Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Foundry Publishing of The Global Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "United In Christ" by Stephanie Malcolm for Saturday, 17 November 2018 RG111718 1 John 5:1-12

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Foundry Publishing of The Global Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "United In Christ" by Stephanie Malcolm for Saturday, 17 November 2018 RG111718 1 John 5:1-12
1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Yeshua is the Messiah has God as his father, and everyone who loves a father loves his offspring too. 2 Here is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God, we also do what he commands. 3 For loving God means obeying his commands. Moreover, his commands are not burdensome, 4 because everything which has God as its Father overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust. 5 Who does overcome the world if not the person who believes that Yeshua is the Son of God?
6 He is the one who came by means of water and blood, Yeshua the Messiah — not with water only, but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 There are three witnesses — 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood — and these three are in agreement. 9 If we accept human witness, God’s witness is stronger, because it is the witness which God has given about his Son. 10 Those who keep trusting in the Son of God have this witness in them. Those who do not keep trusting God have made him out to be a liar, because they have not trusted in the witness which God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the witness: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Those who have the Son have the life; those who do not have the Son of God do not have the life. (Complete Jewish Bible).
because everything which has God as its Father overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust. (1 John 5:4).
***
Many try to argue that there is more than one way to God. While it is true that God’s prevenient grace can allow unbelievers to do good, there is only one way to God: Jesus. The victory that comes in our lives is through our faith in Jesus and our continued obedience to him.
It is through the blood of Christ that we are saved, our sins are forgiven, and we are sanctified. Holy living can only happen through our continued surrender to Christ. Our surrender allows Christ to give us the strength to be transformed into the image of God in order that we may participate in God’s redemption of the world.
This surrender causes us to see the world with new eyes. It allows us to put aside the things that separate us (culture, gender, economic status, political beliefs, and so on) and become one in the Body of Christ. It is through this unity of faith that God uses us to transform his world into his image. May we all go forth United in Christ to love and serve the world.
Hymn for Today: "Faith is the Victory" by John H. Yates
1. Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise,
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
Refrain:
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory,
That overcomes the world.
2. His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God;
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field;
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
Refrain:
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory,
That overcomes the world.
3. On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array;
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.
Refrain:
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory,
That overcomes the world.
4. To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv’n;
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in heav’n.
Then onward from the hills of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conqu’ring name.
Refrain:
Faith is the victory!
Faith is the victory!
Oh, glorious victory,
That overcomes the world.
Thought for Today: He said to them, “Because you have such little trust! Yes! I tell you that if you have trust as tiny as a mustard seed, you will be able to say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there!’ and it will move; indeed, nothing will be impossible for you!” (Matthew 17:20b)
Please pray: For the protection of volunteers who travel to minister within Mesoamerica .
***