Category Archives: General

Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38 NKJV)

As hard as it was for Joseph to receive the message of the Christmas miracle, how much more difficult would it have been for Mary, who would carry the Son of God in her womb? Mary was God’s chosen vessel to give birth to the promised Messiah — the hope of Israel and the Savior of the world. Ever since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, when God promised to send His Messiah, God’s people had been anxiously waiting for the promise to be fulfilled.

If Joseph would be scorned and shamed for this surprise supernatural pregnancy, how much more would Mary have to endure, who would have the eyes of all who knew her looking down at her, not only believing her to be an immoral woman, but thinking her either insane or a bald-faced liar with her story of becoming pregnant by God’s Holy Spirit. Not only that, but as an unmarried girl who had became pregnant, she risked not only the abandonment of Joseph, her future husband, but her father might also reject her, forcing her into a life of begging or worse. Yet Mary received her calling willingly, saying to the angel, “Let it be to me according to your word.” Mary believed the improbable and the impossible, and she faithfully followed the leading of God in spite of the cost or the circumstances.  

Nine months later, Mary traveled nearly 90 miles, riding on a donkey, much of the journey being uphill, only to find that there was no room in the inn; she was forced to give birth to the baby Jesus among the dirty, loud, smelly animals in a manger. What a testimony we receive in her words to the angel! “According to your word.”

May this be the confession of our lives, not only this Christmas season, but throughout the New Year as we receive whatever God’s call is in our lives with willing submission, because God’s plan and purpose for our lives is always better than our own.

What might our Lord be calling you to do today for His glory and the expansion of the cause of His Kingdom? Are you ready to say along with Mary, “Let it be to me according to your word,” even when that Word makes absolutely no sense on the surface? Remember, God is able to do the impossible, and He is ready, willing, and able to do it through you.

Merry Christmas!

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The angel of the Lord appeared in a dream saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save is people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

This week we are looking at some of the characters in the Christmas story; today we will look at Joseph, who conquered a crisis of faith when he found out that Mary, his betrothed, was pregnant. Joseph’s first thought was to divorce Mary quietly. Joseph was a righteous man, and he knew others would look down at him with scorn, thinking this was a shameful pregnancy. But as Joseph was considering walking away from this impossible-to-explain set of circumstances, we see in today’s passage of Scripture that, just as He did in the life of Zechariah, God sent an angel to deliver good news of great joy that would make no sense to the natural mind. But with God, we know that all things are possible.

Joseph was confronted with a crisis of faith. Would he believe the unbelievable? Would he accept the possibility of the impossible? He did. Joseph believed the words of the angel and he believed the words of the Virgin Mary. What would his family say? What would his friends say? What would the religious leaders say? Joseph willingly accepted whatever the public perception would be and the privileged challenge of raising the Messiah as his own child, knowing full well that he had absolutely nothing to do with the pregnancy. Imagine his supernatural surprise when he found out that the child’s father was the Lord God Omnipotent!

We don’t know much about Joseph’s influence on the life of Jesus. We know that Joseph was a carpenter and taught his trade to his son. We know that Joseph was a devout religious man; the last time he is mentioned in Scripture is when Jesus was twelve years old and the family went up to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. But we do know this: in his crisis of faith, God gave Joseph the strength to overcome, regardless of the cost or circumstance.

God is in the business of giving strength to His children when they most need it. What supernatural strength from God do you need to overcome a challenge you are facing? Remember, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7). Look to Jesus. Lean on Jesus. Learn from Jesus. He will never leave you or let you down.  

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The angel said to Zechariah, “Now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” (Luke 1:19-20)

As we move toward Christmas this week, I would like to share some words of encouragement inspired by the lives of three important figures in the Christmas story. Today we will look at Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.

Zechariah was performing his priestly duties in the temple when Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, appeared to give Zechariah wonderful news: his wife, Elizabeth, would give birth to a son, and they were to name him John (“the Lord is gracious”). The child would be filled with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit from birth, and he would be set apart for special service to God.

Zechariah, however, doubted what Gabriel told him, and he was struck with supernatural silence for the next nine months, while he awaited the birth of the promised child. Here we see that the Christmas story began with a season of supernatural silence in the life of the father of the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, inasmuch as Zechariah’s supernatural silence was due to his unbelief, is it possible there is a message in this story for you and me today? Perhaps our Lord is inviting us to withdraw from the busyness and the business of the Christmas season so that we can press into the presence of our Lord to hear His still, small voice above all the clamor that is so much a part of the world around us. Silence in the presence of our Savior is a wonderful way to renew the mind, recalibrate the heart, and realign the will.  

Remember, some of the best praise we can offer to our Lord comes not through our speech but through our silence. A little silent waiting for Christmas day to arrive is a great way to focus on the Reason for the season . . . and His name is Jesus Christ.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Christ Jesus who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

For believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no mystery about what He has done on our behalf in the past: He lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death, and rose supernaturally from the dead. Nor is there any question about what He has promised to do in the future: He will return to earth to fully and finally consummate His Kingdom. But there seems to be a mist that surrounds what Jesus is doing right now for all those who have trusted in Him alone for salvation.

The pen of the apostle Paul dispels that mist, making the current ministry of our Lord Jesus clear: He is making intercession for us moment by moment. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father. He is seated in the position of ultimate power, authority, and dominion in the universe, but He has not forgotten us, not even for a moment! Jesus is continually offering prayers to the Father on our behalf:

• The Shepherd is praying for His sheep.
• The Bridegroom is praying for His bride.
• The Head is praying for His body.
• The Chief Cornerstone is praying for His living stones.
• The Elder Brother is praying for His siblings.
• The Great High Priest is praying for His congregation.
• The General is praying for His army.
• The King is praying for His subjects.

When we look back into the Old Testament, we could say that Jesus is currently praying for us as the Greater Moses upon the mountain and as the True Aaron behind the Temple veil. In other words, we are always on the mind and in the heart of our Lord Jesus. Now, whether Jesus is actually verbally interceding for us with His Father, as many scholars believe, or simply allowing His scars speak on our behalf, as many other scholars believe, I do not know. But what I do know is this: Not a moment goes by in any day when we are not covered by the prayers of the One who lives to intercede on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25), thus making good on His promise to complete the good work He began in us.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him. (Hebrews 7:25 ESV)

There are some single words in sacred Scripture that bring eternal encouragement beyond what can be expressed in several sentences. “Uttermost” is certainly one of those words. To know that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost is to know everything needed in both this life and the next. Uttermost is a word of cosmic comfort, consolation, and challenge for every child of God . . . and that includes you and me today.

The great hymn writer John Newton (best known for “Amazing Grace”) once wrote, “Take an estimate of all our sins, all our temptations, all our difficulties, all our fears, and all our backslidings of every kind, still the word ‘uttermost’ goes beyond them all.” To put this beautiful phrase in my simplistic terms: You simply cannot out-sin your Savior. Every sin — past, present, and those still to come — have been nailed to the cross, washed in the precious blood of Jesus, and cast away from us as far as the east is from the west. How unshakable is the power of Jesus, who is able to save to the uttermost.

To be saved to the uttermost is to be saved not only from the penalty and the power of sin, but from its pleasure too. And this only begins to plumb the depths of our salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ! You see, the divine power that saves us is the same power that sanctifies us. Grace does not save us and then leave us to stumble through the rest of life in our own feeble strength. Sin no longer reigns, but it still remains, and we need our ever-present Savior to strengthen us in our faith and grow us up to maturity.

To know that we have been saved to the uttermost is to know we have be set free from the chains of bondage to sin, Satan, and death. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, which means we have the power to say “No!” to the things we ought to say No to and “Yes!” to the things we ought to say Yes to.

Jesus is able to save to the uttermost, and He has given us everything we need to live a life that is pleasing and acceptable in His sight. When we mess things up, as we inevitably will, over and over again, let the word uttermost remind you that you have an unshakable Savior who forgives you to the uttermost and loves you to the uttermost. May that truth comfort us and challenge us to live a life for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom, regardless of the cost or circumstance.  

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

As he thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV)

To be sure, we cannot control what is going on around us most of the time. But we can control what is going in inside of us when it comes to the attitude we choose to live by. We can live with the attitude of “One Day,” which is as passive as it is unproductive:

• One Day . . . I will finish my degree.
• One Day . . . I will get that job.
• One Day . . . I will lose that weight.
• One Day . . . I will quit smoking.
• One Day . . . I will start spending less than I make.

Or we can live with the attitude of “Day One,” which is as positive as it is productive because it starts now, not in some distant, dimly imagined future:

• Today is Day One . . . of my continuing education program.
• Today is Day One . . . of my pursuit of that job I have always wanted.
• Today is Day One . . . of my weight loss program.
• Today is Day One . . . as a non-smoker.
• Today is Day One . . . of my financial savings plan.

One Day people procrastinate and put things off until tomorrow, and as we all know from painful personal experience, tomorrow never seems to come. But Day One people are proactive, putting one foot in front of the other as they make their way to their intended destination. They see obstacles as opportunities. They embrace problems as possibilities. And all of this is done in the strength of the Almighty. Day One people know that each day is a gift from God, and their gift back to God is how they live it. They know that when they spend a day, they have one less day to spend, so they spend it wisely for the glory of God.

How have you been spending the 86,400 seconds God has gifted you with each day? The Bible warns against sloth and slackness: “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns” (Proverbs 15:19).  The Bible also commends hard work: “The hand of the diligent will rule” (Proverbs 12:24). What has your mindset been lately in both your personal and professional life? It is a choice we must make each day: Will we live with the mindset of One Day or Day One? When you really think about it, the choice is crystal clear for the child of God, because greater is the power that is at work within us than any power that can come against us.

Perhaps the best way to close out today’s word of encouragement is with a quote from The Shawshank Redemption movie: “Get busy living or get busy dying.” What is your choice today?

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

In faithfulness you have afflicted me. (Psalm 119:75)

We are broken people living in a broken world with other broken people, and so we must deal with days of difficulty and even despair as we make our way toward glory. In fact, as I often remind regular readers here, one of the great promises of our Lord to each and every one of us is that “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33).

To be sure, we do not understand much of the trouble that appears in our lives and tries and tests us. But what we do know is that our God is good all the time, and that even includes our troubled times. Here are a few reminders that will bring eternal encouragement to you as you wade through the troubled waters of life:

• God is too wise to be wrong.
• God is too majestic to be mistaken.
• God is too divine to be deceitful.
• God is too holy to be hurtful.
• God is too caring to be cruel.
• God is too faithful to be false.

Regardless of what it is you have gone through, are going through, or will encounter in the near future, when we look at our troubles through the eyes of faith and not with fear, we come to the same conclusion as the psalmist: “In faithfulness you have afflicted me.” Everything God is doing is done for two reasons: His glory and our eternal good. When we receive this truth, we will live our lives by faith and not by sight, knowing that our God is working all things together according to His plan and purpose for our lives.

Because God always knows what is best for us and is always giving us what is best, we must trust Him, especially when we cannot trace Him, and live with the confident assurance that He who began this good work in us will bring it to completion . . . in His perfect way and in His perfect timing. Receiving and responding to this truth will set us free to rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances, even those that, by sinful nature, we aren’t feeling very “thankful” for.  

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Romans 7:15)

When God raised us from death to life, He rescued us from the dominion of sin, Satan, and death. Our salvation sets us free from the power of darkness and allows us to live a life that is pleasing and acceptable to God. However, sin still remains within us, even though it no longer reigns over us, so we are in a constant need of being rescued from ourselves.

When Paul said, “What I want to do, I do not do,” he was frankly confessing that there was a battle going on inside his heart and mind, a struggle that required God’s continuing intervention in order for Paul to gain victory. The same is true for you and me today.

Here are a few things to remember: We must never underestimate the power of sin that remains in our lives, and we must never overestimate our own power to conquer it! It is only when we are fighting in the power of the Holy Spirit that we will be successful in slaying the sin that remains in our lives. We must depend completely upon our Lord to liberate us from the sin that so easily entangles us.

When Paul needed rescue from his bitter battle with remaining sin, he did not look within. Rather, Paul looked up, and he was strengthened by remembering that what began in God’s grace (his salvation) would continue in God’s grace (his sanctification). Paul knew from personal experience that only by resting in the rescue that Jesus had provided on the road to Damascus would he experience the rescue he needed each and every day as he made his way toward glory. Paul’s heartfelt cry – “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” — was not a cry of despair, because he knew Who his rescuer was: “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)

Always remember that rescue is available to you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Press into His presence each day and deepen your dependence upon Him. To acknowledge that you are “wretched” is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of ultimate strength, because when you are weak, then Jesus is strong in your life to slay every sin and set you free to live a life of freedom, joy, and faithfulness to Him.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:13-14)

There are many things in this life that can fill us up: our families . . . our careers . . . our hobbies . . . our recreations . . . our ministries. But if that “thing” is not rooted in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is water that will never slake our thirst. No matter how fulfilling that thing might be, we will always need more and more of it to fill us up. These “good things” become bad things when they become ultimate things, and the joy they offer inevitably fades.

It is only when we rely on Jesus alone for our fulfillment that we will be filled to the overflowing — not just daily, but moment by moment. The only place from where we can draw living water that will satisfy the deepest longings of the soul is from our Savior. We must look to Jesus and listen to His Words. We must lean on Him and learn from Him. The fulfillment we find in Jesus will not fade, even when we are in the midst of difficulty and trials. Our Prince of Peace gives us His peace that passes all human understanding. His peace is like a river that flows to us, and it will never dry up or run out.

Where have you been looking for your fulfillment lately? Has it been in anything smaller than Jesus? Remember, God created us in such a way that nothing in this life will ever be able to satisfy the deep longings of the human heart. We are made by Him and for Him, and only when we find our fulfillment in Him will we have a fulfillment that never fades, no matter what circumstances we face in this life.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17)

When God saved you and brought you into relationship with Him, He gave you a new address. I am not talking about your physical address, whether that might be in the city or the suburbs . . . whether you live in an apartment or a home; rather, I am talking about the “already” and the “not yet” of the Kingdom of God. When Jesus came into this world, He lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death, and rose supernaturally from the grave. All of this was done to redeem us from sin, Satan, and death, and to make it possible for us to live in Him and with Him forever. His Kingdom has truly come — Jesus said that “The kingdom of God ha come upon you” (Luke 11:20) — but it has not yet come in all its fullness. In other words, the Kingdom is already here, but it is not yet fully realized in our lives.

All of this means that sin has not yet been fully eradicated from our lives, and we have not yet become all that God’s grace is designed to make us. To be sure, sin no longer reigns in the lives of those who are disciples of Jesus. But make no mistake, it still remains and it will wreak havoc in our lives if we let it. We wake each morning in the crosshairs of the world, the flesh, and the devil. It is a war that’s fought on the battlefield of the heart. Sometimes our heart beats strongly for Jesus, and at other times it does not. It is a war of faith against fear . . . trust against temptation . . . dependence against deliverance.

And that is why we must remember our address. We are already in the Kingdom of God, but the Kingdom has not yet been fully consummated. We are already fully saved, but God must continue saving us from ourselves — not just daily, but moment by moment. We are already children of the Most-High God, but we will not fully know what that means experientially until we are in glory. The Kingdom has indeed come and will continue coming, either until Jesus returns or brings us home. Until that day, we must remember our address as we fight the good fight of faith with the weapons of spiritual warfare, knowing that He who began a good work will bring it to completion one day soon.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!