Still His Friend

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. Matthew 26:50

Jesus knew what Judas had just done. He knew what Judas' kiss signified and what was about to happen. Yet His greeting to the man who betrayed Him, the man who's actions were about to cost Him more pain than we can imagine, was "Friend." How often do we betray Christ? How often do we fail Him, how often knowingly and willingly choose not to do what we know is right? And every time He is waiting for us with that same greeting: "Friend." It is such an immense relief to know that, in spite of all my failings, shortcomings and betrayals, Christ loves me anyway and will still call me a friend.

Don't Be Jealous

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Psalm 73:2-3

It's so easy to look around and think doing right and following Christ isn't worth it. Sometimes it seems like the only people things are going well for are those doing wrong. And when we look at things that way it becomes the easiest thing in the world to turn our backs on what we know is right, to let things slip that we know we ought hold to. Don't fall for that! No matter how it seems to you at a given moment, God's way is ALWAYS best. Lift up your hands that hang down and your weary knees, as the Scripture says. Don't be deluded into thinking sin pays well--it does pay, but ultimately not with any wages that you want. Hold out, stick to the right, and God WILL show Himself faithful to you.

Not Ready

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. John 16:12

We are small creatures, really. We're weak, finite, small-minded beings when compared to God, but He loves, saves and teaches us anyway. Sometimes, though, don't you wish He would just impart unto us the understanding and knowledge we need? It would be so much simpler, would it not? The fact of the matter is, we're just not capable of handling that. God has untold miracles and wonders to show us...but He knows how much we can handle, and sometimes He has to prepare us first. Be patient, Christian. Realize in each trial, from each burden, through each heartache, God my be getting you ready so that He can teach you something great. When you don't understand, keep in mind that God is not taken by surprise and is not confused or befuddled in the least. And He will, in due time and when you're able to handle it, show you.

To Before Why

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. James 4:2

How often do we strive and work and stress over what we want, and wonder the whole while why we can't seem to get anywhere? I know I find myself doing that. I worry myself to death trying to get somewhere, but get nowhere. And it's not until I stop to ask God why that I realize that I never asked God to. Why do we do that? We have access to the ultimate power, yet we so frequently rely on our own first...and His as a last resort. How foolish! Does that not put us on the same level as the fool who says in his heart "there is no God"? Living as if God cannot or will not help is no better than living as if He does not exist. Do yourself a favor: ask God to before you're desperate enough to have to ask why.

Follow To Victory

Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Psalm 95:10

How long will WE err? How long do we have to live in defeat, wandering in circles until we will turn to God and yield ourselves to His way? See, victory or defeat is our choice to make, and if we're living a defeated, beaten-down life as a Christian, it is our own fault. We have a God who is more than able and more than willing to lead us into the Promised Land of a happy, victorious, fulfilled Christian life! But He will not lead an unwilling person. God does not force Himself on us for salvation, nor will He force Himself on us in living. Choose to follow God's way--it won't always be easy, but you will not regret it!

The Power Of Life

Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. Hebrews 7:16

Christ's power lies in His eternality. Quite simply, we live because He lives. All other religions are powerless, not because they are philosophically inferior, but because they are founded upon dead men. There is no power in death. A faith based on a dead leader ends where it's leader did: in death. But Christ conquered death, rose from it's grip; and because He did, we know that we can as well. Christian, your God is alive! He is well, and He is active and working in your life and world! There is power in that knowledge.

Three Facets To Victory

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 1 Thessalonians 1:3

Faith. Love. Hope. These ought be the three primary characteristics of a Christian's life. Indeed, they're the three essential fruits we should be fostering--all the others will, in time, spring from these three. Yet so many Christians live in doubt and bitterness and despair. That is defeat by anyone's standard; for one who's already been promised ultimate victory through Christ, it is simply unacceptable. There is no reason for us to be living in any manner but victoriously! I make you this promise: if you are living a defeated Christian life, you are failing in one of these three areas. Perhaps you are choosing questions and doubt over faith. Or maybe you've let bitterness and anger steal your love. Or it could be that you are allowing despair and circumstances sabotage your hope. Whichever it may be, check yourself now and start choosing faith, love and hope. Your life CAN be victorious!

Let Go

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1 Peter 5:6

I'm sure you've all seen a father grab his child and lift or toss them up above his head, or two adults lift and swing a child between them by his hands. (Now, I don't mean a baby or toddler, but a smaller child--five perhaps.) But have you ever seen that father try to lift the child when the child resisted? Doesn't work so well, does it? Matter of fact, it either doesn't work at all, or someone runs serious risk of injury. It's no different with our Heavenly Father. We want great things to happen in our lives, and we know that all good things come from God...yet we want Him to do great things for us while we're refusing to yield to Him. It doesn't work that way. If we want God to exalt us, we must first submit to Him. Like that child resisting his father's arms, we can disrupt God's efforts to lift us to a better place in our lives. God can and will do wonderful things for His children...but we have to LET Him!

Can't We All Just Get Along?

Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. Philippians 4:21

It's truly sad how many believers aren't talking to this person or that. There are more cliques than anyone could possibly keep up with. Guess what...you're gonna have to spend eternity with them, so you may as well get used to them now! How do we think that looks to the world? We spend as much time fighting other Christians for every reason under the sun as we do fighting our real enemy. Don't be one of those "Christians" who says, "They listen to such-and-such and go there and associate with so-and-so and do thus-and-so, and I just don't do those things." That's beyond childish! It's about time for us to grow up as believers. These people are our brothers and sisters in Christ. It doesn't matter if I agree with you on everything or not...mainly because I will not agree with you on everything! I won't do everything just like you, and vice versa. Get over it. We need to learn to get along in spite of our differences. The world knows that principle; and we better catch onto it soon, because we're losing the real battle while we're picking and choosing which believers we're gonna associate with and which ones we aren't.

Holding To Hope

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

We face a lot of adversity in life, and it's easy to be so overwhelmed we feel like it will never end. It's easy to stare ahead and determine that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Life is full of problems and burdens, but we have something that can get us through: we have hope. Hope gives strength. Hope defies circumstance. Hope dispels darkness and decries fear. And our hope is not all invested in eternity! Don't fall into the trap of believing, "Well, once I get to heaven it'll be ok, but until then, it's all pain and suffering." There is plenty of that in life without letting our despair magnify it! God is good RIGHT NOW, and He can and will show His goodness in your life. But unless you believe and hope for that, you'll faint before you get there. It may not seem like it right now, but God will prove Himself on your behalf. Hold to that hope!

Good Intentions Only Go So Far

And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart.... 2 Samuel 6:2-3

David was doing a good thing here. And he had good intentions. David intended no disrespect to the ark--he used a new cart...in good condition, quite possibly built just for this purpose. But, for all his good intentions, David was directly disobeying God's instructions. Now, like it or not, there are a lot of gray areas in Christianity; there are a lot of things that aren't specifically outlined for us that may or may not be okay for us to do. But when God gives a direct command, either by His Word or by His Spirit, we better pay attention. David didn't mean for anything bad to happen. He was doing the right thing...but he was doing it the wrong way...and a man died because of it. Don't let noble intentions convince you that it's okay to do the right thing in the wrong way, or vice versa. "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." We can avoid immeasurrable heartache if we just do what we know is right!

Don't Say It

But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Jeremiah 1:7

A friend of mine has in her "Headline" box on Facebook, "Unlimited. My future is unlimited." That's truer than we realize most of the time. How much time to we spend thinking and talking about what we can't do? If you can't do it, then why worry about it in the first place? The fact of the matter is, though, that God gets sick of us telling Him what we can't do--He's been hearing that for thousands of years. Ours isn't a God of "cannots". The only limitation with God is that limitations don't exist. He can only fail at failing! And He promised that His power is ours. Stop telling God what you can't do. He doesn't want to hear it, because He knows it's a bunch of junk. And the sooner you stop wasting time with your cannots, the sooner you can experience God's cans.

The Message

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

Have you ever heard someone say, "You've got to get them lost before you can get them saved"? I can't count the number of times I've heard statements like that. And that statement is all screwed up. First and foremost, we can't get anyone saved. Saving is neither my job nor yours, but God's. Secondly, we don't need to get them lost, because they already are lost. Now, I understand the underlying principle that, until one realizes his need, he can't be saved. But trying to convince someone of their need is a waste of your time! The simple fact of the matter is, the world knows they need something different. Most people are well aware of the fact that they're a mess, and those who aren't, are not going to change their minds because you said so. What the world needs--what we need to be telling them--is that there is hope! There is life, there is love, there is peace, there is joy, and all that can be found in a crucified Christ. Stop tying to tell the world how bad they are; they know themselves better than you anyway. Stop trying to shove the law down their throats--the time for that is past. Our message now is grace. Our message now is Christ.

SHOUT!

O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. Psalm 47:1

It's amazing how quiet Christians can be. I don't mean they have soft voices or don't talk much...because I know plenty who talk quite loudly and even more who can't seem to shut up. I mean the world doesn't hear much from us. Atheists made the news opposing Christmas just over a month ago. A muslim group got the next segment. You hear about feminists and homosexuals and animal rights activists and environmentalists. And Lord knows, you hear about movie stars, musicians and athletes more than just about anyone can stomach. Everyone has a spiel to sell. But we have hope. We have truth. We have peace and joy and life worth more than a few minutes of pleasure at a time. But we sit quietly by and wait for the world to come to us. Oh, sure, sometimes they do. But how much more would they listen if we were shouting the victory every day? Christians have become afraid to clap and shout and dance and be joyful. Christianity is supposed to be a HAPPY faith, not a glum one. Where is our triumph?

On The Right Hand

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; Hebrews 10:12

We serve a risen Savior, and that automatically makes Him superior to all other "deities", but it doesn't end there. Jesus isn't merely risen...He is ruling! Christ is not only alive, but ascended! It is wonderful and vastly important that Jesus rose from the grave--it establishes His victory over death. But let's not forget that He then claimed the seat of ultimate victory, power and authority. He is Heaven's Conquering King, the Victorious Prince returned home. This Savior who gave His life for us is alive and ruling...FOR US! How can we not, then, live in victory and with endless hope?

Friend

And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Zechariah 13:6

What a statement! Christ, even when describing the wounds that we caused, calls us His friends. There are many humbling truths revealed in Scripture about our relationship with Christ, but I don't know if any are more humbling than this. We rejected Him. We despised Him. We beat and spat upon and cursed Him. Our sin put Him on the cross. Our guilt and shame and despair hung on His shoulders. Our wretchedness caused the Father to turn His back on Him. We literally put Him through hell. And even in full light of that...He calls us "friend." We are unspeakably unworthy...yet He calls us friend. And remember that, no matter what we do, He loves us and is waiting with hands we scarred extended to welcome us back as His own dear friends.