Pulling the Weeds

As I was studying this week’s passage I found an interesting illustration which I think everyone can relate to... “Pulling the Weeds.”

Think about this with me...  In the heat of the summer have you ever noticed that nothing grows well but the weeds? Unlike your garden or your flowers or your manicured lawns weeds are tolerant. They don't really care if they get refreshed. Weeds aren't concerned about their future, they just go crazy in every condition...hot, cool, wet, dry. Especially, dry! So during summer heat the weeds seem to overtake everything else, making it difficult for anything to flourish, except the weeds. 

Yards and gardens lack in luster and start losing their potential to be beautiful or productive.

The same is true with us. When we are not getting the correct nourishment or the right amount of water, we become unhealthy. We begin to wilt, if you will, and soon the "weeds" start taking over in our bodies and in our lives. 

The worst type of weeds are the spiritual weeds. These weeds can not only damage our spirits but they can also end up chocking out our faith our motivation and our focus on the spiritual things of God. 

This week we are looking at the need for personal confession of sin, how and personal repentance precedes national repentance... Confession of our sins is essential to enjoy God's favor and spiritual blessings. 

Unfortunately, we live in a day when it’s not popular to admit wrong, seek forgiveness or even ask for help... We elevate self, self-esteem and individuality such that they are valued higher than a relationship with God. 

We are urged to think the best of ourselves in order to achieve our full potential. If there is a problem we can solve it, if there is a hurdle we can clear it… Self-help books, life coaches, and other counselors abound helping clients to overcome a poor self-image and to believe in themselves and their worth.

But our worth and our image are not to be found in ourselves. It is to be found in Christ.  

When the heat waves come or the dry spells hit and the weeds start to get thick, there is only One Way to regain the luster, the life, the power, the control in your life. It comes from the Water that never dries up. It comes from the never ending source. It comes from the Well that never fails. Jesus Christ and Him crucified, resurrected and ascended to the Right Hand of the Father. 

Don’t let the heat keep you down get out there, pull those weeds that have popped up in your life and start again with the refreshing water of life. Jesus, the thirst quencher!

Have a great weekend and a great week.

The Result of Obedience

Nehemiah 8:13-18 is about far more than some obscure festival found in the book of Deuteronomy (Deut 31:9-13). As we study this passage this week see a deeper message in the story. The result of obedience.

For so many the term obedience carry’s a negative connotation. We hear the term and we think of rules and obligations. However, as we see illustrated so clearly in this week’s passage obedience to God even in the little things brings a specific result. Look at what it says in verse 17:

The glorious promise that we see here is that when we follow God in full obedience there is tremendous joy.

Joy comes as the result of obedience. Does that mean all obedience is pain free and joyful in that moment? No, but what it does mean that the more we walk in obedience the more we can understand and find joy in the sorrow and in the pain.

Rather than seeking joy, rather than seeking personal fulfilment we should be seeking obedience to source of our joy and fulfilment. Obedience to God and to His Word.

What are you seeking today?

See ya Sunday! 

God's People Love God's Word

This week as we dive into Nehemiah 8. The walls are up, the city’s restoration and re-population is under way and now all the people gathered together and they plead for Ezra to bring out the scrolls and read the law to them. 

Ezra has been faithfully preaching and teaching the Law to the people for the past 13 years, the walls are rebuilt and the people want the Law, the want the Word!

God’s people love God’s Word!

Now that the city was safe they were turning their attention to the Word and what follows?

In verse 9 we see the people’s response to their understanding the Word that has been read: The understanding of the Word provokes weeping, which is the right response, suggesting repentance.

Paradoxically, the right response of weeping opened the way to freedom to rejoice (vs 10) and the result we see as Ezra reads the Law before the people revival begins to breakout, the people repent and turn their hearts back to God.

Do you love God’s Word? Do you rejoice because you have understood what you have read in God’s Word?

See you Sunday! 

Sign Me Up!

Over the last two months, we have watched Nehemiah go through obstacle after obstacle as he worked with the Israelites to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. First he had to get the king’s permission to leave his position of cupbearer and head off to Jerusalem; keeping in mind that this same king, years before, had put a stop to the rebuilding of the walls. 

Once he was in Jerusalem and the building began, he faced ridicule from surrounding nations that wouldn’t go away. The amount of people opposing them grew and the form of opposition went from ridicule to physical threats of attack and others. Then, if that wasn’t enough, the rich Jews began to exploit their poorer neighbors and caused more problems. 

But despite all of the obstacles that Nehemiah and the Israelite people had to face, they completed the task with the help of God.

As we pick up the story in chapter 7, it tells us that Nehemiah had the doors and gates set up properly, he appointed guards, and assigned the people who would take care of the Temple. He also appointed a governor and a commander over the city. 

Now after all that Nehemiah had accomplished, one would think it’s time for a vacation… perfect time to sit back and admire what the Israelite's had accomplished.

But this is not what happened. 

There was still more to be done. 7:4 tells us that “the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt.”

So Nehemiah gathers all the people together for registration, which is what we find in the bulk of chapter 7.

This list in Nehemiah, is an amazing list of people who have taken a stand for Christ. It is a list of people who have committed to living their lives to grow, serve, worship and share. These people have stood up, unashamed, and decided to make a difference in the lives of the people around them.

Their names are registered, and recorded… Are yours? 

Are you willing to stand up and be counted for the King of Kings? 

Are you on that list????? 

Do’s and Don’ts of Grief and Loss

Grief is a natural part of the human existence, unfortunately for us handling grief is hard. Even those who are supposed to have it all figured out such as pastors and other Christian leaders sometimes need a guiding hand when walking down the road of grief and loss...

We want to help we try our best to be there but so often it seems that every time we go to open our mouths we insert our foot often whether we realize it or not when we try to help we make the situation worse… We end up isolating those who are grieving because they feel judged, or alone. And while we know that grief is personal it isn’t meant to be experienced alone…

The truth is most all of us have no idea how to handle grief…

So what can we do?

There are lots of resources out there and it would be easy to become overwhelmed but in reality there are a handful of simple easy to remember things to offer.

Let’s look at 3 common DON’Ts: what you could say are common misconceptions about grief and loss…  Each of these are lessons I’ve had to learn the hard way…  

1.     First we DON'T always need to say “something”.  Honestly, when someone has just experienced a major loss, there is usually nothing that can or needs to be said. Walking up and asking someone who is experiencing loss how they are doing while well-meant will not come across the way you intend… Your presence is enough…

2.     Second, hackneyed reassurances DON'T help in fact more often than not they hurt.... Sayings such as “They’re in a better place,” “At least they’re no longer suffering,” or “Time heals all wounds,” though well-meant, are better left unsaid. "A hug is worth a thousand words..." (Charles Colton) 

3.     Third, DON'T talk about your own loss experiences it is not as helpful as you might think… Sharing our experiences with loss–saying “I know exactly how you feel,” or “I understand completely”– usually causes the individual feel as if you are minimizing their experience or pain. Here your silence is golden... No matter what experiences you’ve been though in your life it truly is impossible for you to know exactly how a person is feeling…

Silence is golden, hugs are worth a thousand words, and your presence is enough!

So what should we DO then if we can’t talk to them? Here are three simple steps that I have found useful in counseling situations…

1.     Just be there. Listen... Listen… and Listen some more… Listening is hard I get it… It can be uncomfortable… It may not seem like much but remember God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason – we should be listening at least twice as much as we are speaking… Let them talk and cry and talk and cry without putting a time limit on it and without judging. Don’t get tired of hearing their “story…” Rather encourage them to express the facts, details and emotions related to the loss; it is a simple but profound method of healing.

2.     Check in on them regularly. It is so easy in today’s society to shoot a quick text message saying, “I’m just checking on you wanted to see how you were doing today…”  No pressure or expectations, simply a friend checking in. If they want to engage in conversation they can but this allows the individual or family to know that you truly do care and that they are not alone, that they are not isolated…

3.     Finally hold your tongue. When you feel the urge to say something trite, like, “This too shall pass,” don’t. Instead, just say, “I’m so sorry,” let them cry, and cry with them. The Bible gives a lot of direction when it comes to taming our tongues (Proverbs 21:23; Proverbs 12:18; James 3:2-10; Psalm 34:13; Psalm 141:3; James 1:26; 1 Peter 3:10…)

Don’t be scared to allow God to use you in helping someone work through their grief but know that if you step into that processes with them it will likely but a long difficult hike not a short leisurely stroll through the park… and remember silence is golden, hugs are worth a thousand words, and your presence is enough!

See ya Sunday! 

Money not well spent...

Nehemiah 5 deals with a pretty uncomfortable topic for most people… Money…

The passage starts out proclaiming that there was “a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen.” The following verses explain what taking place – what it boiled down to was those who had the money had the power and they took every advantage they could get away with over their countrymen…

In 5:6-13 Nehemiah’s response ensues, his righteous indignation which was on display in chapter 4 is back in full force, and after serious consideration and investigation he levels accusations against those in power, the nobles and officials calling them to repentance which amazingly we see in 5:12 that they responded favorably and agreed that they were wrong and needed to make restitution.

Nehemiah’s response continues in 5:14-19 and we again see his character on full display as he refused to be a burden on the people as his predecessors had been.  In fact we see that neither he nor his associates, more than 150 Jews, officials, and guests from surrounding nations who sat at his table ate from the allotted food for the governors.

Why? What was Nehemiah’s reasoning behind living on less than what all the other governors had lived off of? It’s all in where his focus was… The previous leaders, the nobles, and officials were all focused on caring for themselves (we see this theme return in Chapter 13). Nehemiah’s focus was on the wall – 5:16 says that he was devoted to the construction of the wall…

Nehemiah’s eyes were focused where they were needed… on God. Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us good instruction as to the importance of this…

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

What are you doing to keep the name of the Lord from falling to shame? 

Facing Opposition

Much as the builders of the wall in Nehemiah’s day faced intense persecution, Christians today face opposition to their obedience. How we respond to that opposition speaks to our character. Do we run away? Do we lash out? Do we stand firm?

Nehemiah prays in the face of persecution, but his prayer is one we should take notice of. Nehemiah 4:4-5 says “Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked the builders.”

Now I am sure that there have been times in which you have wanted to pray a prayer like this… I know that there have been times I have wanted to do so as well…

But Nehemiah demonstrates his humanity in these verses. As Spurgeon puts it Nehemiah was not only stern in his words but he seems to mingle in a measure of bitterness in his prayer that we must not imitate.

It is one thing to have a righteous indignation when we see someone working to stop us in our endeavors to build up the church of God, but rather responding in bitterness we should bow our heads and hit our knees and look to Christ’s example on the cross as he cried out “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

See ya Sunday! 

What's with the name calling?

Nehemiah 3 is a chapter of names… Many would just look at this chapter and pass over it… But all these names are recorded for a purpose. In fact, the Hebrew names were nearly all significant… Sometimes commemoration was in a name. Sometimes it uttered a testimony. Sometimes a prophecy stirred in it.

But even more than the significance of the names in this particular passage is the way each name is paired with a task… “Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated it. The men of Jericho built next to Eliashib, and next to them Zaccur son of Imri built. The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Beside them Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs Beside them the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors...” (Nehemiah 3:1-5)

More than just a list of names this passage shows how people working together can accomplish more than if just one person tried to do all the work.

If you were to underline in your Bible every time you see the phrases: "next to him," "next to them," "after him," and "after them" you would find them recorded 28 times in this chapter!

The biblical principle is this: every person is to be involved in ministry because everyone has a job to do…

Don’t be just another name on the roll – you are valued by God and you are valued by your church! Figure out where God is calling you to become involved and don’t be as the nobles of Tekoa in vs 5 and not lift a finger rather be willing to make yourself vulnerable, be willing to seek out change for God’s glory, be willing to take a stand for the Lord, and be willing to commit to the rebuilding of his church so that the name of the Lord would no longer be in disgrace.

See you Sunday! 

From Passion to Pursuit in the face of Persecution

This week we will complete Nehemiah 2 as we see the result of Nehemiah's prayer coming to pass in his pursuit of God. 

(Nehemiah 2:9-20)

9 I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.

11 After I arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days, 12 I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the one I was riding. 13 I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent’s Well and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through. 15 So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate and returned. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, officials, or the rest of those who would be doing the work. 17 So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down. Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” 18 I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me, and what the king had said to me.

They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and they were encouraged to do this good work.

19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

20 I gave them this reply, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah's actions were key in this... As Nehemiah prayed, he made preparations to be used by the Lord in answer to his own prayers, and because the prayers which Nehemiah were praying were based on the promised of God his requests were granted. 

Now it is important to note here that not everyone was on God's side here - we see in vs 9-10 that there was enmity between the follower of God and the follower of this world... 

However Nehemiah knew that this was a possibility and unlike Ezra who was ashamed to ask for an escort (Ezra 8:22) Nehemiah made use of one. Both men are trusting God but their trust is expressed indifferent ways. The point is whether we take Ezra's path or Nehemiah's we shouldn't condemn those who choose to take the other route - It is not our place to judge the servant of another (Romans 14:4).

Nehemiah's recognition of those who sought to oppose the work of God probably also informs his caution in (2:11-16). We see in these verses Nehemiah again preparing himself for the task at hand, going on his night ride, keeping to himself the vision that God has laid on his heart until the time was right... The end of (2:16) is a key passage as well (those who would be doing the work) because it shows Nehemiah wasn't expecting to do this job alone...

So having prayed, studied God's promises, and acting on God's direction we see in (2:17-18) as Nehemiah reveals the Lord's vision to the leaders... He pleads with them “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down. Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” 

Today, God's name is no longer at stake in a city with walls and gates. His name is now at stake in the lives and hearts of his people...

What walls and gates need work in your life? In your marriage? In your children?

Greetings from way down south...

Good morning one and all, as most of you read this post our team will be hard at work about the Lord's work in El Cotorro. We appreciate your prayers while we are here!

I am excited as to what God is doing this year both in the life of First Baptist and in the life of Las Brisas. God is moving in a great way!

As we launched our new series last week, preaching and teaching through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, I could see lights coming on around the room in the eyes of those in attendance.

This Sunday and next we will be looking at the first hurdles that Nehemiah encountered in his obedience to God.

The first hurdle which Craig will be talking about this week is Nehemiah had to get permission to return to Jerusalem from the king - now as we mentioned last week, Nehemiah had a very prominent position in the kings house as cup-bearer. This was not a job that was taken lightly nor was this a job that Nehemiah could just walk away from. As cup-bearer Nehemiah would have been privy to many state secrets, private conversations, war-time plans, etc...

Nehemiah knew this which is why we see in the very first verse a clue as to Nehemiah's approach.

Chapter one starts off saying in the month of Chislev (November-December) however at the start of chapter 2 we see it's now the month of Nisan (March-April)...

So Nehemiah has been fasting and praying for about 4 months at this point when the king questions his demeanor... He has been preparing his heart to go before the king and rightfully so, in those days the king could have just as easily killed Nehemiah as look favorably on him.

We see as the chapter unfolds that he has dutifully thought through the whole processes and even requested letters from the king as to ensure his safe passage.

What can we learn from Nehemiah?

Nehemiah didn't allow fear to stop him, he PRAYED and  PREPARED, and next week we will see how he PURSUED God's vision for his people.

Will you do the same?



Nehemiah 2:1-9

2 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, 2 so the king said to me, “Why are you sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but depression.”

I was overwhelmed with fear 3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

4 Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”

So I prayed to the God of heaven 5 and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”

6 The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time, and it pleased the king to send me.

7 I also said to the king: “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah. 8 And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress, the city wall, and the home where I will live.”The king granted my requests, for I was graciously strengthened by my God.

9 I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.

Nehemiah's Vision

Do you have a vision for what God wants you to do?

Vision is the ability to see what could be…

…To see things different and better than they currently are.

Goals and visions are similar yet different. They both look forward to the future and see things better than they currently are. The difference is that, goals you can accomplish; a vision can only be accomplished by God. In fact, He is the one who gives it to you. 

God must be actively involved in achieving the vision. You don’t have the power to accomplish it on your own...  

God is the one who gave Nehemiah the vision to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. God is the one who aided Nehemiah in accomplishing the vision He gave... 

But it still required a response from Nehemiah - 

Look at how Nehemiah responded to God as God gave this vision in chapter 1:

(Nehemiah 1:1-11)

During the month of Chislev in the twentieth year, when I was in the fortress city of Susa, ² Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile. ³ They said to me, “The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned down.”

Nehemiah’s Prayer

⁴ When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ⁵ I said,

Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands, ⁶ let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant’s prayer that I now pray to You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. ⁷ We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses. ⁸ Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. ⁹ But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.” ¹⁰ They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and strong hand. ¹¹ Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success today, and have compassion on him in the presence of this man.

At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.

How did Nehemiah respond? 

Nehemiah demonstrated a passion for his people... 
He prayed... He recognized God for who He is...
He repented of sins... He reminded God of His promises...
He was specific in his request... He didn't let his job or status hinder him...

How are you going to respond to God today? What is hindering your vision for God today? 

The End...

The last 3 months we have gone from the Beginning (Genesis 1) thru the fall (Genesis 3), the promise  pt 1 (Genesis 3), the promise pt 2 (Genesis 12), a foretold King (Genesis 49), the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12), and David's House (2 Samuel 7). We've seen the prophets tell of the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), Power over death (Ezekiel 37), and the New Creation Foretold (Isaiah 65)... 

Finally after 4000+ years since the fall the one who had been promised arrives (Mark 1) Jesus is declared to be the Righteous Son of God. He becomes the Servant and is hung on the cross (John 19) and thankfully for us did not stay dead (John 20/Romans 1). Christ the paid the price for our sins to make way for us to be made right with God (Romans 3).

We saw in the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth His plan was to dwell within his creation but unbeknownst to us in his sovereignty it would take far longer than we could have imagined. But we see the promise in Revelation 21 reminding us that he is not done yet... 

Take a look - Revelation 21:1-8

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: 

Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them.

They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away.

Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” 

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. 

But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

What do we see? Finally in the end God will be taking up his residence with his people. How is this possible? Hasn't sin contaminated this earth? What does he say in vs 5? "Look! I am making everything new." 

And guess what! This isn't something in which is still up for debate because look at the very next verse... "It is done!" 

Praise God!!! It's not resting on our shoulders anymore... God says it's over, it's finished, it's done... 

Justified Fully in Christ

Romans 3:21-26

²¹ But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed—attested by the Law and the Prophets  ²² —that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction. ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.²⁴ They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. ²⁶ God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.

One of the most critical questions of all time is this – How can man be right with God?

The answer to this question is one in which God spent 4000+ years preparing his eternal answer…

Rightness with God is an important subject stretching all the way back to the garden when Adam and Eve rejected God’s design for them. Each generation has wrestled with this question right and will continue until Christ returns and restores the world itself to its right state.

Mankind's sin is not right, it is unrighteous, intolerable to a righteous God. Sin thus renders us unacceptable to God. So then this sets the context behind the usage that God is “right/just” he alone sets the standards of rightness.

To be justified means to be made right, I've heard this described as “Just-as-if-I’d never sinned…”

You see when we are justified we are brought into a new status of being acceptable/right with God through our faith in Jesus.

According to Mosaic Law the only way for an individual to be declared right was for an atonement to be made... Now days the word atonement isn't something that we would use in every day conversation, but when I was younger I learned a great way to define atonement  by breaking the word out similar to the way we did justified – “At-One-Ment” – while it’s not a perfect definition it is apt we are “atoned,” “made one,” made acceptable to God through the blood of Christ.

This is key for us to remember, we are made right before God not by anything we have or are able to do.  Believers are made right with God (justified) solely by God’s grace.

Praise be to God it’s not about what we can or cannot do… rather 100% about what Christ has done for us!

Are you justified fully in Christ or are you attempting to do it yourself?