by Jesse Abel
Meditate on this!
Ever
have to face the thought of denying Jesus? What would you do? From a
shallow platform of thought, we might boldly say. NO! Never would I do
this. Even when restored to fellowship with Jesus, Peter is still
concerned about current events. John 20:15-23. If you love Jesus, feed His sheep, there is little else that matters. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
The
source: The Martyrs Mirror. The date: AD 164. The persecutor; Emperor
Antonius Pius, the martyrs; Felicitas and her seven sons; Januarius
beaten to death with cords and ropes with metal attached. Felix and
Philippus beaten to death with iron rods, Sylvanius was thrown off a
precipice, Alexander, Vitalis and Martialis were beheaded. Felicitas was
made to watch the death of her sons, and then four months later was her
self executed. Felicitas was well respected in her neighborhood, as
were her sons. Pius decided to turn her and her sons over to Publius the
chief magistrate of Rome who knew her. Publius invited the family to
his home and offered compliments and promises; but if refused his gifts
they would be put to death. All they needed to do would be to deny or
recant their faith in Jesus Christ. Felicitas responded: I am neither
moved by your flatteries and entreaties, nor am I intimidated by your
threats; for I experience in my heart the working of the Holy Spirit,
who gives me living power and prepares me for the conflict of suffering
to endure all that you may lay upon me for the confession of my faith.
She then turned to her sons and encouraged them to remain steadfast in
faith and in the LORD. You already know the rest of the story! Life more
abundant is provided by God the Father, realized by every believer of
Jesus and experienced by the outworking of the Holy Spirit in faith. John 10:7-18 and Acts 7:54-60. Don’t leave home without HIM! (The Most High, the Incarnate and the Mediator)
James 4
James 4:6
– If you are a believer in Jesus Christ in accordance with biblical
truth then you enjoy the grace of God and if you respond to God by some
other effort then you resist His grace, meaning simply that the grace
offered to you is all that you get and that you are not experiencing
“more grace” in other words, you are like the person who received one
talent and buried it. Matthew 25:15-30 since selfishness buries or hides the humble heart and reveals the resistance of a heart of pride.
James 4:7-9
– What a wonderful passage of Scripture… I love the Word of God and
when I read passages like this it does not take long before tears of
guilt run out of one eye and tears of joy run out of the other. (Ever
have that happen?) Well if not you should try it; God resists the proud
but give grace to the humble, this is not complicated. On one side of
the coin we say; “Oh Father, how I have failed You”, then on the other
side; He says, “this gloom of yours, I will turn to joy!” Isn’t that
awesome!
Draw
near to God and He will draw near to you. What a promise and when it is
fulfilled in your repented heart the devil will flee from you like a
bolt of lightning, Luke 10:17-20;
now I have used this passage recently, but notice again today… if you
have (and I know you do) have trouble with the serpents and scorpions of
life and if you have trouble with the enemy of your soul and you do.
Rejoice! Not because God has given you power over the devil, which you
have by the Father’s “more grace” but rejoice because of this precious
truth. Your name is written in heaven, in the LAMB’s Book of Life. Revelation 21:27
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