In Christ, we find freedom from the Law. An old hymn captures this beautifully: "Free from the law—oh, happy condition! Jesus hath bled, and there is remission; Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall, Christ hath redeemed us once for all." When Paul addresses the church at Colossae it is important to him that they understand they are indeed freed from the Law. Jesus Fulfills the Law Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law, not to abolish it (Matthew 5:17). Jesus fulfilled the Law because He was the One who was prophesied that would come as Savior. Only Jesus—the only sinless human— perfectly obeyed the Law (1 Peter 2:22) and taught it as well (Matthew 22:35-40). Through His life, death, and resurrection we are reconciled to God. We are now under the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), not the Law of Moses. No one is justified by the works of the Law, but only by faith in Christ (Galatians 2:16). The Purpose of the Law The Law existed to show humans their need for Christ. It was there to show them it was impossible for them to lead a sinless life. They needed a Redeemer. Galatians 3:24-25 explains it so well. The Law was a tutor responsible for bringing us to Jesus so that faith in Him could justify us to God. We are justified, freely forgiven and brought into a right relationship with God through Christ. But now that there is faith, we don't need a tutor. A tutor in this sense was a guardian responsible for the care and discipline of children. Circumcision of the Heart Paul tells the Colossians that they have been circumcised without hands (Colossians 2:11). They don't need to be physically circumcised as a sign of being set apart for God. There is now no need for a physical circumcision, but rather for a 'cutting away' of our sinful nature from a person. This is the spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament Law of Circumcision (Genesis 17:10-14). As Paul declares in Romans 2:29, outward circumcision means nothing if your heart isn't changed, and only the Holy Spirit is capable of doing that. We see this repeated in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 30:6 and Jeremiah 4:4. Baptism: Dying and Rising with Christ Paul continues in Colossians 2:12, explaining that Christians have been " buried with Him in baptism" . In Acts 1:4-5, the resurrected Jesus tells the disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for what was promised. He tells them that where John the Baptist baptized with water they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus died, was buried and rose again by the power of God, so too will we, His followers, die to sin and be buried in baptism (Colossians 2:12). Dead to Sin, Alive to God "... How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:2-4 Raised Through Faith Colossians 2:12 goes on to say that we were "also raised with Him." But how are we raised? According to Paul, it is through faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that our faith is a gift of God, not something we have earned. It is this faith that God has bestowed upon us, which allows us to be raised to eternal life with Him. Alive with Christ: The New Birth In Colossians 2:13, Paul tells us that we were dead in our trespasses, our sin, but that He has made us alive with Christ because our sins have been forgiven. So we who were once dead are now alive because of Jesus. This is the New Birth, the beginning of our transformation . This spiritual new birth is through the work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3). A Heart Transformed by Faith: C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis, best known today as the author of the " Chronicles of Narnia ", the " Screwtape Letters " and his book, " Mere Christianity ", converted from atheism to Christianity. His spiritual new birth was driven by a search for spiritual truth. Once a committed atheist, Lewis was influenced by the witness of friends like J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the " Lord of the Rings " trilogy, who challenged his views and discussed faith and reason with him. His search led him to reconsider the existence of God. He finally realized that his deepest desires and beliefs about right and wrong pointed to God. Over time, he found himself drawn to Christianity, which he believed offered the best explanation for life: suffering, joy, and love. Lewis’s conversion was, as he described, a reluctant surrender to God, resulting in a faith that deeply influenced his life and writing. His spiritual journey, in many ways, is like all of ours as we are changed by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual Growth and Transformation We are born into God's family like babies (1 Peter 2:2) but as we grow we transform and become more like Christ. We see the fruits of the Spirit working in our lives, we grow in love for others, we learn to use our spiritual gifts and we put to death our earthly, sinful nature (Colossians 3:5). There is no life in Christ without faith. There is no faith without God's forgiveness. These go together and are inseparable in a believer. The Cross Cancels Our Debt In Colossians 2:14, Paul says that the "handwriting of requirements" that was against us has been nailed to the cross. The term handwriting of requirements is Paul's way of saying that the Law that the Jews were under no longer had power over their lives. Sin was defeated by the cross. Jesus canceled any debt that we have that was caused by sin. Overcoming the Marks of Sin Sin has a way of leaving its mark on us. It changes our character, it leaves bitter memories, it tends to harden us in a way towards evil—we become less and less affected by it, and it even influences our worship. We stand before God and talk about what miserable sinners we are, but do we honestly believe that? But all these effects of sin are blotted out by Christ's sacrifice and our faith in Him. Instead of terrible memories of past sins we can now view these memories as guides to avoid repeating our sins and as sources of hope. Why? Because they are forgiven and because of God's mercy we have an eternity to spend with Him. Victory over Spiritual Powers The cross brought shame to the spiritual powers of darkness (Colossians 2:15). Jesus's victory on the cross was a triumph over sin. His death on the cross, meant to be one of shame, instead brought shame to the powers of evil that wanted to destroy Him. Freed from Rituals and Regulations Because of Christ's victory on the cross, in verses 16-23, Paul explains that the church no longer has to worry over what they eat or drink, it need not be concerned over whether they celebrate typical Jewish customs, nor be anxious about the "commands and doctrines of men" . Why? Because they are freed from the Law. Living Sacrifices for Christ The sacrifices required under the Law are no longer necessary. The sacrifices that Christians offer are not bulls and sheep. Now, Christians offer spiritual sacrifices. These include our praise, our will, our time, and our talent; anything that Christ asks us to give up for Him. Romans 12:1-2 describes us as " living sacrifices ." These sacrifices come from our new hearts. A New Heart and a New Life in Christ These new hearts are given to us by the Holy Spirit . It is obedience from the heart to the things of God that is important (and always had been). As 1 Peter 3:15-17 says, it is our heart that should be holy and set apart for the Lord. A Heart Set Apart for the Lord McClaren's Expositions has this to say: "Do not let your hearts be the devil’s copybooks for all evil things to scrawl their names there, as boys do on the walls, but spread them before Him, and ask Him to make them clean and write upon them His new name, indicating that you now belong to another, as a new owner writes his name on a book that he has bought." Do you have a new owner? Have you spread your heart before the Lord? Have you been changed and transformed by a New Birth?

People are not good at waiting. Waiting is hard and frustrating. Whatever we are waiting for, waiting to conceive a much-wanted child, waiting to be well from a serious illness, waiting for a promotion at work, waiting to see a child come to know Jesus; these are all difficult for people to endure. God has told us that He has appointed times when things will happen. Biblical Examples of Waiting on God’s Timing The Bible has many examples of those who had to wait for an appointed time. Moses waited forty years in the desert, Joseph waited three years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Jacob had to wait fourteen years to marry Rachel and Abraham had to wait over thirteen years for his appointed time. In Isaiah 60:22, the Lord says when the timing is right, He will cause a thing to happen. Are you waiting on God for something? Are you trusting that the timing of the Lord is right? We must learn to trust God . God’s Promise to Abraham and Sarah God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations but Abraham had to wait for years to see the birth of his son, Isaac. Not until Abraham was a hundred and Sarah ninety did he see God's promise fulfilled. When the angels came to visit Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18, they told Abraham that Sarah would have a child in the " appointed time ." No one would doubt that the promise was fulfilled by God because of Sarah's advanced age. The Appointed Time for the Jewish Nation Did Abraham and Sarah wait patiently? No. Instead they tried to hurry things along by having Abraham conceive a child with Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar. They tried to interfere in God's timing in the only way they could imagine the child could be born. But they did not count on God's intervention in a miraculous way in their lives. In Jeremiah 25:12 and Jeremiah 29:10, the Lord tells the Jewish nation that they will be in captivity in Babylon for exactly 70 years and then judgment will fall on the Babylonians. This was fulfilled exactly as foretold. There was an appointed time for the Jews to return home. Habakkuk’s Vision: Trusting God’s Plan In Habakkuk 2:3, Habakkuk is told his vision is " yet for an appointed time ." His vision is about the Babylonian captivity. God's plans will happen and will work out as He says they will. We have to endure with patience, even though we may have to wait for a long time, His plans will happen because He is faithful to His word. The Shunammite Woman and God’s Faithfulness In 2 Kings chapter 4, Elisha the prophet tells the Shunammite woman who had housed and fed him that she would have a son. She did not believe him because she was too old but in verse 17 it says, "But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her." The Coming of Christ: In the Fullness of Time In Galatians 4:1-5, Paul explains that Jesus came into the world, " in the fullness of time ". That expression "fullness of time" is also translated as the "proper time" or the "set time". There was a plan for the time of the birth of Christ from the foundation of the world. The Disciples’ Waiting for the Holy Spirit In Acts 1:5, the resurrected Jesus tells His disciples that they will receive the Holy Spirit, " not many days from now ". He tells them not to leave Jerusalem until this happens because at that time they will receive power to be His witnesses to all the world. They must wait, without Him, until this happens. Those ten days must have seemed very long. Their beloved Jesus gone and no comforter yet sent. Paul’s Mission and Divine Direction So many times, like Abraham and Sarah we want to take matters in our own hands. We don't want to wait. We think a thing is a good idea but it isn't God's idea. When Paul was on his missionary journeys in Acts 16, he had planned to go to Asia. He felt they needed to hear Jesus preached, but the Holy Spirit told him no. The Holy Spirit also directed Paul away from Bithynia. For whatever reason, the timing wasn't right. The plan of God differed from the plan of man. Nations and Their Appointed Times Even the nations of the earth have appointed times. In Acts 17:26, Paul says, "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands." (NIV) He continues in verse 27 to explain why God does this. Paul says it is so the people will seek for God and reach for Him. The Appointed Time for Christ’s Return The Lord's return also has an appointed time known only to God. Peter tells us not to grow tired waiting. In 2 Peter 3:9, Peter explains why we wait. God's patience , His long suffering, His desire that everyone should come to repentance, makes us have to wait. Sadly, everyone will not repent. The Appointed Time for Each of Us Finally, God has set an appointed time for each of us to die. We seem to have no problem waiting as long as possible for this appointed time. In Job 14:5 Job says, "Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass." Our days are set. Even before we were born the Lord set the day and the hour of our passing. As Christians we hold fast to the promise of Christ that gives us our hope in John 11:25, where Jesus reminds us that if we believe in Him, even if we die, we shall live.

In the beginning, on the very first day, God created the light and called it good (Genesis 1). It wasn't until the fourth day that God made the sun and the moon. The good light was first. In 1 John 1:5, we read that God IS light. Revelation 21:23 tells us God's glory lights the Heavenly city and there is no need for sun or moon. Light symbolizes purity and holiness. It is the opposite of darkness that symbolizes evil and sin. In Him There Is No Darkness So often when we do evil, we hide it. We don't want it to come to the "light of day" as the expression goes. We don't want others to know the evil we have done but there is One who always sees and always knows. In Him there is no darkness. He reveals all our darkness and calls us out of it. If we remain there, in the dark, then we have no place in Him (John 1:6). We Will Never Walk In Darkness When the Wise Men were called from the east they followed the light, a star, that brought them directly to where the Christ child was. As we follow Christ's light in our lives, we will grow closer to Him as well. In John 8:12, we are reminded that those who follow Christ will NEVER walk in darkness but will have life's light , our Savior. Our walk will eventually lead us to our Heavenly home to live eternally with the Light. Children Of The Light In Isaiah 9:2, the great prophet says this, "The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined." No longer do we have to live in " the land of the shadow of death " because now the Light has come to earth and dwelt among men. 1 Thessalonians 5:5 says that we are children of the light and we do not belong to darkness. The Light Of The World In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus tells us that we, you and I as His followers, are the light of the world. Our light is not to be hidden but put on a lampstand for all to see. The world must look at us and see our good works and in turn glorify God. Our light should expose darkness in ourselves and in others. In John 3:20, Jesus tells us that people who do evil hate the light and don't want their wickedness exposed. This is our job as believers , to show light to the world to those who dwell in the shadow of death. The good that we as believers do should always point to the truth that is Jesus. If the good we do brings praise to ourselves then it is best done in secret (Matthew 6:2-4). Bringing glory to God is the only motivation we should have for our good works. Matthew 5:11-12 tells us we should shine our light before others even if that leads to persecution. A Light To The Nations So just as the Wise Men all those years ago approached the young Jesus bearing gifts and guided by a light so we too in this age bring our gifts of praise and love. As Jesus said whatever you do for the least of these you do for me (Matthew 25:40). The light our Savior has given us will show us how we can share His light, a light to the nations, as Isaiah 49:6 (b) says, " I will give you as a light to the nations, to be my salvation to the end of the earth."

Where are our children? When I go to my church or visit other churches or hear parents talking about their children many of them say the same thing. Their children have abandoned church and are living a life, for the most part, completely without God. Even though most of these parents have trained their children and raised them in the faith since birth. The Pain of Christian Parents One of the great worries, burdens and sorrows of modern Christian parents is the salvation of their children and grandchildren. I hear this so often from mothers who have prayed, many for years, that their children will find Jesus and they will serve Him. This brings to mind this scripture, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!" Psalm 130: 1-2(a) Many a night has a mother or father lain in bed, their faces wet with tears, seeking the Lord and asking Him to save their beloved sons or daughters. Parental Imperfections and Consequences Part of the sorrow comes from the knowledge that none of us are perfect parents. We make mistakes, some of them bad ones. Our children, our precious gifts from God, often pay for the mistakes we make. At times they are emotionally hurt, devalued, and not given the tools they need to live a fulfilled life in Christ. Certainly God has and will forgive us for these sins, but there are consequences. Living with those consequences is hard, make no mistake. Trusting in God's Plan for Our Children First, I believe as parents, we need to pray for ourselves that we stop worrying. It seems impossible, but Peter tells us in I Peter 5: 6-7, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." It is not just us alone trusting ourselves and our abilities for something, it is completely trusting God to take care of our situation, whatever that is. Why can we trust Him ? Because He has shown His faithfulness time and again and because, as Peter says, " He cares for you ". This isn't a promise that God will fix everything in the time or in the way we want, but that we believe that He is trustworthy in everything. That God's will is best. The Hope Found in God's Word Psalm 130 verse 5 gives us hope, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope." So what does His word say? 1 Timothy 2:4 Paul says that God, " desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. " We know that praying for the salvation of our children is the will of God. 1 John 5: 14 says that if we pray the will of God that " He hears us ". The Waiting Challenge for Parents The biggest problem we have as parents is that we don't want to wait on God . It is the Holy Spirit who calls our children to God. We can't make them be Christians. We don't want to see our children suffering needlessly without the Holy Spirit. We want God to act - now! But we don't command God. God's timing is perfect the Scriptures tell us. The Parable of the Prodigal Son: A Lesson in Patience In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15) we see a picture of God and His great love for those who have wandered off. The father in the story is a role model for us. When his younger son asks for his inheritance to be given to him now, the father gives it. The father does not stand in his way and tell him he can't go. The father doesn't warn him repeatedly about the dangers of the " far country ". The father knows that trials and failures teach important lessons. Scriptural Hope for Our Children's Return The father doesn't send friends to talk to the young man and show him the error of his ways. The father does what we don't want to do. He waits. He waits patiently and He waits expectantly, not with worry and fear. We know He was waiting expectantly because the story says He saw the boy returning from " far off ". He had been watching for his return. The father had " compassion ". He didn't fuss at him about the squandered money. He didn't tell him, "I told you so." He wrapped his best coat around him and put His ring on his finger, sandals on his feet and he rejoiced. Our hope is scriptural. In Proverbs 22: 6 we read, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Augustine of Hippo: A Story of Redemption An example from early church history is Augustine of Hippo. He did not come to know Jesus until he was about 33 years old (about 385 AD). He lived his teens and early twenty's partying and in sexual immorality. From his book, Confessions, he has this to say, " To love and to be loved was sweet to me, and all the more when I succeeded in enjoying the person I loved. I befouled, therefore, the spring of friendship with the filth of concupiscence, and I dimmed its lustre with the hell of lustfulness…." (1) Monica's Persistent Prayer for Her Son His Christian mother, Monica, prayed for his conversion which God granted her to see shortly before she died. Augustine was a very important figure in the early church. To quote from Bibles.net , " Augustine’s influence and legacy is practically inestimable. He was an African bishop and philosopher who enriched the Western Christian tradition with his thoughtful theology, pastoral philosophy, and rich reflections. " Monica, his mother, knew he had been trained in " the way he should go ." Augustine's Miraculous Conversion Augustine's conversion itself was a story of the Holy Spirit's miraculous intervention. Sitting in his garden he heard a voice say, "Take up and read." Looking he saw scriptures on a table. In his own words this is what he said, " I quickly returned to the bench…snatched up the apostle’s book…and in silence read the paragraph on which my eyes fell: “Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:13)…. I wanted to read no further, nor did I need to. For instantly, as the sentence ended, there was infused in my heart something light the light of full certainty and all the gloom of doubt vanished away.” (2) God's Faithfulness in Answering Prayers In God's time, Augustine's mother's prayers were answered. Praise be to God. We can also trust that ours will be as well. We may not be as blessed as Augustine's mother to see the conversion of our children or grandchildren while we are alive, but we know that God is faithful to His promises. We cannot lose hope, we cannot worry, but we can praise God who gives the victory as we are told in 1 Corinthians 15: 57! (1) Augustine, The Confessions, 3.1 (2) Augustine, The Confessions, 8

What does Jesus teach us about prayer? Too often I think we look at God as if He were Santa Claus, there to provide our every desire. Or maybe He's like a lucky rabbit's foot. If we have God, we need only ask. Even though we may say we don't believe that prayer is like this, how do we approach God in prayer? There is the timid prayer. The person who says that God knows my needs so I don't need to ask anything of Him. He will provide as He desires to. The other extreme is the one who prays and says that if they ask God, He will do anything they ask of Him right now. The Midnight Friend What does Jesus say? He has given us some prayer guidelines in 3 parables. Luke 11:5-10 tells the story of someone who goes to a friend's house at midnight asking for bread for a visitor that has suddenly appeared at his home. Jesus says even though the man's friend doesn't want to help him, it is midnight remember, he will still do it because his friend doesn't give up. He keeps asking—persistently, audaciously. Two things about this situation. First, the man asking for the bread is not asking for bread for himself but for someone else. Secondly, the man is asking a lot from his friend to open his home in the middle of the night to give him bread. This is not a simple request. His whole family will be awakened. He has to get up, find the bread, get dressed and go to the door. It is clear that Jesus wants us to be bold in our requests. Be specific in your prayers. Ask for more than you think possible, because God is the God of the impossible. If this man can presume on his friend to help him, how much more can we presume on God to answer our prayers. Especially when we pray for the needs of others. Be Humble In Luke 18:9-14 we see the prayers of the "sinful" tax collector and the "supposedly" righteous Pharisee. The tax collector humbles himself before God. He compares himself to no one. He knows before God he is nothing. The Pharisee however boasts of how much better he is than the tax collector. He compares himself to the tax collector believing that he will come out on top in God's eyes. How foolish the Pharisee is, how mistaken he is. Any prayer we make to God needs to be made in humility . We acknowledge our sinfulness; we say thank you for God's graciousness and love toward us. In James 4:6 (b), we see how God treats the proud. He resists them: "Therefore He says: “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” The Persistent Widow In Luke 18:1-8, the third parable tells us the story of the persistent widow. Prayers are not always answered immediately. In fact, they rarely are. By being persistent we learn to be faithful, we learn to be steadfast, we learn patience. We also are reminded that it is God who we solely rely on, not ourselves. We pray for things out of our control. The widow has no one to help her but the judge. She has no one to help plead her case. The judge is her only recourse. The widow's persistence pays off and the judge grants her request. If a human judge can be swayed by persistence how much more can God be? The Lord's Prayer In the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) Jesus gives us a model prayer. God is our Father and his name is holy. We should pray that His will be done here just as it is in Heaven. Not our will, His will. We pray for our daily needs . Not superficial wants, but our needs at this moment. We ask that our sins be forgiven in the same way that we forgive others. We ask not to be led into trials that would overwhelm us and we seek protection from Satan who uses those trials as a wedge between us and God. How Have We Prayed? Has God answered your prayer ? Have you asked? Have you asked persistently, with boldness, and not timidly? Have you asked in humility? Have you treated God like Santa Claus or like your loving Father who above all, we want to please by doing His will and praying His will ? He is Able: More Than We Can Dream God has more for us than even we can imagine. Paul says in Ephesians 3:20-21: "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Don't limit God in your prayers or in your faith, because he is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think ! Enjoy He is Able by the Marantha Singers For more on answered prayer click here .

The Apostle Peter was convinced that the end of the world was close at hand (1 Peter 4:7). This belief was also seen in James 5:7-8 and 1 John 2:18. Then, as now, many spoke of the end of the world being imminent. Few of the apostles realized that time is rather meaningless to God. What seems like an enormity of time to us is actually the present to God. He sees all of time because as the Bible says He is ageless. Serious And Watchful What is our response to the idea that the end of the world is near? Should we panic, be filled with fear, isolate ourselves from the world or give up and join the world in seeking only pleasure? What are we told to do if we believe the end of the age is close? Although we don't know when that time will come, we are given directives, things we must do. 1 Peter 4: 7 says that we must be " serious and watchful in your prayers ". Live Out The Will Of God Earlier in the chapter Peter says we must live out the will of God (1 Peter 4:2). In verse three of chapter four Peter says before we knew our Savior we lived in " lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. " In other words, we lived like the world. We weren't serious about our life and we weren't watchful to do the things of God. Peter says the world will think it strange that you don't participate in these things any longer. Love Each Other Next Peter says, if we believe this world will soon end, that besides being serious and watchful in prayer , we should have a fervent love for each other, a passionate intense love for each other. We should also build up our neighbors and be hospitable to one another. And finally any gift that God has given us we should be willing to share with others. A Vessel For Honor In 2 Timothy 2:21 Paul says, "Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. " To be this " vessel for honor " that Paul describes we must empty ourselves of our will and put on the will of God . Our purpose in these last days is to be sanctified (purified from sin) so that our Lord can use us for the good works that He has prepared us for. Pursue Righteousness Paul tells Timothy that we should " pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Timothy 2:22) Paul continues, saying we should avoid quarreling and be gentle and patient. When we correct people who oppose us, it should be done humbly. In chapter three Paul goes on to say that in the last days people will have a form of godliness but " will deny its power. " They will look religious or spiritual or good, but they will have no true understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit. Praying The Will Of God Prayer is what joins us to the will of God. Prayer is a way we can partner with God to see His will fulfilled on earth. If we are truly a vessel of honor, we will pray only for God's will to be done by the power of the Holy Spirit. By studying His word and prayer we can discover God's will and then pray according to it. In everything we must be patient and faithful just as God is with us. How Will He Find Us? In Isaiah 46:11 (b) God tells Isaiah, "Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it." The Lord will come again. Will He find us to be vessels for honor when He returns? Or will He find us cowering and afraid, not knowing the power of prayer?

James asks a question in James 4:14 that many of us ask, " What is your life?" . He answers his own question by saying that it is a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes. When we are young, we don't really see life this way. We think we have all the time in the world to figure things out and get it right. We think we can put off hard decisions. We want to, "think about it tomorrow". But what if there is no tomorrow? A Changed Perspective When we get older and we look back, our perspective changes. Then, when it is almost too late, we often realize that our time here really is short. Decisions needed to be made back then, changes should have been made long ago and we see quite plainly that we didn't have all the time in the world to figure out this thing we call life. We may even realize that all we ever did with our lives was to live for ourself. We Finish Our Years Like A Sigh In the Old Testament, just as in the New Testament, the writers realized how fleeting life is. Job, in the midst of his suffering, says that life is a breath (Job 7:7). In Job 8:9, Bildad, one of Job's so-called friends, reminds Job that our life is but a shadow. Job himself, in Job 14:1-2, agrees and says life fades like a flower and flees like a shadow. Isaiah 40: 6-7 compares life to grass that withers and flowers that fade. Psalm 90:9 speaks so beautifully when it says that " we finish our years like a sigh ". And in the next verse we are told our lives are soon cut off and " we fly away. " Again in Psalm 103: 15-16 David compares life to grass and flowers that flourish, until a wind comes and it is gone. You Have An Expiration Date To some these verses may sound depressing. What they are meant to do is to remind us that we don't have forever to do what we know is good and right. In John chapter 9, John tells the story of a man born blind who receives his sight. In John 9:2, the disciples ask Jesus whose sin caused the man's blindness, his or his parents. Jesus explains that neither's sin caused it, but that he was this way so that the " works of God might be displayed in him ". The work that Jesus had to do, to restore the blind man's vision, was so that people could see the mighty works of God. In John 9:4, Jesus explains to his disciples, "we must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” We'll Work Till We've Been Gathered Home Jesus had work to do as long as He was on this earth. When the night comes, when death comes, no more work can be done. As Jesus said on the cross as he died, "It is finished." The work He came to do here in His short 33 years had been accomplished. As Christians we have a work to do on this earth as well. We are expected to work diligently. When death comes for us, whenever that may be, we can't accomplish anything else. Whatever we have done with our life, our work is done. We need to make the most of the time we have. Will we look back from eternity and know that we did all that God would have us to do in our time here? Put The Old Life To Death In John 14:6, Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. When we receive this new life, we shouldn't want that old life anymore. According to Colossians 3:5, the things that belonged to that old life, that worldly nature, should be put to death. Paul specifically calls out: " sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." In verse 8, he continues and tells us to get rid of: "anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." In verse 9, he says not to lie to each other. A Transformed Life This new life we live isn't just a list of things not to do, it is a transformed life . The Holy Spirit wants to create in us the likeness of Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 says we will have love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The Holy Spirit will also give us gifts to be used not just for ourselves but others. Gifts like wisdom, faith and knowledge. We are to fan into flame the gift of God . This is how we live an abundant life. The Time Is Now And Today Is The Day But some may think they have plenty of time to come to Jesus. Some may think that they can delay that decision. But often our time is cut short. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says that the time is now and today is the day of salvation. We have two choices—to be dead IN sin or to be dead TO sin. According to 1 John 5:12 the only way to be truly alive is to have the Son of God. In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that He comes to not just give us life, but to give us an abundant life. Abundant means beyond measure, more than you can anticipate. He gives us a life that is joyful, meaningful, purposeful, and eternal. What Is Your Life? When Paul gives his powerful testimony to King Agrippa in Acts 26, the King finally speaks and tells Paul that he is " almost persuaded" to become a Christian. How would King Agrippa have answered James's question, " What is your life ?" How terribly sad would it be if we finished our years on this earth "like a sigh " having been " almost persuaded". We may fool ourselves thinking we have a lot of time to make things right, but our life, as James tells us, is just a vapor that appears for a short time. Choose this day whom you will serve says Joshua, in Joshua 24:15, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I choose life. Do you? For more on being dead to sin and alive with Christ : https://youtu.be/6LsRDIjL8Fc?si=0qmKuJSIl3f5cw2-

In John chapter 17, Jesus, our role model, prays for us to His Father. I hear many people ask why should they pray when God already knows the need. Jesus, who is God, certainly knew the needs of His people and yet He prayed for us. Why? Because pray is a huge part of our relationship with God. This is how we grow in Him. Your best friend may know your problems already but you will still talk to them about those problems. Why do this if they already know? Because you have a relationship with them and as you share your concerns with your friend this relationship deepens. So to with God. The Petitions of Jesus In the Lord's prayer, Jesus taught us to pray. In this prayer there are three petitions, three requests that He makes. He asks to give us our daily bread, to forgive our trespasses (our sin) and to " lead us not into temptation ", which means to guide our paths in ways that will keep us from being tempted. Prayers of petitions are simply requests we make to God. Pray for Others One of the most important things that Jesus teaches us is to pray for others, just as He prayed for us. In 1 Timothy 2:1-3, Paul writes this, "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is goo d and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior," The word exhort in this instance means to encourage. So Paul encourages us to pray for all men (everyone). He mentions supplications which means that you plead or beg for something with humility. He speaks of intercessions which means that we intervene on behalf of someone to prevent or change a course of events. He also tells us to give thanks for everyone. Why do we do this? So our lives will be peaceful and quiet, lived with godliness. This peace is in your soul. No matter what goes on around us we can have peace in Christ. This is the blessing we receive from praying for others. Intercessory Prayer The Old Testament gives us many examples of intercessory prayer. In Job 42:10, Job prays for his friends and it is then that his fortunes are restored. In Genesis 18:23-33, Abraham intercedes with God concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In I Samuel 12: 23, Samuel says that it would be a sin if he did not continue to pray, to intercede, for the people. In Romans 8:34, I John 2:1, and Hebrews 7:25, we learn that Jesus is constantly interceding on our behalf to the Father. Just as He intercedes for us, we should intercede for others. James 5:16(b) lets us know that, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James says these prayers are effective and powerful. Prayers of Supplication In Ephesians 6:19, Paul seeks prayers of supplication from the Ephesians so that when he preaches the gospel he will preach with boldness. Paul again requests prayer in Colossians 4:2-4. This time he asks the Colossians to pray that doors would open for the word he is speaking that he would make the word manifest (obvious or clear) to the people. In Daniel 9:23, Daniel prays supplications for the holy mountain of God (the temple mount in Jerusalem) and is answered by the angel Gabriel. In Psalm 28:2, David's prayer of supplication is that God will not be silent and that God will hear David. In James 5:16, we are told to pray for one another's healing. Prayers of Thanksgiving Our thankfulness should be a part of every prayer we make to God, whether for ourselves or others. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that the will of God is to give thanks in everything. If you find it difficult to give thanks perhaps reading Psalm 100, only five verses long, would help. We give thanks because we are His people! God Saves Our Prayers Finally, what does God do with our prayers? He saves them. Each and every one of the prayers of His faithful people are treasured and stored up. We know this because of Revelation 8:3-4 and Revelation 5:8. Our prayers are not required to be elegant, or long, or done only in a certain way but they are required to be prayed with humility and thankfulness. Our prayers are always to seek the will of God , those prayers will always be answered. God Blesses Those Who Pray for Others The Bible study/prayer group that I attend is so blessed to have people of strong faith. These people will intercede for me, they will be thankful for me, they will pray prayers of supplication for me and most importantly they will seek the will of God for me. Pray for others and God will bless you. As Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:3: "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior."

Blessings for the Obedient A handbook for young people is found in Proverbs chapter 3. Blessings come to those who follow it. In this chapter the young are told several rules for living: Don't forget the Lord's commandments (Proverbs 3:1) Be merciful and truthful (Proverbs 3:3) Trust God but don't trust your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) Don't think yourself wise but fear God (Proverbs 3:7) Honor God with the things He has blessed you with (Proverbs 3:9) Don't hate God's correction and discipline (Proverbs 3:11) Wisdom and understanding are to be greatly desired (Proverbs 3:13-26) If you can do good to someone - do it. (Proverbs 3:27) Don't plan bad things against a neighbor (Proverbs 3:29) Don't pick fights without good cause (Proverbs 3:30) Don't be envious of oppressors; people who have a lot, but it has been gotten in a sinful manner. (Proverbs 3:31) But Those Who Are Disobedient In verses 32 - 35 we see the contrast between those who are obedient to God and those who are not. God hates the perverse person, the one who willfully sins, but shares Himself and His knowledge with the upright, the one who follows His commands. (Proverbs 3:32) God curses the home of the wicked but blesses the home of the righteous (this is not to be thought of as financial blessings but as the blessing of knowing Christ and following Him). (Proverbs 3:33) God scorns those who mock belief in Him, who mock believers and their trust in Him, but He blesses those who are humble and being oppressed. (Proverbs 3:34) Wise people inherit honor but a fool only shame. (Proverbs 3:35) The Benefits of Wisdom and Understanding The largest portion of the chapter, verses 13-26, talk about the benefits of wisdom and understanding. With wisdom and understanding you can walk a safe path, one with no stumbling. You won't be afraid at night. You will sleep peacefully. You won't be afraid of any sudden disaster. Why? Because the Lord will be at your side. He will protect you from being ensnared, trapped, in sin. Having the wisdom and understanding of God allows us to make better decisions. It helps us get our priorities right. Because of this our life, in general, will run smoother and when things do go wrong we are better equipped to deal with them in a calm and responsible manner. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that true wisdom can only begin when we have true fear of God. Gil's Exposition of the Entire Bible puts it this way: "for fear is an awe and reverence of the divine Being, joined with love to him, trust in him, and a desire to serve and worship him in a right manner; no sooner is a man converted, but presently there is in him a fear of offending God, from a principle of love to him; for not a slavish but a filial fear is here intended" Commands on our Heart Finally, let's return to verse one again. The author tells us not to let " our hear t" forget His commands. Not just words that we memorize, but commands written on our hearts for our whole life. Why is this so important? Because if we don't forget, a peaceful long life will be our reward. Who among us doesn't want that? Ask God Some of you may think, well that's impossible. I can never have true wisdom. James 1:5 says otherwise, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." All you have to do is - ask!

The Old Testament mentions sacrifice as early as the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis. Why was sacrifice necessary? Animal sacrifice was a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The lamb sacrificed at Passover had to be without spot or blemish. This sacrifice showed that we alone could never approach God. There had to be a perfect substitute made for us. The sacrifice was costly, something not to be taken lightly. A Shadow of the Good Things to Come And yet these animal sacrifices were but a shadow " of the good things to come " as we read in Hebrews 10:1, "For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect." The Insufficiency of Animal Sacrifices Animal sacrifices were not sufficient. They could not perfect the ones who sacrificed it. As Hebrews 10:4 says the sacrifice of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. How do we dare approach the throne of a holy God? How can we see Heaven? In Acts 4: 12, Peter tells us that there is no salvation except through the blood of Christ. He is our perfect atonement. Atonement is reconciliation with God. Jesus reconciles us to God in a way no animal ever could. In Leviticus 17:11 we are told, " it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul ." Jesus: The Perfect Atonement Because of this perfect sacrifice that Jesus has made for us we can approach the throne, knowing that He is worthy. In John's visions in Revelation 5 a scroll, containing judgment, is sealed and an angel cries out, " Who is worthy to open the scroll ?" When no one is found, John begins to cry until one of the elders that stands before the throne of God tells him that One has been found, " the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. " (Revelation 5:5) Then John sees a lamb, " as though it had been slain" , take the scroll. Then those in Heaven cried out, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:12 The Worthy Lamb of God The Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed! And He alone is worthy ! Thanks be to God. He alone can judge sin on the earth. How can He do this? By becoming our sacrificial Lamb. Our perfect sacrifice. Our atonement. He has become our Great High Priest . Universal Acknowledgment of Christ's Worthiness What is more amazing is that it is not just those in Heaven who acknowledge this but we read in Revelation 5:13 that " every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them" will acknowledge this. Every creature ! The atheist, the agnostic, the unrepentant, the animals , every creature will say to the Lamb " blessing and honor and glory and power. " Propitiation and Redemption Through Christ We have been redeemed by Christ, bought with a price, the death on the cross of God's very Son. God Himself set forth Jesus " as a propitiation by His blood, through faith "(Romans 3:25). Propitiation means satisfying, meaning that the blood of Christ satisfies God's anger and judgment towards sin through our faith in Him. Our redemption can only come from Jesus. No one is worthy but our Lord. Praising the Worthy Lamb Even now we can say, " Worthy is the Lamb who was slain ", we can lift our voices in praise for the One who died for us, the One who made a way when there was no way. Hallelujah! Enjoy " Worthy is the Lamb " sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Nehemiah Chapter 8 In Nehemiah chapter 8 , the priest Ezra for the first time in many, many years reads the Torah, the books of Moses, to the people. They stood in front of the Water Gate, a gateway to the rebuilt temple complex. The following is written from the perspective of someone who was there... Captivity Ends Finally, after seventy years we all eagerly awaited Ezra. Seventy years of being in captivity in Babylon had finally ended. We knew this was a special day. We could all feel the presence of the Lord in this place. Something wonderful would happen here today. We all sensed it. The Reading Of The Word. We stood before the platform waiting excitedly for Ezra to begin reading the word. The sun had just come up. I looked around and saw so many people, people just like me who were moved to finally hear the word of God after so many years. The Spirit of God was surely in this place because as Ezra began to read, we all stood. These were God's Words , Words of life and worthy of reverence. The book of the law that Moses our deliverer had recorded - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Because of Ezra our temple was finally rebuilt. Because of Ezra we were able to come together and worship with one mind and one heart. Those of us present were ones who were able to understand the word when it was read. Ezra read till midday. For six hours we listened attentively to God's word. I am sure the Spirit of God was with us because otherwise it would have been nearly impossible to focus for so long on these words from long ago. Amen, Amen As he began reading, we stood, with heads bowed and lifted hands knowing that the blessings of God would fall on those who would hear these words. When Ezra blessed our great God, we all responded in agreement, " Amen, Amen ". There were additional men there who helped us to understand what was being read. It would be no good to hear the word and still not understand it. They helped us to understand it not just with our minds but with our hearts through the working of God's Spirit. They helped us to understand what those words from so long ago meant to us in our present time. Convicted By Our Sin When we heard and understood the words, we wept. I could hear people around me quietly sobbing. They were convicted , as was I, of our great sin before our Lord. They realized how they had failed Him even though He never failed or abandoned them. But Nehemiah, our governor, Ezra our priest and scribe, and the other Levites told us not to cry. God was doing a great and holy work and we should rejoice. They told us, " Do not sorrow for the joy of the Lord is your strength. " I wiped my tears as did the others and realized that God was doing a mighty work in His people and we should rejoice. We had sinned but our gracious God has forgiven us. Praise and thanks be to Him. Understanding The Word On the second day the heads of households were brought together to understand the words of the Law. It was important that people in leadership roles be able to explain to the rest of us exactly what the words meant for us. As they read they understood that they should have been celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. We had not celebrated this feast since the days of Joshua, but in obedience we built our tabernacles and continued hearing the word of God for several more days until, to conclude, we had a sacred assembly. ______________________ A Great Revival This great revival, this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, came from the reading of the word of God to His people. The Word was not just read, but explained. True understanding is necessary for true revival. We need people who know more than we do to help us get this understanding. Paul reminds Timothy in I Timothy 4: 13 not to neglect the public reading and teaching of the word of God. Just as in Acts 2:37, after hearing the Word from Peter those listening to the word were " cut to the heart " by their sin. But then their sorrow is turned to joy. They rejoiced in hope . "Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls." I Peter 1:8(b) - 9 Pray For Revival Even today, as we pray for revival for ourselves, our church and our nation, let us not forget the importance of reading and understanding the word of God and how the Holy Spirit uses it to convict us and bring us to repentance. Thanks be to God for His Word, His grace and His Spirit who help us to understand and have a greater knowledge of our Lord.

Christians talk about being saved but the question is, "What are we saved from?" Salvation (being saved) is the deliverance from the consequences of sin. Not just the immediate consequences of a bad decision, but the eternal consequences due to being separated from God by unforgiven and unrepented sin. Because God is perfectly holy and just, He cannot be in the presence of sin. Sin must be washed away thoroughly. This is only accomplished through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son. The Consequences of Sin: Separation from God In modern society we seem to have forgotten that sin is the presence of evil. Sin is when we miss the mark of perfection set by God. This means failing to live up to His moral standards in our actions, thoughts, or attitudes. Sin can be things we do and things we fail to do. It can be evil acts or wrong thoughts, like pride. Sin is contrary to the nature of God and all of us sin. When we choose sin—and that is what we do—we make a conscious decision to separate ourselves from God. As Romans 3:23 states, “ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. ” Because we all sin , we need redemption. Redemption is the deliverance from the condemnation and bondage of sin. When we refuse the redemption that the sacrifice of God's Son offers, we eternally separate ourselves from God. If we don't believe in sin, then it is hard to believe that you need saving from it. God hates sin. The Bible even lists seven specific sins that God finds particularly detestable. God's Hatred of Sin: Seven Detestable Acts in Proverbs 6 In Proverbs 6:16-19 God lists seven sins that He absolutely detests. He hates: Arrogance or haughtiness - when we are prideful and look down on other people. We may pride ourselves on being such good Christians we rarely sin. God hates this pride. Whatever good we have comes from Him alone. Lying - since the Devil is the Father of lies we know that this is a truly awful thing. Lying can mean to tear someone down or it can be the lies of flattery to get something you want. Murder - killing an innocent person willfully. Jesus even says that being angry with someone without forgiving them is the same as murder. Wicked schemes or plans - devising or plotting to do harm, physically, emotionally or mentally to someone else. David committed this sin when he plotted the death of Uriah so he could be with Bathsheba. Feet rushing to evil - God hates it when people make no effort to resist sin. Do we yield to sin at the first temptation? Or do we as James 4:7 tells us, " Resist the devil and he shall flee from you." ? A false witness - similar to lying, in this case bearing false witness against someone else, like in a court of law, could cause them to go to prison or even receive the death penalty. We can't lie to save ourselves or someone we love. Someone who stirs up dissension among brothers - we are to be peacemakers not troublemakers. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not supposed to cause strife or unnecessary disagreements among ourselves. We are to encourage one another. Answering the Question: What Salvation Truly Saves us From? When a non-Christian asks us, "What are you saved from?" We should have an answer. We are saved, not from a physical death (unless we are alive at Jesus's return) but from a spiritual death. Spiritual death is an everlasting punishment, where we are cut off from God's presence, love, and eternal life. As Romans 6:23 explains, “ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ” Our wages, what we deserve, is death, but God offers us a gift. His gift is eternal life through Christ. This death, or eternal separation from God, is the final consequence of sin. In 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Paul says that those who perish without Jesus " will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might." The Final Judgment: Spiritual Death vs. Eternal Life Because God is holy, righteous, and a God of judgment, " Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God " (John 3:18). Those who do not believe in Jesus have been condemned, found guilty, and deserving of punishment. This may, at first glance, seem harsh and unloving. But look at the sacrifice God has made so that we can escape condemnation. Instead of wondering how God can punish sinful people, we should be amazed that He offers us the promise of eternal life. What salvation truly saves us from is the condemnation we deserve. However, everyone of us can have hope and that hope is found in Jesus. God’s Ultimate Sacrifice: Jesus Christ, the Perfect Lamb of God His very own perfect Son, Jesus, was sent to earth in human form to live among us, teach us, show us His love and care, and then die on a cross so that we could escape this condemnation that sin brings. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The sufferings of Hell only come about when someone rejects the free gift of salvation that is given to those who believe in Jesus. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Grace is the unearned, unmerited free gift of God. It is the work that Jesus did on the cross, not our work, that saves us. Salvation by Grace Through Faith: Freedom vs. Slavery to Sin Sometimes, when we reject God and His gift of grace, we believe that we are living a life of freedom. No more restrictions, no more rules, just do what we want and when we want. We can satisfy our every desire and not worry about consequences. What we don't seem to realize is that we have only become a slave to sin. We are living a life of conformity to the world. We are deceived by the devil to believe that we are free. A Deceptive Freedom: Enslavement to Worldly Desires In this world, people may view themselves as wise and kind. They may have received many blessings. They may feel no need for God because their needs are seemingly satisfied. They simply don't see the fact that they are truly enslaved by their own desires. They may think they are good enough without God. They don't realize they are enslaved to the lies of Satan. All of us, before we were saved, were in rebellion to God. Romans 5:10 tells us we were literally enemies of God. We wanted to be our own god. We believed we had no need for the God of the universe. What Salvation Doesn't Mean Salvation is not something we should desire solely for what God can give us or do for us. If we value God only for satisfying our worldly needs, we miss the true purpose of faith. God must not be seen merely as a means to an end. When we lose everything, as happens in this world sometimes, then we may turn away from God if we think His only purpose is to provide us with family, an escape from loneliness, a sense of purpose, or the food on our table. God must be valued for His own sake. True faith finds its anchor in who God is, not merely in what He does for us. Then when all is lost, we will draw near to Him. What we know of God—His faithfulness, truth, justice, and love—is connected to our faith in Him. We know Him through His creation, His voice within us, and His Word. Our salvation is not a transaction but a transformation, drawing us closer to God for His glory, not simply for our own comfort. God tells us our transformed life has a purpose. The Purpose of Salvation: Saved to Do Good Works So what does God save us for ? Paul explains this in Ephesians 2:10. He says that we are saved, not by our works, but to do good works. We are saved to show the world Christ through our love, humility, and obedience, fulfilling God’s purpose to make us a light to others (Matthew 5:16). We are saved to show the world Christ! Jesus, you made a way, praise your holy name! Enjoy this beautiful song, "Thank You Jesus for the Blood" by Charity Gayle here .