God's Favor

Enjoy this excerpt from my new book, 52 Days of Grace, available now on Amazon.

God’s Favor

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.   But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.  He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” 

(Romans 3:20-26)

Recently, I have become friends with a lovely Muslim woman in my neighborhood.  As we share with each other about cooking, gardening, mothering and our faith, I am struck by the Muslim belief that Allah will judge her on judgment day according to her good and bad works.  She says only Allah knows whether one will go to heaven or hell, and she won’t find out until that day.  Consequently, Muslims put a lot of emphasis on following their laws.   They must use their own judgment to decide what is important to Allah and do those things in order to win his favor.  It seems like a hopeless and discouraging way to live.

In contrast, we are not bound by these same restrictions.   Followers of Christ are not made righteous by our deeds, but through faith in Jesus Christ.  It is impossible for us to be made righteous through works, because we all fall short of God’s standard.  Unfortunately, it is human nature for us to use God’s Word as a litmus test, or a ruler by which we measure our life or the lives of other believers.  When we do this, we are reverting to the old covenant by which the blood of sacrificed animals partially, but not fully, atoned for our sins.  Thankfully, under the new covenant, the blood of Jesus provides complete atonement for all who believe.  God’s justice has already been demonstrated through the sacrifice of Christ, The Lamb of God.  There is no need for us to put our trust in the law to save us, as the Muslims do.

Writer Mark Twain humorously explains God’s gift of salvation this way.  “Heaven goes by favor.  If it went by merit, you would stay out, and your dog would go in.”  Dogs are much better natured than humans in many ways, but we are made in God’s image and have been given the gift of salvation through the faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Let us not fall into the trap of judging ourselves or others by works, as those who follow other gods do.  Instead, let us rest in the assurance of our Savior’s redemptive work on the cross.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

When do you attempt to judge yourself based on the standard you think God holds for you?

How do you minimize the redemptive work of Christ on the cross in the way you try to be saved by your actions and behavior?

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Jesus to take the punishment meant for my sins.  Since I am judged solely based on what Jesus has already done, I can rest assured that my salvation is secured.  Help me to live my life in the freedom found in the blood of Jesus.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

To own this collection of devotionals based on the book of Romans, visit Amazon today and order your own copy of 52 Days of Grace!

Cursed for Us

"If someone has committed a crime worthy of death

and is executed and hung on a tree,

the body must not remain hanging from the tree overnight.

You must bury the body that same day,

for anyone who is hung is cursed in the sight of God."

Deuteronomy 21:22-23a NLT

It was a horrible way to die.  The insolent young man who refused to obey his parents, choosing instead to live to please his own desires by gorging in sensual pleasures and drink, was taken to the outskirts of town.  According to God's holy law, the men of the town were required to throw stones at the rebellious youth until he succumbed to death.  This was God's chosen form of execution as a way to purge evil from His nation. (Deuteronomy 21:18-23)

Death by hanging on a tree, in contrast, was not an acceptable form of punishment and brought with it the curse of God.  Isn't it curious, then, that Jesus would willingly accept the shame that came with being put to death on a cross, taking on this curse of God on my behalf? (Galatians 3:13)  Yet this is exactly what Christ did.  He was willing to fall under God's curse in order to bring righteousness and eternal life to me.  In light of such a sacrifice, I am called to follow His lead.

Choose Humility

He is God.  With this identity comes privilege, power and honor.  Even so, He chose to give up His place at the right hand of God the Father where He was esteemed and lifted up in order to take on the form of a lowly human.  Not only that, but He sunk even lower, exchanging His divine nature for that of a servant.  Perhaps the greatest example of the humility of Christ, however, was that He agreed to death on a cross; a kind of execution that brought shame and disgrace to the one hanging there. (Philippians 2:5-8)

If Jesus was willing to undergo such treatment even though His name is above all other names, why am I so intent on preserving my own rights, demanding respect from others and protecting my reputation?  It is easy for me to get caught up in focusing on my privileges, my position, my character.  In fact, I often live according to the principles of the survival of the fittest, every man for himself and may the best man win.

Unfortunately, this self-centered mindset is not of God but of the world.  In order to follow Jesus, then, I must constantly fling off this self-preserving way of conducting life and instead pursue Jesus.  When He is my sole pursuit, I am only concerned with His name being glorified, His love being shared and His sacrifice being honored.  In this way, I will choose humility.

When Jesus stood on the mount, teaching the masses the ways of His kingdom, He said that, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)  When I rate my own pursuits as insignificant, esteeming the needs of others as more valuable, I have chosen humbleness.  When I let go of my desire to defend myself, deeming the pursuit of peace as of more importance, I have chosen humbleness.  When I find the need to prove myself as right fading into the hazy background, choosing instead to understand the heart of my opponent, I have chosen humbleness.

Making the choice to take on a humble spirit is evidence that I am following Christ.

Choose the Gospel

He didn't have to agree.  Jesus could have refused.  He knew the hearts of men and of their cruel spirit. (John 2:25) He knew He would be spat upon, rejected and ridiculed.  Instead of preserving His own dignity, though, He chose to come to earth as a mere human in order to take the punishment of those He loves enough for whom to die.  There is no greater love than what He chose that fateful day. (John 15:13)  He chose to die a criminal's death, to become sin itself in order to save me from eternal death and restore my relationship with a holy God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

What kind of sacrifice do I choose in order to further the good news of Jesus Christ?  Humiliation?  Embarrassment?  Rejection?  Most of the time I am too comfortable in my safe zone.  If I am to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, however, I will not find it objectionable to be considered as yesterday's garbage for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 4:9-13)

This means when someone laughs in my face, I will only see the face of Christ as He hung in agony of the cross, dying a slow and painful death so that this mocker could taste life.  As Oswald Chambers said in My Utmost for His Highest, "You can refuse to let God count you as one separated unto the gospel.  Or you may say--'I do not care if I am treated as the offscouring of the earth as long as the Gospel is proclaimed.'"

Treating the Gospel as most important also means when someone targets me for abusive behavior, I endure, gently speaking the truth in love with the hope that my enemy will soon see the Truth and repent.  (2 Timothy 2:25-26)

It also means when I am fodder for the rumor mill, I will respond in love, always keeping in mind the testimony for Christ my reply could be.  

Making the choice to esteem the Gospel as most precious is evidence that I am following Christ.

Choose Obedience

He could have commanded legions of angels to rescue Him from the coming torture. (Matthew 26:53) He agonized so much over the decision to obey His Father's wishes that blood mingled with the sweat on His brow.  Jesus suffered as He prayed in the garden, wanting more than anything to further His Father's will but struggling with the thought of what was to come.  (Luke 22:42-44)

Jesus chose obedience over His own comfort, safety or well-being.  Instead of doing what would seem best for Himself, He placed His Father's will above His own.  In order to follow Christ, then, I must do the same.

When I am tempted to make a decision based on what will best benefit me, then, I instead need to consider what it is God desires. (Proverbs 3:5-6)  When I naturally look out for my own best interest, doing what will further my own long-term plan, I would be wise to instead seek the Lord to find out the plan He has for me.  (Jeremiah 29:1-13)  Or when I tend to do the things that elevate my own dreams and desires, I must cooperate with God as He transforms my way of thinking to more closely line up with His so that I'll recognize His aspirations for my life.  (Romans 12:2)

Making the choice to value God's will above my own is evidence that I am following Christ.

I am so thankful to Christ for the gift of salvation His death made possible.  While I could very easily live my life never going any further than making Jesus my Savior, it is my desire to go deeper and let Him be Lord of my life.  When I elevate Him to this position, I will find that it is necessary to do as He does by choosing humility, the Gospel and obedience to my Father above all other pursuits.  In this way, my faith in Christ will be shown as authentic and His sacrifice to take on the curse of God as He hung on that cross will not be in vain.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will humble myself before the Lord as I go about my day.

What kinds of everyday experiences tempt me to defend my own rights instead of desiring to elevate the Gospel?

How is it difficult for me to seek out God's will above my own?

The Bottom Line

"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry,

but others out of goodwill.

The latter do so out of love,

knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,

not sincerely,

supposing that they can stir up trouble for me

while I am in chains.

But what does it matter?

The important thing is that in every way,

whether from false motives or true,

Christ is preached.

Because of this I rejoice."

Philippians 1:15-18

His name was widely known throughout the world.  He worked hard; not so much to further God's kingdom but mostly to build an empire for himself.  Upon every advertisement for his ministry appeared his photo and credentials.  Everything seemed to be about him and his following.

Even though this preacher gave the impression that he was all about fame and fortune, setting himself against the values portrayed in the Word of God, there was one thing that could not be disputed:  This man preached of Christ and Him crucified.  Whether people came to his church because they were drawn by the luxurious surrounding or simply wanted to be a part of a popular movement, they all heard the Gospel preached.  

It is easy to be irritated or turned off by such displays of greed and worldly values, but God can use even people whose hearts are in the wrong place to further His kingdom through the preaching of the Gospel of Christ.  Of this we can rejoice!

Personality

By all accounts he was conceited, demanding and overconfident.  He thought the world was his for the taking; there for his benefit.  Whatever he desired, he expected to receive.  In short, he was a pompous, arrogant brat.

Despite his grating personality, Samson was God's chosen tool to bring judgment upon the Philistines.  (Judges 14:4, 15:14-15)  God can use anyone to accomplish His mission, not just the pleasant, likable people.  

Sometimes, the Lord uses those with outrageous behavior, annoying traits or even subdued styles.  Whatever the approach used, however, the only thing that matters is whether or not the truth of the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed.  This must be my prime focus.  

I must be on guard because there are instances when I am in danger of being blinded to an untruth.  This occurs when I'm captivated by a charming performer, paying more attention to the persona of the one speaking and completely overlooking the message he is sending.

The bottom line is the message that is being delivered, not the personality of the one who communicates it.

Mode

God used many means to deliver his messages to His people as recorded in the Bible.  Sometimes He used a prophet to do strange things like lie on his side for 390 days as a symbol and sign to the nation of Israel.  (Ezekiel 4:4-5)  Other times He sent His angels to deliver important messages like when Gabriel appeared before Mary and Joseph to inform them of Jesus' upcoming birth.  (Luke 1:26-38,  Matthew 1:20-25)  There were even times when God spoke directly to man like when He gave the law to Moses.  (Exodus 20-31)  Whatever the mode He chose, however, the message was still from God.

It is no different than today.  Sometimes God uses great preachers who command a stadium filled with thousands while other times He speaks to the heart of the listener.  Whichever way He chooses, the result is the same: the message of truth is proclaimed.  

It is my job to focus on the content and not get carried away with paying too much attention to how it's delivered.  Sometimes, I can be impressed with large numbers and flashy styles and forget to listen for substance.

The bottom line is the message that is being delivered, not the mode God uses to convey it.

Method

Sometimes they preached the coming of the kingdom of God to large crowds while other times they taught the scripture, sparking a deep, philosophical discussion.  Many times, though, they spoke one-on-one to the people who had gathered around them.  Whichever method they used, the Apostles communicated the message of the Gospel across to those who were interested.  (Acts 2-4, 7-8)

Today, the good news of Jesus Christ is also passed on using different methods.  Some may prefer using a personal testimony as they proclaim the message of Jesus Christ's sacrifice that saves us from eternal death through faith, illustrating the change He has made in their lives.    Other times, a specific technique may be used to take someone through a series of scriptures that lead them to a certain conclusion about Jesus.  Many times a deliverer simply trust in God's Spirit to supply the words that will touch others, leading them to Christ.

Whichever method is used, the bottom line is that the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is expressed.

It is easy for me to discount the ministry of some because their personality is not to my liking, the mode they use seems too complicated or showy, or the method is not what I would use.  Instead of judging their style as wrong or getting caught up in style instead of content, I can take on the attitude of Paul and say, no matter the motive, I will rejoice that Christ and Him crucified is preached!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God to convey the Gospel using whichever vessel He chooses.

How do I work against the Gospel in the way I disregard certain believers because I don't like their personality or method?

When can I better support the preaching of the Gospel despite the chosen vessel God is using?