I Have Been Crucified With Christ - Part One

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I have taken on the joyful task of spending a few blog posts on Gal 2:20. I feel this will be a benefit to me (and you) for several reasons. First, it will give me a clear understanding of what Paul is speaking to the Galatians regarding their position in Christ and what it truly means to be "crucified." Second, I will begin to grasp in a deeper way what it means to live for Christ. Third, I believe this verse exhorts us to truly live by faith. And fourth, I see where it gives me a reason for my faith... because He loved me.
So, today I begin with the first part of the verse. "I have been crucified with Christ."
The way Paul begins this verse has significance. The word "I" seems fairly important. He states, "I have been crucified" rather than "we." This gives me the assurance that I am known by God personally. Not just collectively as in a large group of people, but as an individual. My mind tries often to comprehend what that means. Sometimes I visualize God as a King or an Emperor. I see Him looking out over a huge city filled with lots of people. Each one is unnamed. This perception is so not how God is. He is intimate with all of us. Visualize if you will the same King sitting on His throne looking out over the people, and at the same time, like a wind blowing amongst them, knowing each one by name.
Christ didn't die on the cross for a group of people. He died for individuals. You and me. He knows each one of us by name. He knows the color of our hair and how many we have. He designed our minds to operate in a certain way. He chose the color of our skin, who our parents would be, and why we may dislike lima beans. God knows each one of us intimately and He was crucified not for a group of unnamed people, but for individuals. For you and for me.
Having been crucified with Christ causes me to ask a few questions. What does it mean for me to be crucified? What did I put to death when I was crucified with Christ? And what is meant by "have been?"
Let me first ponder the "have been" part. I think of a couple of things pertaining to this. First, it could mean that when I made a decision to fully follow Christ I was crucified with Him. Or maybe it means that when He was on the cross taking the punishment for my sin, I was crucified there with Him.
I am inclined to go with the latter. Paul tells us in Ephesians that He knew us before the foundation of the world. God chose us before the foundation of the world, so I am thinking that "have been" means that I was crucified with Christ the day He gave His life for me on the tree. I was on His mind that day. He didn't die in hopes that maybe one day I would accept His free gift. He died knowing I was already His. What a comfort that is.
What does it mean for you and me to be crucified? We know that Paul didn't hang on the tree with Christ. The only two people on Biblical record who were crucified with Christ were the thieves on the cross. So what is Paul explaining to us when he says “I was crucified with Christ?” I think if we look at Romans chapter six we get a little bit more understanding of what the true meaning of us being crucified is. Rom 6:6 tells us that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Being crucified with Christ means that we're dead to sin and we're dead to the law. Our old man has died. Sin no longer has dominion over us. Just as Christ defeated the power of sin, we too no longer allow sin power over us.
So when I read the beginning of Gal 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ," I realize that Christ didn't die for a group of unnamed people, but he died for me as an individual. I was on his mind while he was on the cross. And that my victory over sin and the law occurred before I was ever born. Paul tells us in Gal 5:24 that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Therefore we are to work daily at destroying the power and influence of sin and our life. If we are to live by the spirit, let us also walk by the spirit.
So my prayer for you and me today is that we will become dead to the law and to sin, and begin walking in the grace that God has given us through Christ Jesus. Jesus tells us in Luke chapter nine that anyone who would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Are you willing to be crucified? Are you willing to be dead to the desires of your flesh? Are you willing to live for Christ and offer yourself a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God? Picking up your cross daily needs to be an intentional act of our will. It doesn't happen simply by accident. In order to make your life a living sacrifice, you need to desire the things of God and not the things of the world. One must fall in love with Jesus and desire Him more than anything else. To do that you must get to know Him by reading His word, praying, and spending time with Him. Are you willing to do that?
Lord Jesus I pray that you'll help me understand what it truly means to be crucified with you. To give up my fleshly desires. To live for you alone. You took my sin on the cross so that I didn't have to, and I know that I could never repay you. So, today I offer up my life to you.
May the Lord bless you today as you offer your life to him.
Blessings,
Keith

The Hidden Christian

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Do you remember the "Where's Waldo" books that were a phenomenon several years back. I remember spending hours on the couch with my kids trying to find that elusive little striped fellow. The challenge often got too difficult and the kids or myself would give up and move onto other things.


As I was praying and spending time in the Word this week the image of "Where's Waldo?" came to my mind. Not because I was curious where the striped little man was, but because it related to what I was reading in the Word. I began to think about my life and how reflective of Jesus I am to the rest of the world. Am I a light set on a hill or, like Waldo, hidden in a crowd only to be seen by those who are really looking?

Mat 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus calls us to let our light shine before men. So often we are hidden Christians and our light is more like a dim flicker of a candle on a windy night. We spend more time blending in with the crowd than we do standing out in the crowd.

What if you decided right now to quit being a hidden Christian and become bold in your faith? What if your life was a little less like Waldo's and a whole lot more like Jesus? What if you stopped allowing fear, anxiety, and lack of trust rule your heart? Would your life look different? Would your neighborhood look different? Would our nation look different?

Living a nice comfortable hidden Christian life is safe, but isn't Biblical.

Luk 9:24-26 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

What good is it for us to gain our own comfort and security and lose our soul in hell? Are you a hidden Christian? Do you relate more to Waldo than to Jesus?

What can you do today to allow your light to shine bright before those around you? When you get to the throne of God and stand before Jesus will He tell you He couldn't even see you mixed in the crowd, or will he say to you, "Well done good and faithful servant."

Where are you today?

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One Solitary Life

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He was born in an obscure village, the son of a peasant woman.

He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter's shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he became a wandering preacher.

He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of those things one usually associates with greatness.

He had no credentials but himself.

He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through a mockery of a trial. He was executed by the state. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that One Solitary Life.

Dr James Allen Francis - 1926




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What If... I Loved My Neighbor?

Mar 12:31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Jesus tells us that next to Loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength is to love our neighbor as ourselves. What a command. What if I did that? What would it look like in my life if I loved my neighbor as myself? And what does that mean really?



Is Jesus saying here that if my neighbor asks to borrow a lawn tool that I should give it to him because one day I may need to borrow one of his? Is he saying I am to treat him with respect because I desire that he too treat me with respect? But what happens if you can't get anything good from your neighbor? Let's say he or she is a jerk and you would rather not even see them let alone love them. Or maybe you live in the country and have no neighbors. Was Jesus talking about the guy who lives next door??? So many questions!

I think for me to understand this verse to its fullest I need to do two things. First, define neighbor. And second, what is meant by "love?" For me, I believe that Jesus is not just talking about a person in close proximity to you and your home. A neighbor is any man or woman in which we come into contact with regardless of place of origin, religion, or gender. A fine example of this would be the story out of Luke of the Good Samaritan.

If we are to count all people as our neighbor, that begins to change how we may relate to them. If the obnoxious guy in the grocery store now becomes our neighbor, I suppose this verse calls us to love him. If the homeless crack head woman on the corner becomes our neighbor then we need to love her. If the crazy Jr higher at church is our neighbor... well, you get the point.

Everyone we come into contact with, according to Jesus, is our neighbor. And if that is the case, what if we choose to love them as our self? What if...


So what is this love we are called to have for our neighbor? I can say I love someone, but often my actions are far from it. And how do I love someone I can't stand? That's a tricky one...

I think there are several aspects of love we are to have for our neighbor.

• What if... a Christian shows love for his neighbor by having compassion?
• What if... a Christian shows love for his neighbor by sharing the Gospel?
  
• What if... a Christian shows love for his neighbor by meeting needs?
• What if... a Christian shows love for his neighbor by not condemning?
• What if... a Christian shows love for his neighbor by not seeing race or gender?
• What if... a Christian shows love for his neighbor by caring for children?
• What if... a Christian shows love for his neighbor by forgiving?
  

What if I loved my neighbors like this?

What if...


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True Life Challenge: Our Identity Crisis...

Col 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

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This week I am feeling a little bit convicted. God has placed in my heart a burning desire to seek Him first in all that I do. And, since this blog is about what God is doing and speaking in my life, I feel compelled to be brutally honest and just say it how I am feeling it... There is nothing in this entire Daily In Christ Devotional Blog that I write that God isn't working on in my life. I believe I am the test pilot for all of my writings and I pray that you see my heart and know that what I speak, I speak from Him working on me first...With that said:

Are you having an identity crisis? No, seriously... I think at some time or another in our life we run into a period where our identity gets shaken. The things we place our identity into crumble around us, let us down, or abandon us all together. I know this is true for me and I have seen it occur in the the lives of many people around me. When our identity is in anything but Christ, we will get impatient, frustrated, angry, and desire the things of the world over the things of God. Paul calls them idols and they take first place in our life.

Some people put their identity into their children. And when their children fail them they feel like a failure as a parent. Others might put their identity into health, nutrition, and working out. And we all know that eventually our body is going to let us down. Cars, houses, jobs, etc... we all seek our identity in some form or another in and through these types of things.

As I look closely at the book of Colossians, Paul speaks clearly to the fellow believer's in Colosse to put their identity in Christ. He begins in Col 3:1, "if you are a believer"... "if you have been raised with Christ" then...

Then what? Col 3:2 Set your mind on things above; Col 3:3 put to death what is earthly; Col 3:9-10 put away the old self and put on the new self; Col 3:12-13 put on the attributes of Christ; Col 3:14 and above all else put on love; Col 3:16 let the word of Christ dwell in you; Col 3:17 do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ...

When we have our identity in Christ, we are like a mirror image of the Almighty Creator. We look different, we act different, and we love different than the rest of the world. We do these things not to gain the approval of God, but because we have been transformed by Him and we have placed our identity in Him.

Daily In Christ - True Life Challenge

Where do you place your identity? In your kids, your spouse, you appearance? Do you seek approval because of the work that you do or the people you know? Christ is all and should be all in our lives.

Here are some things that often take the place of God in our lives:

• Success
• Family
• Popularity
• Things
• Health
• Good Works
• Pleasure
• Money
• Position
• Selfish Desires

I encourage you today to look at the things that are most important in your life. Do they center around the things of God or are they for personal comfort, success, or to bring glory to yourself? God wants all our affection. I pray today that you will honor God with all of your heart and begin tearing down idols that keep you from seeing Him. When you place your identity in Christ, you will never be let down!

Blessings to you as you draw closer to Him.

Keith

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Freedom In Christ: Joy in Suffering - Part 2

Col 1:11-12 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

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In this weeks Freedom in Christ, I want to dispel the myth that suffering in the life of a believer is the punishment or wrath of God. Whenever a person goes through a difficult time there is always someone sitting along the roadside to point out that the cause of this difficulty must be sin. "God is punishing you for something," they will say. When a small child gets cancer, another earthquake occurs around the world, or one of us simply loses a job or finds themselves in financial hard times, it is not the wrath of God in our lives.

Absolutely nothing could be further from the truth that suffering is punishment, and here is why. Jesus came into the world to take the punishment from sin and death for us. God's wrath was poured out on Him on the cross for all of mankind. He is our propitiation.

The first three chapters of Romans spell out quite clearly that we are all deserving of the wrath of God. Jew and gentile alike are condemned due to our corruption, our sin, and our disobedience. But there is good news... in spite of us falling short of the glory of God, Jesus became the recipient of our punishment (Rom 3:23-25). We will all struggle, we will all have hard times, and we will all die. It is just the facts!

Suffering doesn't serve the wrath of God, but it does serve a purpose of God.

Rom 5:3 tells us that we rejoice in our sufferings and our sufferings produce endurance, our endurance produces character, and our character produces hope. What good is it in our life if we are immune to difficulties? If we are a witness to God almighty and His glorious work, and we live like our neighbor who has rejected God and lives for himself, then where is the hope. If God only gives us nice things, and our neighbor has nice things already, then he can take the credit as we give the credit to God.

But what happens when we rejoice in our sufferings? What happens when an ungodly world sees Christians having hope in the midst of difficulty and trials. What happens when we are giving praise to God when our teenager dies 70 years early, or our house gets foreclosed on, or we are diagnosed with a brain tumor? What happens is that those people around us who have never understood the grace of God begin to see it. They see our hope. They see our character. They see Jesus.

Daily In Christ - Freedom In Christ

Today I encourage you to mentally and spiritually prepare for trials and suffering. If you have not seen much difficulty in your life then praise God. There is a season for everything in this life and one day we will all experience difficulties. If we prepare our hearts and get the right perspective then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will be able to dwell in our hearts.

If you are experiencing difficulties, in addition to turning your pain over to Jesus, I encourage you to join the World Wide Prayer Network. (If you are a facebook user) This is a place to share your prayer requests and pray for others.

Blessings to you as you give Him praise in all circumstances.

Keith

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True Life Challenge: We Can't Do This Thing Alone

Pro 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

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We sing it in hymns and it is preached in pulpits all over the world, "What a friend we have in Jesus." And it rings true in every Christian's life. We do have a friend in Jesus around every obstacle, during every joyous time, and when things get just flat out hard. Jesus is our true friend and will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5-6). But sometimes the road we are going on gets really dark and it is difficult to see our Friend amongst the weeds. That is where an earthly friend can help.

Proverbs 27:17 tells us that iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. When we are in continuous fellowship with Christian brother's and sister's we are sharper and acutely aware of the snares that lie before us. I'm not just talking about watching a football game or going shopping, Prov 27:17 is reminding us that we are to work at sharpening the minds of one another regarding the things of God. Going out with friends and having fun is good, but in order to avoid the snare we must also have friends in our life that help us sharpen our minds so we can ultimately bring glory to God in all that we do.

1Co 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Daily In Christ - True Life Challenge

Today's challenge is this... Take a good look at your friendships. Are they superficial and focused merely on pleasure and fun? If you don't have one or two people in your life that can help you (and you help them) sharpen your mind regarding the things of Christ, then pray that God will bring someone into your life for this purpose.

Having a true Christian friend that you can share your life with is rewarding and strengthening. This world brings us much trouble, it is far better to not go through it alone.

Blessings to you as you seek your true friendship in Jesus.

Keith

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Freedom In Christ: Joy In The Midst Of Suffering

The title of today's post may seem like an oxymoron to many people. How is one to experience joy in the midst of suffering? It almost seems like an insult to suggest to someone to find joy in their trials and suffering... and to one who hasn't experienced the transforming power of Christ, it very well may be. In this post today I can hardly expect to tackle all of the challenges that come from suffering and how we will find the Joy of the Lord in them. So, I will continue on pursuing this topic again in future posts as the Lord leads.

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Pure Joy is exactly what Jesus offers us when we find our freedom in Him (John 15:10-11; John 17:13; 1Pet 1:8; ). We are free to experience the joy of the Lord in the midst of suffering because we understand, as followers of Christ, we are to share in his sufferings (2Cor 1:5; Phil 3:10). Now this Biblical truth may be absolutely foreign to many Christians, because most American churches don't often teach about finding our joy in Christ in the midst of trials and suffering. We live in a culture that does everything in its power to avoid suffering and pain, therefore, as Christians we often believe God is there to assist in that goal. But joy in our trials is not a new truth by any means. We are told in the book of Acts that through many trials we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).

So how do we find joy in the midst of suffering? I believe first and foremost we need to understand that God has a plan and purpose in all of our lives (Jer 29:11; Zech 8:15; ). Whether in success or failure, good times or bad, God is doing a work that will ultimately bring glory to Him and good for us. Secondly we are not always able to understand His ways of working (Job 42:1-3; Isa 55:8-9; Ecc 7:14). And third, we must come to the understand that God is good (Psa 100:5; Psa 118:1) and He works all things together for our good (Rom 8:28-29).

When we begin to understand that different forms of suffering in our life is inevitable, then we are able to draw near to God rather that blame Him. God does allow us to go through pain and suffering for our good and here are some reasons why. (I will use the word trials for simplicity sake)

• Trials strengthen our faith (1Pet 1:6-7)
• Trials are predetermined by God (1Thes 3:3; 1Pet 4:19)
  
• Trials bring about perseverance (Rom 5:3)
  
• Trials build endurance (Jam 1:3-4)
• Trials defeat arrogance and bring humility (2Cor 12:7-10)
  
• Trials cause us to rely on God (Psa 118:5)
  
• Trials allow us to receive the crown of life (James 1:12)

When suffering and trials become a way for us to build us up in our relationship with Christ we are able to look at them differently. "So where is the joy?" you ask.

Rom 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

When we believe the Word of God to be true, when we understand that God is working for our good, when we rely on Him for our source of strength, then we are confident that God will fill us with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.. Rom 15:13

Joy in the midst of suffering is not an immediate response in our life. It comes by being grounded in the Word and rooted in Jesus Christ. As you ponder and pray over today's post I encourage you to seek the Lord in your trials and ask Him to fill your heart with joy.

Until next week, I pray that you seek joy in Him as you face trials of many kinds.

Blessings,
Keith

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Give Thanks - Delight yourself in the LORD

Psa 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

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I have heard this verse many times in my Christian walk and it was often associated with what God will do for me. "He will give you the desires of your heart!" As I wrote in last weeks Give Thanks post, often God's promises come with a premise. So instead of focusing on what God will do for me, I find it in my heart to look at the first part of the verse.

The premise in this Psalm is that we "delight ourselves in the LORD." So today I want to dive into what it means for us to delight in Him.

DELIGHT: To affect with great pleasure; to please highly; to give or afford high satisfaction or joy;

To delight in God is more than merely giving up something and begrudgingly serving him. It isn't a duty we perform because we have to. It is the unbridled pursuit in finding all joy, all happiness, and all satisfaction in Him regardless of our circumstances. To delight in God is to find everything else to be grotesque in comparison. Unlike our pursuit of earthly pleasure, there is no satisfying our delight in God. There is no over doing it. You can not pursue your delight in God too much. And when you are done at the end of the day, there is no regret, no shame, and no guilt. Unlike the desires of the flesh, our delight for God is unquenchable.

Our pursuit of delighting in God will bring us ultimate fulfillment and joy. When his joy becomes our joy there is nothing more satisfying. When we go to work, take the Joy of the Lord with us. When we go to school or even to the grocery store, if we are delighting in the Lord we will possess and inexpressible joy that is contagious to others.

Daily In Christ - Give Thanks

Today I encourage your to give thanks to God by finding all of your delight in Him. Turn away from worldly desires, lusts of the flesh, and delight solely in Jesus.

Blessings to you as you delight in HIM.

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True Life Challenge - Grace Through Humility

Jas 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

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As I think about this verse today I ask myself one question. If God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, how is a proud person able to become humble? C. S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, puts it this way:

"There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility." - C. S. Lewis

So back to the question... how do we defeat this pride in our life that is most disliked by others? How do we conquer this unpopular vice and pursue true humility? Most people who struggle with pride, according to Lewis, are simply unconscious of it in themselves. It is a viscous circle that requires divine intervention.

The first step to true Christian humility is coming to the realization that pride is an abomination to God and separates us from Him (Pro 16:5). In addition to separation from God, it also separates us from other people. Once we identify pride in our heart, we can begin dealing with the sin and working toward becoming right with God. Jas 4:10 tells us to humble ourselves before the Lord. This requires that we profess the condition of our heart to God. The ugliness, worthlessness, and sinfulness that dwells inside of us. Admit that we are nothing apart from Jesus and we require complete dependence on Him.

Daily In Christ - True Life Challenge

Today's True Life Challenge is this. Pray Psalm 139:23-24 and ask God to reveal your heart. Then, when you have identified anything that might be grievous, ask the Lord to cleanse it from you.

Psa 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Blessings to you today as you draw close to Him.

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Marriage Minute: Delight In One Another...

Pro 5:18-20 Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth. As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love. For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

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Today's Daily In Christ Marriage Minute may be a reality check for some. A time where you are reminded to prune away some sinful behaviors and rededicate your heart to the one person God gave to you for the rest of your life. For others it may simply be an affirmation of a great blessing in your life, your love and affection for your husband or wife... These verses in the book of Proverbs affirm my God given love and devotion to my wife, and my never ending commitment to my marriage.

It grieves the Lord tremendously when a couple who have devoted themselves to one another find their marriage bed tarnished because of selfishness and sin. God has designed a perfect system for us to enjoy the fruits of marriage and we spend a lot of time and effort messing it up sometimes. God said it is not good for man to be alone and made a perfect specimen for him (Gen 2:8). When we selected our spouse we did so with the intent that we would keep ourselves pure and only devoted to the one He gave us.

Daily in Christ - Marriage Minute Challenge

Do you delight in your spouse the way you did from the time you first met? Are you still exhilarated by their love or have you been drawn to other things to satisfy your desires? I encourage you to make a firm commitment to not allow the temptations of other people, the lusts of the flesh, and the impure desires of your heart have any place in your life.

I pray today that you will delight in the wife (and husband) of your youth. Ask Jesus to be your strength and source of love toward your spouse.

Blessings,
Keith

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Sovereignty Saturday: The Omnipresence Of God

Psa 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?

Last week I shared on the topic of the omnipotence of God. It is the ability in which He can do all things that do not conflict with His holy nature. God has the power to do anything He wants to. This week I delight in looking at the omnipresence of God. I know for me, omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience… they all can seem quite confusing. However, when it comes to understanding and trusting in the Sovereignty of God, they are all characteristics that are vital to who He is.

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Omnipresence defined: The understanding that God is in all places at all times.

If God, being all powerful, can do whatever He desires, then what is to stop Him from being anywhere He desires. I know for me in my Christian walk, I have a general understanding that God has the power to go everywhere. But to put my head around the fact that He IS everywhere at the same time ALL of the time boggles the mind. This ever present God we faithfully serve isn’t like us when it comes to being somewhere. I know I am often in one place but my mind and desire is to be somewhere else. God is in all places at all times. This means that God is completely there… Not a portion of Him, not bits and pieces here and there, all of God all the time. (Figure that one out!)

So what does this omnipresence mean for you and me? First it means that He is with us when we sin (Jer 23:23-24). But more importantly, for the believer, It is comforting to know and understand that God is with us in every circumstance of our life (Psa 139:7-16). He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5). Understanding the omnipresence of God should empower us to walk confidently in our faith. He is there when we go to work and face the people we interact with who don’t know Christ. He walks with us in times of sickness and despair. He is right by our side when we are experiencing the joy of a new born baby. God is all places at all times sharing in our struggles, successes, and joys.

Daily In Christ – Sovereignty Saturday Challenge

Understanding the reality that God is in all places in all times, think for a moment what that means to you as a Christian. Does it change how you speak to others? Does it make you consider what you do when you are alone and temptations are around every corner? Does it cause you to want to give Him a second thought when you have a decision to be made?

God’s omnipresence causes me to really consider my actions and behaviors more carefully, understanding that I want to glorify Him in all I do. Nothing I do can be hidden from him. And nothing I am needing help with is a surprise to Him.

Praise God today for His ever knowing, ever present spirit.

Blessings,
Keith

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Freedom In Christ: Fear Not...

Over the past week there has been a lot of media coverage surrounding the senseless killing of innocent people in front of a neighborhood grocery store in Tucson, Arizona. As I have intermittently watched the coverage and listened to the people I work with discuss this event, I see a theme throughout many of the conversations. Fear...

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During this same time period I have been reading from a book that was published back in 1885. The title of the book is "DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY AND OTHER SERMONS, BY REUEN THOMAS, MINISTER OF HARVARD CHURCH, BROOKLINE"

The chapter I was reading in at the time of the shooting was:

"THE LIMITATIONS OF EVIL"

Here is a quote from that chapter:

But there is a limit even to the worst things that a man can do. When he murders me he comes to the limit of his ability. He releases my soul from its fetters, he unbinds me from this earth, he hurries me into the spiritual world. It is an immense thing to do for me ; it may be, as far as I am personally concerned, a great blessing conferred ; as far as the doer of the deed is concerned it must be the weightiest curse, for he has done his worst on me.

The Christian view of death does not make murder any the less of a crime, it does nothing to justify war, but it does a great deal to relieve our minds when we think upon Divine Providence. What meditative mind is there that has not been on the edge of disbelief in a Divine Providence in times of dire calamity, when human life seemed so cheap as almost to be worthless, blood poured out like water, and for what?

One of the reoccurring themes in this chapter comes from the book of Matthew. (Matt 10:28)

"Fear not them which kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do."

One of the primary functions of a person with this kind of killing capacity is to invoke fear in people. In addition to threats of terror, we are constantly bombarded with threats of economic downturns, never ending wars, and an ever present evil that is among us. All of which can cause us to respond with fear. I admit, I have times when things around me cause fear and anxiety in my life. Jesus tells us to not fear those who can kill the body...

Daily In Christ - Freedom In Christ Challenge

Jesus wants us to live free from anxiety and fear and the Bible tells us when we cast our cares on Him we are truly free. Fear can overtake us in many areas of our life and today I encourage you to cast your fears on Jesus. Leave them at the foot of the cross and trust in His Divine Providence.

I pray today that you can experience His peace in times of trouble.

Blessings,
Keith

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Give Thanks: I Am Thankful For His Provision

Php 4:18-19 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

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This post was a bit difficult for me to write today. It is humbling to praise God for His bounty and provision when so many are going without. I am in a season of few financial, health, or personal difficulties and I praise God for that. Yes, we have had many struggles, and I have often wondered where God was during those times. But, right now I am truly being blessed and I can not point to any reason other than the grace of God.

As I think about the provision of God in my life I can't help but also put some thought into the people around the world who have far less than I do. There are even many in my own neighborhood who live on the streets or have very little. Living in a country of abundance, it is easy to take all that we have for granted. Our typical American family has a couple of computers, several television sets, cars, and all sorts of clothes and toys. We live in big houses and almost always have plenty of food in the refrigerator.

So when I look at a verse like this one in Philippians, I have to stop and wonder what it might mean to someone living on the streets, or someone living in an oppressed country, or to a little child starving and without water. If I walked into the streets of Haiti today and told them that my God will supply all of their needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus, how would they respond?

First, I wish to clarify one thing... I am not an expert on the ways of God. God makes it extremely clear in scripture that His ways are not for me to understand fully. (Isa 55:8) So with that said, I want to share that I am thankful for His provision in my life. This post is not to answer all the questions surrounding suffering and evil in the world, it is to glorify God in the amazing bounty He has bestowed upon me and my family.

One comment I would like to share today regarding Phi 4:18-19 is this. This verse is often misapplied. God allows people to suffer and go through trials for various reasons and at different times in their life. Being in a trial or going without does not negate the promises of God. It often confirms them. Paul, when addressing the Philippians in this verse qualified the blessing with a premise. (See verses 14-18) Often God's promise comes with a premise. (2Cor 9:6-8) The premise was this, "We must be generous to others." The other misinterpretation of this verse assumes that the needs were merely physical needs, (money, food, shelter). This verse does not necessarily refer to just our physical needs, but our spiritual needs as well.

So here is what I do know about the character of God when it comes to meeting our needs. God requires us to serve Him (Mat 6:33). He knows your needs and mine (Mat 6:8). He has the abundant resources to supply every need that we have (Eph 3:20). God often allows us to suffer for a time, and when the time is over blesses us greatly (Job 42:10). Some people will suffer for a lifetime and their abundance comes in eternity. (Luke 16:19-31)

God is good, God is loving, and God shows mercy on His children. I am thankful today first and foremost for the gift of salvation. I am also thankful for the provisions of God in my life.

I pray that you will be blessed by Him as you faithfully serve.

Blessings,
Keith

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True Life Challenge: Take It To Him In Prayer

Php 4:5-6 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (esv)

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This week the Lord is speaking to me in the area of prayer. I recently had an issue arise in my life and the first thing I did was stop and pray. Within a short period of time my prayer was answered and the peace of God overwhelmed me. There has been another situation over the past 5 years that I have been praying for and it seems like nothing is happening. One day I seem to see fruit in this situation and then the next it appears to be just the opposite.

I am convinced that we need to take everything to the Lord in prayer. There is a song in which the lyrics say:

When it seams that not a friend on earth can understand,
When temptation comes to you from ev'ry hand;
When your strength is almost gone
and there's no one to care,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

I find it easier to come to the lord in these circumstances. But how much more difficult it is to keep coming when the answer doesn't come along with our petition to Him. Phil 4:6 instructs us to take everything to Him in prayer with thanksgiving. I think everything means everything in this verse.

Daily in Christ - True Life Challenge

Today's challenge is to begin to develop a fervent prayer life. Take time each day and often throughout the day to make your requests known to the Lord. Then, make it a habit to go before the throne often each day for your needs and the needs of others.

Developing a consistent prayer life is challenging. We have so many things pulling us in all sorts of directions. We often see prayer as something that seems pointless since it appears the answers never come. Or we just simply are too anxious about the concerns of life to take our requests to God.

My prayer for you today is that God will open up windows of hope in your life as you seek Him more fervently.

Blessings,
Keith


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Marriage Minute: Speak Gently To One Another

Mat 12:36-37 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

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As I sit down to think and pray about today's Marriage Minute, I have to look at my heart and make sure I am right before God before I can even think about what I can say to others. And oh what a humbling thing that is sometimes. This week God has encouraged and uplifted me in many areas of my life. He has also brought one area to my heart that I want to share specifically with you on today's Marriage Minute. It is the area of communication.

Jesus tells us that we will be accountable for every careless word that we speak. Good and thoughtful communication is a huge factor when comes to being intimate in your marriage. I discovered again this past week, (and I say again because I am such a work in progress) that how I speak to my wife makes an enormous difference in how we relate in other areas. Kind and encouraging words generally equates to love and intimacy. Harsh and critical words cause our relationship more strain and the closeness we may have had just a few hours earlier can be gone.

Daily In Christ - Marriage Minute Challenge

This week I challenge you to consider the words of Jesus. Even if you disagree with something your spouse is saying to you, remember that we will be held accountable for the things we say to our spouse. Be patient and speak gently... Remember, a gentle word turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Prov 15:1-2)

Sometimes it is quite difficult to speak gently when you feel you may have been offended. If you practice patience and calmness in your communication this week I am certain your spouse will see the difference in your heart.

I pray you will be strengthened as you speak kindly to your spouse this week.

Blessings,
Keith

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Salvation Sunday: The Importance Of Faith

Faith - A firm conviction that produces a full acknowledgment of God's truth; a belief and hope in God and his Word in response to the message of salvation (see John 1:12). Having a certainty in what you hope for even though you may not be able to see it (see Hebrews 11:1-40). - New Believer's Bible Glossary

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Faith is a fundamental characteristic in all believer's lives. It is paramount when it comes to having a relationship with Jesus Christ. A few months back I was sharing my faith in Jesus with a co-worker who was well versed on the scriptures. He grew up reading his Bible and going to church and felt like he knew God. He didn't however believe he could have a personal relationship with Him and told me it was because he lacked faith. He informed me that he wanted to know God the way I did and have a relationship, he just couldn't muster up the faith to bringing himself to believe Jesus was actually who he said he was. So what is this Christian faith and why did I have it and he didn't? That question stirred inside of me for days and I still ponder it from time to time.

Faith is a gift of God's grace. It is established and measured out by Him. (Rom 12:3) The writer of Hebrews (Heb 12:2) tells us that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. Faith is the only way in which we are saved. Ephesians tells us that we are saved through it, not because of it. (Eph 2:8)

Today is a good day to remember that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Many religious people think that getting right with God is the way to salvation and it must be attained through their good works. I have encountered people who think that they need to "have it all together" before God will accept them.

Daily In Christ - Salvation Sunday

Today's Salvation Sunday message is this: Jesus came to reconcile sinful man to a righteous and Holy God. There is nothing we can do to earn our way to Him and it can only be received through faith in Christ. We can not earn it and we don't have to have everything right in our life before we receive.

If you are sitting on the fence today and haven't given your life fully to Jesus Christ because you lack faith, I encourage you to respond to Him right now. Pray that He will give you a measure of faith that allows you to see Him more clearly than you have ever seen Him before.

Praise God today for giving us His Son.

Blessings,
Keith

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Freedom In Christ: Alive In Christ

Rom 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (esv)

Today is another Freedom In Christ Friday. God is doing amazing things in the lives of believer's all around the world and your life is no exception. This verse from the book of Romans is a clear message to all of us that we are unified with Christ. Being one with Christ is a pretty amazing thing considering the contrast between the heart of sinful man and the love of a perfect God.

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Paul tells us in the verses that precede verse 11 that we have been united in Christ's death, therefore we are also united in His life. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we too are raised with Him. This doesn't only refer to our eternal life after we pass on the earth. It refers to us being alive in Christ today and no longer under the bondage and wreckage of sin and death. (Rom 6:5-8)

Being alive in Christ means that we have put away the desires of our old self. The love for sin and the fulfillment of our flesh are in opposition to the new life we now possess. We are a new man. (Col 3:9-10)

Daily In Christ - Freedom In Christ Challenge

Paul tells us in verse 6 that our old self was crucified. Today's Freedom in Christ Challenge is do an assessment of your life. Has your old self truly been crucified and put to death or are you holding onto things that you just can't let go of? Old habits, unforgiveness, lust and fleshly desires can create strongholds in our life and keep us from living the fulfilling life in Christ that awaits us. Pray, seek the Holy Spirit's guidance, and work toward eliminating those things that keep you from looking more and more like Jesus.

May you look more like Jesus today than you did yesterday.

Blessings,
Keith

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Give Thanks: Tell Of All His Woundrous Works

1Ch 16:8-9 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! (esv)

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As I read through 1Chronicles today I am struck by these words in chapter 16. "Make known His deeds among the peoples; tell of His wondrous works." In our walk as Christians it is easy to give thanks to the Father for all He has done. It is something we often do when we are with our Christian friends and family. But how often do we make known all He has done for us to the people we encounter at work, school, or in our community. Opening up to non-believer's about God's wondrous works can be a vulnerable thing to do. It requires us to openly proclaim our faith in Jesus and show others that what we have received is a blessing from Him and not our own efforts.

Daily In Christ - Give Thanks

Today I encourage you to be intentional in sharing some things with non-believer's that you are thankful for. Ask God, in your morning time with Him, to open up doors of opportunity. "Proclaim them to the peoples" giving all the glory to God.

May the Lord place in your path those who need to hear a message of thanksgiving from you today.

Blessings,
Keith

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