Posted on Wednesday, December 13, 2006                                                  by Liza B

The Father's Love

Christmas is a time where we celebrate the birth of Jesus and remember His sacrifice in coming to earth to redeem us from hell. The focus is always on Jesus and that is a good thing, but if you’ll allow me, let me direct your focus to the Father for a few moments. 

When the Father sent his only, dearly beloved Son, He also sacrificed everything He had of value for us.  I’m sure you’ll agree that it is easier for someone to hurt you than it is for them to hurt a loved one, especially an only son. It is staggering to reflect on the incredible amount of love that led the Father to give to you and me, at so much cost to Him.

During this season, I pray that you would allow His love to fill you, that this would not be a depressing time where you brood over what you don’t have, but marvel over what you do have, the Father’s love.

   Posted on Wednesday, November 1, 2006                                                    by Liza B

What's Your Goal in Life?

Do you know why you are here on earth? Have you ever thought about what you would like to accomplish before you die, and most importantly, why? Do you know what is God’s desire for all of His children? 

The Apostle Paul was a man that had a godly and clearly defined goal for his life. After having spent 2 years in prison for sharing the Gospel he writes in his letter to the Phlippians: 

"My dear friends, I want you to know that what has happened to me has helped to spread the good news. The Roman guards and all the others know that I am here in jail because I serve Christ. Now most of the Lord's followers have become brave and are fearlessly telling the message. Some are preaching about Christ because they are jealous and envious of us. Others are preaching because they want to help.

They love Christ and know that I am here to defend the good news about him. But the ones who are jealous of us are not sincere. They just want to cause trouble for me while I am in jail. But that doesn't matter. All that matters is that people are telling about Christ, whether they are sincere or not. That is what makes me glad."

Paul knew that the goal of his life (as well as every Christian) was to spread the Gospel; therefore, anything that furthered the Gospel, whether a prison sentence or his enemies, gave him a reason to rejoice. He really had the right perspective and that is why he impacted and continues to impact millions of people. Everything he did and instructed Christians to do (by inspiration of the Holy Spirit) was for the Gospel message. I was even surprised to see the reasons he gave to Titus for the behavior of godly women was so that “no one can say insulting things about God's message.” I realized that good behavior is not the end, but the means to an end which is for the glory of God and witness of the Gospel.

In view of God’s desire for your life do you think you have the right goals in your life? Look at the people around you. Do you care about their eternity enough to make goals or to reevaluate the goals you do have in light of God’s Word?

I am convicted by the way I get so easily sidetracked from the primary goal in life and just pray that God would make us willing to refocus and reorganize our lives to pursue what really matters.

   Posted on Wednesday, September 20, 2006                                                 by Liza B

Interpersonal Communication 101

Sometimes being respectfully upfront with someone is a lot harder than either blowing up in anger at them or hiding resentment in your heart. There is a certain type of vulnerability involved when you tell someone how their actions made you feel-on both sides.  

This is something I struggle with because many times I fear saying things that could “hurt someone else’s feelings” or go the opposite way and in my anger “just say it like it is.”

As I have been realizing (it has taken way too long) neither of these responses are right before God because of what they do to our relationships. Since the Bible is the standard for living I thought it would be good to list a few of the Scriptures that have spoken to my heart about this topic. 

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4: 3  Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.  Ephesians 4:25 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  Ephesians 4: 29-32 

The first verse listed shows the importance of maintaining good, peaceful relationships between each other especially the brethren. The second verse has the idea (in Greek it is much clearer) of unmasking oneself to another person, or baring the heart. It means more than just “Do Not Lie.” I believe that these two lay the foundation for conflict resolution between Christians. The first is that because it is so important to maintain a good relationship with fellow believers, you must make every possible effort to reach that goal. The second is that unity is kept by being open with one another about our true feelings instead of brushing things under the carpet.  

The last paragraph is the “how” of our communications. We are to guard against words that proceed out of a bitter, angry heart and instead speak with all kindness and respect. When we are on the receiving end we should listen graciously and when unpleasant information is given to us treat the other person with compassion and forgiveness to the extent that Christ has shown us. 

Finally one of my favorite verses: 

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.  Romans 15:7 

This same attitude of acceptance that Christ has for us is the reason we can boldly approach the throne of grace for help in time of need. We know that He loves us and will help us through our time of weakness and sin. That same amount of acceptance we find in Him we should demonstrate to one another. That will make it possible for there to be the bond of peace and make us approachable to people who want to share their hearts with us.

   Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006                                                             by Liza B

The Cost of Discipleship

… any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.  ~ Jesus 

There are times when reading the Bible that I come across a concept that should have been so blatantly obvious to me a long time ago but never was for some reason. Discipleship is one of those fundamental understandings that all Christians should have, but it is so simple that it can be lost in all of the religious trappings. Basically being a disciple means to follow someone. If we follow Christ that makes us His disciples, but not just anyone can claim that title. Jesus himself gave specific instruction on who could call Him Master and this is what He said. 

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.  ~ Jesus

If you really think about what that is saying it is saying that when you decide to follow him, you are forfeiting your life and choosing to die to your desires and inclinations and maybe even physically lose your life to follow Him. Jesus is absolutely exclusive; it is Him all the way or nothing. He said that one sign that proves that we belong to Him is that the world will hate us. 

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.  ~ Jesus

It has to be that way because the world’s ways are diametrically opposed to God’s way. You either belong to the world or you don’t. Your life as a Christian should be that obviously different from the people around you. It’s not about being a wonderful Christian, but the very fact that you are a Christian that establishes the difference between you and the world.

Does that mean that we look down on everyone else and hate them? No, not at all. God requires us to love our enemies and bless those that persecute us; however discipleship involves dying to the desires of the sinful nature, rejecting the world’s standards for success and following what Jesus commands us implicitly.

It’s tough, but totally worth it. Does your life reflect your discipleship? Be completely sure that you are indeed a follower of Christ so that on that day He won’t say, “I never knew you.” If you really do belong to Christ, let me encourage you to keep light bright or if you are like me, make it bright. 

The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves me.  ~ Jesus

   Posted on Wednesday, May 31, 2006                                                           by Liza B

How Can I Be Sure of My Salvation?

This complete article was taken from John MacArthur’s site http://www.biblebb.com/files/macqa/IA-suresave.htm and deals with a topic that I myself wanted to cover, but thought his words were sufficient.

Answer

There are two important tests in Scripture for a person to determine whether or not he or she is a true believer.

There is first of all an objective test, which asks, "Do I believe?" Ask yourself if you affirm the Scripture's record of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Do you believe that He is God manifest in the flesh? Do you believe that God saves sinners solely through the merits of Jesus Christ's obedient life and substitutionary death on the cross?

Second is the subjective or experiential test of assurance in which you ask yourself, "Is my faith real?" The apostle John's purpose in writing the epistle of 1 John was to give true believers assurance of their salvation (1 John 5:13). In that small epistle John gives several marks to distinguish a true believer. These are:

• True believers walk in the light (1 John 1:6-7). The light here means both intellectual and moral truth. Ask, "Do I affirm the truths of Scripture, and desire to obey them?" 
   
• True believers confess their sin (1:8-2:1) Confess here doesn't mean to recite every wrong that we have ever done. Rather, it means to agree with God about our sin. That means that true believers hate their sin; they don't love it. They acknowledge they are sinful, and yet they know they are forgiven. 
   
• True believers keep His commandments (2:3-4; 5:2-3). The term here refers to a watchful, observant obedience. Here the believer desires to obey truths he deems precious. It involves a proactive approach to obedience-the Christian studies Scripture in order to understand and obey it. 
   
• True believers love the brethren (2:9-11; 3:10, 14-15; 5:2). Ask yourself the question, "Do I love God's people and desire to be around them?" 
   
• True believers affirm sound doctrine (2:20-23; 4:2,6). John here teaches that no true believer will fall into any serious, Christ-denying error or heresy. 
   
• True believers follow after holiness (2:29; 3:3-4, 6-9). These verses certainly aren't talking about sinless perfection, or even the frequency or duration of sin. The term sin in these verses describes one who lives an immoral, ungodly, unrighteous life as a matter of continual practice, and carries the attitude of hardened hate for God's righteousness. 
   
• True believers have the Holy Spirit (4:13; 5:10-11). This is an over-arching test summing up all the others. Is there evidence that the fruit of the Spirit is present in your life (Galatians 5:22-23)?

In summary, one's assurance of salvation does not need to be based on a past decision or an experience. It should rest first of all on one's faith in the objective truth of God's Word, Jesus Christ, and the gospel. Secondly, it should rest on the reality of a changed life marked by obedience, a love for Christ and His righteousness, and a hatred for sin. Take heart if these things are true in your life, and trust God to continue to work out His salvation in your life.

   Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006                                                           by Liza B

Have you ever read any billboard that says, “Smile God loves you” or “Jesus is the Answer”? One time in a college dorm I saw that someone had written on the bulletin, “Jesus is the answer” and right by it someone else had written, “Well, what is the question?” 

I kind of smiled to myself when I read that and then realized that at that moment I really did not know what the question was, or why I had to have smile and have a warm fuzzy feeling because God loved me. Years later I have come to understand what that all really means and I want to share my findings with you. 

It all starts with the fact that God hates sin with a passion. He is completely perfect in holiness and in goodness that he cannot abide sin.

Sin fills God with such anger, and He cannot condone sin.  God’s justice demands that the sinner be punished. In the sight of God sinners are His enemies and the Bible speaks about His pursuing His enemies with a vengeance. 

God is a just judge; he is angry throughout the day. If a person does not repent, God sharpens his sword and prepares to shoot his bow. He prepares to use deadly weapons against him; he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.

Psalms 7:11-13 

The Lord is a zealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and very angry. The Lord takes vengeance against his foes; he sustains his rage against his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished. […] No one can withstand his indignation! No one can resist his fierce anger! His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire, boulders are broken up as he approaches.
                                                                                                                                                Nahum 1:2-3, 6 

The thought of being the enemy of an all-powerful God who promises to punish the wicked is a very horrific idea. If you are an enemy of God today because you have not repented of your sins then you are in a very dangerous position. Here is where the answer or the good news comes in. The Bible says that, “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

You see, because God’s anger and justice demanded punishment for sin, Jesus, God’s Son came down to the earth to take for us the punishment of sin. The wrath of God was totally poured out on Jesus for our sins. So where do we go from here? The Bible says that we have to put our trust in the sacrifice that Jesus already paid for us. We cannot put our trust in ourselves, our parents, the church, good works or anything else. Nothing else can pay the price that we owe. We must repent of our sins and believe in our hearts in the sacrifice of Christ paid on our behalf. 

because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him.  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  

Romans 10: 9-13 

If you are saved, this will remind you of why you have a reason to smile today. God loves you and made a way for you to escape the wrath that you and I deserve through His Son Jesus Christ. If you have never believed in Christ for salvation, I urge you to put your faith in Him and to cry out to the Lord for His saving mercy that comes only through Jesus—no one else. 

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.  Acts 4:11

   Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006                                                        by Liza B

Today Mary* spoke about one of the “three deadly sins of women,” namely the sin of criticism. If it weren’t so shameful, it would be laughable the way that my mind immediately went to the people who I just knew needed to hear this message—the really critical people. While in the midst of my regal judgment session, I realized what I was doing; thereafter, I had a very hard time stopping my condemnatory thoughts. “Good grief!” I thought, “Obvious red flag that I have a critical spirit!”

Usually when someone does something that annoys me, I get very critical. This person is typically taking an action contrary to what mine would have been if I were in the same situation—so I let that rile me up. While thinking deeply about my reactions, it becomes clear to me that it is rooted in pride.  Honestly, who gave me the entitlement to classify people as “good” or “bad”  as compared to me? What stupid arrogance! I know I would not be feeling quite so smug if God were to shine His holy flashlight into the darkest corner of my life, and He does. When He does I feel just as comfortable as the Texas roaches feel when the light is suddenly turned on at 2:00am. 

Having said that, I will hasten to add that this does not rule out the meek, Biblical confrontation of a fellow-believer that needs restoration. That is commanded by God as an act of true Christian love. Criticism and restoration share the component of noticing a fault, but the similarity ends there. The dividing factor is the attitude and response to the newly acquired insight. While criticism takes the knowledge and uses it to disparage the person and compare unfavorably to oneself, restoration seeks to edify and point to the only true Pattern, Christ, whom we are all seeking to emulate.

However, since the majority of us tend to criticize, I put together a simple list of guidelines that Jesus gave to be followed as soon as you see a fault in someone.

        1.    You just noticed a fault.
        2.    Time to begin major self-examination for same or similar faults. Matt 7:3
        3.    Repentance and restitution. Matt 7:5a
        4.    Meek restoration of brother. (if they really have sinned) Matt 7:5b, Gal 6:1 

Pretty simple guidelines, but hard to live though. The good news is that we can do it! We are new creatures in Christ, and we have the Holy Spirit who is our helper. So take heart and trust God for the transformation!

   Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006                                                     by Liza B

Recently, I had been asking God to open up the eyes of my understanding to see all the spiritual riches that belong to me through Christ. It began with musings of the immensity of salvation. To think, one day I would stand in the heavenly courtroom, before the Judge of all the earth and I, understanding full well my culpability, would be declared “innocent” because of the penalty paid by Jesus Christ. The thought was so overwhelming that if that was the extent of my spiritual inheritance I would be more than happy—thrilled actually, but there is more.  

Of all the riches that are mine in Christ, the one that has distinguished itself at this moment in my life is the ability to have hope. I would describe hope as the life jacket that keeps you from sinking into the deluge of despair. It is intricately linked to faith in that you can’t have hope if you don’t have faith. To have hope is to look forward to something with confidence or expectation. One example of the relationship between faith and hope can be of a high school or college student that confidently says, “After I get through these 4 years of hard work I will get a diploma.” That is a statement of faith. Hope is what keeps him or her going through the sleepless nights the week before finals.  

In the walk of a follower of Christ life is not perfect. There will still be the problems of sin, and death, yet in all these you, as a Christian will have hope. 

When grappling with sin in your life, hope will sustain you with the knowledge that your relationship with God is restored when you just confess your sin to Him. 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 

When dealing with the death of a loved one you can have hope of seeing them again one day. You can have hope because Jesus Christ has conquered death: death has now become the portal to eternal life.  

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
 55"Where, O death, is your victory?
      Where, O death, is your sting?"  56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13