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Whether you believe in the whole virgin birth thing or not, one has to admit that during the Christmas season, the focus of our society turns towards love, joy and peace. History has shown that even the most brutal battles have taken time-out for Christmas.
The three words “I Love You” are full of a variety of meanings. When I say I love you it could be because I want something from you; when I say I love you it could mean you have done something that makes me happy. Often people equate the feeling of happiness and belonging as being love. But authentic love, the love that comes from God is so much deeper than that.
Man’s love says “I’ll love you if”; God’s love says “I love you regardless. Man’s love says, “I may love you today, but tomorrow I may fall out of love; God’s love says, “nothing you can say or do will keep me from loving you. Man’s love says, “I can’t forgive you for that; God’s love says, “I’ll forgive you again, and again and again.” Man’s love can be unfaithful; God’s love is always faithful.
Authentic love can only be found when we find God for he showed his love through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NIV)
So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:66)
Just after Jesus was murdered, a couple of his disciples put him in a borrowed tomb. The Religious Elite of the day were concerned about some claims Jesus made of rising from the dead. They asked permission of the Roman governor to place a guard at the tomb to insure that the radical disciples of Jesus would not steal the body. The governor went one step further. Not only did he allow the Jews to post a guard at the tomb, he sealed it with the seal of the mighty Roman Empire.
The Seal was nothing more than a cord secured around the stone with clay holding it in place at both ends. There was nothing magical about the seal. It offered no strength of its own. Its strength and validity rested solely on the power of the Roman Government to make good on its promise. To break the seal meant death. Period.
This was no doubt the word picture that the Apostle Paul conjured up in the minds of his readers as he wrote to the church located in the Grecian city of Corinth. They were well aware of the strength of the Roman Empire. They knew, intimately, of the power of the government to keep its promises.
Eventually, of course, we know that the strength of the Roman Empire dwindled. It was no longer able to keep its promises. It was no longer the most powerful force in the world. As a result, the security of the ‘Roman Seal’ became worthless and meaningless.
The ‘seal’ Paul talks about is a different sort of seal. It’s a seal that is not based on human power. It’s a seal that transcends time. It’s a seal that no one in the physical or the spiritual world can sever. Its guarantee will never become obsolete.
For those of us who have accepted the free gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ we can know we are sealed in God. He gave us his promise, his guarantee, that he would never leave us, forsake us, or hold us under condemnation for our sin.
Our eternal destiny doesn’t rest on our ability to keep a set of rules or memorizing some mantra. Our eternal destiny rests in one who is eternal. Our acceptance is as secure as the universe. Whatever struggle you are bearing. Whoever, or whatever, is threatening you or accusing you today. Remember, because of Jesus, you are sealed with an eternal promise, an eternal hope. The Roman Seal didn’t hold him in the grave, the seal of God’s grace should never hold us back.
PRAYER: Father God. I thank you for Jesus. I praise you for the assurance that there is nothing, including my own rebellious stupidity, that will wrestle me from your arms. Amen.
So do not lose the courage you had in the past, which has a great reward. Hebrews 10:35 (NCV)
You started out strong enough. You went to church and a small group Bible Study. Maybe you even had one in your home and you were the leader. As a young person you had aspirations of being in the ministry or even being a missionary to some far off culture. You had visions of winning entire villages to Jesus Christ.
Then reality hit, and it hit hard. You never saw that divorce coming. If only you’d studied harder in high school, maybe your grades would have allowed you to get into college. Your health issues kept you from attaining many of the dreams you had at one time. You wonder what happened to your spouse. He/she once held the same values, the same fire you had for ministry but now, it’s the one hindrance in an otherwise great relationship and it’s keeping you from feeling fulfilled and squashing your ability to use your gifts.
There are those that will tell you that the level of your ability to ‘live for Christ’ is a measuring stick of your love for him. Often, it’s the other way around. The realization of our weaknesses and failures is proof of our love for Christ. That may seem like backwards thinking, but the more we desire to live for Jesus, the more His Spirit will show us areas that need change…and the more the enemy will try to send us on huge guilt trips.
Jesus shows us where we can change. Satan reminds us change is impossible. Jesus gently calls us to him. Satan screams accusations. Jesus calls to you through the darkness. Satan reminds you of the dangers lurking in the dark.
When you feel misunderstood, Jesus understands. When you feel attacked, Jesus sends endurance and safety. When you feel pressured to give in, Jesus sends encouragement to press on. “He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.” Isaiah 42:3 (NLT)
Take courage pilgrim. While we walk this Wilderness Road complete with rocks and the threat of attack from the bluffs on either side of us, we have one who walks with us. He knows the way. He is ready to defend, encourage and protect. He’s ready to walk with us all the way. When we reach the end; when endure this road we’ve travelled; victory will be ours and the reward great!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I need your strength today to be strong. My own fear of failure and the enemies attack have done their work to keep me defeated. Empower me today to be strong through your Holy Spirit. Amen.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. Psalm 46:4
It’s only three feet deep and about 20 feet across, yet 2,348 miles later the mighty Mississippi River enters the gulf of Mexico. Along its way hundreds of streams and rivers join the Mississippi, making it one of the largest rivers in the world.
The Psalmist talks about a river that makes the city of God glad. The city of God is a symbolic term for the Church, the body of Christ, those who have chosen to be Christ-followers. The river reminds us of the many blessings that God has bestowed on His people.
Rivers have always been as source of prosperity and security to people. Even in the driest of times rivers provide water, food and protection. When the psalmist wrote this verse he could very well have been thinking about how important rivers were to the safety of a city. Many were built along or on either side of a river. Walls surrounded the city for protection. Many a city fell when invading armies would stop the flow of water to the city, thus eventually rendering it defenseless.
God’s blessings to His church never run dry. No enemy can divert the flow of His grace to His people. His blessings aren’t like the Mississippi at its beginning, small and insignificant. His blessings to us are endless because of His great love for us.
As followers of Jesus we have the promise of forgiveness even when we sin time and again. We are always forgiven. We have the promise of the Holy Spirit of God living within us to guide us, and give us wisdom. We have the Word of God, the Holy Bible to teach us about God and to show us how to live for Him.
Because of these blessings and many more we, as Christ-followers must use the blessings we’ve received to bless those around us.
PRAYER: Father, as I think of all the blessings you have given me, I am in awe that you even consider me. I’m stubborn, selfish and easily prone to sin and worry. Yet your blessings keep coming! You protect me and provide for me physically and spiritually if I will follow you. I praise you today that nothing can keep me from experiencing your blessing. I ask that you would empower me to bless others as I have been blessed by you. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 