The Gospel Brings Life & Light

Romans 1:14-17 - "I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. ¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Paul understood the importance of the gospel message. He considered it an obligation or his duty to tell everyone about God's great salvation in Christ. Why did Paul give it such great importance? It was the power of God that brings salvation. It reveals the righteousness of God.

The preaching or sharing of the gospel should be natural outcome of our relationship with Jesus the Christ.

Matthew 5:13-16 - " “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds^(E) and glorify your Father in heaven."

Salt doesn't work to be salty. It is naturally salty. We as well do not need to work to be salty, but it should be natural outcome of our relationship with God. We know that salt penetrates things. It penetrates food and enhances the flavor. It preserves meat and other things. It gets into wounds and brings healing. It gives life.

We in turn need to be these things. We should have an impact on the lives of those around us for the good. We should be enhancing peoples lives. We should be preserving the world from by holding back sin by being righteous and bringing other to righteousness. We should bring healing and health to those around us.

Matthew 5:14-16 - " “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

 We are to be the light of the world not a light but the light. There is only one light which is the light Jesus Christ. We don't have to work to be a light. We have the light. We just need to let the light shine out of us. It is unreasonable to hide the light. It is unreasonable to hide anything that you prize. If yon have new shoes or new dress, you want people to notice. If you have a new car or a big house, you want people to see it. If you have recently become engaged, you want everyone to know. If you have just had a child, you don't close it in a dark room, but you show him off. We have the greatest gift of all, let us show it off.

The preaching of the gospel is demanded and commanded of us by God.

Paul said, "For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"

Paul understood the principle taght in Ezekiel 33:1-9. You are held accountable for the sinner going to hell if you do not tell them of Christ's salvation, and warn them of their sinfulness. Paul says, woe is me if I do not. 

James even goes farther to say in James 5:20. whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel

Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

You may say to me, I am not ashamed of the gospel. If not, when was the last time you shared the gospel with someone? We all know that we need to share Christ with others, but are we faithful in this? Some times we are afraid of what people think, say or how they will react. We are afraid of rejection and criticism. To overcome these fears and hesitations, we need to truly believe it is powerful. We need to truly believe it is a matter of life and death. We need to believe it is of the utmost urgency to proclaim it.

Jesus said in Mark 8:38 - "  If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Paul understood the importance of telling others about the good news of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:14-15 - " For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"

Are you compelled to share Christ with others? Is there the driving force of the Holy Spirit spurring you on to tell others about Christ's salvation.? Do you have the same attitude as the apostle Paul? Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.

This attitude comes from knowing and experiencing the fulness of Christ, and as result wanting others to participate in this great salvation. Let us no longer be selfish and self centered, but share that which we have received. As believers, we enjoy knowing Christ and enjoy the fellowship we have with him. If it such a great thing, why not let other in on the secret.

A Good Idea - Not a God Idea

In Numbers 1 Moses is telling the story of how the people of Israel disobeyed God at the border of Canaan, the promise land. In verse 22-46 he talks about the spies going into the land and how when they returned the discouraged the people and resulted in their refusal to enter.

Did Moses make the wrong decision when he sent the 12 spies to spy out Canaan? I would say that he did. God never told him to send spies through out the land. It was the peoples desire and he gave consent to it. There is always a danger when we do something because the people desire it, and not get a word from the Lord.

Was it a bad idea? In human thinking it was a good idea., even a reasonable idea, but not God's idea. We often come up with good ideas, but not God ideas. How often do we have to check the situation over and try to figure things out for ourselves instead of moving in faith? I definitely like to do this. Yet, the danger lies when we let reason rule over obedience. Often when we look at a situation through our eyes and understanding, we lose perspective and faith. Doubt will bring rebellion because we don't think God knows what he is doing. Our way is the right way. Doubt enters because we take our eyes off Jesus and look at the circumstances around us and our inabilities.

The result of looking to circumstances and not to God, you will lose heart and doubt enters. You forget what great things God has done for you and through you in the past. The result is disobedience. Disobedience causes us to lose the blessings and they are often given to another. Disobedience breaks our good relationship with the Lord.

Can we do good to blot out our error and make up for our sin? No, when one sins he can't make it up like a test or go back in time and change it. What is done is done. You can only seek forgiveness and receive God's grace. You can seek to not ever do it again.

Taking What Has Been Given

After wandering 40 years in the desert and now at the border of the promise land again. Moses finds it necessary to recount to the people of Israel what happened to this new generation. We find this in Deuteronomy chapter 1.

Moses explains how he encouraged the people of Israel to take hold of the promise, but they rebelled and refused to take hold of it. We are often the same way. God has given many good and wonderful promises in His Word, but we do not lay hold of them.

Let us look at three great promises God has given us, His people.

Ephesians 1:3 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ"

Ephesians 1:18 says, He has given us a rich and glorious inheritance.

Ephesians 1:19 says, He has given us incomparable great power for those who believe.

Today I want to encourage you to believe in God's many promises and lay hold of through faith and obedience. Let us not be rebellious and stubborn like the people of Israel.
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The Benefits of Righteousness

When one reads Proverbs 3:25-33, we find several benefits of a righteous life. They will not need to fear sudden  or the ruin that will over take the wicked. v.25 The Lord will keep our foot from being snared. v.26 He takes the upright in his confidence. v.32 He blesses the home of the righteous. v.33

The sinful pleasures of this world are deceptive. We think there is much gain in them. Yet, they will only be a snare and produce ruin. They will rob us of the true blessings God desires to give.

Lord! Help me live a righteous life today and every day.

Righteousness brings Health

Proverbs 3:7-8 - "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
⁸ This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.<sup>"

I love this verse. A righteous life brings health and nourishment to our bodies. This is so true. When we do right, we are not plagued with guilt which is detrimental to our physical and mental health. We are not plagued with worry and stress that someone will uncover our sin. In other words a clear conscience produces enables a healthy body. The Bible says do not worry. Worry effects our health badly.

Also, there are many sins in this world that are not healthy for the body. Many sexual sins bring disease. Alcoholism and smoking is detrimental to our health. Gluttony is unhealthy as well. Thieving, cheating, and lying hurts our relationships. It even can bring physical reprisal. We are a relational people. If they are not good, it takes a tole on our bodies.

Let us live righteous and health lives.</sup> 

Love & Faithfulness

Proverbs 3:3-4 - "Let love and faithfulness never leave you;  bind them around your neck write them on the tablet of your heart.⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." 

<sup>As a person and believer these two qualities are indispensable. Love and faithfulness are foundations of the Christian faith. Yet, often we find a lack of these two qualities. We need to walk in God's agape love towards Him and others. Out of true love faithfulness comes. A person who is not faithful lacks love. A person who lacks love will not be faithful. It is true that some are faithful out of duty and fear of reprisal, but at sometime this will not be sufficient and it will fail them.

As you see these two qualities come with a promise. You will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.</sup>

Resistence to the Work of God

If you take the time to read Exodus 5:1-6:12, you will see Moses before Pharaoh asking to him to let God's people go. He is being obedient to God but facing much resistance from Pharaoh and his own people. Moses then becomes frustrated with God because things are no going as planned. He is not seeing the deliverance that God promised. Moses says to God, "why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me?" Then God re-a firms his promise to Moses.

Most often we think that if we are doing what God asks us to do and walk in His will that everything will go smoothly. We will see good and immediate results of our efforts. Yet, the fact of the matter, this is not always so. Often things appear to get worse. Often we will face resistance. Often from our pears and even those who may be close to us. It may not transpire as we had imagined it or give the result that we expected. This is what Moses was facing. Yet, when this happens we must stay true to God's calling and persevere in what God has asked us to do. In the end we will see God's deliverance and glory.

Making Excuses

In Exodus chapter 3 we find the story of God's call on Moses life. His burning bush experience. We all know the story well. God appears to him in a burning bush and tells him that he sending him to deliver God's people out of Egypt. The very place that Moses fled from earlier because he killed an Egyptian.

As we look at the story, we see Moses making all kinds of excuses why God can't use him and why he can't go do what God is asking him.

Moses - I am not strong or an important man. 3:11
God - I will be with you.
Moses - What if they ask who sent you? 3:13
God - Tell them, who I am sent you.
Moses - What if they don't believe me? 4:1
God - He will do signs through him as proof.
Moses - I am not eloquent in speech. 4:10
God - I will help you speak and teach you what to say.

After Moses used up all his excuses, he finally gives the underlying motive. He didn't want to go and asked the Lord to send someone else. (4:13) Many of us are just like Moses. We make all these excuses why we can't do what God wants us to do. These excuses are a cover -up. When is comes right down to it, we just don't want to do it.

Also, our success does not depend on our knowledge, skills and abilities. It doesn't depend on who we are. It depends on obedience, faith and God's ability and power. All he needs is a willing vessel. When God speaks to us, let us do even as Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10 - Speak, for your servant is listening.

Stand Still

Sometimes we find ourselves surrounded by challenges and problems that seem to have no solution. Maybe we have been experiencing victory and success, or at the very least, life has been going along pretty normally when: Bang! an unexpected crisis hits our life that throws everything into a tail spin. Israel found themselves in this situation in Exodus chapter 14. God had delivered them from four hundred years of slavery with awesome miracles and power. They were so excited leaving Egypt with the wealth of Egypt in their hands on the way to the promised land. Man, life was good and God is great! Then they ran into the Red Sea with mountains on each side and the Egyptian army at their back.

 

When challenges, problems, or crises unexpectedly strike our lives, and there seems to be no way out, our initial response is not always the best. Like Israel, maybe we become frantic or fearful, or anger sets in and we blame God or others for the problem. Despair whispers, “Lie down and give up, there is no way out.” Cowardice cries, “Retreat; God’s way is too difficult, I’ve made a mistake and should have never tried this, it was good for a while but it isn’t working any more. Human Effort determines, “If I just pray a little harder, work a little more, or try a different way, I can get out of this. Presumption declares, “If the sea is before me, by faith I am going to walk into it and expect a miracle from God.”

 

Faith though does not listen to Despair, Cowardice, Human Effort or Presumption. As with Israel, the command may be, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord… The Lord will fight for you, and you will hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13,14) Great faith is not based upon what we do, but our willingness to trust God totally in the midst of the storm and impossible situation. Do we really believe in a supernatural God who can do far above what we could even ask or think?

 

In Matthew 8:8 a centurion came to Jesus and said, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." Jesus immediate response was, “I’ll come to your house and heal him.” The centurion’s response astounded Jesus. He said, “Just speak the word and my servant will be healed.” Verse10 says, “When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”

 

Sometimes the greatest faith is when we cease from our labors and stop crying, pleading, and begging God for what we want or expect and just stand still. Stand still, attentive to God, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the voice of God, ready to do whatever He asks, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. When Israel stopped complaining and stood still, quietly waiting, the word of the Lord came, “Go forward, lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel will go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” (Exodus 14:15-16)

 

No matter what you are facing today, God is not at fault, nor is he surprised or caught off guard. He knew what was going to happen even before you were born and already has a solution in place. It may not be your solution but His solution. Stop your frantic activity, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

His Presence

Exodus 33:13-16 - " If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

The presence of the Lord in our lives is of the greatest importance. Moses understood this and would not move forward or do anything without the presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord that Moses is speaking of here is not the general presence of the Lord, but personal and powerful presence. It is the presence that displays god's goodness and power.

Moses understood that it is God's presence that distinguishes us from those without his presence. It is when people see God in us that we will stand out from the crowd. It is when people see God's holiness and goodness in us that they will note that we are different. It is the Spirit of God in us and the fruit of the Spirit that will distinguish us.

A Home of Refuge

Proverbs 14:26 - "Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge."

I love this verse. Those who fear the Lord. Those who walk uprightly before him are secure. Secure in the sense that they have nothing to fear. They have no reason to fear God's judgement or mans judgement. When we walk uprightly, we don't have to be looking over our shoulder all the time worrying that someone will find out what we have done wrong. We will find inner peace and joy. We will have peace in the home.

Is your home a refuge for your children? Sadly to say many homes today are not a refuge for children. Often it is a place of stress and anxiety because the parents do not fear the Lord. They are fighting. They are not at peace with themselves or those around them. It is sad that their are even homes where there is wife and child abuse. There are homes where their are drunkards and parents with foul language. There are home where there is conflict and tension all the time. There are homes where no one sits down together and has a normal conversation.  There are home where one or both parents are rarely home, and don't have time for the kids. Then there are homes with all kinds of financial pressures.


I ask you once again, is your home a refuge for your children? Do they love being at home and spending time with the family? Do your children feel secure and loved? They should if you fear the Lord. A home where God is on the throne and not ourselves is a place of refuge.