Category: Spiritual

Romans 5:2

We continue with Paul’s argument, explaining justification by faith. Being justified by faith, we are created in Christ Jesus to be fruitful. God has ordained good works beforehand that we should walk in them. Scripture states that faith is a necessity in the lives of believers: “without faith it is impossible to please God …” (Heb. 11:6 AMP). 

Therefore, being justified by faith, we not only have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ, but we have access by faith, into this grace in which we stand… (v.2a). How blessed are we, being privileged to enter into our Father’s presence. Safe in His presence, we have the gift of His undying love and ongoing favor! “This grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God,” (v.2b) puts believers in the unique position that only those who trust Him and obey His commands can occupy. In our relationship with God, we have the assurance that by faiththrough our Lord Jesus Christ, He will lead us through the good and the bad. 

Believers endure tough times through Christ because we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Believers rejoice in the confident expectation that God’s glory will manifest in their lives. They want to be more like Jesus. Therefore, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind …” (Rom. 12:2a). While we were God’s enemies, He reconciled us to Him through the death of His Son that we might be saved (v.10). Today, rejoice and celebrate God the Father.

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!”

Romans 5:1

Here at the beginning of this passage, Apostle Paul continued his argument, setting forth an explanation of justification, the last word of 4:25. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (v.1), through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (v.2). 

According to Vine’s Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words justified comes from the Greek word “dikaioo,” meaning to declare righteous or not guilty. When a sinner repents and is forgiven of his / her sins, God declares them justified by their faith. In other words, God declares that repentant men, no matter how depraved they once were, are free from guilt. He acquits them of sin, making them acceptable to Him and counts them righteous “in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (6:11).

Being that believers have been justified by faith, Paul said, for that reason, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have harmony with Him. “Peace with God means that our problem with sin has been settled by the blood of Christ” (Wiersbe). We are no longer His enemies; we are in relationship with Him; therefore, we are now His friends. In order for us to be reconciled to Him, He took away man’s hostility toward Him through the death of His Son (v.10). Thank God for giving us faith, making us justified, and giving us peace through His SonJesus Christ. 

Lift your voice and give God glory!

2 Chronicles 20:10-17

Before King Jehoshaphat ended his prayer, in verses 10-12 he reminded God of some things. He said that You would not let Israel invade Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir when they came out of the land of Egypt; they were spared. Now these enemies are coming to take Your possession which You gave us as an inheritance. We are powerless against this great multitude, but we trust God. Believers will have obstacles, but our determination must be to trust and depend on Him. Jehoshaphat refused to allow the enemy’s threat to distract them from depending on God’s deliverance.

While all Judah stood unified before the Lord – their little ones, their wives, and their children (v.13), the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah and gave him a prophetic answer to the King’s prayer (v.14). In verse 15 he called for all of Judah, Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat to listen! Jahaziel told them that the Lord said: “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.^” Jahaziel told them from where the enemy would be coming and where to position themselves tomorrow when they go down against them (v.16). 

“You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you” (v.17). The enemy comes to destroy; the Lord comes to deliver. Today, will you trust His love and power in your lives?

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory!”

2 Chronicles 20:1-13

In verses 1-4 Judah was bullied by the invasion of invasion  neighboring nations – Moab, Ammon, and Edom. When King Jehoshaphat got the message that a great army was coming to battle against him, his first response was that of fear. Yet, in spite of Jehoshaphat’s fear he had faith to trust God. He believed that God had the power to save him and his people from their enemies. Therefore, he set his face to diligently seek the presence of the Lord and proclaimed a fast for all of Judah. They came from all the cities of Judah to ask help from the Lord.

In face of life-threatening danger, Jehoshaphat stood in the house of the Lord before that huge congregation and prayed to God (vv.5-13). Jehoshaphat ended his prayer in v.12, declaring that they were totally dependent on God for their deliverance. He prayed: “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

King Jehoshaphat wanted God to judge their neighboring enemies for invading Judah. He wanted God to stand up for him and give the bullies what they deserved. He confessed that they were weak and powerless against their enemies. He prayed that they didn’t know what to do. And Jehoshaphat continued praying that their eyes were on Him. Jehoshaphat was saying that Judah will keep their spiritual eyes set on the Lord. They will not allow fear of the enemy to distract them from believing and obeying the Lord. Jehoshaphat knew that the battle was the Lord’s.

Lift your voice and give God glory!

                                               1 Timothy 6:17-21

Paul now gives Timothy the last charge to instruct those who are rich in this present age. His teaching is not to condemn wealth or those who possess wealth. What God demands is that His children have no other gods before Him (Ex. 20:3). Jesus commands that we seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. As a result, we can trust that He will meet our needs.

Here Paul encourages his young son in the Gospel, to guard the faith, and live out his calling entrusted to him “by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings, this empty chatter, and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge” (v.20) — ^“by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen” (v. 21).

So, Paul was stressing how important it was for Timothy to stand firm; be loyal to the faith and uphold the gospel truth with which he had been entrusted. “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). 

Yes, there were those who opposed Timothy with their so-called knowledge, but Paul encouraged him to not engage with them in godless, foolish discussions. Some have believed the false teachings. By doing so they   missed the mark. Paul closed by giving a benediction – “Grace be with you” – expressing the unmerited favor of God for Timothy. “Amen!”

Give God glory!