YOU NEED A MEDIATOR

 

A mediator is an individual who plays the role of a go-between, helping bring reconciliation between adversaries or individuals with disagreements. When kids, for example, get into fights over toys, a responsible adult might need to settle the issue; that’s mediation. When friends get into bitter disagreements, they risk losing the friendship, but with the help of a neutral party, differences can be resolved and the friendship saved. Couples face similar situations, and without a good mediator, the relationship could easily end in a divorce.

I think I can safely assume that every adult has, at some point in their life, been a go-between, or needed one, to help resolve issues. If the mediator is not successful, the feuding parties will just go on with life the best way they know-how. What skills would one look for in a mediator? That individual must be wise, kind, caring, fair, and unbiased.

Aside from human relationships, there is a God-man relationship that also needs mediation. You might wonder why. God has an issue with man; man has sinned against God, leading to a separation between the two. God’s response to this situation is this: sin has to be paid for to restore the relationship. For this purpose, Jesus, the Son of God, came and died to pay the penalty for our sins. Thus, He became the Mediator between God and man: “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT). Needless to say, He has all the qualities one would look for in a mediator, and then some.

Jesus Himself declared his role as the Mediator during a discussion with Thomas, one of the disciples. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). Jesus’ response means that anyone who would like to have a relationship with God the Father has to come through Him Jesus is the only sinless one who sacrificed His life on our behalf; none of the other religious leaders people claim to follow did anything to appease God’s wrath against us. The Scriptures tell us, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22 NLT). Nobody can experience God’s forgiveness without blood being shed, and since Jesus is the only one who died in our place, He is the only one who can save us. Depending on any other religious leader for salvation is a waste of time, and in the end, will only send a person to hell!  

Concerning Jesus, when Peter addressed the Jewish authorities who complained about a crippled man being healed in the name of Jesus, he told them, “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NLT). Jesus is the only Mediator God accepts on behalf of men; nobody else will do!

There are many people who think they can go to God through other means, channels, or religions. However, everyone needs a God-appointed Mediator. What’s your expectation? Do you hope to have a restored relationship with God? How do you plan to attain that? Have you accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf? Are you trusting your good deeds or some other religion? None of those will do you any good. Jesus is the only Mediator!

If you are putting your trust in anything or person other than Jesus, you’re mistaken. It must be disappointing to be wrong but thank God you found out sooner rather than later when it could be too late to get on the right path. See, after you die, the opportunity to get saved will die with you. It will be too late. All who turn their backs on Jesus will have to answer to God on their own behalf (see Revelation 20:12-13). The verdict will be very clear: “Anyone whose name was not found in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15 NLT).     

It hurts me to think this will be happening to many, many people, but if you are reading this, you have some time. But how much time? Nobody has an answer to this question, which is why it is wise to call on Jesus today; tomorrow could be too late. The Scriptures clearly state, “Just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28 NLT).

Please don’t wait any longer. Ask God to forgive your sins and make you His child! And as His child, seek to know and obey Him through reading His Word, the Bible. Seek fellowship with other believers in a Bible-believing church. May God bless you.

AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH

 

Jesus gave many illustrations when He taught the people. One such time was when He taught them about His Second Coming. Regarding a specific date of His return, He told them, “No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (Matthew 24:36).

However, He made it clear how it will happen. He said, “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day” (Matthew 24:37). What happened in Noah’s day? Why was it an appropriate illustration?

The story of Noah was well known to the people; it was a story they could relate to and understand. Jesus reminded them of what happened, to make sure they could see the parallel between it and His Second Coming. He told them, “In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. The people didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 24:38-39).

So, in what ways will the Second Coming be like Noah’s day? Noah’s generation was exceedingly wicked: so wicked that it broke God’s heart! He responded by confiding in Noah, telling him, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out with the earth!” (Genesis 6:13). Then He gave Noah instructions to build a boat to preserve his family of eight and a pair (male and female) of every animal, and seven pairs of every kind of bird and animal that were for consumption and sacrifice (see Genesis 7:1-3). Noah did as he was told.

After the boat was completed, Noah and his family and the animals boarded, and God closed the door behind them. Seven days later, it started to rain. It rained for forty days and nights, resulting in a deep flood that destroyed every living thing (see Genesis 7:23-24).

Jesus’ illustration was meant to teach His audience and us to be constantly ready for His Second Coming; it will be unannounced! With the exception of Noah and his family, everyone else on earth perished. Prior to the flood, they kept up their usual routine and evil lifestyles, as if nothing was ever going to change. Then suddenly, the rain and flood came; the boat was closed and they had nowhere to go for safety. It was too late!

The scriptures say, “This is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17). This is your opportunity to be saved and have your name recorded in the Book of Life for security (see Revelation 20:15).

Are you all set for when Jesus returns or when you die? If you’ve never repented and asked God for forgiveness, this is your chance to do that. Nobody knows when either event will happen; only God knows! Don’t let either one take you by surprise; you won’t be able to do anything about it then, just like Noah’s world couldn’t do anything about their situation.

Jesus will come back when we least expect Him; may He find our names in the Book of Life and may we be living in obedience and looking eagerly for His return.

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CHRISTIAN, DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE IN THIS WORLD

 Being comfortable in life is an indication of contentment with the status quo, and needing nothing else to feel fulfilled or accomplished. If you are comfortable, it probably means you’re in good health, have a good job, a beautiful family, and a loving church. And if occasional problems should surface, you could easily find solutions to them. Christian, your life might be going in the direction you want it to go, but do you see the direction our world is going, and are you satisfied with that? If you are, then we have a problem, and if not, what are you doing about it? What are you doing to advance the Kingdom of God? 

Let me just caution you, this world is not our permanent home; you are not supposed to feel at home here. We are just journeying through, so please don’t get too comfortable. If you get too comfortable, you will be choosing things of this world over God; you will forget about your real home, and stop looking forward to going there. In fact, the Scriptures tell us, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you” (1 John 2:15). On the other hand, if you don’t make this place your home, you’ll most likely focus on getting ready and making sure everything is in order for when the time comes for your home-going. 

While we are on this journey, we are also in training to become godly. The Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16 NLT). Nobody acquires skills without the proper training. We need to imitate the training routine of athletes as the Scriptures admonish us—they train hard, and with discipline. Whereas, in their case, only one person wins the prize in a race; in our case, we all get to win the prize--heaven! (See 1 Corinthians 9:24). We train through trials, difficulties, and God’s chastening. Our dependence on the Word of God and prayer as we respond to difficult and challenging situations helps us grow more and more in our relationship with God. 

Our success in the race will also require we get rid of whatever weight or hindrances could slow us down in running, like ungodly relationships and alliances, and bad habits. And should we fall during the race, we should get up, dust ourselves off, and get back in the race. The more determined we are to get to the finish line, the easier it will be to get rid of the unnecessary baggage that makes our run more difficult. 

So, what should we be doing while we wait for the call home?

● First and foremost, let’s make sure our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The only way our name would be in that book is if we have repented of our sins and placed faith in Jesus for salvation: “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” (Romans 3:25 NLT).

Once we are certain we are saved, we must obey. Obedience includes the following aspects of Christian living: 

● Prayer—We need to be in ongoing communication with God at all times because without Him we can’t do anything; we need His strength, wisdom, and direction. “Don’t worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He Has done. Then you will experience God’s peace” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT). Also, “Never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT), and “Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20 NLT).

● Bible reading—We can’t really obey God if we don’t know His will as revealed through His Word. We need to read and study it, and then ask for the grace to understand and obey it. The knowledge of the Word and obeying it bring about our transformation and the renewal of our minds. 

● Live holy lives—our lives should tell the world that we belong to Christ. We can demonstrate that through love for others and respecting authority in our environment. People might make fun of us sometimes, but let’s remember they made fun of our Lord as well. “Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you” (John 15:20 NLT). Jesus’ charge to us is, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 NLT). It’s not enough to claim we know God; we have to show it by the way we live (see Titus 1:16). Jesus once warned His disciples, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21 NLT). Doing His will is key! Next, let’s live out our faith through obedience to the Scriptures. Our obedience is proof that we love the Lord (see 1 John 5:3). Our claim that we believe in Jesus should be coupled with obedience because, like mentioned before, only those who actually do the will of God will enter heaven. 

As we obey the Scriptures, we experience a gradual change that makes us more like our Lord Jesus, empowering us to think and act like He would. He has charged us, “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2 NLT). 

● Love the church—the Church is the Body of Christ. We have a responsibility to love and care for other believers: “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 13:1). Peter encourages the same thing, “Now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart” (! Peter 1:22). And John reminds us, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar, for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has … this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers” (! John 4:20-21). 

● Do good works—Doing good works was God’s reason and purpose for creating us: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10). The word ‘masterpiece’ is brilliant; the psalmist breaks it down when he says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. That status in Christ has prepared us to do good works, so we have no excuse for not doing them. And actually, our acts of good deeds are an indication that our faith is alive: “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26). When you are too comfortable here, you are most likely living selfishly, caring only about yourself, and do not have good deeds on your radar. 

● Allow our thoughts to be on things that are virtuous and praiseworthy. If we focus on our heavenly home, we will have a passion to live right, think right, and do right. The apostle Paul admonished the Philippians, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think of things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (4:8). 

● Witnessing—Jesus commands us the same way He commanded His early disciples, “Go and make disciples of all nations …” (Matthew 28:19). The disciples took that command seriously, and so should we. “The disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them …” (Mark 16:20). When was the last time you shared the gospel with another person or prayed for someone to come to salvation? Do you care that people are dying without Christ, facing God’s judgment and condemnation someday? Let’s get diligently involved with God’s mission—the reason He came to earth—to snatch mankind from the jaws of sin and death.

If you are not taking these responsibilities seriously, it means you are too comfortable here; please reevaluate your priorities and make the changes that will put you on the path to waiting eagerly for our Savior’s return. 

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BACKSLIDER, YOU'RE LOVED: COME BACK HOME!

What is backsliding? Backsliding is also known as falling away or committing apostasy. It is a term used within Christianity to describe when an individual who has come to faith in Christ reverts to pre-conversion habits or falls into sin and stays in it. It is when a person turns from God to pursue their own desires and pleasures.

God created us for Himself and loves to maintain an ongoing relationship with us. He knows what’s good for us, and He yearns for us to trust and obey Him. When we turn our back on Him in disobedience, we hurt Him. Since He is holy and hates sin, we leave Him no other choice except to punish/reprimand us to bring us back to the right path, He says, “I correct and discipline everyone I love” (Revelation 3:19 NLT).

Quite often in the history of the Israelites, we see where they turned their back on God to pursue the worship of idols, make decisions without consulting Him, or just disregard His instruction. For these reasons, He allowed them to be defeated by their enemies and sent them into captivity over and over again, with the expectation that they’d repent. He said to them, “My wayward children, come back to me, and I’ll heal your wayward hearts” (Jeremiah 3:22 NLT). Again, and again, He tried to woo them back, saying of them, “They will never again pollute themselves with their idols and vile images and rebellion, for I will save them from their sinful apostasy. I will cleanse them. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God” (Ezekiel 37:23 NLT).

Reader, have you ever made a profession of faith by admitting to God that you are a sinner, and asking Him to please forgive you because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross? If you did this sincerely, but have since then, over time, gone back to your former ways, you are a backslider. How did that happen? I’ll assume that whoever led you to faith in Jesus also encouraged you to seek Him through prayer and Bible reading, and fellowshipping with other Christians. That’s the only way you can grow in your knowledge of and relationship with Him.

Look back over your life, and you might be able to figure out what happened with your Christian walk. Most likely, you gradually stopped reading your Bible, stopped praying, stopped fellowshipping with other believers, and renewed relationships from the past, and resumed doing the wrong things you used to do. In short, you lost interest in the things of God.

When (if) you made that profession of faith, you became a new person with a new purpose: “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ who died and was raised for them. … This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:15, 17). As you see, you chose to begin a new way of life, and the Bible admonishes us to “get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.” Instead, long for the food that will help you grow: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness” (1 Peter 2:1-3). 

When you came to faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit came to indwell you to help you to live right. If you ignore His voice and continue to do your own thing, pretty soon His voice is no longer audible to you. Remember that since you were saved from darkness, the devil’s camp: he will do all he can to get you back. The moment you became a Christian, you entered into an unseen battle with the devil and the powers of darkness. God, knowing what you are up against, designed a complete armor of protection for you. You need to wear it 24/7 to ensure victory in this war with the devil (see Ephesians 6:10-18). That is why the Word admonishes us to, “Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.… These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions” (Galatians 5:16-17).  

So, where do we go from here? God says, “Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief” (Revelation 3:3 NLT). In other words, start the process all over— repentance, confession, and commitment! Jesus admonishes you to, “Be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” (Rev 319-20). See, all is not lost; there is hope, but you have to respond now. What an awesome invitation! He will not hold your backsliding against you; He wants to share a meal with you! Are you ready, and are you going to open the door of your heart to Him? Wow! Despite your backsliding, He offers you the opportunity to come and sit with Him on His throne (see verse 21).

If you are reading this, it means it’s not too late, no matter what situation you are in. Whether you’ve backslidden or have never trusted Jesus for salvation, the answer is the same—repent and ask God for forgiveness, and mean it. Start or resume your walk of faith by reading and obeying the Word of God, praying, and seeking fellowship with other believers.

Please do that today! May God bless you!     

 

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