A Prayer about Freedom and Christian Cannibalism

 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (Gal. 5:13–15)

Dear Jesus, I’m thankful the gospel is more like a subpoena than a mere invitation. Our need is so great that we could not respond apart from such a strong summons. Indeed, the gospel is a life-giving subpoena—the means by which you call us from death to life, from slavery to freedom. We were just as dead and bound in graveclothes as Lazarus was when you spoke the words “Come out” (John 11:43), and you raised us from spiritual death. I praise you for the sovereign, death-defeating, liberty-giving power of the gospel. Those you set free are free indeed! And the freedom to which you’ve called us is to define the rest of our days and permeate every area of our lives.

This is nowhere more necessary than in the world of our relationships. We’re to love one another as you love us, Jesus. According to you, this is a confirming mark of true discipleship (John 13:34–35). But as in Galatia, so in our churches, marriages, and friendships; it’s a blatant and ugly contradiction of the gospel when we fall into “Christian cannibalism”—biting and devouring one another. Worse, it’s a sabotaging of your glory and a veiling of your beauty. It’s lying about who you are and what it means to be in relationship with you. Forgive us; forgive me.

Please show me where I’m living like a relational piranha—nibbling on others’ brokenness and inconsistencies more than I’m feasting on the gospel; holding on to unforgiveness just to gain advantage in a relationship; rehearsing the sins of others more than I’m remembering the way you’ve forgiven me; being petty rather than patient, critical rather than compassionate, mean rather than merciful. Help me know when overlooking the failures of others would be not cowardice but courage. Help me learn how to go through conflict redemptively, rather than destructively.

Lord Jesus, we’re free only because of you. Help me to steward this costly freedom today in a world of broken people and broken relationships. I pray in your glorious and graceful name. Amen.

Smith, Scotty. Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel-Centered Faith . Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

This Is What James Meant by ‘consider it pure joy’

https://churchleaders.com/pastors/videos-for-pastors/374856-andy-stanley-this-is-what-james-meant-by-consider-it-pure-joy.html

Hebrews: The Supremacy of Christ (Hebrews 2:1-18)

by Bellator Christi

Source: Hebrews: The Supremacy of Christ (Hebrews 2:1-18)

Join us for our new Bible study series in the book of Hebrews. The YouTube video of the study is attached to this post. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Bellator Christi channel on YouTube. During the live studies, you will be given an opportunity to ask any question pertaining to the Bible study, or on any area of theology and apologetics. The recorded podcast is also available for your listening pleasure. In addition, a PDF file of the PPT accompanying the study is added for your personal use.

To open the PDF file, click the link to the right: Lesson 2_Heb. 2.1-18_Should You Listen to Jesus

Encountering God

A Broadcast with R.C. Sproul

We fear many things in life, from disease to natural disaster to political turmoil. But too often, we forget that God Himself should cause us to tremble. Today, R.C. Sproul describes what happens when we encounter the One who is holy.

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The Need for a Sacrifice

Hebrews 10:1-4

The Law is like a picture of the good things to come. The Jewish religious leaders gave gifts on the altar in worship to God all the time year after year. Those gifts could not make the people who came to worship perfect. ² If those gifts given to God could take away sins, the people who came to worship would no longer feel guilty of sin. They would have given no more gifts. ³ When they gave the gifts year after year, it made them remember that they still had their sins. ⁴ The blood of animals cannot take away the sins of men.

Have you ever read about sacrifice in the Old Testament and wondered what it was for? The only payment for sin is death (You get what is coming to you when you sin. It is death! But God’s free gift is life that lasts forever. It is given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 6:23), and the Lord graciously allowed animals to be offered as a substitute for human lives. So people regularly brought sacrifices to God as atonement. However, it was only a temporary solution and had to be repeated often.

In order for mankind to be eternally freed from the guilt of sin, God required that the once-for-all sacrifice had to be completely pure (Do not give anything that is not perfect, for you will not please the Lord. Lev. 22:20). What’s more, it could not be an animal. After all, the guilt belonged to man; therefore, the world was in need of a perfect and sinless person to be offered.

What an impossible situation: Man was responsible to pay the price, but God alone was capable of sinlessness. The only possible solution was for Jesus Christ—who was wholly God and wholly man—to offer His life on our behalf. Unlike the blood of bulls and lambs, Christ’s blood was a fully sufficient one-time payment for all sin.

This is why we say that we’re saved by the blood of Christ. Jesus did what we could not—He set us free from our sins. Consider the immensity of the sacrifice He made on your behalf. Have you thanked Him lately?

‘consider it pure joy’ -podcast

https://links.churchleaders.com/clk/256/8931783/716263646/_73b132166aaacdbc9ef4714e6d89beee4ef153e9/c15c07c3ca1323ec2b9496a324cacc0e52b230d8/aHR0cHM6Ly9jaHVyY2hsZWFkZXJzLmNvbS9wYXN0b3JzL3ZpZGVvcy1mb3ItcGFzdG9ycy8zNzQ4NTYtYW5keS1zdGFubGV5LXRoaXMtaXMtd2hhdC1qYW1lcy1tZWFudC1ieS1jb25zaWRlci1pdC1wdXJlLWpveS5odG1sP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9bXN2LW5sSnVuZSA5dGgsIDIwMjAmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY29udGVudD1idXR0b24tbGluayZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bXN2LW5sJm1hcm9wb3N0X2lkPTcxNjI2MzY0Ng

 

8 Reasons We Need to Watch for “Glimpses” of God’s Glory Each Day

Moses asked God to let him see His glory (Exo 33:8). Our situation is different from Moses’, of course, but I think it’s important we daily ask God to help us see a glimpse of who He is and what He’s doing. Here’s why:

1. We’ll read the Word with more expectancy. We’ll go to the Scriptures wanting to know God and His ways better. We’ll want to see His hand.
2. We won’t get distracted and discouraged by the tough times of ministry. When we’re seeing only the troubles, we might well miss little things God is doing around us. We need to watch for them every day.
3. Especially in these chaotic days, we need reminders of hope. We’ve been consumed with day-to-day changes during COVID, and it’s been exhausting. Just a glimpse or two of God’s glory can revive our tired spirits.
4. We’ll approach the day differently if we start out watching for even the “little” things God’s doing. We won’t start the day with a negative heart; we’ll instead start it with a hopeful one.

Read the rest at: https://chucklawless.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1f66ea30867c3c2882f0eae77&id=96493173d4&e=e8a5edc6f6

God’s Forgetfulness

 “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. (Heb. 10:17–18 NIV)

 

Heavenly Father, what a heart-pounding joy it is to begin this day by remembering your forgetfulness.

Scotty Smith, Everyday Prayers

We wander – God pursues and reconciles

We wander. God pursues and reconciles. We stumble and fall.
God forgives and restores. We grow tired and weary.
God empowers us by his grace.

It is a humbling and yet vital thing to acknowledge—you and I simply don’t have much in our relationship with God and our growth in grace for which we can take credit. The fact of the matter is that we give daily proof of our ongoing need for that grace. The reality is that if we followed Jesus for a thousand years, we would need his grace as much for the next day as we did the first day that we believed.

He is the sun that gives us light. He is the refuge where we can hide. He is the water that nourishes us and the bread that feeds us. He is the solid rock on which we stand. He is the Captain who defends us against the enemy. He is wisdom, blessing us with the insight of truth. He is the Lamb that bore the penalty for our sin. He is the High Priest who daily brings our case to the Father. He is the faithful friend who will not forsake us even in our worst moments. He is the Giver who blesses us with spiritual riches that we could never earn. He is the One who makes us aware of our sin and brings conviction to our hearts. He is the Shepherd who seeks us when we have wandered and are lost, and brings us back to the fold of his care. None of these actions is a luxury for us. They are all necessary ingredients of our spiritual lives, yet they are not things that we could ever provide for ourselves. We are like babies, unable to meet our own needs and completely dependent on the love of our Father for life, sustenance, and health.

Paul Tripp, New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional

God Alone Deserves Worship

James 4:4-8

⁴ You are as wives and husbands who are not faithful in marriage and do sex sins. Do you not know that to love the sinful things of the world and to be a friend to them is to be against God? Yes, I say it again, if you are a friend of the world, you are against God. ⁵ Do you think the scriptures mean nothing when they said, “The Holy Spirit Whom God has given to live in us has a strong desire for us to be faithful to Him”?

⁶ But He gives us more grace For the scriptures say, “God works against the proud but gives grace to those who have no pride.” ⁷ So give yourselves to God. Stand against the devil and he will run away from you. ⁸ Come close to God and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Clean up your hearts, you who want to follow the sinful ways of the world and God at the same time.

For us, jealousy isn’t attractive, but for God, it’s a holy attribute. God is unhappy when we worship anyone besides Him. Only He deserves our praise.

When reading in the Old Testament, we may not understand why people would bow before idols—surely they didn’t think that these objects were living and powerful. But we make a similar mistake, placing too high a value on money, relationships, power, and the like. Though not bad in themselves, such things can become the focus of our worship. That’s why the Father is jealous for our heart.

There are two reasons God won’t tolerate our misplaced devotion. First, He deserves the glory. And second, there is nothing better for us than His love. Praising Him above all else is actually in our own best interest. Therefore, when our heart doesn’t belong solely to Christ, He will use discipline and reminders so we will prioritize Him.

This week, notice where you spend your time and money and what dominates your thoughts. Even if your pursuits seem good on the surface, pray about what might be an idol in your life. Confess any misplaced affection, and ask the Lord for help in making Him the object of your devotion.