Justified By Faith

Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (Galatians 3:7-8) 

The gospel of Jesus Christ was preached to Abraham, in that we are saved by God's grace and by faith in Him. That is the blessing "all nations" receive through Abraham — we believe like he did, and God calls us righteous, like Abraham. In the same way, you and I are a blessing to "all nations" by our decision to believe God and walk by faith; for men are still saved by grace through faith, and we are witnesses to that truth. Without faith, it is (and always will be) impossible to please God. Believing that He "is" and that He is good is the bedrock of that faith.

 

There will be times when you are tempted to despair over the state of things, especially things in your world that are hard and painful. Yet, the God who spoke to Abraham still reigns supreme. Men, nations, times, and seasons come and go, but Christ remains. God is keeping His promise to draw people to Himself from every nation, tribe, and tongue; and He is drawing them the same way He drew Abraham — by grace through faith.

 

So, keep it simple, saints. Take God at His word, and do not let anything disturb your confidence in Him. Let us all be counted among those blessed with believing Abraham. Just believe. Believe God.

Let’s Pray – Lord, I stand on the solid rock of my faith in Jesus Christ alone. He is the source of my strength and the joy of my salvation. I am complete in Him, I will give Him the glory He so richly deserves. Amen.

Worry About Nothing

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God . . .  (Philippians 4:6)

Worry is a sign of spiritual laziness. It is the failure to believe God, and the result of leaning to our own understanding. The Lord is sure to test our faith, and our response to those tests will tell us if our faith in Him is strong and vigorous or weak and inadequate. Weak faith is always our fault, and it is born of the refusal to hear, believe, and do the Word of God. Whether the Lord says, "Yes", "No", or "Wait," our response is to be that of a loving child — we trust Him, we obey Him, and we refuse to worry.

 

Fear and anxiety are the archenemies of our faith. Therefore, the Lord commands us to be strong and courageous, and He gives each of us the power to obey that command. We are not to be blown to and fro by the winds of circumstance, because we are "more than conquerors" in Christ Jesus. The key is to be found in Him, and He is to be found in us.

 

We must get every fault and fear to His feet in prayer immediately. When we do, those faults and fears that once defeated us become the backdrop of our victorious testimony. One day, you will laugh at the things that used to frighten you. Perhaps that day is today!

Let's Pray - Lord, I am determined to put my fears to death and to live by faith. I believe You hear and respond to every prayer I lift up, so I will pray more and more, and worry less and less. Amen.

Now I Rejoice

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church . . . (Colossians 1:24)

God uses difficult times to shape our character in ways only hardships can accomplish. Every trial the Lord permits is an opportunity; a choice to lift our hands or hang our heads, to remember His goodness or remember our failures, to serve through it or shrink from it. Every delay we experience is the space God uses to purify our hearts, our hopes and dreams. Tough times are a set-up for our testimony and a platform for God's victory in our lives. So rejoice, children of God. Even in the midst of difficulty, rejoice!

 

It is natural to complain about our sufferings, but Paul chose to see them as a privilege and as a testimony to the overcoming power of Christ. When he speaks of, "filling up in my flesh what is lacking ...," he is not saying that our Lord's sacrifice was in any way insufficient; he is speaking of the joy he received in sharing the Good News of Christ, though the opposition he faced was fierce and violent, just as it was for our Lord. Paul was willing, even glad to suffer reproach for the sake of Christ, so that the church might be firmly established and built up. May the Lord give us the same attitude, and may we be determined to complete the ministry He has so kindly given us — even through suffering.

 

Let's Pray – Father, help me to see pass the present difficulties to the glory which lies ahead. I am looking unto Jesus, and all my hopes are found in Him. Amen.

God’s Good Works

So he answered and said to me:

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:

‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ 

Says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

There is work done by men, and the work God does through men — it is important that we recognize the difference. Some works can be done by the sheer force of human effort, sincerity, good will, philanthropy, and charity. Yet, there is power which comes down from heaven in the Person of the Holy Spirit, and by that power, believers do works that glorify God and accomplish things according to His will and purpose. The choice is ours — working in our own power, or God working through us by His Spirit. Let us choose wisely. 

 

The works of God are done in the power of the Spirit. Therefore, all things are possible, as we see in the wonderful ministry of our Lord: 

• Jesus feeds 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread.
• Jesus turns water into wine.
• Jesus gives sight to the blind.
• Jesus casts out demons and sickness.
• Jesus raises the dead.
• Jesus forgives and restores sinners.

Having done these things and much more, Jesus tells His disciples that we will do even greater works (John 14:12)! How is that possible? It is only possible when we are filled with the Holy Spirit who descended and remained upon Jesus, just as He wishes to fill and remain in us. So, be filled with the Spirit, and let Him have His way. Good works will surely follow.

 

Let's Pray - Father, may Your works be done in me according to Your will and by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus alone, Amen.

 

Therefore, Get Wisdom

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7)

God's wisdom produces a perfect disposition in us, the disposition of a child — trusting, believing, and humble. Wisdom is the precious inheritance stored up for us by our Father, and we are wise to seek a double portion. It is the Lord's desire that the pursuit of wisdom be our priority, and by it, we become more acquainted with Him and His ways. When we take hold of spiritual wisdom and understanding, we are blessed in all we do, and we are a blessing to everyone around us. That is God's will for His children — for you.

 

Each of us will make decisions about who and what we follow, and there are many voices which claim to know the way we ought to go. The world is filled with experts, advice, motivation, and methodology. Yet, only God's Word is eternal truth, spirit, and life. His words give us wisdom to live by, and when we receive them, we will enjoy abundant life according to those words.

 

There is wisdom stored up for us in the scriptures, and that is where we are sure to find peace and prosperity. Therefore, get God's wisdom, for it leads to life — eternal life.

 

Let's Pray – Father, I make wisdom my main pursuit today; above every other goal and every other desire, I value Your Word and counsel. Lead me in the everlasting way. I will gladly follow. Amen.

Preach the Word

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2)

The word we preach is the power to convey the Man, Jesus Christ, to a desperately needy world. The work is arduous, and the preacher should count the cost before he preaches. This ministry requires consistent effort and care, and there is much stubbornness and sin to overcome. Yet, there is great power in the Word we preach — not our preaching alone, but the Word itself.  If we mix God's word with human wisdom, we will fall far short of our calling, and more people will be hindered than helped. When the focus is kept on the Jesus, our preaching will populate heaven and empty hell! So, preach Christ, and Christ only.

 

The Word of God is the only thing of value preachers have to offer. Even the best preaching will fail to do anything spiritual unless it is settled firmly on the Scriptures.

Hearing us preach, are the listeners left with an impression of us or God? That is always the question. When we speak, men and women should walk away satisfied, having enjoyed hot bread from the ovens of heaven.

 

May the Lord be revealed and glorified in our preaching every time.

 

Let’s Pray – Lord, may the life I live and the Gospel I preach bring the reality of the Atonement to light everywhere I go. Speak through Your servant today and may Your Word light the path of everyone who hears. Amen.

By His Design

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

 

My Bible teaches we are made by God and for God, and we find our true purpose in life when we acknowledge Him as our Creator, our Author, and our Finisher. His love for us is deeper and wider than we can imagine, and that shows in the intricate care with which we were all made. He designed us and gave us life — and He has set Himself to save us, care for us, and spend eternity with us. We can trust Him to be attentive to every detail and aspect of our lives, and that is what it means to be the redeemed of the Lord. So, let's be sure to come humbly to the One who made us, loves us, and always has our best interests at heart.

 

There is no "Mother Earth," but only "Father God." Like us, the worlds were made by God, yet only we are made in His image (likeness). The Lord did not randomly produce humanity, and we are not some accident or afterthought of nature left to our own devices; and while the heavens and the earth will one day be done away with, we will dwell with our Lord forever in a new heaven and a new earth which comes down from above.

 

This is the revelation David is sharing with us here, and we do well to think more often and deeply on these things. Today, be sure to give praise to God for His wonderful works and everlasting love.

Let’s Pray - Father, I come to You, asking that You heal and repair every defect in my character, as I truly want to be like my Savior, Jesus Christ. Shape and mold me according to Your specifications, and I will give You glory and let my light shine for all to see. Thanks and blessings in Jesus, Amen.