(by Charles Swindoll from Insight for Living)
One of the first weddings I performed as a young pastor had all the promise you could hope for in a marriage. Both in their mid-twenties, both believers, he was a medical student, she was a nurse. It should have been a model marriage filled with peace and joy. Struggles would come, of course, but an enduring hope would get them through the dark days.
Yet when I saw the bride about eight years later she looked twenty years older. She described a spiraling tragedy of drugs, adultery, bitterness, and separation. Long gone were the original peace and joy. And that weary soul had lost the one thing that could have snatched her marriage from the lowest levels of matrimonial misery: she had lost hope.
How about you? How would you rate your own level of joy in the Christian life? Have you become depressed? Has that original fire for knowing Christ cooled to a simmering indifference? Have the tribulations of daily life rendered you hopeless? Pastors today constantly counsel believers struggling with depression, broken marriages, anxiety, anger, and weak self-control. They can’t help but wonder, “Where’s that abundant life Christ promised in John 10:10?”
Unquestionable Hope
In Romans 5:1-11, Paul takes us from the marriage altar of our Christian faith to a new relationship with Jesus Christ—a relationship of peace, joy, and hope. This passage reveals how lasting joy in the Christian life can be achieved even in the midst of trials and struggles. Look at it with me.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand. (Romans 5:12)
The justification Paul describes is that moment when you placed your faith in Christ alone to forgive your sins and give you new life (Romans 5:5-11). For me that happened back in the 1940s. For some of you it may have been the 60s . . . or 80s . . . perhaps even more recently. If you’re a believer, at that moment you said “I do” to Jesus Christ you became His bride, a member of His family, the Church, committed to Him forever. In this same paragraph Paul also describes the present effects of this past event: we now stand in grace (5:2), and we exult in hope and peace (5:1).
When someone says the word hope people usually think about the future—“I hope things get better” . . . “I hope I get that new job” . . . “I hope I don’t get sick.” Most of the time these hopes are no more than wishes based on personal desires. Such hopes can be easily shattered when reality barges in like a raging bull. Trials land on us. Disappointments linger. And inevitably joy languishes.
But in Romans 5, Paul urges believers not only to look back on their past justification but also to look forward, beyond their immediate hardships and let-downs. He writes, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (5:9). Don’t miss the tense: “We shall.” That’s future. That’s hope. And because we know we’ll spend eternity in Heaven, we can face any earthly hardship—even death itself (Romans 8:35-39). That is our unquestionable hope!
Are you experiencing that kind of hope today? If not, why not?
Unquenchable Hope
How can we have an unquenchable hope that withstands even the worst onslaughts of despair? We rejoice our way through them! Paul points out three levels of rejoicing: we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2), we rejoice in our tribulations (5:3), and we rejoice in God (5:11). Notice that we don’t rejoice because of tribulations. We rejoice in the midst of them. We rejoice in spite of them because we know “that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint” (5:3-5). Think of it this way: you’re God’s personal project of character growth. That means you can rejoice even more because God never gives up on His project (Philippians 1:6). He always has His eye on you, cultivating your character through tribulations.
Are you feeling like the Spirit’s fruit has withered up under the excruciating heat of trials? Paul’s answer is clear: when tribulations come, we must remember that these trials are a means toward a magnificent end. If I’m told that the road to my glorious destination is marred by loose rocks and potholes, every jolt along the way reminds me that I’m on the right road. But I must never forget that God accompanies me on the journey. His reputation as our loving Father is at stake. We don’t always know where we’re going, but He does.
With your past justification as your footing and your future hope as your fuel, you can take the present journey through trials and tribulations without losing your joy and peace. Yes, that’s possible! Your hope leads to perseverance, which builds character, which leads to greater hope (Romans 5:4). And that’s not just wishful thinking.
That’s unquenchable hope.
Adapted from Charles R. Swindoll, “Unquenchable Hope,” Insights (March 2006): 1-2. Copyright © 2006, Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.
March 05 2010 | Bible and Blog and Christianity and Church and Devotions/Devotionals and Faith and Family and God and Grace and Hope and Inspirational and Jesus and Life and Love and Mercy and Opinion and People and Personal and Philosophy and Quotes and Religion and Spiritual and Theology and Thoughts and Uncategorized | No Comments »
The world is filled with competing theories about God, religion, and salvation. Alternate views of Jesus vie for our attention at every turn. Different paths to different gods market themselves in the ever-changing desert of ideas. Yet in the midst of this world of contradictory claims, Jesus Christ made a bold assertion: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).
In a confusing world filled with signs pointing us down different roads of philosophies and religions, can we be sure we’ve placed our feet on the right path? The answer to this question comes from the all-time bestselling book, translated into more languages and read by more people than any other book in human history. The Bible alone clearly marks the way of truth and salvation with four vital markers.
1. Our Spiritual Condition: Totally Depraved
The first marker is rather personal. One look in the mirror of Scripture, and our human condition becomes painfully clear:
There is none righteous, not even one;
There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one. (Romans 3:10-12)
We are all sinners through and through—totally depraved, completely corrupt. Now, that doesn’t mean we’ve committed every atrocity known to humankind. We’re not as bad as we can be, just as bad off as we can be. Sin colors all our thoughts, motives, words, and actions.
You still don’t believe it? Look around. Everything in this broken world bears the smudge marks of our sinful nature. Despite our best efforts to create a paradise on earth, crime statistics continue to soar, divorce rates keep climbing, and families keep crumbling.
Something has gone terribly wrong in our society and in ourselves, something deadly. Contrary to how the world would repackage it, “me first” living doesn’t equal rugged individuality and freedom; it equals death. As Paul said in his letter to the Romans, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)—our emotional and physical death through sin’s destructiveness, and our spiritual death from God’s righteous judgment of our sin. This brings us to the second marker: God’s character.
2. God’s Character: Infinitely Holy
When he observed the condition of the world and the people in it, the wise King Solomon concluded, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2; 12:8). The fact that we know things are not as they should be points us to a standard of goodness beyond ourselves. Our sense of injustice in life implies a perfect standard of justice. That standard and source is God Himself. And God’s standard of holiness contrasts starkly with our sinful condition.
Scripture says that “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). He is absolutely holy—which creates a problem for us. If He is so pure, how can we who are so impure relate to Him?
Perhaps we could try being better people, try to tilt the balance in favor of our good deeds, or seek out wisdom and knowledge for self-improvement. Throughout history, people have attempted to live up to God’s standard by keeping the Ten Commandments or by living out their own code of ethics. Unfortunately, no one can come close to satisfying the demands of God’s law. Romans 3:20 says, “By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”
3. Our Need: A Substitute
So here we are, sinners by nature, sinners by choice, trying to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and attain a relationship with our holy Creator. But every time we try, we fall flat on our faces. We can’t live a good enough life to make up for our sin, because God’s standard isn’t “good enough”—it’s perfection. And we can’t make amends for the offense our sin has created without dying for it.
Who can get us out of this mess?
If someone could live perfectly, honoring God’s law, and would bear sin’s death penalty for us—in our place—then we would be saved from our predicament. But is there such a person? Thankfully, yes!
Meet your substitute—Jesus Christ. He is the One who took death’s place for you!
[God] made [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
4. God’s Provision: A Savior
God rescued us by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins (1 John 4:9-10). Jesus was fully human and fully divine (John 1:1, 14), a truth that ensures His understanding of our weaknesses, His power to forgive, and His ability to bridge the gap between God and us (Romans 5:6-11). In short, we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Two words in this verse bear further explanation: justified and redemption.
Justification is God’s act of mercy, in which He declares righteous the believing sinners while we are still in our sinning state. Justification doesn’t mean that God makes us righteous, so that we never sin again, rather that He declares us righteous—much like a judge pardons a guilty criminal. Because Jesus took our sin upon Himself and suffered our judgment on the cross, God forgives our debt and proclaims us PARDONED.
Redemption is Christ’s act of paying the complete price to release us from sin’s bondage. God sent His Son to bear His wrath for all of our sins—past, present, and future (Romans 3:24-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21). In humble obedience, Christ willingly endured the shame of the cross for our sake (Mark 10:45; Romans 5:6-8; Philippians 2:8). Christ’s death satisfied God’s righteous demands. He no longer holds our sins against us, because His own Son paid the penalty for them. We are freed from the slave market of sin, never to be enslaved again!
Placing Your Faith in Christ
These four markers pointing us to the way of truth describe how God has provided a way to Himself through Jesus Christ. Since the price has been paid in full by God, we must respond to His free gift of eternal life in total faith and confidence in Him to save us. We must step forward into the relationship with God that He has prepared for us—not by doing good works or being a good person but by coming to Him just as we are and accepting His justification and redemption by faith.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We accept God’s gift of salvation simply by placing our faith in Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sins. Would you like to enter a relationship with your Creator by trusting in Christ as your Savior? If so, here’s a simple prayer you can use to express your faith:
Dear God,
I know that my sin has put a barrier between You and me. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die in my place. I trust in Jesus alone to forgive my sins, and I accept His gift of eternal life. I ask Jesus to be my personal Savior and the Lord of my life. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you’ve prayed this prayer or one like it and you wish to find out more about knowing God and His plan for you in the Bible, contact us at Insight for Living. You can contact a pastor on staff.
Of all the relationships you enjoy in this life, none can compare with a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us. That first step by faith onto the true path begins a personal and eternal relationship with God.
(from Insight for Living)
February 11 2010 | Bible and Blog and Christianity and Church and Devotions/Devotionals and Faith and Family and God and Grace and Hope and Inspirational and Jesus and Life and Love and Mercy and Opinion and People and Personal and Philosophy and Quotes and Religion and Spiritual and Theology and Thoughts and Uncategorized | No Comments »
(by Dr. Charles Stanley from InTouch.org)
What would you do if someone began to push against you, attempting to throw you off a position that is rightfully yours? How would you respond? Most people would lean into the weight and push back. That’s a posture of resistance. And as believers, we must know when it’s time to lean with all our might against evil. But how?
Prayer is the believer’s great privilege and powerful weapon against Satan and his plans. The apostle Peter wrote, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9). James echoed this teaching:
“Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8).
Both of these godly men admonished believers to oppose evil. And we do that by persevering in prayer. On the surface, this form of resistance may appear to be passive. But in practice, it is always active, intentional, and powerful.
Resistance begins with a decision to join the struggle against evil through prayer, rather than retreat. Such godly opposition takes strength and courage. It also requires patience and perseverance.
Peter and James point to two key words at the heart of our ability to resist the devil through our prayers: faith in God and submission to His will.
Submission
Submission to God means acknowledging that we can’t but He can. In our prayers, we might tell the Lord, “I can’t defeat the Enemy on my own. But with You, I can.” By taking this position, we join the apostle Paul in saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
James taught that submission occurs when we seek a closer relationship with God. As we spend time in His Word and His presence, we get to know the Lord better. We also discover how He wants us to overcome evil and experience blessing in our lives. By setting aside time solely to listen and wait upon the Lord for direction and guidance, we grow closer to Him. Periodically hiding ourselves away from all other influences and distractions is vital if we want to grow in knowledge of our God. The better we know Him, the more we see His power, experience His love, and grow in faith and wisdom.
Faith
Faith can be summed up in the statement “God, I believe You will.” In our efforts to overcome the Evil One, we might pray this way: “I believe You will defeat the Enemy and cause him to flee from me as I resist him and put my trust in You.” Again and again, David made this declaration of faith to the Lord: “O my God, I trust in You” (See Psalm 25:2; also 31:6; 55:23; 56:3; 143:8).
We grow in faith by exercising it—trusting God in every circumstance and relationship. Over time, we develop a personal history with God as He demonstrates His faithfulness and loving care for us. The result is an ever-deepening relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Ultimately, it’s impossible to resist the Devil for long if you don’t believe that Jesus Christ can and will thwart Satan’s attempts to harm you. Remaining strong in faith requires total submission to God in all areas of your life—no exceptions. When you decide that you don’t need God’s help in one area, that’s precisely where the Enemy will strike.
The good news is that God has given each of us a measure of faith to nurture within our hearts. And by His grace, we are capable of submitting to His will. In whatever you do, remember the words of James: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
January 24 2010 | Bible and Blog and Christianity and Church and Devotions/Devotionals and Faith and Family and God and Grace and Hope and Inspirational and Jesus and Life and Love and Mercy and Opinion and People and Personal and Philosophy and Quotes and Religion and Spiritual and Theology and Thoughts and Uncategorized | No Comments »
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Many of us have experienced times of abandonment just when we needed that other person the most. It could have been a spouse withdrawing emotionally, a co-worker who ignored us, or a close friend who seemed too busy to help. The life of the apostle Paul teaches us how not to become discouraged in these situations.
Remember that the Lord is always with us. When we trust in Jesus as our personal Savior, we enter into a permanent relationship with Him, and His Spirit comes to live in us. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus remains with us at all times, regardless of the circumstance. He is our friend—one who will never leave us. And His is the most important friendship we have. Reading our Bible will help us to remember this.
Draw on God’s strength. Through the Holy Spirit, we have access to divine power every minute of the day. When we let go of control and depend on the Lord, we will be able to draw on His strength. Then, if family or friends cause hurt, His presence will provide comfort and help us to forgive them.
Look expectantly for God’s deliverance. Paul testified that the Lord had rescued him and would continue to deliver him from every evil situation. He knew he could always trust God.
Paul faced many painful situations without the support of friends. Toward the end of his life, those who cared about him were widely scattered. Yet his attitude remained hopeful because Christ was his constant Friend. Do you know the Savior? Are you aware of His presence throughout your day?
(by Dr. Charles Stanley from the January 2010 issue of In Touch devotional magazine)
January 06 2010 | Bible and Blog and Christianity and Church and Devotions/Devotionals and Faith and Family and God and Grace and Hope and Inspirational and Jesus and Life and Love and Mercy and Opinion and People and Personal and Philosophy and Quotes and Religion and Spiritual and Theology and Thoughts and Uncategorized | No Comments »
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2 Timothy 4:16-18
