[Faith-talk] FW: [URCTCPrayerGroup2] Daily Bible Verse for 12/23

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: "chosenbygod316" <chosenbygod316 at yahoo.com>
To: URCTCPrayerGroup2 at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [URCTCPrayerGroup2] Daily Bible Verse for 12/23
Date: 
Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:48:25 -0000

Note: As Christmas is coming up lickity split, make sure you stop
(STOP!) and raise holy hands to the Lord who we celebrate at this time
and throughout the year. Hallelujah!

Wednesday, 23 December 2009

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with
the teaching about righteousness.Hebrews 5:13

As mentioned in an earlier verse, the author intentionally kept his
thoughts in the previous chapters on a level his readers could
understand because they needed "milk, not solid food." Today he tells us
that the teachings about righteousness are included in the "solid food."
In other words, we have the simple gospel which saves ?

we sinned and are condemned;
Jesus didn't and in Him is life;
He traded His life for ours;
by faith in His work we also can be saved.

This is the gospel which Paul preaches and which anyone can understand,
from a young child to an old person; from a businessman to a farmer;
from a Tibetan herdsman to a Polynesian fisherman ? all can
understand this news and be saved. But salvation is merely the first
step (or should be) in Christian maturity. From this point we should
move forward into righteousness, which leads to sanctification.
Sanctification is an on-going process whereby we are conformed to the
likeness of Christ. Eventually we will be glorified and become like Him
in a way we now can't comprehend.

Paul, in Romans, states this process in the past tense. In other words,
it's a done deal for all believers, but from our perspective it is
future -

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also
justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:30

We can come to salvation and yet stubbornly refuse to mature. This will
lead to a loss of rewards in our eternal home, but it will never affect
our salvation which comes through being justified. Nor will it hinder
our ultimate glorification. But what a loss in this life to remain on
milk when there is the glorious solid food which we can pursue through
His word! Let's pray about this ?

Lord God ? let us not squander the time You have given us from the
moment we first believed. Instead, prompt our hearts on to increasing in
the knowledge of who You are and how You have worked in human history to
restore us to You through our Lord Jesus Christ. May You be the one who
is glorified as we eagerly pursue You! Amen.