To Be Righteous
Isaiah 53:10-11 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Forgiveness & Healing
I began last week with our topic for Lent: The Divine Exchange. That is, what all took place when Jesus was nailed to a tree – cross? More than most of us are aware. The bible explains that humanity has a universal problem called sin. We have rebelled against God. The cross of Christ is the only all-sufficient and eternal answer for our problem.
The Answer
As we begin the Lenten season I will be focusing on the result of Christmas: God became a man and lived among us, but why? Why would God, a spirit come to his creation as a created being, that is in human flesh and live as people did during the harsh Roman Empire?
Flawless
2 Samuel 22:31 “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.
The Lord Examines Our Paths
Proverbs 5:21–22 A man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.
The Will & the Work
Philippians 2:13 It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Ingratitude
Ingratitude often results from forgetting who God is, what He has done for us, and what He promises. “Ingratitude is a searing wind which dries up the springs of pity, the dew of mercy, the streams of grace.”
War
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Desire
Psalm 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Gratitude
The opposite of humility is pride, the epic center of every sin. Pride is what caused Satan to fall and the Fall of Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3 and Ezekiel 28:12-17) Pride prevents us form seeing the hand of God in daily life and causing us to focus on – Me!