How to Ask Forgiveness

 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)

I recall hearing one of my professors in seminary say that one of the best tests of a person’s theology was the effect it has on our prayers. 

This struck me as true because of what was happening in my own life. Noël and I had just been married and we were making it our practice to pray together each evening. I noticed that during the biblical courses which were shaping my theology most profoundly, my prayers were changing dramatically. 

Probably the most significant change in those days was that I was learning to make my case before God on the ground of his glory. Beginning with “Hallowed be Thy name” and ending with “In Jesus’s name” meant that the glory of God’s name was the goal and the ground of everything I prayed. 

And what a strength came into my life when I learned that praying for forgiveness should be based not only on an appeal to God’s mercy, but also on an appeal to his justice in crediting the worth of his Son’s obedience. God is faithful and just and will forgive your sins (1 John 1:9).

In the New Testament, the basis of all forgiveness of sins is revealed more clearly than it was in the Old Testament, but the basis, namely, God’s commitment to his name, does not change. 

Paul teaches that the death of Christ demonstrated God’s righteousness in passing over sins, and vindicated God’s justice in justifying the ungodly who bank on Jesus and not themselves (Romans 3:25–26). 

In other words, Christ died once for all to clear the name of God in what looks like a gross miscarriage of justice — the acquittal of guilty sinners simply for Jesus’s sake. But Jesus died in such a way that forgiveness “for Jesus’s sake” is the same as forgiveness “for the sake of God’s name.” There is no miscarriage of justice. God’s name, his righteousness, his justice is vindicated in the very act of providing such a God-honoring sacrifice. 

As Jesus said as he faced that last hour, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27–28). That is exactly what he did — so that he might be both just and the justifier of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26).

ALWAYS SOW THE SEED OF MERCY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 03, 2023.

SUBJECT : ALWAYS SOW THE SEED OF MERCY!

Memory verse: "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5 vs 7.)

READ: Matthew 25 vs 31 - 40:

25:31: When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory:

25:32: All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:

25:33: And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

25:34: Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

25:35: For I was an hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

25:36: I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’

25:37: Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? or thirsty, and gave You drink?

25:38: When did we see You a stranger, and take You in? or naked, and clothed You?

25:39: Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You?

25:40: And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me.’

INTIMATION:

Mercy is an outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it. It signifies, in general, to feel sympathy with misery of another, especially manifested in act. Sowing the seed of mercy is manifesting outwardly act of pity, sympathy, or care in the life or affairs of another. Those who do this Jesus said are blessed. Being blessed means being supremely favored, and it is more than happiness. It implies the fortunate or enviable state of those who are in God’s kingdom. It is the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. 

In the passage we read today, Jesus here lists six physical conditions of life that represent all aspects of our human service to one another. Those who engage in them, are demonstrating acts of mercy or sowing the seed of mercy in other peoples’ lives. These are services the righteous render to others because God has extended mercy and grace to them. Therefore, humble service to the needs of our fellow man is the manifestation of our inward gratitude for the grace of God. Those who recognize their own spiritual poverty are merciful to others. They sympathize and have pity on others. They thus seek to relieve the suffering of others because God has had mercy on them in relation to their sin. Their mercy will eventually reap mercy from God. 

The parable describes acts of mercy we all can do every day. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence; they are simple acts freely given and freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have deep needs, and we cannot overlook such needs of others if truly we are serving God, and are grateful for the grace (unmerited favor) of God in our lives. Also, God demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs (Isaiah 58 vs 7).

As Christians, the real evidence of our belief is the way we act. To treat all persons we encounter as if they were Jesus is no easy task. What we do for others demonstrates what we really think about Jesus’ words to us: Feed the hungry, give the homeless a place to stay, look after the sick, and so on. How well do your actions separate you from pretenders and unbelievers? God will separate His obedient followers from pretenders and unbelievers; the obedient followers He called blessed, while in-obedient (pretenders and unbelievers) He will reject, and are cursed. “Depart from Me, you cursed,” would be the worst words one could ever hear. God will show no mercy to those who have shown no mercy in service to their fellow humans in one form of need or the other. 

When an opportunity to show mercy comes your way, never let it slip off your hands. It may be the testing of your obedience by the Lord, especially when you are capable of helping the needy person on your path of life. If you cherish the mercy of God in your life, then show mercy to others God brings your way. Such outward manifestation of pity endears you to the Lord, He blesses you, and it’s counted for you as righteousness.

It’s noteworthy that at death the only thing that follows you to meet with your Creator is your works on earth, either good or bad. All your possessions, wealth, talents, abilities, etc are abandoned here on earth. However, you will give your report to your Creator how you utilized those things He gave you for good works. If you served well with those giftings, according to His will, He will say ‘well done, enter into my rest. Therefore, how well you have served hear on earth is a prerequisite for your admission into God’s kingdom.

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to serve You appropriately with all You endowed me with. Give me the grace to utilize the endowments for the benefit of others, Your kingdom, and to Your glory, in Jesus’ mighty Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God Demonstrates His Love

 

God shows [demonstrates] his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Notice that “demonstrates” is present tense and “died” is past tense. “God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The present tense implies that this demonstrating is an ongoing act that keeps happening today. And will keep happening tomorrow.

The past tense “died” implies that the death of Christ happened once for all and will not be repeated. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Why did Paul use the present tense (“God demonstrates”)? I would have expected Paul to say, “God demonstrated (past tense) his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Was not the death of Christ, when it happened, the demonstration of God’s love? And did not that demonstration happen in the past?

I think the clue is given a few verses earlier. Paul has just said that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:3–5).

In other words, the goal of everything God takes us through is hope. He wants us to feel unwaveringly hopeful through all tribulations.

But how can we?

Paul answers in the next line: “Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). God’s love has been poured into our hearts. The tense of this verb means that God’s love was poured out in our hearts in the past (at our conversion) and is still present and active.

God did demonstrate his love for us in giving his own Son to die once for all in the past for our sins (Romans 5:8). But he also knows that this past love must be experienced as a present reality (today and tomorrow) if we are to have patience and character and hope.

Therefore, he not only demonstrated it on Calvary; he goes on demonstrating it now by the Spirit in our hearts. He does this by opening the eyes of our hearts to taste and see the glory of the cross and the guarantee it gives that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38–39).

FORSAKE YOUR PRIDE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 02, 2023.

SUBJECT : FORSAKE YOUR PRIDE!

Memory verse: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16 vs 18.)

READ: Isaiah 2 vs 11 - 17:

2:11: The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

2:12: For the day of the LORD of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up; and it shall be brought low;

2:13: Upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan;

2:14: Upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up;

2:15: Upon every high tower, and upon every fortified wall;

2:16: Upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the beautiful sloops.

2:17: The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

INTIMATION:

Pride is inordinate self-esteem or conceit. It’s the inner voice that whispers, “My way is best.” It is resisting God’s leadership and believing that you are able to live without His help. Whenever you find yourself wanting to do it your way and looking down on other people, you are being pulled by pride. Pride indicates that a person is self-centered, and thus he will fall over himself as he deals with people. Only when you eliminate pride can God help you become all He meant you to be. God cuts off the pride from His grace. 

The Scripture says, “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord, though they join forces, none will go unpunished.” (Proverbs 16 vs 5.) God Himself is an epitome of humility. The Creator of all things, seen and unseen, does not pride Himself in His creation. Even when He came into the world to save sinful humanity, He came as a humble servant in the person of Jesus Christ, and He did not come to the proud of this world. He came to the lowly and common people (Luke 1 vs 51). God will turn away from the proud because the proud will not submit to His will. Therefore, the arrogant people present themselves for rejection, while the humble are exalted. Though God is exalted above the heavens, at the same time the omnipresent God dwells in the hearts of the humble and contrite,(Isaiah 57 vs 15). 

The proud attitude heads the list of seven things God hates. And the harmful results of pride are constantly contrasted with humility and it’s benefits. Pride leads to disgrace (Proverbs 11 vs 2), produces quarrels (Proverbs 13 vs 10), leads to punishment (Proverbs 16 vs 5), leads to destruction (Proverbs 16 vs 18; 18 vs 12), ends in downfall (Proverbs 18 vs 12), brings one low (Proverbs 29 vs 23). Pride is harmful when it causes us to: (1) look down on others, (2) be selfish with our resources; (3) force our solutions on others’ problems; (4) think God is blessing us because of our own merits; (5) be content with our plans rather than seeking God’s plan. 

Pride cripples us in our quest for a proper relationship with God. Only God must be exalted is the first step toward developing that relationship with Him. Nothing can compare with or rival the place God must have in our hearts and minds. To place our hope elsewhere is nothing but false pride. Place your confidence in God alone. Those who are arrogant will not submit their lives to the will of God. They resist submission, and thus, God resists giving His grace to them in order that they might be saved.

The Scripture says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5 vs 3.) Happy are those who are not proud, conceited or arrogant, especially concerning their spiritual relationship with God. One must empty himself of self-reliance and learn to humble himself before God. Those with such an attitude of mind will submit to the kingdom reign of God, therefore, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

The Scripture in Second Chronicles 32 vs 25 says, “But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown to him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.” We are not told the specifics of Hezekiah’s pride. Much has been done for him by God, but it seems he failed to give thanks to God for all His blessings. Instead Hezekiah became somewhat self-confident, and thus God sought to humble him. Therefore, humble yourself before God that He may exalt you. Be proud and be humiliated and destroyed. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my whole pride is in You, who made earth and all therein, and outstretched the heavens. In You I live, and move and have my being. Outside of You I am completely nothing. Endue me with the spirit of humility, that I may humble myself before You at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Dirty Rags No More

 

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. (Isaiah 64:6)

It is true that any shortcoming of God’s law offends his perfect holiness and makes us liable to judgment, since God cannot look with favor on any sin (Habakkuk 1:13; James 2:10–11).

But what brought a person to ruin in the Old Testament (and it is the same for us today) was not the failure to have the righteousness of sinless perfection. What brought them to ruin was the failure to trust in the merciful promises of God, especially the hope that he would one day provide a Redeemer who would be a perfect righteousness for his people (“The Lord is our righteousness,” Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16). The Old Testament saints knew that this is how they were saved, and that this faith was the key to obedience, and that obedience was the evidence of this faith.

It is terribly confusing when people say that the only righteousness that has any value is the imputed righteousness of Christ. To be sure, justification is not grounded on any of our righteousness — even Spirit-given righteousness by faith — but only on the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. But sometimes people are careless and speak disparagingly of all human righteousness, as if there were no such righteousness worked in us that pleased God. This is not helpful.

They often cite Isaiah 64:6, which says our righteousness is as filthy rags, or “a polluted garment.”

But in the context, Isaiah 64:6 does not mean that all righteousness performed by God’s people is unacceptable to God. Isaiah is referring to people whose righteousness is in fact hypocritical. It is no longer righteousness. But in the verse just before this, Isaiah says that God approvingly meets “him who joyfully works righteousness” (Isaiah 64:5).

It’s true — gloriously true — that none of God’s people, before or after the cross, would be accepted by an immaculately holy God if the perfect righteousness of Christ were not imputed to us (Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). That is true! But that does not mean God does not produce in those very “justified” people an experiential righteousness that is not a “polluted garment” — even though it is not yet perfected.

In fact, he does produce such a righteousness, and this righteousness is precious to God and is, in fact, required — not as the ground of our justification (which is the righteousness of Christ only), but as an evidence of our being truly justified children of God. This is what Paul prays for, and we should pray for. He prays in Philippians 1:10–11 “that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

GIVING WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 01, 2023.

SUBJECT : GIVING WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE!

Memory verse: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6 vs 38).

READ: Psalm 50 vs 7 - 15:

50 vs 7: Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am God, your God! 

8: I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are continually before Me. 

9: I will not take a bull from your house, nor goats out of your folds. 

10: For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 

11: I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beast of the field are Mine. 

12: "If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. 

13: Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? 

14: Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.

15: Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

INTIMATION:

The attitude with which you give, occasions the manner of your receiving. The right attitude in giving ensures receiving rightly from God. When you give with a wrong attitude, or in a wrong manner, you receive nothing from God. For instance, the religious rituals of going to church, taking communion, paying tithes, giving to charity, or to the church, are all empty if our motives of doing them are selfish. God doesn't want these sacrifices and offerings without an attitude of devotion to Him. 

Many believers' giving fall into the scenario hinted above. They participate in religious activities out of habit or conformity rather than out of heartfelt love and obedience to God. Some give to be recognized; be seen as a financial pillar in the church or ministry, or for self-actualization, not out of love, and obedient obligation to the LORD.

In our memory verse, we have seen that our receiving is tied to our giving. Note, most importantly, that the Scripture says, "the measure we use," not "the measure we give." Many people confuse the two. If we give in love, we receive in lovely manner, but if give in hate, or grudgingly, we receive in like manner. If we are critical rather than compassionate, we will also receive criticism. If we treat others generously, graciously, and compassionately, these qualities will come back to us in full measure. We are to love others, not judge them.

In the passage we read, God was saying to His chosen people that His disagreement with them wasn't about a lack of sacrifices on their part; they had been offering sacrifices continually. His complaint against them was the heart attitude they had in making offerings. They were missing the point! God didn't need the sacrifices. The Israelites were going through the motions of making the offerings, but they weren't giving their hearts to God.

They thought they were making the sacrifices because God somehow needed their bulls and goats. In this Scripture, God was making it clear that He didn't need anything from them; everything already belongs to the Lord. God said, "If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you! The world is Mine, and everything in it." He doesn't need to ask anyone for food. The truth is that the Israelites needed those sacrifices. They needed to give back to God and show their trust and dependence upon Him. It wasn't for God—it's for them. The same is applicable to us today. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13 vs 8).

Do you know the reason for tithe? Why God asked us to give ten percent of our income to the church? It isn't because God needs our money! All the gold, silver, and riches in the world already belong to Him (Psalm 50 vs 12; Haggai 2 vs 8). He doesn't need our donations. God could have set up church finances differently. He could have made every minister of the gospel independently wealthy like He made Abraham, Isaac, David, Solomon, and all the rest. The tithe exists for our benefit, not God's.

God doesn't need your giving today any more than He needed those Old Testament sacrifices. The point of your giving is for you to learn to recognize God as the source of all you have (John 3 vs 27). It's one thing to say you believe God is your source, but it's another thing to prove it. The way you prove to yourself, not God, that you believe God is your source, is to give a portion of what you have back to Him. People who don't really see God as their source are going to balk at giving part of what they have away. They are selfish, and usually are going to think, 'I need this thing!' But giving back some of what God has already given you is nothing when you see God as your source.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my everything. All I have You have given me. I am nothing without You. Give me the grace to give in full devotion to You, that I will receive from you in good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Fifteen Tactics for Joy

 

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

In this life of sin and pain, joy is embattled. Just like faith. And Paul says to Timothy, “Fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). So it is with joy. We must work for it and fight for it. Paul said to the Corinthians, “We work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

How then shall we fight for joy? Here are 15 pointers.

Realize that authentic joy in God is a gift.Realize that joy must be fought for relentlessly. And don’t be put off by the paradox of these first two pointers!Resolve to attack all known sin in your life, by the power of the Holy Spirit.Learn the secret of gutsy guilt — how to fight like a justified sinner.Realize that the battle is primarily a fight to see — to see God for who he is.Meditate on the word of God day and night.Pray earnestly and continually for open heart-eyes and an inclination for God.Learn to preach to yourself rather than listen to yourself.Spend time with God-saturated people who help you see God and fight the fight.Be patient in the night of God’s seeming absence.Get the rest, exercise, and proper diet that your body was designed by God to have.Make a proper use of God’s revelation in nature — take a walk in the woods.Read great books about God and biographies of great saints.Do the hard and loving thing for the sake of others (your verbal witness and deeds of mercy).Get a global vision for the cause of Christ, and pour yourself out for the unreached.

Every one of those has Bible verses to support it. If you want to see them, they are in the book When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy.