Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Lenten Devotional–Day 19

Q. 30. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—“ (Eph. 2:8)

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NRSV)

If I had the wisdom of Solomon, the patience of John, the meekness of Moses, the strength of Samson, the obedience of Abraham, the compassion of Joseph, the tears of Jeremiah, the poetic skill of David, the prophetic voice of Elijah, the courage of Daniel, the greatness of John the Baptist, the endurance and love of Paul, I would still need redemption through Christ’s blood, the forgiveness of sin. - R. L. Wheeler

  After a 20-year struggle with drugs and a backslidden faith, this Hollywood bad boy is now squeaky clean. With a penchant for gospel music and a new lease on life, good guy Gary [Busey] is on the road back to God ....

  Baptized at the age of 12, Busey grew up as a believer, but stardom drew him to the world of drugs. In 1979, Gary received a rock of cocaine from a man who called himself "the devil," beginning the downward spiral of cocaine abuse. So bad was his addiction, Busey was charged with a $10,000 felony and a five-year jail sentence.

Ephesians2_8  Now Busey is walking the straight line, thanks to his renewed faith in Jesus Christ. "I rededicated my life to Christ, to the Promise Keepers, four years ago at Los Angeles Coliseum," says Busey.

  After experiencing a series of nosebleeds, last May Gary found out he had sinovial cell sarcoma maximal sinus cancer. The fact that his cancer was malignant could have caused Gary to waver dramatically in his faith. But Gary says faith in God was what pulled him through.

  Gary took comfort in his communion with God. "My prayer was, 'Dear Lord, I'm filled with fear at this time,' and a voice came through the back of my head - it always comes from the right and into the back - the voice said, 'Replace the word fear with faith.' So I did. And everything got okay." Gary did not exactly know what having faith meant at that time, but he knew enough to believe he would come out a winner either way. - "Gary Busey: Hollywood 'Bad Boy' turns to the gospel," CBN.com.

  The Christian life is made possible by the work of the Holy Spirit. John Calvin said that the Holy Spirit is the link or “the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to himself.” The Spirit unites us with Jesus Christ in a union that is deeply expressed in the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism: “Q. 1. What is your only comfort, in life and in death? A. That I belong – body and soul, in life and in death – not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ…” This declaration has been called “the basic affirmation of the faith of the Reformed Churches.” The results of our union with Christ are that we receive the benefits of Christ’s work of redemption. These include regeneration, faith, justification, sanctification, and glorification, which are the theological components of the full Christian life, even to the life everlasting. – excerpts from Donald K. McKim, “Introducing the Reformed Faith”, p. 159.

  Our union with Christ is by faith. Faith is the “principal work of the Holy Spirit.” The Christian who is united with Christ by faith has a faith that is comprehensive in scope.

  Faith is knowledge – its content is “God’s benevolence.”

  Faith is assured knowledge – “firm and certain,” enough for us to trust God fully.

  Faith is personal knowledge – “God’s benevolence toward us.” It is not just intellectual but is also a matter of the heart.

  Faith is a gift. God’s good will is “freely given” and reaches to us in Christ, even before we are aware of it.

  Faith is a relationship. Faith is “revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts.” The whole person receives God’s promise in Christ in personal terms and receives the person of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. – excerpts from Donald K. McKim, “Introducing the Reformed Faith”, p. 159-60.

  Redemption has more to it than just clipping coupons or collecting trading stamps. Redemption has to do with getting your life turned around, so whereas it was going in one direction, it is now headed another way ... often referred to religiously as a "better way." Such an experience gives one the opportunity to start over again, and nobody knows who or what one might become. - Source unknown

Today’s Lectionary Readings
Morning Psalm: 109
Evening Psalm: 113
Jeremiah 8:4-7, 18—9:6
Romans 5:1-11
John 8:12-20

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