Friday 27 September 2013

Read: Ecclesiastes 3:14, Romans 9:28-39

Do you know anyone who regularly decides that they are going to go on a diet and about 3 days later the diet is totally ruined? What about someone who often resolves that they are going to do more exercise? Not even a week later they are back onto the same old routine as before. Do you make resolutions like this only to break them after only a few days?

Imagine for a moment what the world would be like if God was like this. Imagine if, after creating the world, He decided to move onto another project after a few days, leaving the Earth to decay. Imagine if, after making a covenant with the people of Israel at Mt Sinai God decided to not hold up His end of the bargain after only a week or two. Imagine if Jesus had lost His resolve during his 30+ year mission on Earth. What would this world be like?

Thankfully God is not like this. Solomon assures us of God's unchanging nature in today's passage. God does not decide things on a whim. Instead everything that He does endures forever. Solomon emphasises this by saying that nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. There is nothing that man could do to frustrate or to change the plans of God and God promises us that He will not change His mind.

This should give us incredible assurance regarding our salvation. Think about it for a moment. God is the one who chooses (predestines) us that we might know Him. God is the one who does the work of justification through Christ on the cross. God is the one who gives us faith in Him through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. God is the one who sanctifies us and works in us as we strive for holiness. The entire work of salvation is done by God alone.

If our salvation depends not on our own merits or our choice of God but rather His choice of us and His salvation given to us, then we can know that our salvation in Him is as firm and unshakeable as our unchanging God Himself!

That is what Paul is reminding us of in Romans 8. Nothing can separate us from Christ and His love for us! NOTHING! If we are saved through faith in Christ we can be absolutely, 1,000% sure of the love of God for us through Him. Today, rest in the love of Christ for you and the assurance of salvation from an unchanging God.

Prayer: Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

ª Pray for the elders of your church. Pray that God would give them wisdom and guidance as they seek to lead the church. Pray that they would be encouraged in their work and that God would continue to grow them in their love for Him. Pray that they might teach the Word faithfully and be growing in passion for those who are lost.

 ª Pray for Jim and Faye Lyons and their ministry to children and parents through Straight Talk Australia. Pray that God would strengthen and encourage them in their work and that He would open many opportunities for them to share God's good plan for sexuality. Pray that God would go before them to prepare hearts and that many lives would be impacted by their teaching.

My Additional Prayer Points.

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