Standing at a crossroad ...

Paul continues to encourage us to focus on what Jesus has done to bring us freedom, so that in everything we may glorify Him and live totally devoted to God. In Romans 6:12, Paul writes, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” It is at this crossroad that many believers find themselves today.

Even though we have the Holy Spirit within us, sin often drags you and I down different roads to cause us guilt and grief. We must seek to focus only on Christ, and allow Him to guide our paths. It is then (and only then) that we find true freedom and release from our bonds of the flesh. Will we look to Jesus Christ for this peace? He is the only place it is found.

God bless you.

– Bro TJ

Valentine's Day Demonstrated

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Many of us in the faith can quote this verse all day long, but have you ever considered why Paul used the word ‘but’? In order to do so, you have to look at verses 6 and 7 which says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.”

In the simplest terms, Paul is saying that there is no one willing to die for either the ungodly, or the righteous, or even those who are supposedly ‘good’. No one that is, but Jesus Christ! Have you thanked Him lately for dying for you? As we approach Valentine’s Day this coming week, I challenge you to think of a GREATER sign of love demonstrated for us!

God bless you.

~ Bro TJ

How are you justified?

Justification is the act of being brought into a right relationship with God, but it does not take into account anything we have done.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 5:18-19), he proclaims that God is reconciling His creation back to Himself through the purpose of Christ’s life. Simply stated, God has reconciled you and I through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross … period! This is the part we must grasp if we will ever see real growth in our faith. Justification is NOT achieved through the formula:

“Jesus + something else = Righteousness”
(This is the formula the world would have us believe and it is a false Gospel.)

Justification of God’s creation is by, for, and through Jesus Christ alone. Anything that tries to add to that diminishes the very value of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and needs to be dismissed and/or rebuked immediately. Consider this today, pray on it, and ask yourself: Are you are using God’s formula, or your own, to be justified in His eyes?

~ Bro TJ