Kept by God’s Power

 

The Bible tells me to “take the helmet of salvation” and use the truths of the gospel to protect me from the lies of the devil. He uses many ways to cause doubts.

For instance, when I’ve disobeyed God in some way, he put these thoughts in my head: “You are not a Christian. Why would God save you anyway? You don’t deserve His mercy. You’re not good enough. How presumptuous to think God could ever use you!” As MacArthur says, these doubts are common when I focus on my performance rather than on God’s power. This is not only an error in thinking but idolatry — worshiping myself as the one who keeps me good. If that were true, I would not need Jesus.

Today’s devotional warns about the folly of being quick to acknowledge God’s power to save me but slow to rely on His power to keep me. This can result in thinking salvation can be lost, and living in fear of falling away. It can also result in self-effort to the point of losing sight of grace and falling into a works-righteousness mentality something like that of the Pharisees.

MacArthur says, and I agree, that my performance doesn’t determine my standing in Christ; my standing in Christ determines my performance. God created me to do good works, but saving and keeping me is God’s work.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8–10)

Nothing could be clearer. He does the saving so that I can walk in ways that please Him. And with Jude, I can say:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)

In this passage, “able” speaks of His power and “keep” about being guarded, held secure in the midst of an attack. “Stumbling” is about falling into sin and ruin. This is what God saved me from — not for. It is His work and His power that keep me. No matter how intense Satan’s attacks might be, Jesus lives to protect and cleanse me  until that day I see Him face-to-face and will be like Him. In the meantime:

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . . . . My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 1:7–9; 2:1–6)

PRAY: Jesus, the truths of the gospel are my helmet. You gave it to protect me from the Liar’s attempts to have me believe something other than You saved me and keep me. It is in knowing You that I can obey You. You are at work in my life. You keep me in Your care. I could not save myself. Without You, I cannot keep myself, but I am never ‘without’ You for You promise to never leave me or forsake me. I am Your child and I praise You for Your saving and keeping work and for all that You do in my life.

PONDER: Jude 24–25 and continually bless and worship my only God and Savior who keeps me and will present me blameless in the presence of His glory with great joy.

 

Weakness is not a horrible thing . . .

 

Life offers occasions when helplessness is obvious. Aging is part of it along with lack of sleep, exercise, or inexperience. Few relish being weak, at least not like Paul did.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)

He knew how to live with that helplessness that realizes ‘I cannot do this’ without Christ. Compared to Paul, I’ve had only a taste of what Jesus will do when I admit to Him that I am unable. Right now, the issue is prayer.

I determined to pray more and found out how impossible that goal is without the power of God. These past few weeks have had more distractions, interruptions, excuses, and feelings of ‘I don’t want to’ than any time in my life. It is affecting me in odd ways. For instance, I usually sleep extremely well, but last night could not. Nor could I pray. I felt helpless, frustrated, even angry but with no reasons or explanations. This morning’s devotions offer this:

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9–11)

Did Paul ever feel that his efforts were worthless or that his life was too far below par to receive answers? Did his focus mess with his confidence instead of staying on the glory of God? He never wavered from God’s words to Ananias at his conversion: “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ ” (Acts 9:15–16)

Paul’s persistence makes me wonder if I will ever ‘grow up’ and fulfill that desire to pray without ceasing. Sometimes I wonder if my prayers even matter. However, a 98-year-old woman on my prayer list recently professed faith after years of loudly saying no to God. A family member is now sharing the gospel after a long time of not walking with Jesus. A man whose wife was planning his funeral last week is well and leaving the hospital. All because of prayer.

World events and massive loss of life is beyond me, as is the evil such as moms murdering their babies, families training their children to steal, stuff too awful to put in print. Like many, I often wonder where is God?

Then those verses from Philippians tell me to love with knowledge and discernment, pursue excellence, be pure and blameless, and I feel helpless in this world of ignorant cluelessness. Most seem content with mediocrity at best and pursuing evil at worst. Does the entire world deny Jesus Christ and totally ignore God? Many days I feel trampled by the herd rushing to get through that wide gate that leads to destruction.

MacArthur says, “Being blameless isn’t easy in a world that unashamedly flaunts its sinful practices. You must guard against losing your sensitivity to the heinousness of sin and unwittingly beginning to tolerate or even accept the sin that once shocked you . . . Diligently pursue integrity with a view toward glorifying Christ in all things until He returns.”

Then he points to this, and I am encouraged:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)

Lord, You do not ask me to live for You in weakness but because of my weakness. I stumble; You pick up. I falter; You are my righteousness. I feel stressed and You grant joy. You tell me to guard my heart, but I cannot — You are my Savior, the strength of my heart and my portion forever. I am a mere and messy mortal who must pray about everything, bring my concerns to You and experience Your peace — and sometimes experience great surprises. If I am to be a person of integrity who is effective for You, it is only because of You and Your grace.

READ: Romans 7 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 again. Consider Paul’s conclusion about being helpless.