Author: Jacquelin Stoner

Jacqui is a writer, teacher, life coach, and an encourager. She walks alongside of individuals who need help navigating to the better place God has envisioned for their lives. She has discovered that God is central to genuine lasting life change.
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THE EASIER MIRACLE

Read: Mark 2:1-17

“Ain’t no mountain high enough”, or in this case, “Ain’t no obstacle thick enough”. Four men are determined to take their friend to Jesus. The problem is that the crowd is ridiculously large both inside and surrounding the house. Jesus stands inside, and their paralyzed friend lies outside on a stretcher. Faith drives them to act, regardless of the repercussions. The men lug the stretcher up the external staircase leading to the roof. Tools in hand, this is no easy job since they will have to drill a hole in the roof.

What do you think the disabled man thinks? Is he excited? Nervous about all the effort his friends are expending? Debris flies in the air as his friends steadily hack through the top level of roof tiles and layers of thatch. Then they cut through wooden beams—no easy job.

NO PLAN B EXISTED

Imagine standing in the room listening to Jesus as debris begins to shower your head. All eyes look up in shock as a stretcher begins descending from above. It perfectly lands at the feet of Jesus. The men’s faith is genuine. They count on their paralyzed friend walking out of the room on his own feet. Jesus looks at them and acknowledges their faith.  No plan B exists for hoisting the stretcher back up through the roof.

JESUS GOES OFF SCRIPT

But then Jesus goes off script. He says to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” That must have taken the guys by surprise. They expected healing, but forgiveness of sin? What was that all about? Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus ever performed. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results.” In the eyes of the crowd, it was harder to heal the man than to forgive his sins, because “forgiveness is invisible. No one could verify at that moment that the man was forgiven before God. Yet it could be instantly verified whether or not the man could walk.” Jesus is willing to put Himself to the test. He passes with flying colors. Jesus is Who He says He is. For Him, the hard task is easy.

OBSTACLES TO FAITH

I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on this passage. I can’t stop thinking of those obstacles before the men determined to lay their friend before Jesus. May 15th began yet another hospital stay for Bill. Our days consist of multiple medical tests and interactions with hospital staff who are gracious and skilled in communication. We also experience frustration with medical staff who do not read his chart or don’t communicate with other staff. Testing is both painful and heartbreaking when it doesn’t supply the answers needed. Our path has not been easy.

GOD’S CHARACTER

During this, the Holy Spirit continually hammers away at my obstacles in belief. It is one thing to proclaim one’s faith during sunny skies, but another to anchor one’s faith to Jesus during a tsunami. Yet God is faithful, both on days when faith feels easy and on days when we shake in our boots.

GIVING GOD THE JACKHAMMER

Whether Jesus chooses to heal Bill in this life or the next, God has this figured out. My prayer is, “Lord, I give You the jackhammer. Please continue to clear away the layers that obstruct laying this all at your feet. Help me continually to give all of this to You, regardless of my emotions and exhaustion. Lord, this is easy for You. Please help us to rest in You.”

How is your faith doing? Is it growing in the storm? Ask Jesus to tear down the layers that separate you from resting in Him. Submit to the work of the Holy Spirit. This is where you can find rest. For Jesus, the hard task is easy.

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WORDS OF UNSTOPPABLE JOY

I vividly remember my days at a Christian college. The women’s advisor took a measuring stick to ensure our skirts were the required length. Any offender was given demerits. The experience did not enhance my spiritual growth and certainly did not expand my joy. It was humiliating. I did not draw closer to God. I found myself distancing myself from the teachers who should have delivered light for my walk with God.

LEGALISM DOES NOT GENERATE JOY

As recorded in Mark 1:21-45, the crowds listened in spiritual darkness as the scribes expounded their dry and bleak messages in the synagogue. The scribes functioned as scholars of the Mosaic Law and conjectured their authority by quoting generations of rabbis and ancient traditions. Their teachings focused on the non-essentials of the hundreds of rules they imposed on their people. Legalism does not generate joy.

WORDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD

Picture the contrast in Jesus’ message in the synagogue. The audience was “completely amazed at His teaching, because He was teaching them as one having [God-given] authority, and not as the scribes.”  Jesus was the mouth of God because He was the Word. It is written “In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself” (John 1:1-5). Previously, worship in the synagogue was a joyless repetition of rules. Now with Jesus, “In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.” Life, light, and joy exploded in the synagogue that day.

CHOOSING JOY IN THE DARKNESS

Last Friday night, my husband Bill was in the ER, gasping for air. For three hours, I saw the terror in his eyes as he felt like he was suffocating. The pain was excruciating, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Where was God? Where was His light? Could we believe Jesus is Who He says He is? We chose to trust that He would take care of us, regardless of our circumstances and the terror we felt. Bill and I believe the Word of God. We choose joy in the midst of darkness.

The people in the synagogue knew there was something unique in Jesus’ words. He spoke with God’s authority. They had to choose either to trust or reject the words of Jesus. Are His words the sole trustworthy light for your path?

FINDING VICTORY

During our memorable Friday in the ER, a friend of mine reached out to me with the words of Romans 8:35-39: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

These are the words of joy, of assurance, and direct promises of God. Believing and trusting them expands my spiritual growth. Joy abounds. Do you want to draw closer to God? Then let yourself be amazed. Believe the words of Jesus as your sole standard for life, no matter the darkness you encounter. His words from the mouth of God bring joy.

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LIVING AS GOD’S ROYALTY

Read: Mark 1:9-20

King Charles III recently visited America. A military flyover and cannon salute greeted the royal couple. The guest list for the banquet in Charles’ honor included a roster of tech industry giants, business moguls, and government leaders. King Charles’s net worth is estimated at $860 million. Wouldn’t you like to be royalty?

ROYALTY PERKS

Entering Galilee, Jesus proclaimed, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near.” What perks belong to royalty? Under Roman rule, most Jews looked to the promises of the Book of Daniel.“Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him” (Daniel 7:27).

FOLLOWING JESUS

Jesus called His disciples. “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!” They chose to follow the Messiah. Little did they understand the ramifications of being “fishers of people”. They knew the Most High would turn the world upside down. However, the King they followed daily did not receive the same treatment as King Charles III. The disciples didn’t experience royal accommodations, vast monetary net worth, or any luxuries. Following Jesus and suffering come hand in hand.

GOD’S TREATMENT OF HIS ROYAL FAMILY

Jesus’ version of Kingdom life often puts people on edge. For the past five months, my husband has endured four hospital stays, two trips by ambulance, and endless medical testing. Several times, we thought Bill’s demise was near. A few Christian friends told me they wondered if God heard their prayers regarding Bill’s health. Is this how God treats His royal family? Why do bad things happen to God’s children?

Horrific events happened to the Apostle Paul while he traveled in Asia. He wrote, “We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die.” But Paul continues, “As a result (of these sufferings), we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead…We have placed our confidence in him.”  (II Corinthians 1:8-11)

THE COST

The disciples gradually learned the cost of being in Jesus’ royal family. It is expensive to obey and totally rely on Jesus Christ, not only to save us but also to sustain us every moment from the darkness of this world. Can Jesus carry us through the seasons that crush us beyond our ability to endure?

COMFORT FROM THE KING

Daily, Bill and I are learning that the answer is “yes”. We join the Apostle Paul’s worship:  “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you”(II Cor. 1:3-5).

Those who continue to follow Jesus come to know (along with Bill and I) that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the coming glory that will be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). No matter what troubles overflow, we declare, “Step over King Charles, we belong to Christ’s royal family. It trounces yours!”

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CALLED OUTSIDE THE BOX

Read: Mark 1:1-8

Did you hear about that Sunday morning when a man stood in our parking lot loudly shouting that we needed to repent? His words were neither polite nor deferential. We could tell he had no seminary training. To top it off, the man looked like a homeless person. The pungent aroma from his lunch bag was a blend of locusts and wild honey. What would we do? The man was certainly odd and walked way outside of the box.

WILD MAN JOHN

John the Baptist was so far outside the box that the box broke. He was dedicated with a Nazarite vow before birth, thus forbidden to cut his hair. John would not fit into most conservative Christian circles. John was a wild man – he grew up in the wilderness. He is called “Baptist” not due to church denomination, but because he baptized people.

JOHN’S BAPTISM

You may be wondering, “What’s the big deal with John baptizing?” John’s baptism was not the ritual Jewish washings but similar to the one-time washing of Gentile proselytes, showing they rejected paganism and accepted the Jewish faith. No upstanding Jewish person would be baptized this way. It required them to see themselves as outsiders (like the Gentiles) and acknowledge they were no more fit for the Messiah’s kingdom than the Gentiles.

The crowds that ran to hear John the Baptist were desperate for spiritual light. Trapped by the Pharisees’ religious practices, they existed in a dark world. A joyless list of endless rules and traditions consumed their days. There was no hope. John gave them hope. A person baptized by John made an outward declaration of inward repentance. Crowds of Jewish people were being baptized. They wanted change.

THE GOD REVEALER

After 400 years of silence from God, John was the opening act signaling this change. An opening act warms up the audience, builds energy, and sets the tone for the headliner. In this case, the headliner was Christ, the Messiah. John was the “God-Revealer” (John 1:29-31) for Jesus Christ. Christ, in Greek, means “anointed”, referring to a person chosen, such as a king. First-century Romans understood the term to refer to the arrival, ascendancy, and triumph of an emperor. The great news in Mark’s Gospel, calling Jesus the Christ, is that the most glorious king arriving for the world is not Caesar, but Jesus.

GOD CHOOSES THE FOOLISH TO SHAME THE WISE

God chose His own man as the opening act for Jesus. “But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong” (I Corinthians 1:27). God thinks outside the box and calls people to obediently follow Him regardless of whether the path is conventional, regular, or typical. He looks for John’s mindset. Referring to Christ, John said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

Are you willing to walk out of the box with God? John ran with God.  His path was never easy. God called him to be outspoken, to live away from convenience, and to be willing to obey, even unto death. God gave John the job of preaching to a group of people who had not heard good news in 400 years.

A prayer which God will always answer is: “Regardless of the cost, Lord, what are you calling me to do today?”

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JESUS DOES NOT TAKE APPLICATIONS

Did you see that high school yearbook featuring the disciples (before they came to know Jesus)? Below each graduation portrait is a class nickname. James, the Son of Zebedee, and John (brother of James) share the title “Sons of Thunder.” The brothers were never quiet and tended to cause chaos. I can imagine their school years, weekly ending up in the principal’s office for getting into fights on the school grounds. But wait, none of the Disciples (except for Matthew) ever had any higher education. No credentials, no hope of a greater future except for carrying on the family business. None of the Disciples would have made it past a leadership nominating committee. They might apply, but their applications would end up in the trash.

JESUS RECRUITS AND SAYS, “FOLLOW”

That is the wonderful, unique thing about Jesus. He recruits. He doesn’t take applications. Jesus says, “Follow”. (Matt. 4:18-22 AMP);

MEANING OF “FOLLOW”

What does “follow” mean? When my sons were little, they loved collecting Transformers, the alien/robot toy that transforms from a vehicle to a powerful, monstrous robot. Transformation means to change from one thing into a different thing. Did the disciples have any idea that following Jesus would involve transformation into the likeness of Christ?

TRANSFORMATION

In Romans 12:1-2, Paul calls this transformation, this act of sacrificial living, true worship. “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.”

For the Jews in Jesus’ day, “sacrifice” was only associated with death. That sacrificial lamb on the altar died. As Jesus followers, we are to present ourselves on God’s altar for His exclusive use. It involves death to what comes naturally for our sin nature. This is both the will of God and the sacrifice for true believers.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS?

Rays Stedman asks, “How do you feel about this? Do you regard it as an intrusion, an interruption of your plans and your program? Or do you regard it as an infinite honor that mere creatures may be the full expression of the holy and magnificent life of God? This is what Paul calls an intelligent fulfillment of purpose.

“You can never find the will of God until you start here. Have you ever made an intelligent presentation of yourself, your body, your soul (your emotional and mental life), and your spirit unto God? Have you ever presented yourself as what you are, nothing, so that you may have what He is, everything, and step out into every new day in complete expectation that His life will be manifest in you? That is Christianity. That is the will of God.”

MARK OF A TRUE JESUS FOLLOWER

The mark of a Jesus follower is a transformed life. Christ recruits us to follow Him and to allow Him to change our lives permanently. Jesus does not take applications. He does not search for those who get by without God on their own strength, who are considered the best of the best by this world. Have you ever presented yourself as what you are, nothing, so that you may have what he is, everything, and step out into every new day in complete expectation that his life will be manifest in you? Jesus calls you to follow.

Click to read more about the “Sons of Thunder.”

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STILL IN THE STORM

A “furious squall” overcomes the small vessel. Experienced fishermen scream in terror. The storm came out of nowhere with its sudden, violent, and intense burst of wind, accompanied by rain. The winds rapidly increase, visibility is zero, and the waves break over their craft. Will their boat soon be matchsticks? This is not a night to be caught out in the pitch-black water. No wonder they woke Jesus up and yelled, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:35-40)

FIRST AMBULANCE RIDE

The week my husband took his first ambulance ride. He was experiencing grave difficulty breathing. Didn’t God hear Bill gasping for air? Doesn’t He care? “Jesus, don’t you care if we drown?” The waves threaten to bury us. Bill feels like his lungs are drowning.

WHY AM I SO AFRAID?

More than just speaking to my waves of fear, Jesus says to me, “Quiet! Be still!” Why am I so afraid? Does God plan to abandon us in the storm?

NECESSARY CHOICES

What are my choices? Jesus said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

THIRD HOSPITAL STAY IN FIVE MONTHS

As I write this, this is our third hospital stay within five months. I am tired. Bill is exhausted. Yet, God still asks us to choose. I can either roll up in a ball and give up, or I can begin declaring His Word, even if I do not feel it. My emotions often do not line up, but with the Psalmist, I firmly declare: “I relied completely on the Lord, and he turned toward me and heard my cry for help. He lifted me out of the watery pit, out of the slimy mud. He placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing. He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God. May many see what God has done, so that they might swear allegiance to him and trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:1-3).

Jesus knows the waters we pass through. God knows the waves that threaten to drown us. He cares. “He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God. May many see what God has done, so that they might swear allegiance to Him and trust in the Lord.” Oh Lord, please keep me singing!!!!

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THE FIRST PICK

Imagine a competition of millions of contestants. The Disciples are to be picked by superstar judges on national TV. If the qualifications are hot tempers, impulsiveness, brashness, cowardness, and subpar education, Peter is a shoo-in. However, I don’t think that those qualities gain any points. Peter’s application does not make it to the first round.

PETER WOULD NOT MAKE EVEN THE LAST DRAFT

John F. Kennedy, one of our most famous presidents, was known for surrounding himself with the best and the brightest, characterized by youth, high-level academic credentials, intellectual capacity, and a blend of intense loyalty with diverse expertise. They were merit-driven, action-oriented individuals, frequently drawn from Ivy League institutions and business leaders. Peter would never be a candidate for Kennedy’s team.

WILLING TO FOLLOW

In Matthew 4:18-22 (NET) (AMP), Jesus did not call the greatest, the smartest, the best-looking, the strongest, or anything else. He chose the willing. What were they to do?  Follow. Shawne Thomas remarks, “For those first disciples, ‘following’ Jesus meant literally, physically, leaving where they were and following Him wherever He went. They left their jobs, they left their nets, they left their families, they left their priorities, they left their plans, they left everything, to follow Jesus.”

JESUS’ FIRST PICK….NOT HIS LAST

They were Jesus’ first pick. I’ve never been first pick for anything. Be astounded, Jesus calls you! He wants you! John 15:16 says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

Jesus picks His disciples, His followers, to fish. “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” To follow Jesus doesn’t just mean to walk behind Him, but to go the way He is going, do the things that He does, and act the way He acts.  His followers participate in Divine fishing.

Where are His fishing grounds? Jesus did not tell the Disciples where He was going. Every day was new as Jesus healed, helped, taught, and carried out the mission the Father sent Him to accomplish. For those of us who like everything nicely laid out and explained, following Jesus is a wild ride. It can be scary. Just like the first disciples, genuine Jesus followers are challenged beyond their natural skills, strengths, and abilities. God gives us people and situations that stretch us beyond the scope of our imagination.

JESUS’ FIRST PICK

What are you willing to leave behind to follow Jesus? Hopes and dreams? Hurts and resentments? Money and time? Friends and stuff? Jesus calls you to a life that fulfills God’s purpose. God promises to equip us to be Jesus’ followers fully. We must leave our baggage behind. The key is to be willing to let go, follow, and obey. Maybe no one in this world would pick you for Jesus’ team, but the Savior beckons you. You are His first pick. Will you follow?

For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  (2 Peter 1:1-11)

Click to read more on becoming equipped as a disciple.

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GOD IS IN THE HOUSE

The sign read, “Apartment for Rent”, advertising the unit below us.  In the entire year the tenant lived under us, we never heard a peep.  He moved in as a stranger and stayed a stranger.  One day, I tried to exchange names but was met with hostility. Worse yet, what if he had been our housemate? What if he shared our apartment, our furniture, our utilities, our conversations, and our life?  Both his arrival and departure would have affected our lives.  Our time living together would have been awkward (to say the least!) Quickly, I would have removed the welcome mat.

THE NEW NEIGHBOR

John 1:1-14 describes someone whose entrance into the world rocked the existence of mankind. He is the divine Housemate. This new neighbor is called “The Word”. If the Word had to fill out an application to live with us, he would list His previous address as heaven. As for references, He would list God. According to John, this new tenant sent shockwaves across the universe. He rocked the world. Another name for the Tenant is: “Immanuel” (God with us).

VISIBLE PRESENCE OF GOD AMONG MEN

The Old Testament describes God living in the midst of His people. The Tabernacle and Solomon’s temple both contained the “Holy of Holies,” also called by Jewish rabbis the “Shekinah Glory, the visible presence of God among men”. God decided to dwell among a people who rarely loved or fully devoted themselves to Him.  In the Book of John, God again pitches His tent, but this time the Tent is in human form, Immanuel. Spurgeon warns us about our attitude toward the new Neighbor, “Do not let us live as if God were a long way off.” 

GOD’S FAVOR TOWARD THE UNWORTHY

Immanuel did not come as judge and executioner. All of us were already guilty before Him and doomed to everlasting punishment. John Piper writes: “The Word, the Son, who is God, became flesh to reveal a divine glory that is full of grace and truth. The Word of God became flesh to be gracious to us.” “Grace” is “God’s favor toward the unworthy”. In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, even though we don’t deserve to be treated well or dealt with generously. Piper continues, “The Word became flesh so that this graciousness to us would come in accord with God’s truthfulness. This is expensive grace. The price led straight to Jesus’ death on the cross. In fact, this is why he became flesh. He had to have flesh in order to die.”

GOD WANTS TO DWELL WITH YOU

God wants to permanently dwell with us through Immanuel. You don’t have to fight to make a connection with this new Neighbor; invite Him in. He will come to you, and nothing will ever remain the same. God is in the House! This Neighbor rocks my world. He lives in my apartment, my heart, my soul.  He promises to never leave me or forsake me.  I don’t ever have to go searching for someone or something else. That spiritual advertisement announcing room for rent has gone down, because God makes His home with me for eternity. Have you invited Him in?

In case you want to read further about this New Neighbor, click Revelation 19:11-16

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MY PERFECT HOME

We experienced a torrential downpour, and Bill was away from home. I definitely heard water pouring somewhere inside the house, but no faucets were turned on. Finally, I checked the basement. To my horror, the deep window well was flooded. Water surged out from the cement block wall. We had only lived in the house for a month.

The previous owner lied in his disclosure paperwork. The list of major repairs needed in our home expanded month after month. Thus began my addiction to home improvement shows in which contractors transform the fractured into beautiful dwellings. However, plumbing, electrical, wear and tear, and catastrophes are part of this broken planet. Even after the best home improvements, something eventually breaks yet again.

MY MASTER BUILDER

We need a better builder and architect. When Jesus said,  “I am going away to make ready a place for you” (John 14:2-3), He was not referring to our home in Paradise, PA. The Master Carpenter and Creator of the Universe is at work this moment. Can you imagine me having this conversation:

“How did you find your new home’s architect and builder?”

“I found His name in an ancient book. He created the earth, the stars and galaxies, and everything that breathes. No need to check His references!”

NO FIXER-UPPERS IN HEAVEN

According to Revelation 21:1-8 (NET & AMP), Jesus’ work on our eternal homes is perfect. There are no “fixer-uppers” in Heaven. Not only will all things be fresh and original in the new heaven and earth, but they will permanently stay that way. Sin’s corruption, destruction, and decay will be nonexistent. I’ve never lived in a brand new house, let alone an eternal, perfect dwelling created by my Savior.

GOD HIMSELF WILL DWELL WITH US

Read about the neighborhood for these dwellings. “Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. I cannot fathom such a place. And God’s plan is for me and all His children to live with Him? There won’t even be a housing shortage. Jesus designs everything perfectly!

A PLACE OVERFLOWING WITH JOY

Can you imagine the atmosphere in this new locale? It constantly overflows with joy. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more—or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.”

God desires above all to live among His people. God dwells permanently in the neighborhood! Even on my best day, people get tired of me (and rightly so). Yet God, Almighty God, desires to live in the midst of all his redeemed children. We won’t be broken anymore! No longer will sin follow us around like a ball and chain. We will be eternally free!

NO MORTGAGES IN HEAVEN

What is the cost of this new home? It is paid in full by the blood of Christ. I inherit my home from my Heavenly Father. “The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.  What is the alternative dwelling place for those who reject His gift? “The lake that burns with fire and sulfur.”

YOUR INVITATION

Do you long to dwell with God? Are you tired of the brokenness of this world?  Take heart, God has made His perfect plan. He has paid the price, there is no mortgage, and the invitation is open. Come to Him humbly, admit there is no way you can save yourself, and make Him your Lord and Savior. God wants you to dwell with Him where nothing ever breaks again.

Click to read more about the New Heaven and the New Earth

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WHAT IS DEAD IS DEAD

Read: Romans 6:1-11

In the movie “Weekend at Bernie’s”, Larry and Richard are overjoyed to be invited to their boss Bernie’s luxurious getaway. However, upon arrival, to their horror, they discover Bernie’s dead body. Before they can call the authorities, guests arrive for Bernie’s weekend bash. To the pair’s amazement, the guests are too busy partying to notice Bernie is dead. Large sunglasses conceal his lifeless face. Fearing being implicated in Bernie’s death and wanting to enjoy the holiday, Larry and Richard maintain the illusion that Bernie is still alive. The guests respond to Bernie as if he were alive, but in reality, he is dead.

NO LONGER ME!

Did you know we are also dead? In Christ, believers are “those who have died to sin. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with.”  Romans teaches that we have been made dead to our previous master: sin. Yet we often still live as if sin is our overlord. Instead of running from our previous master, we invite sin in. It requires courage to live the reality of not being ruled by sin.

TYRANNY HAS BEEN BROKEN

There is the story of the early church leader Augustine being accosted by a woman who had been his mistress before his conversion. When he turned and walked away quickly, she called after him, “Augustine, it’s me! It’s me!” Quickening his pace, he called back over his shoulder, “Yes, I know, but it’s no longer me!”

Who are you in Christ? Do you daily choose to live as a child of God or do you hold tight to the old patterns of your life before Christ? The Apostle Paul wrote that he was “dead to sin and alive to God”.

William McDonald explains: “A dead man has nothing to do with immorality, lying, cheating, gossiping, or any other sin. The crucifixion of the old man at Calvary means that the body of sin has been put out of commission. The body of sin does not refer to the physical body. Rather, it means indwelling sin which is personified as a tyrant, ruling the person. This body of sin is done away with, that is, annulled or rendered inoperative as a controlling power. The last clause shows that this is the meaning: that we should no longer be slaves of sin. The tyranny of sin over us has been broken.” In Christ, for the first time in our lives, we have the choice to live totally alive to God.

AN HOURLY CHOICE

We do not have to let sin reign. This is a daily, hourly, and sometimes minute-by-minute decision for a believer. Who do I choose to make Lord over my life? It is often uncomfortable and difficult as my old master sin entices me into old patterns, old behaviors, and doing what comes naturally. “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”

LIVE FOR LIFE INSTEAD OF DEATH

Romans 6 uses the word “death” thirteen times. What is dead is dead. Bernie was dead, but his acquaintances refused to accept it. They enjoyed Bernie. Are you like Bernie with sunglasses concealing your choice to habitually live in the death Christ freed you from? Augustine would say, “RUN!!!!” Run to Jesus and make Him the Lord of your life. Live for life instead of death.

Click to read more on breaking the tyranny of sin.