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  • From an Alien From God To An Ambassador for God

    2 Corinthians 5:20 “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

    When a person becomes a believer their lives are changed. As one reads the concluding verses of 2 Corinthians 5 one will read of the wonderful, almost unbelievable changes that happen to the new Christian.  These changes include being reconciled to God and made a new person.  It included receiving the righteousness of Christ.  And we read of one of the most marvelous changes in which God now views us as ambassadors for Christ.  

    Being an ambassador means one is a representative.  If you are a Christian, you now represent Christ in this world and are to bring His message of reconciliation to them!

    Please take a moment and consider what a change this is!  Recall what you were before becoming a believer. In Ephesians 2:19 we are called “strangers and aliens.” In Romans 5:10 we are called “enemies.” In Colossians 1:21, we are “alienated” from God.

    Yet here in 2 Corinthians 5:20, we are called ambassadors for Christ.  We went from being in rebellion against God to being a representative of God. That friends, is a change!!!  I was an alien from God and now I am an Ambassador of God.  I am Ambassador Carson.  You are Ambassador (your first and last name)!!  

    Ambassador, you are called to represent Christ to a lost world.  You represent Christ to the lost working next to you and to those living next to you. You are to represent Christ to friends, family members, and even enemies!  Plead with them to be reconciled to God by sharing the glorious gospel!  

    As believers, we are a new person with a new position and now with a new purpose.

    Continue Strong representing Christ to the nations,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • A Spirit-Filled Believer Is Singing!

    Ephesians 5:19 “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,”

    Do you love to sing?  I love to sing but no one around me loves to hear the sound of my singing.  I have been asked to sing many solos – so low no one can hear me.  At Easter, I was asked to sing on a hill far away.   

    When it comes to singing, we read that God sings over us.  Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness….He will rejoice over you with singing.”  

    We know that God loves to hear singing and that heaven is filled with singing. We read of singing in the Book of Revelation.  For instance, Revelation 15:3 says, “They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!”  Every now and then there comes the question of what will we be doing in heaven.  Well, we will be singing a lot!

    But before we get to heaven we are instructed to sing here on earth. We are to sing with others. We are to sing to others. We are to sing in our hearts.  (I hear that part of the verse quoted to me a lot!)  We are to sing Psalms.  We are to sing hymns.  We are to sing spiritual songs, known today as praise and worship.  

    If I may give an opinion on songs to sing, I have found it helpful to sing songs about the Lord and songs to the Lord.  

    As you consider putting into action, Ephesians 5:19, make the commitment that you are going to sing. Sing!  Sing in the shower.  Sing alone in your car.  Sing in your heart.  And if you can sing and not hurt other people’s ears (like me) sing in public.   Lift your voice up to the Lord.  

    As you consider putting into action Ephesians 5:19 I encourage you to have a hymnal to use for your quiet time and as well use your computer to listen to and sing praise and worship songs.  Have a diet of songs that allows you to sing about God and to sing to God!  

    I do believe that when a person gets saved God puts in their heart a new song. (Psalm 40:3  says, “He has put a new song in my mouth — Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.”)  And I connect Ephesians 5:18 to Ephesians 5:19. When you are filled with the Spirit you will be singing songs about God and to God!

    Continue Strong Singing to the Lord,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • The Ministry of Reconciliation

    2 Corinthians 5:18 “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation”

    2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that when a person gets saved, they are a new creation, emphasizing that the old things are passed away.  Paul continues in verse 18 this thought about being a new person, telling us that as a new person, we have a new position in that we have been reconciled to god, meaning we are reconnected because Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins and through justification has declared us righteous.

    Furthermore, with our new position, we have a new purpose as we now have been given “the ministry of reconciliation.”  As simple as I can state it, we are to share what God did for us with others so they can have God do for them what He did for us!  We are to share the good news. We are to share the gospel. The new person is to tell others how they can become a new person.

    We have gone from not knowing God to making God known.

    As a new person with your new position are you fulfilling your new purpose? Are you sharing the good news, the gospel?

    Soul winning is one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.

    Continue Strong Telling Others How To Be Reconnected To God
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Know Christ Means Know Change!  No Change Means No Christ.

    2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

    I suspect many of you find 2 Corinthians 5:17 to be a very familiar verse as it is usually one of the first verses we learn as a new believer. With Christ in our lives and us now being in Christ, we are a new creation. It is as if we have a fresh start. Our old behaviors and beliefs, especially regarding Christ, have passed away.  

    With Christ in you and you in Christ, you have become a new person!!

    As a Christian, you have a testimony – a story.  Within the story is how Christ changed your life! The changed life of 2 Corinthians 5:17 then becomes the transformed life of Romans 12:1-2 where one changes to become more like Christ!  

    It is correct to say that to know Christ means we will know change!  And I think it is correct to say if there is no change in one’s life then there is no Christ in one’s life.

    Take a moment and recall how you were changed by Christ when you were saved. 

    As I recall the day I was saved, I find myself thinking about John Newton’s song Amazing Grace.  He wrote I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see.

    Take a moment also to consider how you continue to be changed with Christ being in your life.  How have you changed lately?

    Knowing Christ means knowing transformational change!

    Continue Strong Changing Into His Image!
    And remember to DATE The Word

  • You Have The Power To Say No!  Yes, You Do!

    Galatians 5:16  “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

    How does one resist and refuse temptations? I am sure you have asked this very real question before and probably asked it many times.   As believers, we still face temptations and unfortunately, we fail at times to resist. In the battle to do what is right and refuse to do wrong, we have Scripture that tells us to flee youthful lust. (2 Timothy 2:22) to flee youthful lust is to run away, to become like a fugitive.  Yet, the temptations we face are strong, and it is difficult to run away.   We find ourselves needing help, and from Galatians 5:16, we find the very help we need!

    The Apostle Paul says here in Galatians 5:16 to walk in the Spirit.  To walk in the spirit is to allow the Spirit of God you guide us.  When we yield to His power, He will give us the power to walk away!  

    If we walk in the spirit, we will be able to walk away from any and all temptations.

    While it might seem hard to believe that you can resist any and all temptations notice carefully the tremendous statement that follows as he writes, “You shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”  Within this statement, Paul will use a double negative.  It is written in English as “shall not” but in Greek is a double negative to emphasize that by absolutely no means is there a way to yield to the temptation. When you yield to the guidance of the Holy Spirit (walking in the Spirit) you have all the power you need to walk away from any and all temptations!!  

    To walk away from doing wrong walk in the spirit!

    Friends, being saved has one saved from the penalty of sin, and being saved means the power of sin is broken. Walking in the Spirit allows Him to have control and as He guides you, He gives you the full power to resist and refuse any temptation! We have no excuses for sinning as we have the power to say no!   The key to victory is walking in the Spirit as He will lead us through the escape hatch (1 Cor. 10:13)!   

    Walk away from the temptations you face by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit! 

    This is one of the most important verses about living the victorious Christian life I have ever learned! You have the power, holy spirit power to be victorious!

    Continue Strong in His Power,
    And remember to DATE The Word

  • Making The Hard, But Right Choices 

    Amos 5:15 “Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”

    Hate is a word we are to be very careful in how we use it.  While we are not to hate others, there are things we are to hate, and hating evil is at the top of the list. Recall Proverb 8:13 as it tells us, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverse mouth I hate.”   

    Our reverence for God will bring about a resolution for the rejection of evil.

    A personal example is Job as he is described in Job 1:1  It says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned/rejected evil.”

    While we hate evil we love good!  Good is the opposite of evil.  Jesus is known for being good.  As we battle the temptation to do evil the Apostle Paul teaches in 1 Thessalonians 5:15 “That no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”  As we deal with the evil around us we are to “not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  (Romans 12:21)  

    With the decision to hate evil and love good, we are now to establish justice.  Injustice is evil.  It brings harm.   From Proverbs, we learn how vital a relationship with the Lord is. Proverbs 28:5 says, “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand all.”  It is crucial that leaders demand justice is done.  In Proverbs 29:4 we read, “The king establishes the land by justice, but he who receives bribes overthrows it.”

    Life is making choices.  We must choose to hate evil and to love good.  We must choose to Do justice and to establish justice.   When we make the right choices, God pours out His blessings and will be gracious to us!  

    How does Amos 5:15 challenge how you live, to possibly change how you are living?

    Continue Strong Loving and Doing Good
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Action For Being Your Brother’s Keeper

    1 Thessalonians 5:14 “Now we exhort you, brothers, warn those who are unruly, encourage the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.”

    Have you ever wondered what your responsibilities are to other believers?  We are, after all, our brother’s keeper.  While there are well over 60 actions that believers are to do for one another I find 1 Thessalonians 5:14 gives us some of the clearest instructions we will find for what we are to be doing for each other.   Paul gives three actions that cover a wide range of needs that fellow believers have with a fourth action that is needed with the other three.  The short summary is we need to be patient with each other, and then, as it is needed, we WARN a brother who is getting unruly or wayward in their walk, encourage a brother who is exhausted, and POUR into a weak brother to build up him up. 

    Going deeper, the apostle Paul expects believers to be involved in each other’s lives and as one sees things, even senses things, one will take proactive action to help a brother out.   The first action that Paul calls for is, quite frankly, challenging.  As we see a brother becoming unruly or wayward we are to warn them or admonish them.  The unruly has stepped out of line. They are starting to head the wrong way. To admonish means to speak into the mind truth. As brothers and sisters should desire to help each other stay on the path of righteousness so we do the difficult thing and with love speak truth into their lives.  

    We are to encourage the fainthearted. Becoming fainthearted or being discouraged is very real. We can easily become weary doing good. One can become exhausted.  The idea behind the word “fainthearted” is to lose soul.  Picture a hot air balloon that has a puncture and it begins to lose altitude. Encouragement is like a patch over the hole.  It also blows air into the balloon so that it soars again.   As good brothers and sisters, we should want to help keep other brothers and sisters running strong.  It is amazing what an encouraging word can do for an exhausted soul!

    Then Paul writes that we should uphold the weak. The idea here is to help one stand on their own. We are to be equipping the weak to be empowered to live out their Christian life. 

    The Apostle Paul concludes with an action for all three actions in which we are to be patient. We are to be patient with the wayward as we warn them.  We then wait for them to return to the paths of righteousness. 

    We are to be patient with the fainthearted/weary as we encourage them, waiting for them to regain altitude.

    We are to be patient with the weak as we pour into them.  As we equip them, they surely will stand on their own. 

    What action(s) based on 1 Thessalonians 5:14 do you need to take with another believer today?

    Continue Strong helping your brothers and sisters out,
    And Remember to DATE the Word

  • It Is Not About Titles!  It Is About Towels!  

    Galatians 5:13 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

    One of the great responsibilities we have with each other is to serve one another. As we love one another we will want to know what we can do for others and then take action to meet the need.

    When we think about serving others we have as a role model our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His life was marked with serving.  He even stated that His purpose for coming was to serve, not be served. (See Matt. 20:28 and Mark 10:45)

    In one of the most moving of moments, we find Jesus during His last Passover meal picking up a towel and washing the feet of His disciples.  His disciples had been in an argument over who was the greatest.  To teach them about true greatness Jesus (John 13:4-5) “rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”  He then told them to “wash” one another’s feet.  John 13:14-15 says, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15  “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”

    From what Jesus did I see a life principle that goes it is not about titles! it is about towels!

    The apostle Paul instructs us to demonstrate love by serving one another.    Love serves others!

    It is not about titles! It is about towels!

    May 13 has a few other great verses to DATE.
    1 John 5:13 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”
    Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
    Revelations 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

    Continue Strong Serving Others
    And Remember to DATE the Word

  • Life is Different When You Live Differently!

    Psalms 5:12 “For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.”

    Life is different when you live differently! Our verse tells us of the benefit that comes from God as we live according to His standards.  He pours out His blessings when we do what is right in His sight.  Those blessings come with God’s favor. God’s favor is an essential ingredient for being productive for the Lord.  In this verse, God’s favor is on display as God’s protection.  God surrounds (what a word) God surrounds the righteous with a shield.  Life sure is different when you make the decision to live righteously.   

    Going a little deeper.

    The first word of the Psalms is blessed.  Summing up the first two verses we learn a person is blessed as they avoid the wrong things and do the right things, applying God’s Word to their lives.  In the Psalms alone one will find nearly 100 verses that speak of blessings. God blesses those who fear Him.  He blesses those who trust Him. We are blessed beyond measure that He has forgiven us of our sins.  One will find in the Psalms that God blesses the person who blesses Him. 

    We might ask what is God’s blessing?  I like to say God’s blessings bring enjoyment to our lives that we could never achieve on our own.

    Then we see God’s favor.  God’s favor is mentioned in the priestly prayer in Numbers 6:26. One of the parts of the prayer states, “May the LORD look with favor on you and give you peace.”  Nehemiah knew God’s favor as he sought to get permission to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.  He told the people of Jerusalem how God’s good hand was upon him.  Daniel is another example of knowing God’s favor.  Being required as a captive in Babylon to do what he knew was wrong, he requested to not defile himself.  With God’s favor, he was granted his request.

    God’s favor opens doors for us that no man can close!

    Then it says that God surrounds us with a shield. 18 times in the Psalms we find God is described as a shield. David relied on God’s protection. Part of His praise to God was for being a shield.  In Psalm 119:114 he declared “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.” 

    Life is different when you live differently! 

    Just reminding us: Proverbs 3:33 says, “The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the house of the righteous.” 

    Make the choice today to let the Shepherd lead you in paths of righteousness!! Live differently!!

    Continue Strong on the path of righteousness!
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • Having Heroes Help in Hard Times

    James 5:11 “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

    I want to start this devotion with a couple of questions I hope you will pause to answer.  

    #1 Who are your heroes?  # 2 Why do you look up to them?  

    As I ponder the questions, I have several people that I could list.  Some of them are presently very close to me, some are now in heaven, and some are historical figures, both Biblical and non-biblical.  Ultimately, I find my heroes to be those who are overcoming or have overcome the greatest struggles.  I think it is true for the vast majority that as we struggle with the struggles of life we find ourselves drawn to and inspired by those who overcome the greatest struggles- yes – those who endure through the hardest of times.

    Pastor James writes a letter to struggling believers who have been scattered to the wind (James 1:1).  He wants them to endure and persevere.  One of his methods is to highlight OT characters throughout his letter and show how they persevered.  For Pastor James, the #1 example, yes, hero, for perseverance is Job.   Job persevered through some of the most immense pain any human being has ever faced in such a short amount of time.  He lost family members to sudden tragic death and his vast finances to natural disasters as well as thieves. And just when you thought it could not get any worse, he lost his health, being covered with extremely painful boils.  (This is all in Job 1 and 2) Reading his entire story reveals how, through the struggle and the pain, Job became a stronger and a better man. James says to look to Job to be your hero – to be your inspiration as you face your trials.  He did not turn away from God, refusing to curse God.  One of the great lessons he brings us is that he moved to the place where the trials were teachers. He came through – he endured – he persevered, and in doing so, he increased in the knowledge of God! (Job 42:5)

    I love his perspective as he stated in Job 23:10, “But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”  Job understood what God had intended!

    It is worth remembering again that Pastor James is writing a letter to teach believers how to face trials. With a trial, you can turn on God, turn away from God, or turn to God.

    I am not sure what you are facing today but I encourage you to face it facing God. Turn to Him!  He has a purpose for your pain. He is developing a message with your mess!  As you grow, He turns your trial into a testimony!  And the most beautiful thing of all is our gracious, compassionate, and merciful God is making Himself known to you while also shaping you! 

    Let Job’s life and story inspire you to endure and persevere during hard times!  In doing so you just might become a hero to someone else on how to handle hard times.

    Continue Strong by Having Heroes Of The Faith Help!
    And remember to DATE the Word