Be An Example

As servants of the Lord and followers of Jesus, we are instructed to be a good example to our neighbors, even as Jesus was our example. (See John 13:15; 1 Peter 2:21)

Here are some pertinent Scripture passages:

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. (Phil 3:17 ESV)

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Tim 4:12 NIV)

. . . in all things showing yourself to be a pattern [model] of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility . . . (Tit 2:7 NKJV)

We are challenged by the Word of God to live in unity and harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ. We do that by studying and memorizing the Word of God, and by pursuing spiritual maturity in our walk with Christ. We also fulfill this mandate by living peaceful and responsible lives.

We’re instructed to perform good deeds, and to be an example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Our lives will display integrity, reverence for God and for spiritual things, as well as an incorruptible spirit. As we live in this way, we will be following Christ’s example, as well as being a good example, too. God bless you.

An Eternal House

The Bible refers to an ‘eternal house’ in heaven in 2 Corinthians. This is our topic for meditation today.

Our future body will be “an eternal house in heaven.” Tents are bodies for dwelling in on this earth. Our new, heavenly body will be a “house in heaven” for dwelling in in our eternal home. Our next body is “not built by human hands.” That means that the heavenly body will be spiritual and glorified, not physical and mortal.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, the excellency of the power being from God and not from ourselves. (2 Cor 4:6-7 MEV)

The treasure referred to above is “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” We carry this precious, beautiful and eternal treasure in our earthly bodies, therefore we must strongly guard what has been entrusted to us.

This involves protecting and sheltering our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ jealously. We must outwit and halt every attack from the enemy against our faith in Jesus Christ.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Cor 5:1 NIV, emphasis added)

This is an assurance to all believers that even though our human bodies will eventually pass away, our spirit and soul united in a spiritual body will move into the presence of God and remain with Him throughout eternity.

My dear friends, we are now God’s children, but it is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is. (1 Joh 3:2 GNT)

It is encouraging and comforting to know that we shall be like our Savior, our Redeemer, because we’ll be able to see Him in all of His glory and magnificence. Praise God!

The Crown of Life

Believers in Jesus Christ receive the crown of life. Let’s remember that before Jesus came, God had made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Jesus came so that the Gentiles might also be saved, and that atonement might be made for the sins of all of mankind. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and he was the perfect sacrifice for all of mankind. (see John 1:29, 36)

Believers are not promised an easy life in the Bible. We are warned in 2 Timothy 3:12 that those who desire to live godly in Jesus will suffer persecution. We must stop and realize that the enemy would not be attacking Christians so desperately if we did not possess something of great value.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (Jas 1:12 NIV, emphasis added)

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer for ten days. But be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rev 2:10 NCV, emphasis added)

Trials of various types test a Christian’s faith, develop endurance in their lives, and help develop spiritual maturity in them. We can all read in 1 Peter how Jesus responded to persecution:

Although he was abused, he never tried to get even. And when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he had faith in God, who judges fairly. (1 Pet 2:23 CEV)

The Lord will give every believer the sustaining grace that they need to go through such trials victoriously. We just need to hold onto our faith in God and in His ability to uphold and sustain us spiritually, mentally, and emotionally through persecution.

Let’s consider how we can stand firm in our resolve to continue speaking the Word of Life boldly, even under the threat of persecution.

Before persecution begins, we must prepare for it by cultivating the Word of God in our hearts. This means that we memorize various passages from the Bible and review them regularly to make sure we retain them.

Scripture teaches that we carry the Word of God in two places: in our mouths, and in our hearts (see Romans 10:8, and Deuteronomy 30:14). Remember this vital truth: Whenever persecution attempts to silence the Word that is in our mouths, it is the Word that is in our hearts which will sustain us.

We carry the incorruptible Seed of the Word of God in our mouths and in our hearts, and we cannot begin to fathom the fruit that will come from that Seed. Hold fast to the Seed that has been sown in your hearts, brothers and sisters! It will uphold and sustain you, along with the very real presence of the Prince of Peace who never leaves us. Glory to God!

Wait for the Lord

A challenge for many of us is the instruction to “wait for the Lord.” Waiting can be a hugely difficult challenge.

The word “wait” means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust. Waiting requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end.

Here are only three Bible verses about waiting for the Lord:

In the path of your justice, Lord, we wait for you; with all our being, we long for your name and your acclaim. (Isa 26:8 CEB)

Notice that we wait for the Lord IN THE PATH OF HIS JUSTICE! With every fiber of our being, we long to bring glory and honor to the Lord’s Name.

O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be our strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble. (Isa 33:2 MEV)

In this Scripture verse, Isaiah reminds the Lord that he has waited for the Lord. He asks for the Lord’s strength every day, and for salvation in times of trouble. We know that the Lord heard and answered those prayers.

Therefore be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. ⁸You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. (Jam 5:7-8 NASB)

In the book of James, we’re reminded to be patient and wait for the Lord. We’re reminded of the patience of the farmer, who waits for the harvest of the seeds he planted. We are encouraged to be patient, just like that farmer. And we are encouraged that the Lord’s deliverance is close at hand. Be strong and steadfast; hang on!

We’re Not Fighting Flesh & Blood

Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves that, as believers, we are not battling with human beings but with unseen enemies. This is an important concept to keep in mind, because we can make the all too easy error of considering other human beings as our enemies.

This is not the heart of God. This is not why Jesus came to earth! Let’s turn to the Scriptures and meditate.

We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. (Eph 6:12 CEB)

As the verse above, in Ephesians, reminds us: we’re fighting against forces of celestial darkness and unseen powers of evil in the heavens. This is a spiritual battle in which we need the spiritual weapons that the Lord has given to all believers.

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ . . . (2 Cor 10:3-5 ESV)

The Lord has His own battle plan which we would do well to follow. The first part of our battle involves controlling our own flesh and our own reactions. We must make sure that our thoughts are obedient to Jesus Christ and His teachings.

. . . to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. (Ac 26:18 ESV)

We have already turned away from darkness and invited the Lord of Light into our lives. We have received forgiveness of sins and a place among all who have been sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ. Our calling is to introduce other people to the same Lord and Savior who has rescued each one of us.

In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe to keep them from seeing the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah, who is the image of God. (2 Cor 4:4 ISV)

We must remember that unsaved people have blinders on their eyes to prevent them from seeing the light of the gospel of Good News. Our prayers and ministry to these people is designed to dissolve those blinders and help them to see the Truth, and to accept their Savior and Redeemer.

Learn about your spiritual weapons and start using them today, dear brothers and sisters.

Do Not Love This World

The Bible gives us some helpful information about the world that we live in, and we do well to pay attention to it.

No one can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. (Mt 6:24 ISV)

The wisdom of the Scriptures is apparent here in reminding us that no one can serve two masters. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, then we serve only Him. To try to do otherwise is folly.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. (1 Joh 2:15 NIV)

We’re advised that we should not love the world or anything in the world. This is not speaking about people, but about material things and the world’s way of valuing what is important.

The most important thing in life is to serve the Lord and to maintain a vital and living relationship with the Lord Jesus.

. . . for whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. (1 Joh 5:4 MEV)

We’re reminded that we who have accepted Christ as our Savior are born of God, and we are overcomers! Glory to God! What do we overcome? The world and its systems and its empty values.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Joh 16:33 NIV) Jesus is speaking to us in this verse above in John 16. He says that in this world we’ll have trouble. But He reminds us that He has overcome the world. It is Jesus’ victory that makes His followers overcomers. Rejoice in this truth today.

A Permanent Covenant

A covenant is a relationship between two parties who make binding promises to each other and work together to reach their common goal.

We are currently living in “New Covenant” times. This covenant defines a new relationship between God and man mediated by Jesus Christ and based upon a sincere declaration that one believes in Jesus Christ as Lord, God, and Savior.

Today, we are meditating upon this covenant that believers have with the Lord.

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isa 54:10 NIV)

Neither God’s love—nor His covenant of peace—will be shaken or upset. Glory to God!

Pay attention to me, come to me; and listen, so that you may live; then I’ll make an everlasting covenant with you, as promised by my faithful, sure love for David. (Isa 55:3 ISV)

As our title today tells us, we have an everlasting covenant with the Lord. It will not end.

I will not break my agreement nor change what I have said. (Ps 89:34 NCV)

God is stating clearly that He will never break His Word or change His promises to us. We can rely upon His stability and His dependability. Thus, our faith may rest upon a flawless foundation. Hallelujah!

Complete the Race, Receive the Crown

We all understand that in order to receive the crown (reward, wreath), we must complete the race as a winner. A winner can also be called a conqueror, a victor, or an overcomer. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (1 Cor 9:25 ESV)We are called by the Lord to complete the “race of life” as a conqueror who will receive an eternal reward. One factor that is required, even as it is required of athletes, is self-control in all things. But we are able. Let’s remember that Romans 8:37 tells us: Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.We are “more than conquerors” because the true Conqueror, Jesus Christ, has shared His victory with each one of us through the gift of salvation.Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. (2 Tim 2:5 NIV)Obviously, every race has rules that must be obeyed. In order to receive the victor’s crown spoken about in the Bible, we must obey the Word of God. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Tim 6:12 NKJV)The battle in which we must engage is the battle for our very own souls, and the only way to win this battle is by FAITH. This is emphatically taught in Scripture:For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 Joh 5:4 NKJV)Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 Joh 5:5 NASB)But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57 NIV)

If we stay on the path of obedience to God and to His Word, we shall surely win the race and receive the crown! Glory to God most High!

LOVE

As we know, 1 John 4:8 teaches us that God is love. The love of God gives us stability and assurance in our faith. It surrounds us and upholds us in our daily lives. But God’s love accomplishes many other things as well.

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. (Pro 3:3 ESV)

We need to write God’s steadfast love and faithfulness upon our hearts, and one way of doing that is to memorize Bible verses about Him and His love. His Word is truth.

Mercy and truth preserve the king, and by lovingkindness he upholds his throne. (Pro 20:28 NKJV)

God’s lovingkindness actually supports, maintains and sustains His throne. Wow! What an idea worthy of meditation.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ²and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Eph 5:1-2 NASB)

We should walk in love, allowing it to motivate us, to lead us, and to flow from us towards other people. As we live in this way, we are being transformed by the example of our Lord and Savior.

If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit. (1 Cor 13:3 NET)

As 1 Corinthians reminds us, without love for God, for ourselves and for others, we have received nothing. This is quite an enormous truth to wrap our thoughts around, so take some time in the weeks to come to meditate upon today’s topic. God bless you.

God Supports & Sustains Each Believer

God blesses each and every follower and disciple of Jesus Christ daily. He supports us by giving us enabling and empowering grace to encourage us to endure trials and tests. He maintains [sustains] our very life, health, strength, and faith, as well. We may safely hope in Him.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. (Ps 94:18 NIV) He supports us by His unfailing love and mercy. Thank You, Jesus!

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (Ps 121:3 KJV) God, our Sustainer, never slumbers nor changes His will. He keeps us from stumbling.

A man’s steps are established by the Lord, and the Lord delights in his way. ²⁴Though he stumbles, he will not fall down flat, for the Lord will hold up his hand. (Ps 37:23-24 ISV) The delights in our lives, and establishes our steps. He holds us up with His hand so that we won’t fall down.

. . . but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:32 NASB) Jesus prayed for us, that our faith would not fail. And we are encouraged to strengthen and support our fellow believers.

. . . who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pet 1:5 NKJV) We are KEPT by the mighty power of God which means that we are preserved, sheltered, and kept separate unto God. He will not let us go, so long as we do not reject our Savior and Redeemer. He has given us such hope and assurance.

This is how valuable we are, individually, to God. Think about having such a Friend and supporter as the Living God. Hallelujah!

decidingvoteblog

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

Tag: faith