scripture is not easy. It takes time and effort, but the process has many benefits.

  1. As you work to retain a verse in memory, you start to think deeply about the meaning of it and how it applies to your life.

  2. While you’re focused on scripture, your mind isn’t wandering aimlessly, or worse, thinking thoughts that are harmful / sinful.

  3. Once a verse is stored in memory, you can bring it to mind when you need it, and it can be a source of comfort, encouragement, or inspiration.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:11

Five verses:

I’m going to go through five of the verses I’ve memorized recently, and talk about what they mean to me:

1

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23

The “heart” in this verse is your innermost self. It’s the true, unfiltered, genuine you. It’s the seat of your emotions and desires. What’s in your heart is who you really are.

This verse is a warning to be careful what you allow to influence and shape you. Choose carefully what you watch, what you listen to, and who you associate with, because what you let into your heart becomes a part of you, and will determine how your life plays out.

2

I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Psalm 146:2

This is a pledge to be loyal and faithful to God to the end. By making this pledge daily, you’ll be able to say at the end of your life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7).

3

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

Psalm 145:8

This verse encapsulates the nature of God. It is because of His mercy, compassion, and unfailing love that He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins (John 3:16). It is His loving nature that motivates us to love Him. (“We love him, because he first loved us” I John 4:19).

4

He counts the stars and calls them all by name.

Psalm 147:4

This verse speaks of the unfathomable mind of God. Imagine a mind capable of knowing, not only the exact number of stars, but also their individual names! It reminds us how great God is, and how truly limited we are by comparison. (see also Isaiah 55:8-9).

5

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.

Psalm 131:1

This verse is a great reminder that we should always approach God with humility. We may not know why God allows certain things to happen in our lives, but we can trust that He is in control. We should let go of the things that are beyond our understanding.

You can do it!

I challenge you to commit more scripture to memory. Even memorizing one new verse a month is better than nothing. Find a verse that speaks to you, write it out on a 3 x 5 card, and go over it at least once a day. Meditate on it and see how it impacts your life. You’ll be glad you did!

Side note: If you have a hard time memorizing things, I hear ya. If you want to improve your ability to memorize scripture (or anything else), I recommend a book by Kevin Horsley called, Unlimited Memory. It’s not magic; you’ll have to work to learn the methods that he teaches, but I’ve found them to be quite effective.

Faithful, Gracious, And Just.

Read Psalm 34. Take your time and meditate on each verse.

David wrote this Psalm during a very difficult period in his life. He and his men were being hunted by king Saul. They were hiding out in caves, and they had run out of food. Think about the fact that David was homeless and starving when he wrote these words:

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34 :1-3

How was David able to praise God even under these terrible circumstances? Because he knew God’s character. Throughout Psalm 34, David focuses on three aspects of God’s character: His faithfulness, His grace, and His justice.

God’s Faithfulness.

David experienced God’s faithfulness firsthand. When he was a boy, God helped him defend his father’s flock from vicious predators. As a young man, God gave him victory over the giant, Goliath.

So when David’s situation became desperate, he did not despair. He knew that God is faithful. He trusted that God would deliver him. This gave him strength, and alleviated his fears.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

Psalm 34: 4-7

Life is full of ups and downs, but in times of hardship, remember that God is in control, and He is faithful.

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 34: 17-19

2) God’s Grace.

Grace means unmerited favor or kindness. David understood that he was a sinful man, and that he had done nothing to earn God’s favor. He was ever in awe of God’s great mercy and love, and he knew he didn’t deserve it (see Psalm 51).

But David knew the grace of God.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.

Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

Psalm 34: 8-10

For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!

—-

But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 34: 20 & 22

Like David, we should marvel at God’s grace. We are nothing but rebellious sinners, yet God offers us redemption and mercy. Salvation comes only through God’s grace (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

3) God’s Justice.

David saw wicked men around him prospering while he himself suffered. But he knew that God is just, and that the wicked would pay in due time.

God is loving and patient, and He wants people to repent and be saved (II Peter 3:9). But God is also just. Those who continue in their wicked ways and refuse God’s mercy will face His justice!

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.

But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.

Psalm 34: 15-16

Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

Psalm 34: 21

It may seem like the wicked prosper. They often do… for a season. But rest assured that one day God will judge them for their evil deeds.

So whatever you’re going through right now, do what David did and praise God because He is faithful, gracious, and just.

Friendship.

Do you remember the story of Job? The Bible tells us that Job was a righteous man whom God had greatly blessed. Job had health, wealth, family, and the respect of his peers. Then, without warning or explanation, everything he held dear was taken from him. His wealth was plundered/destroyed, his children were killed, and he became horribly ill, his skin covered in boils. Ugh!

Enter Job’s friends. Let’s look at the men who came to visit Job in his time of need, and see if we can learn a few things about friendship from them.

When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.

When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. 

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.

Job 2:11-13

True friends.

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, demonstrated friendship in a powerful way. These men likely had families, careers, and responsibilities, yet they dropped everything and “traveled from their homes to comfort and console [Job]”. They had no ulterior motives, for Job had nothing to offer them. They went and sat with Job in silence for seven days, their presence sending a clear message: “We love you, dear friend.”

This got me to thinking: Have I cultivated any friendships in my life that rise to this level? If tragedy fell upon me, do I have a single friend that cares for me enough to do anything close to what Job’s friends did for him? Bonds this strong don’t happen by accident, and it’s a testament to Job’s character that he had at least four friends (Elihu is the fourth friend, mentioned later in the story) that cared for him so deeply.

And what have I done for my friends in need? A short phone call? A quick visit? A few hours of my time? When I look at what Job’s friends did for him, I must admit, I feel convicted. I may not be able to go and sit with a friend for seven days in silence, but I could certainly do better than say, “man, I’m really sorry about what happened,” and then just go back to my life. I need to do better in the future.

Not perfect.

Job chapter 3 – chapter 27 records the dialogue between Job and his three friends (note: the fourth and youngest friend, Elihu, is listening to the conversation).

Job’s friends clearly loved him, and had the best of intentions. Unfortunately, they thought they understood the cause of Job’s misfortune when, in fact, they did not. As a result, they added insult to injury by insisting that Job must have committed some heinous sin, and that God was punishing him for it.

Instead of comforting Job, they started preaching at him. They made assumptions that were false. They offered unsolicited and unwarranted advice, telling Job that he needed to repent of whatever terrible, secret sin he had committed.

On the one hand, this shows that Job’s friends were candid, and felt free to speak their minds with Job. That’s a positive thing. But they didn’t have enough information to rightly judge Job’s situation or to offer wise counsel. As a result, they unintentionally made the situation worse.

As we are told in Ecclesiastes 3:7, there is a time to speak, and a time to remain silent. When dealing with friends in pain, we should listen first, then pray for the wisdom to say things that are both comforting and true. If such words don’t come to us, we ought to keep quiet. Elihu demonstrates this for us in Job 32 – 37. He listened carefully, and when it was his turn to speak, he offered real words of wisdom.

The greatest friend.

The old hymn, “What a friend we have in Jesus” is one of my favorites. Jesus told His disciples, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And that’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me. He willingly laid down His life to pay our sin-debt. He offers the free gift of salvation to all who repent and put their faith in Him.

Jesus serves as the ultimate example of what a friend should be: loving, compassionate, and selfless.

So how good a friend are you? I know I have room for improvement in this area, and I suspect you do too. I think we could all be more giving of ourselves, more careful with our words, and better friends to each other.

What Foundation Are You Building On?

I recently got one of those notifications on Facebook where it says something like, “Here’s a memory from this date X years ago!” and it shows you an old post you made. The post was from February 2012, and this is what it said:

“Feel awful today and don’t know why. Sad, depressed, miserable… just having a bad friggen day. Going to go to bed early and hope tomorrow turns out better.“

This got me thinking back to that time in my life, my early thirties.

Financially, things were good. My wife and I were both working, and we were debt free, except for our mortgage. We had money to invest, and we had enough disposable income to do the things we wanted to do.

Marriage was good. We had our ups and downs, of course, but we’d been married for over a decade, and had found a comfortable rhythm. We had no kids, so we spent a lot of time together, and we genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.

Physically, I was as healthy and strong as I have ever been. I had more hair, more energy, and better eyesight. I had free time to do what I wanted to do: I worked out, I played video games, I watched movies.

And yet… I was hurting, and I was miserable. What’s worse, I couldn’t figure out why. I remember having lunch with a buddy of mine during this time and lamenting, “I should be happy! Everything is great. I’ve got everything I need and more. I should be happy, but I’m not!”

A foundation of sand.

I thought at the time that I could find joy, peace, and satisfaction in the material world. If I worked hard enough, those things would surely come. I just needed a little more… more money, more status, more stuff.

But I discovered first-hand the truths found in the book of Ecclesiastes: Wealth is not the answer. Fame is not the answer. Pleasure is not the answer. No amount of earthly treasure is enough to satisfy the soul.

I like what actor/comedian Jim Carrey said: “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.“

A life of joy, peace, and satisfaction cannot be built on a foundation of worldly pursuits. Wealth, power, influence, fame… these are naught but shifting sand. Whatever you build on them is destined to fall.

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Mathew 7: 26-27

The Solid Rock.

Instead of building on sand, you can build on Jesus Christ, the solid rock.

Don’t misunderstand. This doesn’t mean you will escape the storms of life. In fact, the Bible virtually promises hardship and sorrow will be a part of following Christ. But if you build your life on Jesus, then your joy, peace, and satisfaction will not collapse when the storms hit. Your Foundation will be unshakeable.

Jesus said:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 

Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.”

Mathew 7: 24-25

Build with the future in mind.

This broken world we live in is temporary. It will pass away. If you build your life on an earthly foundation, you will perish. Build your life on Jesus, and you will live.

And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

I John 2:17

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 

For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 

And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Colossians 3: 2-4

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Mathew 6: 19-21

Missionary, Charles Studd, wrote:

Only one life ’twill soon be past.
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Friend, I have built on sand, and I have built on the Rock. The Rock is better. Take some time this week to think about what’s at the foundation of your life. What are you building on?

Nothing New.

When I write these posts, I have a couple of goals in mind. One is to communicate truth, and only truth, to the best of my ability. I never want to lead someone down the wrong path.

Another goal is to write something useful. I don’t want to waste your time. I want you to walk away with something important to think about; something that will have a real, positive impact on your life.

These are good goals, but the second one sometimes trips me up. It subtly morphs into, “I want to write something new / innovative / flashy / profound / exciting!” My ego whispers, “unless what you have to say is new and brilliant, it’s not worth saying.“

I was recently reading C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, and the following passage really spoke to me on this issue:

“The real job of every moral teacher is to keep on bringing us back, time after time, to the old simple principles which we are all so anxious not to see; like bringing a horse back and back to the fence it has refused to jump or bringing a child back and back to the bit in its lesson that it wants to shirk.”

Mere Christianity; Book 3, Chapter 3

I realized I needn’t worry about writing anything new or original. It is worthwhile to revisit those old, simple principles that we so easily forget; those truths that we need to be reminded of, over and over again.

True love.

So, today, allow me to remind you of this: God loves you.

It blows my mind that God, Creator of all things, cares about us. In the scope of creation, what are we but specks of dust? Yet, the Bible makes it clear that God loves mankind, and not just mankind as a whole, but individuals, including you and me.

His love is not based on who we are (for we are truly wretched creatures), but on who He is. So great is His love for us that He became flesh, lived a sinless life, and took the punishment we deserve onto Himself, providing the way for us to be forgiven and redeemed.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

I John 4:10

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

I John 4:16

No matter what you’ve done, no matter where you are in life, God loves you. If you call out to Him, He will save you from your sin… because He loves you. He will make you into a new creature, and He will carry you through life’s difficulties… because He loves you.

The fact that God loves you may be nothing new, but it’s definitely a truth worth revisiting over, and over again.

Unconventional Gratitude.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving, and I certainly have much to be thankful for. It’s easy to be grateful for the good things … friends, family, health, food, shelter, clothes, etc. etc. But lately God has challenged me to be thankful for some less-than-ideal things.

Replace the grumble.

A typical morning: My 13-year-old dog wakes me up from a deep sleep because she wants breakfast –grumble-. As I stumble out of bed, I’m reminded of all my body aches … neck, back, shoulders –grumble!- I feed the dog, then decide to feed myself. I make a cup of coffee, then pull a breakfast sandwich out of the freezer, but I can’t read the tiny print that tells me how long to heat it up for –grumble!!- I hunt down my reading glasses, toss the sandwich in the microwave, but then my kid needs something and I get distracted. By the time I get back to my coffee and sandwich, both are ice-cold –grumble!!!

Lately the Holy Spirit has shown me that there’s a lot to be grateful for in my morning routine. I am thankful that my old dog is still with me. Though my body hurts, I am thankful that I’m not bed-ridden or wheelchair bound. Though my eyesight is getting worse, praise God I can still see! And though my coffee and egg-muffin are cold, I’m glad to have sustenance.

I’ve started to replace the grumble with gratitude and it has improved my mornings dramatically.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I Thessalonians 5:18

Thankful for “no”.

God, why didn’t you give me ______?

My “blank” has lots of things in it. Wealth, fame, talent, etc. If God were a genie that granted wishes, I’d be a rockstar/movie-god with mansions, yachts, and a private jet (just one, ’cause I’m not greedy or anything).

Sometimes I look at what the millionaires and billionaires have and wonder why God is holding out on me. Instead of being grateful for what I have, I start to envy what I don’t.

But God has given me an answer to my question, and it’s actually a little embarrassing. I know that if God gave me all the things my sinful heart desires, my relationship with Him would go down the toilet. I would be caught up in, and consumed by, the pleasures of this world, and I would go spiritually bankrupt.

There’s a passage in proverbs where Agur asks God specifically not to give him riches for this very reason.

…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’

Proverbs 30:8-9

I’m like a child who wants pizza and ice-cream for every meal, and can’t understand why his parents say, “no!” I’m learning that when God says “no” it’s for my benefit.

Grateful in suffering.

In II Corinthians, the Apostle Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh.” We’re not given the details, but it’s clear from the passage that this thorn is something very unpleasant. Three times Paul asks God to remove it, and God replies, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (II Corinthians 12:9a)

Paul came to understand that even this difficult thing in his life was there for his good. It kept him humble, and it allowed God to continue to work through him.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

II Corinthians 12:9-10

It’s hard to be grateful when you’re hurting. It may be the most difficult test of faith. To be in physical or emotional pain and believe that God is good and that your pain has a purpose.

Remember this promise from the book of Romans:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

Challenge yourself to be a grateful person. Be grateful for what you have, and for what you don’t. Be grateful in the midst of suffering, believing that one day you will understand how everything you experienced in life was a manifestation of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

A Mighty Fortress.

None of us has a complete understanding of what God truly is. He is more than any human mind can comprehend. But the Bible helps us to understand God by comparing Him to things we are familiar with. For example, several passages of scripture liken God to a fortress.

The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.

Nahum 1:7

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:6

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.

Psalm 18:2

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 59:16

Peace and safety in times of trouble.

The Bible does not teach that trouble will never come our way. In fact, Jesus said the exact opposite. He said we will have trouble, but we can take heart, because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). The harsh reality is that the world is full of trouble, danger, sorrow, and pain. But we who trust in the Lord have an impenetrable shelter in which we can find peace and rest. Jesus said:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Mathew 11:28

Head inside.

A fortress can’t protect you if you stand outside it. The world wants to pull us out of our Fortress. It tempts us with sinful pleasures and beckons us to venture outside where we are vulnerable. When we do, the enemy is ready and waiting to ambush us.

Maybe you’ve wandered outside, and now the enemy has ahold of you. Remember, as a child of God, you are no longer a slave to sin, and by the power of the Holy Spirit you can escape the grip of the enemy and return to the Fortress at any time.

And if you want to remain in the Fortress, then make God your top priority. Read the Bible daily. Study it. Get to church on Sunday. Pray. Serve others. These things keep us within the mighty fortress that is our God.

Cause And Effect.

There is an inescapable law at work in the universe known as the law of cause and effect. Every effect has a cause, and conversely, every cause produces an effect. Some effects are easy to predict. Place your hand into a fire, and you will get burned; drop a ceramic mug on concrete, and it will shatter. Other effects are more subtle and harder to spot because they accumulate over time, like what happens inside your cells when you eat chocolate cake, or the damage done to your liver when you drink alcohol.

This law is important to understand because your life is a series of causes and effects. Your choices in life cause things to happen. In general, good choices lead to good outcomes, poor choices lead to bad ones. For example, if you choose to eat healthy foods and exercise regularly, you are likely to see great benefits to your health. If you choose to smoke, drink, overeat, and live a sedentary life, your body will suffer as a result.

My point is, your choices generate causes, and whether the results are immediate or delayed, every cause has an effect. There’s no getting around it.

Three words.

The law of cause and effect may seem obvious, but it’s something that has to be taught. Children need to learn it early on, and if they don’t, they pay dearly for it later in life. As soon as our daughter was old enough to understand, my wife and I used three words to teach her about this law: Actions have consequences.

It’s up to you to demonstrate this. When you tell your child that if they do (a) that you will do (b), you must follow through with (b). If you don’t, you’ll wind up with a child that has no respect for you, and who will wrongly think they can disregard authority without repercussions. If you let that happen, they will learn the hard way that actions have consequences.

The consequences of sin.

The original sin, Adam and Eve’s decision to rebel against God in the Garden of Eden, was a choice that had grave consequences. It brought a curse that still affects all of creation to this day:

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

Romans 5:12

The earth mourns and dries up, and the land wastes away and withers. Even the greatest people on earth waste away.

The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted God’s instructions, violated his laws, and broken his everlasting covenant.

Therefore, a curse consumes the earth. Its people must pay the price for their sin. They are destroyed by fire, and only a few are left alive.

Isiah 24:4-6

We all suffer because of that original sin. Then we compound the problem because we are all sinners ourselves. There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10 / Psalm 53:3). Our own sin has consequences. It negatively affects us and those around us, whether we realize it or not.

In Romans:6 we learn about the ultimate consequence of sin. The wages of sin is death. Here death refers to an eternal separation from God. It means to be cut off, forever, from Goodness, Light, Justice, Mercy, Love … all that God is.

A way out.

If the law of cause and effect is certain, and sin leads to death, and all have sinned, then what hope is there? Can you escape the consequences of your sin? Can you cheat death? No. Not in and of yourself. But God, in His mercy, provided a miracle. He came to Earth in human flesh and died in your place. Jesus took the consequences of your sin upon Himself. Your debt has been paid. You are free! All you have to do is accept His free gift.

Cause and effect: Sin leads to death, separation from God; Jesus leads to life and a restored relationship with God!

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Acts 16:31

If you are not a Christian, choose today to accept Christ as your Savior. If you are a Christian, choose to seek after Him more fervently. Both choices will have a positive effect on your life.

Freedom.

We recently celebrated the 4th of July here in the U.S.A. One of the main things we celebrate on this day is the concept of freedom. This got me thinking about what freedom is… and what it is not.

Free from… / Freedom to…

Total freedom (the ability to do whatever one wants without consequences) is actually a bad idea. For example, no one should have the freedom to commit acts of evil. When we talk about freedom, what we’re really talking about are individual freedoms (plural). These fall into two broad categories: freedom to do something, and freedom from something.

Our founding fathers believed in freedom from oppression. They risked everything, including their lives, to throw off the yoke of a tyrannical government. They also believed we had certain God-given rights, and they enshrined specific freedoms in the Constitution. Among these are freedom to peaceably assemble, freedom to worship God, and freedom to speak our minds.

Spiritual freedom.

Spiritually speaking, we are all born slaves. Slaves to sin. And sin is a cruel master, promising pleasure but delivering death. Have you ever seen a meth addict? Sin is like spiritual meth. It feels good for a while, but eventually it owns you, and you cannot escape its destructive effects.

A slave to sin puts “self” above all else. He is his own idol, his own god. He chases wealth, fame, and pleasure, believing these things will bring him happiness. But satisfaction is always just out of his reach, he becomes a prisoner of his passions, and sin slowly eats away at his soul.

Jesus talks about spiritual slavery in the book of John:

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.“

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.“

John 8:31-34

There is only one way to be free from the tyranny of sin, and that is through Jesus Christ.

because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Romans 5:8-9

One master or another.

Spiritual freedom is a bit of a paradox, because the Bible makes it clear that we have to serve something. Here are a few verses that illustrate what I mean:

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Romans 6:16

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Romans 6:18

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.

I Peter 2:16

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Romans 6:22

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

I Corinthians 6:19-20

Why trade one master for another? What’s the difference? The difference is, God is a loving and kind master who wants what is best for us. We serve Him willingly because we owe Him everything, and to serve Him is to serve absolute Goodness, Truth, Love, Righteousness, and Peace. There is nothing higher or nobler one could dedicate themselves to.

We serve because His yoke is easy, His burden is light, and we enjoy rest for our souls (Mathew 11: 29-30).

True spiritual freedom is both freedom from sin and freedom to serve.

More than slaves.

As Christians, even though God is our Master, it’s not accurate to say that we are His slaves, at least not in the common understanding of the word. God could enslave all of humanity if He wanted to, force us to do His bidding, and there would be nothing we could do about it. But He wants us to come to Him and submit willingly.

Amazingly, scripture teaches that when we accept Christ as savior and are freed from sin, when we pledge our loyalty to our new Master, He goes far beyond anything we have a right to ask of Him: He elevates us to the position of sons and daughters, joint heirs with Christ!

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.

And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 8:14-17

The process of moving from a slave to sin to a child of God is something I have experienced personally. It feels like a crushing burden lifted off your back; like cruel, iron shackles falling away from your wrists and ankles. I pray you find the same relief that I have. Call out to Jesus and experience true freedom!

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