NOT A WOODEN CROSS, BUT THE WOODEN CROSS

A wooden cross is made by nailing or tying two pieces of uneven-length wood together, as seen in this picture. Even a child could put one together. In years past, in Rome and other parts of the world, hanging a person on a cross was a way of punishing criminals. As to be expected, many criminals died this way, but of all the individuals crucified, only one of them had never done anything wrong. In fact, He was sinless.

A cross is a cross, but this sinless one on it made one particular cross significantly different from all the others. You see, the man on that cross was not a man at all; He was God, and he died willingly, out of love.

When God Almighty, Creator of the universe, with power to call on legions of angels to fight on His behalf, hangs defenseless on a tree, everybody needs to stop and pay attention! That act speaks volumes: of man’s ignorance and wickedness, and of God’s love and longing to forgive, redeem, and to replace a broken relationship with an ongoing Father-child relationship now, and into eternity.  

The cross: there was a reason for it! Right from the beginning, God knew He would be dying a cruel death, to restore the fellowship with man that would be broken by sin.

If you are confused, be patient; I’ll explain further. The only sinless Person who ever died such a horrible death was God. Why did He die if He was sinless? He died to pay for the penalty of man’s sin. Without this act, there could be no forgiveness of sin (see Hebrews 9:22), as His death was the only acceptable payment for the sins of man. That one act covers their past, present and future failings (see Hebrews 9:28). Without it, there’d be no restoration of the relationship between man and God.

So how did we fall out of fellowship with God? Adam and Eve (our original parents) sinned against God in the Garden of Eden through disobedience, and, being their offspring, we inherited their sin-nature. So now we sin because we were born with a sin-nature; we’re sinners not because we sin, but we sin because we’re sinners (see Romans 5:12). Sin has put a separation between us and God (Adam and Eve were thrown out of God’s presence). The only way to restore our relationship with God was for the sin to be paid for, which God did through that cruel death of His Son Jesus on the cross. For “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them" (Corinthians 5:19 NLT). 

The cross! Although it represented such pain and agony, it demonstrated love and brought forgiveness and life! The cross!

How then should we respond to a sacrifice this costly? In one word, REPENT! Repentance is agreeing that we’re sinners (see Romans 5:20), deciding to turn our back on sin, and placing our faith in Jesus. When we take that step, God forgives us; because He’s promised He would if we confess and forsake our sins (see 1 John 1:9). If we choose to not repent, we’ll face God’s judgment in the future, and the verdict will be condemnation to hell.

Just so we understand that: “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27 NLT). If you haven’t already placed your faith in Jesus, what are you waiting for? Tomorrow is not promised to anyone; death could knock on your door any day, any time, and it might be too late for you to experience God’s grace and forgiveness in a personal way. You might have an elaborate funeral when you die, but that won’t change your stand with God. Please do this today; it is that urgent!

When you place your faith in Jesus, God will: remove your sins as far from you as the east is from the west (see Psalm 103:12). He’ll never again remember your sins (see Hebrews 8:12, 10:17). He’ll guide and teach you through His Word, the Bible, and through sharing with other Christians. He’ll always be available to you through prayer.

God is waiting for a response to His call; answer today!      

PLEASE DON’T CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM

“Don’t contribute to the problem.” Which problem, you might ask. It’s a problem that’s clearly stated in the Scriptures, and it is this: “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you” (Romans 2:24 NLT). In other words, unbelievers blaspheme the name of God because of believers. Ouch!

The apostle Paul challenged the Church in Rome to godly living. They had a reputation of knowing the law as Jews. So he said to them, “If you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? … You are so proud of knowing the Law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, ‘The Gentiles …’” (Romans 2:21-24).

So clearly, when we don’t practice what we claim, teach, and preach, we give occasion for non-believers to talk ill of our Lord and the Church He died for. In addition, we become stumbling blocks to them. It is not unusual to hear comments like, “If that’s what the Church is like, then I want no part of it.” This is a sad statement, because people for whom Christ died are turned away from the truth because of our inconsistencies in obeying the Word of God.

Aren’t we then partially responsible for the insults hurled upon our Lord and His bride? Of course we are! Let’s take a very serious look at this situation; just like Daniel determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine provided by the king (see Daniel 1:8), let us also make conscious efforts to hate sin and anything that looks like it. “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are his children” (1 john 2:9 NLT). Let us also learn to hold each other accountable for what we do and don’t do.

The way to not contribute to the problem, I believe, is to:

·        Fear God-not in a morbid sense, but a reverential one. Fearing Him that way means holding Him in such high esteem that we’ll hate to offend Him. And that will cause us to want to obey His Word.

·        Love God-Christians claim they love God, and we should, but how do we demonstrate that love? He demonstrated His love by dying for us while we were still sinners. The first epistle of John teaches us to demonstrate our love for Him by obeying Him.

·        Obeying God- “Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3 NLT). But how can we obey His Word if we don’t know it? So in addition to fear and love, we need to know His Word.

·        Know His Word. And of course the way to know it is to study it with diligence, and then apply it in obedience.      

When we live according to the Word of God, non-Christians will have very little reason to complain about us, or for which to blaspheme our Lord. On the other hand, if we continue to live in sin, we contribute to the problem of our God being blasphemed. So are you or are you not contributing to the problem? May this be the time that non-Christians will clutch on to the sleeve of a Christian, and say, “Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23 NLT)!                  

THE IMMEASURABLE DISTANCE

How can any distance be immeasurable? Airlines, for instance, know the distance their planes fly, no matter how far the destination. Hence, it’s difficult to imagine some distance that cannot be measured. As unimaginable as it seems, there’s such a distance: the distance between East and West.

The distance between East and West is immeasurable, because when you start a journey from the East, moving toward the West, you’ll never really get to a particular spot called West. The farther you move in the westward direction, the farther away your destination will be.

You might be asking yourself, “What’s the big deal about that?” This is a big deal because God used that illustration to prove a point: demonstrating how completely He forgives sins, meaning once forgiven, He does not bring it back again; your sin is gone for good. The Bible says, “He [God] has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12 NLT).   

Now do you understand the big deal? When God forgives you, you stay forgiven! However, God forgiving us is not automatic; we have to want to be forgiven. Our role in the process is to repent (regret sinning), and ask God to forgive us. Why should He forgive us: is it because we’re so good most of the time, or because we’re so special? No! No reason you can think of is a good enough reason for Him to forgive us.

There’s one, and only one, reason upon which God bases His forgiveness: His love! He loves us, and has provided Jesus Christ, His only Son, to be the sacrifice for our sins. The following verses explain the process clearly; please read them carefully. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 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 3:23-25 NLT).  

Dear reader, you’re a sinner, because you were born with a sin nature, just like everyone else. The Bible stresses that fact by saying, “Everyone has sinned.” So now would you like to be forgiven? If you don’t seek forgiveness, you make yourself an enemy of God (see James 4:4), and that enmity will continue into eternity leaving you in hell after death. I encourage you to call on God today and ask Him to forgive you through Jesus Christ, His Son. He will do that, and remove your sins as far away as the east is from the west; it will be as if you never sinned. He’ll be with you in this life, and then into eternity with Him in heaven. Do it today! 

A RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE-SIDED COMMUNICATION

A relationship is defined as the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected. For the purpose of this article, we will concern ourselves with how two or more people are connected. The people in this relationship are God and you, the Christian.

How are relationships created and maintained? Some relationships -- marital relationships for example -- start with attraction between the two (man and woman), followed by nurturing by both people and sometimes their loved ones. The parent/child relationship starts with the adults having a child naturally, or through adoption. Last but not least is the relationship between friends. Again, this relationship starts with some form of attraction. No matter how these relationships start, in order to keep them alive and flourishing, they have to be nurtured by the individuals in the relationship.

What goes into nurturing a relationship? Communication, support, giving, encouragement, respect, and provision of what the other person needs. Each participant in the relationship needs these, so if meeting any of these needs becomes one-sided, the relationship will suffer, and after a while, begin to crumble, and eventually fail.

In the same way, Christians need to nurture their relationship with God the Father if they’d like to have a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Him. God doesn’t need to be nurtured: we do. God wants to have ongoing, two-way communication with us. He wants to hear our voice as much as He wants us to hear His. He’s charged us to pray (see Matthew 6:5-15; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 5:13), which is our end of the communication. How about His end of the communication? He speaks to us through His Word; we need to read it, meditate on it, and obey it. That’s the only uncontested way to hear from Him; there is no other!

If we pray, asking for this, that, and the other, but never hear what He has to say, our communication becomes one-sided, and we don’t benefit. When communication becomes one-sided, it becomes a lecture; it ceases to be communication. God seeks a relationship, and not a lecture; He already knows what we need. He needs us to know His Word, claim it, and live it victoriously for His glory.

So, dear child of God, how has your communication been with your Father lately? Remember, He admonishes us to have fewer words: “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 NLT). You can practice listening more. Start today by reading and meditating on the Word, allowing Him to speak to you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVING OTHERS

Forgiving means letting go: not holding others accountable for the wrongs they have committed against us. In other words, any time we think of forgiving or not forgiving another, we’re admitting that we’ve be wronged.

The Usual Responses to Offences

What are the usual responses to offences? We can choose to confront the offender and resolve the issue; take offence, but never confront or forgive, resulting in giving cold shoulders; or never confront, but forgive and go on with life as if nothing ever happened. 

The Outcome of Not Forgiving

●      Resentment and avoidance:

When we feel hurt, we can harbor resentment, whether or not we address it with the offender. That resentment can put us on the path to avoidance, and we might never get the relationship restored.  

●      Gossip:

When we don’t forgive, we have the tendency to share our hurt with others, seeking their sympathy, and that often leads to gossip, which can cause others to resent our offender as well.

How to Handle Our Hurts:

1.    Admit we are hurt

2.    Identify the offender

3.    Identify how we were hurt, and the reason we were hurt

4.    Pray for wisdom to know how best to respond and have a restored relationship.

5.    Pray for grace to be willing to forgive, and to forgive, even if the offender does not admit wrongdoing.

Why We Should Forgive:

We should forgive because:

1.    God says so: “Forgive others, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37 NLT). Have you ever prayed the Lord’s Prayer? Most people can say it from memory; part of it says: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” (Matthew 6:12 NLT). God says to forgive, and we ask to be forgiven, both being contingent on us forgiving others.

2.    Choosing to not forgive others is sin, and it has consequences. The psalmist says: “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart [and forsaken], the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18 NLT).

3.   God is our example. We offend Him more times in a day than others offend us, and if He, a holy God, forgives us when we confess, we should obey Him, follow His example and forgive those who sin against us. Let’s also remember that we’re not perfect, and do sin against others.

The Scripture tells us: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger … Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 4:31-5:1-2 NIV).

It is possible to honestly forgive. I speak not only from Scripture, but also from experience. I’ve tried it and it works! It dawned on me one day that there were a couple of people who had offended me, but I had never addressed it with them or faced them: I never forgave them in my heart; I just stayed away from them, responding to their ‘hellos’ from a distance. I emotionally distanced myself from them. How sad! I wonder how many of my prayers went unanswered because of that.

My response to this revelation was to confess it to the Lord, asking for forgiveness and grace to forgive these people. Then, while praying, I said these people’s names out loud, and told them and God that I forgive them. I believe God answered, because now when I think about them, I no longer have a funny feeling about them; I honestly feel forgiveness toward them. What a relief!

It is possible to forgive, because our abilities and strength to do anything are based on Jesus already having won the victory for us. “Apart from me,” He said, “you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV). First we need to be willing to forgive, and then ask Him for grace to forgive the offender. We then need to go out of our way to reach out to these people in love, allowing the Holy Spirit to heal us and restore the relationship we had with them.

Every sin is sin, but the sin of not forgiving I think, is in a category all by itself, although we so often give it very little thought. I’ve concluded that we cannot afford to not forgive, because we cannot afford the consequences--God not forgiving us, and not hearing our prayers. Finally, let us take this admonishment seriously: “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV).

The Type of Sinners God Forgives

Sin is defined as lawlessness--breaking God's laws. It doesn't make any difference which ones you break; sin is sin, and it is against God. The God who said, "Don't commit murder" is the same One who said, "Don't commit adultery." Whichever one you commit is still sin, punishable by death - separation from God (see Romans 6:23). You might be thinking your sin is so great it can never be forgiven, or that you are not as bad as someone else. Both assumptions are far from the truth, because, first, God has declared that we are all sinners (see 1 John 1:10). And second, He hates sin, but third, He loves the sinner. That means God loves you and is waiting to forgive you, no matter what you have done or don’t think you have done. All that is standing between you and forgiveness is your repentance. God doesn't forgive for forgiveness’ sake. He forgives individuals who admit their guilt and sincerely ask for forgiveness, leading to a status change: from God's enemy to His child; from darkness into light; from Satan to God; from death to life (see Romans 5:10; Acts 26:18; Romans 6:13). So what is the sin that's weighing down so heavily on you? The size of your sin is not the problem; your denial and pride are preventing you from repenting. The Bible talks about different individuals who found forgiveness because they repented. Consider their sin, and understand that God is willing and able to forgive you and never hold it against you. He will wipe your slate clean, as if you had never sinned. King David, the second king of Israel, committed adultery with a married woman, Bathsheba, had her husband murdered to cover it up, and then married her (see 2 Samuel 11:1-17, 27). What a tragedy! But David repented (see 2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51) and was forgiven. When Jesus was crucified, He was crucified between two criminals, one on each side of Him. One repented, and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (Luke 23:42 NLT), and found forgiveness instantly. Jesus responded: “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke23:43 NLT). Your sin, dear reader, is pardonable, if only you follow God's prescribed process! First, repent of your sin, no matter how small or big. Second, turn your life over to Him. God will forgive you and put His Holy Spirit into your heart to bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. If you are unsure if God will forgive you, I encourage you to give the process a try; you'll be amazed at the difference. God is faithful; He does not go back on His Word. The Bible says: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 NLT). There are thousands (including myself) who can attest to the validity of the Bible and its promises, because they have experienced it: “Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own” (John 7:17 NLT). Dear reader, please don't hesitate any longer; Jesus already paid for your sins! The apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus, and says: “He [God] is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins (Ephesians 1:7 NLT). Call on Him today; you’ll be glad you did. The benefits will start right away, and continue into eternity! Here is Jesus’ definition for eternal life: “This is the way to have eternal life—to know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth” (John 17:3 NLT). Think about it!

PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE--TODAY

 

Assume there’s a college you’d like to attend. Which of the approaches below do you think could aid in your gaining admission? 1) You study hard, then submit your transcript to the college. The college responds, and asks you to take care of some deficiency; you do that, and reapply. You're accepted and sent a letter of admission with all necessary information. The day college starts, you show up at your assigned dorm, and the rest is history! 2) You study hard, wait until the day college starts, then show up at the admission office with your luggage and transcript in hand and the ‘HOPE’ that your transcript will be good enough for you to be allowed into college. The admissions officer tells you face-to-face that your transcript is not good enough, and besides, admission is closed until the following year. Which of these two approaches was wise? Clearly, option one was the wise one, but why? Because the student in option one planned ahead, and actually had an admission letter that confirmed his acceptance to his school of choice. The student in option two left his admission to chance; he was hoping, but had nothing concrete on which to base that hope. As you can see, he missed his opportunity to attend the college of his choice; what a tragedy! In the same way, as important as going to heaven is to most people, some of these same people do not make the necessary preparations. They leave everything to chance. They make statements like, "I hope my good outweighs my bad." Who said anything about weighing, anyway? Heaven is God's dwelling place, and He decides the rules of admission. So, just as prospective students have to follow the requirements for admission to the college of their choice, people who want to get in to heaven have to follow God's laid-out process. So what are God's requirements for gaining admission to heaven? God's requirements are stated in the Bible, the only authentic Word of God. In it, we learn that we're all sinners, and that sin has made a separation between God and man. In order to bridge the gap, the Bible says, there's only one Mediator between God and man--the Man Christ Jesus (see 1 Timothy 2:5-6). Also, it tells us, by grace we've been saved through faith, not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, lest any man should boast (see Ephesians 2:5-9). In other words, man cannot do anything to merit forgiveness from God. Forgiveness is based strictly on God's grace; it cannot be earned. All that's required is for man to admit guilt and ask for forgiveness through Christ Jesus. That's all it takes to enter heaven. To those who take this step, the Bible offers this assurance: “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13 NLT). So you don't have to wait until you die to find out if you made it. If you wait that long, it will be too late to fulfill the requirements, and like that second student, you'll miss the opportunity to enter heaven. How tragic!