Jesus is Lord!

1 Corinthians 1:24-30
24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength. 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, 29 so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

When God reveals to us the requirement for sanctification, the inner struggle begins. Our “wisdom” always stands in the way. There is always something inside of us that pulls with resentment against the requirements of being a follower of Jesus Christ. We must be willing to set aside our “wisdom” for God’s. The greatest wisdom of this world is but foolishness to Him. God alone makes it possible for us to receive His grace. And when Christ becomes our salvation, we enter into the realization that sanctification is the holiness of Christ Jesus imparted to us. Not because we are wise or have done anything to deserve it but because of His love for us. Then any work that comes out of our lives is because of Christ in us. It is His patience, His love, His faith, His purity, His goodness that is displayed through our lives. It is not us imitating Him but “Christ in us.” So we can not boast about anything we have done, but only about what Christ has done through us. Set aside the struggle within you that resists to take on the righteousness of Christ and
accept that God will do the work in you and through you for His purpose.

Have a God Day!

2 Peter 1:5-10
5 So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. 6 Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 7 Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin. 10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

We are saved by faith and not by works, but once saved, God starts to make us into His image. God gives us the tools to become His righteousness but we have to pick them up and apply them. The tools are His promises. God will not make us walk a holy life, we have to apply the benefits of His promises to do so. Once we apply His promises by faith, we operate under the power of the Holy Spirit. Every promise of God starts with our faith and then requires action on our part. Once we step into action, the power of His Spirit enables us to complete the work. Applying faith to His promises produces moral excellence, self-control, endurance and love. Take the first step, know what the Word of God promises and then apply those promises to your life and
see what a difference it can make.

Have a God Day!

Jeremiah 12:3-6
3 But as for me, Lord, you know my heart. You see me and test my thoughts. Drag these people away like helpless sheep to be butchered! Set them aside to be slaughtered! 4 How long must this land weep? Even the grass in the fields has withered. The wild animals and birds have disappeared because of the evil in the land. Yet the people say, “The Lord won’t do anything!” 5 Then the Lord replied to me, “If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? 6 Even your own brothers, members of your own family, have turned on you. They have plotted, raising a cry against you. Do not trust them, no matter how pleasantly they speak.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

Jeremiah is before the Lord asking for direction in dealing with a faithless nation. He has repeatedly told them that God would send judgment if they did not turn back to God. But they refused to listen. When Jeremiah questioned God because of the trouble he faced, God asked how he ever expected to face big challenges if the little ones tired him out. Times of trouble can be useful in anyones life if they learn and grow from it. Troubles will reveal who you really are. But if you can not deal with small troubles, how will you deal with large calamities when they come your way? God wants you to not complain about your problems, but to learn and be strengthened from them. The trouble you face today is training you to be strong for more difficult situations you will face in the future. Learn and grow strong according to the Word of God in all that happens in your life and you will be able to deal with what is yet to come.

Have a God Day!