Seeking the Life in Christ: November 2024

Friday, November 22, 2024

Christian Faith is Trusting

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

November 22, 2024

Christian Faith is Trusting

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

Hebrews 6:18b-19

Hebrews tells us that Christian hope is like an anchor. This is the only place in early Christian writings where an anchor is used to express this idea. Even so, the anchor has become one of the most widely used symbols of the Christian faith.

The hope the writer refers to is grounded on two central truths of the Christian faith. The first is that we can have great confidence because God bound himself with an oath. (6:17) Secondly, it leads us into God’s inner sanctuary where Jesus has already gone for us. (6:19-20) It is Jesus who has hold of our anchor.

These twin truths lead me to two observations. First, Jesus didn’t promise us our lives would be free of difficulties, trials and tribulations. The provision of an anchor implies there will be difficulties, trials and tribulations. The promise of God is that Jesus has hold of the anchor, and we will be safe and secure. Secondly, Christian faith trusts God and continues to trust God during the storms of life. We trust God’s promises, and we trust the one who is holding our anchor!

My Takeaway: We are taught to walk by faith, not sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) That doesn’t mean we ignore what we see. It means we don’t let what we see outweigh what we know to be true: Jesus is our anchor!

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the 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.

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Everything Was Created Through Jesus and For Jesus

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

November 21, 2024

Everything Was Created Through Jesus and For Jesus

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:16

The presidential election was two weeks ago. I am writing this meditation one day before the election, and although I don’t know the results of the election, and those results may not be known even today, this I do know: a lot of people are not happy about the results, or how the results seem to be developing. Whatever position you have on the election, today is a very good day to remember that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NRSV).

Perhaps, more importantly, let us remember, “(Jesus) existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:15b-16).

Benjamin Franklin was convinced that our nation could not rise without the aid of God. Abraham Lincoln was fully dependent on the wisdom from God to lead our nation. Let us be so inclined.

My Takeaway: Joshua’s challenge to Israel, is our challenge today, “choose today whom you will serve” (Joshua 25:15). If we will respond with Joshua, “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord,” let us then come boldly to the throne of our gracious God and pray for our nation.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

We Are Not Alone

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

November 20, 2024

We Are Not Alone

Since (Jesus) himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

Hebrews 2:18

I am writing this meditation the day before our national elections. As I reflect on this campaign season, I remember when Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed and took her oath as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in October 2020. The next day two images were commonplace in social media. One image was of young women who were so encouraged and inspired by her appointment to the Supreme Court. The other image was of women who believed Justice Barrett’s appointment signaled the end of the world as they wanted it to be. It seems more and more we live in a culture that is dominated by either / or beliefs; either you love me, or you hate me. There seems to be no in-between. Everything seems to be communicated in absolute terms. This thinking in absolute terms has certainly been evident throughout the campaigns. How do we, as those seeking to be fully devoted followers of Jesus, find our way through this culture?

I believe 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 offers us a two-part blessing that can serve as our guide through these difficult times. First, we are provided God’s comfort when we encounter difficulties in life. Secondly, we can then use the comfort we received from God to comfort others. Instead of just trying to endure difficult times, we can experience God’s grace and then share His grace with others. This can inspire us to seek God’s wisdom through times of trial as opposed to staying focused only on our needs. (“Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4 NRSV.))

My Takeaway: And we are not alone to sort all this out! “Since (Jesus) himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.”

I also like a slogan I saw on social media today:

THE RESULTS WON’T DERAIL YOU

WHEN THE RESURRECTION DEFINES YOU.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

The New People of God

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 19, 2024

The New People of God

What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

Galatians 6:15b-16

Read: Galatians 6:11-18

In this closing passage, Paul takes the letter from his scribe, who had been writing the letter as Paul dictated it, and he adds his own postscript. Paul’s passion for his friends in the Galatian churches is clear, and I suspect the churches were encouraged by Paul’s affection for them as they saw Paul’s own handwriting at the end of the letter.

Paul makes one final appeal for his friends not to get caught up in the rule-keeping ways of the Judaizers. For Paul, it doesn’t matter how well we are doing in rule-keeping. “What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation” (Galatians 6:15b). Those who have thus been set apart as the new people of God will carry the scars of faith, not circumcision. Paul’s closing words are very reminiscent of his words in Romans 8 and Philippians 3 where he teaches us that,

“together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering” (Romans 8:17b Emphasis mine) and,

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10 NRSV Emphasis mine).

My Takeaway: Paul carried the scars of the persecution he suffered for the cause of Christ. He also carried scars from his daily affirming in his own life, not his will, but God’s will be done. So it is for all the fully-devoted followers of Jesus seeking the life in Christ as their way of life.

“May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God” (Galatians 6:16).

NOTE: This meditation concludes my series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Beginning tomorrow I will have a short series of Daily Meditations, and on December 2, 2024, I will begin my 2024 series of Advent and Christmas meditations.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Monday, November 18, 2024

Don’t Stop

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 18, 2024

Don’t Stop

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9 (NRSV)

Read: Galatians 6:6-10

In today’s passage, I hear Paul affirming one of the greatest attributes of the first century church: patience. Paul believed that by trusting in God, the followers of Jesus should be patient—not trying to control events, not anxious or in a hurry.

As we rest in the assurance that God is at work within us (Philippians 2:13), we can patiently trust that God will form the life of the Beatitudes and the life of love that Paul celebrates in 1 Corinthians 13 within us. Paul calls us to fully embrace a patient lifestyle:

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Philippians 1:6

Our patience is rooted in God’s character; God is patient and is working relentlessly across time to accomplish his mission. The heart of patience is revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus’s life and teaching demonstrate what patience means and calls us who follow him to a patient lifestyle that participates in God’s mission.

My Takeaway: Patience is hopeful; it entrusts the future confidently to God. Therefore, we can joyfully embrace Paul’s encouragement: “So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NRSV).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Friday, November 15, 2024

Living as the People of God

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 15, 2024

Living as the People of God

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

Read: Galatians 6:1-5

God created us to be in community. Sin destroyed our ability to enjoy loving relationships in community. God, in Christ, restored our relationship with Him and thus restored our capacity to be in community.

Living as the new people of God in community is threatened when we are not seeking the life in Christ. When we are focused on the law and rule keeping, the inevitable result is pride, as we compare ourselves with others. It is tempting to feel smug and superior when we think we are doing better than others.

When we are seeking the life in Christ as our way of life, and we encounter a brother or sister making wrong choices, we can “gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path” (6:1). We maintain community.

In verse 3, Paul identifies one of the foundational principles of living in community: “If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” That may seem like a harsh statement, but remember, Paul would be the first to tell you that God is head-over-heels, passionately in love with you. You are hugely important to God. Because this love of God is eternal, unfailing and fulfills all our needs, we are then free to love the world the way Jesus loved the world: sacrificially.

My Takeaway: God created us to be in community. How do we do this? “Let your bearings towards one another arise out of your life in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5 NEB 1961)

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Thursday, November 14, 2024

The Buffet Line of Life

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 14, 2024

The Buffet Line of Life

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Galatians 5:24-25

Read: Galatians 5: 22-26

I noted in the previous meditation that the Apostle Paul saw things as black and white. You are either in Christ, or you are not. You are either living by grace, or you are living under the law. You are either living by the Spirit, or you are living by the flesh. Paul sees these two ways of living as being completely opposite of each other, like forces constantly fighting each other. In the previous passage, Paul listed some of the characteristics of living in the flesh. Here he helps us understand what it is like for us when we are living the Life in Christ, or living by the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

We all know it is better for us to live by the Spirit instead of the flesh. I am sure if we put that up for a vote it would pass. How can the Spirit-life ascend, and the flesh-life descend in our life? In verse 24, Paul says “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.” How do we do that?

God has already done the heavy lifting for us. Paul is showing us that when we came to God by faith in Christ Jesus, our old life was crucified with Christ, and God has now given us new life in Christ. This old life/new life is a gift of God’s grace. Now that we are alive to God in Christ, we get to choose how we want to live our life. We are finite creatures; that is, we have a limited amount of consciousness. We get to choose with what we will fill our lives.

My Takeaway: Think of Paul’s two lists, the characteristics of the flesh-life (v. 19-21), and the characteristics of the life in Christ (v. 22-23) as items on the buffet line of life. It is an all-you-can-eat buffet, but you can only choose nine items. Which do you choose? Do you see how new life in Christ works? If you consciously choose to fill your life with the qualities of the Christ-life, there is no room left for the flesh-life.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

When the Flesh is Tugging

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 13, 2024

When the Flesh is Tugging

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:14

Read: Galatians 5: 13-21

Jesus Christ has set us free from the power of sin that separated us from God. Our New Covenant relationship with God has been won by, and secured by, Jesus for all eternity. Paul wants us to embrace our freedom, to rejoice in our freedom, and to choose to live each day in our freedom in Christ. In this passage, Paul begins to demonstrate how different our freedom in Christ is from the law. The law provides a list of dos and don’ts; keep the law, and you’ll be in a right-relationship with God. Of course, the problem we know all too well is that no one can faithfully keep the law.

Freedom does not provide a list of dos and don’ts. Freedom provides us with signposts pointing the way toward God, and then we have the freedom to choose which way we want to go. The more we choose the ways of God, the more we train ourselves in the life of Christ. However, in keeping with the truth Paul has been teaching in this letter, choosing the right path is vitally important.

The apostle Paul was not too big on shades of gray. He saw things as black and white. You are either in Christ, or you are not. You are either living by grace, or you are living under the law. You are either living by the Spirit, or you are living by the flesh.

My Takeaway: Paul’s argument is quite simple. If your lifestyle resembles the characteristics of the flesh life in Galatians 5:19-21, you are making the wrong choices in life. Paul wants us to know we do not have to follow the desires of our sinful flesh. Through the power of Christ, we can choose to follow Christ in the ways of God. When we feel the tug of our flesh, let us always recall Paul’s words in Romans 7:24-25: “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

P.S. Also, hold on to the promise of Romans 8:1-2.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

It Matters a Great Deal

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 12, 2024

It Matters a Great Deal

You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?

Galatians 5:7

Read: Galatians 5: 7-12

The Apostle Paul was a master of mixed metaphors, as he so well demonstrated in this passage. He moved seamlessly from running a race, to cooking, to a courtroom setting, to a personal reference, and then closed with a reference to castration. Whew! The depth of Paul’s passion for Christ and for the church of Jesus Christ is clear. There are times in Paul’s writings when he exhausts a thesaurus as he proclaims the marvelous grace of God. There are times, like this passage, when it seems like his passion overwhelms his ability to clearly communicate. In today’s passage, Paul is clearly very angry.

It was in the writings of Fred Craddock that I read, “in a country where everyone is a Christian, no one is a Christian.” The truth observed in that statement is that it is possible to water down the Christian faith to a point where nothing really matters, and anything goes. Paul was so angry, so passionate, because he believed it matters a great deal what we believe about Jesus. Paul told the Romans that just because God’s grace is so marvelous, we do not have a license to sin with impunity. (See Romans 6) Here, he is telling the Galatians that the grace of God launched a New Covenant relationship with humankind, and that it is grossly offensive to the price God paid to set us free to require people to take a step backwards into the Old Covenant before moving forward with God into the New Covenant.

My Takeaway: The Christian experience of most Americans is pretty tame. Many go along to get along. As you are reading about Paul’s passion to keep his friends in the Galatian churches on the right path with God, is there anything in your journey with Christ that invokes such passion? Should there be?

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Monday, November 11, 2024

Freedom in Christ

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 11, 2024

Freedom in Christ

“For freedom Christ has set us free”

Galatians 5:1a (NRSV)

Read: Galatians 5: 1-6

“Plant your feet firmly therefore within the freedom that Christ has won for us, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the shackles of slavery” (Galatians 5:1 PHILLIPS).

I believe the greatest gift we can give God is to accept our acceptance. God wants us to wrap our arms around ourselves and love ourselves as He loves us. When I truly embrace myself as the beloved child of God everything changes, I “become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the truth that Jesus said would set me free, and Jesus gave his life for me so that I can live in his freedom. (John 8:32; Galatians 5:1)

Living in the freedom of Christ allows me to love and accept myself as I am, where I am. Living in the freedom of Christ allows me to be pleased with myself just as I am, because God my Father is pleased with me. This freedom in Christ is not a license to keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace. (Romans 6:1) This freedom in Christ is a license to love myself because Christ loves me, and he died for me while I was still a sinner. When I love and embrace myself, the one that Christ gave himself for, I become fertile ground for the Holy Spirit to form Christ in me. The more I join the Trinity in loving myself, the more Christ will become visible in my mortal flesh. This is the freedom for which Christ has set me free.

My Takeaway: This freedom in Christ empowers us to do and say what Jesus would do or say, because Christ lives in us. (Philippians 4:13; Colossians 3:11b) We can stand up and go forth as the beloved of God, empowered to stand firm in the freedom Christ has won for us. Remember, “Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” (Colossians 3:11b).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Friday, November 8, 2024

Children of The Promise

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 8, 2024

Children of The Promise

And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac.

Galatians 4:28

Read: Galatians 4: 21-31

In today’s passage, Paul jumped back into the deep end of the theological pool to press on with his argument. I suspect his argument here was more for the Judaizers than the Gentiles because his argument is somewhat convoluted and depends on a thorough knowledge of the story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar to grasp Paul’s point.

In its simplest form, the argument of the Judaizers was that the people of God had their origin in Abraham and are subject to the Law of Moses. Therefore, if a Gentile wanted to accept Jesus as the Messiah and become a part of the people of God, he must first be circumcised and then submit to the Law of Moses. Paul countered this argument by pointing out that the origin of God’s people came through the promise of God to Abraham and Sarah. The child Isaac was born through Abraham and Sarah’s faith in God’s promise; the child Ishmael was born out of Abraham, Sarah’s and Hagar’s wisdom and strength, or as Paul liked to call it, their flesh. For Paul, keeping the Law of Moses was a work of the flesh; to become the people of God is an act of faith, believing God’s promise that Jesus is His Messiah.

This passage may seem archaic and obsolete for Christians today, until you ask them if they believe they will go to heaven when they die. The most common response is, “I hope so.” When pressed further, the typical Christian will say they hope they are good enough. “Good enough’ is reliance on performance, on keeping the law. I have encountered many Christians through the years who believed God was angry with them or that they were not good enough for God, and therefore, they interpreted the bad things in their life as God’s punishment.

My Takeaway: I believe God’s heart aches over the difficulty we have in simply believing His promises. Somehow, we need to own those powerful words of Brennan Manning: “God loves us unconditionally, just as we are; not as we should be. Because no one is as they should be.”

(All is Grace, Brennan Manning)

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Until Christ Is Formed in You

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 7, 2024

Until Christ Is Formed in You

My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

Galatians 4:19 (NRSV)

Read: Galatians 4: 12-20

In this passage, Paul took a break from his detailed theological argument about the life in grace to remember his personal relationship with the Galatian congregations. In Chapter 5, Paul beautifully summarized his life with the Galatians when he first brought them the Good News of Jesus: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6 NIV). We do not know whether Paul had been suffering from wounds of persecution or a serious illness. We do know that the Galatians received him warmly and showered him with loving hospitality. The power of the Holy Spirit was evident in Paul’s preaching and ministry, and new churches were established throughout the region. It was Paul’s hope that the remembrance of God working so powerfully among them would inspire them to return to the foundation of grace that enabled their freedom in Christ to flourish.

Paul closes this passage with what I believe is one of the most compelling revelations of the life in Christ: “My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,” (Galatians 4:19 NRSV Emphasis mine). This phrase makes it abundantly clear that God is at work within us, transforming us to become like Christ.

I hope this powerful affirmation by Paul elicits two responses in you.

First, with a huge sigh of humility, do you lift your eyes to heaven in awe of your Abba’s remarkably high expectations for you?

Secondly, with another huge sigh of humility, do you lower your eyes and marvel at how much more God must do before Christ is fully formed in you?

My Takeaway: Did you notice that Paul compared his personal ordeal on behalf of the Galatians, as like the pain of childbirth, because God was working through Paul to form Christ in them? Do you see it? God uses the followers of Christ to help other believers grow and mature in Christ. As I write these meditations each day, it is my sincere hope and prayer that God uses them to form Christ in you. You too are an instrument of God’s grace for forming Christ in His children. For whom can you say, “I am in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you?”

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Now That God Knows You

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Galatians

November 6, 2024

Now That God Knows You

So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?

Galatians 4:9

Read: Galatians 4: 8-11

In this brief passage, Paul identifies two important principles of the life in Christ that we can use as barometers of our growth in Christ. The first is our awareness of how the performance-based-acceptance culture of our society can easily erode the freedom we have in Christ. Our culture likes to have checklists where we can mark off our progress as we complete various tasks. In a similar way, many people seek to have a measurement system for their life as a Christian. They have a checklist to mark off their tithe and attendance at church and their daily devotional exercises. Of course, tithing, church attendance and devotional activities are important in the life of a Christian, but they are never an end in themselves. We do these things to help us know Christ who loved us and gave himself for us, not to earn his favor or assure our right-standing with God.

The second principle is hugely important even though Paul made it as a parenthetical statement: “So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you)” (Galatians 4:9a). Paul does not mean that God simply knows about us, or even thoroughly knows everything about us, although of course He does. Paul means that God knows us within a covenant relationship. God knows me because He created me in His image. He has always known me, even from my mother’s womb. However, ever since I made my personal confession of faith in Christ Jesus, God knows me as His beloved child, with whom He is delighted and upon whom His favor rests. Because I am known by God, like the Apostle Paul, “I want to know Christ” and “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3: 10,12).

My Takeaway: Paul is modeling the life in Christ. I noted on Monday that our salvation is only made possible by the faithfulness of Jesus. (Galatians 3: 23-29)

Our right-standing with God is initiated and maintained, moment by moment, by the faithfulness of Jesus. Therefore, my ambition is to be a fully devoted follower of the man of great faith, Christ Jesus. Paul charts the same course in today’s passage. Paul wanted to know God because God first knew Paul. That is my story also. I want to tightly grasp Jesus the Messiah who first took hold of me!

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

(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.)

Friday, November 22, 2024

Christian Faith is Trusting

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Everything Was Created Through Jesus and For Jesus

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

We Are Not Alone

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

The New People of God

Monday, November 18, 2024

Don’t Stop

Friday, November 15, 2024

Living as the People of God

Thursday, November 14, 2024

The Buffet Line of Life

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

When the Flesh is Tugging

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

It Matters a Great Deal

Monday, November 11, 2024

Freedom in Christ

Friday, November 8, 2024

Children of The Promise

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Until Christ Is Formed in You

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Now That God Knows You

Seeking the Life in Christ

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