Meditation

01/23/2023

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning, to a different gospel—- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so not I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other hand what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made p. I did not receive it from any man, nor what I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:4-12)

Christians live in history dominated by self interest and Satan’s actions. Christ’s saving acts place Christians in he age of eternity where evil cannot threaten. The Christian life is a way to live the life of eternity in the realm of history. Jesus Christ has made possible our call to serve Himself to rescue us from this evil age. He has made possible the forgiveness of sins. Through Jesus Christ, God chooses some to serve as preachers, teachers, evangelists, missionaries, helper, and servants. God’s call into His kingdom is by the grace of Christ. A gospel not of grace, whether of law or of some other substance, is not the apostolic gospel. Without grace there is no good news worth hearing or sharing. People who deceive others by changing the gospel to include human achievement and pride deserve eternal condemnation.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Dear Abba, today we pray for anyone who might decide to preach or teach a gospel that has not come from You and we pray that You will deal with them in the right manner, that they might understand that the message is not about them, it is about what You and Your Son Jesus Christ have given to us and it will always reflect the purpose for which it is intended and never for personal reasoning or benefit. In the meantime continue to pray our troops serving in faraway lands and those in the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, that the recent offer from Ukraine for finding a peaceful solution brings Russia to come and work for a peaceful conclusion to the fighting. We also pray for those, in California who are suffering from huge rains that are now causing flooding and mud slides, for those who are suffering from the loss of loved ones, for all who are suffering in body, mind, and/or spirit, with friends, family, and for those we don’t know. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Tomorrow is uncertain, but forever is laid out in the Bible for all to read.”

KNOWING GOD:

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat o drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. There are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17)

Jesus fulfilled the Jewish regulations and celebrations by achieving perfectly the intentions they achieved only partially. The ritualistic and ceremonial trappings of religion, the esoteric doctrinal extremes of cults, and the deceptive philosophies of secular faiths are not the essence of truth faith. The reality is to be found only in Jesus Christ. Those who are committed to the basic principles of Christ and not to the false values of society. Sin infect even the “spiritually minded” when their speculations separate them from union with the rest of the body of Christ. Religious knowledge and spiritual experiences can be occasions for sin when they lead us to pride. Pride makes us concentrate on ourselves and our desires rather than on Christ and the needs of His church.

SECOND THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures’: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’ ‘Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.’” (Matthew 21:42-44)

To reject Jesus is to forfeit membership in God’s kingdom. Children of Abraham cannot be numbered with God’s people if they renounce Jesus and avoid repentance for sins. As throughout His history with Israel, God chose the faithful remnant for His kingdom. The remnant is in Christ. Remnant teachings in the Bible reveal that being called is not a determination which disregards human free will.