September 2008 Blog Archive

September 29, 2008
Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

The most amazing part of our salvation is though it's so precious, it's absolutely free! I mean really, how can something priceless be free? God's great love for us and His desire to be with us compelled Him to pay that great price required for our redemption. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to comprehend what really happened at Calvary and at the tomb on that third day. I feel very much like the man who was questioned over and over by the cynics of his day regarding how Jesus had healed him. His testimony was plain and simple - matter of fact. He said something like this, "All I know is I once was blind and now I see.".

Salvation is a simple concept. God loved us too much to let sin keep us away so by His amazing grace He paid for our redemption, He reached out and drew us close again. The simplest faith-filled heart now has free access to know and love God.

Today's Anchor:

Keep faith simple - we are saved and kept by His grace.

September 19, 2008
Hebrews 22:6

But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

There's nothing as wonderful as the prize at the end of the race. After all the effort and hardship, the training and the pain, to finally receive the anticipated hope - there's nothing like it. After the eighth gold medal, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps spoke candidly about the ridicule, the rigorous training and the dedication he endured to reach his potential at the Olympic Games. No one could have imagined the great reward that was awaiting him.

Day after day we have a choice set before us; will we be hypnotized by the mundane and the temporary or will we look for something greater, investing our time, our hopes and efforts into the great potential of knowing God. To choose the better choice and know God will require raw determination. There are countless distractions and discouragements along the way but there is a prize awaiting us. For every person who presses through the days of doubt; every one who believes that God is waiting for them to call, those individuals will not be disappointed. Every effort invested into pursuing God will be handsomely rewarded.

Anchor #5 - God is worthy chasing after - He is a rewarder!

September 12, 2008
Romans 4:18 & 21

[For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith... as he had been promised...

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He has promised.

There are four basic components to life: Oxygen, water, food and hope. Each one is like a pillar sustaining our lives, strengthening us from day to day, the most significant of which is hope. We live by means of hope. Not only is it critical to possess and protect hope but it's also crucial to recognize that hope requires a rock solid foundation.

God alone is the Rock on which hope can stand. In order to fulfill His purpose and to enjoy His promises, we will have to come to terms with the same reality Abraham faced; human wisdom and ability is not enough. But God, who calls us and gives us His hope, is "able and mighty to keep His word and do what He has promised.

Anchor #4 - God's ability equips us to see His promise and our destiny  fulfilled.  Our hope belongs in Him.

 
September 4, 2008
1 Samuel 18:30

Then the Philistine princes came out to battle, and when they did so, David had more success and behaved himself more wisely than all Saul's servants, so that his name was very dear and highly esteemed.

The high prize of life: success and a good reputation. Sounds good, doesn't it? It's not the unattainable dream; it's the heritage of every person who walks with God. David had it - and we know he wasn't perfect, nor were his circumstances perfect. Yes, even in the middle of a battle his resume read "successful, wise and highly esteemed". You and I can have the same tag line on our lives; it's a matter of living everyday in obedience to God.

David was groomed for success, though not the way most of us would suppose. He didn't have tutors and mentors; he wasn't molded by the great men of his day. He spent years of his life alone with God and a large herd of sheep; talk about leadership training. For years he listened to the voice of God and gained the knowledge that would eventually become  wisdom. This very wisdom would grant him success and create his reputation.

The birth place of wisdom is found in the presence of God. This wisdom, that lifts us up even in the middle of the battlefield, is engrafted into the heart that clings to God. He does not reserve wisdom for the rich or the privileged; He gives it freely to all who ask. James 1:5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

The third anchor will give us success even in the time of war: Live close to God and live by wisdom.