Habakkuk 2

Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Friday, April 4, 2014

We Have Peace

Friday, April 04, 2014, 3:11 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “His Tender Mercies.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Romans 5:1-5 (NIV).

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Justified Through Faith

Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, took on human flesh, yet he remained sinless. He died (was crucified) on a cross, at which time he took upon himself the sins of the entire world, putting them to death with him, and conquering them in his resurrection. Through faith in him, we can be justified, i.e. we can be completely forgiven of all sin, cleared of all the charges against us, and made righteous (blameless) in God’s sight, by His grace. This faith shows itself to be genuine in that it willingly allows for Christ to put our sins to death and to transform us in heart and mind away from our sinful lifestyles and toward a walk in the Spirit of God, in his righteousness and holiness. By God’s grace (favor), and through faith, we forsake our sinful lifestyles, and we choose to live and to walk in Christ’s purity and holiness (See Lu. 9:23-25; Ro. 6; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Jn. 1-5).

Peace with God

This peace is God’s gift to us who have believed on Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is first of all reconciliation with God, i.e. by God’s grace, through faith, we are restored back to a right relationship with Almighty God – a relationship which was severed due to the sin of Adam, and which can only be restored through the blood of Christ, and because of what he did on the cross in dying for our sins, and through our God-given faith in him. This peace is not absence of external conflict, difficulties, pain and sorrow, but it is an inward assurance of our reconciliation with God, of our fellowship with him, and of the promises he has given to us of eternity with him in heaven, and of his continued love, mercy, care, help, presence, strength, power and grace to see us and to guide us through all that comes our way.

Glory in Sufferings

To glory in our sufferings appears to carry with it the idea that we are able, by God’s grace, to keep our “heads up high (upright)” in our suffering - not in arrogant pride, but in a calm assurance and “God-given confidence” which knows and believes that we possess the correct foundation (source) in Christ Jesus in order to be able to handle (deal with) and to respond appropriately to whatever difficulties may come our way; and such as is able to apply that knowledge and understanding to any given circumstance in our lives. [Source: http://biblehub.com/greek/2744.htm]

In other words, to glory in our sufferings means that we don’t let them undo us. We don’t fall apart emotionally, give in to discouragement, run away and hide, give way to fear or give up in despair whenever tough things come our way, but we commit ourselves into God’s capable hands, trusting him to work all things out for the good of us who love him and who have been called according to his purpose (See Ro. 8:28).

As well, to glory in our sufferings means we have the appropriate understanding of the purpose of them, and the good intended by God through them in our lives, and that we allow God to work good in our lives through them. Through times of distress, trouble, hardship, persecution, trials and tribulations, when we have the correct heart response to them, God is able to work in our lives perseverance (persistence, steadfastness and endurance), to develop within us godly character (temperament), and to increase our faith. So, we can choose to grow through our trials, or to allow them to undo us, but in Christ we have the confident assurance that these difficulties can be used in our lives to strengthen us in our faith, to give us increased stick-to-itiveness, and to develop within us godly character traits (to mature us in Christ), so that we can become more effective in our walks of faith, in our witness and service to our Lord Jesus Christ, and in our love for others.

Hope Not Disappoints

When our hope (trust; faith; confidence) is in Jesus Christ, it will never disappoint (fail) us. Humankind will fail us, as will the things of this world, but God will never fail us. He has poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised to his followers, and whom God has given to us. God will never fail to keep his promises. What he says, he will do. What he provides is a sure thing, the promise of which will never go away. And, what he guarantees we can count on most assuredly. We never have to be afraid or feel that we have to take matters into our own hands. God will provide! He may not give us all our wants and human desires, but he will provide all we need. He also may not work as swiftly as we might hope or expect, but he will act when the time is right, and, in fact, he is always working. We just may not see it right now. Yet, hope that is seen is not hope at all. “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (See Ro. 8:24-25).

His Tender Mercies / An Original Work / January 26, 2014

Fear not! I’m with you.
Be not dismayed!
God watches o’er you.
Trust Him today.
He’ll lead and guide you;
Give you His aid.
He’ll love and keep you
With Him always.

Walk in His footsteps.
He’ll lead the way.
Trust in His love;
Believe that He cares.
He will not leave you.
Faithful He’ll be.
His tender mercies
Now you will see.

Fellowship with Him
Throughout the day.
Tell Him your heartaches.
He’ll heal always.
Rest in His comfort.
He is your friend.
Your faith He’ll strengthen,
True to the end.


No comments: