Tag: Emmanuel Pentecostal Church

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Daily Devotion June 25th

WEDNESDAY 24th

Colossians 2:6-15

We continue with the word Victorious today and use it in relation to us who have been born again by the Spirit of God. Yesterday we saw Jesus as victorious and the good news is because of his victory we can know victory as well.

In Colossians 2 we have the following verses ‘And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.’ (vv13-15) These verses remind us of Christs victory, but notice what is embedded in this statement concerning us:

‘having forgiven us all our trespasses’

‘cancelling the record of debt that stood against us’

Christ has given us victory as well! The sin that dragged us down and condemned us has been forgiven, the record that was written against us has been destroyed! This means that we should be living victoriously in the victory that Christ has accomplished for us.

As I am preparing this I am listening to some music and the song being sung is ‘There is a fountain filled with blood’ We have been plunged beneath the flood and all our guilty stains have been removed. Just as the dying thief rejoiced to see the fountain in his day, so we though vile as he can come by faith to the stream and know it washing away all our stain, cancelling the record of debt against us.

Now, I am going to mention here that although we share in Christs victory it does not mean that we are going to sail through life without any storms etc. You will know already where I come from in these matters from our previous devotions. We will still know trials, sickness and of course should the Lord tarry death, but he helps us to live victoriously in the circumstances. Rather than going over the same ground again I will share the Word of God.

Philippians 4:13 ‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me.’

2 Corinthians 12:9-11 ‘But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’

1 John 5:4-5 ‘For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?’

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 ‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, I believed, and so I spoke, we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.’

Yes, we are victorious in Christ Jesus and one day, and what a day it will be we will know the completeness of that victory when we know the experience of 1 Corinthians 15, the future resurrection unto eternal life. Then will come to pass the saying that is written ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (vv54-57)

‘Therefore, my beloved brothers (and sisters), be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.’ (v58)

O what a SAVIOUR!

In Jesus I’ve found a sweet rest

From sorrow, from toil, and from care;

In Him I am happy and blest,

For He all my burdens doth bear.

Oh, how happy am I,

With my Saviour so nigh!

I have found sweet rest

On Jesus’ dear breast.

I came to the Lord for release,

When burdened with guilt and with sin;

He cleansed me, and gave me His peace,

The Spirit to witness within.

Though many the troubles I meet,

He’ll keep me, and help me along;

I’ll sit at His glorified feet,

For He is my joy and my song.

All glory and praise to Thy name

For what Thou didst suffer for me;

For saving my soul when I came

And gave myself up unto Thee.

L S Riggs CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 23rd

TUESDAY 23rd

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Today we come to the last of our letters in the word Saviour, V for victorious.

We have a dual aspect look at this word, first to remind ourselves that our Saviour was victorious and secondly that we share in his victory.

Way back in the garden of Eden, our fore-parent, Adam along with Eve failed. God had given them an instruction and they chose to disobey, and the rest is sad history. But thank God there was a second Adam, the man Christ Jesus who came, and he lived an obedient life and as a result was victorious. Where Adam failed, Christ triumphed. Let us allow Scripture to speak:

1 Corinthians 15:21-28 ‘For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when it says, all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.’

It is continued in verses 45-50 ‘Thus it is written, the first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.’

Back in the garden of Eden, God had declared ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.’ (Genesis 3:15) In this single sentence God was predicting and proclaiming the final victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over the devil and sin and of the final destruction of the devil himself. Back then as far as time was concerned it was something that would happen a few thousand years later, but in God’s purpose it had already happened! The victory was already a guaranteed victory. And try as he would in all manner of ways to bring humankind to destruction, in God’s plan the devil was defeated and through the victorious and conquering Saviour at Calvary it became a reality.

And what a victory, for the victory has brought about everything that we have been considering in our words taken from the word SAVIOUR and so much more. He the second Adam has conquered and triumphed. He has fought the battle and won the fight, he who was the Lamb slain has become the Lion who has conquered. He who was taken and executed at the hands of cruel men, was raised triumphant and victorious by the power of God. (Acts 2:22-24 ‘Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.   God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.’)

Isaiah 53 portrays for us a picture of the suffering servant, which is prophetic of the death of Jesus. Isaiah says this ‘He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.’ (v3) Isaiah has much more to say, but overall, it is the picture of a pathetic looking man, who has become ridiculed, beaten, and crushed. At first it does not seem to speak much of triumph and victory and yet it was through his suffering, his humiliation and his death that he won the victory! Thanks God the story did not stop the moment his dead body was placed in the tomb and the stone was rolled in place. There was something big about to happen! Isaiah continues in the same chapter with ‘Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.’ (vv10-12)

Isaiah prophecies that the one who suffered and died will see his offspring (v10) it also continues that he would divide the spoils which speaks of someone having conquered and taken from the enemy camp. (v12) This takes us into the New Testament and to the resurrection story in Luke and the good news I mentioned ‘He is not here, he is risen’ The one who was despised and rejected is now the conquering victorious Saviour, he has taken the spoils, and  he will see his offspring, all those who come to him by faith, who are born again by the Spirit of God.

I will close with some verses of Scripture, that show us that the man who hung on the Cross is now seated upon the throne! Victorious.

Philippians 2:5-11 ‘Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

Thank you for the cross, Lord

Thank you for the price You paid

Bearing all my sin and shame

In love You came

And gave amazing grace

Thank you for this love, Lord

Thank you for the nail pierced hands

Washed me in Your cleansing flow

Now all I know

Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb

Seated on the throne

Crown You now with many crowns

You reign victorious

High and lifted up

Jesus Son of God

The Darling of Heaven crucified

Worthy is the Lamb

Worthy is the Lamb

Darlene Zschech CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 22nd

MONDAY 22nd

Acts 4:8-12

Our next letter in SAVIOUR for us to consider is U and Unique.

This will be considered in two ways, first Jesus is UNIQUE as Saviour, and secondly because of God’s concern for each one of us we are individually unique.

In the Scripture above, Peter and John are defending their involvement in the healing of the lame man and they make an important statement (Acts 4:11-12) ‘This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’

This is an affirmation of what Jesus had said while talking to his disciples in John 14:6 ‘. . . I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’

The gospel that we have believed and accepted is the only gospel, the only good news. The Lord Jesus Christ whom we have come to believe on and accept is the only Saviour. There is no other way, there is no other name, there is no other Saviour. He is unique, the gospel is unique, any other effort or endeavour to seek to placate God and reconcile mankind into his presence is to no avail.

In John 10 in which we read of Jesus as being the good Shepherd, we also read that he says that he is the door or the gate. The hymn writer puts it like this, ‘There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin, he only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in’. Jesus not only unlocked the gate of heaven with his atoning work but he himself is the gate. ‘One door and only one, yet its sides are two, I’m on the inside, which side are you?’

Jesus is unique in that he is the only Son of the true and living God, who through his obedience in coming to earth and going to Calvary became the unique Saviour.

In regard to our own personal uniqueness, when God created man in his own image, the first thing we need to understand, God was not creating a man that would be cloned in every person that would be born, like a mass production of robots from an assembly line, yes, every person would be recognisable as a person, but not one of us is exactly the same, we have our own personality, our own consciousness, our own preferences, we are physically different but even more important we all have our own individual soul, spirit. We are individuals made in the image of God, with our own uniqueness stamped upon us. This should help us to understand that each one of us is special, we are all unique in our own way. But there is something special about our uniqueness in the unique Saviour. We have a new identity, we have a new name and its written down in glory. I am who I am and what I am by the grace of God, and you have become who you are by the grace of God. God looks at us en-masse, and sees us as the Church, the body of Christ and the bride to be of Christ, yet at the same time he looks at us as unique individuals, he sees each one of us separately as his workmanship in Christ, he sees us uniquely as new creations, he sees us as individual sons and daughters who have been adopted into his family.

Today if you are struggling with who you are, with identity, remember that God has called you and saved you, he sees you as unique and special, he sent his Son to redeem you and to save you, he has a plan and a purpose for your life which only you can fulfil.

This thought leads us to the next letter in Saviour O – Ordered

This is a simple thought and it is this. God has a plan for each one of us, in redeeming us he has firstly brought order into our lives, one song says that ‘my life was full of so much confusion, my life was full of sin and shame, but Jesus came along and he touched me, I have never been the same.’ And the reason why we have never been the same is because Jesus the Saviour has tidied up our sin filled lives, he has thrown out the rubbish and brought order in the place of confusion, chaos and mess. And as he works in our lives, he causes us to live ordered lives, lives that are lived fulfilling his plan and his purpose. He has prepared good works for us so that we can walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Psalm 37:23 ‘The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way . . .’

Proverbs 3:5-6 ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.’

If anyone is reading this and you are finding that things seem to be in a mess at this moment, your life is all confused and you don’t know which way you are heading, turn to the Saviour, refocus your attention towards him, centre your desires and your will around what he desires and wills and allow him to bring order and direction back into your life. Allow the one who says we are his workmanship to do the work that he needs to do to keep us in that place, which is the safest place, the centre of his will.

I’m special because God has loved me

For He gave the best thing that He had to save me

His own Son Jesus, crucified to take the blame

For all the bad things I have done

Thank You Jesus, thank You Lord

For loving me so much

I know I don’t deserve anything

Help me feel Your love right now

To know deep in my heart

That I’m Your special friend

Graham Kendrick CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 21st

SUNDAY 21st

Romans 8:14-17

Accepted and Included

On resurrection morning we read some of the best news that the world has ever heard, it is found in Luke 24:5-6  ‘And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee . . .’ If we go to John’s gospel and chapter 20 we read of another statement that was made at the tomb which is also significant and important news John 20:17 ‘Jesus said to her, Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’

Did you catch the good news? Jesus is saying that his Father was now also Mary’s Father and that his God was now also Mary’s God and he included the disciples in the good news.

The work of redemption not only saves us and brings forgiveness and reconciliation but it also brings us into the privileged position of being accepted or adopted into Gods family as his sons and daughters, the God who we were estranged from because of our sin and iniquity is now our God and our Father and he calls us his children. He includes us in his family. Revelation 20 tells us about a book called the book of life, it is a record of all who have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but for a moment think of it this way, it is a book that records all that have been accepted and included into the family of God, the household of faith. It is a family record, is your name included?

The modern translations miss out something that is found in the KJV in Ephesians 1:6 ‘To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.’

We are only accepted by God through our being positioned in the Lord Jesus Christ and we are positioned or placed in Christ through the new birth experience. Outside of being in Christ all mankind is hopelessly lost and will in the final analysis be banished eternally from his presence. Our being positioned in Christ is an incredible place to be, it is the place in which we are brought near to the very presence of and to the heart of God.

Ephesians chapter 2 which we have come to many times during these lockdown devotions is a great chapter in that it helps us to understand the whole idea of our being included in the purposes of God because of and through our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember what it says in verses 11-13 ‘Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands — remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility . . .’

As Gentiles unbelievers we were separated from, without hope, and without God. Earlier in the chapter Paul reminds us that we were dead, following the course of this world, living in the passions of the flesh and were children of wrath. But v4 gives an amazing BUT, ‘But God’, through his grace and mercy and through the redemptive work of Christ has reached out to us and has accepted us and included us in all that he has purposed to do. Because we have been accepted and included, we have access in one Spirit to the Father, we are no longer strangers and aliens but are now included as fellow citizen with the saints and members of the household of God.  (verses 17-19)

It almost impossible for me to put into words what I want to be saying today, I trust that what I have said will cause us to rejoice again and to have hearts that are full of appreciation for what God has done in Christ Jesus to bring us back into his family and into his household, we are children of God. I will close with some verses of Scripture.

Romans 8:14-17 ‘For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.’

Galatians 4:4-7 ‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.’

Galatians 3:25-26 ‘But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.’

I’m accepted, I’m forgiven

I am fathered by the true and living God

I’m accepted, no condemnation

I am loved by the true and living God

There’s no guilt or fear as I draw near

To the Saviour and Creator of the world

There is joy and peace

As I release my worship to You, O Lord

© 1985 Kingsway Thankyou Music CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 20th

SATURDAY 20th

Romans 5:1-11

Today we will look at the word Reconciled.

Reconciliation is an important aspect of salvation, for on the cross Jesus was not only taking our place, taking our sin and the punishment for the sin, he also as we learned yesterday bore on himself the wrath of God toward that sin on our behalf bringing us forgiveness, appeasement and the hope of eternal life. At the same time, he was at work to bring about reconciliation, the act of reconciling us back to God.

You will have to forgive me if I am repeating anything that I have shared in previous devotions, but at the end of the day the whole wonder of our salvation is worth repeating time and time again. Sometimes we need to get back to the basics of grasping again a fuller and hopefully richer understanding of all that God has done for us in Christ Jesus.

Back in the garden of Eden, man was banished from the presence of God because of a tree (Genesis 3:8, 22-24) the banishment meant becoming alienated from God, remember that Scripture says that before the fall, God would come down in the cool of the evening (Genesis 3:8) and spend time in fellowship with Adam and Eve, but after the fall they became lost in the big wide open world.

But there was another tree, at a place called Calvary, a tree which welcomes us back into the presence of God, no longer banished or alienated but reconciled.

Aside from the cross, the story of the prodigal or lost son in Luke 15 portrays a picture of reconciliation. We know it well the son was estranged from the family because of his own selfish ambition and desire. He looked out and thought the grass was greener. He left the safety of the homestead and the loving atmosphere of the home to do his own thing. He squandered not just his possessions but his very life until he came to his senses and was wanting to return as a slave, but the father welcomed him as a son again. He expected to be in the servant’s quarters but was reconciled back into sonship and into the homestead. Reconciliation led to restoration in position and relationship.

Although Ephesians chapter 2 does not use the words reconciled, reconciliation or reconcile it covers the theme. Ephesians 2:12-13 ‘. . . remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility . . .’

We also have 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 ‘From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’

We who were exiled, alienated from God, cut off because of our sin and iniquity, in Christ have been reconciled and welcomed into the family of God and we can call him our Father. We are no longer slaves to sin, but we have become sons and daughters of the living God. This takes us to our third and fourth words which are accepted and included which we will look at tomorrow.

Reconciled, I’m reconciled

I’m reconciled to God for ever

Know he took away my sin

I know his love will leave me never

Reconciled, I am his child

I know it was on me he smiled

I’m reconciled, I’m reconciled to God

Justified, I’m justified

It’s just as if I’d never sinned

And once I knew such guilty fear

But now I know his peace within me

Justified, I’m justified

It’s all because my Jesus died

I’m justified, I’m justified by God

Magnify, I’ll magnify

I’ll magnify his name for ever

Wear the robe of righteousness

And bless the name of Jesus, Saviour

Magnify the one who died

The one who reigns for me on high

I’ll magnify, I’ll magnify my God

CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 19th

FRIDAY 19th

Hebrews 9:11-28

Continued from yesterday. Yesterday we looked at we have been saved, today we continue with We are being saved.

Once we have come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we are still living in the hostile sinful world, the enemy of our souls would love to drag us back, pull us back into his kingdom of darkness. We are reminded by Peter that the devil is going around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour – (1 Peter 5:8) Peter is writing to believer’s; therefore, he is warning believers. Let us remind ourselves today the devil would love to distract and divert us in our walk of faith, he would love us to deviate and eventually to get us back onto the road that leads to destruction. Peter continues that the believers needed to ‘resist him’. As we have been saved, so we will continue to be being saved as we continue to resist the devil and walk faithfully in our new-found lives as believers or followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank God that the Scripture reminds us that as we walk in this hostile world, as we become determined in our hearts to persevere in the struggles of life and in our ongoing relationship with Jesus that he is able to keep us, to prevent us from falling away. Jude 1:24-25 ‘Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.’ In verse 21 Jude has told the believers ‘keep yourselves in the love of God’

I appreciate that on this matter there are two camps, those who believe once saved always saved and those who believe in the possibility of backsliding or falling away. Whatever our position, let us remind ourselves that the Scripture has many references to our need to be watchful, of the need to persevere, and of the need to keep our focus upon Jesus and the finishing line.

We will be saved. Hebrews 9:28 ‘. . . so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.’

One day the race will be over, whether it be through natural death or as a result of the Lords return, and at that moment we who have been saved and who have been kept will be saved throughout eternity, safe as we often say ‘in the arms of Jesus’ or ‘in the presence of Jesus’. Reminding ourselves again of what Jude said, ‘presented blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy’ (Jude 1:24) What a day that is going to be, the day when we finally stand in the presence of Almighty God, the day when we at last will see with our own eyes the Lamb that had been slain, our wonderful and beautiful Saviour, the day when we will gather around the throne with all the redeemed of the Lord and sing out ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’, when we will lift our voices together and sing with those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb from every tribe and language and people and nations, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing’.

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Will you be there?

The same Scripture that reveal to us God’s wonderful plan of redemption also warn us of the dreadful fate of those who have refused to believe, who do not know the wonder of this great redemption story, of those who have rejected it and spurned the incredible and amazing love of God. It says that as we who have believed will be rejoicing in our full and complete salvation, those who have rejected God’s mercy and grace, whose names will not be found in the Lambs book of life will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire. Heaven is real, but sadly so also is Hell. Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart but come by faith and believe and accept God’s offer of grace and mercy as he has shown it though the sacrificial death of his Son at Calvary. God loves you, God has died for you, was raised for you and he waits with his arms open wide to welcome you.

One final Scripture, it precedes the verse I commenced this little section with in Hebrews 9:27 ‘And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment . . .’

There is coming a day,

When no heart aches shall come,

No more clouds in the sky,

No more tears to dim the eye,

All is peace forever more,

On that happy golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,

When my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand,

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

There’ll be no sorrow there,

No more burdens to bear,

No more sickness, no pain,

No more parting over there;

And forever I will be,

With the One who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,

When my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved me by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand,

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Jim Hill CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion June 18th

THURSDAY 18th

John 3:1-16

We continue to look at our word study on ‘saved’.

To have been saved means that we must have been saved from something and today we will consider three aspects of our being saved and of what we have been saved from and saved to.

We will look at it in this way, we have been saved, we are being saved and we will be saved.

We have been saved. In John chapter three, we have the account of Nicodemus coming by night to have a chat with Jesus, it was an important conversation, for it came out from Nicodemus’ declaration that he believed that Jesus had come from God (v2) This means that Nicodemus must have understood something about the reality of the true and the living God and of there being a place where God existed for he accepted that Jesus had come from where God was. Jesus immediately responds by saying that no one can get to where God is unless they are born again.

Today we use the words ‘born again’ to describe our experience of being saved, the moment when we are ‘born again’ or ‘saved’ is also the moment when we have become a ‘new creation’ or ‘Christian’, a ‘follower of the Lord Jesus Christ’.

In Acts 16 the jailor asked Paul and Silas, ‘What must I do to be saved’ and they replied with ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved . . .’ (Acts 16:31) Earlier in Acts on the Day of Pentecost, the crowds asked ‘What shall we do?’ and Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised . . .’ (Acts 2:38)

When we are ‘saved’, as a result of the confession of our sin and our acceptance of our need of a Saviour and of our belief in Jesus as being the Saviour, we are forgiven – that is every sin that we have committed up to that point is forgiven, Scripture says it is blotted out. Acts 3:19 ‘Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.’  God removes it from us as far away as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12 ‘. . .as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.’ This can only happen because Jesus when he went to the cross took upon himself our sins and bore the punishment for them on our behalf and faced the wrath of God toward that sin for us and as a result we have a new clean start, we have become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). We have been saved from our past sin, the punishment for that sin and the wrath of God toward that sin (Romans 5:9) and we have been saved to become the children of God, part of the blood washed community who make up the Church, the family or the household of God.(Ephesians 2:19) We will have been brought from out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of the Son of God.

Scripture says that at the moment of new birth, we have become justified (Romans 5:1) that is declared righteous before a holy God and the work of sanctification commences which makes us to become more like Christ as we proceed on our journey of faith. As we continue with the other letters in the word ‘Saviour’ we will learn more of the results of our being saved.

We will continue tomorrow.

There is power in the name of Jesus

We believe in His name

We have called on the name of Jesus

We are saved! We are saved!

At His name the demons flee

At His name captives are freed

For there is no other name that is higher

Than Jesus!

There is power in the name of Jesus

Like a sword in our hands

We declare in the name of Jesus

We shall stand! We shall stand!

At His name God’s enemies

Shall be crushed beneath our feet

For there is no other name that is higher

Than Jesus!

© 1989 Kingsway Thankyou Music CCLI788682

Categories
Devotions

Daily Devotion June 17th

WEDNESDAY 17th

Ephesians 2:1-9

Ephesians 2:8 ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God . . .’

Today and tomorrow we are taking the S from the word Saviour and looking at our being saved.

I wonder what the word saved conjures up in your mind thinking outside of the realm of spiritual salvation. I am sure we have all heard stories or accounts of individuals or groups that have been in some kind of dilemma and as a result of effort by others they have been saved from out of the dilemma they were in. Thinking back to 2010, when the story became known world-wide of the 33 miners trapped in the mine in Chile and the huge effort that went into planning a rescue mission to get to them and to save them. What about an individual who may have fallen into the sea and the great work that the RNLI do whatever the weather conditions to go out to rescue and save?

Spiritually we all needed saving, we were all lost, we were all trapped in the pit of sin, we were drowning in our sinfulness, hopeless and helpless, we were heading to Hell and separated from God for eternity. We need to remind ourselves hell is a real place, the lake of fire is a real place, eternal separation from God in that awful place is a future reality for all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ. (Revelation 20:11-15) But thank God that he is in the business of saving, of rescuing the lost and hopeless sinner. And he put a plan into place, a rescue mission, which involved sending a Saviour into the hostile environment of this world to put the plan into action and to bring it through to completion.

As a result of this rescue mission those of us who have accepted Jesus as Saviour can say that we are saved. Repeat these words ‘I am saved’ what a wonderful declaration to be able to make. Imagine the euphoria, excitement, joy, and appreciation that the Chilean miners had as each one was finally rescued. Such should be the experience of each one of us who have been saved by Gods wonderful grace, not just for time but for eternity.

Here are some Scriptures that refer to us as being saved and we will continue the theme tomorrow.

John 10:9 (Jesus said) ‘I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.’

Acts 2:21 ‘And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Acts 4:12 ‘And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’

Acts 16:30-31 ‘Then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’

Romans 5:10 ‘For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.’

Romans 10:9-13 ‘. . . because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

1 Corinthians 1:18 ‘For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.’

1 Corinthians 1:21 ‘For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.’

Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,

From Him no pow’r of evil can sever,

He gave His life to ransom my soul;

Now I belong to Him;

Now I belong to Jesus,

Jesus belongs to me,

Not for the years of time alone,

But for eternity.

Once I was lost in sin’s degradation,

Jesus came down to bring me salvation,

Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,

Now I belong to Him;

Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,

Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me

His precious blood, He came to redeem,

Now I belong to Him;

Norman Clayton CCLI788682

Categories
Devotions

Daily Devotion June 16th

TUESDAY 16th

In the few months before we left North Wales, I had taken the Church in Rhyl through some studies using a white board and illustrations by taking the letters that make up the word SAVIOUR to discover truth about our wonderful redemption. I am going to adapt these into the devotions for the next few days. The words are listed below and in brackets the order we will look at them

Saved  (1)

Accepted  (3)

Victorious  (7)

Included  (4)

Ordered  (6)

Unique  (5)

Reconciled  (2)

I wonder how many of us remember this song ‘I have such a wonderful Saviour . . . everybody should know, everybody should know, I have such a wonderful Saviour that everybody should know.’

Pause again for a moment . . . those of us who know him, this wonderful Saviour, give thanks with a grateful heart that you are receiving the many blessings and benefits of salvation. At the same time there may be someone reading this devotion on-line or in some other way and at this moment in time you cannot specifically say that you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, you cannot look back to a moment in time when you realised you were a sinner who needed saving and that Jesus was the one who came to be the Saviour that you needed. Today, come before him in repentance, acknowledge your sin, confess it before him and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your life, to save you, forgive you and to transform you into a new person, born again and washed clean through his precious blood. The Scripture says that we need to accept Jesus and to confess Jesus with our mouths,* if you have come to the place of salvation today, tell someone about it, let them know that you have put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

* Romans 10:9-13 ‘Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  For the Scripture says, everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

This is a short devotion, but I want to leave it here, for those of us who already have chosen to accept Jesus, maybe today can be a day for a re-commitment, not because we have backslidden, but a day in which we will draw closer to God, with a greater appreciation of what he has done for us in Christ Jesus.

We end with the words of the song already mentioned.

I have such a wonderful Saviour,

Who helps me wherever I go,

That I must be telling His goodness

That everybody should know.

Everybody should know,

Everybody should know;

I have such a wonderful Saviour,

That everybody should know.

His mercy and love is unbounded,

His rivers of grace overflow;

Yes, He is ‘the Chief of ten-thousand’

That everybody should know.

He helps me when trials surround me,

His love and His goodness to show;

How can I but love and adore Him

That everybody should know.

My life and my love I will give Him,

And faithfully serve Him below,

Who brought me His wondrous salvation,

That everybody should know.

Mrs Frank A Beck CCLI788682

Categories
Devotions

Daily Devotions June 15th

MONDAY 15th

Ephesians Chapter 1

Ephesians 1:3 ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places’

Over the weeks that I have been preparing the devotions, I have touched on this verse as it is a reminder to us as the children of God that we are a blessed people. God has blessed us in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole realm of redemption is God at work through Christ to redeem and to reconcile mankind back to himself. Christ’s coming into the world and dying on the cross and rising again was God’s way of undoing or reversing the fall that happened way back in the Garden of Eden. Back then in that garden our fore-parents Adam and Eve, disobeyed Gods commandment, but Christ came and he in his garden experience chose to say ‘Not my will, but your will be done’ and he went in obedience the way of the cross to redeem all who would come to believe in him. I have also touched on a few occasions on the second chapter of Ephesians which show to us the then and now, what we were and what we have become as a result of believing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are all different as individuals, my story will be different to your story, what you were like before you were saved will be different to what I was like before I was saved except that we were all sinners, lost and hopeless, as the Scripture says, born in sin and our own righteousness was like filthy rags. But as the one song writer puts it, Jesus came along and he touched me, I have never been the same, touched me by his mighty power, glory to his matchless name, my life was filled with so much confusion, my life was filled with sin and shame, but Jesus came along and he touched me,  I have never been the same. In the words of another song that I have previously mentioned, ‘He touched me, he touched me and oh the joy that filled my soul, something happened, and now I know, he touched me, and made me whole.’

We who have been born again have been changed, transformed because we have been touched by the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. For me, the moment I was born again took place 51 years ago, what about you, regardless of how long ago the moment may have been I trust we are still rejoicing and excited about the fact that we are saved, that we have become the redeemed of the Lord, members of the family of God. Has the joy that filled your soul on that momentous day remained?

In Ephesians chapter one, Paul lists many of the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus, it is a good exercise to go through the chapter verse by verse, maybe spend some time during this week doing this and as you go through it be reminded of the blessings and the privilege position we are in as believers, allow the excitement and joy that redemption should bring to you fill your heart and soul again. Let us get excited again about who and what we are in Christ Jesus.

I cannot count Your blessings Lord they’re wonderful

I can’t begin to measure Your great love

I cannot count the times You have forgiven me

And changed me by Your Spirit from above

How I worship You my Father

You are wonderful how I glorify You

Jesus You’re my Lord

How I praise You Holy Spirit

You have changed my life

And You’re now at work in me

To change the world

When I was blind You opened up my eyes to see

When I was dead You gave me life anew

When I was lost You found me and You rescued me

And carried me rejoicing home with You

I cannot count Your mercies Lord they’re marvellous

I can’t begin to measure Your great grace

I cannot count the times that You have answered me

Whenever I have prayed and sought Your face

Whenever I consider what I am to You

My heart is filled with wonder love and awe

I want to share with others that You love them too

And tell the world of Jesus more and more

© 1988 Thankyou Music CCLI788682