Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.“ – Hebrews 7:25

What a comfort!!! Jesus ALWAYS lives to intercede with us before God. Jesus is ALWAYS on the job! If we approach God through faith in Jesus Christ, Jesus always represents us before the Lord. When we trust in Jesus, His perfect righteousness is always credited to us and God sees Him in us.

Jesus is completely able to save us “to the uttermost”! As long as he or she draws breath, no person is ever so far gone that Jesus cannot and will not save them! This is why 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ALL of it. ALL.

So if you feel lost, distant, or in conflict with God, embrace Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, confess what you have done wrong and ask God’s forgiveness. Then know, with 100% certainty, that He Has completely forgiven you!

“Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.”
– Psalm 119:165

Looking for a little peace today??? These are unsettled and unsettling times, so that’s certainly understandable!!! If you’re looking for peace don’t bother looking to politics, wealth, comfort, work, or pleasure. News, information, and the echo chamber of social media won’t give you peace, either. These may provide a temporary illusion of peace, but it won’t last. These things come and go.

True peace can only be found in God. Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead to make peace through the cross. He alone is our shalom peace. Fall in love with Him. Delight in Him. Spend time with Him. Experience peace in Him despite whatever is happening in the world.

Meet Him in His Word, the Bible. Get to know Him through His Word. Fall more deeply in love with Him because of His Word. Listen for His voice in His Word. Find your identity and anchor in Christ alone. Grow in that identity, strength, stability, and peace through an every-day passion for the Bible.

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.”
– Proverbs 27:1

We’re definitely feeling the truth of this verse today! We really don’t know what this day may bring or what tomorrow might be like. Or the day after tomorrow. Or the day after that. As followers of Jesus, let us neither boast about nor be anxious about tomorrow.

Instead, let us trust in God Who is sovereign over all things (Revelation 4:11). Let us trust that God will work all things together for good for those called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Let us trust that God brings eternal good out of the darkest of times. Let us trust that while He causes nations to rise and fall (Job 12:23), the gates of Hell will not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18).

Let us trust and then let us pray. Let us become faithful in prayer to a much greater extent than ever before. Let us truly set down our foolish pride and comical imaginings about our “strength” and lean in total dependence on the One Who is truly strong. Let us take every anxiety to God in prayer and experience His supernatural peace in crazy times (Philippians 4:6-7).

Finally, let us act out of love for the good of God’s Kingdom in Jesus Christ. In Matthew 6:25-33, Jesus carefully explains why we should not be anxious about anything. God loves and cares for His people and doesn’t want us to be paralyzed by anxiety. Replace your anxiety with action for God’s Kingdom as verse 33 teaches, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

Do you feel like we’re in a time of need??? Elections? Divisions? Pandemics? Protests? Recessions? Racism? Violence? Godlessness? Immorality? Confusion? Deception? That’s just scratching the surface!

If you have embraced Jesus as your Lord, then God’s throne of grace is always open and available to YOU! God wants you to freely and confidently come before Him in prayer with anything and everything that’s troubling you.

God will hear everything you lift up to Him in prayer. He won’t necessarily give you everything you’re asking for, but He’ll give you the mercy and grace you need to get through the day. He may not give you what you want, but He’ll always give you what you truly need. So ask and don’t be afraid to ask! God loves you, He welcomes you, He hears you, and He provides for you.

“Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver from evil.”

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” – Hebrews 2:14-15

Death has been at the forefront of our news and conversations in 2020. The good news is that death has already been defeated! We don’t have to live in fear of death! Jesus destroyed death’s power by His own death.

Because we are flesh and blood, Jesus, the Son of God, became flesh and blood so that He could sacrifice His life on the cross and after His death, rise to life on the third day. At the cross, Jesus defeated Satan and shattered the power of sin and death over the lives of all who embrace Christ as Lord and Savior!

Because Jesus rose to life, all who believe in Him will also rise to life. Jesus is the resurrection and the life! If you believe in Jesus, then please don’t let fear of death control you, dominate your thoughts, or steal your enjoyment of life. Yes, death will come to us all one day unless Jesus returns first, but death is simply the door we pass through into an eternity in God’s glorious presence!