Tag: boast
The blessings of new creation!
Scripture reading for February 1st: Exodus 4-6, Galatians 6
Galatians 6:14-18 “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God..”
God had given the Israelites the covenant sign of circumcision. All male babies were to be circumcised (Genesis 17:11-17) as a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham to bless all nations through his offspring. The Jews boasted of this covenant, and gloried in their status as a people marked by God. But Paul, a circumcised Jew, understood that God had made a ‘new covenant’ with His people, through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary. Paul’s boast was not in the old covenant of circumcision, but now in the new creation birthed in each believer through repentance and faith in Christ alone, marked through the gift of the Holy Spirit! The blessing of this ‘new creation’ is peace with God and enjoyment of His mercy and forgiveness of sins and adoption into His family, the true ‘Israel of God.’ As God promised deliverance from slavery to His people through Moses, the great “I Am” has done what He promised through ‘new creation’ in all who believe.
Exodus 6:6-7 “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I Am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, Who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, Who brings Your life and presence to live in my mortal body and makes me a ‘new creation’ in Christ Jesus our Lord! Thank You for initiating my salvation and bringing it to pass. Help me to boast only in Your cross and to live a life crucified to the world and alive to You. Give me opportunity to share this Good News with those needing peace and mercy.
2nd Corinthians 5:17-18 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, Who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. . .”
Jesus Christ: the believers wisdom!
Scripture reading for August 25th: 1st Corinthians 1
Key Scriptures: 1st Corinthians 1:26-31 “For consider you calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, Who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.””
Boasting and pride are a big part of the world system. Even in the church, there are people vying for titles and position and fame. But Paul asked the Corinthian believers to examine their lives first according to worldly standards. Not many of them were wise or powerful or famous. Not many were in positions of nobility. But thankfully God doesn’t judge us according to worldly standards but according to our relationship to His Son, Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus, we are made wise with God’s wisdom and strong with God’s strength. In Christ Jesus we are set apart (sanctified) fully as a vessel of honor in God house and given the free gift of eternal life and full redemption. We can now boast in what our Lord Jesus has done for us! We are totally indebted to Him!
1st Corinthians 1:4-5 “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge. . . “
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and full redemption. My nobility comes from a relationship with You alone! Help me today to spread Your fame through the powerful message of the cross to those who have not yet heard and are still caught in a failed world system centered on sin and selfishness and pride.
1st Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Steadfast Love and Mercy!
Scripture reading for October 24th: Jeremiah 9-12, Hebrews 9
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 9:24, 27-28 “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. . . “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.”
Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, entered the actual Holy of Holies in heaven. He took the ultimate sacrifice, His own blood to atone for our sins. He is coming back to earth again a second time, not to deal with sin again, but to save completely those who are trusting in Him! What wisdom God and Christ have revealed to all who will hear!
Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your mercy to me to personally pay for my sins with Your own blood. Thank You for revealing Your mercy to me! Amen.
Humbly boasting in Christ!
Scripture reading for July 5th: Job 37-40, 1st Corinthians 1
Key Scriptures: 1st Corinthians 1:28-31 “God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.””
Paul stated plainly that God chose the weak and lowly things of this world in order to shame the proud and those claiming to be wise. Through Jesus Christ, God’s amazing wisdom, abundant righteousness, sanctification and redemption are available to all who humbly accept. That’s something to humbly boast about!
Job 37:23-24 “The Almighty–we cannot find Him; He is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness He will not violate. Therefore men fear Him; He does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Jesus Christ, our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption! Help me to humbly boast in Him alone!