1 Peter 2:9-12 (ESV)

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh,which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

The Great Sufficiency of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the great sufficiency of His people!  Even as He lovingly ordains troubling circumstances, so He abundantly supplies for all His people’s needs, all the time.  His comforting words are always true and timely:

 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”  (John 14:1)

Beloved, consider how lavishly Jesus provides for His people:  through His holy love (Jn. 13:1), through His cleansing sacrifice (Jn. 13:8-11), through His resurrected life (Jn. 14:18-20), through His humble example (Jn. 13:17), through His truthful words (Jn. 14:23-24), through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:16-17), through His heavenly peace (Jn. 14:27),  through His untouchable joy ( Jn. 16:20-22), and through His eternal glory (Jn. 17:22-24).

Because of the great sufficiency of Jesus Christ, we who belong to Him can confidently sing:  I Have a Shelter!  Jesus is all we need.  May He indeed be all we trust.

Praying for you, and with you,
Greg

Follow in the Fight of Faith

“Desperate times call for…”

You know the rest: “…desperate measures.”  The thought of this cultural proverb is that when adverse circumstances overwhelm, one must resort to whatever actions seem necessary for survival and success.  Only problem with this little adage:  it’s not biblical (though perhaps it expresses some basic common grace).

Oh to be sure, we live in very desperate times.  Adam and Eve, and our own sin, ushered us into this reality.  And all of creation has been groaning ever since under God’s curse (see Rom. 8:18-25).

But for Christians living in the hope of Christ’s glorious salvation, desperate times don’t call for desperate measures.  Instead, we’re continually called to follow Jesus Christ in the fight of faith.   This is the central encouragement we find in John 13-17, as Jesus prepares His disciples for their ministry in His physical absence.  He makes clear that trouble and tribulation will come (Jn. 15:18-16:4,33).  Jesus likewise makes clear that He is worthy to be trusted and obeyed at all times (Jn. 14:1; 15:7-11).  In the daily details of our lives, this is always to be the priority.

Beloved, to further encourage you in this fight of faith, please listen to this recent sermon from Dr. John MacArthur, We Will Not Bow.

And let’s keep loving and praying for one another, as we’re called to follow Jesus in this fight of faith together.

Because He lives, and is returning,
Greg