Tag: Romans 10:9-10
Sunday rest–Spirit outpouring!
Dear Friends,
Another day of rest begins to remind us of the finished work of our Savior, Jesus Christ! We can truly rest from any effort on our part to try and save ourselves. We can put away religion, sacrifices, penance, and extravagant offerings as possible ways of paying God back or purchasing freedom. The debt of sin is canceled! Simply asking Him in faith for mercy has brought the remedy as a gift! (Romans 6:23) Putting our trust in Jesus Christ is sufficient and it is finished! (Romans 10:9-10) What a blessing!
As I reflect back on this week’s reading, the book of Joel comes easily to mind. We had one day to read this and reflect on it and it is so rich in revelation and truth. God’s desire has been to bless His people and make them a blessing to the entire world. He would do this by living in their midst and placing a covering of His glory over them. He would provide for them and be their source of real food and living water. He would clothe them in the finest of garments and they would reside in the land of milk and honey. He would drive out all of their enemies and His presence would mark them as His chosen people.
However, sin had so devastated mankind and God’s people, that they lived far below their God-given potential. His people lost His glory in their midst and fell into idolatry, under the curse brought on by their sins. The locust plague of Joel’s day was used as a type of the coming ‘day of the Lord’. The remedy for this plague was found in rending of hearts, not clothes. Broken hearts make good vessels for God to pour His Spirit into! The Holy Spirit heals and binds up wounds. He brings the Word of God to our inner man and faith arises to live in victory! Signs and wonders begin to follow the preaching and living of God’s Word. Prophesy flows from the presence of the Holy Spirit. We see the plans and purposes of God and are able to take faith-actions that save us and those around us.
We desperately need an outpouring of God’s Spirit on our church and land! Consider this book of Joel and let the Spirit prompt you to take the proper actions. Ask for an outpouring into hearts prepared by brokenness! God is faithful! In His Love, Pastor John
Speaking life to dry bones!
Scripture reading for August 27: Ezekiel 37-39
God used words to bring about creation out of nothing. He tells us that our words also have power, the power of life or death! God showed Ezekiel a valley full of very dry human bones. God asked Ezekiel if he thought that all the scattered and dry human bones could live again. Ezekiel cautiously answered: “O Sovereign Lord, You alone know.” (Ezekiel 37:3) Ezekiel understood that with God, all things are possible and we must make room for every possibility!
The Lord told Ezekiel: “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'” (Ezekiel 37:4-6) When Ezekiel began to prophesy, there was a noise and rattling sound as the bones came together. Then the tendons and flesh appeared and skin covered them. He was told to prophesy to the breath from the four winds to come and enter the slain. As he spoke, these newly formed bodies came to life and stood up on their feet.
What was the meaning and purpose of this vision to those people and for us today? First, God’s message of hope and restoration was given to the people of that day who were scattered in foreign lands because of their sins and the judgment of God upon them. God was showing His ability and plan to restore them. It would not be by their own strength, because dry bones have no power. It would be according to God’s powerful Word and the power of the Holy Spirit that it would be accomplished.
Second, as we look at this passage today, we can see the fulfilment of God’s promise. God restored His people to the land and rebuilt the temple. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came to that temple and offered Himself to restore all of humanity. We have resurrection life in us by the Holy Spirit and will one day have a resurrection body when Christ returns. When we confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ with our mouth and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we are saved! (Romans 10:9-10) Confess your faith and thank God for His gift of eternal life! What an awesome God we serve!
The secret to great power!
Scripture reading for April 29: 2 Chronicles 26-28
People are always curious when someone says that they know a secret that will make them young, rich, beautiful, successful or powerful. Many people have gotten rich selling secrets relating to these popular desires. Most of them are people who are playing on the selfish nature of man for their own benefit. We would do well to avoid them. But in today’s reading, we find a treasure from the Lord!
Do you want the secret of great power? Lets look at the life of Jotham, the twenty five year old son of King Uzziah. This king did right in the eyes of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 27:2) The main event recorded of this king was a war with the Ammonites and it says that Jotham conquered them. (2 Chronicles 27:5) After the conquest, he got a large amount of silver, wheat, and barley for several years.
The secret of his power is found in one verse that makes up a paragraph! “Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.” (2 Chronicles 27:6) It is so simple that anyone can grasp this concept. Faithfulness is the first requirement of a good steward. Jotham was faithful and he kept the faith all of his life! He served the Lord his God. God wasn’t just the God of his father or mother. He wasn’t just his nation’s God or his wife’s God. In order to serve steadfastly, you need to know God for yourself!
If you need to ask the Lord to be your God today, take time now and get right with Him. The path to great power starts with a heart commitment to the Lord in faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:12) We must humbly confess our sins and our need of His grace. (1st John 1:9) We choose to believe in our hearts and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-11) We are saved by grace through faith in Christ and He has good works for us to walk in. (Ephesians 2:8-10) If you continue in the faith, steadfast to the end, you will experience the greatest power available to man–God will raise you from the dead and you will live forever with Him! (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18) May the Lord bless you with great power!
Easiest choice ever offered?
Scripture Reading for February 28: Deuteronomy 27-30
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord Your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life, and He will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
This verse has always baffled me. God so clearly spelled out His desire for His people’s blessing and life. He had redeemed them and shown them His love by the signs and wonders and continuous provisions. Their clothes and shoes had not worn out. They ate the manna each day for forty years and had meat too. They drank the water from the rock. (Deuteronomy 29:2-6) Their enemies had been defeated and God had cared for them. (Deuteronomy 29:7-8) Moses asked them to make a choice. Do they want “life and blessing”? Or would they prefer “death and curses”? He even gave them the answer: “Choose life!”
But we often think that God’s way is too narrow and too restrictive. It’s too difficult to try! Moses told the people it wasn’t too hard for them (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) and the Apostle Paul quoted him in Romans:10:6-12. It is by faith in Jesus Christ that we can be saved from the curses of the Law and the penalty of death. It is our confession of faith in Jesus Christ’s work for us on the cross that saves us.
“But what does it say? “The word is near you: it is in your mouth and in your heart”, that is the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” For it is with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:8-10
Have you made excuses for not making the choice of ‘life and blessing’ in Jesus? What is hindering you today from applying your faith to make a choice for life? Jesus is the only ‘Way’ and ‘Life!’ (John 14:6)