TODAY’S DEVOTION (FRIDAY 28TH April 2023)
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 118TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF SIGNS & WONDERS!
It has been God’s amazing power and pardon in our lives all these days. Pardon for repented sins, and power to live right, will remain one of the grace resources in God’s kingdom until the church enter into perfection.
The same resources have been helping us to sleep and wake up each day. It has also been helping us to run against the troops of the enemy, and skip over the walls of life he raises from time to time to resist us.
God has remained our ever-present help in time of trouble. One way He have been so is through the revelation of life-giving truths He sends to us daily on this platform.
We have seen Bible mysteries on doctrine, and many of us have been instructed. We have shared redemptive truths on the terrible cost of false doctrines (doctrines of devils and all forms of man-made doctrines) on our lives as believers. If we will make Heaven, we must make the issue of doctrine a major issue.
Believers must learn to check the doctrines, we preachers preach and the ones we live, else many will become victims of deceiving spirits. The Bible says;
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1-3 NKJV
This scripture is clear on what we have been sharing. It is the doctrine that exist in the innermost part of a man’s heart that will be responsible for his eternal destiny. We have seen all that since we kick started this journey of truth. That is why the Bible admonishes that we do not associate with anyone who does not hold or bring to us the doctrine of Christ. It says we should not even eat with them. That is how serious it is!
Recently we have been looking at the doctrine of Christ on eternal life. You cannot consider matters of eternal life without considering God’s grace – the very force that brought eternal life to mankind.
THE WARFARE FOR OUR SOULS IS INTENSE. GRACE IS WHAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE ENEMY TO HAVE US ON HIS TABLE.
That grace of our LORD and savior Jesus Christ that appeared unto all men, teaching us to deny ungodliness, and worldly lust, and stirring us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, is the reason why many of us will make Heaven.
It may interest you to know that the content of this devotionals has been a work of grace. Every work of grace will stir men to deny ungodliness and worldly lust. It will build men and women to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, KING of kings and LORD of lords.
Our devotional text says,
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
The ultimate vision of the work of God’s grace remains to grant us eternal life by bringing salvation to us. Salvation means deliverance. It is to bring eternal life to us by delivering us from every lawless deed and purifying our hearts for the LORD, so that we can be His own special people.
That is why when you sit under an authentic grace, you will discover that grace delivers our souls from lawless deeds, and purifies our spirits from all forms of spiritual impurities and defilements, making it impossible for one to continue living a life of sin.
GRACE IS THE ONLY FORCE IN GOD’S KINGDOM THAT BRING SALVATION FROM SIN, INIQUITY AND TRESPASS.
It is a catalyst of eternal life. That is why it teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust. Yes, that is why it teaches us to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age, looking for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. It makes us shrink from sin and evil deeds by making us zealous FOR GOOD WORKS (righteous deeds).
One of the major revelations of the doctrine of Grace that Christ Himself demonstrated, was in the story of the woman that was caught in Adultery. Under the doctrine, God’s grace is full of truth.
It is a mixture of the favor of God that releases His pardon for sin, and protection from its consequences in one hand, and the truth that releases His admonition and power to go and sin no more, in the other.
It is not a covering for sins and a permit to keep sinning. That was why Jesus said to the woman, “neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more” (John 8:11); The classic Edition of the Amplified version of our devotional text, presents this doctrine of Christ on grace, this way;
“For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind.
It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world,
Awaiting and looking for the [fulfillment, the realization of our] blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people [to be peculiarly His own, people who are] eager and enthusiastic about [living a life that is good and filled with] beneficial deeds.” Titus 2:11-14 AMPC
I CONSIDER THIS BIBLE PORTION AS THE MAIN THRUST OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST ON GRACE.
There is so much truth of what the doctrine of Christ says about grace in this one scriptural text, coming to us in another light or rendering. Same truth, but much more explained and expounded.
The first thing we get here is that, the grace of God is God’s unmerited favor and blessing that is released for the eternal salvation of all mankind. Eternal salvation is achieved by the deliverance from sin that grace (God’s unmerited favor and blessing) evokes.
The next thing we get here is, the grace of GOD is a training facility in the realm of the Spirit that trains us to reject and renounce all forms of ungodliness, irreligion, carnal passions and desires. It helps us to achieve eternal life by empowering us to live discreet, temperate, self-controlled, upright, devout, and spiritually whole lives.
That means God’s grace will never leave a man comfortable with a life of sin. It will never leave one comfortable with a life that is not in line with GOD’s will on any issue or aspect of life. It will make our hearts skip in conviction whenever we follow a path that is not in alignment with GOD’s ways.
It has a way of working in our hearts, to live like the Pilgrims that we are on earth, by making the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, our blessed and most ultimate hope. It helps us to lead a Christian life that looks for the city which has foundation, whose maker and builder is GOD.
Wherever the true grace of God is at work, you do not just see miracles, signs and wonders, but the rise of a people who have been delivered from iniquity and purified for the LORD by the LORD, to be a peculiar people who are eager and enthusiastic about living a godly life. When you are therefore under a genuine grace of GOD, you will be eternally relevant; you will be setting your mind on eternal things.
Any grace therefore, that gives you miracles signs and wonders, but is not delivering you from lawless deeds and purifying you for the coming of the LORD, by making you zealous for good works, is a counterfeit grace. The problem we have today in the church, that is producing false doctrines and allowing the doctrines of demons to thrive, is a grace that is not true; a counterfeit grace that people are even told to sow a seed to tap into.
BUT YOU DO NOT TAP INTO A TRUE GRACE OF GOD WITH MONEY.
Here is the divine response of God to all preachers who preach that, and all those who think, or try to relate with God that way. It says;
“Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Acts 8:20-23 NKJV
The Bible made it clear that it is wickedness to even think that you can tap into GOD’s grace with a sacrificial offering. It is a sign that one is poisoned by an unclean thing and need repentance because they have no part in God’s kingdom.
That tells us that preachers who teach that you sow a seed to tap or unlock God’s grace, are not part of God’s kingdom as they present themselves. You see, anyone who calls himself or herself servant of God, and is not teaching what is fitting and becoming of sound doctrine, will ruin so many.
So many have been ruined by this tap-into-grace thing. Preachers seems quick at teaching things that brings money, even when they are not fitting to sound doctrine. I think those of us in ministry should make the book of Titus part of our manual for ministry.
Paul wrote to Titus saying;
“But [as for] you, teach what is fitting and becoming to sound (wholesome) doctrine [the character and right living that identify true Christians].” Titus 2:1 AMPC
As we bring this to a close, I want to submit to you that you will never be a true Christian if you are not under the true grace of God. You will never spend eternity with Christ if God’s true grace is not working in your life. No work of grace in a man’s heart, no eternity for that man. The doctrine of Christ on God’s grace must be respected for eternal life with Christ to be possible.
It is my prayer that God will use this word to build us up and give us an inheritance among those who are sanctified.
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY!
“And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honour, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.
John testified about Him and cried out, this was He of Whom I said, He Who comes after me has priority over me, for He was before me. [He takes rank above me, for He existed before I did. He has advanced before me, because He is my Chief.]
For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.
For while the Law was given through Moses, grace ([unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:14-17 AMPC