“Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” Luke 8:18 It is a delicate balance, which God allows of a life. “Reaping what we sow” or “making one’s own bed,” is too simplistic an explanation for a person’s future. Indeed some are spared of reaping what they sowed and of sleeping in the bed they made through bad decisions. In contrast, others reap to the highest degree. Friends, “who we are” and “whose we are” are vital to our understanding of what men will reap for wrong deeds and also for righteous acts. An unrighteous man, though he performed a virtuous deed, is nevertheless left uncredited for that deed, no matter how sincere. On the other hand, a man who is gifted with God’s righteousness, may commit a deed…
Tag: <span>grace</span>
Grace on every side equals “manifold grace.” God offers the gift and we receive it simply and thankfully. We are to become stewards, yes “house stewards,” monitoring the income and the outgo of this magnificent grace, to and from our soul. We operate in such a manner because grace must be what people learn about God, who’s policy toward mankind is and always has been supreme grace. “Sovereign grace” defines it also, the one and only operation that God performs towards men. See first Peter chapter 4, and verse 10. “Grace is God acting freely, according to his own nature as love, with no promises or obligations to fulfill, and acting righteously, of course , in view of the cross. “God acts toward whom, and how, He pleases. God has no debts to pay to mankind.” “Likewise, man has no conditions to fulfill for God to wait for. Grace is…
“…according as He did choose us in Him before the foundation of the world, for our being holy and unblemished before Him, in love.” Ephesians 1:4 The First aorist middle indicative indicates that He chose us out for Himself — yes, the simple fact of it — before the foundation of the world. Not that we “should be” set apart, unblemished before him, in love, future tense. No, the assumption is that it is an actual fact already, accomplished in Him before the foundation of the World. “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” Ephesians 1:3 The aorist participle here indicates simply, prior action. Notice he did bless us ‘in’ every spiritual blessing “in” the heavenly places in Christ. The word “with — KJV”. is a wrong translation. Friends, let’s talk about…
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. John 15:3 Water baptism is such a blessed celebration in our churches because it visibly demonstrates the great inner transformation that happens to us. When we understand that we have been buried with Christ in his baptism of death, and we go down in that water, we are, in effect, saying to the world, thanks be to Jesus Christ, that old nature, that old creation , that old life with all of its mistakes and failures, that old life with everything that went on, has been separated from me forever and ever and ever. It’s gone and I believe it, and I accept it. It is buried. It is buried forever. Then our coming out of the water depicts our exit from the old life and our entrance in the ever new, eternal life God has given. Dr.…
“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants…” Luke 17:10 “Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?” Job 22:2-3 “We have not, as his servants, profited or benefited God at all.” J.F.B. Elihu repeats the same: “If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand?” Job 35:6-7 What’s the point? Have you ever struggled with your identity? Do you see that identity as connected intimately to your performance record? I dare say, many do —…
“And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Samuel 9:1 David never forgot the love of his friend, Jonathan. This man had helped David escape at a time when Saul’s jealous wrath was pointed toward him. Jonathan was a friend that loved at all times, a brother born for adversity — a rare, but loyal and true friend. As we navigate the perils of the Christian’s call, we certainly have a similar friend, Jesus. Touched with the feelings of our infirmities, He meets us at the Throne of grace. Here we find acceptance in spite of our broken hearts, mercy that rejoices against a certain judgment. As the story of 2 Samuel goes, found in the shadows of Lodebar (pastureless), was a forgotten son of Jonathan whose name was Mephibosheth. “Then King David sent and brought…
“For we are human, weak and prone to wrong,And by Thy grace alone are we made strong.”Henry Coyle, Thankful Heart In the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, His grace covers us. Francis Chan, Crazy Love Grace needs nothing added to it. It’s either you believe it’s all God’s grace or you believe you have to help God do his work. God saved the believer by his grace, and the believer cannot take any credit for it – none whatsoever. It is totally a gift from God, and you have to understand that you don’t pay for a gift nor do you work for a gift. Thomas Young, The Truth About God’s Grace “Grace is more than love; it is love set absolutely free and made to be a triumphant Victor over the righteous judgment of God over the sinner.” Chafer “Grace, the glorious theme.” “God answers the mess of…
Traveling this week to Africa for missions trip. I will be gone for two weeks. Many thoughts accompany me as I prepare. I think of Moses famous line in Exodus 33: “…If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” Exodus 33:15 Moses had the assuring Word of God’s presence from the previous verses, nevertheless, he repeated back to God how much His grace was desired and needed. Moses was seeing that to have found grace in God’s sight means that God would surely accompany them on the journey. Something undeserving to Moses could not be compromised — otherwise — not going! I wondered about how much of this sense formed my mindset. Did I expect this grace? Could I leave without it? Funny that I would compare my little adventure with the great Moses. Regardless, deeply worked into Moses psyche, appeared a desparation — “without…
Two brothers approached and offered God yield of their life occupations. One offered a sheep, the other fruit. God respected one offering, the other, He rejected. The Genesis story describes two men and their God, two men shaped in iniquity, two men born outside the presence of the Almighty, two men excluded from the ongoing fellowship which their parents had enjoyed. A similar state belongs to every human born of Adam, it includes us also. Question? How do we approach Him? Do we need to appease God, or do we simply present the “already accepted” offering of a Savior? Do we need to do anything? What reconnects man and his God? First simple observation — production alone will not appease Him. Why? Because God cannot accept any works, fruit, or outcomes which have been born, developed or perfected by a sin-infected soul, including motivation or handiwork. Sorry but any product…
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1Timothy 3:16 “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.” 1 Timothy 3:9 “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” Colossians 1:26 – 27 Many are the mysteries. The gospel, the second coming of Christ, the rapture of the Church, partial blindness to Israel are some of these. Also there is the mystery of iniquity, which does already work in 2 Thessalonians 2:9. Though many mysteries abound, many also are revealed to…