Imagine a place in which dwelt people who enjoyed living under the care and teachings of civic and religious leaders. These leaders invested their lives in tedious study of the law which had been passed down generation to generation for centuries. As a matter of fact, they had continuously added further explanation to the law by adding amendments and corrections, which came to include hundreds of explanatory notations which, in reality, caused more confusion than clarity. But, the people tried to live up to the law – both the original as well as the amendments and additions.

After hundreds of years of striving to live by the teachings of their leaders, it was all of a sudden discovered that a stranger had come into their land. He came with strange teachings that did not seem to be in alignment with what they had been taught. He didn’t really contradict their teachings, but rather he gave them what he described as the true meaning of the laws which had been passed down generation to generation.

Multitudes were intrigued by this man and his teachings and explanations. They were mesmerized by his ability to teach with such clarity and eloquence. Yet, they were confused because his teachings were in many ways so revolutionary. He certainly had some interesting ideas, but could they really trust this man? After all, they didn’t even know where he was from!

Things began to quickly change when he confronted the civic and religious leaders over what he referred to as their hypocrisy. First of all, he denounced them personally because they were placing such heavy demands on the people while not living up to those demands themselves. Second, he said the leaders had replaced the sincere teachings of the law with their own traditions and were weighing the people down with their excessive legalistic burdens.

The leaders began to plot and scheme, devising plans by which they hoped to silence this man who had become such a nuisance. He was causing such dissension in the minds of so many of their constituents, and they felt as if their persuasive hold over the people was beginning to erode.

So, they came up with a scheme which would prove fatal to this newcomer. They persuaded some to bring false testimony against him, accuse him of treason, and have him executed. Which they did. He was sentenced to death because they rejected his message of truth.

This fictional story of an imaginary town doesn’t do justice to the story of Jesus as it unfolds in the pages of the New Testament, but I hope that it shows us just how difficult it would have been for the people of Jesus’ day to embrace His teachings in the backdrop of what they had been taught for hundreds of years by their leaders. It was a radical, revolutionary message that Jesus brought. He was calling for them to renounce the false teachings of those leaders they had been following and trusting for so long. He was calling for them to place their faith and trust in Him, the One to whom the Old Testament prophets had pointed, and the one of whom John the Baptist said, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

As we come to celebrate another Thanksgiving Day, let us be thankful for the coming of our Lord, bringing light and life to those living in darkness and spiritual death. And as Thanksgiving ushers us into the frenzied Christmas season, let us remember to take time to reflect on the magnitude of God’s grace and love which reached out to sinful man with such majesty as we see in the story of the coming of the Messiah.

We will delve deeper into this story in my next post. But for the next few days, please take time to give consideration to how difficult it must have been for the people of Jesus’ day to embrace His teachings, and how difficult it continues to be for many who are living lives and lifestyles, embracing worldly philosophies and practices, which must be repented of in order to enter into a true and sincere relationship with God through Jesus Christ the Lord.

Until next time:

Blessings

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16, NKJV (Jesus speaking)

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24, NKJV

The Scriptures teach us clearly that we are saved by grace, through faith, which, in its totality, is a gift of God. We do not work for our salvation; we do not earn our salvation; we could never merit our salvation; we cannot buy our salvation. There is nothing we could ever do to get right with God on our own terms – we must come to Him on His. And there is one, and only one, means by which we can be saved: through Jesus Christ.

Once that has been settled, our lives are changed forever. We are new creations: the old has passed away and all things have become new. From that moment on we are to live our lives for His glory. We are to shine brightly so that others might see Jesus in us.

Why is it that so many who profess to know Jesus bear no resemblance to Him? You might think that I am being overly judgmental, but we are told in the Bible that people would be known by the fruit they bear. We do make evaluations based on what we see and hear. We do make judgements. We are just to make them carefully and correctly.

However, I am not speaking here of making judgments of others, but rather of taking a long, hard, serious look at ourselves. Are we living lives of righteousness? Are we striving to bring glory to God in all we do and say? Do others really see Jesus in us? Again, let’s be reminded of the words of the apostle Paul: whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.

Take a moment and think about what difference it would make in your life if you put forth a conscious effort to do everything for His glory? If we took seriously that admonition, how would it affect our behavior, our attitude, our ambitions, our outlook on life? How would you be changed if you did everything consciously and consistently for His glory?

Is it readily obvious to others that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, or would your co-workers and acquaintances be surprised to learn that you profess to be a Christian? Does your life and lifestyle, your behaviors and beliefs, bear testimony to being a sincere and serious disciple of the Lord, or is your life more in alignment with the ways of the world? Do you look at life through the lenses of the world, or through the lenses of the Word of God? Are your decisions based on leaning upon God for guidance, or do you make them by listening to the world’s philosophies?

I tell my students at Fruitland Bible College at the beginning of each quarter to develop the desire to do all that they do for God’s glory. Write a paper as if you were going to hand it to Jesus, personally. You are not doing it for a grade (at least that’s not the most important reason!), but rather you are doing it for Him. When you study for an exam, do the best you can do, because you are doing it for Him, and He deserves your best.

When you are going about your daily routine, whatever that may be, remember that you are a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t let you light be dimmed by the trappings of the world but live your life by the authority of God’s Word and do everything for His glory. Remember, we are to do whatever we do for His glory. We are ambassadors for Christ. Our vocation, as Paul says in Ephesians, is to walk worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to strive to never do anything that would bring shame to His name.

So, to recap, based on the authority of Scripture alone, we are saved by faith alone, which is the gift of God’s grace alone, and is offered to us through Christ alone, which leads us to live lives of righteousness for His glory alone. Let this be the deepest desire and the guiding principle of our lives!

Until next time:

Blessings!

What does it take for one to be saved? What is the formula for salvation? How can one be absolutely assured of his salvation, and know that his name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Jesus offers the answer:

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6, NKJV

What an astoundingly absurd assertion! How could Jesus say this about Himself? It takes me back in my mind to an argument raised by C.S. Lewis in his book “Mere Christianity”. To summarize Lewis’s argument, he said that Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. We are faced with what Scottish preacher John Duncan (1796-1870) called a ‘trilemma’. To summarize Duncan’s argument, he said that Jesus either (1) deceived mankind by conscious fraud, or (2) He was Himself deluded and self-deceived, or (3) He was divine. Liar, lunatic, or Lord. Deceiver, deceived, Divine. A true trilemma!

When Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany, he was standing against the Catholic teaching that salvation comes through the church. Luther was arguing that salvation comes through Christ, and Christ alone. It is salvation by grace, through faith, period. Nothing can be added to the completed work of Christ.

It is quite clear that the New Testament writers understood this to be true. As Peter spoke to the rulers of his day, he said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And in his first epistle, Peter argued:

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, and He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:18-21, NKJV

No wonder John records for us in his Gospel that, “Jesus came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). Jesus was despised and rejected then, just as He is today by multitudes. The vast majority of the world has bought into the lies of the devil, which, to a large degree present a substitute for the real thing. And, sadly, much of the deceit of the devil centers around the means of salvation. If he can convince someone that salvation comes through a physical entity – like the church – then that individual will never see the need to come to Jesus by faith, and be saved by grace, which is the one and only means of being truly saved.

To add further clarification, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of those pivotal and crucial words from Ephesians:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV, emphasis added

Focus for a moment on the words I have added emphasis to. We are not saved by works, but we are saved to work. Our works for the Lord come about as a result of our salvation from the Lord. Once we have received the gift of salvation – a gift given to us by the will of the Father – then we realize that we are a new creation in Christ for good works. So many seem to be deceived – either by self-deception or by embracing another of the lies of the devil – that how we live after being saved is of little consequence. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are His workmanship, created for good works! That is our post-salvation purpose in life. (This will be the focus of my next post, which will zero in on the fifth sola, Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone. We exist for His glory!)

So, let’s recap what we have learned. On the sole source of authority, the Scriptures alone (Sola Scriptura), we learn that we are saved by faith alone (Sola Fide), which is a gift given to us by grace alone (Sola Gratia), through the Lord alone (Solus Christus). If you have been saved by this wonderful work of God completed through His Son, Jesus Christ, then bow before Him in gratitude, and submit to Him in servitude, that our lives might show forth the amazing work of His grace.

Until next time:

Blessings!

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV

Some of you, perhaps, have read my book, “Manifestations of Grace”, or have noticed the title of my web page, “It’s All About Grace”. Grace is such a powerful and beautiful thing to consider. We are all recipients of God’s amazing grace. Whether we are a believer or not, we all experience His grace.

A simple definition of grace is God’s unmerited favor and love extended to the unworthy. More elaborate detail and definition could be given, but for our present discussion we will use that simple statement to guide our thoughts. In my previous post attention was given to sola fide – faith alone. However, special notice should be given to the verse quoted above (the same verse from the post on faith). Grace, embraced by faith, is the means by which we are saved. It is not by works, it is solely the gift of God. It is, indeed, His unmerited favor and love extended to us.

God always takes the initiative in bringing about one’s salvation. Jesus made this crystal clear when He said that He had come for the purpose of seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10).

For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

He takes the initiative. No one is seeking Him. Being dead in trespasses and sins means that we are totally unable to come to Jesus. Were it not for the drawing, life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, who quickens us (brings us to life spiritually), enabling us to understand spiritual truth, and the Son of God taking the initiative in extending grace to the unworthy, none would ever be saved.

Another personal story shared by one of my readers shows how powerful this saving grace is, and how it reaches to the depths of human behavior. Read slowly and carefully the testimony of Donnie Helms:

I didn’t come from a happy home. My parents hated each other and that hatred was physically manifested on several occasions. My mother did take my brother and me to church every Sunday morning and evening, and most every Wednesday, but there was no Christian atmosphere at home. My daddy was cold to religion and the church. He went out of his way to avoid preachers and anyone who had anything to do with church. He called my mother a hypocrite, and rightfully so. She wasn’t exactly a Proverbs 31 woman. To him, her actions only served to reinforce his beliefs about church and religion. They divorced in 73/74. In 76, my brother and I went to live with our dad.

In April of 77, my daddy surrendered his life to the Lord, and from that point on we were in church every time the doors were open. It was a hollering type of church, (No snakes), and once saved always saved was not taught. As a teenager I found myself camped out on the brink of hell. I was having to get saved every other Sunday. When I got to my mid-twenties, I had had enough of church, preachers, and anyone who called themselves a Christian and I, along with my second wife, walked away from the church and God. Two years later, in July of 93, our marriage ended. That’s when I began to plunge deeper into my sin than I had ever done before. At the house I was dad. Away from the house I wasn’t! And every other weekend was spent in pursuit of the next conquest. But even in the midst of my debauchery, people were praying for me and God was listening.

Fast forward to late October, early November 1997. My choice to continue living a sinful life caught up with me. My ex-wife informed me that she was moving to Tennessee and taking my youngest two children with her and there was nothing I could do to stop her. Dealing with her was like bailing water on the Titanic, it was a nightmare, as was my sinful lifestyle. I was miserable and her breaking news did just that, it broke me. After I got off the phone with her I walked outside and said “God! Please don’t take my children from me. I’ll stop living the way I’m living and will go to church, just please don’t take them from me.” Now please note: This is the first time I’ve prayed in years. And also take note: I didn’t ask Jesus to save me. I was bargaining with God!

Two or three days later, my ex called me and told me that her plans had changed and she was not going to Tennessee. The next Sunday we went to church. My thought was “Ok God! I’m holding up my end of the bargain.” But God!!! The next Sunday, November 16, 1997, this broken man fell down at the front pew of Faith Baptist Church in Lilesville, NC, and surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. I prayed Lord, I give up! But it can’t be like it was before. I’m all in! I totally surrender my life to you. I had no idea that God was going to right then, confirm for me that He was now in control of my life.

After the pastor had prayed for me, he asked me to stand up in front of everyone as a public profession of faith. I did NOT want to stand up in front of people who for the most part I did not know. Please understand! I took zeros in high school because I would not stand before a room full of people and give a 3 minute presentation. This for me was a big deal. But God!!!

He said you don’t have to say anything just stand up and let me introduce you. Reluctantly I did, and after he said everything he had to say, he turned to me and said, “Brother, is there anything you want to say?” My mouth flew open and I began to speak. I knew right then something radically wonderful had happened to me.

And now, I stand before people every Sunday and preach the gospel. Only God!!!

Rev. Donnie Helms, Pastor, North Wadesboro Baptist Church, Wadesboro, NC

Grace! Wonderful, powerful, saving grace! Of course, grace extends to all of life. God gives grace to face the difficulties in life, as we learn from Paul after he prayed multiple times for God to remove his “thorn in the flesh”. God told Paul that He would not remove it, but that His grace would be sufficient to live with it. God’s grace is operative in our lives every moment of every day. We are the beneficiaries of His grace and should be eternally grateful for this amazing gift. Why not take some time right now to thank Him for His amazing grace.

Until next time:

Blessings!

For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV

Martin Luther stood against the Catholic teaching that a person is saved through the church. He stood firmly on his belief that we are saved by Jesus Christ, and it is solely a work of grace (Sola Gratia) through faith (Sola Fide). A person may or may not be saved while in attendance at a worship experience in a local church. He may be saved while sitting in his house, while walking by the way, while driving in his car, while sitting at his desk at work, or any other place you might imagine. However, no matter where a person is saved, it is always by the method described by Paul in the verses quoted above. We are saved by grace, through faith.

Sola Gratia (Grace alone) will be discussed in my next post. This post will focus on the subject of faith. The proper understanding of the subject of faith is absolutely crucial to our understanding of Jesus’s work of securing salvation. A few verses of Scripture from the epistle to the Hebrews will help with our understanding:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6, NKJV

Faith is believing what we cannot see; embracing what we cannot touch; trusting in promises that we accept even though we have no experiential knowledge of those promises. We are saved by grace, through faith.

There is something of extreme importance in Paul’s statement quoted at the beginning of this post. “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Note carefully the word, “that”. What, exactly, does “that” refer to? Paul says “that” is the “gift of God.” Some would suggest that the precedent for “that” is grace: grace is the gift of God. Others might suggest that the precedent is faith: faith is the gift of God. Actually, the entire phrase, “For by grace you have been saved, through faith,,,” is the precedent for the words “that” and “it”. Grace and faith are gifts from God that enable an individual to be saved.

A little bit more about my personal salvation experience might prove to be helpful in understanding this concept. As I stated in my previous blog, I had been reared by parents who placed high value on raising their children in a Christian home, and in an environment that would be conducive to our spiritual well-being. But as much effort as they put forth, and as hard as they tried, all of their efforts fell on my deaf ears and my dead spirit. Yes, you read that correctly: I was dead spiritually. I was completely beyond grasping spiritual truth, because I was spiritually dead.

I had no faith to believe what I heard taught in church. So, I began to rebel against spiritual truth because I was living in spiritual darkness. As a matter of fact, Paul describes it as being dead in trespasses and sins. A very logical and reasonable question, then, is, what can a dead person do for himself? Nothing! As a spiritually dead man I was not able to comprehend spiritual truth. I needed to have life breathed into my spiritually dead body, which would then enable me to understand the truth of God’s Word, and to believe by faith – the gift I had received from God – and be saved by His amazing grace. The quickening of the Holy Spirit brought me to life, and then I embraced by faith the salvation He offered. So, we are saved, totally, by God’s work of salvation.

In my last blog I spoke of hearing God’s voice on my way to work on September 6, 1977. That was the moment in time that I was brought out of spiritual darkness and death and brought into the light and life of spiritual birth. Why did it happen then? Why not years before? Could I not have had more time to spend in ministry if God had intervened in my life much sooner? I have no answer for that, other than that God works on His schedule, not ours. I am just eternally grateful for His saving work in my life.

So God gives us the faith to believe, and then He further gives us the faith to live for Him. Faith gets us through those hard times in life. Faith enables us to see beyond whatever this life throws our way by allowing us to see the unseen. We see, by faith, that God is sitting on His throne, sovereignly watching over the affairs of men and nations. Everything is moving toward His preordered climax.

Based on the testimony of Scripture alone, and by embracing the gift of faith alone, we are able to receive Sola Gratia – grace alone – which secures for us our status of child of God. We will look at grace in the next post.

I would like to close this post with a word of testimony from one of my readers, Sylvia Bradley. I have known Sylvia many years, and have been privileged to witness her radiant lifestyle as she lives for God’s glory. It was her faith in God that saw her through one of the most difficult times anyone goes through in this life: the death of a spouse. These are Sylvia’s words:

Scripture spoke to me and gave great comfort when my beloved husband went to his Heavenly Home 18 years ago! At first I would read my Bible and couldn’t remember what I read. I was told this was the grief and shock causing this. Thank God He got me through this and months later a dear friend, Bobbie Payne, asked me to teach a Bible study at my home. She knew I would really dig into the scriptures. This was such a great comfort to me as I prepared to teach each week! I thank God for His love and comfort and for the many prayers that were lifted up for me!

Sylvia Bradley

Sylvia experienced, by faith, the saving grace of God, and the sustaining grace of God. May it be so in the lives of everyone reading these words of testimony.

Until next time:

Blessings!

In my previous post, I shared with you my desire to hear your story – your personal testimony of that watershed moment in your life in which you submitted your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have heard from a few of my readers so far and would love to hear from others. I would like to share your story with others so that we might be encouraged by the testimony of one whose life has been transformed out of darkness into light; out of death into life.

In my next few posts, I will be focusing on each of the five “solas” that came out of the reformation. First, let’s think about “Sola Scriptura” – the Scriptures alone. Martin Luther was standing adamantly against the teachings of the Catholic church when he stood for the authority of Scripture over the authority of the church. Catholicism teaches that ultimate authority rests on the church, and specifically the Pope. In essence, according to Catholic teaching, Scripture is under the authority of the church, rather than the church being under the authority of Scripture. Thus, Martin Luther stated that this was an erroneous doctrine that needed to be reformed.

How does that apply to us, as we think about telling our own story? Simple: we learned of our need of salvation, of our “lostness”, and of the fact that Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation through the teachings of Scripture. It is there that we learn about mankind’s sinfulness, of our desperate need of being forgiven of our sin, and of the fact that Jesus Christ came into this world for the express purpose of providing the forgiveness we need.

My parents were faithful in their church attendance, and made sure that their three children were in church regularly. I have jokingly, but very thankfully, made the remark that I was raised in an Ozzie and Harriet home. If you’re not familiar with those names, the Nelson family – consisting of Ozzie, Harriet, and their two sons, Ricky and David – entertained Americans from 1952-1966 on “The Ozzie and Harriet Show.” Viewers were invited into their home each week to observe their family’s escapades. No cursing; no swearing; no violence. Just good, wholesome, family entertainment.

Growing up in the home of W.C. and Evelyn Stewart was much like that. No cursing; no swearing; no violence. I never heard a single word of profanity from either of my parents. I never heard my parents yell or scream at each other, or at their children. I’m sure they had their disagreements, but they never argued or fussed in our presence. My father died at the age of 52, leaving my mother a widow for the remainder of her life. She died at the age of 86. Everyone who walked into her house would be greeted by an open Bible, her Sunday School literature, and her daily devotional materials on the table, where she would spend time each day in the Scriptures.

I am blessed to have had such an environment to be reared in. But, alas, I rejected all that my Godly parents instilled in me as a child, youth, and young adult. I began rebelling against everything they had tried to teach me. I won’t go into all the sordid details of my waywardness, but to sum it up, I turned my back on the Savior they had so much wanted me to accept. (I will share some of those details in future posts.)

Skip ahead with me to the age of 26. As I was driving to work on Thursday, September 6, 1977, God spoke to me clearly and powerfully. No, you would not have heard His voice had you been riding with me that morning, but I heard it! And what I heard was straight out of Scripture. I understood in the most profound way that I desperately needed Jesus Christ in my life. Just a quick aside: Teresa (my wife) and I had not attended church, had no desire to attend church, and even made a mockery of those who invited us to attend their church. Church was not even a consideration in our minds.

But that changed after that Thursday morning encounter. I went home from work that day and shared with Teresa that I would like to go to church on Sunday. She laughed! Of course, she laughed because she thought I was joking. But I wasn’t joking. I persisted. Friday, Saturday, I persisted. Sunday morning I asked her again to please go to church with me. She still refused. So, I went alone. I went to the church I had been taken to by my parents as a child.

At the conclusion of the service, I spoke with the pastor, who had visited with me and Teresa on several different occasions. We made an appointment for him to visit with us in our home on Tuesday evening. That night, Tuesday, September 13, 1977, Teresa and I both committed our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, based on the authority of Scripture. We were both gloriously saved, our marriage (which was in a wreck) was salvaged, and all things – literally – became new. (More of this story in a future post.)

What do we stand on for assurance? Scripture! Where do we turn for guidance? Scripture! Where do we receive instructions for righteous living? Scripture! Where do we turn in times of distress? Scripture! Where do we go in times of sorrow, suffering, and even as we walk through the valley of death with loved ones who are passing from this life to the next? Scripture!

Perhaps there has been a time in your life in which you found your help and hope in Scripture alone. Would you like to share it as an encouragement to others? We would love to hear your story. I’ll be sharing more of mine in my next post which will focus on Sola Fide – by faith alone.

Until then:

Blessings!

This week we have celebrated once again that monumental day that changed the church, and the world, forever. While most eyes were focused on costumes and candy, perhaps we forgot that pivotal day in history commemorating Martin Luther’s act of defiance when he nailed his 95 theses on the door of a church in Wittenburg, Germany. Those 95 statements, calling for reform in the Catholic church, reverberated from nation to nation as others began calling for reformation. This movement, which has become known as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, sent ripples, if not tsunami waves, crashing on the shores of nations and continents.

While thinking about this, my mind focused on Martin Luther’s trial, as he was brought before the Diet (assembly) of the Holy Roman Emperor held at Worms, Germany, in 1521. It was a watershed moment in his life, as he was commanded to recant his 95 theses, and submit to the teachings of the Catholic church, which he refused to do. His final statement to the assembly was: “Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen”

Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.

Luther knew the costs of what he was doing. He knew the assembly had the power of life or death over one who had refused to adhere to the teachings of the church. And yet, his concluding remarks to the assembly showed that his commitments were first and foremost to God, and to His Word. This event sparked what has come to be known as the Protestant Reformation, and it is still producing powerful results in those churches and denominations that adhere to the Biblical teachings that came about as a result of this moment in history.

This historical event – this brief moment in time that literally turned the world, and more specifically, the church, on its head – should be remembered and commemorated by all who embrace reformation theology. But that is not the intent of this post. Rather, I would like for each of us to think about our own watershed moment in life. I would like for us to review, at least in our minds, that moment that we embraced the five “sola’s” that came about as a result of the reformation.

Take a moment to revisit that moment in your life when these five slogans that came about as a result of the reformation became personal for you. Think about that moment when you placed your eternal state on these five statements. You embraced the teachings of Scripture alone, which led you to accept Christ alone, through His grace alone, as a result of your faith alone, which culminated in your desire to live to the glory of God alone.

That moment for me took place on September 13, 1977. I will share more of my personal story in the next few posts. However, as I do so, I would love to hear from you. I would love to hear your story, and, with your permission, I would like to share your story so that other readers might be encouraged by your personal confession.

I am excited about these next few posts! I am really excited about the possibility of hearing your story – and the opportunity to share your story with others. Let’s be encouragers for one another. As the writer of Proverbs says:

As Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:17, NKJV

So, let’s sharpen one another with the story of our own personal watershed moment when we committed our lives to Jesus Christ. I can’t wait to hear from you.

Until next time:

Blessings!

If you are a Christian, you are not a citizen of this world trying to get to heaven; you are a citizen of heaven making your way through this world.

Vance Havner

The apostle Paul states in his letter to the Philippians that our citizenship is in heaven. We are not home here. We are passing through. We are making our way through foreign territory. This is not our home. How, then, are we to live as we pass through?

I have been privileged to go on several mission trips outside the United States. In preparing for each one, we were given materials containing information about common customs in the countries we would be visiting. We were told that some things that are common practices in the US were thought to be offensive in the country we were visiting, and that we should refrain from engaging in those activities. We also were encouraged to learn some basic sentences so that we might be able to communicate in the most elementary of ways. We were going there as visitors – just passing through.

One extremely important point was drilled into us as we prepared for our trips: The citizens of the country we were going to would, for the most part, develop their ideas about citizens of the US based on our conduct and behavior. They would stereotype all Americans by what they saw in us. We were to strive to be the best representatives of the US as possible.

But, more importantly, we were to be the best representatives of Jesus Christ as possible. After all, we were not going as emissaries of the US, but as ambassadors of Christ.

What I would like to suggest in this blog is that this should be true of us while are here, in the US, as citizens of this country. Even though we are American citizens, we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. Our lives should bear testimony to that reality and that relationship more than the fact that we are citizens of an earthly nation. I am a citizen of heaven. I am a child of the King. I am an ambassador for Christ. What people see in me will play a role in their understanding of who Jesus Christ is, and what it means to be His child, and a citizen of His kingdom.

The Bible is replete with invaluable information and instruction on how citizens of heaven should live as they pass through this life on their way to heaven. We should strive to never engage in any activity, behavior, or lifestyle that would bring reproach to Jesus Christ. We are to be diligent students of His teachings, avid followers of His example, and dedicated, consecrated representatives of His kingdom. The citizens of this world are in desperate need of seeing genuine, sincere, born-again, Bible-believing Christians who are serious about being the best representatives of Jesus Christ possible.

We are sojourners, passing through. Don’t settle down. Don’t fit in. Don’t drive the stakes down too deeply. Don’t get comfortable. Don’t compromise with the cultural, societal, and traditional practices of a fallen world. Live like a citizen of your heavenly home. Live like a child of the King.

Until next time;

Blessings!

Life is filled with surprises. We can plan for the future, and indeed we should, but we must do so with the understanding that the future we have planned may or may not come about as planned. Life happens, and plans have to be amended, revised, and adapted, or even discarded altogether. Yes, indeed, life is filled with surprises.

As we look around the world through the lens of media, we see things happening that can catch us off guard, taking us totally by surprise. I feel quite certain that the people of Israel were not expecting missiles to rain down on them two weeks ago, but they did. I feel sure that they were caught completely off guard and unprepared for that terrorist attack at the hands of Hamas. And not only were the people of Israel shocked, the world at large was also, as the events unfolded before us through the lenses of media.

When we witness things such as this, we need to remind ourselves of a few things that are essential for our mental and emotional wellness. First, let’s remember that the event itself happened at a specific moment in time. If we are not careful, we allow that moment in time, that minuscule, microscopic, fleeting split second of time, to define what we might refer to as the big picture – the entire scope of reality. That is an extremely dangerous thing to do, as it could cause all sorts of mental and emotional anguish. It’s like the feeling that we sometimes experience when we have come down with the flu, or pneumonia, or some other ailment. While we are in the throes of the ailment, we feel that it will never end. We can’t see beyond the present crisis. But the big picture is that it will end, and things will get back to normal. What happens in the moment does not necessarily result in affecting the big scope of things.

Second, we must refrain from allowing any event in the scope of human affairs to cause us to take our eyes off the One who is in control of all things. The present-day crisis in Israel is a great case in point. Those in the midst of the crisis are probably wondering if, or when, this crisis will end. Some may have resigned themselves to the idea that it will never end – that this is the beginning of what will prove to be the beginning of an accelerating string of events that will get worse and worse until the end of this present age. And, in reality, that could happen, but it is not necessarily going to happen. There is a sovereign God sitting on His throne, overseeing the affairs of man and of nations. We can rest with assurance in His ongoing care for His creation, and of the fact that the end was preordained from the very beginning. History has always been moving toward a climactic end, and God will bring that end about according to His timetable.

Third, it is imperative that believers should remember that we are not promised a life of ease, without any type of suffering, difficulty, and trouble. As a matter of fact, Jesus promised that in this world we would have difficulties and troubles. But He also promised that He would be with us in the midst of all that we face. He does not promise to remove us from every difficulty, but that He will be with us through the difficulty. Suffering is a result of the fall of man into sin. Every form of suffering is a direct result of sin, but not necessarily the direct result of personal sin. This means that we are all prone to suffer, regardless of our spiritual state.

The Old Testament teaches clearly that when the nation of Israel suffered at the hands of other nations, the righteous remnant suffered right along with the unrighteous. If the United States of America should ever be attacked by another nation, the same will be true: the righteous and the unrighteous will suffer alongside one another. We are not going to be placed under some form of protective bubble that will give us safety while all around us are facing trauma and disaster. No, we will all suffer the same. And again, this should not cause us undue concern, because the Bible has given us ample testimony and teaching concerning this grave matter.

So, what is the point? Simply this: God is in control. The brutal attacks against Israel at the hands of the terrorist group, Hamas, are under His control. Does that mean God is the instigator of this horrific event? Certainly not. But He is going to use these events to move history closer to that appointed time at which He will intervene on behalf of His chosen people. As the apostle Paul stated, “All Israel will be saved.” We are not to understand this as a statement of affirmation that every individual Israelite will be saved in the spiritual sense, but that in that last day of cataclysmic attacks against Israel in that final great battle, God will intervene and save national Israel from destruction.

God is in absolute control. All things are moving along as He ordained from eternity past. We are seeing them unfold before us in powerful ways. And the word of admonition from the Bible is that we need to make sure we are prepared for that final day when the angel will shout, the trumpet will sound, the Lord shall descend, and believers will be taken home.

Are you ready? Make sure you are before it is eternally too late.

Until next time:

Blessings.