Let Your Light Shine

Taken from :
Wisdom Hunter Devotionals
Thursday, November 21, 2024
 
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. (Phil 2:14-16, NKJV)
 
To live in the modern world is to be bombarded with messages of relentless urgency. “You’ll never find this deal again!” “The stakes have never been higher!” “Apply now, or you won’t get in!” Wave after successive wave of urgency crash upon the shores of our hearts, creating a constant state of anxiety and unrest within us. In many ways, we accept this as the unavoidable reality of the world in which we live and thus resign ourselves to this inevitable fate.

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Free from Accusation

by Ronnie Hewitt
 
The New Testament is filled with assurances of God’s forgiveness to those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. Paul shares a passage of Scripture that shows the contrast between our dreadful condition and God’s love, mercy, and grace in reaching out to us. “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (Col 1:21-22, NIV)

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East from the West

by Ronnie Hewitt
 
The Apostle Paul draws a gracious contrast between our ruin and God’s remedy. The contrast could not be more bold and complete. Our foolishness, disobedience, and enslavement to all kinds of sinful passions are met by God’s kindness, mercy, and love. Paul declares that the utterly unrighteous are declared righteous (justified) by God’s grace (Titus 3:7). As we said in last week’s article: God’s grace really is amazing.
 
We need to understand that God’s grace does not supplement our good works. Rather, His grace overcomes our bad works, which are our sins. God did this by placing our sins upon Christ and by letting the wrath we so fully deserve fall on Him. Because Jesus completely paid the awfully penalty of our sins, God could extend His grace to us through complete and total forgiveness of our sins. The extent of His forgiveness is vividly portrayed for us in the Old Testament.

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