2020-07-10
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Ordinary people who become believers in Christ exhibit a kind of tenacity of their faith that can only come from God. Paul was one of them. He was reared in a home where education was revered. His parents saw to it that he learned about his then Jewish faith. From all accounts, Paul was not a tall man, nor did he have the good looks that more charismatic personalities have used to gain the attention of others. But God had given Paul a remarkable mind-the kind that could analyze a situation for objections to it and then, answer those objections, leaving little leeway to argue against it. This ability be seen throughout his writing. Before his conversion to Christianity, Paul worked for the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council), chasing down and persecuting Jewish Christians. Everything he did was done with zeal. As a young man, Saul of Tarsus {his original name) took care of the donkeys owned by witnesses to the stoning of Stephen. This allowed Saul to be present at this horrific event [AC 7: 58].
We all know the story of Saul’s conversion, which is found in AC 9: 1-6. That is when Saul of Tarsus became the apostle Paul. On the road to Damascus, Saul was struck blind. He heard the voice of Jesus Christ, asking, “Why do you persecute Me?” His travel mates were instructed to take Paul to the home of Ananias on Straight Street in Damascus. Paul would see again. Then the Lord told Paul he would serve Him. They obeyed, and Paul not only regained his eye- sight, but accepted his new calling to become the greatest apostle the world had ever known. Paul was baptized and was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Obedience to God is the foundation of everything that happens in the life of a believer in Christ. In order that believers can be set free from the sinfulness of this evil world in where we live, Christ gave His life on the cross and was later resurrected to heaven for us [GA 1: 4]. He did this in obedience to the will of the Father. At the time, Paul felt it necessary to say that there is only one Gospel, because there was competition for people’s minds and hearts from those willing to believe in the heresy of Gnosticism (v,7), The book of Galatians was written sometime between 46 to 53 AD. Paul told the people of Galatia that he received the Gospel from Jesus Christ Himself (v.11). Only faith in Christ and the action of the Holy Spirit would cause them to believe this assertion. Paul told them the story of his conversion, then further said that the Father chose him for this calling before he was born! This is the same assertion that the prophet Jeremiah reveals to us, in JER 1: 4!
So, what are the reasons Christ died on the cross and was resurrected? 1) We learn in 1 PET 3: 18 that “Christ died for sins, once for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, to lead us to God. He was put to death physically and made alive spiritually.” 2) JN 3: 16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that all who believe in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life.” 3) RO 5: 8, “But God has shown us how much love He has for us-it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!” 4) God in heaven does what He wishes [PS 115: 3; IS 46: 9-10]. All of these describe undeserved grace given. But, even on that subject, God has said more. EPH 2: 8-10, “For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are, in our union with Christ Jesus, He has raised us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do.” FAITH + NOTHING = SALAVATION! Paul was astonished to find so many who rejected this teaching and the grace our loving God wants to give.
PRAYER: Dearest Father, our heads are bowed in reverence and awe of You. We come before Your mighty throne to acknowledge the extraordinary grace that Your love for us fuels You to offer us. Nothing is more important to our well-being than accepting that grace and faithfully being obedient to Your teaching. You have given us the example of Your Son, Jesus Christ, to live by. His obedience in going to the cross and sacrificing His physical life after suffering for us is the finest example of living according to Your will. There is no evil in You, and thus, none in Him or the Holy Spirit. We can see the power of the Holy Spirit when people filled with Him do what is difficult, unfamiliar, and holy. Ordinary people become extraordinary servants of God and other people. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and You, Father, supplied great help for him in his three missions. When You want a task done, You enable us to do it, as we serve Your will. Your power to bring goodness, kindness, love, joy, patience, faithfulness, humility, peace, and self-control is unparalleled [GA 5: 22-23]. We thank and praise You forever for these magnificent gifts. It is our hope that while we await the time when You call us home, that world peace and total freedom from the danger to us by the Corona virus pandemic will be made possible. Mankind has never needed Your protection more than now. We ask these things in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I’m led by the Holy Spirit to discuss the truth of the Gospel and how Paul became an apostle. The reasons for Christ’s Atonement given above are spiritually general, but I would like to take this opportunity to discuss how it has been extended to my life. My testimony has been rather unique. I began my life born to a Conservative Jewish family, as its youngest member and the only girl with three older brothers. They were Bar Mitzvehed, each at the age of 13. I was not offered that training (which includes learning Hebrew), because at that time girls were not commonly involved in a Bat Mitzveh, as they are now. Chalhavet is a synagogue organization that acts like a youth group found in Christian churches. My oldest brother was in it, and my mother helped to lead it. Throughout my entire childhood, I didn’t think God existed, nor was I aware of His presence in my life. By the time I was a teenager, I was angry and acted out, in a futile effort to get my parents to pay attention to what was missing in my emotional and spiritual life. I knew something was missing that I desperately needed without knowing exactly what it was. My first marriage was to an Orthodox Jewish man for the wrong reasons and when I was too young emotionally. We had one son, and after 15 miserable years, we divorced. I felt alone, unhappy, with my life filled with chaos. For 12 years, I belonged to a church that wasn’t right for me, and I finally left it. God was keeping me in His sight all through the first 25 years of my life, and only toward the end of that time did I come to know this. At the time my first husband and I separated, the original plan had been for me to remain living where I was. However, one day while in prayer for relief from my misery, I heard a voice saying, “You do the moving!” I believe it was the Holy Spirit, because I moved next to a man, who I had never before met. As time elapsed, he turned out to become my second husband and the love of my life. We are still married and happy 44 years later. In the interim, the Holy Spirit called me to proclaim faith in Jesus Christ. At 39, He called me to the ministry, I got trained for it (including learning some Greek and Hebrew), and have been serving God ever since. I’m 76 now. Anger, chaos, rejection and misery have been converted to orderliness, direction, inner peace, joy, and happiness-all at His hand! I will thank and praise Him forevermore!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2020. All Rights Reserved.
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