Prevailing Grace

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners.” (Isaiah 57:18)

Learn your doctrine from biblical texts. It stands up better that way, and feeds the soul.

For example, learn the doctrine of irresistible grace from texts. In this way, you will see that it does not mean grace cannot be resisted; it means that when God chooses, he can and will overcome that resistance.

In Isaiah 57:17–19, for instance, God chastises his rebellious people by striking them and hiding his face: “Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry” (verse 17).

But they did not respond with repentance. Rather, they kept backsliding. They resisted: “But he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart” (verse 17).

So grace can be resisted. In fact, Stephen said to the Jewish leaders, “You always resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51).

What then does God do? Is he powerless to bring those who resist to repentance and wholeness? No. He is not powerless. The next verse says, “I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners” (Isaiah 57:18).

So, in the face of recalcitrant, grace-resisting backsliding, God says, “I will heal him.” He will “restore.” The word for “restore” is to “make whole or complete.” It is related to the word shalom, “peace.” That wholeness and peace is mentioned in the next verse which explains how God turns around a grace-resisting backslider.

He does it by “‘creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace (shalom, shalom), to the far and to the near,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will heal him’” (Isaiah 57:19). God creates what is not there — peace, wholeness. This is how we are saved. And this is how we are brought back from backsliding — again and again.

The grace of God triumphs over our resistance by creating praise where it did not exist. He brings shalom, shalom to the near and the far. Wholeness, wholeness to the near and the far. He does it by “restoring,” that is, replacing the disease of resistance with the soundness of submission.

The point of irresistible grace is not that we can’t resist. We can, and we do. The point is that when God chooses, he overcomes our resistance and restores a submissive spirit. He creates. He says, “Let there be light!” He heals. He leads. He restores. He comforts.

Therefore, we never boast that we have returned from backsliding. We fall on our faces before the Lord and with trembling joy thank him for his irresistible grace that conquered all our resistance.

John Piper 

What are you hungry for?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When Jesus said “the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness will find that hunger met,” He was not talking about someone who had a mere appetite; He was talking about a starving person.

God made us in such a way that we couldn’t exist long without food. What is a starving person interested in? The latest football scores? The flower arrangement at the pink lemonade society? The number of stars in the universe? No! They’re only interested in one thing – food!

In fact, I did some research and discovered that a person can exist about forty days without food, about three days without water, and only eight minutes without air. In the spiritual realm of eternity, man cannot exist one second without Jesus Christ.

ACTION POINT:

May God help us narrow our focus to hunger first and foremost for Him! It will result in bringing glory to God and saving multitudes of souls.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Caused to Return

Cause us to return, O Lord, that we may return! (Lamentations 5:21, my translation)

There is no hope for God’s people unless God causes them to return from their sliding and leaping into sin and unbelief.

The book of Lamentations is the bleakest book in the Bible. God himself had decimated the apple of his eye: Jerusalem.

The Lord gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations. (Lamentations 4:11)

He has killed all who were delightful in our eyes. (Lamentations 2:4)

The Lord has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. (Lamentations 1:5)

So how does the book end?

It ends with the only hope there is:

Cause us to return, O Lord, that we may return! (Lamentations 5:21)

That is my only hope — and your only hope!

Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32).

Not if you return. But when you return. I have prayed for you! You will return. And when you do, it will be my sovereign grace that brought you back from the precipice of apostasy.

Christian, this is true for you. This is your only hope of perseverance in faith. Glory in it.

Christ Jesus is the one who . . . is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34)

He will cause us to return. Therefore, “to him who is able to keep you from stumbling . . . be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever” (Jude 1:24–25). Amen!

John Piper 

How can you ever know an infinite God?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” Matthew 11:27

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When God condescends to make Himself known to us, the Bible calls that “revelation.” The Infinite, God, reveals Himself to the finite, mankind. Now, what is the agent in this revelation? Not a what, but a Who. The Holy Spirit.  Only the Holy Spirit knows the mind of God and searches the deep things of God.

You and I cannot know God apart from the Holy Spirit revealing Him to us. Isaiah 55:9 says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

ACTION POINT:

Even in the human realm, the only way you and I can know anything about each other is when we reveal ourselves to one another. We spend time…we communicate with each other. And the only way man will ever know God is for God to reveal Himself. He does that through His Word and prayer. Praise God He has chosen to do that!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How to Repent

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

A vague, bad feeling that you are a crummy person is not the same as conviction for sin. Feeling rotten is not the same as repentance.

This morning I began to pray, and felt unworthy to be talking to the Creator of the universe. It was a vague sense of unworthiness. So I told him so. Now what?

Nothing changed until I began to get specific about my sins. Crummy feelings can be useful if they lead to conviction for specific sins. But vague feelings of being a bad person are not usually very helpful.

The fog of unworthiness needs to take shape into clear dark pillars of disobedience. Then you can point to them and repent and ask for forgiveness and take aim with your gospel bazooka to blow them up.

So I began to call to mind the commands I frequently break. These are the ones that came to mind.

Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Not 95%, but 100%. (Matthew 22:37)

Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Be as eager for things to go well for him as you are for things to go well for you. (Matthew 22:39)

Do all things without grumbling. No grumbling — inside or outside. (Philippians 2:14)

Cast all your anxieties on him — so you are not being weighed down by them anymore. (1 Peter 5:7)

Only say things that give grace to others — especially those closest to you. (Ephesians 4:29)

Redeem the time. Don’t fritter away the minutes, or dawdle. (Ephesians 5:16)

So much for any pretensions to great holiness! I’m undone.

This is much worse than vague, crummy feelings. Ah, but now the enemy is visible. The sins are specific. They’ve come out of hiding. I look them in the eye. I’m not whining about feeling crummy. I’m apologizing to Christ for not doing specific things that he commanded.

I’m broken, and I’m angry at my sin. I want to kill it, not me. I’m not suicidal. I’m a sin-hater and a sin-murderer. (“Put to death what is earthly in you,” Colossians 3:5; “Put to death the deeds of the body,” Romans 8:13.) I want to live. That’s why I’m a killer — of my sin!

In this conflict, I hear the promise, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Peace rises.

Now, prayer feels possible and right and powerful again.

John Piper 

Your defense attorney is the best…

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The best way to start dealing with your sins is for you to confess – that is, begin agreeing with God as to what He says about your sin. Then you’ve got to confidently deal with your sin.

Now, what do I mean by “confidently”? What guilty person goes before a judge confidently?

First, you have your own attorney when you face the judge for adjudication. According to God’s Word, you have an Advocate, which is another name for attorney.

Here are the principal players in this scene when you are in God’s court of justice:

• God the Father is the presiding Judge.

• The devil is the prosecuting attorney, pointing his accusing finger, saying, “Look at him/her!”

• Jesus, your defense attorney, stands by you (the accused) saying, “But Father, look at Me. I shed My blood for him.”

Because Jesus died, our debt is paid. Hallelujah! “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him” (Ephesians 3:12). “Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Though our sins are as scarlet, He will wash them white as snow!

ACTION POINT:

Praise God—your defense attorney is the Judge’s Son!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Ladies and Gentlemen: This Is A Bible

We must be reminded of this.

The Bible is God's Word.

It is the basics on which we learn about God.

Bible comes the Latin and Greek word meaning book.

There are 66 books.

There is an Old Testament and a New Testament.

There are books of law, historical ones, poetry ones, prophecy ones, biography ones, and formal letter ones.

There are around 40 authors who were inspired by God to write.

The Bible was written over a period of 1500 years.

Among the writers were kings, fishermen, priest, farmers, doctors, government officials and shepherds.

This diverse group wrote in unison with God

to make His word know.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, - 2 Timothy 3:16

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:21

The OT is the story of a nation.

The NT is the story of a Savior.

But both are totally about Jesus Christ.

The old prophecies about Jesus.

The new details Christ life, death, resurrection and His salvation.

It's alive!

There is power in it!

His word changes lives.

1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel.

2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.

6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places.

8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. - Nehemiah 8:1-9

5 Images the Bible uses to describe itself

1. Lamp/Light

Gives security, direction, show the way

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  - Psalm 119:105

2. Fire

Purifies, intensifies 

Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? - Jeremiah 23:29

3. Hammer

Breaks pride, destroys anger, shows sin giving us conviction 

Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? - Jeremiah 23:29

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. - Ezekiel 36:26

4. Mirror

Reflects the truth, God sees you as you are

The word causes you to reflect

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. - James 1:23-24

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. - James 1:25

5. Sword

Cuts or convicts but also protects

Offense but also defense

Words for when you are under Satan's attack

He will deliver you

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. - Hebrews 4:12-13

the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.  - Jeremiah 31:3

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. - Genesis 50:20

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  - Isaiah 26:3

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. - Matthew 10:30

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  - Psalm 139:13

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, - Ephesians 6:10-17

For nothing will be impossible with God." - Luke 1:37

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.  - Isaiah 40:8

Thanks Pastor Kevin!