Glory in the Lord

But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18)

Often, we desire to be left alone and have our own way.

We want to do our own things and make our own choices.

We don't want to be disturbed. We don't want to be controlled. 

But more often than not, when we are left alone, we make the wrong choices, go the wrong directions, and do the wrong things.

Eventually we realize that we are not that wise or smart after all.

We discover that we do need help and support.

As Christians, we have spiritual warfare to deal with.

We need spiritual weapons against evil spiritual forces.

We depend on the Word of God and the Spirit of God, if we were to win our spiritual battles.

We pray to the Lord, we hope in our God, and we glory in the Almighty.

It is God Who employ us for His glory.

Let us be His good and faith servants, and do all His biddings.

Create in me a clean heart, O God

We cannot live a day without sinning. It would be foolish of us to claim we have not sinned in our thoughts or actions for a week. The apostle John said in 1 John : "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1:8). "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" (1:10).

God knows our hearts and whether we are sensitive to the convicting power of His Holy Spirit. Our best response to God's Love is to confess our sin and our need for forgiveness. The apostle John said in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The Lord Jesus Christ had taken our sin problem upon Himself by dying in our place and rising again. Only Him can create in us a clean heart!

Create in me a clean heart, O God. (Psalm 51:10)

The Gospel Continues

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

• The Acts of the Apostles records the beginnings of the Christian church under the leadership of the people Jesus had appointed.
   
• This book can also be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit’s power supplied courage for the apostles in the face of every hardship.
   
• Just before Jesus was taken up into heaven, He told the ones He had chosen: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
   
• With those words, one chapter in the story of God’s work on earth ended.
   
• But a new one began. We are a part of that ongoing story.
   
• The book of Acts describes the faithful witness of Peter, John, Barnabas, Paul and many others during the early days of the church.
   
• These ordinary people depended on God to give them strength as they spread His Word and demonstrated His love.
   
• That story continues through us.
   
• As we trust God and obey His direction to make Jesus known, He writes through us new pages in His story of redemption.
   
• People can know true faith stories only when they see them.
   
• And we are the living testimonies of Jesus Christ.
   
• For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).