Month: March 2021

“Let all that you do be done with love.” ‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭16:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. As the Apostle Paul closes this letter to the believers in Corinth, he sums up his message with these profound and life changing words. In chapter 13 he has written an entire chapter on how God’s love works in us. Repeatedly he has emphasized that we must be conscious of how our words and actions are affecting others. He has shown, when we truly love God, it affects everything we do and how we do it. In his next letter to Corinth, he continues this thought, “the love of Christ compels us” (2 Cor. 5:14). And for a true child of God, this becomes the guiding force in our lives! Because we love God we choose to do what pleases Him. Because we love souls we do what is best for them. Jesus lived a life of perfect love. When they asked Him what is the first commandment of all, He said, “To love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And to love our neighbor as ourselves”. We are commanded to walk in love. So it should be very clear, that the Christian life is to be a life of love. By God’s grace, let us live each day, doing all that we do with God’s love compelling us.

“And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark‬ ‭10:52‬ ‭KJV‬‬. This was the healing of blind Bartimaeus, who had cried out to Jesus for mercy and to receive his sight. One of the things here that is such a powerful lesson for us spiritually, is that when he truly was able to see, it put his life on a new path! He began to follow Jesus. Today it is always the same when we receive that healing touch to our spiritual eyes. The first evidence of that healing is, that our lives begin to go in a whole new direction. We don’t pursue the things we once did. We don’t stumble around in the darkness of sin and selfishness. Because our heart is changed we see things altogether different now. We see that following Jesus is the only Way that leads to life. We see that He is the only One Who can satisfy our hungering souls, that sin doesn’t satisfy. We see that nothing is as important as the soul. May we pray this prayer for those around us, still so blinded by sin and the religious ideas of men: “Lord have mercy upon them and open their eyes to see Who You are and what You have done for us! Help them to see that there is only one Way that leads to life, and that is following You.”

“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God…” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:34‬ ‭KJV‬‬. When a person truly receives personal knowledge of God, there is a spiritual awakening in the heart and mind. They wake up to the truth that God is a Holy God and wants a holy people. They wake up to the reality that we have no goodness of our own, “that all our righteousness is like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). The Holy Spirit awakens in us a recognition of our need for the righteousness of Christ. And thank God we learn in His Word that He promises to clothe us with His righteousness. We wake up to the truth that we have no strength nor ability in ourselves to live a holy life and walk in righteousness. But then, through God’s Word, we awake to the truth that Jesus Christ will live in us and impart His own nature to us, as we become willing to let Him be Lord of all in us! So in this confused religious age where most church people are asleep spiritually, let us wake up to the truth of righteousness and by God’s grace, sin not. Let’s experience the practical and daily reality of being clothed with the righteousness of Christ in everything we do and say. And remember, what we are clothed in is what others see.

“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You…” Exodus‬ ‭33:13‬ ‭NKJV‬. This was part of Moses’ prayer to God when he pleaded for mercy after Israel’s great sin. At this time he knew very little about God’s grace. But think of how blessed we are today. We can know about and daily experience God’s amazing grace! It is His grace that has revealed to us the way in which God deals with us through Jesus Christ. It is the grace of God that reveals to us, in His Word, the way our lives are supposed to be lived. And it is His grace ‘that teaches us to live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present world’ (Titus 2:12). And then, through His grace we have the great privilege to know God in personal relationship! Oh what a gracious and highly exalted privilege this is! To walk with our Heavenly Father and to know what He has done for us. To know His loving heart towards us. Is it any wonder the songwriter proclaimed “Grace! Grace! God’s grace! Grace that is greater than all my sin!” Truly it is, all because of God’s amazing grace.

“…and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬. After Paul confessed “by God’s grace I am what I am”, he then reveals his response to the grace of God. He realizes that in many lives all of God’s goodness and grace is in vain. They don’t acknowledge it nor do they respond to it. They walk in pride imagining that by their own strength and wisdom they are who they are. Many today actually think they are entitled to all of the blessings they receive, and never recognize that every good thing in our lives comes from God. But for Paul, it was not in vain. This means first of all that he was thankful for God’s grace. But it also means that he was willing to humble himself and allow God’s grace to work in and through him, in such a way that it brought glory to God and blessing to those around him. He confesses that in his many labors for God’s kingdom, it was not his human energy and wisdom. Rather it was the amazing grace of God working through his life. Let us be those humble vessels that God’s grace can work in and flow through, so that His grace is not in vain in our lives.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am…” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬. The Apostle Paul understood very clearly, that if any good came from or through his life, it was all a result of God’s grace. He knew that every good thing he possessed was by God’s grace. In this day where there is so much pride in our world and in most of religion, we would do well to remember this truth. There is no good in us apart from the grace of God. There is nothing in us worthy or deserving of anything good. All that we are and every blessing we have is by God’s grace. Realizing this will keep us humble before God and each other. The only thing that separates us from the lowest places is God’s grace. It is His grace that allowed us to be born in a country where we could hear the Gospel. It is God’s grace that provided the opportunity for us to get an education and have strength to labor. It is His grace that brings people into our lives to love us and show us the love of Jesus. May we never boast in anything except Jesus Christ and God’s amazing grace. Thank the Lord today for every good thing in your life, because it is ALL by God’s grace!

“When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬. This was immediately after Jesus had miraculously fed the 5000 with 5 small loaves and 2 fishes. But the spiritual truth He demonstrates here is one that we all should take heed to and be very thankful for. Even when it came to the broken fragments of physical food Jesus was not willing that anything be lost. And if this was His attitude towards material things of so little worth, how much more is this His attitude towards lost souls and the broken fragments of our lives. How thankful we should be that even when our lives were broken by sin and fragmented by our selfish choices, He was not willing that any thing be lost. What a joy it is to know that He gathered up the brokenness of our lives and restored us. And as His children, this should also be our attitude towards a world that is broken and fragmented by sin. We should not be willing that any souls be lost. We should heed his call to go out and seek to gather up the fragments that remain. Let us be thankful today, that Jesus is still gathering lost souls. He is not willing that any be lost, but that all come to repentance.

“I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.” Psalms‬ ‭77:11-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬. In the previous verses the psalmist is very distressed. He wonders where is God’s mercy? Has God somehow forgotten to be gracious? And we recognize, that he has allowed the troubles of the moment to so cloud his mind that he has lost sight of Who God is and what God has done. But finally he says, “I will remember”. He makes a definite choice to stop thinking in that negative path that leads to doubt and unbelief. He turns his thoughts to the many things God has done to prove His love for us. He thinks of the mighty works of God that demonstrate His mercy and grace. And he begins to speak of them! He tells others of God’s goodness. There are many times in our lives we need to do the same thing. Times when we have become focused on troubles and allowed our minds to go in wrong directions. But may we listen to that still, small Voice of God’s Spirit, that says “Remember!” And then, as we turn our thoughts to God, we remember that He is a loving and merciful Father, always ready to help His children. We remember that He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

“Behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you…” Ezekiel 36:9. There have been many studies made about the places where God says “I AM” in the Bible. And certainly they are all true and a blessing to us. But what a joy it is to know this one also! To know that the God of Glory, the Almighty Infinite Creator, He says to His children, “I AM for you…!” Hallelujah! Is it any wonder when the Apostle Paul thought about this he asked the question “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). The patriarch Jacob came to a difficult and very discouraging place in his life where he forgot this and said “All these things are against me”. But instead of us dwelling on the things and people that are against us, how much better we are when we focus on the One Who is for us! The things that determine the outcome of our battles is not the power or cruelty of those that are against us. Rather, it is the Almighty, Infinite, Unconquerable Power of our God Who is for us! So let’s be thankful for this wonderful truth! And no matter who or what comes against us, let us choose to live each day in the light of this truth. The One Who is the Great ‘I AM’ is for us.

“…the earth feared, and was still, When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.” Psalms‬ ‭76:8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬. The word ‘meek’ used here, has a double meaning. It means those who are afflicted and oppressed, but also humbled and looking to God. The psalmist is remembering times when the enemy came against God’s people. They came in their pride and physical strength, to oppress and destroy the Godly remnant. But as the ungodly do, they forget that there is a Mighty God, the Righteous Judge, Who does not ignore what is happening to His people. Time and again He has risen up in His strength to bring judgment upon the enemies of God’s children. Today, we see more and more the pride and cruelty of the enemies of the church, coming against those who walk humbly with God. And we wonder at times, where will it end? What will they do against us? But let us be steadfast, always mindful, that our Mighty God is also the Judge of this whole earth. And the day is soon coming, when He will rise up in judgment one last time. And when He does, every enemy will be destroyed. But thank God, all of the meek and lowly ones, who love Him, will be saved! In these uncertain days, let us hold steady and remain a part of that humble and holy remnant.