Living Christian, By Faith

Good Morning!! I am dead, but I am still living, Paul says. My old, sinful nature was crucified, put to a slow painful death on the cross of Jesus Christ. And now I live by the vibrant, resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Paul is writing to the church at Galatia, who had been greatly troubled by the teaching that salvation is, in essence, earned by works. Instead of resting in the grace of God,...they had been encouraged to legalism and law service.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.—Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

Paul doesn't claim that godly living isn't a part of salvation,...He simply turns the order around. I am not saved because I am good, Paul says, I am good because I am saved: the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God. This is the essence of Christian living. It is not about a set of rules for us to follow gloomily; it is about a Person for us to follow joyfully. Because Christ loved us, and gave Himself for us,...we now love, and give ourselves for him!

Feel the love-inspiring grace of Jesus Christ in your life,...and allow it to display itself in the way you begin to; live by faith in the Son of God.

 

Father in Heaven, it is by Your grace that we come to know and believe in Your Son. Allow Your Spirit to move in our lives that we may better live the faith we claim, this in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

 

"The Lamb that died to save us, is also the Shepherd that lives to lead us." 

  

Gratitude,...Grateful, Grateful, Grateful

Good Morning!! Most of us struggle with having, and keeping a joyful, thankful heart. And when we do get around to expressing thanksgiving to God, it's usually only for those things that please, or encourage us. But Jesus is thankful that God is doing what seems good,...in The Father's sight,...please don't miss this point. Jesus has just finished pronouncing curses on Chorazin, Bethesda, and Capernaum because of their unbelief,...He then instructs His disciples to rejoice that their names are written in Heaven.

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.—Luke 10:21 (NIV)

Jesus is pleased that God is sovereign. Jesus rejoices that God is hiding and revealing the truth, according to His own purposes. Jesus is thankful that salvation is ultimately in God's hands, and that God has graciously revealed truth to the undeserving and simple-minded, while concealing it from the worldly, wise, and cunning.

Our gratitude should be God's at all times, and in all things.

Father God we thank You, for Your divine and sovereign workings,...even when they are in conflict with our own desires. Teach us to rejoice in the grace You show to others, that we might think of as undeserving,...in them let us see ourselves. Amen.

"The Lamb that died to save us, is also the Shepherd that lives to lead us."   

Forgive From The Heart

Good Morning!! In reality, it's difficult for us to live up to the commands of an all-knowing God. We assume that if no one else sees that lustful glance, or hears that private thought, then we have gotten away with our stealthy sin,...but God searches the heart! For this reason, He demands heart-deep obedience,...even in relation to forgiveness. We might feel as though we have done our duty, and maybe a little more,...to let an offense or injury go without confrontation, or angry words. But Jesus is not satisfied until we have actually forgiven that person, in our heart.

In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”—Matthew 18:34-35 (NIV)

God demand so much from us, but today's scriptures help puts this one in context. Jesus relates the parable of a man who is forgiven an enormous debt to the king, and yet refuses to relinquish another person from a very small debt. The king therefore is angry and requires the enormous debt to be paid in full. This is a clear picture of salvation. If we have been forgiven so much sin, freely by God's grace, how could we ever demand justice for some small offense against our own person?

Jesus commands forgiveness,...and it must be a genuine forgiveness,...from the heart.

Lord, we thank You, for Your amazing grace,...help us show that same grace and forgiveness to the people in our lives. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

"The Lamb that died to save us, is also the Shepherd that lives to lead us."