BOASTFUL HOPE

"But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast." Hebrews 3:6

Think of Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with you." And I Corinthians 3:16 says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" Theses verses teach us the truth that we, as believers, have a special relationship with God where his very Presence becomes a part of our lives.

Christ, God's son, is faithful as the builder. He will do what he set out to do. He came to save us from sin, to make us children of God. Our job is courageously hold on to the hope we have in Christ's faithfulness. To some our hope may seem a bit bold, maybe even absurd. But, we are not hoping in our own strength. Our hope is in Christ Jesus who died and rose again. That same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that God is working in our lives to conform us into the image of Christ Jesus, his son. He is faithful and he will do it!

Father, help us to hold on courageously and confidently to the hope we have in you. Open our eyes to see you in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

NOT ASHAMED OF YOU

"Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers." Hebrews 2:11

I kind of felt sorry for my younger brother because he had to enter every class with a teacher who knew he was my brother. He was every teachers dream, while I was every teachers recurring nightmare.  I was not until we were in High School that I got my act together. Then only a few teachers would say, "You're his (spoken with disdain) brother..." By then I had given my life to Christ and was leading Bible studies and then my brother took up guitar and led worship. He would lead the worship and I would teach the Bible study. God redeemed us both and made us holy in his site. 

Jesus, has made us, who were formerly not so holy and possibly the "foolish" (see I Corinthians 1:20-2:5) of this world into the wisdom of God! I think that is amazing! How God has got me as far as he has gotten me is probably more miraculous than I can even imagine. That God is not ashamed of me is...beyond my ability to express!!! 

Think about that for a minute. We all have done things we not only wish we did not do, but, things we probably don't want anyone else to know. Peter, denied Christ three times at the most crucial moment in history! Yet, Jesus was not and is not ashamed to call him his own. 

Jesus is not ashamed to call you his brother! That is why Jesus is supreme! That is why he is the way, the truth, and the  life! 

Jesus is not ashamed to call you his brother...

Thank you, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for making me holy and making me a part of your family! Thank you for not being ashamed to call me your brother! Praise be to you in us today!

SET ME IN A FAMILY/ Psalm 68:4-6

"Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
     extol him who rides on the clouds - 
 his name is the LORD -
     and rejoice before him.
 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
     is God in his holy dwelling.
 God sets the lonely in families,
     he lead forth the prisoners with singing;
 but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land."
 Psalm 68:4-6

I am been blessed with a wonderful godly wife and four children who all know God's Name. 

When I first became a Christian I knew I was not called to be single. I thought God would provide a wife pretty quickly because it just wouldn't be good to be single (for me). Well, God had other plans and I ended up not getting married until I was thirty six. Yes, that was a long time. I didn't like being single and when I did meet my wife, everyone wanted to know what kind of women could deal with me. 

One of the things that I found attractive about her was that her two boys were good boys. So, at thirtysix, I married into a family. The boys were and are to this day great young men. I sort of felt like Rip Van Winkle and I had somehow slept through this huge portion of my life. I woke up, was married and had two sons! 

The point here on Father's Day is that I thank God for setting me in a family. Thank you, Lord.

Thank you for being my Father and giving me such a great wife and children. Praise be to you, my Father. Praise be to you in us today!

SEALED AS GOD'S: II Timothy 2:19

"Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."" II Timothy 2:19 

As an ex-construction worker, I know that if the foundation is good the house at least has something to build upon that will keep it level and square. And I have seen some houses built upon some pretty rough ground.  Christ is the cornerstone of our salvation. At the bottom of everything is Christ's death and resurrection. I am a sinner. Christ is my Savior. Christ is my righteousness. That is the bottom line.

The Lord knows that we are his. If we have confessed that Jesus is Lord and believed in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9). God knows us. He knows me, he know you. We are his. 

Our job is to turn away from wickedness. Wickedness will present itself. We just have to turn away from it. That may mean choosing not to do something or it may mean removing something. Whatever it is, turn from wickedness. Turn to God and trust him to fulfill you. Remember, you are God's child. 

Father, thank you that you know us, that you know we are yours. Help us to turn from wickedness and trust in you. Praise be to you in us today!