Psalm 119:89 – Forever, O LORD, Your Word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
THEME OF THE DAY. LIFE-CHANGING WORDS. What if I told you there are six words, grouped in two sets of three, that if you believed, embraced, prayed over, and meditated upon, your life would be radically changed, would you believe me? What if I shared these six words and guaranteed that if you took them to heart, seriously took them to heart, your Christian life would be “out of this world” and produce a walk with the Lord full of great joy, purpose, power, and influence, would you be quick to say, “Not buying it, Jim”? Or would you say, “If it is true, yes, oh, yes, I want that. There is nothing more I want in life than to know Christ more, experience His love deeper, and live my life for what really matters – Him and eternity.” Well, I am not one of those old peddlers with a horse and wagon riding around the country selling “snake oil”, but these words will truly transform you and me. They must. They come from the God who transforms lives . . . if we heed what He says. So, what are these words? Here is the first set . . .
“God so loved.” Yes, you know the rest of the verse. It is likely the most familiar in all the Bible; John 3:16. But I want us to stop and think about it upfront and personal. It is easy to quote that verse and say, “For God so loved the world” and let it rest way out there; in the world and never bring it home to us individually. Read it like this “For God so loved (your name). And not only read it, but pray over it, meditate upon it, shout it from the roof-top. God loves us with an individual and personal love and let the Apostle Paul put an exclamation point on this staggering truth – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39). Want a reason to get out of bed each day and face a tough world? God so loves you. Want a reason to deny your flesh and seek the things above? God so loves you. Want a reason to prioritize life around eternity instead of this sin-cursed and selfish world? God so loves you. Here is one of the truths that always produces joy and drives away the dark clouds of doubt and discouragement. But there is another set of three words that are life-changing . . .
“It is finished”. This is the sixth of seven sayings of our Lord while He hung on the cross. They reveal a depth of truth and theology unfathomable, but knowable. Friend, salvation and us persevering in the faith till life is over is assured in these three words. To the believing sinner, God’s wrath is gone. The separation between an angry God and justly condemned sinner is removed because the work of reconciliation is finished once and for all. And this also applies when we still sin. “It is finished” does not become undone because we sin. “It is finished” means Jesus’ performance, which was perfect, and not ours, which is not, is the eternal determining factor of our eternal salvation. So, when you fall on your spiritual face, cry out, “Father, it is finished. Thank you for such a rich and free salvation”, and then get up and get back into the spiritual race. The joy-producing and life-shaping truth of “no condemnation” because “It is finished” is the only way to live out the Christian life. And like the words “God so loved”, these words, “It is finished” is what makes the Christian life what God intended – full of glory and joy unspeakable. Believe, embrace, and live these six words. It will make all the difference each and every day of life.
PRAYER: “Father, I so praise You for loving me and proving Your love in the giving of Your Son.”
QUOTE: “If we truly grasp the words ‘God so loved’ and ‘It is finished’, our lives will never be lived for this world.”