What the Bible Says about the Hands of Jesus (Thoughts on Psalm 24:1-2)

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Wayne Davies

Here’s a passage to ponder today:
Psalm 24:1-2.

“The earth is the LORD’s,
and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.”

David begins Psalm 24 with the staggering truth that God is both Owner and Creator of everything and everyone.

In light of those verses, here are a couple of questions to answer:
1) What effect does this truth have on you today?
2) What difference has it made in your life?

Here are my thoughts, along with additional instruction from God’s infallible Word.

The simple fact that God made planet Earth is mind-blowing. And what the Old Testament ascribes to God the Father, the New Testament credits to God the Son:

“All things were made through him (Jesus), and without him (Jesus) was not anything made that has been made.”
John 1:3

“For by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth”
Colossians 1:16

“But of the Son he says . . . You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands”
Hebrews 1:8, 10

What a thought! Take a look around today. The sky and the clouds, the mountains and the valleys — Jesus Christ made it all. Everything in creation is the work of his hands.

And he made me and you, too.

“Your hands have made and fashioned me”
Psalm 119:73

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made”
Psalm 139:13-14

Since God made everything and everyone, that means he made me and he owns me. I am not my own. I belong to him. And therefore, I am not the master of my fate and the captain of my soul. Jesus is.

This idea is radically different from what I believed as a young person, when I embraced the mantra, “If it is to be, it’s up to me.” Is there any truth to that statement? In one sense, sure. I make decisions every day. I select what clothes to wear and what food to eat, along with thousands of other choices – choices for which I will be held accountable on Judgment Day when I will give account “for every careless word”(Matthew 12:36).

But ultimately, who is in control of my life? I do this and I do that. Meanwhile, what is my Creator doing, while I’m doing what I’m doing?

According to Romans 8:28, he is doing what only he can do: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Today, I will do many things — some sinful, and by God’s grace, some good. And if my main goal is to love God with all that I am and my primary objective is to glorify him through what I say, do, and think, he is at work for my good. That is incredible! That is breathtaking! It staggers my imagination and brings me to my knees.

I thank you, Jesus, that my life is in your hands. Thank you, Jesus, for being my Creator, my Owner, and my good Shepherd. Thank you for having strong hands, the hands of omnipotence.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

I thank you, Jesus, that no one can take me out of your hands. You got my back. The same hands that created the universe and were nailed to the cross are holding me up and carrying me all the way to glory.

How do you answer the two questions above? You are welcome to leave your comments below.

Before you go to sleep tonight, why not offer a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God for being the Owner and Creator of all? Pour out your heart to him in worship and adoration!

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Confessions of a Serial Sinner (Thoughts on Psalm 53:1)

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Wayne Davies

Psalm 53:1 paints a dismal yet truthful picture of the sinful human race:

“They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.” (ESV)

 

Here we find three descriptions of our fallen condition. Three scathing indictments. If I’m reading the Bible to boost my self-esteem, I picked the wrong verse.

That second description is especially intriguing to me. Our sin is “abominable.”

What does that mean?

“Abominable” is what is detested or loathed. The NIV translates this phrase as “their ways are vile.”

It’s what God thinks of sin. He hates it. God is the God of love and he’s also the God of hate.

16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV

Now we know how God views our sin. He abhors it.

Now we get personal. Psalm 53:1 begs the questions, “What do I think of my sin? Do I hate it?”

Apparently not.  Even though is it commanded that I do so: “Hate what is evil” (Romans 12:9 NIV).

I sure wish I did. If I despised my sin the way God does, maybe I wouldn’t do it so often.

Instead, I prefer to minimize it, downplay it, deny it, rationalize it, excuse it, and blame others for it.

Oh, and hide it, ignore it, and laugh about it.

I also like to distort it. Sin is much more palatable if I use words to describe it that soften the blow of its reality. I don’t feel so guilty if I refer to it as a mistake, an oversight, a lapse of judgment, or a little white lie.

Or how about this one – a peccadillo. What’s that? Dictionaries define this as “a small, relatively unimportant offense or sin” (Oxford); “a small fault or mistake, or something that someone does wrong that is not very serious” (Cambridge); “a slight offense” (Webster’s).

If the standard of morality is the holiness of God, is there such a thing as a small sin, an unimportant iniquity, or a slight transgression?

I think not.

So lately I’ve been praying that God will enable me to see my sin the way he sees it. “O God, please teach me to hate my sin, to take it seriously, to not joke about it or marginalize it or sweep it under the rug.”

I am a serial sinner. “Wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:24)

But thanks be to King Jesus, I’m also a saved sinner, redeemed by the grace of God, forgiven through faith in the Son of God, all because of the wrath-absorbing death of the Lamb of God.

I am grateful that I can open the Bible and read that my God is the One “who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 24).

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Why Is Resurrection So Important?

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Wayne Davies

For many, Easter is a time of rejoicing and celebrating. And well it should be.

Our Savior rose from the grave on the third day, just as He predicted, thereby defeating death and providing hope of new life for all who believe in Him.

 

So I pray that this is a day of great joy for you. He has risen!

Here’s a passage I’ve been meditating on:
“Great are the works of the Lord;
They are pondered by all who delight in them.”
Psalm 111:2

Arguably, of all the great “works of the Lord” (and there are many), the death and resurrection of Jesus are the greatest.

Today I’m compelled to “ponder” the death and resurrection of Christ. Will you join me? You will find no more glorious subject upon which to set your heart, soul and mind.

The word “ponder” (NIV) is translated “study” by the ESV and NASB. I think that adds much to our understanding of what believers are supposed to do on these special days.

Have you ever studied the resurrection of Jesus? I’d like to encourage you to carve out some time to do just that.

Here’s a link to Chapter 11 of Randy Alcorn’s best-selling book, Heaven. It’s entitled “Why Is Resurrection So Important?” and it is loaded with Biblical teaching on the meaning of the resurrection. I highly recommend it!

http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/why-is-the-resurrection-so-important.html

Please take time today to reflect on the resurrection through focused study. A biblically informed mind is the key to God-glorifying worship.

“Any views of the afterlife that settle for less than a bodily resurrection — including reincarnation, and transmigration of the soul — are explicitly unchristian.”
— Randy Alcorn

“Jesus walked the earth in his resurrection body for forty days, showing us how we would live as resurrected human beings. In effect, he also demonstrated where we would live as resurrected human beings—on Earth. Christ’s resurrection body was suited for life on Earth, not primarily life in the intermediate Heaven. As Jesus was raised to come back to live on Earth, so we will be raised to come back to live on Earth (1 Thessalonians 4:14; Revelation 21:1-3).”
— Randy Alcorn

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How to Handle Rejection (Thoughts on Psalm 22)

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Wayne Davies

Here are some thoughts on the death of Jesus – based on Psalm 22, the Bible’s most graphic description of the crucifixion.

We all face rejection; it’s a given. If you haven’t been laughed at yet, you will be. Virtually all of us have experienced the derision of our peers at a young age and remember well the emotional pain that our so-called friends inflicted upon us.

As we get older, the stakes get higher. Whether it’s unrequited love or the rejection letter from a potential employer, disappointment can be our closest friend.

As a Christian, being mocked by the world is par for the course. Jesus promised that we’d suffer abuse from unbelievers, for the gospel is an offensive message. “No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:20).

The apostle Paul — no stranger to the whip of the wicked — told Timothy that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). And Peter wrote, “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).

Knowing all this doesn’t make the pain any easier to endure, however. What should be our response to such unjust treatment and ridicule?

I believe that Psalm 22 provides a model for us to follow. David wrote this psalm, and he, too, was well acquainted with persecution. But this psalm finds its primary fulfillment in the gruesome death of our Savior. This psalm is the prayer of Jesus, for David’s words became the cry of the Messiah on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1, Mark 15:34).

What did Jesus do when faced with the most horrifying affliction known to man? Yes, he expressed his despair. He told God exactly how he felt. He bore his soul while bearing our sin. God was unleashing his wrath upon his only begotten Son – what could be more excruciating than that? Jesus was serving the death sentence for our crimes and he let God know how agonizing it was to provide the salvation which the Father and Son had planned from eternity past.

But Jesus did something else on the cross: he worshipped his Father. “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises” (Psalm 22:3). Amazingly, Jesus did not remain focused on himself and his pain. Instead, he looked away from himself and worshipped God for his holiness.

The English Standard Version renders the first part of verse 3 as “You are holy” – an even more succinct and powerful expression of praise. When faced with the ultimate test of his love for the Father, Jesus was thinking of God’s righteousness. He knew that God’s holiness was the reason he was on the cross. Since a holy God cannot allow unforgiven sinners into his presence, Jesus’ sin-covering crucifixion was the only way we could ever enter into a right relationship with God. The holiness of God motivated Jesus to pay the ultimate price to liberate us from slavery to sin, death, and the devil.

If Jesus worshipped God for his holiness while on the cross, shouldn’t we do the same while taking up our cross?

We are called to a life of suffering; it is the will of God. By focusing on God’s perfect character, we remind ourselves that he remains in control of our lives even when it may appear otherwise.

When faced with persecution, like Jesus, the best thing we can do is cry out to God, “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel” (v. 3, ESV). No matter what people do to us, our sovereign God continues to reign over all.

Psalm 22: Questions for Further Study, Reflection and Discussion

1. Psalm 22 is mentioned 15 times in the New Testament, causing Christians throughout the centuries to call it “the fifth gospel” and “the Psalm of the Cross.” This passage was written by David about 1,000 years before the death of Christ, yet it is the most graphic description of the crucifixion found in all of Scripture. Let’s take a closer look at five verses that predict what would happen to Jesus on the cross.

Compare the verse from Psalm 22 with the New Testament verse. In your own words, write out a description of each prophecy and its fulfillment.

Psalm 22:1 and Matthew 27:46
Psalm 22:7 and Matthew 27:39
Psalm 22:8 and Matthew 27:43
Psalm 22:18 and John 19:23-24
Psalm 22:31 and John 19:31

2. Why did Jesus believe that his Father had forsaken him? (v. 1) What does this prayer reveal about the thoughts and feelings of Jesus when he was on the cross? What does this abandonment of Jesus by the Father teach us about what his death accomplished for guilty sinners like us?

3. When Jesus was on the cross, why did people mock and ridicule him? What was the intent and purpose of this contempt and derision? (v. 7)

4. The people taunted Jesus with sarcasm: “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him.” (v. 8). Why would these comments have been especially painful for Jesus to hear?

5. What do the soldiers’ words and actions tell us about their attitude toward the death of Jesus? (v. 18). What is the irony of this behavior?

6. “He has done it!” (v. 31). According to this psalm, what has God done, and what has God not done (see v. 24)?

7. Psalm 22 has two distinct yet related parts:
Part 1 – verses 1-21
Part 2 – verses 22-31

How would you summarize Part 1?
How would you summarize Part 2?
The tone and content of Part 2 are dramatically different from that of Part 1. What has happened to the speaker (Jesus) that would account for this change?

NOTE: The above comments and questions are an excerpt from the book, How to Pray Like David: A Bible Study on Psalms 1-41 (Volume 1 – Psalms Bible Study Guides).
You can download a free copy at https://payhip.com/b/3iQfu
Also available in Kindle and paperback formats here:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Pray-Like-David-Psalms-ebook/dp/B09SNX3853/

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How to Go to the Cross with Jesus

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Wayne Davies

The week before Easter I like to read the Gospel accounts of the last week of Christ.

You can see how I do that in this blog post:
https://godwrotethebook.com/what-the-bible-says-about-jesus-last-week/

 

This year I’m reading Luke’s account, chapters 19-24, a chapter each day. This is one way to walk with Christ all the way to the cross and the empty tomb. Would you like to join me?

I am also reading J.C. Ryle’s commentary on Luke. He’s one of my favorite Bible teachers and offers many profound insights on the meaning of the text. (To get your free copy of this book, visit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JVL32NN )

For example, let’s discover what J.C. Ryle says about Luke 19:28-34, when Jesus tells two disciples, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here” (v. 30).

Here are Ryle’s comments. (Note his use of parallel passages to explain the meaning of this passage. I love how he does that.)

“Let us mark, for one thing in these verses, the perfect knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see Him describing what they will see and hear with as much confidence as if the whole transaction had been previously arranged. In short, He speaks like one to whom nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight; everything is uncovered and laid bare before his eyes. He speaks like one whose eyes were in every place, like one who knew things unseen as well as things seen.

“An attentive reader will observe the same things in other parts of the Gospel. We are told in one place that “He knew the thoughts” of His enemies. We are told in another chapter that “He knew what was in man.” We are told in another that Jesus “knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him” (Luke 6:8, John 2:25, John 6:64).

“Knowledge like this is a particular attribute of God. Passages like these are meant to remind us that the man Christ Jesus is not only man, but He is also God blessed forever (Romans 9:5).

“The thought of Christ’s perfect knowledge should alarm sinners and awaken them to repentance. The great and righteous judge knows them and all their doings. The judge sees them continually and marks down all their ways. “There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves” (Job 34:22). If they go into the secret chamber, the eyes of Christ are there. If they privately scheme villainy and plot wickedness, Christ knows it and observes it. If they speak secretly against the righteous, Christ hears. They may deceive men all their life long, but they cannot deceive Christ. A day is coming when, “according to the gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus” (Romans 2:16).

“The thought of Christ’s perfect knowledge should comfort all truehearted Christians and quicken them to increased diligence in good works. The master’s eye is always upon them. He knows where they dwell, and what are their daily trials, and who are their companions. There is not a word in their mouths, or a thought in their hearts, but Jesus knows it altogether. Let them take courage when they are slandered, misunderstood, and misrepresented by the world. It matters nothing, so long as they can say, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You” (John 21:17).

“Let them walk on steadily in the narrow way and not turn aside to the right hand or the left. When sinners entice them, and weak brethren say, “Spare yourself,” let them reply, “My Master is looking at me. I desire to live and move as in the sight of Christ.”
END OF QUOTE.

Reality Check: Does the omniscience of Jesus alarm you, or does it comfort you?

Have a great week remembering and celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus!

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34 Bible Reading Questions Answered

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Wayne Davies

Do you have questions about how to read the Bible? See below for 34 of them.

You’ll find answers to all these questions in the new book, Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life’s Most Important Questions. (“Pastor John” is John Piper, who spent 33 years as a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.)

Chapter 1 is all about reading the Bible, and you can download a free copy of Chapter 1 here:
https://www.desiringgod.org/books/ask-pastor-john

Here are the 34 Bible reading questions:

  1. Why do we read the Bible?
  2. Why read the Bible daily?
  3. How do I get the most from my Bible reading?
  4. What should we expect on our first read through the Bible?
  5. How do we stay passionate about Bible reading for a full year?
  6. Where should I help a new believer begin his journey into the Bible?
  7. What are the essential components of daily Bible reading?
  8. How many Bible versions should I read?
  9. Ink or pixels?
  10. How do I find the meaning of a Bible text?
  11. Should we read the Bible for breadth or depth?
  12. How do we accomplish deep reading with pens and paper and marked-up texts, but also simply read the Bible devotionally?
  13. How do we piece together chapters of Scripture?
  14. How do I read the Bible topically?
  15. What happens when you pray over Scripture?
  16. How do I pray before reading the Bible?
  17. How do I prepare my soul to encounter Christ through Bible reading?
  18. Isn’t the Bible old and irrelevant?
  19. How do I battle doubt and cynicism in Bible reading?
  20. Why is the Bible so violent?
  21. Is Bible reading only profitable if we come away with application?
  22. How do we avoid intellectualism with the Bible?
  23. Do I love Bible insights more than I love God?
  24. How do I read the Bible in dark seasons?
  25. I’m too busy and exhausted—when should I read the Bible?
  26. Should we use audio Bibles for daily devotions?
  27. I have one hour to read. How much Bible? How much other books?
  28. If I listen carefully to sermons, why do I need to read my Bible?
  29. If I read my Bible, why do I need preachers?
  30. When does my Bible neglect become sin?
  31. What is the final goal of Bible reading?
  32. Bible memory: essential or optional?
  33. What are your suggestions for Bible memorization?
  34. What are essential Bible texts for life’s hardest battles?

Enjoy!

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The Meaning of Ephesians 4:15

Posted on March 15, 2024 by Wayne Davies

I love reading stories of how people become Christians. The Bible is filled with God-glorifying conversion accounts – from the woman at the well (John 4) to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

Here’s a story of how a woman became a Christian in the late 1800’s in Chicago. It’s told by Reuben Torrey, an associate of D.L. Moody and like Moody, one of the great evangelists in church history. It’s an excerpt from his book, How to Be Saved and How to Be Lost. (To get a free copy of this book, see the link at the end of this post below.)

BEGINNING OF EXCERPT:

One night at a late meeting in Chicago, as I passed through the innermost inquiry room, a lady of substantial culture sat among the inquirers. This woman held two or three university degrees; she was a professional and one of the most highly cultured women who attended our church. As I passed by, she said, “Mr. Torrey, will you speak with me?”

I replied, “If you will wait a few moments until I speak to these poor creatures over yonder,” as I looked toward some poor outcasts grouped together in a corner of the room. “I will come back and speak with you.” These poor outcasts knew that they were sinners, and they accepted Jesus Christ. Then I came back to the lady, drew up a chair, sat down in front of her, and asked, “What can I do for you?”

She replied, “Mr. Torrey, I have not had a satisfactory Christian experience.”

I replied, “I do not think you have had any Christian experience at all.”

“Why,” she replied, “I am a church member.”

I answered, “Unfortunately, that does not prove anything. I am sorry to say that I have known many church members whom I could not believe were really saved.”

“But,” she said, “I am a Sunday school teacher.”

I said, “Unfortunately, that does not prove anything. I am sorry to say I have known not a few Sunday school teachers of whose salvation I was not at all sure.”

“But,” she replied, “I am the widow of a minister.”

“Well,” I said, “unfortunately, even that fact does not prove anything. I do not read anywhere in the Bible that anyone is saved by marrying a pastor. Now, I do not believe that you ever in all your life came to God as a poor, vile, worthless, miserable, hell-deserving sinner – not essentially better than those poor creatures over in the corner.”

She immediately straightened up, and her eyes flashed as she replied, “No, I never did, for I am not.”

I looked at her and quietly said, “You are about as full of spiritual conceit as anyone I ever met.”

She gasped out, “Mr. Torrey, you are cruel.”

“No,” I replied, “I am kind. It is not cruel, but it is kind to tell people the truth. Now, you are a physician, are you not?”

She said, “Yes, I am.”

I said, “Suppose you had a patient who had a great big tumor, and you took a sharp knife and cut it out. Would that be cruel?”

“No,” she answered, “that would be the kindest thing I could do.”

“Well,” I said, “you have a great big tumor of spiritual pride, and by the grace of God, I will cut it out tonight.”

The woman had sense even if she was proud. She immediately dropped on her knees and came to God as a poor, vile, worthless, miserable, hell-deserving sinner, and she got a satisfactory Christian experience. But there are some of you who have never done it, and some of you who are determined that you never will do it. Well, you will, or you will spend eternity in hell.

Come, my good-natured, upright, polished, perfect gentleman; you must come and take your place as a sinner if Jesus Christ is to take any interest in you and save you. Come, my fine lady with your fair and attractive life, beautiful character, generous culture, winsome personality, and honored place in society; you too must come to your right place before God as a sinner if Jesus Christ is to save you.

Yes, you must get down right alongside your sister from the slums, for Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and He saves nobody else. Are you one? Are you a real, genuine sinner? If not, Christ did not come for you. We have thousands in our churches today who have never taken their places as lost sinners before Jesus Christ, and, of course, they have never been saved.

END OF EXCERPT

This is a wonderful example of “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Here we see Mr. Torrey telling this woman what she needed to hear to become a Christian. She was a proud woman and this pride prevented her from humbling herself as a sinner before God.

God can’t save us until we realize how lost and wretched we are, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The good news of the gospel begins with the bad news of our utter depravity.

May God give us the humility to see our sinful condition and cry out to him for mercy. And may he give us the boldness to share the gospel with others – one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.

How to Be Saved and How to Be Lost: The Way of Salvation and the Way of Condemnation Made as Plain as Day, by Reuben Torrey, is available for free in Kindle format here.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Saved-Lost-Salvation-Condemnation-ebook/dp/B09NMTM8Q1

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How to Have More Hope

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Wayne Davies

There are two kinds of people in the world: the hopeless and the hopeful.

According to the Bible, Christians should be the hopeful. Because of God’s grace and the promises found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, our hearts can be filled with “the full assurance of hope” (Hebrews 6:11 ESV).

You just read God’s definition of hope. It is “full assurance” rather than wishful thinking. It’s the certain and confident expectation of God’s now and forever goodness toward his people.

The best way I know to maintain and increase our hope is to focus on God’s precious promises found in Scripture. Here are seven of them. Meditate on these words and God will fill your heart with hope. Each of these promises is fulfilled when we experience the presence of God, as indicated by the italicized words.

Psalm 16:11 – Eternal Life, Joy, and Pleasure
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 49:15 – Redemption from Death
But God will redeem me from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.

John 14:1-3 – Being with Jesus in the Father’s House
1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

John 17:24 – Seeing the Glory of Christ
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

2 Corinthians 5:6-9 – Being at Home
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

Philippians 1:21-23 – The Gain of What is Far Better
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far

1 John 3:2-3 – Being Like Christ
2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Which of these promises resonates most in your heart today? And why? I’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

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The Foolishness of Grace

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Wayne Davies


Why do so many people reject the gospel?

Here’s a verse that answers that question quite well.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV)

The truth about Jesus and what He did through His death is rejected because non-believers find it “absurd and illogical” (Amplified Bible). In a word, it is “nonsense” to them (J.B. Phillips New Testament).

Here’s an example of this phenomenon.

In late 2023 I wrote a book entitled Why Bad People Go to Heaven and Good People Go to Hell. Here’s what one reader thinks of this book. In a scathing 1-star review on Amazon, she wrote:

“Ok I’m a kid and this book is just stupid! First of all good people go to heaven bad people go to hell! This called common sense like come on. I what this book gone. I’m reporting this book! What is even the reason of this book? I’m can’t… wow I’m a kid and I know more than u!”

She is so upset, she vows to report this book. The phrase “I what this book gone” probably has a typo and should be “I want this book gone.”

It is sad but oh so prevalent to believe the false gospel of salvation by works rather than grace. This young reader has accepted the conventional wisdom that “all good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell.”

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12 NIV)

I remember well having an even more foolish mindset than this reader. After graduating from Bible college and seminary, I decided that Christianity was irrelevant and “stupid.” I turned my back on God, His Word, and His people and lived as an atheist for over 20 years. I viewed Christians as fools and loved to mock them. I was the fool who said “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). What could be more stupid than that?

Who do you know who needs to hear the “foolish” message that Jesus saves us “by grace . . . through faith” because “it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

A free copy of my 31-page book is available on Amazon in Kindle format here:
https://www.amazon.com/People-Heaven-Good-Hell-Part-ebook/dp/B0CLLJPS3X

Or as a free PDF here:
https://payhip.com/b/54GdA

Or in paperback here:
https://www.amazon.com/People-Heaven-Good-Hell-Part/dp/B0CMM18B8V

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Am I Really A Christian? (8 Doubts Answered)

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Wayne Davies


Do you ever have doubts about your salvation?

Do you ever wonder whether you are really a Christian?

I recently came across a helpful little booklet that addresses eight reasons that believers may question the genuineness of their conversion:

Am I Really A Christian? Eight Doubts Answered
by Thomas Boston

The author begins by acknowledging that “True Christians sometimes have serious doubts.” Then he explains eight specific doubts and how to overcome them.

DOUBT #1:

“Not knowing exact time of conversion.
I doubt I am really born again because I do not know the exact time of my conversion. Neither can I trace the steps that led me to becoming a Christian.

Answer: Though it is desirable to be able to describe the beginning of the Lord’s work in your life and the gradual growth you’ve enjoyed, this is not necessary to prove that you truly are a Christian. We must remember that the work of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. In the Gospel of John, we read about Jesus healing a blind man. This man simply said, “One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). When we see a flame, we know there is a fire, even if we don’t know how it began.

Even so, we can know we are Christians, even if we do not know how or when it all happened. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you repented from your sins? Has there been a change in your soul? Does your mind have light? Do you want to obey God in everything for the sake of Jesus, Who died on the cross? Do you love other believers? Do you flee from the evils in this wicked world? If you answer “yes” to such questions, then you do not need to trouble yourself with this doubt.”

DOUBT #2:

“Struggle with sin.
If I am really a Christian, a new creature in Christ, why do I continue to struggle with sin?

Answer: We certainly do not want to lay down pillows so that hypocrites can rest easy with indulging their sin and making God’s grace a slave to their lusts. On the other hand, we need to remember that “all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Sin may prevail at times even over the children of God. Are you groaning under the weight of sin and the corruption of your nature? Are you disgusted with yourself for the sins of your heart and life? Are you striving to put your lusts to death, fleeing daily to the blood of Christ for pardon and looking to His Spirit for sanctification? Though you might say with Psalm 65:3, “Iniquities prevail against me,” remember that this verse ends, “As for transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.”

The new creature in Christ is like a man who does not live in a house alone: an ill-tempered neighbor lives in the same house with him. His name is “remaining corruption.” These two constantly struggle with each other for control: “The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh” (Gal 5:17). Sometimes old “corruption” prevails and makes the child of God a captive to the law of sin (Rom 7:23). Do not let his occasional victories make you conclude that you are not a child of God! Instead, let it humble you. Let it make you more watchful. Let it make you thirst even more intensely for Jesus Christ, His blood and Spirit. The principle of grace within you, the new birth in Christ, will seek the destruction of the very sin that so often defeats you.”

I find these words most helpful. How about you? If you find this resource beneficial, let me know by leaving a comment below.

To get a free downloadable copy of this 16-page booklet, visit:
https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/aira/am-i-really-a-christian-bostonthomas

NOTE: This booklet contains selected sections from Human Nature in Its Fourfold State, by Thomas Boston, modernized for easier understanding by today’s reader. Jeffrey T. Riddle, pastor of Christ Reformed Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, provided the abstraction and modernization. Copyright 2015 Chapel Library. www.ChapelLibrary.org

 

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