Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. (Mark 13:31)
An old saying goes, “all good things must come to an end,” and in most cases this is true.
Companies close and relationships fall apart. Nations crumble and loved ones die. Hopes fail and dreams fade and according to Jesus, even heaven and earth will one day cease to exist as we know them.
But there is at least one good thing that will never, ever come an end: Jesus’ word to you.
So what is His word to you if you’re in Christ?
You are loved, embraced, accepted and forgiven, and nothing can ever take that away.
Jesus Christ [is] the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. (Revelation 1:5)
The world is run by rulers of all sorts and kinds.
Some are elected representatives, and others, self-appointed tyrants. Some lead by example and others rule by force and fear. Some act in ways that honor God and benefit their people, while others use their authority for selfish ends.
Yet, none of the rulers of earth truly have the final say. Jesus does.
Whatever the political landscape looks like today, remember this. Above every earthly power sits the exalted throne of the risen Christ. Above the authority of every grand emperor or petty politician is the rulership of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
He is infinite in power, boundless in wisdom and altogether good. So, even when governments seem to run unchecked and societies seem to come unhinged, you can take comfort in this liberating truth…
Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. (2 John 1:3)
Sometimes the greatest truths of God are also the simplest. Sometimes the deepest revelations don’t come from more books, but more belief.
Do you believe God has grace for you? Do you believe God has mercy for you? Do you believe God has peace for you? You must!
If you’re in Christ, that means all of Jesus’ obedience is credited to you and all of the favor He deserves from the Father now rests on you. Grace doesn’t always mean pleasant circumstances, but it guarantees purpose and power and peace to all who will receive it by faith in Christ.
Trust Him today. Believe His word, and rest in this truth.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
So often in life, we start a journey of relationship with someone, only to see them change in ways we never expected.
Other times, we put our faith in people to be faithful to us, only to have them change their minds down the line.
Here’s good news, though. Jesus isn’t like that!
When you trust Jesus, you can have confidence because He is perfectly trustworthy. When you put your faith in Him, you can rest easy because He is perfectly faithful.
When Jesus says He loves you, He means it, and that is never going to change! So, let this truth give you greater stability as you trust and follow Him.
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. (Hebrews 7:18-19)
There are many substitute saviors in this life. For the Jewish people, it was observing the law of Moses. For many religions today, it is doing good works. For the irreligious it is “just being a good person.”
But none of these things can ever provide a lasting hope and full security of salvation. After all, if your salvation depends on what you do, how will you ever know if you’ve done enough?
That’s why Jesus makes all the difference!
Since your salvation depends on Jesus alone, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ve done enough. Jesus has! In Christ, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re good enough. Jesus is!
Don’t let yourself slide into works-based thinking that tries to make you earn right standing with God. Instead, let your heart be set free by this magnificent truth of grace.
So now faith, hope and love abide, these three: but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Faith looks forward to something that can happen and trusts enough that it leads to action. Faith looks to a possibility that has not yet been realized and says, “I believe that can be done.”
Hope looks ahead at something that might happen and chooses to have a confident expectation that it will. Hope looks to a result that hasn’t yet been achieved, a goal that hasn’t yet been accomplished, and says, “I want that to be done.”
But love…
Love doesn’t need to look forward to some great thing that hasn’t happened yet. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, God’s love looks back at something that already has happened and realizes what it means for today. Love says, “It’s already been done for me.”
This means you don’t have to wait to receive God’s love until you’ve earned it, because Jesus already did! You don’t have to wait for God to prove His love for you, because Jesus already did!
If you’re in Christ, you can have faith in God’s plan for your future and hope in His provision for tomorrow, but you don’t have to wait to walk in His love for you, because of this powerful truth: God’s love is your promise for today.
“See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!” But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
(Psalm 52:7-8)
The world has its way of seeking security, but it will always ultimately fail. Power and wealth may bring stability for a season, but eventually they only produce bitter disappointment.
On the other hand, look at those whose hope and security are found in the Lord. You will find stability in their heart. You will discover joy in their life. They are steadfast, because their trust is in something that never fails: the steadfast love of God.
May that be your trust, too, and as you keep your eyes fixed on Him, may you experience the hope found in this truth: God’s love makes you steadfast.
-Pastor Phillip
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We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. (Romans 6:4-5)
You cannot “turn over a new leaf” in your life and expect everything to get better. No amount of trying, no collection of self-help materials, no great set of new habits can truly change your life for the better.
But Jesus can.
To come to Christ is not to sign up for a program, but to surrender to a Person. It’s not about accepting a new set of duties, but about embracing the death of yourself so that Christ might live through you.
This is incredible news for all who struggle (and all of us do struggle) because it means we don’t bear the burden of having to work out a resolution to all of our problems. Instead, we hold out for a resurrection that we know is coming to set us free one way or another.
How can you be sure of this in your own life? How can you know that this resurrection is coming for you? Because Jesus was raised from the dead, and that is the sign that He can keep His word to you! That means if you’re in Christ, you can have unshakeable hope because of this truth: Jesus is your living guarantee.
-Pastor Phillip
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When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:12-14)
Paul knew trouble awaited him in Jerusalem. He was under no illusion that he would have an easy time ahead, but he resolved to press on because he knew Jesus was worth it.
Paul’s friends had only his best interest in mind. They were only seeing their grief and concern for their friend. It’s not that they were wrong for that; they were simply missing the bigger picture. They had their eyes on the short-term reality of personal pain, but Paul had his eyes on a higher priority. They were trying to persuade Paul away from his purpose, but he wasn’t having it.
Paul knew that in the scope of eternity, suffering matters nothing compared to the Savior. Hardship is irrelevant compared to the joy of knowing Jesus! Paul knew this and believed it and stayed faithful to his mission because of one simple truth.
When you keep your eyes on Jesus, nothing can shake your resolve.
Maybe you have hardships or struggles right now because of your walk with God. Maybe there are people opposing you externally, or worries besetting you internally.
Maybe you feel like giving up.
No matter what you face today, remember this. Jesus loves you, He’s with you, and He’s for you if you’re in Christ! Even when you feel like letting go, He is never letting go of you.
Dwell on these promises instead of your problems today, and you’ll be strengthened to stay the course, hold the line, and keep moving forward in His plan for your life. As you do these things, you’ll discover the hope found in this truth: Jesus is your steadfast resolve.
-Pastor Phillip
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But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch… (Acts 14:19-21)
Paul and Barnabas had been rejected at Antioch, kicked out of Iconium, and Paul had just been stoned by the people of Lystra and only survived by the grace of God. Now, after a brief stop in another city, here they are going back.
What’s the deal with that!?
You’d think they would have learned the first time. You’d think they would have gotten the hint that there was high opposition to the Gospel in those cities. You’d think they would have looked for other places to minister where the work wasn’t quite so challenging.
However, in this passage we see that Paul and Barnabas don’t think that way. They don’t feel that way. They don’t work that way, because they have something that is working in and through them that is far more powerful than any opposition they may face. That something is a someone, the person of the Holy Spirit.
Because they are empowered by the Spirit, they are emboldened for the Gospel. Because they follow His command, they are filled with His courage and nothing can hold them back from spreading the Good News.
You know what’s even more exciting? If you’re in Christ, that same power is available to you.
Don’t let the world’s resistance hold you back from the wonderful things God has planned for you. Don’t let fear and uncertainty cripple the faith and confidence God wants to give you. Trust Him today, follow His leading where ever it may take you, and as you do, you’ll be filled with hope as you walk in this truth: The Holy Spirit is your boldness.
-Pastor Phillip
AUDIO VERSION (Click here to subscribe to the daily podcast on iTunes.)
