Category Archives: War

Bible, Christ, Death, Eternal Life, Eternity, Peace, Reconciled, Scripture, War

CHANGE IN RELATIONSHIP

ROMANS 5:10

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

What does it take for enemies to become friends? It’s really pretty simple – one of them has to hold out the “olive branch.” By that I mean, one has to make the first step towards peace. Sometimes that is done because there has been a battle and the end seems certain. For instance, Germany made peace with the U.S. at the end of World War II because they saw they had been defeated. The U.S. desired to end the hostilities in order to save lives and bring lasting peace. But they had to accept the offer of peace to end the war.

In the case being shown to us in the last few verses, we were enemies of God before He made the first move. God and man were at war. The end was certain. Man was going to suffer the wrath of a holy God. But in this case, God made the first move. He offered His Son as a peace offering, a sacrifice to secure our salvation. Reconciliation comes, and salvation follows.

APPLICATION

Paul shows us the progression of our salvation here. Enemies – reconciled – salvation – eternal life. The Cambridge Bible explains this verse this way. “The language, carefully weighed, points more to God’s acceptance of the sinner than to the sinner’s acceptance of God. For the case is put thus:— ‘When we were enemies, God was gracious to us: much more (as to our apprehension) will He be gracious to us still.’”

Don’t you see that God has exonerated us from the punishment that awaited us before Christ? We were doomed. There was no escape. But after He offered Jesus on the cross and we accepted that gift of grace, He welcomed us into His family and can now bestow on us the Holy Spirit who will guide us in our new life with Him. God continues to give us life here on earth and promises us an eternal life with Him.

Relationships change, don’t they? I bet you can name several people with whom you are no longer close friends. Years ago, you were close, perhaps spending every day together. For various reasons friendships come and go. Our relationship with God is not like that. Once you are His, you are His forever. As you spend time with Him in His Word and prayer, you become closer and closer. Don’t you want to know Him more fully? Then invest the time to do that. Ask Him to reveal more of Himself to you. He will do that willingly. We are told in Psalm 34:10, “they who seek the LORD will not lack any good thing.” Are you seeking today?

O God, You have reconciled me unto Yourself and are now perfecting our relationship into an eternal one.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Affliction, Battles, Belief, Bible, Death, Enemies, Evil, Hell, Scripture, Uncategorized, War, Worthy

THE HORRORS OF WAR

ZECHARIAH 14:2

“‘For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be taken, the houses plundered, the women raped, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be eliminated from the city.’” 

There is a saying, “War is hell.” I pray that did not offend anyone. But from all I have been told about it and what I have seen lately around the world, it is. We live in a fallen world where evil reigns. People do horrible things to each other. Often that is done in the name of religion. Don’t you know the devil loves that? Join me in praying for peace around the world. Pray for the nation of Israel right now.

The Lord continues His promise of judgment against Israel. Today’s verse reads like the current headlines. Could it be this prophetic statement is coming true in our day? I am not saying that is the case, but the situation the Lord describes in today’s verse is exactly what is happening today. Remember, the whole purpose of judgment on Israel was to draw them back to Himself.

APPLICATION

What will it take to draw you back? Well Carl, I don’t need to be drawn back. I’m okay. Are you sure about that? Are you walking with him as Paul describes it in Colossians 1:10? “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

We need to be walking worthy of Him every day. As believers in Christ, we are free from the coming judgment that will face unbelievers. We will be yanked from this world at some point, sparing us from the evils that await the rest of the world. The horrors of war that we experience today will pale in comparison of what is to come.

Therefore, we need to bring as many as we can into the fold before that day of Jesus’ coming for the saints. I have friends and family who would be left behind if He came today. That breaks my heart. Will you join me in reaching out to all those you know who need Jesus? Together we can share with the masses of His great love for them.

Lord, would You tarry Your coming for a while so we can reach more for You?

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