Saturday, July 13,
2013, 5:33 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with this song:
Fully Ready! / An
Original Work / June 19, 2013
Based off Acts 20-22, 26; Mt. 28:18-20; Ac. 1:8
Why are you weeping
and breaking my heart?
I’m fully ready to
suffer for Christ.
If I must die for the
sake of His name,
I am convinced it will
not be in vain.
Glory to God and to
His Son Jesus,
Who has redeemed us;
bought with His blood.
May I speak to you?
Jesus came to me;
Asked of me, “Why do
you persecute me?”
He said, “Now get up
and stand on your feet.
Go, and you’ll be told
all I have for you.
I have appointed you
as a servant,
And as a witness; you
have been sent.”
“Go into the world and
preach the gospel.
Open the blind eyes.
They will receive sight.
Turn them from
darkness to the light of Christ;
From power of the evil
one to God,
So they may receive
forgiveness of sins,
And a place among
those who’re in heav’n.”
Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13; 7:2-10 (NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%206&version=NIV;
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%207&version=NIV
As
God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,
“In
the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I
tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Paul
was concerned for the Corinthian church that they may be led away from pure
devotion to Jesus Christ by false teachers of the gospel, and thus receive God’s
grace in vain. God’s grace is his kindness, favor and mercy toward us. His
grace was provided for us via Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and his
resurrection to life in conquering death, hell, Satan and sin. He freed us both
from the penalty of sin and from bondage to and the control of sin over our
lives - so that we could have new lives in Christ Jesus, walking daily in his
truth and in his righteousness. Jesus paid far too high a price for our sins to
have us return to slavery to sin and to living for ourselves and for worldly
pleasure.
To
receive something means to hear and to grasp something, to welcome it, and/or
it means to obtain and accept it. To accept something means that we consent and
agree with it. Yet, if we receive something in vain, it means it is
ineffective, unsuccessful, useless, unproductive and/or pointless. It appears,
thus, to receive something in vain is to not truly receive it at all, i.e. it
appears to me that this receiving of God’s grace must have been on a very
surface level and the seed must have never really taken root for it to be in
vain. Or, it could be that they did receive God’s grace in truth, but then they
were deceived by a clever lie which then led them astray, or it had the potential
of leading them astray.
James 2:17 says: In the same way, faith by itself, if it is
not accompanied by action, is dead.
And, Luke
9:23-25 says this: “Whoever wants to
be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow
me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their
life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world,
and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”
So,
if the receiving of God’s grace, i.e. if our faith does not result in changed
lives, it is dead and we have “believed” in vain, which is really no belief at
all. We need to understand this because there are so many preachers and
teachers who are saying just the opposite. Many are claiming that Jesus does
everything and nothing is required of us – no dying to sin and self daily, and
no obedience to Christ is required for genuine saving faith. Some even take it
so far as to not even require faith, which would mean that everyone would be
saved. Yet, scripture teaches us that narrow is the road that leads to life,
and only a few find it.
“Enter through
the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to
destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the
road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matt.
7:13-14).
Paul
contrasted a life that is truly changed by the gospel message with one that is
still hanging on to the world and to worldly influences. In vv. 3-13 Paul gave
a vivid description of a life that has truly been changed (altered and transformed)
by the gospel message. It is a life that will endure hardships, trouble,
beatings, imprisonments and sleepless nights, etc. for the sake of the gospel and
the salvation of human lives. It will do so “in purity, understanding, patience
and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in
the power of God… through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;
genuine, yet regarded as impostors… sorrowful, yet always rejoicing…” It will
give its life, in life or in death, for the salvation of human lives. Yet, it
may not do so with absolute perfection, for we won’t reach perfection until we
get to heaven.
Yet,
it was essential to Paul’s relationship with Jesus Christ, as well as to the
productivity of his ministry in other people’s lives, that he lived an
exemplary life so that his ministry was not discredited. In other words, Paul
and his fellow apostles knew that, if they were going to be effective ministers
for Jesus Christ in all that they said and did, that their walk needed to match
their talk. I am certain they were not entirely perfect, yet they made it their
goal to please the Lord Jesus in every way. And, we should make this our goal,
as well.
Yet,
in contrast to a life completely sold out to Jesus Christ in every way, though
not in absolute sinless perfection, is a life that is still mixing with the
world and its influences. So, the call here is, since we have God’s grace and
his promises of salvation and eternal life in heaven, that we should “purify ourselves from everything that
contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” At
the very least, if we do not repent, we will live ineffective lives for Christ
and for the gospel, and will have little to show for our faith. The greatest
risk, nonetheless, is that one day we will hear, “Depart from me, for I never
knew you.” Jesus said we have to die to sin and self if we want to live forever
with him.
We
should come to God with godly sorrow over our sins and our selfishness - sorrow
which then leads to repentance – a radical change of heart and mind away from a
life given over to sin and pleasure to a life sold out to Jesus Christ,
committed to following him in obedience wherever he leads us. Worldly sorrow
feels bad for the sin, or it feels bad for the consequences of the sin (that it
was caught), but it does not produce change. Godly sorrow, on the other hand,
leads to a changed life in Christ Jesus, which then leads to salvation. So, if
you have not done so, be reconciled to God today by grieving over your sin in
genuine repentance that turns away from sin and that turns to walk in faithful
obedience to Jesus Christ - in surrender to his will for your life.
My Heart’s Desire
/ An Original Work / June 29, 2013
Based off Rm. 10; Lu. 9:23-26; Ep. 4:20-24
Loved Ones, Oh, my
heart’s desire
Is that you might come
to Jesus.
Many appear zealous
for God,
But they do not trust
in Him.
They have not
submitted to the One
Who saved them from
their sins;
Not forsaken their
sins,
Nor have they obeyed
their King.
The word of the Lord
is near you:
The word of faith we’re
proclaiming:
That you must confess
your faith
In Jesus as your Lord
and King:
Believe in Him as your
Lord,
And follow Him
where’er He leads.
Share the gospel; be a
witness,
And meet others’
needs.
Beautiful are the feet
of those
Who bring the good news
of Jesus:
Anyone who would come
to Him
Must deny himself
today;
Die to sin and self,
and
Let the Spirit
transform you in heart;
Put on your new self
in Jesus,
Yielding to the cross.
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