Devotionals @ The Mount Church

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

2 Peter 3:11-12a, NIV

What does Jesus’ second coming mean to you? That is a very important question. If you know that Jesus is coming again, if you are anticipating that day (what Peter calls the day of God), if you’re anticipating your final state, the eternity that God has planned for those who love Him, how should it impact your life now? If you’re looking forward to heaven, then that anticipation should have some very real implications for how you live here on earth. Your belief in the reality of Jesus’ return will impact how you live in preparation for His return.

For example, when the new year rolls around and it’s time to get your summer vacation on the calendar, the anticipation of that trip’s reality affects the way you live. You and every other member of your family who will be going on the trip blocks off the same dates so they can be sure to participate in the event. If you are traveling overseas you make sure your passports and visas are up to date so that when the appointed time comes, you are ready to go.

If you’re staying in the states, there is still preparation to be done. There are reservations to make at hotels or resorts, there is transportation to arrange, pets to get to the kennel, newspaper and mail deliveries to put on hold, laundry to do, luggage to pack, money to save, and a dozen other details to cover in order to be ready for the long-awaited day of departure. The belief that vacation is coming, even when it is still a long way off, affects the way you live. And as the day to leave approaches, your anticipation and preparation grow even more vigorous.

That is the same way we are to live in anticipation of Christ’s return. If we really believe that Jesus is coming back to receive us to Himself to take us to spend eternity with Him in heaven, then our lives now should reflect our preparation for that glorious day. An eternal “vacation” from earth and life as we know it is imminent, and our lives will reflect how strongly our belief is in that truth. Are we preparing for that “vacation,” or are we just cruising along, saying we’re ready to go, but not really doing anything to be ready?

If we really believe Jesus is coming back, then our lives should be filled with hope and joy. That isn’t to say we’ll never be sad, but we will be able to live in light of eternity, knowing that our trials here in this life are temporary. This world is not our home and our eternal destiny is being prepared for us even now as you read this. Jesus is at work preparing a place for you right now, at this very moment!! Do you believe that?

If we believe Jesus is coming back, our lives will be spent inviting others to come on “vacation” too. We’ll be sharing the Good News about Jesus with them so they too can come along and spend eternity in heaven and be ready for our day of departure from this world. Those who live in light of the here and now only live to please themselves, seeing life as a playground to be enjoyed. Those who live in light of eternity live for others, seeing life as an opportunity to be used by God to help others come to Him before it is too late.

If we really believe Jesus is coming back, we will be different. Others will be able to see and hear and know that we live life from a totally different perspective. The Spirit of God living in us will permeate our speech and our actions and others will be able to recognize that something is unique about us. Living in the confident belief that Jesus will return and keep His promise to you and me will temper everything we do, just as a bride’s anticipation of her husband’s return from war is a part of who she is. Being a believer in Christ’s return is not just something we say, it is something we are. We are believers. And belief is manifested through action. And that action will be obedience to God’s Word.

Are you ready for the trip? Are you anticipating the return of Jesus to take you home to heaven? Are you living in light of today, or eternity? If you knew Jesus were coming back today at 7:00 - and He could you know - how would you live life differently between now and that moment? Your answer to that question is how you should be living every moment.

Why not pray right now and ask the Lord to help you live in joyful anticipation of His return?

After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body.

Ephesians 5:29, 30

The image of the body is a familiar one in relation to the church, or the all-encompassing group of believers in Christ. It is used several times in the New Testament, and it is a great illustration. Each part has a role to fulfill, and without the cooperation of each part working together, the true purpose cannot be achieved. But I would like for you today to think about not only the role that each part has, but the role each part plays in the life of the other parts. We are clearly needed by each other. If your nose itches, it has no capacity to scratch itself. It is dependent on the hand to assist in that job. If your lips are dry, they cannot produce their own moisture. They are dependent on the tongue to lick them, or the hand to apply Chap Stick to meet their need. If your hand needs to pick up something, it is dependent on the arm to guide it to the object to be retrieved. Each part needs another part to help it out from time to time. And the cooperation they display all comes from their commitment to the body as a whole.

In similar fashion, our relationship to the body of Christ is a gauge of our commitment to Christ. We exist to fulfill our roles in his body, but we can make it a much more pleasant “work environment” for each other if we are committed to help each other through this life. Can a person belong to Christ and not be a part of the church? Yes, Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Obviously, some are in the habit of not meeting together—some are not involved with the people of the church.

But what does the verse go on to say? “Let us encourage one another.” In fact, the verse before that one talks about us, “spurring one another on toward love and good deeds.” I don’t know about you, but I need someone in my life that will spur me on in this world. I need someone who will remind me of the truth and hold me accountable to do the things I have been commanded to do. I need a hand to scratch my nose when it itches! Without a committed presence of believers in our lives, we are asking for a much harder existence than God intended us to have.

I attended a bonfire a few months back. While the logs were close together, the fire burned and grew, producing warmth for all around it. When it was time to leave the area, those in charge began separating the logs from one another. In a short period of time the separated logs began to loose their flames. They burned a little while alone, and then they went out. Our lives are just like those logs. While we are together, we are strong and warm and we can accomplish our purpose well. When we are split apart and left to carry on alone, we lose our flames and die out. We can not accomplish our goals without the help of other believers. And only when we function well together will we demonstrate to a lost world what God’s true character is like. We grow, accomplish, and witness best together. We reflect God best together.

So, what if I don’t like everyone in my church? You ask God to give you an unconditional love for them through the power of the Holy Spirit. What if I don’t feel like I need the others in my church? Don’t trust those feelings—they are not right. Our prayers are more powerful with others (Matthew 18:20), our lives are easier with others (Ecclesiastes 4:10-12), and our character is refined with others (Proverbs 27:17). We need each other.

What if I feel like I can make it alone and that just Jesus in my life is all I need? Well, you should think about what Jesus considered valuable. Ephesians 5:25-27 says: “…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” If Jesus valued the church that much and we are to be imitators of Christ, then we should value it too. We will only be better for it, regardless of the cost.

Points to Ponder

• Do I have the proper view of the body of Christ?
• Do I demonstrate his same values in the way I interact with his body?
• Am I trying to live a “lone ranger” Christian life, separated from others?
• Have I found the place he wants me to be in his church?

Prayer
Holy Father, I thank you that you are the one that shows us how to function as a church. I thank you that you are the one that created this body, and through it we can fulfill all that you have planned for us. Help us to value one another the way you value us. Help us to love each other with your unconditional love. Help us to honor you in all of our relationships with each other. Give us the power to do all this through your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I attended a small church in Charleston one weekend about a year ago with a friend. During the sermon (which spoke something of unity) the man who spoke referred to the tomb that was found supposedly containing Christ’s bones. He said that his response to the question of the finding’s validity was “who knows, and what does it matter?” I thought to myself I know. And our eternity hinges on it. It matters, very, very much. If Christ were not raised from the dead, he was a mere man—your faith is absolutely useless and we are to be pitied more than all men (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). What you believe about Christ, has direct impact on your life and your walk with the Lord. There are some aspects of our faith that are non-negotiable, black and white, and should stand unapologetically so.

Christ is the Son of God, equal to God and to the Holy Spirit in power and glory, one part of the Trinity. He was from the beginning (implied in Genesis 1:26 with the use of “us”, stated in John 1:1). The gospels record multiple accounts of His claim to be the Son of God (Luke 9:20-22, Matthew 26:63-64). Historians hold that Jesus was crucified by the Romans. He rose again on the 3rd day, and was later seen by over 500 different witnesses recorded by 5 different authors (John 20:19-22, Luke 24, 1 Corinthians 15:6). Christ was a man, very few would argue against this point no matter what religious holdings one has.

He was also God. This is clearly demonstrated throughout scripture. And while it is very popular and almost “politically correct” to pick and choose what one believes throughout the Bible, I would caution anyone who does so and bases their eternal salvation on their fruit basket of beliefs.

Not all roads lead to Rome. Sincerity of belief matters nothing, if what you place your faith in is wrong—I could sincerely believe that a termite-infested wooden chair could hold my weight. And to even prove the authenticity of my belief, I could place my faith in that chair—I could sit in it. It would still collapse. My amount of belief matters not, if the object of my faith is unreliable. Christ clearly stated in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” A relationship with God apart from Christ is impossible. Was He being arrogant in making this claim? Was Christ making salvation that much more difficult for us? OR is this too a demonstration of His love for us? Could it be that Christ is the only safe chair to rest in, the only reliable object to put one’s full faith in? Did he know that all others would collapse in the end?

If so, the question then to answer is—why is it so difficult for one to place faith in Christ and accept a free gift of salvation? Are we that prideful, that we would not humble ourselves before Him and see how truly desperate we are without him? Do we want God on our terms rather than coming to God on His terms? This certainly is our culture’s desire. A relationship with God based on anything other than Christ’s sacrifice is not a relationship at all—one is either placing hope in a false god or in mere works, both of which will fall short in light of a righteous God.

I remind you of these truths because these are some lies that people I’ve known, brothers and sisters in Christ, have chosen to believe, or have accepted as truth, or at the very least deemed unimportant issues to wrestle with. It is absolutely key that one understand what they believe, especially concerning Christ, the validity of the Bible, and salvation. Christ’s claim is clear and unapologetic. He is the way, not one way. John emphasizes this as well in 1st John 5:1-12 “…we accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater…Anyone who does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about His Son…”

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are inseparable within the scriptures. You must either accept them, all of the scriptures, or reject them, but you cannot pick and choose and hope that what you come up with works well in the end, God is clear on this point. Call me intolerant, but I know why I believe what I believe—more importantly, I know Who I believe, and feel that He is the only reliable object to put my trust in.

Questions

• What according to our culture, are some unpopular Christian beliefs? Why are they unpopular? What is the heart issue?
• How has this affected your personal beliefs about God and the Bible? Your walk with the Lord? Your desire to witness?

Prayer
Father, thank you for making the way to you, your plan of salvation, clear. Thank you for the great sacrifice that you gave—the pain that you suffered, that we might know you. Father, may we never take this for granted. May we never cheapen your gift. Forgive us for the times that we have chosen harmony over truth, for the times we’ve given in to our culture’s pressures. Help us to love with your love—help us to love others in truth. Father, may we be grounded in who You are and in what we believe, and may we take this to those we love who don’t know you. Give us boldness and eloquence. Give us a great love that drives us, not fear or anger. May we know you and in Your power and love, make you known.

I suggest reading Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis, for more on this topic.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Psalm 51:10-17

The times in our lives where we feel the worst physically, mentally or morally may not be the times when we desire to come into God’s presence, but in reality, it’s those times when we need him the most. It’s at those times when redemption, in the form of God’s spirit, calls us near.

In this passage in Psalms, we see David at a crossroads, remembering his actions, which we read about in 2 Samuel, regarding his adultery with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah. Already by the first verse of the Psalm, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness …” (KJV), it is likely that David is already on his knees in a repentant spirit. The first part of the chapter focuses on his confession of sin, desire to know the truth and forgiveness. By verse 10, however, he changes modes away his carnal actions and seemingly turns inward toward his spirit and God’s.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

John 14:16-19 (NASB)

In the passage in Psalms and this verse in John, the Bible outlines some of the many things the Holy Spirit, called the Helper in John, does in the life of a Christian. After his restoration, David says the spirit of God brings joy and the willingness to sing praises to God. The spirit brings an ability and desire to teach God’s truth to an unbelieving world. It brings a boldness, “Unseal my lips, Oh Lord, that my mouth may praise you,” to publically praise God him for who he is.

Specifically, who is God? Christians can know him more intimately because of the spirit he brings into each of our lives. In fact, John implies that we have a oneness with God because we, not only believe that Christ is God in the flesh and the savior of all, but we also have residing in us his abiding spirit. Like David, John gives us some specific attributes of the Holy Spirit and the work he does in our lives. First, he is with us forever, helping us grow and mature in Christ daily. In this book, John uses the Greek paráklētos to describe the Holy Spirit as one who will give strength, comfort and counsel to Christ’s followers.

So, in our modern age, why is this important? We surely already get strength, comfort, help and love from friends and family members. Why do we need anything more? We need something more because one day, all that we love and cherish on this earth will be no more. Family members will, one by one, leave our side. Friend will disappoint us. TV sets, computers, cars and houses will decay. But the help that Christ offers, through his spirit, includes not only help and comfort to get through this carnal life but forgiveness and eternal life. And the help and forgiveness hinges on whether we are today willing to give up ourselves and to trade in our life for one He offers. It is one enveloped in a kind of love that we can’t fathom, a kind of love that makes the love we have friends and family pale in comparison.

In penning one of the greatest poems, Christian or otherwise, John Donne surely knew this and was likely thinking on these things when he said “Your force to break; blow, burn, and make me new.” Here is his short and powerful love sonnet to God:

BATTER my heart, three-personed God; for you / As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; / That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend / Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new. / I, like an usurped town, to another due, / Labor to admit you, but O, to no end; / Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend, / but is captived, and proves weak or untrue. / yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain, / But am betrothed unto your enemy. / Divorce me, untie or break that knot again; / Take me to you, imprison me, for I, / Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, / Nor even chaste, except you ravish me.

Prayer
Father, thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to help and comfort me. Thank you for loving me enough to send your son to take my place. When I deserved death, you gave me life. When I turned by back on you, you were unmoved and waited for my return. I’m sorry for the times I’ve done my own thing failed to put my trust in you. Help me to lean on your spirit more and more for my sustenance. In Christ’s name…

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Colossians 2:9-10

Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. Christ is 100% man and 100% God. The difference between Jesus the man and “US,” is his sinlessness. He is the Messiah - a word which is synonymous with “the Christ” and means “chosen for the task.” The task for which he was chosen - his one singular primary purpose (despite all of the many other good things he did) was to take our sins upon himself at the cross. We un-deservingly received grace and forgiveness. When we accept this gift - when we choose to believe, we are given a new start. His mercy is new to us and the sins of our past are washed away - forgotten. This is what we believe. And Jesus Christ is the one - the ONLY one - who was capable, supernaturally able, to do this.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

John 14:6-7

What God has done by sending his son, well, it is almost unimaginable; seemingly beyond our realm of comprehension. But we believe. We can have confidence and know that we’ll spend eternity with him. It all depends on what we believe here. Now. Believe he rose from the dead and lives in us. And it is crucial for us to know who he IS, so we can be aware with absolute certainty when we encounter what he is NOT.

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:11-13

To Think About
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord, the perfect, sinless, son of God? God himself in human form? Do you think that Jesus was a liar when he claimed to be such? Or do you think he was a “lunatic?”

Do you occasionally question your beliefs, what you think, what you have been taught? Read the word of God. Know that what it contains is truth. Prayerfully ask God to show you - and have confidence and certainty that he is who he says he is. Know and receive the savior.

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.

Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

Prayer
Lord, where would I be without your perfect gift of salvation? I know I am a sinner and I am forever grateful for your sacrifice. When I think of the blood you shed, the pain and humiliation you endured, I can’t fathom that I could ever be worthy. But it absolutely blows me away to realize that you love me that much. May I never forget. May I never doubt or question your love. You have changed my life. I pray as I continue to learn and grow in your word, that I could progressively become a better reflection of your love.