Help Me Overcome My Unbelief!

September 29, 2017

Help Me Overcome My Unbelief!

He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

Romans 4:21

Read: Romans 4:18-25

At the conclusion of this chapter Paul writes, “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (Romans 4:25). I feel compelled to ask, “How different might my life be if I believed Paul’s assertion? I mean, really believed, as in the belief and faith that Paul has been proclaiming in these first four chapters of Romans. Paul’s statement in verse 21, quoted above, is about Abraham’s faith. Paul said that Abraham was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. What about me?

Am I fully convinced Jesus died for my sins? Am I living as though that is a settled reality in my life?

Am I fully convinced that Jesus was raised from the dead? Am I living as though that is a settled reality in my life?

Am I fully convinced that Jesus has made me right with God? Am I living as though this is a settled reality in my life?

I don’t know about you, but for me I am aware of places in my life that do not bear witness to the truth I proclaim with my lips. I mean, if I truly believed those three assertions, should I still be gripped by fear and insecurity in parts of my life? If I believed, truly believed those three assertions, should I still be getting hung up on my past? Should I still be striving for the approval of others?

My Takeaway: Yes, I believe all those assertions. But there are still parts of me that need saving, parts of me that have yet to be conformed to Christ. Like the desperate father in the Gospel of Mark, I cry out to God, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2017 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Something Beautiful Out of Nothing

September 28, 2017

Something Beautiful Out of Nothing

This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

Romans 4:17b

Read: Romans 4:13-17

This passage begins with one of the most succinct and powerful statements in all of Paul’s writings. God’s promises to you are based not on your obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. Everything that God promises, from living in God’s favor today to living with God eternally, is secure in our right relationship that comes through our faith. This means that because Christ is my life, God, my Father, declares that I belong to Him. God declares His love and acceptance for me is a gift and is not based on my behavior. I am not in a right relationship with God because of what I did, or I am doing, or what I have refrained from doing. Rather, it is because of what He has done in uniting me to Christ in death, burial, resurrection, and enthronement. Hallelujah!

If you don’t believe me, believe God: Philippians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21,

1 Corinthians 1:30-31, Romans 5:17, Romans 10:3-4, and Galatians 2:20-21.

My Takeaway: Praise God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.  Because of His redemption, we are deeply loved by God (I John 4: 9-10); we are fully pleasing to God (Romans 5: 1); we are totally acceptable & accepted by God (Col. 1:21-22); and we are a new creation – complete in Christ. (Col. 2:10)

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2017 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Expanding Kingdom

September 27, 2017

God’s Expanding Kingdom

And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Romans 4:12

Read: Romans 4:9-12

The uniqueness of the church in Rome is addressed again by Paul in this passage. Paul both expands and constricts our understanding of Christianoi, the people of Christ. First, Paul again affirms that people are counted as righteous by God because of their faith. This affirmation makes clear that the Gentile Christians are indeed heirs of Abraham and a part of the family of God.

Paul’s second affirmation, quoted above, has the effect on constricting God’s family. Paul is saying that the Jews cannot look only to keeping the law as the means to God’s acceptance. God has fulfilled the covenant with Israel. Now the covenant requires believing Jesus was crucified, died, and that he rose again. Faith or believing is now the mark of the covenant with God. And believing encompasses the entirety of Jesus’ mission: his life, death and resurrection.

My Takeaway: There is within the DNA of all humans an insatiable need to be in control. When it comes to a relationship with God, people want to point to something they have done or are doing to justify God’s acceptance of them. (And point to something others have done or are not doing to justify God’s rejection of others). May I always rest in the sure knowledge that my acceptance by God rests forever and only on the blood of Jesus.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2017 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Nothing But A Cry For Mercy

September 26, 2017

Nothing But A Cry For Mercy

But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

Romans 4:5

Read: Romans 4:1-8

Immediately after Paul’s proclamation that we are counted as being in a right-standing relationship with God because of our faith in God who forgives sinners, Paul quotes King David in Psalm 32. Every time I read those words in Psalm 32, I remember an event from many years ago, in my law enforcement career.  I had encountered a teenage boy who was the victim of an assault. Several years later I heard he was facing many criminal charges and that his life was a mess.  In his despair he had tried to take his own life, and I visited him in the hospital. In our visit, I shared with him how God had been working in my life, and I encouraged him to not give up. As we prayed together, I felt his tears dropping on my hands.

The next day he called me. He said that after our visit he had taken the Gideon Bible off of the bedside table and opened it. The first passage he saw was Psalm 32. As we talked, it was clear my friend was experiencing the joy of those “whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered,” and the happiness of “those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity” (Psalm 32:1-2 NRSV). My friend had absolutely nothing he could offer God, nothing but a cry for mercy, based on Christ’s love for him. He cried out, God forgave him and crowned him with new life in Christ.

My Takeaway: I am humbled that God used me as a means of grace to reach my friend. I am even more humbled as I affirm that my faith rests in the God who forgave my sins! I love living in God’s favor, the fruit of my right-standing relationship with God. However, I never, ever forget that my life in God’s favor was bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus who made it possible for God to forgive a sinner such as me!

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2017 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.