Comforted in the Power of Christ

For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.  -Romans 1:11, 12

Here we see a powerful and wonderful truth in God’s Word: the power of God brings comfort and stability to our lives.  The world is filled with people who are unstable, have no peace, no direction, and their lives are in a shambles.  If we have some stability, some direction, and the Lord is giving us His guidance, then that is nothing to feel ashamed about.  We don’t have to broadcast it or brag about it, but neither is it something to be ashamed of.  Never make an apology for being a follower of Jesus Christ.  That is the most positive and productive lifestyles a person could ever choose.  Following Christ is always preferable to following the ways of the world.

We can only comfort one another in what we know is right and what we feel most positive about.  If I am filled with hatred, bitterness, and anger then I am not going to be much comfort to anyone.  But if the love of Jesus reigns in our hearts then God can and will use that to comfort others.  Back-handed comfort is no comfort at all.  If someone is miserable I don’t think he wants to hear about how miserable I am.  I know that’s contrary to the old adage of "misery loves company," but honestly, what I think that person wants is the re-assurance of some hope.  What we communicate to others is that there is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

All is not lost, and though the situation looks bleak, there is hope in Jesus Christ.  This is what Jesus referred to as the blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14).  One of those two has to have sight, or they will both stumble and fall.  

When we have the power of Christ in us, we will be capable of showing others that there is hope in the Lord.  Those who place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ will not be disappointed.  Christ can take the most troubled life and make it peaceful.  He is able to take shattered lives and make them whole again.  The Lord can put ruined lives back on the right track.  Comfort, hope, and stability are waiting in Christ.  The troubled soul finds hope and refuge in the Lord.  He is more than willing to forgive and empower us to overcome whatever trials we are facing.  

Christ is willing and ready to save.  Open your heart and let Him do that perfect work in your life today.

Spiritual Healing: Readily Available

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"  Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. –Mark 1:40-42 

The Scriptures show us that Jesus was always willing to go beyond the social norms of the day in order to minister to peoples’ needs.  Jesus consistently placed human need over and above following the letter of the law.  When the Lord reached out and touched the leper’s hand he broke a number of social norms and customs.  First, people simply didn’t touch lepers; that would be inviting the disease upon themselves.  Secondly, for the Jewish man of Jesus’ day, coming into contact with someone who was unclean (such as a leper), would make the man ceremonially unclean for the rest of the day and he would be unable to enter the temple to worship.  There is also the consideration that the leper broke a rule of society as well; he was supposed to cry out “Unclean! Unclean!” However, in his desire to find healing he disregarded this custom and sought the Lord.  The leper possessed the faith that Christ could heal, and Jesus was perfectly willing to heal the man of his affliction.  What a blessed outcome; faith that Jesus could heal followed by the Lord’s healing touch.

When we look around us we see that there are countless people in need of the Lord’s healing touch.  While we won’t see many lepers around us, we will see those whose lives have been ravaged by addiction, poor choices, bad judgment, sickness, crises, and painful life circumstances.  Like the leper seeking the Lord, they can find spiritual healing through Jesus Christ.  The leper walked away cleansed from his illness.  Those today who seek the Lord can also be delivered from that which is destroying their peace and joy.  Christ has the power to overcome anything that sets itself up against us.  No circumstance is too big or too great for the Lord to handle.  Those who seek Christ will find Him, and those who desire the Lord’s healing touch will experience a wonderful spiritual redemption. 

Don’t stand on the outside wondering if there is hope for you.  In Christ there is hope.  The Lord stands ready to heal, cleanse, and forgive.  He will not abandon you in your time of need.    

When you come to Him in simple faith and say, “Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean,”  the Lord will respond in kindness and grace: “I am willing; be clean.”

Un-cluttering and Renewing the Mind

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  –Romans 12:2 

I watched a program recently that chronicled the lives of people who can’t throw anything away.  And you’re thinking, “Hey, he’s talking about me.” No, these are people who so keep and hoard everything that their homes become almost uninhabitable.  Most of what they pile up in their homes would be considered worthless junk, but these people refuse to throw it out.  Eventually their homes become filled to the point that every room is piled to the ceiling with this clutter.  The result is a dangerous and unhealthy environment that can damage their quality of life.

As I consider this I realize that the human mind can also be filled with all sorts of clutter that can hinder our peace of mind and spiritual growth.  We can become so overwhelmed with problems, bad memories, guilt, worry, and fear that our forward progress is stymied; we become stalled out in terms of growing in our faith.  Do you have a bad memory from the past that seems to creep up on you when you least expect it and it causes you problems and grief?  If you struggle with such painful memories then you are not alone.  Countless people wrestle with such issues on a regular basis.  By the power of the Holy Spirit these thoughts that clutter our minds can be dealt with and overcome. 

The Scripture teaches that we are transformed into the image of Christ through the renewing of our minds.  The mind can be daily renewed through prayer, spending time in the Word, and walking through the day in an attitude of prayer and openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  When we feel our minds being cluttered with bad thoughts, vengeful feelings, unresolved guilt, or unforgiving attitudes, then we know that it is time for a de-cluttering of the mind.  This is always done through prayer and the Word of God. 

Don’t allow your mind to be cluttered.  Clean it out; renew it daily through prayer and God’s Holy Word.  The results will astound you and bring about a wonderful peace.  The troubled soul is comforted and the cluttered mind is renewed by the power of the Word and Prayer.  Don’t delay, but begin seeking the Lord today.  He can and will remove that which hinders.

   

Stop Doubting, Start Believing

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  –James 1:6 

The Scripture teaches that God works everything out according to His time and His purposes.  The problem comes when we begin to question why something happened the way that it did.  Not only do we question why, but we might also question why now?  True faith motivates us to look beyond the “whys”  to the greater purpose of God’s will for our lives.  True faith is the kind of faith that believes God without ever becoming bitter and trusts God without doubt.  Bitterness and doubt have ever been the enemies of pure faith.  This is why Jesus challenges us, as He did Thomas, to “Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27).

What happens to faith when doubt creeps in?  You know the answer: Our faith diminishes in strength.  However, when we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to drive doubt and unbelief from our lives, the result is vibrant faith that is ever moving forward despite the obstacles that are in our way.  These obstacles can take the form of disappointments, fear, heartaches, problems, and all sorts of frustrations.  We might even have to face some sort of crisis that threatens our lives or the life of someone close to us.  During those times faith in Christ keeps us anchored in Him.  And if we are anchored we will not be moved, swayed, nor tossed about by the trials of life.  We will be able to stand firm – not in our power, but by the power of Christ in us.    

In what area is your faith being tested right now?  What has been your response?  Rather than question why, seek instead to trust God that in His time and according to His will you will come through as you are lead by His strong and mighty hand.  Questioning why leads us nowhere.  Trusting Christ, in pure and unquestioning faith, moves mountains.    

I have prayed the following prayer more times that I can remember: “Lord, I will believe upon You, and in You will I trust.  Remove my doubts, my fears, and my uncertainties.  My life is in Your hands.”    

Faith in the Lord Jesus always brings comfort to the troubled soul.  Stand firm and trust the Lord.  He will bring you through whatever storm you are facing.

Being a Prisoner for the Lord

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. -Ephesians 4:1, 2

What do you think of Paul referring to himself as a prisoner?  Does that surprise you, or do you find it strange?  The problem is that we always associate being a prisoner in a negative sense.  But here Paul uses it in the positive.  Christ will not let him go.  He is bound to remain in Christ’s service for the rest of his life.  When it comes to serving the Lord, ours is a life sentence.  We are to be in this for the long haul.  Following Christ is to be our life’s work until the day we die.  From Paul’s perspective, being a prisoner for the Lord was not to be taken in the negative, but rather as a statement of his commitment to serving the Lord throughout his life.

The prisoner who is serving a life sentence understands that he or she will be a prisoner for the duration of life.  Imagine looking out at the years to come and knowing that situation is not going to change.  In referring to himself as a prisoner, Paul the Apostle was making a statement about his wholehearted commitment to serving the Lord Jesus.  He would remain in Christ's service, a prisoner, for the duration of his life.  Such commitment stands firm, doesn't back down, and will not alter with the shifting tides of life.  Come what may, the prisoner of the Lord is going to remain in that state.

Imagine for a moment going to a job interview.  Suppose the interviewer were to ask where you see yourself in the next five, ten, or twenty years.  Are you able to think that far ahead?  Does such a span of time seem too far down the road to hazard a guess as to what you might be doing then?  For the believer, we must be able to say with all confidence that come five, ten, twenty, or even thirty years down the road we will still be following Christ and serving Him.  Come what may, and no matter what direction our lives go, our commitment is to serve the Lord for life.  Such a commitment qualifies us to declare ourselves a prisoner of the Lord, as did Paul the Apostle.  

The life sentence: how about it?  Are you in for the long haul?  That is exactly the commitment to which we have been called, and the Lord expects from us nothing less.

The Cross: A Reminder of God's Free Gift of Salvation

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. -I Corinthians 1:22-24

The cross reminds us of what Christ has done for us.  Salvation has come in Jesus Christ.  Through Him we are more than conquerors, for death and hell, sin and the grave, have been overcome.  Paul the Apostle pointed out that a lot of people get hung up on this truth; they stumble right over it.  People seem to have a hard time accepting the truth that the grace of God is freely given to any and all who will receive it.  We are taught that nothing is free; you have to work for and earn everything you get – at least that is the work ethic that has been ingrained into people since time out of mind.  We become distrustful when someone offers us something that is completely free and without cost to us.  That seems to always go against conventional wisdom, and we inevitably end up questioning such an offer.

But the grace of God is indeed freely given through faith in Jesus Christ.  In Jesus Christ we gain a look at what the grace and love of God is all about.  God is higher, greater, mightier, and more holy than we can comprehend, and yet He has taken the time to care for you and me.  He cares for us, loves us, has reached out to us, and has sought to redeem.  Why is this so difficult for people to accept?  When we accept God's gift of salvation, we become empowered to face whatever life throws at us.  And we know all too well that life is going to give us some hard knocks.  My brother-in-law, who has done a great deal of wilderness camping, said recently that when he was way in the back woods camping, that when a severe storm would come, that sometimes all you could do was to hunker down and wait for the storm to pass.  That’s pretty good isn’t it?  That is a powerful life lesson.  When it looks as if the storm is too severe to move forward, then you might just have to hunker down and wait for it to pass.

Allow me take this a step further; when we are hunkered down waiting for the storm to pass, we are also anchored in Jesus Christ, and He will see us through and keep us in His powerful and mighty hand.  He will keep us firmly planted until that storm moves on by. In Christ we will see a better and brighter day. 

Salvation is available to any and all who will receive it.  Cease from doubting God and start believing.  Stop questioning God and accept Him.  The Lord stands ready to forgive, redeem, and save.  Oh troubled soul, open your heart and receive Christ today.  

The Cross of Christ and Worldly Wisdom

For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? -I Corinthians 1:19, 20

The Scripture reminds us of the prophet Isaiah where in Isaiah 29:14 the Bible says that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.  What the world believes to be foolishness, God has shown to be the hope of the world.  The cross of Christ has always stood in direct opposition to the wisdom of the world; there is no getting around that.  

The world says there is no God.  The cross reminds us that the Word, which was God, became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).  The world says that we are all fine to do our own thing however we want to do it.  The cross reminds us that there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12).  The world says that we live, we die, and that’s that.  The cross reminds us that the end of life here is the beginning of eternity.  The world says that it’s all up to you to make the best of life.  The cross reminds us that through faith in Jesus Christ we can be what God would have us to be.  The world says that it’s all about you.  The cross reminds us that it’s all about Jesus Christ.  The world teaches that the heavens and the earth began as some great cosmic accident.  The cross reminds us that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Here is another thought to consider: A great mind becomes a better mind through faith in Jesus Christ.  The Lord is not about us being ignorant, but rather the Lord is about us being enlightened.  Some of the smartest, most intelligent, and brightest people I have ever known were followers of Jesus Christ.  Recall what Paul told a young pastor named Timothy: “Study to show thyself approved unto God.  A workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).  God has always been about revealing to us the nature of true wisdom.  When the one who thinks he is wise begins to look to God and His Word, then he realizes that his wisdom is nothing when compared to the wisdom of God.  It’s a grand slam and a slam dunk against those who set their wisdom up against the Living God. 

The best wisdom, that which will carry us through the trials and troubles of life, can be found in the Word of God.  Such wisdom comes alive to us in a deeply personal way when we trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord.  The troubled soul can find peace, comfort, and joy through a personal relationship with Christ.  From that blessed relationship we can then grow in grace, knowledge, and wisdom. 

Do you desire the greatest of all wisdom and knowledge?  You can find it in God's holy Word.