The End of All Things

 

God saw the end of this life as we know it before He ever created this world. We are all on His timetable and He has a perfect will for our life (Ephesians 2:10).

We can make our own plans and have our own dreams and goals; but if they are not according to God's will, we will be frustrated in trying to make them happen (Psalm 2:4).

America plays no part in the overall scheme of the prophecy in the Bible about the end times. America falls from the status of a super power.

The Bible makes no statement about how this will happen: financial collapse, foreign take over from a country like China who owns our multi-trillion dollar debt to them, etc. There is much speculation, but the Bible is not specific.

Therefore, it is best to follow the sage advice of Proverbs 3:5. We trust in the Lord with all of our heart and we do not rely in any way on our human reasoning and understanding.

We make no plans of our own, but we acknowledge God in every moment of our day, and He directs our every step. We realize that we are not wise in our own thinking; so we honor the Lord and turn away from all evil (Proverbs 3:6-7).

As we do this every day, we can be assured that God will care for us regardless of what happens to us. We may lose every penny we save as they did in the depression; we may be put in jail for our faith in Christ; we may die from a terrorist's attack.

We do not know what the next moment of time holds for us; but we do know that God is in the midst of it with us and He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Prayer:

Father God, even though You formed us in our mother's womb, and recorded every day of our life before we were ever born, in Your estimation, the day of our death is better than the day of our birth, because it is precious in Your sight (Psalm 139:13-16; Ecclesiastes 7:1; Psalm 116:15).

Thank you for sending Your angels to carry us to Your heavenly presence, and for guiding us and providing us with Your refuge even in death (Luke 16:22; Psalm 48:14; Proverbs 14:32). There we will never die again, and we will live as your children forever (Luke 20:36). Therefore, we do not have to fear what anyone will do to our body; because You are with us even in death (Psalm 16:9-11).

Thought for the Day:

God lives within us and experiences with us everything that transpires in our life; He will sustain us from the inside out.

Feasting on God's Word

 

I have spent the last few months gardening in containers, which are spaced throughout my tiny outside flower garden. Some plants did better than the others. My tomatoes flourished and are still producing juicy, rich tomatoes. The peppers did well and are still sparsely bearing fruit. However, the okra, squash, green beans, celery and onions all failed to generate any usable fruit.

This reminds me of Jesus’ parable concerning the four types of soil: some seed fell upon the path, others among the thorns, many within the rocks and then just a few on the good soil. If the ground is hard, thorny or rocky, there is no room for the roots. It is only in a garden of prepared soil that a plant can take hold and grow to full maturity.

Similarly, our spiritual food is found in the rich depths of the Word of God. The only way to withstand the winds of adversity or the scorching trials and temptation we encounter in this life is to have our roots sunk deeply into a spiritually fertile environment. Jesus said that we will know His disciples by their fruit.

If His disciples are to produce fruit, they need good, rich, tilled, spiritually fertilized soil. As we receive God’s Word with conviction and repentance, we are ready to receive the proper nourishment. We feast on God’s Word, reading it every day to prepare the soil, so that we will bloom where God plants us.

Many of today’s churches are barren wastelands with nothing spiritually nutritious to offer the Believer. They focus on providing glitz and glitter to attract people, and then they supply only spiritual junk food, rather than wholesome nourishment. However, God is still raising up an army of teachers with every generation - those people who faithfully sow the seeds of the truth of God’s Word.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us to feast on Your Word throughout the day. We eat three physical meals a day, and we need at least that many spiritual meals in order to have a healthy spirit and an intimate relationship with You. Provide us with teachers who seek You in prayer before they share Your Word. Lead us to a caring and loving fellowship of Believers. Even in these end times, please keep a remnant of spiritual teachers, preaching Your truth on which we can feast, Biblical principles, which enable us to bear much fruit.

Thought for the Day:
A lifetime commitment to feast on God’s Word gives us the spiritual strength to minister for Him in every area in which He calls us.
– Ephesians 2:10

 

Why Believe in God?

 

The premise of the idea of God comes from the fact that the galaxies and everything in them need an origin. Scientists say that a particle of gas exploded. The Bible calls that gas the breath of God, “God said” (Genesis1:3). Even the human body, soul and spirit are miraculous, and demand a Creator who developed the precision and magnificence of who we are.

There are two forces at work in our world: light and darkness, good and evil, God and the devil. God created Satan as a holy archangel, but pride and rebellion rose in his heart. Rather than being grateful to God for the multitude of blessings he enjoyed, he promoted a mutiny and took an army of angels with Him when God cast them out of heaven. God sent them to the earth and gave Satan authority over this world (Isaiah 14:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31).

Then, God created mankind and fashioned Paradise for him (Genesis 2:8). Adam and Eve were protected from Satan and his demons and God provided everything they would ever need for a wondrous life. Satan was delighted to finally have someone to influence and possibly to rule over and to add to his kingdom. He worked his deceptive magic on Adam and Eve and he has been propagating his lying subterfuge ever since.

We all go through negative experiences in life and we often “try God” during these times. We find fulfillment for our soul – our thoughts, choices and emotions. This emotional high lasts for a while and we start to heal. We experience the fellowship of authentic Believers and the love of God in them.

Once we heal emotionally, however, we believe we no longer need the emotional support of the church anymore. Our thoughts go back to the familiar life pattern from our former existence. Satan readily supplies us with doubts about the reality of God, and he helps us to find sufficiency in our self. We try God’s way, but decide we no longer need God.

However, our soul soon gets discouraged with life again. It knows that it cannot carry the complete weight of life on its own any longer. We come full circle back to God. We would like for God to be the answer to life for us, but Satan’s lies continue to cloud our judgment.

Authentic, Born Again Believers do not ask what God can do for us, but we ask what we can do for God. We willingly submit, as a bondservant (Galatians 1:10), to do only His will for our life until the day we leave this world and go to live with Him for eternity. We no longer use God to meet our needs, but we realize whom we are privileged to serve. We enjoy living in the center of His will – the happiest place on earth.

Prayer:

Father God, teach us not to use You for our Aladdin’s Genie to grant our wishes, but as our Lord and King. You deserve our utmost respect, not our disparaging remarks and ridicule. You told us through the prophets that sin would rule the world at the same time the Roman Empire revives, Israel becomes a nation once more and the World Council of Churches convinces the world that ecumenical unity is the only true religion. We see all this happening in the world today. We look forward to Your soon return.

Thought for the Day:

The only way to truly experience the fullness of God is to totally surrender to Him.

The Wisdom of Believing

God knew that because of the wisdom of the world, people would not believe in Him. Therefore, He used the absurdity of preaching to bring eternal life to those humble enough to listen and to believe (1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 5:13). The law could not justify anyone, but those who believe that Jesus Christ is God who came in the flesh, will be justified through this truth (Acts 13:39). Despisers of God sometimes wonder about the truth; yet they will perish in the end, because they were not humble enough to believe God’s Word declared to them by God’s Saints (Acts 13:41).

The idols of greed, lust, worry and addiction blind the minds of those who do not believe in Jesus. They prevent them from seeing the light of the gospel of Christ, even though the image of our God through the life of Christ should illuminate God’s Truth to them

(2 Corinthians 4:4). It is only by the grace of God that we can believe, and by this belief are saved (Acts 15:11; 16:31). When we accept that God raised Jesus up from the dead, His spotless purity is imputed into our account (Romans 3:22; 4:24). Now, we are dead in Christ, but also live in Him as He lives within us (Romans 6:8; Colossians 3:3).

Many Believers not only live in Christ, but also suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29). They received the Word of God, not as if it came from any person, but straight from God Himself. God’s Truth worked in them so effectively that they believe God even if they have to die for this belief (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Through their example of holy, just and righteous behavior, people everywhere know without a doubt that they sincerely believe that Jesus died and rose again (1 Thessalonians 2:10; 1 Timothy 1:16). They have the assurance that they will also be with God for eternity, even if they have to pass through the veil of death first (1 Thessalonians 1:7, 4:14).

Without faith, no one can ever please God; but if anyone comes to God, it is because they believe that He is and that He rewards everyone who diligently seeks Him (Hebrews 11:6). These authentic Believers do not draw back from living and proclaiming God’s truth; and their belief is what saves their soul (Hebrews 10:39; John 3:16-18). God’s exceedingly great power is given to everyone who believes in Jesus (Ephesians 1:19). Jesus is glorified in all of His authentic Believers. People admire and believe in Christ, because they see Him living in and through us (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

We are living in the end times. God is sending strong delusion into the world, so that people who turned their hearts against Him will now believe Satan’s lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11). They disdain the marriage vows and forbid people to eat certain food, which God created for every one to enjoy. God is the Savior of all men, and especially those who believe in Christ and trust in the living God as we labor and suffer reproach in His name (1 Timothy 4:10). Those who believe and who know Jesus as the truth receive His good and perfect gifts with gratitude filling our hearts (1 Timothy 4:3). 

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, many people reject You; but to those who believe, You are our precious corner stone of the building, which God is making without hands (1 Peter 2:7;2 Corinthians 5:1). Believing and hoping in the one God, who raised You from the grave, is the first step in the salvation process, but even the demons believe in You and tremble at Your greatness (James 2:19; 1 Peter 1:21). God also calls us to surrender our will to His and to love Him with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind (Luke 10:27). Then, we will dwell as Your Body in the earth. By our love for one another, others will see and believe in You as well (1 John 3:23; John 13:35).

Thought for the Day:
Don’t believe everything you hear, but align it with God’s Word first, because many deceiving spirit’s are rampant in our world today.  - 1 John 4:1





Thank you, Vickie Liu, for the use of your photo.

A Little Leaven

The analogy in the Bible concerning leaven has a great deal to teach us. Leaven ferments with the ingredients in bread to help it to rise. On the day of Unleaven Bread during the Passover season in Israel, the women baked their bread without yeast. In fact, they cleaned every nook and cranny in their home. Then they poured the swept up dust on communal fires in order to remove all leaven that may have floated through the air and landed on furniture, rugs and behind items on the counters. For a whole week, they concentrated on keeping their home leaven free. Why was God so concerned about leaven?

Well, in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Paul exhorts us to get rid of the old "yeast" by removing the deeds of the flesh within us. He specifically noted the leaven of malice and wickedness. Then he contrasted the bread without leaven, as the bread of sincerity and truth. He encourages us to live like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast - unleavened bread – without sin. Jesus, our Passover Lamb, sacrificed his life for our sins (Romans 3:25; 1 Peter 1:19). The least we can do is to make a clean sweep of all unrighteousness within our body and soul and give the Holy Spirit a clean Temple, unspotted by the corruption of sin in our life.

How many of us could stay sin-free for seven full days? It is possible, if we live one moment at a time with our focus on Jesus and not on the circumstances and people around us (Isaiah 26:3). Jesus stated in a parable that the Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed into a large bowl of flour until it is worked all through the dough. He points out that the leaven permeates every square inch of the dough. This is good for bread when you want it to rise. However, it is a negative aspect when we relate the leaven to sin in our life. We do not want sin to permeate every square inch of our life (Matthew 13:33-34).

Jesus reminded the disciples at the Last Supper that He was offering His body as unleavened bread – a sinless offering for the atonement of our sins (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24). Unleavened bread reminded Israel that God brought them out of Egypt and set them free in spirit as well as physically (Exodus 13:3). Bible Teaching can also be considered leaven. Jesus told the disciples to beware of the leaven in the teachings of false prophets (Matthew 6:11-12; Galatians 5:9).

In today's world, people open their mind to the teaching of anyone who tickles their ears! They do not search the scriptures to see if what the teacher said is true, but they swallow it hook, line and sinker. They have no discernment and they gullibly embrace anything that sounds good without ever searching the context and customs behind the verses quoted. This allows preachers to take verses out of context, isolate them and make a false doctrine out of them. Since it sounds good, undiscerning Christians fall for the deception.

It is important for us not only to know what we believe and to be able to defend it or share it as God gives us the opportunity; but we must also know why we believe it. Not just because the preacher said so, but also because we see the doctrine clearly spelled out in the Word of God. We have a multitude of physical and online helps in our modern society, and we all have at least one Bible in our home. Knowing what the Word teaches will enable us to discern when someone twists a Bible verse to back up their deceptive, intended meaning.

The Feast of Unleaven Bread is only one of God’s Old Testament commemorative feasts. Each of them also has a connection to New Testament events. The Bible clearly tells us the shadow of meaning in them for us today.

THE SPRING FEASTS are related to the First Coming of Jesus Christ:

•Passover - The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ to pay for the sins of all humanity (Exodus 12:13, John 1:29).

•The Days of Unleavened Bread - The removal of sin from the lives of converted, repentant people (Exodus 12:15, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

•Pentecost - The "first fruits" harvest, the coming of God's Holy Spirit upon the converted Saints (Leviticus 23:10-14, Acts 2:1-13).

THE FALL FEASTS relate to the Second Coming of Christ:

•The Feast of Trumpets - The Return of Jesus Christ (Leviticus 23:23-25, Matthew 24:30-31).

•The Day of Atonement - The final judgment and sentencing of Satan after his removal as "the god of this world" (Leviticus 23:26-32, Revelation 20:10).

•The Feast of Tabernacles - The first 1,000 years after The Return of Christ in which the harvest of salvation will truly begin (Leviticus 23:33-36, Revelation 20:2-4).

•The Last Day - The 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles picturing the resurrection of all those who did not have an opportunity to hear (physically and/or spiritually) the Gospel in all the ages prior to the millennium (Leviticus 23:39, Revelation 20:5,11-15).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus the type and shadow in the Old Testament that relates to actual events in the New Testament is amazing. Thank You for giving us confirmation of everything You anointed the authors to write. Help us to live without the leaven of sin in our life. Remind us to sweep even the corners of our life to remove even the most infinitesimal traces of sin. We give You honor and glory in everything we think, say and do.

Thought for the Day:

Any conformity to worldly influence acts like leaven and corrupts our life until we are totally perverted.

Why Do People Refuse to Believe the Bible?

God used several diverse men from different times and places to write consistent accounts, which confirm one another. Scholars put these confirmed writings into the 66 books of the Bible we read today. Scribes so accurately transcribed these words throughout the ages, that if you compare them they all say the same thing with minimal differences. Even the recently recovered Dead Sea Scrolls prove the accuracy of the Bible, which we have today. Yet, people refuse to believe its veracity.

God gave us the Bible so we could base our faith and practice on its truths. It is full of historic events, traditional stories and common sense instruction for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Archeology, history, science and mathematical logic all help us to recognize the authority of the Bible. There is no need for a revision of history between then and now or any manually constructed evidence to prove the truth of the Bible.

If you compare the Old Testament of the Christian Bible with what historians during that time documented about the land and people mentioned in the Bible, you will find that it is based on facts, which are proven by history. Scientific astronomy also proves that the heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of His hands (Psalm 19:1). Even stories such as Noah’s flood, which many people discount, are proven by archeological findings. In fact, no archeological find has ever disproved the Bible. The Bible is repeatedly proven true by these and so many more secular facts.

Then, the supernatural attributes of the Bible’s prophecies, many of which are already literally fulfilled, give us another detail to prove its accuracy. Over 300 of these Old Testament prophecies are linked with the New Testament accounts of Jesus Christ. Experts tell us that the mathematical statistics and probability of getting just 8 of these 300 prophecies fulfilled by Jesus Christ is 1 in one quintillion (1,000,000,000,000,000,000). This gives us faith to know that those prophecies that have not yet happened will certainly be literally fulfilled as well. This is not possible with any other religious leader or the holy book of any other religion.

There are many anti-biblical beliefs in the world today, which make sense to the human mind, but in the end they all lead to spiritual death (Proverbs 14:12). Many intelligent men throughout time sought to make a case against the Bible. When they did their research, however, they were forced to accept what scientific reasoning, prophetic accuracy, archaeology and history were showing them. Every effort they ever made turned out to prove the truth and accuracy of the Bible. Many of these people even chose to join the Christian family because of the verification of their research.

God has given us plenty of rational evidence pointing to the supernatural accuracy of the Bible. Why then do people refuse to believe the validity of the Scripture? Our culture invents doubts for the seeker’s mind, university professors demand that Biblical information not be used in their classrooms, and people hurt by hypocritical and even well-meaning Christians choose to close their mind to God’s Truth. Satan has deluded them and blinded their eyes from seeing the truth. People also suppress the truth because of their wickedness.

The truth about God is made simple to us in so many ways. Even nature reveals God’s eternal power and divine character. We clearly see and understand God’s Truth through creation, and no one has a valid excuse not to believe. Although the truth about God is evident, people still choose not to glorify Him as God, nor to give Him thanks for all He does for each and every one of us every single day of our lives (Romans 1:18-21).

Humanistic thinking is pointless and leads us away from God. People close their irrational hearts to the light of God’s Word. These people claim to be wise, but by their actions and thinking they prove themselves to be fools. They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for humanistic and satanic lies. Therefore God gave them all over to the sinful desires of their hearts. They believe false doctrine and worship one another rather than the Creator who is forever to be praised (Romans 1:22-25).

There are even a few major world events that prove we are living in the end times. They start with the dispersion of the Jews by the Roman Empire (Ezekiel 22:15); the persecution of the Jews (Isaiah 3:24); the re-gathering of the Jews to Israel in 1948 (Ezekiel 37:21); the Six Day war in 1967 (Zechariah 12:3-5); the Hebrew language is restored to Israel, so the people can worship the Lord in one accord (Zephaniah 3:9), the shekel is restored as the currency of Israel (Ezekiel 45:12); of all the Middle Easter countries, only Israel gushed forth with water on the barren heights, deserts turned into pools of water, and fruit, forest and olive trees grew in the wasteland and became the Garden of the Middle East (Isaiah 41:18-20, 27:6, 35:1-2; Ezekiel 36:34-36; Amos 9:14-15).

We already have the beginning of birth pains. The increase in destructive forces of nature, pestilence, famine, disease, wars and rumors of wars are already occurring. The news is full of record-breaking events (Matthew 24:4-8). Christians are persecuted in record numbers, many are turning away from faith in Jesus Christ, false prophets have arisen to lead people away from the one true God, and there is an increase in wickedness where people commit atrocities without conscience (Matthew 24:9-13; 2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Toward the end of civilization as we know it, the Bible prophesies a war against Israel by the Middle East and Russia (Ezekiel 38-39). Russia is already aligned with these nations. The time is growing short for you to make a decision to follow Christ. God will intervene in Israel’s favor during this war as he did in the Seven Day war. Will you allow God to intervene in your life and bring you to salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ? When the gospel of the kingdom is preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come (Matthew 24:14). The revelation of the anti-Christ as the leader of the world, unified in politics, religion and commerce, will usher in the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15; Revelation 13:16-18, 20:4).

This is also called the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:2). God’s wrath will be revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of every unbelieving nation (Luke 21:25-27). This will happen during the last seven years of human history. He will judge all the nations of the world; put an end to Satan’s dominion over the earth; and send out 144,000 Jewish evangelists, so that His beloved Israel will be saved. Most Bible prophecies are already fulfilled. We are hovering in the fourth and fifth chapter of Revelation. You may not have much time left in your life to believe in Jesus as your Savior and to surrender your will and your life to God. Please do not wait…tomorrow may be too late.

Learn more at:

http://www.thedanielprojectmovie.com/

http://www.bibleprobe.com/365messianicprophecies.htm

http://www.christianpost.com/news/faith-isnt-needed-to-recognize-biblical-authority-85079/#bZKJx3E6Uvkg685g.99

Who is Jesus?

Read: The Gospels of John

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:2

If we are to make Jesus the center of our focus, we have to know who He is, where He came from and where He is now. Jesus was, is now and always will be the fullness of the Trinity (John 1:1; Colossians 2:9). People say that Jesus never claimed to be God; however, He did expressly say that He and the Father are one (John 10:30-33; John 5:18).

 

Jesus purposely came to earth in human form with all of its limitations, after experiencing the infinite power of the Godhead in Heaven (John 1:14: Philippians 2: 5-7). He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on the cross. The established ministers of His day, as well as several of His family and friends, rejected Him. He suffered persecution and death for our sake.

Jesus was scourged, ridiculed, made to wear a crown of thorns, laid bloody and disfigured on a rough wooden cross, endured nails hammered through His hands and feet, suffered the lung crushing pressure of hanging on a cross until, in God’s mercy, He died. Placed in the tomb of a friend, He arose on the third day and stepped back into His eternal power (Mark 8:31).

 

He walked about the earth in an immortal body, visiting His disciples and friends (Luke 24: 13-35). Then He gathered His apostles together and rose into heaven right before their eyes (Luke 24:31; Acts 1: 1-11). God highly exalted Him with a name, which is above every name. One day, at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:8-11).  

Jesus had power over demons (Matthew 4:10). He is King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2). He is the first and the last and there is no God besides Him (Isaiah 44: 6). He came to reconcile us back to the Father. He endured the cross by focusing on the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). His life and death provided a bridge to close the gap between our Heavenly Father and us.

 

Jesus willfully humbled Himself as a man for the purpose of taking from us the punishment of our sins. He did not leave us unsupported when He returned to Heaven, however. He sent His Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us (Luke 24:49), and He gave us the God-inspired words of the apostles and prophets collected into one book, the Bible.

God has a perfect plan for each of our lives, just as He did for Jesus. We have an important part to play in the history of the world and for the advancement of God’s Kingdom on the earth. He has a ministry, which He called us to perform to help reconcile other people to Him and to strengthen them in their walk and in their understanding of His principles (2 Corinthians 5:18). Jesus promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Although we face various trials and temptations, He walks with us through every one of them (John 16:33).

We can face our cross with joy because we know that Jesus lives within us and will provide every ounce of courage, wisdom and strength to face whatever life has in store for us (Colossians 1:27). Just as He exhorted the disciples to allow the little children to come to Him (Matthew 19:14), Jesus is waiting for us to humble ourselves and come to Him as little children in complete surrender of our will to His (Matthew 18:2-4). He gives us His anointing, so that we can give our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors the opportunity to accept the saving truth of His gospel. 

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we are living in the end times. We are watching as You fulfill Your plan on the earth. A one world government, currency and religion are not very far off into the future. We see the stage being set now for things to come. We thank You for keeping us close to Your heart during these troubling and dangerous times. We thank You for continuing to provide for our daily needs and for allowing us to tell others that You are the answer for all of their problems. We ask You to move in their hearts, so they will respond to Your Truth.

Thought for the Day:

Do not be afraid; Jesus is the first and the last, and the living One; He was dead, but now He is alive forevermore. He holds the keys of death and of Hell. – Revelations 1:17-18

 

Standing in the Gap

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

“Our new life in Christ is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. – 2 Corinthians 5:18

One of Paul’s favorite topics is God’s message of forgiveness and the ministry of reconciliation. The word reconcile in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 is the Greek word, “katallage”, which means to restore to divine favor. In other words, reconciliation means to transition an enemy to a friend. While sinners, we are God’s enemy; but through Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary’s cross He makes us consecrated friends with God (James 2:23). Then, God entrusted us with the ministry of reconciling others to Him.

The eternal destiny of every soul depends on whether or not he/she is reconciled with God. This should stir us to eagerly take part in this ministry of reconciliation with everyone we meet. This is not a difficult task. We simply tell people, “God took Christ, who knew no sin, to represent our sin and to receive the punishment due for our sin in His death on the cross. So that we, who were enemies, alienated from God by our own sin, might be reconciled back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

We see a pattern for reconciliation in the story of the Prodigal Son. His rebellion against the Father leads to his ruin. Then his repentance leads both to his reconciliation with his father and also the restoration of his position in the family (Luke 15:11-32). Jesus’ sacrifice paid our debt, reconciled us to God and brought to us the restoration of our position in God’s family. Jesus made peace between God and mankind through His blood, which He shed on the cross (Colossians 1:19-20).

Another aspect in our ministry of reconciliation is that we settle differences with our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors as well as with God. If someone has something against us, or if we are harboring an offense against someone else, then God wants us to reconcile with that person (Matthew 5:23-24). We do this by asking forgiveness for our misbehavior against them, and by forgiving them for their transgressions against us (Matthew 6:14-15). When we reconcile, we remove the wedge Satan planted between us to prevent us from loving one another as Christ commands us to do (Matthew 22:37-40).

A third aspect of reconciliation is that even Creation is eagerly waiting for the restoration of all things that will take place once the sons of God are revealed Right now, Creation is subjected to frustration because of the choices made by Adam and Eve on that fatal day in Paradise. Creation is groaning in pain, such as women experience in childbirth. All Creation waits for its liberation from bondage to decay; so that it also can once again experience the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:19-22). We do not realize how much we and Creation lost with Adam’s sin. However, because of Calvary, we have the confidence that everything Satan stole in Genesis, Jesus will restore to us and Creation at His revelation with His Bride in the end times.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Your death on the cross opened the door for all mankind to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father. We thank you for Your transforming love that heals our wounds, which divide us from one another and for forgiving our sins that separated us from You. We recognize the power of Your grace and mercy in our lives and we come to You in humility, presenting ourselves to You as a living sacrifice. Give us the humility to reconcile with our family, friends, neighbors and associates. Then use us according to Your will to bring reconciliation between them and You, so we may all enjoy eternity in Your presence together.

Thought for the Day:

As flawed humanity, if we place our faith in God, He freely forgives our sin and reconciles us to Himself.