Living By The Word

Beholding the Ultimate Beauty (April 28, 2023)   “As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. And its place remembers it no more.” (Psalm 103:15-16) God’s matchless love for humanity is magnificently reflected in the natural beauty with which He has surrounded us. But this God-given beauty is fleeting and the “vapor” of our earthly lives “appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14) Having entered into a faith-based relationship with our Creator Jesus Christ, however, one glorious day, we as sinners saved by God’s grace will eternally behold the indescribable beauty of heaven and the majestic glory of our LORD that will far exceed anything the human eye has ever admired. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

  Names Written in Heaven ( April 27, 2023) “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (1 Peter 1:24:25) While some people shun the spotlight and have no desire for public notoriety, others pursue self-centered lifestyles, vigorously seeking worldly fame and personal glory. Perhaps you know individuals who strive for attention and recognition and may even resort to ruthlessness to gain the acclaim that they desperately seek. These prideful glory seekers elevate their own self-interests above the cares and concerns of other people, sometimes even including their loved ones and friends. Driven by robust egos, they burn with the desire to see their names prominently displayed in sparkling lights and revered in every household. Many of these self-absorbed people will stop at nothing to gain the fame after which they lust, along with material wealth, fleshly pl...

  A Stroll with God ( April 26, 2023) “ The  Lord  is near to all who call upon Him.” (Psalms 145:18) In a world marred by endless suffering and hardship, bringing gloomy reports dominated by grim statistics and forecasts, we must cast off negativity and walk in the guiding light of Jesus Christ. While we commonly think in grand terms, the little things in life often mean the most. As Christians seeking to walk the narrow path that ultimately winds to a heavenly paradise free of death and sorrow, we should look for the little nuggets of gold that our gracious heavenly Father often places along the way. God’s rich daily blessings are real, but not always obvious and glaring! Sometimes they’re small, seemingly insignificant, and unnoticed by busy minds preoccupied with the cares and concerns of everyday life. Nonetheless, these little divine favors bring delight and encouragement to those who open their spiritual senses to recognize them. It is refreshing to me t...

Rejoice, Always and  Forevermore! ( April 25, 2023) “ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ” (Philippians 4:4) As followers of Jesus Christ, we should be the most joyful people on the planet! All too often, however, Christians allow the world to rob us of our joy. One of the Christlike attributes known as the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22), joy is a state of mind and orientation of the heart characterized by abounding contentment, confidence, and hope. Distinguished from the happiness that ebbs and flows with changing circumstances, joy is a deep, soul-soothing delight in the L ORD and His promises that abides in us whether times are tough or terrific. Our joy springs from the blessed assurance and eternal hope we have in Christ, our Savior! Blessed as we are as believers, let us rejoice always! “ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ” (Romans 15:13) ...

  I Still Believe... ( April 24, 2023) “ If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ” (Romans 10:9) Over the course of our lives, we develop personal belief systems that guide our thoughts, words, and actions. As a kid growing up in a loving home, I was taught traditional Christian values that define who I am. Today, however, these cherished principles that I try to live by are under brutal attack by a worldly society that is quickly turning away from Christian morals and the absolute truth of God’s inspired Word. At the risk of ridicule and persecution, Christians must steadfastly defend our deeply held convictions and boldly obey our command by Jesus Christ to share our faith and the gospel of salvation with non-believers in a loving way. Modern society falsely claims that there are many roads to heaven, but the ultimate reality is that Christ is the only way! Jesus said to him,  “I ...

  Jesus Is My Fountain (April 21, 2023) “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:2-3) Thank gracious Father in heaven that His beloved Son Jesus Christ bridged the gap that once separated this repentant sinner from a just, righteous, and holy God. I was reminded that the water that Christ gives me has eternally quenched my spiritual thirst and allowed me to joyfully draw water from the wells of salvation. “Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up unto everlasting life.” (John 4:14)

  Baby Steps of Faith ( April 19, 2023) Trust in the L ORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your  ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) The parents of infant children know that before the little ones can walk, they begin with small baby steps. Taking it step by step, a little at a time, is part of the learning process. Eventually, through trial and error and perseverance, the child gains balance and puts together a succession of small steps until, much to the delight of the proud parents, he or she is eventually walking. That is also true when it comes to our own spiritual growth as children of God. Believers mature in their relationship with God by taking tiny steps of trust that eventually lead to walking by faith.   A prime biblical example of this Christian maturation process is Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish people. God called Abram, whom He later renamed Abraham (meaning “father of ma...

  Memories ( April 18, 2023) “ As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. ” (Psalm 103:12) The lyrics of a nostalgic Elvis Presley hit from the late 1960s titled “Memories” occasionally come to mind. The chorus of the tune reflects on pleasant moments of the past, recalling, “Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind. Memories, sweetened through the ages just like wine.” We must be careful to avoid living in the past, but our memories, both sweet and bitter, are an important part of our human constitution, having helped to shape us into the individuals that we have become. Somewhat tarnished by age, of course, I find my memory is not quite as sharp as it used to be, but thankfully still largely intact. Regardless of the circumstances they depict, our lingering personal remembrances serve one of two purposes. The precious memories of unforgettable days gone by enrich our lives and are a source of recurring joy carrie...

  What a Waste! ( April 17, 2023) “ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. ” (1 Peter 5:6-7) In terms of personality types, many of us could be categorized as worriers. Looking back over my life and considering the frequency with which I have engaged in the futility of worry without any benefit, I have to think, “What a waste!” Worry—defined as a state of anxiety or uncertainty over actual or potential problems—is worthless! We all have many legitimate personal concerns that prompt us to worry about our loved ones, our health, our jobs, our finances, our personal safety (especially in today’s lawless society), and countless other circumstances. However, these anxieties can hinder our spiritual development as Christians and damage our personal testimony. Worry is rooted in fear that conflicts with who we are as children of God. By faith in Jesus Christ, we’ve place...

  The Beauty of God’s Great Gifts ( April 14, 2023) “The earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1)   The incomparable natural beauty with which God has surrounded us proclaims our divine Creator’s timeless, supernatural existence and reflects His boundless love for you and me. Most reflective of God’s love for us, however, is His wonderful provision for the salvation of everyone who will receive His matchless gift of everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you, glorious Heavenly Father, that you love us so dearly that you gave your beloved Son to die in our place to redeem us of our sins so that, believing, we could enter into Your abounding grace. In the splendid beauty of my LORD’s love, I will rejoice with praise and thanksgiving throughout eternity! To God belongs all glory!   “…the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perished, though it is tested by fire, may be ...

  Christ Is the Source of Everlasting Contentment ( April 13, 2023)   “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.   For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.   And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8) We live in an age of restlessness and discontent! Seemingly never satisfied with our possessions and positions in life, we constantly strive for more. Many people are consumed by the pursuit of wealth, influence, pleasure, and other desires of the deceitful human heart to the extremes of covetousness and idolatry. Discontentment is part of our fallen nature as the inhabitants of a world fractured by sin and temporarily under Satan’s dominion of deception. However, to continually chase the fancies of the restless human heart is to live contrary to God’s Word which teaches us to be content in all our circumstances. In Christ alone, we find deeply fulfilling a...

  Make God Your Greatest Delight ( April 12, 2023) “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8) We all have our personal “delights,” those joys in life that give us great pleasure and a high degree of gratification. What’s your delight? Lovers delight in intimate romantic relationships. Those who are focused on wealth delight in six-figure salaries. Material possessions such as dream houses, expensive vehicles, and other fine luxuries are popular delights of many as well. Some folks delight in sports and passionately support their favorite team or athlete. There is nothing inherently wrong with many of the pursuits and pleasures in which we delight. Tragically, however, many of our human delights are immoral, inappropriate, and even illegal. Wayward people are drawn to drugs and alcohol, sexual promiscuity, pornography, gambling, gluttony, and other unwholesome fleshly addictions. “The  Lord  your God in your m...

  Nothing is Too Hard for the L ORD ( April 11, 2023) “Yours, O  Lord , is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O  Lord , and You are exalted as head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11) Each time that I ponder God’s magnificent creations and behold His works in my personal life, I am overcome with awe and wonder. The finite human mind is incapable of fully grasping the infinite, inexhaustible power of this sovereign L ORD who created humanity in His own image and a universe so vast that it defies our comprehension. Much too often, however, we tend to restrain what Almighty God can do in our lives because of our pride and unbelief, putting Him in a box, so to speak, and failing to give Him the place of highest esteem and priority in our hearts that He absolutely deserves. A biblical example that comes to mind is God’s selection of Abraha...

  Resurrection Life ( April 9, 2023, Easter Sunday)   “….The gospel of God which He promised before through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:1-4)   Hallelujah! Our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ lives!! And because He does, everyone who accepts His sacrifice for their sins and believes the gospel — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for mankind’s salvation according to the Scriptures — can face the trials of this earthly life victoriously, knowing that by faith in Jesus, they have access to God’s grace and have received His priceless gift of everlasting life! Thank the Holy Spirit that I am among these believers who, one glorious day, will enter eternity to be with our Lord forever in the paradise of heaven! Praise Jesus who conquered the grave and overcame th...

  A Romance of Redemption ( April 7, 2023) “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13) On this Good Friday, as Christians commemorate the death of Jesus Christ and rejoice that He was raised to life three days later, believers can be eternally grateful for the matchless love that compelled the Son of God to redeem us of our sins and save our souls. Each day, we should seek to express to each other this godly love that is the essence of Easter and the very nature of our L ORD . Far exceeding human understanding, the love of God is sacrificial, unconditional, boundless, forever enduring, and freely given to every one of us because we are His creations, crafted in His image. There is nothing that we can do to earn God’s love or to lose it. Our heavenly Father simply wants us to joyfully receive His love and accept His gracious offer of salvation through faith in Christ. As God incarnate, Jesus was born to die so that we can have ...

  The Empty Tomb ( April 6, 2023) “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.   But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.   Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 24:1-3) Reflecting on the true meaning of Easter on this Maundy Thursday, one of the symbols of this holy season that I most cherish is the Empty Tomb from which our L ORD Jesus Christ emerged victoriously on the third day following His brutal crucifixion. Having toured the Holy Land a decade ago, I visited the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, considered by many to be the site of Christ’s burial and resurrection. I could not help but imagine the joy and excitement of the women who, according to all four of the gospels, discovered that Jesus had defeated death on that first Easter Sunday morning. The Cross was not a trage...

Our Wonderful Savior ( April 5, 2023) “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) When I stand watching a glorious Easter sunrise and rejoicing that my personal Savior Jesus Christ lives, my heart is flooded with gratitude for the sacrifice that my risen L ORD made for me. My mind is overwhelmed when I consider the enormity of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection through which believers have been freed from the bondage of our sin and raised with Him to eternal life. I cannot begin to humanly comprehend the physical and mental suffering and shame that the Son of God willingly chose to endure to redeem us of our sins, reconcile us to t...