Uplifting Insights

Monday, July 21, 2014

Love Your Enemy

Psalm 37:14

Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herbs. Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

This psalm is a series of instructions on godly wisdom as it relates to loving our enemies while trusting in God for He knows best and will bring evilness to naught. It may appear that evildoers are prospering, but have no fear their days are numbered, and the pleasurable rewards they are currently enjoying is all that is to come.

That said, believers are to delight themselves in the Lord and let Him exalt you by giving you the desires of your heart (v. 4), and the Lord will bring forth your righteousness (v. 6) that is in Him, and this will reveal the holiness of God. Believers are to manifest Christ in our dealing with our enemy; just as Christ did while on the cross. This is because at one point we all were enemy to God and Christ's atoning death bridge the gap.

It is noteworthy to say, believers' spiritual growth is measured in how we treat our enemy. Believers are commissioned to love all just as Christ loved the church. There is no greater love than a man would lay down his live for another, and there is no greater love than a man who extends a helping hand to a stranger or someone who despises you.

Love is of God as He is love; therefore, love all.

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Monday, July 14, 2014

Three S's Of The Cross

Matthew 16:21-27

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priest and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

In our scripture texts we have salvation, sacrifice and service that Jesus displayed on the cross. That said, let's look at each-salvation is what Jesus provided through His atoning death redeeming man back to God the Father so that all who believe in Him and accept His atonement in faith shall be saved. What salvation means to every believer is that Christ paid our sin-debt as man lacked the ability to pay his own sin-debt. Christ our Savior willingly gave His life as a ransom for many-all who believe.

Sacrifice-Christ made the one-time sacrifice to atone man's sins. Christ's sacrifice supersedes the sacrifices made by earthly priests in that Christ knew no sin whereas the earthly priests' sins had to be forgiven before they could make atonement for the people. Earthly priests could not forgive sin whereas Jesus forgave sin. These questions come to mind, What sacrifices are we willing to make as an expression of gratitude for Christ's atoning work on our behalf? Are welling to deny ourselves for the sake of the gospel of Christ?

The Service component of the cross, which calls for self denial where Christ denied Himself as He served His Father unto the cross and is now seated at the right hand of the Father where He continues to serve making intercessions for mankind. Christ is our perfect example of a servant who came to this earth not to be served, but to serve, and serve He did. Christ met the needs (physical and spiritual) of the people while here on earth and continues to do so while in heaven as His Spirit lives in every believers. Believers, a line-item in our service record should read self denial.

Do you see the three S's of the cross?

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Christ And The Cross

John 19:17-22

And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha; Where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, on either side, one, and Jesus in the midst.

Taking an in-depth look at the cross and Jesus Christ our Savior, the cross tells of God's love for mankind who gave His only begotten Son to bear the sins of the world (John 3:16). Christ became flesh (John 1:14) so that He could pay man's sin-debt by way of the cross to restore a broken fellowship that sin caused. Man was created to be in fellowship with God, but God in His love for His prized creation would not allow man to remain in a fallen state; therefore, God's plan of redemption to reconcile sinful man back to Him was implemented. Christ was our sacrificial lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world. That said, the cross was essential to God's redemptive plan because God required a sinless atoner to redeem man-Christ met all requirements.

Christ's love for mankind is also on display because He willingly gave His life as a sacrifice for all humanity and in doing so Christ paid our sin-debt. All who accept Christ's sin atonement receives God's free gift of salvation. Salvation is the greatest gift anyone can receive.

Christ and the cross are essential to our salvation; on the cross our sins are forgiven.

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Friday, July 11, 2014

Seasonal Planting

Ecclesiastes 3:2

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

Today's topical discussion focus is the planting seasons of our lives, which can be equated to when the Word of God is instilled in our lives. This is the child being introduced to God and His holiness, His love, grace and mercy as well as God being the essence of life from the beginning to the end. It is in God that all humanity exists.

As the seed (God's Word) is planted in the young life, and grow then the righteousness of God is manifested for the world to see. Also, the fruit of the Spirit is on display in the person's life.

Let's equate the time of plucking up to the believer witnessing Christ to lost souls so they too can and will become members of the Christian community. From birth to death, life is but a dash, but what we do between birth and death counts the most.

Every believer has the seed planted and then we plant the seed in others.

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Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Uplifting Insights: Give It To Jesus

Uplifting Insights: Give It To Jesus: 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you. God's compassionate love is shed on His people to the p...

Give It To Jesus

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you.

God's compassionate love is shed on His people to the point that He tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, and He will take care of them. This is love at its best. More importantly, God can fix our problems as He knows the problem from the beginning and knows the end; God wants us to come to Him in honesty and with a sincere heart.

Petitioning God with our problems through prayer shows humility as well as acknowledging God for who He is and His sovereign powers. He is a God that is trustworthy and changes not. Whatever God promises He keeps He will do. God promised a Savior; Jesus came. He promised to provide for all our needs and He does. He promised to be with us unto the end of the world, and He is through His Spirit-the Holy Spirit.

I have often heard older prayer warriors say when you give your problems to Jesus do not go back and get them. I have also heard that if you are going to worry then don't pray, but if you pray then don't worry. If you worry after praying shows a lack of trust in the Lord. Trust the Lord enough to take your burdens to Him and leave them in His capable hands.

Give all your problems to Jesus.

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