Are You A Remnant Chosen by Grace??

Good morning to all on this Sunday after Christmas. The lives of all human beings were changed some 2000+ years ago with the ADVENT of His birth, Hallelujah! Waine and I spent Christmas with Aleron. Our youngest wanted his Mommy to fix him some gumbo, so I did and it was a good batch! Waine and I had a nice time with him before he had to start another 12 hour shift. We heard from a lot of our friends and all of our family. As the years get on we so appreciate the love and care of our family and friends. As we go into the New Year we pray for God's blessings for your health and happiness.

I am continuing my journey in Romans 11 verses 1-36 "I ask then: Did God reject His people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”. And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”  So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.  What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.  May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! 

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all. 

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen. May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Paul is bring it back full circle. He was probably being bombarded by the Roman Jews challenging his "Jewship"--he was probably seen as traitor by the Roman Jews because of his ministry to the Gentiles. Likewise Paul probably encountered many Gentiles who now thought they were the "chosen" people of God. Paul is laying both sides to rest. He is categorically telling the Jews that their chance to be the "only" chosen people of God is now gone. They lost their chance by not accepting the Gift of Life through Christ. In fact even today, the Jews as a nation do not recognize Christ as Lord. There is a whole movement, "Jews for Jesus" that allows Jews to worship their Christian faith without restriction. As Gentiles, we take for granted that we are free to have a personal relationship with Christ without restriction. Not so when you are brought up in the Jewish tradition and then decide that your relationship with God will not be through tradition but through Faith.

Likewise, Paul was telling the Gentiles not to think themselves more highly than they should. That they are now eligible for the Kingdom because of their faith and not because of any tradition. They has become "chosen" because they have through faith received the Grace of God through Christ. That this Gift was made through the lineage of Faith that came through Abraham, to whom the Promise was Given. Paul is also reminding us that a branch cannot question the process of being nourished. That mystery is hidden and really isn't important. How can a branch question how and why it receives nourishment form a root? Paul admonishes Gentiles and Jews to just focus on the Grace that comes through Faith and not focus on who might be a more rewarding recipient of God's love. We have ALL sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. The ONLY person who has remained Faithful is Christ and it is through His sacrifice that we have salvation.

The Great Deceiver, satan, would have all of us forget that Christ willingly went to the Cross so that His obedience could erase the Disobedience of Adam and Eve. It is through this Sacrifice that we have the opportunity through our faith to become one with God again. Have I mentioned that we must exercise our FAITH?! Our faith and His GRACE is what we should focus on. It is this GRACE that we receive the gift of redemption.

The REASON for any season is Christ and the GIFT of LIFE that is offered because He died that we might live. Hallelujah! If we focus on that then we can have a life that will bring others to the realization that Life without Jesus is meaningless. Will others see Christ in you today?

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May he Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Merry Christmas!

Stephanie

 

Faith Comes By Hearing the Word of God!

Good morning to all on this 1st Sunday in December. Its in the 50's in Thomaston and sunny. Yesterday Waine had some of his golfing buddies over. I made gumbo and a good time was had by all even after playing in the rain and fog.  The year is winding down quickly; before long we will have to remember to write 2015. It seems like I just learned to remember to write 2014. Anyway, I trust that this blog finds you well.

I am continuing my journey in Romans, Chapter 10 verses 1-21, " Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”  But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)  “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”  But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ. But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;  I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me;  I revealed myself to those who did not ask for Me.” But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”  Amen and may God add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Paul is now getting to the heart of the matter. Up to this point the Jews thought they had the "lock" on a relationship with Jehovah but Paul is letting all that will hear know  that a relationship with God will only come through Christ and not by works. The Christ that was rejected by the Jews and crucified. Paul is preaching that a relationship with God is a spiritual one and not one based on the flesh, rituals or works. He is telling the Roman Jews know that it is our faith that makes us whole and in alignment with God. Not only our faith but our obligation to profess our faith to all who will hear. The message to the Roman Jews is that they will have to leave their baggage about works and rituals aside and begin to live by faith which is only made possible through a relationship with God through Christ Jesus.

In John 5, verses 1-9 a story is told about a man who has an infirmity for 38 years. "After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.  For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.  Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked." The point being, the man was made whole because he believed and obeyed. He exercised his faith "by getting up"! When Jesus spoke he could have continued to lay there but he didn't he obey and exercised his faith.

How many of us choose to stay in our condition because of a lack of faith. As in the story above, the man did not have evidence that getting up would result in his healing. The process of getting up however ensured it. When we exercise our faith, we don't have evidence that our healing is secured. That's what faith means--Hebrews 11:1 says "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. " When Waine and I were lead to start ZOe, we had faith. That first step of faith was not hard. Prevailing in faith continues to be a daily walk with God. Faith is not a one step process, it is a continuous walk which blesses you on a daily basis.

If you find your self stuck in a situation, Christ has given you the remedy. TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace!

Stephanie