August 2005
 Life
doesn't have to be a continual struggle.
Jesus said, "Here on earth you
will have many trials and sorrows. But
be of good courage, because I have overcome
the world." 1
Jesus died and rose from the dead not
only to give us an eternal life, but an
abundant life here on earth.
This may sound strange
coming from a prisoner like myself, but
the secret to living a victorious life
is to simply abide, trust and rest in
the finished work of Jesus Christ. When
Jesus shouted from the cross, "It
is finished", I believe he was
saying we can stop trying to obtain righteousness
through the works of the law, because
He established the only way to obtain
forgiveness, righteousness and life.
Many of our struggles
are with guilt and shame resulting from
illicit sex, divorce, abortion or other
sinful behavior. There will be consequences,
but Jesus shed His blood 2000 years ago
to provide forgiveness for all sin; past,
present and future. 2
He rose from the dead to give us an abundant
life, regardless of present circumstances.
3
This morning...
I woke up singing the
song: "Everybody ought to know, Everybody
ought to know, who Jesus is. He's the
lily of the valley. He's the bright and
morning star. He's the fairest of ten
thousands. Everybody ought to know."
I can't get that song out of my mind.
That's really what living
the victorious life is all about; knowing
who Jesus is, what He did for us, who
we are in Christ and what we have and
can do in Him. We are to abide in Christ,
that is, to settle down and make ourselves
at home in the finished works of the cross.
As we know Jesus better, His divine power
gives us everything we need for living
a godly life. He has called us to receive
His own glory and goodness! 4
Sadly, the world didn't
recognize Jesus when He came. Even in
His own land and among His own people,
He was not accepted. But to all who believed
Him and accepted Him, He gave the right
to become children of God. They are reborn!
This is not a physical birth resulting
from human passion or plan--this rebirth
comes from God. 5
Here's a question
Have you come to a place
in your thinking where you know for sure
that when you die you will go to heaven?
If not, suppose you were to die tonight
and stand before God and He were to say
to you, "Why should I let you into
my heaven?" What would you say? Pause
and think really hard on this, You may
not even believe in heaven or hell.
How would you answer?
If your reply is anything to do with your
goodness or accolades, you're on the wrong
track. If you are trusting in the Ten
Commandments, none of us are without sin.
There is more recorded in the Scriptures
concerning what Jesus said about hell,
than what He said about heaven. So why
should He let us into heaven? You may
think that God would never want you there?
If your answer has to do with anything
but JESUS, you won't enter heaven.
Jesus proclaimed...
I am the bread of life. He who comes
to Me will never go hungry, and
he who believes in Me will never be
thirsty. 6
I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows Me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life. 7
I am the gate; whoever enters through
Me will be saved. He will come in and
go out, and find pasture. 8
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd
lays down his life for the sheep. 9
I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in Me will live, even
though he dies." 10
I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me. 11
I am the vine, you are the branches.
If a man remains in Me and I in him,
he will bear much fruit; apart from
Me you can do nothing. 12
God initiates & we respond 13
God is the initiator
of our salvation and every good and perfect
gift. 14 Jesus told
Nicodemus that unless you are born again,
you can never see the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus wanted to know how an old man
could go back into his mother's womb and
be born a second time. Jesus told him
the truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom
of God without being born of water and
the spirit. Humans can reproduce only
human life, but the Holy Spirit gives
new life from heaven. 15
God our Father showed
us His kindness and love. He saved us,
not because of the good things we did,
but because of His mercy. He washed away
our sins and gave us a new life through
the Holy Spirit. He generously poured
out His Spirit upon us because of what
Jesus Christ our Savior did. He declared
us not guilty because of his great kindness.
And now we know that we will inherit eternal
life. 16
We are the responder
to God's gift of life. God planned before
the foundation of the world to take care
of everything we need by cleansing us
with Christ's blood and filling us with
the life of the Holy Spirit. We can either
believe in the plan of salvation He initiated,
or we can reject salvation by not responding
to His free gift. For God so loved the
world that He gave His only Son, so that
whosoever believes in Him will not perish
but have eternal life. 17
Listen to my friend...
Dr. James Richards asks:
"Did you know that God put man on
Earth to love? The Garden of Eden was
a paradise, but Adam and Eve sinned. God
never desired the world to be like it
is today. Now, since God is holy, He has
to judge sin. But since God put man here
to love, He does not want to judge him.
Let me show you how
much God loves you. In order to keep from
punishing you, He sent His son Jesus into
the world to be crucified. While hanging
on the cross, God poured all the sins
the world would ever commit on Him. Jesus
took all the sin and the punishment for
sin. That means every sin you have ever
committed, as well as any sin you will
ever commit, Jesus has already taken the
punishment for you. God loved you so much
that instead of punishing you for your
sin, He let Jesus take the punishment.
After Jesus died, God
raised Him from the dead, and He overcame
death. God desires to give us all that
Jesus received at the Resurrection. You
have a wonderful inheritance available
from God. All He asks of us is to believe
that God raised Jesus from the dead and
confess Him as Lord. Do you believe that
God raised Jesus from the dead? All your
past will be forgiven and behind you,
and you can start life over as a new person
free from sin." 18
Would you like to become a child of God?
Enter God's Rest
Our heavenly Father desires
for you to enter into His rest as a child
of His. Jesus expressed His Father's will
like this: "Come to me, all of
you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you. Let me teach you, because I
am humble and gentle, and you will find
rest for your souls. For my yoke fits
perfectly, and the burden I give you is
light." 19
The children of Israel
under the Old Covenant were not able to
enter into the promised land of God's
rest because of their unbelief. 20
The writer of Hebrews says, "For
the gospel was preached to us as well
as to them [the children of Israel],
but the word which they heard did
not profit them, not being mixed with
faith in
those who heard it." 21
God has initiated, under
the New Covenant, a Sabbath rest for us
to enter into. Our response must be by
faith alone in the finished work of Christ.
There is nothing we can do to add to the
work Christ did for our salvation at Calvary.
So let us stop trying to earn our salvation.
Let us simply believe and receive what
Christ alone has provided for us. For
all who enter into God's rest will find
rest from their labors, just as God rested
after creating the world. 22
A Prayer For You...
Father, I thank You for
Jesus, Who died on the cross for the forgiveness
of my sins and for providing me Your Son's
righteousness and resurrected life. I
now confess Jesus as Lord and accept by
faith Your free gift of Salvation. Through
Your Holy Spirit, I pray You teach me
how much You love me and about the power
of Your resurrection. I want to grow in
Your grace and in this new life You have
given me. Thank You for Your loving kindness.
Amen!
Footnotes:
|
