Romans 5:1-2
Therefore since we have been justified --
Declared righteous, not earned righteousness.
through faith, --
By reason of our trusting in Jesus.
we have peace with God --
We are again friends with God instead of His enemies, we don't have guilt between us.
through our Lord Jesus Christ, --
By the means of what Jesus accomplished on our behalf.
through whom we have gained access --
Because of Jesus we can go right in, we have access; the veil is ripped apart.
by faith --
by means of our trusting in Him.
into this grace --
This totally unmerited favor of God.
in which we now stand. --
That we have right now, that benefits us today in the circumstances we find ourselves in at this moment.
And we rejoice in the hope --
We celebrate and take joy in the knowledge of the certainties that haven't happened yet but we know they will without fail. Not just a wish, a future fact.
of the glory of God.
God's goodness, His greatness, His majesty, His enormity and authority, His boundless power to rule and accomplish everything He wills. And He is ours!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, March 11, 2016
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Free, Indeed
John 8:34-35,31-32
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." --
Everyone who gives himself to a sin to commit it becomes a slave of that sin; it becomes a habit, then an addiction.
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, --
A slave has been bought and can be sold again at any time, at the whim of the slave-holder.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free, indeed. --
The Son has the authority to set a slave free, to never have to return to that position of slavery ever again.
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. --
If I actually take hold of what Jesus said, then I will be a true disciple, a student, learning from the Teacher.
Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. --
So this Truth Jesus is talking about is His Truth concerning Eternal Life, and the power and authority of His Holy Spirit living in us enabling us to do the things He planned for us to do, and avoid the things that are detrimental to us, that draw us away from Him. The authority to break the chains of addiction, and heal broken relationships, and every other enticing way of thinking and acting that would be self-centered rather than God-centered.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." --
Everyone who gives himself to a sin to commit it becomes a slave of that sin; it becomes a habit, then an addiction.
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, --
A slave has been bought and can be sold again at any time, at the whim of the slave-holder.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free, indeed. --
The Son has the authority to set a slave free, to never have to return to that position of slavery ever again.
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. --
If I actually take hold of what Jesus said, then I will be a true disciple, a student, learning from the Teacher.
Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. --
So this Truth Jesus is talking about is His Truth concerning Eternal Life, and the power and authority of His Holy Spirit living in us enabling us to do the things He planned for us to do, and avoid the things that are detrimental to us, that draw us away from Him. The authority to break the chains of addiction, and heal broken relationships, and every other enticing way of thinking and acting that would be self-centered rather than God-centered.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
To Not Slip
Psalm 37:30-31
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, --
The righteous person will say the things that are wise, that show understanding.
and his tongue speaks what is just. --
He will be honest and fair.
The law of his God is in his heart; --
He knows God's Word by heart.
his feet do not slip. --
He will not be in danger of slipping off the road. Because he has extensively read, studied and memorized the Bible and gained a clear understanding of the mind of God thereby, then when he speaks it will be with words of wisdom, compassion, understanding of the bigger picture, and will see the truth of what is going on around him to judge with honesty and true justice.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(You must pardon my omission of a posting yesterday, my computer was hacked and I had it in the shop for repair.)
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, --
The righteous person will say the things that are wise, that show understanding.
and his tongue speaks what is just. --
He will be honest and fair.
The law of his God is in his heart; --
He knows God's Word by heart.
his feet do not slip. --
He will not be in danger of slipping off the road. Because he has extensively read, studied and memorized the Bible and gained a clear understanding of the mind of God thereby, then when he speaks it will be with words of wisdom, compassion, understanding of the bigger picture, and will see the truth of what is going on around him to judge with honesty and true justice.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(You must pardon my omission of a posting yesterday, my computer was hacked and I had it in the shop for repair.)
Monday, March 7, 2016
Sparrows And Hairs
Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
I cannot think of any detail about me that would have less significance than the number of hairs on my head! Yet my Father's care for me is so great, so extensive, so intensive, that He keeps track of even my hairs. And if He is so concerned for that non-consequential detail, how much more does He care for what impacts my life and the lives of those around me.
O my Father, teach me how to be aware of myself and those around me, to see them through Your eyes, and care for them as You do!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
I cannot think of any detail about me that would have less significance than the number of hairs on my head! Yet my Father's care for me is so great, so extensive, so intensive, that He keeps track of even my hairs. And if He is so concerned for that non-consequential detail, how much more does He care for what impacts my life and the lives of those around me.
O my Father, teach me how to be aware of myself and those around me, to see them through Your eyes, and care for them as You do!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, March 6, 2016
The Enormity Of The Reality of God
Job 11:7-9
Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.
Job's friend Zophar states here the enormity of the reality of God. Even though some of what Job's friends stated to him, he recognized as lies and deceit about himself and about God (that's why God told him to pray for them), what God allowed to be recorded here excluded the untruthful comments, because He is the God of Truth and this is His Word. So we need not be judges of the Word to determine what we think is true or not. And we see here that God is unfathomable to our human minds, He is far beyond what our minds can conceive.
O my Father, thank you so much that You are God, not us, and that we can trust Your Word to always be True. Grant us please the discernment to understand what You are telling us, and the wisdom to know what to do and how to do Your will, to further Your plans and accomplish Your purposes in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.
Job's friend Zophar states here the enormity of the reality of God. Even though some of what Job's friends stated to him, he recognized as lies and deceit about himself and about God (that's why God told him to pray for them), what God allowed to be recorded here excluded the untruthful comments, because He is the God of Truth and this is His Word. So we need not be judges of the Word to determine what we think is true or not. And we see here that God is unfathomable to our human minds, He is far beyond what our minds can conceive.
O my Father, thank you so much that You are God, not us, and that we can trust Your Word to always be True. Grant us please the discernment to understand what You are telling us, and the wisdom to know what to do and how to do Your will, to further Your plans and accomplish Your purposes in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
The Wisdom Of Old Age
Job 12:12
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?
Job is defending himself to his friends, and stating a truth (or a truism) that can be applied universally. People who have attained advanced age, who have lived many years, can be expected to have learned something useful to teach the young. Those who have walked with God for many years have certainly learned much from Him. They will be able to connect the dots of all the world happenings to see the relationships there (understanding) and to realize the right way to respond to them (wisdom). Both world-wide events and also personal and family issues will be open to their examination and judgement.
Help me, Father, to be that aged one.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?
Job is defending himself to his friends, and stating a truth (or a truism) that can be applied universally. People who have attained advanced age, who have lived many years, can be expected to have learned something useful to teach the young. Those who have walked with God for many years have certainly learned much from Him. They will be able to connect the dots of all the world happenings to see the relationships there (understanding) and to realize the right way to respond to them (wisdom). Both world-wide events and also personal and family issues will be open to their examination and judgement.
Help me, Father, to be that aged one.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Family Rights
Galatians 4:1-7
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. --
The child of a Noble in the world will inherit the whole estate on the death of the father, even if he's still an infant or toddler: he will, by law, be the owner. But he will be under a nanny, or a guardian or a trustee and cannot make any decisions for himself, just like a slave cannot decide for himself.
He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. --
The guardians and trustees will be making all the decisions on running the estate, and the child will have no say at all in the matter until he attains the age set by his father, when he will be legally old enough to assume the responsibility.
So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. --
This was the Law of Moses, as well as the legal system of the world's governments. We, the human race, were under restrictive limits in how to run our own lives. We were expected to walk in the steps of our fathers' professions, stay in our own economic and cultural sphere, etc.
But when the time had fully come, --
God waited all the centuries after Adam and Abraham; waited until Rome had conquered the whole known world and built roads making every part of the world easily accessible (for the spread of the Gospel); when the philosophies of Men had developed the thinking processes of intelligent minds; had developed the Greek language, the most descriptive and accurate language ever spoken, etc.
God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, --
God's own Son, the Second Person in the Trinity, Who proceeds from the Father from Eternity Past, Who broke into this World by means of a birth as a human baby, born of a woman who supplied His human nature, subjecting Himself to all the natural laws of the Universe and all the political and religious laws of the time. Setting aside His Divine prerogatives and subjecting Himself to all the limitations we are under.
To redeem those under law, --
To rescue us from the bondage and slavery we are all subjected to in this world.
That we might receive the full rights as sons. --
We will one day be released from all the limitations that hold us down from achieving all that we were created for.
Because you are sons, --
We are, right now, sons; not in some future day.
God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, --
The Spirit of Jesus, in our hearts right now, today.
The Spirit who calls out, "Abba," "Father." --
We call God "Abba," which is the Greek word for the first word an infant will say, "Da-da"; and "Father," which we would say, "Daddy." That's who God is to us when we are "born again" spiritually into His family.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, --
We've been rescued from the slave-market of sin and received into the family of God as His own child.
And since you are a son, God has also made you an heir. --
We are born into God's own family, and God has also determined that we will inherit His Kingdom (unlike Ishmael, who was born of Abraham by the slave-woman, so had no part at all in Isaac's inheritance as the heir).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. --
The child of a Noble in the world will inherit the whole estate on the death of the father, even if he's still an infant or toddler: he will, by law, be the owner. But he will be under a nanny, or a guardian or a trustee and cannot make any decisions for himself, just like a slave cannot decide for himself.
He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. --
The guardians and trustees will be making all the decisions on running the estate, and the child will have no say at all in the matter until he attains the age set by his father, when he will be legally old enough to assume the responsibility.
So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. --
This was the Law of Moses, as well as the legal system of the world's governments. We, the human race, were under restrictive limits in how to run our own lives. We were expected to walk in the steps of our fathers' professions, stay in our own economic and cultural sphere, etc.
But when the time had fully come, --
God waited all the centuries after Adam and Abraham; waited until Rome had conquered the whole known world and built roads making every part of the world easily accessible (for the spread of the Gospel); when the philosophies of Men had developed the thinking processes of intelligent minds; had developed the Greek language, the most descriptive and accurate language ever spoken, etc.
God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, --
God's own Son, the Second Person in the Trinity, Who proceeds from the Father from Eternity Past, Who broke into this World by means of a birth as a human baby, born of a woman who supplied His human nature, subjecting Himself to all the natural laws of the Universe and all the political and religious laws of the time. Setting aside His Divine prerogatives and subjecting Himself to all the limitations we are under.
To redeem those under law, --
To rescue us from the bondage and slavery we are all subjected to in this world.
That we might receive the full rights as sons. --
We will one day be released from all the limitations that hold us down from achieving all that we were created for.
Because you are sons, --
We are, right now, sons; not in some future day.
God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, --
The Spirit of Jesus, in our hearts right now, today.
The Spirit who calls out, "Abba," "Father." --
We call God "Abba," which is the Greek word for the first word an infant will say, "Da-da"; and "Father," which we would say, "Daddy." That's who God is to us when we are "born again" spiritually into His family.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, --
We've been rescued from the slave-market of sin and received into the family of God as His own child.
And since you are a son, God has also made you an heir. --
We are born into God's own family, and God has also determined that we will inherit His Kingdom (unlike Ishmael, who was born of Abraham by the slave-woman, so had no part at all in Isaac's inheritance as the heir).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)