Monday, May 8, 2017

Contemplating Saving Grace Through Faith


What is faith?
The bible says " 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. - Hebrews 11:1-3

The dictionary says " complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

God, in His infinite wisdom, gave man the simplest statement on salvation which involves grace through faith "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

What is Grace?
Unmerited favor, mercy from God

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. - Ephesians 2:4-7

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. - Titus 3:4-7

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,
13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
16 But 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 1:12-16


This verse encompasses faith in its purest and simple form. 
God sent His Son, God accepted His Son as payment for your sin, and God raised His Son from death thus conquering it.
God is offering you a chance to believe in this miraculous resurrection and all the power it holds.
Your belief will deliver you or if you refuse to believe, condemn you!!
There is no other way to salvation!
Jesus intercedes on your behalf!

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. - 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised-who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:31-3

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. - John 1:1-18

God-Jesus-Holy Spirit 

yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. - 1 Corinthians 8:6

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. - Colossians 2:6-14

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. - John 14:16-17


You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-and shudder! - James 2:19

6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 
7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. 
8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any."  - Isaiah 44:6-8

I and the Father are one." - John 10:30

Works

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. - James 2:24-26

8 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof
9 and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.
10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.
11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. - Joshua 2:8-11

Sunday, May 7, 2017

My Rock



The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation-  - Psalm 18:46

Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.  - Psalm 71:3

2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3 and all ate the same spiritual food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. - 1 Corinthians 10:2-6

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.
14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. - Luke 8:11-15

"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.  - Isaiah 51:1

You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth.  - Deuteronomy 32:18

35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. 
36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. 
37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. 
38 Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. 
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.  - Psalm 78:35-39

"'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.  - Deuteronomy 32:39

There Are No Degrees of “Deadness”


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” Luke 6:37

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Sometimes Christians look at people who have committed adultery or murder and compare themselves to them. They may even say, “They’re dead in their trespasses and sin.” I want to tell you something.


They are no more dead in trespasses and sin than your sweet daughter or precious parent who has not received Jesus Christ’s gift of salvation. There may be some degree of corruption, but there are no degrees of deadness. All lost people need Jesus Christ.


You may think you don’t have a testimony to share because you didn’t get a Ph.D. in sin before you were saved. Perhaps you were saved as a little child. Well, it took as much of the grace of God to save you as it did to save a murderer on death row. Never forget that, precious friend.


ACTION POINT:
Dead people need to stop comparing themselves with other dead people. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Not “Faith in Faith,” But All by Grace


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil is very clever when it comes to our faith. Here is a tactic he may use on you: he will start agreeing with you so he can trip you.


He’ll say, “Sure, you’re saved by faith in Christ. But how do you know that your faith is good enough or strong enough to save you? What if your faith is too weak? What if you don’t make it?” He will try to cause you to put your faith in your faith, rather than your faith in Christ.


ACTION POINT:
Have you ever heard someone mention the phrase “saving faith”? There’s no such thing. You are saved by grace through faith. You’re not saved by faith. Only Jesus saves.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Friday, May 5, 2017

Yes, We Need Each Other


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
To exhort is to comfort and encourage. We need each other. We ought to be exhorting one another by saying, “Isn’t God wonderful? Isn’t Jesus great? Don’t you love Him? Let’s be true to Christ!”


Among fellow believers, we live in a climate that keeps our hearts tender. If we stray away from that climate and get away from the people of God by skipping worship services and fellowship opportunities, our hearts will grow hard.


ACTION POINT:
When we exhort one another, we are sharing Christ. There’s something that happens in our hearts when we tell others about Jesus. It keeps our heart tender.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Thursday, May 4, 2017

You Are Called By the Name of the Lord


And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. - Deuteronomy 28:10

Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.  - Isaiah 61:9

24 The LORD bless you and keep you; 
25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 
26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.  - Numbers 6:24-26

14 It is not with you alone that I am making this sworn covenant,
15 but with whoever is standing here with us today before the LORD our God, and with whoever is not here with us today. - Deuteronomy 29:14-15

38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." - Acts 2:38-39

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. - Ephesians 2:13-16 

Everything Under Sin


But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. - Galatians 3:22

29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,
31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.
32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! - Romans 11:29-33

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 
13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips."  - Romans 3:9-13

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring-not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. - Romans 4:16-17

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,
40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,
41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." - Acts 10:38-43