DN DRAWING NEAR 1/27/2008
- From: Peter G. Chase <pchase@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:02:37 -0500
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DRAWING NEAR
January 27
Trusting in God's Power
"I pray that . . . you might know . . . the surpassing greatness
of [God's] power toward us who believe" (Eph. 1:19).
The same divine power that created, sustains, and controls the
universe secures your salvation.
God's power is awesome! David wrote, "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness
and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed
everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Thine is the
dominion, O Lord, and Thou dost exalt Thyself as head over all. Both
riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in
Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great,
and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee,
and praise Thy glorious name" (1 Chron. 29:11-13).
In Ephesians 1:19 Paul focuses on one key feature of God's power: His
ability to secure the salvation of His people. And he prayed for you
to understand the surpassing greatness of that truth.
The Greek word translated "power" is dunamis, from which we get
dynamite and dynamo. It is active, dynamic, and compelling--and it is
mightily at work on your behalf. You might not always sense it but
it's there nonetheless.
Peter expresses the same thought in 1 Peter 1:5, where he says you
are protected by the power of God through your faith in Christ. In
that verse "protected" means "to keep" or "guard" and reflects
Peter's confidence that salvation is inviolable.
The same limitless power that created, sustains, and controls the
universe saved you and keeps you saved. That's why Jesus said no one
can snatch you out of the Father's hand (John 10:29). Not even Satan
has the power to do that. Paul confidently added that nothing
therefore can separate you from God's love (Rom. 8:38-39). That's the
confidence you should live by each day.
Suggestions for Prayer:
1. Pray for greater spiritual enlightenment and a clearer
understanding of your security in Christ.
2. Nothing will rob you of your assurance quicker than unconfessed
sin. If that has happened to you, confess it immediately and turn
from it. Then ask God to restore to you the joy of your salvation.
For Further Study:
Read 1 Chronicles 29:11-13
1. What prerogatives did David attribute to God (vv. 11- 12)?
2. What was David's response to God's power (v. 13)?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
1 Chronicles 29:11-13
11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The
victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is
Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over
all.
12 Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In
Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to
give strength to all.
13 "Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious
name.
I am so grateful that my salvation is secure in Christ and not in
myself. If it were up to me, I could not keep myself saved for one
minute, not even one second. Jesus is the One who began our
salvation, and He is the one who keeps us saved.
John 17:12
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those
whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son
of perdition [Judas], that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
John 10:27-29
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no
one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not
fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready
to be revealed in the last time.
John 6:37-40
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who
comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the
will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has
given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last
day.
40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees
the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will
raise him up at the last day.
Jude :24-25
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present
you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Philippians 1:2-6 (especially verse 6)
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with
joy,
5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good
work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
It is Jesus who keeps us saved, not we ourselves. This is not an
excuse or invitation to sin; God deals with us as children to give us
correction when we need it (Hebrews 12:5-11; Romans 6:1-2). Jesus has
saved us to a new life, one that is completely different from the old
one. He has begun a good work in us; He will complete it. It is
Jesus' power which keeps us saved; it is the ongoing power of His
sacrifice on the cross which keeps us saved.
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@xxxxxxx
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase@xxxxxxxxxx
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/
There is a living God. He has spoken in His word. He means just what he says, and will do all that He has promised. - Hudson Taylor
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