Luke 18:9-14 – “He (Jesus) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:  “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

My encouragement today, is in how we should walk in a daily relationship to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  As Christians, we have a heightened awareness of our sin with the Holy Spirit to convict us.  Although we begin our walk of faith, with a confession, a declaration that Christ alone can atone for sins, and He has done so through His death, burial, and resurrection, we are tempted thereafter to pursue peace by doing good rather than bad.  It is right to hate sin.  It is right to pursue good, to push back the darkness in our world by being light.  We must be careful with our hearts though.  We must never allow ourselves to despair in our sin, nor find peace in our perceived righteousness.

Our God did not look at you and decide that you were more righteous than others and therefore He saved you.  No, the Bible is clear in Romans 3:11-12 – “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”  Rather, it was only the mercy of God that saved you.  Romans 9:15-16 – “For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”

Our God is merciful.  Abounding in steadfast love.  A love that is greater than all your sin.  A love that is greater than the pride that accompanies self-righteousness.  My exhortation is to rest your heart in the finished work of Jesus.  Plead his mercy on your life, and trust that He eagerly seeks to give it.  Do not be afraid to be weak before God, that is the only way any of us can receive Him daily.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

As you trust alone in the mercy of God, know that He has a plan for you right where you are.  Walk one step at a time, and know that God is with you the entire way.

Grace and Peace,

Adam

John 16:33 – “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

My hope is that today’s word will be an encouragement to those of you who are going through a particularly difficult season, whether a struggle related to your own sin, a struggle related to the sin of others, or a struggle related to the sin of the fallen world in which we live.  We make war against our own sin and unbelief, so that we can know and enjoy the peace of God towards us in Christ.

Jesus did not talk about trouble as if it were something that might happen, he spoke of it as something that would happen.  So the first thing I want to encourage you with is that whatever you are working through now is not a surprise to God, and He will walk with you through it.  He loves you.  You are and adopted son or daughter of the King, and nothing can separate you from His love.

Ten million years from now, whatever sufferings we endure now will not compare to the glory of God which we enjoying forever, and that is our identity, our inheritance forever.

Romans 8:35-38 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  As it is written,

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What does it mean that we are “more than conquerors through him who loved us?”  Sin and your past identity was conquered in the death of Jesus on the cross.  But that is not the end.  The very sin, the struggles that have been conquered now serve to remind us of the love of God towards us, that things are not as they ought to be, and in love God came to put an end to sin and suffering, redeeming us in His blood.  Even more, we are not merely saved from sin and suffering, we are saved to Christ.  We are his Holy possession, guarded by the Holy Spirit, His bride, and the wedding is coming.

Colossians 3:3-4 – “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”  

Stay encouraged, God is always with you, and for you.

1 Peter 1:3-7 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

My exhortation is this – do not believe the lies of the enemy that you are defined by your sin or circumstances – God has told you what you are through Jesus.  You are so much more, and God loves you more than you can fathom.  Keep looking to Christ daily, and entrusting yourself and your situation to Him, knowing He cares for you.  Make war on sin and the urge to despair amidst hard times, and grab hold of the peace of God for you in Christ.