GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

[nChrist]

Running to Win
Part 4 of 4
By Pastor Ricky Kurth


Obviously, when Paul says we should keep under our bodies, he means we should keep them "as bondmen and bondwomen" unto us. Our physical bodies make wonderful servants, but poor masters. We must keep under them lest we find ourselves "a castaway."

This doesn't mean we might lose our salvation. In Romans 11 we read that God "cast away" the people of Israel (v. 1-15), but that didn't mean that faithful Jews who died in faith lost their hope! It rather means that as a people they were sidelined from competition, because they didn't follow the rules!

Paul knew from personal experience what this was like. After he had "preached to others" that we are not under law but under grace, he took a Jewish vow (Acts 21:18-26) that would have ended in an animal sacrifice (v. 26). Rather than let him cast such a dishonorable shadow on the Cross of Christ, God interrupted the vow (v. 27), had him arrested (v. 32) and subsequently imprisoned, cast away or sidelined because he didn't follow the rules.

Indeed, it is this unfortunate event in Paul's life that prompted the passage we are now considering. In I Corinthians 9:20, Paul regretfully admits:

"And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law; that I might gain them that are under the law."

Paul says that he did this "that I might by all means save some" (v. 22). But are we to use all means to reach the lost and teach the untaught? No, we must be careful "lest that by any means" we are too zealous and break the rules! Paul's words here are not given to encourage us to emulate his methods, but rather as a warning not to follow in his footsteps. He means for us to admire the zeal that motivated his actions, but to temper this zeal with an unwavering determination to play by the rules.

We know that Paul was willing to give up his rewards and be "accursed from Christ" for his brethren in Israel (Rom. 9:3). This sounds noble, and we are tempted to say, "Amen! You go, Paul!", and be willing to give up our own rewards for the sake of those about us. But Paul learned the hard way that God doesn't approve of it, and it doesn't work anyway! Compromising the rules never accomplishes the goal, it only brings loss of rewards. Thus Paul tells Timothy:

"And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully" (II Tim. 2:5).

This passage in II Timothy has yet another tie to our text in I Corinthians 9. The Greek word for "castaway" is the negative form of the word translated "approved" in II Timothy 2:15. Thus, if we don't rightly divide God's Rule Book, we will end up a disapproved castaway! Every Isthmian contestant knew he must do more than just follow the rules of his competition, he also knew he must not mix the rules with those of other events. For instance, while it is perfectly all right to punch an opponent in the boxing ring, a runner who slugs a man who is gaining on him will find himself disqualified! It is likewise within the rules for fencers to use a foil, but the boxer who tries to use one is disapproved! In the same way, Christians today must be careful not to mix the rules given to us through the Apostle Paul with the rules given to the people of Israel, or we will end up "ashamed" at the judgment seat of Christ.

Perhaps you are thinking that you aren't concerned with obtaining rewards, you would be embarrassed to reign with Christ, you are not the type who wants to rule and reign over anyone or anything. When you get to Heaven, you'll be content to be "a doorkeeper" in the house of God (Ps. 84:10). If this describes you, you should know that while rewards may not be important to you, they are important to God. God is tired of watching the Academy awards and all of men's other award shows, and seeing all the wrong people rewarded for all the wrong things! God is eager to see the right people rewarded for all the right things. May God help us to be as eager to be rewarded as He is to reward us! May God help us to get in the game, and live fervently for Him!

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
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If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

THE FAITHFULNESS of OUR GOD
Part 1 of 2
By Pastor James R. Gray



God is faithful in all that He is and that He does. Moses once said, "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God" (Deut. 7:9). The Apostle Paul reminds us that even "if we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself" (II Tim. 2:13). Faithfulness is essential to His being and He cannot act contrary to Who He is or what He does. His faithfulness rests upon His very being. His omnipotence, truth, immutability, holiness, love and righteous justice are foundational to His faithfulness. He never forgets, fails, falters, or forfeits His word. Faithfulness is one of His glorious perfections and one of the great themes of the Bible.

The Apostle Paul is a great spotlighter of the faithfulness of God. In his epistles there are six declarations about God's faithfulness. God is faithful in all His relations with His own. It is not our faithfulness that is the focus, but God's faithfulness. In fact, God remains faithful in all of these areas, even when we do not.

GOD IS FAITHFUL TO SAVE

"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it" (I Thess. 5:24). Believers are those who have responded to the call of God. This call was, first of all, to salvation. In II Thessalonians 2:13-14, Paul makes clear that salvation is the work of God. Our salvation is entirely due to the initiative of God. He chose us to salvation. However, God's choice did not automatically save us, it became a reality by the work of the Holy Spirit and belief of the truth. Believers are here contrasted with those who "did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness" (II Thess. 2:12).

We were called by the gospel of God's grace. The call of God involves receiving eternal life (II Tim. 1:9-10; 6:12; II Thess. 2:14). God in His grace calls men to salvation. It is His call that proceeds and inspires us to call upon Him (Rom. 10:12-13). Therefore, believers are called-out ones. We are called into one Body, the Church (CoI. 3:15). In fact, the word church is the Greek word ekklesia, meaning the called-out ones. We have not joined the church, Christ has joined us to His church and to Himself (1 Cor. 12:13). God is faithful to save those whom He calls (Rom. 8:29-30). He called us to salvation, and He is faithful to completely accomplish it.

GOD IS FAITHFUL TO SECURE

"Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (I Cor. 1:8-9). Believers are secure in Christ. God will "confirm you unto the end." The Greek word for confirm is bebaioo, meaning to fix, make sure, preserve. It denotes to "make firm or reliable so as to warrant security" (Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary, 331). God is faithful to secure us. We do not secure ourselves by works or any other means. Our security is completely in the hands of God. We will not present ourselves blameless in that day. He will present us "holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight" (Col. 1:22). the word blameless is a legal term in the Greek, indicating not merely to be unaccusable, but free from any charge. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1).

GOD IS FAITHFUL TO SAFEGUARD US

"But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil" (II Thess. 3:3). God is faithful to save and secure us for eternity. He is likewise faithful to safeguard us in this present age. The word keep is an interesting one. The Greek word is phulasso. Although keep is a true translation, the word is more colorful than what the English word brings out. It is a military term meaning to watch, guard, sentinel, or garrison. It implies conflict and armed protection against attack. God safeguards His own.

That which we are safeguarded from is evil, or the evil one. The text here could be translated either in the neuter: evil, or masculine: the evil one. Paul uses the word in both ways; for evil in general (Rom. 12:9; I Thess. 5:22) and of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). Most students prefer the masculine translation (the evil one) because of the context.

This does not mean that evil or the evil one will never touch us. Job knew what it was to be touched by the evil one. However, as J. Sidow Baxter observes:
Again and again Satan is allowed to attack; and, alas, all too often our outward human defenses are pierced; but inside those there is an invisible wall of fire around God's elect before which Satan is scorched and thwarted. He may penetrate right to that innermost citadel, ripping away everything else to get there, as he did in the case of the patriarch Job; but there he always reaches the impenetrable, and slinks back in discomfiture, while the Lord's beloved comes through wiser and stronger, even as gold tested and purified (Majesty: The God You Should Know, 207).

God safeguards us so "who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these thing we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:35-39).

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
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If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

THE FAITHFULNESS of OUR GOD
Part 2 of 2
By Pastor James R. Gray


GOD IS FAITHFUL TO SANCTION

God is faithful to safeguard us, because He is faithful to sanction what He permits to occur. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (I Cor. 10:13).

Temptation is a persistent enemy to every believer. It never quits. It continually attacks morning, noon and night. It surrounds us, allures us, and tries to trip us day after day, month after month, year after year. When it comes to temptation, let us give careful consideration to the facts:

* God does not tempt us

The temptation we face never comes from God. James 1:13 warns us, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man." The author of all good cannot be the author of sin, nor can He tempt any of His creatures to sin. We cannot blame God for the temptation we face. The buck stops with us. James continues, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed" (1:14). When we fall into sin from temptation is it no one's fault but our own.

* God does limit temptation

God will "not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able" (1 Cor. 10:13). The word suffer is the Greek word eao meaning to permit or allow. God will not allow us to be tempted above what we can handle. God controls the amount of temptation Satan may bring upon us. Our all knowing God will not allow us to be overloaded. Each of us has a maximum capacity that we are able to handle, with His help. He knows our maximum capacity and will not allow more than that. At the point of maximum capacity He will say "no more" Job 38:11). It is important to notice that this is based upon God's knowledge, not upon what we think we can handle. He knows our limits even when we do not.

* God always makes an escape from temptation

God promises to provide a way of escape. It does not matter what the temptation is (drink, drunks, depravity, whatever), all have a way of escape. Thank God that is always true. The words "way of escape" is one word in the Greek, ekbasis, meaning a way out. We do not need to be victims of our weaknesses, environment or circumstances. God is faithful! He has appointed a way out of any and every temptation we face.

It should be pointed out that the way of escape may not mean a doing away with the temptation, but enduring the temptation. Otherwise, the last phrase - "that ye may be able to bear it" - has little meaning. The phrase clearly refers to enduring the temptation without faltering because Christ is "able to succour them that are tempted" (Heb. 2:18 ). The word succour means to help, aid. God is faithful to aid us in temptation. Making us able to ride it out, to go through it, and to bear it while we're enduring, thus coming out victorious. We can have victory over any temptation.

Notice also that the temptation and the way out come at the same time. When the temptation begins, the way out or the means to endure is available. The way of escape is always present with the temptation. The two cannot be separated. God is faithful to sanction or limit the temptation we face and to provide a way out. It is up to us to take the way out. In reality, whatever way of escape God is faithful to provide in a particular trial, it will include dependence upon the sustaining power of God.
==
GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS SOLEMN WORD

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised)" (Heb. 10:23). God is reliable. He will do what He promised. His is faithful to His word. Because He is faithful to His word, we ought to be faithful to Him. We may prove to be unfaithful to our word, but God never fails to perform what He promised in His solemn word. It is impossible for Him to lie (Heb. 6:16-18 ).

GOD IS FAITHFUL TO PERFORM

"But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay .... For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (II Cor. 1:18,20). The translation of verse 18 is not the best. For one thing, the word as is not in the Greek text. Also, the word true is the same Greek adjective which in the other references is translated faithful. Therefore it is better translated, "God is faithful."

The context shows that God is faithful to perform His Word. God not only promises, He performs what He promises. God's promise is always crowned by His performance. God will do what He says He will do. God is faithful!

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

He Wants to Live Through You
by Dr. Bill Gillham


"If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him"
(Romans 8:9b). When you turned toward Jesus to become a Christian, the "Spirit
of Christ" (Holy Spirit) entered into you. Why did Jesus come into you? Why
didn't Jesus come before you so He could lead you (some say that's His
function); or beside you so you could lean on Him when you grow weary (some say
this is His function); or behind you to give you a jump start when you need help
(others claim this is His job), or perhaps under you to carry you when you can't
make it on your own (as the poem "In His Steps" teaches)? It's because Jesus is
the only One who ever has or who ever will live the life which is pleasing to
the Father, and He is to express His life through you on a moment-by-moment
basis. Christ's life alone gets God's Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.
Everything else is trashed.

It's presumptuous of any person to think he can emulate the life of Christ. God
doesn't want to "help" you live on earth any more than He wanted to "help" you
get saved. He did it all for you then: He's made provision through Christ to do
it all for you now. This way God, not you, gets the honor (glory). Salvation is
all of God, nothing of man. Guys, the Christian life is to be experienced in
exactly the same way it's begun. He wants to do it all for you, through you. In
this way He gets just as much glory (credit) for saving you from the hell of
life as He does for saving you from the hell of death, and He gets to build the
intimate, bonding relationship with you which He longs for. He died to attain
this relationship with you! Imagine that! Please don't continue in your
independent self-sufficiency, naively believing that this is pleasing to the
Father, that He is proud of your strength. He's covered this in His love letter:
"They will be held guilty, they whose strength is their god" (Habakkuk 1:11).
Your personal strength is His enemy. It keeps you from intimate fellowship with
Him.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

Grace Is Bigger Than Your Sins
by Steve McVey

 
   
One of the most amazing aspects of God’s grace is the way it blows sin right off the map of our lives. Make no mistake about it – sin lost the battle with God and is now a non-entity as far as its ability to stop His purposes for the life of the Christian. Are there consequences for our sins? We have all seen that often to be the case. Do our sins disqualify us from being used by God? Not at all.

David committed a horrible sin when he slept with Bathsheba, but after they were married and God wanted the temple to be rebuilt it was her son, Solomon, that He used to accomplish that project.

Peter flatly denied that he even knew Jesus, but when it came time for the sermon to be preached on the day of Pentecost, he was the man who God used that day.

Abraham had his wife Sarah tell a king that she was his sister so that the king wouldn’t kill him to have a chance to take her. Despite his horrible and cowardly sin, God reaffirmed His intention to make him the father of a great nation many times afterwards.

The list could go on and on. It’s a strange thing to hear debate in the church today about who God can and can’t use. The fact is that God can use anybody He wants to use. I learned this truth even before I understood the grace walk. Years ago someone asked me about a certain, flamboyant TV evangelist. “What do you think of him?” I was asked. “He’s an idiot,” I responded in my “I-haven’t-learned-a-thing-about-grace” way that was all too common back then. The woman then went on to tell me how God had used that man’s ministry to transform her life. “What do you think now?” she asked. Without hesitation, I answered, “I guess God uses idiots!”

While my response was far from graceful, it’s true. God uses idiots. I should know. He used me despite my years of legalistic idiocy. God can use you too. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you might have done something that is so terrible that your Father can’t redeem your past and use your life for His glory. He can use you and He will use you.

Jesus came to put away your sin and He fully succeeded at that. (See Hebrews 9:26) We need to stop worshiping our sins by focusing on them and glory in the finished work of the cross. God’s grace is bigger than our sins and He will use our lives for His glory. Let’s just trust Him to do it!

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

"Blessed Assurances"
Part 1 of  2
The Blessings of Romans 5 -
by Dennis Kiszonas
 

A famous old pastor in Chicago came to the end of his life. He had preached the grace of God for decades to a large congregation and an even larger radio audience. On his death bed, in the last moments of his life, he recited from memory a passage of scripture which spoke of the assurances that he enjoyed as he faced the near end of his earthly life. The passage? Romans 5: 1-11.
 
In Romans 5 God tells us of a set of blessings that are basic to the Christian life. Here is a great chapter to study, and blessings that we need to under-stand and apply in our lives, and a great chapter to memorize so that we can recall these vital truths whenever we need them, whether in the midst of life or at the time of death.

Rom 5:1-11
 
   1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2. through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
 
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
 
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
 
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
 
11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
 
Let's study this passage thought by thought.
 
Romans 5: 1 - "Therefore, having been justified by faith, ... " The chapter begins with Paul looking back over his shoulder to the things which he explained in Romans 3 and 4. If we're reading thru Romans as we get to chapter five, we've already read, "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," Romans 3:24.
 
To be 'justified' means to be declared 'righteous' in the sight of God the Judge. Not only are we forgiven for all of our sins (Col. 2:13), but we are actually declared by God to be righteous in Christ--all that God expected and demanded and required of us is now credited to us, so now He can bless us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). How could God do this for sinful people?
 
Remember again Romans 3:24, "being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." 'Justified freely,' that means 'without a cause in ourselves.' Its not because we're so good or righteous, in fact God says "there is none righteous no not one" Romans 3:10, but now, without a cause or reason in ourselves, God has declared us righteous in his sight "by His grace thru the redemption that is in Christ Jesus! "
 
Because of what the Lord Jesus did for us at the cross when He took the blame and accepted the guilt of our sins and made the full payment for them all by dying for us, now God says, "Don't look for a cause in yourself, but by My overflowing grace I consider you to be righteous in my sight and will treat you as a righteous person forever."

What did we have to do to receive this amazing righteousness? "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. " Romans 4:5.

We have to do nothing -- it's to him who does not work! --stop even trying to save ourselves and let Him save us by His grace thru the redemption/payment that is in Christ. On the cross the Lord did all the work that was required by God for Him to be able to save any person who puts his faith, trust, reliance in the Lord as his Savior.
 
So our passage in Romans 5 begins with this backward glance to the previous chapters in the letter and sums them up with this opening phrase: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, ... " Paul is saying, now that we have settled this matter of salvation by the grace of God thru faith, now let's go on to see what the results of that salvation are.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

Click Below For FREE Email Subscription:
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/pop_up.htm
___________________________________

[nChrist]

"Blessed Assurances"
Part 2 of 2
by Dennis Kiszonas
 
Paul's next phrase is, "We have ... "

 ''Therefore, having been justified by faith, "Paul writes, ''we have ... "
 
What does it actually mean to say, 'we have'? This is a present tense verb that
indicates continual possession. An uninterrupted, continual possession of all of
the following blessings. Having settled the matter of salvation, we presently
and continually have as our constant possessions the blessings that are coming
up. These are not blessings that come and go, or vary from day to day depending
on our circumstances, or our obedience or faithfulness or spiritual experience,
these are constants, real 'Blessed Assurances.' Things that every believer in
Christ can be sure of all the time.
 
#1 Peace with God
 
"Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. " We have at all times now that
we are saved, peace with God. He no longer has anything at all against us, in
fact we can now be assured that He is "for us" -- ''If God be for us who can be
against us?" Romans 8:31. Because of the cross where the Lord paid for
everything we've ever done or ever will do wrong, God says to the believer that
we have as our constant possession at all times, peace with Him. He is for us,
on our side, in our corner.
 
Of course, we each have a personal struggle with an enemy who restlessly wants
to convince us otherwise. Satan uses every possible circumstance, every possible
"wile of the devil" to try to shake our confidence, and make us wonder if indeed
God is really on our side at all. But as long as we remember and believe that
God has nothing against us and is on our side, we are invincible, unbeatable.
 
I mean, as Paul says, If Almighty God is on our side--think of that!--then
really, who can be against us--they try to be, but who can succeed against us if
God is on our side?
 
But we need to always remember, it is ''peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ." This is all by the grace of God and not by our own worthiness, our own
efforts and good works. It is all because of Him and His cross work for us.
Believe it and be thankful forever!
 
#2 Standing in Grace
 
Romans 5:2 "through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which
we stand. "

Not only do we have peace with God as our present continual possession through
Christ, but also through Him we have "access by faith into this grace"
 
'Access' could well be translated here as a 'welcome.' Through the Lord Jesus,
God actually welcomed us into His grace through faith. The red-carpet was rolled
out, enemies were invited to come, even welcomed into this amazing grace when we
put our faith in the Lord Jesus who paid the penalty in full for us.
 
And once we enter into this grace of God salvation by believing in the Lord
Jesus as our Savior, we are now told even further, not only were we welcomed
into this grace, but now we are 'standing in this grace.'  We were welcomed into
this grace at the moment of our salvation, and now ever after we are standing in
grace.
 
For one thing, that means that there is no way we can "lose our salvation."
We're not standing in our own works, or our own faithfulness. We would all fail.
But we are standing in His grace--"And if it is by grace it is no longer by
works, otherwise grace is no longer grace." Romans 11:6. Our standing before God
no longer depends upon our works but is in His grace. We are not standing in a
performance system, but in His grace.
 
#3 We have a sure hope.
 
Paul finishes verse 2 by writing, "and (we) rejoice in hope of the glory of God"
 
We had read in Romans 3:23, that we all fall short of the glory of God. If we
didn't let God save us by His grace, none of us would ever see the glory of God
in heaven. Now, though, because of the cross and His grace, we are rejoicing in
hope of the glory of God.
 
"Hope" here is not the weak sort of "hope" that we often speak of in English. We
sometimes hear a person say, "I hope I'm going to heaven." That's more like
"wishing" for it.
 
Like saying, "I hope it doesn't rain and ruin our picnic." That is a wish,
something that we want but are very unsure whether we'll get.
 
You can't "rejoice" in a hope like that! How could anyone rejoice in something
that they aren't even sure that they have?
 
This "hope" that Paul writes about though is not like that. It is a hope that is
sure for the future. I am sure, I expect to see the glory of God, I know I'm
going to heaven because the Lord has paid for everything wrong that I've ever
done or ever will do, therefore I am rejoicing ahead of time. When a believer
thinks about the Lord's coming for us, or when we think about dying, we see
these things as events full of joy. We have here an assurance in the face of
death and the uncertainties of life.
 
Let's stop and quickly review the blessings of these first two verses in Romans
5.

#1 We have peace with God -- He is on our side, He is for us-- at all times and
in every circumstance.
 
#2 We were welcomed into His grace and now we are standing in His grace by faith
in the Lord Jesus. We are not on a performance system to earn God's love or to
keep this relationship alive. We are standing in His grace, and therefore it is,
"no longer of works, otherwise grace isn't grace any more. " (Romans 11:6)
 
#3 We are rejoicing in our expectation ad hope of one day sharing in the glory
of God in heaven. In the present we have peace and grace, for the future we have
a sure hope of glory. What more could we ask?
 
Now we go on to a surprising statement in Romans 5:3-4. We might think that
having God on our side, and standing in His grace would guarantee that our life
would be "problem-free." No more worries about financial problems. No more
concern that we might get cancer or die in a war or lose our job or have a
divorce in our marriage or a problem with a child on drugs or in prison.
 
That's what I thought when I became a Christian. I thought that all my problems
would be solved because now God is my Father and He's going to bless my life
with abundance in every way---abundant health, finances, love from family and
friends. All the good things in life would be mine. If you believe that, you're
going to have some big problems in the christian life! Just read the next
verses--Romans 5:3-4:
 
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation
produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

There you have it: Tribulations are part of the christian life--and Paul even
welcomed them! If anybody ever tells you that problems are not going to be your
lot when you're saved, just remember these verses. God says that tribulations
are part of His plan for us and that we should welcome them because He allows
them to come into our lives for His good purposes.
 
Of course, whenever we're facing problems, especially long, hard, problems that
just seem like they're never going to be solved, we begin to wonder, why did God
do this to me? Did I do something that caused Him to turn against me?

The devil just loves when we begin to question, and doubt God. If he can drive a
wedge between us and God, he's got us beat.
 
At times like that we need to review verses I and 2. "I have at all times as my
permanent and constant possession peace with God. He is on my side, He has
nothing against me, it was all paid for by my Savior at the cross. And I am now
standing in the same grace that I was welcomed into on the first day that I
believed. And I am going to glory. So how can I think that God has somehow now
turned against His word and His promises and has somehow turned against me?"
Impossible! Unthinkable! "God is faithful.... "
 
So Paul writes, tribulations are part of life even for us who have God on our
side, even while we're standing in His grace and on our way to glory.
 
Paul even says, don't just groan about those tribulations, but actually rejoice
in them! They come for a good reason even if they feel awfully hard to accept.
God uses tribulations in our lives to cause us to grow. "Knowing that
tribulation produces perseverance ... character ... hope. "

Its "knowing" God's purpose in allowing the tribulations that causes us to have
a new attitude about them.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

SOVEREIGN POWER
By Dick Johnson



ROMANS 9:21
Hath not the potter power over the clay,
of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?



Most believers will profess that God is omnipotent (all powerful--Revelation 1:8 ), omniscient (all knowing--Psalms 33:13-15), omnipresent (everywhere present--Psalms 139:7,8 ), and immutable (unchanging--James 1:17.) However, our walk, our worship, and our prayers often actually reveal our lack of under-standing or disbelief of these sovereign attributes of God. Some-times we behave as if God is not watching, or we worship God in a manner that glorifies us instead of Him, or we pray as if we can sway God's thinking one way or the other or even change His mind.

When God's sovereignty is examined, many believers go to great lengths to prove that God's sovereign power and will are limited, especially in the case of salvation. They conclude that our will controls our destiny because a loving God could not save some and not others by His own choosing. This attitude is rebuked in Romans 9:18-21 "Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth. Thou wiIt say then unto me, Why doth He yet find fault" For who hath resisted His will? Nay but, 0 man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why has thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?

God is sovereign in every respect. For a proper attitude of worship, we should accept by faith the full measure of His Sovereignty, and believe without doubt that God is using His almighty power to work out His plan that He established in eternity past.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

EFFORTLESS GRACE
By M. Stanford



"God. . , called me by His grace, to reveal His
Son in me" (Gal. 1 :15, 16).


Just think! Our Father has placed us in eternal and living union with His Son, that He, not we, may "be." Moreover, He has placed His Holy Spirit eternally within us that He, not we, may "do." Further, He has given us the necessary faith and Scripture that we may rest in this wonderful reality, trusting Him "to will and to do of His good pleasure." This is a far cry from futile struggle and frustrating Self-effort!

"Christians in the main groan and strive and struggle largely on the basis of human effort where the grace of God, though acknowledged, is scarcely operative - only to come to grief. Even at their best, they find the purpose of the Lord Jesus remains an ideal infinitely beyond their reach. The trouble lies in the fact that they are proceeding on the wrong basis.

"God does not expect them, as a result of their own endeavors, to be like the Lord Jesus. He expects them to realize the utter impossibility of such a thing (as in Romans Seven, where Paul comes to the end of himself). He expects them to know the Lord Jesus as their very life, disowning any other. He expects them to realize their position of absolute oneness with Christ, for He 'has blessed them with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places .in Christ' (Eph. 1:3)." -F.J.H.

"Be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (II Tim. 2:1, ASV).

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

REDEEMED BY THE SON
By Pastor John McKay


EPHESIANS 1:7



The Bible tells what the Lord Jesus accomplished for us. "We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." We often fail to see the infinite significance of process through which the Lord would offer His own blood for our salvation. We think of what He did as something easy for Him. It was not "easy." We must never take His redemption lightly.

"Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." When He left Heaven, He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant...and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death." The Son of God said, "All things must be fulfilled, which were  written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning Me." He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem in order to die exactly in the way that would please His Father. "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."

The Lord Jesus was always conscious of the specific will of His Father. On earth He was not always aware of the Master plan, but He could assert, "I do always those things that please Him." The Son of God knew that individuals had been chosen by the Father, He said, "I have manifested Thy Name unto the men which Thou gavest Me." Whether referring to the Twelve or to any of us, we may say, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Receive this gift of eternal life if you have never trusted Him as your personal Saviour.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

~THE DOCTRINE OF ADOPTION~
By Robert Hanna. Pastor,

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-7

We who are saved under the dispensation of grace are the most spiritually privileged and blessed of all generations of believers. Our positional status, our standing, transcends that of any previous children of God. Upon believing unto salvation we come into possession of every conceivable spiritual blessing and assurance. Knowing full well that we are totally undeserving of it, God has placed us as His full-grown, full-fledged sons - joint-heirs with Christ. We have served no apprenticeship, nor have we performed any required act of qualification to prove eligibility to inherit our promised ascension to the glory, seated together with Him in the heavenlies.

Such is our unequivocally assured eternal future: "the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:14b). But we are even now enjoying our standing as full sons while "waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (Romans 8:23b). "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:14-17). Addressing the head of the family, 'Abba, Father' is indicative of respectful familiarity, expressing trustfulness and reliance ---an appropriate title to the privileged son and heir, the adopted by Jesus Christ.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

~THE CROSS. THEN CONSECRATION~




"The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).

The Cross is the altar upon which God sacrificed His Son. It is upon this same Cross (take up your Cross "daily"), this same altar (the place of death), that I am to be consecrated to God as "a new creation" (II Cor. 5:17). This eventuates in my intelligently yielding myself to Him as one who is "alive from the dead" (Rom. 6:13).

"God asks us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Rom. 12:1). Until we have done this, there is nothing else we can do. But notice that this exhortation comes after Romans Six. There is a reason for this order - crucifixion comes before consecration. Uncrucified self refuses to be consecrated (to say nothing of God's refusing to accept it). That is why so many people with all sincerity walk down the aisles again and again, consecrating uncrucified self to God." - H.D.

"We must learn to know Him and to love Him. Then we will not have to struggle to move into consecration. The heart will lead into it. A lover never thinks about giving himself to a loved one. He cannot do otherwise. He loves to do it. Is there not here a key to consecration? Why do we not yield? Because we do not love. Why do we have to fight the battle and vow and groan and struggle? Because we do not know Him."

By M. Stanford

"That I may know Him. . . and the fellowship of His sufferings" (Phil. 3:10).

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

FROM CONDEMNATION TO GLORY
By Pastor Marvin Duncan
"What Happens At Salvation"
Part 1 OF 5



Something most Christians fail to recognize about their salvation is the extent to which God has gone to provide everything man needs to assure him of his place in God's eternal family. These activities take place simultaneously at the moment of salvation. These are not REWARDS to be gained following salvation and obtained by good works but every individual who is saved has every one of these blessings given to him by God's Grace at the moment he receives Jesus Christ as his personal LORD and
SAVIOR.

FORGIVEN - Every son of Adam is a SINNER by nature as well as sinner by practice (Romans 5:12 & 3:2). The result of this Sin Nature is Spiritual Death (Separation from God) and Condemnation (Romans 1:18 &  Ephesians 2:1-2). A picture of the individual who has never received God's salvation is seen in Ephesians 2:11-13.

The first thing God does when an individual receives Jesus Christ as his personal Savior is to FORGIVE that individual of his sin. God can do this because of Christ's death on Calvary's Cross which paid for all sins.

MADE ALIVE - Another aspect of salvation is that God gives us LIFE. This life is the opposite of the Spiritual Death from which all believers have been saved (Ephesians 2:1). This life that we receive at salvation is actually Christ's Eternal Life for the Christian now has Life that will never end. This Eternal life assures us that we will forever be with Christ in heaven Romans 8:38-39).

MADE A NEW CREATION - In Second Corinthians 5:17 we read, "THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATURE." This statement means that the Christian has become something different from what He was before his salvation. The natural man is a SOUL DOMINATED individual. That is, he is motivated and controlled by the desires of the body (flesh) and the things of this world. Upon salvation, that individual becomes a SPIRIT MOTIVATED individual. The SOUL is body and world conscious while the SPIRIT is God conscious. The SOUL is connected to the EMOTIONS; the SPIRIT is connected to the INTELLECT.

FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - At the moment of Salvation God gives to each Believer the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in his BODY and witness to his SPIRIT concerning the things a Christian should do and how he is to walk pleasingly before God and Man.

We have several Scriptures that speak of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18 we have the admonition not to be filled (controlled) with wine but to be filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit.

First Corinthians 6:19 is even more explicit in speaking of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Here Paul challenges these Corinthians with this statement: "WHAT, KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS IN YOU, WHICH YE HAVE OF GOD, AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN?"

The purpose of the indwelling Holy Spirit is to CONVICT US OF SIN and to INSTRUCT US IN THE WORD OF GOD. The Holy Spirit's presence in the Believer becomes the object of our next blessing.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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[nChrist]

(My Note: I know that Part 2 is missing, and I can't do anything about it. It's now 6 parts, so there might be an error.)

FROM CONDEMNATION TO GLORY
By Pastor Marvin Duncan
"What Happens At Salvation"
Part 3 OF 6


THE NAMES OF GOD

In the Old Testament we have THREE NAMES designated to the creator God. These are: ELOHIM (translated in the King James Bible as GOD), JEHOVAH (translated in the KJ as LORD), AND ADONAI (translated in the KJ as Lord).

1) ELOHIM is a UNI-PLURAL noun formed by the word EL which means THE STRONG ALL SUFFICIENT ONE and ALAH which means TO SWEAR or TO BIND ONESELF WITH AN OATH, thus implying FAITHFULNESS.

In Genesis 1:26 we find the PLURALITY of God while in Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 3:22 we find the UNITY of God. Thus, the TRINITY is seen in the name ELOHIM.

ELOHIM is the One primarily associated with CREATION in the Old Testament, Genesis 1:1 is a good example of this.

2) JEHOVAH means THE SELF-EXISTING ONE but HAVAH, from which Jehovah is formed, also signifies "TO BECOME," that is to become known, thus pointing to a continuous and increasing self-revelation.

Jehovah is also the REDEMPTIVE name of God. We see this in Exodus 6:3. It was with Israel's deliverance from bondage in Egypt that we first find JEHOVAH being introduced as the ONE who would deliver His people out of distress and trouble.

3) ADONAI means MASTER or OWNER. It is used both of God and of man. In the King James Bible it is translated "Lord" for God and "lord" when used for man. As applied to man, this word is used of two relationships: MASTER and HUSBAND. I Genesis 24:9, 10,12 "Master" may illustrate the former while Genesis 18:12, lord" the later.

B) In the NEW TESTAMENT we have three corresponding names in the Greek which equate exactly with the names in the Old Testament. These are: FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.

1) FATHER EQUATES TO ELOHIM and all the attributes of the Creator and THE STRONG ONE are given to THE FATHER.

2) SON equates to JEHOVAH for it is the Son who is the REDEEMER in the New Testament Scriptures. A close examination of the Word of God will reveal that it was JEHOVAH who became identified with man in the person of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus Christ is truly the Jehovah of the Old Testament manifest in human flesh.

3) HOLY SPIRIT equates with ADONAI

SEATED with Christ in the Heavenlies is one of the blessings we have as the Redeemed of God in this present dispensation ( See Ephesians 2:6).

The word "SIT" in this context, means to be placed on a seat of authority, that is, to REIGN with Christ in the Heavenlies.

One of the Scriptures that speaks of our REIGNING with Christ is seen in First Corinthians 6:3 . Here Paul speaks of the members of the Body of Christ sitting in judgment over Angels. When will this come to pass if not when we
are reigning with Christ in the Heavenlies?

RISEN TO NEWNESS OF LIFE. Romans chapter six speaks of our identification with Christ in His Death, Burial ad Resurrection We often think of the Resurrected Life as only that life we will experience throughout all eternity when the Soul and Spirit of the dead in Christ has been reunited with their Glorified Body. But this is not true. There is a RESURRECTED LIFE that is to be experience by God's redeemed while living this physical, earthly life.

Paul speaks of our being CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST (Romans 6:3). We know we were not literally nailed to the cross with Christ for we had not been born at that time. Yet, from, God's perspective, He sees us as having been nailed to the Cross by our identification with Christ. We are also seen as having died with Christ, having been buried with Him, and RAISED WITH HIM. Now, God expects all of his redeemed Saints to RECKON themselves to be dead to sin (Romans 6:11) so as not to yield their members to sin to commit the acts of sin. We are also to RECKON (as God does) that we are living as resurrected Saints who have been given NEWNESS OF LIFE (Rom. 6:4) after our death with Christ on Calvary.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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http://www.graceandthetruth.com/pop_up.htm
___________________________________

[nChrist]

FROM CONDEMNATION TO GLORY
By Pastor Marvin Duncan
"What Happens At Salvation"
Part 4 of 6



Continuing with the subject of what happens at salvation, we find that we are COMMISSIONED TO BE AMBASSADORS. Second Corinthians 5:20 tells us that "WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST." This exalted position is for the purpose that we might speak in Christ's stead (with His authority), beseeching the unsaved to be reconciled to God.

1) RECONCILE means CHANGE, RECONCILIATION means to change from enmity to friendship.

Reconciliation is an act that God accomplishes in exercising His Grace toward sinful man on the grounds of the death of Christ. Men, in their sinful condition and alienation from God are invited to be reconciled to Him; that is to say, to change their attitude and accept the provision God has made whereby their sins can be remitted and they themselves be justified in His sight

Romans 5:10 expresses his in another way. In this verse we read: "FOR IF, WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES, WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON "The term, "ENEMIES" not only expresses man's hostile attitude to God but signifies that until this change of attitude takes place, men are under condemnation, exposed to God's wrath.

We must always remember that the enmity is on our part, not God's. Never will we find that God is reconciled to man; rather, it is man who needs to be reconciled to God. That is, man is the one who needs to have his enmity removed and change his attitude so that friendship can be restored between him and his Creator.

As Ambassadors for Christ, or ministry is to encourage others to receive God's forgiveness and salvation so that their natural enmity toward God can be changed to one of friendship and worship.

Let us keep in mind that God has not asked us to be SUCCESSFUL in our ministry for Him. He has only asked us TO BE FAITHFUL. We see this in First Corinthians 4:2.

BLESSED WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS (Ephesians 1:3). One of the distinctive elements between this present dispensation and the former one is that of the blessings promised for each one. In the former dispensation all the blessings were physical and material. Israel was to be blessed in the Millennium by having abundant crops and an increase in the productivity of their hands, as well as extended life and no sickness (Isaiah 5:20-25; Ezekiel 36:29-30). All of Israel's blessings will be experienced on the earth and in a physical or material way.

The members of the Body of Christ live in a SPIRITUAL DISPENSATION. That is, everything about this dispensation is in the Spiritual realm. We have a SPIRITUAL SALVATION, A SPIRITUAL BAPTISM, and we walk by THE SPIRIT. We have no promises of any physical or material blessings in this earthly life for our hope for all eternity is to dwell in the heavenlies, reigning with Christ and being blessed with all the SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS that God can bestow upon one of His creatures.

___________________________________
From Grace And The Truth Ministries
http://www.graceandthetruth.com/

If this devotion has been a blessing to you, please share it with others. The
Word of God is so needed in our troubled world.

Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
things by Jesus Christ.

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http://www.graceandthetruth.com/pop_up.htm
___________________________________