”But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:3) NIV.
If ever we need proof that God is a God of purpose and can use anyone, the Apostle Paul is that proof. When one studies the life of this man before his transformation we cannot help but see a person that appeared merciless. The scriptures said he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison! In fact the very day he had his encounter with Jesus he was heading into Damascus to bring back Christians to Jerusalem for imprisonment. Nevertheless God stepped in and Saul’s life was literally turned around for the glory of God and to fulfill His divine plan. The fact is we know many people who are not walking with God and their lives may seem beyond redemption according to our judgment. However we need to remember that no one is beyond God’s reach. The bible said that it is not His will that any should perish .(2 Peter 3b) Most of us know of loved ones or people within our radar who have total disregard for anything to do with God . However we need to still pray for their salvation; Paul’s passion was not only for the Gentiles to be saved but he also had a passion for his own people to know God. Speaking about the people of Israel He cried out in Romans 9:2 ‘I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.’
When was the last time your heart cried out for the salvation of the unsaved in our nation? Every day we meet people who may be going to a loss eternity. Do you care enough to ask and share the good news of the gospel? Acts 9:21-22(NIV) says ”And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
00Philip Holderhttp://www.hoperoadnazarene.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hrn-logo-520x140-1.pngPhilip Holder2015-08-06 02:40:202015-08-06 02:40:20GOD'S WISDOM AND DIVINE PURPOSES
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2
Corinthians 12:9)
God’s design for suffering is that it magnifies Christ’s worth and power. This is grace, because the greatest joy of Christians is to see Christ magnified in
our lives. When Paul was told by the Lord Jesus that his “thorn in the flesh” would not be taken away, he supported Paul’s faith by explaining why. The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God ordains that Paul be weak so that Christ might be seen as strong on Paul’s behalf. If we feel and look self-sufficient, we will get the glory, not Christ. So Christ chooses the weak things of the world “so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:29). And sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker, so that the divine power will be the more evident. We know that Paul experienced this as grace because he rejoiced in it: “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” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10). Living by faith in God’s grace means being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus. Therefore faith will not shrink back from what reveals and magnifies all that God is for us in Jesus. That is what our own weakness and suffering does.
00Philip Holderhttp://www.hoperoadnazarene.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hrn-logo-520x140-1.pngPhilip Holder2015-08-05 03:37:592015-08-05 03:37:59OUR WEAKNESS REVEALS HIS WORTH
“…that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that
they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” —John 17:21
Someone may fear that we are magnifying private religion out of all proportion, that the “us” of the New Testament is being displaced by a selfish “I.” Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified. The body becomes stronger as its members become healthier. The whole church of God gains when the members that compose it begin to seek a better and a higher life. (The Pursuit of God, 90.)
“Lord, let this start with me. Give me a closer walk with You today. Then as a leader enable me to encourage others as well, individually, so that all to
whom I minister might be in harmony as we individually are close to You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
00Philip Holderhttp://www.hoperoadnazarene.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/hrn-logo-520x140-1.pngPhilip Holder2015-08-04 03:36:292015-08-04 03:36:29IN ONE ACCORD
GOD'S WISDOM AND DIVINE PURPOSES
/in Steadfast Hope”But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:3) NIV.
If ever we need proof that God is a God of purpose and can use anyone, the Apostle Paul is that proof. When one studies the life of this man before his transformation we cannot help but see a person that appeared merciless. The scriptures said he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison! In fact the very day he had his encounter with Jesus he was heading into Damascus to bring back Christians to Jerusalem for imprisonment. Nevertheless God stepped in and Saul’s life was literally turned around for the glory of God and to fulfill His divine plan. The fact is we know many people who are not walking with God and their lives may seem beyond redemption according to our judgment. However we need to remember that no one is beyond God’s reach. The bible said that it is not His will that any should perish .(2 Peter 3b) Most of us know of loved ones or people within our radar who have total disregard for anything to do with God . However we need to still pray for their salvation; Paul’s passion was not only for the Gentiles to be saved but he also had a passion for his own people to know God. Speaking about the people of Israel He cried out in Romans 9:2 ‘I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.’
When was the last time your heart cried out for the salvation of the unsaved in our nation? Every day we meet people who may be going to a loss eternity. Do you care enough to ask and share the good news of the gospel? Acts 9:21-22(NIV) says ”And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
OUR WEAKNESS REVEALS HIS WORTH
/in Discipleship, Steadfast Hope“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2
Corinthians 12:9)
God’s design for suffering is that it magnifies Christ’s worth and power. This is grace, because the greatest joy of Christians is to see Christ magnified in
our lives. When Paul was told by the Lord Jesus that his “thorn in the flesh” would not be taken away, he supported Paul’s faith by explaining why. The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God ordains that Paul be weak so that Christ might be seen as strong on Paul’s behalf. If we feel and look self-sufficient, we will get the glory, not Christ. So Christ chooses the weak things of the world “so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:29). And sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker, so that the divine power will be the more evident. We know that Paul experienced this as grace because he rejoiced in it: “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” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10). Living by faith in God’s grace means being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus. Therefore faith will not shrink back from what reveals and magnifies all that God is for us in Jesus. That is what our own weakness and suffering does.
IN ONE ACCORD
/in Steadfast Hope“…that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that
they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” —John 17:21
Someone may fear that we are magnifying private religion out of all proportion, that the “us” of the New Testament is being displaced by a selfish “I.” Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified. The body becomes stronger as its members become healthier. The whole church of God gains when the members that compose it begin to seek a better and a higher life. (The Pursuit of God, 90.)
“Lord, let this start with me. Give me a closer walk with You today. Then as a leader enable me to encourage others as well, individually, so that all to
whom I minister might be in harmony as we individually are close to You, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”