Posts Tagged ‘Joy’
How One’s Interpretation Can Change The Meaning Of Scripture
Ephesians 1:5 KJV
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
I heard a well known Pastor on the radio the other night preach on this particular scripture. In my opinion he completely misinterpreted the meaning of this verse: teaching that God chose to make people holy who would choose to accept Jesus. I understand that he was looking at this through his theology and you might agree with him, but was he right? So let us look closely at what the scripture says.
The first five words sets the stage, “According as he hath chosen”. A choice was made by God and we must answer the question of “Who” were chosen? The very next word gives us the answer and it is “US”. Now who are the “US”? The first sentence to this letter gives us that answer:
Ephesians 1:1 KJV
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
You can see that Paul was writing this letter to the “saints”, at Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus. In other words Paul was addressing Christians, and these Christians are the “US” that was chosen in him, that is Jesus.
Now we need to know “When and Why” they were chosen.
They, The “Us”, were “Chosen” by God, (when) “Before the foundation of the world”, (why) “that we should be Holy in Jesus and without blame before him in love”, for we have no holiness in and of ourselves because of our sin nature, and this includes everyone who would ever be saved. For all Christians are “Saints”.
In other words, God (what) “Chose”, (who) “US”, (when) ”before the foundation of the world”, (why) “That we should be Holy and without blame before him in Jesus”. He did not choose to make us Holy, He chose “US” to be Holy because we could never be Holy in and of ourselves due to our sinfulness.
Knowing what God “did” to “whom” “when and why” makes the first five verses of Ephesians 1 more easy to understand, and more praise worthy of God.
Ephesians 1:1-5 KJV
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: [2] Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Thank God He did.
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A Good Reason For Prayer
For the Christian prayer is an important avenue to God. Actually, prayer is only for the Christian as they are the only ones who stand before God forgiven for their sins, and have been given the right to come directly to God with our petitions. All other people are still under God’s wrath and God’s condemnation. So, being a Christian allows us a way to talk with God anytime anywhere for any reason.
Therein lies the reason for prayer.
God knows our needs even before we think of them and come to having a desire to call out to Him. Our prayers cannot change God’s will nor can it bring anything to Him that He does not already know and for which He has not already a planned response. So, if God knows all things and controls all things through His direct and permissive will, then why is there a need for prayer? Why should we pray if we cannot influence God or change His will in any manner shape or form.
Because prayer is not for us to bring God around to our way of thinking. Prayer is for our benefit. Through prayer we can, and will, grow in our reliance upon and trust in God. You see, prayer allows us to come to God and tell Him all about our problems, our concerns, our joys and our sorrows. We can tell Him what we would like, how we think the results should be in a given situation, why we need the things for which we ask, in short, we can bare our souls desires to Him and let Him know what it is exactly what “we” want and yet, be completely reliant upon Him for the answer, no matter what it is, knowing that He has our best interest at heart.
We may not get the answer that we want, but can rest assured that we will get an answer. How we respond relies upon our trust in Him for knowing His way is always the best way.
For instance, we know what it is that God tells us in Romans 8: 28:
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
All true Christians are the “called” of God and since we are called by God to be His children do we not think that He will take care of us in the best way possible? That is what prayer is all about – trusting in God and relying upon Him for our care while in this life.
As this trust and reliance upon God grows we will find how much at peace we can be no matter what the situation is in which we find ourselves.
In Philippians 4: 6, 7 we read:
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
We can pray to God for any and all reasons and, if we do so with an understanding of how God responds and how we find our faith, trust and reliance upon God growing, we can have a peace no one else in this world will ever know. We can have much or we can have little, we can even be in the worst of times but we can still have this peace, a peace that keeps us in God’s will and love knowing that what is happening is for God’s praise and for our good.
So, dear Christian, pray always. Actually prayer is nothing more than talking with God, not some ritual that we must repeat or go through every time we want to come before God. He knows you, He loves you and He is always there whenever you want to be with Him. What I like is that we can talk with Him whether we have a need or not. Just to talk with God about anything is the greatest feeling there is, but only if we grow in our trust in Him and in our reliance upon Him for responding to us in a way that is good for us. The peace that follows is something that this world does not have nor will it ever know or experience.
So, what is a good reason for prayer? Anything at all and the peace that we can find within it. And, remember this. The more you pray, or talk, with God the more your trust will grow and you will become more reliant upon God for being there at anytime you want to talk with Him. The result is peace of mind and peace of heart, and feeling the love of God fill you with joy unspeakable no matter what the situation is in which you find yourself.
Oh, one more good reason for praying is the fact that God wants to hear from you, but He will only listen to you if you are a Christian. So, why not submit now to Jesus as Lord of your life, confess your sinfulness and you will find that Jesus is also Savior of your soul. He is the only way to the Father and only through Jesus, and no one else, can we have access to the throne of God.
Peace is waiting for you, and you can find it in Jesus through your prayers to the Father.
Begin The New Year With Joy In The Lord!
A Psalm of Thanksgiving.
Psalm 100:
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
Only those who belong to Jesus can sing such praise. For it is He who died for sins and it is only by Him can any of us enter into Heaven. There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be, or can be, saved.
Bow before Jesus and proclaim His Lordship over you and believe in Him as Savior and you, too, can sing these praises unto the Lord our God. So, make a joyful noise, come before the Lord of the universe and sing His praises. It is God Who has made us for Him and we are to be His joy, but only if we belong to Jesus.
Come into His courts with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. The Lord is faithful. He will keep us for all eternity. Thank Him for His mercy and forgiveness. Come, now, kneel before the King of Kings and cry out for mercy and forgiveness of your sins and submit to the Lord of Lords to receive salvation that is offered to all who will come.
Begin the New Year with a new heart and a new song. Love the Lord and be thankful to Him. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth does, indeed, endure to all generations.
Begin the New Year with joy in the Lord!
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