Tag: Jesus Christ

The Ultimate Question

~ A Prayer Life ~ 5 Comments

“Who do you say that I am”?

~ Matthew 16:15

From ancient philosophers to modern scholars, people have delved into timeless questions. What are the origins of the universe? Is there really any such thing as good and evil? Where did man come from? What is the meaning of life? Mankind has relentlessly prodded and plied on these ubiquitous questions with little to no avail for centuries on end.

Yet, there is only one question that truly matters. It is the one question every person must eventually face. This crucial question draws a spiritual line in the sand which divides and defines the whole human race. It is a question of reckoning. This essential question confronts the man, challenges the mind and pierces the very heart and soul.

Jesus puts this question to everyone who ever lives, “Who do you say that I am?” And to be sure, there are as many opinions about who Jesus was and is, as there are about the origins of the universe. In Jesus’ own day, He was likened to Elijah and Jeremiah. Some thought He was John the Baptist. Yet, all of these answers fall short of the glorious truth.

Peter, the Apostle, replies to our Lord’s question saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” This, beloved reader, is the only satisfactory answer. None other will do. Jesus is the Christ, or He is nothing. And while foolish men may continue their search for the meaning of life, Jesus is Life. And He is asking you, “Who do you say that I am?” May your answer to this ultimate question echo Peter’s own, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Lord Jesus, make the reality of Your divine person, love and grace ever more present in my life that I might continually exclaim and proclaim You to the ends of the earth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Saul vs. David

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.”

~ 2 Samuel 3:1

What a fearful and awesome portrayal of the long war between the seed of the serpent and the Seed of the woman! Saul represents man’s tireless effort at self-righteous power, majesty and glory while the royal line of David represents the sovereign holy interests of Christ, our King. And though this spiritual battle which exists between these two ancient rivals presses on even today, Christ’s people can know, as with the narrative history between Saul’s and David’s houses which typifies this conflict, that Satan’s house will continue to grow weaker and weaker, while the Christ’s “house” will grow eternally stronger and stronger until the reign of Jesus is fulfilled for all time and in all things!

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Lord Jesus, continue to grant me Your strength that I might live today in the glory of Your wonderful might and power. In Jesus’ name, amen.

All Are Welcome

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

“The cross of Jesus displays the most awful exhibition of God’s hatred of sin and at the same time the most august manifestation of His readiness to pardon it. Pardon, full and free, is written out in every drop of blood that is seen, is proclaimed in every groan that is heard, and shines in the very prodigy of mercy that closes the solemn scene upon the cross. O blessed door of return, open and never shut, to the wanderer from God! How glorious, how free, how accessible! Here the sinful, the vile, the guilty, the unworthy, the poor, the penniless, may come. Here too the weary spirit may bring its burden, the broken spirit its sorrow, the guilty spirit its sin, the backsliding spirit its wandering. All are welcome here.”

~ Octavius Winslow

Prayer Life Pause: Dear Lord, thank You for welcoming me into Your presence. I bring all my burdens, sorrows and guilt and lay them at Your feet of forgiveness. How glorious You are! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Excellent Grace

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“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

~ Romans 8:1

One of the most glorious truths of the Gospel is that faith in Jesus Christ removes the sin guilt we naturally incur. That is, by nature, we are children of God’s just wrath and rightful condemnation (Eph. 2:3). The penalty for sin is nothing less than eternal separation from God and condemnation for sin. Yet, the good news is there is hope! Those who “are in Christ Jesus” are cleansed, justified, sanctified and delivered from such a terrible condition. We are those who no longer “walk” [that is live] according to the flesh [in sinful ways] but we can be those who walk according to the Spirit [that is in faithful humble living unto God]. And it is the same to whom Jesus promised eternal life (John 3:16). May we praise the Lord for His excellent grace!

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause – Father, thank you for saving me from my sins. Now please help me to live according to Your will and Spirit each and every day. In Jesus’ name,. amen.

Be Free

~ A Prayer Life ~ 4 Comments

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

~ John 8:36

I love music, but I never learned to play an instrument. Yet, one of my favorite pastimes is listening to music. And though I never personally learned to play a guitar, the drums, a saxophone or piano, I can certainly appreciate the amazing talent, commitment, hard work and devotion that goes into mastering one of these or many other instruments.

Though I love music, I am not free to make music on my own. At least, not through instrumentation. Those who first train on those instruments, and take lesson after lesson for years, are the ones who are free to produce the wonderful sounds of rhythm and harmony who others, like myself, are not free to make on our own. In other words, it is only through the confining discipline of submitting oneself to the rigors of apprehending the musical instrument that one is truly free to play whatever they choose.

Likewise, it is only through submitting yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ that one becomes spiritually free. Until then, we are in bondage, in bondage to sin and confined to the limitations of our own sinful nature. Limited in our freedom to spiritually enjoy the richness of Christ. It is by discipline, apprehending, and submitting oneself to God that one truly tastes freedom.

The world will try to offer you it’s version of freedom. But it is a false freedom. It will seek to entice you with freedom from discipline, from responsibility, and from accountability to God and others. But this is not real freedom. Like the concert pianists who only through years and years of disciplined training is he free to play whatever he chooses, it is only through discipleship to Jesus that spiritual freedom ever comes. Freedom to love, serve and honor the Savior. But, once Christ sets you free, be assured dear friend, you are free indeed.

~ apl

Prayer Life Pause: Father, help me to experience the freedom and joy that comes from turning from worldliness and living and serving my Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Full of Grace & Truth

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

~ John 1:1-14

Prayer Life Pause: Father, help me to receive and embrace Christ as my Light that He might shine through me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Eternal Prize

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Christ our Lord would so deign,
down to man He humbly came.
To seek and save that which was lost,
and all at such a dear high cost.
Yet love would not let Him stay,
aloft in heav’n while we had strayed.
By faith in Christ now You may rise,
and reach the blessed eternal prize.

~ apl

Light Brings Life

~ A Prayer Life ~ 4 Comments

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men”.

~ John 1:4

Light brings life. As each new day dawns, so does the vibrant moving, growing, bustling, and stirring of life everywhere. In many ways, it is the bright warmth of light that grants us the motivation, desire and inspiration to carry on with our day. The same is true of our spiritual life. In Christ is life, because He is the light of the His people which spurs us on towards greater faith and good works. Jesus is the source of all true, noble, righteous and principled deeds born in the Christian life. To the Light goes all the glory (Jn 8:12). Have you placed your faith and hope in the One who brought light into this dark world? Have you come out of darkness into Light? Does your life reflect the light of Jesus? Remember, it is light that brings life.

~ apl

Covered in His Garment

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“Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a `kinsmen-redeemer of our family.”

~ Ruth 3:9

Boaz was Ruth’s kinsmen redeemer. Under the Old Covenant, the male next of kin was responsible to provide for, take care of and protect a relative in need. In the Book of Ruth, it is Boaz who comes in and provides for his relative Ruth in the most personal and loving manner – by taking her as his bride. In doing this, Boaz showed himself faithful to his duty as a kinsmen by redeeming Ruth as his wife. As a result, and many years later, Ruth would become the great-grand mother to Israel’s King David.

As Boaz spread his garment over Ruth as symbol of his love and care for her, so the Lord Christ covers his bride in the robes of His righteousness (Is. 61:10). We are no longer exposed to God’s judgment because of our sins and transgressions. Rather, Jesus takes us in, and washes us clean by the Holy Spirit (Tit 3:5) and claims us for Himself (1 Cor. 6:20). Like Ruth, do you confess to be Christ’s servant? Have you asked Him to cover you in His love, mercy and grace? If so, rejoice! For Jesus has become your kinsmen-redeemer!

~ apl