January 20, 2023On Monday, we learned that a friend had a stroke and was in the hospital. Please pray for Jean, who has been a great help to us in producing weekly gospel programmes for the radio ministry. Please pray for Nick, who has been hospitalized for several weeks. James wrote: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (5:16).
This week I finished reading “A Life Beyond Amazing” by Dr. David Jeremiah. In recent years I have read several of his books and have been blessed by each one. This book is one of my favourites, as Dr. Jeremiah examines the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He writes: “The abundant life is solid to the core, fruitful to the end, and amazing to experience. It is the biblical norm for God’s people. In Philippians 2:13, we read: ‘It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.’ The development of character is a joint effort by our Savior and ourselves, and it is part and parcel of the abundant life.”
Dr. Jeremiah then writes: “Why, then, are we living beneath the norm? Why is there such a gap between what Christ wants us to be and what we are? Sometimes it’s because we misunderstand the nature of salvation. Salvation is one of the Bible’s great words, but many don’t understand that the Bible presents salvation in three stages. The moment we truly receive Christ as Savior and Lord, we are instantly and eternally saved from the penalty of sin. During our Christian life spans on earth, we’re gradually being saved from the power of sin and should grow in godliness. One day in heaven, we will be saved from the very presence of sin and will be wholly glorified.”
If you are looking for a book that will help you understand God’s Word and how you can become the person that God wants you to be, I highly recommend “A Life Beyond Amazing.” Another very helpful resource is “Turning Points” magazine & devotional, which is produced monthly by Dr. Jeremiah and his staff. In the April 2022 edition, Dr. Jeremiah writes about events in the 1960s: “But there was a bright spot in 1965 – a glimmer of hope in what was a dark decade in American history. Two songwriters – lyricist Hal David and compose Burt Bacharach – wrote and released a popular song called ‘What the World Needs Now Is Love.’ Lyricist David would later admit that the strife surrounding the Vietnam War was a subtext for his song lyrics:
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some, but for everyone.”
Dr. Jeremiah continues: “The 1960s may have been one of the most difficult decades in twentieth-century America, but it hasn’t taken long for the twenty-first century to catch up. In addition to war in the Middle East, natural disasters, and epidemics, a deeper division has grown among Americans based on ideologies. Never in the nation’s history have political and ideological differences been so stark.” Canadians may think “We’re not that bad” but we face many of the same issues as Americans do. People all over the world need to have a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross and rose victorious over sin and death.
Scripture for the weekend: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV)