bible devotion

My Boast in Christ (Galatians 6)

Cross of Christ

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Everyone is boasting in something. The title on their business card. The shine on their new car. Their impressively low golf handicap. The achievements of their kids. You get the picture.

Paul says, whilst other people boast in these things he’s not going to.

He won’t boast in his circumstances – they can change.
He won’t boast in his flesh – it is corrupted.
He won’t boast in his own abilities – they are a gift from God.

There is only one thing he will boast in; the cross of the Jesus Christ.

So, what does the cross of Christ do that we might boast in it?

1. It crucified the world to me.

The world is defeated is under the feet of the risen Christ. Everything in this world that would seek to take us from Christ and His Lordship has been disarmed. Every temptation, every fear, every condemnation is without power before the empty cross of Christ.

2. It crucified me to the world.

As Paul said for himself and so we can say ourselves, “it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). The old man of the flesh has been crucified and the new Spirit man is alive in Him! And the same power which raised Christ from the dead now dwells in you and in me.

It is in these things, found in the cross of Christ, that we can boast!

PRAYER: Father, thank you for demonstrating your matchless love in the atoning work of your son Jesus! Thank you for my salvation in Him. I lay down my old life before you today that I might live in the power of Jesus’ resurrection. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Promise of God’s Way (Psalm 37)

Waiting

Psalm 37 verse 34 says:

Wait for the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

I love the resolute conviction we find in the writings of David.

If you ever lack clarity in your faith read the Psalms. Soon something, like this verse, will resonate. Its why I love verses like these; it’s assured, it’s compelling, and you know its true.

David gives us two things to remember and to do. 1) Wait for the Lord and 2) Keep His way.

1) Wait for the Lord.

Much of what we get wrong in life is due to wrong timing. But God, His timing is always spot on.

So often we are so busy and hurried along by the issues of our lives. Trying to squeeze God into a crevice in our day is not going to work. Rather than working to contain God into smaller and smaller cracks of time in our schedule, wait for Him.

Wait on the Lord, trusting Him, going to Him each day and knowing that He is good.

2) Keep His Ways.

His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). But that is not to say He doesn’t want us to make them our ways.

Whilst in our hurried pace of life we need to wait for Him, on the other hand following Him is immediate and total in nature. His ways are all consuming. They are life swallowing Him. And what He wants is that would be solely and wholly given over, not to a list of rules, but to living Lord and Saviour.

Keep His ways. Do what you know to do. Follow through and strengthen your relationship with Him.

THEN (this is the promise…)

He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

THEN He will exalt you.

God is looking for people who He can exalt, promote, lift up, and show off to the world as His faithful ambassadors. He is not shy about this. But He expects us to be proven (tested) in it.

He will exalt you, you will inherit the promised land. Others might miss it, but the invitation is there for you to grab it and see it for yourself.

PRAYER: Father, I ask for your grace and enabling to wait for you and to keep your ways. I trust you Lord and hear your word. I give myself to you and the process you have for me. I love you Lord. Amen.

Supernatural Generosity (2 Corinthians 8)

Cash

2 Corinthians 8:3 says:

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.

How generous are you?

I imagine by the fact you are reading this (and so have online access) you are pretty wealthy by any current day or historical economic measure. I don’t want to discount the fact that you may be facing financial struggles right now. But what I do want to ask you, is how are you stewarding that which you have?

Paul writes of the Macedonian churches that they gave beyond their ability.

“Beyond their ability”. Ponder on that for a moment.

What would it look like for you to give “beyond your ability”.

In this case, to give beyond your ability points to going beyond what is naturally possible and into what can only be done with supernatural enabling.

These churches written about by the Apostle Paul went to end of their natural ability. And because they went to the end of their ability they were able, somehow, to go beyond it.

How is that possible? It’s not. Except with God all things are possible!

What I see hear is the work of God. By God stretching these generous people beyond their natural limits, it no longer becomes about us and our generosity. It becomes about God and HIS generosity.

In fact, such supernatural generosity can only be put down as a demonstration of the grace of God upon the lives of these people in ancient Macedonia. That is why Paul, using them as an example, implores others to “also excel in this grace of giving” (verse 7).

PRAYER: Father I thank you for your generous heart towards me. I ask for and receive your Grace upon my life to be able to give firstly faithfully what I am able, and then beyond that that others may be blessed and your name lifted up! Thank you for allowing me to partner with you! In Jesus name, Amen

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