Faith for the Impossible

 

He grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:20–21)

Paul has in mind a special reason why faith glorifies God’s future grace. Simply put, the reason is that this God-glorifying faith is a future-oriented confidence in God’s integrity and power and wisdom to follow through on all his promises.

Paul illustrates this faith with Abraham’s response to the promise of God: that he would be the father of many nations even though he was old and his wife was barren (Romans 4:18). “In hope he believed against hope,” that is, he had faith in the future grace of God’s promise, in spite of all human evidences to the contrary.

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:19–21)

The faith of Abraham was a faith in the promise of God to make him the father of many nations. This faith glorified God because it called attention to all the omnipotent, supernatural resources of God that would be required to fulfill it.

Abraham was too old to have children, and Sarah was barren. Not only that: How do you turn a son or two into “many nations,” which God said Abraham would be the father of? It all seemed totally impossible.

Therefore, Abraham’s faith glorified God by being fully assured that he could and would do the humanly impossible. This is the faith we are called to have. That God will do for us what we could never do for ourselves.

Who Are the Children of Abraham?

 “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

You who hope in Christ and follow him in the obedience of faith are Abraham’s descendants and heirs of his covenant promises. 

God said to Abraham in Genesis 17:4, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.” But Genesis makes plain that Abraham did not father a multitude of nations in a physical or political sense. Therefore, the meaning of God’s promise was probably that a multitude of nations would somehow enjoy the blessings of sonship even though physically unrelated to Abraham. 

That’s no doubt what God meant in Genesis 12:3 when he said to Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” From the very beginning, God had in view that Jesus Christ would be the descendant of Abraham and that everyone who trusts in Christ would become an heir of Abraham’s promise. Paul says in Galatians 3:29, “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

So, when God said to Abraham 4,000 years ago, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations,” he opened the way for any one of us, no matter what nation we belong to, to become a child of Abraham and an heir of God’s promises. All we have to do is share the faith of Abraham — that is, bank our hope on God’s promises, so much so that, if obedience requires it, we could give up our dearest possession like Abraham gave up Isaac. 

We don’t become heirs of Abraham’s promises by working for God, but by being confident that God works for us. “[Abraham] grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20–21). That’s why Abraham could obey God even when obedience looked like a dead-end street. He trusted God to do the impossible — like raise his son from the dead.

Faith in God’s promises — or today we would say, faith in Christ, who is the confirmation of God’s promises — is the way to become a child of Abraham; obedience is the evidence that faith is genuine (Genesis 22:12–19). Therefore, Jesus says in John 8:39, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did.”

Children of Abraham are people from all nations who put their hope in Christ and, like Abraham on Mount Moriah, therefore don’t let the loss of their most precious earthly possession stop their obedience. 

You who hope in Jesus Christ and follow him in the obedience of faith are the descendants of Abraham and heirs of his covenant promises.

MADE RIGHT WITH GOD THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JUNE 02, 2023.

SUBJECT: MADE RIGHT WITH GOD THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST!

Memory verse: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10 vs 4.) 

READ: Romans 3 vs 21 - 26:

3:21: But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

3:22: even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 

3:23: for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God,

3:24: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

3:25: Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

3:26: to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

INTIMATION: 

Righteousness is the character or quality of being right or just. It is formerly spelled ‘rightwiseness,’ which clearly expresses the meaning. It’s used to denote an attribute of God (Romans 3 vs 5) the context of which shows that “the righteousness of God” means essentially the same as His faithfulness, or truthfulness; that which is consistent with His own nature and promises.  

In Romans 3 vs 25 -26, the Scripture speaks of God’s righteousness as exhibited in the Death of Christ for our sins, which is sufficient to show men that God is neither indifferent to sin nor regards it lightly. On the contrary, it demonstrates that quality of holiness in Him which must find expression in His condemnation of sin. In Second Peter 1 vs 1, the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, is the righteous dealing of God with sin and with sinners on the ground of the Death of Christ. 

But for the most part, the apostle Paul uses it of that gracious gift of God to men whereby all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are brought into right relationship with God. This righteousness is unattainable by obedience to any law or by any merit of man’s own, or any other condition than that of faith in Christ. The man who trusts in Christ becomes ‘the righteousness of God in Him,’ (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21), that is, becomes in Christ all that God requires a man to be, all that he could never be in himself. 

All humanity has fallen short of that which is required for one to dwell in the presence of God. The result of law is that all are made sinners. The result of sin is separation from God. And the result of separation from God is spiritual death which will eventually lead to a second death (Romans 6 vs 23; Second Thessalonians 1 vs 7 - 9). Since all men sin, then apart from the grace of God, no man can stand justified (righteous) before God on the basis of law alone.

It was through Jesus faithfulness to go to the cross that the righteousness of God (God’s resolve to set things right for us with Himself) was accomplished. Justification (our being worth what was done for us) was also accomplished because of the faith of those who believed in the cross. Both the faithfulness of Jesus in going to the cross, and man’s faith response to the cross, were necessary in order to accomplish God’s eternal plan to reconcile men to Himself through Jesus. 

Christianity is unique in that no good deed that we do will make us right with God. No amount of human achievement or personal goodness will close the gap between God’s moral perfection and our imperfect daily performance. Good deeds are important, but they will not earn us eternal life. We are saved only by trusting in what God has done for us (Ephesians 2 vs 8 - 10).

There is a way to be declared not guilty, that is, by trusting Jesus Christ to take away our sins. Trusting means putting our confidence in Christ to forgive our sins, to make us right with God, and to empower us to live the way He taught us. God’s solution is available to all of us regardless of our background or past behavior. 

Christ died in our place, for our sins. God is justifiably angry at sinners. They have rebelled against Him and cut themselves off from His life-giving power. But God declares Christ’s death to be the appropriate, designated sacrifice for our sin. Christ then stands in our place, having paid the penalty of death for our sin, and He completely satisfies God’s demands. His sacrifice brings pardon, deliverance and freedom. When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. From His perspective, it is as though we had never sinned. He could do this because Jesus took the penalty that we deserved. Christ purchased our freedom from sin, and the price was His life.

In His death, Jesus was God’s offering to appease His wrath that would eventually have to be poured out on sinners. In order for God to stand just in judgement of free-moral man, there had to be a choice for men to be saved from condemnation. Through the offering of the blood of Jesus, God gave that choice. Though the offering had to be made at a point in time in human history, the required response to God by faith on the part of man has always been in existence.   

God is just because He has revealed the means by which men can be made righteous. God promised that He would send the Savior into the world for the blessing of all nations. Through the Sanai law and the prophets the promises were made. Through the faithfulness of God the promises were accomplished. The promises were not fulfilled because of the man’s perfect obedience of law, but because of the grace of God to do such regardless of the sinfulness of man.

This the loving favor of God that was extended toward man that man could not have earned on the basis of his performance of law or meritorious good works. The grace was freely given regardless of the spiritual condition of all humanity. It had to be freely given because men could not work in order to earn grace. Sin blocks any efforts to meritoriously earn the gift. Therefore, grace was given to take care of man’s sin problem. Once justified from sin by grace, we are then reconciled again to His presence and glory (Second Corinthians 5 vs 19). All this was made possible by the sacrificial cross of Jesus where God’s grace was manifested.

Prayer: Abba Father, great are You LORD, great is Your faithfulness, and You are greatly to be praised. Everyday I will praise You for who You are and for Your faithfulness in all things. I will thank You and praise Your name forever for Your unalloyed mercy, goodness, and faithfulness in my life. May I never take Your faithfulness and mercy for granted, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

The Faith That Magnifies Grace

The Faith That Magnifies Grace

I do not nullify the grace of God. (Galatians 2:21)

When I lost my footing as a little boy in the undertow at the beach, I felt as if I were going to be dragged to the middle of the ocean in an instant. 

It was a terrifying thing. I tried to get my bearings and figure out which way was up. But I couldn’t get my feet on the ground, and the current was too strong to swim. I wasn’t a good swimmer anyway. 

In my panic I thought of only one thing: Could someone help me? But I couldn’t even call out from under the water. 

When I felt my father’s hand take hold of my upper arm like a mighty vice grip, it was the sweetest feeling in the world. I yielded entirely to being overpowered by his strength. I reveled in being picked up at his will. I did not resist.

The thought did not enter my mind that I should try to show that things aren’t so bad; or that I should add my strength to my dad’s arm. All I thought was, Yes! I need you! I thank you! I love your strength! I love your initiative! I love your grip! You are great!

In that spirit of yielded affection, one cannot boast. I call that yielded affection “faith.” And my father was the embodiment of the future grace of God that I desperately needed and craved under the water. This is the faith that magnifies grace. 

As we ponder how to live the Christian life, the uppermost thought should be: How can I magnify rather than nullify the grace of God? Paul answers this question in Galatians 2:20–21, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God.” 

Why does his life not nullify the grace of God? Because he lives by faith in the Son of God. Faith calls all attention to grace and magnifies it, rather than nullifying it.

HaPpY new of "JUNE" 2023

J- Joy

U- Unbelievable miracles

N- Next level 

E- Expansion

May you testify in this month of JUNE in Jesus Name! Amen🙏🙏🙏🔥

Daily devotional on https://miheanyi.blogspot.com

WHY THE LAW WAS GIVEN!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JUNE 01, 2023.

SUBJECT: WHY THE LAW WAS GIVEN!

Memory verse: "What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made, and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator." (Galatians 3 vs 19.) 

READ: Romans 7 vs 7 - 9:

7:7: What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

7:8: But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.

7:9: I was alive once without law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

INTIMATION: 

Te ostensible aim of the law is to restrain the evil tendencies natural to man in his fallen estate. Yet in experience law finds itself not merely ineffective, it actually provokes those tendencies to greater activity. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul says that he would not have known that sin existed in his life unless the law stated that his behavior was against the law. Therefore, the law “was added because of transgressions” (Galatians 3 vs 19). It made us realize that we were all sinners (Romans 3 vs 23). When men followed after the lusts of the flesh, the coming of the law exemplified the sinful behavior of the individual. 

When there was no law, one would not be aware of the intensity of the sin of his life. Where there is no law, there is no violation of law. Without the presence of the written law, one is deceived into thinking that his life is right with God. Where there is no law, there is no sin, because people cannot know that their actions are sinful unless a law forbids those actions. God’s law makes people realize that they are sinners doomed to die, yet it offers no help. Sin is real, and it is dangerous. 

Imagine a sunny day at the beach. You plunge into the surf, then you notice a sign on the pier: “No swimming. Sharks.” Your day is ruined. Is it the sign’s fault? Are you angry with the people who put it up? The law is like the sign. It is essential, and we are grateful for it—but it doesn’t get rid of the sharks.

The law 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 the opportunity to ask for 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. 

God gave rules to His for people for some reasons. He did not withhold good from them; He only prohibited those acts that would bring them to ruin. All of us understand God’s physical laws of nature. For example, jumping off a 10-story building means death because of the law of gravity. 

But some of us don’t understand how God’s spiritual laws work. God forbids us to do certain things because He wants to keep us from self-destruction. The next time you are drawn to a forbidden physical or emotional pleasure, remind yourself that it’s consequences might be suffering and separation from God, who is trying to help you.

Most of us chafe under rules, for we think they restricts from doing what we want. But God’s laws were given to free us to be all He wants us to be. They restrict us from doing what might cripple us and keep us from being our best. God’s guidelines help us follow His path and avoid paths that lead to destruction.

In the Old Testament there were three categories of law: ceremonial, civil, and moral:

(1) The ceremonial law related specifically to Israel’s worship. Its primary purpose was to point forward to Jesus Christ; these laws, therefore, were no longer necessary after Jesus’ death and resurrection. While we are no longer bound by ceremonial law, the principles behind them—to worship and love a holy God—still apply.

(2)) The civil law applied to daily living in Israel. Because modern society and culture are so radically different from that time and setting, all of these guidelines cannot be followed specifically. But the principles behind the commands are timeless and should guide our conduct. Jesus demonstrated these principles by example.

(3) The moral law (such as the Ten Commandments) is the direct command from God, and it requires strict obedience. The moral law reveals the nature and will of God, and it still applies today. Jesus obeyed the moral law completely,

The functions of God’s law is first, to show us where we go wrong. Because of the law, we know that we are helpless sinners and that we must come to Jesus Christ for mercy. Second, the moral code revealed in the law can serve to guide our actions by holding up God’s moral standards. We do not earn salvation by keeping the law (no one except Jesus ever kept or could keep God’s law perfectly), but we do please God when our life conforms to His revealed will for us.

We miss the intent of God’s Word when we read His rules for living without trying to understand why He made them. Most people do keep God’s rules but close their eyes to His intent. For example, God’s moral and ceremonial laws were given to help people love God with all their hearts and minds. 

Prayer: Abba Father, Your law is holy, good, and just; a great compass to direct my path in life in righteousness and moral uprightness with You. Though meritorious law-keeping cannot earn me salvation but enables me to be in constant fellowship with You after been saved by grace in Jesus Christ. Empower me in my inner man to live above those presumptuous sins that usually have dominion over me that I may lead a life pleasing to You at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

The Gain of Serving God

 “They shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” (2 Chronicles 12:8)

Serving God is utterly different from serving anyone else. 

God is extremely jealous that we understand this — and enjoy it. For example, he commands us, “Serve the Lord with gladness!” (Psalm 100:2). There is a reason for this gladness. It is given in Acts 17:25. God is not “served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” 

We serve him with gladness because we do not bear the burden of meeting his needs. He has no needs. So, serving him can’t mean meeting his needs. Instead we rejoice in a service where he meets our needs. Serving God always means receiving grace from God to do what we have to do.

To show how jealous God is for us to understand this, and glory in it, there is a story in 2 Chronicles 12. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, who ruled the southern kingdom after the revolt of the ten tribes, chose against serving the Lord and gave his service to other gods and other kingdoms. 

As judgment, God sent Shishak, the king of Egypt, against Rehoboam with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen (2 Chronicles 12:2–3).

In mercy God sent the prophet Shemaiah to Rehoboam with this message: “Thus says the Lord, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak’” (2 Chronicles 12:5). The happy upshot of that message is that Rehoboam and his princes humbled themselves in repentance and said, “The Lord is righteous” (2 Chronicles 12:6).

When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, he said, “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak” (2 Chronicles 12:7). But as a discipline to them he says, “They shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries” (2 Chronicles 12:8).

The point is plain: serving the enemy and serving God are very different. How so? Serving God is a receiving and a blessing and a joy and a benefit. Serving Shishak is exhausting and depleting and sorrowful. God is a giver. Shishak is a taker.

This is why I am so jealous to say that the worship of Sunday morning and the worship of daily obedience is not at bottom a burdensome giving to God, but a joyful getting from God. That is the true service that God demands. In all you do, trust me as the giver.

LET YOUR CONSCIENCE BE CLEAR!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 31, 2023.

SUBJECT : LET YOUR CONSCIENCE BE CLEAR!

Memory verse: "Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.” (Hebrews 13 vs 18.)

READ: Hebrews 10 vs 22 - 24:

10:22: Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

10:23: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

10:24: And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and to good works:

INTIMATION:

Conscience is a knowing with oneself. It’s that faculty by which we apprehend the will of God, as that which is designed to govern our lives. It is that process of thought which distinguishes what is considers morally good or bad, commending the good, and condemning the bad, and so prompting to do the former, and avoid the later. Your conscience is your first judge, and imprisons you if you are not acting appropriately. We escape the gnawing accusations of our consciences by acting in love, and setting our hearts on God's love. Not by ignoring them or rationalizing our behavior. Do good, act appropriately, and you will then free yourself by clearing your conscience.

Many feel guilty because they think they are not doing enough to show proper love to Christ, and others. Their conscience bother them. If they ignore their consciences, then they sin because they have compromised their faith by doing something they believe is wrong. One must not allow his faith to be led astray by a violation of what he or she conscientiously knows to be what is right. 

How can you keep your conscience clear? Treasure your faith in Christ more than anything else and do what you know is right. Each time you deliberately ignore your conscience, you are hardening your heart. Over a period of time your capacity to tell right from wrong will diminish. As you walk with God, He will speak to you through your conscience, letting you know the difference between right and wrong. Be sure to act on those inner tugs so that you do what is right—then your conscience will remain clear. Do not ignore those inner tugs nor rationalize your behavior, but set your heart on God’s love. 

When you come to God with a clear conscience, you are coming to Him without fear, confident that your requests will be heard. When you say, "God You know that I am walking in the light of love, I am doing Your Word," then persuade your heart. If you go into His presence for intercession, your heart is not fearful; your heart does not condemn you. Your heart is in perfect fellowship with this living Word and you have boldness in His presence, conscious that you are welcome. You make your petition in the name of Jesus, and you know that the Father hears you and that you have the petition of your heart.

We try to steer clear of actions forbidden by Scripture, of course, but sometimes Scripture is silent. Then we should follow our consciences, and be faithful in your doings. “Whatever is not from faith is sin” means that to go against a conviction will leave a person with a guilty conscience. When God shows us that something is wrong for us, we should avoid it. 

Job said, “My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.” (Job 27 vs 6.) In the midst of all accusations, Job was able to declare that his conscience was clear. Only God’s forgiveness and the determination to live right before God can bring a clear conscience. How important Job’s record became as he was being accused. Like Job, we can’t claim sinless lives, but we can claim forgiven lives. When we confess our sins to God, He forgives us. Then we can live with clear consciences (First John 1 vs 9.) 

Sometimes after confessing our sins, we still feel guilty. However, when such guilt feeling rise up in our hearts, we should remind ourselves that God knows our motives as well as our actions. His voice of assurance is stronger than the accusing voice of our conscience. If we are in Christ, He will not condemn us (Romans 8 vs 1; Hebrews 9 vs 14 - 15). So if you are living for the Lord but feeling that you are not good enough, remind yourself that God is greater than your conscience. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of obedience to Your Word; hearing and doing Your Word, that my conscience may be clear in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!