Read: 1 Tim. 1:12-17
A man was filling out a job application and he came to the question “Have you ever been arrested?” He wrote, “No.” The next question was intended for people who had answered “Yes” to the previous question. That question was “Why?” Anyway the applicant answered it: “I never got caught.” He clearly knew he was guilty of many offences.
Paul the apostle was such a person. He knew he had personally done wrong and sinned against God. He wrote, “I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man” (1 Tim. 1:13). He even called himself “chief” of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).
We also were once separated from God because of our sin and were considered His enemies (Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:21). But when we confessed our sins and acknowledged our requirement for His forgiveness, He cleansed us and made us new. That is the grace of God.
Those of us who have known the Lord for many years may have the tendency to forget what we have been rescued from and forgiven of. Sharing about our past and present failures and giving praise to God for forgiveness will help us not to have a “holier than you” attitude to people who don’t yet know the Lord.
For those who are God’s children through Jesus Christ (John 1:12-13), we need to always remember that we have all been guilty of many offences, but God forgave us in Christ. And God alone deserves the glory for His grace and mercy towards us. Someone once said, “Grace is everything for those who deserve nothing.”
The post Guilty Yet Pardoned appeared first on Signage Eternity.
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Sunday, July 30, 2017
Saturday, July 29, 2017
God’s Word is Not Chained
Read: Jeremiah 36
The Bible was originally written in Greek and Hebrew. The first English New Testament Bible was translated by William Tyndale in 1525. He was martyred for his actions, but God’s Word continued to spread worldwide. Even though people tried to destroy God’s Word, the verses were memorised in people’s hearts and passed on to their next generation. History also recalls the prohibition of the Bible and possession of the Bible as a crime in communist countries. It was very difficult for the believers to possess the Bible. They treasured it even if they had just one page of the Bible.
God’s Word is like fire and a hammer that can break a rock into pieces (Jer. 23:29). God’s Word can cut hearts and bring them to repentance and true knowledge of the Saviour. When Jeremiah received the revelation from God to write what He commanded on a scroll, Jeremiah wrote with the help of the scribe Baruch and delivered it to the Israelites. But King Jehoiakim burnt the scroll without any remorse. God commanded Jeremiah to rewrite the scroll again. God’s Word cannot be chained. God’s judgement was passed on King Jehoiakim and the Israelites for ignoring God’s warning and hence they had to be captives in Babylon (Jer. 36).
Paul the apostle wrote to Timothy about his sufferings in prison saying, “I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Tim. 2:8-10). Let us make an effort to spread His Word to people around us.
The Bible was originally written in Greek and Hebrew. The first English New Testament Bible was translated by William Tyndale in 1525. He was martyred for his actions, but God’s Word continued to spread worldwide. Even though people tried to destroy God’s Word, the verses were memorised in people’s hearts and passed on to their next generation. History also recalls the prohibition of the Bible and possession of the Bible as a crime in communist countries. It was very difficult for the believers to possess the Bible. They treasured it even if they had just one page of the Bible.
God’s Word is like fire and a hammer that can break a rock into pieces (Jer. 23:29). God’s Word can cut hearts and bring them to repentance and true knowledge of the Saviour. When Jeremiah received the revelation from God to write what He commanded on a scroll, Jeremiah wrote with the help of the scribe Baruch and delivered it to the Israelites. But King Jehoiakim burnt the scroll without any remorse. God commanded Jeremiah to rewrite the scroll again. God’s Word cannot be chained. God’s judgement was passed on King Jehoiakim and the Israelites for ignoring God’s warning and hence they had to be captives in Babylon (Jer. 36).
Paul the apostle wrote to Timothy about his sufferings in prison saying, “I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Tim. 2:8-10). Let us make an effort to spread His Word to people around us.
Friday, July 28, 2017
Warning Lights
Read: Joel 2:12-17
The cars of modern times are technologically sophisticated and they have many warning lights on the dashboard for the driver to be alerted if something is wrong. It is always wise for the driver to pay heed to those warning lights and check the car’s systems so as to avoid needless trouble on the way, and costlier repairs. Ignoring such lights will also lead to loss of time and serious inconveniences to the owner.
In Joel 2:12-17, we read that God used the prophet Joel to encourage His people to pay attention to the warning light on their spiritual dashboard. Immense prosperity had caused them to become satisfied and complacent, and also negligent in their commitment to the Lord. Their faith had degenerated into empty ceremonies and their lives into moral bankruptcy. So God sent a locust plague to ruin their crops in order to get His people’s attention, causing them to change their behaviour and turn to Him with their whole hearts.
What warning lights are flashing in your life? Are you able to see them? Conviction itself is God’s warning light. If you feel convicted now, what needs to be tuned up or repaired through confession and repentance? Do not ignore those warnings from God. Pay attention to them today and do the needful. Get right with God today.
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The cars of modern times are technologically sophisticated and they have many warning lights on the dashboard for the driver to be alerted if something is wrong. It is always wise for the driver to pay heed to those warning lights and check the car’s systems so as to avoid needless trouble on the way, and costlier repairs. Ignoring such lights will also lead to loss of time and serious inconveniences to the owner.
In Joel 2:12-17, we read that God used the prophet Joel to encourage His people to pay attention to the warning light on their spiritual dashboard. Immense prosperity had caused them to become satisfied and complacent, and also negligent in their commitment to the Lord. Their faith had degenerated into empty ceremonies and their lives into moral bankruptcy. So God sent a locust plague to ruin their crops in order to get His people’s attention, causing them to change their behaviour and turn to Him with their whole hearts.
What warning lights are flashing in your life? Are you able to see them? Conviction itself is God’s warning light. If you feel convicted now, what needs to be tuned up or repaired through confession and repentance? Do not ignore those warnings from God. Pay attention to them today and do the needful. Get right with God today.
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
Our Great Joy Giver
Read: Philippians 4
Are we joyful at all times, even when
we face difficulties? Jesus gives us the joy and peace and fills our heart with
contentment. Even when early Christians were persecuted for their faith, they
rejoiced in the Lord. Even if you do
not have riches as others do, Jesus can give you the joy and contentment in Him.
Habakkuk wrote, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there
are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no
food, though there are no sheep in the pen and
no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in
God my Saviour” (Hab.
3:17-18).
Genuine
servants of God who left their families to follow Jesus and serve Him are very
joyful in spite of the hardships and persecution they face. Their greatest joy
is that one day they would meet the Saviour in heaven face to face and spend
eternity with Him. Nothing else can be compared with that. Paul the apostle
said, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when
I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). God’s presence fills us with
joy even when we are lonely or lost or weak.
Following
God’s commandments and statutes can also bring us great joy. David felt the
same, that he treasured God’s Word in his heart. David wrote, “Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart” (Ps. 119:111). Jesus can bring joy and
contentment in our hearts if we put our trust in Him alone. Rejoice in the Lord
always (Phil. 4:4). Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in
prayer (Rom. 12:12).
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Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Detecting Falsehood
Read: Galatians 1:3-10
The American cities San Francisco and New York City are using bluegill fish to check for the presence of toxins in their water supply, which could be a possible target for a terrorist attack. A small number of bluegills are kept in a tank at the bottom of some water treatment plants because the fish are sensitive to chemical imbalances in their environment. When a disturbance is present in the water, the bluegills react against it.
Like those bluegills, Paul the apostle wanted the Galatians to beware of and react against any deviation or disturbance in the “true gospel” that was being preached. The toxin was defined as the false principle that God grants acceptance to people and considers them righteous on the basis of their obedience to a set of rules (circumcision and dietary regulations). Obedience to the law was needed for salvation, apart from faith in Jesus. This false teaching was a poison or toxic disturbance of the truth and the Galatians were told to react strongly against it. Paul said that anyone preaching a gospel that is not based on grace through faith in Christ alone should be accursed (Gal. 1:8-9).
Let us be diligent and faithful in studying the Scriptures so that we can detect the false teachings and their dangers, and proclaim the truth of God’s wonderful salvation through faith in Jesus. If you know the truth, you can discern what is false.
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The American cities San Francisco and New York City are using bluegill fish to check for the presence of toxins in their water supply, which could be a possible target for a terrorist attack. A small number of bluegills are kept in a tank at the bottom of some water treatment plants because the fish are sensitive to chemical imbalances in their environment. When a disturbance is present in the water, the bluegills react against it.
Like those bluegills, Paul the apostle wanted the Galatians to beware of and react against any deviation or disturbance in the “true gospel” that was being preached. The toxin was defined as the false principle that God grants acceptance to people and considers them righteous on the basis of their obedience to a set of rules (circumcision and dietary regulations). Obedience to the law was needed for salvation, apart from faith in Jesus. This false teaching was a poison or toxic disturbance of the truth and the Galatians were told to react strongly against it. Paul said that anyone preaching a gospel that is not based on grace through faith in Christ alone should be accursed (Gal. 1:8-9).
Let us be diligent and faithful in studying the Scriptures so that we can detect the false teachings and their dangers, and proclaim the truth of God’s wonderful salvation through faith in Jesus. If you know the truth, you can discern what is false.
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Monday, July 24, 2017
Popularity of Jesus
Read:
John 6:60-69
Popularity
is unpredictable. Check a politician. Many of them watch their ratings to see
how their constituents view their policies. They may start with a high rating,
but then those ratings may steadily decline during their term.
Jesus
also experienced a sharp fall in popularity. His popularity reached its peak
after He fed the 5,000 (John 6:14-15). It fell when He told His listeners that
He had “come down from heaven” (John
6:38). Their response to His profound claim was, in a way, Who does He think He
really is? (John 6:41).
Jesus’
popularity continued to fall when He explained how they could have Him as
spiritual bread (John 6:51-52). Confused by what they heard, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand
it?” (John 6:60). As a result, many left Him.
The
crowds followed Jesus conditionally. They were happy only as long as Jesus
supplied their needs and met their wants. They drew back when He asked for
absolute commitment. Jesus’ question to His disciples was “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
Like
Peter, will you choose to ignore the world’s rating of Jesus and follow Him
daily and unconditionally? Remember Jesus does not want your half-hearted or 99
percent commitment. He expects yours 100 percent commitment, devotion, and
faithfulness. Do not forget that on the cross He gave Himself completely for
you.
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Sunday, July 23, 2017
Visible Reminder
Read: Colossians 3:1-10
What is the first image you see when you turn on your computer or smartphone? Maybe it’s a family picture, or a beautiful scenery. Or perhaps your favourite car or motorbike.
A man once wrote about his lengthy battle with pornography – a depressing cycle that alternated between seasons of victory with crushing defeats back into an online world of empty lust. Finally, he found that putting a visible reminder of Jesus in the corner of his computer screen helped him achieve lasting victory. That constant reminder of the One who set him free caused the obscene websites to lose their appeal. That man was giving himself a simple reminder of the teaching of Col. 3 where Paul says, “put to death…fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness” (Col. 3:5).
When we turn our eyes to Jesus, He becomes a powerful reminder that our old life “died, and (our) life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). Whether it is a verse taped to your desk, or a picture on your computer, choose a noticeable way to lift your thoughts into the presence of Jesus. As you lift your thoughts to Jesus, He will surely help you out. The best way to keep sin at a distance is to make sure Jesus stands between you and temptation.
Author:
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What is the first image you see when you turn on your computer or smartphone? Maybe it’s a family picture, or a beautiful scenery. Or perhaps your favourite car or motorbike.
A man once wrote about his lengthy battle with pornography – a depressing cycle that alternated between seasons of victory with crushing defeats back into an online world of empty lust. Finally, he found that putting a visible reminder of Jesus in the corner of his computer screen helped him achieve lasting victory. That constant reminder of the One who set him free caused the obscene websites to lose their appeal. That man was giving himself a simple reminder of the teaching of Col. 3 where Paul says, “put to death…fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness” (Col. 3:5).
When we turn our eyes to Jesus, He becomes a powerful reminder that our old life “died, and (our) life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). Whether it is a verse taped to your desk, or a picture on your computer, choose a noticeable way to lift your thoughts into the presence of Jesus. As you lift your thoughts to Jesus, He will surely help you out. The best way to keep sin at a distance is to make sure Jesus stands between you and temptation.
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