Me and Christ

Jesus said, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.” John 10:17. That is, “My Father has so loved you that He even loses Me more for giving My life to redeem you. In becoming your Substitute and Surety, by surrendering My life, by taking your liabilities, your transgressions, I am endeared to My Father; for by My Sacrifice, God can be just, and yet the Justifier of Him who believeth in Jesus.” None but the Son of God could accomplish our redemption; for only He was the bosom of the Father could declare Him. Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it manifest. Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice made by Christ in behalf of fallen man could express the Father’s love to lost humanity. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” He gave Him not only to live among men, to bear their sins and die their sacrifice, He gave Him to a fallen race. Christ was to identify Himself with the interests and n...

The book of Genesis tells us the story of God creating the world. As God created various aspects of our world he declared them “good.” Then after creating human beings he said that this was “very good.” Then suddenly there is turn in the narrative. The writer tells us that God then said, “It is not good that man be alone.” Adam was not lonely – he had God and the animals – but he was alone, a solitary human being. So God made Eve as a friend and partner for him. This story is not just about marriage but about our need for community – for relationships. None of us are designed to do life alone or in isolation. We need companionship as we journey through life. Most of us know that this to be true YET there a numbers of things that can become barriers to this becoming a reality. Maybe its an unhealthy individualism, or a workaholic tendency, or a more introverted personality, or possibly a bad past experience. What’s holding you back? Take a step, reach out and connect with someone to...

Just listen to this good news from Psalm 46. Psalm 46:9-11 9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." 11 The Lord of Heaven's Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.

“You have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” Ex.16:3 What are some needs you expect God to meet?

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. (Romans 10:9-10) What is the significance of the word "confess" in this verse? What are some things, besides this, that you would say you believe in your heart? What makes you able to say that?

This morning, I shut my Bible the way I often do—unaffected. I’d just read the third chapter of Amos, which is about (get this!) God’s judgment on Israel. And it’s not like there weren’t interesting things to be read or some moving, if violent, imagery. But I always want to close my Bible in slow motion, awash with golden light, the spiritual thunder of what I’ve just read echoing in my brain. And I’ve certainly had powerful moments with the Scriptures, but I readily confess they don’t come often. “All Scripture is God-breathed, and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)—I don’t even need to look it up, so heartily has it been drilled into my brain by Sunday School teachers, pastors, professors, and small group leaders. It hangs over every time of Bible reading I’ve ever had. If the chapter I read doesn’t cascade through my heart, then I figure I’m m...

Do you ever think that asking God for something makes you sound whiney? Well, here's the truth. Psalm 50:14-15 14 "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15 Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." Your prayers give God glory. So ask away!

“Youre going to wear yourself out...This job is too heavy a burden for you...by yourself.” Ex.18:17-18 How do u manage ur responsibilities?

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29) Why does God hold onto us so tightly? Do you feel secure in your salvation? Why/Why not?

“It’s a war on war,” sings Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, but before you go off on your pacifism rants (pro or con), listen a little further. The song’s central lyric is deceivingly bouncy. “You have to lose,” he sings, “you have to learn how to die if you wanna wanna be alive.” Remind you of anything? In Matthew 16, we read about one of the first times Jesus tells his disciples he’s going to die. Peter goes all alpha male, saying that he will never let this happen. His first reaction is essentially “over my dead body.” Jesus’ response is incredibly harsh. He calls Peter “Satan” and then says this: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” The politics of warfare are too complex for me to figure out. But what I can under...

It's hard to know what anyone else has been through or seen, but all of us have felt discouraged before. Sad or wrong or guilty or useless, there's a lot of bad in this world, and it affects us all in different ways. Maybe you've been affected recently. If so, don't forget that God is there. Find space to be alone with God, and repeat the words of Psalm 51: Psalm 51:7-11 7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me-- now let me rejoice. 9 Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. One prayer, that's all it takes. Let God hear those words from you and let Him handle the rest.

People also find it comforting that, although we are enduring tragedy, God is still a part of our lives and he loves us unconditionally. Isaiah 49:14-16 "But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.' Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." Psalm 138:7 "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me."