Befriending God

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23)

• The creation of the world shows there is a Designer behind the universe.
   
• The conscience indicates a Lawgiver behind each human’s sense of right and wrong.
   
• The creativity we express in music and art reflect the same attribute that the Creator possesses.
   
• Christ reveals what God is like in human form.
   
• And the communion or fellowship of the Spirit in the Christian heart manifests the reality of God.
   
• The Bible tells us there will be those who deny the reality of God.
   
• But James reminds us of His reality and how an Old Testament believer befriended Him: “‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God”.
   
• Have you met the redeeming God?
   
• He gave His Son to become your real, eternal Friend.
   
• The dearest friend on earth is but a mere shadow compared to Jesus.
  
  
  

We Are From One Blood

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. (Acts 17:26)

• All people have their roots in the Creator God.
   
• Therefore all are equal.
   
• That was what the apostle Paul told the Athenians: “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth”.
   
• We are all from one blood.
   
• We are not to pride ourselves as a superior people.
   
• We are not to call others barbarians.
   
• We all descended from our first parents, Adam and Eve.
   
• Neither race nor ethnicity is superior or inferior to another.
   
• We stand in awe of our Creator.
   
• God has made us all.
   
• God has given to all life, breath, and all things.
   
• We are equal in God’s sight.
   
• Together we must praise and honor Him.
   
• God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.
   
• God has made us from one blood.
   
• We are from one blood.
   
• We are one people.
  
  

Salvation is Free, But It Is Not Cheap

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

• We are all vulnerable to fantastic offers.
   
• They pay us nothing but trouble.
   
• We are offered false hope that ends in dashed dreams.
   
• There is one offer, however, that is genuine, though fantastic beyond belief.
   
• It is the offer God makes to us.
   
• It is salvation through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
   
• It is an offer that cost Him greatly.
   
• And we get the benefits.
   
• The book of Romans tells us, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification”.
   
• By saying yes to salvation, we can have hope, peace, forgiveness, incomparable riches, and redemption.
   
• This is the real deal.
   
• And Jesus’ death and resurrection guarantees it.
   
• Our salvation was infinitely costly to God.
   
• But it is absolutely free to us.
   
• It is a fantastic offer.
   
• Come and get it.
  
  

Pride Before the Fall

Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. (2 Chronicles 26:14-16)

• A tragic flaw causes the downfall of a hero.
   
• This was true of Uzziah, who was crowned king of Judah at age 16.
   
• For many years, he sought the Lord.
   
• And while he did, God gave him great success.
   
• But things changed when he was strong.
   
• His heart was lifted up, to his destruction.
   
• Uzziah entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar.
   
• He openly defied God’s decree.
   
• Perhaps pride convinced him that God’s rules applied to everyone except him.
   
• When Uzziah raged against the priests who told him this was not right, the Lord struck him with leprosy.
   
• In life, we often see a person of good reputation fall from honor into disgrace and suffering.
   
• King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death.
   
• He dwelt in an isolated house.
   
• He was cut off from the house of the Lord.
   
• It is a lesson to us.
   
• We need to follow the Lord with a humble heart, all the days of our lives.