Posts filed under ‘sanctification’
More Than Enough
If we fail to understand the truth of what Jesus has done for us, we will continue living as though we are still slaves to sin and self. The blood of Jesus has not only forgiven us all of our individual sins, but has also legally separated us from our servitude to sin itself. The chains to our previous enslavement are broken.
An Eschatological Bone to Pick
I’ve never been one of these people, but we probably all know folks who like being scared. They watch horror movies and enjoy them for the rise they get out of them. They love the freakiest roller coaster rides for the thrill of it. It scares them enough to get their adrenalin pumping. I’ve never been one of those people. Yet, what seems to be happening is that for some believers, the content, the constant warnings of doom and the dire predictions are something they gravitate toward because they like having their hearts quaking with fear, I guess. So what then? They have their fear-created adrenalin, but what else? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Life and Godliness, Part 2
The farmer or viticulturalist prunes sucker shoots to purge them away out of the life of the plant, which serves only to strengthen that plant so what when fruit appears, the plant is better able to bear it. Doing so cleanses the plant allowing for better fruit production.
Life and Godliness, Part 1
God will do whatever He needs to do in the life of the believer to unhitch us from the world so that we learn to focus on Him and Him alone. He will “lift” or “take us up” from lying on the dirt so that we do not become thoroughly ensconced in the world’s ways so that we gain motivation from the world around us. God wants us to focus completely on Him, so He will remove us from those things that want to become our gods.
My New and True Identity
John says we are literally called the children of God (1 John 3:1). Peter tells us we are a holy nation, a special possession, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). There is so much to being a child of God through salvation, that it requires us to contemplate it a good deal of the time. We need to study His Word to allow the Spirit to illuminate our thinking, which will transform the way we think and free us to live lives that please God without the struggles we often face when doing things in our own strength.
Can You Know for Certain?
But then, you hear sermons that seem to create a tension within you. On one hand, yes you are saved. On the other, if you stop working, you may well either lose your salvation or learn you never really had it in the first place! The focus then is directed right back onto SELF. You begin constantly looking at your life, your motives, your words, your thoughts and your actions, always judging them by whether or not you think you are doing everything correctly. If not, then you are in serious danger of either losing your salvation or not ever having had it (depending on which theological camp you find yourself in). If this isn’t maddening enough, you are then, because of your focus, always looking inward trying to judge whether or not you are persevering in the faith, rather than focusing on God, His love for us sinners and just how great His grace is toward us.
Here’s Why It is So Difficult
Do we ever stop to consider what our approach to Jesus will be when we come face to face with Him in eternity?? It’s difficult for us to shape that thinking because He is invisible to us. We are separated by this physical life, though He is clearly here within us via the Holy Spirit. When I finally see Him, I hope I will prostrate myself before Him. I hope I will caress His nail scarred feet and hands. I hope I will give Him all the love I possess for Him. I hope out of all the wonderful things in eternity, Jesus will be my main focus.
Continue Reading August 25, 2026 at 12:31 PM Leave a comment
True Antidote for Vanity
It all boils down to Solomon’s final thoughts on the subject. That is, to fear God and keep His commandments, period. This is the be- all, end-all of everything related to humanity and our need to glorify God. The problem is that we too often go after things in life (even if they appear to be good), from a position of serving self. If/when we do this, we are essentially chasing vanity.
Two Roads Every Christian Faces
Some argue that we are able to be saved because God grants us something called “prevenient grace.” This is the belief that God grants us the ability to believe Him prior to our coming to Him for salvation and without this prevenient grace, no one could be saved at all. The truth of the matter for me, is that all people have the ability to believe what they read or hear from any source. Those who come to God in faith believing that He exists and has made salvation available to us do so because of their decision to believe Him. This is exactly what the thief on the cross experienced, while his counterpart a few feet away did not. It was solely a difference in belief regarding Jesus.
Third Chapter Coincidence?
Just as Genesis 3 actually occurred, we can know that Revelation 20 will also actually occur. They are connected. They both point to God’s favor, His mercy and His love for His Creation. While Genesis 3 introduced sin into the entirety of His Creation, Revelation 20 is the start of eliminating all of it in practical terms.
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