By His Light...

"As the sun can be seen only by its own light, so Christ can be known only by His own Spirit." - Robert Leighton

Light, as we know it, is only temporary. It disappears until tomorrow, it can be extinguished by water, a puff of air, or the flick of a switch. In other words, it is not permanent.

But we cannot apply this reasoning when it comes to Jesus Christ. He is not like a candle or lamp that radiates light brightly for a period of time, eventually burning out. He is much more!

Through Jesus' humanness, God unveiled Himself to us. We can see this in John's Gospels (John 8:12; John 9:5; 1 John 2:8). He revealed to us what, except to Him, had not been known before.

During His time here on earth as a Man, He was "the light of the world" in a very straight-forward and unique way. This was especially made manifest in the miracles He performed and lessons that He taught. 

As the sun provides light only for the body, Jesus provides light for both the bodies and souls of men. Whereas the sunlight provides light for our physical sight, Jesus Christ provides light for the spiritually blind (John 12:46).

Back when mules were used in coal mines, they would be given a reprieve from their dark, drudgery once a week, usually on Sunday. This was to allow them to to come up to the light. 

Without being exposed to light now and again the mules would go blind. We can go blind as well, spiritually blind, if left too long stumbling around in the darkness of this world in absence of Christ.

Like the blind man who was cured of his blindness because of his faith in Jesus (Luke 18:35-43), those who come to Him in faith are offered restoration from spiritual blindness. 

Let the power of the Spirit and of the Word, revealing Christ as the One sent by the Father, give you sight. 

Scripture: John 9:1; Ephesians 4:18; Isaiah 59:9; Proverbs 4:19; 2 Corinthians 4:4

Prayer: Dear Lord, send out Your light and truth, let them guide me. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and light my path, amen.

Joyfully in Christ,

Abby

Video Clip - Sheila Walsh: If You Struggle to Pray

If you find yourself in a difficult place today, Evangelist and author, Sheila Walsh, offers encouragement to enhance your prayer life.  ~Eve

God, Our Refuge and Strength

"Only good things come from God's hands. He never gives you more than you can bear. Every burden prepares you for eternity."  - Basilea Schlink

There isn't a living person on earth who hasn't experienced grief, desolation, or any heavy burden of the heart and mind in their life. The thing is, a good portion of the burden(s) of daily life can be attributed to sin found within it.

When burdened by life's problems, many will seek solace in a variety of ways, though not all of them good. Sharing one's burdens with a friend, loved one, or professional might help to a certain degree.

In fact, one may find a certain level of comfort knowing they are not alone in bearing burdens, which is terrific! Still... it can be hard for others to sympathize with our burden(s) as each, knowing their own, might believe that theirs is the greater.

So whom can help with our common burdens? Psalm 55:22 tells us, "Cast your cares on the LORD," that is, we are invited to lay the crosses that we bear, our cares and fears, upon the Almighty, by faith and prayer. Only He can sympathize with us all.

Scripture: Isaiah 26: 3-4; Psalm 9:9-10; Nahum 1:7; Deuteronomy 31:8; John 14:27

Prayer: Dear Lord, I lay my burdens upon You, by faith and prayer. You are the God of the impossible. I have nothing to fear with You on my side, amen.

May God be with You always,

Chelsea

Essentially, Jesus!

"Jesus Christ did not come into this world to make bad people good; he came into this world to make dead people live."  - Lee Strobel

If we are to make any attempt to clarify the relationship between Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God, and man, we must first carefully, and in humble dependence on the grace of God, examine the information provided to us in both the Old and the New Testament.

It was prophesied by the Prophets of old who testified to the coming of the Christ or Messiah, that He would be a person who might be considered to have a contradictory personality; and someone totally unlike anyone before.

Consequently, before His coming, the Jews knew that the Messiah was to be born to a Virgin (Isaiah 7:14), and was to be hated and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3). He was to come as a Teacher (John 3:2), Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14), and King (Luke 1:30-33). He had been revealed to them as the Lord of David (Matthew 22:45) and the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; 9:27).

He was also be known as the Master (John 13:13), to rule, and the Servant (Philippians 2:7), to obey; the Priest and the Victim, the King, and the Subject; as rich and as poor. He would be Conqueror over His enemies, and surrendering His life in sacrifice.

Simply put, He was promised as God to Redeem (Psalm 19:14), and as man to obey and suffer (2 Corinthians 5:21). Now I ask, "Do you believe in, and have you received Jesus, the Son of Mary and the Son of God as your anointed Prophet, Priest, and King?"

Jesus received the gifts of grace not for Himself, but for His people. Can you look to Him, and trust in Him as the Prince who should come, who has come, and who will come again, to gather up His people to Himself? (Mark 13:27)

Take this opportunity today, right now, to look at Him! Trust in Him, and in all your thoughts, reflections, and prayers upon His names and titles (some of which we have seen here). And may you draw closer to Him, gaining a bigger and clearer idea of His glorious perfections!

Scripture: John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 8:12

Prayer: Dear Jesus, may You glorify me in your own presence, and your light shine on me always, amen.

Bless you always,

Brielle

We Cannot Buy Our Redemption

"The work of redemption was accomplished by Christ in His death on the cross and has in view the payment of the price demanded by a holy God for the deliverance of the believer from the bondage and burden of sin. In redemption the sinner is set free from his condemnation and slavery to sin."
- John F. Walvoord

Many things in life can be purchased or bought through currency that is accepted in exchange for goods or services. For example, we might purchase basic necessities such as food or clothing. The need for medical or dental care may come up. And, if you're fortunate enough and have the means to do so, you may decide to buy a house or car.

Naturally, these are only examples and much depends on your particular situation, needs, and abilities. The point is that many of our earthly needs can be satisfied, in one way or another, by earthly means. But be aware! This is where it can be easy to go wrong if we aren't careful regarding the redemption of one's soul.

At the very least, scripture warns us "Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save" (Psalm 146:3). Jeremiah 17:5 puts it a little more harshly, "This is what the LORD says: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.'"

Yes, there are certain things, in this world, that can be bought; redemption of the soul just isn't one of them. Everyday and in every way our minds are filled with promises of happiness and fulfillment that can be purchased. Some basic needs are necessary for survival and health. However, there's an awful lot of "hucksterism" out there, so beware!

Never forget that all the riches, power, ability, or whatever in the world cannot buy redemption. And what's worse, none of these will do us any good when we die (1 Timothy 6:7-10; Matthew 16:26).

There is only one who redeems us and that is Jesus Christ. He alone has done for us what all the riches in world can't. Our redemption comes by way of His precious blood (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Scripture: Isaiah 44:22; Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14

Prayer: Lord, sometimes it seems that we, as a world, have put more of our time, energy, and love into things that will not last than into You. I pray that we turn our focus, and hearts, back onto You, because in the end You are all that truly matters, amen.

God bless you,

~Eve

Good-bye Until September 2019!

"Time is lost when we have not lived a full human life, time unenriched by experience, creative endeavor, enjoyment, and suffering."  - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German Protestant theologian

As has been the case for almost 10 years now, the Coffeehouse Bible Ministry will be going on hiatus until September. Every summer, the Coffeehouse Bible Ministry staff branches out to work alongside other members of the church in various endeavors.

We believe that it is important to our spiritual growth that we take this opportunity to experience other opportunities that are presented to us by God. It helps us to "spread our wings" a bit, if you will, and refresh ourselves.

We work hard to post regularly throughout the year, so naturally, we also use the summer break to spend well-deserved time, and reconnect, with family and friends, too.

I'd like acknowledge our amazing writers, administrative, and technical staff who provide an upbeat, fun environment for us all. They keep us moving along, and provide a smile or laugh at just the right moment. Thank you!

More importantly, a big thank-you to all of our regular followers, and new friends! Nothing gives our hearts more pleasure than to have you along on our walk with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God bless you!

We urge everyone to "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and keep reading your Bible so that you may "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).

As always, our blog archives are always available for you to use as God moves you. We give our eternal praise to Jesus Christ for allowing us to help spread His message around the world, and pray that He will continue to do so.

Now for the hard part: saying good-bye. Again, we will return in September and hope that you will meet up with us again. May God always guide and protect you. Have a safe, fun, and blessed summer!  

Your friend in Christ,

~Eve

The Simple Gospel Message

"The simplicity of the gospel gives what the complexity of human wisdom promises but never delivers."  - John MacArthur

In life, there are many instances where we are required to demonstrate our proficiency/knowledge before we are permitted to perform a certain task, or work in a chosen field.

Common examples are acquiring a driver's license, completing a course of study and an examination to become a doctor or dentist, or fulfilling requirements to become a licensed contractor.

Many balk or hesitate at becoming a Christian because of their lack of knowledge in understanding the gospel message. They somehow feel intimidated, or unworthy of doing so. But nothing could be further from the truth!

God does not require a person to first show their expertise in understanding the gospel message before they can become a Christian. There is no test of competency or skills to take.

God in His infinite wisdom knew this might concern some, so He made it simple. It (the gospel message) doesn't have to be understood by those who seek Him. It only needs to be received in simple faith.

Let me clarify this even more. It isn't our total understanding of the gospel that gives us the blessing, rather, it is believing and receiving it. Unfortunately, there are some who "know" all about the gospel, but haven't progressed from there.

Nicodemus, in the Gospel of John, is a good example. He was was a leading member of  the Jews, a good moral, religious man; very educated, and meticulous in keeping with the letter of the law.

Yet with even all his "knowledge," after hearing Jesus speak he felt he was missing something. He recognized something special about Jesus. Jesus possessed a new quality of life in Him that aroused Nicodemus' interest.

Nicodemus asked Him about this. Jesus told him that unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). He then explains the "new birth" further, which we can see in John 3:16.

In His brief, but powerful response, Jesus was trying to make it clear to Nicodemus that he didn't have to substantially raise his moral standards, or acquire more education. Neither are there any proficiency exams required.

What Nicodemus needed was to receive a new quality of life (eternal life) which begins in this world and transfers into the next. The first step of which begins with receiving the gospel message in faith.

The basics of the gospel message can be summed up as follows:

- All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23); A sinner must admit his guilt before God in order for forgiveness to happen, and  understand that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

- Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins; of which we could never be able to do on our own efforts.

- His death and resurrection was a victory over final death; the horrible penalty of sin. Instead, believers are promised "eternal life" with Him in heaven.

- Jesus Christ offers a free gift of salvation to all who believe. If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

Now you see, God has made His plan of redemption within reach of everyone. The essential idea of the of the gospel's saving message can be found within the pages of the Bible that sits on your shelf. The rest is up to you!

Scripture: Mark 1:1; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 1:16; John 3:17; 2 Corinthians 5:21;

Prayer:  Dear God, You showed us Your love by sending Your One and Only Son into the world that we might live through Him. May we reciprocate this act of love by giving You glory and praise from our hearts every day. Amen.

Bless you always,

Brielle