Revelation 5:6-10 (NIV)

⁶Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. ⁸And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. ¹⁰ You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

There are five words that every believer should know and be able to explain. I have defined and discussed all of them many times in sermons and writings, but I am doing so again because they are so essential. Being confident in our beliefs is ever more important as cultures become bolder about persecuting Christians.

Jesus’ shed blood redeems believers (1 Peter 1:18-19). This means that we are purchased from a life of slavery to sin. Furthermore, we receive forgiveness—the wrongs of our past, present, and future are totally washed away (Ephesians 1:7-8). For the rest of eternity, God views His children through the “veil” of Christ’s blood, which makes them pure and holy. Everyone who trusts in Jesus is declared no longer guilty (justified—Romans 5:8-9) and brought into relationship with God (reconciled—Colossians 1:19-22). This unalterable change in status from sinner to saint happens the moment a person receives Christ as Savior.

The final word, sanctified, describes the life-long maturing process that begins when a person trusts in the Savior (Hebrews 13:12). A saint is set apart from the rest of humanity for the purpose of making him Christ-like. Through discipleship, testing, and teaching, God “drains out” our old self and pumps the life of Jesus into our heart and life.

These five words tell the story of our faith. Meditate upon the verses related to each one, and pray that God will write the meanings on your heart. When we’re confident in our beliefs, we can be a light to others instead of crumbling at the threat of pain.

(by Dr. Charles Stanley from the April 2010 issue of In Touch magazine)

2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

No right-minded person likes war; we crave for peace, the absence of strife and all hostility. Many religions and therapies claim to calm the mind; as do alcohol, nicotine and other drugs. But the ‘peace’ Peter writes about has a unique origin and eternal effect. We cannot fight for it, or work to earn it; God’s peace comes only through His grace. And its effect is not primarily to make us feel calm (although it will), but to assure us that the dark shadow of God’s wrath has been taken away from our horizon, because Jesus bore it all for us.

This peace is part of God’s gift at Christ’s expense. It enables us to come directly to our Heavenly Father, without fear of judgment (see www.crosscheck.org.uk to find out more). All those who admit that they were the reason that Christ died, are assured of a loving welcome at God’s throne. To be welcomed like that is a massive blessing; and a huge relief that God is not angry with us any more. Of course that is only the start of our relationship with the Lord, but without that start there is no way to get to know Him. Then, once we know that God is longing for us to respond to Him, we need to learn how to please Him – and that is what Peter’s letter is all about.

Getting to know someone takes a lifetime. It is certainly true in marriage: as time goes on we find out more about our spouse. It is the same with God: the more we know of Him, His love and grace and mercy, the more secure we become. Confidence grows as we receive His peace, knowing that all is well between us and Him. The more we explore the Bible, the greater the knowledge and the deeper the peace. In fact, Jesus said that there is no other way to know peace with God (John 14:6). So many people are looking for that peace today; and they need you to tell them how to find it!

Prayer: Holy God. Thank you for helping me to believe that I can be at peace with You, through what Jesus has done. I am so glad that I no longer have to be in terror, fearing your judgment on my sins – as I trust in Jesus. Help me to be bold to explain Your way to eternal peace, which assures me of my place in heaven and comforts my soul each day, lest my friends and colleagues should spend a lifetime and eternity separated from Your loving grace. For Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

(provided by Beacon Light)

(continued from previous post)

(from – http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5281195/k.210D/Feature_Article__Conquering_Your_Fears.htm)

While we are facing very serious times in our nation’s history, we are not alone. God is with us, and He is never out of control.

The apostle Paul discovered this in a fresh way during a very difficult time in his ministry. Somewhere near the end of his second missionary journey, he was staying in the city of Corinth. He had left Athens to go to Macedonia, but something happened that almost caused him to stumble in his faith. The Jews resisted his teaching to a point where they “blasphemed.” Paul was fed up with their stiff-necked ways. He declared that he would no longer go to the Jews first, but instead would preach God’s message to the Gentiles (Acts 18:5-6).

At every turn, Paul faced opposition from the Jewish leaders. On several occasions, his very life had been threatened. He was tired and likely felt alone and worn thin emotionally—vulnerable to the destruction of fear. One night as he drifted off to sleep, God’s Spirit spoke to him, saying, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).

There we have it: one of the greatest apostles who ever lived, battling fear. But the verses that follow do not mention this again. Why? Paul changed his focus. He came face-to-face with the reality of his fear and chose to abandon it. Was this something he could do on his own? Absolutely not. There was no way he could move past the anxiety he felt without the assurance found in Jesus Christ. Once God’s Spirit spoke to his heart, the issue was settled, and Paul knew there was only one thing for him to do: complete the work God had given him.

The Enemy uses many things in an effort to distract us and prevent us from reaching our full potential—and fear is one of his choice weapons. He usually follows it with words of discouragement and accusation: “You can’t do that”; “You haven’t been trained”; “What would people think if you fail?” And that was his strategy in Corinth: Satan knew he would face ultimate defeat if Paul succeeded, so he tried to keep the apostle fearful. The Lord’s faithful promise, delivered at just the right moment, was all the encouragement Paul needed to continue preaching the truth of the gospel.

The right steps to overcoming fear

If you are going to overcome fear, the first step is to acknowledge and admit your anxiety. Confess, “Lord, I feel fearful, and I don’t know what to do. Please show me how to go forward from this point.” Next, ask God to enable you to conquer your fear. The more you understand your relationship with God, the more intimately you will relate to Him. Your level of trust will increase, and you will begin to notice the many ways He is at work in your life and circumstances.

Shortly before his death, Paul wrote an interesting word of instruction to Timothy. He reminded his young protégé, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear doesn’t fit who we are as believers. It usually surfaces when we have the wrong response to disappointment and trial. God wants you to be victorious, not harassed or tormented by anxiety.

Let God remove fear from your life. He may choose to do this by placing you in a frightening situation where you feel out of control. But you do not have to worry, because the One who has promised never to let you go is holding your life in His omnipotent hand.

After you have given your worries to the Lord, meditate on His Word. David understood the power that was available to him through God’s personal promises. He wrote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? . . . My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear” (Psalm 27:1-3).

If you want to keep your confidence strong, study the Bible, apply God’s principles to your life, and walk with Him each day by faith. When you hide His Word in your heart, you will have the light of His truth to guide you—not only for your present circumstances, but also for eternity.

Fix Your Mind on Christ

Too many Christians experience fear because they focus on their circumstances instead of on God. Dr. Stanley teaches that maintaining a proper perspective will help you rest in the Lord.

How to Handle Fear
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“Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us every day.” (Psalm 68:19)

Perhaps the heaviest burden we try to carry is the burden of mistakes and failures. What do you do with your failures?

Even if you’ve fallen, even if you’ve failed, even if everyone else has rejected you, Christ will not turn away from you. He came first and foremost to those who have no hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, “I’ll give you eternity.”

Only you can surrender your concerns to the Father, No one else can take those away and give them to God. Only you can cast all your anxieties on the one who cares for you. What better way to start the day than by laying your cares at His feet?

(from Walking With the Savior by Max Lucado)

Luke 24:1-9

The Easter story is a message of hope. Yet many people celebrate this holiday with only chocolate bunnies and egg hunts because they do not know its real purpose. The gospel is precious information that Jesus asked His followers to spread widely (Matt. 28:19). He expects that each of us will be prepared to answer those who are curious about the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15).

Christianity is unique. Other religions and belief systems have a “doer” philosophy. In other words, to achieve eternal life, a follower must follow leaders’ instructions, adhere to rules, and/or give as much as he is told. The Christian life also includes good works, obeying commandments, and tithing. However, these activities are the result of serving Christ rather than a supposed method for reaching heaven. Instead of placing our hope in human ambition and diligence, we recognize Jesus as the only path to God.

Jesus Christ’s primary purpose in coming to earth was to die for mankind’s transgressions. Had He stayed in His tomb, everyone would be responsible for his or her own sin-debt. But Jesus conquered the grave, which means that His followers can too. Those who believe in Him are released from their death penalty and invited to spend eternity with God.

What are you doing with the amazing message of God’s love? The commission to “go and make disciples” is meant to be an integral part of every believer’s life. We should share about Jesus while at home, at work, among friends, or pursuing hobbies. In other words, we are to celebrate Easter every day.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org
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Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.