The God we serve has many characteristics, all of which make him great. God is love. God is our protector. God provides for us. God heals us. God comforts us. God brings us joy. (Psalm 16:11) With all of these wonderful characteristics, my all time favorite characteristic of God is His faithfulness.

The Oxford dictionary defines the word faithful as, "remaining loyal and steadfast." When we think of faithfulness in the Bible, it stems from a place of trust and loyalty. (Abraham, 2016) The Israelites were able to count on God to deliver them from slavery. (Exodus 12:31 - 42) God stood with Gideon and led him to victory over the Midianite army. (Judges 7) God remained with King David, despite his sin against God. (2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 51) God never left the side of his servant Job. (Job 1-42) God in human form (Jesus) saved souls, healed the sick (Luke 5 18-25), and gave hope to the multitudes (The Sermon on the Mount; Matthew 5-7). God's ultimate show of faithfulness to us came when he fulfilled his promise of sending a Savior to deliver the world from sin (Luke 2, Matthew 27 - 28).

As you can see, God is many things, especially faithful. It is important that we not only receive the faithfulness of God, but we strive to be faithful to him as well. We should be faithful in our prayer life. We should be faithful in developing relationships with other believers. We should be faithful in helping to build the kingdom of God. We should be faithful in sharing the good news about Jesus.

If you have never taken a deep dive into the faithfulness of God, I encourage to do so. You can start by researching scriptures about faithfulness. Here are a few that I tend to reference often:

"Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and my your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

"O Lord God of Heavens armies, where is there anyone as mighty as you O Lord? You are entirely faithful." (Psalm 89:8)

"He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ Returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says and he has invited you into partnership with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:8-9)

"If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is." (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

"The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever; his mercies never come to an end. They are made new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness!" (Lamentations 3:22-23)

There is no shortage of reasons to honor God. There is no shortage of reasons to thank him and praise him. There is no shortage of reasons to devote ourselves to serving him. Our God is faithful. Our God acts on our behalf and cares for us in ways we will never understand. The least we can do is strive to be faithful to Him. Let us show our faithfulness to God not in what we say, but through the life that we live.

Amen.

References

Abraham, L. (2016, January 15). Grand Canyon University Spiritul Life Blog. Retrieved from Grand Canyon University: https://www.gcu.edu/blog/spiritual-life/weekly-devotional-fruit-spirit-faithfulness

Biblica, Inc. (1984, 2011). The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Harper Collins Publishers.

Oxford University. (2022, September 3

0). Oxford University Press. Retrieved from Oxford English Dictionary: https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+peace&rlz=1C1GCEB_en&oq=definition+of+faithful&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i20i263i512j0i512l5j0i10i512j0i512l2.2725j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

There is something about this time of year that can make being a Christian feel extra special. Generally each year around this time, many Christians reflect on what is often referred to as "the journey to the cross." During this "journey", Christians reflect on the events in Jesus' ministry starting with the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11), the last supper (what Christians now observe as holy communion) (Mark 14:12-25), the events the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27:32-56), and finally His resurrection. (Mark 16:5-7)

When we really sit and meditate on all that Christ sacrificed for us, it is extremely moving. Have you ever taken a moment to really walk through Jesus‘s life? Maybe you have completed a Bible study or read a commentary. Of course, as believers it’s a story that we talk about often, but it’s never wasted time to reflect on Jesus, his life, and what his sacrifice means for Christians today. Thankfully, as a believer, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord all of the time. We don’t have to wait until lent, "holy week", or resurrection Sunday to reflect on that miracle. However, this time allows us to dig deeper into Jesus' life, His ministry, and the lessons He taught us while on Earth.

If we take to heart what the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus truly means, it has the power to re-ignite our commitment to our faith. The Bible tells us that God sent His son to be human (just like us) so that we would have a way to be reconciled back to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) To be clear, in case you are reading this and you're not sure how to be reconciled back to God, Jesus is the one and only way to the Father. (John 14:6) I’m so thankful that Jesus, whileHhe was here in human form, (having all of the temptations and thoughts that we have today), chose obedience to His Father over everything else.

The word tells us that as our sins are nailed to the cross with Jesus (Colossians 2:13-14) , we have the ability to be raised to life with him too. Let’s not waste our opportunity to live a life reflective of Jesus. Let’s not give up the chance to strive to be like our Lord. Let’s do all we can to walk with Him, talk with Him, and be one with Him. Let's choose to live a life reflective of someone that has been made new through Christ! As we continue to carry the resurrection of Jesus in our hearts daily, let us never forget the sacrifice that Jesus made so that we would have the opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven. Jesus has been raised to life! (Matthew 20:18-19) Thanks to Him, so are we - we are no longer slaves to sin. (Roman 6:6) With a heart full of thankfulness for something that only He could do, commit today to give Him all the honor and glory that are due Him.

References

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

I'm not sure if you have noticed or not, but there are calendars circulating that have multiple "days" for people to commemorate. There is literally a "day" for everything. Some of those days are National Hot Chocolate Day, National Pizza Day, and National Compliment Day to name a few. In the month of February, notable holidays on the calendar are Presidents’ Day, Black History Month, and the one that most either love or hate, Valentine’s Day. Many people view Valentine’s Day as either a man-made holiday for people to spend money on their significant other, or a holiday that is centered around love. With so many worldly definitions of love, as Christians we have to ask ourselves, what does the word say about love?

During Pastor Walter‘s sermon series, The Good Christian, he delivered a message that talked about what love really is, and what love looks like when it comes from a Christian. In 1 Corinthians 13, love is described as patient, kind, not rude, not self seeking it. It goes on to clarify to us that love never fails, never gives up, always hopes, and always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Because we are Christian, our example of love an all things, is Jesus. There is no greater love that has been shown in the history of mankind than Jesus dying a criminals death on the cross for and for me. Jesus stood in our place for every sin we have committed in the past, are committing now, and will commit in the future, all so that we will have the opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. In many areas of the New Testament, Jesus speaks about what it looks like to be His follower. One specific passage in John compares the behavior of people to a tree bearing fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20) The Word says people will recognize us by our actions, our fruit. Christians are supposed to stand out or be different from those who are not Christian (1 Peter 2:9). The difference is the way that we act (in other words, our fruit), and the love we show one to another. (John 13:35)

As Christians the primary fruit that we should show is love. God our Creator and Father is love. (John 4:7-8, John 3:16-17) As His children, we too have a great capacity to love. Love can be shown through praying for someone without boasting about it. (Matthew 6:1) Love is blessing someone with dinner when you know they are super busy with a new baby. Love is taking groceries to senior saint who may have difficulty getting around. Love is picking up the phone to call someone to let them know that they were on your mind versus sending them a quick text. There are so many things that we can do to show love. As we move throughout the month of February, and we think about what the world says love is, let’s try our best to silence that, and remember what the Word says love is. As Christians, love is our superpower. Love is what makes us unique. Love makes us special.

Don't keep God's love to yourself. We will never be able to love others the way God loves us, but the least we can do is love others in a way that shows who God really is. When we don't know what to say or what do do, you can't go wrong with love.

References

Biblica, Inc. (1984, 2011). The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Harper Collins Publishers.

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Win Calendar. (2022-2023). Win Calendar. Retrieved from Win Calendar US: https://www.wincalendar.com/Holiday-Calendar/January-2023

Have you every wronged someone that you love or care about? Has anyone that you love or care about ever disappointed you? I know without a shadow of a doubt that if you read the last two sentences, your answer to both questions is "yes." If the foundation of the relationship with the person you wronged is strong enough, you will likely get a second chance with them and they will forgive you. They may even operate on the three strikes you're out model and give you a third chance. Most often after that if you commit another offense toward them, you can forget it. Even if it wasn't your intention to wrong or disappoint the person, that fact is, you did. I'm sure you've asked yourself, "Why do I keep making the same mistakes?" The short answer? Sin. Sin cause us to do things that we don't want to do (Romans 7:19-25), and as humans it's hard for us to see past the faults of others...especially when we are the "casualties."

Where would we be if God was the God of only the "second chance"? We would have run out of chances a looooong time ago. But thankfully, not only is He the God of the second chance, but he's the God of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and 29th chance! (Houghton, 2004) Don't believe me? The Bible says we receive new mercy from the Lord every single morning. (Lamentations 3:23) God is so generous to forgive us each time we confess our sins to Him because he doesn't want anyone to perish. God desires for all of us to reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) The question that we should all ask ourselves is, "What will I do with my second chance?" Will you continue to make the same mistakes over and over again, or will you learn from them? Will you forgive yourself for the mistakes you made so that you can move forward in the new mercy that God gives you each day? Will you receive God's mercy and forgiveness, and then refuse to extend it to someone else? Or will you do all that you can to live your life in a way that honors God's gift of mercy and grace?

I could go on and on speaking of what we should do and how we should live our lives, but the truth is, I'm just grateful to Him for ALL that He is. (Psalm 9:1) I'm grateful that He is forgiving. I'm grateful that He is consistent. (Numbers 23:19) (Romans 3:3-4) (Psalm 33:4) More than anything, I'm grateful that He knows of all of my shortcomings and loves me anyway. (Romans 8:1) The God of the second chance gives us chance after chance to get it right. As long as we have breath in our bodies, we thankfully have an opportunity to turn our lives around. The Word tells us that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and have faith that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10). To put it plain, we will have a "second chance" at eternal life.

It is my prayer for 2023 that you allow the God of the second chance to truly reign in your hearts. It is my prayer that as each day passes by, your commitment to God grows stronger and stronger. It is my prayer that as your commitment to God grows stronger, your desire to love others the way God loves you, grows stronger as well. God is faithful. God keeps His promises. God sent His Son to die on a cross for us, and His death on the cross covers the multitude of our sin. (1 Peter 4:8) God knew we would never be perfect, so He made a way for us to have a "second chance". As you go forward in life, strive to live a life worthy of the "second chance" that you have been given.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

References

Houghton, I. (2004). Spontaneous Worship [Recorded by Israel & New Breed]. Decatur, Georgia, United States of America.

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Wellman, J. (2022). 5 Powerful Bible Verses About Second Chances. Retrieved from Faith In The News: https://faithinthenews.com/5-powerful-bible-verses-about-second-chances/

Every time I read the account of Jesus' birth in the Bible, I fall into a deep curiosity wondering what it must have been like to live a life waiting for the Savior. Outside of the messages that had been passed down from generation to generation, there was no evidence describing what our Kings arrival was like. The birth, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus had not yet taken place. Those who lived before Christ (BC), had to trust the word of God spoken through the prophets, believing that God's Word would come to pass. Despite the sin that had been present since Adam and Eve, and despite the destruction that sin had caused to this point, believers in God had to hold on to the promises that the Messiah would come, one day. Long story short, our BC family had no choice but to remain hopeful that the Savior would indeed come, and they held on to that hope with their very lives.

There are multiple definitions for the word "hope". One says, "to cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to happen or to be true." Another definition says, "to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment." The third definition, which in my opinion conveys best what it must have been like to wait for the savior to be revealed, says, "to expect with confidence." I can imagine how overjoyed the world was when the word began to travel that the Savior had been born. He was FINALLY here! As we know, time passed, and Jesus went on to do great things in His ministry. He was then crucified, He died, He was buried, He rose again, and He eventually went back home to Heaven. Just like that...He was gone.

What would the world do now? The world had to tap into that same hope that their ancestors passed down to them generations before. They had to trust that God had a plan and that he wouldn't leave things like this. They had to remember what it felt like to expect with confidence. They had to trust that regardless of how bad things seemed, Jesus was still the Messiah, and although it seemed like the end, it was far from it.

Fast forward to present day. We're still waiting for our Savior. The major difference between waiting for Jesus then and waiting for Jesus now, is that we have access to Him in a way that our Old Testament Brothers and Sisters could only dream of. We're not waiting on a savior to save us from our sins. Jesus already did that. We are waiting for Jesus to return to rescue His people from the Earth, and take us to Heaven to spend eternity with Him. On top of all that, He loves us so much that He left the Holy Spirit to guide us, comfort us, reassure us, and yes even convict us. (Romans 5:5) We still have good days and bad days. We still face daily challenges. We still live in a sin sick world. Thankfully on this side of the cross we are waiting in anticipation of His return, rather than His arrival.

The more we read the Word of God, the stronger our faith gets. (Romans 10:17) As our faith get's stronger, it will become harder and harder for opposition (the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world) (Ephesians 6:17) to shift our perspective away from Jesus as the true Savior of this world. (Hebrews 10:23) The Word tells us to rejoice in our confident hope. (Romans 12:12) The Word tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for. (Hebrews 11:1) The Word tells us that we were born again again to a living hope. (1 Peter 1:3) All roads labeled "hope" lead to Jesus...and that is great news!!

As Believers today, we have access to the Word of God 24/7. The Apostles wrote first hand accounts of Jesus' life, and thanks to their obedience we can read it, meditate on it, and believe in all that it says. David didn't have that. Noah didn't have that. The disciples didn't have that - but we do! So do we have every reason in the world to be hopeful? Absolutely!

References

Hope Bible Verses. (2022, December 3). Retrieved from Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/hope-bible-verses/

Merriam-Webster. (2022, December 1). Hope Definition. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

When I was a child, I attended a Lutheran school for a large part of my early development. As part of the daily school routine, we went to chapel every Wednesday, and there was also a habit of prayer in our classroom. I will never forget praying for our country and our world when the Persian Gulf War began. I don't remember the details of the prayer by any means, but I do remember praying for peace. As a child, I didn't have a full grasp on what peace meant, so in essence I didn't fully understand what we were praying for. As an adult, however, I understand the importance of not only collective peace, but individual peace.

The word peace is defined two ways by the Oxford English Dictionary; 1) freedom from disturbance; tranquility, and 2) a state or period in which there is no war, or a war has ended. Both of these definitions intrigued me. The first definition of peace makes me think of an environment where all is calm, and everyone coexists with no issues. The second definition of peace really strikes a chord with me because based on this definition, there hasn't been peace in our world for a very long time. Merriam-Webster's dictionary goes on to mention other definitions of the word peace. The definition of peace that stood out to me the most was, "used interjectionally to ask for silence or calm, or as a greeting or farewell." This definition of peace makes me instantly think of the Word of God. When channeling peace from a Christian perspective, consider these three points:

1. What does the Word of God say about peace?
2. Why is peace so important?
3. How do we achieve personal peace?

The Word tells us that By choosing to live a life that is anchored by the Word of God, we are actively demonstrating our pursuit of God's peace. There will always be things in this world that will attempt to sway us one way or another. There will always be temptation around us that can cause us to act out of character, make a bad decision, and lose sight of what is important. All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but if we are truly anchored by Him, we will never be too far away from Him to do what is right (follow the laws outlined in God's Word). When we choose God's path, we will have peace in our hearts. The Word tells us that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. (Matthew 7:13-14, John 14:6) The Word tells us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) When we confess Jesus as our Lord and make a decision to live for Him, there are benefits - including everlasting life and peace. (Romans 10:9)

God wants all of His children to live a life of peace. Does that mean there won't be any problems? Of course not. But it does mean that when trouble arises and tries to take up permanent residence in our heart, we can begin to meditate on Jesus, who He is in our lives, and and allow peace to overcome us. Peace is so important because it allows us to see past our Earthly conditions, to the hope of spending eternity with the Father. God is not a God of disorder but of peace; so wherever there is peace present, He is there also. (1 Corinthians 14:33) And remember, we shouldn't solely pursue peace for our own benefit, but we should also seek to give that same peace to others. (Matthew 5:9) That is how we can carry out peace in our daily lives.

When we come across people, things, or situations that are chaotic, we can choose not to participate, which is a demonstration of wisdom. We shouldn't let anyone or anything take our peace away because our peace comes from Jesus and Jesus alone. If you're not sure how to truly find peace, go to the Word of God, search for scriptures on peace, recite them, and commit them to memory. Here are a few to get you started:

• The Lord gives strength to His people, and the Lord blesses His people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)
• May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
• For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down his flesh, dividing wall of hostility. (Ephesians 2:14)
• Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)
• Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. (Psalm 119:165)
• And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

As I close, I am reminded of how chaotic the world was when the COVID-19 pandemic first emerged. Since March of 2020, I have participated in a prayer group that prays together every weekday morning. The person who is leading prayer each day rotates, so that everyone who wants to lead prayer, is able to. Each time my turn to lead comes around, I speak a specific passage of scripture to end my prayer. In my mind, not only is it a beautiful passage of scripture, but it also sends everyone off to face their day knowing the power of the Lord is covering them. I offer the same covering to you today:

May the Lord bless you and keep you

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you

May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace

Amen, Amen, and Amen.

(Numbers 6:24-26)

References

Arichea, J. D. (1987, April). Peace In The New Testament. The Bible Translator, 201-206. Retrieved from Sage Journals: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/026009438703800201

Country Living Yahoo Sports. (2022, August 25). 32 Comforting Bible Verses About Peace of God in Hard Times. Retrieved from Yahoo Sports: https://sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/20-comforting-bible-verses-peace-185100255.html

Merriam-Webster. (2022, September 22). Peace Definition. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peace

Oxford University. (2022, September 30). Oxford University Press. Retrieved from Oxford English Dictionary: Definition of Peace

The Persian Gulf War. (1999, 2022, May, August 5,23). Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/event/Persian-Gulf-War

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Have you ever thought about how you will respond when you have the next opportunity to speak of God's goodness to someone who doesn't know Him? Have you ever thought about what you will share, or how you will be a witness for Christ? The bible tells us to always be ready to explain our hope as a believer (1 Peter 3:15), so if you aren't, ready, it's time to get ready. Opportunities to profess your faith will present themselves in places that you least expect.

Upon leaving a restaurant one day, a woman approached me, referenced my tattoo, and asked me about God. Now, because this tattoo is on my back behind my right shoulder, I often forget it’s there. Nonetheless, I have a tattoo of the Bible, with a cross in the middle, and a rainbow on top of the cross with the words “God’s Promise” underneath (see Genesis 9:12-16 for the back story there). I shared with the woman the meaning of my tattoo and why I got it and she began to ask me about Jesus. She asked me questions like, " How do we KNOW everything will be ok one day? How do we KNOW that God will do all of these things He said He would do?" I went on to give her two examples of God faithfulness.

The first example was of Gods covenant with Noah. Because of Noah’s obedience, God promised Noah that he would never again curse the ground because of man, because man’s heart is evil from the start (Genesis 8:21). As a result, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a reminder to Noah of that promise. I then shared with her the most important promise of all, God sending His Son, Jesus Christ to Earth to live as man, and die as man, only to rise again and ascend so that we all have everlasting life. The Woman responded to me saying, “I know all that. But if we want to get to the kingdom and take people with us to the kingdom then what do we do?” I have to be honest, her question stumped me for a moment. I wasn’t sure how to answer her in a way that she would “get it.” But then I thought about what I do each day and I simply responded, “You have to show who God is in the way you live each day. You have to be an example of God’s Love and you have to live a life that honors the sacrifice Jesus made for us all. And the Bible tells you everything you need to know on how to do just that.” She then smiled with excitement and said, That’s it, that’s it.” I reiterated to her that Jesus was humble and He wasn’t boastful, but everyone knew He was special by the way He lived His life. He wasn’t like everyone else.

One of my really good friends has been saying for years, “don’t ruin your witness.” To put it plainly, don’t say you are a Christian, yet the way you walk, talk, and breathe shows the complete opposite. For example, members of sororities are charged to carry ourselves in a way that will always reflect positively on the organization. If you are observed wearing “letters” while doing something that will reflect negatively on the organization, you can be expelled. That’s how important it is. Likewise, we must always remember as Christians, we wear the name “Jesus” on our forehead, across our chest, on our car, etc. The name Jesus is with us wherever we go. We are always labeled as followers of Jesus and as such, we have to make sure that we are great advocates of Him. We must must go forth and make disciples of all nations, we must share the good news of Jesus with others, we must confess that we believe in Jesus, and we must be a walking example of God’s love (Matthew 28:19, Romans 10:9, John 3:16).

Although I was a bit uncomfortable at first, I’m glad the Woman approached me and challenged me about Jesus. It made me think of all the ways I can do a better job of being a witness for Christ. It also reminded me that it’s not enough to study the Word for myself and teach it to my children, but I must study and know God’s Word so my life reflects EXACTLY who Jesus is and the goodness He shows to those who love Him. I must live my life in a way that allows me to share Jesus with anyone I cross paths with. I must strive to be His “star witness” in this case called life!  Unlike the witness protection program instituted by the federal government, we don’t have to be witnesses to Jesus in the dark behind closed doors. God wants us to BOLDLY speak of the His goodness, every chance we get. As we acknowledge Jesus, stand up for Him, serve as witnesses for Him, and “testify on His behalf”, we will be protected.

Thank you Heavenly Father for originating the ULTIMATE Witness Protection Program!

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers

If someone asked you the question, "What do I need to do to live a good life?", what would you say? One person may say don't do "bad" things. Another person may tell you to try your best to be a "good" person. Someone else may say always be "nice." All of those things are good, but how do you truly measure whether or not you are a "good" person who is always "nice" and doesn't do "bad" things? We can't confirm whether or not we are living a good life based on what our parents say, what our friends say, or what our employer says. For Believers, Jesus is the standard. (Ephesians 4:13) If we truly want to live a good life, we must follow the example of Jesus and utilize God's Word as the instruction manual of our lives. If our ultimate goal is to live for eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven, then we must do what's required to make it there, now, while we are on Earth. To put it plain, if we want to make it to the Kingdom, every now and then we need to have a Kingdom Check.

It's not enough to say we want to follow God's Word and strive to live like Jesus, we have to truly do so. As Believers, how do we do that?

1. Allow the way that we process things - the way that we think - to be transformed. (Romans 12:2) We can't say that we believe what the Bible says, and our daily life looks like everyone else around us, including non-believers. We must live our lives in a way that truly reflects who we are (Believers) and who we represent (Jesus).
2. Be intentional about turning away from sin, and running toward those things that are righteous. In Colossians, Paul tells us to put to death all the sinful and earthly things lurking within us, and to instead, put on our new nature and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. (Colossians 3:5-10) God knows that for us, learning His nature will be continuous; in fact, that is what He desires of us. He wants us to draw to nearer to Him to develop a true relationship with Him. He wants us to seek Him through prayer, and reveal ourselves to Him so that he can begin to renew our perspectives each day.
3. Trust the Word of God above all else. The Word of God is full of examples of guidance, wisdom, prayers, and everything in between. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) We should look to the Bible for guidance on how to live our lives (things we should stay away from as well), for wisdom in making decisions (Proverbs 19:20), an example of how we should pray (Matthew 5:6-13), and for the steps that we should take when we don't know what to do. When we trust God above all else (especially ourselves), God will always show us the path that we should take. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
4. Let Jesus be your example. If there is anyone that we should motto Kingdom living after, it's Jesus. Jesus came and completely changed everything. Jesus wasn't addicted to the approval of people like we often are; instead He simply lived the way the Father wants us to live, thus setting an example for all those who would follow him. Instead of condemning people for their wrong doing, he taught us to look at be reflective of our own actions. (John 8:7-11) Instead of choosing temptation, we follow the road that God provides as our way out. (1 Corinthians 10:13) We are called to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgiveable, and overall care for the least of these. (Matthew 25:35-40) The World will know we represent Jesus by the love we show to one another. (John 13:35)

Conducting a Kingdom check may not be easy, but's its necessary. Think of it this way - Each year business professionals take the time to review their financial statements to make sure the plans that they make for the future of their business remain the best choice. Each year to make sure that our health is on target, we go to our doctor and have an annual check up. Our physician will often check our blood, our lungs, our weight, our cholesterol, our blood sugar levels, etc. The same sentiment should be applied to our lives as believers. Every so often we should have what I call a Kingdom Check. We should ask ourselves, "Am I giving all that I’m able to give? Am I serving in my church the way that I could serve? Am I serving in the community the way that I could? Are my daily actions reflective of those of a believer?" These are not questions that you should ask yourself because you feel pressured by another person. These are not questions that you should ask yourself because you hear your pastor mention them during a sermon. You should ask yourself these questions because Kingdom work is important. As believers there are generations of who Believers came before us who also did Kingdom work. I can say that for a fact because without them, we wouldn’t know who Jesus is. It is my prayer that once you conduct your own Kingdom Check, you will be able to determine if you are truly a follower of Jesus, or if you just say that you are. We are all a work in progress. We are all striving for the mark. (Philippians 3:14) Let each day that we live be an example of the faith we have in our Father, and our desire to follow Jesus with all of our hearts. As we continue to live a more holy life leaving sin behind, let us do so while letting our light shine because when we do, God will be glorified. (Matthew 5:16)

Amen.

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

One of the most profound points of Jesus' ministry was what we now call the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is eye opening because the principles that Jesus shared with the disciples during this lesson on the mountain side truly revealed who Jesus was, and the true nature of God our father. The opening of the Sermon on the Mount and the focus of our reading will be the Beatitudes.

The beatitudes refer to are a set of eight blessings spoken directly from Jesus. The word beatitude comes from the Latin beatitudo, meaning "blessedness". One of the reasons that the beatitudes were so important to the ministry of Jesus was because they emphasized the humble state of humans and the righteousness of God. Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount by saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted

Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled

Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God

Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(Matthew 5:3-10)

Each blessing depicts the ideal heart posture for those who claim to be part of God's Kingdom. If we as believers follow what Jesus spoke in the sermon, we can anticipate abundant spiritual blessings from God. We know this because we can trust in everything Jesus ever spoke. Jesus is the way. (John 14:6) God's blueprint urges us to make the choice to give our lives to Jesus here on Earth, and in doing so we follow His example all the way to Heaven. The beatitudes spoken in the Sermon on the Mount, speak of the blessings that we can expect when we choose to follow the teachings of Jesus.

If you have never taken the time to read the "Sermon on the Mount", I encourage you to so. (Matthew 5,6, and 7). As you read, you will realize some of our most commonly quoted verses are part of this sermon from Jesus. Bible verses such as "Seek First the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), "Don't let the left hand know what the right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:3), "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:8), and one that I say each night before I go to bed, The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). As with all of Jesus' teachings, the Sermon on the Mount is truly life changing. Jesus uses this time to reveal to all that the people's way is not God's way. When we trust in God, follow His son Jesus, and receive the comfort of the Holy Spirit, we can expect generous blessings from above.

Thank you Heavenly Father for sending your Son to teach us all the way to go. May we take His teachings to heart, and truly be recognized as children of God.

Amen.

References

Bucher, M. (2020, September 21). 5 Things You Didn't Know about the Sermon on the Mount. Retrieved from Crosswalk.com: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/things-you-didnt-know-about-the-sermon-on-the-mount.html

Fairchild, M. (2020, August 25). What are the Beatitudes? Retrieved from Learn Religions Web Site: https://www.learnreligions.com/what-are-the-beatitudes-701505

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

New International Version. (2011). BibleGateway.com. http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist

Have you ever heard anyone say something like, "hold fast the God's promises", "Trust in the promises of the Lord", or "God always keeps his promises?" Every time I hear statements like these I wonder, "what exactly are the promises of God?" What exactly should we be clinging to as we walk through our daily lives?

The promises of God are many, and the Word speaks to all them. One of the first promises I recall from the Word is the promise God made Abraham regarding his descendants. God promised Abraham (Abram at that time) that he would make him a great nation (Genesis 12:1-3) and that he would have so many decedents that he wouldn't be able to count them. (Genesis 15:5) Boy did God keep those promises!

The next promise that I think of is the one that accompanies the fourth commandment. As God issued our rules to live by through Moses (Exodus 20:1-17), He provided a special promise. The fourth commandment instructs us to honor our fathers and mothers and our days shall be long on the earth. (Exodus 20:12) God references it again in the New Testament as a reminder of what He promised in the Old Testament. This is the first commandment with a promise attached. (Ephesians 6:1-3) I truly believe that God makes no mistakes, so Him mentioning this commandment and this promise again in Ephesians, is intentional. Honoring our mothers and fathers is also a way for us to honor God. By following His commands, we are not only displaying hearts of Thanksgiving, but we are displaying a posture of worship. (Psalm 95:1-5)

God's ultimate promise is the one He made when He created a way for humans to be reconciled with Him, through the blood of his son Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:20) Jesus came to Earth, and fulfilled His purpose of saving us from our sins. (Romans 5:8) Thanks to the fulfilled promise of God and the life of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to spend eternity with Him in heaven, if we believe. (Ephesians 2:8-9) We can hold fast to the fact that God not only made a way for us to be saved, but he also promised to be with use each and every day as we walk this Earth. God promises to never leave us and never forsake us, multiple times in the Word. He shared it through Joshua (Joshua 1:9), He shared it through Isaiah (Isaiah 41:10) and even Jesus said "Lo I’ll be with you even till the end of the earth." (Matthew 28:20)

In this season of honoring mothers and fathers for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, remember the promise God gave in the Ten Commandments. Remember what He promised Abraham regarding his descendants and look at this world now. Hold the promises of God close to your heart and allow those promises to anchor you in every stage of life.

Growing up my grandmother had a saying, "Everything changes but the love of God". We can hold on to that promise today and always.

Tyndale House Foundation. (1996, 2004, 2015). Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Carol Stream, Illinois. All rights reserved.: Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.