Heb 11 - whole chapter!
I should read this chapter weekly for inspiration! I want to be in a list like this when I am dead and gone to my eternal reward. That means I have to believe-trust God in difficult circumstances. Abel offered a sacrifice to God that he needed, otherwise it wouldn't have been a sacrifice and there wouldn't be any faith involved - I want to be like that! Noah built a boat on dry land which took him years! How many people must have ridiculed him-until the floods came! I want to be like that. Abraham left everything to go... Somewhere! I want to be like that.
There is something that I read that excites me to stretch my faith and to implement.
Heb. 11:20-21 ESV
By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
We can do this! Prophecy over your children and lay the blessing that God has given you to give to them! You don't have to wait until you are dying to do it, but you do have to speak with authority and faith, believing that what you say will come to pass.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
July 13
Heb 10:3-4
But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
The old covenant had a built in mechanism to be reminded of your sin. The new covenant has a built in mechanism for you to forget your sin because it has been dealt with. So why are we reminded how sinful we are? Why do we keep rehearsing our sinfulness? Why do we tell others of their faults so readily and become reminders of their sin? That is the old covenant right? It is time to tell others who they are in Christ, and to do the same to ourselves instead of singing the song of our horribleness. It is time to encourage on another and spur one another on towards good works which will come from telling people who they are in Christ and not who they act like sometimes in the flesh. Like Paul says elsewhere, you used to do these things..., but now you do these things because you are in Christ. Let's call people who Christ has destined them to be!
But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
The old covenant had a built in mechanism to be reminded of your sin. The new covenant has a built in mechanism for you to forget your sin because it has been dealt with. So why are we reminded how sinful we are? Why do we keep rehearsing our sinfulness? Why do we tell others of their faults so readily and become reminders of their sin? That is the old covenant right? It is time to tell others who they are in Christ, and to do the same to ourselves instead of singing the song of our horribleness. It is time to encourage on another and spur one another on towards good works which will come from telling people who they are in Christ and not who they act like sometimes in the flesh. Like Paul says elsewhere, you used to do these things..., but now you do these things because you are in Christ. Let's call people who Christ has destined them to be!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
July 12
Heb 9:26 ESV
for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
What sin put away sin except that it is completely been dealt with in every aspect! First it isn't on our "account" anymore. It is paid for and the punishment that is due us for our sin has been done. So there is no need for us to expect punishment from God. Secondly, our guilt has been removed! We have had our guilty conscious cleansed, so there is no need to feel guilty anymore, carrying around a depressive guilt for not measuring up. You will never measure up! That is the point of our cleansing - Jesus measured up for us. Thirdly, we aren't under its spell anymore! We need to stop acting like we can't "beat" it (whatever you struggle with). Sins mastery over us is gone! Through Christ it is possible to be victorious in all things! One could say that for us who are "in Christ" there is no more sin. We have complete dominion over it even though we drag around our carnal nature around with us. Christ's finished work has changed everything. Let's walk in that!
for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
What sin put away sin except that it is completely been dealt with in every aspect! First it isn't on our "account" anymore. It is paid for and the punishment that is due us for our sin has been done. So there is no need for us to expect punishment from God. Secondly, our guilt has been removed! We have had our guilty conscious cleansed, so there is no need to feel guilty anymore, carrying around a depressive guilt for not measuring up. You will never measure up! That is the point of our cleansing - Jesus measured up for us. Thirdly, we aren't under its spell anymore! We need to stop acting like we can't "beat" it (whatever you struggle with). Sins mastery over us is gone! Through Christ it is possible to be victorious in all things! One could say that for us who are "in Christ" there is no more sin. We have complete dominion over it even though we drag around our carnal nature around with us. Christ's finished work has changed everything. Let's walk in that!
Monday, July 11, 2011
July 11
Hebrews 8:6 (NIV84)
6 But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
This is an incredible verse because the old covenant had some awesome promises! It contained promises for everything in this life that anyone in that time period or our time period could hope for. Now we have most of what they had been promised (some promises were to the Jews alone, like the land of Israel) and even better promises! Can you think of the emphasis of the new covenant? How about heaven? How about complete forgiveness? How about that we are the righteousness of Christ? We can’t forget one of the most unbelievable promises ever – God lives IN us! Are you getting this? This new covenant wasn’t something that has to be worked for, it is something that has to be believed for and then IT IS!
Remember, this is COVENANT and God will keep His covenant! This isn’t a contract that if we break our end, He will break His end, this is a covenant written in blood – the blood of Jesus! This covenant isn’t dependent on us, it is dependent on Him! Live in the new covenant with all of its promises and benefits. Dig all of those promises and benefits out and claim them as yours – because they are!
6 But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.
This is an incredible verse because the old covenant had some awesome promises! It contained promises for everything in this life that anyone in that time period or our time period could hope for. Now we have most of what they had been promised (some promises were to the Jews alone, like the land of Israel) and even better promises! Can you think of the emphasis of the new covenant? How about heaven? How about complete forgiveness? How about that we are the righteousness of Christ? We can’t forget one of the most unbelievable promises ever – God lives IN us! Are you getting this? This new covenant wasn’t something that has to be worked for, it is something that has to be believed for and then IT IS!
Remember, this is COVENANT and God will keep His covenant! This isn’t a contract that if we break our end, He will break His end, this is a covenant written in blood – the blood of Jesus! This covenant isn’t dependent on us, it is dependent on Him! Live in the new covenant with all of its promises and benefits. Dig all of those promises and benefits out and claim them as yours – because they are!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
July 10
1kings 6:14
Solomon built the temple and completed it.
Solomon purposes it in his heart to build the temple and build the temple he did. The purpose came from his father David (don't miss tMhat fathers - there is so much there) and a calling from the Lord. God had called him to be a king AND to build his temple. So he built it and completed it. I said he completed it! There is something that many of us need to grab onto - kings are completers! We start so many things, we think about starting so many things but the measurement is completion. We want to finish the race right? It took Solomon 7 years to complete it, most of the things we lay on the shelf of incomplete would take much less effort and much less time to complete. There is another rub on our souls when we see our "shelves of incomplete" we start allowing ourselves to put more things up there. Then we define ourselves by it and it becomes who we are. People of God, we are completers! We will not be defined by the past of incomplete items! We will not be in the graveyard of dreams that never happened, we are purposeful people who complete our assignments - no matter what!
Solomon built the temple and completed it.
Solomon purposes it in his heart to build the temple and build the temple he did. The purpose came from his father David (don't miss tMhat fathers - there is so much there) and a calling from the Lord. God had called him to be a king AND to build his temple. So he built it and completed it. I said he completed it! There is something that many of us need to grab onto - kings are completers! We start so many things, we think about starting so many things but the measurement is completion. We want to finish the race right? It took Solomon 7 years to complete it, most of the things we lay on the shelf of incomplete would take much less effort and much less time to complete. There is another rub on our souls when we see our "shelves of incomplete" we start allowing ourselves to put more things up there. Then we define ourselves by it and it becomes who we are. People of God, we are completers! We will not be defined by the past of incomplete items! We will not be in the graveyard of dreams that never happened, we are purposeful people who complete our assignments - no matter what!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Psalm 22:5 NIV
To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
How much do you depend on what this verse is saying? This is an incredible Word! They cried out and they trusted God to come through. They didn't hope that God would come through - they knew it! They acted like He was going to deliver them! They felt like God was going to come through. This verse is in the middle of a psalm of trouble! God had to get them through and then out of a place that was causing pain, disappointment, doubt and maybe even depression. However they remembered the Word and they cried out in faith. They remember God's character and they put their trust in Him - and he came through! God will not let you be put to shame if your trust is in Him.
To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
How much do you depend on what this verse is saying? This is an incredible Word! They cried out and they trusted God to come through. They didn't hope that God would come through - they knew it! They acted like He was going to deliver them! They felt like God was going to come through. This verse is in the middle of a psalm of trouble! God had to get them through and then out of a place that was causing pain, disappointment, doubt and maybe even depression. However they remembered the Word and they cried out in faith. They remember God's character and they put their trust in Him - and he came through! God will not let you be put to shame if your trust is in Him.
Friday, July 8, 2011
July 8
Hebrews 5:7 (NIV84)
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
This passage may well be talking about Jesus’ time in the garden, I am not sure, but this one thing I know, Jesus had need that only God could fulfill, and that influenced Him to cry out (get noisy) loudly, with tears to God. Do you see the passion? Do you see the lack of religious praying?
Our prayer lives are sometimes spent in thoughtful, almost rehearsed sounding, at times monotone or close to it, praying. Jesus knew how to “let it go” from the very core of Himself at the time of need and pray with the fitting passion that would go along with His need and the desire for it to be fulfilled. One time recently the Lord spoke to me while I was at church and said to begin to pray for the church, for me to fill this building. As I prayed it was so….regular….so emotionless. It really did need more passion to match the great importance of the prayer. The Lord then told me to stir myself up and pray with fervency, so I did. I am not talking about yelling our prayers, but about releasing the passion of God in you for what you are praying about.
Stir yourself up today. Let the river flow from within you toward your Father who delights to see your passion. Get away in a place where you CAN let it go and pray louder than usual when you ask for things or intercede for people that you are passionate about seeing God Spirit move upon.
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
This passage may well be talking about Jesus’ time in the garden, I am not sure, but this one thing I know, Jesus had need that only God could fulfill, and that influenced Him to cry out (get noisy) loudly, with tears to God. Do you see the passion? Do you see the lack of religious praying?
Our prayer lives are sometimes spent in thoughtful, almost rehearsed sounding, at times monotone or close to it, praying. Jesus knew how to “let it go” from the very core of Himself at the time of need and pray with the fitting passion that would go along with His need and the desire for it to be fulfilled. One time recently the Lord spoke to me while I was at church and said to begin to pray for the church, for me to fill this building. As I prayed it was so….regular….so emotionless. It really did need more passion to match the great importance of the prayer. The Lord then told me to stir myself up and pray with fervency, so I did. I am not talking about yelling our prayers, but about releasing the passion of God in you for what you are praying about.
Stir yourself up today. Let the river flow from within you toward your Father who delights to see your passion. Get away in a place where you CAN let it go and pray louder than usual when you ask for things or intercede for people that you are passionate about seeing God Spirit move upon.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
July 7
Hebrews 4:2 (NIV84)
2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.
The Gospel or any promise in the Word of God has to be combined with faith! In fact even the specific words that God puts in our hearts for us have to be combined with faith. Faith is trusting that the word will happen! It was of “no value” means that it did not bring a benefit to them because those who heard it didn’t “combine”, or fit it together/couple it with faith. This is saying that the promises of God will not benefit us if we don’t trust the promise to be true!
If you don’t trust your brakes to work in your car, you will probably never get in the car because you don’t think the brakes will stop you. You will walk instead of drive because you don’t trust the brakes to work, so the benefit of the car as a means of transportation to you is null. It is like there is no car! Although this illustration brakes down (pardon the pun) at some point, you get what I am saying. Unless you believe that the brakes will work, the gift of transportation of the car is useless. Unless we take the promise of God and combine it with faith (trust), it WILL NOT benefit us! It is time for the people of God to apprehend all that God has for us, and we do that through counting Him worthy who has given us these great and precious promises to fulfill them. We don’t fulfill them, God does, and often times miraculously and right in the nick of time. Only believe!
2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.
The Gospel or any promise in the Word of God has to be combined with faith! In fact even the specific words that God puts in our hearts for us have to be combined with faith. Faith is trusting that the word will happen! It was of “no value” means that it did not bring a benefit to them because those who heard it didn’t “combine”, or fit it together/couple it with faith. This is saying that the promises of God will not benefit us if we don’t trust the promise to be true!
If you don’t trust your brakes to work in your car, you will probably never get in the car because you don’t think the brakes will stop you. You will walk instead of drive because you don’t trust the brakes to work, so the benefit of the car as a means of transportation to you is null. It is like there is no car! Although this illustration brakes down (pardon the pun) at some point, you get what I am saying. Unless you believe that the brakes will work, the gift of transportation of the car is useless. Unless we take the promise of God and combine it with faith (trust), it WILL NOT benefit us! It is time for the people of God to apprehend all that God has for us, and we do that through counting Him worthy who has given us these great and precious promises to fulfill them. We don’t fulfill them, God does, and often times miraculously and right in the nick of time. Only believe!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
July 6
Hebrews 3:19 (NIV84)
19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
Have you ever been at a crossroads in life of unbelief, doubt, fear, anxiety and upset when you think about things not happening right? Then you think about God and how he loves you and how He wants to be your supplier/provider, but you don’t SEE the supply coming in and it is coming down to the hour! That is the scary place that we see if we will believe or not. While I am not at liberty to share the details, I can tell you that I am facing this at this moment! Will God come through when He hasn’t come through yet? Can I go on vacation and rest in His faithfulness or will I worry in unbelief?
I am faced with this great verse this very morning and I have no other option but to believe! If I want to, if we want to enter into the rest, we have got to believe when it is hard to believe! We have got to get the Word of God going in our ears and our eyes and put the Word of God on our lips if we are going to believe while we look at impossible circumstances! I have decided I have no choice and I will make no contingency plans! I will stand in faith and will enter His rest and enter the promised “land” that He swore with an oath in His blood! My heart may wander from faith, but I will draw it back with the Word of God, who shall fulfill his promise to me and supply all things to me according to His riches in glory!
19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
Have you ever been at a crossroads in life of unbelief, doubt, fear, anxiety and upset when you think about things not happening right? Then you think about God and how he loves you and how He wants to be your supplier/provider, but you don’t SEE the supply coming in and it is coming down to the hour! That is the scary place that we see if we will believe or not. While I am not at liberty to share the details, I can tell you that I am facing this at this moment! Will God come through when He hasn’t come through yet? Can I go on vacation and rest in His faithfulness or will I worry in unbelief?
I am faced with this great verse this very morning and I have no other option but to believe! If I want to, if we want to enter into the rest, we have got to believe when it is hard to believe! We have got to get the Word of God going in our ears and our eyes and put the Word of God on our lips if we are going to believe while we look at impossible circumstances! I have decided I have no choice and I will make no contingency plans! I will stand in faith and will enter His rest and enter the promised “land” that He swore with an oath in His blood! My heart may wander from faith, but I will draw it back with the Word of God, who shall fulfill his promise to me and supply all things to me according to His riches in glory!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
July 5
1 Chronicles 25:7 (NIV84)
7 Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD—they numbered 288.
Did you get the fact that they were “trained and skilled”? Of course this ministry is near and dear to my heart because of what it means to my heart. I am probably one of the few pastors that is conflicted between his love for leading in worshiping and his love for ministering the Word in preaching. I love both! I am made for both! Therefore I get to disciple men and women for both! For the worship leaders among us let me say this – trained and skilled. This means that they didn’t just sing and play, they honed their skills and continued to do so throughout their lives. Not only did they hone their craft, but they continued to be instructed in worship.
1 Chronicles 25:1 (NIV84)
David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:
Did you happen to catch the fact the prophesying was a big part of the ministry of the worship leaders? Where has this gone? Let’s bring it back!
7 Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD—they numbered 288.
Did you get the fact that they were “trained and skilled”? Of course this ministry is near and dear to my heart because of what it means to my heart. I am probably one of the few pastors that is conflicted between his love for leading in worshiping and his love for ministering the Word in preaching. I love both! I am made for both! Therefore I get to disciple men and women for both! For the worship leaders among us let me say this – trained and skilled. This means that they didn’t just sing and play, they honed their skills and continued to do so throughout their lives. Not only did they hone their craft, but they continued to be instructed in worship.
1 Chronicles 25:1 (NIV84)
David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:
Did you happen to catch the fact the prophesying was a big part of the ministry of the worship leaders? Where has this gone? Let’s bring it back!
Monday, July 4, 2011
July 4
1 Chronicles 22:14 (NIV84)
14 “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.
David had in mind and in heart to prepare his son for a great undertaking for God, so he went to “great pains” to provide the building materials for Solomon’s endeavor. Yet David expected for Solomon to add to the materials himself as well.
What are we leaving for our children to build with? In fact, what great thing are we encouraging them to do for the Lord? Do we expect them to be nice men and women who attend church, are good people and who tithe? We as parents first have to get a vision for our children’s future. Especially us fathers! Doesn’t the Word say that they are “arrows in our quivers”? If they are arrows, who does the shooting? – Us! We point them and shoot them! May it be into greatness and not smallness! May it be that we PLAN for their great exploits with “great pain”. All of us parents need to give an extraordinary supply of building materials to them with the thought of them adding to them. Of course this means something different for every child of ours, which means we had better get the Lord’s will for their life and start intentionally collecting materials for them.
14 “I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents of gold, a million talents of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them.
David had in mind and in heart to prepare his son for a great undertaking for God, so he went to “great pains” to provide the building materials for Solomon’s endeavor. Yet David expected for Solomon to add to the materials himself as well.
What are we leaving for our children to build with? In fact, what great thing are we encouraging them to do for the Lord? Do we expect them to be nice men and women who attend church, are good people and who tithe? We as parents first have to get a vision for our children’s future. Especially us fathers! Doesn’t the Word say that they are “arrows in our quivers”? If they are arrows, who does the shooting? – Us! We point them and shoot them! May it be into greatness and not smallness! May it be that we PLAN for their great exploits with “great pain”. All of us parents need to give an extraordinary supply of building materials to them with the thought of them adding to them. Of course this means something different for every child of ours, which means we had better get the Lord’s will for their life and start intentionally collecting materials for them.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
July 3
Philemon 6 (NIV84)
6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
There is a key here if you can see it. You have more understanding of every good thing you have in Christ IF you actively share your faith. This is not talking about witnessing to others who don’t know Christ, the word here is “koinonia”, which if you were around in the 70’s you are familiar with. Koinonia means “an association involving close mutual relations and involvement”. There is something great about being closely involved with a group of people who share with each other about their faith in Christ. It spurs us on, it challenges us, it takes us to new heights and it develops a greater understanding of every good thing that we have in Christ!
Lest you think that it is talking about church and it ends there, let me say NOT! You can go to church and NEVER have a close mutual relationship with people. It is easy to be swayed by the large or mega church, because if it’s grand flowing services and all the wonderful things they offer (many of them really do), to attend on Sunday and think that you are fulfilling your role as a believer in fellowship – you are not. It is time that we as the people of Christ look into the face of what church has become and decide that we will not be “attenders” of a service, but partners with each other as we share our faith with one another and develop a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Then we can become fruitful and knowledgeable partners to take the message of the gospel to the world with great effectiveness!
6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
There is a key here if you can see it. You have more understanding of every good thing you have in Christ IF you actively share your faith. This is not talking about witnessing to others who don’t know Christ, the word here is “koinonia”, which if you were around in the 70’s you are familiar with. Koinonia means “an association involving close mutual relations and involvement”. There is something great about being closely involved with a group of people who share with each other about their faith in Christ. It spurs us on, it challenges us, it takes us to new heights and it develops a greater understanding of every good thing that we have in Christ!
Lest you think that it is talking about church and it ends there, let me say NOT! You can go to church and NEVER have a close mutual relationship with people. It is easy to be swayed by the large or mega church, because if it’s grand flowing services and all the wonderful things they offer (many of them really do), to attend on Sunday and think that you are fulfilling your role as a believer in fellowship – you are not. It is time that we as the people of Christ look into the face of what church has become and decide that we will not be “attenders” of a service, but partners with each other as we share our faith with one another and develop a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Then we can become fruitful and knowledgeable partners to take the message of the gospel to the world with great effectiveness!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
July 2
2 Samuel 22:38–39 (NIV84)
38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
Let me make this short and not so sweet. We have the tendency to pursue our enemies and let them off the hook with a beating. This passage is talking about a man of God who knew how to defeat his enemies – for good! It is time to look at your Goliath and decide to kill him and then cut off his head! No mercy for the enemies of our lives! Let’s kill gossip like stomping on an ant, sexual perversion like cutting off a snake’s head, fear like we are using a bazooka on a smart car, and let’s go after anxiety and stress and slit their throats and watch them die! Too gross? We had better become a little more violent with our enemies and crush them under our feet or before we know it, they will be sitting on our lap – again.
38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
Let me make this short and not so sweet. We have the tendency to pursue our enemies and let them off the hook with a beating. This passage is talking about a man of God who knew how to defeat his enemies – for good! It is time to look at your Goliath and decide to kill him and then cut off his head! No mercy for the enemies of our lives! Let’s kill gossip like stomping on an ant, sexual perversion like cutting off a snake’s head, fear like we are using a bazooka on a smart car, and let’s go after anxiety and stress and slit their throats and watch them die! Too gross? We had better become a little more violent with our enemies and crush them under our feet or before we know it, they will be sitting on our lap – again.
Friday, July 1, 2011
July 1
Titus 2:11–12 (NIV84)
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
Here is some good doctrine. The grace (favor) of God that brings salvation (deliverance) has appeared (made apparent) to all men. Why does God bring such favor on all, (meaning all) men? Because God loves all men and wants them to come to the knowledge of Christ.
1 Timothy 2:4 (NIV84)
4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Why else would the favor of God display his salvation? If it was to be able to condemn man would it be favor?
Here is what the revelation of deliverance (salvation) brings us to; it instructs us with the intent of forming proper habits – what habits? Saying no to the stuff that will kill us! It also teaches us to say yes to the things that will bring us life. This favor that shows us salvation keeps on showing us how “great a salvation” we have, and in turn that automatically teaches us to live for Christ – for life! How uncomplicated!
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
Here is some good doctrine. The grace (favor) of God that brings salvation (deliverance) has appeared (made apparent) to all men. Why does God bring such favor on all, (meaning all) men? Because God loves all men and wants them to come to the knowledge of Christ.
1 Timothy 2:4 (NIV84)
4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Why else would the favor of God display his salvation? If it was to be able to condemn man would it be favor?
Here is what the revelation of deliverance (salvation) brings us to; it instructs us with the intent of forming proper habits – what habits? Saying no to the stuff that will kill us! It also teaches us to say yes to the things that will bring us life. This favor that shows us salvation keeps on showing us how “great a salvation” we have, and in turn that automatically teaches us to live for Christ – for life! How uncomplicated!
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