Entering

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Entering the Holiest

Hebrews 10:19

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"

One of the greatest privileges that salvation gives the Christian is the opportunity to enter into the holiest place of all, the place of prayer. You must understand that before Jesus Christ died on the cross, only the high priest had the privilege to enter into the Holy of Holies. However, the verse above teaches that by the blood of Jesus Christ, we can enter into that sacred place of prayer called the Holy of Holies.

Because prayer is such a sacred place, we must enter into it according to the manner by which God commands. In the Old Testament, the High Priests would be killed if they entered the Holy of Holies in the wrong manner. Not only were the High Priests commanded to go into this sacred place in a certain manner, but they could only enter this place once a year. Yet, because of the blood of Jesus Christ, we have the privilege to enter this sacred place as much as we desire. However, Hebrews 10 shows us God's guidelines of how we are to enter into this sacred time of prayer.

First, God wants you to understand that it is a privilege to enter into prayer with Him. Christian, before you start your time of prayer, I believe you should take a minute of time to remind yourself of this great privilege. Remember that those before the cross never had the opportunity of which you are about ready to partake. When you understand the privilege of prayer, then I believe you will enter in your time of prayer with a right attitude understanding Whose presence you are in.

Second, enter boldly into your time of prayer. This sounds strange, but you have a right to enter into prayer. Just like the High Priest had the right to go into the Holy of Holies, you have that right because you are a priest of God. When God says to enter boldly, He is teaching you to be straightforward with your requests. Don't beat around the bush in your prayers, but be direct with God and pour your heart out to Him. God likes it when His people are straightforward with Him.

Third, enter your time of prayer sincerely. Verse 22 says, "Let us draw near with a true heart..." Be sincere with God when you pray. Don't try to pull the wool over God's eyes about why you are asking Him for your requests. Be sincere with God about your requests, for He already knows why you are asking for those requests.

Fourth, enter your time of prayer confidently. Notice in verse 22 that God wants us to have "...full assurance of faith,..." This is talking about having confidence that God will answer your prayer. When you pray, don't let doubt creep into your heart that God won't answer your prayer. Instead, have confidence in the promises of God that He will answer your prayers. Doubt will keep your prayers from being answered. Therefore, you need to be confident that God can do what you are asking Him to do.

Last, enter into your time of prayer clean from sin. The last part of verse 22 says, "...having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Christian, get rid of your sin. Nothing will hinder your prayers more than sin. Confess your sins to God before you go into your time of prayer.

Prayer is a certainly one of the greatest privileges of salvation. To get the most out of your time of prayer, be sure to enter into this sacred time the way God tells you to. When you enter your time of prayer according to God's guidelines, then you will leave with the confidence that your prayers will be answered.

Season

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In His Season

Psalm 1:3

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

Every part of life has seasons. The seasons of the year are spring, summer, fall and winter. Each of these seasons are important for the next season to fulfill its purpose to its fullest. Without a spring, the summer would have no fruit. Without a summer, the fall would have no harvest. Without a fall, the winter would destroy the harvest. Without a winter, the spring could not bring new life. Every season is important to each other.

When I was twelve years of age, I was very eager to get into the youth department. Because I grew up in a smaller church, it was not uncommon for the youth to meet at our house for a youth activity. I can remember times when I so badly wanted to go on the youth activity that I would beg my parents to let me go, but they were consistent in telling me that youth activities were for teenagers, and that I would not be a teenager until I was thirteen. There were times when some of the teenagers would ask my parents if I could go on the activity with them, but again my parents were consistent with making me wait until my thirteenth birthday. They were teaching me the importance of not rushing my seasons of life. They understood that I would not enjoy my teenage years as much if they allowed me to go to the next season before my time.

God said that when He blesses someone, that their fruit will bring "...forth fruit in his season;..." In other words, God wanted everything to stay in its season. He was teaching in this verse that everyone needs to let the fruit ripen at its own pace without rushing the season. The whole purpose of not rushing the season is so that we can prosper to our fullest potential in each season of life.

Notice that everybody has their own unique fruit. The verse above says, "...that bringeth forth his fruit..." Christian, be careful about comparing your fruit to someone elses. Everybody has their own unique fruit, and you cannot expect yours to be like someone elses. Just like an orange tree has different fruit than an apple tree, so each person will have their own unique fruit in life. God made each of us to bear our own fruit, so stop trying to compare your success to someone else's fruit.

Furthermore, be careful about staying in your seasons. You will never bear the fruit that God intended for you to bear without staying in your seasons. Parent, don't be quick to rush your children through their seasons of life. Let them stay in their season, for when you rush the seasons, you will hurt the next. As an adult, be careful about rushing your seasons. When you are a young adult, don't try to enjoy the seasons of the middle-aged adults. When you are middle aged, don't try to rush yourself to enjoy the season of the senior years. Stay in your seasons.

Likewise, a church must be careful about rushing the seasons of Christians. In our attempt to build our churches, let's be careful about letting people grow in each season of their Christian life. Let's be careful about pushing someone into the next season of their Christian life before they are ready. Many young Christians have become disillusioned with the Christian life because they were given too much before they were ready. If a church will grow itself and those Christians in their own season, then a church will be stable and productive.

Remember that the purpose of bearing the fruit of the season you are in is to prosper to your own potential. If you rush the seasons, then you will never reach the potential of your prosperity that God wants you to reach. Be patient, and don't rush your seasons.

Defective

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Defective Christians

Titus 1:13

"This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;"

Have you ever gone to the store to purchase something that you really wanted only to get home and find the product defective? It is very disappointing when this happens. It is disappointing because you looked forward to having this product, and now, though you may have it in your hands, you will have to wait until you can get the product replaced.

I wonder how many people are disappointed with Christianity because of defective Christians. People hear that Christianity makes people better, but they deal with Christians who are defective in what they are supposed to be. God commands us to avoid being a defective Christian. When you read the Books of Timothy and Titus, you will see the word "sound" is often used. The word "sound" means, "undecided, whole, not defective." Each time this word is mentioned, God tells us where we must work at in being sound, or not defective.

2 Timothy 4:3 says, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;" In this verse, God is showing us that He does not want our doctrine to be defective. If you are going to have sound doctrine, then you need to study the Scriptures to know what is good doctrine. Too often we take the words of a well-known preacher as doctrine, and nobody should ever be given this privilege. The Word of God is where doctrine is found. Whenever you hear a preacher teach something contrary to the Scriptures, then you must always adhere to the Scriptures and not to the man of God. Christian, be sure that what you believe in is found in the Scriptures. Don't let your doctrine become defective with the philosophies of man.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." God warns us in this verse to make sure we don't have a defective mind. Let me ask you, with what are you filling your mind? Too many people are filling their minds with worldly pollutions, and then they wonder why they struggle in their Christian life. It is crucial that you protect your mind. Most of the Christian life is derived in the mind. When you have a defective mind because of sin, then you will find your Christian life to be defective.

2 Timothy 1:13 says, "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Here we find that we must guard our words from being defective. If you don't protect what you think, then you will find what you say will be defective. As a Christian, you need to be sure that every word that comes from your mouth is glorifying to God. Whether the words are spoken privately in the home or publicly in the church or workplace, your words need to be words that build people and not tear them down.

Last, the verse above teaches us to be "...sound in the faith." The Christian life will only be lived successfully by those who live by faith. When you fill your life with doubt, then your faith will be defective. You build your faith by serving God. If you read the Scriptures, protect what fills your mind, guard the words you say, but don't do anything to serve God, then your faith will be defective. It is important for you to be involved with your church, for this is where you serve God and build your faith.

Are you a defective Christian, or is your Christian life sound? If you are sound in doctrine, mind, words and faith, then you will find that your Christian life will be what God wants it to be. Furthermore, these four areas are what it takes to have longevity in your Christian life. Without them you will eventually fail.

Absentee

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Absentee Homes

1 Timothy 3:4

"One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;"

Being absent from a responsibility, function, or an educational lesson always hurts you and those with whom you're involved. There is a reason why schools have rules of how many times a student can be absent without affecting their grade. They know that the student who is absent from their class will miss many of the lessons they need to learn to pass and more to the next grade.

When you look at one of the responsibilities of a pastor or deacon, you will see that God expects them to rule their own home. Certainly if it is important for a pastor or deacon to rule their home, then it would be important for every man to rule his home. The importance of the home is evident in the Scriptures. However, when you look to see how to have a successful home, you will see that involvement is the key. When a man or a woman are absent from their responsibilities, then the home will suffer.

According to the Scriptures, ruling your home is the key to the man's involvement. To rule one's home is to regulate, control, or govern. In other words, a man should be directly involved with all the activities of the home. Absentee fathers or husbands will always hurt their home. The man is to set the guidelines for the home. The man is to set the direction that the home is to go. The man is to preside over the decisions of the home. Each of these will not be properly done if the husband is not present.

One of the reasons many young people suffer today is because of absentee fathers. Children need a father in the home who will be present to make decisions. Men, stop leaving all the decision making to your wife and get involved in the decisions of your home. Too many men sit on the sidelines and force their spouse to make all the decisions. Your job is not to come home and sit in the lounge chair and watch television all night. Your job is to get involved in your home by helping your children make decisions, and leading in the spiritual matters of the home.

Moreover, the key to the wife's involvement is to guide the home. 1 Timothy 5:14 says, "I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house,..." The word "guide" means to advise, point, model and counsel. In other words, the importance of a wife being involved is imperative. Often the mother is the counselor of the children. It is important to counsel your children in the same direction in which your husband is trying lead. If you are more interested in your social media or outside affairs than you are with advising your children, then you will hurt their future. When your children come to you for advice, stop what you are doing and take time to give them the guidance they desire. Furthermore, you are the model for your children to see what your husband is trying to accomplish. Ladies, there should never be two agendas in the home. Always submit to your husband's leadership so you can properly guide your children. You can counsel and point your children to follow your husband, but if you are not modeling your counsel, then they will not follow you.

Don't be absent from your role in the home. Absentee parents always hurt their children. Don't get so busy in outside affairs and in church duties that your children must rear themselves. Your first obligation is to God and your family, everything else comes after that. Always remember that your absence will hurt those whom you lead.

Reputation

A Christian Reputation

Ephesians 5:3

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;"

One of the wearisome things that Christians deal with is the stained reputations of those who have fallen into sin. Sin always affects more than the fallen. The effects of sin reach to people who had nothing to do with the sin. For example, years ago a well-known TV evangelist was caught mishandling money. He eventually went to prison for his crime, but every Christian who went soul winning had to answer questions about that man's actions.

God warns us in the verse above about having a good reputation. He commands that we should live in such a manner that wrong actions could "...not be once named among you, as becometh saints;" This reminds me of Daniel who lived in such a manner that the only way his enemies could accuse him was through his service to God. They sent people to spy on Daniel to see if they could find anything of which to accuse him, but his reputation was one that they could not accuse him of doing wrong. God shows us in this chapter how to live our life in such a manner that people can not accuse us doing something wrong.

First, God tells us that loving people will help you to avoid accusation. Though this is not the only way, this will certainly help. God commands us in verse 2 to "...walk in love..." When people know that you love them, then they are less likely going to accuse you of doing wrong. People who are hateful will watch everything you do so that they can find something of which to accuse you. Don't be a hateful person, but be a person who is known for loving people.

Second, having the right associations will help you avoid accusation. People are often accused because of their associations. Verse 11 commands us to "...have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,..." Christian, if you don't want people to accuse you of doing wrong, then don't associate yourself with those who live wrong. If you don't want to be guilty by association, then spend time with those who are known to have good reputations and not bad.

Third, using your time wisely will help you avoid accusation. God commands in verse 16 to redeem our time. God is teaching us that being known as a scheduled person will help you to avoid accusations. Those who live an unscheduled life are more open to accusation than those who are scheduled. This is because scheduled people are known to fill their time doing what is right. A scheduled person won't allow open time for the Devil to use.

Fourth, being filled with the Spirit will help you avoid accusation. Spirit-filled people will have a reputation of God working through them. When a person is Spirit filled, you would not imagine them doing wrong, for the works the Spirit do not lean towards loose living. For instance, if I told you that one of the apostles had an adulterous affair you would not believe me. Why? Because they were filled with the Spirit, and their works testified differently. When you are filled with the Spirit, your works will testify of God's works, and not loose living.

Christian, having a good reputation is of utmost importance. Guard your reputation and live in such a manner that people would not feel that they could get away with accusing you of loose living. Though you live in a world where false accusations are prevalent, you can certainly live your life above board so that it would seem hard to accuse you of such horrible acts.