Keep Your Promise

In Joshua 24:14-28, Joshua and the people of Israel were making a covenant to serve the Lord.  The people agreed to many things.  Yet in a very short time they would forget Joshua and God.  The whole theme of the book of Judges was, "Every person did was right in their own eyes."  One of the tragediies of man is that they can never keep a promise of agreement.  Many a covenant with God over the past has been broken.  I have been guilty of making a covenant with God and then breaking them.  The result is that our lives are not as fruitful or God cannot use us as He wishes too.  When you nake an agreement with God you better keep it.  Jesus dealt wit the problem of oaths.  He said we should only say, Yes or No.  Remember a person is only as good as their word.  How good is yours?  Your promises for today are Matt 6:33, Matt 22:37-40, 2 Chron 7:15, Rom 12:1-2, Prov 3:5-6 and Rom 14:17.

Resurrection of Life

In John 11:26, Jesus said that He was the resurrection and the life and whoever believes in Him though He may die, He will live, and then He closes off the statement with a question.  Do you believe this?  This is quite the question.  Do you and I really believe this statement?  Do we believe that when we trust in Jesus Christ that we may die yet we shall live?  The hope of the Christian is that we will have both eternal and abundant life.  This has been the foundational statement for the Christian from the thief on the cross until now.  Stephen as he was being stoned and was passing from this life to the next, saw Jesus and made the statement, "I see Jesus sitting at the right hand of God."  Stephen had that hope.  His hope and ours is based on this statement and others that Jesus made concerning His resurrection.  Even today some 1500 people will give their lives around the world for Jesus Christ.  They will gladly suffer martyrdom for a belief that Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life.  The question is again do we believe this?  Do not let doubt, the rational of the world rob you of your hope, future and inheritance in Christ.  Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  Believe, stand and walk in this statement.  You may die and pass from this world to the next but you will live.  Paul puts it beautifully, he said, "I may be absent from the body but I will be in the presence of the Lord."  So today walk and stand on this reality for serve Him in the light of eternity in anticipation and hope. 

The Holy Spirit Conviction

In John 16:8, Jesus says the Holy Spirit will come to do three things.  To convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  He said the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin because they do not believe in Jesus Christ.  All over the planet the Holy Spirit is speaking to people of every nation, creed and color about their sin.  Today 200,000 people from all over the world will give their lives to Christ.  Yet we need to pray that a revival will come to our country of Canada.  The Holy Spirit will convict of righteousness because Jesus has gone back to the Father.  You and I have become His representatives and ambassadors to our world.  We have been given the privilege and responsibility to witness and live for Him in our world.  We do that by how we live.  Our words are hollow if we do not walk the walk.  Talk is cheap if not follow by action.  Lastly, the Holy Spirit will convict of judgment.  Jesus said that the ruler of this world has been judged and so have all his followers.  Satan is the ruler of this world.  World means society with its values, goals and rules.  The world promotes, materialism, pride and pleasure.  It calls people to itself everyday and they follow blindly to their destruction.  The Holy Spirit convicts the world of these things.  Sooner or later people find out that materialism, pride and pleasure become hollow and meaningless.  We must be ready to tell and show them there is a better way.  A way that leads to eternal and abundant life.  The Holy Spirit will do His job we must be ready to do ours.  So today say to the Holy Spirit, wherever you lead, whatever you want me to do, or be I will.  I want to be your instrument Lord to touch my world for you.  When you do that you will be use for God.  For His praise and glory.

The Repentant Thief

Nov 3 – Luke 23:39-40 – The repentant thief

                This is such a powerful account.  On each side of Jesus is a thief.  One is cursing him and the other defending Jesus.  While hanging on the cross this man realized that Jesus was being unfairly crucified.  He told the mocking thief to being quiet.  On that cross, looking into those eyes of love this man realized that Jesus was truly the Messiah.  He asked Jesus to remember Him when He came into His Kingdom.  This is such a tremendous testimony.  Here you have a man about to pay for his crimes by death and in the last moments of his life he repents turns to Christ and hears these famous, “Today you shall be with me in paradise.”  It does not matter what the sentence structure of our statement of faith it is that fact you make the statement.  This man’s was, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”  This man would Jesus first person coming into the new Kingdom.  What a privilege for a man who only hours before was condemned to death both physically and spiritually.  Now he is the first of the new Kingdom of God.  One mark with righteousness, peace and joy.  He was the first, don’t you be the last.  

Obedience is Key

In John 15:14, Jesus said that your are my friends if you do whatever I command you to do.  In his book, "School of Obedience," Andrew Murray says that as disciples of Jesus Christ, obedience should be the first characteristic we exhibit.  Jesus says we are His friends if we obey Him.  So the question we need to ask is, "What things show I am obeying God."  Well, how about loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  Then tell others about Jesus Christ.  Next, Read your Bible, pray and attend the house of the Lord on a regular basis.  Love those who persecute or despitefully use you.  Walk in love, acceptance and forgiveness.  Be involved in mending and restoring people.  Jesus commanded His disciples to love people unconditionally and with no strings attached.  Be involved in your community and pray for those who are in authority over you.  Be an honest person.  Walk with integrity and transperancy.  Be a person that people can trust.  Be mindful of what you say, do and think.  Most of all rely on the Lord.  Let the Holy Spirit have every part of your life.  Let Him lead, guide and direct your life.  Be aware of the fact that He wishes to give you gifts and help you to have a fruitful life.  Obedience is the key to all I have mentioned and more.  If you want both an eternal and abundant life.  Do what Jesus asks and you will truly be His friend.

Did not Condemn

In John 3:17, Jesus said He did not come to condemn the world but that through Him the world might be saved.  This message is so appropriate because the world by and large is anti Christian these days.  Everywhere you go something is being said or done against Christian values and the message.  As our society becomes more and more secular we need to be aware that our message needs to be refined.  Jesus came to save the world.  He died so they might live.  When we bring the message of Jesus Christ to our world we must do it in the power of love.  The message of love is not only said it must be done.  There is a story about a group of Christians who wanted to reach their community for Christ.  So they decided a blimp would be the way to do it.  As the story goes they used this blimp to tell people.  At first it was an annoyance but over time the people of the community became proud of the blimp but what started out as an evangelistic tool became more and more secular.  The man who dreamed about the blimp became disillusioned about the blimp and dropped out. He came back a few months later with His neighbor who was now saved.  When the committee who were using the blimp to reach the town asked Him how the neighbor got saved.  He told them that the blimp had nothing to do with his salvation.  It was the love his neighbor who was the Christian that won Him.  A good lesson for us to learn.  Actions always speak louder than words.  So love as Jesus did and you will win people in your world.

You will have peace.

In John 20:21, Jesus told His disciples to be at peace.  As the Father sent Him, so He was sending them.  This wonderful portion of scripture has three components to it.  First, that we are going to have peace and be instruments of peace.  Peace is that internal quality where you have peace within yourself and in turn you give this peace to others.  The source of this peace is not something you work up yourself but the Prince of Peace dwells in your heart.  You allow Jesus to come inside and He creates in you a peace that passes all understanding.  It fills your heart and mind.  When you have peace within yourself, you in turn are able to give this peace to others by telling them about Jesus Christ.  The next component is that you know that Christ has been sent from the Father.  Jesus is more real to you than any material possession or thing you can handle with your hand.  Jesus is the centre of your universe.  He is the person that you most want to be like and you want his will, plan and purpose for your life.  You know that Jesus has redeemed you from sin.  He has given you forgiveness of sin and a new life.  You have through Him both eternal and abundant life.  These facts give you a purpose for life.  You want to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and you want to love others as you have learned to love yourself.  You have a purpose and that is to tell others about Him, teaching them to be the best disciples they can be.  You know that the Lord Jesus Christ is with you to the end of the age.  You have peace, a purpose and a passion.  This is what Jesus has promise for you today.  So go and live your life to the fullest for His praise and glory.