Some Familiar Words (by Stephen Simpson)

I read these familiar words the other day and was once again blown away. So many people deny the truths contained in these words. I challenge you to remember today that you did not seek after God until He first sought after you. Praise God that He sought me. Praise God that He gave me understanding. Praise God that He declared me righteous. Praise God for all His mighty acts. Praise God that He saved me for I was totally incapable of saving myself.

None is righteous, no, not one;
N0 one understands;
No one seeks for God.
All have turned aside;
Together they have become worthless;
No one does good, not even one.
Their throat is an open grave;
They use their tongues to deceive.
The venom of asps is under their lips.
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
In their paths are ruin and misery,
And the way of peace they have not known.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
(Romans 3:10-18)

Marks of the True Christian (by Stephen Simpson)

This morning I read Romans 12:9-13. My Bible offers this heading for that section, "Marks of the True Christian." As I read these verses I asked myself if these 'marks' characterize my life. Let's take a moment and consider this "spiritual checklist."

• Let love be genuine - Do I love sincerely and without hypocrisy? Notice that there is no stated object for this love. It is wide open. Do I love God genuinely? Do I love ____ genuinely?
• Abhor what is evil - Do I recognize evil? Do I detest it? Does evil cause me to be horrified?
• Hold fast to what is good - Do I cleave or stick to what is good? Am I able to identify what is good? This one seems to work in conjunction with the previous one. In other words, "Abhor evil and cleave to what is good!"
• Love one another with brotherly affection - Do I love my brothers and sisters in Christ? How do I demonstrate love to them?
• Outdo one another in showing honor - How far am I willing to go to honor my brother?
• Do not be slothful in zeal - Am I 'slothful' in regards to my spiritual responsibilities? Am I a lazy Christian?
• Be fervent in spirit - Do I 'boil over' for Christ? What am I most fervent about in my life?
• Serve the Lord - How do I serve the Lord? How did I serve Him today? yesterday?
• Rejoice in hope - Am I genuinely cheerful at the hope I have in Jesus Christ?
• Be patient in tribulation - Does my patience grow during trials or does my patience disappear? Do I persevere when under pressure?
• Be constant in prayer - How many minutes of each day do I spend alone in prayer? 5? 10? 30?
• Contribute to the needs of the saints - How do I help meet the needs of my brothers in Christ?
• Seek to show hospitality - Do I actively seek to show hospitality to total strangers?

Are you concerned for the lost? (by Stephen Simpson)

Have you ever noticed the words of Paul in Romans 9. Notice what He writes in verses 1-3:

"I am speaking the truth in Christ - I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit - that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh." (ESV)

As I read those words last week it struck me that I had never actually noticed what Paul was saying before. What Paul writes is truly remarkable. He expresses a desire to literally trade "spiritual" places with Israel. In verse 2, he writes of the "great sorrow and unceasing anguish" which he felt over the spiritual condition of his kinsmen, the Israelites. Notice the intense emotion and passion that Paul felt for the lost. He reaches his climax by wishing that he was "accursed and cut off from Christ" for the sake of his brothers. Paul expresses a willingness to trade his eternal security for eternal separation in order to win his brothers to Christ. What love! What concern for the lost!

I don't know about you, but seeing Paul's example brings a horrible conviction. I know of many people, including many of my 'kinsmen,' who don't know Christ. The sad truth is that too often I sit and do nothing. I fail to pray for them. I fail to engage them in conversation concerning the Gospel. I excuse my inaction by saying that "It's all up to God anyway." While reading these verses convicts me, it also motivates me and stirs my heart. I see the example of Paul and I think, "God help me to be more like Paul."

Let us use Paul's example to motivate us. We must be more concerned for the lost. We must always have a passion for the lost. We must always care about their spiritual condition. We must pray for God to give us the strength and the courage to act.

Pay Your Debts! (by Stephen Simpson)

We live in a society consumed by debt. Everything is available for "No payments now!" or "0% interest for 5 years!" Gone are the days when we save our money and simply pay cash for things. Instead, we put it on a credit card and worry about paying for it later. Most of us live with debt. We may have a house payment and/or a car payment. We may have medical bills to pay or educational loans. Some may be under the burden of credit card debt. For many of us, debt is unfortunately an all too familiar part of our lives. Each debt represents an obligation that we have. We are obligated to repay the money that we have borrowed.

It is easy to understand the financial debts we face, but have you ever stopped to consider the spiritual debts that you have? Let me ask it another way. What are the spiritual obligations which we must fulfill? What is our spiritual duty?

In Romans 1:14 Paul writes that he is "under obligation both to Greeks and to Barbarians." (ESV) Paul's term for 'obligation' can also be translated 'debtor' or 'one who is in debt.' The Barbarians Paul mentions are simply non-Greeks. So, when Paul writes that he is under obligation to both Greeks and non-Greeks he is including all of mankind.

So, what is this obligation that Paul speaks of? Paul mentions it in the very next verse. "So I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome." Notice the first word of this verse, 'so.' This is an important word. It connects this verse with the previous one. Paul is saying, "Therefore, as a result of my obligation, I am eager to preach the Gospel." Paul felt obligated to preach the Gospel.

Notice Paul's attitude about his obligation. He was eager to preach the Gospel. He did not dread his obligation. It was not drudgery to him. It was something he looked forward to doing. There is excitement and energy in his words. He was eager to fulfill his obligation.

What about us? It is important to recognize that you and I are under the same obligation as Paul. 1 Corinthians 6:20 reminds us that we were bought with a price. Our sin carried a high price. In fact, it was a price which we, in our won strength, could never pay. Miraculously, Jesus Christ paid the price of our sin with His vicarious death on the cross. He took care of our sin-debt for us. Now, as a result of His death, we are under obligation to Him. We, like Paul, have an obligation to preach the Gospel.

Let us have an attitude like Paul's. Let us be eager to fulfill our obligation to Christ. let us not procrastinate or delay. Let us be filled with excitement and vigor as we eagerly complete our task.

We are obligated to preach the Gospel. This is the debt we owe Christ. This is the obligation we have and the duty we must fulfill. Lord, help us be like Paul and be ready and eager to fulfill our obligations.