The One Thing - United Faith Church Podcast

Matthew 5

"Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.'"

"What are we mourning for? That is the real question"Hello, and welcome back to the One Thing podcast. Today, I'm inviting you to read with me from the book of Matthew, chapter five. This is known as the Sermon on the Mount, the first chunk of verses here. I encourage you— we're gonna read one verse today, but I'm encouraging you to read the entire chapter if you can. It’s just such a blessing. We know that all of Jesus' words are life; all of his words are such a blessing, but the Sermon on the Mount is an incredible place to begin. So, I'm reading verse four, and verse four is very simple.

It says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” and this truly gives a description of the life of a true Christian.

Now, what does mourn mean? Does it mean that Christians are going about mourning all day long, that we’re a sad people that are always crying and in tears? No, that's not necessarily what it means, but it says, “blessed are those who mourn...”

What are we mourning for? That’s the real question.

For the life of a Christian, you see, we are brought into the Lord Jesus by the fact that God has opened our eyes. He opens our eyes to see the injustices done against Him, to see that man has completely sinned against the Lord, that we have chosen our own way.

"He opens our eyes to see the injustices done against Him..."Today, many people, even so called Christians, go about without recognizing the will of God for their lives, without ever recognizing that it is God that has given us everything, and He is worthy of our full devotion and nothing less. He is worthy of excellence and everything above. But, how many, including maybe ourselves today, have never stopped to recognize God for the true gift that He’s given us? His Son. How many of us have stopped to literally mourn for maybe the sins that we've done against Him, for the simple ways that we have chosen against Him? We can go on, and on, and on.

But, if we read this full verse as well, “blessed are those who mourn,” who come to God in repentance for their sins, recognizing our wickedness against Him, for they will be comforted. Praise God for the comfort that He gives us. Yes, we may mourn over our darkness toward the Lord, we may mourn for the things that we've done against a holy God, but in that mourning, hallelujah! The mourning shall be turned to dancing. Our hearts will leap as He reveals the Son, as Jesus comes and the one who comforts, the one who cleanses us from our sin and brings restoration back to God. Hallelujah!

"Be comforted today, and may we continue to pursue the Almighty God."

The book of Ecclesiastes even says, furthermore, that I'd rather sit in the house of mourning than at the table of fools. It simply means I’d rather walk in humility before the Lord. I’d rather recognize God as the holy God, as the one who rules and reigns over all — and may I mourn and repent and turn — than to live with the rest of the world in foolishness, to go on and on as though things are okay without ever recognizing the holiness and the goodness of God.  For they will be comforted.

I pray that you would find comfort in the name of the Lord Jesus today. I pray that as you turn to God, as I turn to God, as we as one join together in seeking the King, that we will find comfort— a comfort that cannot be robbed, a comfort that goes on and on, a peace that comes only through the blood and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be comforted today,

James 4:13-14

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Hello, and welcome to the One Thing podcast! Happy New Year to everyone who is listening. Today is January 2 of the year 2019, so now we're going to have to get used to writing that “9” at the end of our dating rather than an “8.” Praise God for a new time, a new year, and a new season.

One of the scriptures that I was reading this morning that had really touched my heart to share with all of you today is coming from the book of James, chapter 4, verses 13-15, and it says,

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”

As we’re coming into the new year, what normally happens is everybody begins to make their new year's resolutions. It’s where people all throughout our nation are making promises to themselves, saying, “This year I'm going to lose weight. Starting tomorrow I'm going to change the way that I eat. This year I'm going to be better with money. I'm going to set myself this goal and I'm going to make sure I accomplish that goal.”

"He is the Lord, we simply come before him..."

Now, there's nothing wrong with goal setting. There’s nothing wrong with kind of planning things out, but it is truly the heart of the matter, and the scripture very clearly says here, “What is our life?” We don't even know if we will be here tomorrow. We know that in a moment we could be called back home to the Lord. In a moment, our life may be required from us.

So, what is the attitude of the Christian? What attitude has the Lord Jesus called us to? Not to have an attitude of assumption, where everyone is just assuming we're going to carry out our own plans, or maybe our own resolutions, whatever it may be. But, for those who know, who are in the Lord Jesus Christ, we know that there are no assumptions, only truth. What is the truth? That the Lord Jesus Christ is the King.

He is the Lord, and we simply come before Him going, “God, we begin this new year, this new day, ready to move with You, ready to walk as You are calling us to walk. And Lord, we don't know what tomorrow may bring. I don't know what this year may bring, but I know that You are God and You alone. So, my prayer, my plan, is simply that Your will will be done in my life. Whatever Your will may be, God, today we don't assume. We don't plan without You, but we plan with You, Father. We plan that Your will will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

"what a wonderful, joyful life knowing that it is the King we follow" Hallelujah! We’re beginning a new year, but may we begin this new year knowing that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the King, declaring Him as such, ready to move in His will, and simply walk in the direction that He’s calling us to walk. What else shall we do as those in Christ? And what a wonderful, joyful life knowing that it is the King we follow, the King that will take care of us, that as we seek first His kingdom all other things will fall into place.

So, may of our prayer and our attitude simply be, “We will move as the Lord may allow in our lives.” We thank You, God, for Your mercy and for Your graciousness in our life. May your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!

James 4:13-14

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

Hello, and welcome to the One Thing podcast! Happy New Year to everyone who is listening. Today is January 2 of the year 2019, so now we're going to have to get used to writing that “9” at the end of our dating rather than an “8.” Praise God for a new time, a new year, and a new season.

One of the scriptures that I was reading this morning that had really touched my heart to share with all of you today is coming from the book of James, chapter 4, verses 13-15, and it says,

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”

As we’re coming into the new year, what normally happens is everybody begins to make their new year's resolutions. It’s where people all throughout our nation are making promises to themselves, saying, “This year I'm going to lose weight. Starting tomorrow I'm going to change the way that I eat. This year I'm going to be better with money. I'm going to set myself this goal and I'm going to make sure I accomplish that goal.”

"He is the Lord, we simply come before him..."

Now, there's nothing wrong with goal setting. There’s nothing wrong with kind of planning things out, but it is truly the heart of the matter, and the scripture very clearly says here, “What is our life?” We don't even know if we will be here tomorrow. We know that in a moment we could be called back home to the Lord. In a moment, our life may be required from us.

So, what is the attitude of the Christian? What attitude has the Lord Jesus called us to? Not to have an attitude of assumption, where everyone is just assuming we're going to carry out our own plans, or maybe our own resolutions, whatever it may be. But, for those who know, who are in the Lord Jesus Christ, we know that there are no assumptions, only truth. What is the truth? That the Lord Jesus Christ is the King.

He is the Lord, and we simply come before Him going, “God, we begin this new year, this new day, ready to move with You, ready to walk as You are calling us to walk. And Lord, we don't know what tomorrow may bring. I don't know what this year may bring, but I know that You are God and You alone. So, my prayer, my plan, is simply that Your will will be done in my life. Whatever Your will may be, God, today we don't assume. We don't plan without You, but we plan with You, Father. We plan that Your will will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

"what a wonderful, joyful life knowing that it is the King we follow" Hallelujah! We’re beginning a new year, but may we begin this new year knowing that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the King, declaring Him as such, ready to move in His will, and simply walk in the direction that He’s calling us to walk. What else shall we do as those in Christ? And what a wonderful, joyful life knowing that it is the King we follow, the King that will take care of us, that as we seek first His kingdom all other things will fall into place.

So, may of our prayer and our attitude simply be, “We will move as the Lord may allow in our lives.” We thank You, God, for Your mercy and for Your graciousness in our life. May your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!

John 3:19

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Welcome to the One Thing Podcast! I speak with excitement today, knowing that Christmas is just a couple weeks away. That’s right— we're in the month of December, and I know that we all get so excited about the season of Christmas, not just because of the food and the family and the gifts, which are all wonderful; but, I believe, truly, that when we recognize what the real message of Christmas is, it really brings an excitement and a joy.

"Christmas has come early today. For today is the day of salvation."

The message of Christmas truly is that God had looked down upon this world— He had seen men and women in darkness, the darkness of their understanding of God, the darkness of their sin, where man goes about their own way, where we all have just done our own thing without recognizing that God is the king, that the Lord Jesus is the Lord of all. And, as God looked down and saw the darkness, He decided in His great mercy that He would send the light: the Light of the World, the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, Christmas has come early! Even today, we can come to God and receive the wonderful gift of the Lord Jesus when we recognize that we are in darkness, when we see, and we look at our lives and see that we are desperate without Him, that we are desolate without the light of the world, in unending darkness.

But, God today says, “Turn. Turn from your sin. Turn from the darkness, and come into the light.”

The Word of God says in John 3:19, “This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

"May you cry out to God and allow His light to shine."

That is man without the lord Jesus: walking in darkness, loving it, and never wanting to come into His goodness and His light for fear that they would be exposed, exposed of the fact that their lives aren't about the Kingdom, exposed that our lives are covered in sin and separate from God.

I love this one part because it says, “Everyone who does evil hates the light...” What does it mean, “everyone who does evil?” It really means everyone who continues to do evil. If you find yourself today constantly in the same rut, constantly going through the same motion of darkness or sinfulness, maybe you can't get your mind clear of impurity, maybe you can't stop lying, maybe it seems as though you keep going back to the same old way of walking away from God and getting caught up in the things of the world.

Whatever it may be, may you come out of the darkness today. May you cry out to God and allow His light to shine.

Jesus is the light of the world. In that same chapter, John chapter 3, we can go back just a little bit to verse 16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

"What a wonderful gift in God that I don't have to continue in darkness..."

That eternal life is the light of the Lord Jesus that comes into the darkness of our minds and our hearts, but it is to those who believe. What does it mean to believe? We believe that, yes, we are wicked and dark and desolate without God. But when we believe in Him, we believe that He is the Lord of all, that he is the King of Kings, and we believe that if we turn to Him— if we turn from our darkness, if we turn to his light— we shall be saved and we shall find eternal life in Him.

What a wonderful gift in God that I don't have to continue in darkness,

John 3:19

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

Welcome to the One Thing Podcast! I speak with excitement today, knowing that Christmas is just a couple weeks away. That’s right— we're in the month of December, and I know that we all get so excited about the season of Christmas, not just because of the food and the family and the gifts, which are all wonderful; but, I believe, truly, that when we recognize what the real message of Christmas is, it really brings an excitement and a joy.

"Christmas has come early today. For today is the day of salvation."

The message of Christmas truly is that God had looked down upon this world— He had seen men and women in darkness, the darkness of their understanding of God, the darkness of their sin, where man goes about their own way, where we all have just done our own thing without recognizing that God is the king, that the Lord Jesus is the Lord of all. And, as God looked down and saw the darkness, He decided in His great mercy that He would send the light: the Light of the World, the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, Christmas has come early! Even today, we can come to God and receive the wonderful gift of the Lord Jesus when we recognize that we are in darkness, when we see, and we look at our lives and see that we are desperate without Him, that we are desolate without the light of the world, in unending darkness.

But, God today says, “Turn. Turn from your sin. Turn from the darkness, and come into the light.”

The Word of God says in John 3:19, “This is the verdict: light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

"May you cry out to God and allow His light to shine."

That is man without the lord Jesus: walking in darkness, loving it, and never wanting to come into His goodness and His light for fear that they would be exposed, exposed of the fact that their lives aren't about the Kingdom, exposed that our lives are covered in sin and separate from God.

I love this one part because it says, “Everyone who does evil hates the light...” What does it mean, “everyone who does evil?” It really means everyone who continues to do evil. If you find yourself today constantly in the same rut, constantly going through the same motion of darkness or sinfulness, maybe you can't get your mind clear of impurity, maybe you can't stop lying, maybe it seems as though you keep going back to the same old way of walking away from God and getting caught up in the things of the world.

Whatever it may be, may you come out of the darkness today. May you cry out to God and allow His light to shine.

Jesus is the light of the world. In that same chapter, John chapter 3, we can go back just a little bit to verse 16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

"What a wonderful gift in God that I don't have to continue in darkness..."

That eternal life is the light of the Lord Jesus that comes into the darkness of our minds and our hearts, but it is to those who believe. What does it mean to believe? We believe that, yes, we are wicked and dark and desolate without God. But when we believe in Him, we believe that He is the Lord of all, that he is the King of Kings, and we believe that if we turn to Him— if we turn from our darkness, if we turn to his light— we shall be saved and we shall find eternal life in Him.

What a wonderful gift in God that I don't have to continue in darkness,

Revelation 4:8

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

Hello, and welcome back to the One Thing Podcast. I was thinking of one of my favorite scriptures this morning. It’s coming from the book of Revelation chapter four, verse eight, where it says,

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

"I am to be set apart. I am to live a holy life unto the Lord Jesus Christ."When we read this scripture, we get a glimpse of Heaven— a song right now that's being sung day and night, night and day, from the four living creatures— those exalting God, and the words with which they are exalting God are the words of holiness. The Lord God is “holy, holy, holy.”

They could have used so many other descriptions, they could have used so many other words; but, they are declaring the holiness of God, the one who is, who has always been, who was and is to come, the infinite God.

He is eternal. He is unending, with no beginning, with no end. Our great God is that powerful, that mighty. So, when we read this, what does God want us to understand? What is he speaking to us when He gives us this understanding, this revelation of truly His name and truly who He is?

It’s very simple; it's that the Lord our God is holy. He is set apart, and those whom He calls to Himself, He calls to be holy as He is holy.

When I think of the description of God, I cannot do what everybody else is doing. I can't get into the things that everybody else is getting into. I am to be set apart. I am to live a holy life unto the Lord Jesus Christ. He died not for me to live apart from Him, He died not for me to walk an unholy life, but He died and He rose again and empowers us with the Spirit to turn to him, to live in holiness.

"When we live, the way we walk, does it reflect the holiness of God?"That means that my speech is going to reflect the Word of the Lord. It means that the way that I treat my wife, the way that I treat my friends, the way that I treat those who are in my family, those at the store, those at work— it will be a reflection of the holiness, the utmost greatness of the Lord God that we serve.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty...”

Does that ring a bell in our hearts? When we live, the way that we walk, does it reflect the holiness of God? Does it reflect how great and how awesome our Lord is?

Day and night, night and day, as they are singing in Heaven, we are to be living here on earth exalting God just as loud by the way that we live our lives, as we reflect His goodness, as we reflect His holiness, as we reflect the goodness and the greatness of our God.

What will it be for us today? Will we recognize His holiness? Will we turn to him, in order for him to reflect it, in order for him to show the world truly who He is?

Thank you, God, today that you have revealed who you are. You speak to us how great and how holy your name is, and you call us to be holy as you are only.

Revelation 4:8

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

Hello, and welcome back to the One Thing Podcast. I was thinking of one of my favorite scriptures this morning. It’s coming from the book of Revelation chapter four, verse eight, where it says,

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

"Holy holy holy revelation... "When we read this scripture, we get a glimpse of Heaven— a song right now that's being sung day and night, night and day, from the four living creatures— those exalting God, and the words with which they are exalting God are the words of holiness. The Lord God is “holy, holy, holy.”

They could have used so many other descriptions, they could have used so many other words; but, they are declaring the holiness of God, the one who is, who has always been, who was and is to come, the infinite God.

"I am to be set apart. I am to live a holy life unto the Lord Jesus Christ."He is eternal. He is unending, with no beginning, with no end. Our great God is that powerful, that mighty. So, when we read this, what does God want us to understand? What is he speaking to us when He gives us this understanding, this revelation of truly His name and truly who He is?

It’s very simple; it's that the Lord our God is holy. He is set apart, and those whom He calls to Himself, He calls to be holy as He is holy.

When I think of the description of God, I cannot do what everybody else is doing. I can't get into the things that everybody else is getting into. I am to be set apart. I am to live a holy life unto the Lord Jesus Christ. He died not for me to live apart from Him, He died not for me to walk an unholy life, but He died and He rose again and empowers us with the Spirit to turn to him, to live in holiness.

"When we live, the way we walk, does it reflect the holiness of God?"That means that my speech is going to reflect the Word of the Lord. It means that the way that I treat my wife, the way that I treat my friends, the way that I treat those who are in my family, those at the store, those at work— it will be a reflection of the holiness, the utmost greatness of the Lord God that we serve.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty...”

Does that ring a bell in our hearts? When we live, the way that we walk, does it reflect the holiness of God? Does it reflect how great and how awesome our Lord is?

Day and night, night and day, as they are singing in Heaven, we are to be living here on earth exalting God just as loud by the way that we live our lives, as we reflect His goodness, as we reflect His holiness, as we reflect the goodness and the greatness of our God.

What will it be for us today? Will we recognize His holiness? Will we turn to him, in order for him to reflect it, in order for him to show the world truly who He is?

Thank you, God, today that you have revealed who you are. You speak to us how great and how holy your name is, and you call us to be holy as you are only.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:  a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance...

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Welcome to the One Thing podcast. Today, we think for a moment on the different seasons that God appoints in our lives. When I think of seasons, the first scripture that comes to mind is Ecclesiastes 3, and it is actually the first eight verses, but we're going to read a couple here. It says,

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot...”

It goes on and on of the different seasons that we face, or that we see in life, and we know that God is our creator. We know that God is the King and The Lord of all. He’s the one who appoints every season.

"There is an appointed time and season for all things."So, as Christians, what is it that we should focus on? What season is most important for us? What do we really want to usher in, and really wait for and beckon for God to bring quickly? What season? The Lord also gives us an answer for that in Galatians 6:9, where He says,

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

That proper time is the appointed time by God. God has appointed a season and a time for everything; He appointed the time of Jesus‘ birth. He appointed the time that the Israelites were going to be delivered from slavery in Egypt. For each one of us, He appoints us, at a certain time, that we would come into the Lord Jesus, coming aware of His great salvation and becoming born again.

"Don't give up for the good things that God has called for you to do..."

There is an appointed time and season for all things. So, what do we focus on? He says, “Listen. Focus on doing good. Focus on seeking The Lord. Do not become weary, for at the proper time— at the appointed season— we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Let us not give up today. Regardless of what season we may be in, regardless of the time, we want to simply focus on God: the fact that he is the one who appoints every season.

He is the one who is in control, and if we continue to do good, do not be weary. Keep pressing, and keep praying. Don’t give up for the good things that God has called for you to do in your life. Don’t stop, even when it seems tough. Keep going; for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Praise God today that He is the author and finisher of our faith. May you be blessed in this season, in this appointed time by God, by all that He is looking to do and accomplish in His people, in Jesus’ name.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:  a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance...

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Welcome to the One Thing podcast. Today, we think for a moment on the different seasons that God appoints in our lives. When I think of seasons, the first scripture that comes to mind is Ecclesiastes 3, and it is actually the first eight verses, but we're going to read a couple here. It says,

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot...”

It goes on and on of the different seasons that we face, or that we see in life, and we know that God is our creator. We know that God is the King and The Lord of all. He’s the one who appoints every season.

"There is an appointed time and season for all things."So, as Christians, what is it that we should focus on? What season is most important for us? What do we really want to usher in, and really wait for and beckon for God to bring quickly? What season? The Lord also gives us an answer for that in Galatians 6:9, where He says,

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

That proper time is the appointed time by God. God has appointed a season and a time for everything; He appointed the time of Jesus‘ birth. He appointed the time that the Israelites were going to be delivered from slavery in Egypt. For each one of us, He appoints us, at a certain time, that we would come into the Lord Jesus, coming aware of His great salvation and becoming born again.

"Don't give up for the good things that God has called for you to do..."

There is an appointed time and season of God for all things. So, what do we focus on? He says, “Listen. Focus on doing good. Focus on seeking The Lord. Do not become weary, for at the proper time— at the appointed season— we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Let us not give up today. Regardless of what season we may be in, regardless of the time, we want to simply focus on God: the fact that he is the one who appoints every season.

He is the one who is in control, and if we continue to do good, do not be weary. Keep pressing, and keep praying. Don’t give up for the good things that God has called for you to do in your life. Don’t stop, even when it seems tough. Keep going; for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Praise God today that He is the author and finisher of our faith. May you be blessed in this season of God, in this appointed time by God, by all that He is looking to do and accomplish in His people, in Jesus’ name.

Galatians 2:19

“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.

Hello, and welcome to the One Thing podcast. The question for today is, “Am I alive?” Or better yet, “Is Christ Jesus, the Lord Jesus, alive in me?”

What a wonderful thing to think about. I don't have to live. You see, our body and our flesh was, at one point, dead in our sins and transgressions; but today, through faith in Jesus, we are alive because He is alive in us.

The book of Galatians says in chapter 2, verse 19, “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Paul is simply saying here that he was in a place where many of us may find ourselves or have been, where he was living in the law and he was trying to keep it, but he realized that he couldn't— that the law actually condemned him. The more that he tried to follow it, the more that he realized that he would fail in it because apart from Christ, we are dead in our sins and transgressions. We look at the Word, we look at the precious law of God, and it reveals our sin. It reflects our darkness as a mirror, and we try to meet its requirements, but we find that it is impossible.

But, hallelujah! Today it is possible. You see, our old self— that old self stuck in its transgressions— was never capable of pleasing God, never able to fulfill the law. But now, it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ Jesus— the Lord Jesus, who gave Himself for me, that by faith I believe in the mighty power of God, the mighty power that is found in His Son, who comes to live, make His abode, His dwelling in me, so that no longer do I live, but Christ lives in empowerment. The one who fulfills the law perfectly, the one who is holy, the one who is righteous, now lives in me and lives in you by faith.

So, back to the question: Is Christ alive in us today? Is He alive in you? Is He alive in me?

Apart from Him, it is impossible to please God. Apart from Him, we cannot fulfill the law, but with Christ Jesus— with Him— we can live for God in victory. Today is a day in victory. Today is a day in the victory of the Lord Jesus.

May we come to Him truly believing that He is capable and that He is able to receive glory as He lives in me, as He lives in you— that we can bring glory to His kingdom, because no longer is it our own hands or our own feet, but it is the very hands of God, the very hands and feet of Jesus. It is the very voice of God, able to use the one who allows himself to be a vessel.

Hallelujah today! May we rise in faith, and may we seek that the Lord Jesus would grow ever stronger in us than ever before. What a wonderful God we serve, who looks to gain glory, who looks to use these broken vessels to bring us together in the perfection of Christ, in the holiness of Christ, for the sake of His name and glory.