His Beloved

His Beloved

…stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.” Philippians 4:1

As I begin to read the Apostle Paul’s final words to the church at Philippi, my heart swells. I take a deep breath, attempting to slow the pounding of my heart. But I cannot restrain the stirring within me. It is the Holy Spirit. He presses me—“Stop here. Stay in this place for a while.”

“Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.” Philippians 4:1

My eyes open wide to such great grace bestowed upon Paul. This man, who once persecuted those who loved Jesus unto their death, begins chapter 4 with undeniable affection for such believers.

In context, it is overwhelmingly evident he had taken on the very nature of the persecuted Christ-follower himself, imprisoned for the very thing he—in times past—self-righteously abhorred and rejected.

I read and reread the words of Paul, once called Saul, who believed the slaying of Stephen—and others like him—to be righteous. Those truth-telling lovers of Jesus the Nazarene—blasphemers of the highest rank—were his enemies. And everyone knew it.

But here in verse one, Paul calls people like Stephen his.

He writes, “my beloved brethren”…“my”…“mine”…”you are mine”.

I feel a lump surface in my throat and I close my eyes. I imagine this man chained to a Roman guard, with tears in his eyes. Not for himself, for them—his brothers and sisters in Christ. The people he once condemned he now shared such glorious affections.

I imagine him thinking on what is true and honorable, right and pure, lovely and admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. The promises of knowing Jesus Christ were such as these things—and Christ Jesus himself—full of truth and reverence, righteous and perfect, acceptable and pleasing, gracious, virtuous, good, and worthy of all praise.

And I imagine him thinking such will be Christ’s Bride, his beloved, divinely loved by God’s Beloved Son.

How can I bring myself to read past this powerful display of heavenly love and ownership? Paul says, “you, my beloved,” and I am undone.

Why?

Because a sinful hater of God’s true children—a hater of even God himself—now displays the miraculous with all the love of Jesus Christ—loving Jesus to the point of dying to self.

That, my friends, is the epitome of the handiwork of grace.

And that is my story—once a hater, now a lover. Only Jesus. Only the Cross. Rejoice!

“In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people” Isaiah 28:5

by Dana Lange

Dear Insecure Girl…

Dear Insecure Girl…

There she was. She was beautiful, kind, confident, had flawless skin, loved Jesus, everyone loved her and—most of all—I wanted to be her. It was so hard not to compare myself to her.

You might think this was ten years ago when I was in high school, but this was actually three years ago, when I was first saved. I was twenty-three years old and I wasn't secure in who the Lord made me to be. I was still thinking confidence came from my looks and style—like the world says. I knew the Lord loved me, but I wasn’t letting Him work out those insecurities in my heart, the root of the problem.

I bet you’ve struggled with the same thing, right? Maybe you think it's normal for women to be insecure and compare ourselves to every beautiful girl that comes our way. Or, maybe your crush likes a certain girl and now you want to be just like her so maybe he'll like you? This is what I would say as a woman who struggled a lot with insecurity:

Let's take a look at Genesis 3, where we meet Eve, the most popular woman on the planet, She had everything but wasn't content. She wasn't satisfied in God, with her hubby, Adam, or with being basically the only woman on the planet. I mean, under those circumstances you might think how could Eve be insecure, right? But she was.

In Genesis 3:5 Satan tried to tempt Eve. He told her

"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

The Serpent was basically saying to Eve, "you're not enough," and she fell for that lie.

God doesn't leave us guessing where we stand with him, or how much he loves us. He has so many promises in his word on how he feels about you and me.

Remember, he is the God of the individual. He leaves the ninety-nine for the one. I've been praying everyday that the Lord would create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

The best place to be, as a believer, is to put every doubt and insecurity in the Lord’s hands, knowing you can't fix anything yourself. God has to do that work in your heart. If you don't, the insecurity gets bigger and it affects not only you, but everyone around you.

What comes out of insecurity? Jealousy, bitterness, anger and other horrible things. Are you putting your insecurity in God’s hands or in the world’s hands?

Don't take my word for it. Look at these verses which reveal the Lord’s love for you and how He feels about you. Can you believe the God of the universe is in love with us? Agh, my heart!

“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal.” Psalm 136:1

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galations 2:20

“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:15

People are always drawn to a girl who knows who she is in Jesus and isn’t afraid to show it. She's confident in who God has made her. She's confident in the gifts that God has given her. Yes, she knows there are girls who are prettier, have better fashion, and are funnier than she is. But, if she struggles with insecurity she immediately gives it to the Lord. In his hands everything is made pure. Everything is made beautiful. Everything is made perfect. Insecurity doesn’t have to be part of your story. You can be confident in who God says you are.

by Jasmin Hernandez

Eagerly Awaiting His Return

Eagerly Awaiting His Return

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.” Philippians 3:20-21

We live in an exciting time. Don’t get me wrong. It doesn’t take more than a glance at the news or social media to know this nation—this world—is in a sorry state. But, it’s in a state Jesus warned about in Matthew 24:

“And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” Matthew 24: 6-8

Almost every day there is some new event reported that lines up with the prophecies from the Old Testament prophets such as Ezekiel and Daniel, and Jesus himself as recorded in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. We can rejoice in Jesus for we see his warnings coming in view—the beginning of birth pains. We can rejoice in Jesus because our permanent citizenship is in heaven with him. Our citizenship here on earth is temporary. Everything about today is preparing us for tomorrow.

Paul exhorts us to be eagerly awaiting the return of our Savior. Jesus admonishes us to occupy until he comes. What does that mean?

Perhaps the answer is found in a parable Jesus taught in Luke.

“A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.” Luke 19:12-13

The New Living Translation says, “Invest this for me while I am gone.” The parable is one most of us know well. The servants were each given some silver to invest during the master’s absence. When he returned he asked for an accounting of their investment. Some did well, and one did nothing with the talent given.

We’ve each been given talents by our Creator. They are unique to us—not to be compared with those given to someone else. Every day we’ve been given time—time to develop those talents and time to seek our treasure.

“Don’t store up treasures on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21

Is our treasure Jesus? Do we invest time in study and fellowship with him? Do we see our role in nurturing our marriages…in teaching our children…in doing the best we can in whatever circumstances God allows into our lives as investment in obtaining that treasure?

Investing our time and talents every day in the quest for our treasure fulfills our purpose in life. It honors God, and that is, after all, why he created us. As believers, our citizenship is no longer in this strife-torn world…we’re just passing through.

Oh, let us eagerly await his return, for he will change our limited mortal bodies into glorious eternal bodies like his own. He has that kind of power.

by Marilyn Allison

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

“Sin forsaken is the best evidence of sin forgiven.”’
J. C. Ryle

I am a flawed human being. I want to do what is right, but I don’t, I’m pulled by my own natural desires, I want to do my will and that doesn’t always align with God's will for my life.

“I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” Romans 7:19

My sins are many, and more often than not I’m convicted/feel guilty because I know I’m not giving God my best and, therefore, my family is also getting the short end of the stick.

“I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, ‘I am determined to be wise.’ But it didn’t work.” Ecclesiastes 7:23

Living with sin is exhausting. It’s like trying to juggle a power saw, a bomb and an alligator—it’s only a matter of time before one of them is going to get you. Asking for forgiveness is hard. First we have to admit to ourselves that what the world labels okay is—for a Christian—sin. Pride rears its ugly head to keep us from asking for forgiveness. But, it is impossible to be a Child of God and live in sin. The unrepented sin will fester like an open sore oozing shame and guilt. But confessing our sin to God is a safe place. Forgiving our sins—and restoring us—is the reason Jesus Christ came!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.”
John 3: 16-17

God is in the business of forgiving. There is a caveat though; in order to receive forgiveness, we have to be repentant. Not just regret the fact that we’ve sinned, but we need to abhor what we’ve done to the point that we turn away from that sin and not do it again.

This quote from “Judges - The Flawed and the Flawless'“ by Timothy Keller spoke volumes to me on the difference between regret and repentance:

“Regret and repentance are not the same thing. Regret is sorrow over the consequences of a sin, not the sin itself. Regret focuses on me, on what I have lost, how my heart is breaking. Repentance is about turning back to God; accepting how He has been grieved, how He has not received the honor He deserves. Regret stays sad; but repentance doesn’t because when we repent we are forgiven and restored. Regret never moves on or restores relationship with God; repentance removes all regret.”

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10

As we are forgiven so we too need to have the same heart towards others who sin against us. Yep, I know what you are thinking—“Yeah, but you don’t know what he did!” or “She said those lies about me”. Jesus not only came to earth to give forgiveness but to teach us how to forgive as well.

“Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!” Matthew 18:21-22

Hebrews 11—we call that chapter “The Hall of Faith”—is full of people who the Lord used in many great ways. They were flawed, they sinned and then sinned again—the same sin! Sound familiar? (Genesis 12:13 and Genesis 20:2) God’s forgiveness is continual. Those men and women—when they weren’t falling on their faces in shame for sins committed—were falling on their faces in worship or walking tall and strong in the Lord. They knew what He said was true. Though they hit bumps in the road God's faithfulness to keep His promises kept them on course.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13

I am a flawed human being, but I pray I would hold on tight to God, who has lavished me with His love, grace and forgiveness. Jesus, the one who has held me in His nail-scarred hands and will present me one day spotless to His Father, took the consequence for my sin and made it His.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

by Eve Montano

Rejoice in the Lord

Rejoice in the Lord

“Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safe guard your faith. Philippians 3:1

Paul, ever the encourager, exhorts the believers to rejoice in Jesus Christ. Rejoice not in how we look, what we have, or our accomplishments. Rejoice in Jesus, who he is and what he has done for us. We have nothing else to brag about. No one else gives us the hope of heaven.

The old Apostle goes on to warn the believers of those who would come in and change the significance of what Jesus has done.

“Watch out for those dogs those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.” Philippians 3:2

Watch out for those who come into the church fellowship and tell you there is more to salvation beyond what Jesus did. Beyond his perfect sacrifice. The “more” is an act of the flesh (or what satisfies the flesh). In this specific case, Paul was referring to the Judaizers, those who said the Gentiles needed to be circumcised and follow the law given to Moses.

He proceeded to summarize his credentials that would, if keeping the law were good enough, mark him as one of the most qualified candidates for salvation. Circumcised on the eighth day according to the law, a pure-blooded citizen of Israel—born of the tribe of Benjamin—a member of the Pharisees (who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law). He obeyed without missing a beat and—in his zealous loyalty to the law—persecuted those who followed Jesus. He did it all and was proud of it. He had great credentials according to the law.

And then, he walked the Damascus Road. He met Jesus, the one whose life perfectly fulfilled the law. The one who provided the perfect and complete sacrifice acceptable to God. The one who died for the sins of all mankind and then, having paid the price, rose from the dead. He wrenched the keys of death from Satan. As the Apostle John later wrote. of him:

“I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”
Revelation 1:17b-18

Rejoice in the Lord. All the things we’ve counted valuable in life pale in comparison to what he has done for us and given us in becoming our hope for eternity. Paul considered all his accomplishments to be garbage.

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Philippians 3:7-8a

The infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. What a goal—to consider everything we value as worthless compared to knowing our Savior.

Paul exhorts believers to rejoice in the Lord because it safeguards our faith. When we are glad in the Lord, when we realize what he’s done for us and we’re grateful, we want to know him more deeply. And to know him, we have to know his word. Paul admonished his protege, Timothy to…

“Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Knowing God’s word keeps us on the right path and protects us from falling for deception. It’s been said that bank employees are taught to study in-depth what valid currency looks and feels like. Then they will be able to easily spot the counterfeit. When we know the word, know the character of God, we’ll spot the phony messages. Then we’ll pass on the truth to those around us—family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances.

And we can encourage them to rejoice in the Lord.

by Marilyn Allison