16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17, ESV)
I am focusing this morning here:
“for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”
That word translated power is the Greek word from which we get the word dynamite. The gospel is effective because it “carries” with it the omnipotence of God! What came to my mind this morning as I read this was how strong must our sinful nature be if it takes the “dynamite” of God to overcome it and give us new life.
Remembering this ALWAYS brings relief to my heart and quiets my striving...I can’t overcome my old man but God who dwells in me can!
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6, ESV)
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, (Romans 8:3, ESV)
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13, ESV)
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV)
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; (1 Peter 1:23, ESV)
It helped my heart also to look at the word believes...it means to trust, rely on, or have faith in. John MacArthur said it was important to note that when used of salvation this word usually occurs in the present tense. That was another good reminder for me. Placing my trust in God is not and was not a one time event. It is an ongoing, continual process. The just shall live by their faith...true saving faith is a supernatural, gracious gift from God that HE produces in my heart.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, (Ephesians 2:8, ESV)
Friday, July 12, 2019
Psalm 9
Have mercy on me, O LORD!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.—Psalm 9:13-14
I am so grateful that I can ask my Lord to have mercy on me even though there is NOTHING in me that merits mercy. I can ask him to “consider” my trouble. I have looked up that word in time past and the meaning has stuck with me. It means to look at my trouble from every aspect..from every point of view. God really “GETS” what I am going through. That is such a comfort to me. If I know God understands what I am going through, it doesn’t matter to me if anyone else does. His considered understanding brings peace to my heart. He knows the way I take...He comprehends my path...even and especially when I don’t.
I say with the Psalmist:
“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.”
The One who lifts me up from the gates of death understands all I am going through. His desire for me is good. I can trust Him to see me through my earthly journey. With David then:
I WILL praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart;
I WILL tell of all Your marvelous works.
I WILL be glad and rejoice in You;
I WILL sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
Someday I WILL tell of all Your praise in the heavenly gates. Truly I can and I WILL rejoice in Your salvation now and forever.
This Psalm can also be seen as messianic. Verses 13 & 14 can speak to God’s wonderful resurrection promise to His Son whose death had been plotted by His enemies. Because He lives, I WILL live also. ❤️
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!—Job 19:25-27
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.—Psalm 9:13-14
I am so grateful that I can ask my Lord to have mercy on me even though there is NOTHING in me that merits mercy. I can ask him to “consider” my trouble. I have looked up that word in time past and the meaning has stuck with me. It means to look at my trouble from every aspect..from every point of view. God really “GETS” what I am going through. That is such a comfort to me. If I know God understands what I am going through, it doesn’t matter to me if anyone else does. His considered understanding brings peace to my heart. He knows the way I take...He comprehends my path...even and especially when I don’t.
I say with the Psalmist:
“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.”
The One who lifts me up from the gates of death understands all I am going through. His desire for me is good. I can trust Him to see me through my earthly journey. With David then:
I WILL praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart;
I WILL tell of all Your marvelous works.
I WILL be glad and rejoice in You;
I WILL sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
Someday I WILL tell of all Your praise in the heavenly gates. Truly I can and I WILL rejoice in Your salvation now and forever.
This Psalm can also be seen as messianic. Verses 13 & 14 can speak to God’s wonderful resurrection promise to His Son whose death had been plotted by His enemies. Because He lives, I WILL live also. ❤️
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!—Job 19:25-27
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