You Were Made for God

“For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” (1 Samuel 12:22)

The name of God often refers to his reputation, his fame, his renown. This is the way we use the word “name” when we say someone is making a name for himself. Or we sometimes say, that’s a “name” brand. We mean a brand with a big reputation. This is what I think Samuel means in 1 Samuel 12:22 when he says that God made Israel a people “for himself” and that he would not cast Israel off “for his great name’s sake.”

This way of thinking about God’s zeal for his name is confirmed in many other passages. 

For example, in Jeremiah 13:11 God describes Israel as a waistcloth, or belt, with which God chose to highlight his glory, even though there were times when Israel was temporarily unfit. “For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.” Why was Israel chosen and made the garment of God? That it might be a “name, a praise, and a glory.” 

The words “praise” and “glory” in this context tell us that “name” means “fame” or “renown” or “reputation.” God chose Israel so that the people would make a reputation for him. God says in Isaiah 43:21 that Israel is “the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” 

And when the church came to see itself in the New Testament as the true Israel, Peter described God’s purpose for us like this: “You are a chosen race . . . that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

In other words, Israel and the church are chosen by God to make a name for him in the world. This is why we pray first and foremost, “Hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). This is why we pray, “Lead us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake” (see Psalm 23:3).

When we speak of being a God-centered people, remember, this is because we are joining God in his God-centeredness. And on this side of the cross, that means being a Christ-dependent, Christ-exalting people. “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

VICTORY IS IN OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY APRIL 26, 2021

SUBJECT: VICTORY IS IN OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH!

Memory verse: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Revelation 12 vs 11.)

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 12 - 14:

6:12: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

6:13: I urge you in the sight of God who gives life in all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,

6:14: That you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,

INTIMATION:

In confessing the good confession of faith lies the victory of the believer. Your confession is your possession. It is obvious that the lack of faithful confessions by believers is a major problem for many. The good fight of faith lies in the confession the believer makes. This is the battle of believers as directed by the apostle Paul in the passage we read; "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (vs 12.)

The good fight of faith is a battle that has been won a long time ago, in which you do nothing but acknowledge the defeat of your enemy and your own victory in Christ. The fight of faith is not a struggle on your part. It is a recognition and a confession on our part of victory that we and Christ won over the adversary in that great substitutionary battle that took place before He arose from the dead.

The apostle Paul was comparing Timothy's own confession of faith with that of Jesus before Pilate. Looking at the Master, Jesus, we can see that the secret of His victory lay in His continual confession. For instance, He held fast to His confession, even at the point of death: “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a King then?” Jesus answered, You say rightly that I am a King. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18 vs 36 - 37.)

Now as conquerors, our memory verse reminds us that we are overcomers, and our victory is hinged on the blood of the Lamb, and the words of our testimony.  The critical blow to Satan came when the Lamb, Jesus Christ, shed His blood for our sins. The victory is won by sacrifice—Christ's death in our place to pay the penalty for our sins. The believers victory is established once he holds on to the good confession of faith in Christ Jesus and His works in redemption for us.

We are in the realm of victory in Christ Jesus, as we have moved out of the realm of weakness, and you can say, "I am more than a conqueror, for I am complete in Him who is the head of all principality and powers (Colossians 2 vs 10.) 

As a believer, you were crucified with Him. You were buried with Him. You were raised with Him. We conquered the enemy with Him. Now with faith planted solidly upon this foundation, you face your enemy without fear. You dare to say "I am the righteousness of God in Christ." Just as Jesus dared to say, "I am the vine, and you are the branches"; "I am the light of the world"; you say, "I am what He says I am." More than even that you can say, "I can do what He says I can do." 

You see, you are united with Him. He is the Vine and you are a branch. You grew out of Him. You were created in Him. Don't forget your perfect union with Him. Our oneness with Christ is the source of our ultimate strength. We are recreated in Him, and have a perfect union with Him: “For if we have been untied together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6 vs 5 - 6.)

As a believer and conqueror, you should be conscious of your legal right to what Jesus Christ  wrought for you in redemption which is wrapped up in His wonderful Name (John 14 vs 13 - 14). The use of His Name is making a demand. That is demanding the forces of darkness to be broken over the lives of men. You are acting in the place of the Master now. The use of Name unsheathes the sword of the spirit, the Living Word, and in your lips that Living Word becomes a dominating force as it was in the lips of the Master.

Prayer: Abba Father, greater is Christ that is in me than the ruler of this world. I am one with Christ, and I can do all things through Him that strengthens me. Engrace me with the power of good confession of faith to overcome my adversaries, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Paul’s Salvation Was for You

Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. . . . I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:13–14, 16) 

Paul’s conversion was for your sake. Did you hear that? Here it is again: “I received mercy for this reason, that Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” That’s us — you and me. 

I hope you will hear this very personally. God had you in view when he chose Paul and saved him by sovereign grace just the way he did.

If you believe on Jesus for eternal life — or if you may yet believe on him for eternal life — Paul’s conversion is for your sake. The point of his conversion happening the way it did is to make Christ’s incredible patience vivid for you. 

Remember that Paul’s pre-conversion life was a long, long trial to Jesus. “Why are you persecuting me?” Jesus asked on the Damascus road (Acts 9:4). “Your life of unbelief and rebellion is a persecution of me!” And yet Paul tells us in Galatians 1:15 that he had been set apart by God for his apostleship since before he was born. That’s amazing. It means that all his life up to the point of his conversion was one long abuse of God, and one long rejection and mockery of Jesus — who had chosen him to be an apostle before he was born.

That is why Paul says his conversion is a brilliant demonstration of Jesus’s patience. And that is what he offers us today.

It was for our sake that Jesus saved Paul when and how he did. To “display his perfect patience” to us (1 Timothy 1:16). Lest we lose heart. Lest we think he could not really save us. Lest we think he is prone to anger. Lest we think we have gone too far away. Lest we think our dearest one cannot be converted — suddenly, unexpectedly, by the sovereign, overflowing grace of Jesus.

THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISE OF PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY APRIL 25, 2021.

SUBJECT: THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISE OF PRAYER!

Memory verse: “For bodily exercise profits little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that is now, and of that which is to come.” (First Timothy 4 vs 8.)

READ: First Timothy 4 vs 7 vs 8:

4:7: But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

4:8: For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

INTIMATION:

Many spiritual functions parallel physical functions. As our bodies need exercising physically, so our souls. Our spiritual exercise is through prayer, and is very profitable to our spiritual lives. It helps us stand perfect and complete as it changes things in our favor before the Lord. In our society much emphasis is placed on physical fitness, but spiritual health is even more important. Our physical health is susceptible to disease and injury, but faith, through our spiritual exercise, which results into godliness, can sustain us through any tragedy and to eternity.

 Also, as our bodies hunger and thirst, so do our souls. Our souls need spiritual nourishments. We would not think of depriving our bodies of food and water when they hunger or thirst, lest we are weakened, and this might result to death after a time. If our physical bodies need food and water to stay strong and alive, our souls also needs spiritual nourishments to stay alive and active. Spiritual exercise of prayer in the Living Word—Jesus Christ, and the written Word—the Bible, can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls.

Therefore, we should concentrate more on exercising the soul unto godly health than on the physical body. Godly health profits one not only in this life, but also in the life to come. Those who focus continually on the flesh, have turned their thinking inward to themselves, and not on that which will dwell throughout eternity. 

Through the spiritual exercise of prayer your spirit is contacting the Father through the Holy Spirit. Also, your spirit is reaching other human spirits through the Father. Through prayer your spirit connects to the spirit of other believers, and consequently, the Body of Christ is strengthened. In First Corinthians 5 vs 4, the apostle Paul enumerated this revelation in relation to prayer when he said, "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He told the church that when they are gathered in their prayer meetings, he will be with them, and so also will the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ are present with them in the spirit. 

It is in the realm of the recreated spirit that we become utterly one with Jesus. Therefore, in our spiritual exercise in prayer we become so utterly ruled and governed by the Word and the Holy Spirit that we become Masters of demons and of their works. In prayer we are cooperating with Lord. And through us, God is ruling the demons and evil forces all over the world. We are workers with Jesus through our prayer life as we enter the Holy Priesthood in our prayer life (Revelation 5 vs 10). We can be God's voice, His spokesman, His ambassador, His under-ruler in Jesus' Name through the Word in your lips. Our prayers bring the very presence of God upon men in any part of the world.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for privilege of being Your co-worker through the spiritual exercise of prayer. The Word on my lips in prayers is the same as the Word on the lips of Christ. Your very life flows through our lips in prayer. Endue me with the spirit of praying without ceasing, that I may be in your presence and partnering with You at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Liberating Power of Forgiveness

“Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48)

A woman comes to Jesus in a Pharisee’s house weeping and washing his feet. No doubt she felt shame as the eyes of Simon communicated to everyone present that this woman was a sinner and that Jesus had no business letting her touch him.

Indeed, she was a sinner. There was a place for true shame. But not for too long.

Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). And when the guests murmured about this, he strengthened her faith by saying, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:50).

How did Jesus help her battle the crippling effects of shame? He gave her a promise: “Your sins have been forgiven! Your faith has saved you. Your future will be one of peace.” He declared that past pardon would now yield future peace.

So, the issue for her was faith in God’s future grace, rooted in the authority of Jesus’s forgiving work and freeing word. That is the way every one of us must battle the effects of well-placed shame — not false shame, but shame that we really should feel, but shame that threatens to linger too long and cripple us.

We must battle the unbelief of crippling shame by taking hold of the promises of future grace and peace that come through the forgiveness of our shameful acts.

“With you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:4)

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6–7)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

All of us need forgiveness. And we will need it tomorrow. Jesus died to provide it today and tomorrow. Today or tomorrow the reality is this: God’s forgiveness liberates us for our future. It frees us from crippling shame. Forgiveness is full of future grace.

When we live by faith in future grace, rooted in God’s forgiveness, we are freed from the lingering, paralyzing effects even of the shame we deserve to feel. That’s what forgiveness means.

ENEMIES OF PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY APRIL 24, 2021.

SUBJECT: ENEMIES OF PRAYER!

Memory verse: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me. Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Hosea 4 vs 6.)

READ: Luke 6 vs 46 - 49:

6:46: “But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? 

6:47: Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 

6:48: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against the house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 

6:49: But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin on the house was great."

INTIMATION:

There are known enemies of prayer. Some of these enemies are very dear 'friends.' We have associated with them for many years, and it will be hard for us to give them up.

One of them is a desire to read about the Bible and about prayer rather than to study the Word, meditate on it, and fit ourselves for the highest known and holiest of all vocations. In my considered opinion, it is more than a vocation, it is a privilege, and the rarest of all privileges that have been given to us in grace. Reading the Bible as if you are reading a letter or newspaper will never make you get the imbedded knowledge in the Word. But when you study and meditate on the Word, the Holy Spirit will help to reveal the truth to you in the Word. And until you do, you will never have a prayer life beyond the baby experience.

Another enemy is ignorance of what "Believing" is. The word "Believe" is a verb. It is an action word -- it means to act upon the Word. Therefore, believing the Word is simply acting on it. We act upon it as we act upon the word of your government on taxes. Act on it the way you expect your children to act on your word of right morals to them. When Jesus says, "If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you," (John 15 vs 7), you simply act on the word. There is no believing without acting, and believing means having possession. You possess what the Word has promised.

For instance, here is a statement of fact: 

"Surely He has born my sicknesses and carried my pains and I have come to esteem Him as the one stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." You don’t just give a mental assent to it, rather, you act on the Word, you speak it out to yourself and others, as if you are the only person Jesus is talking to. You claim it as your word, and eat it as if you are eating your favorite meal. Declare it all the time. If you fail to speak and act on the Word, you are self-deceived.  The Believer is a "doer  of the Word and not a hearer only." 

In the passage we read today, Jesus gave a description of such persons who are doers of the Word. The doer was the one who dug deep, went down to the rock and built his house therein. The Mental Assenter built on sand.

Another enemy is praying for faith. It is a delusion to pray for faith or more faith. You can never get it. I have never heard of anyone getting more faith or having their faith increased by praying for it. Why is it so? Because the prayer for faith is a prayer based on unbelief. If unbelief were not your master, you wouldn't need faith. Praying for faith is because you are in doubt of the Father, His integrity and His Word, hence you are praying for faith to believe Him. It is an absolute proof that you will not get it, and that you are insulting the Father by doing it. 

So, when you pray for faith you are insulting the author of the Word. You don't intend to, but you are doing that. This is the same as acting on the Word and still not believing on the efficacy of the Word. For instance, when you are divinely healed, you will not confess it because you still want to wait a while to confirm it is done.

Another enemy of prayer is our dependence on other people's faith. We become unconsciously, spiritual hitchhikers. To everyone God has given a measure of faith; that faith came when you received the Father's nature. That nature is a faith nature. As soon as it came into you and you became His child, you began to develop that faith. Just as you develop your mental strength by certain mental exercises, and develop your physical strength by certain physical exercises, now you are developing your faith by feeding on the Word. (Romans 10 vs 17).

Our Father did give us a measure of faith because He knows that without it, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11 vs 6). If you have no faith you cannot please Him, even with somebody's faith posturing for you. Your faith is built up when you begin to live in the Word, you are acting on the Word, and taking advantage of your privileges in Christ.

Prayer: Abba Father, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble, because it gives light and understanding. Blot out, Oh Lord, any form of unbelief in my heart, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

I

Seek Your City’s Good

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. . . . But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:4–5, 7)

If that was true for God’s exiles in Babylon, it would seem to be even more true for Christian exiles in this very “Babylon-like” world. What, then, shall we do?

We should do the ordinary things that need to be done: build houses; live in them; plant gardens. This does not contaminate you if you do it all for the real King and not just for eye service as men-pleasers.

Seek the welfare of the place where God has sent you. Think of yourself as sent there by God for his glory. Because you are.

Pray to the Lord on behalf of your city. Ask for great and good things to happen for the city. Ask that they happen by God’s power and for his glory. Never lose sight of the ultimate good that the city needs a thousand times more than it needs material prosperity. Christians care about all suffering — especially eternal suffering. That’s the greatest danger every city faces.

But neither God nor his people are indifferent to the health and safety and prosperity and freedom of the city. We all want these things, and Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). In fact, the Lord says in Jeremiah that loving your city is a way of loving yourself: “In its welfare you will find your welfare.”

This does not mean we give up our exile orientation. Peter says that Christians are “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11) and Paul says “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). In fact, we will do most good for this world by keeping a steadfast freedom from its beguiling attractions. We will serve our city best by getting our values from “the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). We will do our city most good by calling as many of its citizens as we can to be citizens of “the Jerusalem above” (Galatians 4:26).

So, let’s live — let’s do so much good (1 Peter 2:12) — that the natives will want to meet our King.