Philippians 2: ¹² Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

¹³ For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

¹⁵ That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

¹⁶ Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Paul wrote to the church of Philippe from a jail cell.  He so wanted to teach the church that Christian living is the out-pouring of the life that they have in Christ.  Christ had purchased their salvation and now through the power of the Holy Spirit within each believer they are to demonstrate to the world that which they have in Christ Jesus.  They are to live in a manner that the light of Christ might shine forth into a dark world, shining with hope which glorifies God.  He says they are to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling."  In this He is referring to their outward actions being a demonstration of the salvation that is within them.  When he says to do so with fear and trembling, he is talking about the fear that every believer should have in failing to represent Christ in all that they do.  We should fear  listening to the lies of sin which draw us away from Christ being our greatest treasure and leading us into doing or saying that which would cause a unsaved world to say, "Why should I follow Christ, those Christians are worse than I am in their murmuring and fighting and lifestyle?"  If I see Christ as my greatest treasure, then I will study His word that I might say as David, "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." If I keep my eyes focused on Christ, then I will desire to shine forth His love, His joy and His glory to those whom I meet in this world.  My greatest trembling with sorrow is when my actions may have disgraced the name of Christ.  As I stand and proclaim His name to the world, then my actions need to also proclaim His name.  My greatest fear is that I might by my deeds or my words bring shame or dishonor to the name of my Beloved.  My greatest desire is that my life will reflect the grace and mercy He has shown toward me and give me the power to have joy in the midst of trials, tribulations, and even when I must stare my own failures in the face.  I long to seek and savor Christ with all of my heart and soul that I might grow in His Grace and the knowledge of Christ Jesus.  In that Grace which grows through faith in Him, I gain the power over sin—one step at a time, one temptation at a time as I ask for grace each moment of the day.  Paul knew this and wanted to teach these young believers of all that He had learned.  Christ in me, the hope of Glory.  Christ had said,

Matthew 5: ¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V0rgrt1nTM

Psalm 13 How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

² How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

⁴ Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

⁵ But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

⁶ I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

There are tragedies that send us running to God and questioning why?  Sorrow fills our hearts and we ask God where is He.  Yet, as David concludes in this Psalm and every other, God is right there.  He stands with open arms to receive all who would turn to Him and receive mercy and grace.  Sorrow will always be a part of our life on this earth; because mankind has chosen the darkness of their own hearts rather than to stand in the light of God’s Glory.  Mankind prefers to trust in his own egotistical heart rather than acknowledge his own need of a Savior; therefore, evil continues to increase in this world that so surrounds us. Yet, our Savior and High Priest does not stand so far away that He cannot understand our grief.  Just as Isaiah had prophesied of Christ: He came and bore upon Himself the sorrows and iniquities of us all. 

Isaiah 53: ³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Christ bore the wrath against sin that perfect Righteousness and Justice demand.  As we search for those responsible for the bombings yesterday, we cry out for justice; that the perpetrators of such acts be punished.  Rightly so. We can fully understand the need for justice and wrath against evil when we see such acts of cowardly violence.  Yet, we seem to want to request that God in mercy just forgive all our sins without our accepting the gift of atonement that He has offered through His son.  Do we see our own guilt as so little before the throne of heaven?  Do we see the Glory of His Righteousness as so dim that we cannot see the darkness within each of our hearts?  Yet, we have a high priest whom we may cry out to.  Jesus Christ bore our sins upon the cross and only asks that we come to Him in true repentance, seeking Him so that we might be saved.  He understands our sorrows, our infirmities, and our frailties; yet, He has loved us and wants to provide grace for our time of need.  Will you come to Him today?   Oh, that the eyes of your hearts may be opened; so that you might see a glimpse of His Glory; seeking and savoring Christ with all your heart, your mind and your soul. 

Hebrews 4: ¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

A Soldier Wounded

by Effie Barba

A Soldier wounded in the fight

Oh Lord I need your strength, Your might

I need to go, a place to hide

That draws me closer to Your side

This battle lord has knocked me down

Until it’s hard to glimpse Your crown

With evil pushing all around

I dearly need Your solace found

That I might rise again to fight

With vision of the brilliant light

Of your great glory in the end

On that your love I might depend

Within this world, pain doth abound

I need your word my mind surround

Until I cannot hear their voice

So I might know what is your choice

Oh Lord, I lay my sword tonight

And pray for strength tomorrow’s light

That I might stand once more for you

With Christ’s dear love my only view

So hold me tight within your arms

And keep me safe from all that harm

My tears may fall against your chest

My Father’s love in which to rest

And when the dawn of morning sun

Doth signal forth that night is done

A song of praise my lips to sing

A joyfilled hope found in my King

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EVco7eba0

Romans 13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

⁶ This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

(New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.)

This commandment came from Paul, who was imprisoned by the government and later killed for preaching Christ.  His statements here were that we are to demonstrate our Christian faith by trusting that God is in control.  We are to pay our taxes and to submit to the authorities peaceably and still continue to teach Christ and Christ only for salvation.  Quite a fitting verse for today, April 15.  As Christians, we should never cheat on our taxes, argue with the police; but rather, treat those in authority with respect and proclaiming the love of Christ to them.  We can demonstrate to the world who we are in Christ.  Look at the example Paul had set; himself following this same statement. 

Acts 16: ²² And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

²³ And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

²⁴ Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

²⁵ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

²⁶ And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

²⁷ And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

²⁹ Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

³⁰ And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

³¹ And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

³² And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

³³ And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

³⁴ And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

We must continue to pray for our nation and pray for revival which begins within our own hearts first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXLQ2RPLO78

Ephesians 1:

¹⁶ Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

²² And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

²³ Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Romans 15:

¹³ Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

Hope you enjoy the following sermon from John Piper. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1BPh3q0sRg

Zephaniah 3:  ¹⁷ The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Think about this the Creator of the Universe rejoices over me with Joy and singing.  So amazing.  Think of this when you are facing trying times on this Earth.  God wants to share His Joy and His Love with you.  He knows that He is the only true source of Joy that can fill your heart to overflowing.  That intimate relationship with Him provides a Joy that is overflowing no matter what the circumstances on this earth are and no matter what the trials you are facing.  Christ, soon before He laid down His Life on the Cross to take upon Himself the wrath that Justice demanded against my sin and your sin, spoke to His apostles telling them that He must go and complete this work.  He was sending the Holy Spirit to be their comforter.  He told them, "³³ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."   He reminds us that if we abide in Him (resting upon His covenant promises of Grace which we continue to learn through reading His love letters) we will have joy.  Listen to what Jesus said in John 15, "⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

I want to say thank you to God for the wonderful people I met last night at Atlanta Live.  Thank you Rick Goins (producer) for inviting me.  My host Cherisse Stephens overflows with the love and joy of Christ which is in her.  Her website is http://www.cherissestephens.com/.  I met an incredible young man, Brandon Maye.  He had worked hard, against all odds and had made it to the NFL only to have his football career put on hold due to injury.  God has led him to become a motivational speaker who now must go out to proclaim the name of Christ with the resounding verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."  He just finished his book, "Diamond in the Rough".  http://www.brandonmaye.com/.  There was Debora Coty, who has such a bubbling joy and has written 12 books which through humor helps women to face the trials of this world through faith.  Her lastest book is Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolates.  Her website is http://deboracoty.com/.  A Christian life coach, Denise Morton can be found at http://www.dominionlifeccc.org/.   There were amazing women who have the incredible talent of singing and who have a true ministry for Christ that they bring with song.  One was Rae Ellis, who shows through her songs that if we will fling open our diaries, become transparent God can use all that stuff we try to hide, for His glory.    Her website is http://www.officialraeellis.com/.  Wincey Terry-Bryant is a true blessing in song.  Her story was uplifting as she said, "God loved me back into His ministry"  Her website is:  http://www.winceyco.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2rBCMoQoew