TGIF

Happy Friday morning to ya!

Paul tells us in Romans 10.17 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3.23 that we are born again by the word of God which lives and abides forever.  Plainly put, you cannot be born again without the word of God.  There is no salvation apart from God's Word.  

Jesus is the Living Word.  Thus it is correct to say that there is no salvation apart from Jesus.  But we must be careful not to sell Jesus short.  He is more than just an historical figure.  Jesus is the embodiment of the spoken word of God.  The whole of the Law and the Prophets speaks of Jesus.  The Gospels and the Epistles speak of Jesus who came according to Scripture, lived and died according to Scripture and rose again according to Scripture.  Plainly, to claim to know the word necessarily means you must know Jesus and to claim to know Jesus necessarily means you must know the word.  

If the word of God is that paramount, how is it that we neglect it?  We need to be people of the Book not just on Sunday but everyday.  Paul told Timothy that all Scripture is profitable so that the man of God may be perfect, perfectly furnished unto all good works.  Falling short lately?  The answer isn't found in better surroundings but instead is found in the Word of God.

How much time do you spend meditating on God's Word?  How much time do you spend memorizing God's Word?  How much time do you spend being motivated by God's Word?

Why not start right now?!

TGIF

Revelation 5:1-3  And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?  An no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

If you read this verse carefully, you'll find that MAN is not able to open the book and loose the seals.  The seals are the judgements and cataclysms which are to befall this earth.  A time of unprecedented turmoil and tribulation will occur but it will NOT be because of MAN.  Let this sink in and appreciate the application.  MAN will not be able to destroy this planet.  MAN will not usher in the end of times.  MAN will not bring upon this planet such a destruction that we wipe ourselves out, not even Satan himself.  No!  Only ONE is able to loose those kinds of things.  Verse six goes on to tell us that the Lamb that was slain, we know Him as Jesus, is the ONLY One worthy to open the book.  Our Savior has ALL authority and power.  Our Savior holds the keys of hell and death.  Our Savior has the power and authority to lock and to loose.

Considering this truth, why would we look anywhere else?

Hebrews 12.2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith...

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

TGIF 

2 Timothy 2.3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

 

Paul was constantly encouraging Timothy to remain faithful to the Gospel and his calling.  Christianity was in its infancy still and persecution was normal.  Peter even taught it as being so normal that if a Christian was not being persecuted, they needed to check their "light" and their witness.  When you consider the struggles of the early Church, it is amazing the grace of God that was so freely bestowed to enable and sustain the work that was to be done.

When we consider struggles, persecutions, hardness/hardships...I wonder if what we consider struggles could compare to what was endured in the first century.  For us, a struggle may be a night without air conditioning, a 10 minute wait at the burger place, having to wait while a funeral passes, run out of milk with a shopping center 5 minutes away...get my drift yet?

Hardship...no one will hire you because you are a confessor of Jesus Christ.  Hardship...you are throne into prison without a trial for preaching Jesus.  Hardship...you are tossed into an arena to face a bear or lions for the entertainment of the godless masses.  Hardship...your family disowns you because you are a Christian.  

Hardship...well, the struggle of the first century Church ought to help us realize just how blessed we truly are these days.  Instead of thanking men, why not give praise to the One who is the Giver of all that we are blessed with?  Instead of complaining about what we don't have, how about we thank Him for what we do have?  OR we can just admit that we are spiritually soft and lazy and thank God that we were born in this century instead of the first century.

EVERY Friday is a good day to be a child of God irrespective of the circumstances.

Selah