Category: encouragement

Forgiven and Ordained to Grace Livin’

Monday, June 20, 2011

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14 KJV).

Is Paul’s Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) a license to sin? No. According to today’s Scripture, grace teaches us NOT to sin. If we have trusted exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we are “new creatures in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are no longer in Adam; we are saints in Christ. So, grace demands that our daily living reflect our new identity:

  • live “soberly” — let your mind be transformed by the sound doctrine found in God’s Word rightly divided (Romans 12:1,2; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:10).
  • live “righteously” — allow the indwelling Holy Spirit fulfill the law in you (Romans 7:5,6; Romans 8:4; Ephesians 5:9).
  • live “godly” — permit God/Christ live His life in and through you (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21; Colossians 3:2).

Christ has “redeemed us” (bought us back) from our identity in Adam and the sins of the flesh (today’s Scripture) because He died for our sins, and was raised again for our justification (1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 4:25).

In Christ, we are ordained (appointed) to good works: “For we are his [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Grace living is not you living the Christian life, but you letting Christ live His life in you!

According to today’s Scripture, while allowing grace to teach us how to live in this present world, we should also be looking for our catching away (rapture) to meet the Lord in the air. What a glorious day that will be!

Saints, rejoice. You have been forgiven and ordained to grace livin’!

[Dedicated to C.N.]

Casting All Your Care Upon Him

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7 KJV).

The Apostle Peter uses today’s Scripture to encourage the little flock to endure the extreme hardship and persecution of Israel’s seven-year Tribulation. We too should “cast all our care upon [God].” Notice other verses that utilize that Greek word translated “care.”

Paul expressed his “care” (concern) for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28). The Bible speaks of “caring” for the Christian brethren (1 Corinthians 12:25). Philippians 2:20 affirms Timothy “cared” for the Philippians’ wellbeing.

In Luke 10, Jesus visited the home of Martha and her sister Mary. While Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him speak, Martha was “cumbered [distracted] about much serving” (verse 40). Martha besought Jesus to command Mary to help her serve. Notice Jesus’ reply: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (verses 41,42). “Martha, relax!”

Being “careful” means worried, distracted, and troubled in mind. Two of the best verses in regards to Pauline prayer are Philippians 4:6,7: “Be careful for nothing: but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

God does not want us worrying (“careful,” full of care). He wants us to talk to Him in prayer about the details of our lives in light of His Word. If we want peace in our Christian life, we need to daily practice Philippians 4:6,7. This is easier said than done, I know.

Grace teaches us not to worry because, regardless of our circumstances, we have “the peace of God which passeth all understanding.” God will “keep [guard] our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Saints, relax, ye have the peace of God!

May we learn “to cast all our care [worry] upon him!”

Obey God or Men?

Saturday, June 11, 2011

“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29 KJV).

What would you do if your government threatened to imprison or execute you for your refusal to deny the Lord Jesus Christ? Notice what the saints of old did when faced with such a predicament.

Israel’s religious leaders commanded the Apostles Peter and John to stop preaching in the name of Jesus Christ, yet the apostles continued preaching (Acts 4:18-19)! Peter and John were eventually arrested and imprisoned, but God miraculously released them from the jail (Acts 5:17-19).

Now, in the context of today’s Scripture, Peter and John have been recaptured. The high priest asked (Acts 5:28): “Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?” The apostles’ response is today’s Scripture: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” After the apostles were beaten, they were released, yet they went right back to teaching and preaching Jesus Christ again (verses 40-42)!

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to bow down and worship a golden image. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, Jewish believers in JEHOVAH God, refused to worship the silly idol, even after Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw them into a fiery furnace (verses 13-18). Miraculously, they were unharmed inside the furnace (verses 24-28)!

Later on, Daniel’s enemies manipulated King Darius to decree a law that no man should petition any God or man, other than petitioning Darius, for thirty days. The punishment for doing so was being cast into a lions’ den. Daniel, having full knowledge of that law, still prayed to JEHOVAH God, three times a day (Daniel 6:10). Finally, Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den. The Bible says, “So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God” (verse 23).

And so, we follow the ensample of the saints of old. Even when faced with the threat of imprisonment or execution, “we ought to obey God rather than men!”

Endure Hardness, Christian Soldier!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3 KJV).

Whether we realize it or not, a battle is being fought today. Satan, the archenemy of God, is fighting against God’s purpose and program for the heaven and the earth. This battle between good and evil has been underway for 6,000 years now.

In Matthew 12:30, the Lord Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Today, we are either on God’s side, or we are on Satan’s side. There is absolutely NO neutral ground!

If we have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are on God’s side, so Satan seeks to discourage or destroy us. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 6:11,12: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Satan attempts to prevent God’s will from being fulfilled, so he has devised many “wiles,” schemes that he utilizes to attack us Christians. One of Satan’s most effective wiles is persecution (see today’s Scripture). Satan’s goal is to intimidate us into silence. This world is no friend of Christians because it has never been the friend of God. The Lord Jesus told His Jewish disciples, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18).

The whole world is against us Christians because our world is against God. Satan, the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4), governs our evil world system. “Evil men,” especially most religious leaders, are cooperating with Satan’s policy of evil (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Even some “Christian” pastors and theologians will oppose us when we teach and preach God’s Word!

Regardless of what “hardness” you may endure as a Christian soldier, remember, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).