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2017 40 Days of Prayer, Day 30

The Abiding Presence of God:
A Life of Complete Dependence

Day 30

“and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Romans 8:30

Called
This verse continues the sentence begun in verse 29.  Together, the entire sentence reads as follows: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”  Foreknew, predestined, called, justified and glorified.  God knew the believers in Christ Jesus before the world was even created. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ... just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him,” Ephesians 1:3-4.  God's knowledge is a knowledge from before time began.  The Triune God decided prior to the creation of the world to display the fullness of all the divine attributes through His creation.  God decided before the foundation of the world to put on display his grace, mercy, kindness, holiness, righteousness, patience, love, hope, justice, knowledge, power, invincibility, joy, wisdom, and a host of other attributes.  God's plan of salvation is the pinnacle or apex of the display of His attributes.  God is most glorified in the demonstration of His amazing nature.  All believers in Christ are participants in the divine display of the attributes of God.  God knew us before the world was made.  God purposed or predestined us to become like His Son, Jesus Christ.  In doing so, the attributes of God that are on display in His Son, are magnified in us who have put our faith in Christ.  This, in the perfect plan of God, maximizes the display of the attributes of God. 

God's plan is so certain, that the ones He knew, He predestined to fulfill this plan of displaying His attributes.  God displays these attributes in us by conforming us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.  All those whom God called, He predestined.  He predestined that all believers would become just like Christ.  He brings this goal about by brining the Gospel of Jesus Christ into our lives.  This is His sovereign plan.  God uses a variety of tools to execute His plan.  He uses a parent or a neighbor.  He uses a coach or a teacher.  He uses preachers, Sunday school teachers, children’s ministers or student ministers.  This calling can come from a great distance, over the radio or through television.  This calling may come through reading a Gideon Bible in a hotel room.  The methods may vary, but the means are always the same.  God calls lost sinners into a saving relationship with Himself through faith in His Son.  Jesus Christ came to save sinners and He saves sinners the moment that they believe in His death for sins and His resurrection from the dead.  This was the Father’s good pleasure that His Son would be the Savior and Lord of many.  Thus, the Father placed a call on our lives through this simple Gospel message.   However, the variety of messengers alongside this simple Gospel message, are not the only aspect of the calling.  God sends His Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sins and to empower faith in His Son.  God calls us to respond to Himself by the work of His Spirit.  His call comes to us personally, individually.  Each individual must respond to God's call.  There are no group entrance tickets to eternal life.  There are no corporate admissions into this relationship.  We, each one of us, must individually respond to the message of Jesus Christ.  We must each believe in Christ as our Savior. 

God predetermines that He will bring many people into His family.  He predetermines to make each one of them just like His Son, Jesus Christ.  He puts in motion a divine calling that involves a messenger and a message, both by the power of the Holy Spirit.  All three, the message, the messenger, and the Holy Spirit, combine to bring salvation into individual lives.  Every person who is a believer in Christ had these three elements occur at the point of salvation: the message through an appointed messenger, by the Spirit brings conviction of sins and faith in Christ.  This is the call of God on those He foreknew.  This is the call of God on those He predetermined to make like His Son, Jesus Christ.  Those He called, He also justified.  He declares all who believe in Christ to be just in His eyes because of the life of Christ. 

Glorified
God does not cease His work at calling and justifying.  For the sake of this discussion, justification is the legal declaration by God, whereby He declares the unrighteous sinner to be righteous even while we are still in our sinful state.  God brings these works of calling and justifying to His predetermined end.  His plan culminates in making us like Jesus.  God justifies us to make us like Christ in His righteousness.  However, God’s plan goes beyond our legal standing before Him.  God also transforms us into the glorious physical condition of His resurrected Son.  So certain are these truths that Paul speaks of them as having already occurred.  For those yet to put their faith in Christ, God sees them as already called and justified because of His foreknowledge.  The same is true of our glorification.  As it is His predetermined plan to make us like Christ, God already sees us receiving the spiritual and physical transformation that is ours in Christ.  We are already glorified for God sees and knows it completely already. 

Prayer Focus

God, thanking You for calling me, for justifying me and for Your promise to bring me into Your glorious heaven.  Thank You for Your work of making me like Your Son, Jesus Christ.  Help me today to display the wonder of Your attributes in my life.  Help me to live with grace, mercy and kindness toward others.  Empower me by Your Spirit to live in righteousness and holiness in order to model the righteousness and holiness of Christ.  Please, loving Father, put on display Your divine attributes in my life by the power of Your Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.

From DL Moody’s Secret Power

AN AID TO MEMORY

It is a great comfort to us to remember that another office of the Spirit is to bring the teaching of Jesus to our remembrance. This was our Lord’s promise, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name,  He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 14:26 NASB How striking that is. I think there are many Christians who have had that experience. They have been testifying, and found that while talking for Christ, the Spirit has just brought into mind some of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and their mind was soon filled with the Word of God. When we have the Spirit living in us, we can speak with authority and power, and the Lord will bless our testimony and bless our work.  I believe the reason why God makes use of so few in the Church is because there is not in them the power that God can use. We must have the Word of God hid in our hearts, and then, with the Holy Spirit encouraging us, we will have the testimony that will be rich, and sweet, and fresh, and the Lord’s Word will vindicate itself in blessed results.

God wants to use us. God wants to make us channels of blessing. However, we are in such a condition He does not use us. That is the trouble; there are so many who have no testimony for the Lord. If they speak, they speak without saying anything, and if they pray, their prayer is powerless. They do not plead in prayer, their prayer is just a few set phrases that you have heard too often.  

Now, what we want, is to be so full of the Word, that the Spirit coming upon us shall bring to mind - bring to our remembrance - the words of the Lord Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV, it is written, "...'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'"

We hear that quoted so often in prayer - many weave it into their prayer and stop right there. And the moment you talk about Heaven, they say, “Oh, we don’t know anything about Heaven. It has not entered into the heart of man. Eye has not see. It is all speculation. We have nothing to do with it." What next - “but God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.”  You see, the Lord has revealed them unto us: “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” I Corinthians 2:10 NKJV.  That is just what the Spirit does.

2017 40 Days of Prayer, Day 29

The Abiding Presence of God:
A Life of Complete Dependence

Day 29

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;” Romans 8:29

God’s Perfect Knowledge and Sovereign Power

In the previous verse, Paul stated, “we know that God works all things for good.”  This verse, Romans 8:29, opens with the word “for.”  This “for” lets us know that this statement functions as a conclusion of Paul’s point made in Romans 8:28.  In verses 29-30, Paul provided us the definitive example of God working “all things for good” for His loved ones.  God possesses perfect knowledge, “those whom He foreknew.”  He possesses sovereign power, “He also predestined.”  With His perfect knowledge and sovereign power, He carries out His perfect, sovereign plan.  This plan brings about good, both God’s good and our good.  This plan brings about God’s “good” in that the plan glorifies God through the exaltation of His Son.  This plan brings about our “good” because the Father makes us into the image of His Son.  Herein lies the biblical principle: God works all things for good for Himself and for His children.  This is the primary example of this principle: God is working to make us like His Son for His eternal glory and our eternal good even if our present experience is difficult.

It All Goes Back to the Son

How does this sovereign plan exalt the Son?  God conforms us to the image of His Son so that “He would be the firstborn among many brethren.”  The word “firstborn” refers to preeminence.  In Greco-Roman times, the firstborn-son would possess the most significant share of his father’s inheritance.  Paul, referring to this ancient custom, identified one aspect of the work of the Trinity in our salvation.  In the work of our salvation, the Father sent the Son into the world to redeem sinners.  The Son willingly did the Father’s will.  As a response to the Son’s perfect obedience, the Father gave the Son an inheritance.  This inheritance includes everything, every created thing and every recreated person, including those “conformed to the image of His Son,” thus God the Father makes everything about the Son.  In doing so, the Father glorifies the Son through the Son’s everlasting worship by believers.  As we will sing in the Presence of Jesus Christ, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing,” Revelation 5:12.  Christ brings many brothers and sisters into His Father’s family.  This perfect plan glorifies the Father through the worship of His Son.  Our transformation into the likeness of the Son honors the Son and glorifies the Father for His perfect plan, both now and forever.

Prayer Focus

God, it is Your perfect knowledge and sovereign plan that is at work in my life.  Though I must wait for You to perfect this plan when I come into Your presence, I ask that You would make me more like Your Son this very day.  I desire to conform to the image of Your Son in the here and now.  Make my words the very words that Jesus would have me speak.  Make my thoughts like the thoughts of Jesus.  Use my actions to model the life and ministry of Jesus.  All of this I pray for Your glory as my life exalts Your Son.

DL Moody “Secret Power”

THE UNERRING GUIDE

I am told by people who have been over the Alps, that the guide fastens them, if they are going in a dangerous place, right to himself, and he just goes on before: they are fastened to the guide. And so should the Christian be linked to His unerring Guide, and be safely upheld. Why, if a man was going through the Mammoth Cave, it would be death to him if he strayed away from his guide. If he separated from him, he would certainly perish. There are pitfalls in that cave and a bottomless river, and there would be no chance for a man to find his way through that cave without a guide or light. So there is no chance for us to get through the dark wilderness of this world alone. It is folly for a man or woman to think that they can get through this evil world without the light of God’s Word and the guidance of the Divine Spirit. God sent Him to guide us through this great journey, and if we seek to work independent of Him, we shall stumble into the deep darkness of eternity’s night.

But bear in mind the Words of the Spirit of God: if you want to be guided, you must study the Word, because the Word is the light of the Spirit. In the 14th chapter of John and 26th verse, we read: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Again in John 16:13: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

“He will tell you things to come” A great many people seem to think that the Bible is out of date, that it is an old book, and they think it has passed its day. They say is was very good for the dark ages, and that there is some very good history in it, but then it was not intended for the present time. That we are living in a very enlightened age, and that men can get on very well without the old book. That we have outgrown it. They think we have no use for it, because it is an old book. Now you might just as well say that the sun, which has shone so long, is now so old that it is out of date. That whenever a man builds a house he need not put any windows in it, because we have got a newer light and a better light, we have gaslight and this new electric light, that these are something new. I would advise people, if they think the Bible is too old and worn out, when they build houses, not to put any windows in them, but just to light them with this new electric light, that is something new, and this is what they are anxious for. People talk about this Book as if they understand it. But we don’t know much about it yet. The press gives us the daily news of what has taken place. This Bible, however, tells us what is about to take place. This is news; we have the news here in this Book. This tells us of the things that will surely come to pass, and that is a great deal newer than anything in the newspapers. It tells us that the Spirit shall teach us all things. Not only guide us into all truth, but teach us all things. He teaches us how to pray, and I don’t think there has ever been a prayer upon this sin-cursed earth that has been indicted by the Holy Spirit but was answered. There is much praying that is not indicted by the Holy Spirit.

In former years I was very ambitious to get rich. I used to pray for one hundred thousand dollars. That was my aim, and I used to say, “God does not answer my prayer. He does not make me rich.” But I had no warrant for such a prayer. Yet a good many people pray in that way. They think that they pray, but they do not pray according to the Scriptures. The Spirit of God has nothing to do with their prayers, and such prayers are not the product of His teaching.

It is the Spirit who teaches us how to answer our enemies. If a man strikes me, I should not pull out a revolver and shoot him. The Spirit of the Lord doesn’t teach me revenge. He doesn’t teach me that it is necessary to draw the sword and cut a man down in order to defend my rights. Some people say, “You are a coward if you don’t strike back.” Christ says, turn the other cheek to him who attacks. I would rather take Christ’s teaching than any other. I don’t think a man gains much by loading himself down with weapons to defend himself. There has been life enough sacrificed in this country to teach men a lesson in this regard. The Word of God is much better protection than the revolver. We had better take the Word of God to protect us, by accepting its teaching, and living out its precepts.   

2017 40 Days of Prayer, Day 28

The Abiding Presence of God:
A Life of Complete Dependence

Day 28

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Intuitive Knowledge

“And we know that…” Paul assumed that all believers have a working, intuitive knowledge of the goodness and sovereignty of God.  “Paul assumes they know this because they have come to know God in Christ and experienced the fullness of His grace in their lives.”  (Moo, Romans, NICNT)  We know that God causes “all things” to work toward a particular purpose.  The “all things” includes trials, difficulties, sufferings, joys, celebrations, and on and on.  Paul gives his definitive list of the “all things” in the verses that follow: famine, nakedness, peril, sword…  Consider the final verses of this chapter, Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our suffering in this world was Paul’s focus when it concerned the “all things” of Romans 8:28.  This intuitive knowledge provides additional protection for our hearts in the midst of our difficulties.  What we know about God, allows us to persevere when we face “all things.”  We know that He constantly works toward a purpose.  His purpose is the glory of His Son and the everlasting joy of His children.  In order to bring that about, He is working toward the glorification of the children of God so that we will be able to glorify the Son and we will be able to experience the fullness of the joy of the Lord.  We know God is at work in a particular group of people.  The particular group that Paul had in mind is believers.  Paul identified them as “those who love God” and “those called according to His purpose.”  One of the distinctive marks of believers is a love for God.  Believers love God while unbelievers live in a hostile relationship with God.  Unbelievers are at war with God.  They cannot glorify God because they have their backs turned to Him in rebellion.  God’s ultimate purpose is His glory.  Believers have been called into a relationship with God through faith in Christ.  The purpose of this relationship is to glorifying God.  This is the “good” of which Paul spoke.  God works in our lives to bring about our greater good.  Our greater good is to know, experience, and enjoy the glory of God forever.  It is His purpose and the greatest thing that could happen to us.  We see from this verse that believers in Jesus Christ can have confidence that God is at work in us.  God works to bring about our greater good even in the midst of suffering.  The greater good looks to the future experience of unending joy in the exalting of the Son of God forever.

Prayer Focus

Lord, I want to trust You in every circumstance.  Help me to trust You to accomplish what You have promised.  The events of this day are in Your hands.  Take my day and establish Your glorious cause even in the mundane activities.  Help me to live in absolute submission to You.  Forgive me for the times I have not trusted You, especially when I faced trials.  Protect my heart from bitterness, knowing that You are at work toward the goal of Your own glory.  Now, Oh Lord, hear the prayers of Your people.  We as a church want to experience the power of Your Holy Spirit.  We long to be part of this divine plan of bringing You glory through the declaration of the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

DL Moody “Secret Power”

SPIRITS THAT PEEP AND MUTTER

There is another passage which reads, “And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?”( Isaiah 8:19 KJV) If it was a message from God, do you think you would have to go into a dark room and put out all the lights? In secret my Master taught nothing. God is not in that movement, and what we want, as children of God, is to keep ourselves from this evil.  Then notice the verse following, quoted so often out of context: “to the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”(Isaiah 8:20 KJV)  Any man, any woman, who comes to us with any doctrine that is not according to the law and the testimony, let us understand that they are from the evil one, and that they are enemies of righteousness. They have no light in them. 

Now, you will find these people who are consulting familiar spirits, first and last, attack the Word of God. They don’t believe it. Still a great many people say, you must hear both sides. But if a man should write me a most slanderous letter about my wife, I don’t think I would have to read it. I should tear it up and throw it to the winds. Do I read all the infidel books that are written, to hear both sides? Do I take up a book that is a slander on my Lord and Master, who has redeemed me with His blood? Ten thousand times No! I will not touch it.

 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,” (1 Timothy 4:1NKJV) That is pretty plain language, isn’t it? “Doctrines of demons.” There are other passages of Scripture warning against every delusion of Satan. Let us ever remember the Spirit has been sent into the world to guide us into all truth. We don’t want any other guide. He is enough. Some people say, “Is not conscience a safer guide than the Word and the Spirit?” No, it is not. Some people don’t seem to have any conscience, and don’t know what it means. Their education has a good deal to do with their conscience. There are persons who will say that their conscience did not tell them that they had done wrong until after the wrong was done. But what we want, is something to tell us a thing is wrong before we do it. Very often a man will go and commit some awful crime, and after it is done his conscience will wake up and lash and scourge him, and then it is too late, the act is done.