Romans 6:23 "Consequences of Sin"

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 6:23

One thing mankind in general has trouble coming to grips with is that there is a hell. The last things we want to think about as we pursue our own agenda are the consequences. We already deal with temporary consequences for sin here in our lifetime, we don’t want to consider something terrible that lasts for eternity. Yet God has definitely established a permanent consequence for sin and it is hell – an eternal separation from God.

Many people want to argue that if God is a God of love, He would never send anyone to hell. But remember the points we’ve already covered. 1) God is perfect love and perfectly just and 2) God and sin cannot live together. Someone has to pay for our sins and since He is a loving God, He already provided the sacrifice. We just have to provide the repentant heart. God doesn’t send people to hell, we make choices. If we follow the Father, we follow what His heart’s desire is – that no one should enter eternal separation from Him.

Further Thoughts:

1. What temporary consequences of sin do we suffer now?
2. What Scripture supports the fact that there is a hell?
3. In your own words, describe what you believe hell would be like.
4. In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus says that not all people who call themselves Christians will enter heaven. Who does He say will enter? Explain why.

Father, forgive me my sins and I choose to stay on a path toward righteousness. My desire it for eternity with You. Amen.

Matthew 22:37 "How Do We Love God?"

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” ~Matthew 22:37 NIV

We’ve discussed the fact that God created us in His image because He wants a relationship with us and loves each of us very much. But how do I know how to love Him back? How do you love the supreme deity that you can’t see or hear? He gives us simple instructions that are not always so simply executed. In Matthew He instructs us to love Him with your whole being – every single part of you committed and surrendered to Him.

Loving God with your whole being is loving Him with your heart, soul, and mind. Your heart is the center of your emotions. You decide in your heart where your loyalties lie and determine how you will face life (i.e. positive or negative attitudes).

Your mind, as your thinking center, is where you make choices that will either build up or destroy the relationships your heart has chosen. Protecting your mind from sinful or negative input will help grow healthy relationships in your life.

Lastly is loving God with your soul – the very essence of who you are. Your soul is the only part of you that will live forever. It is your hopes, dreams, values, talents, and abilities. The soul is the part that makes you uniquely you.

When all three are combined, they make up the amazing people God has made us to be. It is with your entire being and dedication to the Father that you can live a life of love for Him.

Further Thoughts:

1. In what ways do you love God with your heart?
2. In what ways do you love God with your mind?
3. In what ways do you love God with your soul?
4. Which of the above areas could use some work? How?

Father, thank You for Your amazing love. Help me to love You with my entire being and in all I do. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Colossians 4:14-15 "Hot, Warm, or Cold"

Read Colossians 4:14-15.

The body of Christ has and will always fill the pews with a variety of believers in different stages of their walk and relationship with Christ.

Some will catch the fire quickly or gradually, but either way, their devotion is true and unwavering. They never turn to the left or the right. Their hearts are pointed in one direction -- the way of the Lord. The world appears very black and white to them because they have decided for good rather than evil. Luke and Nympha were just such people. Dr. Luke, the writer of the third gospel (my personal favorite) gave his life for furthering the gospel of Christ. He traveled with Paul often on his missionary journeys, and it is believed that he died a martyr's death. He was a Gentile doctor, educated by the Greeks, who recognized the Messiah and surrendered to be His follower. Nympha, although not as well-known as Luke, gave just as much to the mission of Christ. She gave up the privacy and safety of her home and family to have a home-church meet there. She understood that with devotion comes sacrifice. Even though meeting in her home could bring persecution, she was willing to give to her Lord all she had.

Others will take the name of Jesus, but their commitment rises and falls with the wind. They may or may not participate with the body because their Christianity is based on duty rather than heart. Full devotion is not in their vocabulary because they have never completely surrendered their heart, mind, body, and soul to the Lord Jesus Christ. Self still wants to creep in to daily life, and the Christian label becomes simply a "Get out of hell free" card in their practical life. The Laodicean church is made known as the lukewarm church in Revelation 3. God says that He'd rather we be hot or cold, but a lukewarm people He will "spit out of His mouth." The Laodicean church couldn't decide if they wanted their life guided by God or by their wealth. They fell into the horrible trap that money can buy happiness and that is all that is needed for a meaningful life. But what they miss is that God works on completely different rules than the world. Money may buy temporary happiness, but serving the Master brings overwhelming joy and the hope of eternity with Him.

Lastly, we have the cold. Those who have seen the Truth and choose to turn away from it. They may leave for several different reasons. One, self takes over. The Christian walk asks for too much sacrifice. Or maybe they were hurt by a believer and have thus lumped all of Christianity into one category and therefore want nothing to do with it. Maybe they have done so much wrong that they believe they could never be forgiven or accepted by this group of believers, and so never try. Or maybe they feel judged by believers and find fault with the whole idea from that perception. So many avenues to turn away from a life with Christ. All of them lead to the same place -- eternity without the Father. As I've read the study notes, even though Paul sends greetings from Demas at the end of this letter, we know that Demas deserted Paul later. In 2 Timothy 4:10 Paul tells us that Demas left him "because he loved this world." The draw of the world is strong. The enemy has made it very enticing. It takes diligence to stay in close relationship with Christ and the Body while voiding the temptations of the pleasures of the world. If we don't, we will destroy our faith and walk away from the Lord.

I must remain strong and determined in my relationship with and service to my Lord Jesus Christ. I have one life to live, and I choose to be fully devoted to the Master.

Further Thoughts:

1. Which are you -- hot, warm, or cold?
2. Look at the people in the Bible - Old and New Testament. Were they hot, warm, or cold. Explain.
3. Who do you want to be?
4. What does it take to live a life on fire for Christ?

Joseph: Genesis 41:41-57 "A Microcosm of Christianity"

Read Genesis 41:41-57.

"He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command and men shouted before him, 'Make way!'" NIV

The parallels between Joseph's life at this point and the Christian life are amazing. I've never really seen them before.

First of all, Joseph had been in prison, destitute. Although on the surface, Joseph was unjustly imprisoned, in reality, his prison experience could have been a result of is pride. His pride needed to be eradicated from his DNA. In the same way, our sin places us in a prison of our own making. We desperately need someone to rescue us from the sin and punishment we have brought upon ourselves.

When Joseph is taken out of the dungeon, the king (Pharaoh) gives him a place of honor second only to himself. He has rule over the land to do Pharaoh's business. God has likewise given us His Holy Spirit. With the power of the Holy Spirit working through us, we are unstoppable. Unfortunately, too many times, Christians never tap into that power that God has so freely given us. Whether through timidity, weakness, or doubt, we too often abdicate the authority we have been given and let the enemy have his hand. If we'd only see the power at our fingertips, we could rule the land.

Our land is in a famine -- a spiritual one. And if we'd simply reveal to the world the abundance that we have to share, they'd come flocking to the believers for a share of the Truth. God desires to bless in tremendous ways His children, we simply must be shining in the glory of His Truth through our love for others so people can find the beacon of rescue when they realize their need.

Further Thoughts:

1. Are there other parallels you see? 
   
2. What do we learn about Joseph based on the names he gave his sons?
   
3. Have you accepted the power of the Holy Spirit that God has promised us? If not, why?
   
4. What New Testament Scripture supports the fact that the Holy Spirit empowers the believer?
   

1 John 2:1-14 "True Love and Devotion"

Read 1 John 2:1-14.

"Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."NIV

As I was reading this, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a friend the other day. We were talking about the way we were raised, and we both were inundated with do's and don'ts in the Christian walk. Everything was centered around if you did good. And I don't mean necessarily doing good for others, just doing good. Following every commandment perfectly and following some commandments that were man-made.

The problem with this kind of upbringing is it's getting the cart before the horse. This philosophy instills a mindset that "If I do right, I'm a Christian and God will love me." First of all, God loves us all no matter who we are -- believers and unbelievers. So there is one false belief.

Secondly, the order is not 1) Do good, 2) I will be loved by God. The priority is loving God. Then out of loving Him, I desire to follow His commands.

As I was reading this passage, I could see why it might be misconstrued to mean the opposite. But then I had this thought. In those days marriages were often arranged. Therefore, commitment to a spouse would often come before the love for that spouse. They would marry out of respect for their fathers and duty to their family. They would faithfully go about the daily actions of being married until one day they realized they love that person. I think we've brought this mentality into the Christian faith and it fights against out mentality of love coming first.

The order of events is NOT 1) I want God to love me. 2) I don't want to go to hell. 3) I will follow  all the "Christian" requirements and rules. 4) That will show God that I love Him.

If you take Christianity in this order, you will fail. There's no foundation for what you are doing. Eventually the reality of hell begins to fade; doubts come in because the enemy knows you are resting your faith on a house of cards. And you eventually stop following the "rules" because, why bother? 

The true order of events is 1) God loves me enough to die on a cross for my sins. 2) I love Him and want to surrender my life to Him as my Lord. 3) Because I love Him so much, I want to follow His commands. I know that He has my best interests at heart and created boundaries because He loves me.

Can you see how this process will last so much longer? There's a foundation that will stand and a message of hope and love. Unfortunately, I was 30 years old before I figured this one out and truly began living a victorious and productive Christian life -- one out of love for my Father, not duty to my religion.

Further Thoughts:

1. Are you trapped in the wrong mindset? Have you put duty to following right before actually loving and surrendering to God?
   
2. Compare and contrast the way I was raised (and the way many people view the Church and Christianity) with the Pharisees. 
   
3. Read how Jesus addressed this problem in Matthew 22:34-40. And read my blog post on this passage. Find other passages that support this same thought.
   
4. How has the Church become know for what it doesn't do rather than for what it does? How do we change this?

Matthew 24:36-51 "No, Really, Are You Ready?"

Read Matthew 24:36-51.

"So you also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when\ you do not expect him." NIV

This is a very challenging passage. Am I ready at all times for Him to come? Am I living the Christian life every day in everything I do - not just on Sundays or when doing "churchy" things? Is my life so enmeshed in Jesus Christ that my soul is ready to go with Him at any time.

I pray I am. But reading this again is a great reminder. Verse 43 is a great analogy - if a thief is coming, a man would watch for him. He doesn't just go to bed and say, " Oh well, if he comes, he comes." The man is alert, watchful, ready. I want to have that same readiness.

So how do we remain ready? He tells us in verses 45-47. We keep feeding the people as good servants. We continue living out the greatest commandment - every day in everything we do. Loving God and loving others covers all we need to know. If we truly bury ourselves in those concepts, we have accomplished all He asks of us. That is a ready heart. That is a life that is living out the Truth that Jesus called us to.

Further Thoughts:

1. Take some time to look over the last week. Did you live for God in everything you did? Were there things you shouldn't have done? Were there actions you should have taken? Would you have been ready at any time for Him to come back? If the answer is no, what needs to change?

Matthew 9:9-13 "Not Good Enough"

Read Matthew 9:9-13.

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” NIV

I don’t know how many times I have heard, “But I’m not good enough to receive Jesus into my heart.” Well, here’s a great passage to show that Jesus isn’t looking for “the good.” In fact, that would be a futile search for there is no one that is good. We are all born with a sinful nature; we all fall into temptation. It’s just that some have run from God for longer so they may carry more visible scars of their rebellion. But even the greatest saint has sinned and though their scars may not be visible, they will carry them forever on the inside.

Jesus strongly declares that he came for the sinners, not the righteous. I love the saying I’ve heard my husband say many times – Jesus doesn’t clean his fish before he catches them. The clean up part of our lives will usually come gradually. Some make a dramatic and radical change in their life overnight. But I don’t believe that is the norm – at least not in the American culture. And the change can’t be out of just following the “Christian rules” so you can remain a Christian and still get to heaven. That is a common misconception. True and lasting change comes from a love for God and surrender to Him as Master and Lord. If you truly love someone, and I mean that I-will-give-you-my-all kind of love, you will do for them anything they ask, just because you love them. That’s how Christians grow – we learn more and more about Christ and His love for us and as we do, we are compelled out of love to serve Him and to live as much like Him as possible.

I was watching a vocal training DVD yesterday and one of the exercises he prescribed is listening to an artist you admire and would like to sound like. You listen to their song with the song sheet in front of you and mark up the music to note where they have vibrato and where they sing straight; where they breathe. You underline the words where they bend the pitch. By studying their patterns, you learn their style. Then you record yourself singing the song and compare the two. If you don’t do a part of the style the same as they do, you start over working on that area until you are imitating them.

A Christian grows in much of the same way. We read God’s Word, study Christ’s life, absorb His love for people, listen to the guidance of His Spirit – and through that become more like Him. Did we start out that way? Absolutely not! He takes us with all our bad notes and faulty breathing and annoying vibrato. Then we grow and change as we allow Him to mold us into His likeness. And He can do that for anyone who is willing to surrender to Him and receive His gift of grace and the presence of His Holy Spirit.

The vocal trainer said that it is not the goal to be just like the musician you admire, but to learn from their expertise by imitating their style. That’s where the analogy breaks down. I want to be just like Christ.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you think you are too far gone to follow Christ, or better said, for Christ to accept you? In Jesus' day, tax collectors were right down there with the scum of the earth. They were thought of as traitors because they worked for the Romans and were corrupt. Not only did Christ forgive Matthew of His sins, but He drew him into His personal circle of twelve. Jesus demonstrated an example of complete acceptance. He loves you and desires to have a relationship with you. Will you accept His gift?
2. Have you been hanging out with any “tax collectors and sinners” lately? Christ does not call us to sit back in our cushy pews beside our loving brothers and hang out. He calls us to go out to reach others. But we can’t do that if we are cloistered away. Read Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 1:16-18.
3. Jesus tells the Pharisees in vs. 13: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Jesus is quoting Hosea 6:6. Read the chapter and as He told the Pharisees, figure out what it means. How does it relate to serving and living out of love rather than duty? What was Israel’s downfall?
4. Find Scriptures that say we are to be like Christ. Start with Ephesians 5:1-2.
5. What is our primary way to love Him? Support with Scripture. Read 1 John 3:11-24.
6. Spend time today just loving the Lord – with words, with actions, in song, in thoughts….