Acts 15:9 ~ "Purified their hearts by faith." Here are two gifts of God that cannot be separated. We are offered both: justification and sanctification.
Justification is by our faith. May our Great Searcher find faith in our hearts of which He approves----there are so many, many opinions but only His counts.
Sanctification is by the Spirit. May our Great Advocate attest to our faith by His Seal of approval.
Praise God that our consciences are purified from the guilt of our sin. Past guilt. Present guilt. Future guilt. No one can lay a burden on us like they are doing in these verses. Our hearts and consciences can be purified from the guilt of any and every sin, and we can be free. No small dissension here. Paul & Barnabas show that the Gospel is pure gift to those called by His Name.
May our hearts be circumcised.
ReplyDeleteDeut.30:6
And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
Annette, I read your question the other day about praying for God's best. I do that sometimes, not because I think God can do less than BEST, but because of this.
ReplyDeleteI myself have prayed for things specifically...with my own human mind and all of it's limitations. Then I ask for God's BEST to be done. Not my hopes, or my desires, but His BEST.
I limit myself and my ability to ask, knowing that He alone knows what is best.
I'm not sure why your friend prays that way. Hopefully, she visualizes God as having the best plan trumping her own limited prayer request.
Blessings on the wedding! That is a divine fashion moment when the first dress is the one you buy! Thanking Him for this and knowing in it's simplicity how much He had to give for you to receive this.
Isn't that amazing how all the details have to come together by His Hand in order for us to receive even the simplest blessings...He is God. Our God...
Angie, just saying hello and hope God is pursuing your precious heart as He woos you with His Word.
Sisters, stay in the Word this summer!
Your words help clarify, Deborah. I'm sure my friend meant it like you are describing--not her idea of what should happen, but God's better plan is her prayer. I just got off on a tangent, I think, wondering how God's best would be different from what He would ever do. I appreciate you taking the time to explain your motive in that prayer.
ReplyDeleteAs I read today's reading, I am loving seeing how the Christians worked out their differences, and am awed at the Holy Spirit's wisdom given to their words, to get back on track, to not burden with man's trappings of religiosity. There was unity and agreement and they listened. We could all take a lesson from how to handle conflict in the church here!
Hope everyone is having a happy summer. I miss hearing from you all. Thank you, Bev for your faithfulness each day. It makes my day to come by here and be in the Word, realigning my heart.
Love you, Pearls.
Twinkle, I tried to call you on the Fourth but couldn't get through. Can you text me your number? 817.915.6769. My cell is currently broken and I should have a new phone by tomorrow or Saturday.
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