Someone Has to Pay the Debt!

Someone Has to Pay the Debt

Dear Champions,

 

The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the scripture is 1 Peter 3:18  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

 

There is no one on the face of the earth that can face an evaluation of how they've lived their lives!  Some people say, "Here's the thing I don't understand.  This idea of a debt that has to be paid for.  Surely if there is a God, He can just forgive it, can't He?"  No!

 

If someone really wrongs you, what happens?  I would suggest there's a debt.  There's something between you and that person who has seriously wronged you that can't be ignored.  You can make them pay it down by hurting them.  As you see them paying it, you can sense the debt being paid down and at a certain point it's gone.  

 

The other thing you can do is forgive them.  To forgive means that when I want to hurt someone, I don't.  When I want to slice up their reputation by talking to other people, I don't.  If I refuse to do that, then I'll find as time goes on that my anger slowly subsides because I'm paying the debt down myself.  It's difficult!  When a real wrong is done, someone has to pay the debt or the barrier is there.

 

We have wronged God and our neighbor, and there is a debt that must be paid.  When Jesus Christ cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me," the Father paid the debt!  Jesus had to die!

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Our Battle is Spiritual

Our Battle is Spiritual

 

Dear Champions,

 

The scripture is Ephesians 6:12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

 

Tomorrow is the election.  It is possible that there may be violence after this year's election.  The more passionate that you are about who you think should win, the more angry you may get.  Our battle, however, is not against a political party or a group of people or the news media, google, facebook, twitter, etc.  Hiding in the background is Satan that is stirring the pot of anger, violence and hate.  Here are a couple of verses to help us.

 2 Corinthians 10:4-5  For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 

 

Ephesians 6:13  Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

 

Champions, have a great week, pray for others & our own hearts, and let us remember 1 Corinthians 16:14.  Do everything in love.-David Vining