Thursday, November 5, 2009

His Glory

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Isaiah 43:7 – “…everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory…”


Much like when the Son of man called forth Lazarus from his dead and rotting state, those who have hoped in Christ have been spiritually called out of their dead and rotten state of wickedness. The King of the universe whose power knows no end, has intimately known His people before this world ever knew Him. And the King of Kings has personally called His people out of the darkness of evil and into His marvelous light. This is merely the beginning of His infinite goodness and long-suffering toward us. All of God’s people who were once His bitter enemies have been freed from their rebellion and carry His name. One cannot carry another’s name unless they belong in the family and hence it is with God’s people. We carry His name and represent Him, The Lord Almighty, who has mercifully accepted us into His family. But let us not glory in our situation, adoption, blessing, or reconciliation with God. No, let us glory in our Redeemer who has purchased our pardon by becoming a curse for us and mercifully bestowing on us all spiritual blessing!

Our creation as God’s people is for HIS GLORY. What arrogance and terrible mistakenness it is to believe that we as humans have some kind of irresistible value that God just could not live without. No, we cannot live without God. There is nothing that we can boast about for there is nothing that we have that has not been graciously given to us by God. He does not need us or anything from us. However, while God needs nothing from us He has chosen to display the magnitude of his glorious grace and immeasurable love to us and through us. We oft say and display that we love God but only because He loved us first. We oft worship God but only because He has given us the knowledge of His glory. We oft thank Him but only because He has made all things and upholds all things by the word of His power. All of this is only possible through Jesus Christ. The messiah who bore our sins and took all our shame and guilt upon Himself and willingly let Himself be nailed to the cross, is the One whom we glory in! If we are in Christ, what else is there that we should be living for? We are created for God’s glory. He has shown us his glory in the face of Christ. He has shown us love in that He sent Christ to be the wrath absorbing sacrifice in our place. He has shown us His power in that through Christ all things consist.

Are you living as the chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation that has been created for HIS OWN possession to proclaim the Excellencies about Him? We who hope in Christ are to live for the praise of His glory. We have done nothing and deserve none of the credit. There is nothing to admire, boast, brag, proclaim, praise, or worship except Christ. He is Lord over all the heavens and earth. He suffered and died and rose again so that all who might repent and believe might be freed from their sins and live a life to the praise and worship of God’s glorious grace. As a believer in Christ your purpose is to live to glorify the One who has redeemed you from the curse. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
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Monday, October 12, 2009

Acts 20- Protecting and Proclaiming

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18And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. 32And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:18-32)


In Acts chapter 20 we see two very important focuses in the life of the Apostle Paul. First in verse 24 the commitment to proclaiming the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ no matter the cost. That even though the Spirit testified that imprisonment and affliction awaited him in every city, the Apostle did not account his life of any value but rather cared about only one thing.... that he finish the course and ministry he recieved from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God!

Second in verses 28-32 we see Paul's desire for those who heard the Gospel to protect that which they had heard. "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." This was especially important to the apostle because of fierce wolves that were coming in among the flock, wolves in sheeps clothing who would not spare the flock, but destroy it.

Today we live in a world filled with lost people who need to hear the Gospel. We also live in a church that is riddled with wolves in sheeps clothing. It is the purpose of this ministry to both proclaim the Gospel to this lost world and protect the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to equip you to do the same!

In Christ,
Acts 20 Ministries

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross!" Colossians 2:13-14
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