What is Spreading in Our Lives?

Leaven is a term used 39 times in the bible, and scripture usually refers to leaven as a type of sin.  When God gave Moses instructions for celebrating the Passover, they were told to remove all leaven from their houses and eat unleavened bread.  This was the way Israel prepared for the Passover, which set the stage for their deliverance from judgment.

In the New Testament, Jesus tells his followers to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees."  Here, Jesus explains leaven is the corrupt teaching of the Pharisees.  In 1Corinthians 5 the Apostle Paul refers to leaven as sexual immorality and pride. Paul tells the church to purge out the old leaven (of sin and wickedness) and be a new lump of truly unleavened dough.  Paul is saying that just as leaven is able to spread quickly and thoroughly through the whole batch of dough, so sin can spread through the church if it is not addressed.  

We all know sin is displeasing to God, and the scripture say’s “all have sinned”.  But, is it really possible to do what Paul is telling the church?  Is it possible to “purge out sin” from our lives?  Jesus said, “What is impossible with man, is possible with God."  Only through the saving grace offered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary can we be forgiven.  And only through the power of God that comes when a life surrenders to the lordship of Jesus Christ can we live a life that pleases Him.  Removing leaven is a type of consecrating our lives for the Lords service.  We can simply say, “Lord Jesus, I turn away from sin and wickedness and commit my life to You.  Help me to follow You and live a life that is pleasing to You.  Amen.”

The Value of Salvation

Salvation is one of the greatest gifts Almighty God has offered to man. Hebrews 2:2 asks the question “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation”? Have we neglected God’s salvation? In our world today, the subject of salvation has been so watered down that almost everyone thinks that they will receive it, yet very few have taken the time to find out what God says is necessary to receive it. 

To get an idea of the worth of any item, one must first get an idea of how much it cost to make this item. The same is true of salvation. What was the cost when God sent His only Son Jesus to come to this earth to offer His life as a ransom for our sins? What did it cost our Lord Jesus, when on the cross after taking the sins of the whole world on himself uttered, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”? What is the value that God places on salvation, and do we approach salvation with the reverence and respect it and God deserves? 

The good news is that God did not make salvation difficult, yet it came at a great cost. Jesus said “He who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out”. Jesus also said “He who does not forsake all and follow me, cannot be my disciple." And again, “whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple."

Salvation is a free gift, yet it’s worth is beyond anything we could imagine. Salvation is free, yet it costs our complete surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Count the cost, then realize the benefit of receiving Jesus as Lord of your life. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

Being a GREAT Father

As we celebrate Father's Day, we honor all of our fathers.  Being a father is not an easy job, but God has made His grace available for this great calling.  Being a great father starts with being the man God has called us to be.  To do this, look to our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the perfect example of firmness and gentleness: a man of velvet and a man of steel, a man of compassion, yet willing to confront evil head-on. 

Next, look to our Heavenly Father.  Hebrews 12 tells us that because of love, our Heavenly Father disciplines every son whom He receives.  His correction truly is for our benefit.  If we love our children, we will care enough to correct, train and discipline them because we love them too much to leave them to their own devices.  This passage goes on to tell us that in the end, discipline yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.  Discipline ministered in love results in peace in the heart of a child.

Next, look to the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said that the Spirit of Truth whom He would send, will guide us into all the truth.  There are many ideas out there regarding raising children that do not line up with what God's Word has to say on the subject.  Ask God for His wisdom, and rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you in the path that is most pleasing to Him.

Finally, forgive.  Whether your earthly father was a great example of fatherhood or was a terrible example of fatherhood, forgive him for any of his shortcomings.  God's grace to be a great father is available when we forgive others. 

Happy Father's Day!

Forgive to Live

Forgiveness is one of the most powerful expressions of love that one person can show another.  It is not only beneficial to the one being forgiven, but is essential for the well-being of the one offering forgiveness.  Jesus tells a story of a servant who was forgiven of an exorbitant debt, yet he would not forgive his servant of a very small debt.  This is a picture of our lives.  God offers to forgive all of our sins through the sacrifice of His only Son Jesus, but we in turn are required to forgive others.  It is not an option, it is a command from God.

Some would say, “But you don't know how they hurt me, I just don't feel I can forgive."  This is where we realize the limits of our natural human love, and see how much we need God's love.  1 Corinthians 13 tells us that God's love is patient and kind, and keeps no record of being wronged.  Natural human love is not able to love like that.  Romans 5:5 tells us, “God's love has been placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit."  Our part is to yield to that love.

Also, while we are talking about forgiveness, forgive yourself.  Many people struggle with letting go of mistakes they have made.  They say, “I just can't forgive myself for that."  If Almighty God is willing to forgive us of our sins, who are we to hold onto them?  We need to receive the forgiveness God offers us, forgive ourselves, and then forgive others.  Freely you have received, freely give.

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray to our Heavenly Father, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."  If we really want to live, forgive.