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John 12:27 - "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. NASB
Would your soul be troubled? One thing I have noticed about some humans, myself included, is we many times wonder why is this (whatever this is) happening to me. Am I suffering because of some sin I committed? Ask yourself these questions the next time you're suffering or your soul is troubled. "Why is Jesus suffering? What sin has He committed?" The answer is He has committed no sin. Therefore, all suffering is not because of sin. We must never forget this truth.
Years ago I baptized a man into Christ named David. He was informed he had cancer and not long to live. He did not want people feeling sorry for him, he told me. I said, "Okay, I have a plan when you're in the hospital I will send people to see you. I will tell them to visit you and minister to you, but what you need to do is minister to them. Share your faith and tell them how Jesus is helping you through this trial." Every person I sent to visit David came back to me and said, "I didn't minister to him. He ministered to me." As I was at his bedside 45 minutes before he went to be with the Lord, this is what he asked me. "Do you think the Lord has anyone else he wants me to minister to?" I spoke for God that day without really being told what to say, when I told him, "There is no one else God wants you to minister to. He wants you to come home now." In 45 minutes David breathed his last breath. David allowed his troubled soul to have a purpose just like Jesus.
Then put a smile on your face and say, "I am going to make sure that my suffering fulfills a purpose." God hasn't abandoned me. He is allowing me to face this time of trouble to serve a purpose and serve a purpose with it I will. Think About This: Faith helps us face the music, even when we don't like the tune. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Acts 15:36-40 - After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are." Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left,… NASU
The Lord's church was growing because of their fearless and tireless effort to share the life-changing gospel about Jesus Christ. One day Paul says to Barnabas let us revisit the churches where we have already preached and see how they are progressing. Barnabas says great I will go and get John Mark and Paul says no way are we taking that deserter with us. In our text this morning we have two Christian men both possessing the Holy Spirit in their bodies and yet, they are disagreeing. In fact, the Bible says it was a "sharp disagreement" which separated these two brothers. Wow! Two Christians not being able to get along with each other. How is that possible? It is possible because Christians will make mistakes. Being forgiven doesn't mean we will all of sudden be perfect and never make another mistake in our life.
Cephas is another name for Peter. When Pete comes to Antioch, Paul confronts him about being a hypocrite. Peter would eat with the Gentiles until the Jews came and once the Jews come Peter wouldn't have anything to do with them. Way to be a hypocrite, Peter. Peter likewise had the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in him and yet we can see he is making a big mistake here by being a hypocrite. In fact, we could say, Peter was being a racist.
Own it. Admit it. Confess it. Get over it. It most likely won't be your last mistake. The devil is trying to get you to quit being a Christian. So every time you make a mistake he wants to remind you of how horrible you are. When he puts the thoughts into your head about how bad you are agree with him. Tell him he is right you made another mistake and as fast as you can make them God can forgive you of them. Tell him that the difference between you and him is you can be forgiven and he can't. God is a gracious God. Allow Him to extend His Grace to you. Think About This: Mistakes aren't so bad. Christopher Columbus found America by mistake! Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Ephesians 2:12 - "…remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." NASU
If you are a Christian and you are having a rough day. I highly recommend reading this verse and think about how horrible a non-Christian's life is. A non-Christian is separated from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, a stranger to the covenants of promise, they have NO HOPE and they are without God in this world. What problem could a Christian have that would even vaguely compare to being separated, excluded, having no hope, and without God? Now I can't speak for anyone but myself but seriously could a person's life get any worse than the person who is outside of Christ? I absolutely think it cannot. How horrible would your life be if you were hopeless and without God? And yet, that is exactly where we were when we were without Christ in our lives.
The words "in Christ" are found 90 times in the New Testament. I would like to share some of the great blessings a person who is "in Christ" has in this life. Romans 3:24 - "…the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:1 - "…no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:39 - "…the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:2 - To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, 1 Corinthians 15:22- "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive." 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." I have listed 7 things a Christian has because he/she is "in Christ". The next time you are having a rough day I would like to suggest you read and meditate on the 7 things you have because you are "in Christ". The good news is to remember there are 83 other items we have because we are "in Christ". As you read your New Testament you might want to underline every time you see the phrase "in Christ". Now would be a good time to look up and say "Thank you God for allowing me to live "in Christ" the greatest place on earth." Think About This: We have forgiveness because of where we are and that is "in Christ". Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word John 15:1-2 - I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. NASU
God, the Father, is the vinedresser. He has the responsibility to help the vine produce the best fruit possible. He does this in two ways. The first is by removing the branch from the vine if it is not producing fruit and that branch will be thrown into the fire later. Secondly, the method of pruning is used to help the branch that is producing fruit to produce even more fruit on the vine. When you prune something you cut if back for the branch to produce even more fruit. Pruning may hurt at first but it will guarantee the branch will produce more and better fruit during the next harvest. The novice vinedresser may find this hard to believe that by pruning back the branches he will be helping to enlarge his crop and produce tastier fruit. When you prune away sucker branches as they are called it allows the sap to feed the good branches. I used this principle on my dad's lemon tree in AZ a few years back. The next season dad's lemons were larger and tastier, but my dad told me he thought I might have initially killed his tree. Where there is pruning there is a certain amount of temporary pain and suffering.
God knows what we need and don't need in our life. He knows better than we do what is best for us. I am sure as parents we have at one time or another believed we knew what was best for our children. It isn't any different with God except He is right every time.
You will notice it is the branch that is bearing fruit that goes through the pruning process. So let me ask you, "What should be pruned from your life?" Think About This: Adversity is never pleasant, but sometimes it is the only way we will learn. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Go To www.SeragosPumpUps.com Galatians 2:16 - "…nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." NASU
We are not going to be allowed entrance into Heaven because of our "good deeds". In 1964 J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers had a hit song entitled "Last Kiss" I have included some of the lyrics of the song: Well, where oh where can my baby be? The Lord took her away from me. She's gone to heaven, so I got to be good, So I can see my baby when I leave this world. These lyrics may be romantic but theologically they are horrible. God gets blamed for taking her away because of his carelessness while driving. Then he has to be good to get to heaven to see her. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. You CAN NOT be good enough to get to heaven. No one and I mean no one is going to get to Heaven because of their good works and if you try, you will fail.
Here is how one of my college Professors, Jack Cottrell, explains justification: [The meaning of justification: It is the same as having the debt of penalty for your sins forgiven. It is a legal term. It refers to standing before the Judge of the universe in the divine courtroom and having him declare, “NO PENALTY FOR YOU!” This happens not only on the future Judgment Day. It is happening now, and will be happening throughout our lives as believers. This is why we have assurance of salvation. We know we are justified; we know our sins are forgiven. It is not a question of how good we are, but how forgiven we are. It is hearing God say, “No penalty for you! No condemnation for you (Rom. 8:1)! No hell for you! No fear for you!”]
The choice is ours. We can depend on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ or we can do like the lyrics of the songs says try being good enough for God to allow us entrance into Heaven. Gal 3:24-27 - Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. The people who try to obey laws are trying to get to Heaven on their own merits. Paul says the purpose of the Law was to lead us to Christ and it is our faith in Jesus that will bring about our Justification. Think About This: Choice, not chance, determines your destiny. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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