Triplets of Faith: Gospel of Grace

 

Photo by Peter van der Sluijs 2016

Christ is risen, conquering sin and death! His death on the cross paid in full the penalty for all our sins. Because He arose, proving He is Son of God and God Himself, all who trust Him can live forever!
 
But when Jesus came in the flesh, most of the Jews failed to recognize Who He was. He and His disciples preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, namely that Jesus is the Son of God and the promised Messiah. Jesus gradually revealed more and more to His disciples about His imminent betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection (Matthew 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 26:2,45; Luke 24:7),.

Yet the disciples were reluctant to believe it (Matthew 16:20-23; Mark 8:29-33), for they saw Him not as the Sacrifice for our sins, but as the Christ (Messiah) Who would deliver them from earthly oppression and the King Who would reign over them. Even after His condemnation by false witnesses, death by crucifixion, and burial, the disciples were slow to accept the significance of these events.

Had the disciples believed that He would rise again on the third day, as He had foretold, they would no doubt have been waiting by the tomb, instead of hiding at home for fear of the Jews (John 20:9-10,19). They would not have been mourning His death (Mark 16:10) but eagerly anticipating His reappearance.

When the women ran to tell the disciples of the empty tomb, the men still doubted their “idle tales” until Peter saw Jesus’ head cloth lying separately from the other grave clothes (John 20:6-8; Luke 24:10-12). Mary Magdalene told the disciples of her meeting with the risen Christ (Mark 16:9-10), as did those on the road to Emmaus (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35).

Yet the apostles still did not believe until they themselves had seen the risen Christ in His glorified body (Mark 16:11-14; John 20:19-20; Luke 24:36-47), Thomas doubted what the other apostles said and did not accept that Christ had risen until he himself could see and feel the wounds in His hands and side (John 20:24-29).

Even after Christ ascended into Heaven, the focus’ of the disciples preaching was the Gospel of the Kingdom, that He was the Messiah Whom they rejected. Peter's sermon in Acts 2 to the Jews (v. 22) speaks of Jesus' resurrection (v. 24,27,31,32) as proof of His divinity and of being the promised Messiah. He speaks of His crucifixion to make his audience feel personally convicted of killing their Messiah (v.23,36,37).

But when the Jews, convicted in their hearts of having rejected Jesus, asked what they should do, Peter didn't say "you are saved by grace through faith," as Paul would later say (Ephesians 2: 8-9). Instead, Peter promised the Holy Ghost to those who repented and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (v. 38), which is the Gospel of the Kingdom first preached by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2,6,11).

Not until Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6) was the mystery of salvation for the Gentiles revealed – that Paul (Saul’s new name) would preach Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews (v. 15; Acts 20:21; Romans 10:12). Paul's message was the Gospel of Grace, that all are saved who place their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the perfect sacrifice to reconcile sinful man to Holy God, as the only Way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6).

Simply put, verbally declare that Jesus is Lord; believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved (Romans 10:9). This offer is open to anyone – “whosoever” -- will be saved (Romans 9:11-13). Salvation by grace is God’s freely given gift requiring only faith, not works, for there is nothing we can do to earn or merit it (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

The Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24) is referred to by three different names; the Gospel of God (or of Christ, Who is equal with God; Romans 1:1; 2 Corinthians 10:14), the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15; Romans 10:15), and the Glorious Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:11). The Gospel of God was foretold by the prophets, that God would become flesh as His Son Jesus Christ, and that He would show His power and holiness by rising from the dead  (Romans 1:1-6). This Gospel of God reflects God’s love (John 3:16), manifested as Jesus Christ Who is the saving power of God for all who believe in Him (Romans 1:16).

The Gospel of Grace is also the Gospel of Peace because it reconciles sinful man to Holy God, appeases His wrath at our sin and gives peace to believers in their eternal security. Having our feet shod with this Gospel is part of our armor of God (Ephesians 6:15), and our feet will be beautiful if they carry us to places where we preach this Good News (Romans 10:15).

Finally, the Gospel of Grace is the Glorious Gospel because Christ has the glory (Hebrews 2:7-9); He brings believers to glory (Hebrews 2:10); and we are awaiting His glorious appearing (Titus 2:13). How radiant and brilliant is that light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God! He commanded that light to shine out of the darkness of our sin, to shine in believers’ hearts, and to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

Paul himself is perhaps the best example of the power of the Glorious Gospel! Before he was saved, he was the worst of sinners, persecuting and killing Christians, thinking he was doing great religious works in God’s name because of his pride and self-righteousness (1 Timothy 1:11-17). As Saul, he was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious (v. 13). But Jesus Christ Whom Paul persecuted appeared to him in a brilliant light, causing him to fall to the ground in temporary blindness before He revealed Paul’s unique mission.

God not only saved Saul but used him to spread the Gospel of Grace to the Gentile nations and to pen a large portion of the New Testament! Paul’s example proves that there is Good News for each of us, no matter how dismal our past or how wicked our sins were, thanks to God’s grace, love and mercy!   

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives

Triplets of Faith: Gospel of the Kingdom

 

As we have seen, there are three true Gospels in various Biblical dispensations, the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14), the Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24), and the Everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7). “Gospel” means “Good News” for those who have faith that God is Who He says He is and will do what He says He will do, but judgment to those who do not (2 Corinthians 2:14-17).

The Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14), directed to the Jews and to the nation of Israel, itself has three aspects. It was proclaimed, it was renewed, and it will be fulfilled. As was foretold by prophets such as Isaiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel (Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 9:25-26) there would be a Messiah Who would deliver the Jews. They would return to the Promised Land from being scattered across the earth (Ezekiel 37:21-28), and the King would establish His Kingdom, reigning from the everlasting Throne of David (1 Kings 9:5; Isaiah 9:6-7; 16:5) in perfect peace, justice, and righteousness.

As prophesied by Isaiah (Mark 1:Luke 3:4, John 1:23), the Gospel of the Kingdom was proclaimed by John the Baptist, who preached to those from Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region around Jordan that the Kingdom of God was at hand (Matthew 3:1-6). John therefore asked men to repent, or to turn from their sins, to prepare the way of the Lord, or to make His paths straight, and to be baptized (Mark 1:2-5; Luke 3:2-6),

John’s message was that Jesus Christ was the promised Son of God, the Lamb of God, and the righteous Judge Who would baptize not with water but with the Holy Ghost and with fire (Mark 1:1,7, 8,11; Luke 3:16-17; John 1:15-36).

Three times an angel told of the Gospel of the Kingdom: to Zacharias, to the virgin Mary, and to the shepherds. Gabriel told Zacharias that his wife Elizabeth would bear John the Baptist, who would be filled with the Holy Ghost, lead the hearts of the Jews to repentance, and make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:15-17). Gabriel told the virgin Mary that God would establish a Kingdom on earth to be ruled by her Son Jesus, the promised Descendant of David (Luke 1:31-33), At Jesus’ birth the angel told the shepherds the “good tidings of great joy” that He was Savior, Christ, and Lord (Luke 3:10-11).

During His earthly ministry, the Kingdom Gospel was proclaimed by Jesus Himself (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:14-15); then by the 12 apostles (Matthew 10:5-8) and by the seventy (Luke 10:1-6). Jesus preached that the time was fulfilled for the kingdom of God, and that people should repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15). Once again, the crux of salvation was faith, or belief that what God said was true. The twelve and the seventy preached a simpler message: that the Kingdom of God was at hand.

During Jesus’ first coming, however, most of the Jews failed to recognize Jesus as their promised Messiah, and He was rejected, betrayed and crucified. Fulfillment of Christ’s Kingdom was therefore put on hold, as prophesied by Daniel in his reference to the gap between the 69^th and 70^th week when the Messiah would be “cut off” (Daniel 9:24-27), before He would ultimately be anointed King.

During the 70^th “week,” or seven-year period of the Tribulation, the prophet Elijah will return in a role parallel to that of John the Baptist, preparing the hearts of men to recognize that Christ’s return to fulfill the Gospel of the Kingdom is at hand (Malachi 4:5-6; Revelation 11:3-12).

This Gospel will be renewed or repeated during the Tribulation (Matthew 24:14;), once the Church has been raptured and God again deals with the nation of Israel, who rejected their Messiah in His first coming. During the Tribulation, the Kingdom Gospel will be preached to all nations before it ends with the glorious second coming of Christ in power.

Another aspect of Christ will then be revealed -- not the sacrificial Lamb and the humble Servant as in His first coming, but as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Righteous Judge (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:11,16; Psalm 72:2; 96:10,13; 2 Timothy 4:8). Ultimately He will reign forever in perfect peace and harmony, so the Jews will have their Messianic promise of the Kingdom Gospel fulfilled. 

As we shall see next time, the church, composed of those who were saved by placing their faith in the Gospel of Grace, will have eternal life in Heaven as the bride of Christ. May we add to those in Him by witnessing of God’s mercy, love and grace until He comes again!

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Photo 2009 by John Stephen Dwyer of Tiffany stained glass depicting John the Baptist

Triplets of Faith: Three True Gospels

 

Christians believe in one God, yet He is a triune God: God the Father; Jesus Christ the Son; and the Holy Spirit. Aspects of His triune nature are reflected in His creation, attributes, incarnation, earthly ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection, to name but a few.

So it is not surprising that throughout Biblical dispensations, there are three true Gospels: the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14), the Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24), and the Everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7). All of these are “Good News,” which is the meaning of the word “Gospel,” to those who place their faith in God, but judgment to those who do not (2 Corinthians 2:14-17).

Paul also refers to “another gospel,” (Galatians 1:6-9, 2 Corinthians 11:1-4) or false gospel that results in damnation rather than salvation because it requires that good works must be added to faith for a person to be saved (Colossians 2:8;18-23; Hebrews 6:1; 9:14). The preacher of such heresy is condemned even more than those who believe it (Galatians 1: 8-9).

God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), so how can there be three true Gospels? Although God made different covenants with mankind throughout Biblical history, the common element is our faith in Him (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-11; Hebrews 11). Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). Previously, now, and in the future, salvation is by His freely given grace, solely through our faith in Him, and not in our own works in a futile attempt to earn our entrance to Heaven (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

What is saving faith? It is our belief that God is Who He says He is (Matthew 16:15-17; John 1:12; 11:27) and that He will do what He has said He will do. By definition, it goes beyond what we can see and fathom intellectually (Hebrews 11,1), yet it is supported by visible evidence throughout God’s creation of Him as the Supreme Designer (Psalm 19:1). Faith only results in salvation if the object of that faith is the one true God, the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit.

Even unsaved people have “faith” that a chair they have never sat in before will support their weight, or that a pilot they have never met is capable of safely flying them to their destination. Evolutionists have “faith” that eons of time and astronomical odds result in creation of life from inanimate matter, and increasingly complex life forms from simpler ones, even though there is no observable evidence of these theories that defy known laws of thermodynamics.  

These types of misplaced “faith” do not result in forgiveness of sins or eternal life, for only the fool says in his heart that there is no God (Psalm 14:1).and worships the created being rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

When we try to determine whether another person will keep their promise, we examine their character, intentions and their ability to carry out those intentions. We may believe that a spouse wants to support and encourage us throughout our lifetime, and they may have a good and faithful character so that they sincerely want to do so. Yet humans have limited power and finite time on earth, so they may fall short of their promise due to physical or mental infirmities or even untimely death (Job 14:1; James 4:14).

When we believe the promises of God, it is because we have faith not only in His character and intentions, but also in His ability to fulfill those promises. We believe that He is love (1 John 4:8), truth (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 71:22; John 18:37), and light (1 John 1:5), and that He therefore wants only the best for His children (Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:28) and will never lie (Titus 1:2).

Because God is perfectly holy (Leviticus 11:44,45, etc.) and just.( Job 4:17;8:3, etc.), He must punish sin and separate Himself from those who sin, unless they are redeemed by the perfect sacrifice of His Son (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

God has unlimited ability to fulfill His good intentions toward us because He is omnipotent, with infinite power (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17,27) omniscient, with infinite knowledge of all things past, present and future (Psalm 139:1-6); and omnipresent, so that He can be anywhere and everywhere, accompanying us in any and every circumstance (Psalm 139:7-11). He will never leave nor forsake His children (Hebrews 13:5).

Future posts will explore how God progressively revealed and will reveal Himself to those who believe in Him, through the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14), the Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24), and the Everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7).. Praise God that His promises can be trusted, and that faith in Him brings eternal life!

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Wait for God's Best

Photo by Laurie Collett 2020

My husband and I were walking the beach on a beautiful morning, in the perfect setting for our prescribed 30-minute brisk daily walk. The sun-streaked, silver waves glimmered as they swirled along the shore in frothy, lacy curly-cues. Feathery clouds arched through the robin’s egg blue sky, where terns flew in a V-shaped formation and pelicans soared, periodically interrupting their flight to nose dive into the sea in search of breakfast.

“Only primo specimens,” Richard shouted over the drum roll of the surf. He must have seen me glancing furtively at the chipped, yet still colorful and intricate shells lining the beach, and the fragments of fossilized bone that were too small to be identified and given a home in his already vast collection. 

With a sigh, I knew he was right. Not only would such souvenirs add to the clutter at home, but they would weigh us down on our morning walk. On previous jaunts like this, poor Richard was laden down, beach bag stuffed and pockets bulging with what appeared to the casual observer to be just rocks! 

The main objective on this day was to get 30 minutes of moderately paced exercise, to strengthen our hearts, bodies and immune system. If we were to get bogged down stopping to examine, pick up, and rinse off a beach treasure, it would interrupt our continuous exercise and keep us from reaching our goal. 

Being too preoccupied with beachcombing could also distract us from taking time to appreciate God’s blessings of the balmy breeze, the crisp salt air, the warm sunshine, and each other to share the experience!

Later on, on our sunset stroll, there would be the luxury of pausing to admire each find and show it to each other, discussing whether a long, black object was a fossilized rib or femur to be kept, or just a rock to be discarded. But even then, if we collected merely average specimens, we would run out of room in our bag and pockets for finer gifts from the sea. 

As I wandered along the shore’s edge, often a shiny or dark, large object would catch my eye, and I would bend down to scoop out of the water before the waves could carry it away. But often, as I did that, finally clutching the prize in my hand, I would notice an even better specimen being drawn out to sea by the waves, now tantalizingly out of reach. 

Whether or not we fill our storage chests with better or worse specimens is of minimal importance in the vast scheme of things. But it reminded me that we can become weighted down (Hebrews 12:1), and even set off course, by the seemingly good things the world has to offer, while missing out on God’s best (James 4:4). 

As born-again Christians (John 3:3-8) saved by our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we know that He has a unique plan for each of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). The safest and best place we could possibly be is to be in the center of that plan, for He loves us infinitely and wants what is best for us (Jeremiah 33:3). 

The extent of the rewards we are given at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-15), and the sorrow we experience over missed opportunities to serve Him, will in large part depend on how attuned we are to hear the Holy Spirit’s guidance and to make wise choices (Romans 8:14; Matthew 6:24). To run the race of faith with perseverance and dedication, we must not become weighted down with distractions, or worse yet, let temptation lead to sin that keeps us from finishing the course (1 Corinthians 9:24, Hebrews 12:1). 

I remembered a story often repeated by Charles Stanley in his sermons, which I will attempt to paraphrase. As a young pastor struggling to make ends meet, he needed to replace his car. He prayed and searched for a good deal on a used economy car, and finally found one for sale that seemed to be a perfect fit for his budget. 

As he was about to sign the paper work, he heard the Holy Spirit asking him, “Son, do you want this, or do you want God’s best?” 

So he muttered an apology to the confused salesman, got up, and left the car dealership, reluctant to let the car go, yet trusting in God’s will and guidance. Three days later, he was stunned by a surprise visit from a member of his congregation. 

“Pastor, I know you need another vehicle, and one day over coffee a few weeks ago you shared with me all the features you would like in your dream car if money were no object,” the church member began..”So I took the liberty of purchasing your brand new dream car for you, and I am praying you will accept it as a gift from me and my family.” 

Needless to say, Pastor Stanley learned the lessons of listening for God’s still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12), and waiting on the Lord (Psalm 27:14), Who always desires to shower His children with the blessing of His very best gifts (Matthew 7:11). May we do the same until He comes again!

© 2020 Laurie Collett

What’s In A Name?

 

Romeo and Juliet by Dicksee

As Romeo asked Juliet in the famed Shakespeare tragedy about star-crossed lovers from families warring against each other, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

But in reality, names do matter. They indicate the authority of the one giving the name, and often the characteristics of the one being named. Our parents had the right to name each of us, for they brought us into the world and had authority over us as they raised us.

The name given may reflect the parents’ hopes for spiritual attributes the child will one day demonstrate, such as “Faith,” “Grace,” or “Charity.” Children may be named after a relative, a popular celebrity, historical figure, or Bible hero, such as “Mary,” “John,” or even “Jesus.” Conversely, very few children are named “Adolph” or “Judas!”

God gave Adam the task of naming all the animals, indicating his dominion over the animal kingdom, as well as his intelligence and creativity in selecting appropriate names for each species (Genesis 1:26, 28; 2:19-20). Men and women of Scripture sometimes changed their name when their life circumstances shifted. After the death of her sons, Naomi renamed herself “Mara,” meaning “bitter,” as her joy gave way to sorrow (Ruth 1:20).

Speaking through angels, God Himself gave names to those playing pivotal roles in His master plan, including John the Baptist (Luke 1:13), and Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew, meaning “Yahweh saves”), for He would save the people from their sins (Luke 1:31). God sometimes changed the name of people to indicate a dramatic shift in their mindset as they accepted the new destiny He had in mind for them since before the beginning of time (Jeremiah 29:11).

Abram became Abraham as he took the first step of faith toward the Promised Land to become the father of a great nation (Genesis 17:5). His wife Sarai became Sarah as she learned that she would give birth in her old age, making her a mother of nations and ancestor of the promised Messiah (Genesis 17:15).

Jesus renamed His apostle Simon to become Peter (Mark 3:16), yet He reverted to calling him Simon when he showed a false self-confidence instead of relying on faith in Christ (Luke 22:31). Saul, a legalistic Pharisee who thought he was doing God a favor by persecuting and killing Christians, became the apostle Paul (Acts 13:9), evangelist, church planter, and author of much of the New Testament.

Nicknames and titles that we use for one another often portray our relationship to that person. My husband may call me “Baby,” and my patients used to call me “Doctor,” but I would find it very strange if it were the other way! As an infant grows and a child matures, their parents or classmates may give them a nickname suitable for their attributes. A strawberry blonde may be called “Red,” or an academic overachiever “Braniac.”

When it comes to Jesus Himself, His many appellations each show us different facets of His character and attributes. He is our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 11:17; 15:11), for we should willingly yield to His complete dominion over our lives; He is our Savior; and He is the Christ, the anointed One and promised Messiah. His is the only Name by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12), by trusting in His death, burial and resurrection as the only Way to Heaven.

He is Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father and Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6). His beauty and heavenly fragrance make Him the Rose of Sharon and Lily of the Valleys (Song of Solomon 2:1). He is the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5) and True Vine from Whom we can bloom and bear fruit if we remain in Him (John 15:1-5).

As lost sheep prone to go astray, we must follow Him as the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd (John 10:11-18; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4; Psalm 23). When we are in danger He is our solid Rock (Matthew 16:18), sure Foundation and Cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16), strong Tower (Proverbs 18:10), and Refuge (Psalm 62:8).

Jesus Christ is not only the Word Who created us and all things (John 1:1-3, but our Sustainer (Psalm 55:22) and Redeemer (Job 19:25). He gives us physical and spiritual nourishment as the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and Living Water (John 4:10). He is the Door (John 10:7) and the Way, Truth and Life (John 14:6) through which we enter Heaven to live forever, as He is also the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). One day He will return as the Righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8), King of Kings and Lord of Lords! (Revelation 17:14).

But mere names are insufficient to encompass His glory that we will only fully appreciate when we see our Lord Jesus Christ face to face! Praise God that He will then give each of us a new name (Revelation 2:17), symbolizing our new mission He has given us to enjoy throughout all eternity!

Copyright Laurie Barclay 2026

Judgment and Deliverance by Water

 

Painting by Lidia Kosenitzky 2009 (wikimedia)

Water in the Bible may represent God’s blessings of physical and spiritual sustenance and healing. But the Lord gives and He takes away (Job 1:21), and He can use water as an instrument of His omnipotent wrath as well as His infinite love.

God used water to judge mankind for their sin when He destroyed the vast majority of men and living creatures in a global flood, sparing only faithful Noah and his family (Genesis 6:17). Thankfully, He promised that He would never again destroy the whole earth by water, and He gave us the rainbow as His sign of that promise (Genesis 9 :11-15).

Nonetheless, God continued to use the destructive force of water and localized flooding as an instrument of judgment, as in the ”overflowing flood ’’ that destroyed the city of the Philistines (Jeremiah 47:2). While sparing the Israelites and allowing their escape from captivity as He parted the Red Sea waters (Exodus 14::21-29; Nehemiah 9:11). He released the waves just in time for the pursuing Egyptians to drown (Psalm 106:11).

Other examples of water as a barricade preventing passage until God miraculously intervened include His drying up the Jordan waters so the Israelites could pass over (Joshua 4:23,) and Elijah and then Elisha parting the waters to cross the Jordan (2 Kings 2:8,14). Oceans and other great bodies of water tend to isolate peoples and nations, particularly before modern times of air travel. In the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more sea (Revelation 21:1), perhaps representing the unity of all the saints throughout eternity, and free passage to one another at the speed of thought!

God used the violent power of water to punish Jonah for his disobedience (Jonah 2:3-5), as his boat was tossed about in the storm, he was plunged beneath the waves, and he was swallowed by a great fish. But once he learned his lesson and prayed to God for mercy, the whale vomited so that the waves could cast Jonah safely onto dry land (Jonah 2:10). Similarly, the churning waves in a storm tested the faith of Jesus’ disciples while revealing His supernatural power to save them (Matthew 8:24-27).

Contamination of the water is a terrible judgment, as in the Egyptian plague of waters turning to blood (Exodus 7:17-24; Psalm 105:29). To punish the Israelites for their sin of idolatry, Moses ground up the golden calf and added the powder to their drinking water (Exodus 32:20); During the Tribulation, the waters will again be contaminated as the star Wormwood falls into the sea, polluting one third of the water (Revelation 8:10-11).

Elisha purified barren water with salt (2 Kings 2: 19-22), foreshadowing Christ’s commandment that believers be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), comforting and restoring those marred by the sinful world. Moses turned bitter water to sweet with a medicinal branch (Exodus 15:23-25), and Jesus Christ Who is the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15) purifies our sinful souls.

When believers are born again by placing their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to eternal life (John 14:6), the indwelling Holy Spirit makes each of us a source of living water to refresh the world (John 7:38) by sharing God’s Word and His love.

But sadly, our remaining sin nature sometimes pollutes our testimony. As James reminds us, the same fountain cannot give forth sweet and bitter water (James 3:11-12), and if we allow our sin nature to gain control, what we spout forth is poison not fit for others to consume (James 3:8). But if believers yield to the Spirit, He can use the living water, or Scripture spoken in love, flowing from us to help cleanse others from sin-sickness and to be a healing force for good and for salvation.

With every instance of God’s judgment through water He has provided deliverance for those who are faithful and obedient to Him. Noah and his family found refuge in the ark floating safely above the flood waters, which was echoed in baby Moses floating in his basket to escape infanticide as he was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:10). In their angry pursuit of the escaping Israelites, the Egyptians perished in the Red Sea, but God made a way through the raging waters for His chosen people.

God chastised Jonah by enclosing him in a watery grave for three days and nights, foreshadowing God’s ultimate plan of salvation as Jesus Christ rose from the dead to conquer sin and death forever (John 3:16; Romans 5:12-21). The prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2) may control the waves, but even he must cease and desist when the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) rebukes the storm. Praise God that He is not only the Righteous Judge (Psalm 9:8; Revelation 19:11), but also our Savior, Deliverer and Redeemer! (Isaiah 47:4; 60:16)

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

God Answers Prayer!

 

As born-again Christians, we believe that God is in control and that His will is done. Why, then should we pray?

We should pray because His Word commands us to (Psalm 62:8; Luke 11:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), as an act of worship pleasing to Him as a sweet-smelling fragrance (Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4), and because it changes us. Our prayers should not be directed toward changing God’s mind, since we know God does not change (Hebrews 13:8), but to align our mind and heart with the indwelling mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

God always answers the prayers of His children who are right in their heart attitude toward Him (Isaiah 65:24), meaning they are not coming in rebellion or lusting after the flesh (James 4:3), but rather in humble submission, earnestly seeking God’s will and His face. Sometimes He answers “Yes,” sometimes “No,” sometimes “Yes, but in the right time,” and sometimes “No, because what I want to give you is even better than what you have asked for.”

It pleases God to give good and perfect gifts to His children (Luke 11:13), so if we ask Him to meet our needs in accordance with His perfect will, we can expect to be blessed (John 15:7). The clearest example of this is the sinner’s prayer, which is one prayer God will always answer “Yes!” because it is His perfect will that all should be saved (2 Peter 3:9). When the lost person realizes he is a sinner, turns away from his sin, and trusts in Christ as the Son of God, the perfect sacrifice for our sins Who died on the cross, was buried, and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) that we also may have eternal life (John 3:16), God will save him (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13).

However, the blessing we receive from prayer may not always be what we had prayed for, and it may even seem to our limited vantage point to be quite the opposite. When we ask for healing of our loved one who is sick, and that person dies, we may despair that God has not heard our prayer or cared enough for us to answer it as we had hoped. Yet if that person was saved, God has indeed given him perfect healing and perfect peace in Heaven, and he will use the situation to bring good into the lives of others in ways that we cannot begin to understand until we reach glory (Romans 8:28).

Paul asked God three times to take away his “thorn in the flesh,” a physical ailment that brought him great distress, but that kept his pride in check. God said “No,” because the lesson Paul learned of God’s grace being sufficient was a far greater blessing than physical healing would have been. This lesson enabled him to rejoice and be fruitful even when imprisoned, abandoned, and in other dire straits, because he was relying on God’s strength instead of trusting in his own flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

God the Father even said “No” to His own Son when Jesus asked that if it were possible, that the cup of suffering would pass from Him, yet the Son yielded to His Father’s will (Matthew 26:39).

God sometimes allows us to go through illness or other storms of life because they bring us closer to Him. If we seek His perfect will, He may sometimes calm the storm, as He did for His disciples in the boat on the troubled sea (Matthew 8: 24-27). But at other times, His perfect answer to our prayer may be to calm us instead, bringing us the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and the fellowship of His suffering that conforms us to the image of His Son (Philippians 3:10).

As we pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, helping us to pray in accordance with God’s will even when we don’t know what to ask for (Romans 8:26). He will teach us to trust Him (Proverbs 3: 5-6), deepening our faith (Mark 11:22-24) as we accept that He knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), and that He will give us what is best for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

We may not always understand or appreciate God’s answer to our prayers, for His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). Yet He answers our prayers exceedingly abundantly beyond what we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Thank God for His infinite wisdom and infinite love, for He answers our prayers in the best possible way!

Copyright 2011 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded, and reposted from the archives