God’s not going to force anyone to spend time with Him here & now on earth, or in heaven for all eternity
The God of the Bible is of course kind, and loving, and merciful. However, He’s also just and cannot tolerate sin.
Today’s verse in Psalm 51:4 is a good reminder for all of us to keep in mind,
“Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.”
Heaven will not be full of good people who have earned their eternal salvation … rather it will be full of sinful people who have accepted that Jesus died on the cross, and rose the third day, in order to pay the price for their sins.
So the biggest question for those who continue to reject Jesus is, do I want to pay for all my sinful behavior on my own merits … or, am I willing to repent and put my trust in Jesus, believing that His mercy will triumph over His judgment upon my death?!
What if you’re not sure if you’ll be going to heaven or not?
Today’s passage is relevant to everyone who has a belly button.
Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14,
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate.The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”
We all have a choice surrounding where we will live forever! We can follow the crowd and essentially do whatever is culturally popular. Or we can follow Jesus and never have an ounce of regret, because He has promised to literally be with us every step of the way.
Those who believe ‘all roads lead to heaven,’ are buying into a world view that is the polar opposite of the clear gospel message of the Bible!
The wide gate that the vast majority of people choose, will lead them to an eternity in hell separated from a loving & just God … compared to those who put their trust in Jesus and enter through the narrow gate, which ultimately leads them to heaven.
You will know that you’re going to heaven!!
Many of us have attended memorial services in which we were concerned about where our friend or loved one went after they died.
A pastor friend of mine chooses to say under those kind of uncomfortable circumstances … “We can all rest assured that he or she is in the hands of a loving and just God.”
In today’s verse, the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:14 says,
“The Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Let’s remind ourselves today that because we’ve put our faith and our trust into Jesus, that our eternal future is totally and completely secured!
Also, may we be prepared to share God’s love and His justice with anyone we know who has thus far rejected Jesus’ free gift of salvation, so they can know that they will in fact be present with the Lord for all eternity in heaven immediately after leaving this earth.
What’s the evidence that we’ve been saved?
I hope today’s verse is as affirming and encouraging to you as it is to me.
The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 1:13,
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.”
We can’t argue, or convince, or force anyone into a saving relationship with Christ, which would guarantee them going to heaven after taking their last breath here on this earth.
However, no one can ever take away from us our personal testimony of our saving faith in Jesus … due to the presence (the seal) of the Holy Spirit within us!!
The reality is that we’re all going to live forever … somewhere!
Today’s verse is not only foundational, but also is essential in helping to sustain us through every challenge we’re sure to face throughout our lifetime!
Jesus says in John 14:6,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
The only way any of us will live for ever in heaven is through Christ. In John 17:3, Jesus said,
“Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”
For those who may be offended by such exclusive claims, it would be wise to re-think their stance while there’s still time, and accept that Jesus is the One and the only way for them to go to heaven.
Mighty Wind Ministries daily plan for purposely experiencing a dynamic life with Jesus
We don’t plan to fail … we fail to plan!
Our mission is,
“To encourage believers to know Jesus a little better each and every day, and to make Him known to those who are lost in the broken world around us.”
Psalm 119:11 says,
“I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.”
Since the first part of our mission statement is a call to action, I’d like to encourage all of us to consider making a daily commitment to do what Psalm 119:11 says by choosing a specific verse every day and focusing on it.
You may consider writing it down on a 3’ by 5’ card and referring back to it throughout your day.
You also might find it helpful to pick a theme, like the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives, and then have your daily verses remind you of the dynamic way in which God is working in your life.
If it helps you to ‘work your plan,’ I will be posting daily verses for your consideration to establish Biblical foundations so we can together know Jesus a little better each and every day, and make Him known to those who are lost in the broken world around us.
Peace of mind is not the absence of trouble … it’s the presence of God!
The Bible does not teach that as long as all my relationships are going well … and I have an abundance of money … and have zero health concerns … then (and only then!) could I possibly experience peace of mind.
Jesus says in John 16:33,
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous; I have overcome the world.”
We can choose the world’s way as the gurus of inner peace point to themselves as its source and completely ignore that Jesus is our true source of peace.
Or, we can do what Isaiah 26:3 encourages us to do,
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You,
all whose thoughts are fixed on You!”
We all get to decide what & who we’re committed to focus our thoughts on!
Consider what the Apostle Paul says here in Galatians 5:19-23 as he clearly contrasts the outcome of our choices,
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
God’s desire to be in fellowship with us
Based upon God’s Word, there’s absolutely no doubt that He wants to be in constant “Koinonia” with each and every one of His children! Now the question is … is it a conditional relationship to live our lives in partnership with Jesus?
1 John 1:6-7 says,
“So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
The evidence (or condition) of our constant fellowship with God’s Spirit, is not in what we say as much as it is how we live!
Jesus knew we could not fulfill & obey His commands on our own, so He’s provided us with the Holy Spirit to guide us every step of the way … John 14:7 says,
“The Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He remains with you continually and will be in you.”
Through our faith and confident trust in Jesus, we can live caring about others more than we care about ourselves … and obey His clear commandments laid out before us.
1 John 3:23-24 says,
“This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love and seek the best for one another, just as He commanded us. The one who habitually keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. By this we know and have the proof that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
Perspective surrounding our true King & the kingdom we ultimately serve
Here’s how the conversation went in John 18:35-37 as Pontius Pilate was trying to decide to either let Jesus go free, or have Him crucified:
“Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people and their chief priests have handed You over to me. What have You done [that is worthy of death]?” Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world.” So Pilate said to Him, “Then You are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say [correctly] that I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears and listens carefully to My voice.”
When we think about the time we have on this earth (as it is under the curse of sin), which inevitably comes with wars, and disease, and suffering, and heartache, and ultimately with the physical death of our bodies … we have a choice to make regarding which kingdom we’ll focus our attention on.
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a baseline for all of us to consider which says,
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.”
Jesus will always be our greatest example, and He clearly acknowledges that His kingdom is not of this world. We would be wise to recognize the same, and proclaim this message of truth to those in this lost and dying world around us.
When we put our trust in Jesus, we can rest assured we’re in good hands … both for our entire lifetime on this planet, as well as for all eternity!!
A Biblical response to current affairs
I thought it relevant considering the bombings in Iran yesterday that we identify how the Lord directs us to respond.
The Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:1-4,
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”
The most important thing we can be doing in a time of war is to specifically pray for our leaders for them to have Godly wisdom! As well as for the safety for all those in our military who are put into harms way on our behalf.
Paul also says in Philippians 4:6-7,
“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your requests known to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I’m so grateful for the Lord’s presence and for His Word to guide us moment-by-moment through these very tumultuous times.
Jesus’ prayer for us
Before being arrested and crucified, Jesus prayed for you and me in John 17:20-21,
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
His prayer for us is that we as His followers will live in unity on behalf of those who are lost in the broken world around us … in order for them to desire what we have and surrender ownership of their lives unto Him.
Consider what Jesus says so clearly to us here in John 13:34-35,
“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
Hebrews 7:24-24 says,
“Jesus holds His priesthood permanently and without change, because He lives on forever. Therefore He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf.”
We must decide!
What would drive someone who’s in their right mind to make a well thought out, eyes wide open decision that would condemn them to an eternity (literally never-ending) of torment and regret?
The Bible lays out an eternally hopeful truth for all of us to consider, as it relates to what will happen after we take our final breath on this earth.
Look at what Jesus says here in John 3:18,
“Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him is not judged; but the one who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Those who reject Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord, have been deceived by Satan, and have fallen for his lies.
Jesus goes on to say in 3:19,
“This is the judgment: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”
When we come to the realization that God desires all of us to be saved, yet He leaves that incredibly consequential decision up to us to make … wouldn’t it make sense that we would think long and hard about which way we’re heading?
Jesus further says in 3:20-21,
“For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his activities will be exposed and condemned. But whoever practices truth comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God.”
May our light shine (by the power of His Spirit) for those who are lost in the this broken world around us who have yet to say “Yes” to Jesus.
Want to know how everything will ultimately be okay?
The great news for all of us attempting to answer that question is, it’s entirely up to us where we put our trust!
If you choose to believe that Jesus is who He said is, according to the Bible … then your eternal future is completely secure. Along with the reality that the Holy Spirit is accessible to guide you through every decision you make here and now.
None of us are forced to believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and rose the third day to overcome death & the devil.
Jesus says in John 12:46
“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me will not continue to live in darkness.”
John 1:11-12 says,
“He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
How encouraging it is to know that if we make the decision to anchor our hope in Jesus, and rely on the truth of His message … that ultimately everything will be far more than just okay!!
What’s the best way for believers to prepare for everything life throws our way?
Due to the reality that God has allowed the Devil to be, “The god of this world,” we need to recognize and be prepared for his evil attacks that we all face.
Paying attention to whatever is within our control from day-to-day is not only a wise way to go about our lives … but it’s also imperative to acknowledge that God has not left us alone, and by His Spirit we have access to successfully defend against everything our enemy tries to use to derail us (you fill-in the blank).
Paul says in Galatians 5:16,
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Even though Paul is using walking in the Spirit as a metaphor, it is in fact our responsibility and within our control (if we so choose) to put one foot in front of the other in moving forward to defeat (through the power of the Holy Spirit) the constant demonic attacks that we’re bombarded with.
Here are a few further encouragements for us to consider:
“So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we walk by faith not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-7
“Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise.” Ephesians 5:15
“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in having been deeply rooted and now being continually built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing in it with gratitude.” Colossians 2:6-7
May we recommit to walking moment-by-moment with our Lord, by reflecting His character in the things we do and say!
What is the ‘mystery of marriage’ from God’s Word?
We read in Ephesians 5:31-33,
“As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Christian marriages are fundamentally different than just legally binding, secular, or non-Christian unions. Holy matrimony is a sacred institution established by God, and in the Bible it’s referred to as, “A divine covenant between a man and a woman, designed to reflect God's love, commitment, and faithfulness.”
The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:6-11,
“Now the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; the mind of the flesh is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ lives in you, though your body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”
According to Scripture those who continue to reject Jesus are controlled by their sinful nature, while follower’s of Christ are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit. Anyone who has not yet become born again, are not children of God.
Statements like these may come across as harsh and offensively exclusive as they relate to life & marriage … yet having God’s Spirit is literally available to everyone, and is only a sincere prayer away!
What does the Bible say about having an others focused attitude?
Scripture talks a lot about the need for us to choose the same attitude that Jesus exhibited throughout His lifetime.
In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul says,
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
While Paul was encouraging the believers in Ephesus how to walk out their faith in Christ, compared to how the unbelievers around them were living … he says this in Ephesians 4:20-24,
“But you did not learn Christ in this way! If in fact you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus that regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self , which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, created in God’s image, in the righteousness and holiness of the truth.
It is by truth and a pursuit of righteousness that we must change our attitudes by renewing our minds!
We must grasp the reality that the Bible is our baseline for identifying the source of truth before we can embrace living day-by-day in our renewed Christ-like nature.
How can the saying, “Measure twice, cut once” be actionable to us other than for just construction projects?
Let’s face it, we all get angry at times. Even those who have walked closely with Jesus for decades are subject to regretting their response after becoming angry over something, or at someone.
Thankfully, we have a very specific prescription from God’s Word for how to avoid and mitigate those times when we ‘blow it’ out of anger.
James 1:19-22 says,
“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
Thinking out loud is a habit that can be broken! However, like changing any bad habit it’s going to take discipline, self-control, and an iron clad game-plan in order to overcome this very destructive tendency that we all are tempted to fall into.
James goes on a little further in the chapter to say in 1:26,
“If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and does not control his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
When we take the time to think twice before blurting out whatever comes to mind in the moment, we’re much more likely to be in alignment with the principle James has laid out for us to follow.
Where’s the evidence of what truly motivates us?
It’s fairly safe to say that the vast majority of us understand the meaning of the very common statement, “Talk is cheap.”
As followers of Christ, wouldn’t it be great if we lived out our faith in Jesus in such a consistent way that those who are living for this world would recognize there’s something different about us?
The Apostle Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27,
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
When we as believers focus on literally living our lives for the Lord … we can trust that people we know will be impacted for both time as well as for eternity because of the day-to-day choices we make.
Paul also says this in Colossians 3:1-3,
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Let’s commit to making our lives a living master piece, so the Lord can use us to the max in bringing others to Him!
Godly goals & ambition
Having ambition is not inherently either good or bad from a Biblical frame-of-reference. It truly boils down to our motives!
Whatever we are pursuing, we are to do so in ways that ultimately bring honor to our Lord Jesus Christ.
James 3:14-16 puts it this way,
“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.”
God’s Word clearly teaches us that our motivation should always be to please and to serve Him. Here’s a good reminder of that in Colossians 3:23-24,
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
The best way to influence those around us by our testimony is to take to heart and daily live out what Scripture leads us to do, rather than what our self-seeking flesh tempts us to do.
How can we best use the sword of the Spirit?
Ephesians 6:16-17 identifies the sword of the Spirit as the Word of God, and is the best offensive weapon we have in order to defeat Satan’s relentless attacks,
“Above all, lift up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
Jesus provides the best example for us to follow while in the midst of battling the enemy in the wilderness … as 3-times He said the following to the Devil while He was being tempted:
“Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 1:4)
“Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’” (Matthew 1:7)
“Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” (Matthew 1:10)
The outcome of Jesus wielding His Sword here in Matthew 1:11, is our baseline for dealing with the unseen spiritual battles that influences the world around us,
“Then the devil left Him, and behold angels came and began to minister to Him.”
We have the same capacity to quote Scripture to our adversary, as our victory is not found in striving against the flesh and blood realities each one of us face throughout our lifetime.
But when we have prepared to stand firm and wield the sword of the Spirit … we will experience the Holy Spirit’s power to walk in peace and confidence knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord, and that the ultimate victory is already won!