Brother Tom has article in weekly Cabot Star Herald also.
God Bless
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:12:06 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Nov. 13); BP: II Cor. 4:8-15; RBTTY: Heb. 10:1-18;
DEAR FELLOW PILGRIM:
Greetings once again in Jesus' Name! Next year--most likely around June 11-25--I sense the Lord is wanting me to lead a mission trip to the Philippines to conduct medical/dental clinics, VBS and outdoor crusades. If you'd be interested in going, please drop an e-mail to me to that effect. Within the next few weeks I should be able to come up with a projected budget so you would know how much it would cost to go. So, pray about it and let me know if you feel God might want you to accompany me back to the island of Leyte where my family and I served for 10 years as missionaries. God bless you!
In Jesus' Precious Love,
Bro. Tom
November 13 “Abundant Grace”
“We, having the same spirit of faith according as it is written, ‘I believed and therefore have I spoken,’ we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He Who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you—for all things are for your sakes, that the abundant Grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the Glory of God.”
II Corinthians 4:13-15
How thankful we should be for this Grace that far exceeds our sinfulness.
“The same spirit of faith.”
What did the Apostle Paul have in mind when he penned those words—especially in connection with those to follow? Most likely, he was talking about what we receive in Christ when we’re born again: “For by Grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the Gift of God—not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).
Although we commonly believe “Grace” is what “it” refers to in that verse, the fact remains “it” can also mean “faith.” Thus, we’d do well to refer to both of them as “the Gift of God”—for, in reality, they are.
Faith is not something we work up; it’s something we receive and then exercise. As someone once said, “Faith is like a muscle; the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.” So true, so true. And, our failure to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12) will leave us “dull (slow) of hearing, in need of others to still instruct us—i.e., spoon-feed us—because we are unskillful in the word of righteousness because of our lack of spiritual exercise” (Heb. 5:11-14).
Thus, it’s wrong for us to say “I sure wish I had as much faith as so-and-so.” Dear Pilgrim, you do! When you were born again, that “same spirit of faith” that operated in Abraham was instilled within you! That’s why we should say with the psalmist “I believe and therefore do I speak” (Ps. 116:10). And, it will be this determined declaration, rooted in the reality of Jesus’ resurrection power, that will help us to say with confidence “I know in Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that Day” (II Tim. 1:12b). Hallelujah!!
However, even then, there will be those “down days” when we, like Paul, realize that we’re not what we “ought to be” (
Most likely, it was this thought that inspired John Newton to write the words of “Amazing Grace.” And, most likely, that’s what led another songwriter to pen, “Marvelous Grace of our loving Lord—Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. Yonder on
No comments:
Post a Comment