Nestled in the middle of verses 11 and 12 in the 6th chapter of Deuteronomy are a set of simple words that are as alive and prophetic as when they were written those thousands of years ago.
"...when you have eaten and are full - then beware, lest you forget the Lord..."
I say, as believers since that time have said, forgive me, Lord, for forgetting the giver of all the blessings of my life. Forgive me, Lord, for taking, in any way, credit for my sustenance and accomplishments, all of which You have graciously provided and made possible.
In Numbers 20, we see Moses, if for just a moment, take credit away from God and he is not allowed into the Promised Land. God expected more out of Moses and He expects more out of you and I. As I look back on my life, not only have I made decisions that have cost me, but I have taken credit away from God at times and claimed it for myself and, repeatedly the action has kept me from a "Promised Land" with which God was about to Bless me.
I thank God for sanctification. My repentance is quicker to come now as my humility is more pronounced and His forgiveness is fresh every day. I used to try and change on my own and I was terribly unsuccessful, now I ask God to change my heart and He is doing a work in my life! I fully expect to fail at times, as we all will, but I know He is there, when I "remember" Him, to continue His work towards that day of perfection He has written for me in The Lambs Book of Life.
"But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is it's light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there), and they shall bring glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." Rev. 21:22-27.
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Now, How Shall We Live?
As the elect of Almighty God, how are we to act? How do we change our approach to life in response to the election and gift of salvation we have been given in the life and sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
First, let's look at the groundwork that provided our opportunity to become children of God.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:3-6
"For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.' Now when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." Acts 13:47, 48,
"He was in the world, and world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:10-13
"...he prophesied that Jesus would die for the the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad." John 11:51,52
So, as God called us to be His children through faith in Jesus Christ, the only perfect life ever and our Savior through His sacrifice on the Cross, where He took on our sins (past, present and future), it becomes obvious that our life should be lived as He lived His.
"You have heard that it was aid, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say (Jesus) to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven..." Matthew 5:44,45
In the fifth chapter of Matthew, Jesus lays out the perfect life, knowing full well we are incapable of living it as He did. Throughout the New Testament, Christ shows us and tells us how God wants us to be as His children. So, did God call us and provide us a way unto salvation just to set us up for failure?
Of course not, that is why His forgiveness is never ending in the face of our repentance. His word says He separates us from our sin as far as the East is from the West. He also knows we are a work in progress and has, upon our placing our faith in Jesus, given us His Spirit and power. This is a gift that is more than sufficient for our new life, but we must learn to use it and rely on Him and not ourselves.
"...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19
When first reading this verse, I asked myself what the "fullness of God" could be. I know that the Holy Spirit will teach us and guide us when we recognize His instruction, but then another verse came to my mind and, to me, it was at least one example of the fullness of God.
In Romans 8:26,27, Paul tells us of yet another provision God has made for our walk as children of the Most High, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
Is that not wonderful! Jesus told us that all we have to do is ask in His name and, if it is within the will of God, it will be granted (John 14:13,14). And here we find that our human inadequacies are even covered in our prayer life by God's gift of the Holy Spirit.
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." Romans 8:16,17
It is our task to give up the way we used to think and the way we used to do things and submit totally to Gods direction and path for our life. I Corinthians 10:13 is a promise to live by....."No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
So, I say, let us give up and get on with His plan!
First, let's look at the groundwork that provided our opportunity to become children of God.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:3-6
"For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.' Now when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." Acts 13:47, 48,
"He was in the world, and world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:10-13
"...he prophesied that Jesus would die for the the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad." John 11:51,52
So, as God called us to be His children through faith in Jesus Christ, the only perfect life ever and our Savior through His sacrifice on the Cross, where He took on our sins (past, present and future), it becomes obvious that our life should be lived as He lived His.
"You have heard that it was aid, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say (Jesus) to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven..." Matthew 5:44,45
In the fifth chapter of Matthew, Jesus lays out the perfect life, knowing full well we are incapable of living it as He did. Throughout the New Testament, Christ shows us and tells us how God wants us to be as His children. So, did God call us and provide us a way unto salvation just to set us up for failure?
Of course not, that is why His forgiveness is never ending in the face of our repentance. His word says He separates us from our sin as far as the East is from the West. He also knows we are a work in progress and has, upon our placing our faith in Jesus, given us His Spirit and power. This is a gift that is more than sufficient for our new life, but we must learn to use it and rely on Him and not ourselves.
"...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19
When first reading this verse, I asked myself what the "fullness of God" could be. I know that the Holy Spirit will teach us and guide us when we recognize His instruction, but then another verse came to my mind and, to me, it was at least one example of the fullness of God.
In Romans 8:26,27, Paul tells us of yet another provision God has made for our walk as children of the Most High, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
Is that not wonderful! Jesus told us that all we have to do is ask in His name and, if it is within the will of God, it will be granted (John 14:13,14). And here we find that our human inadequacies are even covered in our prayer life by God's gift of the Holy Spirit.
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." Romans 8:16,17
It is our task to give up the way we used to think and the way we used to do things and submit totally to Gods direction and path for our life. I Corinthians 10:13 is a promise to live by....."No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5,6
So, I say, let us give up and get on with His plan!
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