Things Have An End

"For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, and he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end."  Luke 22:37.  The work of redemption that Jesus had come to accomplish was almost at an end.  The task for which God had sent him was coming to fulfillment.  The suffering that he experienced and the separation from his father that he knew was soon to end.  Is it not true for us as well that the things which we experience in life soon end?  We find ourselves in turmoil, but calmness comes.  We become ill, but wellness comes.  The events in our life change.  We can be happy, but saddness comes.  Smiles are followed with tears.  In our life, there is separation as well as reunion.  All things have an end.  We must know the downs as well as the ups.  There are both smooth times, as well as rough times.  Today can hold the greatest promise while tomorrow may look like defeat.  God's plan for Christ had him reckoned among the transgressors, but it had an end.  Whatever darkness we see in life will ultimately be dismissed by the brightness.  The clouds will disperse, and the sun will shine for the things concerning us have an end.

As Thou Hast Believed

"And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.  And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour."  Matthew 8:13.  A centurion of authority had come to request of Jesus that his servant be healed.  He confessed that he was unworthy of Jesus coming into his house.  He wanted Jesus to "speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed."  verse 8.  We are unworthy because of sin, but Jesus has the power to make us worthy.  By our faith, we can be healed of the most deadly disease of sin.  By faith, we can confess the saving power of Christ.  By faith, we can become sons of God.  As we believe, so can we become.  The Savior opens his arms to those of faith.  The Christ hears the cry of those of faith.  Faith can open our heart and we approach Christ even though we know that we are unworthy.  Jesus accepted not only the centurion, but also the leper.  Those high and those low could come to Christ.  You can come, and I can come.  As we believe, we can receive the blessing of healing and acceptance.  We, through faith, become conquerors in Christ Jesus.  In this selfsame hour, we can know the love and grace of Jesus Christ if we but believe.

It Is Well

"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of his doings."  Isaiah 3:10.  Is it not true for the righteous?  The righteous have it well for God is our God.  Our wellness is seen in our redemption.  We have been set free from the power of the devil.  We are delivered from his vile grasp.  Our wellness is seen in the garments that we wear.  We are clothed with the beauty of God's holiness.  We are purged from immorality and uncleanness.  Our wellness is seen in the work to which we are committed.  We now labor in the vineyard of the Master.  We work for the King in the royal mission of evangelism.  Our wellness is seen in our spiritual health.  We are fed with eternal words of life.  The gospel is a life giving message.  The words of God feed the soul with an infusion of eternity.  Our wellness is seen in our future.  We are secure in the blood of the lamb.  Our promise is a mansion from on high.  The hands that formed the universe have built the glorious home of the soul.  Oh, indeed it is well with the righteous.  And shall not the world where we presently dwell benefit from our doings?  Righteousness preserves the nation.  God is delighted with a righteous people.  Shall not we be righteous not only for ourselves, but for others as well that all might know the blessings of the righteous?

Strength In The Lord

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."  Ephesians 6:10.  Notice that these brethren are not told to be strong in themselves, nor in the physical resources that might be available to them.  Such strength will eventually fail.  But, rather, they were to find strength in the Lord.  Such strength never ceases nor does it ever fail.  In the midst of loss, we need strength to endure.  In the midst of temptation, we need strength to overcome.  Our real enemy does not come from the physical side of life, but rather from the spiritual.  When we find true spiritual strength, then we will be able to overcome the physical.  The Lord enables us to see beyond the present and clearly into the future.  Remember, how the prophets cried unto their god, Baal.  That god did not hear, and neither did he answer.  But, when Elijah called upon God, the answer came swiftly and clearly.  I Kings 18:22-40.    Our God gives comfort and calms the troubled soul.  The power of God is the mighty power that moves the universe.  Be strong in that power.

A Lily Among Thorns

"I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.  As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters."  Song of Solomon 2:1-2.  The beautiful lily thrives even among the thorns.  Our great God allows us to thrive even among the thorns.  In this life, our jouney often encounters thorns.  We need to know that when we are pricked by the thorns of life, we have a God and a Savior who cares about us and gives help and strength.  Life is often ugly. We must always see the beauty of the lily.  We must not concentrate on the thorns, but rather, our delight must be in the lily.  While we suffer disappointment, we must see joy.  While we suffer defeat, we must know victory.  A beautiful rose grows and thrives on a thorn bush.  So, our lives thrive amidst the thorns.  God's love and care never leaves us alone, nor forsaken.  His love embraces and secures us.  The love of God and the Lord Jesus Christ causes us to know goodness, hope, and joy.  We have access to him, and can know him as our loving God.  He showers our life with sweetness and an enduring fragrance.  Even we ourselves are as lilies in a world that is torn and distressed.  The love of God which has been shed abroad in our hearts shows forth this love to all of those who are about us.  Let us know the lily that we might be as the lily.

Must The Church Assemble?

"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."  Acts 20:7. In the seventeenth verse of Acts 20, Paul calls for the elders of the church located in Miletus.  These appointed men are to oversee the flock and to feed the church.  Acts 20:28.  Hence, the disciples are the church.  The church of Jesus Christ is the community of the saved who have submitted themselves to the authority of Jesus Christ.  As the church of Christ, we are to assemble together for the purpose of worshipping together but also that each one might encourage the other.  This is the reason for meeting in a building of some type.  Our present danger is preventing us from meeting in a building but we engage in worship by social media streaming of live services or even drive thru chuches.  While these means are not the normally accepted ways by which we worshiip, we can be acceptive of these means for a time until this crisis ends.  We can still offer help to each other with phone calls and cards.  We can discuss the worship in which we engaged by discussion of the lessons that were taught and what lessons we gained from the lesson or sermon.  This is a time that should bring us closer togeher with one another as we check up on one another.  This is truly the life of the disciple anyway. We assemble to worhip our Great God so that we might be inspired to serve His children.

Overcome Evil

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."  Romans 12:21.  We are presented with the truth that in our world there are those who are evil and those who are good.  Evil comes by the hand of Satan.  Good comes by the hand of God.  Those who seek the good have an influence of driving out the evil.  We must turn away from evil, and always seek the good.  We must do good, even in a world where evil abounds.  Our Lord was truly an example of always doing good.  Even when he was mistreated and abused, he never retaliated in an evil way.  Even in the hour when he could have called down angels to destroy the Roman court, he did what was good.  Evil can only be driven out by doing good.  Good people acting in a good way is a source of changing the world and culture of our time.  Evil seeks to destroy our lives and corrupt our hearts.  We must overcome the temptation to perform in such a manner.  There must always be an action on our part.  We will either do what is evil, or we will do what is good.  Evil degrades while good enriches.  Our time will only be better when evil is overcome with good.