“… Jesus Christ is Lord …”

— Philippians 2:11

Is Jesus the Lord and master of your life, or is He but a genie in a bottle, there to answer your every beck and call? In some quarters of today’s Church we find a sort of theology that says one may accept Jesus as Savior and reject Him as Lord. This is heresy. People who believe this come into “faith” still hanging onto their plans, their goals, their agenda. They receive Christ as a genie in a “theological bottle” that they call forth through prayer.

People like this miss the full meaning of Christianity. To believe in Christ means to accept Him as Lord and master of our lives. Napoleon in his latter days at St. Helena said, “Across a chasm of eighteen hundred years, Christ makes a demand which is above all others difficult to satisfy. He asks for that which a philosopher may often seek at the hands of his friends, or a father of his children, or a bride of her spouse. He asks for the human heart, for his very own, exclusively his. Wonderful! In defiance of time and space, the soul of man with all its powers becomes an annexation to the Empire of Christ.”

George Matheson describes the human personality as a palace of many chambers. In this palace is the room of memory where Calvary may have the central place. There’s a sunny chamber of affections where we may love Christ fondly. There’s a lofty chamber of imagination where we plan the great things we’ll someday do for God. But above all, there’s the throne room of the human will. When we invite Christ into our hearts, we must allow Him to reign on the throne of our will. And as we do, suddenly a corridor opens and connects all the other chambers, for when Christ controls our will, He controls all else.

Have you surrendered the throne of your will to the King? If you haven’t, do so today. Allow Christ to reign in your heart, guiding every decision you make. Then watch as He opens to you a life beyond your wildest dreams.

“Gimme this. Gimme that. Bless me, Lord, I pray.
Grant me what I think I need to make it through the day.”
Christian Song

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly …”

— Proverbs 18:24

Think for a moment of the best friend you’ve ever had. What made that person such a great friend? What was it about that person that made you want to reciprocate friendship?

Good friends are hard to come by in our mobile, “rootless” society. With so much to do and so little time, many of us don’t invest what it takes to develop true friendships, instead settling for temporary “acquaintanceships.” But in doing so, we miss out on the richness that deep, abiding, and significant friendships bring to our lives.

Do you wish for more from your present relationships? To foster devotion, we must give of ourselves. This isn’t easy for most of us, but if we do it, we experience tremendous rewards. Every person who has ever engaged in a truly selfless friendship has found that in giving, personal horizons expand. These people discover that true happiness is found, not in comfort, but in sacrifice.

We in America balk at any type of sacrifice, avoiding anything that might result in the slightest discomfort. But the Bible says of Jesus that “for the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross despising the shame.” Because of Christ’s love for us, He endured the ultimate sacrifice. And when someone acts as a true friend in that way, we want to respond in kind, and we don’t experience it as a burden but as a joy.

A little girl walked down the street carrying a boy much too big for her to bear. An old man stopped and asked the little girl if the boy was too heavy for her, and she replied, “He’s not heavy; he’s my brother!” Is there a friend or a potentially new friend whom you can carry today? How can you give of yourself to someone who really needs you, someone you can care for with great joy in your heart? For as you give of yourself out of love—without complaint or irritation—you’ll discover genuine friendship.

“Life begins when you begin to serve.”
Anonymous

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

— Deuteronomy 6:6–7

Who has the primary responsibility for the education of our young? The state? Local schools? Principals and administrators? Teachers? The Bible tells us that parents have the primary responsibility for teaching their children how to survive and succeed in life. Unfortunately, in today’s anti-family milieu, a growing number of the social elite think that the state should regulate what children learn.

It wasn’t always this way. When the Pilgrims and Puritans came to America, they placed a high priority on education. In 1647, not long after their arrival, the Puritans passed the “Old Deluder Satan Act,” the first law in the English colonies to require education. The law’s title refers to the Devil, who gets his foothold into people’s lives by distracting them from learning Scripture.

But in the early nineteenth century, Horace Mann, who did not believe in Christ’s deity, established the modern public education system in order to take control from the Church, where virtually all the education had taken place, and put it into the hands of the state. Eventually, the schools became almost entirely secularized, and real learning has plummeted as revealed again and again in countless standardized tests.

Often what public schools teach contradicts what parents want their children to learn. This is tragic because in the long run, God holds parents responsible for their children’s education. We as a Church need to support the young families in our midst to provide and support educational alternatives for them such as Christian schools or home schools. We need to lobby and vote for ballot measures that support parents’ rights to determine what their children will learn in school. We must do all we can to help parents rear their children in the knowledge of God.

“Christianity is par excellence a teaching religion.”
J. D. Douglas

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”

— Matthew 14:30, niv

Have you ever faced a storm in your life, one so big that you thought you’d never see the light of day again? Maybe you face one even now, and you feel threatened and dismayed by the waves crashing around you.

Peter knew exactly how you feel. After a long, hard day of ministry, Christ had sent his disciples to sail across the Sea of Galilee while He climbed a mountain alone to commune with His Father. The disciples’ crossing was anything but smooth. The winds had whipped the sea into a frenzy, and the disciples struggled to control their boat. Unable to make headway, the disciples feared for their lives.

Then, in the last watch of the night, Jesus came to them—walking on the water. When the disciples saw Jesus coming toward them, they were terrified. They thought they had seen a ghost, and they cried aloud. But Jesus said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Peter responded, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus replied, “Come.” As Peter began to walk on the surface of the water, he focused his sights on Jesus. Step after step, he walked on top of the water. But, as the sea continued to churn around him, Peter looked at the water and began to sink. He cried out in terror, “Lord, save me!” So Jesus reached out His hand and rescued him, saying, “You of little faith.” As long as Peter kept his eyes trained on his Lord, he had safe passage in the midst of a raging storm. But when he focused on the churning waters, he lost sight of Jesus and lost his footing, too.

As you face storms in your life, don’t look at the waves crashing around you. Instead, keep your eyes focused on Jesus. He can steady and sustain you through any storm. Look at Him and walk toward Him—He’ll give you safe passage through the raging seas.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His
wonderful face. And the things of the earth will grow
strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”
Helen Lemmel

“So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many …”

— Hebrews 9:28

Have you ever experienced the joy of giving someone a gift with no strings attached, no expectation of thanks, no anticipation of reciprocation? Then you have a small taste of Christ’s joy in providing salvation for us. And yet we find it so hard to accept this gift at face value. We seem to want to add to it just for good measure. But we have nothing to add. Jesus’ sacrifice was perfect, atoning for all sins forever. He has paid our debt in full.

I recall once reading of a master wood craftsman who spent months constructing a beautiful coffee table for his friend. He carved all manner of intricate designs around the side of the table and applied seventeen coats to the surface, a Parisian finish, until it glistened. You could see your face in it as if it were a mirror. The craftsman brought the table wrapped in a soft cloth to his friend, unveiled it, and said, “Voilà. There it is—the long-anticipated gift.”

Though the table was indeed a thing of consummate beauty, the craftsman’s friend said, “Oh, I…I think it is just magnificent, but I couldn’t simply accept it as a gift. You have done all the work. Surely I must do my part.” With that the friend picked up a piece of sandpaper and started to sand the top of the table. The master craftsman grabbed his friend’s wrist and said, “Stop that. You’ll ruin it all. It is finished.”

So it is with the great redemption wrought by Christ. Just before He gave up His spirit, Christ said, “It is finished.” Done. Complete. We can add nothing; indeed, we in our sinfulness have nothing to offer. But nothing is needed. Christ’s sacrifice is perfect. Christ suffered infinitely upon the cross and paid an infinite price—in full.

The only “sacrifice” we can now give to the Lord is a sacrifice of praise for what He has done. So, if you haven’t already, accept the gift. Stop trying to earn it; just take it from Christ with a heart full of gratitude.

“Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain;
He washed it white as snow.”
Elvina M. Hall

“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”

— Matthew 5:37

A little boy was once asked in Sunday school to define the noun “lie.” In response, the boy said, “A lie is an abomination to the Lord and a very present help in time of trouble.” We may laugh at this child’s perspective, and yet doesn’t it hit a little close to home? Have you found yourself justifying a lie here and there? Many of us do. But we need to avoid compromising the truth.

We need to cultivate truthfulness in our lives for several reasons. First, as Charles Hodges says, truthfulness is the very substratum of deity. By that definition, a being who would lie couldn’t be God but merely a false god or lying idols of the heathen. Truthfulness is the very essence of God’s character. If God lied, we could have no confidence in Him whatsoever.

Second, truthfulness is essential to God’s purpose for humankind. We can never reach God’s full potential for us if we lie. The Scripture tells us that our goal is to become like God and Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must become like Him who cannot lie under any circumstances.

Third, lying destroys the fabric of society. Social harmony depends on a certain amount of trust based on truthfulness. How can there be any trust among us when we justify telling lies?

Can you truthfully say that honesty and integrity are qualities in your life? We need to remember that we will stand before God and be held accountable for every idle word. Therefore, in the words of the psalmist, “Keep your tongue from evil.” Let’s pray that our truthfulness as Christians will shine like a beacon in a world steeped in darkness and lies.

“White lies are but the ushers to black ones.”
Eleanor Doan

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”

— Ephesians 1:11

Has someone ever included you in his or her will? If so, you might have a small inkling of what it means to be included in the will and testament of God. When God’s will and testament are read, we shall receive glorious things beyond even our wildest imagination. No one in the world could possibly have the slightest conception of the full wonders that God has provided for those who love Him. As Christ’s heirs we receive deliverance from death and the promise of eternal life. He vows to meet all our needs from His abundance, and He works all things together for our good. And one day He will take us to live with Him in Paradise.

Don’t you wonder what Paradise will be like? We’ve seen countless wonders God has created on this earth—how much more splendid will Heaven be? What will it be like when there is no more pain, sorrow, or separation? In this life, many people endure great pain. Many suffer sorrow and heartache over loved ones. Others feel depressed. Yet others are separated from those whom they love. But in Heaven we’ll have no more separation, sickness, heartache, loss, pain, or death. The things of this earth will have passed away. Our release from these things is part of the inheritance God has prepared for His children.

How can you and I receive this inheritance? Paul tells us: “In him we were also chosen… that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:11–13, niv). Put your faith in Jesus, and He will reserve this inheritance for you.

“The key to heaven is shaped like a cross and those that would
enter therein do so by trusting in the cross of Christ.”

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

— Colossians 1:27

Do you ever get involved in a good mystery story, intrigued by the twists and turns, trying to figure it out until, in the final scene, you discover whodunit?

God’s Word contains many mysteries, and God’s mysteries are greater than any other mysteries in the world. No one, not even the cleverest detective, can solve them. We can only discover the truth when God, the great revealer, chooses to make it known.

God has revealed one great mystery to us, a mystery which had previously lain hidden for centuries: Christ in us, our hope of glory. This is the great secret of Christianity. Christ doesn’t just go before us as a leader; beside us as an encourager; behind us as a teacher, pointing the way we should go; or above us as a counselor to whom we turn in times of need. He is all of that, but—far, far more—He is Christ within us as the regenerator, the transformer, the sanctifier, and the strengthener who provides all we ever need. When the ever-living Christ with His supernatural, wonder-working power comes into the heart of the most hardened sinner, He transforms that sinner into a new person. We must all have Christ in us. Only those who allow Christ to reign in their hearts will enter Paradise.

Some have called inviting Christ into our hearts “being born again.” With that truth, we have these options: “Born once, die twice; born twice, die once.” If you have been born twice— once physically and then spiritually—you will die only once. You will be spared the second death, and instead you will pass from this life directly into the presence of God’s glory. And eternity with Christ is another great mystery—one that only Christians will know.

“Every character has an inward spring; let Christ be
that spring. Every action has a keynote; let Christ be
that note to which your whole life is attuned.”
Henry Drummond

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength …”

— Jeremiah 17:5

Humanism—faith in humankind—seems to creep further and further into our society. How does this perspective affect our culture?

To understand the impact humanism has on our society, we must first understand humanistic theory. Let’s look at the four principles upon which it is based. First, humanism touts the doctrine of atheism. Whereas our catechism says that humankind’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, the humanist says that humankind’s chief end is to glorify humankind. The originator of humanism, the ancient Greek philosopher Protagoras, put it this way, “Man is the measure of all things.” Humanism also asserts the doctrine of evolution. Humanists believe the universe is self-existing and not created. Humans simply evolved from lesser forms and are therefore nothing more than animals. The third doctrine of humanism is amorality. Humanists don’t believe in absolutes but instead view truth as relative. Finally, humanists believe that we must have a collectivist society, sacrificing individual well-being for the common good, and that we must establish this society immediately. Some have said that humanism is nothing other than communism in philosophical garb.

Since humanism seems to have a system of doctrinal beliefs, is it a religion? The Humanist Manifesto of 1933 calls it such nine times. Not only is humanism a religion, it’s an insidious one. It uses our public schools as church buildings; some school teachers serve as its ministers; its high priesthood is the National Education Association; its property is valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Every year our nation spends tens of billions of dollars in the propagation of humanism’s doctrines and tenets. Humanism is particularly dangerous because, unlike any other religion in America, it is endorsed in the public schools and established in every department of the government of the United States.

We know Who wins in the end, but tragically, many souls will be lost as humanism’s influence increases. Today pray that Jesus will save those who promote the false religion of humanism and for all who believe in it.

“If God is dead, then all things are permissible.”
Fyodor Dostoevsky

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness …”

— Matthew 6:33

Would you call yourself a successful person? What measure do you use to determine your answer to that question?

Many people define success as being happy. But if that’s our definition, few who seek success find it. Happiness is a byproduct of seeking something outside ourselves, something we cannot control. So if we bank our success on it, we’ll often experience frustration. But ultimately, it’s a lie that happiness is the evidence and result of a successful life.

If we’re ever to experience success, we first need to understand the true definition of it. Jesus Christ described success for us in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Those who seek God’s kingdom and His will for their lives are usually those who experience God’s richest blessings. These people find that which others spend their whole lives pursuing: gifts God gives to those who seek Him.

Consider the words of David Livingstone who, after great suffering and personal loss, wrote, “My Jesus, my Christ, my God, my King, my all, I again consecrate my life entirely unto Thee. I will place no value upon any thing or any relationship except as it relates to Thy Kingdom and Thy cause.” A great hero of the faith, Livingstone opened up Africa to the Gospel, sharing God’s good news with millions who had never heard it before. Livingstone’s words and actions exemplified true success: seeking first the kingdom of God.

If the whole world applauds but Christ says, “Nay,” then one’s life is a tragic failure. Today set your heart first and foremost toward God’s kingdom, forsaking anything that might stand in your way. Do this, and you shall no doubt succeed, at least by the standards that really count in life.

“The Bible never tells us to seek the Kingdom
of God; it tells us to seek it first.”
Charles Spurgeon