Justified by faith

"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." Romans 3:28

When someone asks you the question, "How do you get to heaven?" What is your response? For many people, the answer is, "Just be a good person. Do the right thing. Keep your nose clean. And pay your taxes."

What they are trying to say, basically, is that you can earn your way into heaven. But that's the wrong answer - you can't earn your way in. Even on your best days, you will never be "good" enough to get into heaven on your own merit.

Thankfully, God has taken care of that for us. He knows that we've messed up. And that's why he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth to live a perfect life and die a sacrificial death, shedding his perfect blood for our sins. He then rose from the grave and conquered death for us, so that we could live in eternity with him.

The Bible gives us the one and only answer for getting into heaven. It says that when we place our faith in Jesus, our sins are wiped clean. Once we call on God's Son through faith, and put our life in his hands, all God sees is the perfect blood of Jesus on our lives. And that is the only way we will enter into our eternal home with God in heaven.

God's Help!

Imagine calling your doctor to schedule an appointment. You begin to explain your symptoms to the nurse, when she abruptly stops you and tells you that the doctor is no longer seeing sick patients, only healthy ones.

As ridiculous as that sounds, it is exactly what some religions have done to God. They have tried to make God the doctor who doesn't care for or heal the sick. Other religions teach that God will only accept those who live righteous and perfect lives. They talk about the illness we all have called sin, but they put the responsibility on us to cure ourselves. That is not God's plan.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17

Jesus came so all of us could be healed. He wants us to come to him just the way we are. You don't get well and then go to the doctor; you go to the doctor so you can get well.

We don't have to be righteous to come to Jesus. We come to him so he can make us righteous in His sight. Don't try to live a perfect life. You don't have the power or ability. Instead, recognize your need for a doctor and turn to the only one who can heal you. Turn to Jesus because God's help fits your needs!

Stained? pt.2

There are great products on the market for removing stains from just about any surface; like carpet, furniture, clothes and more. Even with all the advanced technology of today, most of the stain removers still have to display a simple but important warning: "Use a color safe sponge or cloth."

If you have ever ignored that warning and used a dyed sponge, you'll remember how your carpet turned the color of your sponge, resulting in a stain worse than what was originally there.

Our best actions are like a non-color safe sponge or cloth. When we try to clean up a mess we've made, we end up making a bigger mess than before. We think we can use good deeds to clean up the stains our sins have left behind. But no matter what we do within our own power, the stains still remain.

"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." Isaiah 64:6

Isaiah compares our righteous acts to filthy rags. We think we can rely on our good works to clean up the messes we've made. But God says even our best actions are stained. Our pride, selfishness or ignorance gets in the way of our actions being pure and clean.

Remember that God is the only one who can clean up our mess. He offers unlimited forgiveness. And when we seek his righteousness, he cleans our lives with the most powerful agent known to man — the blood of his son, Jesus Christ.

Doing life together.

"The Lord had said to Abram (Abraham), "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing."
Genesis 12:1-2

Abraham was given a great promise in Genesis 12. God told Abraham that his descendants would become a blessed nation and live in a blessed land. And through Abrahams' son, Isaac, that promise was fulfilled.

However, Abraham had another son named Ishmael who was not an heir to that promise. One son benefited from the promise, the other did not. Needless to say, that caused some tension.

The conflict in Israel between the Arab nations and the Israelites has biblical origins. Ishmael's descendents became the Arab nations. Isaac's decedents became Israel. And just as prophesied in Genesis 25:18, the hostility continues today.

In today's world (especially in America), we have a hard time understanding why that conflict can't be resolved. For us, the solution is as easy as drawing a few lines on a map. But it's much deeper than that. It takes a much more thorough understanding of the origin of the conflict.

If we want to share the truth about Jesus Christ with others, especially where there is long-standing tension and hostility, it requires more than just drawing lines. It requires taking the step of understanding. Because for someone to hear you, they must first be willing to listen. And for them to be willing to listen, you and I must first show them that we are willing to understand where they come from.

God and You!

Have you ever created conflict by saying something you didn't really mean to say? It is easy to let an errant word or unintended comment slip. But even though they were not planned, they can still be destructive.

When you are around people who believe something different than you, are you aware of the power of your words? Jokes, insults or snide comments can create fires that burn bridges. And they can be destructive to the work God wants to do through you.

While our words can do a lot of damage, they can also do good. Wise words are described in the Bible as having the ability to heal. When we have conversations with people of other faiths, we have the opportunity to share God's love with them. The right words can actually help lead them to a decision to heal their relationship with God. But those words don't always come easily.

God does not expect you to have all the right words all the time. But if you seek him out, he will provide you with the right things to say (Matthew 10:19-20). And as you seek to reveal His power through your words, you can begin to make an impact on the world around you as you reach out to others for Him and then God can truly be revealed in your life.

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18

Embrace Grace

Verbally wounding someone is easy. Cutting them down with our words takes little effort on our part.

Being a friend, though, can be difficult. Friendship takes a commitment to honesty and communication. And based on Proverbs, being a friend requires telling the truth—even when it hurts and enables people the opportunity to embrace grace!

Sadly, though, Christians tend to have a reputation for wounding others rather than being a friend. They have the reputation of hurting others with words rather than telling the truth in a way that shows compassion and caring.

If we are going to reach the world for Christ, we need to realize the role that our words play. God wants us to speak the truth in love to everyone, not in a way that wounds the people around us. Because when we show others that we can be trusted, like a friend, we can make an indelible imprint on their lives today and for eternity.

When you are confronted with someone who doesn't understand God's love, talk to them in a way that makes them feel cared for, not criticized. Because the words you choose go a long way toward introducing that person to the truth of Jesus Christ.

"Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." Proverbs 27:5-6

AM!

"When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." John 19:26-27

Mothers hold a special place in our lives. We run to them for protection as children, rebel from their discipline as teenagers and convince ourselves that they know little about being a young adult in a modern world. But ultimately, as we grow, we discover that our mother's love is unmatched and unwavering.

Jesus experienced that very kind of love from his mother. She was there with him through every step of his life. She allowed him to grow and become the man God had designed him to be, but she was never far away—even at the foot of the cross. Her love for her son, and her Savior, was unmatched and unwavering.

This weekend, we celebrate mothers around the world. It's a time to reflect on all that they have done in our lives. It's a time to thank them for the protection and guidance they have provided. But more importantly, it's a time to thank God for sending someone into our lives who can see past our childishness, rebellion and self-importance; someone who loves us so much that the only title appropriate is, Mom.

Impossible?

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."
Romans 1:11-12

There is something encouraging about looking to the example of someone who has been where you want to go or done what you want to do.

As children, we look to our older siblings or friends to let us know that we'll survive our freshman year. We look to couples who have children to help us feel a little more prepared for the difficulties of parenthood. And the same holds true in our spiritual walk.

During difficult times, there will be periods of doubt in your journey with God. But during those times, look to those who have gone before you and be encouraged by their stories of faith. No matter what you are facing, God can use the faith of others to encourage you - because impossible is nothing!

Did you forget?

Most people know the Bible story of David and Goliath. It's one of the most recognized and re-told stories in the Bible. It's a story of strength and determination. But most of all, it's a story of overcoming doubt.

Goliath, a Philistine giant, taunted, challenged and threatened the people of Israel for 40 days straight, morning and night. All the people of Israel, including King Saul and all his soldiers were afraid. They doubted their abilities and would not stand up to fight.

Yet David, a shepherd boy from Canaan, overcame all doubt. No matter how high the odds were stacked against him, David's faith in God's abilities gave him the courage to stand and fight. David trusted that God was bigger than anything or anyone he would face. And because of that, he defeated the giant.

You may be facing some insurmountable odds right now. You may be overwhelmed by your doubts. But no matter what the odds are or how big your giant seems, remember that God is bigger. And through your constant faith in him, you too, can overcome your doubts and fears to slay your giant. Never forget the wonders that occured all throughout the Bible when people put their trust in Jesus.

David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him... The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
1 Samuel 17:32, 37