Isaiah 53:3 ESV
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Any of a true believer will confess their genuine outlook on God before that blessed day! Before grace was received by faith through a gift from God, we esteemed Him not. Christ Jesus was knocking at the door, but knowing who was on the other side, I dared not open. With every rap at the door my enmity toward Christ was emboldened. My conviction grew stronger, but alas, He could not be let in. For there was another in my chamber. There was another that dwelled in my sanctuary, and who I could not let the Lord see, as if I could hide my pernicious lust for the world from Him. As if He didn't know who was on the other side. But yet, He still knocked and I esteemed Him not.
I traded His sweet presence for the failing and abhorrent sins of the world because I esteemed Him not. Oh! how dreadful was my state! How brazen were my actions. Neither did I seek His council nor drink of His living word. I esteemed Him not! What a depraved state and helpless bidding I was found in. What was within me? What was worthy? I esteemed him not! I would be a fool to count my deliverance as my own. Until the very day Jesus would harken His grace upon my life and instill the faith needed to except His providential gift, I reviled the thought. How blessed do I look upon a savior who would strive for a wretch like me. I could no more resist His grace once His heavenly bidding was sealed on my heart then I could resist the sin before His heavenly commendation.
Twas Christ who redeemed me and twas Christ who called. Yes, it was Christ who saved me; though, Twas I who was appalled. Surely, it was Christ who is the victor but twas I who became ineffably richer.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Saturday, February 21, 2015
To Know Christ
Hebrews 11:6 ESV
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
He rewards those who seek Him!
The plight of a Christian is wrapped in the knowledge and understanding that we are saved through faith. This faith is established through an out pouring of Christ's love. However, why is it that we stop short with the knowledge of our saving faith gifted to us by God? "If we draw nigh to God He will draw nigh to us". As a body we have concentrated on and have been steadfast on acquainting and adhering to the doctrine of salvation while neglecting the rewards associated with knowing the fullness of Christ. I do believe and can humbly attest to the monumental difference of knowing who Christ is as a savior, and knowing who Christ is in a deep and personal sort. Oh how I have lacked the sweetness of what Jesus had to offer for so much time. His reward is not just manifested in the eternal and future hope, though this would be good enough for me, but also very much in the present, which abounds with lavish gifts that only he can provide. Oh how beautiful is the landscape of my heart and how glorious is the present to know God. To taste and see is the sweetest reward our gracious maker could ever bestow upon us. Seek His word and pray for such desires and he will give you an insatiable thirst that not even all the world's geysers could quench. Seek earnestly to commune with him in prayer and your heart will be aligned with him straighter than the consultations of the stars. Oh how glorious to know thy God. How glorious it is to see thy glory. Is there a greater reward under heaven? I know of this reward that He speaks of when we seek him, because this reward is all but self evident. There is no greater reward than to have a relationship with Christ.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
He rewards those who seek Him!
The plight of a Christian is wrapped in the knowledge and understanding that we are saved through faith. This faith is established through an out pouring of Christ's love. However, why is it that we stop short with the knowledge of our saving faith gifted to us by God? "If we draw nigh to God He will draw nigh to us". As a body we have concentrated on and have been steadfast on acquainting and adhering to the doctrine of salvation while neglecting the rewards associated with knowing the fullness of Christ. I do believe and can humbly attest to the monumental difference of knowing who Christ is as a savior, and knowing who Christ is in a deep and personal sort. Oh how I have lacked the sweetness of what Jesus had to offer for so much time. His reward is not just manifested in the eternal and future hope, though this would be good enough for me, but also very much in the present, which abounds with lavish gifts that only he can provide. Oh how beautiful is the landscape of my heart and how glorious is the present to know God. To taste and see is the sweetest reward our gracious maker could ever bestow upon us. Seek His word and pray for such desires and he will give you an insatiable thirst that not even all the world's geysers could quench. Seek earnestly to commune with him in prayer and your heart will be aligned with him straighter than the consultations of the stars. Oh how glorious to know thy God. How glorious it is to see thy glory. Is there a greater reward under heaven? I know of this reward that He speaks of when we seek him, because this reward is all but self evident. There is no greater reward than to have a relationship with Christ.
In the image of Adam
Genesis 5:3 ESV
When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
This verse shows a stark and arrant contrast between the creation of the first man (Adam) and the creation of Adam's fallen posterity. When God created Adam, He created him in their image and in their likeness. Meaning Adam was created with the image and likeness of the triune God. However, we see that Seth was made in the image and likeness of Adam. We see that Seth is fully apart of the fallen state which Adam resides. Adam had an inability to propagate anything but a offspring that could bear the likeness of his depraved state. Let us notice that contextually speaking, God clarifies the state of Adam's posterity in Genesis 5 before reading the rest of the descendants of his line, as oppose to mentioning it in Genesis four with his first two sons. This is important because it emphasises what the line of Adam represents. It gives clarity to how the genealogy of mankind got to its current state. Until we are reborn under Christ Jesus, we are of the likeness of Adam, and bear the image of Adam's fallen nature. Once we are born again, we are then reborn unto the likeness of God and bear His image.
When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
This verse shows a stark and arrant contrast between the creation of the first man (Adam) and the creation of Adam's fallen posterity. When God created Adam, He created him in their image and in their likeness. Meaning Adam was created with the image and likeness of the triune God. However, we see that Seth was made in the image and likeness of Adam. We see that Seth is fully apart of the fallen state which Adam resides. Adam had an inability to propagate anything but a offspring that could bear the likeness of his depraved state. Let us notice that contextually speaking, God clarifies the state of Adam's posterity in Genesis 5 before reading the rest of the descendants of his line, as oppose to mentioning it in Genesis four with his first two sons. This is important because it emphasises what the line of Adam represents. It gives clarity to how the genealogy of mankind got to its current state. Until we are reborn under Christ Jesus, we are of the likeness of Adam, and bear the image of Adam's fallen nature. Once we are born again, we are then reborn unto the likeness of God and bear His image.
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