"Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans 12:21

As we walk through life, we deal with diverse and sometinmes extremely difficult siruations and even at times, people!  What are we to do as Christians when we face such adversity and opposition?  Should we shrink back, shy away or should we stand our ground and fight?

God teaches us here in Romans how we can handle these situations!  The answer is not shrink back, the answer is not fight... the answer is, "do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good!"

As followers of Jesus we can learn here from this verse that the principle way to handle difficult situations is to overcome it with good.  The principle stays the same but the method may change per situation. 

So, as you encounter any type of evil, overcome it with good!

study: Romans 12:1-21

apply: The very next time you encounter evil, pray and ask God how He wants you to overcome it with good!

"for You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon you."

Psalm 86:5

Forgiveness is reserved for all, for anyone who calls upon His name!  Not only is forgiveness reserved for you but He is READY to forgive!

Many times we don't realize that the Lord of Heaven is an extremely forgiving God.  Even as Christians who have ultimately been forgiven and born again, still have a hard time coming back to the cross for that sweet available forgiveness from the Lord when we need it.

If you are traveling through life and you find yourself in a place where there is unforgiveness, sin, bitterness or resentment - come to the Lord who is ready to forgive and He is abundant in mercy for you!  When these issues are not dealt with, it only gets worse, these things will eat away at your spirit, causing you to shy away from the Lord and His people.  Not coming to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy will only hinder your Christian walk, the victory that you had been experiencing will slowly drift from you.

So come to the Lord whos is ready to forgive and abundant in mercy for you!

study: Titus 3:2-8

aply: Is there anything you need to go to the Lord with, to find forgiveness, healing or restoration?  Set aside some time and go to the Lord in prayer!

"Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims..."  I Peter 1:1

Peter opens his first epistle with an intersting phrase, "to the pilgrims."  At the time Nero had been persecuting the church, burning Christians on stakes at night and the beleivers were on the lookout.

Peter hits on a very important truth, we are pilgrims passing though planet earth to a greater destination - Heaven!

Life makes better sense when we boil it down to the reality that we were not created to live here on earth eternally.  We are pilgrims that were created to spend our earthly lives loving worshipping and walking with the Lord and then one day in the Lord's timing passing on to heaven to be with the Lord forever!

Knowing this allows us as believers to keep first things first and first things should be the things of Jesus!

So live simply, worship Jesus, study your Bible, love your family and reach out to others around you!

...To the pilgrims...  

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in you, whose heart is set on pilgrimage."

Psalm 84:5

"But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God..."

Hebrews 10:12

Jesus, died once for all!  This is the beautiful thing about the Cross of Christ!  In the Old Testament the children of Israel had to trust in the High Priest to make sacrifice on their behalf to receive forgiveness for the year.  Forgiveness came for the people one year at a time.  Never secure that they were forgiven forever!

That is the greatness of the Cross, Jesus died once for all, forever!

As beleivers, we need to grasp this Truth, we are completely forgiven, forever! And forever means forever!  The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is sufficient, so you are forgiven!  No more guilt, no more shame, only forgiveness and acceptance.

Knowing this, what Christ has done for us, compells us to serve Him dilligently and love Him fervently!

Thank Jesus for what He has done for you today!

further reading: Matthew 26:14-28:10 

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."  Mark 16:15

GO! 

These two letters say a lot! G-ospel O-utpouring... G-ive O-ut...  G-et O-ut...

Here in the gospel of Mark, we see Jesus giving the great commision... GO!

The marching orders are given, the green light of GO is on!  Go share your faith in Jesus with someone!  He will be with you as He empowers you to be His witness!

In Matthews of account of the same comission, Matthew writes this quote by Jesus, "lo, I am with you always... even to the end of the age." Matt. 28:20b

You see, Jesus commands us to GO, but He does not so we have to Go it alone, He will be with us always!  Isn't it nice to know that when you share your faith, when you share the Gospel, Jesus is with you ALWAYS!

You are not alone, the spirit of Christ resides in you and Jesus is always with you!

WOW! 

Remember that the next time you believe you should share your faith with someone, you should and you can do it with the confidence that the God of the univers the creator of all things is leading you and is with you!

So Go Out, Get Out and be a Gospel Outpourer today!