Eager To Be Free

“The Lord is good…he knows everyone who trusts in him.”  Nahum 1:7

He knows!  Those of you counting on Him to be your salvation, your righteousness, your strength, and your provision, should be greatly encouraged.  The Lord knows who you are, and He can’t help responding to your believing heart.

God is keenly aware when even the tiniest glimmer of trust begins to flicker in the heart of one of His creatures.   Scripture declares that His eyes roam to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of anyone who is committed to trusting Him. (II Chronicles 16:9)

Only in trusting God can we ever fully please Him.  (Hebrews  11:6) The good news is:  it is not about our performance!  That will always fall short, because we are human.

But those who trust in Christ are automatically considered righteous through what Christ did on the cross.  He was made sin for us so we might be made righteous through Him.  (II Corinthians 5:23) It doesn’t depend on me!

PONDER: Have I rested my full “weight” on Jesus, trusting Him as God’s only provision for my salvation and sanctification?  Or do I feel there is still some part of this whole process that depends on me?

PRAYER: Lord, open my eyes to the many times You’ve declared in your Word that I am made right with You by trusting in what Jesus has done for me.  It’s a gift!  It cannot be earned — only received.

Tags: glimmer, II Chronicles, II Corinthians, performance, provision, righteous, salvation, sanctification, weight
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“May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation — the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ — for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”  Philippians 1:11

This sounds a lot like Jesus’ words in chapter 15 of John’s gospel, “Apart from me, you can do nothing…My true disciples produce much fruit.  This brings great glory to my Father.”

This “fruit” — this righteous character that honors God — is not a product of our own effort, no matter now noble or lofty our intentions.   Apart from Christ’s intervention, our hearts are sinful and desperately wicked, the extent of which is hidden even from ourselves (Jeremiah 17:9).  Only as we “abide” in Christ Jesus will such “fruit” be produced.

Abiding means living in intimate relationship with Christ, being constantly aware of both our dire need and His gracious presence and provision, recognizing Christ as the true and only Source of life!  We simply yield the parts of our bodies to Him as His instruments, for His purposes, giving Him permission to live His life in and through these bodies of ours, trusting Him to be and do all that is necessary.

PONDER: Do I invest my time and spiritual energy in “producing the fruit” or in pursuing the relationship out of which the fruit will automatically grow?

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for all self-effort!  I acknowledge the only Source of a truly godly life is Your Spirit,  welling up to eternal life within me.

Tags: disciples, eternal life, intentions, Philippians, righteous, source of life
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