Glory

Friday Feb. 18th-To Him be the glory!

6:00 PM

 

Father,

Keep us in Your Word each day as we seek to do Your will in our lives.  Help us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Help us to walk in a manner worthy of You, pleasing You in bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You, God.  Strengthen us with all power according to Your glorious might reaching for steadfastness, patience and joy.  Help us to always be thankful to You Lord in everything.  To You be the glory forever and ever,  Amen

Selah,

Lyn

 

2 Corinthians

Going From Glory To Glory {2 Corinthians 3:5-18}

4:44 PM





Monday Nov. 25


One of my heroes in the Bible has always been Paul. He is the perfect example of how no one is beyond God’s reach. Previously known as Saul of Tarsus, he was a respected and highly educated Pharisee (Acts 22:3,23:6) who not believing Jesus to be God, saw Christians as blasphemers; deserving of persecution and death. So it should come as no surprise when we learn in Acts 9:1-2 that Saul asked for letters from the high priest that he could present to the synagogues in Damascus, allowing him to take all followers of Jesus as prisoners. (Acts 9:1-2). Once he got those letters, Saul set out to round up believers and dole out his punishment. It was while he was on the road to Damascus, that God got a hold of Saul and “used temporary blindness and humiliation to transform the zealous Pharisee named Saul into the powerful Apostle and missionary named Paul who spread the gospel and planted churches across the Roman world.” (Dr. Charles Stanley) (Acts 9:1-20)

Now here in 2 Corinthians we find the transformed Paul who, after establishing the church in Corinth, is having his credentials questioned by some false teachers in the church. They’re looking for his letter of commendation. Letters of commendation were usually sent with traveling Christians in the early church to weed out false teachers or those claiming to be apostles. Paul lets these doubters know that his letter is the church itself with Jesus as its author. The proof could be seen through the transformation of both Paul, and the members of the church themselves. A transformation possible because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So now, unlike the veiled faces of those who reject Jesus as their Savior and continue to live in darkness, for those who turn to Jesus, “the veil is taken away” (vs. 16). This allows Christians to not only see the glory of God, but to become, “transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (vs. 18)

But what does it mean to be transformed from glory to glory? “Glory to glory is not moving from one state of euphoria to another. It is not going from one state of being lost in the spirit to the other. To go from glory to glory, to be ever-increasing in glory, is to continually be changed into what you were created to be. It is to be conformed to His likeness. It is increasing in the character and nature of God.” (Pastor Harold Martin) Our God is so loving that He never wants to leave us as He found us. And so He gives us of the gift of the Holy Spirit who, if we let Him, will take our sinfulness, wickedness, brokenness, and hardheartedness, and through God’s saving grace, transform us from a Saul to a Paul. 

This isn’t to say that our transformation will come easy. For the Christian walk rather than a weekend getaway, is a lifelong journey of growth and change. There will be times when that change will be hard, frustrating, and painful. And there will be days when it may be two steps forward and three steps back. But if we keep seeking God, allow the Holy Spirit to work both in and through us, change will come. We are all God’s glorious works in progress, and one day when we dwell with Him forever, we will be perfect reflections of His image and glory. Until then keep trusting God, keep moving forward, and remember this quote by Joyce Meyer which says, “I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be!” 



Authority

Scripture Saturday~Glory, Majesty, Power

12:00 AM

Saturday, December 15, 2018


Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verse is Jude 24,25

 To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (NIV) 

 Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!

Christ

The Mystery of our Faith {Colossians 1 - 2}

12:30 AM

Image result for colossians 1:27

Tuesday, November 27, 2018


When Paul uses the term “mystery” he is referring to the truth that was partially revealed under the old covenant but is now on display in all its fullness to the new covenant people of God.  “This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to his own holy people.” (v. 26).

When you were young, did you ever play or participate in a “club” with the children in your neighborhood?  Or perhaps you joined a sorority in college.  Either way, you had to perform certain rites and rituals in order to be accepted into the club.   I think we all take it for granted today that the gospel is for all people and that those who believe in it, become full citizens of the kingdom of God; heirs to all the promises that the Lord has made to His people throughout history. 

In the first century however, this was a radical idea.  Strict interpretations of the purity laws in the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy), made it difficult for the earliest Jewish Christians to believe Gentiles could remain Gentiles and become faithful servants of Yahweh.  We still see that today in some religions.  Some require you to make public appearances to convince the rest of the congregation that you “belong”.  Some have to take classes and convince a group of people they are worthy. 

There is only one sin that is unpardonable – the sin of unbelief.  God has provided a means for eternal salvation – Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross, for “whoever believes in Him” (John 3:16).  And the only condition under which forgiveness would not be granted is those who reject the only means of salvation.  Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  This makes it clear that He and He alone is the path to God and to salvation.  To reject the only means of salvation is unpardonable, and in that sense, is the greatest sin of all.

As Paul continues to explain to the Colossians that the Gentiles are full-fledged brothers and sisters, he makes it clear that Jesus, by His Spirit, dwelling in all believers, no matter their background, makes Jews and Gentiles full citizens in the kingdom of God (1:27).  We are all so identified with Christ that it is impossible for any Christian to be a second-class citizen.  And we can add to this grace the fact that our hope of glory in Jesus has present and future aspects.  In the present, we are assured that we belong to Him and will persevere so that in the future we will enjoy the full benefits of redemption – life in a resurrected body before the presence of God in the new heaven and earth (Rev. 21).

So the next time you find yourself thinking of other people as lesser Christians than yourself because of how they dress, or what they eat and drink, or how knowledgeable they are about the finer points of theological arguments, or a number of other factors, bow your head and remember that Christ dwells in ALL who truly love Him, and He has given us all the same rights in His kingdom.


bounce

Bounce It Back Up!

12:00 PM


It was one of the most moving and powerful testimonies I have ever encountered. A former sex worker, drug addict and dealer described how she had reached a point at which, in her own words, she was ‘dead’. She said her ‘blood was black’ and her ‘heart was black’. She described how she came on Alpha and heard that Jesus loved her so much that he died for her. She described how this had broken the concrete of her heart. She experienced God’s love for her for the first time. She is now filled with love for everyone, forgiving those who abused her, and radiating the love of Christ.
After she had given her testimony to a stunned congregation, I went up to thank her and said how extraordinarily powerful it had been. She replied, ‘I need to bounce it back up!’ I didn’t understand what she meant, so I asked her to explain. She said, ‘It’s all his grace. I need to bounce the glory back to him.’ She has a profound understanding of grace, glory and what it means to be Christ-like.
Blessing Roxanna

faithful

Life's Ultimate Goal {Isaiah 40-44}

8:00 PM


What is our ultimate goal in this life? Do you know why you're here?
The answer is actually found in the chapters we were to read today. The Bible has made it abundantly clear that God created us and that we were created for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, our ultimate purpose is simply to glorify God. But that's just the beginning...

 
Romans 9:23 puts it a bit differently, “He does this to make the riches of His glory shine even brighter on those to whom He shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.” This means that if you are His and can call yourself a Christian  — if you’ve confessed with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believed in our heart that God raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:9-10) —you are His child of mercy, prepared ahead of time to know the riches of the His glory. Can you imagine? But it gets even better,

We didn’t deserve to be chosen, or called by God. We did absolutely nothing to deserve being saved, transformed and heaven-bound! (Eph 2:8-9). It was all because of His mercy. Nothing in us ever influenced God to make it happen, and nothing could ever make Him change His mind! This is what it means to be a child of mercy. It means we can say as David said, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life…”(Psalm 23:6) , for there will never be a day when The Lord in His mercy does not track us down and make us a vessel of His blessing…

That very thought humbles me, but I must admit there are still days where I feel like this boat:
Barely able to keep afloat. Doing all I can to simply keep my head above the water. In fact, I shared a few weeks ago on Women in the Word that I’ve felt this way pretty much all year! Each time I thought I was beginning to get ahead and come out from all that was pressing in around me another wave would wash over me, and I was sunk again! The very next morning after I shared my woes on WitW this poster below arrived on my Facebook page to assure me that He's got this and together we are much more than conquerors! The first thing I noticed after the verse was the water --- there aren't any WAVES!


But why is it we must often become desperate for Him before God steps in to help His children? Notice Isaiah 43:1-7,

But now, thus says the Lord, your creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; ... Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you... Do not fear, for I am with you...
 Isaiah 41:13, also arrived that morning and I began to wonder what exactly was The Lord trying to tell me just then.


Can you hear Him speaking to you? Does all this humble you as well?  The sad truth is when things are going well, or when I'm busy and distracted with a mounting "to-do" list, I often forget The Lord is right there with me. I forget to call on Him so we may share our day together. Did you see His heart in these verses, for one can't possible read them with out sensing God's love for His own? The answer to my question as to why He waits until I become desperate, isn't because He has moved, it's only because I've finally begun to call out to Him. I'm not proud to admit it, only being honest. 

 So I asked Him if my goal is to bring Him glory, how I could best do that and here's a few ideas I received:
•  Live right before Him, free from sin. Confessing right away when we fall short. 1John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
• Be Content with all God has already done and given us rather than longing for more. .
Paul testified, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am...I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11,13).
• Give Praise to God. Psalm 50:23, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me.” Praise honors our Lord and one way to praise God is to give Him credit for EVERYTHING! 
 • Bear Fruit. Jesus told us in John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit.”Also Colossians 1:10 says, “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work.” Good works = fruit. .”
• Pray without ceasing. (1Thesalonians 5:18) Talk to Him throughout your day, thereby including Him in everything!
• Tell others about Jesus! Share God’s Word with others, and tell them all He has done for you! We always want to talk about the ones we love so that they will love Him too!

BUT most importantly, ENJOY Him! Be filled with joy in the midst of everything going on around you! I believe that when we live to glorify God, He responds by giving us overwhelming joy! Our joy in Jesus should act as our barometer as to whether we're living to bring Him glory or not! And if there ever comes a time when there is no longer any joy, I think we only need to go back to the verses on this post and so many, many others that speak of His love for you!

Blessings!

sue


Glory

Final Thoughts on The Greatest Letter Ever Written {Romans 16}

12:30 AM

We’ve come to the end of this amazing epistle, definitely Paul’s finest and he leaves us with a Doxology! I felt so honored to be able to open and close the study of The Book of Romans, that I have treated it as something holy and have leaned on the Lord just a bit harder for this post. I’ll be honest, I don’t really want to move on, for there is just so much life impacting truths within this one epistle and I have to wonder if Paul knew his readers would be feeling this way as they came towards the end, for he closes with a doxology that actually sums up the whole epistle in just three verses!!

This isn’t the only place Paul used a doxology. There was one in Romans 11:33-36 at the climax of the first eleven chapters which I wrote on last week! There, I explained that the word,  doxology actually means a “praise saying”. The word doxa means praise or glory, and ology, means saying. This also was nothing new for Paul; many books of the Old Testament ended with a doxology, in fact, each book in Psalms ends with one, so Paul was very familiar with the idea of a great book closing this way, and Paul decided to use a “praise saying” to bring this great epistle to a close, while also reminding his readers of  three main truths found within it!
First, it is a gospel to “establish [strengthen]  men”. Paul praises God for the gospel, which establishes you and me. Notice verse 25, "Now to Him who is able to establish [strengthen] you according to my gospel." This was Paul’s theme in chapters 1-3!
The word "establish" simply means “to set steadfastly in an immovable position”, or basically “to settle, to root or confirm somebody”.. The word stērizō basically carries the idea of being mentally settled.
Before we know God, before He becomes Lord of our life and the Bible becomes the Word we live by, we’re unsettled. It’s the same with the world. There is a sense of the struggle for what is the truth on the inside. Men are left to do what they feel is “right in their own eyes” , yet they’re never quite sure that what they believe is the truth. Therefore, Paul is saying that the gospel is able to settle our minds on the truth and what is the right path for our lives, which in my mind brings great comfort and peace.
Now, before we move on, I want to make sure you truly grasp the implication of what Paul is saying. Of all the things Paul could have said about what God does or has done that draws attention to His glory, he chooses to highlight this one thing: “Now to him who is able to strengthen you . . . be glory forevermore . . . .” How does it make you feel to know that God is able to strengthen you and is in the process of doing that right now? “Now unto him who is able to strengthen you . . . be glory forevermore . . . .”
But let me also remind you of a less obvious fact.  Many kings in history and many dictators today also desire to receive glory, but not by strengthening their people. They want to be known as strong and rich and wise, by keeping their citizens weak, poor and uneducated. A strong, educated person is a threat to a dictator, but not to God!
I believe knowing this will cause me to look at my trials in this life a bit more differently from now on, and also cause me to dig that much harder into His Word! But there’s more Paul wants to make sure we understand:
Second, Paul states it is not only a gospel that “is able to establish you” it is a “gospel concerning Jesus Christ”. "Now unto Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ," It is a gospel that proclaims Jesus Christ and all He has done for us!! Starting in chapter 3:20 and continuing all the way until the end of chapter 11 it’s all about Jesus and all we have gained because of all He has done for US! Allow me to list just a few facts Paul includes about our relationship with Jesus:
Romans...

  • 3: 22 -righteousness comes by the faith of Jesus Christ alone.
  • 3:23 - ALL of us have fallen short of His glory
  • 3:24, we are justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  Christ Jesus came, went to the cross, died for our sin, providing the salvation for us.  
  • 5:1-2  says we have peace with God because all Christ Jesus did for us and we are justified through our faith.,
  • 5:8, “ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
  • He goes into chapter 6 and says, because of the work of Christ, when we put our faith in Him, we have died to sin.  Sin no longer can condemn us.  Why?  Because Christ took our condemnation and we died in Him and we rose in Him and we walk in newness of life.
  • Romans 8 is all about our eternal security!!  I could go on and on, but let me just add one more
  • Romans 10:9-10 (TNT is dynamite!) “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. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

All because of Jesus!

Third, it is a gospel revealing a mystery … to bring about our obedience to the faith. “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages, but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith.” Romans 16:25-26
This has been Paul’s theme throughout chapters 12-16. The "mystery" Paul is referring to that has now been revealed and should bring about a heart of ‘obedience of faith’ “is the fact that God intends to unite both Jews and Gentiles into one body .This mystery of the Gentiles joining the Jews in salvation is also discussed in Ephesians 3:1-6 where Paul explained that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and full partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus,
“Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.  In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” - Ephesians 3:2-6
Finally, Paul chooses to close his epistle with what will occupy our time constantly when we reach heaven,“To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”(16:27)
Paul gives all glory, honor and praise to the only wise God that comes from His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
Which caused me to wonder, is that the desire of my heart as well? Is it yours? Do I desire to glorify God above all else? I thought of other verses that also speak on God’s glory:
·         “The heavens declare the glory of God.”(Ps 19:1)
·         “The whole earth is full of his glory!” (Is 6:3)
God is calling out to us, “Behold My glory!” We were made to bring Him all praise and glory!! Something deep in our souls should cry, I was made for this — to behold the glory of God and reflect His glory in all I say and do from this day forward…

{I will miss this glorious Book of Romans, but I truly believe I won’t be able to keep away from it for very long.}

Glory

Moving From Theology to Doxology {Romans 11}

12:00 AM

Have you ever wondered if God was really real? Or if the Bible was true? More personally, have you ever doubted God’s love for you? Was there ever a time where you felt forgotten and forsaken by God?

If you’ve ever wondered about any or all of the above questions I have just two words for you that will prove not only the legitimacy of  God’s word, but also His love for His people. Just two words, and they are:The Jews. History has proven that God keeps His promises despite our failures, and we only need to look at the Jewish nation to prove it!



Paul, in Romans 11 shares three truths about God and His people: 
  1. God’s People Are Chosen By God’s Grace (11:1-10)
  1. God’s Grace Should Keep His People Humble (11:11-32)
  1. God’s People Should Glory In Their God (11:33-36)
 
God’s People Are Chosen By God’s Grace (11:1-10)
Paul begins chapter 11 by making it clear to his readers that God has not rejected the nation of Israel, it’s Israel that has rejected Him! I love how he chooses to set himself up as the example of that, “For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” Paul is pointing out that if God can save a hardhearted man like himself He can save anyone! Don’t you just love that? There’s hope for everyone!

Paul also gives a second illustration to demonstrate that God hasn’t rejected Israel in 11:2b-4. Here Paul reminds them how Elijah felt as though he was all that was left of God’s faithful in his day, But  God assured him that He had kept a remnant of 7000 and again, Paul points out that a remnant still exists demonstrating that God has not abandoned His plan for the nation.

Often times today, some of us may feel alone and discouraged, for we are living in dark times, and people are rejecting God all around us, but the good news is that we are not alone. If you ever tend to think this way, be encouraged—God is still on the throne and still working! 

 The second point Paul seeks to make is: 
God’s Grace Should Keep His People Humble (11:11-32)
God has a present and future plan for Israel AND the Gentiles. Israel’s rejection of Christ Jesus has made it possible for Gentiles (that’s us) to be included in God’s family. Hallelujah!! We have profited from Israel’s failure to follow after their Messiah! And this gracious invitation ought to humble us and cause us to rejoice! In 11:11-15 Paul writes, “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles,  I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” 
The obvious question from 11:7-10 is: If Israel has rejected Christ, is their rejection final? And Paul answers emphatically, “May it never be!” Israel’s failure is not final. There is still a future for Israel. Paul calls it their “fulfillment” (11:12) and their “acceptance” (11:15). Today, Israel is fallen spiritually, but when Christ returns the nation will rise again! And until that time there is hope for all nations to come to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord!!

Notice here in 11:28-29: “From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”  It's clear we owe the Jews A LOT! For now, and for our sake they stand as enemies of the gospel, but God has chosen Israel and He loves His people, and one day He will make all things right!

Reading all of this, one can easily understand why Paul is overcome and can’t help but turn his theology lesson into a doxology in the third and final part of chapter 11!
God’s People Should Glory In Their God (11:33-36)
After eleven chapters of Paul focusing on writing down theology (which is the study of the nature of God), it is as though Paul can’t contain himself any longer and bursts into praise when he grasped God’s plan for the future. Paul is quite simply overwhelmed and in awe of God and can’t help but to close this portion of his letter with praise, or what is formally know as a doxology.  Take a look at Romans 11:33-36:
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Wow! This is where I want to park and spend the rest of my post! The verses Paul quotes here (found in all CAPs) are from the Book of Job. It is believed that Job lived before Abraham, therefore even before Abraham, man recognized just how awesome our God is!

Let’s take a minute to break down the last verse. For...

From Him: Everything, which means everything; right down to your next breath comes from Him.
Through Him: All things are done through Him. He gives us the strength and abilities we need to do all things. Even Jesus admitted. “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself…” and neither can we.
To Him are all things. He receives the credit and glory for everything!
To Him be the glory forever: God receives all the glory for all eternity!
Amen: So be it! And to that I’d like to add a Hallelujah!

I liken this verse to a picture of a triangle:


Our God kept His promises to Israel despite Israel’s constant failures to keep theirs, and He will keep His promises to us as well. This chapter ought to comfort and assure all of us because it clearly demonstrates His unconditional love and acceptance towards His people. He is our covenant-keeping God who will be forever faithful! What still boggles my mind when reading all of this is how anyone would still say, “no” to a love like His?