Grace for Every Need

 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant. (Psalm 86:16)

Future grace is the constant plea of the praying psalmists. They pray for it again and again to meet every need. They give us a beautiful model of daily dependence on future grace for every exigency.

They cry out for grace when they need help: “Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” (Psalm 30:10). 

When they are weak: “Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant” (Psalm 86:16). 

When they need healing: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord” (Psalm 6:2). 

When they are afflicted by enemies: “Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me” (Psalm 9:13). 

When they are lonely: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16). 

When they are grieving: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief” (Psalm 31:9). 

When they have sinned: “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!” (Psalm 41:4). 

When they long for God’s name to be exalted among the nations: “God be gracious to us and bless us . . . that your way may be known on earth” (Psalm 67:1–2). 

Unmistakably, prayer is the great link of faith between the soul of the saint and the promise of future grace. If ministry was meant by God to be sustained by prayer, then ministry was meant to be sustained by faith in future grace.

His Timing Is Perfect

 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may find grace for a well-timed help. (Hebrews 4:16, my literal translation)

I know this precious verse is usually translated, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” But that is a paraphrase — a true one — to show that God shows up just when we need him. But the literal focus is on how timely the help is.

All ministry is in the future — a moment away, or a month away, or a year, or a decade. We have ample time to fret about our inadequacy. When this happens, we must turn to prayer. 

Prayer is the form of faith that connects us today with the grace that will make us adequate for tomorrow’s ministry. Timing really matters.

What if grace comes too early or comes too late? The traditional translation of Hebrews 4:16 does not make clear a very precious promise in this regard. We need a more literal rendering to see it. The promise is not merely that we find grace “to help in time of need,” but that the grace is well-timed by God.

The point is that prayer is the way to find future grace for a well-timed help. This grace of God always arrives from the “throne of grace” on time. The phrase “throne of grace” means that future grace comes from the King of the universe who sets the times by his own authority (Acts 1:7). 

His timing is perfect, but it is rarely ours: “For a thousand years in [his] sight are but as yesterday when it is past” (Psalm 90:4). At the global level, he sets the times for nations to rise and fall (Acts 17:26). And at the personal level, “My times are in [his] hand” (Psalm 31:15). 

When we wonder about the timing of future grace, we must think on the “throne of grace.” Nothing can hinder God’s plan to send grace when it will be best for us. Future grace is always well-timed.

THE IDEAL CHRISTIAN CONDUCT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JULY 19, 2023.

SUBJECT: THE IDEAL CHRISTIAN CONDUCT!

Memory verse: "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you," (Matthew 5 vs 44.)

READ: Romans 12 vs 9 - 21:

12:9: Let Love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

12:10: Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

12:11: not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

12:12: rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

12:13: distributing to the needs of the saints, giving to hospitality.

12:14: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

12:15: Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

12:16: Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

12:17: Repay no evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

12:18: If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

12:19: Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

12:20: Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

12:21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

INTIMATION:

The ideal Christian conduct is the one that reflects Christ’s traits; being Christlike in behavior. The character that the Scriptures enumerate identifies those who are of the spirit of the Father, and thus, sons of the Father. For instance, God’s love is impartial. He loved us when we were His enemies. There is no reward in a love that acts out of selfish motives; to do something for others for the purpose of receiving something in return. God calls us to real and genuine love that goes far beyond being hypocritical and polite. Genuine love requires concentration and effort. It means helping others become better people. It demands our time, money, and personal involvement. 

If we love someone the way Christ loves us, we will be willing to forgive. If we have experienced God’s grace, we will want to pass it on to others. By giving an enemy a drink, we’re not excusing his misdeeds. We’re recognizing him, forgiving him, and loving him in spite of his sins—just as Christ did for us. A true heart is not one of malice or hate. Hearts of malice and hate identify those individuals who are of the world.

Forgiveness may break a cycle of retaliation and lead to mutual reconciliation. It may make the enemy feel ashamed and change his or her ways. By contrast, repaying evil for evil hurts you just as much as it hurts your enemy. Even if your enemy never repents, forgiving him or her will free you from a heavy load of bitterness. Forgiveness involves both attitudes and actions. If you find it difficult to feel forgiving toward someone who has hurt you, try responding with kind actions. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul enumerates the ideal Christian conduct. You are to love your neighbor genuinely from your heart, don’t fake it. Be steadfast in doing good, and eschewing evil, and hold tightly to it. Never get weary in serving God, and serving others, keep yourself fueled and aflame, ready to serve, and be cheerfully expectant. Never quit in hard times, praying all the harder, helping the needy Christians, and given to hospitality. We must never consider others as being beneath us. We need to live in harmony with others and not be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. 

You should bless your enemies, and there should be no curse under your breath. Laugh and rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and share tears with them when they are down. Get along with everyone, both big and small, don’t be snobbish, rather make friends with nobodies, and don’t be the great somebody. Never hit back at anybody, or insist on getting even, that’s not for you to do. Instead, discover beauty in everyone, and if you have got it in you, get along with everybody.

Christians should not have enemies, but should any exists, love such from the center of who you are. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God created self. This is what God does. He gives His best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless of the good and the bad, the nice and the nasty. As Christians, we honor people because they have been created in God’s image, because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and because they have a unique contribution to make to Christ’s church. 

As you bless others with your service, you will be blessed. When you give generously for God's work or help the needy, those who received your gifts will be helped by those gifts, they will praise God, and also pray for you. You are blessed by your giving when you give as a response to Christ, not for anything you can get out of it. How you give reflects your devotion to Christ.

While you are shaped to serve God and to serve others, it is noteworthy that you can't please everybody by meeting the needs of everyone. Even Jesus, during His earth walk, did not meet the needs of everyone. Knowing your gifts and talents, you have to know the best application of your service, and know whom you can best help. You need to ask, "Who do I have the gift and talent to help?" And don’t delay nor hesitate to render your service.

Prayer: Abba Father, You loved and chose me even when I was neck-deep in sin and in enmity with You. I am mindful of the privilege of Your calling, and sonship. Endue me with the excellent spirit of sonship; to be Christlike in behavior, to serve You, serve others, and bearing abiding fruit, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God’s Grace in Spiritual Gifts

 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4:10)

When we use our spiritual gifts, we are stewarding grace — not yesterday’s grace, but today’s, arriving in every moment of need. And this future grace is “varied grace.” It comes in many colors and shapes and sizes. This is one of the reasons spiritual gifts in the body are so diverse. The prism of God’s gifts in your life will refract shades of divine glory that would never come through my prism. 

There are as many future graces as there are needs in the body of Christ — and more. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to receive and dispense the future grace of God to those needs. 

But someone may ask, “Why do you take Peter to refer to future grace? Doesn’t a steward manage a household store that is already on hand?” 

The main reason I take Peter to refer to future grace is because the next verse illustrates how this works, and the reference there is to ongoing supplies of future grace. He says, “Whoever serves, [let him serve] by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11). The word is “supplies,” not “supplied.” As you serve, serve in the power of the ongoing supply of God’s grace to do what you need to do.

When you fulfill your spiritual gift to serve someone tomorrow, you will be serving “by the strength that God supplies” — and the supply will be tomorrow, not today. “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

God goes on, day-by-day, moment-by-moment, supplying the “strength” in which we minister. He does this because the ongoing, inexhaustible supplier of power gets the glory. “Whoever serves, [let him serve] by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

GOD'S POWER IN OUR WEAKNESSES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JULY 18, 2023. 

SUBJECT: GOD'S POWER IN OUR WEAKNESSES!

Memory verse: "But He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (Second Corinthians 12 vs 9.)

READ: Romans 7 vs 15 - 25:

7:15: For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

7:16: If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

7:17: But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

7:18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

7:19: For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

7:20: Now if I do what I not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

7:21: I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

7:22: For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man:

7:23: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

7:24: O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

7:25: I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

INTIMATION:

Our limitations or weaknesses are perfect tools in God’s hands, and He uses them for great works and achievements if we allow Him to work through our weaknesses. We need to be courageous enough to admit our weaknesses to attract God’s help. Don't pretend to have it all together, and be honest about yourself. Instead of trying to protect yourself, or living in self-deceit of denial or making excuses, take the time to identify your personal weaknesses, and own them up. You can make a list of them as a reminder.

One of the intriguing confessions recorded in the Scripture is the apostle Paul's inability to deal with his sinful desires as enumerated in the passage we read today. God demonstrates His power in our weaknesses just as He did in apostle Paul's, and this is an encouragement to us. Normally, we recognize our weaknesses, and will not congratulate ourselves and rest at that. We will want to be freed from our weaknesses, not be content with them! Therefore, in our weaknesses or limitations, we will turn to God to seek pathways for effectiveness, rather than relying on our own energy, effort, or talent. Our weaknesses not only helps us develop Christian character; it also deepens our worship, because in admitting our weakness, we affirm God's strength.

All God's giants were weak people: Moses' weakness was his temper. It caused him to murder an Egyptian, strike the rock he was supposed to speak to, and break the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Yet God transformed Moses into "the humblest man on earth (Numbers 12 vs 3). Gideon's weakness was low self-esteem and deep insecurities, but God transformed him into a "mighty man of valor (Judges 6 vs 12). Abraham's weakness was fear. Not once, but twice, he claimed his wife was his sister to protect himself. But God transformed him into "the father of those who have faith (Romans 4 vs 11). 

Impulsive, weak-willed Peter became "a rock" (Matthew 16 vs 18). The adulterer David became "a man after God's own heart" (Acts 13 vs 22). And John, one of the arrogant "Sons of Thunder," became the "Apostle of Love." This list could go on and on. Consequently, God specializes in turning weaknesses into strengths. He wants to take your greatest weakness and transform it to a major strength. God wants to use your weaknesses, not just your strengths. Your life becomes a testimonial when people see God using you in spite of your weaknesses, and they are encouraged, and they will then think that God can use them too. Our strengths create competition, but our weaknesses create community.

The fact that God's power is displayed in weak people should give us courage. When Satan points out your weaknesses, agree with him and fill your heart with praise for Jesus, who "understands every weakness of ours," and for the Holy Spirit, who "helps our weaknesses."  (Romans 8 vs 26.) As a believer, God will not leave you to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don't know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you, and God answers. When we are weak, allowing God to fill us with His power, then His power makes us stronger than we could ever be on our own. God wants us to depend on Him in the face of life's challenges and obstacles. Only His power will make us effective for Him and will help us do work that has lasting value.

Prayer: Abba Father, Your loving kindness is inexplicable, and undeniable. In our unfaithfulness, You have always remained faithful. Even when we were neck-deep in sin, You showered Your love on us exceedingly. You have always demonstrated Your strength in our weaknesses. My Loving Father, make Your strength perfect in my weaknesses, and strengthen in my inner man to serve You diligently, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Power to Profess Christ

 With great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)

If our ministry is to witness to Christ tomorrow in some unsympathetic situation, the key will not be our brilliance; the key will be abundant future grace. 

Of all people, the apostles seemed to need least help to give a compelling witness to the risen Christ. They had been with him for three years. They had seen him die. They had seen him alive after the crucifixion. In their witnessing arsenal they had “many proofs” (Acts 1:3). You might think that, of all people, their ministry of witnessing, in those early days, would sustain itself on the strength of the past glories that were still so fresh. 

But that is not what the book of Acts tells us. The power to witness with faithfulness and effectiveness did not come mainly from memories of grace; it came from the new arrivals of “great grace.” “Great grace was upon them all.” That’s the way it was for the apostles, and that’s the way it will be for us in our ministry of witnessing. 

Whatever added signs and wonders God may show to amplify our witness to Christ, they will come the same way they came for Stephen. “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). Grace was arriving from God for all that Stephen needed — eventually all that he would need to die.

There is an extraordinary future grace and power that we may bank on in the crisis of special ministry need. It is a fresh act of power by which God “bore witness to the word of his grace” (Acts 14:3; see also Hebrews 2:4). The ever-arriving grace of power bears witness to the ever-given grace of truth.

OUR DEBT OF CHRISTLIKE LOVE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JULY 17, 2023.

SUBJECT: OUR DEBT OF CHRISTLIKE LOVE!

Memory verse: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15 vs 12.) 

READ: Romans 13 vs 8 - 10:

13:8: Owe no one anything except to love one another: for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

13:9: For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

13:10: Love does no harm to a neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

INTIMATION:

The extent to which Jesus went to give Himself for us—His life of inestimable value for our lives of sin that are completely worthless, manifests the extent of the love that Christ demonstrated toward us, and is commanding us to have the same for one another. The greatest expression of love that can be made is that one lay down his or her life for another. This is what Jesus did for us, and wants us to do so for one another: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13 vs 34; 15 vs 12) This is called the “royal Law, and was given by our Great King Jesus Christ.

Christlike love is a debt that we owe. We are permanently in debt to Christ for His love He lavishly poured out on us. The only way we can even begin to repay this debt is by fulfilling our obligation to love others in turn. Because Christ’s love will always be infinitely greater than ours, we will always have the obligation to love our neighbors. Jesus, our role model, asked God to forgive the people who were putting Him to death (Luke 23 vs 34). Jesus was suffering the most horrible, painful death ever devised by sinful man, and He looked at the people responsible for His suffering and prayed for their forgiveness. And because we are all sinners, we all played a part in putting Jesus to death. 

Love is more than simply warm feelings; it is an attitude that reveals itself in action. How can we love others as Jesus loved us? By helping when it’s not convenient, by giving when it hurts, by devoting energy to others’ welfare rather than our own, by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back. This kind of loving is hard to do. That is why people notice when you do it and know you are empowered by a supernatural source. The apostle Paul, in First Corinthians 13, enumerated another beautiful description of love that believers have to show for one another.

Let us be imitators of God as dear children (Ephesians 5 vs 1). Just as children imitate their parents, we should imitate Christ. Our love for others should be of the same kind—a love that goes beyond affection to self-sacrificing service. Christlikeness (Christianity) is based on love. All human relationships that are true and enduring find their bond in the action of love. Jesus says we should love everyone, including our enemies and treat them well. Doing this shows that Jesus is truly the Lord of your life. This is possible only for those who give themselves fully to God, because only Him, through the help of the Holy Spirit, can deliver people from natural selfishness, and help us show love to those for whom we may not feel love. 

Jesus said that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep all of God’s commandments. When you love God completely and care for others as you care for yourself, then you have fulfilled the intent of the “Ten Commandments.” Let this rule your thoughts, decisions, and actions. When you are uncertain about what to do, ask yourself which course of action best demonstrate love for God and love for others. Rather than worrying about all we should not do, we should concentrate on all we can do to show love for God and others. Therefore, God’s laws can be reduced to two simple principles: Love God and love others. 

When we fail to love, we are actually breaking God’s law. Examine your attitude and actions toward others. Do you build people or tear them down? When you’re ready to criticize someone, remember God’s law of love and say something good instead. Saying something beneficial to others will cure you of finding fault and increase your ability to obey God’s law of love. It is easy to excuse our indifference to others merely because we have no legal obligation to help them and even to justify harming them if our actions are technically legal! But Jesus does not leave loopholes in the law of love. Whenever love demands it, we are to go beyond human legal requirements and imitate the God of love. 

When we believers lose the motivation of love, we become critical of others. We stop looking for good in them and see only their faults. Soon we lose our unity. Have you talked behind someone’s back? Have you focused on others’ shortcomings instead of their strength? Remind yourself of Jesus’ command to love others as you love yourself. When you begin to feel critical of someone, make a list of that person’s positive qualities. When problems need to be addressed, confront in love rather than gossip. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You manifested Your unparalleled love for us by given Your only begotten Son as a propitiation for our sins. Endue me with the spirit of love that I may imitate You as Your child, and love You and others as You loved me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!