Paul’s Salvation Was for You

 Paul’s Salvation Was for You

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE HUMBLE AND CONTRITE HEART!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY APRIL 25, 2025.

SUBJECT: THE HUMBLE AND CONTRITE HEART!

Memory verse: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, these O God, You will not despise." (Psalms 51 vs 17.)

READ: Isaiah 57 vs 15:

57:15: For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

INTIMATION:

The heart is the seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, such as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, and the like; It is the spring of all our actions and purposes; the seat of moral life and character; the individual disposition and character; as, a good, tender, loving, bad, hard, or selfish heart.

Though God is exalted above the heavens, at the same time the Omnipresent God dwells in the hearts of the humble and contrite. In our relationship with God, He demands a humble and contrite (grieving and penitent for sin) heart. Humility means proper respect for God, and only in such manner can one fellowship and hear Him. You can never please God by outward actions (no matter how good) if your heart attitude is not right. The heart attitude is what God is mindful of.

God’s demand for a humble and contrite heart is because with such heart, one recognizes his humanity, his spiritual poverty and destitution. One must empty himself of self-reliance and learn to humble himself before God. Those with such attitude of mind will submit to the kingdom reign of God. Such people recognize their spiritual poverty and, therefore, humbly grieve over their sinfulness—their inadequacies before God.

When one mourns over his sin, his relationship with others change. He becomes mild, gentle, lowly and unselfish in character. He is not arrogant or self-seeking. Those who realize their sinful condition and mourn or contrite over their sin, hunger and thirst after justification (righteousness) that can come only from God by His grace. They seek the knowledge of God through His word. It is the Word of God that will supply the knowledge of how to be justified of one’s sin. God is the source of all righteousness. 

Those who recognize their own spiritual poverty are merciful to others. They sympathize and have pity on others. They, therefore, seek to relieve the suffering of others because God has had mercy on them in relation to their sin. And the mercy will reap mercy from God. Those who recognize their own sinfulness will seek peace of mind with others. Such are sons of God for they portray the spirit of God in their relationship with others. They are not contentious, nor do they have a spirit to argue with others.

One’s honest recognition of his spiritual dilemma leads him to frustration. The morally conscious person who seeks to do right realizes the law of his own natural fallibility to live flawlessly in reference to law. Every man must come to the point of self-recognition. Each person must recognize that his life is a “body of death” because we cannot obey law in a manner to justify ourselves before God. Therefore, we must humble ourselves before God for justification by His grace.

Christians have been chosen by God as Christ’s representatives on earth. They, therefore, should conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the calling they have received—the awesome privilege of being called Christ’s very own. This includes being humble, gentle, patient, understanding, and peaceful. People are watching your life. Can they see Christ in you? How well are you doing as His representative?

Being humble involves having a true perspective about oneself. It does not mean you should put yourself down. Before God, we are sinners, saved only by God’s grace, but we are saved and therefore, have great worth in God’s kingdom. We are to lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy, God desires a broken spirit that is manifested through repentance, and this is what a humble and contrite heart offer.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the excellent spirit of humility, and create in me a clean heart contrite for my sins always, that I may please You and have fellowship with You at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Liberating Power of Forgiveness

 The Liberating Power of Forgiveness

“Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE FORCE OF FAITH IN PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY APRIL 24, 2025.

SUBJECT : THE FORCE OF  FAITH IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11 vs 6.)

READ: Hebrews 10 vs 19 - 23:

10:19: Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 

10:20: by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

10:21: and having a High Priest over the house of God,

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.

INTIMATION:

Building up your faith is a prerequisite for effectual communication with God. Faith is a potent force without which prayer will be absolutely unproductive. The Bible defines faith as "The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11 vs 1.) You are holding in confidence the things you have asked in prayers, and perceiving as real facts what is not revealed to the senses. It is the ticket on which you take delivery of anything from heaven.

Your confidence in God must first be in place before you ask Him for anything, because though His Word presented before Him, in accordance with His Will, He grants you audience in the Throne Room. It’s your faith in Him and in His Word that motivates Him to act on your behalf. Therefore, it is you, not God, who determines whether your prayer gets answered or not. Though ‘He is ready to perform His Word’ (Jeremiah 1 vs 12), He demands your faith that leads to a personal, dynamic relationship with Him.

You don't only approach God with His Word, you must come with an unwavering assurance that ‘He abides faithful and cannot deny Himself’ (Second Timothy 2 vs 13). Therefore, your approach to the Throne Room must be with unwavering faith. The apostle James, in James 1 vs 6 - 7 says, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord."

Once faith and trust in God is established, you can rest assured of results when you pray in accordance with His Will. You will not only believe in the existence of God, but also believe in His loving care. That is relying on God with full  expectations that He will hear and answer when you pray rightly.

In Matthew 9, two blind men prayed to Jesus for the restoration of their sight. Even though Jesus heard them, He did not heal them until He was assured of their faith in Him: "When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him. Yes, Lord. Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it  be to you." And their eyes were opened...." (Matthew 9 vs 27 - 30.)

Jesus didn't respond immediately to the blind men's pleas. He waited to see if they had faith. They followed Him all through to the house, pleading with Him to heal them, and that shows believe and commitment. Not everyone who says he wants help really believes God can help him. Jesus may have waited and questioned these men to emphasize and increase their faith. When you think that God is too slow in answering your prayers, consider that He might be testing you as He did the blind men.

Jesus, by His death and offering of His blood in atonement for our sins, has made it possible for us to approach God in the Throne Room directly. We must not come halfheartedly or with improper motives or pretense, but with pure, individual, and sincere worship in faith. We can know that we have “a true heart” If we evaluate our thoughts and motives according to His Word. Christians can approach God boldly, free from our “evil conscience” and in full assurance because of the work Jesus Christ did for us in redemption.

Under the new covenant of accepting the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, our hearts and consciences are cleansed completely, not partially or temporarily, from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9 vs 14). Christ’s sacrifice transforms our lives and hearts and make us clean on the inside. Our clean conscience allow us to enter God’s presence with boldness. We have a personal access to God through Christ and can draw near to Him without an elaborate system, and growing in faith to deepen our relationship with God.

Prayer: Abba Father, my trust is in You who made heaven and earth. Forever You are my God and in You I live, and move, and have my being. Whatever You cannot give me, let me not have it. Whatever You cannot do for me, let it remain undone. My absolute faith is in You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Seek Your City’s Good

 Seek Your City’s Good

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

REASONING WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY APRIL 23, 2025.

SUBJECT : REASONING WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "“Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together. State your case, that you may be acquitted.” (Isaiah 43 vs 26).

READ: Isaiah 38 vs 1 - 6:

38:1: In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order: for you shall die, and not live.’

38:2: Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD,

38:3: and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight. And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

38:4: And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,

38:5: “Go, and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely, I will add to your days fifteen years.

38:6: I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.”’

INTIMATION:

Our God is just, compassionate, loving, faithful, and merciful. He acts according to His nature, and encourages His people to take advantage of His nature in their relationship with Him. Being consistent with His love and merciful nature, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, as a propitiation for the sin of the whole world. Christ came for sinners, and He expects us to come to Him for mercy. We can only go to God in prayer, acknowledging our need and admitting that we don't have all the answers, and God will come to our help. He desires to show mercy and His mercy endures forever.

God is willing to reason with us when we humble ourselves in prayer, and come before Him to plead our case. He is ever ready to listen, and willing to see reasons to be consistent with His nature of love, merciful, faithful, compassionate, and just. No matter how long you have been away from God, He is ready to hear from you and restore you to a right relationship with Himself.

God intends that we remind Him of reasons why He should be consistent with His nature to us, hence He employ us to come and reason with Him; ”Present your case,” says the Lord. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob.” (Isaiah 41 vs 21.) God requires us to present our case to Him with strong reasons why He should come through to us in any circumstances of life we face in response to our prayers. He intends that we remind Him of such things that will cause Him to attend to our pleas. 

In the passage we read today, when prophet Isaiah went to Hezekiah, who was extremely ill, and told him of his impending death, Hezekiah immediately turned to God. He wept bitterly in his sick bed, and reminded God of his service to Him; “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” (Isaiah 38 vs 3.) God responded to his prayer, allowing Hezekiah to live another fifteen (15) years, and further delivered the city from the hands of the king of Assyria, and promised to defend the city. 

When the children of Israel sinned against God in the wilderness by making for themselves a molded gold calf as their god, He was ready to destroy the whole nation because of their sin. But Moses pleaded for mercy, and God spared them: “And God said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.” ( Exodus 32 vs 9 - 10.)

“Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.” (Exodus 32 vs 12 - 13.)

When God first wanted to destroy the people, He was acting consistently with His nature of being just. But when Moses interceded for the people, reasoned with God and presented  his strong reason, God changed His mind and spared the people, in line with His consistent merciful nature. This is one of the countless examples in the Bible of God’s mercy. Although we deserve His punishment, He is willing to forgive and restore us to Himself. 

Every situation can be salvaged if you are willing to turn to God. In Judges 16 vs 28 - 30,  we would observe that in spite of Samson's past, God still answered his prayer and destroyed the Philistines' heathen temple and worshipers. He killed more people at his death than he did in life because of the mercy of God when he turned to Him in prayer.

If you have a desperate need in your life, bring it to the Lord in fervent prayer, presenting your strong reasons; reminding Him of His promises, and your good works or services toward His kingdom. He may change the course of your life. My prayer is that you will have strong reasons to present to God in times of your need for Him to come through to you, in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer: Abba Father, have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies. Remember my offerings and sacrifices toward Your kingdom. Hear my cry O Lord, and come to my rescue, for in You I live and move and have my being, in Jesus name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Five Reasons to Be Fearless

 Five Reasons to Be Fearless

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

The reason God wants us not to be afraid concerning money or other things of the world is because that fearlessness — that freedom from anxiety — will magnify five great things about him.

First, not being afraid shows that we treasure God as our Shepherd. “Fear not, little flock.” We are his flock and he is our Shepherd. And if he is our Shepherd, then Psalm 23:1 applies: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” — that is, I shall not lack anything I truly need.

Second, not being afraid shows that we treasure God as our Father. “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” We are not only his little flock; we are also his children, and he is our Father. He really cares and really knows what you need and will work for you to be sure that you have what you need.

Third, not being anxious shows that we treasure God as King. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” He can give us the “kingdom” because he is the King. This adds a tremendous element of power to the one who provides for us. “Shepherd” connotes protection and provision. “Father” connotes love and tenderness and authority and provision and guidance. “King” connotes power and sovereignty and wealth.

Fourth, not being afraid shows how free and generous God is. Notice, he gives the kingdom. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” He doesn’t sell the kingdom or rent the kingdom or lease the kingdom. He is infinitely wealthy and does not need our payments. So, God is generous and free with his bounty. And this is what we magnify about him when we are not afraid, but trust him with our needs.

Finally, not being afraid — not being anxious — shows that we trust that God really wants to do this. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It delights him. He is not begrudging. It makes him glad to give us the kingdom. Not all of us had fathers like this, who were made happy by giving instead of getting. But that sorrow is not the main thing any more, because now you can have such a Father, and Shepherd, and King.

So, the point of this verse is that we should treasure God as our Shepherd and Father and King who is generous and happy to give us the kingdom of God — to give us heaven, to give us eternal life and joy, and everything we need to get there. 

If we treasure God in this way, we will be fearless and God will be worshiped.