#894 Spiritual Blessings – “In Christ”

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Throughout the ages people have believed in two ways of salvation:  the broad path of works and the narrow way of faith in Jesus Christ.  The Bible, the Truth of God’s Word, states there is one way of salvation:  the narrow way of faith in Jesus Christ.  The former way leads to eternal death and separation from God, while the latter way leads to eternal life with God.  If Christ is the only way of salvation and Christians are the one to receive spiritual blessings, it follows that all of our spiritual blessings are “in Christ.”  Although the various spiritual blessings we enjoy are through the work of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, every one of the blessings are in Christ and ours through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.

If the salvation you claim is through any other means than faith in Christ Jesus, you need to spend time opening your heart in faith, accepting only Christ Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord!

“Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”   (Acts 4:12)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#889 Spiritual Blessings – Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

When we as Christians refer to salvation, we talk about accepting by faith the redemption provided through the blood of Jesus Christ.  It has brought us spiritual blessings through God’s amazing grace of forgiveness of our sins and the divinely-bestowed spiritual enlightenment of wisdom and understanding.  Spiritual wisdom and understanding give us both an objective and subjective insight into God’s Word and the nature of His revelation to mankind.  Whereas His will was in the Old Testament times a mystery, or hidden truth, God has revealed it through His Son, Jesus Christ.  As Christians He has given us spiritual prudence or insight into glimpses of His will; however, full knowledge will only come in the “end times” when God’s purposes will be fulfilled.  Is it not exciting to be a Christian to have received the spiritual blessing of enlightenment?

As you read God’s Word, pray that your mind will be clear and your heart open to discern and understand exactly what He has for your life today!

“Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.”   (Ephesians 1:8-9)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#600 Deeper Christian Life – God’s Desire

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

With many different aspects involved in a deeper Christian life, we often lose sight of the One for whom we are living that deep life, our Lord.  Before we can commit to this deeper life, we must know God, who He is and the reason we worship and live for Him.  When we think about whom God is, the first thing we should remember is that He is the Creator of all things, and we are His, having been formed and redeemed by Him.  We were created for fellowship with Him, and when sin ruined that fellowship, redemption was needed to regain that fellowship.  It was because of God’s love that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to die on the cross for our sins, and when we accept Christ by faith we can have the relationship and fellowship with God that He desires.  Is there any better reason for us to strive to live a deeper Christian life?

As a Christian, is our fellowship with God superficial or based on a deep relationship with Him?

“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him;” (Job 36:26a)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#494 Judgment and Promises (Isaiah 65) – Lessons from Evil Doers I

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It has been said, and is indeed true, that we learn from our mistakes; however, how much better is it to learn from the mistakes of others, if we are willing to do so.  Isaiah recorded some of the sins the nation of Israel committed that led God to punish them in His holy righteousness.  Let us look at these, learn from them, and make our lives honoring to God.  Yesterday we saw that there were those who refused the right kind of worship toward God, instead choosing to worship and patronize their idols.  God wants us to worship Him, and Him alone!  Any church in which we worship should recognize Jesus Christ as God and that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried, rose again, appeared to many in Jerusalem and the surrounding area, and ascended to Heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father.  Our churches should recognize that the only way of salvation is accepting Christ as our Savior and Lord, and that we have direct access to our heavenly Father only through Jesus Christ, our High Priest.  Isaiah also listed other sins these evil doers did that we will look at and learn from tomorrow.

As you study your Bible, look at the ways God was dishonored through sin, learn from them, and live a life pleasing to Him, ever striving to be more Christlike!

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:  for there is no difference:  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God:  Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 3:22-24)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#450 Our Living Savior

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY!  THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED!  ALLELUIA!  Today we find so-called intellectuals who try their best to disprove the resurrection, but none of them have been able to do so as it has been documented by eyewitnesses and historians both inside and outside the Christian faith.  Christ was not resuscitated from unconsciousness; He was raised from the dead victoriously to live forever.  And because He lives our Christian faith is not futile and without hope.  The resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus’ payment for the sins of the world; it gives us an assurance that when we ask for God’s forgiveness we can receive it based on Christ’s death and resurrection; it gives us an assurance that we have access to the same power that raised Christ from the grave; and it gives us an assurance that our hope of eternal life is a certainty, not just a wish.  Because He lives we can face tomorrow here on earth knowing that our Christian faith is solidly founded on a risen, living Savior.

Today, Resurrection Sunday, take time to not only worship and praise God, but to also thank Him for the assurance you have as a Christian of eternal life because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”   (I Peter 1:3 – NASB)

May God Richly Bless You Today

#449 The Blood of Redemption

Good Day Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Talking about blood often makes people squeamish, so many consider it a subject to be avoided.  But that is what our salvation is all about:  Christ’s shed blood on the cross, His death, burial and resurrection.  From Abel’s blood sacrifice of a lamb to the blood of the Lamb in Revelation, we find the necessity of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ in God’s plan of redemption.  The movie “The Passion of Christ” came out a few years ago and was criticized by many for its gruesomeness, and yes, it was a movie, yet when crucifixion by the Romans during the time of Christ is studied there is a realization that the movie may not have even been as harsh as reality.  It is a fact of God’s Truth, His Holy Word, that Christ literally shed His precious blood and died on the cross as a substitute for the past, present, and future sins and eternal punishment of mankind.  Instead of avoiding the subject, we should thank the Lord that:  “The blood that Jesus shed for [us] …on Calvary gives [us] strength from day to day [and] will never lose its power.”[1]  

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, thank the Lord that the blood Christ shed on the cross covers your sins and gives you an assurance of eternal life!      

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”   (I Peter 1:18-19)

May God Richly Bless You Today

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[1] Andrae Crouch, The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power, (Valencia:  Manna Music, Inc., 1966)