Tag: Encouragement

Stay Covered in Christ

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Baptized in Christ,
our sins submerged,
the garments changed,
the new man emerged.

The old life I leave
in the dust of the past,
having put on Christ,
I am free at last.

Dear Heart, remain
in the grip of His grace.
Stay covered in Christ,
bethinking eternity’s gates.
©Word for Life Says

” For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Galatians 3:27

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Coming to Jesus with all our wrongs and trusting Him to heal and forgive is a walk of faith: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,” (Ephesians 2:8).  Now, that one has received that gift of God; that gift of salvation, they are now “the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:26. 

When Jesus transforms lives with His saving blood, we are renewed, changed, and adopted into the family of God.  The old garments of self and sin have been shed and put off, and having “put on Christ,” a new life arises.  A great exchange takes place when in Jesus we place our faith, and it is in Him, we want to stay covered. Now, let us press forward and not lessen the steps of righteousness in our lives. Let’s continue onwards and upwards, through struggles and toil, for at the end of life and the things we see, eternity’s gates are waiting for you and me.

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The Redeemer Shall Come!

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“And the Redeemer shall come to Zion…”
Isaiah 59:20

Ready or not, was what we shouted when we were ready to open our eyes to find those who hid from us in the game of Hide-and-Seek. But today, we are past the times of games. There is no more time for playing.

The Redeemer shall come and those who are repentant, who turn from their transgressions and sins will meet Jesus face to face!

Oh, what a day that will be! The chains and the shackles of this world will be permanently loosed and true freedom will come once and for all. God’s people will rise to reign in victory because the Redeemer has come!

At Jesus’ first coming He was a babe in a manger who grew to become our Savior; our sacrifice on the cross. At His second coming, He’s coming with all the power of heaven to judge: “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works,” (Matthew 16:27).

For those who remain unrepentant, it will be a fearful time: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory,” (Matthew 24:30, emphasis added).

Luke 21:25-28 explains further that it is going to be a time for the “distress of nations, with perplexity” and also of “men’s hearts failing them for fear.” That the “powers of heaven shall be shaken,” then, they will see the “Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (v.27).

The end of verse 28 encourages us to, “Lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh!” The Redeemer is coming, ready or not!

The Redeemer is coming for His people. God had long ago established a direct covenant with His people from the time of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 15; 17:1-7).

But Jeremiah 31:31-33 foresees a new covenant that God will write on the hearts of mankind. The “new” that God was doing would not resemble the same as He established with their forefathers. “New” did not mean recycled or upcycled to God. New meant new. A new way of doing things. A new story to tell. A new deliverance to grant to a lost and dying world. New!

The idea behind the new covenant is for restored lives, regardless of ethnicity or background. This restoration will take place when people are made new spiritually. People are made new when they enter into a new relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus. When they do, God forgives their sins. It’s the message behind the Bible, it’s the message centered in the Gospels, and it is the message carried through to Jesus Christ on the cross, the testator of the New Testament, the new covenant (see Hebrews 9:14-22).

At the Lord’s Supper, Jesus declares, “For this is the blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins,” (Matthew 26:28). Jesus was and is the Source of the new covenant, the Redeemer that would take away the sins of the world to those who accept Him:

  • “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name,” (John 1:12, emphasis added).
  • “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus,” (Galatians 3:26, emphasis added).
  • “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God, (Ephesians 2:19, emphasis added).
  • “Ye are Christ’s!” He has secured membership for you and me. He has redeemed us and set us in place to be called His own. We are now “joint-heirs” with Him, we are connected with Him, (Romans 8:17, emphasis added).

The Bible tells us, “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!” (Psalm 31:19, NKJV, emphasis added). God promised a Redeemer and our Redeemer is coming back! We who belong to Him have something to get excited about!

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth,” Job 19:25

Job knew where his trust lies, and we know today, that in Christ is our redemption: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins,” (Colossians 1:14).

Victory is ours. New life is ours. Our Redeemer is real and He saves, and He is coming back again! Get ready!

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The Gift of the 5 Senses

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The world may mix many sorrows in the pot, but God magnifies the beauty of life.  Even the small things we could almost dismiss and count them as mundane. But the regular, normal, everyday stuff is not to be overlooked.  For in them, we find a simplicity to be grateful for.

Take for instance something as simple as our five senses that fill our lives with wonder that we may miss otherwise.  Touch.  Sight.  Hearing.  Smelling, and taste.  Oh, how these simple things enrich our lives.  They allow us to feel the warmth of a hug, the soft texture of a comforting blanket, grass beneath our feet, or the petting of our favorite furry friend. 

They open our eyes to see beauty budding in the Spring, a smile on a loved one’s face, flecks of color in the eyes of one adored, a sunrise dancing off the shores.

They allow us to hear music and laughter, words read aloud, voices we love to hear that are near, and birds singing their morning song in the trees above.

Our nose welcomes the smell of a fresh breeze, the fragrance of roses from the heart of your love, scents that only a baby possesses, and aromas coming from homemade oven-baked delectables that make our tastebuds rejoice at the anticipation of partaking of their sumptuous fare.   

Little things.  Simple things.  Mundane things.  But, oh so wonderful things.  They are all around us.  They are all a part of life.  Let’s not ignore their benefits to our living, but recognize each gift they bring: “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  And if they were all one member, where were the body?” 1 Corinthians 12:17-19.

No matter how much or how little of these sweet and simple reminders we get to experience here, it is my belief that the expansion of all they add to our lives will be even more astounding when we enter that heavenly realm.  For we are told in Scripture, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

The simplicity and joy we find in our five senses here will only be magnified when, through them, we experience fully the wonders of heaven.

“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” – Isaiah 64:4

“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” – Psalm 31:19

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” – Psalm 16:11

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” – Isaiah 35:10

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Where Our Help Comes From

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“My heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” Psalm 28:7

Have you been helped? Where has the trust of your heart lain? Most forget that trust is not developed in times of peace and pleasure. Instead, true trust is developed during difficulties, disappointments, and pain. It is during these times when the faith of our hearts must be tied tighter still to that solid Rock upon which we are positioned through the blood stained banner. It is during adversity when we must purposely, and with great intention, place ourselves, our desires, and our troubles behind the Shield that never fails.

He is there, my friend, as our saving grace. He is the hope that will never be moved – even through eternity’s eternity. He is the place upon which we stand when all else fades away. He is the One who hears the voice of your cry and sees what you are carrying in your heart.

He is our strength and our refuge. ”In the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me,” Psalm 27:5. When enemies gnash their teeth or when tears overwhelm your heart – in Him, we are covered and safe. Nothing will have the final say over His authority, power, and might. If affliction has touched you, it is on a short leash and can only go so far as the Lord allows.

Be encouraged in He who is your help. You may not understand everything that is unfolding, or even what the end of the story may be, but let your heart rejoice with David because we know where our help comes from (Psalm 28:7).

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:1, 10

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1, 2

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

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“Just Live It!”

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“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24

There are lives you read about or discover through other means that just make you wonder a little about how they did what they did.  Heroic tales of one coming through horrible circumstances with a story of deliverance for all ages.  Another’s strength and fortitude to carry on despite physical or challenging circumstances and more.  And still many others, in varied scenarios, whose biographies you read and stories you study, and you wonder what I can glean from that life, if anything, to steer me in my life’s journey.

But then, you have stories such as Enoch where you are not given many details to go by.  You know his story is special.  You know it’s significant.  And you are even given the reason why his story stands out.  But you are not given the how – how, what are the details?

There are just a few verses dedicated to this life without much information beyond the basic information of life and lineage being supplied.  But the most significant thing we do know about him is, “Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him,” Genesis 5:24.

Hebrews 11:5 gives us another window to peer through, but with the same ending we found in Genesis: “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”  And other than a recorded prophecy in Jude, this is all that we know about him – but may I submit, it’s enough.

Humanity wants to know the details.   The human way of thinking wants to know how exactly he “walked with God” to experience such a miracle.  How exactly did he please God for God to just translate him from this life?

There is no checklist given.  There is no list of do’s and do not’s according to Enoch to follow to replicate his experience.

I, personally, am glad for the silence of the missing particulars.  For what they tell us is to just live it!  Live this life in faith and stop looking for a formula to follow.  Live this life in constant communion with God.  Live that the steps we take and the decisions we make may be pleasing in the eyes of our heavenly Father as well.

We don’t need to know the specifics of what Enoch did to try to gain our own “translation” moment.  All we need to know is what God has called each of us to.  What obedience and heart of devotion laid out in Scripture He asks us to live by.

If we had needed additional information on the hows and whys of Enoch’s moment in history, I believe that God would have made sure it was written in these holy pages.  Rather, I believe we are called to just live it – have a made-up mind to live for God for ourselves.  Watch our walk.  Ask, are my steps pleasing to the Father, and if not, how do I realign them?

The life of the faithful has numerous rewards promised to us in the Bible, such as:

“So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.” – Psalm 58:11

“A faithful man shall abound with blessings…” – Proverbs 28:20

“I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” – Jeremiah 17:10

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much…” – Luke 16:10

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” – Matthew 25:21

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23, 24

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” – Revelation 22:12

But may our love focus our hearts on the God who has redeemed us, and let that flame of devotion burn deeply within.  Let it guide us to desire nothing short of, “I want to put a smile on the face of my heavenly Father.”

We may not experience a translation moment due to it, but a life of faithfulness will bring us into fellowship with God and in His presence forevermore (Psalm 16:11). 

My friend set not your heart on the details.  Set your heart on just living it.  That is what we glean from the life of Enoch, and leave the results and rewards to God.  What we don’t know about his life doesn’t matter as much as what we do know.  And what we do know is all of us, regarding our walk with God, are called to walk it out by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7).

“Order my steps in thy word…” Psalm 119:133

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

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The Glory Which is to Come

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I sit on my couch in the early morning, sipping my beverage and eating a bowl of hot breakfast cereal when through my window shines the rising sun. Its brightness captivates me and invites me to the joy of the new day before me.

It’s beautiful to see its rising and to feel the warmth of its encouraging rays stretching out before me. Like one of my cats who always seems to find that perfect spot on the floor to enjoy its richness, I, too, just sit to soak in its shining goodness.

As beautiful, and as welcoming as this morning moment is, I am reminded of the morning of a new day that all believers will be privileged to rise to. A day this physical sun cannot compare to or even touch in beauty and splendor, because, in that place, there will be a “city,” that has “no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof,” (Revelation 21:23).

Can you imagine the glory of that moment, of that place?

While I may struggle to put into words the thoughts my heart feels when taking in the reality of those written expressions of our future and the picture of glory they represent, one day all those who are in Christ will see this and so much more for themselves.

No matter how beautiful or hard a moment here may be, they will all be eclipsed by the glorious future that awaits the believing heart. Our hope, rest, peace, and restoration we are yearning for will all come to fruition when we enter the place where God’s glory shines brighter than any sun.

Live for that moment, dear friends. Let the beauty of what will be capture your heart, overshadow any troubles, and strengthen your steps for these days. For these days have nothing on that glory which is to come.

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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Guard | Protecting the Significant

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Guarding is strong.  Guarding is powerful.  Guarding is beautiful because it says what I have in me is valuable space.  Trivial things and those who tarnish or bring unbeneficial substances are not welcome here.

The sacred is alive in you (1 John 4:4) and it must be cherished and protected at all costs.  The Bible encourages us to, “Be sober, be vigilant…” (1 Peter 5:8).  Being vigilant means I must take a proactive approach to the value in me and be very attentive to the things that seek to drain and damage it.

Many distractions come in life with its very definition meaning to steal your focus and direction from what is truly important.  These distractions stand against the foundation of what one considers significant.   

But to truly treasure what’s in you is to truly treat it like the jewel that it is and stand guard against all who would try to misappropriate her value.  “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” Jesus warned His followers (John 10:10a).  So, the responsibility lies within each of us to be aware and never stop protecting the beauty He offers – “abundant life” (John 10:10b). 

Would it be profitable to move one’s feet from the position on the watchtower even for just a moment while an enemy creeps in unawares?

No.  It would not only be unprofitable, but it could be dangerous.  A foe is a foe and nothing else.  His purpose is to stop your advancement while Christ is accelerating you up to go forward.  But if you are slowed and your progress hindered due to a personal refusal to stand watch, then what of the treasure within?  Will it be used to its maximum usefulness, or will it, through neglect and lack of vigilance, dwindle and waste away?

The beauty within… the value within calls us to stand guard and to treasure and protect the significant.

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Enough to Satisfy! | Words to Live By

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The cross, and what Jesus did on the cross, is enough to satisfy and uphold the demands of God’s righteousness against the sin and sinners of today, yesterday, and forevermore.  Nothing else is needed.  It has already been proven that nothing else will do:

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:12-14

At the time of His death, all sin, past, present, and future, were placed upon our Savior as He hung on that cross.  It’s what one does with the revelation of the cross for their own life that makes all the difference. 

More Than the Feast of Food

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Today, many in the United States will gather with family, friends, and others to celebrate our national Thanksgiving holiday. A day we recognize when provision had been made for survival and the abundance of the harvest was reaped and enjoyed. We will gather in living rooms, community centers, church basements, around dining room tables, and elsewhere to remember with gratitude and to feast.

While many dishes will be laid out before us today, the greatest dish, if you will pardon the expression, that we can partake of is the faithfulness of our God. “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed,” is what the Bible reminds us in Psalm 37:3. It is only by what God has done in our lives and for us that we are here today. It is only because of His grace and mercy we are not consumed (Lamentations 3:22, 23). Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5), and so, let the center of my affection today and all days, not rest on the feast and the gatherings (although we can enjoy them), but on Him whose faithfulness not only brought us to the joy of the gathering around this table, but will usher us to a more glorious table to come: “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love,” (Song of Solomon 2:4). One day we will fully come into His eternal celebration with uninhibited thanksgiving, gather around and enjoy the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9), and celebrate with Him forever.

But our forever there states with our relationship with Him here. Today, remember to do more than fill your body with food from this natural feast, but take in more of Him, Jesus, that your soul may be eternally satisfied: “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him,” (Psalm 34:8).

“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:11-13)

Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness in our lives and the feasting pleasure of knowing and taking in of You more and more.

“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” (John 6:56, 57)

His holy provision has been made. Come, and join the feast.