The A-Z of Salvation | Y stands for Yes!

 

 ^{Paul had Enemies!}

^{The apostle Paul, like his Master, had enemies!} 

^{With all the great supernatural spiritual success he enjoyed many were jealous of him - but envy produces a common kind of enemy experienced in all walks of life, by believer and unbeliever alike.}  

^{Paul had two kinds of spiritual enemy.}

^{First the 'Judaisers' who were fiercely loyal to the traditions of Jewish rabbis and hated Paul for turning his back on the man-made laws of Judaism when he converted to Jesus.}

^{This variety of enemy pursued him from city to city. As soon as he had planted a church they infiltrated it and tried to slur Paul's name in the hope that a slur on the messenger would smear the message.}

^{The second kind of enemy were the boasters. These loved big word, big name, big shot kind of religion. They were self-styled super-apostles who operated just like the TV evangelists and celebrities of our day. They loved education, fame, money and status. They hated Paul because he had given up that kind of human religion when he began following a crucifed Saviour. Paul had began boasting about his sufferings, imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks and betrayals. Just the sort of stuff the big shots loathed, despised and thought were signs of weakness!}

^{(There is a solemn lesson here: true Christians and true Christian leaders will have enemies. To avoid enemies, one has to be a spiritual chameleon changing colour with every environment or group of people you meet. Beware of truth-hiding chamelons!)}

^{Paul's Yes and God's Yeses}

^{Anyway, it was this kind of enemy that Paul has to deal with in 1st and 2nd Corinthians - those infected with the disease of bigshot-itis! They had found a reason to attack Paul. He had told the Corinthians that he was going to come to Corinth to visit them but he had failed to do so, "There you go, Paul is a liar, told you so. When Paul says 'yes' you can't trust him. He's insincere, dishonest and deceitful."}

^{Paul's response is that when he told them his intention and desire to come to Corinth he was sincere. It was not a glib comment but an earnest aim. However, since none of us know what lies ahead - Covid era or not - Paul was unable to fulfil his desire.} 

^{Paul uses this scenario to write our verse for the day:}

 ^"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ"

Paul turns the situation around. Paul may not always be able to fulfil his desires, but God always fulfills his promises, and he does so through his Son.

 ^"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ"

In this series of devotionals, we've arrived at the letter Y, Y for Yes! All of God's promises are Yes, all of them will be fulfilled. And they are all fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

God promises forgiveness - that was fulfilled through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

God promises never to leave us - that is fulfilled by the presence of the Lord Jesus

God promises to keep us to the end - that is fulfilled by the powerful indwelling Spirit of Jesus

God promises to take us to heaven - that promise is fulfilled by the Lord Jesus who went ahead to prepare a place in his Father's house for us

And so it goes on and on! Every single promise God has made to us has been fulfilled through Jesus Christ, God's Son.

Paul turns an enemy slur into a spiritual lesson! Every single spiritual blessing that comes to us comes through Jesus Christ.

A SONG FOR THE DAY

Our song for the day echoes this truth, all the promises of God are 'yes' through Christ Jesus.

 

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

 

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.

 

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

 

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

 

Getty/ Townend

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Our ever-merciful Father in heaven,

We thank you for all your suffering servants. We thank you that Jesus Christ sets the pattern for true servants and true shepherds. We thank you that since he was despised and rejected by men, so we too must seek the same characteristics in those who we regard as great in your kingdom.

Forgive us for thinking like the world and looking to the world of celebrities instead of to the Word of God.

We thank you for every spiritual blessing that has come to us through the gift of your beloved and precious Son. Thank you for giving him up for us so that we can live and know you and have eternal life.

We offer these prayers in His eternal Name,

Amen.