Words of Encouragement

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:56-58

Sacrifice of Praise. Sacrifice brings victory. On this “Good Friday” we take the time to reflect on what took place for you and I to be able to stand in victory. Jesus willingly allowed himself to be crucified as the scripture foretold for our transgressions, our sins. He became the living sacrifice for the atonement of sin. What that means is the blood of the animals was not enough to remove the sins of the people. It was only a temporary covering. The blood of Christ became the true remover of sins. The blood of Christ doesn’t simply cover them over and allow them to still be there, he completely removes them. Yet, these sins were not removed with out the payment of Christ blood.

Jesus’ sacrifice became the door to victory over the sting of death. Jesus’ sacrifice gives us victory. Paul then tells his listens, “therefore”. Therefore means as a result of this, something else can happen. So as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice for our victorious living, we then should live victoriously. That means we should stand firm in the truth and allow nothing to move us. Bad treatment, bad attitudes, bad situations, bad circumstances, NOTHING, should move us.

We should always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord because what we do for Christ will last. One sacrifice (Jesus’) calls for another sacrifice (ours). Jesus gave his life for us, so that we can lay ours down for him. Our sacrifice of praise manifests itself in our willingness to live a victorious life for Christ. When we live victoriously we show the world that the power of Christ is real.

When we live defeated, angry, complacent, fearful or unfulfilled lives as believers, we bring doubt to onlookers about the ability of God. Is this Christ really resurrected? If he is, why does his people have no power over the natural things? For if this Christ be raised, then shouldn’t his people also be raised (moved from sin)? Shouldn’t they have power over those things of the flesh? Shouldn’t they have power to overcome as Christ did? If Christ was able to fulfill his mission on the cross, shouldn’t his people be able to fulfill theirs also? If Christ did not allow naysayers, mockers and enemies to stop him for going to his cross, shouldn’t his people be able to go to theirs and carry that which is for them to carry?

Today as we prepare for the resurrection, let us take one more look at the cross. As I saw a play at New Life Church of God on last Sunday and it came to the part where Christ lowered his head and said it is finished, I thought about myself. We most times think of this saying of “it is finished” as the end of life. But there are going to be times when we must carry one cross to be later replaced with a different cross throughout our spiritual walk. There are sometimes I must crucify some things, nail them to the cross (my fleshly way of handling it) and speak it is finished over them. So that I can be resurrected to newness (the place where I have victory over the flesh in that area), where that which was crucified has no more affect over me, for I have received the victory over that.

Yet, I will have to repeat the process with the next cross I must pick up. I pray that we seek God this Resurrection Sunday and ask, is there something I need to nail to the cross? Is there some attitude, some behavior, or some mindset that needs to be crucified? If so, let me make the sacrifice so that I can have victory over it, when you resurrect me to the newness of my walk.

Words of Encouragement

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. – Matthew 6:14

Sacrifice of Praise. Forgiving the unforgivable. Jesus taught what was required of those that would call themselves children of God. What Jesus taught was not only in words, but also in deeds. Jesus willing showed us how to forgive, by his speaking his forgiveness over those that nailed him to the cross. He also spoke not only forgiveness for those standing there but he also spoke a prayer for us to come.

This is one of the gifts that salvation has brought to us. It has brought us the ability to be a living sacrifice as Jesus was. It gives us the ability to withstand the deeds done to us by others. This is the only answer for how we are able to forgive hurts, lies and betrayal.

Jesus gives us this commandment with a stipulation. If we are not willing to forgive others sins against us, how can we expect God to forgive our sins that are far worse than anything anyone can do to us? How can we expect to seek forgiveness from God for our sins that hurt the heart of God, the lies we live and the betrayal of his ways, if we won’t do the same for others?

Jesus then is telling us, we must be willing to give a sacrifice of ourselves, which is praise unto the Lord. I have come to believe praise is not just what I do when I sing songs on Sunday. It also is when my life lines up with the will of God and I walk in the ways of the Lord that my life begins to show as a sacrifice of praise unto God. When my personal time of worship comes, I am an act of praise.

Today, I speak to someone that is having a hard time forgiving hurts, disappointments in others, fears of trusting again, those that have been betrayed by friends, family and loved ones. You can forgive because God has equipped you with the ability to do so. God has given you the tools you need to forgive any injustice you have suffered. He has not removed these things, but he has thought it best to allow you to go through them so that he could perfect something inside of you. Let God help you offer a sacrifice of praise through your life by offering forgiveness to the unforgivable. When you do, know that God stands waiting to forgive you of all that you do that transgresses his will. He not only offers forgiveness for what we do now, but also his forgiveness stands waiting for us for those sins yet undone. His forgiveness is endless. Lord I forgive those that have hurt me and release them into your hands; I forgive them even for those things yet undone, because of the offer of forgiveness that you have offered to me. So help me now to heal from the hurts, so that I can continue to walk in my path and have the victory over all that has been done against me, in Jesus name, Amen.

Words of Encouragement

You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. – Jeremiah 12:2

Sacrifice of Praise. Praise is not lip service, but heart service. This 12th chapter of Jeremiah does not reference the word praise and it might seem like a strange place to go in reference to praise. This scripture (the entire book of Jeremiah) has meaning, especially to me. Jeremiah has a complaint he is giving to God in this chapter. Jeremiah is asking God a question about the wicked. He starts this chapter by saying that God is a righteous God, yet his question is about how God judges.

He asks God how do you allow the wicked to prosper and the faithless to live in ease? Here Jeremiah says in this verse that you have planted them, they have taken root and grow. Yet, even with all that the provisions you have given them, they are only giving you lip service. Oh you are on their lips, but you are not the motivating factor behind their actions, which come out of their hearts. He then says, but you know me. You have seen my heart and you know my motivations.

God’s answer, which is quite funny, comes shortly after Jeremiah’s question. It is funny because when I accepted my call to preach, this is the book God sent me to for eight months to speak to me about what he was requiring of me. I too like Jeremiah had a complaint about telling what he gave me to tell, when the wicked only seem to continue to prosper, while I had to deal with the fallout of being obedient. This is God’s answer (starting with verse 5). “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” It took me a moment before I began to laugh. What God’s answer to Jeremiah was, if you are being worn down by those I send you to on foot, what will you do when I send you to those on horses. Or made even simpler, if I send you to these (the people) and you are tired, what happens when I send you to those greater (kings and rulers), those more challenging, and those that will require you to run a stronger race?

What does this have to do with lip service and praise? God was telling Jeremiah this; I see those that give lip service to me. I know those that profess, but do not possess. You, though I am requiring to continue to run where I send you. I require you to do as I say even when your brothers and family may want to destroy you. You, I am requiring to make a sacrifice unto me of yourself, your praise, and your very life.

We today are required to do the same. It is not longer the lone prophet that is required to make the sacrifice for God. It is a requirement of all God’s children. Jesus gave us this ability through his sacrifice of blood and the gifting of the Holy Spirit. I pray for us as we draw closer to Resurrection Sunday, that we take a close look at ourselves. Are we where God has called us to be? Are we making the sacrifice, as he requires it? Let us make sure we are not as Jeremiah said regarding the people of his time, planted (having given ourselves to being God’s people) but only having God on our lips but not in our hearts. Let us be set a blaze for the Lord so that both our lips and our hearts are in union as we offer up praises unto God.