Be Strong and Courageous

Be Strong and Courageous

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“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD, your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 (NLT2)

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Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must (1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, (2) obey God's law, and (3) constantly read and study the Book of Instruction—God's Word. To be successful, follow God's words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world's standards, but you will be a success in God's eyes—and his opinion is most important.¹

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God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous in obeying God, in obeying His law and obeying His Word. He was to obey everything that Moses had written. Note exactly what God told Joshua to do with the Word of God:

Ø He was to obey all God's law.

Ø He was not to turn away from God's Word.

Ø He was never to stop sharing God's law or Word.

Ø He was to meditate on God's Word day and night. This would assure obedience.

Ø The result of his obedience would be prosperity and success. All that he and the Israelites put their hands to would prosper and be successful.

God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous in overcoming fear and discouragement (Joshua 1:9). Having to face enemy after enemy, year-after-year—having to make the decision to send young men, husbands, and fathers into battle time and again who would be witnessing the bloodshed and horror of battle after battle—all this could break down the strength and courage of any commander and army. God knew this, and He cared for Joshua. Therefore, God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous in overcoming whatever fear or discouragement attacked him. To encourage and assure Joshua, God gave him the promise of His continued, unbroken presence. God promised that He would go with Joshua wherever he went, never forsaking or leaving him.

THERE ARE TWO STRONG LESSONS FOR US IN THIS CHARGE GIVEN TO JOSHUA.

We Must Be Strong And Courageous In Obeying God.

We must keep His law, His commandment, and Holy Word. We must never turn away from His Word; rather, we must meditate on it day and night. If we obey God, living in His Word and keeping His commandments, we will prosper and be successful in whatever we do. Whatever we put our hands to will be blessed by God. God will give us purpose, achievement, and fulfillment throughout life. But note: this promise is given only to those who obey God by meditating in His Word day and night, only to those who do exactly what He says.

We Must Be Strong And Courageous As We March Throughout Life.

Fear and discouragement can be conquered only as we are strong and courageous. God is with us, and He will never leave nor forsake us. This is His promise to us just as it was to Joshua. His unfailing presence is always with us wherever we go. Therefore, we must stand strong and courageous against all the enemies, trials, and temptations that confront us. No matter how many crushing problems, tough situations, or difficult people we face—no matter how many lustful temptations or terrifying trials we face—God is right there with us. God will deliver us and give us victory over the enemy that confronts us. We must stand strong and courageous, conquering, and fulfilling our task for the Lord.²

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¹Life Application Study Bible, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 314.

²The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Joshua, (Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "A. The Necessary Mobilization to Enter the Promised Land, 1:1-18".

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Pray For His Will and His Ideal.

Jesus Is Love: Pray For His Will and His Ideal.

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“Jesus is patient and kind. Jesus is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Jesus does not demand His own way. Jesus is not irritable, and Jesus keeps no record of being wronged. Jesus does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Jesus never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance, but Jesus Love will last forever!”~1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NLT2)~

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13:4 Love is patient. NIV

Because love is so important among the believers, Paul went on to describe that love in more detail. How does such love look when lived out in the lives of believers? First of all, love is patient. The expression "is patient" (makrothumei) is the opposite of being short-tempered. Patience (sometimes translated "long-suffering" or "slow to anger") is an attribute of God (see Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Romans 2:4; 1 Peter 3:20). In many places, God's people are called upon to be patient (see, for example, Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:14). Patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

What does patient love among believers look like? Such love bears with certain annoyances or inconveniences without complaint. Such love does not lose its temper when provoked. Such love steadily perseveres. Without love, no matter how wonderful the gifts in the church, people will be impatient with one another, short-tempered, and irritable.

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“Before we rush to trivialize these words about love by assuming, they can easily fit us, let's stop to consider that they actually describe God's character. These are not sugary claims. They are hard-edged descriptions of God's perfection-in-relationship. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostle to write a breathtakingly beautiful description of the nature of God. Only God can put His character in us.” ~Neil Wilson~

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Love is kind. NIV

The Greek word translated "is kind" (chresteuetai) occurs only here in the New Testament. ("Kindness," chrestotes, occurs in Galatians 5:22.) It probably means the same as a similar word (also translated as "kind") in Ephesians 4:32: "Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you" (NLT). Kindness takes the initiative in responding generously to others' needs. The psalms and writings of the prophets say much about God's kindness (Psalm 18:50; Isaiah 54:8; Jeremiah 9:24). Because believers have received kindness, they ought to act with kindness toward others.

How does "kind love" look among believers? Such love is considerate and helpful to others. Kind love is gentle and mild, always ready to show compassion, especially to those in need. Without love, even the great gifts cannot be exercised with an eye to helping others.

It does not envy. NIV

"Envy" refers to strong jealousy of another person. The envious person desires what another person has. This seems to have been a particular problem in Corinth—those with "lesser" gifts envied those with "greater" gifts. The seed of envy can lead to seething anger and hatred. Those who are too busy envying each other's gifts are unlikely to be using their own gifts in loving service to God and others. Envy stagnates the church, causing the envious believers to remain self-centered and self-focused, feeling sorry for themselves, and not fulfilling their God-given role. When there is love, believers will gladly use whatever gifts they have been given to work together for the advance of God's kingdom. They will be glad that others have different gifts so that the entire job can get done.

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LIFE APPLICATION: GENUINE LOVE

Society confuses love and lust. Often, so do believers. Unlike lust, God's kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward one's self. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against natural inclinations. It is possible to practice this love only if God helps us set aside our own desires and instincts so that we can give love while expecting nothing in return. Thus, the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others.

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It does not boast; it is not proud. NIV

While some believers may have a problem with envy, those with the "greater" gifts might have a problem with boasting or pride. Again, it seems that this may have been a problem in Corinth. When spectacularly gifted believers begin to boast, they have directed their energy toward themselves. The gift becomes not a tool of service for the kingdom but a way of self-advancement. Such believers are proud. While some pride can be positive, this kind of pride takes credit for an undeserved gift. Gifted believers who are caught up in pride and boasting over their gifts are unable to serve. Without love, they may feel that by using their gifts, they are doing someone a favor, that others should be grateful to them, and that they are far superior.

13:5 It is not rude. NIV

The word translated "is rude" (aschemonei) refers to actions that are improper. Also translated as "love does not behave in an unseemly way," this means that love does not behave impolitely, discourteously, or crudely. Believers who use their gifts with love will be careful to act in a manner worthy of their calling before God. They will never humiliate others. This may also have been a problem in Corinth, especially in their worship services (see 11:2-16).

It is not self-seeking. NIV

People who are self-seeking always want their own way. They are selfish, self-centered, wanting what they think is best for them. This is the opposite of love. Love (agape) looks out for others, seeks their best interests, willingly gives up its own for the sake of another. A self-seeking person may use his or her gifts but not with a serving attitude or a desire to build the kingdom. Instead, the gifts are only used if they can somehow benefit the self-seeking person. This is not God's way. Instead, because of love, the believers use their gifts to benefit others first, without "self" or selfish desires getting in the way.

It is not easily angered. NIV

The word for "easily angered" could also be translated "touchy," "irritable," or "sensitive to slights." Such people let things get on their nerves. One believer, in the process of exercising his or her gifts, may irritate another believer. These "easily angered" believers may not like the style or manner in which these others exercise their gifts. Or they may get easily angered at anyone who crosses them. This is not the way of love. When believers exercise their gifts in love, they will be able to give one another some latitude to follow God as they see fit. They will not let themselves be easily provoked over disagreements, but they will be able to always respond in a loving manner. This does not mean that anger is wrong, for anger can be a motivating factor when directed against wrongs or injustices. People who are "easily angered," however, are usually upset about personal affronts or minor issues. This stifles their service for God and the use of their gifts.

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LIFE APPLICATION: IRRITABILITY

Paul says that true love isn't easily angered. Sometimes we're irritated or angered by others, and we don't know why. Not all irritability stems from sinful or selfish motives, although the irritable treatment of others surely is wrong. Much irritability comes from a love of perfection, a deep desire that programs, meetings, and structures be run perfectly. A desire to run things perfectly can erupt into anger at events or people who get in the way or ruin that desire. Those who are easily irritated need to remember that perfection exists only in God. We need to love him and our fellow Christians, not the visions we have for perfection here on earth.

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It keeps no record of wrongs. NIV

Believers must not allow themselves to become easily angered, and they must not keep a record of wrongs. Such people will remember every offense against them as though it were written in a book and tallied. These "wrongs" are not sins that need to be dealt with in the congregation (such as that described in chapter 5) but minor offenses or misunderstandings between believers. Those who keep a record of these wrongs and personal injuries will harbor resentment against other believers. Love, however, makes allowances for people's foibles and flaws and willingly forgets when wrongs were done. This frees all believers to grow and mature in Christ and to grow in their ability to serve and use their gifts. When mistakes are made, love overlooks them and allows believers to continue to serve with the gifts God has given them. God does not keep a record of believers' wrongs (2 Corinthians 5:19).

13:6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. NIV

When believers show love, they do not delight in evil, either by showing superior morality over it or by taking pleasure in another's fall. Love does not take pleasure in any kind of evil. Instead, love does the exact opposite—it rejoices with the truth. Through their relationship with Jesus Christ, believers possess the one and only truth (John 14:6). Those who love should remain untainted by evil. Instead, they ought to always seek truth, desire that truth win out, protect the truth, and proclaim the truth whenever possible.

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Personal Application

Reading that Jesus is Love, then reading the name of Jesus placed in the proper place of His attributes, it is your turn to place your name where Jesus name (Love) is to see how you measure up to the standard. Remember, Jesus is perfect, and we all fall short of the ideal, we all miss the mark of perfection. The point is to recognize that we fall short and to look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith and pray for help to move us closer to that which He desires, a personal relationship with Him. It is in that personal relationship of trust and faith that we move ever closer to His ideal. Pray for His will and His ideal.

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“Love suffers long and love is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, love is not puffed up; love does not behave rudely, love does not seek its own, love is not provoked, love thinks no evil; love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; love bears all things, love believes all things, love hopes all things, love endures all things; love never fails.” ~1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NKJV)~

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Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Corinthians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "1 CORINTHIANS 13".

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"Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

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Are You a Peacemaker?

Are You a Peacemaker?

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"Blessed are the peacemakers, 

for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9 NRSV)

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Jesus came as "the Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6-7) and gave the ultimate sacrifice to bring peace between God and humanity (Ephesians 2:14-18; Colossians 1:20). God calls his children to be peacemakers. This involves action, not just passive compliance. Peacemakers do more than just live peaceful lives; they actively seek to "make peace," to cause reconciliation, to end bitterness and strife. This peace is not appeasement but dealing with and solving problems to maintain peace. Arrogant, selfish people do not concern themselves with peacemaking. Peacemakers will be called children of God because they reflect their Father's character. This has a royal sense—they will share the glories of the Messiah's kingdom. 

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LIFE APPLICATION: MAKING PEACE

How do you resolve conflict? Most people use different means for different settings.

Making peace with your children includes defining the boundaries between right and wrong, enforcing discipline, and affirming each child with love and affection.

Making peace with friends includes broadening your mind to include the possibility that someone else's ideas make sense. It means accepting your friend's explanation at face value and applying the least hurtful meaning to the offensive words you heard. It means taking a step toward trust, away from anger, and onto an unmarked playing field called vulnerability. That's the risky price of friendship.

Making peace with your spouse can be the most difficult of all. Sometimes it requires outside help, often a lot of listening, mutual confession, and rebuilding of love that's been burned. Too often today, the alternative is to quit.

Make peace your aim. Not sloppy acquiescence—the Milque-toast peace of people without backbone or principle. But strong peace—hard-won, committed to the other, centered on God, ready for the wear and tear that another day may bring.

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Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – Matthew, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1996), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 79-80.

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"Build your own dreams or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

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BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER

ACTS 1:8

"BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER

WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON YOU,

AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM,

AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH."

This is the last recorded statement of Christ on earth. It is thus final, authoritative, and of utmost importance. The Holy Spirit is a major theme in Luke and Acts and is the major point of continuity between the life of Jesus and the ministry of the church.

Who is the Holy Spirit? God is three persons in one—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God became a man in Jesus so that Jesus could die for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead to offer salvation to all people through spiritual renewal and rebirth. When Jesus ascended into heaven, his physical presence left the earth, but he promised to send the Holy Spirit so that his spiritual presence would still be among mankind (see Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit first became available to all believers at Pentecost (Acts 2). Whereas in Old Testament days, the Holy Spirit empowered specific individuals for specific purposes, now all believers have the power of the Holy Spirit available to them.

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 LIFE APPLICATION: THE CHURCH'S VISION STATEMENT

(1)   The people for the task: you—those who know Christ, who listen to him

(2)   The power for the task: the Holy Spirit

(3)   The philosophy of approach to the task: my witnesses—say what you saw

(4)   The plan for the task: to Jerusalem, Judea, to the ends—begin where you are and move outward from there. 

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Luke's Gospel emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of Christ. Luke continued that emphasis here as he focused on the Holy Spirit's role in the early days of the church. The term "spirit" (pneuma) occurs nineteen times in Matthew, twenty-three times in Mark, thirty-six times in Luke, twenty-four times in John, and seventy times in Acts. Christ had just reminded his followers that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit (1:5). When the Spirit comes, he told his followers, you will receive power. To do what? To be my witnesses. Power from the Holy Spirit is not limited to strength beyond the ordinary; that power also involves courage, boldness, confidence, insight, ability, and authority. The disciples would need all these gifts to fulfill their mission.

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 LIFE APPLICATION: POWER SOURCE

Jesus promised the disciples that they would receive power to witness after they received the Holy Spirit. Notice the progression:

(1)   They would receive the Holy Spirit.

(2)   The Holy Spirit would give them power.

(3)   They would witness with extraordinary results.

Often we try to reverse the order and witness by our own power and authority. Witnessing is not showing what we can do for God. It is showing and telling others what God has done for us. When you tell others about Christ, rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. You can be a powerful witness.

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The term "witness" (martures) provides remarkable insight into the nature of the disciples' task. A witness gives testimony based on what the witness knows, what he or she has seen—not hearsay, not a rumor, not something someone else saw, but what he or she has experienced, seen, or heard. This witnessing theme is a repeated emphasis of the apostles' work—for example, see 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39; 13:31; 22:15. In effect, Jesus was saying to his followers: "There is going to be a period of witnessing by you about me between my two visits to your planet. Go out and tell people what you know—what you've seen, experienced, and learned. I'll be back."

They were to start right there in Jerusalem (1:4). Judea was the region surrounding Jerusalem (possibly including Galilee). Samaria was Judea's hostile next-door neighbor, a more difficult but equally important place to take the gospel. The "ends of the earth" is actually a singular form in Greek (eschatou), suggesting that perhaps the reference is to Rome or the Roman empire, the world power at that time. The direction was of primary importance: Beginning from where you are at this moment, take the message of Christ outward, like ripples caused by a pebble thrown into a pond, not stopping at just your city or state but moving on beyond regional influence to the very "ends" of the earth. In other words, reach it all!

The disciples took Jesus at his word and went about their task exactly as he directed: they began in Jerusalem (1-7), spread to Judea and Samaria (8-12), then filtered out across the world to the imperial capital, Rome (13-28).

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LIFE APPLICATION:  AN EVER EXPANDING WITNESS

 Acts 1:8 describes the manner in which the gospel would spread geographically, from Jerusalem, into Judea and Samaria, and finally to the whole world. It would begin with devout Jews in Jerusalem and Judea spread to the mixed race in Samaria, and finally, be offered to Gentiles in the uttermost parts of the earth. God's gospel has not reached its final destination if someone in your family, your workplace, your school, or your community hasn't heard about Jesus Christ. How are you contributing to the ever-expanding testimony of God's mercy and grace?

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Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – Acts, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "ACTS 1".

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"Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

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PLANTED TRUTH

PLANTED TRUTH

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"The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name." (John 14:26 NIV)

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The Holy Spirit would be sent by both the Father and the Son (see also 15:26). In my name means that the Spirit comes in the Son's name, the name of Jesus Christ, and thereby brings the Son's presence to the disciples. As Jesus represented the Father, the Spirit represents the Son.

"Will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." ^NKJV The Spirit would continue, for Jesus, the ministry of teaching. The Spirit would also remind the disciples of what Jesus had taught. The apostles remembered and wrote with the help of the Spirit. John's Gospel, even the entire New Testament, would not exist if not for this reminding work of the Holy Spirit.

In the case of the disciples, the reminding role of the Holy Spirit uniquely guided the recording of the New Testament. However, the process is still in place. The disciples first heard Jesus speak; we discover Jesus' words in Scripture. Reading, studying, memorizing, meditating, and obeying place Christ's words firmly inside us, and the Holy Spirit reminds us of their further application as we move through life.

Theologians use the term illumination to describe the Holy Spirit's process of helping believers understand Scripture. Without God, sinful people are unable to recognize and obey divine truths. When a person is reborn, the Holy Spirit helps the person to see God's Word with the eyes of faith and love. The Holy Spirit also works in the life of the believer, convincing him of the truth of the Bible, keeping him from misconstruing what it really says, and helping him not be distracted so he can see and remember the true meaning of God's Word.

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LIFE APPLICATION: PLANTED TRUTH

Jesus promised the disciples that the Holy Spirit would help them remember what he had been teaching them. This promise ensures the validity of the New Testament. The disciples were eyewitnesses of Jesus' life and teachings; the Holy Spirit helped them remember without taking away their individual perspectives. We can be confident that the Gospels accurately record what Jesus taught and did (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-14). The Holy Spirit can help us in the same way. As we study the Bible, we can trust the Holy Spirit to plant truth in our minds, convince us of God's will, and remind us when we stray from it.  

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Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – John, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1993), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 300-301.

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"Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

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Why Did God Save Us And Call Us?

“Who Has Saved Us And Called Us To A Holy Life” (2 Timothy 1:9 NIV)

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Paul mentioned that he was suffering for the gospel (1:8) and, in verses 9-10, summarized some important points of the gospel. Continuing from verse 8, "relying on the power of God," Paul writes that God saved us. Salvation forms the core of the gospel, the Good News. There would be no gospel without the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for our sins so that we could be "saved."

Moreover, God called us with a holy calling:

·         "And we know that all things work together for good to . . . the called. . . ." (Romans 8:28 NKJV)

·         "Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." (Romans 8:30 NKJV)

·         "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:9 NKJV)

·         "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ. . . ." (Galatians 1:6 NRSV)

·         "I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called." (Ephesians 4:1 NRSV)

·         "Urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." (1 Thessalonians 2:12 NRSV)

Why did God save us and call us?

His purpose in salvation was to redeem people for himself—people who lived to glorify him. He saves people from sin and calls them to holiness. Each believer is called to a holy life. Holy living seeks God's view instead of the self-centered view. Holiness expects to find God involved in every facet of life. Holiness consistently turns away from self-pleasing answers in order to please God. As opposed to the pagans who often tried to please their gods through good works or self-abasement, believers can live truly holy lives because holiness is not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. ^NKJV 

Salvation and holiness relies on the Giver alone, not on the receiver. We cannot live holy lives according to our works: "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).

Our works cannot save us nor empower us to please God with our lives. Instead, our salvation and holiness occur because of God's purpose and grace (see Titus 3:4). God's sovereign choice alone, through his planned purpose and his astounding grace, allowed sinners to receive salvation and the right to stand holy before him. Everything fits into the framework of God's sovereignty. We create neither the opportunity nor the possibility of our salvation. God graciously allows us to simply respond to his plan.

Salvation was given to us in Christ Jesus. We are saved only because of Jesus' death on the cross in our place. Only because he took the punishment, we deserved does God offer salvation and holiness. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6 NKJV).

This incredible offer to human beings did not occur as God saw the world spin out of control; rather, it was planned before time began, or literally "before time eternal." God's sovereignty extends from eternity to eternity, enveloping the history of humanity. God knew that people would require a Savior, and from the beginning, he planned to give his only Son. "From everlasting to everlasting, You are God" (Psalm 90:2 NKJV).

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LIFE APPLICATION: UNDESERVING

God loves us, called us, and sent Christ to die for us. We can have eternal life through faith in him because he broke the power of death with his resurrection. We do not deserve to be saved, but God offers us salvation anyway. What we must do is believe in him and accept his offer.

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Bruce B. Barton, David R. Veerman, Neil Wilson, Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1993), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "2 TIMOTHY 1".

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"Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

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Perfect Peace of Heart and Soul

~So Many Long for, the Perfect Peace of Heart and Soul.~

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“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” ~Isaiah 26:3 (NLT2)~

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God gives His people perfect peace. But perfect peace is given only to the person whose mind or thoughts are fixed on Him (v.3). The word peace (shalom) means to be in harmony with God, experiencing peace with God and the peace of God. It means to be in such harmony with God that one is assured of having all needs met. Peace gives a person the assurance of health, wholeness, the absence of conflict, and strife within and without his soul. Peace is the assurance of deliverance through hardship, accident, disease, and calamity. The peace given by God is a quiet, restful soul; a sense of purpose, contentment, fulfillment, and completion. God’s peace is the assurance of present and future security, deliverance, and success. God’s peace delivers a person through all the conflicts, strife, divisions, trials, and temptations of this life.

However, note this important fact: the person who has such peace is the person whose mind or thoughts stay fixed on the Lord. Through all the turmoil of Isaiah’s day, the prophet Isaiah clearly experienced what so many long for, the perfect peace of God—peace of heart and soul.

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Ø  “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn.14:27).

Ø  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn.16:33).

Ø  “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ro.5:1).

Ø  “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

Ø  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9).

Ø  “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col.3:15-16).

Ø  “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (Ps.34:14).

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The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Isaiah I, (Chattanooga: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2005), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "J. God’s Works and the Protection of His Vineyard, His People: God’s Great Care for His People, 26:1-27:13".

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"Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

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Come with Bold Assurance Because He Is Your Father, Friend, And Counselor.

Come with Bold Assurance Because He Is Your Father, Friend, And Counselor.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let Us, Therefore, Come Boldly to The Throne of Grace, That We May Obtain Mercy and Find Grace to Help in Time of Need.” ^NKJV

  

Through his death on the cross, our great High Priest, Jesus opened access to God. Now people can approach God directly because of Jesus' sacrifice for sins. Because Jesus gave his life to do this for us, let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace. This verse is an open invitation to regard God as a great ally and true friend. Yes, God occupies a throne, a seat of power and authority, but it is a throne of grace, not a throne of greed or domination. The term "throne of grace" describes the constant care and love offered to God's undeserving children. 

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God's grace is a characteristic of his reign. "Grace" means undeserved favor. Our ability to approach God does not come from any merit of our own but depends entirely on him. 

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“Faith enables us so to rejoice in the Lord that our infirmities become platforms for the display of his grace.” ~C. H. Spurgeon~ 

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Believers can "come boldly" and confidently to this throne, for the king is our Father, who loves us as his children. At God's throne, we will not receive anger or be ignored; instead, we will obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. God is not only concerned with converting people and collecting disciples; he also cares and nurtures those children who are his own. He listens to our needs. No request is insignificant, and no problem is too small for the one who sits on the throne of grace. God will never reject a Christian's plea or ignore one who brings requests before God. 

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When we come to God, we are promised "mercy," God's loving-kindness and forgiveness. When we come to God, we will receive "grace," God's undeserved favor, that will help in time of need. No matter what the problem, no matter what sin caused the need, God promises to help us at just the right time—his time. This doesn't mean that God promises to solve every need the moment we come to him. Nor does it mean that God will erase the natural consequences of any sin that was committed. It does mean, however, that God listens, cares, and will answer in his perfect way, in his perfect timing. 

  

LIFE APPLICATION: BOLDLY

Prayer is our approach to God, and we are to come "boldly." Some Christians approach God meekly with heads hung low, afraid to ask him to meet their needs. Others pray flippantly, giving little thought to what they say. Come with reverence because he is your King. But also come with bold assurance because he is your Father, Friend, and Counselor. 

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Bruce B. Barton, Dave Veerman, Linda K. Taylor, Life Application Bible Commentary – Hebrews, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1997), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 61-62. 

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Jesus Christ, Our Defense Attorney, Our Advocate

Jesus Christ, Our Defense Attorney, Our Advocate

2:1 MY DEAR CHILDREN, I WRITE THIS TO YOU SO THAT YOU WILL NOT SIN. BUT IF ANYBODY DOES SIN, WE HAVE ONE WHO SPEAKS TO THE FATHER IN OUR DEFENSE—JESUS CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUS ONE. ^NIV

After focusing on the false teachers and their lies in chapter 1, here John focused on his readers, the Christians. The address "my dear children" is used in a warm, fatherly way. John was not talking down to his readers but was showing affection for them. At this writing, John was very old. He had spent almost all his life in ministry, and many of his readers were indeed his spiritual children.

The first step for living in the light (1:5, 7) is to confess sin (1:9). The second step is to forsake all sin (2:1). John emphasized human sinfulness in chapter 1 in order to make his readers despise their sin and try to stay free from it. "So that you will not sin" means that you will try to stay free from sin by avoiding it, refusing it, but then also confessing it when it does happen. Christians will sin because they have not yet been made perfect. John fully understood this. He did not want his readers to take the inevitability of sinning as an excuse to sin. The tension between the phrases "so that you will not sin" and "if anybody does sin" forms a balance between a too harsh or too lenient view of sin. "Believers have no business sinning," says John, "but when they do sin . . . God has provided a way for them to be cleansed."

Believers should not condone or excuse their sin, but they should go to the Father without fear. "But if" means "but when." When believers sin and then come to the Father for forgiveness, there is one who speaks to the Father. The word paraclete means "advocate, intercessor, one called alongside to help." This "one" is Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. Christ's righteousness contrasts with humanity's sinfulness. To people who are feeling guilty and condemned, John offers reassurance. In Matthew 1:21, an angel told Joseph, "Name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (NLT). The best defense attorney in the universe will intercede with the Father for them and plead their case. 

Because Jesus is righteous, he is the one who "pleases God completely" (2:1 NLT). Jesus Christ will speak in their defense and on their behalf. Paul wrote: "Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us . . . [and is] pleading for us" (Romans 8:34 NLT); and "Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf" (Hebrews 7:25 NLT). Not only is Jesus the Judge's Son, but he also has already paid the penalty. Because Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and paid sin's penalty for all who believe, he can plead for them based on justice as well as mercy. Believers cannot be punished because someone else has already taken the punishment for them.

LIFE APPLICATION: OUR DEFENSE ATTORNEY

John was no doubt aware that for the Christian who wants to make progress in the spiritual life, nothing is as demoralizing as sin. "Why did I give in to that temptation again?" we lament. "I knew better!" we cry. "How could God forgive me for this?" we moan. Our enemy, Satan, adeptly uses our failures to accuse us, to fill us with guilt, and to cause us to wallow in despair. The answer for such miserable moments? Rely on Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, who appears before God as our advocate (Hebrews 9:24).

Christ is our defense attorney. Having paid for all our sins and purchased our complete forgiveness, Jesus Christ is well able to represent us before a holy God. We need not fear judgment. Because of what Christ has done, we are "not guilty"; furthermore, we possess the very righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)! When you pray, regard Christ as though he were by your side, discussing your situation with God.

2:2 AND HE IS THE ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD. ^NRSV

When Jesus Christ speaks to the Father in people's defense (2:1), he doesn't falsely claim that they are innocent. Instead, he maintains that they are guilty of sin but then points out that he has already paid the penalty. The Greek word for "sacrifice" is hilasmos, the noun form of a word that in the New Testament means "to atone" or "to expiate" (the word is used only here and in 4:10 in the New Testament). Just as people in the Old Testament could approach God when the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled on the altar so that believers can fellowship with God because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Fellowship with God is always based solidly on the fact of Christ's atoning death. Because Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (see also 4:10), he can stand before God as the believers' mediator. His death satisfied the wrath of God against sin and paid the death penalty for it. Thus, Christ satisfies God's requirement. In him, believers are forgiven and purified.

Yet this picture of God as Judge and Jesus as defense attorney must not be taken too far. God is not like a human judge who might make unfair decisions based on personal feelings or private bribes. Jesus is not a helpless third-party pleading for people and trying to make peace between the Judge and guilty sinners. Instead, the picture must be seen through the eyes of love. God loves people so much that he wants them to be set free—he does not want to inflict the death penalty. But justice required that the penalty be paid. Jesus paid the penalty, also out of his great love. John wrote of God's love in 4:10, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (NIV). In 3:16, he describes Jesus' love, "We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us" (NRSV).

In the phrase "not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world" John was reminding all believers that Christ's atoning sacrifice is sufficient for the sins of every person in the world. Martin Luther brought this point home when he explained, "You, too, are part of the world, so that your heart cannot deceive itself and think, 'The Lord died for Peter and Paul, but not for me.'" While Christ's death is sufficient for every sin of every person who ever lived or ever will live, it becomes effectual only for those who confess their sin, accept the sacrifice, and embrace Christ as Lord and Savior. John was not teaching universal salvation—that everyone was saved by Christ whether he or she believed or not. We know this from John's statements in 2:19-23; obviously, the antichrists had not found forgiveness and acceptance in Christ.

LIFE APPLICATION COMPLETE AND TOTAL

Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Sometimes it is difficult to forgive those who wrong us. Imagine how hard it would be to forgive all people, no matter what they had done! This is what God has done in Jesus. Not one of us, no matter what sin has been committed, is beyond forgiveness. All a person must do is turn from sin, receive Christ's forgiveness, and commit his or her life to him.

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Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1, 2, & 3 John, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1998), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "1 JOHN 1:1-2:11".

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