UNDERSTANDING THE GRACE OF GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MARCH 15, 2023.

SUBJECT: UNDERSTANDING THE GRACE OF GOD! 

Memory verse: "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (First Corinthians 15 vs 10.)

READ: Ephesians 2 vs 4 - 10:

2:4: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

2:5: even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

2:6: and raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

2:7: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, 

2:9: not of works, lest anyone should boast.

2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

INTIMATION:

The dictionary definition of grace is; beauty, kindness, good-will, mercy, reprieve, and pardon. God's grace will then be His beauty; kindness; good-will; mercy; reprieve; and pardon for sinful humanity. These attributes of God are freely, and undeservedly given to sinful humanity. Grace therefore, is the free, and unmerited power of God available to sinful humanity to meet our needs without any costs to us. it is received by believing rather than through any human efforts. The simple and uncomplicated nature of God's grace, and being a free gift, make many people to miss it. 

There is nothing more powerful than grace. In fact, everything in the Bible—salvation, the infilling of the Holy Spirit, fellowship with God and victory in our daily lives are all based upon the grace of God. Without grace, we are nothing, we have nothing, and can do nothing. In fact, we would all be miserable and hopeless. Everything we are and do and have is by the grace of God. We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. We become Christians through God’s unmerited grace, not as a result of any effort, quality, intelligent choice, or act of service on our part. The writer of Hebrews tells us that our works were prepared for us by God and finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4 vs 3).

Revelation and understanding of the grace of God starts with the understanding the Word of God. The Word of God could be frustrating when we try to work the Word rather than the Word work in us. The most frustrating aspect of the Word of God is that it keeps convicting most believers. Incidentally this is what the Word should do to us. But how do we take and handle the conviction?

As the Word would convict us of our wrong doings, we turn completely to our Lord for the grace to change. The devil would take that thing (conviction) that was intended for our good and would begin to beat us over the head with it as condemnation. We would look in the Word and see our need to change, but we didn't know anything about the grace of God to bring about that change in us. We don't know how to allow the Spirit of the Lord come into our lives and cause the things to happen that needed to happen as we believed Him and exercised our faith. We thought we have to do it all by our own power.

The problem here is that most believers don't understand the difference between conviction and condemnation. When the Word convicts you in one thing or the other (which it ought to do), turn to God completely to accomplish the change you desire through His grace (unmerited favor). Do not get frustrated when the devil will come to minister condemnation (which it ought to) because it is his mission (John 10 vs 10). We cannot suffer condemnation because Jesus Christ has already justified us as believers: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8 vs 1.)

When you try to change yourself; trying to make yourself be everything the Word said you are supposed to be, you get frustrated because you cannot do it by your heart will-power, but only000 by the grace of God. You have to submit yourself to the list to Lord and wait patiently on Him to accomplish all He planned for you. Trying to do something about something you can't do anything about is frustrating. It takes the grace of God to change to what the Word wants you to be. It is not automatic but gradual; being changed from glory to glory (Second Corinthians 3 vs 18). When convicted by the Word, allow God (trust and surrender yourself to Him) to walk His perfect Will in your life.

The psalmist in Psalm 139 vs 13 - 16 clearly states in those verses that God chose us and laid out our life work for us before we were born, before the world was even created. That is why we must not trust our own abilities, and initiatives because cut off from vital union with Him we can do nothing (John 15 vs 5).

We should start each day by saying, "Here I am, Lord, ready for whatever You have for me to do. I empty myself, as much as I know how, to allow Your grace to flow in my life, to cause me to be able to do whatever it is that You desire for me. I cast myself totally upon You. I can be only what You allow me to be, I can have only what You will for me to have, I can do only what You empower me to do, and each victory is to Your glory, not mine."

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for Your manifold gift of grace to me. In You I live, and move, and have my being. Engrace me to have only what You will for me to have, I can do only what You empower me to do, and each victory is to Your glory, not mine," in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Triumph Is Sure

 

Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. (Isaiah 25:3)

Isaiah sees the day coming when all the nations — representatives from all the people groups — will no longer be at odds with Yahweh, the God of Israel and his Messiah, whom we know to be Jesus.

They will no longer worship Bel or Nebo or Molech or Allah or Buddha or utopian social programs or capitalistic growth possibilities or ancestors or animistic spirits. Instead they will come in faith to the banquet on God’s mountain.

And they will have the veil of sorrow removed and death shall be swallowed up and the reproach of God’s people will be removed and tears shall be gone forever.

That’s the setting for understanding the vision of Isaiah 25:3: “Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.” In other words, God is stronger than the “strong peoples” and he is so powerful and so gracious that in the end he will turn ruthless nations to revere him.

So the picture Isaiah gives us is one of all nations turned to God in worship, a great banquet for all the peoples, the removal of all suffering and grief and reproach from the nations, who have become his people, and the final putting away of death forever.

This triumph is sure because God is doing it. Therefore we can be certain of it.

Not one life spent in the cause of world evangelization is spent in vain. Not one prayer or one dollar or one sermon or one letter of encouragement or one little light shining in some dark place — nothing in the cause of this advancing kingdom is in vain.

The triumph is sure.

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MARCH 14, 2023.

SUBJECT: THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Memory verse: "So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,” (Second Thessalonians 1 vs 4.) 

READ: Acts 2 vs 1 - 4:

2:1 When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

2:3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

INTIMATION: 

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power of God. The Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, has appeared throughout Scripture as a Being through and by whom great works of power are made manifest. His power was first seen in the act of creation, for it was by His power the world came into being (Genesis 1 vs 1 - 2; Job 26 vs 13). 

The Holy Spirit also empowered men in the Old Testament to bring about God’s will: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power” (First Samuel 16 vs 3; see also Exodus 31 vs 2 - 5; Numbers 27 vs 18).

Although the Spirit did not permanently indwell God’s people in the Old Testament, He worked through them and gave them power to achieve things they would not have been able to accomplish on their own. All of Samson’s feats of strength are directly attributed to the Spirit coming upon him (Judges 14 vs 6, 19; 15 vs 14).

Throughout history God has revealed His power through mighty miracles over nature. He promises to continue to reveal His power. The apostle Paul urged us to understand how great God’s power is (Ephesians 1 vs 18 - 23). The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to help us with our daily problems. 

When you feel weak and limited, don’t despair. Remember that God can give you strength. The same power that control creation and raises the dead is available to you. The Holy Spirit is the manifestation of God who works in and through Christians in this dispensation of time in order to accomplish the work of God on earth through the church. 

Jesus promised the Spirit as a permanent guide, teacher, seal of salvation, and comforter for believers (John 14 vs 16 - 18). He also promised that the Holy Spirit’s power would help His followers to spread the message of the gospel around the world: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1 vs 8). The salvation of souls is a supernatural work only made possible by the Holy Spirit’s power at work in the world.

At Pentecost (Acts 2 vs 1 - 4) the Holy Spirit was made available to all who believed in Jesus. We receive the Holy Spirit (are baptized with Him) when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. The baptism of the Holy Spirit must be understood in the light of his total work in Christians: (1) The Spirit marks the beginning of the Christian experience. We cannot be Christians without His Spirit (Romans 8 vs 9); we cannot be joined to Christ without His Spirit (First Corinthians 6 vs 17); we cannot be adopted as His children without His Spirit (Romans 8 vs 14 - 17; Galatians 4 vs 6 - 7); we cannot be in the Body of Christ except by baptism in the Spirit (First Corinthians 12 vs 13).

(2) The Spirit is the power of our new lives. He begins a lifelong process of change making us more like Christ (Galatians 3 vs 3; Philippians 1 vs 6). When we receive Christ by faith, we begin an immediate personal relationship with God. The Holy Spirit works in us to help us become like Christ. 

(3) The Spirit unites the Christian community in Christ (Ephesians 2 vs 19 - 22). The Holy Spirit can be experienced by all, and he works through all (First Corinthians 12 vs 11; Ephesians 4 vs 4). The kingdom Jesus preached about was, first of all, a spiritual kingdom established in the hearts and lives of believers (Luke 17 vs 21). God’s presence and power dwell in the person of the Holy Spirit. 

The “power” the believers receive from the Holy Spirit includes courage, boldness, confidence, insight, ability, and authority. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. 

During His earthly ministry, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4 vs 1), led by the Spirit (Luke 4 vs 14), and empowered by the Spirit to perform miracles (Matthew 12 vs28). After Jesus had ascended to heaven, the Spirit equipped the apostles to perform miracles, too (Second Corinthians 2 vs 12; Acts 2 vs 43; 3 vs 1 - 7; 9 vs 39 - 41). The power of the Holy Spirit was manifest among all the believers of the early church through the dispensation of spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophesying, teaching, wisdom, and more.

Jesus had instructed His disciples to witness to people of all nations about Him (Matthew 28 vs 19 - 20). But they were told to wait first for the Holy Spirit (Luke 24 vs 49). God has important work for you to do for Him, but you must do it by the power of the Holy Spirit. We often like to get on with the job, even if it means running ahead of God. But waiting is sometimes part of God’s plan. Are you waiting and listening to God’s complete instructions, or are you running ahead of His plans? We need God’s timing and power to be truly effective.

All those who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8 vs 11). And, although some of the spiritual gifts have ceased (e.g., speaking in tongues and prophecy), the Holy Spirit still works in and through believers to accomplish His will. His power leads us, convicts us, teaches us, and equips us to do His work and spread the gospel. The Holy Spirit’s powerful indwelling is an amazing gift we should never take lightly.

PRAYER: Abba Father, thank You for the unparalleled gift of the Holy Spirit and the subsequent manifestation of His power in the lives of believers in Christ. I covet earnestly the constant leading of the Holy Spirit in my life at all times and in all things, in the Jesus’ mighty Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

GOD IS HELPING US BY MINISTER GUC

 

LAW VERSUS THE GRACE OF GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MARCH 13, 2023.

SUBJECT: THE LAW VERSUS THE GRACE OF GOD! 

Memory verse: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." (Galatians 2 vs 16.)

READ: Galatians 3 vs 10 - 13:

3:10: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, “Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”

3:11: But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident, for, “The just shall live by faith.”

3:12: Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man that does them shall live by them.”

3:13: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)

INTIMATION:

Law is defined  as a binding decree; a universal principle; governing authority; rule of action established. God gave the Israelites His governing laws through Moses. These laws, and governing principles, and associated blessings, and curses,  are enumerated in the Book of Deuteronomy chapters 5 to 28. However, the study of Romans chapters 2 & 3 teach us that God gave the Old Testament law so that man would try to keep it, find out he couldn't, and realize his desperate need for a Savior.

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul quoted Deuteronomy 27 vs 26, to prove that, contrary to what Judaizers claimed, the law cannot justify and save—it can only condemn. Breaking even one commandment brings a person under condemnation. And because everyone has broken the commandments, everyone stands condemned. The law can do nothing to reverse the condemnation (Romans 3 vs 20 - 24). But Christ took the curse of the law upon Himself when He hung on the cross. He did this so we wouldn’t have to bear our own punishment. The only condition is that we accept Christ’s death on our behalf as the means to be saved (Colossians 1 vs 20 - 23).

Our problem mostly is our trying to observe, and keep the law by our human efforts. In so doing we are unconsciously putting ourselves under the curse of the law. We take the good thing of the Word of God and make a law out of it. We see all that are in the Word as something we have to accomplish rather than seeing them as promises God would fulfill in us as we trusted Him and waited for His victory. 

Any time we put ourselves under the law, we are setting ourselves up for misery, and frustration. This is because the law has the ability to do one of two things: If we follow it properly, it can make us holy. But since no human being can do that, the second thing the law can do is to actually increase sin, which leads to destruction, and hence our desperate need for a Savior. 

How does that happen? We hear or read the law and conclude, "If I don't follow the law, I am going to lose my salvation" or "God won't love me if I don't behave properly, He won't love me if I am not good." We then begin to look at the Word totally opposite from the way God wants us to see it. All He wants us to do is to face the truth and say, "Yes, Lord, You're absolutely right. I need to do that. I need to change, but I can't change myself. Your Word is truth, and my life is not matching up to it. Your Word has become a mirror to me. In it I can see that I am wrong in this area, and I am sorry. I ask You to forgive me and change me by Your power and Your grace."

Most believers don't know how to do that. They don't know anything about the power of God and the grace of God. All they do is trying—trying to be good, trying to do everything that the Word said that should be done, trying to submit, trying to be more generous, trying to be holy, trying to operate in the fruit of the Spirit, trying to pray more, trying to read the Bible more, trying to understand the Bible more when we did read it, trying to be a better person, on and on.

Trying to be right with God by our own effort doesn’t work. Good intentions such as “I will do better next time” or “ I will never do that again” usually end in failure. The apostle Paul points to Habakkuk’s declaration, “...The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2 vs 4), that by trusting God—believing in His provision for our sins and living each day in His power—we can break this cycle of failure. 

According to Galatians 3 vs 10, we are frustrated—disappointed and actually being destroyed—because we were trying to live by a law that was totally impossible for us to keep, trying to obtain a goal and fulfill a desire that was beyond our ability. It is a vicious cycle, one that can be broken only by a proper understanding of the grace of God which is our only remedy.

Though the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good (Romans 7 vs 12), it can never make us acceptable to God. But it still has an important role to play in the life of a Christian. The law (1) guards us from sin by giving us standards for behavior, (2) convicts us of sin, leaving us that opportunity to ask God’s forgiveness, and (3) drives us to trust in the sufficiency of Christ, because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly. The law cannot possibly save us. But after we become Christians, it can guide us to live as God requires.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to live according to Your precepts for by my strength I cannot prevail, and without You I can do nothing, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Jesus Is God’s Amen

 

All the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Prayer is the place where the past and future are linked repeatedly in our lives. I mention this here because Paul links prayer with God’s Yes in this verse in a striking way.

In 2 Corinthians 1:20, he says (with choppy Greek that comes through in choppy English), “That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” Let’s try to smooth that out.

Here’s what he is saying: “Therefore, because of Christ, we say Amen to God in our prayers to show that God gets the glory for the future grace we are asking for and counting on when we pray.”

If you’ve ever wondered why Christians say Amen at the end of our prayers, and where that custom comes from, here’s the answer. Amen is a word taken straight over into Greek from Hebrew without any translation, just like it has come into English and most other languages without any translation.

In Hebrew, it was a very strong affirmation (see Numbers 5:22; Nehemiah 5:13; 8:6) — a formal, solemn, earnest “I agree,” or “I affirm what was just said,” or “This is true.” Most simply, “Amen” means a very earnest Yes in the context of addressing God.

Now notice the connection between the two halves of 2 Corinthians 1:20. The first half says, “All the promises of God find their Yes in him.” The second half says, “That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”

When we realize that “Amen” and “Yes” mean the same thing, here’s what the verse says: In Jesus Christ, God says his Yes to us through his promises; and in Christ we say our Yes to God through prayer.

THIS IS THAT BY PASTOR TOURE ROBERTS