Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Restoration

(John 21:15-17)

One of the most encouraging things the Bible teaches us is that God is a God of restoration. The Bible tells us that we all sin and fall short of God's glory, but what happens to us after we sin is what I want to focus on today. One of the most visible sins in the Bible has to be Peter's denial of Christ. After following the Lord, living with Him, seeing the miracles, hearing the teachings, even being so bold to proclaim Jesus to be "the Son of the living God"...this same Peter, in fear of his life, denies even knowing who Jesus is. If the story of Peter ended there, it would indeed be tragic.

However, we see that same Peter, just days later in John chapter 21, being restored to fellowship by Jesus. We then read about that same Peter in the book of Acts becoming a pillar upon which the early church was founded, boldly proclaiming Christ without regard to his own life any longer. The lesson is that in spite of our sin, God is a God of restoration, so that He can use us to fulfill His plan.

After we sin, the most important thing we can do before the restoration process takes place, is to confess our sin and ask God's forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God wants to forgive you! God wants to cleanse you! But you have to make the first move. You have to swallow your pride and admit to God you sinned.

You have to be sick enough of the sin to want to be rid of it. I am not talking about that "morning after" confession either. I am talking about that confession that says I am sorry, and I am ready to walk away from this sin once and for all. We all feel sorry for our sins after we commit them. The issue is whether we are ready to deal with them once and for all, and allow the restoration process to begin. My friend, it is not God holding back that process, it is you. You have to be serious.

Once we make up our mind and decide to make the necessary changes to walk away from our sins, we then confess our sins and repent. We have now opened the door for God to restore us. You see, God never stops having a plan for your life. Don't forget, your purpose is to serve and glorify Him. He desires to restore us to fellowship, not only because He loves us, but because there is still work for us to do.

If you are looking for that peace, that joy, and that abundant life the bible speaks of....I am telling you that you will ONLY find it in a daily, intimate relationship with Christ. You will only find it in a life totally and unconditionally surrendered to Him and His will. You will only find it when you are fulfilling your God-given purpose of serving and glorifying Him with your life.

I love you and care about you so much. Be encouraged today...God is not through using you. He still has a perfect plan and purpose for your life. It is now up to you. Just like He restored Peter, and used Peter in a mighty way, God wants to use you. The only difference between you and Peter is that Peter turned from his sin, repented and confessed his sins to the Lord...thus opening the door to God's forgiveness and restoration.

God loves you so much. Turn from your sin, confess and repent of those sins, and let God restore you today. No matter what you have done, God's grace is sufficient and His love is endless. He wants to say to you, just as He told Peter..."Do you love me?... Feed my sheep."

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm

Monday, December 14, 2009

Experiencing The True Meaning of Christmas

(Isaiah 41:17; James 2:5)

I am saddened every morning as I open the business page to read about another company laying off thousands of people. While it is only a number in a story to most, the fact is each number is a very real life, with a very real family, that will probably be facing very real financial issues because of losing their job. While there is never a good time to lose your job, it is especially difficult at this time of year.

We are expected to buy gifts for our family and close friends. We are expected to decorate our homes. We are expected to attend various parties and events. All of these require EXTRA MONEY, over and above our normal monthly living expenses. This time of year that is supposed to be personified in the word JOY, quickly becomes a nightmare for many who simply don't have the money to do all they feel they are expected to do.

First, let me reiterate the point I made last week. Christmas is NOT about gifts. Christmas is NOT about decorating your house. Christmas is NOT about parties. Christmas is the day each year that we set aside to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is HIS birthday. THAT is what Christmas is all about, celebrating the birth of our Lord.

Of course, it is impossible to deny the gross commercialism that marks this time of the year. But we have choices. We CHOOSE to get caught up in how the world celebrates Christmas. I have yet to read a news account of someone that was forced at gunpoint to go to the local shopping mall and spend thousands of dollars on presents. I realize that if you have children, being able to provide them presents on Christmas morning is important.

However, what is MORE important is making them aware of what Christmas is really about. The greatest gift that you can give your children this Christmas is NOT some toy that they will forget about in a month. The greatest gift that you can give your children this Christmas is the knowledge of what this blessed day is really about...the birth of Jesus!

Some practical ways that you can do this is by attending some of the fabulous Christmas pageants many churches now put on. In many cities, some of the larger churches put on incredible, professionally produced Christmas programs that do a marvelous job of telling the story of Christ's birth. Taking your children to see these great productions will be fun and help them understand the true meaning of Christmas. Another great thing to do with your children is to teach them that Christmas is NOT about getting presents, but about giving to others. Getting them involved in helping to prepare a bag of groceries that you give to a ministry feeding the homeless is a very easy way to help them learn the blessing of giving.

Within your own home, sitting down with the entire family and reading the Christmas story in Luke chapter 2, spending time as a family in prayer thanking God for the wonderful gift that He gave this world that first Christmas, going as a family to church and celebrating His birth together all help your children learn that Christmas is the time we set aside each year to celebrate the birthday of Jesus. YOUR CHILDREN WILL CARRY THESE MEMORIES, AND THE REAL REASON OF CHRISTMAS WITH THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!

I love you and care about you so much. My heart breaks as I read about those who have lost their jobs this past year, knowing the financial hardship that will be on them and their family. Each day at Liveprayer, we respond to thousands of people who are in this situation. It becomes magnified at this time of the year, because of the pressure the world has put on us to "participate" in how it celebrates Christmas.

My word for you today is that you don't have to fall into the trap of buying lots of gifts, or decorating your home, or going to all the parties. Those things are NOT what Christmas is about. The true peace of this season, the true joy of this season, comes from celebrating the birth of Jesus. HE is the reason for the season. The greatest gift that you can give someone this Christmas is to share with them the REAL meaning of Christmas. The greatest gift you can receive this Christmas was given over 2000 years ago when God gave you His son Jesus!!!



In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you willdie one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Human Nature

(Deuteronomy 9:24; 1 Samuel 15:23)

Dealing every day on the Internet and every night on the TV program with people who choose to live in rebellion to God and His Word, it is sad how satan has so blinded people with his lies that they live in wanton ignorance regarding what awaits them the moment they die. They think by believing there is no God or that God will not judge them, they can live their lives any way they want, being accountable to nobody. The fact is, God WILL hold each person accountable whether they like it or not!

The reality is, people hate someone telling them what to do. That rebellious nature is evident in children, and is something most people deal with throughout their entire life no matter how old they get. That sin nature all men are born with breeds rebellion against authority. The authority of your parents. The authority of your teachers. The authority of the law. THE AUTHORITY OF GOD!!! Man by his very nature does not like being subject to ANY authority.

This is why parents have so many problems with their children. Children by nature rebel against their parents and only do what they want. This is why so many teens and young adults end up hurting, damaging, even destroying their lives at such a young age. Since they are older, they have more freedom to exercise their rebellion by drinking, doing drugs, having sex, not doing well in school, polluting their minds with porn, horrible music, becoming preoccupied with death and the dark side of life. Satan has an endless array of traps out there for teens and young adults to fall into when they want to rebel.

Of course, as people get older, their rebellion does not cease, and often increases. Adults make the choice to break the law, get involved in illicit sexual affairs of every kind in and out of marriage, "escape" through drugs, alcohol, gambling, and a whole host of other addictions that people become enslaved to, not to mention just living in such a selfish way that others get hurt through their choices. Even those in their golden years still live in rebellion in a multitude of ways.

The point I am making today is that because of the sin nature we are all born with, living our lives in rebellion is "natural" and something we all must fight all the time. The reality is, most people choose NOT to fight their rebellion, giving in to their natural desires to do what they want, when they want, and how they want, regardless of the consequences. So many simply choose to just give in to their rebellious nature and don't even care what the consequences of that rebellion will be.

Of course, this includes a person’s spiritual life as well. The first sin was the sin of pride, satan deciding that he wanted to be God. It was an act of rebellion for God's creation to try and supplant the Creator. God created man with free will. The free will to obey Him or the free will to rebel against Him. Man had ONE RULE to follow in the Garden, ONE! Sadly for us and all mankind, Adam decided to rebel against the one rule God gave him, and thus sin entered into the human condition, and as a byproduct of sin, that rebellious nature we all fight.

Because of man's broken relationship with God his Creator, his rebellion extended to his spiritual life as well. He no longer honored and revered God, but saw God as the "rule maker." Man, of course, not wanting to follow any rules, found it easier to simply act like God didn't exist. God gave man His Word so His creation would know how to live this life in victory. Again, man had no desire to follow anyone's rules, even God's, so he quickly dismissed God's Book.

THE ETERNAL MISTAKE MEN MAKE IS THIS. YOU CAN GO THROUGH THIS LIFE ACTING LIKE GOD DOESN'T EXIST SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW GOD'S RULES, BUT WHAT SATAN FORGETS TO TELL YOU IS THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL DIE AND AT THAT MOMENT GUESS WHAT? YOU WILL BE STANDING BEFORE GOD YOUR CREATOR TO BE JUDGED! YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY GOD WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!

I love you and care about you so much. Here is what I learned as a child, as a young adult, as a grown man, and still learn every day about rebellion, IT COSTS! There is always a huge price to pay when we choose to live in rebellion to our parents, to our teachers, to the law, to anyone in authority over us, and especially to God! REBELLION IS NOT FREE!

One of the things that drives me every day is knowing that those who are living their lives in rebellion to God, living their lives without Christ, will die at any moment and be judged by God for their sins and cast into hell for all eternity. THAT IS THE REAL FATE OF MEN WHO DIE WITHOUT JESUS! This is not a game. Death is final and there are no second chances. Those who die without Christ are destined to spend eternity in a place created for satan and the fallen angels who followed him. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IS NOT A SPANKING, OR BEING GROUNDED, OR BEING EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL, OR BEING PUT IN JAIL...IT IS FOR ETERNITY!!!

I am saddened by those I encounter every day who have decided to listen to the lies of satan that there is no God, or that they can live however they want and God doesn't care. Saddened by those who listen to the lies of satan that the Bible is not God's Word, thinking if they deny what that Book is, they don't have to follow it. Saddened by those who have been so blinded by the lies of satan they can't even begin to comprehend the fact that the moment they die they will be standing before God their Creator to be judged. Saddened because I know those who buy into these lies will be spending all eternity in hell!

I will be praying for you today. If you are one of those people who is living in rebellion to God, to the Truth of His Word, refusing to accept Christ as your Savior, please hear this plea today. There is a very real God who created you and loves you so much. He is also a God of judgment. He has given you a way to find an everlasting relationship with Him if you will only surrender you heart and life to His Son Jesus who died for your sins. Please, take a moment and watch this video clip. If you do not know with 100% certainty that if you died in he next 30 seconds you will be forever with God your Creator, you MUST watch this clip! http://www.liveprayer.com/altarcall.cfm

Because of the sin nature we are born with, we all have to fight rebellion our entire life, in all areas of our life. That is why having a relationship with Christ is so critical. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling every Believer that we have the strength to live our lives in OBEDIENCE, not rebellion. I will be praying for you today as you follow the Lord each day and live your life in obedience. There will come a moment for each of us when this life is over, and at that moment we will be standing before God. GOD WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT!


In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ
Bill Keller

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at: bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY? The fact is you will die one day. At that moment, you will either spend eternity with the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness forever separated from God your creator.
To know for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm