Too Busy to Pray? - by Greg Laurie -
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?-1 Corinthians 6:19
My grandkids always bust me when I forget to pray before a meal, and I love that.
We don't always pray as much as we ought to. In fact, we could pray a lot more. When a crisis hits, what is our first inclination? It's to say, "God, take this problem away."
Sometimes He does. But there are other times when He doesn't. The reality is that problem, that difficulty, keeps us in touch with God. It keeps us dependent on God. And it keeps us praying without ceasing.
The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers" (Romans 1:9 NKJV).
Then 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 tells us, "Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (NKJV).
Maybe you're saying, "Pray without ceasing? How that is even possible? I have a life. I have to go to work. I have to do a lot of things. I can't just pray all day."
Why not? It doesn't mean you have to be on your knees with your eyes closed. It is not just a prayer before a meal or praying with other believers. It's simply living in prayer, living in communion with God.
When you're cruising down the freeway or stuck in traffic, your vehicle could become a sanctuary. It could be a place to hear God's Word, worship the Lord, and pray (just keep your eyes open).
You can be close to God wherever you go. Why? Because the dwelling place of God is with us. If you belong to Christ, you're the temple (see 1 Corinthians 6:19). So you, too, can pray without ceasing.
God's Story
�Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.� (1 Corinthians 15:1)
The word �gospel� comes from the Anglo-Saxon �god-spel,� meaning �God-story.� The Greek word is euaggelion, from which we get our word �evangel,� and it means literally �a good message� or �good messenger.� The prefix eu or ev means �good,� and aggelion means �messenger.� Thus, the gospel is the great story of God that is to be preached as by an angel dispatched from God. The word normally is used in the sense of �good news� or �glad tidings,� but this good message is specifically God�s story, sent to lost men from a loving, caring, and saving God.
As our text says, it is a message to be �declared� by its messenger, then �received� (literally �once and for all�) by its hearers. It is the message �by which also ye are saved� (v. 2) and �wherein ye stand.� Then, verses 3 and 4 declare the very heart of what is to be received and believed�the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is a dynamic gospel��the power of God unto salvation� (Romans 1:16) for every true believer.
It is a �glorious gospel� (2 Corinthians 4:4) through which Christ �hath brought life and immortality to light� (2 Timothy 1:10). It is the �gospel of peace� (Ephesians 6:15) and brings �the fullness of the blessing� (Romans 15:29).
Its duration is �everlasting� (Revelation 14:6), and its foundation is the primeval making of �heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters� (Revelation 14:7) by Christ Himself (Colossians 1:16). The apostle Paul gravely warns against �any other gospel� than this gospel that he had preached (Galatians 1:8-9). This gospel, this glad story of God�s grace in creation and salvation, is to be preached �to every creature� (Mark 16:15). HMM
�Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.� (1 Corinthians 15:1)
The word �gospel� comes from the Anglo-Saxon �god-spel,� meaning �God-story.� The Greek word is euaggelion, from which we get our word �evangel,� and it means literally �a good message� or �good messenger.� The prefix eu or ev means �good,� and aggelion means �messenger.� Thus, the gospel is the great story of God that is to be preached as by an angel dispatched from God. The word normally is used in the sense of �good news� or �glad tidings,� but this good message is specifically God�s story, sent to lost men from a loving, caring, and saving God.
As our text says, it is a message to be �declared� by its messenger, then �received� (literally �once and for all�) by its hearers. It is the message �by which also ye are saved� (v. 2) and �wherein ye stand.� Then, verses 3 and 4 declare the very heart of what is to be received and believed�the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is a dynamic gospel��the power of God unto salvation� (Romans 1:16) for every true believer.
It is a �glorious gospel� (2 Corinthians 4:4) through which Christ �hath brought life and immortality to light� (2 Timothy 1:10). It is the �gospel of peace� (Ephesians 6:15) and brings �the fullness of the blessing� (Romans 15:29).
Its duration is �everlasting� (Revelation 14:6), and its foundation is the primeval making of �heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters� (Revelation 14:7) by Christ Himself (Colossians 1:16). The apostle Paul gravely warns against �any other gospel� than this gospel that he had preached (Galatians 1:8-9). This gospel, this glad story of God�s grace in creation and salvation, is to be preached �to every creature� (Mark 16:15). HMM
Victory Over Guilt
John 3:16-17At times, people are bound by guilt long after the feeling should have been resolved. Some rightly live with it because they refuse to give up the sin that brought it on. Meanwhile, others suffer the weight of false guilt because they harbor shame that doesn't belong to them. Whatever the root cause of your condemnation, the battle plan remains the same.
Victory over guilt begins with understanding that Jesus took our shame to the cross and paid our penalty. There is no way that we can pay for our own sin. But we do need to honestly identify the source of our guilt and confess before God. That means we agree with His perspective on what we've done. In other words, we admit when we're wrong. Repentance goes a step further: we turn away from the wrong and choose to do right.
The battle to overcome guilt is one that should not be delayed. The feeling won't just go away. Whether your condemnation is true or false, it needs to be dealt with quickly. Stop running, and face the source of your guilt. It's time to end your captivity and start walking in the joy of God's blessing.
Sufficient Grace
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
I thought the Christian life was going to be easier than this. Have these words ever entered your mind? Sometimes we come into the family of God thinking that our heavenly Father will fix all our problems and devote Himself to our happiness and comfort. However, that is not the reality portrayed in Scripture. Paul was a man whom the Lord used greatly, and yet his life was anything but easy.
God�s grace could be defined as His provision for us at the point of our need. The problem is that sometimes it doesn�t seem as if the Lord truly is meeting our need. But He frequently sees deficiencies, outcomes, and complications that we don�t. His goals for us involve spiritual growth, the development of Christlike character, and strong faith. And trials play a vital role in achieving these.
The important issue is how we respond. If all you want is relief, you could descend into anger and doubt. But if your desire is to become the person God wants you to be, you�ll see each trial as an opportunity for Christ to display His character and strength in you.
Problems, Problems, Problems
�And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.� (Psalm 55:6)
The 55th Psalm is a psalm of �complaint� (v. 2) by David and gives an insight into his thought process as he tried to deal with the great problems and burdens that were overwhelming him. His first instinct was to run away from them, flying like a dove far off into the wilderness.
The prophet Jonah (whose name means �dove�) tried that strategy years later, only to encounter even worse problems (Jonah 1:3, 15). One does not solve problems by fleeing from them.
Then, David decided to berate those who were causing him trouble and to complain about them to the Lord. �Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice� (Psalm 55:17). The words �pray, and cry aloud� here actually mean �complain and mourn.� �Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues� (v. 9). �Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell� (v. 15). His burdens were all the heavier because those whom he had trusted as friends and colleagues were now using deceit and guile against him (vv. 11-14), and the injustice of it all was almost more than he could endure. But complaints and imprecations were also unsatisfying: �Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord� (Romans 12:19).
Finally, the Lord gave him an answer, and David found the rest for which he had been so fretfully searching. Here it is: �Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved� (Psalm 55:22). The last phrase of the psalm is �but I will trust in thee� (v. 23).
The way to deal with burdens and problems is not to flee from them or to fret about them but to turn them over to the Lord: �Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you� (1 Peter 5:7). HMM
Clothing
�And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.� (Revelation 1:13)
In the beginning, at the creation of Eve from Adam�s side, �they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed� (Genesis 2:25). There was no need for shame at their lack of clothing for neither had any consciousness of sin or moral guilt. They were truly �one flesh� (v. 24), aware that their physiological differences had been divinely created to bring about God�s purposes for His creation. Any embarrassment would have been quite unnatural.
But soon sin entered; they rejected God�s purposes and plan for their lives. Satan had promised they would acquire wisdom, but what was their first taste of wisdom? �And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons� (Genesis 3:7). Their shame must have been multiplied many times over as they heard God pronounce the dreadful curse on all of creation as a result of their sin. And then they had to watch as two of their animal friends (probably sheep) were slain, sacrificed to �make coats of skins� (v. 21) for their covering.
Many years later, another Lamb was slain for sin, stripped of His clothing and hanged on a cruel cross, bearing unthinkable shame. �I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture� (Psalm 22:17-18). Today, having conquered sin and death, He reigns in heaven, �clothed with a garment down to the foot� (text verse). In His death, He arranged for us some day to be �arrayed in fine linen, clean and white� (Revelation 19:8), having �washed [our] robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb� (Revelation 7:14). JDM
The Good Shepherd
�The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.� (Psalm 23:1)
The 23rd Psalm is perhaps the best-loved chapter in the Bible, with its beautiful picture of Christ as the Shepherd. This chapter finds its New Testament exposition in John 10:1-30, where Christ identifies Himself as �the good shepherd� who �giveth his life for the sheep� (John 10:11).
These two chapters (Psalm 23; John 10) are probably the two greatest chapters in the Bible on the security of the believer in Christ. This theme seems woven by divine inspiration into the very structure of the passages. For example, there are six verses in the poetic structure of the psalm, each containing a different testimony concerning the providing and protecting Shepherd. In similar fashion, there are six times the word �shepherd� is used in John 10, each referring again to the work of our Good Shepherd. There are also six references in the other books of the New Testament where Christ is referred to as a shepherd.
The intensely personal aspect of the 23rd Psalm is evidenced by David�s use of the first-person pronouns (�I,� �me,� �my,� etc.) no less than 17 times in its six verses, all expressing his absolute trust in the Lord. Similarly, the word �sheep� is used 17 times in John 10, with the grand theme again stressing the security of the sheep. This number �17� repeatedly seems to crop up in Bible passages related to our security in the Lord. As one example, the famous passage ending the eighth chapter of Romans lists exactly 17 things that can never �separate us from the love of God� (Romans 8:35-39).
In any case, this marvelous psalm of security concludes (as it began) with a great promise and testimony, which can be paraphrased as follows: �Surely [Christ�s] goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me as long as I live, and then I will dwell in God�s great heavenly family through all the ages of eternity!� HMM
The Power of a Discerning Spirit
Hebrews 5:11-14
In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true? Much of what we see and hear is based on a worldly perspective that is influenced by Satan, the Father of Lies. Deception is found even in the religious realm: cults mix lies with enough truth to make some people consider them legitimate Christian institutions.
The goal is to let God's Word become such an integral part of your thinking that it guides all your decisions. Even if the situation you're facing isn't specifically addressed in the Bible, scriptural principles provide the needed wisdom for every choice. In addition, the Holy Spirit was given to each believer as a Helper, whose job is to guide you into all the truth (John 14:26; 16:13). However, your responsibility is to put God's Word into your mind so that He can bring it to your remembrance. If you neglect the Word, you'll lack discernment.
What are you allowing into your mind? Is Scripture high in your priorities? Unless you're careful, worldly thinking will overpower spiritual discernment. It's difficult to keep God's perspective in the forefront if you spend two or three hours in front of the television and only ten minutes in the Bible.
Two Fathers, Two Feastsby Max Lucado
The following is an excerpt from In the Eye of the Storm.
Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father (Col. 1:11-12). A Thanksgiving car trip with kids will teach you a lot about God.
I drove the family to Grandma's last night for Thanksgiving. Three hours into the six-hour trip, I realized that I was in a theology lab.
A day with a car full of kids will teach you a lot about God. Transporting a family from one city to another is closely akin to God transporting us from our home to his.
A journey is a journey, whether the destination be the Thanksgiving table or the heavenly one. The fact that my pilgrims were all under the age of seven only enriched my learning experience.
As minutes rolled into hours and our car rolled through the hills, I began to realize that what I was saying to my kids had a familiar ring. I had heard it before � from God. All of a sudden, the car became a classroom. I realized that I was doing for a few hours what God has done for centuries: encouraging travelers who'd rather rest than ride.
I shared the idea with Denalyn. We began to discover similarities between the two journeys. Here are a few we noted.
In order to reach the destination, we have to say no to some requests.
Children have no concept of minutes or miles.
Children can't envision the reward.
Is God Paying Attention? - by Greg Laurie -
The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.-Proverbs 15:3
As the disciples made their way across the Sea of Galilee, a storm arose that was so severe it made them panic. Jesus had sent them ahead while He went to pray on a mountain. He told them to go to the other side, which meant they would get to the other side.
It didn't mean they would have smooth sailing, but it did mean they would get to the other side. Even so, they wondered if they were going to survive. They prayed and called out to God.
And then we read that Jesus came to them in the fourth watch of the night.
What does that mean? Back in those days, a day was divided into four watches. The fourth watch of the night was that time just before dawn. This meant the disciples had been battling that storm for nine long hours.
Maybe you're going through a storm right now, a storm that just won't seem to let up. And just about the time it seems to be getting better, it actually gets a little bit worse. You wonder whether God knows what you're going through. Is He paying attention? Is He aware of the hardships that you're dealing with?
Yes, He's aware. Even when the disciples were out at sea, even though Jesus wasn't in the boat yet, He was watching. And He was praying.
You need to know that God is watching over you. Proverbs 15:3 says, "The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good" (NLT).
Jesus arrived at what seemed like the last minute. But as someone has said, when you get to the end of yourself, you get to the beginning of God.
Are you at the end of yourself right now? The Lord will come through for you.
Fearful or Confident? - by Greg Laurie -
So also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.-Hebrews 9:28
Imagine if Jesus were coming to your house for lunch today. He texts you ten minutes out and then five minutes out. And then He pulls into your driveway.
Would you welcome Him with excitement? Or would you dread His arrival? I think it all comes down to your relationship with God.
If you're walking with God, you won't fear Christ's return.
Remember when you were a kid and your mother would use these ominous words: "Just wait until your father gets home"? Remember how you felt when your dad pulled into the driveway? On the other hand, if you hadn't done anything wrong, you had nothing to fear.
In the same way, your reaction to the fact that Christ could come back at any moment is an indicator of where you are spiritually.
I think when we're right with the Lord, we will say along with the apostle John, "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20 nlt). But if we're not right with the Lord, we probably wouldn't say that.
If we really believe that Jesus is coming back, it should affect us in the way we live. For example, when you're going somewhere, ask yourself this question: This place where I'm going, these people I'll be hanging out with, this thing I'm about to do, would I be ashamed or embarrassed about it if Christ were to come back again?
If the answer to that is yes, then change your plans.
Hebrews 9:28 tells us that Christ "will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him" (NLT).
Let's live in such a way that we're in a state of readiness for His imminent return. And not only should we be ready for His return, but we should be anxiously awaiting it.
The Ultimate Father-Son Relationship John 5:19-20
God is called by a variety of names in the Bible, and each one sheds light on an aspect of His nature. Jesus' favorite title for Him was Father. Surprisingly, this name for God is used only 15 times in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, it's recorded 245 times!
Many of God's names speak of His majestic and lofty attributes that separate Him from mankind, but Father conveys intimacy. Jesus used this name not only because He was God's Son, but also to help people realize that Jehovah isn't some unapproachable Deity gazing down on them from a distance. Rather, He is their loving heavenly Father, who cares about them and wants to be involved in their everyday lives.
Throughout His time on earth, Christ revealed by example what this kind of love relationship was like. He depended completely on His Father for daily direction, power, and provision and obediently carried out every instruction. He often left the demands of ministry just to find a secluded place to be alone with Jehovah. We know Jesus successfully conveyed the riches of this relationship to His disciples, because in John 14:8, Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father"�he wanted to know Him the way Christ did.
Do you long for that kind of intimacy with God? He wants to relate to you as a Father to His child, and He's given you the privilege of drawing near to Him. In fact, He chose you before the foundation of the world and waits with open arms for you to enter His loving embrace.
Gratitude in Affliction
Psalms 119:65-72
At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God's blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn't seem like a blessing�such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks. By making four foundational decisions, we can begin to see the value of our adversities and respond with appreciation.
Believe and trust the Lord. Only by viewing life from a scriptural perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.
Accept the situation as coming from God�either directly sent or permissively allowed. If we truly believe He's working for our good (Rom 8:28-29), we can choose to receive each difficulty as coming from His loving hand. Then we can say "Thank You."
Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God "[is] good and does good" (v. 68) allows us to confidently place our lives under His authority.
Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.
Now, think about that circumstance you would like changed, and with a new mindset, offer this prayer to God: "Lord, I accept this situation as coming from You. In faith and trust, I place myself under Your loving authority, and draw from You the strength I need to endure with gratitude."
He Loves to Be with the Ones He Lovesby Max Lucado
Holiday travel. It isn�t easy. Then why do we do it? Why cram the trunks and endure the airports? You know the answer. We love to be with the ones we love.
The four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of Grandpa.
The cup of coffee with Mom before the rest of the house awakes.
That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie.
We love to be with the ones we love.
May I remind you? So does God. He loves to be with the ones he loves. How else do you explain what he did? Between him and us there was a distance�a great span. And he couldn�t bear it. He couldn�t stand it. So he did something about it.
Before coming to the earth, �Christ himself was like God in every-thing.� But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant� (Phil. 2:6�7 NCV).
Why? Why did Jesus travel so far?
I was asking myself that question when I spotted the squirrels outside my window. A family of black-tailed squirrels has made its home amid the roots of the tree north of my office. We�ve been neighbors for three years now. They watch me peck the keyboard. I watch them store their nuts and climb the trunk. We�re mutually amused. I could watch them all day. Sometimes I do.
Grace to Keep Going
Acts 15:7-11
As believers, we readily attribute our salvation to God�s grace, but what does �this grace in which we stand� mean to us now (Rom. 5:2)? How does it work out in everyday life, especially when we�re going through periods of trial or suffering?
Difficulties in life are unavoidable. So we need a daily dose of God�s grace if we are to walk through trials with confidence that there is great reward on the other side. If we rely on our own strength, however, obstacles will appear insurmountable, leaving us discouraged and ready to give up.
Too often believers rely on Christ for their salvation but then try to go solo. If God�s grace was needed to save us, then logic says we would also need it for the rest of our days. Only through a continuous infusion of His sustaining power can we live a victorious Christian life.
Peacemakers
�Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.� (Matthew 5:9)
In this seventh (out of nine) of the Beatitudes with which Christ began His Sermon on the Mount occurs the first mention in the New Testament of the important word �peace.�
But how can one be a peacemaker? Note that Christ did not say: �Blessed are the pacifists.� There are many today who talk about peace, but how does one make peace?
The answer lies in the example of Christ Himself. He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and He �made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself� (Colossians 1:20).
The real problem is that there can be no lasting peace between man and man as long as there is enmity between man and God. �Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ� (Romans 5:1). �And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ� (2 Corinthians 5:18).
With that problem settled, we are now in a position to become true peacemakers, for we also can lead others to God through Jesus Christ. He �hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we . . . pray you in Christ�s stead, be ye reconciled to God� (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
God is called by a variety of names in the Bible, and each one sheds light on an aspect of His nature. Jesus' favorite title for Him was Father. Surprisingly, this name for God is used only 15 times in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, it's recorded 245 times!
Throughout His time on earth, Christ revealed by example what this kind of love relationship was like. He depended completely on His Father for daily direction, power, and provision and obediently carried out every instruction. He often left the demands of ministry just to find a secluded place to be alone with Jehovah. We know Jesus successfully conveyed the riches of this relationship to His disciples, because in John 14:8, Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father"�he wanted to know Him the way Christ did.
Do you long for that kind of intimacy with God? He wants to relate to you as a Father to His child, and He's given you the privilege of drawing near to Him. In fact, He chose you before the foundation of the world and waits with open arms for you to enter His loving embrace.
Gratitude in Affliction
Psalms 119:65-72
At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God's blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn't seem like a blessing�such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks. By making four foundational decisions, we can begin to see the value of our adversities and respond with appreciation.
Believe and trust the Lord. Only by viewing life from a scriptural perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.
Accept the situation as coming from God�either directly sent or permissively allowed. If we truly believe He's working for our good (Rom 8:28-29), we can choose to receive each difficulty as coming from His loving hand. Then we can say "Thank You."
Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God "[is] good and does good" (v. 68) allows us to confidently place our lives under His authority.
Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.
Now, think about that circumstance you would like changed, and with a new mindset, offer this prayer to God: "Lord, I accept this situation as coming from You. In faith and trust, I place myself under Your loving authority, and draw from You the strength I need to endure with gratitude."
He Loves to Be with the Ones He Lovesby Max Lucado
Holiday travel. It isn�t easy. Then why do we do it? Why cram the trunks and endure the airports? You know the answer. We love to be with the ones we love.
The four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of Grandpa.
The cup of coffee with Mom before the rest of the house awakes.
That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie.
We love to be with the ones we love.
May I remind you? So does God. He loves to be with the ones he loves. How else do you explain what he did? Between him and us there was a distance�a great span. And he couldn�t bear it. He couldn�t stand it. So he did something about it.
Before coming to the earth, �Christ himself was like God in every-thing.� But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant� (Phil. 2:6�7 NCV).
Why? Why did Jesus travel so far?
I was asking myself that question when I spotted the squirrels outside my window. A family of black-tailed squirrels has made its home amid the roots of the tree north of my office. We�ve been neighbors for three years now. They watch me peck the keyboard. I watch them store their nuts and climb the trunk. We�re mutually amused. I could watch them all day. Sometimes I do.
Grace to Keep Going
Acts 15:7-11
As believers, we readily attribute our salvation to God�s grace, but what does �this grace in which we stand� mean to us now (Rom. 5:2)? How does it work out in everyday life, especially when we�re going through periods of trial or suffering?
Difficulties in life are unavoidable. So we need a daily dose of God�s grace if we are to walk through trials with confidence that there is great reward on the other side. If we rely on our own strength, however, obstacles will appear insurmountable, leaving us discouraged and ready to give up.
Too often believers rely on Christ for their salvation but then try to go solo. If God�s grace was needed to save us, then logic says we would also need it for the rest of our days. Only through a continuous infusion of His sustaining power can we live a victorious Christian life.
Peacemakers
�Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.� (Matthew 5:9)
In this seventh (out of nine) of the Beatitudes with which Christ began His Sermon on the Mount occurs the first mention in the New Testament of the important word �peace.�
But how can one be a peacemaker? Note that Christ did not say: �Blessed are the pacifists.� There are many today who talk about peace, but how does one make peace?
The answer lies in the example of Christ Himself. He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and He �made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself� (Colossians 1:20).
The real problem is that there can be no lasting peace between man and man as long as there is enmity between man and God. �Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ� (Romans 5:1). �And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ� (2 Corinthians 5:18).
With that problem settled, we are now in a position to become true peacemakers, for we also can lead others to God through Jesus Christ. He �hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we . . . pray you in Christ�s stead, be ye reconciled to God� (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.