ALL – Psalm 119:156-176
ALL – Proverbs 28:23-24
OT – Daniel 7:1-28
NT – 1 John 1:1-10
Interesting passage for the day: So if we say we are his friends, but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. – 1 John 1:6, The Living Bible
Thought: If we want to make friends with someone, we will usually try to fit in with them. We will relate to them. We will do what pleases them, and if we’re doing things that upset them, we’ll stop.
Would our lives say that we’re friends with Jesus? Jesus lives in truth and righteousness and joy and grace. Are we fitting in with Him? Are we relating to Him? Are we doing what pleases Him?
If not, you may need to consider whether or not your belief that you know Him is true. You are deceiving yourself if you say that you know Jesus but your life isn’t conforming to His.
On the other hand, some of you are super-sensitive. You love Jesus very much, and your life has changed greatly because you have received His gift, the Holy Spirit. You are doing everything you can to please Jesus. But you are deeply aware of the times you have not pleased Him. You pretty much despise yourself because you’ve sinned against Him. And when you hear that those who aren’t pleasing Jesus are lying about a relationship with Him, you begin to fear because you know you haven’t walked perfectly in His light.
Take heart. For you who love Jesus and give yourselves wholeheartedly to Him, sensitive to each time you fail Him, there is an encouragement for you a few verses down (v 9): “But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.”
So let’s not be half-hearted about our relationship with Jesus. Living as though Jesus barely matters to you is a good reason to question whether you know Him at all. But for us who are devoted to Jesus, grace is available even when we hurt Him and sin against Him. What a wonderful, kind God! Why give Him any less than our best?
Question: If Jesus were not a part of your life, would you be any different? Ok, you probably wouldn’t attend church. But would there be any differences from Monday to Saturday? How do you believe Jesus would like you to demonstrate your friendship with Him?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Showing posts with label walk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walk. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Clean for a Day
ALL – Psalm 119:113-128
ALL – Proverbs 28:19-20
OT – Daniel 5:1-31
NT – 2 Peter 2:1-22
Interesting passage for the day: There is an old saying that “A dog comes back to what he has vomited, and a pig is washed only to come back and wallow in the mud again.” That is the way it is with those who turn again to their sin. – 2 Peter 2:22, The Living Bible
Thought: Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth. God became man, and He lived a blameless, sinless life among us. In His time, He gave His life on the cross. His blood sprinkled those who trust in Him, making them holy and cleansing them from sin. Because Jesus died and paid for our sin, we are free to live. We can say no to sin. We can live by His Spirit and walk in His righteousness.
That is the good news. And yet some schemers try to take advantage of Jesus. They think that Jesus just died to save us. Since we aren’t saved by being good, He can’t possibly expect us to be good, can He? We might as well just get saved, live a lazy or even rebellious spiritual life until Jesus comes back, and then everything will be great. Right? We’ll go on sinning for now, because Jesus died for our sins already—right? Isn’t that how it works?
Absolutely not! Peter tells us that Jesus saved us so that we can be holy and pure rather than sinful. Those who claim to be saved but who don’t take the time to be “doers of the Word” and not just hearers—who know what Jesus taught but won’t do what Jesus said—are like dogs and pigs. They go back to their filth and sin. They remain unchanged by Jesus. Their salvation was only skin-deep, and in their hearts and spirits they held on to their sinful nature.
Jesus is not just here to save us from hell. He came to make us citizens of heaven. Those who refuse His offer have only one place left to go: back to the very hell they thought they had escaped. If you’re not walking with Jesus today, then you’re not walking with Jesus at all. Don’t be fooled because the refreshing waters of His Word and Spirit made you feel all cleaned up one day years ago. Even a pig can be clean for a day.
Question: Are you clean today? Are you walking with Jesus? Do you love Him enough to do what He wants? Or do you see Jesus as enabling you to do what you want?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 28:19-20
OT – Daniel 5:1-31
NT – 2 Peter 2:1-22
Interesting passage for the day: There is an old saying that “A dog comes back to what he has vomited, and a pig is washed only to come back and wallow in the mud again.” That is the way it is with those who turn again to their sin. – 2 Peter 2:22, The Living Bible
Thought: Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth. God became man, and He lived a blameless, sinless life among us. In His time, He gave His life on the cross. His blood sprinkled those who trust in Him, making them holy and cleansing them from sin. Because Jesus died and paid for our sin, we are free to live. We can say no to sin. We can live by His Spirit and walk in His righteousness.
That is the good news. And yet some schemers try to take advantage of Jesus. They think that Jesus just died to save us. Since we aren’t saved by being good, He can’t possibly expect us to be good, can He? We might as well just get saved, live a lazy or even rebellious spiritual life until Jesus comes back, and then everything will be great. Right? We’ll go on sinning for now, because Jesus died for our sins already—right? Isn’t that how it works?
Absolutely not! Peter tells us that Jesus saved us so that we can be holy and pure rather than sinful. Those who claim to be saved but who don’t take the time to be “doers of the Word” and not just hearers—who know what Jesus taught but won’t do what Jesus said—are like dogs and pigs. They go back to their filth and sin. They remain unchanged by Jesus. Their salvation was only skin-deep, and in their hearts and spirits they held on to their sinful nature.
Jesus is not just here to save us from hell. He came to make us citizens of heaven. Those who refuse His offer have only one place left to go: back to the very hell they thought they had escaped. If you’re not walking with Jesus today, then you’re not walking with Jesus at all. Don’t be fooled because the refreshing waters of His Word and Spirit made you feel all cleaned up one day years ago. Even a pig can be clean for a day.
Question: Are you clean today? Are you walking with Jesus? Do you love Him enough to do what He wants? Or do you see Jesus as enabling you to do what you want?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Weekly Sermons in Swanton: Responding to The God Who Is Light
The message, preached on January 17th, 2010, covered 1 John 1:5-10, and it can be heard via streaming audio at http://www.swantonalliance.org. John announces one life-altering truth: God is Light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we want fellowship with this God, we must walk in the light and confess our sins, finding that the God who is Light forgives and purifies us, too. Note: Past sermons can be accessed through the resources page.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Walk Like a Priest, Talk Like a Priest
Malachi 1-2; Psalm 149; Proverbs 31:10-24
If you’re a Christian, you’re a priest. You know that, right? Check out 1 Peter 2:4-5: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
So if you’re a Christian, you’re a priest. But you say, “I don’t know how to be a priest. What do I do?”
Malachi has some words of guidance for you.
True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction--because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty. – Malachi 2:6-7
Walk with the Lord in peace and uprightness. Talk the truth the Lord teaches you to say. Turn people away from sin.
Because you are a priest.
Thoughts about this?
If you’re a Christian, you’re a priest. You know that, right? Check out 1 Peter 2:4-5: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
So if you’re a Christian, you’re a priest. But you say, “I don’t know how to be a priest. What do I do?”
Malachi has some words of guidance for you.
True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction--because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty. – Malachi 2:6-7
Walk with the Lord in peace and uprightness. Talk the truth the Lord teaches you to say. Turn people away from sin.
Because you are a priest.
Thoughts about this?
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