Redemption Calvary Podcast: Recent Episodes
Redemption Calvary
The teaching and preaching ministry of Pastor Cody King and Redemption Calvary, a Calvary Chapel church in Commerce City Colorado.
If your heart isn’t right with God, the church can sometimes feel like drudgery, an activity to check off, full of people you don’t quite click with. Yet, as Pastor Cody will teach you today, the church is so much more than a gathering each Sunday in a building. It’s a gathering of family. And everyone in this group of believers is made in the image of God. They’re your family. Ask God to soften your heart to those hard to love. Ask God to open your eyes to the blessing of this family. Enjoy the gift God has given you in the church!
There are some believers who’re fully convinced that to worship God well, you need an elaborate church or a large and boisterous congregation. Yet, as Pastor Cody explains today, what makes a church a church is the presence of the Lord. God is present in a slum church and in the fancy chapel in the suburbs. He’s there with the underground churches around the world and in the mega-church in the city. Seek the Lord where you’re at. Worship Him with your whole heart. He’s there with His people.
There are some believers who’re just going through the motions, just existing, waiting to really live in Heaven. Yet, as Pastor Cody explains today, God has so much more for you in this life! He’s given you abundant life and people to live it with! Living life is always better with someone else! Especially the Christian life. You’re stronger and happier with other believers around you! You’re meant for fellowship. It’s a family that is full of love and encouragement.
There should be a major change happening in your life when you come to salvation. Your life should be different as you let God work through you and transform you into who He wants you to be. Today, you’ll get to be reminded by Pastor Cody that sin has no place in your life anymore when you come to Christ. People should be able to see the difference and tell that you’re a Christian. If there’s no evidence that the Scriptures are changing you as you learn Them more and more, do you really believe it?
God’s Word is the source of perfect truth about salvation. Pastor Cody is going to show you how Paul went to the very basics of God’s grace and forgiveness in the book of Romans. Everyone is born in sin, and that sin separates us from God. Jesus came to earth to live like a man and suffer and die for your sin so you can be saved, if you believe in Him and confess your sins. When you stray, being reminded of the truths of God’s Word like Paul did for the Roman church can help you get back in His will.
There can be a division that rises between Christians that are mature in their faith and Christians that are weaker in their faith. But, where there's been division, there should be unity. Pastor Cody is going to explain today how the hope and faith of a mature believer are for encouragement and an example to the weaker believer. And all believers should be encouraging each other to look to God and grow closer to Him. If that's not what you see around you, how can you point others to God through your life?
One of the greatest things you can receive from God is hope. Hope for eternity, hope for a future with God and for a life with Him at your side here on earth, and hope for good coming out of every seemingly bad thing that happens to you. Today, Pastor Cody is going to show you how it's not a thing to keep to yourself. Everyone needs hope. Fellow believers can be encouraged with the hope you have, and be encouraged themselves, and the lost need the hope you have for eternity in Christ.
The choice is yours to be gracious in telling less mature believers about Christ, or judging them for not being as far along in their faith as you. Today, as you look at what should be done, Pastor Cody is going to remind you that you're to live like Jesus on this earth. That means treating people with compassion and loving your fellow believers. If they're not as far along in their faith as you, it's an opportunity to help them grow in their faith out of love, being an example of how Jesus would live today.
The best way to teach someone less mature in their faith is to teach and lead by example out of love. The immature believer needs to grow in what they know about Jesus and to grow closer to Him. The mature believer needs to be patient in teaching God's ways to the less mature believer, and show them how to live. It sounds a little complicated, but Pastor Cody is going to take you to Romans today to show you how simple it really is, this relationship between mature and immature believers.
Do you see the growth in your life from when you came to Jesus to now? Have you matured in your walk with God since you became a believer and gotten closer to Him? Today, Pastor Cody is going to remind you that your walk with God is never finished. Every day is another opportunity to know more about Him and be closer to Him. God will move in your life more and more, and your joy in Him will grow. But, it takes an effort on your part. God wants you to seek Him, and to take the time to be with Him daily.
There are going to be topics you disagree with other believers on as you mature in your faith. But, oftentimes it's not always even a spiritual issue. Colors of carpets, pews vs chairs, how big of a worship team is, and whether or not to have coffee at church are all things that have been argued, about and still are. Today, Pastor Cody's going to remind you to remember to treat others with grace and show the love of God that's in you when there's disagreement. Christians are meant to build each other up and encourage each other.
When you're saved, there's a celebration in Heaven that you have an eternal home with Jesus! But too often, that's where people stop growing in their relationship with God. As Pastor Cody's going to show you today, there's a whole world of lost people out there that need the same hope you do. As you mature in your faith, more responsibility is placed on you, and one of those is telling others about Jesus as you keep growing in Him yourself. It's not news meant to be kept to yourself; it's to be spread to everyone!
Responsibilities get more and more abundant as you get older and more mature. As you get older, more is expected of you. Today, Pastor Cody is going to draw the parallels between the responsibilities of growing up in life to the responsibilities of growing in your spiritual life. It's not enough to come to Jesus and never keep growing. That kind of faith is dead faith. God wants you to always be drawing closer to Him, and as you mature in your faith, more is expected of you, just like in life in general.
Have you submitted to the Lordship of Christ... It's a question everyone has a personal responsibility to answer. Today, Pastor Cody is going to show you how it's so much more important for anyone in any kind of leadership role to answer that question for themselves. It's for their own good, and for the sake of being able to lead all of the people under them rightly according to God's Word, too. And no matter what position you're in, it's always your responsibility to pray for others to do the same.
Pastors and other spiritual leaders are consistently held to living out God's Word more strictly than others. And anyone in leadership must live according to God's Word to properly lead anyone under their authority. But, when you look at government leadership today, do you see humility in following God's Word? As you'll see today with Pastor Cody, just as much as leaders are to live how God wants them to, everyone under them should also be praying for those leaders so they CAN lead adequately.
What does it mean to be “good?” Biblically, it means to be pleasing to God. So then, how do we be good? In today’s message, Pastor Cody talks about how we need to know what pleases God. So that we can try to be pleasing to God. What we shouldn't, though, try and reshape what “good” actually means so that we can claim we are. God has spoken as to what is good and what is not. If we try to reshape those definitions, we defy the words of God himself!
Pastor Cody speaks about the different types of love in today's message. The most difficult to understand is “agape.” It means to love unconditionally. The only one who can truly love unconditionally is God himself! But we should try to live that way too! We should extend; to everyone the same love that Christ showed us! We might not always be able to do that. But that doesn’t mean it’s a worthless effort, and it doesn’t mean we should try to change what agape means!
Have you ever found yourself misusing your gifts and talents? What does that mean exactly? Pastor Cody gives an example of a church setting in today's message. Someone misusing their gifts in the Church can cause a lot of undue stress and confusion. And outright refusing to use their gifts can cause unnecessary complications and delays. And that doesn’t mean that a person isn’t contributing to their church; it just means they aren’t using the gifts God gave them!
Have you noticed the ‘quote unquote’ recent trend of people trying to make themselves look as good as humanly or even as inhumanly as possible? It’s become awful with the rise of social media and the ability to gain attention by any means necessary. It always traces back to the secular idea that one’s self is the most critical aspect of life! In today’s message, Pastor Cody speaks about using our God-given gifts to help others instead of allowing ourselves or making ourselves look better!
How many things are demanding your attention – even right now?! So often, we come short of finding God's will in our lives because we allow our days to be occupied by other things. Even as you listen, you probably have an ongoing list of a multitude of arrangements that need your sole attention. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that when we submit to God's will, our priorities align with the one that already has life figured out and He's ready to de-clutter the piles of junk in your life.
What is happening in our world? And why did it turn up the noise to 11? It's not as simple as introducing some earplugs into your routine. One of the best ways to combat the constant adverse drone of this world and the negativity it hurls is to seek refuge in the word of God, the Bible. Today, Pastor Cody urges us, 'transformation happens through information.' Precisely the information and priceless instructions of the Bible. As we get to know God's word, it changes how we think and renews our minds.
Some say the air we breathe daily is a miracle of God. Or think about the boundless free will you have in this life. An all-powerful, almighty God still gives us the power of choice. Listen in as Pastor Cody shares a personal story of the mercy of God that radically transformed his life for eternity. Perhaps you have an impactful story of redemption, but now you're searching for the will of God in this adventure. Today, discover the biblical formula for partnering your own life with the steps of God.
We're our own worst enemy! Our self-doubt can sometimes keep us from God's best things in store for us. Maybe you had a clear path of what God was doing in your life, but somehow, you veered off-course. If you haven't heard it in a while – be encouraged today that there is nothing too broken that God can't repair. He is more significant than your biggest problem. Don't let your doubt or your pride stop you from letting God take over and transform the shattered pieces into a stunning masterpiece!
Let's take a faith check. When's the last time God used you to do good works: encourage a coworker, reach someone for Jesus, or even extend compassion at the right time to someone? God is constantly doing miraculous and awe-inspiring results across this earth. Yet, how often is he doing it through you? Today, Pastor Cody continues in Romans chapter 11 and reemphasizes the urging of Paul that God desires to reconcile all people of different ethnicities and backgrounds to Him - Jews and Gentiles alike.
Eternity with God is going to be a glorious experience! However, your one-way ticket to the pearly gates isn't just gained through a checklist of being good, following traffic signs, and never telling a lie. Good works, as they are known, are a product of God's salvation in our lives. You can't earn God's salvation. Today, Pastor Cody begins his study into Romans chapter 11 as Paul continues to instruct and inspire the early church to realize God's plan all along is
The Bible is pretty hard on hypocrites! And for a good reason too! In today’s message, Pastor Cody speaks about how people who teach one thing; and practice another are simply not easily trusted! Think about it! Would you take financial advice from a gambler? Relationship advice from a cheater? You could learn from their mistakes. But you wouldn’t follow their guidance if they continued to make those terrible choices unapologetically, right? It’s the same way with spreading the Gospel!
Pretty often; people trick themselves into thinking that God already has, or is going to save them because of their works. But, in today’s message, Pastor Cody sets the record straight and reminds us that we had already broken the law before we were capable of comprehending what it was! So, we have absolutely no hope of being redeemed through our own actions. It's only through the grace of God that we’re given a chance at redemption through Jesus, who died for our continuous failures.
Sometimes, people can wonder whether or not God is fair and just and if some people can be evil. Wouldn’t it be God’s fault if He made them that way? Not so! In today’s message, Pastor Cody answers this question by bringing up Moses and the Pharaoh. God may have shown Moses favor in his fight to free his people, but he also made the Pharaoh be birthed into his position as a ruler. The Pharaoh turned that power against God’s own people by his own choice, so God made that choice permanent!
In today’s message, Pastor Cody speaks about the people of Israel. And how; just because they were born in Israel. Didn’t automatically make them saved, and they’re only “God’s people” in the name instead of action. He compares it to Christianity in America today. How being born American, and saying the Pledge doesn’t make you Christian, but instead; it’s the relationship you build with Christ! It is only ever your faith that brings you to Salvation with God. Not work, and especially not empty titles.
Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life – a life that we could never live in our own strength. And then, He died a sacrificial death so that we can inherit eternal life, even though we don’t deserve it. Today, Pastor Cody draws our attention to this beautiful truth. He reminds us not only of Jesus’ strength but also of His selfless love. Jesus didn’t have to help us at all. But He chose. While Jesus demonstrated what it means to live a holy life, He also died for us, recognizing that we were unable to live up to His holiness.
Part of being a Christian means that we continue to become more like Jesus as we go through life. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that this change often requires pain. If we prioritize our own comfort or choose to hold onto sin in our life, then we aren’t living like Jesus. Nobody wants to experience pain, and we shouldn’t go looking for it, but the pain is so often a necessary ingredient in growth. If we’re avoiding discomfort at all costs, then we’ll probably never become the person we want to be.
The writers of the Bible frequently encourage us to put our hope in God. Today, Pastor Cody distinguishes this kind of hope as an expectation of the fulfillment of God’s promises. It’s not the same kind of hope we have when we say that we hope the weather will be good, or that our favorite sports team will win. On the contrary, we already know that our God wins! Our hope is not uncertain; as believers, our future has already been determined, and our hope is our eagerness for these things to come to pass.
As Christians, we recognize that the world is not as it ought to be. We see so much brokenness, and we continue to experience pain as we follow Jesus. Sometimes, we question why God allows bad things to happen to us. Today, Pastor Cody responds to that question and explains how God can actually take something bad and work it for good. In fact, the Bible says that God works all things for the good of His children! While God does not directly hurt us, He turns the pain we experience into good.
Pastor Cody points out today that the Greek word for “spirit” is the same word for “air.” This gives us a context for understanding our life in the Holy Spirit – without Him, we were unable to breathe. We were dead. But when we came to trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit entered us and we were given life! We were unable to save ourselves, but Christ came so that we didn’t have to. And now, through the Holy Spirit, we are able to live the abundant life Jesus promised, in the joy and peace of God.
Today, Pastor Cody teaches on one of the wonderful mysteries of the Gospel – our death to the worldly, and rebirth to the spiritual. Whereas we once lived by a law of the flesh, we now live with the Holy Spirit; not only does Christ live in us, but we also live in Him. While this is a difficult concept to wrap your head around, it’s a reality that affects every true Christian. And in the same way that the Holy Spirit dwelt in the tabernacle and the temple of the Old Testament, He now dwells in us, making us the new temple.
The Bible tells us that those who follow Christ receive no condemnation from God. But so often, this concept doesn’t feel right to us – perhaps this passage doesn’t seem to line up with what you experience. But today, Pastor Cody sheds some clarity on this. When we feel condemnation, that is not from God. But that doesn’t mean we never feel guilt for our sins. In fact, guilt can be part of the Holy Spirit’s conviction. The difference is, a conviction doesn’t lead us to run from, but toward him.
We live in a world that is infected by the curse of sin. And this sin infects our bodies, too – despite our best efforts to be good, we fall short time and time again. But this isn’t what God wants for us. And that’s what Pastor Cody addresses today, as he reminds us that living in submission to Christ is the only way to truly live a good life. By rejecting Christ, we’ll never live up to our potential and we’ll perpetually be slaves to sin. But we were created by God for so much more, and will only achieve fullness through Christ.
Oftentimes as believers, we fall into thinking that we have to behave a certain way to earn God’s love. We see that we’re living in a way that doesn’t entirely line up with God’s goodness, so we try really hard to be better people. But today, Pastor Cody shows us that this is not the solution. In fact, we’ll never be able to live up to God’s righteousness in our sinful flesh. But the beauty is that God gives us the power to battle our sins. Jesus’ sacrifice saved you for eternity and empowered you to walk in holiness now.
Astoundingly, in the New Testament Jesus says that He did not come to abolish the Old Testament Law. Instead, He came to fulfill its purpose. Pastor Cody reminds us today that the Law was always a good thing. If we think that Jesus came because the Law was bad, we are mistaken. And yet, by fulfilling the Law, Jesus has given us something better. Pastor Cody explains that the Law was limited in that it could reveal sin, but could not solve sin. But Jesus’ sacrifice has the power to save us from our sins.
The Bible tells us that, just as Jesus died and was raised back to life, so too we have died to our flesh – if we trust in Christ – and have been raised to new life. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us of this truth and also explains how the Law plays into this reality. He shows us that God’s Law of the Old Testament was a good thing, however, we now have something better– Jesus’ Law of grace. And, because of our death and resurrection to new life, we are no longer under the old law, but under the grace of Christ.
Unfortunately, many people don’t realize the immense implications of trusting in Jesus. There are some who claim to follow Jesus, but then live their lives in unrepentant sin. Others will turn to Christ, but then try to live out the Christian life in their flesh. As Pastor Cody explains today, truly following Jesus is not just about trusting in Him for salvation– it’s also about trusting in Him for sanctification. In other words, Jesus’ power saves us from future judgment, but also strengthens us today to live in righteousness.
Sin always results in death. This was the case in the Garden of Eden, and it’s true now. And Pastor Cody explains today that we are all either serving Christ or serving sin. While sin may appear to be life-giving, it never actually is. If sin is at the root of your life, the result will always be the fruit of death. In contrast, if Jesus and His righteousness define your roots, life will be the fruit that comes up as a result. So we all have a choice between death and life, between sin and Christ. There is no middle ground.
While it is an uncomfortable truth to many of us, the Bible plainly states that we are all slaves – either slaves to Christ or slaves to sin. Today, Pastor Cody shares that this is a reality we need to accept; otherwise, we are living in delusion. And while being a slave of Christ may sound harsh, it’s actually an amazing thing! Being a slave of Jesus means we’re no longer under the captivity of sin – we are free! Although sin in this world can be enticing, it always leads to death, whereas our slavery to righteousness leads to life.
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is a picture of God’s grace to humanity. Pastor Cody reminds us today that Jesus took on the punishment for our sins so that we can be forgiven if we follow Jesus as our Lord. But, as Pastor Cody points out, this creates a bit of a dilemma – does this mean we can just go on sinning, living in rebellion with God because our sins are already forgiven? While this question comes naturally, it misses the point: those who walk with Jesus have the power and will to pursue Christ instead of sin.
To experience redemption in Christ is to die to the old self, and to be born again in Christ. But Pastor Cody argues today that many Christians get lost somewhere between death and the new life. They aren’t willing to completely cut ties with their old self, and they keep living with their old, sinful mentalities. But Pastor Cody reminds us that there is so much life when we experience God’s resurrecting power! And if we don’t let go of the old, we miss out on the new life and power of fellowship with God.
Pastor Cody reminds us today of the significance of Jesus’ resurrection. When Jesus rose from the dead, He proved that He defeated death. He showed us that He has life-giving power that overcomes death. And He has given this power to those who believe; that all people are dead in sin, but when we trust in Christ we are given true life. And this new life redefines our existence – no longer are we under the slavery of sin. But instead, we are actually considered dead to sin and are a new creation in Christ.
As Pastor Cody teaches from the book of Romans today, he highlights an argument that Paul makes against a logical fallacy in his day. God’s immense grace covers all the sins of those who believe, and this gives God glory. But some suggested that, if our sin makes God look good, then we ought to sin more. As Pastor Cody points out, Paul makes it clear that this argument is absolute nonsense. He shows that it’s unreasonable to do evil so that good will come out of it – this is just an excuse to call what is evil “good.”
We don’t choose the circumstances we are born into. None of us chose to live in a broken world, cursed by sin. But, today Pastor Cody reminds us that there is a choice we can make: we can choose the path of Adam or the path of Jesus. Whereas Adam chose to pursue sin, which led to death, Jesus lived a perfect life and died in our place so that we can have eternal life. If we choose to trust in Jesus, He provides us with a new way to walk in. And through Him, we can experience the abundant goodness of God.
The Bible makes clear that all of us have sinned. And today, Pastor Cody explains that the nature of sin is to disobey God and choose our own way. He shows that this was the case when the first humans sinned against God in the Garden of Eden – they did the one thing that God forbade them to do. And this attitude continues to the present age, as we are all born with an innate desire to do the things we know to be wrong. But Jesus offers to break us free from the curse of sin if we will choose to trust in Him.
Today, Pastor Cody reminds us of the reality of this world as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve. Their sin has been passed down to all of us in a way, and that sin leads to death. And it’s important for us to acknowledge this reality – otherwise, we have no basis for understanding the evil, decay, and death that we experience in our broken world. By recognizing this reality, we see that there is a reason for these things. And that sets us up for the truth of Jesus, who offers life amidst a dying world.
Pastor Cody reminds us today about what the Bible makes clear regarding the human condition: we are all sinful. Without divine intervention, none of us are good; in fact, we all deserve God’s wrath. But Jesus willingly took on the wrath of God for us, that we may be saved from God’s judgment if we place our faith in Him. And as Pastor Cody points out, Jesus died for us while we were still enemies of God, openly rebelling against Him. But now that we are redeemed to Him, we can rest in His goodness to us.
We live in a culture that deeply misunderstands love. In his message today, Pastor Cody responds to those who believe that love is just a feeling that we act on. While we do feel love, it doesn’t mean we only act based on feelings. Pastor Cody argues that feelings of love often come afteracting out of love – in other words, we shouldn’t act unlovingly towards people because we feela lack of love. But if we treat people lovingly even when we don’t feel like it, those feelings will generally come to us eventually.
The purpose of Christianity is not to pretend that we are righteous. On the contrary, Jesus came to save sinners. Pastor Cody reminds us today of this crucial fact. If we deny that we are sinful, then we are lying to ourselves and to others. But if we humbly acknowledge our sin and our need for a savior, Jesus is willing to step in and forgives us. And, as Pastor Cody points out, once we have received the grace of Christ we are no longer subject to condemnation from God – in this life, or the next.
While the tribulations we experience in our walk with Jesus are never pleasant, they can all be worked for good. And today, Pastor Cody argues that our attitude affects whether we will grow from our pain, or come away from it worse off than before. He shows how pain is actually an essential ingredient in growth – just like lifting weights is painful, but ultimately makes us stronger. When we know that good will come out of our suffering, we can rejoice when we are faced with life’s challenges.
Nobody likes to go through tribulations. We would all avoid them if we could. We want our lives to be absent of pain. But that’s not the world we live in. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that Jesus promised we would experience tribulations as we follow Him. But, as Pastor Cody explains, the suffering we endure as we follow Christ is not in vain. In fact, God allows us to experience this suffering for a purpose – He doesn’t let it go to waste. Instead, He uses our tribulations to build us up for our own good.
While the tribulations we experience in our walk with Jesus are never pleasant, they can all be worked for good. And today, Pastor Cody argues that our attitude affects whether we will grow from our pain, or come away from it worse off than before. He shows how pain is actually an essential ingredient in growth – just like lifting weights is painful, but ultimately makes us stronger. When we know that good will come out of our suffering, we can rejoice when we are faced with life’s challenges.
Today, Pastor Cody explains how we all have an intrinsic understanding of our need for justification. When we do something that we know is wrong, we tend to make excuses for ourselves and explain why our wrongdoing actually wasn’t wrong. While these attempts may make us feel better about ourselves, ultimately they don’t actually do us any good. The only way we can truly be justified is through the sacrifice of Jesus. Any other attempts to justify ourselves are futile.
The life of Abraham is a remarkable showcase of God’s grace. This story is brought up in the New Testament as an example of the grace of God and the importance of faith. And today, Pastor Cody unpacks some of the things we can learn from Abraham’s story. While Abraham was by no means a perfect man, his life was marked by continuous faith. Although he made mistakes along the way, Abraham never stopped believing that God would fulfill His promise, and because of this God regarded him as righteous.
Parts of the Bible speak very highly about Abraham, known as “the father of the faith.” Today, Pastor Cody teaches through one of these passages. But he points out that Abraham was a fallen human, just like the rest of us. He made some big mistakes in his life – mistakes that were documented in Scripture. But despite the sin in his life, God in His abundant grace chose to bless Abraham. And when Abraham had faith in God, God counted it as righteousness – just as our righteousness comes only through faith.
Despite all our sinful rebellion against God, He still holds incredible value on us – so much so that He sent His own Son to die in our place. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us of the love of our Father, who gives us grace that we don’t deserve. Jesus was willing to go to the cross for our sake. Even if no one else in our life sees us as valuable, we can rest assured that our Creator – the God of the universe – values us. And because of His sacrifice, we can be redeemed to Him through faith in Jesus.
The Bible makes it clear that our God is a loving and gracious God. Yet it also makes it clear that He is a righteous God who hates evil. This creates some tension: if He loves us, but we do evil things, does He punish us? If He didn’t punish us for our sins, wouldn’t He no longer be just? Today, Pastor Cody explores Scripture to reveal that the solution to that tension is found in Jesus Christ. Through Christ, God was able to pour out His wrath on our sinfulness, while still offering us a means for salvation.
As Pastor Cody teaches Romans chapter 3 today, he reminds us what this letter has looked like up to this point – the first couple of chapters of Romans are pretty bleak. They paint a picture of humanity that is awfully offensive to us; the Apostle Paul makes it clear that we are all sinful to the core, and utterly hopeless. But Pastor Cody encourages us to contemplate this tragic reality because it forces us to recognize that we need a savior. And that brings us to appreciate the good news of Jesus!
As Paul wrote Romans, he responded to the opposition he was facing from the religious leaders of his day. But why would people so vehemently reject the good news of Jesus? Pastor Cody suggests that it is because the Gospel is a message of grace. Today, he reminds us that we are all under the curse of sin. And for religious people who impose all kinds of rules on others, the idea that God is willing to graciously cast away anyone’s sins if they turn to Christ is an abomination.
As Pastor Cody teaches from the book of Romans today, he addresses a common argument that Paul had faced: that the unfaithfulness of some Jews nullified the faithfulness of God. But Pastor Cody points out that truth is not determined by whether or not people believe it. And this is what Paul gets at too – God is faithful, no matter how people respond to Him. Our responsibility, then, is to know the truth and trust in the righteousness of God, rather than rejecting reality.
In the book of Romans, Paul spends some time discussing how first-century Jewish Christians were to regard their Jewish lineage. Today, as Pastor Cody teaches on this passage, he explains how God chose to reveal Himself to the Jewish people, and they had a great advantage because of this. However, it was never enough to just be born a Jew, to follow certain religious practices, or to possess God’s Scripture. God’s Law was intended to expose sin, but only Jesus Christ is able to justify the sinner.
In Pastor Cody’s teaching today, he exposes how legalism not only misses the point of true faith in Jesus but will also always fall short. God’s standard is perfection, so no matter how much we may try and follow His law, we will inevitably fall short of that perfection at some point – or, more likely, at many points. But that’s why the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is such good news: no matter how much we’ve fallen in the past, He offers us forgiveness and grace if only we will trust in Him!
Today, Pastor Cody explores the book of Romans to differentiate true faith from legalism. He shows that the Jews in Jesus’ day were not automatically saved because they had the sacred texts or practiced certain rituals; likewise, in our day, we are not saved just because we go to church or read the Bible or practice any rituals. While these things are all valuable, they only have value if they are external reflections of our hearts. But if we do these things without genuinely putting faith in Christ, they are of no use.
The Bible is an incredible gift – God has chosen to reveal Himself to us through the Scriptures. But Pastor Cody reminds us today that these Scriptures are not an end in-and-of themselves. Instead, they serve to inform us of who God is and what He’s done, and how we can respond to His goodness. If we study the texts without trying to use them to get to know God, then we are missing the point, and it has just become empty religion. Instead, we are to utilize Scripture to worship God.
Every person on earth has sinned. Whether you grew up going to church every Sunday or you only went on Christmas and Easter, you have sinned and fallen short. Sin doesn't show partiality toward demographics or family history or economic status: it enters into every life. Today, Pastor Cody teaches us that everyone is in need of a savior. The number of verses you memorize or the amount of money you give can't erase the fact that you have sinned. Only Jesus can. Will you ask him to save you today?
Have you ever seen a parent and their child playing on a see-saw? Their weights are so unbalanced that the child could never tip their side down, no matter what they try. They just don't weigh enough. When you look at your spiritual life, the weight of your sin and the weight of your good deeds are vastly unbalanced. You can heap up your good deeds, but as Pastor Cody teaches today, they will never outweigh the sin. The only way to balance the see-saw is to accept the salvation that Jesus offers.
The Bible says that you can only see through a glass dimly while you are here on earth. You may think that you have a crystal clear perception of a person or situation, but really it's like looking through dirty sunglasses in a dimly lit room. Humans can never judge perfectly. But Pastor Cody has good news today! There is one who judges perfectly, fairly, and rightly: God. His judgment isn't skewed by sin and he's not subject to the biases we inherently have. We can trust that his judgments are perfect.
A caterpillar can't halfway transform into a butterfly. It can't hold onto its old life as a caterpillar and expect to fly. It has gone through the transformation and come out of the cocoon as a new creature. Today, Pastor Cody shows us that when we give our lives to Christ, we undergo a transformation as well. We can't bring about this transformation on our own by words or good deeds. We have to be transformed by the Spirit dwelling inside us. The good news is that the Spirit is promised to us, we only need to ask.
Bad news that doesn't affect you doesn't seem too bad, right? The same is true with good news. If you find out a certain stock is doing really well, but you don't own any of it, it's not really good news...it's just news. If someone shares the gospel with you, but you don't know that you need Jesus, then it's not really good news to you...it's just news. Today Pastor Cody shows us how good the good news of the gospel is by telling us the bad news: we all deserve the wrath of God because of sin in our lives.
When something is wrong, it needs to be made right. When a crime is committed, the criminal should serve a punishment. It's easy to see that justice should be served when we look at things that happen every day around us. But what about spiritual matters? Today, Pastor Cody shows us that our sin puts us in opposition to God. The problem of our sin can only be made right through God's wrath. Jesus taking on God's wrath isn't just an option for us, we need it in order to be reconciled to God.
Can you remember a situation when your emotions tricked you into believing something false? Emotions are real, but they rarely reflect the truth. When emotions lead, chaos is close behind. But the truth has the power to change a life. In today's teaching, Pastor Cody shows us how Paul's life was changed by the truth of who Jesus is. When he was being led by emotion, Paul tried everything to destroy Christianity. But when he chose to trust in the truth about Jesus, his feelings had to follow the reality he believed.
Do you fellowship with other believers, or do you settle for mere friendship? Finding a common hobby and spending time around that hobby is fun and fairly simple. But there's something deeper that can only be found in a spiritual connection with others. Today, Pastor Cody explores the difference between fellowship and friendship in the book of Romans. In order to go beyond surface-level friendships, you have to humble yourself and open yourself up to the other person by serving and sharing your faith.
Have you ever renovated your house? There are different levels of renovation: you could just paint one room, or you could gut your house and completely renovate everything. No matter what level of renovation you do, the goal is always the same: to have your house look different than it did before the renovation. Today, Pastor Cody shows us that Jesus is in the renovation business. Our lives should look totally different after Jesus takes residence. He's not just painting one room, he's changing everything.
What makes the good news of the Gospel so good? If you could save yourself with good works, the Gospel wouldn't mean anything. If you simply had to give a certain amount to church in order to be saved, then the news that Jesus died for you would seem strange. Today, Pastor Cody tells us what's so good about the Gospel: we can't be in the right relationship with God by anything we can do. We can only be called God's beloved because of the good news that Jesus was born, died, and rose again.
While it is true that the Bible was written for us, it was not written about us. We are not the main character! Jesus is. We might think that only the gospels or only the New Testament are about Jesus, but that's not the case either. Today, Pastor Cody shows us that every book of the Bible is about Jesus, from the Old Testament to the Gospels, through the Epistles, and all the way to Revelation. Every page points to him. Every story aims to teach us about Jesus and his birth, death, and resurrection.
Even the most complex concepts have, at their core, simple truths they are built on. Every math problem relies on the foundational truths of arithmetic. The same is true spiritually. It's easy to focus on deep, complex, spiritual concepts and leave behind the foundation of it all: the gospel story. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that we cannot ever think that the gospel is beneath us. We can't leave behind the gospel for deeper truths. The gospel is the deepest truth we can ever comprehend.
When you see a Clydesdale horse being controlled by a tiny bit, it's easy to forget how much power the horse has. The horse has enough power to do whatever it wants to, but it willingly comes under its master's authority. The horse isn't weak or pitiful, it's submitted. Sometimes we can look at Jesus on the cross and incorrectly think he was weak or unable to defend himself. But as Pastor Cody reminds us today, Jesus wasn't weak or pitiful, he was submitted. He was confident in his choice to die for our sake.
Have you ever been completely cut off from communicating with others? Maybe your phone died unexpectedly, or your internet was down? While that might sound relaxing for a short period of time, it can also make you feel uneasy, especially if it goes on for days. Just like a dead phone separates you from others, your sin separates you from God. But Pastor Cody has an encouraging word for you today: Jesus' death grants you access to the Father. His death makes it possible for us to be restored to God.
A gift doesn't truly become yours until you receive it. It might have been purchased for you, have your name on the tag, and be sitting at your feet, but if you don't open it up and use it, it's not really yours. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that the gift of salvation is given to everyone, but it's not yours until you receive it. It doesn't matter if your parents have opened their gift. It's not enough to just watch others receive it. You have to personally open the gift of salvation that God has given to you.
We've all heard it a million times: “Keep your eyes on the road!” But why is this simple truth so important? Because wherever we are looking is where we have a tendency to go. In our spiritual walk, it's so easy to get distracted from what really matters. When we start putting our focus on our good works: money given, mission trips taken, or verses memorized, we start to drift away from what really matters. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that who Jesus is and what he did is the most important thing to focus on.
There are very few things in life that you only do once. Every month bills need to be paid, every week the house needs to be cleaned, and every day your teeth need to be brushed. Doing any of these things only once in your life won't be enough. But Jesus' work on the cross was not just enough for one lifetime: it was enough for every life that has ever been and ever will be. Today, Pastor Cody digs deep into what Jesus meant when he said “it is finished,” and how these truths apply to your life today.
Many people have a skewed vision of what the Christian walk truly looks like; they think that if they make one decision to accept Christ as their Savior, then all is good, and they can continue their life. What Pastor Cody reminds us of today though, is that the Christian walk is just that: a walk. It’s continuous. We make decisions every day and when you’re walking with Christ, it means you defer to Him before you make them. You don’t rely on your own wisdom because you know how lacking it is.
When you’re dealing with a lot in everyday life, it’s nice to treat yourself because you think you’ve earned it. Today though, Pastor Cody reminds us that, when we turn to sin, that’s not a treat. Sin will only make everything worse. Maybe not immediately, but the long-term consequences are never worth it. Sin may give you fleeting joy, but it never lasts and when it’s over, you’re still dealing with everything that got you there in the first place. Instead, look to Christ who offers incomprehensible peace.
We don’t always take responsibility for our actions; sometimes, we even convince ourselves that it was someone else’s fault, and our actions had nothing to do with it. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us, that Jesus didn’t go to the cross because of the mob, or because of the Jews or the Romans but rather, He went to the cross because of oursins. He wasn’t a victim of the cross, He’s our Savior. At any point, He could’ve saved Himself, but by doing so, He would’ve condemned us to the death we deserve.
We have a tendency to think that the sins we commit, aren’t that big of a deal. We forget that God the Son was nailed to a cross for those sins! Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that sin IS a big deal, it’s just that now, it’s already been paid for. We don’t experience God’s wrath and abandonment because Jesus already did. Don’t take your sins lightly; remember, every time you make a mess, Jesus hung in darkness in order that you might be loved and forgiven and a child of God Almighty.
We can handle most anything, so long as we have someone who has our back, someone to talk to, someone to go through the pain with us; as soon as we’re alone, we begin to lose hope. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that, as Jesus was hanging on the cross, the worst thing that He went through, was being forsaken by God. It was only temporary! But it was necessary. In order for Christ to take our sins upon Himself, God needed to pour out His wrath upon His Son. And that was worse than the torture He endured.
We aren’t always the best at being in the dark; we don’t like to think of ourselves as ignorant or unknowing. But today, Pastor Cody reminds us that there is a mystery to God, and rightfully so. There are things about Christ that we simply can’t comprehend in this world. And it’s okay to think about these things and ponder, but we need to be careful to not speculate too much because we can create a narrative in our minds that’s absolutely not true. You know enough of God to know that His mystery is magnificent.
How do you respond to someone else’s weaknesses? Are you the kind of person to try and lift them up? or are you the type of person who’s going to exploit them and make yourself seem better? Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that, the baseline of every healthy relationship is balance. There’s no need to tear each other down. Everyone has weaknesses, and if you love someone, you’ll do your best to fill in the gaps where they’re lacking, and hopefully, they can counteract your flaws as well.
We all desire camaraderie and fellowship. Even the people who prefer to be alone, still need company. And today, Pastor Cody reminds us that life and growth are so much easier and healthier when you have people in your corner. Not only do they provide support and comfort, but they also provide advice and guidance, and they’re there when you need a good slap in the face. We all need someone to hold us accountable: to who know us well enough to know when we need to be told we’ve gone too far.
We live in an age where everyone wants a label for themselves because everyone wants to be a part of something bigger; that’s just human nature. But if you don’t find that in your job, family, or hobbies… where do you find it? Pastor Cody reminds us today that, Jesus is the only option if you want to truly satisfy your soul. He offers to belong to anyone and everyone who desires it and is willing to receive it. Don’t break your back trying to belong in this world when you can have eternal belonging through Christ.
We’re pretty good at screwing up relationships. There are so many things we can do to lose people’s trust or respect. Maybe you know what it feels like to push people too far and end up alone. Today, Pastor Cody lovingly reminds us that God’s threshold for immoral behavior is much higher than our own. If the heart is willing, there is nothing that can separate you from Christ. His compassion covers all of your mistakes – both internal and external. Don’t think that anything you’ve done is beyond God’s saving grace.
People can go through the exact same things in life and come through with very different attitudes. If an alcoholic father has two sons, one may be very successful because he wants to be nothing like his dad, while the other may become a drunk and blame it on his dad. Today, Pastor Cody reminds us that, receiving salvation is a matter of the heart. You might hear a Bible verse and move right past it, and later in life, you hear the same verse, and it changes everything. Don’t be afraid to let God move in you.
We have a habit of putting stipulations on our actions; if someone has continually given you reasons to doubt their loyalty, you might say they have to prove themselves to you before you can trust them again. But today, Pastor Cody reminds us that there aren’t any stipulations when it comes to Christ. Why? Because God gave himself up as a sacrifice for our sins before we even had the chance to mess up. Instead of putting conditions on your faith, put it in the One who will never let you down.
How many times can you forgive someone for the same mistake? Our tolerance for sins against ourselves is minimal at best. But today, Pastor Cody reminds us that God forgives, and forgets our sins as far as the East is from the West. These directions are eternally separated; they can’t intertwine. This means God erases those sins which you’re repentant of. But it does require your repentance. Everything you could want, Jesus Christ offers, but you have to have your heart fixed towards Him.
We often think of forgiveness as a free pass. You got away with whatever it is you wanted to do, all those involved are still okay with you, so it must be okay. But Pastor Cody reminds us today that forgiveness doesn’t negate consequence. One of the reasons that we can point to say that God is so loving, is the fact that He’s already paid the cost for our sins. The only thing that we need to do is be repentant of them. If you don’t think you’ve done wrong, then what’s the point of Him suffering on the cross?
It’s easy to take advantage of kind people, even if we don’t mean to. You become used to that friend always forgiving you and looking over your shortcomings that when they don’t, it seems cruel. Today, Pastor Cody looks at some of Jesus’ last words as He was hanging on the cross; not only did Jesus not curse those who put Him there, but He prayed and asked for forgiveness on their behalf. He could’ve stayed silent even! But He reached out to those who – not only didn’t even believe IN Him – but didn’t trust Him.
God is good and right when He judges sin and saves sinners. The Bible has many paradoxes within it, things that seem to be opposing ideas but that actually work together in the mind and plan of God. While it might be easier for us to understand God as either just or merciful, the biblically correct to understand Him is not as either/or but as both/and. The justice and mercy of God are on display through the cross of Jesus where His sacrifice appeases the justice of God and His mercy is dispensed to those in desperate need. The justice and mercy of God are also on display through Revelation 7 where we see vast multitudes receiving salvation even as the judgment of God falls on the rebellious unbelieving world.
Vince Maldonado, one of the Deacons at Redemption, preaches through Revelation 6. Our attention is directed from the worship service in heaven to The Great Tribulation on earth. As as Jesus removes the seven seals from the scroll that was in the right hand of God the Father, the wrath of the Lamb is unleashed. Through this chapter we see that Jesus is in control of human history and when his wrath is released no one will be able to stand. Yet Jesus took the wrath of God against sin on His cross, and still extends the offer of salvation to any who would take it. The choice is yours, will you accept Jesus’s sacrifice in your place? Or will you choose to take the wrath of God against your sin by yourself? Choose Jesus, and choose life.
The attention shifts from God’s throne in chapter 4 to the scroll that God is holding in chapter 5. While we cannot be sure what the scroll contains, we will see in the following chapters of Revelation that this scroll is intimately connected to the completion of Jesus’s work of judgment and redemption. Though no one in heaven, on earth or under the earth is worthy to open the scroll, Jesus steps forward as the only one who is. Because He alone is the Redeemer, Jesus is worthy to receive worship.
Revelation 4 marks a significant shift in the progression of this incredible prophecy. According to Jesus’s divine outline in 1:19, chapter 4 begins the future prophetic events. John is instantly taken from his task of writing letters dictated by Jesus to the 7 churches, to the throne room of God in heaven. Before any of the judgment begins to descend upon the earth, God’s presence and power are established, and He is glorified as the eternal, almighty, creator who is worthy of worship.
Complacency obscures your ability to see Jesus clearly and reflect Jesus correctly. The church in Laodicea had grown increasingly passive and passionless. They were indifferent and complacent and Jesus had an issue with their lukewarm attitude toward Him. Jesus has an issue with their lukewarmness, not necessarily that they are lukewarm but because they are O.K. with it. So he goes after their complacent arrogance with force and precision because He loves them and wants to wake them up from their passivity. When a "good enough" mentality grips our hearts, we must hear the voice of Jesus calling us back into a relationship that is hot and passionately burning. As Jesus knocks on the door of your heart, will you open it?
Jesus miraculously opens doors for you when you have a right relationship with Him. The church in Philadelphia is one of only two churches who do not receive any correction from Jesus, only commendation and encouragement. The source of strength for this church, and their position of favor with Jesus is found in their willingness to keep His Word and confess His name. It is as we know God's Word and submit our lives to His standard and authority that we experience the open doors for life and ministry that we hope for. This church did not have great strength in itself, but they relied on Jesus for their strength and He caused them to hold fast and persevere. Jesus has doors that He wants to open for us, but those doors will remain shut and locked if we will not keep Jesus's word and confess Jesus's name.
The appearance of life is not necessarily the presence of life. The church in Sardis had a great reputation. If we were to visit this church, we would likely seek to model much of our churches after the great things taking place in Sardis. But there was only one problem, they weren't really alive. Everyone thought that this church was filled with life and vibrance, those in the church as well as those in the surrounding community...everyone that is except Jesus. The church in Sardis is one of only 2 churches to receive no commendation from Jesus, only rebuke and correction. Jesus lays out 5 necessary components for this church, and any person, to experience a revived relationship with Him. If we will take Jesus up on His offer of resurrected life, then He extends the promise of eternal reward and eternal life. It is time to stop playing the religious games of trying to look good on the outside, and come to Jesus in sincerity and truth.
If the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus are true, and they are, then the implications are massive and life altering. It means that Jesus is God who paid the price of your faults and failures, what the Bible calls sin, on His cross and His resurrection guarantees your eternal life in Him. The only question is, do you believe this?
Jesus entered Jerusalem on the Sunday before His cross with very specific purpose and meaning. This day has come to be known as “Palm Sunday” because of the way that the crowds honored Him by laying palm branches along the road as He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus reveals Himself as the lowly King, coming in humility to bring peace through His blood.
Jesus reveals Himself to the church in Thyatira as the infinite, eternal, righteous judge who clearly sees everyone’s life. He is fully aware and fully engaged in what is taking place. Even though Thyatira was not a significant city from the world’s perspective, Jesus was interested and fully aware of the church in this city. You are seen by Jesus and you are valuable to Him no matter what you feel or what others say. Jesus know and He cares. In fact, He is invested enough to correct the wrong things that are taking place. Thyatira was experiencing the same deception of idolatry and immorality that Pergamos was, just repackaged, and our world today faces the same two deceptive temptations. Your life is on full display before Jesus. He knows you, and His judgment about you is right. Jesus is calling you, either to repentance or to hold fast to Him.
When we tolerate what Jesus hates we misrepresent Him and put ourselves at war with Him. The city of Pergamos was an incredibly difficult city to be a Christian in. Persecution was so high, that members of the church were being martyred for their faith. Yet Jesus does not see the difficulty of spirituality and severity of persecution as excuses for the church to live in sin. They were making room for the things that Jesus hated, and He came to correct them and call them to repentance. We must change our minds when we find that we are in conflict with Jesus, and not expect Him to change His mind.
The church of Smyrna was in a city given over to various forms of idolatry. One particularly entrenched form of idol worship in Smyrna was exalting the Roman Emperor to the status of a god and worshipping him. The Christians would not participate, and became enemies of the state because they saw Jesus alone as Lord and God…and not Caesar. Not only that but the Jews of Smyrna also attacked the Christians as a heretical sect of false doctrine. The church in Smyrna experienced incredible amounts of persecution including martyrdom. In all of this, Jesus speaks to this church about their suffering and brings an encouragement to them. This is not only true of the church in Smyrna, but it is true in our suffering as well. Jesus identifies with our suffering and He empowers our suffering.
When we elevate being right above longing Jesus, being right becomes being wrong. Jesus came full of grace and truth according to John 1:14, and we have the tendency to go toward one side, often to the detriment of the other. Warren Wiersbe said “Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” We need Jesus to empower us to live right in the middle of this sliding scale so that we can emulate and honor Him with our lives. The church in Ephesus was incredible when it came to doctrine and theology, but they were severely lacking when it came to their motive. Jesus’s evaluation of the church is that they had left their first love, so He calls them back into that love filled, love motivated relationship with Him as the fuel and reason for their incredible service and theology.
A supernatural experience with King Jesus always results in serving Him. The second half of Revelation 1 centers around vision that John has of Jesus, but John is completely unprepared to see Jesus in His glorified state. Jesus has some incredible things to communicate through the imagery associated with this vision, and at the top of His priority list is His relationship with His Church. John has this life altering experience with Jesus and then Jesus commissions him into service. The same is true for you and me. When we meet with Jesus it is a life altering experience and we cannot help but serve Him.
Revelation is one of the most challenging, inspiring, and intriguing books of the Bible. It peaks our curiosity as the only New Testament book that is in the genre of prophecy. The 5 opening words tell us the entire theme, purpose, focus, direction, and reason for this book. It is the Revelation of Jesus. If we see all of the destructive details and timeline and pestilence and Antichrist, but we fail to see Jesus Christ then we have missed the entire point. Revelation is actually a book with a blessing attached to it, but Jesus alone gives access to the blessings of God and the Kingdom of God. If you want to know what a blessed life and blessed future is, you will need to know Jesus.
Fernando Ortiz is the Sr. Pastor of Mile High Calvary in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He delivers a timely sermon on 3 key tactics to being able to win the spiritual war that you and I are in. You have a cunning enemy, and a powerful Savior. Jesus has the strength you need for victory, but you cannot win on your own.
https://milehighcalvary.com/
One of the most incredible things about God is that His faithfulness to you is not dependent upon your faithfulness to Him. God is faithful even when we are faithless. Jonah is in the middle of an angry fit while God condescends to him to lead him to a change of heart. God orchestrates an uncomfortable object lesson for Jonah, but the pain is not punishment for Jonah, it is discipline. As God provides for Jonah’s transformation, He provides a series of events to take place that should unveil Jonah’s heart to himself. While we are powerless to change ourselves, it is not too difficult for God. The amazing thing is that God’s love and presence are what changes us. Jesus was crucified for you while you were His enemy, and His love is so strong that it not only brings you to Him but it also makes you like Him. Will you receive the love of Jesus?
God has finally brought Jonah to the city of Nineveh, and he has faithfully preached the message that God gave him. But something unexpected happens, the people of the city immediately turn to God. Jonah is shocked by this and in his disbelief he becomes angry with God for extending mercy and grace to his enemies. Jonah was willing to receive God’s grace, but he was completely unwilling to have the Assyrians experience God’s grace. The issue in Jonah’s heart, and the issue we tend to struggle with as well, is the issue of lordship. The answer to the question, “Who is Lord?” dictates everything about how we view and live life. We can be just like Jonah, knowing all of the right answers and still getting everything wrong. Jesus’s cross brings us into a deeper relationship with God than just an informational one, He purchased an experimental knowledge of God for us. Do you know God in this deep intimate way?
God’s ear bends toward repentance and His grace rushes toward humility. As the message of God is delivered through the prophet of God to the people of Nineveh, they immediately and completely turn to God. This is an incredible and miraculous move of God to bring about the single greatest moment of a spiritual awakening in human history. How did this come about? Very simply, the people of Nineveh believed God and this changed everything. Through their belief they abandoned their evil way and turned to God. Then God relents from the destruction they were storing up for themselves. God is gracious. God is forgiving. He will receive you if you will believe Him and turn to Him.
God has chosen to use people as His primary method of communication. He gives His Word to a preacher, and then uses that preacher to deliver His Word to others. While there are certain people gifted by God as preachers and teachers, He is looking to use you to deliver His Word to people around you every day. Your attitude toward God is the single greatest factor in your usefulness to Him. Jonah 3:1-4 displays 4 attitudes that are essential for being used by God for His eternal purposes. God has given you His word, given you people to deliver it to, and He bears the responsibility for bringing conviction to their hearts and minds. Your part is to simply deliver the mail, deliver the message from God. When you submit yourself to this purpose you will find your soul's satisfaction and your eternal destiny.
Jonah finds himself in a painful and shameful situation. He is in the belly of a great fish because of his sinful rebellion. Yet God is still in control, and still at work for Jonah. The painful and shameful consequences of sin are a gift of God’s grace designed to bring us to the end of ourselves that we might look up to Him. Jonah eventually comes to himself and cries out to God, and finds out that God was waiting to hear Jonah’s voice. God graciously delivers Jonah’s life from the fish in a miraculous display of His great power. Yet Jonah 2 isn’t really about Jonah and a fish, it’s about Jesus and His cross. As Jonah is swallowed by the fish and vomited back onto the shore 3 days later he is foreshadowing Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. Though you and I deserve to be abandoned in our rebellious choices, God still pursues us with His loving grace to bring us to the end of ourselves. It is in that place that we look up to Him.
Rejecting God’s way leads you down further than you thought you would go. As Jonah boards a ship to sail thousands of miles across the Mediterranean Sea he think he is escaping God and His will. Jonah seems to be in complete control, until all of the sudden he is not. A violent storm rises on the sea that the sailors cannot fight, and after their long hard attempt to navigate the storm physically they come to find out that it is actually a spiritual storm. Jonah goes from taking a peaceful nap to being thrown overboard and wallowed by a massive fish. Sadly for Jonah, he had to go down further before he would come to himself and realize that this entire situation was the result of his rebellion against God.
God is on a rescue mission to pursue and save a people bent on their own destruction and the destruction of others. He calls His prophet Jonah to travel to the capital city of the pagan nation of Assyria with a message of His judgment. Jonah is reluctant and rebellious to carry out the will of God, and takes the long route through the belly of a great fish in order to eventually get to Nineveh. Through Jonah we see God as the gracious and merciful savior who pursues those lost and dead in their sins.
Jesus is the newborn King who we celebrate at Christmas. When you recognize Jesus as King, He is in His right place and you are in yours. Christmas celebrates the first coming of King Jesus, who comes as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world and conquer the hearts of His people. When you recognize that Jesus takes your place and pays your debt because of your sin, His great love overwhelms you and He conquers your heart by transforming you from an enemy to His friend. In Matthew 2, Herod is willing to murder the children of an entire area in an attempt to hold on to his power and authority. He refused to have Jesus dethrone him. So too, the rebellious heart of humanity naturally rejects King Jesus, but by the supernatural grace of God we can yield to King Jesus. To this day wise men are still seeking Jesus, worshippers are still giving Him gifts and wicked men are still grasping for their own power. Will you believe in Jesus’s sacrifice for you? Will you submit to Him as your king? Or will you try to hold on to your autonomy and reject Jesus as King?
All people in all places are born with a desire for significance. We all have a deep longing to live lives filled with meaning and purpose. Along with this desire comes the temptation to find significance in things that can never provide the true soul satisfaction we are longing for. Even good things can be overly elevated and take an inappropriate position in our lives. Jesus steps into human history as a newborn, and He does so as a King as well. This King of kings is above every authority and our greatest meaning and purpose is found in living for His glory and the building of His Kingdom. The good news of great joy that came to the shepherds has come to us today. Jesus has come, and He came for us. Our joy is found din Him. Jesus is who you are looking for, even if you haven’t realized it yet.
We all have plans and ideas about how we think life should go. Some of us are really planned out, while others of us are fairly loose, but no matter where we land on that spectrum there is still an expectation that we have for our lives. Sometimes God steps in to invite you into a different plan, something that you wouldn’t have chosen but He wants you to participate in. The posture of humility and faith open the door to participating in God’s work. Mary had no thoughts about what God was about to invite her into, and her humility and faith position her to have an incredibly unique opportunity and experience in God’s plan. He wants to use your life to participate in His incredible work. Will you be available?
The genealogy of Jesus is one of the sections of Matthew that we tend to overlook or skim over at best, and yet God has so much more for us if we will take a look. When we consider who God allowed to be in the family line of Jesus, it is mind blowing. A genealogy gives us a sense of history, a sense of identity, and a sense of destiny and this is exactly what is revealed to us through the family line of Jesus. He was born just like every other baby, and also unlike any other baby. Jesus’s birth is simultaneously very normal, and very supernatural. He did not just come into the world, He was sent on a rescue mission to seek and save you. Will you put your faith in Jesus?
Painful difficulty is a tool in the hands of God for our good and His glory. David has spent the past year and four months living in enemy territory, being controlled by and giving in to his sinful nature. He thought he was in control, but through tragedy he finds out how out of control he really is. The pain is so deep that David and his 600 warriors weep uncontrollably. But when weeping turns into grumbling and blame gets cast upon David the men look to execute him. David finally hits rock bottom, he comes to himself and cries out to the Lord for help and guidance. As God miraculously leads and delivers, David and his men are set back on the course of honoring God. Though David is not perfect, God still uses him as a picture of Jesus. Jesus is our captain and leader, He deals graciously and generously with us, He finds and rescues us, He recovers us through His sacrifice, and He gives more gifts beyond salvation. What an incredible God we have in Jesus!
David is caught between two worlds. He has done his best to live in enemy territory and go unnoticed, but the world has dragged him in. Now David finds himself where he doesn’t belong, in a position of honor among God’s enemies and preparing to go to war against God’s people. This is one of the lowest and darkest moments in David’s life, and where we might expect God to leave David to his own demise, He steps in to rescue David from himself. As David tried to live with one foot in the world and one foot in the Lord, he found himself with a place in neither world. When we are willing to abandon our way and seek the Lord and His way everything comes together for His plans and purposes.
There is a spiritual realm that is just as real as the physical world around us. Though the spiritual is nearly always unseen, that does not make it any less real. When we attempt to connect with or control the spiritual realm in an extra-biblical way, or an unbiblical way we dabble in occultist practices and open the door to demonic…no matter how “innocent” or “helpful” it may seem. Saul has consistently chosen rebellion against God and has ignored God’s many gracious attempts at giving him direction. Now that Saul finds himself in a situation beyond his control, he reaches out for God only to find that he has distanced himself too far from the Lord. God is not speaking to Saul, and so in his desperation he adds more evil to his rebellion and seeks the help of a medium. God overrides the medium’s occultist practices and gives Saul the message he hoped to never hear. Even in all of this, God was chasing after Saul with the heart of a gracious and loving father. This was Saul’s final opportunity to choose the path of humble repentance and he squandered it in foolishness. We never know when our last day will be, so today is always the right day to choose repentance.
Entertaining a faithless thought will lead you to rationalize living in sin. David is in a very difficult situation and time in life that has been dragging on for days, and months, and years, and possibly decades. The constant pressure on David has brought him to the point of despair and this is when a faithless thought does more than float through his mind, it takes control. As David resigns himself to this faithless thought it drags him deeper into depraved thinking and depraved action. A right relationship with God requires faith, and if we will not believe in the character and nature of God then we cannot have a good relationship with Him. A faithless thought is actually doubting God’s character, assigning Him a false nature and then judging Him as untrustworthy because of that false belief. A faithless thought is a dangerous thought.
Many times the same situation provides both a test of our faith and a temptation against our faith. God will test your faith to prove your character while Satan will tempt your faith to destroy your character. David is facing yet another time when Saul is hunting him down, only this time the scenario is like a repeat of a couple of previous times. The same people betray David again, Saul amasses the same 3,000-man elite fighting force, and David has an opportunity to secretly assassinate Saul. Times like these have tremendous potential, either to develop our faith or destroy it. The choice is ours as to whether or not we will submit to the refining process of the Lord as He turns up the heat in our lives. Daivd’s meekness and mercy point us to the Greater than David, the Son of David, King Jesus who provides the most incredible meekness and mercy imaginable. Jesus willingly goes to the cross, choosing the way of sacrifice over the way of self-preservation, and by this purchases our salvation through His blood. What an incredible God who will go to such great lengths to seek and save the lost. Will you be found by Jesus and no longer be lost?
When you trust God to take care of it, you also trust Him to take care of you. God’s call to His people is that we choose to leave vengeance to Him. His timing, His way, and His measurement are always right and always appropriate. As David is on his way to execute revenge on Nabal for his insulting words and underhanded business dealing, he is met by a caravan of supplies being brought by a beautiful, wealthy, powerful woman. Abigail masterfully appeals to David and keeps him from answering Nabal’s sin with more sin. God restrains David’s hand through Abigail and takes care of his problem with Nabal. When you can believe that God is present, He is involved, He is capable, and He is trustworthy then you can walk by faith and give Him room to take care of it. When you trust God to take care of it, you also trust Him to take care of you. Jesus is calling you to trust in Him, will you?
If we are not careful, our strengths can become the things that sabotage what God made us for. Oswald Chambers said it this way, "An unguarded strength is a double weakness." There are times when the very thing we are strong in becomes a liability instead of an area power. David finds himself in a position where a fool of a man takes advantage of him, insults and ridicules him, and refuses to pay him for services rendered. While David is right to be angry about this, he goes too far and plans a murderous massacre of every male associated with Nabal whether they are family, servants, or staff. The miraculous mercy that David shows Saul in chapter 24 is being thrown away by an overreaction of murderous intent in chapter 25. Past victories are no guarantee of future successes. We are not able to make all of the right moves all of the time. We need Jesus more today than we ever have before, and grasping this truth is what causes us to move forward in submitted victory.
The world is filled with so much evil that we can become numb to it or even fall to a fatalist mentality. Instead of allowing evil to prevail, we have direction from God’s word on what to do. Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” David is tempted to end his suffering and the suffering of his men with one fatal blow to an unsuspecting Saul. Yet David chooses the road of humility, love, and faith. This road is much more difficult and much less traveled, and as David continues down this road he finds that he is confronted with his own need for repentance. How can we know if we have gone further than feeling bad? How can we know if we have David’s heart or if we have Saul’s heart? It all comes down to whether or not we allow evil to overcome us, or if we overcome evil with good.
The best spiritual guard for you and me is to remain perpetually in God's will, because we have no idea when the enemy's attack is going to come. If you are perpetually in God's will then it won't matter when the enemy attacks, or how the enemy comes, you'll be able to withstand it by the grace of God. While David is trying to obey God's command for him to stay in Judah, he is also trying his best to avoid conflict with Saul. This proves to be difficult because Saul is literally hunting David down every day. God intervenes in 2 incredible ways by sending Jonathan to be a source of encouragement and strengthening, as well as interrupting Saul in a critical moment. You don't need to be cleaver, you just need to be blessed by God. When we live in submission and obedience to God, we position ourselves to receive His blessings.
Should I stay? Should I go? For Christians this question is typically part of a larger question that we ask, “What is God’s will?” Hearing God’s voice has more to do with your heart than with your ears. So if you want to know what God’s will is, then you will need to consider what is happening within you more than what is happening around you. David and his men seek out the will of God and choose to follow it, while Saul assumes he knows God’s will and tries to create it. The stark contrast between David and Saul continues to grow, and it reveals the hearts of these two leaders. Through this section 6 distinguishing marks of discerning God’s will are revealed. David contributes to this list in a number of positive examples, while Saul displays the negative side or the consequences. The number one thing to know about God’s will is that none of these principle matter if your relationship with Him is not made right. Only when Jesus is your God, Lord, and Savior will you have access to knowing God’s will in other areas.
When you move toward responsibility you move toward God’s plan for your life. Your God given, God designed purpose is linked to how ready and willing you are to step into responsibility. Taking responsibility is one of the greatest ways to serve others…in fact it is exactly what Jesus did for you and me when He took responsibility for our sin on His cross. The idea of stepping into responsibility is a key component to good leadership, and in 1 Samuel 22 there is a clear contrast between David and Saul as David takes responsibility while Saul hands out blame. David’s willingness to take extreme ownership points us to the captain of our salvation, Jesus. He is the greatest leader who calls to us with the message to stay with Him, not to fear, and with Him we are safe. Will you trust Jesus to lead you?
David is on a bleak road, and one of the great temptations that we face in times like these, is to abandon the Lord’s way in favor of our own way. David’s heart and mind are flooded with many emotions, and one of the most powerful is fear. This puts David in a dangerous and vulnerable position for spiritual attack, and makes him more susceptible to temptation into sin. When you allow fear to drive it will take you down the wrong roads. Many people misunderstand the relationship between fear and faith, thinking that where one is present the other is not. The truth is that both can simultaneously be present within you, but only one of them can be in control. Fear does not replace faith, it gets you to put your faith in the wrong places. And yet, through all of this, God’s grace remains greater still as He rescues David and draws him back into fellowship and faith.
Following the Lord His way, will probably not be your way, but it is the right way. David and Jonathan share an amazing friendship and they have big dreams and visions about what the future holds. When David is king and Jonathan is by his side, how will the kingdom look? What will they accomplish together? How will their families grow together? There is just one problem, Saul seems bent on murdering David, and that fact is forcing these men to part ways. David and Jonathan devise a plan to test the waters of Saul’s true intentions and when it is found that Saul will not relent in murdering David, he must live on the run in exile. Nothing is ever wasted by God. You might see it as a waste because it did not go the way you hoped, or expected. But to God, even that great hardship in your life is useful for His purposes. These moments are times when we must yield control to Jesus and allow Him to direct our steps.
Sometimes God takes you down rough detours that hurt, but in the process He is at work in ways that can’t see yet. David is on the road to the throne, but God is taking him on a long hard detour. Though David will probably want to quit many times, God gives him the fortitude and perseverance to keep going. Saul attempts to murder David 6 separate times in chapter 19, twice personally and 4 times through groups of assassins. Though this is very hard, God is still at work in David’s life, even through this. Coming to the end of yourself where you exalt and glorify Jesus is far more important than your comforts and pleasures. The question is whether or not you are willing to trust Jesus with your life.
Authority can demand obedience, but it cannot dictate right and wrong. Saul has taken his hatred of David to a whole new level by declaring him to be an enemy of the state. Jonathan refuses to obey evil, and displays how standing for right and against wrong takes supernatural conviction and courage. Right and wrong are not arbitrary concepts, nor are they dictated by culture. Morality stands above our feelings and desires because it is connected to the very nature of God. Our ability to recognize the difference between right and wrong, and to have the power to overcome wrong and walk in what is right comes directly from faith in Jesus. Jesus’s blood alone cleanses our sin, redeems our souls, renews our minds, and empowers our holiness. Will you trust in Jesus?
When God is for you, it doesn’t matter who is against you. David is living out the principle that we find in Romans 8:31 “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” This did not mean that David would never experience anyone coming against him or counting him as their enemy. Instead, it is a call to confident assurance in the Lord that no matter who counts you as their enemy, their plotting, scheming, and planning cannot derail or destroy the plans of God. David is completely naive to Saul’s entire plot. The reason he cannot see the plot unfolding is not because of stupidity, it is because of humility. The secret to David’s success is humble faith in the Lord, and this faith is revealed in his love for Saul, his desire to be honorable, and his refusal to allow the attitudes of entitlement or suspicion to dominate his heart and mind. When you set out to honor God, it will not make everyone happy. The way you fight these battles is not through scheming and deceiving…but instead through humility and faith. Will you submit to Jesus as Lord, God, Savior and King? That is who He truly is.
Not everything that is considered "wisdom" is something that is from God. There is a wisdom from below, and a wisdom from above, and the first 16 verses of chapter 18 display these types of wisdom perfectly. David has just defeated Goliath...so now what? This moment set David in a position of fame and prominence among the people of Israel for the rest of his life, but God did not open the door of opportunity for him to take the throne just yet. As David and Saul talk, something happens within the heart of Jonathan, God reveals to Jonathan that David will be the next king of Israel and he willfully and joyfully yields to God's choice. As David faithfully follows the Lord and doesn't seek his own glory, God establishes him more and more among the people. Meanwhile, envy and selfish ambition drive Saul mad. The greatest wisdom we could ever recognize and submit to is the Lordship of Jesus...both for initial salvation, as well as continuing through everyday life.
When God’s glory is your highest goal you fight with Him, not just for Him. David was sent by his father to the battle field to deliver bread to his brothers, and while he was there he witnessed Goliath’s blasphemous taunts of Israel. David’s courage and faith grow as the day unfolds beginning with him essentially stating that “someone should do something”, to “I’ll do it”, and then “I guarantee victory”, and finally telling Goliath “I’m going to cut your head off”. Because he had his eyes fixed on the glory of the Lord, David lost concern for his own health, his own safety, and his own glory. This positioned him uniquely to witness and participate in a miraculous move of God. David simultaneously serves as an example to us, as well as a foreshadowing of Jesus. Our great enemy of sin has been defeated by King Jesus through His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus’s victory is complete, He has beheaded our great enemy and guaranteed victory for us. All we need to do is trust in His fight on our behalf.
God forges His heart into His people through impossible situations. Very often the very thing that the enemy is using for our fear and discouragement are the things that God will miraculously use for our faith and establishment. Chapter 17 is all about the conflict between David and Goliath. The unassuming shepherd from a little country village becomes the victorious conqueror by overcoming a seemingly invincible enemy. David is foreshadowing Jesus, our great conqueror, our great King, the great shepherd of our souls. David also reveals insights that show us how to win the spiritual war. Two of our spiritual enemy’s tactics are unveiled and brilliantly defended as David alone sees things from God’s perspective and not a human perspective. As we find ourselves in impossible situations, we must choose to see that Jesus is in control, that Jesus can be trusted, and that Jesus is where our eyes need to be fixed.
The entire world is divided into two categories. These categories are not based upon nationality, heritage, skin tone, language or any other superficial line. Very simply, there are those who are submitted to the Spirit of God and there are those who are not. There are drastic results that come from each of these kinds of lives. Those who are submitted to God and His Spirit are secure and joyful with a firmly established identity that is found in Christ. Those who are in rebellion against God and His Spirit are insecure and chaotic with a wavering identity based on temporary things. These realities are on clear display through the lives of David and Saul. God uses David's skill in music, and Saul's rebellion against Him to give David access to the palace and begin his training in kingly duties. The difference in life that measures success and failure is only the degree to which someone is submitted to the Spirit of God. Achievement, position, and wealth are not the true measurements of successful life. Are you submitted to Jesus? Is His Spirit upon your life?
Not everything is as it appears to be, sometimes the packaging can deceiving. This has been true of Israel's first king, Saul. He has all the outward appearance of stature, power, and success; yet as you look at his life there are some deep heart issues. In chapter 16 God turns this concept on its head by introducing us to His choice for king of Israel, a young shepherd boy named David. There was nothing outwardly appealing about David, even his own father and brothers thought very little of him, and yet God saw something deeply incredible within this young man. What was the secret to David being chosen by God? What was it that made him so special? It was not that David had super-human powers, nor that he was perfect and sinless. David was filled with faults, failures, and flaws. But the one thing that set him apart and made his life a powerful force was that he had a heart after God's heart. This same heart is available to you, and comes as a gracious gift from Jesus. When you place your faith in Jesus, He promises to put a new heart and new mind within you. Will you trust and follow Jesus with your life?
Saul is about to undergo his final exam from the Lord, but he is completely blind to it because of his pride. Saul is completely oblivious of this critical moment in his life because he has forgotten that he is not the one in sovereign control, but that God is over him. The judgment of God comes against the Amalekites, and also against Saul for the exact same reason…because they both rejected God and His way in favor of their own way. Obedience to God is not made possibly by trying really hard to hold on. Instead it is made possible through submission to Jesus as Lord. Then, and only then, will you find your right place in life. Choosing to receive the salvation that Jesus purchased with His blood and submitting to His Lordship is how you get into the family of God and it is how you continue to grow and find depths of freedom. All of it is wrapped up in Jesus. Will you submit yourself to His righteous rule?
With the enemy on the run, Saul finds himself in a strategic and defining moment. Saul has the opportunity to overtake the enemy and ensure a total and complete victory, but his character stands in the way and the enemy escapes. The substance of godly character was completely missing from Saul's life and instead of choosing repentance and submission to the Lord, he decided to try to cover his lack of substance with mere appearance. The appearance of spirituality can be an elaborate cover for a fraudulent heart...and that is exactly what was taking place in Saul. The plot thickens and reaches its height when Saul attempts to execute his own son, Jonathan, in order to save face. True spirituality is measured by depth of relationship with Jesus, and there is no other measurement. All of the things we could do such as spiritual disciplines, good works, generosity, and the like are not powerful enough to produce holiness...only relationship with Jesus can perform such a miracle. When these things flow out of a relationship with Jesus then, and only then, will they have tremendous power in our lives. Whose glory are you living for? Your own? Or the glory of Jesus?
Israel is in a very difficult situation. The Philistine army outmatches Israel's in every way; they have more men, they are better trained, they have better technology, they have better weaponry. This is a hopeless situation for Israel, but God has a plan. When God wants to do a work, He seeks to accomplish that work through people. While we might be tempted to see Jonathan and his armor bearer as the hero of the story, the true hero is the Lord...the hero is Jesus. Faith in God brings about the victories of God by recognizing where He is already at work and seeking to join Him in accomplishing what He is currently doing. God seeks to accomplish His work through people, and this can include you! No matter where you are at in your relationship with Jesus, whether it is a bad relationship or a great one, it is time to take a step of faith in Him.
We live under constant threat of fear taking control of our lives. Whether it is the constant state of turmoil in the world, a spiritual attack upon our minds, or even our own tendency toward anxieties, fear is a perpetual threat. This is even more real when unexpected "bad news" is dropped into our lives. Pastor Paul Hammontree of Mountain Life Calvary Chapel points us to following Jesus in the face of fear through his own story of coming face to face with an incredibly difficult situation.
What does it mean when God says He is wants “a man after His own heart”? In 1 Samuel 13 we find this phrase used, but not in the way we would expect. God unveils this desire and expectation through Samuel to Saul, but from the negative perspective. It is an indictment upon Saul about the kind of man he is not. The facade of Saul’s life is being removed and as his true character is exposed it becomes clear that his heart is much worse than anyone could tell from the outside. Being after God’s heart is not about being perfect, it is about being repentant…and this is where Saul was lacking. If you refuse to take responsibility for your sin, then you will refuse to repent, and there is no forgiveness for someone hardened against the truth of their own depravity.
The cross of Jesus was foretold in prophecy hundreds of years prior to Him stepping into human history. The details and precision that unfold in this amazing section of Isaiah are nothing short of miraculous. Not only are the details incredible, but the motive of God is on clear display. Why would God put on human flesh and step into our weakness, only to be rejected, ridiculed, mocked, beaten, tortured, and executed? And further...how could this be considered something that "pleased the Lord"? The dichotomy of Jesus being exalted and executed seem to be at odds with one another until we understand that all of this was God's plan to rescue us. Jesus paid the price He did not owe, because you owed a price you could not pay. The joy set before Jesus is the joy of saving you. Will you believe in Jesus's sacrifice for you? Will you trade your sin for His holiness?
"Palm Sunday" is also known as "The Triumphal Entry of Jesus" and is the Sunday before Easter. Why is this day significant in Biblical history? On this day Jesus is unequivocally revealed to the Jewish nation as the Messiah, or God in human flesh on a rescue mission for the souls of men. Jesus makes His way to Jerusalem like He had done many times before, but this event would be different. Jesus enters Jerusalem in a very specific way, on a very specific day, and the combination of these fulfilled prophecies holds dynamic power. None of this was accidental or haphazard, but was always God's plan from the beginning. Jesus was on a mission to save your soul; to purchase your life and set you free. All you need to do to experience this salvation is choose to believe in Jesus's sacrifice for you, and ask for Him to forgive you for your sins. Will you trust Jesus?
There is a major transition happening in Israel with Samuel as the final judge handing over responsibility for the nation to Saul as the first king. While the people and Saul are celebrating at his inauguration, Samuel preaches his farewell sermon to the people. Everything that Samuel says can be traced back to what 2 Timothy 2:13 states, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." God's faithfulness is tied to and dependent upon Himself and His character. This is massively significant, because this means that God's love, devotion, and faithfulness to you and me is not subject to our performance...whether it is good or bad. God's unending faithfulness to you , demands your faithfulness to Him. Jesus willing sacrificed Himself in your place to pay for your sin and to make you holy. His love is greater than you think, it goes further than you would expect and it endures longer than you can imagine.
Saul faces his first attack from the enemy as the newly anointed and appointed king of Israel. By God's grace and with God's Spirit, Saul sees a tremendous victory both externally and internally. Yet this story is actually about a bigger story. As the narrative of 1 Samuel 11 unfolds there are some striking details that speak of more than just the experience of Saul, Jabesh, and their enemy. This chapter is really about Jesus, you, and your enemy. The truth is that your enemy is dangerous, dominant, and deadly and can only be defeated by King Jesus. Will you trust Him for the salvation that you could never give yourself? Jesus stands ready to give you this amazing gift of His grace, all you have to do is recognize your desperate state and ask Him for it.
Saul has officially been selected by God as Israel's first king, but in order for him to do well with this massive task he will need more than good ancestry and good appearance. Through 1 Samuel 10 God equips Saul with four spiritual advantages that set him up to be a successful king. A calling by God always includes equipping from God. The calling that God has placed on Saul's life is miraculously confirmed through God's prophet, is encouraged by God's presence, is made possible by God's power, and is supported by God's people. Saul is given every advantage to be a truly great king, to be able to fulfill the calling God has placed on his life. Whether or not Saul succeeds is completely dependent upon his willingness to submit to the Lord or go his own way. God has placed a calling on your life as well. Do you know what it is? Are you pursuing it? Are you rebelling against it? Right now is the right time to dedicate your life to what Jesus has for you.
We tend to put way too much focus on the image of something and way too little focus on its substance. The nation of Israel has rejected God as their king and demanded a man to lead the nation. God is all of the substance of the king that Israel needs without the image, and Saul is the polar opposite…all of the image without any of the substance. 1 Samuel 9 gives us two warnings. The first is to us to select leaders, whether personal, spiritual, or political based upon their character and not their appearance. Secondly, we must value personal character above personal appearance. If we will put our attention on taking care of who we are on the inside, then what is on the outside will naturally be taken care of as well. Jesus alone has the power to transform the human heart and give us His godly character.
The right thing becomes the wrong thing when it is done in the wrong time and in the wrong way. It is quite possible for us to read the situation with wisdom and yet pursue a foolish solution. When the future is uncertain, or things seem unclear the best solution is always found by seeking the heart and mind of God. We have the tendency to come up with our own solutions and then try to get God to do our thing for us, instead of ask Him what He thinks and what He wants to do. Israel’s desire for a king was not necessarily a bad desire, but their “when” was off and their “why” was wrong and their “how” was leading them into another form of idolatry. The only right and perfect ruler is King Jesus. His amazing love and leadership compels our service, not our demands.
Revival is a loaded word for many people. You probably have one of two responses to it. On the one hand you may think of great moves of God in the past with Westley, Whitfield, or Knocks. Or perhaps the word conjures up emotional manipulation and a preacher begging for money. No matter what you feel when you hear the word “revival”, the biblical concept of revival is vital to the health of God’s people. 1 Samuel 7 reveals six components to revival all centered around God’s people being governed by godly desires. God has a way of using painful and impossible situations as surgical tools to do miraculous heart work within us. This is the work of revival.
People, all people regardless of their beliefs, have been designed as worshippers. Worship is an automatic spiritual process just like breathing is an automatic physical process. You don’t get to choose if you worship, only where it goes. God is graciously and actively at work revealing our idols to us so that we might come to our senses and abandon them. The human heart is an idol factory, and if we are not willing to see and smash our idols then we will make room for them and make an excuse for them. Are you willing to recognize your idols? Will you do what it takes to destroy them? So long as our idols remain, we are kept in bondage to their rule. Through 1 Samuel 5 and 6 idolatry and its consequences are clearly on display, not only in pagan non-believers but also among the people of God.
1 Samuel chapter 4 is a contrast the the previous chapter. In chapter 3 Samuel hears and pursues the call of God on his life, and the result is that he is blessed and so is everyone around him. But in chapter 4 we see that all the other spiritual and political leaders have abandoned God’s voice and call. The result is that they are cursed and everyone around them is as well. The tragic events that unfold in 1 Samuel 4 serve as a warning to us that being “spiritual” and even having “biblical precedent” does not guarantee godliness. The schemes of man do not produce the glory of God. If we are not living for the glory of God, then what exactly are we doing? The Christian life is to be lived in pursuit of and in magnification of God’s glory in every aspect of our lives. But it is quite possible to have ‘Ichabod’, literally ‘inglorious’, written over our lives because the glory of God has departed. Take care not not fall into the sinful trap of reducing God to a spiritual lucky-charm that you pull out to get you out of a tight spot. God will not be backed into a corner to perform for you. His glory is our highest goal.
God has created and crafted you with divine purpose for a divine destiny. The problem we have is that we settle for far less than what God wants. Our lives become distracted with the passions of this world, the promise of pleasure, and the pursuit of comfort. If you do not know what God has made you for, then it is impossible to fulfill that destiny. 1 Samuel 3 uncovers four essential components to faithfulness that enable you to fulfill the calling that God has on your life. What has Jesus made you for? Are you faithful to the good things He planned for you long ago?
When ungodly leaders rise to positions of power they destroy everything and those under their authority are the ones who pay the price. In these times, it can seem like everything is out of control, but God remains in control even when things seem out of control. Evil spiritual leaders are marked by three major mentalities, and Eli’s sons expose all of them in 1 Samuel 2. You may not be able to do anything about the sin of others, but you can do something about yours. Instead of allowing it to remain, choose the path of repentance and bring your fallen heart to Jesus. He is in control and He stands ready to extend the forgiveness your soul desperately needs. But the only way to get forgiveness is through the doorway of repentance.
The tremendous book of 1 Samuel begins in a place that we tend to avoid…in a place of trials, hardship, pain, and difficulty. The spiritual challenge we face is to see that God is at work using these kinds of situations as supernatural tools to grow and prepare us for His purposes. When the pressure mounts, it is much easier to emotionally explode instead of remain in control of ourselves. By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to honor God even when things are going in what seems to be “the wrong direction”. God often uses the painful situations we are trying to avoid as tools to draw out deeper dedication from us. You can trust that God is at work even when you can’t see it or understand it.
As 2020 draws to a close, where should our focus be? How can we move ahead into 2021 with the right attitude that will cause us to be able to honor Jesus and live for His glory? Joy and peace are not dependent upon circumstances, but rather are supplied by God who gives freely to those who trust in Him. Paul has some direction for us concerning joy, but he is not speaking from an ivory tower disconnected from real trials and suffering. Paul suffered tremendously, and was currently suffering for Jesus…and yet he had joy. What is the secret?
A weary world is uniquely positioned to hear the proclamation of Jesus. The birth of Jesus is the second most significant event in human history, only superseded by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. God steps into human history by adding humanity to His deity on a rescue mission for the souls of mankind…and we call this “Christmas”. The announcement of Jesus’s birth comes to an unsuspecting group of unnamed shepherds. Upon experiencing the supernatural revelation of angels and hearing their supernatural message and confirming that message to be true, these shepherds become the first preachers of the coming of Jesus. This good news of great joy has come, not only to them, but to you as well. God’s gift of eternal life given through the baby Jesus who would grow to be a man who sacrificed Himself to save your soul is cause for great joy. In fact, this is the only way we know what rejoicing truly is.
God is at work. He is always at work. But we have a hard time recognizing when God is moving and what He is doing because it is not what we expect. In Luke 2:1-7 Jesus is born, and He needs to be born in Bethlehem to fulfill prophecy, but Joseph and Mary are in Nazareth about 100 miles away. We tend to think that God should do things in over the top, part the clouds, angels singing kinds of things. Yet, He typically moves in supernaturally natural ways…in things that we could just explain away as coincidence or circumstance. God is at work in your life orchestrating events, and His goal is to gain your whole heart.
Sometimes our plans don’t line up with what God wants, and so He graciously interrupts those plans to redirect our lives in the course that is the most good for us and most glorifying to Him. That interruption though, s often a difficult or painful situation that gets us to be willing to look up to God for His solution. A weary world is uniquely positioned to receive salvation from Jesus. Joseph and Mary have their lives interrupted in an eternally significant way. As God invites them into the supernatural, it will also be into a painful situation that they would have otherwise avoided. He prepared them to receive Jesus, and He is preparing us to receive Jesus as well. One day, sooner than you think, you will present yourself before Jesus…are you prepared?
Joey Ramirez kicks off our study about the coming of Jesus by looking at Isaiah 9:1-7 and prophecy of the coming of Jesus. The Bible is filled with prophecy, and a huge portion of it is specific to the coming of Jesus. The statistical probability of Jesus fulfilling the detailed precision of the prophecy concerning Him is an absolute impossibility. This means that we can know with certainty that Jesus is who He says He is and that He can do what He claims to be able to do. When you know who Jesus is and what He can do, it produces great joy in you!
Relationships. They can be very difficult, and very rewarding. People were made in the image of God, and because He values relationship we are made to value them too. Everything in life is made better because of relationships, and when your relationship with God is right, your relationships with people are right. Romans 16 is all about people and we gain a lot of insight about the people Paul ministered to, who he ministered with, the kind of opposition he faced. Jesus even describes how relationships are the defining factor in determining salvation. Do you know Jesus? Does He know you? The answer to these questions determine everything about your eternal destiny.
The gospel message is God’s gift to you, and it is God’s gift through you. The work of Jesus in sacrifice on your behalf is not just for you, but it is for others as well. Amazingly, God wants to use us as conduits through which His grace flows. If you are willing, Jesus will save you and He will also use you in reaching others with His glorious gospel. The power to transform anyone’s life, including your own, from rebel and enemy of God to obedient child of God is a supernatural work of God alone. You enter into the work of the gospel by first becoming a recipient of it. Being in a right relationship with Jesus is not the end, it is the glorious beginning! What does He have for your life? You’ll never know unless you enter through the lowly door of the servant.
Hope is a one of the greatest human needs and yet it remains elusive to us. We tend to connect hope to our physical, mental, or emotional circumstances. An external thing happens to us and this either empowers or evaporates our hope. Biblically, hope is actually a spiritual issue with physical, mental, and emotional ramifications. When we address hope from a spiritual perspective, it transcends circumstances because it is tied to the person and work of Jesus…and He never changes. Jesus is more than a good example, He is also our reason and power. This truth drives hope deep into the human heart because it is not up to us to manufacture His character, it is up to us to submit to His miraculous work to form His character within His people. When the character of God is developed in the people of God through the word of God it produces the hope of God.
In Christ we value personal relationships above personal liberties. The second half of Romans 14 shifts the focus from your responsibility to Jesus in “doubtful things” toward your responsibility to others in these gray areas. Though we, especially as Americans, tend to view ourselves as independent, the truth is that we are interdependent and our lives affect one another in profound ways. When you see people with Jesus’s eyes then you see that whatever comfort, pleasure, or enjoyment that liberty gives is not worth comparing to the eternally valuable human soul. Everything must be able to pass the “Can I do this in faith?” test, or it must be discarded as sinfully destructive to my relationship with Jesus and others.
It would be so much easier if everything in life fit neatly into the categories of black and white. But the truth is that much of life is lived in the grey area in-between, or as verse 1 puts it, the “doubtful things”. Our natural tendency is to create camps, declare the opposing view our enemy, and declare war on them. The simple truth is that God sees these gray area issues as “strong and weak” not as “good and bad”. So we must be willing to rise above petty differences and seek both our own maturity in Christ as well as the maturity of others. This miraculous mental transformation can only take place when Jesus is positioned where He alone belongs, as Lord. Jesus alone has the power to change people, to mature us, to grow us into His image. Have you trusted Jesus with your life? How about the life of those around you?
For many Christians developing in their faith consists of practicing some self-control, having some general affection for others, and maybe even stepping into the arena of serving occasionally. God challenges our notions of what true spiritual maturity looks like by taking us into the deeper waters of self-denial for the purpose of loving others. Denying self finds is rightful place in spiritual maturity when Jesus finds His right place in our lives. The only way that self-denial is an act of service and love toward others is when Jesus is our motivation. It must be Jesus’s love for others and Jesus’s soon return that drives our self-denial, or we just go through the motions of another religious exercise and self-denial becomes another means of self-serving. The abundant, rich, satisfying life you are hoping fore is only available in Jesus…will you trust Him for it?
Politics and religion are two of the most potentially explosive topics to discuss, and Romans 13 goes right at them and their connection to one another. Human government has a God given power, a God given purpose, and a God given position. When those who rule and those who are ruled function the way God designed and intended, then the result is peaceful prosperity. But when we rebel against God’s design, there are drastic consequences to life and liberty. The issue of government really is not about you and any human authority, it is actually about you and God.
Love is a vital part of life, and as Christians it is absolutely imperative. God actually describes Himself as love in 1 John 4:8. The problem we have with love is that we tend to have an understanding of it based upon the way the world defines it, instead of having a truly biblical definition. In this section of Romans 12, the specific will of God is being unpacked for us and it is surrounding love from three different angles; love as it concerns other Christians, those who are hostile toward us, and further those who count us as enemies. Jesus expects us to dispense His love to all three of these categories of people, and it is going to take a supernatural work of God to make it happen.
You have been created by God with purpose. The primary way that you are going to know what God's will is for your life and how that will is to be carried out through you is by understanding the way God has gifted you spiritually. The only prerequisite to gettin a spiritual gift or gifts, is salvation. If you are in Christ, saved, a Christian, a believer, born again...then you have been spiritually gifted by God. The question is not if you have a gift or gifts, but what is it or are they? And the follow up question is, are you faithfully using your gift or gifts the way God intended? Humility is necessary for spiritual gifts because it brings the right understanding to us. When you realize that you are part of a body, then you can realize that your gift is not for you. Gifts are given by God, to you, for them. Is the church lifted or lame because of your gift and how you use or don't use it?
Have you ever struggled over knowing what the will of God is? We ask ourselves and prayerfully consider questions about God's will in various aspects of life as we consider what decision to make. God does not leave us in the dark, He actually tells us exactly how to know His will. While we tend to overcomplicate it, the simple truth is that the will of God is revealed to those whose lives are submitted to Him. Interestingly, discerning God's will begins in a place that we don't expect. You can absolutely know God's will and it is intimately linked to your life's submission to Him.
The faithfulness of God is not dependent upon human faithfulness because He is faithful based upon who He is and not the circumstances of what we do or don't do. This theological reality concerning the character and nature of God is paramount to grasp because it gives us security in our relationship with Him. Through Romans 11, Paul calls five witnesses to the stand to testify to the faithfulness of God toward Israel. The fact that God is faithful to Israel is reason to trust in His faithfulness to me. If God has abandoned the Jewish people, then what kind of security could I have? What if I mess up too badly? What if my sin goes too far? Will God abandon me too? Absolutely not! Not because you're so great and you have earned His favor, but because He is so great and is graciously merciful to you even though you don't deserve it. God's love is ridiculously amazing!
If you want freedom from the penalty, power, and presence of sin there is only one way to get it; by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone. God has the same solution for us all because we all have the same problem. Romans 9 and 10 work together to display the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man working together as simultaneously true. There are two biblical ways of attaining righteousness, either the righteousness of the law, or the righteousness of faith. The gospel message delivered by God's messenger leads us to the truth that God's word reveals, the only valid option we have is to believe in Jesus and receive the righteousness of faith. People hope in all sorts of things to make them right with God, their own sincerity and devotion, their good works outweighing their bad ones, and even hoping that God just doesn't exist. The blood of Jesus that was poured out on His cross is the only way your sins are forgiven, and His resurrection on the 3rd day after secures your eternal destiny in Heaven. What are you placing your hope in?
God has always had a plan, and it is a very good plan. Through Romans 9 Paul takes us into God's past dealings with Israel to show how His character and dealings with humanity are not dependent upon us. God is not reacting to people, but rather going above and beyond to extend hope through Jesus. Through Romans 9 we see 4 attributes of God on display. These attributes of God are exposed and magnified in the person and work of Jesus, because Jesus has always been the plan of God from the very beginning. The truth that most of Israel has rejected their Messiah cannot lead us to the conclusion that something is wrong with God. If we foolishly come to this conclusion, it is because we have drawn a caricature of God through a mixture of fantasy and over exaggerated reality. This false god does not exist, and is not an accurate representation of Jesus.
Having security is a massive need in all areas of life, including spiritual security. Our spiritual security is derived specifically from 2 aspects of God's character...that God is all powerful and all good, which makes you all secure. The power and goodness of God work together create a climate of spiritual security. In this section Paul targets 2 toxic mindsets to combat and destroy them with truth. Painful situations can cause us to doubt God and think, "I am suffering, so God must not be able to deliver me." concluding that my suffering is evidence that God is incompetent. Or, we think "I am suffering, so God must not care about me." concluding that my suffering is evidence that God is immoral. When we can trust that God is all powerful, then we can rest in His sovereignty. When we can trust that God is all good, then we can rest in His love.
God has a plan, even in our suffering. No matter what it looks like, no matter how you feel, no matter what the circumstances are, God is in control and at work for His glory and our good. When we trust in God and His goodness, even when the situation is not good, our hearts are filled with hope and courage to face the future with certainty. Why? Because God is certainly good, He is certainly strong enough, and He is able to finish what He starts. This section of Romans 8 expands upon the spiritual paradox of suffering and glory by connecting us to the work that the Holy Spirit is performing in the middle of those painful situations.
Romans 8 has been called the most important and impactful chapter in all of Scripture. When compared with the focus of chapter 7, we see an extreme contrast and major transition that takes place. Romans 8 is all about how the Holy Spirit actually works out Christlikeness within His people. When you are in Christ, He is in you, and that makes all the difference in Christian living. God is not only interested in your perceived righteousness (imputed) but He is also intimately involved in your practical righteousness, and this happens by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Are you in Christ? If so, then the Holy Spirit is in you and the more you yield to Him the more you become like Him.
When we are shown a standard or goal, the natural human tendency is to work hard and make it happen. This is what happens within the human heart when we are shown how the law of God is holy, just, and good. We may not consciously think of it all the time, but there is something inside of us that wants to try a little harder, or take another run at it. Attempting to be right with God by our own ability is exhausting. This is because the power that you need for victory is not found in you, it is only found in Jesus. In the 2nd half of Romans 7, Paul uses himself as an example of the attempt to be holy on his own and the result is wretchedness. The spiritual law cannot be kept by the work of the flesh, it requires a supernatural work of the Spirit of God on your behalf. Trust Jesus for the holiness and victory you need.
You were born into a warzone, and you have lived every moment of every day in that war. When you are not saved, the war is to keep you from Jesus. After you become saved, the war is to keep you ineffective for Jesus. This war, is a spiritual war for the souls of men. The grace of God is central to your fight and winning your war with sin. Romans 6 condemns the use of God's grace for the sin of license, and Romans 7 condemns the rejection of God's grace for the sin of legalism. The law of God has a purpose, but it is not to bring you salvation...it is to get you to Jesus.
People are servants by divine design. This means that your default position is as a servant. There is no question as to whether or not you will serve, the only question you have any influence over is in who or what you will serve. Paul uses an illustration to describe for you the 4th thing that you need to know in order to win your war with sin. The analogy used here is that of the roles of master and slave...and you are in the role of the salve. You can either be the slave of sin, or the slave of righteousness, the slave of Jesus. Which will you choose?
Romans 6 marks a major transition in Romans. From here through chapter 8 Paul targets the results of being justified. Once a person has experienced the justifying work of Jesus on their behalf, what should come next. Every Christian experiences an internal battle with their sinful nature, what the Bible also refers to as "the flesh". Romans 6:1-14 gives is 3 keys to winning our war with the flesh...and it all has to do with what you know.
The theology of federal headship explains how it is possible for Jesus to take your place on the cross. All of humanity is conceived under the kingdom of Adam, which is ruled by sin and death. This is possible because Adam, being the best of us, held a unique position as a representative of the human race. The failure of Adam's sin cascades throughout time affecting and infecting everyone born since our first parents...which is all of us. While this theological principle might seem unfair (that Adam represented you and failed on your behalf) it sets up a precedence for Jesus to hold a unique position of federal headship as well. Jesus unfairly represented you and succeeded on your behalf making it possible for you to be born again under His kingdom, which is ruled by grace. You don't have a choice as to whether or not Adam represented you, but you do have a choice to remain under his headship or to be saved from sin and death by being transferred to the "kingdom of the Son of His love." Choose life!
Why would God justify ungodly people? What is His motive? These questions are difficult for us to wrestle with when we think of God with the limitations and frailty of humanity. But God is not like us. He is greater than we are. In this section we are confronted with the truth that God is motivated by love. The justifying work of Jesus on His cross is the most transcendent, unique and powerful display of love in human history. Divine love is not like human love. The kind of love that God has is intrinsic within Himself and is not predicated upon the seeming beauty of the object. Love is not something that happens to God, it is something that He is. If you ever doubt the love of God, look no further than the cross and be reassured that He loves you more than you could imagine.
The first four chapters of Romans have been driving to a specific point that culminates in the final word of chapter four, “justification”. From this point the next four chapters are going to be expounding and building upon the implications of justification. We can rejoice in the hope of the glory of God even in the middle of situations that we would rather avoid, or even deem as “bad situations”. Jesus is in control, and He loves you, therefore you can have hope even through tribulations. There is more for you in Christ after justification. Another way to put it is that justification gets you in the door so that you have access to many more glorious riches through perseverance, character, and hope.
The concept of being declared righteous by grace through faith is a revolutionary idea to the religious mind. Yet the clear and consistent teaching throughout the entirety of the Old Testament is that a right standing with God is not possible by human achievement or activity. As the foundation of the Jewish people, Abraham's life is used to prove and illustrate this spiritual reality. Abraham being declared righteous by God through faith is not just a special arrangement for him, it is a trail being blazed for all humanity to follow. Abraham's faith was looking ahead to the promise God would fulfill, while our faith looks back at the promise fulfilled in Jesus. The righteousness of God imputed to humanity only comes through the cross of Jesus, and it is only attained by grace through faith. Is your faith in Jesus as your savior?
The bleak picture of human depravity goes from bad to worse throughout the first three chapters of Romans. "But now". These words dramatically shift our attention toward the bright light of justification by grace through faith. Paul masterfully wades us into the intricate theological depths of how righteousness from God is made available to guilty, sinful, wicked humanity. Belief is a common human trait. We are all placing our faith in someone or something. So the question is not, "Do you believe?" but rather, "What do you believe?" The only God who exists has made only one way for people to be made right with Him. Belief in the finished work of Jesus on your behalf is the only way into relationship with God. Will you take hold of the means of salvation that God has prepared for you through Jesus?
All people are guilty before God as breakers of His law, and therefore condemned to rightly endure His wrath against their sin. When we are faced with this reality, our natural response is to look for some kind of loophole or technicality to get us "off the hook", but the simple truth is that there are not loopholes or technicalities with God and His law. The religious skeptic will try to turn the tables on God with a logical fallacy that makes God the author of evil. The religious legalist will try to make themselves look good in light of their perception of the evil of others. No matter which angle we try to come at it from, there is no way around the judgment of God against our sin. We are guilty, but Jesus has the ability to forgive and cleanse us, and transform us so that we are seen as just as perfect as Him. Jesus is able to perform this miracle through His cross.
Religion can be one of the greatest distractions from true worship...and we are all susceptible to a religious mentality taking over. It is very easy for our minds to put the focus on the secondary or peripheral things instead of what really matters. When our hope is placed in having a certain religious relic or going through a certain religious ritual we elevate the symbol to an inappropriate position, treating it like the substance. While we might feel religiously appeased, we are no less guilty of sin and therefore no less filthy before God. A faith that is rightly placed is only placed in Jesus.
Nearly all people live by a code, or a set of morals and values that govern the way they make decisions. The mere presence of this code can deceive the human heart into seeing sinfulness in others while justifying itself. This is especially true of those who live with a religious moral code. The truth is, though, that the inability to see your own sinfulness does not make you good, it just makes you blind. Pride conceals your own failure while magnifying theirs. This pride is extremely dangerous as it will keep you from repentance, from recognizing your sin, and from the reality of your desperate state. God alone belongs in the position of judge, because He alone is the righteous judge. Will you allow your pride to die as you submit to Jesus in humility?
This letter to the church at Rome takes a dramatic shift away from the headline of "Good News" to forcefully address the bad news. We will only appreciate and apprehend the good news when we have come to grasp the bad news. The bad news is, the only right response of God toward sin is His wrath, and every single person is guilty of sin. Romans 1 concludes with four reasons why we deserve to endure the wrath of God. There can be no enduring relationship where sin is allowed to thrive, and this truth is magnified even more when it comes to the relationship between God and humanity. There are only two choices when it comes to God's wrath. Either, God pours out His firm, settled, and perfect hostility towards all evil on the cross of Jesus for your sin, or He pours out that wrath upon you for your own sin. Jesus took the wrath you deserve on the cross.
Christianity alone holds the potential for the deepest possible type of any human relationship. Nothing else even comes close. A depth of relationship that is commonly available in family or friendship is naturally limited when it does not have Jesus at the center. Even those who have an uncommon bond through shared experiences still cannot touch what the Bible calls fellowship. Sadly, many Christians never experience fellowship either because it is not our default position. We end up in perpetually shallow relationships because we settle for what is familiar. In order to be able experience the supernatural power of biblical fellowship, we must unlock the door with the key of sharing our common faith and purposefully serving one another. This is a huge part of life in Christ that Jesus purchased with His blood. Right-ness with God produces the right-ness of God and results in right-ness with others. Good relationships with people flow from a good relationship with God.
GOOD NEWS! That is the headline that stands over the opening verses in the book of Romans. Yet this is not just any good news. The message that Paul the Apostle has to declare reaches further than a local hero and deeper than puppy dogs, rainbows, and unicorns. This good news is eternally life transforming because it is the gospel of God. With his eyes set on preaching this glorious gospel in Spain, Paul writes to the church in Rome to encourage them in their walk with Jesus, edify them in Jesus, embolden them to live for Jesus, and empower them to support his work for Jesus. This good news that Paul has to share with the people of Rome, and with us today, is the absolute best news we could ever hear.
Discontentment is a deadly poison to the human soul, and it is a constant companion to all of us. The final commandment in God's top ten uniquely focuses on your heart, your desires. To covet is to pant after or to earnestly desire. This sin is a willful rejection of who God is and the purposeful decision to believe the opposite of God's character. We must kill covetousness or it will kill us, and two ways to have victory over covetousness is through desire and contentment. Jesus alone has the power to transform the human heart from being depraved and overrun with self-centered covetousness into purified, holy and victorious over sin. Belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is our only means of being born again.
Words are things we use every day, and we use a lot of them. Once they pass our lips and move out into the world, there is no taking them back, there is no rescinding or redacting what has been said even if we really wish we could. The human heart is flawed and broken as a result of sin and this sinful heart feeds our mouths with a steady flow of lies for various reasons. Whether we are attempting to avoid negative consequences, manipulate and control, alter the outcomes of things, or simply to be accepted...lies are far more prevalent than we might think. Jesus brings hope to our lives by His supernatural power to do more than put a reign on our tongue, He is capable of transforming the source of our mouth...our hearts.
When it comes to theft and stealing, many people have a religious view that this is an issue "out there" instead of a realistic view that it is a common sin to humanity. This commandment is based upon the premise of personal property, and all people intuitively know that they feel violated when things are stolen from them. Theft is a violation of our sovereignty and dominion, which are borrowed reflections of God's sovereignty and His dominion. Stealing is actually a much larger problem than we might be willing to realize. In a very real sense, every single person is guilty of this sin.
While your wedding day is a very significant day in your marriage, it is not the most important day...the last day is. How will your marriage end? If we do not think about this last day, then we run the risk of living for what feels best in the moment and that can have detrimental consequences. The choice to live for a good time, is simultaneously the choice to forfeit a good legacy. Adultery makes God's top 10 list because it violates the covenant of marriage through sexual sin. This has far greater consequences than just the physical, there is a mental/emotional consequence and a very heavy spiritual consequence as well. Marriage is a reflection of the deep, sacrificial love of Jesus for His church.
Do not murder is often misunderstood as "do not kill", and this small but significant change brings with it a lot of confusion. Not all killing is murder, and not all killing is sinful, and when we equate these two very different ideas we turn a simple concept into a very confusing one. Understanding the idea of murder and how to apply it can be complicated, but not confusing. Murder is a spiritual issue because it is against God who made people in His image and it is demonically inspired. As humanity gets further from God, the practice of murder exponentially increases to unimaginable extents. Murder is more a part of our culture than many of us are willing to recognize.
The fifth commandment is unique in a number of ways. It marks the transition from the first four commandments deal directly with our relationship with God and the final six deal directly with our relationship with neighbor, or people. Parents are in a unique position as representatives of both God and neighbor to their children. Father and mother are representatives of God to their kids, and if a child cannot show honor to their parents, then they cannot show honor to God. Through commandment 5 God establishes and reinforces the relationship priority, covenant head and ideal family structure. Your relationship with your parents and your kids is much more about your relationship with God than it is with anyone else.
God's people are to be a people of faith, and part of living by faith is the conscious choice to organize our lives after His pattern. Life has been designed by God to function properly within a certain rhythm. This rhythm has been set up by God Himself from the very beginning, at creation itself, when He took six days to make everything and then rested on the seventh day. The pattern of labor and rest that the Lord has given us is for His glory and our good. The Sabbath points us to Jesus. When we rest in His finished work on the cross for us, then labor finds it's right place...that we work from salvation and not for salvation.
God’s name is much more than a series of sounds strung together as an identification marker. This third commandment targets the importance of how God’s people represent Him in the way they relate to His name. We will either gloriously exalt the Lord or shamefully dishonor Him. God has no equal and is only rightly compared to Himself. He relies on nothing for life or existence, and is not held back by any human limitations. Will you hallow the name of God, or take it in vain? The only right thing for us to do is glorify the name of the Lord.
The second thing that God addresses with His newly freed people is the issue of idolatry. It is vital to go beyond having the right God to worshiping Him. Every human heart has the tendency toward worshiping a false god. John Calvin said, "The human heart is a factory of idols." When we reject God, replace Him or add to Him we become guilty of violating this 2nd commandment. When the Holy Spirit reveals our idols, we must take care to not make a room for it, but make a grave for it instead.
The nation of Israel is newly freed from Egyptian slavery by God's gracious and miraculous intervention. One of the first things God does is call a family meting at Mount Sinai. The first and most important thing on God's mind is the priority, supremacy and preeminence of Himself in the lives of His people. This is the biggest temptation that Israel would face then, and that we face today. But before God gets into these commandments or laws, He begins with His position and passion for His people. Before God tells us what to do, He tells us who He is.
The final chapter of Malachi is not a dispute, but instead a foreshadowing of our only hope. Chapters 1-3 paint a dark picture of brokenness and deep human depravity. It is against this midnight black sky that the Son of Righteousness shines. The shining glory of Jesus brings the healing and peace that humanity desperately needs. Give Jesus your whole heart, you won't regret it!
God is just. The 6th dispute of Malachi God challenges the people with their false accusations against His character. When your matrix is filled with worldly “wisdom”, every value you have and decision you make will be for your benefit, your comfort or your glory. Faith in your feelings produces insanity, while faith in the facts produces security. Will your faith be in who God really is?
The heart of God is generous. The 5th dispute of Malachi is all about God's people reflecting God's character. God is the one who gives you what you have and some of what He has given to you is not for you, it is for someone else. God wants to give through you as well. When we fail to see God's generosity to us, we feel justified to withhold our generosity.
What does it mean to "fear God"? Or to have "the fear of the Lord"? The 4th dispute of Malachi targets the progression from God revealing Himself, how this brings purity and produces this fear of God. Jesus alone has the power to push worldliness out of your heart and flood your soul with the power of His presence.
Marriage is not the invention of societal evolution. The 3rd dispute in Malachi is centered around God being the one who institutes marriage and protects marriage. At every wedding, there are 3 people participating in this holy matrimony...the bride, the groom and God Himself. When we banish God from this God ordained institution we do it to our own detriment.
God describes Himself to His people with the analogy of a father and master. The 2nd dispute of Malachi centers around God holding His people in general and His spiritual leaders accountable to doing more than fulfilling the technicality of the law. God is a Great King worthy of your honor and He has spoken to you through His eternal Word. Will you give Him the honor and reverence He deserves?
God is the source of love, and He defines love. The 1st dispute of Malachi centers around God's expression of love for His people. God is both just and the justifier. Will you receive His love for you?