Bold Prayers!

“And now, Lord, observe their threats [take them into account] and grant that Your bond-servants may declare Your message [of salvation] with great confidence,”. Acts 4:29 (AMP) 

After the disciples were threatened to never again preach or heal in the Name of Jesus Christ, they got together and did the one thing they knew to do – pray. Their prayer, as recorded in Acts 4, was short, deliberate, bold and to the point. They didn’t beg or seek pity. Instead, they prayed God would grant them more boldness to preach the Word! Backing down was not even an option. How someone prays reveals a great deal about what they believe, and their confidence in their God-given authority. Instead of wailing and travailing, they prayed simple, direct prayers that echoed the will of God. Since they approached the very real threats of the authorities in faith, God granted them their request. And no wonder, since without faith it’s impossible to please Him! This is why not one chapter in the Book of Acts is void of the supernatural. Whatever you are facing or going through, go to the Lord in prayer and pray bold prayers. God is moved by our faith and our willingness to obey Him, in the heat of the challenges we face. May the Lord strengthen you as you step out today in boldness

Your Resume

By Rob White 

     What  does your resume say about  you? Recently, someone asked me, “How do you identify yourself? What does your resume say about you?” I quickly answered: 

Child of my Lord, Christian, teacher, leader in the church, student, computer technician, servant, friend, prayer warrior, Bible reader. 

     It sounded good—until I read Jesus’ parable in Luke 18:10-14 (HCSB) about the Pharisee and the tax collector. “The Pharisee took his stand [a] and was praying like this:

“God, I thank You that I am not like other people [b] – greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I  give a tenth [c] of everything I get.”

     The tax collector, standing far off, wouldn’t even lift his eyes to Heaven. He beat his chest and said, “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” Luke 18:13b, NLT

 The Pharisee’s resume would have looked impressive: 

 One of God’s chosen people 

 Pure, just, law-keeping

 • Prays, reads Scripture, does good works

 • Keeps the Sabbath, not a thief or adulterer

 • Thankful he’s not like “that sinner” 

    The tax collector’s resume was far less flattering: 

 . Steals and cheats

 • Recognizes he is a sinner

 • Humble, seeking God’s mercy

 • Ready to trust God by faith 

     My list looked a lot more like the Pharisee’s than the tax collector’s. It didn’t even mention that I am a sinner. Yet if I claim I don’t sin, I make God a liar (See 1 John 1:8-10). That adds two more entries: liar and sinner. 

    Jesus said that the tax collector—not the Pharisee—went home justified. We are no different from the “lost” –  except for our relationship with Christ. “All have sinned and fall short of  the glory of God.”Romans 3:23, NIV

     The only way to be made right with God is through humble faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross—not by polishing our spiritual resume. 

     So here is my revised resume: 

 I am a sinner—yet God loves me so much that 

“…He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who  believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life .” John 3:16,NLT

I am a Christian—becoming more like Christ because the Holy Spirit lives in me, helping me love God and love others.

 I love Him, and I love you. I talk to Him daily in prayer. 

I read the Bible—His love letter to us.

 I serve God and people. 

I teach about God’s love, while still learning it myself. 

I work as a student minister (and sometimes still as a computer technician and manager). 

    No matter what we’ve done, God loves us. The most valuable gift we can share is the Gospel: Jesus died for sinners like us, rose again, and offers forgiveness and new life, through faith in Him alone. 

     Friend, what does your resume say? Does your heart show that you love God and love others? Examine it today. Come to God like the tax collector—honest about your sin, and trusting in His mercy. He is ready to justify you, too. May our lives be lived for the glory of God alone. — Rob 

Psalm 82: God the Almighty Judge!  Psalm 82:1-8

Text: “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty He judgeth (judges, and continually judges) among the gods (small g.)”

Psalm 82:1.

          “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the Heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as Head above all.”

1 Chronicles 29:11.

Good morning, well-judged Christian! In Christ Jesus, you and I have been Spiritually awakened by the Lord God to know ourselves to be gross sinners on our way to a lost Eternity in Hell; an Eternity of perpetual torment after that, in the Lake of Fire Created to punish Satan and his fallen, disobedient angels, but which shall also house all sinful souls that knew not Christ as their own and personal Saviour from sin.

“And the angels which kept not their first estate (a state of obedience to the Lord God), but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day.  Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh (homosexuality), are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire.”  (Jude 6-7)

“And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever…And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:10-15)

On the other hand, having, by God’s Sovereign grace and enablement, judged ourselves to be lost; and having been blessed with God’s gift of faith to believe and trust in Christ’s Salvation – we have been born-again, regenerated by God the Spirit to be new creatures in Christ, never to be judged by God again or condemned for sins – past, present, and future sins – committed.  Hallelujah! (John 3:3-8)

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

Having been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and declared ‘not guilty of sin’ by our Father in Heaven as a consequence – we are clearly instructed by God’s Word not to ever ‘…accept the persons of the wicked.’  We are not to ‘judge’ the words and actions of others according to their social or legal positions in society, but according to the laws of the Living Lord God, as written clearly in our KJV Bibles. Wrong can never ever be judged right! The Lord God grants us Holy discernment, to judge what is wrong and right.

God Judges the judges: “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty He judgeth (judges, and continually judges) among the gods (small g.)”  (Psalm 82:1)

Verse 3. “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. It is said of Francis the First, of France, that when a woman kneeled to him to beg justice, he bade her stand up; for, said he, ‘Woman, it is justice that I owe thee, and justice thou shalt have; if thou beg anything of me, let it be mercy.’” (William Price,1642)

Nations which have been founded on the Ten Commandments of God, and the Divine wisdom of the King James Version Bible, have for centuries been characterized by a high sense of justice and mercy shown to their peoples, and especially to those that have become prisoners within a Sovereign territory.

“Prisoners are judged by courts and put into prison AS a punishment, not FOR punishment. Loss of liberty IS the punishment!” (C.K. McClinton 1947 -?)

Verse 4. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. It is a brave thing when a judge can liberate a victim like a fly from the spider’s web, and a horrible case when magistrate and plunderer are in league.  Law has too often been an instrument for vengeance in the hand of unscrupulous men, an instrument as deadly as poison or the dagger.  It is for the judge to prevent such villainy.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 353)

The Lord God Jehovah is an absolutely Holy Lord God, Creator of all things; Sovereign in all issues pertaining to what He has Created.  All that He has Created was perfect, until Adam and Eve sinned the sin of disobedience in Eden’s Garden. 

All since then has been polluted by mankind’s sin.  All mankind since that Fall into sin, are NOT Created by God, but born of sinful man and woman, in Adam’s Fallen image and likeness, with a nature that is at all times very prone to sin.  (Genesis 5:3)

This is why the Lord Jesus Christ taught us, “Ye must be born again!”  We must be Spiritually regenerated, made Spiritually alive, and forgiven of all our sin; redeemed from sin, by the precious, sinless, shed Blood of the Saviour Lord, Jesus Christ.  Praise His Holy Name!  We are made to be Holy by the imputation (putting to our personal account) of the righteousness of Christ Jesus Himself.  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!            (John 3:3-8)

“For He (God the Father) hath made Him (Jesus Christ, God the Son) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we (God’s elect people) might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

When God, the righteous Judge of all the earth, looks upon those of us that have been, by His grace and faith, born again in Christ – all He causes Himself to see IS His Son, Jesus Christ, and thus, we are passed over for destruction, Hell, and the Lake of Fire. Wow! Glory to God.

“You hath He quickened (made Spiritually alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins…even when we were dead (Spiritually dead) in sins, hath quickened (made Spiritually alive) us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)” (Ephesians 2:1-5)

In Christ Jesus we are judged to be totally innocent from all our catalogues of vile sins!

“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from ALL SIN.”       (1 John 1:7)

“I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” (Isaiah 43:25)

“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.” (Isaiah 44:22)

Thought: God, the Almighty Judge declares ‘His people’, not guilty of sins! Hallelujah!

Dr C.K. McClinton

Ulster Christians Ministry

www.ulsterchristians.org

Why Does the Local Church Matter?

From:              Ron Hawks and Bruce Ferris

Not only does the local church matter, it is vital to everything that Christ died for. It is, in fact, His body here on earth (1 Co. 12:27) and Christ is its head. God has placed every member in the body as it has pleased Him (1 Co. 12:18).

The churches whole purpose is to evangelize the lost, glorify God and to continue to meet together to encourage, strengthen and edify one another.

When a church is biblically sound, it provides the environment for spiritual growth, accountability, and congregational worship. It offers support, protects believers from theological error, and focuses on service allowing members to put shoe leather to their faith by using their spiritual gifts to help fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)