Finding trip-ups on your track?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.  1 Corinthians 9:24

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Runners not only need to untangle themselves from weights that may slow them down; they also need to remove what’s on the track that may trip them up!

As a Christian, good things in life may slow us down, but sin will stop us dead in our tracks—it will trip us up. You had better learn to treat sin as sin would treat you: Sin will be merciless to you, and you need to be merciless to sin.

2 Timothy 2:19 says “Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

ACTION POINT:

Is there any unconfessed sin in your life that is tripping you up today? Pray Psalm 139:23-24—“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How to Ask Forgiveness

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)

I recall hearing one of my professors in seminary say that one of the best tests of a person’s theology was the effect it has on our prayers.

This struck me as true because of what was happening in my own life. Noël and I had just been married and we were making it our practice to pray together each evening. I noticed that during the biblical courses which were shaping my theology most profoundly, my prayers were changing dramatically.

Probably the most significant change in those days was that I was learning to make my case before God on the ground of his glory. Beginning with “Hallowed be Thy name” and ending with “In Jesus’s name” meant that the glory of God’s name was the goal and the ground of everything I prayed.

And what a strength came into my life when I learned that praying for forgiveness should be based not only on an appeal to God’s mercy, but also on an appeal to his justice in crediting the worth of his Son’s obedience. God is faithful and just and will forgive your sins (1 John 1:9).

In the New Testament, the basis of all forgiveness of sins is revealed more clearly than it was in the Old Testament, but the basis, namely, God’s commitment to his name, does not change.

Paul teaches that the death of Christ demonstrated God’s righteousness in passing over sins, and vindicated God’s justice in justifying the ungodly who bank on Jesus and not themselves (Romans 3:25–26).

In other words, Christ died once for all to clear the name of God in what looks like a gross miscarriage of justice — the acquittal of guilty sinners simply for Jesus’s sake. But Jesus died in such a way that forgiveness “for Jesus’s sake” is the same as forgiveness “for the sake of God’s name.” There is no miscarriage of justice. God’s name, his righteousness, his justice is vindicated in the very act of providing such a God-honoring sacrifice.

As Jesus said as he faced that last hour, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27–28). That is exactly what he did — so that he might be both just and the justifier of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26).

John Piper 

What slows down your race?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Corinthians 6:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

If you want to be a victor in the race God has for you, you must learn the discipline of laying aside some weights. Many times these weights are good things in our lives. But good things are bad things when they keep us from doing the best things.

Life would be simple if it were a choice between good and bad. But typically it’s a choice between good and best.

Our verse says “all things are not expedient.” When you think of the word “expedient,” think of the word “expedition.” You are going somewhere, and if something doesn’t speed you on your way, it’s excess baggage and you need to get rid of it.

ACTION POINT:

Ask God, “Are there legitimate, lawful things in my life that are keeping me from running the race You’ve given me?” If revealed, ask for discipline to lay them aside!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Our Amen To God For His Glory

20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us,

22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. - 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name." 

10 And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." 

11 And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him." 

12 And again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope." 

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. - Romans 15:8-13

"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. - Revelation 3:14

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him.

17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. - Colossians 1:15-20

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.

15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. - 1 Corinthians 14:14-17

22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 

23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. 

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.  - Proverbs 8:22-24

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. - John 17:1-5

Christ is a servant and a King.

God establishes you when you become Christ's. 

We give God the glory for Christ. 

Christ is the firstborn of creation, given a purpose by God before time began.

By Christ alone we can be reconciled to God.

There is a judgment coming.

There will be an eternal resting place for you.

There are two places, heaven or hell. 

They are a real places. 

Hell, a place of torment and separation or heaven, a place of worship, hope and joy.

You must be obedient and turn from your sin recognizing that Christ death and resurrection hold the power for your salvation.

There is salvation in no one else!

God Demonstrates His Love

God shows [demonstrates] his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Notice that “demonstrates” is present tense and “died” is past tense. “God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The present tense implies that this demonstrating is an ongoing act that keeps happening today. And will keep happening tomorrow.

The past tense “died” implies that the death of Christ happened once for all and will not be repeated. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Why did Paul use the present tense (“God demonstrates”)? I would have expected Paul to say, “God demonstrated (past tense) his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Was not the death of Christ, when it happened, the demonstration of God’s love? And did not that demonstration happen in the past?

I think the clue is given a few verses earlier. Paul has just said that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:3–5).

In other words, the goal of everything God takes us through is hope. He wants us to feel unwaveringly hopeful through all tribulations.

But how can we?

Paul answers in the next line: “Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). God’s love has been poured into our hearts. The tense of this verb means that God’s love was poured out in our hearts in the past (at our conversion) and is still present and active.

God did demonstrate his love for us in giving his own Son to die once for all in the past for our sins (Romans 5:8). But he also knows that this past love must be experienced as a present reality (today and tomorrow) if we are to have patience and character and hope.

Therefore, he not only demonstrated it on Calvary; he goes on demonstrating it now by the Spirit in our hearts. He does this by opening the eyes of our hearts to taste and see the glory of the cross and the guarantee it gives that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38–39).

John Piper 

Look who's cheering for you!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A soft-spoken woman went to a high school football game. She’d been quiet the entire game until there was a fumble on the field. The substitute quarterback, a little scrawny kid, picked up the ball and started running past the other players toward the goal.

This little lady exploded! Jumping up she said, “Run, baby, run! Run, baby, run!” The substitute quarterback was her son.

That’s what the saints are saying, as they watch us on the playing field of life. They are cheering us on from the heavenly grandstand to “run with patience, the race that is set before us.”

ACTION POINT:

Do you need a lift today? Imagine a grandstand the size of heaven cheering you on to victory!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Wisdom Verses Knowledge

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. - James 1:5

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.  - Proverbs 1:7

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, - 1 Corinthians 1:30

3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 

4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 

5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 

6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 

7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,  - Proverbs 2:3-7

8 But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. 

9 It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right.  - Job 32:8-9

Wisdom definition 

Good sense or judgment, determining what is right 

Knowledge definition 

Info gained experience

We can be knowledgeable without having wisdom.

Knowledge comes from studying.

Knowledge takes time, savoring each bit of information.

Wisdom comes from God and His gift of how we apply knowledge!

Lord, let us have knowledge of Your word. 

We ask for wisdom in teaching and sharing. 

Amen