When The Door Slams
The grace or our Lord [His amazing, unmerited favor and blessing] flowed out in superabundance [for me, together] with the faith and love which are [realized] in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost. 1 Timothy 1:14-15 AMP
Paul was not just acting humble when he declared that he was the worst of sinners. He never forgot that, in his blind zeal for Jewish religious traditions, he had arrested and tortured numerous Christians and urged that they be killed. Looking back on his crimes years later, he bluntly stated that any righteousness he once thought he had, now realized was "rubbish' (Philippians 3:8 NKJV).
Why did God choose such a violent sinner for one of His leading apostles? Paul explained that God wanted to show by his example that there was no person so vile or sinful that He could not redeem them (1 Timothy 1:16). You might also ask why God chose Peter as a leading apostle after Peter cursed and swore that he didn't even know Jesus (Matthew 26:69-74). Again, the Lord wanted someone presenting His Gospel who knew that he was unworthy, who was convinced that he, and others, could only be saved by God's grace.
However, sometimes after you have been serving the Lord for a few years, have cleaned up your life, and have overcome several bad habits, you can forget what a bad state of mind you were in. You can begin to think you are quite righteous and can even start to believe that you are good enough to make it on your own. But think for a moment about the life Jesus saved you from, and remind yourself that it was by grace you were saved, not by your own goodness (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Think about this: Jesus made it clear to His disciples: they should pray always. So should we. Heartfelt prayer produces powerful changes in us and in our world. When we lift our hearts to our Father in heaven, we open ourselves to a never-ending source of divine wisdom.
Do you have questions about your future that you simply can't answer? Ask for guidance of your heavenly Father. Do you sincerely seek to know God's purpose for your life? Then ask Jesus for direction-and keep asking Him every day that you live. Whatever your need is, no matter how great or small, pray about it and never lose hope. Jesus is not just near; Jesus is here, and the Lord God is ready to talk with you right now.
Petition: By God's grace I want to live to the end in faith, knowing that I will not receive the promise on earth, but seeing them and welcoming then from a distance, I confess that I am a stranger and a pilgrim on the earth. Instead, I long for a better country, a heavenly one. In this way, God will not be ashamed to be called my God, for He has prepared a city for me. Like Moses, may I esteem reproach for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of this world, because I am looking to the reward (Hebrews 11:13,16,20 NASB)
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Never Rest Ministries
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