'December - Reaching Forward' Archives - Page 4 of 4

Jesus, the Exemplar (December 1)

We must emulate the reason for Jesus’ endurance as well as the fact of the endurance itself. And why did He endure? It was “for the joy that was set before Him.” The pure, priceless joy on the other side pulled Jesus through this world.

We Have To Be Taught What We Need (April 26)

The fact is, we have to be taught what our greatest needs are. We think we know what these are, but our priorities can become dangerously disordered. We have to learn (sometimes the hard way) that it is by God’s word that we live, not by bread alone.

Do We Really Mean Our Nice-Sounding Words? (April 25)

Often our words serve the purpose of saying what we WANT to be true. Yet we need to be careful. Surrounded by other religious people, it’s easy to say nice things. But talk is cheap, as the saying goes. We need to mean every promise we make to God.

Setting Apart Christ as Lord in Our Hearts (April 24)

Converted to Christ, we set Him apart as our Lord. But living consistently under that lordship takes time. We must yield our hearts completely to His direction. At our baptism, we’re just getting started in learning how to let Christ be our Lord.

With All Your Heart and Soul (April 23)

Jesus urged us to "count the cost" of discipleship (Luke 14:25-33). If we won't throw the doors open and give God access to EVERY room in our hearts (even the "secret" ones), it's doubtful that our intentions are as serious as they should be.

God Will Not Be Trifled With (April 22)

God must be TREATED as holy, with respect for His commandments, but He will also DISPLAY His holiness in His dealings with those who come near -- even by punishing those who play fast and loose with His instructions and "worship" Him presumptuously.

A Tragic Disregard for God’s Requirements (April 21)

There is a link between the CHARACTER of God and the COMMANDS of God. When God has given any instruction to regulate our behavior, we cannot disrespect His WORD without disrespecting HIM. There is no such thing as "reverent disobedience."

The Return of Elijah (April 20)

The first thing necessary was for the people to repent of the sins for which they sought God's forgiveness. So the only preaching that could have prepared them for the Messiah was the message that John the Baptist (and before him, Elijah) preached.

Baptism Is Immersion (April 19)

In practical terms, a person's burial and resurrection in baptism marks the beginning of a new life, so much so that it can be said that a new person has come into existence, one whose allegiance is now to Christ and not the world (Romans 6:3-5).

Faith and Trust (April 18)

We can deplore Israel's lack of trust when they backed away from God’s command, but do we do any better? When it comes to obeying the gospel of Christ, do we trust God enough to do what He has told us, confident that His wisdom is always best?

Faith and Reason (April 17)

If Jesus' tomb was empty, we must decide whether its emptiness means He was resurrected. And most importantly, we have to decide whether, if Jesus was resurrected, that means "God has made him both Lord and Christ." Reason is required at each step.

The Lordship of David’s Lord (April 16)

Psalm 110 is a powerful prophecy of the Messiah -- every part of it meshes seamlessly with Jesus Christ. No wonder the New Testament writers saw in David's words clear references to Jesus, the Lord who is now seated at the right hand of God.

The Keys of the Kingdom (April 15)

The apostles played a pivotal role in the NT period. No one since then has possessed Christ's authority as they did, and their teaching will always be the benchmark against which everything must be measured. We are not free to modify their teaching.