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You can do this

22 Jun

You can do this

1 Corinthians 1: 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The Apostle Paul was speaking to the church at Corinth, and encouraging those who were believing in Christ in these scriptures. They were ‘going against’ what the world was preaching or questioning;  stepping out in faith and seeing God there. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Paul was very well educated and easily could have rested on his worldly wisdom and preached from that authority. He also realized that was what the world expected, and the power of the Gospel lied in the power of what Christ had done at the Cross. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Why can’t God use you too? Do you believe in the power of the Cross; and the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the Good News that He has come to save the world? The faith that you have will go against the ‘proof’ or ‘tangible’ that the world demands. But you don’t have to rest on your wisdom as Paul was speaking of; just rest on the message that Christ brings. Your testimony and the change that Christ has brought into your life is the power that God has given you. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. Do not ever be afraid to share your faith from the feeling of fear from a lack of wisdom. God has given you the ability for just the right word at just the right time for those He has called. Your faith may fall on deaf ears sometimes, but to not be discouraged. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

 
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Posted by on June 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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A state of being

24 Feb

I would love to recommend a book “The True Vine” by Andrew Murry. It is a short devotional style study of John 15, and the parable of the Vine. It gives a great insight into the term abide which we hear so much of in the bible. I do believe that abiding is progressive and grows in us. I believe that God reveals and draws us closer to Him as we pursue Him, revealing progressively more discernment and growth. I pray that you too will seek Him, seek Him in prayer and time in His word every day. This is truly the only way to abide. Abiding does not come by going to church alone one day a week. Abiding comes from consistently pursuit.

 

 

A state of being

1John 2:24-25    Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us–eternal life.

In the gospel of John 15, the term abiding is spoken much of in the parable of the vine. It is a great passage to study, and ‘abide’ is central in it’s meaning. Abide simply means a state of being. Abiding in Christ is walking with Christ, having Him inside you, that nothing can take away. How can you remove a ‘state of being’? This scripture above speaks of the Good News that dwells inside us, the Gospel of Jesus Christ whom has come to save the world. If we proclaim Him, He abides in us, rests in us, we are in-dwelt with His Holy Spirit. If we truly believe, we have the blessing and assurance of John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

I believe abiding is progressive. I believe the closer you draw to Him, the more you seek Him, the more He reveals Himself to you. We learn in the bible of being fed “spiritual milk” as infants in Christ, then we are spurred on to bigger things as we mature. With our maturity comes a discernment from the Spirit that resides in us. When we diligently seek those things of God, we begin to understand more, we begin to discern more, to understand and recognize false teachings that John was speaking of here. There are many being led astray today with cushy promises of worldly pleasures wrapped up in a soft gospel. The more we seek God alone, the more we begin to discern through the smoke. 1John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. The only way to receive this anointing is through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and all the eternal blessing that flow as a result of it for an eternity.

 
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Posted by on February 24, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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