Lord of the Living & the Dead

As Christians, we belong to Jesus Christ. Once we accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we became a member of His family. He remains our Lord from that moment on into and throughout all eternity. How blessed we are!

For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. (Rom 14:9 NIV)

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Pet 4:5)

The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— (Ac 10:36)

Jesus Christ is the Lord of both the living and the dead—and there is no conflict in His role. He is Lord of ALL.

Jesus created everything that exists and because of that, no one can claim any authority over creation or over mankind other than Him. (See Exodus 19:5)

When the Scriptures speak of Jesus being the Lord of both the living and the dead, it is addressing the fact that Jesus is the Lord of all people:

Those who are spiritually dead and those who are spiritually alive;
Those who are physically dead and those who are physically alive.

Jesus’ perfect sacrifice reconciled us to our Father God, and brought peace between us and the Father. Jesus has established the ministry of reconciliation. Glory to God!

How much more do we (all born-again believers) belong to Jesus since He has ransomed us from sin and from satan?

There is a prophecy in Isaiah that reminds us that we have everlasting joy bestowed upon us:

So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isa 51:11) Glory to God!

Justified by Faith

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are justified (made righteous) through faith in Jesus Christ alone—not by works.

Here’s what the Bible has to say about justification:

. . . knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (Gal 2:16)

Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Gal 3:24)

. . . and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith . . . (Phil 3:9)

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; ³⁹and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Ac 13:38-39, underscoring added)

Even the faith which we have is a gift from God according to Ephesians 2:8. So we cannot boast in our faith, because the faith in which we operate is a gift of God. So, am I saying that good works have no place in the believer’s life? No! Of course not, but let us appreciate and thank God for His precious gift of salvation and the justification that is included in it.

Yes, there is a place for good works. According to Ephesians 2:10, we were created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Titus 3:8 reminds us to maintain good works because they are good and profitable to all people.

So, in our walk of faith let us recognize that we need to feed and strengthen our faith by reading the Word, and we need to maintain good works, as well. With such behavior as this, God is well pleased.

Wisdom Speaks

Did you know that wisdom has a voice? The Scriptures help us to learn this lesson.

Can’t you hear the voice of wisdom? She is standing at the city gates and at every fork in the road, and at the door of every house. Listen to what she says . . . (Pro 8:1-3 TLB, emphasis added)

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. ³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. ³⁵For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord; ³⁶but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.” (Pro 8:32-36) Wisdom is speaking in this passage of Scripture.

Why should we listen to the voice of wisdom?

One reason is that the Bible tells us to listen to her voice. (Pro 2:2)
We’re told in the Word to learn wisdom and to gain wisdom. (Ps 90:12; Pro 2:10-11)
The Bible says that we’ll be commended for having wisdom. (Pro 12:8)

Wisdom is essential in our lives because wise decisions often prevent sorrow and distress. Using wisdom in life can prevent difficult problems from getting worse, or from even happening at all. When questioning whether something is right or wrong, wisdom will contribute toward making the best decision.

Deduction: Listen for, pay attention to and obey the voice of wisdom!

The entire Bible is full of the wisdom of God, especially the book of Proverbs. Read the Bible regularly and read one Proverb a day to sow wisdom into your heart.

We Are Witnesses

Those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord are now the Lord’s witnesses.

A witness is a person who has observed something, perceived something, or experienced something; and who are willing and able to give an account of their experience.

Let’s look at a few Scriptures:

God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. (Ac 2:32)

. . . and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. (Ac 3:15)

Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³²And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Ac 5:31-32)

What would God like us to share with other people? Of what should we testify (bear witness)?

We should simply affirm our own, personal experience of what happened to us in accepting Jesus as our Savior. We may also reveal how serving Jesus Christ and being in relationship with Him has changed our lives since we turned our hearts over to Him.

In my own life, once I accepted Christ as my Savior, many things became different. I felt that I had been set free, and I felt an incredible joy. I wanted to tell everyone about my experience because it was so simple and easy to receive Jesus; and it made such an impact upon my life. I felt such love for people—which was a new experience—and I wanted everyone else to experience the joy that I had.

I have now known the Lord as my Savior for more than four and a half decades, and I have experienced miracles, signs, and wonders in my own life. I’ve also prayed for other people and seen the Lord perform miracles for others in answer to our prayers. I’ve seen relatives reconciled; diseases healed; finances blessed; and marriages restored all in the Name of Jesus.

You have your own special, highly valuable and unique testimony. Your witness will reach people that no one else can reach. Consider how and with whom you can share your incomparable story today. God bless you!

Unfailing Love

God, alone, is capable of bestowing UNFAILING love upon a person or a group of people. Since God is love (1 Joh 4:8), we can see why this would be possible as well as understandable.

Here are three different versions of the same Bible verse about God’s love:

Because your faithful love is right in front of me—I walk in your truth! (Ps 26:3 CEB)

For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. (Ps 26:3 NKJV)

. . . for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. (Ps 26:3 NIV, emphasis added)

There are many more verses in the Word that talk about God’s precious, beautiful, unfailing love (all NIV):

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. (Ex 15:13)

Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. (Ps 6:4)

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. (Ps 13:5)

See also Psalm 18:50; 21:7; 32:10; 33:5, 18, 22; 36:7; 44:26; 48:9; 51:1; 52:8; 62:12, and many more! Further research into this truth will strengthen and support your faith in all circumstances.

What I hope to accomplish here is to remind us all how very deeply and how faithfully God loves each one of His children. God’s love is unfailing, and it is unconditional. There is no love anywhere else in creation like the love of God for His people.

God’s love is dependable, constant, consistent, unshakable, and enduring. His love is more important than anyone else’s. When you are the object of His love, His love for you makes you a better, kinder, and more loving human being. His love enables you to love others in a more mature way than ever before.

Meditate upon His unfailing love. Make it a practice to have an awareness of His constant, abiding love. It will bless your life and faith immensely.

Wisdom & Understanding

In the Bible, we often see that wisdom and understanding are linked together strongly.

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens . . . (Pro 3:19 NKJV)

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Pro 2:6 NIV)

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. (Pro 4:7 NIV)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Pro 9:10 NIV)

He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by His understanding. (Jer 51:15 NKJV)

The Lord uses wisdom and understanding together in combination to establish and accomplish great and mighty things. Because we are made in God’s image (Gen 9:6 NKJV) and since Christ is our example (1 Pet 2:21 NKJV), we too are strongly encouraged by the Word to gain wisdom and understanding.

Wisdom means prudence, insight, perceptiveness, or good judgment.

Understanding means empathy, kindness, or awareness. In considering these two attributes, we can see how they would work together quite effectively and supportively.

Daily, we can expand and increase both of these characteristics in our lives by reading the Bible faithfully. No matter what book of the Bible or what topic we may read, the Word of God is filled with the Spirit and the power of God—as well as God’s wisdom and understanding. The more we fill our hearts and minds with the Word, the more that we will operate with the wisdom and understanding of God.

Be eager students of the Word and you will reap the blessed and life-changing benefits.

Praise at the Sound of God’s Word

Today I’m meditating upon the importance of the Word of God. Let us continuously praise the Lord for His Word.

In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul. ⁴All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth. ⁵Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. (Ps 138:3-5, emphasis added)

When the kings of the earth hear the words of God’s mouth, they will praise the Lord and sing of His ways. What an image!

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. (Ps 22:27) All the people of the earth shall remember the Lord and turn to Him and worship Him. There is no doubt that this shall come to pass.

Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him. (Ps 72:11, emphasis added) People shall be in such awe of God, that they will actually FALL DOWN BEFORE HIM in order to worship Him and to pay Him honor. This also reminds us that, one day, everyone shall serve the Lord.

Here are several Bible passages that talk about the wisdom of the Word of God:

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple . . . (Ps 19:7) God’s Word makes us wise.

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. (Ps 119:98) God’s Word gives us wisdom that enables us to be wiser than our enemies—and to thereby gain the victory. When we have memorized God’s Word, it is forever with us. Hallelujah!

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; so what wisdom do they have? (Jer 8:9) This verse rightly asks the question: “Since they have rejected God’s word, what wisdom do they have?” The unspoken answer is: none.

Be sure to avail yourself of the wisdom of the ages and the wisdom that will cause all kings and all nations on earth to serve the Lord. Read and meditate upon God’s praiseworthy Word every day.

A Better Priesthood

It was on the basis of the Levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the Levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron. ¹²For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law. ¹³And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe, and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. (Heb 7:11-13 GNT, underscoring added)

Melchizedek’s lineage is not shown in Scripture, but his name means king of righteousness and king of peace. So, he is considered to be a type of Christ.

The Scriptures say about Him, “You are a priest forever, just like Melchizedek.” ¹⁸In this way a weak and useless command was put aside, ¹⁹because the Law cannot make anything perfect. At the same time, we are given a much better hope, and it can bring us close to God. (Heb 7:17-19 CEV) This passage of the Bible refers to Jesus as “a priest forever.”

Here’s a pertinent quotation concerning Jesus’ priesthood:

In verses 4–10 of Hebrews 7, the author recounts how Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek and that the Levitical priests (who were biological descendants of Abraham) would one day be commanded in the law to accept tithes from the people of Israel. The author concludes, “it is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior” (v. 7). Given that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, and the Israelites paid tithes to the Levites, this is a strong argument that Jesus Christ’s priesthood is greater than that of the Levites. – Article by Kim Riddlebarger,
Source: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/better-priesthood/

Levitical priests could serve only until they died. Jesus, alone, serves as our Priest forever even into eternity, as the Scripture says:

“The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’ . . . ” (Heb 7:21)

Jesus is the guarantor of a better covenant. (Heb 7:22) Earthly priests’ work is temporary, but Jesus holds his Priesthood eternally because He will never die. (Heb 7:24) Jesus, in His perfection and holiness, is unchangeable. He always lives to make intercession for His people. (Heb 7:25)

Jesus is a High Priest above all others: holy, unstained, innocent, and exalted above the heavens. (See Heb 7:26-28) Glory to God most High! We are so blessed that He is interceding for each and every one of us who have made Him our Lord and Savior.

The Lord’s Swift Help

Here are Bible verses that remind us that when we need God’s help, we may need it suddenly and abruptly!

Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior. (Ps 38:22 NIV)

Be pleased to save me, Lord; come quickly, Lord, to help me. (Ps 40:13 NIV)

Come closer, God! Please hurry and help. (Ps 71:12 CEV)

Lord, I cry out to You; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. (Ps 141:1)

The above verses show human beings calling upon the Lord for immediate and speedy help. We all turn to God in fear and anguish when we are facing some sort of crisis in our lives. But remember, God has already declared Himself as our Savior and Redeemer. (Isa 49:26; 60:16).

So we can have complete assurance that He hears and answers our prayers. (Pro 15:29; Joh 16:24; 1 Joh 5:14-15) Look up some of these verses and meditate upon them to build your faith.

Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt; the idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. (Isa 19:1, emphasis added)

The word “totter” means to stagger, wobble, quake, or lurch. When God’s power comes into a circumstance or a life, every false god and demon quakes and falls in fear and defeat. They recognize that Jesus is the Victorious One. (Joh 16:33; Col 2:15)

Notice that the imagery in Isaiah 19:1 mentions a swift cloud, which gives us a clue as to the decisiveness of the Lord when He has determined to take action on behalf of His people. So, in your moment of need, trust in the Lord and in His abiding and perfect love for you. Understand that the Lord will move swiftly (instantly) on your behalf at exactly the best moment—the one that He knows will bring about the most blessings for you.

As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us that the Lord LEADS US IN TRIUMPH in Christ. (2 Cor 2:14) Hallelujah! Allow Him (trust Him) to lead you triumphantly in every situation.

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You are the Deciding Vote! In your life, you can make decisions that will help you and bless you.

Month: April 2020