Tag: good hope
Saved by miraculous mercy!
Scripture reading for June 28th: Titus 3
Key Scriptures: Titus 3:3-7 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
All believers have a past life. Paul described it in this passage and it is not very complementary. Paul says we were foolish, slaves, full of malice and envy and specializing in hatred and headed for God’s wrath and judgment. This was all that was possible in our sinful condition that we inherited from birth. But God through His Son, Jesus Christ, showed us His own goodness and kindness, leading us to repentance and faith. Through faith, not works, we gained mercy and were washed and renewed and filled with the Holy Spirit. God Himself, through Christ’s sacrifice, justifies all who believe and adopts them into His eternal family giving them an everlasting inheritance: the sure hope of eternal life! What a miraculous turn-around in our life and destiny because of God’s mercy in Christ! In response, we offer ourselves to God for His use in good works through faith.
Titus 3:14 “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your great mercy and willingness to sacrifice Your own body on my behalf. Thank You for pouring on me and all who believe the Holy Spirit and revealing the hope of eternal life. In response to your great love, I give myself to You to be used as You will to accomplish Your great plan of salvation in all who will believe! To You be all glory, now and forever!
Romans 2:4-5 “Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”
Sealed by the Holy Spirit
Scripture reading for June 23rd: Song of Songs 7-8, Psalm 127, 2nd Thessalonians 2
Key Scriptures: 2nd Thessalonians 2:13-17 “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Holy Spirit and belief in the truth. To this He called you through our Gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”
Paul warned the Thessalonians concerning the coming deception of the lawless one, the antichrist, who would deceive those who refused to love the truth. But he gave thanks for the believers and encouraged them to stand firm through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would set them apart for God and reveal truth to their hearts. Through the Holy Spirit, God the Father would comfort the believers and give them hope through further revelations of the grace that is ours through faith in Christ. God would establish them in every good work and word, protecting them from deception!
Song of Songs 8:6 “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, sealing me for the day of full redemption, giving me comfort and good hope. Fill me afresh with the flame of Your love and protect me from deception.
The Holy Spirit brings out the “spices”!
Scripture reading for June 22nd: Song of Songs 4-6, 2nd Thessalonians 2
Key Scriptures: 2nd Thessalonians 1:2-5 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering–. . ”
Paul was writing a second letter to the church at Thessolonica. He sent greetings of grace and peace from “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He thanked God for their growing faith and increasing love for each other. They were remaining steadfast and growing in the face of persecution and affliction. Even as the winds of adversity blew upon them, their faith and perseverance was evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work to prepare them for God’s eternal kingdom! The spices of their hearts brought a pleasant fragrance before God.
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit living in me. I am trusting You today for grace and peace and to allow fragrant spices to flow from my heart. Help me to be steadfast in life’s daily afflictions and the persecutions of the last days. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done!
Song of Songs 4:16 “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind! Blow upon my garden, let its spices flow.”