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171 Grace, Works and Faith!
There has always been a controversy between the terms the Bible calls “Grace and Works.” Some have misused the terms to excuse sin; others have misused the terms to try and earn or deserve God’s blessing and favor. Both these terms, Grace and works, are important aspects of the life of a New Testament Believer of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is important to know how they operate so that we can experience the fullness of the Lord in our lives. Show More
Grace
The biblical definition of Grace is something that is given freely as a gift, and it is not based upon the value or the efforts of the person receiving the gift. Grace, in this case, is an unconditional gift motivated by the gift giver’s decision to love. God has decided to provide blessings to those who know Him. Notice the word “decision,” this is what is called agape love. Agape love is not based upon emotions or feelings but a decision, and when God makes a decision, He does not change or go back on that decision. Look at the following verses.
- Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
- The Apostle Paul assures Titus, a young pastor, in the following, Titus 1:2, “in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,”
- Hebrews 6:18 “that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
If God has said it in His Word, then you can count on it to come to pass.
Love, Forgiveness, and Acceptance
When we fully understand God’s gift of Grace, we can walk by faith in the love, forgiveness, and acceptance of God. Ephesians is simply one place where we are told we are loved, forgiven, and accepted.
- The Love of God- Ephesians 2:4, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,”
- The forgiveness of God- Ephesians 1:7, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
- The acceptance of God- Ephesians 1:6, “the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”
It is by these three things, love, forgiveness, and acceptance, that gives us the assurance that God is for us and not against us (Romans 8:31) and that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
So many Christians struggle with the love, forgiveness, and acceptance of the Lord for two reasons.
- The first reason that Believers sometimes struggle with the love, forgiveness, and acceptance of God is that they allow the devil to heap condemnation, guilt, and shame because of past events. We must remind ourselves of what the scriptures say about the devil; the devil is a liar and the father of all lies. From the very beginning, he deceived Adam and Eve and continues to slander Christians to this day. Every time you believe what the devil says about you, you are denying what God says, and He says you are loved, forgiven, and accepted. Be careful who you associate with because the devil can use the people around you to speak negativity into your life.
- The second reason Believers sometimes struggle with the love, forgiveness, and acceptance of the Lord is that they feel unworthy of God’s love, forgiveness, and acceptance. The truth is that we are all unworthy; that is why we need God’s Grace! The Bible is clear, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God! (Romans 3:23).” No one deserves or can earn God’s love, forgiveness, and acceptance, however through Jesus Christ we have been given Grace.
John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
The Grace of God is available through Jesus!
Our Father in heaven decided to give salvation to anyone who would accept His only begotten Son, Jesus, by faith. This gift of the Father is the greatest gift anyone could receive because it determines our eternal peace and reward. Anyone who has salvation or is saved is assured of the Love, Forgiveness, and Acceptance of God.
Works
In the Bible, the term works often means those things that are done to find favor with God, and they often stem from the idea that they appease or placate God.
Works of the Law
The works of the Law also called the Law of Moses, refer to the many rules and regulations found in the Old Testament that were handed down to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. Some count 613 commands, which included the Ten Commandments. These laws were what the Jews agreed to follow in exchange for blessings and protection in the Old Covenant or the Covenant of the Law.
When a Jew was circumcised, it was a sign that they were under the Covenant of God and, therefore, had to obey these laws. If they broke a law, they would have to repent and make a sacrifice, as defined by the Law.
The purpose of the Law was to show the Jewish people how they should live in their relationship with God, fellow Jews, and non-Jews. The Old Testament portion of the Bible, from Genesis to Malachi, is all about this covenant relationship between God and the Jewish people.
A final point about the Law of Moses: As born-again Believers in Jesus Christ, we are not under the Law of Moses. Our covenant is the New Covenant, which is a covenant of Grace purchased by Jesus Christ! Our salvation and security come from following Jesus, not the Law of Moses. Jesus fulfilled the Law, and when Jesus said, “It is finished!” upon the cross of Calvary, He closed out the Old Testament Law and introduced the New Covenant under which we live today.
Much of the Apostle Paul’s epistles address this conflict between the Law of Moses and the New Covenant of Jesus. The writer of the book of Hebrews makes it very clear that the Old Covenant has been replaced by the superior New Covenant of Jesus Christ. I would encourage you to read Galatians 3:19-25; here is an excerpt from Galatians 3:24-25, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
Works of Religion
Even though we are not under the Old Covenant of Law, most Christian denominations have developed practices intended to help Believers draw closer to God. However, when ritual replaces relationship, then it becomes a dead work. Throughout the Bible, Old and New Testaments, God has desired a heart turned to Him. A heart of gratitude for what He has done, sending Jesus to die for our sins, restoring our relationship with Him, and accepting us into the family of God. Our obedience is the evidence that we are submitted to our Lord.
In the Old Testament, 1 Samuel 15:22, “So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”
In the New Testament, John 8:42, “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.” John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
Works of Faith
The Lord delights in works of faith. The word faith is used over 260 times in the New Testament. Here are a few verses to consider:
- Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
- Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Throughout Bible history, God’s question to us has always been the same, “will you trust me?” Faith is believing what the Lord says and doing it. The doing part is the evidence that you have faith. Faith is not just the words you speak or the thoughts you have about the Lord, but faith must be coupled with doing or work. Will you follow Him by trusting and obeying? One of the key messages in the book of James is this relationship between faith and works; in particular, read James 2:14-26. Here are a couple of excerpts:
James 2:14-17, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
In this example, James points out that saying you have faith alone is simply mental assent; that is, you agree that something is true, but you don’t act on it. The evidence of faith is the action you take. This is the point in James 2:18, “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Our faith in Jesus and what He has called us to do is our testimony that Jesus is alive and available to others, which is our mission or assignment.
The Apostle James’ conclusion is James 2:26, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
Salvation.
All this discussion brings us to the critical question of, “how does one become saved?”. Is salvation by Grace, faith, or works? The answer can be found in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Verses 8 and 9 make it clear that salvation is a gift of Grace. It is not earned nor deserved. However, it is by faith that we receive this precious gift. Jesus has done all the work to secure your salvation; that is Grace. You must believe that Jesus died for you so that you would be forgiven, accepted, and loved by God; that is faith.
Verse 10 shows us the place of works; we were created in Jesus for “good works,” which means that when we are born-again, we are to be led by the Word of God and the Spirit of God to demonstrate the goodness of God to a lost and dying world.
Conclusion
Hopefully we have a better understanding of the terms grace and works in the life of a Christian. Grace is not a license to sin, and the dead works of the Mosaic Law or ritualistic activities is not what the Lord is looking for in His followers. What the Lord is looking for is a relationship.
Grace is the Lord’s gift; good works are our efforts to follow, by faith, the instructions of the Bible and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Our faith in Jesus should inspire us to good works in gratitude and honor for all that He has done for us.
Let me challenge you with the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
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170 – Jesus my Lord and Savior!
Every Christian has heard or used the term “Jesus, my Lord and Savior! There are only five words to that statement, and yet those five words are the foundation of the entire New Testament. I think you would agree that as a Christian, I need to understand what the key three words, Jesus, Lord, and Savior, mean. Our eternal salvation, peace, and joy in life depend on knowing, believing, and acting upon these three words. Show More
Before we look at the words Jesus, Lord, and Savior, we must agree that they only have meaning through faith. In other words, it is not about simply knowing about these terms but requires knowing, believing, and living accordingly. Remember Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV), “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Sometimes, we learn scripture verses like Hebrews 11:1 and don’t take the time to really understand what it means. Let’s take the time now.
Faith
The first part of the verse is “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for.” As Believers, we hope for what the scriptures promise. We know the scriptures are “God-breathed,” which means that the scriptures are not the words of man but the words of God, and God cannot lie; He keeps His promises. A term I want to introduce is mental assent. Mental assent means we believe or agree something to be true, but it doesn’t change or transform us.
While taking an evangelism course, I remember an example of the difference between mental assent and true faith. The teacher pulled a chair into the center of the room and asked, “Do you believe this chair will hold you up?” and everyone answered, “Yes!” the teacher said, “That is mental assent.” Then he went on to say that when you sit in the chair, that is true faith or trust. You see, believing something is true is mental assent; actually using or doing it is trust! Mental assent alone doesn’t change our behavior or our actions; true faith does. So, faith starts with mental assent, but something else is required to complete faith, and that is trust.
The second part of the verse is “the evidence of things not seen.” This is the hard part of faith, and this is where faith turns into sight, seeing the invisible, the spiritual. When faith becomes sight, then you can trust. Mental ascent + trust = true faith; God is moved by true faith! True faith not only believes but also trusts God to fulfill His promises. This kind of faith requires action, such as becoming doers of the Word of God. True faith transforms!
Genuine faith means that we trust in Jesus, His ability to save, and His ability to transform us into the person the Lord created us to be.
Faith in Jesus
Our faith and trust must be in Jesus and Him alone. He alone went to the cross and paid for our sins, adopted us into the family of God, and gave us Heaven. Your denomination didn’t do it, your local church didn’t do it, your pastor didn’t do it, and trying to be good won’t do it. All these things I mentioned are the tools God uses to bring the Gospel, but only faith in Jesus can save us. Listen to what Jesus said to the disciple Thomas when he asked how we can know the way. Jesus said in John 14:6 (NKJV), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” There is no other way to Father God except through faith in Jesus Christ. Take a moment with me to examine this verse more closely.
- I am the way.
There are many in the world who would try to convince us that there are many ways to God. However, Acts 4:12 states, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The context of this verse is, of course, Jesus.
Then Jesus speaks about himself in John 10:1-4 (NKJV). “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”
Jesus makes it clear that He is the only way to the Father, and those who would follow Him would live an abundant life. John 10:9-10 (NKJV), “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
- I am the truth.
Remember, we believe in a triune God, which means we believe in one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This means the three share the same attributes or character. In John 14:16-18 Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit, which He will send. “16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
As a born-again Believer, the Holy Spirit comes to make His home in you, and His wisdom and power are available to you. Now, I don’t know about you, but I really need a helper in my life because I know that I can’t be all that God wants me to be without His help.
Again, Jesus speaks of the Spirit of Truth in John 16:13 (NKJV): “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
- I am the life.
Jesus gives life in two ways. The first is eternal life with God; the second is finding purpose and meaning in this life.
Without a doubt, having eternal life is the most important 1 John 5:10-13 (NKJV), “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” So, this truth of eternal life in Jesus is apparent to those who have “eyes to see and ears to hear and a mind to comprehend.
I heard someone say that the two most important events in life are when you are born and second when you find out why! When Jesus becomes our Savior, it is for a purpose, and we spend our lives finding and fulfilling our purpose in God. Walking in our God-given purpose is where we find the love, joy, and peace that He promises. Romans 8:28 (NKJV), “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
- No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus makes it very clear that there is only one way to salvation and relationship with God the Father, and that is through accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Faith in Jesus as Savior
Getting back to the rest of the phrase, “Jesus, my Lord and Savior.” I’m going to look at the word Savior before the word Lord. Faith in Jesus as Savior means that Jesus has done all the work. It is a work of grace. Salvation is Jesus’ work. No person can add or subtract from it.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV): “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” “For by grace” means that it is a gift of God, and like all gifts, the gift must be accepted. God’s grace can’t be earned or deserved; it is freely given and must be freely accepted.
Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 10:8-13 (NKJV), “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Confidence in your salvation should bring a new perspective on this life. Knowing that you are forgiven and accepted by the Lord changes how you see yourself and what you see as important in life. Knowing that Heaven is yours also changes how you see your life today. As the Apostle Paul said, we run the race; the race is difficult, but we know that we will cross the finish line one day, and Heaven will be ours. Seeing Jesus face to face is our ultimate goal.
Faith in Jesus as Lord
Jesus as Savior is His work, but Jesus as Lord is our work. The word Lord means king or master, and when we use that word, it means that we will obey the Lord. A Christian is defined as one who follows the teaching of Jesus Christ. Following the teachings of Jesus means obedience to what he has called us to. Jesus has called us to a life of righteousness, a life filled with love, peace, and joy; unconditional love for one another, to be at peace with everyone where it is possible, and to know the joy of being loved by God. Our value in life is based upon what God says about us rather than what others around us say, and the Lord says as followers, we are precious in God’s sight.
All these things I’ve mentioned are based upon our obedience to the word of God. Our actions are the evidence of what we believe. Jesus says, if you love me, then obey my commandments. It is not enough to be a hearer of the word; we are called to be hearers and doers of the word. This is where many have missed the wisdom of God because they have given mental assent to the truths of the Bible but have not applied those truths to their lives.
The Apostle James makes it very clear that faith without works is dead. True faith is more than just knowing the truth; it is knowing the truth and applying the truth. Listen to what James says in the following verses.
James 2:14-20 (NKJV),14: “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”
Being a doer of the Word is the evidence that we truly believe; it gives life to our faith.
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26
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169 You are more than a Conqueror!
Pastor Vic’s Nuggets of Truth169 You are more than a Conqueror!
/RSS FeedOne of the challenges of becoming an “overcoming” Christian and of success in general is to recognize that there is more to the process of becoming successful than wishing and wanting. We all want the love, peace, and joy of success, but are we willing to pay the price?
You will find all kinds of motivational slogans and clichés about reaching your dreams or reaching your potential on social media, advertising, books, magazines, TV, and movies. However, all the slogans and clichés will not replace two things: making the right decision and committing to follow through! Show More
Making the right decision.
In the Old Testament are a series of books known as “the Wisdom Books”: Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, and Song of Songs. These books contain wisdom for those who seek and follow it, but what is biblical wisdom? In this sense, wisdom can only come from God; it is spiritual because it is revealed through the Bible (logos) or by the Holy Spirit (Rhema). Let me add that rhema always agrees with the Bible. James 1:5 (NKJV), “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Now let me be clear: knowing God’s direction is only one half of the equation; the other half is doing what God has revealed to you, regardless of the cost.
Remember the parable of the two builders in Matthew 7:24-27, one builder built his house on the sand, and the other built his house on the rock. The storm came to both houses, and the house built on sand fell and was destroyed, but the one who built his house on the rock remained standing through the storm. The question in this parable is, what is the difference between the sand and the rock? The one who built his house on the sand is like someone who hears the word of God but doesn’t do or obey the word of God. The one who built his house on the rock is the one who hears the word of God and then obeys by doing it. So, we all build our lives, and storms will come; however, are you a “doer” of the word of God in the storm?
Consequences
Choices always have consequences; even not making a choice is a choice. Galatians 6:7-10 (NKJV), “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Clearly, our important decisions should have their foundation in doing things God’s way. We secure our foundation in God by communicating with the Lord through meditating on the Word of God, worshipping, praying, and taking the time to hear from the Lord. As a believer, God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you; as a matter of fact, He calls you His friend!
It’s natural to look at the natural situations and circumstances that we face in life, and at times it may look very discouraging, but in the storm, we mustn’t lose our focus on the Lord. We are called to be faith walkers, which means we must learn how to see with spiritual eyes. Recall the story of Elijah and his servant in 2 Kings 6:16- 17; they were surrounded by the army of Syria, which wanted to capture Elijah. As Elijah’s servant looked out upon the situation, he was terrified; however, listen to what Elijah said, “16 “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” The Lord looks out for His own. Romans 8:28 (NKJV) says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Count the cost.
Jesus tells us in Luke 14:28-30 that counting the cost is an important part of the decision-making process. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?”, (NKJV).
It is easy to become a “legend in your own mind”; in our imagination, we often see the path to success as easy or clear. The reality is that there are many obstacles and pitfalls that we will have to overcome or avoid. The truth is that you have an enemy, the Devil himself, who wants to steal, kill, and destroy the faith, hope, and vision God has given you.
Commitment to the decision.
“Remember, there are two parts to being a successful Christian; one is to make the right decision, and the second is to commit to the decision. In other words, use godly wisdom to make the decision or choice and then follow through to the end.
Isaiah the prophet said in Isaiah 50:7, “For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore, I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed [disappointed]” What does it mean to set your face like a flint? Flint is a type of stone that is hard and, when broken, forms sharp edges; in the past, flint was used to make many kinds of cutting tools. What Isaiah was saying is once I’ve decided, I will cut through every hindrance and obstacle until I have reached the goal; I will not give up!
Many years ago, a term that was used to demonstrate focus and determination was to have the “Eye of the Tiger.” Perhaps you have read or seen images of a tiger or big cat stalking its prey. They are single-minded, not easily distracted, focused, and intentional in getting to their goal, the prey; in our case, we need to be just as determined to fulfill the call of God upon our lives.
What sometimes distracts us from having the “eye of the Tiger” is that we look at the circumstances or our natural abilities and we say, “I can’t, or it is impossible. That is when we remind ourselves that we “walk by faith and not by sight” as it says in 2Corinthians 5:7. Don’t forget that the Holy Spirit lives in you and nothing is impossible with Him because He is the Spirit of God!
When the Apostle Paul said in “Philippians 4:13 (NKJV), “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The context of this statement was that no matter what the circumstances are, I will trust in the Lord to bring me through them. We can expect the same if we have faith in Jesus.
Commitment means Endurance and endurance requires Faith.
Our journey with the Lord is a faith walk, which means we need to be spiritually aware or focused on the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit is the Helper that Jesus promised us when Jesus ascended to heaven. We cannot do it alone! We must acknowledge the Holy Spirit living in us because He provides the authority and power of God. This is our faith walk, Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The substance of our faith is the Bible; the evidence of things not seen is accomplished by the Holy Spirit living in us. Through the Holy Spirit, we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a mind to comprehend the things of God. (1Corinthians 2:6-16)
Examples of commitment
Moving in the Spirit of God has less to do with feelings and emotions than truth! The Bible is the source of truth, and we must believe and obey the truth regardless of our feelings and emotions. Obedience to God is demonstration of real faith. Faith moves God, Hebrews 11:6, But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The fruit of faith is the reward that is in the Lord’s hands.
The Apostle Paul describes Jesus’s attitude when He endured the trials and pains of obeying the Father.Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We are to be like the long-distance runner, and what the long-distance runner needs is endurance. Don’t quit!
Then the Apostle Paul said about himself at the end of his life in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NKJV), “6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” Paul ran his race to the very end, and that is his instruction to us. Run the race of faith with endurance; the goal is just around the corner.
The Conclusion is that Success in life requires making Godly decisions + commitment.
Someone once said, “A decision is made with the mind; a commitment is made with the heart. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made the greatest decision and commitment. You know that He loves us; the Bible clearly tells us so. However, His love is a decision and commitment for our good. God’s love in the original Greek is the word Agape; this kind of love is not an emotion but an unconditional decision and commitment to provide us with every good gift from heaven.
Faith to fulfill decisions and commitments requires three characteristics.
- Learning to lean on the Holy Spirit residing in us.
Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” You have authority given by Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the Lord’s will in and through your life.
- Learning Patience (endurance).
James 1:2-8 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Don’t be double-minded keep focused on the goal “that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2b.
- Remembering who we serve.
The Lord’s love for us is endless. Romans 8:37-39, Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Have faith in God, who loves you; You are more than a conqueror!
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168 Who Am I?
As a Christian, it is important to know who you are! Today, there seems to be such an effort in the world to put everyone into a group or category. This suggests a real identity crisis in our cultures, societies, and countries. The Bible makes it very clear who we are: we are citizens of Heaven, Philippians 3:20 (NKJV) tells us. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Show More
You see, we are simply passing through life on earth with the mission of sharing the love and salvation found through Jesus Christ. All of us naturally identify with the country we were born in, but now that you are born-again, your citizenship is Heaven. This is why the scriptures tell us that we are to be ambassadors of Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:20. An ambassador is sent from their home country to another to represent the one who sent him. In our case, we represent Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords!
I love what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:1, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” Paul made it very simple in verse 2, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
Even the Apostle Paul recognized the tendency of the church to identify with a person or belief instead of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 1:12 “Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” Paul saw that the church was breaking up into factions instead of being unified by the finished work of the Cross. What was true in the early church also exists today.
Is there an identity crisis in the church today?
Someone asked me, “What kind of church do you go to? Is it evangelical or Pentecostal?” I answered, “The church I belong to is a full gospel church, we believe the whole Bible!” Believing the whole Bible means that I am Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Charismatic. I believe that the Bible teaches us that we are to be evangelical; that is our mission, Pentecostal, that is our empowerment, and charismatic, that is how we will attract people to Christ. Let’s take a closer look at each of these terms and what scriptures they are based upon.
The term Evangelical – one who preaches or announces the good news of the Gospel.
To be evangelical means we believe and actively pursue the Great Commission. The Great Commission is the charge to go into the world and make Jesus known. The Great Commission is found at the end of each of the four Gospels. Most of us look at the Gospel of Matthew Great Commission statement because it is the first book of the New Testament, however the Gospel of Mark was written before Matthew. So, let’s look at the Gospel of Mark.
Jesus said in Mark 16:15-18 (NKJV), “15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
All of us would agree with verses 15 and 16. “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature…” Where we sometimes overlook verses 17 and 18, And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
These verses speak of God’s supernatural spiritual power over the spiritual powers of darkness. We are given spiritual power to cast out demons, to speak in tongues, to combat the forces of Satan, and finally to lay hands on the sick and see them recover. All these abilities are the outworking of the Holy Spirit living in us. In the natural, we are powerless, but in Christ, we are empowered to pull down the strongholds of the Devil. Now, you may ask, “How are we empowered?” Now it’s time to look at the term Pentecostal.
The term Pentecostal – one who is empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a witness to Jesus.
It is clear from the Gospel of John that Jesus promised the Father would send us a “Helper,” the Holy Spirit when Jesus departed from the earth. John chapters 14-16 show us Jesus’ intention that He would not leave us as orphans but would provide the Holy Spirit to encourage, exhort, and edify the Believer. The Holy Spirit guides, teaches, and reveals the heart of God.
The Holy Spirit has two functions in the Born-again Believer. One is transformation, and the other is the Great Commission.
- Transformation is the process of learning how to overcome sin and walk in righteousness. When we come to Christ, all of us have areas of life that are not pleasing to the Lord. The natural human response is to use self-discipline to change; however, the Old Testament and personal experience will show that flesh, or self-control, is not enough. There must be a change on the inside of the heart, which only the Holy Spirit can produce.
- The Apostle Paul says that the flesh and the spirit are always opposed to each other. This means that we must learn to be led by the Spirit of God, and this process is called transformation. Romans 12:2 (NKJV), “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Being conformed is man’s work; transformation is the Holy Spirit’s work.
- The Great Commission is the work of every Christian, to know Jesus and make Him known.
In Luke 24:49 (NKJV), Jesus instructs the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father. “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” I am sure that the disciples did not understand what Jesus meant by “until you are endued with power from on high.” However, by faith, they went to Jerusalem and waited. Acts 1:4-8 (NKJV), “4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Then, in verse 8, Jesus says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” There are three things we need to see in this verse.
- We shall receive power; power in this verse is the original Greek word “dynamis” which means miraculous power or mighty wonderful work. In other words, we are not talking about natural ability, talent, or skill. This kind of power is supernatural power from God.
- To be witnesses to Jesus means that we are to testify of what Jesus has done for us as an individual. How Jesus has saved us, delivered us, and changed us is our testimony, and that is how we share Jesus with the world.
- We are to be witnesses to Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth; this means that we are to go to our families, neighborhoods, our country, and to the outermost parts of the world, sharing our testimony of what Jesus has done.
These three charges or expectations of the Lord clearly show us why we need the Helper, the Holy Spirit of God!
This outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred on the Day of Pentecost and represents the birth of the Christian Church, birthed in the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV) “1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” To the new Believers, this outpouring was a sign that the presence of God was present and gave them hope and boldness. It is no different today; the Holy Spirit of God wants to be made manifest in our lives, homes, communities, and churches. This event was a charismatic event.
The term Charismatic – one who exercises the spiritual gifts given by God to draw people to Christ.
The term charismatic comes from the Greek word “charisma,” which is used to describe certain giftings or enablements by the Holy Spirit to demonstrate the power of God. Listen to the Apostle Paul’s description of charisma in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV), “4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:” Notice two things here:
- In describing the gifts, in verse 4, the name Spirit is used; in verse 5, the name Lord is used; and in verse 6, the name God is used. What we see is the triune nature of God is used to authorize the gifts or charismas. Then in verse 8 thru 10 the nine gifts of the spirit are listed; 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
- Verse 11 holds the purpose of the gifts, “11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
The purpose of the gifts of the Spirit is to draw attention to the Lord and to encourage, exhort, and edify the Body of Christ, the Church!
Conclusion:
In conclusion, as believers in Jesus Christ:
We are to be Evangelical (evangelistic) –that is our purpose in God.
We are to be Pentecostal or filled with the Spirit –that is, the empowerment of God.
We are to be Charismatic – the demonstration that draws people to God.
We will talk more about the Gifts of the Spirit the next time.
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167 How to be led by the Holy Spirit of God.
How to be led by the Holy Spirit of God is of utmost importance. It represents the difference between working for the Lord or working with the Lord!
While working for the Lord may be a sincere effort to please the Lord, it is often a work the Lord has not asked us to do. Here is an important point: if the Lord is not in it, it usually isn’t worth doing. A lot of frustration and disappointment comes from trying to do God’s work without God! This reminds me of Moses when he said to the Lord, “If you don’t go with me, I won’t go!” Exodus 33:14-16 (NKJV): “And He [God] said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he (Moses) said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?” The difference between doing a good work and a God work is one letter “o”, but that difference makes all the difference in the world! Show More
Listen to what Jesus said in John 15:15-17 (NKJV), “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.” Being a friend of Jesus is another way of saying there is a friendship relationship based upon two-way communication; in other words, friends dialogue or talk to one another. Being a genuine friend of Jesus will eventually cause you to become more like Him because we are in a daily relationship with Him. We are not like some who believe that going to church on Sunday is all we need to be in a relationship with the Lord.
The relationship the Lord desires with us is a spiritual one. Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:24 (NKJV). “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”Therefore, our true worship is spiritual; that is why the Lord gave us the Holy Spirit when we were born-again. The key to an overcoming life is to learn how to be led by the Holy Spirit.
How to be led by the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus speaks to us, He speaks to us through the Helper or the Holy Spirit; therefore, we must learn the language of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit speaks to our minds, and we must learn how to discern that one voice because there are so many voices speaking to us. It takes practice, and it takes faith. It means that we may fail in the beginning, but we mustn’t quit. It is like learning a foreign language; however, once learned, it becomes natural and recognizable. My wife and I have been together for a great many years, and when she calls me on the phone, she doesn’t have to identify herself because I know her voice.
In the same way, we must not quit! Luke 11:9-10 (NKJV), “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” As you can see from these verses and the context, it is a constant pursuit of the presence of God in our lives.
There can be no relationship with the Lord apart from the Word of God, the Bible, and Jesus.
The Bible is the inspired Word of God.
The wonderful truth about the Bible is that you don’t have to be a theologian or scholar to understand it. Every person who will invest time in the Bible will benefit; that is because the Bible is not simply a book, it is a spiritual book and must be spiritually appraised. To non-believers, it is just a book of history or myths, but to us, it is the book of life and life everlasting. From Genesis to Revelation is a thread of blood, a thread of redemption. Animal sacrifices in the Old Testament, the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus the Christ in the New Testament. Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life.
In the Old Testament, the commandments were written in stone and to be blindly obeyed. There was an element of fear of failing to live up to the standard of the Law. In the New Testament, the commandments are written in our hearts, which moves us to obey as the Spirit leads us. There is no fear because of the grace and truth the Lord brings into our lives.
Romans 8:15-16 (NKJV), “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God.”
The single most important truth is that we are loved by God! The love of God is the motivation for coming to Him, and it is the love of God for us and through us that produces the desire to be transformed and become like Jesus. Jesus is the perfect model we look to and the reason for living because He gave His life for us.
Since the Bible is the inspired Word of God and contains the only truthful information we have about God and His expectations of us. Many books, articles, videos, and podcasts have been published, and we may be tempted to believe what we read and hear; however, there is only one source of truth: the Bible. The Bible is the source of all knowledge about God, so everything we hear or read must be compared to the Bible for accuracy. It is easy to hear “what we want to hear” instead of the truth, which is found in the Bible. You have no one else to blame if you stray from the truth found in the Word of God! 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV), “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
As important as the Bible is, it was never meant to be worshipped; never lose sight of the author of the Word, God, and only God should be worshipped. The Bible is the holy instrument God uses to make His will known.
Personal revelation is Holy Spirit-inspired understanding.
The information in the Bible is called Logos, that is a Greek term in the New Testament; logos is used to refer to the constant, written word, which is recorded in the Bible. The logos word or the Bible is the foundation of our knowledge about God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV), “But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.” What the Lord is saying here is that we are capable of Personal revelation, that is, Holy Spirit-inspired understanding.
The Bible is not a book you read once and then put down. The Bible is a lifelong study, and each time you read it, you gain more knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
Logos – instruction from the Bible.
Knowledge: The logos word of the Bible is comprehended on three levels. The first level is knowledge. This is the fact-collecting stage, and every believer starts here. In a sense, it is like Elementary School. It is sometimes difficult and frustrating to learn all the names of the books of the Bible, the order they are found in, the names of all the characters, and learning to focus on the most important people of the Bible. It’s hard work but a necessary step! Matthew 6:33 (NKJV), “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Seeking, in this sense, means not to give up.
Understanding: Once you have a foundation of knowledge, you move to the next level, and that is understanding. Understanding, in this sense, means to make the connection between all the parts of the Bible. I personally like to look at the Bible as a series of Covenants. The Mosaic Covenant, or the Law of Moses in the Old Testament, and the Covenant of Grace, which Jesus brought to us, is what the New Testament is about. An important understanding is that you can’t mix the old with the new, the Law with Grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV), “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all state that “you cannot put new wine in old wineskins or else the wineskin will burst, and the wine spilled.”
Understanding is like having an “ah ha” moment when the Word becomes clear.
Wisdom: With understanding comes the next big step, and that is to do the Word by faith. We are called to be “doers of the Word” and not forgetful hearers. Wisdom is taking the knowledge and understanding from the Bible and, by faith, applying it to your life. From the world’s point of view, what we believe doesn’t make sense. 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” It is for this reason we must walk by faith and not by sight. Remember the parable Jesus spoke in Matthew 7:24-27, the Parable of the Two Builders. The wise man heard the word of the Lord and did what he heard, building his house on the rock foundation, and it withstood the storm. The foolish man heard the same word but did not do it. Instead, he built his house on the sand; the storm came, and great was the house’s fall.
You see, the wise man was a doer of the word, whereas the foolish man was a hearer only. Here is an important question: what does it mean that the wise builder “heard” the words of Jesus in the parable Matthew 7:24 (NKJV), “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…” The verse clearly says hears these sayings or words of Mine. So here is an example not of the Logos word [written] but of the spoken word which is the Rhema word.
The Word of God, the Bible, is one way in which we receive direction for life; however, there is another way also; it is the Rhema Word. The Logos word of the Bible is objective and always true. The Rhema word is subjective and is applied to circumstances or situations. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring the Logos word or principle of the Bible to your mind. When this happens, it is called a Rhema word. Look at what Jesus said in John 14:25-26 (NKJV), “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
Jesus is the Word of God, and He communicates with us in two ways. Jesus communicates with us by the Spirit, through the written word or the Logos, and through the Holy Spirit speaking to our minds, which is the Rhema word. Both the Logos and Rhema are necessary to fulfill God’s plans, purposes, and pursuits. John 1:1 & 14 (NKJV), “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” As you can see from these verses, Jesus is the Word of God! So, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Bible and our relationship with Jesus.
When we turn to the Lord, He is faithful to hear us and respond to us. We just have to recognize those thoughts, promptings, or leadings are of the Lord, especially when they line up with the character of God. I remember when the acronym WWJD or What Would Jesus Do? was popular. Well, that question is still a worthy question to ask ourselves when we make decisions in our lives.
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166 – How do I Pray?
A friend of mine asked this question about God. “When I pray, who do I pray to, God the Father, Jesus or the Holy Spirit? This is really a good question and maybe something you have wondered about as well. Let me try to explain this question first from how I approach the triune nature of our God and also from a scriptural perspective. Show More
Our Gift-giving God.
I understand that the concept of the Trinity, or three persons in one God, is a concept that is beyond my mental capacity to understand. Therefore, I accept this truth by faith. Honestly, how can I fully understand the creator of the universe, who can speak a word, and it is done? Just read the first two chapters of the Book of Genesis, and you’ll see what I am talking about.
It helps me to look at the Trinity in the following way: I am a son to my parents, a husband to my wife, and a father to my children, yet I am still one. In each of those relationships, I interact differently with my parents, wife, and children, but I am still one person. In the same way, we believe in One God. However, our God can express Himself in three persons. He is the Father, who loves us; Jesus, who saves us; and the Holy Spirit, who enables us. Each of the three persons of God interacts with humanity in three different ways. While this may be an imperfect example of the Trinity, it helps me to understand the Trinity of God, and I hope it helps you.
The scriptures tell us that there are mysteries that we must accept by faith. After all, look at Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV), “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Because God is love, I know that I can trust Him with my life and eternity. Listen to 1 John 4:16 (NKJV), “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” Love is the unifying attribute that ties all three, the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit into One.
I also want to point out that the word “love” that is used three times in the above verse is the Greek word “Agape.” Remember that all the modern Bibles we have were translated from the original New Testament manuscripts, which were written in Greek. The Greek language has several words that we translate as love, and it is important to distinguish the word “Agape” from the others. There are at least four Greek words translated as love, and they are:
- Storge – compassion and understanding associated with family love for one another—the love of a mother or Father for a child, or the love between brothers and sisters.
- Philia – brotherhood, friendship, comradery type of love.
- Eros – romantic and sexual love between husband and wife. This term is not used in the New Testament.
- Agape – an unconditional, unearned, and undeserved type of “God” love.
If you look at the first three expressions of love, they involve emotions or feelings, whereas agape involves a decision or a choice. God has decided to love you; His love is not based on how you make God feel, how good you are, or what you can do for Him. No one and nothing can change God’s mind!
God the Father is Love.
Let me repeat: When we say that God is love, we are saying that God is “Agape,” which is unconditional, which means He will never stop loving us; recall what the apostle Paul said in Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV), “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
You can count on the unconditional love of God. Further evidence of this love is found in the well-known verse of John 3:16 (NKJV), “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Therefore, Jesus is the expression of God’s love for us.
You can have confidence in God’s love for you because it is an “agape” love. It doesn’t matter what your past was; it doesn’t matter what you are going through now. God’s forgiveness, through Jesus Christ, is total and absolute, and you can stand on the truth that nothing can separate you from the love of God.
The apostle Paul was being delivered by ship to stand trial before Caesar in Rome. The ship encountered a raging storm that lasted for days, and the ship’s crew gave up all hope. It was then that Paul received a visitation from an angel of God, and the angel said that they would be saved from the storm without loss of life. I want to point out what Paul said in Acts 27:23 (NKJV), “For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve.” In the midst of the storm, Paul knew who he belonged to and who he served. That confidence and assurance Paul expressed in the middle of a crisis was the result of the relationship that was built upon understanding and embracing the agape love of God the Father!
God the Son, Jesus, is Love.
Jesus the Son is also God; however, He is God in the flesh. Jesus is the expression of the invisible Father’s love in that Jesus became the perfect sacrifice, provided for our redemption. It is quite clear that the only way to the Father is through Him; John 14:6 (NKJV), “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The term “no one” means that there is no other way except believing that through the sacrifice of Jesus, we are forgiven and reconciled back to the Father.
Listen to what the apostle John wrote about Jesus in John 1:1-5 & 14 (NKJV), “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” 14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus always existed because He is part of the Trinity, three persons in One. Therefore, Jesus is love, the Love of the Father expressed in human form.
As the Father is a giver of gifts because He gave us Jesus, Jesus also gives gifts. By believing and confessing to Jesus, we have the greatest gift: the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with the Father. We are saved, redeemed, sanctified, and promised eternal life with Jesus in Heaven.
Jesus also knew that we could never live a Christ-like life without help, so Jesus also gave us the Holy Spirit with authority and power to enable us to overcome sin, temptation, and all the plans of the enemy, Satan.
Jesus says in John 16:12-15 (NKJV), “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth [the Holy Spirit], has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” Can you see the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit working as One?
God the Holy Spirit is Love.
The Holy Spirit is the helper or enabler that Jesus promised that the Father would send to us. John 14:26 (NKJV), “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” The Holy Spirit will bring the Rhema word to us, which will enable us to make the right decisions of righteousness that will bring us closer to the Lord in our relationship with Him. The Spirit will strengthen us with truth, authority, and power. I believe it is impossible to fully serve the Lord without the help of the Holy Spirit. Anyone who relies on their own personal strength and wisdom alone to serve the Lord is a very weak Christian indeed.
John 4:24 says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” So, how do we worship in Spirit and truth? First, realize that the word worship used here is not about a worship service or music but a transformed life! Romans 12:1-2 (ESV), “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” You may ask, what does a transformed life look like? A transformed life is a life that looks like Jesus and is enabled by the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The Fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit has to do with our character. By fruit, I mean that because our nature has been changed, now that we are born-again, we are guided by the Holy Spirit. Of course, we must learn how to be led by the Spirit of God, but that is another topic. It is now the character of God living through us as we now live our lives to glorify the Lord. Look at Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV). “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.” These nine characteristics or traits of the Holy Spirit are available in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.
Notice the first fruit; it is “love,” and the other characteristics follow that love. The love in this verse is the “agape” love we talked about earlier; it is unconditional love. Unconditional love enables us to experience joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All of humanity seek these nine qualities of life; however, it must begin with the agape love of God in our hearts. The apostle Paul makes a statement under the influence of the Holy Spirit as he explains how our faith helps us endure difficult times. He says in Romans 5:5 (NKJV), “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” In other words, we experience the love of God through the Holy Spirit! We love others with the love of God in us.
Conclusion
I haven’t forgotten the original question in this message, “When I pray, who do I pray to, God the Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit? It really doesn’t make any difference because we serve only One God!
In the name of the Father.
Jesus gave us the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9, and He told us that when we pray, we should pray to our Father in heaven.
In the name of Jesus.
As Stephen the Martyr was being stoned, he cried out in Acts 7:59 (NKJV), “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.“
When the apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord (Jesus) about the “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12:8 (NKJV), “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” The context of the word Lord in this verse is Jesus.
In the name of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the enabler or helper; when we don’t know how to pray, listen to Romans 8:26 (NKJV), “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Because God is One, there are times I pray to the Father, and then there are times I pray or talk to Jesus because I know that He makes intercession for me. Then, there are times I pray in the Spirit, especially when I am overwhelmed and don’t know how to pray with my understanding. So, whoever I pray to, I am confident that the Lord hears me, and you can be too!
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171 Grace, Works and Faith!
/RSS FeedThere has always been a controversy between the terms the Bible calls “Grace and Works.” Some have misused the terms to excuse sin; others have misused the terms to try and earn or deserve God’s blessing and favor. Both these terms, Grace and works, are important aspects of the life of a New Testament Believer of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is important to know how they operate so that we can experience the fullness of the Lord in our lives. Show More
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170 – Jesus my Lord and Savior!
/RSS FeedEvery Christian has heard or used the term “Jesus, my Lord and Savior! There are only five words to that statement, and yet those five words are the foundation of the entire New Testament. I think you would agree that as a Christian, I need to understand what the key three words, Jesus, Lord, and Savior, mean. Our eternal salvation, peace, and joy in life depend on knowing, believing, and acting upon these three words. Show More
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169 You are more than a Conqueror!
/RSS FeedOne of the challenges of becoming an “overcoming” Christian and of success in general is to recognize that there is more to the process of becoming successful than wishing and wanting. We all want the love, peace, and joy of success, but are we willing to pay the price?
You will find all kinds of motivational slogans and clichés about reaching your dreams or reaching your potential on social media, advertising, books, magazines, TV, and movies. However, all the slogans and clichés will not replace two things: making the right decision and committing to follow through! Show More
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168 Who Am I?
/RSS FeedAs a Christian, it is important to know who you are! Today, there seems to be such an effort in the world to put everyone into a group or category. This suggests a real identity crisis in our cultures, societies, and countries. The Bible makes it very clear who we are: we are citizens of Heaven, Philippians 3:20 (NKJV) tells us. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Show More
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167 How to be led by the Holy Spirit of God.
/RSS FeedHow to be led by the Holy Spirit of God is of utmost importance. It represents the difference between working for the Lord or working with the Lord!
While working for the Lord may be a sincere effort to please the Lord, it is often a work the Lord has not asked us to do. Here is an important point: if the Lord is not in it, it usually isn’t worth doing. A lot of frustration and disappointment comes from trying to do God’s work without God! This reminds me of Moses when he said to the Lord, “If you don’t go with me, I won’t go!” Exodus 33:14-16 (NKJV): “And He [God] said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he (Moses) said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?” The difference between doing a good work and a God work is one letter “o”, but that difference makes all the difference in the world! Show More
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166 – How do I Pray?
/RSS FeedA friend of mine asked this question about God. “When I pray, who do I pray to, God the Father, Jesus or the Holy Spirit? This is really a good question and maybe something you have wondered about as well. Let me try to explain this question first from how I approach the triune nature of our God and also from a scriptural perspective. Show More
