Gleanings for May 17

WALK IN GOD’S LOVE

Romans 1: 16 & 17 NLB: “For I am not ashamed of the Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes–Jews first and also Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘it is through faith that a righteous person has life’.”

We must know what the “Good News” is in order to share it with conviction. A person can be side-tracked or get “hung up” on a particular interpretation of a passage and be so “dogmatic” that the witness becomes ineffective.

“Dogmatic” means to be “self” assured, it puts ones-self in a place where they say “I” have all the right answers and I’ll fight to defend “my” position. That is NOT speaking the GOOD NEWS in a way that is uplifting.

The heart of the Gospel Jesus preached (and Paul as well) was: GOD IS LOVE and it is His strong desire that we walk in HIS LOVE. We love Him because He first loved us—this is what makes it possible for us to love others as we should. One of the central truths Jesus presented is found in;

John 10: 10 “I have come that you may have LIFE and that more abundantly.”

The first part of that verse tells us it is the “thief” who comes to steal, kill, and destroy; we know the “thief” is Satan. There has been a conflict between good and evil ever since that enemy, who was once an angel, called Lucifer, who, being in love with his own beauty, fell into PRIDE and SELF-CENTEREDNESS. In the Book of Isaiah we are told this about Satan:

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Isaiah 14: 13 & 14: “For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds and I will be like the MOST HIGH’.” However, God has the last word, verses 15 – 20 five responses:

“Satan, you will (1) be thrown into hell; (2) be gazed upon (that is be made a spectacle of); (3) be talked about (mocked and scorned); (4) be cast out of your grave like a carcass; and (5) be alone.

God’s last word to, and about Satan is still applicable for any challenge he attempts to bring against any of the people of God.” (Quotation from Kingdom Dynamics a commentary in my Bible)

Notice the heart of Satan’s downfall was “PRIDE”: “I WILL” were the words he spoke and then he was thrown out of heaven. As you consider sharing the Good News with people, it should be God’s love that motivates you to do so. Any “self-pride” should leave as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the ONE to whom we owe our very life breath. Paul’s words in Acts 17: 28 NKJV confirm that truth:

“For in Him we live and move and have our being.” IN HIM we also know this:

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH!!