Grace

1 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.

2 And Jonathan told David, "Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. - 1 Samuel 19:1-2

17 He said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.

18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands.

19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.

20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.

21 Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house."

22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. - 1 Samuel 24:17-22

Four lessons concerning the grace of God:

1. The grace of God is looking for someone.

1 And David said, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant."

3 And the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet." - 2 Samuel 9:1-3

If the Son sets you free you are free indeed!

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, - Romans 5:20

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9

2. The grace of God is not intimidated by your problems.

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  - Isaiah 43:1

Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. - 2 Samuel 4:4

And the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet." - 2 Samuel 9:3

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

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Colossians 1:27

3. The grace of God takes you to another level.

4 The king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar."

5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.

6 And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, "Mephibosheth!" And he answered, "Behold, I am your servant." - 2 Samuel 9:4-6

Lo-debar is a barren land.

Mephibosheth is a nobody living in a barren land.

The king's grandson is leading a lowly life.

God had another plan for him.

25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things."

26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."

27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"

28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people,

29 "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" - John 4:25-29

God had another plan for this woman.

4. The grace of God gives you a seat at His table.

You don't deserve it!

7 And David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always."

8 And he paid homage and said, "What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?"

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson.

10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.

13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet. - 2 Samuel 9:7-13

God's plan not mans.

Are you crippled in body or spirit before the Lord?

Whether it's physical or mental, Christ is able!

 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.  - Psalms 23

This is grace!

Thanks Pastor Kevin!

Prayer’s Exclamation Point

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. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Prayer is a response to promises, that is, to the assurances of God’s future grace.

Prayer is drawing on the account where God has deposited all his stores of future grace.

Prayer is not hoping in the dark that there might be a God of good intentions out there. Prayer banks on the promise of God, and goes to the bank every day and draws on stores of future grace needed for that day.

Don’t miss the connection between the two halves of this great verse. Notice the “that is why”: “All the promises of God are Yes in Christ. That is why (therefore) we pray Amen through him, to God’s glory.”

To make sure we see it, let’s turn the two halves around: When we pray, we say Amen to God through Christ, because God has said a decisive Amen to all his promises in Christ. Prayer is the confident plea for God to make good on his promises of future grace — for Christ’s sake. Prayer links our faith in future grace with the foundation of it all, Jesus Christ.

Which leads to the final point: “Amen” is a full and precious word in times of prayer. It doesn’t mean primarily, “Yes, I have now said this prayer.” It means primarily, “Yes, God has made all these promises.”

Amen means, “Yes, Lord, you can do it.” It means, “Yes, Lord, you are powerful. Yes, Lord, you are wise. Yes, Lord, you are merciful. Yes, Lord, all future grace comes from you and has been confirmed in Christ.”

“Amen” is an exclamation point of hope and warranted confidence after a prayer for help.

John Piper 

What’s Written All Over Your Face?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Acts 4:20

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Somewhere in California during the gold rush of 1849, the story is told of two gold miners who struck a particularly rich vein of gold one day. They decided not to tell anyone else, so they could keep it for themselves. They went into town to get better equipment to mine the gold, but when they left, scores of people followed. Their jubilation was written all over their faces.

ACTION POINT:

Is what’s in your heart written all over your face? Oh, how I pray that each person reading this today will not hide what they have found in Jesus Christ. I want people who see you today to say, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I want what she has. I want what he has.” The gift of salvation is for you, but it is also for others to behold in you and desire to have the same for themselves.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Jesus Will Finish the Mission

“This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

I don’t know any more inspiring missionary promise than this word from Jesus.

Not: This gospel should be preached.

Not: This gospel might be preached.

But: This gospel will be preached.

This is not a great commission, nor a great commandment. It is a great certainty, a great confidence.

Who can dare talk like that? How does he know it will? How can he be sure the church will not fail in its missionary task?

Answer: The grace of missionary service is as irresistible as the grace of regeneration. Christ can promise universal proclamation because he is sovereign. He knows the future success of missions because he makes the future. All the nations will hear!

A “nation” is not a modern “country.” When the Old Testament spoke of nations, it referred to groups like Jebusites and Perizites and Hivites and Amorites and Moabites and Canaanites and Philistines. “Nations” are ethnic groups with their own peculiar language and culture. Psalm 117:1: “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!” Nations are peoples — people groups, as we call them.

As the sovereign Son of God and Lord of the church, Jesus simply took up this divine purpose and stated as an absolute certainty, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations” (Matthew 24:14).

The cause of world missions is absolutely assured of success. It cannot fail. Is it not reasonable, then, that we pray with great faith, that we invest with great confidence, and that we go with a sense of sure triumph?

John Piper 

Will you say “Jesus is Lord” no matter what?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. John 6:68-69

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The Romans were a polytheistic nation—they worshiped many gods. They had a god for this and a god for that. They even built the Pantheon, which was a temple for all the gods that were worshiped in ancient Rome.

So why, then, were Christians so persecuted in the days of the liberal Roman government? They just worshiped “another god”—right? The Romans didn’t persecute other religious people, only Christians. Why did they pick on the Christians? When the Romans subjugated and conquered a people, they let them keep their gods—on one condition: that they remember that Caesar was Lord. Christians proclaimed Jesus as Lord, not Caesar.

ACTION POINT:

As the world becomes more and more synchronized, headed toward a “one world” order, men and women who say that Jesus is the only true Lord are going to be persecuted. Will you stand and proclaim Jesus as Lord no matter what?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Subversive for the Savior

When Jesus met the man filled with demons at Gadara, the demons cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29)

Demons learned a mystery here. They knew they were doomed. They knew the Son of God would be the victor. But they didn’t know until it happened that Christ was coming before the time of final defeat.

Christ is not going to wait for the end of the war to lead his troops into combat. He has begun to lead a subversive force into the territory of Satan. He has trained a “life-squad” to perform daring rescue operations. Christ has plotted many tactical victories before the time of the final strategic victory.

The resulting wartime mentality is this: Since Satan’s doom is sure, and he knows it, we can always remind him of it when he tempts us to follow him. We can laugh and say, “You’re out of your mind. Who wants to join forces with a loser?!”

The church is the liberated enemy of “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). We are the guerrillas and the gadflies. We are the insurgency against the rebel kingdom of “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).

It is not safe. But it is thrilling. Many lives are lost. Satan’s forces are ever on the lookout for our subversive activity. Christ has guaranteed resurrection for all who fight to the death. But he has not guaranteed comfort, or acceptance from the world, or prosperity in enemy territory.

Many have gladly given their lives behind the lines running errands for the Commander. I can think of no better way to live — or die!

John Piper 

Who do your hands represent today?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath He recompensed me. Psalm 18:20

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

During WWII, a beautiful cathedral in Europe was destroyed by the Nazis. When the people came together to rebuild the cathedral, they found the remains of a statue of Christ with His hands outstretched. They repaired the statue as best they could, but they could not recover the hands. Because they loved the statue as it was, they put a plaque underneath that reads: “He has no hands but our hands.”

Remember this—Jesus Christ is the invisible part of you, the Christian. The Christian is the visible part of Christ. He is seen in us and through us. We are the visible part of the invisible Christ.

ACTION POINT:

What we do in His name represents Him to the world. What are you doing with your hands today that is a testimony of Jesus Christ to a watching and lost world?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers