My Time With God

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Defend the Faith
Jude 1-13
Pages 582-583

Key Verse: Dear friends, I wanted very much to write you about the salvation we all
share. But I felt the need to write you about something else: I want to encourage you to
fight hard for the faith that was given the holy people of God once and for all time. Jude 3

During World War II Hitler swept across Europe like a fierce wind and toppled and
dominated country after country from Austria, to Belgium to the Netherlands, and
began pushing into France and England. On one occasion it appeared as if England
was going to fall through the bombers in the air and the Navy on the English Channel. It
was one of the most vulnerable times of its history. At this point Churchill gave his
famous speech about never, never giving up. The country rallied and pushed the invaders
back. It was a major turning point in World War II.
For centuries countries have had to defend themselves against outside invasion.
Without defense they would lose their freedom, their culture, and their way of life.
Throughout history Christians have also had to defend the faith from invasion. In every
century someone rises up and says the bible is incorrect, Jesus is not divine, Christianity
is not the true way, and the moral standards of Scripture are unnecessary. The history of
the church is marked by great sacrifices to keep the faith intact.
The first disciples were severely persecuted for 300 years for calling Jesus Christ
the Lord of all. In the third and fourth centuries there was division over the nature of
Jesus Christ. In the 7th and 8th centuries churches were torn down, and bibles were
destroyed by Persian raiders. IT TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF SACRIFICE FOR US TO
HAVE OUR BIBLE AND OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST SAFE AND SECURE
TODAY. You may not think about it but everyday that you step into the world you are
called to give an account of your faith. There are people who will make fun of what you
believe who are agnostic, but there are also people who claim to believe in God and in
Jesus Christ who have some really funny ideas.
The writer of Jude talked about all sorts of false teaching coming into the early
church. It is not easy to defend the faith with love, but that is what we are called to do.
Sometimes it takes as much courage as a soldier who must defend their country. But we
do not fight the battle alone. In fact God is working with us, and God is turning the tide
so that others might know the true way. God used the early disciples against
unbelievable odds to turn the world to have faith in Christ. God can use you. Let this
Christmas season be a time of shining your light for Him.

My Time With God

Thursday, December 20, 2007
God is a Merciful Judge
Jude 1-13
Pages 584-585
Key Verse: But dear friends, use your most holy faith to build yourselves up, praying in
the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the Lord Jesus Christ with
his mercy to give you life forever. Jude 20,21.
God is a just God, One who shows no partiality. Outside of grace, God’s penalty
falls on all. “The wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23). Sin is sin. The consequences
have been posted; He gives fair warning. No excuses accepted. No variations on the
rules. Man is accountable. Rebellion, be it active or passive, calls for justice. I understand
God’s justice because I remember rebellion—ten-year old rebellion. My father was the
dispenser of justice. “No swimming in the creek today,” he said, I had plenty of excuses;
“Jimmy went in.” “I was so hot.” ‘It isn’t fair when everybody else’s day lets them go.”
Excuses didn’t matter because the standard had been violated.
The penalty was swift and sure. Justice was done. But then the father who had just
administrated justice reached for his big white handkerchief and wiped the tears from his
eyes. That day, justice and love were forever linked in my mind. My father’s actions
pointed me toward a heavenly Father who sits in the hall of justice, calls His creation to
accountability, but weeps over waywardness even as He pronounces sentence. “Oh,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen
gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)
Justice and love exist in the same person. I can be at peace about God’s system of
justice, for I have confidence in the Judge. There will be not payoffs. He judges clean.
As a sinner who knew where to find grace, I know God today not as my judge but as a
loving Father who continually calls me to accountability. One day He was my judge.
But I can almost see a white handkerchief dabbing tears as He wept over my rebellion,
issued the sentence, and then took my penalty upon Himself. I am acquitted. Justice has
been done. My debt has been paid. I can rest my case…
“God is fair,” I said to myself, “whether or not I understand His ways. For He is a
God of justice. Ruth Senter. How does God want His people to treat those who have
doubts? Do you have complete trust in God, who is both Judge and Savior? Are you at
rest in His love?

My Time With God

Friday, December 21, 2007
God is The Beginning and The End
Revelation 1:1-20
Pages 586-587

Key verses: When I saw Him, I fell down at His feet like a dead man. He put his right
hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the one who
lives, I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys to death and
to the place of the dead. Revelation 1:17,18

Jesus Christ says a most startling thing here in the first chapter of Revelation. He
says that He is both the beginning and the end. That is a doctrine that religions and cults
outside of orthodox Christianity have rejected for centuries. Jesus can be a man they say
but he can in no way be God. But here in Revelation Jesus makes Himself equal to God,
He says I am the beginning, I am the end, I am the Alpha and Omega. When Jesus said
in His ministry “before Abraham was I am” the Hebrew leaders sought to stone Him for
he was making himself out to be God.
It is hard to understand. At this season of the year it is especially amazing to think
that a little child born in a manger is the God of the universe? But if God is almighty,
then God can do such a thing. God has given us so many signs that point to this truth.
Did you ever stop and think about the number of things that are similar between the
beginning of Jesus life and the ending of his life.
Jesus arrival was announced by many angels to many people. Jesus resurrection
was announced by many angels to many people. Jesus was visited by kings at birth and
judged by kings at his death. Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes at birth and also
wrapped in strips of cloth at his death. Jesus was given perfume at his birth and was
anointed with perfume the week of his death. Jesus mother was there at his birth and
stood by the cross at his death. It appears Jesus was born in a manger cave, and he was
buried in a cave.
All of these things tell us that God was in control. God was looking over the life of
His Son. This was heaven’s Son. God was with Jesus in power at His birth and at His
death. Christ was also with the Father at the beginning of the world and will be there
forever. We can trust our God and Savior Jesus Christ, for He became one of us, yet He
is also God and has the might and power to rule over us and the world. John fell down
before the Great I Am, so did the Wise Kings. This Christmas let us bow our knees
before this king who gave His life, gave His everything for us to have abundant and
eternal life.

My Time With God

Saturday, December 22-23, 2007
Keep Your Love for Christ Strong
Revelation 2:1-17
Pages 588-589

Key Verse: But I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning.
So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at
first. If you do not change, I will come to you and will take away your lamp stand from
its place. Revelation 2:1-17

One of the greatest experiences of my life was the trip that Carolyn my wife, and
David(our son), Bethany(our daughter) and I made to see the sights of Paul’s ministry
and of John’s ministry. We were able to travel and see Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis, and
Thyatira. It is remarkable how many buildings, temples, and statues are still standing
from the time of these Apostles. It is interesting that the seven churches of Revelation
have a fair amount of overlap between Paul and John’s ministry. God chose them
uniquely to represent the needs and struggles that all churches and all Christians have
faced through the ages.
Each address to the churches has a warning. Christ challenges them to beware that
their faith does not become stagnant and that they don’t fall away from the living God.
The message that shines brightest from the words that Christ spoke to the churches is the
admonition to Ephesus. You have left your first love and you need to return to it, is the
essence of what He says. Apparently the admonitions were warranted for churches exist
in these locations today, but they are not the spiritual influence that they once were.
Like the seven churches and the people in them each of us must continually evaluate
our spiritual walk. Are we maintaining the same faith and love we had for God in the
beginning or our Christian experience? Are we growing in our faith? Do we have a real
love relationship with Jesus Christ? Do we love the people He has put in our lives? How
can you stir up your love for God, so that the fruit of your life will last? .