Author: David Worcester

Lead Pastor of Compass Church http://CompassChurchSD.com #Jesus, #Family #ChurchPlanting #CollegeMinistry. #Missions http://GospelAppointments.com @collegiatecoll

4 Ways To Live in the Light – 1 John 1

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1. Realize God is light.

“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” 1 John 1:5

2. Be honest about your sin.

“So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.” 1 John 1:6

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.” 1 John 1:8

“If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.” 1 John 1:10

3. Enjoy true fellowship with God and others.

“But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

4. Confess your sins to God and receive forgiveness.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9

Share on Facebook or Twitter or post a comment. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 1 John 1 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Why hasn’t God already returned and stopped all the suffering? (2 Peter 3)

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What is God waiting for? The pain and suffering in the world is obvious.

I don’t have to go into details about the racial tensions, terrorist threats, and injustices happening all over the world. Many have asked, “why God doesn’t just stop these things by coming back right now?” Peter answers that question for us.

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter 3:9

God patience in returning is a sign of mercy.

God could come at any moment to judge the world. But he is patiently waiting so that more people can have the opportunity to turn to Him.

Like a loving father he is holding back his immediate punishment, so that more people can realize their mistakes and say sorry.

Personally, it is a comfort to know that God does not want anyone to be destroyed. He doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell. He loves the entire world and is patiently waiting till the full number of his chosen people make that decision.

The next time you see some horrible injustice on the news remember that the reason God hasn’t returned and stopped it is that he is God waiting for more people to come to him to receive salvation.

How does this truth change your view of pain and suffering in the world?

Share on Facebook or Twitter or post a comment. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 2 Peter 3 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Are you sick of sin? (2 Peter 2)

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Lot was sick of sin!

In high school I had a Christian punk band called “Misplaced Cargo.” One of our songs was called sic of sin (Sic was a cool to spell it I guess). It was about how we were sick of all the sin around us.

A righteous person will eventually get sick of the sin in their life and the lives of people around them. Peter describes an Old Testament character named Lot who lived in the city of Sodom. Here’s how he dealt with the wickedness of that city.

“Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.” 2 Peter 8-9

Lot was tormented in his soul by the sin around him.

Do you feel the weight of the sin happening in your city? Does your heart break for the people enslaved to their sin? 

A repulsion toward sin is an evidence of the Holy Spirit working in your life.

The Spirit inside of you will not like the sin that you see around you or in you. But here’s the good news..

“the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials”

No matter how bad the sin it is around you, take comfort God knows how to rescue his people.  No temptation is too great for you to say no to (1 Cor 10:13). And even when you make a mistake (we all do) ask God to forgive you and rescue you. Jesus died for your sins so you don’t have to be punished for them!

Ultimately Jesus will rescue us from all evil by taking us to Heaven! We will be free from temptation and the very presence of sin!  So next time you are suffering and ask like David after the dentist, “Is this going to be forever?” The answer is no!

Answer in the comments section… Why do you think it is so easy for us to get desensitized to the sin all around us?

Share on Facebook or Twitter or post a comment. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 2 Peter 2 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

3 Reasons Not To Neglect Your Time In The Word – 2 Peter 1

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God has given us everything we need to know in order to please him!

I have a love/hate relationship with the Christian book industry. Some books are very helpful. But so many books say the same thing, but have slightly different cover.

I think we would do spend more time in God’s Word and less time reading about God’s Word. Peter writes this about God’s Word,

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” 2 Peter 1:3-4

1. Scripture tells us what we need to know about following Jesus.

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.”

The God has gives us everything we need in order to live a life that pleases him. Scripture is one of those vital things that we need to please God. In the Bible God tells us everything we need to know to live a godly life.

“Scripture doesn’t tell us everything we may want to know about everything. But it tells us everything we need to know about the most important things.” Kevin DeYoung

The Bible is not a holy version of Wikipedia. The Bible’s purpose is to tell us about Jesus and how to follow him, not everything we were ever curious about. But in what the Bible does say it is 100% accurate!

2. Scripture is the great and precious Word of God.

“And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises.”

The Scriptures are a treasure. They are the great and precious Word of God himself. Later in this same chapter Peter writes,

“Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.” 2 Peter 1:20-21

The writers of Scripture were carried along by the Holy Spirit to write the exact words God wanted us to hear!  These words are not merely from humans but originate in the heart of God.

3. Scripture enables you to share God’s nature and escape corruption.

“These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

Scripture enables us to know the gospel and receive eternal life. It also tells us how to obey God and say no to the temptations that we face every day.

Why do you think more people don’t take learning God’s Word more seriously?

Share on Facebook or Twitter or post a comment. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 2 Peter 1 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Win the War Against Worry – 1 Peter 5

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We all have things that we could be worried about during this time.

Worrying is like running on a treadmill. It takes a lot of energy but you don’t get anywhere. Tweet This

When we worry, we are basically telling God that we don’t trust him. In one simple sentence Peter tells us what we should do with our worries and cares.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7  

God cares, so give him your cares! Tweet This

When we give God our worries we release control of our lives. Giving your worries to God is a way telling Him, “Hey looks like you have got a problem down here!”

Some of us are worried about giving God our worries, but God is more than capable of handling all of your problems way better than you ever could.

If you trust him with you future, he will take care of everything. So next time you are overcome by the problems of life…

Don’t worry, trust god!

Love Covers a Multitude of Sins – 1 Peter 4

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One thing our society desperately needs is love.

With current events like Ferguson people in our country need to love each other all the more.

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 Tweet This

The most important thing we can do is show deep love for each other. Love is powerful. Because of love, Jesus died for our sins. His blood covered our sins.

Our sin has been covered by Christ’s love, therefore christians have the privilege of extending that love to others. Tweet This

Build a foundation of love with your friends and family.

Love is the glue that holds relationships together. You will all make a lot of mistakes in your relationships but love can cover those. Love is stronger than our mistakes and preferences.

Answer in the comments section… What other ways does love cover a multitude of sins?

Share on Facebook or Twitter. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 1 Peter 4 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

What Is Every Christian’s Role In Evangelism? -1 Peter 3

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We all have different gifts and roles in evangelism, but what is everyone’s responsibility?

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” 1 Peter 3:15 NIV

1. Be Surrendered

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.”

Being surrendered to whatever Christ leads you to do is the first step toward readiness. If Christ is not Lord of your life, then what is your motivation for sharing your faith?

2. Be Prepared

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Being prepared involves being able to tell your personal story of how you have found hope in Christ. This is assuming that people are asking you to share the hope you have. This will only happen if you are living in a way that it’s obvious you have a different kind of hope.

People won’t ask for the reason for your hope if you aren’t hopeful. Changed lives change lives. Tweet This

The best way that I have seen to be ready is the three story method. Hear the person’s story. Share your story of God changing your life. Then share the story of the gospel!

Would you be prepared to share your story and the gospel if someone asked you? Tweet This

3. Be Gentle and Respectful

 “But do this with gentleness and respect.” 

Gentleness and respect are the foundations of good communication. This is where most street preachers get it wrong. Many of them preach true things, but it is devoid of gentleness or respect.

Gentleness and respect do not negate the hard truths of the gospel, but they do make them easier to swallow.  Tweet This

Answer this question in the comment section…  Why do you think people are so scared to share their faith?

Share on Facebook or Twitter. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 1 Peter 3 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

Every Day Evangelism – How To Show God’s Goodness To The World – 1 Peter 2

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You are a trophy of God’s grace.

Those of us who have been saved by Christ are his representatives to the world. Peter tells us…

1. We are living stones that build his church

“And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. 1 Peter 2:5a

The church is God’s beacon of hope to the world. It is not a physical building, but a spiritual one. As we link up with other believers we can show God’s love to more people. God has placed you alongside a church so build his kingdom along with that family!

You are not meant to do evangelism alone. It is a team sport. Tweet This

2. We are holy priests

“What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.” 1 Peter 2:5

If you are a Christian you are a priest. You don’t have to go through any other person to connect with God, because Jesus is the only necessary mediator. As priest your job is to represent God to the world.

3. We are chosen people

“But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

As God’s chosen people our job is to show others the goodness of God. He has called us out of our sinful former lives into lives of purity.

Purity is one of the greatest evangelism tools we have!  Tweet This

We have been chose to show God’s goodness to others. This is a high calling!

4. We are not of this world

“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” 1 Peter 2:11-12

“This is not your room!”

In the classic movie Turner and Hooch Tom Hanks takes the huge dog to each room in the house and yells “this is not your room” until he finally gets to Hooch’s room. God is telling us “this earth is not your home!”

Because we don’t belong to this world, we are told to keep away from evil desires of this world. These temptations wage war against our souls! If we can win these battles we will stand out.

People will try to find dirt on you but if you are living a God honoring life they won’t be able to! They will see the difference in your life and honor God themselves!

Comment on this question. Why do you think that living differently is so important for evangelism?

Share on Facebook or Twitter. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 1 Peter 2 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

4 Hope Giving Truths About The Trials In Our Lives – 1 Peter 1

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Peter shares 4 truths about trials that will help you endure suffering.

1. Trials can bring future joy.

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead… 1 Peter 1:6a 

Looking forward to future joy you will help get you through the pain.  Heb 12:2 tells us that Jesus, “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.” 

Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that awaited him. In the same way we must endure our trials for the joy that awaits us.

2. Trials are temporary.

“even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” 1 Peter 1:6b

Trials last only a short time for the Christian. They only last a short time compared to how long we will be in Heaven with Jesus!

3. Trials test your faith.

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.” 1 Peter 1:7a

Suffering is the greatest test of our faith. When times get hard, we see if we are really going to cling to the promises of God or not.

“In the same way fire separates pure gold from the rest, trials show who is truly genuine in their faith.” Tweet This

4. Trials can bring future honor.

“So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:17b 

Those who suffer well will be given praise, glory and honor when Jesus comes back. What a celebration that will be!

Answer this question with a comment…

Which of these truths is most encouraging in you most in your current suffering?

Share on Facebook or Twitter. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 1 Peter 1 in the One Year Bible New Testament.

3 Principles of Powerful Prayer – James 5

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Prayer has power.

In good times and bad times James instructs us to pray.

“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.” James 5:13-15

1. Prayer should be our first response, not the last resort. Tweet This

God wants us to come to him first with everything! To often we wait till our situation gets really bad and then throw up a “hail mary” to God.

  • Are you going through a hard time? Pray!
  • Is your life going great? Thank God!
  • Do you have a big need? Get leaders and other people to pray for you.
  • Pray about everything. Nothing is off limits.

2. Confessing sin to one another brings added potency to prayer.

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

Sharing struggles with others is a necessary part of following Jesus. The prayers of a brother or sister in Christ who is striving to live right before God has great power. If you know someone like that, get them to pray for you.

3. Earnest prayers of ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things! Tweet This

“Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.” James 5:18-18

Elijah was a prophet chosen by God, but James emphasizes that he was just as human as we are! The same power that was available to him to stop the rain for 3 1/2 years  is available to us! Ordinary Christians can see God do amazing things through prayer.

Post in the comments section your answer to this question… Why don’t most Christians experience this type of power in their prayer lives?

Share on Facebook or Twitter. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in  James 5 in the One Year Bible New Testament.