Soberly, Righteously, and Godly

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12)

The grace (or favor) of God saves but it also teaches us some important elements of sober and godly living.

First, we must deny ungodliness. However, before we can deny it, we must understand what constitutes ungodliness. It comes from a Greek word meaning irreverent, impious, or wicked. In order to live godly lives in the grace (or favor) of God, we must deny ungodliness and flee from it.

Second, we must deny worldly lusts. However, again, before we can deny the worldly lusts, we need to understand what they are. It speaks of longing for those things which are forbidden, things unclean, things that have no part in the life of a child of God.

Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts is never easy. It takes consistency without compromise as we pursue sober, righteous, and godly living.

Three important words to remember . . . soberly, righteously, and godly!

Use your personal time of reflection and prayer today to consider your life. How do you measure up? Are you pursuing godliness? Are you denying ungodliness and worldly lusts? Be honest in your self-examination and listen to the voice of the Spirit as He draws you to repentance and teaches you the importance of sober and godly living for the glory of God!

Father, as I consider this scripture and the elements of ungodliness and worldly lusts, I find that I am in need once again of Your grace. Forgive me, Lord, for many times denying godliness rather than ungodliness, for embracing worldly lusts rather than turning away from them. Lord, I am weak but I'm reassured to know that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness! Teach me to be sober, righteous, and godly so that You might be glorified in me and through me! Father, I love you and choose to pursue godliness in every area of my life . . . I need Your help! In Jesus' name, amen and amen!

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Now, That’s a Great God!

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee."  (Isaiah 54:10)

"Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above . . ."

How wonderful it is to know that we have a God who "keepeth covenant and mercy" (see Deut. 7:9) with His people!

How great is our God? Look again at His promise in the verse for today . . . though everything may crumble around you, and everyone turn their back on you, neither His kindness nor His peace shall EVER depart from you because He's a God of covenant and mercy toward us who love Him and keep His commandments.

Now, that's a GREAT GOD!

Help me today, Lord, to comprehend once again what an awesome promise You have made to us . . . You keep your covenants . . . You show us mercy . . . You never leave us . . . You never forsake us . . . You're always there for us! Lord, who is there that could compare to You? There is no one, there is nothing that can compare with You for no greater can be found in all of creation than our Lord, our King, our Saviour, our Everything! Thank you for revealing Yourself to me again in such a special way! I love You, Lord! Amen!

". . . for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

© Jan Ross
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Press In

"And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay."  (Mark 2:4)

Obstacles are sometimes hard to overcome; they can cause people to quit trying, or they can cause people to develop more determination than ever.

Today's verse talks about an obstacle.  A friend was sick, unable to walk and needed the healing touch of the Lord.  Yet because of the throngs of people it seemed to be an impossibility to reach Him.  Immediately the friends tried to find a way to reach the Lord regardless of what they had to do.  Finally, they climbed up on the rooftop, removed some of the tiles, and lowered their friend down to where Jesus was . . . to receive from Him a healing touch.

Sometimes it takes determination and fervency in our requests for help of any kind from the Lord.  These men, acting on their faith that Jesus would heal their friend, withstood every barrier and acted on their faith.

Probably in an attempt to gain entrance into the house, they were ridiculed (this man had been lame since birth), pushed out of the way by others anxious to receive His touch . . . they may even have been told to leave, that there was no possibility for them to get their friend inside on this stretcher.  Yet, they withstood the opposition and persevered!

When you need a touch from the Lord, do you seek Him and soon give up when you are unable to "reach" Him . . . or are you fervent in your prayer?  The Bible tells us in James 5:16 that "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  That lets us know that we may be called upon to persevere against all opposition from the enemy.  Folks, we cannot cower down in the face of opposition to our prayers . . . we have to have an attitude to prevail against all odds.  The Christian walk was never meant to be one of weakness . . . that's why we're told in Ephesians 6:10 to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might."  This is a war we are in; we've been given the armor to wear and weapons with which to fight.  To run in retreat would be to surrender to the enemy.

The next time you pray and feel the opposition from the enemy, remember that you are a prevailer . . . you are an overcomer . . . you are equipped to push through opposition.  Stand firm and don't give up when the hindrances to prayer begin to bombard your mind . . . remember that Jesus was right there for the lame man all the time -- He was in his midst, He never moved -- the lame man and his friends had to push through the opposition to reach Him.

Jesus is always there to hear our prayer, to meet our needs, to give us that healing touch that we so desperately need.  Press into Him until you "reach" Him!

Father, so many times I begin to pray and my mind becomes muddled with things that I need to be doing, with problems I am facing, with business that needs tended to.  Herein is my opposition!  Help me, Lord, become that one You call an "effectual, fervent prayer" so that I won't succumb to the enemy's temptation to disregard prayer for things that distract me.  Lord, my heart's desire is to please You . . . help me to persevere and stand firm when I am hindered during my time with You.  I thank You, Lord, that You are always in my midst . . . help me to remember that it is I who must move closer to You day after day, in every way.  Amen!

"Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Crying Wolf

"May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you." (Psalm 20:1 NIV)

A shepherd-boy, who watched a flock of sheep near a village, brought out the villagers three or four times by crying, "Wolf! Wolf!" and when his neighbors came to help him, laughed at them for their pains.

The wolf, however, did truly come at last. The shepherd-boy, now really alarmed, shouted in an agony of terror: "Pray, do come and help me; the wolf is killing the sheep" but no one paid any heed to his cries, nor rendered any assistance. The wolf, having no cause of fear, at his leisure destroyed the whole flock.

The moral of the story: There is no believing a liar, even when he speaks the truth.

Aesop wrote many fables that teach hard lessons. This particular fable has stirred in my heart many times, particularly in today's culture where it is accepted to take the Lord's name in vain. While the Lord promises He will never turn His back on us and He will always heed our call, I often wonder if He doesn't tire of the many times we cry out, "Oh my God!" as an expletive without really meaning to invoke His presence in prayer.

Psalm 124:8 reminds us "Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Proverbs 18:10 tells us, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

When we're overwhelmed with life's circumstances, we want to know the Lord will hear our cries. When pain consumes us and we cry out, "My Lord!" we need to know He's near. When we're too weak to face tomorrow, we need to know we can call on the name of the Lord for strength.

Honor the name of the Lord. Call upon Him in your time of trouble.

Father, forgive me for the times I've misused Your holy name. Oh Lord, hear my cries and answer when I am in distress. In Jesus' name. Amen!

"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness." (Psalm 29:2)

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© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Blow the Trumpet in Zion

"This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live."  Leviticus 23:31

There are days when I close my eyes and try to imagine what it was like when God first commanded Israel to commemorate and keep the feasts and holy days.  I imagine the people who are suddenly reminded of the season by the blast of a trumpet, the ten days of awe, and the call to solemn assembly. 

There was a time when I thought all those scriptures were meaningless to us as believers in Christ.  These scriptures were never brought up in our church as I was growing up.  Neither were they referenced by our Sunday school teachers, and there were very few (if any) references to the holy days or festivals of the Lord in Bible studies I attended.  It was assumed, though not specifically articulated, that these were historical events with no meaning for us.

How wrong were my assumptions!  I repent …

Today, the trumpet still blows calling us to solemn assembly.  Although the High Priest has no temple in which to do service, there is no blood sacrifice to be offered on the altar, there is no atoning blood to sprinkle on the Mercy Seat, and there is no fire of God to consume the sacrifice, we can find profound revelation in the Atoning Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah. 

There are set seasons in God's timeline; we see this referenced throughout the Word of God.  God's times and seasons are perpetual … they never ceased.  God's call to a season of repentance was not for a dispensation, but for all generations—"the generations to come".  They were not for His people Israel only living in Israel, but for all generations wherever they live—"wherever you live" (ref Leviticus 23:31).

There is more than enough reason for us, as Christians, to heed the call to repentance and fasting, to enter into a season of solemn assembly, to honor God's times and seasons.  We are truly living in the time of the harvest.  The fields are ripe and ready, but the hearts of so many of God's people are far from ready simply because we, the Body of Christ, lack the attention to repentance. 

True repentance includes Godly sorrow (ref 2 Corinthians 7:10).  How often does the Church gather together to grieve over her own sins, to mourn the fact that we all miss God and fall so short of His glory (ref Romans 3:23)?  Some way, down through history, we have forsaken God's call to seasonal and perpetual repentance (throughout all generations), somehow thinking we are blood-bought through Yeshua's  incredible sacrifice and no longer need to set ourselves apart unto God for a season of mourning our sin.

The ancient Jews who feared God listened for the blast of the trumpet signaling a time of true repentance and fasting and seeking to right the wrongs in their lives.  They feared God's judgment if they had unrepented sin in their lives.  They used the Law—the Torah—as their plumb line and repented for the many ways they had failed God and their fellow man.  It was a season of atoning for sins and wiping the slate clean for all sins committed against God in the past year, praying God would accept the sacrifice of the High Priest and the sprinkling of blood on the Mercy Seat and grant His people mercy rather than judgment.

We need the mercy of God now more than ever before.  This nation has been reeling in natural disasters with increasing intensity for the past few years.  Each time a disaster strikes we see a precursor to God's judgment being levied against all of mankind because humanity as a whole has strayed so far from Him.  We need God's mercy!

So, let the trumpet be blown in Zion.  Listen to the Spirit's call to solemn assembly, to join together with all the saints to repent on behalf of ourselves, our families, our communities, our churches, our States, our nation, and our world. 

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the Word of the Lord
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
'Prepare ye the way of the Lord!'

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it's the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.

These are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh;
And these are the days of Your servant David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Your world,
And we are the laborers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the word of the Lord!

There's no God like Jehovah.
There's no God like Jehovah!*

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Copyright © 2008 Jan Ross
*Copyright © 1997 Daybreak Music Ltd.

This article was published in the October 2008 issue of JournEzine.

What God Promised … Jesus Ratified

"Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:16)

I began to consider this verse: If God is not ashamed to be called their God, what would make Him feel ashamed to be called their God? The answer was right there—God would feel ashamed to be called their God if they had not believed His promise.

The men and women listed in Hebrews "Hall of Faith" people lived as if there was heaven to gain and hell to shun. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and more … they all "were still living by faith when they died" (v.13). They didn't give up! They didn't throw in the towel just because they didn't see the manifestation of their promise during their lifetimes. Their walk of faith wasn't dependent on what God could or would give them—they already knew what He had promised.

Today we have even greater revelation of the power of God's promises through 2 Corinthians 1:20. Paul tells us, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God." In other words, what God promised—no matter what He has promised—Jesus ratified and sealed that promise by His blood so the Father is glorified.

To put it simply, God said, "Yes, I will be your God and you will be my people." Jesus shed His blood as a seal of the covenant and said, "Amen! God will indeed be your God and you will indeed be His people!"

Are you living like you believe His promises? Or, are you in danger of causing the Lord to feel ashamed to be called your God?

Trust Him! Believe Him! Know that He is willing and able to keep His promises to you!

"[Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." (Romans 4:20-22 KJV)

Father, there are times we struggle with our faith—those times are hard because what we see with our eyes is not the same as what we read in Your Word. But just like so many whom You call faithful listed in Hebrews 11, Lord, we want to trust You, believe You, and be assured that You are not ashamed to be called our God. Lord, help us to stand firm regardless what the circumstances say and trust You with all our hearts. Help us to live in full assurance of Your promises, not moved by circumstances. Help us to believe so You will be glorified through our lives. In Jesus' name, amen.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

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©Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

New Church Already Too Small

This morning I talked with Pastor from India. He gave us some GREAT news!

As you may know, a new church was started in a remote tribal village and a pastor was appointed to minister to this brand new group of believers. Until the first part of September, this village had never been evangelized. In other words, not one of the residents of this particular village had ever heard the Name of Jesus. Pastor took a group of men through flooded rivers and over two mountains to reach this village, carrying their sound equipment, food, and other items in order to minister to this village. By the end of that evening, many had accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior including the president of the village.

When Pastor told us about the needs in this village for a church, we immediately responded with a gift to cover the building of a church – a structure that provided a dirt floor and a thatched roof in the middle of an open field.

Just a few short weeks after the church was built, the Pastor has announced that the building they made for the church was not large enough. Already they had 23 adults, 15 youth and 34 children attending. Ten people are ready to "take baptisms." To "take baptism" in India is to make public confession of faith while denouncing Hinduism and committing their lives to Christ.

We praise God for this quick growth! God is doing a quick work in these last days.

If you would like to be involved in building more churches in tribal areas where the Gospel has never been preached, contact us and learn how you can make a very small investment while providing a place where new Christians can assemble to learn and grow. What an opportunity to be the Body, unified and sharing with one another!

What an awesome God we serve!

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© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Pure Adoration

"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens."   (Psalm 8:1)

The whole earth is full of His glory! The reflection of His glory can be seen in everything. His Name bears the perfection of excellence; His glory testifies of His holy estate; His handiwork is a display of His creative power. "Oh Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!"

"Thou hast set thy glory above the heavens." The Lord God is infinitely more glorious and excellent than the noblest of creatures and those that shine most brightly. We on this earth only hear God's excellent name which in itself draws praise from the depths of our souls. The angels in the heavens see His glory and praise floods the throneroom, yet He is exalted far above even their blessing and praise! Our Lord Jesus sitting exalted at the right hand of God is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person. God set His glory above the heavens, far above all principalities and powers!

Praise Him today—not for what He's done but for who He is! He's not the "man upstairs" or the "big guy" or even "lordy, lordy"! Get a glimpse of the God we serve. He's no ordinary God! Our God is the one who set His glory above the heavens!

Oh Majestic Father, words cannot express your wondrous majesty. Who is man . . . who am I . . . that You are mindful of me? For without Your sovereign work in my heart, I could not attempt to approach Your holy throne or begin to perceive your glorious estate! Cleanse me, make me new, as you change me into the likeness of Your image. As I bow before You in pure adoration and worship, I cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy is my Lord God Almighty; the whole earth is full of Your glory." Amen!

"I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High." (Psalm 9:1-2)

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Weary in Well-Doing

"But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing." (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

Paul's letter to the Thessalonians is full of good advice for servants of the Most High God as they live among people "which walk among you disorderly" (v.11). Sometimes it's a hard thing to not grow weary in our well doing when others around us appear to be carefree in their disorderly lifestyles.

But Paul offers this encouragement to us, "be not weary in well doing." Sometimes we need that gentle reminder. Sometimes we need to remember that although our "well doing" may be costly to our flesh, it is "the Lord of peace himself [who will] give [us] peace always by all means (v. 16). In other words, it's worth whatever it takes to allow "the Lord direct [to] our hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ" (v. 5).

We live in a world filled with people seeking their own pleasures, building their own "kingdoms", and storing up their own treasures. The hearts of unredeemed mankind are provoked by nothing less than feeding every fleshly desire that stirs in their heart. Their hearts are cold and indifferent to the needs and suffering of others unless by somehow reaching out will benefit them personally. Their flesh craves gratification and their lifestyles feed that gratification no matter what it takes.

But we seek to please God, to deny our flesh, to serve one another. And, that's why Paul reminded the people at Thessalonica to "be not weary in well doing." The words still ring true today and bring with them the promise that God will reward us for our life of sacrifice to Him and to others.

Are you tired of living for others? Are you tired of constantly denying your flesh of things that appear to be full of pleasure? Are you tired of laboring for the Kingdom of God? Take heed, dear ones . . . "be not weary in well doing" and know that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ will be with you always! Amen!

Father, it seems as if Paul could see into this day and hour when so many of Your people are becoming weary in battle. The flesh is weak and craves to be fed yet we rejoice as we die daily for the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Empower us, Lord, to continue and to not be weary in our well doing. Grant us peace as we live in a world filled with chaos motivated by selfishness and self-serving attitudes. In Jesus' name, for His glory . . . Amen and Amen!

"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." (Philippians 3:8)

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Immediately Forgiven

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."   (Luke 15:20)

Every time I read this story it reduces me to tears! As a parent who has a child walking in rebellion, it gives me hope beyond measure. This son had squandered everything his father had given him; he spent all his inheritance and partied until there was no partying left. But the depth of the father's love was untouched by the son's sin. He welcomed him home with arms opened wide.

The sinful state into which this son fell can be identified with several manifestations: (1) Departure and/or distance from his father; (2) Uncontrolled spending and riotous living; (3) Constant "wanting"; (4) Perpetual dissatisfaction; (5) Could find no relief; (6) Worthy of the punishment of death; and (7) State of madness or frenzy. Unfortunately, every one of these "symptoms" can be found at one time or another in our lives when we are willfully disobedient.

But, here's the good news. Just as the father of the prodigal son immediately forgave him upon his confession of sin, our Father will forgive us and welcome us back into fellowship with Him. All it takes is a humble confession when you run back to Him. He's always there for you, He's waiting for you, and He won't turn His back on you!

Are you out of fellowship with Him? Run back NOW, humbly confess your sin and you'll find that He's standing there looking for you. And, when He sees you, He'll run to meet you and throw His arms around you and welcome you back home.

What a beautiful example of His undying love for us. How much more does our Father in heaven rejoice at our "homecoming." This is such an incredible portrait of our Father's total love toward us. All He wants from us is to humbly acknowledge our sin and come back home to Him.

This parable demonstrates how pleasing it is to the Father to have sinners repent and return to Him. But, it also must cause us to think about how it pleases Him to see His children recognize His unparalleled love!

Father, there are many times when I choose to disobey and thus hinder our relationship. There are times when I seek my own will and not Yours, when I put my desires above Yours. Lord, forgive me! I want You to reign in my life, to sit on the throne of my heart, to be a part of every fiber of my being! Forgive me, Lord, when I allow these things in my life and allow our relationship to be hindered. Father, I confess I love You, Lord! There is none like You in all the earth! Amen!

"And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." (Luke 15:23-24)

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© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved