Grace For The Journey

As we come to the start of a new year, it is important that we who are followers of Christ seek to live our lives with God’s provision and in God’s power.  The Bible reminds us that the Gospel is the only power that is able to change us and lead us to be conformed live to obey and please God.  The Bible says in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believe, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

The Bible also tells us in Acts 1:8 that the same power that raised Jesus from death to life is the same power that resides within every Christian, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

There’s a question we must ask ourselves as we move into 2018:

“Have we unplugged from the power source?”

You see, this power has been promised to every Christian.  When we learned of our sinful condition, turned from going our way, accepted what Jesus did on the cross and through the empty tomb, and asked Him to be our Savior and Lord, God gave us this power.

The challenge is whether we are appropriating it or not.

What I mean by “appropriate” is – have we taken possession of the power?  Have we tapped into it?  Have we plugged into it by engaging in the means of grace God has given us to strengthen us in our walk with Christ?

To be sure, the Holy Spirit often acts in a completely sovereign way in our lives, apart from any appropriating work (disciplined effort) on our part.  Praise God for that truth! Yet, the Bible makes it crystal clear that God expects us to plug into the power He has given us in order to live the life He is calling us to live.

Over the next three days, we will look at three means of grace that God wants us plugged into to have the power to live as He wants us to.  Today, let’s look at . . .

Bible Intake

A steady diet of God’s Word will strengthen us to live godly lives in Christ Jesus.  Here are two exhortations to immerse ourselves in Scripture; one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament:

Joshua 1:8, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

2 Peter 1:19, “We have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place . . .”

God wants us in His Word

Because

He wants His Word in us!

The Bible is alive, active, and powerful; it shines light into our world and into our souls (Hebrews 4:12). Every time we go to the Bible we are changed by it.  You’ve probably had this experience: you have read the same passage of Scripture dozens of times before, but this time you read it and see something you never saw in the past.  Why is that?  Because you are not the same person you were the last time you read it!  The Word is life-giving and life-changing . . . imparting new life into the heart of the believing reader.

So . . . how are you doing in the area of Bible intake?  Would you define your Bible reading as “plugged in”?  Or “unplugged”?

Remember . . .

The book you don’t read won’t help you.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”