JUNE 12

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

*** ***

2 Corinthians 1:20

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

1 Thessalonians 5:24

“He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

Romans 5:5

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Acts 1:8

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1 Corinthians 13:2

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing”

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

***  ***

We are reading a book by Corrie ten Boom, with daily recordings she made to broadcast over Trans World Radio.  Her Dutch family  sheltered Jews during the Nazi invasion of Holland.  As a result, she, her sister Betsy and their father were taken to concentration camps in Germany. The Lord did many miracles to allow both Corrie and Betsy to bring the Gospel to the other women in their camp.   Their father was murdered in an extermination camp and Betsy was sick, dying just two weeks before Corrie and the rest were freed.  After her freedom, Corrie traveled the world, telling everyone even in remote areas, about salvation through Christ, besides radio and writing many books.  This one is entitled, “Not I, but Christ.”

*** ***

MISSIONARY OR MISSION FIELD

Every human being is either a missionary or a mission field.  Have you never opened your heart to the Lord Jesus?  Then you are a mission field, and I say to you:  Be reconciled to God.  Come to Jesus, and take your sins to Him.  Don’t compare your life with others, compare it to the perfectly Holy God.  One tiny sin, which we’ve all done, will doom you to hell when you are relying on yourself.   He died for you on the cross, to pay the price for your sins and to satisfy the justice of a perfect Holy God.  For the Word says that “The soul that sins, it shall die” and that means the eternal death of hell.   But Jesus said, “Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

He gives rest and the answer to your problems:  redemption, liberation, and life eternal.  Then you become a child of God, called to be the light of the world.  Therefore, listen to what I am going to say to the missionaries, for you are one of them if you have said yes to Jesus.

A missionary is concerned with the wellbeing of all those whom he can reach.  First Corinthians says:  “but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY MAN TO PROFIT WITHAL.    For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit’ to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; …….” (many more gifts)

What riches! Are they meant for you and me?  Yes, certainly.  Paul says that each of us who is saved must desire the best of the spiritual gifts. Yes, this is what a missionary MUST DO.  How important it is that we reach out for those gifts, as God describes them in His Word through Paul’s writings in 1 Corinthians  Chapters 12 and 14.

Then we shall receive in the things of everyday life, the full meaning of that wonderful Word, that rich promise Jesus gave just before He ascended into heaven when He promised the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives in Acts 1:8.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are part of this power.  But we must not forget that between chapters 12 and 14 is chapter 13.  Paul says here that though we have all gifts and not charity, we have nothing. (1 Cor. 13:2).

Apart from the gifts there is the fruit of the Spirit:

Love, Joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.”  (Galatians 5:22-23).

And remember, all promises are yes an amen in Jesus.  All gifts and the fruit of the Spirit are for you and me.  In fact, everything is centered in Romans 5:5.

“Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.”

When I was in Israel, I noticed much hatred and fear in the hearts of the people.  One evening I had spoken about the ocean of God’s love, available to us because of the Lord Jesus; and that this love is ready for our use every day, if we make room in our hearts for the Holy Spirit.     

After the meeting, a young man came to me and said:  “I thank God for what I heard today.  The Lord took away all hatred from my heart.  Now I can forgive completely.  I used to try to, but I could not.  Now I have received it by the Holy Spirit.”

After a meeting in Berlin one evening, I suddenly recognized a man who came to me as one of the guards at Ravensbruck concentration camp.  When I saw this man I remembered all the cruelties he had committed, and I felt bitterness in my heart.  But then I felt a wave of love pass through me.  That was love through the Holy Spirit.

This man told me:  “At Christmas I found the Lord Jesus.  I took all my sins to Him, then I asked for the grace to ask one of my victims for forgiveness.  That is the reason I came to you.  Will you forgive me all those cruelties?” I could take this man’s hand.  If we forgive our enemies, we experience the ocean of God’s love as never before.

*** ***

Thank You, Father, in Jesus’ name, for the immense riches ready for us, if we accept them by faith.  Thank you that all those promises in the Bible are for us.  Thank You that then we can also fulfill our missionary calling, not in our own strength, but in Yours.  Please, give us many opportunities to do so.  Will you open closed doors?  Will You take away from us all doubts and all trust in ourselves and instead of these give us faith and trust in You, by Your Holy Spirit?  Amen.

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

View all posts by liveinthelightofourlord