Monthly Archives: May 2024

LIVING STONES IN GOD’S TEMPLE – 4

Bible Study, ,

1 Peter 2:5-6 NLT‬
[5] “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. [6] As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

Stones and priests! Anther gem to ponder!

The Bible uses many pictures to describe God’s people. Sheep is one of the favourites.

‭Psalms 100:3 NLT‬
[3] “Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

‘Sheep’ conjours up the idea of rather silly animals who follow any leader in large flocks, who need a shepherd’s perpetual care because they can’t make it on their own, who are vulnerable and defenceless against predators, who even need to be led to pastures and water… all rather negative attributes but true of many people!

Jesus also used the metaphor of the shepherd and his sheep.

‭John 10:11 NLT‬
[11] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”

However, His description of sheep and shepherd says little about sheep but much about Himself and His relationship to His sheep. He is ‘good’ in all His dealings with the sheep, leading, feeding, caring, protecting, and giving His own life for His sheep.

What about stones and priests? Quite the opposite of sheep! A new dimension has crept into our understanding of God’s people. We are now much more than sheep, needing the care and protection of a shepherd. We have taken on a sense of responsibility, something to do because of who we are.

We are a temple, a place of worship, built together of living stones, fashioned to fit perfectly to form the vibrant, living ‘house’ where God dwells by His Spirit. Each stone is a temple, a heart where God is worshipped in daily thoughts and activities. Each stone is part of the temple, doing life together for God’s glory.

‘Together’ is the operative word. This temple is bound together with the mortar of God’s love.

‭John 13:34 NLT‬
[34] “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”

‭Colossians 3:14 NLT‬
[14] “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”

This temple is also a holy nation. It has one theme in all its worship… the GOODNESS of God. He called us out of darkness, forgave our sin, gave us a new nature, and set our feet on the solid rock of His truth.

He also gave us a new ‘profession’, royal priests in this temple. We are priests of the King of kings. The role of these priests is to offer sacrifice.

‭1 Peter 2:9 NLT‬
[9] “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

All the sacrifices in the Old Covenant pointed to, and are summed up in Jesus, and are redundant now because Jesus came to be the perfect human, atoning sacrifice for sin. The New Covenant has a new set of sacrifices which all believers, as priests in this new temple, offer to God as our acceptable worship.

There is a sequence to these offerings which we will explore together. We begin with the sacrifice David discovered to be the one sacrifice that sets the tone for all other sacrifices.

  1. A broken spirit.

‭Psalms 51:16-17 NLT‬
[16] “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. [17] The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

A broken spirit in Hebrew implies a spirit that has been crushed, torn apart, or collapsed. Why does God require a broken spirit?

The spirit of man in his natural state is defiant and rebellious. Sin is the expression of our rebellious nature. Sin is the barrier between us and God. He cannot fellowship with those who are stubbornly set against Him.

That spirit needs to be broken, crushed and collapsed into submission and obedience, hence the need to present to God a new heart of compliance in the place of rebellion. Without this recognition and confession that God is right and we are wrong, we cannot offer any other sacrifice that is pleasing to God.

Brokenness can have an additional side to it. When the resistant spirit, like the spirit of an ‘unbroken’ horse, is collapsed, the animal is said to be ‘broken in’, taking a bit and bridle in submission to its rider.

God requires the offering of a ‘broken’ and a ‘broken in’ heart that pleases Him so that all other sacrifices are offered from a spirit that in harmony with Him.

  1. A thankful heart

‭Hebrews 13:15 NLT‬
[15] “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.”

A broken spirit is followed by a thankful heart, a heart that sets aside its own concerns to focus on the one who deserves the praise. He alone has done everything then has made us who we are and has brought us to where we are. We are to recognise, value, and appreciate what God has done for us and express our gratitude in praise.

Gratitude cancels complaining and discontent and replaces it with a true appreciation of God’s unending goodness to us.
He even works for our good in the worst of circumstances.

Thanksgiving turns doubt and fear into confidence and trust. Thanksgiving is the language of faith.

  1. Good works

‭Hebrews 13:16 NLT‬
[16] And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Paul reminds us that we are created for the purpose of doing good works.

‭Ephesians 2:10 NLT‬
[10] “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

What are the ‘good things’ we were created to do? To sum up, we are to do the opposite of all the bad things we did before. We are to love, not hate; we are to give, not take; we are to forgive, not retaliate; we are to say “No”, not “Yes”, to selfishness and “Yes”, not “No” to serving one another in love.

  1. Our bodies as living sacrifices.

‭Romans 12:1 NIV‬
[1] “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

Paul’s “therefore” leans back on all he has already taught his readers about God’s grace in Christ. For this reason, we have an obligation to present to God our physical bodies. Why?

He made them to be His temple; through our bodies we either fulfill our evil desires or we worship God in everything we do; by giving God our bodies, we trust Him to keep us from trespassing into forbidden territory; we do the good works He created us to do with our bodies.

Sacrifice does not mean that we give up something of value to us. Rather, it means that we exchange something we have for something better. When we present our bodies to God, He gives us the promise of holiness and a resurrection body that will never die.

‭Romans 8:11-13 NIV‬
[11] “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. [12] Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

  1. Our resources

‭‭Philippians 4:16-19 NLT‬
[16]”Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. [17] I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. [18] At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. [19] And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”

Once again, the sacrifice of generosity reaps its own reward. God is never indebted to anyone. He uses people to meet other people’s needs and, in turn, He rewards those who are generous with their resources by giving them more to give again.

We create a current with our currency. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you…”

‭2 Corinthians 8:14 NLT‬
[14] “Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.”

‭2 Corinthians 9:8, 10 NLT‬
[8] “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others….
[10] For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”

Above all, what we give away becomes a deposit in the bank of heaven. Our hearts will follow our giving, towards where God is, in heaven.

‭Matthew 6:19-21 NLT‬
[19] “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. [21] Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

Paul instructed Timothy…

‭1 Timothy 6:17-19 NLT‬
[17]” Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. [18] Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. [19] By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.”

This is the way God’s economic system works in the kingdom and… He gets the glory.

‭2 Corinthians 9:13 NLT‬
[13] “As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.”

So, God has given us ample opportunity to express our love for and gratitude to Him in practical ways that build our faith and glorify Him.

A POWERFUL ALTERNATIVE – 3

Christian Life, ,

We live in a ‘dog eat dog’ world. Retaliation and revenge keep going the animosity and antagonism between people on all levels of society. “You hit me, I’ll hit you back twice as hard!” It has been like that since the beginning of time.

‭Genesis 4:23-24 NIV‬
[23] “Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. [24] If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

So, the cycle of injury and revenge escalates into war, between individuals, families, groups, and nations. Will it ever stop? What can we do to make it stop?

There is no strategy in the hearts of humans to put this destructive cycle to an end. Even if one individual forgives, others will continue to exact revenge, carrying on the harm it causes to society. They do it because they want to do it.

This is the situation into which Jesus came with a strategy so powerful that, where the same strategy is put into practice in groups of like-minded people with transformed attitudes, peace reigns.

1 Peter 2:23-24 NIV‬
[23] When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. [24] “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

Here is another of Peter’s ‘gems’ that deserves close scrutiny. As we turn it over and examine its facets, from its beauty glints those truths that reveal the heart of our Saviour.

Instead of non-retaliation being a sign of weakness, Jesus showed us a strategy so powerful that, through His refusal to retaliate, He obliterated all the sins of mankind, for all time, and made possible a new way of forgiveness, reconciliation, and harmony that changes communities where it is put in place.

  1. What did Jesus do?

He faced, without reacting, all the hatred human beings could muster, which they threw at Him by their revenge for all the ‘wrong’ of which they accused Him. They carried out their wicked intent, with scorn, insults, and mocking, in the cruellest way possible…Roman crucifixion.

‭Isaiah 53:7-8 NLT‬
[7] “He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. [8] Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.”

No human being in all history has suffered greater injustice than Jesus suffered. Had He retaliated, it would have been appropriate for the treatment He had received, and He had the power to carry it out but, not for Jesus! He came to take away the sin of the world, not to perpetuate it in His own life. He absorbed into Himself all the bitter hatred levelled against Him without uttering threats or defending Himself.

Jesus knew that the day of revenge on His enemies was coming. The Father had even given Him the role of divine Judge, but not now. This was the time to punish sin, not the sinner, by absorbing it into Himself and dying in the sinner’s place.

‭‭2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV‬
[21] “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

As difficult as it is for us to understand, it seems that God the Father took all the expressions of man’s rebellion, encapsulated in the cross, as one great burden of human guilt, placed it on Jesus and required that He accept is as His own.

  1. How did Jesus respond?

… “He entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

That’s a huge response for a human to make. Trusting an unseen God to avenge the injustice and suffering He endured was a massive act of faith.

However, Jesus knew the Father. As a man, He had walked and fellowshipped with the unseen God, living in perfect submission and obedience to Him for more than thirty years. Would it be any different now? Could He come down from the cross? Yes, He could, if He resorted to using His divine power. Would He come down from the cross? No, because He had chosen to do His Father’s will.

  1. What was the outcome?

‭1 Peter 2:24 NLT‬
[24] “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”

Jesus stopped sin dead in its tracks, by refusing to retaliate. All the sin of the world was laid on Him. He took it on the chin, bore the Father’s wrath against sin in Himself, and died the sinner’s death in our place.

This is God, remember, in human form, not just some so-called ‘good’ person, doing this for us. God is perfect holiness, utterly separate from sin and any possibility to sin.

‭Habakkuk 1:12-13 NLT‬
[12] “O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal… [13]… You are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil….”

Yet, He became sin for us, and God the Father was happy about that!

‭Isaiah 53:10 NLT‬
[10]”But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.”

The cross event goes much deeper than Jesus doing the Father’s will. He WANTED to do the Father’s will because of the love and unity between them, no matter what the cost. The Father’s will was to have a family of people redeemed from the penalty, power, and presence of sin… and only Jesus could accomplish His will…and Jesus gladly did it for Him.

‭John 14:31 NLT‬
[31]…”but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father….”

The outcome of Jesus’ refusal to retaliate is exactly what the Father planned from before the foundation of the world. He wanted a family of sons and daughters, perfectly and eternally righteous… forgiven, cleansed, restored, and healed of everything sin had broken and corrupted, body, soul and spirit… exactly like Jesus, to live with Him forever.

For Jesus, the outcome was pure joy.

‭Hebrews 12:2 NLT‬
[2] “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

He won two great prizes, a family for the Father and the place of highest honour in God’s kingdom.

‭Philippians 2:9-11 NLT‬
[9]”Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

So, when we follow Jesus and do what He did,

  1. Refuse to retaliate
  2. Trust the Father’s justice

‭Romans 12:19-21 NLT‬
[19]” Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. [20] Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” [21] Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

We will also reap the reward…

  1. ‭1 Peter 1:9 NLT‬
    [9]”The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”

GOD’S WORD IS THE SEED – 2

Bible Study, ,

‭1 Peter 1:23-25 NLT‬
[23] “For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. [24] As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. [25] But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.”

Let’s gaze, for a moment, at Peter’s next gem of truth. Like a seed sown in good soil, that produces new life, so God’s Word sown in a believing heart, will bear the fruit of eternal life because His word cannot fail. Peter endorses Paul’s explanation of the way of salvation in Romans 10…

‭Romans 10:8-9 NLT‬
[8] “In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: [9] If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

… But Peter takes a step backwards. He adds the truth that the seed of God’s Word is the agent of our salvation. The message of Jesus is the seed we have received, and will always accomplish its mission. As Isaiah’s prophecy declared,

‭Isaiah 55:10-11 NLT‬
[10] “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. [11] It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Peter’s words, then, put our salvation into the category of certainty and security. Since God’s Word is the beginning of our salvation, the seed that produces the growing ‘plant’ of wholeness in the believer, we have the assurance, again, that God will finish what He started.

The Holy Spirit plants the seed of our salvation securely in our hearts when we believe and receive the message of Jesus. God’s ‘power pack’ is in the seed, guaranteeing its fruitfulness despite all odds. The seed in us also secures the end result of our faith, the holiness and likeness to Jesus that gives us our place in God’s heavenly kingdom forever.

As we rely on God’s promises, so we persevere in this life of faith through the trials and tests we face, with determination to endure to the end.

‭1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT‬
[6]”So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. [7] These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

‭Romans 5:3-5 NLT‬
[3]” We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. [4] And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. [5] And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

To crown all the reassurances that we will safely reach our destination because God’s promises can never fail, is His priceless gift of the Holy Spirit. He journeys with us because He is in us. He keeps us on track, monitoring and guiding us through every thought, choice, decision, and action, and calling us back when we wander off the path. He reassures us that we are chosen, called, greatly loved and highly favoured, children of God who are being groomed for an indescribably wonderful future.

God’s seed plays a powerful role in us on every level. His seed produces eternal life in us, reproduces the fruit of His Spirit in our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviour, and protects us from a life of sin.

The Greek word for ‘seed’ is ‘sperma’, meaning ‘something sown’. Imagine that! God has sown His sperma in us!

‭1 John 3:9 NIV‬
[9] “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed (sperma) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”

It is God’s ‘sperma’ that produces life in us. This life of God in us, given to us through the work of His Spirit, raises us from death caused by sin, and continues to work life in us by protecting us from the sinful ways of our past. His Word, through the Spirit, alerts us when we sin, arouses our conscience, and leads us back to the path of obedience to Jesus.

What a treasure to lay hold of in a dark and threatening world!

AN INHERITANCE SAFE FROM CHANGE AND DECAY – 1

Bible Study, ,

People make and change their wills all over the earth, all the time. Some child, relative, or long term associate is included in a will but… if he/she steps out of line, the testator changes the will and the individual is penalised for offending the testator.

Sqabbles and quarrels over inheritance split families apart. Lifelong feuds happen over money or goods inherited or not inherited. Lawyers gain wealth from people’s pain… and so it will continue until the end of time.

Probably, worst of all, people who inherit vast sums of money and valuables often squander them faster than they are inherited. The temptation to spend what they did not earn by hard work is so great that they keep little or nothing for their future.

Humans have a great capacity for messing up when we get our hands on things of value.

Not so our inheritance in Christ! God is wise. He gives us a taste of our inheritance now but also keeps it safe and out of reach for us in a place no one on earth can touch.

Short as they are, Peter’s letters are littered with gems found nowhere else in the New Testament. We would be much poorer had his letters not been included in the Bible. The first chapter of his first letter begins with a jewel in our treasure hunt for these precious gems.

Peter writes of an inheritance so secure that nothing or no one can change or defile it.

1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT‬
[3] “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, [4] and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.”

New Testament letters are full of references to an inheritance we will share with Jesus. These are clues to the vast treasures waiting for us at the end of this life.

‭1 Peter 1:5 NLT‬
[5] “And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this SALVATION, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.”

Our inheritance is a parcel of treasures wrapped up in a word…
SALVATION…as many-faceted as a diamond. Salvation means many things to many people. Saved from eternal hell; saved from the ravages of a sinful life; saved from the emotional prison of hatred, bitterness, revenge, unforgiveness, anger, fear, insecurity; saved from slavery to destructive habits; saved from selfishness and greed, and much more…but saved to what?

Salvation has a greater pull towards a life of peace and security than even the things we have left behind when we entered this new life. We have been saved from… so that we can be saved for …a new life filled with God’s mercy, favour, peace, and presence.

The heart of salvation is wholeness, the restoration of everything that was lost, damaged, or broken through Adam’s decision to go his way. When Adam chose to follow the devil’s deception, he forfeited for himself and the human race to come, every privilege, honour, and blessing God intended for His human family, including life with Him under His benevolent rule forever.

Humans were damaged, broken, and lost to God’s good plan until grace stepped in, providing mercy for those undeserving humans who accept and receive pardon and restoration through His own Son.

Together with the wholeness that is already at work in those who believe is a vast array of promises, endorsed by Jesus, which empower us towards the eternal goal of being replicas of God’s Son. Only then, when we participate in the restoration to wholeness that God has provided, can we participate in the inheritance that awaits us in the life to come.

‭2 Peter 1:4 NLT‬
[4] “And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

So, God protects this salvation for us in heaven, that no one on earth can defile or change, despite those who preach a ‘different gospel’. He also protects us, who are beneficiaries of this inheritance, from failing to fulfil the conditions attached to this inheritance…faith in and faithfulness to Jesus as the testator.

Therefore, we must qualify for our inheritance in Christ, safe as it is for us in heaven. God is preparing sons and daughters to receive all the benefits of life in His kingdom. However, He cannot permit those who do not qualify, by their obedience to Him in this life, to take their place on His kingdom.

Paul warns those who make no preparation for the life to com…

‭Galatians 5:17-18 NLT‬
[17] “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. [18] But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.”

A battle rages for mastery in our hearts. The winner gets the prize… salvation and a place in God’s kingdom, and the loser gets the penalty… eternal separation from God and His loving rule.

What happens if we fail to win over the old nature, which victory we are to pursue purposefully if not perfectly?

‭Galatians 5:19-21 NLT‬
[19] “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will NOT INHERIT the Kingdom of God.”

However, there is a glorious inheritance awaiting those who take God seriously, bend their energies towards obedience, and trust in God’s grace to overcome the old sinful nature.

‭1 Peter 1:6-9 NLT‬
[6]”So, be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. [7] These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. [8] You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. [9] The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”

However, we have a promise and a hope that the one who chose us, called us, and predestined us to be like His Son, will finish what He started.

‭Philippians 1:6 NLT‬
[6]”And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

‭Jude 1:24-25 NLT‬
[24] “Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. [25] All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.”

‭1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT‬
[13]”So, prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. [14] So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. [15] But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. [16] For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

God has promised to keep our inheritance safe for us AND He has promised to keep us safe for our inheritance.

What a treasure and a reward for those who go the distance!

THREE A’S TO ACHIEVE ONE THING

Christian Life, ,

People in the world run after different goals in life but all their goals move towards one thing…money. We can probably sum up their goals by two aspirations, to be wealthy, successful, or both.

How does the world measure up to the Bible’s ideal?

We must always look for God’s way outside of money and success which are part of this world and it’s philosophy and ideals
… temporal, temporary, and transient.

‭1 John 2:15-17 NLT‬
[15] “Do not love this world or the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. [16] For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [17]And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

There is another side to life, here and now, that few find because these aspirations belong to those who view their lives from a different perspective. Those who live only for this life give no thought to the next. Those who live for God use this life to prepare for the next.

‭Psalms 27:8 NIV‬
[8] “My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

  1. David’s Aspiration – to be in His presence in the temple.

David longed to be permanently in God’s presence, to see His beauty and experience the wonder of being with Him.

‭Psalms 27:4 NLT‬
[4] “The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.”

David was tired of being a fugitive, always dodging King Saul’s murderous intention. In God’s presence he would be safe, out of reach though not out of sight. There he would be free to contemplate the wonders of the God he worshiped without having constantly to look over his shoulder for danger.

  1. Mary’s Action – to be in His presence at His feet.

Mary, out of all who fellowshipped with Jesus, chose an action that set her apart from all others. She was, as a woman, barred her from sitting among the men. Her place was with Martha in the kitchen.

But…

‭Luke 10:38-39 NLT‬
[38] “As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. [39] Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.”

Martha was incensed. Why didn’t Jesus rebuke Mary and send her to the place where she belonged? Didn’t she know that her culture forbade her to be with the men?

Yet, Jesus commended her action…

‭Luke 10:41-42 NLT‬
[41] “But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! [42] There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary chose one thing, above all else, in her disregard for protocol. Her action confirmed her intent, to be at His feet, in His presence, listening and learning from the Master Rabbi…

And Jesus approved.

  1. Paul’s Ambition – to be with Him and in Him forever.

Paul’s ambition takes us to the heart of the ‘one thing’. Setting aside all other goals as earthly and irrelevant, Paul set his sights on one thing.

‭Philippians 3:13-14 NLT‬
[13] “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Paul had much on his mind as he worked hard to fulfill his calling. Taking the good news of Jesus to a pagan world was no easy task. He had to contend with vicious opposition as well as with churches full of people raised in paganism with its ungodly ways. His role was to teach them the way of truth.

In and above all these concerns was the ‘one thing’ that motivated and guided all Paul’s actions and reactions. This ‘one thing’ was a prize so valuable that it kept him on track through every experience, good and bad. He never let the goal out of his sight, no matter what happened to him in a world opposed to God and His Word.

When he wobbled, God’s grace steadied him.

‭2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV‬
[9] “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Paul knew he would always be striving towards the goal in this life.

‭Philippians 3:13-14 NLT‬
[13] “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Every struggle was an opportunity to gain ground on his way to the prize.

He set aside earthly, religious, and personal achievements as nothing compared with what awaited him at the end of his journey.

‭Philippians 3:7-9 NLT‬
[7″I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. [8] Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ [9] and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”

‭2 Timothy 4:6-8 NLT‬
[6]”As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. [8] And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

‭What was the ‘crown of righteousness’ towards which Paul struggled with determined purpose? He used different ways to describe his goal, but they all lead to one thing. We could say he meant ‘crowned with the righteousness’ he had received from Christ by faith when he had abandoned his own righteousness by trying to keep the law. Christ’s righteousness gave him right standing with God and access to the grace that gave him the power to do the right thing.

John puts the same goal simply…

‭‭1 John 3:2 NLT‬
[2]” Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.”

This goal towards which God’s children are moving, consciously or unconsciously, requires that we do one thing.

‭1 John 3:3 NLT‬
[3]”And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.”

So, God is at work in us. As we work with Him, trusting Him in the ‘all things’ that He is working for our good, something is happening inside.

‭Romans 8:28-29 NLT‬
[28]”And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. [29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

It’s this goal, becoming like Jesus, the only goal worth pursuing with all our energy, that will achieve man’s chief end, “to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” (Westminster Catechism)