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

The Pursuit of God . . . or Mere Polemics? (March 1)

Living in a society where competition in all its myriad forms is almost a national obsession, we need to watch out. When we find ourselves in conflict with another person over some spiritual matter, what are our real motives for waging war?

The Lion of Judah (July 7)

Jacob said that Judah would be a "lion." It is no coincidence that Jesus is described in Revelation 5:5 as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David." He is the very King prophesied by Jacob when he blessed his sons (Genesis 49:9,10).

Saints (July 6)

To be a "saint" is to be "separate." A saint has accepted God's call to be redeemed from sin -- seeking salvation, he has obeyed the gospel. But since not everyone has done that, those who have done so are "set apart" as God's unique possession.

What the Heirs Will Inherit: Eternal Life (July 5)

If we're in Christ, the result of God's justification is that we are "heirs." Eventually, we will hear Christ say, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34).

To Him Be Glory and Dominion (July 4)

Eternal with God the Father, Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega. The world was created through Him, and He is moving history toward its final destination. For us, salvation means this: being found "in Christ" when He returns.

Some Strong Statements About the Kingdom (July 3)

Jesus spoke boldly about the kingdom of God. If we find ourselves challenged by what He taught concerning the kingdom, it's because we need to be challenged. Whether we will allow God to rule in our hearts or not is the central concern of the gospel.

Present Kingdom, Future Kingdom (July 2)

For those who have obeyed the gospel and remained faithful to the commitment they made, Christ's return will be the time when they pass from the kingdom of God in this present world to His kingdom in eternity (1 Corinthians 15:24-26).

Whole Heart, Willing Mind (July 1)

As the new king of Israel, Solomon would have some serious responsibilities. So David encouraged his son with the most important advice he could have given him: "know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind."

The Resurrection of Condemnation (June 30)

Resurrection has two sides. For some, the resurrection will be one of "life," but to others it will be one of "condemnation" (John 5:28,29). Human beings have eternal souls -- souls that will spend eternity, if not with God, then away from Him.

Away from the Presence of the Lord (June 29)

Universalism is fueled not by biblical exegesis but by emotional preferences. Hell is simply incongruent with the way people want to feel about God. "The issue of the new universalism is no longer 'God hath spoken' but 'Man hath reasoned'."

Learning About Love from God (June 28)

Jesus was never more revolutionary than in His practice of love. If we take all that He did (and not just our favorite parts), even our most "advanced" ideas about love will be disrupted. It will be a disturbing, and truly liberating, experience.

Jesus’ Mission: He Came to Save Sinners (June 27)

Writing to Timothy, Paul left no doubt about the object of Jesus' work: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). This echoes Jesus' own words, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

Learning About the Father From the Son (June 26)

Jesus is described as "the faithful witness" (Revelation 1:5), which means He told the truth in everything He reported to mankind about God. He claimed He came from God, had direct knowledge of Him, and bore accurate testimony about Him.