The gift of life is knowing Christ. Jesus became like us so we could become more like Him. Growing in Christ is a journey of transformation, becoming more aligned with His Spirit each day. (FB-Cal Jernigan, Central Christian Church, Mesa, Arizona)
Through the sacrifice of Christ, who bore our sin, we no longer fall victim to sin, which is the wager of death. Instead, we have been gifted with eternal life when our human bodies are shed.
Hebrews 2:17 (NIV) explains: “For this reason, he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest.”
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) states: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
1.Eternal life is the free gift
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
The idea here is that we cannot earn eternal life through good works. It is given freely through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Christ took the penalty for sin so that anyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness and life with God that starts now and continues forever.
2. Abundant life right now
In John 10:10, Jesus says: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”
This points to more than just life after death. It is about restored relationship with God, peace, purpose, and the Holy Spirit living in believers. The “gift” is not just heaven later but a different quality of life today.
3. New creation/Born again
2 Corinthians 5:17 describes it this way: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.”
So, the gift includes a new identity, a cleared record, and adoption into God’s family.
Ephesians 2:8-9 ties it together: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
THOUGHT – Something that stood out to me in the BSF Study of the Book of John, Lesson 19. “Jesus taught that love for God motivates obedience, not that obedience is the method of salvation. A believer’s obedience does not contribute to his or her salvation but proves it.” Question – Why does obedience prove one’s salvation? (p.p. 269)
If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved (salvation). Acts 16:30-31
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (salvation). John 3:16
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (salvation). Romans 10:9-10
If you do not have the Spirit of Christ, He cannot live in you, and you do not belong to Him (no salvation). If you receive Christ is your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in you. If the Spirit lives in you, He is your advocate, comforter, counselor, and teacher (salvation).
When we receive Christ, He enters our being in the form of the Holy Spirit who begins to change our lives. We move away from carnal desires and habits and exchange them for Jesus’ commands. Our new life reflects Christ’s command to Love God and obey His commands (salvation). (Romans 8)
For by grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works (salvation). Ephesians 2:8
When we receive Christ, we are motivated, not by works, but through faith to obey the Word of God. Our behavior changes as we demonstrate the love of God. This demonstration drives our desire to obey the Lord’s commands and live them out in our daily lives.
God motivates our obedience. Our obedience proves our salvation.
Humans are not steadfast. Our character ebbs and flows. Our sin nature does not allow us to be steadfast, we always falter, some more than others, until Jesus returns we are locked in the the fate of sin. The only constant in our life is that God’s character and standards never change.
This means the God who spoke in the Old Testament is speaking to us today. He spoke to His people through the disciples, prophets, and most importantly Jesus. The story always remains the same. Adam and Eve sinned and were thrown out of Eden. We entered eternal sin as the result of their disobedience. The Messiah will come and save us from eternal sin. Jesus will be crucified and return to heaven. He will return again to redeem His people, and we will live as one people in peace through eternity.
We all need stability. God’s character is our stabilizing force. Why? No matter what happens on earth, His plan is consistent, it does not waiver or deviate. The world today is not much different that the world of old. There are still false prophets and leaders who fail to surrender to the Will of God. Leaders still take bribes, or are rewarded by lobbyists. Many priests and religious leaders are bought by large contributions to their church, and fall pray to idols (money, fame, and fortune). Families still struggle to maintain the nucleus to hold the unit together. Economies and social justice are still at odds. And, the Word of God is still lost to many who only hear the noise of chaos.
This seems like desperate times, and in some respect it is. However, this world will operate in phases until the end. Our loving Father will love us, warn us of our wrong doing, judge us and restore us, each time hoping that we will turn back to Him.
The only thing we can rely on is His unfailing love and character that is ever-present, even when it seems He is not with us.
Our Lord never forsakes us or leaves us. He does not turn a blind eye to this world. He sees all, and remembers everything. He is always with us, holding us up when we cannot walk or take another breath. He provides for us when we cannot provide for ourselves.
He is here with us in the light and darkest moments. HE IS FAITHFUL throughout time. Rest assured, the sun will rise and set everyday as part of His creation and plan for our salvation. He is our loving Father who cannot fail. He is all truth and His character is unwavering.
When we are instructed to wait on the Lord in Isaiah 40:31, God is not instructing us to sit and twiddle our thumbs or coil, writhing in pain over what we should or should not do. The phrase ‘wait on the Lord’ means to wait in expectation, trust in Him, and put your hope in Him, not the circumstances you may be experiencing. If the farmers experience low crop yields, do they say, I will not plant seeds this year and I know God will supply a prosperous crop. No, they plant their seeds, care for the crop and pray that it will be bountiful. If we need a job, should we sit paralyzed or should we search for work and pray that God will direct us to the perfect position and give us favor in the employers eyes.
I am certain many may have experienced God’s work when seeking employment and the opportunities seem to be in conflict with their skills and education, yet that particular type of work seems to be calling. Quite often, God is sending you to a place where He needs you to be His messenger, or it may be a place that requires you to turn to Him and place all confidence in Him (a lesson, not a punishment). Is it easier to follow His direction in this instance, or to remain spirituality paralyzed? I submit, God controls everything, to assume He cannot direct your path is offensive. He created all in the world and universe, His architecture for our lives was completed long ago. He knew and knows all that we will go through in life, the good and the bad, as well as times of comfort and extreme discomfort, therefore He knows His expectations of how we are to approach Him; it is an act of defiance when we fail to reach out to Him. He expects us to firstly ask Him for direction(pray), then listen for His answer (seek), and thirdly act (respond).
God is our only avenue for deliverance. Consider your options and listen to the directions God shares with you. It may be as you hoped, and then again it may be something completely out of your purview. For many, attempting to make a decision creates paralysis and indecision; taking the path less traveled may also cause (temporary) paralysis. But, consider this, if we operate outside of God’s Will or chose our own path, we are not honoring God. God gives us strength when we seek Him. He directs us when we abide in His Word. His hope energizes us when we seek Him. When we wait upon Him, trusting He will answer and provide direction, we begin to exhibit strength, a peace of mind, and deliverance from the storm that rages and attempts to sink us, and consequently seeks to weaken and destroy our relationship with the Lord. Psalms 25:5 advises us to ask God to lead us in His truth and teaches us to learn to wait on His reply. Only God is our salvation. Psalms 27:14 implores us to wait on the Lord; to be strong and let your heart take courage as you yield to His direction. We are, according to Webster’s Dictionary, (commentary on Wait on the Lord, word search ‘wait’) stay or rest in expectation until the arrival of His answer is clear. We can rest in the knowledge that His provision will be better than anything we force.
Waiting on the Lord is active, not passive. It is preparing us to act when it becomes clear that He is directing our path. It urges us not to be indecisive and writhing in paralysis. Psalms 37:7 (ESV) shares “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.” Rest in God’s love, be active and wait on the Lord. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” Roman’s 12:2 (NIV) Continue to plant your crop, as in the case of farming, send out your resume, share with others your need for employment, seek out communities of those also searching for employment and ask God to show you direction, ask for a sign that you are on the correct path even when His path may mean a lower salary that you are accustomed to, He is plotting your path. He will reward you for relying on and obeying Him.
Waiting on the Lord is an active and decisive practice. Indecision is passive and inactive. It is a form of spiritual passivity that creates spiritual paralysis and weakens your relationship with the Lord, our Father.
Images in order: 1) LAB Photos; 2) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.com; 3) m.lovethispic.com
Scriptures: Bible.com
Resources: Barnes Notes On The Bible, biblehub.com
“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.” James 5:13 NIV
Dissecting the Scripture
When we suffer hardships, we are afflicted by our circumstances. Affliction is broad and covers all trials, circumstances, and situations. The answer to affliction is prayer.
Biblically, happiness is the state of joy, the absence of anxiety and fear that tears at your soul. Singing praise is a form of thanking God. Praise is appropriate when you are happy, not fearful, anxious or depressed. Praise is a state of joy, not earthy joy, but joy in your soul. Praise is also appropriate when you are struggling. In those moments it is important to become laser focused on something that is working in your life no matter how small or transitory. When you praise God for that small thing, He offers a place of calmness and peace.
Prayer and praise are forms of connection to peace. We find peace when we are connected to our Lord. God’s ears are always inclined to our cries, our shouts of praise, and joy. Our relationship with Him can overcome the afflictions of this world if we pray. We must focus on Him and not our circumstances to allow His peace to enter our souls, where we can rest in the comfort of His arms.
“pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 https://bible.com/bible/59/1th.5.17-18.ESV
Our Lord is all truth and the truth is, God loves us and is in the center of our prayers and our praise. He is at the center of our life. Once we accept His place in our lives and we accept being dependent upon Him, our life begins to change and we begin to pray and praise as part of who we are, children of God. Praise God for being our father.
To quote John McArthur (biblereasons.com): “The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with Him, the more the Spirit will make you like Him. The more you are like Him, the better you will understand His utter sufficiency for all of life’s difficulties.”
The only way we can reach God is through prayer, praise and worship. And, when we do so, we find God in the center of our lives orchestrating our path according to His will and His way. The path will not be smooth, but more like a dirt road with crooks, crannies, pot holes and mounds. However, with GOD at the center we can continue to move forward. Prayer and praise are the resources we need to strengthen our relationship with the Lord and rely on His truth that will set us free.
Scripture: Bible.com
Image: KCIS 630 Radio, Google Images; Biblestudytools.com
Do you live according to the Word? What do those around you see?
~ Lisa Blair
I am sharing a video from Grace for Purpose. It is a great reminder about the path we must travel. As we travel the path, do we exhibit a Christ-like character in all that we do? Will the witnesses report that we faced challenges but throughout it all reflected a Christ-like character?
The witnesses are those in heaven who observe us during our life on earth.
Lisa’s Daily Inspirations 