Romans 1:16, "I am
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation; to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
Continuing Michael’s
message, he writes how other religions say that there are many roads that lead
to God. However Jesus said, “I am
the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father except by
me.” He said that there is a broad way that leads to destruction but I am
the narrow way through the narrow gate that leads to eternal life.
The greatest disappointments
in life are not to fail succeeding in something, but to discover that you’ve
succeeded in something that is not worthwhile; that after having climbed the
ladder of success and arrive at the top, you realize that the ladder was
leaning against the wrong wall. Our challenge is to join the ranks of the
unashamed. We don't identify with what we're against. Rather we identify
with what we stand for. Stand up, stand up for Jesus. Stand in His strength alone.
The arm of flesh will fail you. You dare not trust your own. Oswald Chambers
said, God expects extreme obedience with
no questioning or complaining on my part and no explanation on His. Most
men and women fear the sneer. However, Jesus said, blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say
all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in
heaven.
The devil uses our sin
nature to accuse us of hypocrisy; of being unworthy of claiming our
righteousness. In Galatians 5:17 Paul said, "the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and
these are contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that
ye would." How do we stand up for our faith? How do you respond when
someone puts you on trial for being a Christian? Will there be enough
evidence that they will be able to convict you of being a follower of
Christ? As one T-shirt said, "Live
your life in such a way that your pastor won't need to lie at your funeral."
The devil's job is to rob
you of your testimony ... to relegate men and women of God to a place of irrelevance
and insignificance. If the devil shuts your mouth then he will prevent you
from your calling. For Jesus said, the
works that I do shall they do and greater works shall they do because I go unto
my Father. The greater work is to let your "conversation,"
your behavior, your manner of living be as it becomes the gospel of
Christ. The greater works is to lead others to salvation by grace alone
through faith alone in Christ alone. God has made us able ministers of the
New Testament. He has given us each a testimony of His salvation. 2
Corinthians 5 says that he has given
us the ministry of reconciliation and committed unto us the word of
reconciliation. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus. We have been called to introduce them to our Lord
Jesus Christ.
We're challenged to
"study to show thyself approved unto God as a workman who needs not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth." We grow up into him
according to Romans 12:1-2: “I
beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present
yourselves a living sacrifice, holy (and wholly) acceptable unto him who is
your reasonable act of worship. And be not conformed to this world but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God. For If we walk in the light as he
is in the light, the love of God will cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
Therefore, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ ...
for it is the power of God unto salvation. For by grace are you saved
through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works
lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, his masterpiece, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works which He has foreordained that we should walk
in it.
The scripture says that whosoever believes in Him shall not be
ashamed. Therefore, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of
His grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael
No comments:
Post a Comment