Prayer

Praise God for his word! 

John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 
 

 

Christ the End of the Law

Galatians 2:19  For I through law have died to law that I might live to God.

Romans 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who believes.

Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; For with the heart there is believing unto righteousness, and with the mouth there is confession unto salvation.

Thank God for his living word!  I was reading some verses today in Galatians chapter 2 and was very touched with verse 19 in particular.  Which says “For I through law have died to law that I might live to God”.  Paul, the author of the book of Galatians and half of the new testament was a devout jew prior to being a believer in Christ.  And according to jewish tradition was completely zealous for the law, that is the mosaic law (ten commandments) given through moses (John 1:17).  But after his conversion to Christ he testifies something quite mysterious in Galatians 2:19.  The law requires that sinners die according to God’s righteous requirement.  The penalty of sin was death.  So the apostle Paul says “I through law have died to law”.  But the good news is that we don’t have to die anymore because Christ already died for us on the cross!  He died a vicarious death taking upon him all of the sins of the world.  The death of Christ fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law! Please read Romans 8:3-4 for reference.  Therefore Paul says that Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who believes.  This means that our relationship to the law has been terminated and we are righteous before God by believing into Christ! He is the standard.  Its not a bunch of do’s and don’ts.  How awesome is that.  Although some might say, well, what about the law?  If we go out and kill someone are we still righteous?  Doesn’t the ten commandments say we shouldn’t  kill?  Well, my answer is first Matthew 5:17 where Christ says “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill”.  Christ did not abolish the law, he fulfilled it when he died for us on the cross.  So Christ is the END of the law UNTO righteousness to everyone who believes.  Unto means resulting in.   This is a loaded topic so there’s more to come.  What good news!  Praise the Lord for Christ!

 

For I am not Ashamed of the Gospel of God

Romans 1:15-16   So, for my part, I am ready to announce the gospel to you also who are in Rome.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes, both to Jew first and to Greek.

Acts 28:30-31 And he remained two whole years in his own rented dwelling and welcomed all those who came to him, Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, unhindered.

When it comes to the gospel I thank the Lord for Romans 1:15-16 and Acts 28:30-31 amongst others.  The Apostle Paul’s testimony was that he was not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation.  What an awesome verse!  But then sometimes there still remains a certain amount of shame to speak of Lord to others?!? Our experience does not seem to match that of Paul.  Well, don’t be discouraged.  Paul used to be a top persecutor and opposer to the church.  If God can transform Paul then he certainly can do the same in us!  Secondly the book of Acts concludes with a great word, UNHINDERED.    He was proclaiming, teaching with all boldness unhindered.  That meant the Lord had a free way on earth through him to do whatever he wanted.  What a pattern!  Pray that the Lord could have a way in you unhindered.  With no barriers between you and him.  Praise the Lord!

 

Prayer and the Ministry of the Word

Acts 6:1-4   And in these days, as the disciples were multiplying in number, a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews occurred, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily dispensing.

And the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them and said, It is not fitting for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.

But brothers, look for seven well-attested men from among you, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need.

But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.

 

I’ve been impressed with the importance of prayer in relation to so many things.  And here in Acts chapter 6 we see what the early disciples had practiced.  They were first a praying people.  They just didn’t go out and do things randomly without praying first.  Second they were given to the ministry of the word!  How awesome!  But these two go together.  They are inseparable.  Don’t divorce yourself from prayer!  How many people are bold to speak many things in the name of God.  But how much prayer is there before God?  This is the real test.  This is a principle in the bible.  Another sidebar is that they were not alone they were a group.  There is something to be said for praying with others in twos or threes or more.  When we pray together there is more firepower (Matthew 18:19-20).  Their prayer afforded them the divine strength and power needed for the ministry of the word.  So their speaking had impact and surely was the Lord’s speaking.  They were truly the Lord’s continuation on the earth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Word of the Lord

1 Peter 1:25  But the word of the Lord abides forever.” And this is the word which has been announced to you as the gospel.

Isaiah 40:7-8 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of Jehovah blows upon it. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flower fades, But the word of our God will stand forever.

Life changes for the better oftentimes for the worse.  Sometimes we are on the mountaintop, at other times we happen to be in the valley.  But we can always be certain about one thing.  And that’s not the weather.  It’s the word of the Lord.  Heaven and Earth may pass away but the word of the Lord abides forever! This is the word that has been announced to us as the gospel.  Feeling lost?  Come back to the word.  Feel like your faith is waning?  Come back to the word.  Have you completely lost hope?  Definitely come back to the word.  Praise God for his word!  The word of the Lord abides forever!

 

 

 

 

Become like little Children

Matthew 18:1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?

2 And He called a little child to Him and stood him in their midst

3 And said, Truly I say to you, Unless you turn and become like little children, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

4 He therefore who will humble himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.

 

Thank God for little children!  The Lord told us unless we turn and become like little children we shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.  Little children are humble, simple and not complicated.  They are not contemplating the meaning of the universe nor are they self conscious or anxious.  Their main concern is where is the food!  I’m hungry already!  They just eat, sleep and poop.  Life is simple.  We need to be simple  like little children.  We need to eat (enjoy) the Lord (John 6:57) and he will be our real rest (Psa. 23).

 

 

Faith comes out of hearing and issuing in Eternal Life

Romans 10:17 So faith comes out of hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life.

 

 

Praise the Lord for the word. Faith comes out of hearing, and the hearing of the word of Christ.  Hearing the word also enables us to receive the eternal life!

 

Searching the Scriptures and not Coming to the Lord

John 5:39 You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that testify concerning Me.

40 Yet you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

 

In section of the word the pharisees were knowledgeable in the scriptures and even searched the scriptures.  But the Lord told them that it was the scriptures that testified concerning him and that they were unwilling to come to him that they may have life.  The Pharisees knew the word but they did not seek, nor desire Christ whatsoever.  It was like the Lord was telling them, Hey I’m here the one you have been reading about all these years!  Hello! Don’t you get it?  But no, they didn’t.  They were unwilling to come to the Lord.  This presents a great problem.  Number one they were imbalanced wanting just dead doctrines void of the reality of Christ.  They missed out on Christ, their salvation, the very one whom they had supposedly been waiting for.  This is the greatest tragedy.   Of course this can apply to anyone one of us today.  We may read the word of God and be very knowledgeable.  But do we come to the Lord in prayer?  Do we know the Lord?  Seek him?  We must not be unturned cakes.  Cooked on one side but the other is quite raw.  May the Lord have mercy on us!  To keep us balanced in the word and in prayer to seek the Lord.

 

 

We must all stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ

Romans 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God,

 

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body according to what he has practiced, whether good or bad.

Romans 14:12 So then each one of us will give an account concerning himself to God.

Every believer must stand before the judgement seat of Christ concerning his life after he/she were saved.  Concerning our living, our work, our words and all the things done through the body whether good or bad!  How sobering!  This has been the most sobering matter since I have been a Christian.  Knowing that one day I will have to personally give an account to God.

This is a serious warning to us!

 

Singing and Psalming with our heart to the Lord

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord,  

 

Singing is one practical way to enjoy the Lord.  We can sing with grace in our hearts to God!  And according to Ephesians 5:19 we can sing and psalm with our heart to the Lord.   This is to the Lord!  This can be with others as in a meeting with other believers or in your personal time with the Lord in private.  Either way is good and profitable and enjoyable!