savior - Brian Friedl

Where Does Defilement Come From?

Brian — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 14:49:50 +0000

Jesus’ words have a way of cutting to the core like no other thing. Whether yielded as invitation or warning they are powerful and not to be ignored.

Here we find Him in a teaching moment with the Pharisees. He had been healing the physical ailments of the many and was challenged by them about the disciples lack of cleanliness and washing.

Jesus reminds them that it is not the external, but the internal that requires cleansing. How sad it is that we hold fast to the traditions of men as doctrine and deny the very truths He has given us. Especially the truth of the gospel.

We must realize that all of us do, in some form, do the very same thing. That born in us, was the sin of Adam and apart from Christ, we are capable of evil thoughts and all the defilements that come with them. We must not try to overcome this inner darkness, but instead lay them at the cross like the sick were laid in the marketplace, hoping to touch but the fringe of the Savior’s cloak; knowing that He was their only hope.

For we are all in need of the Father who knows the intentions of our heart. The One that gave us His perfect Son, who by His sacrifice, won the cleansing of our hearts for all eternity. His provision pierces through bone and marrow to our very souls; clearly displaying our need of Him and His Son’s obedience has brought us life abundantly.

Praise God that You have been shown the way to Him! Praise Him for those around you that point you back to Him on a regular basis!

Reflection

I’m so thankful for the people in my life that remind me of my need of Christ and His mission for my life.

Who in your life is reminding you of your need of Him?

Who is helping hold you accountable to His word and mission (Matt 28:18)?

If the answer is no one, get that resolved! You need other believers in this life.

Prayer

Gracious God, we thank You for Your unwavering love that made a way for us in the midst of our darkness. Surround us with Your children to point us to You. Let our eyes be focused and fixed on Jesus, Amen!

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Never Forget The Debt

Brian — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 11:33:23 +0000

Before we put our trust in Jesus, we often think we’re a pretty good people. We can even recall the good deeds we’ve done if we’re questioned and we especially like to share how we’ve sacrificed for others so we look good.

After we surrender to Christ, our life is no longer about our performance, but instead it centers around the amazing work of our Savior at the cross. For the debt that was paid there cannot fully be comprehended by the human mind.

While we stood convicted of all of our crimes and lawlessness, Christ hung in pain for everyone of them to free us from those sins for His glory. We must never forget the cost of this exchange. May the depths of His love move us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice here forward. Let every thought be captive to the One who rescued us from our hopelessness once and for all and let us advance by faith.

Reflection

How do you keep from forgetting your faith and trusting in yourself again?

Read Luke 23 and Meditate on what was paid for your freedom and rejoice out loud for His mercy and grace!

Prayer

Father, help us to never forget the debt that was paid for our freedom. Keep us from the temptation to to return to trusting ourselves. May our hearts be fully surrendered to You and our faith abound; leading us to walk in the good works you have prepared for us to walk in. All for Your glory in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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Hide And Seek

Brian — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 11:54:52 +0000

One of my favorite games to play is hide and seek. The thrill of being the last one found or quickly finding others is an adrenaline rush for me. I remember playing in the dark one night with our oldest 7 kids. I had gone to the trouble of climbing a set of shelves and hiding on top of a window box. I thought for sure my daughter would eventually give up. It was the better part of an hour but she finally found me.
Several observations can be made from this illustration in light of this passage.

God chooses who to conceal or reveal Himself to. We must seek Him with our whole heart to find Him.
He knows who genuinely seeks Him and those who confesses with their lips but their hearts are from from Him.
We must be persistent in our seeking of Him. Those who seek, find, when their hearts are all in and they don’t give up.

So how do you seek Him with your whole heart? You must understand your condition apart from Him. Scripture says, “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5) and “you were dead in your trespasses..for it is by grace, through faith, you are saved” (Eph 2:1,8) If you are unable to save yourself you must go looking for another solution. Not just browsing but searching diligently with all that you are. Your life depends on it!

And when the Lord shows you the absolute perfection in what He has done for you, your eyes will be opened and the game of hide and seek will be over. What a glorious moment in your life! For You have found your Savior!

Reflection

Are you seeking after God with all of your heart or have you lost your passion?

Read Ephesians 2:1-10 and then set a plan to read through all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Take notes every time you see something Jesus did for you. After each reading go for a walk or get to a quiet place to just mediatate on what God has done for you. What a great opportunity to worship!

Prayer

Father, thank you for all you have done! We know that apart from Christ we can do nothing. We praise You for sending Him to us, for taking our punishment, and for conquering our sin! Give us a heart that seeks after You with a zeal and passion that is unwavering. May we find you in all Your glory. In Jesus’ name we pay, Amen!

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My Sin, My Need, My Savior

Brian — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 13:52:05 +0000

It has been said that until we understand the depths of our sin, we cannot fully see the need and power of our Savior. This was certainly true for me.

I spent the early part of my life trying to be a good person and convinced myself that I was. I was often called a perfectionist because of my high standard for everything I put my hand to. It didn’t matter if it was my artwork, my schoolwork, or my self-perceived goodness.

I excelled far beyond every standard I had been given, until one evening in August of 1989, when I heard about a new standard. One of absolute perfection; God’s standard of righteousness. Not only could I not meet it, but I had already broken every aspect of it.

More difficult than my inability to keep the standard, was the consequence of my sin and rather than having to endure that unbearable weight, there was One who took the full weight upon Himself. For a guy who had shut out the entire world and all of the emotions with it, I was overtaken by grief and gratitude.

In that moment, the LORD revealed to me:

My sin
My need
My Savior

While faith grows, it is built on those foundational truths that were secured in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. I am forever grateful for His perfect plan that brought me to a place of worship and understanding by letting me feel the weight of my sin and likewise that burden lifted.

Reflection

Do you remember understanding the weight of your sin and your need of your Savior for the first time?

Think back to the moment you grasped the finished work at the cross that has been done for you and just meditate on that for a moment.

This should not be a once a year activity on Easter. Instead, make it a point to daily praise God for the wonderful freedom you enjoy through the wonderful finished work of His Son at the cross.

Prayer

Father, you alone have the power to rescue and lift us from the hopeless graves we have comfortably dwelt in. Open our eyes to our sin, our need, and our Savior each and every day that we may present our bodies as a living sacrifice to You in Jesus’ name. Amen!

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How Far Will He Go?

Brian — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 13:22:39 +0000

Have you ever considered how far Jesus went to accomplish the Father’s plan? Not only did He willingly leave His place in heaven, but scripture says

“He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” ~ ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Imagine the difference in relationship with His Father. We need only to look to the garden of Gesthemane to see the toll that this mission took on Him. And as we read on, we are made aware of even greater depths of sacrifice including His public humiliation, flogging and humble, obedient death on a cross.

Praise God for the resurrection of His obedient son! The Father’s plan is perfect and complete. A babe in a manger becomes the Savior of the world.

There is no distance too far for Him to go. He was willing to leave everything to rescue you. That my friend is love…

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