One thing that believers do not need to worry about is does the Lord know who His children are. He knows them and will make no mistake – but there are some who think they are saved and they are not.

The biggest test is whether you have trusted Christ as your Savior and have you been changed afterward. God said: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). No change means no salvation. There ought to be a new hatred of sin and power with willpower to overcome it.

The reason that Christ was able to save us is because He was without sin – not even one. If He had sin, when He died, He would have gone to Hell and stayed there. There never would have been a resurrection or an ascension.

Even though no believer will ever be sinless this side of Heaven, we are commanded to “depart from iniquity.” Christ gives us power to have the victory He wants us to have. II Corinthians 2:14 tells us “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” Did you notice the word “always”?

There is a sad lack of victory in Christian’s lives today. Our Lord is willing to give you a tremendous victory and to keep on giving it – but few Christians want it. They love their sin too much.

It needs to be realized that there are no rewards for carnality – living like the world. Nor are there any rewards for being someone who once was faithful.

Rewards are only given to victors. You say that you expect to have rewards – for what have you earned them? Will you be faithful today – and tomorrow?

This part of the verse reveals one reason sin is becoming rampant in our culture – not only in America but also around the world. Some people foolishly think that because God does not act immediately to judge sin that He will not act at all.

The truth is that He always sees what people do, think, and fail to do what they should. He hears every word spoken and will even judge them for wrong words and for taking His Name in vain. Matthew 12:36,37 says: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

It needs to be remembered that we live in time and our lives are short. God is not in a hurry to judge because He has all eternity to wait for the ungodly – and to punish them. Make no mistake – He will judge all sin, and those who have not made Him their Savior will give account for every sin committed.

Our lives are brief. Before we know it, we become old and wonder where our life went. But God never changes. He is always holy and intolerant of sin.

Another reason He waits to judge is because He would rather show mercy than judgment. His mercy, however, does have limits and He has a set day when He will judge all people. There will be no escaping that day.

The Bible tells us that when He comes, it will be as in the days of Noah. When the flood came that destroyed the old world, people were carrying on as usual – not heeding the plain message given them by God’s messenger – Noah. Because they would not turn from their sin (repent) – they perished. A way of escape was available (as it is today) – but they wanted their sin more than God’s message of mercy to them.

Which way will you take? Going the same way you have been living, or turning from it to Christ for mercy and salvation?

In this verse, Paul talks of every believer being able to see the Lord “as in a glass.” A “glass” is a reference to a mirror, which was not as good back then as they are today.

His point is that believers “see” the Lord as they look in the Bible. It may take a little time and study, but Christ is on every page of the Word of God.

Most believers miss seeing Him as they could because they spend so little time in the Word. For most, studying the Bible is not a common practice – even though we are commanded to do so in II Timothy 2:15.

This verse tells us that if we want to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ, then spending time in the Word and prayer are imperative! There is no substitute.

As you look much into the Word and read and study it, the Holy Spirit will make the changes. You may not even notice it at first, but others around you will. The change will occur “from glory to glory,” or a little at a time. He alone has the transforming power to make us into His likeness.

If you find yourself unlike Christ in attitude, behavior, speech, or thought, it is time to confess it to the Lord and to start reading more and studying the Word more each day. By grace, consistency will pay off.

Many Christians believe that the things we are seeing in our world today are “signs” that Christ is coming soon. One of the reasons for this belief is the above verse.

There is no doubt that some of the things that were considered normal in Noah’s day are happening now. However, most likely, this is only a taste of what will happen. It is only the beginning.

The truth is that this verse refers to the Second Coming of Christ and not to the Rapture. Right now, the Holy Spirit is still restraining much sin in the world. After the Anti-christ comes, things will be different. People will not have restraints – anything goes and the Anti-christ will encourage it. It will be much more evil than it is today.

Christians must remember that the Rapture is imminent. That means it could happen at any moment. There are no Biblical “signs” for the Rapture. As we look around, we can see things lining up for the events of the Tribulation, and we can thank God for His mercy that He will not let us go through it.

In the meantime, our Lord expects us to be busy helping Him bring in the harvest. Are you one of His helpers in these last days?

The power that Christ gives us as His children to be overcomers is far greater than anyone can imagine. We sometimes look at getting victory as a struggle, but the Word of God tells us differently: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20).

When we look at Christ in time of temptation or trial, we will find that victory is right around the corner. In the text verse, notice the word “always.” In God’s way of thinking, Who wrote this verse, there are no exceptions to how often He can give you victory – and even cause you to have it.

The only question about getting victory in Jesus is how often are we willing to look to Him and His promises for help? He is always willing to give victory, but we must also be thankful when He does.

Once you learn to get a better victory in your life, you can begin to teach others how to have the same kind and an even greater victory than you have. As we seek to get that better victory through Christ, we must also learn to hate sin more – all kinds – not just everyone else’s favorite ones.

Sin can be pleasurable even for a believer – for a short time. Until we admit that we secretly love some sins, real victory is not possible. The day of victory can begin when you ask Christ to help you hate that sin that so easily besets your walk with God.

The Law of God was very powerful in the life of Israel. It still has a strong impact on people today to reveal what God wants of us and to point out sin.

There is no law that can deliver anyone. If you break a law, it can only condemn. When you appear before a judge, the sentence will come. If you do the crime, you will do the time (or some other kind of penalty). It only takes one incident of breaking the law to be guilty and it does not matter how many other times you have been good.

James also says this, too. He said, in James 2:10: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” It is why it is useless to try and keep the Law to get to Heaven. We are told, in Romans 3:10: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”

This is the problem with God’s Law. People mistakenly think that they can keep the law to earn their way to Heaven – but this is impossible. Because of breaking God’s Law, the sinner can only expect condemnation when judged.

God never intended that His Law should save anyone. Instead, it was given to humble and condemn us so that we might seek the way of salvation that God made. That way of salvation was that He wanted to offer it as a free gift through the death of His Son.

Christ’s death on the Cross and resurrection also made Him the only possible way of salvation. No one else could die for someone else’s sin and still escape their own judgment and damnation for sin. Only Christ was sinless and only He is the door to Heaven – not the Ten Commandments.

Calling on Christ for forgiveness and salvation is the only way to Heaven. In John 14:6, He said: Have you believed on Him for salvation? “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

A lot is being said about the Olympics and sports in the media. There seems to be constant reporting about their lives, their wins, losses, and the trades of some of them to different teams.

Paul compares the Christian life to that of a race. In any race, if you want to win, it will take all you’ve got – and then some. You must practice harder than your competitors. You must run hard and give it all out there on the track. There is no room for slackness.

A careless moment or a distracted one can cost you the race. Only one person is going to win the top trophy or medal.

Many Christians I talk to are only half-heartedly (or less) serving Christ. For His love and sacrifice for us, we ought to be giving Him our all. Could we be doing more than we are to bring the lost to Christ?

Could we be more whole-hearted for Him than we are? Has our love grown cold that we find ourselves doing less than our best? Has your Bible been collecting dust on it and your prayer time forsaken?

Paul gives us a solution – “run, that ye may obtain.” Go for the gold medal! Don’t settle for the bronze one. Please Him in all you do, say, and think. Give it your all and Christ will recognize your work of love for Him and reward you accordingly. Nothing is done for Him is in vain as long as He leads.

Although the blood of animal sacrifices was commanded in the Old Testament, it was only a temporary part of God’s plan. It was never able to wash away sins. Old Testament believers were saved by faith – just like we are today.

Verse 23 of Hebrews 9 reveals that animal sacrifices were only a “pattern” of things to come – of a better sacrifice. The fact that animal sacrifices could never take away sin was emphasized by the fact that these sacrifices had to be repeated over and over.

Christ’s sacrifice of Himself was totally different. His sacrifice was the final one. He never needed to make another one, which would mean He would have to die again. Hebrews 10:10 confirms that there would never be another sacrifice that God would accept: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

The text verse reveals that Christ entered Heaven (when He ascended) with His own blood and put it on the altar in Heaven – no other blood has ever been put there for us. It is there for eternity guaranteeing our salvation and acceptance with God.

If you are not trusting in His atoning (covering) blood for your sin – you are not saved. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Remission means “covering” or putting away of sin.

Can you thank God now for what Christ did for you on the Cross? He shed His blood for your salvation and mine because He loved us. We must, however, accept the gift of salvation at Christ’s expense.

After what seemed like the greatest possible tragedy to Jesus – the Lord of glory – His horrible death on the Cross, came the greatest possible blessing. The Cross was no surprise to Jesus, as some suppose. Jesus Himself declared that His death was the very reason He came, according to John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.“

Although the apostles did not believe it when the women told them the tomb was empty – and an angel told them it was so, they did not even believe Jesus’ own words. Later He appeared to them in the Upper Room and proved that He was more than a ghost. Then they saw and believed.

Paul makes a powerful statement about why the resurrection is so important. In I Corinthians 15:16-18, he said: “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

Of course, Paul was saying that the resurrection is proof that our sins are forgiven. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then He is still paying for our sins – and we do not have salvation. His resurrection proves our sins are forgiven, which gives us a sure hope of a future in Heaven with God.

Just before Christ ascended into Heaven, Paul testified that there were more than 500 believers who saw Christ at the same time (I Corinthians 15:6). Just as His resurrection is a sure event, we can have confidence that He will return for us – probably very soon.

Yes, He lives. Praise God, He is alive!

This verse reveals much of the ministry of Jesus while He was on earth. There are three things that stand out.

1. He wanted everyone to hear

Jesus’ ministry was not limited to a small area. He went to the sheep of Israel and gave them the Gospel. He visited every town and village – the big and the small places. We don’t want to forget that He and the disciples had to cover all this distance by walking.

2. He chose the best method

The method Jesus chose to get the message out was preaching. It still is the best method, although there are many other methods that may also be used. People are more touched by a personal contact than any other means.

It is also important to know that His message was considered “glad tidings” (good news). Christ put the emphasis on how God loved people and that He wanted to save them from Hell. We must never forget that although God is love, He also hates sin and will judge it if it is not forgiven through Christ.

3. He prepared for the future

The Bible says: “and the twelve were with him.” That means they saw what He did, how He did it, and the attitude He did it with. They saw everything He did – His teaching, His miracles, His humanness and His Divinity. God planned it that way because they were to carry the work on the same way that Jesus did it.

They also knew that He did not do His own will but was subject completely to the Father’s will. Because of it, Jesus accomplished more in three years than most people could accomplish in a lifetime.

Jesus was always on the go. The only thing He depended on was the power of God – the same we must also depend on if we are to do God’s work. What are you depending on – and is He getting the glory? Are we seeking to imitate Jesus pattern of ministry?