powerofgod – Page 2 – herbcotton.org

What Does It Mean to Work Out Your Salvation?

Text:

Philippians 2:12-16 (HCSB)

12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God who is working in you, ?enabling you? both to desire and to work out His good purpose.

14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing,

15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.

16 Hold firmly to the message of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.

Observation:

The beginning point for the believer is to yield our whole life to the Lord, and allow Him to work in us. It is no secret of God’s desire to inhabit His people. He wants to work in us so that we will have the ability to fulfill our purpose by working out what He has deposited in us.

Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

One of the key words I notice when reading today’s passage is the word obedience. We are called as believers in Christ to live a life of obedience as children of God.

What a wonderful world it would be if God’s children could live out what God has deposited in us, and to do it in this manner.

Philippians 2:14-15 (HCSB)

14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing,

15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.

If you are willing, God is able to enable us to live in this manner.

Prayer:

Father, I praise and thank You for loving Your children with an everlasting love, and for loving us first.

Father, help us to learn obedience, and to work out what You have worked into us. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

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Are You Telling the Story of What God Has Done for You?

Text:

Philippians 1:12-14 (KJV)

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Observation:

Today my attention is focused on another aspect of this passage. Last week we focused on the circumstances that we face in our walk. Today, my focus is on the gospel of Christ.

It is clear from verse twelve that the Apostle Paul’s priority was the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. What is the gospel of Christ? Well, Paul answers that question in another letter.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (KJV)

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

This is the basic message that Paul delivered (vv. 3-4) everywhere he went. This is the message that we are called to share everywhere we go.

Acts 1:8 (KJV)

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The lyrics to “I Am Redeemed” by Jessy Dixon is speaking to me.

“I am redeemed, bought with a price,

Jesus has changed my whole life.

If anybody asks you, just who I am,

tell them I am redeemed.”

This verse records Jessy’s response to the Lord.

“I’ll tell of His favor, I’ll tell of His love,

I’ll tell of His goodness to me.

He purchased my redemption with His own precious blood,

and from sin I’ve been set free.”

O, may each of our response be like the people that Paul wrote to in the church at Philippi, and of Jessy Dixon in the excerpts from his song.

Philippians 1:14 (NLT)

14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, give us the confidence and courage to boldly tell others of Your goodness to us by providing the means for our redemption by the blood of your darling son, Jesus. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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How Do You Feel About Your Weaknesses?

Text:

Philippians 4:13 (HCSB)

13 I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Observation:

I was reading a blog recently, and this comment got my attention. “I tried to give my kids a better life than I had”. I can relate to that comment because I believe that is the way my parents thought.

However, I can relate even more to this comment. “What I regret is taking this too far. I’ve tried to prevent struggle, risk, failure, and injury. But protecting them like that doesn’t create a better life; it creates a fragile life. So, I’ve stopped wishing for them success, and I’ve started wishing for their strength. In the face of whatever comes”. (UnTangled – Dr. Kelly Flanagan)

The best thing we can do for our children and for others is to introduce them to the Jesus Way that we wrote about yesterday. Notice what the Apostle Paul said about his weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (HCSB)

9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

Are you able to embrace and overcome your weaknesses? I would like to pray for you to have the strength that the Lord provides to His people.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, this is the prayer that I offer for my family and my friends; for all who read this word.

Ephesians 3:16 (HCSB)

16 ?I pray? that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit,

Father, I pray this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

—

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How Important Is Living in the Presence of God in Your Life?

Text:

Psalm 27:4 (HCSB)

4 I have asked one thing from the LORD; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the LORD and seeking ?Him? in His temple.

Observation:

Is living in the presence of God of first importance in your life? Is that the desire of your heart?

Psalm 26:8 (HCSB)

8 LORD, I love the house where You dwell, the place where Your glory resides.

David had a lot of things going on in his life. He had the constant pressure of having to deal with King Saul who wanted to kill him.

However, he had a place of refuge; a place where he could find deliverance from the fear of man. When you fear God, you don’t have to fear man. God’s people of every age have been able to find refuge in the Lord.

Isaiah 41:10 (HCSB)

10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

When the child of God lives in the presence of the Lord, you can find refuge and peace all of the days of your life.

Psalm 23:6 (HCSB)

6 Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for Your abiding presence in the lives of Your people. Father, I am so grateful that your children are never alone when they live in Your presence. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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The Wonderful Results of Prayer

Text:

James 5:16 (NLT)

16b The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Observation:

There is only one way to meet the position of being a righteous person, and that is through the sacrificial provisions of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB)

21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Do you realize the power of prayer that you have in your life if you are a child of God?

Colossians 1:27-28 (NLT)

27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.

I encourage you to never forget who you are because Christ Jesus lives in you. There is nothing that is impossible as you live in daily communications with God in prayer, and by faith, walk in the way; as you walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

What a wonderful world it would be if the lyrics of this song was the daily fruit that was produced from our prayer life, and our daily walk with Jesus leading and guiding us in each step we take, and each word that we speak.

“While passing through this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you”.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, thank You for giving us the gift of Jesus, and His abiding presence in the hearts of Your children.

Father, I pray that great power, and wonderful results will be the fruit of the hearers and the doers of Your divine word. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Where Can I Go to Get All of My Needs Met?

Text:

Mark 10:27 (HCSB)

27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

Observation:

I was reading my Daily Bible Reading Plan for 2016, and the focal verse leaped off the page, and into my heart.

Some people may think it strange that God speaks to His children, but I’m not one of those people. I am learning to open the eyes and ears of my heart, and when I do I am able to hear God’s voice speaking into my heart.

God speaks to us through His Word. Here is what I heard Him say to me in my daily reading.

Exodus 7:1 (HCSB)

1 The LORD answered Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet.

God delights to have a conversation with His children, and He has provided the vehicles of prayer, and the Word of God for His people to communicate and connect with Him.

Why not call God today? Consider this verse from God’s Word as His personal invitation to you.

Jeremiah 33:3 (HCSB)

3 Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.

My soul is singing this hymn written by the late gospel singer and writer, Roberta Martin.

“God is still on the throne,

Within your bosom, you have a phone.

Where’er you walk,

you’re not walking alone,

For God, is still on the throne.”

Let’s talk to the Lord; He can meet all of our needs.

Prayer:

Father, I thank You that the children of God never have to walk through this world alone.

Father, I am so glad that I can call upon You anytime, anywhere, and for any need or desire I have in my heart.

Father, I can rest in and rely upon the promise that nothing is too difficult for You. Lord we need You, and thank You Father, that we have all of You living in our hearts. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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How to Handle Your Big & Small Problems

Text:

Acts 4:18-20 (ESV)

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Observation:

The Apostles Peter and John had a huge problem. After healing a man in the name of Jesus, they were brought before the authorities of the Government, and ordered to cease preaching in the name of Jesus.

Notice what these disciples did when they were facing this opposition from people who had the power to punish them severely. They gather with other Christ followers, and they prayed.

Acts 4:29 (ESV)

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

When God’s people pray the power of God moves in supernatural power. God hears and answers the prayers of His people, and He shows up in power.

Acts 4:31 (ESV)

31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Notice how God’s people prayed. They had been warned not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Who do you think they obeyed? They chose to obey God.

They did this, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness”.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I ask that You would quicken and quiet our hearts before You. Father, I ask that You stir and steer our hearts to take our problems to You in prayer first, and not last.

Father, make the desires of our hearts to be like the desires of Your heart so that when we pray we will know that You will hear, and answer our prayers.

Psalm 37:4 (ESV)

4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:16 (ESV)

16 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.

Father, create in us the desire to delight in You, to cast all of our cares upon You, and to be grateful, and thankful for what we have. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Are You Using the Riches You Have?

Text:

Galatians 4:6 (HCSB)

6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

Observation:

I was reading Romans 8 recently, and I was gripped by the revelation of an amazing truth that leaped off the page, and into my heart.

The verse that leaped off the page, and into my heart was this one.

Romans 8:15 (HCSB)

15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”

What an amazing thing God has done for us when He provided the means of our redemption through Jesus.

Romans 5:1 (HCSB)

1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every believer has the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit of God living in our heart.

‘Romans 8:9 (HCSB)

9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Do you know where you learned how to cry out to God, “Abba Father?” I tell you where; you heard it from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 4:6 (HCSB)

6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

Hallelujah! Its prayer time.

Prayer:

Father God, Abba Father, I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit spoke into my heart the words “Abba Father”, and now I am able to speak them to you in prayer.

Father, thank You that the Holy Spirit enables us to yield our will to the will of God, and that He guides us on the pathway of righteousness all of the days of our life.

Father, we express our gratitude to You for all Your blessings. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

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Do You Know the Reason Why You Can’t?

Text:

Ephesians 1:19-20 (NLT)

19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power

20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

Observation:

Where did we ever get the idea or notion that we could do the work of God in our own strength? If you have tried, you know by experience that it is not possible.

However, there is goodnews: we don’t have to do the work of God in our strength alone. The answer to the source of our strength is found in the Apostle Paul’s prayer that is our focal passage for today.

Here are some other scriptures that illustrate this truth.

Genesis 41:16 (ESV)

16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

I remember hearing a preacher say words similar to this, “I can’t but God can, He never said that I could. But, He always said that He would”. O, that we would learn to trust in the Lord with our whole heart, and serve the Lord relying upon the power of God.

2 Corinthians 3:5 (ESV)

5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

Acts 3:12 (ESV)

12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?

If God assigns you to it, He will give you the power to accomplish it if you will look to Him, and trust in Him to do it.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Let God’s Word be true, and pray for the skeptics and the doubters to have their blinded eyes opened to the truth of God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, I pray that you would hasten the day when an increasing number of your people would know the power of God, and would rely upon Your strength to do the work of the Kingdom. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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Who Is Leading You?

Text:

Romans 8:12-14 (HCSB)

12 So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh,

13 for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14 All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.

Observation:

The Bible tells us that we should walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Is there something hindering you from walking in the Spirit?

Romans 8:5-7 (ESV)

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.

O, my brothers and my sisters, we need the abiding presence of God, and the power of God to be who God wants us to be, and to do what God wants us to do. We can do nothing unless we are led by God’s Spirit.

If you belong to God, the Spirit of God lives in you. Surely we need the Spirit of God to do the work of God. The enemy that we face is too big to face in the strength of the flesh.

Romans 8:9 (ESV)

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

We need to be quiet; be still, listen to, and be led by the Spirit of God. O, the blessing of being Spirit filled, and Spirit led.

Romans 8:10-11 (ESV)

10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Prayer:

Father God, I exalt Your name; You are good, and greatly to be praised. Father, I pray that we will be still, and know that You are God, and that we, Your people, will learn how to listen to You, and be led by the Holy Spirit of God. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

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