Thoughts from Pete’s Message November 6, 2015

A Christian’s Character

Forgiveness starts with grace… that undeserved undeniable gift of grace given by God because of the payment made by Jesus Christ on our behalf. To know forgiveness is to know that we were convicted and pronounced guilty before a righteous judge. However, the payment for our guilt was paid by the innocent blood of the lamb of God who taketh away our sin. For God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly. How much did God value your forgiveness? The value God places on our forgiveness from the penalty of death is the inestimable worth of the innocent blood of Jesus Christ, his only begotten son.

As a Christian, what is it that you value most? A Christian’s Value defines his character. Value means weight. What is most weighty in your life? God is committed to develop his character in me. Character according to his Word is that we may be conformed to the image of his son, Jesus Christ. If my prayer is “God help me to be the man that you created me to be,” God will develop my character to be just like Jesus. For it is God who works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure… Christ’s heart behind my heart, his eyes behind my eyes, his hands behind my hands, and his feet behind my feet.

At Gethsemane, Jesus knew his mission: to continue when everything on earth said to give up. Jesus prayed, “Lord, if there be any way, please let this cup pass from me… nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” Jesus had made the commitment to only do his Father’s will. Prayer is not to align God’s will with my will, but to align my will with God’s will. To finish well, we need the encouragement of our big brother our Lord Jesus Christ along the way. Jesus was willing to suffer a humiliating death and take upon himself the sin of the world as the perfect sacrifice for sin… he for the joy that was set before him endured the cross and is set down on the right hand of God. For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

There is a narrow gate that leads to the narrow way and few there be that find it. The journey of life proceeds through a long and winding road that God has prepared for us to walk with him. There are many pitfalls along the way. The pitfalls in life show us that we cannot make it on our own. We cannot be crucified apart from him. For those who live for the things of this world are unworthy to be his disciples, his disciplined followers. The first of the ten commandments is “thou shalt have no other gods between God’s face and my face.” Those who live intimately in God’s presence are those who come to him with total abandonment and absolute trust. We must give up the rights to our selfish self that we may be made the righteousness of God in Christ. As the apostle Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me. After Paul had prayed three times for God to remove Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” God finally said to Paul, “my grace is sufficient for thee.”

Success in God’s eyes is the exact opposite of success in the world’s eyes. Jesus said, he who finds his life shall lose it for my sake. He also said blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, and those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Only when men of God have the heart attitudes of the “beatitudes” can they rejoice and be exceeding glad… for great is their reward in heaven. Jesus said, “a new commandment give I you, that ye love one another.” Like Jesus, who washed his disciples’ feet, we need to wash each other’s feet to cleanse ourselves as we walk upon the journey of this life.

Our culture has lost its value founded upon the Word of God and the original intent of the Constitution. In losing its value, America has lost her character. God has called us as his remnant, who are worthy (valuable) to be called his sons because of the righteous worthy payment (value) of his dear son. He has called us to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Therefore let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven… for it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure.

May God richly bless you.
Your brother in Christ,

Michael