Death Has No Dominion

What has dominion over you? Is it a large amount of debt? Is it a boss you don’t care for? Is it your attitude or state of mind? Are you ready for it to move on? Are you ready to die to it? Are you ready for a renewal, a new life?

We all fall prey to being governed by something we would rather we were not at some point. We make mistakes and find ourselves where we don’t want to be. If we are lucky, the situation is short lived, and we move on to something better.

We may overextend ourselves with debt. We may find ourselves in a bad job or working under a mean boss. These may lead to us having a bad attitude or being in a chaotic state of mind all the time. We are ready to be rid of it. We want to feel refreshed, as though we have a new lease on life.

When we are baptized into Christ, we are given that new lease on life. We are no longer the old person. We no longer need to live as someone who is trapped in a bad situation, even if we are in a bad situation. We can live as someone who is set free. We can live as someone who knows the current situation is temporary and we have a permanent place filled with bliss.

When we are baptized, we are buried with Christ in death. We die to our old selves. We are raised to a new life in Him. We are no longer slaves to sin. We are alive in Christ. Our life in Christ is a life of freedom. It is a life with no boundaries. It is a life of love, joy, peace, and contentment, no matter the situation.

I pray we all die to our sin. I pray we grasp the life we have in Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us understand that death no longer has dominion over us anymore than it has dominion over Christ. Die to your sin. Live your life in Christ. Live a life of freedom. Live in the love of Christ.

Romans 6:9-11 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Our Struggle

Do you argue with yourself? Do you debate whether to do this or do that? Are there times when you do something you know you shouldn’t? Are there one or two things you continually battle? Do you know you are wrestling with sin?

We know when we are doing something we shouldn’t. We may even tell ourselves we should not do it again. Yet, we continue to fall prey to it. It may be something that makes us feel good for a short time but has negative effects later.

Wrestling with sin can be a very difficult struggle. In one respect, we know that God’s grace can cover it. In another, we know we should not continue in that sin. We tell ourselves to stop. We may even resist it for a while. Then it rears its ugly head in a weak moment, and we submit to it again.

When the Apostle Paul tells us not to continue in our sin, he knows it is a struggle. He also knows we cannot overcome it on our own. He points us to submitting to Jesus and asking Him to remove it from us. Paul knows we cannot conquer an especially challenging sin on our own.

As we pray to God to forgive us of our sin, we must also pray that he eliminates our urge to sin. If it has a strong hold on us, we may need to pray many times for God to remove it. It may take us weeks, months, or even years to remove it. It is not that God cannot remove it immediately, it is our unwillingness to let it go. Therefore, we must pray that God fill us with his Spirit and help us let go of it.

I pray we all recognize our sin. I pray we continue to pursue eliminating sin from our lives. I pray each one of us will ask God to help us remove our urge to sin by submitting to him. Conquer your sin. Ask God for forgiveness. Ask God to fill you with his Spirit. Ask God to eliminate your desire to sin.

Romans 6:1-2 What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?

Dire Straits

Have you ever been in dire straits? Have you been in a situation that you had no idea how you could ever get out of it or past it? Did you simply want to sit down and cry until you could cry no more? Were you at a point that you thought you might die?

We experience many tough situations in this life. Some of them are steep hills to climb, but we believe we can climb them. Some are nothing more than speed bumps, even if they are a more than a little inconvenient. Then there are those heart wrenching, depressing, and dire situations.

Hagar was in a dire situation. She had been expelled from Abraham and Sarah’s camp. She had faithfully served Sarah until she started flaunting the fact that she had had a son by Abraham when Sarah could not. Eventually Sarah had a son, too. But Hagar continued to boast about her son being the firstborn. Sarah had finally enough of the flaunting and had Abraham send her away.

Hagar only had one skin of water and some bread. We cannot go long without water. So, when Hagar ran out of water, she thought her and her son’s end had come. But God heard the voice of the boy and provided. Hagar was pointed to a nearby well by an angel.

When we are in a dire situation and we call out to God, he hears us. When we put our faith in God, he leads us to the well—his well. God provides for our needs, our necessities. God will not abandon us, even when we may have made bad decisions to put ourselves in a very bad situation.

I pray we all put our faith in God. I pray we ask God to guide us in our decision-making process. I pray each one of us will ask God to pull us out of any dire situation we may find ourselves. Turn to God in tough situations. Build your relationship with God beforehand. Put your faith in God. Trust God to provide.

Genesis 21:15-16 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.

Teacher of Truth

Have you ever seen a blind person leading another blind person? Have you made the statement that it is like the blind leading the blind? Do you follow a specific teacher? Is there someone who is or has been a mentor to you? Do you think of yourself more highly than them?

Most of us have seen a blind person. They often have a walking stick that allows them to feel ahead of them while they are walking. They see by touch, which can be a little unsettling the first time a blind person wants to feel our face. Yet, they can be very perceptive.

When Jesus talks of a blind person leading a blind person and falling into a pit, He is not referring to them having a walking stick like we see today. He was speaking of them either not having one at all or a very crude and perhaps clumsy walking stick. Not only that, He might have been referring to them running away from danger. We often don’t realize just how much we rely on our eyesight until we don’t have it or it has gotten hard to see clearly.

Jesus immediately follows up the blind person example with that of a disciple. Have you stopped to wonder why? If the teacher we follow is not teaching the truth, we will learn falseness. He also states the follower of a teacher is not to think of themselves above the teacher. No, the disciple can merely seek to be like the teacher.

In His example, Jesus is referring to the Jewish tradition of following a rabbi. In our world today, we have many teachers as we progress through school. This makes it even more difficult for us to be equal to the teacher in their specific subject. Spending just a few hours with a teacher is not nearly enough time for them to teach all they know on the subject. So, why do we think of ourselves as experts? This applies to our understanding of God as well. We need to spend more time learning about God by reading his Word and participating in Bible studies.

I pray we all choose our teacher wisely. I pray we choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us will commit to spending more time reading God’s Word and studying it. Choose not to follow a blind teacher. Choose to be a follower of Jesus. Be a disciple of truth. Spend time reading God’s Word. Participate in Bible studies.

Luke 6:39-40 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher.”

Cry Out to God

Have you felt as though you are all alone? Have there been times when you were in dire need of help but did not where to turn to receive it? Who did you cry out to? Who did you finally ask? Did you turn to God? Have you trusted him? Have you experienced his grace?

It doesn’t matter who we are. At some point in our lives, we will be in dire need of something. It may be a material object, but it is more likely something far deeper than that. We will need someone we can trust, someone to lean on, someone who can provide loving arms for us to collapse into.

God is always there for us. As with most of you, I have experienced a deep need for God to step in. I have been in that lonely place. I have been on my knees crying out to God. And…God answered my cry. He gave me strength to go on. He calmed my soul. He comforted me and increased my faith. God does not abandon us. He is always with us.

The Psalmist cries out to God and states his dedication to God. No matter what comes his way, he will continue to devote himself to God and trust him to provide what is needed. He puts his trust in God’s grace. But also notice that the Psalmist does not stop crying out to God. He continues crying out until God answers. He is persistent.

We may need to be persistent. We may need to cry out to God for more than just a couple minutes. We may need to cry out for hours or days or weeks. Continue to cry out when you are need. Continue to trust that God will answer you when he determines the time is right.

I pray we all put our trust in God. I pray we cry out in our time of need. I pray each one of us will continue to cry out to God until he answers our cry. Trust God always. Cry out to God. Put your needs before him. Be persistent. God will provide. He will calm your soul. He will comfort you.

Psalm 86:1-3

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, 

for I am poor and needy. 

Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; 

save your servant who trusts in you. 

You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord, 

for to you do I cry all day long.

Go and Proclaim

Where do you go on a regular basis? Are you willing to go somewhere different? What do you proclaim? Do you proclaim it wherever you go? Do you have good news you should proclaim?

We are all called. We are all sent. We are to go into the world, meaning everywhere we go, to proclaim the good news of Jesus. We are to proclaim the gospel. Yet, I wonder if we are truly proclaiming it.

Jesus told his twelve apostles when He sent them out to proclaim the good news. They were to proclaim the kingdom of heaven was near. The kingdom was near and is near because Jesus is near. He brought the kingdom near to all of us. He put the kingdom into the hearts of those who believe in Him.

Jesus wants us to spread the good news of His kingdom having been put into us. Though the apostles also were given the authority to cast out unclean spirits, cure disease, and cure illnesses, most of us do not have that power bequeathed on us. However, we do have the authority, as His ambassadors, to proclaim His good news.

We are to share what we have been given…the good news of eternal life. We have been given a gift to share with the world. We can start by sharing it with our family, neighbors, and co-workers. Even those of us who are not called to be evangelists can tell others the good news.

I pray we all go into the world every day to proclaim the good news. I pray we tell others the kingdom of heaven is near. I pray each one of us believe the good news and share it with others. You are called. God has sent you. Spread the gospel. God’s kingdom is here.

Matthew 10:7 “As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

Jesus’ Compassion

Do you feel lost? Are you in need of revitalization? Do you need rejuvenating? Are you hoping someone will show you the way to a new life? Are you looking for healing? Is there an ailment that has been dominating your life for a long time? Where have you looked for answers?

We go through a variety of situations during our lifetimes. There will be times when we feel lost, not knowing where to turn or what to do next. There will be times when we are tired, worn out, and simply looking for a renewed focus and energy. There will be times of illness.

Jesus knows about these times. He went in search of people who were going through these types of situations. He had compassion on the crowds of people who were looking for relief. He taught them and proclaimed the good news. But He didn’t stop there.

In His compassion, Jesus also healed those who were suffering from disease. He cured them of their sickness. Jesus’ compassion did not end with healing and teaching. He also showed them the way to God. He led them as the shepherd leads his sheep. He will lead us, so long as we are willing to follow Him.

As we endure disease, illness, feelings of being lost, and wonder who might care, we merely need to turn to Jesus. Just as He had compassion on those He encountered when He walked this earth, He has compassion on us and will grant us His grace and mercy.

I pray we all know that Jesus has compassion on us. I pray we turn to Him in our time of need. I pray each one of us will follow the Shepherd as His sheep, trusting Him to lead the way. Turn to Jesus. Follow Jesus. Trust Jesus to care for you. Know that He has compassion for you.

Matthew 9:35-36 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Dying for Someone Else

Who are you willing to die for? Have you spent any time thinking about that question? Have you walked through a scenario in which you would need to make a life and death decision? Have you mentally prepared yourself for it? Does it cause you pause?

Most people don’t want to think about it. They don’t want to think about putting themselves in danger to save someone else. Oh, they may talk big, but they don’t really want to think about it and may not have ever spent time thinking about it, meaning they don’t really know what they would do.

The Apostle Paul tells the church in Rome that it is rare for anyone to die for a righteous person, but they might die for a good person. Does that make sense? Absolutely! Why? Because most people will not die for someone who is truly committed to God. However, because the world decides who they think is good, they may be willing to die for them.

The good news is, God sent Jesus to die for us. Not because we deserved it. Not because we are good. After all, even Jesus said no one is good except God (Mark 10:18). No, Christ died for us because of the love God has for us. Nothing more. Nothing less. It is because of God’s love for us that we live in his grace and by his mercy. It is because of his love for us that we can look forward to eternity with him.

I pray we all think about what it means to die for someone else. I pray we contemplate Jesus dying for us. I pray each one of us knows that Jesus died for us because God loves us. Spend time contemplating dying for someone else. Understand what that means. Know that Jesus died for you. Know that God loves us.

Romans 5:6-8 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

Character Building

Have you ever done endurance work? Has that work improved your overall endurance? Have you spent time building your character? Were there specific pieces of your character you were working on? What were the steps you were taking to build your character?

Endurance is not easy to build. Physical endurance requires us spending time and energy to build, which we may interpret as suffering. Someone who trains to run a marathon will train for weeks or months leading up to the race and run hundreds of miles.

We can also train ourselves to endure mentally. This type of endurance does not necessarily require physical pain but requires us to give up our personal preferences. Enduring grief, anguish, stress, and mental strain is suffering in a different way. As we give up our preferences and take on God’s desires, we grow in our endurance.

The same suffering and giving up of ourselves builds our character. Our character becomes more like God’s. We learn to see the world as God sees it. We learn to see people as God sees them. Our character changes from selfishness to selflessness. We grow in compassion. We desire to serve rather than be served.

As our character becomes more like God’s, our hope increases. We better understand what it means to hope in Jesus Christ. Our faith is strengthened, we are assured and convicted that our hope in God will be fulfilled. With this character, we can boldly step out in faith, trusting God is always with us and he will guide us through whatever situation we face.

I pray we all build our endurance through the sufferings we face. I pray we submit to God’s desires to build our character. I pray each one of us have our hope assured as we mature. Accept the suffering. Build your endurance. Build your character. Exchange your preferences for God’s desires. Increase your hope. Strengthen your faith.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Stand in Grace

Are you in need of peace? Are you looking for something you already have? What does it mean to you to be justified? Do you think of being justified in your actions? Do you think of standing before a judge who acquits you of your offenses?

Peace can be allusive for us in this world. We see and hear of conflict and drama wherever we go. It occurs in our lives or the lives of those around us. It occurs across our nation and around the world. We may wonder if peace is possible. It is.

When we think of being justified, it is often related to our actions. In fact, it is often our retaliation against someone who has wronged us. In other words, our justification is really about blaming someone else for us taking matters of justice (as we see it) into our own hands. Whether we are standing in front of a judge or seeking to justify ourselves to others who we believe will judge us for our actions.

But being justified before God has nothing to do with blame and it erases judgment. We are justified because of our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for us. He paid the price we owe for our wrongdoing. Putting our faith in Him and knowing the penalty has been paid is available to us through God’s grace.

It is in the grace of God that we stand. Without God’s grace we cannot stand at all. It is God’s grace that we are to boast about. His wonderful grace provides us with the hope we all seek. It is the hope we have for eternal life. Our hope is not a false hope but a hope that is confident that God will fulfill his promises.

I pray we all accept the peace of God into our lives. I pray we put our faith in Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us know we are justified by our faith and God’s grace, receiving hope, and sharing in God’s glory. Seek God’s peace. Know you are justified by faith. Receive God’s grace. Put your hope in God. Share in his glory.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.