God has revealed Himself to mankind and provided all that is necessary for a relationship with Him. Yet many people foolishly refuse His offer.
By choosing to live without God, a person will spiral downward into sin and a skewed view of the truth. As ignorance overpowers the capacity for intelligent understanding, an ever-darkening heart develops. The individual hungers for something to fill his emptiness but fails to recognize that only the Lord can satisfy his longing.
Desiring to fill his spiritual void, the person will look for an idol to worship. It won't be a statue of wood or gold, but rather something on which to focus his affections. "Idols" occupy a person's passion, time, and energy; in today's world, they often take the form of money, prominence, and relationships. The "worshipper" begins to indulge in earthly pleasures and desires, yet nothing can satisfy the emptiness. Eventually, as Romans 1:28 makes clear, the Lord will turn such a person over to a depraved mindᾢone that can no longer make right judgments.
Remember, the heavenly Father desires a relationship with us. He even gave His own Son to make this possible. It is man who rejects Him and begins the journey toward godlessness and emptiness.
Look around. Notice the manifold evidence that points to a holy, loving God who desires an intimate friendship with you. Don't put off accepting His offer of relationshipᾢthe consequences of rejection are far too dangerous, and the benefits of saying yes are beyond what you can imagine (Eph. 3:20).
There is no greater privilege than knowing Godᾢand no greater tragedy than failing to develop a relationship with Him. Yet many people live their entire life apart from Jesus, and therefore, when they die, they are separated from Him eternally.
While on earth, both the righteous and unrighteous enjoy benefits of divine blessing (Matt. 5:45), so those who choose to live without Christ probably have no clue how dreadful a godless eternity will be. Some people seem to ignore the Bible's warnings about "outer darkness," "weeping," and "gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30). Or perhaps they've simply never heard the good news of salvation. Yet Romans 1:18-20tells why such an excuse won't hold up: Creation offers so much evidence of God that man is held accountable for unbelief. Consider nature's design, beauty, and orderᾢthese things don't just evolve.
Furthermore, God reveals Himself in the human conscience (Rom. 2:14-15). Even societies with no access to Scripture forbid ungodly behaviors like rape, murder, and theft. And as if all that weren't enough, we also have God's revelation of Himself through both His Word and the incarnation of Jesus (John 14:7-9). Christ, who was fully God, became fully man. His life perfectly demonstrates the heavenly Father's character and heart.
Can you recognize evidence of the Almighty in creation and in the "law" written on your conscience? Do you seek to know Him better through His Word and the example of Christ? The Lord desires a relationship with you and is calling. Answer with a seeking heart, and watch for God to show up.
Some Christians have a hard time with the doctrine of grace because they think it’s a license to sin. It just seems too easy to believe in Jesus and then do as you please. Shouldn’t believers still be required to live a certain way in order to please the Lord? The problem with this reasoning is that it mixes legalism with grace by saying, “Sure, we are saved by grace, but after salvation, you’d better follow the rules to stay in God’s favor.” Such thinking cuts the heart out of grace and poisons the message of hope.
What we need to realize is that grace is a greater motivator than law. When you have to perform in order to please the Lord, guilt is your constant companion because you can never be good enough. Every time you fail to live up to your own expectations, you may question whether He loves you—or maybe even whether you’re really saved. God doesn’t want us to live in bondage to performance. We’ve already received His acceptance, and there is nothing more we can add to it.
Grace not only sets us free from guilt but also motivates us to obey and serve the Lord out of love and gratitude for everything He has done for us. Instead of feeling burned out in our service, we will have a burning passion for Him.
Are you working harder and harder to please God? If so, you’re probably worn out. When you truly learn to understand and live in His grace, you’ll be energized because obedience and service will be a natural result of His overflowing love. Instead of guilt, you’ll have joy and gratitude.
In this day of instant news, we regularly see images of calamity in our world. And on a personal level, we experience seasons of hardship as well. The same is true of friends and family who encounter job layoffs, marital troubles, difficulties with children, and other challenges.
As Christians, we have a heavenly Father who has promised to be with us in our struggles. We can rely on Him—He knows what will happen before we do; nothing is hidden from His sight (Heb. 4:13). He sees in the darkness of troubled times as clearly as He does in the daylight (Psalm 139:11-12). Through His Spirit, He offers us the comfort, strength, and wisdom to persevere.
The story of Joseph illustrates this truth. After being rejected and sold into slavery by his brothers, he was falsely accused by his master’s wife and imprisoned. But in the midst of those terrible times, the young Hebrew man experienced God’s presence and favor.
I doubt Joseph comprehended the Lord’s intentions during his slavery and imprisonment. But later on, as second-in-command to Pharaoh, he understood God’s purpose in allowing those difficult years. In the end, Joseph testified to what he knew to be true. His brothers had meant to harm him, but God used all the hardship to accomplish His good plan (Gen. 45:4-8; Gen. 50:20).
When troubles hit, remember what is true and take heart. The indwelling Holy Spirit has the resources to provide what we need, equip us for the journey, and sustain us with His presence throughout the dark days. Nothing can stop the purposes of our Lord from being carried out (Isa. 14:27).
Have you ever felt discouraged about trying to live the Christian life? If your efforts to make a difference in the world seem fruitless, following the Lord’s example could change your outlook.
Christ served others in love, and His actions had tremendous impact in the world. How was He so effective? Scripture tells us that Jesus did not speak or act on His own initiative but instead depended upon His Father abiding in Him to do the work (John 14:10). And we are to do likewise.
Yet we often attempt to serve out of our own skills, intelligence, and ability to reason. Even though we may pour great effort and long hours into ministry, these alone won’t produce fruitfulness. It’s far more important to minister as the Lord intended.
True service is commissioned, empowered, and blessed by God alone. It may be our hands that are laboring, but our Father is the One at work. And the glory belongs to Him, not us.
What comfort this should give us! The Lord is not looking just for people who are extremely talented. He will use all who are willing to let His Spirit work through them. And we can be confident that He will provide everything we need in order to do whatever He asks.
Who among us can serve the living God? Truthfully, no one can. Genuine service occurs only when we allow the Almighty to pour Himself through us; we are mere vessels. Even if the impact is not obvious to us, we know that God always achieves His purpose—and what’s more, He is glorified.
Bible in One Year: Psalm 55-59
