Praise the Lord! and Happy New Year to everyone. I pray that everyone will enjoy Gods blessing in this coming year. This holiday season was especially blessed because my wife and I spent it together for the first time as a family.
My goal this year as it is every year is to die more to self and live more as an obedient servant of God.
Paul stated in Galatians 2:20+21 that
20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
That is my goal in life now, crucified with Christ, my self dead to the world yet living by my faith in God. I want to be lead by Him and his spirit. I want to be in his perfect will. I want to hear his voice and act. I no longer want to lean on my own understanding to solve any predicament I might find myself in. I want to look to the hills from whence cometh my help? and know it comes from the Lord!
Paul also stated that " I do not frustrate the grace of God:..." To frustrate means to make ineffectual or invalid, to nullify or prevent from accomplishing a purpose. When we try to save ourselves or take conrol of our wills and take matters into our own hands we frustrate the grace of God. What can man do that God can't do better? The Jehovah's witnesses are a perfect example, they feel they have to do works in order to get into heaven. If that were true then Jesus did not need to die on the cross. We could just do ministry and good works and that would be all we needed. We can not save or fix ourselves. Gods word says in Ephesians 2:8+9
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Faith and works are linked to each other but faith should lead to works. Everything we do should be born out of faith. The word of God states in Romans 10:17
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Upon hearing the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ our hearts should be pricked leading us to accept Gods amazing grace by faith in his word. Unfortunately many hear the message and reject it saying many things like "there are many ways to God! Why Jesus only? I'm a good person, I don't bother anybody why would God send me to hell?" They would frustrate the Grace of God and nulify the work Jesus did on the cross. Churches that preach things like you have to speak in tongues to be saved or you have to be baptised to be saved frustrate the grace of God. Grace is Gods unmerited favor, we don't deserve it but He gives it to us anyway. We can't earn it or buy it. Our works are as "filthy rags" to Him. The things I do and want to do for the Lord come from my love for Him and what he did for me. I love Him because He first loved me. So now I want to give Jesus my all because He gave his all for me.
God bless you all, Brother Darrell, A Watchman
My goal this year as it is every year is to die more to self and live more as an obedient servant of God.
Paul stated in Galatians 2:20+21 that
20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
That is my goal in life now, crucified with Christ, my self dead to the world yet living by my faith in God. I want to be lead by Him and his spirit. I want to be in his perfect will. I want to hear his voice and act. I no longer want to lean on my own understanding to solve any predicament I might find myself in. I want to look to the hills from whence cometh my help? and know it comes from the Lord!
Paul also stated that " I do not frustrate the grace of God:..." To frustrate means to make ineffectual or invalid, to nullify or prevent from accomplishing a purpose. When we try to save ourselves or take conrol of our wills and take matters into our own hands we frustrate the grace of God. What can man do that God can't do better? The Jehovah's witnesses are a perfect example, they feel they have to do works in order to get into heaven. If that were true then Jesus did not need to die on the cross. We could just do ministry and good works and that would be all we needed. We can not save or fix ourselves. Gods word says in Ephesians 2:8+9
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Faith and works are linked to each other but faith should lead to works. Everything we do should be born out of faith. The word of God states in Romans 10:17
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Upon hearing the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ our hearts should be pricked leading us to accept Gods amazing grace by faith in his word. Unfortunately many hear the message and reject it saying many things like "there are many ways to God! Why Jesus only? I'm a good person, I don't bother anybody why would God send me to hell?" They would frustrate the Grace of God and nulify the work Jesus did on the cross. Churches that preach things like you have to speak in tongues to be saved or you have to be baptised to be saved frustrate the grace of God. Grace is Gods unmerited favor, we don't deserve it but He gives it to us anyway. We can't earn it or buy it. Our works are as "filthy rags" to Him. The things I do and want to do for the Lord come from my love for Him and what he did for me. I love Him because He first loved me. So now I want to give Jesus my all because He gave his all for me.
God bless you all, Brother Darrell, A Watchman
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