God is Your Strength, Your Power and Your Purpose

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the suffering of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

2 Corinthians 1: 3-5

Commentary:

When we are in need and no one can help us we turn to God. Why is that? We think we can do anything, fix anything, have all the answers. Then here comes along something we know we can’t fix and we call to God to fix it. Many think that when God comforts us, our troubles should go away. But if that were always so, people would turn to God only out of desire to be relieved of pain and not out of love for God.

We must understand that being comforted is receiving strength, encouragement from God to deal with our troubles. If you are doing God’s work, you can expect Satan to work against you, so be prepared. Remember, Christ suffered for you to comfort others. So back to the question of “Why is that?” Because God will see you through anything, He is your strength, your power, your only purpose, and He is your God.

You Are a Branch in Need of a Vine

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

John 15: 1-4

Commentary:

Are you dried up, or are you moist with the Holy sap of God’s word in you? Are you going about spreading the nourishing Word of our Lord? You must be purged.The old life must fall away so the new self can bring forth fresh fruit? We must put our self in God’s hands so He can reshape us, to place us in fertile soil so we can be fruitful.

Cut away the old self , if not, then you will not bear anything that will be acceptable to God. If you are a follower of Christ, then you are a fruitful branch, and a true believer. Who by our living unions with Him will produce much fruit.Those who are unproductive, those who turn their back from following Christ after making superficial commitments, will get cut off from the vine and cast in the fire. Are you receiving the nourishment and life offered by Christ, the vine? If not, you are missing a gift He has for you.

Follow the Truth

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became goals and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Romans 1: 18-22

Commentary:

Why is God angry at sinful people? They substituted the truth about him with a fantasy of their own imagination. They have stifled the truth God naturally reveals to all people in order to believe anything that supports their own self centered lifestyle.

God cannot tolerate sin because his nature is morally perfect. He cannot ignore or condone such willful rebellion. God wants to remove the sin and restore the sinner to his kingdom. He is able to, as long as the sinner does not stubbornly distort or reject the truth.

The Lord’s anger erupts against those who persist in sinning. Repent. Make sure you are not pursuing a fantasy rather than the true God. Don’t suppress the truth about him merely to protect your own life style.

You are given the choice of either accepting or rejecting God. Don’t be fooled. No excuses will be accepted when God judges your response to him. Begin today to give your devotion and worship to him.

Don’t Live Like the Gentiles

Scripture: Ephesians 4: 17-19

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

Scripture Commentary: Living the christian life is a process

“Futility of their thinking” refers to the tendency of humans to think in their way instead of God’s way. Intellectual pride, rationalizations, and excuses all keep people from God. People should be able to see a difference between Christians and non-Christians because of the way Christians live.

Living the Christian life is a process. Christians don’t automatically think all good thoughts and express all right attitudes. Continuous obedience to God means continuous change.

Do you see a process of change for the better in your thoughts, attitudes, and actions? Although change may be slow, it comes as you trust God to change you. Put yourself in God’s hands and leave the flesh out. See the true light of our Lord Jesus Christ in your life.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ephesians Chapter 4

You Don’t Have to Be a Slave to Sin

Scripture: Ephesians 2: 1-5

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the craving of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.

Scripture Commentary:

The fact that all people, without exception, commit sin proves that without Christ we have a sinful nature. We are lost in sin and cannot save ourselves.

Does this mean only Christians do good? Of course not. Many people do good things and are kind to others. On a relative scale, many are moral, kind, and law-abiding. Comparing these people to criminals, we would say they are very good indeed.

But on God’s absolute scale, no one is good enough to earn salvation. Only through being united in Christ’s perfect life can we become good in God’s sight. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots. We will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin.

The difference is that before we became Christians, we were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we know that our bodies will also be raised from the dead, and that we have been given the power to live as Christians. The penalty of sin and its power over us were miraculously destroyed by Christ on the cross. Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, not guilty before God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ephesians Chapter 2

The Circumcision of Christ Cuts Your Sinful Nature

Scripture: Colossians 2: 10-12

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Scripture Commentary: Spiritual circumcision cuts you away from your old sinful nature

In Colossians 2: 10-12, God is talking about circumcision, but not of the flesh. The circumcision that he is referring to is of our old, sinful past life. This is the cutting off of the old self and the birth of the new. We are all sinners, but through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ we have been made anew.

When we bury the old flesh and have been risen with the new spirit in His baptism, we become His people. With our new found faith in Jesus we are reformed again. No longer are we to follow the old life that we had been living. This baptism parallels the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It also portrays the death and burial of our sinful old way of life, followed by our resurrection to a new life in Christ.

Remembering that our old sinful life is dead and buried with Christ gives us a powerful motive to resist sin.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Colossians Chapter 2

Do You Believe Christ is Raised From the Dead?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15: 12-14

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ is not been raised, our preaching is useless and so if your faith.

Scripture Commentary:

Do you believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead? Do you believe that you, a follower of Jesus Christ, will be raised from the dead?

When we were neither believing nor following Jesus, we were dead in our spiritual body. Place yourself in his hands; give your lifestyle to him. Then you will be raised from the dead.

If you truly believe that Jesus Christ won the ultimate victory, that fact alone must affect the way you live right now. We Christians know that our life is beyond the grave and that our life on earth is only a preparation for our life that will never end with Jesus Christ.

We all face limitations here on earth, but with Jesus we have no limitations. Because of Christ’s resurrection, nothing we do in His name is in vain.

Do not hesitate to do good because you don’t see the results right away. God works on His own time, not ours. Do the work for God that He has placed you here to do, and he will take care of the rest.

Read the Entire Chapter:
1 Corinthians Chapter 15

Jesus’s Prayer is That He Glorifies God

Scripture: John 17: 1-5

Jesus’s Prayer

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the work began.”

Scripture Commentary:

This entire chapter is Jesus’s prayer. From it, we learn that the world is a tremendous battleground where the forces under Satan’s power and those under God’s authority are at war. Satan and his forces are motivated by bitter hatred for Christ and his forces.

Jesus prayed for his disciples, including those of us who follow him today. He prayed that God would keep his chosen believers safe from satan’s power, setting them apart and making them pure and holy, uniting them through his truth.

How do we get eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly here – by knowing God the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus came to earth, he was one with God. At the time of this prayer, when his mission on earth was almost finished, Jesus was asking his Father to restore him to his original place of honor and authority.

Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, and Stephen’s dying exclamation in the book of Acts, attest that Jesus did return to his exalted position at the right hand of God. Jesus is the only way to God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
John Chapter 17

You Can’t Buy Salvation – It’s a Gift of God

Scripture: Acts: 8: 17-20

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Scripture Commentary: Jesus Christ is the gift of God; he paid the price for our salvation

Do you think that you, like Simon, can buy your way to heaven and God’s heart? Jesus Christ paid for the way to His Father. He paid the price to save us. Jesus died on the cross. He rose in three days with all the glory and ascended to heaven.

Do not think because everything on earth has a price that God also has a price that you can pay. You cannot pay the price to be with God by working hard and doing good things. Accepting Jesus Christ as your savior is the only way, and by doing this you will live the life God has prepared for you.

Do not think like Simon that you can buy the power of the Holy Ghost. No amount of money can buy salvation, forgiveness of sin, or God’s power.

Learn from Simon and his reaction (in verse 24) to what Peter told him. He said, “Pray to the Lord for me…”

Read the Entire Chapter:
Acts Chapter 8

I Can Do All Things Through Christ

Scripture: Philippians 4:19-20, 23

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. A-men!(19-20) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.(20)

(To thePhilippians written from Rome, by Epaphroditus.)

Scripture Commentary: You have everything you need – you can do anything through Christ

You can do anything Christ-like through God. However, this doesn’t mean superhuman ability to accomplish anything we can imagine without regard for our fellow man.

The power God has given you is sufficient to do his will and to face the challenges that will arise in doing his work. Be like Paul and be content and God will show you the way. Be focused on what you are supposed to do, not what you feel you should do.

Paul had his priorities straight, and he was grateful, because he followed God’s teachings. Detach yourself from worldly things, so you can concentrate on God as he directs your path. We can trust that God will always meet our needs.

Whatever we need on earth he will always supply, even if it is the courage to face death. By trusting in Christ our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting his provisions and power to live for him. We can live confidently for him because we have “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” with us.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Philippians Chapter 4