Love and Faith

[The Glory Unveiled]

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. ( Galatians 5:6 )

The Bible could actually be summarised into the two words, love and faith. The pages of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation are painted with the love of God and His hand of fellowship to us experiential by faith. God extends love to us, we see and receive it by faith after which we become distributors of that love. So for our faith to be known by others, it must be expressed through love. Hence the apostle Paul says in conclusion, what matters is faith expressed through love. In effect, without faith we cannot adequately express our love to God and without God’s love, we cannot receive faith in the first place because God is Love. Love and faith are like two strands of fiber that must be carefully woven together to form a beautiful fabric. One strand is not enough. Faith comes to us when we hear the Goodnews and the love of God is shared abroad in our hearts. That is what matters, not what we do to our flesh according to the Laws of Moses. Let faith and love be our new normal!

#GNews: Uncovering the glory of God.

His works, my justification

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. ( Romans 5:19 )

If it is easy for us to accept and believe that the sin of Adam affects us even though we didn’t personally make the choice, shouldn’t it be easier to accept the finished work of the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf? If a sin we did not directly commit was credited to us why can’t a righteousness we do not have be credited to us? It is true that by ourselves we are hopelessly helpless with regards to right standing with God because we do not have in ourselves–sinful flesh–the ability to be righteous. All of us who believe in the work of Christ are made righteous. It is a status that is attained only through the cross of Christ. We are saved by faith in Christ; faith which comes from hearing the Goodnews of the Kingdom. There is no way around this provision for humanity to be redeemed back to the Father. Faith in Christ and His finished works is the only entry requirement that must be met to enjoy the life we once had in God before sin.

#GNews: Uncovering the glory of God.

Pray Ceaselessly

[ The Glory Unveiled]

And he spake a parable unto them to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint; ( Luke 18 :1)

Jesus told His disciples a parable to illustrate the need for persistent prayer. The central message of the parable–found in verses 2 to 5 of the same chapter–is that we ought to pray always. Without consistent prayer, there is no relationship between heaven and earth; without prayer, there is no legal obligation from Heaven to operate in the earth realm. The more you’re in communication with anyone, the shorter the distance between you. Communication links two people and two realities or environments. Likewise, in continuous prayer, there is the gradual establishment of a relationship. Jesus was consistently in communication with heaven so much that Heaven was drawn down into His vicinity; He literally carried heaven around. He drag the realities of Heaven into the earth realm as a result of his prayer life. Consistence with God in prayer is the mark of true relationship with God. We ought to pray and not be tired.

Prayer_Bead: Lord Jesus, energize my innerman for a consistent prayer life. Empower me to resist the yearnings of my flesh that hinder my prayers.

Dynamics of Faith

[The Glory Unveiled]

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ( Hebrews 11:17 )

Noah and Abraham had this one thing in common, they believed in something that had never been seen nor heard before. They were the pioneers of faith in their time. But Abraham even had something else, worth exploring. He was tested again, to offer up his son even after he had waited many years by faith for the promise of a child. This reveals that faith is a continuum. It is continuous and always. We don’t get to a point where faith is full in itself. We need to continue in faith and the word of truth. If Abraham had passed the first test of patience but failed the second of selflessness, he probably wouldn’t have been mentioned in the verse we read above. But because he persevered in [faith] both, we celebrate him today. Let us continue steadfastly in faith because faith pays its due in due season.

*Prayer_Bead:* Jehovah Jireh, give me hope where there is no hope, courage where there is fear, confidence where there is doubt. Help me to trust unwaveringly in you. In Jesus name.

#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God.